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Broken Tablets and Whole Tablets

8/19/2012

 
Today is a day for remembering the ways in which we are broken and the ways in which we are made whole. Today is a day to begin the process of taking stock of ourselves.

Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the first day of the Hebrew month of Elul. Traditionally, the month of Elul is the beginning of the period of t'shuvah (repentance) that reaches its climax on Yom Kippur, thirty-eight days from today. (But whose counting?).

In traditional Jewish reckoning, yesterday was the anniversary of the day that Moses returned from the summit of Mount Sinai, where he had pleaded with God for forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf and for shattering the first tablets of the Ten Commandments. God forgave us and today is the anniversary of the day that Moses went back up Mount Sinai to receive the second set of tablets.
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In some sense, we are in the same fix that Moses was in. We, too, have to ascend the heights to ask God for forgiveness. We, too, have broken what God has given us—our very lives—and we have to find some way of making things whole again.

The month of Elul is the period for examining the pieces of our lives, looking at what we have done, considering how we could do better, and making ourselves ready for Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally, the Shofar is sounded in the synagogue, beginning today and throughout the month of Elul, to wake us up to face the task.

There is a promise, though, that goes with this period. If we are willing to make the trip up the slopes of the mountain, we will receive a fresh start. If we are willing to face our lives with honesty and courage, we are promised that we will be made whole. We will be as good as new.

Better, really. 

Our tradition teaches that both the whole tablets and the broken tablets were kept in the Ark of the Covenant that the Israelites carried through the wilderness. The broken tablets were not kept to remind us of our shame, though. Rather, the broken tablets are a reminder of the possibility of repair. 

In whatever ways we feel ourselves to be broken, we should know that repair is always possible. As Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav taught, "If you believe that it is possible to destroy, you must also believe that it is possible to repair." Keeping the memory of our brokenness strengthens us to pursue life with courage and conviction. We know that the things within us that are broken can always be made whole.

Rosh chodesh tov. May you have a good new month.


Other Posts on This Topic:
Repairing Everything in an Instant
Shabbat HaChodesh: The Death of Little Things
Susan Le Gresley
8/20/2012 07:35:05 am

I have always pondered over God giving the Tablets twice. Moses was commended for breaking the first ones I understand, as I guess the people weren't ready for the first version. The second were obviously more relevent to the needs of the people. Also to God's needs and purpose.

I feel very reassured that God revises things for us when the opportunity arises. It's reconcilliation with ourselves that is a barrier that distances us from God, however the more we are reconciled to God the more we are reconciled ourselves.

I always get the feeling God is never in a hurry to judge anyone from the reading about the blessing of the second tablets being given to Moses. It's often us who put ourselves in the place of guilt, and causes us to judge others with our degree of shame in the place of what we know we did not do well.

Forgiving ourselves as God forgives us is a mighty challenge.

Reb Jeff link
8/21/2012 03:32:00 am

Amen.

Jewish tradition is not unanimous on why Moses broke the first set of tablets. There are commentaries that argue that he did it for the sake of Israel and other commentaries that say he did it out of anger. (Some say both are true.)

I agree that self-forgiveness is often a more difficult challenge than forgiving others.


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