Torah Study Blog

Led this week by Rabbi Janet Roberts

The holiday of Selichot was observed Saturday night, September 21. While leading up to the High Holidays, Selichot is an opportunity for the congregation to chant prayers asking for God’s mercy. In biblical times, this was an opportunity to remind God of the deliverance he provided for our ancestors, and to request that he, similarly, look out for us. Of critical importance in those times would have been the request for rain.

The chanted Selichot prayer specifically mentions the heroes of the Bible. The opening line translates to, “May the One who answered Abraham our father on Mount Moriah, answer us.” As a reminder, Mount Moriah is the location of the binding of Isaac, when Abraham’s devotion to God was tested. Abraham was instructed by God to take his son, Isaac, and offer him as a burnt offering to God. This heartbreaking story is told in stoic sparseness as Isaac questions his father about what is happening, but Abraham follows God’s orders by binding Isaac, laying him on the wood, and preparing to sacrifice him. At the last minute, an angel appeared and told Abraham not to sacrifice his son, but to sacrifice a ram instead - which has suddenly materialized nearby.

Rabbi Roberts pointed out to us that the prayer on Selichot specifically says, “May the One who answered Abraham...” But in the biblical story, Abraham never actually asked God for anything! The prayer, officially called a piyyutim, dates back to ancient times in Israel. Rabbi Roberts mentioned that these prayers are in the form of poetry and were likely sung, possibly unrelated to Temple activity. These were songs sung throughout the community to petition God to take care of us. Over the years, these songs became part of the standard liturgy - Adom Olam and Aveinu Malkeinu are excellent examples of piyyutim that have been preserved.

While we in the Reform community chant this prayer before the High Holidays, people in Orthodox communities, who worship everyday, chant the prayer daily. By saying, “answer us” people acknowledge that God may intervene and there is a possibility that we can be saved. However, there

are no guarantees. We are just hoping that God will remember us in our time of need, as he did our ancestors.

Whenever there is a difficult time in someone’s life, the impulse is to call on God. This type of prayer can help us through rough times. Our ancestors persevered through some horrible times, yet the Jewish community continues. We are still here!

This approach to prayer, and to bad things in our lives, also serves to lift the fault off God. It would be hard to worship a malevolent God who was so cruel and nasty and made bad things happen to us. It is easier to worship a God who might choose to intervene on our behalf. But, if he doesn’t, perhaps it is because of our own misbehavior. Our religion puts the emphasis on self-reflection.

How we pray does not have to be just words. We have the ancient songs and liturgy in order to try to get God’s attention and hope that he remembers us. And, on the High Holidays, we also have the shofar. We think of the blowing of the shofar as a loud noise meant to awaken us to better behavior in the New Year. But, perhaps, the blowing of the shofar is also a way to awaken God and to say to him, “Don’t forget about us!”

Rabbi Roberts hopes that, whatever form your prayers take, they be meaningful.

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misquotes or misunderstandings in what Rabbi Roberts taught us are the responsibility of Tara Keiter