RH 5781 | Break. Breathe. Push.
In the Jewish tradition, we don’t say mazel tov or “Congratulations!”
when we learn that someone is pregnant.
And there’s a reason for that.
We recognize that there is still a lot of uncertainty
and potential for loss between pregnancy and birth.
Instead, we say b’sha’ah tovah: “In good time.”
Hayom Harat Olam
“Today the world is pregnant,
Now that feels like a truer translation
for this Rosh Hashanah, 5781.
We’re not yet feeling the joy and celebration of a “birth day”
but rather, perhaps, the cautious optimism that this new year is pregnant
with possibilities for new life and blessing.
Our city, our nation, our entire world,
is in the throes of some serious contractions—
Protests and riots, hurricanes and wildfires,
and a persistent, insistent virus that has shuttered businesses
and taken nearly a million lives.
We despair because it feels like
everything around us is dying—
our economy, our democracy, our planet.
But I believe
that the pain and convulsions we are feeling
are not the last shudders of death and demise,
but the labor pains of a new world,
longing to be born.
Take our beloved New York City—
the waves of this pandemic have exposed so much brokenness:
devastating inequities in healthcare,
and childcare
and education.
We see increasing homelessness, closer to home than ever,
testing the compassion of neighborhoods.
But in truth: these are not new problems.
These injustices existed long before the pandemic,
only now we are forced to really see them.
And you can’t fix something until you acknowledge it is broken.
Instead of despairing—
we must recognize this pain for what it is—
the first, necessary step for our city’s rebirth.
Because every birth begins with a breaking.
————
Think of the times before that our city was broken—
After the New York Stock Exchange crashed in the 30’s
And near bankruptcy in the 70’s
And our Twin Towers falling on 9/11—
each time, people declared this city “Dead.”
But New Yorkers looked directly at the brokenness,
and we faced it.
We took a deep breath.
And remembered who we were.
Then we found our grit and we pushed forward.
And out of those dark chapters, our city was reborn,
stronger than ever.
And now we are here once more.
These past six months have been hell
and we are only certain
that there is still more uncertainty ahead…
But Jewish tradition teaches us:
We know how to do this. We have been here before.
Our tradition is midwifing us — holding and coaching us —-
through this latest crisis with these 3 ancient instructions:
BREAK. BREATHE. PUSH.
Hayom Harat Olam
Make today the World’s Birthday.
Not just another birthday—but the day of the world’s BIRTH.
This holiday urges us forward,
even when we’re not sure we have the strength—
believe that you do.
BREAK. BREATHE. PUSH.
Because this new world must be born.
B’Sha’ah Tova
In good time.
