Transforming the Severity of Life

Last week I participated in a teleconference from my professional union, the Rabbinical Assembly, about the new mahzor (high holiday prayerbook) which will be out next year but has drafts for us. I am going to compose a series of short blogs based on some of the teachings we shared in the new volume.

I've always been moved by Unataneh Tokef ("Who shall live and who shall die') with its metaphor of the "Book of Life." I've always felt the hope of the keynote line "but teshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah maaveerin et roa hagezayrah." But repentance, prayer and righteousness can avert the severity of the decree.
The new machzor modified the second part of the translation to: "have the power to transform the harshness of our destiny." We don't have the power to prevent or change the accidents that occur in life. What befalls us through the power of nature or the mistakes of other human beings is not in our control. Yet our ability to change our selves, to reflect and dream, and to do acts of goodness and kindness - can make a difference. Our attitude regarding what happens to us is part of our coping mechanism. Our ability to hope in the face of pain and despair is in large measure in our control. And our gifts of love and kindness are often reciprocated by others so that we are surrounded by devotion when we are in sorrow or pain.
The power to cope and the wonder of transformation are the gifts of the life of the spirit which we articulate powerfully during the High Holidays.