There is a song that youth groupers sing that comes from Pirke Avot, “Mitzvah Goreret Mitzvah. Avayra goreret avayra.” One mitzvah leads to another. One sin leads to another. It is probably my husband’s least favorite song because it is like a song that never ends and it gets stuck in your brain. But the message is interesting. Today was one of those days. I left the house at 6:30 to go to the synagogue to pick up some of our discarded prayers books. One of the local hospitals were looking for copies of old prayer books so that they had resources for patients–Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist. From this congregation I managed to take three of the four types, a great day for Jewish pluralism. It fulfills the mitzvah of bikkur holim, visiting the sick. It also honors one of our newer members who just had an extended stay in that very hospital.
Then I had breakfast with a rabbinic colleague from Connecticut, here in Chicago for a conference on small congregations. It was nice to share stories and realize that the plots don’t change much congregation to congregation. It also was an opportunity for me to realize how lucky I am here in Elgin.
Then I went to the Chicago Board of Rabbis meeting where I was delighted to study with Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, Av Beth Din of the CRC. He has made a big impression on many of our local colleagues with his compassion particularly on JUF mission trips. I was impressed with his range of knowledge and references, both ancient and modern. We were studying some classic texts for the high holidays to help with our sermon preparation. His bottom line–we should lift people up, not berate them. I hope that is a message that I can teach. He also had an interesting interpretation of the yizkor prayers and why we say them on Yom Kippur. A hint…it has to do with forgiveness…but this will require more study on my part.
After leaving the Board of Rabbis study meeting, I went to the mikveh to be on a beit din (court of Jewish law) and help someone in the final steps to becoming Jewish. She was articulate, passionate, enthusiastic. She will make a great addition to the Jewish people. Those are moments worth celebrating.
It has been a good day. What mitzvah is next?