It's OK to yell at the Awesome One!

This week’s Torah portion, Va’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) begins with the following words - I beseeched G‑d at that time (Deut 3:23). The use of the word “beseeched/va’etchanan” intrigued the sages of old. They took this word at face value as one example of how to interact with God and expanded upon it. 

A midrashic commentary on this verse expands our understanding of prayer:

“Prayer is called by [thirteen] names: cry, howl, groan, stricture, song, prostration, encounter, judgment, entreaty, standing, appeal and beseeching. 

[These synonyms for prayer are derived from: Exodus 2:23–24, Jeremiah 7:16, Psalms 18:6, Deuteronomy 9:25, Psalms 106:30,  Deuteronomy 3:23, Genesis 25:21, Psalms 106:30 and Exodus 32:11.]”  

Source: Midrash Rabbah and Sifri - two collections of midrashim on the Torah

Thus, there are many ways to communicate with God. We are not bound by the words of the prayer book nor are we bound by time or place.  We are not bound to politeness or even political correctness. God created us in her image and knows what is in our hearts and souls. A relationship such as ours with our Creator is strong enough to take our hurt, disappointment, fervor and yes, even or especially our anger.

Next time you feel … something, and want to communicate it to God – go for it! The V’Ahavta prayer says that we love God with all our hearts, souls and our “allness” (m’o’decha). Take advantage of this ancient relationship and integrate it into your lives. Pray, sing, chant, scream, beseech, dance, meditate, drum… God, and the universe, will hear you and we all will be better for it.  This Shabbat is Shabbat Nachamu. 

Shabbat Nachamu ("Sabbath of comfort/ing) takes its name from the haftarah from Isaiah in the Book of Isaiah 40:1-26 that speaks of "comforting" the Jewish people for their suffering. It the first of seven haftarahs of consolation leading up to the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. (wikipedia)

 

Today is also Tu B'Av, a day of love in our tradition - think a Jewish Valentine's Day w/o the saint. Tu stands for 15 in Hebrew, Av is the Hebrew month that we are in. Learn more about it at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_B'Av

So Happy Tu B’Av, may your day be filled with baseless and endless love to counteract the baseless hatred that we mourned last week on Tisha B'Av.

Shabbat Shalom