Newsletter August 25, 2011 - 25 Av 5771
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Concerto
In Honor of Mark, Darcy & Akiva
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I yearn for the simplicity of the opening verse of this week's portion, "See, I present before you today a blessing and a curse (Deuteronomy 11:26)!" "See," says the Torah, and I respond, "Where? How? Where is that clarity of blessing and curse?" Rashi acknowledges that this "See" is not a constant; it was a one-time gift. "The blessing and curse refer to the ceremony on Mt Gerizim and Mt Eival (See 27:11-26)." When they entered the Land of Israel, the people were to gather at these two mountains. Six tribes would stand on one mountain, and six on the other, with the Ark, the Kohanim and the Levites in the valley between them. The Levites would pronounce the blessings and curses, and the tribes would call out, "Amen!" Blessings and curses. Good and evil. Black and white. Clarity. All for a few hours on one day as the Children of Israel entered the land. What was the point?
I pictured the scene in my mind and realized that the "See" has nothing to do with the mountains, but the people and voices gathered as one. I first 'saw' the scene as a duet sung by the two sets of tribes, until an accomplished "Singer" urged me to research the etymology of "Concerto." Here it is: 'agreement, accord, harmony,' as in, 'concert, harmony,' from concertare, 'bring into agreement.' Alternatively, 'to contend, contest, dispute,' from com - 'with,' and certare, 'to contend, strive.' The Clarity ceremony was a concerto sung by the tribes with the blessing coming to those who would sing in harmony, and the curse to those who sing the concerto against each other.
The Clarity ceremony began as an ambiguous concerto; some singing in concert, others, so focused on blessings and curses, that they sang to contend against the other voices. It was a master class in singing. The tribes faced each other as opposites; one set on the mountain of blessings and the other on the mountain of curses. A voice rose from the center, an idea that rose up from the valley and bounced back and forth between the two mountains, challenging the people to learn the notes from each other. They heard the voice in the valley, and they listened to the voices singing on the opposite mountain. They learned the intimacy of being together, and expressing together, and creating a reality together. They learned the other's part as well, to understand the relationship, how you fit, where you are distinct, where you are not. They learned how to create the world and build a country with one another.
The voice continues to rise from the valley as we listen to the Torah's teachings. It bounces against our personal and national experiences. We begin to sing the notes as we hear them and have a choice when we hear other's singing of their experiences and struggles; we can choose to see those with whom we disagree as standing with the curses, and strive against them, insisting that our voice be heard, a concerto of conflict, or, we can listen and learn and appreciate the other's part and sing in perfect concert.
I sing my prayers, the words that rise from the valley, and carefully listen to how the other people in the synagogue sing the same words to different tunes, in different keys. It begins as a concerto of conflict, but as I remember that this is our opportunity to sing at the Clarity ceremony, I practice singing in harmony; the concerto that expresses and celebrates all the voices that have sung and sing of their experiences of God. I find myself standing at Gerizim and Eival listening to, and participating in, the Concerto of Blessing. It is there and then that I find the clarity I seek.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Simcha L. Weinberg President If you are interested in sponsoring our  winning Newsletter, please email info@thefoundationstone.org Go to our Blog  Follow us on Twitter   Become a Fan  |
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