I
recently returned from a once in a lifetime trip. I spent seven days aboard the
Caribbean Princess officiating a young man's Bar Mitzvah. All of this is due to
his family's graciousness and generosity, something they have always shown me
over the past 30 years. I enjoy doing alternative rites. They take on much
meaning for those who participate and it gives me the opportunity for one on
one study with kids who really want to do a meaningful ceremony -- one that sets them on the path of TOV, of
actions and behaviors that reflect the Values of their tradition. As I said
before, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is not a day, IT’S A LIFE! Otherwise, you have what
one rabbi described as, "Riteless Passages and Passageless Rites."
My
student, Steven, did a great job. It was an absolute pleasure to work with
someone who was engaged and asked questions; and whose dad also participated in
the studies and discussions. Steven's portion was the beginning of the Book of Exodus, which in Hebrew is the
word Sh'mot, which means Names. We are given names when we're
born, and then there are other names we acquire by our actions and behavior as
we go through this life. We become associated with words like," kind,
generous, trustworthy, righteous and TOV," and the opposite, "liar,
cheater, blamer, monster, and RAH (opposite of TOV)" and the like.
During
the journey we passed through some rough seas. I was on one of the upper decks
looking through the large windows at the churning sea. Here we are in an
endless ocean on a massive ship with over 4,000 people, with all that
technology and a ship designed to go through storms, being tossed around like a
bathtub boat. You could see the wind whipping the water into huge mists. It
occurs to you at moments like that just how really puny humans are. This was a
storm, not a hurricane or a typhoon and we find ourselves at the mercy of the
awesome power of nature and this planet! For me, looking at the artwork always
reveals something about the Artist. (And OK, I admit it, I really did run
around the ship singing, "Yodee Hodee Shiver Me Timbers Capn's Got The
Fever." in my best Jewish pirate brogue)
The
other thing I noticed, was that people seemed to be more pleasant to one
another, strangers would talk to other strangers and engage with each other in
various activities, even in the elevators. People stopped, held doors and
helped others who had challenges getting around. It was uplifting seeing that
kindness.
I
feel very blessed to have had this experience and look forward to a Year of TOV
for all.
Rabbi
Jeffrey Leynor