On Yom Kippur It's the Music
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I confess that sometimes I would rather be the Hazzan than the Rabbi on Yom Kippur. The Hazzan conveys the emotional content of the day. The Rabbi explains the texts. In this sermon I illustrate how the music of Yom Kippur conveys our feelings. The relationship between the Rabbi and the Hazzan on the Bimah is a psychodrama of the relationship between emotion and reason in everyone's soul.
Posted by Eliot Malomet at 9:22 PM | 4 comments
Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007Rabbi Eliot Malomet's Rosh Hashanah Sermon 5768
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This is the sermon I delivered to the Highland Park Conservative Temple - Congregation Anshe Emeth on Rosh Hashanah 5768. It has been one year since a tragic fire destroyed our sanctuary. Standing next to the sealed doors I imagine the conversations of the original founders of our shul. What did they want to create in a synagogue? They were interesting people who lived in an extraordinary time. As we imagine our future synagogue, we are having similar conversations among ourselves. "Let there be this, and let there be that." The creation story in Genesis inspires us with the words "Let there be." Every time we say, "Let there be!" something happens. (Stella Terril Mann). All creative endeavors begin with saying "let there be."
We are saying this now: Let there be. Creation is also one of the main themes of Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate the creation of the world, and the possibility of our own renewal. The sealed doors also represent the Gates of Teshuvah. Sometimes we are afraid to enter them, but let us not be afraid. Let there be a new shul; let there be peace; let there be a sweet, beautiful, joyous, new year.
Posted by Eliot Malomet at 5:14 PM | 6 comments
