Amidst the onslaught of horrifying directives emanating from the White House this week I, like many of you, have been struggling to stay grounded. While none of the assaults on human dignity, the rule of law and the wellbeing of vulnerable populations are a surprise, the comprehensive viciousness of it all can make one’s head spin. And I am aware of how personally these assaults affect members of our community, especially our trans members and those with trans and/or immigrant family members and friends, as well as those working in the federal sector. Please know that I, and our entire community, are here to support every member of our community in the daunting days ahead.
I was somewhat heartened by this piece by Asli Aydintasbas, a Turkish journalist who got to experience the imposition of autocracy in his country firsthand. She makes the argument that it takes longer than four years to impose a dictatorship, and lifts up aspects of U.S. democracy (especially its decentralized, localized nature) that offer particular resilience. Whether this prognosis is correct or not, it’s a powerful reminder of the power of local and state-level organizing, and the importance of the civic sphere, of which our congregation is a part. As mentioned above, I hope as many CDT members as possible can join us this Sunday for our Tikkun Olam Town Hall, as we consider together the ways in which we can join with others to stand with the most vulnerable both within our community and without, and work towards meaningful resistance and change in the coming months.
I was also heartened by this NYTimes article, in which one of the people pardoned for her participation in the January 6 assault on the Capitol rejects the pardon, fully owning her actions and her regret for what she now characterizes as belonging to a cult. It’s a powerful example of the possibility of individual change, and of a small act of personal resistance.
As we head into Shabbat, I wanted to share this lovely teaching from my colleague, Rabbi Jonathan Kligler, on this week’s Torah portion, Va’era. In the portion, Moses has returned to Egypt, attempting to fulfill his mission of liberating his people from bondage. He confronts Pharaoh, who not only dismisses his plea, but doubles down on the enslaved Israelites, making their work even harder. When Moses tries to bring a message of liberation to his people, they are unable to hear because of ‘kotzer ruach,’ constrained breath, constricted spirits.
Rabbi Kligler reminds us to breath, to remain connected to our spirits, as we contemplate the long, hard road ahead. When we are simply re-active, responding with anxiety to our own aversion, we don’t always act wisely. When we can stay grounded—in our bodies and our breath; in community; in the values that we know to be true, whatever the world around us is saying—we can move forward powerfully and effectively.
When God finished creating the world in seven days, the Torah recounts that the Source of Creation shavat v’yinafash, “rested and took a breath.” If God needs an occasional break from the work of world-building, how much more so we mortals. I hope, over this Shabbat, each of us is able to engage in something that nourishes our spirits and helps us breathe a little easier, even if just for a moment.
