Miryam's Space

I love Rosh Hashanah to pieces. After all the cooking, the New Year’s cards, the rehearsals (choir), suddenly the prep, is done, all is still. Family members long gone feel close. The air hangs brilliant with possibilities. I stop rushing around and start being, and singing and receiving hugs and smiles. And I smile, and cry and sing (I know I repeated that one…)

This Shabbat is Shabbat shuvah, Sabbath of Return, as we return to the “land of our soul” in the ten day journey from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. The Torah portion is Haazinu, “Lend me your ears”  From Craig Taubman’s Haazinu http://www.amazon.com/Haazinu/dp/B007NXA8CW

Listen O Heavens and I will speak; Listen O Earth, to my words; may my message be like rain and my speech be like the dew. To Adonai my God I sing praises to you…. Remember the days, the days gone by. Remember the days, Remember, be wise. How Israel is one, one with Adonai. Sing a new song, sing it to the skies.

Rain, dew, earth, sky:  the inspiration and beauty of the world, and the very foundations of life. They must be witnesses to the covenant, just as we must be.

So Listen we must, to the sound of the shofar, to the music of Rosh Hashanah, and the very skies will listen, and the rain and the dew. One more from Craig Taubman, ties the music we make on Rosh Hashanah to the heavens:

Everybody searches; in light or in darkness, unsure of the way, afraid and alone;   Someone who stood right where you stand, would like to take your hand, help you feel, help you see, help you dream your dreams. 

Open up all your eyes, let the truth make you wise; when we sing with one voice, music will fill the skies. We can fly, we can be more than you, more than me; take my hand, we can fly, it can be.

The quality of mercy is not strained, it falleth as the gentle rain from heaven.