18 September 2001, 01:48am IST
M P K Kutty.
The jewish community, worldwide, will be reciting the following prayer on new year day today, on rosh hashanah : ``now therefore, o lord, our god, impose thine awe upon all thy works, and thy dread upon all that thou has created, that all works may revere thee and all creatures prostrate themselves before thee, that they may all form a single band to do thy will with a perfect heart...''.
this prayer is appropriate, especially for those who are feeling insecure and uncertain about their future, in the context of the recent acts of violence carried out in the us. we may not be able to provide a valid answer that satisfies everyone to questions how a good lord should allow so much evil in the world of his creation. but then, we still do not understand many mysteries about life and god. his words to isaiah, the prophet, should offer some insight: ``for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.''
the people who have witnessed so much violence in the past few days will be inclined to identify themselves with the spirit of the celebration which is, ``god is our refuge and strength!'' when human civilisation is threatened by hatred, no defence mechanism seems adequate to withstand the assaults. the american people too acknowledged as much by announcing a national day of prayer in the wake of the disaster. they repeated the exhortation from the creator of all things: ``if my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will i hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.''
as ezekiel isaac malekar of judah hyam synagogue in new delhi explains, the jewish religious year starts with the first day of the jewish month tishri . the period from the first day of rosh hashanah until yom kippur which falls on the tenth of tishri is called the 10 days of penitence. during this period pious jews fast every day until sunset.
the jewish community constitute a great people. their contribution to science, arts and culture or other areas of human endeavour is quite phenomenal, as though to justify the description , ``the chosen people''. it is said that many of the major ideas that has influenced the world have sprung from jewish minds. a large number of nobel prize winners belong to this community like albert einstein, karl marx, sigmund freud, beethoven.
it is appropriate that the new year day combines solemnity and rejoicing. on the one hand, the bible requires its observance to be ``a solemn rest unto you, a remembrance proclaimed with the blast of ram's horns, a holy convocation''. on the other, it recalls nehemiah's proclamation to the jews of jerusalem, ``this day is holy unto the lord your god, mourn not, nor weep...go eat rich dainties and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing ready, for this day is hold to our god. grieve not, for the joy of the lord is your strength.''
yes, in the midst of encircling gloom let us repeat this verse to ourselves: ``grieve not for the joy of the lord is your strength!'' in this brief commandment, there is wisdom, psychology and what is more, medicine for the soul, prescribed from above.
again how appropriate that the new day is marked by a penitential mood of confessional devotion, self-examination and supplication for forgiveness. looking to the present state of the world, all these become very relevant. we are living in times when our very entertainment is laced with plenty of words and ideas of violence and evil and even our ideas of restoring justice and fair play lay in the realm of brutal power and cruelty. the need for repentance can not be over-stressed. we all need to cry out with the psalmist: ``out of the depths i cry unto thee, o lord. lord , hearken to my voice, let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. shouldst thou , o lord, mark inequities, lord , who could stand?''
can we hope that those who preach intolerance and violence in the name of religion will reconsider their ways? will such ones pray the prayer of david: ``create in me a clean heart, o god, and renew a right spirit within me.'' we all need to utter that prayer irrespective of our nationality, race or creed.
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