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The High Holidays arrive early this year. Just two days after Labor Day, we will welcome the new year of 5771. This midsummer edition of the Shofar brings us right up to the beginning of Elul, the final month in the Hebrew calendar year. Beginning on Tuesday evening, August 10, we add Psalm 27 to our evening and morning services. Beginning on Wednesday morning, August 11, we sound the shofar daily (except for Shabbat) in preparation for Rosh Hashanah. High Holiday services at Congregation Kol Shalom promise to be quite different this year. We will initiate our use of the new High Holiday mahzor published by the Conservative Movement's Rabbinical Assembly. The name of the mahzor is "Lev Shalem” which means “A Full Heart.” I have begun to review the contents of this mahzor and I very much look forward to exploring it with you during our High Holiday services. The mahzor opens with a section of "Preparatory Prayers" (p. 2). On this page you will find a prayer written by Solomon Ibn Gabirol (Spain, 11th century) along with a second prayer entitled "To Seek Renewal” written by Hershel J. Matt which was originally published in Mahzor Hadash, the companion volume to the siddur we use in our sanctuary at Kol Shalom. Along the margins of each page you will find instructive and inspiring commentary. I believe the intention of the editors for this first page in the mahzor is to help us discover how our words of prayer can reflect our own wishes and desires and also become another link in the generations of Jews who have turned to God for healing and blessing at this time of year. This new mahzor can help us use the words of our ancestors in addition to the creative efforts of more contemporary liturgists as springboards for our own thoughts and prayers. To help you in your personal preparation for the holidays I reproduce the English translation of the prayer mentioned above, written by Solomon Ibn Gabirol: Mighty God who listens to the poor and hears their prayer: how long will You be distant and hidden from me? Night and day I turn, calling out with a true heart, always thanking You, for Your kindness, so great. My sovereign, My hope is in You; my heart trusts in You; as a dreamer of dreams depends on an interpreter. This I ask: hear my prayer. This I seek -- not more, not less. Shalom, Rabbi Philip Pohl |
