October 2006

Yom Kippur

Last Monday after I finished filling in for my tap dancing teacher, I hurried home to change before driving over to Temple Beth Sholom so I could attend the rest of their Yom Kippur services. When I arrived, I thought at first I might be late, or early, or perhaps I had misunderstood the service times for people were already in the sanctuary singing in Hebrew, a sound that has come to be quite meaningful for me. Looking around, I spotted a family that had arrived the same time I did and were peeking through the doors to detect a good time to go in. Self-consciously, I approached the mother and asked if I could sneak in with her so I wouldn't be walking in by myself. Creeping behind her at the end of the prayer, we found an empty pew on the right hand side of the sanctuary and sat down.

My hesitation about walking in was soon forgotten as the rabbi had a man read the Jonah story in Hebrew, and then in English. At different points he would stop him, turn to us, the congregation, and ask us questions like, :"So Jonah, why were you sleeping?" or, "Ninavites, why did you repent so quickly?" or even, "God, why did you change your mind?" This technique of teaching is called midrash, and I loved it. I loved having to think from different people's perspective and answering as if we were them. If we forgot to answer as the person, the rabbi would ask us, "And who are you?" It was like a game, and it taught me to see the story from the inside out.

We then entered a new movement of the service full of prayers of repentance and calling out to God. For you see, that is what Yom Kippur is. It is the Day of Atonement when the priest would enter the holy of holies and pray for the people. Sometimes the rabbi prayed, and sometimes we would join in. What struck me the most though, was the way he prayed. As he prayed through our sins in confession, there was great sorrow in his voice and mourning for what we had done. It struck the core of me and I lifted my repentant heart to join his though I did not always understand what he was saying. My heart, though, always did. After all the prayers were said, we gathered around the front of the sanctuary and blew shofars to celebrate God's grace to forgive us amidst our shouts of praise.

Since that night, the idea of Yom Kippur and what it means has been in my head. Yom Kippur is the beginning of the Jewish New Year. After confession, you begin the new year cleansed. To symbolize this, people dress all in white on Yom Kippur to the show the purity God gives to each of us. I know it doesn't take long for me to feel like I messed up, but when that happens, I now remember Yom Kippur and that I am cleansed by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I am cleansed by the Almighty, the only one who can cleanse me, and the only one who can do such a thorough job. When I admit I am dirty, He rushes to clean me up and lets me begin anew. Hopefully wiser than I was before, but once again pure and whole. This is the way He sees me. This is the way He always sees me. Isn't it time I started seeing it in myself? Isn't it time you did too?

Cleansed and Whole,
Sarah Katreen Hoggatt

News

Both books and most of the matted poetry will be for sale at Silverton Friends Church in Silverton, OR

for their Christmas Bazaar to be held on November 3rd and 4th. If you need directions, send me an e-mail and I will

let you know. This is my third year with them and it has become one of my favorite events. It truly is very well done

and I encourage you all to go to see the beautiful handwork of so many talented artists and crafters.

A Christian bookstore in Gig Harbor, WA, called "Good News Christian Books and Music,"

is now carrying the second book, "In His Eyes" for $14.95. The address is:

Good News Christian Books and Music

5500 Olympic Dr
Gig Harbor WA 98335-1487

(253) 858-9477

Last Updated: 12/30/2011