Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

If you watched the funeral for George Floyd last week, you may have noticed something familiar. The Pastor who opened the service recited Psalm 27. This Biblical passage is familiar since we recite it morning and night from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Shemini Atzeret. Many refer to it as the penitential Psalm. Its many verses contain spiritual lessons leading up through the High Holy Day season.

One line in particular is relevant during the recent crisis that started in the U.S. and which has had rippling effects around the world, as well as during the pandemic, a challenge for the entire globe.

Here is the verse, "One thing I ask of the Lord, this do I desire, that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life."

Many lessons emanate from this quotation. One is that we should not ask too much at one time. King David, to whom this Psalm is attributed, could have been justified in asking many things from God. He focused on one ideal which was central to him.

He asked for a sacred place, a communal center, in which to feel the spirituality of God's presence. During his lifetime, King David aspired to build and establish the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. He would never realize his dream, which would be fulfilled by his son, King Solomon.

For us today, we miss our communal center, where we gather together to feel the spirituality of God's presence, our synagogue. I would imagine that if we had one request of God other than an end to the pandemic, we would yearn for the safe return to our synagogue.

Our Psalms contain richness of meaning. Psalm 27, in particular, was recited as a relevant passage at George Floyd's funeral. Psalm 27 will contain richness of meaning for six weeks when Elul begins. Even one particular verse contains so much value during these challenging times.

Rabbi Howard Morrison