Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

On Saturday night following Shabbat, some 200 people shared an on line Selichot experience with Beth Emeth and Adath Israel together. The four participating rabbis shared different perspectives on the prayer, "Shma Kolenu - Hear our voices."

I focused on active listening versus passive listening. Does one really hear the other? Can one and does one restate what he/she has heard from the other before responding? Does one and can one accurately restate the other's content, tone, and attitude? This is no simple task. If we pray that God hear us completely, can we do no less in hearing another person, who is created in the image of God?

On Rosh Hashanah, we are commanded to hear the sound of the Shofar, not to blow the sound of the Shofar. Even the Baal Tekiah who blows the sounds must hear them.

The word Shma, hear/listen, is a watch word of our faith. We  have this last week of Elul to prepare ourselves to be better listeners to God's voice and the voices of people in the new year.

Rabbi Howard Morrison