26 Elul 5784

Rabbi Paul Jacobson

On the Day We Call
In the traditional liturgy, two verses from the book of Tehilim Psalms are added just before the recitation of Ma’ariv the evening service, and serve as a focal point for entering prayer. What might be the benefit of reciting these words?

And God, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; many times, God’s anger was diverted, and God’s wrath was not fully stirred (Psalms 78:38). [1]

וְה֤וּא רַח֨וּם ׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֺן֮ וְֽלֹא־יַֽ֫שְׁחִ֥ית וְ֭הִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹא־יָ֝עִ֗יר

. כׇּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ

God will deliver us, God will answer us on the day that we call (Psalms 20:10). [1]

יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיוֹם־קׇרְאֵֽנוּ׃

Every day we may be called upon to address numerous challenges: meeting deadlines at work, responding to uncooperative colleagues, shuttling our children to numerous activities while supporting them emotionally, navigating the stresses of commuting, trying to find the energy to put dinner on the table, all while addressing increases in the cost of living, just to name a few.

Our days may be filled with joy and accomplishment, but often, when we are asked, “How are you going?”, many of us will respond with a heavy sigh, and then say, “Busy.” The heavy sigh, alone, speaks volumes: it might be comforting, even for a few moments, to unburden ourselves through conversation with God.  Seen in the context of our own difficult days, these two verses from Psalms provide an opportunity to notice Something beyond our own lives, something larger than ourselves, something eternal.

The themes present in these verses include mercy, compassion, forgiveness, nurture, guidance, and assistance.  It almost seems, with the benefit of imagination and hope (and a little tinge of projection) that God is saying, “I’m here.  I’m listening.  Just call out and ask for help.  You don’t have to do this alone.  I’ve got you.”

In this month of Elul, this time of introspection before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we rededicate our focus to the themes of t’shuvah (seeking return and repentance), t’filah (reflection and prayer), and tz’dakah (purposeful action).  T’filah, in particular, affords us an opportunity to thank and praise God, as well as to reflect on our own spiritual and personal needs.

Each evening, as you reflect on your day, consider these two verses. Allow yourself an opportunity to pause and consider: where in your life you might find the values of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, nurture, guidance and assistance.  Each of these concepts is available to us, and our tradition reminds us that even on “bad days,” God is there for us, just as soon as we ask.

[1] Translations taken from the JPS Tanakh with meaning and verb tense adapted slightly to incorporate gender-neutral language.