הצנע לכת עם אלוהיך

Walk Humbly with Your God

Prophet Michah

Rabbi Rabbi Siegel

On the day before erev Shavu’ot, our Year 11 students engaged in an all-night Tikkun Leil Shavu’ot.

Traditionally, Tikkun Leil Shavu’ot is a special occasion devoted to study, reflection and discovery, which serves to rectify (le-takein) our innermost being and, in consequence, the world in which we live.

It is held to be an auspicious time in which one encounters God anew, even as our ancestors encountered God at Sinai. On the night of Shavu’ot, when this Tikkun is taking place, the heavens are said to open as a new revelation is experienced. As our students discovered, in our Tikkun, this new revelation only becomes possible when they themselves open up.

More than an event, It was an extraordinary and remarkable experience. Returning to Emanuel after a full day of school, our students engaged in text study, dialogue, debate and reflection, from 7pm-1am. The central and enduring focus for our students was revelation of God and Self, effecting personal and collective tikkun.

In an open and relaxed atmosphere, at the same time most serious and thoughtful, our students, throughout, were talking about God. During sessions and between sessions, in snack breaks and in fun time, in one-on-one and in group discussions, God-talk was pervasive, so much so that at our 12am session, facilitator Daniel Samowitz changed his topic to “God, sitting centre stage”, to whom students, sitting roundabout, were to direct their comments, reflections and questions. He explained that students were so absorbed in God-talk he felt the need for all to share with God, and each other, their personal expressions and experiences of God. Freely and passionately, one student after another spoke, all finding their place and voice while, at the same time, discovering new perspectives and helping their peers do the same.

Throughout the evening, perhaps most outspoken and wanting to share were students dubbing themselves “atheists”. “Atheism”, it seemed, was for them a badge of arriving at a truth by which they could abide. However, the ever-widening and deepening of possibilities regarding how God might be seen/experienced, that were being explored this night, now presented perspectives by means of which they might authentically believe in God. I found this to be the most remarkable, telling and heartening aspect of our Tikkun.

Within the prescribed and proscribed parameters of our tradition’s understanding of God that are often encountered, one, indeed, might deem oneself an atheist. Yet, within the context of our tradition’s more expansive perspectives on God, one, likewise, might argue that this “professed” atheist is more a believer than the “established” believer to whom he would otherwise be compared.

There is a core postulate within our Jewish tradition that reminds us of what truly binds us as a community. Our Rabbis teach: לא המדרש העיקר אלא המעשה “It is not creed but deed that is the critical component of Judaism”. Indeed, this night, one student observed that he experienced God within the positive interaction and caring deeds of community.

A corollary to this teaching, and contributing to our experience of tikkun and that of our students and world, is the singular command into which our tradition distills Judaism: -הצנע לכת עם אלוהיך “Walk Humbly with Your God”. Doing so, enables and empowers others to do the same.

This was Emanuel’s first-ever Leil Tikkun Shavu’ot. From our staff to our guest teachers/facilitators, there are many to thank for this successful program. Stacey Rosenfeld, our Jewish Life Department PA, arranged for all our meals and snacks (including the Shavu’ot requisite of pizza and cheescake, to our students’ delight, balanced with fruits, vegetables and grains). Daniel Samowitz, Lauren Satill and Kobi Bloom, our informal Jewish Life educators, assisted with logistics, planning the program, facilitating/leading learning sessions and staying through the morning with our students. Our Jewish Studies teachers, Bec Gaida, who also stayed overnight, Daphna Levin-Kahn and Ruth Harvey, who served as learning session/workshop facilitators. Joining us in engaging our students in varied discussion and exploration, were shelichah Naama Louria, 2017 Limmud presenters Yuli Dar (Emanuel alumna) and Sharon Berger, 2016 MOTL Madrich Sam Koslowski (Emanuel Alumnus), JNF Education Shaliach, Yigal Nisell, Emanuel Rabbis Rafi Kaiser-Blueth and Jeffrey Kamins.

Our students are inquiring as to next year’s Tikkun. It was their contribution, above all, that made our first Tikkun Leil Shavu’ot the wonderful success it was.