Do or Do Not. There is No Try
For those who read the last post, you know that I am trying to take the sage advice of David Bowie to try to get the most out of life. One part of that would mean trying not to get too upset about things that are out of my control.
So, how is it going?
What can I say. I am trying.
Really.
I am.
I did enjoy Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur in my Shul. Although it was packed, most people were respectful, and decorum was kept. There were two guys who did nothing but teach their young sons how to talk throughout davening and torah reading. The way I see it, they are teaching their sons and so on and so on ...
Generational annoyance. ©
Deep Breath
Then came Succoth. This has to be my favorite holiday of the year. In fact we made Succoth the one holiday that we always made sure we were in Israel for. (We may have missed one).
We are fortunate to have a nice size succah and had 35 people over 2 meals. My wife also indulges me, and we order an outdoor air conditioner (yes you are reading this correctly). This year it went largely unused as the weather has been spectacular, but had it not been, we were ready.
It seems I am not the only one who thinks it is great to be in Israel for Sukkot. A large contingent of people from an English speaking country in Europe, ( I did not say EU) came and took over the Shul. It was a zoo, and I did not go back for Shabbat. I also wrote the following in my calendar for next year
"Do not go to regular shul on the first day of Sukkot, it is a zoo. Skip Shabbat as well”
There are people who own apartments or homes here in Herzliya, who come a few times a year. In their mind this makes them regulars. I know because I did the same for the first 15 years we had our house here and would come twice a year. I never understood why the full-time people never warmed up to us fully.
Now I get it.
Maybe it is just me, but if I go to a shul as a visitor, I first ask where there is an available seat. I do not like people sitting in my seat, so I wouldn't do that to someone else.
(Side note, I believe that you can ask someone to move from your seat if you show up before prayer starts. I do not think it is appropriate one hour into the service)
I also would do my best not to disrupt the service. Does this really need to be said?
Apparently so.
So, for shabbat yesterday, I went to my new shabbat shul. It is a few minutes further to walk but it is a better experience for me.
Only one other person speaks English, which necessitates me to speak a bit of Hebrew and although I know people talk, I am all the way in the front and can't hear a thing over the sound of the fan that is serendipitously above my head.
They are a bit slow, but you can't have everything. I actually walked out early yesterday, which I never do. I guess I haven’t learned my lesson of not to let things I can’t control, upset me.
Listening to someone lead a service just about as slow as they can without putting themselves asleep, is not a great way to spend time.
This week we read Kohelet (Ecclesiastes). I used to get very depressed every year reading this. Here you have a great king explaining how he lived life to the fullest and at the end he realizes that it is all for naught.
We all end up in the same place - Dead.
That would be one way to look at it and Kohelet was the wisest of kings (he sort of says that), he must know something.
However, along the same theme, I am choosing to go with the advice of David Bowie, arguably the greatest of poet musicians ( my words), and will try to get the most out of every day. That is really why we are here, and it is a gift.
I know that ultimately Kohelet is correct, but I think that is freeing in a way. If everything in life is really nothing but a blip in time, and none of it really matters, then we should make the most of it. Getting upset is really not going to change the outcome of anything.
If only I could keep this in my mind as the day goes on.
I am Trying.
Really.
I am.
Chag Sameach