9/11 means a lot to those of us who lived through this terrible day of terror. What began as a beautiful fall day quickly escalated into horror, with the world riveted to the news coverage and the heartbreaking scenes of carnage and courage. I was in downtown NYC and will never forget every minute of that day and many that followed.
In the years since -so many memorials have been built, so many more innocent lives have been taken. How do we remember those who died on all those days of violence?
What makes one’s life, no matter how brief, fully cherished and truly memorable?
This question may be what’s on the mind of the poet of today’s Psalm, celebrating the virtues of the kind of person we all may be aspiring to be and how we want to be remembered: Righteous in the best sense, trusting and full of faith, successful , generous, loving life and remembered for good deeds, a beacon of light in the darkness.
Psalm 112 is another Alphabetical acrostic, beginning with a Hallelujah -- a poem that reads like a pep talk that has hints of self-help or prosperity theology in it.
So what are the qualities that make a better person? Who is the ideal human?
One of the attributes celebrates as the hallmark of mensch mentality here is the ability to keep cool and not live with fear of what’s coming, what the newscycle brings:
מִשְּׁמוּעָ֣ה רָ֭עָה לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א נָכ֥וֹן לִ֝בּ֗וֹ בָּטֻ֥חַ בַּיהֹוָֽה׃
One shall not be afraid of evil tidings: one’s heart is firm, trusting in God.
Ps. 112:7
That’s a tall order, especially these days, but likely, always.
Rabbi David Kimchi, known as RADAK who lived in Provence during the 12th-13th centuries wrote commentaries on the Bible. Like his contemporary Nachmanides, he also represented the Jewish community in public theological disputes with the Christian authorities. Those rarely led to good outcomes for his community, and would often bring about bad news.
In his commentary on this verse in psalm 112 he writes words that echo for us today as they have for the people who read him a millennium ago:
‘The righteous person will not fear hearing bad news regarding their children or relatives or from those who are far away, or even enemies who are coming closer - because this person’s heart is ready for whatever happens and trusts that God is in charge of all things. This person should not trust their wealth or weapons or how many friends and servants they may have - but only have faith in the divine and therefore be fearless.”
We can’t change what’s coming our way - today or any other day, whether it’s bad or good news, big or small.
But we can work on how we show up, respond, live our lives with more equanimity and trust, if not in God then in the best will that exists within each one of us, and what it takes to take it and to make it through another day, come what may, with dignity, grace, courage and compassion.
The alphabetical list that this psalm provides for how to be a better person may not be perfect, but on a day like this one is just another helpful reminder for how to aspire higher and be better at being human, come what may.
I hope that today brings consolation and comfort to all who still mourn and suffer from terror, war and violence, in body and soul.
I hope that today and every day bring us better news, of hope and healing, peace and trust in each other’s best selves and highest aspirations. And when tough tidings come our way - may we all have the strength to hold it all and be there for each other with less fear and more love, day by day.
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