Worldwide Standing Ovation

How does one prepare to meet a queen? Or a president? 

All week below the bible belt we prepared for Friday night -- for Shabbat. All week we’ve been reading the Psalms chosen by mystics as the centerpiece of the Friday evening liturgy  - the protocols of preparing for the encounter with the Sabbath Queen.  She arrives each Friday at sunset - if we know how to welcome her. Otherwise - it’s just another night. 

This week, along with these familiar and moving psalms, also wraps another preparation to encounter her. This week ends, for me , and many others, with hope, and even some joy. 

I’m going to get political for a moment. Not because I endorse a candidate but because I rise up for a historical moment -- a HERstorical moment. 

I wasn’t able to make it to Chicago but watched many of the speeches at the Democratic Convention - some good, many great. From where I was, at home or with friends, I joined the clapping and cheering as my friend and teacher Rabbi Sharon Brous offered an inspired blessing, along with an impressive Imam; wept as the parents of Hersh, an Israeli-American hostage shared his story and called for a deal and the stop to the war, and got on my feet, clapping on as Kamala Harris accepted the historical nomination last night. I also signed a petition to the DNC protesting the absence of a Palestinian-American voice on stage who would speak for the suffering and add their important voice to this complex moment that needs all the nuance in the world. 

And while I felt the thunder of clapping from afar I kept thinking about the psalms we’ve read this week - many of them are about the presence of the king of all, and many of them include the pomp of a coronation. The psalms imagine a better future for the world - not just for the jewish people - a world led by justice and equity, with divine blessing that makes the good rise and takes care of the weak and leads with compassion. It’s also a world where the wicked are not spared and bad leaders and players are punished for their mistreatment and abuse.  The authors of these poems, 2,500 years ago, lived in a political reality and had dreams not different than ours, with stakes as high or perhaps higher. 

And when they imagined the divine days of justice and relief they imagined not just humans clapping with joy but the entire planet. We just read these words, and will sing them tonight -- from Psalm 98. 

נְהָר֥וֹת יִמְחֲאוּ־כָ֑ף יַ֝֗חַד הָרִ֥ים יְרַנֵּֽנוּ׃

let the rivers clap their hands,

the mountains sing joyously together

לִ֥פְֽנֵי יְהֹוָ֗ה כִּ֥י בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֢ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ 

Sing at the presence of GOD—

who is coming to rule the earth:

God will rule the world with justice

and all people with equity.

Ps. 98:8-9

So how’s that for a vision? When politicians end their speeches with God Bless America - on some level - this is the grand vision they are - or should be -referring to. And when world leaders anywhere step up to be in service to nations - this is the sort of vision, with or without mention of God, that is worthy of any nomination or coronation. Only a world focused on justice and equity, compassion and courage to change the game for better - will be the one we want to build together and leave behind for the next generations. This is the only vision worth a standing ovation, again and again. 

So tonight, we welcome her, the sabbath queen, the presence of sacred time, with songs and hopes, with prayers for peace, for better days, and for the poetry that will remind us to never lose hope and always aspire higher. 

Thanks for joining me below the bible belt. 

Shabbat Shalom.