7 11. •
What's My Name?
Shabbat Shuvah, Parshat HaAzinu:
Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52; Hosea 14:2-
10; Micah 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27.
A
proud Jewish mother walks
her son to the school bus
on his first day of kinder-
garten. "Bubaleh, be a good boy. I'm
going to miss you, sweetie. I can't
wait until you come home,
shainkeit!" she says.
At the end of the day, the
bus returns. The mother
runs to her son and hugs
him. "Tateleh, zeesaleh,
what did my cutie pie learn
on his first day of school?"
she asks.
The little boy responds,
"I learned that my name is
David."
Rosh Hashanah is a time
to learn and relearn our
name — the name the Torah gives
humanity: Adam. The Hebrew mean-
ing of this name signifies that we are
fashioned in the image of God and
that we are designed to act in a Godly
manner.
Rosh Hashanah commemorates the
emergence of the first pair of human
beings into the world. On Rosh
Hashanah, we therefore celebrate our
inner humanity, that which makes
us distinctly human and gives us an
elevated calling in life, the Godliness
within us.
It is important that we remember
who we are, that we know our name.
We live in a world that does not
necessarily reinforce our spiritual
destiny. Take the language we use.
Two people who meet each other for
the first time may have a conversa-
tion along these lines: "What do you
do?" "I'm a realtor." "Do you know
the man in the blue shirt, standing
next to the table? I've heard he's one
of the most successful guys in the
city!" "Yes, I've also heard that he is
very successful!" "How much do you
think he's really worth?" "Well, I'm
not sure, but I've heard he's worth
almost $200 million."
This language suggests an iden-
tity with the financial, the material.
"What do you do?" (i.e.
How do you make your
money?) "I am a realtor."
i.e. I am how I make my
money.) "I've heard he's
one of the most successful
guys in the city!" (Success
is measured by how much
money we have.) "I've
heard he's worth almost
$200 million." (The worth
and value of people is
quantified by the amount
of money they have.)
Imagine if the conversation went
like this: "What do you do?" "I walk
the Godly path as best as I can. I
try to be kind, a good Jew, a lov-
ing mother, a true friend:' "Is that
man over there successful?" "Yes, he
is very compassionate and giving:'
"How much is he worth?" "He is of
immeasurable worth. Every person
is:'
This Rosh Hashanah, celebrate
the unique dignity and value of each
human being. Remember that each
one of us was created in God's image.
Understand that the person who
stands beside you or across the room
is of inestimable value.
Appreciate that you have within
you an incredible Godly capacity for
kindness and holiness, for Torah and
mitzvot. Actualize it.
This Rosh Hashanah, let us learn
and relearn that our name is Adam.
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Rabbi Tzvi Muller is educational director
of Partners Detroit. He also directs the
Kindness Project, a Partners Detroit and
Jewish Community Center initiative.
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September 25 • 2014
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