RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:CONFESSING SINS:VIDUI

 

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:CONFESSING SINS:VIDUI

 

 

 

Death Bed Vidui-Confession: A Life Cycle Step from an Eco-Judaic Viewpoint

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

 

Confession, or Vidui in Ivrit, is a Talmudic Rabbinic process and part of the wheel of life, we commonly call the life cycle. It is one event in many. When I poll my fellow Jews and ask if confession is a Jewish or a Christian ritual, the overwhelming answer is that it is Christian. More disconcerting is that most Jews have never heard of a confession in Judaism, and have never heard of their deceased parents or grand parents, or even spouses, doing such.

 

Let me try in this essay to show the benefit of Vidui to the individual about to pass on, to his/her family and/or friends, to his/her doctors and nurses, who are witnessing the process, and to the Earth itself.

 

First, allow me to discuss the word vidui and the word confession, and its Hebraic roots. While the Talmud expands greatly on Vidui, and its accompanying process of making amends, called Teshuvah, Vidui is really a Hebraic Torah commandment. Leviticus 26:40 clearly calls upon us to "confess their sin.''  This is repeated in another context in Numbers 5:7 which asks us to "confess the sin that they committed.''

 

But as with many translations from Hebrew into other languages, be it Greek, Roman or English, we loose the meaning of the word when we do not understand the roots from which the word comes. Vidui has the same root as Yud Dalet Hey, which means to 'admit' or 'acknowledge.' In a deeper context of the root, Vidui shares commonality with 'to praise' and 'to thank,'  as in the word hoda'ah.

 

I came across one etymology of Vidui from the Hebrew word for 'hurl,' from Rabbi Y. Fine.  While I cannot justify this in my own mind, I like it, because if vidui is done correctly, with real spiritual intention, kavenah, one sincerely has hurled and discarded baggage that has weighed one down spiritually, if not disconnected one, from the Source of one's Neshemah and Ruach. 

 

 

The English word confession has too many connotations from our knowledge, or even misinformation, of other religions who have confession as one of their rites, to make it seem "Jewish."  We are not to wallow or debase  ourselves. But true Vidui is Judaic and it is our task, my task in this essay, to make Vidui relevant in both a Jewish Spiritual Renewal manner as well as an Eco-Judaic one.

 

So in understanding the reality  that Judaism has a deathbed Vidui , I need also to add that from my experience, it is seldom used by we liberal rabbis who visit hospices or hospitals or even homes of Jews who are dying. I will give my offer of an explanation for this below.

 

I give the Jews I visit freedom of choice. I offer and explain, but do not push anything onto them.  And I am a liberal, if not very liberal Rabbi.  I need to add,  and hopefully not confuse my readers,  that Judaism also has a daily Vidui as well. While the death bed Vidui is usually said aloud to God, with one's rabbi, any Jew that one can trust, would satisfy the obligation.

 

In regards to the daily Vidui, one usually does it with one's chaverutah, i.e. one's Talmudic study partner. I will expound on this daily aspect later.

 

The traditional death bed prayer is short and is as follows: ''I acknowledge before You, God, my God and God of my forefathers, that my recovery and death are in your hand. May it be your will that You heal me with total recovery, but if I die, may my death be an atonement for all the errors, iniquities, and willful  sins that I have erred, sinned  and transgressed before You.  May you grant my share in the Garden of Eden, and privilege me for the World to Come that is concealed for the righteous.''

 

If one has strength, traditionally one may add the three pages of communal sins in the first person plural that Jews do on Yom Kippur. None of these communal sins mentions anything about the sins we do to harm the world and the universe. Hence from an Eco-Judaic point of view, the High Holy day Machzor  needs amending.

 

Now, I think the reason for many liberal Rabbis not offering Vidui to their congregants who are about to die, is because of the wording of the prayer and a misunderstanding of it.

 

Simply put, some liberal sects have deleted from their  Siddurem references to Olam ha Ba, [the world to come], and bodily resurrection. Some have taken out references to the Moshiac [messiah]. I always found this interesting, as three of the philosophical items that caused Talmudic Rabbis to be killed by their Hebraic Priest counterpart proxies, during the Hebraic Hasmonean rule ( the time between the conclusion of the Hanukah story circa 165 BCE to the invitation to the Romans to help the Hasmoneans rule circa  63 BCE) were the Talmud Rabbinic concepts of Olam Ha Ba, bodily resurrection, and a Jewish Messiah, which Hebraism rejects.

 

Hence a rabbi who has taught his/her congregants of the absence of these ideas from "Judaism," may find himself putting the patient, as well as him/herself in discomfort, discussing these concepts  ,''so late in the game.''

 

Another reason is many may feel they are saying this prayer, doing Vidui, without sincerity, but to 'hedge their bets,' just in case there is an Olam Ha Ba and a Heavenly court with Divine retribution.  And few, if any rabbis, would want a person involved in such insincerity when the purpose of vidui is sincerity.

 

Now if we explain  a bit of the Vidui prayer thusly we may have a way to bring Vidui into its important usage for almost all sects of Judaism.

 

The Garden of Eden is what we as humans were granted when we were formed on the 6th day of creation. We celebrate this birth of humankind on the first of Tishrei, which we call Rosh ha Shana. Jews call it the Jewish New Year. In reality, its one of 4 new years for Jews, and this one is really the new year for all humankind. The Jewish New Year, of our people-hood , is in Nissan, circa Passover time.

 

Now as we know, only a few 'hours' passed before we disobeyed YHWH's orders, coming from the same 'mouth' that our very breath of life, the Holy Inhale and the Exhale, came.  We lost the Garden of Eden because we were given massive abundance with  minimal boundary. We were told to  not eat fruits from just two trees. The Torah tells us it was in the afternoon of the first day humankind was created and we had already crossed our ecological boundaries, already consumed what was not ours to gobble,  and we are hiding from God,  hearing Him ''manifesting Himself before evening.''

 

We  need to explain that as humans we, all of us, have been consuming the earth, which without humankind, would  be a Planet of Eden.  Yet at the same time, we are part of earth. We have been hurting ourselves as well as our neighbors and children's children with our behaviors.   By understanding the concept of returning to the Garden, which is a rectification of the patient's no longer consuming it,  the prayer can be said sincerely.

 

Without going into a biological discourse with the Jewish patient about the Kreb's cycle, or the Calvin cycle, {which may hasten their death, or at least bring back memories of Junior High science class}, we can explain to the patient, which we all tend to forget, how the trees provide our very oxygen, and we provide them their carbon dioxide. We can explain how we humans, however, produce too much carbon dioxide and that has harmed our 'garden.' We can talk about how we are made up of mostly water, and how we as humans, have polluted our waters.

 

We can even bring a tree-looking plant with us for the patient, like a Dracaena Fragrans also known as  a corn plant. We can work with them demonstrating and having them do  actual life-to-life communication with the small 'tree.'  We can show his/her breathing in and breathing out,  and explain that both the ''Jew and the Tree'' are saying the name of the Ruach Kadosh, YaH-WeH. Its calming, its meditative, and it is healing. And it serves to show that he/she is one with the world, has always been, and always will be.

 

Now while the above may seem contrived and trite, I can assure you it is not. At our home this past Tu B'Shevat, we had almost 60 folks over for a Kabbalistic seder. This is of course the New Year for Trees and there are a lot of rituals having to do with trees, fruits and nuts, and vines' grapes, and seasons and different color wines, etc. And a pre- Bat Mitzvah gal came up to me, tugging on my arm, and said "Rabbi Rabbi, I know what else trees give us." And I said "What?" And she said "Oxygen!!". And in my entire Kabbalistic Hagaddah, the thought of oxygen, as I was dealing with nuts, and seeds, and all types of fruits, never once crossed my mind nor was mentioned.

 

We can explain to our Jewish patient that humans are first Adamah, earth, and then become Adam only through YHWH's breath, WeH, the spiritual neshemot, blown into us. It is during life that a Jew's aim is to move from Homo Sapien to Homo Spiritus. When we die, the WeH is sucked out of us to rejoin with the YaH of the universe, and we return to Adamah, As the Talmud says we become dust, and food for maggots and worms. (Talmud Bavli Tractate Pirkei Avot 3:1).

 

Now if our Jewish friend is in good spirits and is able to follow along, we can also discuss the Hebraic idea of sacrifice in this Garden of Eden phase.  We can explain that as humans,  we consume more animal flesh than is needed and how as Hebrews we saw up close and personal the Korban.  We as Hebrews saw the priests run a real live , not virtual, slaughter house. We got to see blood, bones, and hides. We heard the screams. We got to see unkind death, albeit, we are taught ours was more humane than other tribes. And korban actually means to ''come close.'' We were taught to appreciate life, and to use it sacredly, if we were to use the life force of an animal for our own sustenance. And as humans today, we explain to our Jewish fellows in bed, we do not treat life, animal nor human, sacredly.

 

Allow me to discuss the words "righteous" and ''the world to come''  in the Vidui Death Bed prayer. The Talmud teaches in Bavli Tractate Sanhedrin in the Mishna 10:1 "All Israel has  a share in the world to come,'' and even goes on to teach that those non-Jews who follow the 7 Noachide laws get to Olam ha Ba with us.  The word righteous is so subjective, and with so many Jews today, being unschooled, or taught by those doing ''lifne iver,'' they have the status of "tinok shenishba," a child who was captured by gentiles and who grew up ignorant of his heritage. It is cruel, and I have had gosets (those who doctors think will die in 3 days), ask me, fearfully, after doing this traditional prayer, if they are ''righteous enough.'' We explain, "The level attained by  teshuvah cannot be attained even by perfect tzaddikim" (Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 34b).  At this stage in life, we are all 'righteous' and our task is to  leave people in Shalom, in Shlema, in God's protective arms and hands and not in angst.

 

Now with the topic of Olam Ha Ba, it is not the bailiwick of this essay,  to teach the Talmudic Judaic concepts of the World to Come, because any read of the last chapter of Tractate Sanhedrin will show one that there is no agreement. And this is how it should be. God is infinite. His Torah, His instructions are infinite, and the ways to try to reach Him and try to understand Him, if we ever can which by definition is impossible, are infinite.

 

So, I have found that with the liberal Jews of my community, the best way to approach the concept of the World to Come, is to express it in terms of the World to Come in this earth ''when you are not here in your present form.'' How do you want to be remembered? Are there people with whom you need to reconcile? Do you need to have a conversation with God? Do you need to converse with the Earth? We can all agree that earth is where everyone's corporal body will be going, as Genesis teaches us very early, in 3:19, ''and to dust you shall return.''

 

Now ''return'' is a very interesting word at this phase, as Teshuvah, amends, really means, return. The Hebrew root of Teshuvah, Shin-Vuv-Vet is returning. So while daily Vidui may bring one, hopefully, to doing Teshuvah to one he has harmed, and returning Shalom among friends, Teshuvah at this death bed stage, is one's last chance to make amends before ''really returning.''   Hence, just as the Talmud tells us in Bavli Tractate Beracoth 5a that we make our own problems, we have by doing Vidui in this manner, the option in our lives of making our own Olam Ha Ba as well.

 

The talk of returning to the earth, dust and dirt, reminds me of this story:

A scientist came to God and said, "We have accomplished extraordinary feats. End of life, beginning of life, cloning. God, we don't need You anymore. We can do just about anything You can do. We can create man!"

God said, "Is that so? How do you do such a thing?"

"We take some dirt, mix in some enzymes, put it in test tubes, and create man," said the scientist. "Let me show you."

The scientist reaches down to scoop up some dirt from ground, but God stops him and says, "No, no, no. I want to see you do it with your own dirt."

 

So let us take our ancient prayer, and spruce it a bit with a little bit of wording change, now that we can explain it better to  our fellow Jew about to move on from this life.

The re-evaluated the death bed Vidui prayer I suggest is: ''I acknowledge before You, God, my God and God of my forefathers, that my recovery and death are in your hand. May it be your will that You heal me with total recovery, but if I die, may my death be an atonement for all the errors, iniquities, and willful  sins that I have erred, sinned  and transgressed before You. May my body return to Adamah, the earth, and may it be used to replenish the nutrients that I have wasted from the earth during my life on this plane, and may my body help repair the earth for generations to come so that I leave the earth a better place than how it was given to me from my ancestors.  May you grant my share in the Garden of Eden, from which we were banished for our over- consumption, and privilege me for the World to Come that is that is promised to all Israel.''

 

We can now help our patient say the Shema, and let them know, as Rabbi Goldie Milgram teaches, that the Hebrew letters in the word Adonai, Aleph-Daled-Nun, spells eh-den, threshold. It is passing through this threshold that they will go in shalom.  No matter what we may have thought when we were actively alive, we are all One (Echad) with God, and One with the Earth, and One with each other. It is a lesson we all learn as we are dying, and one if we learned earlier in life, would have given us true serenity.  We have to be able to leave our Jewish fellows with a shalom that surpasses all human understanding, and that dying now will be as ''easy as taking a hair out of  a bowl of milk.'' [Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 7b ].

 

Daily Vidui-Confession: A Life Cycle Step from an Eco-Judaic Viewpoint

 

 

It is my humble opinion, that before one can do a daily vidui, or even the ones we do communally during Yom Kippur, one needs to know for what one is 'confessing.' Reading a list of sins going from A to Z in the Hebrew Aleph Bet pounding one's chest at the reading on each one, may make one feel like he/she is improving spiritually, but experience has shown, that if one has walked into a shul with   resentments on Kol Nidre, one will be leaving with them after Neilah.  Hence one needs to make a moral inventory of one's soul and this is called a Chesbon (cheshbob) ha Nefesh.

 

While this may be new information to some readers, normative Rabbinic Talmudic Judaism has each of us doing a  chesbon  ha nefesh, a moral inventory of our soul, daily.  We call this our chesbon katon [small]. We are also to do a Chesbon ha Nefesh Gadol [large] , and this takes time and effort, but is worth it.  If done correctly, I believe this Chesbon Gadol need to be done once, as long as the small one's are done daily. The Talmud suggests,  assuming knowing that humans will occasionally skip their daily chesbon katon, doing a Chesbon Gadol, each Rosh Chodesh.

When we have made our chesbon ha nefesh gadol, we have an exacting moral inventory of our soul. We have put it in writing, but only we have seen it.  In Israel, the bill at a restaurant is called a chesbon. Until it is presented to the customer, it can not be paid or action taken. 

What  do we usually  learn about ourselves? We have probably found that we exhibit some dishonesty and ego. The ego is manifested in our selfish, self-centered and self-seeking behavior. From an eco-Judaic viewpoint, this could be as simple as not recycling reusable products, to spraying pesticides on our lawn so its 'beautifully green and free of weeds,' while poisoning the water table below.  It is important that we are rigorously honest and find the Deep Truth about ourselves, so that we can live life learning Life's Deep Truth, and not finding it on our death beds.

I have written exactly how to do a chesbon ha nefesh gadol and katan in prior essays.

We have seen how our fears have exercised control over our lives in our chesbon gadol. We have documented our negative behavior toward people against whom we  have harbored grudges and resentment. We have revealed the power we have given these things over our lives. We have recorded  on our own character defects, called sins by some religions, such as lying, stealing, gossiping or adultery. And we have listed harms we have done to the planet which is our home, and the home of our fellows.

So now the question is what to do with this information? We probably want to burn it and never think about it again, but, alas, that card is not in the Jewish Spiritual Renewal nor Eco-Judaic deck. So we now learn that we must share these secrets! We can probably easily get past part about telling God because, as we know, God already knows. However, telling somebody else, another human being who may just turn out to be your Rabbi, is another story. Ugh!

 

So, I am reminded of the following cute story: Two five-year-olds, one Jewish, the other Catholic, are playing in a sandbox. Sean says to David, "Our priest knows more about things than your rabbi!" To which David replies, "Of course he does. You tell him everything!"

 

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810)  said that the purpose of confiding in another human being is to unburden the soul as part of the process of repentance and healing. Modern psychology supports this idea. Psyche means soul.  So we will learn an easy, time proven method for baring our souls to another and understand that Vidui is 100% Judaic as I have taught above.

Admitting our faults to our self in a solitary self-appraisal is a critical positive step, but alone it is insufficient. If we avoid taking the further step of sharing our chesbon with another person, we feed our ego and fail to learn humility. Understand that humility is not the same thing as humiliation, so don't confuse the two.

Ego and arrogance allow us to treat the world, or our small slice of it, as if it were our own. It allows us to believe the delusion that the deed that is registered in the County Hall really means we own a piece of God's creation. Further it allows us to think that money that we have earned, came from our own hands and we can spend it as we wish. Hence if we can afford to buy a gas guzzling car, or two acres of land and have the trees cut down so we can build a Mc Mansion made of more wood, from more cut trees, who or Who is to say we cannot?

 

When we reach this point in our renewing our Judaism, we should have enough faith and trust in God to have done away with some of our egoism and fear, and gained the humility to move forward.  As stated, Vidui  is 100 percent Jewish. It is done at this phase of Renewal, it is done daily, and it is done on our deathbeds. Yes, as taught above, we Jewish people do have confessional last rites.

Our tradition is extremely critical of those who embarrass others and likens it to the heinous crime of murder: "The blood rushes to the cheeks of the embarrassed person and then drains leaving a pale white face, not unlike the appearance of a dead person." (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 58b). To embarrass somebody is considered even more odious than murder, for murder entails finality. A single person, however, can be embarrassed numerous times, in effect killing that person time and again.

The sages also direct attention to those who are embarrassed by their own deeds: "Anyone who commits a sin, and is embarrassed by it, is forgiven for all transgressions." (Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 12b). This declaration is rooted in the words of the prophet Ezekiel: "So that you will remember and be ashamed... when I have forgiven you for all you have done, says the Lord God." (Ezekiel 16:63).

These passages tell us that a feeling of embarrassment or shame before confessing is a good thing. It is human. It is a sign that we want to change our ways.

So now it is time to put any embarrassment we may feel aside and prepare to be completely honest. I guarantee you that when this is done, when we have shared every nook and cranny of our past and we put our pride in our pocket, we will be able to begin a true Spiritual connection, and be at true Shalom.

The person with whom we choose to share our Chesbon and do Vidui need not be our rabbi, but it does need to be someone you trust to be a God-loving person, not to mention one who can keep his mouth shut. If our rabbi does not fit the bill, call a rabbi in another town, so as not to embarrass our rabbi.  If you cannot identify a suitable rabbi, call a priest at a Catholic church, or another clergyman. If you know of a God-believing psychiatrist, give one a try. Something you should keep in mind, however, is that most of what you have done in your life has human witnesses. So doing  Vidui with a fellow human is good for our souls, and will help keep us from harming others as well as the earth in the future.

As Jews, we don't do penance. We don't use Rosary beads either! Note that our chesbon is about our sins against other humans, and against our planet,  but there is also room for sins against God. For example, if we haven't been keeping Shabbat and consider this a sin against God that we wish to change, He will help us make that change. For the harm that we did to others, we need to make direct amends, teshuvah, and that is for another life cycle essay. For the harm we have done to the planet, in so many ways, we need to look at our chesbon, and do our best, with God's help, to amend our ways and change.

Judaism teaches of the need to express admission of sin and the need for continued daily admission of sin (Talmud Bavli Tractate Yoma 86b). Thus, we do our daily chesbon ha nefesh katon. Communal prayers of group sin at Yom Kippur services do not include individual chesbons. This is why one, as mentioned above, can leave the synagogue as defective and resentful as before the service.

 Judaism also does not believe in what today is known as "witnessing." We do not publicly announce sins to the world, and then announce that one no longer has those sins (Talmud Bavli Tractate Sotah 7b). For one thing, speaking negatively about our self is as much a sin as is speaking negatively about others. Also, such brazenness feeds the ego, which  will eventually lead us to further sin. This is why people end up saying, "All this God stuff is bull feathers!"

We see this all the time with movie stars who are arrested for cocaine possession, then get off with community service and 30 days in rehab (whereas the rest of us would spend time carving tally marks on a cell wall). Then, at the direction of a publicist, the wretched soul emerges from rehab claiming to have "found God," and brags about it on the talk show circuit for three weeks before being arrested again with vials of crack in his pocket.

Following this daily approach to confession, toward the end of the silent Amidah (standing prayer) at each service, we turn to God with the words, "Behold I am before You as a vessel filled with shame and disgrace." We immediately continue with a request, "May it be Your will, Lord, my God and the God of my forefathers, that I shall sin no more; and the sins which I have committed before You, erase them in Your abounding mercies, though not through suffering and severe illness."

The source of this prayer is a personal supplication that the Babylonian sage Rava would add to his daily prayers. Another sage, Rav Hamnuna Zuti, would recite this prayer as part of his confessional prayers (Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 17a). One should repent daily, because it may be one's last day, the sages tell us in Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 153a.  Hence, in reality, our daily vidui can truly be, unknowing to us, our death bed vidui!!

Judaism understands that humans are not perfect, as God did not create us to be saints. The Rabbis teach that God created Teshuvah (Repentance, Return, or Spiritual Renewal) even before creating the Universe (Talmud Bavli Tractates Pesachim 54a and Nedarim 39b). God knew that Man would possess character defects. So He gave us a built-in "fix," a way to amend for our sins and grow from them.

God is waiting with open arms for us to confess to Him. He is all forgiving. God's hand is outstretched to those who want to repent (Talmud Bavli Tractate Pesachim 119a) and He is always waiting for even the most wicked to return (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 104a).

I can assure you that no matter how low we think we have sunk, God, rabbis, priests, ministers and psychiatrists, have heard it all before. One of the elements of becoming spiritual is losing what we call "terminal uniqueness." Proverbs tells us that everyone, those who have lived their lives with God as well as those who have not, have sins to confess.

So in our daily Vidui we not only focus on any defects of character which may have harmed our fellows, or ways we separated ourselves from God, but we also must search to look for ways we have harmed the Earth. We have the obvious mitzvoth of not chopping down a fruit tree, but we have commandments of not to waste, and not to destroy, and yet we consume and gobble during so much of the day, that we truly need to evaluate our behaviors, and ask God for Guidance to be able to change and amend our ways.

 

Summary

If Judaism re-institutes a daily chesbon with a daily vidui, concentrating on Eco-Judaic principals, as well as ethical and spiritual principals to our fellows and God, asking us to do teshuvah and to grow spiritually and ethically daily, we will see true change in behavior and not just talk about change. The wars that we are waging upon the Earth, that humans wages against humans and animals, and that man wages against him or herself, can end, bringing us back to the Garden.

We can change the death bed vidui prayer, as I have suggested above, and the way we counsel people in hospices, hospitals, or in their beds at their homes. We can help our fellow Jews understand that they can still contact folks to make teshvuah, even if we as rabbis are the deliverers  of their messages.  If they didn't partake in healing the earth while alive, they can do so, while dead, with their bodies.  This would provide eternal comfort to them. It would be learning tool about Eco-Judaism, and ecology, to those family members, nurses, etc, in the room when  vidui is being done.

Shalom:

Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal

 

copyright Dr Arthur Segal, PA, DBA Rabbi Arthur Segal

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Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
 

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I've been there myself; stuck with a feeling of, "Is this all there is?" But I found the way out. That's why I became a rabbi after retiring from my dental practice; to help others up the path to a life of joy and freedom that I couldn't find in "normative" Judaism. I want to show you that path today. "You lead the spiritual practices of the entire program and offer our followers a unique spiritual opportunity."  Hune Margulies, Ph.D. Founder, Martin Buber Institute Reclaim Your Spirituality...And Your Life Click to Order THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal distills millennia of sage advice into a step-by-step process to reclaim your Judaism and your spirituality in a concise easy-to-read and easy-to-follow manner. If you find yourself wishing for the strength to sustain you through the ups and downs of life; if you want to learn how to live life to its fullest without angst, worry, low self-esteem or fear; or if you wish that your relationships with family, friends and co-workers were based on love and service and free of ego, arguments, resentments and feelings of being unloved...this book is for you. Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I distill teachings from our sages that have been passed along for thousands of years, along with lessons from the Torah and the Talmud. But unlike other Jewish spiritual texts that you may have read, or sermons you may have heard, this book presents these lessons in a concise, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow life transformation process that you can follow step-by-step at your own pace. And it is written in plain English with relevance to the modern world. I even threw in a few jokes to make it fun! This is stuff we were not taught in Hebrew school or in most synagogues, but it is what Judaism is really all about.  "Wonderful stuff! I'm savoring it, bit by bit."  Samuel Hughes, Senior Editor The Pennsylvania Gazette University of Pennsylvania In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, you will learn: That "normative" Judaism as you have known it throughout your life is not really Judaism at all, why it may leave you uninspired, and how spiritual renewal will help you recapture that inspiration (Chapter 1). That your ego is your own worst enemy, and how to win the battle against it (Chapter 2). How to stop struggling for control over things you cannot control, and be happier because of it (Chapter 3). How spiritual renewal conquers the fears and character flaws that are holding you back in life (Chapters 4 and 5). To actually get rid of your character flaws forever (Chapter 6). How to turn negative relationships in your life positive (Chapter 7). How simple it is to make prayer a regular part of your days...without going back to Hebrew school (Chapter 8). How to to find peace of mind through meditation (Chapter 9). How to simplify life's toughest decisions (Chapter 10). How spiritual renewal transforms you into the best individual you can be, and how to stay on track (Chapter 11). How to celebrate the Sabbath and the Jewish Holidays with meaning (Chapters 12 and 13). How to live with happiness, joy, and freedom every day of your life (Chapter 14). Click Image to Enlarge THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order A Question for You Let me ask you a question: Are you enjoying life like the people in the cartoon at the top of this letter? Or, do you spend your days worrying about the economy... ...in conflict with friends, family, and co-workers... ...stressed out about the future? If the latter sounds like you I'm not surprised. As I said earlier, I counsel many fellow Jews who are in the same boat, and they look to their Jewish faith to find a happier life. However... Some have trouble understanding what they read in the Torah and how it relates to their own lives. Others find that their synagogues are more about social climbing and fundraising and less about spiritual awakening. Many simply give up, believing that Judaism has failed them, and they walk away from their Jewish faith.  In my book, The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I will show you that true Judaism has not failed them...or you...and that you can return to your Jewish faith and enjoy your life to its fullest, even when the news of the day keeps going from bad to worse. "I couldn't have written the book or expressed my pain and concern for the Jewish people returning to Judaism. Thank God that He put this desire in your heart." Janelle Vechi California It's simpler than you may think, and you don't have to become a rabbi as I did. To give you an idea what I am talking about, here is an excerpt from The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew: We become so far removed from God, our loving Sovereign Parent, that when we pray, (if we pray at all), we pray to meet an immediate need. We desire an immediate fix, rather than to seek renewal (return) and the wisdom to work toward renewal. We are satisfied for a moment if our trivial need is met. We therefore never achieve happiness in the long term. We are constantly searching and striving for our secular notions of success and happiness. While in this all-too-common state our egos "lock horns" with the egos of others, putting us in a sustained state of human conflict and resentment.   This is not the Jewish way to live; but most of us cannot find the way out. In this book, I will give a map to the tools of the process in simple terms and in language easily understood, to turn your life around to a much more pleasant state. If you follow the map faithfully and honestly, you will find that the journey is life-changing and life-affirming. "Nice Rabbi Segal! Thank you! Peace." Deepak Chopra's Intent.com What Would You Say Something Like This is Worth? Think about it… The teachings of the Torah and the Talmud all distilled into an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-follow step-by-step process that will help you: Overcome the challenges that life throws at you every day Stop letting ego, resentment, and other conflict strain your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers Get the angst and worry out of your life Eliminate low self-esteem from your life Overcome your fear of failure and other fears I know it sounds priceless and in reality…it is. But I sincerely want to share what has helped me and countless others with you. In other words, I want to show you the path to the happy and joyous life that your were meant to live. So I want you to have The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew for only $19.99. "The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal is an invaluable resource for anyone who is searching for more in their life. I was involved with organized Jewish religion, but something was always missing. Using this guide, and taking each chapter to heart, has transformed my views and put me on the track my life is supposed to be on,  filled with love, trust and emunah (faith). Thanks Rabbi Segal!" Ben Pincus Houston, TX Like I said, I've been where you are: in a life missing spirituality; seemingly unable to cope with life's difficulties; and unable to find peace and inner shalom.  But I found it and now I want to share with you the path that I have found and passed on to others with consistent success. It took me many years of work and study, and rabbinic ordination. But it didn't have to. And it doesn't have to for you. You can travel the same path that I did, but you can do it in only 254 pages! We are living in a historically turbulent time. Economic uncertainty, political corruption, threats of aggression, and religious conflict are everywhere. I know that I would find it difficult to find comfort without the peace and inner shalom that I have found through Jewish Spiritual Renewal. Please join me now. Start your journey UP the path of Jewish Spiritual Renewal so that it may bring the same joy, happiness, freedom and shalom that I now enjoy into your own life!   Click Here to Order Many Blessings, Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal   P.S.  Another thing that I've noticed over the years in my Rabbinic Counseling is that many modern Jews are not as familiar with the Torah and the Talmud as they might be.  They find it difficult to understand and interpret in a way that makes sense and has relevance to their lives in the modern world.  This is quite often the root cause of the kind of spiritual disconnection that I described earlier. So, as a companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I have also written: Click to Order A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us. This companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of the Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to go and study. The rest is commentary. This compendium clarifies the commentary and allows one to study Torah and Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. A must read for all Jews and deserves a place in every Jewish home. Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge "Very informative and timely. It allows many people to benefit from Torah lessons, where many of them may not otherwise have an opportunity receive such content." Mauricio Benzipporah Founder, Beta-Gershom Organization A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to interpret its lessons. "Shalom. What a blessing your insights have given me. I am interested in reading more of your writings of Talmud. I find it difficult to find good Talmudic readings. Excellent work, Rabbi!" Rabbi Daniel Ben Shmuel A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to ''go and study.'' The rest is commentary.  A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud clarifies the commentary and allows one to study the Torah and the Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace.  It is a must read for those seeking Jewish Spiritual Renewal and is the ideal complement to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew. Here is an excerpt from A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud: Since each parasha is the weekly Torah portion, you may read each of the chapters in the book during the course of a week while also reading the actual Torah portion. By doing so, you will learn a modern Jewish Spiritual view of each Torah portion. At the same time, your world will be open to the ethical teachings of the Talmud.   While many read the Torah as a history book, or a deed to land, or see it as a boring book full of legalisms and ritual for a priesthood that no longer exists, this book aims to show you the spiritual ethical lessons in each parasha. In a sense this book will hopefully help you enjoy reading and understanding the Five Books of Moses, what we call Chumash from the Hebrew word for "five." You may even discover that you want to continue your study with the Talmud and other Jewish texts. "...most insightful (Torah) essay I could find was written by Rabbi Arthur Segal." Leslie Palma-Simoncek Staten Island Advance Complete your journey UP the path to Jewish Spiritual Renewal with a better understanding of the Torah's lessons through A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud for only $24.99... ...certainly a small amount to pay for the priceless wisdom contained within the Torah and the Talmud. You can purchase each book individually, but if you purchase them together as a set, I will donate a portion of the sales price in your name to a tzadakkah of your choice, such as your synagogue. Think of it as your first act of loving kindness in your spiritually renewed life!     Click Here to Order   Click Image to Enlarge THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order Click Image to Enlarge A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order   About Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal's love of Judaism and his Ahavath Israel led him on his personal quest for Jewish Spiritual Renewal, beginning his studies after retirement from a successful oral medicine practice. Rabbi Segal graduated cum laude with BA and DMD degrees, Specialty, and Post-Doctoral studies in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in the 1970s. He is an author in these chosen fields as well. Rabbi Segal teaches classes on Jewish Spiritual Renewal and The Spiritual and Ethical Teachings of the Torah, TaNaK and Talmud via the Shamash online program. He teaches Torah, Talmud, and other great texts, such as Duties of the Heart by Ibn Pakudah of 1050 C.E. Spain, to adults in his hometown. Rabbi Dr. Segal does rabbinic counseling using the step-by-step process of Jewish Spiritual Renewal to help his fellow Jews achieve a spiritual life.     Click Here to Order ©2009 Dr. Arthur Segal, P.A. d/b/a Rabbi Arthur Segal  Page header image is courtesy of Steve Greenberg (greenberg-art.com)

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RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:Death Bed Vidui Confession:Life Cycle Step:Eco-Judaic View

  RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:Death Bed Vidui Confession:Life Cycle Step:Eco-Judaic View

 

 

 

 

Death Bed Vidui-Confession: A Life Cycle Step from an Eco-Judaic Viewpoint

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

WWW.JEWISHSPIRITUALRENEWAL.ORG

 

Confession, or Vidui in Ivrit, is a Talmudic Rabbinic process and part of the wheel of life, we commonly call the life cycle. It is one event in many. When I poll my fellow Jews and ask if confession is a Jewish or a Christian ritual, the overwhelming answer is that it is Christian. More disconcerting is that most Jews have never heard of a confession in Judaism, and have never heard of their deceased parents or grand parents, or even spouses, doing such.

 

Let me try in this essay to show the benefit of Vidui to the individual about to pass on, to his/her family and/or friends, to his/her doctors and nurses, who are witnessing the process, and to the Earth itself.

 

First, allow me to discuss the word vidui and the word confession, and its Hebraic roots. While the Talmud expands greatly on Vidui, and its accompanying process of making amends, called Teshuvah, Vidui is really a Hebraic Torah commandment. Leviticus 26:40 clearly calls upon us to "confess their sin.''  This is repeated in another context in Numbers 5:7 which asks us to "confess the sin that they committed.''

 

But as with many translations from Hebrew into other languages, be it Greek, Roman or English, we loose the meaning of the word when we do not understand the roots from which the word comes. Vidui has the same root as Yud Dalet Hey, which means to 'admit' or 'acknowledge.' In a deeper context of the root, Vidui shares commonality with 'to praise' and 'to thank,'  as in the word hoda'ah.

 

I came across one etymology of Vidui from the Hebrew word for 'hurl,' from Rabbi Y. Fine.  While I cannot justify this in my own mind, I like it, because if vidui is done correctly, with real spiritual intention, kavenah, one sincerely has hurled and discarded baggage that has weighed one down spiritually, if not disconnected one, from the Source of one's Neshemah and Ruach. 

 

 

The English word confession has too many connotations from our knowledge, or even misinformation, of other religions who have confession as one of their rites, to make it seem "Jewish."  We are not to wallow or debase  ourselves. But true Vidui is Judaic and it is our task, my task in this essay, to make Vidui relevant in both a Jewish Spiritual Renewal manner as well as an Eco-Judaic one.

 

So in understanding the reality  that Judaism has a deathbed Vidui , I need also to add that from my experience, it is seldom used by we liberal rabbis who visit hospices or hospitals or even homes of Jews who are dying. I will give my offer of an explanation for this below.

 

I give the Jews I visit freedom of choice. I offer and explain, but do not push anything onto them.  And I am a liberal, if not very liberal Rabbi.  I need to add,  and hopefully not confuse my readers,  that Judaism also has a daily Vidui as well. While the death bed Vidui is usually said aloud to God, with one's rabbi, any Jew that one can trust, would satisfy the obligation.

 

In regards to the daily Vidui, one usually does it with one's chaverutah, i.e. one's Talmudic study partner. I will expound on this daily aspect later.

 

The traditional death bed prayer is short and is as follows: ''I acknowledge before You, God, my God and God of my forefathers, that my recovery and death are in your hand. May it be your will that You heal me with total recovery, but if I die, may my death be an atonement for all the errors, iniquities, and willful  sins that I have erred, sinned  and transgressed before You.  May you grant my share in the Garden of Eden, and privilege me for the World to Come that is concealed for the righteous.''

 

If one has strength, traditionally one may add the three pages of communal sins in the first person plural that Jews do on Yom Kippur. None of these communal sins mentions anything about the sins we do to harm the world and the universe. Hence from an Eco-Judaic point of view, the High Holy day Machzor  needs amending.

 

Now, I think the reason for many liberal Rabbis not offering Vidui to their congregants who are about to die, is because of the wording of the prayer and a misunderstanding of it.

 

Simply put, some liberal sects have deleted from their  Siddurem references to Olam ha Ba, [the world to come], and bodily resurrection. Some have taken out references to the Moshiac [messiah]. I always found this interesting, as three of the philosophical items that caused Talmudic Rabbis to be killed by their Hebraic Priest counterpart proxies, during the Hebraic Hasmonean rule ( the time between the conclusion of the Hanukah story circa 165 BCE to the invitation to the Romans to help the Hasmoneans rule circa  63 BCE) were the Talmud Rabbinic concepts of Olam Ha Ba, bodily resurrection, and a Jewish Messiah, which Hebraism rejects.

 

Hence a rabbi who has taught his/her congregants of the absence of these ideas from "Judaism," may find himself putting the patient, as well as him/herself in discomfort, discussing these concepts  ,''so late in the game.''

 

Another reason is many may feel they are saying this prayer, doing Vidui, without sincerity, but to 'hedge their bets,' just in case there is an Olam Ha Ba and a Heavenly court with Divine retribution.  And few, if any rabbis, would want a person involved in such insincerity when the purpose of vidui is sincerity.

 

Now if we explain  a bit of the Vidui prayer thusly we may have a way to bring Vidui into its important usage for almost all sects of Judaism.

 

The Garden of Eden is what we as humans were granted when we were formed on the 6th day of creation. We celebrate this birth of humankind on the first of Tishrei, which we call Rosh ha Shana. Jews call it the Jewish New Year. In reality, its one of 4 new years for Jews, and this one is really the new year for all humankind. The Jewish New Year, of our people-hood , is in Nissan, circa Passover time.

 

Now as we know, only a few 'hours' passed before we disobeyed YHWH's orders, coming from the same 'mouth' that our very breath of life, the Holy Inhale and the Exhale, came.  We lost the Garden of Eden because we were given massive abundance with  minimal boundary. We were told to  not eat fruits from just two trees. The Torah tells us it was in the afternoon of the first day humankind was created and we had already crossed our ecological boundaries, already consumed what was not ours to gobble,  and we are hiding from God,  hearing Him ''manifesting Himself before evening.''

 

We  need to explain that as humans we, all of us, have been consuming the earth, which without humankind, would  be a Planet of Eden.  Yet at the same time, we are part of earth. We have been hurting ourselves as well as our neighbors and children's children with our behaviors.   By understanding the concept of returning to the Garden, which is a rectification of the patient's no longer consuming it,  the prayer can be said sincerely.

 

Without going into a biological discourse with the Jewish patient about the Kreb's cycle, or the Calvin cycle, {which may hasten their death, or at least bring back memories of Junior High science class}, we can explain to the patient, which we all tend to forget, how the trees provide our very oxygen, and we provide them their carbon dioxide. We can explain how we humans, however, produce too much carbon dioxide and that has harmed our 'garden.' We can talk about how we are made up of mostly water, and how we as humans, have polluted our waters.

 

We can even bring a tree-looking plant with us for the patient, like a Dracaena Fragrans also known as  a corn plant. We can work with them demonstrating and having them do  actual life-to-life communication with the small 'tree.'  We can show his/her breathing in and breathing out,  and explain that both the ''Jew and the Tree'' are saying the name of the Ruach Kadosh, YaH-WeH. Its calming, its meditative, and it is healing. And it serves to show that he/she is one with the world, has always been, and always will be.

 

Now while the above may seem contrived and trite, I can assure you it is not. At our home this past Tu B'Shevat, we had almost 60 folks over for a Kabbalistic seder. This is of course the New Year for Trees and there are a lot of rituals having to do with trees, fruits and nuts, and vines' grapes, and seasons and different color wines, etc. And a pre- Bat Mitzvah gal came up to me, tugging on my arm, and said "Rabbi Rabbi, I know what else trees give us." And I said "What?" And she said "Oxygen!!". And in my entire Kabbalistic Hagaddah, the thought of oxygen, as I was dealing with nuts, and seeds, and all types of fruits, never once crossed my mind nor was mentioned.

 

We can explain to our Jewish patient that humans are first Adamah, earth, and then become Adam only through YHWH's breath, WeH, the spiritual neshemot, blown into us. It is during life that a Jew's aim is to move from Homo Sapien to Homo Spiritus. When we die, the WeH is sucked out of us to rejoin with the YaH of the universe, and we return to Adamah, As the Talmud says we become dust, and food for maggots and worms. (Talmud Bavli Tractate Pirkei Avot 3:1).

 

Now if our Jewish friend is in good spirits and is able to follow along, we can also discuss the Hebraic idea of sacrifice in this Garden of Eden phase.  We can explain that as humans,  we consume more animal flesh than is needed and how as Hebrews we saw up close and personal the Korban.  We as Hebrews saw the priests run a real live , not virtual, slaughter house. We got to see blood, bones, and hides. We heard the screams. We got to see unkind death, albeit, we are taught ours was more humane than other tribes. And korban actually means to ''come close.'' We were taught to appreciate life, and to use it sacredly, if we were to use the life force of an animal for our own sustenance. And as humans today, we explain to our Jewish fellows in bed, we do not treat life, animal nor human, sacredly.

 

Allow me to discuss the words "righteous" and ''the world to come''  in the Vidui Death Bed prayer. The Talmud teaches in Bavli Tractate Sanhedrin in the Mishna 10:1 "All Israel has  a share in the world to come,'' and even goes on to teach that those non-Jews who follow the 7 Noachide laws get to Olam ha Ba with us.  The word righteous is so subjective, and with so many Jews today, being unschooled, or taught by those doing ''lifne iver,'' they have the status of "tinok shenishba," a child who was captured by gentiles and who grew up ignorant of his heritage. It is cruel, and I have had gosets (those who doctors think will die in 3 days), ask me, fearfully, after doing this traditional prayer, if they are ''righteous enough.'' We explain, "The level attained by  teshuvah cannot be attained even by perfect tzaddikim" (Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 34b).  At this stage in life, we are all 'righteous' and our task is to  leave people in Shalom, in Shlema, in God's protective arms and hands and not in angst.

 

Now with the topic of Olam Ha Ba, it is not the bailiwick of this essay,  to teach the Talmudic Judaic concepts of the World to Come, because any read of the last chapter of Tractate Sanhedrin will show one that there is no agreement. And this is how it should be. God is infinite. His Torah, His instructions are infinite, and the ways to try to reach Him and try to understand Him, if we ever can which by definition is impossible, are infinite.

 

So, I have found that with the liberal Jews of my community, the best way to approach the concept of the World to Come, is to express it in terms of the World to Come in this earth ''when you are not here in your present form.'' How do you want to be remembered? Are there people with whom you need to reconcile? Do you need to have a conversation with God? Do you need to converse with the Earth? We can all agree that earth is where everyone's corporal body will be going, as Genesis teaches us very early, in 3:19, ''and to dust you shall return.''

 

Now ''return'' is a very interesting word at this phase, as Teshuvah, amends, really means, return. The Hebrew root of Teshuvah, Shin-Vuv-Vet is returning. So while daily Vidui may bring one, hopefully, to doing Teshuvah to one he has harmed, and returning Shalom among friends, Teshuvah at this death bed stage, is one's last chance to make amends before ''really returning.''   Hence, just as the Talmud tells us in Bavli Tractate Beracoth 5a that we make our own problems, we have by doing Vidui in this manner, the option in our lives of making our own Olam Ha Ba as well.

 

The talk of returning to the earth, dust and dirt, reminds me of this story:

A scientist came to God and said, "We have accomplished extraordinary feats. End of life, beginning of life, cloning. God, we don't need You anymore. We can do just about anything You can do. We can create man!"

God said, "Is that so? How do you do such a thing?"

"We take some dirt, mix in some enzymes, put it in test tubes, and create man," said the scientist. "Let me show you."

The scientist reaches down to scoop up some dirt from ground, but God stops him and says, "No, no, no. I want to see you do it with your own dirt."

 

So let us take our ancient prayer, and spruce it a bit with a little bit of wording change, now that we can explain it better to  our fellow Jew about to move on from this life.

The re-evaluated the death bed Vidui prayer I suggest is: ''I acknowledge before You, God, my God and God of my forefathers, that my recovery and death are in your hand. May it be your will that You heal me with total recovery, but if I die, may my death be an atonement for all the errors, iniquities, and willful  sins that I have erred, sinned  and transgressed before You. May my body return to Adamah, the earth, and may it be used to replenish the nutrients that I have wasted from the earth during my life on this plane, and may my body help repair the earth for generations to come so that I leave the earth a better place than how it was given to me from my ancestors.  May you grant my share in the Garden of Eden, from which we were banished for our over- consumption, and privilege me for the World to Come that is that is promised to all Israel.''

 

We can now help our patient say the Shema, and let them know, as Rabbi Goldie Milgram teaches, that the Hebrew letters in the word Adonai, Aleph-Daled-Nun, spells eh-den, threshold. It is passing through this threshold that they will go in shalom.  No matter what we may have thought when we were actively alive, we are all One (Echad) with God, and One with the Earth, and One with each other. It is a lesson we all learn as we are dying, and one if we learned earlier in life, would have given us true serenity.  We have to be able to leave our Jewish fellows with a shalom that surpasses all human understanding, and that dying now will be as ''easy as taking a hair out of  a bowl of milk.'' [Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 7b ].

 

Daily Vidui-Confession: A Life Cycle Step from an Eco-Judaic Viewpoint

 

 

It is my humble opinion, that before one can do a daily vidui, or even the ones we do communally during Yom Kippur, one needs to know for what one is 'confessing.' Reading a list of sins going from A to Z in the Hebrew Aleph Bet pounding one's chest at the reading on each one, may make one feel like he/she is improving spiritually, but experience has shown, that if one has walked into a shul with   resentments on Kol Nidre, one will be leaving with them after Neilah.  Hence one needs to make a moral inventory of one's soul and this is called a Chesbon (cheshbob) ha Nefesh.

 

While this may be new information to some readers, normative Rabbinic Talmudic Judaism has each of us doing a  chesbon  ha nefesh, a moral inventory of our soul, daily.  We call this our chesbon katon [small]. We are also to do a Chesbon ha Nefesh Gadol [large] , and this takes time and effort, but is worth it.  If done correctly, I believe this Chesbon Gadol need to be done once, as long as the small one's are done daily. The Talmud suggests,  assuming knowing that humans will occasionally skip their daily chesbon katon, doing a Chesbon Gadol, each Rosh Chodesh.

When we have made our chesbon ha nefesh gadol, we have an exacting moral inventory of our soul. We have put it in writing, but only we have seen it.  In Israel, the bill at a restaurant is called a chesbon. Until it is presented to the customer, it can not be paid or action taken. 

What  do we usually  learn about ourselves? We have probably found that we exhibit some dishonesty and ego. The ego is manifested in our selfish, self-centered and self-seeking behavior. From an eco-Judaic viewpoint, this could be as simple as not recycling reusable products, to spraying pesticides on our lawn so its 'beautifully green and free of weeds,' while poisoning the water table below.  It is important that we are rigorously honest and find the Deep Truth about ourselves, so that we can live life learning Life's Deep Truth, and not finding it on our death beds.

I have written exactly how to do a chesbon ha nefesh gadol and katan in prior essays.

We have seen how our fears have exercised control over our lives in our chesbon gadol. We have documented our negative behavior toward people against whom we  have harbored grudges and resentment. We have revealed the power we have given these things over our lives. We have recorded  on our own character defects, called sins by some religions, such as lying, stealing, gossiping or adultery. And we have listed harms we have done to the planet which is our home, and the home of our fellows.

So now the question is what to do with this information? We probably want to burn it and never think about it again, but, alas, that card is not in the Jewish Spiritual Renewal nor Eco-Judaic deck. So we now learn that we must share these secrets! We can probably easily get past part about telling God because, as we know, God already knows. However, telling somebody else, another human being who may just turn out to be your Rabbi, is another story. Ugh!

 

So, I am reminded of the following cute story: Two five-year-olds, one Jewish, the other Catholic, are playing in a sandbox. Sean says to David, "Our priest knows more about things than your rabbi!" To which David replies, "Of course he does. You tell him everything!"

 

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810)  said that the purpose of confiding in another human being is to unburden the soul as part of the process of repentance and healing. Modern psychology supports this idea. Psyche means soul.  So we will learn an easy, time proven method for baring our souls to another and understand that Vidui is 100% Judaic as I have taught above.

Admitting our faults to our self in a solitary self-appraisal is a critical positive step, but alone it is insufficient. If we avoid taking the further step of sharing our chesbon with another person, we feed our ego and fail to learn humility. Understand that humility is not the same thing as humiliation, so don't confuse the two.

Ego and arrogance allow us to treat the world, or our small slice of it, as if it were our own. It allows us to believe the delusion that the deed that is registered in the County Hall really means we own a piece of God's creation. Further it allows us to think that money that we have earned, came from our own hands and we can spend it as we wish. Hence if we can afford to buy a gas guzzling car, or two acres of land and have the trees cut down so we can build a Mc Mansion made of more wood, from more cut trees, who or Who is to say we cannot?

 

When we reach this point in our renewing our Judaism, we should have enough faith and trust in God to have done away with some of our egoism and fear, and gained the humility to move forward.  As stated, Vidui  is 100 percent Jewish. It is done at this phase of Renewal, it is done daily, and it is done on our deathbeds. Yes, as taught above, we Jewish people do have confessional last rites.

Our tradition is extremely critical of those who embarrass others and likens it to the heinous crime of murder: "The blood rushes to the cheeks of the embarrassed person and then drains leaving a pale white face, not unlike the appearance of a dead person." (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 58b). To embarrass somebody is considered even more odious than murder, for murder entails finality. A single person, however, can be embarrassed numerous times, in effect killing that person time and again.

The sages also direct attention to those who are embarrassed by their own deeds: "Anyone who commits a sin, and is embarrassed by it, is forgiven for all transgressions." (Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 12b). This declaration is rooted in the words of the prophet Ezekiel: "So that you will remember and be ashamed... when I have forgiven you for all you have done, says the Lord God." (Ezekiel 16:63).

These passages tell us that a feeling of embarrassment or shame before confessing is a good thing. It is human. It is a sign that we want to change our ways.

So now it is time to put any embarrassment we may feel aside and prepare to be completely honest. I guarantee you that when this is done, when we have shared every nook and cranny of our past and we put our pride in our pocket, we will be able to begin a true Spiritual connection, and be at true Shalom.

The person with whom we choose to share our Chesbon and do Vidui need not be our rabbi, but it does need to be someone you trust to be a God-loving person, not to mention one who can keep his mouth shut. If our rabbi does not fit the bill, call a rabbi in another town, so as not to embarrass our rabbi.  If you cannot identify a suitable rabbi, call a priest at a Catholic church, or another clergyman. If you know of a God-believing psychiatrist, give one a try. Something you should keep in mind, however, is that most of what you have done in your life has human witnesses. So doing  Vidui with a fellow human is good for our souls, and will help keep us from harming others as well as the earth in the future.

As Jews, we don't do penance. We don't use Rosary beads either! Note that our chesbon is about our sins against other humans, and against our planet,  but there is also room for sins against God. For example, if we haven't been keeping Shabbat and consider this a sin against God that we wish to change, He will help us make that change. For the harm that we did to others, we need to make direct amends, teshuvah, and that is for another life cycle essay. For the harm we have done to the planet, in so many ways, we need to look at our chesbon, and do our best, with God's help, to amend our ways and change.

Judaism teaches of the need to express admission of sin and the need for continued daily admission of sin (Talmud Bavli Tractate Yoma 86b). Thus, we do our daily chesbon ha nefesh katon. Communal prayers of group sin at Yom Kippur services do not include individual chesbons. This is why one, as mentioned above, can leave the synagogue as defective and resentful as before the service.

 Judaism also does not believe in what today is known as "witnessing." We do not publicly announce sins to the world, and then announce that one no longer has those sins (Talmud Bavli Tractate Sotah 7b). For one thing, speaking negatively about our self is as much a sin as is speaking negatively about others. Also, such brazenness feeds the ego, which  will eventually lead us to further sin. This is why people end up saying, "All this God stuff is bull feathers!"

We see this all the time with movie stars who are arrested for cocaine possession, then get off with community service and 30 days in rehab (whereas the rest of us would spend time carving tally marks on a cell wall). Then, at the direction of a publicist, the wretched soul emerges from rehab claiming to have "found God," and brags about it on the talk show circuit for three weeks before being arrested again with vials of crack in his pocket.

Following this daily approach to confession, toward the end of the silent Amidah (standing prayer) at each service, we turn to God with the words, "Behold I am before You as a vessel filled with shame and disgrace." We immediately continue with a request, "May it be Your will, Lord, my God and the God of my forefathers, that I shall sin no more; and the sins which I have committed before You, erase them in Your abounding mercies, though not through suffering and severe illness."

The source of this prayer is a personal supplication that the Babylonian sage Rava would add to his daily prayers. Another sage, Rav Hamnuna Zuti, would recite this prayer as part of his confessional prayers (Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 17a). One should repent daily, because it may be one's last day, the sages tell us in Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 153a.  Hence, in reality, our daily vidui can truly be, unknowing to us, our death bed vidui!!

Judaism understands that humans are not perfect, as God did not create us to be saints. The Rabbis teach that God created Teshuvah (Repentance, Return, or Spiritual Renewal) even before creating the Universe (Talmud Bavli Tractates Pesachim 54a and Nedarim 39b). God knew that Man would possess character defects. So He gave us a built-in "fix," a way to amend for our sins and grow from them.

God is waiting with open arms for us to confess to Him. He is all forgiving. God's hand is outstretched to those who want to repent (Talmud Bavli Tractate Pesachim 119a) and He is always waiting for even the most wicked to return (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 104a).

I can assure you that no matter how low we think we have sunk, God, rabbis, priests, ministers and psychiatrists, have heard it all before. One of the elements of becoming spiritual is losing what we call "terminal uniqueness." Proverbs tells us that everyone, those who have lived their lives with God as well as those who have not, have sins to confess.

So in our daily Vidui we not only focus on any defects of character which may have harmed our fellows, or ways we separated ourselves from God, but we also must search to look for ways we have harmed the Earth. We have the obvious mitzvoth of not chopping down a fruit tree, but we have commandments of not to waste, and not to destroy, and yet we consume and gobble during so much of the day, that we truly need to evaluate our behaviors, and ask God for Guidance to be able to change and amend our ways.

 

Summary

If Judaism re-institutes a daily chesbon with a daily vidui, concentrating on Eco-Judaic principals, as well as ethical and spiritual principals to our fellows and God, asking us to do teshuvah and to grow spiritually and ethically daily, we will see true change in behavior and not just talk about change. The wars that we are waging upon the Earth, that humans wages against humans and animals, and that man wages against him or herself, can end, bringing us back to the Garden.

We can change the death bed vidui prayer, as I have suggested above, and the way we counsel people in hospices, hospitals, or in their beds at their homes. We can help our fellow Jews understand that they can still contact folks to make teshvuah, even if we as rabbis are the deliverers  of their messages.  If they didn't partake in healing the earth while alive, they can do so, while dead, with their bodies.  This would provide eternal comfort to them. It would be learning tool about Eco-Judaism, and ecology, to those family members, nurses, etc, in the room when  vidui is being done.

Shalom:

Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal

 

copyright Dr Arthur Segal, PA, DBA Rabbi Arthur Segal

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Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

WWW.JEWISHSPIRITUALRENEWAL.ORG
 

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Rabbi Arthur Segal reveals the path to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - and happiness in  troubled  times... Is Joy and Happiness Still Possible in Times Like These? YES, it is possible. Even when the world seems to be turning upside-down, you can follow a simple, step-by-step process that will have you loving life every day no matter what is going on around you. It's no secret, but nobody's been talking about it for generations...until now. In His New Book: THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal brings Judaism back to its roots for the millions of modern Jews who have become disenchanted with "normative" Judaism. In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, Segal reveals how Judaism leads you up the path to a happy, fulfilling life. And he casts aside the long, boring sermons and tedious litany of rules and regulations in favor of plain English, humor, and life examples that we can all relate to. Click Here to Order $19.99 254 Pages Published by Amazon's BookSurge ISBN: 1439223394 "The Handbook To Jewish Spiritual Renewal by Rabbi Arthur Segal has given me the foundation to approach each day with honesty, reverence, hope and gratitude. I feel like I am having a personal conversation with a wise prophet with a jovial sense of humor."  Diane Weinberg, Washington, D.C. Shalom. My name is Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal, and in my years of rabbinic counseling I've met an awful lot of fellow Jews who are short on faith that Judaism can deliver the happiness and joy that it promises, especially in these turbulent times. Their emotions run the gamut: sadness, loneliness, bitterness; fearfulness of what the future holds for them. Some are just downright cynical and angry. I've been there myself; stuck with a feeling of, "Is this all there is?" But I found the way out. That's why I became a rabbi after retiring from my dental practice; to help others up the path to a life of joy and freedom that I couldn't find in "normative" Judaism. I want to show you that path today. "You lead the spiritual practices of the entire program and offer our followers a unique spiritual opportunity."  Hune Margulies, Ph.D. Founder, Martin Buber Institute Reclaim Your Spirituality...And Your Life Click to Order THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal distills millennia of sage advice into a step-by-step process to reclaim your Judaism and your spirituality in a concise easy-to-read and easy-to-follow manner. If you find yourself wishing for the strength to sustain you through the ups and downs of life; if you want to learn how to live life to its fullest without angst, worry, low self-esteem or fear; or if you wish that your relationships with family, friends and co-workers were based on love and service and free of ego, arguments, resentments and feelings of being unloved...this book is for you. Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I distill teachings from our sages that have been passed along for thousands of years, along with lessons from the Torah and the Talmud. But unlike other Jewish spiritual texts that you may have read, or sermons you may have heard, this book presents these lessons in a concise, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow life transformation process that you can follow step-by-step at your own pace. And it is written in plain English with relevance to the modern world. I even threw in a few jokes to make it fun! This is stuff we were not taught in Hebrew school or in most synagogues, but it is what Judaism is really all about.  "Wonderful stuff! I'm savoring it, bit by bit."  Samuel Hughes, Senior Editor The Pennsylvania Gazette University of Pennsylvania In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, you will learn: That "normative" Judaism as you have known it throughout your life is not really Judaism at all, why it may leave you uninspired, and how spiritual renewal will help you recapture that inspiration (Chapter 1). That your ego is your own worst enemy, and how to win the battle against it (Chapter 2). How to stop struggling for control over things you cannot control, and be happier because of it (Chapter 3). How spiritual renewal conquers the fears and character flaws that are holding you back in life (Chapters 4 and 5). To actually get rid of your character flaws forever (Chapter 6). How to turn negative relationships in your life positive (Chapter 7). How simple it is to make prayer a regular part of your days...without going back to Hebrew school (Chapter 8). How to to find peace of mind through meditation (Chapter 9). How to simplify life's toughest decisions (Chapter 10). How spiritual renewal transforms you into the best individual you can be, and how to stay on track (Chapter 11). How to celebrate the Sabbath and the Jewish Holidays with meaning (Chapters 12 and 13). How to live with happiness, joy, and freedom every day of your life (Chapter 14). Click Image to Enlarge THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order A Question for You Let me ask you a question: Are you enjoying life like the people in the cartoon at the top of this letter? Or, do you spend your days worrying about the economy... ...in conflict with friends, family, and co-workers... ...stressed out about the future? If the latter sounds like you I'm not surprised. As I said earlier, I counsel many fellow Jews who are in the same boat, and they look to their Jewish faith to find a happier life. However... Some have trouble understanding what they read in the Torah and how it relates to their own lives. Others find that their synagogues are more about social climbing and fundraising and less about spiritual awakening. Many simply give up, believing that Judaism has failed them, and they walk away from their Jewish faith.  In my book, The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I will show you that true Judaism has not failed them...or you...and that you can return to your Jewish faith and enjoy your life to its fullest, even when the news of the day keeps going from bad to worse. "I couldn't have written the book or expressed my pain and concern for the Jewish people returning to Judaism. Thank God that He put this desire in your heart." Janelle Vechi California It's simpler than you may think, and you don't have to become a rabbi as I did. To give you an idea what I am talking about, here is an excerpt from The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew: We become so far removed from God, our loving Sovereign Parent, that when we pray, (if we pray at all), we pray to meet an immediate need. We desire an immediate fix, rather than to seek renewal (return) and the wisdom to work toward renewal. We are satisfied for a moment if our trivial need is met. We therefore never achieve happiness in the long term. We are constantly searching and striving for our secular notions of success and happiness. While in this all-too-common state our egos "lock horns" with the egos of others, putting us in a sustained state of human conflict and resentment.   This is not the Jewish way to live; but most of us cannot find the way out. In this book, I will give a map to the tools of the process in simple terms and in language easily understood, to turn your life around to a much more pleasant state. If you follow the map faithfully and honestly, you will find that the journey is life-changing and life-affirming. "Nice Rabbi Segal! Thank you! Peace." Deepak Chopra's Intent.com What Would You Say Something Like This is Worth? Think about it… The teachings of the Torah and the Talmud all distilled into an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-follow step-by-step process that will help you: Overcome the challenges that life throws at you every day Stop letting ego, resentment, and other conflict strain your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers Get the angst and worry out of your life Eliminate low self-esteem from your life Overcome your fear of failure and other fears I know it sounds priceless and in reality…it is. But I sincerely want to share what has helped me and countless others with you. In other words, I want to show you the path to the happy and joyous life that your were meant to live. So I want you to have The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew for only $19.99. "The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal is an invaluable resource for anyone who is searching for more in their life. I was involved with organized Jewish religion, but something was always missing. Using this guide, and taking each chapter to heart, has transformed my views and put me on the track my life is supposed to be on,  filled with love, trust and emunah (faith). Thanks Rabbi Segal!" Ben Pincus Houston, TX Like I said, I've been where you are: in a life missing spirituality; seemingly unable to cope with life's difficulties; and unable to find peace and inner shalom.  But I found it and now I want to share with you the path that I have found and passed on to others with consistent success. It took me many years of work and study, and rabbinic ordination. But it didn't have to. And it doesn't have to for you. You can travel the same path that I did, but you can do it in only 254 pages! We are living in a historically turbulent time. Economic uncertainty, political corruption, threats of aggression, and religious conflict are everywhere. I know that I would find it difficult to find comfort without the peace and inner shalom that I have found through Jewish Spiritual Renewal. Please join me now. Start your journey UP the path of Jewish Spiritual Renewal so that it may bring the same joy, happiness, freedom and shalom that I now enjoy into your own life!   Click Here to Order Many Blessings, Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal   P.S.  Another thing that I've noticed over the years in my Rabbinic Counseling is that many modern Jews are not as familiar with the Torah and the Talmud as they might be.  They find it difficult to understand and interpret in a way that makes sense and has relevance to their lives in the modern world.  This is quite often the root cause of the kind of spiritual disconnection that I described earlier. So, as a companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I have also written: Click to Order A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us. This companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of the Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to go and study. The rest is commentary. This compendium clarifies the commentary and allows one to study Torah and Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. A must read for all Jews and deserves a place in every Jewish home. Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge "Very informative and timely. It allows many people to benefit from Torah lessons, where many of them may not otherwise have an opportunity receive such content." Mauricio Benzipporah Founder, Beta-Gershom Organization A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to interpret its lessons. "Shalom. What a blessing your insights have given me. I am interested in reading more of your writings of Talmud. I find it difficult to find good Talmudic readings. Excellent work, Rabbi!" Rabbi Daniel Ben Shmuel A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to ''go and study.'' The rest is commentary.  A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud clarifies the commentary and allows one to study the Torah and the Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace.  It is a must read for those seeking Jewish Spiritual Renewal and is the ideal complement to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew. Here is an excerpt from A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud: Since each parasha is the weekly Torah portion, you may read each of the chapters in the book during the course of a week while also reading the actual Torah portion. By doing so, you will learn a modern Jewish Spiritual view of each Torah portion. At the same time, your world will be open to the ethical teachings of the Talmud.   While many read the Torah as a history book, or a deed to land, or see it as a boring book full of legalisms and ritual for a priesthood that no longer exists, this book aims to show you the spiritual ethical lessons in each parasha. In a sense this book will hopefully help you enjoy reading and understanding the Five Books of Moses, what we call Chumash from the Hebrew word for "five." You may even discover that you want to continue your study with the Talmud and other Jewish texts. "...most insightful (Torah) essay I could find was written by Rabbi Arthur Segal." Leslie Palma-Simoncek Staten Island Advance Complete your journey UP the path to Jewish Spiritual Renewal with a better understanding of the Torah's lessons through A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud for only $24.99... ...certainly a small amount to pay for the priceless wisdom contained within the Torah and the Talmud. You can purchase each book individually, but if you purchase them together as a set, I will donate a portion of the sales price in your name to a tzadakkah of your choice, such as your synagogue. Think of it as your first act of loving kindness in your spiritually renewed life!     Click Here to Order   Click Image to Enlarge THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order Click Image to Enlarge A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order   About Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal's love of Judaism and his Ahavath Israel led him on his personal quest for Jewish Spiritual Renewal, beginning his studies after retirement from a successful oral medicine practice. Rabbi Segal graduated cum laude with BA and DMD degrees, Specialty, and Post-Doctoral studies in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in the 1970s. He is an author in these chosen fields as well. Rabbi Segal teaches classes on Jewish Spiritual Renewal and The Spiritual and Ethical Teachings of the Torah, TaNaK and Talmud via the Shamash online program. He teaches Torah, Talmud, and other great texts, such as Duties of the Heart by Ibn Pakudah of 1050 C.E. Spain, to adults in his hometown. Rabbi Dr. Segal does rabbinic counseling using the step-by-step process of Jewish Spiritual Renewal to help his fellow Jews achieve a spiritual life.     Click Here to Order ©2009 Dr. Arthur Segal, P.A. d/b/a Rabbi Arthur Segal  Page header image is courtesy of Steve Greenberg (greenberg-art.com)

 

 

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