Clergy Sermons

I love our beautiful sanctuary.  It is majestic and fills me with awe. And as much as I love its beauty, inspiration and grandeur – my favorite space in the synagogue is the ark in the chapel.  The doors are abstract art depicting both the burning bush that was not consumed and the mountain where we received Torah.  There are empty spaces in the lattice work revealing hints of the mystery and glimpses of holy Torahs inside the ark.  When we open the doors you see the word, “Hineni – Here I am”. It reflects being present, aware, responsive – open to moments of realization.  Hineni occurs at moments of beginning in our story as a people – shaping an approach to the world that moves us forward from our formative moments. Each time Hineni occurs in the Torah, it signifies a turning point, a potentially life-changing moment requiring decision, action and resolution. The essence of Jewish faith is response to a call – Hineni.  

This moment in time is one where the wisdom of Hineni whispers to us and guides us – calling upon us to act.  Take a look at where it appears in our portion. (Exodus 3:2-6 – p. 327). Moses is quietly tending his sheep, when something happens that occur in the desert all of the time – a bush catches fire.  Bushes catch fire all of the time in the desert. But as Moses looks at this bush, he realizes that the bush was blazing but it didn’t burn up.  Then – it is only when  God saw that Moses had stopped to look- that God calls out to him; “Moses! Moses!” And Moses responds, “Hineni.”  

There is so much in this scene.  Moses only experiences the Divine because of his capacity to pay attention.  We too are called to see the Divine in the ordinary – a bush on fire. Being Hineni calls on us to stop…look…and to BE present. We learn that rather being something only associated with destruction, God is in the fire – in the mysterious, ever-changing, warm and dangerous flames, God exists.  Can we see God in the flames? 

There is an important context to Moses declaration of Hineni.  The Israelites are suffering under Egyptian slavery.  Just after Moses encounters God in the bush and responds, “Hineni”, God tells him (3:7-8) that “God has seen the plight of My people in Egypt….I am mindful of their sufferings. I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians.” God lets Moses know that to respond Hineni is to be a partner in responding to those who are suffering.  

Amidst the devastation, loss and horror that fire has created in Los Angeles this week, God exists as we respond to the sufferings of those in need.  Our hearts ache as we witness the magnitude of the calamity - it is staggering.  Thoughts and prayers ring hollow at a time like now. Hineni – responses of caring and love are what allow for glimpses of the Divine amidst devastation. People are loading up cars to bring supplies to Los Angeles – Hineni!  People in Los Angeles are showing up for each other – Hineni!  World Central Kitchen with working with restaurants in Los Angeles and have provides over 170,000 meals – Hineni!  

When we open our eyes to the suffering of those around us – saying Hineni – healing begins to happen.  Dozens of donation and aid centers have opened in Los Angeles through the initiative of private citizens. People are taking people they don’t know into their homes.  I read a beautiful story in the New York Times about people gravitating to an Arco station on the edge of Altadena right next to the evacuation zone.  Blankets, water, food trucks, toothbrushes, toiletries, clothes, diapers are piled up for people to take.  One man is giving neighbors free haircuts. It is a hug, a kind smile.  God is in the fire when we say Hineni.  Say Hineni! Donate to the Red Cross, the LA Federation, World Central Kitchen. Hineni changes things. 

Sometimes we resist Hineni.  After his initial response, Moses begins to feel inadequate. He resists God’s call, finding excuse after to excuse reflecting that he is not up for the task. “Who am I that I should go to Pharoah?” God promises to be with him, gives him signs and tells him what might be. (p. 329, vs. 12) “And when you have freed the people from Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”  Hineni requires an ability to overcome fears and doubts.  We do that by embracing a vision of what might be.  Moses took even more convincing, but the message of imagining an outcome and building for it allows him and us to begin to act.   

I want to tell you about an amazing man, Roee Azizi – who allows a sense of what might be to drive his actions and say Hineni.  Roee is a 27 year old student, who decided to move to the Gaza envelope after October 7.  Why would he do that? In his word: “It was an inner calling based on solidarity at the pain of people who lived there.”  He started a group called Hinenu – Here We Are – moving to Sderot – which was essentially abandoned and calling on other young people to join him in building something new – a diverse community of young adults to build bridges and settle in areas needing their energy. The key vision was diversity coming together – religious, secular, from the right, from the left being part of a community in need modeling putting aside differences for a Zionist vision of building Israel.  He posted on Facebook and Linked in saying that it was this generations time to leverage their inner feelings of connection into action.  120 young people have joined him and they are creating an amazing community of meaning and purpose. When you say Hineni and begin to live what might be - hope builds. And then it takes on its own energy. Listen to Rooee’s words: “People stay because they want to be part of something bigger than them.” Rooee has plans to take this vision to the north as well.  Hineni – Here I am committed to a vision of what might be.  On this weekend where we honor Dr. King – the power of Hineni to change society rings.  

The path of action that Hineni calls us to is not an easy one.  The Israelite path to freedom was full of setbacks, failures and frustrations.  Hineni calls upon us to be present for all of those emotions and experiences.  We are at a significant moment in history.  Hopefully tomorrow will begin the return of 33 Israeli hostages from 15 months of unbearable ordeal.  As we feel joy at their release we are anxious for those not yet home and for those who are no longer alive. We worry about terrorists being released in exchange for the hostages. What is Hineni for this moment? 

 Rabbi Tamar Elad Applebaum teaches that Hineni is embracing all of the contrasting emotions and moving toward what might be.  Listen to words she sent out to her community (Google translate, paraphrased)  We are approaching fateful days. And they're going to be hard. With a trembling and hopeful heart, broken and weeping, our brothers and sisters will come home with the help of God. They will come alive and dead. The news of salvation for one family will be the news of Job for another, and alongside those who feel gratitude, there will be those who will feel defeated. Hineni is being present to all of these contrasting emotions 

How will we get through this? The Torah tells us how, exactly, this Shabbat. Miriam stands on the edge of the river, next to her pass arks of babies who will not survive, and the arks of a brother that she is about to save. (Note – neither the text or Midrash tell the story of Miriam witnesses other baskets with babies – she create a story/Midrash that makes sense -other mothers may have done something similar to Moses’ mother.  She tells this story to highlight the sadness and loss of the moment for Miriam) Miriam understands that there will be no exodus from Egypt without seeing all those she did not succeed in saving, without mourning and crying over the horrible, divided reality, and from there – to rise up and cling to the sanctity of life and hope. That is Hineni – embracing mourning and crying so that you can rise up and cling to life! 

The Torah describes the redemption in three words: And it came to pass in the middle of the night -va’yehi b’chatzi ha’leila.  It teaches that redemption does not come complete. Redemption is always divided.  

I don't know what awaits and I pray so much, but I know we need Miriam. We need leaders and a people who will accompany the survivors and the dead and the mourning in the middle of this Israeli night, so that we can leave Egypt for us, on a journey of rehabilitation and recovery. 

Hineni – May we be part of the healing in Los Angeles and Israel. 

Hineni – May the bush that was not consumed remind us that our spirits can never be destroyed. 

Hineni – May we bring God to moments of pain by our presence and kindness. May we be partners in rebuilding that which calls out for our response.   

Hineni. Hineni.