Digital Maggid
This morning, I met with my chevrusa (study partner), who is a Rabbi, and who is giving a drash at services tonight. He had his notes with him, and I happened to see something about rain in the title. We didn’t really discuss it much, but I said “are you going to talk about Honi Megogl (the circle-maker)?” “What does that have to do with Yom Kippur?” he asked. I replied: Yom ki-Purim is the “day like purim” a day about looking behind our masks and finding our true selves. Yom Kippur is the time for tshuvah, returning to our true selves, our true essence, our pure soul selves, and dropping our masks, our excuses and our defenses. Honi the circle maker was a guy who was so utterly authentic and heartfelt in his prayers that the Holy Blessed One immediately fulfilled all his requests. (In the story of Honi there is a drought and the people, after trying everything else they know to get rain, finally ask Honi to pray for rain. He drew a circle in the dirt and sat down and cried, “Master of the Universe, please give us rain!!!!!” And it promptly rained buckets. — ok, that’s the really really short version, but you get the point.)
Honi knew the place of authentic self. His prayers were answered because he was 100% pure Honi just asking his beloved creator and sustainer for what he really needed — in this case, rain. So on this Yom ki-Purim (day like Purim), we are asked to discard our masks — our false selves and the things we hide behind — and sit in our circles in the dirt and simply ask Hashem for what we need — forgiveness, acceptance and a good spiritual shower.
Now, I’m sure this isn’t what my rabbi friend is planning to talk about in his drash tonight. I know it has something to do with rain though. If you want to find out, go to 170 Valencia St. in San Francisco, 3rd floor at 7pm. The services are free. Just show up. And I promise you his drash will be better than mine.
Meanwhile, I bless us all to return easily to our true, pure selves in good form, and may we all be blessed with a final seal of approval and an inscription for a good year in the book of life.
G’mar chatimah tovah.
Good Shabbos, Good Yontiv
