Dear Friends,
One of my roles in our TBJ/Newburgh community is to represent you and participate and speak at community events when called to do so. This week is a busy one. I spoke at the Newburgh City Council Meeting on Monday evening, towards maintaining our community as a welcoming city. On Wednesday evening, I spoke at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday Commemoration Service at Baptist Temple Church, addressing how Dr. King inspired us to work together. And, this weekend, I am participating in the official swearing-in ceremony for Congressman Pat Ryan. As my words at the swearing-in reflect this week’s Torah portion, I thought I would share it with you as my D’var Torah.
Dear Holy One of Being,
You have charged Your holy people to speak truth to power, and You charged Your holy people to approach authority in the quest for justice. Today, we renew our dedication to this inspiring obligation.
You taught this by charging Moses to speak to Pharaoh and by dispatching priests to counsel kings. Each approached the seats of sovereignty not with fear, for they trusted in the righteousness of the call to justice, but with confidence and courage, knowing that You, the Source of Life, the Ancient and Present Rock of Creation demanded then, and demand today, that holiness and governance must converge for the sake of decency, dignity, and humanity.
Today, we continue this sacred task.
However, in this nation, we continue to experiment with the ever-evolving notion of separation of church and state. Yet, in this very moment today in this library, which evokes godliness, timelessness, and timeliness, we know that the convergence of the sacred and the pragmatic is not easy and, most nobly, requires compromise of neither. The highest values for which we take oaths of service must never be surrendered on the altar of simple exigency.
Thus, we mark this solemn moment of celebrating the leadership of our beloved, dedicated, and devoted Representative, whose life of service is devoted to this highest vision. We ask that You be with Congressman Pat Ryan and guide his heart and steady his hand to represent not merely those of this district and this community, but that You stand with him to represent the highest ideals of service, sacredness, governance, and justice. Such devotion is Pat Ryan’s personal hallmark, and we thank You, O God of Gods, for nurturing in Pat his devout heart, which overflows in candor, wisdom, humility, kindness, and compassion. In Pat Ryan, O God, Your creation excels.
And, dear God, be with Pat’s family. Let their love be boundless, even when long days and longer nights make unfair demands on this gentle servant of Your people and those who love him dearly.
And let us be patient and understanding. Working towards justice is a difficult duty. It is a life commitment, and we have placed our trust in this special man. Dear God, help us to help him, that together we may thrive in safety and goodness.
Thus, O Holy One, we appreciate invoking Your presence this day and every day of Pat Ryan’s efforts towards sacredness and governance. Be with him, as he again assumes today the yoke of the ancient messengers and priests.
Let Pat Ryan’s hands prosper, O God; prosper his hands in kindness,
Amen
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn