Right after being ordained as a rabbi, I traveled off to the far east to spend a few weeks away from everything. There in the beaches of Thailand, I decided to try my hand at scuba diving. The course was three days long, teaching us the basics of using the scuba gear, and being able to navigate safely dozens of feet below the surface of the water. We learned about how to communicate with hand signals, and how to avoid the bends, having to pass several tests before we were deemed ready to submerge. Not especially a strong swimmer, I struggled to follow the group under the water. But, when I did, an entire world opened – colors, fish, corals that were breathtaking and beautiful.
In a way, this is a good way to think about our journey on Yom Kippur. We must brave waves and weather, diving deep into our unconscious, to uncover the truth buried deeply within our souls. We must rediscover our love and passion, and through this, our joy. We are scuba divers into the very depths of our soul. To do this, we must overcome our fear, and trust that, together, we will be able to accomplish our task. And when we do, a world of possibilities will open up to us, bringing color and light back into our lives.
See you tonight as we begin the journey.
Shabbat Shalom and G’Mar Chatimah Tovah,
Rabbi Alex