Enter In Service

This is a commencement address that I recently delivered to a graduating class of Rabbis from Rabbinical Seminaries International (RSI). I hope that its call to service resonates for you.

Congratulations on your ordinations as Rabbis! You are about to enter a path that will take will take you in directions that you can not now imagine. In the words of the great 20th century theologian, Dr. Seuss,

Oh the places you'll go!

As you travel, though, you will inevitably come to forks in the road; moments when you are faced with choices, and you must decide which is the right direction to follow. There are two powerful spiritual teachings about how to make this decision: One teaching encourages us to "create our own reality"; to visualize our personal goals in order to bring toward us that which we most want. The second teaching tells us to "let go and let God"; to listen for guidance and to submit our egos to Divine will.

These teachings appear to be exact opposites: The first seeks to strengthen individual will; the second to dissolve it. Yet both are true, and both are needed. We can't live only with the goal of satisfying our own needs, because this can lead to narcissism and indifference, but we also can't simply wait to hear from God, because this can lead to inaction and confusion. At times we may feel the tug toward one approach, and at different times we will be drawn to the other, so how can we decide? This is an essential question for you as Rabbis, or for anyone dedicated to living on a spiritual path; a life of meaning and purpose.

A hint to the resolution of these two teachings can be found in the writing of the Biblical Prophet Zachariah. In a mystical vision that contains direction on how to heal a world torn by violence and hatred, he heard these famous words,

Not by valor (literally "soldiering"), not by strength, but with My Spirit.

In other words, while work needs to be done, it can not be effectively accomplished by physical power or force of will alone. Zachariah is told that he must begin his mission with alignment to spirit, in order to manifest the highest that is in himself, for his own growth and for the benefit of others. He is told to enter with the intention to be of service to others.

As all spiritual traditions teach, right intention leads to right, effective action. So enter with the intention to be of service! When you begin in this way you will find that the direction for action is embedded in the connection to spirit, and you will know what to do, free of the pull of ego. You will not need to choose between your will and the Divine will, because you will see that these ultimately merge.

Whenever I am called to lead a prayer service, conduct a wedding or funeral, or speak in public, I say this short prayer:

May what I am about to say not be about me. May my words and actions be for the benefit of those who are here and are in need.

I have found that whenever I say these words with convinction and sincerity, I become a receptive conduit, and somehow the right words and actions come to me. In these moments I am more effective and more fulfilled than when I seek personal recognition and gain. Paradoxically, this is both impersonal (because it's not "me", in the ego sense, speaking and acting) and yet the most personally satisfying experiences of my life. I have also found, though, that it's very easy to loose my way. The pulls of ambition, anxiety, validation, insecurity, fear, and indifference can draw me away from entering with the intention to serve. I have discovered, however, that there are several things to do, which help bring me back. The following are a few suggestions:

1. Maintain regular contact with inspirational writings

Rely on the writings of great teachers to motivate and re-energize you. These can include spiritual and motivational books, prayer books, religious texts, Holy Books, or other documents that touch your spirit and inspire you to recommit to service

2. Develop a gratitude practice

Find time to express gratitude for the people in your life and the blessing of your existence. I use the morning commute time on the train to meditate and say "thank you" for all these blessings that I all-too-regularly take for granted. Gratitude is the surest "pattern interrupt" for feelings of fear and indifference - which put us in a defensive position and lead us away from service - and brings us back to spirit.

3. Become sensitive to inner voices, and listen for direction

We all have a myriad of inner voices that call our attention: the voice of ambition, judgment, desire, fear, love... Among all these voices is one that is different. It is clear, fearless, endless, and without personal agenda. And when it speaks we immediately recognize its truth. This is the "still small voice" of the Divine that is the call of spirit. Learn to distinguish this from all the other voices, and listen for its direction and guidance.

4. Open your heart to others

Make contact with another human being at the deepest level that you can. See that at the core this person is exactly the same as you, with the same essential needs and challenges, and animated by the same flow of spirit. When this connection is made, you will naturally feel compelled to serve, knowing that healing another also heals you and furthers the growth of the world.

As Rabbis you have committed to be agents of positive change, and to embody the highest vision of human potential. The 3rd of the Ten Commandants, "Do not take God's name in vain" is not an injunction against using foul language, but tells us that we must never use spirit (God's name) for unholy purposes - to manipulate, impress, or control others in order to satisfy ego needs. Therefore, we must be careful and deliberate in deciding how to proceed. May you always remember, therefore, to enter in service. When you do, you will find that your journey will be filled with joy and purpose.

Again, congratulations on achieving the title of Rabbi - "my teacher". May God bless you with health, abundance, and peace, and may your life be a blessing.

Comments

[alphonsegaston]

Alan, I thank you for the words on the third commandment--I had never thought of that. How completely relevant this is to many of today's controversies about the role of religions in society. Especially the news from the C Street "church!"

[Alan Lurie - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks,
As you note, the third commandment is about keeping narcissism out of spirit.
This is definitely tough today, when spiritual traditions and teachings can be used to simply make one feel superior or to control others. This has always been tough, though, especially when the church and state were one, and power rested in religious position.
All the best!
Alan

[Zanti]

Inspiring, with much to think about. You have a gift for plain and ordinary expression--one of the hardest things to achieve in writing.

[Alan Lurie - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi,
I VERY much appreciate your kind words. It sounds like you are a writer as well. My "simple" trick for writing is to struggle, struggle, and struggle until I'm so worn out that it's no longer me writing, and then the good stuff starts to flow (which, as you noted, is surprisingly simple).
Wishing you well, my friend.

[minimalist syntax]

Rabbi, I really like what you say about gratitude and service. I recently read something I thought was so beautiful, and I thought it fit with what you are saying: If you dwell on the past wrongs that have been dealt to you, it blocks out the remembrance of God.

[Alan Lurie - Huffpost Blogger]

great comment!
yeah, guilt, self-punishment, and shame from past "wrongs" keep us in a self-refential loop, and drown out God's presence.

[minimalist syntax]

Rabbi Lurie, I wanted to thank you for giving us so many forums to discuss God (or not God) in!

[Alan Lurie - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi,
yes, this is certainly a lively conversation. I am struck by the level of passion involved.
wishing you well!
Alan

[mamacat]

Mr. (Rabbi?) Lurie,

it is good to read what you have written. You strike a balance between opposing memes, and thus encourage us to think about the world around us. In this way we can become better people.

Sir, is it enough to deal in generalities, or should we try to deal with specific issues facing us today? I am referring to the issue of how Israel should define itself, and thus of what her policies toward her neighbors should be.

Very few people today would seriously argue over whether or not Israel has a right to exist. Where the problems come into play is in discussions over what rights Israel has to expand vis-a-vis her neighbors. Given the horrendous circumstances of what happened to Jews in Christian Europe in the mid 20th century, it was easy for other Christians to sympathise with the Jewish call for a homestate to be carved out of what has been Muslim dominated territory for the last eight hundred years. Now, however, there are calls for the Jewish state to expand even further, to whatever extent her military prowess allows.

So, Sir, what do your philosophy and insights have to say about the role of Jews living as an island in a sea of Muslims? How does one balance cooperation and exploitation? Is peace always preferable, even when war looks like it will be cheaply won and profitable?

[Alan Lurie - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you for your note. (and please call me Alan)
My writings usually focus on the imperative to move away from extremist positions, and to find resolution in conflict by raising our awareness. In this way, specifics are crucial, yet we must always keep our attention on the overall principle to guide our actions.
I must confess to not being totally up-to-date on the issues, but I'm not clear on your comment that there are "calls for the Jewish State to expand even further, to whatever extent her military prowess allows." I don't know of any credible source that is pushing for expansion beyond her boarders (putting aside issue of religious settlements within Israel's boarders, which the Israeli government has opposed.)
Also, I'm not sure how war can be "cheaply won and profitable". War with who? For what purpose? War is NEVER cheaply won in any sense (we need to re-learn this lesson every generation, it seems)
It's important to remember that the size of Israel is less 1% of the Middle East, where it is the only true democracy. How this tiny little piece of land with no natural resources has become a hot spot is a very complex issue, but the conflict is not about land. Israel has spent most of the last six decades simply defending her right to exist.
I’m not clear on what you are really getting at here.

[mamacat]

Hello Sir,

I apologise for taking this tack, and thank you for letting me do so?

It is the position of the Netanyahu government that the settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and in Syria, be allowed to expand. The language for now is that they would be entitled to a "natural" expansion, as reflected in their "natural" growth of population. Discussions of voluntarily returning Israel to its borders as alloted by the United Nations in the 1940s is officially off of the table. The arguments for Israeli expansion beyond the 1967 borders are couched in both religious and military language. Sometimes, the land is said to be owed to Israel because of the territorial borders of that country as they existed at some point over 2,500 ago, sometimes it is said that the land must be held onto for today's defensive military reasons, and sometimes it is simply stated that Israelis use the land better. Service to others is a noble goal, but does it not assume that we are not first exploiting others?



I would point out that many eminent Jewish-Americans, including Albert Einstein, felt that what Israel was doing in the Middle East was of very questionable moral bearing. Mr. Einstein even went so far as to compare the actions of extremist Israelis towards the indigenous peoples in the Middle East, to the way that the Nazis had treated the Jews, in Europe.

[mamacat]

(the question mark after 'so' is a typo. sorry.)