Today would have been the 104th birthday of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a luminary of the Seminary. Rabbi Heschel was the closest the Conservative Movement ever got to a rebbe. He was not always appreciated by colleagues for his focus on spirituality over text study. For me, Rabbi Heschel has been an inspiration. I am the hasid to Sean's intellectual focus. My favourite quote from Rabbi Heschel, and a truly meaningful one in my life is "I did not ask for success. I asked for wonder, and You gave it to me." This speaks to the connection I have felt to God for as long as I can remember. The wonder of the world around me has always been proof of God's presence for me. When Stephen Hawking made his comments about gravity proving the non-existence of God a few months ago my reaction was immediately one of faith. The idea that due to gravity the big bang becomes inevitable seems to me to be straight from Breishit. I do not need to understand. I would rather wonder in awe at the workings of the universe.
I very vividly remember a conversation I had as I child. We had been learning about the big bang and the creation of the universe. I must have been in grade 5. The conversation took place by the bicycle racks to the side of Chatterton Elementary. I was arguing with Mark Kessler. In some ways the memory of this conversation is more vivid than discussions I had yesterday. Mark had taken the side of science as disproving God. We know how the world came into being, therefore it wasn't God. I wanted to know what came first. Who created the materials. For every explanation Mark had to give I said, "but what came before that? How did that get there?" Why should science and knowledge preclude faith? Why cannot I understand science and believe?! "Wonder rather than doubt is the root of all knowledge."
A couple of other Rabbi Heschel quotes to celebrate the day:
"Racism is man's gravest threat to man- the maximum hatred for a minimum reason."
"...the march from Selma to Montgomery was about protest and prayer. Legs are not lips and walking is not kneeling. And yet our legs uttered songs. Even without words our march was worship. I felt my legs were praying."
"In a controversy, the instant we feel anger, we have already ceased striving for the truth and have begun striving for ourselves."
"To be is to stand for."
and finally...
"Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy."
Today I wish you blessing, kedushah, and most of all- wonder.
Happy birthday Rabbi Heschel.
