The Mikveh of the High Holy Days

Every year as we approach the High Holy Days I always wonder what something new I can say about them. In the past I have already talked about the Akedah, Jonah, the meaning of the New Year and such. This is especially important this year as, for the first time, I am essentially kicking off this whole special season by delivering the Erev Rosh Hashanah D’var Torah tonight. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.

Then I started thinking about our recent Tevilah service and its connection to the High Holy Days. Our liturgy includes the Penitential Service from Yom Kippur because Tevilah is an act of Teshuvah. The Penitential Service also expresses our repentance in corporate terms, as the four fine young men being immersed were not just doing it on their own, but were joining with us at CZA, Israel, and the Church in its ongoing life of repentance. The vows that they took were also expressed in communal terms.

The liturgy of the High Holy Days also is expressed in this way. It is not just a time of personal teshuvah, but corporate teshuvah. We, as Jews, are always individuals embedded in a larger covenant community that has responsibility to God, for one another, and for the whole world.

At our Tevilah service I talked about Yeshua’s own immersion. His act had both a priestly and a prophetic function.

It was priestly in that in his immersion he was radically identifying with his people in their sinfulness. He was immersed on their behalf, leading the vanguard of those turning to Hashem. His act of solidarity called them to their need to repent, be cleansed, and be freed from exile.

It was a prophetic act in that his immersion pointed forward to his ultimate “immersion” of death on a cross. Referring to this in Luke he says, "I have an immersion with which to be immersed, and what stress I am under until it is completed!" It also points forward to that ultimate “immersion” of the Great Redemption at the end of time.

These two acts, both priestly and prophetic, are exactly what we do during these High Holy Days. This season is not just about us and our Teshuvah, but we act as priests. We confess and seek forgiveness on behalf of those within our community that are not yet willing to do so. This is a season of contrition, introspection, and prayer for ourselves, Israel, the church, and the world. Our observance also takes on a prophetic tone as we are always looking forward to That Great Day of Atonement.

This season is also like tevilah in that just as we enter the waters unclean and emerge reborn, so too we enter this season carrying our stains from the year and emerge from Yom Kippur cleansed and reborn. 

I was recently asked what the liturgy meant to me. My response was that my experience of the liturgy very often feels like I am easing into a soothing hot tub. Like a hot tub, I just can just feel the cares of the day and week melt away as I enter into prayer. Sometimes I don’t want to do it. I am worked up about something and resist the idea. But then I do and it just soothes my soul!

Reflecting on this for the High Holy Days, I decided that perhaps a better metaphor than a hot tub is a mikveh. The liturgy is soothing but also it is cleansing. It reminds us of what is important and reconnects us to Hashem. The cleansing waters of the liturgy removes the spiritual dirt in my life. If this is true of weekday and Shabbat prayer, how much more so these special Ten Days of Awe!
In these next ten days, let us ease ourselves into the Mikveh of the High Holy Days. Where we not only focus on our own repentance but that of others as well. Let us keep in mind that this is a priestly act on behalf of a broken and sin-filled Israel, church, and world. We can use these days to radically express our solidarity with our fellows, even if they are unwilling, and call upon Hashem on their behalf.

Let us also keep in mind that this is a prophetic act, where we point the world forward to that day when God will be One and His Name One; and every knew bow to Yeshua His Mashiach. When all Israel and the world will bow and recognize the sovereignty of God and repent.

May the soothing waters of the liturgy wash over us as we ease into these Yamim Noraim, Days of Awe.

May we let the shofar blasts wash over us tomorrow, in a mikveh of sound.

May we steep ourselves in the warm waters of Hashem’s forgiveness.

May the Mikveh of the High Holy Days cleanse us from all spiritual dirt.

Gut Yontif / Shanah Tova / A gut yahr- May you have a good year

Ketivah VaChatimah Tovah- A good inscription and sealing in the Book of Life