Yesterday was the first day of classes at JCHS. Every student took a slightly different path to arrive. Though we traveled along separate paths getting to school, we join together daily to form a single, unified community.
The first day of school is the start of a year-long journey that will endure a lifetime. In that spirit it has become my custom to use themes developed in Tefillat Haderech ("traveler's prayer") to acknowledge each class of students. Tefillat Haderech expresses hope for a safe journey. The explicit destination of every journey, in that sense, is not the place but the path, a path that is whole, complete, harmonious, and full of peace.
The new Class of 2019 was welcomed with the words "tolee’cheinu l’shalom" that their high school journey over the next four years be guided toward wholeness. Then the Class of 2018 withe the words “taztee’deinu l’shalom" that their journey over the next three years set them firmly in the direction of completeness. The Class of 2017 with “tadree’cheinu l’shalom” that their journey for the next two years be on a path of harmony.
For the seniors, the Class of 2016, who will be on a journey that takes them beyond JCHS when we start another school year in August 2016, “tagee’einu leem’choz chef’tzeinu" that their steps in this final year at JCHS bring each of them ever closer to fulfilling the wishes of their hearts.
Every journey calls for active engagement and cannot be taken passively. The journey toward wholeness and peace is especially demanding. We learn this from a verse in this week’s Torah portion the pursuit of justice when Torah implores us to actively pursue justice, “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof." The same Hebrew verb is applied to only one other virtue in the Hebrew bible, namely shalom.
This pairing of justice and peace in the Jewish tradition teaches a number of lessons. For example, taking a hint from the verb rodef -- a verb of active pursuit -- we learn that in order to enact justice and peace it is not enough to wish for them, they must be engaged vigorously.
The pairing of peace and justice under the banner of rodef also hints at something more. Justice and peace are linked in a virtuous cycle. In order to bring true peace to the world there needs to be complete justice. Peace for all cannot exist without justice for each of us.
The journey of life is sweetened and strengthened when we walk with others. In the pursuit of justice and peace our most powerful actions come when we combine our efforts. A story to illustrate from Reb Chaim of Zanz (19th century in Poland). He used to tell this story right around this time of year, as the Jewish New Year was approaching.
Once a woman got lost on her journey through a dense forest. She wandered this way and that in the hope of stumbling on a way out, but she only got more lost as the hours went by. As it grew dark, she chanced upon another person walking in the forest. Relieved she hoped he might know the way out. She asked him, “Can you tell me which path leads out of this forest?”
“I am sorry,” the man said. “I am quite lost myself. I’ve been wandering for hours! I cannot help you.”
But the woman knew better. “Actually, you can help me,” she told him. “You have wandered lost in some parts of the forest, while I have been lost in other parts. Together we may not know the way out, but we know quite a few paths that lead nowhere. Let’s share what we know about the paths we’ve tried. Then together we will find the one that succeeds.”
May each of this year find partners so that together we can discover the unique path forward. We may not know exactly where our journey will take us this year, but we can be sure that each of us is supported by a community of others who can guide us each step of the way.
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