Rabbi David N. Young
Titles are important. When we call someone “doctor” we are implying a trust that they know how to take care of our medical needs. When we call someone “professor” or “rabbi,” we are showing respect that they have knowledge in their field. I teach all of our nigh-13-year-olds that “Bat Mitzvah” or “Bar Mitzvah” is a title that they need to prove they deserve.
For the last 14 years I have been most proud of a title that I have tried to prove I deserve every day. That is the title, “Dad.” When our oldest was born I thought he was an ugly, screaming, poop machine, and the most wonderful thing I had ever seen. I was so in love.
I’m not teaching you any Torah you don’t know when I write that we will do anything for children. They make us angry, they make us laugh, and they provide Facebook fodder for years. They bring us to heights of pride we never knew were possible, and warm our hearts just by being asleep. We love them more than anything, even when they drive us crazy.
On Rosh Hashanah we read the creation narrative from the Torah. We reflect on how God may have created the world, saving humans for last, and creating us in the divine image. We call God, “Avinu,” (our Parent), and “Av Harachamim” (Womb-bearing Father). The High Holy Days are rife with parental imagery.
For those of us who are parents, and those of us who have parents, this imagery serves as a reminder of the love God has for us. Even when we drive God crazy.
יפה דרשת
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