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Atonement is not simply just recanting your transgressions but doing something about them. But what makes it even cooler is tracing back a definition that is obsolete. To atone meant to bring into unity, or harmony. It meant to create unity.
With the Day of Atonement just around the corner, I thought it would be of interest to take a deep dive into forgiveness and what that means to all mankind. I know. I know, such lofty ambitions from one so humble as I. But interestingly enough, I have been giving a great deal of thought to forgiveness.
As I mature (notice I did not say get older, something I adamantly refuse to do) so as I mature it is. One of the biggest things I have learned an ability really is that ability to forgive. I don’t mean just forgiving others, I am also talking about forgiving oneself. One of the trickiest things there is to do is to forgive oneself, I think. We tend to be tough on ourselves, our disappointments, our failures all put mileage on the old self-esteem machine, at least I do. Forgiving oneself with all the foibles is truly the only way to get by with a smile on your face even if it is forced at first. But smiles lead to smiles just as laughs lead to laughter. And we all go home feeling a bit better about ourselves.
But what is this stuff called atonement? Who thought of that and why is it such a good idea? Interestingly enough, I thought to atone meant to simply ask for forgiveness. My own consideration on the word. But atone means to make amends or reparation, as for an offense or a crime. Wow, so you are not just seeking forgiveness, you must make up for your sins. It is not simply just recanting your transgressions but doing something about them. But what makes it even cooler is tracing back a definition that is obsolete. To atone meant to bring into unity, or harmony. It meant to create unity.
Now dig this, if you commit transgressions against your group, you are no longer in harmony with it. In order to get back into the group you must make amends and earn your way back into the group. That’s kinda cool if you think about it.
So, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) you don’t just ask for forgiveness for what you did, you get to make up for the damage your betrayal created and then voila all can be good again.
Forgiveness can be a tricky bugger I must admit. As I said it has taken me most of a lifetime to understand forgiveness and what it means to me and humanity (so humble I know).
May You Be Inscribed in the Book of Life
According to Jewish tradition, on Rosh Hashanah, God inscribes each person’s fate for the coming year into the Book of Life and waits until Yom Kippur to “seal” the verdict. We say Gamar hatimah tovah—to be inscribed in the book of life. May your name be written and sealed for a good year.
So, there you have it, my take on this Day of Atonement aka Yom Kippur. May you be inscribed in the book of life!
I really like the idea that atonement stems from the idea of harmony. Isn’t that what we strive for in our lives—some kind of harmony? Tying that in with forgiveness enables us to get back on track.
I hope I don’t come across as preaching or sermonizing. I just find these things fascinating and want to share them with you. For me, for obvious reasons, this is a very spiritual time of the year. My new mantra is positive decisions lead to positive outcomes.
Here’s the introduction and a poem from my forthcoming book—Spiritus, the Color of Freedom.
There is a battle to be fought, a war to be won. The winner takes all, the loser vanquished for eternity. This is a struggle for liberty, the fight for freedom, and there is nothing so fierce. From the Magna Carta to the Bill of Rights, humanity has fought its way to be physically free.
But there is a new freedom running wild in the lands. It burns like wildfire in the hearts of man—it is the spiritual freedom and the removal of the encumbrance of the physical universe that is most desired.
For us to be fully free we must be spiritually free and regain the dignity of a race that knows only one color—the color of freedom.
Poets are the doctors of the soul.
And here’s the poem!
You Are Legend
You are legend Rising early Before morning erupts
You are legend Eyes in backwards Staring into eternity
You are legend Aghast and proud Simultaneously
You are legend Striving for harmony With puppet arms
You are legend Untwisting from earth Looking back with smile
You are legend Consuming the negative Converting it to positive
You are legend The lightning of life
You are legend Making your mama proud
A couple of loving videos to make your day.
I am digging on The Black Eyed Peas and their Where Is the Love. It was written right after 9/11.
And when it comes to songs espousing love and harmony, there is none better in my humble opinion than Bob Marley’s One Love!
Lawrence George Jaffe
Lawrence George Jaffe is an internationally known and an award-winning writer, author, and poet. For his entire professional career, Jaffe has been using his art to promote human rights. He was the poet-in-residence at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage, a featured poet in Chrysler’s Spirit in the Words poetry program, co-founder of Poets for Peace (now Poets without Borders) and helped spearhead the United Nations Dialogue among Civilizations through Poetry project which incorporated hundreds of readings in hundreds of cities globally using the aesthetic power of poetry to bring understanding to the world.
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