Regardless of how one voted (or would have voted), most people recognize the historical significance of the inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States. Much will be written about the pressures and expectations, even if the United States wasn't in the middle of multiple crises. Many a pundit will have much to say about perspective, comparisons and who knows what else.But all that comes after the inauguration, and right now, we want to look at the inauguration. It's a capital event (pun intended), complete with pageantry, formality, a speech, and a party.
Sort of like a Bar or Bat Mitzva. Because if we consider what an inauguration is, what the word means, we'll see that there's a lesson to be learned from the majestic performance, from the grandeur and the ceremony.
An inauguration is of course a "ceremonial induction," a formal transference, or commencement, of power and responsibility. The inauguration is itself the first act, the beginning of a new operation, or course of action.
So the parallel to a Bar/Bar Mitzva is obvious. That's when a Jewish boy or girl becomes "formally inducted" into being Jewishly responsible, when they have to keep mitzvot (command-ments). Prior to that, it was a "training exercise." Bar or Bat Mitzva is "a new course of action," when more, not less, Torah study is expected.
We can make an easy analogy, therefore, between the inauguration of Barack Obama - symbolic, significant, transformative - and the inauguration of a Jewish boy or girl into a life of Torah and mitzvot - more than symbolic, certainly significant, definitely transformative.
That's the easy analogy, and the parallels of promise and potential are obvious. But there's another parallel, one that's a bit more subtle. For that, we have to go back to the catch-phrase of another inauguration - it's morning again. (That was Reagan's.)
Because Judaism sees inauguration not as a once-in-a-lifetime, or even a once-in-a-while event, a ceremony or celebration that occurs rarely; all that pomp and extravagance - one can afford to be lavish for a one-time event, maybe. But every day?
Judaism teaches us that every day is an "inauguration," a new beginning, the start of a new course of action, and the commencement of a new responsibility.
The new course of action is creation itself. For creation is created anew, "inaugurated," every day. Indeed, every moment, as the prayer book says: "... in His goodness He renews each day, continuously, the work of Creation."
But it is not Creation alone that is inaugurated each day, each moment.
Every Jew, as a Jew, is inaugurated each morning, as his or her soul returns. This, in a sense, is the meaning of the Modeh Ani - the prayer we say upon first awakening in the morning: "I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great."
So the question becomes, if we "inaugurate" each day simply by waking up and, as Jews, acknowledging G-d and thanking Him for our souls, what's the first act? How do we first exercise our power, fulfill our responsibility as "inaugurated" souls? What's the course of action?
The answer should be obvious: We begin the day with prayer and Torah study, in the way our Sages taught. Thus each morning we inaugurate the day, the world, and our souls.
Sort of like a Bar or Bat Mitzva. Because if we consider what an inauguration is, what the word means, we'll see that there's a lesson to be learned from the majestic performance, from the grandeur and the ceremony.
An inauguration is of course a "ceremonial induction," a formal transference, or commencement, of power and responsibility. The inauguration is itself the first act, the beginning of a new operation, or course of action.
So the parallel to a Bar/Bar Mitzva is obvious. That's when a Jewish boy or girl becomes "formally inducted" into being Jewishly responsible, when they have to keep mitzvot (command-ments). Prior to that, it was a "training exercise." Bar or Bat Mitzva is "a new course of action," when more, not less, Torah study is expected.
We can make an easy analogy, therefore, between the inauguration of Barack Obama - symbolic, significant, transformative - and the inauguration of a Jewish boy or girl into a life of Torah and mitzvot - more than symbolic, certainly significant, definitely transformative.
That's the easy analogy, and the parallels of promise and potential are obvious. But there's another parallel, one that's a bit more subtle. For that, we have to go back to the catch-phrase of another inauguration - it's morning again. (That was Reagan's.)
Because Judaism sees inauguration not as a once-in-a-lifetime, or even a once-in-a-while event, a ceremony or celebration that occurs rarely; all that pomp and extravagance - one can afford to be lavish for a one-time event, maybe. But every day?
Judaism teaches us that every day is an "inauguration," a new beginning, the start of a new course of action, and the commencement of a new responsibility.
The new course of action is creation itself. For creation is created anew, "inaugurated," every day. Indeed, every moment, as the prayer book says: "... in His goodness He renews each day, continuously, the work of Creation."
But it is not Creation alone that is inaugurated each day, each moment.
Every Jew, as a Jew, is inaugurated each morning, as his or her soul returns. This, in a sense, is the meaning of the Modeh Ani - the prayer we say upon first awakening in the morning: "I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great."
So the question becomes, if we "inaugurate" each day simply by waking up and, as Jews, acknowledging G-d and thanking Him for our souls, what's the first act? How do we first exercise our power, fulfill our responsibility as "inaugurated" souls? What's the course of action?
The answer should be obvious: We begin the day with prayer and Torah study, in the way our Sages taught. Thus each morning we inaugurate the day, the world, and our souls.
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