13 Attributes - Getting Ready for Rosh Hashana
In traditional Jewish practice, the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah includes a special late night service called Selichot, which literally means “forgiveness.” At the core of the traditional Selichot service is the 13 attributes of God, a passage from the book of Exodus describing God’s envisioned qualities.
“God, God, a power compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, rich in steadfast kindness, extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin and pardoning us.”
About now, I expect that you have a few questions for me. For the philosophically minded: Why am I sharing an obviously theistic text? For the practically minded: How am I finding 13 attributes in this verse when it looks more like 8?
In Humanist Jewish thought, we embrace the human power as the change agent to make a difference in our world. The qualities and powers attributed traditionally to the God become a guide for the best of human behaviors and attributes. In that spirit, let’s reconsider the 13 attributes in a Humanistic way. I have revised them, making the attributes a model for our own.
“I strive, I strive to be a person compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, rich in steadfast kindness, extending kindness to my family, forgiving those who have hurt me for iniquity, transgression and sin and working towards reconciliation.”
Many thinkers have tried to divide up these attributes into thirteen, imbuing them with added meaning. Here is an example:
I strive, for myself
I strive, for others
To be a person, with humanity
Compassionate
Gracious
Slow to anger
Rich in steadfast kindness
Extending kindness to my family
Forgiving, those who have hurt me
For iniquity, unfairness
Transgression, mistakes made without malice
And sin, wrongdoings with intention
And working toward reconciliation.
How might you revise the passage? How might you divide it up? Would you add or change any of the attributes? On Selichot, we begin the process of self-evaluation so central to the High Holidays. Think about: What qualities would you like to strengthen in yourself in the coming year?
L’Shana Tova, a good new year to you and your family. I look forward to sharing Rosh Hashana with you on Thursday.
Rabbi Debbie Cohen
