“Would that I had wings, like a dove!” (55:7)
Why not wings like an eagle, or a vulture? Wouldn’t any wings do, to give me the ability to soar above the earth? The answer is that any achievement, including any piece of technology, can have a dark side, a violent or abusive function. A dove is a symbol of gentleness and peace. When we wish for flight, we also ought to wish for the wisdom to use the technology wisely, a lesson that Icarus learned too late.
“Adonai, who supports my life.” (54:6)
The human body, or any living system, plant or animal, is a miracle of complexity. Whether by evolution or by the word of God, life is a wonder. The individual life-form, from its cellular level functions to its large-scale interaction with its environment, has to function nearly perfectly in order to survive. I choose to express my gratitude for my existence to a God who created me and infused me with a life-force and sustaining energy. When the time comes for my life to end, I will gratefully return both my physical and metaphysical being to the Creator.
“They were fearfully afraid” or “They feared, fearfully.” (53:6)
The repetition and rhythm of the Hebrew phrase pahadu pahad is difficult to capture. We might render it, “They feared fear,” bringing to mind the line from Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first inaugural address, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” When we are afraid, we make bad decisions. Fear triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response, which discourages conversation, negotiation, or compromise. Fear, FDR goes on to say, paralyzes our efforts to advance our cause. When we are in the grips of fear, we should recall the words of Rabbi Nahman of Breslov, “the whole world is a very narrow bridge; the essence is not to be afraid.”
“The righteous will see and be awestruck; they will laugh at him. (52:8)
The righteous person sees the downfall of the wicked and is struck with awe. The cynics laugh at him, assuming that he is surprised that God punishes the wicked. A truly righteous person would have expected God to mete out justice, rather than being nonplussed by God’s power. What a wonder to retain the ability to be astonished and awed by the expected! The sun rises or the tide comes in or the dandelions bloom or a turkey stands in the middle of a busy street and we are awed by the power and beauty of God’s world.
“I recognize my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” (51:5)
Judaism favors the religious person who rejects the impulse to say ‘I am a sinner and I am worthless’ in favor of saying ‘I am a sinner and my repentance completes my atonement.’ To atone, one starts by embracing the practice of daily heshbon hanefesh, self-evaluation. We begin by taking responsibility for the mistakes which happen every day, the first step towards teshuvah (repentance); and conclude by wiping ourselves clean of sin and achieving atonement.
Embodied Torah 