Be Mindful of All My Mitzvot

In many ways, October felt like the beginning of the school year. The flurry of Tishrei holidays subsided and we all moved back into the routines of daily life. Now, we work, we study, we shlepp. We rake the leaves and pack the lunches and take out the garbage and monitor the homework. Our lives are so stuffed with duties that we plow through our multi-tasking days on autopilot. How else could we handle the multitude of obligations that fill our time?

The sad truth is, living on autopilot diminishes us, even as we methodically stack up accomplishments. We wake up one morning shocked to find that years have slipped by uncounted. We look at our children and ask, “How did you grow up?”

What does it mean if we are doing all the right things, but we scarcely remember doing them? On the positive side, it means that our values are so strong that we can trust ourselves to be decent human beings. On the downside, it means that we are isolated from each other, from the tapestry of the ‘big picture’ and ultimately, from meaning.

We are instructed in the Shema, “Be mindful of all My Mitzvot and do them. So shall you consecrate yourselves to your G-d.” It is not enough to follow the commandments. We must be conscious of our actions, too. In that consciousness is holiness.

So, how do we achieve true consciousness? It means slowing down—just a little. It means taking a moment to ask ourselves which tasks are important and which might remain undone. The implications are profound. We can drive incredible distances to take our kids to Religious School and think, “So, what?” However, when we remember the admonition, “Teach them diligently to your children,” carpooling becomes a defining act instead of a chore on a list. When we tell our children that Jews are required to treat the stranger as the home born, “Don’t pick on the new kid” carries new weight. If we can remember who we are—and who we are not—we become aware of the potential for holiness in every act. When we pass this awareness on to our children, we create the connection that they need to embrace their Jewish identities. Later, when we ask them, “How did you grow up?” their answer will be automatic: “We grew up as Jews.”

Kitty Hall,  Religious School Principal