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AZ House Newsletter | October 1, 2022
The Acquiescent Power Of The Unetaneh Tokef Prayer
On the 6th of October 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel during the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). The war initiated a major military operation in which Israel was forced to fight for her survival. Global Jewry prayed for the country and donations and support poured in from all corners of the Jewish world, including a visit by the acclaimed musician Leonard Cohen. Leonard Cohen decided to visit Israel amidst the war effort in order to show his support and boost morale for the Israeli troops. A few months after Leonard Cohen witnessed Israel's costly victory, he released the song "Who By Fire," which was inspired by the soul-stirring Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayer, the Unetaneh Tokef. Cohen's "Who By Fire" illustrates the aspect of surrender evident in the Unetaneh Tokef prayer, which is pertinent to the idea of recovery discussed at great lengths at the AZ House.

The Unetaneh Tokef prayer emphasizes the idea that we must surrender our lives to God, who on Rosh Hashanah decides which names will be written in the Book of Life and on Yom Kippur decides which names will be sealed. Comparatively, at the AZ House we surrender ourselves to God, albeit via a 12 Step Program in which we, "turn our will and our lives over to the care of God." The Unetaneh Tokef prayer begins with the questions, "How many will pass and how many will be created? Who will live and who will die?" The prayer then hauntingly continues with numerous ways in which someone could die by asking aloud, "Who by water, who by fire, who by sword, who by beast, who by famine, who by thirst, who by storm, who by plague, who by strangulation, and who by stoning." The prayer also ponders numerous ways in which someone may live by asking, "Who will rest and who will wander, who will live in harmony and who will be harassed, who will enjoy tranquility and who will suffer, who will be impoverished and who will be enriched, who will be degraded and who will be exalted?" The theme of the prayer is certainly applicable to those who struggle with addiction and recovery, as well as the tumult which characterizes the unmanageability which defines many peoples' lives who do not actively use drugs but live in an unsustainable manner like addicts. Leonard Cohen even included in his song the line, "And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate," which makes the Unetaneh Tokef more relatable to modern ears, especially those whose lives are touched by the disease of addiction. Additionally, Leonard Cohen personalizes the prayer by raising the question, "And who shall I say is calling?" This line relates to an integral part of the 12 Step Program in which someone turns their lives over to the care of God as they understand him. A personalized higher power is an extremely important part of the 12 Step Program because it would be close to impossible for someone to surrender their lives to a God who they do not relate to, trust or believe in. By adding the question of, "Who shall I say is calling?" Leonard Cohen introduces a question of faith turning the song into a personal prayer. Likewise, the 12 Step Program is composed of many personal prayers which are directed towards ones personal conception of God who is sought for the purpose of returning someone to sanity.

One could argue that by turning our will and lives over to the care of God we relinquish any semblance of free will or personal power over our lives. However, both the 12 Step Program and the Unetaneh Tokef leave room for individual capacity. Throughout the 12 Steps one is obligated to reflect on their character defects, harms to others, and moral inventory while taking steps towards relinquishing resentments and making amends to others. The program requires one to put their trust in God throughout the process while simultaneously doing the necessary work in self-improvement. The Unetaneh Tokef ends with the line, "But repentance, prayer and charity avert the severity of the decree." Likewise, step work too requires personal repentance, constant prayer and charitable deeds as someone works to rectify and improve their life and their soul.


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Repentance During Recovery
As Jews throughout the world prepare for Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, we at the AZ House are reflecting on how repentance towards ourselves, others and to God manifests differently while in recovery. On Yom Kippur and the days leading up to it, Jews are obligated to reflect upon their past year and create a list of harms done to others and to God. Likewise in the AZ House through the 12 Step Program we are required to not only make a list of harms to others but also a complete moral inventory of ourselves for the sake of personal healing. Therefore, Yom Kippur, and the days of repentance preceding it, are especially significant at the AZ House. Although many deem Yom Kippur a solemn and spiritually challenging day, it can also be seen as a cleansing and redeeming day for the soul. Doing step work and working on self-improvement during recovery is spiritually challenging work but also extremely redeeming and fulfilling in the long run as it provides us with a strong spiritual basis in which we can rebuild our lives.

A vital part of Yom Kippur is being honest with ourselves and others. Without honesty we cannot achieve repentance towards ourselves, others and God. Likewise, one cannot successfully complete the 12 Steps if they are not honest with themselves regarding their character defects and harms to others. A person on a path towards spiritual recovery cannot confront the sins of their past if they do not acknowledge their previous actions and behaviors which led them to a spiritually unhealthy and unmanageable life. The 12 Step Program makes clear that only through rigorous honesty with ourselves can we practice honesty in our recovery towards those around us. In order for us to achieve true forgiveness from others on Yom Kippur we must make direct amends to those we have harmed during the days of repentance preceding the holiday. The 9th step also requires us to make direct amends wherever possible to those we have harmed, otherwise we cannot be forgiven or forgive ourselves for our actions. During the days of repentance, only direct amends can absolve us of the sins we transgressed against others. On Yom Kippur we pray to God to absolve us of our spiritual and moral transgresssions. Likewise, during the 12 Steps we are guided on the path towards recovery via a higher power who we beseech to remove from us our character defects.

Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski zl, a renowned psychiatrist and specialist in addiction, wrote a book titled Teshuvah Through Recovery which likens the 12 Steps to the process of Teshuvah, which Jews throughout the world undergo during the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In Hebrew, Teshuvah literally means return, but it is best understood as repentance. Teshuvah can therefore be seen as a spiritual return to normalcy. Both the 10 Days of Repentance during the High Holidays and the 12 Steps of recovery provide a type of return to healthier normal lives before spiritual degradation either by moral transgressions or active addiction. Neither the process of Teshuvah or the 12 Steps is something someone is obligated to undertake, it should rather be seen as a privilege someone is accorded in order to improve their lives. Rabbi Twerski equates the transformative power of the 12 Steps to the process of Teshuvah which Jews have the opportunity to undergo on Yom Kippur. Both the 10 Days of Teshuvah and the 12 Steps of Recovery transform the lives of those who engage in them for the better.



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