Partners Till The End, and The Beginning:

Partners Till The End, and The Beginning: Ma’ariv Aravim
Cantor Brad Hyman

What does it take to be considered a partner? Every relationship treats this concept differently, but the meaning is still clear. A partner is obligated to aid in the act of doing. Some businesses are clear in the way they handle their partnership, based upon the ‘buy in’ or what is at stake. If McDonald’s goes bankrupt tomorrow, it will not take soft-drink giant Coca-Cola with it, nor Disney, nor any other company it has managed to become a partner with because the other companies mentioned do not have the sum of their focus on this particular union. A law partner is expected to be working for the good of the firm, but there is always an understanding that a law partner must be allowed to excel beyond the needs of the firm to build up a reputation. The firm risks losing a talented partner to their own ambition, but could gain a strong worker by giving them the ‘free will’ to branch out beyond the needs of the firm. But - consider the act of creation and what is at stake. If there were no moonrise, what would become of the morning tide? If there were no starlight, how would the great navigators have found distant continents? What could be said for our imagination, and turning science fiction into science fact?

Marveling at the heavens and all that they contain has inspired thought, religion and our collective psyche for millennia, and our People have been similarly inspired. Thus, immediately after we declare we are ready to engage in the act of prayer through the recitation of our Call to Worship, we state that it is the awesome power of the act of creation that pushes us forward. It is no accident that this liturgy falls early in the cycle of prayer. What is a greater act than that of controlling and creating light? Sit in a dark room in the middle of a cold winter night for more than five minutes and I am confident that before long your thoughts will be of warm, summer days in a greener setting. The sages of old may have lacked the scientific vocabulary to express the gift of light, but they knew that it was a gift. Ma’ariv Aravim reminds us that it is only a beginning act, for we are now responsible for helping to continue the great works of creation with God.

What is light and greater clarity without the desire to harness it and use it for good? As we are also taught, nothing should be accepted in vain. So we receive the light, so we might do great things with it. God’s first act of creation Genesis 1:3, ‘let there be light’ is taken to mean a distinction between the morning and evening lights, and as our evening begins, the new day. What will you do with this gift, as a partner? If we are truly partners, as we are reminded in Pirkei Avot, we are not permitted to ignore the gift of light and the chance to continue the acts of creation. Because God is present in the first act of creation, God is presumed to be present in every act that follows through our hands. I believe it is God’s desire for us to be aware of this partnership, because it means that we are never alone in our moment of celebration- that moment when we know we have succeeded in making things anew, and have taken the challenge of our gifts seriously.

I offer three musical examples, which make me think of warmer days. The first is taken from Rebecca Schwartz’s 2008 album, P’tach Libi. Though the sample of the song is short and taken from the text of the chatima, it is a good demonstration of how the melody matches the text, winding and makes us feel how the days roll into night. Listen

The second example is taken from Sababa!’s 2007 album, Pray For Peace. This sample is a great use of English and Hebrew and accents the theme of creation. Listen

The third example is a basic recording of myself singing Rabbi Menachem Creditor’s words for Olam, the text and music of which leaves us with a strong sense of our partnership in creation. The texts states: “I will build this world from love, and you must build this world from love. And if we build this world from love, then God will build this world from love.” The responsibility clearly begins within each one of us to take up the mantel of creation. Our doing so will radiate outward to inspire and influence others. Listen

We can apply this notion of partnership to every level, so as not to waste a precious moment of opportunity to create for good. In my professional world, I am blessed to have true partners, leaders and friends in facilitating worship. I am confident that this comes from a mutual respect and understanding of what is at stake, but also what is possible. I pray that each of you is also free to create in your workplace. In my personal realm, I am blessed to have two children who are quite possibly the best thing I have ever helped create. But like God’s acts of creation, the role of helping create a person goes on and on. I pray that all those who have a hand in guiding and teaching others are free to lead with grand results. Finally, for those who are still able to reserve a moment of triumph during the day for themselves, I hope it will sustain you until the next burst of creativity.
Baruch Ata Adonai, Hama’ariv Aravim.