My dad has taught many things that have stuck with me throughout my life, but one of his “stickiest” is, “Spiritual experiences don’t happen to you, they happen because of you.”
Especially at this time of year, I find myself reflecting on this lesson of being an active participant rather than a passive observer.
The bookends of Pesach and Shavuot represent significant communal moments where the role of each and every individual is critical. We read in the Haggadah: In each and every generation a person must view themself as though they personally left Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 13:8), “And you shall tell your child on that day, saying: It is because of what God did for me when I went free from Egypt” (Mishnah Pesachim 10:5).
And soon we will celebrate Zman Matan Torateinu, the time of the giving of our Torah. God makes this covenant with “both those standing here with us this day and those not here this day,” (Deuteronomy 29:14). A midrash elaborates on this to teach that we all stood at Sinai, that our souls were there even if our bodies were not physically present (Midrash Tanhuma, Nitzavim 3:1).
This journey between Pesach and Shavuot is filled with possibilities for spiritual awakening and transformation. But I have to lean in and take an active role in order to unlock that spiritual potential.
What narrow places did I leave this year? Who can I count on supporting me as I take each step forward? How can I be open to the receiving wisdom of our tradition?
When we not only retell the stories as a community, but personally relive them year after year, we activate deep connections with ourselves, our world, and with God. In doing so, we are the cause, as well as the beneficiary, of spiritual experiences.
