September 2005 More Than Just Words By Rabbi Alvin Kass The eminent rabbinic sage of the tenth century, Saadya Gaon, translated the Bible into Arabic. It is noteworthy that whenever the word vayomer appears in the first chapter of Genesis, Saadya explained it, not as almost everyone else does, "and He said," but rather "and He willed." Hence, in place of the customary translation, "God said, Let there be light," Saadya wrote, "God willed that there should be light and there was light." What Saadya was telling us in effect is that creative achievement, even by God, requires more than just words. It takes effort, determination, firm resolve. In short, it presupposes the presence of will. As the old maxim goes, "Where there is a will, there is a way." Surely the history of the Jew attests to the veracity of SaadyaÕs philosophy. For almost two thousand years, the Jews talked and wrote about the restoration of a Jewish homeland. Nevertheless, it remained in the status of vayomer, "and he said." It wasnÕt until modern Zionism came into being that vayomer was transformed into, "and the Jew willed." The indispensability of the will was stressed by Theodor Herzl in his historic statement at the conclusion of the First Zionist Congress: "If you will it, it is no dream!" The power of the will is evident as well in the expansion of civil rights that has taken place in this country during the last half century. Although freedom and equality for all were hailed as the foundation of the American way of life from virtually the inception of the Republic, these ideals for too long belonged to the category of vayomer, "and he said," for large numbers of our fellow Americans who belonged to the "wrong" religion, race, gender, ethnic background or sexual orientation. While the United States of America may still not be utopia, there has been sufficient progress to demonstrate indisputably the power of the human will. Whatever inequities and prejudices may yet persist they will be removed the same way the initial obstacles were overcome Ð by an exercise of the will, by explicating vayomer, "and the American people willed." Consider too the menace of nuclear proliferation in places such as Iran and North Korea as well as the hunger of Al Qaeda terrorists to acquire atomic weapons. Millions of words have been written and spoken on the importance of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, no effective means has yet emerged to halt what often appears to be an irrepressible march to Armageddon. Genuine control of atomic energy will come about only when the statesmen and people all over the globe are determined to change vayomer, "and he said" to vayomer, "and he willed." The importance of the will should certainly be apparent to the Jew during the High Holy Day season. A myriad of words will be recited in the synagogue on the subject of repentance and atonement. For too many of us, these words remain just words. As a result, the crooked stays bent and the broken is not mended. If our contrition never gets beyond the level of words, there is little hope that we shall become more loving, observant, and giving in the months ahead. In all likelihood, the arrival of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur next year will find us without even one fault subtracted from our list and without even one virtue added. Our only hope lies in an exertion of the will. A disciple once asked his rabbi: "How do we know when our sins have been forgiven?" "When we do not repeat them" was the reply. Repentance is not easy any more than the birth of Israel or the struggle for emancipation was easy. But no impediment can block the determined human will. God will forgive our sins when we follow His example by transforming vayomer, "and he said" into vayomer, "and he willed." Miryom, Sarah, Lewis and Sarah, Danny and Debby, Judah and Bennett join me in the hope and prayer that you will all enjoy a happy and healthy New Year.