Yom Kippur Reflection: Humility Versus Stubbornness in National Reckoning

As Yom Kippur approaches, a day of national pause and introspection, the article reflects on the tradition of accounting for one's actions and the need for communal and national self-examination.

While acknowledging the deep wounds and losses in Israel, the author emphasizes that Yom Kippur's atonement is limited, particularly for transgressions between individuals, as stated in Jewish tradition, 'What is crooked cannot be straightened.' However, the piece argues that recognizing responsibility does not absolve individuals or the collective from a deeper reckoning.

The author recalls a conversation with the late Professor Eliezer Schweid, who stressed that Yom Kippur judges not only individuals but the entire community as one. This concept of communal unity, Schweid argued, necessitates not just personal but also collective and national soul-searching. Initially hesitant about shifting focus from personal to public accountability, the author now understands the intertwined nature of individual and collective identity.

The article posits that true national soul-searching requires acknowledging one's own potential for error and harm, rather than solely focusing on the faults of 'others.' This collective introspection begins when the 'we' includes oneself, acknowledging personal failings and contributions to societal problems.

Drawing on the Yom Kippur confession, which begins by rejecting the claim of righteousness, the author highlights humility as the antidote to stubbornness and self-certainty. Humility, in this context, is the recognition that truth is greater than any individual, that one's perspective is inherently limited, and that openness to learning from others is crucial. This principle is particularly relevant in education, where educators should model fidelity to their values while remaining open to dialogue and change.

Ultimately, the article suggests that fostering the ability to hold firm convictions without becoming rigid, to listen to opposing views without abandoning one's identity, and to seek societal repair without exempting oneself from the process is vital for raising individuals capable of navigating a Jewish-democratic society. The quiet of Yom Kippur, it concludes, is an opportunity to listen to the 'still, small voice' of others and to examine oneself.