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48 al ha'aretz v'al hamazon
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51 boneh berachamav yerushalayim
52 she'asani kirtzono

Bracha #28

Praise are You O lord our God, Who sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us to enter the covenant of Abraham our father.

Barukh at adonai eloheinu melekh haolam asher kidshanu bimitzvotav vitzivanu l'hachniso b'brito shel avraham avinu

This bracha is recited by parents on behalf of their new born son at his circumcision. At a traditional bris, circumcision, the parents of the child usually empower a Mohel (the person doing the actual cutting) to act on their behalf. The reason for this is twofold. the father is required by law to have his son circumcised, while he lacks the skill to do so himself. Although a child born of a Jewish mother is by definition Jewish the act of circumcision affirms that commitment. My colleague Rabbi David Wise refers to this dichotomy as Jew by Choice verses Jew by chance. By the simple unfolding of nature certain people are born into certain families. It is then up to each individual to make choices in the live. A person can choose to accept or reject the path their parents have laid out for them.

Though this bracha is ordained to be said at one specific event, its application and its existence gives us pause to think about the decisions we have made in our lives. Whether we born into families that were "observant," "religious" or completely "secular" in orientation. Whether we have chosen to become Jewish inspired by a teacher or a teaching or our love for another person, we have choices to make within that choice as well.

We have all been given certain natural abilities. Some of us are quicker learners while others take a less direct path. But no matter Judaism in its breadth offers every personality type something of interest, if there is an interest. Judaism has answers to questions about the nature of life and it has questions for those who feel they know it all. There is Kabballah of the esoteric, Talmud for the studious, books of the thought for the philosophical and prayers for the eclectic, not to mention that varied approaches to Judaism as represented by the assortment of movements from which to choose. But you need to opt for opening the text and unpacking its teaching.

In this age of intermarriage and assimilation we cannot leave our survival to chance. If we are going to remain on the landscape of humanity we are going to have to more actively identify ourselves with Judaism in what every form it may take. It doesn't matter which synagogue with which you choose to affiliate, but we must all attend. It is there that options exist. It is in the institutions of Judaism, and not just synagogues, that the choices are real. And then we must become committed to a lifestyle based on being consistent with those decisions. The Shema says, we should talk about them when we are at home and a way from home, when we lie down and when we rise up. If we are to make a significant change in our lives we have to do it our homes and when we travel. We cannot relegate our Judaism to a few times of the year, but we must find a way to incorporate Judaism into our everyday lives.

New Jersey Region United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
PO Box 390; 1025 St. Georges Ave
Linden, NJ 07036-0390
Phone: 908-925-USCJ (8725) / Fax: 908-486-USCJ (8725)
E-mail: njersey@uscj.org
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Last Updated: July 2003