Pitka Tava - פתקא טבא - “a guten kvitel” - a good note of forgiveness...
...for Hoshana Rabba, 21 Tishri 5780 / Sunday, 20 October 2019
In addition to our private failings for which we might make an accounting, those of us who are Americans have public failings for which we might make an accounting. At this time, a central public failing is the presidency of Donald J. Trump.
His [=a king’s] heart is the heart of the entire congregation of Israel
- Maimonides, Laws of Kings 3:6
The king’s - the leader’s - the president’s - character speaks to the character of the people as a whole.
May You pardon us
for all our careless—
for all our deliberate—
for all our rebellious—sins: (introduction to “Al Chet’” / “For the sin”; recited on Yom Kippur)
For the sin we have committed before You...
...under compulsion or willingly.
Were we compelled to establish Trump as president, or did we choose him willingly? One or the other. He is our president and we—all American citizens—are responsible for him, since he was chosen by the American people—regardless whether we voted for him or not.
... by callously hardening the heart.
The president is a hard-hearted man; his administration is a hard-hearted administration; and we, as Americans, are becoming hard-hearted.
... unwittingly.
We did not know that having a Trump presidency would have as negative as impact on our country as it has. Well, it has. We are responsible for the consequences of our decisions, whether we were aware that things would be as bad as they have become, or not.
... by sexual immorality.
The president’s sexual immorality has become the country’s.
... by speech.
Through his use of speech, the president has made our speech coarse.
... by cheating a fellow-man.
The president has given himself a green light to break laws and deprive others of their rights and liberty (famously, to kill someone on 5th Avenue). He has a track record of not paying his own contractors. We are implicated in his cheating.
... by joining in a lewd gathering.
The president has a history of lewd gatherings and no history of repentance. His gatherings are our lewdness.
... by showing contempt to parents and teachers.
The president has regularly shown the meanest disregard for the honor of Gold Star families, long-serving members of the Senate, and members of his administration who have been in a position to teach him about statecraft. His disrespect is our disrespect.
... by using force [to harm others].
The president has brought the power of the executive branch down on powerless people in cruel ways. His misused power is a stain on our souls.
... by foolish talk.
No commentary is needed.
... by impurity of the lips.
No commentary is needed.
... by the Evil Inclination.
Likewise.
... by evil talk [slander].
The president’s “lashon hara” (evil speech) against people of integrity and service is a stain on us.
... by scoffing.
The president has scoffed at our country’s values. In doing so, he has cheapened those values in the view of the world. His scoffing is our scoffing.
... by stretching forth the neck [in an expression of haughtiness].
His haughtiness is our haughtiness
... by haughty eyes [an expression of arrogance].
His arrogance is our arrogance.
... by insolence.
He has demeaned the character of our country. We are responsible for that.
... by perverting judgment.
How many are those who deserve to be called to account for their crimes, for whom he seeks clemency? How many are those who are innocent, for whom he calls for imprisonment? His perversion of judgment is our perversion of justice.
... by entrapping a neighbor.
He has separated and imprisoned children and families. We are responsible.
... by a begrudging eye.
For our president, every act of generosity is a grievous mistake. We are learning to follow his example and see our relations with others in purely transactional terms. His mean-spirited miserliness is ours.
... by unwarranted hatred.
He has encouraged hatred of Latino people, of Muslims, of Black people. His misanthropy is our misanthropy.
And for all of these, God of pardon,
pardon us,
forgive us,
grant us atonement.
Amen.