Measuring Our Legacy
Many are familiar with legend of Rip Van Winkle who sleeps through a generation of historic changes, falling asleep with the American colonies subject to English rule and waking to discover a free United States of America. Thousands of years earlier, the Talmud offers a similar story. It is the story of Honi, the Circle Maker. Here is his tale.
One day, Honi the Circle Maker, was walking along the road. He saw a man planting a carob tree. Honi said to him, “How many years does it take for a carob tree to bear fruit?” The man responded, “Seventy years.”
Honi then asked him, “How do you know if you will live another seventy years and taste the tree’s fruit?” The man said to him, “I found a world full of carob trees. Just as my ancestors planted for me, so I plant for my children.” Honi then sat down and ate a plentiful dinner.
As often happens after a big meal, drowsiness overcame him, and Honi fell asleep. Miraculously, a rock formation rose around him, and he became hidden. He slept for seventy years. When he awakened, he crawled from the rocks and went for a walk. He saw a man picking fruit from the carob tree.
Honi said to him, “Are you the one who planted this tree?” The man responded and said to him, “No. I am his grandson.” Honi was startled and exclaimed, “I must have slept for seventy years.” (Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 23a)
Today is the first day of the month of Elul. This day begins the forty-day period of introspection that culminates with the closing of Yom Kippur’s gates of repentance. During this time, we are instructed to look within and ask, “Who I have wronged? How might I do things differently?”
We are also urged to ponder, “What have I done for future generations?” How have my actions guaranteed our people’s future, the prospering of humanity and the earth’s very survival? What might we do so that our grandchildren might prosper?
The imagery of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is clear. No one is innocent of wrongdoing. No one is perfectly righteous. Everyone can change. Everyone can correct their failings. The tradition further teaches We are rescued by our good deeds.
On the High Holidays, we are awakened from our slumber by the piercing sound of the shofar. On these days, we are intended to look ahead by looking back. How can we change? How can we do better?
What have we planted for future generations? What can we plant for others?