Rosh Hashanah

'My Favourite Text' - Tony Bayfield

Tony Bayfield, rabbi, is the head of the Movement for Reform Judaism. 

When I was a young congregational rabbi down in Weybridge, we used to hire Molesey Methodist Church for the High Holy Days. It had a fine ladies' gallery for the nostalgic and there were no visible Christian symbols to make Jews feel uncomfortable. There was, however, a brass rim round the inside of the pulpit on which was inscribed: Sir, remember we would rather see Jesus.

I thought that in the case of this particular congregation, it probably didn't apply. But I was convinced that what they would like to see, or rather hear, was the perfect text that would prove conclusively that God really does exist. Preferably the God of the Torah and the High Holy Day Machzor (prayer book) - perhaps with a greater emphasis on rachum v'chanun (merciful and compassionate) than on poked avon avot (visiting the sins of our parents on us).

I searched and searched but couldn't find what I was looking for, the Ultimate Text. All that happened was that I kept returning to a piece from the end of the second chapter of (mishnah) Avot. Rabbi Tarfon says "The day is short, the labourers are sluggish. The wages are high. And the Master of the House is urgent". It went without saying that the day was too short both personally and professionally. This labourer is always sluggish - I'd much rather watch Sky Sports. The wages are high - I've always felt that there was a place for humour in religion. The Master of the House is insistent. He is, He jolly well is!

Feuerbach had a word with me and told me that I was merely projecting my inner world on the outside. He's right, I often do that. But then She nudges, says that it isn't entirely true and chuckles at my discomfort. Marx intervened and asked me if I was on opiates. I like the occasional bottle of really good red wine but I resent the suggestion that the whole of my life is a drug-induced fantasy. Freud asked me about my father. I'm sure that he wasn't more pushy or severe than the average father. When I came home from school once and announced that I'd got 99% in an arithmetic exam, he did ask why I'd lost 1%, but I take responsibility for my own neuroses.

I went in search of Rabbi Tarfon. It's interesting that he's not known as the son of anyone, Sigmund. He turns out to have taken honouring his mother very seriously but there is no reason to suppose that he was neurotic. In fact he was highly intelligent, deeply humane, comfortably off and apparently normal.

His text - yes, I know how it goes on but - it's those four short statements that come back to me again and again. Reminding me that the Master of the House is insistent - that She is; that we do His work; that we pursue the good; that we behave in such a way as to be a blessing to all the families of the earth.

And that we go to the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah to celebrate the birthday of a world that is potentially good and in which our purpose is to contribute to Shanah Tovah, a good year. Of course, I can't prove it but I'll stake my life on it. Or, rather, since I've just turned 60, I guess I already have!