Inauguration Day 2009
20/01/09 12:00
Rabbi Allen Darnov
It has not been overlooked that Barack Obama’s inauguration on the 20th follows one day after the birthday and annual commemoration of Martin Luther King, prophet of freedom and equality for blacks and all other Americans. The Lincoln memorial rests about two miles directly opposite the Capitol steps; one would be able to see it from the speaker’s podium on those steps, looking over the snowy grounds and pools of the Washington mall. On the steps of that memorial to Lincoln is where King spoke in 1963 and dreamed dreams of racial equality.
When I think of Martin Luther King speaking outside the Lincoln monument, I think of the story in the book of Samuel of Samuel the novitiate priest. Samuel, as a boy, was sleeping within temple precincts at Shiloh when he heard the voice of God summoning him into the temple. Being a novice, he did not recognize that the summons was divine. He ran to his mentor Eli, thinking the elder priest had called to him from within the temple darkness. But Eli told the young Samuel to go back to bed. Twice more God called to Samuel, and twice more Eli denied having called, but then the elder priest realized what was afoot. He instructed Samuel what to do and how to respond. Then Samuel listened again and was informed by God of his new responsibilities, and the changes that would come to his own destiny and to that of Israel.
King must have been surrounded by millions of people at that Washington day rally in August, 1963. Though it appears that way, in reality, King was all alone. He was always alone. Prophets live lonely lives. He was alone when, throughout the 1950s and ‘60s, he heard God’s voice calling to him from within that temple to freedom. That temple, enshrining the image of Lincoln, was a dark temple like the temple of Shiloh, because freedom and equality were hardly a reality in 1963. But King answered the call that came from within the darkness of that temple several times, just like Samuel answered in the biblical story. And like Samuel, King answered alone. And alone he was told what changes were in store both for his personal destiny, and for this country. And five years later in April 1968, King was all alone on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when he was shot down by James Earl Ray.
The sages hold Moses and Samuel to be the two most important prophets in the Bible. The sages tell us, “Like Moses in his generation, so was Samuel in his generation.” This week’s Torah portion is about the birth and prophetic commissioning of Moses. Moses proves himself worthy to be a prophet even before he is called because he demonstrates a love of justice. He rises to defend a Hebrew from attack by the taskmaster. he then shows that he is interested not only in defending Israel from outsiders, but also in the justice between Hebrew and Hebrew, because Moses intervenes in a dispute between two Hebrew slaves. And finally he comes to the aid of Midianite girls at the well. Helping Midianites, an unrelated party, shows Moses is interested only in justice itself, and not in the parties involved in altercation. Moses wouldn’t be happy if the Hebrews were free but the Midianties or anyone else suffered oppression. Martin Luther King also walked in that prophetic tradition, because he said no one can be free in America unless all are free.
On inauguration day, there will be more light in Lincoln’s temple of freedom than there was in 1963. But for the new president, the temple of Lincoln still looms as more of a challenge than a source of rejoicing. Will the president have enough light that day to see clearly down the Capitol mall, and spy King still speaking at the feet of President Lincoln? Will the roar of the audience diminish enough so that the president can hear King’s words still echoing off the marble walls of Lincoln’s great temple?
It has not been overlooked that Barack Obama’s inauguration on the 20th follows one day after the birthday and annual commemoration of Martin Luther King, prophet of freedom and equality for blacks and all other Americans. The Lincoln memorial rests about two miles directly opposite the Capitol steps; one would be able to see it from the speaker’s podium on those steps, looking over the snowy grounds and pools of the Washington mall. On the steps of that memorial to Lincoln is where King spoke in 1963 and dreamed dreams of racial equality.
When I think of Martin Luther King speaking outside the Lincoln monument, I think of the story in the book of Samuel of Samuel the novitiate priest. Samuel, as a boy, was sleeping within temple precincts at Shiloh when he heard the voice of God summoning him into the temple. Being a novice, he did not recognize that the summons was divine. He ran to his mentor Eli, thinking the elder priest had called to him from within the temple darkness. But Eli told the young Samuel to go back to bed. Twice more God called to Samuel, and twice more Eli denied having called, but then the elder priest realized what was afoot. He instructed Samuel what to do and how to respond. Then Samuel listened again and was informed by God of his new responsibilities, and the changes that would come to his own destiny and to that of Israel.
King must have been surrounded by millions of people at that Washington day rally in August, 1963. Though it appears that way, in reality, King was all alone. He was always alone. Prophets live lonely lives. He was alone when, throughout the 1950s and ‘60s, he heard God’s voice calling to him from within that temple to freedom. That temple, enshrining the image of Lincoln, was a dark temple like the temple of Shiloh, because freedom and equality were hardly a reality in 1963. But King answered the call that came from within the darkness of that temple several times, just like Samuel answered in the biblical story. And like Samuel, King answered alone. And alone he was told what changes were in store both for his personal destiny, and for this country. And five years later in April 1968, King was all alone on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when he was shot down by James Earl Ray.
The sages hold Moses and Samuel to be the two most important prophets in the Bible. The sages tell us, “Like Moses in his generation, so was Samuel in his generation.” This week’s Torah portion is about the birth and prophetic commissioning of Moses. Moses proves himself worthy to be a prophet even before he is called because he demonstrates a love of justice. He rises to defend a Hebrew from attack by the taskmaster. he then shows that he is interested not only in defending Israel from outsiders, but also in the justice between Hebrew and Hebrew, because Moses intervenes in a dispute between two Hebrew slaves. And finally he comes to the aid of Midianite girls at the well. Helping Midianites, an unrelated party, shows Moses is interested only in justice itself, and not in the parties involved in altercation. Moses wouldn’t be happy if the Hebrews were free but the Midianties or anyone else suffered oppression. Martin Luther King also walked in that prophetic tradition, because he said no one can be free in America unless all are free.
On inauguration day, there will be more light in Lincoln’s temple of freedom than there was in 1963. But for the new president, the temple of Lincoln still looms as more of a challenge than a source of rejoicing. Will the president have enough light that day to see clearly down the Capitol mall, and spy King still speaking at the feet of President Lincoln? Will the roar of the audience diminish enough so that the president can hear King’s words still echoing off the marble walls of Lincoln’s great temple?
