As has become our tradition, each
year on Erev Rosh Hashanah I begin our High Holy Day season with a story. This year, I’d like to share a story with you
entitled “The Pearls of the Habsburgs.” For
many years a story similar to this one was told and retold by Milton Bendiner,
the Education Director of Temple Beth-El in San Antonio. Generations of children and adults in San
Antonio grew up with this story and I proudly share with you my own version this
evening.
Long ago,[i]
lived the great European rulers known as the Habsburgs. As you might know, the Habsburgs ruled an empire
spanning east to west, over tiny hamlets as well as the large and elegant
cities of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. The
Habsburgs were known for many things: their magnificent palaces, their love of music,
their collection of art, but most especially for their crowns and their jewels. Their tiaras and swords, orbs and scepters,
were the most stunning in the world. Gold,
silver, rubies, and diamonds, but most precious, were their very rare pearls. The emperors, empresses, dukes, and duchesses
regaled the world with their beautiful pearls.
Over time, the Habsburgs saw that
their pearls began slowly to lose their luster.
The pearls didn’t sparkle in the same way; they no longer shimmered;
they became dull, ordinary. The pearls
were no longer unique or as precious as before.
“Call, the Imperial Jeweler,” screamed
the Emperor.
“Yes, your majesty, how can I be of
assistance”
“Imperial Jeweler, our pearls have
lost their luster. As you know, the
coronation of our son, the Duke, will occur in three-months-time. Our jewels can’t be ordinary; our pearls must
shimmer. Find someone, anyone, to
restore these pearls to their original luster.”
“Yes, your majesty!”
The Imperial Jeweler tried his best,
but nothing he did could restore the pearls.
He decided instead to send officials to every town in the land asking
for guidance and assistance.
The officials began in Vienna, the
capital city. The owner of the most
prestigious jewelry store suggested using a cloth to buff the pearls. But that didn’t work.
Onward the officials traveled to Budapest. The Imperial Jeweler of the East suggested
setting the pearls in sunlight for seven straights days. But that didn’t work either.
Onward the officials traveled to Prague. An important gem collector suggested rubbing
the pearls with sand. But unfortunately,
that didn’t work either.
Onward the officials traveled, from
larger city to smaller town, from smaller town to even teeny tiny village, but
no one could come up with the correct approach to restore the pearls’ luster.
Finally, with only days left until
the three months deadline, the officials arrived at the very end of the empire,
at a small hamlet on the Adriatic Sea.
There they saw a tiny house that stood next to the water. Inside, they met an old woman who glanced
intently at the pearls.
“I know what must be done,” she said. “Leave them with me and in three-days-time, I
will return them to their former beauty.”
True to her word, three days later,
the woman entered the capital city of Vienna.
The Imperial Jeweler and the Emperor quickly
rushed her into the Throne Room. There,
she pulled out a small mesh bag, opened it, to reveal the shimmering, sparkling
pearls.
“They are beautiful once again!” cried
the Emperor. “How did you return them to
their former luster?”
“These pearls are very special. I recognized them immediately as the pearls
found near my village on the Adriatic Sea.
Only one thing can revive pearls such as these. To return to their former luster, the pearls
must be immersed in the waters where they were originally formed. And it must be done annually, at the same
season!”
And so, every year at this time, the
Imperial Jeweler is entrusted to take the pearls to the shore of that distant
land. The pearls are placed in the same
mesh bag and immersed in the waters where they were originally formed. And once again their luster is restored for
another year.”
Rosh Hashanah is a moment turning, of returning. We even call this season Aseret Yamei Teshuvah, the 10 Days of Return. We return to be renewed by our Jewish tradition. We return to deepen our connection to our Jewish community. We return with the hope to become our best selves. We return with the dream that together we can build a better world.
Each year, as summer comes to a
close, as September begins, we recognize that like those pearls, we too have
lost a little bit of our luster. We see
that our shells have dulled; no longer do they shimmer or sparkle. This year especially, has been very long and
difficult. Each of us, in small and in
big ways, have struggled with how best to cope in this changing world. So many of us are tired, beaten down, dulled
by many challenges of this past year.
How many of us are angry? How many pessimistic for our future? How many of us are cynical? How many of us depressed, worried, or anxious? Our pearls no longer shimmer. We need spiritual renewal; we need hope,
optimism, and a sense that things will get better.
And so, on this start of the New Year, I welcome you back home! Whether you are with us on Zoom or gathered in our Meadow, you have returned again for another service, another High Holy Days, a new year.
Just as the pearls were revived by
the waters where they were originally formed, so too, do you venture back home. May you be revived in the waters of
Torah. May you be renewed through the
words of our Jewish tradition. May your
luster shine once again through the companionship of your Jewish
community. May you sparkle and shimmer
through the renewing acts of prayer, study, and lovingkindness.
The Habsburgs pearls continued to
dull year after year. It was only when
the Duke’s coronation arrived, that the Emperor recognized the urgency of the
situation. For all of us, it’s often
easier to ignore our troubles and to pretend everything is ok. We need those moments of urgency to awaken
us, to propel us to repair ourselves and our world.
We’ve all had those moments of urgency this past year: loss, saying goodbye to loved ones, illness, and struggle. But, let us not forget the moments of simcha: new babies, graduations, birthdays, joyous celebrations! What are the moments of urgency that awaken you? What, my friends, brought you here tonight, to be with your Jewish community? What propels you to join us on these High Holy Days?
The old woman reminds us that the
pearls should be immersed each year, at the same time. That is good advice, I recommend it! But don’t forget that it took years and years
until the pearls were first immersed in the living waters. Let that be a reminder for all of us, that
it’s never too late to return. Whether
you’ve been gone for years or this is your first ever High Holy Days, welcome! It’s never too late to begin anew, to start
again, to return again.
These next few weeks and months will
be difficult. We will need to change and
adapt in order to transform ourselves and our world. Returning will be different this year, just as
it was last year. Yet, here we are and
together we will make a difference, build a community, and heal our world. Like the Habsburg pearls, may you be revived
in the waters of Judaism. May you find our
moments together a source of blessing and renewal. May prayer, community, and acts of kindness
provide you with the strength you need to not only survive this year, but to
thrive this year. Here we are, as we
return again. Amen.
[i] My
own story which is adapted from a version told by Milton Bendiner of Temple
Beth-El San Antonio
