Wit and Wisdom

Psalm 19:12 (Today's NIV)

Our rabbi was going out of town, and she asked our lay leadership to conduct services and study sessions while she was gone. I'd led Torah study before and expected to do it again, but this time she asked me to lead the Saturday morning service.

I gulped hard. I'd never been particularly stellar on the bema. The first time I was asked to light Friday-night candles, when I was thirteen, I dropped the match and set fire to the carpet. It wasn't an auspicious beginning.

I studied the parts of the service I'd be expected to read, rehearsed the melodies I'd have to lead and spoke with the other people who'd be participating. I wanted it to be perfect.

But I never thought to rehearse the actions that are as much a part of the service as the words. I first realized my mistake when I sat down in the rabbi's chair and elbowed the pole with the American flag. I had to grab it quickly to keep the flag from falling.

Hoping that would be the only glitch, I went on with the service. It went well until it was time to take the Torah out of the ark. The ark openers came up to the bema and pulled on the doors, only to discover I'd forgotten to unlock them. Once we got the Torah out, I found I was too short to take off its crowns. Later, the silver breastplate crashed to the floor.

By the end of the service, I was convinced no one would ever want me to try it again. But people in the congregation kept thanking me for making the service inspirational.

I asked a friend who had been there, "How could that have been inspirational?" "The rabbi is very professional," she said. "You're just like us. And if you can do it, we think we can too!"