So what do you do when you realize how you’ve messed up in life? What do you do with all the shame and guilt? One word – Tashlich (pronounced Tash – leek). Tashlich is Hebrew for “casting” or throwing out your sins/mistakes. This is how you do it. Go into the kitchen and get some bread. Old bread and moldy bread is OK too. Then, take the bread outside and find a quiet but windy place where you won’t be interrupted for a few minutes. Tear pieces of bread. Each torn piece represents a mistake you made or something you are sorry for. I’m about to go do Tashlich in a few minutes. Here are a few of my mistakes this last year:
- Raising my voice at my students sometimes
- Getting irritated with my mom when she wants me to do something
- Not being able to make amends so I can see Purity and Bea
This is just between you and God. You do not have to say anything out loud. After you say the mistake (in your head or out loud) let the piece of bread go into the wind. If birds start to flock around you, let them eat your mistakes away. You are casting them away. And if you choose to make better choices next year – you’ll have different mistakes to throw away next year. You know you are better person if the mistakes change.
Jews usually cast their sins into a lake or stream. Someday, you can come with me when I do tashlich. In the meantime, we can be together in our actions.
You will feel a weight lift off of you because you’ll know things are “righting” things between you and God. If you really want to be creative, you could draw a picture of yourself standing by a lake or river throwing away your pieces of bread. Albert Einstein used to say “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” What he meant was that your imagination is the super highway to God. If you can see it in your imagination, God sees it too. If you have no bread – you still have the option of just imagining yourself throwing the bread in the water. It doesn’t have to be real. Only your thoughts have to be honest – and sincere. Give it a try? What do you have to lose? This painted sketch will help you get started. XXOO
