A Letter to Rabbi Tarfon

Dear Rabbi Tarfon,

I don't know much about you. You're a talmudist, and you're quoted in the Pirkei Avot, the Sayings of the Fathers. We sang your famous lines in Hebrew school, which are the words that inspired this blog: "you are obligated to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it." At the time I learned them, I thought your words were about the state of Israel. Funny how times change like that. But I wanted to start this journey by thanking you for giving me an invocation.

This blog is about class, Rabbi. I'm keeping it as a way of making myself work, even though the work is scary, and messy and hard. I've been running away from class stuff for a long time. I know it's gotten in the way of my friendships with people, and I need to do this work if I'm ever going to be a good activist. Davey leaves for California soon - sooner than I thought. He said he wants to build relationships that can be sustained over distance. I don't think he was talking about me when he said it. I think he was talking about his Jewcy friends, who he only gets to see once a year. But maybe I was included in that thought, who knows.

This blog starts with Davey. I want it to end with me. But he is my motivation right now - the health of our friendship is one of the biggest things at stake for me. I can't imagine right now how this internal work will impact the world in a bigger way than that, and maybe that's okay. I should've started this a long time ago, but better late than never, nu?

So here's the deal. I have to post every day, for at least 2 months. Then maybe we can reevaluate the frequency. I have writing exercises that Davey gave me, and plenty of books to read and respond to, and Class Action stuff to go to. That should provide plenty of fodder. But this is the deal between you and me, Rabbi. I hold myself accountable to your words. But I also take encouragement and strength from them.

I can't promise the writing is going to be good, or even useful. But I know how to discipline myself to write, and usually something good happens when I do.

This isn't about one friendship. It's about who I want to be. It's about figuring out how I need to live and act in the world. My parents are not going to teach me this. My classroom days are over, for now. All I have is homework, and my own strength as a teacher. It's going to be hard - my body is going into mild panic just thinking about it- but I don't have to complete the work, right, Rabbi?

Remember Anne Lamott and her one-inch picture frame. Remember kindness, and compassion. Remember that you are not free to desist.

I should mention that Anne Lamott is my other guide, particularly Bird By Bird. Between the two of you, I should be okay.

Love,
~Dane