Elul Project 5784: Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

Micah 6:8

Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

compiled by Evan Traylor, 2024 summer rabbinic intern

הִגִּיד לְךָ אָדָם מַה־טּוֹב וּמָה־יְהֹוָה דּוֹרֵשׁ מִמְּךָ כִּי אִם־עֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וְאַהֲבַת חֶסֶד וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶיךָ׃

“And what does God require of you? Only to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

The month of Elul signals a season of change and reflection, both personal and seasonal. This year, it comes as our own community faces a period of introspection and transition. We are beginning the final year with our beloved teacher, leader, and friend, Rabbi Daniel Zemel. In the middle of the High Holy Days, we will mark one year since the horrific attacks of October 7th. And just weeks after that, we have the 2024 Election, an incredibly consequential election for all that we hold dear in this country. The wisdom of Micah 6:8 can guide us in perilous times, such as these: “And what does God require of you? Only to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” This, of course, is a familiar phrase for our community. In 1968, just five years after our initial founding, we adopted the name Temple Micah to reflect the vision of this mighty prophet, and committed this community to pursuing its ideals.

Rabbi Larry Hoffman has taught that there is a difference between learning something and “finding out” about something. Although many of us have learned about Micah 6:8 in the past, we now have time, during this month of Elul, to “find out about it,” and what it means for us, especially in this moment in the world.

Our daily emails this Elul will correspond to the three invocations of Micah 6:8 – to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. Through this exploration, we will ask, “what does God require of each of us, and of this community?”

Let’s use the coming weeks of Elul, this time of introspection and contemplation, to find out.

How to join us: All members of Temple Micah will automatically be opted into our daily email reflections during the month of Elul. If you would like to be added to the list, please sign up for The Elul Project here.

Elul Reflections: 5784