“Higher and Higher” – “L’ayla u’L’ayla”
Yizkor Yom Kippur
September 16th, 2002 5763

Introduction

At the end of Yizkor we will say Kaddish. But this Kaddish is different. During the Ten Days of Penitence all forms of the Kaddish change: “L’ayla” becomes “l’ayla u’l’ayla” and the “min kol” are contracted into “ mikol.” Thus the number of words in the paragraph remain a constant twenty-eight. This number is equal to the number of phrases of human experiences in the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes, “a time to be born, a time to die…” the number of ways and times that we can serve God. On the Aseret Y’mai Teshuvah we stress that God is “l’ayla u’l’ayla”“higher and higher” beyond even all this praise.

I wanted to know when was the text changed? The best I could discover is that the classical books refer to this for the first time somewhere in the sixteenth century. They discuss the exact grammar of the two words. Otherwise, this significant change goes by without further comment.

But I would like to comment on it. The Hebrew phrase is usually translated “exceedingly beyond,” “above and beyond,” and “higher and higher.” I think that there are many things that can, or we desire them to go higher and higher. Some are wise, some are vainglorious, and some are supreme. On September 11 th, 2001 there were many things that went “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.” By our saying Yizkor this day, and how we resolve to live our lives in as many days as we are granted, we must also rise “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”

I.

A. When I was a student I always wanted my grades to go “l’ayla u’l’ayla”.

When Ruby and I were beginning a family, we wanted the number of children to go “l’ayla u’l’ayla.”

When I was beginning in the Rabbinate, success was measured erroneously, by the size of the congregation, “l’ayla u’l’ayla.”

Certainly everybody has wanted their salaries to go “l’ayla u’l’ayla”, for it enabled everything else, cars, possessions, to go, “l’ayla u’l’ayla”, higher and higher, too.

We have all wanted our reputations, our importance, our bank accounts to go “l’ayla u’l’ayla”, higher and higher. None of these things are “bad” unto themselves. The Rabbis understand the necessity of some measure of egotism to drive us forward. But sometimes it isn’t wise to be controlled by the desire of things to be “l’ayla u’l’ayla”.

B. There are other things that should go “l’ayla u’l’ayla” – “higher and higher:”

Our love for each other;

Our care for the world;

Our tzedakah to Israel, to shul, to the Jewish Welfare Campaign of the Federation;

Our mitzvot in observance of Judaism;

And, our prayers to God.

This second list is ever so more important.

These will sustain us.

These will sustain the world.

These will change us for the good.

These will help mend our world.

C. There are other qualities that should also go “l’ayla u’l’ayla” – “higher and higher,” though in our every day lives these are seldom summoned up:

Bravery;

Courage;

Selflessness;

Honor;

Heroism;

Gallantry.

In our usual routines these qualities are not called upon. At most we are summoned by little ones: competence, honesty, proficiency, patience, care. All are virtues, for sure. Important ones, for sure. But today we have a different backdrop upon which to discern true values. Some qualities and virtues are commonplace. Others reach “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”

II.

Rabbi Avi Weiss, in writing for the September 11 th commemoration noted that the firemen and rescue workers who died in the Towers did not die on the ground floor. They were always encountered on the upper floors, having ascended the stairways. They died going “l’ayla u’l’ayla” “higher and higher,” even as the buildings were beginning to come down upon them. I remember those buildings being built and seeing them slowly define the New York skyline. As a third grader I walked to public school and could see the Empire State Building. Then other tall buildings were added to the skyline, and finally the twin towers. As a native New Yorker I saw the city literally rise up. This past winter Ruby and I went to the top of the Empire State Building and looked towards where the Towers once stood. There was only the light that illuminated the digging, and an emptiness. A great space was vacant. Perhaps Bruce Springstein captured the essence of people’s feelings with his song My City in Ruins, which opened the special TV tribute.

There’s a blood red circle Now with these hands,

On the cold dark ground With these hands,

And the rain is falling down With these hands,

The church door’s thrown open With these hands,

I can hear the organ’s song I pray Lord

But the congregation’s gone With these hands,

My city of ruins With these hands,

My city of ruins. I pray for the strength, Lord

With these hands, With these hands,

Now the sweet bells of mercy I pray for faith, Lord

Drift through the evening trees With these hands,

Young men on the corner With these hands,

Like scattered leaves, I pray for your love, Lord

The boarded up windows, With these hands,

The empty streets With these hands,

While my brother’s down on his knees I pray for the strength, Lord

My city of ruins With these hands,

My city of ruins With these hands, I pray for your love, Lord

Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up! With these hands,

Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up! With these hands,

Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up! I pray for your faith, Lord

Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up! With these hands,

With these hands,

Now there’s tears on the pillow I pray for the strength, Lord

Darlin’ where we slept With these hands,

And you took my heart when you left With these hands,

Without your sweet kiss

My soul is lost, my friend

Tell me how do I begin again? Come on, rise up

My city’s in ruins Come on, rise up

My city’s in ruins

This Yizkor is like no other Yizkor that we have ever recited. We are remembering many more people than just our own mishpacha.

We say Yizkor for all those who died on September 11th, 2001, and weep for their families and pray that God should give them strength, love and faith.

We remember with longing a way of life that may never return.

We say Yizkor and pray for a city that is still dumb and dazed and has a hole in its heart.

We say Yizkor for the people at the Pentagon and those on all four planes and ask God for loving mercy for their families.

We say Yizkor for our extended family of the Jewish people in Israel who mourn the deaths of hundreds killed by murderers and pray for healing for the thousands more wounded.

May New York City “Rise up.”

May the places in Israel, Sbarro, Mahane Yehudah, Hebrew University, Netanya,

“Rise up.”

May the neshamas of the dead “Rise up” “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”

May the neshamas of the living “Rise up” “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”

May our concern for others “Rise up” “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”

May our love for fellow Jews “Rise up”“l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”

May our prayers to God for healing “Rise up” “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”

May our prayers to God for peace “Rise up” “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”

III.

Though I never wanted to be a fireman when I was a child, my parents a plastic red fireman’s hat and I had toy hook and ladder. I have enjoyed watching the Third Watch. Because I personally know an EMT, this unit also became special to me. I could not complete this Yizkor sermon without special reference to them. Sometimes a songwriter truly captures the essence. Bruce Springstein did so in this second song, Into The Fire.

The sky was falling and streaked with blood,
I heard you calling me,
Then you disappeared into dust
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty
Called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs, into the fire.

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love bring us love

You gave your love to see,
In fields of red and autumn brown
You gave your love to me
And lay your young body down
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need you near, but love and duty
Called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs, into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love gives us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love gives us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love gives us love

It was dark, too dark to see
You held me in the light you gave
You lay your hand on me
Then walked into the darkness
Of your smoky grave
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty
Called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs, into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love gives us love

May your love bring us love.

Conclusion

Our Yizkor book has not changed since last year. We have. Our lives have. When we say our silent Yizkor prayers add a few extra in your own words. Those will be most precious. As we say Yizkor we implore the neshamas of our mishpochas in heaven that they will send down to us strength, faith, hope and love from heaven on high. With their help, with our own hands, from this broken place of sorrow, may we, may this country, may Israel and Jews everywhere, rise up, rise up “l’ayla u’l’ayla,” “higher and higher.”