The Tower of Babel passage repeatedly uses the Hebrew word
“safah” for language. The word is
derived from the Hebrew for “lips” – “safot.”
It’s similar to the English use of “tongue.” Perhaps that is why we struggle to understand
each other.
Human beings emphasize the speaking component of
language. But listening well is equally
important. Thoughtful listeners seek to
understand what words mean to the speaker, not just to him or herself. They strive to empathize with how the speaker
is feeling, and what motivates him or her to speak. They stop doing other things, and don’t
interrupt or demonstrate boredom. Instead,
they indicate their interest through eye contact and nods of the head. They consider what they’ve heard. All these signal that we are dialed in to
what the speaker is saying.
Listening is a major component of communication, and
Americans don’t do it particularly well.
We talk at and past each other, and rarely listen closely. We assume we know what other people are
thinking.
Perhaps this is why the quintessential Jewish statement is
the Shema. It reminds us to listen. It requires us to listen.In the next two months, our congregation will engage in Shma Emanuel – a program of listening to each other about what we want from our synagogue. Some events will take place in living rooms. They’ll be facilitated salons where we can share ideas, frustrations, and hopes with an eye towards the future. Some will take place at the synagogue, presenting the reality of Temple Emanuel: the finances, the organization, the results of our resent congregational survey. Watch this space for details. This project is vitally important, and we truly need your input. Through Shma Emanuel, the community will listen to you, and you will be able to listen to your fellows. By listening, we are strengthened.
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