D’var Torah from McLovin? You bet!!
McLovin, a character from Judd Apatow’s Super bad can actually teach us a lot about Rosh Hashannah. There are two archetypal narratives that run through Western literature. One is Greek and the other Jewish. Those of you who are familiar with the Oedipus the King know that in Greek drama one can not change fate. What is destined can not be changed. The way a person is, is how they will be. The Jewish narrative, however, is one that is typified by change. All our biblical characters change. Abraham is not “destined” to work in an idol shop, Moses is not “destined” to be Prince of Egypt, and Joseph is not “destined” to be a slave. A system of Mitzvot, commandments, is dependent on the free exercise of will and the ability to change. That idea of change is represented by Rosh Hashanah.
So, Fogel is character in the Jewish model. By changing his name to McLovin he begins to change his whole persona. High school has a way of limiting one’s self identity. The things that we do in High School, debate team, Football, drama, or Math team have a way of limiting us. We become our actions and become grouped and pigeon holed by what we do. The same can be said of the year. We establish habits and move through life unquestioningly. Just, how many of us consciously think about our running narrative with an eye towards change.
Yet, just like McLovin’s ID the Jewish month of Elul comes in and gives a person the power to change themselves. In this way, the Jewish New Year is very similar to starting college. I was joking with some freshmen last week that they could make up an entire Bio and no one would be the wiser. Didn’t like being on the Math team? Don’t tell anyone. Addicted to Yu gi yoh? No one is the wiser. Freshman year gives one the opportunity to recreate one’s narrative.
This year lets all be like freshmen. I don’t mean to lie about high school or try to get fake ids with funny names. No, when I advocate being like a freshman, I am advocating having the ability to consciously change. – Once one strips away all the “stuff” that one does, there is still an essence, a core personality. This Rosh Hashanah find a quiet place and look for that core essence within.