THE THREE MONKEYS – Loren Judaken
For High Holidays – 2025
As a child, I imagined the three monkeys
holding court on my father’s desk
were emblematic of values to which I should aspire.
A maxim to avoid seeing,
speaking, listening to
or participating in evil.
This time necessitates a reinterpretation—
Now they symbolize the imperative
to peel back my fingers
and remove the hands
that shield my eyes from looking,
that block my ears from hearing,
that cover my mouth from speaking out.
They are a mandate to see everything —
the beauty and wonder of G-d’s creation,
and the ugliness and shadows
of man’s injustice in the world,
and to look for both
the beauty and ugliness inside myself.
To hear not only bird songs
and children’s laughter,
but listen to others,
their stories and their pain,
to hear G-d’s voice in my thoughts,
and heed the yearnings of my own heart.
To speak out against all that is evil,
the distortions, destruction and death,
to speak of loving kindness, compassion,
and gratitude for my myriad of blessings,
especially the blessings of
Torah and community.
But a forth monkey, one of action needs birthing
molded to manifest these insights.
No longer can we heed Milton’s refrain,
“They also serve who only stand and wait”
Our Jewish sages carry ancient wisdom
that we must observe like Rabbi Tarfon:
“The work is not yours to complete,
But neither are you at liberty to neglect
