Tomorrow morning, I plan to stand with my friend and neighbors in the courtyard of my shul, and recite the blessing on the sun. I plan to do this even though I've satisfied myself that the event the blessing is meant to celebrate has already occurred, and despite recognizing that along with celebrating the power of God, the blessing celebrates the impotence of our Rabbis who have steadfastly refused to adjust the calculation to reflect the facts of math and astronomy.
So why am I saying it? Simple. Truth, though important, is not the only value that matters, and it isn't always a trump card. Sometimes other values matter more.
When I was a small child, I stood on my school's back lot with about 400 other people and said the sun blessing. The event made an impression on me, and remembering that moment of harmony and community warms me still.
I want to experience it again, and I want my children to experience, it too.
Related DovBear posts on the relative importance of truth
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