…essence of becoming a holy people lies in our nuanced approach to life’s challenges. We don’t adhere to rigid, black-and-white rules; instead, we navigate our decisions with a blend of ethics (kings), emotion (prophets), and discernment (priests). Okay, so some of the mitzvot we follow in the Torah are very clear. For example, in parshat Shemini, we learned the halachot…
…in a similar way that Shemini Atzeret is connected to Succot). We also refer to Shavuot in our prayers as Zeman Matan Torah (the Time of the Giving of the Torah). While there are no rituals associated with Shavuot in the Torah, there are several beautiful and meaningful customs that have developed to help us celebrate Shavuot. These include Tikkun…
…and additional ones for Sabbath, the start of each month, and various chaggim, including Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Succot, and Shemini Atzeret. Parsha People Moshe: A leader who knew when to hand over the reins, guiding Israel through growth and growing pains. Yehoshua: Strong in his morals, with courage his brand, chosen to blaze trails to the Promised…
…You know, 13 years ago, in 1987, we had this wonderful moment on Shemini Atzeret. On Shemini Atzeret we say for the first time in the year mashiv haruach umorid hagashem. We pray to God “Who makes the wind blow”. That night there was a hurricane. If you remember, it was that night which blew down half the trees in…
…about the universe, the human condition, and the laws, both natural and moral, under which we live. Each is about creation (Shabbat, a reminder of it, Rosh Hashanah the anniversary of it), Divine sovereignty, justice, and judgment, together with the human condition of life, death, mortality. So on Yom Kippur we face justice and judgment. On Succot/Shemini Atzeret we pray…
…Kohelet and Succot. Second question, what is Solomon famous for? Apart from having a lot of wives, and a lot of money, and an awful lot of horses. He built the Temple. When did he inaugurate the Temple? (congregation member answers) In other words, the celebrations began a little before Succot. They went on through Succot, and b’yom hashemini –…
Have you ever felt inadequate to a task you have been assigned or a job you have been given? Do you sometimes feel that other people have too high an estimate of your abilities? Has there been a moment when you felt like a faker, a fraud, and that at some time you would be found out and discovered to…
The great moment has come. For seven days – beginning on the 23rd Adar – Moses had consecrated Aaron and the priests. Now, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the time has arrived for Aaron to begin his service, ministering to the people on behalf of God: It came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called to Aaron and his…
Transcript I don’t know about you, but when I sit in a succah I think to myself: that’s how our ancestors lived. Not just in the desert in the days of Moses, but for most of twenty centuries of exile, not knowing from one year to the next whether they’d still be there, or be forced to move on, as…
The story of Nadav and Avihu, Aharon’s two eldest sons who died on the day the Sanctuary was dedicated, is one of the most tragic in the Torah. It is referred to on no less than four separate occasions. It turned a day that should have been a national celebration into one of deep grief. Aharon, bereaved, could not speak….