Rabbi’s Blog

S’lichot:  Preparing our Hearts and Minds for the High Holy Days

This year, for the first time in memory, perhaps even for the first time in Beth Sholom’s history, we are re-introducing a beautiful custom to help us set the spiritual tone to prepare emotionally and mentally for the High Holy Days. It is called S’lichot – from S’lichah, meaning “forgiveness” or “pardon” – and refers to specific penitential prayers recited on fast days, including Yom Kippur. Eventually these prayers were extended to Rosh Hashanah and the Ten Days of Repentance, and ultimately to the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah.

The S’lichot service takes place on the Saturday night prior to Rosh Hashanah (unless Rosh Hashanah begins within the next 2 days, in which case the ritual is moved back to the previous Saturday night).  It is supposed to be recited at midnight, though many non-Orthodox congregations have recently moved the start time earlier. No one knows exactly when this custom was established, but it is likely very old. In previous centuries, before the time of smart phones or even alarm clocks, the Shamash (synagogue sexton) woke the sleeping villagers up at midnight on Selichot night, by walking through the shtetl shouting and pounding on shutters for all to come to shul and recite prayers of penitence in preparation for Rosh Hashanah.

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The service itself has evolved to include some of the most beloved and evocative prayers of the High Holy Days, as well as the sounding of the shofar. Chief among those prayers are Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King); Shema Koleinu (Hear Our Voice); Adonay Adonay (the 13 attributes of God); and Ashamnu, the short confessional.  The themes include reflections on the fleetingness of human life, appeals to God’s mercy, petitions for relief from suffering and persecution, confessions of sin, and pleas for forgiveness. Reciting the familiar words, hearing the beautiful and sometimes haunting tunes and the plaintive cry of the shofar for the 1^st time since the last High Holy Days, we are afforded both a foretaste of the holidays to heighten our anticipation, and, more importantly, a wake-up call to begin the process of Teshuvah – repentance – by taking an honest inventory of our deeds in the past year, mending fences with loved ones and colleagues, and re-awakening our commitments.

I invite all of you to join us at Temple on Saturday night September 21. We will start with a delicious dessert reception at 7:30 pm, followed by Havdalah and the Selichot service at 8:00 pm.  During the service, the Torah mantles will be changed to white, and we will conclude with the sounding of the shofar.

Two Months of Significant Jewish Dates

The spring months are filled with many significant Jewish events, especially in May and June. Just days after Pesach ends, Jews recall the greatest catastrophe to ever befall our people on Yom Hashoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day, which this year falls on May 2^nd.  Six days later, on the 3^rd of Iyar (May 8^th), is Israel’s Yom Hazikaron, or Memorial Day, commemorating their fallen soldiers and victims of terror.  Both Yom Hashoah and Yom Hazikaron are observed in Israel with the sounding of air raid sirens at the same moment throughout the entire country. The whole country comes to a complete halt, everyone stops what they are doing and stands silently at attention.  Even traffic stops and everyone gets out of their cars, busses, etc. and stands until the siren ends.  Somehow, miraculously, when the siren is over everyone get back in their cars and calmly wait for the vehicles in front of them to move before continuing driving.

The very next day after the sadness and solemnity of Yom Hazikaron, Israel breaks into wild jubilation for Yom Ha-atz’ma-ut – Israel’s Independence Day.  This year it falls on May 9. In Israel it’s a day of partying, fireworks displays, parades and celebration. Even when times are tough and Israel has experienced setbacks and enormous challenges, and even as it sometimes struggles to live up to the ideals of its founders, the fact of Israel’s existence deserves to be celebrated by all Jews.

Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha-atz’ma-ut are all modern additions to the Jewish calendar. Adding celebrations or commemorations has been a continuous process throughout our history. In the Roman period the followers of Rabbi Akiva designated the 18^th Day of the month of Iyar as a minor holiday to commemorate the sudden end of a terrible plague which had devastated many of his students. The day, known as Lag Ba’Omer, or the 33^rd day of the Counting of the Omer, eventually became an occasion for picnics and bonfires, and for a relaxation of some of the restrictions which observant Jews uphold during the Omer period (which is from the 2^nd day of Pesach until Shavuot).  This year Lag Ba’Omer coincides with May 23^rd.

The most recent addition to the Jewish calendar is Yom Yerushalayim, or Jerusalem Day, marking the day on which Jerusalem was re-captured by the Israeli army in the Six Day War of 1967. This year Yom Yerushalayim falls on June 2^nd (the 28^th of Iyar).

The only Biblical holiday which occurs during this period is Shavuot, or “weeks,” originally a harvest festival held 7 weeks after the beginning of the barley harvest during Pesach.  It has also become strongly associated with the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. Shavuot is one of the three biblical “Pilgrimage Festivals” when our ancestors used to go to Jerusalem to celebrate. Hence it is the same status and level of sanctity as Sukkot and Pesach.  Shavuot is on the 6^th of Sivan, which falls on Saturday night May 8 and Sunday May 9.

I encourage you to learn more about our rich and fascinating history by exploring each of these significant dates online, and finding suitable ways to commemorate them.

Reflections from Rabbi Klirs

“Special” Shabbatot

It has been common practice for millennia to refer to most Shabbatot (plural of Shabbat) by the name of the Torah portion read that week. The Shabbat on which we read B’reisheet is called Shabbat B’reisheet, etc. But throughout the year some Shabbatot are given additional significance through a special name – for instance, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is known as Shabbat Shuvah, the Sabbath of Return or Repentance, based on the opening word of the Haftarah, or prophetic reading for that day.

It just so happens that during the months of Adar and Nisan, roughly corresponding to  March and April, there are more of these specially named Shabbatot than in the entire rest of the year.  March 2^nd is known as Shabbat Shekalim, the Sabbath of Shekels. In traditional congregations an additional Torah reading, describing the annual obligation of each Israelite to contribute a half shekel to the maintenance of the tabernacle, is added to the weekly Torah reading. The half shekel tax was collected at the beginning of the month of Adar; hence Shabbat Shekalim always falls on the 1^st of Adar or the Shabbat immediately preceding it.  In a leap year, such as this year, Shabbat Shekalim and the other specially named Shabbatot for Adar occur in Adar 2 rather than Adar 1.

Two weeks later, on March 16, comes Shabbat Zachor, or the Sabbath of Remembering. The name is taken from the additional Torah reading reminding the Israelites never to forget the treachery of the Amalekites, who attacked the weakest of the Israelites at the rear of their ranks.  Shabbat Zachor always occurs immediately before Purim, as Haman was described as a descendant of the Amalekites.

March 30^th is Shabbat Parah, the Sabbath of the Cow (no, it has nothing to do with the names of Chinese New Years).  The additional Torah reading on this Shabbat describes the ritual of the parah adumah, or red heifer, whose ashes were used to purify those in an impure state. This ritual was necessary to perform before Passover on anyone in a state of impurity, or that individual would not be able to perform the mitzvah of eating the Paschal lamb on Pesach.

The next week, April 6, is Shabbat Ha-Khodesh or the Sabbath of “This Month.”  It is read on the Shabbat coinciding with or immediately before the first of Nisan. The additional reading refers to the month of Nisan, the month in which Pesach is celebrated, and begins with “This month shall be the first of the months for you.”  This serves as a reminder that Pesach is fast approaching.

Finally, on April 13, the Shabbat immediately before Pesach begins, comes Shabbat Ha-Gadol – the Great Sabbath.  The name comes from the Haftarah read on that day in which the prophet Malachi proclaims, “I will send the Prophet Elijah to you before the great (ha-gadol), awesome day of the Lord,” foreshadowing the role of Elijah in the Pesach seder as a harbinger of the future redemption.  Historically, Shabbat Ha-Gadol was given added significance, as it was one of only two occasions when rabbis gave sermons – on Shabbat Shuvah to remind the people of the laws of Teshuvah, or repentance, in preparation for Yom Kippur; and on Shabbat Ha-Gadol to review the intricacies of the removal of chametz and the laws of Pesach.

Each of the specially named Shabbatot in the coming months serves as a signpost and reminder of the holidays of Purim and Pesach, reinforcing the importance of the Jewish calendar and the holidays in Jewish memory, identity and continuity. Elisha joins me in wishing all of you a joyous Purim and a happy and memorable Pesach.

Chag Sameach!

Rabbi Tracy G. Klirs

We Are Grateful to God

By Susan Hendler, Temple Beth Orr, Coral Springs, FL

We are grateful to God who shows mercy when we face adversity, who has brought us the greatest gifts of faith, trust, and enlightenment through Torah.

If we appreciate the grace, harmony, and artistry of nature—Dayeinu

If we embrace the beauty of simplicity—Dayeinu

If we envision the sacred with the ordinary—Dayeinu

If we greet diversity with acceptance—Dayeinu

If we cherish the insightful wisdom of our elders—Dayeinu

If we perform acts of kindness anonymously—Dayeinu

If we nurture the purity, creativity, and hope reflected in the eyes

of our children—Dayeinu

If we cultivate the positive forces that drive us to a peaceful existence—Dayeinu

If we radiate the spirituality that we internalize from our relationship with God—Dayeinu

If we are content to accept the serenity of God’s light—Dayeinu

For all of this we are grateful.

For all of this would be enough.

Yet, there is never enough gratitude to encompass all of  God’s wonders.