This year the months of January and February correspond fairly closely with the Hebrew months of Tevet and Shevat, respectively. The Tenth of Tevet (falling on Jan. 7) is a minor fast day, commemorating the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans in the year 70 of the Common Era. The 15th of Shevat (falling on Feb. 10), or “Tu Bishvat,” is known as the New Year of the Trees. It’s a time to reconnect with the Land of Israel, especially the variety of its fruit-bearing trees and plants. Planting a tree in Israel through the Jewish National Fund is a well-established Tu Bishvat activity. Another is to participate in a Tu Bishvat Seder, at which we taste many of the fruits and nuts typical to the Land of Israel. This year I again look forward to conducting a Tu Bishvat Seder at Temple Beth Shalom, during my visit the Shabbat of Feb. 7-8.
In January I’ll be introducing a new topic for “Nosh and Knowledge” on Shabbat mornings – Pirkei Avot, or Chapters of the Fathers, a section of the Mishnah entirely devoted to ethical teachings of the ancient rabbis. The sayings are mostly in the form of pithy and memorable maxims. Some of them are very well known, even to those otherwise not versed in the Mishnah and Talmud. Perhaps the best-known example is: “Hillel said: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” Come and explore this and many other examples from Pirkei Avot, along with commentaries and explanations from the tradition. For our text we will use Gates of Prayer, which contains extensive selections from Pirkei Avot.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the members of Temple Beth Sholom for the most generous and kind Chanukah gift to Elisha and myself. It helped make our holiday brighter celebration with our family more special!
This year the secular months of November and December align very closely with the Hebrew months Cheshvan and Kislev. By the time November arrives, the holidays of the Hebrew month Tishrei are usually already a few weeks behind us. But this year, owing to “leap month” added to the Hebrew calendar in early spring of 2019, the holidays from Pesach through Simchat Torah fell on later dates in the Gregorian calendar than usual, and hence Simchat Torah only concluded on Oct. 21 or 22 (needless to say, the Hebrew dates never vary).
This periodic adjustment if the Hebrew calendar prevents the Jewish holidays, many of which are based on the agricultural cycle and therefore must be observed during the specific season designated in the Torah, from becoming unmoored from the solar calendar and observed in the wrong season. The other benefit of adding an extra month to the Hebrew calendar every 2-3 years is that this sometimes results in an alignment of the Hebrew and Gregorian months, which can also make it easier both to track the Jewish holidays and to focus on each book of the Torah as we progress through the annual Torah reading cycle.
As you know, during Simchat Torah, we complete the reading of the final parashah in the Torah, V’zot Hab’rachah, and immediately read the beginning of the first parashah, B’reisheet, or Genesis, as we celebrate the renewal of the annual Torah reading cycle. Jews worldwide read B’reisheet again in the synagogue on the Shabbat immediately after Simchat Torah, which this year was the last Shabbat in October, and continue with a new parashah, Noach, or Noah, on the next Shabbat (this year, the first Shabbat in November).
There are 12 parshiyot in Genesis, and even though we don’t read from the Torah every Shabbat at Beth Sholom, I encourage you to read and study the Parashah each week, particularly those in Genesis which are read during the months of November and December. You will find in the descriptions of the Creation of the World, the personalities, adventures and struggles of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, and the endlessly fascinating soap opera on Joseph, creative attempts to answer many of the perennial human questions about life, such as: Why must we die? Is our true nature more animal like or more god-like? Why did God create us? Or: What is our purpose on the earth? Why is the human family divided into different nations and different languages? Why are childbirth and human labor so painful and difficult? What are our loyalties to self, family, God and neighbors, and how do we navigate conflicting loyalties or demands? What is the nature of our relationship with our family members, our neighbors, strangers, God?
November also happens to be Jewish Book Month. Why not start with our original Book – the Torah? I encourage you to make Torah study a weekly activity. Here are two terrific on-line resources to help you: https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study;
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 2nd. Six days later, on the 3rd of Iyar (May 8th), 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 18th 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 33rd 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 2nd day of Pesach until Shavuot). This year Lag Ba’Omer coincides with May 23rd.
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 2nd (the 28th 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 6th 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.
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 ShabbatB’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 2nd 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 1st 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 30th 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.
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 ShabbatB’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 2nd 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 1st 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 30th 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.
What Thanksgiving and Chanukah Have in Common With Sukkot
Sukkot is hands-down my favorite holiday. I love assembling the sukkah each year, decorating it, inviting guests for meals and eating outdoors. I love the smells and sounds of the lulav and etrog, the special holiday services and the dancing on Simchat Torah. Most of all, I love Sukkot’s messages of gratitude, deep appreciation for the beauty of God’s natural world, and the awareness of life’s fragility.
While most Americans are familiar with the story of the first Thanksgiving, few are aware of its biblical origins. When wanting to thank God for surviving their first winter and successfully harvesting their first crops in the New World, the Pilgrims looked to the Bible for inspiration. There they found the Torah’s description of a feast of “the final ingathering of the yield of your crops,” described as a time of joy and thanksgiving to God. While the pilgrims most likely recognized this holiday as “The Feast of Tabernacles,” they also understood that Thanks-giving was its primary purpose, and so they named the new holiday. I have always felt that of all the American holidays, Thanksgiving is the most Jewish – in addition to its link to Sukkot, showing gratitude to God through prayer, ritual, shared meals and literally sharing one’s bounty with the poor, are deeply rooted Jewish values. One might even think of Sukkot as the biblical Thanksgiving. But I prefer to think of Thanksgiving as the American Sukkot.
The basic outlines of the Chanukah story are well-known to American Jews. In the 3rd century BCE, a band of Jewish rebels fought against the oppressive regime of the Hellenized Syrian ruler, Antiochus IV, to restore Jewish practice to the Temple and Jewish sovereignty to the whole land of Judea. After re-conquering Jerusalem from enemy control and liberating the Temple, the Maccabees set about to restore, purify and rededicated the defiled Temple to the service of the one God. As the fighting grew increasingly intense over the fall months and the Temple mount remained inaccessible to the rebels, it was impossible for them to celebrate the 8-day festival of Sukkot during its appointed season. And so, as the Books of the Maccabees relate, they delayed the observance of Sukkot until the Temple was in their hands and restored. Hence the celebration of the re-dedication of the Temple, or Chanukah, lasted 8 days, included sacrifices, processions with palm fronds, and the singing of Psalms of Hallel, or praise to God, exactly as Sukkot did. In case you were wondering, the legend of the little cruse of sanctified oil that burned for 8 days was an invention of the Talmudic rabbis centuries later.
Sadly, while both the first Chanukah and the original Thanksgiving were motivated by the highest values and sincerest spiritual reflexes, both led to tragic and less than noble outcomes – the scion of the Maccabees, the Hasmonean family, formed a dynasty that quickly devolved into corruption, fratricide and eventual collusion with Rome, leading ultimately to the bloody conquest of Judah and the exile of its people. The European settlement of the Americas, of which the pilgrims were a mere beachhead, brought disease, warfare and exile, from which the indigenous peoples never recovered. That is why both stories – that of Chanukah and that of the first Thanksgiving – have become complicated and fraught.
But Sukkot has perennially remained a non-controversial, quintessential expression of the human capacity for gratitude, appreciation, wonder, joy and generosity. It is especially in these dark times – when nonstop warfare, persecution, extreme weather and famine plague our world, and when growing numbers of our own citizens lack access to basic human necessities, when critics of the president are threatened with mail bombs and a lunatic anti-Semite slaughters Jews praying in a synagogue on Shabbat morning – that we need to infuse our celebrations of both Thanksgiving and Chanukah with the true spirit of Sukkot, and let us share that spirit with everyone in our lives.
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Rabbi’s Blog
Rabbi’s Blog January- February 2020
Reflections from Rabbi Klirs
This year the months of January and February correspond fairly closely with the Hebrew months of Tevet and Shevat, respectively. The Tenth of Tevet (falling on Jan. 7) is a minor fast day, commemorating the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans in the year 70 of the Common Era. The 15th of Shevat (falling on Feb. 10), or “Tu Bishvat,” is known as the New Year of the Trees. It’s a time to reconnect with the Land of Israel, especially the variety of its fruit-bearing trees and plants. Planting a tree in Israel through the Jewish National Fund is a well-established Tu Bishvat activity. Another is to participate in a Tu Bishvat Seder, at which we taste many of the fruits and nuts typical to the Land of Israel. This year I again look forward to conducting a Tu Bishvat Seder at Temple Beth Shalom, during my visit the Shabbat of Feb. 7-8.
In January I’ll be introducing a new topic for “Nosh and Knowledge” on Shabbat mornings – Pirkei Avot, or Chapters of the Fathers, a section of the Mishnah entirely devoted to ethical teachings of the ancient rabbis. The sayings are mostly in the form of pithy and memorable maxims. Some of them are very well known, even to those otherwise not versed in the Mishnah and Talmud. Perhaps the best-known example is: “Hillel said: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” Come and explore this and many other examples from Pirkei Avot, along with commentaries and explanations from the tradition. For our text we will use Gates of Prayer, which contains extensive selections from Pirkei Avot.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the members of Temple Beth Sholom for the most generous and kind Chanukah gift to Elisha and myself. It helped make our holiday brighter celebration with our family more special!
danville / Rabbi's Blog / 0
Rabbi’s Blog November-December 2019
This year the secular months of November and December align very closely with the Hebrew months Cheshvan and Kislev. By the time November arrives, the holidays of the Hebrew month Tishrei are usually already a few weeks behind us. But this year, owing to “leap month” added to the Hebrew calendar in early spring of 2019, the holidays from Pesach through Simchat Torah fell on later dates in the Gregorian calendar than usual, and hence Simchat Torah only concluded on Oct. 21 or 22 (needless to say, the Hebrew dates never vary).
This periodic adjustment if the Hebrew calendar prevents the Jewish holidays, many of which are based on the agricultural cycle and therefore must be observed during the specific season designated in the Torah, from becoming unmoored from the solar calendar and observed in the wrong season. The other benefit of adding an extra month to the Hebrew calendar every 2-3 years is that this sometimes results in an alignment of the Hebrew and Gregorian months, which can also make it easier both to track the Jewish holidays and to focus on each book of the Torah as we progress through the annual Torah reading cycle.
As you know, during Simchat Torah, we complete the reading of the final parashah in the Torah, V’zot Hab’rachah, and immediately read the beginning of the first parashah, B’reisheet, or Genesis, as we celebrate the renewal of the annual Torah reading cycle. Jews worldwide read B’reisheet again in the synagogue on the Shabbat immediately after Simchat Torah, which this year was the last Shabbat in October, and continue with a new parashah, Noach, or Noah, on the next Shabbat (this year, the first Shabbat in November).
There are 12 parshiyot in Genesis, and even though we don’t read from the Torah every Shabbat at Beth Sholom, I encourage you to read and study the Parashah each week, particularly those in Genesis which are read during the months of November and December. You will find in the descriptions of the Creation of the World, the personalities, adventures and struggles of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, and the endlessly fascinating soap opera on Joseph, creative attempts to answer many of the perennial human questions about life, such as: Why must we die? Is our true nature more animal like or more god-like? Why did God create us? Or: What is our purpose on the earth? Why is the human family divided into different nations and different languages? Why are childbirth and human labor so painful and difficult? What are our loyalties to self, family, God and neighbors, and how do we navigate conflicting loyalties or demands? What is the nature of our relationship with our family members, our neighbors, strangers, God?
November also happens to be Jewish Book Month. Why not start with our original Book – the Torah? I encourage you to make Torah study a weekly activity. Here are two terrific on-line resources to help you: https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study;
https://www.myjewishlearning.com › torah-portions
danville / Rabbi's Blog / 0
Rabbi’s Blog May – June 2019
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 2nd. Six days later, on the 3rd of Iyar (May 8th), 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 18th 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 33rd 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 2nd day of Pesach until Shavuot). This year Lag Ba’Omer coincides with May 23rd.
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 2nd (the 28th 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 6th 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.
danville / Rabbi's Blog / 0
Rabbi’s Blog March – April 2019
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 2nd 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 1st 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 30th 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
danville / Rabbi's Blog, Uncategorized / 0
Rabbi’s Blog January 2019
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 2nd 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 1st 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 30th 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
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Message From the President
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.
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Message From the Rabbi
Reflections from Rabbi Klirs
What Thanksgiving and Chanukah Have in Common With Sukkot
Sukkot is hands-down my favorite holiday. I love assembling the sukkah each year, decorating it, inviting guests for meals and eating outdoors. I love the smells and sounds of the lulav and etrog, the special holiday services and the dancing on Simchat Torah. Most of all, I love Sukkot’s messages of gratitude, deep appreciation for the beauty of God’s natural world, and the awareness of life’s fragility.
While most Americans are familiar with the story of the first Thanksgiving, few are aware of its biblical origins. When wanting to thank God for surviving their first winter and successfully harvesting their first crops in the New World, the Pilgrims looked to the Bible for inspiration. There they found the Torah’s description of a feast of “the final ingathering of the yield of your crops,” described as a time of joy and thanksgiving to God. While the pilgrims most likely recognized this holiday as “The Feast of Tabernacles,” they also understood that Thanks-giving was its primary purpose, and so they named the new holiday. I have always felt that of all the American holidays, Thanksgiving is the most Jewish – in addition to its link to Sukkot, showing gratitude to God through prayer, ritual, shared meals and literally sharing one’s bounty with the poor, are deeply rooted Jewish values. One might even think of Sukkot as the biblical Thanksgiving. But I prefer to think of Thanksgiving as the American Sukkot.
The basic outlines of the Chanukah story are well-known to American Jews. In the 3rd century BCE, a band of Jewish rebels fought against the oppressive regime of the Hellenized Syrian ruler, Antiochus IV, to restore Jewish practice to the Temple and Jewish sovereignty to the whole land of Judea. After re-conquering Jerusalem from enemy control and liberating the Temple, the Maccabees set about to restore, purify and rededicated the defiled Temple to the service of the one God. As the fighting grew increasingly intense over the fall months and the Temple mount remained inaccessible to the rebels, it was impossible for them to celebrate the 8-day festival of Sukkot during its appointed season. And so, as the Books of the Maccabees relate, they delayed the observance of Sukkot until the Temple was in their hands and restored. Hence the celebration of the re-dedication of the Temple, or Chanukah, lasted 8 days, included sacrifices, processions with palm fronds, and the singing of Psalms of Hallel, or praise to God, exactly as Sukkot did. In case you were wondering, the legend of the little cruse of sanctified oil that burned for 8 days was an invention of the Talmudic rabbis centuries later.
Sadly, while both the first Chanukah and the original Thanksgiving were motivated by the highest values and sincerest spiritual reflexes, both led to tragic and less than noble outcomes – the scion of the Maccabees, the Hasmonean family, formed a dynasty that quickly devolved into corruption, fratricide and eventual collusion with Rome, leading ultimately to the bloody conquest of Judah and the exile of its people. The European settlement of the Americas, of which the pilgrims were a mere beachhead, brought disease, warfare and exile, from which the indigenous peoples never recovered. That is why both stories – that of Chanukah and that of the first Thanksgiving – have become complicated and fraught.
But Sukkot has perennially remained a non-controversial, quintessential expression of the human capacity for gratitude, appreciation, wonder, joy and generosity. It is especially in these dark times – when nonstop warfare, persecution, extreme weather and famine plague our world, and when growing numbers of our own citizens lack access to basic human necessities, when critics of the president are threatened with mail bombs and a lunatic anti-Semite slaughters Jews praying in a synagogue on Shabbat morning – that we need to infuse our celebrations of both Thanksgiving and Chanukah with the true spirit of Sukkot, and let us share that spirit with everyone in our lives.
Chag Sameach! Rabbi Tracy G. Klirs
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