Tonight begins one of the most unusual holidays of our religion. It is the last one that bars me from working until April or so. (Good. Now, I can make some money!) The bible gives us very little clue about this holiday. It’s called the Eighth Day of Assembly (Shmini Atzeret in Hebrew).
Continue reading Shmini Atzeret
Tonight is the first night, the advent of the holiday of Passover. Other than Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur, this is the one holiday that most Jews celebrate. Oh, Chanuka comes close, but most folks still don’t light the menora.
Continue reading It’s a Holiday tonight!
While the holiday of Sukot will start tonight, my observation of the holiday will be radically different this year. For the first time in forever, I won’t have a suka. It’s been a year since I developed pneumonia of my calf that progressed necrotizing fasciitis- and I am still unable to erect a suka myself.
Continue reading A Major Festival
Tomorrow night, Saturday evening (after Shabat), begins the holiday of Passover. Other than Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur, this is the one holiday that most Jews celebrate. Oh, Chanuka comes close, but most folks still don’t light the menora.
Continue reading Pesach- but you probably call it Passover
Whether we truly believe that our sukot (the plural of suka) are to remind us that we traveled for 40 years in the desert- or we needed to preempt the pagan harvest festival that occurred this time of year three millennia ago- is truly immaterial. Because we Jewish folk have found meaning in the suka- to remind us that our lives are transient, our lives are fragile, and our lives require our efforts along with Hashem’s help.
Continue reading Is it really Sukot?
This evening marks the start of a most unusual holiday. From my point of view, it’s pretty cool- because it means this season of almost endless holiday’s ends- until April. (Whew! Now, I can finally be making some money!)
Continue reading Another one- the last for a while
Today is one of those days that I wish my kids still lived at home. I really miss my kids. Especially today, because it would be the day we’d take off and have a picnic. On the National Mall. At Mount Vernon. At McIntyre Park. Because today is Lag B’Omer.
Continue reading 17 more to go…
Last night was the 7th day of Sukot- but it has a special name- Hoshana Raba. Kind of like a mini-Yom Kipur. During services, we destroy the willow branches that are part of the Lulav and Etrog (see the picture below) we’ve employed during this seven day festival. We either do this because it was part of the rain-bringing rituals that existed centuries ago- or to remind us of repentance. (The origin of the practice is simply not clear to us today.)
Continue reading Stop? Assembly? Who knows….
Yes, it’s another holiday. Among my favorites. For the past two days, I’ve been cleaning my backyard, moving all the furniture around, and building a hut. Because Sunday night starts Sukot- the full moon holiday of Tishrei. (By the way- don’t miss the Orionid meteor showers on Saturday night/Sunday morning.) After finishing our 40 days of introspection, which culminated in the most solemn, full day of fasting for Yom Kipur, we now have the holiday of joy. (Sukot has another name- the Time of Celebration.) Sukot is one of the three “festivals” delineated in the Tora, the Bible.
Continue reading Are you kidding me?
