Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Monday, June 6, 2011
Yom Yerushalayim ~ Jerusalem Day
Yom Yerushalayim commemorates the unification of Jerusalem following the Six-Day War of 1967. On the 28th of Iyar in 5757 (June 7, 1967), Israeli troops broke down the walls that had divided the city for the previous 19 years.
Following the War of Independence in 1948, Jerusalem had been a divided city, with barriers separating the Arab and Jewish suburbs of the city. After the Six-Day War, the two areas of the city were unified.
In the year 2011, the 28th of Iyar falls on June 1.
Following the War of Independence in 1948, Jerusalem had been a divided city, with barriers separating the Arab and Jewish suburbs of the city. After the Six-Day War, the two areas of the city were unified.
In the year 2011, the 28th of Iyar falls on June 1.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Lag b'Omer
In the secular calendar for the year 2011, the holiday of Lag b'Omer fell on May 22. In the Hebrew calendar, Lag b'Omer always falls on 18 Iyar.
Torah teaches us we are obligated to count the days between Passover and Shavu'ot. This period of time is known as Counting the Omer. An Omer is a unit of agriculture measure. Every night from the second night of Passover to the night before Shavu'ot, we say a special blessing and count the omer in both weeks and days. The counting reminds of the link between Passover (the Exodus from Egypt) and Shavu'ot (when we were given the Torah).
The period between Passover and Shavu'ot is a time of mourning. Weddings and parties are not permitted. Men also forego cutting their hair. The holiday of Lag b'Omer is provides a brief respite from the mourning practices.
Lag b'Omer occurs on the 33rd day of the counting of the omer. The word Lag actually means 33, hence the name of the holiday.
Torah teaches us we are obligated to count the days between Passover and Shavu'ot. This period of time is known as Counting the Omer. An Omer is a unit of agriculture measure. Every night from the second night of Passover to the night before Shavu'ot, we say a special blessing and count the omer in both weeks and days. The counting reminds of the link between Passover (the Exodus from Egypt) and Shavu'ot (when we were given the Torah).
The period between Passover and Shavu'ot is a time of mourning. Weddings and parties are not permitted. Men also forego cutting their hair. The holiday of Lag b'Omer is provides a brief respite from the mourning practices.
Lag b'Omer occurs on the 33rd day of the counting of the omer. The word Lag actually means 33, hence the name of the holiday.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Yom HaZikaron יום הזכרון
In the year 2011, Yom HaZikaron falls on Monday, May 9. This is the Israel Memorial Day to honor those member of the IDF who sacrificed their lives defending the country.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Sukkah
During the holiday of Sukkot, Torah commands us to live in a Sukkah:
"You shall live in huts seven days; all citizens of Israel shall live in huts, in order that all future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in huts when I brought them out of the land of Egypt ..." Leviticus 23:42-43.
Thus, the most important ritual of Sukkot is living in a sukkah. The sukkah, however, is a temporary structure, with four walls and a roof that is open to the elements. Sukkot begins a few days after Yom Kippur, so the sukkah is constructed during the period between these two holidays.
The sukkah is a temporary structure to remind us of the impermanence of our lives and to remind us of the Israelites who wandered in the desert for 40 years following the Exodus from Egypt. The roof of the sukkah must be made of organic materials, such as reeds or branches. It must also be open to the sky, so that we can see the moon and the stars from the inside, but it should provide enough shelter to shade us from the sun.
During the holiday of Sukkot, we are to live in the sukkah and treat it as our home. We decorate the sukkah with the fall harvest fruit. In addition, beautiful items we hold dear are brought into the sukkah to brighten our lives. In the community sukkah (the one built at the synagogue) is often decorated by the artwork of the children.
During the Sukkot holiday, many Jews study Torah in the sukkah.
Sukkot is a joyous holiday and one that all people look forward to participating in.
"You shall live in huts seven days; all citizens of Israel shall live in huts, in order that all future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in huts when I brought them out of the land of Egypt ..." Leviticus 23:42-43.
Thus, the most important ritual of Sukkot is living in a sukkah. The sukkah, however, is a temporary structure, with four walls and a roof that is open to the elements. Sukkot begins a few days after Yom Kippur, so the sukkah is constructed during the period between these two holidays.
The sukkah is a temporary structure to remind us of the impermanence of our lives and to remind us of the Israelites who wandered in the desert for 40 years following the Exodus from Egypt. The roof of the sukkah must be made of organic materials, such as reeds or branches. It must also be open to the sky, so that we can see the moon and the stars from the inside, but it should provide enough shelter to shade us from the sun.
During the holiday of Sukkot, we are to live in the sukkah and treat it as our home. We decorate the sukkah with the fall harvest fruit. In addition, beautiful items we hold dear are brought into the sukkah to brighten our lives. In the community sukkah (the one built at the synagogue) is often decorated by the artwork of the children.
During the Sukkot holiday, many Jews study Torah in the sukkah.
Sukkot is a joyous holiday and one that all people look forward to participating in.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Sukkot
Sukkot celebrates the autumn harvest. In Temple times, Sukkot was one of the three pilgrimages mandated in Torah. (Pesach and Shavuot are the other two pilgrimage festivals.) During the pilgrimages, harvest offerings were brought to the Temple.
Sukkot also commemorates the Israelites' wandering in the desert for 40 years following the Exodus from Egypt. We are commanded to dwell in a sukkah (sukkah is Hebrew for "booth") "so that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in sukkots when I brought them out of Egypt." Leviticus 23:43. Sukkot is the plural of sukkah.
Sukkot reminds us that despite our attempts to be secure, a certain instability is a part of our lives. On this holiday, we build temporary structures to remind ourselves of the impermanence of our lives and security. It is a mitzvah to eat in the sukkah and in many people also sleep in their sukkot.
Another custom of Sukkot is the waving of the lulav. Four species symbolize the holiday of Sukkot ~ the Etrog, or citron, and the lulav, which is comprised of three types of branches bound together. The three branches are the date-palm, myrtle branches and willow branches. All together, the Lulav and Etrog are known as the four species, or arba minim.
Sukkot is an eight (8) day holiday. During the first six days of Sukkot, (with the exception of Shabbat), during synagogue services, the congregation takes up the lulav and etrog and forms a procession around the sanctuary as songs are sung. The megillah of Kohelet (the Book of Ecclesiastes) is read during Sukkot. This reading contains the famous verse: "To everything there is a season."
The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshanah Rabbah. According to rabbinic tradition, Hoshanah Rabbah is an extension of Yom Kippur because it is on this day that the Book of Life is finally sealed.
Sukkot also commemorates the Israelites' wandering in the desert for 40 years following the Exodus from Egypt. We are commanded to dwell in a sukkah (sukkah is Hebrew for "booth") "so that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in sukkots when I brought them out of Egypt." Leviticus 23:43. Sukkot is the plural of sukkah.
Sukkot reminds us that despite our attempts to be secure, a certain instability is a part of our lives. On this holiday, we build temporary structures to remind ourselves of the impermanence of our lives and security. It is a mitzvah to eat in the sukkah and in many people also sleep in their sukkot.
Another custom of Sukkot is the waving of the lulav. Four species symbolize the holiday of Sukkot ~ the Etrog, or citron, and the lulav, which is comprised of three types of branches bound together. The three branches are the date-palm, myrtle branches and willow branches. All together, the Lulav and Etrog are known as the four species, or arba minim.
Sukkot is an eight (8) day holiday. During the first six days of Sukkot, (with the exception of Shabbat), during synagogue services, the congregation takes up the lulav and etrog and forms a procession around the sanctuary as songs are sung. The megillah of Kohelet (the Book of Ecclesiastes) is read during Sukkot. This reading contains the famous verse: "To everything there is a season."
The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshanah Rabbah. According to rabbinic tradition, Hoshanah Rabbah is an extension of Yom Kippur because it is on this day that the Book of Life is finally sealed.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Tisha b'Av and the Three Weeks of Mourning
Tisha b’Av in the year 2010, begins at sundown on Monday, July 19 and ends at sundown on Tuesday, July 20.
Tisha b’Av (the 9th day of Av) is the saddest day in the Jewish year. It is day of communal mourning, commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, in 586 BCE and 70 AD, respectively. Other major disasters that affect the Jewish people are also often remembered on this date.
Tisha b’Av is a major fasting holiday and is a “long fast” running from sundown to sundown. In 2010, Tisha b’Av falls on Tuesday, July 20. The fast, thus begins at sun down on Monday, July 19 and continues through sun down on Tuesday, July 20.
The period leading up to Tisha b’Av is known as “The Three Weeks”, known as bein hametzarim in Hebrew. The Three Weeks begins on the 17th day of Tammuz. The 17th day of Tammuz is a “short” fast day, when one fasts from sun up to sun down. Some Jewish communities observe the mourning customs during the entire bein hametzarim. Mourning observances and restrictions that signify mourning include :not wearing leather shoes; avoiding tending to one’s physical appearance, such as bathing, shaving or wearing cosmetics; and abstaining from sexual activities. One often sits on low-stools, or on the floor, another custom of mourning.
In addition, joyous events, such as weddings would never be scheduled during this three-week period. Some people also refrain from participating other forms of entertainment, such as listening to music or going to theater.
At the evening synagogue service on Tisha b’Av, the Book of Lamentations is read aloud. The ark is covered in black.
Other events that are said to have occurred on Tisha b’Av include:
- The edict of 1290 by King Edward I ordering the Jews of England to leave the country.
- The expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 by order of the Spanish Inquisition under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
- The beginning of World War I.
- In 1942, the deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto began.
Tisha b’Av (the 9th day of Av) is the saddest day in the Jewish year. It is day of communal mourning, commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, in 586 BCE and 70 AD, respectively. Other major disasters that affect the Jewish people are also often remembered on this date.
Tisha b’Av is a major fasting holiday and is a “long fast” running from sundown to sundown. In 2010, Tisha b’Av falls on Tuesday, July 20. The fast, thus begins at sun down on Monday, July 19 and continues through sun down on Tuesday, July 20.
The period leading up to Tisha b’Av is known as “The Three Weeks”, known as bein hametzarim in Hebrew. The Three Weeks begins on the 17th day of Tammuz. The 17th day of Tammuz is a “short” fast day, when one fasts from sun up to sun down. Some Jewish communities observe the mourning customs during the entire bein hametzarim. Mourning observances and restrictions that signify mourning include :not wearing leather shoes; avoiding tending to one’s physical appearance, such as bathing, shaving or wearing cosmetics; and abstaining from sexual activities. One often sits on low-stools, or on the floor, another custom of mourning.
In addition, joyous events, such as weddings would never be scheduled during this three-week period. Some people also refrain from participating other forms of entertainment, such as listening to music or going to theater.
At the evening synagogue service on Tisha b’Av, the Book of Lamentations is read aloud. The ark is covered in black.
Other events that are said to have occurred on Tisha b’Av include:
- The edict of 1290 by King Edward I ordering the Jews of England to leave the country.
- The expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 by order of the Spanish Inquisition under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
- The beginning of World War I.
- In 1942, the deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto began.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Shavout
Shavout is the Feast of Weeks and is celebrated seven weeks after Passover. The word "Shavout" means "weeks", and the holiday is so named to denote the time lapsed between Passover and the holiday. Shavout marks the end of the counting of the Omer. Biblically, Shavout is one of the three pilgrimage festivals. In Exodus, the holiday is called Hag HaKatzir, or the Festival of the Harvest. In Numbers, the holiday is referred to as Hag HaBikkurim, or the Festival of the First Fruits. Both names emphasize its importance as an agricultural festival.
Passover, Counting of the Omer and Shavout are all interconnected by the ancient agricultural practices. The omer ~ the sheath of barley ~ was planted at Passover and came to fruition 50 days later ~ on or about Shavout.
Today Shavout is associated with the giving of Torah at Mt. Sinai. This connection originated following the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E., when the Rabbi’s in exile linked the Shavout holiday with the revelation of Torah to the children of Israel. Tradition holds that all souls were present when G~d revealed Himself to Moses. Traditionally, the megillah of Ruth is read during Shavout to commemorate her presence during the Revelation. Ruth is Judaism's most famous convert. The Ten Commandments, as found in Exodus, are also traditionally read aloud during synagogue services on Shavout.
The synagogue is decorated with flowers for the Shavout holiday to mark the beginning of the harvest season. Jews also often stay up all night studying Torah, beginning at sunset at the beginning of Shavout.
Dairy foods are the traditional foods that are eaten on Shavout.
In 2010, Shavout begins at sunset on Tuesday, May 18.
Passover, Counting of the Omer and Shavout are all interconnected by the ancient agricultural practices. The omer ~ the sheath of barley ~ was planted at Passover and came to fruition 50 days later ~ on or about Shavout.
Today Shavout is associated with the giving of Torah at Mt. Sinai. This connection originated following the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E., when the Rabbi’s in exile linked the Shavout holiday with the revelation of Torah to the children of Israel. Tradition holds that all souls were present when G~d revealed Himself to Moses. Traditionally, the megillah of Ruth is read during Shavout to commemorate her presence during the Revelation. Ruth is Judaism's most famous convert. The Ten Commandments, as found in Exodus, are also traditionally read aloud during synagogue services on Shavout.
The synagogue is decorated with flowers for the Shavout holiday to mark the beginning of the harvest season. Jews also often stay up all night studying Torah, beginning at sunset at the beginning of Shavout.
Dairy foods are the traditional foods that are eaten on Shavout.
In 2010, Shavout begins at sunset on Tuesday, May 18.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Yom Yerushalayim ~ Jerusalem Day
Yom Yerushalayim commemorates the unification of Jerusalem following the Six-Day War of 1967. On the 28th of Iyar in 5757 (June 7, 1967), Israeli troops broke down the walls that had divided the city for the previous 19 years.
Following the War of Independence in 1948, Jerusalem had been a divided city, with barriers separating the Arab and Jewish suburbs of the city. After the Six-Day War, the two areas of the city were unified.
In the year 2010, the 28th of Iyar falls on May 12.
Following the War of Independence in 1948, Jerusalem had been a divided city, with barriers separating the Arab and Jewish suburbs of the city. After the Six-Day War, the two areas of the city were unified.
In the year 2010, the 28th of Iyar falls on May 12.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Lag B'Omer
The Jewish holiday of Lag B’Omer falls on the 33rd day of the Omer. In 2010, the holiday falls on Sunday, May 2. It is generally regarded as a joyous holiday.
Traditionally, the period between Passover and Shavo’ut are semi-mourning days, during which no weddings are performed. An exception is made on Lag B’Omer. Weddings take place on this day. In addition, traditional Jews get their hair cut on this day.
The origins of this holiday are unknown.
Traditionally, the period between Passover and Shavo’ut are semi-mourning days, during which no weddings are performed. An exception is made on Lag B’Omer. Weddings take place on this day. In addition, traditional Jews get their hair cut on this day.
The origins of this holiday are unknown.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Yom Ha’Atzma’ut
Yom Ha’Atzma’ut is Israel’s Independence Day. The State of Israel declared its independence on the 5th day of Iyar 5708 (May 14, 1948). The holiday is celebrated on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday on or near the 5th day of Iyar. If the 5th of Iyar falls on a Friday or Saturday, the celebrations are moved up to the preceding Thursday. If the 5th of Iyar falls on a Monday, the celebrations are postponed until Tuesday. In the year 2010, the 5th of Iyar falls on a Monday, so the celebrations will actually be observed on the 6th of Iyar (Tuesday, April 20, 2010).
In Israel, the Independence Day is a national holiday. The official Independence Day ceremonies are held on Mount Hertz, in Jerusalem at sundown at the conclusion of Yom HaZikaron. The ceremony begins with a speech by the President of Israel, with additional events to mark the establishment of Israel. In addition, twelve torches, representing the twelve Tribes of Israel, are also lit. Israeli citizens who have made a significant social contribution are invited to light these torches. Throughout the country, there are other celebrations to commemorate the independence of the State of Israel.
Traditionally, Yom Ha’Atzma’ut ends with a ceremony granting the Israel Prize, which recognizes individual citizens for their unique contribution to the country’s culture, science, arts and humanities. Some past recipients of the Israel Prize include: Shmeul Yosef Agnon (literature) ~ 1954 and 1958; Yigael Yadin (Jewish studies) ~ 1956; Martin Buber (humanities) ~ 1958; Youth Aliyah (education ) 1958; Golda Meir ~ 1975; Aharon Appelfeld (literature) ~ 1983; Teddy Kollek ~ 1988; A.B. Yehoshua (literature) ~ 1995; Amos Oz (literature) ~ 1998; and Mordechai Rotenberg (social work) ~ 2009.
There is also a religious element to Yom Ha’Atzma’ut. The Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel has declared Yom Ha’Atzma’ut a Jewish holiday requiring the recitation of Hallel. Some movements within Judaism also include the reading from the Prophets and/or the prayer of Al HaNisim (Prayers concerning the miracles). The rationale for this is that the creation of Israel represents a miraculous victory of a small band of Jews over the numerous surrounding Arab force.
In American Jewish communities, the day is often celebrated as a way of expressing solidarity with the State of Israel.
In Israel, the Independence Day is a national holiday. The official Independence Day ceremonies are held on Mount Hertz, in Jerusalem at sundown at the conclusion of Yom HaZikaron. The ceremony begins with a speech by the President of Israel, with additional events to mark the establishment of Israel. In addition, twelve torches, representing the twelve Tribes of Israel, are also lit. Israeli citizens who have made a significant social contribution are invited to light these torches. Throughout the country, there are other celebrations to commemorate the independence of the State of Israel.
Traditionally, Yom Ha’Atzma’ut ends with a ceremony granting the Israel Prize, which recognizes individual citizens for their unique contribution to the country’s culture, science, arts and humanities. Some past recipients of the Israel Prize include: Shmeul Yosef Agnon (literature) ~ 1954 and 1958; Yigael Yadin (Jewish studies) ~ 1956; Martin Buber (humanities) ~ 1958; Youth Aliyah (education ) 1958; Golda Meir ~ 1975; Aharon Appelfeld (literature) ~ 1983; Teddy Kollek ~ 1988; A.B. Yehoshua (literature) ~ 1995; Amos Oz (literature) ~ 1998; and Mordechai Rotenberg (social work) ~ 2009.
There is also a religious element to Yom Ha’Atzma’ut. The Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel has declared Yom Ha’Atzma’ut a Jewish holiday requiring the recitation of Hallel. Some movements within Judaism also include the reading from the Prophets and/or the prayer of Al HaNisim (Prayers concerning the miracles). The rationale for this is that the creation of Israel represents a miraculous victory of a small band of Jews over the numerous surrounding Arab force.
In American Jewish communities, the day is often celebrated as a way of expressing solidarity with the State of Israel.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Yom HaZikaron יום הזכרון
Yom HaZikaron is Israel Memorial Day. It was originally established to remember the soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who were killed in the Israel’s wars, including the conflicts before the establishment of the State of Israel. Today, the day commemorates not only the soldiers who fought in Israel’s wars, but all Israelis who have been killed as a result of terrorist activities in the country.
Yom HaZikaron takes place on the 4th day of Iyar and immediately precedes Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, which falls on the 5th day of Iyar. For the year 2010, this Memorial is observed on Monday, April 19. The reason for linking the two observance is because the State of Israel owes its independence and its existence to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for its creation.
In Israel, memorial ceremonies are held throughout the country. For the duration of the holiday (from sunset to sunset), all places of public entertainment, including theaters and pubs, are closed. The official memorial begins at sundown at the Kotel when a one-minute siren sounds. Israeli citizens stand in silence to commemorate and respect the war dead and the victims of present-day terrorists.
The following morning, a two-minute siren is sounded, beginning a strictly observed period of silence, when the public ceremonies begin. The Israeli flag is lowered to half-mast. Private prayers and memorials are held at the various cemeteries throughout the country where Israeli soldiers and terrorist victims are buried. At the end of the memorial day, the Israeli flag is returned to full-mast, which marks the official opening ceremony of the Israel Independence Day. The official ceremony for this holiday begins on Mount Herzl.
Although Yom HaZikaron is not a religious commemoration, it is a part of life in Israel and is strictly observed.
Yom HaZikaron takes place on the 4th day of Iyar and immediately precedes Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, which falls on the 5th day of Iyar. For the year 2010, this Memorial is observed on Monday, April 19. The reason for linking the two observance is because the State of Israel owes its independence and its existence to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for its creation.
In Israel, memorial ceremonies are held throughout the country. For the duration of the holiday (from sunset to sunset), all places of public entertainment, including theaters and pubs, are closed. The official memorial begins at sundown at the Kotel when a one-minute siren sounds. Israeli citizens stand in silence to commemorate and respect the war dead and the victims of present-day terrorists.
The following morning, a two-minute siren is sounded, beginning a strictly observed period of silence, when the public ceremonies begin. The Israeli flag is lowered to half-mast. Private prayers and memorials are held at the various cemeteries throughout the country where Israeli soldiers and terrorist victims are buried. At the end of the memorial day, the Israeli flag is returned to full-mast, which marks the official opening ceremony of the Israel Independence Day. The official ceremony for this holiday begins on Mount Herzl.
Although Yom HaZikaron is not a religious commemoration, it is a part of life in Israel and is strictly observed.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Yom HaShoah ~ Holocaust Memorial Day
Yom HaShoah is observed on the 27th day of Nissan in the Hebrew calendar. In the year 2010, this date corresponds to Sunday, April 11, 2010.
The date for the memorial day was officially designated by the Israeli Knesset in 1951.
In Israel, sirens are sounded for 2 minutes at sundown and again at 11:00 a.m., on Yom HaShoah. Everyone stops what they are doing and stand at attention. There is no public entertainment on Yom HaShoah ~ all theaters, movie theaters, pubs and public clubs are closed throughout the country.
In the United States, many communities observe this day. In my community, the local newspaper sponsors an essay contest for the local schools to participate in. The essay requires the students to answer questions pertaining to Holocaust and/or human rights issues. Students ranging from elementary to high school age are encouraged to participate. There is an ecumenical community service, held at one of the local synagogues, and the winners of the essay contests are awarded their prizes.
The date for the memorial day was officially designated by the Israeli Knesset in 1951.
In Israel, sirens are sounded for 2 minutes at sundown and again at 11:00 a.m., on Yom HaShoah. Everyone stops what they are doing and stand at attention. There is no public entertainment on Yom HaShoah ~ all theaters, movie theaters, pubs and public clubs are closed throughout the country.
In the United States, many communities observe this day. In my community, the local newspaper sponsors an essay contest for the local schools to participate in. The essay requires the students to answer questions pertaining to Holocaust and/or human rights issues. Students ranging from elementary to high school age are encouraged to participate. There is an ecumenical community service, held at one of the local synagogues, and the winners of the essay contests are awarded their prizes.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Pesach Seder ( פּסח שׁל הסּדר )
Passover begins at sundown on Monday, March 29, 2010.
On the first night of Pesach, Jews celebrate a special meal filled special foods and ritual to commemorate the holiday. Often friends and non-Jews are invited to celebrate the meal and to read the Haggadah recounting the Passover story. Some Jewish families also celebrate a seder on the second night of Pesach as well.
The word “seder” is Hebrew for “order” because of the special order in which the meal proceeds. The “order” of the Pesach Seder is as follows:
1. Kaddesh ~ Sanctification ( קדשׁ ): The wine is blessed and the first glass is drunk. A second cup of wine is poured.
2. Urechatz ~ Washing ( וּרחץ ): Washing of the hands in preparation for eating the Karpas.
3. Karpas ~ Parsley ( כּרפּס ): A sprig of parsley is dipped in saltwater and eaten. The parsley symbolizes the lowly origin of the Israelites and the saltwater symbolizes the tears shed during the days of bondage in Egypt.
4. Yachatz ~ Breaking ( יחץ ): The Seder table contains a plate holding 3 matzot. The middle one is broken and set aside for the afikomen.
5. Megged ~The Passover Story ( מגּיד ): The retelling of the Exodus story begins with the youngest person at the table asking the Four Questions.
a. Why is this night different from all other nights?
b. On all other nights, we eat chamets and matzah, but on this night we eat only matzah.
c. On all other nights we do not dip even once, but on this night we dip twice.
d. On all other nights we eat sitting down, but on this night we eat reclining.
At the end of the Megged, a blessing is recited over the second cup of wine, which is then drunk.
6. Rachtzah ~Washing ( רחצה ): A blessing is recited and the hands are washed for a second time.
7. Motzi ~ Blessing ( מציא ): The ha-motzi blessing, the blessing over bread or grain foods, is recited over the matzah.
8. Matzah ~Blessing over the Matzah ( מצה ): A specific blessing for matzah is recited and a bit of matzah is eaten.
9. Maror ~ Bitter Herbs ( מרור ): A blessing is recited over the bitter herbs (generally horseradish), and eaten. This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. The maror is dipped in charoset, which symbolizes the mortar used by the Israelites in building during their slavery in Egypt.
10. Korekh ~The Hillel Sandwich ( כּורך ): The maror is eaten with the matzah in a form of sandwich.
11. Shulchan Orekh ~ Dinner ( רךע שׁלחן ): The festive meal is eaten. At Ashkenazic seders, the meal is often begun with gefelte fish and matzah ball soup. A traditional meat is either turkey or brisket, although there is no specific requirement for the food chosen for the meal.
12. Tzafun ~ The Afikomen ( צפוּן ): At the beginning of the meal, a portion of the matzah is set aside as “dessert”, the last bite of food of the meal. Traditionally, the father hides the afikomen and the children search for it at the end of the meal.
13. Barekh ~ Grace after the Meal ( בּרך ): The third cup of wine is poured and the after dinner grace is recited. The fourth cup of wine is then poured.
14. Elijah’s Wine: A cup of wine is poured for Elijah, who is said to announce the coming of the Messiah, and the door is opened for him to enter and join the family.
15. Hallal ~ Praises ( הלּל ): Psalms are sung and a blessing over the fourth cup of wine is recited. The final cup of wine is drunk.
16. Nirtzah ~ Closing ( נרצה ): A statement that the seder is over, followed by a wish that may next year the seder take place in Jerusalem. Often, this is when special songs are sung.
On the first night of Pesach, Jews celebrate a special meal filled special foods and ritual to commemorate the holiday. Often friends and non-Jews are invited to celebrate the meal and to read the Haggadah recounting the Passover story. Some Jewish families also celebrate a seder on the second night of Pesach as well.
The word “seder” is Hebrew for “order” because of the special order in which the meal proceeds. The “order” of the Pesach Seder is as follows:
1. Kaddesh ~ Sanctification ( קדשׁ ): The wine is blessed and the first glass is drunk. A second cup of wine is poured.
2. Urechatz ~ Washing ( וּרחץ ): Washing of the hands in preparation for eating the Karpas.
3. Karpas ~ Parsley ( כּרפּס ): A sprig of parsley is dipped in saltwater and eaten. The parsley symbolizes the lowly origin of the Israelites and the saltwater symbolizes the tears shed during the days of bondage in Egypt.
4. Yachatz ~ Breaking ( יחץ ): The Seder table contains a plate holding 3 matzot. The middle one is broken and set aside for the afikomen.
5. Megged ~The Passover Story ( מגּיד ): The retelling of the Exodus story begins with the youngest person at the table asking the Four Questions.
a. Why is this night different from all other nights?
b. On all other nights, we eat chamets and matzah, but on this night we eat only matzah.
c. On all other nights we do not dip even once, but on this night we dip twice.
d. On all other nights we eat sitting down, but on this night we eat reclining.
At the end of the Megged, a blessing is recited over the second cup of wine, which is then drunk.
6. Rachtzah ~Washing ( רחצה ): A blessing is recited and the hands are washed for a second time.
7. Motzi ~ Blessing ( מציא ): The ha-motzi blessing, the blessing over bread or grain foods, is recited over the matzah.
8. Matzah ~Blessing over the Matzah ( מצה ): A specific blessing for matzah is recited and a bit of matzah is eaten.
9. Maror ~ Bitter Herbs ( מרור ): A blessing is recited over the bitter herbs (generally horseradish), and eaten. This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. The maror is dipped in charoset, which symbolizes the mortar used by the Israelites in building during their slavery in Egypt.
10. Korekh ~The Hillel Sandwich ( כּורך ): The maror is eaten with the matzah in a form of sandwich.
11. Shulchan Orekh ~ Dinner ( רךע שׁלחן ): The festive meal is eaten. At Ashkenazic seders, the meal is often begun with gefelte fish and matzah ball soup. A traditional meat is either turkey or brisket, although there is no specific requirement for the food chosen for the meal.
12. Tzafun ~ The Afikomen ( צפוּן ): At the beginning of the meal, a portion of the matzah is set aside as “dessert”, the last bite of food of the meal. Traditionally, the father hides the afikomen and the children search for it at the end of the meal.
13. Barekh ~ Grace after the Meal ( בּרך ): The third cup of wine is poured and the after dinner grace is recited. The fourth cup of wine is then poured.
14. Elijah’s Wine: A cup of wine is poured for Elijah, who is said to announce the coming of the Messiah, and the door is opened for him to enter and join the family.
15. Hallal ~ Praises ( הלּל ): Psalms are sung and a blessing over the fourth cup of wine is recited. The final cup of wine is drunk.
16. Nirtzah ~ Closing ( נרצה ): A statement that the seder is over, followed by a wish that may next year the seder take place in Jerusalem. Often, this is when special songs are sung.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Pesach ( פּסח ) / Passover
Pesach is an 8-day (7-day holiday inside Israel) Biblical holiday that commemorates the Exodus from Egypt. During the holiday, special foods are eaten and other foods, such as breads, are forbidden:
“This day shall be to you one of remembrance: You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD throughout the ages; you shall celebrate it as an institution for all time. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the very first day you shall remove leaven from your houses … You shall celebrate a sacred occasion on the first day, and a sacred occasion on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them; only what every person is to eat, that alone may be prepared for you. You shall observe the [Feast of] Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt … (Exodus 12:14 ~ 17).
Pesach begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. It’s date fluctuates on the Gregorian calendar. It is one of three Biblical holidays (the others being Shavu’ot and Sukkot).
The word “Pesach” means “to pass over,” hence it name in English. The word refers to the miracle of G~d “passing over” the houses of the Israelites when he performing the 10th Plagues on Egypt, that of the killing of the Egyptian firstborns.
Moses had been called by G~d to free the Israelites from Pharaoh’s control and to be allowed to worship their own G~d. Pharaoh would not release the Israelites. In order to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free, G~d imposed upon Egypt 10 signs of His strength and power. These 10 signs are the 10 plagues, which are a divine demonstration of G~d power. The 10 plagues are, in order of occurrence:
1. Turning Water into Blood: “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron: Take your rod and hold your arm over the waters of Egypt ~ its rivers, its canals, its ponds, all its bodies of water ~ that they may turn to blood; there shall be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.’” (Exodus 7:10).
2. Frogs: “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron: Hold out your arm with the rod over the rivers, the canals, the ponds, and bring up the frogs on the land of Egypt.’” (Exodus 8:1).
3. Lice: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron: Hold out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, and it shall turn to lice throughout the land of Egypt.’” (Exodus 8:12).
4. Swarming Insects: “For if you do not let My people go, I will let loose swarms of insects against you and your courtiers and your people and your houses; the houses of the Egyptians, and the very ground they stand on, shall be filled with swarms of insects.” (Exodus 8:17).
5. Livestock Diseased: “then the hand of the LORD will strike your livestock in the fields ~ the horses, the asses, the camels, the cattle, and the sheep ~ with a very severe pestilence.” (Exodus 9:3).
6. Boils: “It shall become a fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and cause an inflammation breaking out in boils on man and beast throughout the land of Egypt.”
7. Thunder and Hail and Fire: “This time tomorrow I will rain down a very heavy hail, such as has not been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.” (Exodus 9:18).
8. Locusts: “For if you refuse to let My people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts on your territory.” (Exodus 10:4).
9. Darkness: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 10:21).
10. Killing of the Firstborn: “Moses said, ‘Thus says the LORD: Toward midnight I will go forth among the Egyptians, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; and all the firstborn of the cattle.” (Exodus 11:4 ~ 5).
During the holiday of Pesach, leavened foods are not eaten. This is because the Israelites were ordered to leave Egypt with such short notice that they did not have time to let their bread rise. Before Pesach begins, Jewish households remove all the leavened foods, known in Hebrew as “chametz”, from their homes. This involves a very elaborate cleaning process to ensure that there is no leavened food or crumbs in the home.
Chametz includes any foods made from grains, such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews have different traditions with respect to other types of chametz. Ashkenazic Jews (Jews from Germany and Eastern Europe) also avoid rice, corn, and beans; Sephardic Jews (Jews from Spanish territories) do not traditionally avoid these food items during Pesach.
Preparing one’s house for Passover, as noted, is a very involved process that takes several weeks. Everything, especially in the kitchen, is scrubbed down to ensure that any trace or crumb of chamets is removed.
During the week of Pesach, unleavened bread, or matzah, is eaten. Matzah is made only from flour and water. While it can be eaten at any time of year, it is the only form of “bread” that is eaten during Pesach.
The day before Pesach is known as the Fast of the Firstborn. It is a minor fast day for all firstborn males. It commemorates the fact that the firstborn Israelite males were not killed during the 10th Plague on Egypt.
“This day shall be to you one of remembrance: You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD throughout the ages; you shall celebrate it as an institution for all time. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the very first day you shall remove leaven from your houses … You shall celebrate a sacred occasion on the first day, and a sacred occasion on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them; only what every person is to eat, that alone may be prepared for you. You shall observe the [Feast of] Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt … (Exodus 12:14 ~ 17).
Pesach begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. It’s date fluctuates on the Gregorian calendar. It is one of three Biblical holidays (the others being Shavu’ot and Sukkot).
The word “Pesach” means “to pass over,” hence it name in English. The word refers to the miracle of G~d “passing over” the houses of the Israelites when he performing the 10th Plagues on Egypt, that of the killing of the Egyptian firstborns.
Moses had been called by G~d to free the Israelites from Pharaoh’s control and to be allowed to worship their own G~d. Pharaoh would not release the Israelites. In order to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free, G~d imposed upon Egypt 10 signs of His strength and power. These 10 signs are the 10 plagues, which are a divine demonstration of G~d power. The 10 plagues are, in order of occurrence:
1. Turning Water into Blood: “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron: Take your rod and hold your arm over the waters of Egypt ~ its rivers, its canals, its ponds, all its bodies of water ~ that they may turn to blood; there shall be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.’” (Exodus 7:10).
2. Frogs: “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron: Hold out your arm with the rod over the rivers, the canals, the ponds, and bring up the frogs on the land of Egypt.’” (Exodus 8:1).
3. Lice: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron: Hold out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, and it shall turn to lice throughout the land of Egypt.’” (Exodus 8:12).
4. Swarming Insects: “For if you do not let My people go, I will let loose swarms of insects against you and your courtiers and your people and your houses; the houses of the Egyptians, and the very ground they stand on, shall be filled with swarms of insects.” (Exodus 8:17).
5. Livestock Diseased: “then the hand of the LORD will strike your livestock in the fields ~ the horses, the asses, the camels, the cattle, and the sheep ~ with a very severe pestilence.” (Exodus 9:3).
6. Boils: “It shall become a fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and cause an inflammation breaking out in boils on man and beast throughout the land of Egypt.”
7. Thunder and Hail and Fire: “This time tomorrow I will rain down a very heavy hail, such as has not been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.” (Exodus 9:18).
8. Locusts: “For if you refuse to let My people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts on your territory.” (Exodus 10:4).
9. Darkness: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 10:21).
10. Killing of the Firstborn: “Moses said, ‘Thus says the LORD: Toward midnight I will go forth among the Egyptians, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; and all the firstborn of the cattle.” (Exodus 11:4 ~ 5).
During the holiday of Pesach, leavened foods are not eaten. This is because the Israelites were ordered to leave Egypt with such short notice that they did not have time to let their bread rise. Before Pesach begins, Jewish households remove all the leavened foods, known in Hebrew as “chametz”, from their homes. This involves a very elaborate cleaning process to ensure that there is no leavened food or crumbs in the home.
Chametz includes any foods made from grains, such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews have different traditions with respect to other types of chametz. Ashkenazic Jews (Jews from Germany and Eastern Europe) also avoid rice, corn, and beans; Sephardic Jews (Jews from Spanish territories) do not traditionally avoid these food items during Pesach.
Preparing one’s house for Passover, as noted, is a very involved process that takes several weeks. Everything, especially in the kitchen, is scrubbed down to ensure that any trace or crumb of chamets is removed.
During the week of Pesach, unleavened bread, or matzah, is eaten. Matzah is made only from flour and water. While it can be eaten at any time of year, it is the only form of “bread” that is eaten during Pesach.
The day before Pesach is known as the Fast of the Firstborn. It is a minor fast day for all firstborn males. It commemorates the fact that the firstborn Israelite males were not killed during the 10th Plague on Egypt.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Purim
Purim is the Jewish holiday that commemorates Queen Esther and her bravery as she saved the Jewish people living in exile in Persia from extermination. The Purim story is told in the Book of Esther. This book is also referred to as the Megillah of Esther. Interestingly, the Book of Esther is the only book in the Hebrew Bible that does not mention the name of G~d.
Esther, a young and beautiful Jewish woman living in Persia with her uncle and foster parent, Mordecai. She was brought to King Ahasuerus to become one of his wives. He was unaware that she was Jewish.
Haman was an influencial advisor to the King. He hated Mordecai because Mordicai refused to bow down to him. He, therefore, plotted to destroy all the Jews living in Persia. The king decided that Haman could take whatever action he wished against the Jewish people. Haman decided to have a lottery to determine which date to kill the Jews.
The word “purim” means “lots.” The holiday, therefore, is so named because it refers to the lottery that Haman use.
Esther was persuaded to speak to the king on behalf of her people. In preparation for her encounter with the king on this matter, she fasted for three days to prepare herself. Today, three days before the Purim holiday is known as the Fast of Esther. It is a minor fast during which Jews do not eat from sun-up through sundown.
She told the king of Haman’s plot, the king intervened, and Haman was hanged.
When the Megillah of Esther is read in synagogue, it is customary to boo, hiss, and make a lot of noise whenever the name of Haman is read out. The purpose of this practice is to “blot out” the name of Haman from history.
Another feature of the Purim holiday is the custom of eating and drinking and having a good time. According to Talmud, one is commanded to drink until he cannot tell the difference between Haman and Mordecai.
Additionally, it is customary to send gifts of food and drink and to make gifts to charity on this holiday. This custom is called mishalach manot (sending out portions). An Ashkenazic tradition is to make hamentaschen, triangular poppy seed or fruit-filled cookies to represent a three-cornered hat.
The Purim service often includes a celebration of plays and parodies.
Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar, which in the secular year 2010, begins at sundown on February 27.
Esther, a young and beautiful Jewish woman living in Persia with her uncle and foster parent, Mordecai. She was brought to King Ahasuerus to become one of his wives. He was unaware that she was Jewish.
Haman was an influencial advisor to the King. He hated Mordecai because Mordicai refused to bow down to him. He, therefore, plotted to destroy all the Jews living in Persia. The king decided that Haman could take whatever action he wished against the Jewish people. Haman decided to have a lottery to determine which date to kill the Jews.
The word “purim” means “lots.” The holiday, therefore, is so named because it refers to the lottery that Haman use.
Esther was persuaded to speak to the king on behalf of her people. In preparation for her encounter with the king on this matter, she fasted for three days to prepare herself. Today, three days before the Purim holiday is known as the Fast of Esther. It is a minor fast during which Jews do not eat from sun-up through sundown.
She told the king of Haman’s plot, the king intervened, and Haman was hanged.
When the Megillah of Esther is read in synagogue, it is customary to boo, hiss, and make a lot of noise whenever the name of Haman is read out. The purpose of this practice is to “blot out” the name of Haman from history.
Another feature of the Purim holiday is the custom of eating and drinking and having a good time. According to Talmud, one is commanded to drink until he cannot tell the difference between Haman and Mordecai.
Additionally, it is customary to send gifts of food and drink and to make gifts to charity on this holiday. This custom is called mishalach manot (sending out portions). An Ashkenazic tradition is to make hamentaschen, triangular poppy seed or fruit-filled cookies to represent a three-cornered hat.
The Purim service often includes a celebration of plays and parodies.
Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar, which in the secular year 2010, begins at sundown on February 27.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tu B'Shevat Seder
Tu B'Shevat: The New Year for Trees
Rosh HaShanah Ha-Ilanot
Tu B’Shevat is the New Year for Trees. Why do we observe Tu B’Shevat with a Seder? Throughout the centuries, Kabbalists have used the tree as a metaphor to understanding God’s relationship to the spiritual and physical worlds. God was viewed as a tree of life, whose roots were in the heavens, and whose branches extended toward earth, bringing all of us life and blessing. In the 16th Century, the Kabbalists of Safed compiled a Tu B’Shevat Seder, similar to the seder for Passover. It involves enjoying the fruits of the tree, especially those found native to Israel, and drinking four cups of wine. The Seder is a great way to appreciate the bounty that we so often take for granted and to develop a good and generous eye for the world around us.
About Trees:
“And God planted a garden in Eden … and from the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food.” (Genesis 2:8-9). From the beginning of creation, the Holy One was first occupied with the planting of trees. The Talmud says, “You too, when you enter the Land, must occupy yourselves first with nothing else but the planting of trees, as it is written, ‘When you come into the land, you shall plant trees.’ (Leviticus 19:23).”
Trees give us oxygen and wood, shade and fragrance, fruits and forest, paper and syrup, landscapes and nuts. We could no more live on this earth without trees then we could live without sunshine, air, or water. Since the power to plant and destroy trees is in our hands, Judaism gives us a holiday to celebrate them.
An ancient custom reaching back to the Talmudic period suggests that on Tu B’Shevat, we plant a cedar for every boy born in the previous year and a cypress for every girl. As the children grow older, so do the trees. When a man and a woman marry, branches from their trees are cut and used to weave their chuppah ~ their wedding canopy. As the wood from the two trees are joined, so too, are the bride and groom in their marriage.
Today we come together to reaffirm our bond with the Land of Israel and rejoice in its rebirth. Tu B’Shevat ~ the Rosh haShanah ha-Ilanot ~ marks the awakening of nature after its winter sleep. As we celebrate this Seder, we renew our pledge to share in the rebuilding of Israel. We are also reminded that we are stewards, not owners, of the land.
The Four Questions:
Why do fruit trees need a New Year?
Tu B’Shevat began as a legal mechanism for counting the age of a tree, which was important for two reasons: Orlah and Ma’aser. Orlah is the name given to fruit produced during the tree’s first three years. According to Jewish law, that fruit may not be eaten or sold; it is set aside as a reminder that all food comes from God.
The question then, was: How do we know how old a tree is for the purpose of counting orlah? Since a tree can be planted at any time of the year, it would be difficult to remember the age of each individual tree. Jewish law established the 15th of Shevat as the birthday of all fruit-bearing trees. On this day, all trees are one year older.
Ma’aser means “one-tenth” in Hebrew. In Temple times, every year the people had to give a tithe of one tenth of their new fruits to the priests and the Levites. This was an offering of thanks to God as well as a way to support the priests and the Levites, who could not own land or trees. The rabbis determined that for the sake of tithing, the agricultural year would begin on the 15th of Shevat.
Why have a Seder for Tu B’Shevat?
For many Jews living outside of the Land of Israel, it was not possible to plant a tree on the 15th of Shevat, because it was not spring where they lived. Instead, Jews would eat the fruit of the trees and remember the day.
Why eat so many kinds of fruit?
We eat the fruit of the trees of Israel, which include almonds, dates, figs, raisins and carob. It is considered a mitzvah to eat these fruit during Tu B’Shevat.
Why drink wine of four colors?
The Kabbalists placed pitchers of white and red wine on the table for Tu B’Shevat. For them, white represented hibernation, the waning of life’s power during the winter months of shrinking sunlight. Red represented the reawakening and gradual strengthening of nature’s life force. Through the seder, they pre-enacted and fostered the ascendance of this life force. With the triumph of the red, spring would not be far behind.
Planting Hope: The First Cup of Wine and Fruits and Nuts with Inedible Shells
Pour a glass of white wine or white grape juice.
Reader: The first cup of wine / grape juice is completely white. This symbolizes the white of winter, the sleeping earth. The growth of the past year is completed; the potential for next year’s growth lies dormant until the time is ripe. Let us recite the berakhah together:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borai pree ha-gafen.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the first cup of wine.
Reader: The Jewish people are blessed with abundant sources of hope. Our tradition teaches that four thousand years ago, God established a covenant with the Jewish people and promised that we would become a great nation. Jews have maintained our life-affirming values and commitment to justice throughout the generations, often against great adversity. We find hope in each other, sustained by the care and solidarity of fellow Jews around the world. Our ability to see beyond the barren and dormant field of winter and dream of a fresh new future gives us our strength.
The First Plate of Fruit, which contains almonds with inedible shells
Reader: The fruit we eat are the most weighed down by their physicality. They are fruits and nuts with and an edible inside, but in inedible outer shell or peel.
Reader: The almond represents a fruit with an inedible shell. In Israel, the almond tree begins to bloom around Tu B’Shevat. Its white blossom brightens the country side. Israeli children call the almond tree the “King of Tu B’Shevat.” The Hebrew name for the almond is sha’ked (שקד), from the root meaning “early rising” or “vigorous wakefulness.” An almond tree is one of the first to rouse itself from hibernation with leaves and blossoms while other trees still linger in their winter sleep. Let us recited the blessing for the fruits together, thanking God for the fruit of the trees as well as for God’s commitment to protect and embrace us:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borai pree ha-eitz.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.
If eating a fruit or nut that is new or one that you have not yet eaten this season:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu malekh ha-olam, shechechiyanu v’kiyamanu v’higiyanu la’zaman ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive, preserved us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.
Eat the fruits and nuts with inedible outsides: pomegranates, citrus fruit, and nuts that have hard shells, such as walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, etc.
Inspiring Hope: The Second Cup of Wine and Fruits with an Inedible Core
Pour a glass of white wine or white grape juice and add a few drops of red wine or grape juice.
Reader: The second cup of wine / grape juice is white with just a touch of red. The second cup symbolizes spring, the time of rebirth. The color reminds us of the swelling blossoms on the trees that will eventually become the fruit.
Drink the second cup of wine.
Reader: Today is the New Year of the trees. Now, when the trees begin to renew themselves and prepare to produce new fruits, we should consider how to renew ourselves to produce “new fruit” in the service of God.
The Second Plate of Fruit, which contain inedible pits: dates, olives, plums, peaches, mangos, apricots, avocados, cherries, persimmons.
Reader: There is no relationship between the size of the seed and the size of the tree into which it grows into. From this we learn that we cannot anticipate how much our small actions may mean to another person.
Reader: The Talmud teaches that once Honi was walking along the road when he saw an old man planting a carob tree. He asked: “How long before it will bear fruit?” The old man answered: “Seventy years.” Honi asked: “And will you be alive in seventy years to eat from its fruit?” The man answered: “Just as I found the world full of carob trees planted by my ancestors, so will I plant for my children.” (Ta’anit 23a).
Eat the fruits with inedible pits: Dates, Olives, peaches, cherries, etc.
Spreading Hope: The Third Cup of Wine and Fruits that are Completely Edible
Pour a glass that is half white and half red.
Reader: The third cup of wine / grape juice consists of equal parts of red and white. It symbolizes summer ~ the time of luxuriant growth, of nature in full bloom. This glass of wine gives the brightest hue of red because it shines with more light that red wine alone.
Drink the third cup of wine.
Reader: God created every plant with a strategy for scattering its seeds. We spread the timeless values of our people by joining Jews around the world in celebrating Tu B’Shevat, eating fruits and thinking about Israel.
The Third Plate of Fruit, which contains figs and fruit that are entirely edible.
Reader: The Mishrash says: “Why is the Torah likened to a fig? All fruit have something inedible in them, but the fig is good to eat in its entirety. So the words of Torah have nothing worthless in them.”
Eat the fruits that are entirely edible: figs, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, quinces, carobs.
If eating a fruit that comes from the ground (grapes or strawberries):
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borai pree ha-adamah.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the ground.
Living Hope: The Fourth Cup of Wine and Fruits with a Fragrance
Pour a glass of red wine or red grape juice.
Reader: The fourth cup of wine / grape juice is completely red. This symbolizes autumn, the deepest shade of red. It is the color of life’s blood, the color of leaves at their most brilliant, bust before they fall to the ground. The red is the color of fruit fully ripened and now ready for harvest, ready to pass on their life essence to nourish and sustain. It is the last color of the setting sun and the first color upon its rising.
Drink the fourth cup of wine.
Reader: The final fruit we will enjoy is one that is fragrant. The Rabbis taught that a pleasant scent delights and benefits the soul.
The Fourth Plate of Fruit, which will fragrant fruit, like such as oranges.
Eat the fragrant fruit.
Completing the Cycle
Reader: We have now walked together through the full cycle of the year. And so, arriving at the end, we find ourselves once more at the beginning. Each Fall’s harvest must carry the seed for the next Spring’s planting. Our responsibility lies always ahead of us – with our future and our hope.
Reader: A tree endures many winters; it dries out and seems to have reached its end – yet it lives to produce fruit again. The Jewish people have survived many harsh winters and we have held our hope in God. We trust in God’s mercies, for God will not abandon us. As we produced fruit in the past, so will we do so in the future.
Reader: Hope, like trees, starts out in little packages and blossoms if nurtured. Just like people.
© Smolinsky, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hatikvah: Israel’s National Anthem
Kol od belevav penimah As long as deep in the heart,
Nefesh Yehudi homiyah The soul of a Jew yearns,
U’lefa’atey mizrah kadimah And towards the East,
Ayin le’Tziyon tzofiyah. An eye looks to Zion.
Od lo avdah tikvatenu, Our hope is not yet lost,
Hatikvah bat sh’not be’artzenu The hope of two thousand years,
Leh’yot am hofshi be’artzenu To be a free people in our land,
Eretz Tziyon, Virushalayim. The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
Leh’yot am hofshi be’artzenu To be a free people in our land,
Eretz Tziyon, Virushalayim. The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
Rosh HaShanah Ha-Ilanot
Tu B’Shevat is the New Year for Trees. Why do we observe Tu B’Shevat with a Seder? Throughout the centuries, Kabbalists have used the tree as a metaphor to understanding God’s relationship to the spiritual and physical worlds. God was viewed as a tree of life, whose roots were in the heavens, and whose branches extended toward earth, bringing all of us life and blessing. In the 16th Century, the Kabbalists of Safed compiled a Tu B’Shevat Seder, similar to the seder for Passover. It involves enjoying the fruits of the tree, especially those found native to Israel, and drinking four cups of wine. The Seder is a great way to appreciate the bounty that we so often take for granted and to develop a good and generous eye for the world around us.
About Trees:
“And God planted a garden in Eden … and from the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food.” (Genesis 2:8-9). From the beginning of creation, the Holy One was first occupied with the planting of trees. The Talmud says, “You too, when you enter the Land, must occupy yourselves first with nothing else but the planting of trees, as it is written, ‘When you come into the land, you shall plant trees.’ (Leviticus 19:23).”
Trees give us oxygen and wood, shade and fragrance, fruits and forest, paper and syrup, landscapes and nuts. We could no more live on this earth without trees then we could live without sunshine, air, or water. Since the power to plant and destroy trees is in our hands, Judaism gives us a holiday to celebrate them.
An ancient custom reaching back to the Talmudic period suggests that on Tu B’Shevat, we plant a cedar for every boy born in the previous year and a cypress for every girl. As the children grow older, so do the trees. When a man and a woman marry, branches from their trees are cut and used to weave their chuppah ~ their wedding canopy. As the wood from the two trees are joined, so too, are the bride and groom in their marriage.
Today we come together to reaffirm our bond with the Land of Israel and rejoice in its rebirth. Tu B’Shevat ~ the Rosh haShanah ha-Ilanot ~ marks the awakening of nature after its winter sleep. As we celebrate this Seder, we renew our pledge to share in the rebuilding of Israel. We are also reminded that we are stewards, not owners, of the land.
The Four Questions:
Why do fruit trees need a New Year?
Tu B’Shevat began as a legal mechanism for counting the age of a tree, which was important for two reasons: Orlah and Ma’aser. Orlah is the name given to fruit produced during the tree’s first three years. According to Jewish law, that fruit may not be eaten or sold; it is set aside as a reminder that all food comes from God.
The question then, was: How do we know how old a tree is for the purpose of counting orlah? Since a tree can be planted at any time of the year, it would be difficult to remember the age of each individual tree. Jewish law established the 15th of Shevat as the birthday of all fruit-bearing trees. On this day, all trees are one year older.
Ma’aser means “one-tenth” in Hebrew. In Temple times, every year the people had to give a tithe of one tenth of their new fruits to the priests and the Levites. This was an offering of thanks to God as well as a way to support the priests and the Levites, who could not own land or trees. The rabbis determined that for the sake of tithing, the agricultural year would begin on the 15th of Shevat.
Why have a Seder for Tu B’Shevat?
For many Jews living outside of the Land of Israel, it was not possible to plant a tree on the 15th of Shevat, because it was not spring where they lived. Instead, Jews would eat the fruit of the trees and remember the day.
Why eat so many kinds of fruit?
We eat the fruit of the trees of Israel, which include almonds, dates, figs, raisins and carob. It is considered a mitzvah to eat these fruit during Tu B’Shevat.
Why drink wine of four colors?
The Kabbalists placed pitchers of white and red wine on the table for Tu B’Shevat. For them, white represented hibernation, the waning of life’s power during the winter months of shrinking sunlight. Red represented the reawakening and gradual strengthening of nature’s life force. Through the seder, they pre-enacted and fostered the ascendance of this life force. With the triumph of the red, spring would not be far behind.
Planting Hope: The First Cup of Wine and Fruits and Nuts with Inedible Shells
Pour a glass of white wine or white grape juice.
Reader: The first cup of wine / grape juice is completely white. This symbolizes the white of winter, the sleeping earth. The growth of the past year is completed; the potential for next year’s growth lies dormant until the time is ripe. Let us recite the berakhah together:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borai pree ha-gafen.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the first cup of wine.
Reader: The Jewish people are blessed with abundant sources of hope. Our tradition teaches that four thousand years ago, God established a covenant with the Jewish people and promised that we would become a great nation. Jews have maintained our life-affirming values and commitment to justice throughout the generations, often against great adversity. We find hope in each other, sustained by the care and solidarity of fellow Jews around the world. Our ability to see beyond the barren and dormant field of winter and dream of a fresh new future gives us our strength.
The First Plate of Fruit, which contains almonds with inedible shells
Reader: The fruit we eat are the most weighed down by their physicality. They are fruits and nuts with and an edible inside, but in inedible outer shell or peel.
Reader: The almond represents a fruit with an inedible shell. In Israel, the almond tree begins to bloom around Tu B’Shevat. Its white blossom brightens the country side. Israeli children call the almond tree the “King of Tu B’Shevat.” The Hebrew name for the almond is sha’ked (שקד), from the root meaning “early rising” or “vigorous wakefulness.” An almond tree is one of the first to rouse itself from hibernation with leaves and blossoms while other trees still linger in their winter sleep. Let us recited the blessing for the fruits together, thanking God for the fruit of the trees as well as for God’s commitment to protect and embrace us:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borai pree ha-eitz.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.
If eating a fruit or nut that is new or one that you have not yet eaten this season:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu malekh ha-olam, shechechiyanu v’kiyamanu v’higiyanu la’zaman ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive, preserved us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.
Eat the fruits and nuts with inedible outsides: pomegranates, citrus fruit, and nuts that have hard shells, such as walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, etc.
Inspiring Hope: The Second Cup of Wine and Fruits with an Inedible Core
Pour a glass of white wine or white grape juice and add a few drops of red wine or grape juice.
Reader: The second cup of wine / grape juice is white with just a touch of red. The second cup symbolizes spring, the time of rebirth. The color reminds us of the swelling blossoms on the trees that will eventually become the fruit.
Drink the second cup of wine.
Reader: Today is the New Year of the trees. Now, when the trees begin to renew themselves and prepare to produce new fruits, we should consider how to renew ourselves to produce “new fruit” in the service of God.
The Second Plate of Fruit, which contain inedible pits: dates, olives, plums, peaches, mangos, apricots, avocados, cherries, persimmons.
Reader: There is no relationship between the size of the seed and the size of the tree into which it grows into. From this we learn that we cannot anticipate how much our small actions may mean to another person.
Reader: The Talmud teaches that once Honi was walking along the road when he saw an old man planting a carob tree. He asked: “How long before it will bear fruit?” The old man answered: “Seventy years.” Honi asked: “And will you be alive in seventy years to eat from its fruit?” The man answered: “Just as I found the world full of carob trees planted by my ancestors, so will I plant for my children.” (Ta’anit 23a).
Eat the fruits with inedible pits: Dates, Olives, peaches, cherries, etc.
Spreading Hope: The Third Cup of Wine and Fruits that are Completely Edible
Pour a glass that is half white and half red.
Reader: The third cup of wine / grape juice consists of equal parts of red and white. It symbolizes summer ~ the time of luxuriant growth, of nature in full bloom. This glass of wine gives the brightest hue of red because it shines with more light that red wine alone.
Drink the third cup of wine.
Reader: God created every plant with a strategy for scattering its seeds. We spread the timeless values of our people by joining Jews around the world in celebrating Tu B’Shevat, eating fruits and thinking about Israel.
The Third Plate of Fruit, which contains figs and fruit that are entirely edible.
Reader: The Mishrash says: “Why is the Torah likened to a fig? All fruit have something inedible in them, but the fig is good to eat in its entirety. So the words of Torah have nothing worthless in them.”
Eat the fruits that are entirely edible: figs, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, quinces, carobs.
If eating a fruit that comes from the ground (grapes or strawberries):
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borai pree ha-adamah.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the ground.
Living Hope: The Fourth Cup of Wine and Fruits with a Fragrance
Pour a glass of red wine or red grape juice.
Reader: The fourth cup of wine / grape juice is completely red. This symbolizes autumn, the deepest shade of red. It is the color of life’s blood, the color of leaves at their most brilliant, bust before they fall to the ground. The red is the color of fruit fully ripened and now ready for harvest, ready to pass on their life essence to nourish and sustain. It is the last color of the setting sun and the first color upon its rising.
Drink the fourth cup of wine.
Reader: The final fruit we will enjoy is one that is fragrant. The Rabbis taught that a pleasant scent delights and benefits the soul.
The Fourth Plate of Fruit, which will fragrant fruit, like such as oranges.
Eat the fragrant fruit.
Completing the Cycle
Reader: We have now walked together through the full cycle of the year. And so, arriving at the end, we find ourselves once more at the beginning. Each Fall’s harvest must carry the seed for the next Spring’s planting. Our responsibility lies always ahead of us – with our future and our hope.
Reader: A tree endures many winters; it dries out and seems to have reached its end – yet it lives to produce fruit again. The Jewish people have survived many harsh winters and we have held our hope in God. We trust in God’s mercies, for God will not abandon us. As we produced fruit in the past, so will we do so in the future.
Reader: Hope, like trees, starts out in little packages and blossoms if nurtured. Just like people.
© Smolinsky, 2010
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Hatikvah: Israel’s National Anthem
Kol od belevav penimah As long as deep in the heart,
Nefesh Yehudi homiyah The soul of a Jew yearns,
U’lefa’atey mizrah kadimah And towards the East,
Ayin le’Tziyon tzofiyah. An eye looks to Zion.
Od lo avdah tikvatenu, Our hope is not yet lost,
Hatikvah bat sh’not be’artzenu The hope of two thousand years,
Leh’yot am hofshi be’artzenu To be a free people in our land,
Eretz Tziyon, Virushalayim. The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
Leh’yot am hofshi be’artzenu To be a free people in our land,
Eretz Tziyon, Virushalayim. The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Chanukah
Chanukah is also known as the Festival of Lights. It is an 8-day festival that begins on the 25th day of Kislev in the Jewish calendar.
Although Chanukah is one of the better known Jewish holidays, it is not a biblical holiday. It has become widely celebrated, especially in the United States, due to its proximity to Christmas.
The origins of the holiday date back to about 166 BCE, when Israel was under Greek control. Many Jews were becoming assimilated into the Greek culture. Antiochus IV was the ruler of the area. Although up until this time, Jews had enjoyed relative freedom, Antiochus began to restrict Jewish practices. Jews were forbidden to practice their religion under threat of death. The Temple in Jerusalem was desecrated by allowing pigs to roam throughout it.
Mattathias the Hasmonean and his famous son, Judah the Maccabee, organized a revolutionary band to fight the Greek rule and to fight the rampant assimilation. Ultimately, they were successful. The Temple was rededicated to the worship of the Jewish tradition. Tradition has it that, during the rededication, there was only enough sacred oil to light the eternal lamp for 1 day, but it miraculously lasted for 8 days ~ long enough to sanctify fresh oil.
Although Chanukah is one of the better known Jewish holidays, it is not a biblical holiday. It has become widely celebrated, especially in the United States, due to its proximity to Christmas.
The origins of the holiday date back to about 166 BCE, when Israel was under Greek control. Many Jews were becoming assimilated into the Greek culture. Antiochus IV was the ruler of the area. Although up until this time, Jews had enjoyed relative freedom, Antiochus began to restrict Jewish practices. Jews were forbidden to practice their religion under threat of death. The Temple in Jerusalem was desecrated by allowing pigs to roam throughout it.
Mattathias the Hasmonean and his famous son, Judah the Maccabee, organized a revolutionary band to fight the Greek rule and to fight the rampant assimilation. Ultimately, they were successful. The Temple was rededicated to the worship of the Jewish tradition. Tradition has it that, during the rededication, there was only enough sacred oil to light the eternal lamp for 1 day, but it miraculously lasted for 8 days ~ long enough to sanctify fresh oil.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Both Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah immediately follow Sukkot. They are separate and distinct from Sukkot.
The eighth day of Sukkot is Shemini Atzeret. The term means “the Eighth (day) of assembly.” The holiday is dedicated to the love of G~d. This holiday marks the beginning of the rainy season in Israel. Its major feature, therefore, is the recitation of the prayer for rain.
Simchat Torah means “Rejoicing in the Torah.” It is a festive holiday that celebrates the completion of and the beginning of the yearly cycle of weekly Torah readings. During the year the complete Torah is read publically in weekly portions, beginning with Genesis and ending with Deuteronomy. On Simchat Torah, the last few verses of Deuteronomy are read, then immediately the beginning verses of Genesis are read, reminding Jews of the circle of life.
During the Simchat Torah celebration, all the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and are carried around the synagogue. The congregation gets up and follows the Torah scrolls procession while singing and dancing. Often candy is tossed at the children as a reminder that study of Torah is sweet.
The eighth day of Sukkot is Shemini Atzeret. The term means “the Eighth (day) of assembly.” The holiday is dedicated to the love of G~d. This holiday marks the beginning of the rainy season in Israel. Its major feature, therefore, is the recitation of the prayer for rain.
Simchat Torah means “Rejoicing in the Torah.” It is a festive holiday that celebrates the completion of and the beginning of the yearly cycle of weekly Torah readings. During the year the complete Torah is read publically in weekly portions, beginning with Genesis and ending with Deuteronomy. On Simchat Torah, the last few verses of Deuteronomy are read, then immediately the beginning verses of Genesis are read, reminding Jews of the circle of life.
During the Simchat Torah celebration, all the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and are carried around the synagogue. The congregation gets up and follows the Torah scrolls procession while singing and dancing. Often candy is tossed at the children as a reminder that study of Torah is sweet.
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