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.
Showing posts with label Ritual. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ritual. Show all posts
Sunday, September 26, 2010
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, June 20, 2010
Mezuzah
The word "Mezuzah" is Hebrew for "doorpost." It is also the term used for the little case that many Jews place on the right side of the entrance to their homes. A mezuzah may also be placed on the doorpost of any internal rooms of a home as well, with the exception of the bathrooms. One will also find a mezuzah on the entrances of synagogues and Jewish schools, as well as Jewish-owned businesses.
The Mezuzah contains a scroll, which if it is a kosher scroll, will contain a handwritten verse of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4~9) and the passage from Deuteronomy 11:13~21.. The Shema (which is Hebrew for "Hear"), is the biblical passage in which G~d commands us to keep His words in our minds and hearts by placing them on the doorposts of our homes. Because the first letter of the Shema is Shin, a Shin generally is found on the mezuzah.
In Askenazic tradition, the mezuzah is placed at an angle on the right side of the doorpost as one enters the room. Placing a mezuzah on a new home is a small family ceremony, called a Chanakkat HaBayit (which means the dedication of the home). The following blessing is recited before the mezuzah is affixed to the doorpost:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
Asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu lik'bo'ah mezuzah.
Blessed are you, Lord, our G~d, sovereign of the universe
Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah
Every time one pass through a door with a mezuzah on it, one touch the mezuzah and then kiss the fingers that touched it, expressing love and respect for G~d and his mitzvot and reminding oneself of the mitzvot contained within them.
When a Jewish family moves, and a non-Jewish family moves into the home, the mezuzah should be removed. If a Jewish family moves into the home, then the mezuzah may remain on the doorpost.
The Mezuzah contains a scroll, which if it is a kosher scroll, will contain a handwritten verse of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4~9) and the passage from Deuteronomy 11:13~21.. The Shema (which is Hebrew for "Hear"), is the biblical passage in which G~d commands us to keep His words in our minds and hearts by placing them on the doorposts of our homes. Because the first letter of the Shema is Shin, a Shin generally is found on the mezuzah.
In Askenazic tradition, the mezuzah is placed at an angle on the right side of the doorpost as one enters the room. Placing a mezuzah on a new home is a small family ceremony, called a Chanakkat HaBayit (which means the dedication of the home). The following blessing is recited before the mezuzah is affixed to the doorpost:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
Asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu lik'bo'ah mezuzah.
Blessed are you, Lord, our G~d, sovereign of the universe
Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah
Every time one pass through a door with a mezuzah on it, one touch the mezuzah and then kiss the fingers that touched it, expressing love and respect for G~d and his mitzvot and reminding oneself of the mitzvot contained within them.
When a Jewish family moves, and a non-Jewish family moves into the home, the mezuzah should be removed. If a Jewish family moves into the home, then the mezuzah may remain on the doorpost.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Matzevah: Unveiling of the Tombstone
Matzevah is Hebrew for "tombstone" or "headstone." In Judaism, the tombstone is generally placed on the grave sometime after the burial. When the tombstone is placed on the grave, it generally done at a special unveiling ceremony. The dedication of the tombstone can be done at any time between Sheloshim, the first thirty days of mourning after the burial, and the anniversary of the death. The unveiling cannot take place during Pesach.
A cloth covering the tombstone is removed from in the presence of family and friends. A brief service at the dedication includes the reading of several psalms, often the 23rd Psalm, the Mourners' Kaddish, and the El Maleh Rachamim prayer.
The tombstone generally bears the Hebrew letters "pe" and "nun", which stands for "here lies buried." At the bottom of the tombstone, are the five Hebrew letters "tav", "nun", "tzadik", "bet", and "he." These letters stand for the phrase "May his/her sould be bound up in the bond of life eternal."
It is customary to leave a small stone on the tombstone. The origin of this custom is not known, but it may date back to Biblical times when bodies were buried beneath piles of stones. Today, the custom is a reminder that someone has visited the grave.
A cloth covering the tombstone is removed from in the presence of family and friends. A brief service at the dedication includes the reading of several psalms, often the 23rd Psalm, the Mourners' Kaddish, and the El Maleh Rachamim prayer.
The tombstone generally bears the Hebrew letters "pe" and "nun", which stands for "here lies buried." At the bottom of the tombstone, are the five Hebrew letters "tav", "nun", "tzadik", "bet", and "he." These letters stand for the phrase "May his/her sould be bound up in the bond of life eternal."
It is customary to leave a small stone on the tombstone. The origin of this custom is not known, but it may date back to Biblical times when bodies were buried beneath piles of stones. Today, the custom is a reminder that someone has visited the grave.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Counting the Omer
The 50-day period between the second day of Pesach and Shavo’ut is known as Counting the Omer. An Omer is a unit of measure equaling the sheaves of a harvested crop. In ancient times, beginning with the second day of Pesach, an omer of barley was cut down and brought to the Temple as an offering. This marked the start of the harvest season, which lasted for seven weeks.
According to Torah (Leviticus 23:15~16), we are obliged to count the days between Pesach and Shavu’ot. Thus, every evening during this period a blessing is recited and the day and week of the Omer is noted. For example, one week after the counting begins, the blessing would begin: “Blessed are you, Adonai, our G~d, Master of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer. Today is seven days, which is one week of the Omer.”
In ancient times, the counting of the omer was connected with the first harvests. The holiday of Shavu’ot later became associated with the giving of Torah at Sinai, thus became a celebration of both harvest and the link between the Pesach, which commemorated the Exodus from Egypt, and Shavu’ot, which commemorated the revelation of the Torah to the people of Israel. The counting of the Omer also is a reminder of the process of moving from a slave mentality (life in Egypt) to freedom.
The Omer is a period of semi-mourning. Weddings and festive parties are not conducted during this period. The reasons for this semi-mourning period are uncertain.
According to Torah (Leviticus 23:15~16), we are obliged to count the days between Pesach and Shavu’ot. Thus, every evening during this period a blessing is recited and the day and week of the Omer is noted. For example, one week after the counting begins, the blessing would begin: “Blessed are you, Adonai, our G~d, Master of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer. Today is seven days, which is one week of the Omer.”
In ancient times, the counting of the omer was connected with the first harvests. The holiday of Shavu’ot later became associated with the giving of Torah at Sinai, thus became a celebration of both harvest and the link between the Pesach, which commemorated the Exodus from Egypt, and Shavu’ot, which commemorated the revelation of the Torah to the people of Israel. The counting of the Omer also is a reminder of the process of moving from a slave mentality (life in Egypt) to freedom.
The Omer is a period of semi-mourning. Weddings and festive parties are not conducted during this period. The reasons for this semi-mourning period are uncertain.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Tefillin
On the morning of January 21, 2010, a flight from New York to Louisville was diverted to Philadelphia after the flight crew believed one of the passengers posed a terrorist threat. The alleged terrorist turned out to be a 17-year old Orthodox Jew who had donned his tefillin shortly after the flight took off.
The plane landed and was immediately surrounded by Transportation Security Administration personnel as well as the Philadelphia Bomb Squad. A search of the plane uncovered no bomb. Police questioned the young man, who successfully convinced them that he was praying. No charges were filed against him.
No one on the crew was apparently familiar with the Jewish practice of prayer.
So what are Tefillin?
The word Tefilin is a Hebrew word that is etymologically related to the word for prayer (tefilah). Tefillin are the two small black square boxes, attached to leather straps, that are worn during morning prayers every day except for Shabbat or most Jewish holidays. (Tisha B'Av is the only holiday in which the Tefillin are worn during afternoon prayers instead of morning prayers.)
One Tefillin box is centered on the forehead; the other is tied on the left arm, so that it rests near the heart when the arm is down.
The Tefillin box contains a hand-inscribed parchment that consists of four Torah verses. One verse is the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:8): “Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead.”
The other Torah verses include Exodus 13:1 ~ 10; Exodus 13:11 ~ 16; and Deuteronomy 11:13 ~ 21.
The Tefillin’s functions to remind us of G~d’s mitzvot, through the words of Torah.
The plane landed and was immediately surrounded by Transportation Security Administration personnel as well as the Philadelphia Bomb Squad. A search of the plane uncovered no bomb. Police questioned the young man, who successfully convinced them that he was praying. No charges were filed against him.
No one on the crew was apparently familiar with the Jewish practice of prayer.
So what are Tefillin?
The word Tefilin is a Hebrew word that is etymologically related to the word for prayer (tefilah). Tefillin are the two small black square boxes, attached to leather straps, that are worn during morning prayers every day except for Shabbat or most Jewish holidays. (Tisha B'Av is the only holiday in which the Tefillin are worn during afternoon prayers instead of morning prayers.)
One Tefillin box is centered on the forehead; the other is tied on the left arm, so that it rests near the heart when the arm is down.
The Tefillin box contains a hand-inscribed parchment that consists of four Torah verses. One verse is the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:8): “Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead.”
The other Torah verses include Exodus 13:1 ~ 10; Exodus 13:11 ~ 16; and Deuteronomy 11:13 ~ 21.
The Tefillin’s functions to remind us of G~d’s mitzvot, through the words of Torah.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Havdalah
This is a Havdalah Service that I wrote for a Jewish organization. The prayer in this service are traditional Havdalah prayers.
Havdalah Service
In Judaism, the concept of making distinctions and separations permeates many facets of religious life. We distinguish between the Holy time and the mundane or ordinary time. The Havdalah Service marks the end of Shabbat, the separation into our worldly week days.
There are three primary symbols of Havdalah:
The braided candle
The Kiddish cup containing wine
The spice box (b’samim) containing sweet-smelling spices
The lighted candle symbolizes the light of Shabbat. Kindling flame is a symbol of our first labor on earth. As Shabbat departs and the rest of the week resumes, we kindle our own fire. We begin to separate ourselves from the Shabbat by lighting the way into a new week with this candle.
The strands of the braided candle have been interpreted as the many types of Jews in the world, all of whom are part of one unified people.
The wine is a symbol of joy. We take one last sip of the joy of Shabbat as we bid the Sabbath goodbye for another week.
The sweet-smelling spices symbolize the sweetness of Shabbat, whose pleasant aroma we breathe in one last time so that it might last us throughout the week to come, until we can welcome the Shabbat again.
The Blessing over the Wine:
Wine gladdens the heart. In our joy, we see beyond the injustice and violence that stains our world. Our eyes open to the unnoticed grace, blessings until now unseen, and the promise of goodness we can bring to the world.
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפן אמן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha-olam, borei pe-ri ha-gafan. Amein.
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. Amen.
(Drink the wine.)
The Blessing over the Spices:
The Kabbalists teach that during Shabbat, we receive an extra soul, or spiritual sensitivity. This extra soul of Shabbat leaves us now, causing us to feel faint. The spices revive us and remind us that the six days will pass, and Shabbat will return. Their scent makes us yearn for the sweetness of rest, and the dream world healed of pain, pure and wholesome as the first Shabbat, when God, finding things good, rested from the work of creation.
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא מיני בשמים אמן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha-olam, borei minei v’samim. Amein.
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who creates a potpourri of spices. Amen.
(The spice box is shaken to dispel the scent, and then is passed around so everyone can enjoy the fragrances.)
The Blessing over the Fire:
The Havdalah candle is unique. Its multiple wicks remind us that all qualities can be joined together. We have the power to create many different fires, some useful, others destructive. Let us be on guard never to let this gift of fire devour human life, sear cities and scorch fields, or foul the pure air we breathe. Let the fire we kindle be Holy; let it bring light and warmth to all humanity.
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא מאורי האש אמן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha-olam, borei m’orei ha’eish. Amein.
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who creates the light of fire. Amen.
(Everyone raises their cupped hands and looks at their fingernails in the light of the flame and watches the play of shadow and light on their palms.)
One explanation for the tradition of holding one’s hand before the flame is to enjoy the pleasure derived from the light. Another is that the reflection of the light on the fingernails casts a shadow on the palm, which shows the distinction between light and darkness, as in the end of Shabbat. The legal reason for this practice is to make use of the light after blessing it. It would be improper to recite a blessing and for the fire then fail make use of the fire.
The Final Blessing of Separation:
Havdalah is not for the close of Shabbat alone; it is for all days. Havdalah means to separate oneself ~ to separate from the unholy and to strive for holiness, to separate from hatred and violence and to promote peace among people and nations. May God give us understanding to reject the unholy and to choose the way of holiness.
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם המבדיל בין קדש לחול בין אור לחשך בין ישראל לעמים בין יום השביעי לששת ימי המעשה המבדיל בין קדש לחול ברוך אתה ײ אמן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha-olam,ha-mavdil bein ko-desh l’kol, bien or l’choshech, bien Yisrael l’amim, bien you hashvi’i l’shet ymei ha’ma’aseh. Barukah ata Adonai Hamav’dil bein Kodesh l’chol. Amein.
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who separates the Holy from the mundane, light from darkness, Israel from the other nations, the seventh day of rest from the six days of work.
(The candle is then extinguished in the wine.)
Concluding Song (Traditional Song):
Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov.
A good week, a week of peace, may gladness reign and joy increase, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov.
© Smolinsky, 2010
Havdalah Service
In Judaism, the concept of making distinctions and separations permeates many facets of religious life. We distinguish between the Holy time and the mundane or ordinary time. The Havdalah Service marks the end of Shabbat, the separation into our worldly week days.
There are three primary symbols of Havdalah:
The braided candle
The Kiddish cup containing wine
The spice box (b’samim) containing sweet-smelling spices
The lighted candle symbolizes the light of Shabbat. Kindling flame is a symbol of our first labor on earth. As Shabbat departs and the rest of the week resumes, we kindle our own fire. We begin to separate ourselves from the Shabbat by lighting the way into a new week with this candle.
The strands of the braided candle have been interpreted as the many types of Jews in the world, all of whom are part of one unified people.
The wine is a symbol of joy. We take one last sip of the joy of Shabbat as we bid the Sabbath goodbye for another week.
The sweet-smelling spices symbolize the sweetness of Shabbat, whose pleasant aroma we breathe in one last time so that it might last us throughout the week to come, until we can welcome the Shabbat again.
The Blessing over the Wine:
Wine gladdens the heart. In our joy, we see beyond the injustice and violence that stains our world. Our eyes open to the unnoticed grace, blessings until now unseen, and the promise of goodness we can bring to the world.
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפן אמן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha-olam, borei pe-ri ha-gafan. Amein.
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. Amen.
(Drink the wine.)
The Blessing over the Spices:
The Kabbalists teach that during Shabbat, we receive an extra soul, or spiritual sensitivity. This extra soul of Shabbat leaves us now, causing us to feel faint. The spices revive us and remind us that the six days will pass, and Shabbat will return. Their scent makes us yearn for the sweetness of rest, and the dream world healed of pain, pure and wholesome as the first Shabbat, when God, finding things good, rested from the work of creation.
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא מיני בשמים אמן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha-olam, borei minei v’samim. Amein.
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who creates a potpourri of spices. Amen.
(The spice box is shaken to dispel the scent, and then is passed around so everyone can enjoy the fragrances.)
The Blessing over the Fire:
The Havdalah candle is unique. Its multiple wicks remind us that all qualities can be joined together. We have the power to create many different fires, some useful, others destructive. Let us be on guard never to let this gift of fire devour human life, sear cities and scorch fields, or foul the pure air we breathe. Let the fire we kindle be Holy; let it bring light and warmth to all humanity.
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא מאורי האש אמן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha-olam, borei m’orei ha’eish. Amein.
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who creates the light of fire. Amen.
(Everyone raises their cupped hands and looks at their fingernails in the light of the flame and watches the play of shadow and light on their palms.)
One explanation for the tradition of holding one’s hand before the flame is to enjoy the pleasure derived from the light. Another is that the reflection of the light on the fingernails casts a shadow on the palm, which shows the distinction between light and darkness, as in the end of Shabbat. The legal reason for this practice is to make use of the light after blessing it. It would be improper to recite a blessing and for the fire then fail make use of the fire.
The Final Blessing of Separation:
Havdalah is not for the close of Shabbat alone; it is for all days. Havdalah means to separate oneself ~ to separate from the unholy and to strive for holiness, to separate from hatred and violence and to promote peace among people and nations. May God give us understanding to reject the unholy and to choose the way of holiness.
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם המבדיל בין קדש לחול בין אור לחשך בין ישראל לעמים בין יום השביעי לששת ימי המעשה המבדיל בין קדש לחול ברוך אתה ײ אמן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha-olam,ha-mavdil bein ko-desh l’kol, bien or l’choshech, bien Yisrael l’amim, bien you hashvi’i l’shet ymei ha’ma’aseh. Barukah ata Adonai Hamav’dil bein Kodesh l’chol. Amein.
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who separates the Holy from the mundane, light from darkness, Israel from the other nations, the seventh day of rest from the six days of work.
(The candle is then extinguished in the wine.)
Concluding Song (Traditional Song):
Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov.
A good week, a week of peace, may gladness reign and joy increase, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov, Shavua tov.
© Smolinsky, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
