Coming Events
Year 2008
Purim
Pesach
Shavuot
Shavuot
(Pentecost): Revealing of
the Torah
Celebrated on the
evening of Sunday, June 8, 2008
Biblical reference:
Leviticus 23:15-23
“ From the day after the
Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven
full weeks. Count off 50 days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then
present an offering of new grain to the L-rd. From wherever you live, bring two
loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a
wave offering of first fruits to the L-rd. Present with this bread seven male
lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They
will be a burnt offering to the L-rd, together with their grain offerings and
drink offerings-an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the L-rd. Then
sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs each a year old, for a
fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before the L-rd as a
wave offering, together with the bread of the first fruits. They are a sacred
offering to the L-rd for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a
sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for
the generations to come, wherever you live. When you reap the harvest of
your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleaning
of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the L-rd your
G-d.”
Background and
Customs
Shavuot (Pentecost, Feast
of Weeks) occurs on the sixth day of Sivan (and on the seventh of Sivan for
those observing two days in the Diaspora). It celebrates the giving of the
Torah, G-d’s gift to the Jewish people, which provides the written blueprint
for how we are to conduct our lives both toward G-d and man. It also marks the
rite of a new agricultural season- the bringing of the first fruits of the land
to the
1. The area around
2. According to one
tradition, the day of judgment for trees is Shavuot. To focus our prayers for
the trees, we put them in the synagogue.
3. They are a rememberance
of the decorations on the baskets of first fruits brought to the
One of the favorite flowers
we use on Shavuot is the rose, chosen because of a play on words in Esther8:14:
“ And the decree [dat] was proclaimed in Shushan.” This verse is
playfully reinterpreted to mean that the law was given with a rose (shoshan).
Therefore, one custom was to scatter spices and roses around the synagogue to
create a beautiful fragrance. This custom recalls a Midrash which states that
the Israelites fainted from fear when G-d began to speak the Ten Commandments
at Sinai and so G-d had to revive them with fragrant spices.
The eating of dairy foods
is also of uncertain origin, but is particularly notable because for most
holidays there is a call for eating meat, which is regarded as an expensive and
substantial fare and thus appropriate for a special occasion. The most common
explanation for this deviation is that when the Israelites received the laws of
keeping kosher at Sinai, they realized that all their pots were not kosher and
so ate uncooked dairy dishes instead. Some people eat dairy foods with honey in
them because the Torah is likened to milk and honey.
Kabbalistic custom
A kabbalistic custom
emanating from the mystics in Safed (16th century) is to stay up the
whole first night of Shavuot studying Torah. The Tikkun- a set order of study-
was composed of selections from the Bible, rabbinic literature, and even
mystical literature such as the Zohar. In this fashion the kabbalists
prepared for the momentous revelation of the following morning. The kabbalists
also regard Shavuot as the wedding of G-d and
Services
The usual reading on
Shavuot is the Book of Ruth, along with Exodus 19-20 describing the Revelation
at Sinai which includes the Ten Commandments. The custom is to stand while
these are being read, both to emphasize their importance to us, and in some
small way, to imitate the experience at Sinai when the Jews stood to receive
G-d’s revelation. Why the Book of Ruth? The story is set at harvest time and
Ruth’s conversion to Judaism is analogous to our voluntary acceptance of the
Torah and G-d’s covenant at Sinai.
Tish'a B'av
Tisha Be-Av (The Ninth of
Av) Sundown, August 9, 2008 to Sundown August
10, 2008 (5768)
The
ninth of Av stands out from the other feasts related to the destruction of the
temples, the other three being Tzom Gedaliah on Tishri 3 (seventh month); the
fast of the 17th of Tammuz (fourth month); and the tenth of Tevet
(tenth month). Tisha be-Av is so important because it marks the day when both
temples were destroyed- the first temple by the Babylonias in 586B.C. and the
second temple by the Romans in 70A.D. It is a major fast day and therefore
bears some resemblance to the only other one in the Jewish calendar, Yom
Kippur.
The
fast begins at sundown from one day and ends sundown the next. The Midrash
states that G-d marked the ninth of Av as a day of catastrophe because of the
incident of the spies in the
Tisha
be-Av is marked by its strict mourning practices and the reading of the Book of
Lamentations. It is preceded by a meal called the seudah ha-mafseket (“
the meal that interrupts)- that is, differentiates between a regular day and
the day of fasting. It is usually a modest meal, usually consisting of food
that is customarily provided for those in mourning- hard-boiled eggs and
lentils. An old custom was to put ashes on the food.
There
are a myriad of other rabbinic customs associated with this day, the above
being only a few to demonstrate the tone of this day. We must keep in mind that
this day along with the other three mentioned at the beginning of this article
are all rabbinically designated days. You will not find them in Leviticus as
with the G-d mandated festivals. However there is significant meaning attached
to these days with poignant lessons that may be gleaned from them.
Rosh Hashanah
Fast of Gedalia
ROSH HA-SHANAH- The New Year begins
at Sundown September 29th to September 30th at sundown 2008. This
is like a fiscal year and not the biblical year. This is the biblical Feast of
Trumpets.
“In
the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe complete
rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts” [Lev.23:32]
Rosh
ha-Shanah is referred to in the Torah as Yom Teruah- the Day of Sounding the
Shofar- or Yom ha-Zikkaron- the Day of Remembering. It was not called Rosh
ha-Shanah-the New Year- until Talmudic times. In the tradition, Rosh ha-Shanah
as the New year is tied to the creation of the world. However as Messianic Jews
we know that the Biblical New Year is actually in the month of Nisan. This
festival is actually a foreshadow of the Rapture, or calling away of believers
who will not be sealed to serve during the Tribulation.
The
focal place for our observance of this festival is in the synagogue vs. in the
home. The liturgy’s main theme is that of G-d as King. As we prepare for the
Day of Judgment on Yom Kippur, we take this time to reflect on our behavior
towards G-d and man and seek forgiveness as we repent of both overt sins and
those of which we may not be aware. Our central prayer is that of the 13
merciful attributes of G-d taken from Exodus 34:6-7. In addition the shofar is
blown as it will be when those who will be raptured are called into the air. On
its most basic level, the shofar can be seen to express what we cannot find the
right words to say. The blasts are the wordless cries of the people of
Interestingly,
in the Orthodox realm of Judaism, the mitzvah of the shofar is to hear the
shofar being blown, not to actually blow it yourself, hence the blessing “to
hear the sound of the shofar”. This would seem to fit perfectly with hearing
the sound of the shofar as YHVH summons those who will be raptured to the
Bridal supper!
Why
is Rosh ha-Shanah Two Days? Unlike other festivals that are celebrated in the
Diaspora for two days because of the uncertainty about the calendar, Rosh
ha-Shanah is the only holiday celebrated for two days in
Tzom Gedaliah
Falls on the day after Rosh
haShanah. This year it occurs on October 2, (Tishri 3).
This is a minor fast day
commemorating the assassination of Gedaliah, the last governor of Judea.
Following the destruction of the first temple in 586 B.C., the Babylonians
appointed Gedaliah over the remaining Jews. His death marked the end of any
remnant of Jewish sovereignty and led to the further dispersal of the Jewish
people (Jeremiah 41-42). It is one of the four fast days concerning the
destruction of the temple. Outside of traditional circles, it is not widely
observed. It is not a Biblically mandated fast but serves to remind us of yet
one more tragedy in the history of the Jewish people.
Shabbat Shuvah
YOM KIPPUR
Yom Kippur- Day of Atonement
October 8,2008 (Sundown)
Yom Kippur falls on the
tenth of Tishri and brings the ten days of awe(repentance) that started with
Rosh haShanah to a close. In temple times, Yom Kippur was a day of elaborate
cultic rituals to effect atonement of the people. ON this day, G-d’s special
name was pronounced by the high priest before the assembled masses in the
temple courtyards. Yom Kippur has continued as the day of atonement, though the
setting is now the synagogue instead of the temple, where traditionally the
entire day is spent in prayer. To aid in focusing our minds on the task of
atonement and repentance, we are told to “afflict” our bodies through fasting.
Rabbinical Judaism has added other forms of abstinence to the day as well. These
rabbinical restrictions include no bathing, no leather shoes, no sexual
relations and no anointing the body with oil. All of these activities were
considered pleasurable physically. This day is Biblically mandated as a
complete Sabbath rest. “ It shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and
you shall practice self-denial; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from
evening to evening, you shall observe this your Sabbath.”(Lev. 23:32) We are
meant to feel that the natural course of our existence is suspended on this day
while our lives, or at least the quality of our lives, hangs in the balance. We
are to face what a permanent suspension of existence- death- would be like, and
thus better appreciate our lives.
Services
Kol Nidrei The evening service begins with one
of the most famous passages chanted dramatically by the service leader. It
proclaims null and void those vows and promises that we may make and fail to
keep in the coming year. Thus, we begin Yom Kippur with a recognition that our
best intentions can go astray. Kol Nidrei, written in Aramaic, is a legal
formula, and a number of legal customs therefore surround its recital which are
rabbinical in nature. There are a number of rabbinical additions to this day
and the liturgy which are practiced to varying degrees in each synagogue.
At Beth Elohim we follow
the Biblical command for the day as stated in Leviticus. Our members may follow
the other forms of abstinence as mentioned above, but their observance is not
mandatory. There are also four other services associated with Yom Kippur in
traditional synagogues that will not be mentioned here.
Food
Of course this is a day of
fasting. Yom Kippur is preceded and followed by meals that are affected by
their relationship to it. The seudah ha mafseket, which precedes Yom
Kippur, is a full meal usually consisting of soup, chicken, etc. To help with
fasting, it is advisable to drink a lot of liquids the day before Yom Kippur.
Those who have diabetes or other such illnesses and pregnant women and infants
should not participate in this fast as it is detrimental to their health which
takes precedence over the fast.
The post-Yom Kippur
break-the-fast meal should be light and not very spicy so as to give the
shrunken stomach time to get used to regular eating. Interestingly enough
however, many congregations rush to their favorite restaurant after the last
service for a meal fit for a king!
Other traditions
Some people wear a kittel,
a white robe that is also used as a shroud at traditional funerals. On Yom
Kippur, we are meant to feel the touch of death, for death cuts through all the
defenses and illusions we have carefully created around our lives. The masks,
disguises and clothes are all gone and only we and YHVH/Yashua remain. Thus,
the first step in the process of repentance is to recognize without illusions
who we really are. Only then are we ready to begin anew the struggle to purge
those traits we do not like in ourselves and revitalize our souls for the new
year. Feeling regret for the past, we commit ourselves to change- to do
t’shuvah. The word t’shuvah is usually translated as repentance, but
also means turning and returning, for the process involves turning back to G-d.
Why the New before the Old?
Why does Rosh haShanah
precede Yom Kippur? Should it not be settling old accounts first, then starting
a new year with the promise of change and growth?
The hope for a new year
must precede a systematic review of the old, for it arouses us to the
possibility of renewal. The new year calls on us to evaluate ourselves closely
and become aware of who and where we are so that we can resolve to grow closer
to G-d in the coming year. Once conscious of the new year and what it has to
offer; another chance to grow and t’shuvah, we are ready to look back at our
past. Conscious of the fact that change can occur if we make the effort, and
that we have failed in many areas in the past, we can pause, take notice, thank
G-d for another year of training, and continue the race toward the prize as
stated by Sh’aul in the Brit Chadesha.
Yom Kippur Yizkor
Sukkot
Sukkot -
G-d’s Provision
Begins
October 13, 2008 (Sundown)
Sukkot,
usually translated as Tabernacles or Festival of Booths, occurs for seven days,
from Tishri 15-21. There is therefore a quick transition from the High Holy
Days, with the somber mood of repentance and judgment, to a holiday of
rejoicing and celebration for which we are commanded to build a hut (sukkah)
and make it our temporary home.
Sukkot
is the third pilgrimage festival. It marks the time of harvest, of the final
ingathering of produce before the oncoming winter. It is a reminder of G-d’s
provision during the exodus in the desert and the transient status we have in
this world. It is a reminder that G-d provides. It is also a foreshadowing of
G-d’s provision to come during the millennial kingdom and the ingathering of
In
Biblical times, Sukkot was chosen for the consecration of the temple by Solomon
(1 Kings 8). It was also the occasion every seven years for the ceremony of hak’heil
- the public reading of the Torah before the whole people (Deut. 31:10-13). As
mentioned in the preceding paragraph Sukkot is the festival of the future for
in the messianic period, all the nations will come up to Jerusalem to celebrate
this time. (Zech. 14:16)
There
are three commandments concerning Sukkot found in the Torah: (1) living in the
sukkah, (2) gathering together the four species, (3) rejoicing during the
holiday.
The
Sukkah
“
You shall live in huts seven days; all citizens of
The
most important ritual of Sukkot is spending time in the sukkah. It is a
temporary structure usually constructed of at least three walls covered with a
roof of branches. The temporary nature of the sukkah reminds us of the
impermanence of our lives, the fact that we are pilgrims on this earth and that
G-d always provides for His people. We are to spend time eating and sleeping (
if possible) in the sukkah, away from the comforts of our “other home” which may
include television, air conditioning, etc. We are to spend time in study in the
sukkah, reflecting on the purpose of this time. In
There
is a traditional blueprint for building a sukkah, but Sukkot can be made in a
variety of ways. It is important to keep the roof open enough to see the stars
at night and to have at least three walls, and to have the roof made of organic
material, However, there is room for creativity for the rest of the structure.
Some use lattice walls, some use PVC piping. Trees, cement blocks and other
materials may be used. Use your imagination! Don’t let the important meaning of
the festival become overshadowed with such details!
Because
this holiday is one of celebration and anticipation of the future events to
which it foreshadows, the Talmud suggests hanging decorations of various types
on and in the sukkah. Standard decorations include paper chains, fruit, Indian
corn, pictures of
Blessed
are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us through His
commandments, commanding us to light the festival lights.
Then
we recite the shehekeyanu blessing:
Blessed
are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, for keeping us in life, for
sustaining us, and for helping us reach this moment.
Unlike
the practice for Shabbat candle lighting, we first say the blessing and then
light the candles.
Ushpizin
There
is a custom of inviting ushpizin - symbolic guests- each day to join us
in the sukkah. These honorary guests are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses,
Aaron, and Davis. One is invited each day. This custom was popularized by the
kabbalists, each guest represented one of the sefirot- the spheres that
make up the universe- in the kabbalistic system. Another connection is that all
of these guests were wanderers. The theme of homelessness and wandering along
with the transient nature of the sukkah is reflected in the lives of these ushpizin.
The
Four Species
The
other important mitzvah is that of the arba minim- the four sepcies-
also called the lulav and etrog (palm branch and citron).
“
On the first day you shall take the product of goodly trees, branches of palm
trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice
before the L_rd your G-d seven days. [Lev. 23:40]
The
four species emphasize the agricultural nature of Sukkot. There is a specific
method of using the four species during this festival that will be demonstrated
in the synagogue as we celebrate the first night together.
Another
interpretation of the four species is the zymology associated with four types
of Jews.
The
etrog has a taste and fragrance and so stands for those Jews who possess
learning and good deeds. The palm tree has taste but not fragrance, like Jews
who possess learning but not good deeds. The myrtle has fragrance but not
taste, like Jews who possess good deeds but not learning. The willow has
neither, just as there are Jews who are neither good nor learned. There are
other interpretations but we shall not cover them all in this article.
This
is a time of hospitality in the most basic sense. We are encouraged to invite
those who do not have a sukkah to share in ours. We are encouraged to give food
to the poor and donate to other charities. After all, G-d provides for us and
we may be used of G-d to provide in some small way for others!
Spending
time for seven days in our Sukkot should remind us that we are not to strive
for an ascetic life, but instead strive for the shelter made of trust in the
faithfulness of Yahshua and trust(obedience) in G-d’s Torah. It is to remind us
of all these things so that the other weeks of the year, our homes are
different, or sheltering is different, and our relationships to G-d and other
people are different. Seven days spending time in the sukkah gives us plenty of
time to think on these things.
Ha-Mo'ed
HoShana Rabba
Hoshana Rabbah
Observed
on the seventh day of Sukkot.
This
year (2008) 20 October (21st Tishri)
Hoshana
Rabbah ( literally, the Great Hosanna or the numerous hosannas) is the seventh
day of Sukkot.It should have been a full festival day but it is not, because of
Shemini Atzeret, which follows it. However, it has some unique rituals and
customs that make the day more like a full festival day than any of the
intermediate days.
The
most important of these rituals are the circling of the synagogue seven times
instead of once while carrying the four species and reciting the hoshana
prayers. The second is the beating of the willows.
The
hoshanot are performed like those of the other days of Sukkot except that many
or all of the Torah scrolls are taken from the ark. One tradition is to take
out seven Torah scrolls and return one to the ark with each circuit. Another
custom is to carry a separate bunch of willows that will be beaten on the
floor. A less common practice is blowing the shofar at the end of each circuit.
In
temple times, branches were struck against the ground near the altar. This
ritual probably symbolized a casting away of sins and is the reason that
Hoshana Rabbah is still known as the final day of Judgment. Today this ritual
comes at the end of hoshanot and involves beating a bunch of willows against a
chair or the ground. This is a rabbinic commandment as is other customs and
rituals performed on this day.
Hoshanah
Rabbah customs may include a festive meal following the morning service. The
meal features nuts, meat and carrots cut into rings (the shape being a sign of
wealth). People wish each other pikta tava- literally, a good note, but
meaning a good writ of judgment. This is based on the Zohar (Tsav 31b):
“The seventh day of the festival is the close of the judgment of the world, and
writs of judgment issue from the sovereign.”
Another
custom is to stay up the whole night of Hoshana Rabbah to recite and study a
text called tikkun leil hoshana rabbah . This practice was prominent in
kabbalistic circles. Its purpose was to make sure you finished Deuteronomy
before the Torah reading was completed on Simchat Torah. For the kabbalists,
the tikkun was an attempt to “unite” the night and the day through Torah and
prayer. There are other variations of this custom that will not be addressed in
this article.
The
afternoon of Hoshana Rabbah is the winding down of Sukkot. Some people visit
the sukkah one last time and recite the following prayer: May it be that we
merit to swell in the sukkah made of Leviathan”.
If
we look at the Biblically mandated festivals in Leviticus 23, Hoshana Rabbah
will not be found. These customs along with this day are celebrated in
traditional synagogues where rabbinical Judaism and the oral Torah are viewed
as at least as important if not sometimes more important than the written Torah
commandments and statutes. We at Beth Elohim as Messianic believers follow the
written Torah and as such, G-d’s commands, regulations and statutes. Rabbinical
practices are not discouraged as long as they do not conflict with G-d’s
written Word. Therefore, we do not celebrate this day as a congregation.
Shemini Azeret
Shemini Atzeret
Observed
from sundown October 20 to sundown October 21, 2008
This
is a Biblically mandated day of observance and a holy convocation.
“
… on the eighth day you are to have a holy convocation and bring an offering
made by fire to Adonai; it is a day of public assembly; do not do any kind of
ordinary work.” (Lev. 23:36) The word atzeret means to “hold back” as in
to tarry a bit longer with G-d one more day during Sukkot.
The
connection to the Torah was made as a result of synagogue liturgy. At this time
of year, the end of the Book of Deuteronomy was read in the synagogue,
completing the reading of the whole Torah. On the Shabbat after Shemini
Atzeret, the cycle was begun again with the reading of Genesis 1:1. To
celebrate the completion of the cycle, the following holiday of Simchat Torah
was developed. Simchat Torah will be discussed as a separate event link on the
website.
Shemini
Atzeret is a full festival day marked by the usual rituals of Kiddush,
candleighting, etc. and by the prohibition on working. The blessing sheheheyanu
is recited at candle lighting and at Kiddush. The lulav and etrog are not used
ritually on Shemini Atzeret; and though Kiddush is recited in the sukkah, both
in the evening and morning, the blessing leisheiv ba-sukkah is omitted.
(In
The
uniqeness of this day is found in the tefillat geshem, the prayer for
rain. It is analogous to the prayer for dew recited at the beginning of Pesach.
Each marks a transition point in the agricultural year in
We
will be celebrating Shemini Atzeret as a Biblically mandated festival for those
who are able to participate at the synagogue.
Yizkor
Simchat Torah
Chanukah
Hanukkah
Observed Dec 22, 2008
This
is a rabbinical ordained holiday lasting eight days beginning with the 25th
of Kislev. Hanukkah is a word actually meaning “dedication”, referring to the
rededication of the temple.
Although
many of us are aware to some degree of the Hanukkah story, of the victory of
the Maccabees against the Greeks and of the miracle of the cruse of oil that
burned for eight days instead of one, upon closer examination of the holiday,
the early history is not so clear, and the story is not so simple.
The
common version must be reviewed before going into its sources in detail. In the
fourth century B.C., Alexander the Great with his Greek armies conquered the
Near East including
One
day the Greeks came to the
Interestingly,
there is a deeper meaning to this holiday most likely unknown to traditional
Jews. According to the Biblical timeline Yahshua would have been conceived
about this time. Hence, the “Light of the world”, Yahshua is celebrated in the
Messianic Jewish synagogues as well as the miracle of the oil. Indeed the
middle candle of the Hanakiah is the Shamesh candle from which all the others
are lit. This may be likened to the branches (believers) getting their life
from the (vine) Yahshua. There are other multiple meanings and symbology
attached to the hanukkah menorah; these are but a few.
Traditions
Like
the holiday itself, the ritual of lighting the menorah is rabbinically
ordained. The menorah is lighted each night after sundown. One light is added
each night until all eight are lighted by the last night of the holiday. It is
customary to place the menorah in the window so all who pass by can see.
Although lighting one menorah fulfills the mitzvah, many families have a
menorah for each member. The lighting procedure is as follows:
The
correct number of candles are placed in the menorah, beginning at your right.
Each subsequent night you add one candle, starting at the right and moving
left. After the candles are set, you light the shammash, the helper candle,
which usually has a distinct place on the menorah apart from or above the other
candles. Before lighting the candles, the following blessings are recited:
Praised are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified
our lives through His commandments, commanding us to kindle the Hanukkah
lights.
Praised are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who performed
miracles for our ancestors, in those days, in this season.
On
the first night only we recite the she-he-heyanu:
Praised are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, for giving us life,
for sustaining us, and for helping us to reach this moment.
Then
use the shammash to light the candle. After the first night, begin the lighting
with the candle that has been added. Thus you always begin on the left and end
on the right- the opposite way you place the candles in the menorah.
Although
gifts are usually exchanged during Hanukkah in the Diaspora, in
It
is also an old custom to play games, the most popular being dreidel (sevivon)
in modern Hebrew. Though the rabbis of the Middle Ages opposed playing games of
chance, they permitted them during the long nights of Hanukkah. The dreidel is
a top with a different Hebrew letter inscribed on each of its four sides -nun,gimel,heh,shin.
They form an acronym for the phrase Neis gadol hayah sham- “A great
miracle happened there.” In
According
to the Talmud; rabbi Joshua ben Levi, “Women are obligated to light the
Hanukkah menorah for they took part in the miracle” (Shabbat 23a). How is this
so? Here is one of two stories told.
The
Syrian governor demanded that Jewish brides be first given to him on their
wedding nights. When the daughter of the high priest finished her wedding
ceremony, she tore off her clothes and stood naked before all the guests,
whereupon her brothers became enraged with her and wanted to kill her. She
said, “ Over my nakedness you become angry, but over what the governor will do
to me you remain silent.” Roused to fury, her brothers went to the governor and
killed him. Thus the revolt started.
We
celebrate the first night of Hanukkah at Beth Elohim. However, you should also
light the candles of your own menorahs when you return home. We typically have
music, pass out candy gelt to the children and have a nice Oneg. It is a
wonderful time to remember both the miracle of the oil and the bravery of the
Maccabees, and to celebrate our Messiah Yahshua, the Light of the world. The
rabbi also presents a wonderful Hanukkah count explaining each night that he
will make available this year as in all other years.
Simchat Torah
Observed
sunset October 21,2008
The
rituals around Simchat Torah which means (Rejoice in the Torah) revolve around
the completion and beginning again of the cycle of Torah readings. In Israel
Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret are celebrated on the same night. Outside
There
are several verses which are read praising G-d and Torah. There are several
other customs and traditions as well depending on the congregation and the sect
of Judaism. Another of the more common customs is for the children to wave
flags reminiscent of the tribal flags under which the Israelites marched in the
desert. (We will try and order some for this day)
There
is no special Oneg but folks usually bring some snacks of various kinds. There
is no strict protocol concerning food.
1st Chanukah Light in the eve
Chanukah ends with lighting of the eighth light
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