The Festival of Sukkot is seven days long, no, wait, eight; literally, the Jewish folk tradition is that G*d didn’t want to part from us after seven days of joy together, and so asked us to wait one more day before going home. That last day is called Shemini Atzeret, literally, “stop here for an eighth [day].” It’sContinue reading “Shabbat hol hamo’ed Sukkot: Why Bother?”
Monthly Archives: September 2018
Shabbat Ha’azinu: Listen to the Ages
Our New Year of 5779 has begun, although the Torah year is not quite complete – we will read the end and the beginning of our Torah when we gather for our Simkhat Torah observance on Monday evening October 1. Between that day and this Shabbat we have an entire Festival to celebrate: Sukkot, the seasonContinue reading “Shabbat Ha’azinu: Listen to the Ages”
Shabbat Shuvah: Remember Who You Are
Every year we observe Shabbat Shuvah between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. It is not the same parashah every year, though; this year, our Torah text is parashat VaYelekh, “he went.” It refers to Moshe, called in our tradition Moshe Rabbenu, “our Rabbi” – our teacher, our guide, our spiritual support. וַיֵּלֶךְ, מֹשֶׁה; וַיְדַבֵּר אֶת-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה,Continue reading “Shabbat Shuvah: Remember Who You Are”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 