Listen to tonight's class, "Sukkot: The Journey," here.
Follow along with the sources here.
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Monday, July 25, 2022
Monday, July 18, 2022
Sunday, July 17, 2022
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Thursday, April 21, 2022
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Sunday, October 3, 2021
Sukkot: Not Knowing
"Not Knowing"
Thoughts on Sukkot 2021
Click here to view as PDF
I will forever remember my first day at a post-high school yeshivah in Israel. My rabbi posed a question at the beginning of his shiur on that day. Certain that I knew the answer, I immediately raised my hand. The rabbi was noticeably surprised that I could think of a proper response so quickly. He slowly raised his eye brows as he turned to call on me. I suggested an answer. He refuted it. I defended my approach. He dismissed it again. This went on for a few minutes until the rabbi stopped our discussion in order to teach me an important lesson. “Harari,” he began, “Now is the right time for you to learn an ancient philosophical saying.” I gulped. “A person who doesn’t know that he doesn’t know – doesn’t know,” he said, “Your growth and success in life won’t come from the answers you give, but from the questions you ask.” I bowed my head in shame and kept quiet.
I seem to relearn
this lesson every year at this time of Sukkot. Even as our sukkot today
are built sturdier than ever before and our weather forecasts boast
unprecedented accuracy, Sukkot still forces us to contend with the “unknowns”
of life. Whether it’s the unexpected rainstorm, the strong winds which sweep
away our skhakh, or the uninvited guests – mosquitos, bees or bad smells
– which enter the sukkah, our exposure to the elements pushes a wide
array of unforeseen circumstances into our focus on Sukkot.
As I reflected upon
these feelings on one rainy night last week, I realized that those difficult
feelings of unpredictability might actually be woven into the very fabric of
Sukkot.
The predominant
rabbinic view is that our sukkot commemorate the clouds of glory (ananei
ha-kavod) which accompanied Am Yisrael on their journey through the
desert (See Tur O”H, 625). The Torah described how their many
travels and encampments were determined by the movement of those clouds
(Bemidbar 9:15-23). The clouds provided a sense of safety and security to the
people. And yet, the Torah described an unexpected problem at the onset of the
journey:
The people
took to complaining bitterly before God. God heard and was incensed. A fire of
God broke out against them, ravaging the outskirts of the camp. (Bemidbar 11:1)
What were they
complaining about? The text is silent. Drawing from the narrow context, Rashbam
suggested that the people were frustrated by torah ha-derekh – burdens
of travel. Expanding his interpretation, I think that although Am Yisrael
had just begun their march through the desert, there was a list of questions
which already weighed upon them: Where exactly are we going? When are we
travelling? Where will stop along the way? The uncomfortable feelings of
“not knowing” plagued them and caused their complaints. Remembering the ananei
ha-kavod on Sukkot, then, means remembering that we don’t know.
Ironically, our
ability to accept the uncertainties of life holds the keys to opening the gates
of self-understanding and discovery. Consider, for example, how at the root of
the English word “question” is “quest,” and “mada – knowledge” lies at
the root of the Hebrew word “madu’a – why?” Convinced that we have all
the answers to life’s greatest challenges, we stunt our own potential for
growth and progress. Stepping, instead, into the vulnerable realm of “not
knowing” sets us on the path of development.
It’s not easy to
appreciate the unexpected situations that arise on Sukkot. They’re physically
uncomfortable and emotionally disturbing. But just try. Try to heed the ancient
call of “not knowing” and admit that you don’t – and won’t – have all
the answers. Courageously embrace the unpredictable. I’ve learned from the past
that despite its discomforts, it’s an enriching experience. By realizing that
you “don’t know,” your mind and soul will become attuned to a world of growth
as they’re exposed to unforeseen vistas of thought and emotion.
Sunday, September 26, 2021
Monday, September 6, 2021
Rosh HaShanah: "With the Shofar"
"With the Shofar"
Thoughts on Rosh HaShanah 2021
Click here to view as PDF
The Gemara (Rosh HaShanah 34b) describes the structure of Musaf on Rosh HaShanah. The Amidah includes three unique berakhot – Malkhuyot (Kingship), Zikhronot (Remembrances) and Shofarot, and each part concludes with the sounds of the shofar. Rabbah explained:
The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: “Recite before Me on
Rosh HaShanah Malkhuyot, Zikhronot, and Shofarot. Malkhiyot – so that
you will crown me as King over you; Zikhronot – so that your remembrances
will rise before Me for good. And with what? With the shofar.
The shofar
isn’t blown as a “standalone” trumpet on Rosh HaShanah, but rather as an “accompaniment”
to the words that we speak. The sounds of the shofar complement our statements
of honor to God as our King and requests that He remember us favorably.
The shofar, then, is a
rare opportunity to introduce a unique “musical accompaniment” to the tefilot
on the holidays. Why?
The late neurologist Oliver
Sacks once wrote about his meetings with patients who were struggling with
expressive aphasia, unable to speak their thoughts or feelings. He would sing
to them “Happy Birthday,” and then marvel as they joined in, singing the tune
and sometimes even the words of the song. Sacks explained that the language
capacities of these patients were never lost, but rather buried “inside” them,
and it was the tempo, rhythm and melody of music which brought them out.[1] He
cited, as well, the case of an elderly man who struggled to put together simple
sentences, but could still play the piano, read and write music, take part in a
weekly singing group, and – most surprisingly – read a passage chosen at random
from the Torah with use of the music cantillation notes (ta’amim).[2]
R. Shimon b. Semah Duran z”l, a great 15th
Century Sephardic authority, explained that just as the vowels (nikud)
define the precise meaning of a Hebrew word, the ta’amim bring out the underlying
messages of the laws and narratives of the Torah.[3] And
although it is generally accepted that (in unideal situations) one may read
from the Torah without ta’amim, R.
Hayim Soloveitchik z”l was adamant that each of the ta’amim be
read properly, at times even forcing the Torah reader to repeat a word or verse
to correct a mistaken ta’am.[4] He
seemingly reasoned that the rhythmic flow of the reading is inseparable from text
itself.
“R.
Yohanan said: Concerning anyone who reads from the Torah without melody or
studies the Mishnah without a song, the verse states: ‘So too I gave them
statutes that were not good’ (Yehezkel 20:25” (Megilah 32a). Tosafot (s.v.
ve-hashoneh) referred to the ancient practice of reciting Mishnayot to
a particular tune as an aide for memory. The text couldn’t stand alone. It
had to be blended together with the melody of song.
The music
which accompanies words, then, is like the soul which fills the body. It is a force
which instills life, elevating the words from sound to meaning. Neither the
body nor soul is complete on its own in this world. Instead, they must come
together to sustain the miraculous entity of life.
…And with what? With the shofar.
Carefully
chosen words of praise and request represent the “body” of Rosh HaShanah. The shofar
is its “soul.” The prayers focus on the significant aspects of our
relationship with God – our acknowledgement of Him (Malkhuyot) and His
remembrance of us (Zikhronot). They fashion the “body” of the day. But
what is a body without its soul? Therein lies the secret of the shofar. The
majestic sound of the tekiah, the broken sigh of the shevarim and
the whimpering cry of the teruah form the unique musical accompaniment
of Rosh HaShanah. They are the soul.
I hope
and pray that this Rosh HaShanah will be for you and your family an experience which
is enriched by the lively union of body and soul – tefilah and shofar.
Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Tuesday, July 20, 2021
Friday, April 2, 2021
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Friday, March 26, 2021
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