DELIBERATELY DIVERSE | by Frances Sorrow
Jewish fall festivals
Deliberately Diverse represents the individual thoughts and opinions of a group of Taylor friends who almost never completely agree about anything, but are gratified by the opportunity to stimulate deliberately diverse discussions in our beloved community.
Today’s column is by Frances Sorrow, a Taylor resident.
In the Hebrew month of Tishri, which occurs in either September or October, we start a busy cycle of Jewish Holidays. The first, called Rosh Hashanah, or “New Year” is commanded in Lev. 23:24--
25. “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a complete rest, a sacred assembly, commemorated by the blast
of trumpets.” We spend much of the day in worship and prayer. Although we call it Rosh Hashanah, the biblical name is Yom Tetuah or “Day of Blasts,” referring to blowing the shofar (ram’s horn), during services. Families gather for a festive meal and everyone is encouraged to eat something round and sweet, such as apples dipped in honey, symbolizing the wish for a full and sweet year.
Rosh Hashanah initiates the Days of Awe, the time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the “Day of Atonement.” This is a time to reflect on one’s imperfections and make amends for wrong doing. The next holiday, Yom Kippur, is mandated in Lev. 23:27-28.
“The 10th day of the seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you. You shall practice self-denial.”
The day is spent in prayer, repentance and fasting. We pray for forgiveness for our failures, and for health and well-being in the year to come.
Sukkot, meaning booths or tabernacles, also falls in Tishri. Lev.
23:35-37 says, “On the 15th day of the seventh month, there shall be the Feast of Booths … to last seven days.”
This was, and is again in Israel, the fall harvest festival. It also commemorates the booths used during our 40 years in the desert.
It is a joyful festival.
Practices vary, from putting up elaborate booths to simply decorating an outdoor space. We try to spend as much time as possible in the sukkah, while giving thanks for our blessings. Stuffed vegetables and casseroles are popular in these outdoor meals.
Lev. 23:36 says, “On the eighth day, you shall observe a sacred assembly.” This is called Shemeni Atzeret, which means eighth day of assembly, and concludes Sukkot. The next day, the 23rd of Tishri, is one of our happiest festivals, Simchat Torah, or ‘Rejoicing in Torah.’ This celebrates that the Torah never ends.
We read the end of Deuteronomy and the opening of Genesis.
Thus, each week of each year, we read a part of Torah, in an unending cycle. There is dancing, processions with the Torah and joyful songs.
This year the cycle starts at sundown called Erev Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 15. Yom Kippur starts at sundown on Sept. 24 and Sukkot starts at sundown Sept.
29. Simchat Torah completes the cycle on Oct.
8.
