Hello again everybody and welcome to another edition of Not for Gentiles Only
You may think that the Jewish Holidays are over for a while. As you know Yom Kippur ended at Sundown last Saturday, September 30 or the 10th of Tishrei on the Jewish Calendar.
Your Jewish friends have all fasted, atoned for their sins, and had a lox and bagel pizza to break the fast. (If you have sinned against a Jew or a Jew has sinned against you, it is pretty much too late to do anything about it. Try again next year.)
Beginning on Wednesday night (October 4 or Tishrei 10), Jews will celebrate 4 holidays in 8 days or 9 days. Don’t worry about the extra day unless you live in New York and have kids in public school.
These holidays are:
SUKKOT: FESTIVAL OF BOOTHS/TABERNACLES
This holiday lasts 7 days in Israel and in the Torah. In the diaspora, it lasts anywhere from 8 days to 0 days depending on one's level of observance.
You may see these types of booths in your neighborhood. This one is in our backyard.
Traditionally observant Jews eat their meals and sleep in the sukkah. You may also observe people waving a piece of fruit and some stalks and branches.
You may see these types of booths in your neighborhood. This one is in our backyard.
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| Been very dry in Highland Park |
Traditionally observant Jews eat their meals and sleep in the sukkah. You may also observe people waving a piece of fruit and some stalks and branches.
HOSHANA RABBAH: THE FINAL JUDGEMENT
For a holiday, I'd never heard of until last week it is pretty important. It falls on the final day of Sukkot.
The Midrash tells us that G‑d told Abraham: “If atonement is not granted to your children on Rosh Hashanah, I will grant it on Yom Kippur; if they do not attain atonement on Yom Kippur, it will be given on Hoshana Rabbah.” Chabad.org Last stop on the repentance train.
Traditionally Jews stay up all night reading the entire book of Deuteronomy (5th and final book of the Torah aka Old Testament) and After Midnight...read the book of Psalms and listen to J.J. Cale.
SHEMINI ATZERET: 8 DAYS A WEEK
The day after Sukkot. Celebrated the same day as Simchat Torah. Except when it isn't.
SIMCHAT TORAH: ROLL THE SCROLL
DANCE-REPEAT
A super popular holiday filled with dancing with the Torah and each other. And drinking. Sometimes excessive drinking. There used to be many articles on the Internet about excessive drinking during Simchat Torah. Either the drinking has been curtailed or the Internet has given up.
A super popular holiday filled with dancing with the Torah and each other. And drinking. Sometimes excessive drinking. There used to be many articles on the Internet about excessive drinking during Simchat Torah. Either the drinking has been curtailed or the Internet has given up.
I look forward to this. Makes Mondays a little better. And now, holier.
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