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Editor's Note:
Dear Friend,
Simchat Torah is coming! It’s the crowning moment of a holiday season that has spanned the full gamut of human emotion. The theme of this holiday is unbridled joy—sheer happiness.
But whose happiness is it? Simchat Torah means “the happiness of the Torah.” How do you get a scroll to celebrate?
Here’s a thought: The Zohar teaches us that Torah, G‑d and Israel are all one. Thus, when we rejoice in our connection to G‑d, He rejoices with us. And when we and G‑d celebrate together, we can be sure that the Torah dances right along as well.
So what are we waiting for? Let’s celebrate!
L’chaim!
The Chabad.org Editorial Team
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Real RichThe truly rich person is one whose very being is to give.You only truly own that which you are capable of giving away.[Maamar Tefillah L’Mosheh 5729.]
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This Week's Features
This Week's Features
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Four of a KindA Sukkot talk from the Rebbe
http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/livingtorah/player_cdo/aid/1638120/jewish/Four-of-a-Kind.htm
http://www.chabad.org/1638120
SIMCHAT TORAH INFO CENTER
Four of a Kind
Disc 93, Program 371
Event Date: 18 Tishrei 5741 - September 28, 1980
The Midrash teaches that each of the Four Species on Sukkos represents one kind of Jew: The Esrog, with both good taste and fragrance, represents the Jew who excels in both Torah and Mitzvos. The Lulav, the palm branch, whose fruit has good taste but no smell, represents the Jew who excels only in Torah study. The Hadas, myrtle, has fragrance, but no taste. It represents the Jew who excels only at Mitzvos. And the Aravah, the willow, without taste or smell, represents the Jew who excels neither at Torah nor at Mitzvos. The Midrash concludes: “On Sukkos, all four Jews must join together, for each one completes the others.”
The Esrog, seemingly the greatest of them all, holds the secret to this unity, for the word “Esrog” forms an acronym of the verse: “Let not the foot of arrogance overtake me.”
Arrogance certainly does not belong in one’s head. The point here is that arrogance doesn’t even belong in one’s feet. So when the “Esrog” – the one who excels in both Torah and Mitvos, lives up to his name, he guarantees no trace of arrogance even down to his foot. It is this humility that makes him – the Esrog – “beautiful,” with a beauty that extends to the other three Species as well, and makes them one.
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Sure there are the Torahs and prayers, but there is also dancing, singing, tomfoolery, and snacking in the synagogue. By Menachem Posner
Images (from Flash90) were not captured on the holiday.
Simchat Torah, which follows the holiday of Sukkot, offers synagogue services unlike those you’ll see on any other day. Sure there are the Torahs, and there are Hebrew prayers, but there is also dancing, singing, tomfoolery, snacking, and maybe even some (moderate) drinking in the synagogue. Unique Simchat Torah services, celebrating the completion of the yearly Torah reading cycle, are held at night and then during the day. Let’s have a look.
Warning: May Begin Dancing Without Prior Notice
Although there is a specific framework to follow, there is a measure of spontaneous joy built into the day. So people may just break out into spontaneous singing, dancing, and more singing at any point throughout the service.
Now, this dancing is somewhat different from what you may encounter in other settings. Since there is no instrumental music, singing and clapping are part and parcel of the dance. Jews tend to dance in circles. Dancers may hold the hands of their neighbors, place their hands on their neighbors’ shoulders, or simply bounce around in a loosely coordinated chaotic circle. Someone may grab a hold of you and pull you into the circle of dancers. Join them. No one is checking to make sure you know the steps (there generally are none), and you’ll actually have fun.
Also note that men and women dance separately. When in the synagogue, the men dance around the bimah, the Torah-reading platform in the center of their half of the room, and the women will sometimes create an open dance floor on their side of the sanctuary to do the same.
Images (from Flash90) were not captured on the holiday.
Simchat Torah, which follows the holiday of Sukkot, offers synagogue services unlike those you’ll see on any other day. Sure there are the Torahs, and there are Hebrew prayers, but there is also dancing, singing, tomfoolery, snacking, and maybe even some (moderate) drinking in the synagogue. Unique Simchat Torah services, celebrating the completion of the yearly Torah reading cycle, are held at night and then during the day. Let’s have a look.
Warning: May Begin Dancing Without Prior Notice
Although there is a specific framework to follow, there is a measure of spontaneous joy built into the day. So people may just break out into spontaneous singing, dancing, and more singing at any point throughout the service.
Now, this dancing is somewhat different from what you may encounter in other settings. Since there is no instrumental music, singing and clapping are part and parcel of the dance. Jews tend to dance in circles. Dancers may hold the hands of their neighbors, place their hands on their neighbors’ shoulders, or simply bounce around in a loosely coordinated chaotic circle. Someone may grab a hold of you and pull you into the circle of dancers. Join them. No one is checking to make sure you know the steps (there generally are none), and you’ll actually have fun.
Also note that men and women dance separately. When in the synagogue, the men dance around the bimah, the Torah-reading platform in the center of their half of the room, and the women will sometimes create an open dance floor on their side of the sanctuary to do the same.
Calling All Kids!Children are more than welcome to join in the Simchat Torah celebrations. They make the celebration. Clutching flags or plush Torahs, they run between the legs of the dancers, ride atop the shoulders of their elders, and lend color and joy to an already joyous evening.
Some synagogues may even have special children’s programs. If this is relevant to you, you may want to check with your synagogue in advance.
Simchat Torah NightServices begin like an ordinary holiday. Evening services center around the Shema and then the Amidah (“The Standing Prayer”; make sure you say the special holiday version with the insertions for Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah). You may note that the services will be led in a special tune, the same one used on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
At this point, most congregations take a refreshment break. Since this is (the start of) a holiday meal, we begin with kiddush, a blessing over wine. After you’ve heard kiddush (and taken a sip of wine if you are so inclined), feel free to help yourself to whatever’s being offered. In many congregations, people will also be sharing toasts of l’chaim (“to life”). If you are of legal age, feel free to share a l’chaim or two with your neighbors.
The evening often continues with an auction, as people vie for the honor of leading the congregation in certain chants or holding the Torah during the dancing. In some communities the currency may be mitzvahs, time devoted to learning, or other spiritual tender. In other communities, it may take the form of pledges toward the synagogue or other charitable causes. The bidding is part of the fun (and a great way to motivate people to do what they should be doing in any case), but it’s perfectly okay not to bid.
Atah Hor’eisaOnce that is done, the actual Simchat Torah service begins with the recitation of a collection of biblical verses. The first verse opens with the words atah hor’eisa, and lends its name to all the subsequent verses, so that they are all called Atah Hor’eisas (or Atah Hor’eitas).
In Chabad communities the custom is that each Atah Hor’eisa is recited by a different person, and the entire roster of 17 verses is recited three times.
Hakafos
Then the Torahs are removed from the ark, and men get ready to parade them around the bimah. These circuits are called hakafos or hakafot (in fact, the entire evening is sometimes called hakafos). Joining the fellows honored with holding the actual scrolls, the other men and boys take their places in the large procession. The leader of the procession calls out loudly from the prescribed verses in the prayerbook, in which we address G‑d in a litany of honorifics arranged in the order of the Hebrew alphabet. Everyone else chants after him line by line. In many communities, each hakafah is extended far beyond a single circuit, and the singing and dancing continue for several minutes before the next hakafah begins. Generally, different men are honored to hold the Torah at the start of each hakafah, and another person is honored to call out the chants. If you are a grown man, someone may give you a Torah to hold. Just hold it as you dance, and then pass it on to someone else when you are ready.
The singing and dancing can last well into the night, so don’t feel that you have to stay until the end if you’re getting sleepy or if the little ones are getting cranky. There will be more Simchat Torah fun tomorrow.
Simchat Torah MorningSimchat Torah morning services start like ordinary holiday services, with verses from Psalms, Shema and its accompanying blessings, and the Amidah (again, make sure to say the holiday version with the proper insertions).
The first anomaly you will encounter is that the priestly blessing is held during the cantor’s repetition of the Amidah during the Shacharit service instead of during Musaf (as is done on other holidays). Known as Birkat Kohanim, this blessing can be given only by descendants of Aaron, the first high priest. They bless the congregation with prosperity, divine favor and peace, using an ancient formula written in the Torah. You will notice the kohanim exit the synagogue to wash their hands before performing the blessing. During the actual blessing they cover their upper bodies with their prayer shawls and stand up front, facing the congregation. It’s customary for men to cover their heads with their prayer shawls, and for small children to stand underneath their father’s tallit during the blessing.
Following the repetition of the Amidah, many congregations take a little refreshment break before the hakafos to follow, which is another departure from regular holiday services. Like before, wait to hear kiddush before tucking in.
Like Simchat Torah night, many congregations will have auctions, followed by Ata Hor’eisas and hakafos. On the block today are the same honors as last night, as well as a number of honors associated with the day’s special Torah reading. Since people are often partied out and it’s still early in the morning, the dancing may not feel as vigorous as the night before.
One major structural difference you may see is that the seven hakafot are crammed into just three and a half consecutive circuits around the reading table, each hakafah taking up a half-circuit. There is still room for spontaneous dancing, l’chaims, and fun before and after.
Torah ReadingToday’s Torah reading is the most elaborate of all the year’s readings. To start with, three Torah are removed from the ark (assuming the congregation owns three scrolls).
The basic procedure is that, one after another, men will be called up by their Hebrew names to the reading table. Each of these men will recite a blessing while holding the handles of the Torah, and the Torah reader will read a section from the Torah, following which the men will recite another blessing. Your job is to say “amen” after each blessing. Each calling is referred to as an aliyah.
There will be eight aliyahs today. There is also a custom for every male to receive an aliyah on Simchat Torah. So how are eight aliyahs divided among dozens of men? There are two creative solutions:
The more common solution is to read certain passages again and again, allowing many people to be called up consecutively. This can take a long time in a large congregation. To further expedite things, additional scrolls may be removed from the ark, and simultaneous auxiliary readings may be held in different rooms. Some communities (including many Chabad congregations) simply call up many men at once for a collective aliyah.
Here is the breakdown of the Torah reading:Torah #1
Aliyahs 1–6 cover the final portion of the Torah, Vezot Habrachah.
The first aliyah is reserved for anyone of the kohen priestly clan, and the second is for the Levites. So make sure to take your spot if you are a kohen or Levi.
The third and fourth aliyahs are when all other men who did not buy a specific aliyah are called up.
The fifth aliyah, called “Kol HaNe’arim” (All Youth), is special. On Simchat Torah, even children are called to the Torah, and they do so along with the person who purchased this aliyah. In some congregations, a tallit is spread out over the youthful crowd as they get their once-a-year honor.
The sixth aliyah is considered a great honor, since it contains the final words of the Torah. The person who gets it (having usually bid for the honor) is known as the Chosson Torah (or Chatan Torah, Groom of the Torah) and is called up in a lengthy Hebrew poem full of flowery praises for the Torah and its “groom.”
Torah #2
Now that the Torah has finished, we are ready to begin anew. The person who gets this aliyah, which is also a great honor, is known as the Chosson Bereishis (Chatan Bereishit, Groom of Genesis). He is also called up in a lengthy Hebrew poem full of flowery praises.
As the reader recites certain familiar phrases in the Genesis narrative, the congregation will say the Hebrew words aloud, and the reader will chant after them.
Torah #3
The final aliyah (known as maftir) covers a small section from the Book of Numbers that tells of the animal sacrifices that would be brought on this day in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Whoever gets maftir will stick around to chant aloud a portion of the Prophets (known as the haftorah) from a book.
Special Hagbah × 3
Note that after we finish reading from each of the three Torahs, the scroll is hoisted high in the air for all to see (this is called hagbah). Here is the cool twist: Normally, whoever does hagbah does so in a way that the text of the Torah faces him. Today, some people cross their arms, and then uncross them in midair so that the Torah texts are facing away from them. Do not do this unless you are confident in your ability to do this properly.
Services then continue with Musaf, which basically consists of an additional Amidah, which is then repeated by the cantor. It contains special texts for the holiday, but everything else is pretty much the same as on an ordinary Shabbat.
(In some congregations, people may play silly pranks on the cantor. For example, they may sprinkle water on his head when he says the words praising G‑d who “brings down the rain,” or tie him up and flip him over at another point. It’s all in good fun, and the cantor knew what he was getting into when he volunteered, so no need to get too alarmed.)
By now, it is probably early afternoon, and you’ve done it—you’ve celebrated Simchat Torah!
Special Simchat Torah Lingo
For whatever reason, many of the proceedings are announced with special Yiddish (or Hebrew) terms. Here are the most common ones not clarified in the article:
Chai: The Hebrew word for life, it has the numerical value of 18. Often the bidding will be conducted in multiples of 18. So $180, for example, is called “10 times chai.”Tzum ershten mohl . . . tzum tzveiten mohl . . . tzum driten mohl: Literally, “for the first time, for the second time, for the third time,” this lingo is employed by the auctioneer. So, for example, if a person bid $180 for the honor of hagbah on the first Torah, the auctioneer will announce, “10 times chai for the first hagbah, tzum ershten mohl; 10 times chai for the first hagbah, tzum tzveiten mohl; 10 times chai for the first hagbah, tzum driten mohl!” and the honor will be sold.
Oom: a Yiddish term denoting that we are now in the middle of something. So “Oom Atah Hor’eisa” implies that you should already have taken your seat for the Atah Hor’eisas, and “Oom hakafos” means that hakafos are beginning.
Ad kan hakafah alef: Ad kan is Hebrew for “until here.” At the end of each hakafah, we announce “ad kan hakafah ——” and the letter of the Hebrew alphabet denoting that hakafah’s number.
Shemini Atzeret
It’s important to note that in chassidic circles, the entire Simchat Torah nighttime celebration is also held on the preceding night, Shemini Atzeret. The procedure is the same, but there is one major difference: On Shemini Atzeret, we eat only in the sukkah. As such, you may find that people will duck outside for kiddush and refreshments, and then go back inside for Atah Hor’eisas, occasionally going back out for a bit to drink and eat.
There are no Atah Hor’eisas or hakafos during the daytime services for Shemini Atzeret.
Note that Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are just one day in Israel, making for 24 hours of compressed celebration (with the Yizkor memorial service being observed smack dab in middle of the Simchat Torah daytime festivities).
Did you find this informative? This is part of a series of “What to Expect” articles that offer visitors a basic understanding of Jewish rituals and traditions.
© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Simchat Torah Info Center Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah
Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah
October 23-25, 2016
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Simchat Torah Essay
What Shemini Atzeret Teaches Us About Inclusiveness By Chava Shapiro
Shemini Atzeret, the day after the seventh day of Sukkot (the 22nd of the month of Tishrei), is a mysterious Jewish holiday. In some respects, Shemini Atzeret is considered as part of Sukkot, but in other respects it is a distinct holiday unto itself. The enigmatic nature of the day is perhaps most overt in the way the Torah introduces it. After Sukkot, during which all nations, Jews and non-Jews, celebrated and brought sacrificial offerings to the Temple, G‑d makes a special request of the Jewish people (Leviticus 23:36):“On the eighth day [from the start of Sukkot], it shall be an atzeret to you . . .”
The commentator Rashi elaborates that the term atzeret, literally “holding back,” is one of affection, as a father would say to his children who are departing him: “Your departure is difficult for me. Please stay with me for just one more day!” After all the other nations have gone home, G‑d asks the Jewish people to “hold back” for one more day of celebration—“Shemini Atzeret.”1
The Kabbalists have a different twist. In their signature fashion, they compare Shemini Atzeret to the intimacy of husband and wife in consummation of their wedding: the celebratory feast has come to an end, the guests and relatives have returned home, and the groom and bride—a mystical metaphor for G‑d and the Jewish people—are left to enjoy an intimate moment for the first time, together, alone.2 The mystics therefore considered Shemini Atzeret to be the crowning moment of the holiday-filled month of Tishrei, culminating the progression of holidays preceding it: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. On this most auspicious day of the Jewish calendar, they postured, one can experience the pinnacle of joy and closeness to G‑d.
Yet this bond not only ties us, the Jewish nation, to G‑d, but to one another as well. To better understand how this is so—how on Shemini Atzeret we experience Jewish unity in the most profound sense—we need to take a closer look at the journey up to Shemini Atzeret, the progression of holidays leading up to the holiday, beginning with Rosh Hashanah.
**
Every year immediately before Rosh Hashanah, we read the parshah of Nitzavim, in which Moses speaks to the Jewish people a few days before they will enter the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 29:9–10):
“You stand upright this day, all of you, before the L‑rd your G‑d: your heads, your tribes, your elders, your officers and all the men of Israel; your little ones, your wives, and your stranger that is in your camp, from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water . . .”
The Baal Shem Tov explains that the term hayom (“this day”) is a reference to Rosh Hashanah, the day on which every one of us stands together in judgment before G‑d. Lest someone mistakenly think they were excluded from the phrase “all of you,” Moses continues to list the many classes and types amongst the Jewish people—from the heads of the tribes to the small children to the wood-choppers and water-drawers—to emphasize that before G‑d, there exists no hierarchy; we are all equally important and equally irreplaceable in G‑d’s world. This fact is especially salient on Rosh Hashanah, as we stand together as a nation to crown G‑d as King of the universe. As the famed commentator Alshich explains3:
“That the leader or the sage is superior to the wood-hewer or the water-carrier is only from our earthbound perspective, which sees a ‘hierarchy’ of roles. But when ‘you all stand before G‑d,’ there is no higher and lower—what seems ‘low’ here is no less lofty and significant in G‑d’s eyes.”
Not only are we all equally important before G‑d, explained Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, we are all interdependent:
“Like the various organs and limbs of a body, each of which complements, serves and fulfills all the others, so too the Jewish people: the simple ‘wood-hewer’ or ‘water-carrier’ contributes something to each and every one of his fellow Jews, including the most exalted ‘head.’”4
The theme of Jewish unity carries over to Yom Kippur, when we all stand together as one before G‑d as our judgment is sealed, and as the highest level of our soul, the yechidah, is revealed, a level of our soul synonymous with unity between us and G‑d that we share with every Jew.
Once again, on Sukkot, we celebrate this unity in an even more concrete way, as we join together joyously in Sukkahs, which include and embrace Jews of every kind, and perform the mitzvah of the Four Kinds (lulav and etrog), symbolizing the fact that despite differences in Torah knowledge and observance, we are all bound together by our souls’ Jewish identity and core connection to G‑d.
Finally, we arrive at Shemini Atzeret. On this day, the awareness of Jewish unity that began infiltrating our consciousness on Rosh Hashana, intensified on Yom Kippur, and was expressed tangibly throughout Sukkot is meant to penetrate our hearts to the point that it becomes part of us, internalized and integrated fully into who we are, and expressed in all that we say and do. For at the height of our celebration of our special, intimate relationship with G‑d, we also recognize that this relationship is what binds us as Jewish people, our common denominator. Thus, we also recognize the great value that every one of us brings to G‑d’s vision for the world. We recognize that if a person is challenged in some way, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally, in no way do these challenges limit them spiritually; in fact, our unique challenges give us opportunities to connect with G‑d and contribute to the world in a way that others cannot. We recognize that every person is given a portion in the world to make shine, a dark corner of the world to bring light into. We recognize that every one of us is precious and important in the eyes of G‑d.
Thus, on Shemini Atzeret we express Jewish unity not in a passive sense (standing together in prayer) or even a symbolic sense (shaking a lulav); we demonstrate it through an experiential, concrete act that encompasses our entire being, from our head to our feet. We do it through the act of dancing, and more specifically, dancing in a circular formation, as is customary in Jewish tradition.
One may ask: Why a circle dance? Why move in such a way that you don’t get any further than when you started?
Because a circle is not about progress or achievement; it is about harmony and togetherness.
In a circle, we do not place ourselves or others in a hierarchy—be it physical, intellectual, or spiritual.
In a circle, we recognize that there is no such thing as higher or lower, more important or less important; we have different gifts, different challenges. Yet we all share the same soul-root, mission and destiny.
In a circle, we are all equidistant from the center, from the Creator and Source of Life; G‑d is equally accessible to every person.
In a circle, we can see the face of every single person, the part of them that expresses their innermost self, 5 and truly connect with them and empathize without judgment.
In a circle, we acknowledge that every person needs every other person for the circle to remain complete—we possess strengths that others lack, and vice versa. We all have our role to fill; every person deserves the opportunity to utilize their G‑d-given gifts.
**
The inclusion of all Jews is the backbone a flourishing Jewish community, and in the spirit of Jewish unity that the holiday of Shemini Atzeret so embodies, it is a ripe opportunity to shine a light on the importance of ensuring that every Jew, including those with disabilities, feels welcome in the festivities of the holiday. After all, the minute that one person feels unwelcome in the circle of joy and brotherhood, we have defeated the purpose of what the circle dance, and Shemini Atzeret as a whole, represents.
Inclusion begins with an awareness and an attitude that every person is inherently valuable and has something precious to contribute. But it cannot stop there. Practically, efforts toward making sure others feel included can begin with leaders of communities and synagogues advertising an event such as hakafot (the dancing ceremony of Shemini Atzeret) as an inclusive environment, and inviting people who have particular needs to reach out and let the event organizer or rabbi of the congregation know in advance how they might be able to accommodate those needs. While not all barriers to inclusion (such as structural ones—ramps and elevators for instance) can be addressed realistically in a short time frame, others are easily solved with some advance planning. For example: arranging for someone who has difficulty hearing to be positioned in a place where they can hear better, or arranging for a sign language interpreter; adjusting the lighting in the room or making sure printed material features large letters for a person with trouble seeing; creating a buddy system so that a person with a physical disability can hold the Torah scroll with the aid of an able-bodied individual, or be pushed in a wheelchair while holding the Torah scroll; and so on.
On Shemini Atzeret, we say a special prayer for rain, which is symbolic of bringing potential into actual—and this, too, must be our objective on Shemini Atzeret: to allow the central High Holiday theme of Jewish unity to be tangibly and practically expressed, planted firmly in our attitude and behavior—which begins by ensuring that every Jew feels welcome and included in the celebration of our most precious gift: our connection to G‑d, to the Torah, and to the entire Jewish nation.
If you are aware of someone living with a particular disability in your community and want to help them feel welcome and included in your event, contact the hotline of the Ruderman Chabad Inclusion Initiative, 701-404-RCII(7277).
Chava Shapiro is a writer and member of the curriculum development team at the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. She lives with her husband and children in Hillside, New Jersey.
The Ruderman-Chabad Inclusion Initiative (RCII) is dedicated to building on the philosophy and mission of Chabad-Lubavitch by providing Chabad communities around the globe the education and resources they need to advance inclusion of people with disabilities. RCII engages Chabad’s network of human and educational resources to create a Culture of Inclusion so that all Jews feel welcomed, supported and valued throughout their entire lifecycle.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.
FOOTNOTES
1.Literally, “the eighth day of withholding”
2.Pri Etz Chayim, Sha’ar Rosh Hashanah, 1.
3.He prefaces his explanation with the following story: The Talmud (Pesachim 50a) tells the story of Rav Yosef the son of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi, who fell ill and was at the brink of death when his father’s prayers brought him back to life. When he came to, his father asked him: “My son, what did you see (in heaven)?” Rav Yosef replied: “I saw an upside-down world. Those who are on top here are on the bottom there; and those who are here regarded as lowly are exalted in heaven.”
4.Likutei Torah, Nitzavim 42a
5.The Hebrew word for face is “panim,” which shares a root with the word “penimut,” or internality.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Simchat Torah Essay
Shemini Atzeret: Praying for Rain By Lazer Gurkow
This essay is dedicated to the memory of the four holy souls that were cut down by heinous acts of terror as they celebrated the festival of joy of 5776. These special heroes will celebrate the festival of Shemini Atzeret in the heavens together with Moses, King David and all the Jewish heroes of our past. As we celebrate, let us not forget those who lost their loved ones. May G‑d send comfort and consolation to the families of Rabbi and Mrs. Henkin, Rabbi Lavi and Aron BennetIn memory of Rabbi Eitam and Naama Henkin, Rabbi Nechemiah Lavi and Aron Bennet. May G‑d send a complete recovery to Adel Bat Miriam, and peace and security to the Jewish people wherever they may be.
Rain and Dew
According to our sages, there are many differences between rain and dew. Dew is constant, rain falls only when there is a condensation of water in the air. Dew has no season, rain has a season. And while rain interferes with wayfarers, dew makes everyone happy. In fact, the Talmud says that when we ask G‑d for rain, G‑d replies that He will give us even more than we ask for. He will give dew, which can be found year-round and makes everyone happy.1
Understanding the difference between rain and dew prompts us to ask why we pray for rain at the end of Sukkot, on Shemini Atzeret, and for dew on the first day of Passover. Granted, we pray for each in its proper time. We pray for rain in the beginning of the (Israeli) rainy season and for dew when the (Israeli) rain season is over. But this is only the practical angle. Surely there is a more substantive link between our prayers and the time that we offer them. Indeed, why did G‑d make the rainy season start at Sukkot and end at Passover?
The Spiritual Nature
The sporadic nature of rainfall represents the Divine attribute of Justice, which responds to us according to what we deserve. The mystical reason that rain is more plentiful at certain times is that the world goes through periods of being more and less deserving.2
Dew represents the Divine attributes of Kindness and Generosity, giving with no consideration of worthiness. From G‑d’s perspective the worthy and the unworthy are equally valued. Thus, He gives at all times to all people, deserving or not.
A Time for Each
At times G‑d assumes a posture of justice, and at times He assumes a only posture of kindness.
When the world is terribly undeserving, it can be approached only with kindness. He knows at such times that if He were to assume a stance of justice, He might need to destroy the world. So He doesn’t go there. He opts for kindness instead.
However, when the world is in a state of worthiness, G‑d assumes a posture of justice.3 At such times He knows that He can afford to be just because there is plenty of opportunity to provide justly. People will be eminently deserving, and thus G‑d will not need to deprive them. Even the guilty can be provided for, because if they don’t deserve in their own right, they can lean on the merit of the righteous.
The Cycle of the Year
We now understand why the end of Sukkot is the right time to pray for rain, and Passover is the right time to pray for dew. Historically, Passover was the time of our national infancy. At that time we were new to Judaism and had no merit of our own. We could not ask for anything on the basis of our worthiness, so we threw ourselves on G‑d’s mercy.
Sukkot, which comes after the Days of Awe, and specifically Yom Kippur, when all our sins were atoned, is a perfect time to pray for rain. At this time, when we are busy preparing for and celebrating the holidays, we are free of sin and carry lots of merit. And so, this is the right time to ask for rain, the blessing given on the basis of worthiness.
Of course the rain will fall sporadically throughout the year, even when we are not entirely worthy. But that is because we were wise enough to strike while the iron was hot and ask for it when we were full of merit.
The Cycle of the Season
We mentioned earlier that G‑d assumes postures of kindness or justice as necessary. Indeed, we see this in the cycle of seasons, which follow the needs of the people.
When the people are spiritually robust just after the High Holidays, the rainy season starts in Israel. As we explained, rain represents G‑d’s attribute of justice, when He gives only to those who are worthy. Since we are all worthy after Yom Kippur and can justly afford to ask for blessing, G‑d affixed the rain season in this time and instructed us to pray for rain.
Around the time of Passover, the time symbolic of spiritual infancy, six or seven months after Yom Kippur, G‑d assumes the posture of kindness, and this too reflected in the season. In Israel, Passover represents the end of the rain season. Accordingly, we stop praying for rain and ask instead for dew, the gift that is given freely.4
Rabbi Lazer Gurkow is spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Tefilah in London, Ontario, and a frequent contributor to The Judaism Website—Chabad.org. He has lectured extensively on a variety of Jewish topics, and his articles have appeared in many print and online publications. For more on Rabbi Gurkow and his writings, visit InnerStream.ca.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.
FOOTNOTES
1.Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 4a.
2.The reason rain is scarcer in Israel than elsewhere, even though Israel is holier, is because the bar is higher. A sin committed in a holy place is a greater offense than a sin committed in a less holy place.
3.He prefers justice at such times because it is ultimately more rewarding to earn our reward than we receive it our of the giver’s kindness. If He can give it justly, He prefers it.
4.This essay is based on a 1920 treatise on Shemini Atzeret by Shem Mishmuel.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Story
Simchat Torah in the Nazi Labor Camp By Menachem Posner
The desolate streets of the Częstochowa Ghetto in 1944.Until World War II, the Polish city of Czestochowa had been a bustling center of Jewish life. Then came the bitter day when the Nazis invaded Poland. In the fall of 1939, before Rosh Hashanah, the Nazis entered Czestochowa and began persecuting the Jewish population.
The ghetto, one of the largest in Poland, was established in April of 1941, and the first deportation started in September of 1942, on the day after Yom Kippur. The Nazis had just dispatched over a quarter million Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka. To them, the Czestochowa Ghetto, with just 50,000 Jews, was small potatoes. During the course of that year, the Nazis and their Ukrainian lackeys arranged several “aktions,” in which they rounded up the Jews for deportation and extermination. But most of the Jews were deported in that first "Great Aktion,” when they were brutally taken in cattle cars to the Treblinka extermination camp.
The Germans left several thousand Jews in the ghetto. They had to work from morning to night in the factories near Czestochowa. One factory produced metal and another made bullets. Merciless SS officers stood over the workers and did not allow them to stop working for a moment.
Unique among the Jewish workers was a shoemaker. An expert at his craft, he was assigned to repair the shoes and boots of the Nazi soldiers and officers. In order to fulfill his duties, he was granted special freedoms, and was allowed to walk between the nearly empty ghetto and the labor camp, where the surviving Jews were now confined.
And so it was that just before Rosh Hashanah, the shoemaker arrived at the labor camp with a shofar. It was with bittersweet feelings that the Jews clustered into the shoemaker’s small workshop during the brief midday break to hear the muted shofar blasts. How did he lay his hands on the precious artifact? No one knew.
One day, during the holiday of Sukkot, rumors began to swirl. "The shoemaker is late. He has not yet returned from the ghetto. Who knows if he is OK?"
It was usual for the shoemaker to return late, after the inmates had been given their meager rations. He would go directly to the camp kitchen, where a modest meal had been reserved for him.
But this time, when he finally arrived, he did not go to the kitchen. Instead, he went to his workroom, where he was seen doing something behind a large wooden plank.
Word soon spread that the shoemaker had managed to smuggle a small Torah scroll into the camp! “When Simchat Torah comes, we get to dance with an actual Torah scroll," said the shoemaker, his eyes ablaze.
Despite the badgering and questioning, the shoemaker refused to say how he got the shofar and now the Torah scroll. But word soon leaked out.
The Nazis had appropriated a large warehouse on the outskirts of the ghetto, where they collected Jewish sacred objects. The warehouse was heavily guarded, making it almost impossible to take anything out of it. Placing his life on the line, the shoemaker was able to bribe the officer in charge. And that was how he got the shofar.
In order to get the Torah scroll, he promised the officer that he would make a pair of fancy boots for him, just like he had made for the most senior commanders. The officer let him take a Torah scroll.
The shoemaker chose a small scroll and wrapped it around his body so that he would avoid attracting the attention of the guards.
The shoemaker had acted at the last possible moment, as the Germans were already beginning to burn the sacred objects in the warehouse.
"How can we possibly hide the Torah?" The shoemaker asked the group of young men who would meet for services every Shabbat in a hidden corner of the barracks.
Someone had an idea, and the group set to work. They plied a plank off of one of the wooden bunks and made a space in which to put the small Torah scroll. The plank was then returned to its place.
The night of Simchat Torah arrived, and the sense of excitement rose. The inmates silently made their way to the place where the Torah scroll was hidden. They feared that the guards would find the Torah, and that their lives were in jeopardy. As a precaution, it was decided not to remove the Torah from its place. Instead, the plank was moved to the side, revealing the sacred parchment.
A survivor later testified: “On that Simchat Torah we held the traditional Hakafot dances in our barracks. But they were not done in the usual way. The Torah lay in hiding, and we danced around it humming the joyous Simchat Torah tunes under our breaths. We entered in small groups, and mutedly circled the bunk. One by one, we then bent over to kiss it before exiting."
Miraculously, the Torah survived the war and was brought to Israel by Rabbi Noach Adelist. It is now housed in the holy ark of the Gerer synagogue in Bnei Brak.
(Translated and adapted from Sichat Hashavuah 1293)
Rabbi Menachem Posner serves as staff editor for Chabad.org.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Why Do We Sit in the Sukkah?Five levels of understanding to the meaning and symbolism behind the mitzvah to dwell in the Sukkah.
Aaron L. Raskin
Watch (29:15)
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Women
Mentally Ill, Mentally Well: Two Neighbors Share Shabbat By Nancy HochmanAbout an hour or so before Shabbat arrives, there’s a set of loud, repetitive knocks on my door. On the other side stands a mostly toothless woman, often carrying the overwhelming scent of the unbathed. I smile, stretch out my arms and give her a hug, just as I would any visiting friend.
My disabled neighbor and I have shared our Shabbat ritualI don’t quite remember how we established our tradition for eight years now. She comes to light the candles and have a snack of potato kugel with tuna salad or chicken. But mostly, she comes for the company. For reassurance. For friendship.
“Hi, Bubby,” says Esther, who is now 75. She stands outside our galley kitchen as I finish my Shabbat preparations and points to her hipbone. “I feel something hard here. Am I in trouble? I didn’t get my electric bill. Are they going to shut off my electricity?” And her most common question: “When I rub my eyes, they make a funny sound. Am I going blind?”
Each week, Esther voices the aforementioned concerns and many others that deeply tug on her. My answers are also almost always the same. “Don’t worry. You’re just fine.” That’s really all she wants to hear. “Thank you,” she says, as she waddles off toward the living-room couch.
I first met Esther about 10 years ago, when my husband and I moved to a co-op building. After cornering me several times in the lobby with her litany of worries—nearly blocking my path to the mailbox—I, like many of my neighbors, learned to veer around the corner, undetected. But one Friday evening, when I opened the door, there stood my upstairs neighbor, her hair disheveled, her face almost screaming with loneliness.
“Can I sit wit’ you, just for a little while?” Esther asked in a pleading tone. “I have nobody.”
That night I invited her inside to light the candles. I don’t quite remember how we established our tradition of weekly Friday-evening visits, but establish them we did. In fact, for several years, Esther joined us at our table each Friday we were home. That is, until my husband suggested (not unkindly) that perhaps the best time for a visit was when he was still in shul.
While I soon became her “best” (only) friend, I volunteered for that role out of a sense of duty. As an observant Jew, I try to “love my neighbor as myself” and to “gladden the heart of the unfortunate.” Frankly, I couldn’t think of anyone this applied to more clearly and directly than Esther.
The fact was, Esther, who suffered from mental problems, was desperately lonely. Her mother, with whom she shared a studio apartment, passed away nearly 20 years ago. Afterwards, there was little that frightened Esther more than the thought of “being put in a home.” Her sister had her remain in the apartment, and monitored Esther’s care. After her own home was damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, her sister relocated out of state, closer to her children. Esther, who now has a social worker monitoring her care, has been attending an adult day program four days a week. But that still leaves her ample time to wander the halls, knocking on doors, looking for company. In addition to my Jewish obligation, with so many doors remaining closed to her, I simply didn’t have the heart to close mine.
Yet when I hear that knock on the door, I often have to force a grimace into a smile, especially those weeks when I’m feeling worn out or behind schedule. Over the years, I’ve grown relatively adept at playing the role of friend, listening to Esther’s concerns and reassuring her, and then diverting the conversation away from her worries and towards talk of neighborhood events. She also enjoys hearing news about my family: my son’s new job, my mom’s and husband’s health, and my brother’s girlfriend. She listens intently, giving me the sense that my family has become her family, too. Still, there are always many trying elements to the visits, which, in truth, never made my list of favorite ways to bring in Shabbat.
Then something shifted. Not feeling well, I opted to cancel our weekly Shabbat get-together. To my surprise, I felt a deep sense of loneliness while lightingI’ve grown adept at playing the role of friend the candles. Even more, for the first time (ever!) I forgot the words of the prayer without Esther to join me in lighting the candles. Having the time to relax quietly on the couch afterwards held little charm. In fact, I felt a void that didn’t seem to come simply from a change in routine.
It was then I realized that perhaps I was no longer “playing friend.” We had become friends in the process. The true friendship I grew to feel for Esther was a natural outcome of having behaved in a loving and welcoming way, regardless of any other feelings. Esther must have sensed my emotional shift because she became more relaxed in my presence, making it easier to sense her neshamah–the soul that had been occluded by her mental problems.
Each week now, just before Esther leaves, she says: “Bye, Bubby. Love you.”
And the words, “I love you, too,” arise seamlessly from my mouth in return.
Nancy K.S. Hochman is a freelance journalist and essayist, a creative writing teacher and an admission essay writing coach. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsday, Child, Seventeen Magazine, Hadassah Magazine, B'Nai B'rith Jewish Monthly, Na'amat Woman, and many other publications.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Women
Hand in Hand: The Joy of a Walk Around the Block By Chana Scop
Bubby had come to visit. Packed in her suitcase were not only clothes for her trip, but also the memories that she shares with each of her grandchildren. She spends time reading books, going for walks and playing games with each child.And I, her daughter, watch and soak upBubby had come to visit all the warm fuzzy feelings. Nostalgia kicks in, and I remember those special times of being carefree and curious about the world and all that’s in it.
I savor the scene of Bubby with Chaim Boruch. They enjoy a closeness and bond that is unique and loving, full of laughter, playfulness and the incredible language of silence. Chaim Boruch snuggles up close to her, and I can see complete contentment in his sparkling eyes.
There’s one thing that Chaim Boruch loves most when Bubby comes. It’s the special walks that she takes him on around the block. I would imagine that it’s not only the breeze in the air, the sun shining or the scent of freshly cut grass that he adores, but the feeling that we get when walking hand in hand with a person we adore.
No matter how tired Bubby may be or how recently she has arrived, I’ll find the two of them lost in some silly game or warm cuddle. It was during a moment like this when I saw Chaim Boruch try to communicate with Bubby that he wanted to go for a walk.
Needless to say, it is challenging for us to know what he wants without words, and frustrating to try to fill his needs and wants without knowing what they are.
Yet on this day, all things magnificent shone and all things miraculous blossomed. I knew that Chaim Boruch wanted to go for a walk. BADLY.
He was nodding his head, gesturing with his hand to the outdoors and using American Sign Language to try to sign “please” with excited motions.
However, Bubby would never have been able to understand what he wanted, and so I stepped in.
“Chaim Boruch,” I said. “You need to use your iPad to say what you want; otherwise, Bubby will not know. Please use a complete sentence and ask Bubby your question.”
I paused. Holding my breath, I prayed for him to be successful. I prayed for him to understand, produce “words,” and communicate and share what was in his heart and mind.
I watched as he sat next to Bubby with his iPad. Bubby’s eyes were moist with wonder and emotion, in awe of the endless possibilities in this moment.
Chaim Boruch navigated through hisChaim Boruch navigated through his communication app communication app, looking for the correct words and icons. Despite the fact that he cannot read and had many categories to sift through, Chaim Boruch’s little finger swiped, scrolled and clicked to produce an incredible sentence.
And within minutes, his iPad announced the words he had chosen. Slowly, with thought and deliberation, Chaim Boruch said: “I WANT GO WALK WALK WALK PLEASE.”
And there it was, the biggest and brightest smile ever! His face glowed and his eyes shone. The pride he felt filled the room.
Within minutes, I looked past the front door and, against the backdrop of the sun slowly beginning to set, I saw the silhouette of Bubby and Chaim Boruch holding hands. A picture engraved in my heart forever. A walk that could span the world’s longest journey in the steps taken around the block.
Chana is a proud wife and mother living in Mill Valley, California. She is inspired by the colors and textures of everyday life, and loves sharing her creative ideas with her community. Chana writes DIY projects, crafts and recipes celebrating her Jewish life and shlichus on her blog Chana’s Art Room, and is the co-director of Chabad of Mill Valley with her husband, Rabbi Hillel Scop. To read more about Chaim Boruch, and Chana’s journey, take a look at her personal special-needs blog, Life of Blessing.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Your Questions
How Do I Stop Being a Nag? By Rosally Saltsman
Dear Rachel,My family thinks I’m a nag. They say I’m always telling them what to do and not giving them any space to take care of their own affairs. But then they come home with notes about undone homework and overdue bills, saying, “You should have reminded me!”
I don’t want to create tension in my family, but I also want to help them. What do I do?
Harping
Dear Harping,
Being a helpmate to your husband and a good mother to your children doesn’t mean you have to take total responsibility for their lives or obligations. If you do, you resent it, they resent it, and you've created an overtime job you could be stuck in for life.
With that in mind, here are a few tips:
Let your family members experience natural consequences. You’re not doing anyone any favors if you take responsibility for everyone else’s life. Assuming your family members are old enough to take responsibility for themselves, let them experience the natural consequences of their actions or inactions—unless it’s something that could have dire results (like not paying the mortgage) or is life-threatening (like not taking medication). And better now than later. You can’t protect people forever, even if you love them very much.
Use affirmations. Whenever you feel compelled to take control of the situation, sit back and say to yourself calmly, with a serene smile on your face, “I don’t have to take care of that.”
Model responsible behavior. Rather than telling others what to do, you can model and inspire them to be their best, which is a lot easier than trying to do it for them. As Ethics of the Fathers says, “In a place where there is no man, strive to be a man.”1 Be the bigger (wo)man in this situation and provide a good example for your family.
Let go and know that G‑d is in control. We often need to feel that we are in control of everything around us. We’re not! G‑d is in control, even when we do our best—and even when we don’t.
When you release other people’s responsibilities, you’ll have more time and energy to focus on your true purpose. And when you respect your own boundaries, your family members will, too. As Hillel said, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?”2
Wishing you success in all your endeavors,
Rachel
Rosally Saltsman is a freelance writer originally from Montreal living in Israel.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ethics of the Fathers 2:5.
2.Ethics of the Fathers 1:14.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Lifestyle
Easy 3-Ingredient Broiled Chicken By Miriam Szokovski
This is my friend's signature dish (or one of) and I'm grateful to her for sharing it with me. It has become one of my favorites because it's just so quick and easy, and always a crowd-pleaser. A few simple spices allow the flavor of the chicken to shine—no need to douse it in sauce of any kind. My pictures have not done it justice, but this really is a fabulous recipe!
If your oven has the broil feature, that adds a fantastic smoky flavor which you don't get with just baking it, but it's still delicious baked. It reheats well in the oven, covered tightly with foil, and when it's cold you can add it to all kinds of salads.
While it's not a traditional Sukkot dish, I'm sharing it now because at this point in the high holiday season even the cooks who enjoy making fancy and complicated recipes often find themselves looking for quick, simple and pleasing, and this recipe fits the bill.
Ingredients:12 chicken drumsticks
1 tbsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
Directions:
Mix garlic, pepper and salt in a small bowl.
Place chicken upside down on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the spice mixture.
Broil (or bake on 450°F) for 20-25 minutes. Turn each piece over and bake/broil another 20-25 minutes.
Miriam Szokovski is the author of the historical novel Exiled Down Under, and a member of the Chabad.org editorial team. She shares her love of cooking, baking and food photography on Chabad.org’s food blog, Cook It Kosher.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.-------
Lifestyle
Art: Garden of Eden Sukkah By Yoram Raanan
For a seven day period you shall live in booths. Every resident among the Israelites shall live in booths, in order that your [ensuing] generations should know that I had the children of Israel live in booths when I took them out of the land of Egypt. (Leviticus 23:42-43)The experience of dwelling in a sukkah is about moving out of the material comforts of our homes, to be exposed to nature and to live in the "shadow of faith". In this intriguing Garden of Eden Sukkah, a flowing light radiates under a starry sky in an enchanting primeval forest. The ushpizin, the festival's mystical guests who visit the sukkah each night, are depicted in the shadow of blue, reflecting how they empower us to connect to seven different dimensions of our soul each night.
Yoram Raanan takes inspiration from living in Israel, where he can fully explore and express his Jewish consciousness. The light, the air, the spirit of the people and the land energize and inspire him. His paintings include modern Jewish expressionism with a wide range of subjects ranging from abstract to landscape, biblical and Judaic.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish News
Four Suspects Arrested in Ukraine for Attack on Chabad Rabbi By Chabad.org Staff
Rabbi Mendel DeitschJERUSALEM—Police in Ukraine have arrested four suspects for the brutal beating and robbery two weeks ago of Chabad-Lubavitch emissary Rabbi Mendel Deitsch, who remains in serious but stable condition at a hospital in Israel.
According to local press reports, two men and two women from the Carpathian Mountains region attacked Deitsch, 63, near the central train station in Zhitomir on the night of Oct. 6, or in the early hours of Oct. 7. They then fled the city with the rabbi’s cell phone and cash, leaving him bleeding and unconscious under a bridge near the station.
The suspects returned to the city a week after the attack. They were identified and arrested by police two days ago.
The rabbi was discovered the morning after the attack and was admitted to the intensive-care unit at a regional hospital, where he was diagnosed with multiple head injuries and brain trauma.
Deitsch underwent emergency surgery in Zhitomir while the victim’s family in Israel urgently worked with the Israeli government and emergency-services organizations in Jerusalem to arrange an airlift to Tel Hashomer hospital in Ramat Gan.
Deitsch has been active in strengthening Jewish life in the former Soviet Union for many years, and is a central organizer of hospitality and programming at the burial site of Chabad’s founder—Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, in Haditch, Ukraine, where Deitsch is believed to have spent Rosh Hashanah.
The rabbi’s injuries remain life-threatening. His family asks that people continue to pray and recite Psalms, particularly Psalm 20, for the full recovery of Menachem Mendel Mordechai ben Miriam.
Rabbi Deitsch is being treated at Tel Hashomer Hospital in Ramat Gan, Israel.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish News
First-Time Sukkahs Highlight New Jewish Additions to Detroit By Ronelle Grier
The sukkah on the grounds of the new Farber Soul Center and Cafe in West Bloomfield, Mich.Sukkot, often described as the “Season of Our Rejoicing,” is among the most joyous of the Jewish holidays; when a sukkah is erected at a site for the first time, the joy and holiness of performing this mitzvah are compounded.
In Michigan, two new sukkahs are cause for special celebration this year: one on the grounds of the Farber Soul Center and Soul Cafe, a new program of Friendship Circle of Michigan, and one at the home of Rabbi Levi and Mushky Dubov, co-directors of the recently founded Chabad of Bloomfield Hills.
The Dubovs, who just moved to the Detroit area after spending their first year of marriage in Brooklyn, N.Y., will host their first major event on Thursday, Oct. 20, during Chol Hamoed: a “Soup in the Sukkah” open house featuring a variety of stomach-warming kosher soups and special activities for children.
The young couple’s future plans for the new center include adult-education classes in Kabbalah, Talmud and the weekly Torah portion; special classes for women; children’s programming; and a full range of Jewish-holiday services and events.
According to Rabbi Dubov, the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills has seen significant growth in the number of Jewish residents over the past few decades. He estimates the Jewish population at the local high school is now close to 30 percent.
“It’s a very ripe area, and we’ve had an amazing reception from the community so far,” he says. “As we learn more about the community, we’ll add more programs. I think the needs will create themselves.”
Rabbi Levi Dubov, left, gets help putting up his first Michigan sukkah from Cary Heller.While the new Chabad center is starting small, the recently married Dubovs have big dreams, fueled by the accomplishments both of them experienced growing up in strong Lubavitch families. Mushky, 21, is the daughter of Rabbi Levi and Bassie Shemtov, founders and co-directors of Friendship Circle of Michigan, an organization that has become a worldwide model for its extensive array of programs for children and young adults with special needs.
Rabbi Levi Dubov, 24, is the son of Rabbi Dovid and Malky Dubov, co-directors of Chabad of Mercer County in Princeton, N.J., which has grown to include a flourishing community of active participants and a comprehensive two-story center that serves as the regional hub of the organization’s surrounding branches.
“It was a very natural decision that our lives should be a legacy of serving others,” says Dubov, who hopes to expand the Bloomfield Hills program to include its own facility. “The building is a dream now, but we hope it will come to fruition soon.”
The Dubov sukkah in the works before the start of the holiday‘Mitzvah of Being’
The week before the start of Sukkot was a natural time to talk about the holiday at a mothers’ lunch-and-learn led by Sarah Schectman, family coordinator for Friendship Circle of Michigan.
Through the window of the Soul Cafe—the newly opened kosher restaurant staffed by young adults with special needs—the moms had a clear view of the first sukkah ever built on the grounds of the Farber Soul Center, which includes the Soul Cafe and the Dresner Foundation Soul Studio, where artists with special needs sell works of art they create from a variety of techniques such as woodworking, laser-cutting, printmaking and weaving.
Rabbi Levi and Mushky Dubov, co-directors of Chabad of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., in their finished sukkahMeeting at the Soul Café has a deeper meaning for these mothers, who, except for group leader Sarah Schectman, all have children or young adults with special needs.
At this session, over a lunch of homemade vegetable soup, over-stuffed sandwiches and a bountiful salad, the women discussed the meaning of Sukkot and its underlying concept of unity. Schectman clarified why the sukkah is a “mitzvah of being,” rather than a specific act.
“Our whole being is involved; the mitzvah is absorbed by our entire body,” explained Schectman. “That’s why people entertain in their sukkahs—just being in the sukkah is a mitzvah whether or not you understand.”
She spoke about how the “Four Kinds” traditionally bundled together on Sukkot—the lulav (palm branch), etrog (citrus fruit), hadas (myrtle branch) and aravah (willow branch)—represent unity and the different types of Jews. “We are all pieces of a puzzle, and together, we complete each other.”
At the kosher cafe are Jennifer Lovy, left, the mother of a son with special needs, and Sarah Schectman, family coordinator for Friendship Circle of Michigan.For a comprehensive guide to information, insights and inspiration about the holiday of Sukkot and its many mitzvahs, visit the Chabad.org Sukkot mini-site here.
To find a Sukkot or Simchat Torah event near you, click here.
The Farber Soul Center sukkah© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish News
Special Sukkot Gratitude and Joy for Many in Hurricane’s Path By Chabad.org Staff
(Photo: Chabad of Southside)The eight-day festival of Sukkot, which begins at sundown, is a uniquely joyous celebration of G‑d’s material and spiritual protection and bounty. Communities that faced devastation just two weeks ago in the path of Hurricane Matthew are preparing for the holiday with a special sense of gratitude, even as they continue to reach out to those who were impacted by the deadly storm.
Pictured above, friends and family of Rabbi Shmuel and Chana Novack, co-directors of Chabad of Southside in Jacksonville, Fla., which was directly in the hurricane’s path, assemble the Chabad center’s sukkah.
For a comprehensive guide to information, insights and inspiration about the holiday of Sukkot and its many mitzvahs, visit the Chabad.org Sukkot mini-site here.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
Chabad.org Magazine - Editor: Yanki Tauber-------
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