Lulav is a Many Spendored Thing: Spiritual Web Journey

Since we’ll be having a parade of dozens of lulavim and etrogim this Sunday and using them throughout the festival after that, it behooves us to understand what it’s all about. These ancient agricultural symbols were undoubtedly THE most popular in in the Jewish world during the time of the Second Temple, and beyond. The evidence is in the written literature and especially in the ancient coins and mosaics archaeologists have uncovered. Some of that can be found below. First, an excerpt from an article by my colleague Rabbi David Seidenberg, found in the book “Trees, Earth and Torah: a Tu B’Shevat Anthology” (JPS 1999), focusing on the Kabbalistic meaning of these ritual objects; then a list of Web sites to visit.

From the Introduction

Jewish mysticism imagines the cosmos to be a manifestation of the divine which unfolds through ten powers or qualities, which are called the s'firot. The world of the s'firot is pictured in terms of two forms: a cosmic tree and a primordial human body....

The Central Column

Sefer HaBahir_, the Book of Brightness, which was redacted in the 12th century but includes much older parts, is the earliest document to explore these themes, earlier even than the codification of the s'firot. In its beginning paragraphs, it describes a king playfully discovering a spring of flowing, living water as he begins to cut out the stone from which to build his palace. What does he do? Plant a garden, and a tree, to "delight the whole world"...

Using the verse "Tsadik founds the world" (Prov. 10:25), the Bahir explains that "[there is] a single column from the earth to the firmament, and Tsadik, The Righteous One, is it's name, and when there are righteous people/tsadikim in the world, it becomes strong, and if not it becomes weak." (Bahir, sec. 100) The image the Bahir uses, "a single column from the earth to the firmament", emphasizes that the tree, the column, the tsadik and man are all images in the Bahir of what connects the upper and lower worlds, and of what is dependent upon both the upper and lower worlds.

To the human eye, no creature embraces heaven and earth more than a tree. A tree is poised in-between-worlds, its roots dividing out smaller and deeper into the earth beneath until they seem to dissolve in it, its branches soaring above us, full of leaves like hands holding the sky. This same sense of stretching characterizes human experience in our most wakeful moments: the sense of being between, of stretching to embrace physical and spiritual. This sense is expressed in the working of our minds and in our physical posture, stretched from earth to heaven. The tree and the human body both become symbols for what unites the divine and the mundane, and for how the worlds depend upon each other and flow towards one another.

Root and Branch.

Kabbalah is not only interested in the cosmic tree as a symbol of divine connection. It also tries to understand this connection by reflecting on the anatomy of trees and of the human body. The Bahir continuously weaves together images of the tree and the human body, as we have already seen in the d'rash on the word "ish" above. The "single column" we have read about is not just the trunk of a tree; it is also the spinal chord, one vertebra upon another, as is hinted at in the phrase "the powers of the Holy One, this one on back of this one, [which] resemble a tree". (Bahir, sec.118-119) In this metaphor, the source of water or wisdom is the brain, and the spinal cord the channel, which carries the water to every part of the body.

The dynamics and dimensions shared by the tree, the human body, the world and God, are especially closely examined in the ritual of waving the lulav, which is so strongly connected to both the human body and to trees. According to Sefer Bahir, the myrtle, willow and lulav become like a human body when they are bound together:

[I]t says, "take.. a branch of a tree thick-interlaced/`anaf `ayts `avot" (Lev. 23:40). It must be that his branches are stretched around/over his main part... A mashal, to what does it compare? To a person, who has his arms and protects his head with them, and here his arms are two and his head makes three: "`anaf" to the left [=willows], "`avot" to the right [=myrtle], and "`ayts" is found in the middle [the lulav]. And why is he [the lulav] called "a tree" [when he is only a single branch]? Because he is the root of the tree. (Bahir, sec. 176)

The three-word phrase from the Torah, `anaf `ayts `avot, is traditionally understood to refer to myrtle branches, but the Bahir reads it as referring to all three species which are bound together. The binding of myrtle, willow, and lulav turns them into a single body. The lulav branch stands for the whole tree because it is its "root" (the place from which all new growth occurs), and so it is like a person's head, which stands for the whole person.

The cosmic axis is not only represented as a tree and a human body, but the symbols of the tree and the human are images which converge together in a single picture of the body. The Bahir identifies the fruit, heart, spinal cord, body and root together in the following passage:

Israel, holy ones, carry the body of the tree and his heart. As a heart is majesty/hadar, the fruit of the body, even so Israel bears the fruit of the tree of majesty (pri `ayts hadar = etrog). As a date palm, its branches around [the crown] and its lulav in the middle, even so Israel carries the body of the tree: this is its heart. And corresponding to the body is the cord of the [spinal] column in a person, which is the root/`ikar of the body. And just as lulav [can be] written, "lu layv/to him a heart", even so the heart is tied to him [the spinal cord]. (Bahir, sec. 98)

This is reminiscent of the well-known midrash that also maps the ritual of the lulav to the human body (lulav branch to spine, etrog to heart, willow to lips, myrtle to eyes), but it is far more complex. Because the Jewish people carries the symbols of the heart, the lulav and etrog, in our Sukkot prayers, we collectively become the body of the divine Tsadik who carries the heart. By the same token, we become the cosmic tree because we bear its fruit and branches...

A brief botany lesson: the lulav is the only place from which new branches grow in a date tree, though sometimes a baby lulav will grow from the base of the trunk to form a new tree. To take the central lulavim from a tree is to kill the tree (the lulavim we use on Sukkot are offshoots taken from the base). The main lulav is therefore like a heart: it contains all the vitality of the tree and all of its vulnerability...

The Bahir emphasizes that the heart is tied to the spine (we might understand this to mean: tied by the nerves to the spine), as the fruit is tied to the root by the tree trunk. This is important because according to Kabbalah, the sin of the Garden of Eden is not eating from the tree of knowledge, but separating the fruit from the tree; this separation is what brings death. Israel repairs this sin when when we unite the etrog with the lulav. We reconnect the fruit to the source of its vitality every time we do a mitzvah.

MYSTICAL LULAV MOVEMENTS:

the custom of shaking the lulav in all directions – the four points of the compass, and up and down – originally symbolized an acknowledgment of God’s all-encompassing presence. But in Hasidic thought, the practice took on other symbolic, spiritual meanings. Hasidism brought the mystical teachings of the kabbalah to the masses, reinterpreting long-standing traditions with the spiritual meaning.

For Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, the shaking of the lulav was a meditation that could last half an hour.

Each direction had significance; each represented a different prayer.

The following is adapted from Rabbi Carlebach's teachings:

First, face right. Right in Kabbalah signifies the attribute of hesed, kindness, mercy, overwhelming beneficence. It’s a reminder of Abraham, master of hospitality. Facing right, slowly shaking the lulav in and out three times, think about all the hesed, the giving in your life, and pray to God to perfect it. Do you find it too hard to be generous? Or are you suffering from an excess of generosity, of kindness, of love? "We don't know when to love and how to love and we always put so many borders inthe wrong place," explained Rabbi Carlebach. Facing right, pray for God to grant you the proper measure of hesed.

Then face left. Left in Kabbalah is gevurah – strength, strict judgment, limits. Gevurah is Isaac – bound for sacrifice on Mount Moriah, unflinching, accepting of judgment. Take this opportunity to think of the limits, the judgments in your life. Are your circumstances too confining? Do you need more boundaries, or fewer? Do you need more strength? This is an opportunity to invite God to help you fix the limits in your life.

Next, face straight ahead: tiferet, or beauty. This is the balance, where the beneficence and the boundaries are in their proper proportions. It is Jacob, it is the middle course.

Then, look up. Can you connect with God? What’s the holiness you need in your life? How high can you rise this year?

Then, aim down. This is about groundedness, about your foundations. And it’s about your ability to find the buried treasures, under your feet; the truths buried in the dirt.

Finally, backwards. The essence of repentance is being able to go back and fix your past. This is a prayer that your past be fixed by your coming to terms with it.

Now: some great sites to see, on the lulav and on Sukkot in general:

Jusdaism 101 on Sukkot - http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday5.htm

The handbook of Biblican Numismatics: http://www.amuseum.org/book/page14.html

Coins from the First Revolt (66-70 C.E.)

Toolbox - Holiday: Waving the Lulav and Etrog

ANCIENT JEWISH COINS- THE BAR COCHVA REVOLT

Modern Israel – Jerusalem through coins: http://www.pinn.net/~sandy/Jerusalem/confIsrael.htm#palmbranch

Sukkot Through the Ages - http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/festivls/tish/30.html

Virtual Jerusalem lulav site: http://207.168.91.4/vjholidays/sukkot/lulov.htm

Sukkot family and educational activities - http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/festivls/tish/sukkot.html

OU Sukkot Site (basic and “advanced” information) http://www.ou.org/chagim/sukkot/default.htm

Rabbi Schneierman’s Sukkot Page (with a link to the award winning MIT Sukkah) http://scheinerman.net/judaism/hhd/sukkot.html

JTS Sukkot Site http://learn.jtsa.edu/sukkot/

Beyond Apples and Honey - Rosh Hashanah at Home

A congregant asked me for some ideas as to how to make the Rosh Hashanah meal more meaningful. It's true that the meal tends to get short shrift on this holiday, at least in comparison to Passover, Sukkot, Thanksgiving and other more home-based celebrations. it tends to be overshadowed by what takes place in the synagogue, which is considered the center of the action on the Days of Awe.

But the meals are important too, especially in that families get together so infrequently these days, especially in a Jewish context. It's natural (I hope) that the rabbi's sermons are going to be part of the conversation. If no one talks about them, I haven't done my job. We even talk about them at my table (though sometimes it's in the mode of "Dad, why did you have to say that???). I also am hoping people will take me up on my request that they seriously consider visiting Israel this coming year, maybe taking a look at our TBE Israel Adventure 2010 Itinerary.

There are blessings and customs regarding the meal, of course, including Candle Lighting,
Evening Kiddush, Shehecheyanu and the ever popular Blessing for Apples and Honey. If you are looking for an exotic twist, how about apples and pomegranates, and other Sephardic traditions described in this informative essay?

Speaking of informative, if you are looking to add to your family's experience, this Rosh Hashanah Seder is helpful. It was put together by Noam Zion, known for his creative Passover Haggadah, "A Different Night." And also see this article by Jill Jacobs that includes some other food related customs (like eating "pun" foods). Rosh Hashanah is a time for introducing lots if different foods - including foods as diverse as spinach, dates and the head of anything (since it is the head of the year). But I must warn you: If you're serving the head of a sheep (a custom in some places), count me out. I'd prefer a head of lettuce.

Aside from food, newness can be expressed by wearing new clothes or doing something new - taking on a new mitzvah, for instance.

More then food, or even the discussion of sermons, the most important part of any Rosh Hashanah gathering might just be the chance to go around the table and have everyone discuss their hopes for the coming year. Some questions could be asked, such as, "If I could write my own Book of Life, what kind of book would it be?" Take this quiz to see if you are a self help, spirituality or how-to book. You could also prep for the Spiritual Olympics with some teshuvah exercises.

And then, after the meal, forego that nap. The Jerusalem Talmud states that "If one sleeps at the year's beginning (Rosh Hashanah), his good fortune likewise sleeps."

Life Flow and the Mikva: A Spiritual Web Journey

This week I will have the pleasure of bringing a Jew by choice to our local mikva, where he immersed as the climactic moment of his conversion. Preparing for this event reminded me of the growing significance of this ancient symbol of purification and transition. Whether it is used for conversion, for the purposes of family purity, or to mark a major life transition, such the onset of Shabbat or a holiday, for some, or a recovery from a major illness for others, these natural waters are the perfect metaphor for the ebb and flow of life.

I recently taught a session of the Melton adult education series on this topic, and next week will also touch upon it in the next session of our acclaimed “Kosher Sex” series for young professionals. In preparation for those two classes, I came across some excellent materials and websites that I share with you here.

Take a look at them all, including the Conservative Movement’s Law Committee’s recent rulings on the matter.

While the laws of family purity still appear sexist and repressive (and obsessive) to many, the mikva’s significance goes far beyond those laws. For some women, a monthly immersion keeps them to be spiritually attuned to the rhythms of their bodies and of nature. For women and for men, immersion in life-giving waters is a way of defeating death – for when we lie in water we are suspended for a moment, naked, defenseless, un-breathing, as if dead; and then we re-emerge as if “born again.” The waters also soften us as they transform us, affirming our vulnerability and fragility, as well as our connectedness to nature.

Water is a symbol of life, and blood symbolizes death (though it contains the power of life)... shades of the first plague!

It’s time to take another look at the power of water.

This is the site of the new, pluralistic mikva in Boston, created by Anita Diamant, author of “The Red Tent.” It's called Mayyim Hayyim (Living Waters). See here creative, spiritual ceremonies of immersion:

For a woman following menstruation
For a bride
For a groom
For Passover

Also see http://www.mikvahproject.com/

And see from Ritualwell, The Use of the Mikva in Healing from Incest and click here to see various healing ceremonies involving immersion, including incidents of rape and abuse.

Also see (from Ritualwell):

Kavanah for Mikveh Prayer By Carol Rose
A meditation for the mikveh invoking God's healing presence

Prelude to Mikveh Poem By Cynthia Wallace
A kavanah for ritual immersion that focuses on the experience of mikveh as an experience of the Divine

Healing Well Prayer By Ariel Lee
A healing prayer to be said when immersing in the mikveh

Communal Misheberach for Healing Prayer By James I. Greene
An original prayer in both feminine and masculine forms

Waters of Healing Meditation – Kos Refuah/Cup of Healing Ritual Component
By Ariel Lee A meditation based on Miriam's Well

You can find an Orthodox explanation of the Purity Laws (Niddah): from the OU and from The Jewish Womens' Health Network

And the Conservative approach, which combines traditional observance with a more contemporary, feminist view: http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/teshuvot/docs/20052010/grossman_niddah.pdf

Here read some of the questions posed by observant women about the commandment to refrain from contact with their husbands during their time of “uncleanness.” It can get pretty complicated! http://www.yoatzot.org/article.php?id=115, http://www.yoatzot.org/question.php?id=2153, (Is it OK to be sitting on a couch with your husband?)
http://www.yoatzot.org/question.php?id=2841 (Can you hand a baby to your husband?)
http://www.yoatzot.org/question.php?id=7401, http://www.yoatzot.org/question.php?id=5106 (Can you touch your husband’s chair?)
http://www.yoatzot.org/article.php?id=85, http://www.yoatzot.org/question.php?id=2727

Read this from “The Golden Bough” http://www.bartleby.com/196/47.html on blood taboos in ancient societies.

A fascinating report on mikva from PBS: Religion and Ethics News Weekly - also see this feature, "Memoirs of a Mikva lady"

Finally, read the Jewish Enclyclopedia’s classic studies on the subject, at http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=222&letter=B&search=baptism and http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=338&letter=A

Salute to Spring (A Spiritual Web Journey)

Friday is the first day of Spring, and appropriately, this is also Shabbat Ha-Hodesh, the week where we welcome the beginning of THE month of months, the Spring month, as it's called in the Torah, the first biblical month, the month of Passover. So, happy new year!

In honor of Spring, I'm releasing to the public domain for the first time what was arguably my most environmentally-based sermon (and certainly the most "hands on"), delivered here on Yom Kippur way back in 1991, in my assistant rabbi days. Some might recall it as the "earth ball" sermon, when, while I spoke, the congregation passed a giant earthball, from one person to the next. You can find it just below, or, if that doesn't work, you can find it a variety of audio formats, by clicking here.



Sixty years ago, in 1949, a small book was published that some say revolutionized the environmental movement. In "Sand County Almanac," Aldo Leopold collected his nature writings into a year long diary, bringing us in tune with the rhythms of the seasons in his native Wisconsin. The Almanac was published just after he died, ironically, while fighting a wildfire. Nature's beauty and its cruelty were felt most acutely by this conservationist, who defined ecology as the "science of relationship" and understood that our relationship to the Land is the most fundamental of all. Read more about his life here.

As our thoughts turn to Spring, keenly aware that the Jewish calendar places us right in the front row of nature's miraculous blessings, here are some memorable passages from Leopold's work:

The Geese Return
One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of a March thaw, is the spring. A cardinal, whistling spring to a thaw but later finding himself mistaken, can retrieve his error by resuming his winter silence. A chipmunk, emerging for a sunbath but finding a blizzard, has only to go back to bed. But a migrating goose, staking two hundred miles of black night on the chance of finding a hole in the lake, has no easy chance for retreat. His arrival carries the conviction of a prophet who has burned his bridges.

A March Morning
A March morning is only as drab as he who walks in it without a glance skyward, ear cocked for geese...Once the first geese are in, they honk a clamorous invitation to each migrating flock, and in a few days the marsh is full of them.

Wild Things
There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot....Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them.

For more, see The Aldo Leopold Legacy Center, Reflections on Sand County, this book review, this tribute and the Zen Birdfeeder.

As John Denver wrote of Spring in his "Seasons Suite,"

Open up your eyes and see a brand new day

A clear blue sky and brightly shining sun

Open up your ears and hear the breezes say

Everything thats cold and gray has gone

Open up your hands and feel the rain come down

Taste the wind and smell the flowers sweet perfume

Open up your mind and let the light come in

The earth has been reborn and life goes on

Do you care whats happening around you

Do your senses know the changes when they come

Can you see yourself reflected in the seasons

Can you understand the need to carry on

Riding on the tapestry of all there is to see

So many ways and oh so many things

Rejoicing in the differences, theres no one just like me

Yet as different as we are were still the same

And oh I love the life within me

I feel a part of everything I see

And oh I love the life around me

A part of everything is here in me

A part of everything is here in me

A part of everything is here in me

What is Purim Torah? (Spiritual Web Journey)

Before we set out on our way, some basic Purim links, for background on the holiday: A nice selection can be found at at Jacob Richman's Hot Sites and also here. Some excellent articles from Yeshivat Har Etzion can be found at here, and also see at Torah From Dixie.


Among the most popular aspects of Purim is the satiric genre known as Purim Torah. On Purim everything is turned upside down. Even those phenomena that are normally venerated are turned on their heads, even the study of Torah itself. Purim Torah is rabbinic logic gone haywire, otherwise known as "pilpul"). It's the Wise Men of Chelm taking over the Yeshiva. It comes from a little too much wine ("Adloyada)," combined with a little too much of our natural Jewish irreverence. It's Rashi meets Mel Brooks.


Come to think of it, Brooks' hit "The Producers" is a classic Purimspiel (Purim Play) -- a classic reenactment of the story of Purim in a different context. "Springtime for Haman in Shushan" has a ring to it, but this journey is about Purim Torah, not Purimspiels. There is a connection, though, which is explored at this site. Some more about Purim Torah as it relates to the Megilla can be found at here.


Purim Torah takes many forms. Political commentary is almost always part of it, whether the politics be internal or global. Last week at services we discussed the Talmudic incident where Rabbah followed commandment to get so drunk on Purim that he couldn't tell the difference the evildoer Haman and the good guy Mordechai. As a result he "slaughtered" his drinking buddy Rabbi Zera. Fortunately, he was able to revive Zera. He then asked Zera whether he might like to join him next Purim and Zera replied that he'd pass, but thanks anyway. You had to be there -- it was funny to those who heard it here, and it must have been funny to the rabbis of the Talmud too. The sages probably knew Rabbah in the way that "Saturday Night Live" knows Sarah Palin, and they also understood that even mandated rabbinic laws can be dangerous when taken to excess. So this story was what one might call an internal satire, a joke by the rabbis about their own methodology. For a more modern version, check out a recent Purim edition of Sh'ma, where the whole genre of rabbinic wisdom gets satirized smartly:

Rab Shamllel (who had been thrown out of both the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai at one time or another) used to muse, "You know, it's not what you know and what you don't know. What matters more is whether you know what you know and what you don't know. To know what you know opens the gates to confidence. To not know what you know opens the gates to indecision. To know what you don't know opens the gates to wisdom. And to not know what you don't know opens the gates to catastrophe. You know what I mean?"


He used to sigh, "There are four kinds of car mechanics in this world: The first can fix your car, but can't take you until the Tuesday after Tu B'Shvat. Of these there are but few and what can you do? The second can take you today but are incapable of fixing your car. Of these there are many and they are to be avoided. The third can't take you until the Tuesday after Tu B'Shvat AND are incapable of fixing your car. They are called 'dealers.' The last can fix your car and can take you today, but none of them dwell within a five-hour drive from here."


Purim Torah can be sophomoric (http://www.radix.net/~jbachman/SPTI/Schlitz-home.htm -- is about the Schlitzer Rebbe. Get it?), and just plain fun http://www.radix.net/~jbachman/SPTI/glidot.htm (a new Talmudic tractate on how to eat ice cream:

Rabbi Nahman said in the name of Rab, "It is forbidden to eat ice cream with the fingers." But the sages say, "[when it is] in a cone*, it is permitted [to eat this way]. But was it not taught, "Ice cream is finger food, you fool!" [Renee, Sig 2a]?# There is no difficulty. Here it is talking about ice cream, here frozen yogurt. One may not consume premium ice cream for it is written, "Only The butterfat you must not eat, [For it is to be burnt on the altar for atonement, (Lev. 17:10a-11a)]. Rav Sheset says, [this applied only] when the Temple is standing. *According to Rashi. Other Rishonim explain this as meaning a sandwich.)

Here's a video Purim Spoof from The Jewish Week from last year. I can't wait for this year's to come out!

In the end, Jews do on Purim what we do the rest of the year as well -- we poke a little fun at ourselves. On this most topsy turvy of days, we understand that the secret of life is to enjoy the ride -- and laugh a little all the while.

Valentines Day, Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue, and the Jews (Web Journey)

Dear Rabbi,

Can Jews Celebrate Valentines Day?
Dis-heartened

Dear Dis-heartened,

No need to be heart-broken. While we might ordinarily tend to shy away from holidays dedicated to saints, Valentines Day, as a celebration of love, fits right into our value system. There is in fact a Jewish Valentines Day, called Tu B'Av which occurs in the summer. And yes, we can make the claim that every day should be a celebration of love. And yes, love in our tradition is defined more by commitment than romance (see the V’ahavta paragraph of the Sh’ma and a super article, Shema: A Love Story), but there is a place for romance as well (just look at the biblical Song of Songs).

Here are some other reasons why it Valentines Day is kosher in my book:

The beginning of the month of Adar is seen as a time of great joy for Jews. (Adar begins on Feb. 25 this year). "When Adar enters, joy increases." Says the Talmud. The sages said that, and they knew nothing about the fact that pitchers and catchers are reporting this week. What they did know is that, when Adar begins, Purim can't be far behind. Read about Adar at http://www.jhom.com/calendar/adar/about_adar.html. As you can see from this site, much happens during that month, including the death of Moses (Adar 7), the Second Temple's dedication (Adar 5), and Nicanor Day (Adar 13), marking the anniversary of Judah Maccabee's defeat of Syrian general Nicanor in 161 BCE; originally it was observed as a festival but later became the Fast of Esther.

That's weird -- a feast becomes a fast. Why?

First, read about the destruction of Nicanor here. The source, the 1st book of Maccabees 7:26, states:

"Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honorable princes, a man that bare deadly hate unto Israel, with commandment to destroy the people."

This Nicanor was one mean dude. Sort of reminds me of What's-his-name from the Purim story. If you read on, you'll see that he was even worse than that other guy; not only wishing to destroy the Jews, but mocking our religion as well.

Now, look at the final few verses:

"So the thirteenth day of the month Adar the hosts joined battle: but Nicanor's host was discomfited, and he himself was first slain in the battle….Afterwards they took the spoils, and the prey, and smote off Nicanor's head, and his right hand, which he stretched out so proudly, and brought them away, and hanged them up toward Jerusalem. For this cause the people rejoiced greatly, and they kept that day a day of great gladness. Moreover they ordained to keep yearly this day, being the thirteenth of Adar."

It all sounds vaguely like the Purim story. Yet different. Read the article by David Holzel, “Nick at Dawn.” He calls Nicanor Day: “the Un-Purim." He claims that the rabbis deliberately sabotaged Nicanor Day by replacing it with a fast day and then one-upping it with an even more raucous day of celebration, Purim, on the following day. (It's sort of like what we've done to Hanukkah, in transforming it into an 8-day present-orgy for our kids, just to compete with that other December holiday…Kwaanza).

Indeed, the rabbis had lots of problems with the Maccabee (read: Hasmonean) family and their descendants, and they were the ones who were writing the history and arranging the calendar. But there's no reason for us to forget about Nicanor, precisely because it will help us to understand the earliest strata of Purim's development.

Many trace Purim not only to the historical roots of Nicanor, but to pagan roots as well.

Excuse me, did you say 'pagan' roots???

Fear not. Just about every Jewish observance has some connection to the environment in which it grew. What the heck is an "Afikoman," but a Jewish reaction to the rather disgusting way Romans would end their meals, called "Epikomios." It's rather obvious that the Purim tale is meant as a reaction to something was going on in the real world of the Jew(s) who wrote it. But the story itself is fiction: -- it's cartoonish, outlandish, hysterical, and the names Mordechai and Esther sound curiously like the old Babylonian gods Marduk and Ishtar. The events may reflect the story of Nicanor, but the names give the book of Esther a mythological, timeless quality.

Ishtar and Haman, life and death, vie with each other for supremacy. Ishtar triumphs; spring returns; and life is renewed.

By the way, did I mention that Ishtar was a fertility goddess. And Purim is on Adar 14. Adar 14…Feb. 14…hmmm.

Could there be a connection between Purim and, gasp, Valentines Day?

Before lightning strikes, I think there is. First of all, it's important to note that Valentines Day predates all this "saint" stuff. Read some of the Roman and Christian roots of Valentines Day’s history here. It all goes back to the Roman festival called Lupercalia. It was a biggie and it was all about the sense of rebirth that comes as winter's winds begin to wane. It was also a bit of a Sadie Hawkins day, much like the aforementioned Jewish Tu B'Av and the ancient celebration of Yom Kippur. The romantic instincts of spring (or summer, winter and fall, for that matter) are universal. Why else would Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue come out at this time of year?

(Sorry, no hyperlink here, but for the first time ever, an Israeli is on the cover, Bar Refaeli, and another Israeli model is featured inside! Or so I've been told.... So I suppose that this issue now needs to become part of every self-respecting Jewish library, right next to Rashi's commentaries)

But the key to the Purim connection to Lupercalia is that a key component of the celebration was that girls and boys would get matched up by way of a lottery! Take a look at Purim: we've got a beauty contest, we've got a lottery and we've got Ishtar. The name Purim itself means "lots."

So what happened? The rabbis, in all their desire to wrest Jews from their Maccabee hero-worship and Nicanor Day, created a new and improved festival of bawdiness -- one that would make all other holidays pale in comparison (and a few of them blush), and they gave it a touch of Roman romance to make it sexy and just enough pagan overtones to make it dangerously attractive.

And to the rabbis I say, WELL DONE! They knew that this is exactly what we need at this dreary time of year. And to keep us from doing what comes most naturally when dealing with fertility rites and such, abusing and objectifying women, they gave us Vashti, just to keep the men in line. (see "Feminist Aspects of Megillat Esther").

If only Vashti were asked to model for Sports Illustrated…. That would be quite a cover-story.

Also, see this interesting essay about the topic, A Jewish View of Valentines Day, or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love February 14.

So that’s a long, roundabout way of explaining why it’s OK for a Jew to celebrate Valentines Day. But there is a much shorter reason as well:

It’s my birthday.

Be HAPPY, It’s (almost) ADAR!

Friday the 13th - Part 5769: Jason and Freddie Make Shabbos

See the Friday the 13th" website and see how many Jewish values are exposed in these wholesome films. Everyone goes to camp and sits around the campfire; the hockey mask is a nice touch for Purim. OK, so there’s a little blood, but I've been at hundreds of brisses, so I can take it.

But that begs the question. Why is Friday the 13th considered so unlucky? For Jews, no day brings a greater sense of anticipation than Shabbat, and 13 is a very lucky number – ask any bar or bat mitzvah. So nothing to worry about. But just in case you are concerned, you might want to join us for services….

The number 13 lucky day for another reason: there are 613 commandments, making any day that ends in "13" undeniably lucky.

If you would like to see a list of all 613 Mitzvot, click here. Another version is found here.

Click here to read about the significance of the number 613

The Jewish Virtual Library reminds us that "There is also complete agreement that these 613 mitzvot can be broken down into 248 positive mitzvot (one for each bone and organ of the male body) and 365 negative mitzvot (one for each day of the solar year)." There are also connections drawn to the numerical values of the strings and knots of the Tallit fringes (the tzitzit).

Wikipedia gives us Rashi’s explanation for that here, followed by an opposing view:

Rashi, a prominent Jewish commentator, bases the number of knots on a gematria: the word tzitzit (in its Mishnaic spelling) has the value 600. Each tassel has eight threads (when doubled over) and five sets of knots, totalling 13. The sum of all numbers is 613, traditionally the number of mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah. This reflects the concept that donning a garment with tzitzyot reminds its wearer of all Torah commandments.

Nachmanides disagrees with Rashi, pointing out that the Biblical spelling of the word tzitzit has only one yod rather than two, thus adding up to the total number of 603 rather than 613. He points out that in the Biblical quote "you shall see it and remember them", the singular form "it" can refer only to the "p'til" ("thread") of tekhelet. The tekhelet strand serves this purpose, explains the Talmud, for the blue color of tekhelet resembles the ocean, which in turn resembles the sky, which in turn is said to resemble God's holy throne - thus reminding all of the divine mission to fulfill His commandments

But, as you can see from this Ohr Samayach essay, there are many more laws in the Torah than are listed in Maimonides’ calculation or others. These can be seen as broad categories.

Note that many of the 613 can no longer be fulfilled since the Temple no longer stands. In addition, some commandments can only be fulfilled by those living in the Land of Israel. As result, there is not a single Jew living on this planet who can claim to fulfill all the mitzvot. We’re all flawed, to a degree, we’re all imperfect. There is no such thing as the Perfect Jew…. Or even the perfectly observant one.

I like that idea. It keeps us humble.

But Judaism was never an all-or-nothing proposition. If you don’t fulfill them all – and who does? – that doesn’t mean you can’t fulfill some.

In fact you can – right here – this Shabbat!

The Greening of Tu B’Shevat

Tu B’Shevat has always been our greenest Jewish holiday, celebrated at the whitest time of year. In Israel, it’s not exactly spring either, but you can feel the first stretching of the sun’s warmth with the lengthening of the days.

I’ll be conducting a Tu B’Shevat seder this Sunday night for the TBE Discussion Group, but you can do one on your own. The hagaddah I’ll be using is brand new, created by Hazon.

Click here to read about Tu Bishvat. You can download the Hazon Tu Bishvat Seder manual. The manual provides instructions, guidelines and tips on running your own seder. You can download a draft copy of Hazon's Tu Bishvat Seder Haggadah. The document has been formatted to print to a double sided folded booklet.

Click here to see what schools are doing to increase understanding of how food, the land and spirituality are connected, and here to see a special project that many synagogues are engaged in, called “Tuv Ha’aretz.”

From JTA:

JTA is proud to present Eco Jews: Trends and Traditions in Jewish Environmentalism, a special section at JTA.org.

The arrival of Tu B'Shevat, Judaism's annual ode to the trees, is the perfect time to examine the most significant players and trends in Jewish environmentalism -- and offer some hands-on advice for marking the holiday and greening your communities.

Also part of this special section, JTA is excited to announce the winners of the First Annual Green Beanie Awards, in recognition of groundbreaking environmental initiatives launched by organizations and institutions from all walks of Jewish communal life. Expecting only a small response to our call for entries, we received over 100 initiatives from around the world, featuring people of all ages and from all walks of life. We saw submissions from day schools and Jewish Community Centers, senior homes and High Schools, food co-ops and bloggers.Judges from Hazon, COEJL, and the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center had difficulty settling on the top ten. The final selection included Jewish organizational giants like American Jewish Committee and UJA-Federation of New York, but also smaller groups like the Federation of Jewish Mens Clubs; Kibbutz Lotan in Israel; and Jewish Heart of Africa, which brings Israeli green technology to the continent in an effort to spur eco-friendly development.

If you are looking for a liberal Jewish setting for online text study, you'll find it at the Kollel. Click on http://www.kolel.org/pages/holidays/tu_bishevat01.html for some thoughts on Tu B'Shevat, and on http://www.kolel.org/pages/mishnah/brachot6.1.html for Mishnaic insight on the spirituality embedded in a simple blessing over "the fruit of the tree."'

Some suggested links for further study: A nice introduction can be found at http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Judaism/holiday8.html (from the "Jewish Virtual Library -- while you're there, check out the rest of this valuable site, including the "Breaking News" section at http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/news.html#New).

You can find a number of Tu B'Shevat links (including seders) at http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-hdaytu.htm.

There's so much out there about this holiday that it's hard to separate the forest from the trees, so to speak.

A nice collection of freeware on the holiday, called "Tree Bien," was put together by Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner for the USCJ - it's at http://www.uscj.org/images/tree_bien_tu_bshevat_programming.pdf

Which brings us to the whole area of eco-Judaism, often emphasized on Tu B'Shevat and a growing concern for many.

Click on http://www.qi-whiz.com/node/318 to find a fascinating take on "Eco-Kosher and Feng Shui." This article compares Jewish and Eastern forms of environmentalism, focusing on the rabbinic concept of "Bal Tashchit," prohibiting the needless waste of our natural resources. Fascinating reading.

To find out more, take a trip to the Teva Learning Center. "Teva" means nature, and this camping program has become a sort of Jewish "Outward Bound" for many students. Teva is at http://www.tevacenter.org/ and is coordinated by an organization called Shomrei Adama (Keepers of the Land).

Last but not least, there is the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), found at http://www.coejl.org/. Here's there mission statement: "The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life engages Jewish institutions and individuals in bringing the moral passion of Jewish tradition and social action to environmental stewardship in order to preserve the integrity of creation, advance social justice, protect future generations, and strengthen the Jewish community." This site has numerous educational links and action alerts. This comes at a time when I fear that action alerts will increase dramatically.

Tu B'Shevat is a fine time to reconnect with that Land of Israel. Our ancestors in Europe looked forward to that taste of dates, figs and other fruits from the holy land, including (ugh) carob (aka Bokser). As we read in a nice Tu B’shevat Haggadah at http://mcohen02.tripod.com/tbsmbc.html, "After the exile of the Jews from Israel, Tu B'Shevat became a day on which to commemorate our connection to Eretz Israel. During much of Jewish history, the only observance of this day was the practice of eating fruit associated with the land of Israel. A tradition based on Deuteronomy 8:8 holds that there are five fruits and two grains associated with it as a "land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and [date] honey." Almonds were also given a prominent place in Tu B'Shevat meals since the almond trees were believed to be the first of all trees in Israel to blossom. Carob or St John's bread - was the most popular fruit to use, since it could survive the long trip from Israel to Jewish communities in Europe and North Africa." I've been checking out "carob" web sites -- this far nothing to recommend.

We can experience the Israeli natural landscape more directly at http://www.neot-kedumim.org.il/.

Ohr Samayach has a nice catalog of articles on the love of the land of Israel, at http://www.ohr.org.il/tw/weinbach/loveland/index.htm. And you can discover just why I treasure my subscription to Eretz Magazine, Israel's National Geographic, by exploring the links to articles and photos based at http://www.eretz.com/NEW/index.shtml.

You can also check http://www.canfeinesharim.org/.

And the best way to show that love, naturally, to be there. Second best? Plant a tree: Go to the JNF web site at http://www.jnf.org/. No, you won't be able to find a photo of "your" tree there. But you will be able to become a modern day Honi Ha Ma'agel (Honi the Circle Drawer). Find out about him at http://www.ualberta.ca/~yreshef/tuintro.htm, and bring the kids along for this part of the journey (nice music too at this site). "Just as those who came before us plant for us," Honi said back in the days of the Talmud (http://www.ualberta.ca/~yreshef/agada1.htm), "so do we plant for our children."

Quick list of Tu b'Shevat Resources from Canfe Nesharim:

Ecological Problems— Living on Future Generations’ Account

Re-Connecting to Nature

A Jewish perspective on the “tragedy of the commons”

Fruit and Vegetables, Man and Animals

The "Green Belt" of the Torah: For Us and Our Animals

Am I My Planet's Keeper?

The Trees and the Eruv

the Unity and Purposefulness of Creation

G-d, Man, and Tree

Protection of the Environment, Protection of Ourselves

What is Our Responsibility to Other Creatures?

The "Ten Sayings" of Creation: Unity, Multiplicity, and Ecology

Trees are Us

Cosmic Consciousness, Man, and the Worm:

The Trees in Jewish Thought

Use and Re-use

Global Ecology: On the Road to Redemption

Learning Faith and Gratitude Through our Relationship to Hashem's Creation

The Environment in Contemporary Jewish Law

Tree = Man? Or Tree = Man!

Are we lagging Behind on Green Issues?

Shevat Community Campaign

Snow in Jewish Culture - Spiritual Web Journey

"God says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth...'"Job 37:6

With lots of snow predicted for this weekend, here are some little-known "facts" about snow in Jewish tradition and lore (some more serious than others):

From http://members.tripod.com/~jewishjokes/snow-jewish-facts.htm

Many traditional Jewish congregations refuse to count snowmen in the prayer quorum.

Medieval Jewish mystics practiced rolling in the snow to purge themselves from evil urges. They were the first snow angels.

Moses Maimonides, 10th century physician to the Egyptian Khalif, prescribed snow as a cure for the hot Cairo summers.

The elders of Safed have 36 different words for snow -- but none for snow removal.

During 3 particularly cold Sinai winters, the Israelites were led by a pillar of snow.

It is forbidden to write in the snow on the Sabbath.
(if you are interested in this topic, see http://dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?PageIndex=34&ClipID=806 and http://dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?PageIndex=34&ClipID=793) – halachot on writing on Shabbat and on walking on snow

Following the great Jerusalem blizzard of 1900, Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl proposed the "Uganda option."

According to some rabbinic authorities, one must wait six hours between going out in the snow and in the rain.

On snowy days, the procession of King Solomon's immediate family was pulled by 2,800 reindeer and 1,200 huskies.

Israel's national hockey team participated in the 1992 Winter Games, dominating both the Olympic village and concession area.

On January 9, 1896, a snowball from St. Patrick's elementary school landed in Mrs. Manischewitz's kitchen, inspiring her to invent matzo ball soup.
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Spiritual Meaning of Snow, by Rabbi Simon Jacobson

http://www.askmoses.com/scholars.html?at=Rabbi&afn=Simon&aln=Jacobson

Who has not been awed by the beauty of the city or countryside covered in snow? The serenity and whiteness of snow attracts us. We sense the purity of snow when we wake up in the morning and the streets, which are so often filled with grime, are all covered with a white blanket of snow. Snow is a great equalizer - no matter how big the building, or the car, whether a Lexus or a Hyundai, they’re all covered equally by the snow. Snow has the ability to cover over the impurities of life and remind us of our own purity.

So snow is heaven speaking to us - speaking to us through purity, speaking to us gently and gradually on our terms. Snow is the intermediary stage between heaven and earth; ice is a little closer to the level of earth; sleet is in between snow and ice. Thus every weather condition sends us a message and lesson - whether it’s rain, snow, ice, sleet or hail.

Why the Jelly Doughnuts - and Other (C)Hanuk(k)ah Questions (Hanukkah Web Journey)

(This “classic web journey” from a prior Shabbat-O-Gram may have some inoperative hyperlinks, but, as they say at Dunkin Donuts, it is “worth the trip.”)
I received the following “ask the rabbi” question via e-mail this week:

Rabbi, Perhaps you can answer a Hanukkah question that came up last night as we were eating doughnuts. What is the significance of "jelly" doughnuts versus any other type of doughnut?

This question must be going around, along with the old “Hanukkah” vs. “Chanukah” spelling conundrum. I’ve heard both from dozens of people this week. Indeed, why do the sufganiot, that popular Israeli doughnut treat, have to include jelly? Why not butternut, chocolate or glazed? Why not Boston Creme, for crying out loud? I thought about it and responded:

Hi -
And so I ask, why the applesauce with the latkes? I think in both cases it comes down to sweetness. But then, why the sour cream? Dairy foods are also customary on Hanukkah. The word sufgania is from the Talmud and means "spongy dough." Doesn't sound as appetizing as "Krispy Kreme." Try having spongy dough without something inside to sweeten it up. The Talmud says nothing about jelly -- or that the doughnut should even have a hole, for that matter. It needs more investigation. A dissertation could be written on this!

Well, maybe not a dissertation, but more investigation for sure. Does the jelly symbolize sweetness, fruitfulness, stickiness, or what? Why the jelly?

We begin with an argument based on the implicit connection between certain foods that are traditional on this holiday.

We start the journey at a fascinating Web site explaining Jewish symbols, written from a refreshingly liberal perspective (created by the Jewish Women’s project, Kolot, at the JCC of the Upper West Side): http://www.ritualwell.org/. Go to http://www.ritualwell.org:10030/Glossary/symbol.html?symbol=680 to find Chanukah (they are “CH” people, evidently). Click on “Judith” (or go directly to the summary of this apocryphal tale at http://www.ritualwell.org:10030/Rituals/ritual.html?docid=803) and see how the story of Judith ties into this festival and provides it with a unique feminist twist – and also connects it to cheese and dairy products. To see that connection directly, the entire book of Judith is translated at http://www.tldm.org/bible/Old%20Testament/judith.htm, and you’ll find a reference to cheese in chapter 10. Basically, Judith got the evil Holofernes thirsty with the cheese, drunk with (sweet) wine and then cut off his head and saved the Jews. Anyone know if Osama likes cheese?

So we now have drawn the line connecting Hanukkah to cheese; but cheese is salty, no? Well, if you believe this, you haven’t had a cheese blintz lately. Interestingly, one of the recipes found at the ritualwell site is a Sephardic formula for phyllo triangles with sweet ricotta filling.

Dairy products are frequently tied directly to sweetness. How often is Israel called the land “flowing with milk and honey?”(see Numbers 13:27 and elsewhere) In a land where water is so scarce, the taste of milk takes on an even greater sweetness. Commentators often interpret this as an expression for fertility and fruitfulness. A super article on milk and honey as fertility symbols can be found at http://www.uhmc.sunysb.edu/surgery/m&h.html. Interestingly, the prophet Joel (4:18) draws a direct parallel between milk and fruit juice, saying: “fruits pure as milk and sweet as honey.” The connection is clearly made: sweetness = fruit filling = dairy + honey. Hence, doughnuts without filling just wouldn’t be complete on Hanukkah. Eating a mouth-watering strawberry glazed doughnut is the gastronomical equivalent to splashing around in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Here’s a possible historical argument: In ancient times, the doughnuts had no holes. Dunkin Donuts wasn’t even invented until 1950 (http://www.dunkindonuts.com/aboutus/history.jsp). But even “DDs” does not have the distinction of inventing the uniquely-shaped delicacy. Go to http://id.essortment.com/doughnuthistory_rgjt.htm (“A Short History of the Doughnut) and you’ll find that…
“…In a house in Rockport, Maine there is a plaque that recognizes Mason Crockett Gregory with the invention of the doughnut hole, in 1847. The reason why? He hated doughnuts with an uncooked center. (Or perhaps he was just particularly impatient-they cook much quicker without a center) Skeptics point out that Gregory was a sea captain, however, and may well have encountered the jumble version of the confection on his travels, and brought the idea home with him. (This would seem to be the truth behind the legend of a sea captain placing the doughnut on the wheel of his ship for safe-keeping, and then just becoming enamored of the idea.) Even if Captain Gregory came up with the idea, John Blondell was awarded the patent for the first doughnut cutter in 1872. Blondell's version was made of wood, but an 'improved' tin version with a fluted edge was patented in 1889.”
No matter how you look at it, the doughnut hole came many centuries later than Talmud, so when the ancient rabbis spoke of the spongy Sufgania, they couldn’t possibly have been thinking of doughnuts as we know them, the ones with a hole. And if the doughnut has no hole, we all know that it is most likely going to be filled with jelly. Find more about the history of the doughnut at http://www.mrbreakfast.com/article.asp?articleid=8.
Some final facts about jelly doughnuts are warranted. It is been pointed out that JFK made a grammatical error in his famous speech where he ostensibly said, in German, “I am a Berliner,” but really said, “I am a jelly doughnut.” This is actually an urban legend (see http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa021700a.htm), but what a great tie in to the Maccabees’ own fight for freedom, were it true! For some cultural parallels to the Sufgania in other traditions, go to http://home.attbi.com/~osoono/history.htm -- but be prepared to drool. And finally, go to http://www.ijn.com/archive/2000%20arch/120800.htm#sizzling, where you will read what seems the most plausible explanation for the Sufgania’s jelliness:
Polish Jews adopted a local lekvar (prune preserves) or raspberry jam-filled doughnut, called ponchiks (paczki in Polish) as their favorite Chanukah dessert. Australian Jews, many of whom emigrated from Poland, still refer to jelly doughnuts as ponchiks. When the jelly doughnut made its way to Israel, however, it took the name sufganiyot, after a "spongy dough" mentioned in the Talmud. Sufganiyot subsequently emerged as the most popular Israeli Chanukah food, sold throughout the eight-day festival at almost every bakery and market.
So where did the jelly doughnuts on Hanukkah idea originate? In Poland, of all places, the homeland of that holiest food around: the bagel (http://www.nyc24.com/issue01/story02/page03.asp). Makes perfect sense. Or at least as much sense as the blizzard that’s happening outside my window right now.
So, are you sorry you asked? Next, you can explore the superiority of the Latke over the Hamentash http://www3.telus.net/myssiwyg/latkes.html.
As for Hanukkah (h, 2ks) vs Chanukah (Ch, 1k), it’s all about having a total of eight letters. Eight letters – eight nights. See http://tckillian.com/greg/chanukah.html#_Toc468019403 for more on that (that site also is packed with top-notch Hanukkah information).

Spiritual Web Journey: What Is (Are) Selichot?

Elul is nearly half over, and the process of Teshuvah intensifies with the recitation of special penitential prayers known as Selichot. Sephardim have been reciting them throughout Elul, but for Jews of European (Askenazi) extraction, the custom is to begin reciting them at dawn on the Sunday before Rosh Hashanah. That time was moved up to midnight over the last century, to accommodate late-sleeping Americans. Some (like us) have moved it up even more, to just after Shabbat (next week), to accommodate babysitters. Whenever you do these prayers, the idea is the same – preparation to enter the New Year in the proper mood of humility and contrition.

According to an article at jewz.com, http://www.jewz.com/articles/selichot.phtml, “the Selichot prayer service is patterned after a custom practiced by Jews in the ghettos and small towns of Eastern Europe. In those days, during the ten "Days of Awe" between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a representative of the synagogue would go from house to house at midnight to rouse Jews from their sleep. He would knock loudly three times upon the door with his wooden clapper, then sing in a traditional Yiddish melody, "O Israel! O holy people! Awake! Rouse yourselves! Get up for the service of the Creator" When the Jews reached the synagogue, they would recite Selichot, which are prayers asking God for forgiveness.”

Find out more about Selichot at http://www.jewfaq.org/elul.htm, and http://www.ou.org/chagim/elul/selichotbasic.htm. The National Jewish Outreach Program has an excellent section on this at http://www.njop.org/html/RoshPrep.html.

Twice during Selichot, and again throughout the Days of Awe, we repeated the 13 Attributes of Divine Mercy. Each of these qualities needs to be cultivated more within ourselves. More on the attributes can be found at http://www.vbm-torah.org/roshandyk/13-eb.htm. The basis for reciting the thirteen attributes of mercy is found in Rosh Hashana 17b. "God passed by him and called..." (Shemot 34,6). R. Yochanan said: Were this not an explicit verse, we could not have said such a thing. It tells us that the Holy One, blessed be He, wrapped Himself (in a talit) like the prayer leader (chazzan) and showed Moshe the order of prayer. He said to him: Whenever Israel sins, let them perform this order and I shall forgive them. "HaShem HaShem" - I am He before man sins; I am He after man sins and repents ... Rav Yehuda said: A covenant is made over the thirteen attributes, that they are never ineffectual, as is written, "Behold I am making a covenant" (34:10).”

This passage raises lots of questions, about why God had to don a tallit and show Moses how to recite the attributes. The aforementioned Web site covers many of these points. But the most important question is why recite a laundry list of qualities at all, rather than simply praying for forgiveness. From this we learn that the attributes of God, in Judaism, are not theology. They are revelations, manifestations of God's presence in the world. In other words, we need not waste too much time speculating on what God is – but rather on what God DOES, and how sanctity is made manifest in our world.

Maimonides listed the steps toward true Teshuvah as being:

Recognize and discontinue the action, which may be something as drastic as stealing or as common as losing one's temper.

Verbally confess the action, thus giving the action a concrete existence in one's own mind.

Regret the action. Evaluate the negative effects this action may have had on oneself or on others.

Determine not to do the action again. Picture yourself in the same situation and create a positive way to handle it.

Finally, here's a prayer for Selichot that I found on the web a few years ago that seems to have disappeared from its site, so I don't know who the author is:

DEAR GOD, forgive me for not being the best Jew I can be. Forgive me for pointing fingers at others who are less concerned with their Judaism than am I. Help me to do better in all things. Help me to be the best person that I can be.

I know that You, God, can only forgive me for those offenses I have committed against You. I must ask forgiveness directly of those people whom I have wronged in order for them to forgive me.

FOR OUR CHILDREN (of all ages), please forgive us for all the times we have yelled at you because we were angry at someone else. Forgive us for the promises we made and failed to keep. Forgive us for not understanding your inner hurts, and for the times when we were too busy to listen. Forgive us for all the times we said "No" for no reason. Help us to be better parents. Try to understand that parents often are selfish, and that they think of themselves first. Yet parents love you and want to teach you to love the world and all the people in it. We love you, and ask your forgiveness.

FOR OUR SPOUSES, please forgive me for the petty misunderstandings that have grown into large quarrels. Forgive me for not reaching out to you in your need when I was too wrapped up in my needs. Help me to be a better mate. Help me to learn to share more of my innermost thoughts with you so that you can be more receptive to my needs. Help me to appreciate our love to its fullest.

FOR OUR FRIENDS, forgive me for all the unknown hurts I may have inflicted upon you by not being aware of your needs. Forgive me for not sharing some of my thoughts and hurts with you. Help me to be a better friend.

FOR OURSELF, forgive me for all the times I did not stop myself from saying or doing something that may have hurt others. Forgive me for being too hard on myself and not seeing the goodness that is there. Forgive me for not allowing myself to grow. Help me to understand that before another can love me, I must love myself. Help me to enjoy life, love and the world.

FOR EACH OTHER, thank you for being patient with each other; thank you for caring about each other; thank you for being you and allowing each of us to be ourselves.

See you here for Selichot, Sept. 20 at 10 (preceded at 8:30 by the acclaimed film, "Praying With Lior")

Shofar, Sho-Good: part 2: Spiritual Web Journey

Here are some quick Web explorations on the Shofar, for those with enough RAM (sorry) to download them:

1) For the most complete (and somewhat overwhelming, for the uninitiated) compilation of source material regarding the shofar from the Bible, Talmud, Midrash and even the Encyclopedia Brittanica, go to http://www.betemunah.org/shofar.html. You could stay at this site until Simhat Torah, so much is packed into it. Read this material and you’ll certainly be the “shofar maven” of your row at services.

2) We don’t blow the shofar on Shabbat. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat (thankfully not this year) That’s like inviting everyone to the Super Bowl and deciding not to use the football. But there are good reasons for this (not the least of which is to get you here on the second day!). Read explanations for this at http://www.tchiyah.org/roth.htm (a Conservative perspective) and http://www.tchiyah.org/shofar_shabbat.htm (a Reconstructionist view). Fascinating discussion.

For me it comes down to three compelling reasons why not to blow shofar on Shabbat:

a) To remind us that we live in unredeemed times, different from when the Temple in Jerusalem existed,

b) To remind us that Shabbat is a High Holy Day that occurs every week, and is even more important than Rosh Hashanah (and is a time when we learn to live and let live, not to change everything)

and c) To remind us that the two days of Rosh Hashanah are in fact to be considered one long day in our tradition, and that in fact the entire 10 days of Teshuvah are all connected.

3) Rav Saadia’s Top Ten List of reasons to blow the shofar http://www.thegreatshofar.com/article_info.php?articles_id=2

4) Hear a shofar! The Jewish Outreach Institute’s shofar page got thousands of hits when it was advertised in the NY Times a couple of years ago. Hear for yourself, at http://www.joi.org/celebrate/rosh/shofar.shtml. Compare that with the sound at http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/shofar.htm

5) An article about the two sides of the shofar, the sobbing and the celebratory, at http://207.168.91.4/vjholidays/rosh/art6.htm

6) Go to http://www.s-hamilton.k12.ia.us/antiqua/shofar.htm for some quick background historical material on the shofar but beware of links to “messianic” sites. The shofar is a key symbol for messianic “Jews” (e.g. the so called “Jews” for Jesus), because of its biblical connection to the Jubilee, the revelation at Mt. Sinai and fulfillment of messianic prophecies.

7) “The shofar is the voice of truth.” From the Breslov Hasidim: http://www.breslov.com/world/parsha/roshhashana_5750.html

8) A straight or twisted shofar? Here’s the answer, from the Bar Ilan Web site: http://www.biu.ac.il/jh/parasha/eng/rosh/fis.html

9) When you hear the shofar, what is that mysterious sound? Is it the voice of God? A crying infant? A sobbing mother? Some speculation, at http://www.jhom.com/topics/voice/sinai.htm and http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/980918/shofar.shtml

Shofar, So Good (Spiritual Journey on the Web)

So much about the shofar can be seen – and heard – online.

Start as is so often the case, with Wikipedia – at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shofar. There you’ll find out lots of fascinating tidbits, like why we won’t sound it on Shabbat, which is well explained here.

Also, go to The Shofar Sounder’s Web Page at http://www.geocities.com/shofar221/, click on “Notable Shofars and you’ll see artifacts like a photo of a shofar sounded at the forced labor camp called Skazysko-Kamienna in Poland in 1943.



In the mood for fun? Try out “Shofar Idol” at http://www.danmeth.com/shofaridol.htm, an “American Idol” take off. Then go to MyJewishLearning.com - Holidays: HowToShofar and then the Jewish Virtual Library’s piece at http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/shofar.html.

Finally, there is a cyber shofar at http://www.ou.org/: Hear how it sounds.

So now that we've begun to hear those mysterious siren calls each weekday morning at services, we can also get our fill online of that curious instrument that some say is really the voice of God.

(Web Journey) Friday the 6/13th: Jason and Freddie Make Shabbos

See the "Friday the 13th" website and see how many Jewish values are exposed in these wholesome films. Everyone goes to camp and sits around the campfire; the hockey mask is a nice touch for Purim. OK, so there’s a little blood, but I was at a bris on Tuesday, so I can take it.

But that begs the question. Why is Friday the 13th considered so unlucky? For Jews, no day brings a greater sense of anticipation than Shabbat, and 13 is a very lucky number – ask any bar or bat mitzvah. So nothing to worry about today. But just in case you are concerned, you might want to join us for services…tonight at 6:30.

This is a lucky day for another reason… not only is it the 13th, but it’s JUNE 13th – i.e. 6/13. Since there are 613 commandments, this day is no doubt one of the luckiest of the year.

So, if you would like to see a list of all 613 Mitzvot, click here. Another version is found here.

Click here to read about the significance of the number 613

The Jewish Virtual Library reminds us that "There is also complete agreement that these 613 mitzvot can be broken down into 248 positive mitzvot (one for each bone and organ of the male body) and 365 negative mitzvot (one for each day of the solar year)." There are also connections drawn to the numerical values of the strings and knots of the Tallit fringes (the tzitzit). Wikipedia gives us Rashi’s explanation for that here, followed by an opposing view:

Rashi, a prominent Jewish commentator, bases the number of knots on a gematria: the word tzitzit (in its Mishnaic spelling) has the value 600. Each tassel has eight threads (when doubled over) and five sets of knots, totalling 13. The sum of all numbers is 613, traditionally the number of mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah. This reflects the concept that donning a garment with tzitzyot reminds its wearer of all Torah commandments.

Nachmanides disagrees with Rashi, pointing out that the Biblical spelling of the word tzitzit has only one yod rather than two, thus adding up to the total number of 603 rather than 613. He points out that in the Biblical quote "you shall see it and remember them", the singular form "it" can refer only to the "p'til" ("thread") of tekhelet. The tekhelet strand serves this purpose, explains the Talmud, for the blue color of tekhelet resembles the ocean, which in turn resembles the sky, which in turn is said to resemble God's holy throne - thus reminding all of the divine mission to fulfill His commandments

But, as you can see from this Ohr Samayach essay, there are many more laws in the Torah than are listed in Maimonides’ calculation or others. These can be seen as broad categories.

Note that many of the 613 can no longer be fulfilled since the Temple no longer stands. In addition, some commandments can only be fulfilled by those living in the Land of Israel. As result, there is not a single Jew living on this planet who can claim to fulfill all the mitzvot. We’re all flawed, to a degree, we’re all imperfect. There is no such thing as the Perfect Jew…. Or even the perfectly observant one.

I like that idea. It keeps us humble.

But Judaism was never an all-or-nothing proposition. If you don’t fulfill them all – and who does? – that doesn’t mean you can’t fulfill some.

In fact you can – right here – this Shabbat!