Talmidav Shel Aharon
07-5767 Mitzvah 36
November 27, 2006
Mitzvah 36 – It is a positive commandment to take up the four species on Sukkot.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of thick trees and willows of the brook.” (Lev. 23:40) This means on Lulav (palm branch), one Etrog (citron), three myrtle branches and two willow branches. One must hold them in the same position that they grow. Once he has lifted them, he has fulfilled the Mitzvah. The entire day is the proper time to take them up. The Sages have declared that they are taken up each of the seven days of the festival, not just the one day that the Bible requires. We do not take the species up on Shabbat, the Sages have forbidden this even if the first day is Shabbat for fear that one may carry them which would be a full violation of Shabbat. If one of the four species is disqualified or missing, the entire set can not be used. You cannot use a borrowed set on the first day of Sukkot but you can on the other days. A stolen set is always disqualified. A child who knows how to wave them properly should wave them even if he is under legal age in order to train him in the Mitzvot. This is in effect at all times and it every place for males but not for females.
A Lulav and Etrog set are known as “The Four Species” and that is the better name since the set includes more than just a palm branch and Etrog. The origin of these branches is a big mystery. The bible requires them, but is unclear just which species are included (thick trees? Splendid trees?) The Etrog is particularly a problem since it is not native to the Middle East. It came through trade to Babylonia in the seventh century and was probably picked up by the Israelite exiles there and brought back to Israel when the exile was over in the sixth century. The book of Nehemiah seems to think that the fruit of splendid trees was olive branches. That would make a lot of sense. Perhaps, in the Greek period, when olive branches were used in pagan rituals, the Etrog was substituted for the olive.
They are held together with the braches down and the leaves pointing up, which are the way they grow naturally. The palm branch is in the middle and with the spine of the palm branch facing you; the myrtle branches would be on the left and the willow on the right. These branches are bound together and held in the left hand. The right hand holds the Etrog, with the stem down and the pitom (the remnant of the Etrog flower) up. When we take up the set for the first time each day, we recite the blessing. Since we can not take the set until we say the blessing and can’t say the blessing without the set, we take the set but hold the Etrog upside down (pitom down) say the blessing and then turn it over before we wave it in the six directions: East, South, West, North, Up and Down. We shake the Lulav three times in each direction, not more, not less. On the first day one also recites the Shehechiyanu.
While one can take the Lulav up all day, it is used on Sukkot in the morning service for Hallel and Hoshanot. It is waved during the recitation of Psalm 118 at the beginning and near the middle and near the end. It is not waved but paraded around the synagogue during Hoshanot. Once each day of Sukkot it is paraded around the synagogue and then it is paraded seven times on the last day, Hoshana Rabba.
It is particularly praiseworthy to have a beautiful set and to carry the Etrog to and from the synagogue in a beautiful carrying box. You should own your own set but you can borrow a set if you do not own one. One can’t use a stolen set at all.
Children who are old enough to use a set, should have a training set to get used to fulfilling the Mitzvot, but they are not obligated to wave the four species until after Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
The Hafetz Hayyim may not require women to wave the four species as it is a time bound mitzvah for which women would be exempt, but Conservative Judaism does require women to wave the four species and women should have their own set.
Hillel Konigsburg asks: Is it one should be able to see the stars or that one has to see the stars? (when standing in the Sukkah). I was always under the impression that it is suggested but not required.Rabbi Replies: You are correct, it is a sign that the top has been arranged properly, it is not a requirement to see the stars.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
06-5767 Mitzvah 34 & 35
Talmidav Shel Aharon
06-5767 Mitzvah 34 & 35
November 20, 2006
Mitzvah 34 – It is a positive commandment to rest from work on the first day of Sukkot.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “On the first day, a holy convocation.” (Lev. 23:35) The law is the same as the law for the first day of Passover. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.
As I wrote then: “Resting on Holidays is not the same as resting on Shabbat. The rest of Shabbat is more comprehensive than that of festivals since Shabbat can be only one day and a festival can be two or more days long. Cooking, spreading an existing flame and carrying from one domain to another are forbidden on Shabbat but permitted on a Festival.”
Mitzvah 35 – It is a positive commandment to dwell in a Sukkah all seven days of the festival..
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “You shall dwell in booths seven days.” (Lev. 23:42) The entire seven days of the festival, on should eat, drink and live in the Sukkah both by day and night. All the seven days a man is to make his home an occasional place and his Sukkah his fixed place. It is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside the Sukkah; on the first night it is a duty to eat at least an olive’s amount of bread in the Sukkah. Thereafter, if one wants to eat bread, he is to eat it in the Sukkah; if he wants to eat fruit, he may eat it outside the Sukkah. A young child who as reached the age of training has the obligation by the law of the Sages. This is in effect at all times and it every place for males but not for females.
A Sukkah is a booth constructed for the purpose of living in it for the duration of the Sukkot holiday. The shape of the building is like the letters of Sukkah (Samech, Chaf and Hey) that is, it can have four walls (and a door); three walls or two and one-half walls. The walls can be constructed of any material at all, even attached to a permanent structure. What is crucial, however, is the roof. It must be constructed of branches that let sunlight in by day, and allow one to look out at night. By day, there should be more shade than sun on the floor of the Sukkah; by night one should be able to see the stars. The material used must be branches or some other natural material not constructed by human hands. One can use corn stalks, evergreen branches, palm branches or any other natural material cut from its roots or trunk. The branches must actually be cut: a Sukkah cannot be built under a tree to use the growing branches as a roof. One is allowed to beautify the Sukkah in any way that will enhance the beauty of the holiday.
We build a Sukkah in order to use it. We should, minimally, sit in the Sukkah and say the blessing at least once a day. Better, one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah. If possible, one should even sleep in the Sukkah during the seven days of the festivals. While one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah, one can snack anywhere during the festival, as long as it is not a formal meal. (For the Sages, this usually required bread to be served.) The first night of Sukkot, it is required to eat in the Sukkah. Once this minimum is observed, if one only snacks for the other six days and never eats bread until after the holiday is over, he has still fulfilled his obligation to eat in the Sukkah.
The symbolism of the Sukkah is that our ancestors wandered 40 years in the desert with only the clouds of G-d to shelter them from the sun and the elements. We also show our faith in G-d by dwelling in these temporary booths and trusting G-d to protect us. I should note: it is not permitted to sit in the rain or any inclement weather during the festival. In Israel, we can be sure that it will not rain on Sukkot and the weather will be nice. In the rest of the world, we can not be so sure. We should try to eat in the Sukkah, but if the weather is not permitting us to eat there, we cannot endanger our health by sitting there in bad weather.
Every year, in December, I am asked if Jews can decorate their homes and their trees with beautiful lights like our Christian neighbors do. The answer is no. This is their season to decorate, it is their holiday, not ours. We can look at their decorations, but it would be poor taste to imitate it ourselves when it is not our holiday. We can however, decorate our Sukkot in September, with lights, pictures and all manner of decorations in honor of our holiday. Ask your rabbi for Sukkot decorating tips.
The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that a child should be trained in observing the mitzvot before the child becomes obligated. All Jews are obligated to perform all the mitzvot when they reach their thirteenth birthday. The Sages, however, insist that children nine years old and older begin practicing the mitzvot. They should fast a half day on Yom Kippur and eat their meals with the adults in the Sukkah. While there is a long history of Women being exempt from the Mitzvah of living in a Sukkah as it is a “time bound” mitzvah, that women are exempt from performing, today, in the community of Conservative Judaism, woman should also eat and sit in the Sukkah. November 20, 2006
Mitzvah 34 – It is a positive commandment to rest from work on the first day of Sukkot.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “On the first day, a holy convocation.” (Lev. 23:35) The law is the same as the law for the first day of Passover. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.
As I wrote then: “Resting on Holidays is not the same as resting on Shabbat. The rest of Shabbat is more comprehensive than that of festivals since Shabbat can be only one day and a festival can be two or more days long. Cooking, spreading an existing flame and carrying from one domain to another are forbidden on Shabbat but permitted on a Festival.”
Mitzvah 35 – It is a positive commandment to dwell in a Sukkah all seven days of the festival..
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “You shall dwell in booths seven days.” (Lev. 23:42) The entire seven days of the festival, on should eat, drink and live in the Sukkah both by day and night. All the seven days a man is to make his home an occasional place and his Sukkah his fixed place. It is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside the Sukkah; on the first night it is a duty to eat at least an olive’s amount of bread in the Sukkah. Thereafter, if one wants to eat bread, he is to eat it in the Sukkah; if he wants to eat fruit, he may eat it outside the Sukkah. A young child who as reached the age of training has the obligation by the law of the Sages. This is in effect at all times and it every place for males but not for females.
A Sukkah is a booth constructed for the purpose of living in it for the duration of the Sukkot holiday. The shape of the building is like the letters of Sukkah (Samech, Chaf and Hey) that is, it can have four walls (and a door); three walls or two and one-half walls. The walls can be constructed of any material at all, even attached to a permanent structure. What is crucial, however, is the roof. It must be constructed of branches that let sunlight in by day, and allow one to look out at night. By day, there should be more shade than sun on the floor of the Sukkah; by night one should be able to see the stars. The material used must be branches or some other natural material not constructed by human hands. One can use corn stalks, evergreen branches, palm branches or any other natural material cut from its roots or trunk. The branches must actually be cut: a Sukkah cannot be built under a tree to use the growing branches as a roof. One is allowed to beautify the Sukkah in any way that will enhance the beauty of the holiday.
We build a Sukkah in order to use it. We should, minimally, sit in the Sukkah and say the blessing at least once a day. Better, one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah. If possible, one should even sleep in the Sukkah during the seven days of the festivals. While one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah, one can snack anywhere during the festival, as long as it is not a formal meal. (For the Sages, this usually required bread to be served.) The first night of Sukkot, it is required to eat in the Sukkah. Once this minimum is observed, if one only snacks for the other six days and never eats bread until after the holiday is over, he has still fulfilled his obligation to eat in the Sukkah.
The symbolism of the Sukkah is that our ancestors wandered 40 years in the desert with only the clouds of G-d to shelter them from the sun and the elements. We also show our faith in G-d by dwelling in these temporary booths and trusting G-d to protect us. I should note: it is not permitted to sit in the rain or any inclement weather during the festival. In Israel, we can be sure that it will not rain on Sukkot and the weather will be nice. In the rest of the world, we can not be so sure. We should try to eat in the Sukkah, but if the weather is not permitting us to eat there, we cannot endanger our health by sitting there in bad weather.
Every year, in December, I am asked if Jews can decorate their homes and their trees with beautiful lights like our Christian neighbors do. The answer is no. This is their season to decorate, it is their holiday, not ours. We can look at their decorations, but it would be poor taste to imitate it ourselves when it is not our holiday. We can however, decorate our Sukkot in September, with lights, pictures and all manner of decorations in honor of our holiday. Ask your rabbi for Sukkot decorating tips.
The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that a child should be trained in observing the mitzvot before the child becomes obligated. All Jews are obligated to perform all the mitzvot when they reach their thirteenth birthday. The Sages, however, insist that children nine years old and older begin practicing the mitzvot. They should fast a half day on Yom Kippur and eat their meals with the adults in the Sukkah. While there is a long history of Women being exempt from the Mitzvah of living in a Sukkah as it is a “time bound” mitzvah, that women are exempt from performing, today, in the community of Conservative Judaism, woman should also eat and sit in the Sukkah.
06-5767 Mitzvah 34 & 35
November 20, 2006
Mitzvah 34 – It is a positive commandment to rest from work on the first day of Sukkot.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “On the first day, a holy convocation.” (Lev. 23:35) The law is the same as the law for the first day of Passover. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.
As I wrote then: “Resting on Holidays is not the same as resting on Shabbat. The rest of Shabbat is more comprehensive than that of festivals since Shabbat can be only one day and a festival can be two or more days long. Cooking, spreading an existing flame and carrying from one domain to another are forbidden on Shabbat but permitted on a Festival.”
Mitzvah 35 – It is a positive commandment to dwell in a Sukkah all seven days of the festival..
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “You shall dwell in booths seven days.” (Lev. 23:42) The entire seven days of the festival, on should eat, drink and live in the Sukkah both by day and night. All the seven days a man is to make his home an occasional place and his Sukkah his fixed place. It is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside the Sukkah; on the first night it is a duty to eat at least an olive’s amount of bread in the Sukkah. Thereafter, if one wants to eat bread, he is to eat it in the Sukkah; if he wants to eat fruit, he may eat it outside the Sukkah. A young child who as reached the age of training has the obligation by the law of the Sages. This is in effect at all times and it every place for males but not for females.
A Sukkah is a booth constructed for the purpose of living in it for the duration of the Sukkot holiday. The shape of the building is like the letters of Sukkah (Samech, Chaf and Hey) that is, it can have four walls (and a door); three walls or two and one-half walls. The walls can be constructed of any material at all, even attached to a permanent structure. What is crucial, however, is the roof. It must be constructed of branches that let sunlight in by day, and allow one to look out at night. By day, there should be more shade than sun on the floor of the Sukkah; by night one should be able to see the stars. The material used must be branches or some other natural material not constructed by human hands. One can use corn stalks, evergreen branches, palm branches or any other natural material cut from its roots or trunk. The branches must actually be cut: a Sukkah cannot be built under a tree to use the growing branches as a roof. One is allowed to beautify the Sukkah in any way that will enhance the beauty of the holiday.
We build a Sukkah in order to use it. We should, minimally, sit in the Sukkah and say the blessing at least once a day. Better, one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah. If possible, one should even sleep in the Sukkah during the seven days of the festivals. While one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah, one can snack anywhere during the festival, as long as it is not a formal meal. (For the Sages, this usually required bread to be served.) The first night of Sukkot, it is required to eat in the Sukkah. Once this minimum is observed, if one only snacks for the other six days and never eats bread until after the holiday is over, he has still fulfilled his obligation to eat in the Sukkah.
The symbolism of the Sukkah is that our ancestors wandered 40 years in the desert with only the clouds of G-d to shelter them from the sun and the elements. We also show our faith in G-d by dwelling in these temporary booths and trusting G-d to protect us. I should note: it is not permitted to sit in the rain or any inclement weather during the festival. In Israel, we can be sure that it will not rain on Sukkot and the weather will be nice. In the rest of the world, we can not be so sure. We should try to eat in the Sukkah, but if the weather is not permitting us to eat there, we cannot endanger our health by sitting there in bad weather.
Every year, in December, I am asked if Jews can decorate their homes and their trees with beautiful lights like our Christian neighbors do. The answer is no. This is their season to decorate, it is their holiday, not ours. We can look at their decorations, but it would be poor taste to imitate it ourselves when it is not our holiday. We can however, decorate our Sukkot in September, with lights, pictures and all manner of decorations in honor of our holiday. Ask your rabbi for Sukkot decorating tips.
The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that a child should be trained in observing the mitzvot before the child becomes obligated. All Jews are obligated to perform all the mitzvot when they reach their thirteenth birthday. The Sages, however, insist that children nine years old and older begin practicing the mitzvot. They should fast a half day on Yom Kippur and eat their meals with the adults in the Sukkah. While there is a long history of Women being exempt from the Mitzvah of living in a Sukkah as it is a “time bound” mitzvah, that women are exempt from performing, today, in the community of Conservative Judaism, woman should also eat and sit in the Sukkah. November 20, 2006
Mitzvah 34 – It is a positive commandment to rest from work on the first day of Sukkot.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “On the first day, a holy convocation.” (Lev. 23:35) The law is the same as the law for the first day of Passover. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.
As I wrote then: “Resting on Holidays is not the same as resting on Shabbat. The rest of Shabbat is more comprehensive than that of festivals since Shabbat can be only one day and a festival can be two or more days long. Cooking, spreading an existing flame and carrying from one domain to another are forbidden on Shabbat but permitted on a Festival.”
Mitzvah 35 – It is a positive commandment to dwell in a Sukkah all seven days of the festival..
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “You shall dwell in booths seven days.” (Lev. 23:42) The entire seven days of the festival, on should eat, drink and live in the Sukkah both by day and night. All the seven days a man is to make his home an occasional place and his Sukkah his fixed place. It is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside the Sukkah; on the first night it is a duty to eat at least an olive’s amount of bread in the Sukkah. Thereafter, if one wants to eat bread, he is to eat it in the Sukkah; if he wants to eat fruit, he may eat it outside the Sukkah. A young child who as reached the age of training has the obligation by the law of the Sages. This is in effect at all times and it every place for males but not for females.
A Sukkah is a booth constructed for the purpose of living in it for the duration of the Sukkot holiday. The shape of the building is like the letters of Sukkah (Samech, Chaf and Hey) that is, it can have four walls (and a door); three walls or two and one-half walls. The walls can be constructed of any material at all, even attached to a permanent structure. What is crucial, however, is the roof. It must be constructed of branches that let sunlight in by day, and allow one to look out at night. By day, there should be more shade than sun on the floor of the Sukkah; by night one should be able to see the stars. The material used must be branches or some other natural material not constructed by human hands. One can use corn stalks, evergreen branches, palm branches or any other natural material cut from its roots or trunk. The branches must actually be cut: a Sukkah cannot be built under a tree to use the growing branches as a roof. One is allowed to beautify the Sukkah in any way that will enhance the beauty of the holiday.
We build a Sukkah in order to use it. We should, minimally, sit in the Sukkah and say the blessing at least once a day. Better, one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah. If possible, one should even sleep in the Sukkah during the seven days of the festivals. While one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah, one can snack anywhere during the festival, as long as it is not a formal meal. (For the Sages, this usually required bread to be served.) The first night of Sukkot, it is required to eat in the Sukkah. Once this minimum is observed, if one only snacks for the other six days and never eats bread until after the holiday is over, he has still fulfilled his obligation to eat in the Sukkah.
The symbolism of the Sukkah is that our ancestors wandered 40 years in the desert with only the clouds of G-d to shelter them from the sun and the elements. We also show our faith in G-d by dwelling in these temporary booths and trusting G-d to protect us. I should note: it is not permitted to sit in the rain or any inclement weather during the festival. In Israel, we can be sure that it will not rain on Sukkot and the weather will be nice. In the rest of the world, we can not be so sure. We should try to eat in the Sukkah, but if the weather is not permitting us to eat there, we cannot endanger our health by sitting there in bad weather.
Every year, in December, I am asked if Jews can decorate their homes and their trees with beautiful lights like our Christian neighbors do. The answer is no. This is their season to decorate, it is their holiday, not ours. We can look at their decorations, but it would be poor taste to imitate it ourselves when it is not our holiday. We can however, decorate our Sukkot in September, with lights, pictures and all manner of decorations in honor of our holiday. Ask your rabbi for Sukkot decorating tips.
The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that a child should be trained in observing the mitzvot before the child becomes obligated. All Jews are obligated to perform all the mitzvot when they reach their thirteenth birthday. The Sages, however, insist that children nine years old and older begin practicing the mitzvot. They should fast a half day on Yom Kippur and eat their meals with the adults in the Sukkah. While there is a long history of Women being exempt from the Mitzvah of living in a Sukkah as it is a “time bound” mitzvah, that women are exempt from performing, today, in the community of Conservative Judaism, woman should also eat and sit in the Sukkah.
Monday, November 13, 2006
05-5767 Mitzvah 33
Talmidav Shel Aharon
05-5767 Mitzvah 33
November 13, 2006
Mitzvah 33 – It is a positive commandment that a sinner should turn back from sin and should confess the misdeed before G-d.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “When a man ore woman commit any sin … then they shall confess their sin (Bamidbar 5:6-7) This means an avowal in words before G-d. He is to say from the depths of his heart, “I beseech you G-d: I have sinned, done wrong, and acted criminally before you. This-and-this I did (and here one describes the sin in detail) and here I have regretted my deed and become ashamed of it. Never will I go back and do this again” The main element is remorse in the heart, over the past and one must take it upon himself not to do such a thing ever again. This confession is the essential part of repentance; but the more one confesses, the more praiseworthy he is. Even death and the confession on Yom Kippur, however, bring no atonement and forgiveness unless they are with repentance. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.
This is the kind of Mitzvah, confessing sins, that most people don’t really attach themselves to and prefer not to think about. It is easy to see why. We don’t like to admit our mistakes and we don’t like to say out loud that we may be wrong, let alone confess that we really messed up. We would rather our errors disappear and be forgotten and we thus would not have to face them and worry about them ever again. I was once told that Oliver North, the man behind the Iran-Contra scandal during the Regan Administration, tried very hard to cover his tracks while he was diverting money against the directions of Congress. He thought that he had erased all record of the transactions from his computer, never knowing that the National Security Agency had a mainframe computer in the basement that recorded and stored all transactions made on the agency’s computers. Oliver North commented during the trial that “We thought we had eliminated all traces of our work, clearly we were wrong” In a similar way, we have this almost childish dream that no one will notice our mistakes and we will not have to face up to them. The fact is that we do have to face them, and we need to face our Creator too, as if G-d were an eternal parent.
The anatomy of repentance involves many steps. First there must be a realization that we have done something very wrong. We have to first admit to ourselves that we have made a mistake and we need to take action to repair what we have done. Second we need to confess to the person we have offended or hurt directly and honestly. We need to make a formal apology and make whatever restitution is necessary to secure that person’s forgiveness. (We also need to be forgiving of others who may have offended us. Judaism says we have to ask for forgiveness three times. If we are turned away without it three times, the problem becomes one of holding a grudge, a serious sin, on the unforgiving party) We can not have G-d forgive us if we have not faced the offended party. Once the person we have offended has forgiven us, we need to be forgiven by G-d. We need to make our oral confession, not for G-d’s sake; G-d already knows the sins we have done; rather we need to confess out loud our sins and resolve never to do them again as part of a regimen that will help us keep from repeating our mistakes. G-d is compassionate and we can be assured of being forgiven unless we go back and do the same sin over and over again. If we keep doing the same sin and then confessing before we do it again, eventually G-d will figure out that our confession is not sincere.
One should confess sins every day, so that we do not carry a burden of sin with us wherever we go. The two most important times for this kind of confession is on Yom Kippur and on the day of our death. Both have a special confession that should be recited to make sure that all sins, even those we may have forgotten, are properly addressed so we can move forward, in this world and in the world to come, without the baggage of sins weighing us down.Remember, confessing and repenting our sins is not just for others or for G-d. It is something we can do for ourselves to put our past behind us, to confront our mistakes and the times we delude ourselves into thinking that what is wrong could be right, and then move on with our lives free from the worry that someday, our past will catch up with us.
05-5767 Mitzvah 33
November 13, 2006
Mitzvah 33 – It is a positive commandment that a sinner should turn back from sin and should confess the misdeed before G-d.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “When a man ore woman commit any sin … then they shall confess their sin (Bamidbar 5:6-7) This means an avowal in words before G-d. He is to say from the depths of his heart, “I beseech you G-d: I have sinned, done wrong, and acted criminally before you. This-and-this I did (and here one describes the sin in detail) and here I have regretted my deed and become ashamed of it. Never will I go back and do this again” The main element is remorse in the heart, over the past and one must take it upon himself not to do such a thing ever again. This confession is the essential part of repentance; but the more one confesses, the more praiseworthy he is. Even death and the confession on Yom Kippur, however, bring no atonement and forgiveness unless they are with repentance. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.
This is the kind of Mitzvah, confessing sins, that most people don’t really attach themselves to and prefer not to think about. It is easy to see why. We don’t like to admit our mistakes and we don’t like to say out loud that we may be wrong, let alone confess that we really messed up. We would rather our errors disappear and be forgotten and we thus would not have to face them and worry about them ever again. I was once told that Oliver North, the man behind the Iran-Contra scandal during the Regan Administration, tried very hard to cover his tracks while he was diverting money against the directions of Congress. He thought that he had erased all record of the transactions from his computer, never knowing that the National Security Agency had a mainframe computer in the basement that recorded and stored all transactions made on the agency’s computers. Oliver North commented during the trial that “We thought we had eliminated all traces of our work, clearly we were wrong” In a similar way, we have this almost childish dream that no one will notice our mistakes and we will not have to face up to them. The fact is that we do have to face them, and we need to face our Creator too, as if G-d were an eternal parent.
The anatomy of repentance involves many steps. First there must be a realization that we have done something very wrong. We have to first admit to ourselves that we have made a mistake and we need to take action to repair what we have done. Second we need to confess to the person we have offended or hurt directly and honestly. We need to make a formal apology and make whatever restitution is necessary to secure that person’s forgiveness. (We also need to be forgiving of others who may have offended us. Judaism says we have to ask for forgiveness three times. If we are turned away without it three times, the problem becomes one of holding a grudge, a serious sin, on the unforgiving party) We can not have G-d forgive us if we have not faced the offended party. Once the person we have offended has forgiven us, we need to be forgiven by G-d. We need to make our oral confession, not for G-d’s sake; G-d already knows the sins we have done; rather we need to confess out loud our sins and resolve never to do them again as part of a regimen that will help us keep from repeating our mistakes. G-d is compassionate and we can be assured of being forgiven unless we go back and do the same sin over and over again. If we keep doing the same sin and then confessing before we do it again, eventually G-d will figure out that our confession is not sincere.
One should confess sins every day, so that we do not carry a burden of sin with us wherever we go. The two most important times for this kind of confession is on Yom Kippur and on the day of our death. Both have a special confession that should be recited to make sure that all sins, even those we may have forgotten, are properly addressed so we can move forward, in this world and in the world to come, without the baggage of sins weighing us down.Remember, confessing and repenting our sins is not just for others or for G-d. It is something we can do for ourselves to put our past behind us, to confront our mistakes and the times we delude ourselves into thinking that what is wrong could be right, and then move on with our lives free from the worry that someday, our past will catch up with us.
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
04-5767 Mitzvah 32
Talmidav Shel Aharon
04-5767 Mitzvah 32
November 7, 2006
Mitzvah 32 – It is a positive commandment to fast on Yom Kippur.
Hafetz Hayyim: As the Torah says: “On the tenth day of the seventh month there shall be a day of atonement … and you shall afflict your souls” (Lev. 23:27). It is necessary to fast from evening to evening and end the fast a bit after the end of the day. If one eats more on the day before Yom Kippur, it is as though he fasts on both the ninth and tenth of Tishrei (the day of Yom Kippur and the day before). It is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.
“Afflicting your soul” on Yom Kippur implies five deprivations. 1. Eating; 2. Drinking; 3. Anointing; 4. Wearing leather soled shoes and 5. Sexual relations.
Because the day is spent seeking atonement for all the sins we may have incurred in the previous year, we do not want to be distracted from our duties. If our very life in the new year is at stake, than we can abstain for a day from sexual relations with our spouse. Leather soled shoes are not about the leather, but about luxury. We do not want to show off our most expensive clothing, but we dress simply, this implies non-leather shoes and plain white clothing. Even the High Priest in the Temple of Jerusalem, would put aside his highly ornamental robes for plain linen ones for Yom Kippur. In a similar vein, we don’t wear makeup or cologne or any other form of decoration that is purely ornamental since we are being judged on who we are, not how we appear. There is no deception in the Heavenly Court. Still, the most recognized deprivation for Yom Kippur is the refraining from eating and drinking for the 25 hours of the fast.
On the one hand, the reason for the fast is that we are trying to imitate the angels in the Heavenly Court who neither eat nor drink. If we can emulate them, we can be assured of being judged favorably in the new year. On the other hand, when our lives are in danger, who would stop to eat or drink? Yom Kippur is a day of great danger, since our lives are in the balance, but Yom Kippur is also a joyful day, since we know that our fast will be successful and we will find forgiveness on this day. Most physicians agree that there should be no problem with a healthy person fasting for one day. Still there are some rules for fasting.
One should prepare for the fast by eliminating those foods that may have side effects if they are suddenly suspended. It is a good idea to stop drinking caffeine a few weeks before the fast so there will not be withdrawal which can cause a headache or worse if you ingest daily a significant dose of caffeine. The day before Yom Kippur, it is important to have a good meal, not a spicy, heavy meal, but a plain meal that is well balanced but not too heavy. A good dose of protein and carbohydrates will help get through the fast but beware, too many carbs may cause you to burn out early. Medications that are taken daily should be taken with this meal and try and drink just plain water (not coffee or tea, certainly, and sugar drinks are also not helpful) If one eats properly before the fast, than it is as if you have fasted two days instead of one. The meal on one day makes the second day possible.
Because of the ban on anointing, some refrain from washing the next morning. You can wash hands and face. The original ban only included visiting a spa (hot springs or hot tub) on Yom Kippur and that the issue is not washing at all. Still some keep the washing to a minimum. One should take morning medications if they are necessary for health. If you are not sure, ask your doctor. Do not skip a day on medications without a doctor’s permission. Pregnant or nursing mothers, the ill and infirm do not fast on Yom Kippur. Children under the age of 13 are not required to fast but it is a good idea that a child older than nine should practice fasting by not eating for half the day. Each year he or she can fast an extra hour until they can go the whole day. One is not allowed to endanger their life by fasting so if you feel ill, one is supposed to eat. We err on the side of caution when it comes to fasting. If one passes out from hunger and says, “I need to eat” and a doctor is present and says, “no you don’t need to eat” we ignore the doctor and feed the patient. If the doctor says the person needs to eat and the person said, “no I don’t” we ignore the person and feed the patient. In times of medical emergency or plague, and the entire community could be endangered by fasting, than the whole community must eat. Saving a life takes precedence over fasting on Yom Kippur.
A post-fast break-the-fast should be like a breakfast with breakfast type foods. Yom Kippur will never fall on a Friday or Sunday so that we don’t have to deal with fasting and the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat.
Since being in places where we could get hungry would be a bad idea, some spend the day at the synagogue so that the usual hunger cues will not be triggered. One does not talk about food on the day as this will only make the fasting harder. One should concentrate on the prayers of Yom Kippur and the hunger will pass. Conservative congregations also support Project Isaiah, where the food we don’t eat is donated to food shelf/pantry projects so that those who don’t eat on a daily basis will have food for themselves. Canned or non-perishable foods are brought to the synagogue and donated to local food programs. This is a great way to make our fast even more meaningful.
04-5767 Mitzvah 32
November 7, 2006
Mitzvah 32 – It is a positive commandment to fast on Yom Kippur.
Hafetz Hayyim: As the Torah says: “On the tenth day of the seventh month there shall be a day of atonement … and you shall afflict your souls” (Lev. 23:27). It is necessary to fast from evening to evening and end the fast a bit after the end of the day. If one eats more on the day before Yom Kippur, it is as though he fasts on both the ninth and tenth of Tishrei (the day of Yom Kippur and the day before). It is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.
“Afflicting your soul” on Yom Kippur implies five deprivations. 1. Eating; 2. Drinking; 3. Anointing; 4. Wearing leather soled shoes and 5. Sexual relations.
Because the day is spent seeking atonement for all the sins we may have incurred in the previous year, we do not want to be distracted from our duties. If our very life in the new year is at stake, than we can abstain for a day from sexual relations with our spouse. Leather soled shoes are not about the leather, but about luxury. We do not want to show off our most expensive clothing, but we dress simply, this implies non-leather shoes and plain white clothing. Even the High Priest in the Temple of Jerusalem, would put aside his highly ornamental robes for plain linen ones for Yom Kippur. In a similar vein, we don’t wear makeup or cologne or any other form of decoration that is purely ornamental since we are being judged on who we are, not how we appear. There is no deception in the Heavenly Court. Still, the most recognized deprivation for Yom Kippur is the refraining from eating and drinking for the 25 hours of the fast.
On the one hand, the reason for the fast is that we are trying to imitate the angels in the Heavenly Court who neither eat nor drink. If we can emulate them, we can be assured of being judged favorably in the new year. On the other hand, when our lives are in danger, who would stop to eat or drink? Yom Kippur is a day of great danger, since our lives are in the balance, but Yom Kippur is also a joyful day, since we know that our fast will be successful and we will find forgiveness on this day. Most physicians agree that there should be no problem with a healthy person fasting for one day. Still there are some rules for fasting.
One should prepare for the fast by eliminating those foods that may have side effects if they are suddenly suspended. It is a good idea to stop drinking caffeine a few weeks before the fast so there will not be withdrawal which can cause a headache or worse if you ingest daily a significant dose of caffeine. The day before Yom Kippur, it is important to have a good meal, not a spicy, heavy meal, but a plain meal that is well balanced but not too heavy. A good dose of protein and carbohydrates will help get through the fast but beware, too many carbs may cause you to burn out early. Medications that are taken daily should be taken with this meal and try and drink just plain water (not coffee or tea, certainly, and sugar drinks are also not helpful) If one eats properly before the fast, than it is as if you have fasted two days instead of one. The meal on one day makes the second day possible.
Because of the ban on anointing, some refrain from washing the next morning. You can wash hands and face. The original ban only included visiting a spa (hot springs or hot tub) on Yom Kippur and that the issue is not washing at all. Still some keep the washing to a minimum. One should take morning medications if they are necessary for health. If you are not sure, ask your doctor. Do not skip a day on medications without a doctor’s permission. Pregnant or nursing mothers, the ill and infirm do not fast on Yom Kippur. Children under the age of 13 are not required to fast but it is a good idea that a child older than nine should practice fasting by not eating for half the day. Each year he or she can fast an extra hour until they can go the whole day. One is not allowed to endanger their life by fasting so if you feel ill, one is supposed to eat. We err on the side of caution when it comes to fasting. If one passes out from hunger and says, “I need to eat” and a doctor is present and says, “no you don’t need to eat” we ignore the doctor and feed the patient. If the doctor says the person needs to eat and the person said, “no I don’t” we ignore the person and feed the patient. In times of medical emergency or plague, and the entire community could be endangered by fasting, than the whole community must eat. Saving a life takes precedence over fasting on Yom Kippur.
A post-fast break-the-fast should be like a breakfast with breakfast type foods. Yom Kippur will never fall on a Friday or Sunday so that we don’t have to deal with fasting and the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat.
Since being in places where we could get hungry would be a bad idea, some spend the day at the synagogue so that the usual hunger cues will not be triggered. One does not talk about food on the day as this will only make the fasting harder. One should concentrate on the prayers of Yom Kippur and the hunger will pass. Conservative congregations also support Project Isaiah, where the food we don’t eat is donated to food shelf/pantry projects so that those who don’t eat on a daily basis will have food for themselves. Canned or non-perishable foods are brought to the synagogue and donated to local food programs. This is a great way to make our fast even more meaningful.
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