Rabbi Diana's Weekly Message

Dear Hevre,

We will have regular Shabbat services tomorrow evening in person and on Zoom at 7:00 pm. We will reschedule the New Members Shabbat.

Also, due to projected rains and/or damp conditions, we are going to postpone the Life and Legacy event; we will not be meeting for Havdalah this week.

However, it is supposed to be beautiful on Monday evening. Please come to the KHN sukkah on October 2nd and bring some hors d’oeuvres or desserts. We will wave the lulav and etrog and enjoy some time with community in the sukkah. We mentioned 6:30 pm but I’ll be there by 6:00 pm so feel free to come early.  

The Aseret Yemei Teshuva, the Ten Days of repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur may be over, but we are still in the cycle of Tishrei holidays, with Sukkot beginning tomorrow evening and moving into Shemini Atzeret which is the eighth day of Sukkot, and Simchat Torah, the rejoicing with the Torah. 

Rabbi Alan Lew in his book This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation connects these holidays thematically. He says,

“…this dance that begins on Tisha b'Av and ends on Sukkot, that begins with the mournful collapse of a house and ends with the joyful collapse of a house, this intentional spasm that awakens us and carries us through death and back to life again -- stands for the journey the soul is always on.” (pg. 18)

I learned a teaching this year from Eliyahu Kitov, that although we do teshuvah over the Days of Awe and our transgressions are pardoned, we can nevertheless remain troubled. “Penitents often feel as if they can find no place for themselves in the world. God therefore tells them: ‘Since you can find no place of rest in the world because of the shame that you feel, I will make you a place. Come to Me and find protection in My shelter – in the sukkah of My peace.’” (pg. 125 Our Heritage, Tishrey-Shevat)

After all, Sukkot is z’man simchateinu, the season of our joy. The earthy, fragrant, cozy time in a sukkah invites us to let go of any residual shame and solemnity from the Days of Awe and begin again in gratitude for the harvest and with divine love. 

Wishing everybody a Shabbat Shalom and a Chag Sameach! I hope to see you tomorrow evening, and also on Monday evening the 2nd at the KHN sukkah, next Saturday the 7th for Shabbat/Shemini Atzeret/Yizkor services and on next Sunday the 8th for Simchat Torah.

Kol tuv,

Rabbi Diana