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GUIDE TO TISHREI CONTENTS 4. Message from Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks 7. Introduction from Rabbi Andrew Shaw 8. Spotlight on Rosh Hashanah 10. Kiddushim for Rosh Hashanah 12. Rosh Hashanah Customs 18. Essay 1: Rosh Hashanah - The Jewish People as God’s Ambassadors 22. Spotlight on the Ten Days of Teshuva (Repentance) 30. Essay 2: The Ten Days of Teshuva - A Time for Self Improvement This booklet contains the name of Hashem. 30. Spotlight on Yom Kippur Please treat it respectfully and don’t throw it away. 32. The Practicalities of Yom Kippur 34. Essay 3: Yom Kippur - Making a Difference to Others 38. Spotlight on Succot 40. The Arba Minim (Four Species) 42. The Succah and Ushpizin (special guests) 44. Yom Tov Kiddush 48. Essay 4: Succot - Celebrating the Joy of Life 52. Spotlight on Hoshanah Rabbah 54. Essay 5: Hoshanah Rabbah - The Gate is Closing 56. Spotlight on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 60. Essay 6: Simchat Torah - The Secret of Happiness 64. Chesed: Moving Forward 66. Final word from Rabbi Andrew Shaw 3 INTRODUCTION GUIDE TO TISHREI A Time of Jewish Growth A message for Tishrei from Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks ‘A deeper experience’ The month of Tishrei is a sustained tutorial in spiritual growth. It begins with the clarion call of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, telling us that the King is sitting in the throne of judgement, the universe has become a courtroom, and our lives are under review. It is the beginning of 10 days of self-reckoning, in which, in total honesty, we ask ourselves how far we have achieved our mission as God’s ambassadors on earth. It is a challenging time, but also a potentially life-changing one. Without this annual exercise, our lives can drift and we can fail to direct our energies to achieve our deepest aspirations and ideals. Then comes Yom Kippur, the holy of holies of Jewish time. This is when we admit our failings, throw ourselves on God’s compassion, and come to know one of Judaism’s most empowering truths, that God forgives us for the wrong we do, when we recognize and admit that we did wrong. This frees us from the burden of the past, allowing ourselves to rededicate ourselves to a renewed future. It is a supreme moment of cleansing. Next comes Succot, when we remind ourselves of the long journey of our ancestors through the wilderness on their way to the promised land. The succah tells us that we can live in the most temporary of dwellings, exposed to the wind and rain, with only leaves as a roof, and yet still rejoice, knowing that we live beneath the sacred canopy FOR TISHREI of the Shechinah the Divine presence. Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah conclude the long stretch of sacred days with a sense of new beginnings. We read again of how God created the universe at the dawn of time, and we prepare ourselves to become His partners in the work of creation in the year ahead. We rejoice in the Torah, the living testimony of the covenant our ancestors made with God at Mount Sinai, and which still, 33 centuries later, defines us as a people. The more we learn and study about these holy days, the deeper our experience of them and the more powerful becomes their impact on our lives. So I congratulate the United Synagogue and Rabbi Andrew Shaw for this wonderful project, guiding us through the days ahead. The more we learn, the more we understand and the more we grow. May this year be a time of Jewish growth for us all. Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks September 2010 / Ellul 5770 5 INTRODUCTION GUIDE TO TISHREI Introduction TIMELINE By Rabbi Andrew Shaw Director of Living & Learning 1 15 First Day of First Day of We hope you enjoy this Guide to Tishrei – the first of our US Living & Learning series Rosh Hashanah Succot of publications. These publications are a new resource to help link our members to relevant, meaningful and authentic Judaism for the 21st century. 2 16 Second Day of Second Day of Perhaps more than any other, this is a time of year when communities come together Rosh Hashanah Succot to connect to their heritage. Sadly, for so many of us, these days are simply yearly occurrences devoid of real meaning and substance. What this guide aims to do is to 17 talk to us in modern language making these Days of Awe not just awesome but relevant Chol Hamoed as well. 3 (4)* 18 Take a look inside and you’ll find overviews on all the festivals that fall in Tishrei: from Fast of Gedaliah Chol Hamoed Rosh Hashanah to Simchat Torah. There is information on the customs and practicalities of the festivals as well as six inspiring and thought-provoking essays for you to read. * If 3rd Tishrei falls on 19 Shabbat then the fast Chol Hamoed There are a great number of ideas contained in every section. Although you could takes place on the Sun- probably read this guide from cover to cover in less than an hour, I’d recommend day (as in 2010/5771) 20 instead that you take just a few minutes during each of the festival days (or perhaps the Chol Hamoed day before) to look at the relevant pages. I hope you’ll find this guide a useful resource which helps you to enter these special 21 days with more knowledge and more inspiration throughout the wonderful month of 9 Hoshanah Kol Nidre Night Rabbah Tishrei. 10 L’shana tova Yom Kippur 22 Shemini Atzeret 23 Acknowledgements Simchat Torah Thanks to Rabbi Leo Dee for his invaluable help in the production of the Guide To Tishrei namely authoring the essays which make up the majority of the book. The Chief Rabbi for his support throughout and his words of inspiration. The US Marketing Department – Ian Myers, Fiona Palmer, Richard Marcus, Ruth Millet and Josh Saunders for all their help regarding the production of the guide. Along with Jonny Lipczer. Rabbi Mordechai Ginsbury, David Kaplan and David Frei for their advice on content and style. Candice Woolfson for her input in regard to the Chesed aspect of the book. The Orthodox Union for information from their website. 7 INTRODUCTION GUIDE TO TISHREI ‘What’s the meaning?’ The shofar sounds, the world is judged but what does Rosh Hashanah mean for us? Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the human race, God’s final and most precious creation. Every Rosh Hashanah we renew our commitment to our Creator – proclaiming him as our One and True King. Here are just four actions we can all take to prepare for Rosh Hashanah: 1. Analyse our deeds and make a list of some New Year resolutions. 2. Look through the Rosh Hashanah machzor (prayer book) to better understand the ROSH HashanaH prayers. 3. Make out a cheque to our favourite charity. 4. Make sure we have apple and honey ready for the dinner. (For other special foodstuffs see page 12 on simanim (symbolic foods)). 9 ROSH Hashanah GUIDE TO TISHREI ‘The Blessings’ Kiddush for Rosh Hashanah Evening On Shabbat add: Vay-hi erev vay-hi voker Yom Hashishi. .It was evening and it was morning the sixth day ְִַויהי ֶערב ְִַויהי ֶבֹקר י וֹ ם ה שׁ שׁ ִִַּּי . Vay’chulu hashamayim v’ha-aretz v’chol tz’va-am. .The heavens and earth were finished and all their hosts ְַֻ ּ ּויכלו ַ השׁ ָּ ִַמיםְָ ֶָוהארץ ְָוכל ְָָצבאם . Vay’chal Elohim bayom hash’vi-i On the seventh day, God finished ְַַויכל ֱא ִהים ַּביוֹ ם השׁ ְִַּ ִביעי m’lachto asher asah, vayishbot bayom hash’vi-i ּ ּ the work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day ְַ ְ ּמלאכתוֹ א שׁ ֲֶר ָָעשׂ ה, ִַ וישׁ ְ ּבֹת ַּביוֹ ם השׁ ְִַּ ִביעי mikol m’lachto asher asah. .from all the work that He had done ִָּמכלְַ ְ ּמלאכתוֹ א שׁ ֲֶר ע ָָשׂ ה . ,Vay’varech Elohim et yom hash’vi-i vay-kadeish oto ְ ,God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ְֶַָויברך ֱא ִהים ֶאת י וֹ ם השׁ ְִַּ ִביעי ְַַ ֵ ּויקדשׁ אֹתוֹ , , ki vo shavat mikol m’lachto for on that day, God rested from all the work ִּכי ב ֹו שׁ ַָב ת ִָּמכלְַ ְ ּמלאכתוֹ asher bara Elohim la-asot. .that He had created א שׁ ֲֶר ָָּברא ֱא ִהים ל ֲַע שֹ וֹ ת . On other evenings, start Kiddush here: Savri maranan, ,Please pay attention, my masters ַ ְִסברי ָָ ָמרנן Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ְ ְ ,Blessed are You, the Lord our God, King of the universe ָּ ּברוך ַָּאתה י י ֱ א ֵ ּהינו ֶֶמלך ה ע וֹ ָָל ם borei p’ri hagafen. .who creates the fruit of the vine ּב וֹ ֵר א ְִּפרי ֶַָּהגפן. On Shabbat, add the words in parentheses. ,Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam ְ ְ ,Blessed are You, the Lord our God, King of the universe ָ ּ ּברוך ַָּאתה י י ֱ א ֵ ּהינו ֶֶ מלך ָ העוֹ ָלם , , asher bachar banu mikol am ,who has chosen us from among all peoples ֲ אשׁ ֶ ר ַָ בחר ָ ּבנו ִָ ּּּמכל ָעם KIDDUSH v’rom’manu mikol lashon v’kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, ,raised us above all tongues and made us holy through His commandments ְ ורוֹ ְָ ממנו ִָ מכל ָ לשׁ וֹ ן ּוקדשׁ ְְִָ ּּנו ּּבמצוֹ ְְִָתיו , , vatiten lanu Adonai Eloheinu b’ahavah et You have given us, Lord our God, in love ִַ ֶּּ ותתן ָ ּלנו י י ֱ א ֵ ּהינו ְֲַָּ באהבה ֶאת (Yom HaShabbat hazeh v’et) (this Sabbath and) ( י וֹ ם ַ השׁ ַָּ ּבת ֶַ ּהזה ְֶואת ) ) Yom HaZikaron hazeh, Yom (Zichron) T’ruah Day of Remembrance, a day of (remembering) blowing the shofar י וֹ ם ִַָ ּהזכרוֹ ן ֶַּּהזה, י וֹ ם ( ז ְִכ ר וֹ ן) ּ ְָּתרועה (b’ahavah) mik’ra kodesh zecher liytziat Mitzrayim, ,in love), a holy assembly in memory of the exodus from Egypt) ( ְֲַָּבאהבה) ְִָ מקרא ֶ קֹדשׁ ֵֶ זכר ִִַ ליציאת ְִִָמצרים , , ki vanu vacharta v’otanu kidashta mikol ha-amim, ,for You have chosen us and sanctified us above all peoples ִּכי ָ בנו ּ בחרתְְַָָ ואוֹ ָ ּּתנו קדשׁ ּּת ְִִַָָ ּמכל ִַָּהעמים , , .u’d’varcha emet v’kayam la’ad ָ .and Your word is true and endures for ever ְּ ְָ ודברך ֱ ֶ אמת ְַָ ּוקים ַָלעד.
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  • Judy Moseley Executive Director PIKUACH NEFESH

    Judy Moseley Executive Director PIKUACH NEFESH

    TEMPLE BETH-EL Congregation Sons of Israel and David Chartered 1854 Summer 2020 Sivan/Tammuz/Av 5780 THE SHOFAR Judy Moseley Executive Director PIKUACH NEFESH PIKUACH NEFESH, the principle of “saving a life,” is Temple Beth-El staff will begin to work in the building on a paramount in our tradition. It overrides all other rules, including rotating basis, and will work from our homes when necessary. We the observance of Shabbat. We have been consulting with some of will continue to be available to you through email and phone. the leading health institutions in our city, and they have been clear We will communicate any changes as appropriate. that one of the most important goals is to help “flatten the curve,” to We will be seek additional ways to build community in creative slow down the spread of the virus through social distancing, ways, taking advantage of technologies available to us, in which we thereby lessening the potential for overburdening our healthcare have invested. Please check your email for programming and systems. Given our tradition’s mandate to save lives above all other updates. mitzvot, the leadership team has made the very difficult decision to When I was younger and sneezed, my grandmother used to say, continue “virtual” services at this time. This is one of those moments “Gesundheit! To your good health.” I never really appreciated the when a community is tested, but can still provide sanctuary — even blessing embedded in that sentiment, but I offer it to all of you as we when we cannot physically be in our spiritual home.
  • Walking with the Jewish Calendar

    Walking with the Jewish Calendar

    4607-ZIG-Walking with JEWISH CALENDAR [cover]_Cover 8/17/10 3:47 PM Page 1 The Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies Walking with the Jewish Calendar Edited By Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson ogb hfrsand vhfrsRachel Miriam Safman 4607-ZIG-WALKING WITH JEWISH CALENDAR-P_ZIG-Walking with 8/17/10 3:47 PM Page 136 RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY GENERAL http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/ Steinberg, Paul. Celebrating the Jewish Year. Jewish Publication Society, 2007/2008. UNIT 2 – SHABBAT AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TRANSFORMATION Heschel, Abraham Joshua, The Shabbath. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2005. Hoffman, Lawrence, My People’s Prayerbook: Traditional Prayers and Modern Commentaries, Kabbalat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat in the Synagogue), Vol. 8. Jewish Lights, 2005 – see also other volumes in this series. Wolfson, Ron, Shabbat: The Family Guide to Preparing for and Celebrating the Sabbath. Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, 2003. UNIT 3 – ROSH HASHANNAH Elkins, Dov Peretz, ed. Rosh Hashanah Readings: Inspiration, Information, and Contemplation. Jewish Lights Publishing, 2006. Hammer, Reuven. Entering the High Holidays: A Complete Guide to the History, Prayers and Themes. Jewish Publication Society of America, 2005. Tashlich – http://www.uscj.org/TashlikhCasting_Sins5674.html UNIT 4 – YOM KIPPUR Agnon, S.Y., ed. Days of Awe: A Treasury of Jewish Wisdom for Reflection, Repentence and Renewal on the High Holy Days. Schocken, 1995. Newman, Louis. Repentence: The Meaning and Practice of Teshuvah. Jewish Lights Publishing, 2010. Sorscher, Moshe The Companion Guide to the Yom Kippur Prayer Service. Judaica Press, 1994. UNIT 5 – SUKKOT, SHEMINI ATZERET, HOSHANA RABBAH, SIMCHAT TORAH Isaacs, Ronald H. Every Person’s Guide to Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah.
  • High Holiday Services Schedule 5781

    High Holiday Services Schedule 5781

    High Holiday Services Schedule 5781 All in-person services require registration at ostns.org/highholidays5781 Information on all Zoom sessions are available at ostns.org/zoom Friday, September 18 - First Night of Rosh Hashanah ​ ​ 5:30 pm | "Nusach of the High Holidays" pre-Rosh Hashanah musical program with Yaakov Sussman via Zoom | Info at ostns.org/zoom 6:50 pm | Mincha/Maariv (registration required at ostns.org/reopening) ​ ​ 6:52 pm | Candle Lighting Saturday, September 19 - First Day of Rosh Hashanah 7:00 am | Morning Service #1 (pre-registration required) 9:30 am | Morning Service #2 (Torah reading and Mussaf only; please daven Shacharit at home; pre-registration required) 11:30 am | Morning Service #3 (Mussaf only; pre-registration required) 6:50 pm | Mincha/Maariv (registration required at ostns.org/reopening) ​ ​ 7:51 pm | Candle Lighting Sunday, September 20 - Second Day of Rosh Hashanah 7:00 am | Morning Service #1 (registration required) 9:30 am | Morning Service #2 (Torah reading, Shofar, and Mussaf only; please daven Shacharit at home; registration required) 11:30 am | Morning Service #3 (Shofar and Mussaf only; registration required) 3:30 & 4:30 pm | Afternoon Communal Shofar Blowings | Info at ostns.org/highholidays5781 6:00 pm | Communal Tashlich at Rock Creek Park, meet at Ohev (registration required at ostns.org/reopening) 6:50 pm | Mincha/Maariv (registration required at ostns.org/reopening) ​ ​ 7:50 pm | Conclusion of Yom Tov Thursday, September 24 at 8:00 pm - “Shabbat Shuva” Discourse It is customary for the Rabbi of the Synagogue to give a major address every year on the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.