Ba-Aretz # 11- "And they shall study war no more...."

Last week, at the end of Sukkot, we began to pray for rain. Every year from Sukkot until Passover, as part of every daily morning service, we Jews pray for rain. The long, dry summer in the Land finally ends during Sukkot and from now through spring, we ask G-d to bless the Land with abundant rain.

Our prayers were truly answered this week. It rained and thundered... with lightening! Children danced in puddles on street corners shouting "geshem" (rain), headlights are required when driving during the day, and all eyes are on the level of the Sea of Galilee - which went up 1.5 cm. Roads were flooded and the wadis in the Negev became running rivers. No coincidence that our Torah portion this week is Noah - the story of Noah and the Ark.

Earlier this week, I visited Sderot and the Jewish communities along the border with Gaza. Later in the week, they were attacked again - a kassam landed in Sderot yesterday, two anti-tank missles were fired at the IDF this morning near Kissufim... just meters from the spot the Israel Experience scholars stood, overlooking the Gaza Strip. Thank G-d, no one was injured. But it serves to remind us why the Torah portion reports that G-d decided to destroy the world back in the days of Noah and the Ark.

It was the wickedness of humanity that grieved G-d so... that caused G-d to regret the creation of humanity. Genesis 6:5 reads: "And G-d saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." When our evil thoughts and actions overwhelm the holy within us that calls us to good, what kind of people do we become? And, what kind of people allow evil to hold sway?

The same King James Version translation, with one word left in Hebrew, is interesting, perhaps instructive. "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only HAMAS continually." HAMAS is the word usually translated as "evil". HAMAS is when evil takes over.

This week, our prayers were answered and it rained in the Land of Israel. And it rained so hard in Gaza that the streets and the tunnels used for smuggling weapons flooded. The rains that blessed our land brought them destruction and misery.

May our prayers that our neighbors in Gaza abandon evil come true. May they beat their kassams into plowshares and their anti-tank missles into pruninghooks and study war no more.

Shabbat Shalom -

Rabbi Jeff Kahn

Sukkot.....with apologies to Dr. Seuss

The Holiday of Sukkot has passed, leaving behind nothing but great memories... and the pile of palm leaves (s'chach-the branches that cover the top of a sukkah) on our mirpeset (balcony) where once our Sukkah stood. We were blessed with many wonderful visitors in our Sukkah and we're looking forward to building it again next year, hoping that you will visit us then (if not before).

This Shabbat, Jews the world over will begin to read the Torah again, the first Torah portion, Genesis 1:1 - 6:8... the stories of the creation of the world. Before turning back to the text, though, I'd like to "celebrate" Sukkot one last time (and then I'll take the palm fronds down to the corner because the city will be picking up Sukkah palms on Sunday). I thought you'd enjoy this rendition of Hilchot Sukkot, the rules and regulations of Sukkah building.

Shabbat Shalom -

Rabbi Jeff Kahn


Hilchot Sukkot - The Annotated Laws of the Sukkah-with numbered footnotes
(with apologies to Dr. Seuss-true author unknown)

You can build it very small (1)
You can build it very tall (2)
You can build it very large (3)
You can build it on a barge

You can build it on a ship (4)
Or on a roof but please don't slip (5)
You can build it in an alley (6)
You shouldn't build it in a valley (7)

You can build it on a wagon (8)
You can build it on a dragon (9)
You can make the s'chach of wood (10)
Would you, could you, yes you should

Make the s'chach from leaves of tree
You shouldn't bend it at the knee (11)
Build your Sukkah tall or short
No Sukkah is built in the Temple Court

You can build it somewhat soon
You cannot build it in the month of June (12)
If your Sukkah is well made
You'll have the right amount of shade (13)

You can build it very wide
You can not build it on its side
Build if your name is Jim
Or Bob or Sam or even Tim

Build it if your name is Sue (14)
Do you build it, yes you do!
From the Sukkah you can roam
But you should treat it as your home (15)

You can invite some special guests
Don't stay in it if there are pests
You can sleep upon some rugs
Don't you build it where there's bugs

In the Sukkah you should sit
And eat and drink but never ...
If in the Sukkah it should rain
To stay there would be such a pain (16)

And if it should be very cold
Stay there only if you're bold
So build a Sukkah one and all
Make it large or make it small

Sukkah rules are short and snappy
Enjoy Sukkot, rejoice be happy.

Footnotes:
1. Maimonides (RMBM) Mishne Torah, Hilchot Succah, Chapter 4, Section 1.
The minimum height of a Succah is 10 tefachim. A tefach is a measure of
the width of the four fingers of one's hand. My hand is 3 1/4 inches
wide for minimum Succah height of 32 1/2 inches. The minimum allowable
width is 7 tefachim by 7 tefachim. This would result in a Succah of 22
3/4 inches by 22 3/4 inches.

2. The maximum height is 20 Amot. An Amah is the length from the elbow
to the tip of the middle finger. My Amah is 15 1/2 inches for a maximum
height of 25 feet. Others say that 30 feet is the maximum.

3. According to RMBM the Succah can be built to a width of several
miles. Shulchan Aruch also says there is no limit on the size of the
width.

4. RMBM Hilchot Succah Chapter 4, Section 6.

5. RMBM Hilchot Succah Chapter 4, Section 11. RMBM states that one may
construct a Succah by wedging poles in the four corners of the roof and
suspending s'chach from the poles. The walls of the building underneath
are considered to reach upward to the edge of the s'chach.

6. RMBM Hilchot Succah Chapter 4, Section 8-10 discusses the ins and
outs of building your Succah in an alley or passageway.

7. There is a location referred to in the Talmud called Ashtarot
arnayim. According to the discussion there are two hills, with a valley
in between where the Sun does not reach. Therefore it is impossible to
sit in the shade of the roof of the Succah. I can't find the
reference...hopefully next year.

8. RMBM Hilchot Succah Chapter 4, Section 6. You can go into a Succah
built on a wagon or a ship even on Yom Tov.

9. RMBM Hilchot Succah Chapter 4, Section 6. OK, RMBM says a camel but
dragon rhymes with wagon a lot better, don't you agree. Anyway, RMBM
says you can build your Succah on a wagon or in the crown of a tree, but
you can't go into it on Yom Tov. There is a general rule against riding
a beast or ascending into the crown of a tree on Yom Tov.

10. Chapter 5 deals with the rules for the s'chach. Basically, you can
use that which has grown from the ground, and is completely detached
from the ground. So, for example, you cannot bend the branches of a tree
over the Succah to form the s'chach. But you can cut the branches from a
tree and use them as s'chach.

11. This would be a violation of the rule cited in the prior footnote.

12. Shulchan Aruch, Hilchot Succah, Perek 636, Section 1. The Succah
should not be built sooner than 30 days before the Chag. However, if the
structure is built prior to 30 days, as long as something new is added
within the days, the Succah is kosher.

13. Of course it's a well known rule that you must sit in the shade from
the roof of the Succah and not in the shade that may be cast by the
walls. It seems that this might affect the height of the walls,
depending on the longitude of the location where you are building your
Succah.

14. Technically, women, servants and minors are exempt from the Mitzvah
of Succah. In our day we hope we know better than to read out half the
Jewish people from the observance of Mitzvot. Of course, that's just a
personal opinion of the author.

15. RMBM ibid Chapter 6, Section 6 explains that you should eat, drink
and live in the Succah for the 7 days as you live in your own home. One
should not even take a nap outside of the Succah.

16. RMBM ibid, Section 10. If it rains one should go into the house. How
does one know if it is raining hard enough? If sufficient raindrops fall
through the s'chach (roof covering) and into the food so that the food
is spoiled - go inside!

Sukkot & Simhat Torah

Sukkot is wonderful in the Land of Israel this year. In fact, Sukkot is always wonderful in the Land of Israel. Tonight, as the Shabbat in Sukkot begins, families will be sitting down to traditional Shabbat dinners in their sukkot, as cool autumn breezes gently caress the flimsy walls and the harvest moon and stars shine through roofs of branches and leaves. May G-d build a sukkat shalom – a tabernacle of peace – over the Land this Shabbat.

Sukkot ends with a special holy day – Hag Simchat Torah – the Holiday of Rejoicing for the Torah. And what a celebration of the Torah it is! On this, the last of our fall holy days, we conclude the reading of the Book of Deuteronomy with the death of Moses – the end of the Torah - and, then, quickly roll the sacred scroll back to the beginning, and read the story of the creation of the world. We never "finish" reading the Torah. Ours is a continual cycle of reading and celebrating G-d's word.

In every synagogue throughout the world, Jews will gather to sing and dance with the Torah. In every city in Israel, the singing and dancing will be in the streets. Many congregations unfurl the entire scroll, giving everyone a chance to see the hand-written parchment Bible up close.

We only have one holy day a year set aside for celebrating the Torah – Simchat Torah. And when is it? Well, about half the Jews in the world will be celebrating Simchat Torah on Monday night and Tuesday. The other half will be celebrating the holiday on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Some Jews will even observe them both!

How, you may wonder, did that come to be? The answer is a little complicated, but in Exile, many Jewish holy days were doubled so that, in Exile – but not in the Land of Israel, we might be sure to observe them on the proper day (first and last days of Sukkot and Passover, and the holiday of Shavuot). Jews in Israel will begin celebrating Monday night. So will Reform and Reconstructionist Jews outside the Land, but Conservative and Orthodox Jews there will begin to celebrate Tuesday night, just as the others cease their celebration. And Orthodox Jews who are visiting Israel from overseas will celebrate Monday night and Tuesday, as everyone does in Israel and Tuesday night and Wednesday, as they would if they were home. Confusing? Just part of what makes Simchat Torah so much fun!

This year, as for many years, thousands of Christians, from nearly every country on earth, have come to Israel to share in our celebration of Sukkot (Tabernacles). Thousands of Israelis joined them in marching through the streets of Jerusalem yesterday in song and prayer. It was a glorious sight and the perfect way to celebrate Sukkot – having so many loving guests visit us here in our home.

Shabbat Shalom and Hag Sameach –

Rabbi Jeff Kahn

Ba'Aretz # 8-Yom Kippur, Sukkot....and threats

This was my 58^th Yom Kippur. Thirty-two years ago, Stephanie and I spent Yom Kippur in Jerusalem. And then, for the next thirty years, I led services in Brookhaven, Mississippi, Fort Smith, Arkansas, Mansfield, Ohio, Adelaide, South Australia, Rockford, Illinois, Miami, Florida, and Warren, New Jersey. Last year, we returned to Jerusalem for the holy day. This year (yesterday and the evening before) we once more spent the Holy Day in the Holy City. Nowhere else in the world is Yom Kippur so special.

From the siren announcing the beginning of the holiday at precisely 4:40 pm Wednesday afternoon until we heard the Shofar blast once the sun had set at the Italian Synagogue in Nachalat Shiva we were in the midst of an entire city at prayer. The sky was blue, a gentle breeze swept through the city, birds flew and chirped in the sky… but not a single shop or restaurant was open, not a car or bus moved… walking through Jerusalem all one encountered was an entire people at prayer.

We drove home silently last night, seeing towns and villages coming back to life. We passed Ben Gurion airport at about 7:30, two hours before it would re-open to air traffic. As we approached Tel Aviv, Israeli radio returned to the air. The car radio was on and set to Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) as the first post-Yom Kippur song was played – "Lu Yehi… If Only it will Be" – asking G-d that all our hopes and prayers be fulfilled.

Yom Kippur has ended and Monday night Sukkot – the Feast of Tabernacles – begins. I just returned from Friday morning shopping ahead of Shabbat and enjoyed seeing many cars on the road with palm fronds for Sukkot tied to the roof, much like Americans transport Christmas trees in December. This afternoon, before the beginning of Shabbat, our Sukkah will arise on our mirpeset (balcony) and we will soon receive visitors and fulfill the mitzvot of eating and dwelling in the Sukkah, as well as waving the lulav and etrog.

The Jewish people will begin prayers for rain, for Sukkot begins the season when G-d sends rain to the Land. The Mesopotamians to the North counted on the Tigris and Euphrates to water their crops; the Egyptians to the south depend on the Nile. But Israel – ancient and modern – depends on G-d sending rain to irrigate the Land. Israel faces unprecedented water shortages this year. May all our prayers for the Land of Israel be answered!

And, may our prayers rise up support of Hicham Bougrine, a Moroccan, Muslim supporter of Israel who seeks peace between Muslims, Jews, and Christians. A Muslim dissident, a death threat was recently directed against Hicham. Hicham writes an Arabic blog in support of peace between the faiths.

The unsigned threat received by Hicham translates to English as follows:

In the name of God, the merciful, Creator of our nation dedicated to monotheism and jihad, That has commanded us to be a thorn in the throats of Zionist criminals and their slaves, the mercenaries and hypocrites.

Let God's blessings be bestowed on the master of men, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, the illiterate Prophet who defeated the enemies of faith, so that there would be no transgression except against evildoers. Peace be upon those who follow the true path.

We have seen your Zionist site which conveys prejudice against questions of Islam and the Muslims and which reflects your profound hatred against the nation of monotheism. And because of your boldness against this religion and the Muslims, we warn you not to continue on this path, which will bring nothing to you from us anything except that which will not please you. And if you continue, we will proceed, with God-given certainty, to cut your head at the neck. Pardon is merited by those who give warnings.

And Allah has power and control over all affairs, but the majority of people do not know it. God, Omnipotent over the criminals, speaks the truth.

May G-d protect Hicham, and all those who risk their lives for truth, justice, and compassion. May this new year be the year when hatred and violence end.

Please visit Hicham Bougrine on his Facebook page and express your support.

And may the Festival of Sukkot be a joyous one for you and your family, with all our Sukkot prayers answered.

Rabbi Jeff Kahn

Yom Kippur.....and Eliezer Ben Yehuda

Leviticus 16: 29 And it shall be a statute for ever unto you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the home-born, or the stranger that dwells among you. 30 For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before the L-rd. 31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest unto you, and you shall afflict your souls; it is a statute for ever.

The above three verses of scripture, part of the Torah reading for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) provide the basis of the holy day, which begins at sundown Wednesday night. It is a 25-hour day of fasting and prayer when we delve into our souls, determine to right the wrongs we have committed, and gain forgiveness from G-d. It is the most important day of the Jewish year.

Here in Israel, there are no radio or television broadcasts, the airports are shut down, there is no public transportation, and all shops, restaurants, and businesses are closed – by law. Beyond those state-enforced restrictions, it is considered bad form to eat in public on Yom Kippur or drive a motor vehicle (other than ambulances and emergency vehicles). At sundown Wednesday, a holy silence will envelop the Land. Stephanie and I will be in Jerusalem, where it has been our custom to spend the holy day, and we will break our fast (G-d willing) at sundown Thursday, at the Western Wall of the Temple, where soldiers who have been on duty during the holy day will break the fast with those who have come to worship.

Leviticus 16:29-31 is a good description of Yom Kippur in Israel today, with one exception. Our calendar tells us the holy day falls NOT "on the seventh month…" but, the first month, "on the tenth day…" for the Jewish calendar we employ today is not the one used in Biblical times. Once in exile, we adopted the Babylonian calendar and continue to use it today.

Eliezer Ben Yehuda (1858-1922) is the man for whom the famous street in Jerusalem is named as well as the who is credited with reviving the Hebrew language. He came to Jerusalem in the 19^th century insisting that he (and, later, his wife and children) would only speak Hebrew. They were reviled by their neighbors and, for years, spoke to no one. It was Ben Yehuda who authored the monumental sixteen-volume Dictionary of the Hebrew Language.

Ben Yehuda was a Hebrew hero, but his attempt to change the Hebrew calendar was not as successful as his resurrection of the Hebrew language. Ben Yehuda didn't like counting the years since the creation of the world. He thought we should count the years since the end of Jewish independence in the Land (and he dated that as the year 68, the year the Roman destruction of Judea began). According to Ben Yehuda's reckoning of the years, this New Year would be 1940, not 5769.

Ben Yehuda's counting of the years caught on with a few. Authors Nachum Sokolov and Heinrich Graetz employed it, as did some others. But his idea was ignored by most people. Near the end of his life, Ben Yehuda came up with another idea: counting from the Balfour Declaration (in 1917). No one but he used this new system, but if you visit his grave on the Mt. of Olives today, you will note that he died on the 26^th of Kislev, in the year 6 of the Balfour Declaration. However we count it, may this be a year of blessing and peace. And may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for a year of health and sweetness.

Rabbi Jeff Kahn