This week marks the end of the Jewish High Holidays for 2014 (5775 in the Hebrew Calendar). We have celebrated Rosh Hashana (Head of the Year), the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve. We have acknowledged the intimate relationship between G-d and all living things. On this holiday, the 'Book of Life' is opened and in it is written "who shall live, and who shall die . . . who shall be impoverished, and who shall be enriched; who shall fall and who shall rise."
Ten days after Rosh Hashana, we celebrated Yom Kippur, (Day of Atonement). On that day, the 'Book of Life' was closed and our fate was sealed for the coming year. But wait...nothing is finalized yet! We still have time to change our fate through acts of kindness to others and sincere repentance for our wrong-doings and intentions to do good.
Four days later, we started the festival of Sukkot, when we remember how our ancestors wandered through the desert for forty years. For seven days and nights, many Jews eat all their meals in the sukkah and regard it as their home. This temporary structure with a roof made of branches allows us to see the sky and again acknowledge how G-d watches over us and protects us...and, yes...in Victoria and other coastal areas we get a little wet at this time of year.
Today is the seventh day of Sukkot and is called Hoshana Rabba (Great Salvation). Today is the the final day of the divine “judgment” in which the fate of the new year is determined; when the verdict that was issued on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is finalized. Again, this is not a time of sadness, but of joy leading to the final days of our High Holiday season.
Tomorrow is Shemini Atzeret, when we pray for rain. This may seem ironic in Victoria, but in Israel and other countries the land and the people depend on the rain and we recognize that this life-giving water comes from G-d. Without G-d's grace the land withers and dies.
And Friday is the festival of Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah). We complete the the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. We finish reading Deuteronomy Chapter 34 and immediately start Genesis Chapter 1 which reminds us that the Torah is a circle, and never ends.
During the Simchat Torah services, we carry the Torah Scrolls around the synagogue while we sing and dance. As many people as possible are given the honor of an aliyah (reciting a blessing over the Torah reading). As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll in these processions. The Torahs are too heavy for children to carry; however, they follow the procession around the synagogue, singing and dancing with small toy Torahs (stuffed plush toys or paper scrolls).
I still have my own small Torah scroll, in its original box, that I received in 1967 when I was six years old. It is very precious to me, as are the memories of celebrating all these festivals with my family and friends. I proudly carried my Torah around the synagogue following my father who had the honour of carrying one of the big, heavy ones.
As you may imagine, this blend of religious observance with meeting our obligations to secular activities such as work and school can be challenging; but, it can also bring us closer to our purpose of infusing our everyday lives with holiness all year long.
When is our next holiday? Chanukah starts on the evening of December 16!
Fiona Prince is a communications consultant, instructor and facilitator. She worships at the Chabad Family Shul where she teaches children to read Hebrew on Sunday mornings. You can learn to read Hebrew with her, too at www.morahfaiga.com.
