Considering ... a few things... Thu 9/29

This week, the selection from the Prophets comes from Isaiah 61:10 – 63:9.

This selection is read on the last Sabbath before Rosh haShanah (which begins Sunday night), as the seven weeks of consolation after Tisha b’Av come to a close. The text contains a palpable sense of anticipation, and Isaiah’s tone is both excited and hopeful.

Isaiah begins by reminding the people that salvation is near, and that all of the nations will see it. He invokes imagery of weddings to symbolize triumph, and seedlings to symbolize growth. The nasty names that Israel has been called in the past — "Forsaken," "Desolate" — will be replaced by terms of affection.

Isaiah describes God’s commitment to the city of Jerusalem: "For the sake of Zion I will not be silent, for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still" (62:1). He details the ways that God will strengthen Jerusalem by appointing watchmen to guard the city day and night.

Then Isaiah describes God as a warrior who has returned victorious from battle, covered in the blood of his enemies. The prophet reminds the people that when God needed to be defended there was no one to come to God’s aid, because the people had abandoned God. Still, God defeated God’s enemies, even without God’s people at God’s side.

At the end of the selection, Isaiah reassures the people that God will always come to their rescue: "In God’s love and pity God Godself redeemed them, raised them and exalted them all the days of old" (63:9).

Though the Selection doesn’t contain an explicit connection to the Torah portion (Deuteronomy 29: 9 - 30:20, it does point towards a future redemption. As we prepare for Rosh haShanah, this sentiment is timely and inspiring.

Q/Q:
1. Along your spiritual path, do you find times when you yourself are not willing to be silent or still in the face of something that’s important to you? Are you willing to explain or give examples?
2. If you have no one coming to your aid, feeling abandoned, are you able to continue doing whatever it is that you find yourself doing alone? How does it feel? What are the rewards?

And in case you’re wondering about Rosh haShanah, here’s some general information about it.

What is Rosh haShanah about exactly?
Rosh haShanah (the Jewish New Year) is simultaneously a time of great celebration and subtle trepidation. It is a day to celebrate our creation, but also a day of accounting and judgment for our actions. On Rosh haShanah, we relate to God as the Ultimate Judge. The Book of Life is opened before the Divine Being and we become advocates for our personal inscription into this book. We review the choices we have made over the past year, our actions and our intentions, as we attempt to honestly evaluate ourselves.

What is a shofar?
A shofar is a ram’s horn that is blown like a trumpet (1) during the Jewish month of Elul that leads up to Rosh haShanah, (2) at Rosh haShanah services, and (3) at the end of Yom Kippur. The four sounds of the shofar (single somewhat long-ish blast, three short blasts, 9 very quick blasts, and one rather long ending blast) remind many people of a crying voice. Hearing the shofar’s call is a reminder for us to look inward and repent for the sins of the past year.

What traditional foods are served? Are any foods forbidden? And what’s the reason for those round challah loaves?
Traditionally Jews eat sweet foods — like apples and honey, challah and tzimmes (a mixture of dried fruits with carrots, maybe yams or sweet potatoes; I add canned pineapple chunks to mine when I make it) — to symbolize a sweet new year. Chicken and brisket are frequently served at Rosh haShanah meals. In Sephardic (those of us who trace our ancestry to 15th century Spain and Portugal) tradition, a number of foods believed to signify our wishes for the coming year, such as pomegranates, leeks and pumpkins, also appear on the Rosh haShanah table. All foods that can be eaten year-round are permitted. And the challah? It’s round as a reminder of the never-ending cycle of life (some say it reminds us of a “crown” as part of the High Holy Days liturgy refers to God very clearly as a King).

What about greetings?
Traditional greetings during the days from Rosh haShanah through Yom Kippur include “Have a good year (or a good and sweet year), Happy New Year, and “a good signing/sealing,” referring to the belief that on Rosh haShanah our fate is written, or inscribed in the Book of Life, and on Yom Kippur the Book of Life is sealed.

How long does Rosh haShanah last?
Traditionally, Jews observe two days of Rosh Hashanah — in 2016, it is from sundown on Sunday, Oct. 2 through the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 4. However, many Reform congregations (as well as some other congregations) observe only the first day. But the holidays don’t end there: Yom Kippur falls 10 days later, followed by Sukkot (4 or 5 days after Yom Kippur) and Simchat Torah (a day after the last day of Sukkot which itself last a full week).

What’s this about throwing breadcrumbs into the water on Rosh haShanah?
During the Tashlikh ceremony, usually held on the first afternoon of Rosh haShanah, Jews symbolically cast off their sins by throwing pieces of bread into a body of water.

What prayers are read on Rosh haShanah?
While some of the liturgy is similar to other weekday or Sabbath services, much of it is unique, and several of these prayers are repeated later on Yom Kippur. Arguably the most famous part of Rosh haShanah services is the blowing of the shofar, and the most famous prayer is U-neh-TAHnah TOHkehf, which inspired Leonard Cohen’s “Who By Fire.” A close second is “Avinu Malkeinu” (either “our Father, our King” or “our Creator, our Ruler”).

What sections of the Torah are read during Rosh haShanah services?
On the first day of Rosh haShanah, most synagogues read Genesis 21:1 – 21:34, the section when Sarah and Abraham, after years of struggling with infertility, are blessed with a son, Isaac, after which Sarah banishes Hagar, the handmaid who is the mother of Ishmael. The second-day reading, Genesis 22:1-24, continues where the first day left off, with the story of the Akedah, the binding of Isaac. (In Reform congregations that observe only one day of Rosh haShanah, only Genesis 22 is read.)