The Ten Days Of Repentance end with Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day Of Atonement, which is the day on which the fates of all Jews are sealed for the coming year. This High Holy Day is the most solemn and serious day in the Jewish calendar, which involves praying for forgiveness for sins and afflicting oneself as punishment for those committed in the past year. Jews fast (refraining from any food or drink) for 25 hours from sundown on the previous evening until sundown the next night, and are not allowed to work, bathe or wear leather shoes. The fast begins with a special evening service known as Kol Nidre (All Vows), and synagogue services last for the whole of the following day until the Fast ends.

Although it is a solemn day, Yom Kippur is also thought of as a happy day because it is the time for Jews to cleanse themselves of wrongdoings and reach a spiritual high. Fasting is not only done as a means of affliction but also because nothing is supposed to detract congregants from their prayers on the day. However, children below Barmitzvah or Batmitzvah age, pregnant women and diabetics are discouraged from fasting, as is anybody whose health is likely to be seriously affected by the 25-hour abstinence.

From a Jewish website:

...In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and you shall not do any work ... For on that day he shall provide atonement for you to cleanse you from all your sins before the L-RD. -Leviticus 16:29-30

Yom Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish custom will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day. Yom Kippur occurs on the 10th day of Tishri. The holiday is instituted at Leviticus 23:26 et seq.

The name "Yom Kippur" means "Day of Atonement," and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year. In Days of Awe, I mentioned the "books" in which G-d inscribes all of our names. On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends.

As I noted in Days of Awe, Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and G-d, not for sins against another person. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible. That must all be done before Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath; no work can be performed on that day. It is well-known that you are supposed to refrain from eating and drinking (even water) on Yom Kippur. It is a complete, 25-hour fast beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. The Talmud also specifies additional restrictions that are less well-known: washing and bathing, anointing one's body (with cosmetics, deodorants, etc.), wearing leather shoes (Orthodox Jews routinely wear canvas sneakers under their dress clothes on Yom Kippur), and engaging in sexual relations are all prohibited on Yom Kippur.

As always, any of these restrictions can be lifted where a threat to life or health is involved. In fact, children under the age of nine and women in childbirth (from the time labor begins until three days after birth) are not permitted to fast, even if they want to. Older children and women from the third to the seventh day after childbirth are permitted to fast, but are permitted to break the fast if they feel the need to do so. People with other illnesses should consult a physician and a rabbi for advice.

Most of the holiday is spent in the synagogue, in prayer. In Orthodox synagogues, services begin early in the morning (8 or 9 AM) and continue until about 3 PM. People then usually go home for an afternoon nap and return around 5 or 6 PM for the afternoon and evening services, which continue until nightfall. The services end at nightfall, with the blowing of the tekiah gedolah, a long blast on the shofar. See Rosh Hashanah for more about the shofar and its characteristic blasts.

It is customary to wear white on the holiday, which symbolizes purity and calls to mind the promise that our sins shall be made as white as snow (Is. 1:18). Some people wear a kittel, the white robe in which the dead are buried.

THE SPIRIT OF SUKKOT
===================================================

I was struck with this phrase below... "My House shall be a House of Prayer for all people." It is my dream, God willing it will happen in the next few years. A place where every one can walk in and feel at home.

 

I grew up listening to my Hindu, Zoroastrian, Sikh, Muslim and Christian friends back in Bangalore.. that this world is a railway (railroad) station in our lives... our destiny is uniting with God. God only knows the truth, but that's what I heard. There are many songs and poetry written on the subject. We came into life with empty hands and walk out of life with empty hands, there was a couplet written about Alexander... what did he bring with him into the world, and what did he walk with?  My Grandfather always advised me to attend a funerals for every wedding I attend..he said, it will straighten out vanity and fraility of life.

 

 

By the way, four thoughtful festivals are coinciding besides Ramadan and Yom Kippur - Vijay Dashmi and Birth of Bab details at: http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Images_Holidays/October2006_Festivals.asp.

 

May this season bring a genuine sense of love in all of us. It is beautiful.

 

Mike Ghouse

 

Mike Ghouse

By Rabbi Lewis Weiss*

In the brief five days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, we go from one of the most solemn days of the Jewish calendar, to one of it's most joyous, "ach sameah", especially happy. Sukkot is widely considered our oldest festival, and at eight days is certainly the longest.

In the lead-up to the holiday, Jewish families have traditionally built for themselves a temporary dwelling, a sukkah, intended to serve as a reminder of the portable dwellings in which the Israelites lived during their 40 year sojourn in the wilderness, and, later, during the fall harvest season. We have always invited guests to our sukkahs to celebrate with us, and we raise the Four Species: branches of palm, willow and myrtle held together (lulav), and an etrog (a citrus fruit similar to a lemon) -- a symbolic representation of both the diversity and unity of humanity. If we hope to build a true Sukkah of Peace, we're taught, we must value and appreciate every human quality.

The theme of human unity is in fact central to the holiday. When the Temple was yet standing, Israel offered sacrifices for all nations during Sukkot, and to this day, we pray for the well-being of the world's communities, and universal peace. We're taught that in the Messianic age, the nations will celebrate Sukkot together in Jerusalem -- as it is said, "My House shall be a House of Prayer for all people." It's interesting to note that this is one of the rare years in which the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday season coincide -- a faint shadow of the promised unity.

As anyone has built a sukkah can attest, it is a frail home, a place where it doesn't do to depend on material security. We are required to be able to see the stars through its roof -- a potent reminder that we lie beneath the heavens shared by all God's creatures. The message is clear: We are all but guests on a frail planet. If we don't work together, our future is endangered, our temporary structure will collapse. Furthermore, Torah tells us, there's no one to pick up the pieces if we allow our home to be destroyed.

The events of recent years have reminded us quite starkly of our vulnerability: the attacks of 9/11; Hurricane Katrina; the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; Israel's wars in Lebanon and Gaza. It is this very fragility that .... calls for negotiations toward a two-state solution of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We can heal ourselves -- or we can condemn ourselves to further suffering.

This Sukkot, let us resolve to strengthen our prayers and deeds for tikkun olam, repairing the world, as we struggle to find a way to dwell together in peace. Let us recognize our common values and fate. After the conclusion of Sukkot, Simchat Torah sees us completing our annual cycle of Torah reading, concluding Deuteronomy and beginning again with Genesis -- an opportunity to recognize the eternal truth that we can always start anew. Your involvement with Brit Tzedek is a crucial part of the Jewish people's search for healing and renewal, as we work together for peace and justice. As Rabbi Nachman of Bretzlav said: "The entire world is nothing but a narrow bridge; the most important thing is not to give in to fear."

Spread over us the Sukkah of your peace. (Proverbs 17)

The Torah) is a Tree of Life to those who grasp hold of it, its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace. (Proverbs 18)

*Rabbi Lewis Weiss was ordained at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. He is married to Rabbi Faedra Weiss with whom he has three daughters, a dog, and a cat. Rabbi Weiss is a board certified chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains and the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and is active as a police, fire, and airport chaplain and with the American Red Cross Crisis Response Team. He currently works as Jewish Staff Chaplain for Clarian Health Partners in Indianapolis, Indiana.

...On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Sukkot, seven days for the L-RD. -Leviticus 23:34

The Festival of Sukkot begins on Tishri 15, the fifth day after Yom Kippur. It is quite a drastic transition, from one of the most solemn holidays in our year to one of the most joyous. Sukkot is so unreservedly joyful that it is commonly referred to in Jewish prayer and literature as Z'man Simchateinu , the Season of our Rejoicing.

Sukkot is the last of the Shalosh R'galim (three pilgrimage festivals). Like Passover and Shavu'ot, Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. Historically, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif , the Festival of Ingathering.

The word "Sukkot" means "booths," and refers to the temporary dwellings that we are commanded to live in during this holiday in memory of the period of wandering. The Hebrew pronunciation of Sukkot is "Sue COAT," but is often pronounced as in Yiddish, to rhyme with "BOOK us." The name of the holiday is frequently translated "Feast of Tabernacles," which, like many translations of Jewish terms, isn't very useful. This translation is particularly misleading, because the word "tabernacle" in the Bible refers to the portable Sanctuary in the desert, a precursor to the Temple, called in Hebrew "mishkan." The Hebrew word "sukkah" (plural: "sukkot") refers to the temporary booths that people lived in, not to the Tabernacle.

Sukkot lasts for seven days. The two days following the festival, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, are separate holidays but are related to Sukkot and are commonly thought of as part of Sukkot.

The festival of Sukkot is instituted in Leviticus 23:33 et seq. No work is permitted on the first and second days of the holiday. (See Extra Day of Holidays for an explanation of why the Bible says one day but we observe two). Work is permitted on the remaining days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol Ha-Mo'ed, as are the intermediate days of Passover.

You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths. -Leviticus 23:42

In honor of the holiday's historical significance, we are commanded to dwell in temporary shelters, as our ancestors did in the wilderness. The temporary shelter is referred to as a sukkah (which is the singular form of the plural word "sukkot"). Like the word sukkot, it can be pronounced like Sue-KAH, or to rhyme with Book-a.

The sukkah is great fun for the children. Building the sukkah each year satisfies the common childhood fantasy of building a fort, and dwelling in the sukkah satisfies a child's desire to camp out in the backyard. The commandment to "dwell" in a sukkah can be fulfilled by simply eating all of one's meals there; however, if the weather, climate, and one's health permit, one should spend as much time in the sukkah as possible, including sleeping in it.

A sukkah must have at least two and a half walls covered with a material that will not blow away in the wind. Why two and a half walls? Look at the letters in the word "sukkah" (see the graphic in the heading): one letter has four sides, one has three sides and one has two and a half sides. The "walls" of the sukkah do not have to be solid; canvas covering tied or nailed down is acceptable and quite common in the United States. A sukkah may be any size, so long as it is large enough for you to fulfill the commandment of dwelling in it. The roof of the sukkah must be made of material referred to as sekhakh (literally, covering). To fulfill the commandment, sekhakh must be something that grew from the ground and was cut off, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds, sticks, or two-by-fours. Sekhakh must be left loose, not tied together or tied down. Sekhakh must be placed sparsely enough that rain can get in, and preferably sparsely enough that the stars can be seen, but not so sparsely that more than ten inches is open at any point or that there is more light than shade. The sekhakh must be put on last. Note: You may put a water-proof cover over the top of the sukkah when it is raining to protect the contents of the sukkah, but you cannot use it as a sukkah while it is covered and you must remove the cover to fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah.

You can buy do-it-yourself sukkah from various sources online, or you can build your own. I built my own with four 4x4 poles and four 2x4 boards, bolted together and secured by smaller pieces of 2x4 board. My walls are made from canvas painter's drop cloth, attached to the frame by D-rings and curtain hooks. It can be assembled or disassembled in less than two hours by two people.

It is common practice, and highly commendable, to decorate the sukkah. In the northeastern United States, Jews commonly hang dried squash and corn in the sukkah to decorate it, because these vegetables are readily available at that time for the American holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Many families hang artwork drawn by the children on the walls. Building and decorating a sukkah is a fun family project, much like decorating the Christmas tree is for Christians. It is a sad commentary on modern American Judaism that most of the assimilated Jews who complain about being deprived of the fun of having and decorating a Christmas tree have never even heard of Sukkot.

Many Americans, upon seeing a decorated sukkah for the first time, remark on how much the sukkah (and the holiday generally) reminds them of Thanksgiving. This may not be entirely coincidental: I was taught that our American pilgrims, who originated the Thanksgiving holiday, borrowed the idea from Sukkot. The pilgrims were deeply religious people. When they were trying to find a way to express their thanks for their survival and for the harvest, they looked to the Bible for an appropriate way of celebrating and found Sukkot. This is not the standard story taught in public schools today (that a Thanksgiving holiday is an English custom that the Pilgrims brought over), but the Sukkot explanation of Thanksgiving fits better with the meticulous research of Mayflower historian Caleb Johnson, who believes that the original Thanksgiving was a harvest festival (as is Sukkot), that it was observed in October (as Sukkot usually is), and that Pilgrims would not have celebrated a holiday that was not in the Bible (but Sukkot is in the Bible). Although Mr. Johnson claims that the first Thanksgiving was "not a religious holiday or observance," he apparently means this in a Christian sense, because he goes on to say that the first Thanksgiving was instead "a harvest festival that included feasts, sporting events, and other activities," concepts very much in keeping with the Jewish religious observance of Sukkot. See Religious Beliefs of the Pilgrims and Debunking a Popular Internet Lesson Plan.

THE SPIRIT OF NAVARATRI
=====================================

Among the popular festivals celebrated in India, Navaratri is among
the longest.

Like the other festivals of India, Navaratri is rich in meaning. At
one level, Navaratri signifies the progress of a spiritual aspirant.
During this spiritual journey, the aspirant has to pass three stages
personified by Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Then, he or she enters
into the realm of the infinite, wherein one realises one's Self.
Navaratri, which literally means 'nine nights,' dedicates three days
each to worshipping the Divine in the forms of Durga, Lakshmi and
Saraswati. The tenth day, though, is the most important; it is known
as Vijayadashami, the 'tenth day of victory.'

The reason behind the worshipping of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati
lies rooted in the philosophy that the attributeless absolute can
only be known through the world of attributes—the journey is from the
known to the unknown. Hence it is said that Shiva, who symbolises
pure consciousness, can only be known through Shakti, who represents
divine energy. That is why people worship Shakti, also known as Devi,
in Her various manifestations.

Inner Meaning of Navaratri Worship

The different stages of spiritual progress are reflected in the
sequence of celebrations during Navaratri. During the first three
days, Durga is worshipped. She personifies that aspect of shakti
which destroys our negative tendencies. The process of trying to
control our senses is akin to a war for the mind which resists all
attempts at control. So the stories in the Puranas symbolically
depict Devi in the form of Durga as waging war and destroying the
asuras.

However, getting temporary relief from the clutches of vasanas does
not guarantee permanent liberation from them. The seeds of the
vasanas will remain within in latent form. Therefore, we should
supplant them with positive qualities. The Bhagavad Gita refers to
these qualities as daivi-sampat, literally "Divine wealth."
Correspondingly, we worship Lakshmi during the next three days.
Lakshmi is not just the giver of gross wealth or prosperity; She is
the Mother who gives according to the needs of Her children.
Only one endowed with daivi-sampat is fit to receive the knowledge of
the Supreme. Accordingly, the last three days of Navaratri are
dedicated to worshipping Saraswati, the embodiment of Knowledge. She
is depicted as wearing a pure-white sari, which symbolises the
illumination of the Supreme Truth.

The tenth day is Vijaya Dashami, or the festival of victory,
symbolising the moment when Truth dawns within.
Significance of Navaratri for Householders
However, Navaratri is not only significant for spiritual aspirants;
it has a message for those who lead a worldly life as well. They
should invoke Durga's help to surmount obstacles, pray to Lakshmi to
bestow peace and prosperity, and contemplate upon Saraswati in order
to gain knowledge. These three ingredients are just as necessary for
a full and complete worldly life. In reality, when we pray like this,
we are but invoking the Shakti that is within ourselves.

Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are not different entities, but
different facets of the singular Divinity.
Some of the spiritual practices associated with Navaratri include
fruit and milk fasts, japa (mantra chanting), chanting of hymns
dedicated to Devi in Her different forms, prayer, meditation and
recitation of sacred texts including the Devi Mahatmya, Sri Lalita
Sahasranama and the Durga Saptashati.

Navaratri, Dussehra and the Ramayana
Navaratri highlights the principles elucidated by the Ramayana. This
is hinted at in the other name by which Vijaya Dashami is known in
India, Dussehra. "Dussehra" is derived from "Dasha-hara," which
means "victory over the ten-faced one." This ten-faced being
("Dashamukha") is none other than Ravana, Lord Rama's adversary. His
ten heads symbolise the ten senses (five of perception and five of
action). Ravana's manifest extrovertedness stands in contrast to
Dasharatha, Lord Rama's father, whose name can be taken to mean "one
who has controlled his ten senses." That he is father to a Divine
Incarnation suggests that only when one is able to subdue all ten
senses can one realise the divinity within.

In similar allegorical fashion, Sita, Rama's consort, represents the
mind. As long as the mind remains wedded to the Self within, so long
will bliss ensue. That is why Rama and Sita are depicted as enjoying
a harmonious and satisfying relationship, both amidst palatial
comforts and the privations of the forest. As soon as the mind
withdraws from the Self and turns outwards to worldly objects, bliss
ceases, and sorrow follows. In the Ramayana, Sita becomes distracted
by a golden deer, actually an asura (demon) in disguise, and starts
coveting it. Rama counsels her on its true nature, but Sita remains
deaf to his words of wisdom, and insists that he captures it for her.
Rama orders Lakshmana to remain with Sita and protect her from
danger, while He pursues the deer. As soon as Rama hunts it down, the
magical deer treacherously calls out, in Rama's voice, to Lakshmana
and Sita for help. Hearing this, Sita is convinced that Rama's life
is in danger and tells Lakshmana to hurry to Rama's rescue.
Lakshmana, who represents tapas (austerity), recognises that the
situation is a trap and tries to advise Sita accordingly. Sita
arrogantly rebuffs his explanations and orders him to leave at once.
Seeing no other way out, Lakshmana leaves in search of his brother.
Before leaving, he draws a line on the ground and warns Sita not to
cross the line. This line, the Lakshman rekha, marks the limits of
morally permissible behaviour. Because Sita trespasses into forbidden
territory, she has to suffer the consequences: she is taken captive
by Ravana. Only after this ten-headed egoist gets destroyed, only
after the ten senses are controlled, is Sita reunited with Rama.
The story of the Ramayana is relevant to us as well. If we wish to
progress spiritually, we have to first make efforts to control the
negative tendencies. Only then can we cultivate the positive ones. In
the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna enumerates the signs of a Jnani (one
who has realised the Self), not because an ordinary person can
recognise such signs, but so that we may cultivate those qualities.
Likewise, Amma says that we should read stories about Lord Rama so
that we may become Rama Himself, that is, imbibe His noble qualities.

Navaratri