Rebels in the Holy Land, by Sam Finkel (Book of the Month, Mar Cheshvan 5785)

When a determined band of Russian orthodox Jewish farmers arrived in what was then known as Palestine in 1882, they knew the world would be watching: In one of Baron Edmond de Rothschild’s most daring experiments, their task was to build a Jewish agricultural colony to serve as a model for future refugees fleeing persecution. But Rebels in the Holy Land is no typical story of pioneering; it is a tale of monumental idealism in the face of duplicity and cynical betrayal.

The farmers’ simple wish to observe the laws of shemitta in the Sabbatical year of 1889-1890, despite their patron’s opposition. This ambition thrust them into the swirling epicenter of worldwide controversy. Reviled by the Baron’s administrators, vilified in the press, ridiculed and nearly abandoned even by some of their religious countrymen, they stood firm. Their fight for what later became Mazkeret Batya sheds dazzling historical light on some of the very issues facing Israel today.

Sam Finkel’s book, which is now available in Hebrew as well as English, is illustrated with maps and vintage photography. We have a copy here at Beit Knesset Hanassi which you are welcome to read. Sam, by the way, is a local resident who can sometimes be found at Hanassi.

The Rainbow: an adventure in sight and sound

It's only a little more than seven minutes in length, but our musical member Max Stern's Rainbow for Seven Saxophones has quite an appeal to it. Starting with the occasional raindrop, this piece leads to a full-blown flood as the storm-tossed ark is ravaged by the element. Eventually the torrent ceases, the flood begins to subside and out comes the rainbow, God's sign for all mankind.

You can check this delightful little piece out on Max's YouTube channel here. 

The Great Make-Over: Noach 5785

The opening parshiyot of the Torah portray a rather dismal picture of the human race and of our world generally.  Everything noble and worthwhile seems to have spun away in a flood of vice, avarice, and murder. And this type of human behavior seems to have filtered down to the other forms of life on the planet as well.

The great flood described in this week’s parsha can therefore be seen, so to speak, as God’s make-over of the Creation. We know the feeling that comes upon us when, after working on a project for a period of time, we become convinced of the project’s failure and of the need to start over again from the beginning, discarding everything in which we had invested our energy.

But, as the parsha indicates, there is little to choose between the living world before the flood and the one that emerged in its wake. So the Lord adopts, as it were, a different tack. This is because, though God is disappointed by human behavior, He never irrevocably despairs of humans, individually or collectively. Now God will wait patiently until humans on their own, through their inner sense, seriously begin to search and find meaning and purpose in life.  This search will inexorably lead to the Creator and a moral code of behavior. Noach, as great a person as he was, was unable to transmit to his descendants the necessary sense of personal morality and that inner drive for self-improvement and righteousness which he himself possessed. Without that inner urge to search for the Creator, no outside revelation or cataclysmic event, no flood or war or Holocaust, can achieve an improved moral climate in human society.

The parsha records God’s commitment not to bring another flood upon humankind. Outside pressures and historic events, no matter how impressive and intense they may be, are not the ways to inspire and improve human behavior. A change of the human heart, a rethinking of life’s meaning and mission, a yearning for spirit and eternity—these are the proven methods for achieving a more just and noble society.

The lesson of this week’s parsha, and indeed the fundamental lesson of the Torah, is that the path to knowledge and service of God runs through one’s own inner feelings, attitudes, ideals and commitments. The task of Jewish parenting and education is to impart this basic truism of life to the next generation. And as the Torah itself testifies, this ability to do so was what set Avraham apart from Noach, and the Jewish people at their very origin from the nations of the world.

Shabat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein 

Our Children's Service: a "thank-you" note

 This short note came into our inbox yesterday. It speaks for itself.

For over a year, our daughters have been enjoying the Children's Service at Beit Knesset HaNassi. The Rehavia neighborhood has many shuls and many children, but does not have many shul opportunities for these children.

We are happy that we found an environment where the girls can daven, discuss parsha and play games with their peers. Having shul be a Shabbat destination for children builds the familiarity and comfort that encourages them to continue attending shul as they grow and develop.

Thank you to Beit Knesset HaNassi for offering the service of the Children's Service. 

Efrat Benn and Nachum Lamm                

We receive all sorts of correspondence, with perhaps more emphasis on telling us what's wrong rather than thanking us for doing something right. So, thank you Efrat and Nachum, we really appreciate your words -- and a big thank-you to the Children's Service team --  Avigail Kaplan, Naama Rosenbaum, Nava Swidler, and Malka Rosenbaum -- for all their hard work and dedicated input.

Teva, Kav veTzeva: the art of Yitzhak Giladi

Some readers of this post may remember the distinguished Israeli artist Yitzhak Giladi, who was a member of Beit Knesset Hanassi before he moved to another locality. Well, Yitzhak has an exhibition of his art which is running throughout the month of November. Its title is Teva, Kav veTzeva ("Nature, Line and Color"). Details of this exhibition, which is being held in the Jerusalem Theater, can be found below. 

The Jewish World 1880-1914: a new lecture series

Beit Knesset Hanassi is delighted to announce details of the forthcoming lecture series by Rabbi Berel Wein: "The Jewish World 1880-1914".  This series covers the three and a half decades that culminated in the First World War, the conflict that many believed to be the war to end all wars. This period saw many shifts in the fortunes of the Jewish people and of the Jewish religion itself, as commitment to the Torah faced competition from the claims of nationalism and conflicting political philosophies.

Delivering the lectures is Rabbi Berel Wein, who has earned an outstanding reputation as a writer and lecturer on Jewish history. 

These lectures are open to the public as well as to our members. You can sign up in advance for the entire series, or you can pay at the door for each lecture you attend. 

We hope to see you there!

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah: a Unique Celebration

This year Beit Knesset Hanassi held its first Ne'ilat HaChag, to round off the sequence of festive days that we have just celebrated together. Speaking at the Ne'ilat HaChag, our member Rabbi Paul Bloom treated us to the following thoughts:

The Yom Tov of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah holds unique significance, blending distinct aspects of joy and spiritual connection. On one hand, Shemini Atzeret is linked to Sukkot but, on the other, it is an independent festival. Over time, the Gedolim (sages) decided to associate Simchat Torah with this holiday, adding an extra layer of meaning.

One of the most beautiful aspects of this celebration is the connection of rejoicing with the Torah. As the Vilna Gaon explains in his commentary on Shir HaShirim (The Song of Songs), the first three verses represent the three pilgrimage festivals (*Shalosh Regalim*), while the fourth verse represents the additional festival—Shemini Atzeret. The verse reads:

מׇשְׁכֵ֖נִי אַחֲרֶ֣יךָ נָּר֑וּצָה הֱבִיאַ֨נִי הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ חֲדָרָ֗יו נָגִ֤ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ  

"Draw me after You, let us run; the King has brought me into His chambers; let us exult and rejoice in You."

This verse describes how the King (Hashem) brings us into His private chamber, allowing us to rejoice directly with Him. This expresses the unique joy of Shemini Atzeret, where the relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people is personal and intimate.

Rashi also emphasizes this distinction in his commentary on the verse in parshat Emor, stating that Shemini Atzeret follows Sukkot, a festival with universal dimensions, where offerings are brought for the nations of the world (Umot HaOlam). In the future, Zechariah tells us, the nations will come to Jerusalem during Sukkot to acknowledge Hashem. However, Shemini Atzeret is about the special, private connection between Hashem and Benei Yisrael.

Interestingly, the Torah Temimah points out that the word "בָּ֔ךְ" ("in You") from the verse in Shir HaShirim has the gematria (numerical value) of 22, which corresponds to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet—the foundation of the Torah. Our love for Hashem is intimately connected with the Torah, and through these 22 letters, we find joy in our relationship with Him.

The Benei Yissaschar further deepens this concept, noting that Shemini Atzeret always falls on the 22nd day of Tishrei, marking 22 days since Rosh Hashanah. These 22 days are filled with teshuvah (repentance), forgiveness, prayer, and kindness, culminating in the joy of Sukkot and reaching their peak on Shemini Atzeret. This period signifies our journey with Hashem, and through the Torah, we solidify our connection with Him.

An even deeper connection emerges when we consider another set of 22 days: the Three Weeks, which begin on 17 Tammuz and end on Tisha B'Av. These days commemorate the destruction of the two Temples, but the first and most significant destruction was when Moshe shattered the luchot (tablets). Though the tablets were broken, the letters—the divine essence of the Torah—were not lost. They soared, waiting for a new place to reside.

During the Three Weeks, we mourn the loss of this connection, but during the 22 days from Rosh Hashanah to Shemini Atzeret, we work to restore it. The phrase "כָּתְבֵנוּ בְּסֵפֶר הַחַיִּים" ("inscribe us in the Book of Life") reminds us of this restoration. The Torah, described as Etz Chaim (a tree of life), reconnects us with Hashem. By the end of this journey, we rejoice in the ultimate restoration of our bond through the Torah on Shemini Atzeret.

This parallel between the two sets of 22 days, the Three Weeks of mourning and the 22 days of Tishrei, illustrates the cyclical nature of loss and restoration. The culmination comes with Shemini Atzeret, where we experience the joy of holding the Torah, dancing with it, and feeling the profound connection it provides.

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah represent the pinnacle of our relationship with Hashem. Through the Torah, we deepen our understanding, find infinite joy, and restore what was lost. Let this Yom Tov be a time of reinstating the 22 letters of the Torah into our hearts and minds, renewing our bond with Hashem and experiencing the special joy that comes with it.

Farewell, Sukkah!

An innovation at Beit Knesset Hanassi this Sukkot was Rabbi Kenigsberg's introduction of a short, sweet "Farewell to the Sukkah". Before taking our leave of the shul Sukkah, we had a bite to eat, sang some songs and said a couple of short divrei Torah. The following was said over by Jeremy Phillips:

If you carefully read our davening schedule, you will have seen an item that reads “Farewell to the Sukkah 5.15 pm”. Opposite this item, on the Ivrit side of the timetable, this event is listed as “Shalom leSukkah”. But even to say anything at all might seem a bit irregular to those of us who are 21st century rationalists. For one thing, even the most beautiful of Sukkot is an inanimate object: you can say hello or goodbye to it if you like, though it won’t hear you. You can tell it whatever you like but you won’t get a response. You may as well be talking to a brick wall (parenthetically, we learn from the very first daf of masechet Sukkah that there’s no problem with a Sukkah having brick walls, so long as it does not exceed 20 amot in height).

Another strange thing about saying goodbye to the Sukkah is the unique nature of this custom. After all, we don’t say goodbye to the shofar when we’re finished with blowing it; we don’t say goodbye to the arba minim either. Nor, on Pesach, do we bid farewell to the matzah—though to be honest I think the parting of the ways between man and matzah is often greeted with more relief than grief.

Well, actually, there is no problem because, in point of fact, we don’t really say goodbye to it at all. Both the Rinat Yisrael and the ArtScroll machzorim describe this little ceremony in Hebrew not as a farewell but as a Yetziah, an exit. And the function of the text of the yehi ratzon which we recite is not to say goodbye to the Sukkah, but to remind God that we have notched up some serious brownie points for performing the mitzvah of living in the Sukkah and to ask that these self-same brownie points be carried forward into the year we only recently commenced.

Some machzorim follow the yehi ratzon with a kabbalistic paragraph, ribona de’alma, which likewise focuses not on the past week but on the year that lies ahead. In it we ask God to let the angels that we have created during the Chag through our performance of the mitzvot of Sukkah and the arba minim accompany us on our return to normal life. We then ask God if He would be so kind as to let the aforesaid angels help protect us from sin and from sha’ot hamitragshot – malevolent moments – that are likely to occur, and not to punish us for our misdemeanours before we’ve had a chance to repent for them ourselves.

So, all on all, this alleged farewell to the Sukkah is really a forward-facing strategy for dealing with our return to what we like to call our normality.

Having said all this, it seems to me that saying goodbye to the Sukkah is a good thing to do, since it is a way of showing respect to the departing Chag. In light of this, I’d like to make reference to a Mishnah from Avot:

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוּדָעִי אוֹמֵר: הַמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וְהַמְבַזֶּה אֶת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת, וְהַמַּלְבִּין פְּנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ בָּרַבִּים, וְהַמֵּפֵר בְּרִיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִֽינוּ, וְהַמְגַלֶּה פָנִים בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא כַהֲלָכָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ תּוֹרָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, אֵין לוֹ חֵֽלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא

Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i used to say: One who profanes the kadashim ("holy things"), degrades the Festivals, humiliates his friend in public, nullifies the covenant of our father Abraham, or who interprets the Torah contrary to its true intent---although he may possess Torah knowledge and good deeds, he has no share in the World to Come.

What does ‘hamevazeh et hamo’adot’ really mean? How does one cheapen or degrade a festival? According to many commentaries, following in the footsteps of the Bartenura, this means being insufficiently respectful to Chol HaMoed. How do we know this? One of our own local commentators—Rabbi Menachem Mordechai Frankel-Teomim (who lived down the road at no.2, rechov HaShla)-- explains that, if the word mo’adim means the yamim tovim themselves, the feminine form of the word—mo’adot—refers to a gentler sort of mo’ed, which is Chol HaMoed.

For us, not just sitting down in the Sukkah for the occasional snack but, ideally, living in it full-time, is the main mitzvah of Chol HaMoed, a mitzvah we can even fulfil when we are fast asleep. This being so, it is surely appropriate to acknowledge its importance by leaving it in an appropriately respectful manner. More than that, we should be very careful not to denigrate it. As the Midrash Shmuel points out, any form of disrespect to Chol HaMoed has potentially disastrous consequences: if you don’t respect its integrity in this world, you don’t deserve to be respected in Olam HaBo, the world to come.

Looking back at The Sukkot Season

The festive season has come to an end. While the mitzvot associated with Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah have now passed, we are still left with many thoughts, feelings and memories to process. The month of Mar Cheshvan, which will soon be upon us, provides an ideal opportunity for reflection, introspection and contemplation of the impact that Tishrei and its momentous occasions have made on us.

Here, in the first of three post-Sukkot items on the blog that look back to last week's festivities, we bring a short and colourful YouTube clip by our member Heshy Engelsberg, "The Sukkot Season", which succinctly captures the atmosphere in the streets of Jerusalem when our beautiful and eternal capital goes into celebratory mode. 

You can click through to "The Sukkot Season" here.

Truth comes down to earth: Bereishit 5785

The Midrash teaches us that when God, so to speak, consulted in Heaven as to whether to create humans, four representatives presented their views to the Almighty. This Midrash is an instructive way to begin to understand the role of Midrash generally in rabbinic writing.

The rabbis generally seek to express deep philosophic ideas, conundrums and contradictions that we constantly face in daily life in a manner that, on the surface, appears as a story or a fable: oversimplified and almost naïve in presentation. Each student of Midrash must ferret out its intended deeper message and its relevance to our lives, society and situation. This is because Midrash is a living document, pointing towards current guidance and thought—not a book of stories about the past.

But let us return to the debate in heaven as to whether humans should have ever been created in the first place. Truth and Peace objected. Said Truth, since humans tended not to tell the truth, they could never be trusted and therefore had no useful function. Peace agreed. There would never be a time in human history when war, violence and dispute were absent. So, again, there would be no constructive purpose in creating such beings and in having them populate the world only for them to destroy one another.

Kindness stated that humans should be created: there will always be a streak of goodness and compassion within human beings. They will build schools, hospitals, orphanages and day care centers. They will search for medical cures to disease and raise vast amounts of wealth to help those who are less fortunate and truly needy. Overall, they would be worthy of being created. Justice agreed, Humans possess an intrinsic sense of fair play. They will establish courts of law and attempt to adjudicate disputes between themselves. They will create police forces to make for a secure society. Again, overall, humans could be a positive force in the world.

The Midrash continues by saying that God, so to speak, considered all four protagonists and their arguments. They were evenly balanced at two against two. In order to reach a decision, He threw Truth down to earth so that now the “vote” was two to one in favor of creating humans, which He then proceeded to do.

The great Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenstern (Halperin) of Kotzk asked: “If God was only looking to break the tie vote, so to speak, why did he throw down Truth? He could just have easily thrown down Peace. With Truth remaining alone, the vote would still be two to one.” He then answered: “Truth can never be outvoted. No matter what the vote is, no matter how many speak against it, Truth remains at its core, which is eternally true. Peace may be compromised and manipulated. Not so Truth. It is a value that is all or nothing. Something which is ninety-nine percent true is still not Truth. It does not adjust to ever changing mores, fads or current correctness. So, Truth had to be disposed of before a vote could be taken.”

The Jewish people have always been outnumbered. God promised us that we would be a small people numerically—and that promise has certainly been fulfilled. The human race consists of billions of people who disagree with us and outvote us regularly. Sometimes they do this peacefully, but most of the time with hostile intent. Other faiths have, for centuries, attempted to convince us that the majority rules and that, since they prevail, we should give up and join them. But we have not wavered as a nation in our belief in truth as revealed to us by God at Sinai. We cannot be outvoted as we represent Truth in its essence and sincerity. And that is the secret of the creation of humans and the existence of Judaism throughout the ages.

Shabat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein

The Creation: Bereishit set to music

Here's another topical music clip from Beit Knesset Hanassi's very own Max Stern: it's "Creation of the World (Bereshith) for soprano, flute, strings and percussion". The text is based on the words of the Torah (Bereishit 1:1-31 and 2:1-3). In this clip it is performed by the Ashdod Chamber Orchestra conducted by Luis Gorelik. The soloists are Amalia Ishak (soprano) and Avihai Ornoy (flute). 

This recording was made at a live concert at Kibbutz Yavneh nearly 30 years ago, back in 1995. Of this work, music critic Uri Epstein described it as, 

"...an expression of exhilaration and awe in witnessing the phenomenon on creation."

The piece, which is of 20 minutes in duration, is structured in seven variations, each being a day in the process of the world's formation: 1 darkness-light, 2 seas-heaven, 3 land-vegetation, 4 sun-moon-stars, 5 fish-birds, 6 beasts-man, 7 Sabbath.

You can watch and listen to it by clicking here.

Rising to face a unique challenge: Simchat Torah 5785

We reproduce here the full text of the letter circulated to all members of Beit Knesset Hanassi ahead of Simchat Torah 5785 (2024), the date in the Jewish calendar that marks the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre, in which nearly 1,300 souls were slain and over 250 hostages seized. This letter, sent out by Rabbi Joel Kenigsberg and Jeremy Phillips, addresses the need to strike a balance between the mitzvah of celebrating the renewal of the Torah and the immense sadness felt by all Israel on the anniversary of a major tragedy.

Simchat Torah this year presents us with a unique challenge.

On the one hand it is clear to us all that this cannot be a Chag just like any other. We cannot ignore the unspeakable pain Am Yisrael has endured over the past year and that so many continue to endure even now.

Yet at the same time, this season remains our eternal zman simchateinu. Simchat Torah is a day when we rejoice in the completion and renewal of the Torah, a day that represents the unbreakable spirit of Am Yisrael throughout history. Over the past year we have witnessed that spirit again – with unwavering strength, resilience and unity in the face of such tremendous challenges. We have a responsibility to celebrate the light that has shone amongst the darkness, and to show hakarat hatov for the good we have experienced – notwithstanding the pain, anxiety and grief that still abounds.

Even in their darkest moments, our ancestors danced and celebrated the gift of the Torah. And so must we. While we remain sensitive to the deep sorrow in our hearts and in the hearts of so many, we cannot cancel or erase the eternal meaning of our Chagim.

To that end, our Hakafot this year will aim to strike a balance between our enduring joy in the Torah and the respectful remembrance of those we’ve lost and yearning for those still in captivity. We will do our utmost to give space to the two conflicting emotions that will accompany this day. We will celebrate, for that is our victory. We will raise our voices in song, for that is our legacy. But we will also pause, reflect, and pray, for that is our duty.

As Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon writes:

“The war is not only on the battlefield. The war is also on the home front. The enemies are trying in every way to disrupt our lives, to sow fear and panic among us, to cause division in our people and to shut down all joy in our country. We will not let them win!

We will continue to live in our country with high spirits. Although, at all times, we will remember the soldiers, the wounded, the martyrs who were killed and murdered, the hostages, the bereaved families and the families from the North and the South. We will remember them, think about them and pray for them. We will also pray for unity within Israel, and we will remember that our strength is in our unity.”

This Simchat Torah will be, as Shlomo HaMelech writes in Kohelet (3:4), both an “et sefod” and an “et rekod” – a time to grieve and a time to dance. Indeed, we will dance with tears in our eyes.

The Sefer Torah leading Hakafot (both in the night and in the morning) will bear a special me’il dedicated to the memory of Sergeant David Mittelman HY”D along with all those who were murdered and fell defending our people. This me’il is part of the global Simchat Torah Project, bringing a spirit of achdut and connecting us with over 500 other communities worldwide who will be using identical me’ilim. each dedicated to the memory of a different kadosh, in their Hakafot.

Additionally:

• While the mood of the Hakafot will be upbeat, we will at times switch to slower songs in recognition of, solidarity with, and prayer for those in mourning and captivity. Certain Hakafot will be dedicated for the success of our soldiers, the return of the hostages, the healing of the wounded and the return of those displaced.
• We will be joined by students from Yeshivat HaKotel who will help bring energy and ruach to our Hakafot. Israeli flags will be handed out to the children as a symbol of the strength and unity of Am Yisrael.
• Before the Aliya of Kol HaNe’arim we will recite the Misheberachs for our soldiers and for the speedy return of the hostages and together we will sing Acheinu.
• We ask that even those who normally exit for Yizkor should remain inside for the communal Yizkor for all those killed in the war.

In 1973, in the wake of the Yom Kippur war, Rabbi Norman Lamm delivered a sermon entitled “How can we be happy on this Simchat Torah?”. He concluded thus:

“So we shall be happy... We shall be happy because it is an act of emunah - faith. We shall be happy because it is an expression of bitachon - confidence in things to come. We shall be happy because our happiness issues not from childish and naive simplicity but from a recognition that life is complicated and complex and paradoxical. We shall be happy because our joy itself will overcome enmity and adversity, animosity and hostility. We shall try to restrain the sobs and sing out. And if a tear falls, we shall wipe it away and continue to dance. Because when we hold the Torah, we know that no defeat is permanent, and that victory will surely come.”

Simchat Torah reminds us of the eternal strength of the Jewish people — the ability to hold joy and grief together, to dance with tears in our eyes, and to continue forward as a nation bound by Torah, resilience, and faith.

May this Simchat Torah be a time of true simcha and may we know only besorot tovot for Am Yisrael in the coming year.

Something to do with your etrog

Tomorrow, literally tens of thousands of etrogim will be set free from the bonds of the arba minim. What do you do with yours? Many people like to puncture them with hundreds of cloves and turn them into besomim hedgehogs for havdalah. Others have greater ambitions.

Here's a recipe for etrog liqueur, kindly provided by one of our kitchen-savvy members, Juliette Rothschild. This recipe, she tells us, was handed down to her by a late Hanassi member, Sydney Faber, whom many readers may remember. The recipe goes like this:

 ETROG LIQUEUR

Ingredients 

3 etrogim

3 Cups of good quality Vodka (divided into 2 cups and 1 cup)

1 ½ Cups of superfine or regular sugar

Instructions

1. Peel etrog as thinly as possible (with a peeler)

2. Put peel into a 4-cup jar (e.g. a 32 oz Mayonnaise jar) or a litre soda bottle. Add 2 cups of Vodka.

3. Close jar and store in a cool, dark place for 2 days..

4. Remove and discard peel (strain before funneling into a bottle)

5. Pour the liquid into a glass litre bottle (e.g. a grape juice bottle). Add sugar and gently shake until sugar dissolves.

6. Add 1 cup of Vodka. Shake or stir again until all the sugar is dissolved.

7. Store for a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks (or more) in a cool, dark place.

If any Hanassi member proposes to make some estrog liqueur, can they please make it available to the Women's League so that we can sample it on a Shabbat when we have a kiddush?

Juliette adds that you can check out more etrog recipes on kosher.com. If you enjoy buttered toast for breakfast, here's one here for etrog marmalade to spread on it.

Being true to ourselves: Vezot Habrachah 5785

It is interesting that our great leader and teacher Moshe followed the lead of our father Jacob when it came to blessing the Jewish people before he left the world. The blessings that Moshe bestowed were individual and specific: each tribe was given its own blessing and its own mission. Every human being too is different, and even those amongst us who, on the surface, appear similar, are nevertheless still not identical.

One of the great tragedies in human life occurs when one person feels himself or herself to be a square peg in a round hole, ill fitted for the life one is leading and for the profession or work one is pursuing. Most of us, unfortunately, have to make some sort of peace with such a situation, and suffer the consequences throughout our productive lives. Rare are the individuals who can change course in the midstream of life, fulfill their natural abilities and pursue their true vision, despite all the obstacles that undoubtedly present themselves.

The import of the blessing of Moshe to the Jewish people is that each of the tribes, as well as the individuals who make up those tribes, should be true unto themselves. They should accept and follow their mission, both national and personal, that the Lord set out for them through their genetic traits and personal God-given talents. Conformity stifles all creativity and, without creativity, there can never be progress in human affairs, whether spiritual or physical.

Moshe loves the Jewish people. He has proven his love for them repeatedly during his 40 years as their leader and mentor. This final Torah reading is his last and perhaps most soaring expression of love for his people. A lesser person would, perhaps, feel pains of remorse and even revenge for the treatment he received during his 40-year career as the people’s leader. Indeed, Moshe would be justified in feeling unappreciated, and that he somehow never received recognition from those that he served so loyally and skillfully for so many decades.

However, that would not conform to the character trait of Moshe, who is the greatest of all human beings. It is about him that the Torah testifies to his natural human ego, i.e. that there never arose such a prophet within the Jewish people before him, nor will there ever arise another one after him. In his great vision of prophecy, Moshe identifies the talents and mission of each of the various tribes of Israel, and properly assigns to them their appropriate role in building a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. By so doing, he is fulfilling his final and perhaps greatest act of love for his people, by allowing for the diversity and creativity of human beings to function and build a greater and more holy society.

Chag same’ach, Rabbi Berel Wein 

Festive fun in the sun: Sukkot celebrations in Yerushalayim 5785

Our intrepid YouTuber, Hanassi member Heshy Engelsberg, took his camera round the Kotel and the Mercaz Ha’ir yesterday morning in search of seasonal festivities.  The resulting product gives a true-to-life flavour of Sukkot celebration in the city that, millennia ago, invented the Simchat Beit HaSho'evah -- and which has not forgotten how to celebrate, even in times of trouble.

You can view Heshy's recording yourself by just clicking here. 

The water-drawing ceremony set to music

We've just received from our member and composer Max Stern a charming YouTube clip of his reconstruction of the Water Drawing Ceremony for Beit Hasho'evah: This clip (which lasts one minute and 41 seconds) was made in October 2012. It seeks to describe the ancient ritual prayer for rain in the courtyard above King David's Tomb on Har Tzion.

You can check out this jolly piece by clicking here. Thanks, Max, for sharing this with us.

The holiday that faces both ways: Chol HaMoed Sukkot 5785

Both Pesach and Sukkot are weeklong festivals. In Israel they are seven days in length while in the Diaspora they are a day longer. In Israel the first day is a full holiday while in the Diaspora the first two days are full holidays. The balance of the days of these holidays is called Chol HaMoed—the intermediate, less holy days of the holiday.

This extremely sophisticated concept—days that are holidays but not completely so—is a unique Jewish creation. Unlike the actual full holy days of the holidays, these intermediate days do not carry with them the entire gamut of restrictions on work. In fact, any work that is necessary for comfort or for preventing monetary loss is permissible. However, these intermediate days are not to be treated as ordinary workdays. Unnecessary work, tasks that are easily postponed till after the holidays, lawsuits and other contentious matters should not be pursued during Chol HaMoed. Therefore, in Israel and in many parts of the Diaspora, Chol HaMoed is a vacation, offering some welcome leisure time. Stores and offices are closed; entire families participate in touring, visiting friends and relatives and attending concerts and other forms of entertainment. Holiday clothing and finery is worn and festive meals are served. It is a joyous, sweet time of the year for all concerned, especially for the children who are free of school and their daily routines.

These days are a practical example of the Jewish ability to transform the everyday into the special, and the mundane into the holy. We can understand the concept of Sabbath and the holidays, times when work is inconsistent with the spirit and message of those days. But Chol HaMoed affords us an opportunity to work and not work, celebrate and yet not divorce ourselves from the demands of everyday life. This period has a rhythm of its own, being a time for family and friends, for study and reading, for relaxation and refreshment. But, even so, it is not summer vacation or midwinter break for it remains part holy—and that is what gives it its special resonance and feeling in the Jewish world.

One ancient custom of Chol HaMoed is to pay one’s respects to our great rabbis and scholars. In Israel, and in the Diaspora too the great rabbis, the Chassidic leaders, and the heads of the yeshivot all keep open house, holding court and making themselves available to visitors who may have traveled from all corners of the world to pay their respects to the Torah and its scholars. In Jerusalem, there is a special ceremony of “Blessing by the Kohanim” (priests descended from the family of Aaron), conducted at the plaza of the Western Wall. Hundreds of priests gather there to bless the tens of thousands of Jews who gather at the Wall to receive their heavenly blessing.

During Chol HaMoed of Sukkot, parties are held nightly to celebrate the “drawing of the water” service that took place in the Temple in Jerusalem. The Talmud describes how in Temple times this ceremony was celebrated with song, dance, torches and bonfires, jugglers and performers. The “drawing of the water” from the spring of Gichon, south of Jerusalem, and its libation on the altar of the Temple symbolically marked the beginning of the rainy season in Israel and the prayers for a bountiful rainfall during the winter months.

Though the Temple and its altar are not now present, the celebrations of Chol HaMoed Sukkot have survived and prospered. Throughout Jerusalem’s many neighborhoods, parties and celebrations take place. The Talmud stated that ‘sleep did not find our eyes’ at these festive Chol Hamoed nights. That still is pretty much the case for the young today during these special celebrations.

Shabbat Shalom and Moadim L’Simcha. Rabbi Berel Wein.

Deflation and inspiration -- where physicality balances the spirit: Sukkot 5785

We often experience a feeling of spiritual deflation immediately after we emerge from the exalted atmosphere of Yom Kippur. To plunge directly into the icy waters of  everyday life is a very challenging task. We have just been given an entire day to nurture our souls, to exist as angels without the need to fulfill the requirements of our bodies. So the Lord, so to speak, allows us a more gradual descent into our physical, everyday lives. We are asked to forgo the creature comforts of our homes for a period of time, to dwell in a sukkah, exposed to the heavens and the natural world. 

The sukkah, like Yom Kippur itself, is a place of the soul and not of the body. This is because, no matter how elaborate and luxurious we attempt to make it, the sukkah remains a temporary and exposed environment. While the body is aware of this situation and is somewhat discomforted by it, the soul revels in it. It is in this way that the soul clings on to the last vestiges of Yom Kippur right through to Hoshanah Rabbah, before our bodies return to dominate our lives. 

The day of Hoshanah Rabbah is considered as a High Holy Day in its own right and not merely a regular day of Chol HaMoed.  Though none of the restrictions of Yom Kippur are imposed on that festive day or throughout any of the joyous days that follow the first day of the Chag, the spiritual atmosphere of Yom Kippur is still present, for we are living amongst holy clouds and not in physically strong structures. 

Jews the world over are willing to spend sizeable amounts of money in the fulfillment of the commandments of the holiday of Sukkot. We are all aware that the price of a lemon, an orange or any other citrus fruit at the local greengrocer is of little consequence to us. Not so the price of an etrog! It is not the fruit itself that makes it so valuable to so many. It is our ability to fulfill the will of God through an etrog – itself a gift of God’s bounty – that makes it so valuable as to be almost priceless. 

The physical instruments that we use throughout our lives are a means through which our souls connect to our Creator. Just as the value of an etrog lies in what lies behind it–- in what it represents and who ordained its use on the holiday of Sukkot -- would that we would view everything in life, all of our goods and possessions, friends and families and our society generally, with such a perspective. 

In essence, that is the basis of Jewish thought and the moral code of the Torah. On Yom Kippur we spurn physicality; on Sukkot we learn to use physicality to help to connect us to our Creator. And it is that spirit of understanding our role in this world of eternal values that truly occasions within us the joy and happiness that radiates from the holiday of Sukkot. 

Chag Same’ach, Rabbi Berel Wein

To whom are we crying out?

Only a couple of days ago, fasting and disguised as malachim, angels, we had cause to cry out אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵת זִקְנָה ("Al tashlicheni le'et ziknah": "do not cast me out in the time of old age!"). This emotive petition, drawn from Tehillim 71:9, is one of the most poignant moments of our Selichot services and features right through Yom Kippur.

 Today I found myself wondering: while we call out to God not to cast us away when we grow old, how do we regard our fellow humans? Do we expect God not to cast them out, while we turn our own backs on them and write them off as relics of an earlier time?

People often joke at Beit Knesset Hanassi being associated with "Young Israel" when it has so many members in their seventies, eighties and, yes,even in their nineties. But here at Hanassi we see evidence that everyone's life can be valued and that we can all be called upon to give as well as take, and to contribute to the well-being of our community.

Today I bought a couple of sets of arba minim from Rabbi Jay Karzen, a senior citizen if ever there was one--and an active contributor to life. We had a little chat, he helped me choose the etrogim and I came away feeling that I had gained more than a lulav, a citron and a selection of leaves. I felt proud to be part of a community where old folk are appreciated for who, and what, they are. We shall not cast them out!

Miracles, Teshuvah and the NY Times

This piece, by Hanassi member Rabbi Paul Bloom, was published yesterday in Jewish Link. Thank you, Paul, for letting us republish it here.

On Erev Rosh Hashanah, as households busied themselves with preparations for the three-day holiday, a different sound pierced the air—not the blasts of a shofar, but the wailing of sirens echoing across the country. For nearly an hour, Israelis were urged to take shelter in public and private spaces, or in windowless rooms, as nearly 200 ballistic missiles rained down on Israel from Iran. Miraculously, not one Israeli was seriously harmed. This incredible outcome is a testament to the effectiveness of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and, many believe, the protective hand of Hashem. 

Interestingly, a cloud cover shrouded much of the country that day—an unusual occurrence for this time of year, evoking memories of the protective cloud that surrounded the Children of Israel during their journey through the desert, thousands of years ago. 

Many may not fully grasp the magnitude of the miracle that unfolded on Erev Rosh Hashanah. Israel boasts three air defense systems, each a technological marvel designed to intercept missiles at various ranges: Iron Dome, David's Sling, and the Arrow system. That night, as Iranian missiles descended upon Israel, all three defense systems were flawlessly activated and executed, working in perfect unison—a feat so complex that the odds of it happening without a hitch are nearly non-existent. 

Had any one of these systems failed, the consequences could have been catastrophic, with hundreds of Israelis potentially killed or injured. Understanding the intricacies of what transpired that night and throughout the ongoing conflict, it becomes clear that the low number of casualties is akin to witnessing a modern-day miracle—similar to the splitting of the Red Sea thousands of years ago. 

Historically, there have always been those who questioned the miraculous nature of such events, whether during the War of Independence, the Six-Day War, or the Yom Kippur War. Similarly, the events of Erev Rosh Hashanah stand as just one of many miracles experienced over the past year. From the interception of hundreds of missiles and drones before Passover to the incredible  detonation of  thousands of pagers and Walkie Talkies to the successful detonation of crucial targets in enemy bunkers, these instances reflect unprecedented military achievements with remarkably low civilian casualties. 

The sirens that night served not only as a warning to seek shelter but also as a divine call for teshuvah (repentance). As Rabbi Wein emphasized in his 69th consecutive Shabbat Shuvah drasha, teshuvah is a personal journey. A journey  that  starts out  with one  small step. Hashem is looking  for that small step, not the the completion of the entire process. Some reach out to those they may have wronged, while others recognize a greater divine orchestration in the events unfolding around them. The miraculous successes of the IDF can no longer be dismissed as mere coincidence or the product of skillful strategy. 

Yet, there remains a segment of the world that fails to recognize these miracles, including major media outlets like the New York Times. In their coverage of Israel's actions, particularly following the elimination of terrorist leader Nasrallah, the Times framed the operation as an “escalation” while eulogizing a man who sought the destruction of Israel. Such biased reporting does a disservice to the truth and reveals a disturbing tendency to sympathize with those who wish harm upon Israel and the Jewish people. 

As we reflect on the three types of sins we must atone for—between man and Hashem, between man and man, and between man and himself—it's crucial not to overlook the latter. The process of teshuvah may begin with small, deliberate actions. 

In Shaarei Teshuvah (Sha’ar Aleph), Rabbenu Yonah presents a poignant parable about a group of prisoners who were digging a tunnel to escape. As they made their way to freedom, everyone successfully broke free except for one man. When the king's guard discovered him, he began to beat this lone prisoner. The question arises: why was the guard punishing him? 

Various interpretations exist, but one key lesson stands out: this prisoner had the opportunity to escape; he simply chose not to make the effort. His failure to act serves as a powerful metaphor for the teshuvah (repentance) process. Often, all it takes to begin our journey toward repentance is a small, intentional effort. 

This idea also resonates with the story of King Achav (Malachim I), one of Israel's most notorious rulers. When Eliyahu Hanavi questioned why Achav’s teshuvah would never be accepted, the answer was clear: Achav made no genuine effort to change. Had he taken even the slightest  genuine step toward repentance, it would have been recognized and accepted. 

Just like the prisoner and Achav, many of us find ourselves held back by our own reluctance to act. The path to freedom and spiritual growth can often start with a simple decision to make that first effort. 

For those who support platforms that promote anti-Israel sentiments, the decision to disengage from such sources is a simple, yet significant act of teshuvah. Excuses for maintaining subscriptions or advertising in biased media outlets do not hold water; the time has come to seek alternatives that align more closely with our values. 

This Yom Kippur, may we all come to recognize the miracles that Hashem has performed for the Jewish people over the past year. Let us take those small steps toward teshuvah, collectively accelerating the journey towards our final  redemption.

Different in every way: Yom Kippur 5785

Tomorrow evening sees the start of Yom Kippur, the quintessential and unique Jewish holy day of the year.  All the other holidays that our God has given to us, as a faith and as a people, have their parallels in non-Jewish life.  All peoples have national independence days, harvest festivals for thanksgiving, celebrations of victories and historic moments of salvation. Naturally, though we have holy days of this genre, ours are far different than theirs: ours are accompanied by specific biblical commandments as to how the day is to be observed and what holy rituals, special foods and unique prayer services are to be attached to them as an integral part of the commemoration of that day.

 We can see that the concept behind days like these, such as Pesach, Shavuot, Succot, Chanukah and Purim, have characteristics that are universal, features that can be said to apply to other nations in the world. This is even true of Rosh Hashanah, since every culture has some sort of day to begin the New Year, whether it be on the solar or lunar calendar.

But Yom Kippur is different in every way; it has no equal anywhere in human civilization or history. There is no other day on the calendar that so strongly grasps the attention of Jews to the relationship between the God of Israel and His people, as does the day of Yom Kippur. This day is a gift from God to the people of Israel. Throughout all the millennia of its existence it has remained an exclusively Jewish concept and holiday. 

The concept of forgiveness per se is itself a novel and even surprising one. After all, whatever a person has done has a finality to it. There are always consequences that are derived and emanate from human behavior. It is almost illogical to think that there is any way in which the past can be undone, that wrongs can be righted, foolishness and sin being erased as though they never happened. These propositions are indeed true in human terms. 

Humans have the power to forgive, but never the power to retract or correct what was done before. But Heaven is operating in a manner that is far beyond our understanding and our ability to judge. The unlimited power of the Almighty seems to include the retroactive ability to erase what happened before, and, the capacity to change those consequences, ordained by our previous behavior, which were deemed to be immutable. 

This idea is the expression of the will and mercy of Heaven, extended to us as put forth in the words of that great prophet, Yechezkel: “The Lord does not wish for the death of human beings due to their sins, but rather wishes that they repent of their evil ways and thereby live.”  The Lord is the master of second chances. This is a rare and uniquely Jewish idea: it opens the way for regrets and rehabilitation, restoration, and accomplishment. Without such ideas, and without such an understanding of the Creator, we would truly be bereft of hope and confidence in our future and in our very lives. 

But this great gift must be earned. The Torah does not offer us a free lunch under any circumstances. Yom Kippur comes with a list of requirements—not just for the day, such as abstaining from food and drink and so forth, but also requiring a complete change of heart and attitude, and true regret on our part for the missteps of our past, and certainly for those of the past year. 

We have all been sorely tested in this past year, with unexpected plagues and tragedies, and a complete change in our societal lives and even our economic fortunes. The events of the past year should certainly have humbled us, making us think twice before we again boast of our abilities and achievements. It hopefully has made us less arrogant and dampened our egos. And that should be viewed as a good thing, for the beginning of repentance is always the feeling of humility and a certain degree of helplessness. We are, after all, but flesh and blood—mortal and frightened, alone and powerless before forces over whom we exert no influence or power. 

We can only ask the Lord that mercy and patience should be extended to us, and that we will try in this coming year to live up to the great challenges and demands that Jewish life imposes upon us. Additionally, we should seek to view these challenges and demands as opportunities, and not as negative trials. 

Shabbat shalom and an easy fast to everyone, Rabbi Berel Wein

Faces of October 7th

Do you know about the StandWithUs Israel Education Center?

You can find the Center in the heart of Jerusalem, less than a mile from Beit Knesset Hanassi and just across the street from the King David Hotel. This establishment now annually hosts tens of thousands of visitors who take part in its educational programs.

According to the Center’s website it welcomes visitors from all over the world, offering them our educational materials as well as the opportunity to learn more about Israel so that they can teach their communities when they return home. The Center adds that visitors will discover diverse content about the key issues related to Israel, from expert written resources to a wide spectrum of sessions, tours and workshops. All of this adds up to a platform for pro-Israel activism and effective tools to counter misinformation about Israel.

Beit Knesset Hanassi member Heshy Engelsberg visited the Center yesterday and saw for himself the Faces of October 7^th exhibition and reflection space. If you want to get a feel for it, Heshy has produced a stunning 15-minute video that encapsulates the events of that tragic date and its dramatic, terrifying impact on ordinary human beings.

You can view Heshy’s video on YouTube here.

Tailor-made blessings: Vezot Habrachah 5785

 Though we don't leyn Vezot Habrachah in its entirety until Simchat Torah, which falls on 22 Tishrei/24 October, we have already started leyning it midweek, so here's a devar Torah for it fom Rabbi Berel Wein:

The holy Torah concludes with the blessings of Moshe to the people of Israel before his passing from the world. Though the point has been made before, it bears repetition: the blessing to each of the tribes is different in detail and purpose. Contrary to much current belief and practice in religious Jewish society, there is no one-size-fits-all blessing or mission statement that applies to all Jews.

Rather Moshe, to whom the task of nation building was assigned by Heaven, looks to construct a whole nation, multi-faceted and productive, holy and interactive. If everyone is to be Zevulun, then what will be of Torah study and knowledge amongst the people of Israel? But if everyone is Yissachar, then again Torah will fail to survive within Jewish society.

King Solomon advised us wisely that every child is to be educated according to the individual talents, predispositions and abilities of that particular child. When home schooling was the vogue for Jewish education in biblical times, such an individualized educational program was both more possible and feasible. With the introduction of universal and institutionalized schooling, the task of individualized education to meet every student’s specific situation became a goal that was well-nigh unattainable.

The system was built to create Yissachar, but those that dropped out and became Zevulun were, to a certain extent, treated with less respect in the Jewish scholarly community. Though certainly Yissachar was to be respected, honored and supported, many generations lost sight that it was only through Zevulun that Yissachar could exist in the Jewish world. The two tribes were meant to complement each other, not to compete and denigrate one another.

It is striking to note how careful Moshe is to identify each tribe’s nature and strengths. Moshe is the one person who forges the different tribes into one whole nation. He did so by granting each tribe its different due, by recognizing that all are necessary in this process of nation building. The rabbis carried this idea further when they identified the four species of plant life that form the commandment on Succot, as being representative of the basic groupings that have always formed Jewish life. Just as all four species are necessary for the fulfilment of the commandment, so too are all four groupings of Jews are also necessary to form a vital and healthy Jewish society.

The remarkable variety of people and ideas that have always characterized Jewish society throughout the ages was recognized and extolled by Moshe through his individualized blessings to Israel before his passing from this world. At times Jewish society appears to be riven and chaotic and we long for the elusive “Jewish unity” to which we all pay lip service. But what we really should mean to yearn for is not Jewish conformity but Jewish loyalty, which is a far different matter. There is an Jewish ballad that states this matter clearly and succinctly: “Whatever we are, we are—but we are all Jews!” The blessings of Moshe as they appear in our concluding parsha of the Torah should help guide us to this important conclusion.

Encyclopedia of Torah Thoughts, by Rabbi Charles Chavel (Book of the Month, Tishrei 5785)

Not many people today are familiar with the name of Rabbi Dr Charles Chavel. So who was he? Born in Ciechanow, Poland in 1906, he moved to the United States in 1920, receiving semicha in 1929 and a doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1928. 

A communal rabbi and later a dayan, R' Chavel was chief editor of the journal HaDarom from 1957 until his death in 1982. A recipient of the Rabbi Kook Jewish Book Prize, he moved to Jerusalem where he joined the Board of Directors of Mossad HaRav Kook.

The Encyclopedia of Torah Thoughts, published in 1980, is one of R’ Chavel’s most significant works. Its title is misleading, since it is not an encyclopedia at all. Rather, it is an annotated English translation of Rabbenu Bachya ben Asher’s monumental Kad HaKemach—a set of 60 discourses, arranged in alphabetical order, that sought to embrace every aspect of Jewish life as it was seen from the perspective of 13^th century Spain. As such, it complements his translations of the works of Rambam.

This remarkable book, part of the Marvin N. Hirschhorn collection, can be found on the shelves of Beit Knesset Hanassi, where you are welcome to peruse it.

Grandmother's Courage

ESRA is a remarkable organisation, dedicated to strengthening the English-speaking community in terms of its integration into Israeli society and the making of a positive contribution to life in Israel through work, volunteering and the promotion of educational and welfare projects. One of ESRA's activities is the publication of the ESRA Magazine, to which Hanassi member Pessy Krausz is a contributor.  Here's a powerful and poignant piece by Pessy, which needs to explanation. We pray that Hashem in His mercy will watch over not only Pessy's grandson but also the grandchildren of all our members who put their lives at risk so that we may live safely in the land He has given us.

Grandmother's Courage

My grandson’s in Gaza
need I say more?
Yes, his wife, sweet student runs
to her parents forth and back
to her own home where her
soldier husband returned!
Smelly uniform, socks, no shower
from days on end fighting at the front
boots on the ground – a paratrooper proud...

My grandson's in Gaza
need I say more?
Yes! Now there’s a sweet baby
a beauty who’s named Harel
‘Har’ in Hebrew stands for mountain
‘El’ stands for the Almighty’s name
a new generation fights for peace
Prime minister David Ben-Gurion said,
“To be a realist in Israel, in Miracles you must believe!”

My grandson’s in Gaza
need I say more?
Yes! Grandmother’s heart races
sighting him in uniform
with gun slung on one shoulder
his baby on the other
free hand his baby’s carriage wheels
along supermarket’s corridor…
unlike one he emerged from – in Gaza

My grandson’s in Gaza
need I say more?
Yes! Baby fast growing up, asks
“Will dad return home soon from our
Swords of Iron War?” Hug him
Hug him tight, give him courage,
explain, his dad’s not the only one –
who comforts grandma with this slogan
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”

The author dedicates her poem to the many grandmothers who share the pain and pride of their grandsons proudly defending our one and only country which we can call home. She shares the immeasurable agony of families coping with loss of dear ones who fall fighting for us all. May our worthy cause bring some measure of comfort.

Photo with permission of Noam Krausz.