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.