One More Holiday – Simchat Torah

 Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow

 

October 9-10, 2020 / 22 Tishrei 5781

Simchat Torah

 

“One More Holiday – Simchat Torah”

 

Dear Friends,

 

The Jewish calendar is very special and is sending us a powerful message.  Through our concentration of holidays, we are taught to ‘begin life anew.”  On Rosh Hashana we rejoice in life itself and celebrate the creation of the world.  On Yom Kippur we atone for our sins and begin again with a clean slate.  On Sukkot we give thanks for the abundance of the natural world and begin a new agricultural cycle.  On Shemini Atzeret we give thanks for the dew and celebrate the beginning of the rainy season.  On Simchat Torah we give thanks for our Jewish tradition of wisdom and learning and begin reading the Torah from the beginning.

 

Even in these socially distanced COVID-19 times, we still need to celebrate Simchat Torah, even if we cannot gather at our building.  So, we will have to celebrate in our homes.  We will dance around our living rooms.  We will read from the end and beginning of the Torah and then enjoy delicious taffy apples (pick them up on Thursday) and toast to a sweet and prosperous New Year.

 

Chag Same’ach everyone – I wish you a joyous Simchat Torah and a wonderful beginning to a New Year!

 

Shabbat Shalom,

 

Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow