You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. - Isaiah 26:3
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:2
Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. - Matthew 17:20
The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. - Proverbs 18:10
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. - Psalm 1:1-3
If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you. - Exodus 15:26
Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you. - Exodus 23:25
Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. - Deuteronomy 8:18
G'mar chatima tova to our followers observing Yom Kippur. We wish you and your loved ones an easy and meaningful fast.
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Hello! I saw a post about sharing your story if you’re queer and Jewish and that’d be me! So here goes: My name is Arthur Arbetman, I’m currently 16, and I’m a pansexual transgender guy. I knew I was Jewish before I knew I was queer. I was diagnosed with major depression in middle school, but realized it had went all the way back through elementary school. It was weird because there wasn’t an exact cause of it, so yanno at the time it was really stressful. I was very young, but I believe part of this was from an identity crisis I had. Not long after, in late middle school, with everyone still thinking I was a girl, I had started dating a long time best friend who was a girl. This came as a shock to my family. Soon after that, I had what at the time was called my bat mitzvah. One thing I have loved all my life is singing songs in services and I have a knack for doing Aaliyahs, given my rabbi provides me with samples to listen to. When I use to go to Sunday school even when I was feeling down constantly, sitting in the synagogue with light streaming through the stained glass windows on the high ceilings with music filling the air always cleared my mind for a moment or two. Unfortunately, things got a little worse for me. At first I didn’t realize what was wrong just that..I felt BAD. I knew it wasn’t external I knew it was something within myself. Looking in the mirror was hard. Getting myself to wash myself was hard. This, I now realize, was gender dysphoria. Every time someone misgendered me I felt a little stab of nausea. I won’t get too into the details, but I came out as trans to my parents. It took them about a year or two to really accept it. Luckily, they did. It took awhile but eventually they told everyone else about it, including our Jewish friends. Now my family is in a very reformed version of Judaism and don’t go to services all the time,but initially, I was very afraid to go to services even for small things. I was afraid to get asked questions I didn’t really know like “how did this start?” “How’d you pick your name?” or have people try and argue about my gender since it IS a religious space and not all religious people are very open to that sort of thing. So, needless to say, I often weaseled my way out of going. I also haven’t started T until recently so I don’t/didn’t look very masculine in a traditional sense. However, my rabbi reached out to my parents after he’d heard. He told them that if he can be there for me, he’d like to. It felt really good that perhaps the most passionately Jewish man in the community was supportive of me. The first time I’d went back was actually this year did Yom Kippur services. The rabbi had specifically seeked me out earlier to ask if I would take the honor of chanting one of the Torah Aliyahs. Of course, I didn’t refuse. I was really nervous when I practiced the song because of my voice. I could use a lower octave but then i wouldn’t be able to hit all of the notes and it’d sound sloppy and I didn’t want to insult the beauty of the text like that. I decided, to a bit of my dismay, to sing in a higher voice. It was ultimately more beautiful and flowed nice, however it sounded extremely feminine which gave me a bit of dysphoria. When the rabbi called me, he said “Arthur Arbetman” with a welcoming smile. I remembered feeling my heart beat loudly against my binder and how tight my chest felt. Nevertheless, I went up to the bima and chanted it. When I had finished the rabbi smiled at me and whispered “perfect.” I smiled back and went to my seat to finish they service. Afterward and at the break fast, many members of the congregation approached me to tell me just singing was beautiful and how much they enjoyed it. It surprised me since I honestly have trouble seeing myself in a high opinion, but it was very sweet to see how people went out of their way to be kind, which I think really says something about real Jews, ones who are open and accepting. I know that I always have people in the family that is my congregation, even if I am not particularly close to everyone.
Sorry it was kind of long you can probably cut some of it but!! This is a really cool thing that’s happening thank you!! I’m not extremely religious but I was raised Jewish and it’s just a part of me!! Thank you!!!!!
Today is the first of the Hebrew month of Elul, which means IT’S almost TIME FOR DAYS OF AWESOME! Whoo!
What is Days of Awesome?
Days of Awesome is a annual Jewish character ficathon in honor of the Jewish high holiday season.
Originally founded by Livejournal user jadelennox in 2007, the goal of this project is to create a venue for fans of all backgrounds to write fic about Jewish characters and their Jewish identities–which are all-too-often under-represented in canon and fanon, and, when they are represented, they’re often represented as Jewish in name only.
We’re also here because while we love other holiday fic challenges, they so frequently don’t correspond with holidays that are important on the Jewish calendar. We wanted to change that with a festive little celebration around the Jewish holiday season!
How It Works
We’re keeping it really casual.
We’ll have a collection on Archive of Our Own that will open on Erev Rosh HaShana (Monday, September 6, this year), and stay open through the Hebrew month of Tishrei (until October 6)–a length which spans the entire Jewish high holiday season, and includes the holidays of Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Sheminei Atzeret, and Simchat Torah!
You can feel free to upload any fic, ficlet, or podfic that you write that fits the requirements to the collection within that time frame. Please just tag it with the tag Community: daysofawesome!
And, if all goes according to plan, we’ll have a few optional prompts too, peppered and shared throughout the month.
What are the requirements for fic?
The only firm requirement is that your focal character be Jewish.
If they’re canonically Jewish–great!
If they’re not canonically Jewish, that’s okay too. But we would ask that if it is a situation in which you headcanon a particular character as Jewish, or are writing an AU in which they are Jewish, you please make the fic about their Jewishness.
If you have a Jewish OC that you want to write about–if, for instance, you want to explore what it would be like to be a Jewish character in the world of the Hunger Games, or His Dark Materials–go for it! Again, we would just ask that the fic be about that character’s (or those characters’) Jewish experiences.
If you wanted to be extra festive and seasonal, you could write about some of the characters celebrating one of the seasonal holiday, or a fic on one of the themes that is explored throughout one of these days.
All fandoms are game, and there are no length requirements, and you can upload as many pieces as you’d like within the month.
Questions?
We are here to help!
Check out our FAQ, or feel free to drop us an ask ,or send us an email at [email protected]
And if you’re interested, please signal boost! We’d love to spread this far and wide!
TWO WEEKS UNTIL DAYS OF AWESOME OPENS! Get those writing muscles stretched!
Today is the first of the Hebrew month of Elul, which means IT’S almost TIME FOR DAYS OF AWESOME! Whoo!
What is Days of Awesome?
Days of Awesome is a annual Jewish character ficathon in honor of the Jewish high holiday season.
Originally founded by Livejournal user jadelennox in 2007, the goal of this project is to create a venue for fans of all backgrounds to write fic about Jewish characters and their Jewish identities–which are all-too-often under-represented in canon and fanon, and, when they are represented, they’re often represented as Jewish in name only.
We’re also here because while we love other holiday fic challenges, they so frequently don’t correspond with holidays that are important on the Jewish calendar. We wanted to change that with a festive little celebration around the Jewish holiday season!
How It Works
We’re keeping it really casual.
We’ll have a collection on Archive of Our Own that will open on Erev Rosh HaShana (Monday, September 6, this year), and stay open through the Hebrew month of Tishrei (until October 6)–a length which spans the entire Jewish high holiday season, and includes the holidays of Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Sheminei Atzeret, and Simchat Torah!
You can feel free to upload any fic, ficlet, or podfic that you write that fits the requirements to the collection within that time frame. Please just tag it with the tag Community: daysofawesome!
And, if all goes according to plan, we’ll have a few optional prompts too, peppered and shared throughout the month.
What are the requirements for fic?
The only firm requirement is that your focal character be Jewish.
If they’re canonically Jewish–great!
If they’re not canonically Jewish, that’s okay too. But we would ask that if it is a situation in which you headcanon a particular character as Jewish, or are writing an AU in which they are Jewish, you please make the fic about their Jewishness.
If you have a Jewish OC that you want to write about–if, for instance, you want to explore what it would be like to be a Jewish character in the world of the Hunger Games, or His Dark Materials–go for it! Again, we would just ask that the fic be about that character’s (or those characters’) Jewish experiences.
If you wanted to be extra festive and seasonal, you could write about some of the characters celebrating one of the seasonal holiday, or a fic on one of the themes that is explored throughout one of these days.
All fandoms are game, and there are no length requirements, and you can upload as many pieces as you’d like within the month.
Questions?
We are here to help!
Check out our FAQ, or feel free to drop us an ask ,or send us an email at [email protected]
And if you’re interested, please signal boost! We’d love to spread this far and wide!
TWO WEEKS UNTIL DAYS OF AWESOME OPENS! Get those writing muscles stretched!
Today is the first of the Hebrew month of Elul, which means IT’S almost TIME FOR DAYS OF AWESOME! Whoo!
What is Days of Awesome?
Days of Awesome is a annual Jewish character ficathon in honor of the Jewish high holiday season.
Originally founded by Livejournal user jadelennox in 2007, the goal of this project is to create a venue for fans of all backgrounds to write fic about Jewish characters and their Jewish identities–which are all-too-often under-represented in canon and fanon, and, when they are represented, they’re often represented as Jewish in name only.
We’re also here because while we love other holiday fic challenges, they so frequently don’t correspond with holidays that are important on the Jewish calendar. We wanted to change that with a festive little celebration around the Jewish holiday season!
How It Works
We’re keeping it really casual.
We’ll have a collection on Archive of Our Own that will open on Erev Rosh HaShana (Monday, September 6, this year), and stay open through the Hebrew month of Tishrei (until October 6)–a length which spans the entire Jewish high holiday season, and includes the holidays of Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Sheminei Atzeret, and Simchat Torah!
You can feel free to upload any fic, ficlet, or podfic that you write that fits the requirements to the collection within that time frame. Please just tag it with the tag Community: daysofawesome!
And, if all goes according to plan, we’ll have a few optional prompts too, peppered and shared throughout the month.
What are the requirements for fic?
The only firm requirement is that your focal character be Jewish.
If they’re canonically Jewish–great!
If they’re not canonically Jewish, that’s okay too. But we would ask that if it is a situation in which you headcanon a particular character as Jewish, or are writing an AU in which they are Jewish, you please make the fic about their Jewishness.
If you have a Jewish OC that you want to write about–if, for instance, you want to explore what it would be like to be a Jewish character in the world of the Hunger Games, or His Dark Materials–go for it! Again, we would just ask that the fic be about that character’s (or those characters’) Jewish experiences.
If you wanted to be extra festive and seasonal, you could write about some of the characters celebrating one of the seasonal holiday, or a fic on one of the themes that is explored throughout one of these days.
All fandoms are game, and there are no length requirements, and you can upload as many pieces as you’d like within the month.
Questions?
We are here to help!
Check out our FAQ, or feel free to drop us an ask ,or send us an email at [email protected]
And if you’re interested, please signal boost! We’d love to spread this far and wide!
We hope that everyone who observes Yom Kippur had a meaningful day!
Just a quick reminder that while the Days of Awe may be over the high holiday season isn’t, and the Days of Awesome 2020 collection will remain open through October 17, after the end of Simchat Torah!
There are no length requirements for fic–they can be as short or as long as you’d like, and you can submit as many pieces as you’d like! We have three up so far–would love to see more!
We hope everyone has a meaningful day, and that those fasting have a meaningful and/or easy fast.
–
Reminder that the Days of Awesome Jewish high holiday challenge is open for just under another three weeks. Still plenty of time to write lots of Jewish character fic–holiday inspired or not!
Who Will Live And Who Will Die? A Troubling High Holiday Prayer
Every Rosh Hashana we say the prayer Unsaneh Tokef :
“On Rosh Hashanah we’ll be inscribed and on Yom Kippur we’ll be sealed – how many will pass from the earth and how many will be created; who will live and who will die; who will die at his predestined time and who before his time; who by water and who by fire, who by sword, who by beast, who by famine, who by thirst, who by upheaval, who by plague, who by strangling, and who by stoning. Who will rest and who will wander, who will live in harmony and who will be harried, who will enjoy tranquility and who will suffer, who will be impoverished and who will be enriched, who will be degraded and who will be exalted. But Repentance, Prayer, and Charityavert the evil Decree!”
I’ve said this prayer many times in my life, but was never bothered by it until this year. Perhaps it’s because I never considered the meaning behind the words until a couple weeks ago when I saw a video which illustrated it very literally, showing a slew of people suffering like Unsaneh Tokef describes and then concluding with “Repentance, Prayer, and Charityavert the evil Decree.” The video then suggested that the viewer make changes in his life so that next year will be a better one.
I immediately picked up the phone and started dialing the numbers of some of the rabbis I trust most.
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, begins today at sundown. The holiday is observed with a day of fasting and prayer as penance for past sins. The shofar—an ancient instrument crafted from a ram’s horn—is sounded tomorrow at sunset to signal the closing of Yom Kippur, and an end to the day-long fast.
In observance of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Museum will close at 2 pm today through tomorrow, Wednesday, September 19. We reopen on Thursday, September 20 at 11 am.
As my followers already noticed I ב"ה don’t really have much time for Tumblr anymore. But still I’d like to wish all my followers a גמר חתימה טובה and a גוט געבעבענטשט יאהר. May this year be a good, happy and healthy one, with all our needs beings fulfilled. May 5778 be the sweetest year ever; of yeshuos and simchas, and a שמחה שלמה with which we will be able to serve Hashem and bring the גאולה שלמה .במהרה בימינו, אמן
The Eibishter should open all the gates of Heaven for you and all of Klal Yisroel and be קבל ברחמים וברצון את תפילתנו; if not in our merit, He should at least answer us in the zchus of the Bris Avrohom (covenant of Avraham).
זכור ברית אברהם ועקידת יצחק והשב שבות אהלי יעקב והושיענו למען שמך ואין לנו שיור רק התורה הזאת ושוב ברחמים על שארית ישראל והושיענו למען שמך (תפילת נעילה ליוה"כ)
[Remember the covenant of Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac and return the exiled tents of Jacob and redeem us for the sake of Your Name We have nothing left besides this Torah And return with mercy to the remnants of Israel and redeem us for the sake of Your Name - (Neila prayer of Yom Kippur)].
A Medieval Gay Brawl in the Synagogue On Yom Kippur
Sometimes the finds of the Genizah are so incredible that you have difficulty believing that it’s really there, that you are really peering through this window into the lives of medieval Jews around the Mediterranean. This story caught my attention in a footnote of Goitein’s and I thought I would post it for Yom Kippur… It’s not really magic-related, except that I think there’s a certain magic in recovering and reclaiming the past.
The fragment shown here, T-S 8J22.25 in Cambridge, is a letter from a Jewish pilgrim named Hasan ben Mu’ammal, who had gone on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the High Holidays, Tishrei 4813 = September 1052 CE. He reports that a certain Daniel had wished to see him but he was unable to, because of “the altercation” that had happened in synagogue. Apparently, on Yom Kippur, many pilgrims had gathered from around the Mediterranean, and “a man from Tiberias and a man from [Tyre] became involved in love, and the Tiberian began fondling [?] the Tyrian in the sight of everyone… and the people from Tiberias and those from Tyre began to fight with one another and went out to […] and they brought the chief of the police to the synagogue and […] until the people calmed down.” Hasan goes on to report that Daniel had told him that “such is the behaviour of these people every day,” and concludes the letter with best wishes to the recipients (his brother Abu Nasr and family). A wild ride from start to finish. Goitein drily observes that the letter indicates that homosexuality was regarded as a “vice rather than a deadly crime… [and] it did not form the object of great social concern.”
Shana tova — welcome to 5777! May all who are fasting have a meaningful, enriching, and affirming day… and hopefully a peaceful one too!
A classic post! This source is now available with a full translation and commentary in my book, A Rainbow Thread. Shana tova, and may all who are observing Yom Kippur have a meaningful holiday!
“…and you shall afflict your souls in the 9th day of the month in the evening …” (Vayikra/Leviticus 23:32)
What does it mean to fast on the 9th day? Don’t we fast on Yom Kippur itself, which is the 10th of the month? The Talmud answers in Brachos 8b that if one eats and drinks on the 9th day of Tishrei - the eve of the awesome day of Yom Kippur, and then fasts on Yom Kippur, it is regarded as if he afflicted (fasted) himself on both the 9th and the 10th days.
The Noam Elimelech; Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk zt”l, asked why eating on the 9th of Tishrei should be regarded as fasting. He answers:
“If on Erev Yom Kippur (the eve of the day of atonement), one were to contemplate the awesome and holy character of the approaching day; how his repentance is hanging in the balance, he certainly would not be able to even take a bite of any food in his mouth. Therefore, observing the mitzvah to eat on the 9th day is indeed a hardship and an affliction.”
Once a chossid came to visit the first Chortkover Rebbe, R’ Dovid Moshe Friedman zt”l, outside the Rebbe’s room he saw a large mirror on the wall and since a mirror is a sign of vanity he thought to himself, “how can there be such a large mirror in the Rebbe’s house?” When he went inside by the Chortkover Rebbe and was awestruck by the rebbe’s Hadras Ponim [majestic countenance] the chossid immediately corrected his earlier bad thought thinking, like “the rebbe probably just looks in the mirror and is mezalzel b’saro”. The moment he had that thought the Chortkover said:
”Once upon a time by my father, the Holy Rizhiner zy”a, a philanthropist came with two large mirrors. One of the gabboim thought to himself, “why should there be such a large mirror here by the Rebbe in his house?” The gabbe answered himself as follows, “It is written it’s a segulah to look upon a Tzadik Emmes. It’s a segulah for Yiras Shomayim and the tzadik also has to see the Tzadik HaDor! Because of that there has to be a mirror.”
The Holy Rizhiner knew what the gabbe was thinking and said “no, it’s not like that”. “Before a Yid enters by a tzadik’ he has to look clearly at himself and see with what kind of face he comes before the tzadik. Before he goes in he already needs to have a Hirur Teshuva [thoughts of teshuva]”
In these days, Aseres Yemei Teshuva, we go to the water and say tashlich. Water is like a mirror כמים הפנים לפנים כן לב האדם לאדם (as in water, face answers to face, so is the heart of a man to a man.) We should look clearly at ourselves –examine ourselves- with what kind of face we appear before the Eibishter. Not just from the outside, but to see inside ourselves in our hearts and see where we’re holding.
Tzadikim always have to be melamed zchus other Yidden and to encourage people to do teshuva, so that they’ll look at themselves and inspect themselves. Once the Rizhiner was traveling in the middle of a heavy winter, there was lots of snow on the ground and it was raining. His wagon slipped off the road and got stuck in the mud; and so they had to wait for another horse to come to pull them out. The Rizhiner saw this as a sign to do teshuva. The Rebbe looked up to the Heaven and said, “Ribono Shel Olam, of course You mean that I have to do teshuva.” This is how the tzadikim were. They used everything that happened as a sign from Hashem they had to do teshuva.
“But Ribono Shel Olam,” the Rizhiner continued, “we’ll have to do teshuva here in the mud??? When the wagon gets out of the mud I’ll go back home to my own house. There I’ll be able to do teshuva.”
Explained the Boyaner Rebbe shlita, “the Holy Rizhiner meant that Yidden need calmth, Menuchas haNefesh [peace of mind] and haChovas haDaas to be able to do teshuva. Currently Yidden are in a harsh golus [exile] with all kinds of tzaros and distractions. With all these things going on, how can one do emmese teshuva? How can one then have true remorse?”
This is what Dovid HaMelech said (Tehilim 23):
“ה’ רעי לא אחסר” There will be a bechina Hashem will be our shepherd (רעי) and then לא אחסר I will not fear. Then, בנאות דשא ירביצני על מי מנחות ינהלני: He’ll cause me to lie down in green pastures [and] He leads me beside still waters. And that will “נפשי ישובב” (restore my soul) and ינחני במעגלי צדק למען שמו; then He will lead me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
A מי מנוחות (Mei Menuchas) is a pool of quiet still water. When can one look inside and actually see himself clearly? Only when it’s a מי מנוחות; when the water is clean, calm and peaceful. A person won’t be able to see his own reflection if it’s wild or dirty. מי מנוחות; when Yidden have a Menuchas HaNefesh and HaChovos HaDaas will Hashem be able to bring good things for the Yidden.
על מי מנוחות – when we can clearly see ourselves in peaceful and quiet water – will we be able to נפשי ישובב (restore our soul); to return back to Hashem in complete teshuva.
By discussing the third inyan of Tekias Shofar Rabbeinu Saadya Gaon says that “one should remember Maamad Har Sinai [the gathering at mt.Sinai].” How we stood there and said “נעשה ונשמע" (we will do and we will hear) and therefore be again mekabel [accept] the Torah with “נעשה ונשמע” and do a complete teshuva. Maybe that’s why in most of the Jewish world the minhag is to say tashlich on Rosh Hashana.
On Rosh Hashana Hashem wants us to remember Maamad Har Sinai, the Torah HaKedosha and Na’aseh v’Nisma (נעשה ונשמע). But when we stand at the water we want the Ribono Shel Olam to remember that before Ma’amad Har Sinai there was the water of Krias Yam Suf. There Klal Yisroel was elevated to such high spiritual levels even the lowest person of all was on a higher madreigah than Yechezkel HaNovi. And because of that, those generations were able to be Mekabel the Torah HaKedosha “נעשה ונשמע”!
But we are in golus today. A harsh and bitter Golus with a Hester Ponim, אנכי הסתר אסתיר. With all these difficulties -the tzaaros and yissurim, the broken hearts and everything else we’re going through- every thing that a Yid does should be very choshuv [important] to Hashem. Especially now in these days when Yidden do Teshuva and want to be close to Hashem, the Ribono Shel Olam should have mercy on all of us on the Holy day of Yom Kippur.
May we always remember that even though we might have our own aveiros, every little thing we do is very important to Hashem. Don’t think, “I did so-and-so” or “I don’t do this or keep that” and therefore “I might as well do nothing because otherwise I’m such a hypocrite”. Every little thing you do for the Ribono Shel Olam is Choshuv. We all learnt everything we know today in slow steps. By falling and getting up. The same way is for teshuva. It’s a process. A process that with Hashem’s help will be successful in the end.
May we all merit to do a Teshuva Sheleima and welcome Moshiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days!
First of all a Gmar Chasima Tova to all of my followers and readers of this blog. Today we are at the beginning of Aseres Yemei Teshuva, the ten days of teshuva in between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. As we all know Rosh Hashana is the Yom haDin, the day when we -and the whole world- are being judged by Hashem.
From Rosh Hashana until Yom Kippur we still have ten days to work on ourselves until our ‘judgement’ is sealed. As I wrote in this reply these days are not particularly some of my favorite days since I know I could still improve a lot and the Yom haDin is “serious business”. Hashem is our King and this is not a children’s game. But at the same time while Hashem is indeed our King, He is also our Father who loves us.
The following maaseh I once heard from my Rebbe helped me a lot:
During one Rosh Hashana by the Chozeh m’Lublin the Rebbe refused to come out of his room for tekias shofar (blowing of the shofar). Since the chozeh had the minhag of davening in a side-room the chassidim were waiting a long time for him to come out. Once they saw he didn’t come’ one of the Chozeh’s closest talmidim went inside to see what was going on.
Reb Dovid Lelover, who would later become the first Lelover Rebbe, went inside to see why the Rebbe didn’t come. After hours of waiting he asked the Rebbe to come out and listen to the shofar but he refused. No matter what Reb Dovid would say the Chozeh wouldn’t budge. He locked himself up in his room and refused to listen to anyone being too worried about the judgement in Shomayim. He had worries and questions that didn’t allow him to listen to the kol hashofar.
Among the mispalelim was also a little boy. This boy’s name was Shlomo Rabinovitz, who later later become the Tiferes Shlomo; the first Radomsker Rebbe who would attract many thousands of chassidim. Others say it was Itzikel Vorker, who would later become the famous Rebbe R’ Yitzchok Vorker. In any case Reb Dovid Lelover had adopted this little boy who was clutching on to his gartel as he went to speak to the Chozeh..
The Chozeh then asked the little boy for his name and what he was learning.
“Choshen Mishpat*” answered the boy.
“Tell me,” said the Chozeh in a troubled voice. “I don’t understand. Why is a korev not allowed to testify for a beis din?” The halacha is that when a Korev (a close family member) testifies for a Beis Din they are not allowed to accept him as a witness.
“Because a korev is always trying to do a toiveh [favor] for his relative, and so we suspect him of having his own interests.”
“But why the korev is posul [unfit] for both for zchus [speaking good] and for chov [speaking negatively]. I understand if he has something good to say we should not accept it because he is a korev; but if he has something terribly bad to say it must be true!”
Answered the little boy: “That’s because one shouldn’t say anything bad about a korev. We don’t want a korev to speak bad about other kerovim. A korov who testifies against his own flesh and blood is not a mentsh, and the posuk says ועמדו שני אנשים [Devorim 19.17] and two mentschen have to testify!”
After hearing this the Chozeh smiled and told the boy he comforted him saying, “Klal Yisroel are called kerovim of Hashem [Devorim 4.7] So the Ribono Shel Olam will not speak evil of His Children!” Now he walked inside the Beis Medresh b’simche [with a joy] and signaled to start with the tekias shofar.
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*A very complicated part of Shulchan Oruch that deals with finances/legal procedures etc.
Let us always remember and trust that no matter what; we are still Hashem’s kerovim. The Shem m’Shmuel writes that even though these are Yemei HaDin (days of judgement) we still say “שהחיינו וקיימנו לזמן הזה” on Rosh Hashana after kiddush because we are glad to be at this moment. The Tur brings down a medrash that a person has to dress nicely, get a haircut [and] act like it is any other Yom Tov where there is a mitzvah of simcha. Which is a very interesting thing to say. A simcha? We are being judged! That’s a simcha? It’s Yom haDin!
Yes, that is all true. It is a Yom haDin indeed; on the outside we do stand trembling in awe, but deep inside we all know that Hashem only wants it to be a good year for us, and therefore, it is a moed [a yom tov] as well.
Let it takeh be only a good year, a healthy and sweet year; a year of simches and teshuva sheleima for all of us!
This year (similarly to last year) the most holy day of the Jews - Yom Kippur and of the Muslims -Eid al Adcha will be celebrated around the same time. This year, Yom Kippur falls on the same day as “Kapat Arpa” which is the day before Eid al Adcha - a day of preparation where many Muslims also fast. Together with the Community Mediation and Dialogue Centers of Jerusalem, Lod, Ramle, Acre and Haifa we have produced the attached video in order to learn more about the holidays and in order to encourage mutual respect and understanding between people of two religions, who share a common space.
This video is captioned in English. You can find it with Hebrew and Arabic captions here.
May these wonderful people’s wishes come true. Shana tova and gmar chatima tova!
Kol nidre, initial word: כל (“All”) opening the Eve of Yom Kippur prayers from David bar Pesah Mahzor (Germany). Volume 2, 1301 - 1400 (Approximate), ink and watercolor on Vellum, From The New York Public Library.
hey guys! as you know tomorrow starts Yom Kippur, a very important day in jewish culture a day meant to be spent in self reflection and fasting. but because of my health i won’t be fasting in a traditional sense, i’ll be doing a social media fast which as anyone who knows me knows is very very hard for me. But i’ll be gone for the next 48 hrs
I hope your Yom Kippur is one fillled with reflection and retrospection
be kind to yourself and i’ll see you after Yom Kippur
Wondering what to read over the Jewish High Holidays starting next week? Check out this year’s 10 Awesome Books for the 10 Days of Awe recommended by the Jewish Book Council!
“The Gemara recounts that when Rav Sheshet would sit in observance of a fast, after he prayed he said as follows:
“Master of the Universe, it is revealed before You that when the Temple is standing, one sins and offers a sacrifice. And although only its fat and blood were offered from that sacrifice on the altar, his transgression is atoned for him. And now, I sat in observance of a fast and my fat and blood diminished. May it be Your will that my fat and blood that diminished be considered as if I offered a sacrifice before You on the altar, and may I find favor in Your eyes.”
“…and you shall afflict your souls in the 9th day of the month in the evening …” (Vayikra/Leviticus 23:32)
