Dear Friends,
From Yom Kippur, we race right into Shabbat, and then right on into Sukkot! On the High Holy Days our liturgy was exceptionally lengthy. It gave us time for introspection. It gave us time to contemplate our lives.
But change is in the air! Now that the High Holy Days are over…everything moves more quickly! As opposed to the lengthy services on the High Holy Days, our Shabbat service and the weekly Torah portion of Ha’azinu are both brief. The bulk of the Torah portion it is poetry. It assures us that no matter how off the mark we may be, as individuals and as community, God loves us and will always be in loving relationship with us.
And, we have to be moving quickly to set up our Sukkah, to procure our Lulav and etrog, and to celebrate this most particularly joyous holiday of Sukkot!
Sukkot begins on Monday evening and lasts for a full week.
It is a mitzvah to eat all of our meals in the Sukkah, except when the weather is inclement. However, all week long, we may eat snacks or have a beverage indoors.
It is a mitzvah to be joyous during the full seven days of the holiday of Sukkot! I hope we will all do our best to make that happen!
Candle lighting on Monday night should be at least 18 minutes before sunset: Recite 2 blessings, as follows:
Baruch Attah Adonai, elohaynu melech haOlam, Asher kiddeshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov.
Baruch Attah Adonai, elohaynu melech haOlam, Shehecheyanu v’kiyemanu v’higianu laZeman haZeh.
On the second night of Sukkot, light candles at least 25 minutes after sunset and recite the same two blessings as on the first night.
Wave your lulav and etrog each day of Sukkot, except for Shabbat. The blessing for the waving of the lulav is as follows:
Baruch Attah Adonai, eloyaynu melech haOlam, asher kiddeshanu v’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al netilat lulav.
Join us for services this Shabbat and on Sukkot! Join us for Sukkot meals in our Sukkah!
Have a great time for seven full days!!!
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
Rabbi Gilah Dror
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