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Post by hollygail on Oct 2, 2023 7:40:50 GMT -5
What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.
Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy
And for those of you that stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!
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Post by hollygail on Oct 2, 2023 7:58:07 GMT -5
First I want to say, @peachy, Great decision! yesterday concerning the apple fritters!
The word "Sukkot" is the plural of "sukkah," which is the temporary hut (sometimes translated as "booth") we build to "dwell" in (the minimum of which is to sit in one) during the week of the holiday. Rabbi Ronald H. Isaacs (who's written numerous books I've used in my teaching Sunday school over the last few decades) wrote a book (Every Person's Guide to Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah, Published by Jason Aronson, Inc), and myjewishlearning.com printed a selection (with permission of course) about the meaning of the sukkah for which they received permission to publish online. In the article, Isaacs gives ten interpretations, and cites the names of the authors of each. I'd like for us to look at two each day this week.
1. The sukkah was built to show misfortune at a time of good fortune and to remind the rich of the poor. Apparently, Philo, the philosopher, born approximately 20BCE, died approximately 50CE in Alexandria (Roman-ruled Egypt) put forth.
2. The sukkah serves as an admonition to people not to become overconfident because of affluence. Like one's ancestors int he desert who dwelt in a sukkah, one's survival is contingent upon the grace of God. This is attributed to the Rashbam, Rabbi Sh'muel ben Meir, 1085–1158, France, from Leviticus 23:43.
Please choose one or both and give us your take on what these "giants" of historical Jewish thought taught. My students yesterday had very little to say about the older commentators, more on what the more modern ones taught (wait until Friday when you hear what the kids had to say about Rabbi Isaacs' interpretation!)
Or, alternatively, give us your interpretation(s) about the meaning of the sukkah. Please feel free to continue doing so any or every day this week.
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Post by louise on Oct 2, 2023 8:27:45 GMT -5
It will probalby come up more directly in one of the 10 ideas you present but one of the things I think of with the sukkah is the idea of fragility. This certainly relates back to one's survival is contingent upon the grace of God. I can't promise not to keep coming back to the same thing but for today that is where I am. At morning minyan today it was a little weird shaking our lulavs together on screen during Hallel, but that is exactly what we did. In the lower eastside of Manhattan there has long been a tradition of vendors setting up in the street selling lulavs and etrogs. My rabbi goes down there every year with a wad of cash and buys them for the synagogue. The number of participating vendors has been shrinking and this year it was down to one who said this would be his last year. The end of a long tradition. This will also be the end of offering sets to our congregation for $36. I bet next year it will be double ordering from a Judaica shop. Once many years ago I went to this outdoor market with him - a pretty crazy scene! While we were there of course we stopped for knishes at the well known Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery. Thanks no doubt to "Goldbelly" (an online purveyor of such delicacies from many vendors) Jonah Schimmel continues on E Houston St. |
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Post by gazelle18 on Oct 2, 2023 9:31:22 GMT -5
Traveling this week with spotty internet, but will post when I can. I like the idea of being reminded not to take affluence for granted. We all have sturdy homes, with fixed roofs. We should be thankful for that luxury. Part of “affluence” of course is due to individual effort. But a large part also has to do with one’s lucky, or unlucky, circumstances.
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lee058
This space for rent
Posts: 23,289 
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Post by lee058 on Oct 2, 2023 9:43:00 GMT -5
Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE!
Re today's topic: The reminder that we need to think about our circumstances is very pertinent. You never know what is going to happen; prayers for acceptance are important.
Have a peaceful day, Lee
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Post by peachymom1 on Oct 2, 2023 16:00:56 GMT -5
I've never heard before that the sukkah was built to show misfortune at a time of good fortune and to remind the rich of the poor, nor that the sukkah serves as an admonition to people not to become overconfident because of affluence. I've always been taught about the fragility of life and the need to appreciate our blessings, but it was never pointed out starkly about rich vs. poor. I think we as a society need to be reminded of that a lot more.
I'll BBL - going with DH to get our Covid boosters. It's cool and breezy here, just beautiful, so I'm happy to be getting outside, especially once we're away from the building next door, which is re-tarring their driveway (ugh).
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