Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

January 19, 2004 – Number 5764-15

Prayer III: The Format of the Service

Tephillot, (Jewish Prayer Services) all have the same basic structure. Like a letter, they all have an introduction, a main body and a conclusion. Depending on the service, however, there are many parts that can be added. In general, the simplest services are weekday tephillot, since they happen every day and we must take time from our schedule to pray. Shabbat and Holiday Services are somewhat longer since work and the daily routine are no longer an issue. High Holy Day services are the longest, since the nature of the day requires that everything else be put aside for the purpose of meriting life in the year ahead.
The daily Shacharit service has as its introduction, the Pesuke D’Zimra, verses of song and praise to G-d. The main body consists of the Shema and her blessings and the Amida. The conclusion contains Ashray, Aleynu and the Psalm for the day. The daily Mincha service (for the afternoon) has Ashray for the introduction, The Amida for the main body and Aleynu for the closing. The Maariv service, (for the evening) has a one paragraph introduction (V’hu Rachum) The Shema and her blessings for the main body (with an additional Amida that is not repeated by the leader as is done in the two other services) and the conclusion is the Aleynu.
There is a long standing custom that three days should not go by without some study of Torah. Therefore on Monday, Thursday and Shabbat we pause after the main body of the service to read and study Torah. There is also a Torah reading at Mincha on Shabbat so that as soon as we finish one Parsha (section) of the Torah, we begin the next section. That same section will be read on Monday and Thursday and completed the following Shabbat at Shacharit.
In general, the Amida stands in our service for the sacrificial service that was once done in the Temple in Jerusalem. We have substituted service at the alter for service of the “heart” that is, “prayer”. In Jerusalem, there were two sacrifices a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. This is why we recite the Amida in the morning and afternoon tephillot. There never was a sacrifice at night, but the personal prayers of the Amida were so important that they were added to the Maariv service as well. Because this is not a “required” Amida, we do not repeat it out loud. On Shabbat and on Festivals, there was an extra sacrifice on honor of the day. For this reason we do an “additional” Amida focusing on the nature of the festival. This Amida follows the Torah Service for the day and is called “Musaf” (Additional). While it is recited individually as is the regular Amida, instead of petitions, it contains material on the sacred nature of Shabbat or of the Festival.
On Shabbat and Festivals, the Pesuke D’zimra is extended with special Psalms that speak to the nature of the day. Festivals also add the Hallel, a series of Psalms added after the main body of the service and before the Torah is read. These psalms are words of praise to G-d for giving us such festive celebrations.
On Rosh Hashana, the Musaf is extended to expound on the themes of the Kingship of G-d, That G-d remembers the past and verses relating to the sounding of the Shofar. On Yom Kippur, since there was an extra service when the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies, there is an additional service, the Avoda Service, that describes that occasion. Kol Nidre is added to the Maariv of Yom Kippur to stress the Judgement aspect of Yom Kippur, and Neilah, a special service at the end of Yom Kippur expands on the theme of the gates of repentance closing. Thus there are seven separate sections to the Yom Kippur service.

Next week: Prayer IV: The Torah Service

Halacha L’Moshe Mi Sinai
Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg
Temple Sinai of Hollywood
January 12, 2004 – Number 5764-14

Prayer II: The Amida
The Shema represents only one form of prayer. It is public, it is at an assigned time and is said out loud by the assembled Jews. But what happens when our prayer is not for public announcement? When we feel like praying at a different time than anyone else? When the words announced are not the words that we carry in our hearts? How are we supposed to pray?
In ancient times, when the spirit moved our ancestors, they would bring an offering from the best of their crops or flocks to the great Temple in Jerusalem and there assign it to the alter to be a personal gift to G-d. Since the destruction of that Temple, Jews have used prayer, an offering of the heart, instead of a physical gift to G-d. That prayer is the Amida, known to the Rabbis of the Talmud as “HaTephilla”, the prayer par excellance.
The standard of the Amida is the weekday version of the prayer, it is also called the “Shemona Esray” or the “Eighteen” because it has nineteen blessings it in. Actually it once had only 18 blessings but in Talmudic times, another blessing was added. Why that blessing was added depends on which blessing we think is the nineteenth one. Scholars are not in agreement as to which one was added by the Sages.
The weekday Amida has three sections. The opening three blessings, the 12 middle blessings and the final three blessings. Every form of the Amida has this three part style, with the middle section changing to fit the occasion. The first three and last three blessings always stay the same.
The model we use for understanding the Amida is format for a audience with a great king or queen.( A just ruler, not a despot) When we are invited to speak of something with the monarch, we are invited on a particular day to the throne room for our audience. The room is filled with guards and officers of the kingdom. There are other petitioners there as well, waiting their turn. The ruler comes in and all rise as he or she takes their place on the throne on the platform at one end of the room. The scribe calls out the name of the first person who will have an audience and the work of the day begins. When we are called, we advance to a place near the center of the room. We bow and recite the format of greeting for a ruler. We affirm our loyalty to the king and remind him that his father was a good king to our father and his grandfather was a good ruler to our grandfather. We also call attention to the fact that this king is a powerful king, one who can make our petition have an effect on the entire realm if he so desires. That is why we have come, to appeal to his power to make things happen for good. So we launch into our petition and finally when we come to the end we close with another bow and then a formal closing, we thank the king for his time and wish peace to his kingdom.
This is exactly the format of the Amida. The Amida is not really recited “silently” rather it is done “individually”. First we take three steps to approach G-d. We are now face to face with our Creator. We open with two bows, at the beginning and end of the first blessing extolling our G-d and the G-d of our ancestors. The second blessing affirms that G-d is powerful, so powerful that G-d can revive the dead. The third blessing is unique to G-d, it affirms that G-d, unlike humans, is holy, and the source of great holiness. This is expanded when we repeat the Amida out loud into the Kedusha, a poem of praise for the holiness of G-d. In the middle section are the petitions we ask of G-d, for wisdom, health, good weather for a bountiful crop, good judges, good rulers and a return to the greatness we once knew in history. If we have a particular need, we can add it to the appropriate blessing. For example, if we know someone is ill and wish to add a petition for their good health, we add it to the generic blessing for health. The last blessing in this section, is a generic blessing that G-d should hear our prayers. Any need that we have that did not fit into any of the other petitions, can be added here.
The final three blessings close our meeting with G-d. there is the unique to G-d blessing that worship in the Temple will be restored, then we thank G-d for listening and close with a prayer for peace. The Sages added, after Sim Shalom, a sample of what a personal prayer could look like and it was so good that it too became part of the Amida. When we finish we take three steps backward and return to the rest of the congregation. The Amida is usually then repeated out loud, for the sake of those who may not be able to read and take part in this most important section of the service. They reply “Amen” to each blessing to make it their own. “Amen” is the official term that means, “I agree and affirm what was just said”
On Shabbat, the day G-d rested, we do not petition G-d. We take out the twelve central petitions and replace it with one blessing thanking G-d for the restful peace of Shabbat. Other holidays have similar changes to speak to the message of the holy day.

Next week: Prayer III: The Format of the Service

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

January 6, 2004 – Number 5764-13

This lesson is in honor of my nephew Zachary Shivers who celebrated his attaining the age of Bar Mitzvah on the First day of January, 2004

Prayer I: The Shema

The Shema has been compared to the American Pledge of Allegiance. It is the basic declaration of faith that a Jew says twice every day. It is the first prayer a child is taught, it is the last prayer recited before we die. We say it each day before we go to sleep and it is one of the central points in the Shacharit service. Everyone knows the Shema, but few understand its deeper meanings.
The Shema consists only of verses from the Torah. The first passage is from Deuteronomy chapter 6. The second passage is from Deuteronomy chapter 11 and the third from Numbers chapter 15. One of the first indications that there is more to these passages than meets the eye is that they are out of order. According to the order of the Torah, the last passage should be first. That they are out of order tells us that there must be an important reason for being in this order, otherwise why change the order of the Torah?
The first passage is very difficult to understand without a hint. The extra verse that we recite silently (Praise His glorious sovereignty throughout all time) hints to us about the theme. The Sages call this passage “OI Malchut Shamayim” or “Taking upon ourselves the yoke of Heaven” The theme is to love G-d, with all our heart, soul and might. Notice that we are being commanded to love! How is this possible? Can anyone command us to love? In fact, just as we love our parents without having a choice in the matter, so too we must love G-d, our Creator. Therefore the theme of this passage is Creation.
The second passage seems to be about reward and punishment. We are rewarded for obeying G-d and punished for disobedience. It is easy to get distracted here when we notice that the punishment for individual disobedience is communal punishment. One person sins and everyone suffers famine and drought. For now let us call this an ecological statement. If one person pollutes the water, ground or sky, we all suffer the effects. The real theme of this passage is found in the first sentence. It talks about “the commandments I give you this day” Which day is that? The day the commandments were given at Sinai. The sages call this passage, “Ol Mitzvot” or “Accepting the yoke of the Commandments” We see that the theme of this passage is Revelation.
The third passage deals with our debt to G-d for saving us from slavery in Egypt. We wear the thread of blue in the corner of our garments to remember the commandments. We follow these Mitzvot because we owe G-d for taking us from slavery to freedom. This passage is easy, it is clearly about Redemption.
This triad of creation, revelation and redemption leads to another triad. Creation is about G-d creating the world. Revelation is about G-d revealing the law to Humanity and Redemption, in Jewish Theology is about Humanity completing the unfinished world. The triad of G-d, Humanity and the world, is superimposed upon the triad of Creation, Revelation and Redemption. It looks like a Star of David:
We can see now why the Shema is such an important prayer. It is more than just a pledge to G-d, is encapsulates the very foundation of Jewish Theology! The Shema is encased in three blessings, two before the Shema and one after. These blessings also stress Creation, Revelation and Redemption. When we recite the Shema and her blessings we affirm that we are the people who believe in the relationship between G-d, Humanity and the world. We hold as fundamental the theology of Creation, Revelation and Redemption.

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

December 22, 2003

Number 5764-12 Prayer I: The Basic Structure of Jewish Prayer

All religions share a basic format for a worship service. They take a central prayer or ritual and then construct the service around that ritual, to highlight that central part of the service. Like spokes around a wheel, each part of the service points to the central core of what the religion is all about. Usually we find one of two types of rituals at the center. Most western religions have a public ritual at the center. A ritual that must be done when people have gathered together to affirm their belief in the central tenet of the faith. It demands that the service have a set time and a set format. Everyone who gathers needs to know what is expected of them and when they need to gather to affirm their commitment. It is a very strong way to anchor a service. When people gather together to affirm their beliefs, the communal action strengthens the faith of the individuals. It is very unlikely in this construction for people to stray from the path of the faith. But there is one weak spot. While communal action is strong, not every individual may feel like gathering at the appointed time and place. It may not always be convenient for everyone. At such times there may be some present who are mouthing the words and not fully committed to the central ritual.
The other kind of ritual at the center is found in many Eastern religions. At the center of their worship is a very individual kind of ritual. Such rituals do not depend on a set time or place. Any time or any place can be right for prayer. In fact, in some Eastern religions, the temples are open any time of the day or night so all can enter to pray when they are so moved. Time is not important, but commitment is crucial. It is a very strong commitment to faith, but it too has a weak spot. Individuals can go a long time between moments of worship. Years could pass before the desire to express one’s faith arises again.
Judaism is a religion that straddles both the east and the west. Therefore, when Jews gather to worship rather than a wheel with spokes extending from the center, our worship is more like and ellipse, a circle that has two centers. One center around which half the service revolves is a public prayer requiring a set time and place. The other center is an individual prayer that requires separation from the community.
The central public prayer of Judaism is the Shema. It’s place in the service begins with the Borchu and ends just before the Amida. It is recited aloud, often sung by the entire congregation. It is encased in blessings and sometimes with poetry. The early parts of the service point to this climax of prayer when we recite the three passages from the Torah that make up the Shema.
The central individual prayer of Judaism is the Amida. It is recited individually (not just silently), one stands apart from the congregation and can adjust or add to the formula in the Siddur according to one’s needs. The later parts of the service point to this climax of prayer, when we stand and pour out our hearts before G-d. As the days and seasons change, so do our needs, so the Amida changes with the ebb and flow of the calendar.
The Shacharit (Morning) service has both centers. The Mincha (afternoon) service has only the private center since it is done while we are still working and it is not easy to gather for public prayer. The Maariv (evening) service has only the public center (although an Amida was later added to its format) recognizing that at the end of the day we can and should gather together in prayer to strengthen each other to face the darkness of night.
We will begin next week, to examine in detail these crucial central rituals and then look to see how the rest of the service points to the center.

Next week: Prayer II: The Shema

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

December 15, 2003

Number 5764-11 Hanukkah III: Dreidles, Latkes and other Hanukkah Customs

Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday on the Jewish calendar, but it has long held a strong pull on Jewish minds. Many customs have grown up around the holiday and they add to the texture of our celebration.
The most important customs surrounding Hanukkah center on oil. Because of the miracle of the lights, and the fact that the first Hanukkah lights were oil lamps, the oil that should have burned one day, lasted eight days until new oil could be made, oil becomes one of the themes of the holiday. It should come as no surprise that foods cooked in oil have become central to Hanukkah. Latkes (or their Hebrew name, Levivot) are potato pancakes fried in oil. It seems as if every family has a secret recipe for extraordinary Latkes. Served with either sour cream or applesauce, they are an Ashkenazic staple for Hanukkah dining. Since the founding of the State of Israel, there is a new food on the block for Hanukkah. In Israel, they serve Sufganiot, or jelly doughnuts as a Hanukkah treat since they too are cooked in oil. And while candles are certainly permitted to be used in the Hanukiah, some say that they will only use pure olive oil for their Hanukkah lights.
The history of the Dreidle (Sivivon in Hebrew) is shrouded in some mystery. It is clear that the custom of this Hanukkah game comes from the Jewish Community in Germany sometime in the middle ages. There is a tradition that this game has ties to Christmas. Since on this Christian holiday, Jews were not permitted to trade or engage in business, they took to playing games with dice, cards and dreidles. It was a kind of gambling game that helped pass the time on a day that had no significance to the Jewish community. Eventually the game became associated with Hanukkah and soon we see all kinds of explanations as to what the letters on the top mean. I think it is clear that the letters originally were the “rules of the game” each letter standing for the German instructions for the game: Gimel for “gantz” meaning “everything”, Hay for “halb” for “half the pot etc. Someone clever noted that the four letters could stand for “nes gadol haya sham” meaning “a great miracle happened there” and the connection with Hanukkah was complete. I should note that today, when one buys a sivivon in Israel, it says “nes gadol haya PO” meaning “a great miracle happened HERE”. It is an effort to be historically accurate with the game.
There is a long standing custom of giving gifts on Hanukkah that extends way back in Jewish History. The giving of gifts is an ancient mid-winter custom. While there is no reason that anyone has to give a gift each day of Hanukkah, one can choose to give Hanukkah “gelt”, money, especially coins that can be used to play dreidle. Since playing dreidle is supposed to be fun and not a source of gambling income, the amount of gelt can be kept small. My father used to play a game with us, buying a roll of pennies and covering the first coin in the stack and giving it to the child that guessed closest to the date on the coin. My father could make that one roll of pennies last the entire eight days.
Hanukkah is designed to be a quiet family celebration without the restrictions that come with major holidays on the Jewish calendar. In synagogue we add “Al HaNisism” to the Amidah and we recite Hallel in honor of the military victory of the Hasmonean family over the Syrian Greeks. At home, we celebrate the miracle of the oil and richness of living a Jewish life.
Hanukkah begins this Friday night. We light Hanukkah Candles before we light the Shabbat candles. We wish all of our readers a “Urim Sameach”, a Happy Festival of Lights.

Next week: Prayer I: The Basic Structure of Jewish Prayer

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

December 8, 2003

Number 5764-10 Hanukkah I: Hanukkah Halacha

Hanukkah celebrates the first known battle for religious freedom. The Hasmonean Jews fought for their right to practice Judaism a world where Greek Hellenism was prevalent. When they won their battles and the right to practice the rituals of their faith, they immediately went to the Temple in Jerusalem and relit the great candelabra. There was not much oil left to burn but they had faith that more would come and they lit the central light that was to burn perpetually in the sacred space. By a miracle, the little oil lasted eight days until new oil could be prepared and the Festival of Lights, The Festival of Dedication, or Hanukkah was commanded to be an annual celebration.
It is no surprise that the festival centers on lights and oil. The most important ritual of Hanukkah is to light a Hanukia, (what we used to call a menorah) in order to publicize the miracle. The first thing we need therefore is a kosher Hanukia. A kosher Hanukia is a lamp that has eight lights. Each light must be exactly the same. They should all be at the same level and in a straight line. Since no one day of Hanukkah is greater than the other, the eight lights should all be the same. The Hanukia should also have a ninth light. This ninth light is called the “shammas” or the “helper” candle. Since it is not part of the miracle, it should be clearly different from the other eight lights. Either higher, lower, or off to one side or the other. Most authorities prefer oil lights to candles, but candles are permitted as lights. Electric lights can be used as decorations but one should not say a blessing over them.
The lights should begin at the far right side of the Hanukia. The first light at the far right and on the second night we add a light to the left of the first light working our way from right to left each night of the holiday. However, we always kindle the lights from left to right, that is, we light the new candle first and work back to the right. The Shammash is used to light the other lights, and it is not extinguished when we are finished, but placed back in its holder and allowed to burn out. We recite two blessings before we light the lights. Praised are you, Lord our G-d, ruler of the universe who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah Lights. We then add, Praised are you, Lord our G-d, ruler of the universe, who has performed miracles for our ancestors at this time in ancient days. On the first night we add the Shehechiyanu as a third blessing.
The Hanukia should be placed in a window or by the door where it can be see from the street. It is part of the ritual to “proclaim” the miracle so the Hanukia should be in a place where those passing by can see it. In some cases, if we put the Hanukia in the window and light is as we face it, from outside it will look as if we kindled it backwards. Do not turn it around. If you use an electric Hanukia, then since it is not used for the blessing it should be lit the right way as one is facing it from the street.
Hanukkah lights should burn for at least ½ hour after dark. Usually this is not a problem. On Shabbat, however, the Hanukia should be lit before Shabbat candles, which are lit no later than 18 minutes before sunset. This means that the Hanukia should burn for almost an hour to burn ½ hour after dark. One should try to get longer candles or add extra oil to the lights to make sure they burn long enough.
Since the purpose of the lights is to proclaim the miracle, one can not use the light of a Hanukia for any other purpose. There should always be another light on in the room when they are lit. One should not read or maneuver around the room by the light of a Hanukia but if for some reason you err and use the light for some other reason. Since the Shammas is still burning, one can say that it was the light of the Shammash that was used and not the other lights. Please also remember basic fire safety when there are many candles burning. Keep the flames away from drapes and other flammable objects and place the Hanukia in a place where children and pets will not knock it over.

Next week: Hanukkah III: Dreidles, Latkes and other Hanukkah Customs

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

December 1, 2003

Number 5764-9 Hanukkah I: The Holiday Season

As the Thanksgiving holiday draws to a close, our Christian neighbors begin to put up their decorations in preparation for Christmas. For some Jews, this is a time of difficult decisions. Hanukkah is a wonderful holiday that comes at the midwinter time of year. It is many things on the Jewish calendar, but “the Jewish Christmas” it is NOT. The irony is that Hanukkah represents the first known fight for freedom of Religion. The Maccabees fought for the right to worship as they please. Mattathias and his sons defeated the forces of Hellenism in ancient Israel. The Hellenists were Jews who practiced the customs of the ancient Greeks. Today’s Jews imitate the practices of their Christian neighbors. It is not good for Judaism, and not good for Jewish-Christian relations either.
My Christian colleagues themselves work all month to “put the Christ back in Christmas.” This should be a reminder to the Jewish community that for all it’s “secularism”, Christmas is a Christian holiday and is for Christians. If we are offended by a Christian who pretends to be Jewish, who could blame a Christian for being offended when a Jew co-opts their rituals. Here are some do’s and don’ts for getting through the holiday season.
Don’t put any Christmas lights on your home at this time of year. Even if they are blue and white or say “Happy Hanukkah”. It is not in keeping with Judaism, and is offensive to Christians. Don’t put up a fir tree in your home with or without lights. Jews celebrate trees in February on Tu b’Shevat and we decorate our homes in October on Sukkot. Families where one of the parents is a Jew by Choice should only have Hanukkah in their home even if there are grandparents who celebrate Christmas. Do take your children to see holiday light displays in your neighborhood or in the many parks and carnivals that dot the county. It is a good time to talk to Jewish children about knowing what other faiths are all about and answering their questions as to why there are so many lights. If you don’t know the answer to their questions, why not invite a Christian neighbor, or their children to explain the meaning of the holiday, or ask your Rabbi for resources and recommendations.
Do share the holiday season with non-Jewish friends. Do wish them a Merry Christmas. Do send them holiday cards (non- religious cards only). Do have a holiday party for your non-Jewish employees but make sure that it recognizes all the different traditions celebrated by those in your business. Don’t sponsor a Christmas Party for business associates or vendors. Your party should be in honor of Hanukkah. Do drop in on Christmas parties sponsored by Christian vendors or business associates when you are invited.
Do invite non-Jewish friends over to your home when you light your Hanukkia (Hanukkah menorah). Be prepared to answer their questions about the holiday. Do give gifts to your children (it is a custom that actually predates Christmas) but Don’t feel the need to buy expensive gifts for all eight days of the holiday. Hanukkah is a fun holiday, don’t burden yourself with crippling debt to keep up with some department stores idea of how the holiday should be celebrated. Don’t visit Christian friends on Christmas day. It is a very private, family oriented holiday. Children should wait until their Christian friends come outside to play and not knock on the door to see what their friends got. Plan on spending Dec. 25 with some family time of your own, take in a movie or go out to eat (The Kosher restaurants are all open) or spend the day filling in at the soup kitchen or homeless shelter so the Christian volunteers can be home with their families. Many Synagogues sponsor programs or concerts on that day for you to take advantage of while the rest of the country shuts down. Do remember to thank G-d that we live in a country that has a long history of religious tolerance. Let this be a season of Joy for everyone, Jew, Christian and those of every other faith. If we can make it work in our own communities, than perhaps it bodes well for “peace on Earth” someday.

Next week: Hanukkah II: Hanukkah Halacha

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

November 24, 2003

Number 5764-8 Thanksgiving

We like to think of Thanksgiving as an American holiday. Its history goes back to Christian pilgrims to our shore, and to the Native Americans who helped them through a bitter winter and who taught them the skills to survive in this new land. It was this spirit of co-operation and gratitude that inspired later generations to make the last Thursday of November a national holiday of thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving, however, is built on Jewish roots. The Pilgrims, fundamentalist Christians all, knew their Bible well. They knew all about a festival in the fall to thank G-d for the blessings of the harvest. They understood that Sukkot was a time to thank G-d for the miracle of growing crops, for the balance of sunshine and rain, and the strength they needed to tend the gardens and hunt for food. Their holiday was modeled after the Biblical Sukkot, the traditional time of thanksgiving for Jews.
While I advise Jews to stay away from celebrating Christmas, St. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s day and Halloween, I make no such claim against Thanksgiving. There is a very Jewish dimension to Thanksgiving. The final sections in the book of Deuteronomy are concerned with showing gratitude to G-d for our many blessings and the curses and dooms that will come if we forget to acknowledge our debt to our creator. The Sages of the Talmud decreed that the proper way to show our thanks and appreciation is to say a blessing before we take advantage of any part of our life. There are blessings for the foods we eat, fruits, vegetables, bread, and all other kinds of food. After we eat our fill, we once again thank our Creator for not only the food we eat, but for all the many kind things that G-d showers down upon us every day. In the presence of the wonders of nature, storms, mountains, rainbows, oceans, in the presence of great wisdom, beauty or even unusual shapes for human beings, there is a blessing to recite. At all the different seasons of the year, holidays, special days, happy times, and sad times, and the first time we do something new, there is a blessing to recite. The Ancient Rabbis taught that there are no less than 100 reasons each day to bless and thank G-d. With a list of blessings, they tried to make sure that we never neglect the things in life that are really important.
All too often today we forget to be grateful. We pass people on the street who help us in so many ways, and we never say a word to them. Most of our time on Thanksgiving is dedicated to eating and football. We give little thought to what Thanksgiving stands for and think only of shopping and sports. So many people are there to help us every day, and we ignore their actions. The telephone repairmen, the grocery clerks, the hairdresser, the delivery boy, police officers, firefighters and paramedics, we need to acknowledge how much we rely on them and thank them for their diligent efforts on our behalf. Life would be so much more difficult if they were not working on our behalf.
Sometime this Thanksgiving day, pause with your family and make a list of 100 things for which we are thankful. Make sure to write it all down. Post it on your refrigerator to remind you, every day, the 100 ways we have to thanking G-d. Take nothing for granted, and take no one for granted. Spread around your feelings of thankfulness and you will be surprised at the response you get back. Just saying a Thank you to the server who fills your water glass in a restaurant, will insure that your glass will never be empty. You can make a difference in someone’s life, even save a life, just by expressing our gratitude to G-d for all the many blessings in our life.
Let us all be thankful on this Thanksgiving day. It is the American and the Jewish thing to do.

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

November 17, 2003

Number 5764-7 Shabbat III – Physical vs Spiritual Pursuits

While everyone wants to have the spiritual benefits of Shabbat, many do not realize the preparation that must go into Shabbat to experience these benefits. Author and Play write, Herman Woulk not only noticed that Shabbat took all the tension and stress out of his work week, but that the quiet of Shabbat also enabled him to do his best work once he returned after the holiday (Herman Woulk, “This is My God”, see: A Personal Digression)
To understand how Shabbat works we need to see that as our physical activities wane, our spiritual resources increase. Let us look at the four different parts of Shabbat and see how this change takes place. In chronological order, these four parts are: Friday Night; Sat. Morning/Lunch; Sat. Afternoon; and Sat. Night. These understandings are based on the work of Franz Rosenzweig, a Jewish Philosopher in the 1800’s
Friday Night – Friday night is rich in Physical stimulation. There is the Kabbalat Shabbat service which is sung traditionally in 3/4 time (Waltz Time) a very grand and stately kind of music. The Theme of the service is G-d as Creator, the physical actions of G-d. The Friday night service is a coronation/wedding of Shabbat as a royal bride, with all the pomp and ceremony of this event. The Shabbat Dinner is a full course dinner, usually the best dinner of the week. Jews would save their money to make Shabbat dinner the best it could possibly be. The Zemirot tend to speak to the food of the dinner as a way of celebrating Shabbat. The lighting of candles, the rich egg challah, the blessings of family and food all designed to stress the physical side of life. Even the mandate that Friday night is also a special time for sexual relations between a husband and wife highlight the physical nature of this part of Shabbat. Spiritually, though, things are very low. We often arrive at Friday night tired from a long hard work week, and tired from the frantic push to get Shabbat ready before candles must be lit. Spiritual concerns are far from our mind during this part of Shabbat
Saturday Morning/Lunch – We awaken Saturday morning refreshed and rejuvenated and ready for the main service of the day, Shacharit. During this service we will offer a special Amida for Shabbat and a Musaf Amida in honor of the day. We will pause to read from the Torah, to get some religious learning in as well as a reading from the Prophets in the Haphtara. Clearly our Spiritual side is rising. Without the distractions of job and responsibilities, we are free to let our spiritual side shine. There is still some significant physical aspects to Shabbat here. The time of the music is 4/4 (March Time) and the theme is G-d as King. Lunch is not the sumptuous feast of Friday Night, but, prepared in advance, the lunch menu is still satisfying and complete. Often guests will join us for the meal and for the singing. The Zemirot stress more spiritual themes, however, focusing on Shabbat Rest and learning. During this part of Shabbat, with spirituality rising and the physical declining, they are about even on the chart.
Saturday Afternoon – The physical almost disappears as the afternoon wears on. Shabbat Afternoon is often the time for a Shabbat nap, a Shabbat walk or time to read a Shabbat book. There are no schedules to keep, phones to answer or problems to solve. It is a time to talk to our children, perhaps play some unhurried games with them. The third meal of Shabbat is almost no meal at all. Perhaps a hard boiled egg, some cheese, perhaps some tuna salad and bread. It is a pretty spartan meal. The songs sung during the meal are often wordless niggunim, songs best hummed or filled with La-la-la’s and Bim bam bim. Spiritually we are very high, feeling a part of nature, not an opponent of nature. Our life has slowed down to the point where we even begin to lose track of time, noting only that the sun is slowly setting and that Shabbat will, eventually come to an end. The theme of the afternoon service is Redemption, a theme based in the future, and we contemplate a world where it is Shabbat all the time. We are feeling closer to G-d and have a better understanding of our place in G-d’s universe.
Saturday Night – Having reached a spiritual high in the afternoon, as soon as the sun sets and Shabbat ends, we are suddenly free to re-enter the chaos of the week. It is a spectacular crash as spiritual perfection meets reality once again. While the crash is unavoidable, the Havdala service is designed to cushion the fall. Havdala consists of four blessings. One for wine – reminding us that there are other reasons to celebrate beside Shabbat. The second blessing is over spices – reminding us that there are other sweet things in life beside Shabbat. The third blessing is over the Havdala candle, a multi-wick candle that resembles a torch, to light our way into the darkness of the new week, and a final blessing to G-d for creating a distinction between secular and holy days. The spirituality of Shabbat leaves us and we once again return to work and chores. Still, the spiritual time of Shabbat has changed us and we are able to look at the new week with new eyes and with a refreshed soul.

Next week: Thanksgiving

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

November 10, 2003

Number 5764-6 Shabbat II – Work and Shabbat

The most widely know detail of Shabbat is the prohibition against work from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. It is the most widely known law and one of the most misunderstood.
The Torah is very precise that “Melacha” is forbidden on Shabbat. It says many times that we must not do “Melacha” on Shabbat. What the Torah does not say is what the word “Melacha” means. The usual word for work is “Avoda” so the Sages understand that “Melacha” must be a special kind of work. Without a definition the word would have no meaning. Therefore the Sages looked through the Torah to find where the definition of “Melacha” could be implied. They found, at the beginning of Parshat Vayakel (Exodus 35:1-3) The command to refrain from “Melacha” on Shabbat just before the building of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary, begins. The Rabbis ruled that whatever “Melacha” is, it must actions that are implied in the construction project that is about to begin. They then deduced 39 categories of work that are thus forbidden on Shabbat. These master categories prohibit: Ploughing, sowing, reaping, sheaf-making, threshing, winnowing, selecting, sifting, grinding, kneading, baking, sheep-shearing, bleaching, combing raw materials, dyeing, spinning, inserting thread into a loom, weaving, removing a finished article from a loom, separating into threads, tying a knot, untying a knot, sewing, tearing, trapping, slaughtering, skinning, tanning, scraping, marking out a pattern, cutting to shape, writing, erasing, building demolishing, kindling a fire, extinguishing a fire, the final hammer blow and carrying from one domain to another (public or private). Since the Torah calls for capital punishment for these offenses, the Sages then added another layer of prohibitions to keep people away from the major offenses. For example, if writing is not allowed, we do not allow sharpening a pencil since this may lead to writing. Some say that swimming is not allowed because placing a swim suit in water may constitute “washing”! Or we may tear off a branch from a tree to use as a swim aid. The Sages determined that one should not read by candle light on Friday night lest you tilt the candle holder to increase the flame. If, however another person is reading with you, you can read by candle light since the other person will remind you that it is Shabbat and the flame can not be increased. A third layer adds an additional fence around the law, so that carrying a pencil late Friday afternoon is also forbidden lest you forget you have it and write with it later that evening. Thus if you go around with a pencil behind your ear all day, or a needle and thread in your lapel for alterations, you have to put these away on Erev Shabbat lest you forget they are there and use them on Shabbat.
Many Sages from ancient to modern times see in this list creative acts, actions that bring about some change in the natural world. Since G-d rested from creative acts on Shabbat, so too we should let the physical world rest as we observe Shabbat, and not seek to change the world around us. It is this general rule that helps us understand if new things should be permitted or prohibited on Shabbat. For example, should electricity be used on Shabbat. If you consider electricity as fire, it would be prohibited, if not, it could be used. Clearly we can not use electricity to do another prohibited act. Sewing is prohibited so a sewing machine is also prohibited, as is an electric razor. Cooking is prohibited, even if the food is being cooked not on an open flame, but on an electric burner. What about electric lights? Are they a “flame” or not? Opinions vary. Some use electric lights others do not. To avoid a problem, some use timers to control the lights and thus the operation is automatic and not caused by our action. One could not adjust a timer on Shabbat but could use the light or other device that is set up to be run automatically by a timer. Television is a different problem. While a timer could be used to turn on an off the set, there is another problem of commercials. Do we want advertisements soliciting us to buy on a day when we can not handle money?
While there are interesting paradoxes, for example you can move your piano upstairs on Shabbat (since it stays in one domain) but you can’t carry a handkerchief outside (since it is moving from the private to the public domain), the general rule applies, we should not seek to change our world but to live in it and enjoy it the way G-d created it. Life is certainly different when walk instead of ride, and live without our cell phone, PDA or computer. When was the last time you had time in the afternoon to read a book or take a short nap? Not only does it refresh our soul but there is an added bonus that come from putting our work aside. After Shabbat, when we return to the working world, often we do our most creative work after our day of rest.

Next week: Shabbat III – Physical vs Spiritual Pursuits