Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

August 20, 2003 – Number 18

Laws Relating to Death II – The Funeral

A funeral in Judaism should be done as quickly as possible after a death. Usually there is a limit of three days unless more people can fly in or the burial will take place in Israel. In Judaism, burial is always in the ground, not in a mausoleum, and we do not permit cremation. In Israel the dead are buried only in a shroud, but here we use a casket made of wood (not metal). All Jewish funerals are closed casket. We do not display the dead for others to see. Needless to say we do not embalm the dead nor apply cosmetics since these are to make the dead ready to be viewed. These rules may have their source in very ancient Jewish practice, as a polemic against the elaborate Egyptian customs relating to the mummification and entombment of their dead.
There are seven relatives who are required to mourn. Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, Daughter, Son and Spouse. Other are permitted to mourn but are not required. We do not offer words of comfort to the mourners until the burial is finished. As long as the dead lie before them, there can be no meaningful comfort to the bereaved. All we can say to someone who is preparing a funeral for a loved one is “Baruch Dyan Emet” meaning G-d is a righteous Judge and implying that while we do not understand G-d’s decisions, we have faith that G-d’s actions are true and righteous.
A Jewish funeral has two parts. The Eulogy (Hesped) and the interment. Both can be done grave side but a chapel service is permitted. The eulogy is introduced by the reading of Psalms and other appropriate passages. It should recall the life of the one who has died and we should recall only the good that they did in life. The Eulogy can be done by the Rabbi, friends or even the mourners if they are up to the task. One can also write the eulogy for someone else to read. It is not a time, however, to settle scores nor embarrass the dead or their family. We must remember that some things are always better left unsaid if they embarrass, or are hurtful to the dead or to the family.
The Interment involved lowering the body into the ground, filling in the grave( or at least symbolically placing earth on the grave, a memorial prayer for the dead, and reciting Kaddish. It is a very great Mitzvah to attend a funeral, since it is done with pure motivation of love for the deceased. The deceased can not, after all, thank you for the honor you are showing by attending the burial. The casket is lowered since we are there for the interment and until the body is lowered, that has not been accomplished. We put earth on the grave as a sign of love and respect. After all, it is the only thing we can never do for ourselves. We rely on others to fill in our grave. The first shovel of earth is done with the shovel reversed, on the back of the shovel. This indicates that we are not in a hurry to do this work and it is an act of love and reverence, not just another day in the garden.
After the interment is finished, and we have shown all the honor we can for the deceased, we turn our attention to the family and the mourners. The friends form two lines, facing each other, forming a path from the grave to the street. The family leaves the grave side by walking the path between the two lines, so that from the moment the burial is over, they are surrounded by friends offering words of comfort. Tradition tells us that we console them with the words “May G-d comfort you as G-d comforts all the mourners for Zion and Jerusalem. This means that we are all mourners, if not for our own dead, than we mourn for the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. There are some who feel that since the rebirth of the Jewish State in Israel, we are no longer mourners for “Zion and Jerusalem”. They only say, “May G-d give you comfort.”
A gravestone is not placed until at least 30 days from the date of the funeral. The American custom is to erect the monument around the time of the first anniversary of the date of death (The Yahrtzeit.) It should be done at a time when the family can get together again to mark the occasion.

Next week: Laws Relating to Death III – Shiva

Lessons in Memory of my brother Dale Alan Konigsburg

August 13, 2003 – Number 17

Laws Relating to Death I

First of all, Judaism is a pro-life religion. When a person gets ill, the first responsibility is to get well. That is best done by consulting a properly trained physician and following the prescribed medical advice. When a person is sick, it is the responsibility of the friends and family to visit and help him or her feel better. The Mitzvah of “Bikur Holim” is to visit the sick and assist in their return to health. To this end there is a Mi Shebayrach prayer recited at the Torah for a Refuah Shelayma – a complete healing. If possible one should have the Hebrew name of the sick person and the sick person’s mother’s Hebrew name. When a person is in the hospital, it is appropriate to call the Rabbi to let the community know that this person is in need of Bikor Holim.
When there is not longer a hope for a cure for the ill, Judaism still insists that life is sacred and nothing can be done to hasten death. Assisted suicide and active euthanasia are not permitted by Judaism. G-d did not ask us when we should be born and we should not tell G-d when we should die. We can, however, remove that which may be preventing death from occurring. We can remove some life support equipment, stop medications and make the person comfortable while waiting for death. Hospice is an option for Jewish patients. It is also common to ask for a “Do Not Resusitate”(DNR) order for those seriously ill to prevent emergency life support in cases where there is very little life to support. There are mixed opinions about whether one can withhold food and water if the person can no longer eat by themselves. A Rabbi should be consulted if any questions arise in this area.
The moment a person dies, the entire focus of the family becomes the duty to honor the dead. Everything that will be done is to enhance the honor of the deceased. The first responsibility is to wash the body. This is done by a special committee in the community, the Hevra Kadisha (The Holy Committee) which has two teams, one team of men to prepare a male body, and a women’s team to prepare a female body. They wash the body, place it in a shroud (not a suit or dress – a shroud does not have pockets, a reminder that “you can’t take anything with you”) and place the body in a wooden casket. (In Israel, they do not use caskets and the body is buried in the shroud alone). The casket is closed and will not be reopened. The children of the deceased are permitted to help the Hevra Kadisha. A Jewish body is not embalmed.
The body of the deceased may not be mishandled in any way. Autopsies are not permitted in Judaism unless required by civil law. Most state Medical Examiners know how Judaism feels about this and will work with a rabbi to fulfill the requirements of the state and Judaism. Jewish bodies are not given over to medical science for research. Transplants, however ARE PERMITTED by all authorities. Since saving a live is Judaism’s “Prime Directive” it is permitted to allow all organs, including skin and eyes, to be transplanted to help another person. Organs, however, can not be banked, so the need has to be immediate.
A Jewish body is never left alone. Family members or the Hevra Kadisha sit with the body until it is buried. Burial is usually done withing three days of death. Unless a delay will mean that someone from the family will be able to be at the funeral (to honor the dead) or in cases where the body will be shipped to Israel for burial, it can be slightly extended. Consult a Rabbi for details.

Next week: Laws Relating to Death II – The Funeral

May 26, 2003 – Number 16

Laws Relating to the Torah II

There are many superstitions about how one is supposed to care for and handle a Torah. I hope to dispel some of these myths.
First of all, there are many people still today who feel that one must be very careful in handling a Torah Scroll. That if a scroll should drop on the floor than you have to fast for a month (!) A very intense diet to be sure. Actually there is no such thing as a month long fast in Judaism. Even if you allow that the fast would be only by day (and you could eat at night) it still would not make any sense. The actual rule is that when a Torah scroll is accidently dropped or falls onto the floor, it is the obligation of everyone who is present in the room at that time to make a contribution to Tzedaka. Thus whatever “evil decree” caused the Torah to fall can be corrected by Tzedaka and acts of kindness.
For many years there were people who claimed that a woman could not have an aliyah nor touch a Torah for fear that they might be menstruating and the impurity that is attached to this condition would transfer to the Torah. Since it is not proper to ask a woman about this condition, than all women are forbidden to touch a Torah. This is also a myth. The truth is that a Torah scroll is by definition impure (Tamei) as are all “holy” books. According to the Sages, this was to prevent one from making the leap from studying a sacred text to making the scroll the object of worship. Note that when we take the Torah from the ark, we turn and bow to the now empty ark. A reminder that it is the holy presence of G-d that we praise, not the actual scrolls of Torah. The Torah has the capacity to transfer its impurity to human beings. This is why many people do not touch a Torah scroll directly, but use a Tallit or Siddur to touch the Torah. Some say this is unnecessary since the Torah Mantle provides enough of a barrier to prevent us from touching the scroll. This is also one of the reasons that we use a “yad” to point in the text. (The other reason is to prevent the oils in our hands from ruining the letters on the parchment.)
The Sages of the Talmud agreed that there is actually no reason at all why women should not be called to the Torah for an Aliyah but the custom was not to call them lest they embarrass a man who did not know the blessings (illiteracy was a big problem in ancient days). Conservative Jews no longer hold by this stringency and we do call women to the Torah for an Aliyah.
Many people believe that if a Torah has one letter missing or wrong, than the whole Torah is “pasul” or not useable. This is somewhat true. The Rabbis teach that there are 600,000 letters in the Torah to correspond to the 600,000 people who made up the Jewish people when they left Egypt. Since no Jew was left behind, we can not use a Torah that is missing a letter. We can carry the example even further, The script used in a Torah has little decorative “crowns” on some of the letters. Even if a “crown” is missing the Torah can not be used. (Rabbi Akiva was said to have learned “heaps and heaps” of laws from these crowns but if he did they are not recorded anywhere.) A Torah with this kind of a defect can not be used at a service. The universal indicator of a “pasul” Torah is where the tie that holds the scroll together is not under the mantle but outside the mantle.
But a Torah scroll can be fixed. If there is a hole in the parchment, a letter has rubbed off, or been smeared, or is no longer readable, these are all repairable. A Sofer (Scribe) can scratch off a letter and rewrite it to fix the Torah. Holes can be patched. A ripped parchment can be removed and only that “page” replaced. Similarly a scroll from a mezuzah or from Tephillin, can also be repaired. It is important to have a Torah repaired as soon as possible. It is not proper to have a “pasul” Torah in a place where it may be used. This led to an issue with the Holocaust Torah Scrolls that came into congregations through the offices of the Westminster Synagogue in England. These scrolls come from the synagogues destroyed by Nazi Germany. The Nazis wanted the scrolls for a museum about the “vanished race” of Jews. When they came to our community, there was a discussion if a synagogue could harbor permanently a “pasul” Torah. However, we could not fix the scroll since the ownership of all the scrolls remains with the Westminster synagogue. We only have the scroll on permanent loan from England.
Finally, a Torah scroll is always treated with respect. It is the source of all Jewish Law. We therefore stand when we see the Torah, and kiss it reverentially when it passes by. We are commanded to bring honor to the Torah and it is a big mitzvah to study its words, and not just to read them.

Next Week : Jewish Attitudes Toward Death.

May 26, 2003 – Number 15

Laws Relating to the Torah

There are many myths and misunderstandings in relation to the scroll of the Torah. Let us examine what a Torah scroll is and what it is not. Basically, The Torah scroll is one of the oldest living scribal traditions in the world. The oldest scroll that we have are from ancient Israel from around the first century B.C.E. The “Dead Sea Scrolls” include biblical documents and they are identical to that which we have today. The love that the scribes who wrote the scrolls of the Torah had was so great that even after thousands of years, there are still few errors in the transmission of the words. Not bad for a document that relied upon the human hand to copy it faithfully!
That is not to say that there are no errors in the text. In the eighth and ninth centuries, groups of scholars who became known as the “Massorites’ began to record and preserve the ancient scribal traditions. They counted every word in the text, they counted every letter in the scroll, the counted and recorded every time the text skipped a few spaces or when a line ended and was continued on the next line. These notes are included to this day at the end of each book of the Torah in the printed volumes. The Massorites also established forever the proper vowels for each word in the Torah and the accent marks (Trops) for each phrase.
It was the vowels that caused all the trouble. Sometimes it was not possible to know exactly how a word should be pronounced. Two schools of Massorites promoted often two different spellings and pronunciations. While there were not very many errors, there were some places where, over time, a small “yod” slowly became a longer “vav” or a “vav” was extended into a “final nun”. The reverse process was also possible. Sometimes similar letters were confused (Which may explain why the letters in the first and last words of the “Shema” are enlarged, so as not to be confused with similar looking or similar sounding letters). In the tenth century, Rabbenu Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonidies) finally ruled between the two schools of Massorites. One tradition became the way the text would be read aloud, the other tradition would be the way the words would be spelled. We use this compromise to this very day.
A Torah scroll is always written by hand on parchment. Since no additional marks may be made in the parchment, lines are scratched into the parchment to keep the lines and columns straight. Letters are not written on the line as we do in English, but the special Hebrew script is “hung” from the line above. Certain letters are written with little “crowns” on them. It was once said that Rabbi Akiva, the great sage from the days of the Bar Kochba Rebellion, could deduce mountains of laws from each of these little crowns. We have no record of Rabbi Akiva actually doing this, but it raises his abilities exponentially. It takes about a year for a scribe to write a scroll of Torah.
Writing a Torah scroll is a very important Mitzvah in Judaism, but since it takes a great deal of skill, it is not one that can be done very often. For this reason, when a scribe writes a new Torah, he will leave the last few sentences unfinished, the last words outlined but not filled in. The final letters are filled in when the scroll is dedicated by those who have a hand in dedicating the scroll. Thus we have the ability to actually “write” a Torah by filling in one word or one letter. Once a page is finished by the scribe, it is checked over and attached to the previous sheet. Great care is taken to handle the “pages” since the ink dries on the parchment but is not absorbed. If a letter or part of a letter is missing, no matter which letter or word is deformed, than the entire scroll is not permitted to be used. A scribe can scratch off a letter or word in order to repair a damaged scroll. It is customary to have Torah Scroll checked by a competent scribe every few years.
Torah scrolls are rolled on wooden roller (called Atz Chayim – Trees of Life) and covered with a cloth mantle in the Ashkenazic tradition and then read laying down on the table, or the scroll is placed in a wooden or silver case in Sephardic congregations and read while the scroll is standing up.
A new or used Torah scroll is very expensive and for a while was subject to theft in some locations. A Torah Registry was formed to prevent trafficking in stolen scrolls. Since one could not write in the scroll to note how it was different from any other scroll, the Registry developed a system of putting tiny holes in a set pattern so that the scroll and text could be identified.

Next Week : How to Treat a Torah Scroll

May 26, 2003 – Number 14

Reading the Torah: How to Have an Aliyah II

There are a number of honors that are related to the Torah Service that do not require a blessing or the formal choreography that a regular Aliyah requires. There are basically three other types of honors, one is opening the Ark either before or after the reading of the Torah, second is carrying the Torah around the congregation, and the third is the twin honor of Hagbah and Gelilah.
Opening the Ark is a rather simple honor but it has great status. Even those who might not take any other honor usually will accept the honor of Peticha, To open the Ark. The honor is beyond the physical act of opening the doors and maybe pulling back the curtain. It is the spiritual act of bringing Torah to the congregation. In our congregation, at the beginning of a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, we have a ceremony where the parents, grandparents and the student all have this honor. The Grandparents take the Torah from the ark and hand it to the parents who hand it to their child. This re-enacts the passing of the Torah from Moses, to Joshua and from Joshua to the Elders and from the Elders to the Members of the Great Assembly. This transmission of Torah is found at the very beginning of the Talmudic Tractate of Avot. The Grandparents physically show how they have transmitted Torah and Jewish tradition from one generation to the next.
Carrying to Torah is a separate honor. The Torah is the greatest possession of the Jewish people. Every member of the congregation wishes to draw close to it and to reach out and touch it. The one who carries the Torah leads the “parade” of others (Rabbi, Cantor, President, other honorees etc.) around the congregation. The congregation sings as the Torah parades past and touch the mantle with a tallit or a siddur and then kiss the spot that touched the Torah. It is a show of love and respect. In some congregations the Torah is carried twice, once before the reading and the other after the reading. A different route is used each time so that everyone will have an opportunity to kiss the Torah as it passes by.
Hagbah is the honor of lifting the Torah off the table after it is read. It requires some strength in the arms, but not as much as one would think. When properly done, the Torah is opened, lifted by levering it off the table and raised high into the air. The Hagbah then turns around so the writing in the Torah is visible to the entire congregation. One should strive to be able to show about three columns of text as one turns the Torah to the congregation. The Hagbah then turns around again and sits on a nearby chair. The Gelilah then comes forward to place the mantle and crowns back on the Torah. When finished, either the Torah is held by the Hagbah until the Torah carrier is called to carry it around the synagogue or it is lifted into a special Torah cradle where it will sit until it is time to carry it.
When the Torah is raised the congregation chants “This is the Torah that Moses set before the entire congregation of Israel, Given by G-d through Moses.” Some will lift their pinky finger toward the Torah as an act of honor while they recite this prayer, as if reaching out to touch the text.

Next Week : What is a Torah and the Halachot that apply to it

May 26, 2003 -Number 13

Reading the Torah: How to Have an Aliyah

For all too many Jews, the idea of being called to the Torah for an Aliyah fills them with terror and trepidation. But for centuries, having an Aliyah is one of the highest honors that a congregation can bestow on one of its members. It does not have to be a moment of rapid heartbeat and sweat. Rather, with a little preparation one can actually look forward to receiving this honor.
All one really needs to know is the Torah Blessings. Most Jews learn this at their Bar Mitzvah but for some it may have been a while since they last recited it. The Torah Blessings can be found in almost every siddur and usually are also transliterated for the Hebrew Challenged. There is a special melody for these blessings (one recited at the beginning of the Aliyah and one recited at the end) but it is permitted to just read them without the melody. The only Hebrew one is required to recite during an Aliyah are these blessings. In almost every congregation in the world, a copy of these blessings can be found next to the Torah on the Bima so it is not necessary to memorize the blessings, only to be familiar with them. In the United States, there is also a transliteration of the blessings on the Bima as well.
The other piece of information needed in advance is one’s Hebrew Name. A complete Hebrew name consists of your own name and the name of your parents. For example, the Name “Hiyyim Yaakov” is not enough. The full name should be “Hiyyim Yaakov ben Avraham V’Sara” If one is a Cohen or Levy, that is a descendant of one of those ancient tribes, than that title is also added to the name. These title as passed down from Father to children. Mothers can not pass down their title but may still use it for their own names.
When given an Honor, one is given the number of that honor. Often the first two honors are reserved for a Cohen or Levy the others are only numbered. The number of Aliyot change with the service. Weekdays and Shabbat Afternoon three are called for an Aliyah. On Rosh Hodesh we call 4, on major Festivals, five are called and on Yom Kippur morning, six are called. On Shabbat there are seven Aliyot. The Maftir is an additional reading done on holidays and Shabbat. This takes a lot of planning and preparation and will be the subject of a future HMS installment.
When one is called for an Aliyah, one ascends the bima from the location closest to the table where the Torah is being read. The honoree takes his or her place at the side of the Torah reader. The Honoree gives the Torah reader (Called a Baal Koray, the Master Reader)his or her Hebrew Name and they are officially called up for the honor. Sometimes the gabbi who assigns the honors will ask for a Hebrew Name in advance so the Baal Koray can call the Honoree by name when they are first called from the floor. The Baal Koray will point to a spot in the Torah where the reading will begin. The Honoree takes his or her Tallit or the binder from the Torah and touch gently the spot indicated by the Baal Koray. Notice that we never touch the letters in the Torah with our hands lest they smudge or invalidate any letters since this will invalidate the entire Torah. After touching the Torah, we kiss the tallit where we touched it to the scroll. We then take hold of the lower two “handles” of the Torah, hold the scroll open on the table and recite the blessing before the reading of the Torah. The line recited by the congregation is repeated by the honoree and then continues with the rest of the blessing. The honoree then steps to the side to allow the Baal Koray to read from the scroll.
When the reading is finished (each honor must have at least three sentences to be valid, some are quite longer since we don’t like to break up a story in the text) the Baal Koray will point to the place where the reading ended. Once again we touch the spot with the tallit or Torah binding and then take hold of the lower “handles” we close the scroll (don’t roll it or the Baal Koray could lose his place!!) And then we recite the blessings for after the reading.
When the honor is over, we don’t want to quickly leave the bima. We stay at the table for the following honor (the gabbi at the table will show you where to stand or just look where the person ahead of you stood and then take his or her place) When the following honor is finished, we exit the bima from the side farthest from the Torah table and shake hands with the people on the bima and those who are in the congregation as we come off the bima. They will say “Yashir Koah!” meaning, you should always be strong. The correct reply is “Baruch Yiheyeh” meaning, there should be a blessing upon you. This is a reminder that we bring a part of the sanctity of the Torah down with us as we return to our seats. Others want to shake our hand so that a part of that holiness will rub off on them.
When in doubt as to what to do, a gabbi or just about anyone else on the bima can guide you. (The exception may be the person who had the honor before you, he or she could be just as lost as you) Don’t be afraid to ask.
Certain times are appropriate for having an Aliyah. One can be so honored on a birthday or anniversary, on a day that is special at home (baby naming, birth of a son, bar or bat Mitzvah, or a pending wedding) or to celebrate something from work. One has an Aliyah when setting out on a long journey or when one returns safely home. One also has an honor before difficult surgery and after the recovery or after any life threatening experience. (There is a special blessing for escaping danger). If any of these apply the Rabbi may come to your side and recite a special prayer of thanksgiving, the “Mi Shebayrach” There is also a prayer when one has an honor on the yahrtzeit, the anniversary of the death of a close relative. Some congregations do not do these on Shabbat morning. One would come back for a Monday, Thursday or Saturday afternoon service for the special memorial prayer

April 28, 2003 – Number 12

Shavuot – The Forgotten Holiday

Shavuot is as important a holiday as Sukkot and Pesach. It is one of the three “foot festivals” (Shalosh Regalim) or pilgrimage festivals on the Jewish Calendar. The laws and celebrations are the same as Sukkot and Pesach and yet it is the one holiday that is often forgotten by Jews.
Pesach celebrates our freedom from slavery and Sukkot is about our wanderings in the desert. Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. One would think that this would be celebrated even more than the other two festivals and yet, most people can not remember the date of Shavuot. Pesach celebrates the spring, and Sukkot the fall harvest. Shavuot is about bringing in the first fruits. Once it was a festival of parades and joy, but now it is most often ignored. Why is Shavuot so easy to forget? The answer is difficult.
There is a question as to the actual date of Shavuot. If Shavuot always falls 50 days after the start of the Omer, the Omer then becomes days of anticipation as our ancestors moved from slavery to Torah. Remember, however, that there were many discussions as to when the Omer actually begins. Some say the first day of the count is the second day of Pesach (the way we indeed count today). This would make Shavuot always fall on the sixth day of Sivan. There were those who insisted that the Omer began on the first Shabbat of Pesach, thus making the date of Shavuot vary from year to year. We do not follow this method of counting but it seems to have had an effect on the way the Sages looked at Shavuot.
Like all of the pilgrimage festivals, Shavuot probably began as a celebration of the beginning of the summer harvest season with Sukkot as its end. The Rabbis of the Talmud later calculated that Shavuot would also be the time when the Ten Commandments were proclaimed on Mt. Sinai (Moses then spends 40 days on Sinai only to come down and find the people worshiping the Golden Calf. Moses then breaks the tablets on the 17th of Tammuz, a fast day on our calendar. Moses asks G-d to forgive the people for 40 days and then returns to Sinai for another 40 days, he returns with the Tablets of the Law on the 10th day of Tishre, Yom Kippur) Apparently in the Rabbinic period, there were sectarians who insisted that only the Ten Commandments were important, not the rest of the Torah. The Sages then reduced the importance of the Ten Commandments in the liturgy and in Jewish Law, choosing to emphasize the Shema and Amida instead. As the Ten Commandments were relegated to the liturgical “back seat” so too did Shavuot fall out of favor. We do not have any ritual objects for Shavuot, no matza, no lulav, no sukka, no seder.
The Rabbis of the Talmud refer to Shavuot as a concluding festival (Atzeret) for Pesach, one that falls 50 days after Pesach begins, similar to the way Shemini Atzeret is the concluding festival for Sukkot falling on the eighth day after Sukkot begins. Since Sukkot is on the edge of the rainy season, the concluding festival come at the very end of the holiday. Pesach marks the beginning of the dry season, and the early grain harvest so it allows those to go home for the harvest and return 50 days later for Shavuot. Standing in the shadow of Pesach, it is little wonder Shavuot does not get much attention.
The only ritual that really belongs to Shavuot alone is the custom of eating dairy. No one is really sure exactly why this is the custom on Shavuot. One legend holds that after the giving of the law at Sinai, the Israelites discovered that the laws for the slaughter of animals and the preparation of kosher meat was a long complicated affair. Since they were hungry, they opted to eat Dairy after the revelation and we eat dairy on this festival ever since. The dairy food of choice are cheese blintzes.
There is a custom from the mystical tradition that makes it very meritorious to study Torah all night on the first evening of Shavuot. Legend has it that G-d came down early on Mt. Sinai only to find Israel still fast asleep. They were so embarrassed we stay up all night to show how much we anticipate the giving of the Law. There are two customs as to what is studied. One has us study a section from each of the divisions of the Torah and of Rabbinic Liturature. The other would have us read about the Commandments, the book of Ruth or other text appropriate for the festival. The book of Ruth was assigned to Shavuot and is read on the first day since it is about the grain harvest and Ruth’s devotion to the Torah the brings her to convert to Judaism. The all night study session is called a “Tikkun L’el Shvuot” and when it does go all night, there is a quick Shacharit service at dawn so the participants can go home and get some sleep.
As with all festivals, there is a Yizkor service of memory on the final day of this two day holiday.

Next week: Reading Torah: How to Have an Aliyah.

April 28, 2003 – Number 11

Celebrations and the Omer

There is a wide belief that during the days of counting the Omer that one is prohibited from celebrating. This would not affect a Shabbat Bar/Bat Mitzvah since all such prohibitions are suspended for Shabbat. But it does mean that a wedding would not be scheduled. The prohibition falls upon any occasion that involved music and dancing. The reason for curtailing celebrations has to do with a story about a plague that devastated the student of Rabbi Akiva in the Talmudic period. This plage miraculously ended on the 33rd day of the Omer. For this reason the 33rd day (called Lag B’Omer) is a day where celebrations are permitted. It is also customary not to shave or cut hair during this time. There is no historical evidence of such a plague but one can find plenty of other reasons for seeing this season as one where celebrations should be curtailed. First of all it was harvest time and that alone is a reason for concern. Second almost every invasion of the land took place after Pesach and the end of the rainy season. As the roads became passable again, so to did trouble come down the road.
But the custom of refraining from celebrations is not as set as we might think. The rules for the Omer and celebrations are so convoluted that it almost defies reason. Some people only curtail their celebrations until Lag B’omer and they permit celebrations. Some say that the month of Nisan, containing the first two weeks of the Omer should not be a time for signs of mourning, Nisan is the month of our freedom and should be reserved for celebrations. The last week, the first week in the month of Sivan is by all accounts exempted from the ban on celebrations, leaving just four of the seven weeks under the ban.
The Rabbinical Assembly’s Law and Standards committee has recommended that celebrations should be curtailed from the beginning of the Omer until Lag B’Omer but on any day where “Tachnun” (prayers of penitence in the weekday Shacharit service) is NOT recited, celebrations would be allowed. This would include the end of the month of Sivan, the fifth day of Iyyar (Israel Independence day), Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem day, the day we celebrate the reunification of the city in 1967) and Rosh Hodesh for Iyyar and for Sivan. On these days celebrations are permitted and haircuts etc. are also allowed.
There are other days that are also observed during the Omer period. The 27th day of Nisan is Yom HaShoah, the day the Warsaw Ghetto uprising began. It is a day when we remember all the victims of Nazi Germany.
The 4th day of Iyyar, the day before Yom Haazmaut (Israel Independence day) is Yom HaZikaron, the Memorial Day for soldiers who have died defending the State of Israel.
The 14th day of Iyyar is Pesach Sheni, the “second” Pesach. In the Torah, it was observed by those who were too far from Jerusalem to observe Pesach or were not permitted to observe it because of ritual purity issues. This too is a day where Tachnun is not recited and celebrations permitted.
Lag B’Omer is more than just a special day in the Omer count. It is a minor holiday in its own right. It is also the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai, the Tamudic sage most often associated with Jewish Mysticism. It is a day of picnics and bonfires in Israel. American Jews also schedule picnics around this day. In the mystical community, it is a good day for an Upsheeran, the celebration of a boys first haircut. The city of Safat (near the tomb or Rabbi Shimon) is the place to be for haircuts on this day.
On Shabbat Afternoon, during the Omer, it is customary to read a chapter from Pirke Avot, an ethical section (massechet) of the Talmud. This begins the Shabbat after Pesach so there will be one Shabbat for each of the six chapters.

Next week: Shavuot: The Forgotten Yom Tov

Michelle K. Writes about counting the Omer:
I read an explanation about the counting, a midrash. It teaches that B’nai Yisrael knew that at the end of the proscribed time they would receive a special gift, and so they counted with excitement and anticipation. It compared the explanation to waitng for something really special and unordinary – like a bar mitzvah or a birthday. It helped to explain why people didn’t forget to count.
HMS replies:
Thanks, I really intended to add that information so thanks for reminding me. There actually are many midrashim and explanations about why we count the Omer and why it is important. Some relate it to the anticipation of receiving the law after the Exodus. Other see the Law as the “completion” of the Exodus as freedom without law is incomplete (take Iraq for instance) Some compare the count to waiting for a lover who will soon arrive, we count the days and the hours until we meet again, so too Israel longed to meet the Holy One. The real reason for the delay may be more prosaic, so the Midrash adds the element of anticipation and love.

April 28, 2003 – Number 10

The Omer

From Pesach to the holiday of Shavuot, we count the days of the Omer. There are two main reasons given for this count. The first reason has to do with the grain harvest. The grain harvest in ancient Israel began at the time of Pesach and continued for seven weeks. Each day a sheaf of grain, the measure needed was called “an omer,” was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem and dedicated there as a sacrifice to G-d. The other reason given was one that we can understand today given the situation in Iraq. On Pesach our people became free of the slavery of Pharaoh. But their freedom was incomplete. Or as one of my colleagues noted, “they were emancipated, but they were not free.” True freedom comes with commitment to the law. The law in Judaism is the Torah and the commemoration of the giving of the Torah is the Festival of Shavuot. Our ancient ancestors counted the days from the time of their emancipation until the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai. This is the count that we observe today.There was some rabbinic controversy as to when the count actually began. The Torah is unclear if the count should begin the day after the first Shabbat after Pesach begins, or does it begin with the “day that is like Shabbat” that is the day after the first day of Pesach. The difference would normally be only a few days and it is difficult to understand why the Sages argued so passionately for one or the other. Rabbi Louis Finkelstein, the former chancellor of JTSA and scholar of the age, suggested that there was an economic reason for the dispute. The grain from the new year could not be used at all until the first omer was brought to the Temple. Rabbi Finkelstein argued that the reason some sages did not want to delay the start of the Omer was to bring the new grain to market as quickly as possible. The grain from the old year was probably scarce and expensive and there would be an immediate price drop once the new grain hit the market. The issue was therefore an economic one that pitted the wealthy sages against those with less means.
The custom of counting the Omer takes on two methods of counting. Counting days and counting weeks. Each day is numbered for the entire seven weeks from one to forty-nine. In addition we count the weeks by counting “two weeks and one day…. two weeks and two days….two weeks and six days…. three weeks.” There is a blessing that is recited before the count in the evening and the count should be made after the Kaddish Shalem and before the Alenu of the Maariv service. If one forgets to count at night, one can count all through the next day without the blessing and pick up the count again that night. If, for any reason, one skips a day, than one can no longer count with the blessing.
Since the destruction of the Temple, we no longer bring in any offerings. The only ritual left is to count the days. Shavuot is always the 50th day, that is the day after the count is finished. If the count had started with Shabbat, there would be no fixed day for Shavuot. But since the custom is to begin the count at the end of the first day of Pesach, Shavuot will always fall on the sixth day of the month of Sivan.

Next week: Celebrations and the Omer

April 7, 2003 – Number 8

Preparing for Pesach 4

One of the first things one hears about keeping Kosher for Passover is the “ripoff” that Passover food represents. The reasons for this myth are many and to a certain extent there is a truth inside the myth. Passover food IS more expensive, but that does not mean that it must cost a fortune to keep Kosher for Passover. It only means, that for Pesach as for the rest of the year, we have to be savvy consumers.
Many common foods are simple to find for Pesach. All natural fruits and vegetables are Kosher for Passover year round. With the exception of legumes (most beans) all natural fruits and vegetables, either from the produce section or canned or frozen are OK for Passover, without special markings, as long as they are in their own natural juices and no additives are present. Most natural spices do not need certification. Corn, beans (excluding string beans) and peanuts are considered legumes and can not be used in Ashkenazic homes for Passover. Sephardim do use Legumes and they are available certified as kosher for Passover in Israel. The Masorti Rabbis, our colleagues in Israel have ruled that even Ashkenazim do not have to refrain from eating legumes anymore, but in the United States, because such foods would require supervision, and such supervision is not available, we can not, at this time allow our families to hold by this permission. The reason legumes are forbidden is full of problems and issues that no longer apply, but the Orthodox rabbanut in the United States, that certifies all Kosher for Passover foods does not permit legumes. Until they do, or until more Israeli foods are available, we are stuck in this situation.
Unprocessed meat, chicken and fish do not need extra certification other than being Kosher to begin with. When a kosher butcher says he is now “Kosher for Passover” it means that he has cleared out all the Hametz in his store and the meat will not have been in contact with hametz anymore. Obviously meat that has been breaded or processed in any way would need certification as being Kosher for Passover. This also applies to tuna, even canned tuna. Canned tuna does not need certification as long as it is packed in water. However, most water packed tuna is in reality packed in vegetable broth, which includes corn and legumes. ONLY tuna packed in plain water does not need certification.
Certification for Passover, whether or not it is on a sticker, a stamp or printed on the label, must have the name of the Rabbi who is certifying the product. All other labels are invalid. If a kosher symbol that has a copyright is used, it is valid. If the store posts a letter from a Rabbi that says the products are kosher, the letter should indicate which foods are covered by the letter and how to tell them apart from other products.. All foods in a “kosher for Passover” section of a store should not be assumed to be for Passover at all. The storekeepers often lump all kosher products together and don’t understand that there are differences. Most processed food for Passover is way overpriced. It is far cheaper to get some good recipes and make from scratch. All Matzah that is certified is the same. Get which ever is cheaper. Do not buy brand names unless the price is right. Often the off brands are less expensive. Also, many regular brands will get certification for Passover and not increase prices. It is always a good idea to patronize these companies. Watch for jelly, oils, juices and other canned foods who may participate in this way.
Finally, milk, some dairy products and meat should be purchased before Hametz is burned on the day before Passover. This way, any inadvertent hametz on the product will be nullified when we do the burning before 10 am that morning. Try and get enough to last for the entire week because if you run out, you will need certification and it may be hard to find during the latter days of the festival.
Next week: Selling, searching, burning Hametz and other ritual prior to Passover