Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach! Because of the way the holidays fall, this week we read the Torah portions for Simchat Torah: V’Zot haB’racha & B’reishit: Deuteronomy 33:1-17 & Genesis 1:1-2:3.

 

I hope you will join us for services this week as we gather as a community to celebrate Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah AND Shabbat! On Friday night, beginning at 7:30 p.m., we will end and begin our cycle of Torah reading and study by reading the last verses of Deuteronomy and the first verses of Genesis. We will parade around the Sanctuary and social hall with our Torah scrolls. After each hakafah (Torah processional), we will distribute candy because learning Torah is sweet! We will sing, we will dance, we will have fun – and we will share in yummy desserts afterward!

 

On Saturday morning, we will incorporate both Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah observances in our service, including seven hakafot and dancing with the Torah. We will finish with the special memorial service of Yizkor at approximately 12:15.

 

Torah Question of the Week:

When you are faced with disappointment, what do you do? And if someone has disappointed you, do you hold a grudge? In this week’s Torah portion, Moses is denied the opportunity to cross into the land of Canaan with the Israelites (whom he had just chastised in Parashat Ha’azinu). But his final act before his death is a poem of blessing for each individual tribe, not an outpouring of resentment or anger that they will enter the land and he will not. How can you turn disappointment into something constructive?

 

 

You can read the (relatively short) Torah portions here:    

V’Zot haB’racha: https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.1-33.17?lang=bi&aliyot=0

B’reishit: https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.1.1-2.3?lang=bi&aliyot=0

 

Want to read some commentary or find more information?

 

Here are some good sources on Sh’mini Atzeret:

https://www.jtsa.edu/post-torah/holiday/shemini-atzeret/

https://www.rabbisacks.org/jewish-festivals/shemini-atzeret/ 

 

And here are some on Simchat Torah:

https://www.jtsa.edu/post-torah/holiday/simhat-torah/

https://www.rabbisacks.org/jewish-festivals/simchat-torah/ 

 

And here are some on both:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/category/celebrate/shemini-atzeretsimchat-torah/

https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/shmini-atzeret-and-simchat-torah

 

I hope to see you at services! Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!

 

— Rabbi Adrienne : )