Daily Kavanot
Writings of reflection by the Stephen Wise Temple clergy.
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Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Hallel is a section of prayer recited during the morning service for particular festivals. The word itself means praise, and the service is comprised of six Psalms (113-118). For this week of Chol HaMoed Sukkot, we will look at some of the Hallel Psalms. Sukkot and Hanukkah are the only multi-day holidays on which Hallel is recited in full throughout the festival days. It is also recited in its entirety on Shavuot and the first two days of Passover; it is not recited at all on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or Purim. The main difference between the Full and the "Partial" Hallel service is the inclusion—or lack thereof—of verses from Psalm 115 and 116. Psalm 115, verses 2-3, make the statement: Why should the nations say, "Say, where is their God?" But our God is in the heavens, all that God has wanted, God has done. And Psalm 116, verse [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, October 2, 2023
Hallel is a section of prayer recited during the morning service for particular festivals. The word itself means praise, and the service is comprised of six Psalms (113-118). For this week of Chol HaMoed Sukkot, we will look at some of the Hallel Psalms. I have always loved the Hebrew phrase chol hamoed, literally translated to "the ordinary within the Festival." Calendrically, it refers to the intermediate days of Sukkot and Passover; it is the days that are not festivals—meaning no restrictions on work—but are still within the holiday time. To me, there is a real beauty in that between, in time and space that is either/or, that is both/and. Psalm 114 is one of the Psalms recited at every recitation of Hallel, and begins with this phrase—and this memory—בְּצֵאת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם. It is most often translated as "In their going out from Egypt." Stretching back to my days of Hebrew [...]
Daily Kavanah – Shabbat Message From Rabbi Yoshi – Friday, September 29, 2023
Tonight begins the holiday of Sukkot, our Festival of Booths. My favorite story about the holiday is one I've shared with you before: It’s about the Tzanzer Rebbe (Rabbi Chaim of Tzanz, 1793-1876). It was Rabbi Chaim's custom on the eve of Sukkot to distribute tzedakah generously. He would go about town from house to house making sure the needs of the most vulnerable were met—a basket of food for this family, new clothes for another. One year before the holiday, he told his congregation that he wanted to collect several thousand rubles in order to support families that were experiencing financial difficulties. In no time at all, his generous community donated the necessary funds and then Rabbi Chaim went out immediately to distribute them to those in need. That evening, as the festive holiday began, he entered his sukkah and taught: "It is our custom to decorate our sukkot [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, September 28, 2023
Our New York City Sukkah: The Challenge (Part 2 of 2) By Rabbi David Woznica As described in yesterday's writing, New York City (indeed, many an urban center) poses a challenge when it comes to the question of where to erect a sukkah. Here's what we did. Taking the freight elevator to the basement of our building (you might imagine the experience of going through the basement of a building erected before the First World War with few—if any—updates), we exited the rear basement door and entered a courtyard. I'll ask you to suspend whatever positive image you may have of a "courtyard" for the duration of this piece. This concrete courtyard abutted three other concrete courtyards of the adjoining buildings. Peering straight up, one is treated to a sliver of sky. The courtyards were separated by chain-link fences of approximately 10 feet in height. Apparently more is needed [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Our New York City Sukkah: The Challenge (Part 1 of 2) By Rabbi David Woznica I was fortunate to spend 13 exciting years in New York City before joyfully returning to my native Los Angeles in 2001. I had many memorable Jewish experiences in the Big Apple. The holiday of Sukkot stands out for reasons you are not likely to expect. Here's the challenge: Where does one build a sukkah in New York City (or any urban center)? My family's last apartment was on the upper west side of Manhattan at the intersection of West End Avenue and 104th Street. There were many practicing Jews in the building (a few Orthodox and many non-Orthodox-but-observant). This Jewish make-up was common in our neighborhood. Virtually everyone in Manhattan lives in apartment buildings. Balconies are rare and usually very small. There are virtually no back or front yards. Like many cities, it [...]