SHEMINI ATZERET

Even though Shemini Atzeret is attached to Sukkot and its name means ‘an assembly/gathering on the eighth day [from the beginning of Sukkot]’, it is, in fact, a festival in its own right. This is indicated by the fact that the mitzvoth of the four species, sukkah and the water libation do not apply on Shemini Atzeret as they do on the seven days of Sukkot. In the Diaspora, we do eat in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret for a technical reason but we do not recite the blessing as we do throughout Sukkot itself. Furthermore, the Torah prescribes an entirely different sacrifice for Shemini Atzeret that does not resemble those brought on Sukkot.

The very absence of mitzvoth is the uniqueness and greatness of Shemini Atzeret, for it is a day on which we can connect directly with Hashem without the need for any “intermediaries.” The Talmud likens the festival to a private audience between the king and his closest associate before parting company and returning to their regular routines. Likewise, we spend one last day with Hashem before returning to the year’s challenges and difficulties.

On Shemini Atzeret we recite Hallel as well as Yizkor and the chazzan also sings the prayer for rain (teffilat geshem). This prayer for rain is not recited on Sukkot as it is considered a bad omen if it rains on Sukkot since it would preclude us from dwelling in the sukkah.

SIMCHAT TORAH

Simchat Torah is the name we give to the second day of Shemini Atzeret in the Diaspora, whereas in Israel, the two days are combined into one. For many centuries, it has been the custom of Jews worldwide to complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah on Simchat Torah and to celebrate the beginning of a new cycle. The Talmud frequently mentions that when one completes a long-term mitzvah, one should celebrate it publicly, as the sage Abaye said in Tractate Shabbat: “Let it be allowed to me that when I see a Torah scholar who has completed the study of a tractate of the Talmud, I will make a great feast for all of the students!”

On the evening and again on the morning of Simchat Torah, we sing and dance as we rejoice with the Torah scrolls while carrying them around the bimeh (hakafot). We call every man in the shul to receive an aliyah as well as all the young children (kol hane’arim). We also honour two congregants with the privilege of completing the Torah (Chatan Torah) and starting the new cycle from the Book of Genesis (Chatan Bereishit).  These two honourees usually sponsor a meal or Kiddush Bracha to which all the congregants are invited.

THE SIMCHAT TORAH PROJECT

Shuls around the world including Claremont Wynberg Hebrew Congregation will open their Aron HaKodesh on Simchat Torah night, Thursday 24 October, and take out several Torah scrolls. One will be adorned with a new cover, designed to mark the first yahrzeit of October 7th. This cover will be identical to the ones which will be created for 1600 shuls across the world. This beautifully designed cover will proclaim that this Torah is dedicated in memory of the 1200 souls and the many soldiers and hostages who have since died, Al Kiddush Hashem.

Each Torah cover will feature the name of one of the kedoshim (holy souls/victims) embroidered on it. Communities around the world will dance with these Torah scrolls – thousands of communities, with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Jews, being connected through this project.

Join us on Simchat Torah as we reveal our beautiful new Torah cover. The cover has been purchased with shul funds and belongs to every member. However, should you like to make a contribution to offset the cost, please use the shul’s banking details with the reference: “Torah cover + your name”.  Please note that at the time of writing the cover was still in customs, we hope it will arrive in time!

BEREISHIT – SWORDS AND PLOUGHS

When I first visited Israel in 1991, my group went to the Western Wall for the Friday evening service. On our way back to our accommodation, we stopped at a small Yeshiva in the Arab quarter of the Old City. I will never forget the sight that greeted me when we entered the dining room. A dozen Yeshiva students were seated around the dinner table, enjoying their Shabbat meal – each one with a rifle within easy reach in the event of an attack from their neighbours! This unusual scene brought to mind a custom recorded in the Code of Jewish Law (Orach Chaim 180:5) in its discussion of the laws of Birkat HaMazon (Grace after meals): ”We are accustomed to cover the knives during the recitation of the bentsching.” The commentators explain that the source for this custom is the Torah’s prohibition to use metal when building the altar in the Temple. The altar was intended to assist in the atonement process of a sinner and was therefore an instrument that extended one’s life by warding off punishment. Consequently, it was inappropriate to use metal (and especially iron) in its construction as metal is used to manufacture weapons that shorten a person’s life. Since the table on which we eat our festive meals and praise God takes the place of the altar, we therefore cover the knives as a reminder that metal can cause death and destruction. The presence of weapons at a Friday night dinner seemed to me totally opposite to the intention of our Sages.

Many years later, I came across a discussion in the Talmud (Shabbat chapter 4 Mishna 4) that jogged my memory of that Friday evening. The context of the discussion was the laws relating to transferring objects from one domain to another on Shabbat. Normally one cannot transfer objects unless they are part of one’s clothing or jewellery. The Talmud rules: “One may not go out of his domain on Shabbat wearing a sword, a bow and arrow, a shield, a club or a spear and if he does, he is liable to bring a sin-offering [in atonement for breaking Shabbat]. Rabbi Eliezer says: They are considered decorative items [and may be worn].” Their argument is not during wartime or a period of danger when it would be permissible to wear weapons for self-defence, rather the discussion centres on whether weapons can be considered decorative parts of one’s attire.  In many societies it was considered dashing and elegant for a man to appear in full battle regalia at state

functions, with a sword hanging at his side. Rabbi Eliezer therefore permits them on the basis that they can be considered part of one’s clothing. The first opinion disagrees by quoting a verse from the Prophet Isaiah (Chapter 2:4): “He will judge among the nations, and will settle the argument of many peoples. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.” The Sages contend that if weapons are considered decorative and attractive, then why will they become obsolete in the future?  Rather, they must be a necessary evil and cannot be considered in a positive or romantic light.

In our parsha, we find two similar opposing views in regards weapons. The Torah tells us of a man called Tuval-Kayin, an eighth generation descendant of Adam (Bereishit 4:22): “He was the first who sharpened all cutting implements of copper and iron.” Tuval-Kayin was the pioneer of the metal industry having discovered how to melt and shape copper and iron. But his purpose was not benign. Rashi explains that the name Tuval-Kayin literally means, “He who perfected the art of Cain, [his ancestor].” Cain was the first murderer and his descendant, Tuval-Kayin, prepared weapons of metal to assist other murderers. Tuval-Kayin began a trend that has never ceased – he pioneered a technology to further the means of the military. To this day, countless inventions in all fields – electronics, broadcasting, clothing, vehicle manufacture, etc. have all been as a direct or indirect spin-off of warfare.

Tuval-Kayin’s opposite is Noah, whom we encounter at the end of the parsha. The Torah introduces him as follows (Bereishit 5:28-9): “And Lemech lived 182 years and fathered a son (ben) and he called his name Noah, meaning ‘this one will bring us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands from the ground that God cursed.’” Rashi points out that only in reference to the birth of Noah does the Torah use the word son, ben, whereas in all the previous generations, it merely records the name of the child and omits the word son or daughter. He therefore explains that the word must be understood differently as coming from the root ‘to build’ (binyan). This is because, from Noah and his sons, the world was rebuilt after the flood and also because he was the first person to fashion agricultural instruments such as the plough. Unlike Tuval-Kayin who used metal for destruction, Noah employed technology to assist and further the cause of mankind by making tools of farming.

Late in 2003, the Israeli who invented the Uzi submachine gun passed away. Even though he probably achieved much in his life, he will forever be remembered as the inventor of this efficient killing weapon, in the same way that Tuval-Kayin is forever remembered as the father of ancient warfare. The Jewish approach to weapons is that although we might need them for protective purposes, as has certainly been the case this last year, we should never be comfortable with them. We must never romanticise them or desire to own them.

May we soon experience the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “Nation will not lift sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.”   

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Chag Sameach & Good Shabbos!

Rabbi Liebenberg

Rabbi’s YouTube message for Sukkot: https://youtu.be/E3tM_RkE8_8?si=X-Br_Qs92hcIvA5E

For parshat Bereishit: https://youtu.be/rkq1Qscey9c?si=xRi3IWS6ZpqHBaEg

*Friday 1 and Shabbat 2 October – Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan

The month of Cheshvan is associated with the beginning of the rainy season in the Land of Israel. The month is also referred to as Marcheshvan, where the word ‘mar’ means a drop of water. The Great Deluge in the times of Noah began in Cheshvan. Others explain that the word ‘mar’ means ‘bitter’ and that Cheshvan is a bitter month because it contains no festivals. The Molad (appearance of the new moon) for Cheshvan is on Friday 1 November at 16h05 and 14 chalakim (a chelek, literally a “portion”, is a Talmudic measure of time equal to one-eighteenth of a minute, or 3 and 1/3 seconds).