August 29, 2003 D'var Torah

Dear BSO Congregant,

This is what I hope will be the first installment of a regular weekly D'var Torah e-mail I wish to send to you. My intention is to share either a Torah lesson or some information about special rituals which will take place in the week following this e-mail message. I hope you will find the contents of these messages to be instructive and helpful.

This coming Shabbat, August 29-30, 2003 - Elul 2, 5763, we will be reading Parshat Shoftim (annual cycle - Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9; triennial cycle Deuteronomy 18:6 - 19:13).

The Haftarah is from Isaiah 51:12 -52:12 and it is the fourth of seven consecutive Haftarot of consolation (referred to in Aramaic as "shiva d'nehamta"), all of which are taken from the prophecy of Isaiah. The first is recited on the Shabbat immediately following Tisha B'Av and the seventh is recited on the Shabbat immediately preceding Rosh Hashanah.

Wednesday evening, August 27 begins a two-day observance of Rosh Hodesh Elul. Elul is the final month in the Hebrew calendar year. When the outgoing month (in this case Av) has 30 days, then the 30th day of the outgoing month and the first day of the new month are both observed and celebrated as Rosh Hodesh. Wednesday evening, August 27 coincides with Av 30 and Thursday evening, August 28 coincides with Elul 1.

Because Elul is the last month of the year and since it leads us directly to Rosh Hashanah, Jewish tradition introduces at least two important rituals beginning with Elul 1. Starting on Thursday evening, August 28 we add the recitation of Psalm 27 (pages 40-43 in Siddur Sim Shalom). The theme of this psalm is most appropriate for the season of repentance. It is to be recited every evening and morning up until the morning of Hoshana Rabba (the last morning of Sukkot) which this year occurs on Friday, October 17, 2003. This psalm may be recited whether davening individually or with a minyan. Even if you do not pray regularly at home, I recommend you take a moment once or twice a day beginning on Thursday evening, August 28 to recite this psalm.

The second ritual which begins on Elul 1 is the daily sounding of the shofar. In this case we begin on the morning of Elul 1, or on Friday, August 29. While the preference is to sound the shofar at the end of the daily Shaharit service, this rabbinic mitzvah may be fulfilled at any time during the daylight hours. Ironically, while
the purpose of sounding the shofar is to awaken our spirits, I must be careful in my home not to sound the shofar too early as I may inadvertently awaken more than the spirits of my family members. If you have a shofar at home start sounding it beginning Friday, August 29. Do not sound the shofar on Shabbat, and do not sound the shofar on Erev Rosh Hashanah, Friday, September 26. We separate the rabbinic mitzvah of sounding the shofar in Elul with the Torah mitzvah of sounding the shofar on Rosh Hashanah by refraining from sounding the shofar on the day before Rosh Hashanah.

(If you want to be confused, read the following - since the first day of Rosh Hashanah is on Shabbat this year, and therefore we will not sound the shofar on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, some but not most authorities, recommend sounding the shofar this year on the day before Rosh Hashanah and using the first day of Rosh Hashanah which falls on Shabbat as the day of separation between the rabbinic and Torah mitzvot.)

According to Siddur Rinat Yisrael the customary sounds of the shofar during the days of Elul are: Tekiah, Shevarim, Teruah, Tekiah.

Our service on Friday night, August 29 will begin at 7:30 p.m. Our service on Shabbat morning, August 30 will begin at 9:15 a.m. during which we will celebrate the Aufruf of Marc Goncher and Brynne Klasky. Mazel Tov to their families.

Our service on Sunday morning, August 31 will begin at 9:00 a.m.

Our services on Monday, September 1 will begin at 9:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Philip Pohl