IT SHOULD ONLY COME TO PASS

Tishrei 20, 5783 / October 14-15, 2022

Shabbat Chol Hamo'ed Sukkot 

Torah: Exodus 33:12 - 34:26 

Maftir: Numbers 29:26-31

Haftarah: Ezekiel 38:18 - 39:16

Book of Ecclesiastes 

Tishrei 22 / October 16-17
Sh’mini Atzeret
Torah: Deuteronomy 14:22 – 16:17
Maftir: Numbers 29:35 – 30:1
Haftarah: 1 Kings 8:54-66
 
Tishrei 23 / October 17-18
Simchat Torah
Torah:  23 Deuteronomy 33:1 – 26; Genesis 1:1 – 2:3
Maftir: Numbers 29:35 – 30:1
Haftarah: Joshua 1:1-18

Some excellent on-line resources are available for Sukkot/Sh’mini Atzeret/Simchat Torah at:
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/ 

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This d'var torah is offered in memory of my aunt, Helen Schugar, who passed away on Tuesday. Y'hi zikhronah liv'rakhah - Her memory is a blessing.

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.
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Lunch and Learn meets Tuesdays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. On October 18, we'll be at BT Shabbat 22a - page 114 of Ein Ya'akov Volume 1 -

 "...אמר רב כהנא דרש רב נתן בר מניומי" - "R. Cahana said that R. Nathan b. Minyumi expounded:..."

 
NOTE: Yes, we are meeting on the second day of Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah. Our community is now following the Land of Israel calendar for Yom Tov observances, so for us the second day of Yom Tov is Chol Hamoed, or in the case of Tishrei 23, Isru Chag (the day after a festival). I have identified the Torah/Haftarah readings for the Diaspora calendar for the benefit of those who observe that custom.  

Ein Ya'akov is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at: 
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630 
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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 

Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
 
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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IT SHOULD ONLY COME TO PASS
 
“V'zot Hab'rakhah” is the concluding parashah of the Torah, and it is not read on a Shabbat, but only on the holiday of Simchat Torah. It is also notable for being chanted on the night of Simchat Torah (the only nighttime Torah reading of the year). The opening words are, "And this is the blessing by which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites before his death." Deuteronomy 33:1

"The Death of Moses" - Providence Lithograph Company, 1907

Near the conclusion of his blessing, Moses says the following: "And Israel shall dwell in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone; in a land of corn and wine, yea, his heavens shall drop down dew." Deuteronomy 33:28

Some of the classic commentaries on the above verse suggest that the Jewish people were to dwell solitarily, as punishment for their sins. According to them, this was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple as described in the Book of Lamentations, and the subsequent Babylonian Exile. 

However, Rashi (who was also a vintner) rejects such a reading, and has a very different understanding of the verse. He comments: "Each individual will be dispersed under his own vine and fig tree, without any need of coming together out of fear of the enemy."

This seems much more in keeping with the idea of a blessing. What a blessing it would be if everyone, Jew, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, any religion, no religion, not to mention various political positions, could reside in peace and tranquility under the Biblical symbols of plenty, the vine and the fig tree. We should also note the conjunction of this parashah and the Festival of Sukkot, which concludes on Sunday. We will have spent a week praying that God would shelter us within God’s Sukkat Shalom, the Tent of Peace.
 
So, in the spirit of Rashi, I offer this simple prayer: Harachaman hu yivarekh otanu kulanu yachad b'virkat shalom - May the Merciful One bless us, all of us together as one, with the blessing of peace.
 
Mo’adim L’Simchah! Chagim Uz’manim L’sason! Shabbat Shalom! Chag Shemini Atzeret Sameach! Chag Simchat Torah Sameach!
 
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier
.אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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