Rabbi Ackerman's Blog
10/19/2011 - Shmini Atzeret and Gilad Shalit
Rabbi Alexandri said: It is akin to a king who had an occasion to celebrate; during the seven days of festivities, the king's son would concern himself with the guests. When the seven days of festivities concluded the king said to his son: "My son, I know that for the full seven days of festivities you have concerned yourself with the guests; now let's you and I celebrate for one day, and I will trouble you only with one rooster and one portion of meat."
Likewise on all seven days of festivities the Israelites busied themselves with the sacrificial offerings of the nations of the world...and when the seven days of the Festival concluded the Holy One said to Israel: "My children, I know that for the seven days of the Festival you have busied yourselves with the sacrificial offerings of the nations of the world; now you and I will celebrate together and I will trouble you only with one bull and one ram." When Israel heard these words they began to praise the Holy One saying: "This is the day that God has made, let us revel and rejoice in it [Psalm 118:24]." Pesikta d'Rav Kahana 28:9
This Midrash offers us a rationale for Shmini Atzeret, the Eighth Day of Assembly that arrives on the heels of Sukkot, the seven day harvest festival, often referred to simply as "The Festival." Sukkot's very public rituals bespeak an outward orientation; the harvest is celebrated visibly and openly, with an eye on the larger, outside world. Hence the notion that the sacrificial offerings of "The Festival", seventy all told, represent gifts made on behalf of the nations of the world, according to rabbinic tradition also seventy in number. Sukkot’s outward mode of celebration gives way, on Shmini Atzeret to a more inward and intimate style of rejoicing. God says to us: let’s stay in this evening and enjoy one another’s company.
The thought of a quiet, homey celebration at the end of the long cycle of very public and busy holidays of Tishrei has great appeal to me. This year, as all who love and care about Israel celebrate Gilad Shalit’s homecoming, that idea has added resonance and power. The public protests and demonstrations designed to help bring about Gilad’s release are now behind us; the interviews, and photo-ops, and homecoming parade – along with the requisite media frenzy of a truly extraordinary day – are now yesterday’s news. Today is the time for quiet celebration. As the Midrash puts it – v’achshav ani v’ata nismach yom ehad – now you and I will celebrate together for one day. Just us at home.
An Israeli friend of mine posted this on her Facebook page this morning – “Walked out my front door this morning and was greeted with this banner on the house across the street. These banners are plastered all over the country. "כמה טוב שבאת הביתה" (How good it is that you came home)”
The words on the banner come from an Israeli popular song, long a favorite. My friend lives one town away from the Shalit family, in a beautiful Galilean town called Kfar Vradim. One can feel the sense of relief and celebration in her words on Facebook.
One can feel the same mix of emotions in the lyrics of a brand new song recorded and released yesterday by Arik Einstein, one of the giants of Israeli popular music –
“Now that you are here” (words by Guy Bocati)
And we will never forget
The sweet moment
That we heard it was over
And that you are coming
To be near
A smile of innocent children
Took over our faces
The first shudder
After five years
Now that you are here
Take it slow
Don’t run fast
Remember, forget, laugh
You'll always be a hero
You are allowed to cry
Its not simple at all
To forgive fate
But now that you are here
You can have love
You can have a strong embrace
You can breathe deep
For five years the heart ticked
A clock ticking pain
The fear that you would not return
Killed our heart
We love
To hear your name
Now you are back
And there is a great love here
Take what is possible
Don’t dare to be shy
We have waited just to give you
Everything you ask for
But now that you are here….
Oh, how wonderful it is that you are here
How wonderful indeed. Hag Sameah to us all.
Previous Posts
10/19/2011 - Shmini Atzeret and Gilad Shalit (Most Recent) (Current display)10/11/2011 - Yom Kippur 5772
10/10/2011 - A Yom Kippur Prayer for Israel
10/10/2011 - Kol Nidre 5772
10/02/2011 - Two Rilke Poems for This Week
10/01/2011 - Rosh Hashana 5772 Day Two
10/01/2011 - Rosh Hashana 5772 Day One
08/11/2011 - Torah and Water
08/08/2011 - Tisha B`Av 5771
05/04/2011 - Israel: In Our Hearts, On Our Minds
04/20/2011 - Pesah 5771
02/25/2011 - Shabbat Vayakhel
11/22/2010 - Thinking About the Big Stuff
11/22/2010 - Varieties of Jewish Families
10/05/2010 - Bashevis Singer on God & Creativity
09/27/2010 - Yom Kippur 5771
09/22/2010 - Kol Nidre 5771
09/22/2010 - Rosh Hashanah First Day 5771
09/16/2010 - Toward Yom Kippur
08/02/2010 - Palestine in 1912
04/09/2010 ספירת העומר Omer Counting
03/27/2010 - Time Out From Pesah Cleaning Reading
01/23/2010 - Shavua Tov - A Prayer for Haiti
01/22/2010 - MLK Unity Service - Shabbat Bo
11/24/2009 - Parashat Vayetze & Thanksgiving
10/18/2009 - 30 Tishrei 5770 - Rosh Hodesh Heshvan
10/13/2009 - Rabbi Mordecai Waxman, a Tribute
09/28/2009 - Yom Kippur Sermon 5770
09/27/2009 - Kol Nidre Sermon 5770
09/21/2009 - Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day Sermon 5770
09/21/2009 - Rosh Hashanah First Day Sermon 5770
09/17/2009 - L`shana Tova Tikateivu v`Teihateimu
08/21/2009 - Rosh Hodesh Elul
08/18/2009 - The Torah of Trees
08/14/2009 - Parashat Re`eh
08/05/2009 - Tu B`Av [The 15th of Av]
07/24/2009 - Shabbat Devarim-Hazon
07/17/2009 - Parashat Matot-Masei
07/10/2009 - Parashat Pinchas