Rabbi Ackerman's Blog
10/18/2009 - 30 Tishrei 5770 - Rosh Hodesh Heshvan
The idea of new beginnings stands as the central theme of the just concluding Hebrew month of Tishrei. Tishrei, of course, marks the start of a new year on the Jewish calendar. As 5770 began, a mere four weeks ago on Rosh Hashanah, we declared together – hayom harat ‘olam – today is the birth of the world. In Jewish life, the year begins in dramatic fashion, many of us gathered in one spot, commemorating the moment with the blowing of the shofar, vowing, or at least hoping, to make this year better than the last.Looking back on Tishrei in its waning hours, I’m taken with a somewhat different image. Tishrei actually teaches the lesson of starting slowly, of making something of a rolling start. And in this regard, I think, Tishrei’s pattern is remarkably true to life. Here’s what I mean.
Yes, the month and the year began with Rosh Hashanah and its claim of new birth. Only ten days later, we sought to cancel the vows of the past year and those of the coming year by joining in the Kol Nidre prayer, in a tangible sense beginning 5770 once more. Five days after Yom Kippur, the first day of Sukkot arrived. The Torah calls that day yom ha-rishon – THE first day, a label that leads the Midrash to define Sukkot as day one in our annual tabulation of good (and alas some not so good) deeds. 5770 began again on that day, the 15th of Tishrei.
And then there’s the Torah reading cycle which come to theatrical conclusion and rebooting on Simchat Torah – the 23rd of Tishrei – and begins yet again on Shabbat Bereshit, the first ‘normal’ Shabbat of the year. Shabbat Bereshit always falls in the waning days of Tishrei, in 5770 on the 29th of the month.
Tishrei’s rolling start looks a lot like our lives. Big things really do get off to a gradual start. Relationships, major projects, large historical processes, among other examples, come readily to mind. We don’t simply race off from some arbitrary starting line at the race’s beginning. To the contrary, the big things in our lives involve warm ups and acclimation and do-overs. As Tishrei morphs into Heshvan with two days of Rosh Hodesh, I hope that we will all be able to take some time to reflect on the many new beginnings in our lives.
And please don’t panic that Tishrei’s end marks the conclusion of the process of beginning again. As the siddur reminds us daily, God renews the work of Creation each and every day. Hodesh Tov (and still Shanah Tovah).
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11/24/2009 - Parashat Vayetze & Thanksgiving
10/18/2009 - 30 Tishrei 5770 - Rosh Hodesh Heshvan (Current display)
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