This morning, the Cheder ran a wonderful Pesach event. Each teacher ran a station, and we took the children on a journey through the Seder night, and from slavery into freedom. Pesach often seems to both children and adults as a repetitive event, reading the same story each year, year after year. But in fact, Pesach is a many leveled festival, and the tool to uncovering this depth is the art of questioning. Not resting on what one knows already, but questioning to uncover deeper meaning. In fact Pesach can also be read as Peh Sach - or the mouth that talks. It is all about talking and communicating.
Anyway, back to our Cheder. The children had a great morning, and learnt plenty as well. We are proud of our Cheder which is educating our children to be knowledgable and proud Jewish children. If you read my blog and have children coming into Year 1 this year and you would like to apply to the Cheder that would be great. Information is on e-thos.
On Shabbat, my sermon was on the topic of the Blessing of the Sun, which happens once every 28 years. It represents the return of the sun from our perspective to the time and place in which it was created by G-d. I posted some links last week for info on this.
Next week will see a first I believe - a separate Muswell Hill Youth Service called MHY Space. If you are 12 years and older, then come along to the Beth Hamedrash at 10.30pm and be part of this great experience which I sincerely hope will continue! This is a great way to get teenagers involved and bring them into Shul. We also look forward to Tribe Club's Pesach performance this coming Wednesday afternoon - come along and support the club. It started in September 08 with about 4 children and now has 25 coming along weekly and enjoying some fun in a Jewish environment.
Remember - to hand or send in the sale of chametz form which should be in before the morning of April 8th. If you have any question on Pesach, do not hesitate to be in touch with me.
If you would like some more in depth learning about Pesach, then look at this link from the Har Etzion Yeshiva's Virtual Beit Midrash:
http://www.vbm-torah.org/pesach.htm
I wish you all a Shavua Tov, and be in touch with any of your Pesach questions
Rabbi David
Sunday 29 March 2009
Tuesday 24 March 2009
Article: The Blessing over Trees
Our religion is full of interesting and meaningful customs and laws that connect to the world around us. We are about to experience the obligation of two blessings that are not said very often at all. The first, the blessing of Trees or Birkhat HaIlanot is said annually; but the second blessing over the Sun is said once in 28 years. It was last said in 1981 when I was at Cheder in Edinburgh, and will be next said when I will please G-d have reached retirement age...just about!
Let us look here at the blessing on Trees.
The source of this blessing is the Talmud, which in Tractate Berachot 43b states:
“Says Rav Yehudah, ‘The one who goes out in Nisan and sees trees in blossom, should say ‘Blessed is the one who does not lack anything in His world and created in it good creations and good and pleasant trees in order for people to derive benefit’’”.
This statement finds itself in the major codes of Jewish law, including Rambam’s code and in the Shulchan Aruch of Rabbi Yosef Karo. However there are a few questions surrounding the blessing that have differing opinions:
• The time of the blessing. Although the Talmud clearly states Nisan, some early authorities felt that this was not being totally specific and was a rough guide. If trees blossomed in Adar this would also be an acceptable time to bless, and if trees did not blossom until Sivan this also would be fine. There is an opinion that one should not however bless on almond blossom that buds before Nisan. The point here is that one knows that almonds blossom early regularly each year. If a tree blossoms unusually early one year, the blessing is permitted to be said.
• Should we make a blessing when fruit buds. There is an opinion of an early authority known as the Mordechai (1250-1298, German rabbi) that one should bless a second time when fruit begins to form on the tree, although this is rejected by most authorities, including the Shulchan Aruch who clearly states ‘one should only bless once each year, and if one delayed to bless until the fruit had grown, he should not any more bless’.
• One tree or many trees. There is one way of beautifying the saying of this blessing which is to say it on more than one tree, not a single one. In fact the version of the Talmud that is in our hands has the word ‘trees’ in the plural, which could be understood as one being required to bless on sight of a number of trees, not one. Again, this in best practise so to speak in performing the blessing, however if one blessed over one tree it is acceptable. The Caf HaChayim a modern day Sephardi authority actually suggest that the best way to recite the blessing is in a minyan and followed by kaddish. It is also best practise to say the blessing on Rosh Chodesh Nisan itself.
• Blessings are divided into different categories, and an interesting question in what category would the blessing on trees fall into. Some say that it is blessing where one gains benefit, like blessings over consuming food, or nice smells. An alternate understanding is that it is a blessing of praise of G-d. In fact this difference can impact on halacha regarding the blessing. For instance if I should only bless on fruit trees, I could imply that it is the benefit to me that is important here. But if I hold that I could bless even on non-fruit trees that simply look beautiful, the blessing would seem to be one of praising G-d for the diversity that He created in the world.
The idea that would seem to rise out of reciting this blessing is that G-d’s creation was built purposefully for the benefit of humankind. There is nothing lacking in creation that cannot match our needs, and fruit trees are representative of this diversity. It may be that we bless when the blossom grows because we know at that point that fruit is on its way. Kabbalists derive much meaning from this blessing, discussing through it concepts such as renewal, and even transmigration of the soul into the animal or vegetable world.
Let us look here at the blessing on Trees.
The source of this blessing is the Talmud, which in Tractate Berachot 43b states:
“Says Rav Yehudah, ‘The one who goes out in Nisan and sees trees in blossom, should say ‘Blessed is the one who does not lack anything in His world and created in it good creations and good and pleasant trees in order for people to derive benefit’’”.
This statement finds itself in the major codes of Jewish law, including Rambam’s code and in the Shulchan Aruch of Rabbi Yosef Karo. However there are a few questions surrounding the blessing that have differing opinions:
• The time of the blessing. Although the Talmud clearly states Nisan, some early authorities felt that this was not being totally specific and was a rough guide. If trees blossomed in Adar this would also be an acceptable time to bless, and if trees did not blossom until Sivan this also would be fine. There is an opinion that one should not however bless on almond blossom that buds before Nisan. The point here is that one knows that almonds blossom early regularly each year. If a tree blossoms unusually early one year, the blessing is permitted to be said.
• Should we make a blessing when fruit buds. There is an opinion of an early authority known as the Mordechai (1250-1298, German rabbi) that one should bless a second time when fruit begins to form on the tree, although this is rejected by most authorities, including the Shulchan Aruch who clearly states ‘one should only bless once each year, and if one delayed to bless until the fruit had grown, he should not any more bless’.
• One tree or many trees. There is one way of beautifying the saying of this blessing which is to say it on more than one tree, not a single one. In fact the version of the Talmud that is in our hands has the word ‘trees’ in the plural, which could be understood as one being required to bless on sight of a number of trees, not one. Again, this in best practise so to speak in performing the blessing, however if one blessed over one tree it is acceptable. The Caf HaChayim a modern day Sephardi authority actually suggest that the best way to recite the blessing is in a minyan and followed by kaddish. It is also best practise to say the blessing on Rosh Chodesh Nisan itself.
• Blessings are divided into different categories, and an interesting question in what category would the blessing on trees fall into. Some say that it is blessing where one gains benefit, like blessings over consuming food, or nice smells. An alternate understanding is that it is a blessing of praise of G-d. In fact this difference can impact on halacha regarding the blessing. For instance if I should only bless on fruit trees, I could imply that it is the benefit to me that is important here. But if I hold that I could bless even on non-fruit trees that simply look beautiful, the blessing would seem to be one of praising G-d for the diversity that He created in the world.
The idea that would seem to rise out of reciting this blessing is that G-d’s creation was built purposefully for the benefit of humankind. There is nothing lacking in creation that cannot match our needs, and fruit trees are representative of this diversity. It may be that we bless when the blossom grows because we know at that point that fruit is on its way. Kabbalists derive much meaning from this blessing, discussing through it concepts such as renewal, and even transmigration of the soul into the animal or vegetable world.
Sunday 22 March 2009
Diary Entry
Welcome to my first posting in a new weekly Diary blog, as Rabbi of Muswell Hill Synagogue where you will get to hear about my Rabbinic week. In fact this past week was one of firsts - and not just the first time in decades that Fulham beat Manchester United at the Cottage! On Wednesday evening I hosted the Whisky club and about 16 whisky lovers converged on the Rabbinic home for an evening of great whisky and interesting halachic thought - can one dring whisky that has matured in a sherry cask...and we somehow found ourselves talking about when one would celebrate Shabbat in space!
The other first was my first venture into Fortismere Senior School to lead a Jewish Society meeting. I brought in Pizza, chips and drinks for the children, sponsored by Tribe, and we had a really interesting discussion on different concepts of Liberty, which of course connects in to Pesach, the festival of Liberty. I discussed with them Isaiah Berlin's famous 'Essay on Liberty'and the difference between positive freedom and negative freedom. Is freedom simply to be free to do what one wants, or being freed from our negative and destructive desire. They found this very interesting, and I will hopefully be going in once every month...with the pizza of course.
Shabbat saw the longest parasha for quite a time - and the first double portion since September 2007.
At Cheder, we are preparing for a Cheder Seder Experience this coming Sunday, and are proud that we sent packages of mishloach manot to children in Rovno, our twin community. Thanks to Jacqui Waltz for sending this, and to the Cheder children for packing them. We received mishloah manot from Rovno and consumed them last week in Cheder.
This year sees the reciting of a blessing that is only recited every 28 years - the blessing of the sun. The basis for the blessing is that the sun began its 'revolution' as seen from earth on the beginning of the fourth day of creation (Tuesday evening) and will return to this beginning point in time every 28 years. This year the time for reciting this blessing will be after Morning service on Wednesday April 8th, which will be erev Pesach. It is best to say this blessing with a minyan, so you may want to come to Shul for the service that will be held erev Pesach.
Here are two web links which give some good information on the sources for this blessing and the astronomy background to it:
http://www.kehillaton.com/en/articles_birkat_hachama.asp?c=1
http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2009/03/hachama-betkufata-overview-of-birkat.html
I have also written a piece about another blessing that is said annually - the blessing over trees. I will post that as a separate article on this blog.
FACEBOOK GROUP - If you are on Facebook then you are welcome to join my group Ask Rabbi David Mason where you can ask me questions and where I will post articles and links of Jewish interest.
Have a great week!
The other first was my first venture into Fortismere Senior School to lead a Jewish Society meeting. I brought in Pizza, chips and drinks for the children, sponsored by Tribe, and we had a really interesting discussion on different concepts of Liberty, which of course connects in to Pesach, the festival of Liberty. I discussed with them Isaiah Berlin's famous 'Essay on Liberty'and the difference between positive freedom and negative freedom. Is freedom simply to be free to do what one wants, or being freed from our negative and destructive desire. They found this very interesting, and I will hopefully be going in once every month...with the pizza of course.
Shabbat saw the longest parasha for quite a time - and the first double portion since September 2007.
At Cheder, we are preparing for a Cheder Seder Experience this coming Sunday, and are proud that we sent packages of mishloach manot to children in Rovno, our twin community. Thanks to Jacqui Waltz for sending this, and to the Cheder children for packing them. We received mishloah manot from Rovno and consumed them last week in Cheder.
This year sees the reciting of a blessing that is only recited every 28 years - the blessing of the sun. The basis for the blessing is that the sun began its 'revolution' as seen from earth on the beginning of the fourth day of creation (Tuesday evening) and will return to this beginning point in time every 28 years. This year the time for reciting this blessing will be after Morning service on Wednesday April 8th, which will be erev Pesach. It is best to say this blessing with a minyan, so you may want to come to Shul for the service that will be held erev Pesach.
Here are two web links which give some good information on the sources for this blessing and the astronomy background to it:
http://www.kehillaton.com/en/articles_birkat_hachama.asp?c=1
http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2009/03/hachama-betkufata-overview-of-birkat.html
I have also written a piece about another blessing that is said annually - the blessing over trees. I will post that as a separate article on this blog.
FACEBOOK GROUP - If you are on Facebook then you are welcome to join my group Ask Rabbi David Mason where you can ask me questions and where I will post articles and links of Jewish interest.
Have a great week!
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