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Surprise Snowstorm!

What a whopper! Here in Passaic/Clifton, NJ we watched all yesterday as heavy snow fell from about 11am until well past midnight. We tallied approx 6-7 inches on the ground. Enough to cause many trees, branches and power lines to fall. New York City didnt get hit as hard with only about an inch or so. Do You Live in the NY metro area? How much did you get? Let us know.

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The Artscroll Talmud...An essential tool or a Deterant to learning?

do you like it? love it? Is it an aid to your Talmud study? or your only source?

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Winter is almost here...might as well enjoy it:)

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Anyone want to share their own??

Sukkos is almost Here!!

Sukkot (Hebrew: סוכות or סֻכּוֹת, sukkōt, or sukkos, Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles) is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei (late September to late October). It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Jews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.

The holiday lasts seven days. The first day is a sabbath-like yom tov when work is forbidden, followed by the intermediate Chol Hamoed andShemini Atzeret. The Hebrew word sukkōt is the plural of sukkah, "booth or tabernacle", which is a walled structure covered with schach (plant material such as tree branches or bamboo shoots). The sukkah is intended as a reminiscence of the type of fragile dwellings in which the Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of travel in the desert after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

Throughout the holiday meals are eaten inside the sukkah and many sleep there as well. On each day of the holiday, members of the household recite a blessing over the lulav and etrog (Four species).^[1]

According to Zechariah, in the messianic era Sukkot will become a universal festival and all nations will make pilgrimages annually toJerusalem to celebrate the feast there.^[2]

Contents   [hide]  1 History 2 Laws and customs 3 Building a sukkah 4 Special prayers 5 Chol HaMoed 6 Hakhel 7 Simchat Beit HaShoevah 8 Hoshana Rabbah 9 Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 10 See also 11 References 11.1 Bibliography 12 External links 12.1 Jewish 12.1.1 General 12.1.2 By religious movement 12.2 Christian

[edit]History

Sukkah booths where meals are eaten on Sukkot

Sukkot is agricultural in origin. This is evident from the biblical name "The Feast of Ingathering,"^[3] from the ceremonies accompanying it, from the season – “The festival of the seventh month”^[4] – and occasion of its celebration: "At the end of the year when you gather in your labors out of the field" (Ex. 23:16); "after you have gathered in from your threshing-floor and from your winepress" (Deut. 16:13). It was a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest. Coming as it did at the completion of the harvest, Sukkot was regarded as a general thanksgiving for the bounty of nature in the year that had passed.

Sukkot became one of the most important feasts in Judaism, as indicated by its designation as “the Feast of the Lord”^[5] or simply “the Feast”.^[6] Perhaps because of its wide attendance, Sukkot became the appropriate time for important state ceremonies.^[7] Mosesinstructed the children of Israel to gather for a reading of the Law during Sukkot every seventh year (Deut. 31:10-11). King Solomondedicated the Temple in Jerusalem on Sukkot (1 Kings 8; 2 Chron. 7). And Sukkot was the first sacred occasion observed after the resumption of sacrifices in Jerusalem following the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 3:2-4).

In Leviticus, God told Moses to command the people: “On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook” (Lev. 23:40), and “You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Lev. 23:42-43).

[edit]Laws and customs

Etrog being examined for flaws

Sukkot is a seven day holiday, with the first day celebrated as a full festival with special prayer services and holiday meals. The remaining days are known as Chol HaMoed ("festival weekdays"). The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabbah ("Great Hoshana", referring to the tradition that worshippers in the synagogue walk around the perimeter of the sanctuary during morning services) and has a special observance of its own. Outside Israel, the first two days are celebrated as full festivals. Throughout the week of Sukkot, meals are eaten in the sukkah and some families sleep there, although the requirement is waived in case of rain. ^[8]. Every day, a blessing is recited over the Lulav and the Etrog. Observance of Sukkot is detailed in the Book of Nehemiah in the Bible, the Mishnah (Sukkah 1:1–5:8); the Tosefta (Sukkah 1:1–4:28); and the Jerusalem Talmud(Sukkah 1a–) and Babylonian Talmud (Sukkah 2a–56b).

[edit]Building a sukkah

The sukkah walls can be constructed of any material (wood, canvas, aluminum siding, sheets). The walls can be free-standing or include the sides of a building or porch. The roof must be of organic material, known as s’chach, such as leafy branches, bamboo or palm fronds. It is customary to decorate the interior of the sukkah with hanging decorations, the Seven Species and posters.^[9]

[edit]Special prayers

Prayers during Sukkot include the reading of the Torah every day, saying the Mussaf (additional) service after morning prayers, reading the Hallel, and adding special supplications into the Amidah and grace after meals. In addition, the Four Species are taken on everyday of Sukkot except forShabbat and are included in the Hallel and Hoshanot portions of the prayer.

Hoshanot

On each day of the festival, worshippers walk around the synagogue carrying their Four species while reciting psalm 118:25 and special prayers known as Hoshanot. This takes place either after the morning's Torah reading or at the end of Mussaf. This ceremony commemorates the willow ceremony at the Temple in Jerusalem, in which willow branches were piled beside the altar with worshipers parading around the altar reciting prayers.

Ushpizin

During the holiday, some Jews recite the ushpizin prayer which symbolises the welcoming of seven "exalted guests" into the sukkah. These ushpizin (Aramaic אושפיזין 'guests'), represent the seven shepherds of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David. According to tradition, each night a different guest enters the sukkah followed by the other six. Each of the ushpizin has a unique lesson which teaches the parallels of the spiritual focus of the day on which they visit.

[edit]Chol HaMoed

The second through seventh days of Sukkot (third through seventh days outside Israel) are called Chol HaMoed (חול המועד - lit. "festival weekdays"). These days are considered byhalakha to be more than regular weekdays but less than festival days. In practice, this means that all activities that are needed for the holiday—such as buying and preparing food, cleaning the house in honor of the holiday, or traveling to visit other people's sukkot or on family outings—are permitted by Jewish law. Activities that will interfere with relaxation and enjoyment of the holiday—such as laundering, mending clothes, engaging in labor-intensive activities—are not permitted. Observant Jews typically treat Chol HaMoed as a vacation period, eating nicer than usual meals in their sukkah, entertaining guests, visiting other families in their sukkot, and taking family outings. Many synagogues and Jewish centers also offer events and meals in their sukkot during this time to foster community and goodwill.

On the Shabbat which falls during the week of Sukkot (or in the event when the first day of Sukkot is on Shabbat), the Book of Ecclesiastes is read during morning synagogue services in Israel. (Diaspora communities read it the following Shabbat). This Book's emphasis on the ephemeralness of life ("Vanity of vanities, all is vanity...") echoes the theme of the sukkah, while its emphasis on death reflects the time of year in which Sukkot occurs (the "autumn" of life). The second-to-last verse reinforces the message that adherence to God and His Torahis the only worthwhile pursuit.^{[citation needed]}

[edit]Hakhel

Main article: Hakhel

In the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, all Jewish men, women, and children on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the festival would gather in the Temple courtyard on the first day of Chol HaMoed Sukkot to hear the Jewish king read selections from the Torah. This ceremony, which was mandated in Deuteronomy 31:10-13, was held every seven years, in the year following the Shmita (Sabbatical) year. This ceremony was discontinued after the destruction of the Temple, but it has been revived in Israel on a smaller scale.^[10]

[edit]Simchat Beit HaShoevah

During the Intermediate days of Sukkot, gatherings of music and dance, known as Simchat Beit HaShoeivah, take place. This commemorates the Water Libation Ceremony in which water was carried up the Jerusalem pilgrim road from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple in Jerusalem.

[edit]Hoshana Rabbah

The seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshana Rabbah, meaning the "Great Supplication". This day is marked by a special service in which seven circuits are made by worshippers holding their Four species, reciting Psalm 118:25 with additional prayers. In addition, a bundle of five willow branches are beaten on the ground.

[edit]Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

The holiday immediately following Sukkot is known as Shemini Atzeret (lit. "Eighth [Day] of Assembly"). Shemini Atzeret is viewed as a separate holiday.^[11] In the Diaspora a second additional holiday, Simchat Torah (lit. "Joy of the Torah") is celebrated. In the Land of Israel, Simchat Torah is celebrated on Shemini Atzeret. On Shemini Atzeret the sukkah is left and meals are eaten inside the house. Outside of Israel, many eat in the sukkah without making the blessing. The sukkah is n

Humor and Fun for Coping with Personal Crisis

By: Yocheved Golani

It’s a mitzva to be b’sever panim yafot. The pleasant expression puts people looking at us at ease. It can help that person peering back at you from the mirror, too. Find out how to smile even with an emotional, medical or disability crisis as you read below. The information is taken from a book that medical and mental health professionals recommend.

Rav Hutner z”l opposed the trend of then newly institutionalized goody-goody published biographies about gedolim. Why? They told similar stories of perfect men, though those very gedolim had struggled with serious issues before reaching greatness. The publications Rav Hutner decried had neatly removed those struggles as “unfit” for kosher readers. He was not alone in his thinking. Even Rav Moshe Feinstein remarked that today’s yeshivot do not produce gedolim because “You don’t make tzadikim with Coca Cola and doughnuts.” It’s the struggle that builds character, molding minds with resolve.

 Okay, on to our lives and how we can become saintly despite our struggles. We confront daily dilemmas with so many issues. My specialty is in dealing with medical problems. I’ve had a benign brain tumor that almost killed me by crushing all the nerves between my head and spine. Life-saving surgery and the tumor it removed left me blind. The miraculous story of how I’m gradually recovering my sight is in my highly acclaimed book. So is the solution to a crippling problem that, years later, almost necessitated the amputation of my dominant arm.

In my speaking engagements and writings, I teach people how to use humor and fun to cope with hardships. Imagery is helpful. Imagine being a Weeble Wobble, the toy that bobbles about but never falls down. That technique lets you rise from adversities as if an internal mechanism sets you upright, too. If you’re enduring cruel critics such as nosy neighbors, nasty co-workers or a relative, it’s a fun technique that drives your adversaries crazy. You get the fun of revenge without committing an aveira. Actually, you’re fulfilling the mitzva of “V’nishmartem et nafshotekhem.” Rise to take on your day, foster some successes and see what pleasant surprises await you.

Years after my brain surgery, I fell from a bridge as the pedestrian surface broke beneath my feet. A crushed elbow was the painful result. Miraculous surgery saved the affected arm and hand. But physical therapy brought on a whole new threat: CRPS/RSD! The letters stand for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. They describe the slow, painful death of nerve, muscles and bone in a fracture area traumatized beyond human endurance. My hand was literally curling up smaller and smaller, disappearing before my eyes and those of my medical team. No medical expert in the world knows how to stop the problem that can spread to the entire body. Some people are blessed with a spontaneous recovery nobody can explain. Others become deformed cripples in off-the-charts pain from head to toe. So, I needed to create a solution that worked the first time I tried it. And I desperately need a good laugh. I resolved to wear a Boo-Boo Barbie costume for Purim. The holiday was only weeks away. I planned to giggle until then, while creating the costume I’d wear. As you see in the photo, I donned a blonde wig, an outfit any Barbie would be pleased to wear day or night and colorful bandages for decoration. The outfit provoked laughter all over the bet kneset as I walked in with my head held high, a huge grin across my face but no sling for that aching arm. The rav laughed and praised my approach to suffering. Days later I screamed “HODU l’HASHEM!” when my doctors examined me and pronounced me 100% cured! Yes, I had literally laughed off the destruction of my body. Not a trace of the CRPS/RSD showed at the formerly affected area.

How do you or I get to behave this way? Answer: by choosing our actions carefully. Refuse to lose. Go from tragic to magic as you Face Your Problems with Dignity and Face Your Future with Optimism.

We never know if our efforts will result in the successes we seek. But we can face stress with decency and optimism. Think of babies learning to walk. They fall down a lot, but never give up. They simply try again and again until they’re cruising couches, then letting go to stumble into life. I have stumbled through blindness, not knowing if I’d see again despite extraordinary efforts to do so. B’H I can, with glasses. The process has not been pleasant but I had nothing to lose by making efforts to heal and to behave as a cultured woman. Everyone around me appreciates the fact that I don’t complain. I simply go forward somehow. You can, too.

We’ve gone from what makes good reading and tzadikim to coping with illness and its complications. Find out why Dr. Judith Guedalia MD PhD, Rabbi Dr. A. Twerski, and Dr. Michael Eisenberg MD recommend that you read E-book or paperback "It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry If I Need To: EMPOWER Yourself to Cope with a Medical Challenge"http://booklocker.com/books/3067.html 

The book holds humor, can-do stress-busting exercises and information for lowering your medical costs all around the world. People with disabilities can find helpful information in the book, including how to find employment and how to travel with the accommodations you need. Much of that information is part of my personal healing and coping story. Want to stock the book in stores? Bulk orders can be made at https://secure.booklocker.com/booklocker/wholesale/order.php

Yocheved Golani is the author of highly acclaimed It's MY Crisis! And I'll Cry If I Need To: EMPOWER Yourself to Cope with a Medical Challenge. It addresses and solves many needs of disabled, ill and recovering readers.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/yochevedgolaniink

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http://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/