"This week we approach a new challenge presented by the seven-day festival of Sukkot, “z’man simchatenu,” the traditional season of rejoicing, culminating with Simchat Torah, the most joyous day on the Jewish calendar. "
I believe that 'challenge' is one of the most misused words in the language (along with who, instead of whom...). I've heard it used instead of: issue; problem; difficulty; disease/illness; catastrophe; outrage; crisis; and even traffic jam (!). If it means that many things, it doesn't mean anything.
What we have this year is a paradox; how to hold two opposites at the same time. It might be useful if we could time-travel and ask R. Yochanan ben Zakkai & his colleagues how they dealt with the chagim right after the churban...
Beautifully said. Because we've had sukkahs for thousands of years, and survived displacement and vulnerability, they are inspiration that we can get through this too and there should be hope.
Amen, Shlomo.
Thanks for your good thought.
"This week we approach a new challenge presented by the seven-day festival of Sukkot, “z’man simchatenu,” the traditional season of rejoicing, culminating with Simchat Torah, the most joyous day on the Jewish calendar. "
I believe that 'challenge' is one of the most misused words in the language (along with who, instead of whom...). I've heard it used instead of: issue; problem; difficulty; disease/illness; catastrophe; outrage; crisis; and even traffic jam (!). If it means that many things, it doesn't mean anything.
What we have this year is a paradox; how to hold two opposites at the same time. It might be useful if we could time-travel and ask R. Yochanan ben Zakkai & his colleagues how they dealt with the chagim right after the churban...
Because of your post, I looked up Yochanan ben Zakkai and the meaning of "churban." Thank you.
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חג שמח
Beautifully said. Because we've had sukkahs for thousands of years, and survived displacement and vulnerability, they are inspiration that we can get through this too and there should be hope.