אני קושית יפה/I’m a Cute Black Girl Pg 57

Sukkot is coming upon us…and so it is only fitting that we learn about it…hence why we touched on it last night…

As a child when the Shul celebrated Sukkot and we feasted under a Sukkah, I never really saw the connection of it to Hashem’s words and the Rabbinical Study of it. I just thought it was a day which we celebrated Spring and the Warmth coming upon us. Little did I know that it was in fact all about Hashem and how it was a week in which we praised Rain and prayed that the days that were to come were filled with enough rain for the growth of the seeds and new life.

Well I live in Cape Town, and our rainy season is in Winter, which just passed us, but in Judaism most if not all prayers are direct to the Temple. And Israel is going into Winter now, and their rainy season.

Last night the Rabbi teaching us spoke about how Sukkot is celebrated and what is done during those 7 days of Sukkot. Now of course the Orthodox have to take things a step further and recognize Sukkot over 8 days, even though the Torah explains how it should be celebrated over 7 days.

The first day of Sukkot is considered to be a day when we are not to work. But thankfully Progressive Judaism understands that we live in a time and in a country where Jewish Holidays are not regarded to be National Public Holidays, like Christian Holidays are, and  a working person can only take off a set number of days of the year…and he did say how we also like to have some time off from work to actually go on holiday and relax. So even though I will be working on the the 10th of October, I do intend to go to Shul for the evening service…

There are 4 Mitzvot that the Jews are commanded to do, during Sukkot

Now I live in a flat, but last night my Rabbi told us how we can even build mini sukkah. So I intend to build a mini sukkah and leave it on my dining room table, so even though I may not be feasting under it, I will be feasting next to it and will remember 1 of the mitzvot we are to make during Sukkot.

 

                                                                                                                            

 

 

  

        

 

 “And you shall take for yourself on the first day the fruit of a goodly tree, branches of palm trees, the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before Hashem your G-d for seven days.”

When the Rabbi mentioned the Four Species, in class last night, I immediately thought about what I am and what I want to be. Being honest with myself; I know that I am a mix between a  and an . I am always between things. Heck my star sign is a Leo/Virgo (I was born on the cusp). I am black but socialize with whites. I have never been just one thing. And I think that is what I am wanting. To actually have 1 true identity. To be Jewish. But unlike now how I kinda know the gist of the Torah and I am a warm person, but if I don’t see or feel the need or if I am just lazy and not in the mood; I will turn away from doing the good deed. I think it is time I strive to be a person full of the

 

 

I think after Rosh Hashanah like many other Jews I will be broke….so think I will just have my own little party! Maybe get my husband to make a braai…ooh could do a BRING AND BRAAI!

In Progressive Judaism, burning of animals or any substance is frowned upon, so we shall look passed this mitzvah and perhaps focusing on the doing of a charitable deed (Tzedakah). You know when you read in the Torrah and you witness so many charitable