Words From Rabbi White

Dear mitpallelim,

SOME AMAZING VERSES

We had lovely weather for the most of Sukkot, and trust that it was the same up in Montreal.

But most lovely, for all of the Jewish people, was the news that we heard before Shemini Atseret, concerning the return of the hostages.

On Monday afternoon, shortly before the start of Shemini Atseret, I received a whatsap message from my son Yehoshua, based on something he had received from his Rabbi, in turn based on a comment from the medieval exegete Rabbeinu Bahya.

Note the following verses from Psalm 68. Verse 8 says we should sing to HaShem, and offer praise to the Rider of the clouds. “Rider of the clouds,” of course, is a poetic, anthropomorphic way of referring to HaShem.  The expression in Hebrew is “Rochev ba-`aravot.” Many of you are familiar with that epithet, which appears in a popular song we sing at the Shabbat table.

HOWEVER, the word “arava” also happens to mean a willow branch, and the day on which the hostages were returned was Hosha`na Rabba, which also is known in Hebrew as “yom ha`arava,” the day of the `aravah, the day on which we beat the `aravah branch on the ground.

But…. that’s not all.  For the next verse in that psalm (verse 7) reads: “God, who returns individuals home; Who takes out captives with joy.”

And there’s more: for that verse concludes: “...but the bad guys (i.e., Hamas) dwell in a dry, parched land.”

Wow. Even a confirmed “pashtan” like myself couldn’t help but be moved by those verses, in light of the return of the hostages on that very “day of the willow.”

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This week is the first yahrzeit of Rav Avi Goldberg z”l, the distinguished Rabbi/teacher who was killed defending Israel in Lebanon. Rav Goldberg was married to Shulamit Foxman’s niece Rachel. His memory certainly should be for a blessing. *****

This Shabbat is Shabbat Bereisheet. My family tradition is that we dip the hallah in honey from Rosh HaShanah through this shabbat. Rosh Hodesh of MarHeshvan is this Wednesday and Thursday. *****

Shabbat shalom, shalom `al Yisrael, Rabbi Menahem White, Chevra Shaas