Welcome to Dvar Torah/ A Song of Zion, our periodic check-in and virtual minyan for Jews on Daily Kos. This is an open thread and safe space within Judaic context, Non-Jews are welcome but we ask that they listen more than speak. No squabbling, please: if you want to fight, you’ll need to step outside.
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<big>COLLECTION: </big>Sounds of the High Holidays, by ramara, including Avinu Malkenu, Kol Nidre, amazing Shofar service — Kol Nidre — “If Not Higher” and “At the Gates of Prayer”, traditional tales with a universal message — “Respóndemos” (answer us)…
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<big>”Kol Nidre</big>: How a Controversial Legal Formula Became the Emotional Heart of Yom Kippur”
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<big>A Ladino rendering of “Avinu Malkeinu”</big>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2u2M8EIoLg&list=RDp2u2M8EIoLg&start_radio=1
<big>and ”A Sukkaleh”</big> (Yiddish)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaJGrfJFgXY&list=RDyaJGrfJFgXY&start_radio=1
Lyrics in Yiddish and English … selected lines:
A very small succah, From very thin pieces of wood, I made [to dwell in a while] each night. A very cold wind, Blows through the cracks [yet remarkably] the [simcha candles] continue to glow.
My little daughter comes to me, And she says with great fear,
Daddy the succahs falling down! [I tell her] Dont be worried,
Because this succah is not falling down. It has already been,
Two thousand years, And the little succah stands strong and firm.
This is just for a wider ta’am (taste) of heritage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JmexVpXgtg&list=RD4JmexVpXgtg&start_radio=1
And...
![The Seven Species of Deuteronomy 8:8 : a land with wheat and barley, vines (grapes) and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and [date] honey; for putting in a sukkah for the week of the holiday](https://cdn.prod.dailykos.com/images/303216/large/species_ill.jpg?1474672395 "The Seven Species of Deuteronomy 8:8 : a land with wheat and barley, vines (grapes) and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and [date] honey; for putting in a sukkah for the week of the holiday")
the Seven Species (Deuteronomy 8, 8) for putting in the sukkah for the week of the holiday: wheat, barley, vines (grapes), figs (trees), pomegranates, olive oil and [date] honey.
If you start building and adorning a sukka/succah this week, it should be ready by the evening the holiday begins, sunset Ocrober 6.
Song of Zion / Dvar Torah schedule,
the first Thursday of each month + ad hoc.
COMMENT IN THE THREAD IF YOU’D LIKE TO SIGN UP.
The first Thursday of each month for the foreseeable future will be a music post by Tippy and Dad. The other Thursdays are available for any member of the Elders of Zion group if they’ll sign up in advance, by replying to this comment, or kosmailing to mettle fatigue.
Diarists can post about any recent or upcoming parsha or holiday that interests them, or on other Jewish-interest material they might prefer, e.g., music, recipes/food, a book or books of Jewish interest, history of various Jewish communities around the world, bridges to other heritages overcoming the barriers between, biographies & views on significant or forgotten figures, this or that philosophical/theological theme in our heritage ... whatever inspires the diarist to delve into and bring for discussion. The upcoming calendar of parashot and chaggim is below: the links go to to a Wik page for each parsha including haftarah plus Special Shabbatot — (see also Weekly Torah Readings.
■ THURS SEPT 4 by Tippy and Dad The Beautiful Music of Arnold Schoenberg, Master Composer - and Refugee
■ THURS SEPT 18 by mettle fatigue — Rosh Hashanah 5786
■ THURS OCT 2 by mettle fatigue — Yom Kippur, Succot
■ THURS OCT 9 by Tippy and Dad <big>George Gershwin</<big>
DEVARIM דברים/ Deuteronomy “[the] words [of Moses]”
Genesis/ בְּרֵאשִׁית, Bereyshit “In the beginning”
- Sat. Oct 18 Parashat Bereyshit Gen. 1:1–6:8; Isa. 42:5–43:10
[Isa. 42:5-21]
From here onward, please use the
Etz Chayim interfaith
5786 calendar (2025- 2026) of Torah portions, holidays, months, fasts, etc., or the wall-type parsha calendar at
HebCal.com
Here is our pageful of DK parsha tags of past diaries for reference or interests — click at the top of the lefthand column there to get alphabetical order for easy finding. We also have an eccentric but useful collection of parsha-writing resources HERE contributed by DK’s top-skilled Dvar writers. Here are all the diaries with the DT tag in reverse chron order — use the PREVIOUS button at the foot of each page for a trip back through time! If you’re really adventurous, start in 2007.
<big>It’s hard to know what to say about October 7, the first day of Sukkot, which will mark the Hamas invasion triggering the horrific war that is utterly devastating Gaza, with brutal repercussions for the West Bank as well, as it also increases hatred of Israel and of Jews around the world. </big>A few weeks ago I posted a diary that included reportage on the courageous Global Sumud Flotilla; more recently Aashirs nani dedicated two full posts to it. (More at tags such as/including Gaza and flotilla and others, etc.) The people on these boats are making a valiant effort but media and the international diplomatic community largely ignore them despite attacks and destruction by the IDF.
As of this writing there is news reportage that Hamas is considering Trump’s ceasefire plan, and that many key Palestinian figures urge the US to pressure BN’s governmental coalition to agree to it. Who knows what will have transpired by the time this diary posts...
שֶׁיִּמְלְאוּ מִשְׁאֲלוֹת לִבֵּנוּ לְטוֹבָה
Sheh’yimlu m’she’ehlot libenu l’tova.
May the outpouring of our hearts be answered for the good.
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Shabat Shalom
