Dear Friends:
This coming week, we will be celebrating the holiday of Purim. According to the the Jewish mystical work the Zohar, in the world to come, Purim will be one of only two holidays that is still celebrated - the other one is Yom Kippur.
At first glance, it doesn’t appear that these two holidays have a lot in common. Purim is merry and festive while Yom Kippur is solemn and serious. On the surface they couldn’t appear to be more different. Yet, the Zohar goes so far as to suggest that Yom Kippur should actually be referred to as Yom Ki-Purim, a day like Purim, and I would like to suggest a reason as to why that might be the case.
While the traditions and observances associated with Yom Kippur and Purim couldn't be more different, I actually think the goal of observing these holidays is very much the same. Both holidays provide us with an opportunity to come together as a community, encouraging us to use Jewish tradition and ritual to draw ourselves closer to one another, Jewish community, and God. We all connect to Judaism and Jewish tradition in different ways. Whether it’s through the deep reflection and introspection of Yom Kippur, or the merry festivities of Purim, Jewish tradition provides us with many different pathways towards having a meaningful and fulfilling relationship with Judaism.
It is my hope that we can all take advantage of the many opportunities, and variety of different ways that Judaism provides us with way to live more meaningful lives, drawing us closer to one another, our heritage, and God.
On a separate note, this Shabbat will mark the conclusion of Shloshim, the traditional thirty day period of mourning, following the passing of Rabbi Rosenthal. To commemorate this occasion, Rabbi Adam Rosenthal will be joining us this Shabbat, and teaching us Torah, in his father’s memory.
Wishing you all a
Shabbat Shalom
,
Rabbi Dorsch
