Dear Friends,
Our Torah portion this week, Emor, instructs us to count the forty-nine days between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuot. Due to a plague that wiped out thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students during Talmudic times, the Omer is observed as a national period of mourning. During the Omer, Jewish tradition imposes restrictions on the Jewish people -- no hair cuts, no listening to live music -- and we are forbidden from having large communal celebrations and simchas, like weddings.
But today, we are celebrating Lag Ba’Omer. According to one tradition, on this day, the 33rd day of the Omer, the plague ended. As a result, many see Lag Ba’Omer as a turning point in the rabbinic-imposed restrictions on daily life. Some Rabbis say that after Lag Ba’Omer, all restrictions should be lifted. Others scholars suggest that the restrictions should still be in place until the entire Omer is over, while others advocate for them to be gradually lifted. There is a lot of uncertainty as to how we should behave as we get closer to the end of the count and the celebration of Shavuot.
Similarly, we seem to have reached a turning point in the pandemic. With vaccinations becoming more accessible and numbers of infected people heading in the right direction, the scholars among us are not clear as to exactly when we can lift which of the restrictions that have been in place. With recommendations constantly changing, some are eager to lift the restrictions, while others prefer to wait and be more cautious. In the next few days, we will discuss how to adjust TIS practices in light of some of the new CDC recommendations.
As we are nearing the end of the pandemic, just like the Omer, there is a lot of uncertainty as to how we should behave. The end is in sight, but we are not there yet. As we get closer and closer to the end, may we continue to exercise caution as we get ready to celebrate.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Josh Dorsch
