Rabbi's Blog

Dear OZ family,

Today, the 8th of Tishrei, is the anniversary of an important Jewish historical event, although the date does not appear in Seder Olam, or Megillat Ta’anit, nor is the date referenced in the Bible itself.

The event is the completion of the Temple of Solomon in Sefer Melachim. The Haftara of Shemini Atzeret describes two weeks of festivities celebrating the completion of the Temple, and that the second week coincided with Sukkot.
Divrei Hayamim informs us that the two weeks of celebration were consecutive, and that they ended on the 22nd of Tishrei.

If so, these festivities encompassed Yom Kippur, and in a significantly creative display of Halachic ingenuity, the Gemara describes Solomon’s logic in overriding Yom Kippur that year. The logic began in comparison with the celebration in Parshat Naso of the completion of the Mishkan in the desert, in which the head of the tribe of Ephraim brought a private offering on Shabbat.

If a private offering, for an itenerant Mishkan could override Shabbat, then surely a public offering for the everlasting sanctity of the Temple should override Yom Kippur, whose sanctity is lower than that of Shabbat.

If we walk back the dates found in the 2 descriptions of these events, then we’ll see that this date, the 8th of Tishrei, marks the completion of the 1st Temple, and serves as an excellent date to commit to all that is holy and pure in our lives, so that if we are unable to attend Yom Kippur in the Mikdash, we can do all we can to bring the Mikdash to us.

We look forward to another beautiful davening at OZ with our excellent team of shluchei tzibbur and gabbaim. I invite everyone to join me between Musaf and Mincha for a siyum Hashas that I will be making in memory of my father z”l’s 3rd Yahrzeit.

May our davening be uplifting and may we all be blessed with a G’mar Chatima Tova. Below, I am including a message form the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation to enhance the atonement of everyone we know.

Many people in our community have the experience of receiving birthday wishes on our special day. This is due to the work of Carrie Jacobs, and today we have the opportunity to return the favor. Today is Carrie’s birthday, so let’s give her a big birthday wish for many more years of good health and happiness.

Stay safe and well.
Rabbi Allen Schwartz