Friends, as a welcome respite from the endless traumatizing news cycles on the recent attack on the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, let’s think ahead to Sukkot starting this weekend.  The autumn leaves are in our prayers too!

For those paying attention in the Shacharit morning prayers, in the Hodu prayer immediately preceding Pesukei D’Zimra (Psalms of Praise) there is a wonderful line quoted from 1 Chronicles 16:33 which echoes Psalm 96: 12-13 saying “Then the trees of the forest will sing with joy, [receding] before Adonai (God) when He comes to judge the earth.”

https://www.sefaria.org/Siddur_Sefard,_Weekday_Shacharit,_Hodu?lang=bi

The trees are starting to look lovely outside my window, and the fall colors have not yet peaked here.  So come on down if you haven’t done Tashlich yet!  We have until Hoshana Rabba (last day of Sukkot), or so I’m told.

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/564247/jewish/What-Is-Tashlich.htm

Hamilton Waterfalls Guide

Hamilton Waterfalls Guide

https://www.hamilton.ca/people-programs/inclusion-diversity-equity-accessibility/jewish-life-hamilton

I think it is amazing that our prayers are so linked to our positions in space and time and the cosmos.  If one prays regularly or reads the prayer book closely one will notice the celebration of space and time - sunrise, sunset, twilight, the sun,........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)