The Moon and Me Part I

On the Ninth of Av, it was decreed upon our ancestors that they would not be allowed to enter the Land of Israel, the First and Second temples were destroyed, Beitar was captured, The city of Jerusalem was plowed over. From when the month of Av starts, we reduce joy.

Rabbi Shimon ben Gamaliel said: There were no days of joy in Israel greater than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur. On these days the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in borrowed white garments in order not to shame any one who had none...The daughters of Jerusalem come out and dance in the vineyards. What would they say? Young man, lift up your eyes and see what you choose for yourself. Do not set your eyes on beauty but set your eyes on the family. “Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). And it further says, “Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her works praise her in the gates” (ibid, 31:31)...

(3) I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.

(1) There is a hint in the verse “I am for my Beloved and my Beloved is for me” (Ani L’Dodi v’Dodi Li - Shir Hashirim) that the first letters spell Elul and the last letters have a numerical value of 40. This alludes to the forty days from the beginning of Elul until Yom Kippur for during these forty days repentance is [more readily] accepted so a person should bring their heart near to their Beloved [G-d] with repentance, and then the Beloved will be close to them to accept the repentance with love.

(1) [The days] from Rosh Chodesh Elul until after Yom Kippur, are days of Divine favor [and acceptance.] Even though throughout the entire year the Holy One, blessed be God, accepts the repentance of those who return to God wholeheartedly, nevertheless, these days are unexcelled and most suitable for repentance, because they are days of mercy and favor. On Rosh Chodesh Elul, Moshe went up Mount Sinai to receive the Second Tablets; he remained there for forty days, and came down on the tenth day of Tishrei when the atonement was completed. From then on these days have been designated as days of Divine favor [and acceptance,] and the tenth day of Tishrei as Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement].

Rabbi Abihu said: Why do we blow on a ram's horn? The Holy One, Blessed be God, said: Sound before Me a ram's horn so that I may remember on your behalf the binding of Isaac, the son of Abraham, and account it to you as if you had been bound yourselves before Me.

(26) Adonai spoke to Moses, saying: (27) Mark, the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall practice self-denial, and you shall bring an offering by fire to Adonai; (28) you shall do no work throughout that day. For it is a Day of Atonement, on which expiation is made on your behalf before Adonai your God.

Even though teshuva [repentance] and shouting out [to G-d] are always good, in the ten days that are between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur those things are even better and are accepted [by G-d] immediately.

On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed.

(14) You shall rejoice in your festival, with your son and daughter, your male and female servant, the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow in your communities. (15) You shall hold a festival for the LORD your God seven days, in the place that the LORD will choose; for the LORD your God will bless all your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy.

(39) On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall celebrate Sukkot for seven days; the first day shall be a sacred day of rest, and the eighth day shall be a sacred day of rest.

(40) And you shall take for yourself on the first day the fruit of a beautiful tree, fronds of a palm-tree, plaited twigs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before Hashem your G-d seven days. (41) And you shall observe the festival of Hashem for seven days in the year; it is a statute for all time in your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month.

(42) You shall dwell in sukkos for seven days; all citizens of Israel shall dwell in sukkos; (43) in order that your generations shall know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in sukkos when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Hashem your God. (44) And Moses transmitted to the children of Israel the appointed seasons of Hashem.

Rama: This last day is referred to as Simchat Torah, because we rejoice and make a celebratory feast on that day to celebrate the completion of the Torah… We also have the custom in these lands… to remove all of the Torah scrolls in the ark and recite songs and praises… We also have the custom to encircle the bimah with the scrolls… all [of these customs are] out of joy. We also have the custom to call up many people to the Torah… we also call up all of the children.

The Gemara asks: What is Hanukkah, and why are lights kindled on Hanukkah? The Gemara answers: The Sages taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah are eight. One may not eulogize on them and one may not fast on them. What is the reason? When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary by touching them. And when the Hasmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day. A miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from it eight days. The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings.