Sukkot, Simchat Torah, and Hurricanes

 This is my favorite time of the year, Gail-Friends.  I love Sukkot and I love preparing and decorating our sukkah.  We are doing it on our backyard patio again this year.  It's a lot easier on us this way.  

I love having our meals and quiet times there in the mornings and the evenings.  We've been having cooler days this week. Morning lows in the seventies and days in the mid-eighties are a welcome respite from the scorching nineties.  We hope it continues in the week ahead.  

Since closing the synagogue, we've been attending a synagogue online.  We went there in person during Sukkot and had a wonderful celebration with our mishpocha.  Here's a photo of us in their sukkah:

Something happened during Sukkot that made me so sad.  In the past years, our golden rain trees have thousands of tiny blossoms on them and the flowers always fall during Sukkot.  I've always loved having the golden rain falling on me in the sukkah.  But, due to the rain and wind of the hurricanes, we didn't have the golden rain.  Oh, how I missed it.  You can see it in this post:  Reflections on Sukkot 

After Sukkot, we celebrated Simchat Torah. We joined the synagogue's online observance and really enjoyed it.  We even paraded the Torah in our living room. We danced, sang, waved flags, and rejoiced in the amazing gift of Adonai's Word.  

So, our High Holy Days were filled with JOY!  That word is all over our house because it's what I feel when I reflect on the blessings He has poured out on us.  I can't thank Him enough for preserving the Scriptures for thousands of years.  I can't imagine what my life would be like without His Word.  

I haven't posted much lately due to the hurricanes Helene and Milton.  We didn't have any flooding for bad damage, but we did have tree limbs and debris to deal with.  We lost power in both storms, but only for short periods. (Only fourteen hours with Milton.)  Our daughter who lives nearby lost power and internet for four days. 

We feel blessed, especially as we see the devastation on the west coast of Florida and the horrible damage and deaths in Florida, North Carolina, and other states.  Unlike us, the Appalachians were not prepared for a hurricane.  We are always prepared, having been through at least a dozen hurricanes here in my home state. (Four of them were back to back in 2004, and I've done blog posts on five of them since 2009.)  Please pray for all who are going through such horrible devastation.  

What's amazing is that these good people are helping each other through the pain and distress.  They're not waiting on the government to come and help.  They're clearing roads and bridges and beginning to rebuild.  That's the American way.    

The mainstream media has already moved on, but just go on YouTube and you'll see many videos of people and communities that have lost everything.  It's heart breaking.  We hope you will join us in supporting these groups that are providing help to the victims:

https://reverencefarms.com/

https://cajunnavyrelief.com/

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/disaster/hurricane-helene/

For a long time, we've been following a vlog on YouTube by Justin Rhodes who lives near Ashville, North Carolina.  The videos he posted will give you an eye-opening view of what people are going through. Many people and businesses have been without power and/or internet for weeks.  Hats off to Elon Musk who is giving people free Starlink service in those affected areas.  Here's another vlog we follow that is documenting what's going on there:  The Appalachian Channel

I've been busy working on Jem's next book.  It's called Shenanigans and is a hilarious memoir of his Navy days.  we hope to have it published very soon. Pray that we don't have any more hurricanes to set us back.

We've been doing volunteer work related to the election, and I will be posting some things about praying for America in my next post.  Please stop back by and join in the prayers.

I'm thankful to be back online.  I was unable to get into my blog for weeks due to some kind of browser glitch with Google.  Hopefully, I'll be posting regularly again now that the wrinkle is ironed out.

Blessings to you all, dear Gail-Friends.

Simchat Torah and Havdalah

 

 Greetings Gail-Friends:

Haven't caught up since Sukkot.  Our sukkah is still up. . . and we might just leave it up.  We've enjoyed having mornings together in there.  It's cozy and it's a reminder that His presence is with us.  

One morning during our prayer time together, I prayed, "Father, please let the painted buntings come back!"  And immediately, a beautiful male bunting flew to the feeder.  I didn't get a picture that day, but here's a photo from years past.  They've been coming to Golden Cottage for over a decade, and last year, they arrived in late August.  I'm so glad they've come 'cause they fill my bird-nerd heart with JOY!

When Sukkot ended, we held our Simchat Torah service at the synagogue.  Ordinarily, this event is an all-night study of the Torah.  This year, however, we decided to make it an all day service.  Rabbi shared some great information and wisdom with us, and I will be sharing a few of those lessons with you in the weeks ahead.  

 

We reverently paraded the Torah - walking behind it, following it with our eyes and reverently touching it with our siddurs. Some kiss the siddur and then touch it to the scroll.  We do these things to remind us that we carry the Torah with us everywhere we go and we do not turn our backs on it.  We kiss it because the Word is like honey to our lips. 

We praised Hashem, worshiped Him, prayed, studied, and danced.  One of our ladies taught us two new dances.  I was able to dance (with my new knee) and it felt so good!  Thank you, Father.

 

And we ate, of course.  You remember the Jewish motto, right?  It is:  They Tried to Kill Us . . . We Survived . . . Let's Eat!   We had a covered dish lunch around noon, and then a Mediterranean meal for dinner (provided by one of our synagogue families.)  I didn't get photos, sadly.  We were there from 9:30am to 7:30pm.  At the end, we had a Havdalah service.  We don't do this service often, so I really enjoyed it.

 I think the best part was having our 364 year-old Torah scroll rolled out at the service.  Many had never seen an antique sefer Torah.  Some were moved to tears.  Think about the hundreds of years the rabbis and congregations have protected and preserved this treasure:

Rabbi  rolled it out on a table for everyone to see up close.  Since it is very fragile, we don't touch it with our hands, but use a yud to touch the pages.

 I'll never forget the tears shed when we received this scroll from Israel.  It was originally in Morocco, at the very same synagogue that Rabbi Jem attended while he was stationed there in the military.  We treasure it.

When the sun went down, we started the Havdalah service.

The special Havdalah candle was lit.  It has three blue candles woven together and it makes quite a sizable flame! The candle symbolizes our joining together in the Messiah, in His Shabbat, and in His Festivals.  

 

Rabbi held up the kiddush cup, full and overflowing with sweet wine (the fruit of the vine) and said the following:

  

 

 "Behold, God is my Salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord M God is my strength and my song, and He also has become my Salvation.And with JOY, you shall draw forth water from the springs of Salvation.  Salvation is the Lord's; upon Your people be Your blessing, Selah (this word means to pause and reflect on the words just said)  The Lord of Hosts is with us, a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob, Selah.  Lord of Hosts, praised is the man who trusts in You.  Lord, save, and may the King answer us on the day when we call.  The Jews had light and gladness,JOY, and honor, so may it be for us.  I will lift up the cup of Salvation and will call on the Name of the Lord, blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine."  (Isn't this a wonderful prayer for what we're going through in our country and with all going on in Israel?)

 

The cup was set down, and rabbi lifted up the spice box. It contains cloves, cinnamon, and frankincense.  The cup is passed around and we all enJOY the aroma of the sweet spices. 

 

 

 

The spices remind us of the sweetness of Shabbat, a little of which we carry over into the new week. This prayer is recited together:  Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the lights of fire  We gaze at the fire and reflect on the blessing of Yeshua, the Light of the World.

The cup was then  lifted up again and the following was  spoken together:

Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who makes a distinction between the holy and the secular, light and darkness.  Israel and the nations, the seventh day and the six days of labor.  Blessed are You O Lord.  Who makes a distinction between the holy and the secular.  

At this point, we sing Ayleeyahoo Hanavi (Elijah the prophet) : Elijah the prophet, Elijah the Teesh-bite, Elijah from Giladi.  Quickly in our day come to us, with the Messiah, Son of David.   The song reminds us to look forward, to the beginning of a new week and to the ultimate end, when both Elijah and Yeshua the Messiah will return. 

 

Then we say together:

Shavuah Tov!  eight times!)  which means Have a Good Week.  

 

You can hear two versions of this song at these links:

The first is the one we sing at Simchat Torah:  Eliyahu Hanavi 

 

And this is the dance version:  Eliyahu Hanavi by dance team 

Sabbath Music - Simchat Torah Songs

Oh, so TRUE!  This is Simchat Torah celebration week. Tonight, in combination with our weekly Erev Shabbat service, we'll be singing, dancing with the Torah, worshipping, (eating, of course) and studying Torah all night long.

This week, I'm sharing some YouTube videos of some Simchat Torah celebrations. You can see some of our synagogue's past celebrations by clicking on this LINK.

Parading and dancing with the Torah reminds us that we have the responsibility and JOY of taking the Torah to those who don't know it.  I love these videos because they show the happiness and JOY of those who love His Torah:

Dancing with the Torah 
Oh, by the way, dancing with the Torah is NOT easy because it is HEAVY!  I have a hard time picking ours up.

Simchat Torah by MiYAH 

This one is in Jerusalem  - just look at all of those Torah scrolls.
Simchat Torah at the Wailing Wall 

Do you find JOY in His Torah?  I do and am blessed to have learned to obey it.

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Thankful Thursday - Blessings Overflow

Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with praise;

 give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4.

I hope y'all are having a happy and thank-FULL Thanksgiving Day.  I'm thank-FULL, grate-FULL, and just plain FULL. After a great morning of cooking, then eating, and napping, I'm getting ready for a walk around the block.

Counting my blessings today, including a wonder-FULL husband, who has helped me by washing dishes, as I've been cooking for the past three days. (I love a man with dish-pan hands!)

Also, I'm thank-FULL for all the years my mama cooked Thanksgiving dinner for us.  It is a labor of love that she passed on to me.  I love doing it for my family, just as she did all those years.  I always miss her most this time of the year.  Her gift of hospitality blessed so many family, friends, and neighbors. (Here's my post about her from last year.) 

And here's another post about her:  What My Mama Taught Me

I mentioned last week that I'd share some photos from our Simchat Torah celebration, so here you go. There was dancing, singing, and praising Hashem for the glorious gift of His Torah.  Everybody, young and old, gets the blessing of parading the Torah.  It brings tears to our eyes as we remember the blessings His Word has brought to our lives.  Here's Rabbi Jem dancing with the Torah, which isn't easy because it is quite heavy. 

Rabbi Jem carrying Torah

Me carrying Torah

On Simchat Torah, it's a tradition to stay up all night studying Torah, singing and dancing, eating and drinking (caffeine) and giving praise to Hashem.  We had fifteen people who stayed all night, including a ten-year old boy.  He was alert and asking questions all night long.  I heard this from Rabbi Jem because, alas, I'm not one of the ones who made it through the night.  I'm notorious for turning into a pumpkin at 10:00 p.m. 

Evan, our youngest Torah scholar on Simchat Torah.

I've so much more to be thankful for over the past three months.  One of our greatest blessings is having many children under the tallit on Shabbat.

I'm thank-FULL for my country, and for my highly decorated, hero husband and his love and service to America.  Here he is saluting the flag during the recent Veterans Day parade.  He is a Purple Heart recipient (wounded in Viet Nam) and leads our congregation to love and honor our country.

I'm very proud of my patriotic husband.  (Note how many people are honoring the flag....very sad.)

We both voted to Make America Great Again, and are thank-FULL that Donald J. Trump has been elected as our next president.  May G-d protect, preserve and guide him in the paths of righteousness and justice.

The Goldens during early voting.

I'm also thank-FULL to have lived another year, and for the blessing of good health and strength.  Here are some photos from my delight-FULL birthday party last month.

I love gardens, so they decorated with a garden theme.

So many creative ladies in our synagogue

Arene't these flower cupcakes beauty-FULL ????

In the words of one of my favorite songs:
 My Cup Runneth Over With Love

I hope your Thanksgiving Day was wonder-FULL, thank-FULL, and FULL of praises to our wonder-FULL Heavenly Father.  We are all blessed just to wake up every day and be able to see, hear, walk, talk, think, and have strength.

What are you thank-FULL for, Gail-Friends?

******************

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Simchat Torah 5775

Simchat Torah - Rejoicing in the Torah

Each year, following Sukkot, we always celebrate Simchat Torah.  While it is not one of Adonai's commanded feasts, it is a Jewish tradition.  Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah" and that is what we do.  We dance around the synagogue while carrying the Torah scroll.  We also remember that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Living Word, and that He showed us how to live according to the Torah.

We stay up all night long to learn more about G-d's blessed Holy Word that He has lovingly preserved for us.  We study, then eat, then dance...and repeat...until the sun comes up.  Then, we go home and sleep all day - because it is Shabbat! (actually, some don't make it through till dawn, and I'm one of them.  I'm such a sleepyhead)

Here are a few photos from our happy time together. 

Raising the Torah scroll up in the air while dancing is not an easy task, because it is pretty heavy.

The blessing of the children under the tallit.

Next week is Thanksgiving week, and I'll be preparing for my family celebration.  I hope you'll stop by because I'm back in my routine now, and will resume Wisdom Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, and will write more about my Israel trip.  

As I begin to make my gratitude list, my sweet Gail-Friends readers are one of my most precious gifts that will be remembered.  Blessings to you all, and I pray you have a safe and happy holiday.  

*********** 
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Simchat Torah

Tonight, we will end the Feast of Tabernacles by celebrating Simchat Torah - which means Rejoicing in the Torah.  It is traditional to stay up all night, reading and teaching the Torah.  We study, we eat, we dance and parade the Torah around the synagogue, and we worship Hashem, thanking Him for the gift of His Holy Word.

I will share more tomorrow evening.

Shabbat Shalom to you all.


In the Torah, we read:  “On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you… it is a holding back (atzeret)” (Leviticus 23:36). This holiday is an invitation to linger one more day with Hashem - to enjoy our time together just a litle bit longer.  The time in the sukkah will end, but not intimacy with Him. 

Simchat Torah - Rejoicing in G-d's Word

Ma'gen Da'vid Synagogue's Torah Scroll - from Morocco - over 300 years old

(This is re-post from last year's Simchat Torah celebration)

The last festival of the fall season is Simchat Torah.  Although it is not listed as one of the seven feasts and festivals in Leviticus, a tradition has developed over many years to observe the holiday seven days after

Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).  On Simchat Torah, the Rabbi and congregation (who are able) spend all night long studying and celebrating Torah.*

The Torah begins with the letter Bet and ends with the letter Lammed. Put the two letters together and you have LEV- לב, which means "heart." The Torah is an expression of G-d's heart and a demonstration of His great love towards all of creation. By studying it we can look into and understand the “heart” of G-d. Our Messiah Yeshua studied Torah and said: 

"Do not think I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets.  I have not come to abolish, but to complete.  Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a tittle will pass from the Torah - not until everything that must happen has happened. (Matthew 5:17-18)

Fifteen years ago, I took these words to heart and began to study the Torah.  I wanted wisdom more than anything on this earth.  My study led me to Messianic Judaism, and to my own personal rabbi to whom I've been married for almost six years now.  I can testify that studying Torah has changed my life for the better.  I understand G-d more than I did 10 years ago.  My life is full of peace.  I never imagined I would continue to learn more every year as I study Torah through, but it always happens.  His Word is alive and gives life!  Halelu et Adonai!
 

Simchat Torah fell on Shabbat this year, so after oneg, the event began with parading the Torah scroll.  The looks on the faces of those carrying the scroll are priceless.  (see below)  We realize that carrying Torah is a very tangible expression of the fact that we "carry" Torah with us wherever we go.  As the Torah is paraded, people follow along behind, dancing and praising G-d.  It is a joyous time.  While they follow along, they keep their eyes on the Torah at all times...another tangible lesson about how important it is to never turn our backs on G-d's Word.  

Rabbi Jem and I were very excited that 19 people decided to spend all night studying the Torah this year.  He had a quiz prepared to find out how much everyone knew about the Torah, and several studies.  These alternated with eating, drinking, and dancing.   Yes, we love to dance.  Several of the men did the bottle dance from Fiddler on The Roof.  So much fun to watch those guys try to out do each other.  (I'm so sorry I didn't get pictures of this.) 

Of the 19 people who stayed, 14 made it through until daybreak.  After the all-night Torah study, the Rabbi led the remaining faithful to the local diner for breakfast.  Sad to say, I was not one of the remaining faithful (although I did join them for breakfast).  I had to leave about 11:00.  A night owl, I am not.  Maybe next year if I take a good long nap that day.  Those who stayed were jubilant and very glad they stayed because they learned so much and had a great time together.  They all agreed they would do it again next year. 

Harry carrying Torah

Big Jim dancing with joy! 

Will lifting up Torah with joy!

What joy we realize as we meditate on the fact that G-d has preserved His Holy Word over thousands of years.  Yes, He left an instruction book, penned with His own hand.  In future posts, I will tell about the joys and blessings of studying Torah.  

* The Torah consists of the first five books of the Old Testament:  Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  These are the books given to Moses.  These words have been carefully preserved, revered, and cherished by the Jewish people for thousands of years.

Simchat Torah

The Torah - source Wikipedia

The last festival of the fall season is Simchat Torah.  Although it is not listed as one of the seven feasts and festivals in Leviticus, a tradition has developed over many years to observe the holiday seven days after

Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).  On Simchat Torah, the Rabbi and congregation (who are able) spend all night long studying and celebrating Torah.*

The Torah begins with the letter Bet and ends with the letter Lammed. Put the two letters together and you have LEV- לב, which means "heart." The Torah is an expression of G-d's heart and a demonstration of His great love towards all of creation. By studying it we can look into and understand the “heart” of G-d. Our Messiah Yeshua studied Torah and said: 

"Do not think I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets.  I have not come to abolish, but to complete.  Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a tittle will pass from the Torah - not until everything that must happen has happened. (Matthew 5:17-18)

Fifteen years ago, I took these words to heart and began to study the Torah.  I wanted wisdom more than anything on this earth.  My study led me to Messianic Judaism, and to my own personal rabbi to whom I've been married for almost six years now.  I can testify that studying Torah has changed my life for the better.  I understand G-d more than I did 10 years ago.  My life is full of peace.  I never imagined I would continue to learn more every year as I study Torah through, but it always happens.  His Word is alive and gives life!  Halelu et Adonai!
 

Simchat Torah fell on Shabbat this year, so after oneg, the event began with parading the Torah scroll.  The looks on the faces of those carrying the scroll are priceless.  (see below)  We realize that carrying Torah is a very tangible expression of the fact that we "carry" Torah with us wherever we go.  As the Torah is paraded, people follow along behind, dancing and praising G-d.  It is a joyous time.  While they follow along, they keep their eyes on the Torah at all times...another tangible lesson about how important it is to never turn our backs on G-d's Word.  

Rabbi Jem and I were very excited that 19 people decided to spend all night studying the Torah this year.  He had a quiz prepared to find out how much everyone knew about the Torah, and several studies.  These alternated with eating, drinking, and dancing.   Yes, we love to dance.  Several of the men did the bottle dance from Fiddler on The Roof.  So much fun to watch those guys try to out do each other.  (I'm so sorry I didn't get pictures of this.) 

Of the 19 people who stayed, 14 made it through until daybreak.  After the all-night Torah study, the Rabbi led the remaining faithful to the local diner for breakfast.  Sad to say, I was not one of the remaining faithful (although I did join them for breakfast).  I had to leave about 11:00.  A night owl, I am not.  Maybe next year if I take a good long nap that day.  Those who stayed were jubilant and very glad they stayed because they learned so much and had a great time together.  They all agreed they would do it again next year. 

That's me joyfully carrying Torah! 

Harry carrying Torah

Big Jim dancing with joy! 

Will lifting up Torah with joy!

What joy we realize as we meditate on the fact that G-d has preserved His Holy Word over thousands of years.  Yes, He left an instruction book, penned with His own hand.  In future posts, I will tell about the joys and blessings of studying Torah.  

* The Torah consists of the first five books of the Old Testament:  Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  These are the books given to Moses.  These words have been carefully preserved, revered, and cherished by the Jewish people for thousands of years.

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