5783 Kol Nidre Appeal Thank you to all our members and friends who have already participated in our Kol Nidre Appeal. Your generosity is helping make this year’s appeal successful! If you have not yet submitted your pledge you can do so online by clicking the button below, or calling the shul office at 773-761-4000.
DVAR TORAH One of the most interesting Sukkot observances is the Simchat Bet Hashoeva. While today this celebration is associated with communal dancing and music during Chol HaMoed, when the Beit HaMikdash stood, this event took place on the second night of the Sukkot.
As the Mishna [Sukkah Chapter 5] describes: Men of good works ['anshe maase'] and pious people would lead processions of multitudes, happy crowds, accompanied by Levites playing musical instruments, torchlight parades, dancing, singing on their way to the Temple gates and courtyard. The sages themselves would dance and sing. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel used to juggle with eight lighted torches at once.
What was the occasion for the celebration? The libation of water ['nisuch hamayim'] that was drawn from the springs outside of Yerushalayim and poured along with the sacrifices of Sukkot.
But why celebrate this? What about the seventy sacrifices of this holiday or the daily libation of wine? What was so special about the libation of water!?
While there are many answers to this question, the late Rav Ahron Soloveitchik, ztz”l, suggested that the reason was to teach us that the greatest and truest joy in life is found in the simple things in life - in pouring water on the altar.
Which is also one of the key lessons of this entire holiday of Sukkot, as we leave our homes, and go out into the Sukkah as a sign of our trust in G-d, and to remember that ultimately ALL of our material possessions are meaningless, without that trust! HALACHA OF THE WEEK: Hoshana Rabba In the days of the Beit HaMikdash, every day of Sukkot long willow branches (11 amot in length) were brought from the city of Motza and placed around the altar. A shofar was sounded and the Kohanim would march around the altar reciting "ana Hashem hoshia na, ana Hashem hatzlicha na." [Sukkah 45a].
On the seventh day of Sukkot, the procession not only encircled the altar seven times [Sukkah, ibid.] but they also performed "chibbut arava," - beating the willow on ground or a vessel [Rambam Lulav 7:20-21]. (According to Rashi they did not beat the willows but waved them like the way we wave our lulavim.)
Following the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, “chibbut of arava” was preserved as a "minhag nevi'im" - a custom of the prophets and observed only on the seventh day - a day which became to be known as Hoshana Rabba [Shulchan Aruch 664:2].
While some maintain that one can fulfill this custom by carrying a lulav and etrog around the bima as we do on the other days of Sukkot [Rosh 4:1], the common custom is to take a separate bundle of aravot [Mishna Berura 64 note 21]. Ideally, there should be 5 branches in this bundle, and they should be "tied" [ibid note 17].
After encircling the bima we beat the willow branches several times on the ground or on a vessel. According to the Shulchan Aruch, this should be done two or three times [Shulchan Aruch 664:4], according to Arizal this is done five times [Mishna Berura 764 note 19] and according to the Pri Megadim [Eshel Avraham note 6] we beat the willow branches until some of the leaves fall off.
In addition, the Shulchan Aruch suggests shaking the willow branches before beating it - to also fulfill the opinion of Rashi [Shulchan Aruch Orech Chaim 764:4]. However, the Aruch HaShulchan notes that this is not the custom. Nevertheless, he does rule that we should shake them "a bit" [Aruch HaShulchan Orech Chaim 664:2,7].
Following the "chibbut arava," the willow branches should not be disposed of in a regular manner. Therefore, some have the custom to save them to burn at the time of biur chametz [Shulchan Aruch ibid, 9] storing them above the Aron HaKodesh. While others do not place them there but take them home as a segulah [Nitei Gavriel 79:6].
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MAZAL TOV * to Larry and Sheryl Merzel on the recent Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, Avraham Merzel, in Israel. REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Mrs. Emily Morris who is recuperating at the Citadel, Wilmette.
CONDOLENCES Rena & Richard Berger, Shira & Rin Krebs, Ariella & Aylon Glaser and Lev & Orah Katz and families on the loss of their mother and grandmother, Mrs. Brenda Katz z’l. Shiva will be observed after Sukkot, beginning Tuesday night, October 18th, continuing through Monday morning, October 24th, at the home of Lev and Orah Katz, 4331 Enfield, Skokie. The family requests no visits between 12:00-1:00 p.m, 5:00-6:00 p.m. of after 9:30 p.m.
Shacharit Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Monday will be at 7:00 a.m., Sunday at 8:00 a.m. Mincha/Maariv will be at 5:50 p.m. Mincha Friday, will be at 1:00 p.m. For more information contact the KINS office., 773-761-4000.
SPONSORS @ KINS To sponsor a Kiddush, donate to the Kiddush Fund or Learning Fund please click here.
This week of shiurim is sponsored by Rabbi Sam and Mimi Seleski in commemoration of the yahrtzeit of Mimi’s father, Mr. Jack Reiss – Yaakov ben Efraim Yitzchak z’l.
DAYTIME DIALOGUES: Wednesdays at noon 30 MINUTES OF PARSHA - will resume 10/19
SEMICHAT CHAVER PROGRAM - will resume in the fall
SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR – 5:00pm - will resume 10/22
TALMUD CLASS – 45 minutes before mincha
SEFER NECHEMIA - Sundays 9:00am - will resume 10/23
BIRTHDAYS Jordyn Hassan 10/15 Sara Hassan 10/15 Mrs. Anne Kirshner 10/15 Mr. Leo Feigenbaum 10/16 Dahlia Clara Matanky 10/16 Shmuel Friedman 10/17 Dr. Jonathan Margolin 10/17 Mr. Jonathan Dress 10/18 Mrs. Naomi Jacobson 10/18 Mr. Sheldon Aberman 10/20 Mrs. Aviva Hassan 10/20 Yaakov Neikrug 10/20 Elisha Neikrug 10/21 Julie Perl 10/21 Yardena Stein 10/21
ANNIVERSARIES Michael and Keren Dukes (10/18) Allan and Rosanne Arnet (10/21)
Congregation K.I.N.S. of West Rogers Park Main: 2800 W. North Shore Ave & North: 3003 West Touhy • Chicago, IL 60645 P 773.761.4000 • F 773.761.4959 • www.congkins.org
SEMICHAT CHAVER PROGRAM - 
SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR – 5:00pm - 
TALMUD CLASS – 45 minutes before mincha
