Chagim Archives - Fleetwood Synagogue

March 25, 2024

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at March 25, 2024

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Moshe the Individual; Esther the Leader

No where else is a four and a half letter word asked to accomplish so much. The first word of the third sefer of Chummush is ויקרא, with a small א. Midrashim followed by the Rishonim offer a number of insights into both the reasoning for the little א and […]

March 22, 2024

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at March 22, 2024

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Taanit Esther Message

How can we celebrate Purim while our people are engaged in war in Israel and we face anti-Semitism around the world?

October 13, 2023

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at October 13, 2023

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Shmini Atzeret

Today we face a halachic crisis. Over the Yamim Noraim our task was clear, we had reached the pinnacle point of spirituality and were devoting a day exclusively to bonding with Hashem. Over Sukkot, we knew what we needed to do. As we discussed, our goal then was to allow […]

October 13, 2023

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at October 13, 2023

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Simchat Torah: A Raw Emotional Response

Raw Words of Shock and Horror I do not know what to say. I stand before you as rabbi of our shul and I do not know what to say. Over 500 feared dead Over 100 feared abducted Over 1,000 wounded I do not know what to say. Ever since […]

October 3, 2023

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at October 3, 2023

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Chagim

Yom Kippur: Remembering Why

נעילה Now is the time. Over the last month we have spent a significant amount of time preparing for this final moment. We have reached the climax of the יום כיפור service. We fasted all day, prayed all day in preparation for the last תפילה we will now say together […]

October 3, 2023

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at October 3, 2023

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The Prayer of Rosh Hashana

Tfilat Hannah: A Model of Thanksgiving I’ve always been struck by the profound impact of a particular prayer on Rosh Hashanah, one that we don’t actually recite ourselves but rather find in the haftarah portion – the prayer of Hannah, תפלת חנה. Hannah’s story is a testament to unwavering faith […]

October 3, 2023

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at October 3, 2023

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Chagim

The Experience of Sukkot, The Experience of the Year

The nature of the Chag of Sukkot is unique among the Chagim. It is unique in that there is no one mitzva that defines the day. It is unique in that it celebrates not one Chag but two, Simchat Torah and Sukkot. And it is unique in a full Hallel […]

October 3, 2023

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at October 3, 2023

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Chagim

The Shavout Experience

The Shavout Experience, the Yahadut Experience, the Fleetwood Experience As has been discussed in various forums within our Shul, Shavuot is a captivating holiday because it doesn’t impose any specific religious commandment. During Pesach, we eat matzah, and during Sukkot, we sit in the Sukkah and shake the arba’at ha-minim. […]

April 25, 2023

Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at April 25, 2023

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Chagim

Internal Pesach, External Sukkot

There is a puzzling distinction between Pesach and Sukkot. Pesach has a very clear reason for celebration, it commemorates the time we left Mitzrayim. Sukkot, while the Torah does provide a reason, the timing is not particularly clear. And yet, Pesach seems to be, externally at least, a much more […]