Aseret Yemei Teshuva

Rosh Hashana passed here, along with its uncommon three day Yom Tov here in Israel. Even after only a few years here in Israel, I still feel it odd to actually celebrate three days of Yom Tov. After all, most holidays here only last at maximum two days, and we end earlier than outside of Israel, which is especially nice for Pesach.

And now we enter in to a new stage- the Aseret Yemei Teshuva- from Alef of Tishrei of Rosh Hashana to the Yud of Yom Kippur. Along with the buses that have switched their flashing phrase from ‘Shana Tova’ to ‘Gemar Chatimah Tovah’, and the Kaparot stations that have found their way to every street corner, alleyway, and intersection- it also comes a feeling of limbo.

Our jobs from Heaven have been set out for us on Rosh HaShana, the final Din is reiterated on Yom Kippur in clay, and sealed in blood on Hoshana Rabbah. We’re in between, in a bit of limbo, without a concrete stage of life to understand. After all- we try our best during these ten days to just be a bit better- to add in more prayers to our every day ones, to try to do what we would like to do during the rest of the year, but somehow are prevented from doing. But we’re still in limbo- one good thing could just push us over the edge, right into that book of life.

So let’s make a proactive effort. Take on one small thing- one thing to push you over that edge, to try to make you into that better person that you have in your own ideals and dreams. And try it for the rest of these days- see what happens. It’s the little steps that count- and that which can pull us out of limbo and into the Hebrew ‘Chaim’- life and all that it represents.

Gmar Chatima Tovah L’Kulam.

OII: Seasons and Buses

Just noticing that again, just in this wonderful country that we call Israel, even the buses wish you a Shana Tova and a Gemar Chasima Tova on their flashing signs which also state which place they are going.

And I wish you all the same- to all my readers, a Shana Tova- happy New Year- and a Gemar Chasima Tovah. May we all continue to be inscribed in the Book of Life- filled with happiness, joy, blessing, health, and prosperity.

Blog Reading while Sick

Okay, another nice thing about being sick is that I get to catch up on my blog reading, and something caught my eye. FrumSkeptic had a post (put up in August) about fasting while pregnant, and the topic interested me.

I have consulted with some rabbis and my own personal OB-GYN in the past about this, but being here, I also wondered about the Israel aspect- as Tisha B'Av in E"Y comes out in the hot summer months, making it fairly easy to dehydrate (especially for a pregnant woman). When I first arrived here, I dehydrated fairly rapidly- and was advised to drink a cup of something every hour. After asking a doctor, he said that in the heat here- a pregnant woman should drink 2 cups every hour, to prevent early contractions.

So, what about fasting here? Well- disclaimer- everyone should ask their own local posek and doctor for their own personal conditions and situation.

I found out that according to my OB, pregnant women shouldn't fast on the minor days, and the rabbis that I consulted backed that up.

As for Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur- the OB said it all depends how a pregnant woman feels, but she can fast. If she ends up having ANY symptoms at all- she should consult her rabbi.

Consulting with rabbis also got the answer that a pregnant woman can fast- with the same idea as the OB- any symptoms and a rav should be called.

But, interestingly, Tisha B'Av is more likely to give a pregnant woman a heter to eat than Yom Kippur- because of those hot summer months! And, we change the clock here right before Yom Kippur, so the fast ends at about 5. (A pregnant woman would miss drinking, breakfast, and lunch. )

Remarked upon was the fact that the fetus takes the nourishment from the mother whether or not the mother is eating- a baby will take, whether or not it is being replenished. Dehydration is more of the problem- as the amniotic fluid the baby needs is dependant on that, and it can begin early contractions, so most of the rabbanim, if one finds that there is a problem on the two major fast days, might allow drinking faster than eating.

All the rabbis that I consulted said that it depends on the woman- how she feels, what is her history, and what is the situation at that point. Someone may be given a heter, and someone else may be denied one.

Interesting, no? No rabbi had said, like in FS's post- that one should fast to the point of miscarriage. No doctor had said that it was completely and unequivocally impossible that a pregnant woman could fast.

Maybe the large percentage of the Jewish population in Israel, and more rabbis who are willing to consult with doctors, and vice versa, have provided both with the necessary teamwork to come to similar opinions, and ones that agree with halacha and medical science as well.

Motzei Yom Kippur Prep

Just had to say it- I love this country!

Yom Kippur just finished- we lit havdala, ate something....and the entire country starts on its next project- SUCCOS!

I can hear the sounds of hammering through my window....Mr. NMF went to go buy schach, and the women have started their Succos cooking- I should head down to the store (which is opening up soon) and start myself!

All the bustle- all for Yom Tov- so amazingly phenomenal!

Kaparos

Just thought I'd remark on something interesting.

The last time I 'shlugged' kaparos before Yom Kippur, I went to the Kaparos stand by the Zion Blumenthal Orphanage- right by Strauss/Yirmiyahu near the main bus stops and the bazaar- right before Kikar Shabbat and the Katzenburg bakery (I just love their koskosh cake).

This year, I decided to go again- as they always behave mentchlik- they're honest, considerate of women as well as the men (like not allowing cutting in line, and not being shy of talking to a woman who just wants to come to do kaparos). They also perform the kaparos for anyone that is too squeamish to touch a chicken (what did their ancestors do, I wonder?)

I also found that this year- maybe due to the scandal that erupted regarding how the chickens used for kaparos were treated (some were used twice, some were schected and left to rot...) they tried to be very neat, organized, and even let the chickens have a pen to run around in before being used for Kaparos.

Definitely a Kiddush Hashem in my eyes as to how well they treated all people there- as well as how they treated the animals.

Yom Kippur- Yom HaDin

There's a bag of mixed emotions that I feel on Yom HaDin- or at least for right now, on the days leading up to it.

I mean- teshuva for all I've done wrong during the year, but using the same approach as this- looking at the year at a whole and recognizing.

Trying to not feel so bad on all the things I've done wrong, because that will prevent me from changing. (Favorite tactic of my yetzer hara- look at you, you can't change, look how much you've done.....)

But still feeling bad, still wanting to change, still trying to fix and learn and grow.

It's a process, and it takes time. I heard that it says in Shaarei Teshuva that when a person decides to do Teshuva, they start at that point with a clean slate. Then, and only then, they can attempt to change, which is a long process.

But, it's a rejuvenating thought- clean slate.

Thank You so much Hashem, for the gift of life, for the ability to do Teshuva, to continue to be able to do Mitzvos.

And with that Thank You- which usually hits me after Yom Kippur, I can head into Succos fully V'Samachta B'Chaggecha.