Grandma's army

One of the most famous Jewish scholars, Rabbi ben Maimon (Maimonides), referred to the Torah (Pentateuch) as the   “Tree of Life”. A very apt description, considering that amongst many   Jews   this collection of five books is thought of as the very root of Judaism. Many Jews who don’t consider themselves strictly religious, believe that the Torah is the foundation of the Jewish people, and that its moral imperatives are what has preserved Judaism throughout the generations. Religious Jews read a portion of the Torah (Pentateuch) every single day and when reaching the end - which takes exactly a year - it is celebrated with a Festival called “Joy of the Torah” (Simchat Torah) – which takes place today. Like many of the Jewish customs, it seems bizarre to outsiders. When the famous diarist Samuel Pepys visited a small synagogue celebrating this Festival, he was scandalized! No one told Pepys   that the day he chose to come to the synagogue was Simchat Tora...

Non-Jewish readers are perhaps not aware of the fact that Jews – believers and non-believers alike – are nearing the end of a three-week intensive period of Festivals. They began with the Jewish New Year and since then have run almost the whole gamut of human emotions –introspection, repentance, grief, etc. We have now reached the last festival called Succot which lasts eight days.   It is the only Jewish Festival in which we are commanded to be “happy”. In our prayers, we call it simply “the season of our rejoicing.” Another factor in which this commandment differs from others is the fact that the Torah (Pentateuch) does not elicit any reason. Happiness which is unconditional.   Happiness for the simple fact that we are alive. Another day in which we are given the chance to learn and to develop.   A grateful person is a happier one. To give thanks for everything we have, since nothing should be taken for granted: not family, not children, not parents, not ...