Shabbat Shuvah 2024

“There will never be a time when all of Israel will get together and someone won’t be in mourning, or someone won’t be caring for a sick loved one. It’s just not possible, which means there will never be a time when we will all gather and all go through the same gate. Baked into the concept of community is that there will be those among us who are on a different track, navigating the world as though moving in the other direction. It’s an amazing physical manifestation of a spiritual reality. No matter how much we come together, loneliness is as much a part of our system as joy. Is, and the goal is not to do away with the loneliness, but rather even on our most joyous of days, on our Chagim, on our Zman Simchateinu, at our time of joy, our happiest time, it’s to acknowledge the loneliness and the isolation in the room and say, I see you. You’re still part of us. Your heart is broken, but you are not broken away from us.”

Rabbi Yael Werber spoke on Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot about Sukkot as a time of joy and a time of pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. She described the tradition of how two Temple gates were used, and the ritual of the left gate as a way to support those experiencing certain kinds of loss and hardship. This is a reminder that even in joyful times there is loneliness, and the need to speak up and to care for each other. 

Rabbi Yael Werber delivered this drashah at Kabbalat Shabbat services on Friday, October 18, 2024 / 17 Tishrei 5785.

Be in community with CBST at Kabbalat Shabbat services, Fridays at 6:30pm EST, either in person or streaming live on CBST’s website at cbst.org/livestream. 

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