Oct 3, 2007
Running of the Zebras
This is what I did this Chol Ha'moed:
1. Running of the Zebras... this is similar to the annual Running of the Bulls festival, but not exactly the same. This entails going to the simchas beis ha'shoeva of Toldos Aharon and/or Toldos Avraham Yitzchak, both in the heart of Mea Shearim (I went to both). They dress in striped outer garb (hence the endearing term "zebras"). If you dance with them, the danger of being trampled is almost as bad as it is by the Running of the Bulls. I danced with them and lived to tell the tale..
2. Vasikin at the Kotel. I did this two different days. According to many opinions, other than the first day of sukkos where everybody everywhere has a mitzva d'oraisa to shake the lulav, on all other days it is only a mitzva d'rabbanan. By the Kotel however (actually by Har Habayit, but many include the whole Kotel area as part of this) there is a mitzva d'oraisa all 7 days to shake the lulav.
3. Har Habayit. I had an amazing trip up to Har Habayit. I was able to tour the area, and daven, with people such as Moshe Feiglin, Baruch Ben Yosef, Yehuda Glick, Rabbi Chaim Richman, Rav Yitzchak Levy, and others. We had a big group. A number of us, including myself, succeeded in doing "hishtachavaya", full prostration. We also were zocheh to have birkat kohanim and "aleinu" on the Eastern side just opposite the entrance of the "azarah". Here is a picture taken of the Birkat Kohanim.
4. Vasikin at the Cave of the Patriarchs (Me'arat Ha'Machpelah) in Hebron. My trip was not quite as exciting as Jameel's, but going to Hebron and davening at the holy site is always special.
5. Chavat Ha'Shabbos - this was a new thing. At Moshav Beit Meir somebody set up a display and demonstration of many of the more difficult melachot of shabbos. So my kids got to help shear a sheep, plow some land and plant seeds (they did it on a pile of pebbles because of shmitta), thresh and winnow, work a loom, and many more.
6. some other stuff such as national parks and the like..
7. and today my father in law will be making a siyum..
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sounds like you've been having fun
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteB"H (eyebrows raised in shock) I don't think that even I would make such a "questionable" comment regarding TA and TAY. Whereas, as you know, would be quick to tease you for still believing there's a Hebrew letter known as "Sav." ;-)
ReplyDeleteRafi, have you ever thought that maybe you just weren't adept enough at their complicated steps??? ;-)
The best dancing during Sukkoth, of course, takes place at the MaSSSSSSmidim Yeshivah. I didn't make it there this year, but did make it to the tame, but lebadik, Karlin (Stollen) Mossa'ei Yom Tov.
Anyway, I'm glad you, Jameel, and Elchonon, and everyone else made it out of Hevron in one piece. Whew!
ben-yehuda - where is massssmidim? I am not familiar with it (at least not with that name)....
ReplyDeletewhat questionable comment about TA and TAY? Also, the dance steps were far from difficult. They did not even dance in the normal steps. They were doing almost completely the train and it was great. We were running people over. It was a living example of Survival of the Fittest.
Also, I am ashkenazy with a yeshiva background. I still have a sav, even if I sometimes revert to the tav. Also, while I admire Rav Bar Hayyim and his followers, I am not one of them.
B"H
ReplyDelete1) Calling them zebras
2) Masmidim is in what I think is called Kiriyath Belz
3) The important part is that you had a good time
4) What does being Ashkishaggy and from a yeshivish BG have to do with pronouncing the Hebrew letters correctly? ;-)
5) Who ever said anything about RBH? I sure didn't. But, if you want to throw the names of rabbeim around, then how about the RaSa"G?
1. I specifically wrote "endearing term" so it would not be understood as a mean or hateful comment.
ReplyDeleteenglis
2. I do not know who rasag is.
3. You RBH people are big into spelling english words as if they had some sort of kedusha in being transliterated properly.
4. the ashkenazy and yeshivish background means I have a "sav".
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDelete1) Oh. My fault for missing that.
2) Rav Sa'adiyah HaGa'on. See also the [ashkinazi] Ya'abetz on the same issue: the kind of thing "they" don't want yo to know about in certain yeshivoth.
3) Um,...no. Transliteration doesn't have qedushah. It's only an opportunity to educate.
4) Um,...if you say so.
Shabbath Shalom, and may you have a happy and successful rest of your 5768, and beyond. :-)