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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

New Year 5771

Rosh Hashana eases in and eases out.  The day clearly demarcates one calendar year from another but it really occurs at about the midpoint of a season.  At the start of Elul the parochet and Torah mantles switch over to white, Avinu Malkeinu, LDavid Hashem Ori and Shofar begin and continue through Yom Kippur, with an extension for Psalm 27 through Shmini Atzeret.   Unlike the American New Year which tends to function as the anticlimax to the more widely celebrated Christmas, the Rosh Hashana goes in the other direction beginning an upward swing to Yom Kippur with sukkot as the anticlimax, though preserved by the comeraderie of socializing in different people's sukkahs.

At AKSE the first day appeared well attended, the second day less so.  I located the No Chatter Section for the first time, staying in the designated Men's Section the first day.  Unimpressed with sermons which had vallid topics but paltry Jewish related development.  Went to in-laws afternoon of first day, followed by tashlich at nearby stream that still supports minnows who enjoyed the bread fragments.  After yontiff, shabbos, appropriately restful, then some light chores Sunday, then new job Monday.

Definitely a transition of one time to another.

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