This week, we observe the holiday of Simchat Torah, which means “rejoice in the Torah” as we complete a cycle of Torah reading. During the year, the weekly parshot have taken us through the entire Torah. Amidst the spirited festivities of this holiday, we read through the last chapter of Deuteronomy and dive right into the first chapter of Genesis—reminding us that the Torah, like all learning and life itself, is a circle.

There is so much grace built into the Jewish calendar. So many opportunities to clear one’s mind and resolve again to do or be better. Rosh Hashanah marked our new year, Simchat Torah marks a new year with the Torah; even lesser celebrations like Rosh Chodesh give us new moons, no trivial fresh start if we consider the oft-cited suggestion that good habits take a month to form. So like any marking of a new year, new season, new [Read more…]