PunkTorah

Independent Jewish Spirituality Online

  • Convert to Judaism
  • Online Rabbinical Program
  • Donate

DIY PVC Pipe Sukkahs and PunkTorah Retro-Sukkot Videos…It’s A Succos Showdown!

September 28, 2015 by Patrick Beaulier

It’s Sukkot, which means building the ancient Hebrew version of the double wide trailer, probably going to the emergency room when you whack your hand with a hammer, and of course, eating!

Here at PunkTorah, we have all your Sukkot needs taken care of with our Succos Showdown!

Here’s a retro-video of me and Michael building a wood sukkah.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVoAC1asxk4

Of course, you are going to need food. Sukkot recipes abound in our food blog, NewKosher. Try the Pumpkin Au Gratin Soup…it’s delicious.

Of course, we’d love to see YOUR sukkah and Sukkot recipes, so email us your stuff and we’ll post it!

Filed Under: NewKosher (Recipes), Sukkot Tagged With: cheap sukkah, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, diy sukkah, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, pvc sukkah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, succos, succus, sukkot, sukkot recipes

HaShem’s Avatars: Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

September 28, 2015 by Patrick Beaulier

While Shavuot probably deserves the title of Least Appreciated Jewish Holiday among progressive Jews, I’d also like to argue that the trifecta of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah is probably a close second. Sure, some people do the sukkah, but I don’t exactly see my neighbors sleeping in them. Plus, when your sukkah has air conditioning and wifi, you’re probably not roughing it like the Sages taught.

Whatever. People do sukkot on Shabbat and that’s maybe it.

Fast forward to the end of the holiday, and we have this nonsense day called Shemini Atzeret, a day of assembly. No one knows what that’s about, and by now we all have a chagim hangover and are ready to stop being Jewish until Hanukkah season roars its ugly head. Shemini Atzeret ends up on the proverbial dusty bookshelf next to all those Artscroll books people claim they read but don’t.

Then Simchat Torah comes around. Now if you’re part of the Chabad or Young Jewish Professionals crowd, then Simchat Torah is your jam. Because as we all know, Simchat Torah means booze and nightclub parties. It’s like Purim but without the costumes and the pre-game fasting.

If you’re a parent, Simchat Torah can be fun because in mainline progressive synagogues, they always give the little kids stuffed sefer torah and parade around the shul. Though there are some parents I wish were secretly hiding flasks because they might be a little less stressed out.

If you didn’t catch all that, here’s a graphic representation of the feeling of ruach people have about Judaism during this season…

ruach chart

So Rabbi, why should I care about Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah? Don’t you realize that I am completely overwhelmed by Judaism right now, and all I really want is to eat shrimp wrapped in bacon and dream of a life that doesn’t resemble Fiddler on the Roof?

OK, fair enough. But here’s another thought.

I think the Jewish tradition’s understanding of holidays is part of what makes the religion unique. Yes, every culture has holidays. But we have a lot, and no holiday is ever given second class citizenship. For most holidays, we have the same level of work restriction as our holiest holiday, Shabbat. That’s a big deal, because Shabbat is a big deal. Think of it this way: you don’t drag out the fancy china for any regular old meal. Similarly, you don’t drag out all the work restrictions, creative customs and dietary laws for any old boring, meaningless holiday.

So why does the Jewish community have such a strong passion for chag? I think it’s because in a sense, our holidays represent different aspects of God’s personality. Every generation senses God in a different way, and that’s possible because God is infinite. But during certain times in history, other aspects of God’s personality appear hidden. I think that the holidays give us an opportunity to see different “faces” of God. And in the case of the end of our festive season, we get to see God through the lens of impermanence (Sukkot), through the lens of God’s love for a gathered people (Shemini Atzeret) and through complete and utter joy (Simchat Torah).

Filed Under: Sukkot Tagged With: convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, shemini atzeret, shmeni atzeres, simchat torah, sukkot

Tishrei: Talking to the Dead

October 8, 2014 by Ketzirah

I thought I’d kick off 5773 by exploring Judaism’s relationship with ancestor engagement, or veneration of the dead. I don’t say “worship” because we don’t do that — at least not officially. Although we seem to mention those ancestors an awful lot. Ever heard the phrase, “The G!d/dess Abraham, Issac, and Jacob,” but I digress.

Tishrei, the official head of the Jewish year is chock full of holidays. We have Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the Days of Awe, during which is also the Autumnal Equinox. Then we have Sukkot, Hoshanah Rabba, Shmini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah. This is the time of the year, where we take stock and look to the year ahead. It makes a lot of sense to do this in the Fall. In ancient times, or just an agrarian culture, this is when you finish up the harvest [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community Member Blogs, Judaism & Belief, Sukkot Tagged With: convert to judaism, customs, darshan yeshiva, judaism afterlife, judaism death, judaism spirit, judaism witch, ketzirah, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, peel a pom, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, rituals, sukkot, tishrei, ushpizin, ushpizot

The Humble Willow

October 7, 2012 by Patrick Beaulier

Today is the Jewish Holiday of Hoshana Rabba. Customarily, we beat five willow branches on the ground. Afterwards, we recite a prayer beseeching the Creator to sweeten all harsh judgements. This seems like a bizzare mystical ritual that begs for deeper explanation.

During the past seven days, we took a date palm frond, a citron, three myrtle branches and two willow branches and united them together. Then we waved them in all six primary spatial directions. Each of these four kinds of plant growth represent a different kind of Jew: The Torah scholar, the one who thrives on doing good deeds, those who are a balanced combination of both Torah and good deeds, and those whose deeds and learning are poor.

The Torah scholar is represented by the date palm frond because dates taste yummy like Torah knowledge. The one who thrives on good deeds is represented by the myrtle because it’s leave [Read more…]

Filed Under: Jewish Media Reviews, Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud), Judaism & Belief, Shabbat & Holidays Tagged With: chesed, citron, date palm frond, etrog, four species, good deeds, Hoshana Rabba, kabbalah, lulav, myrtle branches, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, sefirah, sukkot, symbolism, Torah, torah scholar, willow branches

Sukkot Video Bonanza

October 10, 2011 by Patrick Beaulier

PunkTorah does Sukkot! Check out the vids for everything you need to know…and maybe a few things you DIDN’T want to know.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVoAC1asxk4

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThvGu4TPk1U

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRiGPs1eTsg

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIeDK5zVDa0

Filed Under: Podcasts & Videos, Shabbat & Holidays Tagged With: alterna-rebbe, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, how to build a sukkah, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, succos, sukkos, sukkot

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

PunkTorah Inc.
PO Box 1641
Midlothian, VA 23113

questions@punktorah.org
YouTube
Facebook

Read our DMCA notice

Search the PunkTorah Blog Archive

What We Do

Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary: Online Rabbinical Program

Now Hiring: Rabbis, Educators & Creatives

Become a Jewish Spiritual Leader

  • Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud)
  • Judaism & Belief
  • The G-d Project Videos
  • Podcasts & Videos
  • NewKosher (Recipes)
  • Converting To Judaism
  • LGBTQ & Women
  • Shabbat & Holidays

Copyright PunkTorah Inc.© 2023