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From the Rabbi's
Desk..
We have just concluded a month of holidays filled with observances at home and at the Synagogue. The holidays this year seemed to be longer in duration because there were three 3 day sequences. The two days of Rosh Hashanah were on Thursday and Friday followed immediately by Shabbat. Similarly, the first and final days of Sukkot led to the onset of Shabbat.
While holidays can and should be joyous, there can be a bit too much of a good thing. Observant Jews do not work on Yom Tov and there is a lot of ‘Shul’. One of my colleagues said he was ‘Shuled out’. Perhaps this explains the irreverent frivolity and antics which occur on Simhat Torah. In fact, this year some leading Orthodox Rabbis warned their congregants about excessive ‘Simhat Torah drinking’.
The three day phenomenon occurs only in the Diaspora. In Israel, the observance of holidays is as it is ordained in the Torah…one day of Shavuot, one day at the beginning and the end of both Sukkot and Passover. The only exception to this is Rosh Hashanah which is observed in Israel as a two day holiday.
Outside of Israel the Biblical holidays have an extra day added to them known as Yom Tov Sheni Shel Galuyot (the second day of the festival in the Diaspora) or more commonly known as Yom Tov Sheni. Hence, for example, two Sedarim on Passover in the Diaspora but only one in Israel. This practice originated because of the uncertainty in the Diaspora of the day on which the Sanhedrin announced the New Moon. Later, when astronomical calculations were relied upon, the sages declared that the custom should nevertheless be accepted as permanent. In Orthodox Judaism, Yom Tov is considered inviolable and observance of Yom Tov Sheni is mandated. Reform Judaism rejects Yom Tov Sheni for all holidays including Rosh Hashanah.
From the 1930’s to the 1960’s Yom Tov Sheni was a topic of periodic discussion by the Conservative Movement’s Law Committee. A responsum was issued in 1963 which affirmed that it is possible to change the law but such a change is neither obligatory nor recommended. Overwhelmingly, most American Conservative Synagogues have retained the observance of Yom Tov Sheni.
I believe it is time to revisit the issue. Even if it was warranted, the elimination of Yom Tov Sheni 50 years ago could not have been enacted and would not have been widely accepted. Half a century ago Conservative Synagogues were populated by great numbers of ‘traditional’ Jews. The membership of Conservative Synagogues today, fifty years later, is very different. I think an official enactment to make the observance of holidays in the Diaspora similar to that which the Torah ordains and to that which is practiced in Israel, would be widely accepted. Parenthetically it is noticeable that fewer Jews attend Synagogue on the second day of holidays than on the first.
There are some modern Zionist Orthodox Rabbis who believe that a change is warranted but want an official authoritative Rabbinic body in Israel to take the lead. That, of course, will never happen.
I tend to think that the elimination of Yom Tov Sheni would lead to a more joyous, more spirited and more widespread observance of the one day. I do not subscribe to the cynical observation that since so many Conservative Jews hardly observe any days of Yom Tov, why eliminate the second day? Keep the second day for those who do observe it. My own feeling is that the uniqueness of a single day could lead to a broader and more meaningful observance of Yom Tov.
Rabbi Albert Thaler
P.S. If you did not witness the singing, dancing and ‘ruach’ of our Kadima kids on Simhat Torah, you missed something beautiful.
Rabbi Albert Thaler
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