Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 19 Tishri, 5784

Today is the Fifth day of Sukkot!  The third day of Chol Hamoed.  We are almost through this intermediary time – and heading to the crescendo of the Torah cycle – the final day of Sukkot (Hoshana Rabah this year), Shmeni Atzeret and Simchat Torah!

Here is the Torah portion today (Numbers 29:23-31):

23And on the fourth day, ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in the first year, [all] unblemished.

24Their meal offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, as prescribed.

25And one young male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering and its libation.

26And on the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in the first year, [all] unblemished.

27And their meal offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, as prescribed.

28And one young male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its libation.

That is what we read yesterday.

Today we add:

29And on the sixth day, eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in the first year, [all] unblemished.

30And their meal offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, as prescribed.

31And one young male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its libations.

So. In my opinion, we add tomorrow’s offering (the sixth day of sukkot).  Tomorrow is about the number 8 – it’s a special number in Judaism (and in other cultures as well).  It is the number of infinity. It is above humanity (7). As we catch our breath before going into the weekend – this is one more chance for us to live out what we’ve learned about ourselves during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and are wanting to take into this new Torah cycle.  We are “counting down” the sacrifices (today is 9 bulls, tomorrow is 8 bulls) to come to a place of being ready to restart. Reset.

This has me thinking.  If we had a blank canvas in front of us – to paint the next year; what would we create? What would we co-create? What can we imagine? Envision?

Because what is ALSO interesting – as we turn back the Torah Scrolls – we have one more week of Tishri to begin looking ahead to set our intentions for the new moon and the new month of Heshvan.  What do we want to set out for the new month?

This is the reflection for today. I am curious to your thoughts!