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FROM THE DESK OF RABBI ARYE BERK
I received a beautiful piece on my e-mail the other day. Unfortunately, it was not new to me. Others had sent it to me well over a year ago. And yet, as I read it over anew, I realized not only that it came at a perfect time, but also I realized that I was blessed with the gift of memory. This month, when we will recite the Yiskor Service, I am much more cognizant of that most special of God's blessings, the blessing of memory, the blessing of remembrance.
During this Festival of Succoth, most of us have been in, seen, or at least, talked about the Succah, the hut we see in so many back yards. Then again, the Succah itself is supposed to remind us that most everything in this world is temporary. And yet, one of the symbols we use for this major festival helps to teach us the opposite extreme of this spectrum of life.
I am referring to the Etrog. The Etrog looks like a lemon and as any of you know who ever left a lemon or any other citrus fruit out of the fridge too long, such fruit can rot and begin to smell awful.
But not the Etrog. You can cut the Etrog in half, hopefully after Succoth is over, and you can leave the shell of this miraculous citron around forever. It simply will not rot.
It is truly a wonder, not only in nature, but also as a primary symbol of a holy day that is all about the temporary stature of most things.
The Etrog reminds us that there are things that are permanent, there are things that survive, there are things that do not rot, that there are things that last forever.
Join us for services this month or just stop by the Succah!
Rabbi Arye Berk
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