Rosh Hashana is, if you go by the liturgy, the day of judgement, and through another lens, The New Year, and through another lived lens, a time for family gathering, celebration, and spending a lot more time than usual in synagogue. *None* of which is described here! #ParshaChat

A1: When I read this, I am always a little surprised by little the description matches the present-day emotional tones of the holidays. #ParshaChat

My mother’s cousin made Aliyah over 50 years ago. We received an email from her and her husband this week that they built their sukkah for the first time since 2023. They felt that Israel was starting to turn a corner and it was getting back to “Israel Normal” again.
#ParshaChat

Q1: Today, we'll look at Leviticus 23:23-43, part of the Torah reading for Sukkot. Looking through the verses, what are your impressions? Does anything surprise you, raise questions, or seem particularly relevant to the theme of caring about people? #ParshaChat

So far, just a rainy day here. On the south shore it may be far different. #ParshaChat

#ParshaChat programming question: We're approaching the end of the Torah reading cycle, which means it will be time to reset the theme! I've been thinking about focusing on plants and animals this year, what do others think about that?

How's the weather this weekend? (We're away.) #ParshaChat

Oooh I did not realize there was a Pokémon contingent! That might convince my tiny human to come more often! #ParshaChat

Happy to be alive. Glad I could still fast on Yom Kippur. Hoping you are doing well, rabbi. #ParshaChat

A0 Dennis Fischman in Somerville, MA. Thought we'd have a small turnout this morning because of the impending nor'easter, but it was a good sized group, including kids playing Pokémon in the social hall. Being the Pokémon shul is not a bad thing! #ParshaChat

Leviticus 23:23-43, for #ParshaChat study of Sukkot:
Sefaria: www.sefaria.org/Leviticus.23...
Verses also threaded below:

A0: Shabbat shalom #ParshaChat! I'm Rabbi Ruti Regan, here to moderate and looking forward to the conversation.

I'm enjoying Sukkot. We have a tiny little travel sukkah that of course blew over, but we got to use it a little before it blew over, so I'm counting that as a win.

Q0: Introduce yourself! Anything about you, your week, or your interest in #ParshaChat that you'd like to share.

Also: It’s Sukkot! How is everyone doing?

Our current theme for #ParshaChat text study is reading the text with the assumption that we are supposed to care about people.

If you have questions about #ParshaChat or how to participate, please feel free to @ or DM Rabbi @RutiRegan.bsky.social with questions!

Welcome to #ParshaChat, a Jewish space for discussion of the weekly Torah reading (and sometimes other things!)

This week we are studying:
Sukkot: www.hebcal.com/holidays/suk...

It also occurs to me that we haven’t focused on animals. #ParshaChat

Power might be an interesting theme! Like, who has it, what kind is it, and what do they do with it. #ParshaChat

Two thoughts off the top of my head:

Having empathy for people different from oneself

Using your powers for good #ParshaChat

When you've grown up being beaten for *mistakes* ("taught to the tune of a hickory stick") as well as disobedience, seeing people get out of physical punishment via repentance might seem like a violation of the moral balance of the universe. People are SUPPOSED to be punished!
#ParshaChat

This essay on Jonah the zealot
www.thetorah.com/article/sile...
notes that Christian thinkers including Aquinas, Leibniz, & Kant
argued for the righteous value of punishment, even of the repentant. IMHO this comes from punitive child-rearing, v common in previous eras
#ParshaChat