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"Sivan, Shavuot, and my Father"

25/05/2020 09:21:07 AM

May25

Dear Congregational Family,

Yesterday, we ushered in the month of Sivan. Sadly, this month gets lost with the warm weather. Yet, the most important holiday takes place on the sixth of Sivan, this Thursday night. Shavuot commemorates the giving of Torah. Without this Festival, there is no Torah, no Mitzvot, no Judaism.

In preparation, we and many other establishments are preparing all kinds of learning materials, on video and in print. I encourage us to take advantage. I also hope that we will daven and study the appropriate Siddur and Scripture passages on our own during the two day Festival.

Whenever Sivan begins, I start to shed a tear. My father Ruben Morrison, of blessed memory, died on 23 Sivan in 1999. While I have many memories, one is appropriate for the week leading into Shavuot.

Growing up, my dad was a one man house committee for our shul. The Ark of the main sanctuary, like Beth Emeth's, had two tiers of Torah scrolls. On a particular Shabbat, when the Ark was opened, one of the scrolls began to fall out of its place. Fortunately, it was caught in time.

During the week which followed, my dad brought me to the shul late one night to assist him. We were alone in the building. Standing on the Bimah with the Ark open, my dad reached for his tool box. He took out many golden link chains and fastened them to all the rods which were meant to keep the Torahs in place. No one knew what he had done.

On the next Shabbat morning, when the Ark was opened, a glow of gold emanating from the new chains glittered around the entire shul. My dad would always sit in the back row. Suddenly, the entire congregation stood and faced my father, figuring out that he was responsible.

As a boy, I did not understand the magnitude of my dad's contribution. Years later, I comprehended what he did. My father did not only physically secure the Torah scrolls. He accomplished something deeply spiritual and emotional. Everybody felt the golden glow of our tradition, which made the people beam with pride.

I will think of my dad's Yahrzeit which occurs later this month when we celebrate the gift of Torah this week.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison

Thu, 28 March 2024 18 Adar II 5784