YK

[magid]

Despite feeling unready (not nearly enough introspection, and not nearly enough water consumed beforehand), I was able to make it through davening (musaf ran until almost 3, and since the mincha I went to started a bit after 4), the day went decently. There were times I found really good kavana, other times I couldn't focus that intensely (even at night; I think that was the minimal water), but drifted on the words in front of me and on the shatz's abilities.

My knees hurt from standing that much, which is a minhag I should probably revisit now that I'm older. They don't seem to hurt any more than they used to, though, and the walking I did during the break helped (it turned out to be a 4-mile day).

Tehillah had a lot of singing, and for the most part, it didn't seem all that slow... but it turned out to be the longest morning davening I've been to, helped along by a dvar Torah on Jonah, who Bernie Steinberg sees as the anti-teshuva guy, not only running away from his nvuah, but when he prays, he is all world weary and asking for death.

The night before, the dvar Torah was about the structure of the day, which today is essentially focused on the individual, but historically was all about the community, as the kohen gadol did the service that would earn our forgiveness. And the language of the prayers is all first person plural (see: viduy, for instance), emphasizing that community. Which was then taken to ask people to think about community building, and the kind of community we're trying to build, and so on.

I went to Harvard Hillel ortho minyan for mincha-neilah. I knew that Mike would be leading neilah, and that he'd have his watch with him; he's very careful about ending right on time. I needed to be able to rely on that. Plus, while his voice isn't amazing sound, I wanted the tradition of his very Ashkenazish davening. And that was good. (Plus, facing east is good.)

Also good: not getting riled up by people doing things that annoyed me. This is a real accomplishment for me, being merely mildly irritated rather than getting worked up. (I might say it would be better if people didn't do annoying things, but I know that I'm hyper m'dakdek about a lot of davening stuff that other people don't care about, so that's unlikely to be the case.)

Comments

Good.

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

I went to a traditional conservative shul, where my sister now works as child/family programming person. She led the kids' services. RH and YK here are the first services I've been to (I'm fairly sure) where it was all in Hebrew; I think even CSAIR has some stuff in English. Musaf didn't end until 3:30 and mincha started again at 4, but my sister and I took a bit of a break and got back around 5. The rabbi's kavanah was evident, and her voice was lovely. I knew almost none of the melodies, which made me sad, but I also realized that I need to stop being stiff-necked about that, since it seems I won't be finding a rabbi with the melodies (or voice) like my Abba's. I do have to say, I have NEVER heard slower melodies than the guest rabbi's - even though you know it's going to be an all-day holiday, having things drag is still a drag.

I love the end of Neilah. The growing force of it, the repetition at the end, and then I get to blow the tekiah g'dola. It was good, so my sister says. I'll write more on my own journal soon. I'm glad it was an easy fast for you and that we're all through it now.

Also, happy birthday!

Re: Good.

[magid.livejournal.com]

I've only ever gone to services that are pretty much in Hebrew (barring a prayer for the government or something like that), and I do have a problem with services that feel like they're dragging. Tunes or no tunes, it shouldn't feel incredibly slow. And I hear you about melodies; it feels especially important to me on RH and YK to have at least some familiar music. It evokes more, makes it easier to be in the right fram of mind.

Next up: Sukkot!
[donut maker voice] Time to make the sukkah...[/voice]

True dat.

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

The secular creeps into the religious for me when I start seeing funky gourds at the farmer's market. I want to string them up! I want to make stupid paper ring chains! *chuckle*

Re: True dat.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Growing up, mom always decorated the sukka with gourds and sheaves of corn and such, so it seems right to me. It's a harvest festival (among other things), after all.

Re: Good.

[(Anonymous)]

[donut maker voice] Time to make the sukkah...[/voice]

Hee hee!

Re: Good.

[(Anonymous)]

[donut maker voice] Time to make the sukkah...[/voice]

Hee hee!

Re: Good.

[gingicat]

You went to CSAIR? When? I went to Hebrew school and youth services and batmitzvah tutoring with Cantor Piltch and USY, lo these many years ago (1981-87ish). My family still lives in the area. Did you know Asher?

Re: Good.

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

My sister has been part of CSAIR since she moved to Riverdale at the end of 1998; I've been in this area since the end of 2000. I do know the Piltches, but I don't know Asher by name. I know a lot of the congregants by face, but alas, I'm no longer a regular, though I was there constantly from about '00-'02. I was just there today, actually. Do you come home for any holidays or are you settled elsewhere?

Re: Good.

[gingicat]

My parents are no longer members, so I tend to go out to Worcester to my in-laws (I'm married to Magid's brother). I don't think I've been to services at CSAIR since I graduated college in 1991, so I wouldn't have overlapped your sister. Asher made aliyah in the late 80s IIRC, so you wouldn't have met him.