Rabbi Howard Morrison

This coming Shabbat, we will complete the third book of the Torah, Sefer Vayikra - the book of Leviticus. One of the blessings mentioned at the outset of Parshat B'Chukotai is "V'Natati Shalom Ba'Aretz - I (God) will grant peace in the land." Shalom (peace)  is the root word of Jerusalem, which literally means, "a city of peace.". On Sunday, we will celebrate Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem Day. We remember the miracle of the Six Day War in 1967, when the old and new of Jerusalem became a single unified city. From that time onward through today, we are able to visit and celebrate our Jewishness in the most sacred sites of Israel's holiest city, symbolized by the Kotel - the Western Wall.

At the Beth Emeth Shacharit service this coming Sunday morning, we will recite Hallel and sound the Shofar. Hallel is traditionally recited on Festival days which are connected to being in Israel. These include the Biblical Festivals as well as Chanukah, and Yom Ha'Atzmaut/Yom Yerushalayim in contemporary times. Many of us remember Rabbi Shlomo Goren sounding the Shofar immediately after the liberation of the Kotel and the old city of Jerusalem. Our sounding of the Shofar will reverberate to those sounds which were intoned fifty-five years ago.

Sadly, Jerusalem, specifically, and Israel, in general, are far from being at peace in the world at large. We pray, using the words found in the Parsha this Shabbat, that God should grant peace in the land. Nevertheless, we will celebrate the gift of a unified Jerusalem this Sunday.

In advance, I wish us all a Yom Yerushalayim Sameach.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison