In-tents Dancing
I think I speak for everyone when I say that this year’s High Holidays were different than any other we have experienced. I, like many others, spent much of my time not in my regular shul (synagogue) but in a tent outside. Despite the smaller crowd and having to deal with issues such as car traffic noise, warm weather, and rain pounding on the tent, my holidays were not only OK, they were phenomenal!
Sukkot in particular was especially beautiful. It is always a special holiday for me personally, and I try and spend as much time in my Sukkah as possible, and this year the weather was quite conducive for me to do so, thank G-d.
Fast forward to Simchat Torah. Anyone who has had the good fortune of being in synagogue for dancing on Simchat Torah knows what a joyous and special time it is. For many people, it is a highlight of the year. Heading into Simchat Torah this year, I wondered how things would shake out in this era of Covid. After all, we were already limited in terms of numbers allowed, and local Rabbis were discouraging dancing due to social distancing. Would we truly enjoy a Simchat Torah or would we simply have to have a muted celebration this year?
I have been praying in a large outdoor tent, and the policy we instituted was to only allow dancing in separate “pods” of families, and not to dance in one large circle as we normally would. As I danced with different family members I glanced over my shoulder to see my 7-year-old son, Chaim, with his arm around the shoulder of one of my nephews, dancing back and forth in front of my father who, due to being a bit more susceptible to the virus, was wisely sitting in his seat and participating in the festivities as an observer. For 5 minutes straight my son and nephew went back and forth in front of my father, singing and dancing, much to the great delight of my father. Consider that Chaim, who on a normal day has enough energy to fill an entire room had by now filled himself with enough candy to make Willy Wonka blush, and you can picture for yourself the level of enthusiasm his dancing was at! The innocence and beauty of the scene made it one of those memories that I believe will be etched into my memory for years to come.
Making it even more meaningful was when I reflected upon the song that we were singing at the time. The lyrics were from Psalms: “Achas sho’alti may’ais Hashem osah avakaish. Shivti b’vais Hashem kol yemai chayai -- one thing I ask from G-d and that is what I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all of my life and to visit His abode.” It occurred to me that these words were most apropos for the moment.
Here we were, celebrating the joy of the holiday and the excitement of the completion of the Torah, not in the holy and comfortable confines of the synagogue, but rather outside in a tent and a makeshift synagogue. It could have been a real downer, and yet it was anything but. The excitement was on par with every other year and the dancing in small family circles was full of energy and enthusiasm. In addition, there was a certain level of intimacy that exceeded the typical dancing, the dancing of my Chaim and my nephew in front of my father being just one such example.
That’s when I realized how prescient the words of King David that we were singing really were. King David had one desire and that was to dwell in G-d’s home, presumably a reference to the holy Temple. Yet there is an obvious question begging to be asked. King David never even lived in the same era as the Temple, as it was first built after he passed away! Although there was a Tabernacle extant at the time, it was nowhere near where King David lived and he certainly did not “live” there! What then was King David asking for?
Perhaps we can suggest that there are different forms of the “House of the Lord.” There is the literal meaning which is the Temple but there are other abodes that fit the definition as well. Perhaps King David was pining for the opportunity to make any place where he was be transformed into a dwelling place for G-d. By living one’s life according to the precepts of G-d and the Torah, King David was teaching us that one can transform every place he is into a place that G-d rests His Presence.
This thought gave me tremendous comfort. Sure, we have been out of our normal environments for over 6 months and life has undoubtedly been difficult. On a spiritual side, we have been affected by having our children lose out on their proper Jewish education and our normal prayer services have been adjusted by the lack of normal synagogue participation. Even the High Holidays were ripe for disappointment. Yet, we Jews did what we have always done – we adapted to the circumstances. Through all the difficulties we found ways to make it work and the holidays were just as beautiful and meaningful as ever. We understood the purpose, essence and depth of serving G-d and we reconfigured our lives to be able to do just that, no matter the venue or situation.
So yes, we can socially-distance dance in a tent and sing about King David’s desire to live in G-d’s presence because we realize that G-d is not confined to structures of brick and stone. G-d can dwell just as easily in a tent in the rain in a backyard in Cleveland as He does in the Temple in Jerusalem. It is all up to whether or not we welcome Him into those abodes. Further, our very own homes can become dwelling places for G-d if we lead our lives according to His dictates. When we follow the Torah and keep its commandments we make our home a place that G-d feels “comfortable” blessing with His presence.
In fact, that relates to one of the primary lessons of Sukkot – to move out of our homes and into a flimsy shelter for a week to drive home the lesson that just as G-d provided our ancestors with protection so does He do the same for us. No matter where we are – in our houses or our huts, in our synagogues or in tents in a backyard – G-d is there with us, if only we choose to let Him in. Social distancing may be important for our health, but “so-shul distancing” need not keep us from enjoying living in the presence of G-d.
Let us hope that G-d sends the cure for this prolonged virus so that we can go back to serving Him the way we used to (or hopefully even better than that) in good health and happiness.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yosef Koval
