Post-Holiday Post

A little flat and dreary after all they had been through, but also, unexpectedly, nice in its own way…

The end of the “Jewish Holiday Season” is always one of mixed emotions. One the one hand, we are ready to get back to normal. But, on the other hand, saddened that we have another whole year before the time returns. I feel, perhaps, a bit like the Pevensie children do upon their second return from Narnia as described above. Let me try to elaborate.

Our anticipation for the coming Days of Awe begins in the Jewish month of Elul, a full month before the Jewish New Year. At that time the shofar begins to be sounded daily, awakening us to the upcoming Day of Judgement, Rosh HaShana. Rosh HaShana itself is a day of dread, but also of joy. We rejoice that we have the merit to crown God as our King, yet dread His judgement we then accept upon ourselves. The blowing of the shofar on Rosh HaShana encompasses both themes. It is our trumpet signifying the coronation of God, and the final wake up call to be judged.

The following days, from Rosh HaShana to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, are those during which God is close and is found as in the verse (Isaiah 55:6), "Seek God while He can be found, call to Him while He is near." These days are a time when repentance and prayer will more likely be accepted.

Yom Kippur is then the climax of this journey. We attempt to divorce ourselves from all that is material, eating, drinking and the like, to concentrate on our spiritual well-being, assured that God is with us and will look favorably upon us.

The shofar blast at the end of Yom Kippur is our way of saluting God as He ascends back to the Heavens. His presence is no longer near, we return to normal human existence, and the evening service after His departure is, for me, the saddest of the year. 

But, the holidays are not over. Agriculturally, we have now entered the harvest season and to counterbalance the possible arrogance that may arise when we see our bountiful harvest, we spend the holiday of Sukkot outside of our houses, in temporary shelters. However, these shelters also represent the Clouds of Glory that surrounded the Jews in their wanderings in the wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land. They are a conduit to Heaven reminding us that, though He may have returned to His Heavenly abode, we can leave the confines of our routine existence and follow Him there. 

Then the holidays are really over. Winter is fast approaching. Kids return to school and adults to work. All of the tasks we’ve been pushing off until “after the Holidays” now need our attention. Perhaps we refocus away for the great spiritual heights we hoped to reach under the influence of the holidays. Instead we turn to the dull, mundane tasks of everyday life. 

Yet, the “normal” world is nice in its own way. There are positive goals to accomplish, and constructive aims to fulfill. There are people to help and an imperfect world to improve. Hopefully, we have been influenced by our holiday experiences to transform even mundane tasks into spiritual opportunities. And though His presence is no longer on Earth, perhaps what we have learned will allow us to see Him more clearly in our normal (hopefully spiritually improved) routine. 

The Pevensies, Aslan explains at the end of Voyage of the Dawn Treader, were brought to Narnia to know Aslan better in their own world:  “This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there." And so too with us. Every year God allows us to get a glimpse of His glory, in hopes that we will use that experience to know Him better even as we enter the cold and darkness of winter.