To be as Abraham: Dust, Stars, Woodstock and the Rhythm of Tishrei This Yom Kippur I had the amazing opportunity to learn about Avraham’s blessing with a wonderful group of people as the day hit its midway point. In that covenantal blessing we learned that we will be like dust and also that we will be like stars. God tells him... כִּֽי־בָרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ֗ וְהַרְבָּ֨ה אַרְבֶּ֤ה אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְכַח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ם I will bestow My blessing upon you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands on the seashore..(Gen 22:17) While this obviously refers to multitudes, there is a deeper lesson in these images. On the one hand, we are sand and on the other hand, we are stars. In thinking about it more, it occurred to me that these images are also ones that echo the lessons and the rhythm of the fall holidays. The Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur and Rosh HaShana, are the holidays of the earth. It is on those days where we r
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