In rare ceremony, Jews celebrate 'Blessing of the Sun'
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April 8, 2009 02:00 PM
(Video by John R. Ellement)
By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff
BROOKLINE -- Saying prayers and singing songs, some 100 Boston-area Jews gathered on a hilltop today as part of a traditional celebration that occurs just once every 28 years.
 (George Rizer/Globe Staff) |
Known as the ''Blessing of the Sun'' -- or "Birkat Hachamah" in Hebrew -- participants braved the chilly pre-dawn cold that blanketed the hilltop in Larz Anderson Park in Brookline to catch the sun as it rose above Boston's skyline.
The gathering was led by Rabbi Barbara Penzner of Temple Hillel B'nai Torah in West Roxbury and Rabbi Victor Reinstein of the Nehar Shalom temple in Jamaica Plain. They said that in the Jewish tradition today is the day when the sun rises as it did on the fourth day of Creation, which was when God created the sun and the stars.
The sun is aligned in this location at sunrise just once every 28 years, according to the tradition and the Jewish calendar.
"It's a cycle of 28 years, meaning people, perhaps at most, might be around for four cycles,'' Reinstein said. "It's a wonderful opportunity to consider the great changes in our lives and in the world. ... It's a remarkable moment to consider this great cycle.''
Shivering in winter clothes and some draped with blankets, participants gathered on the high point in Anderson Park, which provides a breathtaking view of downtown Boston's skyline to the east.
They said traditional Jewish prayers, recited the poem, “the Sun’’ written by Mary Oliver, which includes these words:
"do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure
that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you."
They also sang a lively rendition of George Harrison’s joyful, "Here Comes The Sun."
But when sunrise arrived at 6:15 a.m., the sun was obscured by a line of gray clouds, forcing a delay in jubilation for a few minutes until the sun finally rose above the cloud line.
"There it is!"' Penzner shouted, bringing a shout of celebration from the celebrants. "You can see it, the bright pink in that tiny sliver."
Among those attending was an ebullient Linda Schiller, a Watertown resident who was attending her first "blessing of the sun.'' Schiller is a member of the third sponsoring temple, Dorshei Tzedek of Newton.
"I've never known about it before. This was the first time it was on my horizon, so to speak, and no pun intended,'' she said.”It was very thrilling to watch the sun come up’’ with friends and others from the Jewish community.
Noting the event celebrates the date and time Jews believe God created the sun and the stars, Schiller said, adding that "It felt like a celebration of a new Creation.''
Asked for her future plans, Schiller said with a smile: "Twenty-eight years from now with God's blessing and grace I will be back here. I imagine by then I will be wintering somewhere warmer.''
(George Rizer/Globe Staff)
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Ever since the sun took LSD, it's been a fundamentally better sun.
More pinks and greens and electric blues.
Let's hope it comes up again today.
Look it's coming up. ooooh
Aw it's paisley. I hate paisley.
Each sunrise is a magnificent thing to behold. Most of us can not make the time to enjoy this daily miracle, opting for a sunset instead. Before I was married, my husband to be gave me a sunrise for my birthday. That early October morning on the island of Myconos is one I will never forget.
Yes Slack...you are an ignoramous
I never knew about this wonderful cermony either. It does give a cyclical view of one's life when measured in such a way. Remarkable.
best comment ever
Sun's coming up
Like a big bald head
Poking up over the grocery store.
It's Sharkey's day.
It's Sharkey's day today.
Sharkey wakes up and Sharkey says:
There was this man...
And there was this road...
And if only I could remember these dreams...
I know they're trying to tell me...
Something.
Please explain more about the alignment. Does there also have to be a full moon that day? There are lots of Wednesdays with a full moon. Does it have to coincide with Passover? Does it have anything to do with the Julian calendar repeating every 28 years? (The Gregorian calender also mostly repeats every 28 years, but is thrown out of sync when leap years are skipped in the century years.)
Why is it that Jewish folks and any activity pertaining to them is always a breaking story? Odd.
because we are god's chosen people.
The photographer was certainly an early rizer.
The 28-year cycle has nothing to do with Passover or the moon. Like the Julian calendar, the rabbis over 2000 years ago set up a year for this purpose that's 365 and 1/4 days long. Based on Genesis, the sun was created on the 4th day, Wednesday, and the rabbis deduced that it was on the evening of the spring equinox. So if each year is 365 1/4 days long, the spring equinox falls on a Wednesday every 28 years. But the solar year acually isn't 365 1/4 days long, so the rabbinc equinox has moved up to April 8 by now (they knew their calculation was wrong, btw).
100 people attended? Wow, what a "tradition"!!!
all of the people were early risers, I woke up @ 5:30 to get there and i went in my pjs and I was FREEZING. and i'm 12, next time it happens ill be 40. OMG!
Dear Jonah Sloat -- somehow you think "Jewish folks" are getting too much media attention? Maybe because we "control the media"? Despite your dislike of stories about Jews, you were obviously interested enough to click on the story and even leave a comment. So the better question is, why do you feel the need to express your biases against Jews all over the place, even on an innocent story about a (God forbid!) activity pertaining to Jews!
And Dear coco beach -- please keep your juvenile sarcasm to yourself. Nobody asked for your blessing to keep our tradition.
Tired of people using the internet to complain
You have acknowledged jews control the media. Does this explain the media's Israel bias in myriad newpapers? That's good though, nothing like experiencing a holocaust and then exposing innocent people to horrific conditions. If this were happening to jews, we would never hear the end of it.
You know, this is just a an interesting story about an historic event being enjoyed by a group of people. I had never heard of this tradition and am glad that the article was forarded to me by someone who thought I would appreciate it. I honestly find it hard to believe that anyone would have anything negative to say about it. Seriously, can't a few people just enjoy a meaningful moment together without criticism and sarcastic remarks. Lighten up everyone. Try to remember what actually matters in your life- it's not about finding ways to look for the negative in everything around you.
If you have to do it, you might as well do it right
Great topic. Now i can say thank you
+1
Very goood!!!
Very goood!!!
thank you for this
Nice blog! Very interesting themes
how do you do what you do till you you do what you do till its done?
Thanks for post
AWSOMENESS!!!!!
thank for helping a brotha out dude!
Hey! Muchas gracias!
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This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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