Harvesting the soul’s bounty

MICHELLE DODEK

Tom Burwell, a mixed-grain farmer whose farm is located in Asquith, Sask., called his Jewish friend, Walter Gumprich, in late August with a question. “When is the Jewish Thanksgiving this year?” Although the High Holy Days revolve around the lunar calendar and change in relationship to the Roman calendar each year, over three decades of observation, Burwell noticed that it is the timing of Sukkot is the vital piece of information that influences harvest time.

For anyone with agrarian roots, harvest time is not only very busy, it is also a time of great uncertainty. Will it rain before the crops are off? If crops are harvested too early, will the grain be ripe and ready? Jewish tradition is based on the timing of the harvest in the land of Israel, which sees the autumnal harvest just prior to the High Holy Day period, but the pressures are the same.

Certainly, the link between the timing of the fall harvest and Jewish spiritual examination is strong. To get a better understanding of this relationship, the Independent spoke with several local spiritual leaders who could provide insight into this period of reflection and renewal.

According to Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt of Congregation Schara Tzedeck, there is a strong relationship between Divine judgment and the harvest. The repentance to which we commit on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, in this context, comes as a way to prepare for Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret, when we pray for the rain that will bring a spring harvest, sustaining life into the future. “This time of year engages us in mindful blessing, to be aware of your blessings, as well as [your] vulnerabilities,” he told the Independent.

Temple Sholom’s Rabbi Philip Bregman pointed out the dichotomies inherent in the nature of the fall harvest. Although the harvest is a time of ending, as nature prepares to hibernate for the dark winter months, it is also, in truth, a time of new beginnings. Even the school year begins anew. With the final fall harvest, we may begin to look at ourselves in a new way, as well.

“We look at what we have gleaned over the year, both a physical gleaning and an emotional and spiritual gleaning,” Bregman said. As the days become shorter and darker, Jews may want to take stock, ensuring that our souls do not wither. Instead, we should continue to glean the benefits of renewal. We can do so by looking back at all that we have learned and done in the past year and by looking forward to the future, which we hope will hold a bountiful harvest, literally and figuratively.

“Things are dying and the process of rebirth begins at this time with the rains coming,” said Beth Israel’s Rabbi Jonathan Infeld about this approach. Although few Vancouverites are looking forward to the onset of the winter months, especially in this especially rainy year, Infeld pointed out that the larger cycle of harvest and rain followed by harvest is the reality of the world, one which is nicely reflected by the High Holy Days. Rosh Hashanah, a time of reflection, precedes Yom Kippur, which is a day of renewal. The spiritual period closes with Sukkot, the harvest, marking an end, but also signifying new beginnings, with the collection of seeds for future plantings. This intertwining of life and death in nature is also part of our spiritual lives.

Life and death are touched on many times in the liturgy of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Our time on earth is temporary, part of a natural cycle, and the High Holidays provide a set-aside time to try to make sense of our lives and the choices we make.

“Judaism is, among other things, a wisdom tradition,” said Or Shalom’s Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan. “It helps us manage our inner lives of thought and feeling.”

Having a series of festivals where we come together as a community and pray together makes good sense. “As fall is a time of change with the end of harvest and the beginning of school, the practice of self-reflection around Rosh Hashanah gives some direction to our experience of change,” she added.

The concept of teshuvah, meaning repentance or return, permeates High Holy Day observance. It is the cornerstone of the liturgy and the process with which we engage as we face a new year. As Canadian farmers bring in their crops and we fill our kitchens with the produce of that bounty, we would do well to consider how the growing season provides a mirror for our spiritual journey. Shana tova.

Michelle Dodek is a Vancouver freelance writer. Walter Gumprich is her father.

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