Birkas HaChamah Ceremony and Event in Monroe

MONROE, NY [CHI] — Many local Orange County residents, from all walks of life, gathered on Wednesday morning, April 8th, at Chabad’s Monroe Location on Route 17m, to celebrate the rare Jewish practice of Birkat Hachamah, the blessing of the sun, performed only once every 28 years. It is recited on a specific Wednesday morning in the spring, when it is calculated that the sun returns to the same position in the sky it occupied at the time of Creation, and at the same time of the week, 5769 years ago.

More pictures in the Extended Article! (Photos by Yossi Greenfeld)

“But where is the sun?” a participant, worried about the sun hiding behind the clouds, shortly before the start time asked, “Rabbi, can’t you do something about it?”

“Sorry, I’m in marketing, not management!” Rabbi Burston joked.

But moments before 8:30am, the scheduled time for the ceremony, the rays of the sun pierced through the clouds.

Rabbi Burston, wearing a tie patterned with the sun wearing sunglasses (a gift from Dr. Robert Sandow for this occasion), addressed the assembled group.

“Judaism does not let an important event go unnoticed,” he said. “With its system of blessings, Judaism teaches us to reflect and appreciate the miracles and blessings of our daily lives, and never to take the ‘natural miracles’ for granted.

“Blessing G-d reminds us to focus on the fact that G-d continues to sustain our universe.

“There is a blessing for practically everything, including seeing, breathing, walking, eating, and, today we have the opportunity to bless G-d for the sun.”

“Blessed are you G-d of the universe for reenacting the works of creation,” the participants enthusiastically recited together.

After reciting several other Psalms and prayers, Rabbi Burston blessed all to be like the sun – to be giving and nurturing; to be a source of warmth and light to everyone around them.

Burston concluded the ceremony by blessing those assembled to merit to repeat this mitzvah again, in 2037, with the next generation!

Also rare was the timing of the event, which, like only twice in the last 600 years, took place on the very morning before the Passover Seder. Therefore, Chabad rounded out the program with other Passover-related traditions, including a hearty breakfast and a Talmudic Tractate Completion.

(Traditionally, Jewish first-born males fast on the day before Passover. This commemorates the miracle that spared the firstborn Jewish sons from the plague that struck down the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. Usually, the fast is broken if there is a festive meal held that is connected with a mitzvah, for example, the celebration of a circumcision or of a Talmud Tractate Completion. This creates an atmosphere of rejoicing that overrides the requirement to continue the fast, transforming the “fast of first-born” into the “feast” of the first-born!).

The Talmudic Tractate was completion by Rabbi Pinchus Hirsh Reich, a Talmudic scholar from nearby Kiryas Joel.

During the breakfast, a portion of the newly released JEM video, ”Blessing of the Sun” was screened. After the breakfast, participants gathered for the traditional “burning of the Chametz” (Leavened foods, such as bread and pastries, are prohibited throughout the Passover holiday).