Why Do Jews Shake Sticks and Fruits? with Rabbi Yitz Jacobs
10/16/24 • 32 min
Sukkot is upon us! Does that mean we like camping? Well we do but this holiday is less about camping and more about commemorating the 40 years Jews lived in temporary shelters while wandering the desert on the way to Israel, their promised land. On this holiday, when you actually enter this holy "shack" you come across a ritual of waving around fruits and sticks... If it's your first time witnessing this, you must agree that this is a bizarre ritual.
Rabbi Yitz Jacobs of MyAishLA and Aish Los Angeles helps us understand the deeper meaning behind this highly choreographed ritual. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, goes beyond the joy of building the sukkah in order to understand the movements and philosophies behind this act.
00:00 Introduction
06:11 High holiday breakdown by purpose
09:15 Divine protection and dependency
10:33 Beyond the "shack"
16:07 6-dimensional
19:37 Feminine perfection
23:24 Unity with God through tradition
25:07 Tree of Life
28:42 World-building
About Rabbi Yitz Jacobs:
Rabbi Yitz Jacobs grew up in one of the only secular sections of Long Island. He earned a BS in Biology at Cornell University, and is still repenting for the freshman dorm experience. He then stayed on at Cornell and earned a Masters in Public Administration. He often wonders why, after spending all that money at Cornell, they’re still trying to get more out of him. After working in technology consulting for two years in Washington D.C. for Booz-Allen and Hamilton, he decided to do what every Jewish boy dreams of doing after being in the work force—go back to graduate school! Upon acceptance to University of Virginia Law school, he quit his job and took a quick detour to the holy land for a “three hour cruise.” He ended up staying for six years and earning his Rabbinical degree from Aish. R. Jacobs is married to his wonderful wife, Chavi Jacobs, and has 5 beautiful children.
Connect with Rabbi Yitz Jacobs:
Follow him on FB and IG @myaishla
Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod
Sukkot is upon us! Does that mean we like camping? Well we do but this holiday is less about camping and more about commemorating the 40 years Jews lived in temporary shelters while wandering the desert on the way to Israel, their promised land. On this holiday, when you actually enter this holy "shack" you come across a ritual of waving around fruits and sticks... If it's your first time witnessing this, you must agree that this is a bizarre ritual.
Rabbi Yitz Jacobs of MyAishLA and Aish Los Angeles helps us understand the deeper meaning behind this highly choreographed ritual. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, goes beyond the joy of building the sukkah in order to understand the movements and philosophies behind this act.
00:00 Introduction
06:11 High holiday breakdown by purpose
09:15 Divine protection and dependency
10:33 Beyond the "shack"
16:07 6-dimensional
19:37 Feminine perfection
23:24 Unity with God through tradition
25:07 Tree of Life
28:42 World-building
About Rabbi Yitz Jacobs:
Rabbi Yitz Jacobs grew up in one of the only secular sections of Long Island. He earned a BS in Biology at Cornell University, and is still repenting for the freshman dorm experience. He then stayed on at Cornell and earned a Masters in Public Administration. He often wonders why, after spending all that money at Cornell, they’re still trying to get more out of him. After working in technology consulting for two years in Washington D.C. for Booz-Allen and Hamilton, he decided to do what every Jewish boy dreams of doing after being in the work force—go back to graduate school! Upon acceptance to University of Virginia Law school, he quit his job and took a quick detour to the holy land for a “three hour cruise.” He ended up staying for six years and earning his Rabbinical degree from Aish. R. Jacobs is married to his wonderful wife, Chavi Jacobs, and has 5 beautiful children.
Connect with Rabbi Yitz Jacobs:
Follow him on FB and IG @myaishla
Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod
Previous Episode
Why Do We Fast? with Rabbi Ari Averbach
Yom Kippur is notorious for the strenuous difficult key feature task of fasting for 25 hours. Beyond just getting the rumbles in your tummy, starving for prolonged periods of time with no water leads to headaches, fatigue, and a lack of ability to focus. So how could it possible do any good for a time when we must reflect and pray?
Rabbi Ari Averbach is no stranger to the importance of this act. Whether it's the high holidays or another fasting day, Rabbi Averbach brings attention to the deeper meaning of this holy ritual. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, learns from Ari, who now heads the synagogue that Chaz grew up in. Learn from Rabbi Ari Averbach and Chaz Volk in order to add more depth to your high holidays.
00:00 Introduction
04:13 Blending storytelling, Torah, and life's pivotal moments
07:52 Understanding Yom Kippur's significance and practices discussed
12:18 Modern Judaism evolved beyond original Torah teachings
14:51 Yom Kippur fasting questioned for focus validity
17:08 Deciding between comfort and traditional discomfort
22:14 Yom Kippur questions identity in face of death
25:01 Purim and Yom Kippur: Reflection, celebration, identity
28:18 Facing death daily, alleviated by prayer reflections
30:34 Stoicism and reflection: growth through difficult situations
34:41 Conclusion
About Rabbi Ari Averbach:
Rabbi Ari Averbach has served as Senior Rabbi at Temple Etz Chaim since July 2019.
Rabbi Averbach grew up in Agoura Hills, a student of the public schools and Los Angeles Hebrew High School. He graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, spending several years working in film and television. His volunteering, especially with Jewish World Watch, a non-profit organization fighting genocide in Darfur and Congo, changed his career path. Through this work, he was a guest lecturer at dozens of synagogues, churches, schools and summer camps around Southern California.
Rabbi Averbach was ordained at AJU’s Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, where he was presented the Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence and was honored to be elected the class speaker. During school, he earned certification in chaplaincy at Children’s Hospital, and served as the rabbinic intern at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino.
Rabbi Averbach previously served as Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, Illinois, and volunteered as a chaplain at local hospitals. He was the founding leader of the Rabbinical Assembly affinity group for Assistant Rabbis and served as Treasurer of the local RA chapter.
He was featured on CBS News, quoted in the New York Times, and was a contributor to Says You.
As a family, Ari, his wife Vanessa, a high school English teacher, and their three children, spend free time going for long walks, doing crossword puzzles and riding bikes.
Connect with Rabbi Ari Averbach:
www.TempleEtzChaim.org
Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod
Next Episode
What Is The Real Story of Simchat Torah? with Ben Berger
Are the high holidays over yet? NOPE! We got one more (two more if you count Shemini Etzeret - the holiday where we ask God for rain). Mainly, Simchat Torah is everyone's focus. This festive holiday is about joy! But how can we be fully joyous a year into a post October 7th reality?
Actor and comedian Ben Berger jumps back onto the podcast, talking happiness, laughter, l'chaims, and dancing! This sense of profound Jewish joy is shred with Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew. Ben Berger and Chaz Volk collaborate to teach Judaism, spread joy, and inspire around the idea of starting anew!
00:00 Introduction
07:59 Chaz is leaving for Israel... again... for a year!
10:19 Jewish joy persists through dark times
15:45 Simchat Torah 2024
18:49 Unique traditions
22:39 Studying Torah
26:05 Torah relevance
26:55 Partnering up to study Torah
About Ben Berger:
Connect with Ben Berger:
IG and TikTok @BenBererBaby
Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/bad-jew-312884/why-do-jews-shake-sticks-and-fruits-with-rabbi-yitz-jacobs-76466631"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to why do jews shake sticks and fruits? with rabbi yitz jacobs on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy