Blogging My Life...
Today is a very special and unique day, it is the day Jews believe the Sun completes a 28 year cycle where the sun has returned to its position when the world was created.
Every 28 years, Jews say a special prayer named Birkat Hachama (ברכת החמה), Blessing of the Sun, for the special day. Wikipedia has an entry that explains this in good detail:
According to Judaism, the Sun has a 28 year solar cycle known as machzor gadol (מחזור גדול, "the large cycle"). A solar year is estimated as 365.25 days and the "Blessing of the Sun", being said at the beginning of this cycle, is therefore recited every 10,227 (28 times 365.25) days. The next time that it will be recited will be on April 8, 2009 (14 Nisan 5769 on the Hebrew calendar). This coincides with the day before the Jewish Holiday of Passover (Hebrew: פסח), which is said to have happened only two other times before in history.
Technically, this is the second time I was alive for this. The first time, I was one years old, it was on Wednesday, 8 April 1981 (4 Nisan 5741). This is the second time and this time, I will remember it. The next time we say it will be Wednesday, 8 April 2037 (23 Nisan 5797).
In fact, Wikipedia has a picture of the Kotel (western wall) in Jerusalem from this morning. The place is absolutely packed. Here is that picture:
It is a bit unusual to pray to the Sun, but we pray to the moon, once a month. That is called Birkat Levanah, but it isn't technically praying to the moon or sun... :)
Tweet This!
Comments
actually - we never pray TO anything other than G-d, for that would constitute Idolatry (1 of the 3 cardinal sins)
Bircas Hachama on the other hand, is a blessing of praise to G-d, where we acknowledge the greatness and kindness of the Almighty Creator.
In this case, we make a blessing, and recognize that G-d is the 'maker of the act of creation' when the sun reaches the exact place where it was when G-d created it.
This is probably what you meant when u wrote 'It is a bit unusual to pray to the Sun, but we pray to the moon, once a month. That is called Birkat Levanah, but it isn't technically praying to the moon or sun... :)'
Posted by: israelbro | April 8, 2009 12:33 PM
Yes, that is what I meant.
Posted by: Barry Schwartz | April 8, 2009 12:35 PM