In Love with the Sun
Maybe it’s the cupids and heart cut-outs still adorning every storefront. Maybe it’s the full realization that my darker-than-most-Ashkenazi-Jew skin is really not so dark right now. Or, it could be the wonder that today I walked all the way to the subway in the morning and to the bakery this afternoon with powerful sun rays pouring down on me! You see, I like to walk down the sunny side of the street, but during the winter, that’s no easy feat.
Since December 21st, the sun has been shining down on the northern hemisphere for a little bit longer every day. The Winter Solstice, which is commonly noted as being the shortest day of the year, also marks the point at which the sun is lowest in the horizon.
The changes are often subtle, but bit by bit, day by day, sunshine appears where it had been missing for months. I thrive in these changes. You see, my NYC apartment faces due south – aka has incredible sun exposure… except in the deepest of winter when the sun has trouble reaching over the short building across the street. But a few weeks ago, on a Shabbat afternoon, while reading on my couch (with plenty of indirect light coming through), I was hit with this powerful, direct sunbeam. That first day, the sun only peaked above the building for a short visit. As the weeks have passed, I can now fall asleep in that light, and wake up some time later in it, too.
My excitement of the sun is not all that unique. From the Egyptians god, Ra – to modern day sun-worshipers (see picture of Tel Aviv beach) – praising the sun has been around for millennia. But in a Jewish context?
Once every 28 years, Jews have the chance to take a step back from their daily routine and Jewishly bless the sun. We call the event Birkat HaHammah – Blessing of the Sun. On April 8, Jews across the world will be celebrating the sun and its wonders. There is a lot to appreciate – sunlight, food (which grows by photosynthesis) and energy (nearly every kind). Though this year marks the 206th cycle of the sun, it seems the sun is peaking in popularity: from the steady increase of farmer’s markets to the various forms of solar energy, it is an exciting time to bless the sun
Communities are just beginning to plan their Birkat HaHammah celebration. As you do, please share your event on the wiki Local Events page.
