by Doug Aronin
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are that of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Union for Traditional Judaism, unless otherwise indicated.
In his Times of Israel Blog article, Doug Aronin discusses the significance of Psalm 27 (L’David Hashem Ori) to the penitential season.
Why does Psalm 27 dominate the holiday season, from the beginning of Elul until Hoshana Rabah (Shemini Atzeret, in the Diaspora)?
The question becomes all the more puzzling if you contrast this psalm with Psalm 130, which most traditional synagogues recite each morning during the ten day period from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur. The eleventh of the fifteen psalms that begin with the words shir hamaalot (song of ascents), Psalm 130 focuses on the central theme of the season, that of sin and repentance.
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Douglas Aronin is a retired attorney living in Forest Hills, Queens, who is continuing his lifelong involvement in the Jewish community.
A graduate of Columbia Law School, he practiced law for three decades (including a four-year stint with the New York State Attorney General's office) before retiring.
He served for many years as an officer of the UTJ and was a founding board member of the ITJ (Institute of Traditional Judaism) and editor-in-chief of Cornerstone 2.
Doug’s blog appears regularly on Times of Israel, where he addresses an array of political and religious subjects. His writings have also appeared in a wide range of other print and on-line forums.
Here are some of Doug's blog posts: