Seventy words for Seventy Years
Seventy-word reflections on the number seven to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee
We are deeply grateful to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her life of unstinting devotion, dignity and service, including seventy years on the throne as head of state, during which we, her Jewish subjects in this country and throughout the Commonwealth, have benefitted from the freedom to practice our religion openly in peace and prosperity. We admire especially Her Majesty’s dedication to so many charitable causes close to our hearts and the hearts of her subjects of all faiths and none.
To mark her remarkable Platinum Jubilee we offer this very Jewish, very Masorti tribute to Her Majesty: ten reflections of seventy words each on ten of the special sevens in Jewish life, beginning with the seven days of creation and ending with the seven sabbaticals which culminate in the jubilee year.
We wish Her Majesty many more years in which to reign, and happiness and satisfaction at the thought of her many and widespread achievements.
Senior Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg
Seven Days of Creation
The truly outstanding achievement of Her Majesty, even compared to the Holy Blessed One, is her lack of off-days. I know there’s summer downtime in Balmoral, but God regrets, loses God’s divine temper and wants to scrub out everything – and everyone – and start again. Meanwhile, Her Majesty sustains excellence.
Admittedly the role of Constitutional Monarch doesn’t include the Creation of the Entire World, but this is truly extraordinary.
Seven Years of Sabbatical
This year is a sabbatical, the septennial shemittah, or ‘letting go’, when there is no sowing or planting. Instead, the earth’s natural yield must be freely shared by all, including also the wild animals. HRH Prince Philip, first president of the British branch of the Worldwide Fund for Nature, would have approved. I hope this thought brings Her Majesty consolation in the year of her loss and her remarkable Jubilee.
Senior Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg
Seven Weeks of Omer
The Platinum Jubilee coincides with the ending of the Omer, 7 weeks of counting each day from Pesach to Shavuot. This period can be used to anticipate receiving Torah at Shavuot, to think about behaviour and mark days reflecting 20th century Jewish history. The Queen has undoubtedly been counting the days to the celebrations, some of the events we commemorate have happened within her reign, and she exemplifies dedicated behaviour.
Rabbi Amanda Golby
Seven Ushpizin
The seven ushpizin are the seven legendary guests said to visit us every day of Sukkot. Each one of the ushpizin comes with a different lesson to teach us about the world and ourselves. The Queen too has been the host of many guests in her seven decades, and herself been the guest of many. Each of these world cultures has something to teach us – may we all grow together.
Seven Female Prophets
Prophets were not predictors of the future, but intermediaries, imparting God’s message to Israel. Some, like Moses, our greatest prophet, had conversations and even arguments with God. The Talmud lists seven prophetesses: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah and Esther. The Queen believes that she had a Divine calling and has tried to do God’s work, by taking her responsibilities seriously during her 70 years of service to the people.
Nahum Gordon
Seven Weeks of Omer
The Platinum Jubilee coincides with the ending of the Omer, seven weeks of counting each day from Pesach to Shavuot. This period can be used to anticipate receiving Torah at Shavuot, to think about behaviour and mark days reflecting 20th-century Jewish history. The Queen has undoubtedly been counting the days to the celebrations, some of the events we commemorate have happened within her reign, and she exemplifies dedicated behaviour.
Rabbi Amanda Golby
Seven Species
The Land of Israel is famed for seven species: wheat and barley, figs, vines and pomegranates, olives for oil and dates for honey. Wheat is the best grain, barley often used for animal fodder. Dried figs make long-lasting cakes. Wine rejoices the heart. Pomegranates have seeds for all God’s commandments. Oil makes the light for God’s Menorah. Dates are the honey with which the land flows. Who needs anything more?
Senior Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg
Seven Days of Wedding
The seven days which follow a wedding are an echo of the seven blessings which are said under the Ḥuppah. Each blessing and day offers a new perspective: the seven post-nuptial days are often called ‘new faces’, as with each day new people are meant to come and celebrate. Seven decades have similarly brought new faces and new blessings to Britain under the Queen, as we wish her more blessings.
Seven Aliyot
On Shabbat we divide our Torah reading into seven. For each section an individual is “called up” to recite the blessings before and after the reading of the Law. That person ascends the bimah and the spotlight falls on them. They may be marking a birth, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, or yahrzeit (death anniversary of a relative). Or they might simply have received a tap on the shoulder that particular Shabbat. Were she at our shul, Her Majesty would be offered an aliya. Mazel tov!
Seventy Elders
The anointing of a Jewish king by a court of seventy elders is a religious act, not merely a political one. In the UK the strength of the monarchy stems from its symbolic and religious role. The queen stands for something, rather than making political decisions. The blessing on seeing a non-Jewish sovereign points us towards their religious significance: “Blessed… who has given of His glory to His creatures”
Seven Sabbaticals to the Jubilee
After seven sabbaticals comes the Yovel – the Biblical Jubilee. It is a reset. Land returns to its original owners accompanied by proclamations of ‘liberty’ and trumpet calls. In the 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, over 40 countries, from Sudan in 1956 to Brunei in 1984, have celebrated this return of land as ‘liberty’ and independence. It’s a remarkable testament to a sense of what it means to rule with consent.
Rabbi Jeremy Gordon
