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Post by louise on Jan 2, 2017 1:08:15 GMT -5
What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.
Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Angelika
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy
And for those of you that stop by to read this thread without posting - you are welcome to do that but you are also welcome to chime in! |
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Post by louise on Jan 2, 2017 1:09:56 GMT -5
As I’m unplugging the electric menorah to put it away I thought I would take one more look at the haftarah this past Shabbat. Quoting how I saw it expressed in something I found online (Jewish Light):
“The Prophet Zechariah was shown the menorah with its seven lights as part of a message that he was to give to Zerubavel, a leader of Israel. Zechariah did not understand and questioned the meaning of the menorah and was given the answer, "Lo v'chayil v'lo v'koach ki im b'ruchi" -- "not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit ..." Thus, the menorah represented the presence of God. It was only with God's presence that Zerubavel would accomplish his mission. So, the light of the menorah is symbolic of God's divine light.”
Frankly it always felt like something of a non sequitur to me – Zechariah sees the menorah in his dream, asks the angel what it means, and that’s the answer he gets, “Lo v’chayil….”. Don’t get me wrong – I love chanting Lo v’chayil – it’s a beautiful verse and I think it can stand alone, I just didn’t get how it related to the menorah in the dream and I thought it was very well expressed in the quote above – back to God’s divine light again!
So how do we bring that out of the holiday and into the new week? I see two things. One is trusting that God’s light is with you, with or without the menorah to remind you. Know also that you can be a shamash and light someone else’s light. Another is about the tone of this verse – it’s not by might, but by spirit – so maybe I don’t yell at myself to get something done, I extend some grace to myself. And maybe that goes for how I relate to other people as well.
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lee058
This space for rent
Posts: 23,285 
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Post by lee058 on Jan 2, 2017 8:39:33 GMT -5
Good morning everybody, and happy new year plus one day! Hope you are all well. I was looking at my menorah this morning, and noticed that it has candle wax drippings on it that need to be cleaned up before I put it away. Every year I do this, yet somehow when I take my menorah out each Chanukah, I notice more wax that I had somehow missed the year before. What does this have to do with today's topic? you may ask. The menorah (as Louise said) is a symbol of God's light. Cleaning it up is, in a small way, like cleaning up my own behavior and maybe even myself. It is a labor of love. It is not a chore that I dread or dislike doing. Working on myself is a lot more work, yet when approached with a positive attitude, peace and love, it can become a spiritual act. I have a lot of things that I would like to improve about myself and my behavior. I feel that there is a lot that I can do about them; some easily and some not so easily. By "trusting that God's light is with you" --- as Louise said --- this makes change easier. I also like the idea of extending grace to myself; talking to myself more positively, being kinder to myself, and also telling myself that I have both the right and the responsibility to do this.
I want to think more about this, and will try to write more later. Have a peaceful day, Lee
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Post by hollygail on Jan 2, 2017 9:08:52 GMT -5
I want to put today's topic on hold for just a moment here. Last night I noticed 118 views to our thread (now it's over 130) and I wondered who all those people could be who open our thread to see what we're talking about yet they don't post anything... Take a quick look at what I wrote; what do you suppose may be going on?
I'll BBL.
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Post by savtele on Jan 2, 2017 11:26:11 GMT -5
Boker Tov All! We are "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" again - it snowed all night - big puffy flakes that look like whipped cream or marshmallow fluff all over the ground. There's ice under that - so we are staying in. If the garbage man can't make it up our hill, we're pretty sure it's not a good idea to try to drive down it (I don't want to end up down the embankment, in my neighbor's house!)
The lights of the menorah are individually small - and represent the Spirit of G-d. I am small - and that Spirit can motivate me! It is a learning process - I will not be able to do things today that I will be able to do accomplish tomorrow, or next week. Light and warmth, into the dark, cold places of my psyche. I like that!
Have a good day ladies. John is heading outside to dig out the deck.
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Post by peachymom1 on Jan 2, 2017 13:04:13 GMT -5
"Know also that you can be a shamash and light someone else’s light." This speaks to me. Sometimes all I can do is be a shamash -- an instrument, a helper, not necessarily anything great myself, but a catalyst to help someone else.
Today is the last day of 12 straight days off work me. I got up early and went to the gym, had breakfast, and just finished a book this morning. All we have to accomplish today is buy bananas and go to the butcher, then we can loaf some more. It's been a really wonderful stretch of time off.
Oh by the way, the book I just finished is "The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto" by Mitch Albom. I had it on my Amazon wish list, and one of the kids gave it to me for Chanukah. I loved it and highly recommend it.
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Post by hollygail on Jan 2, 2017 13:39:01 GMT -5
Psalm 118:6 יְהוָה לִי, לֹא אִירָא
Last week, we read Hallel every morning. I kept going back to the first words of verse 6 of psalm 118. One translation is "Adonai is with me, I have nothing to fear" (although there's no word that actually means "nothing" in this verse; it's more like "I fear not" or "I don't fear" or "I'm not afraid" — you get the idea).
And I've been saying it outside of services too.
If we are a reflection of the light of God, whether the reflection is from the flames or the shamash of the menorah, then what have we to be afraid of? Just because I ate my way out of the last few weeks doesn't mean I can't get back to being under goal again (and as of this morning, I am exactly at goal, so before Friday, when I weigh in for January, I WILL be under). All I have to do is work the plan, and the plan will work for me.
Because: Adonai li, lo ira.
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Post by gazelle18 on Jan 2, 2017 15:57:48 GMT -5
I love the phrase "not by power and not by might, but by spirit alone." There is a beautiful song that incorporates these words, and I love to sing it. It speaks to me because as a short, and now "mature" , woman, I have never felt physically strong. Sometimes, before I stepped foot into a courtroom to do battle, I would hum the tune to myself!! It ALWAYS made me feel better!!
I have been living in la la land regarding food lately. As in, a lot of wine, fries, champagne, pie, and margaritas are not really going to effect my weight!! I decided to get back on track today. Believe it or not, I feel better already...
Angelina and Lee: I have used the freezer trick on Shabbat candlesticks and menorahs for years, and it works great.
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Post by happysavta on Jan 2, 2017 20:55:03 GMT -5
Hi, everyone. My DD and her family flew back to Houston today. Whew, that was exhausting, but wonderful to have the 2 girls all week while their mom and dad got a suntan in Cabo! We had a lot of get togethers at my house with all the siblings and cousins and many an impromptu meal for all.
This afternoon I went to see the new Denzel Washington movie, Fences, and it was great!
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