Jewish Musings Thu., Feb. 2 (for real)

[hollygail]

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!

[hollygail]

Here’s another selection from the article I quoted from yesterday.

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Women and the Exodus

Through questions, we might call forth a… counter-narrative: the experience of women during the exodus and its subsequent retelling. Noting that the traditional haggadah assumes a conversation between a father and four sons, contemporary feminist haggadot fill in for the absence of women’s voices. The Ma’yan Haggadah, for example, includes the Four Daughters. The daughter “in search of a usable past” asks, “Why did Moses say at Sinai, ‘Go not near a woman,’ addressing only men, as if preparation for revelation was not meant for us, as well?” The daughter “who wants to erase her difference” wonders about the importance of women’s issues. The daughter “who does not know that she has a place at the table” asks, “What is this?” And the daughter “who asks no questions is told: “From the moment Yocheved, Miriam, and the midwives questioned Pharaoh’s edict until today, every question we ask helps us leave Egypt a little farther behind” (Tamara Cohen, Sue Levi Elwell, and Ronnie Horn, eds., The Journey Continues: Ma’yan Passover Haggadah, 1997).

Just as the women defied Pharaoh, so we too as readers must confront and challenge troubling aspects of our sacred narratives. The persistent hardening of Pharaoh’s heart results in the Israelites’ night of redemption, but we must never forget that this same night was one of horror for the Egyptians. We must continue to ask the questions that preserve our awareness of the Other’s story. Did the Israelites hear the tzaakah (cry) of the Egyptians (12:30)? Did it remind them of their own cry — the tzaakah in 3:7 which brought God’s attention to their plight? Year after year, as we recall at our seder table the wonders God performed for us, we must remember the price the Other paid for our liberation.

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What questions do you ask? (or What questions do you want to ask?)

What is your “Egypt”?

What must you confront and/or challenge in your narrative? And will it have an effect on anyone else (positive or negative)?

[louise]

Beautifully stated (or asked) - had never heard the women's questions before. One thing that comes to mind right away is the cost of "America first" and the havoc such a narrow minded idea wreaks on others. Will bbl but wanted to start with this right away.

[louise]

I contacted the kosher delivery place saying I really wanted to continue but it was so expensive in the first place and now a 20% increase - blah, blah bah. They too $2/day off the price for a 62 day package. I really want this and decided that I will put some gifts and reimbursements together to make this happen, with DXH helping me out with the difference! This should take me to Passover and I plan to cement new habits along the way! I think I can work this back to the topic of the day because I am acting to remove obstacles, to get out of the narrow place of mitzrayim.

[savtele]

Boker Tov All! I just got home from the gym a little while ago - I need to think about this (and go take a pain pill) I'll bbl

[lee058]

Hi everybody, hope you are all well. I liked reading about the Four Daughters. I don't have much to say at the moment, but wanted to look in and say hello. Tomorrow I am getting my annual eye checkup, so I will try to write something either before my appointment or some hours afterwards, when my eyes won't be dilated. I've had a lot of medical stuff going on, with more upcoming, but it's good to get things taken care of.

Have a peaceful rest of the day, Lee