Jewish Musings, Monday, Oct. 10

[louise]

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

[louise]

In the Babylonian Talmud. three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah, one for the completely evil (written and sealed in the Book of Death immediately), one for the completely righteous (written and sealed in the Book of Life immediately), and one for everyone in between who stand suspended from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur at which time their fate is decided and sealed.

Unetaneh Tokef is a centerpiece of the YK musaf service (I only know conservative liturgy, there may be differences). “The great shofar will be sounded and the still small voice will be heard. Angels will be alarmed, seized with fear and trembling, declaring, “This very day is the Day of Judgment”. It continues “On Rosh Hashanah it is written, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed, who will live and who will die...who will be brought low and who will be raised up…but Teshuvah (repentance), Tefillah (prayer), and Tzedakah (righteousness ) can transform the evil of the decree (in the new conservative mahzor “have the power to transform the harshness of our destiny.”

Last year I read a good chunk of a book by Rabbi Alan Lew called This is Real and You Are Totally Unprepared that I am drawing from now. He points out that in the Talmud these activities will actually cause the decree to be torn up (ma’akirin) – what was decreed will not happen. In the liturgy the verb though is ma’avirin (transform); these actions can transform the evil of the decree. These actions will not change what happens to us, but we will understand it differently.

I came across the following on line:
One of the finest books on Jewish prayer in recent decades was written by one of Heschel’s students, in which he says:
People want to feel close to God. They want to express their feelings, their fears, their hopes...They want to ease their sorrows by placing them within a larger framework of meaning. They want to feel that their life has meaning and that they are part of a historic entity, rooted in the past and with a promise for the future...But ultimately prayer is also intended to have an effect on the individual and his or her actions. It makes us aware of the world, of nature, of history, of God’s role in history, of the nature of God and His demands upon us...One should emerge not only spiritually enriched from prayer but also morally purified... (Hammer 3-4)

Once again, the chief effect of prayer is in changing the one who prays, in making us better people. When applied to the High Holy Days, this means that we “avert the severe decree” by becoming the sort of people who are worthy of a better outcome in the coming year. Likewise, our improved conduct will make the world around us worthy of a better outcome.

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. This is just a quick note to say that I am going to see my doctor this morning. I'm actually feeling fine now, but I do want to share with him what happened this weekend and also talk with him about my endocrinologist's ideas.

Today's quotes were interesting, especially the information about prayer. I'll be thinking about that.

I'll be back later. Have a peaceful day, Lee

[peachymom1]

Louise, that is just lovely.

I find it interesting that the Hebrew verb "to pray," "lehitpalel," is in the reflexive form. To me that means that we are addressing ourselves at the same time that we're addressing God. This makes sense to me; if we are partners with God in changing ourselves, being better and improving the world, don't we have to address both partners?

[gazelle18]

I just love this, Louise.

I have never believed that prayer would change events. It was only when I began to think of prayer in the way Louise has described that I understood the power of it.

[hollygail]

Gotta say, I love you ladies! I absolutely LOVE not only the topics we all come up with, but all the responses!

Am off in a few minutes for the funeral for my friend. Won't be back for I don't know how many hours. And I have a meeting this evening at 5:30 (my time), so it's possible I won't be able to post until later tonight...

But know, all of you, that I think about you every single day!

[savtele]

Boker Tov All! I need to go back & read yesterday's posts - I seem to have missed something!

I have always believed that prayer changes us. The very fact that we are addressing the "Master of the Universe"(King, Ruler, etc) is bound to bring our minds to a different place - at the same time smaller & grander! We become aware of our (singular) limitations, our (plural) aspirations, and our (all-encompassing) abilities. And if the events do not change, certainly the people experiencing them do. Beautiful!

[happysavta]

About a week ago, my endocrinologist emphatically said, "Frieda, changing your diet and getting this overweight off is a matter of life and death. Life and death! No sweets, no diet sodas, no pasta, no rice, no bread. And it has to be now."

So here's my Unesaneh Tokef.

On Rosh Hashanah it is written, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed.
How many will return to health and how many will fall ill?
Who will live and who will die from overeating?
Who will seize the day, and who will waste the moment?
Who by obesity and who by BMI?
Who by cholesterol and who by LDL?
Who by binging and who by not drinking water?
Who by hopelessness and who by negative thinking?
Who by emotional eating and who by stubbornness?
Who by inactivity and who by failing to try again?
Who will be safe from anger and who will be torn by regret?
Who will be calm and who will be tormented by cravings?
Who will become discouraged and who will keep taking small steps?
Who will be steadfast on their WL journey and who will give up?
But purpose and mindfulness and perseverance (return and prayer and righteous acts) deflect the evil of the decree.

[lee058]

Hi again everybody. I saw my doctor today, and basically he said to do what my endocrinologist told me, and that the throat episode this weekend was definitely from the sleep apnea. He said I should consider getting a sleep mouth guard since I was so uncomfortable with the CPAP. I made a dozen calls to different pharmacies and medical supply stores, and decided that the easiest thing to do was to order from Amazon. I also called my dentist and my insurance company for information. In short, I am going to tackle this situation instead of suffering!!! If I can't wear a mouth guard, I will use extra pillows. I will not give up; I want to breathe more easily.

Of course, I MUST lose weight!!!

See you later or tomorrow, and have a peaceful evening, Lee

[happysavta]

CPAP is a continuous positive airway pressure machine, a treatment for people with sleep apnea. You use a CPAP machine at night to overcome the airway blockage and the hundreds of times a night you stop breathing which results in dangerously low oxygen levels to your vital organs. Overweight contributes to sleep apnea; the heavier you are around your neck and jowls, the more your airway shuts down while sleeping. And ironically, the less you sleep, the more your body sends out hormonal signals instructing you to eat, eat, eat. That's why a good night sleep is so important to losing weight.

I use a CPAP machine religiously at night. So do 2 of my sons. (Both of them are greatly overweight.)

If you snore or if you hear your husband snoring, you should absolutely take a sleep test. Sleep apnea is a big risk factor for a heart attack. The heart is one of the organs that can be damaged by the intermittent and repeated oxygen blockages. It's serious.