Jewish Musings Thursday 11/10

[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

[hollygail]

As know by now, this week’s Torah portion is Lech L’cha, Genesis 12:1 – 17:27. For those who follow the triennial cycle, this is the first year. We read Gen 12:1 – 13:18. Here is the breakdown:

1: 12:1-3
2: 12:4-9
3: 12:10-13
4: 12:14-20
5: 13:1-4
6: 13:5-11
7: 13:12-18

Here is the sixth reading (aliyah)

5 And also Lot, who went with Abram, had flocks and cattle and tents.

6 And the land did not bear them to dwell together, for their possessions were many, and they could not dwell together.

7 And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and between the herdsmen of Lot's cattle, and the Canaanites and the Perizzites were then dwelling in the land.

8 And Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no quarrel between me and between you and between my herdsmen and between your herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.

9 Is not all the land before you? Please part from me; if [you go] left, I will go right, and if [you go] right, I will go left."

10 And Lot raised his eyes, and he saw the entire plain of the Jordan, that it was entirely watered; before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you come to Zoar.

11 And Lot chose for himself the entire plain of the Jordan, and Lot traveled from the east, and they parted from one another.


If you’ve had trouble (difficulty?) “dwelling together” (getting along with, or should I say ON your chosen plan, for example), what did you do to alleviate the difficulties? (I can’t remember a time I was so civil as to say the equivalent of “if you go left, I’ll go right…”). Have you ever been in the position of being able to “see” the equivalent of “the entire plain of the Jordan” (or, of course, your chosen path) that it was a good one (here it says “entirely watered”)? What did it do for your determination to make your plan work for you?

[hollygail]

Just got home from minyan. The rabbi of the Conservative shul where I go during the week is reading the first 3 aliyot on Saturday (I'm reading the first one at my own shul), and he agreed to let me read the first one Monday and today. I gabbai for him most of the time (he's rishon, I'm sheni). So Monday he said we'd do the tag-team thing; he'd be gabbai rishion for the first aliyah, then we'd swap (and I'd be gabbai rishon when he reads). We did the same today, but today he offered me the honor of the first aliyah (I never expect to have an aliyah). I shook his hand after I read and thanked him for the honor.

And how I'm going back to bed. I'm really not feeling well. The only reason I went to minyan this morning was that I committed to reading the first aliyah. I left as soon as the Torah was returned to the ark (we had about 13 or maybe 14 people this morning; sometimes we "hope" for 10).

I won't be back for a while. But I did text the parents of my two tutees to say I'm not coming; they both wished me well.

Till later.

[happysavta]

I'm still having difficulty concentrating, and the knot is still in the pit of my stomach, so I think I'll just chat. DS#4 has found employment at a grocery store as a courtesy clerk. He is extremely eager to work. It's part time, but we have to be sure that the additional income won't cut off his benefits. It's tough to figure out. Each benefit comes from a different government, state or local agency and each has it's own income limit and very complex rules. I'm going to the Social Security office today and to the Human Health and Welfare Office and I have a phone call today from the Food Stamps department. I've also contacted the Work Incentive counselor at the Disability Rights California office. I'll probably need the Dept of Rehab counselor as well. I spoke to DS#4's Job Developer yesterday. She will talk to the store manager on Monday at job orientation.

If he works 15-20 hours, it should not affect SSDI, I think. But it will affect his Medi-Cal, Food Stamps, and rental Subsidy. I need to contact the Housing Authority too. He has been on the Wait-List for a Section 8 voucher for 10 years, and he is due to be called in for an interview in November -December. Don't want to ruin that now.

Making all these phone calls means being on hold for hours or waiting for call-backs. I spent much of yesterday on this.

And today is already a busy day for me. I'm picking up 2 grandkids today (ages 3 and 1) to take them to the Mega Challah Bake which is part of Shabbat San Diego. I'll have them from 3:30pm to 8:30 pm. My DS#1 and his wife are also taking their 3 kids to the event. Hope that goes smoothly.

And tomorrow I'm leaving for 10 days in Houston with my DD and her family. Gotta go pick up my meds and find time to dye my hair and do some laundry. I'm feeling very stressed, so I'm just making a list and doing one thing at a time. If I get through today, that's all I'm going to worry about.

[louise]

Sorry you are not feeling well, Holly. For me, I can't seem to focus on this today. My rabbi did a nice job of creating a special service last night. The situation though is potentially dangerous and challenging in many ways. It also brings me to the truth that I wouldn't have been happy with the other choice either, just less frightened.

[happysavta]

Hey, everybody. Fear and dread are paralyzing feeling. Best thing, I think, is to keep the TV and radio off until we feel calmer. Let's just go about our daily business, wash the dishes, sweep the floor, go to work, go to the gym. When something specific comes up, like the U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Climate Change Accords, we'll have to speak up and make those phone calls to our representatives and to the White House. We'll take it as it comes, right? In 2 years, there's another election for Congress. In 4 years there's another election for the White House. Meanwhile, let's get through today.

[gazelle18]

I too agree with Frieda. Important not to watch too much tc right now!!

What did Bernie sanders say? I'm trying to look that up

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