Jewish Musings, Friday/Shabbat, February 2

[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:
Frieda (hopefully)?
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy

And for those of you who stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!

[louise]

I'm cheating a little bit here because I have surely shared this poem before. I love Merle Feld though and I have quoted her many times. This one fits exactly into yesterday's post and the parshah this Shabbat so I thought I would roll it out!

We Stood Togeher by Merle Feld

My brother and I were at Sinai.
He kept a journal
of what he saw
of what he heard
of what it all meant to him

I wish I had such a record
of what happened to me there

It seems like every time I want to write
I can’t
I’m always holding a baby
one of my own
or one for a friend
always holding a baby
so my hands are never free
to write things down

And then
As time passes
The particulars
The hard data
The who what when where why
Slip away from me
And all I’m left with is
The feeling

But feelings are just sounds
The vowel barking of a mute

My brother is so sure of what he heard
After all he’s got a record of it
Consonant after consonant after consonant

If we remembered it together
We could recreate holy time
Sparks flying

[hollygail]

Here's my response to Wednesday's thread:

I get the whole “my food journey…” business. One way I avoid going too far off the rails is by stocking my fridge / freezer / pantry with zero-point foods, and I follow a mostly Mediterranean style of diet. The one lone dark chocolate bar in the freezer lasts almost a full week, and it’s the main “off” thing I eat.

Of course, last night I had two slices of a most delicious (vegetarian) pizza and I’ll find out in another hour or so how much damage it may have caused… (Since reaching Lifetime at Goal, I weigh myself every day at the same time wearing the same thing to keep an eye on what’s happening. I never did so while losing — I officially weighed in only at my weekly meetings. I know how to follow directions.)
- - - - -

Thursday's:

I have long raised the issue that Moses had the chutzpah to add not to "go near a woman” in this week’s Torah portion. I raised my objection to it for the first time in the congregation of a Conservative (older) male rabbi. He gave me an answer that soothed my ruffled feathers a bit, but at this moment I do not recall how much (let alone what) he said.

[Just a side not: I studied (on two separate occasions) with Rachel Adler and need to add here that if you hadn’t heard of her before, she doesn't give her first name using the "ch" sound like in the middle the same way it sounds at the beginning and end of the English word "church." She uses the Hebrew (also Yiddish) fricative like the beginning and end of "chag sameach."]

And I absolutely love the ending: “As we prepare to stand again at Sinai, to hear the revelation recited in our own communities, we recall the divine instructions to Moses….We should stand together, expanding the circle of revelation until it includes every person who is prepared to study and to practice the holy ways of Torah.”
- - - - -

Today/tomorrow's:

I add this reading to many, if not most, of the services I lead. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. (It’s in the Reconstructionist siddur.)

Gut shabbes / Shabbat shalom, all.

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE! Please pray for Israel.

Re today's topic: Thanks for sharing the poem and comments.

Today DS and I are going to our favorite Jewish deli to celebrate Groundhogs Day. I know it's silly, but why not?

Have a peaceful day, Lee

[gazelle18]

Louise, you have INDEED posted this poem before, and I loved it the first time I saw it, and now I love it even more. It is so perfect. (“The vowel barking of a mute…”).

[peachymom1]

I don't remember the poem, but it's lovely. And thank you, Louise, for another interesting week!

I had a good eating week until yesterday (more on that when I lead next week), but I was still down two-tenths of a pound at my WI this morning. I expected to have gained, so this was a pleasant surprise.

I have my annual performance review this morning, so wish me luck! Everyone have a great weekend. Shabbat shalom!