Jewish Musings Thursday, February 22

[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:

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!

[hollygail]

Happy Birthday, George Washington... When I was a child, schools were closed on Lincoln's birthday, February 12, plus Washington's, Feb. 22...

As for today's topic, let's look at another item in this week's Torah portion.

The practical purpose of the incense in the Tabernacle was to make sure that the odor of the sacrifices did not offend the Israelites. Jewish ritual must always be concerned with the feelings of the people who are involved in it. Judaism is not only God-centered; it is also people-centered.

In today's world, I see a lot of "me-centered" behavior. However, I prefer people-centered thinking over "me-centered" situations. In addition, I think "global-centered" thinking is important and it really irks me that governments tend to ignore it. Take the climate as one example. Too many people don't shivagit about caring for the earth, and certainly neither do most governments. $$$ seems to hold more importance than the health of the planet. Just where do these people expect their grandchildren and great-grandchildren to live, if not on planet earth? Yet activists trying to do positive work for earth are such a small minority... I find it so disheartening.

Your comments, about either rituals that take into account people's feelings and/or anything else not having to do with rituals that may?

[gazelle18]

One thing I have noticed: in the old days at shul, the rabbi or prayer leader would tell the congregation to “please rise.” Nowadays, I often hear the rabbi say something like “please rise if you are able.” I think this makes people unable to stand feel better about being different.

Speaking of incense, I once heard that the tradition of having flowers at a funeral was an attempt to mask the scent of a decaying body, and that Jews didn’t “need” this because our funerals tend to happen quickly. I have no idea if this is true, but it’s interesting.

[brgmsn]

gazelle18, our synagogue says "you may physically or spiritually rise at this time" which is another nice way to phrase it to be inclusive of all

[peachymom1]

I've probably told this story before, but I like it, so I'll tell it again. We Jews are not supposed to remind a Jew by choice that he/she is a convert, thus making them feel they are not a true member of the tribe. The summer after DH and I were married, we attended a different shul with some friends, and we were given an aliyah. The gabbai of course asked us for our Hebrew names, and since we are both Jews by choice, DH is ben Avraham veSarah, and I am bat Avraham veSarah. Upon hearing this, the gabbai blurted out, "Oh, then you must be...uh...brother and sister!" Cracks me up to this day!