Havel Havelim...
...Hakol havel." Or, "Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless."

That said, welcome to Edition #12 of Havel Havelim, the weekly roundup of the Jewish blogosphere. Edition #11 is here. Edition #4, also a DovBear production, is here.

Rebbetzin Agonistes. One of our better bloggers, the Ren Reb, is contemplating retirement. Dear Ren Reb: We're with you in your hour of torment. We like your writing. We like your attitude. If you do decide to pack it in, the blogosphere with be poorer. You can guest blog here, anytime.

And therefore? Achar gives a lesson in higher criticism, but it is a one-sided lecture: None of the opponents of the method are discussed. Be like a cloak, Achar. Fall on all sides, equally.

I know that pain: Naomi Chana, of Bareita, says: "I do get uncomfortable, every once in awhile, when something happens to make me realize that there are sane and articulate people out there who consider my form of Judaism so illegitimate as not to be Jewish." I'm Orthodox, NC isn't. But her experiences with the Ordinary Orthodox, echo my own with the Ultras. Mussar haskil: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it.

The Daf is done, &c: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI. And the rest. (You're invited to search DovBear for my own thoughts on the subject.)

Literally: My opponents are pygmies!

The lifespan of man is 120? The JewZoo sees that and raises you 5.

Waste of time: Hirhurim posts the RCA's statament on metzizah b'peh. Why bother? The people who like the RCA, already know that "the requirement of Metzitzah is fulfilled completely and unambiguously by the use of oral suctioning through a tube." The people who don't like the RCA, will say and I quote, "If they told me not to wear tefillin, would I listen?"

Really? In the Yated? The mouth-piece of Meah Sharim slandered Rav M.D. Tendler on the subject of metzizah. Mr. Neklaf has the Rabbi's reply. P.S: Let it be said that Pravada Ne'eman is doing the Lord's work

Insensible: Batya writes "[Yad Vashem] is opening another new wing and the same heads of state who wouldn't come to celebrate live Jews are willing to pay their respects to those murdered in Europe by Nazis and others." A) Many, perhaps most of those leaders represent states that have and/or continue to give money to Israel. B) Celebrate live Jews... how? C) You prefer that they stay home? How is nothing - no recogniziton, no commemoration, no acknowledgement - preferable to this?

Can I plug my own blog? A pair of venerable Jewish mind-sets are on display on this comment thread. My take? Surah Malka's liberalism wins. Liberalism is a more deeply pragmatic approach--more open to change, more receptive to empiricism, and ultimately better at producing policies that improve the human condition--than conservatism. All Surah Malka wants to do is help people. All Repunzel wants to do is shrink government.

More good stuff:
Rose's story continues. PT discovers that what goes around, comes around. Urban Kvetch has a new home, and a new take on Shalit. Miriam discovers the Hezbolleh/Wales connection. Zman Biur considers offering aliyot to women. Ben Chorin attends a wedding; then ponders the awe of heaven. Robert Byrd compares GOP tactics to those of Adolph Hitler, and Z calls foul - on Byrd's critics.

Ha!

Sarah's inner child plays with a Gali doll. Jack says I love you - to a customer. Moby meets a bas kol. MoC's wife chews him out. Lisa cooks strawberry jam. Dilbert posts on the pope. The Hedyot invites the "real Orthodox Judaism" to reveal itself, while Sarah wonders what "Orthodoxy done right" might be. The Barefooted Jew photo blogs, and a great Jewish blogosphere institution is revived.

Sincere apologies to those of you who may feel unloved. By all means, drop an email to yourfavoriteblogger@hotmail.com, and if the spirit moves me, I will address your grievance.

We'll see you next week - March 13th - at Israpundit, for another exercise in Jewish vanity.