A Guest Post by Rafi G.
(originally posted on LII)
No, I was not there. But my friend was. He is a Breslaver and just got back from his trip to Uman for RH.
I have no problem with going to Uman for Rosh Hashana. I think in the past I did, but I have reconsidered and decided it is ok. That is, I understand why Breslavers, or other people who somehow feel the connection to Rebbe Nachman, would go to Uman. It is like any chossid leaving his family to go to his rebbe for yom tov, or yeshiva alumni going back to their yeshiva for yom tov. And that happens all the time. The fact that Rabbi Nachman is dead does not make it much different. And then there are the people who go for the experience of being there. Looking for inspiration perhaps. Perhaps some just want to be where the excitement is.
I asked my friend to tell me something from Uman; something that happened there. He told me there were something like 40,000 people there for the holiday. Many of the people who go are not breslavers, and many are not religious or knowledgeable in these things and how it works to go daven by a kever.
He told me there were some people there who were screaming out that Rabbi Nachman should save us all in the merit of Hashem!
Now, I should reiterate, he told me these were some people. Not the standard person who was at Uman. Not the breslavers, not the regulars. But some people were praying like that.
---------
Buy his book. (please)
Monday, October 06, 2008
Rosh Hashana in Yavneh
In Temple times, the shofer was blown on shabbos, but only within the vicinity of the Temple itself. Following the destruction, and the exile of the Sages to Yavneh, some thought the practice of blowing the shofar on Shabbos should be discontinued. R. Yochanan b. Zackai disagreed, and as the story is told in Tractate Rosh Hashana, he used an unorthodox ploy to win the point
On the first post destruction Shabbos Rosh Hashana , the masses of ordinary people came to Yavneh expecting to hear the shofar. R. Yochanan b. Zackai was presiding. "Blow the shofar," he said.
"Well, hold on," replied the other Sages. "We need to talk this over and make a decision."
"The people are here and waiting," answered R. Yochanan b. Zackai "Blow now, and we'll discuss it afterwards."
The other Sages agreed and the shofar was sounded.
Afterwards, they said, "Let's discuss how this will be handled the next time Rosh Hashana and Shabbos coincide."
Replied R. Yochanan b. Zackai: "The shofar has already been sounded in Yavnah! If we discontinue the practive the people will think we made a mistake. They will come to doubt our authority. We can't change the custom now that it has been established!"
Pretty sneaky, no?
---------
Buy my book. (please)
On the first post destruction Shabbos Rosh Hashana , the masses of ordinary people came to Yavneh expecting to hear the shofar. R. Yochanan b. Zackai was presiding. "Blow the shofar," he said.
"Well, hold on," replied the other Sages. "We need to talk this over and make a decision."
"The people are here and waiting," answered R. Yochanan b. Zackai "Blow now, and we'll discuss it afterwards."
The other Sages agreed and the shofar was sounded.
Afterwards, they said, "Let's discuss how this will be handled the next time Rosh Hashana and Shabbos coincide."
Replied R. Yochanan b. Zackai: "The shofar has already been sounded in Yavnah! If we discontinue the practive the people will think we made a mistake. They will come to doubt our authority. We can't change the custom now that it has been established!"
Pretty sneaky, no?
---------
Buy my book. (please)
Jerusalem Holidays
I like learning gemerah, mostly because of the bright hot spotlight it shines on the absurdities of modern Jewish life. Another of my favorite examples. All year round, the perushim of Jerusalem were careful to avoid contact with people who were lenient with the laws of holiness. On holidays, though, the rules changed and the less stringent people were accepted by the persuhim with love. Contrast this with the behavior of the totally Torah-true types in our own day.
---------
Buy my book. (please)
---------
Buy my book. (please)
Rosh Hashana in Usha
I like learning gemerah, mostly because of the bright hot spotlight it shines on the absurdities of modern Jewish life. One of my favorite examples, is the story of how R. Yochanan b. Beruka served as chazan at the Godol Hador's minyan, but used a nusach/liturgy of his own choosing. In our day, such an inpetuous chazan would be stoned on the spot, but R. Shimon b. Gamliel didn't even blink.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Rabbinic Advice
A guest post by JS:
After reading DB's post below, "Should the clergy practice medicine?" I wondered if he had gone far enough. While there certainly are cases of people asking their rabbi about cancer treatments, it is too easy to write these people off as being a few eggs short of a dozen. I'm more interested in the nearly daily decisions frum Jews make based solely on rabbinic advice when medical advice, financial advice, or even common sense would dictate a different course of action.
Things I see all too often:
1) Pregnant women fasting on yom kippur, tisha b'av or other fast days and often forcing a doctor to give an OK based on a rabbinic p'sak.
2) Couples going off birth control because a rabbi says they need to start having children regardless of economic situation, emotional situation, education situation, etc.
3) People going off prescriptions for pesach or shabbat due to concerns about chametz or taking medicine on shabbat.
4) People buying chalav yisroel, pas yisroel, gevinas yisroel, etc or buying into other chumras when they can barely afford to put food on the table due to rabbinic p'sak.
I invite people to post more example in the comments.
Please when you post don't berate me on how not all rabbis are like this. I am well aware of this. But there are far too many who think they stand in the place of God or those with actual specialized knowledge. And there are far too many rabbis who tell everyone "have faith in God, have bitachon" but are nowhere to be found to pay a tuition check for another child, or to grieve with parents if they lose a pregnancy or a loved one due to following his nonsensical advice.
---------
Buy DB's book. (Like this blog, it's quite good)
After reading DB's post below, "Should the clergy practice medicine?" I wondered if he had gone far enough. While there certainly are cases of people asking their rabbi about cancer treatments, it is too easy to write these people off as being a few eggs short of a dozen. I'm more interested in the nearly daily decisions frum Jews make based solely on rabbinic advice when medical advice, financial advice, or even common sense would dictate a different course of action.
Things I see all too often:
1) Pregnant women fasting on yom kippur, tisha b'av or other fast days and often forcing a doctor to give an OK based on a rabbinic p'sak.
2) Couples going off birth control because a rabbi says they need to start having children regardless of economic situation, emotional situation, education situation, etc.
3) People going off prescriptions for pesach or shabbat due to concerns about chametz or taking medicine on shabbat.
4) People buying chalav yisroel, pas yisroel, gevinas yisroel, etc or buying into other chumras when they can barely afford to put food on the table due to rabbinic p'sak.
I invite people to post more example in the comments.
Please when you post don't berate me on how not all rabbis are like this. I am well aware of this. But there are far too many who think they stand in the place of God or those with actual specialized knowledge. And there are far too many rabbis who tell everyone "have faith in God, have bitachon" but are nowhere to be found to pay a tuition check for another child, or to grieve with parents if they lose a pregnancy or a loved one due to following his nonsensical advice.
---------
Buy DB's book. (Like this blog, it's quite good)
Should the clergy practice medicine?
What astounds me more, the arrogance of some rabbis, or the utter weakness and stupidity of some of their parishioners? Reading this WSJ article I found myself unable to decide.
It describes Orthodox Jewish cancer patients who invite their Rabbis to make treatment decisions. In one of the vignettes a professional, credentialed oncologist admits to adjusting his treatment plan after some Rabbi prevailed upon him in the name of God to try another approach. That physician should have his licence revoked. He should also grow a pair. A doctor with even an ounce of self-confidence would have said, "Look Rabbi, you deliver the sermons, and I'll treat the cancer." He would not have put his patient's life at risk by allowing a member of the clergy to practice medicine.
As for the patient, well of course she's entitled to commit suicide if she wishes, but I wonder about the underlying logic of her position. Why did she seek medical assistance in the first place, if she only trusts doctors who obey the directions of untrained, meddling Rabbis? And if the Rabbi really do know better than the doctors, why aren't they all in the hospital full-time saving lives? If their medical knowledge is so profound, why aren't they publishing books, and delivering seminars on proper Torah-true treatment techniques? How do they justify their silence, their stinginess with sharing their life saving knowledge?
It describes Orthodox Jewish cancer patients who invite their Rabbis to make treatment decisions. In one of the vignettes a professional, credentialed oncologist admits to adjusting his treatment plan after some Rabbi prevailed upon him in the name of God to try another approach. That physician should have his licence revoked. He should also grow a pair. A doctor with even an ounce of self-confidence would have said, "Look Rabbi, you deliver the sermons, and I'll treat the cancer." He would not have put his patient's life at risk by allowing a member of the clergy to practice medicine.
As for the patient, well of course she's entitled to commit suicide if she wishes, but I wonder about the underlying logic of her position. Why did she seek medical assistance in the first place, if she only trusts doctors who obey the directions of untrained, meddling Rabbis? And if the Rabbi really do know better than the doctors, why aren't they all in the hospital full-time saving lives? If their medical knowledge is so profound, why aren't they publishing books, and delivering seminars on proper Torah-true treatment techniques? How do they justify their silence, their stinginess with sharing their life saving knowledge?
Friday, October 03, 2008
GOP Jews and Israel
A guest post by JS:
This is probably bad timing for this post what with the Holidays, Shabbat, and my other post below about the VP debates, but I feel the issue is important enough that I need to post about it. Maybe if DB agrees it's important enough, we can revive the topic later.
Last night in the debate the topic of Israel and the Palestinians came up. I can't speak for others, but I was pretty shocked to hear Biden say that Obama and Biden do not support a two-state solution. Here is what Biden said:
"The fact of the matter is, the policy of this administration [with regards to the two-state solution] has been an abject failure...We will change this policy with thoughtful, real, live diplomacy that understands that you must back Israel in letting them negotiate, support their negotiation, and stand with them, not insist on policies like this administration has."
In contrast, Palin said:
"A two-state solution is the solution. And Secretary Rice, having recently met with leaders on one side or the other there, also, still in these waning days of the Bush administration, trying to forge that peace, and that needs to be done, and that will be top of an agenda item, also, under a McCain-Palin administration."
My question is simple: How can Jews who are right-wing and pro-Israel support the GOP on this issue? How can they support cramming a two-state solution down Israel's throat? How can they support an administration that wants to force Israel out of the West Bank and possibly Jerusalem? How can they not support the Democrats on this issue and say that we need to let Israel negotiate its own settlement with the Palestinians?
---------
Buy DB's book. (Like the blog, it's quite good)
This is probably bad timing for this post what with the Holidays, Shabbat, and my other post below about the VP debates, but I feel the issue is important enough that I need to post about it. Maybe if DB agrees it's important enough, we can revive the topic later.
Last night in the debate the topic of Israel and the Palestinians came up. I can't speak for others, but I was pretty shocked to hear Biden say that Obama and Biden do not support a two-state solution. Here is what Biden said:
"The fact of the matter is, the policy of this administration [with regards to the two-state solution] has been an abject failure...We will change this policy with thoughtful, real, live diplomacy that understands that you must back Israel in letting them negotiate, support their negotiation, and stand with them, not insist on policies like this administration has."
In contrast, Palin said:
"A two-state solution is the solution. And Secretary Rice, having recently met with leaders on one side or the other there, also, still in these waning days of the Bush administration, trying to forge that peace, and that needs to be done, and that will be top of an agenda item, also, under a McCain-Palin administration."
My question is simple: How can Jews who are right-wing and pro-Israel support the GOP on this issue? How can they support cramming a two-state solution down Israel's throat? How can they support an administration that wants to force Israel out of the West Bank and possibly Jerusalem? How can they not support the Democrats on this issue and say that we need to let Israel negotiate its own settlement with the Palestinians?
---------
Buy DB's book. (Like the blog, it's quite good)
VP Debate Roundup
A guest post by JS:
Let me start out by saying that Sara Palin should get a nice, big pat on the back from McCain. She did the absolute best she could do against Joe Biden last night. In fact, I think she effectively turned back the clock to her RNC speech and, for the time being, has erased her bad interview record. If the McCain camp is smart, they'll ride this out for as long as possible and keep her hidden from the media. Why was Palin so brilliant? Because she fought the battle on her turf. She answered the questions she wanted to answer and gave completely off-topic, but McCain-boosting answers to questions she didn't want to answer (she even admitted in the debate that she was doing such). And granted, even to questions she wanted to address because her answers were all pre-scripted they therefore didn't always match the exact question asked. But that didn't matter. Due to the format of the debate, she could get away with that (as opposed to Katie Couric hounding her for a straight answer). She was folksy and down-to-earth with her darn right's, ya's, and bless their hearts (to me this was a bit much, but I imagine it played well to other non-East Cost audiences and evangelical audiences. Also, am I the only one who keeps thinking of Frances McDormand in Fargo when Palin talks like that? Just checking). I think she stepped a bit over the line with the insults and digs. Maybe this is a double-standard for women, but I think she came across slightly negative, especially since Biden took it all with a smile and didn't really retaliate. She played well to her base on issues such as gay marriage, the environment, Iraq, and the evil main stream media. In short, I don't think she won over any converts, but she certainly didn't hurt McCain (which was the biggest concern) and I think she solidified her base and quieted criticism over McCain choosing her.
All that being said, I think, objectively speaking, Biden won the debate. He probably gave the best debate of his career, which in a sense is a shame considering how everyone will be talking about Palin's performance (beating expectations is easy when you set the bar so low). He was on point; he was knowledgeable; he was professorial when he needed to be and emotional when that was called for; he was graceful under attack; he didn't belittle Palin or point out some of her more obvious factual errors; he effectively attacked McCain and mostly left Palin out of it; he linked McCain to Bush's legacy and mistakes; and he clearly delineated where Obama and McCain differ. In terms of this last point, I think it's been a brilliant tactic for Obama and Biden to simply say "this is a fundamental difference." It makes people's ears perk up and it has the psychological effect of making the audience think you're talking about change and shaking things up. It also helps in this cynical age where we think all politicians are the same and we just need to choose the least worst of the bunch. I'm surprised I don't see this tactic more often.
Lastly, I think one of the main reasons McCain/Palin are suffering in the polls is that people couldn't care less about Iraq, Afghanistan, or even terrorism right now. I don't know if it was only me, but when I heard Palin blasting Biden on Iraq, I just yawned. I think everyone agrees we're on our way out over there (Bush is working on a deal with the Iraqi govt). Everyone agrees we need more troops in Afghanistan. And everyone agrees terrorism is bad and needs to be prevented if at all possible. I think Americans are sick and tired of this blame game for Iraq that goes back over 5 years and continuing to bring it up, when there are so many more pressing domestic problems, isn't going to score points and is going to make you seem out of touch.
---------
Buy DB's book. (Like this blog, it's quite good)
Let me start out by saying that Sara Palin should get a nice, big pat on the back from McCain. She did the absolute best she could do against Joe Biden last night. In fact, I think she effectively turned back the clock to her RNC speech and, for the time being, has erased her bad interview record. If the McCain camp is smart, they'll ride this out for as long as possible and keep her hidden from the media. Why was Palin so brilliant? Because she fought the battle on her turf. She answered the questions she wanted to answer and gave completely off-topic, but McCain-boosting answers to questions she didn't want to answer (she even admitted in the debate that she was doing such). And granted, even to questions she wanted to address because her answers were all pre-scripted they therefore didn't always match the exact question asked. But that didn't matter. Due to the format of the debate, she could get away with that (as opposed to Katie Couric hounding her for a straight answer). She was folksy and down-to-earth with her darn right's, ya's, and bless their hearts (to me this was a bit much, but I imagine it played well to other non-East Cost audiences and evangelical audiences. Also, am I the only one who keeps thinking of Frances McDormand in Fargo when Palin talks like that? Just checking). I think she stepped a bit over the line with the insults and digs. Maybe this is a double-standard for women, but I think she came across slightly negative, especially since Biden took it all with a smile and didn't really retaliate. She played well to her base on issues such as gay marriage, the environment, Iraq, and the evil main stream media. In short, I don't think she won over any converts, but she certainly didn't hurt McCain (which was the biggest concern) and I think she solidified her base and quieted criticism over McCain choosing her.
All that being said, I think, objectively speaking, Biden won the debate. He probably gave the best debate of his career, which in a sense is a shame considering how everyone will be talking about Palin's performance (beating expectations is easy when you set the bar so low). He was on point; he was knowledgeable; he was professorial when he needed to be and emotional when that was called for; he was graceful under attack; he didn't belittle Palin or point out some of her more obvious factual errors; he effectively attacked McCain and mostly left Palin out of it; he linked McCain to Bush's legacy and mistakes; and he clearly delineated where Obama and McCain differ. In terms of this last point, I think it's been a brilliant tactic for Obama and Biden to simply say "this is a fundamental difference." It makes people's ears perk up and it has the psychological effect of making the audience think you're talking about change and shaking things up. It also helps in this cynical age where we think all politicians are the same and we just need to choose the least worst of the bunch. I'm surprised I don't see this tactic more often.
Lastly, I think one of the main reasons McCain/Palin are suffering in the polls is that people couldn't care less about Iraq, Afghanistan, or even terrorism right now. I don't know if it was only me, but when I heard Palin blasting Biden on Iraq, I just yawned. I think everyone agrees we're on our way out over there (Bush is working on a deal with the Iraqi govt). Everyone agrees we need more troops in Afghanistan. And everyone agrees terrorism is bad and needs to be prevented if at all possible. I think Americans are sick and tired of this blame game for Iraq that goes back over 5 years and continuing to bring it up, when there are so many more pressing domestic problems, isn't going to score points and is going to make you seem out of touch.
---------
Buy DB's book. (Like this blog, it's quite good)
Tasteless souvenir
Let's try not to imagine a vendor, or worse, a gift shop, on the grounds of the Ari's mikva hawking these vile, braggadocios things.
And what's next? Kotel kippas announcing "I wailed at the wall?" Or how about a ratty blanket reading "I abandoned my wife and children for the holidays" for those pious pilgrims who spend Rosh Hashama deep in the muck and filth of Uman.
HT: Amsi
Spot the free thinker
There's no question in my mind that this bold, and unprecedented display of (shudder) color in the hallowed study hall of MCB is due to the corrupting influence of the vulgar wig store that was briefly open for business across the road.
HT: Amshi
From the anything for a buck department
Yom Kippur Carpets (any similarity to this is purely coincidental)
And now a quick digression on the whole custom-approaching-a-fetish of covering the floor before bowing on it. The rule, per the Torah, is not to bow directly on a floor made of hewn stone. The Rabbis said that, to be on the safe side, let's not bow on any type of stone. Fine. My shul's floor is carpeted. So why must I put a carpet on the carpet? This may seem elementary, but when it comes to customs Jews are never logical. In my shul, a beaming young boy is sent around with a pile of paper napkins. We're all supposed to take one, and use it to somehow prevent our heads or our knees or our hands from coming in contact with the carpet. This, like Niles Crane wiping any seat before sitting, is the very definition of a fetish, ie an unreasonably excessive attention or reverence.
I always pass on the paper napkin, and allow my body parts to touch carpet. For this, I am annually rewarded with frowns and scowls from certain other members of the congregation, who seem blissfully unaware of both the halacha, and the fact that their own precious napkins are never large enough to keep every inch of their own bodies from touching the carpet, too.
---------
Buy my book. (Price reduced for the holidays!)
And now a quick digression on the whole custom-approaching-a-fetish of covering the floor before bowing on it. The rule, per the Torah, is not to bow directly on a floor made of hewn stone. The Rabbis said that, to be on the safe side, let's not bow on any type of stone. Fine. My shul's floor is carpeted. So why must I put a carpet on the carpet? This may seem elementary, but when it comes to customs Jews are never logical. In my shul, a beaming young boy is sent around with a pile of paper napkins. We're all supposed to take one, and use it to somehow prevent our heads or our knees or our hands from coming in contact with the carpet. This, like Niles Crane wiping any seat before sitting, is the very definition of a fetish, ie an unreasonably excessive attention or reverence.
I always pass on the paper napkin, and allow my body parts to touch carpet. For this, I am annually rewarded with frowns and scowls from certain other members of the congregation, who seem blissfully unaware of both the halacha, and the fact that their own precious napkins are never large enough to keep every inch of their own bodies from touching the carpet, too.
---------
Buy my book. (Price reduced for the holidays!)
Quality post
http://midianitemanna.blogspot.com/2008/10/war-against-sukkot.html
---------
Buy my book. (Price has been reduced for the holidays!)
---------
Buy my book. (Price has been reduced for the holidays!)
Of course you've seen this by now...
Interesting musar haskil: Every Democrat I know thinks McCain got the best lines, and that Obama was given a doltish representation. The Republicans I know agree that McCain was shown in a more favorable light, but still insist the video was "accurate" and/or "fair"
Thursday, October 02, 2008
The excuses start early
A guest post by JS:
The GOP and conservatives have the excuses ready even before the debate starts. In fact, I bet they've already prepared tomorrow's headline: "Palin stands her ground against biased moderator." See the details here.
Now, I'm not going to say the moderator does not have a bias, because frankly, every person has a bias. The question is whether the moderator's bias actually amounts to anything. Now if it does, people should rightfully complain. But, asking a tough question isn't a bias. Neither is asking a follow up question when an answer is vague and evasive.
What I find so incredibly confusing is the fact that so many people are willing to take a bullet for Palin when she's done next to nothing to earn this loyalty and devotion. More importantly though, don't you want to be confident in the fact that a person who could be elected VP and could potentially become President one day is actually qualified? Isn't that a non-partisan value? Shouldn't we want our media (even if it is biased) to ask the hard questions and test the mettle of our candidates? To dig up their past indiscretions? To test their knowledge of the important issues of the day?
I guess I just don't understand when party loyalty trumped seeking out the best people to lead this country. I feel very strongly that if such reckless partisanship continues, this country will be in a lot of trouble. We are facing too many important issues and are at a serious risk of facing a decline in America's influence, wealth, power, and global standing if things aren't turned around.
---------
Buy DB's book. (please)
The GOP and conservatives have the excuses ready even before the debate starts. In fact, I bet they've already prepared tomorrow's headline: "Palin stands her ground against biased moderator." See the details here.
Now, I'm not going to say the moderator does not have a bias, because frankly, every person has a bias. The question is whether the moderator's bias actually amounts to anything. Now if it does, people should rightfully complain. But, asking a tough question isn't a bias. Neither is asking a follow up question when an answer is vague and evasive.
What I find so incredibly confusing is the fact that so many people are willing to take a bullet for Palin when she's done next to nothing to earn this loyalty and devotion. More importantly though, don't you want to be confident in the fact that a person who could be elected VP and could potentially become President one day is actually qualified? Isn't that a non-partisan value? Shouldn't we want our media (even if it is biased) to ask the hard questions and test the mettle of our candidates? To dig up their past indiscretions? To test their knowledge of the important issues of the day?
I guess I just don't understand when party loyalty trumped seeking out the best people to lead this country. I feel very strongly that if such reckless partisanship continues, this country will be in a lot of trouble. We are facing too many important issues and are at a serious risk of facing a decline in America's influence, wealth, power, and global standing if things aren't turned around.
---------
Buy DB's book. (please)
Time for another round of everyone's favorite game
What time did you finish?
First day: 2:10 (Pesuka d'zimrah took too long, and there was a speech before shofer which I hate)
Second day 1:50 (Musaf man shlepped a little, but his voice, performance and choices were near perfect so all is forgiven. Plus no speech!)
Question for the ladies: Do any of you hit the floor during Aleinu? Though I've been in places where the old and the fat don't bother, I think most men usually do it.
First day: 2:10 (Pesuka d'zimrah took too long, and there was a speech before shofer which I hate)
Second day 1:50 (Musaf man shlepped a little, but his voice, performance and choices were near perfect so all is forgiven. Plus no speech!)
Question for the ladies: Do any of you hit the floor during Aleinu? Though I've been in places where the old and the fat don't bother, I think most men usually do it.
Clueless
Palin on Russia
Palin on the Supreme Court
Palin on the economy
David Brooks on Palin
"It is not just painful, but frightening to watch someone who could become the vice president of the United States stumbling around like this in an interview."
Can't wait for the big debate tonight! Meanwhile, I wonder if there are any GOP-Jews brave enough to confess their buyers remorse over this trainwreck of a candidate.
Palin on the Supreme Court
Palin on the economy
David Brooks on Palin
"It is not just painful, but frightening to watch someone who could become the vice president of the United States stumbling around like this in an interview."
Can't wait for the big debate tonight! Meanwhile, I wonder if there are any GOP-Jews brave enough to confess their buyers remorse over this trainwreck of a candidate.
random thoughts from Rosh Hashana
A Guest Post by Rafi G.
(originally posted on LII)
Here are some random things that happened on Rosh Hashana that stuck out, some of them funny, some of them not..
---------
Buy my book. (please)
(originally posted on LII)
Here are some random things that happened on Rosh Hashana that stuck out, some of them funny, some of them not..
- During the Torah reading, the ba'al kriya mistakenly said "Zareich" instead of "Zar'acha". Both mean your child(ren), but "zareich" is the feminine usage (children of a woman), while zar'acha is the male usage. When the mistake was made, my 7 year old immediately laughed (I was surprised he even noticed it), and said "he said Avraham is a girl!"
- We woke up the second day to find a bird flitting around the house. I could not find an open window, and could not figure out how it got in, but I opened the door and tried to chase it out. The poor thing flew into a ceiling fan and hurt itself. It then hopped out of the room and then flew (at low altitude) out the door I opened for it.
- Kids enjoyed tashlich as we went down into the fields, with many others from the neighborhood, on the edge of RBS to a well/spring (that doubles as a mikva) in the middle of a field. It made it seem like a tiyul, so that was fun.
- We all enjoyed the simanim, from the carrots and beans to the sheep's head, all except for the fish head. Highlights were, of course, the apple in honey and the fish candies.
- I am not really sure that getting the exotic fruit for she'he'chyanu (this years was a gauva rather than the quince) would really qualify, on its own, for the bracha. Nobody really likes any of these fruits they sell for Rosh Hashana, and we seem to eat it in nibbles. It is a good thing we are making the she'he'chyanu anyway and not just for the new fruit.
- During my post-Rosh Hashana run (I know, these were supposed to be thoughts from Rosh Hashana, but I think motzei also counts), I noticed a big difference between RBS and BS. RBS is pretty much a dead town. The streets were quiet after the holiday - I guess everyone is washing dishes and taking showers. In BS things were happening. People were out all over the place. Burgers Bar was jam packed, the pizza shop nearby was busy, other food establishments were getting ready to open, people were milling about, etc.
---------
Buy my book. (please)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)