Torah Specialist!
My recent posts... Torah specials! As do all blessings, the bracha we recite before learning sacred text or topics begins with praise of Adonai our God. We then offer thanks for the opportunity to engage with words or teachings of Torah: la’asok b’divrei Torah, a text...
Words / yom ha’atzma’ut
Like so many other commentators — ancient to modern — Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks elaborates on the construct of tzara’at, an unidentified skin ailment, as recompense for evil speech, lashon hara. Long-ago rabbinic wordplay connected tzara’at to words, speech, that can be hurtful. Aside from a clever acronymic derivation, why would the sages have focused on speech?
Makin’ Matza!
My recent posts...
Selling Chametz
Even if you don’t keep a kosher kitchen, and/or you don’t “convert” your kitchen for Pesach, there is still spiritual value in selling your chametz: You are engaging with myriad Jews worldwide in a practice that can be traced back to Torah and, if you include a donations to “ma’ot chitin,” you are enabling those in need to more fully celebrate Pesach.
It’s Pilpul*! It’s Poetry! It’s Purim!
Two writes don’t make a wrong.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
No right on red, don’t lose your head.
Three stars do make a night.
Three rights might make a left,
try not to lose your mind.
Don’t get ahead of your own self,
you might be left behind.
Purim is on fourteen Adar,
but if ancient wall surrounds the city of your house and car,
on the morrow, grogger sounds!
Give alms to poor,
gifts of food to friends,
and hear the story: how Esther and Mordechai — oh, how good! — saved the Jews and rose to glory.
Festively feast until you’re sated,
dress up as clown or lemur.
Be joyful, be happily inebriated!
— Rabbi Jonathan & Ellie Kremer *Pilpul: rabbinic sillygism