Ah, Matzah. The bread of affliction. Sales of Kosher for Passover prune juice soar at this time of year, as the flat bread made of white flour and water leads to widespread dietary distress among the faithful. It is particularly an issue for those who try to maintain a gluten-free lifestyle. Matzah is quite literally … Continue reading #blogExodus – Matzah
Tag: Rabbi Phyllis Sommer
#blogExodus – Chametz
There are so many layers to the idea of Chametz, the forbidden food of Passover, that I barely know where to begin. Let's start with one of the many, many times this commandment is given in the Torah: ื ืึทืฆึผืึนืช, ืึตืึธืึตื, ืึตืช, ืฉืึดืึฐืขึทืช ืึทืึผึธืึดืื; ืึฐืึนื-ืึตืจึธืึถื ืึฐืึธ ืึธืึตืฅ, ืึฐืึนื-ืึตืจึธืึถื ืึฐืึธ ืฉืึฐืึนืจ--ืึผึฐืึธื-ืึผึฐืึปืึถืึธ 7 Unleavened bread shall be … Continue reading #blogExodus – Chametz
#blogExodus – Slavery
The experience of slavery is a huge one in the Jewish consciousness. It may be overshadowed by the Holocaust in modern times, but it was formative of our thinking back in the times of the Torah and the Mishna, when most of our laws, philosophy and forms of prayer were solidified. The Torah reminds us … Continue reading #blogExodus – Slavery
#blogExodus – Retelling
Here I go again. Last summer I did a series of blog posts in the #BlogElul series, preparing for the High Holy Days. Now we are plunging into the last two weeks before Passover, which for many people is at least as important as those solemn days in Tishrei. I'm going to follow Rabbi Phyllis … Continue reading #blogExodus – Retelling
Awakening – #BlogElul23
Ooh, a tough one this time, Rabbi Sommer. I feel like I am in a dialogue with you, even though I've never met you or even corresponded with you. I do hope you are reading these blog posts - I think you are. It's funny how some of these little contributions just flow out of … Continue reading Awakening – #BlogElul23
Endings – #BlogElul 20
How clever of Rabbi Sommer to put Endings at the end of the work week, as we prepare for Shabbat. Cooking special foods, looking forward to resting and seeing friends at shul, putting this first week of school behind us. I've been writing and posting these blogs the evening before, when it is the Jewish … Continue reading Endings – #BlogElul 20
Learning and Health – #BlogElul 14 and 15
As I was planning this series of blog posts about Elul, following Rabbi Phyllis Sommer's #BlogElul system that you see here on the left, I knew I couldn't write number 14 on Shabbat, so I figured I'd write it after Shabbat was out. But by then, of course, it would be the 15th of Elul, … Continue reading Learning and Health – #BlogElul 14 and 15
Elul is almost halfway through …
I've been reading an amazing blog by Rabbi Phyllis Sommer. She talks about all sorts of things, but right now she's engaged in a project called #BlogElul, as you can see in this picture I lifted from said blogSo, what's Elul when it's at home? Elul is the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar, and … Continue reading Elul is almost halfway through …
What I’ve been doing …
I've not posted here in over a week, but I have a good reason for it. The wonderful Barbara Feldman trusted me to write some of the little informative pieces on her website, Rosh Hashanah Fun. It's got lovely colouring pages and stuff for kids, and it also has little tidbits of information, such as … Continue reading What I’ve been doing …