Coming out of Shabbat is a good time to reflect on our power to choose. This post will be brief, as it is late and I choose to honour my health with adequate sleep. In today's Torah reading, I told the congregation about various transgressions that were punishable by death - idolatry, refusing to accept … Continue reading #BlogElul 4: Choose
Tag: Shabbat
#BlogElul 3: Prepare
I'm sure it's no coincidence that Rabbi Sommer put this theme on a Friday. This post will be brief, because I am not only preparing for the High Holy Day season, today I am preparing for Shabbat. Shabbat is a weekly recurring holiday, in which observant Jews take the day off from the world. Wouldn't … Continue reading #BlogElul 3: Prepare
Finishing and Beginning Anew
The month-long cycle of the Jewish High Holy Day season is now over. It seems that we had just begun, with the New Year and the Day of Atonement, and afterwards we built a little wooden booth on our deck, a sukkah, and had dinner in it almost every night for the seven-day Feast of … Continue reading Finishing and Beginning Anew
#BlogElul 7 – Be
I'm always curious about the methods that Rabbi Sommer uses to decide which word goes on which day. Some of it I'm sure is deliberately random, but on the other hand, if Be ended up on Shabbat just randomly, it was a very serendipitous chance. Shabbat, like no other day of the week, is a … Continue reading #BlogElul 7 – Be
In Plowing Time and in Harvest
Hi there! You haven't seen much of me lately, because we are deeply into the High Holy Day craziness. But we are almost done - only two more days of Yom Tov to go at the end of this week, and then we are done until the spring. Hannukah is a breeze by comparison - … Continue reading In Plowing Time and in Harvest
#BlogElul 3: Bless, 5774 Edition
The Jewish calendar can be a funny thing. I chose to label this post with a little extra - the year, 5774 since the creation of the world. (I know, I know). The reason for that is that last year's #BlogElul 3 was also Bless. I was a little surprised at first, until I realised … Continue reading #BlogElul 3: Bless, 5774 Edition
30 Day Challenge: I Survived the Cleanse Day!
I did it! I survived an entire day on very little more than Cleanse for Life, water and chocolate. I was not particularly hungry. I even went for an hour-long walk! For anyone who is suspicious of this cleanse as being a diuretic, a laxative or worse, I can report that I am not the … Continue reading 30 Day Challenge: I Survived the Cleanse Day!
Six Weeks Until I Break the Streak
I've got a great streak going on 750words.com. As I've boasted previously, I'm really doing well there right now. I've written at least 750 words every day for the past 124 days. I'm not sure what changed, but somehow it has built itself into the fabric of my days. Even when I was so desperately … Continue reading Six Weeks Until I Break the Streak
#BlogElul 4 – Accept
Day 4 of Elul is Shabbat. First of all, let me assure you that this post was written and scheduled well beforehand. I do not use the computer on Shabbat. This is a restriction that I gladly accept. We live in a time of abundance and addiction. I am quite severely addicted to that seductive … Continue reading #BlogElul 4 – Accept
#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