UPDATED: There's now a 13 and 14
UPDATED AGAIN: There's a 15, and a slightly modified 12
Romach has tagged me with the Megillah meme. Since I lain the megillah, and did so this year a total of 4 times, my thought were more preoccudied with certain technicalities of the layning itself, though at the end there are some more general thoughts. Here goes:
1) This 11-line megillah, while beautiful, is really a nuisance to unfold.
2) I wonder if I'll beat my record of a 19-minute reading.
3) Is this word pronounced 'va-yisapeik' or 'va-yisapak'. Better say both, not sure anyone's paying close enough attention.
4) Ve-ha'achashtarpenim is the longest word in all of Tanach.
5) Should I go falsetto when saying 'seris ha-melech'? Should I neigh on 've-hasus'?
6) Damn. Forgot the trope. Whatever, I'll just make it up.
7) When it says that Esther only took what Heigai suggested, is that saying that she's being modest and doesn't want to be selected, or just that she astutely took the advice of an expert?
8) Why the heck is Mordechai hanging out at the king's gate when round 2 of the virgin-gathering commenced? Is he some kinda sick-o?
9) Gee, Achashverosh would have very little incentive to convert to Islam.
10) Gee, did Achashverosh do anything but drink and have sex?
11) Achashverosh is totally Xerxes. No doubt about it.
12) 've-rabim me-amei ha-aretz misyahadim' is a direct reference to [supply name of American post-HS Yeshiva in which amei ha-aretz become more 'Jewish'].
13) Can you people please shut up?
14) "Hey, the Megilla has a chiastic structure" might be the single most obvious literary observation ever. It's like, DUH, that's the POINT!
15) 'and he called for his loved ones and his wife' - it's hilarious that Zeresh isn't one of Haman's 'loved ones'. Maybe, like his relationship with everyone else, his relationship w/ Zeresh was based upon fear. Would shed new light on the Haman=Memuchan theory.
I tag:
Dan, Menachem Mendel, Dovid, and Alan
3/16/2006
3/15/2006
Nach Yomi Initiative
I'd like to call attention to a new blog - just started today - that will be both valuable educationally, and of great importance to one man and his family.
Please visit Nach-Yomi, spread the word, and pray for the speedy and full recovery of Avraham Dov ben Golda.
Please visit Nach-Yomi, spread the word, and pray for the speedy and full recovery of Avraham Dov ben Golda.
3/13/2006
3/08/2006
Purim Miscellany
Why do we wear Purim costumes?
In my community, on the night of Purim itself, a left-wing Zionist group running a program together with Peace Now, and talking about the evil settlers, or something. To give them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps this is how they fulfill not knowing the difference between arur Haman and baruch Mordechai. But then, for these folks, Purim is all year round.
After reading this post by Mississippi Fred on MY, I hear new meaning in the Talmudic statement (BT Sanhedrin 104b):
The descendents of Haman taught Torah in B’nei Brak.
- The popular answer: blah blah blah hester panim blah blah blah
- The funky answer: the struggle between Mordechai and Haman is rooted in the struggle between Yaakov and Esav. Yaakov is the first biblical character to dress in a disguise, and he dresses like Esav. The lines must somehow be blurred – ad delo yada – and it’s similar to the process of bechirat yisrael that is re-enacted with the goat every Yom Kippur. The choice must be ‘blind’, like Isaac/justice. I heard an approach along these lines recently from a friend, and now recall that I heard that R’ Shagar wrote a short monograph taking a similar approach.
- The real answer: because the goyim (particularly of the Christian variety) wear costumes on Mardi Gras/ Carnival.
In my community, on the night of Purim itself, a left-wing Zionist group running a program together with Peace Now, and talking about the evil settlers, or something. To give them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps this is how they fulfill not knowing the difference between arur Haman and baruch Mordechai. But then, for these folks, Purim is all year round.
After reading this post by Mississippi Fred on MY, I hear new meaning in the Talmudic statement (BT Sanhedrin 104b):
The descendents of Haman taught Torah in B’nei Brak.
Collective Bargaining Agreements with God
Just posted over at MY (for a change) on how the current football negotiations can parallel the relationship between God and Israel.
3/05/2006
Rivevot Alfei Yisrael
Our Rabbis taught: “And when it rested they said ‘Return, O God, the multitudes of thousands of Israel’ (Bamidbar 10)” – this teaches that The Divine Presence doesn’t dwell amongst less than 22,000 Israelites.
BT Yevamot 63b-64a
Within the next few hours, I will surpass 22,000 unique visitors to this blog. Welcome, Shekhinah.
Creativity and Impulsivity
I have a student who is an aspiring Reform Rabbi. In a d’var Torah that she wrote in the past few weeks, she quoted a conversation that we had. We were talking about some ideas of Shabbat observance, and made reference to the following conversation from ‘Matrix Reloaded’:
This student applied this idea to the role of technology in our lives. The ability to disengage from it – be it the cellphone, AIM, iPod, or whatever, demonstrates that we are not controlled by it. She went on the compare this type of relationship w/ inanimate objects to idolatry.
In any event, it got me thinking about blogging. It’s been a great creative outlet for me, and gives me the opportunity to sort out, articulate, and discuss my thoughts and feelings with others. But can I stop if I wanted? It’s after 1am, and I’m blogging away. Is this creativity or impulsivity? I believe that the two are mutually exclusive.
Maybe, in a few weeks, I’ll try to see if I can step away from it for a full week, not because I want to stop blogging, but because I need to know that I control it, and it doesn’t control me.
Councillor Hamann: I suppose we do, but down here sometimes I think about all those people still plugged into the Matrix and when I look at these machines, I.. I can't help thinking that in a way, we are plugged into them.Similar to the ideas expressed in the first ma’amar in Pachad Yitzchak on Shabbos, the idea here is that the things that I accomplish are meaningful to the degree that I’ve chosen them. If I’m motivated by compulsion, then I’m not freely creating. Paradoxically, I am truly creative only when I demonstrate full control over it by ceasing.
Neo: But we control these machines, they don't control us.
Councillor Hamann: Of course not, how could they? The idea's pure nonsense, but... it does make one wonder just... what is control?
Neo: If we wanted, we could shut these machines down.
This student applied this idea to the role of technology in our lives. The ability to disengage from it – be it the cellphone, AIM, iPod, or whatever, demonstrates that we are not controlled by it. She went on the compare this type of relationship w/ inanimate objects to idolatry.
In any event, it got me thinking about blogging. It’s been a great creative outlet for me, and gives me the opportunity to sort out, articulate, and discuss my thoughts and feelings with others. But can I stop if I wanted? It’s after 1am, and I’m blogging away. Is this creativity or impulsivity? I believe that the two are mutually exclusive.
Maybe, in a few weeks, I’ll try to see if I can step away from it for a full week, not because I want to stop blogging, but because I need to know that I control it, and it doesn’t control me.
3/04/2006
What I'm Currently Reading and Learning
Every once in a while, I’ll give an update on what I’m reading and learning.
Learning:
[I’ll leave out the standard fare of Gemara, Mishna, and Halakha]
R’ Kook’s intro to ‘Olat Re’Iyah’.
How I wish I could pray the way R’ Kook describes…
Ibn Ezra’s ‘Yesod Morah’
Interesting stuff. Can’t beat the price. Just came across a passage where he seems to advocate vegetarianism. Good intro to his approach to Torah and Mitzvot.
Motza’ei Mayim, R’ Chaim Hirschenson
Still in the intro. Fascinating. He’s trying to reconstruct genres of Talmudic material, then base his exegesis on those generic rules. Also, can’t beat the price.
Reading:
God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, by Kurt Vonnegut
Funny as hell. Brilliant satire.
Seinfeld and Philosophy, by William Irwin
Pretentious and silly book.
One People?, by R’ Jonathan Sacks
Haven’t read enough of it yet, but I suspect it could’ve been a lot shorter.
Born to Kvetch, by Michael Wex
Fun, very informative, and interesting. If you like S.’s blog, then you'll like this book.
Learning:
[I’ll leave out the standard fare of Gemara, Mishna, and Halakha]
R’ Kook’s intro to ‘Olat Re’Iyah’.
How I wish I could pray the way R’ Kook describes…
Ibn Ezra’s ‘Yesod Morah’
Interesting stuff. Can’t beat the price. Just came across a passage where he seems to advocate vegetarianism. Good intro to his approach to Torah and Mitzvot.
Motza’ei Mayim, R’ Chaim Hirschenson
Still in the intro. Fascinating. He’s trying to reconstruct genres of Talmudic material, then base his exegesis on those generic rules. Also, can’t beat the price.
Reading:
God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, by Kurt Vonnegut
Funny as hell. Brilliant satire.
Seinfeld and Philosophy, by William Irwin
Pretentious and silly book.
One People?, by R’ Jonathan Sacks
Haven’t read enough of it yet, but I suspect it could’ve been a lot shorter.
Born to Kvetch, by Michael Wex
Fun, very informative, and interesting. If you like S.’s blog, then you'll like this book.
3/01/2006
The Middle Ground of Transliteration
Every year around this time, I am reminded of the importance of transliteration conventions. Personally, I’ve found the Torah U-Madda Journal style sheet easiest to use, with the minor modifications of the VBM, like ch for chet and tz for tzadi. The conventions for use of hyphens and apostrophes are very clean and useful.
For the purposes of communication, one need not employ rules like Mar Gavriel, Steg, and the rest of the Mis-dakdekim.
Why this time of year? Well, it’s the Jewish season of giving, when I receive solicitations from all types of tzedakah organizations. Yesterday, I received a solicitation from Kupat Hair, the self-proclaimed ‘Tzedakah of the Gedolim’ who live in B’nei Brak. I thought it might be something like Locks of Love or some type of tonsure-tzedakah. Alas, it’s just a poor, but amusing, transliteration.
Then there’s my favorite poorly transliterated charitable organization: Kupat R’ Meir Baal Hanes. I find the idea that a Tanna would be remembered by the make of his underwear to be hilarious.
For the purposes of communication, one need not employ rules like Mar Gavriel, Steg, and the rest of the Mis-dakdekim.
Why this time of year? Well, it’s the Jewish season of giving, when I receive solicitations from all types of tzedakah organizations. Yesterday, I received a solicitation from Kupat Hair, the self-proclaimed ‘Tzedakah of the Gedolim’ who live in B’nei Brak. I thought it might be something like Locks of Love or some type of tonsure-tzedakah. Alas, it’s just a poor, but amusing, transliteration.
Then there’s my favorite poorly transliterated charitable organization: Kupat R’ Meir Baal Hanes. I find the idea that a Tanna would be remembered by the make of his underwear to be hilarious.
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