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Apr
12
Part I
Part II
Making the crunch
After my first post about Passover, an anonymous commenter left (in part) the following suggestion:
I would be even more interested in reading your analysis of what all of this is about–your musings on the subject of what these things mean / represent / indicate, and why they are important to God and to Jews, and what is being communicated by them.
Since the first post discussed the removal of hametz and food rules that concern what is kosher for Passover, given the restrictions connected to the story of Moses and the exodus of Jews from Egypt, I assume that when Anon asked for my musings on what “these things mean/represent/indicate” and so on, he or she is referring to the preparations for the holiday and the restrictions.
Well, this is a very complicated question.
First of all, what they mean to me will differ from what they mean to any other Jew. My parents raised me in a Reform Jewish setting, but I’ve belonged to Conservative shuls for at least 13 years. Plus, my husband knows a great deal more of the liturgy (he substitutes for the cantor at our shul) and traditions than I do, and we’ve tried to incorporate them into how we communicate the religion and culture to our children.
Next, what they are supposed to mean – well, that too is subject to interpretation, much of which you can find on the Internet if you wanted. It is said that if you ask 100 rabbis, you will get 100 different answers. Many Jewish scholars consider the Talmud’s inclusion of oppositional opinions on every page of text to indicate not only the high tolerance Judaism, as a theology, has for different perspectives, but also as recognition by Jewish scholars that at any point in time, the opinion that had been favored or most representative of what the learned people thought should be the answer could change and they might decide to choose one of the other interpretations as the predominant explanation, for that moment in time until they decide it yet again should change.
Isn’t that fascinating?
So – what do those kosher rules etc. mean to me?
Well – I don’t keep kosher, so that says something right there. In general, and my husband and I were just discussing this during our long ride through what my daughter finds to be an interminably big state via the highway (that would be Pennsylvania), I have a problem believing that God is the kind of superbeing that would downgrade one of his own creations – humankind, let’s say, because he or she failed to wait long enough between milk and meat meals.
The context within which my husband and I were thinking about this was the Jewish seminary’s softening on its acceptance of gay and lesbians as rabbis. I just don’t see how sexual orientation has anything to do with teaching people about religion or that God seriously cares who a man or woman prefers for intimate companionship. How does that choice affect being a good person?
To say because such and such section of the Bible – Old or New Testament or one of the gospels etc., is not strong enough for me. Everyone knows the controversies around who did or didn’t write those and why and the times in which they were written and why they were written down in the first place.
This opinion of mine is consistent with my belief that the Constitution and Bill of Rights not be interpreted within the “four corners” either. This isn’t then, period. Intent is a beautiful thing, but application of that intent, hundreds or thousands of years later, is much more messy. Even so, that is no excuse to stick to the four corners of the documents.
How far afield I’ve gone!
So – what do the four questions and the Exodus and Pharoah and all that say? Oppression sucks and no one should be enslaved – certainly not against their will.
What does the fact that I observe this old story every year mean to other Jews? I can’t answer that. But I’ll tell you what it means to me.
It reminds me of struggle, it reminds me of trust, it reminds me of the power of resistance and doing what you believe to be right, even if everyone else says something different.
Like many if not all stories from these religious-oriented tomes, Passover means learning to – allegories that continue to apply to life today, if not for me, for others. For example, I received an email from my rabbi yesterday asking families to please have a fourth Matzah (usually there are three) to represent those suffering in Darfur. We will do this
That allegorical stories such as the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt continue to have relevance today is a mixed blessing. I do believe in “we should never forget,” but if I thought for a minute that forgetting would mean that we then would lose the wretched models that would ever inform people to behave heinously, I’d be willing to push forgetting too.
As it is, we must remember – because too many people continue to repeat wicked, unwanted and immoral acts against other people for no reason except that they are different.
And don’t get me started on disengagement in the West Bank. (FYI – I’ve never supported the settlements but my guts seize when I think about what’s going to happen – those settlers are going to be far less compliant than the Gaza settlers.)
Peace be with everyone. Here’s some more of the seder meal:
My dad finishing up the beating of butter and eggs for the brownies last year, in my house.
Simmus, or carrots in butter and brown sugar.
Brisket, schlepped from Connecticut to Ohio by my mother, cooked with great-grandmother from Czechoslovakia’s recipe (a sausage kind of thing in the sauce – something I purposefully forget is in it, otherwise, I don’t like to eat it).
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:05 pm April 12th, 2006 in Politics | 2 Comments
Print This Post
Apr
12
Part I
Part II
Making the crunch
After my first post about Passover, an anonymous commenter left (in part) the following suggestion:
I would be even more interested in reading your analysis of what all of this is about–your musings on the subject of what these things mean / represent / indicate, and why they are important to God and to Jews, and what is being communicated by them.
Since the first post discussed the removal of hametz and food rules that concern what is kosher for Passover, given the restrictions connected to the story of Moses and the exodus of Jews from Egypt, I assume that when Anon asked for my musings on what “these things mean/represent/indicate” and so on, he or she is referring to the preparations for the holiday and the restrictions.
Well, this is a very complicated question.
First of all, what they mean to me will differ from what they mean to any other Jew. My parents raised me in a Reform Jewish setting, but I’ve belonged to Conservative shuls for at least 13 years. Plus, my husband knows a great deal more of the liturgy (he substitutes for the cantor at our shul) and traditions than I do, and we’ve tried to incorporate them into how we communicate the religion and culture to our children.
Next, what they are supposed to mean – well, that too is subject to interpretation, much of which you can find on the Internet if you wanted. It is said that if you ask 100 rabbis, you will get 100 different answers. Many Jewish scholars consider the Talmud’s inclusion of oppositional opinions on every page of text to indicate not only the high tolerance Judaism, as a theology, has for different perspectives, but also as recognition by Jewish scholars that at any point in time, the opinion that had been favored or most representative of what the learned people thought should be the answer could change and they might decide to choose one of the other interpretations as the predominant explanation, for that moment in time until they decide it yet again should change.
Isn’t that fascinating?
So – what do those kosher rules etc. mean to me?
Well – I don’t keep kosher, so that says something right there. In general, and my husband and I were just discussing this during our long ride through what my daughter finds to be an interminably big state via the highway (that would be Pennsylvania), I have a problem believing that God is the kind of superbeing that would downgrade one of his own creations – humankind, let’s say, because he or she failed to wait long enough between milk and meat meals.
The context within which my husband and I were thinking about this was the Jewish seminary’s softening on its acceptance of gay and lesbians as rabbis. I just don’t see how sexual orientation has anything to do with teaching people about religion or that God seriously cares who a man or woman prefers for intimate companionship. How does that choice affect being a good person?
To say because such and such section of the Bible – Old or New Testament or one of the gospels etc., is not strong enough for me. Everyone knows the controversies around who did or didn’t write those and why and the times in which they were written and why they were written down in the first place.
This opinion of mine is consistent with my belief that the Constitution and Bill of Rights not be interpreted within the “four corners” either. This isn’t then, period. Intent is a beautiful thing, but application of that intent, hundreds or thousands of years later, is much more messy. Even so, that is no excuse to stick to the four corners of the documents.
How far afield I’ve gone!
So – what do the four questions and the Exodus and Pharoah and all that say? Oppression sucks and no one should be enslaved – certainly not against their will.
What does the fact that I observe this old story every year mean to other Jews? I can’t answer that. But I’ll tell you what it means to me.
It reminds me of struggle, it reminds me of trust, it reminds me of the power of resistance and doing what you believe to be right, even if everyone else says something different.
Like many if not all stories from these religious-oriented tomes, Passover means learning to – allegories that continue to apply to life today, if not for me, for others. For example, I received an email from my rabbi yesterday asking families to please have a fourth Matzah (usually there are three) to represent those suffering in Darfur. We will do this
That allegorical stories such as the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt continue to have relevance today is a mixed blessing. I do believe in “we should never forget,” but if I thought for a minute that forgetting would mean that we then would lose the wretched models that would ever inform people to behave heinously, I’d be willing to push forgetting too.
As it is, we must remember – because too many people continue to repeat wicked, unwanted and immoral acts against other people for no reason except that they are different.
And don’t get me started on disengagement in the West Bank. (FYI – I’ve never supported the settlements but my guts seize when I think about what’s going to happen – those settlers are going to be far less compliant than the Gaza settlers.)
Peace be with everyone. Here’s some more of the seder meal:
My dad finishing up the beating of butter and eggs for the brownies last year, in my house.
Simmus, or carrots in butter and brown sugar.
Brisket, schlepped from Connecticut to Ohio by my mother, cooked with great-grandmother from Czechoslovakia’s recipe (a sausage kind of thing in the sauce – something I purposefully forget is in it, otherwise, I don’t like to eat it).
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:05 pm April 12th, 2006 in Politics | 2 Comments
Print This Post
Apr
12
What Passover means to me (Part III of What do Jews Do, Passover)
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
Part I
Part II
Making the crunch
After my first post about Passover, an anonymous commenter left (in part) the following suggestion:
I would be even more interested in reading your analysis of what all of this is about–your musings on the subject of what these things mean / represent / indicate, and why they are important to God and to Jews, and what is being communicated by them.
Since the first post discussed the removal of hametz and food rules that concern what is kosher for Passover, given the restrictions connected to the story of Moses and the exodus of Jews from Egypt, I assume that when Anon asked for my musings on what “these things mean/represent/indicate” and so on, he or she is referring to the preparations for the holiday and the restrictions.
Well, this is a very complicated question.
First of all, what they mean to me will differ from what they mean to any other Jew. My parents raised me in a Reform Jewish setting, but I’ve belonged to Conservative shuls for at least 13 years. Plus, my husband knows a great deal more of the liturgy (he substitutes for the cantor at our shul) and traditions than I do, and we’ve tried to incorporate them into how we communicate the religion and culture to our children.
Next, what they are supposed to mean – well, that too is subject to interpretation, much of which you can find on the Internet if you wanted. It is said that if you ask 100 rabbis, you will get 100 different answers. Many Jewish scholars consider the Talmud’s inclusion of oppositional opinions on every page of text to indicate not only the high tolerance Judaism, as a theology, has for different perspectives, but also as recognition by Jewish scholars that at any point in time, the opinion that had been favored or most representative of what the learned people thought should be the answer could change and they might decide to choose one of the other interpretations as the predominant explanation, for that moment in time until they decide it yet again should change.
Isn’t that fascinating?
So – what do those kosher rules etc. mean to me?
Well – I don’t keep kosher, so that says something right there. In general, and my husband and I were just discussing this during our long ride through what my daughter finds to be an interminably big state via the highway (that would be Pennsylvania), I have a problem believing that God is the kind of superbeing that would downgrade one of his own creations – humankind, let’s say, because he or she failed to wait long enough between milk and meat meals.
The context within which my husband and I were thinking about this was the Jewish seminary’s softening on its acceptance of gay and lesbians as rabbis. I just don’t see how sexual orientation has anything to do with teaching people about religion or that God seriously cares who a man or woman prefers for intimate companionship. How does that choice affect being a good person?
To say because such and such section of the Bible – Old or New Testament or one of the gospels etc., is not strong enough for me. Everyone knows the controversies around who did or didn’t write those and why and the times in which they were written and why they were written down in the first place.
This opinion of mine is consistent with my belief that the Constitution and Bill of Rights not be interpreted within the “four corners” either. This isn’t then, period. Intent is a beautiful thing, but application of that intent, hundreds or thousands of years later, is much more messy. Even so, that is no excuse to stick to the four corners of the documents.
How far afield I’ve gone!
So – what do the four questions and the Exodus and Pharoah and all that say? Oppression sucks and no one should be enslaved – certainly not against their will.
What does the fact that I observe this old story every year mean to other Jews? I can’t answer that. But I’ll tell you what it means to me.
It reminds me of struggle, it reminds me of trust, it reminds me of the power of resistance and doing what you believe to be right, even if everyone else says something different.
Like many if not all stories from these religious-oriented tomes, Passover means learning to – allegories that continue to apply to life today, if not for me, for others. For example, I received an email from my rabbi yesterday asking families to please have a fourth Matzah (usually there are three) to represent those suffering in Darfur. We will do this
That allegorical stories such as the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt continue to have relevance today is a mixed blessing. I do believe in “we should never forget,” but if I thought for a minute that forgetting would mean that we then would lose the wretched models that would ever inform people to behave heinously, I’d be willing to push forgetting too.
As it is, we must remember – because too many people continue to repeat wicked, unwanted and immoral acts against other people for no reason except that they are different.
And don’t get me started on disengagement in the West Bank. (FYI – I’ve never supported the settlements but my guts seize when I think about what’s going to happen – those settlers are going to be far less compliant than the Gaza settlers.)
Peace be with everyone. Here’s some more of the seder meal:
My dad finishing up the beating of butter and eggs for the brownies last year, in my house.
Simmus, or carrots in butter and brown sugar.
Brisket, schlepped from Connecticut to Ohio by my mother, cooked with great-grandmother from Czechoslovakia’s recipe (a sausage kind of thing in the sauce – something I purposefully forget is in it, otherwise, I don’t like to eat it).
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:05 am April 12th, 2006 in Politics | Comments Off
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Apr
12
Give me DSL, or give me death
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
Nothing like being forced into hibernation by problems with your email and having to use a dial-up connection, circumstances that, when combined, seem to be keeping my “sent” emails from actually going anywhere.
So – to all that spam commenting? Not getting to it yet.
Eric/Plunderbund? All great stuff- not sure if I can contribute this week given my remote location and failure to launch status re: my faulty tech equipment (you can email me, but I don’t think I can reliably email back until Friday though).
MTB Ad Network – I’m still in and thinking on it.
MTB Salon-fab too. Date is good, time – I’m not sure.
Wendy Hoke: everyone, go see her piece on BFD re: Scott Bakalar of Word of Mouth Blog. Excellent.
BSB – so much news, so slow a connection. ARGH.
In 24 hours, I’ll be partaking in the annual binding of the innards with too much caramel covered matzah tomorrow.
L’chaim to all.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:17 am April 12th, 2006 in Politics | 3 Comments
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