Judaism

Parsha Terumah: Just Another Parsha? (Ex. 25:1 – 27:14)

‍‍29 Shevat 5772 - February 22, 2012 By Jeremiah 1 Comment

From the outside looking in Terumah is a nice, short, yet technical portion one can read rather fast because for the most part none of us are trying to build a Tabernacle out in the mesa (mesa is New Mexican Espanol slang for desert and Espanol is Spanish for Spanish). Yet in this week’s Torah Portion an indirect message of community over personal wealth starts the building process via donations from the ancient Hebrews. Up until this point the Hebrews only responsibility to Hashem is a belief solely in Him. This simple belief has led to freedom, food, and military victories. In Terumah Hashem asks for those Hebrews who are able to donate to do so by providing a place for Him to dwell making it a two sided relationship.

Relationships go both ways it is unfair to all involved when only one side gives and the other only receives. Often there are times we forget that Hashem created the human race for companionship and not as subjects for an experiment in rule. Hashem asking the ancient Hebrews for supplies for His earthly dwelling is just the beginning it is also an indirect plea for the overall health of the community.

The lesson of Terumah is so far reaching and inclusive in our day to day lives its impossible to find a place were it stops. Its like outer space its endless. This is because human beings are pack animals. We are at our healthiest when we are in a functioning environment with other fulfilled and happy human beings. Think about it who do we fear the most? We fear the recluse, the loner, the outsider while we gravitate towards people who make us laugh and who we feel comfort from being around. By building the Tabernacle Hashem and the ancient Hebrews took the next step in a relationship designed to make humanity and world the best it possibly can be.

For the sake of time and my sanity I’m going to leave this portion as is. Seriously though I could probably write a book exploring the merging of spiritual and physical in community from the home all the way to society on a global scale. Terumah is important because it forces us to view ourselves as individuals in a whole. If the tribes are united then they will never be divided.

P.S.

If anyone in the greater Albuquerque area (or anyone willing to move out here) wants to build a Tabernacle out in the Mesa I say lets do it!

Jeremiah@punktorah.org Twitter: @circlepitbimah

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Filed Under: D'var Torah, Featured, Jeremiah Satterfield Tagged With: Circle Pit The Bimah, exodus, jeremiah satterfield, jewish new mexico, new mexico, Parsha Terumah, tabernacle

Adar: Enter the Purim Shpiel

‍‍27 Shevat 5772 - February 20, 2012 By Ketzirah Leave a Comment

Adar 5772 begins at sundown February 23rd, 2012 and ends at sundown March 23rd, 2012.

Yes — it’s time for Purim! Who doesn’t love Purim? They tried to kill us, they failed, we kicked their @$$ to the 7th generation — LET’S PARTY!!!!

Over on my own site, I waxed poetic (and ritual) about the hamantaschen. Over at NewKosher.org, you can find some great hamantaschen recipes. Here at PunkTorah — I want to talk Purim Shpiel. Next to Passover, Purim is one of our most accessible and fun holidays and like Passover, it’s also serious. The Purim Shpiel is the tradition of doing a humorous play that mocks our enemies. Jews do love comedy, after all.

For years, I threw a killer Purim Shpiel at my house. I just called it a Purim party — but it was all the same. It’s amazing how awesome a party where everyone gets lit and acts out the bible while I read it can be. It was also always a huge opportunity for learning. I always read the JPS translation — and all the way through.

When we hit the end one year, my sister started to yell that I was making up the part where we slaughter Haman’s extended family. She didn’t remember that from Purim as a child. A HUGE debate ensued about this and whether or not they actually read the whole Megillah at our childhood synagogue and how this changed our impression of the holiday.

But seriously — when can you read the bible to people without seeming creepy? It’s awesome!

Here’s how I do it. I have some props that are for each main character and either asked friends who wanted to be whom, or in the true spirit of Purim, had them draw lots for parts. If people were unfamiliar with the characters, I would do a quick explanation. Everyone who didn’t play a part, had groggers and other noise makers — plus they got to drink.

Then I just start reading, and my friends act out any interpretation of what I’m saying they like. I can assure you, we had some fascinating interpretations going. I remember a prissy, pissy french Haman. One time it turned out the hidden story was that Haman was jealous of Vashti’s awesome gold/velvet stole. And well, Esther bowing before the King’s “golden scepter” lead to a not so family friendly interpretation of how Esther saved her people….

This year — invite your friends over and read the bible to them. Read the whole Megillah — word for word. Drink — you are obligated by Jewish law to eat, drink and be merry. Seriously — this is the only holiday where you are obligated to have fun. Take the opportunity to see what you can learn from the reveling and topsy-turvy experience of Purim.

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Ketzirah is a Kohenet, Celebrant, and Artist. She works with individuals and groups to explore, discover, and create meaningful rituals and ritual artwork to mark moments in life.

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Filed Under: Featured, Holidays, Jewish Practice, Ketzirah, Rosh Chodesh Guide Tagged With: drinking, embodied practices, Esther, food, haman, hamantaschen, kohenet, Mordechai, Purim, purim shpiel, ritual, talmud, traditions

Parsha Mishpatim: Occupying My Tea Pot (Ex. 21:1 – 24:18)

‍‍21 Shevat 5772 - February 14, 2012 By Jeremiah Leave a Comment

One can easily argue that last week’s portion Yitro more than any other represents Torah as a whole and one can easily argue that this week’s portion Mishpatim represents the Talmud. Mishpatim to me marks a departure from the format the Torah has been unrolling itself as, gone is the moral ambiguity of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs and present are divine laws. Last week Moses established a government body consisting of judges and this week he takes his nation founding to the next logical step by codifying laws on parchment and thus finding a way to unilaterally make the Torah relevant to every person then and now.

This week Moses gives his first dictation regarding law for just about everything. For the hardline right we have an out for murder, slavery, assault, and male immodesty and for me and my lame liberal brothers and sisters big government checks and balances regulating the treatment of widows, no interest loans, false witness, bribes, and respect for foreigners. Moses would be so unelectable today.

So does this mean do what you want just make a good argument for it after the fact? Probably, but I want to be a better Jeremiah today than I was yesterday and the only real way to do that is to strip yourself down to a point where you are moving forward in the direction of righteousness and not constantly resetting yourself always looking for that oh so sacred of a path. I am in a place now where the afore mentioned woes are non-issues in my daily life. True I have never murdered anyone in cold blood but I have definitely thrown my fair share of hook punches, the point is I am at a place in my life where fighting really is not a reality for me. I am way beyond that. The challenges for me lay with the later. I live in society, I interact with people in society, I am part of society. When one suffers we all suffer.

Mishpatim is the Talmud portion of Torah because it opens the discussion for fairness and what is righteousness while codifying what is and is not permissible within Jewish society. What this week’s portion is not are stagnant rules to take advantage of to further a special interest group’s agenda. Maybe you feel more comfortable eating steak in a tri-corned hat while shooting shifty eyed glances at widows with funny sounding last names or maybe you’re a vegan pot luck type of person who can’t quite figure out why the government is so hesitant to provide more basic needs for those it rules over.

Allowing those of different dispositions to gravitate towards one common root is the genius of Judaism. If Hashem wanted the Jewish people to be stagnant and set in a certain way he would have ended the Torah with Yitro but He didn’t in fact there is a lot more to come. Don’t be stagnant and set in your ways meditate on where you are at right now and challenge yourself to press forward along the path of righteousness.

Where do you see yourself now? Where would you like to be tomorrow or a year from now? Leave a comment below or jeremiah@punktorah.org Twitter @circlepitbimah

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Filed Under: D'var Torah, Featured, Jeremiah Satterfield Tagged With: Circle Pit The Bimah, exodus, jeremiah satterfield, Moses

Virtual Yarhzeit At OneShul

‍‍16 Shevat 5772 - February 9, 2012 By punktorah Leave a Comment

OneShul, our online, lay lead, independent chavurah, now hosts a virtual memorial wall. There you can commemorate the yahrzeit of someone you have loved and lost.

Simply visit the OneShul site and contact us. We will specially design a memorial “plaque” based on your needs. Though we ask for an eighteen dollar donation in support of OneShul, we will not turn away anyone who cannot contribute that this time.

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Filed Under: Death and Dying, Featured, Jewish Practice Tagged With: jewish funeral, memorial, OneShul, online synagogue, online yahrzeit, yahrzeit

Parsha Yitro: G-dfree Youth: The Time I Broke Up With Hashem (Ex. 18:1 – 20:23)

‍‍15 Shevat 5772 - February 8, 2012 By Jeremiah Leave a Comment

In Parsha Yitro three very important things take place. First, Moses’s father-in-law Jethro (Yitro in Hebrew) advices Moses to set up a multi-leveled representative government made up of judges. Second Hashem descends over Sinai while the ancient Hebrews are encamped at the mountain’s base; and finally Moses is given what I call the Big Ten or more commonly referred to as the Ten Commandments. Pretty straight forward and clear cut right? Wrong this week’s portion has done nothing but cause misery in my life! I have never been thought of as a liar, I try not to take Hashem‘s name in vain, and heck I have never stepped out on any girl I dated, and yet this portion is the reason that an angry thirteen year old kid in north-central West Virginia banged his fists against his head and told Hashem the two of them were finished.

Ten set in stone easy to follow rules are not the reason I was frustrated and gave up it was the fact that something so straight forward is so muddied by people. Each commandment is nothing more than a branch sprouting out of the simplistic Essence of Judaism (aka the Golden Rule) but the rest of the Tanakh, Mishnah, Midrash, et cetera are arguments for either an open left handed caress or a clinched crushing right handed fist. ARRRRGGHGHG!!!!

The good news is I have always been a thinking man, meaning my distaste for my parents over zealous approach towards religion was the fuel that made me strike out on my own but it was not enough to keep me away. Of course I was antagonistic towards anyone observant until I could no longer justify my atheism and now my approach to Judaism is very secular and very modern but I am a Jew nonetheless and not an angry atheist or a member of another faith’s flock.

The thirty-three year old me understands what the thirteen year old could not and that is Halachah is meaningless unless it naturally flows through your life like a fresh water spring. Commentaries and parshot are great and I love them but they are there to feed you ,to strengthen you, to make you grow not to hinder your spark.

Shortly after turning twenty-two I apologized to Hashem for walking out on Him and since then I try and keep it simple but I do work hard at emanating the big ten internally and externally. For example number six sure I don’t kill people heck I don’t even eat or wear animals but it is also a charge against self destructive behaviors. Hashem wants us to live and you can’t do that when your killing yourself mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now when I study commentaries I always try and look at things from the author’s point of view. In order to truly find balance and grow as a Jew it is so important to fully understand opposing ideals and to completely embrace those you agree with.

Don’t just do something because it is tradition do it because you need to in order to be the best Jew you can be. Shalom.

Jeremiah@punktorah.org Twitter: @circlepitbimah

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Filed Under: D'var Torah, Featured, Featured Blogs, Jeremiah Satterfield Tagged With: Circle Pit The Bimah, exodus, jeremiah satterfield, jethro, Moses, Parsha Yitro, ten commandments

Parsha Beshalach: Following the Hardcore Punk Handbook’s rule that at least one song have an unnecessarily long title and last for only 30 seconds. (Ex. 13:17 – 17:16)

‍‍9 Shevat 5772 - February 2, 2012 By Jeremiah Leave a Comment

Beshalach is a tough one not because of moral ambiguity but because the most recognizable Torah tale takes place right here in this week’s portion. Yep this week Moses parts a large body of water and if that is not enough sweetens water to quench thirst, negotiates for daily quail, and survives an impressive endurance test during a battle with the Amalekites.

My Dvar for this week is deliberately short because we all know this portion better than any other and since Circle Pit the Bimah is a reference to a hardcore punk dance move it is appropriate to have a least one brief parsha.

So here we go, Beshalach is about being a leader and focal point for our Jewish communities. Unlike the Shoah we do not have individual accounts of triumph and tragedy we have Moses being the focal point as the leader and with Hashem as provider, we have Miriam as the feminine focal point leading the dance, we have Aaron and Hur being focal points of support. Be Jewish, be yourself, be the focal point.

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Filed Under: D'var Torah, Featured, Featured Blogs, Jeremiah Satterfield Tagged With: Aaron, Circle Pit The Bimah, exodus, jeremiah satterfield, miriam, Moses, Parsha Beshalach

Parsha Bo: This is the Meaning of Life (Ex. 10:1 – 13:16)

‍‍29 Teves 5772 - January 24, 2012 By Jeremiah Leave a Comment

Ahhh Parsha Bo, finally the plagues burdening the Egyptians come to an end and Hashem gives us Jews the holiday Passover. No matter how hard I might try I will never know where to begin to make sense of the final plague which subsequently leaves the first born male in every Egyptian household without life, and yet Bo is an integral portion in trying to understand Hashem and just how we are created in His image.

Judaism is monotheistic period. This means everything, or lack thereof, emanates from one source, Hashem. Whether it is righteousness, wickedness, or something in between the root, the seed, the source is the same and never wavering. We as human beings are created in Hashem’s image and this does not mean He looks like us externally but that we encapsulate pure dualism just like Him. Every act, belief, and feeling we have is only present because its opposite is not acted upon. Sure we exist but we emanate good and evil based on our will just like our creator.

Passover is the perfect lesson to explain the compulsions of good versus evil we all have seeded inside of us. In fact this week’s portion is the blossomed fruit matured from the seed sprouting out of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Hebrews marking their door posts is a conscious choice to do good when faced with doing evil. This choice to mark themselves apart saves their sons and leads directly towards breaking the yoke of bondage. The Egyptians refusal to do the right thing results in the evil inclination running rampant in their hearts and minds leading to death, sorrow, anger, and the lust for vengeance. Such a heavy portion.

Bo is the perfect moral lesson to carry as a reminder while navigating all of life’s temptations. Sometimes we are the ancient Hebrew yearning to cast off the burden of evil inclinations and sometimes we are the ancient Egyptian willfully afflicting those around us. Bo is more than just the first Passover it is the morality of where we as human beings created in the divine image of Hashem exist. Actions have consequences and only you the individual can choose which path to take.

Jeremiah@punktorah.org Twitter: @CirclePitBimah

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Filed Under: D'var Torah, Featured, Jeremiah Satterfield Tagged With: Circle Pit The Bimah, exodus, jeremiah satterfield, Parsha Bo, Passover

Planting, Seders and Psalms: Practices for Shevat

‍‍28 Teves 5772 - January 23, 2012 By Ketzirah Leave a Comment

Tree of Life Concept by Ketzirah

When most people think of Shevat, they think of Tu b’Shevat, the “new year” of the trees. Tu b’Shevat is one of the four new years in the Jewish religion. What began thousands of years ago as a tax day on fruit trees, has grown into the Jewish arbor day and/or a spiritual opportunity to explore new growth and our connection to the environment. Like so many of our holidays there are so many layers, so Tu b’Shevat can offer an amazing array of in-roads to exploring Jewish practice.

Tree Planting
It’s no wonder that Jews love Tu b’Shevat, after all we call the Torah the “tree of life.” In ancient Israel we even planted trees when children were born to commemorate their birth and then these trees were used as the chuppah poles at their weddings. That’s just one of many amazing tree-based traditions in Judaism! If you want to plant a tree for Tu b’Shevat, there are lots of organizations that you can donate to that will help you with that, since it’s a lousy time of year to actually plant trees in most parts of the world. If this is what you are looking for, then check out Casey Trees and Jewish National Fund. I’m sure there are tons of other great organizations, and I hope you’ll share your favorite in the comments.

Seders
By now most people have heard of a Tu b’Shevat seder, even if they’ve never been to one. So where do you start? Thankfully, there are many free, and really good, Tu b’Shevat seders available online. Here are few of my favorites to explore:

If you are a more DIY kind of person, check out this Tu B’Shevat Seder Outline, from Kolel. It gives you a bit of a mix and match set up that allows you to easily create your own Tu B’Shevat seder.

Editors Note: we will also be having a Tu B’Shevat class on Monday, February 6th at 7PM EST at OneShul.org as well as an online Tu B’Shevat seder on Tuesday at 7PM EST.

Psalms
I learned about the tradition of reciting the fifteen “Psalms of Ascent” (120-134) during the first fifteen days of Shevat from my teacher, RK’Jill Hammer. She has taken this practice further by associating a specific type of tree with each psalm. Since the psalms have become a big part of my daily spiritual practices right now, I’m very excited to explore this concept this year.

You could even create prayer trees by writing or printing out pieces of the psalms of ascent and tying them to trees in your yard. Imagine if you write the psalms on pieces of ribbon or fabric, how pretty the tree would look! You could leave the fabric up just during Shevat, or if you use unbleached cotton or muslin, you could even just leave it to disintegrate naturally over time.

Final thought…

Whatever you do, take some time to appreciate Judaism’s long and complicated history with trees. You might even want to take time to reflect on your own relationship with trees and nature. No matter where you live, take some time to appreciate these amazing partners in life. Without trees, we couldn’t breath, have paper, firewood, and a million other things!

———–

Ketzirah is a Kohenet, Celebrant, and Artist. She works with individuals and groups to explore, discover, and create meaningful rituals and ritual artwork to mark moments in life.

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Filed Under: Featured, Holidays, Jewish Practice, Ketzirah, Tu B'Shevat Tagged With: calendar, family, haggadah, jewish practice, nature, prayer, psalms, rosh chodesh, seasons, Seder, shevat, trees, tu b'shevat, winter

Tweeting the Code of Jewish Law: Shulchan Aruch In 140 Characters

‍‍23 Teves 5772 - January 18, 2012 By punktorah Leave a Comment

We’ve started a fun, new Twitter account @JewishLaw. Every day (hopefully!) we will post a line of text or an insights from the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, an abbreviated compilation by Rabbi Solomon Ganzfried (translated by Hyman Goldin). Please follow us and get involved in the dialogue about Jewish law, spirituality and text!

Do you want to support @JewishLaw? Please give a donation of $5.99 to support one month of our tweeting!

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Filed Under: Featured, Tech & Web, Torah Tagged With: #jewishfutures, code of jewish law, jewish futures, jewish technologists, jewish twitterers, kitzur shulchan aruch, punktorah, shulchan aruch

Parsha Va‘eira: Career Suicidal Gestures (Exodus 6:2 – 9:35)

‍‍23 Teves 5772 - January 18, 2012 By Jeremiah Leave a Comment

And I appeared or by its proper Hebrew name Va-eira is probably best known to everyone as the Torah portion where Pharaoh’s heart softens and then hardens while Hashem afflicts the Egyptian populace with plague after plague after plague. Moses and Aaron continue their presence in Pharaoh’s court demanding the end of slavery for the Hebrews, and Hashem in a very indirect way appears and then disappears with the hardening and softening of Pharaoh’s heart. Makes for a great moral lesson tackling ones intent and the motivation for actions emanating from the heart, but Pharaoh is not the only example for this so is Moses.

Va’eira begins with Moses doubting his ability and really not wanting a leadership position, and from what the Torah tells us the Hebrews agreed with Moses. This personality trait of Moses I can relate to in a complete and whole way, because like Moses I have made the same suicidal gestures with my career. On multiple occasions and to different levels of leadership I have made it clear that taking the step into management is not my goal and in so many words something I never plan on pursuing. This is not career suicide but it can be read as a suicidal gesture, in reality the incredibly small increase in pay is just not worth the stress of having to be available around the clock while “parenting” grown adults most of whom are many years older than me, and worse of all terminating the income of someone with children. I like to think this is Moses’s outlook as well besides it is not like there are no other candidates for the position, there is Aaron who becomes the head of the Hebrews 40 years after liberation and we learn later on of other Hebrews who really want the job as well.

Moses is smart enough, educated enough, and a believer enough to know the Hebrews will be set free. . . eventually. He knows it will be a long hard road to lead, move, and settle a new land with a people who have a collective body disfigured with deep scars from generations of slavery. Moses’s life is different than those he is charged to lead he understands more and leads for the greater good not the lesser few. Growing up in the west in a pursuit of wealth driven society it is nice to see that Moses’s lesson on humbleness over power is what makes him the most influential leader to Jews and one of the most influential leaders to all other people.

What does Moses’s reluctance say about Jews today? Are we as human beings scattered across a globe living comfortably under different types of government at odds with the type of character and leadership Hashem would like? Or are we so far removed from the Exodus that model is no longer relevant? Comment below or send me a message jeremiah@punktorah.org Twitter: circlepitbimah

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Filed Under: D'var Torah, Featured, Featured Blogs, Jeremiah Satterfield Tagged With: Aaron, Circle Pit The Bimah, exodus, jeremiah satterfield, Moses, Parsha Va'eira

Parsha Terumah: Just Another Parsha? (Ex. 25:1 – 27:14)

Adar: Enter the Purim Shpiel

Parsha Mishpatim: Occupying My Tea Pot (Ex. 21:1 – 24:18)

Virtual Yarhzeit At OneShul

Parsha Yitro: G-dfree Youth: The Time I Broke Up With Hashem (Ex. 18:1 – 20:23)

Parsha Beshalach: Following the Hardcore Punk Handbook’s rule that at least one song have an unnecessarily long title and last for only 30 seconds. (Ex. 13:17 – 17:16)

Parsha Bo: This is the Meaning of Life (Ex. 10:1 – 13:16)

Planting, Seders and Psalms: Practices for Shevat

Tweeting the Code of Jewish Law: Shulchan Aruch In 140 Characters

Parsha Va‘eira: Career Suicidal Gestures (Exodus 6:2 – 9:35)

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