shema

Is Jewish Life Getting Better Or Worse? (Parshat Va’etchanan)

‍‍9 Av 5771 - August 9, 2011 By punktorah 1 Comment

A guy once told me that, at least in his opinion, Jewish life was getting worse from generation to generation. The farther away we moved from Sinai, he believed, the more we forgot about the mitzvot and thus were farther removed from God. He cited the Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist movements as proof of that.

That same week, an Orthodox rabbi told me that he thought things were getting better Jewishly! Chabad was getting bigger, more progressive Jews were going baal teshuva, and that Artscroll was the greatest thing ever for helping the Jewishly illiterate find the proper tools of study.

So what’s the answer? Are we better Jews or worse Jews than those scrappy ex-slaves at Mt. Sinai?

Moses, in this week’s Torah portion, seems to think that things will get worse: . Moses predicts the Hebrews will enter the promised land and turn their backs on everything holy, practicing idolatry and basically just being little bad asses (Deut. 4:23-30). It looks like the “it gets worse” philosophy wins.

Or does it?

Here’s the problem: in last week’s Torah portion, we learned that that previous generation of Hebrews (the ones who actually lived in Egypt) were so bad that God commanded that they not enter the promised land (Deut. 1:34)! If things get worse, and the first Hebrews were not good enough to enter the promised land, then what does that say about future generations?

Also, remember that the Book of Deuteronomy was a lost text. One would think that if the ancient Hebrews were so holy, they wouldn’t have lost one of the five books of Moses, the greatest prophet to ever live and liberator of thousands from slavery.

Maybe we’re bad, and will always be bad? Or maybe things are getting better, but the bar is set incredibly low?

I’m not sure. But either way, as this week’s portion reads, “shma, Yisroel, Adonai elohainu Adonai echad”. Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. This simple phrase takes my breath away. All of a sudden, I don’t care if we’re better or worse, or if things will get better. I just want to sit under HaShem’s sukkah of peace.

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Filed Under: D'var Torah, Featured Tagged With: devarim, judaism and psychology, lost bible, Parshat Va'etchanan, shema, shma

The Shema is the central prayer in Judaism

‍‍12 Adar I 5771 - February 16, 2011 By punktorah 5 Comments

The Shema is the central prayer in Judaism. Interesting, because it doesn’t really say much. While Christians (of certain stripes) have the ____ Creed, a point-by-point theological statement, us Jewish folks don’t seem to have as much to work with.

Or do we?

The Shema, I think, works on at least three different levels:

Non-Duality. I don’t need to quote massive amounts of text from Jay Michaelson’s recent book to explain this, so I’ll paraphrase: if the great, central teaching of Judaism is that there is one G-d (as opposed to a legion of demiurges), then the Shema should more appropriately read, “Listen Israel, there is one G-d” instead of “our G-d is one.” G-d, in this way, is Oneness. G-d is everything, and yet nothing.

The Politics of Monotheism. We can’t forget that the Torah came at a certain time and at a certain place. The Shemat, as read to Hebrew Canaanites every seven years, would have been a not-too-subtle reminder to smash those Molech idols that many families had in their homes. While some wish to believe that the ancient Israelites were better Jews than us, archeology has dug up (pun intended) plenty of settlements filled with clay idols. Adonai Echad, in this way, is like the guilt trip of times past.

G-d’s Greatness. Again, language is funny. “The Lord” is an obvious statement of power. And while “lord” is often used as a substitute for G-d in the vernacular, it need be said that if the Shema were simply an affirmation of monotheism, the Shema would be better to read, “Hear Israel, G-d is one”. It also speaks to G-d’s providence. Remember that “G-d” is not G-d’s name. G-d’s name is a riddle of “I am what I am”. G-d’s hugeness transcends even the ability to name G-d.

Anything else y’all can think of?

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Filed Under: Featured, Patrick Aleph, Prayer, Rants Tagged With: 3xdaily, prayer, punktorah, shema

To Shema or Not to Shema?

‍‍6 Elul 5770 - August 16, 2010 By punktorah 1 Comment

Originally published on 3xDaily

Are you there Hashem? It’s me, Gefiltepunker.

Recently I attended a film screening of USHPIZIN. It’s the story of a Hasidic ‘Baal Teshuva’ (returning to Judaism), couple who lives in the Breslov community in Jerusalem. They are questioning and exploring their faith in G-D as they deal with infertility, financial hardship and are tested and pushed to the limits by an unruly, ex- convict, pair of guests from the protagonist’s past, who show up for Sukkot. In the end, G-D has delivered, but prayer is what has inextricably carried them through to their happy ending.

And this is what got me thinking and questioning. How important is prayer in your life? For the couple in this movie prayer was essential in their daily routine, it was a very direct request, reaching out to G-D to explain and show mercy so that they could further their worship of G-D. How do you put your prayer into practice? What do you expect as a result of your prayers? Can we expect miracles/ G-D to always answer our prayers? Or do we pray for G-D just to guide us, but in a way for us to help ourselves?

How we do it, the frequency and effort that we put into it and what we expect in return will vary from Jew to Jew. My friend who attended the screening with me also raised the question, “What’s your daily prayer?” She herself was trying to find a prayer that spoke to her sensibilities, felt warm and inviting and to carry her through her own day. At which point I immediately suggested the Shema, which is my personal go-to prayer. I recalled always reciting the Shema carefully in Hebrew school. I often found myself speed reading through other morning prayers just to get through it and on to the next, but not with Shema. Even though I don’t remember all the words by heart, I think of it and I recite it to myself in my own personal times of need.

My friend had a very different reaction to the prayer. She found it cold, uninviting, just not as meaningful to her as I found it. We had very different pre-existing relationships and attitudes toward this prayer. Any suggestions out there from folks of how to find the prayer that’s right for you?

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Filed Under: Featured, Insights, Prayer, Rants Tagged With: Counterculture, holiday, Holidays, Jewish, Jews, Judaism, Punk, Religion, shema, Torah, ushpizin

Women Who Say Shema Should Put On Tallis and Tefillin

‍‍26 Tamuz 5770 - July 8, 2010 By punktorah 1 Comment

We know that there have been a lot of discussion about whether or not women should or can wear tallis and tefillin. Patrick and I wanted to point out this article on our friend Heshy Fried’s blog that debates the matter. Where do you come down on this issue? We’d love to know. Hit us back in the comments here!

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Filed Under: Ask the Indie Rabbis, Featured, Prayer, Reject Assimilation! Tagged With: feminism, Jewish, Jews, Judaism, mitzvah, mitzvot, orthodox, prayer, Religion, shema, shma, tallis, tallit, tefillin, Torah

Is Jewish Life Getting Better Or Worse? (Parshat Va’etchanan)

The Shema is the central prayer in Judaism

To Shema or Not to Shema?

Women Who Say Shema Should Put On Tallis and Tefillin

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