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Hanukkah: Festival of Lights

December 7, 2015 by Ketzirah

Ketzirah in the Fairy Lights (c 2000)
Ketzirah in the Fairy Lights (c 2000)

So I’m sitting here listening to Matisyahu rock it on the Miracle remix EP and thinking about Hanukkah.  I’ve been having this nearly heretical thought lately.  I know, not shocking for me — but go with it.

Hanukkah is the festival of lights – right?

The solstice aspect and the reviving of the light is even older than the Maccabee aspect, if you think about it.  There’s certainly ancient midrash about Adam at the solstice and such.  The central ritual activity is lighting the 9-branch menorah called a Hanukkiah. Just about everything else we added on over the centuries, which is just fine.

But let’s go back to that light thing again.  It’s the festival of lights….

Okay, so here’s what I’m thinking about.  All those super pretty lights, preferably the white ones – not the tacky color ones, that our Christian neighbors put up this time of year.  Yeah…we have the festival of lights, but they put up the lights? I know it could be seen as the height of assimilation, but what if we adopted white lights on our homes too.  It seems like the urge to put all those lights and candles up all springs from a deep mythic place where we are all afraid of the dark.  Where we’re all afraid that the sun really won’t come back and it will just keep getting darker and darker.

I know when I walk home during the winter I’m so grateful for all those lights.  They push back the darkness.  The remind me, even the tacky ones, that I have neighbors and I’m not alone in the world. Someone must be there to make those lights  happen right?

Trust me, I’m not for the Christmas-ization of Hanukkah.  I had a “Hanukkah Bush” when I was a kid.  It makes me a bit ill in retrospect. There’s just no way that tacky white plastic tree had anything to do with the Jewish wheel of the year. But lights I think we have a pretty valid claim on.  I know traditional Judaism likes to put as many walls between us and breaking mitzvot as they can, but would some pretty white lights be so wrong during these dark days?

——————————————–
Carly Lesser (a.k.a. Ketzirah – קצירה) is Kohenet, Celebrant and artist whose  passion is helping Jews who are  unaffiliated, earth-based or in interfaith / inter-denominational relationships connect more deeply with Judaism and make it relevant in their every day lives. She is an active blogger and prayer leader on OneShul.org andPeelaPom.com.

Filed Under: Chanukah, Community Member Blogs, Judaism & Belief, Random (Feelin' Lucky?), Shabbat & Holidays Tagged With: assimilation, chanukkah, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, hanukkah, Holidays, ketzirah, lights, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, traditions

Everything You Need For Hanukkah

December 6, 2015 by Patrick Beaulier

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It’s almost Hanukkah! Or is it Chanukkah? Anyway, it’s the Festival of Lights, and you’re rummaging all over the internet for cool Hanukkah crafts, Hanukkah recipes and of course the “how do I light a menorah” question.

Well, look no more, because it’s all here at PunkTorah.

JEWISH LEARNING: First, get in the spirit of Hanukkah by reflecting on our Hebrew month of Kislev. PeelAPom aka Ketzirah has two amazing article: one on Kislev and rededication, as well as the Hanukkiah.

#THROWBACK: Here’s a couple of cool blast-from-the-past media experiences you’ll love: the Chanukkah podcast, and Hanukkah is 62 seconds. It’s old school PunkTorah at our finest (and most bearded).

NOM NOM NOM: Of course, we know you’re here for Jewish recipes. Here’s Garlic Latkes with Fire Roasted Apple Chutney, and Rena’s homemade jelly doughnuts.

KIDS: Make a Hanukkah watercolor lantern to brighten up your home!

Filed Under: Chanukah Tagged With: chanukah, chanukkah, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, hanukah, hanukkah, hanukkah recipe, hanukkah recipes, jelly doughnut recipe, latke recipe, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier

Beaded Pipe-Cleaner Star of David Craft

November 29, 2012 by Patrick Beaulier

This easy Chanukah decoration is great for even the littlest children and can be made with very little help from grown-ups.

Beaded Pipecleaner Star of David Chanukah Decoration

You will need:

Pipecleaners
Beads
String

Start by threading beads onto a pipecleaner.

 

Fold your pipecleaner into thirds and twist the ends together to make a triangle shape.

Repeat these steps for a second pipecleaner and thread it through the first triangle before twisting the ends together.
This makes your Star of David shape.

Make lots of these stars.

When you are finished just attach them to colourful ribbon or string and use them to decorate for the holidays.
These are not just great for Chanukah but would also make a great decoration for your Sukkah.

 

Have fun!

Filed Under: Jewish Kids Tagged With: art projects, chanukah, chanukkah, CHanukkah crafts, darshan yeshiva, family activities, family crafts, family projects, handmade Jweish gifts, Hanukkah crafts, jewish family, jewish kids, judaica, kids' crafts, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier

Latkes With Purple Potatoes: An Essay

November 29, 2010 by Patrick Beaulier

Latkes With Purple Potatoes

by Michael Croland

I’ve been beyond fascinated with colorful vegetables this year. At the Union Square Greenmarket, I’ve purchased purple potatoes, stringbeans, artichokes, bell peppers, okra, asparagus, and cauliflower—in addition to orange and green cauliflower. This obsession extends past the enthusiasm I had as a child for three- or four-color pasta. There is actually a nutritional basis for it, and as Chanukah drew nearer, I was eager to “apply” it to that quintessential potato dish: latkes.

The core principle is that vegetables with colorful flesh and skin tend to be healthier than those with white flesh and skin. In Food Rules: An Eater’s Manifesto, Michael Pollan explained, “The colors of many vegetables reflect the different antioxidant phytochemicals they contain—anthocyanins, polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids. Many of these chemicals help protect against chronic diseases, but each in a slightly different way, so the best protection comes from a diet containing as many different phytochemicals as possible.”

I first learned about purple- and blue-flesh potatoes when I attended a presentation by Dr. Michael Greger in 2008. Although the vegan nutritionist touted the antioxidants and other health benefits of colorful produce, in the realm of potatoes, he pushed for orange-flesh sweet potatoes as packing the best punch all-around for one’s health. I’ve never been a big yam fan, so I focused more on the purple and blue potatoes he mentioned in passing. They still seemed better than typical white-flesh potatoes.

While I do not challenge Dr. Greger’s point that yams are best, there have been numerous studies highlighting the health benefits of certain varieties of purple and blue potatoes. A Kansas State University researcher has been in the news of late after finding, “[O]range-fleshed sweet potatoes are high in carotenoids — vitamin A precursors. But the [particular variety of purple potatoes studied] have higher levels of anthocyanins, dietary fiber and vitamins.”

Truth be told, my latkes came out subpar. I do not blame the purple potatoes. With all the work I put into peeling and hand-grating the spuds, I should have looked harder for a vegan latke recipe with better binding qualities in the absence of eggs. But nobody can take away from the purple potatoes’ prettiness!

Then again, if you’re health-conscious, maybe frying potatoes in oil isn’t the best idea anyway.

Filed Under: Rants Tagged With: chanukkah, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, hanukkah, heebnvegan, michael croland, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, vegan hanukkah, vegan latkes

Tevet: The Lesson of Dan

November 21, 2010 by Patrick Beaulier

Tevet 5771 begins at sundown on December 7th, 2010 and ends at sundown on January 5th, 2011

(cross-posted on PeelAPom)

~This is an excerpt from the Tevet Wheel of the Year Guide for Rosh Chodesh.  
Subscribe for free to receive the entire guide
~

How do we know the difference between good and bad judgment?  How do we know the choices we make are the right ones?  What do we allow to influence us?  What we do allow to blur our vision?  What do we use to clear our eyes, our hearts, and our minds to turn back to the right path? Where do we cross the line between right and wrong, and do the ends justify the means?  These are the questions that the Tribe of Dan, the tribe associated with the month of Tevet (טֵבֵת), asks us.

Dan (דָּן) is the son of Jacob and Rachel, through her handmaiden Bilhah.  He is the full brother of Naphtali.  Some midrash say that Dan is the one who suggested dipping Joseph’s coat in the blood of a goat (the astrological symbol of Tevet – גדי) because he hated him for giving “evil” reports to Jacob about the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. (Jewish Encyclopedia) Dan is represented, historically, by  two different emblems.  He, and the tribe, are represented by scales because the name “dan” means judgement.  He, and the tribe, are also represented by a snake or serpent because of the blessing from Jacob in Genesis 49:17, which actually contains both the snake (49:17) and judgment (49:16) themes.

Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that biteth the horse’s heels, so that his rider falleth backward.

דָּן, יָדִין עַמּוֹ–כְּאַחַד, שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.יְהִי-דָן נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי-דֶרֶךְ, שְׁפִיפֹן עֲלֵי-אֹרַח–הַנֹּשֵׁךְ, עִקְּבֵי-סוּס, וַיִּפֹּל רֹכְבוֹ, אָחוֹר

When we explore the Tribe of Dan through history and legend we see a mixed story. We see Dan associated with the serpent. We see Oholiab, one of the two master craftsman of the wilderness tabernacle (Ex 31:6-11).  We see Huram-Abi, the master craftsman of Solomon’s Temple (2 Chron 2:12-13 & 4:11-22).  We see Sampson, who is a hugely flawed hero. We see the Northern Tribes that innovated, but then according to the prophets lapsed into idolatry.

But our challenge is to see with clear eyes (עֵינַיִם), not to be turned by the evil eye (עַיִן רָעָה) towards anger (זַעַף).  Is the snake (נָחָשׁ) evil and inherently bad?  Or is the snake set in our path to offer us information and see what choices we make with it?  Is the snake’s role to see what kind of judgement we exercise?  Yes, there was a snake in Eden, but Moses is also instructed by G!d(dess) to create a brass/bronze snake (נְחַשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת) to heal the people in the wilderness from the fiery serpent angels (הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים) set upon them by G!d(dess). (Numbers 21:6-9) Any Israelite who looked upon the brass serpent Moses created were healed.

“The month of Tevet, the month of the tribe of Dan, relates to the growing-up process, from a state of immaturity to a state of maturity. Immaturity is characterized by the “evil eye,” while maturity is characterized by the “good eye.” The tribe of Dan represents the initial state of immaturity in the soul that “grows-up” during the month of Tevet. Dan means “to judge.” Initially, he judges reality and others critically, with severe judgment (the “evil eye”). This is the nature of one who is spiritually immature. Dan is likened to a snake, who bites with the venom of anger. The “evil eye” is the eye of the snake. The rectification of Dan is his engaging in the battle of holy anger against evil anger. Our sages teach us that only one from the soul-root of Dan can spontaneously jump up and kill the evil snake–”one like him, killed him.” Nachash (“snake”) = 358 = Mashiach. The holy power of Dan reflects a spark of Mashiach. In the Zohar we are taught that the commander-in-chief of the army of Mashiach will come from the tribe of Dan. …  Positive anger expresses the deepest care and concern of the soul that reality become good.” (Inner.org)

Now the lesson of Dan begins to become clear.  Moses is instructed by G!d(dess) to create an idol, to make a graven image (פֶסֶל) that represents something of heaven or earth. He does it and is not punished.   On the other hand, King Jeroboam ignores the council of his people and of his own volition decides to create two golden calves for the people to worship, invents new holidays, and installs his own priests — and he is punished (1 Kings 12:1-33).

Oholiab and Huram-abi create ritual objects for religious service, some that seem to cross over into representations of things from heaven or earth – but they are given not just knowledge – but Binah – understanding.  They are blessed.

Understanding comes with maturity. Good judgment comes with maturity. The snake is not evil; its temptation. As children, like Adam and Chava were in Eden, it is easy to be tempted.  But consider this too.  Maybe Chava grew up. Maybe she made a considered decision that it was time to grow up.  Maybe Adam didn’t, “she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” (Gen 3:12) It is often said that girls mature more rapidly than boys, but even then they may be lacking the understanding (בִּינָה) of experience.  Maybe Chava was mature enough to make a decision for herself, but not mature enough to know that Adam would just eat or understand the implications her decision might have beyond herself.

In Tevet, Dan challenges us to look at the decisions we make for ourselves that impact only us and then the decisions we make that impact others.  Are we mature enough to know the difference?  Do we have just knowledge or do we have understanding?  Are our actions good ones?  If we are angry is it because we are immature and don’t really understand, or is it because we see clearly an injustice in the world that needs to be rectified? Use this month to explore the choices you make in your life.  Tevet and the tribe of Dan take us into the Winter Solstice ( Tefukat Tevet), the darkest of days — which this year will be darker than most because there is also a  total lunar eclipse.

Light born from darkness,
dawn born from night,
hope born from quiet
waiting for the light.

Spring born from winter,
spark struck from sun,
strength born from calling
for the spring to come.

Tonight the dark is waiting,
longing to be gone.
Tonight the earth is turning,
facing toward the dawn. (RK’Jill Hammer)

( Listen to a melody created for this chant by Ketizrah)

Will you find understanding in the darkness or will you find fear and anger?  May you find blessing, strength, wisdom and understanding in the darkening of the days and the knowledge that the light will return.

Want more insights into Tevet?

  • Tevet: Who Frees the Bound
  • Tevet: Seeking and Seeing
  • Hanukkah Seder: A Seder for the 8th Night or Winter Solstice

~This is an excerpt from the Tevet Wheel of the Year Guide for Rosh Chodesh.  
Subscribe for free to receive the entire guide
~

Filed Under: Community Member Blogs, Judaism & Belief, Random (Feelin' Lucky?) Tagged With: chanukkah, convert to judaism, Counterculture, darshan yeshiva, hanukkah, holiday, Jewish, Jews, Judaism, ketzirah, New month, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, rosh chodesh, tevet

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