Hey all --
Some of you may remember a little something I posted for Easter back in 2008 on MySpace. I decided to recycle it (with some edits), so here it is!
HOLY WEEK
Christianity celebrates its holiest period of time this week. It commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus. Many questions have been raised about these events in the past few years, especially in a movie directed by Mel Gibson and a book written by Dan Brown. But rather than discuss them, we only need remember this -- for every loss we suffer and every hit we take, there is always the seed for a new life, a new fortune, and a new beginning.
For example, my father once commented that there should always be a baby at every funeral. I still remember that at every funeral we attended as a family, there would always be a grieving widow or great-aunt, and my father would always come over to that mourner and point her in the direction of the newborn baby someone else would always be holding. That way, he would comfort the grief-stricken by reminding them that even though one life ends, there is always a new one beginning.
I am not in a position to provide a lot of knowledge or insight into the specific events upon which Good Friday and Easter Sunday are based. I can, however, note that even the most tragic and heart-wrenching events of human existence usually signalled the beginning of some of the most joyful and beautiful events to follow.
After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Americans reached out to each other with nothing less than love and compassion, and our respect and compassion for one another reached new heights. After the Holocaust, the State of Israel was established. And after the MLB players’ strike of 1994 threated to destroy the sport of baseball, the New York Yankees built a dynasty that would dominate the Major Leagues for the next several years!
So it continues -- for every hurt, there is comfort; for every loss, there is gain; and for every death, there is new life again.
Once again, Happy Easter everyone -- by now many of you have finished church and are on your way to a feast of some sort -- enjoy!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
The Feast of the Passover!
Hey all --
I already posted a few things last week about Passover. Now that it'll be upon us tomorrow, I couldn't resist a schmear more!
As I noted in last week's posting, those who observe Passover are treated to two extremes. The first extreme is two back-to-back Seders, or family-style dinners with an ancient festival ritual recited at the table. Not only do we get extreme tradition, we get extreme amounts of food! Matzah-ball soup, kreplach, turkey brisket, matzah stuffing (there is a way to make this, but I'm no Guy Fieri, so I'm not looking to check the ingredients), chocolate macaroons, etc. and so forth!
The other extreme is the rest of the week. Those who observe Passover take it upon themselves to abstain from eating bread, pasta, and numerous other items that are considered "chametz," or leaven (pronounced "choomitz" for the Yiddish-inclined amount us, and "chah-maytz" for the Hebrew afficionados -- there is a difference!) For many of us, our breakfast will consist of matza with a schmear of Temp Tee. Our lunches from the deli will be salads or grilled vegetables. And our dinners will be, you guessed it, leftovers (this is, of course, similar to a double Thanksgiving, so it does happen).
As I said before, this is something that people either do willingly, avoid willingly, or do begrudgingly with a furrowed brow and complaining heart. Not to toot my own horn, but I pride myself in being in "Group A." The positive effects of this custom include weight loss through a somewhat scaled-down diet. Of course, people who know me personally and comment on how I'm "so daaaamn skinny" will tell me that I have no need for such things, since I happen to also be an long-distance runner. Thanks for the compliment, but if I took that advice seriously, I'd be entered in the "Clydesdale" division of every race I ran! :)
I actually do it for a more important reason -- plain old discipline. When we are faced with challenges, which may include uncomfortable or unpleasant situations, we have the choice to say no. But we also have the choice to face it head on, and weather whatever price must be paid, even if it doesn't always feel, or taste, good. After the Jews were freed from slavery in Egypt, they wandered through the desert searching for a home, with not much to sustain them. They complained that they were running out of food to eat, they wailed that their lives were somehow better when they were slaves, and they pointed several thousand fingers at Moses for daring to ensnare them in this trap. Apparently, Moses and/or Aaron did not make it clear to the ex-slaves, or more likely they just didn't listen and think it over, that freedom didn't come for free.
They remembered how the Egyptian taskmasters fed them, while they had barely any food in the desert. No kidding, smart guy, that's because starving slaves weren't able to build pyramids! They fed the slaves for their empire's purposes, not for altruistic or compassionate reasons!
But once the Jews had left Egypt, it was up to them to feed themselves. Their freedom could not be handed to them, it was something that they had to earn, and in the earning, they'd simply have to struggle for some time. And if that meant munching on a half-baked piece of flour and water because they didn't have all night to slooooowly bake it over a fire, then they needed to chow down! And if that meant rationing their provisions until there was a better source of food and water to be found, then they needed to stay hungry and keep looking! And if that meant holding their tongues and not whining about how uncomfortable things got, as some of them would eventually find out to their dismay, some things are better left unsaid!
This is my way of reminding myself of those values -- since freedom isn't free, sacrifices sometimes have to be made. And going without my usual Mongolian grill buffet or Subway sandwich for a week and a day is precious little as sacrifices go. That being said, it's my choice to do it this way -- nobody's forced it on me or enslaved me into doing it -- I've elected to do it for my own reasons!
That being said, the later chapters of Exodus remind us of the Jews' rewards once the built the Tabernacle and found somewhere to dwell -- manna from Heaven! As G-D's reward to the Chosen People once they got their heads on straight and started building a new nation, he gave them free food! And to make sure they'd get the hang of this Sabbath day thing, they got a double portion every Friday so they wouldn't have to collect it on Saturday! And this was goooood stuff too, supposedly it tasted like a pita dipped in honey -- now that's the real deal!
What does this extra message mean? Sacrifice and discipline are rewarded. It might not be the reward you're expecting, but when you stay disciplined, you have a far better chance of reaching your goals, in one way or another. And when I'm able to keep this custom for the full 8 days, I try to reward myself with two (or three) slices of pizza!
But I'll table that thought for later, as the discipline comes before the reward.
"All Who Are Hungry, Let Them Come And Eat." Happy Passover!
DISCLAIMER: The above posting was not written or intended to insult, berate, besmirch, trivialize or belittle the religious practices, or the abstention from same, of any individual, group, association, faith, community, creed, or stripe. Any perceived offense is entirely the perception and the responsibility of the reader of this entry.
I already posted a few things last week about Passover. Now that it'll be upon us tomorrow, I couldn't resist a schmear more!
As I noted in last week's posting, those who observe Passover are treated to two extremes. The first extreme is two back-to-back Seders, or family-style dinners with an ancient festival ritual recited at the table. Not only do we get extreme tradition, we get extreme amounts of food! Matzah-ball soup, kreplach, turkey brisket, matzah stuffing (there is a way to make this, but I'm no Guy Fieri, so I'm not looking to check the ingredients), chocolate macaroons, etc. and so forth!
The other extreme is the rest of the week. Those who observe Passover take it upon themselves to abstain from eating bread, pasta, and numerous other items that are considered "chametz," or leaven (pronounced "choomitz" for the Yiddish-inclined amount us, and "chah-maytz" for the Hebrew afficionados -- there is a difference!) For many of us, our breakfast will consist of matza with a schmear of Temp Tee. Our lunches from the deli will be salads or grilled vegetables. And our dinners will be, you guessed it, leftovers (this is, of course, similar to a double Thanksgiving, so it does happen).
As I said before, this is something that people either do willingly, avoid willingly, or do begrudgingly with a furrowed brow and complaining heart. Not to toot my own horn, but I pride myself in being in "Group A." The positive effects of this custom include weight loss through a somewhat scaled-down diet. Of course, people who know me personally and comment on how I'm "so daaaamn skinny" will tell me that I have no need for such things, since I happen to also be an long-distance runner. Thanks for the compliment, but if I took that advice seriously, I'd be entered in the "Clydesdale" division of every race I ran! :)
I actually do it for a more important reason -- plain old discipline. When we are faced with challenges, which may include uncomfortable or unpleasant situations, we have the choice to say no. But we also have the choice to face it head on, and weather whatever price must be paid, even if it doesn't always feel, or taste, good. After the Jews were freed from slavery in Egypt, they wandered through the desert searching for a home, with not much to sustain them. They complained that they were running out of food to eat, they wailed that their lives were somehow better when they were slaves, and they pointed several thousand fingers at Moses for daring to ensnare them in this trap. Apparently, Moses and/or Aaron did not make it clear to the ex-slaves, or more likely they just didn't listen and think it over, that freedom didn't come for free.
They remembered how the Egyptian taskmasters fed them, while they had barely any food in the desert. No kidding, smart guy, that's because starving slaves weren't able to build pyramids! They fed the slaves for their empire's purposes, not for altruistic or compassionate reasons!
But once the Jews had left Egypt, it was up to them to feed themselves. Their freedom could not be handed to them, it was something that they had to earn, and in the earning, they'd simply have to struggle for some time. And if that meant munching on a half-baked piece of flour and water because they didn't have all night to slooooowly bake it over a fire, then they needed to chow down! And if that meant rationing their provisions until there was a better source of food and water to be found, then they needed to stay hungry and keep looking! And if that meant holding their tongues and not whining about how uncomfortable things got, as some of them would eventually find out to their dismay, some things are better left unsaid!
This is my way of reminding myself of those values -- since freedom isn't free, sacrifices sometimes have to be made. And going without my usual Mongolian grill buffet or Subway sandwich for a week and a day is precious little as sacrifices go. That being said, it's my choice to do it this way -- nobody's forced it on me or enslaved me into doing it -- I've elected to do it for my own reasons!
That being said, the later chapters of Exodus remind us of the Jews' rewards once the built the Tabernacle and found somewhere to dwell -- manna from Heaven! As G-D's reward to the Chosen People once they got their heads on straight and started building a new nation, he gave them free food! And to make sure they'd get the hang of this Sabbath day thing, they got a double portion every Friday so they wouldn't have to collect it on Saturday! And this was goooood stuff too, supposedly it tasted like a pita dipped in honey -- now that's the real deal!
What does this extra message mean? Sacrifice and discipline are rewarded. It might not be the reward you're expecting, but when you stay disciplined, you have a far better chance of reaching your goals, in one way or another. And when I'm able to keep this custom for the full 8 days, I try to reward myself with two (or three) slices of pizza!
But I'll table that thought for later, as the discipline comes before the reward.
"All Who Are Hungry, Let Them Come And Eat." Happy Passover!
DISCLAIMER: The above posting was not written or intended to insult, berate, besmirch, trivialize or belittle the religious practices, or the abstention from same, of any individual, group, association, faith, community, creed, or stripe. Any perceived offense is entirely the perception and the responsibility of the reader of this entry.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
All In The Family . . . .
Next week is a special time for the family, Passover. I'll be spending it with my family both Seder nights (with the aid of some interesting travel plans), and it'll bring back a few memories.
When I was a kid, my Mom was the Hostess With the Mostest! Or as my sister would sometimes call her, the Mitzvah Mommy! I can still remember the smell of her Matzah Ball Soup, her chicken, her brisket, her special matzah stuffing (there's a way this can be done without bread, though I hesitate to ask), and "all the trimminings." I also had a wise old grandfather from the old country (every family should still have at least one of these) who lent some old-school authenticity to the proceedings.
Not everyone in the Tribe is always so enthusiastic about Passover. Traditionally, there are many dietary laws that Jews have kept since the Exodus itself. For example, no bread, because Moses and the Israelites didn't have time to let the bread bake (meaning, slowly baking on a fire overnight so it would rise), so they took "unleavened bread" to eat on the way out of Egypt. So instead, we eat matzah -- those of us in the know realize that it's not supposed to taste amazingly good, but so many people who aren't Jewish always ask for a taste, since they may think of it as exotic cuisine! Also, no pasta, and depending on where in Europe ones' ancestors came from, no beans or rice either.
Also, the Seder I speak about means that the dinner for Passover is given in the form of a ritual. Blessings to say over parts of the meal, old-time Hebrew songs to sing, and everyone gets to read a page going around the table. Much to my grandmother's chagrin, she always got stuck reading a page containing the ancient passage, "I Once Was Young, Now I Am Old!"
Some of my Brethren completely reject these old-school ways, while some of them keep them. And then some keep them and complain, murmur, and whine about how much they don't like it.
To those of the third category, I say this: If doing without elements of your diet for one week, and reading from an old religious text at your dinner table is that much of a hardship for you, do yourself, and everyone else a favor, and stop doing it. Really, please! People already know that keeping non-mainstream religious practices are uncomfortable and sometimes unpleasant. People also already know that they don't always fit with regular mainstream activities. But when people hear anybody of any particular faith or stripe making a half-hearted attempt to keep a tradition while simultaneously rejecting it, they lose respect for it and you. They'll think you're not genuine, and that you're not credible. And that's a lot harder to stomach than the Missing Afikoman!
So for those of you spending Passover with pizza and beer, don't let me stop you. I'm no Talmudic scholar, I have no right to judge your beliefs or your practices, and I won't.
For those of you keeping Passover, I tip my hat to you, and respect that you honor tradition.
But for those of you complaining about keeping it, you're doing yourselves a disservice. Nobody's forcing you to do it if you hate it so much, so stop. If G-D has a problem with it, He will tell you, and nobody else will.
Maybe you're an intellectual who can prove for all of us clueless religious types that G-D doesn't exist, and you feel the need to flaunt it in the faces of family members who think differently. Maybe you have bad memories of Seders gone by, when you had to just sit still and listen to things that didn't appeal to you. Or maybe it just didn't fit with who you were and are. That's valid, except for the "flaunting in the face" part -- so why keep doing it if you don't like it?
A family guilt trip, maybe? A misguided notion that a half-hearted tradition is better than none at all? Or maybe because the majority of the household is "appeasing" a single member who wants these traditions when nobody else does? NOT valid reasons. Any scroll or text from any faith will tell you that inviting G-D into your house begrudgingly doesn't work. If you hate it, don't do it, case closed. You'll get tons more respect that way.
DISCLAIMER: The above post was not meant to cast aspersions or judgment on any individual person, known or unknown, living or dead. Any offense taken by the above post is purely the perception and the responsibility of the reader.
When I was a kid, my Mom was the Hostess With the Mostest! Or as my sister would sometimes call her, the Mitzvah Mommy! I can still remember the smell of her Matzah Ball Soup, her chicken, her brisket, her special matzah stuffing (there's a way this can be done without bread, though I hesitate to ask), and "all the trimminings." I also had a wise old grandfather from the old country (every family should still have at least one of these) who lent some old-school authenticity to the proceedings.
Not everyone in the Tribe is always so enthusiastic about Passover. Traditionally, there are many dietary laws that Jews have kept since the Exodus itself. For example, no bread, because Moses and the Israelites didn't have time to let the bread bake (meaning, slowly baking on a fire overnight so it would rise), so they took "unleavened bread" to eat on the way out of Egypt. So instead, we eat matzah -- those of us in the know realize that it's not supposed to taste amazingly good, but so many people who aren't Jewish always ask for a taste, since they may think of it as exotic cuisine! Also, no pasta, and depending on where in Europe ones' ancestors came from, no beans or rice either.
Also, the Seder I speak about means that the dinner for Passover is given in the form of a ritual. Blessings to say over parts of the meal, old-time Hebrew songs to sing, and everyone gets to read a page going around the table. Much to my grandmother's chagrin, she always got stuck reading a page containing the ancient passage, "I Once Was Young, Now I Am Old!"
Some of my Brethren completely reject these old-school ways, while some of them keep them. And then some keep them and complain, murmur, and whine about how much they don't like it.
To those of the third category, I say this: If doing without elements of your diet for one week, and reading from an old religious text at your dinner table is that much of a hardship for you, do yourself, and everyone else a favor, and stop doing it. Really, please! People already know that keeping non-mainstream religious practices are uncomfortable and sometimes unpleasant. People also already know that they don't always fit with regular mainstream activities. But when people hear anybody of any particular faith or stripe making a half-hearted attempt to keep a tradition while simultaneously rejecting it, they lose respect for it and you. They'll think you're not genuine, and that you're not credible. And that's a lot harder to stomach than the Missing Afikoman!
So for those of you spending Passover with pizza and beer, don't let me stop you. I'm no Talmudic scholar, I have no right to judge your beliefs or your practices, and I won't.
For those of you keeping Passover, I tip my hat to you, and respect that you honor tradition.
But for those of you complaining about keeping it, you're doing yourselves a disservice. Nobody's forcing you to do it if you hate it so much, so stop. If G-D has a problem with it, He will tell you, and nobody else will.
Maybe you're an intellectual who can prove for all of us clueless religious types that G-D doesn't exist, and you feel the need to flaunt it in the faces of family members who think differently. Maybe you have bad memories of Seders gone by, when you had to just sit still and listen to things that didn't appeal to you. Or maybe it just didn't fit with who you were and are. That's valid, except for the "flaunting in the face" part -- so why keep doing it if you don't like it?
A family guilt trip, maybe? A misguided notion that a half-hearted tradition is better than none at all? Or maybe because the majority of the household is "appeasing" a single member who wants these traditions when nobody else does? NOT valid reasons. Any scroll or text from any faith will tell you that inviting G-D into your house begrudgingly doesn't work. If you hate it, don't do it, case closed. You'll get tons more respect that way.
DISCLAIMER: The above post was not meant to cast aspersions or judgment on any individual person, known or unknown, living or dead. Any offense taken by the above post is purely the perception and the responsibility of the reader.
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