Interdependence. My husband loves this word! You know how it goes, you hear something once and then you hear it everywhere. I was reading a book, Radical Homemakers, and it said if we lived in interdependent communities we could rely less on the gov't. Then, I went to shul yesterday and we had a guest speaker, Naomi Levy, who spoke of..............you guessed it, interdependence (among other things). Her talk wasn't on relying less on the gov't though, it was about finding our way through difficult times. She was really a good speaker and was very encouraging; she said it was the caring of other people that got her through the hard times in her life. It was the people around her that helped her.
What I love about Judaism is it is one big family. I can go to another town, state or country and when I find a Jewish community I am home. We are not meant to handle life alone. I read in The Committed Life, the reason we have poor and rich (not just speaking in terms of money) is so we can be interdependent (there's that word again) on each other, it causes us to work together. We learn so much from giving and receiving, we shouldn't be ashamed to be on either end. When we are hurting, we should not hurt alone, just as when we are happy we spread our joy to others. When we give a hug, a dollar, a meal, a kind word, a dvar Torah, a ride to the store, this is interdependence
G-d is always with us, loves us, and guides us. Praying to G-d helps us handle situations better; He is the great orchestrator and knows what it takes to make things turn out right; He will make sure we are in the right place at the right time, but then it is up to us to take the next step. We are the ones who need to actually do the doing. It all works together. If we connect to G-d through prayer we become more like Him. When we do a Torah study we can do it in the merit of someone or give tzedakah for a sick friend. These situations involve more than one person, we need each other. This is G-d's plan for us, to be interdependent.
Adventuresome Me
- Tamar Ruth
- Who I started out as is not who I have become! I grew up in a small town, very small...and all I wanted to do was move to the city. Now as an adult that small town has grown and is overcrowded. I want what I had as a kid...small town living. We don't appreciate what we have until it is gone. I water my plants with my rain barrel water,grow veggies in the front yard and want chickens and goats in the worst way. I married my high school sweetheart and after 18 years of marriage converted to Judaism. Did I mention I have 4 kids and I homeschool? My oldest son just graduated! The purpose of this blog is to share my experiences--homeschooling, being Jewish and loving it in a not so Jewish town, gardening, animals, and alternative medicines. So, if any of these things interest you---come along for the ride!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Shabbat Shabbaton
This week's Torah portion is Vayakhel (Exodus 35:1-38:20). I find it amazing how we can spend an hour on one word or verse from the Parsha and it can be very deep and meaningful.
This week we see the words Shabbat Shabbaton in verse 2 of chapter 35. In the English it is written "a complete rest", but in the Hebrew it is written as Shabbat Shabbaton. The question is why do we see Shabbat twice. If we see a word more than once then we can question as to the special meaning behind it, it is looking to grab our attention and tell us something.
We have work we must do during the week that is necessary and requires our hands. However, our head and our heart should not be immersed or drenched in our work.
During the week our head and our heart should be on Torah and G-d's commandments while our hands are used for our physical needs. At this point we may be saying I have to think about my job, I have to make it a priority. Yes, our job is a physical priority during the week and Hashem knows this, however, your job is not who you are.
Your job is not who you are it is what you do. This is the mindset that we miss quite often. We hear of people retiring or losing a job and they are lost because it is all they have known. People have even died after retiring because they felt their purpose was gone. Their whole life was their job.
Whether we like our job or we can't stand it, the way we view it and ourselves can help us during the week so we don't lose who we are. Work is only a vessel that G-d uses to give us benefit. The blessings we receive from this work is the main thing while the work itself is secondary.
What is the point? The point is our job is work, it is not pleasure-why else would we get vacation? Do we ever want vacation from pleasure? We can like our job, but it is not our ultimate satisfaction, it is not our main purpose in life, it is a tool to sustain us. If our pleasure is in godly things during the week, it is as though we have a piece of Shabbos all week long, then we get an extra measure on Shabbos, this is why Shabbos is mentioned twice.
Going back to verse 1 and 2 of chapter 35, it says "These are the things that Hashem commanded, to do them: on 6 days work may be done, but the 7th day shall be holy for you, a day of complete rest for Hashem..."
What are the things Hashem is commanding? To work for 6 days. However, what kind of work is he speaking of here? This is where the English misses the mark. I underlined the words may be done in the verse above. This phrase is said with one word in the Hebrew and has 2 different connotations: work that may be done (passive) and work that you shall do (work we are busy with, immersed in). It is all in the vowels as to which one is being spoken of here. In this case, it is work that may be done, it is passive, things that happen automatically.
The question is what work do we do automatically? Preparing for Shabbos. Hashem is commanding us to prepare for Shabbos during the week. Read the verse now with this perspective.
Shabbos is a rectification of the sin of the golden calf, a form of idolatry. If we are preparing for Shabbos during the week we can avoid the sin of the golden calf. What would our golden calf be today? Working so hard that we forget Hashem, that we forget He is our G-d, we are in His image, He gives us purpose, not our job. Our job is just a tool, like a surgeon uses a knife or a builder uses a hammer.
Perspective. This is what we need. Whether you like your job or it makes you miserable, it is not who you are, it is only a tool. Hashem is telling us in these 2 verses (by the way this parsha is happening the day after Yom Kippur), to work our job with our hands and give our heart to Him. We won't be disappointed!
Please share this with your kids! This is part of Shema in the home, to speak with our kids about Torah so they will have a foundation to work from, to help in decision making, to deepen their relationship with Hashem. In teaching them, we learn even more.
Shabbat Shalom!
This week we see the words Shabbat Shabbaton in verse 2 of chapter 35. In the English it is written "a complete rest", but in the Hebrew it is written as Shabbat Shabbaton. The question is why do we see Shabbat twice. If we see a word more than once then we can question as to the special meaning behind it, it is looking to grab our attention and tell us something.
We have work we must do during the week that is necessary and requires our hands. However, our head and our heart should not be immersed or drenched in our work.
During the week our head and our heart should be on Torah and G-d's commandments while our hands are used for our physical needs. At this point we may be saying I have to think about my job, I have to make it a priority. Yes, our job is a physical priority during the week and Hashem knows this, however, your job is not who you are.
Your job is not who you are it is what you do. This is the mindset that we miss quite often. We hear of people retiring or losing a job and they are lost because it is all they have known. People have even died after retiring because they felt their purpose was gone. Their whole life was their job.
Whether we like our job or we can't stand it, the way we view it and ourselves can help us during the week so we don't lose who we are. Work is only a vessel that G-d uses to give us benefit. The blessings we receive from this work is the main thing while the work itself is secondary.
What is the point? The point is our job is work, it is not pleasure-why else would we get vacation? Do we ever want vacation from pleasure? We can like our job, but it is not our ultimate satisfaction, it is not our main purpose in life, it is a tool to sustain us. If our pleasure is in godly things during the week, it is as though we have a piece of Shabbos all week long, then we get an extra measure on Shabbos, this is why Shabbos is mentioned twice.
Going back to verse 1 and 2 of chapter 35, it says "These are the things that Hashem commanded, to do them: on 6 days work may be done, but the 7th day shall be holy for you, a day of complete rest for Hashem..."
What are the things Hashem is commanding? To work for 6 days. However, what kind of work is he speaking of here? This is where the English misses the mark. I underlined the words may be done in the verse above. This phrase is said with one word in the Hebrew and has 2 different connotations: work that may be done (passive) and work that you shall do (work we are busy with, immersed in). It is all in the vowels as to which one is being spoken of here. In this case, it is work that may be done, it is passive, things that happen automatically.
The question is what work do we do automatically? Preparing for Shabbos. Hashem is commanding us to prepare for Shabbos during the week. Read the verse now with this perspective.
Shabbos is a rectification of the sin of the golden calf, a form of idolatry. If we are preparing for Shabbos during the week we can avoid the sin of the golden calf. What would our golden calf be today? Working so hard that we forget Hashem, that we forget He is our G-d, we are in His image, He gives us purpose, not our job. Our job is just a tool, like a surgeon uses a knife or a builder uses a hammer.
Perspective. This is what we need. Whether you like your job or it makes you miserable, it is not who you are, it is only a tool. Hashem is telling us in these 2 verses (by the way this parsha is happening the day after Yom Kippur), to work our job with our hands and give our heart to Him. We won't be disappointed!
Please share this with your kids! This is part of Shema in the home, to speak with our kids about Torah so they will have a foundation to work from, to help in decision making, to deepen their relationship with Hashem. In teaching them, we learn even more.
Shabbat Shalom!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Should We Worry?
I have a hard time understanding all of the upheaval that is going on around the world-who started what and why. What does this mean for the Jewish people? I have discovered one thing, typically when the world is concerned over something like this, we (Israel-we are Israel whether we live in Israel or not) do not have to share in the same concern.
It is said that the coming of Moschiac will occur when certain events happen. One such event is when there is turmoil in other countries. When leadership is challenged and people are outraged the world will be alarmed as to what the retribution will be. However, we do not need to be alarmed; instead we can prepare for the coming of Moschiac.
While the world worries, our job is to keep studying Torah, raising our children and having faith in Hashem. This sounds so much better than worrying over the troubles of the world. We are so much closer to Moshiac with each passing day. We want to be ready for the next step and nothing prepares us like Torah, it is so relevant for today and all times and brings peace and comfort. While we shouldn't look at the world through rose colored glasses, we should be able to look at it with proper perspective. This does not guarantee times will never be hard but, it does help us to handle those times with tranquility. My son's Hebrew teacher asked the class to pick one thing for Shabbos that would make it special for them. I thought this was a great idea, as they say today we need to own it. Teaching the next generation to own their heritage is very important to carry on our nation, our faith, our traditions. It will also help our kids deal with life better, make better decisions, as they become adults.
What if we are not terribly observant, what can we do? Realize Hashem loves us all no matter where we are coming from. If we genuinely reach out to Him, He will definitely show us the next step. Join a Torah class, study with a friend, or listen online. Hashem is not looking for scholars, he is looking for genuine, humble hearts.
Some suggestions of where to start:
Ladies, we can light shabbos candles, its lighting candles with a purpose, praying for our families and thanking Hashem for His provisions.
Husbands can bless you and the kids on Friday night.
Have children recite the shema before bed so G-d is one of the last things on their mind.
Put a mezzuzah on your doorpost so you can remember G-d's promises as we go out into the world.
These are our answers to worrying, one day at a time, getting closer to Hashem.
It is said that the coming of Moschiac will occur when certain events happen. One such event is when there is turmoil in other countries. When leadership is challenged and people are outraged the world will be alarmed as to what the retribution will be. However, we do not need to be alarmed; instead we can prepare for the coming of Moschiac.
While the world worries, our job is to keep studying Torah, raising our children and having faith in Hashem. This sounds so much better than worrying over the troubles of the world. We are so much closer to Moshiac with each passing day. We want to be ready for the next step and nothing prepares us like Torah, it is so relevant for today and all times and brings peace and comfort. While we shouldn't look at the world through rose colored glasses, we should be able to look at it with proper perspective. This does not guarantee times will never be hard but, it does help us to handle those times with tranquility. My son's Hebrew teacher asked the class to pick one thing for Shabbos that would make it special for them. I thought this was a great idea, as they say today we need to own it. Teaching the next generation to own their heritage is very important to carry on our nation, our faith, our traditions. It will also help our kids deal with life better, make better decisions, as they become adults.
What if we are not terribly observant, what can we do? Realize Hashem loves us all no matter where we are coming from. If we genuinely reach out to Him, He will definitely show us the next step. Join a Torah class, study with a friend, or listen online. Hashem is not looking for scholars, he is looking for genuine, humble hearts.
Some suggestions of where to start:
Ladies, we can light shabbos candles, its lighting candles with a purpose, praying for our families and thanking Hashem for His provisions.
Husbands can bless you and the kids on Friday night.
Have children recite the shema before bed so G-d is one of the last things on their mind.
Put a mezzuzah on your doorpost so you can remember G-d's promises as we go out into the world.
These are our answers to worrying, one day at a time, getting closer to Hashem.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Oh No, Not The "D" Word
We had a wonderful weekend. We celebrated Shabbat at home, relaxed with our family and then we had 2 more days off thanks to Presidents Day. We ventured into the land of touch screen mobile phones after hours of debate as to which plan was best and which phone was best. My phone rang last night and I didn't know how to answer it at first. The pic below is my new phone, it was free at Radio Shack. Of course my kids are texting and sending pics etc....from the moment it came into the house. I will not be defeated-I am learning.
We gave my 17 year old his own phone as well, this came with careful consideration. Up until now we shared a phone. We felt he should have some freedom and responsibility-you shouldn't have one without the other. Our kids can all recite the phrase "with greater privelege comes greater responsibility" in their sleep. We could of course put on internet and email for him but, we did not. I didn't put internet on my phone either, only my husband did since he is away from his computer all day long.
Its only $10 more a month so why not? Look at all of the access we would have and its not expensive? Ok, so here is the "D" word. Discipline. I believe discipline is a good thing, and instant access to everything takes boundaries and discipline away. I am speaking for myself as well as my kids. Just because I am an adult doesn't mean I don't need similar boundaries as my kids. Its like saying don't curse or watch certain moves as a kid but as an adult its fine. I don't think so.
Why do we have to have instant access? FB at the tips of our fingers? We are not given the opportunity to sit and think things over. Should I have sent that video, should I have said that, is what my friend doing in another town more important that the people in front of me at the moment? Is multitasking all its cracked up to be (talking to the people in front of me, looking at email and texting all at once)? We won't even go into texting/talking and driving.
As strange as it sounds we are so much happier when we have boundaries, when we are disciplined. We need to know what is expected of us to be happy. Our kids always provide the best example. Children who are left to run amuck are unruly, those who have some order in their lives are more well mannered. Do you like to know what is expected of you? Of course and so do kids. Without goals, boundaries and discipline kids will feel like they are not valued and they will act accordingly (think about the party house on your street with the drinking teens).
So, back to the phone. I spoke to customer service to verify some info on our plan and I asked about limitations. They actually have a service for $4.99/month called Smart Limits and you can have a phone turned off at a set time each day. The rep told me it is very popular.
Limits are set out of love!
We gave my 17 year old his own phone as well, this came with careful consideration. Up until now we shared a phone. We felt he should have some freedom and responsibility-you shouldn't have one without the other. Our kids can all recite the phrase "with greater privelege comes greater responsibility" in their sleep. We could of course put on internet and email for him but, we did not. I didn't put internet on my phone either, only my husband did since he is away from his computer all day long.
Its only $10 more a month so why not? Look at all of the access we would have and its not expensive? Ok, so here is the "D" word. Discipline. I believe discipline is a good thing, and instant access to everything takes boundaries and discipline away. I am speaking for myself as well as my kids. Just because I am an adult doesn't mean I don't need similar boundaries as my kids. Its like saying don't curse or watch certain moves as a kid but as an adult its fine. I don't think so.
Why do we have to have instant access? FB at the tips of our fingers? We are not given the opportunity to sit and think things over. Should I have sent that video, should I have said that, is what my friend doing in another town more important that the people in front of me at the moment? Is multitasking all its cracked up to be (talking to the people in front of me, looking at email and texting all at once)? We won't even go into texting/talking and driving.
As strange as it sounds we are so much happier when we have boundaries, when we are disciplined. We need to know what is expected of us to be happy. Our kids always provide the best example. Children who are left to run amuck are unruly, those who have some order in their lives are more well mannered. Do you like to know what is expected of you? Of course and so do kids. Without goals, boundaries and discipline kids will feel like they are not valued and they will act accordingly (think about the party house on your street with the drinking teens).
So, back to the phone. I spoke to customer service to verify some info on our plan and I asked about limitations. They actually have a service for $4.99/month called Smart Limits and you can have a phone turned off at a set time each day. The rep told me it is very popular.
Limits are set out of love!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Grow Your Own Food
The nutrition of our food in the stores is depleted (we could talk for hours about that), and prices are increasing every week. More and more people are growing their own food to cut costs and have food that is fresh and nutritious. The best salad I ever had was grown by my dad in our garden.
Yesterday we looked at the frost dates and a map of the country so the kids could see how the growing seasons are different everywhere, and how this affects when we start indoor seeds and when we plant outdoors. I would love to live where the frost season starts in December and ends in January!
Seed catalogs can be a wealth of information as they tell you when to plant and how to harvest. Yes, there are tons of web sites with this info but there is nothing like sitting down with catalogs spread out, pages earmarked with items circled. Catalogs offer seeds the stores do not, such as open pollinated seeds-marked with an OP next to them. I choose these instead of hybrid seeds because you can collect the seeds and save them for next year. Hybrid plants (usually marked F1) do not have seeds that can be saved. Why not save money and reuse our seeds each year? The seeds can be put into a zip lock bag, placed in a mason jar and stored in the refrigerator (no wonder stores don't sell them). There are also seed exchanges popping up all over so we can try new things at no added expense.
We plant things we know we will eat and some new things we can try or give away. Local food banks would be happy to get fresh grown veggies.
I have been gardening for about 5 years now. We don't have much space in our yard to have a huge garden but its not the space you have but how you use your space that counts. We use the square foot gardening method. There is less weeding and less watering and more food in a small space. I am asking the kids this year what they would like to plant and am giving them their own space. I highly recommend the book, Square Foot Gardening. The new edition is filled with color pictures and its really not hard. People who use this method have been known to put their gardens on you tube as well. You can find the book on my bookshelf here on the blog. I bought mine used from Amazon.
Here are some of our garden pics over the years:
this is an old picture but I love it! these are my 2 youngest with our homegrown watermelon!
Since its a little too early to start indoor seeds here (and I am anxious) we put together the Root Vue. This looks cool! You mix the soil pellets with some water and place it in the styrofoam container, put the seeds on top and a plexiglas window in front so when the seeds grow you can see the roots. It comes with carrots, onions and radishes. Its a great winter project and my kids really enjoyed doing this.
Gardening Catalogs I have gotten so far:
Gurney's. I am not overly impressed with this catalog since they offer mostly hybrid seeds but they offer $25 off of a $50 order (expires May 20) and they sell things other than seeds (composting equipment, grow lights, seed starter kits, even worms)
Johnny's Selected Seeds-they sell a mixture of open pollinated, hybrid, and organic. selection is decent. They have growing information on many different products like how to grow, pests, harvesting and storage. I've gotten 2 catalogs already in about a months time.
Territorial Seed Company-similar to Johnny's. This may be my favorite.
Seeds of Change-all certified organic but I don't see any open pollinated seeds.
I requested more than these but this is it so far.
Time For Lunch!
Yesterday we looked at the frost dates and a map of the country so the kids could see how the growing seasons are different everywhere, and how this affects when we start indoor seeds and when we plant outdoors. I would love to live where the frost season starts in December and ends in January!
Seed catalogs can be a wealth of information as they tell you when to plant and how to harvest. Yes, there are tons of web sites with this info but there is nothing like sitting down with catalogs spread out, pages earmarked with items circled. Catalogs offer seeds the stores do not, such as open pollinated seeds-marked with an OP next to them. I choose these instead of hybrid seeds because you can collect the seeds and save them for next year. Hybrid plants (usually marked F1) do not have seeds that can be saved. Why not save money and reuse our seeds each year? The seeds can be put into a zip lock bag, placed in a mason jar and stored in the refrigerator (no wonder stores don't sell them). There are also seed exchanges popping up all over so we can try new things at no added expense.
We plant things we know we will eat and some new things we can try or give away. Local food banks would be happy to get fresh grown veggies.
I have been gardening for about 5 years now. We don't have much space in our yard to have a huge garden but its not the space you have but how you use your space that counts. We use the square foot gardening method. There is less weeding and less watering and more food in a small space. I am asking the kids this year what they would like to plant and am giving them their own space. I highly recommend the book, Square Foot Gardening. The new edition is filled with color pictures and its really not hard. People who use this method have been known to put their gardens on you tube as well. You can find the book on my bookshelf here on the blog. I bought mine used from Amazon.
Here are some of our garden pics over the years:
this is an old picture but I love it! these are my 2 youngest with our homegrown watermelon!
bush bean
marigolds keep some pests away
ground cover
cherry tomatoes
Since its a little too early to start indoor seeds here (and I am anxious) we put together the Root Vue. This looks cool! You mix the soil pellets with some water and place it in the styrofoam container, put the seeds on top and a plexiglas window in front so when the seeds grow you can see the roots. It comes with carrots, onions and radishes. Its a great winter project and my kids really enjoyed doing this.
Gardening Catalogs I have gotten so far:
Gurney's. I am not overly impressed with this catalog since they offer mostly hybrid seeds but they offer $25 off of a $50 order (expires May 20) and they sell things other than seeds (composting equipment, grow lights, seed starter kits, even worms)
Johnny's Selected Seeds-they sell a mixture of open pollinated, hybrid, and organic. selection is decent. They have growing information on many different products like how to grow, pests, harvesting and storage. I've gotten 2 catalogs already in about a months time.
Territorial Seed Company-similar to Johnny's. This may be my favorite.
Seeds of Change-all certified organic but I don't see any open pollinated seeds.
I requested more than these but this is it so far.
Time For Lunch!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Anticipation
I went to a Bris Milah recently. This is when a baby boy is circumcised and his name is given, it happens on the 8th day of his life. We entered this nice hotel, there were breakfast foods and desserts on buffet tables, balloons and flowers everywhere and a nervous father (who was also the rabbi). After schmoozing and eating we were all called to stand by our seats as the the baby was brought in on a beautiful pillow, prayers were said, honors of distinction were given to grandparents and close friends, the procedure was done-and the name was announced-Nosson (or Nathaniel in English). It was so beautiful. We enjoyed the whole morning, and part of the enjoyment was the anticipation of what was to come. When the name was announced our joy was complete.
I used to think it crazy to wait so long to hear the name of a baby, but it was so awesome when I experienced it, to be a part of a celebration, to be among friends and family when the name is given is such a happy moment especially since we are sharing it face to face.
I just had an image of Mt. Sinai. We were all at Mt. Sinai together receiving the 10 commandments with anticipation-we were one. Imagine if we were to receive the 10 commandments today? Would it be in an email or on facebook? Which holds more anticiaption?
Another example~
My daughter got a letter in the mail yesterday (snail mail). It was from a friend she met last summer while we were visiting my dad. I held the letter in the air and yelled out to her that she got mail. She was skateboarding and was so excited the skateboard went flying as she ran in the house to open it. The smile on her face was huge. She wrote a letter back (great way to do penmanship and spelling) and mailed it. She is looking forward to her friend's response. She is full of joy from her letter and of anticipation knowing another one will be coming soon.
These situations started me thinking about our instant society. I am not a prude, I love my internet and I have a cell phone but, I think we are missing out on the joy anticipation brings. Instead of looking forward to the future with anticipation, we are full of anxiety because things are not done fast enough. Because everything is so instant we crave more, not being fully satisfied.
It seems we are in a crash and burn mode now, our society has lost a lot of its joy. I worry for kids today who feel the need to text, send pics and video instantly without thinking it through; who can't hold a conversation with the person they are with without texting someone else; who don't even want to sit and read a book. Is there a way to enjoy the moment we are in while waiting for the next?
How nice it would be to slow down and feel the joy of anticipation.
I used to think it crazy to wait so long to hear the name of a baby, but it was so awesome when I experienced it, to be a part of a celebration, to be among friends and family when the name is given is such a happy moment especially since we are sharing it face to face.
I just had an image of Mt. Sinai. We were all at Mt. Sinai together receiving the 10 commandments with anticipation-we were one. Imagine if we were to receive the 10 commandments today? Would it be in an email or on facebook? Which holds more anticiaption?
Another example~
My daughter got a letter in the mail yesterday (snail mail). It was from a friend she met last summer while we were visiting my dad. I held the letter in the air and yelled out to her that she got mail. She was skateboarding and was so excited the skateboard went flying as she ran in the house to open it. The smile on her face was huge. She wrote a letter back (great way to do penmanship and spelling) and mailed it. She is looking forward to her friend's response. She is full of joy from her letter and of anticipation knowing another one will be coming soon.
These situations started me thinking about our instant society. I am not a prude, I love my internet and I have a cell phone but, I think we are missing out on the joy anticipation brings. Instead of looking forward to the future with anticipation, we are full of anxiety because things are not done fast enough. Because everything is so instant we crave more, not being fully satisfied.
It seems we are in a crash and burn mode now, our society has lost a lot of its joy. I worry for kids today who feel the need to text, send pics and video instantly without thinking it through; who can't hold a conversation with the person they are with without texting someone else; who don't even want to sit and read a book. Is there a way to enjoy the moment we are in while waiting for the next?
How nice it would be to slow down and feel the joy of anticipation.
Monday, February 14, 2011
What Do We Tell Our Kids About G-d?
I am asking my kids this morning what they think about G-d. Is He just waiting to grant our wishes or is there more to it. Here are some responses:
17 year old-He is a guide for us and He doesn't always give us the answer we want because it doesn't fit into His plan.
13 year old-He is selective about what He allows us to have/how He answers us.
10 year old-I think He can grant every wish if He thinks its important. If He doesn't give us what we want it may be because G-d thinks we will spend to much time with it and forget about what's important.
8 year old-He gives us what we want. If He doesn't maybe He is upset with us.
They all say He is with us and hears us all the time.
I think its important that we tell our kids G-d is not a magician. Even though He is capable of it, His purpose is not to grant our every wish: If He is happy with us He will give us what we want, if He is mad at us we can forget it. Just like parents and children, He wants what is best for us but sometimes His kids can't see things the way He does. It may take a day or months or years to see how and why things unfold the way they do.
Praying to G-d is not like wishing upon a star. Yes, He can peform miracles, He can do anything but, this is not the point. The point of praying is to make a connection with G-d, to become more like Him, to take on some of His attributes. This way we can handle the situations in our life better, maybe feel calm in the middle of a storm or not be so upset when we don't get our way (maybe it wasn't so important after all).
I think our early perception of G-d is important, it helps us maintain our faith and not lose sight of what is important.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Can I Have a Personal Relationship with G-d?
This week's parsha is found in Exodus 27:20-30:10. Tetzaveh (and you shall command). This parsha actually shows how we have a personal relationship with G-d, that He not only cares for us as a nation but as individuals.
It has been an age old question as to why the golden altar is left for this parsha instead of being included last week with the rest of the mishkan (tabernacle). They say the best is saved for last.
Incense was brought to the altar by the priest, this was done in private-no spectators. Only the priest and G-d were there. When the incense went up, the Divine Presence was brought down. We do not have incense today, we have prayer. When we pray, our words go up and the Divine Presence is brought down.
Just like in the mishkan and later in the temple, there were public ceremonies and private ones; today we come together as a nation but, we also have private time alone with G-d. Even in our communal prayer we pause in the middle for the amidah, the shul gets very quiet as we have our personal time with the Creator.
Other religions try to copy the Torah and use incense in their worship today, the point is missed. There is no physical tabernacle, we are the tabernacle and our prayers are the incense.
So, the question is not can we have a personal relationship with G-d but, we need to. We have the example to follow from the kohen and the incense; it is up to us to bring the Divine Presence into the world. The best was saved for last-the golden altar, the kohen, the incense---our time with our G-d.
Shabbat Shalom!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Oh Yeah, I'm the Mom!
Did you ever forget that you are the parent?
My son had a project due for Hebrew School yesterday, he came home last week very excited about it, worked on it diligently and then stopped before he finished. For the next 3 days we had conversations like this:
Mom: How's your project?
Jonathan: Fine
Mom: Are you done?
Jonathan: Almost
Mom: Do you need help?
Jonathan: No.
Mom: You may want to work on it some more
Jonathan: I know
Mom: Are you finished?
Jonathan: almost
Mom: Are you done yet?
Jonathan: no
etc...etc....etc...
Wednesday comes and guess who doesn't want to go to Hebrew School? lol. I made him go. I am still in mom mode.
We get there and he is begging, almost in tears, to come food shopping with me at Costco.
For a split second I almost gave in. I realized I was going into buddy mode, the 'I will save the day and you will like me better' mode.
I snapped out of it and returned to my sometimes unpopular mommy role. I gave him my short (yes, short) speech and he went into his classroom.
What I want to share is the need to understand, especially as our kids get older, that we are their parent, not their friend. I love my kids, I like my kids, and this can distract from discipline sometimes. We can't be buddy, buddy. It would be a disservice to them if we dropped the ball and they lost a parent for the sake of gaining another friend. Our kids have many friends, but only one mom and dad. I watched a movie once where the little boy asked, "Whose gonna make sure I grow up right?" Even kids know that is our job! They really do.
The Torah does not say honor your friends, it says honor your father and mother. Why are they honoring us? Why are we honoring our parents? Because as parents, we play a very distinct role in our childrens' lives; we have so much to teach them and so little time to do it. My baby just turned 17, and even though we home school and he is with us often, I wonder where the time went.
I just want to remind us all who we are, and not to lose sight of this privilege.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
"Because I Said So"
How many times have we heard this from our parents growing up, and now we say it to our own kids? This concept actually comes from G-d.
Let's go back to the Garden of Eden. It is said that when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge it is because they wanted to please G-d. If they knew the difference between good and evil they could serve G-d better. This sounds logical! However, not everything logical is good and sometimes things that don't make sense are better than good.
A mitzvah is known as a commandment, not just a good deed. A good deed is something logical, something everyone does sometime because they see the good in it, it makes sense. How easy is it to do something we don't understand? Not too easy. When we do something G-d expects and we don't understand it, it creates a tighter bond between us and our Creator.
Are you not so sure of this? Think about the next time you tell your child to do something he doesn't understand and he actually does it (stop laughing, it can happen). Now think how wonderful that felt, that your child trusted you enough and loved you enough to do what you said. Now think of how G-d feels when we do that for Him!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Handwriting and Yiddish Proverbs
Handwriting is a lost art these days with everyone using computers.
Why do I feel so strongly about teaching my kids penmanship-printing and cursive? It seems in our fast growing world of texting, cutting and pasting, fb and youtube publishing we lose something. Don't get me wrong, these are great devices when used properly but, do we stop and think about content when we are now on the road emailing, or is it just a get it done attitude, we have something to say and we need to say it fast! We don't have time to think anymore, mulling something over until morning is almost a thing of the past.
My handwriting is neat when I take my time, my kids handwriting is neat when they take their time. Just as we should consider our oral words we should consider our written words as well. Home schoolers seem to instinctively know this.
I found a great website:
http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/
You can choose printing or cursive and you type on the page what you want your child to write and then hit the print button. You have a custom work sheet.
I had my kids practice their signature and now we are working on Yiddish proverbs-I figure if they are going to write something it should be something useful.
The proverb I picked for today is: Silence is also speech.
You can google Yiddish proverbs and come up with some great stuff:
Money buys everything but good sense; Make new friends but don't forget the old ones; Words should be weighed, not counted; Tomorrow your horse may be lame
Have a great home schooling day!
Why do I feel so strongly about teaching my kids penmanship-printing and cursive? It seems in our fast growing world of texting, cutting and pasting, fb and youtube publishing we lose something. Don't get me wrong, these are great devices when used properly but, do we stop and think about content when we are now on the road emailing, or is it just a get it done attitude, we have something to say and we need to say it fast! We don't have time to think anymore, mulling something over until morning is almost a thing of the past.
My handwriting is neat when I take my time, my kids handwriting is neat when they take their time. Just as we should consider our oral words we should consider our written words as well. Home schoolers seem to instinctively know this.
I found a great website:
http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/
You can choose printing or cursive and you type on the page what you want your child to write and then hit the print button. You have a custom work sheet.
I had my kids practice their signature and now we are working on Yiddish proverbs-I figure if they are going to write something it should be something useful.
The proverb I picked for today is: Silence is also speech.
You can google Yiddish proverbs and come up with some great stuff:
Money buys everything but good sense; Make new friends but don't forget the old ones; Words should be weighed, not counted; Tomorrow your horse may be lame
Have a great home schooling day!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Shema-Why is it ON our Hearts?
I am reading a book right now called Hope Will Find You, written by Naomi Levy. In it she mentions a Hasidic master named Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev. He once said, "Why are we commanded to put the words on our hearts? Shouldn't we put them in our hearts?" His reply is sometimes the heart is closed and it can't take the words in, our job is to put the words on our hearts so when the heart is ready the words will seep in.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Getting To Know Us
Today is a busy day as I just started attending a ladies Torah study on Thursdays. I used to think I didn't have time for things like this due to my busy schedule with my family (homeschooling, errands, chores) but, I realize I NEED this for me, which in turn is for them. We are members of a Conservative synagogue but also attend a Chabad House for different events and holidays. The two together have given us so much. My daughter does scrap booking at Chabad-they have done the 10 commandments, the aleph beit, and mitzvots. Its been a great hands on learning for her. Here is a sample - one page is of the months of the year and the other one is of the cycle of the moon:
My oldest son plays guitar with a Klezmer band at our synagogue and also plays folk/country/bluegrass on Saturday nights after Shabbat (as well as during the week when he is able to).
My 2nd oldest son is my miracle baby, he was just 2 lbs when he was born. The doctors were not hopeful in the begining but he proved everyone wrong. I tell him he is my hero! He is very creative and loves to draw and make movies. He just drew this on the marker board this morning.
My 3rd son is just a mensch (sweet heart)! He can play an instrument by ear but is not into it so much (yet) and is quite the dancer-lol. He loves video games which make me crazy....so we compromise on which ones and how often. Here he is at a shofar blowing contest.
A little of what we learned today during Torah Study:
The word T'rumah is mentioned 3 times in the first 3 verses of the portion (Exodus 25:1-3). The first time it is mentioned it is referring to the sockets, and only the sockets. Everyone is to give a 1/2 a coin for the sockets-no more and no less. The socket is what the pillars were put into, it is the foundation of the Tabernacle and represents humility. We all need a humble foundation in order to serve G-d; with humility our hearts are open to mitvot (good deeds) and Torah study.
Well, its time to make gefilte fish for tomorrow night!
Shabbat Shalom!
My oldest son plays guitar with a Klezmer band at our synagogue and also plays folk/country/bluegrass on Saturday nights after Shabbat (as well as during the week when he is able to).
My 2nd oldest son is my miracle baby, he was just 2 lbs when he was born. The doctors were not hopeful in the begining but he proved everyone wrong. I tell him he is my hero! He is very creative and loves to draw and make movies. He just drew this on the marker board this morning.
My 3rd son is just a mensch (sweet heart)! He can play an instrument by ear but is not into it so much (yet) and is quite the dancer-lol. He loves video games which make me crazy....so we compromise on which ones and how often. Here he is at a shofar blowing contest.
A little of what we learned today during Torah Study:
The word T'rumah is mentioned 3 times in the first 3 verses of the portion (Exodus 25:1-3). The first time it is mentioned it is referring to the sockets, and only the sockets. Everyone is to give a 1/2 a coin for the sockets-no more and no less. The socket is what the pillars were put into, it is the foundation of the Tabernacle and represents humility. We all need a humble foundation in order to serve G-d; with humility our hearts are open to mitvot (good deeds) and Torah study.
Well, its time to make gefilte fish for tomorrow night!
Shabbat Shalom!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
What Can a Tent in the Dessert Teach Me about My Relationships?
Today I watched www.g-dcast.com with my kids. They do a great job on the Torah portion, using animation along with a story teller. The cartoon lasts about 3 minutes or so and gets the point across. My kids always seem to remember something from each lesson. I admit I look forward to them as well.
When we finished watching this I asked them a couple of key questions and then we opened our Chumash (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). I had each child read a few sentences from this weeks portion (Exodus 25:1-27:19) and then had them tell me what they read.
Parsha T'rumah (parsha means portion) is about the mishkan. Points we focused on were:
-The mishkan is a portable tabernacle-you take it with you.
-The mishkan is made of many different materials from many different people.
-G-d made a request and let us decide how to answer.
The Parsha opens with G-d telling Moses to tell the Israelite People to bring Him gifts. "...you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him."
The mishkan contained the tablets and also the divine presence of G-d, by being portable He is telling us He will dwell with us where ever we are, and the commandments are ours no matter where we live.
The mishkan involved everyone, when everyone is part of a project they all feel connected. The gold was not more important than the goat hair or the oil. It was all necessary, as all people are necessary. What we own does not define us, it is how we take care of what we do have and if we can part with it when it becomes more necessary for someone else to have it.
G-d made a request of us, this is how the parsha opens, to give as we are moved to. This is tzedakah. Tzedakah is very important, as the term really means justice or to do what is right and just.
By being involved and giving as our heart moves us, we are given the opportunity to be part of the bigger picture, to have a deeper connection with G-d and each other.
Below is a picture of a tzedakah box I found in our dining room with the cute note attached. One of my sons placed it there hoping we'd help him out.
Below is a picture of a tzedakah box I found in our dining room with the cute note attached. One of my sons placed it there hoping we'd help him out.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Introduction-What is Shema in the Home?
Shalom! Welcome to Shema in the Home! If you are wondering if this is a blog for you, I will tell you briefly about what I am hoping to share here.
We all need inspiration. Whether you stay home or work outside the home, home school or have kids in public school, take care of an elderly parent or neighbor, or babysit,we all need a pick me up. Remember the Calgon commercial? I know for myself I tend to lose focus when I am stretched in so many different directions.
My husband and I became Torah observant after our kids were born, it has been such a blessing in our lives. I went through all of the stages-from christian to messianic to Torah observant Jew. My husband is a born Jew and I strongly suspect I have Jewish roots, but nonetheless-I converted one year ago today along with my kids. G-d really converted me before that but it became official a year ago.
The Torah in my life has given me direction I did not have before and I want to share it with you.
When thinking of a name for this blog I thought of shema because it is the teaching of our children that helps to teach us. My husband added "in the home" and the name was created!
So, I basically want to share the inspirations from the Torah portion that I share with my children each week, the physical activities we do and what we learn from them, the problems we encounter and how we handle them, and the goals we are trying to meet. It helps to know there are other families out there who are experiencing similar things, so I hope to be a source of courage and inspiration to you (and myself) as I share our world with you.
Deuteronomy 6 is known as the Shema. It is a Jewish prayer that is recited in the morning when one wakes up and also at bedtime. The full shema is made up of 3 paragraphs, but the first line is the most well known. Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One.
The rest of the prayer speaks of teaching our children. Teaching them what? The words that G-d has commanded (Torah). When do we teach them? In the house, on the street, lying down and rising up (basically any chance we get)!
Of course we could talk for hours on the shema but the point I want to make is the shema holds us together, as man to his Creator, as parents to children and us as a nation. No wonder it is the most well known of prayers!
The shema is not just studying, it is doing, it is creating an environment that invites Hashem in.
Whether we homeschool, have kids in public school or private school, or even if our kids are grown we can practice shema. It is said that even if we do not have children of our own, any child we teach is considered to be like a child of our own.
We can teach our kids because any interest we have can be related to Torah somehow-there is nothing new under the sun!
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