Last Friday evening, I went to the shabbat service at Temple Beth Or here in Raleigh. It has been a very long time since I was in a Jewish house of worship. I went for emotional release. I wanted to
express physically in person my love of the Jews I have known, living and dead, and my love for Judaism itself. I participated as best I could and spoke to a few people along those lines, without I hope making a great show of it.
The unanticipated singing and dancing at the close was just the release I needed to send me back out into the night.
Anyway, following, this past Monday night I went to celebrate the end of a feminist Jungian book club (me and four ladies!) at the home of the organizer, who cooked for us. She is Iranian. I spoke briefly and with feeling about the shabbat service. We ate. The following poem urged itself on me the next morning:
In the Tanakh we read many times that God chastened the people of Israel by sending evil upon them.
Why should not this process be continued? We read in the book of Job that if God allows Satan room to act, then the evil comes from the Devil yet God could have prevented it but did not.
I think we are in agreement. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Why would people think otherwise? I think the impulse to cleanse ourselves of guilt by blaming others is a common behavior for both individuals, and even more so for groups. It's much easier to call your enemy evil and be done with it. The only sin for such a person is not being harsher on the enemy.
To examine oneself and one's 'in-group' for short comings is rare, and to be heard is even rarer.
Bless your work, Rebbe.
Last Friday evening, I went to the shabbat service at Temple Beth Or here in Raleigh. It has been a very long time since I was in a Jewish house of worship. I went for emotional release. I wanted to
express physically in person my love of the Jews I have known, living and dead, and my love for Judaism itself. I participated as best I could and spoke to a few people along those lines, without I hope making a great show of it.
The unanticipated singing and dancing at the close was just the release I needed to send me back out into the night.
Anyway, following, this past Monday night I went to celebrate the end of a feminist Jungian book club (me and four ladies!) at the home of the organizer, who cooked for us. She is Iranian. I spoke briefly and with feeling about the shabbat service. We ate. The following poem urged itself on me the next morning:
[For Maryam Mohaghegh]
In this meantime
Of horror
Red rage grey grief bottomless blue
We are gathered for a meal of aash
By the hands of Maryam
Tehran aash
Here in North Carolina
Where she can be Tehranian
Beans lentils spinach spices
Only Maryam and God know what else
Chopped boiled drained stirred
Offered by the hands of Maryam
We taste the green
Eyes roll up
Fingers point up of their own accord
Earth touches heaven
Foundation exalted without words
By the magic of the aash
No words
In this meantime
Of laughter and great joy
What can we do but
Love one another?
beautiful
In the Tanakh we read many times that God chastened the people of Israel by sending evil upon them.
Why should not this process be continued? We read in the book of Job that if God allows Satan room to act, then the evil comes from the Devil yet God could have prevented it but did not.
I think we are in agreement. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Why would people think otherwise? I think the impulse to cleanse ourselves of guilt by blaming others is a common behavior for both individuals, and even more so for groups. It's much easier to call your enemy evil and be done with it. The only sin for such a person is not being harsher on the enemy.
To examine oneself and one's 'in-group' for short comings is rare, and to be heard is even rarer.