I started writing this post on Tuesday. Really! However, time got away from me and I never got to finish writing my thoughts. I apologize. Here we go:
Tisha B'av, a Jewish holiday normally not so prominent in the states, was very pronounced in Jerusalem. I spent twenty-four hours fasting, studying, and praying. It was quite the experience. It began as Shabbat ended on Saturday night. Our Rabbinical interns led ma'ariv services and then led a creative reading of Eicha (The Book of Lamentations). There are five chapters in Eicha. The first chapter I participated in. I chanted the first two verses and then continued with a soft niggun. As I sang the niggun another Rabbinical student, Rachel, read a translation in English. I closed by singing the last two verses in Hebrew. It was a very cool affect. The second chapter was a text study, the third chapter was read by Rabbi Kelman, in place of the fourth chapter each of the interns gave their personal views about Tisha B'av, and the fifth chapter was time for personal reflection.
After the service ended I walked home and did a lot of reflecting. I have fasted in the past, but with more of a feeling of obligation than a specific reason. I realized that this bothered me. I personally needed a reason. One of the reasons given for the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD is because of sinat chinam (senseless hatred). This prompted me to think about hatred in our world and in my life. I feels rampant in the world and I can only hope that some of my work now and in the future will help to lessen it. It also made me think of gossip and the large amount of it that surrounds my life. I don't like that I gossip, but also find that there is a blurry line surrounding it. In the coming days I hope it's a line that I can begin to elucidate and then eliminate from my life.
The next day included a day of study and more reflection among my friends and future colleagues. It's so enjoyable having intelligent conversations with friends on topics that I have loved for years. I'm suddenly no longer the "only one" who wants to have conversations about our personal ideas of Judaism, kashrut, God, prayer, observance, Israel, etc. I love it.
The same thing happened a few nights later when I went out for a sushi dinner with Jillian. Our entire dinner conversation was about school and Judaism and life...it was fabulous conversation and I had a great time! Not to mention that it's always fun eating sushi. Yum!
Thursday we had a day called "Masoret Day" which involved a series of workshops on different traditional rituals. The workshops included learning how to lift the Torah for hagbah, learning how to properly call someone for an aliyah and also be called for an aliyah, the choreography of a service (ie. what's with all the swaying, bowing, standing, sitting, kissing, etc?), and learning to put on tefillin. It was an interesting day. Although much was a review, I learned the reasons for a lot of things which I always love. It's good to have the reason behind an action.
Now we're at Shabbat! Friday afternoon I cleaned (Amy and I have a deal. I clean the apartment, she goes grocery shopping. I love it!) and then went shopping with Rachel. I got two fantastic summer dresses. I feel one step closer to being Israeli now. It's great! I went to services at Kol Haneshama and then over to Nikki's apartment for Shabbat dinner with friends. I really enjoyed everyone company. The food was absolutely delicious as well. After dinner we sat talking for awhile and then pulled out the guitar and sang for at least an hour. My fingers ached so much afterwards and still do actually. It was lots of fun though. I love singing and playing guitar. We finally left around 1 am and then I crashed. This morning I went back to Kol Haneshama because Amy read Torah! She did great. Hearing my classmates slowly begin to lead services and participate more is so exciting! It's all slowly coming together. In that respect, it's going to be a great year!
And now, my favorite part of Shabbat....a nap!
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