Friday 16 May 2014

Oy, Oy, pre-Shabbat cleaning Coffee break & prayer

"I ,to the Lord  will sing;
With song I will give praise 
to the Lord, the God of Israel"

Judges 5, 3

Tonight is going to be the start of the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat or Shabbos- Jewish days start & end sunset to sunset), so I've been buzzing around like a blue-arsed fly busily scooting around the house getting things clean & tidy, preparing the food for later on (it helps being self-employed sometimes, if not monetary wise!!).  Oy, I got slightly delayed with the usual knock at the door from the  Jehavoah's Witness's, who, by now, should surely realise that I'm not interested in their cause OR at least got the hint with my lovely mezuzah (?). The answer is, I think, that they like my selection of herbal tea and strong Turkish coffee, which they get for free after having doors slammed in their faces around the rest of the village. I'm too kind, especially as they like to entreat me to a dialogue about religion, although I think they realised I wouldn't have to get out of neutral to swot that one aside.

So now you are doubtless feeling sympathetic for me but, I have to say,  I'm looking forward to Shabbat  as always . Shabbat is an amazing gift that G-d gave us; divine legislation which tell us (rather than permits us) to rest &  be encouraged as well  as, among other things , to be with family, friends, share in meals, study & debate our faith,  worship, rest, sleep & have lots of sex with your better half .

The sun is up. I'm looking forward to Shabbat. I cannot solve all of the world's problems. But I am allowed to have a brief period of rest, before I try and tackle them. So next week, we are hoping to start our 'let's get biblical' series, which will be a frank (sometimes sweary & honest ) discussion on the weeks Torah study as well as the Torah portion for that week.  Moronic fundamentalist loons DO NOT own  holy writ & in our case the  Bible, but twist and distort it, whatever shit they come out with about being 'True Torah Jews', 'Bible believing Christians' or whatever other God bothering  hypocritical label they wish to give themselves . So we'll take it back.  But until then, we'll be thinking about Shabbos.

I'm going to  end with a prayer (or is it a faint hope/plea?), as it is the countdown to Shabbat and for a brief period a time to rest, relax and rejoice.

Sooooo-

May God protect those who are ill ,suffering, unsure, afraid today. May he bless those who are happy to bless others with that happiness. May we be more Shalom  in the name of  the God of peace,  show compassion in the name of the God of love and celebrate in the name of the God of life. May our actions & deeds be greater than our words, may we bring honour to faith and show by example the name of God. Ahmen (or Amen).

Shabbat Shalom to everyone who reads this blog, whoever & wherever you are.


34 comments:

  1. Esther,


    Great post. The prayer is particularly good. I can't believe that the JW's are still coming round. I agree,they only want your herbal tea & coffee.

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  2. Hi Esther,


    I do like your posts. They leap out as being 'you'! If you get that?


    Also honed in on the prayer, which not to a toadie was bloody good, so amen to the following-


    May God protect those who are ill ,suffering, unsure, afraid today. May he bless those who are happy to bless others with that happiness. May we be more Shalom in the name of the God of peace, show compassion in the name of the God of love and celebrate in the name of the God of life. May our actions & deeds be greater than our words, may we bring honour to faith and show by example the name of God. Ahmen (or Amen).



    PS- you could write a book of prayers. That'd be radical, but why not?

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  3. PS- Shabbat Shalom to you!! :)

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  4. Ludicrus Sextus16 May 2014 at 13:52

    "my lovely mezuzahs ", OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW I SAY!!

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  5. I could just see it now- a Jewess, a group of JW's, 2 kids under the age of 5, herbal tea & cake!Great prayer sis. Perhaps Hannah has a plan there?.


    Shabbat Shalom!

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  6. Wot everyone else has said!

    Yey! It is that Shabbos feeling!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVK-Nj2KKeY

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  7. Like the guy on the Sax!; he's well fit !

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  8. Bible and Truth16 May 2014 at 14:14

    Sorry, but the Bible isn't liberal....

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  9. Interesting article. And I do see that when we talk about various social issues.

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  10. This blog isn't Orthodox Jewish. It is Apiḳoresim!

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  11. Alternatively -


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR7q-qf3VSQ

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  12. The Bible isn't GOP owned either!

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  13. Esther
    I like your prayer as well, so perhaps you could write a book of prayers? Thank you for being inclusive in your prayers to include Jews and non Jews alike (:

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  14. Yeah dude,


    That this like the Kiddush wine!! Well if you don't drink Palwins ! Ho-ho-ho!

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  15. What is it then?

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  16. Who the fuck says that, at least give a name if you're going to write that kind of crap.

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  17. The 3 girls are hot as well! Who's the Hannah/Rachel look alike in pink shirt?

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  18. I doubt if my sis seems the Bible as 'liberal' either. But we'll see what she says.

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  19. LOL! Yeah, that's true. Except I'm an inch shorter, a bit more athletic, my hair is indeed curly, but jet black, my skin is more olive colour & I wear glasses. Other than that... I do like pink tops!

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  20. I do like this song! Very relaxing & fun at the same time. Which is what you'd expect combining Israeli musical talent with jazz...!

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  21. You should know better16 May 2014 at 23:31

    This is bullshit. A Torah believing Jew wouldn't be in favour of gay relationships!

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  22. Jews got rhythm!

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  23. I think the only difference is the height & glasses!

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  24. Sam,
    Never get how U can drink so much, but not seem to have ANY kind of hangover.... is it this because it is Kosher wine perhaps?

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  25. I beg to differ as to what a Torah believing Jew would be in favour of or not.

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  26. "It is Apiḳoresim!"



    If you dislike the editorial that much, then you could argue with it, rather than writing that, but as it is, why don't you stop bothering to posting here. Intelligent disagreeing is welcome. This trolling isn't .

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  27. Studying a religious text & coming to a conclusion on it does not make one easily fit into "left" or "right", which is the problem I think you are creating (for yourself) there.

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  28. Dominique Vasilkovsky18 May 2014 at 09:51

    Esther, enjoyed this musing. JW's in Somerset? Great prayer. Thanks!!

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  29. Yeah. I try not to get involved in their desire to convert me. I'm trying to get gentle. It could be their first time, debating with a Jewess!

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  30. No I don't see myself or the Bible as liberal. I see myself as an Orthodox Jew, who loves the Bible or if you prefer Torah, who studies it, questions it, breaths it and lives by it.

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  31. People, thanks for the feedback. I haven't written a book for a while so might. Of course I should dust down my others and get them published on lulu.com (:

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  32. "No I don't see myself or the Bible as liberal. I see myself as an Orthodox Jew, who loves the Bible or if you prefer Torah, who studies it, questions it, breaths it and lives by it."


    Esther that's brilliant ! Can I crib that?

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