Giving rude religious Jews the boot!

I was at a show recently and I was just absolutely shocked by seeing a beautiful and exceptionally polite Chabad Rebbetzen walking around in platform skinny heel boots that went to her knees. It look like someone took a very long carpenter's nail and nailed it on the bottom of her boot and called it a heel. Platform skinny heel boots conger's up scenes in a urban movie of a lady of the night with alot of violence drugs and alcohol. I do not watch movies like that, but have seen plenty ads for such movies like that. I shook my head in shock and I was thinking "wow things have changed among our Chabad women's dress code of Tzniut".  It was not the first time that I have seen the dress styles among religious frum women that were boardering and almost breaking Tzniut Jewish halacha.
http://youtu.be/F_pfFuDkj0Q

Then the Beit Shemesh Chereidim attacks a little girl that is the grand daughter of dear friends in Israel. A Modest religious family is attacked by the Chereidim for what they claim she a 7 year old for being immodest! what? What is going on here? Then a Chereidi little girl gets attacked in Beit Shemesh too? What is this?Many think of Judaism as a single religion, but it has as many denominations and subsets as Christianity does. Orthodox Judaism equally breaks down into countless subsets. Most of the problems in Jerusalem concern 19th century immigrant sects which never reconciled themselves to the creation of the State of Israel, and have in some cases made common cause with Islam. That being said it is a complicated issue. I do not think there needs to be one way of expressing Judaism in observence. The common thread should be that we all are Torah observant to the best of our understandings and family traditions and no I'm not talking about secularism either.

What do I mean by this? Shulchan aruch שׁוּלחָן עָרוּך‎, literally: "Set Table" which most would immediately think "Code of Jewish Law" right? Yes of course, but let's simplify this a bit to understand where I'm coming from. Every household has a way of abserving Jewish law (Shulchan Aruch) by the way their families for generations have done things and not to mentione in the siddur prayers alone there so many tunes to these prayers which most if not all these tunes are due to weather the family is Sephardic or Ashkenazic or the fact the family has lived in Spain, Turkey, Iran Iraq and even the United States. Not to mention which Posek Rabbi one's family may follow. This is where all the different subsets of Judaism formed. So in essence every Jewish family have traditions that can reflect how they observe and dress Tzniut according to how they "set their Observence of Torah tables". Not literally setting their tables, but setting traditions according to their families generations of traditions. This means that people do set their level of observence to their understandings and is influenced by their family traditions. I have personally have seen differences among Chereidim in traditions from one shabbos table to another or one shul to another and yes even in the dress code of in Tzniut in Chereidt women depending on the neighborhood or block or street they live on. I have seen some frun women pushing of the envelope so close in breaking Tzniut that boarders one to question what is she thinking? I have see this among almost every facet of religious subset  groups by simply living in Israel and having family that are of many different subsets of Judaism living there too. Like for example there is difference in the way Jews from the southern part of the United States vs. a Jew from the southwest, mid west or even the north west or the northeast part of the United states do things. Their Traditions of Torah observence are all different from one another.

The fact that everyone of these Jews can pray together is amazing because they may have different tunes for any one prayer from the siddur, but each Jew  can adapt and read the prayers together and honor one another with respect to each other's differences. It is amazing when you wittness that in action.  I have seen this first hand in Chabad and I have been blessed to wittness this even with Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach zt'l of Blessed Memory. The Renewel movement seems to get the point also of just respecting every Jew and be accepting and loving and kindness to one another. The Lubatcher Rebbe OBM says that "Every Jew is a Diamond". So I ask why are we breaking precious Diamonds into a million pieces by acting like this towards one another? That is just creating more divisions among us. As for the Rebbetzen and her boots well she was dressed modest and no skin was showing, not her knees,  not her calfs,  not her arms, nor her neck etc. It's her choice to wear boots like that and she was not breaking any modesty code of Tzniut within Chabad simply because she was covered from head to toe and I do know she would not wear them if that were breaking halacha. I cannot be the one to tell her how to set her table of observence either. Even though I want to give those Chereidim the boot out of Beit Shemesh that spit on my friend's grand daughter or give the boot to the modern orthodox that attacked the Chereidi girl. The best we can do is pray for tshuva for those who are unkind and causing harm to other. We cannot radiate light to the nations if we continue to stomp out the lights amongst us. So yall Knock it off . Love and peace to us all!! Kol Hakavod!

Generation of Exodus

The great Kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria writes that the last generation before the coming of Moshiach is the reincarnation of the generation of the Exodus.  In my last blog post I wrote about my daughter's spiritual journey towards her Bat Mitzvah. Well I read a intersting thought today that sparked a new understanding for me personally.

"Today, as we stand at the threshold of the ultimate redemption, it is once again the woman whose song is the most poignant, whose tambourine is the most hopeful, whose dance is the most joyous. Today, as then, the redemption will be realized in the merit of righteous women. Today, as then, the woman’s yearning for Moshiach — a yearning which runs deeper than that of the man, and inspires and uplifts it — forms the dominant strain in the melody of redemption."
Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

 

(C)Copyright 2006 silk painitng by Rivka Sari

There is no doubt as a religious woman I yearn for Moshiach so much more than I ever have. The world seems to be in caos and so much is terrible happening around the world that I 'm concerned for the future of my children and their future generations. Is there going to be a world left? So when I read this teaching from the Rebbe I realized this is getting to be the generation of redemption. I'm now begining to understand that my daughter is feeling it too. Is she that generation? I do not know the answer, but one thing I do know that the golus (Exile) is coming to a end because knowledge is increasing at such a rate that only goodness will be desired. We are are certainly headed for a better world to come, the Olam Haba. As we are getting ready to celebrate Chanukah we are celebrating light and it will multiply as time moves forward.  See you in Jerusalem! 

 "קץ ישטטו רבים ותרבה הדעת"

Bat Yisrael (Daughter of Israel)

As I watch my daughter study Torah in Jewish school I began to realize she is just four years from bat mitzvah and it struck me we have to start planning now. But then I breathed a sigh because I have been planning this since she was born. The only real tangible thing we can give our children is Torah because it is the only one thing that shows her how to be a good Jew and be a good fellow human being. I want her to live a good spiritual life and pass on Torah to her children. I read Psalms 128 and I realized this blessing is not just for a man but one that is for a woman. Women have the most influence on children and I pray I have been doing ok in that department.

שיר המעלות אשרי כל־ירא יהוה ההלך בדרכיו׃
יגיע כפיך כי תאכל אשריך וטוב לך׃
אשתך כגפן פריה בירכתי ביתך בניך כשתלי
זיתים סביב לשלחנך׃
הנה כי־כן יברך גבר ירא יהוה׃
יברכך יהוה מציון וראה בטוב ירושלם כל ימי
חייך׃
וראה־בנים לבניך שלום על־ישראל׃
Psalms 128


Women don't have to be like men, and men don't have to be like women, every single creation has a purpose in this world, a purpose which no one else but him or her can accomplish. Being religious jewish family I am told that a woman does not need the spiritual elevation of milah, or a kippah for that matter. Nor does she need an aliyah to the Torah. The word "aliyah" means to be called up, be elevated; a woman does not need the public elevation which comes from being called up to the Torah. This is because she is either naturally elevated due to her unique spiritually sensitive feminine soul, or because she achieves elevation through observing those special mitzvot which are designed to elevate the Jewish woman. But my daughter wants to go up to Torah not because she wants to be like a man or to prove she can do anything like a man can.

 My daughter says she wants to have her special moment singing her "Song of Miriam". She explains it like this. When Moshiach arrives we will sing the song of Moshe and Miriam. And that song is our portion of the Torah that is troped based on the date of our birth. Wow talk about spiritual at age 7 1/2 already! She describes that the Song of Moshe and Miriam in the olam haba (world to come) is it will start with Jewish people who were born during weekly parsha reading of Bereshes will sing and then the next parsha to the next until the whole Torah is sung. Powerful scene right? Needless to say I was speechless by her dream and vision also by her strong desire to learn her portion's trope (Hebrew cantillation) so she can indeed make alyia at her bat mitzvah. I have lately been exploring options where she can be frum still and have her alyia to to read the Sefer Torah. "Women of the Wall" maybe that option or "Feminist Orthodox Movement" maybe another option.
The chassidic masters teach "The tenth song, says the Midrash, will be the shir chadash, the "New Song" of the ultimate redemption: a redemption that is global and absolute; a redemption that will annihilate all suffering, ignorance, jealousy, and hate from the face of the earth; a redemption of such proportions that the yearning it evokes, and the joy it brings, require a new song -- a completely new musical vocabulary -- to capture the voice of Creation's ultimate striving."
see (http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2744/jewish/Miriams-Song.htm) My daughter says "this the singing of the whole Torah in the Olam Haba." My daughter is definately touching on a huge spiritual concept at such a young age.

Whatever choice we find to make my daughter's dream a reality, we know that she will make every step towards her bat mitzvah a wonderful journey. My daughter wants to go beyond the party and reading a poem or even having a speach she says I want to sing that song that Hashem gave every Jewish Neshama born into this world. Then she really sends my mind on a high beyond high and says she has to have to have that practice time for the olam haba (the world to come). So we have four years to prepare and if Moshiach arrive then she will be ready if not then B"H she will have her time to practice. Either way I already know she is taking Torah and will pass it on to her children. L'dor V'dor! (generation to generation)

May you live to see your world fulfilled.
May your destiny be for worlds to come;
May you trust in generations past and yet to be.
My your heart be filled with intuition and words with insight;
May songs of praise ever be on your tongue
And your visions be on a straight path before you.
From the Talmud~

Three lightings for Shabbos

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO IF LINK ABOVE DOES NOT WORK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgW1ZZR120g

It has been a while since I blogged. I have been very busy with homeschooling, art shows, market places, kinderlach appointments to the dentist, doctors. So life is full and very fast spaced. When shabbos comes it is long desired for each week. To rest, feel refreshed, and to enjoy shabbos with friends and family alike is wonderful. It is what our whole family looks forward to each week.

There is an undercurrent of excitement and joyful anticipation as the family eagerly prepares for Shabbos and another visit from the Shabbos Queen. An atmosphere of tranquility and family unity descends upon the house. Shabbos is indeed a day of rest physically, and emotionally. All grief, care, and burdens are forbidden and indeed, with ourselves. However, Shabbos is enriched not only with rest but with activity. This is alluded in the expressions:

Zochor:

"Remember the Shabbath to sanctify it (Exodus 20:7), by licht benching (candle lighting), reciting Kiddush, dining festively, dressing in special clothes, praying, listening to Torah reading in Shul, and learning and discussing portions of Torah.

Shomor:

Refers to guarding oneself from any of the forbidden 39 categories of work (melacha) as well as others which may be halachically permitted but are not fitting or appropriate on this special day.

Every Jewish home should contain pushkas, containers designed for Jewish charities, shuls and yeshivas. Money, even a few coins, should be put in these every day. Before lighting the Shabbos candles is an especially appropriate time to fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah. We cannot begin too early to teach our childeren the importance of tzedakah. As a matter of fact with each one of our children their first words were " Emah, Abba, and Tzedakah"

Our Sages have said, "Great is the mitzvah of candle lighting, as it brings peace into the world." On one level this means that the light of the Shabbos candles brings peace by illuminating the house so that people do not stumble in the dark or bump into each other.

In a deeper sense, Chassidut teaches us that the Shabbos candles light up the house and every member of the family with the light of the Torah which guides them safely along the path of life that is full of dangerous pitfalls.

Every mitzvah of the Torah is likened to a candle: "Ki Ner Mitzvah v'Torah Or" (a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is a light [Proverbs 6:23) Each mitzvah that a person does effects a physical and spiritual illumination. Each mitzvah---each light tunes us in more closely to the sprituality latent in this world.Candle lighting has always been a special and auspicious time, one of meditation and quiet prayer. The Jewish woman or girl stands before the kindled flames with eyes covered as she recites the blessing. The reason that the blessing must be said after, rather than before, lighting the candles is that if the blessing were to be recited first it would seem as if the woman has already "inaugurated Shabbos." In that case she would not be permitted to light the candles, since kindling of the lights on the Shabbos is forbidden.

At this moment, when the family is gathered together, she has traditionally offered a silent or verbal prayer on behalf of her husband and children. In generations past, personal prayers in Yiddish called "techinos" were commonly said by Jewish women before doing a mitzvah and on special occasions.
A minimum of two candles are lit corresponding to the two expressions of Shabbos mentioned preveiously: "Zochor" (remember) and "Shomor" (guard), that are mentioned in the Ten Commandments. Some women add an additional light with the birth of each child and continue lighting it throughout the years. The lights are symbolic of the cheerfulness and serenity which distinguishes the Shabbos.

Shabbos is so special to our family that is become an oppertunity to bless our children and let them know how proud we are of them for all the wonderful mitzvos they have done during the week. To see them beaming with smiles that just can make your heart melt. This is the second light we ignite on Shabbos is praising our children and seeing the light within them grow and become brighter than ever before. This is especially a kosher light for Shabbos and the most important.

Some special ingredients at the Shabbos table, where the meal is more leisurely joyful and elaborate, and where all family members are present, are the Torah talks (whch are more detailed than at the weekday table) the songs and guests.

Our sages teach us that the Sechinah (Divine Presence) doe not rest on a person sunk in sadness or laziness, but comes only with the joy of mitzvah performance. Therefore, when a Jew prepares to invite Hashem's presence to his Shabbos table, he must first be able to declare that he has prepared himself for it by elevating himself to the level of spiritual joy which can be done only by means of holy pursuits, such as praising G-d, study of Torah, and performance of good deeds.

Some of the songs (zmiros) sung at the Shabbos meals are from the Siddur (prayer book), some from the psalms, and some from other Holy writings, while other nigunim (tunes) are wordless. All are full of the feeling of joy and faith which fills our hearts on special holy days. According to the Rabbis, food can be sanctified by holy utterances pronounced at the table, and a food thus hallowed becomes a "food of healing."

The third light is the havdallah candle. The Havdalah prayer is said over a cup of wine, with a blessing. However, grape juice, beer, and certain other liquids may be used instead. In addition, two other blessings are also recited. The first blessing is said over the smelling of spices. Sweet. smelling spices have the ability to revive broken spirits, and now that Shabbos is over and our added spiritual soul has departed, our mood needs to be uplifted and revived.

The second is a blessing for fire, said over the light of a Havdalah candle (a special candle made by combining several wicks or by joining the flame of two candles). One reason for this blessing is a remembrance for the light (fire) Adam made by rubbing two stones together when he first experienced darkness, which was on Saturday night. After the blessing, we hold our nails to the light to see the difference between dark and light reflected on our hands. The order of the blessings is wine, spice, flame, havdalah (acknowledgment of the separation).

"If you will obseve the kindling of the Sabbath lights you will merit to see the lights of the redemption of the Jewish people."

Gut Shabbos Yall'!

 

Revealing what's hidden within

"They are to observe these as days of feasting and gladness, and for sending delicacies to one another, and giving gifts to the poor." -- Esther 9:22


"Take the Christian Christmas pageant, add a down-home Halloween and a couple bottles of wine, and you start to get a good idea of the Purim festival." -- Judaism for Dummies

Really Purim seems to be the one Holiday that I can say really puzzles alot of people including those in the tribe. Where in the heck did the costumes come from? Purim is such a joyous holiday that the rabbis teach it will still be observed in the messianic age, when most all other holidays will be abolished. We look we find that succot of course will exist and the sages teach that Yom Kippor will a day of joy as well and feasting on foods instead of fasting. The costumes is the idea that Esther who is really Hadassah hides as a Persian when infact she was Jewish. The idea is that why we wear costumes is to also hide our true idenity and remember the story of Esther who saved the Jewish people from destruction because she only revealed her true inner self when the time was right. Some sages say that it is a time to remember that even when Hashem seems hidden that really He is near and that He is only hidden because it is the other way around we are actually hidden from HIm.
So how does that relate to costumes?  Our Purim costumes not only diguise but reveals also, and it demonstrate our aspirations and emotions, showing how we might act, given the opportunity to emerge from our "shells". While a costume can reveal our funny witty and happy fun loving  person it can also reveal the fact that person really feels like they are a stranger and hides it in their humor most of the time. The contrast between image and reality begs the question: by what is one judged? By actions, intentions, or nature?  I like the way one Rabbi  Yehoshua ben Prachya puts it, "judge everyone favorably" (Mishnah Avot 1:6). We must help that individual overcome the evil inclination by responding positively to negativity, throwing water on the flames, rather than oil. So sometimes what you see is not always be what it seems.

 It is important to really think about the costume you chose and how it reveals your inner self and what you really want to be in life. Do you want to be a peace make or give more charity , or maybe volunteer in something that helps people? Whatever it may be instead of hiding, reveal those inner desires to be better and want to do more. Put on that spiritual mask that helps you come out of your "shell" and do what you always wanted to do that truly is the best you can be. That spiritual mask hides the negative thhoughts you cannot do it or be the best. What is that spiritual mask? Well it is called complete emunah in Hashem that He is always near and never let you down and totally believes in you and that you an overcome these negative inclinations that hold you back. A person is not judged by their inclinations, but rather by their reactions to those inclinations. So next time when you see someone who seems bad in nature remember that person maybe hiding the goodness inside somewhere deep just waiting for that right time to reveal his or herself.

Happy Purim Yall!!

Art shows and marketplace-What makes Jewish art?

I've been doing art since I was a child. Around June or so I followed an urge to start "doodling" again and stocked up on #2 pencils and sketch pads and started sketching for my own artistic pleasure. As I'm Sketching I have had some interesting thoughts on the subject of being  Jewish and creating Jewish art.
Is there a specifically Jewish way to paint? Is there a particular line, or shape, or color, that’s Jewish? That speaks to the Jewish soul? If klezmer music somehow shortcuts deep to our essence, is there a visual analog to that music?
There is an assumption that Jews came late to visual art. despite popular mythology, though, the Bible does not prohibit drawing human forms. “The rabbis in the Talmud say that only the worship of graven images is a problem, not the images themselves,”. So what is Jewish art? Often Jewish art is defined as work with overtly Jewish themes, and pictures of people in stereotypically Jewish clothing or holding menorot or Torah scrolls or stars of David logically might be considered Jewish.

Is there Jewish art? We take all the experiences in our lives, and they make us who we are. Everything I create is based on everything I know. I went to day school for years when I was a child, and I also live in the world and in the world of yiddishkeit. When I think of blue, I now think of techelet  the mysterious blue dye used for the fringes of the priests’ garments in the Temple. When I think of sacred spaces, I think of The Holy Temple that once stood in Jerusalem and on a small scale every Jewish home is a type of that sacred space, and at the same time I think of the "kodesh kedoshim” the holy of holies, the tabernacle that contained the ark. So in creating my art I want my work to take you to a higher place. I do not like the idea of mixing metaphors meaning the world mixed with Jewish. I wants people's mind to go to the Torah and see Torah in visual form. And when my art is hanging on someone's walls then when a person walk into that space they feel one way, and when they walk out they should feel better because it has created a holy space for that viewer.
My art goes beyond paintings or sketches, it aslo takes shape in holy garments. Silk has become my passion. The feel of it on my skin and the flow of paints and colors excites my heart and spirit. It takes greater Kavannah (concentration) in creating a piece that will bring joy to someone who will desire to  own it when they see it in the marketplace or art show. Then there is Tambourines Art my first love and my favorite outlet to capture the Psalms and the spirit of Miriam's heart to Praise G-d with such complete emunah.

My best expierences has been in the Art shows and marketplaces for which I hear stories of what a difference my art has made for them. This in turn lifts my heart and gives me koach to continue in creating my art. My children most of all  has been that strength. One reason is my son Izzy having to deal with a chronic illness of a bleeding diorder of Hemophilia for which there is no cure and will be a lifetime struggle for him and another reason is it being so cruical for me to be a stay at home mother for all my children. If  art is not touching people then it's not something that brings joy and light in people's lives so why do it especially Jewish art? Jewish art is simply to some creating the visual form of Torah, for some it is telling their story. For me it is both.

When is it time to go back home to our Land?

I read so many quote that it has me asking should I go back home to the Eretz Yisroel?
Here is some of the passages I have read and I gathered them here. It's like collecting old letters that I have finally got around to reading. For the Jewish people as a whole, there is no divorcing ourselves from the Holy Land. Certainly, and unfortunately not in positive ways, Jews the world over are beginning to understand that whatever happens in Israel affects the Jewish people everywhere. One could see this as Chabad's ultimate objective make the whole world Eretz Yisroel. There is certainly something to this. But in this day and age, when the physical Eretz Yisroel is within reach, we can do both. Connect with the Land physically, and make our place holy spiritually.


Quotes:

"In all times, a Jew should live in the Land of Israel, even in a city where most of the residents are idol worshippers, rather then outside the land, even in a city where most of the residents are Jews, because one who lives in Israel is considered as if he has a G-d and one who lives outside the Land is compared to one who has no G‑d" - Ketubot 110b (also Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings 5:12)




"Said the Almighty: A small group in the land of Israel is dearer to Me than a full Sanhedrin outside the Land." - Talmud Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 86



"Jews who dwell outside the Land of Israel are idol worshippers in purity." - Avoda Zara 8



Rabbi Abba explained that the ultimate sign of the coming of the Moshiach is found in the verse: "But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit for My people" (Yechezkel 36:8). "When the land of Israel becomes fertile again and produces fruit in abundance, then salvation is surely near at hand." Rashi: "Indeed, there cannot be a clearer sign than this." - Sanhedrin 98a


"One should dwell in Israel even in a city where the majority are idolaters rather than in the Diaspora in a city which is inhabited completely by Jews. This teaches us that living in Israel is equivalent to [the performance of] all the commandments of the Torah." - Tosefta in Avoda Zara (5:2)




The people of Israel were exiled because they despised three things: the kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of the House of David, and the Beit HaMikdash. Rabbi Shimon ben Menassiya said, "Israel will not be shown a good sign until they return and seek out these three things." - Yalkut Shimoni 2:106 ...after living among the gentiles for close to 2,000 years, we have mingled with the nations and learned their ways. Most of today's Jews have absolutely no concept of Judaism. We cannot expect them to return and seek out the kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of the House of David, because they have no idea what these things are. Rather, what do they seek? Eretz Yisroel. - Eim Habanim Semeichah, HaRav Yisachar Shlomo Teichtal, hk"m 3,14.



"In the Diaspora, whoever increases its settlement (by establishing a home, business, etc) adds to the destruction of the worship of G-d. But in the Land of Israel this same work is considered a mitzvah since it settles the land." - The Chatam Sofer, on the Sukkah 36a and Yoreh Deah p. 136


"Wake up dear brothers, rise up and come to Zion while the gates are still open, and G-d forbid, do not remain with those who tarry, lest it be too late and you will cry out, but not be answered." - Rabbi Atiya zt'l, from his book, Lech Lecha.




Ramban, in his Mitzvot Aseh (LeDa'at HaRamban) quoted in the first volume of Rambam's Mishneh Torah, lists "Yeshivat Eretz Yisrael - settling in the Land of Israel" as one of the mitzvot aseh, the positive precepts of the Torah, whereas Rambam does not include it in his enumeration of mitzvot aseh. We can conclude that not only is it a positive Torah precept to live in Israel, as Ramban states, but also that living outside of Israel is considered a great spiritual danger. If so we are left with a serious dilemma. Now that there is a State of Israel, how do we explain our continued dwelling in America, and the other lands of the Diaspora? - Rabbi Yaakov Klass, a"h