All over the world Jews are observing the festival of Passover this week. Passover is one of the three harvest festivals where Jews celebrate their liberation from Egypt. Freedom is the very precious treasure Jews rejoice over this time of year. As a citizen of the United States, freedom comes easy to me. The first amendment of the constitution automatically states my freedoms as a member of this union. In the United States, I can say whatever I want and be whoever I want. Israel is a similar situation where Jews are allowed to practice their religion free of persecution. As a religion, Jews have won many rights that our ancestors would have thought unthinkable.
Unfortunately, not everybody in the world can be as free as us Jews are. As I am sure any of us knows, the youth in the Middle East have been fighting constantly for the simple liberties we enjoy everyday. In early February, I wrote a piece on the Middle East while Egypt was overturning Hosni Mubarak. The storm of protests across the region are known as the Jasmine Revolution. They are inspiring and give hope that the hostility towards American throughout the area is finally coming to an end. On the other hand, the Jasmine Revolution could release a new wave of extremely dangerous terrorist government. I feel the same way I felt in February, only time can tell what will and will not happen.
It is a Passover tradition to recline a pillow while we eat the delicious Passover meal. In the Middle East, specifically Libya, turmoil removes this sense of comfort from millions of people. Egyptians suffer a fight that has had no results since Mubarak left his office. Yemenis are harshly fighting a tyrant who claims the United States is controlling the protests from a small office in Tel Aviv, Israel. Worst of all, Momar Kadafi is massacring his owns people. I feel that many times we see these images and see only images. The news can not illustrate the actual suffering one feels when one's leaders turn against them. I believe it may be like when we take in too much horseradish at the seder. We are all alone and have no one who can help us. Not even the stabilities of water and other foods can completely dilute the bitterness of the maror.
How free can the world ever be? Even in developed countries, laws and political disagreement strain our ability to live free and progress as a society. Do religious and political laws restrain our freedom? I believe that without such laws people would stop aspring to perform acts of love and kindness. Evil is caused by human's ability of free will. Every human has the free will. In Kadafi's Libya, someone can still speak out against their dictator. The only difference is that in the United States' someone still has a chance of living. At the conclusion of the service, we ask to all be free in Jerusalem. In my opinion, we not only mean the Jews, but anyone who is still fighting the fight of freedom.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
A Modern Debate from Biblical Times
Parshat Acharei Mot is one of the more provocative of the Torah's passages, especially chapter 18. To keep it blunt, Chapter 18 is the part of Leviticus where laws on sexual practice are discussed. Sex laws, just calling out the elephant in the room. Most times, our religious views on sex are taboo. As a writer and scholar, I wish to view my opinion on one of the most discussed commandments in the Bible. The Torah states, "You shall not lie down with a male, as with a woman: this is an abomination" (Lev. 18:22).
Abomination, now that is a firm word. In my bright red pen, I wrote the word "why" seven times in the margin. Now such a quote could turn people off to Judaism for good. In the parshat, I got a couple of reasons to my septuple why. First of all, the Torah claims that the restraints put on sex are to distinguish the people of Israel from those who enslaved them in Egypt and dwell in Canaan. Another response is that such practices would defile one's name and the name of God. The final response to conclude the parshat is the God's way of saying "because I said so. God declares, "I am the Lord your God". What will happen if one finds a homosexual in their midst? According to the Torah, the person shall be shunned, or worse banished. That word still bothers me, abomination.
Psychologists believe and have nearly come to prove that being gay, lesbian, transexual, or bisexual is not something one can control. It is merely the physical way a particular type of brain functions. People can not prevent what Judaism calls, "an abomination". This is not to say that homosexuals are cut off from the community today. I am a Jew, but I fight for the civil rights of those who have a particular sexual orientation. In Christianity, it is nearly the same way. Christians protect homosexuals, but some still proclaim this a sin. Muslims abstain from the birds and the bees between the same gender, yet a mere relationship between gays or lesbians is under debate. Depending on which branch of Buddhism one belongs to, homosexuality is either accepted or seen as a tad bit obscure and unnatural. The Bhudda does not particularly discuss his view in his writings. Hindus disagree on their views, but their writings have no particular preference. As one can see, Eastern ideals are more accepting than those of the West.
Homosexuals of today are to black people of the 1960's. What will happen if we do not change our ways? On the show "Glee", Kurt Hummel is an excellent demonstration of homosexual bullying at its worst extent. His public school failed to protect him and eventually drove him out. It may be a fictional TV musical, but the point is still rigid. Just this past week, Kobe Bryant got ticked off at a referee. He called them a "homo". Such behavior can make homosexuals feel like aliens on their planet. In the United States, a citizen can marry their cousin in 26 states. As of 2009, same sex marriage was legal in 6 states. Homosexuals are trapped without a voice, a place, or a time.
There are many ways to put an end to the isolation of homosexuals. Just today was the Day of Silence, a day where people go without talking to show what it is like for a homosexual, transexual, bisexual, someone questioning their orientation who are deprived of their ability to come out and say what they feel. Empathy is a quality that ranks above bravery, strength, and intelligence anytime, anywhere. We must take time now to treat this minority of people like anyone of us. They treat straight people no differently they interact with each other. Like standing up to antisemitism, we have to rise against this bullying and defend those around us. Never again should someone defenselessly be called a "homo" or "fag" by some ignorant coward. Never again should a situation be described as "gay". The most influential of actions an adult can take is sitting down and talking to their children about how to interact with those of a different sexual orientation. The conversation is simple. It goes, "If you ever came home and said that you were gay/lesbian we would support you all the way?" We have the chance to change our world, especially the millenium generation.
How do we react as Jews? Reform Jews have generally abolished this law from their repertoire and are open to accept even rabbis who prefer to love someone different than the opposite gender. Conservative and Orthodox Jews are hesitant to defy the Torah, but may be getting exponentially more liberal. As a Jewish nation, we are commanded to change the world. Is one allowed to abstain from eternal law to bring themselves into the modern age? Whenever the debate comes up, we Jews just go "Oy!" Everyone knows the old saying that with two Jews comes three opinions.
Cited Sources
-Annoymous. "Homosexuality and Buddhism - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 15 Apr. 2011..
-Annoymous. "Homosexuality and Christianity - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 15 Apr. 2011..
-Annoymous. "Homosexuality and Hinduism - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 15 Apr. 2011..
-Annoymous. "Homosexuality and Islam - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 15 Apr. 2011..
-CousinCouples.org. "Facts about cousin marriage." Cousin Marriage Resources. 15 Apr. 2011. 15 Apr. 2011.
-Vestal, Christine. "Gay marriage legal in six states." Stateline. 4 June 2009. Stateline.org. 15 Apr. 2011.
Abomination, now that is a firm word. In my bright red pen, I wrote the word "why" seven times in the margin. Now such a quote could turn people off to Judaism for good. In the parshat, I got a couple of reasons to my septuple why. First of all, the Torah claims that the restraints put on sex are to distinguish the people of Israel from those who enslaved them in Egypt and dwell in Canaan. Another response is that such practices would defile one's name and the name of God. The final response to conclude the parshat is the God's way of saying "because I said so. God declares, "I am the Lord your God". What will happen if one finds a homosexual in their midst? According to the Torah, the person shall be shunned, or worse banished. That word still bothers me, abomination.
Psychologists believe and have nearly come to prove that being gay, lesbian, transexual, or bisexual is not something one can control. It is merely the physical way a particular type of brain functions. People can not prevent what Judaism calls, "an abomination". This is not to say that homosexuals are cut off from the community today. I am a Jew, but I fight for the civil rights of those who have a particular sexual orientation. In Christianity, it is nearly the same way. Christians protect homosexuals, but some still proclaim this a sin. Muslims abstain from the birds and the bees between the same gender, yet a mere relationship between gays or lesbians is under debate. Depending on which branch of Buddhism one belongs to, homosexuality is either accepted or seen as a tad bit obscure and unnatural. The Bhudda does not particularly discuss his view in his writings. Hindus disagree on their views, but their writings have no particular preference. As one can see, Eastern ideals are more accepting than those of the West.
Homosexuals of today are to black people of the 1960's. What will happen if we do not change our ways? On the show "Glee", Kurt Hummel is an excellent demonstration of homosexual bullying at its worst extent. His public school failed to protect him and eventually drove him out. It may be a fictional TV musical, but the point is still rigid. Just this past week, Kobe Bryant got ticked off at a referee. He called them a "homo". Such behavior can make homosexuals feel like aliens on their planet. In the United States, a citizen can marry their cousin in 26 states. As of 2009, same sex marriage was legal in 6 states. Homosexuals are trapped without a voice, a place, or a time.
There are many ways to put an end to the isolation of homosexuals. Just today was the Day of Silence, a day where people go without talking to show what it is like for a homosexual, transexual, bisexual, someone questioning their orientation who are deprived of their ability to come out and say what they feel. Empathy is a quality that ranks above bravery, strength, and intelligence anytime, anywhere. We must take time now to treat this minority of people like anyone of us. They treat straight people no differently they interact with each other. Like standing up to antisemitism, we have to rise against this bullying and defend those around us. Never again should someone defenselessly be called a "homo" or "fag" by some ignorant coward. Never again should a situation be described as "gay". The most influential of actions an adult can take is sitting down and talking to their children about how to interact with those of a different sexual orientation. The conversation is simple. It goes, "If you ever came home and said that you were gay/lesbian we would support you all the way?" We have the chance to change our world, especially the millenium generation.
How do we react as Jews? Reform Jews have generally abolished this law from their repertoire and are open to accept even rabbis who prefer to love someone different than the opposite gender. Conservative and Orthodox Jews are hesitant to defy the Torah, but may be getting exponentially more liberal. As a Jewish nation, we are commanded to change the world. Is one allowed to abstain from eternal law to bring themselves into the modern age? Whenever the debate comes up, we Jews just go "Oy!" Everyone knows the old saying that with two Jews comes three opinions.
Cited Sources
-Annoymous. "Homosexuality and Buddhism - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 15 Apr. 2011.
-Annoymous. "Homosexuality and Christianity - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 15 Apr. 2011.
-Annoymous. "Homosexuality and Hinduism - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 15 Apr. 2011.
-Annoymous. "Homosexuality and Islam - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 15 Apr. 2011.
-CousinCouples.org. "Facts about cousin marriage." Cousin Marriage Resources. 15 Apr. 2011. 15 Apr. 2011
-Vestal, Christine. "Gay marriage legal in six states." Stateline. 4 June 2009. Stateline.org. 15 Apr. 2011
Friday, April 08, 2011
Spanish in the United States
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? ¿En qué puedo servirle? Get used to hearing such vernacular as this. For a majority of a century now, English has been the primary language of the United States, yet Spanish speakers are growing in numbers. According to the 2010 Census, 15.8% of the United States has Spanish as their native tongue. Already, Texas has a Hispanic population of 36.8%. These statistics can only grow in number. Good or bad, Americans need to brace for change.
Just as immigration was vibrant in early twentieth century Europe, Hispanics are searching for a better life. In many Central American countries, times are very rough and drug sellers are creating animosity. Often times, the anarchy of the Middle East overshadows these Latin countries in the news. From a Hispanic perspective, it makes sense why one would want to flee their country. Chile has the highest Latin American Human Development Index, and it is number forty-five. Although we feel our economy is tanking, even today, come to our country in search of the American dream.
What does such a change mean for us? On the occasional trip to Lowe’s, we find ourselves looking at bilingual signs. We see FLOOR in large, bold lettering and PISO under it. Soon enough, signs like those of Lowe’s will be found in a majority of U.S. merchandisers. At Barnes and Noble, we will begin to see more and more books in Spanish print. A change in the tongue of the United States could cause communication problems. In Belgium, the Dutch north and French south are pondering a split because of the lingual divide. I doubt the United States will break off from itself, however the challenges may become adverse and tough for our government to handle.
To ease ourselves into this transition, we must be aware of a few things. First of all, we can not try to prevent this change from happening. Just as the South could not prevent the Civil Rights Movement, we can not try to rid our country of “Latinos”. Often times, especially in young adults, I find that we assume every Hispanic is an illegal immigrant. The claim is not preposterous, however can be very offensive for those who went through the entire process many of our grandparents and great-grandparents had to struggle through. Secondly, I feel that a majority of Americans should begin to take Spanish. When push comes to shove, we are losing of linguistically monolithic society. Times are changing and the only way to overcome communications issues is to learn how to communicate with Hispanics ourselves. I love the language of Spanish and believe it rolls off the tongue. On the other hand, I feel many Hispanics should aspire to educate themselves in the ways of English. Finally, I feel that we should embrace each other’s cultures. We should welcome Hispanics by appealing for Cinco de Mayo and Day of the Dead celebrations. Maybe some immigrants coming to this country are well trained dancers in the ways of the tango, flamenco, and salsa. If we refuse to welcome such Hispanics, we can only hope a real life "West Side Story" does not erupt all over the country.
Just as immigration was vibrant in early twentieth century Europe, Hispanics are searching for a better life. In many Central American countries, times are very rough and drug sellers are creating animosity. Often times, the anarchy of the Middle East overshadows these Latin countries in the news. From a Hispanic perspective, it makes sense why one would want to flee their country. Chile has the highest Latin American Human Development Index, and it is number forty-five. Although we feel our economy is tanking, even today, come to our country in search of the American dream.
What does such a change mean for us? On the occasional trip to Lowe’s, we find ourselves looking at bilingual signs. We see FLOOR in large, bold lettering and PISO under it. Soon enough, signs like those of Lowe’s will be found in a majority of U.S. merchandisers. At Barnes and Noble, we will begin to see more and more books in Spanish print. A change in the tongue of the United States could cause communication problems. In Belgium, the Dutch north and French south are pondering a split because of the lingual divide. I doubt the United States will break off from itself, however the challenges may become adverse and tough for our government to handle.
To ease ourselves into this transition, we must be aware of a few things. First of all, we can not try to prevent this change from happening. Just as the South could not prevent the Civil Rights Movement, we can not try to rid our country of “Latinos”. Often times, especially in young adults, I find that we assume every Hispanic is an illegal immigrant. The claim is not preposterous, however can be very offensive for those who went through the entire process many of our grandparents and great-grandparents had to struggle through. Secondly, I feel that a majority of Americans should begin to take Spanish. When push comes to shove, we are losing of linguistically monolithic society. Times are changing and the only way to overcome communications issues is to learn how to communicate with Hispanics ourselves. I love the language of Spanish and believe it rolls off the tongue. On the other hand, I feel many Hispanics should aspire to educate themselves in the ways of English. Finally, I feel that we should embrace each other’s cultures. We should welcome Hispanics by appealing for Cinco de Mayo and Day of the Dead celebrations. Maybe some immigrants coming to this country are well trained dancers in the ways of the tango, flamenco, and salsa. If we refuse to welcome such Hispanics, we can only hope a real life "West Side Story" does not erupt all over the country.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Shakespeare Series:"The Comedy of Errors"
Over the month of March, I explored my first Shakespeare comedy. "The Comedy of Errors" is an amusing, quaint play involving a series of mishaps. In the opening of the play, we are introduced to Egeon as he faces execution. The duke caught him meandering around the parts of Ephesus, his rival city. Prior to his executing, the duke lets Egeon tell his story. He had two beautiful sons and brought up two servants for them. Each twin, servant and nobleman, lost his other half. Of course, the irony of Shakespeare's play is when these twins run into each other. Antipholus of Syracuse has been on a long quest in search of his brother. He brought along his spacey servant Dromio. When they stumble into Ephesus, the gentleman and his helper are summoned for dinner. Although they find it quite peculiar, they go. Little do they know that they are in the castle of their twins. From there, the madness grows exponentially. Eventually, one set of twins nearly gets the other one arrested. Shakespeare's wisecracking show comes to a climactic explosion of action in the final act. Since this play has a beautiful ending, I do not wish to ruin the conclusion for any readers of mine.
The two noble twins are both named Antipholus. While Antipholus of Syracuse has spent his entire life searching for his brother, Antipholus of Ephesus has accumulated a large amount of wealth and power in his town. Their contrast is a key ironic element in the continual sequence of mishaps. Contrary to how Antipholus of Ephesus feels outraged as his town betrays him, his Syrucusian counterpart has no problem enjoying the luxuries he never dreamed he would have. I believe that many wonder if the richest people in our society could live the everyday, working class lifestyles we endure. Shakespeare captures this divide between rich and poor beautifully from beginning to end.
Reading about Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus makes me wish I had a twin, so I could play one of these hilarious servants. "Errors" would be nothing without the two hilarious servants who serve Antipholus. Like his master, Dromio of Syracuse enjoys the rich life. Dromio has this delightful scene with his master when he describes a woman he has met at his twin's abode. Despite the fact that he has fallen for this lady, the only way he can describe her to his master is how wide she is. He begins to map out her body as if it was her globe. In our modern society, such an act may seem grotesk, yet Shakespeare just makes it tickle the human emotion. Truth is, some guys still objectify women to such rude atributes. Dromio of Ephesus runs into Antipholus of Syracuse and gets this whole mixup started. Both Dromio's seem to capture the essence of what it is to be an everyday guy, they make mistakes and pay for them.
Compared to "Macbeth" and "Romeo and Juliet", I would classify "Errors" as a fairly easy read. Once a reader gets used to the fact that there are pairs of men with the same name getting mixed up in almost every scene, the book is easy to follow. Since the beginning can be somewhat confusing, I would not endorse that "The Comedy of Errors" be anyone's first Shakespeare. It confounds me that such a funny story could be one of the lesser known Shakespeare plays. Even though "comedy" is in the title, Shakespeare does not tell loud jokes. Shakespeare embraces the irony of the situation. I recommend that readers do not go fishing for laughs when reading the show. Let the jokes come to you. If for any other reason, read this play for its last line. I found it quite profound for such a goofy piece of literature. I believe you should this story as Dromio of Syracuse says to his master, '" Run, master, run; for God’s sake, take a house! This is some priority"' (V.i.36-37).
The two noble twins are both named Antipholus. While Antipholus of Syracuse has spent his entire life searching for his brother, Antipholus of Ephesus has accumulated a large amount of wealth and power in his town. Their contrast is a key ironic element in the continual sequence of mishaps. Contrary to how Antipholus of Ephesus feels outraged as his town betrays him, his Syrucusian counterpart has no problem enjoying the luxuries he never dreamed he would have. I believe that many wonder if the richest people in our society could live the everyday, working class lifestyles we endure. Shakespeare captures this divide between rich and poor beautifully from beginning to end.
Reading about Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus makes me wish I had a twin, so I could play one of these hilarious servants. "Errors" would be nothing without the two hilarious servants who serve Antipholus. Like his master, Dromio of Syracuse enjoys the rich life. Dromio has this delightful scene with his master when he describes a woman he has met at his twin's abode. Despite the fact that he has fallen for this lady, the only way he can describe her to his master is how wide she is. He begins to map out her body as if it was her globe. In our modern society, such an act may seem grotesk, yet Shakespeare just makes it tickle the human emotion. Truth is, some guys still objectify women to such rude atributes. Dromio of Ephesus runs into Antipholus of Syracuse and gets this whole mixup started. Both Dromio's seem to capture the essence of what it is to be an everyday guy, they make mistakes and pay for them.
Compared to "Macbeth" and "Romeo and Juliet", I would classify "Errors" as a fairly easy read. Once a reader gets used to the fact that there are pairs of men with the same name getting mixed up in almost every scene, the book is easy to follow. Since the beginning can be somewhat confusing, I would not endorse that "The Comedy of Errors" be anyone's first Shakespeare. It confounds me that such a funny story could be one of the lesser known Shakespeare plays. Even though "comedy" is in the title, Shakespeare does not tell loud jokes. Shakespeare embraces the irony of the situation. I recommend that readers do not go fishing for laughs when reading the show. Let the jokes come to you. If for any other reason, read this play for its last line. I found it quite profound for such a goofy piece of literature. I believe you should this story as Dromio of Syracuse says to his master, '" Run, master, run; for God’s sake, take a house! This is some priority"' (V.i.36-37).
Friday, March 25, 2011
What About the Kiddish?
Leviticus comes in groups of laws spread about the parashot. The first ten chapters of Leviticus mostly discuss how to sacrifice. Later in Shemini (this week's parashat), Moses receives a few more commandments about the way priests should lead their lives. Finally, God speaks to Aaron giving him a majority of the Jewish food restrictions, the Kashrut. The Kashrut discussed in Shemini include what not to eat that walks on land, flies in the sky, swims in the sea, or soars the air in swarms. On land, Jews abstain from eating animals that do not have both parted hoofs and chew their own cud. The most famous of these restrictions would be the pig. When it comes to birds, there are just a number of arbitrary restrictions including all kinds of hawks and ostriches. Seafood is alright as long as the food has fins and scales. This excludes all kinds of shellfish, eels, and calamari. Although there are a few exceptions, most bugs are excluded from the Jewish diet plan. Modern Kosher Jews wash their produce very carefully to make sure no insects stuck on from the farm. It is indeed a busy parshat filled with laws of sacrifice, priesthood, and diet!
Contrary to the focus of dietary laws in Shemini, a passage about being in the Kohanim (priesthood) particularly caught my interest this week. This law made me question how services are run every single week. According to Shemini rabbis and priests are commanded to, "drink no wine or other intoxicant, you or your sons, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, that you may not die. This is a laws for all time throughout the ages, for you must distinguish between holy and profane, and between unclean and clean" (Lev. 10:9-10). Since when has a member of the clergy not been able to drink at a temple? Last time, I checked rabbis drank wine every week at Kiddush. They also drink 4 cups of wine at Passover and a glass usually goes with each festival day. I would say that wine would be exception if the commandment did not specify wine with other intoxicants. Another peculiar specification is how this law is particularly everlasting. We assume that all laws are binding for eternity. Why does this law include that it stands for all generations? If this law specifies that it is for all generations, why do we Jews break it every week?
Once I examined the law long enough, I found a couple of interpretations. Rabbis can always go with the loopal to the Kiddush factor. Grape juice is just as valid a Kiddush product as wines, but is not intoxicating. Most times, grape juice is used for the Bar or Bat Mitzvah at my synagogue anyways. What about Passover and other festivals? Maybe this law is a not a commandment regarding whether or not a rabbi can drink or not, but it restricts how much a rabbi can drink at temple. Rabbis can not be drunks. A drunk rabbi would justify why the law's reasoning is that "you may not die" (Lev. 10:9 ). One glass of wine would not kill a person. Also, one glass of wine does not make one profane or unclean.
Too many a people, alcoholism is a very sensitive subject. Like most life issues, rabbis must be there for the relatives of an alcoholic. The rabbi must be a listening ear and offer his or her advice. A superlative rabbi will give his or her congregants their full effort. Drinking to excess will inhibit a rabbi's ability. Rabbis must lead by example. If their congregants see them drinking, they drink. Perhaps the thought behind this was to eradicate alcoholism from the world. When the leaders would stop, maybe the people would stop.
From most stand points, drinking is nopt great. It may relax the mind, but it causes more harm than help. I do not think highly of drinking because I personally could not bear to lose my ability. Could I say I am going to not drink alcohol in my lifetime. No, I can not make that guarantee. Will I be careful? Yes. Will I drive? No. Remember that ancient Israelites lived in a world of drinking without driving. They still thought it was wrong. In ancient myths from all over the world (especially Greek), drinking was used a way of tricking people. Personally, I believe the world's alcohol habits are improving. Then again I said to a high schooler, "What are you going to do the first two years of college when you can not legally drink?" She said, "You really think people don't drink?"
Contrary to the focus of dietary laws in Shemini, a passage about being in the Kohanim (priesthood) particularly caught my interest this week. This law made me question how services are run every single week. According to Shemini rabbis and priests are commanded to, "drink no wine or other intoxicant, you or your sons, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, that you may not die. This is a laws for all time throughout the ages, for you must distinguish between holy and profane, and between unclean and clean" (Lev. 10:9-10). Since when has a member of the clergy not been able to drink at a temple? Last time, I checked rabbis drank wine every week at Kiddush. They also drink 4 cups of wine at Passover and a glass usually goes with each festival day. I would say that wine would be exception if the commandment did not specify wine with other intoxicants. Another peculiar specification is how this law is particularly everlasting. We assume that all laws are binding for eternity. Why does this law include that it stands for all generations? If this law specifies that it is for all generations, why do we Jews break it every week?
Once I examined the law long enough, I found a couple of interpretations. Rabbis can always go with the loopal to the Kiddush factor. Grape juice is just as valid a Kiddush product as wines, but is not intoxicating. Most times, grape juice is used for the Bar or Bat Mitzvah at my synagogue anyways. What about Passover and other festivals? Maybe this law is a not a commandment regarding whether or not a rabbi can drink or not, but it restricts how much a rabbi can drink at temple. Rabbis can not be drunks. A drunk rabbi would justify why the law's reasoning is that "you may not die" (Lev. 10:9 ). One glass of wine would not kill a person. Also, one glass of wine does not make one profane or unclean.
Too many a people, alcoholism is a very sensitive subject. Like most life issues, rabbis must be there for the relatives of an alcoholic. The rabbi must be a listening ear and offer his or her advice. A superlative rabbi will give his or her congregants their full effort. Drinking to excess will inhibit a rabbi's ability. Rabbis must lead by example. If their congregants see them drinking, they drink. Perhaps the thought behind this was to eradicate alcoholism from the world. When the leaders would stop, maybe the people would stop.
From most stand points, drinking is nopt great. It may relax the mind, but it causes more harm than help. I do not think highly of drinking because I personally could not bear to lose my ability. Could I say I am going to not drink alcohol in my lifetime. No, I can not make that guarantee. Will I be careful? Yes. Will I drive? No. Remember that ancient Israelites lived in a world of drinking without driving. They still thought it was wrong. In ancient myths from all over the world (especially Greek), drinking was used a way of tricking people. Personally, I believe the world's alcohol habits are improving. Then again I said to a high schooler, "What are you going to do the first two years of college when you can not legally drink?" She said, "You really think people don't drink?"
Friday, March 18, 2011
Dressing Up on Purim
It is almost time for one of the year most joyous Jewish holidays. Purim, which falls on the fourteenth of Adar (March 19-20 this year), is a holiday that celebrates how the Jews were relieved of persecution in ancient Persia. The story of Purim, the Megilla, revolves around four main characters, Esther is a beautiful Jewish women who lives with her cousin Mordechai. King Ahashverous is the arrogant king who seeks a new queen. After a beauty pageant, King A decides to marry Esther. He did not realize she was Jewish. Finally, Haman is a wicked man who would like all the Jews in the streets of Purim to bow down to him as he walks by. Unfortunately, all the Jews do. Only Mordechai stands up to Haman. Once Mordechai does this, Haman decides that he will hang all the Jews. As he catches word of this, Moderchai pleads Esther to save their people by talking to the king. Of course, in these days a woman never spoke up to her husband. She thought she would beheaded. Eventually, Esther has Haman and Ahashverous sit down for dinner. During the meal, Esther cries out to King Ahashverous, and he finds out everything. From that day forward, Esther would be known as the saviour of the Jewish people.
There are many traditions associated to this time of year. By law, there are four mitzvot we must do on Purim. The first of these is that we must celebrate Purim every year on the fourteenth of Adar. Haman planned to kill us on the thirteenth. Rabbis says that reading the Megillah is an easy way to observe this festival every year. Some temples even perform a Purim spiel (a play) after the Megillah is read. Secondly, we must enjoy Purim and feast as we celebrate it. Most Jews do find that Purim is one of their favorite holidays. After that, Jews are commanded to give gifts to their friends. These are called mishloach manot (sending of portions). Most of the time these baskets will have food, especially hamantashen. Hamantashen are delectable cookies shaped like Haman's triangular hat. Various fillings are put into the middle of the hamantashen. Fourth, giving to the poor is required of us on Purim. At my temple, we are raising tzedakah for the people of Japan as they get over the devastating earthquake. Purim is a holiday of giving. We believe that at such a joyous time in the year, everybody should have the ability be happy.
Obviously, Purim celebrates the triumph over Jewish persecution. Some people believe that such intolerance is no longer existent in the Jewish world. On the contrary, we see it all the time on a number of different levels. Just this week, I saw an event on Facebook. One of the attendee was a man whose profile picture was Adolf Hitler. His profession was killing Jews. Now, for as many people like that out there, there are many righteous people who believe in equality and religious tolerance. I just wanted to point out that there are still some who are just as ignorant as Haman. People have been through out the ages. The Holocaust is a very prominent, recent memory, but there were also the Romans who kicked us out of our homeland, the Crusades and Spanish Inquisition, and the Russian pogroms, just to name a few. Antisemitism will still live as long as there are people who will respect us as individuals and as a people.
Am I the only one who finds it ironic that Jews dress up on Purim? The Megillah is a story of being who we are, yet we pretend to be Esther, Mordechai, Ahashaverous, or Haman. We masquerade ourselves and camouflage into the temple on Adar 14. The tradition is to obviously celebrate these colorful characters. I just find it a little contradicting to go incognito and celebrate Jewish pride. It could go the other way
Perhaps, we Jews can dress up on Purim. Then, we could be ourselves every other day of the year. By ourselves, I mean be Jewish. Do not be afraid to wear your Bar Mitzvah shirt to school or bring matzvah for lunch on Pesach. Think of betoo. Every other day of the year, Jews do not universally dress up. For some reason, we feel in disguise though. Just yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. How many Jews do you know who feel conflicted to wear green on the Irish-Christian holiday? What should one do?ing Jewish as a priviledge, not an obstacle. Jewish pride is the easiest way to fight small scale intolerance. If we can handle the small hurtles early, the large ones will start fade too, In conclusion, a nice chag Purim to everybody. I hope that after Saturday, the costume comes off, and the real Jewish person underneath comes out.
There are many traditions associated to this time of year. By law, there are four mitzvot we must do on Purim. The first of these is that we must celebrate Purim every year on the fourteenth of Adar. Haman planned to kill us on the thirteenth. Rabbis says that reading the Megillah is an easy way to observe this festival every year. Some temples even perform a Purim spiel (a play) after the Megillah is read. Secondly, we must enjoy Purim and feast as we celebrate it. Most Jews do find that Purim is one of their favorite holidays. After that, Jews are commanded to give gifts to their friends. These are called mishloach manot (sending of portions). Most of the time these baskets will have food, especially hamantashen. Hamantashen are delectable cookies shaped like Haman's triangular hat. Various fillings are put into the middle of the hamantashen. Fourth, giving to the poor is required of us on Purim. At my temple, we are raising tzedakah for the people of Japan as they get over the devastating earthquake. Purim is a holiday of giving. We believe that at such a joyous time in the year, everybody should have the ability be happy.
Obviously, Purim celebrates the triumph over Jewish persecution. Some people believe that such intolerance is no longer existent in the Jewish world. On the contrary, we see it all the time on a number of different levels. Just this week, I saw an event on Facebook. One of the attendee was a man whose profile picture was Adolf Hitler. His profession was killing Jews. Now, for as many people like that out there, there are many righteous people who believe in equality and religious tolerance. I just wanted to point out that there are still some who are just as ignorant as Haman. People have been through out the ages. The Holocaust is a very prominent, recent memory, but there were also the Romans who kicked us out of our homeland, the Crusades and Spanish Inquisition, and the Russian pogroms, just to name a few. Antisemitism will still live as long as there are people who will respect us as individuals and as a people.
Am I the only one who finds it ironic that Jews dress up on Purim? The Megillah is a story of being who we are, yet we pretend to be Esther, Mordechai, Ahashaverous, or Haman. We masquerade ourselves and camouflage into the temple on Adar 14. The tradition is to obviously celebrate these colorful characters. I just find it a little contradicting to go incognito and celebrate Jewish pride. It could go the other way
Perhaps, we Jews can dress up on Purim. Then, we could be ourselves every other day of the year. By ourselves, I mean be Jewish. Do not be afraid to wear your Bar Mitzvah shirt to school or bring matzvah for lunch on Pesach. Think of betoo. Every other day of the year, Jews do not universally dress up. For some reason, we feel in disguise though. Just yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. How many Jews do you know who feel conflicted to wear green on the Irish-Christian holiday? What should one do?ing Jewish as a priviledge, not an obstacle. Jewish pride is the easiest way to fight small scale intolerance. If we can handle the small hurtles early, the large ones will start fade too, In conclusion, a nice chag Purim to everybody. I hope that after Saturday, the costume comes off, and the real Jewish person underneath comes out.
Friday, March 11, 2011
How to Read Leviticus?
Letviticus (Vayikra in Hebrew) is the third book in the Torah and probably the most ignored of the five. Why? Some people would call it "boring". They would say, "Leviticus is just laws. There are no stories." I find it insane to say that Leviticus can not compare to the other books of the Torah. Leviticus is perhaps the most important. This third book is the beginning of the Jewish ethics system. Jewish law does not stop with the Ten Commandments. In the Torah, there are 613 commandments, most of which are found Leviticus. As we start our exploration of Leviticus for this year, we must keep in mind some simple reading strategies for studying ancient law.
While reading Vayikra, there are a few questions that readers should ask themselves. First of all, reader should always ask: "Why is this law here?". Some Jews believe the Torah is entirely the word of God, but most liberal Jews believe that later authors wrote the Torah. Either way, the laws had to be carefully constructed for this book. Most laws look a little peculiar to us. A majority of the Torah's laws are about farming. Why? Israel was an agricultural society. Many laws are written in the Torah for those who cultivate the land. Other laws are in Leviticus as a basis for the Jewish moral code. It is obvious not to steal or kill, but Vayikra gets into every ethical detail.
Another question one has to ask is "How can I apply this law to my everyday life?" While most of us are no longer farmers, many of the laws intended for them still have meaning. For example, a farmer's guide to planting the land teaches us to have faith and discipline before God. The Kashrut (dietary laws) have the same intention. Studying law does not mean to pick and choose the "easy" laws, but to look at every practice and incorporate it in some shape or fashion into our modern world. When reading Leviticus these two questions will make everything a little simpler.
While reading Vayikra, there are a few questions that readers should ask themselves. First of all, reader should always ask: "Why is this law here?". Some Jews believe the Torah is entirely the word of God, but most liberal Jews believe that later authors wrote the Torah. Either way, the laws had to be carefully constructed for this book. Most laws look a little peculiar to us. A majority of the Torah's laws are about farming. Why? Israel was an agricultural society. Many laws are written in the Torah for those who cultivate the land. Other laws are in Leviticus as a basis for the Jewish moral code. It is obvious not to steal or kill, but Vayikra gets into every ethical detail.
Another question one has to ask is "How can I apply this law to my everyday life?" While most of us are no longer farmers, many of the laws intended for them still have meaning. For example, a farmer's guide to planting the land teaches us to have faith and discipline before God. The Kashrut (dietary laws) have the same intention. Studying law does not mean to pick and choose the "easy" laws, but to look at every practice and incorporate it in some shape or fashion into our modern world. When reading Leviticus these two questions will make everything a little simpler.
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Shakespeare Series: "Romeo and Juliet"
"Romeo and Juliet" is perhaps the most famous story in the world. Almost everyone knows the basic plot. "Romeo and Juliet" is a story of two star-crossed lovers living in the feuding town of Verona. In the first scene of the show, servants from the two families begin to argue. Eventually, this argument becomes an all out brawl. For centuries, the Montague's, whose only child is Romeo, and the Capulet's, whose only child is Juliet, have hated each other. The true essence of the show begins as Mercutio convinces Romeo, who is getting over his former love Rosaline, to sneak into the Capulet Ball. At this event, Romeo and Juliet first meet. They instantaneously fall in love. Tensions grow after the explosive Tybalt catches Romeo at the ball. On the very same night, they find out each other's identity with the rival family. Of course the next scene is perhaps the most famous scene in all of theater. Romeo sneaks away from his buddies as Juliet cries out in repulsion what makes Romeo, a Montague, anything so terrible. Suddenly, Romeo can not bear just to listen, and they begin to plan their marriage. Just as their world seems perfect, another clash breaks out in Verona Square. Mercutio taunts valiant Tybalt until he can not stand it any longer. Romeo tries to stop the rumble, but he only makes things worse. He actually causes Tybalt to murder the witty Mercutio. In the very same scene, Romeo is caught up with rage and slaughters Tybalt. All anarchy breaks loose, and that is just one half of this show!
After that, Romeo is sentenced by the prince to banishment in Mantua. As "brilliant" as the Capulet's are, they plan a wedding for their daughter. Without Romeo around her, Juliet is doomed to marry the nobleman Paris. She seeks Friar Lawrence's help at the church. The friar gives Juliet a poison that will keep her unconscious enough to be buried in the tomb. She will eventually awake and be able to leave Verona and all its troubles. Everything goes according to plan until Romeo catches untimely word of Juliet's death. He comes back to see her, but alas she is gone. In shock, he drinks a poison and kills himself to be with her. Just as he does that, Juliet awakes. Seeing the deceased Romeo, she stabs herself. The pair of suicides shocks both families. Since the tale ends there, only Shakespeare knows the fate of Verona.
Many characters in "Romeo and Juliet" have dual personalities. For instance, Romeo begins the play displaying a very gentle disposition. He is just getting over his breakup with Rosaline. Even as he meets Juliet, Romeo seems tranquil. Forgetting Rosaline instantly, love overcomes him. Later, Romeo snaps like a twig. Like any other youth, Romeo is lost with his emotions. He feels vengeful, but loving. He is depressed, yet joyous. In the tomb, Romeo proves that he would do anything for his love Juliet. Shakespeare's title character has a spirit that touches the human soul.
While Romeo is played as a gentle yet vicious character, Juliet is written quite differently. Juliet is more of a powerful woman stuck in the wrong time. Shakespeare does not write weak female roles. Just as Lady Macbeth had a resonant role in the play, Juliet has a brain and a voice. She had the bravery to stand up to her father, one of noblest men in Verona. Unlike the Scottish king's wife, Juliet is powerless in her world. She feels no other choice but to fake her death. She is only gentle when she is with or thinking about her beloved Romeo. Although we can credit Juliet for being powerful, she also creates her own downfall. Juliet is the one that has them marry each other.
Of all these glorious characters, Mercutio is probably my personal favorite. Mercutio is one of two comedic roles in this play that distract a reader from the true tragedy of the story. He is Romeo's comical best friend. Throughout the first two and a half acts, Mercutio teases Romeo about Rosaline. He calls him a "madman" and a "lover". Even during his last scene, Mercutio makes a mockery of the hot-tempered Tybalt. Mercutio is a joker so much to the extent that those around him think he is not really dead. They laugh and laugh until his bloody hand comes up. Mercutio is no fool. He is just one casualty that Verona has in this fight between two families.
On the Capulet side, I would have to say that I like the nurse the most. She is more of a mother to Juliet than Juliet's actual mother. She tells jokes and just has this way about her that makes her seem likable. Perhaps, her long monologue about how she raised Juliet makes us chuckle. She brings light to the show. Unlike Mercutio, she does not die. Instead, she quickly changes personalities. Towards the end of the show, she can not even be on Juliet's side. The nurse betrays Juliet and later regrets it.
Since I acted in this show and am currently in production of "West Side Story", two characters are very near and dear to my heart. The first of which would be Paris. The county Paris is the man that the Capulet family intends for Juliet to marry. He reaches his most poignant point in the tomb when he confronts Romeo in a battle to the death. Honestly, Paris is a tough part to play. He is not as explosive as Romeo and Mercutio. With all things considered, I would not call him boring. Paris is very much the typical comical suitor that I have played before. On the other hand, he has his entire life turned upside when Juliet fakes her death. He is sent in deep shock. As I learned quickly, only a talented actor can play devastation well.
Playing Bernardo has also placed Tybalt in a special place in my heart. Bernardo is Tybalt's "West Side Story" parallel. Mercutio and Tybalt are almost complete opposites. While Mercutio impresses his companions with his wit and humor, Tybalt shows how poise and prominent a man he is. He does the most fighting of anyone in the show. Tybalt defeats Mercutio, has a small battle in the beginning scene, and loses to Romeo. Of course, Tybalt could also be responsible for causing the problem in this show. This rival to all Montague's sees Romeo at the Capulet Ball. Tybalt is also the one who gets Romeo banished (although he may have not totally have intended to die). With all the evidence spelled out in black and white, it seems like Tybalt may be the one behind this tragedy.
How can I even begin to criticize "Romeo and Juliet"? It themes are as timeless as time itself. Until the world is rid of disunity, this show's will still resonate into every human soul. Shakespeare pretty much shouts how terrible hatred can be. Back in November, I mentioned how there is a Jewish version of this play between an Israeli Romeo an a Palestinian Juliet. Shakespeare could only hope that his play could stop the violence of the world. In all the drama of "Capulet vs Montague", we also see how powerful love is. Clearly, Romeo and Juliet are inseparable. In the balcony scene and even at the ball, we see a side of Shakespeare that touches every human's feeling of love. His poetry in this play compare to his sonnets, which are just beautiful. These star-crossed lovers are so inseparable that they bring another concept to our attention. Death is a powerful matter. Montague and Capulet alike do not realize how meek their brawls were until they see their only children lying helplessly in the tomb. This is just what you can get from reading the show!
As an actor, "Romeo and Juliet" has a range of characters and even emotions that those characters have to portray. From the explosive, romantic Romeo to the cheerful, backstabbing Nurse, some characters travel up and down the emotional spectrum. A show with such momentum is challenging, yet so rewarding. Whether it is reading or acting, I would recommended this show to any beginner wanting to dive into Shakespeare world. Like I stated earlier, this is probably the most famous plot ever written. That basic understanding will help a reader deal with the "difficult" language Shakespeare puts in this play."I understand what is going on, but I may not understand every single word" said one parent the week of our production.
To conclude, we just have to discuss the many modern settings of this tragedy. The most famous of these would definitely be "West Side Story". Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein are ingenious for setting this drama to song and dance in 1960's New York! One of my favorite parts of performing "Romeo and Juliet" was figuring out who everybody's "West Side" parallels were. Another production I would recommend is Baz Lehrman's 1996 "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet". Lerhman creates an amazing epic using almost the exact Elizabeth vocabulary in violence-ridden Verona Beach, a fictional suburb of Los Angeles. Every aspect of the movie will blow your mind. Finally, "Gnomeo and Juliet" is probably the most recent of these modern endeavors. Although I laughed at the concept at first (and during the movie), I appreciated Elton John's attempt to bring a classic to a younger audience. I would not endorse that anybody use "Gnomeo" as their basis of knowledge for this play, but it is helpful. Thus ends this review "of Juliet and her Romeo" (V.iii.310).
Cited Sources
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Ed. John Crowther. New York: Spark, 2003. Print.
After that, Romeo is sentenced by the prince to banishment in Mantua. As "brilliant" as the Capulet's are, they plan a wedding for their daughter. Without Romeo around her, Juliet is doomed to marry the nobleman Paris. She seeks Friar Lawrence's help at the church. The friar gives Juliet a poison that will keep her unconscious enough to be buried in the tomb. She will eventually awake and be able to leave Verona and all its troubles. Everything goes according to plan until Romeo catches untimely word of Juliet's death. He comes back to see her, but alas she is gone. In shock, he drinks a poison and kills himself to be with her. Just as he does that, Juliet awakes. Seeing the deceased Romeo, she stabs herself. The pair of suicides shocks both families. Since the tale ends there, only Shakespeare knows the fate of Verona.
Many characters in "Romeo and Juliet" have dual personalities. For instance, Romeo begins the play displaying a very gentle disposition. He is just getting over his breakup with Rosaline. Even as he meets Juliet, Romeo seems tranquil. Forgetting Rosaline instantly, love overcomes him. Later, Romeo snaps like a twig. Like any other youth, Romeo is lost with his emotions. He feels vengeful, but loving. He is depressed, yet joyous. In the tomb, Romeo proves that he would do anything for his love Juliet. Shakespeare's title character has a spirit that touches the human soul.
While Romeo is played as a gentle yet vicious character, Juliet is written quite differently. Juliet is more of a powerful woman stuck in the wrong time. Shakespeare does not write weak female roles. Just as Lady Macbeth had a resonant role in the play, Juliet has a brain and a voice. She had the bravery to stand up to her father, one of noblest men in Verona. Unlike the Scottish king's wife, Juliet is powerless in her world. She feels no other choice but to fake her death. She is only gentle when she is with or thinking about her beloved Romeo. Although we can credit Juliet for being powerful, she also creates her own downfall. Juliet is the one that has them marry each other.
Of all these glorious characters, Mercutio is probably my personal favorite. Mercutio is one of two comedic roles in this play that distract a reader from the true tragedy of the story. He is Romeo's comical best friend. Throughout the first two and a half acts, Mercutio teases Romeo about Rosaline. He calls him a "madman" and a "lover". Even during his last scene, Mercutio makes a mockery of the hot-tempered Tybalt. Mercutio is a joker so much to the extent that those around him think he is not really dead. They laugh and laugh until his bloody hand comes up. Mercutio is no fool. He is just one casualty that Verona has in this fight between two families.
On the Capulet side, I would have to say that I like the nurse the most. She is more of a mother to Juliet than Juliet's actual mother. She tells jokes and just has this way about her that makes her seem likable. Perhaps, her long monologue about how she raised Juliet makes us chuckle. She brings light to the show. Unlike Mercutio, she does not die. Instead, she quickly changes personalities. Towards the end of the show, she can not even be on Juliet's side. The nurse betrays Juliet and later regrets it.
Since I acted in this show and am currently in production of "West Side Story", two characters are very near and dear to my heart. The first of which would be Paris. The county Paris is the man that the Capulet family intends for Juliet to marry. He reaches his most poignant point in the tomb when he confronts Romeo in a battle to the death. Honestly, Paris is a tough part to play. He is not as explosive as Romeo and Mercutio. With all things considered, I would not call him boring. Paris is very much the typical comical suitor that I have played before. On the other hand, he has his entire life turned upside when Juliet fakes her death. He is sent in deep shock. As I learned quickly, only a talented actor can play devastation well.
Playing Bernardo has also placed Tybalt in a special place in my heart. Bernardo is Tybalt's "West Side Story" parallel. Mercutio and Tybalt are almost complete opposites. While Mercutio impresses his companions with his wit and humor, Tybalt shows how poise and prominent a man he is. He does the most fighting of anyone in the show. Tybalt defeats Mercutio, has a small battle in the beginning scene, and loses to Romeo. Of course, Tybalt could also be responsible for causing the problem in this show. This rival to all Montague's sees Romeo at the Capulet Ball. Tybalt is also the one who gets Romeo banished (although he may have not totally have intended to die). With all the evidence spelled out in black and white, it seems like Tybalt may be the one behind this tragedy.
How can I even begin to criticize "Romeo and Juliet"? It themes are as timeless as time itself. Until the world is rid of disunity, this show's will still resonate into every human soul. Shakespeare pretty much shouts how terrible hatred can be. Back in November, I mentioned how there is a Jewish version of this play between an Israeli Romeo an a Palestinian Juliet. Shakespeare could only hope that his play could stop the violence of the world. In all the drama of "Capulet vs Montague", we also see how powerful love is. Clearly, Romeo and Juliet are inseparable. In the balcony scene and even at the ball, we see a side of Shakespeare that touches every human's feeling of love. His poetry in this play compare to his sonnets, which are just beautiful. These star-crossed lovers are so inseparable that they bring another concept to our attention. Death is a powerful matter. Montague and Capulet alike do not realize how meek their brawls were until they see their only children lying helplessly in the tomb. This is just what you can get from reading the show!
As an actor, "Romeo and Juliet" has a range of characters and even emotions that those characters have to portray. From the explosive, romantic Romeo to the cheerful, backstabbing Nurse, some characters travel up and down the emotional spectrum. A show with such momentum is challenging, yet so rewarding. Whether it is reading or acting, I would recommended this show to any beginner wanting to dive into Shakespeare world. Like I stated earlier, this is probably the most famous plot ever written. That basic understanding will help a reader deal with the "difficult" language Shakespeare puts in this play."I understand what is going on, but I may not understand every single word" said one parent the week of our production.
To conclude, we just have to discuss the many modern settings of this tragedy. The most famous of these would definitely be "West Side Story". Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein are ingenious for setting this drama to song and dance in 1960's New York! One of my favorite parts of performing "Romeo and Juliet" was figuring out who everybody's "West Side" parallels were. Another production I would recommend is Baz Lehrman's 1996 "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet". Lerhman creates an amazing epic using almost the exact Elizabeth vocabulary in violence-ridden Verona Beach, a fictional suburb of Los Angeles. Every aspect of the movie will blow your mind. Finally, "Gnomeo and Juliet" is probably the most recent of these modern endeavors. Although I laughed at the concept at first (and during the movie), I appreciated Elton John's attempt to bring a classic to a younger audience. I would not endorse that anybody use "Gnomeo" as their basis of knowledge for this play, but it is helpful. Thus ends this review "of Juliet and her Romeo" (V.iii.310).
Cited Sources
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Ed. John Crowther. New York: Spark, 2003. Print.
Friday, February 25, 2011
What is life's meaning?
Once again, we read another portion on how the Tabernacle was designed and built. A few weeks ago we learned about the design God intends to be built. Over this Shabbat, the Israelites actually construct their tent for worship. It is quite a contrast to last week's shock following the golden calf incident. While building the Tabernacle, the twelve tribes worked together to create something beautiful. People use their particular skills to contribute to the finished product. No one person thought about themselves upon building the Tabernacle. They were all just working together to do God's work on Earth.
When we talk about the meaning of Judaism, we think about it as an "on Earth" religion. Unlike Christianity, Jews do not have a sure belief in the afterlife. We agree to disagree about life after death. Jews believe that God put us on Earth to enhance the creation that is already there. Much like in the parshat, we are supposedly working together to make the world a better place. In this week's portion (Vayakhel), we are literally building something to encompass God on Earth. Nowadays, we follow the 613 mitzvot in the Torah to help perfect God's initial ideas. Instead of letting life go by until a fate in heaven or hell, Jews embrace life on Earth. We try to have the best experiences we can before moving on to the afterlife.
Over the course of my fourteen years, I believe I have somewhat found one of the meanings of life. In my lifetime, I intend to fix the world through charity and kindness while maintaining my own happiness and stability. I am willing to bring people into my life who can help me achieve this goal. Just like the Israelites, I want to use my skills to create something great. By stability, I mean that I intend to put out enough food, water, and shelter for my family and myself. Money has no say in my meaning of life. Hopefully, the world can continue to work towards a better creation. I know that we can establish a wonderful, new domain.
When we talk about the meaning of Judaism, we think about it as an "on Earth" religion. Unlike Christianity, Jews do not have a sure belief in the afterlife. We agree to disagree about life after death. Jews believe that God put us on Earth to enhance the creation that is already there. Much like in the parshat, we are supposedly working together to make the world a better place. In this week's portion (Vayakhel), we are literally building something to encompass God on Earth. Nowadays, we follow the 613 mitzvot in the Torah to help perfect God's initial ideas. Instead of letting life go by until a fate in heaven or hell, Jews embrace life on Earth. We try to have the best experiences we can before moving on to the afterlife.
Over the course of my fourteen years, I believe I have somewhat found one of the meanings of life. In my lifetime, I intend to fix the world through charity and kindness while maintaining my own happiness and stability. I am willing to bring people into my life who can help me achieve this goal. Just like the Israelites, I want to use my skills to create something great. By stability, I mean that I intend to put out enough food, water, and shelter for my family and myself. Money has no say in my meaning of life. Hopefully, the world can continue to work towards a better creation. I know that we can establish a wonderful, new domain.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Shakespeare Series: "Macbeth"
Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is certainly one of his most famous shows and one of the most tragic play ever written. "Macbeth" tells the story of a Scottish man corrupted by power. At the top of show, three witches tell us a battle is occurring. Macbeth, the thane of Glamis, wins the battle bringing honor to his name. King Duncan who rules over Scotland awards him with the title of thane of Cawdor. While his best friend Banquo and him wonder after their victory, they run into three witches. These witches tell the thane and his right hand man prophetic tales. The witches declare "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis. All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor. All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter! (I.iii.14). The coven also predicts that Macbeth will be king, yet Banquo's descendants will follow after that. Macbeth considers what the witches have to say, but then moves on. Suddenly, Macbeth is informed that King Duncan will be staying in his new castle. At this point, he tells Lady Macbeth about the witches. She is the one who convinces her husband to commit the murder. Everything goes to plan. As the king slumbers, the couple murders Duncan, but they frame two servants. In the shock of the murder, Duncan's heirs, Donalbain and Malcom run away. Their departure makes Macbeth next in line for the throne. Macbeth is overcome by evil as he rules Scotland like a tyrant.
Macbeth is quite an interesting character. Shakespeare is very clever in crafting a protagonist who actually becomes an antagonist. While reading the play, I could not help but notice that Macbeth is the predecessor to the modern day villain. Much like Darth Vader, Macbeth is not a bad man. Evil merely overcomes him. All him and his lady want is power. "Macbeth" makes us wonder if this an accurate telling of Scottish politics in Shakespeare's day. Like most villains, there is a part of Macbeth that makes us not want to see him fail. We catch ourselves wanting to cheer for him. On the contrary, we want to see good dominate over tyranny.
Lady Macbeth is the actual villain. Without his lady, Macbeth would have remained a thane. Until she devises a plan, the witches' prophecy is regarded as rubbish. Rarely do we see a woman as evil as this Scottish queen. In a strange way, Shakespeare shows that women are just as powerful as men. In Elizabethan times, this was not as common a thought as in our world. Lady Macbeth is strong. In all Macbeth's rage, she does not illustrate a wink of fear.
Of all the amazingly written characters in this show, I enjoyed the three witches most of all. Usually, the great playwright throws us down with drama, but lifts us up with comic relief. In this show, he does not write in one comedic character. Some would perceive the witches as humorous. They are not intended to be this way. Although they speak in rhyme, these are not creatures to be messed with. These three sorceresses open the show with a very sinister French scene. They set the tone and eventually ruin Macbeth's life. There is something about these three that makes them sinister, yet likable. I could read about them preparing a poison for the Scottish king and still enjoy what they were saying. The witches' speak with a rhythm that gives them vigor. Their spells and speeches makes us ponder how much the witches' actually know. Are they or are they not omniscient?
Obviously, "Macbeth" is still relevant in today's world. Betrayal and treason occur on a number of scales. As a middle schooler, I can attest to the fact that disloyalty is not extinct. I would recommend "Macbeth" for anyone who can handle a sad story. Shakespeare does not write fairy tales. "Macbeth" has a plot that keeps getting exponentially tragic. My only criticism of this masterpiece would be that Shakespeare ended it too quickly. He leaves us at a point where we want to know more of the story. Perhaps, this is his genius at work. In addition to a relevant plot, thespians everywhere are superstitious of the word "Macbeth". Most believe that the name is a curse on the theater unless you are criticizing or in production of the play. "Macbeth" is also believed to have had an influence on "The Lion King". A lot of fans of the movie will say that the plot is more like that of "Hamlet". "Macbeth" is merely "The Lion King" written from Scar's point of view. For this dark look on the play, I loved it. "Macbeth" was definitely a great choice to get my Shakespeare endeavor for the year started off.
Cited Source
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. John Crowther. New York: Spark, 2003. Print.
Macbeth is quite an interesting character. Shakespeare is very clever in crafting a protagonist who actually becomes an antagonist. While reading the play, I could not help but notice that Macbeth is the predecessor to the modern day villain. Much like Darth Vader, Macbeth is not a bad man. Evil merely overcomes him. All him and his lady want is power. "Macbeth" makes us wonder if this an accurate telling of Scottish politics in Shakespeare's day. Like most villains, there is a part of Macbeth that makes us not want to see him fail. We catch ourselves wanting to cheer for him. On the contrary, we want to see good dominate over tyranny.
Lady Macbeth is the actual villain. Without his lady, Macbeth would have remained a thane. Until she devises a plan, the witches' prophecy is regarded as rubbish. Rarely do we see a woman as evil as this Scottish queen. In a strange way, Shakespeare shows that women are just as powerful as men. In Elizabethan times, this was not as common a thought as in our world. Lady Macbeth is strong. In all Macbeth's rage, she does not illustrate a wink of fear.
Of all the amazingly written characters in this show, I enjoyed the three witches most of all. Usually, the great playwright throws us down with drama, but lifts us up with comic relief. In this show, he does not write in one comedic character. Some would perceive the witches as humorous. They are not intended to be this way. Although they speak in rhyme, these are not creatures to be messed with. These three sorceresses open the show with a very sinister French scene. They set the tone and eventually ruin Macbeth's life. There is something about these three that makes them sinister, yet likable. I could read about them preparing a poison for the Scottish king and still enjoy what they were saying. The witches' speak with a rhythm that gives them vigor. Their spells and speeches makes us ponder how much the witches' actually know. Are they or are they not omniscient?
Obviously, "Macbeth" is still relevant in today's world. Betrayal and treason occur on a number of scales. As a middle schooler, I can attest to the fact that disloyalty is not extinct. I would recommend "Macbeth" for anyone who can handle a sad story. Shakespeare does not write fairy tales. "Macbeth" has a plot that keeps getting exponentially tragic. My only criticism of this masterpiece would be that Shakespeare ended it too quickly. He leaves us at a point where we want to know more of the story. Perhaps, this is his genius at work. In addition to a relevant plot, thespians everywhere are superstitious of the word "Macbeth". Most believe that the name is a curse on the theater unless you are criticizing or in production of the play. "Macbeth" is also believed to have had an influence on "The Lion King". A lot of fans of the movie will say that the plot is more like that of "Hamlet". "Macbeth" is merely "The Lion King" written from Scar's point of view. For this dark look on the play, I loved it. "Macbeth" was definitely a great choice to get my Shakespeare endeavor for the year started off.
Cited Source
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. John Crowther. New York: Spark, 2003. Print.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Shakespeare Series: Introduction
In November, I wrote how Shakespeare influenced and connected with the Jewish world. Now, I seek to look at Shakespeare and his plays on a broader spectrum. I want to see how he has influenced human society. It is obviously that the playwright had a resonant impact on humans. Otherwise, his plays would not have survived so well over 400 years. My goal is to analyse his best works. Over the course of 2011, I plan to read and review 12 Shakespeare plays.
Why read Shakespeare? First of all, the man writes plots that can connect almost every human soul. People seem to have a stereotype that William wrote complicated plays that no modern person can even understand. In the renaissance, Shakespeare wrote plays to be performed in England's globe theater. Everyone in Renaissance England would attend his plays. Queen Elizabeth I had her own box, but the merest peasants could also sit and enjoy a good show. That means Shakespeare had to appeal to anyone in England. Also, Shakespeare makes comprehension easier. As I played the part of Paris in "Romeo and Juliet", I was reading "Call of the Wild" in English class. Understanding London's tale was made much easier by Shakespeare. Finally, just like math, Shakespeare makes us think. From a comedy such as "Taming of the Shrew" to a tragedy like "Macbeth", Shakespeare creates character with a lot of depth. He throws us into a story many times with no to little exposition. Just as one can look at the Bible and find a meaning no one else has, Shakespeare has the same power. Every word in every play matters for Shakespeare. As long as there is trechary, love, betrayal, and/or disunity, Shakespeare will stand the test of time.
As I said, people believe Shakespeare's plays are too complex to read. For beginners, I would recommend using the "No Fear Shakespeare" series by Sparks Notes. The books have Shakespeare's original text side by side with a modern text that makes sense to us. The modern text destroys Shakespeare's poetry, so I recommended reading the original. Usually, I will read the original and refer to the modern if the line does not completely make sense. Another trick to reading Shakespeare is for us to picture a stage in our heads. Shakespeare wrote plays, not books. Remember this and the characters will really come to life. Doing this helps the brain grasp the emotion it would on stage. A final tactic I will give to studying Shakespeare, is to act in or see a play of his. At first, you may get confused. I was certainly struggling during call backs for "Romeo and Juliet". Eventually, we adjust to Shakespeare's way of speaking. It has a rhythm and beat. Once we get going, Shakespeare only gets easier to comprehend.
Literature can certainly thank Shakespeare. Before William wrote, there were stories. Frankly, most stories were myths or legends. These plays had dynamic characters. Gods and goddesses were no longer needed to make a story interesting. Also, Shakespeare has very defined characters. Villains in Shakespeare are evil and heroes are good. Shakespeare seems to combine the mythology of the past with his new literature style most novels use today. In this series, I am looking forward to see how funny Shakespeare's comedies are. Will I find them funny? Are they outdated? His jokes may have gotten old, but we say that the way Shakespeare writes a story is just like new.
Lastly, Shakespeare influences the world. We quote Shakespeare often and we all see that his plays are constantly being adapted. Just last night I saw "The King's Speech" (great movie), and Shakespeare references were all over the place! In addition, Shakespeare can ease our pain. His plays exemplify aspects of life that are too emotional for us to have a full grip on. I know that any human can love or hate. Imagine that anyone from the queen to a beggar could relate to Shakespeare's writing in his time. It should be an interesting year and I can not wait to get started!
Why read Shakespeare? First of all, the man writes plots that can connect almost every human soul. People seem to have a stereotype that William wrote complicated plays that no modern person can even understand. In the renaissance, Shakespeare wrote plays to be performed in England's globe theater. Everyone in Renaissance England would attend his plays. Queen Elizabeth I had her own box, but the merest peasants could also sit and enjoy a good show. That means Shakespeare had to appeal to anyone in England. Also, Shakespeare makes comprehension easier. As I played the part of Paris in "Romeo and Juliet", I was reading "Call of the Wild" in English class. Understanding London's tale was made much easier by Shakespeare. Finally, just like math, Shakespeare makes us think. From a comedy such as "Taming of the Shrew" to a tragedy like "Macbeth", Shakespeare creates character with a lot of depth. He throws us into a story many times with no to little exposition. Just as one can look at the Bible and find a meaning no one else has, Shakespeare has the same power. Every word in every play matters for Shakespeare. As long as there is trechary, love, betrayal, and/or disunity, Shakespeare will stand the test of time.
As I said, people believe Shakespeare's plays are too complex to read. For beginners, I would recommend using the "No Fear Shakespeare" series by Sparks Notes. The books have Shakespeare's original text side by side with a modern text that makes sense to us. The modern text destroys Shakespeare's poetry, so I recommended reading the original. Usually, I will read the original and refer to the modern if the line does not completely make sense. Another trick to reading Shakespeare is for us to picture a stage in our heads. Shakespeare wrote plays, not books. Remember this and the characters will really come to life. Doing this helps the brain grasp the emotion it would on stage. A final tactic I will give to studying Shakespeare, is to act in or see a play of his. At first, you may get confused. I was certainly struggling during call backs for "Romeo and Juliet". Eventually, we adjust to Shakespeare's way of speaking. It has a rhythm and beat. Once we get going, Shakespeare only gets easier to comprehend.
Literature can certainly thank Shakespeare. Before William wrote, there were stories. Frankly, most stories were myths or legends. These plays had dynamic characters. Gods and goddesses were no longer needed to make a story interesting. Also, Shakespeare has very defined characters. Villains in Shakespeare are evil and heroes are good. Shakespeare seems to combine the mythology of the past with his new literature style most novels use today. In this series, I am looking forward to see how funny Shakespeare's comedies are. Will I find them funny? Are they outdated? His jokes may have gotten old, but we say that the way Shakespeare writes a story is just like new.
Lastly, Shakespeare influences the world. We quote Shakespeare often and we all see that his plays are constantly being adapted. Just last night I saw "The King's Speech" (great movie), and Shakespeare references were all over the place! In addition, Shakespeare can ease our pain. His plays exemplify aspects of life that are too emotional for us to have a full grip on. I know that any human can love or hate. Imagine that anyone from the queen to a beggar could relate to Shakespeare's writing in his time. It should be an interesting year and I can not wait to get started!
Friday, February 18, 2011
How can we react to betrayal?
Ki Tisa contains one of the Torah's most memorable scenes. It all begins on Mount Sinai. Moses receives a few more commandments before returning to the Israelites. Just as Israelite society is beginning to take shape, the Israelites screw it up. After 49 days, they assume that Moses has vanished and will not be returning to Sinai. The people of Israel turn to Aaron for guidance. Aaron tells them to collect their jewels. All the jewels were melted into a golden calf. Moses arrives to the scene just as the Hebrews begin to bow down to the statue. After receiving God's most important laws, one of which is not to worship idols, Moses is sent into rage. He smashes the Ten Commandments onto the mountain. Since the Tablets are destroyed, Moses must go back up to the mountain. Once again, Moses receives the laws from God. How do we deal with betrayal? God and Moses demonstrate three, distinct responses.
First, God doubts the capability of the Hebrews and their descendants. When someone has betrayed us, we feel like they have been a fraud all along. We feel worthless to them and the world. In Ki Tissa, God takes Moses aside. Adonai shares with Moses of a possibility to abandon Israel. Just as most of us would, God feels hurt. The Israelites broke a promise. With a little convincing, Moses get God back on the band wagon. People visit the sick when they feel their bodies have deceived them. A successful hospital visit can lift up the fallen. It can make such a difference. If somebody is hurt, the greatest thing we can do is give them support. We need to remind them that they are a person with decent morals.
Second, God and Moses erupt at the people. Duplicity can lead people to become very explosive. We are overcome by emotions. Almost all of us have been in a place where rage can just pour out of our bodies. Our omnipotent God can control this rage, but Moses struggle to stay in control. Instead, Moses smashes the tablets against the mountains. Acrimony causes Moses to lose his right of passage into the Promised Land. Killing a man back in Egypt and this incident inhibit Moses' overall decency. Unfortunately, our moments of most enmity can define our character. Deception can cause fury, but we can not let it get the best of us.
Third, God forgives the people. God knows that treason is part of human nature. Of course, the Israelites remain on thin ice after this point in the Torah. Luckily, God is forgiving. God realizes that people make mistakes. If we did not make mistakes, we would be more than human. Most of us fear God's wrath. I feel that God is more gentle than not. God proves that we will not be abandoned by the Lord. God can forgive us for breaking one of Judaism core principals. Why is it that we are incredibly stingy in forgiving those who forsaken us? Enough of us can become gloomy or frantic, yet our gracious spirit becomes lost when betrayal strikes.
When your golden calf moment comes, remember God and Moses. Remember how God wanted to abandon the people, but did not. Remember how control God's rage was. Remember that Moses was never allowed to enter Israel because of his uproar. Finally, remember that God eventually did forgive us. Which one is best? I guess that is up to us to decide.
First, God doubts the capability of the Hebrews and their descendants. When someone has betrayed us, we feel like they have been a fraud all along. We feel worthless to them and the world. In Ki Tissa, God takes Moses aside. Adonai shares with Moses of a possibility to abandon Israel. Just as most of us would, God feels hurt. The Israelites broke a promise. With a little convincing, Moses get God back on the band wagon. People visit the sick when they feel their bodies have deceived them. A successful hospital visit can lift up the fallen. It can make such a difference. If somebody is hurt, the greatest thing we can do is give them support. We need to remind them that they are a person with decent morals.
Second, God and Moses erupt at the people. Duplicity can lead people to become very explosive. We are overcome by emotions. Almost all of us have been in a place where rage can just pour out of our bodies. Our omnipotent God can control this rage, but Moses struggle to stay in control. Instead, Moses smashes the tablets against the mountains. Acrimony causes Moses to lose his right of passage into the Promised Land. Killing a man back in Egypt and this incident inhibit Moses' overall decency. Unfortunately, our moments of most enmity can define our character. Deception can cause fury, but we can not let it get the best of us.
Third, God forgives the people. God knows that treason is part of human nature. Of course, the Israelites remain on thin ice after this point in the Torah. Luckily, God is forgiving. God realizes that people make mistakes. If we did not make mistakes, we would be more than human. Most of us fear God's wrath. I feel that God is more gentle than not. God proves that we will not be abandoned by the Lord. God can forgive us for breaking one of Judaism core principals. Why is it that we are incredibly stingy in forgiving those who forsaken us? Enough of us can become gloomy or frantic, yet our gracious spirit becomes lost when betrayal strikes.
When your golden calf moment comes, remember God and Moses. Remember how God wanted to abandon the people, but did not. Remember how control God's rage was. Remember that Moses was never allowed to enter Israel because of his uproar. Finally, remember that God eventually did forgive us. Which one is best? I guess that is up to us to decide.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
What does it take to be Kohanim?
After last week's detailed instruction of constructing the Tabernacle, Parshat Tetzaveh tells how God speaks to Moses about how the Israelites will use the Tabernacle to help them on their way to the Promised land. God proclaims that Aaron and his sons will be the priestly leaders of the caravan. They will be known as the Kohanim. Did you know Jews consider people with the last name Kohen/Cohen to be destined for leadership for this very reason? The Kohanim get their first instructions of leading worship. They learn how to dress like leaders, speak like leaders, and carry out laws like leaders. With the Tabernacle's furnishing and leadership taking shape, the question of returning to Egypt seems to be fading faster in this parshat.
Why have Kohanim? Aaron and his sons had to be speakers for Moses. Midrash says that Moses had a lisp. God would speak through Moses, who would tell Aaron. Then, the Kohanim announced the message or commandment to the people. Also, the Kohanim would lead any religious duties in the desert. If somebody became ritually unclean, the Kohanim could tell them how to atone properly. Specifically, God tells the Kohanim how to perform ritual sacrifice. In Biblical times, the Kohanim were the only religious leaders of their day. Over the course of the ages, Jews needed local leaders and scholars which became the modern day rabbi.
Do the Kohanim have the making of strong Jewish leaders? A Jewish leader needs to be able to think and think quick on their feet.If Israel is in crisis, the leader would need to be able to communicate it in an appropriate way to the people within hours of the event. Also, the superior must have a way with words to communicate with his or her subordinates. For most Jewish leaders, this includes a decent understanding of the Hebrew language. Finally, a Jewish leader must show empathy and compassion. A cold power will destroy even a thriving Jewish community. Let us see; the ability to think, communicate, and care. Sounds like Jewish and secular leaders share some similar attributes.
All this talk about leaders got me thinking this week. If there are leaders in the world, do there need to be followers? My parents are always saying, "Be a leader, not a follower." I believe that all parents desire their child to be the same way. If everyone is a leader, there would not be anybody to follow them. Perhaps, all those parents want us to be leader in our forte. I could lead a seder, but when it comes to music I will leave that to my band teachers. We can all be leaders at certain times. As long as we are not always a passenger, we can occasionally hang around for the ride. It goes back to what a leader needs to have. In any situation, the leaders need to think about the consequences or rewards of their actions. Aaron and his sons got us to Israel, they must have done something right!
Why have Kohanim? Aaron and his sons had to be speakers for Moses. Midrash says that Moses had a lisp. God would speak through Moses, who would tell Aaron. Then, the Kohanim announced the message or commandment to the people. Also, the Kohanim would lead any religious duties in the desert. If somebody became ritually unclean, the Kohanim could tell them how to atone properly. Specifically, God tells the Kohanim how to perform ritual sacrifice. In Biblical times, the Kohanim were the only religious leaders of their day. Over the course of the ages, Jews needed local leaders and scholars which became the modern day rabbi.
Do the Kohanim have the making of strong Jewish leaders? A Jewish leader needs to be able to think and think quick on their feet.If Israel is in crisis, the leader would need to be able to communicate it in an appropriate way to the people within hours of the event. Also, the superior must have a way with words to communicate with his or her subordinates. For most Jewish leaders, this includes a decent understanding of the Hebrew language. Finally, a Jewish leader must show empathy and compassion. A cold power will destroy even a thriving Jewish community. Let us see; the ability to think, communicate, and care. Sounds like Jewish and secular leaders share some similar attributes.
All this talk about leaders got me thinking this week. If there are leaders in the world, do there need to be followers? My parents are always saying, "Be a leader, not a follower." I believe that all parents desire their child to be the same way. If everyone is a leader, there would not be anybody to follow them. Perhaps, all those parents want us to be leader in our forte. I could lead a seder, but when it comes to music I will leave that to my band teachers. We can all be leaders at certain times. As long as we are not always a passenger, we can occasionally hang around for the ride. It goes back to what a leader needs to have. In any situation, the leaders need to think about the consequences or rewards of their actions. Aaron and his sons got us to Israel, they must have done something right!
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Egypt, From All Perspectives
Lately, Egypt has been appearing all over the news. What has been happening? All the unrest began with the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia. As Tunisia's government ignored its economic disaster and unemployment of youth, all those unemployed youth began to band together. Protesting together the Tunisian youth defeated their dictator, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. They may not have a government yet, but the Tunisians feel a great sense of hope and freedom for their country. When Tunisia's tale of freedom reached the headlines, similar Egyptian protests began. The youth feel ignored by the 30-year regime of President Hosni Mubarak. Growing chaos has been continuing over the past week and a half. Mubarak has already decided not to run for re-election, chosen his successors, and now it seems like he has three choices. He can resign, go into exile, or really die. If he does not, things may just get worse.
To an Egyptian, the story is quite heroic. They may believe that it goes down in the history of great protests. Egyptians may believe that this is their American Revolution, a war of independence. It must give the unemployed hope that the cost of food and fuel may finally drop. Young Egyptians do not believe that their country is falling apart. Instead, they feel that they are rising up against the totalitarian, wealthy government. In their opinion, protests are the only way their voice can be heard.
Israelis have something to fear. Change in Egypt may be good, but only time can tell. Anti-Israel Hesbalah just took power in Iran. China and Russia are supporting the Iran nuclear program. Israel is in the middle of a turning neighborhood. Egypt can hold a democratic election, but elections in Gaza only resulted in Hamas gaining power. If a anti-Israel, extremist leader takes over Egypt, we can know for sure that the peace that has been installed since 1978. A glimmer of hope is the fact that Hosni Mubarak was thought to have revoke that peace thirty years ago. Egypt may just surprise Israel. What can they do now? Netanyahu can only check with Mubarak if the peace is still prevalent. All they can do is to have the defense forces ready to go.
Americans are caught in the middle on Egypt. To start, Americans have always supported democratic change in the Arabic world. Our core values of the state department is to encourage peaceful shifts of power. Egyptians are protesting for election. There may be violence along the way, but they are truly just fighting for freedom. Protesting allowed our nation to break away from King George and England. On the other hand, Mubarak has consistently stopped Al-Qaeda. He has caught thousands of terrorists and given intelligence to the United States. Egypt could elect someone just as anti-America as Bin Laden. Also, the economic influence of Egypt has a lot to do with the United States. The Sumed pipeline and Suez Canal reduce a cargo ship's journey by over 6,000 miles. Blockage could forces gas prices to skyrocket to almost five dollars per gallon. Just like Israel, only time can tell America's future.
Speaking of the future, the entire Arab world may be on the brink of major change. Tunisia was successful. If Egyptian protesters get their victory, similar situations could begin in Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. Dictators in these countries fear their futures. New leaders in these countries bring the same fear that Americans and Israelis feel about the rebellion in Egypt. To a citizen of these countries, they must feel hope. Before Tunisia, no Arab country's people could take down their leader. Now, they feel they can. Good or bad, the Arab world is in line for an awakening.
To me, the change could be good or bad. I agree more with the Israeli policy than the American. Israel may lose its only friendly neighbor. With the recent reports of Lebanon, Egypt and Lebanon could team up to take down their neighbor. These protesters are not rioting in support of terrorism. All these Egyptians want is to secure their economy and future. I believe that another peace maker could greatly improve Egypt. Too many times, we associate Muslim and Arab countries with terrorism. Mubarak is not a terrorist. Anwar El Sadat was not either. As I write this, the sun is preparing to set in Egypt. Maybe there is something wonderful out on the horizon.
To an Egyptian, the story is quite heroic. They may believe that it goes down in the history of great protests. Egyptians may believe that this is their American Revolution, a war of independence. It must give the unemployed hope that the cost of food and fuel may finally drop. Young Egyptians do not believe that their country is falling apart. Instead, they feel that they are rising up against the totalitarian, wealthy government. In their opinion, protests are the only way their voice can be heard.
Israelis have something to fear. Change in Egypt may be good, but only time can tell. Anti-Israel Hesbalah just took power in Iran. China and Russia are supporting the Iran nuclear program. Israel is in the middle of a turning neighborhood. Egypt can hold a democratic election, but elections in Gaza only resulted in Hamas gaining power. If a anti-Israel, extremist leader takes over Egypt, we can know for sure that the peace that has been installed since 1978. A glimmer of hope is the fact that Hosni Mubarak was thought to have revoke that peace thirty years ago. Egypt may just surprise Israel. What can they do now? Netanyahu can only check with Mubarak if the peace is still prevalent. All they can do is to have the defense forces ready to go.
Americans are caught in the middle on Egypt. To start, Americans have always supported democratic change in the Arabic world. Our core values of the state department is to encourage peaceful shifts of power. Egyptians are protesting for election. There may be violence along the way, but they are truly just fighting for freedom. Protesting allowed our nation to break away from King George and England. On the other hand, Mubarak has consistently stopped Al-Qaeda. He has caught thousands of terrorists and given intelligence to the United States. Egypt could elect someone just as anti-America as Bin Laden. Also, the economic influence of Egypt has a lot to do with the United States. The Sumed pipeline and Suez Canal reduce a cargo ship's journey by over 6,000 miles. Blockage could forces gas prices to skyrocket to almost five dollars per gallon. Just like Israel, only time can tell America's future.
Speaking of the future, the entire Arab world may be on the brink of major change. Tunisia was successful. If Egyptian protesters get their victory, similar situations could begin in Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. Dictators in these countries fear their futures. New leaders in these countries bring the same fear that Americans and Israelis feel about the rebellion in Egypt. To a citizen of these countries, they must feel hope. Before Tunisia, no Arab country's people could take down their leader. Now, they feel they can. Good or bad, the Arab world is in line for an awakening.
To me, the change could be good or bad. I agree more with the Israeli policy than the American. Israel may lose its only friendly neighbor. With the recent reports of Lebanon, Egypt and Lebanon could team up to take down their neighbor. These protesters are not rioting in support of terrorism. All these Egyptians want is to secure their economy and future. I believe that another peace maker could greatly improve Egypt. Too many times, we associate Muslim and Arab countries with terrorism. Mubarak is not a terrorist. Anwar El Sadat was not either. As I write this, the sun is preparing to set in Egypt. Maybe there is something wonderful out on the horizon.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
God and Survival
Like it or not, humans need four things to survival. Without food, oxygen, water, and shelter, human life is impossible. Why does God create us with the struggle to find each of these things every day? Why would there be the hungry, thirsty, or homeless? Perhaps, each of these things is not just a necessity. God gave us four blessings.
Food is a blessing that we can physically enjoy. To taste a delicious dessert or a warm soup is a blessing in itself. The culinary arts are an amazing field, yet others enjoy creating their own food masterpieces. As beautiful as food can taste, it can be a struggle for some. Each day we choose what to put in the human body. An ice cream cone is a chain on the road to obesity, yet an apple a day can keep the doctor away. We can not blame God for obesity, for we create our own bodies. For Jews, this discipline advances a step further. Orthodox, Conservative, and even some Reform Jews, like myself, keep the Kashrut. The Kashrut are the Jewish dietary laws. These Jews are commanded to abstain from eating and mixing certain foods. God gave us this blessing to enjoy life, but Adonai also presented food to teach discipline to the masses.
Oxygen is life's only constant. We can go days without food, water, and shelter. Seconds without oxygen is so deathly. Oxygen can shows us that some things never fail to happen. To breath is such a simple task, yet it is so crucial. Air is air, right? Wrong! Just as humans have been revolutionizing the culinary arts, they have been revising the air as well. Unfortunately, we probably should have stuck to our original draft. Since the Industrial Revolution, we have been forming our own downfall. I speak the truth, not to frighten us, but just to put it out there. As far as we know, Earth is the only place that has the right balance of air to sustain life. Without a clean Earth, we have nowhere to perform the "simple" task of breathing.
Water shows us how to care for others. It is a blessing for our mind and heart. While some of us can just go to the faucet, others walk miles to find a drink. Why? Water presents ourselves with the power of compassion. Those replete with water could lend a hand to the thirsty. Eventually, no one will have to work hard. Instead, thirst is just as much as hunger. What is the difference? Hunger shows on the body. Humans get skinnier and skinnier when they have no food. Thirst messes with the mind. Poor water supply is the silent killer.
According to my own beliefs, shelter is the most important of the four necessities. Shelter brings us together. When shelter is not a factor, humans are just single wanderers. Without a home, the idea of family does not exist. As my father put it a few weeks ago, "Family is the place where no conversation is too awkward." I know I have at least three people that I can come to with anything. This does not even include my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and other relatives. These three people live with me. We endure everything together, whether we want to or not.
During the journey through the desert, the Israelites beg for food from God and water from God. Even in a sandstorm, the Israelites would rely on God to give them the lasting breaths for life. Why does God gives us these shackles? Food brings hunger and morbid obesity, but it also brings the splendors of taste. Water entails the suffering of the thirst, yet we can open our hearts and give compassion. Oxygen never seems to stop demanding of our attention, but it is routine. It provides the smallest stability in the roughest of time. At least, the Israelites had each other. On this Shabbat, may we all rest in our tents together.
Food is a blessing that we can physically enjoy. To taste a delicious dessert or a warm soup is a blessing in itself. The culinary arts are an amazing field, yet others enjoy creating their own food masterpieces. As beautiful as food can taste, it can be a struggle for some. Each day we choose what to put in the human body. An ice cream cone is a chain on the road to obesity, yet an apple a day can keep the doctor away. We can not blame God for obesity, for we create our own bodies. For Jews, this discipline advances a step further. Orthodox, Conservative, and even some Reform Jews, like myself, keep the Kashrut. The Kashrut are the Jewish dietary laws. These Jews are commanded to abstain from eating and mixing certain foods. God gave us this blessing to enjoy life, but Adonai also presented food to teach discipline to the masses.
Oxygen is life's only constant. We can go days without food, water, and shelter. Seconds without oxygen is so deathly. Oxygen can shows us that some things never fail to happen. To breath is such a simple task, yet it is so crucial. Air is air, right? Wrong! Just as humans have been revolutionizing the culinary arts, they have been revising the air as well. Unfortunately, we probably should have stuck to our original draft. Since the Industrial Revolution, we have been forming our own downfall. I speak the truth, not to frighten us, but just to put it out there. As far as we know, Earth is the only place that has the right balance of air to sustain life. Without a clean Earth, we have nowhere to perform the "simple" task of breathing.
Water shows us how to care for others. It is a blessing for our mind and heart. While some of us can just go to the faucet, others walk miles to find a drink. Why? Water presents ourselves with the power of compassion. Those replete with water could lend a hand to the thirsty. Eventually, no one will have to work hard. Instead, thirst is just as much as hunger. What is the difference? Hunger shows on the body. Humans get skinnier and skinnier when they have no food. Thirst messes with the mind. Poor water supply is the silent killer.
According to my own beliefs, shelter is the most important of the four necessities. Shelter brings us together. When shelter is not a factor, humans are just single wanderers. Without a home, the idea of family does not exist. As my father put it a few weeks ago, "Family is the place where no conversation is too awkward." I know I have at least three people that I can come to with anything. This does not even include my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and other relatives. These three people live with me. We endure everything together, whether we want to or not.
During the journey through the desert, the Israelites beg for food from God and water from God. Even in a sandstorm, the Israelites would rely on God to give them the lasting breaths for life. Why does God gives us these shackles? Food brings hunger and morbid obesity, but it also brings the splendors of taste. Water entails the suffering of the thirst, yet we can open our hearts and give compassion. Oxygen never seems to stop demanding of our attention, but it is routine. It provides the smallest stability in the roughest of time. At least, the Israelites had each other. On this Shabbat, may we all rest in our tents together.
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