Tazria-Metzora (Leviticus 12:1-15:33)
This is such a challenging and strange portion. Most women recoil at the idea of being “impure” because they gave birth. The entire passage deals with what is and isn’t “tamei” and how to deal with a variety of afflictions called “tzaraat.” One of the first things I always think of when reading this passage is the two other memorable passages where someone is afflicted with tzaraat: Exodus 4:6 (Moses) and Numbers 12:10 (Miriam).
When we studied the idea of “tamei” at one of the Kohenet training intensives, we explored the idea that maybe “impure” is a bad translation. Maybe “tamei” means “liminal.”
Liminality (from the Latin word līmen, meaning “a threshold”) is a psychological, neurological, or metaphysical subjective, conscious state of being on the “threshold” of or between two different existential planes… (wikipedia)
This seems to make a LOT of sense to me. Child birth is a moment between worlds. A women who has just given birth might need time to return to this world fully — hence the 33 and 66 day time to return from a state of liminality.
Continue reading ‘Thoughts on Tazria-Metzora 5769′
(expert from Iyyar Rosh Chodesh Guide)
Iyyar begins at Sundown on Friday, April 24, 2009.
Iyyar (אִייָר), according to tradition, is an acronym for Ani Adonai Rofecha, “I am G-d your Healer“ (Exodus 15:26). According to Inner.org, “Isaachar is the scholarly tribe [associated with Iyyar]. Iyyar is the month of introspection for self-improvement.” This beautifully describes the modern approach to counting the omer. It is a time to explore our relationship to ourselves and the world, and can be a time for deep spiritual healing. There are two phases to the healing of Iyyar. The month, according to the system developed by Rabbi Jill Hammer in the Jewish Book of Days
, moves from the elements of Earth within Air to Water within Fire. This is also reflected in the kabbalistic system associated with the counting of the omer during the month of Iyyar.
Continue reading ‘Iyyar: Healing and Growth’
I get this question a lot and have never answered it in writing before. I wrote this essay as the afterwards for the 5th Anniversary edition of the Peeling a Pomegranate Haggadah, but I want to share it with anyone who reads this site too.
There is no direct correlation between Passover and the pomegranate. In fact, pomegranates aren’t even in season during Passover. “Peeling a Pomegranate” is an approach to spirituality. Like the four children of the seder, I also see four levels of spiritual practice. Each is wholly complete if that is what you need. I use the pomegranate to illustrate this principle.
Continue reading ‘Why “Peeling a Pomegranate”’
Passover menu planning is always a fun experience for me. I just love food and creating a menu that enhances the spiritual experience of the seder is a great exercise. I like to try a few new things every year, but also mix in a few fan favorites. This year I’m bringing back the charoset sampler, but the rest of the menu is new. I hope this menu works well the with the latest version of the Peeling a Pomegranate Haggadah (shameless plug, I know).
Below you’ll find my final menu with links to either the recipe, if I found it online, or the book it can be found in. As I have a freezer full of local beef, I opted to serve meat this year. Be sure to see my 5768 menu, if you are looking for a vegetarian Passover menu. I always try to serve a few good Kosher wines, just to prove to the skeptics that they exist. I discovered a new winery this year: Yogev. The store had a tasting, and I bought two bottles. They are both blends. The Shiraz blend is a smoky flavor which made me think it would go well with a mushroom dish (which I’m not making) and the Merlot blend is a nice spicy wine -which is exactly the opposite of what I would have thought. I’m not great at wine-pairing, so I hope these and whatever my guests bring will go well with the food.
5769 Passover Menu
Menu Card template (doc)
Continue reading ‘Passover 5769 Menu’
