המבדיל בין קוֹדש לחוֹל

I spent this past weekend up at Camp Ramah in the Poconos for an in-camp reunion for the oldest two edot. I have never before had the opportunity to visit camp in the winter months and to be completely honest, I found it a stunning sight. While the trees had seemingly long since lost their leaves, there was still a charm and beauty to the place. It really was stunning, especially watching the winter sun rise above the lake while davening in Beit Mogilner (one of the few winter-friendly buildings at camp). It was bitterly cold, but that did not stop the campers, or former campers, from wandering about camp in a nostalgic manner. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing former campers reminisce about past summers, not to mention when they tell you that you provided them with the best summer of their lives...

Time really does give perspective, and I am so happy that I was able to serve as a counselor for Gesher this past summer. Not only did my campers grow and gain much from the experience, but I learned so much about myself as well. On our trip this past summer, we ended up at Ramah in Wisconsin. While there, we learned a little bit about Abraham Joshua Heschel's formulation שָׁבָָּת in his appropriately entitled book, The Sabbath. In the book, Heschel writes that שָׁבָּת is a temple in time... it is a holy place in time. Akin to how the Temple in Jerusalem was a sanctuary in space, so too, according to Heschel, is the Sabbath a sanctuary in time. It is more than just a time set apart, it is quite literally a holy period of the week, there is something innately sacred about the Sabbath. The connection that we made was rather simple: if the Sabbath is something a holy time of the week that is inherently set apart and sacred, so too is time spent at camp. Similarly, camp is a time set apart from the rest of the year that is arguably very sacred for both campers and staff. It is a time when people get a break from school/the rest of the year in a safe environment. In this way camp is both a safe place in time and space.

This weekend made me question that notion of camp being both a holy place in both time and space. I was at camp but was this to retain much of the sanctity that is "camp" even in the off season. I was pleasantly surprised to find that when the right mix of people come together in the right place, a holy community truly is formed. There is some thing truly קדוש or holy about camp. Much like Heschel's conception of the Sabbath, there is something set apart and uniquely holy about camp, that is unlike the rest of the year.

So, as we said הבדלה, the ceremony that separates the holiness of the Sabbath from the profane of mundanity, I could not help but think that we are not just separating the holiness of the sabbath from the rest of the week; rather, we were separating the rest of the year from the time at camp. The last line of the last blessing in the הבדלה is the title of this blogpost, it translates as, "...the difference between holy and profane." I can't help but think on both the last night of camp and this past Saturday night that in this case, the ceremony is not only separating the sanctity of the sabbath and the rest of the week, but also serves as an appropriate marker separating the sanctity of camp and the rest of the year...

I can go the distance!

Who could ever know that one semester could be so important in one person's life? I frequently manage to find myself bogged down by various things and responsibilities semester after semester. While I am by no means complaining, as being busy is much much better than not being productive. No matter the semester I always manage to find myself feeling like not enough butter spread over too much toast. While there is plenty of Andy... sometimes I feel as though there really is not enough for all that needs to be done.

I have recently rediscovered the soundtrack from the disney movie "Hercules", and on it is a particular song entitled "I can go the distance." Consequently I have found myself listening to it more than any other song in my music library. It is a theme song of sorts that I feel appropriately describes much of what I have been feeling lately. For those who have not seen the movie or are not familiar with the song, it is about a young Greek demigod hero who is seeking his place in life. While I am neither Greek nor a demigod, I can certainly identify with a young man who is looking to find his niche in life. I am at a crossroads of sorts... I feel too old to really still be in college but simultaneously I can't help but think that I am too young to really be making my way in life. At what point does a person feel as though they are ready to take on the world?

I have been struggling with this idea for much of my collegiate career. I have tried to live my life in the vein of religio-ethical conduct. While I don't think I have always succeeded, I do feel as though I have made the effort I have endeavored to make myself the best person I can possibly strive to become. I guess this brings me back to the pivotal question: What does it really mean to be a mensch? The four years that I have spent at Temple I have spent attempting to be older than I really am, and now that I AM older I might be second guessing that decision. There is something to be said about being young and enjoying one's youth.

It should be noted that I am happy with the person that I have become and I am by no means upset at the way in which I have conducted myself in college. I am just at another transitory stage in my life and I am reflecting on decisions made and the past four years of my life. As I said earlier, Temple was by no means my first choice, but it most certainly was a good choice. I have grown here and I feel as though I have made an impact on this campus. For better or for worse North Philadelphia has been my home for the past 3.5 years and it will honestly be sad to leave. The changes, specifically in the Jewish community, have been great and I can only speculate as to where it will go from here.

I would like to thank everyone at Temple for helping to make my time here meaningful... But now it is time to look to the future and embrace whatever may come.

Here's to going the distance...

Keepin' it Kosh'

Have you ever noticed that there are times that certain themes become more prevalent in your life? For example: you are doing a presentation on hammerhead sharks for your science class and you begin reading up on their behaviors and habits and such. Then, you are perusing what's on TV and notice a "Nature Special" on hammerheads. Then the topic of hammerhead sharks comes up in conversation a few day later independently of you. It would seem that a higher power or some kind of serendipity has been toying with your life. Is it that these thematic elements are merely coincidental? Or could they merely always be present and we only make such connections when our minds are more sensitive to a particular topic? Is there some serendipitous force that provides "thematic" experiences for us throughout our lives?

One such theme that seems to be recurring through my life at the moment is that of כשרות, or Kashrut (Jewish Dietary Laws). I have been serving as one of the student mashgichim for Hillel at Temple University's new kosher operation since last year. At first we only were serving meals for shabbat and the holidays but as the final stages of the kitchen installation have become complete, we are preparing for a full kosher meal plan at Temple. Not only will this provide a great opportunity for the students on campus to explore kosher dining, but it can and will serve as a real draw for new students who are interested in living a more observant lifestyle. This is most certainly serve as a foot in the door to provide future growth for the Jewish community at Temple. The truth of the matter is that Temple can, and foreseeable will, become an inexpensive (albeit in-state only) alternative for observant Jewish students looking for a good education at a good price. I am only sorry that I will not be here for the inevitable growth that the Jewish community will see in the coming years.

I have recently taken on the position of Head Student Masgiach, which essentially means that I am responsible for scheduling the other student mashgichim's hours. As a result of taking on this responsibility I have been having many meetings about the Kosher operation at Temple Hillel. Pretty soon we will be running training sessions for students interested in serving as mashgichim. I am very excited for the weeks to come!!

In a related note... the theme of kashrut has carried over into other parts of my life. In another one of my professional lives no less! I teach hebrew school at Society Hill Synagogue and we have something (ironically) called "Theme Group". The last half hour of every hebrew school session is reserved for a special topics of sorts in which each teacher imparts some aspect of Jewish living, history, experience, etc... upon their students. In quite an ironic move, the topic of Kashrut was thrust upon me a few weeks ago to teach to my students. I suppose I am qualified?

This is just one of those times that a "theme" of sorts becomes prevalent in one's life and experiences... I guess I am just going to have to "Keep it Kosh" for the time being.

Reflections from the Holiday Season

As the holiday season has come to an end, I am attempting to regain some sort of handle on the enormities of my life. I am a senior in college a year late. Many of my cohorts from high school are already in graduate school, some in doctorate programs even. I am in a very awkward place in my life where I am both in college and ready to be done with college. The past three years have been a time of much growth and perspective for me. While I was not thrilled at first to be attending Temple University, I have come to the realization that while it might not have been what I wanted at the time it was most certainly what I needed. I had spent the 7 years prior to my matriculation at Temple in the "Jewish Bubble" as it were, and to be honest I had a bit of a skewed perception of the world. The world in which I thought I wanted to live was one where Jews were knowledgeable about their faith even if they didn't practice. The world in which I conceived was one where everyone came from a similar socioeconomic background. This fantasy world that I concocted was the direct result of my privileged religious upbringing.

That is not to say that I grew up observant, quite the contrary. I grew up in a home where we only began keeping strict kashrut at my behest in high school. I remember going to many restaurants as a youth right after Saturday morning services for some treif cuisine. The funny thing is that I seem to have forgotten that I lived this way up until Middle/High School. I had become so accustomed to living within the bubble that I had forgotten that there were plenty (if not a majority) of Jews in America who barely even graze against the bubble in their lifetime. Through USY and High School, I had left that realm of thought and experience and found myself in a wholly Jewish worldview. Honestly, I am glad that I truly found myself in the realm of Jewish experience and thought. However, I am not proud of the fact that I lost who I was entirely for a time. I lost the perspective that my non-observant upbringing offered. I lost my ability to connect with disenfranchised Jews who did not make their Judaism or being Jewish a priority in their lives.

What I found when I got to Temple was just that: many Jewish students who were simply nominally Jewish. They identified either as "ethnic Jews", or merely put the term down under race on any number of forms. These people were living in the spectrum of American Jewish experience (that is: what is experienced by modern Jews living in America), that I had ceased to subside in or recognize. I am ashamed to say that I honestly found it abhorrent that so many of my peers seemingly lacked anything that I could recognize as a sense of Jewish identity. Truth be told, I was as ignorant as I perceived that they were, I was looking in the wrong places.

While I had come to think of Jewish identity as being linked with knowledge about history and outward signs of identification, I had simply written many a person off without scratching the surface of their character. I am sorry that I did that, because it was not until much later in my collegiate experience that I learned that I was sorely wrong. Although my collegiate compatriots did not show what I understood as discernible signs of Jewish identity, I slowly began to realize that what I was looking for might not be there. In place of identity based on historical background or religious practice, I found that the very same people who I labeled as ignorant had and have a decidedly strong pride in their Judaism. While they may not relate to Jewish practice and religion in the same manner as I, their pride in who they are is not diminished.

Pride and growth go hand in hand. I have seen the seedlings of pride used to cultivate the growth of many individuals in college. From watching peoples' transformations after their first Israel experience on birthright to seeing my fraternity brothers study for Bar Mitzvahs that they would have never had otherwise, I have realized that nothing is as simple as it appears. While my initial judgements of the type of Jew that my campus attracts were erroneous on all accounts, it should also be noted that I was wrong to judge. I have learned a great deal about who modern American Jews are and where they stand on many issues.

In light of my anticipated career choice, I will say again: While I did not want to attend Temple University at first, it was most certainly the place that I needed to attend. My experiences here have helped me "pop" the bubble with which I had surrounded myself. I am so grateful for the wonderful people who have helped me see what I was blind to before...

This summer!

So, I will be spending the summer as a Madrich for the oldest edah at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. While I will miss my parents, my friends and my lovely girlfriend, Michelle, I can safely say that this summer is one that I am supremely looking forward to...

Anyway, I am so very excited to spend the summer there, and if anyone wishes to send me mail, my address is:

Andy Markowitz
Tzrif G-12
Camp Ramah
2618 Upper Woods Road
Lakewood, PA
18439

Please send me things as it makes me feel loved.

Well that is all for now as I need to get some rest for tomorrow's drive!

Something's not Kosher here...

As finals quickly approach, I find myself reading less for pleasure and more for the sake of my grades. That being said; however, I was procrastinating on the facebook earlier today and I stumbled upon a website entitled "Justice for Sholom" in someone else's blog post. This site is dedicated to keep people updated on the legal status of ex-CEO of Agriprocessors inc., Sholom Rubashkin. For those who are unfamiliar with the case at hand, Rubashkin's meat processing plant (incidentally the largest kosher plant in the country) was raided in May of 2008 by the INS. They apparently were not keeping to federal immigration and employment laws and as a result of this raid, Rubashkin committed band fraud in a vain attempt to keep his plant operational. Subsequently, the company has declared bankruptcy and Sholom Rubashkin is no longer the CEO. In the aftermath of this epic scandal, Rubashkin was shunned by the majority of the Jewish community and (as Agriprocessors was the largest Kosher Beef producer in the country) there was a national kosher meat shortage immediately following.

All of this aside, the aforementioned website dedicated to updating its readers on the legal battle that ensued following the charges filed against Rubashkin, recently posted that he was sentenced to life in prison. On that site, there were links to various op-eds covering the court's decision. One in particular caught my interest, as it was from Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. Besides the fact that I once davened Neillah service with this particular man, he is also a pop-cultural icon who runs a show entitled "Shalom in the Home" on TLC. Boteach's basic argument is that while Rubashkin messed up, he did not do anything that was worthy of life in prison. He continues that since Rubashkin has 10 children (one of whom is autistic), Rubashkin should be let go before his expiration. While I am not sure what I think... I am fairly certain that this man deserves the harshest punishment under the letter of the law, as his actions led others astray... not only morally but spiritually. The fact of the matter is that he broke the law and needs to be punished. I am not an interpreter of American law, and I have faith in the prosecutor. Rubashkin's sentence should serve as a deterrent for others.

On this same point, we need to ensure that the integrity of the Kosher food market be maintained and certified. How can this be done? Well the USCJ has proposed something called "Heksher Tzedek" or a certificate of righteousness that can be awarded (as an additional certification) to food products that are produced in ethically conscientious environments. This ethics-minded kosher food movement is, in my opinion, where modern Jewish thought on this subject should be headed. What is the purpose of having nominally kosher food if it is not produced with the correct intention? It is akin to davening without the proper kavanah... the laws are set up to provide a base structure that ethical conduct would naturally flow from. In the case of Rubashkin a perversion of the original intent of the act occurred... this essentially negated the holiness of all actions derived from that meat. This means that the Kosher products that others ate, while nominally kosher, lacked the essential kavanah needed for them to truly fulfill the mitzvah. To serve as a shochet or slaughterer of kosher meat, is to serve as stand in for the individual who partakes of the meat to ensure that the animal and God are given the proper respect. When Rubashkin messed with this system, he fiddled with the holiness of the action, which in turn warped the holiness of his customer. All of this is essentially "spiritual-fraud", which to an adherent is a sin of the highest degree.

Should Rubashkin rot in prison? I cannot pretend to answer that question with authority. However, if the question is asked whether or not the meat that Rubashkin produced was "kosher" or not... I can say with confidence that as the kavanah was absent, all of that meat was essentially treif...

A Little Chicken Soup for the Mensch's Soul

In the Jewish folk tradition chicken soup is considered to be an all restorative medicine capable of healing everything from a headache to a fever. In the tradition of the great books full of stories of hope and optimism, I present to you some good old fashioned Jewish humor... found in one of the most unlikely of places: an episode of "The Simpsons". The episode in question can be found here . While viewing this... don't expect something light and hopeful; rather, go in expecting to laugh your tushy off! It is rather off color and the really funny stuff is in Hebrew... BUT this might mean that we are coming to the mainstream. Well, I would say that Jews and Jewish culture have always been (in my lifetime) in the mainstream; however, this is something else.

Shabbat Shalom, and Enjoy!

This is the Blog of Affliction

As this past Monday evening marked the beginning of the Hag HaMatzot or the "Festival of the Matzah"! That's right Passover time is upon us! An entire week of eating gluten free or matzah based products is well underway. (On a side note, my girlfriend loves this holiday as she is a celiac and cannot properly digest wheat gluten all year round, so the rest of the Jewish community is forced to eat in a similar manner to her normally. Also, this is the only time of the year that she can stock up on yummy kosher meat products such as chicken nuggets.) Any-who, my first few days of the holiday were more hectic than usual as I was busy busy busy with so many things!

Let's have a run down of my week, shall we?

Monday

As the holiday did not start until sun down on Monday, I was able to go to classes that day. There is a marked difference between ability and action. I was actually unable to go to classes on Monday as I was needed at home to pack up my room. No, I am not moving... BUT there are many repairs that need to be done after my room was, rather rudely, invaded by the snow this past winter. Thankfully the insurance is helping us out and the repairs have begun this week... BUT I needed to pack up everything so the repairmen could empty out my room in preparation for the repairs. Accordingly, I went home instead of going to class. That is not before I went to be a mashgiach (kashrut supervisor) for Hillel. I woke up very early in the morning in order to be in the kitchen to help the cook make food for Passover (which was a running theme this week, so it seems).

I immediately went home after my shift in the kitchen and began to pack up my room. My mother was in the kitchen at home making yummy Passover foods such as, Brisket and Kugel in preparation for our seder that night. Father came home and we packed up our food and we went to Rhona's, our family friend, house for the first seder. The seder was anything but conventional and the group was eclectic... but a good time was had by all. There was chopped liver, chicken, brisket, kugel, "red sea" soup (chicken-matzah ball soup with red peppers in it), gravlox, and probably much more... It was quite a feast to be sure. Instead of the traditional singing fare, there were parodies of show-tunes that featured Passover content. While I did miss some of the more traditional songs, I was having a rollicking good time singing these parodies with all those assembled.

It was very late by the time that I got back to campus... and I had to wake up early the next morning so I could masgiach again!

Tuesday

I awoke rather early this past Tuesday morning, around 7am So I could ready myself and acquire a key to the old Hillel building that we were cooking in. I managed to find said Key and I spent the day from 9am until 4:30 working on supervising the food prep at Hillel. The cook-lady was a great help and good company. Tanya truly is a sweetheart.

After my day of running around and making sure that everything remained "kosh", I attempted to return to my room for a quick nap. This was ultimately unsuccessful as I engaged in conversation with my residents for a good portion of that time... I then made my way over to the new Hillel Building to prep the room for the second Seder, which I was leading! That seder began at 8pm and I think it went really well. I took my time to explain all of the symbolism present in the seder. We sang a bit, did some tableau's of each of the scenes in the seders, and ate some yummy foods. Of course, I made a point to read aloud the piece about Matzah being the "bread of affliction" to the crowd as my Brooklynese Zayda always does. I got a kick out of it... but I don't think anyone else did. I also made a point to challenge everyone there to think about what they are personally slaves to in their lives... as the text of the Haggadah states that "we WERE slaves". But is that really true? I got some answers, but it was more of a thought provoking piece. Alas, I did not finish at Hillel until 11:30 at night, then I needed to relax for a bit in order to unwind from the day. BUT I had to wake up again to assist with cooking again!

Wednesday

I again awoke rather early to a luscious breakfast of cottage cheese and Kosher for Passover cereal. YUM. I then made my way over to the kitchen to assist in cooking again! There was much food left over as it would seem that we were not getting as big of a crowd as we could have. I finished my shift at 4:30 again, and I made my way back to my room and I attempted to nap.

I then had a staff meeting after the holiday...

Anyway, that's how my week started. To be honest, I am still rather sleep deprived but I am happy that we have options for Jews to be Jews on the Holidays here. I might be a little behind on my work, but I am happy.

Let's make it through the rest of the week without too much strain and may the Matzah be with you...

Bridging the Gap

As I sit here listening to my Greek Philosophy professor lecture on the ethics of Aristotle, my mind cannot help but wander and become distracted by the good news that I received yesterday. I received a call from the director of Camp Ramah in the Poconos, and he informed me that I was being offered the role of a Gesher Madrich (Gesher Counselor). This job, while difficult, is one of those roles that you know that you can/will have an impact on someone else’s life. I am both nervous an excited; however, receiving this job offer is akin to a dream come true!

The role of the Gesher Madrich is unique at Camp in that it serves the oldest age group of hanichim (campers), and these hanichim are given certain responsibilities that really exceptional to expect of a hanich. Literally the name of this group, Gesher, means “bridge” and the concept behind this program is to not only serve as a culminating experience for the hanichim, but also to help aid their transition into effective staff member. Each Geshernik is assigned to a specific tzrif (bunk) or program area, and they assist the staff that work in these areas for part of the week in order to gain practical work experience at camp! The role, then, of the Gesher staff is to demonstrate and teach their Gesher hanichim how to behave in that manner. While professional development is one aspect of the Gesher program, there are a number of peulot or activities that are unique to the program as well! While I am unfamiliar with the entirety of the program, as I was never a camper, I am sure that we will have all sorts of great things planed! Specifically, there is a week-long road trip that serves as a unique bonding experience for the edah (age-group).

Another part of this summer that I am particularly excited for is the staff that I will be working with! I am going to be one of 5 people working with this age group this summer! The five are headed up by Sarah Waxman, who will serve as our fearless supervisor, and I am so very excited to be working under her this summer as she is an amazing Jewish Educator and so very passionate about camp. The counselors are Me (clearly), Sara Rothschild, Rachel Berger, and my very close friend Ira Blum. I cannot begin to describe how amazing this staff is, especially since we each have a close confidant on the staff. Rachel and Sara are close friends and I would count Ira amongst my closest friends. I have found that it helps to have people who you have a strong rapport with and trust on your staff. Especially with such a small group, there are only 5 people on the staff!

That is another piece that is unique to the Gesher program, as there is only one madrich in each tzrif. That means that there will be 4 tzrifim and each will only have 1 madrich. This is not the normal structure for Camp, as in all of the other tzrifim there will be two madrichim. This system allows for a better personal connection with the hanichim, allows them to have a more relaxed atmosphere, and ultimately causes there to be less staff involvement in their culminating experience. This also means that those staff members that are involved with the program have a slightly larger workload BUT as it is such a unique experience, the intended outcome of the program is worth the effort put forth. I am nothing but excited for any and all new challenges that will come my way this summer.

The only qualm that I have is that my girlfriend, Michelle, will be coming up to camp for one week. That week happens to coincide with my week-long trip. What can you do? She is part of the reason that I love camp so much. But I will have a Shabbat to spend with her... c'est la vie!

All in all, I am sure that I am in for a challenging yet uniquely rewarding summer! I honestly cannot wait! Go Gesher Eser!

Smoothy Sailing

There are times when your faith is restored through the independent actions of others. I recently became President of Hillel at Temple University, Temple's Jewish Student Union. To be honest, it has been adding to my stresses for the past few months, and I was beginning to lose sight of why I wanted to do it in the first place. Then, out of the clear blue, came tonight. Tonight was a social event put on by one of my peers on the student board, Ms. Megan Baumel. The event was titled "Smoothies on the Roof", well due to the inclement weather it became just "Smoothies with a breif foray into the roof. As a way to connect with other faith based groups on campus we decided to invite the Newman Center at Temple University. Well, apparently smoothies are quite popular as we has an AMAZING turn out. Somewhere along the lines of 60ish people showed up and we (and by that I mean me) had to run out to get more smoothie supplies. A fair amount of my fraternity brothers were there as well. All in all it was quite a fantastic event.

Watching all of those different people interact and enjoy themselves in the Edward H. Rosen Center for Jewish Life at Temple University helped me to realize why I wanted to be a leader in the organization in the first place. Thank you to everyone who showed up and thanks especially to Megan Baumel, who really put it all together. It is times like these that rekindle old motivations.

The Etiquette of Posting

My dear friend, a Sir Jonathan Magen (whose expertise on the subject of technology is unrivaled) has recently informed me that I have made a few fopas in my first forays into the blog-o-sphere! (For all of those interested, Jonathan's blog can be found HERE.)Firstly, I should apparently be linking to the sites of the organizations/groups that I refer to in my blog. For example, I spoke about Nativ, the year program that I participated in following my graduation from my high school, Akiba Hebrew Academy . This is apparently the appropriate format for blogging. Jonathan also aptly pointed out that I should no longer sign my blog as each entry already states that it was posted by Andy... and I happen to be this Andy. Another tip was to make the header-picture smaller, which I did, and I agree that it is now more aesthetically pleasing. He also mentioned that I should engage my comments... which I plan to do, but I can't as of right now as I don't have any. Jonathan also pointed out that there is a fantastic site called Machon Mamre where I can link to Hebrew passages. What else did he say, OH YEAH! He told me to post anything that I find that is interesting to me which sounds good I suppose. All in all I am very grateful for his tips and I look forward to employing them in the future!

Thanks be to Jonathan!

An Ambiguous Title

As I am about to lay my head down to rest for the night, I can't help but realize that I have left out a very important part of my desire to blog: Namely that I want to chronicle my experiences. While a journal would most certainly be more appropriate (and dare I say, more private) it would be more easily lost... and to be perfectly honest, there is something very sexy (for lack of a better word) in the notion of putting thoughts out there for the whole world to peruse.

As I re-read my old and technologically outdated hard-bound journals, I cannot help but realize that I have come a long way from my childhood. The past few years have been very tumultuous and yet some of the happiest times of my life. Perspective is an amazing thing and I can clearly see the path that I have traveled that has led me to the person that I am today. I have set out a path for myself that I hope will pan out.

It is ironic that I use the word "path", as the year long Israel program that I participated in after I graduated High School was called "Nativ" which translates quite appropriately as "path". I also distinctly remember the amud cover (table cover) in the chapel of our building... it had a quote from the Torah service (which in turn is taken from the book of Proverbs/Mishlei) sewn onto it it went something like this:

"Etz chayim hi lamachazikim ba,
Vetomecheha me-ushar.
Deracheha - d'rechei no-am,
Vechol netivotecha shalom…"

This piece of text roughly translates as:

"It (The Torah) is a tree of Life to those that hold tightly onto it,

and those who grasp it are enriched by it.

The Torah's ways are the ways of pleasantry,

and all of it's paths are of peace."

It would appear that this has become an unintentional D'var Teffilah (a speech expounding on a Jewish Prayer). However, I truly feel as though this is a piece of text that we can all relate to, and, more specifically, it happens to relate to the notoriously ambiguous title of my blog! *AHA* Anywho, according to this text, it is not only appropriate to live one's life through the lens of Torah, but to those who truly stand by it are enriched by utilizing the tradition this way. For, someone who grasps the Torah (and by extension Jewish practice and thought), they are meant to follow in the ways proscribed. What ways? Well the text answers that too! It would seem that the second piece is arguing that the those who follow thusly will be rewarded with a pleasant and peaceful life.

While the last part might be a stretch, this text fits nicely in what I see this blog helping me to accomplish. I have set out these past few years intending to grow Jewishly and "improve my menschlichkeit" or grow into becoming a better person. I can't say that I will ever be where I absolutely strive to be, but striving is part of the quest. As the Rabbis teach us, "In a place where there is no one to stand up for what is right, strive to do what is right". (Granted that is a liberal translation of the text.) I guess this place can help provide an outlet for me to strive to improve myself... This could be anything... I could be anything.

Well enough musings for one night!

Lilah Tov! (Good Night!)

-Andy

Everybody's doing it!

I was perusing the internet today looking for a new way to procrastinate effectively. While that might seem like a bissleh oxymoronic, I was looking for a way to procrastinate in a productive manner. Anyway, I was surfing the interwebs when an old friend from high school contacted me and directed me to his blog. To be honest, the content contained therein is not something that interests me (as he is using his blog as a sex/relationship advice column)... I was intrigued by this medium. I suppose that I am a little bit behind my generation's time in that I am just starting a blog now... well this is actually my second attempt and blogerating my ideas.

To be honest, I have been feeling a bit like not enough butter spread over too much toast. (Forgive me, all of you out there who have heard me say that before-- it is a favorite saying of mine when I am feeling under the gun as it were.) I am doing a lot at school and I think that this blog-fad-thing might serve me well as a potential way to vent to no one in particular. Also, this might be an appropriate forum to express/flesh out ideas or musings that I mull around in the old noggin. Finally I think that I am finally giving into peer pressure on some level, albeit 5 or six years too late!

Kol Tuv,

Andy