Thursday, January 31, 2008

laws laws laws

In this week's Torah portion, Mishpatim....

God gives lotsa laws,
tells Moses to pass them on
for all to obey.

Laws for keeping slaves,
how to treat your maids and wives,
penalties and rules

don't hit mom or dad,
what to do when an ox gores,
don't throw stones or smite.

It's eye for an eye
life for life and tooth for tooth
burning for burning...

If you dig a pit
and someone falls into it
you have to make good.

The people answered:
"all that God has said we'll do!"
So Mo wrote it down.

Mo went up the Mount
left Aaron in charge of things
and all the judging.

A cloud covered up
mount sinai from all their view
Mo stayed forty days.

(What happened while he was up there? Stay tuned...)


Shabbat Shalom!


(I'm feeling a bit neglectful of this blog...I promise to work on that!)

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Beshallach in Haiku

We're free! Let's go forth!
We'll take Joe's bones and get out
God will be with us.

Pharaoh changed his mind,
decided the Jews should stay.
He sent an army.

The Jews were frightened
Stay or go? Sink or paddle?
They were really stuck.

The army behind
and in front, the Sea of Reeds
Neither seemed too good.

The people cried out.
God said, "Mo! Lift up your staff!"
And the water split.

Amazed, they marched through
Walls of water on each side
on dry land they walked.

The army chased them
But Moses dropped his arm and
the water rushed in.

Freedom at a price:
the death of so many men.
We mourned and rejoiced.

There on the seashore
they sang and they danced - praise God!
Miriam led them.

They walked for three days,
no water was to be found.
They really complained.

They found water then,
but the water was bitter.
(That's what Marah means.)

God told Mo, "Toss wood
into the water to fix
it and make it sweet."

They were hungry then
and there was more complaining.
so God sent manna.

Take just what you need
No more, no less, no excess.
The food was delish!

On the sixth day they
collected double their need
for Shabbat, of course!

Again no water
God told Mo to strike a rock
and water came out.

Then came an attack
Amalek brought war on us.
Things looked kinda bad.

Mo sat on a hill
as he held his hand up high
Israel prevailed.

When his hand fell down
Amalek did much better.
Aaron helped out Mo.

Joshua led troops
and his army prevailed
against Amalek.

To this day we blot
out the name of Amalek -
he kicked us when down.

Stay tuned for more wandering in the wilderness!
Shabbat Shalom!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Sandwiches & a Giveaway!

Birthday Party for the Trees at imabima.blogspot.com

Did you know how easy it is to save the world?
One Sandwich at a Time!

If you would like to slow global warming, if you would like to save water, if you would like to slow deforestation and overgrazing and cut back on the pesticides and fertilizers used to grow your food, all you have to do is change your lunch today (or tomorrow, if you’re reading this after lunch):
Pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead of buying a lunch based on animal products, like a hamburger, fried chicken, or ham sandwich. Want to do more? Have another PB&J tomorrow.

from the PB&J Campaign -- check it out!

In honor of Tu B'Shevat (the Birthday of the Trees) and the commitment to the earth that the holiday brings with it (read more here and here), Skeeda: Reusable Bags for the Hip, Eco-Chic Shopper is giving away one gorgeous, awesome re-usable shopping (shlepping) bag! The bag is very strong, washable, folds flat and is beautiful! Visit their lovely site to see all their affordable and beautiful styles. (Read more about re-usable bags here.)


How can you win?
Go visit my other blog and make a comment on Wednesday and/or Thursday's posts to win!


This giveaway ends on Thursday, January 18th at 9pm Central Time. Winner will be announced Friday morning, along with the next Tu B'Shevat Birthday Giveaway!

Come back all week for the Tu B'Shevat Birthday Party and more green green green....re-use a bag, hug a tree!

Other Tu B'Shevat Party Posts:
Go Vegetarian and be green?
For the Love of the Trees

Monday, January 14, 2008

after 6 days....

for 6 days....

rushing running moving
beeping dinging ringing
calling writing sending
buying selling shopping
asking wanting getting
buzzing cleaning washing
wiping driving dragging

but then comes Shabbat....

breathing thinking sleeping
resting hoping dreaming
praying believing celebrating
sharing talking reading
connecting learning inspiring
loving holding enjoying
escaping

Shabbat...
The Great Escape

Submitted as part of Scribbit's Write-Away Contest for January.

P.S. Don't forget to stop by Ima on and off the Bima for the Tu B'Shevat Party and Giveaways all week!


Birthday Party for the Trees at imabima.blogspot.com

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Tu B'Shevat is Coming!

Visit my other blog for a whole week of Tu B'Shevat fun.

Birthday Party for the Trees at imabima.blogspot.com

Tu B'shevat is the Jewish holiday celebrating the "new year (or birthday) of the trees." The name comes from the calendar date on which it falls: Tu is the Hebrew equivalent of 15 and Shevat is the Hebrew month in which we are in right now. Tu B'shevat was originally a day when the fruits that grew from that day on were counted for the following year in regard to tithes.

In modern times, it is celebrated as a Jewish "Earth Day" -- celebrating trees, planting trees, and reflecting on environmental and ecological issues. This year, Tu B'Shevat falls on Tuesday, January 22nd, next week.

Over the next week leading up to Tu B'Shevat, I'm celebrating green at Ima on and off the Bima with a Birthday Party for the Trees!

No party is complete without party favors, so visit all week for giveaways and winners -- giveaways will be posted today, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday so come back each day this week!

Go there now for an awesome giveaway from Eco-Libris:

A new organization, Eco-Libris, is trying to balance out our books -- planting a tree for every book. They've generously offered to plant 10 trees for one lucky reader, with accompanying stickers to put into your own books to proudly show your "tree offset" and your commitment to the environment.

Friday, January 04, 2008