Kabbalat Shabbat: Miketz 5773

Here’s the replay from the Kabbalat Shabbat, December 14, 2012, that I lead at OneShul. It was a hard one since the massacre of a school full of children in Newton, CT had happened just that morning.

read more

Kabblat Shabbat – Receiving the Sabbath

A change in how I view the Kabbalat Shabbat service lead to a whole new level of receiving the sabbath.

read more

Southernmost Shabbat

Mar 13, 10 Southernmost Shabbat

Posted by in Featured, Shabbat

One of my all time favorite posts wasn’t even written by me. It was written by my amazing husband. It was an incredible gift to have him share this — a gift to me, and I hope a gift to others. Interfaith marriage is complicated. Interfaith marriage where one partner is religious, and continually growing more so — even more complicated.

read more

Shabbat Tzovot

There are four tradtional “special” Shabbats during the year:  Shabbat Shekalim, Shabbat Zachor, Shabbat Parah, and Shabbat haChodesh.  All of these occur during or near the month of Adar.  There is another special Shabbat that the women of Kohenet have identified and are figuring out ways to honor: Shabbat Tzovot. The traditional special Shabbats are when an extra Torah portion is read on a non-festival day.  In this case there is no extra Torah portion, but rather a special section of a Torah portion that we choose to honor in a unique way.  In this way it is more like Shabbat Shirah, when the “Song of the Sea” is read as part of the Torah portion, or one of several other notable named Shabbats.   I actually like that it would be the the sixth named Shabbats that do not have an extra Torah portion.  That means there is one for each point on the Magen David.  [note: this section of the post was added after the discussion in the comments from 2009] The Tzovah (singular form of Tzovot)  is one of the Netivot, or paths, of Shekhinah that we study at Kohenet. She is the priestess at the doorway; the sacred serving woman, the “temple keeper.”  The Tzovot is mentioned by name in the Torah and it is the Shabbat where this portion is read that we are identifying as Shabbat Tzovot.  The Tzovot is mentioned during the reading of Vayakhel (Ex 38:8).  The Tzovot are the ones who give over their sacred mirrors to create the wash basins for the priests. Here are several translations of this text: He made the laver of copper and its stand of copper, from the mirrors of the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. (jtsa.edu) He made the copper washstand and its copper base out of the mirrors of the dedicated women who congregated at the entrance of the Communion Tent. (bible.ort.org) And he made the laver of brass, and...

read more

Shabbat Shalom

A real post coming soon, but here’s a little something fun for Shabbas. I’ve also started a YouTube channel where I’ll be collecting videos, both sublime and surreal, that may be of interest. [tags]shabbat,...

read more

Sabbath Salons

So, a little while back I talked about doing Sabbath Salons. I’ve re-thought the idea, since so many of the people who expressed interest are spread far and wide. Here’s the new plan. We choose a book. Each Shabbat, we all read the same chapter and then post our thoughts on the chapter. The idea came to me because I’ve been reading The River of Light, by Lawrence Kushner, and I’ve been dying to have people to discuss it with! I read one chapter each Friday evening after I’ve lit my candles. On Sunday mornings, I’ll post my thoughts about the chapter we’ve read — hopefully a few of you will join in during the week and add your thoughts, too. I’d love to start with this book, and I’m happy to re-read it. Let’s start October 7th, right in the middle of the days of awe. That should give everyone time to get a copy of the book. It’s not a very long book, so I’d also love suggestions for what we should read...

read more
Page 1 of 212