Catching up with Kohelet, Ecclesiastes

Sorry, it has been a while. Here's the link to the last one .

Now we're on the Kohelet from almost two weeks ago. The link in the first line is to T'hilim, Psalms. As usual it's recommended to have texts available.

Kohelet 7, 3 &4and onward.....
Life isn't a "cabaret." (Try to tell that to the younger generation! My students demand to be entertained all the time. They think it's outrageous that I expect them to work hard and take responsibility. Just call me Atilla.)
True happiness/joy is in the next world.
When the "wise" listen to the laughter/mocking of the "fool" the wise become fools. (We have to stick with our beliefs and not let the fools influence or weaken us.)
Shmot, Exodus, 5, 19 until the end of the chapter
Moshe complained to G-d that the people aren't listening to him, they complain that since he began his campaign things have only gotten worse.
Then he asked G-d: Why did you send me?
Shmot 6-- G-d answered: "You'll see." because Moses listened to the fools he lost "libo" his heart/confidence. One of the reasons that Moses was punished and couldn't enter the Land of Israel.

9- Stay calm and confident; don't let temper rule. Anger is a sign of frustration, emptiness, no justification. That's why the anti-yesha are so violently against us, so inciteful. Anger comees from a situation when there's no spiritual depth and creativity.
We must see it as a challenge to activate our minds.
We mustn't answer/debate the fool. We shouldn't take him seriously.

Oy, we wasted time talking/complaining about the evil/foolish politicians, instead of getting stronger, via learning.

We must control anger.

10- Were the previous generations better? Or is it that we just remember the good? Times were not really better. Now things are better.
Anger comes from a frustration, because people aim for a false utopia. Reality makes them angry.
Look for the good now and solutions to the problems.

11- What's "nachalah?" $, profession, job......?

to be continued....

Catch 22

It can happen just anyplace, not just in Israel. Yes, catch 22 knows no borders. So beware, and don't trust the clerks and bureaucrats. Terror reigns and fear of terror even more so. And the British Empire reigns supreme.

Have a wonderful week!

a couple of things

Yes, the baby, granddaughter #2, has a name. But I'll only blog it after we announce it to relatives still on Shabbat time.

The totalitarian dictatorship rules that Jews can no longer move to Gush Katif. Of course there are no rules restricting Arabs. Challenging the law is MK Effy Etam who announced that is moving there.

I must admit that I can't see myself doing it. We find moving more traumatic than symbolic. I really admire the people who are capable of packing up and demonstrating lock, stock and barrel. I remember going to early pre-Gush Emunim demos, especially one at a secret place that ended up being Beit El. It bothered me that the other demonstrators were "pretending" to want to live there. I felt that if the posters said we wanted to stay, we had to be prepared to make our lives there. It was in the fall or winter of 1970, soon after our aliya. Funny to think that I work there.

Unfortunately, Israel is becoming a very undemocratic country.

Shavua tov!

been busy

I've been busy and will be even more so as today progresses, so click on Shiloh Musings to see what I've been up to.

Shabbat Shalom!

what a world

Maybe it's like shooting onesself in the foot, but there's a solution for those who want their kids to stop watching television . Another health advantage of Marmite.

Considering that women are paid less, it's really not right that they pay more for many services.

What a world!

what a week, and it's not yet over

First, I must apologize for not including notes from my T'hilim (Psalms) and Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) classes, bli neder, I will resume it, as soon as I can. I'm just overwhelmed with good things, Baruch Hashem!

The week started with the birth of our (still nameless) second granddaughter. Baruch Hashem, it was a nice easy birth, just a bit hectic at the end, but in a good way. She was late, but picked a day when I didn't have to work; they had cancelled all classes for the pre-Purim extravaganza. The following day was a regular day off, so the young lady was very considerate. A defeat for Murphy.

Monday began with the "aliya l'kever," end of shiva, going to the grave, for our neighbor who had passed away. Then I did a quick shopping for baby clothes in the local store, where I got some gorgeous things, reasonably priced. Then I rushed to Jerusalem to visit daughter #2 and her daughter #2 in the hospital, handed over the clothes and then rushed to take Hallelie from the maon (day care center.) I had her make a "mazal tov" poster for the door on bright pink paper with lots of butterfly stickers and "scribbles." Definitely a work of art! Then the "other savta (grandmother)" relieved me...

...so I could rush home to go to a wedding. Two local kids got married in a fantastic, laibadik (joyful) wedding in our local yeshiva, music was by another Shiloh-raised guy who married the girl two doors away.

Then, on Tuesday, started as a regular Tuesday. I went to "boker limud" to learn how King David coped with his problems and the writings of his son. Yes, bli neder, soon you'll be able to read all about it.

After that, a slightly shortened Tuesday workday. Of course after working so hard to plan the 10th grade (punishment) test, I forgot that they were on a class trip. (They'll get it next week.) Finished teaching early and took a ride to Jerusalem to meet my cousin's daughter and her husband, who were here. Her first time. She's the first of her branch of the family to visit since her grandmother came about thirty years ago. We had dinner out, and then two of my kids went out together.

Yesterday, can hardly remember, oh, yes, yesterday. I didn't go swimmng, too tired, and the house needed me. So I just went to my daughter's noon-time to make her some food and help with Hallelie. And then....

And in the evening there was a "sheva brachot" (post wedding party) at a neighbor's for the young couple. A typical neighborhood gathering of people from about half a dozen countries, delicious food contributed by the attendees and a wonderful time had by all.

Yes, the week isn't yet over.

This is life in Israel, YESHA, Shiloh
BARUCH HASHEM!

Incitement

It just occurred to me that the incitement against us has been going on for a very long time. I should include the fact that the police's investigation of the terror attack that injured me was inciteful against us. It was easier for the police policy to believe that a yeshiva student/soldier could murder an Arab who had just murdered and injured Jews, than to believe that he saved us. That is incitement against us. It's a psychological war, a war of words and feelings and slogans.

Bli neder, I'll soon write more, hopefully in a more thoughtful and rational/logical way.

I know that this annoys people, presses certain buttons, but it really bothers me that the Holocaust is such big business and so easy to raise money for. Especially when the same people don't see the modern parallels. They don't see that making us, the Jews in YESHA, into "non-humans," "settlers," instead of bonafide Israeli citizens, is the same as putting on a "yellow star."

Why should people be more horrified at a terror attack in Petach Tikva or downtown New York?

There's no difference between a terror attack on the World Trade Center and Neve Dikalim. By distinguishing between the two, nothing has been learned from the murder of 6 million Jews.

lazy/busy day

I'm sure you're wondering, how can a day be both lazy and busy, but it's easy for me. Lazy--because I'm not leaving early for the pool. I slept a bit later than usual and will putter around before putting on the "granny hat." And busy--because I do have plans, plenty of them.

Now, for some other things. Proof that I'm not all that paranoid . I'm one of those people who refuse to give my credit card over the phone, even if I want to contribute to the charity, and I don't order things over the phone. And I don't buy on the internet. I've had some unpleasant experiences with telemarketers and wish that there was a way to keep them from calling. Of course, some people just consider me NASTY. If I had the patience to add one of those polls to the blog, I'd poll visitors on

Do you give your credit card number over the phone? Y/N
If yes, what's your criteria? ______
Do you buy on the internet? Y/N
Are you bothered by SPAM? Y/N
Do you report SPAM to your server? Y/N
Do you "train" your email program to block SPAM addresses? Y/N

Of course, you can always comment your answers.

Enjoy your day!

quick update plus

sorry, no time for Kohelet this week
bli neder, I'll make it up later on

Granddaughter #2 looks like "herself." Long, lanky and gorgeous. Still nameless.

The OU has come out against getting drunk this Purim, or is it "every Purim?" This Purim is a strange one here in Shiloh. We only hear the megilla twice, instead of the usual four times.

Now I somehow have to write up a test for my tenth grade, though I keep making the worst typos. Danced myself silly at a very leibedik wedding last night. Two local kids got married, and they had the wedding here in Shiloh.

update

Yes, I've been busy. Visited my daughter and granddaughter twice in the hospital. In between had lunch with a friend and then went to my husband's office to call my parents. Had to wait until they were up, though I had sent an email to my brother and sister.

Baby "2" is a nice big girl who eats and sleeps and has light grey/green/blue eyes.

G-d willing she will enjoy good health and a wonderful life.

MAZAL TOV!!!!

MAZAL TOV!!

BABY GIRL

GRANDDAUGHTER #2

BORN AFTER DAWN

BARUCH HASHEM

HODU L'HASHEM KI TOV

KI L'OLAM CHASDO

BLESSED IS G-D

THANKS TO G-D, FOR HE IS GOOD

AND HIS MERCY IS FOREVER

looking at the news

Since there's still "no news," as far as I know, just after 6am this morning....

I found other news. First, the first family of modern royalty, the Princes William and Harry are having fun improving their reputations after that tumble in the Nazi SS Uniform. They definitely seem to be combining the characterisitcs of both parents. Horsing around like their father, Prince Charles, and "causing" like their mother, Diana.

And "group exercise" like team sports like the princes do or more mundane types like many of us participate in are just the perfect way of keeping depression away.

Shavua tov, only a week and a half to Purim!

no news

no news
ob2
well-entrenched
in womby pool

what to do?
two days off
would be perfect
to help

but so far
no need

who's taking bets?
Monday night's a wedding
that I don't want to miss

and Tuesday afternoon
I have to give
tenth graders a test
as punishment--for not doing work
must teach themselves

so when's ob2
going to make
GRAND ENTRANCE?

I remember the stairs
at the Pine View Hotel
feeling so glamorous
marching down
at just the "right moment"
at NCSY's National

and the
glass-enclosed staircase
lit for all of Northern Boulevard
to see
at Leonard's

dreamt of marching up and down
swishing skirts and gowns
finally did
at a "sweet 16"

so with a grandmother
like me
of course,
OB2's
still waiting

I'm just unique, I guess

After kvetching and muttering that none of my musings made it to Arutz 7 for a few weeks, suddenly I've done something unique.

Apparently there aren't too many people in the "club" who've been in both the "Opinion" and "Torah" columns, of which I'm a member. Of those, I don't know how many other women there are, since most of the Torah columnists are rabbis, and I'm not even a rebbitzen.

But this week, after almost a month of zero, my Frankenstein was put up on the "Opinion column and then this on the Torah one. And I'm neither a rabbi nor an accademic, just me.

I'm sure that my ol' high school classmate, the late Andy Kaufman, would have appreciated the irony.

Now, if I only knew how to make money off of my unique talents... I've been trying to market "Baile Rochel," but no bites. And no news from my daughter.

Must wander back into the kitchen; it is Friday afternoon.

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov
Two weeks to Purim

more T'hilim, Psalms,

the upside down "nun"
In some, the better I guess, versions of T'hilim there are upside down "nun"'s between chapters, or verses. My books don't have it.
It has to do with being buffeted, thrown around like a ship at sea, being tossed up and down and around by the waves. No stability. Those that keep their faith survive.
It's seen again in Bamidbar 10, "Vayihi binso'a aron.." The Holy Ark was carried like a hovercraft, in a different other-worldly way.

Nissan said that he hopes that the destruction of Yamit was losing the floor, so that we have progressed towards Geula, redemption.

in T'hilim 107, 31-2 reminds us to thank G-d, publicly, before 10 people, two should be chachamim, learned, rabbis.
35, 18 "kahal rav," large group
in chapter 107 verses end with "ki l'olam chasdo" and His mercy is forever

One should invite lots of people to "seudot hodaya" the feast to thank G-d.

I guess that's why I found myself writing this and this .

Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom

Next Kohelet, bli neder, I don't know when.

some more from T'hilim, Psalms

of course it would help to have a text

We're in T'hilim 35, 17 "heshiva nafshi" She returned/saved/rescued/relaxed/reassured/calmed my soul.
We ask G-d for help when we're in trouble, and we need His help to get through the trouble. People blame G-d for the bad things, like the Holocaust, and expect G-d to fix everything. and fix it real fast. We have to fix things, through change and discipline. G-d works "erech hapayim," long time.
"yachidati" material, the essense of the body.

We were sent to galut, diaspora as punishment.

That's it for tonight.

great news!

Great news! It's almost like the moshiach's coming! June Cleaver, SAHM's are envied by young women . Forget about ol' Beaver's mother, my mother's life as a wife and mother are considered the ideal! That's what I've been saying for years. I wanted a life like that, not having to work out of the house, but active as a volunteer in all sorts of things. I didn't want to have to figure out what to do with a sick kids, because I couldn't miss work. I wanted to have proper meals for my kids and husband when they came home. I managed for a number of years, but then we needed the money, so I started working. I worked at all sorts of jobs, professions without certificates. I could never take myself seriously and embarrassed my kids by not being as successful as their friends' mothers. So they did everything they could not to be like me.

And now, according to statistics, young women want that life, because we can't be everything. Certainly, we can't do it all simultaneously. They finally realize that mothering is fulfilling. Enjoy!

notes T'hilim, Ecclesiastes 7-3 Psalms, Kohelet

As usual, having the text, actually full Bible, around will help, since I don't quote much, just refer to the actual words.

**I arrived late and missed the beginning, so I had trouble following, and Nissan mentioned somethng else that I don't know what he was really referring to.

T'hilim, Psalms, 35, 16
Generally G-d is patient and doesn't interfere, only when things get really bad, like the generation of the flood.
2nd Shmuel/Samuel 9, 14 When David is told that his son will build the Beit Hamikdash, Holy Temple, G-d will be as a father to Shlomo/Solomon and discipline him, that immediately reminded me of the notes from the last class on Kohelet. That David had problems with his sons, because he didn't discipline them. It must have had been his reactions, since he was treated very badly. Only Batsheva and Shlomo were separate from the rest of the family, and she raised him differently, so he was worthy to be king and build the Beit Hamikdash.

Must get ready for my exercise class.
More later, at some point... b'ezrat Hashem

update

No news. Yes, the news is that there's none.

I should have attended yesterday's funeral for my neighbor. Instead I went to teach, and it wasn't pleasant. It's hard to decided in these cases. My ingrained "protestant work ethic" makes cancelling classes so unthinkable. Being a teacher has its drawbacks. There's no flexi-time. I can't "change shifts" nor do a double on a different day. There's also no subbing in our school. Most of my classes are too weak to do independent work. I had also promised a senior a make-up test, which of course he didn't do in the end. The principal promised to proctor it personally on a different day. One of my classes ended up being so unpleasant, I was disgusted. For this I missed going to a funeral. And then I got stuck waiting over half an hour in Beit El for a ride north. The other connections were much better. but still, I only made it home almost an hour and a half after concluding the last lesson. And that's for a twenty minute door-to-door.

Boker Limud, the T'hilim (Psalms)-Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) class I take was fantastic. Amazing how the two books, by father and son, follow the same lines.
But no time right now to start reporting.

G-d willing, today will be better.

Almost Adar Sheni (the leap year month of Adar on the Jewish calendar.) My daughter is starting to think that the baby wants to be born closer to Purim, in Adar Sheni.

they blame me

Blogspot claims that it's my fault that the colors go nuts on this blog. I've added too much or incorrectly to the template. Maybe it's the counter at the bottom, but I don't know where it starts and ends to try to move it.

I hate being stupid.