tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27529510720130544922024-03-05T21:40:29.479-05:00Harry Potter and TorahHarry Potter and Torah, a collection of Jewish insights related to the Harry Potter series, written by Dov Krulwich.Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-43603526859219934152015-10-25T17:02:00.001-05:002015-10-25T17:02:17.824-05:00Israel needs cultural bridges, not boycotts – letter from JK Rowling, Simon Schama and othersFrom <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/22/israel-needs-cultural-bridges-not-boycotts-letter-from-jk-rowling-simon-schama-and-others">The Guardian</a>:<br />
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In February 2015 you published <a class=" u-underline" data-component="in-body-link" data-link-name="in body link" href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/13/cultural-boycott-israel-starts-tomorrow" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">a letter from UK artists</a> announcing their intention to culturally boycott Israel.</div>
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We do not believe cultural boycotts are acceptable or that the letter you published accurately represents opinion in the cultural world in the UK.</div>
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Therefore we are writing to declare our support for the launch and aims of<a class=" u-underline" data-component="in-body-link" data-link-name="in body link" href="http://cultureforcoexistence.org/" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">Culture for Coexistence</a> – an independent UK network representing a cross-section from the cultural world.</div>
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We will be seeking to inform and encourage dialogue about <a class=" u-underline" data-component="auto-linked-tag" data-link-name="auto-linked-tag" href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/israel" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">Israel</a> and the Palestinians in the wider cultural and creative community. While we may not all share the same views on the policies of the Israeli government, we all share a desire for peaceful coexistence.</div>
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Cultural boycotts singling out Israel are divisive and discriminatory, and will not further peace. Open dialogue and interaction promote greater understanding and mutual acceptance, and it is through such understanding and acceptance that movement can be made towards a resolution of the conflict.</div>
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Ultimately we all believe in a two-state solution so that the national self-determination of both peoples is realised, with the state of Israel and a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security.</div>
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Cultural engagement builds bridges, nurtures freedom and positive movement for change. We wholly endorse encouraging such a powerful tool for change rather than boycotting its use.<br /><strong>Naomi Alderman</strong><br /><strong>Shay Alkalay</strong><br /><strong>Bennett Arron</strong><br /><strong>Daniel Battsek</strong><br /><strong>John Battsek</strong><br /><strong>Guto Bebb MP</strong><br /><strong>Gina Bellman</strong><br /><strong>Michael Berg</strong><br /><strong>Josh Berger</strong><br /><strong>Bob Blackman MP</strong><br /><strong>Neil Blair</strong><br /><strong>Iwona Blazwick</strong><br /><strong>Elli Bobrovizki</strong><br /><strong>Gabi Bobrovizki</strong><br /><strong>Melvyn Bragg</strong><br /><strong>David Burrowes MP</strong><br /><strong>Teresa Cahill</strong><br /><strong>Colin Callender</strong><br /><strong>Simon Chinn</strong><br /><strong>Danny Cohen</strong><br /><strong>Frank Cohen</strong><br /><strong>Prof Susan Collins</strong><br /><strong>Wendy Cope</strong><br /><strong>Loraine da Costa</strong><br /><strong>Marcus Davey</strong><br /><strong>Oliver Dowden MP</strong><br /><strong>Ruth Dudley Edwards</strong><br /><strong>Michael Dugher MP</strong><br /><strong>Brian Elias</strong><br /><strong>Yigal Elstein</strong><br /><strong>Allie Esiri</strong><br /><strong>Michael Etherton</strong><br /><strong>Moris Farhi MBE</strong><br /><strong>Niall Ferguson</strong><br /><strong>Stanley Fink</strong><br /><strong>Larry Finlay</strong><br /><strong>Amanda Foreman</strong><br /><strong>Michael Foster</strong><br /><strong>Andrew Franklin</strong><br /><strong>Nick Fraser</strong><br /><strong>Mike Freer MP</strong><br /><strong>Julian Friedman</strong><br /><strong>Sonia Friedman</strong><br /><strong>Jonny Geller</strong><br /><strong>Adèle Geras</strong><br /><strong>David Glick</strong><br /><strong>Taryn Gold</strong><br /><strong>Amanda Goldman</strong><br /><strong>Richard Goldstein</strong><br /><strong>Michael Grade</strong><br /><strong>Maurice Gran</strong><br /><strong>Linda Grant</strong><br /><strong>Miriam Gross</strong><br /><strong>Tom Gross</strong><br /><strong>Stephen Grosz</strong><br /><strong>Peter & Martine Halban</strong><br /><strong>Jan Harlan</strong><br /><strong>Ronald Harwood</strong><br /><strong>Noreena Hertz</strong><br /><strong>John Heyman</strong><br /><strong>Lilian Hochhauser</strong><br /><strong>Tom Holland</strong><br /><strong>John Howell MP</strong><br /><strong>Judy Ironside</strong><br /><strong>David Japp</strong><br /><strong>Andrea Jenkyns MP</strong><br /><strong>Zygi Kamasa</strong><br /><strong>Jack Kirkland</strong><br /><strong>Evgeny Kissin</strong><br /><strong>Michael Kuhn</strong><br /><strong>David Kustow</strong><br /><strong>Norman Lebrecht</strong><br /><strong>Sam Leifer</strong><br /><strong>Teddy Leifer</strong><br /><strong>Camilla Lewis</strong><br /><strong>David Levy</strong><br /><strong>John Levy</strong><br /><strong>Maureen Lipman</strong><br /><strong>Andrew Macdonald</strong><br /><strong>Hilary Mantel</strong><br /><strong>Stephen Margolis</strong><br /><strong>Dan Marks</strong><br /><strong>Laurence Marks</strong><br /><strong>Denis MacEoin</strong><br /><strong>Charlotte Mendelson</strong><br /><strong>Yael Mer</strong><br /><strong>Ivan Moscovich</strong><br /><strong>Maajid Nawaz</strong><br /><strong>Anthony Newman</strong><br /><strong>Gavin Newman</strong><br /><strong>Hayley Newstead</strong><br /><strong>Paula Noble</strong><br /><strong>Tracy-Ann Oberman</strong><br /><strong>Matthew Offord MP</strong><br /><strong>Cosh Omar</strong><br /><strong>Martin Paisner</strong><br /><strong>Robin Pauley</strong><br /><strong>Leo Pearlman</strong><br /><strong>Daniel Peltz</strong><br /><strong>Andrew Percy MP</strong><br /><strong>Eric Pickles MP</strong><br /><strong>Stuart Polak </strong><br /><strong>Monica Porter</strong><br /><strong>Gail Rebuck</strong><br /><strong>Charlie Redmayne</strong><br /><strong>Andrew Roberts</strong><br /><strong>JK Rowling</strong><br /><strong>Paul Ruddock</strong><br /><strong>Prof Carol Rumens </strong><br /><strong>Marc Samuelson</strong><br /><strong>Charles Robert Saumarez Smith </strong><br /><strong>Prof Robert Saxton</strong><br /><strong>Joanna Scanlan</strong><br /><strong>Kenny Schachter</strong><br /><strong>Simon Schama</strong><br /><strong>Simon Sebag Montefiore</strong><br /><strong>Francesca Segal</strong><br /><strong>Anthony Seldon</strong><br /><strong>Rick Senat</strong><br /><strong>Zaab Sethna</strong><br /><strong>Jonathan Shalit</strong><br /><strong>Bernard Shapero</strong><br /><strong>David Shelley</strong><br /><strong>Clive Sinclair</strong><br /><strong>Daniel Silver</strong><br /><strong>Lucy Silver</strong><br /><strong>Dan Silverston</strong><br /><strong>Chloe Smith MP</strong><br /><strong>Karen Smith</strong><br /><strong>Mark Smith</strong><br /><strong>Prof Ashley Solomon</strong><br /><strong>Claire Speller</strong><br /><strong>Rob Suss</strong><br /><strong>George Szirtes</strong><br /><strong>Paul Trijbits</strong><br /><strong>Kevin Tsjiuhara</strong><br /><strong>Gabe Turner</strong><br /><strong>Moni Varma</strong><br /><strong>Rebecca Wallersteiner</strong><br /><strong>Minette Walters</strong><br /><strong>Zoë Wanamaker</strong><br /><strong>Angela Watkinson MP</strong><br /><strong>George Weidenfeld</strong><br /><strong>Fay Weldon</strong><br /><strong>Heather Wheeler MP</strong><br /><strong>Robert Winston</strong><br /><strong>Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg</strong><br /><strong>David Young</strong><br /><strong>Toby Young</strong></div>
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<br />Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-12468661731162825072013-02-24T03:11:00.003-05:002013-02-24T03:11:41.762-05:00Zombies in Megilat Esther (for Purim)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just saw <a href="http://www.facebook.com/rafigoldmeier/posts/10151252351226784">on Facebook</a>: Esther 9:11 proves that zombies existed in the time of the Megilla: </span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"On that day a number of </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">people</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">killed in Shushan came before the king...."</span></h5>
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Happy Purim everyone!</span></span></div>
Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-26140286166259666082013-02-20T02:50:00.000-05:002013-02-20T02:50:25.508-05:00The king's magical book (repost for Purim)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>In honor of Purim this weekend, I'm re-posting some articles I wrote in past years.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The king's magical book</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">In Megilat Esther, the book of Esther containing the Purim story, we read in the beginning of chapter 6 that the king couldn't sleep and asked that his book of records of his life be brought to him. The usual translation is that he asked that it be read to him, but the Hebrew can be read that the book "should be made to be read to him." The Talmud (Megila 15b) says that the book opened magically to the story of Mordechai, fitting the literal reading of the Hebrew very well.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">What is the Talmud trying to tell us?</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">I think that we can answer the question by analogy to the Harry Potter series. Throughout the series we hear magical explanations of things that seem like circumstance to non-magical people. For example, a number of magical places (such as the Qwidditch Cup stadium, and the Hogwarts castle) are enchanted such that any non-magical people that get close to them will all of a sudden remember something that they had to do in another place. Similarly, non-magical people don't see or know about Dementors, but they feel sad all of a sudden whenever in one's presence.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">These sorts of details in the Harry Potter books make them fun to read, since they make us think of magical explanations of circumstances like remembering something we have to do or all of a sudden feeling sad.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">The Talmud above might be teaching us that things that happen by circumstance, such as opening a book to a page ramdomly, are in fact caused by G-d to happen in a way that will fit a plan that He has for the world. Circumstance is not fitting a magical enchantment, but in a similarly magical way is fitting a Divine plan. This makes everyday events as magical as they are in Harry Potter, but the magic is Divine, not created by wizards.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">The entire Purim story is in fact teaching that lesson. G-d's name doesn't appear anywhere in the book of Esther, but we know and believe that circumstances are being orchestrated by G-d to bring about the results that He wants. Even the name "Esther" reflects this, being from the same Hebrew root as "hester," meaning hidden. G-d's hand in events might be hidden, but It's there nonetheless. It doesn't take a wizard to see the magic, but it requires that we be attuned to how G-d is shaping the events in the world to bring out His plans.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">I want to wish everybody a good Shabbat and a Happy Purim!</span></span><br />
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<br />Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-25303545427203389402013-02-19T23:48:00.000-05:002013-02-19T23:48:33.283-05:00Sirius, Kreacher, and the Origins of Haman (Repost for Purim)<br />
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<em>I wrote this a few years ago, and it certainly fits the times today as much as it did then. Happy Purim everyone, and let's hope that we merit Purim-like redemption soon!</em></div>
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<br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: 17px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>Sirius, Kreacher, and the Origins of Haman</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">We read in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and several times in subsequent books, how Sirius's mistreatment of Kreacher the House Elf led to Kreacher's betrayal of Sirius to Voldemort. Harry gets upset at the implication that Sirius was at all responsible for what happened, but Dumbeldore (and later Hermione) stood firm that treating Kreacher the way Sirius did led to the hatred that fueled Kreacher's betrayal.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Ultimately, Harry learns from this, and changes his treatment of Kreacher and of others. Not only does this pay off in Kreacher's help for Harry, but Harry learns in the process that situations are complicated, and that the full story of Kreacher's life makes it very clear that he's worthy of better treatment than he received from Sirius.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">We see the same thing regarding Jewish enemies. Haman, in the Purim story, is descended from the Biblical nation of Amalek, the arch-enemy of the Jewish people. Amalek attacked us on our way out of Egypt, and again before entering the Land of Israel, and again in the time of King Saul. The Amalek descendant Haman tried to kill all the Jews in the Purim story. And Jews tend to think of other enemies, such as the Nazis, as being descended at least ideologically from Amalek.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">But why is Amalek the way they are? What made them our arch enemy?</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Clearly all human beings have free will, and are responsible for bad things that they do even if they're pushed to do them by others. Sirius's mis-treatment of Kreacher doesn't take the blame off of Kreacher for betraying Sirius, and anything that we can say about the origins of Amalek will never take the blame off of them for things that they did to us. But by examining the origins of Amalek, we can learn something about our own behavior, as Harry did from Kreacher. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">In Genesis, at the end of the Torah portion of Vayishlach, we read a long description of the desendents of Esav. This is thought of by many people as a fairly "boring" part of the Torah, listing who "begat" who. Why do we care about Esav's descendents?</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">In the middle of the lineage, we read that Esav's son Elifaz had a concubine named Timna, and that Timna gave birth to a son named Amalek. What's Timna's story, and what led her son to become arch-enemy number one of the Jewish people?</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The Talmud tells us a fascinating story about Timna. Timna, says the Talmud, was born from an aristocratic family. She's described as the "daughter of Kings." But she heard about Abraham's family and their belief in monotheism, and she became determined to join Abraham's movement. Abraham, we know, was accepting many many converts to his new religion. The Torah refers to "all the souls that Abraham made in Charan." Timna wanted to be one such convert to Abraham's new religion.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Abraham, however, thought that Timna was not a true believer in monotheism. So he rejected her, and apparently did so in a way that she felt was rude. But she didn't give up, she waited a while and then went to Abraham's son Isaac (Yitzchak). Isaac also said no. So she waited a while and went to Jacob (Yaakov). And Jacob also said no. She became depressed, but was still determined to join the family. She ended up deciding to become a concubine of Elifaz the son of Esav, saying "it's better to be in a lowly position in this family than to be in a high position in another family." But because of her feelings for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, she gave birth to Amalek, who in the words of the Talmud "pushed at the Jewish people with two hands."</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">This story is tremendously powerful. The Talmud is putting responsibility for Amalek's origins on the shoulders of the Jewish forefathers!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The phrase "push with two hands" is Talmudic terminology for treating someone as altogether bad. The Talmud elsewhere tells us that in all circumstances we are obligated to push people away (if we have to) only with our left hand, and to simultaneously pull them closer with our right. Even if we have to push someone away, we have to do so in a way that brings them closer as well.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Note that the Talmud is not saying this only about converts. It applies to teachers who have to discipline students, parents who have to discipline children, and all Jews that ever have to admonish others. The Talmud says that we have to do this "le'olam," forever, in all circumstances.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Pushing people away with the left hand while bringing them closer with the right means that if we're pushing away one aspect of a person, we have to acknowledge at the same time that the person has many other qualities that are good. The goal in pushing someone away is not that they should be further away, but rather that their problematic aspects be pushed away and that the rest of them be pulled closer.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I think that it's not at all an exageration to say that Jews pushing each other away with two hands is destroying our society. Imagine if every time a Jew had to disagree with another Jew, it was done in a way that was designed to bring the other Jew closer in the process. No throwing stones, no insulting, no disregarding, just an attempt to disagree in a way that moves us towards, not away from, Jewish unity.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">If we can all learn the lesson from Amalek's origins, and can all learn to follow the Talmud's command to always push people away only with one hand while bringing them closer with the other, then hopefully, with G-d's help, we can be redeemed from all of our current problems just as on Purim the Jews of Shushan were saved from Haman's threat.</span></span><br /><br /><div align="center" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<strong>Happy Purim everyone!</strong></div>
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Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-63307701822052992562012-09-05T15:44:00.000-05:002012-09-05T15:44:00.706-05:00Preparing for Rosh HaShana the Harry Potter wayAs we get closer to Rosh HaShana, I'd like to share some old articles that relate to the High Holidays, teshuva (repentance), blowing the shofar, and the like. I hope that they help make your (or your childrens) holidays more fun and meaningful.<br />
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<li>Harry Potter and the Power of Repentance:<br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/harry-potter-and-power-of-teshuva.html">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/harry-potter-and-power-of-teshuva.html</a></li>
<li>Percy's repentance:<br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/percys-teshuva-repentance-and-yom.html">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/percys-teshuva-repentance-and-yom.html</a></li>
<li>Even Malfoy's or Wormtail's repentance counts:<br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/rosh-hashana-even-malfoys-or-wormtails.html">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/rosh-hashana-even-malfoys-or-wormtails.html</a></li>
<li>Harry Potter's advice of feeling remorse:<br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/yom-kippur-take-harry-potters-advice.html">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/yom-kippur-take-harry-potters-advice.html</a></li>
<li>More notes about repentance:<br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/final-thoughts-about-harry-potter-and.html">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/final-thoughts-about-harry-potter-and.html</a></li>
<li>Harry Potter, Shofar and Jewish Unity<br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2011/09/harry-potter-shofar-and-jewish-unity.html">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2011/09/harry-potter-shofar-and-jewish-unity.html</a></li>
<li>Dumbeldore's repentance (teshuva) - a sign of a leader, or unbecoming of a leader?<br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2009/09/dumbeldores-repentance-teshuva-sign-of.html">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2009/09/dumbeldores-repentance-teshuva-sign-of.html</a></li>
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<br />Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-90875855442909931402012-05-22T13:43:00.000-05:002012-05-22T13:49:19.941-05:00Happy Shavuot!<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I want to wish everyone a happy and meaningful Shavuot holiday!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Below are links to a few articles in the spirit of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=hptb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah</a>, all relating to Shavuot.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Harry Potter fans know all about the mirror of ERISED, which shows people what they truly desire. I think that Shavuot teaches us about the Torah of LAITNETOP, which can show each of us how great our potential really is. Read more </span><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/02/torah-of-l-i-t-n-e-t-o-p.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">:</span><br />
<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/02/torah-of-l-i-t-n-e-t-o-p.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/02/torah-of-l-i-t-n-e-t-o-p.html</span></a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Shavuot also teaches us about what G-d considers important, first and foremost of which is how we interact with other people. Our interactions with others have a truly magical power all their own. Read more </span><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/magic-of-how-we-interact-with-other.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/magic-of-how-we-interact-with-other.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/magic-of-how-we-interact-with-other.html</span></a><br />
<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/02/torah-of-l-i-t-n-e-t-o-p.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"></span></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">An article I really enjoyed discusses<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_978884448"> </a></span><span style="color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.aish.com/sp/so/48956936.html">Shavuot and the Greatful Dead</a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">. I wrote some of my own thoughts on Judaism and music, relating also to Shavuot, </span><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/shavuot-and-grateful-dead.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">here:</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #b87209; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/shavuot-and-grateful-dead.html</span></a>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">If you're reading this and don't know what the Shavuot holiday is (it's not as widely celebrated as Passover or Yom Kippur) you can read some great articles on it at:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.aish.com/h/sh/"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">http://www.aish.com/h/sh/</span></a>Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-53623504883213566222012-04-05T03:04:00.000-05:002012-04-05T03:04:56.419-05:00Passover salvation and Harry & Voldemort's final battleBelow is a thought about Harry Potter and Passover that I wrote a few years ago, that I thought people would enjoy again. For more Harry Potter-related thoughts for Passover, see <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-on-passover-and-unity.html">here</a> <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-on-passover-and-unity.html">(Passover and unity)</a> and <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/01/repost-why-did-harry-potters-boggart.html">here (matza and bogarts)</a> and <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/01/harry-potters-magical-protection-book.html">here (magical protection at the splitting of the sea)</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Passover salvation and Voldemort's rebounding curses </strong></span><br />
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A lot of people have discussed a particular aspect of Harry's victory over Voldemort at the end of Deathly Hallows, that in fact Harry didn't destroy Voldemort, rather Voldemort killed himself, with a curse that rebounded on him when it collided with Harry's curse. I've written previously (here) that I actually don't like this aspect of the story, since I think that Harry should have killed Voldemort directly, but as I write below, there's a definite analogue to this in the Torah.<br />
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In fact, we see throughout the Harry Potter stories that Harry's defeats of Voldemort are most often because of something that Voldemort himself did. When Harry was a baby he defeated Voldemort because of Voldemort's having killed Harry's mother unnecessarily. The same enabled Harry to defeat Quirrel (posessed by Voldemort) at the end of Sorcerer's Stone. Harry beats Voldemort at the end of Goblet of Fire because of Voldemort's wand. He escapes Voldemort at the end of Order of the Phoenix because of Voldemort's damaged soul. Over and over, Harry defeats Voldemort because Voldemort's own actions turn against him.<br />
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This is a theme that we see throughout the Torah as well. Jewish salvation is very often enabled specifically by the things that our enemies themselves do.<br />
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In the Passover story, we know that Moses was raised in Pharoh's house, as Pharoh's son. The plagues are each brought as a consequence of Pharoh's actions as well. In the Purim story, Haman's downfall is due to Esther's position as queen, which was a result of Haman and the King's immoral process of choosing a new queen.<br />
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This is even hinted in the Passover Hagadah, in the song "ve'hee she'amda." We say "This (G-d's pact with Abraham) supports us forever, because not only once but in every generation someone stands up against us (the Jews) to destroy us, but G-d always saves us from their hands." The phrase "from their hands," in Hebrew "mi-yadam" (מידם), hints to us that G-d's salvation always utilizes our enemies "hands" in bringing about our salvation - G-d always saves us through our enemies hands.<br />
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Besides learning about the nature of Divine salvation, that it seems to operate similar to Voldemort's rebounding curses, we can see a new perspective on things that others do to us. Not only do we know that G-d will always save us, we can look at things that our enemies do as the potential sources of our future Divine salvation.<br />
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I'd like to wish everyone a happy and meaningful Passover, both the seder and the holiday itself.Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-69793185853742056142011-11-23T03:02:00.000-05:002011-11-23T03:02:40.671-05:00New book: Morality for Muggles<div class="separator" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="200px" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Jn1zSAizL._SS500_.jpg" width="200px" /></div><br />
Another book came out connecting Harry Potter to Jewish themes! It's called Morality for Muggles and you can find out more about it (or buy it on-line) by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1602801835/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1602801835">clicking here</a>.Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-19065058128682963182011-11-22T15:55:00.000-05:002011-11-22T15:55:15.776-05:00The Talmud and the space shuttle's view from spaceHi everyone! This is not directly related to Harry Potter, but I found it fascinating and thought I'd share it here.<br />
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The Talmud (Chagiga 12a) makes a cryptic statement about the creation of the universe: The Hebrew word "tohu" in the second verse of Genesis, usually translated "formless" or "void," is explained by the Talmud as refering to "the green line that surrounds the entire world." Since the year 300 or so when the Talmud was written, most commentaries give metaphorical or mystical explanations, and most people studying it shrug and move on. <br />
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Enter the space shuttle. Take a look at the attached video, which is time-lapse image of the world from the space shuttle. What you'll is, yes, a green line that seems to surround the entire world, apparently at the outer edge of the atmosphere. <br />
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Wow!<br />
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/32001208?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/32001208">Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/michaelkoenig">Michael König</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-76743408861677867012011-10-12T02:19:00.002-05:002011-10-12T02:19:15.646-05:00A personal thought about the reported Gilad Shalit dealThe Gilad Shalit deal will force Israeli society to do something that we're really bad at: admit that things can have good and bad sides. It's undeniable that releasing terrorists will most likely result in some of them killing other Israeli civilians. This has happened before with prisoner releases and is likely this time. It's undeniably likely. On the other hand, it's undeniable that Israel has a social contract, where families (almost all) send their sons to the army, and the government has to treat each soldier like he's their son. This too is undeniable. Our challenge ahead: celebrating his release and admitting in any debate that there are sometimes big decisions to be made with undeniable trade-offs.Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-69212467587082465462011-09-27T03:30:00.000-05:002011-09-27T03:30:27.816-05:00Harry Potter, Shofar and Jewish UnityBelow is an repost of an excerpt from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah </a>on the subject of blowing the shofar and Jewish unity. Other Rosh HaShana thoughts related to Harry Potter are <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/harry-potter-and-power-of-teshuva.html">here</a>, <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/percys-teshuva-repentance-and-yom.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/rosh-hashana-even-malfoys-or-wormtails.html">here</a>.<br />
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Shana tova everyone!<br />
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<div align="center"><strong>Harry Potter, blowing the shofar, and Jewish unity</strong></div><br />
At the end of the Goblet of Fire, Professor delivers some well-chosen words about the need for unity among students and all "wizardfolk" who oppose the evil wizard Voldemort:<br />
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<blockquote>"Every guest in this hall ... will be welcomed back here, at any time, should they wish to come. I say to you all, once again -- in light of Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.<br />
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"Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can<br />
only fight it by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust.<br />
Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical<br />
and our hearts are open." (Goblets of Fire, chapter 37)</blockquote><br />
The next year, the sorting hat, the magical talking hat whose job it is to divide the students into the four schoolhouses, infuses the same theme into its start-of-year song:<br />
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<blockquote>"...And now the sorting hat is here<br />
And you all know the score:<br />
I sort you into houses<br />
Because that's what I'm for.<br />
But this year I'll go further,<br />
Listen closely to my song:<br />
Though condemned I am to split you<br />
Still I worry that it's wrong....<br />
Oh, know the peril, read the signs,<br />
The warning history shows.<br />
For our Hogwarts is in danger<br />
From external deadly foes.<br />
And we must unite inside her<br />
Or we'll crumble from within.<br />
I have told you, I have warned you...<br />
Let the Sorting now begin."<br />
(Order of the Phoenix, chapter 11)</blockquote><br />
The same lesson of the importance of unity is pervasive throughout the Torah and Jewish prayer. Jewish unity is both a Torah-ordained objective and a source of Divine strength.<br />
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Before blowing the shofar on Rosh HaShana we read Tehilim (Psalms) chapter 47. Obviously one reason is that it mentions shofar blasts. But at the end of the paragraph we read the following:<br />
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"Representatives of nations gathered, the nation of the G-d of Abraham, for the protectors of the land are G-d's, He is greatly exalted."<br />
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Rav Salomon explained this as referring to the Jewish people whenever we gather together. We're all different, "representatives of nations," all with different customs and practices, but when we gather together for the sake of being Jews, as "the nation of the G-d of Abraham," then we have the collective ability to be "protectors of the land," and the power and beauty of this unity leads to G-d's being "greatly exalted."<br />
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In 1914, the Chassidic Rebbe of Belz made the following succinct statement concerning the difficult times felt by Jews of that era: "It is of the utmost importance that the Jews love one another. One must love even the lowliest Jew as himself. One must engender unity and keep far away from anything that causes disunity. The salvation of Israel during times of trouble rests on this".<br />
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Note that unity does not require agreeing with everyone. The Rebbe of Belz was not suggesting<br />
condoning the actions of "even the lowliest Jew." Rather, unity means disagreeing respectfully and treating others with love regardless of agreement or disagreement, and caring about the needs of others as we care about our own.<br />
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Satmar Chassidic teachings explain that suspecting another Jew of wrongdoing is sometimes necessary, but nonetheless is something that we should literally cry for ever having to do. This teaching is based on the events described in the Yom Kippur musaf service, where the sages cried at suspecting the High Priest of wrongdoing in the Yom Kippur Temple service, based on the Talmud (Yoma 18b, Mishna 1:5).<br />
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Our goal as Jews should be to have so much unity that we become "representatives of nations, the nation of the G-d of Abraham," with all of our differences and yet complete unity of purpose.<br />
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We need, as Dumbeldore said:<br />
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<blockquote>"… an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and<br />
language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open."</blockquote><br />
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Shana Tova!Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-25773538835423743552011-09-14T02:26:00.000-05:002011-09-14T02:26:48.900-05:00Approach the High Holidays the Harry Potter wayRosh HaShana and Yom Kippur are now under a month away, and we've started the Jewish month of Elul in which we prepare for the holidays. In that spirit, here are links to some essays I wrote previously on Harry Potter themes related to the High Holidays:<br />
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<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/harry-potter-and-power-of-teshuva.html">Harry Potter and the Power of Repentance</a>:<br />
<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/harry-potter-and-power-of-teshuva.html"><span style="font-size: 78%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/harry-potter-and-power-of-teshuva.html</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/percys-teshuva-repentance-and-yom.html">Percy's repentance</a>:<br />
<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/percys-teshuva-repentance-and-yom.html"><span style="font-size: 78%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/percys-teshuva-repentance-and-yom.html</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/rosh-hashana-even-malfoys-or-wormtails.html">Even Malfoy's or Wormtail's repentance counts</a>:<br />
<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/rosh-hashana-even-malfoys-or-wormtails.html"><span style="font-size: 78%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/rosh-hashana-even-malfoys-or-wormtails.html</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/yom-kippur-take-harry-potters-advice.html">Harry Potter's advice of feeling remorse</a>:<br />
<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/yom-kippur-take-harry-potters-advice.html"><span style="font-size: 78%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/yom-kippur-take-harry-potters-advice.html</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/final-thoughts-about-harry-potter-and.html">More notes about repentance</a>:<br />
<a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/final-thoughts-about-harry-potter-and.html"><span style="font-size: 78%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/09/final-thoughts-about-harry-potter-and.html</span></a><br />
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I hope that everyone has had a great summer, and hope to have more <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah </a>thoughts for you soon!Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-36177006422493403032010-12-27T05:29:00.004-05:002010-12-27T05:41:34.949-05:00Clarification of Harry Potter cookbook - and a recommendationRegarding my previous note about the "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440503257?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1440503257">Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook</a>" - I had written that the recipies were all Kosher. This is wrong. The author herself keeps Kosher, and most of the recipes there are indeed Kosher, but she writes in her acknowledgments that she had the help of a non-Jewish (and non-Kosher-keeping) chef in preparing a few recipes that are not Kosher.<br /><br />It still looks to me like this cookbook will be a lot of fun for families with Harry Potter fans, but Kosher-keeping readers should know that (as with all non-Kosher cookbooks) there will be recipes to skip or adapt.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932687963?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1932687963"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 136px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MpQGz8xML._SL500_AA300_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />While I'm writing, I'd like to continue to recommend <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932687963?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1932687963">Time Out - Sports Stories as a Game</a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932687963?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1932687963"> </a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932687963?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1932687963">Plan for Spiritual Success</a> by my friend, neighbor, and name-sharer Rabbi Dov Lipman. Sports fans or their parents will find the book a fun way to relate to Judaism and spirituality.Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-68824016093462892082010-12-20T09:52:00.004-05:002010-12-27T05:40:34.505-05:00Harry Potter cookbook - Kosher!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440503257?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1440503257"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 207px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tEo-u7pKL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I just came across a new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440503257?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1440503257">The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook</a>, and not only does it claim to give recipes for all the wizard food mentioned in the Harry Potter series, but apparently everything in it is Kosher as well!<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">UPDATE: See my <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2010/12/clarification-of-harry-potter-cookbook.html">follow-up (click here)</a> about the book's being Kosher.</span><br /><br />Enjoy!Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-43601851949698575072010-11-02T06:21:00.002-05:002010-11-02T06:27:43.050-05:00REPOST: The Divine Hallows (in preparation for the Deathly Hallows movie)Here's a repost of <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/divine-hallows.html">an article I wrote</a> shortly after the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545139708?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545139708">Deathly Hallows book</a> came out. I'm reposting it now in preparation for the Deathly Hallows movie opening soon.<br /><br />Anyone interested in buying <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah can click here</a> to buy it at Amazon, or can <a href="mailto:author@harrypottertorah.com">e-mail me here</a> if you live in Israel.<br /><br /><div align="center"><strong>The Divine Hallows<br /></strong></div><strong></strong><br />The final Harry Potter book introduces three magical objects called the Deathly Hallows. Would you believe that two of the three have very close analogues in the Torah and Midrash? Read on!<br /><br />(If you want to read other Torah perspectives on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, click <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/should-harry-potter-have-fought.html">here </a>or <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/08/harry-potter-and-deathly-hallows-jewish.html">here</a>. Or click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1847532373">here </a>for more about the book Harry Potter and Torah.)<br /><br />The Deathly Hallows are introduced in a fairy tale that Hermione reads in chapter 21, which tells a fable of three men who were awarded magical prizes from Death:<br /><br /><blockquote>There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight... when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure... And Death spoke to them... and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him....<br /><br />The oldest brother, who was a combatative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for is owner... So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.<br /><br />Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead...<br /><br />The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers... so he asked for something that would enable him to go forth... without being followed by Death. So Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of invisibility."<br /></blockquote><br />These three magical gifts, the Elder Wand, the invisibility cloak, and the ressurection stone, are<br />the three Deathly Hallows that help Harry Potter beat Voldemort at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.<br /><br />If we look at the Torah, the Midrash, and the Talmud, we'll see very close analogues to two of these three magical objects: the wand and the cloak. The analogous things found in the Torah, which I think of as the Divine Hallows, aren't exactly the same as Harry Potter's Deathly Hallows, but they're intriguingly close. <span style="font-size: 85%;">(I haven't found a good analogue for the stone yet, but feel free to add comments with your suggestions!)</span><br /><br />In the story of Joseph and his brothers, when the brothers attack Joseph and sell him into slavery, the Torah tells us as follows:<br /><br />"And when Joseph arrived to his brothers, they removed Joseph's coat, the coat of many colors, which he was wearing" (Ber 37:23).<br /><br />The Zohar elaborates as follows: "Had the coat remained on Joseph, they could not have overpowered him. So first they stripped it from him...." (#1)<br /><br />The idea that Joseph's coat being a magical coat that protected him has its roots in several other stories in the Torah and Midrash. The story begins back in the dawn of time, with Adam in the<br />Garden of Eden. Combining various accounts in the Midrash we get the following history of Joseph's magical coat: (#7)<br /><br />"And G-d made for Adam and his wife clothes of skin, and clothed them." (Ber 3:21)<br /><br />"They were embroidered with images of all the animals (to protect them from the animals). Adam bequeathed them to Cain. (#2) They were taken into Noah's ark, and when they left the ark, Ham, Noah's son, took them, and then passed them on to Nimrod... Therefore Nimrod is described as "a mighty hunter" (Gen 10:9) (#3). Later, when Esau saw this coat, he coveted it, and killed Nimrod to take it. This made him also a mighty hunter (Gen 25:27). (#4) Later, Rebekah took "Esau's special clothes" for Jacob to wear (Gen 27:15), which refered to this same magical coat. (#5) When the Torah says that Jacob then gave a "coat of many colors" to Joseph (Gen 37:3) it is referring to this same coat, passed down from Adam, to Nimrod, to Esau, to Jacob, and finally to Joseph. (#6) It was stripped from Joseph by his brothers (#1) and then given back to Jacob(Gen 37:32). (#7)<br /><br />So we see the Midrash revealing a thread through a half dozen Biblical stories, of a Divinely-given coat the gave strength to whoever wore it. Sound familiar? It wasn't a coat of invisibility, but it was a magical cost that made the wearer a mighty warrior. This coat is what I might call the first "Divine Hallow."<br /><br />The second Divine Hallow in the Torah, as some readers may have guessed, is Moses's staff. As I discuss in details in <a href="http://www.harrypottertorah.com/">Harry Potter and Torah's </a>chapter on magic wands, Moses's staff was linked to magical power throughout the Torah, including the signs shown to Pharoah, the plagues, splitting the sea, and winning battles in the desert. (See <a href="http://www.harrypottertorah.com/">the book </a>for more details.)<br /><br />But the Talmud and Midrash tell us that Moses's staff had a longer and more illustrious history.<br />The Mishna in Ethics of the Fathers (5:6) tells us that Moses's staff was created on the sixth day of creation, at twilight right before the first Sabbath, when G-d created all the things in creation<br />that were in some sense exceptions to the rules of nature.<br /><br />The Midrash (#8) tells the following history of Moses's staff: The staff which was created at<br />twilight was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. Adam gave it to Enoch, and Enoch to Noah, and Noah to Abraham. Abraham gave it to Isaac, who gave it to Jacob (Gen 32:11), who took it down to Egypt and gave it to Joseph. When Joseph died, it was taken to Pharoah's palace. Jethro (Yitro) was a palace magician, and he made off with the staff, until Moses saw it and read the letters on it and took it. Jethro realized that Moses was destined for greatness and gave him the staff, and permitted him to marry Tziporah his daughter.<br /><br />Another Midrash (#9) continues: With this staff Moses split the sea, split the rock to produce<br />water, and defeated the Amalekites. This rod was then deposited in the tent of meeting, and later in the Temple, until the days of Jeremiah. Then it was hidden along with the Ark... until G-d will deliver the Jews from exile through the Messiah who will use the staff as Moses did.<br /><br />So we see a second "Divine Hallow," created by G-d to give power to leaders carrying out His<br />direction in the world.<br /><br />As I write in the introduction to Harry Potter and Torah, there are a wide variety of opinions of<br />how to understand stories told in the Midrash. Many take them literally. Many prefer to take them as lessons, which they were undoubtedly intended to teach us. Regardless of whether we take the Midrashim about Moses's staff and Joseph's coat literally, they tell us the source of power and protection in the world: The Al-mighty.<br /><br />At the same time, however, Harry Potter fans will note the striking similarity between Harry<br />Potter's Deathly Hallows and the Torah's "Divine Hallows." As we enjoy reading and re-reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, we can also enjoy our own Divine folklore from the Torah.<br /><br /><br /><em>Comments? Disagreement? Other suggestions for Divine Hallows, particularly the stone? Comments are welcome, just clink the "comments" link below, or e-mail <a href="mailto:author@harrypottertorah.com">author@harrypottertorah.com</a> </em><br /><br /><br />Notes:<br /><br />(#1) Zohar 1, 185a, as cited in Torah Shleima on Ber 37:23<br />(#2) Midrash quoted by Rav Yosef Karo, cited in Torah Shleima on Ber 3:21<br />(#3) Midrash PRE, cited in Torah Shleima on Gen 10:9<br />(#4) Midrash Yalkut Shimoni 115, cited in Torah Shleima on Gen 25:27; also Midrash Beresheet Rabba 63, cited in Torah Shleima on Ber 25:32.<br />(#5) Midrash Beresheet Raba 65, cited in Torah Shleima on Gen 27:15<br />(#6) Midrash HaBiur, cited in Torah Shleima on Gen 37:3<br />(#7) The entire story is summarized by Rashi, commenting on Talmud Psachim 54b.<br />(#8) Midrash PRE 40, cited in Torah Shleima on Ex 2:21<br />(#9) Yalkut Shimoni 1, 171, also Lekach Tov, both on Ex 4:17Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-67749453691472588772010-10-27T07:26:00.003-05:002010-10-27T07:36:49.033-05:00The upcoming Deathly Hallows movie and the Torah's view of dealing with dilemmas (Chayei Sarah)With the upcoming release (November 19) of the movie of the first half of Deathly Hallows, I'm planning to step up activity on this blog. (Of course, the best way to prepare for the movie is to buy a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah</a> if you haven't already: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1847532373">click here</a>!)<br /><br />I think that this movie will include the scene where Harry, Ron, and Hermione visit Xenophilius Lovegood, their friend Luna's father. At the door they're greeted rather strangely:<br /><br /><blockquote>'Would it be OK if we came in?' asked Harry. 'There's something we'd like to ask you.'<br />'I ... I"m not sure that's advisable,' wispered Xenophilius. He swallowed and cast a quick look around the garden. 'Rather a shock ... my word ... I ... I'm afraid I don't really think I ought to -'<br />...<br />His good eye moved again to Harry's scar. He seemed simultaneously terrified and mesmerised... He kept swallowing, his eyes darting between the three of them. Harry had the impression that he was undergoing some painful internal struggle.<br /></blockquote>We find out later that Xenophilius was in fact in a huge dilemma.<br /><br />Throughout the story (and movie) we see many other people in dilemmas. The Malfoys are torn between their alliegence to Voldemort and their desire to save Draco. Harry is torn between searching for horcruxes and seeking hallows. Harry is also torn between believing in Dumbeldore and distrusting him.<br /><br />We see a fascinating teaching in this week's Torah portion about how we deal with dilemmas. The Torah gives us four prototypes of dealing with dilemmas, some successfully and some not. Read all about it in <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/11/shalshelet-dealing-with-temptation-and.html">an essay I wrote two years ago:<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/11/shalshelet-dealing-with-temptation-and.html</span></a><br /><br />Enjoy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah,</a> and enjoy the new movie when it comes out!Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-85660700664347976472010-10-20T06:55:00.003-05:002010-10-20T06:59:18.804-05:00Harry Potter themes in this week's Torah portion (Vayera)Here are links to one chapter from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah</a> and another article in the same style, both of which relate to this week's Torah portion, Vayera (or "Vayeira"):<br /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/11/vayeira-mudbloods-moabites-and-moshiach.html">Mudbloods, Moabites, and Moshiach</a>:<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/11/vayeira-mudbloods-moabites-and-moshiach.html </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/11/shalshelet-dealing-with-temptation-and.html">Shalshelet: Dealing with temptation and uncertainty</a>:<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2008/11/shalshelet-dealing-with-temptation-and.html</span></h3>I'll be posting more soon in preparation for the upcoming Harry Potter movie release.Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-61907432233037358122010-06-02T22:59:00.002-05:002010-06-02T23:03:47.716-05:00The fight against evil (a NY Times letter to the Editor)Hi everyone. I want to pass on the letter below that I had published in the New York Times.<div><br /></div><div>I think that the battle in Israel between Israel and the Palestinians is a lot like the battle between Dumbeldore/Harry and Voldemort in book 5. Noone wants to see the Palestinians, and the growing Arab activists world-wide, as evil. Just like the Minister of Magic at the end of book 4 and throughout book 5, it's simply too painful to believe that there are people who cannot be convinced of good, or motivated to do good, in the same ways as civilized society. But as Harry Potter fans know, evil can indeed exist even if it's painful to admit, and defeating evil requires first recognizing it. Let's all hope that the world soon comes to its senses and starts to recognize and address the growing evil in our midst.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><h6 class="kicker">Letters</h6><h1 class="articleHeadline"><nyt_headline version="1.0" type=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Israeli Commandos and the Flotilla</span></nyt_headline></h1><nyt_byline></nyt_byline><h6 class="dateline">Published: June 1, 2010</h6><p>To the Editor:</p><p>If the flotilla activists truly wanted to bring peaceful supplies to Gaza, they would have accepted the Israeli military’s offer to relay all supplies to Gaza after checking them for weapons or explosives. But the flotilla activists did not accept the offer.</p><p>If the flotilla activists truly wanted to promote peace, they would have accepted the offer of the parents of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive, to pressure the Israeli government to let the flotilla through, in return for the flotilla activists pressuring Hamas to allow letters and food packages to be delivered to Gilad Shalit. But the flotilla activists did not accept this offer either.</p><p>And if the flotilla activists really wanted to stop the three-year-old Israeli blockade of Gaza, they would push Hamas to stop the rockets that caused the blockade to be imposed. Then Gazans could return to the freedom that they had immediately after the Israeli withdrawal in 2005, when many hoped peace was on the horizon.</p><p>When activists can truly work for peace, maybe peace will come.</p><p>Bruce Dov Krulwich<br />Beit Shemesh, Israel, June 1, 2010</p><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/opinion/l02mideast.html" style="color: rgb(34, 85, 136); ">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/opinion/l02mideast.html</a></span></div>Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-34628666383933621282010-05-18T00:27:00.002-05:002010-05-18T00:34:05.134-05:00The magical powers of ShavuotI want to wish everyone a happy and meaningful Shavuot holiday!<br /><br />Harry Potter fans know all about the mirror of ERISED, which shows people what they truly desire. I think that Shavuot teaches us about the Torah of LAITNETOP, which can show each of us how great our potential really is. Read more <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/02/torah-of-l-i-t-n-e-t-o-p.html">here</a>:<br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/02/torah-of-l-i-t-n-e-t-o-p.html"><span style="font-size: 85%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/02/torah-of-l-i-t-n-e-t-o-p.html</span></a><br /><br />Shavuot also teaches us about what G-d considers important, first and foremost of which is how we interact with other people. Our interactions with others have a truly magical power all their own. Read more <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/magic-of-how-we-interact-with-other.html">here</a>:<br /><span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/magic-of-how-we-interact-with-other.html"><span style="font-size: 85%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/magic-of-how-we-interact-with-other.html</span></a><br /><a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/02/torah-of-l-i-t-n-e-t-o-p.html"><span style="font-size: 85%;"></span></a><br />If you're reading this and don't know what the Shavuot holiday is (it's not as widely celebrated as Passover or Yom Kippur) you can read some great articles on it at:<br /><a href="http://www.aish.com/holidays/shavuot/default.asp">http://www.aish.com/holidays/shavuot/default.asp</a> <br /><br />An article I really enjoyed discusses <a href="http://www.aish.com/shavuotthemes/shavuotthemesdefault/Shavuot_and_the_Grateful_Dead_.asp">Shavuot and the Greatful Dead</a>. I wrote some of my own thoughts on Judaism and music <a href="http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/shavuot-and-grateful-dead.html">here:<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">http://harrypottertorah.blogspot.com/2007/05/shavuot-and-grateful-dead.html</span></a>Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-71602849199525994122010-03-21T09:20:00.004-05:002010-03-21T09:39:29.255-05:00Rebooting our devices and ourselvesI've always believed that different people relate to the Torah in different ways, and that many people are turned off by one perspective who might be ignited by another. Judaism has so many values and benefits, and it's great to see people relating strongly to specific merits of a Jewish lifestyle.<br /><br /><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/19/national.unplugging.day/index.html">http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/19/national.unplugging.day/index.html</a><br /><blockquote><br /><p><b>New York (CNN)</b> -- As the story goes, God spent six days creating the world and then rested on the seventh day. He told the Jewish people to always rest on the seventh day of each week, which was to become known as the Sabbath for them for eternity.</p> <p>This was before Facebook, Twitter, BlackBerries and iPhones, of course. Adam and Eve didn't have friends who would get upset if texts weren't returned promptly, parents who wanted to know where their children were all the time or bosses who had complete access to their employees via work-issued devices. There is no excuse good enough to ignore the boss, even on a weekend.</p> <p>But one group is trying to take back the Sabbath: Reboot -- a nonprofit organization aimed at reinventing the traditions and rituals of Judaism for today's secular Jews.</p> <p>Composed of Internet entrepreneurs, creators of award-winning television shows, community organizers and nonprofit leaders, these "Rebooters" are people who typically have their cell phones glued to their palms. Several of them go so far as to say they have an addiction to their devices.</p> <p>But this weekend they will be observing 24 hours of freedom from their devices: a National Day of Unplugging lasting from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.</p></blockquote><p></p><p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-schwartz/disconnect-to-connect_b_506518.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-schwartz/disconnect-to-connect_b_506518.html</a><br /></p><p></p><blockquote><p>Here's a novel notion, grounded in science: Human beings aren't meant to operate like computers; continuously, at high speeds, for long periods of time, running multiple programs at the same time. </p> <p>Instead, we're designed to pulse - to move rhythmically between spending and renewing energy. But we don't. </p> <p>For the next 24 hours, beginning at dusk tonight, a group called Reboot Inc. is inviting all of us to participate in a <a href="http://www.sabbathmanifesto.org/unplug" target="_hplink">National Day of Unplugging</a>. For one day, they're asking us to turn off our email, resist checking Facebook, and reconnect instead with our families, our friends and most of all, with ourselves. </p> <p>You're connected right now, of course. How many windows do you have open on your computer? Or perhaps you're reading this on your iPhone? When was<br />the last time you checked email, updated your status on Facebook or watched a YouTube video? </p> <p>When was the last time you truly unplugged for more than two or three hours, not counting sleep? </p> <p>We have too many ways to communicate with each other, too easily, about too little. The consequence is that we live in a world of utterly fractured attention.</p> <p>The more hours we spend plugged in, without real renewal, the more we begin to default reflexively into behaviors that reduce our effectiveness and take a pernicious toll on others: impatience, frustration, anxiety and distraction. </p> <p>Because so many of us are forever anticipating the next electronic communication - and responding with Pavlovian predictability - we're increasingly unable to invest our singularly absorbed attention or energy in any one person or activity. </p> <p>Ironically, all this back and forth often leaves us feeling emptier and less connected. Tweeting and texting may keep us up to date, but they're a poor substitute for real connection. </p> <p>It isn't only during the weekends that we need to unplug. Staying constantly connected takes a toll on our productivity and satisfaction at work, too. How much more could you get done if you turned off your email at certain times and stopped updating facebook and twitter so often?</p> <p>Reboot's call to unplug for a day is plainly just a first step, but it's also a terrific opportunity to see how it feels to utterly eliminate the noise of technology from your life. </p></blockquote><p><a href="http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/so-long-the-new-take-on-the-old-sabbath-ritual-of-unplugging/">http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/so-long-the-new-take-on-the-old-sabbath-ritual-of-unplugging/</a><br /></p><p></p><blockquote>I am typing fast because at sundown (7:20 p.m.), I plan to join in the first National Day of Unplugging and turn my electronic devices off until sundown Saturday. The <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/fashion/18sabbath.html">effort,</a> reported in The New York Times and elsewhere, is the brainchild of <a href="http://rebooters.net/">Reboot</a>, a nonprofit organization of Jewish professionals who want to adapt the concept of Sabbath traditions to the digital age.</blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hIJhImDHbes&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hIJhImDHbes&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /></p><p><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PB-RajHGz0w&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PB-RajHGz0w&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /></p><p>Reboot home page: <a href="http://rebooters.net/">http://rebooters.net/</a></p><p>Other articles:</p><p><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/inthemission/detail?entry_id=59548">http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/inthemission/detail?entry_id=59548</a></p><p><a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/03/rediscover-the-sabbath-on-national-day-of-unplugging/1">http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/03/rediscover-the-sabbath-on-national-day-of-unplugging/1</a><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-45037572568407058882009-12-29T06:39:00.001-05:002009-12-29T06:40:57.493-05:00REPOST: Joseph, Egypt, and Magical Protection (VaYechi)<strong>The following is excerpted from the book </strong><a href="http://www.harrypottertorah.com/"><strong>Harry Potter and Torah</strong></a><strong> and is posted here for this week's Torah portion, parshat VaYechi:</strong><br /><br /><br />At the end of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone we learn of the magical protection that Harry received from his mother's love, particularly from her having sacrificed her life to save his:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><em>"Why couldn't Quirrell touch me?" [Harry asked].<br /><br />[Dumbeldore answered] "Your mother died trying to save you. If there is one<br />thing Voldemort can't understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love<br />as powerful as your mother's leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible<br />sign ... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is<br />gone, will give us some protection forever." (Harry Potter and the<br />Sorcerer's Stone, chapter 17)</em></blockquote><br />This concept is described later, in the fourth book, by the evil Voldemort himself:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><em>"You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill<br />him. His mother died in the attempt to save him - and unwittingly provided<br />him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen ... I could not touch the<br />boy.<br />...<br />His mother left upon him the traces of her sacrifice ... this is<br />old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it ...."</em><br />(Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, chapter 33)</blockquote><br />We see this discussed throughout the books, how Harry has magical protection imprinted on him from his Mother's act of love and self-sacrifice.<br /><br />Might anything like this "old magic" appear in the Torah?<br /><br />We see an interesting analogue to this kind of magical protection at the end of the book of Genesis. After the death of Jacob, Joseph's brothers were afraid that Joseph would take revenge on them for having sold him into slavery. He comforts them by reiterating that all the events had been orchestrated by G-d to bring him to Egypt for a Divine purpose:<br /><br />"You decided to do bad to me, but G-d thought of it for good, to cause the events on this very day, to keep the nation alive."<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn1" name="_ednref1">[i]</a><br /><br />What does Joseph mean by "on this very day?" The most straightforward understanding is that Joseph went to Egypt as part of a Divine plan for the entire region to be saved from the famine, and for the Jewish family to be able to relocate there.<br /><br />The commentary Be'er Moshe, however, presents a very interesting alternative explanation, perhaps not as a literal understanding but as an allegorical lesson. The phrase "on this very day" is used in only one other place in the Torah's story of Joseph and his brothers, during Joseph's temptation by the wife of his master Potifar:<br /><br />"And it came to pass, on this very day, that he went to the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house were home, that she (Potifar's wife) grabbed him by his cloak, saying 'come with me.' And he left his cloak in her hand and escaped, running outside."<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn2" name="_ednref2">[ii]</a><br /><br />What does Joseph's temptation by Potifar's wife have to do with Joseph's going to Egypt? Be'er Moshe explains:<br /><br />"The righteous Joseph (in his reassurance to his brothers, that G-d had sent him to Egypt to keep the Jewish nation alive) wasn't referring to physical survival, for G-d had already promised (Abraham) that they would have a remnant (that would always survive). Rather he was telling them an amazing thing, that the hidden purpose for which he had been brought to Egypt first... was to face the enormous challenge (with Potifar's wife), ... because by withstanding the temptation he established the purity of life of all the Israelites, that they could resist the impurity of Egypt."<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn3" name="_ednref3">[iii]</a><br /><br />Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn4" name="_ednref4">[iv]</a> uses this to illustrate a fascinating principle. Anytime a person overcomes a temptation to violate a Torah commandment, and manages to act in accordance with the Torah despite the temptation, he infuses his location, the ground or area he's on, with a spiritual energy that will help others succeed in carrying out G-d's will in that location.<br /><br />Joseph was sent to Egypt by G-d so that he would face a strong temptation to do something immoral, and overcome it, thereby infusing Egypt with enough spiritual energy to enable the Jews to survive 400 years of slavery with their Jewish morality intact.<br /><br />In fact, the Midrash says that when the Jews left Egypt, the splitting of the sea happened in the merit of Joseph. One of the Psalms that we say in the Passover Seder (and the Hallel prayer service) says that "the sea saw and fled." What did the sea see? The Midrash says that the sea saw the remains of Joseph that the Jews were transporting for burial in Israel. Because Joseph fled (VaYanas in Hebrew) from temptation, the sea fled (VaYanos) when the Jews needed it to. Because Joseph overcame human nature, the sea defied nature and split. Because of the continuing merit of Joseph's moral strength, the Jews were worthy of a miracle.<br /><br />This same principle explains a number of other incidents throughout the Torah. For example, in Parshat Lech Lecha, when Abraham is seeing the Land of Israel for the first time, the Torah says that he "passed into the land as far as Shechem, to the plain of Moreh."<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn5" name="_ednref5">[v]</a> Rashi's commentary says that the significance of Shechem, mentioned as a point on Abraham's traveling to Moreh, is that he went there not just to see it, but "to pray for the children of Jacob who would later battle in Shechem." Similarly, Abraham then went and built an altar in Beit El, and Rashi<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn6" name="_ednref6">[vi]</a> says that he chose the location because "he had a prophecy that in the future his descendents would fall to temptation with the sin of Achan."<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn7" name="_ednref7">[vii]</a> In each case, Abraham prayed in a specific place to give spiritual protection to his descendents who would need help in the future at that very place.<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn8" name="_ednref8">[viii]</a><br /><br />We also see this concept in the famous story of Moses and the burning bush. Moses sees the burning bush and turns off his path to investigate. G-d then tells him to stop walking, because the ground around the burning bush was too holy for him to walk on, and to take off his shoes, because the ground he's already standing on is holy<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn9" name="_ednref9">[ix]</a>. What is the reason for the two levels of holiness, one in which he cannot stand and one in which he can stand but only with shoes removed? Rabbi Solomon explains that the area immediately around the bush was inherently holy, so Moses couldn't go there, and the area where Moses was standing had not originally been holy. But after Moses left his path to explore the burning bush, which he did with awareness of G-d's presence, the land on which he walked became holy as well. His religiously-inspired action infused the ground he was on with so much holiness that he had to remove his shoes.<br /><br />As a final example, folklore tells us that the site of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem was selected because of acts of tremendous love and self-sacrifice between brothers that happened on that spot.<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn10" name="_ednref10">[x]</a><br /><br />We see that this little-known principle, that our good deeds infuse a location with positive spiritual energy, is a common denominator in all of the stories above. This same principle also can be seen in practical Jewish law.<br /><br />The Shulchan Aruch<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn11" name="_ednref11">[xi]</a> rules that it is preferable in general to pray in a large synagogue rather than a small one, since "a large gathering is an honor to the King." The exception<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn12" name="_ednref12">[xii]</a> is that when the choice is between a small synagogue in which a lot of Torah study and good deeds are done throughout the day, and a large synagogue used only for prayer, the smaller one is preferable. Why? Isn't the larger crowd still an honor to the King? Rabbi Solomon explains that the influence of the spiritual energy from the study and good deeds done in the smaller synagogue will help our prayers, and this outweighs the larger size crowd of the other.<br /><br />The Shulchan Aruch also rules on the value of a person's establishing a "makom kavu'ah le'tefilato," a designated place to pray in synagogue.<a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_edn13" name="_ednref13">[xiii]</a> While doing so has many benefits, such as improved concentration, the primary reason is that a person's regular prayer will give spiritual power to the location, which will improve the power of future prayers there.<br /><br />From all of these sources we see a tremendous but little-known Torah principle, that the good deeds that we do have a tangible effect on our surroundings that will give spiritual energy and protection to other people in those surroundings.<br />Could this kind of spiritual energy attach to a boy's skin instead of the ground in a particular place? Jewish sources do not seem to discuss it. Is this the "old magic" that protected Harry Potter, that Voldemort did not foresee? Even J.K. Rowling may not know. But if we pay attention to our surroundings, and to the mitzvot that have occurred there in the past, we may feel some of this spiritual energy in our daily lives.<br /><br /><br />For more about HARRY POTTER AND TORAH, see <a href="http://www.harrypottertorah.com/">http://www.harrypottertorah.com/</a><br /><br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref1" name="_edn1">[i]</a> Gen 50:19-20<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref2" name="_edn2">[ii]</a> Gen 39:11-12<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref3" name="_edn3">[iii]</a> Be'er Moshe parshat VeYechi chapter 25<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref4" name="_edn4">[iv]</a> Scholar in Gateshead, England, and Lakewood, New Jersey, in the booklet Avita Nifla'os Mi'Torasecha, introductory chapter<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref5" name="_edn5">[v]</a> Gen 12:6<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref6" name="_edn6">[vi]</a> Rashi on Gen 12:8<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref7" name="_edn7">[vii]</a> Joshua chapter 7<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref8" name="_edn8">[viii]</a> In Beit Elokim (Sha’ar HaTefila chap 18), the Mabit discusses Abraham’s having engaged in all these prayers as part of his then-new role as patriarch of the Jewish nation.<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref9" name="_edn9">[ix]</a> Ex 3:2-5<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref10" name="_edn10">[x]</a> This story does not appear in any primary Midrashic sources, but is quoted heavily in modern books of folklore.<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref11" name="_edn11">[xi]</a> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 90:18<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref12" name="_edn12">[xii]</a> Mishna Berurah 90:55<br /><a title="" style="" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2752951072013054492#_ednref13" name="_edn13">[xiii]</a> Shulchan Aruch Orech Chayim 90:19Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-15335247943099004762009-12-01T06:51:00.004-05:002009-12-01T07:31:30.671-05:00Book fair of authors living in Beit Shemesh - including Harry Potter and Torah<span style="font-size:130%;">I've always been amazed at the number of authors of Jewish books that all live in the Beit Shemesh / Ramat Beit Shemesh area. Now a local shul is organizing a book fair of books written by authors who live in the area. The schedule and list of authors/books is below.<br /><br />For those readers who can't make it to the book fair, I've included links for as many of the books as I can.<br /><br /></span><pre><span style="font-size:130%;">We are pleased to announce the 1st Annual Beit Shemesh<br />Authors’ Fair<br />In memory of Charles H. Bendheim<br /><br />To be held on:<br />Thursday 10th December 2009<br />Starting at 7.30pm<br />Menorat Maor Shul<br />Nachal Hamaor, Ramat Beit Shemesh<br /><br />This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet<br />with local authors and buy their works.<br /><br />Come meet:<br /></span></pre><ol><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Chagai Bar Giora - חוקיך למדני</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Jonathan Duker – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9657108977?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9657108977">The Spirits Behind the Law: The Talmudic Scholars</a><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Ari Enkin – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9652294098?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9652294098">Dalet Amot: Halachic Perspectives</a> ; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9655240282?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9655240282">Amot Shel Halacha: Halachic Insights</a><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen - The Guiding Light<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Gita Gordon - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932443622?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1932443622">South African Journeys</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1422605507?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1422605507">Flashback</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0981556701?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0981556701">Mystery in the Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9657371120?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9657371120">Scattered Blossoms</a><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Karmi Gross - Mekor Habracha</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi David Guedalia – Berach Dodi – A Multi-Faceted Approach to Verse, Chok L’David – Talmudic Readings in the Tradition of Darchei HaGemara</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Shalom Hammer - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932687726?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1932687726">The Family Parsha Book</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934440248?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1934440248">The Eibshitz Hagadda</a><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Shoshana Kesner - Oh Baby! A guide to the 4th trimester</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Dov Krulwich – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah</a></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Moshe Lichtman - Ei<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9657108179?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9657108179">m HaBanim Semeichah</a>; An Angel Among Men; A Question of Redemption; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568714947?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1568714947">What's the Purpose?</a> ; Kitzur Messilat Yesharim (Hebrew)</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Dov Lipman – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1583309020?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1583309020">Discover</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932687963?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1932687963">Timeout</a></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Zvi Miller - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568713029?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1568713029">Ohr Yisrael: The Classic Writings of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568713673?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1568713673">Thirty Days to Teshuva</a>; Living Mussar Every Day; The Salant Birchon; Windows of the Soul: Practical Guide to Controlling Your Eyes</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Yaakov Montrose - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1583309497?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1583309497">Halachic World</a> vols. 1 and 2; Yoshev Ohalim</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Chaim Perlmutter – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568713606?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1568713606">Grow With Gemara - A Hands-On Guide to the Study of Gemara</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568710933?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1568710933">Tools for Tosafos - A guide to the study of Tosafos</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568714882?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1568714882">Gemara Wisdom - Bava Metzia</a> - A collection of articles concerning the moral aspect of the Torah monetary laws as they are taught in the Gemara</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Moshe Pinchuk – Kankanim (A Multifaceted Approach to Biblical Episodes), An Intro to the Study of Talmud Yerushalmi קנקנים – סוגיות מקראיות במבט רב תחומי, מבוא ללימוד התלמוד הירושלמי</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Riva Pomerantz – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568715161?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1568715161">Green Fences</a>; Breaking Free</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Natan Slifkin – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933143150?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933143150">The Challenge of Creation</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933143185?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933143185">Sacred Monsters</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9655240339?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9655240339">Perek Shirah: Nature's Song</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933143061?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933143061">Man and Beast</a></span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi David Spektor</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Penina Taylor - Coming Full Circle: A Jewish Woman’s Journey through Christianity and Back</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker – MiPeninei Noam Elimelech</span></li></ol>Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-62592242608265120122009-11-01T07:22:00.003-05:002009-11-01T07:26:36.543-05:00Magic and Knowledge - excerpt from a friend's speechThe following is an excerpt from a friend of mine's <a href="http://weekendhospitality.blogspot.com/2009/10/bar-mitzva-speech-hillel.html">speech at his son's recent Bar Mitzva</a>.<br /><br />Mazal tov to the family - I enjoyed this so much I thought I'd post part of it here.<br /><br /><blockquote>Arthur C. Clarke, a science fiction writer from the golden age of the 1950 and 60's formulated the following three laws:<br /><br />1) When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.<br />2) The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.<br />3) Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.<br /><br />Being a science fiction fan, that last one about technology and magic has followed me all through my life. The past few years have been full of magic. Can you imaging living at the time of Avraham. If you suffered from kidney disease, you would probably never know it, until one day, you fell ill and within a few days, died from blood poisoning. One thing about kidney disease is that it is degenerative. Past a certain point, kidneys do not heal. You don't get better.<br /><br />Rav Elyashiv recently ruled that it is forbidden to pray for a deathly ill person to be healed. The problem is that are not supposed to pray for miracles. We can hope for miracles, but we have no right to beseach God to change the natural laws. We can pray that there is a mistaken diagnosis; that a cure will be found, or for the sick person to have a better quality of life. But, you cannot ask for a degenerative disease to suddenly go away.<br /><br />How blessed are we to live in a time where doctors can identify kidney disease, and can retard the progress of the disease. This would have been magical only 100 years ago, not to mention how foreign the concept of a diagnosis would have been at the time of Noach or Avraham.<br /><br />Can you imaging explaining to an Egyptian that this team of people all dressed up in masks and gloves were going to remove a piece of a living person (without killing them), and then they would put that piece into someone else; the end result being two healthy people. Is there anything more magical or mystical?<br /><br />The fact that we understand something about medicine and science does not preclude God's existence. The Rambam might say that God has blessed our whole generation with knowledge that extends our lives and treats our illnesses. The timing is the miracle. It came at just the right time to save .... Modern medication is miraculous. Like prayer, I don't need to know how it works, only that somehow, it does. Perhaps it is a placebo effect, perhaps is does something chemical, but whatever the scientific explanation, it looks like magic to me.<br /><br />I want to thank God and the people in this room for all the miraculous events that have impacted us these past few years. In this room, we have social workers who can help alleviate pain and suffering; engineers, scientists, and educated professionals who know and understand things that would be clearly miraculous if you could take that knowledge back to the time of the bible. Being able to gather this knowledge, even for a family event would have taken months of travel and severe hardship during the time of the gemara.<br /><br />To you, my friends and family, I say, Y'asher Koach. May you continue to be strong, to spread your knowledge and to use it for God's purposes.<br /><br />To Hillel, I say, learn from these people. Knowledge is power to change the world for you and for others. Collect this knowledge. Never forget how lucky you are to live in times such as these. Don't waste that opportunity by treating it all like someone else’s magic.</blockquote>Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-70886928778719762252009-10-21T23:08:00.003-05:002009-10-21T23:10:51.504-05:00Amazon's huge discount on Harry Potter and TorahAmazon is now offering <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah</a> at a hugely discounted price of $10.32, discounted from the standard price of $19.95! Grab it while the price lasts!<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap; ">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?tag=hpt-20</span></div>Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2752951072013054492.post-19629707265384157172009-10-20T06:14:00.002-05:002009-10-20T06:23:49.286-05:00From ParshaBlog: Did Chava Speak Parseltongue?In <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847532373?ie=UTF8&tag=hpt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1847532373">Harry Potter and Torah</a> I wrote a chapter on speaking animals, titled Talking Snakes and Human Souls, discussing the power of speech, the uniqueness of the human soul, and talking animals. In the course of this discussion I note that Eve may have been the world's first parselmouth.<br /><br />Now I see that the ParshaBlog has written a very in-depth article titled <a href="http://qurl.com/wsgyw">Did Chava Speak Parseltongue?</a> on the subject of talking animals. Definitely a good read for those interested in what Jewish sources say on the subject of talking animals.Bruce Krulwichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16506129141459374630noreply@blogger.com0