How is one to convey news of the arrival of a work of genius? . . . It is the most intelligent and important novel [in years] . . . It is, to repeat and to repeat plainly, a work of genius." - A. C. Grayling, The Times on Kalooki Nights
Howard Jacobson is Britain’s greatest Jewish novelist, whose latest outstandingly brilliant novel “Kalooki Nights”, recently won the Jewish Quarterly Wingate Prize 2007.
Here’s your chance to hear him discuss Jewishness, literature and comedy in his inimitable witty style.
Details: Sunday, 2 December 2007, 8:00 – 9:30pm, £10 per person, Refreshments, Book signing session.
Reserve your place in advance by emailing Diane.
Thursday 29 November 2007
Shemita Update Nov/Dec 07 - What you can buy now
Sign up for Shemita Updates from the London Beth Din Kashrut Division .
Until further notice:
- You can and should buy Israeli fruit - ie produce that grows from trees.
- You can and should buy Israeli wine and spirits (if you like Arak, I guess!)
- You should not buy Israeli vegetables, herbs or flowers ie produce that grows from the ground, such as melon. The only exception to this are 'Alei Katif' hydroponically produced bug free herbs and vegetables (also MSG free but high in taste and nutrients)
- You should buy all other Israeli products, such as Bisli (please eat Bisli responsibly, at least more responsibly than I do!) Bisli is available at Morrisons Supermarket in Chalk Farm if you want to support local distributors of Israeli products!
For an explanation of the Shemita (sabbatical year) and how we observe it, please see the other posts in the Shemita 5768 label.
Wednesday 21 November 2007
What a load of rubbish...and other enticing events!
We are delighted to welcome James Dunlop, Camden Council's Recycling advisor who can help you to help the environment and your own bank balance - and yes, it's a Mitzva!
Tonight, Wednesday 21 November at the Shul. More details below.
Also, dont forget that Talmud, Hebrew Reading and Cookery continue this evening. 8pm at the Shul. Regular course charges apply, either using your term ticket or £10 per session (concessions available).
What a load of rubbish! Why put your waste in a landfill site and clog up the planet? Why not recycle it instead and help produce something new? Find out the many ways that you can help maintain and sustain your environment and save money with James Dunlop, Camden’s Recycling and Environment Advisor. A video, a talk and anything you want to know about recycling – what you can (and can’t) leave out for recycling collection; where your recycled rubbish ends up; What about food?
Tonight, Wednesday 21 November at the Shul. More details below.
Also, dont forget that Talmud, Hebrew Reading and Cookery continue this evening. 8pm at the Shul. Regular course charges apply, either using your term ticket or £10 per session (concessions available).
What a load of rubbish! Why put your waste in a landfill site and clog up the planet? Why not recycle it instead and help produce something new? Find out the many ways that you can help maintain and sustain your environment and save money with James Dunlop, Camden’s Recycling and Environment Advisor. A video, a talk and anything you want to know about recycling – what you can (and can’t) leave out for recycling collection; where your recycled rubbish ends up; What about food?
Thursday 1 November 2007
The blessing of everything, Parashat Chayei Sara
‘And Abraham was old, advanced in days, and G-d had blessed Abraham with ba-col’. (Bereishit 24,1)
This verse occurs straight after Abraham has finalised the burial arrangements for Sarah his wife. Why does the Torah refer to him as both ‘old’ and ‘advanced in years’? What, in this context, is the explanation of the word ‘ba-col’ which we normally translate as ‘with everything’?
The commentary of Rabbi Ovadia Seforno (aka Seforno, 15/16 century) explains that the phrase ‘advanced in days’ means that the time had come for Abraham to marry off Isaac. This explanation fits within the context of the passage as Abraham starts this process in the very next verse. Therefore, this phrase explains that Abraham’s obligation to marry off Isaac still existed, emphasised by the fact the Abraham was growing old.
If so, what is the meaning of the word ‘ba-col’? If Abraham needed and wanted to marry off Isaac, can this word mean that Abraham was blessed with ‘everything’?
Rashi, in a similar vein to Seforno, writes that the numerical value of the letters in the word ‘ba-col’ is the same as the numerical value of the letters in the word ‘ben’ (son). Abraham, it seems, was blessed ‘ba-col’ because he had Isaac but action was now required to take care of Isaac’s future. Perhaps we see here how even when we have blessings, we still need to apply these blessings to our situation through our actions.
Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) takes a different approach. He writes that ‘ba-col’ means that Abraham was blessed with a long life, wealth, honour and children – all that Abraham desired.
It is noteworthy also to consider the Talmud’s comment (Bava Batra 16b) that the blessing of ‘ba-col’ was that Abraham did not witness the rebellion of his grandson Esau and that his own rebellious, expelled son Ishmael did teshuva, repented of his evil ways before Abraham passed away (see the end of the Sidra, 25:9, which states that Isaac and Ishmael both buried Abraham, plus Rashi’s comment there).
Ramban (1194-1270) quotes Ibn Ezra, also explaining that although Abraham was blessed ‘ba-col’ he still wanted to help Isaac. Ramban then makes an intriguing suggestion, based on suggestions made in the Talmudic passage quoted above. According to Rabbi Meir, one of the Talmudic sages, the blessing of ‘ba-col’ was that Abraham did not have a daughter. On the other hand, his protagonist Rabbi Yehuda explains that Abraham did have a daughter.
How could Rabbi Meir say that not having a daughter was a blessing?
Ramban explains that given the nefarious nature of society around Abraham, if he had a daughter, she would have had no choice but to marry an unsuitable husband and in such a society she would have suffered from that husband. Therefore, Abraham as the representative of moral values in his society, was blessed by having a boy who could continue that legacy, rather than a girl who would suffer from the society around her.
This verse occurs straight after Abraham has finalised the burial arrangements for Sarah his wife. Why does the Torah refer to him as both ‘old’ and ‘advanced in years’? What, in this context, is the explanation of the word ‘ba-col’ which we normally translate as ‘with everything’?
The commentary of Rabbi Ovadia Seforno (aka Seforno, 15/16 century) explains that the phrase ‘advanced in days’ means that the time had come for Abraham to marry off Isaac. This explanation fits within the context of the passage as Abraham starts this process in the very next verse. Therefore, this phrase explains that Abraham’s obligation to marry off Isaac still existed, emphasised by the fact the Abraham was growing old.
If so, what is the meaning of the word ‘ba-col’? If Abraham needed and wanted to marry off Isaac, can this word mean that Abraham was blessed with ‘everything’?
Rashi, in a similar vein to Seforno, writes that the numerical value of the letters in the word ‘ba-col’ is the same as the numerical value of the letters in the word ‘ben’ (son). Abraham, it seems, was blessed ‘ba-col’ because he had Isaac but action was now required to take care of Isaac’s future. Perhaps we see here how even when we have blessings, we still need to apply these blessings to our situation through our actions.
Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) takes a different approach. He writes that ‘ba-col’ means that Abraham was blessed with a long life, wealth, honour and children – all that Abraham desired.
It is noteworthy also to consider the Talmud’s comment (Bava Batra 16b) that the blessing of ‘ba-col’ was that Abraham did not witness the rebellion of his grandson Esau and that his own rebellious, expelled son Ishmael did teshuva, repented of his evil ways before Abraham passed away (see the end of the Sidra, 25:9, which states that Isaac and Ishmael both buried Abraham, plus Rashi’s comment there).
Ramban (1194-1270) quotes Ibn Ezra, also explaining that although Abraham was blessed ‘ba-col’ he still wanted to help Isaac. Ramban then makes an intriguing suggestion, based on suggestions made in the Talmudic passage quoted above. According to Rabbi Meir, one of the Talmudic sages, the blessing of ‘ba-col’ was that Abraham did not have a daughter. On the other hand, his protagonist Rabbi Yehuda explains that Abraham did have a daughter.
How could Rabbi Meir say that not having a daughter was a blessing?
Ramban explains that given the nefarious nature of society around Abraham, if he had a daughter, she would have had no choice but to marry an unsuitable husband and in such a society she would have suffered from that husband. Therefore, Abraham as the representative of moral values in his society, was blessed by having a boy who could continue that legacy, rather than a girl who would suffer from the society around her.
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