Archive for March, 2017
3AM Internal Alarm Clock
It’s amazing how HaShem is waking people up in the middle of the night. Jodie McClellan is using to time to gather prayer warriors! cool beans …
Why I’m usually up at 3AM in no particular order:
- Someone is Snoring Loudly
- Cats. Cats are being loud.
- I’m thirsty.
- I had a weird dream and now I need to look something up
- I had a night terror and woke up screaming.
- I read somewhere waking up at 3AM is the perfect brain frequency for working on creative projects.
- I was born at around 3AM, so now I feel like it’s a “lucky” time for me.
So, what do I do with this time?
I use this as “extra” time. I can do whatever I want! If I want to draw, I draw. If I want to play a game, I game out. I exercise, do yoga, write, read about spiders. Whatever I want to do.
Sure, I could probably use it to work or do something “productive”, but I noticed when I try to do that, I get…
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Happy Purim 5777
Happy Purim 5777 (Chag Semeach Purim is my guess on the Hebrew greeting). Giberet Chaggit (Brenda) and I had a wonderful Shabbat yesterday as we most generally do. This week we made the trek to Amarillo to be with likeminded individuals. An inspiring time of Midrash (discussion), Prayer and food was had by all. By the way, you can find this week’s Parasha (triennial cycle) here.
This has been a crazy month already. What with the fires in our land. Over a million acres burned, 4 human souls died (last I heard) and untold number of animals, wild and domestic.
The story of Esther. That’s what today is all about though. It’s in the Old Testament. There have been many discussions about its authenticity but I see no reason to doubt it. The fact that it is a Rabbinical holiday deters some from celebrating. No problem. The Nations don’t need to celebrate Jewish Feasts anyway. Some say they do but don’t want anything to do with Hannuka or Purim. These people adhere to the principal that if it is not written in the Tanak (Hebrew O.T.) or in the Nazarean Codicil (N.T.), then the Rabbis made it up and it’s not a valid date to be celebrated. Let me just say this about that. Baloney.
Esther saved the Jewish people from destruction. Mordeḵai, believed to be her Uncle and spiritual advisor, helped her do it. There are a few parallels with Hannuka. In Hannuka, the Greeks didn’t want to annihilate the Jews, they just wanted the Israelis to assimilate, and leave all that Jewish stuff behind. In Esther, Haman (the bad guy, a descendant of Amelich) wanted to destroy Judaism and wipe every Jew from the face of the Earth. Much like the descendants of Amelich (Terrorist Muslims and Progressive Liberals, to mention a couple of the groups) want to destroy Israel and its people today.
In Hannuka, the battle was fought with force by a family of Levites. In Purim, the battle is fought with prayer. There is a lesson in that.
Fast of Purim
Less than 2 hours to go….
I started this fast some 11 or so hours ago at sun-up.
This is a fast that is in memory of Esther of the Bible. Purim is a Rabbinical holiday that is based on her story in the Tanak (Old Testament). She (and Israel) fasted 3 days before implementing her plan to save her people.
It’s going pretty good, actually.
I can honestly say that I haven’t had anything since this morning. OK, Ok, I did take a little too long finishing my coffee. I guess I need to explain. On a day-fast fast, if you get up early enough, you can eat and drink before the sun comes up. In Judaism, there are four fast days: Tammuz 17, Av 9, Tishri 3, and Tevet 10. The entire Talmud tractate of Taanit contains the details of these fasts. The Tanach records these fasts as though they were contained in the written Torah:
Zechariah 7:2-5 The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech, together with their men, to entreat HaShem By asking the priests of the house of G-d Almighty and the prophets, “Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?” Then the word of HaShem Almighty came to me: “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?
This is quote from Rabbi Dr. Hillel
I think that Yom Kippur is the only Sundown to Sundown fast we have. It’s kind of funny that nowhere is it written to fast on these days. It all comes from Oral Law. Oral Law is the part that a lot of people get a big stumbling block. I consider that it makes perfect sense that there be an Oral and a Written Torah. Here’s a good article R. Hillel has about it.
My morning and afternoon prayers were very good. The were some additions especially for this occasion in the Amidahs. The Amidahs are the silent prayers we say during the other prayers.
Along with fasting food and drink, I try to limit myself on secular entertainment and such.
I also like to study Torah and listen to teachings.
So, it’s about and hour till sundown and Giberet Chaggit has started the beans and rice. I will be ready
Erev Shabbat is tomorrow night and Purim is Sunday.
Shalom U’brachot
Adon Aviner ben Abraham
The Erev Rav
I was listening to one of my favorite Rabbi’s Yosef Mizrachi, this morning and got an explanation of the Erev Rav. They were Egyptians that converted to Judaism when they saw the ruin HaShem made into Egypt before the Exodus. Problem was, Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) did not consult with HaShem before he accepted them. These are the 3000 that got the Golden Calf made. That’s not the only rebellion they stirred up, but it’s the one that caused the most trouble. This is the only time He called them Moses nation.
(Exo 32:7) And HaShem said to Mosheh, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Mitsrayim have corrupted themselves.
Did you know the reason Aaron formed the Golden Calf was because he watched the Erev Rav murder his nephew (son of Mariam) Hur assassinated after he reproved them for doubting.
I love the story of the Exodus. Purim is Sunday and that means that Pesach (Passover) is in a little more than 2 weeks.
This little tidbit of our fathers in the wilderness just spices it up.
