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  • Scribble

    Some books you keep for
    the inscription, not for the book.

    The spine on your shelf
    reminds you of the moment
    they gave you that present,
    the feeling of something landing
    when you opened it later that night.

    I mean, Herman Wouk is not your thing.
    Never became your thing.

    But you can see the spine now, sometimes
    open the book itself
    and picture their hand floating over the page

    scribbling an idea into words that
    stick around, along with a book
    you’ll most likely
    never read.

  • The 5 Books Meander, Week 11 (Va-Yiggash)

    In brief:
    Va-Yiggash starts out just as Joseph has demanded Benjamin be left behind and their father brought to Egypt, all on account of a super important stolen-but-not-really-stolen goblet that we’ll never hear about again. Trickery!

    After some sobbing and neck kissing, all is well in the family, and a score of he and she-assess are loaded with Egyptian goodies. Joseph’s brothers and the donkeys are then sent forth to bring Jacob and his extended family back to Egypt.

    Joseph then introduces serfdom to the people of Egypt. Did you see that one coming, gentle reader? I will admit, I did not.

    The people’s land and livestock are taken in exchange for food. They then get land rights back, but 20% of what they grow will henceforth go to the Pharaoh. There are interpretations that explain why this was a noble plan — that the 20% would help fend against future famine and such. Even so, my gut reaction was: yikes.

    A couple of thoughts:

    • “My son Joseph is still alive! I must go and see him before I die,” says Jacob. And God comforts Jacob that “Joseph’s hands shall close your eyes” — a moment that reflect a feeling that’s floated through the text a few times already that death itself is not a thing to fear. But a good death is something to aspire to. Abraham buried by Ishael and Isaac. Jacob, promised that he will be with Joseph at the end. All echoing the many moments that tie our purpose here, in this relay race we run, to the hand off — to how we leave things for and with the generation that follows.
    • This section also includes a wonderfully pure moment of forgiveness. Revealing himself to Judah, Joseph comforts his brother: “Do not be distressed or reproach yourself because you sold me hither,” God sent Joseph to Egypt so he could save his family, Joseph explains. How then could he condemn his brothers for what they did along the way? It’s all part of God’s plan. Which left me thinking of this simple truth — gratitude for where you are is often the key to accepting whatever brought you there.

    If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Va-Yiggash (Gen 44.18 – 47.27)
    Next up: Va-Yeḥi (Gen 47.27 – 50.26)
    -Cecil

  • The 5 Books Meander, Week 10 (Mikkets)

    In brief:
    Joseph gets a haircut, some new clothes, some more new clothes, a wife, two kids, and nigh-Pharaoh-like power over the kingdom. So all in all, a pretty good bounce back for this promising young man.

    Years of abundance pass. And years of famine begin, all as foretold by Joseph, who, like a well-coiffed ant from Aesop’s fables, frugals Egypt through these challenging times.

    His brothers visit in search of food. They don’t recognize Joseph, though he recognizes them. And to no careful reader’s surprise, trickery ensues.

    A couple of thoughts:

    • I loved the names of Joseph’s children: Manasseh, meaning: “God has made me forget completely my hardship and my parental home.” And Efraim, meaning: “God has made me fertile in the land of my affliction.” Both names of gratitude and resilience. Of moving forward.
    • I also still can’t believe they left poor Simeon behind and then sort dawdle around, debating whether or not to go back. (And if you think I’m being unkind here, don’t listen to me, listen to Judah who says: “…we could have been there and back twice if we had not dawdled.” And he’s right — that was some serious dawdling!)

    If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Mikkets (Gen 41.1 – 44.17)

    Next up: Va Yiggash (Gen 44.18 – 47.27)
    -Cecil

  • The 5 Books Meander, Week 9 (Va-Yashev)

    In brief:
    We meet Jacob’s second-youngest-son Joseph, who is beloved by his father, and a bit of a twerp. Speaking of Joseph’s father, despite being renamed by the Lord, which you would think would count for something, so-called “Israel” is actually still called “Jacob.” This naming thing is complicated.

    Joseph is sold into slavery. In a side story, Jacob’s son Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar is twice widowed. Through some exceptionally tricky trickery , she ends up having twins with her father-in-law Judah. And along the way, at least in my translation, she gets called a “cult prostitute” for her troubles. Oh, and we meet her second husband, the infamous Onan — more on him in a moment.

    Joseph goes down to Egyptland as a slave, resists temptation in a scene that feels straight out of To Kill a Mockingbird, gets thrown in jail, and delivers some exceptionally good news to the cupbearer, and some less positive news to the baker. (Spoiler: don’t get attached to the baker.)

    A couple of thoughts:

    • Joseph has some exciting dreams involving all sorts of people bowing to him. Which is great. And then he shares these dreams with everyone. Which is less great. There’s something wonderfully human though about meeting this young obnoxious Joseph and realizing, just like his dad, and just like all of us, he’s on a journey. He’s flawed and, let’s hope, capable of improving over time. As a young ‘un though, I’m not sure he deserved being thrown in a pit. But I’m not not sure either.
    • I was fairly stoked to run into the infamous Onan, namesake for the sin of self-pleasure (aka “Onanism”). Turns out, and stay with me on this: Onan’s brother Er died, Onan is told to marry Er’s widow Tamar, and Onan’s sin is that because he wouldn’t get legal credit for any kid they might co-procreate, he chose instead to “let [his seed] go to waste, whenever [they] joined.” OK, so first off, I’m pretty sure that’s not masturbation. And isn’t Onan’s sin really just being a total jerk? So there it is, if someone’s a total jerk, feel free to call them an Onanist and tell them the Lord doesn’t approve. And if they question you, just say: “Genesis 38:10, mic drop.” The mic drop part is really important. If you don’t do that part, you are an Onanist.

    If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Va-Yashev (Gen 37.1 – 40.23)
    Next up: Mikkets (Gen 41.1 – 44.17)
    -Cecil

  • The 5 Books Meander, Week 8 (Va-Yishlaḥ)

    In brief:
    Jacob journeys back to Esau, worried, aware of the weight of what he’s done, seeking to make amends.

    Along the way, he wrestles with a mysterious figure and comes away with a limp to remind him of the struggle. These struggles, they leave their mark.

    The mysterious figure names Jacob “Israel,” but it doesn’t stick for even a sentence. Seriously, the book goes like (paraphrasing): “‘OK Jacob, you are now Israel’” and then: “‘Thanks!’” says Jacob.” It borderline feels like a burn on the mysterious figure, whose naming powers are clearly so-so.

    Esau, far from the wolfman I remembered from childhood, is just about the most genuine and sweethearted (albeit hairy) person imaginable, particularly given how he was raised by a family of, let’s face it, tricksters. And in a beautiful scene of reunion, forgiveness, and some pretty fierce brotherly hugging, we can’t help but start to like Jacob too.

    The story shifts quickly, though, as we learn of the rape of Dinah by Shechem. Her brothers Simeon and Levi slaughter Shechem and his townsmen and take their women and children captive. There is no waiting for divine judgment. Vengeance is theirs.

    In the third section, God names Jacob “Israel,” and this time (yes!) it takes. Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, and the coldness of her midwife’s words still kind of haunt me: “Have no fear, for it is another boy for you,” the midwife says … Two sentences later, Rachel is dead.

    With all this, it was honestly a relief when the text turned to full-on family tree mode, and we learned about several people who gave birth to many more people. Phew!

    A couple of thoughts:

  • By far the highlight of the week for me was learning what “Israel” means — something I really should have learned or at least wondered about, you know, a few decades ago. It turns out it means: “wrestles with God,” or at least that’s one of the translations. And holy cow does that resonate with me as a description for what it means to be Jewish, and how we go through this life, if we choose to go through it with faith. And perhaps this is true for all, or most people of faith. But what a powerful thing for the Book itself to codify. To be an Israelite is to wrestle with God.
  • As for devoting a whole section to the family tree? Before I started reading these weekly portions, I thought of these sorts of passages as filler — as some (honestly) goofy connective tissue. But as you flip through the pages, you start to get the feeling that these sections are at the heart of the Torah — knowing who and where you come from. Meeting the family and hearing their stories. And finding a place for yourself in those stories, among all the millions of stars and the many grains of sand.

If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Va-Yishlaḥ (Gen 32.4 – 36.43)

Next up: Va-Yeshev (Gen 37.1 – 40.23)
-Cecil

  • The 5 Books Meander, Week 7 (Va-Yetse’)

    In brief:
    In Va-Yese’ we get the first of Jacob’s dreams, as well as the first mention of the tithe, one of those little ideas that has had gigantic implications.

    Jacob meets Rachel and Leah. Jacob the trickster is tricked by his father-in-law. The family grows, with as many kids roughly, as there is sand on the beach and stars in the sky.

    We find out the value of a mandrake (considerable). Jacob and Laban have an extended battle of wits and of sheet and of goats, and ultimately make their peace.

    And Jacob runs into angels of God and is pretty blasé about it.

    A couple of thoughts:

    • This was the first parasha that left me a little cold. In the back and forth with Jacob, Leah, Rachel, and Laban, there was an overhang of dissatisfaction, in which everyone was doing well, and no one was happy. Then again, with that many kids, maybe they were all just a little bit exhausted.

    If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Va-Yetse’ (Gen 28.10 – 32.3)
    Next up: Va-Yishlaḥ (Gen 32.4 – 36.43)
    -Cecil

  • The 5 Books Meander, Week 6 (Toledot)

    In brief:
    Toledot kicks off the story of Isaac and his family of tricksters. I mean no disrespect here. But it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that everyone in this family is, well, one who tricks. Almost everyone that is. More on that in a moment.

    We learn that Esau — Isaac and Rebekah’s eldest child — has traded his birthright to his younger brother Jacob for a bowl of stew. Which I think is so specific it has to be true. Or invented by someone who really loves stew.

    There are inherited wells, stopped and unstopped, which is a metaphor and a half. Isaac shows that he’s picked up the trick of (deep breath here): pretending your wife is your sister in a way that makes people feel uncomfortable and/or angry and/or in debt to you.

    And then we get to a moment as complex in its own way as Abraham and the binding of Isaac before it.

    Rebekah tells Jacob to trick Isaac into thinking Jacob is Esau, so that Jacob might receive his father’s blessings and all that goes with them.

    Did I mention that this is a family of tricksters? They are such tricksters that when Jacob shows up in disguise, Isaac suspects right away that something is up. ‘Are you really Esau? Seriously? You’re not pretend-Esau?’ You get the feeling this family is tricking each other all the time. Everyone that is except innocent Esau.

    A couple of thoughts:

    • In my hazy memory of this section from childhood, I carried a bias against Esau. Esau, who is so hairy, his name means “hairy.” Esau the violent, one assumes. The simple, perhaps. But reading the text this week, I met Esau the hunter, who’s really the hunted. Esau, unloved or at least underloved by his mother. Esau who’s so much an innocent sheep that if you want to convince your dad that you’re Esau, you put on sheep’s clothing. The story of Jacob and Esau has just begun in this week’s portion. But already it’s hard to know who to root for, and easy to see why their story has had power for so many years.
    • The Torah experiences the past, present, and future as part of the same gust of wind. There are promises made to our descendants (…like stars in the sky and grains of sand on the beach). Land left by ancestors. Wells left with life-giving water. Birthrights to be bargained over. Blessings. Covenants. Curses to be endured. Our moment is a bead in a chain. And the awareness of that truth is what it means to live a human life. To remember and to receive — the good and the ill. To make our stand and then to pass things along — the good and the ill. I know we’re still only in the first half of the first book, but if we learn one thing from the Torah, I suspect that might be it. It’s a big ‘un. It’s mortality. And it brings with it appreciation, obligation, and the potential for peace, as we learned last week. The peace of Abraham.

    If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Toledot (Gen 25.9 – 28.9)
    Next up: Va-Yetse’ (Gen 28.10 – 32.3)
    -Cecil

  • The 5 Books Meander, Week 5 (Ḥayyei Sarah)

    In brief:
    Ḥayyei Sarah translates to “Life of Sarah.” This section focuses on Sarah’s passing, the arrival of Rebekah, and Abraham’s passing and burial. It surprised me that the story of Sarah’s passing would be referred to as “life of Sarah.” A minute or two of searching around, and our old friend wikipedia offered up an answer:

    “Each weekly Torah portion takes its name from the first distinctive word in the Hebrew text of the portion in question, often from the first verse.”

    And in fact, the translation I’m using begins with “Sarah’s lifetime–the span of Sarah’s life–came to one hundred and twenty-seven years.” Perhaps this is just how things fell into place. But there’s some kindness about that naming nonetheless, death and life intermixed.

    Things start off this week with an exceptionally respectful negotiation between Abraham and the Hittites for a burial spot. Abraham’s servant is then sent to find Isaac a wife among Abraham’s kinsmen, and another gracious encounter occurs by the well. A story I must have heard a dozen times growing up. Take care of the stranger. And his camel too! The section closes with the burial of Abraham, perhaps the most beautiful passage in Genesis thus far.

    A few thoughts:

    • This week’s portion was good for the soul. Or at least, my soul was appreciative. The Hittites and Abraham are remarkably kind to each other, even though Abraham is not from ’round these parts. (Which reminds me: why hasn’t anyone remade Genesis as a Western yet? Or maybe they have and I didn’t pick up on the rivers rising, the raven flying, and that durn snake?)
    • Abraham’s servant goes looking for kindness, and I loved that while there’s a specific sentence he was asking God for, like some coded phrase between East Berlin spies, in the end Rebekah uses different words. And it doesn’t matter. The meaning matters. The kindness matters.
    • In a brief respite from all this kindness, Rebekah’s family wishes for her:

      “O sister!
      May you grow
      Into thousands of myriads
      May your offspring seize
      The gates of their foes.”

      But I get it — not everyone says goodbye well.

    • And then there’s the burial of Abraham, an exceptionally gentle moment that I am still thinking about. Abraham dies:

      “at a good ripe age [aside: what a wild image that is — our ripening–one we hear so much we forget its power.], old and contented, and he was gathered to his kin. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah… there Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.”

      The image that caught me was Isaac and Ishmael standing together. In all these years, all the times I’ve heard versions of this story, that essential detail never sunk in. Ishmael and Isaac, their family’s painful history behind them. Putting it aside to pay respects.

    If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Ḥayyei-Sarah (Gen 23.1 – 25.18)
    Next up: Toledot (Gen 25.19 – 28.9)
    -Cecil

  • The 5 Books Meander, Week 4 (Va-Yera’)

    In brief:
    3 wise men visit Abraham and Sarah and make Sarah laugh, which seems to perplex or perhaps annoy God, who is super no-nonsense about the whole thing (I did not laugh, says Sarah. And God replies, “You did laugh.” So you know, cut it out.)

    The more likable Abraham I remember from my childhood makes an appearance, negotiating against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Spoiler alert: Don’t get attached to Sodom and Gomorrah.

    Lot’s wife looks back and is punished both by being turned to salt and by being deprived a name. Henceforth she is simply: “Lot’s wife.”

    Sarah has Hagar and Ishmael cast out, but Abraham and God make sure they and their descendants are cared for and will be a Nation. Which brings us to the binding of Isaac. On which, more below…

    • A few thoughts:

    If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Va-Yera’ (Gen 18.1 – 22.24)
    Next up: Ḥayyei-Sarah (Gen 23.1 – 25.18)
    -Cecil

  • The Midnight’s Children Meander, Week 12

    This is a post of gratitude.

    A big overdue thank you to all for joining this trek. Grueling at times, for sure. But I feel like many of the folks on the thread do — weirdly proud to have this book under my belt thirty years after I never got around to reading it in college. And there’s no way I would have made it without the good times of your Meandership.

    More than this one ride, I’m grateful for the fun and distraction we’ve had together on all three of this year’s group reads. Holy cow, this has been a year. I’m kind of shocked at the full-body relief I felt today (writing this Saturday, Nov 7), when the news broke.

    It has been several years of teeth gritting, capped by eight months of sparks flying from all that molar grinding. And with all that, this weekly tradition and very mighty crew of smart, funny, and resilient groovies have brought some welcome extra focus and much needed brain-u-tainment. I hope it was a similarly sometimes grueling but worthwhile distraction for youse too!

    As for Midnight’s Children, it turned out to be almost nothing like I’d imagined. Similar to thread-peeps, I felt like I was often getting about a third of what Rushdie was dishing up. But I dug it. And I thought it ended especially strong and satisfying. Downright tidy even, especially for a book that frequently felt like we were racing a wheelbarrow of chickens through the woods, something I’d really like to get around to doing one of these days. Heck, it was so tidy, even the extra pickle jar was accounted for. (Another full-body relief!)

    And with all those prophecies, all those madcap-recaps, it landed very nicely in the here and now.

    Which works for me today. After several years of living in the past and stressing about the future, I’m delighted to have read this book, and it’s lovely to be here now today, savoring the weirdness of it all, and looking forward to future reads.

    And with that, I’ll end as I began: with gratitude.

    What’s next: If folks are interested, I’ll likely aim to pick up these shenanigans on the other side of the new year — in February or March.

    A few of us have also started meandering through the Five Books of Moses. Anyone looking for a distraction of that sort any time in the next year is encouraged to hop in for a stretch. We’ll be here, meandering away…

    Um, magnets? Yep, you can bet there’s a Midnight’s Children magnet coming — I’ll post it as soon as it’s ready to roll. Also, non-US friends, we have some customs paperwork to fill out and overdue collectibles will be en route over the ocean soon!

    And this? This is the place for any last thoughts on Midnight’s Children or perhaps sharing what you’ll be reading next….

    Thanks excellent peeps and happy day!
    -Cecil