Our Jewish relationship with law is complex. Many of the laws in our Torah are designed for a people living autonomously in ancient times and therefore have, for most of the time they’ve existed, been inapplicable or impracticable or preempted by the laws of whatever country we’re living in. And yet we still accord them an odd place of honor in our spiritual life. We walk around judging ourselves to be “bad Jews” when we don’t follow some Jewish law that we’re still somehow conversant in. What is it that makes us feel a little something extra about this body of law?
Read moreDeath, Moses and Late-Breaking Change
I do my own secret math, and am now on the losing end of it. No matter how many resolves to exercise more (or even at all), no matter how many hopeful assessments of my genetic heritage, there is indisputably less time ahead than there is behind. Decisions of years ago have hardened into irrevocability, and I now meet the thought of spontaneity with more suspicion than I'd like to admit.
Read moreVayigash 5769 - The Lion and the Bull
The curtain rises and Judah, who has become the brothers' chief and spokesmodel, approaches Joseph and delivers an impassioned speech, worthy of any fine orator or propagandist. Our father is old. He will die if we return to him without Benjamin. Benjamin’s brother is also dead. How much sorrow can we heap on a white-haired old man?
Read moreReb Suegee's Curried Sweet Potato Soup
There's nothing particularly Jewish about this crazy delicious soup. But Suegee invented it for Ner Shalom's Chanukah potluck, and people wanted the recipe, and so there. The Holy Curried Sweet Potato Soup.
It's vegan by the way.
Ingredients:
4 or 5 moderate size sweet potatoes
1 onion
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tsp ginger powdered or 1 tbs fresh grated
1 can coconut milk (unsweetened)
3 cups vegetable stock
salt to taste
It's vegan by the way.
Ingredients:
4 or 5 moderate size sweet potatoes
1 onion
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tsp ginger powdered or 1 tbs fresh grated
1 can coconut milk (unsweetened)
3 cups vegetable stock
salt to taste
- Preheat oven to 450
- Scrub sweet potatoes and prick skin with fork
- Place sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet into oven and bake for 40 minutes or until soft
- Remove from oven and cool
- Chop onion and saute in several tablespoons of coconut milk until translucent
- Add curry powder and ginger to onions and saute stirring frequently until very aromatic, about 1 minute, then add rest of coconut milk
- Peel sweet potatoes and and to soup
- Add vegetable broth to soup and simmer for about 5 or 10 minutes
- Puree soup in batches and return to heat, you may need to add a bit of water until you get the desired texture
- Salt to taste, serve with fresh roasted and ground cumin sprinkled over each bowl
Vayeshev 5769 - Dreams are Not to be Messed With
And Irwin took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down to sleep. And he dreamed and behold there was a ladder set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven; and the angels of God were going up and down upon it. And Irwin looked down and realized he was severely underdressed for the occasion. And behold, the Lord stood beside him and spoke to him, while Irwin furtively looked around trying to figure out where he'd put his nice clothes. This thought led Irwin to realize that he also had no idea where he had left the children. And Irwin chewed on this worry, and as he chewed he became aware that most of his teeth were loose.
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