Shavua Tov UMevorach Too

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When People Ask What A Book Is About

A thoughtful friend actually got me a new copy of The Tender Bar after hearing that I'd lost it twice and wasn't finished reading. It's like talking to someone and really getting along in a crowded room. Then that person disappears and you fear you've lost him or her forever. But another friend goes out and finds that person for you. That's what this friend did for me - reconnected me with my almost lost book/friend. How wonderful is that?

Asking what a book is about for some people is the equivalent of "what are you doing for the summer?" for others.

In this following scene, JR, the author and protagonist of this work is sitting in a bar, as he often is in this book. And he's reading, which he often is in this story:

He leaned sideways to see the book I was reading.

"A Fan's Notes?" he said. "What's that about?"

Maybe it was because he'd called me Junior,

or maybe it was because I'd had one too many

of Mapes's potent Bloody Marys, but I couldn't take it any more.

I let fly at Jimbo. "I hate that question," I said.

I hate when people ask what a book is about.

People who read for plot,

people who suck out the story

like the cream filling in an Oreo,

should stick to comic strips and soap operas.

What's it about?

Every book worth a damn is about emotions,

and love, and death, and pain. It's about words.

It's about a man dealing with life. Okay?

-The Tender Bar pg. 335

j

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Balak and Love

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Here's an early thought on Balak. Why did Hashem dramatically protect us from Bilam's curse and turn it to a blessing? Why not just have Moshe send word that the words are meaningless and tell us not to let it bother us? Perhaps because when you love someone it's appropriate to show concern about that which worries them. Rather than exposing the fears as baseless a great act of love is to protect someone even from that which you don't see as scary, but they do.

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k

A Brilliant Book

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Anyone out there every learn Aviva Zornberg's works? I was starting to look at Shmot for next year, reading her book. Remarkable. If there's interest maybe I'll post some of my thoughts on some of her thoughts.

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k

On Journals

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At lunch today people were talking about journals. Three people at the same table have been keeping journals for the longest time. One of these journal keepers (not me) writes in dialogue, between two different aspects of the self; higher and lower.

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k

Up To The Minute Update

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I will be up late tonight, the effects of a lot of Shabbos sleep. Thank G-d. So if you feel like emailing...

There's still some lingering school year work. So it goes.

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k

On Havdallah

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Rav SR Hirsch says that Havdallah is also a prayer about the entering of the new week. May it be blessed.

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k

Push Me - Pull You

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I have a push-pull relationship with this blog, maybe with more. Someone recently linked to here, and I asked them to unlink. And yet.

;

lk

j

I want to be noticed, but I want to be found

I want to be heard without making a sound

I want to win without chancing to lose

I want to be chosen without risking to choose.

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Havel Havelim

To be introduced to many great Jewish blogs and what they had to say over this past week, click here.