A Pause In A Day

Besides everything, holidays mark time. I have been doing the same thing on Shavuot for about 10 years now, staying up all night in a community where many of my students live. I learn on my own, study with students, and some years (like this one) I give a public talk.

I just searched the archives. I remember writing about seeing some boys playing cards on Shavuos night and hanging with them and shifting things to Torah. They hid the cards when I came by, but I knew, and they knew I knew and I knew that they... I have fond memories of that post and recall a reader commenting warmly about it. For now I can't find it.

A colleague just walked in and asked if Juniors have a program this period and that's why they're not in his class. Yes. Said colleague then asked, "Are you blogging?" I wasn't. So, I said, "No." I was searching through my old posts, seeing what I wrote about Shavuot.

Two years ago I wrote (among other things) about talks I heard from Rabbi Herschel Schachter, Rabbi Jeremy Weider, Rabbi Dr. Alan Brill, and Rabbi Akiva Block. I recently sat next to the latter at a Shabbos lunch and told him that I remembered hearing him speak. Torah talks are always good over Shavuot, it's kind of like cholent on Shabbos.

I was thinking of speaking about Ruth and why we read this book on Shavuot. Someone else is giving a talk on Ruth, so I'm going to go with a different topic, probably The Power of Speech.

In searching around for posts of Shavuos past these poems (1 and 2 ) somehow came up.

In searching Shavuos (rather than Shavuot) this post came up with serious insights from comedians' routines.

It's a day before vacation, there's a funky vibe in the air. Finals are coming up. There's a lot of work to be done. And yet.

As I type, Angela Theme by Bob James is playing. It's a great tune and much longer than the part that was used for a sitcom (can you name which one?). You can see/hear a great live performance of the tune here.

A colleague just popped in and told me that he found a blog he loves. I'm glad he found a blog he's excited about, everyone should have one. It was my privilege to be invited to and have a meal at the home of the rabbi who is honored in this blog.

Today's psalm of the day speaks about G-d's vengeance. According to the Artscroll Siddur the connection to the day of the week is as follows: On this day G-d created the constellations. These served, at first, as a reminder of G-d. In time these lights were seen as gods themselves, something intolerable to G-d, behavior which He must avenge.

I pause and I breathe

In the middle of my day

Thinking of your life