Three Days of My Bloggary

Friday January 6, 2012 


10:27 AM - I'm in my office, free-writing for a few minutes... 


The sophomores have Shiriyah (Color War) practice, so I'm off duty - to the extent such a concept exists in reality.  


Neil Diamond's "Don't Go There" is playing on Pandora.  It's funny - not ha ha - that this just came on.The last time I heard this song was early this past Sunday morning, on my Ipod, as I walked Ocean City's shore  and found it fascinating that Diamond was singing the unique, prescient sounding, words that he was crooning. It's a cool song, worth a listen - in any case. 


Shiriyah broke out this morning.  I'm adviser for Juniors. In past years I've performed at the event (8 times) and run Torah bowl (12 times?). Juniors are meeting in a few minutes, I need to be there. It's 10:34.  It's amazing how i can write quickly and smoothly because I love writing.

I write like I breathe

I sit here as it happens

Blood breathes onto page

323 PM - "Slip Slidin' Away" - the (live) version with Garfunkel - plays from my ear-buds, while I sit as a guest in the (nicely finished) basement. And I remember my week.  Sigh. I think the idea that "you near your destination the more you're slip slidin' away" is a profound one. While we feel the pain of struggle, we are, hopefully, moving toward where we want to be.

This week I wrapped up the makkot in Chumash.  And taught more of the sugyah in Pesachim about birchat hamtzvot. We discussed brachot in general. I shared  Piercey's poem about what she does and does not consider a blessing. And I shared my response.

Motzai Shabbos January 7, 2012

6:07 PM - Shabbos is gone.  Why she had to go, I don't know. 

It was unreasonably warm today.

There is no kigo
to include in this haiku;
Winter, sixty-four

I have always enjoyed Rabbi Yaakov Lehrfield's Shabbos morning shiur.  Here's my adaptation of what I remember him saying this morning about Parshat VaYechi:

1 - When Ephraim and Menashe come to Ya'akov to be blessed, he asks, "Mi Eileh?" - "Who are they?" Rav Zalman Soratzkin, in his Oznaim LaTorah, says that Yaakov thought twice at this pivotal moment.  It's one thing to be a good person, good son, good grandson - but to be in a prominent is a different reality. Yaakov wanted to be certain before transforming his grandchildren into the ultimate model of the blessing that every father wants his son to be that they were fit for this position.

2 - The word "leimor" - "saying" is used when Yaakov blesses Ephraim and Mesashe. In this case the word contains a letter that it does not usually have; it is spelled in full, with a vav between the mem and the reish. This may symbolize the fact that, despite his original hesitancy, once Yaakov decided to bless them he did so with a full heart.  This can be backed up by the fact that the word emor is used, and includes a rare vav between the mem and the reish, when the kohanim are commanded to bless the Jewish people.  Rashi explains that the extra vav indicates that the blessing the kohanim give is meant to be wholehearted. 

3. Why did Yosef die at 110, younger than all the brothers? Rashi says because he was in a position of ruler-ship.  This could be understood as a punishment for acting to others in a condescending way.  It could also simply be that a consequence of being a political leader is vast amounts of stress that can lead to dying young.  The Torah states that Yosef lived to 110 and then says that he died at 110. This fact is clearly being emphasized. In each case, the trup - musical notes indicating how the words are to be read - are zakeif katon, which means the small (young) one was raised up high!

11:30 PM - That's the actual time right now, though it sounds too round and perfect to be true.  For the rest of tonight maybe we'll just keep it all under this heading.

Tonight I saw Ryan Hamilton, Andy Hendrickson and Mark Riccodonna. Mark's one rule as emcee is that the audience should give laughter to help the comedians give their best.

There are things in life that I watch and say, "I could never do that." Stand up comedy is one of those cases where the opposite is true. Tonight, as I enjoyed these 3 talented performers I sat and thought, "I can do that."

Here's a clip of Andy doing a routine he expaned on tonight, adding "Mom it's not a machine or a tape, it's a cell phone with a computer chip - you just filled up a whole computer mom."

It's 12:23 AM, technically Sunday, but still Saturday night to me.  

I believe in growth, working on oneself, always trying to make oneself better.  It's hard work.  Another thing I see and think as I watch comedians is how everyone really wants to grow and change. Comedians are about honesty, oddly - as was the case at certain moments in tonight's show - honesty often trumps funny in a routine, because they can't help themselves.  

I remember my eleventh grade Chemistry teacher, Mr. Peller, was the first person I ever heard say, "In all jest there is truth."

Sleep is calling me
I let the machine pick up

Write this one more thing

Sunday January 8, 2012


10:15 AM -

This  classic routine of Nichols and May just came to mind, very similar to the bit I linked to above.

Getting ready to horse and buggy it out of Staten Island.  

Need to get to school/work and coach the Junior grade to Shiriyah victory.


1:09 PM - Just entered my abode.  I was thinking of writing that I crossed the finish line after horse and buggying it home (10:49-1:09, 2 hours and twenty minutes).  It's not the finish line, after taking 2 buses and a train so far I have more travels ahead to get to work.  I should be thrilled that I don't really use a horse and buggy, that would be much slower and schleppier (I imagine). That reminds me of a routine by one of last night's comedians. He wondered why people love to go back in history and do things like take buggy rides.  If someone from olden times saw people paying today to ride a horse and carriage they'd probably say, "What's wrong with you? We've been trying to get rid of those things for years.


7:06 PM - Got on the road again at around 2, to work at 3, left around 6:15.  Home again  just now.  Spent four and a half hours travelling today. I could be comfortably vacationing in New Hampshire by now.  


The associate principal appreciated my being there for the school kids and ran late on his way home to his own little ones in order to take me to my door.  There's nothing like kindness to make my day.


11:59 PM - I was so tired that I took one of those naps that I don't remember lying down for, only getting up from.  I need to do usual work, and unusual.  The day is short, the work is great...


Now, it's later than before, isn't it always? I won't reveal the time, but if I am to succeed in getting up by 6:30 and out by 7, I'd better go to sleep.

Here 

with the grace of G-d 

I am

There 

but for His grace 

I would have gone.