(no subject)
On Saturday, I got to go to a Jewish temple with a friend.
"You can always tell the new people," the rabbi greeted us, "because they come on time. Most people wander in after a while."
Which is do-able in Temple, because there's a 'pre-service.'
It wasn't so awkward. After all, Christians share the sacred texts of Judaism. We've just got another chapter, one which we consider more imporant. Since Christianity is so personal, I think one way we falter is in relationship to the way we treat the Bible. We treat it like another book. Okay, fine, I understand that the real value is in the knowledge within and in the relationship with God and whatnot. But still... In the Jewish service, they carry the Torah around with singing and celebration. People touch the prayer shawls to the Torah and then kiss the spot, or touch the Torah book to the scroll and kiss that. Opening the curtain of the Torah carries much celebration, as well.
The copy of the Torah that people have to reference during the serman (for lack of knowledge of the correct word--a common theme in this entry) is in Hebrew and English with commentary. I would love a copy of that book, because it complements the Christian commentaries nicely. It has a more tradition-rooted, history-rooted, culture-rooted approach, whereas Christian Bible studies tend to be "this is what this means." The Torah copy had "this word means this and this is the way things were done back then, so..." It's rather like my Archeological Study Bible in that respect, but without the apologetic tone (and I mean 'apologetic' in the common sense of the word, not the theological branch).
Also, members of the temple take turns reading from the texts. I don't quite get that one. The readings are done in Hebrew, and the rabbi corrects missteps (which are often many, depending on the reader).
The 'pre-service' was also in Hebrew. Most things were sung.
I'd like to return after having a primer on Jewish custom and on Hebrew.
This is a blunt, inelegant description, but I'm tired. How a creature an 1/8th of your size can banish you to the cold perimeter of the bed is one of life's mysteries....
"You can always tell the new people," the rabbi greeted us, "because they come on time. Most people wander in after a while."
Which is do-able in Temple, because there's a 'pre-service.'
It wasn't so awkward. After all, Christians share the sacred texts of Judaism. We've just got another chapter, one which we consider more imporant. Since Christianity is so personal, I think one way we falter is in relationship to the way we treat the Bible. We treat it like another book. Okay, fine, I understand that the real value is in the knowledge within and in the relationship with God and whatnot. But still... In the Jewish service, they carry the Torah around with singing and celebration. People touch the prayer shawls to the Torah and then kiss the spot, or touch the Torah book to the scroll and kiss that. Opening the curtain of the Torah carries much celebration, as well.
The copy of the Torah that people have to reference during the serman (for lack of knowledge of the correct word--a common theme in this entry) is in Hebrew and English with commentary. I would love a copy of that book, because it complements the Christian commentaries nicely. It has a more tradition-rooted, history-rooted, culture-rooted approach, whereas Christian Bible studies tend to be "this is what this means." The Torah copy had "this word means this and this is the way things were done back then, so..." It's rather like my Archeological Study Bible in that respect, but without the apologetic tone (and I mean 'apologetic' in the common sense of the word, not the theological branch).
Also, members of the temple take turns reading from the texts. I don't quite get that one. The readings are done in Hebrew, and the rabbi corrects missteps (which are often many, depending on the reader).
The 'pre-service' was also in Hebrew. Most things were sung.
I'd like to return after having a primer on Jewish custom and on Hebrew.
This is a blunt, inelegant description, but I'm tired. How a creature an 1/8th of your size can banish you to the cold perimeter of the bed is one of life's mysteries....