Mishenichnas Adar/When Adar Begins

משנכנס אדר
מרבין בשמחה
When Adar* begins
everyone's joy increases.

(Talmud Bavli Ta'anit 29a)

(Apparently,
Asher didn't get
the memo.)

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*Adar is the month on the Jewish calendar containing Purim, a holiday that celebrates the events of the book of Esther and during which we wear costumes and do other joy-filled things.

Parshah for Parenting - Terumah 5769

(you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him....And let them make Me a mishkan that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:2,8)

Gifts of gold, and silver, and brass,
of fine fabrics, spices, and oils,
of precious stones.

The Israelites built this structure not so G-d could dwell in it,
but so that He could dwell among them.
No Israelite could do it alone - everyone's effort brought His presence into the community.

In our house, we have a mishkan.
It's made up kisses from Ashi,
smiles and giggles from Rami,

a morning "Modeh Ani" with Abba,

and a bedtime "Shema" with Ima,

extra morning minutes spent cuddling on the couch,

extra love baked into the cookies,

one more book read together,
one more answer to Ashi's constant question, "What's that?"

an extra round of "Mishenichnas Ashi/Rami,"

an extra minute tacked onto bathtime.

All given with a willing heart. All bringing a little more holiness into the house.
G-d dwells among us,
even though the house isn't adorned with rich fabrics or fine stones.

(In fact, our house is pretty much a disaster.)

RamRam & NevNev

Dear Nevoh,

Thank you for inviting me to your naming ceremony.

It was my first big trip out of state,

but I only had eyes for you.

Please forgive me

for throwing up

on your sleep sack.

I hope you love me still.

Love,

Rami

Parshah for Parenting - Mishpatim 5769

"Mishpatim" means "laws."
After the spectacle of the
giving of the Ten Commandments
at Sinai
comes a
long
list of
laws.
Non-spectacular.
Won't stop you in your tracks.
But Torah all the same.
Amazing all the same.

The day to day moments with the boys
are, by and large,
non-spectacular.
But they're amazing all the same.
Breathtaking
(just in their own way)

A good laugh

is sunshine
in the house.

~William Makepeace Thackeray

Parsha* for Parenting - Yitro 5769

This week's Torah portion includes the commandment,

"Honor your father and your mother."

The Talmud** comments*** on this verse
that there are three partners in the creation of a child:

his father,
his mother,
and G-d.

It also comments that a child represents
his parents' invitation for G-d to dwell among them.

(Well, obviously.)

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*"Parsha" refers to the section of Torah that is read every week.
** The Talmud is a record of rabbinic commentary, law, and stories from around the year 500.
***Kiddushin 30b

How to Trayf up a Kitchen

Attention Jewish Mothers of Toddlers:

Would you like to keep a meticulously (or even sorta) kosher kitchen?

Too bad!

It seems that the desire to trayf up* a kitchen comes naturally to my curious toddler.

(It's a good thing he's

so cute while doing it.)

_______

*Render non-kosher by bringing in pork, mixing meat and dairy dishes, or something similarly horrific to a working Ima trying to keep some sense of kashrut in her kitchen.