Reflections from the Shabbaton

• What is the symbolism behind the 6 psalms that lead up to L'cha Dodi in Kabbalat Shabbat?           How do you make Shabbat a time when you can "let go" of the things that occupy your time and energy during the week? 
• The "parah adumah" (red heifer) which we read about in the maftir is the paradigmatic example of a law that cannot be understood rationally (it is so weird...) We just do it simply because God says so.  Do you find mitzvot more meaningful when they have a rational purpose, or logic?  Or do you find it meaningful to observe mitzvot no matter what simply because they come from God/Torah?  When is it appropriate to do something just because someone says so?  When is it problematic? 
• Through the theme of "The Voice," we discussed using and abusing language.    God used speech to create the world; how can we use speech both to create and destroy?  (Look back at the post from October about Baruch She'amar for a great response from YV).

The Child in the Forest

Last week, we discussed the Hasidic story about the parent and the child who always went to services together . . . and then the child starts disappearing into the forest . . . and the parent finds him/her praying and says, "Why did you leave the shul - don't you know God is the same everywhere?" . . .  and at the end the child responds, "Maybe God is the same everywhere - but I'm not." 

What does this story mean to you?  Do you agree or disagree with the child's statement? 

When we went to the field to daven, did you feel like you were "different" there?  How did it affect your prayer experience, if at all?