Thursday, March 22, 2012

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).
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12 comments:

  1. MelanieMarch 23, 2012 at 5:50 AM

    The symbloism behind the 6 psalms that lead up to the Lecha Dodi represent the 6 days of the week, and Lecha Dodi represents Shabbat. I make Shabbat a time when I "let go" of the things that occupy my time and energy during the week by relaxing, not doing any homework, and sleeping late so I have enough energy for the week.

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    1. gabby roseApril 4, 2012 at 12:19 PM

      When it's shabbos time, I spend time with my family and i look foward to eating with all my family and friends. I enjoy saying the prayers and laughing with my family. every day during the week i always look foward to shabbos.

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  2. kitah zayin studentMarch 23, 2012 at 5:55 AM

    The 6 psalms are the days of the week leading to shabbat. On shabbat you should relax and reflect on your week. On shabbat I like playing games. I had a fun time at the shabbaton. And I felt that I got closer to other students.

    I think it's logical because you rarly see a red heifer. It makes it special and holy. Although I also think its not logical because it spreads to the cohan whos supposed to be holy.

    You can create friends and help make peace through speech. But you can destroy things by saying wrong things.

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    1. MelanieMarch 23, 2012 at 5:58 AM

      I agree with what you said about the Shabbaton. It really was so much fun!! I hope it is just as fun next year. I also agree with the last thing you said about creating and destroying with words.

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  3. MelanieMarch 23, 2012 at 5:56 AM

    I like mitzvot that have logic, but it is meaningful when we do mitzvot with no logic just because G-d said so. It shows that we really believe in G-d and we would listen to him no matter what. It is appropriate to do something just because someone says so when G-d says it, or when our parents say it, but it is problematic when a random person who could be asking you to follow them somewhere so they can kidnap you says it.

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  4. Josh WeinsteinMarch 23, 2012 at 6:05 AM

    The symbolism behind the 6 psalms that lead to L'cha Dodi is the 6 days of the week that lead to Shabbat. I make Shabbat a time when I can "let go" of the things that occupy my time and energy during the week by praying.

    We can use speech to create by saying nice things, for example, you can make friends with nice words; and we can use speech to destroy by saying mean things. For example, the leader of a country can start a war by saying something mean to another one - the other can get angry and attack.

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  5. kitah zayin studentMarch 23, 2012 at 7:57 AM

    I don't find mitzvot more meaningful when there is a purpose. I just enjoy doing mitzvahs, i love helping people. One should not want to just do a mitzvah juat because there is a prize, one should do it because you care and u want to help. G-d and Torah should be the reason for doing mitzvot.

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  6. andrew abateMay 15, 2012 at 5:55 AM

    1. Shabbat is a time for resting and relaxing so kabbalat shabbat is a time for relaxing prayers.
    2. You should pray to god as much as you can but if the prayer seems kind of weird then you shouldn't have to.
    3. words can hurt and heal so you can use them in either way.

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  7. benrrMay 15, 2012 at 7:42 AM

    I don't find mitzvot more meaningful when they have purpose. one shouldn't do a mitzvah for a prize they should do it because they want to help.

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    1. AnonymousMay 15, 2012 at 7:48 AM

      if you don't do it on purpose it is not as powerful.

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  8. jacob singerMay 15, 2012 at 7:44 AM

    The mitzovot are important to follow but to me they do not have a lot of meaning to me.
    we can use speech to create by talking nice about someone we can destroy by saing bad things about a person.

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  9. AnonymousMay 15, 2012 at 7:45 AM

    I make Shabbat a time to let go by trying not to get homework.

    You do something for someone else when they tell you because it is the right thing to do.

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