Something that occurred to me during this morning’s discussion of Parshah Vay’etze (Gen 28:10 � 32:3) was that when Jacob has fled his house, running away from a home he has essentially demolished by deceit and extortion, leaving behind him…
Via d over at Lawyers, Guns and Money, the following quote from Victor David Hanson in a Wall Street Journal editorial called Losing the Enlightenment, where he mention’s Wal-Mart’s “amazing ability to bring the veneer of real material prosperity to…
Song of Songs, Chapter Two, verse eight: The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. We’re changing scenes again. If you remember, in verse seven we left the two of them sleeping…
Considering it won the Pulitzer and all, I had heard very little about The Kentucky Cycle I spotted it on a friend’s coffee table and tricked her into offering to lend it to me. In fact, I had quite low…
OK, I’m all for actors getting drunk and rambling anti-authoritarian incoherency, but that does not mean that I want to hear about Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman getting busy all over the Lincoln Bedroom. I mean. Ew. On the other…
So, I know that all you Gentle Readers have already come across this in plenty of other places, but what the hell is up with Orson Scott Card? Did he have a stroke or something? I mean, I understand that…
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Fourth Bear. I hadn’t really enjoyed The Big Over Easy very much, although there were funny bits. I picked it up off the new book shelf because, well, that’s the sort…
Song of Songs, Chapter Two, verse one: I [am] the rose of Sharon, [and] the lily of the valleys. It’s probably worth noting that the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is named after the bible verse; the translation predates the…
I am trying to remember if I’ve ever read 84 Charing Cross Road before. I’d seen the movie, years and years ago; it’s a wonderful movie, and YHB highly recommends it. If possible, go back and time and see the…
This past weekend we discussed parshah Toldot, Genesis 25:19-28:9, which encompasses the birth of Jacob and Esau, up through the goatskin trick and all. Discussions at Temple Beth Bolshoi are more like participatory sermons, with Senior Rabbi determining in advance…