Channuka on the Run....

idsThe purpose of this blog is to make your Shabbat table [more][less] (choose one) Greek... Please share...

The other day in the JCC locker room, there were the usual cast of characters.

One fellow, let's call him Shlomo, always enjoys trading jocular comments.

So in the spirit of Channuka, I said, "Getting in touch with your inner Greek? Or is it your outer Greek?"

He said, "I don't know if you should say that exercise is so bad?

"What do you mean bad? You think that calling something 'Greek' means saying it's bad?"

"Isn't that what Channuka is all about? Up with the Torah, down with the Greeks?"

Question for your table - Who's right?

Here's a hint - it says in the Talmud - yes, the Talmud! - that for a Torah scroll to be kosher it must be written in either Hebrew or ... Greek!

How could that be?

I'll leave it for you as a Channukah puzzler.

Happy Channukah and 

Shabbat Shalom


PS - Yes, if you really are "on the run", you might try clicking on that image above.

PPS - Since this is the last Table Talk email of 2019, here's your last pitch of the year to get the tax deduction and become a JSL partner.

PPS. Did you know that when you shop on Amazon, you can ask them to donate a % of your purchase? Simply use Amazon Smile, and designate Jewish Spiritual Literacy as your charity — for the same cost to you.

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Ha-New-Ka?

The purpose of this blog is to increase enlightenment at the Shabbat table... Please share...

(We're almost there... here's the countdown.)


Ha-New-Ka?

Last week was a real challenge for some people. How did you do?

Since we're just a few days away from Channuka, here's a challenge for your table tonight:

How can we make Channuka fresh and new this year, and not just "same-old-same-old"?

After everyone answers, here's a challenge question:

How many lights are we supposed to light each night?

I'm guessing that most people, if not everyone, will say one the first night, two the second night etc.

And then some smart alec will correct everyone and say two the first night, three the second night etc., to include the Shamash.

In fact, according to every source that I've seen, the "basic mitzvah" of Channuka is one light the first night, one the second night and so on.

Yes, that is correct. One light each night. That's it.

Question for your table: If so, what's the point of adding these other lights?

I'm not going to answer, but I'll give you a hint: it may have something to do with out-Greeking the Greeks.

Shabbat Shalom

and

Happy Channuka!

PS - Yes, that image is clickable!

PPS - Did you know that when you shop on Amazon, you can ask them to donate a % of your purchase? Simply use Amazon Smile, and designate Jewish Spiritual Literacy as your charity — for the same cost to you. To become a JSL partner or to learn about other JSL projects, click here.

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Because I don't want to...

The purpose of this blog is to raise the intensity at your Shabbat table... Please share...


Are you counting down to you-know-what??


Last week was about asking Life's Greatest Question. This week is about answering it.

Great doctors try to educate their patients on self-care.

Evidently, it's often an uphill climb over a mountain of ignorance.

On Wednesday night one such doctor told a group of us, "My patients think that there are three things that might possibly prevent them from ending up in a nursing home:

1. Genetics
2. Luck/Providence
3. Because I don't want to.

They got two of the three right.

First question for your table: What's the correct 3rd thing?

The answer, as any geriatric doctor (or probably any doctor) will tell you, is exercise.

He told us this as the intro to a class on how to do meaningful exercise at home without special equipment.

1. Do 5-10 1-minute HIIT intervals. We're talking about 5-10 minutes.

2. Work the 4 main movements:

a. Squatting
b. Pushing
c. Pulling
d. Sitting up

(Also only a few minutes each.)

Total workout, with stretching, can be as little as 20 minutes when you're short on time.

There you have it - your reason for not exercising every day just went from "because I don't have time" to "because I don't want to".

At least you're being honest. We'll give you credit for that.

2nd Question for your table - What does it take to turn "I don't want to" into "I want to", when it comes to doing something hard?


Shabbat Shalom

PS - Yes, that image is clickable!

PPS - When you shop using Amazon Smile, you can designate Jewish Spiritual Literacy as your charity, and they will gift a percentage of your purchase to JSLI - for the same cost to you. To make a direct tax-deductible donation, or to learn about other JSL projects, click here.

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Life's Greatest Question?

The purpose of this email is to raise the QQ (question quotient) at your Shabbat table... Please share...
In memory of my maternal grandfather, Chaim ben Avraham, whose yahrzeit was observed yesterday, who died very young many years ago but has never been forgotten. (To dedicate a future Table Talk, send an email.)

In the spirit of last week's post, thank you to the anonymous soul who designed this inspiring image which appeared in my inbox yesterday.

It was timely — over the past couple weeks we've learned of several people, both friends and friends of friends, currently battling cancer and other life-threatening conditions.

I believe that the key to this mantra ("What is this teaching me?") is to apply it to my own challenges, not yours.

To your challenges, I respond with empathy and any help I can give.

To my challenges, I try to train myself to ask this question.

Question for your table: How many times a week could you ask yourself that question? (How many times a day?)


Shabbat Shalom


PPS - When you shop using Amazon Smile, you can designate Jewish Spiritual Literacy as your charity, and they will gift a percentage of your purchase to JSLI - for the same cost to you. To make a direct tax-deductible donation, or to learn about other JSL projects, click here.

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