Marriage and Metaphor: Constructions of Gender in Rabbinic Literature by Gail Labovitz
Marriage and Metaphor argues that the dominant model by which rabbis and rabbinic culture construct marriage and gender relations in marriage is through a metaphor of property and ownership: women are ownable and marriage is a purchase/acquisition. The most distinctive feature of this work is its methodology, which is unique in bringing metaphor theory, cognitive approaches to language and thought, and feminist linguistics (as well as many of the well-established approaches to the reading of rabbinic texts) to the studies of gender and rabbinic literature. Beginning with the statement at the opening of Mishnah Kiddushin (1:1), "A woman is acquired (in marriage)...by money, by document, or by sexual intercourse," and using other similar examples of commercial language applied to marriage across the rabbinic canon, Labovitz amply demonstrates that rabbis regularly use information from the realm of property and commercial transactions to structure their understanding of and their reasoning (legal and otherwise) about marriage and gender relations.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
New Book Release: You Are What You Hate
You Are What You Hate: A Spiritually Productive Approach To Enemies by Sarah Yehudit Schneider
Enemies hold fallen slivers of our souls, estranged sparks that we do not recognize as pieces of our very own selves. They have chosen us as their opponent because they are trying, in their deluded way, to connect back to their root, which really is us. The spark of ourselves inside the enemy must be recovered… We cannot complete our life mission until we have collected all the scattered pieces of ourselves, including those currently embedded within our enemy’s soul. The question becomes: How do we both protect ourselves and reclaim our sparks? What is the most spiritually productive way to succeed at this paradoxical mission?
The text at the heart of these teachings was written in the early 19th century by the great kabbalist and chassidic master R’ Yitzchak Yehuda Yechiel Safron, the Komarna Rebbe. It is the fruit of his personal struggle to find the most spiritually productive attitude toward his own detractors… A truly enlightened strategy requires us to find the right balance between self-protection and generosity, protest and acceptance, savvy and idealism, zero-tolerance-for-evil and compassion. The Komarna Rebbe uses the kabbala for his guidance. He pulls these lofty teachings down into real life and presents us with practical instructions for how to solve this ancient and universal dilemma.
Enemies hold fallen slivers of our souls, estranged sparks that we do not recognize as pieces of our very own selves. They have chosen us as their opponent because they are trying, in their deluded way, to connect back to their root, which really is us. The spark of ourselves inside the enemy must be recovered… We cannot complete our life mission until we have collected all the scattered pieces of ourselves, including those currently embedded within our enemy’s soul. The question becomes: How do we both protect ourselves and reclaim our sparks? What is the most spiritually productive way to succeed at this paradoxical mission?
The text at the heart of these teachings was written in the early 19th century by the great kabbalist and chassidic master R’ Yitzchak Yehuda Yechiel Safron, the Komarna Rebbe. It is the fruit of his personal struggle to find the most spiritually productive attitude toward his own detractors… A truly enlightened strategy requires us to find the right balance between self-protection and generosity, protest and acceptance, savvy and idealism, zero-tolerance-for-evil and compassion. The Komarna Rebbe uses the kabbala for his guidance. He pulls these lofty teachings down into real life and presents us with practical instructions for how to solve this ancient and universal dilemma.
New Book Release: Law & Order
The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Unofficial Companion by Randee Dawn and Susan Green
The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Unofficial Companion is a comprehensive guide covering all 10 seasons (including the current 2008−2009 season) and will include a synopsis and an objective analysis for each episode, as well as commentaries or recollections from the people involved in crafting the one-hour tale. It goes after the heart of SVU through interviews with actors, writers, producers, casting agents, location scouts and others. Moreover, the authors peek behind the scenes of the bicoastal operation, observing the progress of an entire episode shot in New York City and a script fine-tuned in Los Angeles. The book provides fascinating insight, delighting SVU devotees who love on-screen and backstage trivia. In addition, creator Dick Wolf offers readers a gripping foreword to the book.
The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Unofficial Companion is a comprehensive guide covering all 10 seasons (including the current 2008−2009 season) and will include a synopsis and an objective analysis for each episode, as well as commentaries or recollections from the people involved in crafting the one-hour tale. It goes after the heart of SVU through interviews with actors, writers, producers, casting agents, location scouts and others. Moreover, the authors peek behind the scenes of the bicoastal operation, observing the progress of an entire episode shot in New York City and a script fine-tuned in Los Angeles. The book provides fascinating insight, delighting SVU devotees who love on-screen and backstage trivia. In addition, creator Dick Wolf offers readers a gripping foreword to the book.
New Book Release: Path to Selflessness
Path to Selflessness by Shmuel Simpson
The Path to Selflessness is a discourse delivered by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of blessed memory, on the eve of the fast of the tenth of Tevet 5738(1977).
At the time, the rebbe was recuperating from a heart attack he had suffered on the night of Shemini Atzeret, and would periodically deliver addresses from his office at Lubavitch World Headquarters, by way of a special hookup system, to the main synagogue. This was the last of these unique addresses, as he subsequently returned to his regular schedule.
Beginning with the words Yehuda Atah, the discourse examines the blessing which Yaakov blessed his fourth son, Yehuda, as compared to the blessings he gave his first three sons, Reuven, Shimon and Levi. Yaakov's sons embody distinctive forms of divine service, which correspond to distinct sections of the prayers of Shema and the Amidah. Using these distinctions, the discourse further derives lessons about the bond between the individual Jewish soul and G-d.
The Path to Selflessness is a discourse delivered by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of blessed memory, on the eve of the fast of the tenth of Tevet 5738(1977).
At the time, the rebbe was recuperating from a heart attack he had suffered on the night of Shemini Atzeret, and would periodically deliver addresses from his office at Lubavitch World Headquarters, by way of a special hookup system, to the main synagogue. This was the last of these unique addresses, as he subsequently returned to his regular schedule.
Beginning with the words Yehuda Atah, the discourse examines the blessing which Yaakov blessed his fourth son, Yehuda, as compared to the blessings he gave his first three sons, Reuven, Shimon and Levi. Yaakov's sons embody distinctive forms of divine service, which correspond to distinct sections of the prayers of Shema and the Amidah. Using these distinctions, the discourse further derives lessons about the bond between the individual Jewish soul and G-d.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
New Book Release: Posts Along the Way
Posts Along the Way by Gil Student
What is this blog thing you keep hearing about? Posts Along The Way is an adaptation of the Torah teachings on the popular Hirhurim-Musings blog. In this book, learn about the halachah and hashkafah of shuls in the quick and enlightening blog format. Take a guided tour of the sources and see how they are relevant to the Judaism you live and experience.
Topics include how prayer works, talking in shuls, who can be a rabbi - a ba'al teshuvah? a convert? a woman?, shuls and megachurches, women's prayer groups, mechitzah and much more.
Hirhurim-Musings is an award-winning blog that has been mentioned in The Wall Street Journal, The Jewish Press and other media outlets.
What is this blog thing you keep hearing about? Posts Along The Way is an adaptation of the Torah teachings on the popular Hirhurim-Musings blog. In this book, learn about the halachah and hashkafah of shuls in the quick and enlightening blog format. Take a guided tour of the sources and see how they are relevant to the Judaism you live and experience.
Topics include how prayer works, talking in shuls, who can be a rabbi - a ba'al teshuvah? a convert? a woman?, shuls and megachurches, women's prayer groups, mechitzah and much more.
Hirhurim-Musings is an award-winning blog that has been mentioned in The Wall Street Journal, The Jewish Press and other media outlets.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
New Book Release: Light in the Closet
Light in the Closet by Arthur Goldberg
Can homosexuals transform their sexuality? Torah, Talmud and time-tested advances in gender psychology answer YES! The Co-Director of JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality) tells how. This groundbreaking book explodes the "gay gene" mystique, offering hope, compassion, direction and vitally needed information to gay strugglers, their families, friends, and surrounding community.
Can homosexuals transform their sexuality? Torah, Talmud and time-tested advances in gender psychology answer YES! The Co-Director of JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality) tells how. This groundbreaking book explodes the "gay gene" mystique, offering hope, compassion, direction and vitally needed information to gay strugglers, their families, friends, and surrounding community.
Monday, June 29, 2009
My life in a nutshell!
I was thrilled to be picked by my elementary school's alumni coordinator who was doing a page for their website on alumni with unusual careers/life experiences!
EHA Alumni
EHA Alumni
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