| | Jewish Spiritual Renewal: New Class: Fun/Light: Perek Shira: Shabbat 1/12/13 perek shira: song of nature
Shalom my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students, and fellow rabbis. An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat this coming weekend to all. HAPPY 2013! May we merit to know a complete Shalom beyond human comprehension! For this series, we are studying Perek Shira. It will be fun and light and short for those that wish it to be, as well as deep and involved from those who like to delve into our traditions texts. Perek Shira is 6 chapters long with verses of various heavenly and earthly bodies, plants and creatures singing praises to God. If you would like, consider the phrase the entity is singing, and ascribe to it what the entity is trying to teach us... about what traits to mirror and what traits to avoid. More on the text is found in the first class. ''The SHEAVES of WHEAT are singing: 'A song of ascents: Out of the depths have I cried to you, O God.' (Ps. 130:1) [Perek Shira: 3:7, Nature's Song].'' What attributes of WHEAT would you like for yourselves and your children to process? When we say the 'Mozti' Berachah before eating bread we are NOT just thanking God for bread. We ARE thanking God for ''bringing forth bread from the earth.'' This implies great gratitude and awe for His creating the Earth, bringing rains in 'their season', bringing seasons via the Moon, bringing SUNshine, teaching humans how to domesticate animals for plowing, developing civilizations so we could stop being nomads and be in one place to grow and harvest wheat, learning about fire to bake bread, and on and on. Wheat is the staff of life, as if we truly understand all that went into growing and harvesting it, we become humble to it and our Creator, and live life in gladness. Van Gogh "Wheat Sheaves" These middot, character traits, of living in shalom, and becoming spiritually connected are discussed throughout all of my books. Find the one or more that you would like at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org/books. How has learning Perek Shira helped you in your interpersonal relationships? Are you learning to live in shalom and be in shlema? How has understanding the spiritual and ethical teachings of Judaism helped you live a more joyous life?
Next class, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with Perek Shira.
Thank you for joining me.
Shalom uvracha,
If visiting SC's Low Country, contact us for a Shabbat meal, in our home by the sea, our beth yam.
Maker of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all human comprehension! | | | © 2012 Rabbi Arthur Segal Jewish Spiritual Renewal | |
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