| RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: PEREK SHIRA 1:5: THE WILDERNESS SINGS Subscribe to the Rabbi Arthur Segal Jewish Spiritual Renewal mailing list.  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Jewish Spiritual Renewal: New Class: Fun/Light: Perek Shira: Shabbat 8/04/12 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. 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.
PEREK SHIRA (Nature's Song) 1:5 : " The WILDERNESS is singing: 'The wilderness and the desert shall rejoice, and the arid region shall exult, and blossom like the rose.' (Is. 35:1) (Perek Shira 1:5, Nature's Song). Photo is of Israel's Negev Desert Blooming with blue Lupines. Lupines were a common food during Talmudic times and produce a pod containing seeds which are cooked, or pickled and eaten as beans.
Talmud Yerushalmi gives a parable with food, not animal food which we know have feelings, but with grain and vegetable foods, in which we must honor their feelings, as lessons about how we should never cause hurt to happen to another human. In Talmud Yerushalmi Tractate Berachot 6:4 : "Concerning the dessert tray of assorted nuts and fruits, Rabbi Jeremiah in the name of Rabbi Ammi taught: 'One recites the blessing over the lupine, even though it is not one of the seven species of the Land of Israel (grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, wheat, oats and (date) honey).' Said Rabbi Levi: 'This ruling is based on the verse :Do not rob the poor because he is poor. (Proverbs 22:22.) That is, do not deprive a lupine of its blessing, just because it is a common food.''' Lupine were very common and produce a pod containing seeds which are cooked, or pickled and eaten as beans. The point of course of the rabbis is that if we should honor the common lupine, what we would call, perhaps, a weed today, we should show honor to every person amongst us.
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, | | | © 2012 Rabbi Arthur Segal Jewish Spiritual Renewal | | |
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