Comments on נלמד ונעשה - WE WILL STUDY AND WE WILL DO: What If G-d Was One Of Us?

Abba,Welcome to the community; I'm glad you're her...

2006-08-14T12:39:25.706-04:00

Abba,

Welcome to the community; I'm glad you're here, and I hope you'll stay. You are in good company (my mom reads this blog).

You've offended no one; the beauty of my being a Reform Jew is that I am offended by very little - all I ask is that Jews make informed, reflective decisions, not that they be in accordance with my beliefs. I find very little religiously offensive - the list mostly includes preventing other people from practicing Judaism they way they find meaningful, rejecting practice out of fear or ignorance, and being intolerant of people who practice Judaism differently from You (that's the general you).

Anyway, welcome!!!

Smel invited me to join your community. I feel so...

2006-08-14T11:46:10.096-04:00

Smel invited me to join your community. I feel so out of it. I'm an old person and mostly try to be aware whether my hearing aide is in my ear or in my pocket.
that being said, I am always uncomfortable writing out God, but I do it because within the community in which I write, G-d looks funny and might be considered a frumkeit affectation. plus one my my jts professors years ago always responded to people who write G-d, but writing -0-. And then there is the good told G?d which says a bunch as well.

I hope I haven't offended in anyway. My writing isn't what it used to be now that I have trifocles.

abba

Then you haven't had good white tea. Add teaNY to...

2006-08-14T11:21:42.693-04:00

Then you haven't had good white tea. Add teaNY to our list of places to go when I see you next weekend (!!!). I know it's painfully hip, but I'm sure you'll manage. I'll bring extra stones to throw at the hipsters.

All my experiences with white tea have been unfulf...

2006-08-14T11:09:29.940-04:00

All my experiences with white tea have been unfulfilling.

Jill - thanks and good question. Keep reading. M...

2006-08-14T08:35:38.126-04:00

Jill - thanks and good question. Keep reading. Maybe I'll answer you :)

David (and Smel) - totally well-argued but I happen to disagree (obviously . . . you read my blog). G-d is the specific name I have chosen to use to refer to . . . G-d, so I hyphenate. I suppose, if I regularly referred to G-d by other names, I would hyphenate them or add an apostrophe. But, yeah, well-argued.

HURRAY FOR DISCUSSION!

I think I'm in exact agreement with David on this ...

2006-08-13T23:40:53.876-04:00

I think I'm in exact agreement with David on this one. Well spoken, sir.

But totally well explained, Rachel. Blog on, ideed.

Stumbled across the blog, Rachel. Very nice. I g...

2006-08-13T03:00:58.760-04:00

Stumbled across the blog, Rachel. Very nice. I gave a very similar answer about using "G-d" in my HUC admissions interview and it put the committee into conversation amongst themselves. Since then, I've wondered though. I spent the last 8 weeks scribbling the word "God" on hospital charts of patients when relevant in describing my work with them. The charts will be shredded. But that "-" that may bring or take away intentionality can only create confusion in the interfaith healthcare workplace. In addition to our own theologies, what do we say about the audience who reads our writing?

All ways in which we choose to refer to God, be th...

2006-08-12T15:20:40.750-04:00

All ways in which we choose to refer to God, be them in English or Hebrew, are only pseudonyms for yud-heh-vav-heh, God's true name.

If "God" is a name for God by virtue of the fact that it is one of the ways in which we refer to Him, then "G-d" is just as much God's name as well. So is "Adonai" or the letter heh with an apostrophe. The cycle is endless, and you're left unable to refer to God in text.

Rather, we see holiness in God and God's specific four-letter Hebrew known name - the acronym for God given in our holy tongue. Everything else is just a human device for relating to the divine.

Rachel darling,I love your writing style. You're ...

2006-08-11T15:51:59.830-04:00

Rachel darling,
I love your writing style. You're so clear, and your arguments are all so tight. It's such a pleasure to read your blog, and I'm so happy to have access to it. I look forward to reading more about your thoughts about Judaism, among other things! Blog on, sister! And welcome back to the blogsphere!

I knew you would have an insightful and well-reaso...

2006-08-11T11:55:39.436-04:00

I knew you would have an insightful and well-reasoned response. I happen to disagree with your conclusion, but your argument is nearly flawless. It's moments like these when I thank the Unnamed Creator that we're friends.