Shoftim
It is the 1st of Elul, 5780. Chodesh tov! I’m not going to be doing a traditional Elul introspection review, because it interacts poorly with my depression. I will instead be reviewing 100 demon dialogues, a cartoon diary project about the various conversations artist Lucy Bellwood has with her inner demon/jerkbrain/negative self talk/depression.
The parsha this week is shoftim, the source of tzedek, tzedek tirdof (justice, justice you shall pursue); there is a lot in there about justice and power and leadership, as well as a mixed bag of dictates about, y’know, the specifics of biblical-era justice. Maybe some other time I will dig into it but not today. I have seen some “well actually tzedek tzedek tirdof is about courts and therefore not about social justice,” though, and anyone saying that needs to consider 1) the second half of this does not follow from the first 2) pshat (plain text) reading is only one method of study, not the only way to interpret torah.
In other news, apparently ladino tiktok exists.
Speaking of ladino, next week Seattle area Sephardic shul Bechol Lashon is doing a special ladino-centered kabbalat shabbat service online featuring a performance from Sarah Aroeste and historical contextualizing on Salonican Sephardi traditions from Devin Naar.
Back in the day, the Jewish London Bakers Union had a really good banner (found via this tweet).
Shopping:
I’m not a planner person, but maybe you are! Check out this gorgeous 5781 Jewish lunar/solar day planner. Apparently the same people also put out an herbal tea subscription, with one per Jewish month.
a yiddish dubstep “drop the beys” shirt, a yiddish pun fundraiser for the National Yiddish Book Center.
The Jewish Pet of the Week this time is Rabbi Emily Cohen’s cat Pico. Pico has a five minute tour of the sefirot, with some special In These Times context, that I really liked. There’s also a catnip banana in it.
Pico is also a member of #Pets4JFREJ, a hashtag I did not know existed until now. But what a good kitty!
And with that, I’m out. Talk to you next week.
<3
Meli