Author Archives: Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

The Eleventh And Twelfth Commandments: Don’t Change! Change!

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

My father was God and didn’t know it.  He gave me the ten commandments neither in thunder nor in fury, neither in fire nor in cloud but in gentleness and in love. He added caresses and added kind words adding, … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Poetry | 3 Comments

Finding Oneself On The Mountain

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

He gave to Moses—when he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai—the two tablets of the covenant, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God (Exodus 31:18). So ended Moses’ forty-day audience with God on the cloud-covered mountain, shielded from … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | 2 Comments

Leavening On Our Shelves And In Ourselves

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

Every year, several weeks before Passover, my personal search for leaven begins in a way that is more symbolic than actual. I approach my bookshelves where there are many books that have served their rising, yeasty purposes and are now … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Midrash, Passover, Poetry | 1 Comment

Blossoms of Seder Night, Fruits of New Year’s Day

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

Rabbi Eliezer was sure that the world was created in the fall month of Tishrei, the season of the New Year. His rival, Rabbi Joshua, was equally positive that the world was created at Passover time, in the spring month … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Passover, Poetry, Talmud | 1 Comment

The Deepening And Expanding Torah

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

After Mount Sinai, the Mishnah says, height was no longer the measure of Torah; depth and breadth became Torah’s new and useful dimensions: Moses received Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua who transmitted it to the elders; from … Continue reading →

Posted in Mishnah, Poetry, Torah | Leave a comment

Heaven, Holiness, And Harmony

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

On erev Yom Kippur, 1990, the heavens broke open over kibbutz Bet Hashita. In the moment, after the singing, no one spoke; no one wanted to leave. Later, individual recollections of heaven, holiness, and harmony seemed woven into one story, … Continue reading →

Posted in Days of Awe, Holidays | 2 Comments

Days That Are Awful—Or Awe-Filled

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

Yamim Nora’im usually means Days of Awe. The forgiveness-seeker in Yehuda Amichai’s poem hears the phrase differently; for him, they are awful days. Forgive me already now, three months before the awful days of forgiveness. I fear that I won’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | 2 Comments

Where The House Once Was

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

It’s hard to imagine Torah scholars having such a furious argument that they ripped a Torah scroll. But… It happened, did it not, in the synagogue of Tiberias over the issue of a doorstop that had a knob on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Talmud, Torah | Leave a comment

The Middle Of The Story And The Story Of The Middle

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

On the Torah page, the miracle of Passover’s seventh day comes into view. The Torah page literally pictures Israel crossing the sea—glistening black letters against sea foam parchment.  The words are inscribed according to the script: Look! There are the people … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Midrash, Passover, Poetry | Leave a comment

A Branch of the Tree of Life

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Sicha, Continuing the Conversation

Moses’ staff escaped our notice completely until God drew attention to it by asking Moses: What is that in your hand? (Exodus 4:2). That staff is the most animated of all the inanimate objects in the Torah. Jolted from scaly … Continue reading →

Posted in Midrash, Parshat HaShavuah, Poetry | 6 Comments