Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who saves us from touchy-feely Renewal Types

I really wanted to hate this Haggadah. (It’s a big PDF)

Even before I saw it, I wanted to hate it. "Love and Justice Haggadah"? How togetherness and good feeling should trump tradition and holiness, how separation is bad and rules are oppressive instruments and how celebrating the creator-force within us would lead us out of the bondage of religion. I assumed I would find these things, and looked for them as I read.

I didn’t find them.

I found thanking of the Source, feminization of the brachot language, and homemade poetry. I like these things individually, even the homemade poetry (which was surprisingly good). Together, they can be fearsomely awful. Not here.

There are short stories on Passovers and charoset recipes; there is a blessing from the Humanistic Jewish Tradition and a blessing over flowers. The Haggadah is full of side-steps and optional additions. It allows for creating a Trans-Friendly Space, or talking about Israeli-Palestinian politics, or engaging in a little performance poetry. It will even talk the assembled through their issues as it discusses the Four Adults along with the Four Sons.

But these possibilities, some of which I can’t stand, are part of what I’ve come to love about Judaism: the freedom to wade through unending piles of histories and traditions. I love the human and divine struggles, the focus on relationships with G-d and each other. I love that it tries my patience and engages me in argument. I love that it means I love a seder Haggadah put out by Colours of Resistance, whose introductory paragraph makes me weep.

Thanks to Radical Torah for the link (and for alternately delighting and infuriating, but never failing to engage.)

Sometimes I love the Economics group on LJ.

When You Sleep

lalala!

when you sleep where do your fingers go?
what do your fingers know
what do your fingers show
where do your fingers go
when you sleep
do they tremble on the edge of the bed?
or do you fold them neatly by your head?
do they clench like claws against your own skin
when you're living your day all over again?
when you sleep
when you sleep where do your fingers go?
what do your fingers know?
what do your fingers show?
where do your fingers go? yeah

do they play guitar in a latin bar?
are they strangers or lovers
do they drive your car?
are they swimming submissively
sex acts of life?
or just cutting through jello with a very sharp knife?

now Zeus was a womanizer
always on the make
but Hera usually punished
her that zeus was one to take

when you sleep where do your fingers go?

are they pulling out weeds
from the dusty soil?
but then never rewarded with the
fruits of their toil
are they scratching their nails
on the chalkboards of death
only seeking attention
when everyone in the room has left?

when you sleep
when you sleep where do your fingers go?
what do your fingers know?
what do your fingers show?
where do your fingers go?
when you sleep
do they tremble on the edge of the bed
or do you fold them neatly by your head?

(Cake)

The Tribe

Sundance has The Tribe, free and streamable! Go watch it.
(18 min.)

Now it is four o'clock and the sun has come out. The heck with laundry. Time for a walk.