cellio | interviewed by patsmor

I know I owe questions to some people. I'm not ignoring you.

1) How do you feel about studying a long time in Israel in the current political climate there?

I don't think the political climate would bother me, assuming I was in Jerusalem and not near Gaza or Lebanon. (And if I was studying, that's probably where I'd be doing it.) When I was there recently, albeit briefly and in a tour group, I didn't see hysteria, a police state, threats, or the like. I saw people taking reasonable precautions and living their lives.

Some things would depend on the circumstances, of course. If I'm there alone, I probably wouldn't venture out much, 'cause I'm like that in strange places. If Dani is there (which, if this is a longer-term gig, he would be), we probably still wouldn't go too far afield but at least I'd have a native to rely on, if a rusty one (it's been 30+ years). I do have friends there, so I would have some local guidance too. But, say, weekend sight-seeing drives to Saudi Arabia or Egypt just wouldn't be on the agenda, most likely (to say nothing of openly-hostile places).

Most likely, the internal (that is, Israeli) politics would have more of an effect on me than international ones. At one end are the rabid secularists who would think studying torah is bunk; at the other end are the rabid fundamentalists who wouldn't tolerate a woman doing so. I presume that both groups are easily avoided most of the time.

And, though you didn't ask, there are bunches of other factors, having nothing to do with politics, that keep me from in fact going and studying there.

2) How long will you let your hair grow?

As long as it wants to. The limiting factor isn't me; it's the hair's natural length. I wish I could get it to go longer; it doesn't even reach the small of my back.

3) What's your favorite herb, and why?

Hmm. I guess it depends on what for. (Also on what technically qualifies as an herb; I'm going to broadly include small green edible things until corrected.) My favorite non-caffeinated tea is mint. In cooking, I often like oregano.

Now if you said flavoring as opposed to herb, I would include my two favorite vegetables, garlic and ginger. :-) (In the quantities I like, they are no longer mere seasonings but, rather, significant contributors by volume.)

4) Forest or plains?

Forest -- much more stimulating.

5) What passage in your study (any source) reflects your current spiritual state most right now?

Tough question. I have a few candidates, but I think the strongest is Elohai neshama shenatah bi, which I wrote about a few weeks ago. This realization has changed my morning prayer, which in turn sets the mood for the rest of the day. That, and the associated image of an intimate God breathing life into us and taking it out (from Moshe, at least) at the end. It's mostly easy for me to grok a transcendent God; an intimate one is an idea I have to work harder for. (I said "mostly" because I don't grok what a transcendent God would get out of people -- hence the need for another facet.) This "both at once but a contradiction" state raises questions about how we're supposed to relate to God, and I find that interesting to explore.

interviewed by patsmor

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