parsha bit: Sh'mini

In this week's portion two of Aharon's sons, Nadav and Avihu, bring an alien offering (eish zarah) to God and are killed. The rabbis offer many explanations. Rabbi Levi said that they were killed for their arrogance. According to him, they refused to marry and publicly proclaimed "our father's brother is a king, our mother's brother is a prince, our father is high priest, and we are deputy high priests. What women are good enough for us?" Because they arrogantly demeaned others, they were punished. (Leviticus Rabbah 20:10)

another chat-with-your-friends meme

I saw this in several people's journals and was curious, so now it's here, in slightly modified form.

If you comment, and I can...

1. I'll respond with something I like about you.
2. I'll name something we should do together.
3. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
4. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
5. I'll leave you a quote that is somehow appropriate to you.
6. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you, if I have such a thought.

If I do this for you, please post this in your journal so you can do the same for other people.

leading services: change in plans

A few weeks ago my rabbi offered to let me lead a Friday-night service this summer. In addition to being a leadership opportunity for me, this would let me get valuable feedback from my rabbi on my technique. (Most of the time, if I'm leading anything it's because he's not available.) But life has a way of throwing monkey wrenches into plans sometimes.

It turns out that my rabbi will be away that Shabbat. Our new associate rabbi won't yet be there. So I will be leading that Friday service with the cantorial soloist (that hasn't changed), albeit without the rabbinic feedback I'd been hoping for. (We'll just have to find another way to do that.)

But in addition, I'll be conducting the bar-mitzvah service that Shabbat morning. Wow!