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October 4th

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The holiday days of Rosh HaShanah came suddenly upon us, and despite feeling inadequately prepared, we managed to weather them.

I learned something new about R”H, which I had never heard before and which helped explain something which has always bothered me. Apparently, there is an Ashkenazic opinion that one should fast until mid-day on R”H, because it’s a day of judgement rather than simply a joyous day. There is also a Sephardic opinion that one should fast on the day before R”H, which makes a bit more sense though it’s not germane at the moment.

That lone Ashkenazic opinion helps explain why in the name of all that’s holy, the services on R”H drag on so long. The Yemenites are done by 10am and tucking in to their jaḥnun. Our (Ashkenazic) shul isn’t done until after 12; in many Ashk. shuls they don’t finish until 2pm or even later! What’s up with that? It’s a yom-ṭov, you’re supposed to have a festive meal before mid-day, the cholent is getting lonely! So I leave early, because you are not supposed to fast, and my festive mood is negatively affected by sitting listening to piyuṭim which nobody understands, sung off-key to banal tunes, and which don’t belong inside the repetition of the prayer.

The curmudgeon awakens.

As of this morning, we Israelis still haven’t got a functioning government. Not that one could tell the difference, to be honest, but it’s a bit embarrassing. Likud and “Blue and White” were in talks to see if they could manage to work together, but apparently that’s not possible, because… stuff. So Likud started talking with Liberman’s “Yisrael Beitenu” party; but no dice so far, because… other stuff. When the almost inevitable third round of elections takes place, I’m going to vote for Pedro.

We need mashiaḥ right bloody now!

Stuff you want to know:

• Remember hearing for the past several decades that eating red meat is bad for you? Apparently the scientific evidence is scant for that claim.
• Don’t panic, but the answer to the ultimate question of the meaning of life and everything may not be “42”, after all: a number-theorist fears that all published math is wrong. Don’t cancel your childrens’ math classes just yet.
• For those of you who think Trump’s an idiot, think again.

Though I was, as usual, irritated by aspects of the R”H services — I enjoyed the yamim-ṭovim all the same. We had guests: Sarah and Yarin, as well as my curmudgeon-master Fred and his family. We ate, among other things: masterful holiday ḥalla, honey-soy chicken, chicken schnitzel, carrot-coconut soup with a balsamic reduction drizzle (say that three times fast!), amazing Persian rice, a bunch of tasty salatim, honey cake, apple cake, some other stuff, and some mighty fine wines! Now we have to recover…

This shabbat we need to dine modestly, after the week’s feasting:
homemade ḥalla, “chicken pot pie”, roasted rosemary-potatoes, veggie-chili-cholent, various salatim, and banana cake.

Until next time,
shabbat shalom!

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