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Future Shock - A Photograph as Midrash

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Traditional Methods of Interpretation: Peshat  – Simple restatement of the obvious elements Remez  – Hints – References to similar elements Drash  – Stories that expand on the elements and themes Sod  – Traditionally secrets, but could be personal insights of the viewer Midrash -Interpreting the Visual Image Peshat – Simple restatement of the obvious elements A young girl is watching a man using a machine to tear down a house in a residential area. Remez – Hints – References to specific or similar elements The girl is holding what looks like a basketball suggesting that she was on her way to play, but stopped fascinated by the tear down activity. And might she have playmate who lived in the house being torn down? The neighborhood is of similar vintage homes, and one wonders if a replacement house would be of a similar design or more modern? Why we might ask, is the house being torn down? Is a neighbor wanting to expand their property? Is there a relationship between the girl and the
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Hebrew Graphics - Torah, Talmud and Commentaries

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Blessing for the smartphone

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Currently, our cell phones effectively operate as “brain extenders,” hooking us into vast networks that aid our memory and enhance our knowledge. Soon, though, the computing functions of a cellphone will likely become an internal brain “add-on” Schiff, Danny. Judaism in a Digital Age: An Ancient Tradition Confronts a Transformative Era (p. 193). Springer International Publishing. Kindle Edition What you are experiencing ( in the Beginning ) right now is what McLuhan ( God   created the Heaven and the earth. ) talks about when he says that electric circuitry ( The earth   was unformed   and void ) is an extension of the ( and darkness was upon the ) central nervous system  ( face of the deep ) . We get and are capable ( and the spirit of God hovered over ) of receiving ( the face of the waters ) a great deal of ( and God said ) information, ( “Let there be light” ) much of which is dealt with ( and there was light) unconsciously.  "All media are extensions of some human faculty.&q
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Missing the mark is not the "sin"

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 Chait, the Hebrew word for Sin actually means 'missing the mark" - In our contemporary world, we can say that sin is not 'missing the mark' but not trying to achieve the goal. Davar Acher, another perspective - the horse in the picture represents the body, while the rider represents the soul...
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The Penguins and the Lion

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Retablos - Hispanic Heritage - Adam & Eve and other Stories

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Mi Sheberach - A Prayer for Recovery from Illness

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  Mi Sheberach - A Prayer for Recovery from Illness This picture  taken in Cuba in 2013  shows a woman walking with an x-ray casually held in her right hand, without a covering holder. We don't know the significance of the x-ray, but the picture lends itself to a mention of the Jewish prayer for the sick.  Originally the Mi Sheberach was recited as a representative of the ill was called to say the blessings before and after the Torah scroll reading. In more recent times, the prayer became a fixture in Sabbath evening worship.  Lyrics by Debbie Friedman Links to youtube music clip Debbie Friedman Singing A Prayer for healing - source unknown May the Eternal One who blesses all life, bless and strengthen all of us who struggle against illness. May we whose lives are touched by illness be blessed with faith, courage, love, and caring. May we experience the support and sustenance of family, friends, companions, and community. May we be granted restful nights and days of comfort. We pra
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Mashal and Nimshal - A Solid Presentation

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  A Mashal (Hebrew: משל) is a short parable with a moral lesson or religious allegory, called a Nimshal (Wikipedia) In Visual Midrash, the image is the Mashal, with interpretation possibilities being the Nimshal. The Mashal image of the Ten Commandments below is an old advertisement for Microsoft Word 3, a software version from the early 1980's. The Nimshal that the viewer should buy the software as a way of impressing others. A contemporary Nimshal  is that we should leverage the power of cyberspace to foster spiritual values! 
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Mashal and Nimshal - Celebrating Space and Genesis

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A Mashal (Hebrew: משל) is a short parable with a moral lesson or religious allegory, called a Nimshal (Wikipedia) In Visual Midrash, the image is the Mashal, with interpretation possibilities being the Nimshal. In Visual Midrash, the image is the Mashal, with interpretation possibilities being the Nimshal. In the Mashal image below, the Apollo space shot circa 1970's is celebrated as mankind's achievement on par with creation. A Nimshal might be our partnership in furthering God's creative power, or our responsibility for Tkkun Olam, our social justice responsibility. OR A marvelous Nimshal was written by Mel Alexenburg: We can read the first word of the Bible B’reshit (In the beginning) as B’reshet (In the network). In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew word et appears twice, before heaven and before earth. “In the beginning God created et the heaven and et the earth.” Since English has no equivalent for the word et that links a verb to a noun, it drops out in translation. et is
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Perspective - an Exercise in Visual Midrash

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  Traditional Methods of Interpretation: Peshat – Simple restatement of the obvious elements Remez – Hints – References to similar elements Drash – Stories that expand on the elements and themes Sod – Traditionally secrets, but could be personal insights of the viewer The Visual Image: Midrash -Interpreting the Visual Image Peshat – Its all in perspective -The picture taken at a Santa Fe, New Mexico Pride event shows a middle aged gay couple with a cross-dressing transvestite.  Remez – The contrasting perspective was captured using a telephoto lens for the close-up. The metaphor of the lens  pulling back bringing in more of the world into view would include places and people who do not share an openness to LGBT individuals and activities. This would include biblical prohibitions and admonitions such as  Leviticus “If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltines
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A Visual Midrash on "A Hard Day's Night"

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Every Seventh is a media introduction to the Sabbath, and was part of my rabbinic thesis from Hebrew Union College in 1971 which was entitled "Jewish Worship as Environment for Encounter" Every 7th https://splitrockstrategies.com/sabbath/
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