During this past month I have dedicated my energy to my website, to write contents, to choose the most suitable styling to make each page warm and welcoming (which for me, since the limitations temporarily imposed on us for health reasons, is very important!)
Along the way, I understood why I was silent for such a long time. During these first few years in Modena, I needed to come to terms to some persistent weaknesses of mine and, finally, see them lose their meaning.
Shabbat is about to enter. This is Shabbat Ha Chodesh, and we read three parashiot, Vayakel, Pekudè and Ha Chodesh: the first two are focused on Moses' meticulous explanation of the final phase of the construction of the Mishkan, accounting for the public money spent, act that is defined as very important for a person who works for the people.
Parashat Ha Chodesh instead touches on the aspect of the limits of the human being, counting what are the primary threats to his existence: war, poverty, disease and death. The Cachamim, the sages, believing in the importance for humanity to overcome these problems, decided to dedicate to them 4 Shabbatot.
Indeed, during the period leading us to Pesach, towards freedom, symbolically also to spring, we already had three of these Shabbatot: Shabbat Shekalim which touches on the subject of poverty, Shabbat Zachor, of war, with Amalek who becomes the archetype of the enemy, and Shabbat Pará concerning death. Meanwhile, with the Corona Virus, the disease has manifested itself so real and widespread in our world! Every day we have reason to reflect and understand how interconnected we are and deserving each other’s help.
The fourth Shabbat, which begins today, Shabbat Ha Chodesh, was dedicated by the sages to the renewal (from chadash = new) and to the stipulation of the joyful day of Rosh Chodesh, of the celebration of the beginning of each month in the lunar calendar (on which the Jewish calendar is based). Also on this Shabbat every year will fall the anniversary of the inauguration of the Mishkan, of the tabernacle.
Now, I embrace the renewal. I titled my blog 'Or Ein Sof' which in Hebrew means 'light with no end' as I want to never interrupt again the flow of the wonderful narrative that every day the world suggests to me. I am happy and grateful to have achieved a new vision, and hopefully the ability to make the best of this precious tool that is my website to share the work of my ideas and my hands.
In the photo, the Challah, the bread of the Jewish tradition that I bake every Friday: this week I made the dough not as sweet as usual because, unfortunately, due to the Corona Virus, Regina's shop, the bakery in Via Ruggera, is closed. So, Challah will be our bread for the week, which I flavored with pumpkin seeds (centre), and sesame seeds, both good for fighting the dryness of the body.
Shabbat Shalom
LiOr