I first want to aplogize for a lack of postings here. I guess this break in posting comes from a lot of sources, but mostly because I've been so busy here with day-to-day dealings that I haven't had time to post.

Which, of course, is a vicious cycle, since now I feel responsible for posting the million-and-one things that I've been up to, and my thoughts on the conflict, but don't have the time.

I will say this (again): I am safe here. I am certainly as safe I was before the rockets started raining down on (Northern) Israel, and probably safer (due to complex set of events that I won't get into). The point is: Israelis are a resiliant people, they would rather pack up their bags and leave than let a bunch of missles ruin their day. They've all served in the military, most have been through this before (think, 1991, Bush #1, Saddam Hussien, scuds all over Israel...). It's simply a different way of living here.

Speaking of which (mom, stop reading...actually, you know all this): I love it here so much. I love the people for their disinterested way of living life, for their livliness, their love of the country, their Mediterrainean beauty, their ability to combine a life that is equal parts 21st century and 1st century. I love the land: tree covered hills, nothern mountains, coastal cities, desert, southern resort cities, ancient-mystical cites, modern cities, desert encampments, West Bank enclaves....all aged thousands of years, connected by a rapid-transit bus system.

Life here is just so much more refreshing than it is in the states. On one hand: of course it feels like that to me, since all I am doing here is learning and visiting people---I have no responsibilities (besides calling my mother once a day), and no worries about anything. However, while I admit this probably has an effect on how I view this country (esp. since I understand that actually *living* here and dealing with the meshugass of the government, and making a living, etc can be overwhelming), I know what I like, and I like Israelis. I am in the camp of religious Jews (see Yeshayahu Leibowitz or Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel) who believe that Judaism has no real concept of holiness of PLACES (ie the physical), and, thus, do not want to claim I find this place more-or-less holy than somewhere else. On the other hand...the people make this place like no other place in the world.

I'll stop with this Israel-love fest.

Everything has been status-quo at the Yeshiva. Still learning the same things with the same Rabbis. While it's a bit late, I am going to try to post some ideas that are brought up in our classes that you can chew over, and possibly add some thoughts to (actually, I will add one of the more interesting ideas I came across last week at the end of this post....be excited!).

I spent last Shabbat (a week ago...July 14-15) in Jerusalem at the apartment of my friend Rachel. Rachel was supposed to have a huge pot-luck dinner with her friends from Pardes (a center for modern Jewish learning...or something like that), and----in an amazing (and ironic/gross) display of disregard for possibly all Jewish ethics---nearly all of these kids backed out of the dinner, leaving Rachel to cook for 15 people all by herself, and the kids who *did* show up did not contribute anything to the dinner, and, before the meal was up, annouced that they were "going to (Jewish name)'s apartment for a get together there" (ie they not only decided that our dinner wasn't good enough for them, but found it important to inform us that they had a better place to go to). I could go on....but I would be doing the entire meal a huge dis-service: I had a wonderful time. The food was amazing, I was around friends (Matt Cons, as well as two friends from Wellesley were also there), and my contribution to the meal (namely: a bottle of vodka) was put to good use. We had some intersting discussions (well....yeah), we sang some beautiful z'mirot, and...had an all-around great Shabbat dinner. Matt Cons and I crashed there for the night.

We woke up the next morning in time for the "Late Minyan", which is apparently a famous minyan in the Baka neighborhood (where Rachel lives), that starts at the late hour of...9:45. Israelis are famous for starting VERY early on Saturday, for no apparant reason that I can tell, besides that of annoying Americans who like to sleep a bit later on Saturdays. Most minyans start between 7-8 AM on Saturday, and are done by 9:30 or 10 (contrast with American Shabbat Services, which tend to start around 9 or 10, and end around noon). Anyway, the "Late Minyan" starts at 9:45, and is a bunch of funny British guys who, like myself, enjoy their weekend beauty sleep. The service was swift, and to the point (just how I like it), and we were out of there by 11:30.

Alright. I need to go to bed, but I will try to do some more updating as the week goes by. I hope everyone in America is doing alright (and dealing with the heat alright). It has been great to hear from all of you (who have written), and especially great to get some feedback/response to the blog.

Anyway, I will leave you with the small Torah thought I promised:
In a class on Halacha, or basic Jewish law, the Rabbi was explaining that a famous posek (well-regarded, famous rabbi who is able to make big decisions regarding Jewish law) made the point that, with all of the intense silliness about kosher-ness in the religious community, there is very clear law in the Talmud that goes like this: If you are invited to a dinner, wedding, bar mitzvah party, or anywhere else food is going to be served, and, when you find out that a certain Rabbi certified the food as kosher, and---either not knowing said Rabbi, or not thinking him "good enough" for yourself---decide to refrain from eating the food, you are committing a HUGE sin, which is much, much worse than actually eating non-kosher. The point here being that you are publically announcing that you find Rabbi so-and-so not up to your standards, and you are publically insulting/embaressing him AND whoever through the party. By the way, he makes the point that you MUST eat at this event. Even if you don't make a big fuss about it, you are still held liable.

The Rabbi (in our class) then went on to tell the story about a big dinner he went to in Jerusalem a few years back, which was obviously kosher, but there were some Haredim (ultra-Orthodox) there who refused to eat. Bottom line: don't lose out on the big picture.

I miss you all,

Michael