The Monastery--First Episode

Late Sunday night I watched the first episode of the TLC show “The Monastery.” It was a treat to see and hear the brothers of Christ in the Desert. Watching the show made me want to return to this holy and beautiful place.

Hearing the monks talk about monastic life and the Rule of Benedict is definitely my favorite part of the show. The visitors who have made a commitment to live as the monks do for 40 days are less interesting. Two of them behave like louts. But this is a 10 week series and I imagine that the people and the place will eventually move them in some way.

After I watched the show, I sent an email to the monastery expressing my appreciation for the kindness and hospitality I enjoyed as a guest at the monastery. I got a lovely note in return from Abbot Philip.

I was a bit worried about how the producers would present the monks and monastic life, but it is beautifully done. The show is no “Survivor.” Watching it may make you want to spend a few days as a guest at this special place.

Sermon Sources 2

Just before Simchat Torah, I gave a little drash on the importance of the Sefer Torah as a physical object. I drew on Nicholas Basbanes book, A Splendor of Letters: The Permanence of Books in an Impermanent World, in my discussion of the complex interplay between the content of the Torah text and its physical form. See chapter 7, “The Ingenious Cipher, on this question.

Basbanes’ book is bibliophile ice cream. There are a number of nuggets of Jewish interest, including the story of how the Sarajevo Haggadah was saved from destruction during the recent war in Bosnia.

When I finished the book I ran right out and bought two of Basbanes other books on books. I am sure these will be cropping up in drashot in the coming months.

Christ in the Desert Reality Show

I was watching The Learning Channel last night when I saw a series of familiar faces from this past summer flicker across the screen--the monks of Christ in the Desert. I was seeing a promo for a new show called “the Monastery” that is to air on October 22nd. The Benedictines are doing a reality show, of a sort.

It was strange to see Fr. Christian, the Abbot, and other monks I interacted with and talked about on Rosh HaShanah on television. Ayelet thought there was something wrong with me as I was screaming: “I know that guy.I talked to him! Look there is the church!”

I have no idea what this show will be like, but I certainly plan to TiVo it. Here is a link to get more information on the show:http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/monastery/monastery.html

Sermon Sources 1

I thought for time to time I would post some of the articles, books, etc. I reference in preaching. Here is a first installment.

A bit before High Holidays I did a sermon on the ethics of meat eating. Michael Pollan’s book was an excellent resource. It is a fascinating book and it may change what you choose to eat. Certainly it will make you more reflective about this most basic need. Reflection, I believe, is one of the aims of the Jewish way of eating.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am, like Pollan a carnivore, although my prey is limited by kashrut and his is not, as evidenced in his chapter about hunting and eating wild pigs.

I still have enough Yankee in me that I expect that by the time we reach Sukkot it should feel like fall. It has been looking like fall. To the extent that the leaves fall and/or turn colors down here they have started to do that. The light in the afternoon is the right deep gold. But let’s face it, it has been too hot.

Just as Sukkot was coming in, however, the weather started to break. This morning it is deliciously cool and while the expected high is not fallish by an ex-Michiganders standards, I will take it.

It was pleasant last night too as we gathered to decorate the sukkah. We davened in the sukkah by candlelight. It was lovely.

Sukkot, of course, is one of the chagim--the three ancient pilgrimage festivals. These days the pilgrimage is largely symbolic. We move from the comfort and security of our homes to the purposely flimsy shelter we have erected in the “wilderness.” In physical space our pilgrimage amounted to a few steps from the social hall to the sukkah, but still it was wilderness in that it was an environment largely out of our control. The temperature, the breeze, the bugs (blessedly few) were not subject to any adjustment to suit our needs or desires. Gathered close together in the candlelight, I felt connected to our tribal ancestors and got a taste of how intensely they must have experienced this time of year.

By the time I got home the Sukkot moon was bright in the sky. I looked at it for a while through the sugarcane schach of my sukkah. While I can look at my calendar and know the date, this sight is the more ancient and truer sign that the zman simchateinu, the season of our rejoicing, has come.

Sweet Sukkot

I realized quite late that we had not made arrangements to get schach for the shul’s sukkah. I made an emergency call to Elton and Doris W. whose family connection to the sugarcane growing country around Livonia have served us well in the past. Elton showed up the next day with a pick-up full of sugarcane for the sukkah. Thanks to him, our sukkah will be authentically Louisianan. The cane gives the sukkah a uniquely tropical feel. It seems right to fulfill the mitzvah of rejoicing in the sukkah with the gifts of this particular land.

Elton also came with a gift: A huge bag of raw sugar right off the conveyor belt at the mill. It filled my office with a vanilla like smell. The taste was rich and syrupy. It was a very kind and appropriate gift for this time of year when we are bound to notice the Creation and celebrate its goodness.

Taste and know that the Lord is sweet.