by Rabbi Joyce Reinitz
Also suitable for Shavuot. This imagery is inspired by the writing of Judith Plaskow in her book,"Standing Again at Sinai." Plaskow is troubled by the absence of women’s voices from our recorded history and tradition and calls for us to fill in the white space between the letters. These exercises are a means toward creating modern midrash that will speak to and for our entire people.
Ancient Eternal Words
Close your eyes and take a few slow breaths, emphasizing the exhale..
Know how Torah speaks anew to every soul of each generation…..
Ancient words eternally sacred.
Sense how our generation yearns to discover the missing feminine voices in the Torah…..
We know they are there…. speaking through the silent white spaces between the words.
Listen for the voices………..
What do you hear?
See and sense what you are feeling…
Breathe out and slowly open your eyes.
Standing Together at Sinai
Close your eyes and take a few breaths, emphasizing an exhale
On this most awesome day ……….. See yourself standing at Sinai
We are all there together…..Men, women, children
Awaiting the word of God
Breathe out…….
Listen…….
Trembling with fear……Smoke and fire confound the senses.
Ears see thunder…….. Eyes hear lightening…….
Awestruck you listen…….
The earth roars ….. the mountain shudders……
The Shofar blasts …..and blasts……and blasts… overwhelming your senses…………...
Take a moment …..Breathe out…slowly………
As a woman…know what you are hearing……….Know what you are feeling…….
Know what you are experiencing.
As a man…….know what you hear………Know what you feel….know your experience.
As a people….sense and know how you are changed…..
Breathe out…..
Now, hear the sound of your own voice ….calling out……. with all of Israel…these words….
“All that God has said…..we shall do.”
Breathe out slowly…
Notice what you are feeling.
Breathe out and open your eyes.
Creating Modern Midrash
Close your eyes and take a few breaths, emphasizing an exhale.
See how creating midrash fills in the inner emotional life that is missing from our history….
Hear how midrash gives a voice to the silent white spaces between the words of Torah.…
Know that by including the emotional quality we bring balance and wholeness to our tradition.
Feel yourself awakening to a new "Revelation of Torah at Sinai".
Breathe out and slowly open your eyes.
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If you wish, write down your experience….any images that come………..or draw them as best you can. If the exercises have been done in a group setting share your experiences verbally with each other.