Comments on: Create Your List of 10 Modern Day Plagues http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59 Star Synagogue Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:42:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: Hayim Herring http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-1020 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:03:42 +0000 http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-1020 Josh--thanks for this very creative adaptation, which I plan to use at my seder. Chag sameach, Hayim Josh–thanks for this very creative adaptation, which I plan to use at my seder. Chag sameach, Hayim

]]> by: Joshua Heller http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-1013 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:23:31 +0000 http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-1013 This got my thinking going- how do our modern plagues compare with the plagues in Egypt. Dont' have a full list, but some of the matches might be chomer l'drush... Dam- man's destruction and neglect of the environment- a few years ago, a river actually caught fire; here in Georgia we have gone far beyond the capacity of our lakes and rivers to support us. Tzfardeah- the chipring, swarming and multiplying distractions (cellphones etc) Kinim- lice- the ways in which those around us take from us according the the measure of s'dom- a thousand "minor" thefts- stealing time, rounding down by a 1/10 of a cent, "junk fees" that it is not worth fighting. Arov- "mixed species"- science crossing boundaries like cloning, genetic modification without benefit of ethical discussion. Dever Shechin- Barad- Arbeh- consumerism and the culture of consumption- the midrash says that the arbeh consumed "ein ha'aretz" the eye of the earth- they ate more than they needed to because they didn't even look at what they were eating. Darkness- know-nothingness- refusing to see the problems with one's own religious faith or political "ism" Makat Bechorot- geoncide and murder This got my thinking going- how do our modern plagues compare with the plagues in Egypt. Dont’ have a full list, but some of the matches might be chomer l’drush…
Dam- man’s destruction and neglect of the environment- a few years ago, a river actually caught fire; here in Georgia we have gone far beyond the capacity of our lakes and rivers to support us.
Tzfardeah- the chipring, swarming and multiplying distractions (cellphones etc)
Kinim- lice- the ways in which those around us take from us according the the measure of s’dom- a thousand “minor” thefts- stealing time, rounding down by a 1/10 of a cent, “junk fees” that it is not worth fighting.
Arov- “mixed species”- science crossing boundaries like cloning, genetic modification without benefit of ethical discussion.
Dever
Shechin-
Barad-
Arbeh- consumerism and the culture of consumption- the midrash says that the arbeh consumed “ein ha’aretz” the eye of the earth- they ate more than they needed to because they didn’t even look at what they were eating.
Darkness- know-nothingness- refusing to see the problems with one’s own religious faith or political “ism”
Makat Bechorot- geoncide and murder

]]> by: Rabbi Hayim Herring http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-1006 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:54:34 +0000 http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-1006 Thanks, Rabbi Riter, for your comments. And yes--I think that we sometimes underestimate our own ability to bring about the changes we wish to see in the world. Rabbi Herring Thanks, Rabbi Riter, for your comments. And yes–I think that we sometimes underestimate our own ability to bring about the changes we wish to see in the world.

Rabbi Herring

]]> by: Ted Riter http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-1002 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:49:14 +0000 http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-1002 The greatest modern day plague is that too many of us are living at the effect of others and other things and not taking on the responsibility to instead affect the change that we wish to see in ourselves and the rest of the world. The greatest modern day plague is that too many of us are living at the effect of others and other things and not taking on the responsibility to instead affect the change that we wish to see in ourselves and the rest of the world.

]]> by: Rabbi Hayim Herring http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-991 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:57:40 +0000 http://www.starsynagogue.org/blog/create-your-list-of-10-modern-day-plagues/59#comment-991 Thanks to my friend, Rabbi David Fine, for adding "fear of complexity" (black and white, simplistic thinking). And, it was Rabbi Jason Miller who contributed "reality TV" to my original list! Rabbi Herring Thanks to my friend, Rabbi David Fine, for adding “fear of complexity” (black and white, simplistic thinking).

And, it was Rabbi Jason Miller who contributed “reality TV” to my original list!

Rabbi Herring

]]>