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So my parents sent me what I am referring to as a “mystery box” fron my room at home. It’s filled with lots of felt-cute-might-delete-later photos, report cards and a bunch of stuff in an old brown folder, from Hebrew School. In it was the Dvar Torah I wrote for my Bat Mitzvah.
A Dvar Torah is ~the weekly Torah topic, or weekly Torah portion that is read the week of your Bat Mitzvah (...I think? My report cards from Hebrew School really emphasized I was great at talking to my friends but needed improvement listening to the teacher).
After you read that Torah portion at your Bat Mitzvah (which all us, let’s be honest, just memorized via a cassette tape), you write a little reflection about it, and read it to the entire congregation (which also includes all the ppl you invite to your party)
The Torah portion that Shabbat (Sept 12, 1999) was Ki Tavo. It’s about blessings and curses. It also contains, after some light research and according to the first page of Google , one of the most terrifying passages in the Torah. Ok great. Love that.
Seriously though it literally says this:
“You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.”
Ok well, wow. I know the feeling. Most of us probably do.
“You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.”
Ok well, wow. I know the feeling. Most of us probably do.
Anyway, back to the important reflection I wrote and read at my Bat Mitzvah service. Here are some quotes from it.
“This lesson of morality has much significance in my life, because every day I am faced with the challenge of making good or bad decisions that will affect my future.”
So that feels a bit poignant.
So that feels a bit poignant.
“Ki Tavo reminds us that we cannot turn our heads from all the homelessness and violence that exist in the world...we have a responsibility to get involved in preventing acts of evil and hatred, and to perform acts of Mitzvot, good deeds.”
Ok, more poignant still. Getting warmer
Ok, more poignant still. Getting warmer
“This lesson emphasizes how important it is to remember that what we do or do not do has an impact on the world around us.”
“The absence of caring leads to curses. Ignoring injustice can be as great a curse as creating that injustice.”
Ok here we go.
“The absence of caring leads to curses. Ignoring injustice can be as great a curse as creating that injustice.”
Ok here we go.
And then I talk about the family I lost in The Holocaust (if you’ve had a conversation with me for 5 mins you already know this), and how “the world turned their heads and closed their eyes to this greatly devastating tragedy. This was a time when curses were everywhere.”
Yeah.
Yeah.
“My Bubby, who is a survivor, is one of the most caring people I know. I am often amazed at how she has the capacity for love and caring after all that she has been through. She has not allowed curses to rule her life, and as a result, her life is filled with blessings.”
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“Her heart is not filled with hatred and therefore she has found peace and happiness.”
She died in 2007.
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She died in 2007.
“My responsibility as a Bat Mitzvah is to teach humanity to care and take nothing for granted. That is a difficult task in today’s world.”
Wow can we get 13 yr old Fran back here please to keep dropping truth bombs all over the place? I’d like to go to that TedTalk
Wow can we get 13 yr old Fran back here please to keep dropping truth bombs all over the place? I’d like to go to that TedTalk
“I would like to continue on a path in life that will help others. And as I get older, I would like to find the courage to speak out against unfairness and injustice.”
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👌" title="Ok hand" aria-label="Emoji: Ok hand">
Of course, I can’t escape from...myself...in this piece, as I move on to thank you’s.
“I would like to thank my brother Joey for putting up with my being the center of attention and not bothering me too much.”
I would like to again thank my brother for doing this currently.
“I would like to thank my brother Joey for putting up with my being the center of attention and not bothering me too much.”
I would like to again thank my brother for doing this currently.
But really. Sometimes our ancestors send us signs. Thank you Bubby for this one, and for reminding me about lots of things, like courage and caring.
Oh, a typo in the first tweet of this thread. I love to see it.
