PF Anderson

YouTube video by Isaac Mayer Megilat Ḥam-Ed — the Scroll of the Steamed Portions of Cham

Also the Steam Hams Megilah that @isaacgantwerkmayer.bsky.social yer.bsky.social made remains one of the funniest things I have ever seen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6HC... #ParshaChat

OMG, that's so incredibly precious. Knowing that each one carried a story, one of Mel's stories ... WOW. What an honor. #ParshaChat

Following up on the Parsha:Purim parallels: The lovely things in the Tabernacle don't just appear, they come from human labor & human cooperation. The modern Achasheverosh wants things (gold, yachts, books, pictures) WITHOUT human labor or cooperation, just by wishing or ChatGPT
#ParshaChat

I really love this pair of poems about Vashti reformjudaism.org/blog/vashti-... and Esther reformjudaism.org/blog/book-es... #ParshaChat

That would honestly be even worse. #ParshaChat

this is what i kept screaming during the build-up to the Iraq War. We had HUGE protests. it's like they never happened
#ParshaChat

#ParshaChat rocks are really cool and anybody who tells you otherwise has no wonder in their heart. The truest joy a human being can experience is being a kid and finding a cool rock. I still have like seven or eight cool rocks that I found in my childhood bedroom

One of my favorite rocks looks as boring as anything. An asymmetrical roundish gray lump. But the story! The large crow who spent a half hour struggling to lift and carry off a rock as large as its chest. #ParshaChat

One of my best friends was a surgeon in that war. They're the 1st person who suggested to me that I might want to learn more about Judaism. They were often asked how they could, as a Jew, support that war. Part of their answer was If all moral folk step away, who is left? #ParshaChat

Exactly. I cannot imagine having 400 women living in one building without a lot of activities, discussions, shifting alliances and more. #ParshaChat

this is such an important point, for our individual lives & even more for all collective (government, corporate) decisions.
The cost of owning housing isn't just the property value, it MUST include ongoing maintenance--otherwise it's a slum.
#ParshaChat

#parshachat he wants to possess nice things and he sees human beings as things to possess, and the thing about a possession is that you can do whatever to it and it can’t stop you because you own it. Which is the reason why a healthy society does not allow for the possession of humans

GRANNY WEATHERWAX!!! Wonderful! Tangentially, have you read Suzette Haden Elgin's Native Tongue trilogy? Humorous in similar ways, I think. #ParshaChat

"There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That's what sin is." "It's a lot more complicated than that—" "No. It ain't. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they're getting worried that they won't like the truth. People as things, that's where it starts."

#ParshaChat when I say he “wants to possess nice things” I am keeping in mind Granny Weatherwax’s well-known quote as to the nature of sin:

I do love rocks. Slices of dolomite and agate. Ammonite fossils. Shimmering labradorite. The landscapes in miniature of hickoryite and jasper. I find the famous fancy jewels (diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires) so much more boring. #ParshaChat

The rhetoric here. The abuse of language to say something accurate and complete false at the same time #ParshaChat

Nothing wrong with wanting a rock collection, rocks are cool! There's a lot wrong with rocks being trophies of empire and oppression and destruction, though. #ParshaChat

I'm thinking in part of this verse:

Esth. 1:8 And the rule for the drinking was, “No restrictions!” For the king had given orders to every palace steward to comply with each man’s wishes.

And how Vashti saying no was completely unacceptable and unforgivable for him.
#ParshaChat

I think what Achasheverosh wants is considerably worse than just wanting to posses nice things. There's something specific about *how* he wants them and what he's willing to do.
#ParshaChat

I think we're all way more familiar than we'd ever wanted to be with gold-as-obscenity these days. #ParshaChat

There is something powerful about precious metals and jewels and fanciness and fine fabrics and all of that. The monetary value is part of it, but it's not the *only* part of it.

There's a kind of thing that's either finery or obscenity depending on how it's used.
#ParshaChat

Insightful! I appreciat this insight. My Purim meditation often focuses on ... Esther lived in the House of Women, with roughly 400(?) other women. Where are they in the story? What are they doing? How did they support or undermine Esther's efforts? Were they her friends or enemies? #ParshaChat

#ParshaChat I wonder sometimes if it’s purposeful that Purim always falls in the second half of Exodus, to contrast the usage of all these luxuries for a divine purpose in the tabernacle with their usage for personal enjoyment in Ahashverosh’s palace

#ParshaChat famously the first and eighth chapters of the megillah lists quite a few different rare fabrics and stones, many of which are also found repeatedly in this week’s parasha

YouTube video by technomage116 Princess Bride - Land Wars in Asia

Hugs. It's been a tough week. Also ... I wouldn't want to be the person starting much of anything right now. I can't see this going well for anyone. #ParshaChat www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LUU...

When I was in college, during the nuclear disarmament protests, I wrote a poem with a long title, something like "Upon being asked to write a peace poem I gather ripe pears" #ParshaChat

For some reason — maybe the mood of the moment — I'm remembering that Onion 9/11 article "Not knowing what else to do, area woman bakes American flag cake".

And I'm thinking about my experiences making those cakes and trying to fit all 50 stars.
#ParshaChat

Yes ... ? (hands wiggle to and fro) I'd say that's rewriting the job description, not a distinctly separate job, like weaver or ship builder or building construction, etc. #ParshaChat

I'd also say that rabbis still need day jobs, it's just that now the day job is things like teaching and responding to people's crisis situations and stuff. Very little of what rabbis do in just about any professional role is Shiny Spiritual Stuff.
#ParshaChat

Disgusts or frightens. I saw a Tiktok this morning about those friends we have with strong childhood trauma & amazing instincts who spot predators a mile off, & how the rest of folk should be grateful when that friends says, "I have a weird feeling. Maybe we should leave early."