“Shabbat Shalom” means “Sabbath Peace”, not “Sabbath of Peace”. I think I was close enough.

Because it’s been Shabbat, I haven’t had the TV or radio on. The silence has been refreshing, and, now that I’ve taken a look at the Web, it doesn’t appear that I’ve missed much. That’s a problem with TV news — they have to fill every second with something, and all too often, it’s speculation. There is no substitute for TV news when it comes to real-time live information and images, but it is not a medium which lends itself to reflection.

Shabbat Shalom

For those of you who don’t know Hebrew, “Shabbat Shalom” is used as a greeting before the Sabbath, and it basically means “Sabbath of Peace”. It’s a good thought every week, but especially this week.

And one more thought: “There is a blessing to say when bad things happen, just as there is when good things happen” – Mishnah, Berachot 9:5

Shabbat Shalom!

As I was driving to work this morning, I was listening to KCBS, the local all-news station. As usual, they had traffic reports every ten minutes. But suddenly, I realized that there was something different — all of the information was coming from the ground. Traffic helicopters, like everything else, are grounded.

My father-in-law lives very near Kennedy Airport; usually, there are planes passing by every few minutes, and when the weather is right, they fly right overhead. He said it’s been eerily quiet for the last few days.

No shame, part II

Since I use my Hotmail account for this blog, it draws more than its share of spam. Yesterday, I happened to look in the “Bulk Mail” folder and saw a piece of spam whose (forged) from-address included the phrase, “Anti-spammers support Bin Laden”.

I’ve now reconfigured Hotmail to throw away apparent spam immediately instead of keeping it for 14 days.

What’s that up in the air?

Diane and I were out for a post-dinner walk when we heard a vaguely-familiar sound — a low rumble in the distance. And then we looked north towards San Jose Airport and saw airplanes on climb out, one of which circled overhead on its way East. I don’t know the flights were freight, repositioning, or passenger, but it was good to see planes moving again.

When we visited Diane’s father in July, we spent a day in Manhattan.
Jeffrey wanted to see the view from the World Trade Center, so we made
that our first stop. It was a cloudy day, so the view wasn’t terribly
good, but we enjoyed ourselves anyway. And of course I took pictures —
but I didn’t think any of them were worth posting.

Until yesterday.

May we not lose sight of our values and ideals in the months to come.

Have they no shame?

Last night, I got spam with a subject of “New York City Disaster”.
Unbelievable.

But these come to mind:

Yit-ga-dal v’yit-ka-dash sh’mei ra-ba b’al-m di-v’ra chi-r’u’tei, v’yam-lich mal-chu-tei b’cha-yei-con u-v’yo-mei-chon u-v’cha-yei d’chol beit Yis-ra-eil, ba-a-ga-la u-vi-z’man ka-riv, v’i-m’ru: Amen.

Y’hei sh’mei ra-ba m’va-rach l’a-lam u-l’al-mei al-ma-ya.

Yit-ba-rach v’yish-ta-bach, v’yit-pa-ar v’it-ro-mam v’yit-na-sei, v’yit-ha-dar v’yhit-a-leh v’yit-al-lal sh’mei d’kud-sha, b’rich hu,

l’ei-la min kol bir-cha-ta v’shi-ra-ta, tush-b’cha-ta v’neh-chem-ma-ta d-a-mi-ran b’al-ma, v’i-m’ru: Amen.

Y’hei sh’la-ma ra-bab min sh’ma-ya v’cha-yim, a-lei-ny v’al Kol Yis-ra-el, v’im-ru: Amen.

O-sheh sha-lom bi-m’ro-mav, hu ya-a-seh sha-lom a-lei-nu v’al kol Yis-ra-eil, v’im-ru: Amen.

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Let the glory of God be extolled, and God’s great name be allowed in the world whose creation God willed. May God rule in our own day, in our own lives, and in the life of all Israel [and the world], and let us say: Amen.

Let God’s great name be extolled forever and ever.

Beyond all the praises, songs, and adorations that we can utter is the Holy One, the Blessed One, whom yet we glorify, honor, and exalt. And let us say: Amen.

For us and for all Israel [and the world], may the blessing of peace and the promise of life come true, and let us say: Amen.

May the one who causes peace to reign in the high heavens, cause peace to reign among us, all Israel, and all the world, and let us say: Amen.

The Mourner’s Kaddish — transliteration and translation from Gates of Prayer, the Reform movement’s current prayerbook, additions in brackets mine.