Netivat Sofrut: diary of a Soferet

Adventures of a female sofer learning to heal the world by doing Holy Work...writing a Sefer Torah

נחזיר את השכינה למקומה בצייון ובתבל כלה

"Let us restore the Divine In-Dwelling to Her Place in Zion & infuse Her spirit throughout the whole inhabited world."

So wherever we are, let us bring the Peace of G@d's Presence.

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Location: Vancouver/London, British Columbia/UK, Canada

SCRIBAL EVANGELIST As the only living certified Soferet (סופרת - female Jewish ritual scribe) & the first woman to practice sofrut (creation of sacred Hebrew texts) in over 200 years, I feel an obligation to blog about my experiences of The Work. I am also currently researching the foundation of a lost tradtion of women practicing this holy craft. For more on the services I provide, please see Soferet.com; Sofrut Nation. I am now available to engage with students, male or female, wishing to enter into the preliminary stage of learning sofrut. You are welcome to join me on this path. "Tzedeq, tzedeq tir'dof - Justice, justice you shall pursue." Devarim/Deuteronomy 16:20.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

IFTAR THANKSGIVING

בס"ד


6 Tishrei

Work has been slow going, but I will persevere, im yirtzeh haShem (with G@d's help).
Tonight, Joel & I went to our friend Tabassum's to share in her Ramadaan Iftar (break fast). We had a wonderful time! & I can't believe it's been a year since we last joined her for a Ramadaan evening meal.

She picked up food for us all at Sabra's, one of our local hekashered meat restaurants, & we brought our glass plates, etc. Dietary practice only has the power to separate people if the practitioners allow it :)

We each took turns praying once we got to her place, Joel & I each doing Mincha & Tabassum doing Magrhib Salat (sunset prayers - the Arabic "maghrib" has the same root as the Hebrew "maariv", the evening prayers in Judaism). We compared our prayers, their similarity in words & actions. I really enjoy learning about Islam through my Muslim friends like Tabassum, Rabia & Kyla.

The rest of the evening was so great - we talked a lot about religion, a little about politics, how we rely on G@d, through our faiths, to help us be the best we can be. I really value being able to exchange philosophy of different religions with other people of faith. Thank G@d!

We stayed late - much later than we ought to have considering we have all early prayers & work, but it was so delicious to have such company!

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, oh, oh -- this sounds so wonderful. Truly I wish I could have been there.

\I love your description of your evening, and I am especially moved by the line Dietary practice only has the power to separate people if the practitioners allow it :) Amen, sister -- I wish more people felt that way!

9:21 a.m.  
Blogger Soferet said...

בס"ד
& you would have been very welcome, Rachel - have I ever mentioned that Joel & I have a teensy bit of a blog-crush on you?

& the food thing? Yeah. It's important. We can each use our religions as tools to divde or to unite.

Joel & I look for ways to use Judaism as a uniting force in our lives. So, when we go to a non-Jewish or non-Kosher keeping friends' or family's for a meal, we get there early if we have permission to kasher part of their kitchen & if not, we get kosher take-out. The point is to share time, food & talk with others. It's a vital, bonding human experience that transcends cultures & religions, so it is a very powerful divider or uniter.

When I travel somewhere to teach, I request that the shul or organisation bringing me in find me home hospitality rather than put me in a hotel. Even if the home is not kosher or shomer anything. Why? Because I think it's really important for Orthodox Jews like me who know little about Reform Judaism (for example) to meet & make friends with Reform Jews & likewise they should have a positive experience with me. Worst comes to worst, I can eat boiled eggs the whole time I'm there, or cereal (hekashered, of course - & I don't do cholov yisrael). In the meantime, we can get to know each other! Wouldn't that be a great way to break down some of the misunderstandings & wrong assumptions separating each denomination of Judaism?

10:50 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shalom AVIEL!


I am sad I missed you:(. I wish I could have been there. We MUST get together soon! I love talking with you and Joel.

Love rabia

11:41 p.m.  

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