Thoughts on the Solar Eclipse

source: Google Public Domain

When a pnehomenan like this occurs, people often become afraid.  Others immediately attempt to make money from it, including TV preachers. Shame on them.  I found this article on Aish.com today and thought it was good to share.

by Rabbi Benjamin Blech
  

The world will soon be witness to one of the most spectacular events in the universe.

On August 21 the sky will suddenly go dark in the middle of the day. The temperature will noticeably drop by many degrees in a few short moments. Birds will stop chirping and flee back to their nests. And millions of Americans will gather under the heavens, from Oregon to South Carolina, to view the first total solar eclipse to cross America in many decades.

It is an awesome spectacle – and throughout history, in many eras and in countless cultures, its occurrence was fraught with fear and consternation. For those who lacked the scientific knowledge to understand the temporary darkness due to the coverage of the sun by the overlapping of the moon, superstition bred many myths and fanciful folklore. The very word eclipse comes to us by way of old French from the Greek for abandonment or forsaking – as if the sudden darkness expressed divine displeasure so severe that God chose to temporarily remove the gift of his presence.

How do Jewish sources view a solar eclipse?

At the very beginning of the Torah, Jewish biblical commentators find a direct allusion to the phenomenon of an eclipse: “And God said, ‘Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens … and they shall be for signs and for appointed seasons and for days and years’” (Genesis 1:14). What is the meaning of “for signs”? The classical commentary of Rashi tells us this refers to the times when the luminaries are eclipsed – and “this is an unfavorable omen for the world”!

Does that mean that we ought to now be very afraid?

Remarkably, Rashi concludes his commentary with a reference to words from the prophet Jeremiah: “… As it is said ‘And from the signs of the heaven be not dismayed, etc’ (Jeremiah 10:2) When you perform the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, you need not fear retribution.”

If an eclipse is a prediction of imminent divine punishment, as Rashi inferred from the verse, why would Rashi immediately negate that very idea with a quote advising us not to be dismayed or fearful of heavenly signs? The answer is profound and rooted in the supreme importance Jews attach to the concept of free will, the ability of mankind to directly affect their destiny by virtue of their self-chosen actions. The concept of Greek fate runs counter to Jewish thought; fate can be altered by faith. As the High Holy Day formula puts it, “Repentance, prayer, and charity override the evil decree.”

It's a moment that reminds us of God’s awesome power and goodness.

An eclipse may be an omen but it is not a verdict or a final judgment. It is a moment in time which serves as a reminder of God’s awesome power and goodness. Without the benefit of the sun, its light, its warmth, its power, its energy and its role in the solar system, we could not survive for a moment. That is why, with infinite wisdom and at preordained times on the calendar, God removes us from its rays for the briefest of times so that we might reflect on the miracle of its otherwise constant presence which we so readily take for granted. It is that which the Torah refers to as “a sign.”

A sign asks us to take note. It has a message. Fail to heed it and suffer the consequences reserved for those who take God’s gifts which make life possible for granted. It is not hard to believe that the Creator of the universe built signposts predicated on natural law as ongoing reminders for mankind.
The awesome message of an eclipse and its meaning for us has a remarkable parallel to a universal Jewish custom.

It is extremely important, NASA and other experts tell us, that we cover our eyes and not look directly at the sun when it happens. Failure to heed this counsel could lead to blindness. I cannot help but think of the very same admonition to cover our eyes when we recite the Shema. At the moment when we contemplate God’s uniqueness and greatness we indicate that His splendor is beyond the capacity of our vision; to think we truly see His essence with the limited perspective of our eyes is to be blind to the reality of His infinite magnificence.

The eclipse reminds us of a universe so much vaster than our ability to fully comprehend. Don't fear it, rather welcome it as a sign, as the Psalmist King David reminded us, that “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”(Psalms 19:1).



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I sometimes share my posts with these friends: 

Spiritual Sundays     GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTYTitus 2 Tuesday       TITUS TUESDAYS @CORNERSTONE CONFESSIONS    Share Your Cup Wednesday Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up        Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday

Sabbath Music - Brighten the Corner

This song is from my childhood, and I was reminded of it this week.  I remember this rendition of the song Brighten the Corner Where You Are by Burl Ives. 

The lyrics are included, so I hope you'll enjoy it, sing along, heed the words, and think about what you can do to brighten your corner in the week ahead.

Rest, worship, refresh, renew and enjoy your Sabbath.


~ ~ ~ ~
I sometimes share my posts with these friends: 

Spiritual Sundays     GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTYTitus 2 Tuesday       TITUS TUESDAYS @CORNERSTONE CONFESSIONS    Share Your Cup Wednesday Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up        Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday

Thankful Thursday - Refrigeration

This week, I'm thankful for all things related to refrigeration.  Things like my refrigerator, freezer, and most of all air conditioning.

Since I was born in the very early fifties and am a life-long Florida gal, I remember a whole different world than what we enjoy today. When I got married, in the late 1960's,  I had a 1950's refrigerator which required defrosting the freezer. It looked a lot like this:

1950's refrigerator. (source Bing.com)

This week, I was thinking about this fine old antique and the defrosting process.  I'd put pots of hot water inside the freezer and wait for the ice to drop.  It was a monthly chore since the ice built up pretty quickly.  I was beyond excited when we purchased a new, side-by-side refrigerator that had a frost-free freezer.  Oh, happy day!  Thank you, Father, for my wonderful, frost-free frig.

And air conditioning, oh how I love thee.  I remember growing up without it.  We slept with our (screened) windows open at night and had a big window fan that pulled the air through the house.  Believe it or not, it was cool.  But in the daytime, not so much.  All of the houses in our neighborhood had front porches, and people sat on them to stay cooler. My parents got a window air conditioner in the late 1960's, and I was spoiled forever.

 

 When I got married and left home, we didn't have an air conditioner.  We did have a big attic fan, though, and it kept the house cool in the daytime as well as night.  The house also had awnings that really helped keep the temperature bearable, too.  But I remember getting our first window air conditioner.  I was happy, happy, happy!  Thank you, Father, for air-conditioning, especially central air.

Not all cars had air conditioners back then either.  My first car, in 1967,  was a pretty little Chevy II, and it did not   I can remember driving that car with sweat rolling down my legs like a river.  And I'd get so irritated that I had to keep the windows down and my hair would blow around.  Ahhh....those were the days of Aqua Net hair spray, but even that couldn't hold hair blowing in the car wind.  The cars had little triangle windows that you could use to direct the wind toward you.  That, too, messed with the hairdo.  So, thank you, Father, for car air conditioning.

I went through elementary, junior and high school without air conditioning.  The building had huge windows along the walls to let the air in, but that air was hot, so we were sweaty, believe me.  Churches were the same.  At least the churches had those nifty cardboard fans.

All of this got me thinking about another thing I'm thankful for . . . disposable diapers and electric dryers.  But that's a post for another day.  :)

I think it's good to reflect on the things we take for granted these days and be thankful for them.  We are blessed to live in this day and age, don't you think?

Thankful Thursday is my day to focus on and be thankful for all the good things in my life.  

~ ~ ~ ~
I sometimes share my posts with these friends: 

Spiritual Sundays     GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTYTitus 2 Tuesday       TITUS TUESDAYS @CORNERSTONE CONFESSIONS    Share Your Cup Wednesday Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up        Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday