Kesher Talk

Take My Blog -- Please! Howard's joke of several weeks ago reminds me of a well-known concise guide to Jewish holidays: "They tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat."

Is there something about the approaching High Holy Days that brings out the hoary Jewish humor? I cannot remember when the seating questionnaire joke first showed up in my email in-box, but it wasn't too long after trilobites ruled the earth.

Another joke from the trilobite era . . . On Yom Kippur, the rabbi goes up to the bima, faces the ark, and sobs, "Oh God, I am nothing in your sight, nothing but dust, nothing, etc." A little later the cantor comes up to the bima and also cries out, "My Lord, I am nothing without you, an insignificant speck, a nothing, etc." (Actually, this is a part of the cantor's role in the liturgy). Later the shamas (the shul janitor) comes up to the bima and also prostrates himself, crying out, "Oh Lord, I am nothing without you, nothing! etc." The rabbi nudges the cantor and whispers, "Look who thinks he's a nothing."

Bada-bump.

Moving right along, folks . . . if you think that's bad, wait till Purim. I may post my parody of Jewish Renewal leaders talking about the spiritual implications of shoveling snow (which was itself a take-off on this piece, but mine is better, especially if you know the personalities involved).

posted by Judith @ 9/04/2002 11:29:12 PM