I can explain complicated things; give the impression of expertise in a number of subjects, including electricity, 19th century American literature and American antiques; adequately use several kinds of graphics software; refinish furniture and make a mean cheese straw. I am ready to save the world.

I just posted a link to a post in another thread! I have nothing on-topic to say! Um, never mind.

It's like those things when you hear some piece of trivia that nobody seems to both know or care about, and you then start running stories in your head about how that simple bit of really not-important knowledge can suddenly become that one thing that is needed to save the universe (or just the world, or even just the building. Or the puppy). And then somebody screams the question, and you just have that info right there in your brain, because you just happened to hear or read it right now, and you say it matter-of-factly, as if it's the simplest thing to know in the world, and just shrug and willing to go with your life, when the heroes who are busy saving the whatever are amazed by your wisdom and wit and your being the only one who could ever help. Just me then?

OK, I should really leave he computer and go to sleep, then. And not dream about this scenario. Which, skimming all those messages, I have no idea if it's even on-topic for the off-topic conversation.

[Edited because having only a couple of posts in a week, in which I don't even respond to anything, is still no excuse to misspelling the word "conversation"]

t hugs the Nillyness

Sleep well.

Nilly, are you still here? I have a quick question, if you are, but it will hold, if you are too tired.

Cindy, do you want the truth, or the answer I would like to give? (I just spell-edited the post above, so the geeky truth is both, I guess). But, yup, still here, though not for much longer.

[Edit: while I'm here: Daniel! I hadn't posted with you in foreve! I have been following your trip reports, though, and glad of the good ending - and the ewonderful beginning]

[OK, anything more off-topic I can post about?]

Hee!

I saw this blog [link] and was wondering about this:

On Wednesday, August 3, 2005 (erev 28 Tammuz), when it's exactly 9pm at The Western Wall, the Kotel, in Jerusalem, join every Jew around the world in the most central phrase said in Judaism: the Shema prayer.

I was unclear as to whether this is always prayed at 9:00 (or 9, Jerusalem time), or if this was a special event, or what. I did pray it, although sadly, I prayed in English.

Hi yourself, Nilly!

Andi and I are watching Firefly one at a time, and she's enjoying your commentary after each ep.

I did pray it, although sadly, I prayed in English.

That's not sad, that's beautiful.

What's sad is that I'm only hearing about this now, 6 hours too late. Oh well.

I would like to be able to pray it in Hebrew. I *think* I can approximate a bad American rendering of the first line, in Hebrew, because I've watched a lot of TV.

Cindy, the "Shema" prayer (from the word "hear") is said twice a day, every day (by practicing orthodox Jews, that is). Once in the morning prayer, once in the evening prayer (in a usual day, there are 3 prayers. More in holidays and special dates. Oh, and women usually pray only once a day, usually only the morning prayer - that's what I do, as well). The texts for the prayers are in prayer books, and you pretty much don't deviate from them.

The verse of "Shema", and several more verses from the "torah" (one about the acceptance of the belief in G-d, one about the acceptance of G-d's orders, and one about remembering the exodus through one specific order) are combined together in both the morning and the evening prayers under the name "kriat shema" (the reading/saying of "shema"). But that first phrase pretty much heads the whole thing, and it's its heart, in a way.

There are spans of times in which every prayer can be said - the morning one, between the sun rise and mid-day; the afternoon one, since a bit after the middle of the day and until the sun sets; and the evening one, after the sun sets and through most of the night. So there are times in which saying the "shema" verse is more special than "merely" reading verses from the bible, being part of the prayer, said on its time. So, yeah, 9pm could definitely be the time for the evening prayer. During the summer, it may be started a bit earlier than that, but not by much (around 8:15, I'd say, this week, give or take - it changes according to the timing of the setting of the sun).

Then there is the "shema on bed", which is being said right before going to sleep, and, again, contains those paragraphs. It's definitely one of the first - if not really the first - prayers a child learns to say. But it goes beyond that. It's the declaration of belief in G-d and accepting all that comes along with it. People try to pronounce it when they are very scared or in trouble or trying to pray and don't know the words. People say it on their deathbeds (there are chilling and heartbreaking stories about that).

The thing I think the link refers to is the very difficult political situation in Israel in the past months, and in the few weeks to come. Without entering any political discussion right now, people are heartbroken. Is there anything else I can help you with?

In case you answer after I leave, could you please e-mail me, if there's anything else my not-world-saving Hebrew can do for you?

[Edit:

I would like to be able to pray it in Hebrew.

Which parts? There are the first two short verses, and then 3 longer paragraphs.]