Monday, October 21, 2013

PEREK SHIRA: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: FROG SINGS CIVILITY

PEREK SHIRA: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: FROG SINGS CIVILITY
 
PEREK SHIRA 4:32: FROG: SHABBAT 10/26/13: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: GREAT IS PEACE
 
PEREK SHIRA 4:32
 
 
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Jewish Spiritual Renewal: New Class: Fun/Light:
Perek Shira: Shabbat 10/26/13

perek shira:

song of nature

 
Shalom my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students, and fellow rabbis. An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat this coming weekend to all.
For this series, we are studying Perek Shira. It will be fun and light and short for those that wish it to be, as well as deep and involved from those who like to delve into our traditions texts.
Perek Shira is 6 chapters long with verses of various heavenly and earthly bodies, plants and creatures singing praises to God. If you would like, consider the phrase the entity is singing, and ascribe to it what the entity is trying to teach us... about what traits to mirror and what traits to avoid. More on the text is found in the first class.
For those new to the class Baruch ha Ba! Welcome! You can view past classes at http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
 
''The FROG sings: 'Blessed is the Name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever!' (Talmud Tractate Pesachim 56a)[PEREK SHIRA 4:32, NATURE'S SONG].
 
Are we as spiritually attuned as the FROG?
 
[End of Chapter 4 of 6 of Perek Shira.]
 
In Perek Shira we discover that the song of the frog are the words "Blessed is the name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever." The commentators note that this expression is unique in that it is the only song in Perek Shira is not a verse in the Torah. It is from the Talmud. We are very familiar with this expression.  We softly recite it twice daily after the first verse of the Shema. We recite it three times out loud at the conclusion on Yom Kippur. Why is this expression the Song of the Frog?
 
 
There is a Halacha {Jewish Law} that says if an individual accidentally recited a blessing, and did not do the action of the blessing, the prayer is in vain. He is required to immediately  recite "Blessed is the name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever." When one recites a blessing in vain there is a slight to the honor of God's Holy Name because it was mentioned for no apparent reason.
 
So why is this expression special to the frog? The Torah records how Moshe asked Pharaoh to challenge him by telling him exactly when he wanted the frogs to retreat. Pharaoh answered ''tomorrow.'' Our sages  explain that Moshe prayed at that very moment that the frogs should retreat the following morning. There was a delay between the prayer of Moshe and its fulfillment. This is the only plague where we find such a delay. The name of God had been invoked but nothing yet had happened. The frogs therefore croaked the song, for Moshe: "Blessed is the name of his glorious Kingdom forever and ever."
 
 
These middot, character traits, of living in shalom, and becoming spiritually connected are discussed throughout all of my books. Find the one or more that you would like at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org/books.
How has learning Perek Shira helped you in your interpersonal relationships? Are you learning to live in shalom and be in shlema? How has understanding the spiritual and ethical teachings of Judaism helped you live a more joyous life?
Next class, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with Perek Shira.
If visiting SC's Low Country, contact us for a Shabbat meal, in our home by the sea, our beth yam.  Maker of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all human comprehension!
 
 
 
 
 
© 2013 Rabbi Arthur Segal Jewish Spiritual Renewal
 
 
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Posted by Rabbi Arthur Segal at 10:59 AM