Harassed sheep

"Under the Fig Tree" has a new section on the sidebar called "Light from Judaism". It presents the (Jewish) weekly synagogal reading of the Torah (called Parasha), and two homilies by rabbis. Of course this cannot take the place of our catholic Mass readings, but it is meant to help you understand and appreciate the yearly cycle of readings established by the Jews, and their insightful thoughts and application of the Torah teaching. The links are all external and provided by the Chabad website. I'll also try to provide a background to each of our Sunday reading in the "comments" section, but only when I have the time.

Meantime Darko did a good job presenting his thesis and the commission of examiners were rigorous. Must admit I was totally exhausted during the defense and fell asleep - I don't think anyone noticed ... I was sitting way at the back of the hall. He earned a "Magna cum Laude" and there were refreshments in the Crusader Hall next door after the defense. Later everyone went out for dinner at the Zahara but I was too tired and had an asthma attack, so I decided to stay home instead.

The 3 new canary chicks died this morning. Don't know why - maybe too hot, or ticks might have attacked them, or the parents simply didn't know how to feed them. Anyway all are dead. I think I'll put the parents back into the large cage since it's mid-June and they'll stop breeding anyway. The other 6 chicks from the 1st batch are doing fine though.

Alexander Frolich just called to invite me to the beach in Tel Aviv wih his family - but I had to turn it down because I want to finish my work. He insisted that I take a break and made me promise that I take a half-hour walk in the sun today instead of staying everyday in my room. I think I'm becoming a hermit.

Today's Sunday readings mentions alot about sheep. Can you imagine us as the sheep "harassed and oppressed, without a shepherd" - yes we're pretty harassed and oppressed, if not by others then usually by work, time, demands, responsibilities but especially by false expectations. The phrase links this harassment/oppression with "without a shepherd", seemingly to say that of there were a shepherd, then there would not be harassment and oppression. It's the shepherd's duty to care of his sheep and make sure they are not harassed or oppressed. So where's your shepherd? Who's your shepherd? Willing to let him take over and lead the way?