First thing's first, a big Mazal Tov to Reuven Kasten and his wife Tzipora (read about their wedding here) on the birth of a baby daughter. Mazal Tov also to Shmuelie and Hindy Bortunk (read about their wedding here) on the birth of their firstborn daughter. A fun time round for all, eh?
Meanwhile, in other news, it has come to my attention that today's Torah portion deals with that most noble of creatures, the lion. As you may well know, the lion, otherwise known as Panthera leo, is best known for having perfected what is known as the "male dominance" lifestyle, wherein the male sleeps all day and the female does all the hunting. Females may dispute this, and claim that responsibility equals power, but real lions know the truth.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
TGL and his descendants
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49 comments:
lions invented the kollel lifestyle!
The Jewish innovation was to get the government to help the females.
Dear Mr. R.S.
As someone who shares the name, I feel a particularly affinity with this week's parsha. (Unfortunately, unlike my namesake, I have not managed to achieve the true "lion" lifestyle ... but that "kollel" concept might be an option ... something to ponder while I stretch out in the African sun and contemplate the meaning of dinner ... oops sorry I meant life, the meaning of life is what I will be thinking on.) With a mighty roar, LEO dt.
e: No wonder we put lions on our Sifrei Torah and Parochei- to give us an example to follow!
e2: How does the government help the females? By paying for them to be special ed teachers?
LdT: To a true lion, dinner=life.
TRS, would you say that sea horse is the most imperfect of all animals?
Is "most imperfect" the opposite of "perfect"? And why the seahorse?
Probably. No?
I think it's the only instance when the male is pregnant. Or something like that... too lazy to look up.
Look here.
"When two parties discover a mutual interest at the beginning of breeding season, they court for several days, even while others try to interfere." — Ah, just like with humans.
Or is imperfect the opposite perfect?
Ha, I was just getting that link for myself. Evidently, the male carries the eggs, but does that mean that he's pregnant?
trs: The government gives foodstamps, section 8, and all sorts of other stuff which lions don't get. I said "help the females," because it's the females' job to make sure there's food on the table and the rent gets paid etc.
Ahh. Quite.
Usually "being in a state of carrying a fertilized egg and resulting embryo" is deemed being pregnant.
In general, the whole section on reproduction is very interesting. I like this section the most:
"A study conducted by Amanda Vincent of Project Seahorse demonstrates the importance of the daily greetings ritual in establishing monogamous relationships between seahorses.
"Vincent kept a female seahorse in a tank with two males; after the female filled one male’s pouch with eggs he was then taken away and she was left with the unimpregnated male. During the weeks of her mate’s pregnancy, the female and her tankmate greeted each other daily, clinging to the same bit of grass and changing color, but did not display signs of serious courtship.
After the original mate gave birth he was returned to the tank, and the female was again given the choice between the two males to carry her eggs. While both males expressed enthusiasm for her attention, even tail wrestling with each other, in all six tests the female rejected her original mate and presented the next clutch of eggs to the tankmate she had greeted each day."
So many lessons for humans to draw.
And they say learning chochmas chitzoinius is useless. Ha!
Interesting, very interesting.
I bet some people *hem women* would rather we put seahorses on our parochei. Come to think of it some of the uglier ones I've seen have made the lions come out like seahorses.
Modeh: Would be put the male or the female seahorse up?
Just thought I'd bring this up...
http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-02-07/news/17414549_1_bruce-bagemihl-homosexual-gay-penguins
And you thought you'd bring this up because...?
once on the topic of blurry gender distinctions in the animal kingdom...
Oh, um thanks for exposing me to that.
I have to admit, I didn't finish reading the article...
so basically women shouldn't say hello to the men around them or they will be unfaithful?
(ok, ok, i know that was the most horrible lesson i could have derived from that story. someone should tell it to a rabbi who can then use it somewhere in one of his classes.)
Cheerio: What are you talking about? What story?
Well, as my rabbi's father used to say, the only platonic relationship possible is that between husband and wife. You may think attaching to the same leaf, changing colors together, having innocent conversations (while your husband is sitting in a different tank with kids) is nothing serious...
Read the study I copied above.
All I know is what it says on this poster.
OK, now I get what Cheerio was talking about, but what's with the "leaf, colors, and tank" thing?
And what does that poster have to do with anything?
huh?
Now what?
Dude, read the thing about Ms. Vincent meddling into sea horse sholom bayis carefully.
Ahh, understand I understand.
i still dont get the poster
Ahh, well that makes two of us.
That makes three of us. There was a point I was trying to make, but alas, it might be lost forever, unless I reproduce the same order of drinks I had last night.
Unfortunate it is.
It doesn't have to be unfortunate. Just reproduce the order of drinks, and it's a win-win!
Well, three more days.
(Actually, four.)
Oh my, major deja vu right there- I distinctly remember you writing those same two comments at some time in the past. Regardless, what's happening this Monday?
My contract with the Lord is re-affirmed.
Re: deja vu. I am a very predictable person. Straight like an arrow.
You're getting circumcised again?
Chv"sh. I was talking about my neshama's contract. And it's Tuesday. (Right?)
How would I know if it's right or not? I'm not even sure that I know for sure certainly what you're talking about!
My b/d.
Rambam's yortzeit is on Wed., right?
Ahh, we should make you a party! Any chance of coming in a night early?
Correct.
Probably not. But I'll keep you posted. Thanks anyway.
happy early birthday!
that was a very confusing sequence of comments. i feel like i'm missing a few connecting sentences in there.
Sometimes there's more being said than what's written.
Thanks, Cheerio.
Sometimes there is more being written than what's said.
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