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Looking for a Tu BiShvat Seder?
I have completed the Tu bi-Shvat seder! Here is a sample.
It is Illustrated throughhout, with a Four Worlds spiritual focus.
For now, it is a digital download only, for a mere $7.00.
The tree has so many metaphors for our imaginations to go in many directions.
I wanted to focus this seder in the Kabbalistic fashion of "theurgy," the belief that what we do here on earth actually has the power to make waves in heaven! We can restrain the Divine Flow, or make it more abundant. That is what this seder is about. The artwork carries thematically from page to page, like a forest of trees. I hope you enjoy it. And write me your thoughts!
We've crossed the winter solstice...can Tu b'shvat be far behind?
Tree with Roots in Heaven
In our secular New Year, we "start over," looking forward to fresh beginnings.
That theme also runs in the holiday of Tu b'Shvat, the "birthday of the trees" that we celebrate on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shvat, which, this year, occurs on the evening of Feb. 10.
The days are lengthening, and soon the sap will run freely in the trees again. This holiday has a deep symbolism of the returning of Spring after winter, and also a renewal of the Divine flow of the life force, or "shefa" from Heaven.
And from the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden….and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Gen 2:9
Detail: Tree with roots in Heaven reaching into this world, surrounded by the life flow, or "shefa."
To the Kabbalists, that tree in the center of the garden of Eden was a tree "with its roots in Heaven," the emanations of God in the symbols of the Sephirot. Critical to Kabbalistic thinking is that what we do here as humans on earth can stimulate or impede the Divine flow. When we do mitzvoth, with careful awareness as to what we are doing, God rejoices--overflows, as it were, and the Divine flow runs freely.
I am working on a Tu b'Shvat seder, hoping I will have a 'beta' copy for this year. In the meantime, you might want to enhance your seder with giclee prints or fabric banners of this "Tree with its Roots in Heaven," or its companion, "The Four Worlds."
You can order "Roots in Heaven" here
You can order the "Four Worlds" (see below) here
The Four Worlds
A Sabbath for the Land
As we move through the Autumn season, passing through Sukkot, we enter a time of peace, dormancy & restoration for the land. All of life it seems has a rhythm of pulsing outward with energy, and back again in repose. The Torah tells us of a great Utopian plan, of a sabbath for the land every seven years.
"But the seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the Lord. Your field you shall not sow, and your vineyard you shall not prune." Lev 25: 4.
The earth was seen as a living entity, the source of our blessings of plenty. In those ancient times, we were required to give rest to our slaves, to our animals, and to the land, all of whom worked for us. The "dominion over the earth" mentioned in Genesis 1:26 includes the responsibility to nourish and respect the land, requiring a rest every seven years. We were allowed to eat of the harvest that ripened and fell of its own accord, but we were not to plant nor reap, not to demand anything from the Earth for that year.
This new painting shows the land in its Sabbath year, with its natural produce of figs and olives, grapes and pomegranates, with the little foxes and hinds and turtledoves described in the Song of Songs. It is an image of calm and peace, and a reminder of how we must care for the Earth that cares so well for us.
Fabric Banners for Sukkot!
Erev Sukkot occurs less than a month away, on October 16. There is nothing quite so magical and tranquil as easing off the Yamim Nora'im, the Days of Awe, sitting in a beautifully decorated sukkah and seeing the stars through the patchy thatchy "roof." It's a time to decorate with fruits and vegetables, especially the Shivat Minim, the Seven Fruits of Israel: wheat, barley, grape, fig, pomegranate, olive and date palm.
It's also a time to invite our ancestors to join us. So I am incredibly pleased to let you know that I now am able to offer you designs printed on water resistant fabric to decorate your sukkah! In fact, you can get ANY IMAGE printed on fabric that is listed under the "ArtPrints" button on the HOME PAGE.
The colors are bright and beautiful, the print precise and articulate. These will make a really memorable sukkah for your home or community.
The two banners pictured here are the "Fruits of Israel" and "Abraham the Meditator." But try some others! (Pomegranates, All Precious Fruits, Burning Bush, Individual Fruits of Israel for example!)
Check the "Fabric Option" under the variant: size/gold embellishment/fabric.
ORDER BY OCT. 6 TO GET YOUR SHIPMENT BY EREV SUKKOT.
The water proof fabric banners are $125 each.
Illuminations from the Alpha state
I say sometimes, that "I do a lot of work in my sleep." Sometimes it happens in dreams, but more often in that dreamy place between sleep and wakefulness, that I can solve a problem that has been perplexing me, or my creative thinking goes rogue. The other day, I decided to draw my "illumination" when I woke up. Here it is.
Working Through Problems, Finding Possibilities
Imaginations have the wonderful property of not being bothered by too much detail. Once pencil is put to paper, the details must be "fleshed out." Exactly what are the angels' hands going to be DOING? Where can their wings fit into a Star of David? Should the feathers be flowing outward, or downward? How real does all this have to be, or can it be fanciful? As you can see, countless questions present themselves.
Imaginations have the wonderful property of not being bothered by too much detail. Once pencil is put to paper, the details must be "fleshed out." Exactly what are the angels' hands going to be DOING? Where can their wings fit into a Star of David? Should the feathers be flowing outward, or downward? How real does all this have to be, or can it be fanciful? As you can see, countless questions present themselves.
Regarding the angels' hands: each became the possibility for a symbol. Uriel is the guiding light of God. What is the Jewish symbol for light? The Ner Tamid of the ancient temple, the seven branched menorah. The Torah gives a detailed, and at the same time puzzling description of how it is to be made. For centuries artists have tried to depict this special menorah. The Torah uses botanical language to describe a "calyx" or cup that holds the wicks and olive oil, and where these calyxes are to be placed. It occurred to me, that the circles I was drawing to make the cups might be seen as the sephirot of the mystics. The sephirot are a concept that entered Judaism much later than the Torah, but central to the rich mix our culture has become. I chose to embed the sephirot subtley into the menorah for those who might see it.
Michael accompanies, symbolized by his holding of the hand of the figure in the center of the painting. Gabriel, of course, has a flaming sword, "turning this way and that" (I chose not to depict the "turning" as that wouldn't fit a 9th C style.) But what about Raphael? How can I show him as healing? I chose to depict him as raising his hands in the priestly blessing, like Aaron the high priest who issues forth from the Holy of Holies to bless the people. The questions of how to make the hands became portals to new understandings about the angels. The artwork had taken on a life of its own, and it began to teach me.
Drawing the First Draft
even God was disappointed with his first draft in creating the world,
When the drawing actually begins, one is in for a big adventure. It never turns out like what I imagine. Problems emerge. I remind myself that even God was disappointed with his first draft in creating the world, and wanted to destroy all of mankind. But along with the disappointments and problems, possibilities open up as well. For example, God made a plan: to save a remnant, namely Noah & his family.
I needed some plans, too. How would I place the angels? "Wings....hmmmm...How might the wings work in my own composition? The thought came to me that the wings might form a Jewish Star. Does the Book of Kells draw the feathers sideways? Or up? Or down?
The fact that each angel has a mission led me to wondering how I might symbolize their tasks in the painting. Gabriel was easy, as he has a flaming sword. Michael holds one's hand. And Raphael, how might I symbolize his healing from behind? I saw him with his hands raised in blessing, and then I thought of the priestly blessing---he could hold his hands like the Aharonites. Uriel, God's guiding light. What is a symbol of light in Jewish tradition?..... of course, the menorah in the ancient temple! As I began to draw Uriel's lamp, referring back to the Bibilcal passage with instructions for its manufacture, it occurred to me that it could look somewhat like the Kabbalistic Sephirot. That became a little secret in the painting, for those whose eyes might catch it.
Speaking of Angels...
I had been immersed in angels for a few weeks---painting the Four Angels, giving a talk at a Lunch and Learn, presenting a ritual for summoning the angels at the Chevra Kadisha conference in Lexington; but then, there came a day when one showed up on my doorstep...
In case you hadn't picked up on it, I am making a transition in my life to becoming a full time artist-rabbi. That meant that I had make my little art table* in my home to something more expansive---a studio, where I might feel the invitation to work at on a daily basis. I live in a small apartment in San Francisco, and that meant the only option was to turn my living room into an art studio. Instead of paintings piled up in corners, willy nilly, instead of piles of cardboard boxes, being saved for transporting paintings, I needed some kind of rack. Instead of a makeshift table with piles of art supplies, I needed some sort of organization.
At my birthday a couple of months previous, I asked friends not for gifts, but to help me reorganize my space for my new life. My friend Margo, the "handywoman," obtained some bookshelves to remodel into racks, but first, I would need to get rid of a very large, double futon to make space.
In using a neighborhood website to offer the futon, I found an armoire I really coveted, with drawers and cubbies to hold my stuff. The futon moved out, and finally, the day arrived in which Margo and another friend, Elliot, who made me a birthday pledge, were scheduled to bring the bookshelves. I ordered dinner delivered that day, as I had a pressing engagement late in the afternoon, and the only window of time the delivery man could come was right when Margo and Elliot would be there. I thought to myself, "This will be chaotic, but I have no other choice."
I cleared out the cardboard boxes from the corner, set aside the paintings to make room for the bookshelves. Margo and Elliot grunted and groaned and moved the shelves up the stairs and into place; they proved to serve their purpose beautifully. Margo and Elliot sat down for a cool drink, and I mentioned the armoire. (I had gone to take a look at it, and given the owner a check.) Because they are terrific people, (angels you might say) and because Margo was borrowing a pickup for the day, they said "why not?" and went to fetch it. This, despite their exhaustion, and Margo's date with her husband pressing upon her. They told me to stay home and clear out another corner of the living room, and set off to get the armoire. It was close by...just 15 minutes away.
20 minutes later, Elliot calls me and says they will need another person to get that heavy thing up the stairs to my apartment. Did I know anyone I could call? Frankly, I didn't know any young strong folks near by. They were 10 minutes away! My sister had used Task Rabbit once and was very pleased, so I downloaded the app, and began entering a request, which was going to cost me $60+. Oh Well. That's what comes from spontaneous non-planning. I heard Margo and Elliot's pick-up pulling up as I was anxiously trying to enter my credit card details into task rabbit. The app was telling me I had the wrong CV code on my credit card. I didn't. "OK, try a different credit card." They were out of the truck, unloading the armoire onto the sidewalk. The app was telling me my zip code was incorrect. It wasn't. I was frantic. I ran out the door to talk with them...and a my phone alerted me that a text had come in. The meal delivery man, Mohammed, was arriving shortly.
I ran down the stairs, and the delivery man, a young, strong, man, on his way up, Margo and Elliot and the armoire on the sidewalk.
"Listen," I said to Mohammed. "I'm going to ask you something a little strange, and I will pay you, and you can say no, but would you be willing to help my friends move this piece of furniture into my apartment?" "I'm happy to pay you," I repeated. He looked at me seriously. "Oh, You know, were aren't supposed to do things like that....but sure! I'll help you!"
The relief I felt was enormous...but the best part is yet to come! I heard them grunting and groaning up the stairs...Margo saying, "Oh my grip is slipping! we have to set it down..." The armoire and its carriers rounded the bend through the front door, into its new corner, and there were great sighs all the way round.
I ran to get a $20 bill and tried to hand it to Mohammed. "No, no," he brushed my hand away. I swear I tried three times, and he would have none of it.
"Well if he won't take any money, give him a blessing!" Margo belted out. I turned to him. "I'm a rabbi. Would you like a blessing?" "Sure!" he said. "I'll take a blessing!" I reached our for his hands, and with Margo on one side, and Elliot on the other, as witnesses, I blessed this angel who showed up at the precise moment of our need, for his great generosity...that this generosity be returned to him and for generations of his children after him, for his kindness and thoughtfulness and open spirit, that he have health, strength and a long life...." Margo and Elliot exclaimed "AMEN," Then the angel dropped off the meal, and left.
*The little art table is a fantastic tool, given to me by my son Noah some years previous.
