Spiritual Literacy: Reading the Sacred in Everyday Life

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Thank you for your compassion

in rendering my soul to me.

You are the source of all trust.

Blessed is our Eternal Go

who hallowed us

and commanded us

to wash our hands.

Blessed is our Eternal God

who opens the eyes of the blind.

Blessed is our Eternal God

who lift up the fallen.

Blessed is our Eternal God

who makes firm our every step

Blessed is our Eternal God who

has not created me a woman.

Blessed is our Eternal God who

has commanded us the tsitsit.

Blessed is our Eternal Lord who

was commanded us the tefilin.

It's so early.

I must hurry.

To go pray.

Your eyes are glistening.

Women cry even in their sleep.

Their eyes are sensitive.

I have such respect for you, Rivka.

Sarah, who are you staring at?

Yosef, your betrothed.

He's so handsome.

I already told you.

I don't want to get married.

I won't get married.

We all do.

Not me.

My wedding day was

the happiest day of my life.

Mine won't be for me.

Malka, take the keys.

You can lock up.

Thank you.

Yakov.

How are you, Malka?

You're different today.

You change from day to day.

Really?

Yaakov...

What's going on, Malka?

You seem so distant.

I can't seem to approach you.

My mother chose me a husband.

What? Who is he?

Yossef.

It was their decision.

I've refused so many proposals.

I've run out of reasons.

You know

I don't want to marry him.

Or anyone else.

My mother decided.

The Rabbi agreed.

When I joined the army

I lost all my yeshiva friends.

I don't know what they think of me

but I'll never change my mind.

In Lebanon, when I spent

sleepless nights in my tank,

I never stopped praying.

When I could, I went to the Wall.

I'm still a good Jew.

Did you speak to your father?

- Yes.

He can't do anything.

They're relentless.

What am I going to do?

I love you, but...

Malka...

You're my queen

and I'm your Yakov.

No one else can marry you.

I won't allow it.

Do you hear me?

Almighty God take pity on me.

Open my heart to your love

and allow me to sanctify your name

through the Torah.

Almighty God!

Put no obstacles in my path

to your holy Torah.

Give me the strength to concentrate

on your holy Torah.

Father!

I implore you!

I beg you,

for you alone can hear my prayers.

Blessed is the Lord

who hears my prayers.

Blessed is our Eternal God

whose word had created all.

Yossef...

On Shabbat, how do we make tea?

First the water, then the sugar.

Why?

If you pour water on the sugar,

you're cooking on Shabbat.

With a second vessel

you're not cooking.

A glass is a second vessel.

The kettle is the first vessel.

The glass is the second vessel.

No cooking occurs in the glass.

The glass doesn't count.

When you pour water

into the second vessel,

you heat it up.

Heating is cooking, Meir.

The tea leaves are already cooked.

But the water changes colour.

The leaves change the colour

of the water.

We are allowed

coloured beverages on Shabbat.

Why such rigor?

Students of the Torah must be

rigorous. Let's be rigorous.

Drink before it gets cold.

Rigor, constant rigor.

Why, Rivka?

Why are you doing this?

You know you're going

against my father's wishes.

Yakov and Malka have been

in love for years.

What about my father?

We've been in love

for a long time too.

I know, Rivka.

But we obey the Rabbi's orders.

Soon after we got married

we were sitting here.

It was pouring rain outside.

But a stubborn ray of sunlight

shone on our bed.

Do you remember what I said?

That you wanted to be with me

always.

It's true.

But I didn't know

if you meant

"all the time" or "forever".

What's wrong, Rivka?

I can see into your heart.

What do you see?

I see you suffering.

You suffer because

we have no children.

You suffer because...

you think we live in sin.

Your friends all have

three, four, five children.

People point at us.

Students at the Yeshiva

laugh at you.

You want a child.

You want a son.

It's been 1 0 years.

I will never leave you.

The people of Israel live!

Our Father is still alive.

Come to the Guithaym Yeshiva.

Jews, I love you.

I am your loving Yossef.

Tonight, the gates of Mercy

shall open.

Come greet it with love.

Come revive the Jewish soul!

Come rekindle the flame of Judaism!

Join us at 7:
00 tonight,

to enjoy one another's company.

to pray,

to love one another.

Friends,

the gates of heaven are opening.

Let us gather and work together.

Together we will bring about

salvation!

Come, I have something for you.

My dear Jew, come here please.

I have a gift for you.

What are you scared of?

We're all Jews.

The Messiah will come.

We'll study the Torah.

We'll live in...

Safad? No, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem we'll

study the kabalah.

You taught me this before.

Is this from your group?

It's not that bad.

Remember the rest? -No

We'll live in a world

of peace and brotherhood.

everything perfect,

everything beautiful.

it's not that bad,

studying the Torah.

It's good to sing it low.

...studying the Torah.

It's been ten years.

What are you going to do?

You pushed the cloth

all the way in?

You waited seven days?

Yes.

You checked the cloth?

Was it absolutely clean?

No spots?

Black ones?

Or yellow ones?

My consultations last longer

than anyone else's.

Sometimes women are barren

because they have disregarded

the laws of purity.

Almighty God,

I heeded your commandment

and observed the days of separation.

I counted the seven days.

Today I am ready to heed

your commandment,

to purify my body.

I shall go down into the water

and in your mercy,

my body shall be washed

in the pure water,

and my soul cleansed

of all blemish and vanity.

For it is written:

"I have sprinkled you with water

and made you pure."

My God,

why have you forsaken me?

Far from my salvation

and the words from my mouth...

I call by day

and you do not answer,

At night I know no silence.

You dwell in the praise of Israel,

My fathers believe in you

and were delivered.

They called to you

and were saved...

Why weren't you at school?

I can't study. I'm troubled.

Meir, make up your mind.

I'm not sure I can.

Meir, don't you feel...

Don't you feel...

we're on the verge

of a new age?

That something is coming?

Are you getting ready for it?

Do you pray?

Yes. - You must pray.

Do you fast?

Do you meditate?

Yes.

Make up your mind.

Do your duty.

You know our laws.

You know that the only task

of a daughter of Israel

is to bring children into the world.

To give birth to Jews,

and enable her husband to study.

God created man to study the Torah.

The woman plays an indirect part

in fulfilling the Torah,

by keeping his home clean,

preparing his meals,

and especially,

by raising his children.

A woman's only joy

is raising his children.

Children are our strength.

With them...

we will vanquish.

Whom?

The others.

The godless.

The secular government,

Children are our future.

The future of our religion.

The others have no children.

Thanks to our children,

the future is ours.

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