Getting into Jerusalem life

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Shabbat was nice
Shabbat lunch ate by the Bubis family. Really nice. Ended up chilling there most of Shabbat. We talked about movies, politics, religion, the army (since one of thier sons is training to be an officer and was home for the weekend) and all sorts of fun stuff.

Shalosh Seudot (3rd meal on Shabbat)
Are at Sarah's friend, Malki Vanvine, who was also having a Shabbat Kallah (third one that weekend). The girls were nice and the singing sweet. Felt like NCSY all over again.

Sat night
Ended up spending the night at the police station reporting what was stolen and cancelling our calling cards. Fun fun fun.

Sunday - First day of checking out Seminaries
Went to Midreshet Rachel for the day. It was a nice place but dangerously close to Angel's bakery (not a good idea to put a girl's seminary next to the best bakery in Jerusalem ... I am a sucker for their chocolate covered ruggalas ... I was thinking - If I come here I will probably grow more sideways than spiritually).

The girls were nice but I still felt like I should check out some of the other schools. I really liked the class about the back story of Purim. Our teacher showed us things I never knew before like Haman and Mordechai were generals in an army together and Haman becomes Mordechai's slave because he runs out of army supplies and Mordechai basically saves him from being killed by his angry (and hungry) soldiers.

Ever wonder what Judaism thinks of shoes?
We had a whole class on Yoseph and what it meant that the brothers sold him into slavery for 20 silver sheckels and then proceeded to use the money to buy themselves shoes. Long story short, it wasn't that they were too poor to buy shoes, but rather that they wanted to physically control Joseph. Since animals are the highest form of life under man (under then comes plants and inanimate objects like rocks) the brothers believed Joseph's prophecy (or else they would not have been threatened by him) and wearing leather shoes was a representation of this physical mastery.
--> Shoes are also seen in:
1. Moshe had to take off shoes when standing at the burning bush because the land was holy and he needed to be humbled and realize even though he is above animals, Hashem is greater.
2. When the Cohanim (High Priests) served in the holy temple, they also had to take off their shoes because they were doing holy work. Also, when they stood before Hashem, they needed to think of him and not their mastery over animals.
3. Mourners are not allowed to wear shoes because it is a sign of normalcy in their lives. To properly grieve, one needs to withdraw from normal society because they experience a disconnect from this world to the next.
4. Shoes represent a power over the physical world. For example, when Vespacian found out he was king of Rome because the king was just killed, he was in middle of putting on his second shoe. He could not take off his first or put on his second because Rabbi Yochanan said he was so shocked it was like his bones turned to dust. Even though he was now one of the most powerful men in the world, he still could not put on his shoes.

Back to the main point about Joseph and the brothers... Seforno (Jewish commentator) Said that Joseph was a manifestation of the desire to control and the brothers did not want him to control them. In reality, they were physically controlled/saved by him ...
1. Physically saved brothers from starving by giving them wheat
2. Spiritually saved brothers from being immersed in Egyptian culture.

That's enough Torah for now but there is much more where that came from.

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