The Jerusalem Post reports on a paper given by Prof. Cia Sautter at the UK’s first Harry Potter conference, “Accio.” The paper, entitled “Blessed are you for Creating Harry: Jewish Affinity with Rowling’s tale,” argues that Harry Potter is a Kabbalist – or at the very least, he espouses some values and characteristics that make up that Jewish tradition.
Convinced? Judy Silkoff concludes her news story: “Unless J.K. Rowling decides to elaborate by entitling her next book Harry Potter and the Kiddush Goblet or Harry Potter and the Order of the Seder, we may never really know.”
This was in the news yesterday (here, here, and here, among others), but I was too overcome with emotion to post it until today! Jewish soccer star David Beckham and his “posh” wife, Victoria Beckham, got matching Hebrew tattoos on their sixth wedding anniversary. The tattoo is apparently from the Song of Songs 2:16:
דודי לי ו×?× ×™ לו “My Beloved is mine and I am his”
There are actually web pages devoted to Beckhams’ tattoos!
I have mixed emotions about tattoos. I personally have no desire to get one and I sure hope this tattooing craze is spent by the time my kids grow up (OK, I guess they’re not so mixed!). The problem with tattoos is that they are just too permanent. I wouldn’t like to know what I would have tattooed on my body when I was 18! I’ve had students ask me (with increasing frequency) how to write this or that in Hebrew or Greek for a tattoo. I’ve been tempted to spell whatever they ask as × ×‘×œ (fool!). Perhaps I should just quote Leviticus 19:28 and send them packing: “You shall not… tattoo any marks upon you: I am Yahweh” (I recall seeing this verse actually used as an argument against modern tattoos; I assume that the prohibition was due to some association with cultic practices of Israel’s neighbours rather than tattooing itself).
The Jewish Press has posted a story on the race for the lost Ark of the Covenant (Not Noah’s Ark — for the search for that Ark see here).
Evidently, both “famous archaeologist” “Dr.” Vendyl Jones and Lt. Barry S. Roffman of the U.S. Coast Guard are searching for the Ark using such proven techniques as the Bible Code (for Roffman) and the Talmud and “a mysterious kabbalist who has now given him his blessing to reveal the Ark by Tisha B’Av (August 14th)” (for Jones).
I’m not familiar with the Jewish Press, so I’m not entirely sure if the following is meant to be tongue-in-cheek:
So now, the world is waiting with bated breath. Will it be Jones or Roffman who finds the Ark of the Covenant? Will it be found in Israel or in Egypt? Will it be discovered by means of ground-penetrating radar?
What will be the religious, political and scientific implications and ramifications if it is found? And what else can we learn of the future from the words encrypted in the Bible codes or the secrets of the Talmud? We may not have long to wait.
At least for Jones there is a deadline! Ten days and counting…
I am looking for a file. Lately, I have spent too much time looking for files and articles (books are easier to locate because they stand out more). I have a great filing system; the problem is that I don’t use it! I don’t put things back in there proper places and then they get buried under the piles. Sometimes I feel like I should divide my home office into balks and start an archaeological dig! I guess I come by it honestly. I remember buying my Dad a plaque for his office that read, “A Clean Desk is the Sign of a Sick Mind.” When my Dad passed away, I looked everywhere for the plaque as I figured I could use it now!
While I have you here, I may as well give you a tour of my desk. You’ll notice my Dell Laptop in the middle and my Mac monitor to the right (Accordance is up and running on the Mac). My 160 Gig back-up drive and DVD burner are above my laptop. The tel to the left of my laptop has my BHS, New Oxford Annotated Bible (it’s the Bible we require our students to use in Religion & Theology courses at Taylor), as wel as some other books. The tel in front and to the right of the laptop consists of sundry files and articles (You’ll notice the latest Harry Potter by my Telephone). Then to the right of my Mac there is another pile of folders and books. On my desk hutch if you could look closely you’d notice various Simpsons/Lord of the Rings/Coke paraphernalia as well as numerous homemade Father’s Day gifts. And of course, the ubiquitous “Double Gulp” cups filled with my addiction of choice, Diet Coke (in various states of decay — did you know Diet Coke molds? I thought it was indestructible!)
Overseeing the entire mess is my “Buddy Christ” figurine — he is perpetually giving me the “thumbs up” — OK, I’ll persevere!
If anyone knows where my “JetsGo” file folder is, please let me know…
