Parshas Yisro: Blessing G-d for Miracles

Yesterday I encountered so many miracles I can’t even count them.

Akiva at the Myanmar (Burmese) border

It wasn’t such an extraordinary day, really.  I had to take Akiva on the long bus journey from where we are staying in Thailand to the northernmost border, then cross into Burma and come back again.  Backpacking or traveling with a baby or an infant can be challenging on an easy day.  Sitting on several busses for a total of about 10 hours (I almost wrote ‘years’ – it kind of felt like that!) with a very active infant is no joke and not my idea of a fun way to spend my day.  Not only that, but although Thai people (especially women) are usually in love with babies and always want to hold and play with them (and give me a break), I was seated next to a sourpuss who refused even to look at my adorable little cherub.  Then, to top it all off, I got caught in a rain shower with no way to cover the stroller (or myself).

But then again, it was a really fantastic day and when I finally arrived back at my guesthouse, I was smiling from ear to ear. Why?

It’s all about what miracles you see.  G-d sends us miracles constantly, but we often overlook them, calling them “nature” or “coincidence” or even “luck.” Well, my friends, let me tell you: nature was created and is controlled and maintained by G-d; coincidence simply doesn’t exist, but is G-d’s hand in the world; and luck is what happens when G-d sends something good your way.  At its core, everything is G-d’s will and if we look at it that way, we will start to see “coincidences” and “good luck” as miracles and blessings.  It’s an attitude that will create joy and gratitude in your life, which, today’s happiness gurus tell us, will make us happier people and more likely to live longer lives. Coincidence? I think not!

Akiva holding hands with a new Burmese friend... it it always such a blessing when I see him enjoying interactions with the local people! Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Making Local Friends. Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Mom Makes Local Friends, Too! Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Top 10 Reasons for your Baby to Play with the Locals (Part 1 – Benefits for Parents). Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Top 10 Reasons for your Baby to Play with the Locals (Part 2 – Physical Benefits for Baby). Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Top 10 Reasons for your Baby to Play with the Locals (Part 3 – Mental & Emotional Benefits for Baby). LINKS AT BOTTOM OF POST.

You see, Akiva was in a great mood when I woke him up yesterday morning at 5 AM.  We took a tuktuk (auto-rickshaw) to the bus station and he laughed the whole time (he loves tuktuks!).  Once we got on the bus, he went right to sleep, without even nursing, and then proceeded to sleep nearly the entire bus ride to the border.  He was great when we went through security and immigration, ate a bit without complaint, and even fell asleep while I was walking around the market in Myanmar.  The goods in Myanmar were mostly poor quality and not to my taste, so I wasn’t really tempted to spend any money, which is good (I already did too much shopping in Thailand!).  The people were nice and friendly and the men selling cigarettes helped me up and down the stairs with the stroller. (It was amusing that when they tried to sell me the cigarettes, I told them Akiva was too young for them… their faces were priceless!)  I got a good seat on a van I needed to take and I had good seats on both of my busses. Akiva was very active in the van, but hardly cried at all. I ran into some Thai people I knew when I was in Chiang Rai and they played with Akiva for a few minutes and gave me a break.  I got some mango for a good price.  On my bus back, the man with the seat next to mine moved to another seat so I could have more space with the baby and once again, Akiva slept for half the bus ride.  When he was awake, he played nicely and ate some food (I think he was happy to have his own seat to play in!).  When we arrived at the bus station, I ran into two good Thai friends, who I hadn’t expected to see again before leaving, so it was a great surprise and I was really excited to see them. I trust them, so I was able to leave Akiva with them and use the bathroom (what a luxury!).  Then, on the truck back to my guesthouse, there were 2 Spanish guys, so I was able to give them some advice and, more importantly, speak some Spanish.  When I got back to the guesthouse, the women here were so excited to see us that they played with Akiva for 15 minutes or so, while I had some time to unwind.

Now, none of those things are really ‘shocking.’  G-d didn’t come split the Red Sea for me or anything.  But it made my day go more smoothly and more pleasantly.  And because I looked for them and recognized them, I saw them as miracles.  For that, I have to thank HaShem (G-d).

We get that precedent in this week’s parsha.  In fact, to our shame, it is a non-Jew who teaches us gratitude to G-d. Yisro, Moshe (Moses) Rabbeinu’s father-in-law, comes along and says, “Blessed is HaShem, Who Saved you from the hand of Egypt and Pharoah, that He Saved the people from being subjugated by the hand of Egypt.” Wow, up until then, the Jewish people hadn’t even blessed G-d for what He had done for us!  Sure, Miriam and the women sang His praise, but actually blessing Him? Outright thanking Him for His direct intervention?

Today, scientists have uncovered some evidence of the plagues in Egypt.  They have found ways to attribute them all to natural causes, such as volcanic eruptions.  G-d didn’t necessarily circumvent the laws of nature to create the plagues.  So the Jews might just have taken it somewhat for granted.  Just as we often do today, they could have called it “luck” or “coincidence.”  Yisro had to come along and cultivate an attitude of gratitude.  Yisro had to teach us to see and acknowledge the miracles.

Let’s not lose hold of this lesson.  Every day is a miracle, every day is full of blessings.  We just have to look and see them. Let’s thank G-d for everything he is doing for us, every moment of every day!

Shabbat Shalom!

Read more on Parshas Yisro: Keeping the Sabbath – Even While Traveling!

Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Making Local Friends.

Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Mom Makes Local Friends, Too!

Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Top 10 Reasons for your Baby to Play with the Locals (Part 1 – Benefits for Parents).

Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Top 10 Reasons for your Baby to Play with the Locals (Part 2 – Physical Benefits for Baby).

Read more about Traveling & Backpacking with a Baby or Infant: Top 10 Reasons for your Baby to Play with the Locals (Part 3 – Mental & Emotional Benefits for Baby).

Parshas Beshalach: Facing Our Fears Head-On

Travel brings to the surface many of our fears.  Often, the mere thought of traveling scares people.  In fact, I am often told by other travelers that they have friends and family who are afraid to travel.

There are many reasons why people are scared of travel.  Maybe they have children to schlep along.  Traveling or backpacking with a baby or infant is no joke, after all! Often people are afraid of the cost. Travel is expensive.  Or they are afraid of asking their boss for time off to do something that seems (to many) so frivolous.  Perhaps travel would require them to stand up to their friends and family who are not supportive.  A friend of mine recently told me that one of her friends was afraid to travel because – wait for it – she had furniture.

No matter what you’re afraid of, travel means confronting it head-on.  Ironically, people often think that we who travel are running away from our fears. It couldn’t be further from the truth! We’re running toward our fears.  We are deliberately putting ourselves in situations where we will have to face obstacles and challenges without being able to fall back on family and friends for support.  We step outside our comfort zones.

In this week’s parsha, the Jews also need to step out of their comfort zone.  They have just left Egypt and the Egyptian army is pursuing them. They have never known any life other than that of a slave.  It would be so much easier to fly the white flag and go turn themselves in, return to the life they had known.  But that is not what G-d expects of us. G-d expects us to go above and beyond, even when it is hard, even when it is uncomfortable.  Of all the Jewish people, only one man, Nachshon ben Aminadav, was able to face his fears and walk straight into the sea, away from his enemies.  He walked in until the water was up to his ankles, his knees, his chest, his chin, and then… Only with the waves lapping over him did the sea split.

If we really step outside of our comfort zones, if we immerse ourselves in life until it feels as if we might drown, if we challenge ourselves to the utmost in order to face our fears, then G-d will reward our efforts and split our own personal sea.  G-d will provide us safe passage.  As the sages teach, we have only to open a space the size of the eye of an needle to allow G-d in and He will open it to the size of a doorway we can walk through.  But we have to take that first step. We have to open the eye of that needle.  We have to face our fears.

This week, let us all work on facing our fears, challenge ourselves to new levels of growth, and step outside of our usual comfort zones.  Click here for some advice on facing your fears. Have strength and G-d will be with you!

Read more on Parshas Beshalach: Never Judge a Book by its Cover

The Hmong New Year: What the Jews Can Learn from the Hmong People

Last week, we went to a village near Chiang Mai in Thailand to join in the celebration of the Hmong (Mong) New Year.  The Hmong people are an ethnic minority, originally from Southern China, but beginning in the 18th century, they started moving south due to political unrest.

A Hmong woman doing traditional string weaving while carrying a basket on her back. She is dressed in traditional Hmong clothing.

One thing really impressed me about the Hmong people when Rabbi Ben and I were at the Hmong New Year celebration last week.  That was how the vast majority of the Hmong still clung so steadfastly to their traditional ways.  Most of the Hmong were dressed in very traditional costumes, which they still make themselves, to this very day.  Most of the activities and competitions were traditional ones that would have been exactly the same hundreds (if not thousands) of years ago.  And most of the dances, songs, and performances were completely traditional.  Even the food was still cooked on the fire like it has been since time immemorial.

The Ba’al Shem Tov says that everything we see has a purpose and that Hashem shows us each and every detail because we must learn a lesson from it. So, what lesson can we learn from the Hmong people?

The Hmong hill tribes of Thailand are not assimilating.  They do incorporate certain useful tools from the modern world, such as trucks, phones, and microphones/speakers.  They even use washing machines! Yet, they do not change their fundamental culture.  They still keep to their traditions.  They dress differently from the rest of the people living in Thailand.  They still sew their own clothes; even though it would be simple just to mass-produce and sell them, their clothing is a way they demonstrate their skills and also their unique identities.  They still have their own language, spoken at home and in the village.

Rebbetzin Rachel dressed in traditional Hmong clothing, standing with a young Hmong villager. She is dressed in traditional Hmong clothing. All the Hmong women, young and old, still sew their own ceremonial outfits, holding onto their tradition.

We Jews also have our own culture and heritage.  Yes, we can take certain advantages from the modern world; there is nothing wrong with that.  Yet, we must cling to the vital parts of our traditions.  Unlike the Hmong people, we no longer need to sew our clothes; however, we must still make sure we are holding to our beliefs and dressing modestly, even if it makes us different.  We have certain foods that we must and must not eat; we should not assimilate with the world around us that eats anything and everything with no limits.  We have our own community… let’s not lose it. Like the Hmong people, let’s stick together!

So that is what I learned from the Hmong people when I attended their New Year’s celebration.  It was a beautiful experience and I am really glad I went.  I learned so much, both about them and about myself.

Happy Hmong New Year!

Celebrating the Hmong (Mong) New Year near Chiang Mai, Thailand

We were fortunate last week to be able to celebrate the Hmong New Year, which occurred on January 15, 2013.  As I have mentioned, we met some Hmong villagers in Chiang Mai’s famous Sunday Market, who offered to let us come with them to the village for the celebration.

During the Hmong New Year, each village joins in a giant parade.

We had to leave Chiang Mai by 5 AM to go to the village because preparations for the celebration began early. Unlike our Jewish new year celebrations, their new year does not begin at sundown. Nor does it begin at midnight like the secular new year does.  Instead, it begins at sunrise, and so do the festivities! By 7 AM, villagers from Hill Tribes for miles around were arriving in their finery for the parade and party.

First, the Hmong family all got together early in the morning – everyone was up before 6 AM, even the small children – for an early breakfast. (For more on how to keep kosher at mealtimes when visiting a tribal village, CLICK HERE.) Then, everyone got dressed in their fancy outfits (more on these in a subsequent post!).  After that, it was time to start celebrating the Hmong New Year!

The celebrations of the Hmong New Year started off with a gigantic parade.  Unfortunately, Rabbi Ben and I missed most of this, as Adventuring Akiva was sleeping and we didn’t wake him in time (what a party pooper).  Once we’d woken him up and dressed him in his Hmong outfit, the family we were visiting dressed us up in Hmong outfits, too! Then we headed out.

Women, both young and old, take part in a sewing and embroidery competition during the Hmong New Year celebration.

Walking through the village, we saw thousands of people from all the neighboring Hmong villages, buying food, toys, umbrellas, and clothing from the various stalls. At a main gathering area, there were hundreds more of the Hmong people.  Some were sitting in the shade, eating. Some were performing on stage – singing, dancing, etc.  Others were engaged in competitions, such as sewing competitions.  Some were playing courtship games.

Everyone was dressed in their finest and it seemed that everyone wanted a photo of or with Adventuring Akiva!  We thought we would go to the Hmong New Year celebration and take photos of all the Hmong people, but instead, the Hmong people took lots of photos of us.  What a role reversal!

All in all, it was a fantastic day.  It was a thrilling cultural experience and we learned a lot about the Hmong people and the Hmong culture.  Interestingly enough, I also feel I learned an important lesson as a Jew, which I will, please G-d, post about tomorrow.

Happy Hmong New Year!

Keeping Kosher when Visiting a Tribal Home (Mong New Year)

One of the most difficult things to do when you are a kosher traveler is to visit a local, tribal home.  That is because in most cultures, the offering of food to guests is very important.  Yet, as a kosher traveler, we have to turn down these offers. In most cultures, turning down an offer of food is very rude.  So what to do?

Inside a native Hmong (Mong) home, our hostess prepares an elaborate breakfast to celebrate the New Year. To refuse to eat anything at all would be incredibly rude, but what could we eat and still keep kosher?

Imagine you meet a visitor traveling from a faraway country and culture you have never even heard of before.  You are excited to get to know them and invite them to your home for a Friday night Shabbat dinner, to show them your home and culture.  When they get there, they refuse to eat, but happily sit through the whole meal not touching a thing.  Awkward at best, this could be downright insulting.

Fortunately, most of us Westerners have come into contact with people with other religious and cultural beliefs that affect food consumption.  We understand (because we keep kosher) that perhaps a Muslim will only eat what is halal. We can understand the strict Buddhist tenant not to eat after noon.  We can even grasp the Jain concept of not eating, breathing, or even walking on bugs.

But people from small native villages don’t have this exposure.  The concept of refusing to eat a meal with your hosts can be deeply insulting. So what do you do?

Firstly, it depends on the level of kashrut you are keeping.  If for you eating vegetarian food is kosher, then you can probably get by with only minor challenges.  But if you keep strictly kosher, you will have a harder time.

In some cultures, such as the Hmong (Mong) and Thai cultures, rice is a staple food.  These cultures will have a special pot set aside for cooking rice and nothing but rice will be cooked in it.  You can probably help them check the rice (they usually check it for stones, but you can always help them look and look for bugs instead!) and then offer to help stoke the fire or add the rice to the pot, so that you are participating in the cooking process.  If you pose it as wanting to be involved in, learn about, and participate in their culture, they will usually be enthusiastic about you helping with the cooking process.

At least then you can manage to eat some plain rice.

Making chapatis requires a special kind of plate, which is used only for this purpose.

The same kind of process usually applies to whatever the staple food of the culture is, whether it is rotis, bread, or chapatis. Most of these foods require a special dish to cook in and you can help with the cooking process in some way without offending your hosts.

Any other kind of food cooked in the place you are visiting is likely to be too difficult to make kosher, unless you managed to find a tribe of vegetarians (they do exist, but I haven’t found them yet). Otherwise, it’s likely that food will get mixed up and even a purely vegetarian dish will not meet kosher standards.  For example, at the Hmong home we visited during the Mong New Year this week, they prepared a vegetarian dish of pumpkin – after chopping it directly on the same chopping block as the pork, without washing it in between.  So that dish was clearly not kosher.

Stick with the plain rice or chapatis and you’ll be fine, or at least less awkward.  And if you can’t manage to do that, at least in a Buddhist country you can always explain that you only have fresh fruit and water after noon!

Happy eating and happy travels!