Another Queer Jewish Buddhist

What's the point of a revolution without general copulation?

Two days to Bastille Day. The day when French means losing head instead of giving it. And when are we going to see a serious revival of Marat/Sade?

In the meantime, celebrate the political movement that gave the world the metric system with dinner at Restaurant Florent. Oh yes, and that fine film of Dickens' Tale of Two Cities starring heart throb Ronald Colman. "Tis a far, far better thing I do..." The frames by the way, are from the comic book that first taught me all about the French Revolution, a gem from Classics Illustrated. American manga lost to history.

What do you see when he gets out of bed? Its got a mind of its own, eh?

The motto of the ancient British Order of the Garter is "Honi soit qui mal y pense" which is sometimes translated as "Shame on he who thinks evil" and sometimes as "Evil is he who thinks evil [of what he sees]" What do you see when the boy gets out of bed?  What do you think when his third arm is standing straight up? Or when you hear the lyrics that "he likes them big and juicy?"

Just what is the hunger we're talking about here?

Reverend Bill would have a field day with this. Conflating sexual desire and hunger (for food, things) is what advertising does. And you know the agency had lots of fun with this. I just wish I could have been in the meetings when the creative team first presented this work to the account team -- and when the agency presented the work to the client. As an ad man, I love this work. As a gay man, I think it's both funny and filled with interesting moments for psycho-social analysis. As a Buddhist, I find the grasping hand connected to personified Hunger a scary image of the Hungry Ghost. Interesting on so many levels.

Pot's Not Kosher for Passover? Pardon Me, I'm Sephardic

Reuters reports that an Israeli pro-pot advocacy group has determined that this alternative inebriative is not kosher for Pesach:

The Green Leaf Party announced Wednesday that products of the cannabis plant have been grouped by rabbis within a family of foods such as peas, beans and lentils that is off-limits to Jews of European descent during Passover.

Note that it says Jews of European descent. The Ashkenazi. That's because the Sephardic rabbis have always allowed peas, beans and lentils -- as well as rice. So besides being a Jewish Buddhist, on Pesach, I'm Sephardi thank you very much.

The question remains however, what is the proper blessing before lighting up? And is it different if you use the loopy leaf as an ingredient in a recipe? Inquiring Talmudic minds want to know.

There's an answer to be found over at the blog of another queer jew (though not a jubu):

Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech, who specializes in kashrut supervision of odd foods ...Blech said, Ashkenazi Jews would only be prohibited from eating it. Smoking pot or wearing hemp would hypothetically be okay...

Of course, that's only one answer. We're Jews remember. There are lots of opinions, and there's more than one way to be Jewish. So ask your rabbi his or her opinion. One warning however. Just as the "Got Milk" campaign suggests that eating chocolate and not having milk around is a scary thing. Smoking pot, then getting the munchies and a dry mouth while facing a table full of matzoh, well, you'll finally know why it's called the bread of affliction.