sheydandcherub

[sheydandcherub]

“In Jewish thought, a sin is not an offense against God, an act of disobedience. A sin is a missed opportunity to act humanly. The verb to sin in Hebrew is also used in the sense of ‘missing the target.’ When God created us free to choose between good and bad, He also gave us the capacity to know when we had chosen wrongly”

— Harold Kushner, To Life!: A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking

[sheydandcherub]

Goyim, it's not a badge of honor to not understand antisemitism. Stop commenting on posts about antisemitism being like "I don't know whhhyyy antisemitism is so common it's so sad".

You can't expect to fight antisemitism if you don't understand why it exists and why it's so pervasive, and you guys constantly showing off how little you know about antisemitism like some kind virtue signal just shows how you really aren't ready to be our allies in this fight.

You're not saying it as a way to ask for help understanding, you're just constantly broadcasting your ignorance by leaving it in tags and comments. Maybe instead of shrugging and saying "I don't know boohoo", you pick up a book or open a webpage and learn, or hell, even ask.

But stop using "I don't know why antisemitism exists haha" as your shield.

[sheydandcherub]

Are meshumadim welcome! ✡️

Hello! Thanks for the ask :)

Of course meshumadim are welcome! Anyone is welcome as long as they’re not attempting to proselytize their religion. I’ve also seen some meshumadim who are directly hateful of Judaism— that of course, is not welcome.

For anyone who is not aware, a meshumad is a Jewish person who does not practice Judaism nor follow Jewish law.

[sheydandcherub]

Jewish Literacy, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. Image taken from @gnnosis post

[sheydandcherub]

This blog loves Jews of all theistic beliefs! Whether you’re an atheist (heavy acknowledgment on atheist Jews, y’all are forgotten all too often), pan(en)theist, henotheist, deist, etc! Whatever your beliefs surrounding HaShem, you’re just as valid as a Jew :)

[sheydandcherub]

PSA: The Torah is NOT the equivalent of the Old Testament. That is the Tanakh. The Torah only covers the first five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy).

I've seen too many people be highly confident in this idea and it's driving me a bit mad. Oh and also the Jewish understanding of these texts is worlds away from the Christian understanding, so just keep that in mind. Anyway, that's all.

Ignore the tags, B"H.

[sheydandcherub]

100% agree with the OP. Orthodox Judaism is a beautiful and valid form of Judaism. Conservative Judaism is a beautiful and valid form of Judaism. Reconstructionist Judaism is a beautiful and valid form of Judaism. Reform Judaism is a beautiful and valid form of Judaism. If you are going to hate on any specific denomination (especially Orthodox— quite a lot of more “liberal” Jews and/or goyim seem to like targeting Orthodoxy for some reason) then gtfo!

Also don’t follow me if you think I’m gonna be ok with you insulting Orthodox Jews. We don’t do that here.

[sheydandcherub]

I’d like to add that Christianity also directly contradicts the Jewish concept of G-d. Within Judaism, G-d is a singular being that can not be split into distinct parts nor is more than one. A prayer that is incredibly important to Jewish life and culture, the (first verse of the) Shema, is an excerpt from Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is one.” This prayer is said during morning and evening prayers every day, and is customary to be said when one’s death is surely certain. The concept of the trinity (Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the L-rd) directly opposes the Shema, Rabbinical teachings, and Jewish theology.

Sorry if this is dumb but I still don't understand why Christianity is incompatible with Judaism. Like what exactly about it? I don't mean to bother you too much since you already seem to get a lot of asks so you don't have to respond to this one lol

the biggest incompatibility theology wise is that the jewish messiah has not arrived yet. the christian messiah has. (the concept of a messiah is also very different in judaism vs christianity, which i can expand on more eventually.) the christian “new testament” according to christian theology essentially makes the jewish “old testament” obsolete (though the tanakh is not the same as the old testament, despite the fact some of the contents overlap). christianity since its inception has rejected judaism, so christian theology is often in direct opposition to jewish theology.

[sheydandcherub]

“Dearer to God is the proselyte who has come of his [her] own accord than all the crowds of the Israelites who stood at Mt. Sinai. The Israelites witnessed the thunder, lightning, quaking mountains, and the sound of trumpets. But the proselyte, who saw not one of these things, came and surrendered himself [herself] to God and took upon himself [herself] the yoke of Heaven. Can anyone be dearer to God?”

— The Midrash, Tanchuma Lech Lecha 6

[sheydandcherub]

There has been such an unbelieveable amount of antisemitism on Tumblr, so, I'll just say this.

Lilith is closed.

The Kabbalah is not an occult-y thing you can just use, It is closed to Judaism, always has been, always will be.

The Jewish G-d is not just every other abrahamic deity, they are not the same.

Abrahamic religions are not evil, stop generalizing, if you had a bad experience with Christianity or Judaism or Islam, that is not the whole religion, do not put others down because of it.

and i'll just ask this; why are goyim so, so, interested in jews? why? why does it matter to you? If you aren't trying to learn and be respectful, why are you so interested in telling them why something is closed or open?

[sheydandcherub]

Musings on the intersections of synagogue and science

partially inspired by annie dillard, teaching a stone to talk

Text ID:

what is a laboratory

if not an alter to discovery?

what is a synagogue

if not an experiment of love?

repetition of rituals

passed down by devout scientists

holiness comes from questioning our creation

[sheydandcherub]

"But remember that an "angel" is anything that carries out a mission for God. This includes forces of nature. An angel doesn't have to be an intimidating, fiery being... Photosynthesis? That's an angel. Gravity? An angel. Magnetism? Angel. The Midrash in Bereishis Rabbah (chapter 1) says than an angel only performs one job. That job doesn't have to be destroying Sodom; it could be peristalsis, centripetal force or condensation."

- Rabbi Jack Abramowitz, The God Papers

[sheydandcherub]

Introduction to SheydandCherub ✍︎

* this post will be constantly updated and edited.

— Table of Contents

i. About the Author

ii. Unique Tags

iii. Beliefs of The Blog

iiii. Expectations & Guidelines

v. Ending Notes

— About the Author

Vinido bueno! I am Elle (They/them), a Noahide, future Jew, Traditional Demonolator, angelologist and all around occultist. I am a minor, and have been practicing occultism in a variety of forms for roughly four years at the time of writing this (6/7/23). I was raised in a non-denominational and non-spiritual Christian household, however my dad comes from a line of Curanderos. Hearing tales of their craft and speaking to them inspired me to pursue occultism (thanks Titi!). I am half-hispanic, and incredibly proud of my heritage and the culture of which both my dad and mom come from and the unique forms of spirituality developed within these cultures (Appalachian folk magic on my mom’s side, and Curanderismo on my dad’s). I am also incredibly, incredibly queer, I am both non-binary and gay. Through this blog I hope to bring to light the appropriation present in western occultism, and the ways in which one can deappropriate their practice(s) while still having a complete and workable system of magick and spirituality.

Outside of my spiritual life I pursue a variety of hobbies, including writing (obviously because of this blog, but I also write poetry!), singing, theater, and music enthusiasm. I have sung for nine years, and worked in theater (both behind the scenes and on-stage) for six. Over quarantine I made it my goal to develop a decent music taste, and that I believe I did! My absolute favorite artist is Fiona Apple whom I love and adore; some other artists I enjoy include Leith Ross, Beabadoobee, Ani DiFranco, Lizzy McAlpine, Mxmtoon, Boygenius (and all artists of the band independently), Faye Webster, The Smiths, Radiohead, and SO. MANY. MORE. Additionally, I attend an early college program and am currently taking college classes for a Nurse Aid degree; through the program I am able to take non-nurse college classes as well, so I take classes that assist in my religious studies research (sociology, ethics & morals, philosophy, etc.).

— Unique Tags

#ellesoteric — Western occultism posts!

#shaelleom — Judaism/Noahidism posts!

#elleanswers — Answers to your questions!

#angelleic — Angelic and/or Enochian posts!

#sacrificiallambs — Demonic posts!

— Beliefs of The Blog

My beliefs revolve around Conservative (aka Masorti! Also, conservative used in a Jewish context has nothing to do with political conservatism) Judaism. I believe HaShem has always existed, before human comprehension, and HaShem will exist after human comprehension as well. Other divinities are a result of human comprehension and interpretation of HaShem’s eternal energy. I don’t see anything wrong with people interacting with these divinities. In fact, I interact with divinities other than HaShem; I am a Traditional Demonolator in addition to my Noahidism. The Demonic Divine are incredibly important to my life— I am devoted to Empress Delepitore, the demoness of magick, divination, dreams, and enlightenment. The main way I differentiate myself from non-Noahide Demonolators is that I do not make efforts to worship the demonic divine, I solely work with the demonic. I also research the angelic to a great degree through both enochian and Judaic lenses!

— Expectations & Guidelines

In order for my blog to be a space I feel comfortable, I expect for everyone who interacts to follow these guidelines:

1) No antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, racism, etc.

2) All questions are encouraged (even ones that seem dumb, because I promise they are not)! My dms and ask box are always open, so don’t be afraid to use them! Additionally, you can always dm me on discord; my user ID is @702921106675335208

3) I am not perfect, and am open to critiques and corrections!

4) Do not try to convert anyone to any religious belief. Proselytization is not welcome here.

5) Be kind and respectful always!

I try not to block anyone in hopes of educating as many people as possible, however I will block someone if they do not follow these guidelines.

— Ending Notes

I hope you enjoyed having the opportunity to learn more about me and this blog! Feel free to ask any questions in the comments or the ask box; I would love for some requests so I know what y’all might want to read from me. Thank you so much for stopping by! ♡

[sheydandcherub]

I asked you to pray in the synagogue of your city but if you cannot pray in the synagogue, pray outdoors in an open field; and if you cannot pray in the field, pray in the shelter of your home; and if you cannot pray in your home, pray in the dark on your bed; and if you cannot pray on your bed, meditate in your heart without words.

– Based on Midrash T’hilim on Psalm 4:9. 

[sheydandcherub]

Multiple Jewish blogs I follow have been receiving this exact anonymous message. Harassing Jews because you don’t like when they’re audible about antisemitism IS antisemitism. This behavior is actually disgusting. (btw, atheist Jews exist).

Why are you jumblr assholes so fucking obsessed with atheists? My guess is you found a group of people more despised than you and decided to join in on the atheist bashing. And you can hate on with impunity because no one else cares about us. And you have this build in defense where if anyone calls you on your bullshit you can just cry “antisemitism” and shut down the discussion. Because no matter what you’re always the victims. And then you wonder why we hate you!

So you just found a random Jew to yell at? thats nice.

I don't think I've ever said anything about atheists, and indeed I myself am much more an atheist than I am a believer in a God.

any ways some classic antisemitism in here, lets see, all Jews are responsible for all other Jews, hmmm we got "all accusations of antisemitism are a cover for something else" and of course "how dare you make us hate you, look how much you deserve it!"

oh and also Jews spend 0% time thinking about you, you are not relevant to us, you do not matter, we don't care if you live or die, you are obsessed, as all antisemites are, with us, die mad about it.

[sheydandcherub]

Jewish Angel Work

I don't see a bunch of writing about angel work in general, and what I do find is often heavily Christianized! I wanted to talk about what angel work can look like from a Jewish perspective.

(Gentiles may interact and enjoy, but understand that this is for educational purposes and not an invitation to appropriate! 🤍)

A Jewish-Specific Perspective

Judaism views angels in ways other traditions may not share! Some examples:

Angels aren't former humans. They are their own distinct beings just like demons, cows, land spirits and butterflies. People who pass away, even children, are not considered "angels returning home." These angels have specific forms and looks depending on the type, some more humanoid than others.

Angels don't have free will. This does not mean they are held hostage or can't have their own personalities, but their will is an extension of HaShem's Will, serving a specific role in making that Will manifest. Kind of like employees in a corporation doing their tasks!

They don't have names. Or at least, they don't have names we're supposed to know or ask for. They may be incomprehensible to humans, or maintaining a level of anonymity as to not distract from HaShem. Either way, asking for a name is often discouraged in traditional texts.

They AREN'T all here to help you. While it all serves a Divine Will and is therefore Good in the grand scheme of things, many angels serve completely neutral functions from a human perspective. Some could even be considered harmful to humans, the most prominent example being HaSatan. (Even still, HaSatan isn't seen as a true villain. He's just doing his job.)

Some of them are ONLY here to help you! Historical Rabbis were big on the concept of guardian angels. The Talmud says "Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers, 'Grow, grow.'" (Midrash Rabba, Bereshit 10:6.) Every living creature, including you, has a guardian angel to help you along your path. Some translations say the angels hit the grass, and that's not the only story of angels smacking things, so that guidance isn't always gentle, but it's always in the right direction.

Types of Angel Work

Spirit guides. Like mentioned above, guardian angels can help encourage you to "Grow! Grow!" and keep you on a path in line with spiritual health and lovingkindness.

Communing with HaShem. Gd is extremely esoteric. Angels help us send and recieve messages in an easier-to-conceptualize way! Meditation and prayer can also play into this. Beyond every-day applications, angels can also appear unexpectedly with important messages.

Communicating with other spirits. As angels are often messengers, I also think it's helpful to call upon their aid when working with other spirits!

Working with angels of various functions. Modern day Rabbis often marry angelic theology with scientific phenomena, with angels overseeing the process. By that extent, we could ask those angels for help/guidance when relevant!

Protection. Psalm 91, often recited for protection, depicts HaShem commanding angels on your behalf to guard you in all ways. One bedtime prayer names the four archangels to surround us.

Shalom Aleichem is traditionally sung on Friday nights before Shabbat dinner. It invites angels of peace to basically come and hang out with us during shabbat, then to leave in peace once shabbat is over. Many arrangements also make a good lullaby.

Other Notes

Metatron (מֶטָטְרוֹן) is a specifically-Jewish angel who gets appropriated a lot in spiritual circles. He does not appear in the Tanakh, but is mentioned in the Talmud and largely fleshed out in kabbalistic literature! (Islamic literature does mention him by different name, ميططرون, Mitatrun/Mitatrush. Solidarity.)Lots of people recognize Lilith as closed, but the same attention hasn't been given to Metatron. He's a very complex and ambiguous figure worth a whole post of his own so I won't get into it here!

This post is by no means comprehensive! This is just a very "quick" overview of a very rich field of study.

Further Study

On My Right Michael, On My Left Gabriel: Angels in Ancient Jewish Culture-- Mika Ahuvia

A Gathering of Angels: Angels in Jewish Life and Literature-- Morris B. Margolies

Ascending Jacob's Ladder: Jewish Views of Angels, Demons, and Evil Spirits-- Ronald H. Isaacs

[sheydandcherub]

another pride month reminder: if your events aren’t welcoming to jews and other religious minorities, they are not a safe space.