Planet Sly - Sly Guys Cultural Exchange

[baldtribesman]

Two things inspired me to start this thread, first of all I told you guys about my culture the Jewish culture and you shared with me beautiful facts about your culture/ethnicity/religion, and I think that learning about new cultures is facinating I hope you share that craving to learn about how others live outside of your own culture, and secondly I wanted to create this thread because although the majority may be in the United States more and more guys from just about anywhere there is a computer can be a proud Sly guy on Planet Sly, and I want to give them and all of us a chance to have some facinating learning of other cultures here.

I will start by saying I updated my pic - new goatee!  BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY you will notice my hands, you may recognize my hand pattern as being gesture that Spock uses on Star Trek, what you may or may not know is that Leonard Nemoy who plays Spock as a Jewish young man went with his father to pray on the traditional day of prayer of the sabbath on Saturday and he saw men covered in Prayer Shauls.  He asked his father what is under there, he saw their hands like this as I have in the photo, with both hands.  This is a tradition that goes on and Leonard Nemoy would later use that gesture as Spock on Star Trek.

Now for the religious explanation of why some of our men on Sabbath Day cover up with a prayer shaul and under the cover do that gesture with both hands.  The men who do that are called Cohens, they are of the preistly class and as you see in my picture the pattern of the hands forms the most powerful letter in the Hebrew Alphabet, the letter Shin.  Interestingly enough Geneticists have unconverd the facinating fact that all Cohens around the world are genetically related and are decendents of Moses' brother Aaron.  All Cohen men can do this gesture and a lot of non-Cohens cannot do this gesture, for fun guys see if you can do this gesture!

The second beautiful tradition I would like to share with you guys is on Friday night at the start of the Sabbath when we eat our Sabbath meal.  A special prayer is song with a beautiful melody by the men of the household to honor and praise the women of the household, called Eshet Chayil.  In a future post I will translate into English from Hebrew the beautiful words of this prayer song that praises our women.

Anything goes here within the realm of decency guys near and far wherever you are share beautiful joyous customs and traditions of your culture I want to learn about it and let everybody who reads this thread get joy in knowing that Everybody everybody on planet earth (SLY) are equal, special and unique, and have interesting things to share with Sly brothers concerning their culture and traditions.  Lets celebrate diversity and pluralism togehter!!

Fred

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Thanks for sharing.  & BTW, I can do the hand thing!  I had heard that before, interesting.

[DuffRyder17]

well I can't do the hand thing, never could...
maybe I descend of Genghis Khan

[CraftyGuy]

That's very cool - I never knew that!

Btw - I can do that gesture - with both hands!

[aarrggh]

 I can do that with my toes . . .

[Sgt. Pate]

As a Christan Zionist I found that VERY interesting!  Thanks! 

[Razor X]

OK, I learned something today -- but not how to do the gesture.  Still haven't mastered that one.   

[pdxtodd]

Thank you Fred for sharing and educating us.   I too can do it with both hands.

Question -- I have a few friends who at sundown on Friday night stop using all forms of modern technology, including walking miles if they have to get somewhere instead of driving or taking public transportation.   Do you know the reason for that?   I'm amazed at their dedication and faith, even their children will walk all the way across town to get to a practice or event.

[tomgallagher]

The rituals, both modern and ancient, of a lot of religions simply baffle me but if that's what gets you thru the night.

[The Noggin]

I think rituals/traditions are in fact the main part of many religions. By complying to them you are showing devotion and loyalty to your religious group - and to yourself.
If at all, they are making sense only in the religious context.
Plus, religions are distinguishing themselves from other religions by using different rituals, even if they believe in the same god.

[marcx]

Thank you Fred for sharing and educating us.   I too can do it with both hands.

Question -- I have a few friends who at sundown on Friday night stop using all forms of modern technology, including walking miles if they have to get somewhere instead of driving or taking public transportation.   Do you know the reason for that?   I'm amazed at their dedication and faith, even their children will walk all the way across town to get to a practice or event.

Not that I follow this, but I do know that this is because the Sabbath is denoted as a time of rest when you aren't supposed to do any work, and that has been interpereted to include turning on electricity, etc....

[baldtribesman]

Guys Fred here and I want to thank members that have already responded to this thread.  I however want to hear from you guys about rituals and traditions you have.  I want to learn about other people's rituals and traditions, and please share with fellow members explanations or symbolism much in the same I did in my first post on this thread.  And a special shout out to guys not from the USA to tell us about your culture, traditions rituals etc.  It may not even be from a religious perspective but family traditions you have. 

Looking forward to hearing from you guys!

Fred

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Most of the ones I can think of that would be of any interest deal with food and drink.
For many years, after a visit at Christmas by my best friend from college and my older daughter's godfather, we returned from Midnight Mass and had port & Stilton cheese, all very British, but in that fashion we also "slilde the port" as opposed to lifting the bottle for passing the decanter and the affair, done yearly, is called "Sliding the Port", a very much abreviated form of the revellion--the old French post Mass light breakfast at Christmas time. 
More regularly, it's red beans and rice every Monday, without fail.  New Years ritual foods also, ham for health, cabbage for wealth & black eyed peas for good luck--never change that menu for New Years Day dinner. 
Mardi Gras morning, before parades, a green, purple or gold iced jelly donut, milk punch and a piece of spicy Popeye's chicken, Hubig pie later. 

[Alexander215]

Most of the ones I can think of that would be of any interest deal with food and drink.
For many years, after a visit at Christmas by my best friend from college and my older daughter's godfather, we returned from Midnight Mass and had port & Stilton cheese, all very British, but in that fashion we also "slilde the port" as opposed to lifting the bottle for passing the decanter and the affair, done yearly, is called "Sliding the Port", a very much abreviated form of the revellion--the old French post Mass light breakfast at Christmas time. 
More regularly, it's red beans and rice every Monday, without fail.  New Years ritual foods also, ham for health, cabbage for wealth & black eyed peas for good luck--never change that menu for New Years Day dinner. 
Mardi Gras morning, before parades, a green, purple or gold iced jelly donut, milk punch and a piece of spicy Popeye's chicken, Hubig pie later. 

Forgive my ignorance but what is "milk punch" ?

[tomgallagher]

A friend of mine used to have an ulcer and he would always drink a glass of milk with a shot of Jim Beam in there. Maybe that was milk punch. It sure was milk with a punch.