Kashering Everything!

There was a great article in The New York Times yesterday about technology and advancements in making life easier in the Orthodox community when it comes to Shabbos. The Zomet Institution and Kosher Innovations have both managed to create a host of interesting ways to apply technology on the Sabbath, including a lamp that you don't have to turn off but merely has a twisting shade to cover up the light and an observant alarm clock. Interesting and news to me is that Whirlpool and Viking have put Sabbath mode settings on most of their ovens, refrigerators, and even wine cellars. I thought those were special-order kinds of things!

But it's things like this that I just don't get:

Zomet created the metal detectors used to screen worshippers at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, in a manner that uses electricity in a way not prohibited on the Sabbath. It also developed pens that use ink that disappears after a few days, based on a rabbinic interpretation that only forbids permanent writing, and Sabbath phones, which are dialed in an indirect manner with special buttons and a microprocessor.

I mean, how can you use electricity "in a way not prohibited on the Sabbath" ...? Can someone explain that one to me? I'm terribly curious! I think the Sabbath phones are useful, as the article says that the Israeli army uses them for soldiers, which makes sense. Said Rabbi Herschel Schachter about such innovations: “if you make the burden slightly lighter, it’s O.K. The Torah doesn’t want to make life impossible.” At any rate, an interesting article to check out if you ask me.

Oh! And those of you who were wondering how my date went ... it went quite well. Here are some pictures for your viewing enjoyment. I think I'm hooked on letterboxing, though, because it's so nifty. I just need to figure out what I want my stamp of choice to be that represents me. Oh what to choose ...

She's going Letterboxing with a Boy.

So in about an hour or so I'm supposed to head off with JDater E to go Letterboxing. What is Letterboxing you ask? Well, I'm so glad you asked! From Wikipedia:

Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art and puzzle solving. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly-accessible places (like parks) and distribute clues to finding the box in printed catalogs, on one of several web sites, or by word of mouth. Individual letterboxes usually contain a logbook and a rubber stamp. Finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp on their personal logbook, and leave an impression of their personal stamp on the letterbox's logbook — as proof of having found the box. Many letterboxers keep careful track of their "find count."

It's something new to me, and as someone who hasn't spent a whole lot of time in the great outdoors, it should be an interesting experience I think. 

I was thinking, though, a friend recently visited the rebbe's ohel and davened for a shidduch soon. Now, I know technically shidduch is the process of matchmaking in Orthodox circles, but since I'm not *technically* Orthodox nor am I really able to be match-made considering my route of conversion back in 2006, I think that at any rate, it could be just as feasible to consider that a shidduch be merely a match. About a week after this friend had davened JDater E showed up.

I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm just saying. G-d has worked in more mysterious ways, you know.

Anyhow, there will be oodles of pictures to provide, I'm sure, as I will have camera in tow. Until then, those in the U.S.A enjoy Labor Day and to everyone else -- get back to work!