parshablog is back

You may have noticed, or maybe not, but posting has been rather sparse the last few weeks. First I was trying to move parshablog post by post to a new domain, then decided that was silly, and figured out a clever way around blogger's inability to transfer my blog to the beta blogger. (If you're still having difficulty, email me, and perhaps I can provide some assistance.) Then it was a day to transfer my two main blogs. Then I was fiddling around with the template. Then I wanted to make my post on Vayechi and audio-post, but was having difficulty getting the computer to recognize my voice recorder, and kept pushing off the post in text form. Some good stuff on midrash Rabba on Vayechi, which perhaps I'll get to this year or next, but perhaps not. Then, my Internet connection has been sporadic at best the past couple of days. That's not to mention personal, educational, and professional issues that needed to be worked out. Oy.

But now I have a little free time, so may be able to post something.

I saw an interesting account about one of the would-be assassins of Ford:

Moore said that at the time of the assassination attempt she was angry over the Vietnam War, which had drawn huge protests around the country, and other actions by the government. Saigon fell during the Ford administration.

Once in prison, she said, she never wished for Ford's death, which might have helped her gain early parole.

"People kept saying he would have to die before I could be released, and I did not want my release from prison to be dependent on somebody, on something happening to somebody else, so I wanted him to live to be 100," she said.

It reminds me of the gemara's account of the actions of the Kohen Gadol's mother. According to Biblical law, an involuntary manslaughterer stays in the city of refuge until the death of the Kohen Gadol, at which point he may go free. So one might expect that those staying in the city would hope for, and perhaps pray for, the death of the Kohen Gadol. Therefore, the Kohen Gadol's mother would distribute clothing and food to those in the city to prevent them from praying for her son's death.

Though I kind of wonder whether Moore is expressing her true feelings. As much as President Ford's death could expedite her release, feelings of contrition can persuade the parole board, and this would seem at least as important an element as Ford's death. Looking like you were hoping for Ford's death would not impress them, while saying that you hoped he had lived to 100 would.