Irish Poetry Meets the Talmud

So my friend Adam sent me to this awesome blog by a chick who has insightful things to say about all kinds of things she’s learning from various Jewish texts. I really know nothing about her, but I loved this post about a playa-rabbi in Talmudic times. My favorite, though, are limericks she wrote that summarize a masechet of Talmud:

(2a) All are obliged to appear Before He-Who-Instills-In-Us-Fear Unless you are not Let me tell you, we've got A long list of exceptions. Come, hear!

(2b) A person half-slave and half-free Says, "I serve both my master and me." But he hasn't a mate So he can't procreate Thus says Shammai, "It simply can't be!"

(3a) Can a mute learn? Well, it came to pass Two mutes started attending a class And when Rabi beseeched That God heal those he'd teach They gained speech, and their learning proved vast.

(3b) Words of Torah are like cattle goads That prevent cows from veering off roads Thus with Torah we stay On God's path, and don't stray, Bringing life (not death) to our abodes.

(3b) How to detect the insane? Those who wander on dark lonely lanes, Lie atop graveyard dirt, Or start ripping a shirt. Otherwise, you can trust he is sane.

There are a bunch more, so head over to D'yo Ilu Yamey to read them. There are also sonnets. If this chick was a guy living in Nashville I would totally date her.