מסעי |Mas’ei

Shoshana Ruerup, Germany

Text study happens for me with a pen in hand, as I visualize ideas while I read. I am intrigued by the repeated role of beauty and desire in Jewish texts, wondering where these issues lead and what their function may be. I am curious about the connections between beauty and structure in the travels of the Israelites and in building their society. Chaos is transformed into the beauty of structures, into orderliness, into attentiveness, into care. This plan — care for the land, its borders, and its people — is laid out in the text of parashat Mas’ei. Through this care, the land will flourish, be fruitful and beautiful.

Professional Background  Shoshana Ruerup studied fine arts in Germany and in the Netherlands. Her work is deeply influenced by traditional Jewish texts and Jewish philosophers such as Edmond Jabes and Emanuel Levinas. Ruerup sees her work as a form of Jewish study, connecting the past with the present and the future.