#holdyourhortas

[lionofchaeronea]

40. Did you have any snacks today?

Not yet, but I do have a package of trail mix that's calling to me.

[shelvesofsiddurim]

What are your opinions on Lev Shalem?

[takes a deep breath]

It's...mid. If the word "mid" was in the dictionary, then Lev Shalem would be the picture associated with it.

It's pretty, don't get me wrong, but it's an absolute nightmare to daven with if you have ADHD. If I want to teach kids how to daven, I'm not using Lev Shalem. They'll either learn from a Koren (maybe even the kids one, depending on how old the are) or the OG Sim Shalom.

Also just, accessibility wise? Not great. Yes, it has transliteration but the transliteration rarely lines up with the Hebrew (it's usually under the English). To me, that kind of layout sends a less than stellar message to someone who isn't confident with their Hebrew - "you can't read Hebrew, fine. Read the English and make a connection. But here, we'll also throw you the transliteration as an afterthought if you really want to try keeping in step with the congregation."

It's also not a true nusach Ashkenaz siddur because they've pulled in parts from various other minhagim. (Not the worst thing ever for most people, particularly American Jews. It's more of a niggle than a moan for me since most of the time, unless I'm leading, I'm not using Lev Shalem to daven with.) Sometimes those additions appear in the side bar as "alternate options" (which...can be a controversial choice depending on one's views on the permissibility of altering ones minhag and also possible cultural appropriation) and sometimes they appear as actual text on the page, albeit also as an "alternate option."

Speaking of the side bars - my absolute beloathed. I get what they were trying to do: emulate the vilna page of a daf of Talmud. Great idea! Fabulous, even. I love the vilna page for a daf of Talmud. But I don't love it for a siddur that's trying to inspire it's user to focus and connect with the words being read by who's ever leading. I do recognise that some people might like them; they might find them beneficial and connect with those particular passages as opposed to the body of the page. I'm not them. I'm a firm believer in footnotes.

This is more of a petty opinion, but I also think it's too big. It doesn't fit nicely into a tallit bag, so even though it's advertised as being for home and shul has, I don't know of anyone who's actually shleping it from home to shul. The size is a bit awkward too, but that's not a problem unique to Lev Shalem; the American Reform Movement's Mishkah Tefillah has the same issue of being awkwardly sized. I wish they'd come out with a soft covered version that's the same size as the soft covered Or Hadash. I don't think they'd even have to shrink the font that much to make that work.

With all that said, I do have some positive opinions of it, namely that it's an absolute banger as a reference piece. They also got the paper right. It's not glossy like ArtScroll or stiff like Mishkan Tefillah. It's also the right shade of white - not so white that you're blinded every time you look at the page, but not so grey that the words sink into the paper. Also, I know that I griped a little bit about this, but I do kind of like how Lev Shalem brings in other minhagim, because it helps push back against Ashkenormativity and highlight the diversity that is the Jewish people. Providing alternate options for davening (whether that's the inclusion of the Imahot for those that want to add them or different translations or more poetry) is also a nice touch that I've come to appreciate because sometimes the standard words on the page aren't enough some days to get one's kavana flowing.

Tldr: Lev Shalem is a siddur that tried.

Thanks for the ask!

[holdyourhortas]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 2/4 Fandom: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock Prime, Spock (Star Trek), Governor Kodos, Lenore Karidian, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Christine Chapel Additional Tags: Tarsus IV, it's a sad one, there's a fair amount of blood, PTSD, The Conscience of the King Series: Part 1 of I Will Follow You Into The Dark Summary:

In the aftermath of Tarsus IV, James T Kirk had thought he'd left his personal hell behind for good. But after a quick stop at Alpha Carinae V on the way to Starfleet's latest diplomatic assignment, he must face the fact that some demons never die, no matter how deep they are buried.

[holdyourhortas]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock Characters: James T. Kirk, Sarek (Star Trek), Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Spock (Star Trek) Additional Tags: Handcuffed Together, Q - Freeform, I can't believe i wrote this but WATCH ME FILL THE VOID Summary:

While preparing for shore leave on Vulcan, Jim and Spock find themselves accidentally handcuffed together, and have to deal with the consequences.

[holdyourhortas]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock Prime, Spock (Star Trek), Governor Kodos, Lenore Karidian, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Christine Chapel Additional Tags: Tarsus IV, it's a sad one, there's a fair amount of blood, PTSD, The Conscience of the King Summary:

In the aftermath of Tarsus IV, James T Kirk had thought he'd left his personal hell behind for good. But after a quick stop at Alpha Carinae V on the way to Starfleet's latest diplomatic assignment, he must face the fact that some demons never die, no matter how deep they are buried.

[nedlittle]

For the book ask: #12. did you like any compulsory high school reads?

thanks for the ask!

i don't know what was up with my school because my ass was not assigned like. basic regular classics that it seems like everyone else was?? we read some shakespeare which i obviously enjoyed and to kill a mockingbird which i also enjoyed but other than that.... i don't remember reading ANYTHING.

[holdyourhortas]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock Prime, Spock (Star Trek), Governor Kodos, Lenore Karidian, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Christine Chapel Additional Tags: Tarsus IV, it's a sad one, there's a fair amount of blood, PTSD, The Conscience of the King Series: Part 1 of I Will Follow You Into The Dark Summary:

In the aftermath of Tarsus IV, James T Kirk had thought he'd left his personal hell behind for good. But after a quick stop at Alpha Carinae V on the way to Starfleet's latest diplomatic assignment, he must face the fact that some demons never die, no matter how deep they are buried.