Dear Friends,
I bet we all feel, from time-to-time, if not consistently, like we have “our hands full!”
It is an idiom, meaning there is much too much to do. Our plates are full (also an idiom of the same import).
It seems to be the way of life these days. We have worries, calls to make, emails and texts to return, another errand to do, work, or family care. Let alone the big bags of groceries in the back of the car to schlep inside.
For some, our hands are, indeed, literally, very full. We seem to be carrying much around with us—not only tasks to do but stuff. I notice how big and overstuffed handbags have become and how hefty backpacks seem to be. We are carrying much stuff in our lives. Perhaps too much.
The phrase “fill their hands” is not a new phrase. It actually appears in this week’s Torah portion, when Aaron and his sons were ordained into their priestly roles for the Israelite people. God instructed Moses, “anoint them, ordain them and consecrate them.” (Exodus 28:41) However, the phrase “ordain them” is a loose or functional translation. The literal expression in the Torah is “fill their hands.”
The translators clearly offered a thematic rendering to remain consistent with the idea of elevating Aaron and his family to an exalted role. That was poetic. However, the Torah’s literal phrasing offers another meaningful description. It suggests that the bearer of this office was going to be quite busy; their hands were going to be full with obligations, management, preparation, and even politics. They would have the proverbial never-empty inbox.
So, yes, the expression “our hands are full” is both idiomatic and literal. Life has made most of us just exceptionally busy. And, moreover, there are some who contend, or perhaps believe, that being busy with one’s hands full is a reflection of importance, power, or influence. The lazy laggard, whose inbox is empty or whose tasks are not demanding, must be of little worth. Some do assert that if you want to get something done, ask a busy person.
Indeed, our Torah portion offered worth and esteem to Aaron and his sons by their new priestly office and by the charge to “fill their hands.” They were synonymous with importance.
I would invite us, however, especially as we approach Shabbat, to consider letting a few things fall through our fingers. Perhaps we can put a few tasks down. Let a few texts wait till Sunday. Lighten our loads. Maybe our hands don’t need to be so full all the time!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
I bet we all feel, from time-to-time, if not consistently, like we have “our hands full!”
It is an idiom, meaning there is much too much to do. Our plates are full (also an idiom of the same import).
It seems to be the way of life these days. We have worries, calls to make, emails and texts to return, another errand to do, work, or family care. Let alone the big bags of groceries in the back of the car to schlep inside.
For some, our hands are, indeed, literally, very full. We seem to be carrying much around with us—not only tasks to do but stuff. I notice how big and overstuffed handbags have become and how hefty backpacks seem to be. We are carrying much stuff in our lives. Perhaps too much.
The phrase “fill their hands” is not a new phrase. It actually appears in this week’s Torah portion, when Aaron and his sons were ordained into their priestly roles for the Israelite people. God instructed Moses, “anoint them, ordain them and consecrate them.” (Exodus 28:41) However, the phrase “ordain them” is a loose or functional translation. The literal expression in the Torah is “fill their hands.”
The translators clearly offered a thematic rendering to remain consistent with the idea of elevating Aaron and his family to an exalted role. That was poetic. However, the Torah’s literal phrasing offers another meaningful description. It suggests that the bearer of this office was going to be quite busy; their hands were going to be full with obligations, management, preparation, and even politics. They would have the proverbial never-empty inbox.
So, yes, the expression “our hands are full” is both idiomatic and literal. Life has made most of us just exceptionally busy. And, moreover, there are some who contend, or perhaps believe, that being busy with one’s hands full is a reflection of importance, power, or influence. The lazy laggard, whose inbox is empty or whose tasks are not demanding, must be of little worth. Some do assert that if you want to get something done, ask a busy person.
Indeed, our Torah portion offered worth and esteem to Aaron and his sons by their new priestly office and by the charge to “fill their hands.” They were synonymous with importance.
I would invite us, however, especially as we approach Shabbat, to consider letting a few things fall through our fingers. Perhaps we can put a few tasks down. Let a few texts wait till Sunday. Lighten our loads. Maybe our hands don’t need to be so full all the time!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
