In the beginning...another new adventure

No matter where we are in life, we need challenges—little ones, big ones; tasks which seem impossible and small feats we easily overlook. This week, I am starting an adventure which seems to be far too arduous to take on. For the next year, I am going to type up the entire Torah on my computer.

Background:
In Jewish synagogues and Torah observant congregations, the Torah—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy—is divided into 54 portions and read through once every year. The first Torah reading begins on the Shabbat after the Feast of Sukkot and concludes on the Shabbat of the following Feast of a Sukkot. This year, the final Torah portion was read on Saturday. On Monday, the Torah scroll was completely unrolled and rolled back up to start at the beginning in Genesis chapter one. If I am able to keep up with the Torah readings, I should finish writing the final words of the Book of Deuteronomy on Saturday, October 3, 2020.

The challenge:
I would love to hand write not only the Torah but the entire Bible. Unfortunately, my hand cramps up just holding a pen much less actually using the pen to write. I can only write a few words before extreme pain plagues my hand muscles. I have decided to type up the first five books of the Bible. I can type for short periods of time, but again, Mitochondrial Disease causes the muscles in my hands and arms to be riddled with pain, fatigue and muscle spasms. To accomplish this feat, I will need a lot of patience, endurance and heat and ice to help with the pain.


Now it is time to get started.
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth..." (Genesis 1:1)