In this week’s appointed reading (John 1:29–34), John the Baptist points away from himself and toward Jesus. It is a moment of recognition—a testimony to who stands before him—and very much a continuation of last week’s story. Rather than rehashing what was already discussed just last week, I thought I’d look instead to last year’s
The Wine of Abundance Read More »
“Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses because of shortness of spirit/breath, and because of harsh labor.” This week’s Torah portion, Va’era, recounts God’s command that Moses deliver a message of impending redemption to the people of Israel. At first, Moses hesitates. He is not a public speaker;
What is Kabbalah? I refer to it from time to time in my essays. The ideas appear quietly, usually as metaphor or conceptual framing in support of ideas I seek to convey. Until now, I’ve not really expounded upon the tradition. Perhaps I should. In contemporary culture, Kabbalah has become familiar without being understood. It
Kabbalah—An Orientation Read More »
Christianity is, at its core, steeped in Torah. Jesus was a Jew, and he made it clear that he did not come to abolish Torah or revoke covenant, but to uphold both. His is often called “the greatest story ever told”—not because an institution claims it as such, but because no other story in human
Into the Living Waters Read More »
I find myself a bit moved today to discuss the current parashah, Shemot. Judaism has a regular practice of Torah study. Truly, it is study of Torah that defines Judaism. The Torah is divided into 54 parshiyot (weekly portions), and one is read each week, typically on Shabbat. (Interestingly, in leap years portions are read
Every durable belief system, religious or secular, must answer one particularly uncomfortable question: What do we do about what’s broken? This may be broken people, actions, even worlds. We have many words to describe this state of brokenness — sin, karma, trauma, oppression, ignorance — while the label changes, the problem does not. Some systems
Happy New Year! Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, in the days of auld lang syne? By the time this reflection is published, most of us will have recovered from New Year’s celebrations. Young couples will have exchanged their midnight kisses; old couples will hold one
On the Turning of the Year Read More »
Over the course of my life, I’ve spent time studying many belief systems with their origins in both the West and the East. They really do have more in common than different, but one thing that stands out is how they tackle the concept of reality. First and foremost, we need to ask ourselves: what
On the Nature of “IS” Read More »
At this point in the cycle, the weekly parashot have been focused on the story of Joseph. It is a great story—rich, layered, and enduring. It was even adapted into a Broadway production (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), and I have yet to meet a rabbi who can preach through these weeks without at
