DOCSLIB.ORG

Elul Enrichment: Qualities

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Elul Enrichment: Qualities …Torah is acquired with 48 Elul Enrichment: qualities. These are: , listening, Study Aug 12|Elul 1 – Study (Talmud) verbalizing, comprehension of the “Study is greater, for it leads to action.” (TB. Kiddushin 40b) heart, fear, awe, humility, joy, purity, serving the sages, bonding The Israelites heard the 10 commandments at Sinai on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, but with friends, debating with th students, tranquility, study of text just 40 days later (on the 17 of the Hebrew month of Tammuz) the first set of stone tablets & context, minimizing engagement was smashed as a result of the sin of the golden calf. For another 40 days, Moses returned in business, minimizing superficial to the summit of Sinai pleading successfully with God on Israel’s behalf. With the beginning socialization, minimizing pleasure, of Elul, Moses again ascended for a final 40 days. There he was taught the thirteen minimizing sleep, minimizing talk, attributes of mercy (recited during the traditional Selichot liturgy), and obtained complete minimizing levity, slowness to Kapparah (atonement) for the Jewish people as manifest with the ‘renewal of vows’ anger, good heartedness, trust in embodied in the second set of tablets which Moses returned with on Yom Kippur (10th of the sages, acceptance of Tishrei). Since then, the period between the 1st of Elul and Yom Kippur has been a month of suffering, knowing one's place, Divine mercy and forgiveness. (See Rashi to Exodus 32:1 and 33:11) satisfaction with one's lot, qualifying one's words, not taking credit for oneself, likableness, love The human psyche, however, is one that finds dignity in earned accomplishments, and of God, love of humanity, love of undeserved forgiveness is capable of withering our self-worth. As our Rabbis teach (TB charity, love of justice, love of Makkot 23b), God, in wishing to give Israel opportunities for merit, gave us Torah and rebuke, fleeing from honor, lack of Mitzvot (commandments) in great measure. Elul, when God’s forgiveness and mercy is arrogance in learning, reluctance palpable, is the perfect time to ensure we are worthy of God’s compassion by doubling to hand down rulings, participating down on our efforts to self-improvement, becoming people worthy of such consideration. in the burden of one's fellow, judging him to the side of merit, The goal of this Elul Enrichment series is to embark on this path together. To accomplish correcting him, bringing him to a peaceful resolution [of his this, we will dive into the paths for acquiring Torah, the blueprint for life, focusing each day disputes], deliberation in study, on another of the pre-requisites for self-transformation found in the Mishna in Perkei Avot asking and answering, listening (6:6). and illuminating, learning in order to teach, learning in order to Through our shared learning of Torah (Talmud Torah), ideas for enhancing Jewish practice, observe, wising one's teacher, and questions and suggestions to improve our character and relationships, may we grow as exactness in conveying a people blessed to share in God’s majestic image. teaching, and saying something in the name of its speaker… B’Ahava (with love), (Avot 6:6) Rabbi Mordechai Harris Director for the Center of Jewish Living and Learning Memphis Jewish Community Center …Torah is acquired with 48 Elul Enrichment: qualities. These are: Study, , listening Aug 13|Elul 2 – Listening (Shmiyat HaOzen) verbalizing, comprehension of the “Na’aseh V’Nishma – We will do, and we will hear.” (Exodus 24:7) heart, fear, awe, humility, joy, purity, serving the sages, bonding Between Elul 1 and Elul 28, Jewish custom is to sound the Shofar (typically after morning with friends, debating with services. And while the Shofar is not blown on Elul 29, this is done to allow a full day to pass students, tranquility, study of text & context, minimizing engagement without the sound of the Shofar prior to its prominent role on Rosh HaShana. in business, minimizing superficial socialization, minimizing pleasure, On Rosh HaShana the blowing will be preceded by a blessing, ‘who sanctified us with minimizing sleep, minimizing talk, Mitzvot (commandments), and commanded us to listen to the voice of the Shofar. But what minimizing levity, slowness to does this voice come to communicate? anger, good heartedness, trust in the sages, acceptance of A few classic answers: suffering, knowing one's place, satisfaction with one's lot, 1. Recalling the order of events we covered in yesterday’s Elul Enrichment, Moses’s qualifying one's words, not taking credit for oneself, likableness, love ascent up Mount Sinai was accompanied by the sounds of the Shofar. This Shofar was of God, love of humanity, love of communicating that Moses had been successful in turning God’s anger following the charity, love of justice, love of sin of the Golden Calf, and that God had embraced his Middot HaRachamim – God’s rebuke, fleeing from honor, lack of compassion and mercy. When we hear the Shofar, we are to understand that God is arrogance in learning, reluctance inviting us to seek a brighter future, and to put in the work necessary to become our to hand down rulings, participating best selves. It is that which gives us confidence that we can be better. in the burden of one's fellow, judging him to the side of merit, 2. “Will a Shofar be sounded in the city and the people not quake?” (Amos 3:6) – The correcting him, bringing him to a Shofar’s call reminds us of human fragility and finitude. It sounds the alarm that time is peaceful resolution [of his disputes], deliberation in study, fleeting, and that we must act with purpose, and not take our moments, and those in asking and answering, listening them, for granted. and illuminating, learning in order to teach, learning in order to 3. The Shofar harkens to the ram’s horn caught in the thicket during the binding of Isaac observe, wising one's teacher, (Akeidat Yitzchak). Are we able to hear our conscious to recognize those things in our exactness in conveying a lives which are deserving of ultimate sacrifice? Can we put our priorities in order, and teaching, and saying something in find meaning in both obligation and altruism? the name of its speaker… Listening is the skill we employ once we recognize value in something beyond ourselves. (Avot 6:6) Shema Yisrael – Hear O’ Israel – when we accept the yoke of God’s kingship (sounding the Shofar of God’s coronation), we practice the critical skill of stretching beyond our selves, giving us the tools to care for others as essential parts of God’s broader creation. …Torah is acquired with 48 qualities. These are: Elul Enrichment: Study, listening, verbalizing, Aug 14|Elul 3 – Verbalizing (Arichat Sefatayim) comprehension of the heart, fear, “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21) awe, humility, joy, purity, serving the sages, bonding with friends, One of the celebrations in the backdrop of Rosh HaShana is the narrative of creation. Rosh debating with students, HaShana itself occurred on the 6th day of creation, the day upon which man was formed as tranquility, study of text & context, a creature from the dust of the earth and given the unique capacity for language, the very minimizing engagement in tool that God used in creating the word ( ex: “and God said let there be light, and there was business, minimizing superficial light”). socialization, minimizing pleasure, minimizing sleep, minimizing talk, The quality of Arichat Sefatayim, which while translated as verbalizing literally means minimizing levity, slowness to “arranged lips”, calls upon us to respect the great power of words, and to apply them with anger, good heartedness, trust in the sages, acceptance of intention rather than carelessness. In Hebrew, the term for words and things is identical suffering, knowing one's place, “Devarim”. Sticks and stones do break bones, but it is untrue that words cannot harm, they satisfaction with one's lot, carry force for good and evil every bit as real as any of our other actions. qualifying one's words, not taking credit for oneself, likableness, love The simple act of verbalizing our thoughts also carries practical ramifications. By saying of God, love of humanity, love of something aloud, we can often clarify our own ideas, crystalizing the foggy notions and charity, love of justice, love of conceptions rolling around in our heads. Doing so can help us introspect and determine if rebuke, fleeing from honor, lack of the courses of action we plan are indeed in line with the values and ideals we espouse. arrogance in learning, reluctance to hand down rulings, participating in the burden of one's fellow, As relayed in Psalms (34:13-14), “Who is the person who desires life, who loves days to see judging him to the side of merit, goodness? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceitfully.” Because correcting him, bringing him to a we love life, and because we desire to see good come of this world, we turn inwards and peaceful resolution [of his start with ourselves. We ensure that everything which emerges from our lips lines up with disputes], deliberation in study, our noblest aspirations, and that we have given thought prior to opening our mouths. asking and answering, listening and illuminating, learning in order to teach, learning in order to observe, wising one's teacher, As the soul is elevated, we become acutely aware of the tremendous exactness in conveying a power that lies in our faculty of speech. We recognize clearly the teaching, and saying something in tremendous significance of each utterance; the value of our prayers and the name of its speaker… blessings, the value of our Torah study and of all our discourse.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Foreword, Abbreviations, Glossary
    FOREWORD, ABBREVIATIONS, GLOSSARY The Soncino Babylonian Talmud TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH WITH NOTES Reformatted by Reuven Brauner, Raanana 5771 1 FOREWORDS, ABBREVIATIONS, GLOSSARY Halakhah.com Presents the Contents of the Soncino Babylonian Talmud TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH WITH NOTES, GLOSSARY AND INDICES UNDER THE EDITORSHIP OF R AB B I D R . I. EPSTEIN B.A., Ph.D., D. Lit. FOREWORD BY THE VERY REV. THE LATE CHIEF RABBI DR. J. H. HERTZ INTRODUCTION BY THE EDITOR THE SONCINO PRESS LONDON Original footnotes renumbered. 2 FOREWORDS, ABBREVIATIONS, GLOSSARY These are the Sedarim ("orders", or major There are about 12,800 printed pages in the divisions) and tractates (books) of the Soncino Talmud, not counting introductions, Babylonian Talmud, as translated and indexes, glossaries, etc. Of these, this site has organized for publication by the Soncino about 8050 pages on line, comprising about Press in 1935 - 1948. 1460 files — about 63% of the Soncino Talmud. This should in no way be considered The English terms in italics are taken from a substitute for the printed edition, with the the Introductions in the respective Soncino complete text, fully cross-referenced volumes. A summary of the contents of each footnotes, a master index, an index for each Tractate is given in the Introduction to the tractate, scriptural index, rabbinical index, Seder, and a detailed summary by chapter is and so on. given in the Introduction to the Tractate. SEDER ZERA‘IM (Seeds : 11 tractates) Introduction to Seder Zera‘im — Rabbi Dr. I Epstein INDEX Foreword — The Very Rev. The Chief Rabbi Israel Brodie Abbreviations Glossary 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Demai for the Poor
    בס"ד Volume 13. Issue 11 Demai for the Poor The Mishnah (3:1) teaches that one is able to feed that the Rambam explained the leniency was motivated demai produce to the poor. In other words, the to ease the mitzvah of tzedaka. Consequently, the requirement of separating terumot and maasrot from leniency is only afforded to the ani in that context - demai produce is lifted for an ani (poor person). The when one feeds an ani. If, however the ani receives a Mishnah continues that this leniency was also afforded good portion as part of a tzedaka distribution and takes to the achsanya. The Bartenura explains that this refers it home, then he is obligated to separate Demai. He to Jewish soldiers that passed through from town to explains that that is why the Mishnah used to word town. By force of law, the people of each town were “ma’achilin” (feed) and not “ochlin” (eat) when made responsible to feed them. Why are these people teaching this exemption, since it is only in the context excluded from the gezeirah of demai? of feeding the ani that he is exempt. This would also explain why the Mishnah only records the requirement Rashi (Eiruvin 17b) explains that whether or not one is of informing the ani in the case of a tzedaka truly required to separate terumot and maasrot from distribution but not in the case of feeding aniim demai. demai is doubtful – it is a safek. Furthermore, most Amei Haaretz separated everything that was required The Tosfot Yom Tov, however notes that the Rambam anyway.
    [Show full text]
  • Shabbat Hagadol Drasha 2008 Cong
    WHAT TIME IS IT? HOW SHOULD I KNOW? Presented By: Rabbi Boaz Tomsky April 12, 2008 Outline 1. Playing mind games. wz erp vmnu .nj ,ufkv o"cnr 2. Forced into a Promotion? ws erp ,una 3. First impressions. wch erp ,una 4. Moshe didn’t get it...I don’t get it.oa vnhn, vru,u oa h"ar 5. In the midnight hour...or pretty close to it /s-:d ;s ,ufrc ,fxn hkcc sunk, 6. But wasn’t Moshe batting a thousand***? 7. Does midnight exist? R’ Zweig 8. Can this rashi help the peace process? wt euxp wt erp ,hatrc h"ar 9. It’s for us. xuruehptu gar 10. It’s like pulling teeth with this kid! 11. Review the 4 Questions. (Ours) 12. At $18 a pound, it’s bound to make you poor. 13. The true origin of fast food*** (see attachment)! ."car 14. Three matzot so 2 more answers. jxp jcz and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik 15. This night is all about time. h¦n 16. Answering some of the original Q’s...finally! 17. Oh, I just can’t wait to be king! oa ohruyv kgcu wch erp ,una rpx ubrupx 18. The essence of freedom is... Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik 19. A detail or two about the Karbon Pesach. ch erp ,una 20. Why we eat flat bread tonight...it’s in there! jxp ka vsdv 20. Moving right along. oa trzg ictu wth euxp wch erp ,una ejmh ,usku, 22. Matzo vs. Chametz...Matzo wins flat out! 23. What is Chipazon? t"cyhrk jxp ka vsdvu /y ;s ,ufrc ,fxn 24.
    [Show full text]
  • Elul Moon Journal 5781
    High Holy Days 5782 Thi El Mo na ls o: High Holy Days 5782 Wel to Elu M or Elul is the last month of our Jewish calendar, the month when we transition from one year to the next. For generations, Jews across the world have spent this month of Elul reflecting on the previous year and thinking ahead to the new one. We invite you to do the same, and present the Elul Moon Journal! This journal invites folks of all ages to lean into the spiritual work of the High Holy Days season and 5782, the new year, with nightly journal prompts or discussion questions, and opportunities to track the moon’s progress through Elul. Journal one night, every night, or something in between. Resd to Pp n Tac t Mo Each evening of Elul corresponds to a page in this journal. The Hebrew dates you see on each page are the dates that begin at sundown those evenings. If the question stirs something in you, respond to it. If you find your pencil moving to a different beat, follow your heart. Feel free to incorporate a combination of writing and drawing. Our ancestors used the phases of the moon to track time. So too can we find meaning in centering ourselves around its waxing and waning. Before or aer your journal entry each night, hold up your paper to a window through which you can see the moon. Then trace it. Over the course of Elul, watch the skies and your journal pages as the moon grows from a sliver at the start to its full position by Rosh HaShanah.
    [Show full text]
  • Personal Growth in Judaism I
    PERSONAL GROWTH IN JUDAISM I Scaling the Internal Alps f asked to list the concepts with which Judaism is normally associated, we might Isuggest Sabbath observance, dietary restrictions, the Land of Israel, circumcision, and a variety of other ideals and mitzvot specific to the Jewish eligion.r There is, however, a concept that is common to many peoples and cultures which occupies a central place in Judaism: personal growth. Judaism’s comprehensive and unique approach to personal growth is grounded in a Divine mandate to strive to perfect one’s character. There are two Morasha classes that explore the Jewish approach to personal growth. This first class will discuss the centrality of personal growth in Judaism and explore the nature of the “personal growth” that the Torah calls for human beings to attain. The second class will explore the practical side of personal growth: how to pursue it and how to attain it. How does personal development and growth, embraced by many societies, play a central role in Judaism? What is unique about the Jewish approach to personal growth? In which areas is a person expected to achieve personal growth? Who is the ultimate role model to guide our personal growth? What is the ideal to strive for in our personal growth and development? 1 Personal Growth & Development PERSONAL GROWTH IN JUDAISM I Class Outline: Introduction. Scaling the Internal Alps Section I. The Centrality of Personal Growth in Judaism Section II. The Uniqueness of the Jewish Approach to Personal Growth Part A. Character Development and Personal Ethics are Divinely Based Part B.
    [Show full text]
  • The Month of Elul (PDF)
    Hear the Shofar! Daily Blasts During Elul Daily Sounding of the Shofar During the Hebrew month of Elul, we sound the shofar every day. These blasts are a “wake-up” call to our spirits, intended to inspire and remind us to engage in the soul searching needed to prepare for the High Holy Days. The sound is also significant as it brings our community together and elevates our Divine spirit. Beginning on the first day of Elul, August 9 and continuing until September 5, we will gather on Zoom every evening (except for Friday evenings, when the shofar will be heard during Shabbat services) at 6:00 pm for a brief message for reflection and to hear the shofar. On Saturdays, we will begin with Havdalah. Please join us on Zoom (no prior registration needed). We will start at 6:00, and the Shofar will be sounded at about 6:05. You may drop in early to shmooze if you wish. Click here to join every evening at 6:00pm! We also invite everyone to help sound the shofar during these gatherings! There are 24 opportunities. If you or a member of your family would like to blow the shofar for us, please contact Lisa Feldman. Daily Emails During the Month of Elul Once again, Ritual Committee members have curated a series of brief readings on the themes of the High Holy Days season. Sign up to receive a short, daily email posing ideas and questions for reflection about the themes of the Days of Awe. Subscriptions were automatically renewed, but if this is new to you, you can subscribe directly in ShulCloud or by sending an email to [email protected].
    [Show full text]
  • Jewish Institute of Religion Rhea Hirsch School of Education Spring 2018
    SARAH ROSENBAUM JONES HEBREW UNION COLLEGE- JEWISH INSTITUTE OF RELIGION RHEA HIRSCH SCHOOL OF EDUCATION SPRING 2018 2 Table of Contents Educational Rationale………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 Letter to the Educator…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………..6 Scope & Sequence………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………….…….9 Unit 1: Introduction to Middot ……………………………………………………………………………………….……….……………10 Lesson 1:1: What are Middot? …………………………………………………………………………….……………….……11 Lesson 1:2: Me, You, God, and Middot………………………………………………………………………….……………22 Unit 2: Bayn Adam L’Atzmi, Between One and Oneself………………………………………………………….………..……33 Lesson 2:1: Introduction to Middot Bayn Adam L’Atzmi…………………………………..………………………..………34 Lesson 2:2: Anavah (Humility)……………………………………………………………………… ……………….……….…43 Lesson 2:3: Hakarat HaTov (Gratitude) …………………………………………………………………….……………….52 Lesson 2:4: Briyut (Wellness of body, mind, and soul) ………………………………………………………………60 Lesson 2:5: Teshuvah (Repentance) ………………………………………………………………………………………….66 Lesson 2:6: Storybook Work Day……………………………………………………………………………………………….75 Unit 3: Bayn Adam L’Chavero, Between People (Scripted Unit)………………..………………………..…………………77 Lesson 3:1: Introduction to Middot Bayn Adam L’Chavero……………………………………………..………………79 Lesson 3:2: Chesed (Loving Kindness) …….………………………………………………………………………….…………91 Lesson 3:3: Achrayut (Responsibility) ………………………………………………………………………………………..104 Lesson 3:4: Savlanut (Patience) ………………………………………………………………………………….………..……121 Lesson 3:5: Tzedek (Justice) ………………………………………………………………………………………...……………132
    [Show full text]
  • Pharmacology and Dietetics in the Bible and Talmud Fred
    PHARMACOLOGY AND DIETETICS IN THE BIBLE AND TALMUD FRED ROSNER Introduction In his classic book on biblical and talmudic medicine, Julius Preuss devotes an entire chapter to materia medica and another chapter to dietetics, thereby accentuating the importance of these topics in Jewish antiquity and the middle ages. 1 Since numerous volumes could be written on either of these two vast subjects, this essay confines itself primarily to presentations of two examples of each topic. In regard to pharmacology in the Bible and Talmud, the famous balm of Gilead and the equally renowned biblical mandrakes will be discussed. As examples of dietetics, classic Jewish sources dealing with dairy products as well as chicken soup, the Jewish penicillin, will be cited. Pharmacology in Bible and Talmud One must be extremely careful in describing the pharmacology of antiquity. The entire system of dispensing drugs today is much simpler and more precise than even only a few decades ago. One need only compare the list of ingredients or length of prescriptions of one hundred years ago to a modern prescription. Medications described in the Bible and Talmud are mostly derived from the flora. However, numerous animal remedies were known to the talmudic Sages. For example, although honey was used to revive a person who fainted (? hypoglycemia), eating honey was thought to be harmful for wound healing. 2 A person with pain in the heart should suck goat's milk directly from the udder of the animal. 3 Someone bitten by a dog was given liver from that dog to eat4 as recommended by physicians in antiquity, perhaps an early form of immunotherapy.
    [Show full text]
  • Daf Ditty Shekalim 14: Swept Away
    Daf Ditty Shekalim 14: Swept Away The Death of Prince Leopold of Brunswick James Northcote (1746–1831) Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow Nephew of King Frederic II; from 1776 Regimentskommandeur und Stadtkommandant of Frankfurt (Oder); died tragically attempting to rescue some inhabitants of Frankfurt during the flood of 1785. 1 Halakha 2 · MISHNA There must be no fewer than seven trustees [amarkolin] and three treasurers appointed over the Temple administration. And we do not appoint an authority over the public comprised of fewer than two people, except for ben Aḥiyya, who was responsible for healing priests who suffered from intestinal disease, and Elazar, who was responsible for the weaving of the Temple curtains. The reason for these exceptions is that the majority of the public accepted these men upon themselves as officials who served without the assistance of even a single partner. 2 GEMARA: The mishna states that there must be no fewer three treasurers and seven trustees. The Gemara states that it was likewise taught in a baraita that there must be no fewer than two executive supervisors [katalikin]. This is as it is written in the verse that lists the men who supervised the receipt of teruma and tithes from the public and their distribution to the priests and the Levites, as well as the receipt of items dedicated to the Temple: And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and 13 גי ְָוֲַיﬠזזהוּ ִוִייחֵאל ְַוַנחתַ ַוֲﬠָשׂהֵאל Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and ְְִויַסְָמיכהוּ,ִִויירמוֹתְויָוָֹזבד, ֱֶוִאילֵאל ְְִויַסְָמיכהוּ, Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of מוּ ַ ַ ח ,ת בוּ ְ ָנ ָי וּה -- הו דיּמכונינ ,םַדִק ִִייְפּ ,םַדִק דיּמכונינ הו Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of נָכּ( נַ יְ )וּהָ מִשְׁ ו ﬠְ יִ חָא ,ויִ מְ בּ פִ דַקְ חְ י זִ יִּקְ וּהָ וּהָ יִּקְ זִ חְ י דַקְ פִ מְ בּ ,ויִ חָא יִ ﬠְ מִשְׁ ו )וּהָ יְ נַ נָכּ( e,ֶ Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house ofֶלַהמּ ָוְּהיַרזֲַﬠו ידבְּגנ ֵיתִ - ִי.ֱםgהָהא God.
    [Show full text]
  • ANGER in JUDAISM by Rabbi Dr
    ANGER IN JUDAISM by Rabbi Dr. Nachum Amsel July 23, 2018 This essay is reprinted from the book, “The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values” published by Urim, or the upcoming books, “The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values: Man to Man” or “The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values: Man to G-d” to be published in the future. This essay is not intended as a source of practical halachic (legal) rulings. For matters of halachah, please consult a qualified posek (rabbi). Although anger is a universal human emotion, it is nevertheless a very unusual sensation and reaction to something that upsets us. There are many variables involved when people get angry, including how angry they get or how long they stay angry after experiencing a threatening, hurtful, or unexpected situation.The definition of anger is “a strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong.” It is an emotion related to one's psychological interpretation of having been offended, wronged or denied something that was expected, and it is characterized by a tendency to react through retaliation. Anger as a normal emotion involves a strong uncomfortable and emotional response to a perceived provocation. The external expression of anger can be found in facial expressions, body language, physiological responses, and at times in acts of aggression. Anger is unusual in that some people can control it while others cannot, and everyone expresses his or her anger differently. Sometimes it seems that anger only makes things worse. So why do people get angry? How much control over this emotion do we really have? Why do reactions vary so widely between people or even day to day within the same person? What are the benefits and drawbacks of expressing ourselves and being or getting angry? We will attempt to address some of these questions as we discover the Jewish attitude towards anger through the traditional sources, since the Torah and rabbis have much to say about anger.
    [Show full text]
  • Elul 5777 the Fifteen Steps of Ascent
    Elul 5777 The Fifteen Steps of Ascent Elul is a month of reflection and introspection in preparation for the High Holy Days. We examine every aspect of our lives, looking deeply into corners neglected and perhaps avoided. This month builds up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, on the afternoon of which the priests would climb 15 steps to the Temple to enter the Holy of Holies. These 15 steps provide for us a journey of preparation to enter the Holy Days. Our new mahzor (holiday prayer book) contains a section of the afternoon service that meditates on each of these 15 steps. You can find this section in the Yom Kippur volume, beginning on page 450. Because the amazing wealth of options in the new book, we will not be using this section during our afternoon services. Therefore, we will use them during Elul to help us prepare. 1 How to use this Packet: The purpose of this packet is to stir insight and provide a forum for self-examination. The following guidelines are suggestions, but the overall goal is most important to keep in mind: that this packet prepares you for the challenge and opportunity of the Days of Awe. The daily reflection questions in this packet are intended for introspection and reaction. To assist in this effort, this year the NVHC clergy will offer reflections on our website (www.nvhcreston.org) and during Torah Talk. We challenge you to find ways daily for introspection and reflection. A daily practice during the month of Elul will help you to consider your life at this moment and where you want to be in the future.
    [Show full text]
  • 124900176.Pdf
    Spiritual Radical EDWARD K. KAPLAN Yale University Press / New Haven & London [To view this image, refer to the print version of this title.] Spiritual Radical Abraham Joshua Heschel in America, 1940–1972 Published with assistance from the Mary Cady Tew Memorial Fund. Copyright © 2007 by Yale University. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publishers. Set in Bodoni type by Binghamton Valley Composition. Printed in the United States of America by Sheridan Books, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kaplan, Edward K., 1942– Spiritual radical : Abraham Joshua Heschel in America, 1940–1972 / Edward K. Kaplan.—1st ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-300-11540-6 (alk. paper) 1. Heschel, Abraham Joshua, 1907–1972. 2. Rabbis—United States—Biography. 3. Jewish scholars—United States—Biography. I. Title. BM755.H34K375 2007 296.3'092—dc22 [B] 2007002775 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. 10987654321 To my wife, Janna Contents Introduction ix Part One • Cincinnati: The War Years 1 1 First Year in America (1940–1941) 4 2 Hebrew Union College
    [Show full text]