D'var Torah by Rabbi Sacks
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1 Beginning the Conversation
NOTES 1 Beginning the Conversation 1. Jacob Katz, Exclusiveness and Tolerance: Jewish-Gentile Relations in Medieval and Modern Times (New York: Schocken, 1969). 2. John Micklethwait, “In God’s Name: A Special Report on Religion and Public Life,” The Economist, London November 3–9, 2007. 3. Mark Lila, “Earthly Powers,” NYT, April 2, 2006. 4. When we mention the clash of civilizations, we think of either the Spengler battle, or a more benign interplay between cultures in individual lives. For the Spengler battle, see Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996). For a more benign interplay in individual lives, see Thomas L. Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree (New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1999). 5. Micklethwait, “In God’s Name.” 6. Robert Wuthnow, America and the Challenges of Religious Diversity (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2005). “Interview with Robert Wuthnow” Religion and Ethics Newsweekly April 26, 2002. Episode no. 534 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week534/ rwuthnow.html 7. Wuthnow, America and the Challenges of Religious Diversity, 291. 8. Eric Sharpe, “Dialogue,” in Mircea Eliade and Charles J. Adams, The Encyclopedia of Religion, first edition, volume 4 (New York: Macmillan, 1987), 345–8. 9. Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald and John Borelli, Interfaith Dialogue: A Catholic View (London: SPCK, 2006). 10. Lily Edelman, Face to Face: A Primer in Dialogue (Washington, DC: B’nai B’rith, Adult Jewish Education, 1967). 11. Ben Zion Bokser, Judaism and the Christian Predicament (New York: Knopf, 1967), 5, 11. 12. Ibid., 375. -
Tanya Sources.Pdf
The Way to the Tree of Life Jewish practice entails fulfilling many laws. Our diet is limited, our days to work are defined, and every aspect of life has governing directives. Is observance of all the laws easy? Is a perfectly righteous life close to our heart and near to our limbs? A righteous life seems to be an impossible goal! However, in the Torah, our great teacher Moshe, Moses, declared that perfect fulfillment of all religious law is very near and easy for each of us. Every word of the Torah rings true in every generation. Lesson one explores how the Tanya resolved these questions. It will shine a light on the infinite strength that is latent in each Jewish soul. When that unending holy desire emerges, observance becomes easy. Lesson One: The Infinite Strength of the Jewish Soul The title page of the Tanya states: A Collection of Teachings ספר PART ONE לקוטי אמרים חלק ראשון Titled הנקרא בשם The Book of the Beinonim ספר של בינונים Compiled from sacred books and Heavenly מלוקט מפי ספרים ומפי סופרים קדושי עליון נ״ע teachers, whose souls are in paradise; based מיוסד על פסוק כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד בפיך ובלבבך לעשותו upon the verse, “For this matter is very near to לבאר היטב איך הוא קרוב מאד בדרך ארוכה וקצרה ”;you, it is in your mouth and heart to fulfill it בעזה״י and explaining clearly how, in both a long and short way, it is exceedingly near, with the aid of the Holy One, blessed be He. "1 of "393 The Way to the Tree of Life From the outset of his work therefore Rav Shneur Zalman made plain that the Tanya is a guide for those he called “beinonim.” Beinonim, derived from the Hebrew bein, which means “between,” are individuals who are in the middle, neither paragons of virtue, tzadikim, nor sinners, rishoim. -
Interpreting Diagrams from the Sefer Yetsirah and Its Commentaries 1
NOTES 1 Word and Image in Medieval Kabbalah: Interpreting Diagrams from the Sefer Yetsirah and Its Commentaries 1. The most notorious example of these practices is the popularizing work of Aryeh Kaplan. His critical editions of the SY and the Sefer ha Bahir are some of the most widely read in the field because they provide the texts in Hebrew and English with comprehensive and useful appendices. However, these works are deeply problematic because they dehistoricize the tradi- tion by adding later diagrams to earlier works. For example, in his edition of the SY he appends eighteenth-century diagrams to later versions of this tenth-century text. Popularizers of kabbalah such as Michael Berg of the Kabbalah Centre treat the Zohar as a second-century rabbinic tract without acknowledging textual evidence to the contrary. See his introduction to the Centre’s translation of the Zohar: P. S. Berg. The Essential Zohar. New York: Random House, 2002. 2. For a variety of reasons, kabbalistic works were transmitted in manuscript form long after other works, such as the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, and their commentaries were widely available in print. This is true in large part because kabbalistic treatises were “private” works, transmitted from teacher to student. Kabbalistic manuscripts were also traditionally transmitted in manuscript form because of their provenance. The Maghreb and other parts of North Africa were important centers of later mystical activity, and print technology came quite late to these regions, with manuscript culture persisting well into the nineteenth, and even into the mid- twentieth century in some regions. -
Parasha Meditation Vayetze
בס”ד Parasha Meditation Vayetze Bereishit 28:10-32:3 By Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum Stepping Inwards on the Ladder of Ascent Introduction: וַיַּחֲ �ם וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְ צָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱ�הִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְ דִים בּוֹ: (בראשית פרק כח, פסוק יב) 1 “He dreamed, and behold a ladder is standing on the earth, but its head reaches heaven…”0F The metaphor of Ya’acov’s ladder lends itself to profound meditation. The ladder symbolizes the connection that links earth to heaven, matter below to spirit Above, and us to G*d. Keeping our Head in Heaven with our Feet on the Ground Netivat Shalom explains that this world is like a ladder standing on the earth, while its head reaches heaven. Through being involved with earthly matters, we can reach the very highest level, until our “head reaches heaven.” We have the opportunity to elevate ourselves and cleave to Hashem, specifically by elevating the earthly lowly matters towards heavenly levels. The Torah verse also teaches us, that even when we are involved in matters of this world, we mustn’t forget to keep our head in heaven. When we really desire to elevate the physical and bring heaven down to earth, then Hashem will watch over us and help us. We learn this from the 2 3 Behold, Hashem was standing over him,”1F – to guard him.2F“ – ”וְהִנֵּה הַ שֵ ם נִצָּב עָלָיו“ following verse 4 When we desire to sanctify ourselves, Hashem will guard us with a protection beyond nature.3F The Ladder Within Ya’acov’s ladder teaches us about how our relationship with Hashem in truth is a relationship with our own inner core. -
Full Details of the Hamakom Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Retreat
Full Details of the HaMakom Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Retreat Friday 27 – Monday 30 May, 2016 INTRODUCTION A unique weekend dedicated to the practice of Jewish Mindfulness Meditation and the deepening of our wellbeing and spiritual lives with Rabbi Dr James Jacobson Maisels, one of the world’s leading Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teachers. Together we will explore how the practice of meditation helps us to understand better the nature of our minds and to cultivate the qualities of wellbeing, contentment, gratitude, forgiveness, compassion and wisdom. Daily instruction in meditation will help guide both beginning and advanced practitioners into the sacred space of the retreat process. There will also be times for questions and answers, as well as small group and private interviews with the instructors. The week will include a deep celebration of Shabbat, followed by a chance to hear of each other’s experience as the retreat comes to a close. The retreat also includes daily periods of prayer, chant and Qi Gong. The form of prayer consists of chanting excerpts from the liturgy interspersed with silence. Those who follow traditional rules for davvening will be able to pray separately to fulfil their obligations. All activities are optional. We welcome people of all ages and of all faiths and none. Suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners. COSTS, ACCOMODATION & FOOD HaMakom endeavours to keep costs as low as possible and aims to be accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances. The price of our retreats is set to reflect just the basic costs of arranging the retreat and includes kosher vegetarian meals and basic, shared accommodation in dormitories at Skeet House Jewish Retreat Centre. -
Bronstein: Kaballah and Art
Studies in Visual Communication Volume 7 Issue 2 Spring 1981 Article 8 1981 Bronstein: Kaballah and Art Laurin Raiken New York University School of the Arts and the Gallatin Division Recommended Citation Raiken, L. (1981). Bronstein: Kaballah and Art. 7 (2), 89-93. Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/ svc/vol7/iss2/8 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/svc/vol7/iss2/8 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Bronstein: Kaballah and Art This reviews and discussion is available in Studies in Visual Communication: https://repository.upenn.edu/svc/vol7/ iss2/8 Reviews and Discussion 89 to history; his writing, a pathway to a new set of doors into a living , visual history of ideas. Leo Bronstein. Kaballah and Art. Kabbalah and Art is an achievement of Leo Bron Distributed for Brandeis University Press by the stein's maturity. Earlier he had written: University Press of New England, Box 979, Hanover, Maturity is the discovery of childhood 's prophecy. History is N.H. 03755, 1980. 144 pp. , 49 illustrations (one in the discovery of prehistory's prophecy. Freedom or integrity color). $20.00 (cloth). of expression in maturity depends upon the degree of loyalty to this prophecy. [ibid .:ix] Reviewed by Laurin Raiken Kabbalah and Art begins with Leo Bronstein's invit New York University School of the Arts and the Gallatin ing the reader to recognize that our rare meetings with Division "an object of life and creation" are our meeting with friendship. Such an encounter is "the meeting with ...as ibn Latif, the Spanish poet-Kabbalist of the early your spirituality" (p. -
1 I Have Been Reading Several Most Interesting Chapters on the Thinking of Roberto Assagioli, the Father of Transpersonal Psycho
I have been reading several most interesting chapters on the thinking of Roberto Assagioli, the father of Transpersonal Psychology, as related to Kabbalah. These appear in "Opening the Inner Gates: New Paths in Kabbalah and Psychology" edited by Edward Hoffman. One chapter entitled "Psychosynthesis and Kabbalah" is a comparative study between Assagioli's "Egg diagram" and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. It is certainly most interesting with lots of practical information, but it is in another chapter entitled "Jewish Meditation: Healing Ourselves and Our Relationship" that one realizes the influence of Kabbalistic thinking had on Assagioli. Here is a quote for your interest and perusal from that very exciting chapter written by Sheldon Z. Kramer. "The Zohar, a major Kabbalistic text, states that the soul has three strands. These three strands are compared to a candle flame. The first part of the candle flame is located near the wick and reflects a black and blue light that is always changing. This lower light is considered the nefesh, or animal soul. The nefesh may be likened to Sigmund Freud's idea of the id, ego, and superego: it is those parts of the personality that are always in flux, owing to inner or outer reactivity based on internal and external desires. Contained within the animal soul is also a variety of different ego identifications based on early childhood experiences that forms one's personality, such as 'the ambitious one,' 'the procrastinator,' or 'the frightened child.' Located directly above the black and blue light is a steady yellow glow in the center of the flame; this section is called the ruach, the divine wind, breath, or spirit. -
Sceptical Paths Studies and Texts in Scepticism
Sceptical Paths Studies and Texts in Scepticism Edited on behalf of the Maimonides Centre for Advanced Studies by Giuseppe Veltri Managing Editor: Yoav Meyrav Editorial Board Heidrun Eichner, Talya Fishman, Racheli Haliva, Henrik Lagerlund, Reimund Leicht, Stephan Schmid, Carsten Wilke, Irene Zwiep Volume 6 Sceptical Paths Enquiry and Doubt from Antiquity to the Present Edited by Giuseppe Veltri, Racheli Haliva, Stephan Schmid, and Emidio Spinelli The series Studies and Texts in Scepticism is published on behalf of the Maimonides Centre for Advanced Studies ISBN 978-3-11-058960-3 e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-059104-0 e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-059111-8 ISSN 2568-9614 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 Licence. For details go to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Control Number: 2019947115 Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2019 Giuseppe Veltri, Racheli Haliva, Stephan Schmid, Emidio Spinelli, published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston Cover image: Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg, Ms Cod. Levy 115, fol. 158r: Maimonides, More Nevukhim, Beginn von Teil III. Printing & binding: CPI books GmbH, Leck www.degruyter.com Contents Introduction 1 Carlos Lévy Philo of Alexandria vs. Descartes: An Ignored Jewish -
The Passion for Metaphysics in Maimonides' Thought
Dov Schwartz The Passion for Metaphysics in Maimonides’ Thought My concern in this paper is five chapters in Guide of the Perplexed I:31–35. Centring on an educational and didactic issue, this unit deals with the proper approach to the study of metaphysics as manifest in the requirements concerning four aspects: 1. A scientific aspect: preceding the study of metaphysics by the study of other sciences (logic, mathematics, physics, and astronomy). 2. A methodological aspect: preserving proper rules of thought, proceeding cau- tiously and constantly examining the arguments. 3. An ethical aspect: focusing exclusively on the study of these sciences and keeping away from material concerns. 4. A political aspect: concern for the masses – guaranteeing they do not exceed the limited boundaries of their comprehension while ensuring their access to a minimum of metaphysical assumptions. I will argue that, in this unit, Maimonides relies on what he views as an almost uncon- trollable urge to reach the summits of knowledge. I will further argue that Maimo- nides turned the passion for metaphysics into a powerful political and theological factor. The conclusion of the discussion will be that this unit is one of the most con- centrated expressions of Maimonidean rationalism. Several questions recur in discussions about the Guide: Maimonides’ aim in writing the book, his attitude towards science and its connection to revelation on the one hand, and towards biblical exegesis and rabbinic sources on the other. Additional questions touch on the character of the book, the reason for the order of its chapters, its concealment techniques, the identification of esoteric ideas, and so forth. -
Elements of Jewish Meditation
ELEMENTS OF JEWISH MEDITATION Introduction Jewish meditation is an ancient tradition that elevates Jewish thought, inspires Jewish practice, and deepens Jewish prayer. In its initial stages, Jewish meditation is a way to become more focused and aware. It enables the meditator to free the mind of all judgments, fears, doubts, and limiting ideas so that the voice of the soul is heard. With practice, the experience can be transformational, opening us to experience the Divine Presence during prayer, helping us discover deeper meaning in our lives, and connecting us spiritually to Jewish tradition. Jewish meditation can ultimately lead us to understand the true essence of Y-H-V-H through the practice of deeds of loving kindness and joyful compassion. Through meditation we can become attentive to the Divine imprint on our lives. I hope that Jewish meditation will become your practice for the rest of your life. It takes time to develop and refine a meditation practice. In this process it is useful to have a spiritual partner with whom you can explore the wondrous moments and the difficult ones. It is also important to keep a journal, where you write your thoughts down after each meditation and share them with your spiritual partner. Over the years Jewish meditation can lead to great spiritual transformation. What is Jewish Meditation? Jewish meditation is based in Jewish mysticism, a tradition present throughout Jewish history with strong ties to traditional Judaism. Jewish mysticism seeks to answers basic questions of life, such as the nature of God, the meaning of creation, and the existence of good and evil. -
Kabbalah Kabbalah - by the Blessing of G-D H”B with the Knowledge of Heaven D”Sb Contents Everything Belongs to Hashem
Kabbalah Kabbalah - By the blessing of G-d h”b With the knowledge of heaven d”sb Contents Everything belongs to Hashem. }”hl Kabbalah - Title Page Kabbalah Meditation from Torah to Self-improvement to Prophecy ● I. Introduction hawbn la rswm la hrwt }m twnnwbth hlbq ● II. Torah Prophetic Truth and Version - 11/1/2001 Talmudic Dialectic Hermeneutical This work in progress is intended to train one to experience authentic Reality kabbalah. Study the manual by browsing the table of contents, links, ● III. The Written Law and footnotes. Let your spirit be your guide and Ribono Shel Olam (the ❍ A. Torah Master of the World) will reveal what you need to learn next. The work ■ 1. Bereshis -- In the focuses on learning kabbalah through character improvement through Beginning – Genesis the theoretical, meditative, and practical kabbalah. While I have written down some of my own kabbalistic journeys, in the final analysis one ■ a) Parsha Bereshsis must choose his own path and with the blessing of G-d reveal another truth path to the Infinite. ■ b) Parsha Noach This work uses a Hebrew true-type font that should be downloaded and ■ c) Parsha Lech installed on a PC to view the work correctly. To install the Hebrew true L’hah type font: ■ 2. Shemot - Names - Exodus ● Open location heb_tt.zip ● ■ a) Parsha Save the file to a location on your disc Terumah ● Double click on heb_tt.zip and extract files to a directory ● Double click on Install_Hebrew.ttf.vbs ■ 3. Vayikra - And Called - Leviticus ■ 4. Bamidbar - In the Your Hebrew fonts should now be installed. -
Founder of Hasidism: a Quest for the Historical Baal Shem Tov PDF Book
FOUNDER OF HASIDISM: A QUEST FOR THE HISTORICAL BAAL SHEM TOV PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Author Moshe Rosman | 352 pages | 20 Jun 2013 | The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization | 9781906764449 | English | Oxford, United Kingdom Founder of Hasidism: A Quest for the Historical Baal Shem Tov PDF Book All Rights Reserved. Areas of Sabbatian, Frankist, and Beshtian activity, eighteenth century. But the Satan the angel representing the innermost source of darkness became very angry because such a spiritual uplifting was interfering with his work. His teachings imbued the esoteric usage of practical Kabbalah of Baalei Shem into a spiritual movement, Hasidic Judaism. And love every Jew dearly. Some began to run away, and some were frozen in terror. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Other editions. Download as PDF Printable version. It is reported that, after the conclusion of his studies at the local cheder Jewish elementary school , he would often wander into the fields and forests that surrounded the village. A Country in Decline? And so it was! For the next several years he lived with different families, moving from one home to another. The Besht: Magician, Mystic, and Leader. Light from the Archives. Suzan Sunderland marked it as to-read Oct 21, The werewolf appeared to grow larger and larger and then started snorting and pawing the ground. He based this belief on the assumption that the letters of the Torah evolved and descended from a heavenly source, and therefore by contemplating the letters, one can restore them to their spiritual, and divine source. In the bet midrash, the Besht led his circle in kabbalistic rituals, such as adding special prayers kavanot to the normal prayer ritual.