25. TZAV
A Sun of Justice with Healing in its Wings
GREEN MENORAH COVENANT (on climate crisis) | 25. TZAV | Interreligious Relations | Oiloholic Uncle Sam & Global Scorching | Pesach[This article, along with Avi Katz' illustration of scorching danger and solar healing, is appearing in the Jerusalem Report as my "word of Torah" concerning the Shabbat of April 4, 2009, just before Passover. For important connections between this article and the Passover and Blessing of the Sun that follows, see the note at the end of this message. – Arthur Waskow]
Jewish tradition assigns the last chapter of the last of the classical prophets – Malachi, who spoke about 2500 years ago -- to be read on the Shabbat just before Passover. Read this year, the passage takes on an uncanny significance for our generation:
Jeremiahs Old & New: Wright & "wrong"
25. TZAV | Interreligious Relations | Spirituality of Justice | The Nature of Torah | What is Jewish Renewal?By Rabbi Arthur Waskow
When you live in a country that for a week has been transfixed by the furious denunciations of America by Pastor Jeremiah Wright and furious denunciations of Pastor Jeremiah by much of America --
-- it is startling to read the original Jeremiah -- especially when his own furious denunciations of his own country are emblazoned for the special sacred Prophetic reading the same week.
(In Jewish tradition, on each Shabbat is read a portion of the Torah [the "Five Books of Moses"] and a Prophetic passage chosen long ago by the rabbis to underline or sometimes confront the message of the Torah portion.)
FREEDOM SEDER FOR THE EARTH: 40th Anniversary!
GREEN MENORAH COVENANT (on climate crisis) | 25. TZAV | Devoting Jewish Holidays to Peace | Environmental Justice | Globalization and Economic Justice | Interreligious Relations | Justice and Race | Oiloholic Uncle Sam & Global Scorching | Pesach | Spirituality of JusticeThe Shalom Center is creating a 40th Anniversary New Interfaith Freedom Seder for the Earth to help us free ourselves from the greatest dangers of our time: What are the Ten Plagues endangering the earth and human life today, and what are the Ten Blessings we ourselves can bring to heal the earth and our own societies?
If you want to take part in a flagship Seder for the Earth in Washington, DC, on March 29, 2009, it is necessary to register by clicking on the Freedom Seder logo on the top right margin of this page. If you want to hold a New Freedom Seder in your own community, please write Rabbi Arthur Waskow at Awaskow@shalomctr.org
