Torah
The Spirituality of the Future by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Addressing global militarism & world empire | Earth | The Nature of Torah | What is Jewish Renewal?Toward a New and Kerygmatic Credo
Zalman M. Schachter Shalomi
Chair of World Wisdom;
The Naropa Institute
Boulder CO.
This essay is a plea for research into the spirituality of the future and invitation for collaboration to bring this about.
Much of my perspective is based on my devotion to the Ribbono shel Olam, the divine Life-Spirit of Gaia. I come from a deeply spiritual Jewish formation in which the values of Tikkun Olam (Healing the planet) and the biblical command of Bal Tash’hit (not to destroy any natural resources) are an essential and constant feature.
In some ways I am on one foot, one of the last Mohicans of pre-holocaust Jewish mysticism and on the other foot I stand on concern with our future. Not only the future of our Jewish people and the continuity of its tradition and lineage but with the global future, our survival as humans on their way to the Great and divinizing metamorphosis.
Copyright information for Heschel passages
Articles in Honor of Abraham Joshua HeschelAll material by Abraham Joshua Heschel in tbis section of the Website is under copyright by Dr. Susannah Heschel and is reprinted here with permission. For permission to reprint any of this material, consult with Dr. Heschel at Dartmouth University.
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.)
New Book: "The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope & Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims"
Israeli-Palestinian Collision | Abrahamic Celebrations: Jewish, Christian, & Muslim Connections | B'RESHIT/ GENESIS | Interreligious Relations | Peace of Abraham, Hagar, & Sarah: Sacred Seasons, Fall 2006-07 | Rosh HaShanah | War, Peace, & the Jewish Community | Yom KippurDear Friends,
In 2004, as religious animosities worsened around the globe, I joined with Sister Joan Chittister, a world-renowned Benedictine nun, and Murshid Saadi Shakur Chisti (Neil Douglas-Klotz), a Muslim Sufi who has written a remarkable series of books on Aramaic, Gnostic, and Sufi spirituality --
-- to write a book called THE TENT OF ABRAHAM: STORIES OF HOPE AND PEACE FOR JEWS, CHRISTIANS, & MUSLIMS.
We sent the manuscript to Karen Armstrong. She was so excited by the book that she wrote a Preface for it.
It was (June 2006) published by Beacon Press and won an enthusiastic "Starred Review" from the Library Journal. That review and others are below.
STRANGE FIRE, ALL-CONSUMING COMMITMENT
26. SHEMINIBy Rabbi Phyllis Berman
The traditional synagogue reading from the Torah for Shabbat Shemini includes the passage in which two sons of the High Priest, Aaron, bring "strange fire" as an offering to God, and are consumed in an instant as if they had become the burnt offering. (Lev. 10)
Though most traditional commentators focus on what Nadav and Abihu did "wrong" in offering "strange fire" that caused them to be consumed, I go in a completely different direction.
I think about "strange", that which is unfamiliar or unknown, like a "stranger" or an idea before it's become popular. I think about how innovators -- in science, in spirituality, in music and art, in loving -- are ahead of their time, inspired by and absorbed by that which most others might consider "strange". I think about how, especially when one is creative, one can become totally consumed by the creative process.
Praying with Lior: A Prayer For Christmas
PrayerBy Timothy Shriver
Washington Post, December 25, 2007; Page A25
This Christmas, one might be forgiven for praying for the second coming of Jesus rather than for the joy to celebrate his initial appearance 20 centuries ago. Taking the long view of history, you could argue that we have collectively proved how inadequate we are in fulfilling the Bethlehem announcement of peace and justice. While we celebrate the mystery of God's coming in human form, can't we also pray for an expedited return?
That type of prayer would give many Christians common ground with our Jewish brothers and sisters during a season when we otherwise seem to part ways. We both want the Messiah to come; is it such a big deal whether we want Him for the first or the second time?
The Prophetic Green Menorah
GREEN MENORAH COVENANT (on climate crisis) | 19. TERUMA | 22. VA'YYAK'HEYL | 36. BEHA'ALOTEKHA | Hanukkah | Oiloholic Uncle Sam & Global ScorchingBy Rabbi Arthur Waskow *
On Shabbat Hanukkah, we read the passage from the Prophet Zechariah that envisions the future Great Menorah, taking its sacred place in a rebuilt Holy Temple after the Babylonian Captivity. (We read the same Haftarah for Shabbat Behaalotekha.)
Zechariah, in visionary, prophetic style, goes beyond the Torah's description of the original Menorah (literally, a Light-bearer). That Menorah was planned as part of the portable Shrine, the Mishkan, in the Wilderness.
First Zechariah describes the Menorah of the future that he sees: "All of gold, with a bowl on its top, seven lamps, and seven pipes leading to the seven lamps." It sounds like the original bearer of the sacred Light. But then he adds a new detail: "By it are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and one on the left." (4: 2-3)
GOD SAID TO NOAH: An Old/ New Song to Avert a New Flood
GREEN MENORAH COVENANT (on climate crisis) | 2. NOAH | Oiloholic Uncle Sam & Global ScorchingGOD SAID TO NOAH*
Melody and some words, traditional; remainder by Rabbi Arthur Waskow *
* Copyright (c) 2007 by Rabbi Arthur Waskow. All rights reserved.
God said to Noah, The earth's getting hotter, hotter,
God said to Noah, The earth's getting hotter, hotter,
Yet she is My (clap) beloved daughter, daughter -
Children of the Lord.
CHORUS: Rise and shine and give God the glory glory
Rise and shine and give God the glory glory
Rise and shine and (clap!) give God the glory glory
Children of the Lord!
People are making My air too smoky, smoky
People are making My air too smoky, smoky
Hanukkah, Oil, & the Green Menorah: Talking Points for Sermons and Op-Ed Pieces
GREEN MENORAH COVENANT (on climate crisis) | 36. BEHA'ALOTEKHA | Hanukkah | Oiloholic Uncle Sam & Global ScorchingBy Rabbi Jeff Sultar & The Shalom Center's Green Menorah Covenant Campaign
(215) 438-2983 Greenmenorah@shalomctr.org
During Hanukkah, we celebrate the use of one day’s worth of oil to meet 8 days’ needs. Hanukkah can be seen, then, as the festival that has the most to teach and inspire us about energy use.
And it couldn’t come at a better time:
• We are living in the beginning stages of a global climate crisis caused by human activity.
• Senators Joseph Lieberman and John Warner are right now putting forth a bill, the “America’s Climate Security Act,” which is the first piece of legislation with the realistic potential to begin addressing the global climate crisis, though it also needs to be strengthened.
When Abraham Sees God in Oak Trees
4. VA'YEIRA | EarthWhen Abraham Sees God in Oak Trees
Dear Friends,
The Torah portion Vayeira (Gen. 18:1 through 22: 24) itakes its name" from its first word. This word is usually translated "appeared," but it comes from the root for "see," and the same root appears in a different form right afterwards.
The second word is "YHWH." That is usually translated "the Lord," but since this sacred unpronounceable Name with no vowels can only be "pronounced" by breathing --- "Yyyyhhhhwwwwhhhh" - I translate it as "the Breath of Life" or "the Wind/ Breath/ Spirit of the world."
The first sentence says "YHWH brought-about-being-SEEN to [Abraham] in [b'] the oaks of Mamre."
