The Nature of 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.
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.)
Why YAH/YHWH
The Nature of TorahRabbi Arthur Waskow, 4/14/2004
First, I am glad to enter this discussion of the Name of God — AND, I hope it will not distract people from what I originally wrote about: the intergenerational/ e
The Body in Kabbalah: A Study in the Process of Jewish Renewal
The Nature of TorahDavid Seidenberg
"The Body in Kabbalah: A Study in the Process of Jewish Renewal"
By Rabbi David SeidenbergI would like in this brief article to explore four examples of the Renewal interpretation of Kabbalah, and to compare them to examples found in traditional Kabbalistic texts.
Jewish Renewal has largely based itself on a particular interpretation of Kabbalah, one which is humanistic, egalitarian in terms of gender, and highly accessible. Kabbalah scholars have criticized this interpretation as historically inaccurate. These examples will help us to think about the relationship between Renewal Kabbalah and traditional Kabbalah.
Ahavat Yisrael: Love beyond Reasons
The Nature of TorahRabbi Arthur Waskow
Ahavat Yisrael: Love Beyond Reason
Many discussions of Ahavat Yisrael . the Love of the Jewish People . sweep into one mudd
Breathing Together Words that Aim toward Wisdom
The Nature of TorahRabbi Arthur Waskow
Breathing Together Words that Aim toward Wisdom
By Arthur WaskowThe deepest origins of the word "Torah" in Hebrew seem to be in the vocabulary of archery — just as "chet," usually translated "sin," means "missing
Chosen Peoplehood
The Nature of TorahRabbi Arthur Waskow
WHO HAS CHOSEN US ALONG WITH ALL PEOPLES
If the Jewish people were 'chosen', does this exclude the chosen-ness of all other peoples?
Does that mean if I love my daughter, I cannot love my son? If I love my sister, I cannot
Eytz Chayyim/ The Tree of Life
The Nature of TorahRabbi Arthur Waskow
EYTZ CHAYYIM/THE TREE OF LIFE
"Eytz chayyim" in Proverbs, where the tradition has connected it with Torah, is talking about Chochma, Wisdom. The passage goes:
PROVERBS 3:13-18
13 Happy is the one who finds wisd
Kaddish and Kavvanah: The Blessings over Torah Study
The Nature of TorahRabbi Arthur Waskow
Kaddish and Kavvanah: The Blessings over Torah Study
Arthur Waskow*
What the Rabbis taught about teaching and learning was that all Torah study should begin and end with blessings, just as eating does. Often, in liberal Je
Kaddish de'Rabanan, by Ivan Ickovitz
The Nature of TorahIvan Ickovits
Kaddish de'Rabanan
Teaching by Ivan Ickovit
Some Kavvanot for Kaddish:
It is a recurrent kabbalistic meditative theme to practice yichudim (unions or unifications of the Name), that is to complete or to perfect th
