Mindful Torah...and more

Though these tragedies took place millenia ago, they represent not only the destruction of the holiest of sites in Judaism, but the destruction of the community and the death of countless innocent people. The kinah/dirge in Following the first destruction the Jewish people were eventually allowed to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem. However, after the 2nd destruction the Romans made certain that the devastation was so complete it would take a miracle to rebuild their society as it had existed. Luckily, the rabbis of the time were able to rethink, reimagine, and rebuild a new Judaism which did not depend on sacrifices or the presence of a central holy place. This Judaism focused on prayer, study, and acts of kindness instead. This is the Judaism of which we are the inheritors today. As we navigate our way through the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic it is good to remember that eventually we too we be able to rebuild our society and our world. And as our country finally grappl...

This week's parashah /portion is called  Devarim  (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22) . It  is the first portion in the final book of the Torah,   Devarim /Deuteronomy, a book which   consists primarily of three addresses that Moses makes to the people of Israel in preparation for his death and the people's entrance to the Promised Land.  During this initial address, Moses recounts the story from the book of Bamidbar /Numbers of the 12 spies. In the original telling God commanded Moses to appoint one scout from each of the 12 tribes to reconnoiter the land and bring back a report. When they returned, they all agreed that the land was flowing with milk and honey. However, ten of the spies also reported that the people were like giants and that they would not be able to conquer them. Only Joshua and Caleb reminded the people that God was with them, so they will indeed be able to conquer and inhabit the land. Because the people followed the negative report of the ten spies...

I wrote this piece recently in response to what is happening in our country. It has been published online in The Forward, one of the oldest Jewish national publications. However, I needed to edit in on order to fit their guidelines. Below is the unedited version. Though this is not about mindfulness per se , it is regarding an issue of which many reading this blog need to be mindful. As you may have noticed, the heading on the blog page now reads "Mindful Torah...and more."  That is because I want to use this blog as a way to talk not just about my interpretation of Torah and Jewish texts, but about life in general.   All questions and comments are welcome. Shalom/Salaam/Peace, SPN --------------------------------- Proudly Jewish. Proudly Gay. Reluctantly White. For as long as I can remember, being Jewish has been my primary identity. Whether I was at home, in synagogue, or in settings where most of the people around me were Christian, this was always true. I was, am, and...

This week's parashah /portion is Pinchas (Numbers/ Bamidbar 25:10 – 30:1) It begins by mentioning an incident that occurred at the end of last week’s parashah where Pinchas, son of Eleazar the priest and grandson of Aaron slays the Israelite man Zimri and the Midianite woman Cozbi after they enter a tent to have sexual relations. This takes place after the text tells us that the Midianites have led the Israelites into whoring, both in terms of women and also after other gods (especially the Midianite god Baal Peor ). At the start of this week’s parashah we are told that upon killing Zimri and Cozbi the plague that was ravaging the camp ceased. Furthermore, God gives Pinchas a brit shalom/covenant of peace as a result of the slaying of Zimri and Cozbi. Throughout the ages rabbis and scholars have both lauded and criticized Pinchas for being a zealot for his cause (the term used by the Torah). Some believe that he acted justly in the name of God. Others believe that he acted in an ...

This week's parashah /portion is Balak ( Bamidbar /Numbers 22:2-25:9).  In this narrative, Balak, king of Midian, hires the magician Bilaam to curse the Israelites. However, Bilaam tells Balak that he may only utter words provided to him by God.  Three times Bilaam tries to curse the Israelites.  No matter where he stands or what he is ordered to do, he may only utter the words which are placed in his mouth by God.  His final  utterance curse is instead a blessing: “How good are your tents Jacob; your dwellings Oh Israel.” These words are the ones with which the traditional morning service begins every day.      To bless or to curse? That was the question. Balak desperately wanted the Israelites to be cursed. Still, all Bilaam could do was bless the beauty of the Israelite camp. Yet, I wonder  what the camp was really like. Was it all beauty, peace and harmony, as the blessing suggests? Or perhaps, based on the Israelites' history o...