Mindful Torah...and more

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 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...

This is not exactly about mindfulness, but it is about everything that is on all of our minds this week. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- This past week has been a frightening and tragic one for our country. In response to the senseless killing of George Floyd, another African American man who died at the hands of police, protests and riots have erupted throughout our country. This is on top of the devastating effects of Covid-19, which has disproportionately impacted communities of color. Racism is ingrained in the fabric of our country. Peaceful protests have been routinely ignored. And so, as in the past, people have taken to the streets. It is perhaps the only way to be heard by those in power. As the Director of Jewish Student Life at Lehigh, I feel it incumbent upon me to respond to this current crisis in our nation. The Jewish people have been oppressed throughout our history and we are still hated by many. Just see the statistics of the...

I just posted an original poem which drew on the traditional rabbinic midrash/commentary that the Israelites accepted the Torah at Mount Sinai sight unseen, at least in part, because God had lifted the mountain over their heads. The people were told that they had the freedom to accept or reject the Torah. However, if they were to reject the Torah then this place would be their grave.  This midrash makes it clear that, in the ancient rabbinic mind, God knew that the people needed some persuasion, perhaps because they were reluctant to give up any of their freedoms after having been slaves for so long. But with liberty comes rules and responsibility. And responsibility for the greater good of the nation and the world often means relinquishing some of your personal freedoms. Or at least our privileges. I wrote about this in last week’s Torah commentary in response to those who were protesting about giving up some of their privileges, such as being able to go wherever they want and not...

Author's note: Usually my posts deal with the Torah portion or "spiritual matters."  Today I am writing my own thoughts in the aftermath of this weekend's tragedy in Charlottesville.   To me, these matters are indeed spiritual, because they deal with the human spirit and what God desires of us all, as created in the Divine image. Though written from my perspective as a rabbi with a Jewish audience in mind, I know that not all those who will read this are indeed Jewish.  However, much of what I wrote applies to white people, and Americans, in general. I believe the issues I raise are essential if we are going to make any progress in the fight against racism and hatred. I welcome comments, whether you agree or disagree.  All I ask is that they remain civil and respectful.  If they are not, I will not post them. L'shalom u'verakha-with Peace and Blessings, Rabbi Steven Nathan ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Th...

This week's  parashah /portion is the double portion called Matot-Maasei , which brings to a close the book of Bemidbar /Numbers. I will focus on the text of  Matot , in the beginning of the  parashah  we read that if a man makes a vow it is binding on him. However, if a woman makes a vow while still living in her father's house and her father becomes aware of the vow and agrees to its terms, then the vow remains in effect. However, if he does not approve of the vow, then he may render it null and void. The same applies if the woman is married and her husband discovers the vow. If her father or husband do annul her vow, the woman is not to be held as guilty for not fulfilling the vow she has made. However, if her husband agrees to the vow upon discovering it and later changes his mind and annuls the vow, then there is guilt, but it is to be upon the husband's head. Viewing this text through 21st century eyes, it is yet another example of how women had little ...