Mindful Torah...and more

This week's parashah /portion Balak can be found in the book of Bamidbar /Number 22:2-25:9. We read in the fifth chapter of Pirkei Avot  (the Ethics of the Fathers) that there were ten things which God created bein hashmashot - at twilight (literally, between the two suns). Though it does not specify which twilight, the Babylonian Talmud assumes that it is the twilight before the first Shabbat. In other words, these were the last things which God created prior to resting on the first Shabbat.  Each of the things created could be viewed as miracles which superseded the laws of nature in some way. Maimonides stated the reason for this text is to teach us that they were actually not defying the laws of nature. Rather, they were actually part of creation, created by God at that last mystical moment and then pre-programmed to occur or be used at a specific time. Being part of creation Maimonides could claim, in Aristotelean fashion, that the world never changes. The interesting th...

Dear Online Hevra/community, I apologize for posting this so late. I wrote it for this past Shabbat as a response to the recent violence in Baltimore and elsewhere.  I had meant to clean it up a little and post it right after Shabbat, but somehow it took a little longer.   I hope you find this meaningful in the face of recent events. L'shalom, SPN ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This week we read in synagogue a double portion/ parashah  from the Torah called  Acharei Mot/Kedoshim .   Acharei Mot means “after death”. It consists of ethical and ritual laws concerning, sacrifice, Yom Kippur rituals, dietary restrictions and sexual prohibitions. These laws, which were part of creating a new society built on laws and justice, were given “after the death” of Aaron's sons Nadav and Avihu, hence the name of the parashah . The second parashah   is  Kedoshim , which means holiness. ...

Bloggers Note:  This is a VERY lengthy post, as I felt the need to deal with so many different issues which have arisen over the past months.  Please take your time to read it and to respond, privately or on the blog itself, if you would like.  I'm sure you won't agree with everything, but that's not the point is it?    L'shalom/In Peace, Steven _______________________________ I would like to apologize for my lengthy absence from this blog. When last I wrote we were still reading about the sibling rivalry between Jacob and Esau in the middle of the book of Bereshit /Genesis. Now we are in the middle of the book of Shemot /Exodus. This past Shabbat we  read the Parashah /Portion called Yitro (Jethro), which is the name of the High Priest of the nation of Midian who is also the father of Tzipporah, Moses' wife. In this parashah he comes to see Moses (and one would hope, his daughter as well, though the text seems to ignore this....hmmm) for he h...