The last three verses of parshat Behar[1] present two profound and exciting ideas: how to serve God, and that such service is the only path to, and expression of, freedom. At the end of this d’var torah,[2] I’ll share a midrashic translation of those three verses that speaks to that interpretation. But first, some background. […]
Bringing God into the world, making the whole world holy (Behar) Read More »
The annual cycle of Torah readings is traditionally split into 54 portions, as well as special readings for Festivals and Fasts. Here’s what I’ve written (and sometimes composed) in relation to some of those readings. 7 Vayeitzei Jacob’s ladder – dreaming awake (Jacob #1) Jacob and Lavan – learning to make a good ending (Jacob
Parshot – Divrei Torah Read More »
<< Previous post in the Jacob series: #3 Wrestling at Yabbok – doing the inner work There are four episodes close together in Jacob’s life that can tell us something about the nature of his—and our—spiritual journey. I’ve been reading—and writing about—these four episodes through the lens of Four-Worlds consciousness, as taught in kabbalah: Assiyah,
Jacob meets Esau – putting God at the centre (Jacob #4) Read More »
<< Previous post in the Jacob series: #2 Jacob and Lavan – learning to make a good ending Coming soon. >> Next in the Jacob series: #4 Jacob meets Esau – putting God at the centre
Wrestling at Yabbok – doing the inner work (Jacob #3) Read More »
<< Previous post in the Jacob series: #1 Jacob’s ladder – dreaming awake Running away is not a solution In my commentary on the ladder dream (Jacob #1), we’ve seen Jacob go through an important spiritual transformation using Four-Worlds consciousness. But that’s not the end of his spiritual journey, only one stage in it. Jacob’s spiritual
Jacob and Lavan – learning to make a good ending (Jacob #2) Read More »
The ‘Jacob series’ There are four episodes close together in Jacob’s life that can tell us something about his—and our—spiritual journey. The awakening that Jacob experiences in his ‘ladder dream’ (the subject of this post) fortifies him for his challenging face-off with Lavan (Jacob #2), which helps prepare him for the inner work he will
Jacob’s ladder – dreaming awake (Jacob #1) Read More »
The Sages asked how, although Moses wrote the whole Torah, he could have written the final 8 verses after his death (Bava Batra 15a). R’ Avraham David of Buczacz (18th century) suggested a solution to this problem by saying that the final verses of Deuteronomy we can read now were constructed mystically from the same
Moses – an imagined alternative ending Read More »
There’s a Talmudic teaching that, as a condition of being born, every creature has to consent to God to accept the form it is being given, and the life that will ensue from that. Following on from that, here is my reading of the first two verses of Ki Tavo (Deut. 26:1-2). “Now it shall
Being deployed by God – Ki Tavo Read More »
Last Saturday, I turned 60. That means that, if I’d had a bar mitzvah at 13, it would have been in 1977, and Tzav would have been my portion. At that age, I think I would have felt very hard done by to get this parsha, with its exhausting minutiae on sacrifices: what flour and
All are honoured, no one goes without (Tzav) Read More »
Introduction before leyning Chapter 15 of Exodus Today is Shabbat Shirah—the shabbat of song, because it’s the week when we read Shirat Hayam—the Song of the Sea, the story of when the Israelites escaped through the miraculously parted sea, while behind them, Pharoah, his army, and their horses drowned. Moses and Miriam led the Israelites
Beshallach 5784 – God of now Read More »