As global cultures have shifted in the past century, traditional conceptions of women in religion are starting to shift as well. Yet these ideas are not entirely new. Although the first Eastern European Jewish school for girls started in 1907, there was a school for Sephardic girls in London that had opened in 1731.
There are a variety of reasons that we may be happy at the exact same moment when someone else is in pain or failing. In the case of this teaching from the Talmud, the angels cheering on the Israelites were happy to see the slavemasters and charioteers of the Egyptian Pharoah drowning in the Sea of Reeds. The failure of the Egyptian army meant the survival of Israelite families. In this new (secular) year let us not rejoice at the downfall of others, but rather let's weep that suffering exists f...
Clothing can be transformative. It can help us connect to our heritage. It can make us feel beautiful. It can take us from feeling down and out and transform us into feeling like we RUN the world! There is a teaching that says the Israelites were worthy of redemption because they stayed true to their heritage and to themselves in three ways: they did not change their names, language, or clothing. How does clothing impact the way that you think or feel?
In this week's torah portion of Vayechi, we conclude the Book of Genesis with a lesson on assertiveness and self-advocacy from Joseph as he gently reprimands his father, Jacob, for giving the correct blessing to the wrong child. What an act of bravery and courage! How rare it is to reprimand an authority figure, a hero, or a loved one!
In this week's parasha of Vayigash, the story of Joseph comes full circle. It starts off with him being hated by his brothers for his over-active imagination and wild dreams. But now, it is these very dreams and his ability to interpret dreams that allows for him to rise through the ranks of the Egyptian court. The quality that others perceive, or even we ourselves perceive, to be our greatest weakness is actually connected to our greatest strength. This week, let's NOT change a thing about ours...
What is the difference between a ceremony and a holiday? In a wedding ceremony, for example, you perform rituals and recite specific words with the intention that you will try your hardest to fulfill them. You are committing yourself to those ideas. A holiday is a celebration of someone else that did the hard work of dedicating themselves to an idea. You are merely applauding their efforts. Let us reflect on the areas of our lives where we are on auto-pilot and where we could use some rededicati...
In this week's Torah portion of Vayishlach, Joseph has a dream of his brothers bowing down to him. This leads them into a furious rage and they sell him to slave traders heading to Egypt. When we have a dream, some may call us crazy or unrealistic. Others may be offended by our big ideas. Yet more often than not, when we stick to our dreams we are transformed by the journey, even if the destination we reach is not the one we had in mind. Meditation at the end of the episode.
In this week's Torah portion of Vayishlach, Jacob has his name changed to Israel - the one who wrestles with God (sar el). The concept of God is a tricky concept. In my experience, I have found two main obstacles for someone having a relationship with G-O-D. The first obstacles are the classical images of God, and the second is the name itself. "To wrestle with, or doubt, God is perhaps the strongest form of faith." - Rabbi Misha Clebaner
In this week's Torah portion of Vayetze, Jacob is exhausted from being on the run from his brother Esau after getting his blessing through deceptive means. He finds himself at a random location, later Jewish thinkers say that it is Jerusalem. The same commentators say that God made the sun set early so that Jacob would stop, rest, and spend the night there. “The better your sleep, the more clearly you can think while awake, and it may enable you to seek help when a problem arises. - Dr Joshi, St...
Step 1, find a red lentil recipe that you like. Step 2, enjoy the soup and the blessings in your life with humility and gratitude. Step 3, pay it forward and share blessings with others.
In this week's Torah portion of Chayei Sarah, we meet Isaac for the very first time since he was nearly sacrificed by his father, Abraham. When we meet Isaac in his state of PTSD, we find him out in the field meditating before the sun is ready to set. Isaac is no longer content to trust his mental (let alone physical) health to other people. Instead, he takes his fate, happiness, and general well being into his own hands (and God's), and sets out to be alone in a field to meditate and center him...
"Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them." What about those that don't run to grab an opportunity or tackle a challenge? It's important to remember that psychologists say that "procrastination is an emotion regulation problem, not a time management problem.”
In the Talmud, it is taught that "everyone has a share in the World To Come except for some, this includes the one who humiliates another in public and one who calls another by a derogatory name." When we are called by our chosen name (or title, or pronouns, or whatever it may be) we are seen for who we really are. When others refuse to call us by this name and we demand it of them, it means we see ourselves for who we are and know that we are worthy of respect and love in all situations.
One of the many best selling books of Rabbi Harold Kushner is called "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" however most people often think it is called "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People". Yet there is no why or why not. Chaos is simply baked into the fabric of the universe. Chaos can be destructive but it can also be creative. Is the reason we come down with an illness or get dumped because we are sinners? Some stories in the Torah say yes - but others say no, chaos is just the natural sta...
Welcome to the new season of the 'Raising Holy Sparks' podcast. This year, we will be focusing on the ideas of Judaism and will strive to take them out of the theoretical and instead turn them into the practical. Dr. Dan Siegel taught 'name it to tame it'. The idea was for people to label emotions to reduce stress and anxiety. An intention that I offer you all: What is a blessing or a challenge that you are going through this week? Name it!
Asking for help is a trait that must be practiced. In the book of Exodus it is Moses' father-in-law that suggests that the Israelite leader create a system of delegates. Yet, in our parsha of Devarim, it is Moses himself that asks for help. Either way, the importance of seeking support reigns supreme.
This week's torah portion is the source of the 3rd paragraph of the Shema/VeAhavta and it instructs us to wear 'tzit-tzit', the fringes at the corners of our garments. How powerful can a ritual to wear fringes be? This uniform custom has been practised by the Jewish people across time and space. While the Shema and the Ve'Ahavta may not be as emotional as other Jewish prayers, it has grounded our people in ritual for thousands of years.
The real focus of the Ten Commandments is not how a 'person' acts; instead, it is about how 'people' respond to one another. The hope is not that we be perfect beings but rather that we be present and engaged ones. Each commandment is an invitation to be a better partner in the relationship. I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
In Hebrew, writing 'in the desert' is spelled using the same four letters as writing 'through the act of speaking'. Both speech and deserts can lead to great confusion. What is the oasis when it comes to communicating our emotions? - Song!
In Exodus the Israelites are commanded to observe Shabbat. In this week's torah portion they are commanded to allow the land to rest every seven years - Shemitah. While there are economic benefits to rest and renewal, there are also many economic fears. Nevertheless, mitzvot are not given based economic impact, rather based on soul impact. Although it is scary or challenging to cease creating, counter-intuitively it is precisely this cessation that creates a new version of ourselves.
The upcoming holiday of Lag B'Omer commemorates the end of a plague that struck the students of Rabbi Akiva. It is said they were struck by plague because of their bitterness and pettiness against one another. This stands in stark contrast to Rabbi Akiva who taught that love of your fellow human is core to what it means to be a Jew. I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
"The Golden Rule".. perhaps the most commonly quoted commandment from the whole of Torah: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself'. When it comes to this principle, due to certain subconscious tendencies, we often lie to ourselves in order to preserve the created version of who we think we really are. But in noticing these obstacles we can truly live out the 'Golden Rule'. I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license....
This week's torah portion Tazria-Metzora discusses the skin malady called 'tzara'at'. Once the sick individual completes their 7-day quarantine, the Cohen then comes to inspect the skin to ensure they have indeed healed completely. Why are the cohanim the ones that check for healing? Where are the doctors? The reason is that the Cohanim are always witnesses to healing of various types. Now that we no longer have cohanim serving the Temple in Jerusalem, who are the new witnesses to healing? Eastm...
This week's torah portion of Shemini (8th Day) tells the story of a new chapter for the Israelites and its priestly system. New beginnings are rarely ever 'entirely' new. Eastminster by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
The Counting of the Omer is a 49 day journey from our Exodus out of Egypt towards receiving the Torah at Mt Sinai. How much Torah we receive depends entirely on how much we free ourselves during these days. Eastminster by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
In the Talmud, Rabbi Perida is asked how he achieved so many blessings and longevity in life. He responds that he never ate his meal until the portions that are designated for the priests to eat are set aside. In short, he understood that to be a healthy person, to have healthy and sustainable communities we must prioritise those that serve the community. Brethren, Arise by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license
Genesis asks us "what does it mean to be a human being". Exodus asks "what does it mean to be a Jew". But Leviticus gives us answers. It is the book of action. During this time of coronavirus, the priority must be immediate action, even if we are filled with uncertainty.
Social distancing and Self Isolation during the time of COVID-19 (coronavirus) is going to be as tough and long as a marathon. At the end of a marathon you run through the tape at the finish line. In this week's torah portion at the end of building of the tabernacle, a special ritual takes place. What will be our formal ritual at the end of this crisis?
In this parsha of Ki Tisa, Moses descends from Mt Sinai after having been in contact with God. His face shined such a radiant light that he needed to wear a veil. What does Moses' revealing and concealing of the light of inspiration teach us about holding on to the glory of yesterday at the expense of moving forward tomorrow.
In this week's torah portion of Tetzaveh we learn of the special outfits that the high priests and regular priests would wear when they served in the mishkan- the tabernacle. This is the same outfit the Jews are buried in after the ritual of tahara.
