Right now, we are in a time of seeking, and there is good reason to yearn for the Qadosh Barukh Hu, El ʿElyon, thirsting for Jehovah the living God, to find our way through the darkness. Those who have tasted the Bore and got that personal relationship with Him, have found that nothing else can satisfy their souls but Him.
As we gain new experiences and learn every day so does the confrontation of reading the Torah every year again from beginning to end, which makes us discover each time some new things, making us grow in our Bible knowledge.
A last day of Sukkot, a seven-day festival ending with an eight day. Finishing and beginning again of Torah reading
You don’t need a religion to do soul management, but having a sacred calendar certainly helps. Far from being an endless list of tasks, the Torah itself is a blueprint for management.Judaism, and especially Leviticus, wants us to build a civilization that prioritizes the parts of us that make us most human – our fragility, [...]
With one foot in a world where there is no room for the Elohim and with the other foot where one is searching for the Kingdom of Peace offered by the Creator, one must dare to make the right decision in a world where individualism and consumerism are paramount.
After not being deliberately separated from everyone else, we may look forward to times that we shall be allowed again to gather, finding again some precious time to feel a unity to worship the Elohim.
After a time when isolation seemed to be the priority, we as human beings will now have to make the choice whether we want to bond with others in the community before the Most High.
During the long months when we could not meet in the shul and were assigned to celebrate all the Feasts of Hashem in our own little living room among house-mates, it became clear how important the meetings are for the community, to keep them alive but also to give them enough spiritual food to grow.
Now that the lockdown periods seem to be over, let us not be deterred by the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, but let that also be one of the reasons to come together now more than ever, for prayer and reflection, looking forward to a time when our people will enjoy an everlasting peace under Hashem’s blessings.
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Related
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- Dystopian Reality
- “We all had friends and relatives who tragically died from Covid” – Lichfield MP
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- When is TOO much isolation a problem?
- The world is crashing
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- ‘NSW’s COVID close contact rule change is the good news I wasn’t expecting’
- Close Contacts No Longer Have to Isolate in NSW and VIC Under New COVID-19 Rules
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- The trauma of war and the war of trauma in family life.
- The Invisible Community
- Feeling Connected
- The World of the Generous
- Going back to shul
We humans live with one foot firmly in the physical world, and yet we have an inexplicable urge to dip a toe in the spiritual world. However strong or tentative that impulse may be, we all have our moments when we long to transcend our physical being and soar. Where to? That’s the mystery.
Today I shared a moment with a woman whom I had only just met. It was time for her to take the last step in her conversion to Judaism, and I had the privilege of walking into the Gulf of Mexico with her while she prepared to submerge three times.
The Gulf is a beautiful place to use as a mikvah. It is living waters, mayim chayyim, as required of a mikvah, but instead of being surrounded by the walls of a building we were surrounded by sand and sky, white clouds and soft breezes. …
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One of the main reasons why Jeshuaists, of which there are also several of Ashkenazi or Germanic origin (from West and Central Europe plus some from Scandinavia), are allowed to marry someone of non-Ashkenazi Jewish descent or even non-Jewish descent is simply to ensure that there is no ‘inbreeding‘ and the family can be kept healthy.
Jeshuaists namely believe the Elohim has made us His people, but we have to protect ourselves that people also, by taking care that no genetic disease can come into existence by ourselves mixing with our own blood.
We do believe that from a genetic point of view, it’s good if a person reproduces with someone from a different group, and as such can create a stronger being than by weakening the group staying in the same family. Our kehillot or Jewish communities do not have enough people to make a healthy connection with others. Our ties (and genes) are too much connected, and therefore we should allow our kids to have relationships with non-Jews or non-Jeshuaists.
Neurologists are inherently interested in psychosis, not least because too much dopamine in the form of L-DOPA can trigger it. I’ve always found it remarkable that dopamine blocking agents (phenothiazines, and most antipsychotics) can attack psychotic thought itself. This is much more impressive to me than the ability of other drugs (alcohol, coffee, marijuana, cocaine) to affect mood.
So it’s always worthwhile to read another paper about the genetics of schizophrenia, a very hereditary disease. All the risk factors we’ve found by GWAS (Genome Wide Association Studies) account for at most of 1/3 of genetic risk in schizophrenia. For details please see https://luysii.wordpress.com/2014/08/24/tolstoy-rides-again-schizophrenia/.
So I was interested in another crack at finding more genetic causes of schizophrenia [ Neuron 109, 1465–1478, May 5, 2021 ]. As often happens, the most interesting thing in the paper was something totally tangential to my original interest in it.
Here it is — ”…
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Under the auspices of the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center, Forward Editor-in-Chief, Jodi Rudoren moderated a spirited debate on the aspects of my previous posting. The hot topic was part of a panel discussion with Bret Stephens of The Times, and Peter Beinart of Jewish Currents, at The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center. In this video underneath [...]
“1 Look, a day is coming for ADONAI when your plunder, (Yerushalayim), will be divided right there within you. 2 “For I will gather all the nations against Yerushalayim for war. The city will be taken, the houses will be rifled, the women will be raped, and half the city will go into exile; but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.” 3 Then ADONAI will go out and fight against those nations, fighting as on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies to the east of Yerushalayim; and the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, to make a huge valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5 You will flee to the valley in the mountains, for the valley in the mountains will reach to Atzel. You will flee, just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of ‘Uziyah king of Y’hudah.
Then ADONAI my God will come to you with all the holy ones. 6 On that day, there will be neither bright light nor thick darkness; 7 and one day, known to ADONAI, will be neither day nor night, although by evening there will be light.8 On that day, fresh water will flow out from Yerushalayim, half toward the eastern sea and half toward the western sea, both summer and winter. 9 Then ADONAI will be king over the whole world. On that day ADONAI will be the only one, and his name will be the only name. 10 All the land will be made like the ‘Aravah, from Geva to Rimmon in the Negev. Yerushalayim will be raised up and inhabited where she is, from Binyamin’s Gate to the place where the earlier gate stood, and on to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hanan’el to the king’s winepresses. 11 People will live there, the curse will be broken, and Yerushalayim will live in safety. 12 ADONAI will strike all the peoples who made war against Yerushalayim with a plague in which their flesh rots away while they are standing on their feet, their eyes rot away in their sockets, and their tongues rot away in their mouths. 13 When that day comes, there will be among them great panic, sent by ADONAI, so that everyone lays hands on his neighbor, who in turn attacks him. 14 Y’hudah too will fight against Yerushalayim; and the wealth of all the nations will be assembled—gold, silver and clothing in great abundance. 15 A plague like this plague will also affect the horses, mules, camels, donkeys and all the other animals in those camps.
16 Finally, everyone remaining from all the nations that came to attack Yerushalayim will go up every year to worship the king, ADONAI-Tzva’ot, and to keep the festival of Sukkot. 17 If any of the families of the earth does not go up to Yerushalayim to worship the king, ADONAI-Tzva’ot, no rain will fall on them. 18 If the family of Egypt doesn’t go up, if they refuse to come, they will have no (annual) overflow (from the Nile); moreover, there will be the plague with which ADONAI will strike the nations that don’t go up to keep the festival of Sukkot. 19 This will be Egypt’s punishment and the punishment of all the nations that don’t go up to keep the festival of Sukkot. 20 When that day comes, this will be written on the bells worn by the horses: “Consecrated to ADONAI”;and the cooking pots in the house of ADONAI will be (as holy) as the sprinkling bowls before the altar. 21 Yes, every cooking pot in Yerushalayim and Y’hudah will be consecrated to ADONAI-Tzva’ot. Everyone who offers sacrifices will come, take them and use them to stew the meat. When that day comes, there will no longer be merchants in the house of ADONAI-Tzva’ot.” (Zec 14:1-21 CJB)
Torah portion: Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44; Numbers 29:12-16
Although the Torah reading for the second day of Sukkot is the same as the first day, the haftorah is different. The haftorah for the first day of Sukkot (Zechariah 14:1-21) concerns the events leading up to the Final Redemption of Israel, and the beginning of the Messianic Kingdom. All of the peoples who are left on the face of the earth, after the Battle at Har Megiddo, will be required to send a delegation every year to Jerusalem, during Sukkot, in order to bring offerings for H’Shem. As is written, “All who survive of all those nations that came up against Jerusalem shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to the King L’RD of Hosts and to observe the Feast of Booths” (Zechariah 14:16, JPS 1985 Tanach).
Haftorah: 1 Kings 8:2-21
“Now when the kohanim came out of…
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41 You are to observe it as a feast to Adonai seven days in the year; it is a permanent regulation, generation after generation; keep it in the seventh month.
42 You are to live in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Isra’el is to live in a sukkah, 43 so that generation after generation of you will know that I made the people of Isra’el live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am Adonai your God.’”
{Leviticus 23:41-43 CJB}
Today is the 14th day of the (revised) Hebrew calendar and the day I set up the sukkah for the Feast of Tabernacles/ Sukkot here in Tennessee. I say “revised” because, a few days ago I realized (finally) that we have been a month late all year, even missing Yom Kippur/ Day of Atonement 😥; the most crucial day of Yah’s calendar. But we are back on track.
You may have seen photos of sukkahs in Israel, or perhaps even seen them in person, but sukkahs in Tennessee are a bit different. You see, often in Tennessee during Sukkot it will rain as it has been today and an open topped sukkah would hardly do. Tent camping is a necessity. Tent camping for seven great days!
Technically…
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Released a few days in advance of Rosh Hashono, the discourse begins with the verse from the prophet Yeshaya: “On that day a great shofar will be sounded, and the ones who are lost in the land of Ashur and the ones who are pushed away in the land of Mitzrayim, will come and prostrate themselves to Hashem on the Holy Mountain in Yerushalayim.”
The Rebbe asks a few questions on this verse: What is special about a “great shofar”? Why does it say that the shofar “will be sounded” without specifying who will be sounding it — it seems as though it will be sounded on its own?
The shofar here is explained in spiritual terms: the cry of the innermost point in the heart which is above intellect. This cry draws down the corresponding level from Above, meaning the Supernal Will which transcends the level of Chochma (usually…
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Analysis of Torah without Hitbodedut/relationship is idolatry. Our brains need to be surrendered to Hashem. He should be guiding our brains. The Torah is to be used as His voice speaking to us, a way to know Him more, not as object to be analysed, disected, picked appart by self effort, which is the yetzer [...]
This eight-day holiday, commemorating a miraculous win in a battle fought against a powerful enemy of the Jewish people, brings us several reasons to have a feast within the family. Eating is also part of sharing, enjoying the gifts the Hashem provides for us.
The Sages did not establish that we hold festive meals during Chanukah, for the holiday of Chanukah represents the oral Torah whose length and breadth are vast and can only be acquired through limiting one’s eating and drinking. But eating and drinking whilst talking about God’s miracles is also a way of expressing gratitude for everything the Hashem provides for us.
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To remember:
- On Chanukah > Jewish nation’s faith in oral Torah strengthened <= they saw that Heaven agreed with the rulings of the Sages of the Talmud. > according to Torah law, non-Jews cannot defile oil; however would share the status of a Jew who has become impure who defiles oil immediately upon touching it.
- According to the writer of the article: oral Torah whose length + breadth are vast => can only be acquired through limiting one’s eating and drinking.
- Our Sages taught us in the Gemara in Tractate Shabbat (23a) that the mitzvah of the Chanukah candles is performed through the lighting of the candles and if the candles are extinguished, one is not obligated to rekindle them. This means that the main Mitzvah is through lighting Chanukah candles which will innately have the ability to burn for half an hour. Therefore, if the candles were extinguished due to a cause non-existent at the time the candles were lit, for instance, if the door or window were opened suddenly and a gust of wind blew out the flames, one is exempt from rekindling the flames. Even so, it is an extra special Mitzvah to relight any candle (without a blessing) that has been extinguished if it is still within a half hour of being lit. {Lighting the Chanukah Candles}
- When lighting Chanukah candles, one should be certain to put in enough oil so that they will remain lit for at least half an hour from the initial lighting time. Similarly, if one is using wax candles, care should be taken that they should be long enough to burn for at least half an hour after the appropriate candle-lighting time which is when stars appear in the sky. There are some multi-colored candles on the market made especially for small Menorahs which do not last for half an hour; one should abstain from using such candles. On Friday afternoon when Chanukah candles are lit earlier than usual, more oil should be added, as will be explained, G-d-willing, in a following Halacha. {Lighting the Chanukah Candles}
The Days of Chanukah- Days of Faith
As opposed to the other holidays and festivals which were already existent since Hashem gave the Torah to the Jewish nation, the holidays of Purim and Chanukah were brought about through two wicked men, Haman and Antiochus.
Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes that Purim and Chanukah have resulted in tremendous things for the Jewish nation, for on Purim, the Jewish nation reaffirmed their commitment to the oral Torah lovingly. On Chanukah, the Jewish nation’s faith in the oral Torah was strengthened, for they saw that Heaven agreed with the rulings of the Sages of the Talmud. Indeed, according to Torah law, non-Jews cannot defile oil; however, our Sages decreed that a non-Jew would share the status of a Jew who has become impure who defiles oil immediately upon touching it. Thus, all of the impurity related to the oils in the Bet…
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For four months CoViD-19 has brought many people in chains and because of lockdowns unable to go to their regular prayer-meetings.
Some believers wonder if they can meet up with worthy prayer only at home. Some need to be convinced or given advice on how to make sure to have a worthy service for the Elohim, even when in a closed private or personal space like the living room.
Those who went on to their balcony for singing out loud, and got the police at their door, avoid such public witnessing now. Many of our and other congregations still think on certain days we cannot make use of electronic tools like television and computers, and as such cannot take part in our weekly e-streaming. It would be nice if some other solution could be found for those to give them still a feeling of unitedness and gathering in prayer.
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To remember
- all experienced a number of sweeping changes to our lives > financial, logisitical, medical > one overarching difference in our now normal routines = blurring of any boundaries that we once took for granted.
- locations between wor/school + home = same.
- we once entered the synagogue to pray, reflect, read Torah, say Kaddish
- routinely took online classes or even home schooled their kids > no one ever thought congregational life would be possible without actually gathering as a congregation.
- praying as individuals at home = omitting communal prayers like Kaddish.
- Can one experience the same connection – the same kavannah — at home as when in the sanctuary?
- experience in being a congregant or participant on the Facebook Live screen or Zoom
- once awkward task of leading prayer into a computer screen
- Shabbat services or Zoom minyan > do you set aside a dedicated space at home that you know is your worship spot? Or sit with your laptop anywhere that’s convenient?
- How much of the service has become passive for you?
- Do you make services a family experience?
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Preceding
In a time when we must remain in our place
Even in Corona time You are called on to have the seder
Israel celebrates Purim amid Coronavirus outbreak – ILTV Israel news – Mar. 9, 2020
2020 A Passover seder meeting limited to members of the family
Thinking about the happiness by the Torah reading
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Additional reading
- The offspring from a tortured generation finding the Word of God again
- Social Distanced but Spiritually Close
- Turning Your Home into a Sacred Space
- Hineni for our Virtual Services
- Voor het eerst in jaren weer een Pesach in isolatie
- Isolatietijd vrij te nemen voor jezelf
- Opdracht niet na laten om over de belangrijke Uittocht te praten
- Oplossingen gezocht voor Joodse dienstvoorziening
- Ontnomen van een gebedshuis #1 Doodveroorzakers
- Ontnomen van een gebedshuis #2 In de greep van een coronavirus
- 9 Av 2020 en Dagen van droefheid
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Related
Over the last few months, we’ve all experienced a number of sweeping changes to our lives–some financial, some logisitical, some medical–but the one overarching difference in our now normal routines is the blurring of any boundaries that we once took for granted.
We used to make a separation between work and home. Now those locations are the same.
We used to make a separation between going to school and being in the house. That too is no longer the case.
And even more than those examples–we once entered the synagogue to pray, reflect, read Torah, say Kaddish, and shmooze over black and white cookies. While some people had already worked from home before all this started, and others routinely took online classes or even home schooled their kids–pretty much no one ever thought that congregational life would be possible without, you know, actually gathering as a congregation. Sure, some people…
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Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Courtesy of MeaningfulLife.com Eight hundred years ago, Maimonides wrote to his translator, Rabbi Shmuel ibn Tibbon: “One who wishes to translate from one language to another by rendering each word literally and adhering to the original order of words and sentences . . . will end up with a translation that [...]
Immanuel Verbondskind - עמנואל קאָווענאַנט קינד 