Blog Archives

All That Glitters Isn't God (P. Ki Tisa)

2/25/2024

Fresh off liberating miracles and the glory of experiencing the Ten Commandments, our spiritual ancestors freaked out when Moses delayed returning from atop Mount Sinai. To assuage their fears, they had built a Golden Calf and called it the god of their liberation – thereby committing Judaism's original sin. But before we throw stones at such foolishness, let's recall that we too have our Golden Calves that pretend away our anxieties and fears.

An Anatomy of Spiritual Service (P. Tetzaveh)

2/18/2024

When Judaism's most ancient ways no longer seem relevant, usually it's because modern life so fundamentally shifted that their language and symbolism simply don't resonate. If they don't make sense to our modern sensibilities, naturally we discount or dismiss their relevance.

The rituals of installing the Kohein Gadol (High Priest of Israel) are a prime example. The Kohein Gadol's ancient functions no longer affect most moderns, so their symbols seem utterly foreign.

But even a surface gaze into our ancient past reflects back images we might recognize – the head and heart of service, the ground on which we walk, even our very own selves.

On the Move: Building for Mobility (P. Terumah)

2/11/2024

After 18 weekly Torah portions and an incalculably long pre-history, our desert ancestors hear a first call to build a holy place for God. Chapter after chapter of Torah will describe the Mishkan in numbing detail... yet we no longer wander the desert with a relic from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Why is any of this relevant to us today? Because we're still a people on the go. Because we start by giving, we build for mobility, and the Sacred goes where we go.

Learning As We Go (P. Mishpatim)

2/5/2024

There's the infinite, the transcendent, the supernal, the ... well, whatever it is, or whatever we might conjure it to be. And then there's the day to day, the details, the very earthy and earthly lives we lead. Religion and spiritual life (they're not exactly the same) try to bridge the gap between the two... and can leave us grasping for words. Maybe that's part of the point.

All That Glitters Isn't God (P. Ki Tisa)

An Anatomy of Spiritual Service (P. Tetzaveh)

On the Move: Building for Mobility (P. Terumah)

Learning As We Go (P. Mishpatim)

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