Those of us who seek a spiritual, more than a cerebral understanding of Judaism, are motivated to touch the eternal and transcendent, rather than just learn yet another understanding of what we see. Solomon Schechter, one of the main sharpers of...
The idea that ultimately, even idolaters connect with G-d on some level, opens the door to possibilities not generally considered, but also to charlatanism. When Mother Teresa died, there were numerous reports of people being healed of serious...
'Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God." (Leviticus 19:31)
Anyone who has grown up in a traditional Jewish home, will remember frequent visits to the cemetery to visit the graves of...
An overriding consideration in all I have written, is the verse:
"Thou shalt be perfect with the L-RD thy G-d." Deuteronomy 18:13)
The word translated as "perfect" (Tamim) can also mean "blameless", as well as "simple". The Torah puts limits on...
When I went into the rabbinate in 1971, placed in a prominent Midwest University, I asked the rabbi who had prepared me for ordination (as a young man, he had studied under the Chafetz Chaim in Radin, and was now a member of the Right Wing Agudath...
So why, in apparent violation of the Biblical commands to "Love the Convert" and "do not oppress the Convert" and the Talmudic admonition not to "lock the door before potential converts" are converts today being dragged over hot coals, and finding...
I have used the term "heresy" in these essays on a number of occasions. If we are to take the tenets and practices of any religion seriously, major deviations must be seen as a threat. In Christianity, for example, there were many wars in Medieval...
The decision to regard the Samaritans as Gentiles, has far reaching implications, not dealt with in the Talmud. Can the rabbis declare a Jew to be a non-Jew? By what authority? Is there any basis in either Tanach or Talmud for "cutting of" a...
I will now do an about face, and explain why the centralization of conversion in one body is a good thing. Yes, I do resent that an unelected body has hijacked the process, rather than leaving conversion standards to the local community and its...
Leaders of societies and religions often are faced with a conflict between making a choice which affirms the rights of people, and upholds justice on the one hand, but which, on the other hand,, might have devastating consequences for the nation....
Reform in some parts of Eastern Europe was mostly outwardly distinguishable from from Orthodoxy by the placement of the readers desk, with prominent rabbis writing responsum after responsum attacking this, declaring the podium of the prayer leader...
While it is true that the Temple had a Court of Women, it is not true that the sexes were completely segregated. Men were allowed in that Court. In fact, the Sanhedrin met in that Court! Men mostly gathered in the Court of Israel, where the altar...
Several people have asked me if I see any hope in the current wave of intolerance in the area of conversion. I am not a very good prognosticator, but my answer is a tentative "yes". I have already written of my admiration for the new movememnt of...
(Unlike my previous parts in this series, this is not based on sources, but on my subjective feelings, as well as things I have witnessed, and history I have studied. My opinions are by no means infallible, and I request no debate. Attempts at...
(Once again, I will entertain no debate on this post)In the Talmud, we have many pro and anti feminist statements. What I found remarkable is the fact that although some rather disparaging remarks about women are made, the rebuttals of some of the...
