By Raphael Menko SAN DIEGO — For the past month, I’ve been trying to live more intentionally with the character trait called Menuchat HaNefesh — in English, equanimity. I am following a program called Midda a Month put on by the Mussar Institute, which gives readings and meditations to help channel a specific Midda (character […]
Living With Equanimity Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Rabbi Dovid Sapirman, the author of Tranquility and Travail, is a Haredi rabbi. Many Haredi Jews are very conservative and have more fundamental ideas than other Jews. One of Rabbi Sapirman’s views, which many non-Haredi Jews do accept, is that God is involved with matters here
Why Do Good People Suffer? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. It’s mighty difficult to sing while confined within onerous circumstances. As we read in this week’s parasha, only after we were freed, we were able to recognize Hashem as the God of creation at the Red Sea. Welcome to “Shabbos Shirah — the “Sabbath of Song.” A time to become infused
Parashat Beshalach: Singing for Strength Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. When it comes to mitzvot, we often choose which are more comfortable, which make more sense and ultimately which we will do and not do. But as the Zohar points out, the positive commandments of which there are 248, and the negative commandments of which there are 365, correlate to
Going Beyond Social Graces Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael MantellBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — In each weekly Torah reading, we find insightful and profound lessons for our emotional evolution. This week’s parasha is certainly teeming with weighty psychological education. Often in life we become complacent in our personal station. It may not be particularly beneficial, it may not be what we ideally long
Parashat Bo: Summoning the Effort to Pursue Your Goals Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
The Trial of Cain: A Jewish Courtroom Drama by Rabbi Dr. Dan Ornstein; Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society; © 2021; ISBN: 0827614675; 232 pages; $20.93. By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Rabbi Dan Ornstein’s excellent book, The Trial of Cain: A Jewish Courtroom Drama, reminded me of something I once did with
Rethinking Cain’s Famed Remark, ‘Am I My Brother’s Keeper?’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiOne of the interesting points that Maimonides and Philo of Alexandria agree on in this week’s Torah portion is the role of human freedom and responsibility. Philo routinely pointed out that God is never the source of moral evil in the world—human beings are, and they alone must be responsible for the moral condition of society—whether it be good or bad, harmonious or chaotic. This idea is also one of ancient Stoicism’s greatest moral teachings. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Who’s Responsible for the Evil in the World? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
These prophetic passages, partly poetic but mainly prose, come from the writings of the controversial prophet Ezekiel, known previously to us for hallucinatory flights of fancy. These are dated c. 587 BCE, months before the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Haftorah Reading for January 1, 2022 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish ReligionHow do you manage the pressure of hail in your life? No, not the hail that might fall once every few years in our generally warm San Diego rainy seasons. The hail I’m referring to is that which comes as adversity and misfortune, the type that Pharaoh experienced in this week’s Torah reading. Pharaoh told Moshe after the plague of hail, “I’ve sinned this time and God is righteous and me and my people are wicked.” But as soon as the hail cleared, Pharaoh stepped back from his admission. [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]
Torah Portion for January 1, 2022 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellIn Part One, we mentioned the question why, according to tradition, Judah’s family merited having the messiah come from them and obscurities in the Torah in Genesis 37 and 38. This is a continuation. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
What we don’t know about Judah – Part Two Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionThe unclear stories about Judah are significant because Jewish and Christian theology contend that the messiah will be a descendant of this fourth son of Jacob. What if anything did Judah do to merit this distinction? We will address this question and point out many obscurities in Genesis 37 and 38. We will address other obscurities in chapters 39 and others in the next essay. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
What we don’t know about Judah- Part One Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
Every Sunday of 2022, with the permission of San Diego Jewish World’s new publisher and editor Jacob Kamaras, I will be posting an installment of a new book that I am writing, tentatively titled Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5. [Donald H. Harison]
New Sunday Series Will Probe Jewish Stories Along the Interstate 5 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jacob Kamaras, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USAMaimonides’ understanding of the Book of Exodus ought to have great relevance to people who study the weekly Torah portion. Although he did not write an exposition on this book of the Torah, he writes about it profusely in his Mishneh Torah and his Guide for the Perplexed; the same may be said about his other voluminous writings. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Maimonides on the Morality of Our Choices and Behavior Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
Rabbi Avram Bogopulsky of Beth Jacob Congregation has announced via email that he has “tested positive for Covid-19.” [Beth Jacob Congregation]
Rabbi Bogopulsky Tells of Experiencing ‘Light’ Covid Symptoms Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education