I have chosen three passages from Leviticus 21-24 for comparison with ancient paganism, from internet sources. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Priestly duties, animal sacrifice, blasphemy in ancient societies Read More »
International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
Many people today, Christians, Muslims, and Jews, as well as people of other religions, are convinced that good people go to heaven when they die, while people who acted improperly go to Hell. But the notion that these places exist is pagan and entered Judaism only in the late second temple period, probably round 320 BCE. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Ancient ideas about heaven and hell Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
Perhaps we need this week’s parasha, Emor, more than many other times in our history. With protests for and against seemingly everything, vitriol and bitterness filling the media, contempt and temper raging in many homes, and hostility and acrimony swelling in the political arena, what we can learn from Emor, speaking with love and sensitivity, is vital to our healthy future. And isn’t it interesting that we read Emor during the Omer, words that appear to be the same, but jumbled? Could it be because we stop counting the Omer when we receive the eseret hadibrot, and dibrot, daber, emor, vayomer, ve’armata, are all words connected to speaking, specifically, Hashem speaking to all of us? But just what’s the difference between speaking and…speaking? [Michael R. Mantell, PhD]
A Torah command to speak softly, gently Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell
Rabbi Dov Singer’s Prepare My Prayer: Recipes to Awaken the Soul is one of the best books I have read in recent years on the meaning of Jewish prayer. The author is head of Yeshivat Makor Chaim in Israel and has done considerable work with Israelis showing them how Judaic prayer can facilitate a meaningful spiritual renewal in the worshiper. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Prayer can be Do-It-Yourself Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
During what Hillel of San Diego described as a webcast report from the front lines on Monday, May 4, UC San Diego student Bianca Kermani posed a question to San Diego State University graduate Sheryl Warfield, who is now working as a nurse in the intensive care unit of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. “What flaws have you noticed in the system?” she asked. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Hillel webcast ponders ethics of pandemic Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Wherever you go, whether to the local corner market or to the mall, the all-seeing eye of surveillance monitors virtually every segment of modern life—whether you go to the hospital, or to a school—even the sidewalks. Nobody ever thinks to question its legitimacy; it is a fact of today’s modern technological age. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Has Orwell’s ‘1984’ arrived 36 years later? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiThis past week one article from the Middle East created an uproar of discussion., Sabili Mehdi is the chairman of prophetic medicine society and has over 60,000 followers. In a video, Sabili urges his followers to drink camel urine, but it must be taken “fresh and warm.” [i] [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Ancient camel milk and urine remedy not recommended today Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education
Of the Jewish friends and relatives who have migrated to the land of the Early Bird – southern Florida –few have supplied as many laughs and good feelings as William Rabinowitz, the fictional hero of Jerry Klinger’s book, Boynton Beach Chronicles: Tails of Norman. [Book review by Joel H. Cohen]
Chai-times and humor among Florida’s Jewish retirees Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jerry Klinger, Jewish Religion, Joel H. Cohen, Lifestyles, Trivia, Humor & SatireRabbi Dr. Joshua A. Berman is a brilliant scholar, writer, and speaker. In his new book Ani Maamin, words that mean “I believe,” he answers questions that bothered Bible readers – Jews, Christians, and Muslims – for centuries, and answers them in an interesting, readable, eye-opening, and engaging way. Why was the Bible written? How do we explain the biblical writing style? How do we reply to Bible critics? And much more. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
An excellent revelation of the style of the Torah Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
This week we read a double portion, Acharay Mot / Kiddoshim, which translates as After (the) Death / Be Holy. The first of the two portions picks up the narrative which was discussed two weeks ago in the portion of Shmini – The Eighth (Day). [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A word of Torah: God wants us to be holy Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-RabbiAharot Mot/Kedoshim Leviticus Chapters 16-20 deals with multiple topics including specified rituals for Aaron, notably about a sin offering. It involved a bull plus two he-goats, one for a sacrificial sin offering, the other to be loaded with community sins and sent off to the wilderness. This ceremony is identified with Yom Kippur. [Irv Jacobs, MD]
Ancient practices: scapegoats, charity, hybrids Read More »
International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish ReligionThis week’s double Torah portion, Acharei and Kedoshim, leaps off the scroll with relevance to the pandemic of our times, COVID, or if you prefer, kaf, bet, dalet—the equivalent our English letters, K, V, D, forms the root for the word Kavod. What’s honor have to do with these parshiot? Plenty. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Where’s the Kovid in COVID? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellIn the classic Torah Min Hashamayim Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) masterly tells the methodology of Rabbi Akiva and the difference between him and Rabbi Ishmael. Gordon Tucker translated the work into English as Heavenly Torah: As Refracted Through the Generations. The two Talmudic sages lived around 130 CE and disagreed on how to interpret the Bible. Rabbi Akiva won out, and Rashi, Nachmanides, and most ancient Bible commentators as well as most Midrashim and most rabbinical sermons today follow his view. Others, such as Rashi’s grandson Rashbam, ibn Ezra, and Maimonides interpret the Torah along the lines of Rabbi Ishmael. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Does the Torah speak in divine or human language? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
With prayers, reflections and songs, first from her home synagogue, Chabad of Poway, and later from around the world, Jews memorialized Lori Gilbert Kaye, who was slain one year ago during a gunman’s attack that also wounded Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein and two congregants, Almog Peretz and his elementary-school-aged niece Noya Dahan. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Global memorials for Poway’s Lori Gilbert Kaye Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food