RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:FENUGREEK,DATES+CURRY ON ROSH HASHANA:JEWISH SPIRITUALITY

 RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:FENUGREEK,DATES+CURRY ON ROSH HASHANA:JEWISH SPIRITUALITY

Jewish Spiritual Renewal:Shabbat and Rosh ha Shana:9/18-20/09:Torah,TaNaK,Talmud: Ethical and Spiritual Views

 

Shalom my dear Talmidim, Chaverim and Rabbanim:

 

This class is for the Shabbat of 9/19, which includes Erev Rosh ha Shana which falls on Erev Shabbat, and the first day of Rosh ha Shana which falls on Shabbat day, and the second day of Rosh ha Shana on Sunday the 20th of September 9/21.

 

While this class is not meant to be one of Halakah, the shofar is not sounded this year on Erev Rosh ha Shana, or the first day of Rosh ha Shana, in honor of Shabbat. And remember the Torah doesn't call this Rosh ha Shana. This is a Talmudic interpretation. The Torah calls this day , in Numbers 29:1 "It shall be a day of sounding the shofar.'' i.e. Yom Teruah. The shofar reminds us of the shofar blown at Mt Sinai for the revelation of Torah. We are reminded each year, if not in our daily prayers, to make Torah our own. It is no longer in the Heavens, the Torah itself teaches in Deut. 30:12.  It was given to we humans.

 

We sound the shofar to remind us that God created us and the Earth. He is our Sovereign King, and we always need to be reminded "in front of Whom we stand.'' The shofar reminds us of the Akeidah, the binding of Isaac, who was saved from his human father's knife wielding hand, by his Divine Father. And we are reminded of the time the shofar will be sounded to herald the Messianic age.

 

Some  Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 17A, "It does not matter whether you pray a lot or a little. What counts is that you direct your heart to Heaven.''

 

The Rabbis of the Talmud, right in the very first Tractate, Beracoth, written in Exile, Galut, were concerned, not with blind ritual, but with kavenah, spiritual intention. They stated that it is better to pray from the heart in your own language, then mumble Hebrew prayers in which you do not know the meaning. This is not to say that they didn't wish us to learn Hebrew and the prayers that they struggled to write. But that they wanted us to assign meaning and spirituality to our Avodah sheba-Lev , Service of the Heart. (Talmud Bavli Tractate Ta'anit 2a).

 

With this is mind, allow me to give some hints on making Rosh Ha Shana services this year more meaningful for you.

 

Take your time when praying. Concentrate on one prayer. Don't worry if you are not on the same page with every one else. The concept of everyone being on the same page is new to Judaism, and not part of  Rabbinic Talmudic Judaism. Learning how to really pray and meditate is covered in chapters 8 and 9 of (001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal.

 

Review the prayers from the Holy Day Machzor you will be saying. Read the commentaries at the bottom. While the traditional prayer books have these, the new Reform prayer books now have these as well. Write in your own words what prayers you really want to say to God, from your heart, with kavenah, and take them with you to Synagogue.

 

As we just taught, its fine to do the prayers in your own language. Since this class has Talmidim from all over the world, your language may not be English. Ellen and I have been blessed to travel to over 150 nations, and we have never seen a modern sidur, except in Israel, where there is not a translation, in the country's vernacular, side by side with the Hebrew.

 

Don't let modern synagogues with many folks attending, who only come once a year, become a social 'see and be seen'' event for you. The only one you need to ''impress'' is God. And God loves you unconditionally. Do not allow yourself to judge others (not today or other days). They may not be at the level of knowledge and spirituality that you are. If they act cliquish and exclusive and don't invite you to their private Holiday parties, stay humble and consider it  a blessing from God. Pray for them, as they are missing  a wonderful life of a Judaism, that is loving, full of chesed and ahavah, and inclusiveness. But do not condemn or judge. Or even worse, be resentful. As we have learned, you do not need to have someone in your head who is not paying rent.

 

Some Talmud Bavli Tractate Rosh Hashanah 17a, "Whose sins does He forgive? The sins of one who overlooks an injustice committed against him."

 

Some Talmud Bavli Tractate Sotah 14a, "R. Simlai learned, "The Torah begins and ends with loving kindness." He is referring to how God clothed the naked Adam and Eve, and how God buried the family-less and basically homeless, Moses. 

 

Some more Talmud Bavli Tractate Sukkoth 96 : R. Eleazar said "Loving kindness is greater than charity, as it is said (Hosea 10:12), `Sow for yourselves with charity and reap with loving kindness.' " "Loving kindness is greater than charity in three ways: Charity is performed with one's wealth, and loving kindness with one's body; charity is given to the poor, and loving kindness to rich and poor alike; charity is given only to the living, and loving kindness to the living and the dead alike."  We can give all the money we wish and have our names put in large letters on synagogue walls, but if we treat just one other person, without love and kindness, it is all for naught and only to stroke our egos.

 

Remember that Rosh ha Shana is not really the "Jewish" new year. The day is the day that according to our sages, Adam and Eve were born on the 6th Day of Creation. Its the Holiday celebrating the birth of Humankind. Remember that true Talmudic Judaism is pluralistic. While we had Moses as our prophet, all other people's have prophets of equal stature, and hence have equal but different paths to God, regardless by what name they call Him.

 

Further, Judaism understands that God is infinite, His Torah is infinite, and hence the ways to Him are infinite. The rabbis in the Talmud, on the very first page, argued on what time one was to say the Shema. It was only in the 16th Century, when Judaism became a ritual religion of specific do's and don'ts, with Karo's Shulkan Aruch.

 

So this is a good time of year to ask God to rid you of condemnation of Jews in other sects, rabbis thinking they have the only way and Semikha, because they went to one specific school, while other rabbis learned traditionally, or vice versa. Ask God to rid us ill feelings to other religious groups as well, especially those being demonized in the press. It was only 70 years ago, when we Jews were demonized in the press with cartoons of us with big noses, and grubby hands stealing the purses of   ''innocent Aryans.''

 

Review your Chesbon ha Nefesh and Vidui and how to do a real Tashlich ceremony (see chapters 4,5,6 in (001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal) to truly grow in www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org . Make Tashlich real by not just reciting a list of communal sins, but with kavenah,  knowing what your defects of character are, and ask, beg, God to rid them from you.

 

Come to synagogue with God's love enveloping you. Let your tallit be symbolically made of Teflon and not Velcro. Give that love to all, even those Jews that treat you without kindness. Remember as we have taught, it is not about us. Those who hate or cannot give God's love, have a spiritual illness. Return their detraction with love.

 

Great everyone with a blessing. To a male: L'Shana Tova Tikoteiv v'Teichoteim l'alter , l'Chaim Tovim u le Shalom. To a female: just add an 'i' to both Tikoteiv  and  Teichoteim (Tikoteivi v Teichoteimi). L'shana tova , happy new year, is not enough of  a blessing. We all say this on December 31st at Midnight. But wishing that someone merit to be inscribed and sealed into the Book of Life for 5770 is a beracha.

 

Some  Talmud Bavli Tractate Bava Kama 30a, "R. Yehudah said, `If one wishes to be righteous fulfill  the laws of Benedictions' (i.e those laws governing the relationship between man and his Master). Others say, `Let him fulfill the laws of Damages' (i.e. those laws governing the relationship between man and his neighbor). And others say, `Let him fulfill the laws of Ethics' " (which comprise both categories).

 

Some Talmud Bavli Tractate  Horiyot 12a : ''At the start of each new year, one should eat gourds, fenugreek, leeks, beets and dates.'' Now fenugreek is one of the active ingredients of Indian curry. Remember the northern part of India was part of Persia (read the Book of Esther), and Jews have been in India for 2500 years. While the word in Latin means 'Greek hay,' other language's literal translation is 'ram's horn clover.' Seeds have been found in what is now Iraq, that date back to 4000 BCE.

 

The Hebrew name for dates is t'marim, which is derived from the Hebrew word ' to eliminate.' While dates have this effect on our Gastro - Intestinal system, the spiritual significance is to remind us to work on eliminating our defects of character that keep us from God and more importantly from each other.

 

Dip an apple in honey. The Hebrew word for honey is Dvash. Its Kabbalistic Gemetria is 306, and this is same Gemetria equivalent of "Av ha Rachamim," "Our Merciful Father.''  Pray for a sweet year.

 

We eat fish because they always keep their eyes open, as we need to do, keeping guard over our Yetzer ha Ra. We can put a head of a fish, [or some use sheep heads...yummy], on our table, to remind us to be leaders (rosh) of our yetzer tov and not tails (followers) of our yetzer ha ra. And we eat pomegranates so that our mitzvoth that we do, can be as numerous as the seeds in this fruit.

 

We need to have an active faith. Judaism without social action is like a wedding without the bride and groom. We need to stop asking 'Where was or is God?,' but instead ask "Where were we?" For a Jew, believing in God, means believing in Humankind. And we must believe that the Earth is not to be abandoned.

 

In a conversation on the phone, which was a delight, with Rebbe Gershon Steinberg-Caudill, a fellow Rabbanim and a fellow talmid and chaver in this class, we discussed the true translation of God's name.

Moses asks God his name and He says: ''aheyah asher eheyeh.'' Many bibles translate this as 'I am what I am,'' or "I am that is Who I am,'' or even "I am the One Who is." The true translation is: 'I will be what I will be." (Try not to confuse this with Popeye the Sailor who says "I yam what I yam.'')

 

Just as God grew in the TaNaK and even more so in our Talmud and Midrash, Judaism is about spiritual growth. It is about us ''becoming.'' The month of Elul, and the Ten days of Tishrei, from Rosh Ha Shana to Yom Kippur, are all about www.JewishRenewal.info . As Rabbi Hillel says in Talmud Bavli Tractate Pirkei Avot, if we do not increase, we decrease. For a Jew or any person of spirituality, resting on our laurels, is not an option.  We do not stagnate or stay in some holding pattern, if we do not increase, we actually decrease in our spirituality. We move backwards.

 

Believing in and having hope in future is not one of our 613 mitzvoth. But it is built into the entire framework of Judaism. Adam and Eve , whose birthdays we celebrate on Rosh ha Shana, had free will. When they goofed up, God gave them boundaries, but they had hope. They had children...Abel, Cain, Seth, and some daughters if we take the story literally. Judaism does not relegate humankind to a living Gehena. The Greek creation story, has man,(actually half divine) steals the knowledge of fire from the gods and gives it to humankind. He (Prometheus ) is punished with eternal torture. There is no teshuvah or tikvah for Prometheus.  Even worse, the first woman, Pandora is created and sent to Earth with an urn she is not to open. She, like Eve with the apply, disobeys the gods, opens the box, and lets every type of pain and trouble to humankind. What remains in her urn is Hope. To the pagan Greeks, Hope is wishful thinking. Humans have no power to change themselves or their environment . Judaism's hope is based on the fact that we can change and we can do fix what is wrong in our world.

 

In August 2008 120 scientists, at The Conference on Risks to the Earth,  gathered to discuss our planetary emergency. In the tradition of Judaism, they concluded: ''The daunting nature of the problems did not seem to blunt our experts' determination to look for answers.'' Dr. Richard Wilson, a Harvard University physicist said to a reporter :'' What option do I have? I could go to Hilton Head Island, take a little club and knock a little ball around the course, but I do not find that a very attractive thought.'' And I (R' Segal), live on Hilton Head Island, SC.

 

In summation my Rosh Ha Shana wish is for us all to be kind and loving to one another, and to our Earth. It are these mitzvoth that will merit us to be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life. Remember, it is our freedom of choice and our actions that does the inscribing and the sealing and let us live a life of shalom, shlema , integration, with ourselves and with our fellows and the earth.

 

L'Shana Tova Tikoteiv[i] v'Teichoteim[i] l'alter , l'Chaim Tovim u le Shalom

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
 

 

Rosh Hashanah

Selected Readings:

Genesis 21:1-34

1 Samuel 1:1-2:10

Numbers 29:1-6

Genesis 22:1-24

Jeremiah 31:1-19

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

Happy New Year! La Shana Tova!

"We Can't Return, We Can Only Look, Behind from Where We Came"

On many Jewish holidays there are special sections of parashot read to help us remember themes of the holidays. The theme of God's mercy and kindness is woven throughout these special readings. Genesis 21 tells of Sarah, a 90-year old woman, giving birth to Isaac. It also tells of Hagar and Ishmael being expelled by Abraham at his wife's insistence. God rescues them in the desert. Genesis 22 tells of the binding of Isaac, Abraham's faith in God, and God's rescue of Isaac. The reading in Samuel tells of Hannah who is childless, prays to God for intervention, and gives birth to Samuel. The section of Jeremiah tells of God rescuing Israel from her captivity and restoring her greatness. Lastly, the verses from Numbers tell of the rules for a holy convocation from which our sages derive the laws and customs of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Numbers 29:01-05 reads, "In the seventh month, on the first day of this month, there shall be a holy convocation for you and you shall not do laborious work. It shall be a day of shofar-sounding for you. You shall make an elevation offering...one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs in their first year, unblemished. And their meal offering...one male of the goats for a sin offering to provide you atonement." There is a similar law given in Leviticus 23:23-26. Does this sound like our Rosh Hashanah celebration today?

We are commanded to celebrate an unnamed festival on the first day of the seventh month. No details are offered. The seventh month is later called Tishrei. The Jewish first month is Nissan, in which we celebrate Passover. Pesach is our national new year, as we were liberated from slavery then.

We are to refrain from work and to make sacrifices on this first day of the seventh month. This is no different than any other holiday. The difference is that we are commanded to blow the ram's horn. The verse in Leviticus says we are to blow the shofar with loud blasts. A verse in Numbers says it is a day when the shofar will be sounded. No other explanations are given.

The words "Rosh Hashanah" first appear in the Talmud in Tractate Rosh Hashanah 1A. The rabbis teach that we have four new years. The one in Tishrei was designated for calculating the years for foreign kings, as well as for counting the Sabbatical and Jubilee years. It was also a time for planting trees and vegetables. We also are told that on this day, "all who come into the world pass before God like legions of soldiers." Some translations say, "like a flock of sheep." The rabbis say that this means that God passes judgment on all humans on this day.

Rosh Hashanah's significance is tied to the Holy Day of Yom Kippur. This is the day we make expiation for our sins (Lev. 23:28). The rabbis extended Yom Kippur's reach back to the first day of the month of Elul. The rabbis decreed in the Talmud that the shofar be sounded a month before Rosh Hashanah to aid us in our annual process of self-evaluation and Jewish Spiritual Renewal. Eventually, Tishrei replaced Nissan as the first month. This comes out of a debate the sages had that is recorded on this tractate's folios 10B and 11A. It has to do with the precise time the world was created. Rabbi Joshua claims that the world was created on the first of Nissan. Rabbi Eliezer says it was the first of Tishrei. The rabbis agree with rabbi Eliezer. This is why after the three shofar blasts, we say, "Today the world came into being."

The rabbis made Rosh Hashanah into a time of universal renewal. They want us to be reminded that we can bring order into our chaotic lives. We can say good-bye to the old and welcome in the new. A traditional blessing is, "May the year and its curses end, may the year and its blessings begin." Just as the Sabbath does to weeks, Rosh Hashanah does to years.

We ask that we can be written into God's Book of Life. We do this writing, not God. The scripts of our lives are written by each of us individually. Rosh Hashanah is a time to take stock of ourselves and put our bad habits and our old selves into God's Book of Death. As rabbi Neil Gilman writes, "we say good-bye to our old selves and hello to our new ones." This is why the Talmudic rabbis took these six verses and turned them into a large Tractate of the Talmud.

Traditionally, Jews welcome the first of the month with a special prayer for the new moon. Rosh Hashanah always falls, as per the law in Numbers, on the new moon of Tishrei. Yet no new moon prayer is said. The rabbis say that this is "in order to confuse Satan." The sages say that Satan is waiting for Rosh Hashanah in order to speak ill of us before God. The rabbis decree that if we do not say the new month prayers, Satan may not know it is Rosh Hashanah and could miss his chance. The day before Rosh Hashanah the rabbis decree to be "hattarat nederim." This is a release from all vows that one may have made but has forgotten about. Grave sites are also visited at this time. It is a time for charitable giving. The rabbis decree that giving to charity helps absolve one from past sins.

Tractate Rosh Hashanah continues on 16B: "All are judged on Rosh Hashanah and the verdict is sealed on Yom Kippur." Rabbi Kruspedia says, "Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah: one for the utterly wicked, one for the perfectly righteous, and one for the intermediates. The perfectly righteous are straightaway inscribed and sealed for life; the wicked are straightaway inscribed and sealed for death; the intermediates are suspended and wait from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur. If they merit, they are inscribed for life; if not - they are inscribed for death." In Leviticus 16:30, Yom Kippur was the day when "atonement be made for you to cleanse you, from all of your sins you shall be clean before the Lord." The rabbis made Rosh Hashanah into a day of reflection, repentance, and judgment. The Midrash says that "the gates of repentance (renewal) are always open," yet the Talmud alludes to certain hopeless evil people who have no hope of forgiveness.

It also talks of purely righteous people. The rabbis decide that both categories rarely exist, and that humans fall into the third, intermediate category. As rabbi Ismar Schorsch writes, Rosh Hashanah is called Yom Hazikaron, a day of remembrance. It is a time for us to accurately remember our past year. We are to judge our own actions and to find a correct direction. It is a time to right any wrongs that we have not yet corrected. It is a time for introspection, tephila (self-judging), repentance, and teshuvah (returning, spiritual renewal).

Maimonides, of 12^th century Spain, writes, "The merit of penitents is higher than that of the perfectly righteous, because the former have struggled harder to subdue their passions." In the Talmud, rabbi Abahu says that a person who has sinned and stopped is of a higher religious order than one who has never known sin. He says, "In the spot where penitents stand, there is no room for the perfectly righteous." Rabbi Yochanan disagrees, but the sages agree with rabbi Abahu. The sages write in Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 17A, "It does not matter whether you pray a lot or a little. What counts is that you direct your heart to Heaven."

They further posit, "Whether we succeed in observing a lot or a little, what counts is that our heart be solely directed toward God." The Talmud is clear that it is the purity of our intention in relating world around us and to others that is important, and not the mechanical or obsessive doing of ritual minutia.

As the old year closes and the new one opens, many of us search for answers. We pray to God to "feel for us, pity us, embrace us with mercy, restore us, don't forsake us, don't abandon us and to answer us." We read of Hannah's and Sarah's pleas for children being answered. We see Isaac being rescued from sacrifice. We hear the promises of Jeremiah promising our nation salvation, which may seem trite now to some American Jews, but provide words of comfort to so many of us who have not been so abundantly blessed. We also read of Hagar, lost, thirsty and hungry in the desert, after being expelled from Abraham's camp. God hears the cries of her son, Ishmael, and "opens her eyes and she saw a well of water" (Gen. 21:19). The well had always been there. Hagar just could not see it. God opened her eyes so she could see the answer. Many of us are too oblivious to the wells of change and salvation that lie within our reach. We really can change our lives if we find ourselves in a rut. It is hard, but it is possible. We have to want to see that we can do it.

Real teshuvah, turning our lives around, does not come from a spring of divine grace. It comes from pure human effort. As Spiritual Jews, we know that we will receive forgiveness from God by asking, but we must make teshuvah to those humans we have harmed. Even the Talmud says that the consequences of our actions can be mitigated, but not erased or reversed. We can learn from them and not do them again, but also not wallow in our past sins.

The rabbis say, "penitence, prayer and good deeds can annul the severity of the decree," but do no more. We as people must fix the hurt we have caused others and ourselves. Judaism does not believe we are "captives on a carrousel of time." We do not have to let ourselves be caught going "round and round in the circle game" repeating our same destructive behaviors. We can break free and change via Jewish Spiritual Renewal. This is how we can assure ourselves that on Rosh Hashanah we will be inscribed in our books of our lives, and on Yom Kippur we will seal it. Amen!

Chag Someach,

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

Member Temple Oseh Shalom:

Is Joy and Happiness Still Possible in Times Like These?

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In His New Book:

THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal brings Judaism back to its roots for the millions of modern Jews who have become disenchanted with "normative" Judaism. In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, Segal reveals how Judaism leads you up the path to a happy, fulfilling life. And he casts aside the long, boring sermons and tedious litany of rules and regulations in favor of plain English, humor, and life examples that we can all relate to. Click Here to Order

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"The Handbook To Jewish Spiritual Renewal by Rabbi Arthur Segal has given me the foundation to approach each day with honesty, reverence, hope and gratitude. I feel like I am having a personal conversation with a wise prophet with a jovial sense of humor." 

Diane Weinberg,
Washington, D.C.

---

Shalom.

My name is Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal, and in my years of rabbinic counseling I've met an awful lot of fellow Jews who are short on faith that Judaism can deliver the happiness and joy that it promises, especially in these turbulant times.

Their emotions run the gamut: sadness, loneliness, bitterness; fearfulness of what the future holds for them. Some are just downright cynical and angry.

I've been there myself; stuck with a feeling of, "Is this all there is?"

But I found the way out.

That's why I became a rabbi after retiring from my dental practice; to help others up the path to a life of joy and freedom that I couldn't find in "normative" Judaism.

I want to show you that path today.

"You lead the spiritual practices of the entire program and offer our followers a unique spiritual opportunity." 

Hune Margulies, Ph.D.
Founder, Martin Buber Institute

Reclaim Your Spirituality...And Your Life

Click to Order

THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal distills millennia of sage advice into a step-by-step process to reclaim your Judaism and your spirituality in a concise easy-to-read and easy-to-follow manner. If you find yourself wishing for the strength to sustain you through the ups and downs of life; if you want to learn how to live life to its fullest without angst, worry, low self-esteem or fear; or if you wish that your relationships with family, friends and co-workers were based on love and service and free of ego, arguments, resentments and feelings of being unloved...this book is for you. Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge

In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I distill teachings from our sages that have been passed along for thousands of years, along with lessons from the Torah and the Talmud.

But unlike other Jewish spiritual texts that you may have read, or sermons you may have heard, this book presents these lessons in a concise, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow life transformation process that you can follow step-by-step at your own pace.

And it is written in plain English with relevance to the modern world. I even threw in a few jokes to make it fun!

This is stuff we were not taught in Hebrew school or in most synagogues, but it is what Judaism is really all about. 

"Wonderful stuff! I'm savoring it, bit by bit." 

Samuel Hughes, Senior Editor
The Pennsylvania Gazette
University of Pennsylvania

In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, you will learn:

• That "normative" Judaism as you have known it throughout your life is not really Judaism at all, why it may leave you uninspired, and how spiritual renewal will help you recapture that inspiration (Chapter 1).
  
  
• That your ego is your own worst enemy, and how to win the battle against it (Chapter 2).
  
  
• How to stop struggling for control over things you cannot control, and be happier because of it (Chapter 3).
  
  
• How spiritual renewal conquers the fears and character flaws that are holding you back in life (Chapters 4 and 5).
  
  
• To actually get rid of your character flaws forever (Chapter 6).
  
  
• How to turn negative relationships in your life positive (Chapter 7).
  
  
• How simple it is to make prayer a regular part of your days...without going back to Hebrew school (Chapter 8).
  
  
• How to to find peace of mind through meditation (Chapter 9).
  
  
• How to simplify life's toughest decisions (Chapter 10).
  
  
• How spiritual renewal transforms you into the best individual you can be, and how to stay on track (Chapter 11).
  
  
• How to celebrate the Sabbath and the Jewish Holidays with meaning (Chapters 12 and 13).
  
  
• How to live with happiness, joy, and freedom every day of your life (Chapter 14).

Click Image to Enlarge

THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order

A Question for You

Let me ask you a question: Are you enjoying life like the people in the cartoon at the top of this letter?

Or, do you spend your days worrying about the economy...

...in conflict with friends, family, and co-workers...

...stressed out about the future?

If the latter sounds like you I'm not surprised. As I said earlier, I counsel many fellow Jews who are in the same boat, and they look to their Jewish faith to find a happier life.

However...

Some have trouble understanding what they read in the Torah and how it relates to their own lives.

Others find that their synagogues are more about social climbing and fundraising and less about spiritual awakening.

Many simply give up, believing that Judaism has failed them, and they walk away from their Jewish faith. 

In my book, The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I will show you that true Judaism has not failed them...or you...and that you can return to your Jewish faith and enjoy your life to its fullest, even when the news of the day keeps going from bad to worse.

"I couldn't have written the book or expressed my pain and concern for the Jewish people returning to Judaism. Thank God that He put this desire in your heart."

Janelle Vechi
California

It's simpler than you may think, and you don't have to become a rabbi as I did.

To give you an idea what I am talking about, here is an excerpt from The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew:

We become so far removed from God, our loving Sovereign Parent, that when we pray, (if we pray at all), we pray to meet an immediate need. We desire an immediate fix, rather than to seek renewal (return) and the wisdom to work toward renewal. We are satisfied for a moment if our trivial need is met. We therefore never achieve happiness in the long term. We are constantly searching and striving for our secular notions of success and happiness. While in this all-too-common state our egos "lock horns" with the egos of others, putting us in a sustained state of human conflict and resentment.

 

This is not the Jewish way to live; but most of us cannot find the way out. In this book, I will give a map to the tools of the process in simple terms and in language easily understood, to turn your life around to a much more pleasant state. If you follow the map faithfully and honestly, you will find that the journey is life-changing and life-affirming.

"Nice Rabbi Segal! Thank you! Peace."

Deepak Chopra's Intent.com

What Would You Say Something Like This is Worth?

Think about it…

The teachings of the Torah and the Talmud all distilled into an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-follow step-by-step process that will help you:

• Overcome the challenges that life throws at you every day
  
• Stop letting ego, resentment, and other conflict strain your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers

• Get the angst and worry out of your life
  
• Eliminate low self-esteem from your life
  
• Overcome your fear of failure and other fears

I know it sounds priceless and in reality…it is. But I sincerely want to share what has helped me and countless others with you.

In other words, I want to show you the path to the happy and joyous life that your were meant to live. So I want you to have The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew for only $19.99.

"The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal is an invaluable resource for anyone who is searching for more in their life. I was involved with organized Jewish religion, but something was always missing. Using this guide, and taking each chapter to heart, has transformed my views and put me on the track my life is supposed to be on,  filled with love, trust and emunah (faith). Thanks Rabbi Segal!"

Ben Pincus
Houston, TX

Like I said, I've been where you are: in a life missing spirituality; seemingly unable to cope with life's difficulties; and unable to find peace and inner shalom. 

But I found it and now I want to share with you the path that I have found and passed on to others with consistent success.

It took me many years of work and study, and rabbinic ordination. But it didn't have to. And it doesn't have to for you. You can travel the same path that I did, but you can do it in only 254 pages!

We are living in a historically turbulent time. Economic uncertainty, political corruption, threats of aggression, and religious conflict are everywhere. I know that I would find it difficult to find comfort without the peace and inner shalom that I have found through Jewish Spiritual Renewal.

Please join me now.
Start your journey UP the path of Jewish Spiritual Renewal so that it may bring the same joy, happiness, freedom and shalom that I now enjoy into your own life!

 

Click Here to Order

Many Blessings,
Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal

 

P.S.  Another thing that I've noticed over the years in my Rabbinic Counseling is that many modern Jews are not as familiar with the Torah and the Talmud as they might be. 

They find it difficult to understand and interpret in a way that makes sense and has relevance to their lives in the modern world. 

This is quite often the root cause of the kind of spiritual disconnection that I described earlier.

So, as a companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I have also written:

Click to Order

A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us. This companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of the Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to go and study. The rest is commentary. This compendium clarifies the commentary and allows one to study Torah and Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. A must read for all Jews and deserves a place in every Jewish home. Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge

"Very informative and timely. It allows many people to benefit from Torah lessons, where many of them may not otherwise have an opportunity receive such content."

Mauricio Benzipporah
Founder, Beta-Gershom Organization

A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to interpret its lessons.

"Shalom. What a blessing your insights have given me. I am interested in reading more of your writings of Talmud. I find it difficult to find good Talmudic readings. Excellent work, Rabbi!"

Rabbi Daniel Ben Shmuel

A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew.

All of Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to ''go and study.'' The rest is commentary. 

A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud clarifies the commentary and allows one to study the Torah and the Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. 

It is a must read for those seeking Jewish Spiritual Renewal and is the ideal complement to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew.

Here is an excerpt from A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud:

Since each parasha is the weekly Torah portion, you may read each of the chapters in the book during the course of a week while also reading the actual Torah portion. By doing so, you will learn a modern Jewish Spiritual view of each Torah portion. At the same time, your world will be open to the ethical teachings of the Talmud.

 

While many read the Torah as a history book, or a deed to land, or see it as a boring book full of legalisms and ritual for a priesthood that no longer exists, this book aims to show you the spiritual ethical lessons in each parasha. In a sense this book will hopefully help you enjoy reading and understanding the Five Books of Moses, what we call Chumash from the Hebrew word for "five." You may even discover that you want to continue your study with the Talmud and other Jewish texts.

"...most insightful (Torah) essay I could find was written by Rabbi Arthur Segal."

Leslie Palma-Simoncek
Staten Island Advance

Complete your journey UP the path to Jewish Spiritual Renewal with a better understanding of the Torah's lessons through A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud for only $24.99...

...certainly a small amount to pay for the priceless wisdom contained within the Torah and the Talmud.

You can purchase each book individually, but if you purchase them together as a set, I will donate a portion of the sales price in your name to a tzadakkah of your choice, such as your synagogue. Think of it as your first act of loving kindness in your spiritually renewed life!

 

 

Click Here to Order

 

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Click Image to Enlarge

THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order

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Click Image to Enlarge

A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order

 

About Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal

Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal's love of Judaism and his Ahavath Israel led him on his personal quest for Jewish Spiritual Renewal, beginning his studies after retirement from a successful oral medicine practice. Rabbi Segal graduated cum laude with BA and DMD degrees, Specialty, and Post-Doctoral studies in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in the 1970s. He is an author in these chosen fields as well.

Rabbi Segal teaches classes on Jewish Spiritual Renewal and The Spiritual and Ethical Teachings of the Torah, TaNaK and Talmud via the Shamash online program. He teaches Torah, Talmud, and other great texts, such as Duties of the Heart by Ibn Pakudah of 1050 C.E. Spain, to adults in his hometown. Rabbi Dr. Segal does rabbinic counseling using the step-by-step process of Jewish Spiritual Renewal to help his fellow Jews achieve a spiritual life.

 

 

Click Here to Order

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©2009 Dr. Arthur Segal, P.A. d/b/a Rabbi Arthur Segal 

Page header image is courtesy of Steve Greenberg (greenberg-art.com)

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RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:feel for us,pity us,embrace us with mercy,restore us

 

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:feel for us,pity us,embrace us with mercy,restore us

 

Jewish Spiritual Renewal:Shabbat and Rosh ha Shana:9/18-20/09:Torah,TaNaK,Talmud: Ethical and Spiritual Views

 

Shalom my dear Talmidim, Chaverim and Rabbanim:

 

This class is for the Shabbat of 9/19, which includes Erev Rosh ha Shana which falls on Erev Shabbat, and the first day of Rosh ha Shana which falls on Shabbat day, and the second day of Rosh ha Shana on Sunday the 20th of September 9/21.

 

While this class is not meant to be one of Halakah, the shofar is not sounded this year on Erev Rosh ha Shana, or the first day of Rosh ha Shana, in honor of Shabbat. And remember the Torah doesn't call this Rosh ha Shana. This is a Talmudic interpretation. The Torah calls this day , in Numbers 29:1 "It shall be a day of sounding the shofar.'' i.e. Yom Teruah. The shofar reminds us of the shofar blown at Mt Sinai for the revelation of Torah. We are reminded each year, if not in our daily prayers, to make Torah our own. It is no longer in the Heavens, the Torah itself teaches in Deut. 30:12.  It was given to we humans.

 

We sound the shofar to remind us that God created us and the Earth. He is our Sovereign King, and we always need to be reminded "in front of Whom we stand.'' The shofar reminds us of the Akeidah, the binding of Isaac, who was saved from his human father's knife wielding hand, by his Divine Father. And we are reminded of the time the shofar will be sounded to herald the Messianic age.

 

Some  Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 17A, "It does not matter whether you pray a lot or a little. What counts is that you direct your heart to Heaven.''

 

The Rabbis of the Talmud, right in the very first Tractate, Beracoth, written in Exile, Galut, were concerned, not with blind ritual, but with kavenah, spiritual intention. They stated that it is better to pray from the heart in your own language, then mumble Hebrew prayers in which you do not know the meaning. This is not to say that they didn't wish us to learn Hebrew and the prayers that they struggled to write. But that they wanted us to assign meaning and spirituality to our Avodah sheba-Lev , Service of the Heart. (Talmud Bavli Tractate Ta'anit 2a).

 

With this is mind, allow me to give some hints on making Rosh Ha Shana services this year more meaningful for you.

 

Take your time when praying. Concentrate on one prayer. Don't worry if you are not on the same page with every one else. The concept of everyone being on the same page is new to Judaism, and not part of  Rabbinic Talmudic Judaism. Learning how to really pray and meditate is covered in chapters 8 and 9 of (001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal.

 

Review the prayers from the Holy Day Machzor you will be saying. Read the commentaries at the bottom. While the traditional prayer books have these, the new Reform prayer books now have these as well. Write in your own words what prayers you really want to say to God, from your heart, with kavenah, and take them with you to Synagogue.

 

As we just taught, its fine to do the prayers in your own language. Since this class has Talmidim from all over the world, your language may not be English. Ellen and I have been blessed to travel to over 150 nations, and we have never seen a modern sidur, except in Israel, where there is not a translation, in the country's vernacular, side by side with the Hebrew.

 

Don't let modern synagogues with many folks attending, who only come once a year, become a social 'see and be seen'' event for you. The only one you need to ''impress'' is God. And God loves you unconditionally. Do not allow yourself to judge others (not today or other days). They may not be at the level of knowledge and spirituality that you are. If they act cliquish and exclusive and don't invite you to their private Holiday parties, stay humble and consider it  a blessing from God. Pray for them, as they are missing  a wonderful life of a Judaism, that is loving, full of chesed and ahavah, and inclusiveness. But do not condemn or judge. Or even worse, be resentful. As we have learned, you do not need to have someone in your head who is not paying rent.

 

Some Talmud Bavli Tractate Rosh Hashanah 17a, "Whose sins does He forgive? The sins of one who overlooks an injustice committed against him."

 

Some Talmud Bavli Tractate Sotah 14a, "R. Simlai learned, "The Torah begins and ends with loving kindness." He is referring to how God clothed the naked Adam and Eve, and how God buried the family-less and basically homeless, Moses. 

 

Some more Talmud Bavli Tractate Sukkoth 96 : R. Eleazar said "Loving kindness is greater than charity, as it is said (Hosea 10:12), `Sow for yourselves with charity and reap with loving kindness.' " "Loving kindness is greater than charity in three ways: Charity is performed with one's wealth, and loving kindness with one's body; charity is given to the poor, and loving kindness to rich and poor alike; charity is given only to the living, and loving kindness to the living and the dead alike."  We can give all the money we wish and have our names put in large letters on synagogue walls, but if we treat just one other person, without love and kindness, it is all for naught and only to stroke our egos.

 

Remember that Rosh ha Shana is not really the "Jewish" new year. The day is the day that according to our sages, Adam and Eve were born on the 6th Day of Creation. Its the Holiday celebrating the birth of Humankind. Remember that true Talmudic Judaism is pluralistic. While we had Moses as our prophet, all other people's have prophets of equal stature, and hence have equal but different paths to God, regardless by what name they call Him.

 

Further, Judaism understands that God is infinite, His Torah is infinite, and hence the ways to Him are infinite. The rabbis in the Talmud, on the very first page, argued on what time one was to say the Shema. It was only in the 16th Century, when Judaism became a ritual religion of specific do's and don'ts, with Karo's Shulkan Aruch.

 

So this is a good time of year to ask God to rid you of condemnation of Jews in other sects, rabbis thinking they have the only way and Semikha, because they went to one specific school, while other rabbis learned traditionally, or vice versa. Ask God to rid us ill feelings to other religious groups as well, especially those being demonized in the press. It was only 70 years ago, when we Jews were demonized in the press with cartoons of us with big noses, and grubby hands stealing the purses of   ''innocent Aryans.''

 

Review your Chesbon ha Nefesh and Vidui and how to do a real Tashlich ceremony (see chapters 4,5,6 in (001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal) to truly grow in www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org . Make Tashlich real by not just reciting a list of communal sins, but with kavenah,  knowing what your defects of character are, and ask, beg, God to rid them from you.

 

Come to synagogue with God's love enveloping you. Let your tallit be symbolically made of Teflon and not Velcro. Give that love to all, even those Jews that treat you without kindness. Remember as we have taught, it is not about us. Those who hate or cannot give God's love, have a spiritual illness. Return their detraction with love.

 

Great everyone with a blessing. To a male: L'Shana Tova Tikoteiv v'Teichoteim l'alter , l'Chaim Tovim u le Shalom. To a female: just add an 'i' to both Tikoteiv  and  Teichoteim (Tikoteivi v Teichoteimi). L'shana tova , happy new year, is not enough of  a blessing. We all say this on December 31st at Midnight. But wishing that someone merit to be inscribed and sealed into the Book of Life for 5770 is a beracha.

 

Some  Talmud Bavli Tractate Bava Kama 30a, "R. Yehudah said, `If one wishes to be righteous fulfill  the laws of Benedictions' (i.e those laws governing the relationship between man and his Master). Others say, `Let him fulfill the laws of Damages' (i.e. those laws governing the relationship between man and his neighbor). And others say, `Let him fulfill the laws of Ethics' " (which comprise both categories).

 

Some Talmud Bavli Tractate  Horiyot 12a : ''At the start of each new year, one should eat gourds, fenugreek, leeks, beets and dates.'' Now fenugreek is one of the active ingredients of Indian curry. Remember the northern part of India was part of Persia (read the Book of Esther), and Jews have been in India for 2500 years. While the word in Latin means 'Greek hay,' other language's literal translation is 'ram's horn clover.' Seeds have been found in what is now Iraq, that date back to 4000 BCE.

 

The Hebrew name for dates is t'marim, which is derived from the Hebrew word ' to eliminate.' While dates have this effect on our Gastro - Intestinal system, the spiritual significance is to remind us to work on eliminating our defects of character that keep us from God and more importantly from each other.

 

Dip an apple in honey. The Hebrew word for honey is Dvash. Its Kabbalistic Gemetria is 306, and this is same Gemetria equivalent of "Av ha Rachamim," "Our Merciful Father.''  Pray for a sweet year.

 

We eat fish because they always keep their eyes open, as we need to do, keeping guard over our Yetzer ha Ra. We can put a head of a fish, [or some use sheep heads...yummy], on our table, to remind us to be leaders (rosh) of our yetzer tov and not tails (followers) of our yetzer ha ra. And we eat pomegranates so that our mitzvoth that we do, can be as numerous as the seeds in this fruit.

 

We need to have an active faith. Judaism without social action is like a wedding without the bride and groom. We need to stop asking 'Where was or is God?,' but instead ask "Where were we?" For a Jew, believing in God, means believing in Humankind. And we must believe that the Earth is not to be abandoned.

 

In a conversation on the phone, which was a delight, with Rebbe Gershon Steinberg-Caudill, a fellow Rabbanim and a fellow talmid and chaver in this class, we discussed the true translation of God's name.

Moses asks God his name and He says: ''aheyah asher eheyeh.'' Many bibles translate this as 'I am what I am,'' or "I am that is Who I am,'' or even "I am the One Who is." The true translation is: 'I will be what I will be." (Try not to confuse this with Popeye the Sailor who says "I yam what I yam.'')

 

Just as God grew in the TaNaK and even more so in our Talmud and Midrash, Judaism is about spiritual growth. It is about us ''becoming.'' The month of Elul, and the Ten days of Tishrei, from Rosh Ha Shana to Yom Kippur, are all about www.JewishRenewal.info . As Rabbi Hillel says in Talmud Bavli Tractate Pirkei Avot, if we do not increase, we decrease. For a Jew or any person of spirituality, resting on our laurels, is not an option.  We do not stagnate or stay in some holding pattern, if we do not increase, we actually decrease in our spirituality. We move backwards.

 

Believing in and having hope in future is not one of our 613 mitzvoth. But it is built into the entire framework of Judaism. Adam and Eve , whose birthdays we celebrate on Rosh ha Shana, had free will. When they goofed up, God gave them boundaries, but they had hope. They had children...Abel, Cain, Seth, and some daughters if we take the story literally. Judaism does not relegate humankind to a living Gehena. The Greek creation story, has man,(actually half divine) steals the knowledge of fire from the gods and gives it to humankind. He (Prometheus ) is punished with eternal torture. There is no teshuvah or tikvah for Prometheus.  Even worse, the first woman, Pandora is created and sent to Earth with an urn she is not to open. She, like Eve with the apply, disobeys the gods, opens the box, and lets every type of pain and trouble to humankind. What remains in her urn is Hope. To the pagan Greeks, Hope is wishful thinking. Humans have no power to change themselves or their environment . Judaism's hope is based on the fact that we can change and we can do fix what is wrong in our world.

 

In August 2008 120 scientists, at The Conference on Risks to the Earth,  gathered to discuss our planetary emergency. In the tradition of Judaism, they concluded: ''The daunting nature of the problems did not seem to blunt our experts' determination to look for answers.'' Dr. Richard Wilson, a Harvard University physicist said to a reporter :'' What option do I have? I could go to Hilton Head Island, take a little club and knock a little ball around the course, but I do not find that a very attractive thought.'' And I (R' Segal), live on Hilton Head Island, SC.

 

In summation my Rosh Ha Shana wish is for us all to be kind and loving to one another, and to our Earth. It are these mitzvoth that will merit us to be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life. Remember, it is our freedom of choice and our actions that does the inscribing and the sealing and let us live a life of shalom, shlema , integration, with ourselves and with our fellows and the earth.

 

L'Shana Tova Tikoteiv[i] v'Teichoteim[i] l'alter , l'Chaim Tovim u le Shalom

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
 

 

Rosh Hashanah

Selected Readings:

Genesis 21:1-34

1 Samuel 1:1-2:10

Numbers 29:1-6

Genesis 22:1-24

Jeremiah 31:1-19

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

Happy New Year! La Shana Tova!

"We Can't Return, We Can Only Look, Behind from Where We Came"

On many Jewish holidays there are special sections of parashot read to help us remember themes of the holidays. The theme of God's mercy and kindness is woven throughout these special readings. Genesis 21 tells of Sarah, a 90-year old woman, giving birth to Isaac. It also tells of Hagar and Ishmael being expelled by Abraham at his wife's insistence. God rescues them in the desert. Genesis 22 tells of the binding of Isaac, Abraham's faith in God, and God's rescue of Isaac. The reading in Samuel tells of Hannah who is childless, prays to God for intervention, and gives birth to Samuel. The section of Jeremiah tells of God rescuing Israel from her captivity and restoring her greatness. Lastly, the verses from Numbers tell of the rules for a holy convocation from which our sages derive the laws and customs of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Numbers 29:01-05 reads, "In the seventh month, on the first day of this month, there shall be a holy convocation for you and you shall not do laborious work. It shall be a day of shofar-sounding for you. You shall make an elevation offering...one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs in their first year, unblemished. And their meal offering...one male of the goats for a sin offering to provide you atonement." There is a similar law given in Leviticus 23:23-26. Does this sound like our Rosh Hashanah celebration today?

We are commanded to celebrate an unnamed festival on the first day of the seventh month. No details are offered. The seventh month is later called Tishrei. The Jewish first month is Nissan, in which we celebrate Passover. Pesach is our national new year, as we were liberated from slavery then.

We are to refrain from work and to make sacrifices on this first day of the seventh month. This is no different than any other holiday. The difference is that we are commanded to blow the ram's horn. The verse in Leviticus says we are to blow the shofar with loud blasts. A verse in Numbers says it is a day when the shofar will be sounded. No other explanations are given.

The words "Rosh Hashanah" first appear in the Talmud in Tractate Rosh Hashanah 1A. The rabbis teach that we have four new years. The one in Tishrei was designated for calculating the years for foreign kings, as well as for counting the Sabbatical and Jubilee years. It was also a time for planting trees and vegetables. We also are told that on this day, "all who come into the world pass before God like legions of soldiers." Some translations say, "like a flock of sheep." The rabbis say that this means that God passes judgment on all humans on this day.

Rosh Hashanah's significance is tied to the Holy Day of Yom Kippur. This is the day we make expiation for our sins (Lev. 23:28). The rabbis extended Yom Kippur's reach back to the first day of the month of Elul. The rabbis decreed in the Talmud that the shofar be sounded a month before Rosh Hashanah to aid us in our annual process of self-evaluation and Jewish Spiritual Renewal. Eventually, Tishrei replaced Nissan as the first month. This comes out of a debate the sages had that is recorded on this tractate's folios 10B and 11A. It has to do with the precise time the world was created. Rabbi Joshua claims that the world was created on the first of Nissan. Rabbi Eliezer says it was the first of Tishrei. The rabbis agree with rabbi Eliezer. This is why after the three shofar blasts, we say, "Today the world came into being."

The rabbis made Rosh Hashanah into a time of universal renewal. They want us to be reminded that we can bring order into our chaotic lives. We can say good-bye to the old and welcome in the new. A traditional blessing is, "May the year and its curses end, may the year and its blessings begin." Just as the Sabbath does to weeks, Rosh Hashanah does to years.

We ask that we can be written into God's Book of Life. We do this writing, not God. The scripts of our lives are written by each of us individually. Rosh Hashanah is a time to take stock of ourselves and put our bad habits and our old selves into God's Book of Death. As rabbi Neil Gilman writes, "we say good-bye to our old selves and hello to our new ones." This is why the Talmudic rabbis took these six verses and turned them into a large Tractate of the Talmud.

Traditionally, Jews welcome the first of the month with a special prayer for the new moon. Rosh Hashanah always falls, as per the law in Numbers, on the new moon of Tishrei. Yet no new moon prayer is said. The rabbis say that this is "in order to confuse Satan." The sages say that Satan is waiting for Rosh Hashanah in order to speak ill of us before God. The rabbis decree that if we do not say the new month prayers, Satan may not know it is Rosh Hashanah and could miss his chance. The day before Rosh Hashanah the rabbis decree to be "hattarat nederim." This is a release from all vows that one may have made but has forgotten about. Grave sites are also visited at this time. It is a time for charitable giving. The rabbis decree that giving to charity helps absolve one from past sins.

Tractate Rosh Hashanah continues on 16B: "All are judged on Rosh Hashanah and the verdict is sealed on Yom Kippur." Rabbi Kruspedia says, "Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah: one for the utterly wicked, one for the perfectly righteous, and one for the intermediates. The perfectly righteous are straightaway inscribed and sealed for life; the wicked are straightaway inscribed and sealed for death; the intermediates are suspended and wait from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur. If they merit, they are inscribed for life; if not - they are inscribed for death." In Leviticus 16:30, Yom Kippur was the day when "atonement be made for you to cleanse you, from all of your sins you shall be clean before the Lord." The rabbis made Rosh Hashanah into a day of reflection, repentance, and judgment. The Midrash says that "the gates of repentance (renewal) are always open," yet the Talmud alludes to certain hopeless evil people who have no hope of forgiveness.

It also talks of purely righteous people. The rabbis decide that both categories rarely exist, and that humans fall into the third, intermediate category. As rabbi Ismar Schorsch writes, Rosh Hashanah is called Yom Hazikaron, a day of remembrance. It is a time for us to accurately remember our past year. We are to judge our own actions and to find a correct direction. It is a time to right any wrongs that we have not yet corrected. It is a time for introspection, tephila (self-judging), repentance, and teshuvah (returning, spiritual renewal).

Maimonides, of 12^th century Spain, writes, "The merit of penitents is higher than that of the perfectly righteous, because the former have struggled harder to subdue their passions." In the Talmud, rabbi Abahu says that a person who has sinned and stopped is of a higher religious order than one who has never known sin. He says, "In the spot where penitents stand, there is no room for the perfectly righteous." Rabbi Yochanan disagrees, but the sages agree with rabbi Abahu. The sages write in Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 17A, "It does not matter whether you pray a lot or a little. What counts is that you direct your heart to Heaven."

They further posit, "Whether we succeed in observing a lot or a little, what counts is that our heart be solely directed toward God." The Talmud is clear that it is the purity of our intention in relating world around us and to others that is important, and not the mechanical or obsessive doing of ritual minutia.

As the old year closes and the new one opens, many of us search for answers. We pray to God to "feel for us, pity us, embrace us with mercy, restore us, don't forsake us, don't abandon us and to answer us." We read of Hannah's and Sarah's pleas for children being answered. We see Isaac being rescued from sacrifice. We hear the promises of Jeremiah promising our nation salvation, which may seem trite now to some American Jews, but provide words of comfort to so many of us who have not been so abundantly blessed. We also read of Hagar, lost, thirsty and hungry in the desert, after being expelled from Abraham's camp. God hears the cries of her son, Ishmael, and "opens her eyes and she saw a well of water" (Gen. 21:19). The well had always been there. Hagar just could not see it. God opened her eyes so she could see the answer. Many of us are too oblivious to the wells of change and salvation that lie within our reach. We really can change our lives if we find ourselves in a rut. It is hard, but it is possible. We have to want to see that we can do it.

Real teshuvah, turning our lives around, does not come from a spring of divine grace. It comes from pure human effort. As Spiritual Jews, we know that we will receive forgiveness from God by asking, but we must make teshuvah to those humans we have harmed. Even the Talmud says that the consequences of our actions can be mitigated, but not erased or reversed. We can learn from them and not do them again, but also not wallow in our past sins.

The rabbis say, "penitence, prayer and good deeds can annul the severity of the decree," but do no more. We as people must fix the hurt we have caused others and ourselves. Judaism does not believe we are "captives on a carrousel of time." We do not have to let ourselves be caught going "round and round in the circle game" repeating our same destructive behaviors. We can break free and change via Jewish Spiritual Renewal. This is how we can assure ourselves that on Rosh Hashanah we will be inscribed in our books of our lives, and on Yom Kippur we will seal it. Amen!

Chag Someach,

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

Member Temple Oseh Shalom:

Is Joy and Happiness Still Possible in Times Like These?

YES, it is possible. Even when the world seems to be turning upside-down, you can follow a simple, step-by-step process that will have you loving life every day no matter what is going on around you. It's no secret, but nobody's been talking about it for generations...until now.

In His New Book:

THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal brings Judaism back to its roots for the millions of modern Jews who have become disenchanted with "normative" Judaism. In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, Segal reveals how Judaism leads you up the path to a happy, fulfilling life. And he casts aside the long, boring sermons and tedious litany of rules and regulations in favor of plain English, humor, and life examples that we can all relate to. Click Here to Order

$19.99 254 Pages Published by Amazon's BookSurge ISBN: 1439223394

"The Handbook To Jewish Spiritual Renewal by Rabbi Arthur Segal has given me the foundation to approach each day with honesty, reverence, hope and gratitude. I feel like I am having a personal conversation with a wise prophet with a jovial sense of humor." 

Diane Weinberg,
Washington, D.C.

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Shalom.

My name is Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal, and in my years of rabbinic counseling I've met an awful lot of fellow Jews who are short on faith that Judaism can deliver the happiness and joy that it promises, especially in these turbulent times.

Their emotions run the gamut: sadness, loneliness, bitterness; fearfulness of what the future holds for them. Some are just downright cynical and angry.

I've been there myself; stuck with a feeling of, "Is this all there is?"

But I found the way out.

That's why I became a rabbi after retiring from my dental practice; to help others up the path to a life of joy and freedom that I couldn't find in "normative" Judaism.

I want to show you that path today.

"You lead the spiritual practices of the entire program and offer our followers a unique spiritual opportunity." 

Hune Margulies, Ph.D.
Founder, Martin Buber Institute

Reclaim Your Spirituality...And Your Life

Click to Order

THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal distills millennia of sage advice into a step-by-step process to reclaim your Judaism and your spirituality in a concise easy-to-read and easy-to-follow manner. If you find yourself wishing for the strength to sustain you through the ups and downs of life; if you want to learn how to live life to its fullest without angst, worry, low self-esteem or fear; or if you wish that your relationships with family, friends and co-workers were based on love and service and free of ego, arguments, resentments and feelings of being unloved...this book is for you. Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge

In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I distill teachings from our sages that have been passed along for thousands of years, along with lessons from the Torah and the Talmud.

But unlike other Jewish spiritual texts that you may have read, or sermons you may have heard, this book presents these lessons in a concise, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow life transformation process that you can follow step-by-step at your own pace.

And it is written in plain English with relevance to the modern world. I even threw in a few jokes to make it fun!

This is stuff we were not taught in Hebrew school or in most synagogues, but it is what Judaism is really all about. 

"Wonderful stuff! I'm savoring it, bit by bit." 

Samuel Hughes, Senior Editor
The Pennsylvania Gazette
University of Pennsylvania

In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, you will learn:

• That "normative" Judaism as you have known it throughout your life is not really Judaism at all, why it may leave you uninspired, and how spiritual renewal will help you recapture that inspiration (Chapter 1).
  
  
• That your ego is your own worst enemy, and how to win the battle against it (Chapter 2).
  
  
• How to stop struggling for control over things you cannot control, and be happier because of it (Chapter 3).
  
  
• How spiritual renewal conquers the fears and character flaws that are holding you back in life (Chapters 4 and 5).
  
  
• To actually get rid of your character flaws forever (Chapter 6).
  
  
• How to turn negative relationships in your life positive (Chapter 7).
  
  
• How simple it is to make prayer a regular part of your days...without going back to Hebrew school (Chapter 8).
  
  
• How to to find peace of mind through meditation (Chapter 9).
  
  
• How to simplify life's toughest decisions (Chapter 10).
  
  
• How spiritual renewal transforms you into the best individual you can be, and how to stay on track (Chapter 11).
  
  
• How to celebrate the Sabbath and the Jewish Holidays with meaning (Chapters 12 and 13).
  
  
• How to live with happiness, joy, and freedom every day of your life (Chapter 14).

Click Image to Enlarge

THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order

A Question for You

Let me ask you a question: Are you enjoying life like the people in the cartoon at the top of this letter?

Or, do you spend your days worrying about the economy...

...in conflict with friends, family, and co-workers...

...stressed out about the future?

If the latter sounds like you I'm not surprised. As I said earlier, I counsel many fellow Jews who are in the same boat, and they look to their Jewish faith to find a happier life.

However...

Some have trouble understanding what they read in the Torah and how it relates to their own lives.

Others find that their synagogues are more about social climbing and fundraising and less about spiritual awakening.

Many simply give up, believing that Judaism has failed them, and they walk away from their Jewish faith. 

In my book, The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I will show you that true Judaism has not failed them...or you...and that you can return to your Jewish faith and enjoy your life to its fullest, even when the news of the day keeps going from bad to worse.

"I couldn't have written the book or expressed my pain and concern for the Jewish people returning to Judaism. Thank God that He put this desire in your heart."

Janelle Vechi
California

It's simpler than you may think, and you don't have to become a rabbi as I did.

To give you an idea what I am talking about, here is an excerpt from The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew:

We become so far removed from God, our loving Sovereign Parent, that when we pray, (if we pray at all), we pray to meet an immediate need. We desire an immediate fix, rather than to seek renewal (return) and the wisdom to work toward renewal. We are satisfied for a moment if our trivial need is met. We therefore never achieve happiness in the long term. We are constantly searching and striving for our secular notions of success and happiness. While in this all-too-common state our egos "lock horns" with the egos of others, putting us in a sustained state of human conflict and resentment.

 

This is not the Jewish way to live; but most of us cannot find the way out. In this book, I will give a map to the tools of the process in simple terms and in language easily understood, to turn your life around to a much more pleasant state. If you follow the map faithfully and honestly, you will find that the journey is life-changing and life-affirming.

"Nice Rabbi Segal! Thank you! Peace."

Deepak Chopra's Intent.com

What Would You Say Something Like This is Worth?

Think about it…

The teachings of the Torah and the Talmud all distilled into an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-follow step-by-step process that will help you:

• Overcome the challenges that life throws at you every day
  
• Stop letting ego, resentment, and other conflict strain your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers

• Get the angst and worry out of your life
  
• Eliminate low self-esteem from your life
  
• Overcome your fear of failure and other fears

I know it sounds priceless and in reality…it is. But I sincerely want to share what has helped me and countless others with you.

In other words, I want to show you the path to the happy and joyous life that your were meant to live. So I want you to have The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew for only $19.99.

"The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal is an invaluable resource for anyone who is searching for more in their life. I was involved with organized Jewish religion, but something was always missing. Using this guide, and taking each chapter to heart, has transformed my views and put me on the track my life is supposed to be on,  filled with love, trust and emunah (faith). Thanks Rabbi Segal!"

Ben Pincus
Houston, TX

Like I said, I've been where you are: in a life missing spirituality; seemingly unable to cope with life's difficulties; and unable to find peace and inner shalom. 

But I found it and now I want to share with you the path that I have found and passed on to others with consistent success.

It took me many years of work and study, and rabbinic ordination. But it didn't have to. And it doesn't have to for you. You can travel the same path that I did, but you can do it in only 254 pages!

We are living in a historically turbulent time. Economic uncertainty, political corruption, threats of aggression, and religious conflict are everywhere. I know that I would find it difficult to find comfort without the peace and inner shalom that I have found through Jewish Spiritual Renewal.

Please join me now.
Start your journey UP the path of Jewish Spiritual Renewal so that it may bring the same joy, happiness, freedom and shalom that I now enjoy into your own life!

 

Click Here to Order

Many Blessings,
Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal

 

P.S.  Another thing that I've noticed over the years in my Rabbinic Counseling is that many modern Jews are not as familiar with the Torah and the Talmud as they might be. 

They find it difficult to understand and interpret in a way that makes sense and has relevance to their lives in the modern world. 

This is quite often the root cause of the kind of spiritual disconnection that I described earlier.

So, as a companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I have also written:

Click to Order

A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us. This companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of the Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to go and study. The rest is commentary. This compendium clarifies the commentary and allows one to study Torah and Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. A must read for all Jews and deserves a place in every Jewish home. Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge

"Very informative and timely. It allows many people to benefit from Torah lessons, where many of them may not otherwise have an opportunity receive such content."

Mauricio Benzipporah
Founder, Beta-Gershom Organization

A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to interpret its lessons.

"Shalom. What a blessing your insights have given me. I am interested in reading more of your writings of Talmud. I find it difficult to find good Talmudic readings. Excellent work, Rabbi!"

Rabbi Daniel Ben Shmuel

A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew.

All of Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to ''go and study.'' The rest is commentary. 

A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud clarifies the commentary and allows one to study the Torah and the Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. 

It is a must read for those seeking Jewish Spiritual Renewal and is the ideal complement to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew.

Here is an excerpt from A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud:

Since each parasha is the weekly Torah portion, you may read each of the chapters in the book during the course of a week while also reading the actual Torah portion. By doing so, you will learn a modern Jewish Spiritual view of each Torah portion. At the same time, your world will be open to the ethical teachings of the Talmud.

 

While many read the Torah as a history book, or a deed to land, or see it as a boring book full of legalisms and ritual for a priesthood that no longer exists, this book aims to show you the spiritual ethical lessons in each parasha. In a sense this book will hopefully help you enjoy reading and understanding the Five Books of Moses, what we call Chumash from the Hebrew word for "five." You may even discover that you want to continue your study with the Talmud and other Jewish texts.

"...most insightful (Torah) essay I could find was written by Rabbi Arthur Segal."

Leslie Palma-Simoncek
Staten Island Advance

Complete your journey UP the path to Jewish Spiritual Renewal with a better understanding of the Torah's lessons through A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud for only $24.99...

...certainly a small amount to pay for the priceless wisdom contained within the Torah and the Talmud.

You can purchase each book individually, but if you purchase them together as a set, I will donate a portion of the sales price in your name to a tzadakkah of your choice, such as your synagogue. Think of it as your first act of loving kindness in your spiritually renewed life!

 

 

Click Here to Order

 

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Click Image to Enlarge

THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew Price: $19.99 254 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order

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Click Image to Enlarge

A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge Click Here to Order

 

About Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal

Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal's love of Judaism and his Ahavath Israel led him on his personal quest for Jewish Spiritual Renewal, beginning his studies after retirement from a successful oral medicine practice. Rabbi Segal graduated cum laude with BA and DMD degrees, Specialty, and Post-Doctoral studies in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in the 1970s. He is an author in these chosen fields as well.

Rabbi Segal teaches classes on Jewish Spiritual Renewal and The Spiritual and Ethical Teachings of the Torah, TaNaK and Talmud via the Shamash online program. He teaches Torah, Talmud, and other great texts, such as Duties of the Heart by Ibn Pakudah of 1050 C.E. Spain, to adults in his hometown. Rabbi Dr. Segal does rabbinic counseling using the step-by-step process of Jewish Spiritual Renewal to help his fellow Jews achieve a spiritual life.

 

 

Click Here to Order

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©2009 Dr. Arthur Segal, P.A. d/b/a Rabbi Arthur Segal 

Page header image is courtesy of Steve Greenberg (greenberg-art.com)

 

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