If we fall on our tushes, consider having gratitude that we have a God who does not abandon us. Consider allowing Him to pick us up off our derrieres.
A Rabbinic friend reported the following to me: He was at a few Sukkoth this holiday season, the season of our joy, (Z'man Simchatanu). He saw a loss of passion and inspiration in Judaism.
He heard about Iran, terrorists, the boogie-man of Islam, anti-Semitism, and Israel. He heard about financial woes. All of these are important concerns, but flat emotionally. If in organized Jewry today, if our emotions are being appealed to, we are being led to our yetzer ha ra. We are continually being bombarded with fears, worries, where swastikas are painted, which anti-Semitic county will have a nuclear bomb, etc. He reported he heard about Synagogue committees, and Temple programs, and Federation lectures, and some damning President Obama and some praising him.
He heard lots of talk. In one out of all of the sukkoth he attended, he heard the beracoth done, but only by very few Jews there. A lot of worrying and complaining, and little gratitude, was the theme this week. Jewish Spiritual Renewal is about a Judaism that appeals to our yetzer tov, to our dreams, to our hopes, to our ''better angels.'' It is a Judaism and a life that is fun and inspiring. God wants us to live life with explosive joyousness. Every day can be a Z'man Simchatanu.
- 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 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).
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Genesis
Parasha Beresheit: Genesis 1:01 - 6:08
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"Who's on First?"
For your Shabbat table discussion, two important questions are asked in this Torah portion: God asks Adam, "Where art thou?" Cain asks God, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
How would we as individuals, and as a community, answer these questions today?
Let us begin "in the beginning" (Gen. 1:01). In Hebrew, these English words are rendered as one word – "Beresheit." This is the name of our parasha and the name of the first book of the Torah. In English, it is called Genesis. The word begins with the Hebrew letter Bait, which is the second letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bait, or as we say in English, "alphabet." The Midrash (books of parables from the time of the Talmud, 2,500 years ago), asks why the Torah starts with this letter. The rabbis explain that before God was about to create the world, each of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet came before Him and asked that the world be created specifically with its letter. The letter Tat thought that it should be first, since it is the first letter in the word Torah. This scenario continued with each letter giving a short discourse on why it should be used as the first letter. Bait said it should be used because it is used to bless God with Beracoth (blessings).
The kabbalists delve into this letter more deeply. They say that the numerical equivalent of the letter Bait is two and write that this alludes to harmony and unity. When people live together and work together – as a team rather than as separate units – the world has meaning and life has value. The one major theme of Torah and of this D'var series will be to show that people must always think of others and not just of themselves. We will see time and time again, especially in the inter-family relationships of Genesis, "that a world in which everyone considers his own needs and has no sensitivity toward the needs of others is perverted," says rabbi Leib Scheinbaum. As rabbi David Shneur posits: "dissent and discord along with thinking selfishly lies at the root of all the world's ills." By reading this week's parasha, we can see how the first family was marred by inner strife between the world's first brothers, Cain and Abel. If there is one recurrent theme I notice when I study Torah it is that the world was built upon a foundation of God's altruism. He did not have to create the world. King David writes in Psalm 89:03: "the world is built upon chesed (kindness)." It will be by our following these ethical precepts that, hopefully, we will learn together. By doing ahavath chesed (acts of loving kindness) we will affect the world's continued growth.
"The blood of your brother cries out to Me from the ground" (Gen .4:10). As we know from our Passover seders, when we count the Ten Plagues the Hebrew word for blood is "dahm." In this verse from Genesis the Hebrew word is "dahmie," which is "bloods." The rabbis in Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin 37A say that Cain's crime was not limited to one person. He had shed Abel's blood and the blood of potential descendants. They derive from this the notion that "he who saves a life, saves the whole world," as well as the converse. The rabbis also posit that since Cain did not know how to kill, as he was the one who "invented" murder, he had to hit, stab, stone, and whip Abel many times until he caused a mortal wound. It was only after severing his jugular vein that Abel died. The sages say that every bleeding wound cried out in pain and for retribution. Rabbi Joel Sharin cites Psalm 9 to discuss this further.
"The avenger of blood (doresh dahmim) has remembered them. He has not forgotten the cry of the humble." For some Modern Jews who wish not to believe in divine reward and punishment, we have the obligation to be our own doresh dahmim, as well as to be careful not to spill blood.
This concept applies to other forms of spilling blood as well as murder. We spill blood when we assassinate another's character with lashon ha ra (gossip). We spill blood when we destroy another's self esteem or dignity. A person does not have to be mortally wounded to suffer irreparable damage. As we will learn in future parashot, we can destroy lives with our mouths. We can run over another's feelings in our race to personal success. When we act cruelly toward others, and our children and grandchildren see our action, we are killing our own offspring. When the grandparent snubs others, are we surprised when we see her child and grandchild do the same? The Torah shows us this with Cain's great-grandson, Tuval Cain. Tuval's great-grandfather was the world's first murderer, and Tuval becomes the world's first arms dealer (Gen. 4:22). We must do our best to curb our own behaviors and be our own – as well as our neighbors' – doresh dahmim.
We can also learn about teshuvah (repentance) in this parasha. Cain was unable (no pun intended!) to bring Abel back to life. We are taught that Cain had a son and named him Chanoch, and that Cain "became a city builder and named the city after his son"(Gen. 4:17). Cain became remorseful over killing his brother and asked himself where the he got the burning passion to kill. The Midrash teaches that Cain learned the value of human life too late. But he did teshuvah by building cities and teaching human values to his descendants. Chanoch is a derivative of the Hebrew word for education, "chinuch." Cain realized that educating children about moral values was important to ensure that others would not repeat his mistake. Ironically, the Midrash tells us how Cain died. When his grandson, Lamech, was old and partially blind, Lamech's son Tuval took him hunting. They used Tuval's "sharpened implements of copper and iron." Being weak sighted, Lamech mistook Cain for a deer and killed him. Sins of fathers can be visited onto the sons.
Before we end this D'var Torah, let us see how the Zohar, the book of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) interprets parts of this parasha. Genesis 5:1-4 lists the generations of Adam, but omits Cain and Abel. We know traditionally that God created man on the sixth day (Gen. 1:27), but we read later in Gen. 2:5 that "there was no man to till the ground." The Zohar says that this is because only the second creation is called a "living creature" (Gen.2.07) because it is only he who receives a soul – breath of life – from God. There were, therefore, two creations of
The second is called Adam. Then God said "it is not good for man to be alone...and will make a helpmate for him." Then God made the animals and brought them all to Adam from which to choose a helpmate. "But the man did not find a suitable helpmate from among them" (Gen. 2:18). The Zohar says: "Alas for the stupidity and blindness of men who do not perceive the mysteries of the Torah and do not know that the beasts in the field are designated the unlearned first creation of man, who were soulless men-animals among soulful men."
Genesis 3:01 says: "the serpent (nachash) was more cunning than all the beasts of the field." The Zohar says that he was their leader, the first soulless man created by God. He was fruitful and multiplied creating more soulless and unlearned man-animals. The sages write that Nachash walked upright until he was later cursed by God and made to "crawl on his belly and eat dust" (Gen. 3:14). The Zohar says that Nachash was the ideal form of Satan.
God also said: "it is not good that man should be alone" (Gen. 2:18). The Zohar says that, just as there was a first and second man, there were two women. The first was called Lilith. She was formed out of the ground, as were the other beasts of the field. (Gen. 2:19). Eve was created from Adam's rib (Gen. 2:22) and became Adam's wife. Lilith became Nachash's wife.
Both Rashi and the sages of the Zohar agree that Nachash sexually desired Eve when he saw her naked and having relations with Adam. According to the Zohar, this is what Eve was talking about when she said: "The serpent (Nachash) seduced me" (Gen. 3:13). The sages say that both Adam and Nachash had sexual relations with Eve and that she conceived by both of them. Cain is the son of Nachash, and Abel is the son of Adam, but even Abel has "good wine mixed with bad." The Zohar states that Nachash injected his impure semen into Eve and she absorbed it, mixing the serpent's seed with Adam's. Therefore, neither Abel nor Cain was a pure son of Adam, and this is why neither is listed in the generations of Adam, and why the Torah tells us in Genesis 5:03 that Adam and Eve begot Seth "in his (Adam's) likeness and image."
The Midrash of Ben-Sira (written somewhere between 600 and 1000 C.E.) says that Adam also had sex with Lilith. He didn't like it, as Lilith always insisted on being on top. She asked of Adam: "Why must I lie beneath you? I also was made from dust and am your equal." Adam then tried to compel her by force. Lilith, in a rage, uttered the unspeakable four-lettered name of God, became winged, and flew away. God sent three angels to find her. They found Lilith at the
Lilith is mentioned in the Talmud in four Tractates: Eruvin 100B, Niddah 24B, Shabbat 151B, and Bava Batra 73A. The rabbis call her a wild-haired, nymphomaniac winged creature and the mother of demons. She is mentioned in Isaiah 34:14, but some translations use the name "night monster," based on the Hebrew word "lillah" for night. Rabbi Hanna forbids men to sleep alone for fear that Lilith will come at night and seduce them. Some stories show her to have demon children. Other tales show her to be barren and seeking out others' children to kill.
There are some sects of Judaism that hang an angelic amulet above the cribs of boys who are not yet circumcised to protect them from Lilith. A ring of charcoal is drawn on the baby's bedroom wall. Inside the ring is written: "Adam and Eve in. Out Lilith!" If a child is heard laughing in his sleep, the mother strikes the child's lips with one finger whereupon Lilith vanishes.
Because Lilith left the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and became mortal, some Midrashim say that Lilith is immortal. Some say she was the demoness who killed Job's sons. Others say she was the Queen of Sheba who visited King Solomon. Solomon suspected
The Zohar developed a theory that Adam was originally comprised of both male and female elements. Talmud Tractates Beracoth 61A and Eruvin 18B say: "Adam, who was the first man, had two full faces." Rabbi Samuel ben Nachman said that when God created Adam, "He created him as a hermaphrodite." The Midrash Leviticus Rabbah says: "When man was created, he was created with two body fronts, and God sawed him in two, so that two bodies resulted, one for the male and one for the female." From this the Kabbalists posit that every one of us has a heavenly soul mate to whom we were joined before birth. Our responsibility, if we are lucky, is to find our soul mate (beshert) and to rejoin with that person in marriage. This marriage therefore would be one of equals – with no one always on top so to speak.
While our tradition is full of sexist "old husbands' tales" about women that some sects in our religion cling to as a way of keeping women enslaved, we also find throughout our literature women shown in an equal and honored light. It is these traditions that we as Spiritual Jews need to hold onto and from which we should learn.
As Jews, we must continually ask ourselves where we are and remind ourselves that we are indeed our brothers' and sisters' keepers. While we might have thought that religious school was boring when we were kids, my hope is that you will find the study of Torah and the texts of Talmud, Midrash and other great books to be provocative and inspiring.
Shabbat Shalom:
Rabbi Arthur Segal
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| Rabbi Arthur Segal reveals the path to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - and happiness in troubled times...
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 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, 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. 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. Reclaim Your Spirituality...And Your Life
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 In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, you will learn:
A Question for YouLet 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 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:
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 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. |
 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.
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.
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
 Click Image to Enlarge | THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew |
 Click Image to Enlarge | A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD |
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
©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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