There is a modern Midrash of a Jew praying to God. The Jew prays and God answers with blessings. But the Jew asks, "If you are giving me blessings, why do you give them in such flimsy packages with so many strings attached?"
And God answers, "If you are giving me your innermost heart in prayer, why in such thick layers of ego? Why with such cold words? Why do you hold back your tears?"
"I'll make you a deal," God continues. "You bare your soul from its wrappings, and I will bare My blessings of their clouds."
''A small act done modestly is a thousand-fold more acceptable to God than a big act done in pride.'' (Orhot Tzaddikim, 15C ) Those of you who study with me one- on- one know that I will never accept a 'thank you.' In fact I turn every ''thank you'' back to you, and say ''I thank YOU.'' A truly humble person, knowing that his mitzvoth are commandments and not suggestions, doesn't accept kudos and attaboys. And compared to a truly humble person, my little finger is just learning humility. I have to pray and meditate for some semblance of humility three times a day, and I still slip often.
Our Sages reveal the source of our unwillingness to achieve the behavior of an osek: R' Shimon ben Lakish said: A person's Yetzer ha Ra threatens to overpower him every day and seeks to destroy him, as it is written, "The wicked one looks out for the righteous person and seeks to slay him" (Ps. 37:32). And if not for God Who assists each person, he would be unable to withstand it, as it is written (Ps. 37:33), "God will not forsake him to his hand, nor condemn him in His judgment" (Talmud Bavli Tractate Succah 52b).
The above verse refers to the yetzer ha ra as a ''tzopheh'', a lookout. A military lookout uses binoculars which make objects that would appear small to the naked eye, bigger. He can magnify. At the same time, modern military lookouts, have radar and other devices, like satellite imaging, which can make a large object appear like a dot. They minimize.
As a rabbi, with post doctoral study in Psychology at the U of Penn, I can teach you that we humans, when we are not being spiritual and truthful to ourselves, do the same things. We magnify what is unimportant, like a verbal slight with which someone may taunt us. We minimize what is important, such as cheating in our business' or gossiping, telling ourselves these are unimportant for us to be concerned about, as ''everyone does it.''
In Psychology we call this ''awfulizing'' and ''minimizing.'' Our Talmud discusses the same.
The Yetzer ha Ra, which is extremely clever, operates in a similar way. When the Yetzer Tov (positive inclination) encourages us to perform a good deed, the Yetzer ha Ra discourages it. If our evil inclination is not at first successful at leading us astray, then it tries to minimize its importance, so that we will approach the mitzvah spiritually- blinded with no joyousness.
Conversely , our yetzer ha ra leads us to miss the mark, chet, (sin), when it magnifies our will's puny desires and leads us to do them, while we step on the toes of others. Then it minimizes the chetim we are doing, convincing us we are not sinning at all. And the yetzer ha ra, brings along his buddies: anger, resentments, selfishness, fears, lust, pride, et.al. to lead us on the way to separate ourselves from God and our fellows.
Then we want to change our ways, our Yetzer ha Ra, takes the same defects that it told us where 'nothing,' and tells us they are really bad, and we are so far gone, we cannot change. Our Yetzer Tov reminds us that the ''gates to renewal are always open.''
How many times when we are about to speak lashon ha ra, our yetzer ha ra magnifies the severity of the subject's misdeed, if there was a true misdeed at all (!)? We become convinced that the subject is a rasha (evil person) and that it is a mitzvah to gossip about him or her. In reality, a spiritually renewed person should take the opposite approach. We should discern our fellow with favor and minimize any perceived, (real or unreal) wrong doings and keep our mouths shut.
"People were given two ears and one tongue so that they may listen more than speak." ''But how can you say, 'It was only talk, so no harm was done, by gossip?' Were this true, then your prayers, and words of kindness, would be a waste of breath." (Rabbi Nachman of Bratislava).
Learning to get control over our Yetzer ha Ra, and learning to make each day count, are two of the many things we will learn in Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew. You will learn how in the middle of tumult and chaos, to be able to have shalom inside of you. Rabbi Nachman, who I tend to refer to many times, teaches: ''All new beginnings require that you unlock a new door." The Path will give you the Key that you already own to the door that is already a part of you. Ha Emet, the Truth, is within you; do not have to search for it elsewhere.
Let us turn to the text with the beginning of Chapter Two.
(001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal
Before you can convince yourself that you want to renew your Jewish Spirituality, you must convince yourself that life without God is not worth living.
Those who proudly proclaim to be atheist or agnostic have never truly thought about what they are missing without belief in a Higher Power. We have found plenty of reasons to deny God and to live without Him. We have seen wars fought in His name throughout history. "Deus vult" (God wills it), said Pope Urban II and the cruel Crusades began. The religions of the world all claim to know the way to God or the way into Heaven, and all of them speak of peace and love of thy neighbor, yet we see almost nobody practicing this. So we throw up our hands and say, "I've had it with all this God stuff!" But this is the folly of humans, not of God. He hasn't gone anywhere. It is the religions and people who have lost their way.
As the catering staff clears up after Adam's bar mitzvah party, they notice that one of the gold spoons is missing – and it is the one that was placed at Rabbi Bloom's seat. They report the missing spoon to the hosts, Moshe and Sadie.
"Can you believe it, Sadie?" says Moshe. "But how can we call our Rabbi a goniff (thief)? We'll just have to keep quiet about it."
A year later, Moshe finds himself standing in line next to Rabbi Bloom at the bagel store. "Moshe, I'm glad we've met," says Rabbi Bloom. "It has been such a long time. I feel that you've been avoiding me. Is there a problem, Moshe?"
Moshe replies, "Now that you ask, Rabbi, I've been avoiding you ever since we discovered one of our gold spoons missing from
Rabbi Bloom says, "But why didn't you ask me about this? I put the spoon in Adam's tefillin bag. He obviously hasn't opened it since his bar mitzvah day!"
When we live a life without God we are letting our will direct us. The problem with this is that our will is derived from our wants and our desires and leads to a self-serving life. We can rationalize and say that we are doing some societal good when we yearn to be president of the Sisterhood of a synagogue, but if our will is directing us, we will invariably come into conflict with somebody else's will.
In Judaism our selfish will is called the "yetzer ha ra" (evil inclination). If we let the yetzer ha ra direct our lives instead of God, we will find ourselves living like dogs, always having to mark and protect our territory. We'll see the world as a giant pie and ourselves in competition with everybody else for a piece. If we see somebody with a piece of pie we don't say, "Well, good for that fellow. He has his piece of pie." Instead, we look at him and say, "I want that piece of pie." On the other hand, if we manage to get ourselves a slice of that coveted pie, we guard it to keep for ourselves rather than share.
Two beggars sit on a pavement in
A priest who has been watching from nearby approaches the two beggars and speaks to the one with the Star of David. "Don't you realize that this is a Christian country? You'll never get any contributions wearing a Star of David."
The beggar with the Star of David then turns to the beggar with the Cross and says, "Hymie, look who's trying to teach us marketing!"
Selfishness is more than not sharing material things with others. It is a self-absorbed life in which everything is "all about me." Anyone who intrudes upon our selfish will makes us angry. Rather than let others enjoy the game with us, we take our ball and go home.
Self-seeking is a bit different. It means that everything we do is with an eye toward our own benefit. When we do things that on the surface appear to serve others, such as sitting on a board or heading a committee, our ultimate objective is often to receive something in return. You can usually spot these folks by looking at a synagogue bulletin. The same names are always there. The synagogue's motto may say that it is inclusive, but few are ever allowed to break into the clique that runs it.
There is no altruism in the life of a Godless person. Hence, living a life at the mercy of our selfish will puts us in conflict with others and makes us the foolish servant of, instead of a leader to, those who understand the truth. We live a life of delusion, running with people we believe to be friends, but are as self-seeking as we are, and are looking to get something from us just as we are from them.
When we live a life without God, we are dependent upon our finite selves and upon other finite humans who will invariably let us down. Even the most pious person can disappoint in one way or another. Hypothetically, Gandhi himself might promise to give you a ride to your doctor appointment, and then stand you up because it was his day of fast or for some other reason. Besides, I don't think Gandhi had a car so what's he doing promising to give you a lift in the first place?
If we depend on our finite selves, we will always fall short of the mark. We might think that we can love our fellow man without believing in God. But sooner or later someone will annoy us so much that we just can't get past our yetzer ha ra to love this person. We might think that we can be honest without God, but it is possible that sooner or later our accountant will point out a gray area in the tax code and we will choose to take advantage of it. Our yetzer ha ra will rationalize to us that if there was ever a self-serving, Godless bunch with a big yetzer ha ra problem it's the
Rabbi Rabinovitz's phone rings. He answers, "Hello?"
"Hello. Is this Rabbi Rabinovitz?'
"It is."
"This is the IRS calling. Can you help us?"
"I'll try."
"Do you know Sam Cohen?"
"I do."
"Is he a member of your congregation?"
"He is."
"Did he donate $10,000 to the synagogue rebuilding fund last year?"
"He will!"
Our finite selves may have strong willpower and strong self-knowledge. Sooner or later we will come up against something in life such as a major fear or situation that our finite selves simply cannot handle.
When we depend on only our finite selves our source of dependence has boundaries. This is why I use the term finite. Adding other finite humans to the mix only makes things worse. We are likely to find them lacking and usually end up having resentments.
Next week, we will study more of Chapter Two of
(001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal
A d'var Torah for the Shabbat of November 21, 2009 follows.
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Parasha Toledot: Genesis 25:19-28:09
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"We Are Family; Get up Ev'rybody and Sing"
Parasha Toledot deals with different people's various needs. We often find that our needs conflict with others' needs. Some characters in this parasha deal with their needs assertively and therefore appear "needy." Most of them, however, use manipulation and deceit, refusing to admit their needs. This makes them appear strong on the outside when in reality they are the weak. Their lack of assertiveness leads them to sin and dysfunction, which, as we will read in later chapters of the Bible, has disastrous effects on our people's history.
Two main characters begin to show their different needs while in their mother's womb. Rebecca felt Esau and Jacob "agitated within her" (Gen. 25:22). God told her that she had "two nations" inside of her, and that the "elder shall serve the younger" (Gen. 25:23).
Note that the text says: "God said to her." (Gen. 25:23). Rebecca has a need to avoid displeasing Isaac so, according to the Midrash, she kept this news from him. As we will read at the end of this parasha, because Rebecca did not tell Isaac what God had revealed to her about their sons, Isaac is never able to imagine Esau as not being equal to the task of receiving his birthright.
Rebecca does not vocalize her fears that Isaac will abandon her for fear that he will assume that she is a sinner for having warring twins in her womb (as posited by the Maharal - Rabbi Yehudah Loewe of 16th-century Prague). Instead, she later conspires to steal Esau's birthright and give it to Jacob. From the moment Rebecca finds out about what is growing in her womb, and decides not to tell Isaac, her relationship with her husband becomes one of deceit.
Isaac's favorite son is Esau. Rebecca's favorite son is Jacob. What if Rebecca, who was brought to Isaac when she was three years old, was able to say that she had to be honest with her husband and tell him what God had told her, but was afraid to because she had fears of abandonment?
We know Isaac's history. Isaac saw firsthand how his father Abraham abandoned Hagar and his half-brother Ishmael, and he saw how Abraham was ready to take Isaac's life. If Rebecca was living in a society that allowed her to voice her fears, do we think tender Isaac would have scoffed at her and rejected her?
Jacob and Esau were contenders at birth, each with different needs and personalities. Jacob spent time in tents (Gen. 25:27), which the Midrash interprets as schools. Esau loved hunting. Jacob, their father, loved Esau because Esau brought Isaac fresh "game for his mouth, but Rebecca loved Jacob" (Gen. 25:28).
According to the Torah, Jacob was preparing a red lentil stew when Esau came in from the field. The famished Esau demanded that Jacob give him some of the stew. Jacob agreed under the provision that Esau would sell Jacob his birthright. Esau agreed, as he thought he was "going to die" (Gen. 25:32). The Talmud in Tractate Bava Batra 16B says that Jacob's stew was a shiva meal to comfort his father Isaac who had just buried Abraham. Ramban (Nachmanides of 13th-century
Does it not seem reasonable that Jacob could have accepted the spiritual birthright of Isaac, while Esau accepted the material birthright? Could not a sharing have taken place? The Torah paints Esau literally red and calls him
Some time later, Isaac has dealings with the Philistine king, Abimelech. This is the same king with whom Abraham made a treaty by which Abraham was given permission to dig wells in
Both Isaac and Abimelech are powerful men, yet they toy with each other like children in a kindergarten sandbox. If Abimelech had said to Isaac that he was envious of Isaac's wealth and wanted to learn Isaac's herding secrets, would Isaac not have shared them with Abimelech? If Abraham was able to work out a treaty with Abimelech, couldn't Isaac have done so also? Here is a case of two more people with an it-it relationship. Abimelech sees Isaac only as a potential commercial threat. Isaac sees Abimelech only as a landowner that he will use until the famine in
The parasha's denouement comes with Rebecca's scheme to deceive her husband, Isaac, and steal from Esau. Again, instead of having an honest talk with her husband about her needs, she plots for Jacob to dress up as Esau and steal Esau's blessing from the blinded Isaac. The ruse works, but only for a few moments. Esau and Isaac uncover the plot too late. Esau swears that he will kill Jacob (Gen. 27:41). Jacob escapes to his uncle Laban's home. Years of two brothers and two spouses not being able to talk, share, or express their needs, boils over into an ugly scene. The ramifications are enormous.
As we will read in the next parasha, Laban also treats Jacob like an object. He tricks Jacob into marrying Leah although Jacob wants Rachel. Years later, Jacob favors Rachel's son Joseph over Leah's sons, who are older than Joseph. What happens? Joseph is sold into slavery in
I posit that the blame goes back further. If Rebecca lived in an atmosphere were she felt she could express her need to reassure her bond with Isaac, she could have spoken with Isaac honestly. She could have told Isaac that God told her about the warring twins in her womb, without Isaac abandoning her. They would have been able, as communicating parents, to raise Jacob and Esau in such a way that would meet both sons' needs. If they were loving brothers, able to feel love equally from each parent, Jacob would have been glad to offer Esau some lunch without the fee of the birthright. Esau would have acknowledged his skills and weaknesses, and accepted Isaac as the spiritual leader. Isaac could have accepted Esau as the commercial leader. There would have been no need to for Jacob to steal Esau's blessing. There would have been no need for Jacob to run to uncle Laban. There would have been no need for Jacob and his sons to go down to
Too many vulnerable Jews in too many places around the world hesitate to look to their temples for assistance in their hour of need. Resolutions and statements cannot change this reality. Only action can. Every one of us is vulnerable at one time or another. Every one of us will have an hour of need. We are supposed to emulate God. God clothed Adam and Eve when they were naked. He consoled Hagar, Sarah, and so many others. He fed the Israelites manna and quail in the wilderness of Sinai. He buried Moses.
Abraham performs acts of loving kindness continually. He never said that his nephew
Martin Buber discussed his theory of relationships in his book I-Thou. I-Thou relationships are mutual relationships of love and caring. It is the type of relationship that we should strive for with God and with loved ones. Buber acknowledges that most people have to struggle to master I-Thou relationships with spouses and family members. Most of the world relates to each other as objects, which Buber calls I-It relationships. New writers have called these Win-Lose relationships while I-Thou relations have been called Win-Win. In transactional therapeutic terms an I-Thou relationship is defined as Adult-Adult or "I'm Ok. You're Ok."
Each Shabbat, we pray to God to give us, or someone we know, "healing of body and renewal of spirit." We know that God helps those that help themselves. We have the power in our
In his book, The Relaxation Response, Dr. Herbert Benson determines that meditation evokes a state of relaxation in the body. It affects respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension and brain function. Other studies have shown that meditation in a group is more effective that meditation alone. Other studies have shown that communal prayer, with what we call kavenah (concentrated attention) in Judaism, produces a similar effect. All of these studies also show that individuals in these groups must relate to each other openly and lovingly. If there is no sense of security, one cannot achieve the relaxation response in meditation, or kavenah in prayer.
Psychiatrist Victor Frankel writes about the importance of meaning in our lives. Other philosophers write about how connections in our lives give it meaning. When we feel connected to the Godhead, in a state of spirituality, we do not feel alone. When we feel connected to a group, like fellow congregants in our temples, we achieve an enhanced ability to cope and to heal. Wellness can be maintained when one feels connected to something larger that oneself writes Rabbi Amy Eilberg, whose ideas are sprinkled throughout this D'var Torah. When we feel connected to a loving community, to truth, to history, and to God, our needs and fears seem smaller.
Religion may act as a placebo but we should not negate the power of a placebo or the power of the mind to heal. Dr. Kevin Pauza and others have shown that merely believing a treatment will work helps alleviate an array of symptoms. Patients with back pain were told they needed back surgery. Half had the surgery under anesthesia. The other half, were anesthetized, but just had the incision made in their back and did not have the surgery. Yet both groups were told they did have the back surgery. Thirty percent of the patients who had the placebo surgery got better. Our convictions that we are connected to Jewish people presently and throughout history really may strengthen us.
Judaism presently has a rich armamentarium of resources to strengthen our spirit when life brings us challenges. The soothing words of the Psalms are an excellent example. Rituals such as Tashlich (casting our sins upon the water in the form of bread on Rosh Hashanah), Shabbat candle lighting, and doing mitzvah are ways that we can symbolically cast away unhealthy habits, look for sources of light and hope, and help those that have needs greater than ours. The sages knew that visiting the ill (bikur cholem) can make a difference in another's experience of illness. But the sages said that the visitor brings his own experiences to the ill person. The visitor has to open up and bring his own hopes and fears, as well as 100 percent of his capacity for love and compassion in order to make a difference.
Many congregations presently have healing services. Some actively visit people in hospitals. One congregation, Beth Shalom in
"All
This Haftarah is from the Book of Malachi. A few verses after this portion, the prophet writes: "Have we all not one father? Hath not one God created us all? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?" (Mal. 2:10). Certainly our congregations are far from being the kind of place that Malachi describes. We are blessed to have caring and compassionate congregations all over the world. We are blessed to have rabbis leading us down a righteous path. If yours is lacking, lead the way. The Mishna tells us, that "in a place where there are no leaders, be a leader." Let us strive to continue this good work and even do better. As we do Tikkun Olam (repair of the world), we will hopefully come to the day, as Malachi says (3:12), when "all nations shall call us happy for we shall be a delightful land."
Shabbat Shalom:
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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.
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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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