Magic. Sometimes the Torah condemns it. But sometimes the Torah condones it. Like in Parshat Chukat, for example. Magic in…
Year: 2024
King: You Don't Want One
YOU DON’T WANT A KING At least, the Hebrew Bible doesn’t want you to want a king. Not a human…
Dayenu: A Spiritual Practice
Dayenu! Enough for us! You may know piyyut, the liturgical poem, Dayenu. Normally we sing Dayenu at the Passover Seder. Dayenu says things like, “If God…
Global Read: Animals, Compassion, Spirituality
Watch a fantastic book discussion, sponsored by the Charter for Compassion. Thank you, everyone, for asking such thoughtful questions about…
Leviticus: What's the Story?
Leviticus (Vayikra) is a book for our time. It is full of wisdom for creating spiritual community. And for dealing…
Chochmah: Wisdom or Skill?
Chochmah. Wisdom. A wonderful Hebrew word sprinkled all around the Bible. But what does it mean? Who has it? How…
Was the Golden Calf Black Magic?
The Golden Calf. How exactly did Aaron make it? Our medieval commentators liked precision. This is their kind of question.…
Peace Prayer Israel/Palestine
A prayer for peace. Holy One of Blessing, we turn towards you to pray for the people of Israel and…
Tachash: Protected Species
Tachash. The mystery animal in this week’s Torah reading. Could it be from an extinct species? Meet the Tachash Here’s…