Sixth week of the Omer count: An opportunity to reflect on Yesod: Foundation In today’s “postmodern” intellectual climate, philosophers like…
Category: Kabbalah
Hod: Two Philosophers, Two Qualities
“To you God, belongs greatness, strength (gevurah), beauty (tiferet), eternity (netzach) and splendour (hod), because…well, everything in heaven and on…
Netzach: Ibn Gabirol on Eternity
Netzach: I translate it as “endurance” and as “eternity.” “Eternity” fits when I imagine the sefirot as qualities of the…
Tiferet: Plotinus on Beauty
Beauty: I see it in flaming sunsets, soaring raptors, astonishing works of art. I want those experiences to last forever; they seem…
Gevurah: Aristotle on Judgment
Virtue is a state of character concerned with choice of the mean between two extremes, i.e., a mean relative to…
Spiritual Ecology for Tu BeShevat
Tu BeShevat, 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. In Talmudic tales, tax day for orchard owners. In Kabbalistic…
Forty Shades of Interfaith
Girl About Town. Toxic Tale. Heroine. Flat Out Fabulous. Sweet and Sour. Stunner. Unchanging. Gospel. Zen Rose. Love Temple. Divine…
Is God Privileged?
What do we teach about how power works? What do we teach about how a Higher Power works? Terrible events…
Merry Christmas: Shallow Ecumenism
Saying hello in December does not challenge my religious identity. “Merry Christmas!” Even as a Jew, I accept this season’s…