Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on February 16, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
in this week’s parsha, ki tissa, we learn much about moshe and God’s complicated relationship, through the nature of their interactions. by now, they seem to have developed an interesting dynamic in which God has singled moshe out from the rest of the people, almost as a companion or confidante. it is moshe that is Continue Reading »
Posted on February 8, 2011 by David Bogomolny
Pirkei Avot Podcast, Ep. 2 This is our 2nd Podcast episode… The 1st can be found here. This series is brought to you by the students of Pardes, with praticular kudos to Joel Dinin for leading this project!
Posted on February 6, 2011 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, Last week was quite a whirlwind: getting back on track with classes at Pardes, exploring plans for next year and hosting my dad who is visiting from Toronto for the next 10 days or so…not to mention the snowy blizzards and political storms going on around the world! I can honestly say that Continue Reading »
Posted on January 24, 2011 by Michael
The root of the Hebrew word for love—AHAVA—is Hav; to give. To give one’s mind to Gd in a gesture of mutual love is to receive Gd in every moment; to live a life of contemplation, to silence the ego thoughts and desires in order to receive Gd waving to us at all times eternally. Continue Reading »
Posted on January 12, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
In this week’s parsha, God finally makes good on His promise to the Jewish people and gets the Israelites out of Egypt in style. This is no shabby saving; The hand of God Himself causes the sea to swell and the waters to part. While the Israelites breeze through on dry land with walls of Continue Reading »
Posted on January 5, 2011 by Shibley
Among the other brachot offered during the shacharit (morning t’fillah) we find one that is about the creation of light and darkness. The text reads “Blessed are You God Master [king] of the universe, who forms light and creates darkness, makes peace, and creates all.” I have long been confused as to the placement of Continue Reading »
Posted on December 30, 2010 by Mosheh
The Psalmist is in love, with G-d, with his earthly lover, with being fully Alive.* The Prophet is intimately connected with the Divine Plan and with his community, he / she is deeply pained by our distance, fear, shame, inadequacy, and disconnect from our souls and the Divine Spirit. So he engages, she calls us Continue Reading »
Posted on December 30, 2010 by Mosheh
V’ahavta et Hashem elochecha!* How do you command love? Can you command love? Yes, actually you can. The command, however, is to listen (Shema!), and thus form a relationship. Have you ever really listened? I mean really, really, really listened? Have you ever really listened, really heard someone’s heart of hearts and not fallen in Continue Reading »
Posted on December 30, 2010 by Avi Strausberg
in this week’s parsha, parshat וארא, i struggled with God’s hand in the hardening of pharoah’s heart and the destruction and violence that result. while pharoah certainly has within him the seed to be the oppressive, tyrannical ruler that dominates this parsha, pharoah’s refusal and stubbornness to release the jewish people, seems to stem from Continue Reading »
Posted on December 19, 2010 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, Last week I was reading through the parsha and was struck by very familiar words, namely those of Jacob when he blesses Joseph’s sons, Efraim and Menashe. Sensing his death is near, Jacob beckons his grandsons to receive his blessing. יד וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-יְמִינוֹ וַיָּשֶׁת עַל-רֹאשׁ אֶפְרַיִם, וְהוּא הַצָּעִיר, וְאֶת-שְׂמֹאלוֹ, עַל-רֹאשׁ מְנַשֶּׁה: שִׂכֵּל, Continue Reading »
