Reasonable, spiritual, authentic Judaism
Exploring a reasonable and relevant Judaism - authentic and current, inclusive and welcoming - Rabbi Jonathan opens and develops discussions delving into Jewish life, learning, and meaning. “Jewish and...” means Judaism enhanced because today's Judaism is: multi-faith, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, pluralist, pro-LGBTQ+, feminist, and multi-generational. “Jewish and…” starts with Jewish sources: Torah, Midrash, Talmud, Commentaries, Israel, Yiddish, Hebrew, Food, Klezmer, and anything else that connects us to our Jewish selves.
Malchut in Hod - the manifestation of reality in humble smallness.
Gaining perspective must be put to some use. We engage in contemplating how insignificant we are so that we can act effectively. So we must put that acquired wisdom into action and not get lost in our insignificance.
The seed must germinate and grow or not fulfill its purpose.
May our counting lead us to better agency!
Yesod in Hod - a balanced foundation in smallness and humility.
Building solidly requires taking into account all the details, even the smallest of them.
Each fastener, each two by four, each decision in design, reminds us of their value when we look upon something well constructed.
Happy counting, building something out of small details noticed each day.
Happy LaG b'Omer - the 33rd of the Omer is here - shaving and hair-cutting and going to parties allowed again.
This is the 5th day of the 5th week of the Omer, Hod in Hod - the awe we get from seeing the universe from our place of smallness, in that place itself.
Let us remember that our smallness may be a crutch. It too is small.
Let us embrace a realistic sense of proportion, the infinite inspires awe, let us use this awe to inspire us to be humble so that we act well.
Still catching up - this is from Saturday night, and Sunday.
Tiferet in Hod - harmonious beautiful fine-tuned balance in smallness and grace.
We know that we should embrace some sense of smallness, to self-diminish and withdraw to make room for the growth of others. This is called tzimtzum by the Kabbalists and they imagine the Infinite reducing in order to create.
Doing this well requires a light and balanced touch - too much space and growth isn't cultivated, too much and it is stymied. A garden can easily be abandoned or over-attended - neither leads to flourishing growth or partnership.
Hold values in mind, pause and reflect, and then figure out the right amount of tzimtzum.
The days of the Omer are diminshing - this is the 3rd day of the 5th week.
Hod in Netzach - quantum smallness and awe in eternal perpetuation of the self.
These ends of the spectrum - humility and ego - depend on each other. All sound thinking, feeling, and acting, relies on balanced and appropriate use of self, sometimes less, sometimes more, and fine tuning that adjustment and its other dimensions takes attention.
To find the smallness necessary for a long term projection of our selves recognizes our interdependence, even as we assert our selves.
We are dependent AND we are important. Recognizing these as co-existing enables us to do better.
Counting continues tonight - blessings to all!
Hod in Chesed - grace, the sense of our smallness, in compassion.
When we see ourselves as small, we connect sympathetically with every one, even every thing. Sympathy can be a source for compassion, and can be essential for kindness in a helpful way.
When we offer help, we often want to contribute in our own way. Assistance may often be most effective when we allow the person we hope to assist to design the manner in which we help.
As a parent might often say to a child, "I need you to help me in the way that I need help, not in the way that you think you need to help."
Assistance requires listening - compassion requires sympathy.