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Jewish tradition has a name for that feeling: Shekhinah (the Divine Presence). But what exactly is it? It’s a word we hear often, especially when talking about exile and redemption...
It’s a question that has echoes through Jewish tradition, and one that comes up in a fascinating discussion about bowing down, prostration, and the very nature of God’s glory. The ...
Are we, heaven forbid, idolaters, bowing down to wood and parchment? Rabbi Menasheh ben Yisrael, of blessed memory, addressed this very concern in his book, Teshuat Yisrael. He fel...
Yes, kissing! We often think of kissing as a sign of affection, love, or respect. But in ancient times, it could also be a form of worship. Strange. The Bible itself gives us a gli...
The story goes that when the seventy-two elders presented it to him, he didn't just nod politely. He rose from his throne, and prostrated himself before it not once, but seven time...
That’s kind of the vibe I get from this passage. Someone (we don't know who, exactly) has just asked a question about prophecy. Now, the author of this text (also unnamed in this s...
This isn't just some dusty historical document. This is a raw, unfiltered response to someone wrestling with complex ideas about God, the universe, and the role of Jewish tradition...
Remember how we talked last time about the "Wars of God," those intellectual battles fought over the proper approach to divine wisdom? Well, buckle up, because the debate rages on!...
And it's something reflected even in our ancient texts. Imagine being accused of disrespecting the very wisdom you hold sacred. That's the situation hinted at in this passage, a pa...
The text we're looking at speaks to just that – a world where falsehood reigns and those who uphold Torah are scorned. It's a harsh indictment, a cry of pain from someone who feels...
Isn't it frustrating when someone twists your words, puts ideas in your mouth, and generally acts in bad faith? That's the vibe I get from this next section of "The Wars of God." S...
Jewish tradition is vast, an ocean of wisdom passed down through generations. But what happens when we encounter teachings that seem to clash, or interpretations that feel…off? Tra...
to this a bit. The esteemed Rabbi Tam, of blessed memory, as we learn, was deeply troubled by these developments. He saw these new approaches to Kabbalah as a breach, a violation o...
You're not alone! The tradition teaches that deep understanding requires dedication, effort, and a willingness to truly delve into the text. The power to investigate and inquire wi...
Jewish mysticism offers us a glimpse, a whisper of understanding, and some of the most fascinating insights come from the Zohar, the foundational text of Kabbalah. And within the Z...
It's not as simple as shouting into the void, that's for sure! According to the Zohar, the central text of Kabbalah, and subsequent Kabbalistic teachings, all our service, all our ...
The book "HaB'rit," in a chapter written by the author of "Ma'amar Kuf" in "Yashar Levav," touches on this very idea: that the very name of God is ever-present on our lips. When we...
This is a tricky concept, one that's tripped up even seasoned students of Kabbalah. We're diving deep into the nature of the Divine, grappling with ideas about creation, generation...
And it's a desire that sometimes leads to conflict, as we see when examining certain debates within Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. In this particular instance, we're divi...
The question of creation... it's one that's gripped humanity for millennia, isn't it? How did it all begin? Was there a before? And if so, what was it like? The rabbis of old grapp...
The Jewish tradition grapples with this very question, and it's a fascinating journey to explore. Now, Rabbi Tzadok ben Yechiel, in the book "Ravid HaZahav," makes a crucial distin...
That’s kind of what we're doing today, diving into some pretty deep Kabbalistic concepts about the nature of the Divine. We’re talking about the Sefirot (the divine emanations), th...
Oy vey! Have we, in our zeal for hidden wisdom, inadvertently stumbled into idolatry? It's a question that weighs heavily, especially when considering the influence of the Zohar an...
Specifically, I’m thinking of (Genesis 2:14). It's not just that the Euphrates river is mentioned. Oh no, we also get that the Pishon "goes round all the land of Evilat," the Gihon...
It's not just about blissful relaxation under the shade of the Tree of Life. According to the Midrash of Philo, there's a deeper lesson woven into the very act of tending the Garde...
What does it mean to name something? The book of Genesis gives us a glimpse into this very idea. In (Genesis 2:19), it says, "And whatever Adam called each living thing, that was t...
Why wasn't she just... there? Well, according to a fascinating interpretation found in the Midrash of Philo 22, it's not just a random detail. It speaks to something much deeper ab...
We read it, we move on. But what if there's a whole universe of meaning packed into those few simple words? That's where midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) comes in. Midras...
Ancient Jewish wisdom has something profound to say about that very human struggle. Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish philosopher living in Egypt in the first century CE, offered a uni...
We often skim over details, assuming we understand them, but sometimes, a closer look reveals incredible insights. Take, for example, the story of Adam and Eve after they eat from ...
The ancient Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria grappled with this very question. Philo, living in the 1st century CE, sought to reconcile Jewish scripture with Greek philosophy...
Take the story of Cain and Abel. A foundational story. We all know it: the first brothers, the first offering, the first murder. So, why is it that in (Genesis 4:5), it says, "And ...
It turns out, that feeling might be older than you think. to a fascinating piece of ancient Jewish thought that wrestles with just that—the heavy inheritance of sin. We're going to...
It's not just about counting sheep; ancient Jewish thought saw numbers as keys unlocking profound spiritual truths. to one such exploration, found in the writings attributed to Phi...
These are the kinds of questions that our sages wrestled with, poring over every word of the Torah for hidden meanings. Let's consider Noah. We all know the story: the flood, the a...
The Torah tells us, in (Genesis 7:19), about the flood: “And the water overflowed fifteen cubits above all the highest mountains.” Simple enough on the surface. But if we dig a lit...
And that's precisely the question posed in The Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations and expansions on the Torah attributed to Philo of Alexandria, the great Jewish phi...
Philo, a Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria in the first century CE, delved into these questions. He wrote extensively on the Torah, often offering allegorical interpretati...
We see potential, and we want to help it blossom. But how do you actually do it? The Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations and homilies attributed to the philosopher Ph...
Philo, the great Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, grappled with these questions centuries ago. And his interpretations, preserved in what we call The Midrash of Philo, offer a fas...
Some interpret this verse as God’s permission for humanity to eat meat. After the flood, the world was starting anew, and perhaps a new dietary allowance was being granted. But is ...
It’s more than just a pretty arc of color after the rain, especially when we look at it through the lens of ancient Jewish thought. The Torah tells us that after the flood, God set...
It's like the biblical text is hinting at something more, inviting us to dig a little deeper. Take, for example, the story of Noah and his sons after the flood. It's a well-known t...
Philo grapples with this very question: Why are the names "Lord" and "God" sometimes used together? His answer? It's all about God's attributes, specifically benevolence and kingly...
Take the covenant God makes with Abraham in Genesis 15. It's a big moment. God promises Abraham this whole huge swathe of land for his descendants. But then it gets…well, geographi...
The ancient sages certainly did. to a fascinating interpretation from the Midrash of Philo that uses geography to explain the pursuit of happiness itself. Philo, a Jewish philosoph...
Jewish tradition certainly understands that feeling. And it can be pretty direct about it, too. Take this passage from The Midrash of Philo. Now, Philo of Alexandria, he was a fasc...
That’s certainly true when we delve into the deeper interpretations of brit milah, the covenant of circumcision. We all know the physical act: the circumcision of the male child, a...
