86 texts in Philo of Alexandria
Our ancestors wrestled with it, too. And they left us a pretty incredible guide to help us navigate it. It’s called The Book of the War of the Lord. A bold title. It promises to il...
Sometimes, the deepest truths are hidden in plain sight, masked by complexity or sheer volume of information. This is something the author of The Wars of God seems to anticipate. R...
But who – or what – is on the receiving end? It's a question that’s clearly bothered people for centuries. I recently stumbled across a fascinating snippet of text – a question, re...
Our story begins with a question, a seeker looking for clarity on a crucial point of Jewish theology: How do we direct our service to God? The initial response, according to our te...
It’s easy to get lost in the immensity of it all. How do we even begin to understand, let alone connect with, the Infinite? One of the big questions that comes up in Kabbalistic th...
It’s like trying to grasp the trunk of a massive, ancient tree, its branches reaching so high you can barely see the top. It’s... well, it’s complicated. I recently came across som...
The plea is intense: "My soul yearns to hear profound words, tightly sealed, burning from the lofty heavens... quench my thirst like a parched land." Wow. This isn't just casual cu...
They dared to ask: Who really governs all those hidden worlds the Kabbalists only hinted at? : If Zeir Anpin, the "Small Face" – a Kabbalistic term for one of the configurations of...
The Jerusalem Talmud, specifically in the tractate Shabbat, recounts a rather bold statement. The sages, or Chazal, tell us about someone who, upon witnessing the beauty of somethi...
Central to Judaism is the absolute oneness of God. It’s right there in the Shema, that foundational declaration: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:...
Sometimes, that happens with our understanding of the Divine, too. There's a fascinating debate, captured in letters from Jewish scholars of generations past, about how we relate t...
Ever stumble upon something that seems contradictory, something that makes you scratch your head and wonder, "Wait, did I miss something?" That’s exactly the kind of question someo...
Jewish tradition speaks of such moments as revelations of the Shekhinah (שכינה), the Divine Presence. But what exactly does that mean? And what does it look like? Sometimes, it see...
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 ...
But what if you perform those actions for someone else? Does that automatically make you an idolater? The Talmud, in Sanhedrin (the supreme rabbinic court), tackles this very quest...
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...
Isn't it fascinating how often we grapple with the line between respect and worship? Where do we draw that boundary? It's a question that goes right to the heart of Jewish thought....
The ancient Israelites, our ancestors, were intensely careful about anything that could be perceived as foreign worship. And I mean intensely. The Talmud, that vast ocean of Jewish...
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...
Sometimes, understanding a practice means understanding its context. The medieval philosopher Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, specifically in "Laws of Idolatry," grappled with th...
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...
Our tradition teaches us a vital principle: we don't prostrate ourselves before the Sefer Torah, the Torah scroll itself. It's not about worshipping parchment and ink. Instead, as ...
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...
This happens, especially when we delve into the complex world of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. And that’s precisely what this passage addresses: a series of misunderstandings and mis...
And, naturally, with such a deep and complex field of study, disagreements and different interpretations will inevitably arise. This brings us to a fascinating glimpse into a histo...
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!...
Like every path leads to another, and the trees seem to whisper confusing riddles? That's kind of how it can feel when diving into the deeper waters of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. ...
It’s powerful stuff, and not everyone agrees on how much we should explore it. We see this tension reflected in the words of the sage Yair, who seems hesitant to delve too deeply i...
How do we know what's real, especially when it comes to something as immense as the Divine? How do we stay on the path, the derech, when so many voices clamor for our attention? Th...
It’s a question that’s been wrestled with for centuries in Jewish tradition. What if someone says Elijah himself appeared to them? According to some, that person might be peddling ...
Jewish thought is FULL of those moments. Let’s unpack one, shall we? Our journey starts with what some might call "foolishness and evil folly." Strong words. The text we're looking...
The text we're looking at grapples with just that. It starts with a pretty bold statement: the wisdom of even the greatest Kabbalists – masters of the mystical tradition of Kabbala...
That feeling is at the heart of this story, a real-life exchange steeped in tradition and faith. It comes from a fascinating text called "The Wars of God," and it lays bare a disag...
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...
It goes deep, friends. Really deep. We're talking about a system where, as the esteemed Kabbalist, the master of the Chamber of Blessing, of blessed memory, tells us, the court has...
That feeling, that sense of unease, might be more than just good manners telling you to speak up. According to Jewish tradition, it's practically a commandment. The Torah tells us,...
It's a harsh rebuke, a stark reminder of the damage that lashon hara – evil speech – can inflict. The writer directly confronts his friend, accusing him of believing falsehoods wit...
We've all been there. And sometimes, the debate gets heated! Imagine a conversation, or rather, a spirited disagreement, where someone feels like their carefully considered questio...
Isn't it astonishing how different interpretations can arise, even when dealing with texts we hold sacred? We're left scratching our heads, honestly, reading your words. Are you su...
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...
That's the kind of heat we're wading into today. This isn't just a friendly disagreement; it's a full-blown intellectual battle. And at the heart of it lies the Zohar, the foundati...
Someone is being called out for criticizing the act of diligently seeking to understand the sacred texts. The response is sharp: "Who gave you the authority to seek and investigate...
We call Him by names like YHWH and Adonai, and our sages, may their memory be a blessing, refer to Him as HaKadosh Baruch Hu, "The Holy One, Blessed be He." But what does it all me...
