Posts Tagged ‘ramban’

ramban

July 24, 2015
By bethmordecai
no comments.

Parashat D’varim (דברים) — Does God Bring Financial Success?

Parashat D'varim 2015/5775 (Triennial II): Does Financial Success Come From God? Most people know the biblical account of manna from heaven: God provides food from heaven for the Israelites in the form of "manna," a bread like substance that according to rabbinic tradition tastes how you want it to taste. Likewise, the Israelites often stop in the desert for God to give them water. But In the triennial section of this week's Torah portion, we read something different: the Israelites had to PAY the tribe of Esau for food and water (Deuteronomy 2:6)! Because the food and water are no longer "free," does it mean that God does not provide it for them? This does not seem to be the[...]

Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class
Tag :

ramban

November 7, 2014
By bethmordecai
no comments.

Parashat Vayera (וירא) — Raping Foreigners

Parashat Vayera 2014/5775 (Triennial II) -- Raping Foreigners In this week's Parashah, we read how the men of Sodom came to Lot's home to demand that he release the men staying in his home so "v'neid-ah otam, so that they can rape them (Genesis 19:5). This trope of raping foreigners is echoed later in the Bible in Judges 19:22. Why are the men in both of these stories doing this to the foreigners in their midst? What can these stories teach us about the power of rape and attitudes to foreigners? Do these stories have anything to teach us today? Classes from other years: Parshat Vayera[...]

Category : home Online Learning Online Parashah Class
Tag :

ramban

August 29, 2014
By bethmordecai
no comments.

Parashat Shoftim (שופטים): How Do You Pursue Justice?

Parashat Shoftim 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- How Do You Pursue Justice? At the beginning of this week's Torah portion, Parashat Shoftim, we read some of the most talked about words in the entire Torah: "Justice, Justice You shall pursue" (Deuteronomy 16:20). But what does it mean to pursue justice? Is it a job for the few or is it a job that each of us can undertake in our own way?

We will explore this question using wisdom from Jewish tradition. Please join us for this important conversation.

Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class
Tag :

ramban

January 9, 2014
By bethmordecai
no comments.

DAY 558: The Power of Torah

Dear Hevreh, The Ramban, among others, teaches us that what we understand to be the Torah of the Five Books of Moses was actually created before the creation of the world as this supernal gift that was waiting for the right time to be given to God's creations. As Walter and I learned yesterday at Yeshivat Panera, this view of the Ramban that Torah is supernal, existing beyond time and space, is epitomized by his teaching that when the Torah was given it was written as black fire upon white fire. That is to say the (black) letters and the (white) parchment of our physical Torah contains an inner flame, or passion, that when accessed has the power to illuminate hidden teachings[...]

Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal
Tag :