"I am not worthy of all the mercies and all the truth which You have shown unto Your servant." (Bereishith 32:11)
Jacob had a remarkable curriculum vitae. He was the patriarch of a large family. He possessed an impressive amount of livestock and was quite wealthy. By external standards of success, Jacob had achieved a lot during his years with Lavan.
Shalom members of the University Network of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. In light of the ongoing efforts of Israel's enemies to demonize Israel, I thought it would be important for you to read this open letter from the Chief Rabbi of South Africa, Rabbi Warren Goldstein, which he wrote to Archbishop Tutu. Please feel free to share this letter with fellow students and family members. Best wishes.
"How full of awe is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." (Bereishith 28:17)
Shalom. I hope your school year has been going well, and I wish you all the best. Here are a few items of importance for members of the University Network of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals.
1. Please make sure that we have your correct mailing address on file. You may go to our website, jewishideas.org, and check your My Account page. We mailed out the new issue of Conversations (Orthodoxy and Ethics) in early September, and I hope that you've received your copy.
The Midrash teaches that Abraham and Sarah won many converts to their religious views. How did they succeed?
Rabbinic tradition teaches that Noah and his descendants were given seven basic categories of law, and that "Noahides" fulfill their religious obligations through these Noahide laws. The Talmud (Yevamot 47a) states: "Our sages have said that seven commandments have been prescribed for the Sons of Noah: the first requires them to have judges; the other six forbid sacrilege, idolatry, incest, homicide, theft, and the consumption of a limb taken from a living animal."
In describing God's creation of human beings, the Torah teaches that we were created "in the image of God". Philosophers and commentators have pondered the meaning of this phrase, and have given various explanations. What does it mean for humans to be created in God's image since God is an eternal, incorporeal being? Some have defined "image" as referring to intellect or will.
Some years ago, my wife and I visited Rome. Among the historic sites we visited was the Arch of Titus--a monument to the Roman conquest of Judea in 70 C.E. The Romans destroyed Jerusalem, razed the Temple, killed and enslaved many thousands of Jews--and sent our people into an Exile that lasted until the rise of the State of Israel in 1948. On the inner wall of the Arch of Titus is a depiction of the Roman victory over the Jews, with the Romans carrying off the Menorah which had graced the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.
What is the difference between a genuine religious leader and a charlatan?
A genuine religious leader tries to bring people closer to God, tries to inspire people to intensify their spirituality so that they may approach God and live in the spirit of holiness. A genuine religious leader tries to foster receptivity to a religious worldview, empowering the individual to draw on his/her inner resources in the quest to come closer to God.
Life is filled with choices. We have all made fateful decisions which have determined our road of life. We chose a school to attend, a career, a spouse, a lifestyle, friends, a level of religious observance. Indeed, everything we are today is the result of the many choices we have made throughout the course of our lives.
We may look back at our various decisions and ask: were they right or wrong? Should I have done this or that? Am I living my true life, or have I actually taken the wrong path, a path not true to myself, to who I really am?