We gather next month to engage in (and endure - start weaning yourselves from the coffee now…) the holiness of Yom Kippur, the most joyous day in the Jewish calendar. Joyous? Yes, indeed, for it is on this day that we are all brought once again to a state of spiritual purity within our holy community. Through our prayers and hopes for forgiveness, our own forgiving of others, and our support of each other, we renew ourselves as we step into the new year. In ancient times,

Teshuvah? - I will get to it… When all my dusts settle. There are many dusts, each of them a zillion particles whirling beyond my control. And if I move I only make things worse. An email, a conversation, an argument, yet another article in the papers, an inner monologue of lashon hara - more dust, new dust. Dust stirred. Elul says let your dusts settle, so I need to stand still. Stand still in the light and let my dusts settle, on me, around me, inside me. Dust is more visib

What does the Almighty expect from us? One way or another, each of us asks this question at least once in a lifetime. We keep searching for the answers to this complicated question throughout our lives, and when we speak to the Almighty in response we do not hear his voice, but perceive the answers according to what is happening, it is important for us to know and understand the tools of communication. In the Torah, Bemidbar (29:1), the Jewish New Year, which this year starts

The “modeh ani” prayer said every morning on waking gives thanks for the return of the soul to the body, built on the Talmudic idea that sleep is one-sixtieth of death. According to Midrash (Gen Rabbah) Rabbi Meir taught that the soul fills the wakeful body, but during sleep it ascends to God and carries life back for the person who sleeps. And so essentially each new day is the beginning of a new life. Not a continuation of life, but a renewal, a new start. Yesterday is gone

What do you need to do to be ready for Kabbalat shabbat? Can one just race through the week, rush into the house and then either turn on the computer or dash over to the shul, and be in the service for the receiving of shabbos? How does one enter fully, heart and mind, into such a relationship, the welcoming into ones life of a beloved, a partner, the sabbath? Lomir ale in eynem, in eynem, shabes mekabl ponim zayn, let’s all together welcome shabes. Mekabl ponim, to receive

One of the things that I like so much about Judaism is our ritual pragmatism. If we don’t use the moments allotted us to milk every bit of naches, or deepen our spiritual connections as much as possible, soon there will be another opportunity. Lest we work ourselves up into a state of inability to move because we think we are the only ones afflicted, Judaism provides us with a constant level of companionship. As we approach Elul and the shofar blast in the morning, I’m remind

Levi Yitzchak of Rosakov (1740–1809), best known as Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, one of the most famous disciples of the Maggid of Mezerich, summoned a simple tailor and asked the man about a discussion he was having with God. The tailor said, "I have declared to God, 'You want me to repent and apologize for everything I have done wrong. But I've only made small, meaningless mistakes. I have some dust left over from clothes I made, I have occasionally not eaten strictly

The main theme of the days of awe is that of judgement, with one of the most powerful images being that used by R. Yochanan to prompt us into reflecting on how we are living our lives – that of the three books opened on this day, one for the utterly wicked, one for the wholly good, and one for everyone else. While the two extremes find themselves immediately “written in the book”, the rest of us have ten days to make a decision where our names will go. I love this image, all

I am Gods and God is mine… A Reflection for the Yamim Noraim What does it mean to “have faith?” We use this expression in a variety of situations – have a little faith in me; keep up the faith; be faithful – all of which tend to be used by people concerning their relationships with other people. But the main use of the expression ‘faith’ is in the realm of religion. Google ‘faith’ and, having glanced through the shoe shop and the beauty products listed there, you will find en

Elul Meditation Programme Week 2: Relationships with others and/or the Other Every love which depends on a thing – when the thing disappears, the love disappears. But [the love] which does not depend on a thing never disappears. What is the love which depends on a thing? It is the love of Amnon and Tamar. And [the love] which does not depend on a thing is the love of David and Jonathan. (Pirqey Avot 5:16). This Mishna prompts us to question ourselves about the nature of love