Blog Counting Again
We are counting. Again. In the spring we count the 50 days between Passover and Shavuot. At this time of year we count 40 days from the New Moon of Elul until Yom Kippur. There is an interesting paradox to be discovered here. The counting in the spring (Sefirat ha-Omer) is an actual count—we say […]
Can I Ask?
“Would she talk about what happened?” “No, never and if you can believe it, my uncle even less than that!” Growing up in Queens, NY most of my friends ‘parents were from Europe. They had come to the states after the war. Either one or both parents had numbers branded on their arms. As […]
Honoring a Mystery
A month ago I received an email from a woman I knew when I was a boy. She was my older sister’s best friend. She lives in Israel—close to my sister as neighbor and close in the friendship they have for nearly a half century. Mirel is her first name. It took me a minute […]
It Takes a Billion
It takes a billion ‘events’ for anything to come about. These words have been used to describe what synchronicity is as distinct from coincidence. The true number is more than a billion—saying a billion is just a way to get the thought process engaged in a very large number of events. One of the […]
Compromise without Concession
In English, compromise is defined as two parties that come to agreement by making concessions. The key word is concession. The Hebrew word for compromise is Pesher (Peh-Shin-Reish). When we compare this Hebrew root word with other similar roots the connotation is to create a connection. A bridge in Hebrew is Gesher (Gimmel-Shin-Reish) and a […]
Summer Clouds
Last week’s blog about memory generated a good deal of commentary. Memories continue to be a focus for me as I clear out closets and go through boxes, especially those in the garage, as we prepare for our move to a new home. I want to thank Amy Karpas who forwarded this week Jonathan Safran […]
Bowing to Memory
There is a story about a young boy in Denver who, this past year, fell from his skateboard and banged his head so severely that he became amnestic for a period of months. He did not recognize any of his family members. One day during prayers in synagogue he bowed down at the customary […]
Out of Touch
One area of learning has been around our capacity for empathy. Thirty years ago when I worked with children diagnosed as autistic the understanding was that in addition to extreme sensitivity to sensory stimulation, autistic children were “out of touch.” They could not connect to others, would not want physical connection and could not […]
Donkey Library
A question this week from someone who came to an introductory Kabbalah class four years ago: David, I have a “very simple” question for you that came up in a discussion with one of my friends. Is the expansion of consciousness (by that I mean coming to a higher level of awareness of […]
Holding Opposites
This past year I was privileged to develop and teach a new year-long class with Lili Zohar—designed for third year students-we call it Holding Opposites. It has received mixed reviews—for some it is the “best Kabbalah learning so far” and for some it is “not so easy to follow.” Even the feedback for this class […]