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Jewish Spiritual Renewal:Shabbat and Sukkoth 10/3/09:Torah,TaNaK,Talmud:Ethical/Spiritual View
Shalom my beloved Talmidim, Chaverim and Rabbanim:
- Abraham represents love and kindness
- Isaac represents restraint and personal strength
- Jacob represents beauty and truth
- Moses represents eternality and dominance through Torah
- Aaron represents empathy and receptivity to divine splendor
- Joseph represents holiness and the spiritual foundation
- David represents the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on earth
The Kabbalists say that the four species of the Luluv represent four different types of Jews:
- The Etrog has a good taste and a good fragrance. It represents a person with both wisdom (Torah learning) and good deeds.
- The Hadas (myrtle) has a good fragrance, but is inedible. It represents a person who has good deeds, but lacks wisdom.
- The Lulav (date palm) is edible, but has no smell. This represents the person with wisdom, but without good deeds.
- The Aravah (willow) has neither taste nor smell. It represents a person with neither good deeds nor Torah learning.
On Sukkoth, we gather these four species, bind them, and wave them all together. The Luluv is only kosher if all four species are taken together. If one of the species is missing, the entire Luluv is invalid. This teaches that we must look at all the Jewish people as a unit, working together. Note that when the Luluv is held, the Etrog is held next to the willow. The one with the "most" should position himself to be near the one with the "least," in order to favorably influence him.
All Jews are equally beloved by God, and all Jews and our rabbis need to be equally loved and respected by other Jews.(as well as all people!). As I have taught before, if God is infinite, His Torah is infinite, and the ways to God are all equal. We are not on different rungs of a ladder, some of us better Jews than the next. We are all on spokes of the same wheel, all equidistant to the Ein Sof. None of us should be calling anyone 'too Jewish,' or 'not Jewish enough.' The most secular Jew does mitzvoth whether he/she realizes it or not, and the most ritualized Jew can find himself being so spiritually detached, he is arrested for pecuniary crimes.
Some more Kabbalah: Sefer Bahir: It describes the four species as four parts of a human being:
- The Etrog represents the heart, the seat of our emotions.
- The Hadas (myrtle) has leaves shaped like an eye.
- The Luluv (date palm) represents the spine, from where our actions emanate.
- The Aravah (willow) represents the lips, our speech.
The four species also represent the Name of God. Aravah (willow), Hadas (myrtle), Luluv (date palm) and Etrog represent the Yud and Heh and Vav and Heh of the four-letter Name of God. He is the breath of all life. As we have studied in my chapter and classes on mediation, breath in with YaH. Hold the breathe for ten seconds. Breath out with WaH. Hold it for ten seconds. And repeat. Think only : ''God is one...Love my fellow.'' Do this for 5 minutes as you hold the Luluv and the Etrog. Then do the beracoth and wave the Luluv to the front, back, left, right, up, and down.
The beracoth are: "Baruch ata Adonai, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu bi'mitzvo-tav, vi'tzivanu al ni-tilat luluv." Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us with His mitzvoth, and instructed us to raise up the Luluv. And the Sheckianu prayer.
Again we find integration, shelma and shalom. When we truly understand that God is one and we are one with God and every other human and with His world, we have come to be spiritually awakened.
Let me end with a bit of Eco-Judaism.
After the Sukkoth holiday has ended, we are left with a variety of items that we used for mitzvoth, but which no longer seem to serve any function. For example, the four species (Luluv, Etrog, etc.), the willow branches from Hoshana Rabba, and the s'chach (see d'var Torah below) which formed the roof of our Sukkah. But we mustn't simply throw these mitzvah items out. Judaism believes in re-cycling.
Some more Kabbalah :There is a beautiful kabbalistic idea of "mitzvah recycling" -- which suggests that any item used for one mitzvah should be used for another (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 12). For example, many save their Luluv sets and extra willows until the eve of Passover, to use them for kindling a fire for the mitzvah of burning chometz (Maharal ). Similarly, old Tzitzit once detached from the Tallit can be used as effective bookmarks (Maharil).
Another beautiful practice is to cover the surface of the Etrog with aromatic cloves and use this throughout the year as a spice holder for the Havdallah service. Others have the custom to collect dozens of Etrogs and to candy their tart fruit. You can then serve it on Tu B'shevat -- the new year for fruit trees. (In 2010 it will fall on Shabbat, January 29, 2010, and your Shabbat dinner can be a Kabbalistic seder. Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:TU B' SHEVAT SEDER HAGADDAH:SPIRITUAL RENEWAL).
Some last bit of TaNaK: Deut. 20:19: ''Do not destroy, bal tashchit.'' Our Talmud in many places takes this law against harming fruit trees in war, and applies it to being a general law of our not wasting materials, our health or even friendships (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 140a) and other dafs. So when Sukkoth is over, it is a great time for Jews, some of whom do gobble and over- consume, to begin to conserve and re-cycle.
Shabbat shalom and happy Sukkoth!!
Rabbi Arthur Segal
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Selected
Leviticus 22:26-23:44
Numbers 29:12-16
Zechariah 14:1-21
I Kings 8:2-21
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"Little Houses Made of Ticky-Tacky"
The special readings from Numbers and Leviticus give the laws of the Sukkoth holiday. The chapter in Kings tells us how King Solomon celebrated Sukkoth, while the chapter in Zechariah uses the booth as an analogy to God's rescuing and sheltering us from warring neighbors.
The Torah in Leviticus 23:39 says, "On the fifteenth of the seventh month, when you gather in the crop of the land, you shall celebrate God's festival for a seven day period: the first day is a rest day and the eighth day is a rest day. You shall take for yourselves on the first day, a fruit of a beautiful tree, the branches of date palms, twigs of a plaited tree, and brook willows, and you shall rejoice before your God for a seven-day period...it is an eternal decree. You shall dwell in booths for a seven-day period; every native in
Traditionally Sukkoth reminds us how God provided shelter during our 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Sukkoth is the time to rejoice in our wellbeing and to give thanks to God. It is sometimes called the "Jewish Thanksgiving." Some historians have written that the Pilgrim fathers of our
The Midrash and Talmud, as we have seen with all holidays described in short verses in the Torah, expand the rules. Most important to them, the rabbis write pages on how to construct a sukkah – the booths described in Leviticus 23:39. They discuss the minimal number of walls, the height and thickness of the walls, the construction of the roof, and the materials to be used. They determine that this unspecified "fruit from a beautiful tree" must be a citron (etrog in Hebrew). This is a lemon-like fruit. They say that the four species mentioned symbolize the unity of us as individuals. The etrog symbolizes the heart. The luluv (palm branch) is the spine. The hadasim (myrtle leaves) are the eyes. The aravot (willow branches) are the lips. When we hold all four together, we are reminded that all parts of us must be integrated to lead ethical lives.
The Midrash gives another lesson. It says that the etrog, which tastes and smells pleasant, symbolizes one who studies and does good deeds. The lulav, whose fruit, the date, tastes good but has no aroma, is like one who studies but does not do good deeds. The myrtle, which has no taste but smells good, is like one who does not study but does good deeds. The willow has neither taste nor smell. It symbolizes one who does neither study or good deeds. The Midrash teaches that we hold these all together to remember that everyone is beloved by God and that a loving community is made up all of sorts of people.
When you are physically in a sukkah at night and your body lacks the comforts you are used to inside your home, it is very easy to ask what crucial lesson is learned from leaving the security and protection of our homes to go live in this hut. The Talmud Bavli, in Tractate Sukkah 11B, says that these booths serve to remind us of two things: either the temporary dwellings in which we lived in the desert, or the Clouds of Glory that protected us in the desert. By building flimsy booths covered with roofs that one can see through made with schach, we are reminded of the fragility of our existence and how lucky we are to have shelter that we sometimes take for granted. In a modern spiritual and renewal Jewish, tikun olam (repair of the world) sense, this may be a good time of year to remember the homeless in our cities who have no shelter and would look at these ticky-tacky huts as luxury dwellings.
The Talmud states that the roof must be made of loose earth-grown materials. However, the walls can be made of anything and can be completely enclosing. Rabbi Samson Hirsch, of 19th-century
The Talmud also teaches that one must build a new sukkah each year. This is to remind us that the world is constantly undergoing renewal. Everything is always new and we should never take any condition for granted, but learn to adapt. The schach must be porous enough that one can see the stars through it, but opaque enough that one cannot look clearly at the constellations (mozel) and think that luck (as in mozel tov, commonly used Hebrew-Yiddish expression for good luck) will see him through these seven nights.
Another custom is to welcome a special guest from our past on each night of Sukkoth. We are taught in the Midrash that not only does the Divine Presence, the Shechinah, dwell with us, but that She comes with seven "faithful shepherds." These ushpizin (Aramaic for guests) come visit us, one each night. Who are they? They are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David. Each one of these men left the comforts of their surroundings and lived in temporary shelters. Kaballistically, each guest represents a character trait of God on the sefirot tree. For example, Abraham is chesed (loving kindness), Isaac is gevurah (spiritual strength), and Jacob is tiferet (spiritual glory). For spiritual Jews, this is a significant custom that reminds us of the attributes we should try to emulate to become better partners with God in Tikun Olam. Besides these spiritual guests, it is customary to invite a different human guest to your sukkah each night.
The rabbis, in Tractate Avodah Zarah, speak of living in a sukkah for a week as being the ultimate test for modern man to show his faith in God. They tell of the time of the "final redemption," when idol worshippers will say, "Please, God, do not send us to Hell. If we were given the Torah, we would have accepted it also!" The rabbis say that God makes a deal with them. He says He will give them just one of the 613 commandments He gave the Jews. If they fulfill this one mitzvah, they will enter olam haba (the world to come). They are told to live in a sukkah for a week.
The Talmud says that when the noon sun beats through the schach, the idol worshippers will "kick down the walls and flee in disgust." This story is mentioned to help modern Jews who see no benefit to the sukkah mitzvoth as a way of appreciating God's bounty and gaining some insight into Jewish spirituality, even if it is for one outside meal during the weeklong holiday.
Verse 23:37 of Leviticus mentions doing "a feast offering and its libation." During the
This celebration was held every night of Sukkoth except for Shabbat and the first night. The rabbis wrote in Tractate Sukkoth 51A, "whoever did not see this celebration never saw a celebration." This weeklong party was known as Simchat Bait ha Sho'eva (the Rejoicing of the House of the Drawing).
The prophet Amos (5:21-27) writes that he visited the Temple during Sukkoth and the revelry that he saw made such an unfavorable impression upon him that he condemned the Temple and the entire ritual. Hosea (9:01), another prophet, also protested the bacchanalia atmosphere. Isaiah (28:7-8) tells us that even the priests were drunk in the sanctuary. He writes: "they are confused because of wine, they stagger because of strong drink." And these were the Levites and Kohanim! I leave it to your imagination to think of how the other tribes' members were misbehaving.
Water was, and still is, a precious commodity in the
Rabbi Michael Cohen compares Yom Kippur with Sukkoth. He says Sukkoth counterbalances Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is heavy and serious. Sukkoth is light and joyous. Yom Kippur takes place on the inside. Sukkoth takes place on the outside. We fast on Yom Kippur and feast on Sukkoth. On Yom Kippur we pray with our minds. On Sukkoth we build with our bodies. On Yom Kippur we hold a book in our hands. On Sukkoth we hold a luluv and etrog in our hands. On Yom Kippur we are serious and reflective. On Sukkoth we are joyful.
Isaac Luria, the 16th century Kabbalist, instructed his students that their cultivation of joy is a prerequisite for attaining mystical illumination. When Jews come to services only on Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah, they are missing out on the joys of Judaism. Both holidays are necessary, just as both work and play are needed in a balanced life. Sukkoth is a time of rejoicing and being thankful for the blessings we have. As we spend time in our booths, let us think of ways we can liberate those who are permanently dwelling in huts, or less. The best way of saying thank you for God's bounty is to share it with others. This is how, in the words of the prophet Zechariah, we can fulfill his wish of, "And the Lord shall be King over all the earth, on that day shall the Lord be One, and his Name One." (Zech. 14:09).
Chag Someach and Shabbat Shalom:
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| Rabbi Arthur Segal reveals the path to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - and happiness in troubled times...
YES, it is possible. Even when the world seems to be turning upside-down, you can follow a simple, step-by-step process that will have you loving life every day no matter what is going on around you. It's no secret, but nobody's been talking about it for generations...until now.In His New Book:
"The Handbook To Jewish Spiritual Renewal by Rabbi Arthur Segal has given me the foundation to approach each day with honesty, reverence, hope and gratitude. I feel like I am having a personal conversation with a wise prophet with a jovial sense of humor." Diane Weinberg, Shalom. My name is Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal, and in my years of rabbinic counseling I've met an awful lot of fellow Jews who are short on faith that Judaism can deliver the happiness and joy that it promises, especially in these turbulent times. Their emotions run the gamut: sadness, loneliness, bitterness; fearfulness of what the future holds for them. Some are just downright cynical and angry. But I found the way out. That's why I became a rabbi after retiring from my dental practice; to help others up the path to a life of joy and freedom that I couldn't find in "normative" Judaism. I want to show you that path today. "You lead the spiritual practices of the entire program and offer our followers a unique spiritual opportunity." Hune Margulies, Ph.D. Reclaim Your Spirituality...And Your Life
In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I distill teachings from our sages that have been passed along for thousands of years, along with lessons from the Torah and the Talmud. But unlike other Jewish spiritual texts that you may have read, or sermons you may have heard, this book presents these lessons in a concise, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow life transformation process that you can follow step-by-step at your own pace. And it is written in plain English with relevance to the modern world. I even threw in a few jokes to make it fun! This is stuff we were not taught in Hebrew school or in most synagogues, but it is what Judaism is really all about. "Wonderful stuff! I'm savoring it, bit by bit." Samuel Hughes, Senior Editor In The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, you will learn:
A Question for YouLet me ask you a question: Are you enjoying life like the people in the cartoon at the top of this letter?Or, do you spend your days worrying about the economy... ...in conflict with friends, family, and co-workers... ...stressed out about the future? If the latter sounds like you I'm not surprised. As I said earlier, I counsel many fellow Jews who are in the same boat, and they look to their Jewish faith to find a happier life. However... Some have trouble understanding what they read in the Torah and how it relates to their own lives. Others find that their synagogues are more about social climbing and fundraising and less about spiritual awakening. Many simply give up, believing that Judaism has failed them, and they walk away from their Jewish faith. In my book, The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I will show you that true Judaism has not failed them...or you...and that you can return to your Jewish faith and enjoy your life to its fullest, even when the news of the day keeps going from bad to worse. "I couldn't have written the book or expressed my pain and concern for the Jewish people returning to Judaism. Thank God that He put this desire in your heart." Janelle Vechi It's simpler than you may think, and you don't have to become a rabbi as I did. To give you an idea what I am talking about, here is an excerpt from The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew: We become so far removed from God, our loving Sovereign Parent, that when we pray, (if we pray at all), we pray to meet an immediate need. We desire an immediate fix, rather than to seek renewal (return) and the wisdom to work toward renewal. We are satisfied for a moment if our trivial need is met. We therefore never achieve happiness in the long term. We are constantly searching and striving for our secular notions of success and happiness. While in this all-too-common state our egos "lock horns" with the egos of others, putting us in a sustained state of human conflict and resentment.
This is not the Jewish way to live; but most of us cannot find the way out. In this book, I will give a map to the tools of the process in simple terms and in language easily understood, to turn your life around to a much more pleasant state. If you follow the map faithfully and honestly, you will find that the journey is life-changing and life-affirming. "Nice Rabbi Segal! Thank you! Peace." Deepak Chopra's Intent.com What Would You Say Something Like This is Worth?Think about it… The teachings of the Torah and the Talmud all distilled into an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-follow step-by-step process that will help you:
I know it sounds priceless and in reality…it is. But I sincerely want to share what has helped me and countless others with you. In other words, I want to show you the path to the happy and joyous life that your were meant to live. So I want you to have The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew for only $19.99. "The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal is an invaluable resource for anyone who is searching for more in their life. I was involved with organized Jewish religion, but something was always missing. Using this guide, and taking each chapter to heart, has transformed my views and put me on the track my life is supposed to be on, filled with love, trust and emunah (faith). Thanks Rabbi Segal!" Ben Pincus Like I said, I've been where you are: in a life missing spirituality; seemingly unable to cope with life's difficulties; and unable to find peace and inner shalom. But I found it and now I want to share with you the path that I have found and passed on to others with consistent success. It took me many years of work and study, and rabbinic ordination. But it didn't have to. And it doesn't have to for you. You can travel the same path that I did, but you can do it in only 254 pages!We are living in a historically turbulent time. Economic uncertainty, political corruption, threats of aggression, and religious conflict are everywhere. I know that I would find it difficult to find comfort without the peace and inner shalom that I have found through Jewish Spiritual Renewal. Please join me now. |
 Click to Order | A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to show the true Jewish take on what the Torah is trying to teach us. This companion to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew. All of the Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to go and study. The rest is commentary. This compendium clarifies the commentary and allows one to study Torah and Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace. A must read for all Jews and deserves a place in every Jewish home. Price: $24.99 494 Pages Published by: Amazon's BookSurge |
"Very informative and timely. It allows many people to benefit from Torah lessons, where many of them may not otherwise have an opportunity receive such content."
Mauricio Benzipporah
Founder, Beta-Gershom Organization
A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud dissects each of the Torah's weekly sections (parashot) using the Talmud and other rabbinic texts to interpret its lessons.
Rabbi Daniel Ben Shmuel
A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud brings the Torah alive with daily relevance to the Modern Jew.
All of Torah can be summed up in one word: Chesed. It means kindness. The Talmud teaches that the Torah is about loving our fellow man and that we are to ''go and study.'' The rest is commentary.
A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud clarifies the commentary and allows one to study the Torah and the Talmud to learn the Judaic ideals of love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and peace.
It is a must read for those seeking Jewish Spiritual Renewal and is the ideal complement to The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew.
Here is an excerpt from A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud:
Since each parasha is the weekly Torah portion, you may read each of the chapters in the book during the course of a week while also reading the actual Torah portion. By doing so, you will learn a modern Jewish Spiritual view of each Torah portion. At the same time, your world will be open to the ethical teachings of the Talmud.
While many read the Torah as a history book, or a deed to land, or see it as a boring book full of legalisms and ritual for a priesthood that no longer exists, this book aims to show you the spiritual ethical lessons in each parasha. In a sense this book will hopefully help you enjoy reading and understanding the Five Books of Moses, what we call Chumash from the Hebrew word for "five." You may even discover that you want to continue your study with the Talmud and other Jewish texts.
Leslie Palma-Simoncek
Staten Island Advance
Complete your journey UP the path to Jewish Spiritual Renewal with a better understanding of the Torah's lessons through A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud for only $24.99...
...certainly a small amount to pay for the priceless wisdom contained within the Torah and the Talmud.
You can purchase each book individually, but if you purchase them together as a set, I will donate a portion of the sales price in your name to a tzadakkah of your choice, such as your synagogue. Think of it as your first act of loving kindness in your spiritually renewed life!
Click Here to Order
 Click Image to Enlarge | THE HANDBOOK TO JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew |
 Click Image to Enlarge | A SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL COMPENDIUM TO THE TORAH AND TALMUD |
About Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal
Rabbi Dr. Arthur Segal's love of Judaism and his Ahavath Israel led him on his personal quest for Jewish Spiritual Renewal, beginning his studies after retirement from a successful oral medicine practice. Rabbi Segal graduated cum laude with BA and DMD degrees, Specialty, and Post-Doctoral studies in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in the 1970s. He is an author in these chosen fields as well.
Rabbi Segal teaches classes on Jewish Spiritual Renewal and The Spiritual and Ethical Teachings of the Torah, TaNaK and Talmud via the Shamash online program. He teaches Torah, Talmud, and other great texts, such as Duties of the Heart by Ibn Pakudah of 1050 C.E. Spain, to adults in his hometown. Rabbi Dr. Segal does rabbinic counseling using the step-by-step process of Jewish Spiritual Renewal to help his fellow Jews achieve a spiritual life.
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©2009 Dr. Arthur Segal, P.A. d/b/a Rabbi Arthur Segal
Page header image is courtesy of Steve Greenberg (greenberg-art.com)
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