Bible / Torah - Mindful Judaism - Jewish Meditation and Contemplative Judaism

July 10, 2023August 8, 2023

REGISTER NOW: High Holidays 2023 – Jewish New Year Interfaith Zen Retreat in the Bay Area

Come celebrate Rosh Hashanah and the Jewish New Year on this contemplative interfaith Zen retreat in the Bay Area! You may register now!

Rosh Hashanah is a holiday of waking up. We awaken from the deep slumber of selfishness, conceit, and putting ourselves above others and awaken to something different. On Rosh Hashanah, the Divine calls out to wake us up from the darkness of ignorance and to open our eyes and hearts to the truth and awe that is always surrounding us and that which also makes up the very fabric of our ordinary life.

July 4, 2023July 5, 2023

How Do We Celebrate Freedom?

Freedom and liberty is so very precious and something for which I am eternally grateful and do not take for granted.

Yes, freedom can be “internal”. We all need to feel and experience this genuine liberation; yet, “external” freedom is no more unnecessary. It is this freedom — unfortunately, a rarity in the world in this day and age — that we celebrate and consecrate this Independence Day Holiday.

June 25, 2023June 27, 2023

What is Your Attachment Style with God?

We all need to feel safe and comfortable in our relationships. With our spouses, parents, children, family and friends, and yes… even with God!

The more important and intimate the relationship, the greater our need for emotional safety. With God too! Especially with God!

December 1, 2022June 8, 2023

Have You Only But One Blessing?!: Stealing Birthrights and Giving Voice to the Voiceless

The characters in the Bible are far from perfect. Yet this makes sense, as we too are just as far from perfect. What occurs in this week’s parasha is simply wrong. While it might be applauded as heroic in the tradition, if what happened in the Bible happened in your family, I imagine you would be disturbed.

November 20, 2022November 21, 2022

Falling Head Over Heels in Love: How to Find First Love and Genuine Intimacy

Do you remember your first love? Your first kiss? Your first embrace? How you and they met? What they wore that first day? What they were like? How you felt meeting them? Or perhaps your first love is your current love? The Hebrew Bible tells us such a story…

November 9, 2022November 20, 2022

The Sacrifice of Isaac: Beyond Obedience… is Love!

The binding and sacrifice of Isaac is one of the most disturbing, gruesome, and hellish koan in all the Bible. How can God ask Abraham to raise his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice? It is astounding! Yet, if we penetrate this koan fully, we are invited to raise our most compassionate heart-mind and not only save Isaac’s life, but Abraham’s and God’s lives too! And perhaps even our own!

November 2, 2022November 8, 2022

Leaving Home: A Lifelong Koan

What do the heavy metal band Guns N’ Roses, the Hebrew Bible, and the Chasidic masters Rebbe Nachman and Simcha Bunam all have in common? They each beg us to ask and answer the question, “Where do we go now?” As we shall see, this question is as old as God and man.

October 11, 2022October 11, 2022

Outfoxing God: The Tail End of Amends and a Warm Welcome to the Human Race

Outfoxing God - The Tail of Amends and a Warm Welcome to the Human Race

There is no way around it. No one can outfox God. No matter how smart we think we are or how hard we try, there is no outsmarting the Divine. Yet… we try! And try we do! Perhaps even must?!

May 16, 2021May 16, 2021

Dear God: Love Letters from / to the Divine

Dear God - Love Letters From and To the Divine

Have you ever written a letter to God? Wished that you could simply speak your Truth to the Divine and hear back? We all need that! And so does the Divine! This is what Shavuot is all about!

In one of my Rabbinical School classes on Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy, my chevruta (study partner) and I offered parallel interpretive translations of Psalm 42 written as letters from and to God.

With the permission of my chevruta, Cantor Russell G. Jayne, MSM, PharmD, I would like to offer our correspondence with the Divine to you in honor of the Shavuot holiday tonight and tomorrow. Chag Shavuot sameach! Have a wonderful Shavuot holiday!

May 14, 2021October 11, 2022

I Will Follow “You”: The True Gift of Shavuot

In just a few days, we celebrate receiving the Torah on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. It may not always feel like we receive the gifts that we want and “deserve” or even have what to offer others or ourselves. Then, what did we receive that fateful day over 3,000 years ago? What are the gifts you celebrate this Shavuot?