To think Jewishly is to stand at the edge of certainty and still choose to believe, question, and seek. Jewish thought lives in the tension between faith and doubt, law and freedom, eternity and change.
In Education and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
The difference between dogma and faith is like the difference between a word spoken and a word set to music. Faith is the refutation of human finality. It transforms dogma into something untouchable and gives man entry into the imponderable.
In Halacha and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by The Cardozo Academy
Our relationship with God as we know it is not just about what we think or understand. There is also a faith that is not based in intellectual belief. This is a faith that is based on our own inner resonance with the practices and beliefs of our tradition. What happens to our emotional faith when our intellectual faith runs up against facts that seem to contradict that faith? How do we keep our balance?
The Need for a Genuine Upheaval
In Education and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
The land and State of Israel was never and can never be the goal of the Jewish people. It is a means to carry out a great mission, and unless we rediscover and accept this calling, Israel will eventually collapse.
Some Afterthoughts on Tish’ah be-Av
In Israel, Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Tisha B’Av by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
I must confess that this year’s Tish’ah be-Av was the first time in 54 years (since I was 16) that I did not go to synagogue to hear Eichah (the reading from the Scroll of Lamentations) and recite kinot (elegies written by famous sages throughout the centuries regarding the destruction of both Temples and the many later tragedies that befell the Jewish people).
In Halacha and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
One of the most remarkable aspects of Orthodox Halacha is that it is almost an open market within the confines of the masoret, an unwritten and undefined tradition going back thousands of years. Some will view the masoret as a minimal and almost fundamentalist observance, and others will view it as a maximal and highly flexible tradition, which allows for much innovation.
In Halacha and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Chaos is God’s signature when He prefers to remain anonymous. The same can be said about Halacha. Halacha is the chaotic way through which God wants the Jew to live his life, according to strict rules that seem to be part of a well-worked-out system. People do not come before God as actors in a play that has been planned down to the minutest detail. If they did, they would be robots and life would be a farce.
Interview with the Jewish Press - 25 May 2016
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
The Beauty of the Jewish tradition is that it is not always precise and consistent," says Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo. "And that is a very wise thing. You have to have flexibility, because life is not clear-cut or coherent. Moving here, moving there, you work out the different opinions somehow, and you let it be. As such Jewish Law and beliefs stay fresh and thriving. A musical symphony. But the moment we codify or dogmatize it all, we are basically destroying it”.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Sefirat HaOmer by Nechama Atlas Lopes Cardozo
As a woman anticipates giving birth, so the people of Israel await the redemption. The labour pains start with ten plagues. Toward the end, the people are confined to their homes: "You shall not leave your houses until morning." They await the birth.
Just not on Pessah
In Halacha, Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Passover by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Why is it prohibited to eat or to possess chametz (leaven) on Pessah? What is there in the nature of leaven that makes it forbidden, and why only on Pessah? The Talmud offers an insightful answer.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Last night, the DCA Think Tank members discussed the concept of “Yirat Shamayim”: what it means to them, what role it plays in their religious lives, and whether critical thinking and academic analysis affects it negatively. Tell us in the comments how you would answer these questions.
A Dangerous Mixture
In Education, Halacha, Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Parashat Mishpatim by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
One of the most puzzling laws in Judaism is the prohibition of mixing milk and meat. Strangely enough, this mysterious law has had the greatest influence on the daily life of Jews for thousands of years, right up to this very day.
Reply to a Jerusalem Rabbi
In Education, Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Spinoza by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Should Judaism fear its heretics? The centuries-old ban on Spinoza raises a deeper question: is banning an admission of strength—or of insecurity? This essay challenges us to reconsider whether a confident tradition needs protection from ideas, or whether it should confront them head-on.