Optimism and the Problem of the Black Dot
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
The good and the beauty of this world reminds us of that which is greater than we can ever attain or fully understand.
Jewish Thought and Philosophy
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.
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Tisha B’Av and Victimhood
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Tisha B’Av by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Tisha B’Av is frequently perceived as a day of victimization, the date both Temples were destroyed and the Jewish People was transformed into a nation of eternal victims. If this was true, there would be no purpose to Tisha B’Av.
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The Future of a Marriage – The Blessing of Marital Dialogue
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
The Future of a Marriage – Part 2: The Blessing of Marital Dialogue * In memory of my dear friend Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold z”l of Yerushalayim Words spoken at the festive meal (“Sheva Berachot”) on the occasion of the marriage of our grandson and his bride, Lakewood, USA, 24th of June. As I wrote […]
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The Future of a Marriage – The Art of Speaking
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Words spoken at the festive meal (“Sheva Berachot”) on the occasion of the marriage of our grandson and his bride, Lakewood, USA, 24th of June. My dear grandchildren, Chatan (groom) and Kalla (bride), Yaacov Shlomo and Chava, Mazal tov! Oma and I were 20 and 21 years old when we married. This was only […]
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The Meaning of Life, Depression and The Red Heifer
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Parashat Chukat Depression is one of the worst conditions a human being may suffer. There are several reasons for the occurrence of depression. One that is very common results from feeling that life is meaningless. Combined with the fact that nobody can escape death, some people experience life as very painful. They do not suffer […]
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The Holiness of Words
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Man alone was endowed with the gift of words and the ability to connect thereby with his Creator. Language can comprise grandeur, while it can also be emptied of its value and essence. How we choose to live our lives affects how we express ourselves and the language we use. The debasing of language today stems from and represents unfortunate moral and ethical decay.
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Contemplating Childbirth and Divine Revelation
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Contemplating Childbirth and Divine Revelation: Have you ever thought about these? When a child is born, the first question that should come to mind is: When he or she grows up, what should we tell them about the importance of their birth and the purpose of their life? After all, what right do we have […]
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Israel and the Blessing of Insecurity
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Yom Ha’atzmaut by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Israel is summoned to remind the world of God’s existence, not only concerning religion but also as a historical reality. There is no security for Israel unless it is secure in its own destiny.
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Megillat Esther: Attaining the Level of Non-Acquaintance
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Purim by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Attaining the Level of Non-Acquaintance—Pseudo-Dionysius, the Areopagite The most discussed topic in philosophy of the Middle Ages is, without doubt, God’s existence. Many great philosophers such as Rambam (Maimonides, 1138-1204) and the Christian thinker Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) invest a lot of time in clarifying the concepts of “omnipotence,” “divine excellence” and other such terminologies.[1] […]
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Panic: The Visible and Invisible
In Halacha and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Genuine religiosity is demanding - it requires a sensitivity to the physical human condition as well as the hidden, divine dimension. Living in a manner that combines the visible and the invisible, and more so, harmonizing the two as equal components of our lives, is a tremendous challenge. It is too easy to make a selection - as many individuals and even religions do - between the visible and invisible, preferring one over the other. However, living the one with an imbalance regarding the other is not what Judaism teaches.
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The Struggle to Teach Real Torah
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Despite my many years of experience (and successes), I have felt that something crucial has been missing - which I identified recently: Am I merely conveying knowledge, or do I stand before my students as someone who is entirely imbued with the significance, import and sanctity of the words I utter? God requires of His prophets and those who speak His words to be true and just, and to live His words with every fiber of their beings!
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The Art of Smiling
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
A kippah - and every other aspect of dress required by the Halakhah - pose a tremendous challenge! I am constantly aware of how I am to strive to achieve and implement the values that my kippah requires of me - both when I stand before God, and also in the way I face the world. Facing my fellow, my conduct, and even the countenance I assume are spheres that my kippah relates to!