Thoughts to Ponder is a weekly invitation to think dangerously and question passionately. Drawing on the Torah portion, classical Jewish sources, philosophy, and the crises of contemporary life, Rabbi Cardozo challenges religious complacency and spiritual comfort. These essays are written for readers who seek a Judaism that disturbs, questions, and ultimately deepens the human encounter with God and responsibility.
The Jewish Calendar is an intricate, complex and complicated system that requires the input of the greatest sages, astronomers and mathematicians in order to have a calendar based on the lunar year yet coincide with the solar calendar and seasons. Seemingly, it would be far simpler to follow either the lunar or solar calendar. The secret of the Jewish calendar is the creation of a constant awareness of God's presence.
COVID-19 has hit all of us - the entire world - quite hard, and is a certain cause for dismay. We are all waiting for the pandemic and everything it has brought with it to end so that we can return to our routines, get on with our lives and be happy once again. However, happiness is not necessarily what or where we perceive it to be. In fact, we can already choose to be happy from today - and on every day and in every situation we find ourselves!
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Dialogue and debate are essential parts of the sea of ideas that can enrich each and everyone of us. Unfortunately, serious debate on highly significant topics all too often moves from the topic at hand to unruly behavior (whether in an informal discussion between two parties, or in a public, formal setting). Guidelines for maintaining dignity are essential - both so that we are able to conduct the debate properly and so that we maintain our and our opponent's dignity. If we are truly dedicated to the true and free exchange of ideas, then even when we vehemently disagree with our opponent we will remain civil and learn something about his arguments and even ours.
In Halacha, Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Parashat Behar by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
What defines us? Is it what we do, or rather, who we are? If a human being is nothing more than the tasks he performs on a daily basis, then a mere chimpanzee can take his place and possible perform these tasks as well and even better. However, if we understand that the tasks themselves do not define us, but rather can act as a means to an end, as the means that allows us to realize our dreams, then only we can perform the tasks successfully over time. The Sabbatical year, Shemita, that we mark during the current year teaches us this important lesson; all that is left for us to do is to open ourselves to the Torah's teachings in this sphere.
In Halacha and Hanukkah by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
One of the great problems any religious person should struggle with is whether it is actually possible to be religious. In fact, what is the essence of genuine religiosity? The concept at the root of all religions is the awareness that it is extremely difficult to live up to the awe of the moment. The famous dispute regarding the order of lighting the Chanukah lights illuminates a practical approach to this issue.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Spinoza by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
As an orthodox Rabbi who studied in the ultra-Orthodox Gateshead Yeshiva in England for many years and who has read all of Spinoza’s works, I am of the opinion that Spinoza sometimes deliberately misrepresents Judaism. I am also aware that Spinoza wrote remarkable, noble observations about human beings, nature and society which have helped all of us. I strongly object to deeming anyone who studies, researches and teaches Spinoza a “persona non grata.”
Our Torah is wide enough and deep enough to cater for everyone. The Torah can speak to each and every person; however, sometimes one aspect will speak to a specific individual while not another. In this impromptu dialogue, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach expresses a number of very significant, critical thoughts about Judaism, God, the Torah, and our own relations with our fellow.
In Halacha and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Loving one's fellow as oneself is a central tenet and practical commandment of our religion. And yet, as simple as it sounds, its application is extremely difficult. Even those well-versed in the intricacies of the significance and laws governing this precept have difficulty incorporating it into their inner selves and actions. On occasion, it takes the insight and words of a bus driver to properly inculcate this love for one's fellow.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
When my oldest granddaughter became Bat Mitzva I wrote a book for her with advice and stories. Here is one such story.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Human beings are uniquely blessed with the faculty of imagination, and they possess nearly unlimited potential for constructive fantasy. Imagination is essential for advancement and progress throughout the world, which is also the case for Torah study. And yet, the sophistication invested in the production of toys for our children limits their processes of pretense, and thus the possibility for innovation and new insights in Torah learning.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
There is a pasuk (verse), missing from the Torah, a verse that is the most important of all—without which the Torah is not complete! This missing verse should have been written before the first verse in the Torah: “In the beginning God created heaven and earth.” This verse should have told us why God “decided” to create heaven and earth, the millions of stars, black holes, animals, vegetation, and above all, human beings. The absence of this verse is deliberate—for there is no way to write it; it could only have been “written” in God’s personal “language” that is beyond the capability of humankind to understand. The implications of this missing verse have profound meaning for human existence.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Spinoza by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
While in pantheistic and other non-monotheistic philosophies, the Divine has no moral input, nothing could be further from the Jewish concept of God. For Judaism, God is the source par excellence of all moral criteria. And yet, on occasion He Himself seems to violate these very moral criteria — such as in the case when He causes a devastating flood in the days of Noah. God is a conscious Being Who created the world with a purpose. And this world is real and by no means a mirage. The human being’s deeds are of great value, far from an illusion; they are the very goal of creation. Judaism objects to the pantheistic view of the human being since it depersonalizes him, ultimately leading to his demoralization.