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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 Incomparable Greatness of the Land of Israel
Since the days of Hillel HaNasi, an official and fixed Jewish calendar (independent of eye witnesses) is in operation and, consequently, there is no longer any doubt about which day is the correct day of Yom Tov. Why then, did the Sages did not annul the second day Yom Tov?
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Parashat Va'era by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
I am jealous of atheists because they are able to believe the unbelievable. And I, in my simplicity, cannot reach that state of belief.
To be satisfied is one of the greatest blessings that can ever be bestowed upon human beings. The Torah teaches us that when the People of Israel live in accordance with the requirements of the Torah, what will matter is not what a person โhasโ but what a person โis.โ
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai or A.B. Yehoshua?
In Israel, Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Yom HaShoah by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Rabbi Yochanan taught us that Jews can survive without Israel, as long as there is Torah, the portable homeland of the Jewish people. But Jews will not survive solely because of the existence of Israelโhowever powerful it may beโif Israel does not incorporate a large percentage of Jewish traditional resources.
In The Ishbitzer and Passover by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
When we read the text on the Seder night, we should be aware that it only provides the opening words. The real Haggada has no text. It is not to be read, but is rather to be heard. And, just as with the Torah, we have not even begun to understand its full meaning. We are simply perpetual beginners.
In Halacha and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
ืืืืืืช ืืืืคืืื ืฉื ืืขื ืืืืืื ืืืืืจ ืขื ืื ืืืืืื โ ืืืืฆืจืื ืืขื ืืืืื ืื, ืืจืืืืื ืืืคืจืกืื... ืืขื ืื ืืฆืื โ ืืืืื ืขืฉืืื ืืืืืช ืชืืฆืื ืฉื ืืืชื ืืชืขืจืืืช ืืืคื ืืช ืงืื ื. ืืืขืฉื ืืืจื ืืื ืฉื ืืืช, ืืื ืืื ืืืฆืจ ื ืฆื.
In Franz Rosenzweig, Jewish Thought and Philosophy, Liturgy & Ritual and Parashat Terumah by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
To attend synagogue is an art. People must come with a sincere urge to discover their Jewishness, to reconnect with their inner being and with the Jewish people. To enter the synagogue is to hope for a metamorphosis in oneโs soul and a transformation of oneโs personality.
ืืจืงืข ืืื-ืืืคืืกื ืฉืื ืืฉืคืืข ืขื ืืืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืืจืืื ืื ืฉืืจืชืืืช ืืขื ืืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืจื ืื ืืฆืจืืช ืขื ืืื ืืขืืืชืื ืจืื ืื, ืืื ืื ืขื ืืืืืื ืืชืืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืืื.
Some thoughts inspired by the writings of Avraham Joshua Heschel
In Heschel and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
There is little doubt that secular Jews, consciously or unconsciously, keep a large number of commandments. Many of them may not be in the form of rituals, but there is massive evidence pointing to secular Jewsโ commitment to keeping interpersonal mitzvot. Beneath the divisiveness of traditional commitment lie underpinnings of religion such as compassion, humility, awe, and even faith.
Would you convert?
In Franz Rosenzweig, Jewish Thought and Philosophy, Moses and Parashat Yitro by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Yitro confronts us for the first time with a new phenomenon: to be a Jew by choice. He presents all Jews with a major challenge: how to become a Jew by choice even when one has been born into the fold.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
ืืขืงืืืช ืืฆืืืื ืืืกืืืืช ืฉื ืชืขืฉืืืช ืืืฉืจ, ืื ืืืืืื ื ืืืืช ื ืฉืืืืช ืืื ืืื, ืืืชืืืืก ืืืขืื ืืืื ืืฆืืจื ืืืื ืืช, ืืคื ืฉืืืืื ืืืืืืืช ืืืจืฉืช, ืืคื ืืืืจ ืืืชืจ ืืืืชืจ ืงืฉื, ืื ืื ืืืืชื ืืคืฉืจื. ืืืืืช ืฉืืืื ืืฆืขืจ ืืขืื ืืืื ืืืื ื ืืงืืืืืช ืืืืืืืช ืฉืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืคืจืงืื, ืื ืืชืขืฉืืื ืืขื ืงืืช ืฉืืฉ ืื ื ืืืื, ืื ืืืืงืื ืืืื ืืื ื ืืืืืื ืืืืฉืืจ. ืืื ืื ืจืืื ืืืฃ ืจืฆืื ืืืฆื ืขื ืืื ืื ืฉืืื, ืฉืืืืืื ืืชืืื ืืืคืื ืืฆืืืื ืืื?
How can we understand the self-delusion of the Jews who complained against Moshe for taking them out of Egypt? Obviously, the Israelites were well aware that their life in Egypt was not one of tranquility while sitting by pots of meat! I would suggest that they did not intend to deny the past, but that they wanted to deny the future. Not that it did not happen, but that it would not happen again!