Halacha and Absurdity – Part 1
Much has been written about the meaning and purpose of Halacha, based on philosophy, metaphysics and psychology. Scholars have suggested that Halacha is the art of living in the presence of God.
Thoughts to Ponder
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.
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The Inscrutable God
Few prayers are more perplexing than the one called “Ein Keloh-einu.” This famous song is chanted at the end of the morning prayers. But it makes little sense. In fact, it seems more than just odd. We first sing “Ein Keloh-einu” (There is nobody like our God), and then we ask “Mi-Keloh-einu” (Who is like […]
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Debating Orthodox and Reform Beliefs
Wanted: Rabbinical Courage
In Heschel and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Orthodox leaders must remember is that we owe much of our knowledge not to those who agreed with us, but to those who differed and therefore challenged us to sharpen our minds.
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Yom Kippur
Are we Worthy
In Rav Kook and Yom Kippur by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
This awesome thought is the focal point of Yom Kippur. Am I worthy to have a claim on life? Or, have I been born but lost my right to live? This is by far the most important question for man to ask. The trembling of the earlier generations on Erev Yom Kippur was indeed that of great pachad (fear) – not fear of punishment or death, but of not rising to the challenge of living in God’s presence and fulfilling one’s destiny!
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The Joy of Saying: I am Sorry
In Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
To be given the opportunity to do teshuvah is an enormous privilege. It is a joy to be able to say I am sorry. In fact, it is one of the great gifts that Judaism has given mankind: the knowledge that we can change.
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Rosh Hashana and the Missing King
Once upon a time, in a large, gloomy palace high on a mountain, where the night wind howled outside its massive walls, there lived a king—a real one. He had a beard as long as a silver waterfall and a voice that boomed like thunder. A king needs no more.
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Nicolaes Maes and the Uproar in Our Souls
Nicolaes Maes’ "Old Woman at Prayer" is a profound reminder of what we should strive for on Rosh Hashana.
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The Rebellion of Chief Rabbi Sacks
Let it be said. Jonathan Sacks has been a rebellious chief rabbi. Now that he is stepping down, we had better keep an eye on him and hope he will become even more of an insurgent.
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The Challenge and Opportunities at Limmud
Judaism is the most astonishing and daring religion the world has been blessed with. It defies definition, standing head and shoulders above anything else I know. It is not just a faith, a sentiment, or a ritual;
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Autobiography – Lonely But Not Alone
A Spiritual Short Autobiography by a Jew Who Should Never Have Been
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The Rise and Fall of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate
In Halacha and Rav Kook by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Our later chief rabbis, some of them very righteous and willing to make great personal sacrifices, have lacked theological and philosophical background. They have remained exclusively in the four cubits of Jewish law, and have seemingly never studied secular or general religious philosophy.
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The Need to Be a Stranger
One commandment repeated numerous times in the Torah is the one that requires the Jews to be concerned about the welfare of the stranger in their midst. We must conclude that there is something in this imperative that is central to the mystery of the Jews and Judaism.