Autobiography – Lonely But Not Alone
In Baruch Spinoza and Miscellaneous
A Spiritual Short Autobiography by a Jew Who Should Never Have Been
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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Human Courage and the Unavoidable, Disturbing Text
Torah study has become nearly impossible, and the problem lies not with the Torah but with man. To read the text requires courage. Not courage to open the Book and start reading, but courage to confront oneself.
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God Is Relocating
Lately, a strange feeling has gotten hold of me. I am not yet able to fully articulate it, but something tells me that God is relocating to a different residence. He has hired a moving company and they are at this time loading all His furniture and possessions into a van
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Yom Ha’atzmaut – The Mystery of Israel
Throughout the centuries, historians, philosophers and anthropologists have struggled with the concept called “Israel” almost more than with any other topic. While attempting to place Israel within the confines of conventional history, they experienced constant academic and philosophical frustration.
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The Holocaust, Rembrandt and the Quest for Authenticity
As we approach Yom Hashoa, I think of Rembrandt’s superb Large Self-Portrait, which is exhibited at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. It cast a spell on me when I first saw it.
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The Rise and Fall of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate and Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI has just left, and soon our Israeli chief rabbis will follow suit. The difference is that Benedict left on his own accord, much to the dismay of many in the Church, while our chief rabbis, whose terms of office have ended,
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The New Thirteen Principles of Faith
Faith can only be found in the light of one’s soul, never in dogma. Dogmas reach only the mind but not the human heart. Trying to translate faith into dogma is a misguided technical skill that leaves the human heart empty of that which is crucial to a religious experience.
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Faith, Death and Frontal Encounter
Faith is deeper than knowledge. While scientific data is absorbed only in the brain, faith permeates all parts of the human personality.
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To Be a Stranger Is to Be Moral
Once again, residents of the State of Israel are threatened by political unrest, escalating with each passing day, in their neighboring countries of the Middle East. The Arab Spring is spreading across the region like water bursting through a dam.
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Denial and Self-Loathing
One of the most common psychological defense mechanisms used by human beings is denial. We all repress unpleasant experiences and do not want to be confronted with reality when it is too uncomfortable.
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To Be Religious Means to Be Rebellious
Leadership is one of the most difficult tasks for man to undertake. It requires a rare combination of wisdom, courage, knowledge and experience.
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Rockets and Survival, Israel and Miracles
As Israel was once again bombarded with short-range mortar shells, Grad artillery rockets and, Hamas’s latest addition, Iranian long-range Fajr-5 missiles, forcing nearly a million people to hide in shelters for over a week, it is understandable that many wonder whether this will ever end.