Halacha: The Microscopic Search for God
There is little doubt that Halacha greatly complicates life for the religious Jew. There is no other religion that requires so much dedication and includes so much emphasis on detail.
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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Shabbath, Carrying and the Buddha
In Miscellaneous and Shabbat
The fact that Judaism constantly surprises us is not a surprise. That the institution of Shabbath is one of the best inventions God ever came up with is well known.
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The Expulsion of God from Halacha
Halacha has been disconnected from a conscious awareness of God. Today, halachic living ignores Him.
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Halacha and Absurdity – Part 3
In Halacha
In the first two parts of this essay, we have seen that no objectivity is possible in Halacha. This enables us to understand not only why there are many opposing opinions in the Talmud,
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Yerushalayim, The City of Eternity
I stand at the Kotel, the Wailing Wall
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Freud and Belief in God
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the father of psychoanalysis and a figure as eminent as Galileo or Einstein, devoted a great deal of attention to religion.
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How “True” are Religious Beliefs?
The public is invited to attend the 5772/2012 Jerusalem Lecture Series "Judaism, Heresy and Secular Philosophy" by Professor Tamar Ross
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The Absurdity of Halacha – Part 1
In Halacha
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. Others have posited that it requires the need to live a life dedicated to kedusha (holiness), while many argue that Halacha’s purpose is to achieve a high level of ethical standards.
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Why They Still Hate Us
Why I Am Proud to Be a Jew
Attempts to stop anti-Semitism have, for the most part, proved ineffectual, and we still have a long way to go. Nevertheless, many gentiles are our best friends and we should not forget this.
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Racism and Gentile Wisdom
In Parashat HaShavua and Parashat Yitro
The Israelites' experience of slavery had made them utterly convinced that mankind at large was anti-Semitic. God therefore sent them a righteous gentile by the name of Yitro, to impress upon them that the non-Jewish world includes remarkable people, who not only possess much wisdom but actually love the people of Israel and contribute to Jewish life.
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Why I Love to Teach at Limmud
In Education
Printed in the Jewish Chronicle London, United Kingdom, December 2011 Judaism is the most astonishing and daring religion the world has been blessed with. It defies all definitions and stands head and shoulders above anything else I know. It is not just a faith, a sentiment, or a ritual, but above all an immense yet […]
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On Dolls and Torah: The Art of Imagination
One of the most unique talents that human beings are blessed with is the faculty of imagination. Unlike any other creature, the human has nearly unlimited potential for constructive fantasy. In fact, our civilization is built on imagination. Without this capacity, no progress could ever be made, whether in science, literature, philosophy, art, music or […]