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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.

  • “Es Past Nicht” and Jewish Pride

    In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Parashat Ha'azinu

    While we've had to fight physical battles to ensure our survival, we must never lose sight of the fact that existence would be meaningless if not for the nation’s spiritual purpose.

  • The Destructionist Synagogues

    In Liturgy & Ritual

    .......The Ceremonial Hall, the Nostalgia Center And the Davening Club - In his exiting book, "On Being a Jew," Professor James Kugel warns his readers about three kinds of synagogues that have done great damage to Jewish life. He calls them the "Ceremonial Hall Synagogues," the "Nostalgia Centers" and the "Davening Clubs." (1)

  • The Sensitivity of the Torah and the Power of Language

    In Jewish Thought and Philosophy

    When carefully studying the commandments of the Torah, it is most important to note the emotional sensitivity used by the text not to offend any of its readers. When discussing the "Eved Ivri" "the Hebrew Servant," the text states: "When you buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh year he shall go out into freedom for nothing" (Shemoth 21:1).

  • The Blessings of Ephraim and Menashe

    In Parashat HaShavua

    "Man always dies before he is fully born." Erich Fromm
    The certainty that one has succeeded in the education of one's children can only be established when one watches the conduct of one's grandchildren. And even then one cannot be sure.

  • The Dimensions of Prophecy and the Eternity of the Torah

    In Jewish Thought and Philosophy

    Two main expressions used for prophecy are "Zeh Hadavar," "This is the word," and "Koh Amar Hashem," "Thus says God." Why these two different expresssions?

  • The Future of the Miraculous State of Israel

    In Contemporary Issues

    " If the nations of the world accuse Israel of banditry by conquering the land of Israel…then the people of Israel will answer and say: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The entire universe belongs to Him. He created it and He gave it to whomever He deemed fit. It was His desire to give [the land] to the Caananites first and it was His desire to take it from them and to grant it to us."

  • It is Time to go to Synagogue

    In Contemporary Issues

    .............The Wisdom of an Apikores
    In my younger days, I knew a man who was a convinced and committed apikores (heretic). I used to meet him every Shabbath morning in synagogue where he was a frequent worshipper. He often would walk into the sanctuary, tell people that they were wasting their time coming to the morning service "since there is no God," and then he would proceed to his seat. Thereupon, he would cover himself with his talith, open his prayer book and join the service with great fervor.

  • Finding One’s Neshomeh

    In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Liturgy & Ritual

    We suggested in a previous essay that Israeli leaders, academicians and the Israeli public should find their way back to the synagogue and re-discover their neshomehs. But this is easier said than done. Many have entered and left without sensing any spiritual significance. In fact, many have entered and have been discouraged.

  • Surround Yourself with Art and Beauty

    In Miscellaneous

    A problem in some religious circles is the neglect of recognizing the importance of natural beauty and the need to appreciate its profound impact on life. There is increasing evidence that many devoted religious communities with their impressive commitment to Torah and Mitzvoth no longer stress the need to educate their children about the elegance and grace of beautiful surroundings such as impressive mountains, lakes and forests, flowers, beautiful birds or other creatures.

  • Rosh Hashana Teshuva

    A Matter of Seduction

    In The Jewish Year and Rosh Hashanah

    What does the haftarah of Shabbat Shuvah mean when it suggests that we should use words of seduction at the time of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur to aid in the process of teshuva? Why should we utter words that are not entirely truthful?

  • The State of Jewish Education Today

    In Education

     The Holy of Holies in the Temple of Jerusalem was a place where only the High Priest was allowed to enter once a year: On Yom Kippur.  Now even the Holy of Holies was occasionally in need of repair. To provide for such an eventuality there were openings in the upper chamber leading down through the ceiling of the Holy of Holies. These holes were close to the walls and through them the workmen were lowered in "tevoth" (boxes) into this most holy place. These boxes were only open to the side of the walls, so that the workmen "could not feast their eyes on the Holy of Holies."  (Pesachim 26a) 

  • Rabbi Bezalel Rakov z.l. of Gateshead

    In Biographies and Miscellaneous

    "Death is the supreme festival on the road to freedom" 

    Rarely do I write about my personal feelings. However, singular circumstances brought about by Divine intervention cause us to realize that our customary ways are but the dream state in which we believe we live, until a perpetual murmur from an eternal world wakes us up.