Jewish ritual – Rabbi Micah Streiffer

“The Earth God Has Given” – Blessings as Mindfulness and Gratitude

The practice of saying blessings is very ancient in Judaism. In this Talmudic text, the sage Rabbi Levi gives a beautiful explanation and meaning for the practice: Rabbi Levi raised a contradiction between two texts in the Psalms: On the one hand, it is written: “The earth and all it contains belongs to the Eternal”Continue reading ““The Earth God Has Given” – Blessings as Mindfulness and Gratitude”

Go Ahead and Try: Why Pesach (and Judaism) Aren’t All-or-Nothing

I’m going to risk the wrath of the Star Wars gods and disagree with Yoda. In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker is required to lift his ship out of the Dagobah swamp using only his mind. Skeptical of his own ability to wield the Force, Luke says, “Alright, I’ll give it a try,” toContinue reading “Go Ahead and Try: Why Pesach (and Judaism) Aren’t All-or-Nothing”