Part of an ongoing series that explores Torah through an ethic of social justice and building a world worthy of the Divine. Liberation can feel like grace.  In the prophetic prose of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quoting the prophet Amos, eventually social “justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream”… Continue reading Vaera: Our Cup Undrunk For Now

Among Passover’s many customs, the fast of the firstborn (ta’anit bechorot) fell into disuse.  This ritual fast, commemorating Egypt’s victims of the Tenth Plague’s death of the firstborn, finds little traction among modern liberal Jews.  Even most traditionalists arrange a ritual joyous reason to avoid the pre-Passover fast. The day before Passover, however, this particular firstborn of Israel… Continue reading Why This Firstborn Will Go Silent Before Passover: The Social Justice Ta’anit Dibbur

Part of a yearlong series of Torah wisdom on spiritual building and builders. How well does a spiritual practice or spiritual community “work”? One answer from this week’s Torah portion (Tzav) may seem surprising: We gauge what works spiritually by the detritus it leaves behind from what it transforms. If there’s no detritus, we’re doing… Continue reading Holy Ashes: Designs for Spiritual Flow

Part of a yearlong Torah series about building and builders in Jewish spiritual life. “Don’t give to the Building Fund,” said no synagogue leader ever. Most community leaders would love to have Moses’ problem in “fundraising” for the Mishkan. Moses received so many resources from “everyone” to build Mishkan that he had to stop them… Continue reading People of the Building Fund

Part of a yearlong series on Torah wisdom about building and builders. The first weeks of Bayit’s Builder’s Blog harvested keystone principles about building the Jewish future – from primordial foundations of building, to where and with whom spiritual neighborhoods create community. Now it’s time to build – but what and how?  Parshat Mikeitz offers answers: first… Continue reading Power Tools For Spiritual Building

Part of a yearlong series about building and builders inspired by the Torah cycle. We're all stardust, re-mixed chemical elements forged in some distant supernova.  We're all broken shards, fallen from the primordial shattering. We're all reflected light, glimmering with the Source of Light.  We're all builders, making and re-making the world one brick and… Continue reading First Build: Seven Foundation Principles for Spiritual Builders

Just in time for Purim comes this resource offered on the Bayit Builders' Blog: Nevertheless, She Persisted: A Purim Tribute for Women's History Month. This trope mash-up of Esther and the 2/7/2017 Congressional Record (“nevertheless she persisted” silencing of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren) commemorates Purim and Women’s History Month at a time when society especially… Continue reading Nevertheless, She Persisted: A Purim Tribute for Women’s History Month