Tefillin are a set of two leather boxes filled with parchments on which a scribe has written specific verses from the Torah, then attached the boxes to leather straps, each knotted so that one can go around your head and one around your weaker [non-dominant] arm. It is quite complex to make Tefiillin, and one is best served by buying good quality ones made by a scribe. The term tefillin (Aramaic) shares the root of tefillah, prayer.
Trope is the term for the notation system for chanting Torah. Trope are symbols for when to pause and where to stop in the Torah reading. They each have a different set of associated notes and when strung together become the chant for a given portion. The technical term for trope is Ta'amei haMikra, "the flavor of the reading."
Mkor HaHayim...Source of Life.....Tzur...Rock......HaMakom...The Place.....Yotzeret....Form Giver....Yah Ribon
For me God expresses the oneness of the evolving Cosmos. God is that to which I cry out when I am in pain. God is a direction for my praise of the stunning creation of which we are a part. God is that which you and I resemble..........in our creative and destructive nature.
God is everything unfolding, seeking all possibilities, becoming what it is becoming. God is the encoded consciousness of the cosmos which is aware of Its needs and deploys every one of us as an important part of the present and future.
The following visualization that reveals the Godliness of each person, is a form of prayer, of Jewish meditation, that was learned in person from Tzeitl Locher of Ameland, The Netherlands:
Jewish meditation offers a way to infuse each of facet of Judaism with deeper meaning. Jewish meditation is not an end in itself, rather a partner process for healthy Jewish living. Reports of meditation experiences are widely found in Jewish sacred texts. For example:
When we hear someone has died, we need a way to express ourselves. Jewish tradition provides a very powerful and brief sacred phrase: baruch dayan ha'emet (pronounced bah-rukh, dah-yahn, hah'eh-meht). This phrase seems to be the bare minimum of a blessing, truncated from our usual blessing form, as many as twelve terms short*; cut down, as has been a life.
Many complain of having difficulty finding deep meaning in the traditional prayer service. Many of us were conditioned to accept that for Jews "praying" is accomplished by simply reciting or chanting all the words, preferably in Hebrew. It is helpful and interesting to note that in the Talmud our ancestors worried that writing down their prayers could lead to just such a deadening rote recitation by subsequent generations.
While there is some comfort in repeating that which is familiar, there is deep healing and joy possible from engaging in meaningful Jewish prayer. For example, at the core of each service is a lengthy set of prayers, said while standing, known as the "amidah." While each of the numerous amidah blessings is set in a careful sequence intended to help us find the prayer of our hearts, many find the traditional amidah impenetrable.
There are many approaches to Torah study. My favorites are Remez–finding hints to meaning and Sod (samech daled in Hebrew, pronounced Sohd)–when the text becomes a portal of expanded, seemingly mystical, awareness.
Have you wondered if there's a shape to the flow of Jewish services? There is actually a careful sequencing designed to help ground, lift, and ground your spirit developed by the ancestors. Please see the chart below after reading.
At many times in our history the repetition of sacred phrases has been recognized as helpful to a meaningful prayer experience. In my case I resisted a long time before trying any of this - some sort of fear kept me from it, as though I would die or something like that. Instead once I plunged in, each time the practice grew on me....like cultivating a taste for olives only much more special and valuable (forgive me, any olives that are reading this). Rabbi Shefa Gold introduced me to these practices, and I encourage you to seek out her work and teachings on the subject, she is a wise, authentic and safe teacher.
When the words of the chapters assigned to a particular week enter our consciousness and our "soul stream," we can learn something new and interesting about ourselves as individuals, families, humans and peoples. This new awareness is what may be meant by the term "revelation." This is Judaism at its best -- exciting, meaningful, growthful. Torah reading can be a high point of a services. Here is how to give everyone present a greater opportunity to be included in the Torah reading. I first saw Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi lead a service using this method at Philadelphia's P'nai Or community, and he is indeed, credited with having developed it. During my travels I am seeing this approach beginning to appear across the full spectrum of Jewish life.
Giving over meaningful guidance on the Torah portion during a religious service is not so much a speech as it is a mitzvah, a sacred act called “giving a d’var Torah.” A d’var, “a word” of Torah, is a brief teaching where you connect your Torah portion with the heart, mind and spirit of those present. Israelis often refer to this practice as a derasha, or drash, an “explanation” of the Torah portion.
Note: The Torah portion known as Vayeitzei, includes Gen 31:19 contains a word the meaning of which scholars continue to puzzle over, "teraphaim." That is one of two mysteries we ponder in this piece. The other is that Torah reveals Jacob to have one daughter, Dina, yet Gen.14:15 speaks of Jacob's "sons and daughters."
At many times in Jewish history the repetition of sacred phrases has been recognized as helpful to a meaningful prayer experience. In my case I resisted a long time before trying any of this - some sort of fear kept me from it, as though I would die or something like that. Instead once I plunged in, each time the practice grew on me....like cultivating a taste for olives only much more special and valuable (forgive me, any olives that are reading this).
Focusing, a technique developed by Dr. Gene Gendlin, synergizes beautifully with many forms of Jewish spiritual practice and allows us to amplify our spiritual authenticity and depth of experience. This paper cites some of the traditional texts and teachers that seem to have a felt-sense in their spiritual practice and teaching and also two examples of the application of focusing in Judaism.
The Thirteen Attributes of God, as interpreted by Rabbi David Wolfe-Blank, zt"l, in line with the Jewish meditation method of Rabbi Abraham Abulaffia [1240-@1291]. The breathlessness that occurs is part of this practice.
To be recited without stopping, then remain in silence and allow awareness to arise from the power of the terms.
-Emet. Authentic, Emet.
--Emet, v'yatziv, Authentic and Stable, Emet.
---Emet, v'yatziv, v'nakhon, Authentic, and Stable, and Aligned, Emet.
How to Create a Meaningful D’var Torah Как сделать Двар Тора интересной [with gratitude to all our translators; any corrections please write publisher@reclaimingjudaism.org] To view chapter in English only start here
Mitzvah Gorreret Mitzvah - One Mitzvah Leads to Another
Perfect for gifts, events and study, these MITZVAH CARDS convey many of the core spiritual practices of a meaningful Jewish life. Note: Name of each mitzvah...
This live zoom concert honored groundbreaking composers giving Jewish feminist voice through song to the women of the Bible.Concert composers and performers:
The following visualization that reveals the Godliness of each person, is a form of prayer, of Jewish meditation, that was learned in person from Tzeitl Locher of Ameland, The Netherlands:
