Category Archives: Talmud

When he began writing about ethical wills in the 1970s, former San Diego Rabbi Jack Riemer would spend much of his time explaining this ancient Jewish tradition before he could even get into the notion of writing one of your own.

Regular wills pass on your valuables, he would tell them, but ethical wills pass on your values. We are more than the sum total of our china and our savings account. Our spiritual treasures also are precious from how weve tried to live our lives to our hopes and wishes for loved ones.

Riemer would talk about their history, with roots in the Hebrew Scriptures and the Talmud. At first, they tended to be delivered orally. As writing became more commonplace, they began to be put down on paper.

Over time, however, familiarity and practice faded. Riemer himself acknowledges ethical wills werent on his radar until a congregant shared one he had written with him. It was, he remembers, marvelous.

He teamed up with the late Nathaniel Stampfer, a well-known Jewish scholar from Chicago, and the pair published a series of books describing what ethical wills were and how to prepare them. They also included samples of good ones and not so good ones.

What a difference a half-century has made.

Today, the crafting of ethical wills has become a kind of cottage industry, with workshops, websites and how-to guides offered across the country for people of all beliefs and cultures.

Law firms also have gotten on board, offering to include them with their clients estate plans.

All this is just fine with Riemer.

This is something that anyone of any faith can do, he says from his Florida home, where he has long since retired from leading synagogues. We are only pleased if others do it, too.

Riemer, whose long career included a stint at Congregation Beth El in La Jolla, says many people just assume their kids understand their values.

Sometimes, the things that meant the most to them, their kids havent really understood until they see them in writing, he adds. When we take the time to do that, Riemer says we create a really beautiful gift for generations to come.

But this new wave of teachers also is adding some modern-day massaging to the concept starting with what to call them.

A British scholar named Israel Abraham is often credited with coining the term ethical wills in his 1926 book, Hebrew Ethical Wills.

But for a more-contemporary audience, the name is awkward and confusing. Does it mean writing a last will and testament that is ethical? And, by the way, what exactly is ethical?

Nobody knows what an ethical will is, says Rachael Freed, founder of Life-Legacies, from her home in Minneapolis. When you are doing a cottage industry, you want people to know what you are doing.

Freed, a social worker by training who took several classes on writing ethical wills in the 1990s, calls what she teaches legacy writing.

At first, her program focused on women to help them find their voice. Then she expanded it to include all genders and generations, showing them how to write legacy letters that convey values, wisdom, history and blessings to future generations. And they can be given at any time during a persons life to mark everything from milestones and special occasions to simply wanting to share a life lesson with someone you love.

In her book, Your Legacy Matters, she provides a template: beginning with the context of what you are writing, the story you want to share, lessons you took from it and, finally, a blessing for your own wishes for the recipient.

Up in Seattle, Rabbi Elana Zaiman calls what she teaches forever letters, which also became the title of her book, The Forever Letter: Writing What We Believe for Those We Love.

Zaiman, who used to teach about traditional ethical wills, says the shift in name also reflected another shift.

I realized I was teaching about a different letter entirely, a different letter that needed a new name, she explains. That is how the forever letter was born. The focus of the forever letter is on connection and relationship. Specifically, deepening, healing, strengthening or uplifting relationships.

Like Freed, Zaiman advocates giving these letters while you are still living. This allows the writer and recipient a chance to have a conversation, giving them an opportunity to repair and strengthen their relationship.

She says these letters arent really ethical wills, though they were inspired by the ethical wills from medieval times by the intimacy and urgency and necessity of writing, and focusing on what we most need to say or want to say to the people we love while we still can.

Regardless of what you call them, Encinitas attorney Gabriel Katzner, of the Katzner Law Group, is among a number of firms who offer to add them as another component of the clients estate plans.

What Ive always told clients is it is a way to pass along those lessons that are important, those values that are important to you, Katzner says.

About a quarter of his clients take him up on the offer, while another half or so say they plan to do it.

In addition to advice on what to put in these writings, Riemer and the others also warn about what not to put in them.

There is a temptation to leave a guilt trip from the grave, says Riemer, who maintains that ethical wills have a place at the end of your life and not just those other times. You shouldnt do that. It does no good.

In their book, So That Your Values Live On, Riemer and Stampfer include a stinging example from a 12th century ethical will in which the father slams his son over more than 50 pages complaining about everything from how much hes done for him to his bad penmanship. He ends by asking his son to read this ethical will twice a day for the rest of his life.

Freed offers this advice: I always suggest that they use the Buddhist tenet: do no harm. And I say, Think about being dead for 50 years and somebody reads the letter that you wrote to the grandchild and it is full of anger or resentment or regret. Thats not the place for that. The place for that is your journal or on a piece of paper that you can burn up after youve written it. You dont want to be remembered that way.

When I ask her for any final thoughts, she says she wishes people would not be scared off because they feel writing one of these letters is too formidable. It can do so much good both for the writer and the receiver.

That brought to mind a story Rabbi Ron Shulman had shared with me just a few days earlier. Shulman is the senior rabbi of Congregation Beth El, where Riemer once served.

He was 13 years old and sitting in his bedroom on the night before his bar mitzvah, when his father came in and handed him a letter. I opened it up and he had written me this beautiful letter about how he felt about me. His pride and his hopes for my future and his values. In essence, he had written me his ethical will.

Shulman cherishes that letter to this day (and was inspired when he became a father to do likewise for his daughters). The words written so long ago are like a spiritual tool box that can be opened over and over to provide comfort and guidance. And that may be the greatest reason of all for why to do an ethical will or whatever name you want to call it.

Dolbee is the former religion and ethics editor of The San Diego Union-Tribune and a former president of the Religion News Association. Email: sandidolbeecolumns@gmail.com.

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What are ethical wills? They're a beautiful gift for generations to come - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Preface for January 7 2022

This Shabbat

A Word From the Rabbi Finley

People ask me: what is the difference between the Yetzer Ha-Ra and the Inner Pharaoh? The Yetzer Ha-Ra refers to destructive patterns in the unconscious ego-self that operate contrary to our best visions of ourselves.The Inner Pharaoh, as I conceive it, refers to particular patterns of ignorance, mendacity and obstinance. Some people make sure to stay ignorant of the facts, even facts about themselves, because their narrative of how their ego-self sees things is most important. Other people can see the truth, but refuse to admit it. Other people might admit the truth, but their stubbornness has them backpedal to regressive patterns. People strategically forget half of what they know.

Last Shabbat I offered a digressive, verse by verse analysis of a little bit of the parsha:Names of God, Heideggers theory of being, where Moses learned Hebrew, how a sudden accounting of genealogy actually connects Moses and Aaron to King David, etc.

This week I want to teach some very practical Wisdom Work how we work with Inner Pharaoh ego-states and transform them. This work absolutely and directly changes the quality of our lives. Please join in!

Torah Portion Bo The Inner Pharaoh and Truth Within

The Jewish tradition loves serious play with words. This weeks Torah portion begins with Gods telling Moses, Go to Pharaoh. Moses is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. The problem is, the Hebrew is bo el Paro, which literally means come to Pharaoh, not go to Pharaoh.

Instead of explaining away this grammatical oddity, the spiritual tradition focuses on the literal meaning of come to Pharaoh. Come to Pharaoh is understood as God saying to Moses, Come to me, but youll have to go through Pharaoh.

Pharaoh is interpreted, from a spiritual perspective, as referring to those forces within that compel us to act in destructive ways, forces that are hidden in the unconscious realm. To find God, or the Authentic Self, we will have to go through forces of resistance. One force of resistance is cynicism there is no authentic self, there is no better or worse. Love, justice, truth and beauty are words that to do not refer to anything real.

Other forces of resistance are depression, anxiety, anger, resentment, overwhelm, and so forth. We might know that there is better and worse, but we just dont feel we can achieve it. Sometimes, the lie of resistance tells us, the good is unachievable because we are not able. Sometime, the lie of resistance tells us, the good is unachievable because the world around us is so bad. The Inner Pharaoh is the liar. There is some good that can be done and nothing in the world can stop us from doing some good, even if only within.

We cant just step around the Inner Pharaoh, though. He will ambush us.

Face your inner destructiveness sounds like a spiritual platitude. People nod and say, Sure, obviously! and then allow those destructive forces to take over their thoughts, feelings and emotions. People say, I couldnt help but get (fill in the blank angry, accusatory, defensive, hopeless, fed up, etc.). I agree. Our inner destructiveness can take us over. At times, we cant help giving in to the forces of the unconsciousness ego self.

To fight the Inner Pharoah, we have to train. For beginners dont talk , text or write an email until you calm down, for example. Stop catastrophizing. We can hear ourselves when a negative script takes over. Stop saying those lines. Write a better play. Rehearse your way out of Pharaohs incessant grip. You can be helped, by you.

The inner destructiveness has many ploys not to allow you to help yourself find and live your Authentic Self. A common one is to rationalize. To rationalize is just about the opposite of being rational. To rationalize means to give a reason for doing something when there is actually something else that is the real cause or motivation. To rationalize is to be pretend to be rational. We create narratives to make acceptable our destructive thoughts, feelings and behavior, and therefore our speech and behavior. We hide from the truth.

That is the Inner Pharaohs game, hide the truth of the matter. For example, the truth of the matter might be that you became too hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Sometimes we get caught off guard. Sometimes we are needy. Sometimes life just becomes too much. Your resistance to the Inner Pharaoh has been weakened.

The path to redemption is to acknowledge our inner turmoil and find a way back to the path of truth, virtue and wisdom. Something pushed you off the path. That happens. The main thing is to dust yourself off and get back on the path, not to make it as if you discovered a new path to truth.

The Inner Pharaoh always has a very persuasive story to keep up from getting back on the path. Or the Inner Pharaoh has us ask pointless why questions such as, Why would someone do such a thing?

The Inner Pharaoh wants us to think that coming up with a relatively pointless rhetorical question is actually doing something. Pointless why questions do accomplish something. They distract us.

There is a famous little saying in the Talmud (Baba Batra 60b), Kshote atzmecha techilah achar kakh kshot acherim. The Aramaic word kshote has two meanings: truth, and also beauty. One meaning of this aphorism might be, Beautify yourself (do the right thing), before you demand that others be beautiful. Another meaning might be Be truthful with yourself, and then you can be truthful with others.

Both meanings are intertwined. I think that most of us want to do the right and beautiful thing, but we cant until we honestly seek out what is going on inside of us as we discover the True Self. Finding the truth is difficult; the Inner Pharaoh stands in the way.

When the Inner Pharaoh tries to push you around, start by pushing back.

See the article here:

The Inner Pharaoh and the Truth Within - Jewish Journal

Its out with the old and in with the new new year, that is.

And with just hours before the clock strikes midnight and the world ushers in 2022, locals have been scrambling to grocery stores around town making sure they have the traditional Southern fare that is thought to bring good luck for the coming year. For locals, that includes black-eyed peas, cabbage and hog jowls.

They use the hog jowls to put in their cabbage, Sullivans Grocery manager Larry Ferguson said.

Ferguson, along with Morgans Supermarket owner Cynthia Morgan, said he knows there will be a run on these three food items. In an effort to have enough supply for the demand, both businesses order extras this time of year.

We have to order a lot more, Morgan said, of black-eyed peas, cabbage and hog jowls. And we still run out every year.

This year, Morgan said, she ordered an extra bin of cabbage a bin like the pumpkins come on, and an extra pallet of dried black-eyed peas.

I ordered two more bins of cabbage than I did last year, Ferguson said. And 10 more cases of black-eyed peas.

While the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for luck is thought to have begun in the South black-eyed peas are what saved families from starving after Union Troops had left them behind, thinking they were animal fodder the tradition of eating the legume on New Years Day actually dates back much further.

According to organicauthority.com, the black-eyed peas are mentioned in the Talmud, an ancient Babylonian text, circa 500 CE.

The website states, Black-eyed peas were eaten on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.

Hopefully, those who want to follow tradition and cook some black-eyed peas for the New Year, hopefully they have secured their stash from either store shelves or in the frozen food section.

For those interested in recipes that incorporate black-eyed peas in a dish, here are a couple to choose from out of local cookbooks.

Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread (Ambrosia Cookbook)

1 (15.5-ounce) can black-eyed peas seasoned with bacon and jalapeno pepper, do not drain

1 cup cornmeal

cup flour

1 teaspoon soda

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

cup oil

pound cheddar cheese, grated

1 onion, chopped

cup cream-style corn

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained

Picante sauce

Mix all ingredients except Picante sauce. Pour into a greased 9x13x2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool about 15 minutes before cutting. Cut into squares to serve. Top each square with Picante sauce if desired.

Texas Caviar (The Trinity Cookbook)

1 can (16 ounces) black-eyed peas, drained

1/3 medium red bell pepper, diced

cup minced red onion

cup finely chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons tomato juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper (2 medium peppers)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1.2 teaspoon ground cumin

1.2 teaspoon chili powder

teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Tortilla chips

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

8-10 servings

May substitute cup picante sauce for the tomatoes and juice.

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPAs Better Newspaper Contests editorial division for the Best Feature Story.

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelors degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always the people.

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OUTLOOK: How to enjoy Black-Eyed Peas in the New Year - The Vicksburg Post - Vicksburg Post

WAYNE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) A North Jersey rabbi who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the Civil Rights Movement is praying to see the year 2022.

The 92-year-old, known as the most arrested rabbi, recently learned he has stage four colon cancer. In what he believes are his final days, he spoke with CBS2s Lisa Rozner.

He may be too weak to stand, but the spirit of Rabbi Israel Dresner is strong. His Wayne, New Jersey, home is surrounded with memories of King.

Ive always been very optimistic. I try to follow Dr. Kings course. He always felt that were making progress and we have to continue to make progress, Dresner said. Dr. King appeared in my pulpit in Springfield, January in 1963 for the first time.

King visited Dresners synagogue twice.

The friendship started in 1962 when Dresner visited King in an Albany, Georgia, jail cell. Months later, King, who called the rabbi Sy, wrote, We are counting on you to discern some methods of action which contribute to our national problem in race relations.

Dresner had already been arrested as part of the Tallahassee Ten, interfaith freedom riders who challenged segregated buses and sat together at a segregated airport restaurant.

In 1964, he was arrested again, organizing the largest mass arrest of rabbis in history outside a segregated hotel in St. Augustine, Florida.

Were you afraid when you showed up there? Rozner asked.

Well, I always had some fear Every person has an obligation to try to make a contribution to making the world a little better place, Dresner said.

The following year, Dresner delivered the prayer on Turnaround Tuesday in Selma, Alabama, at Kings behest. It was one of several marches for voting rights.

Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, best friend and mentor of King, prayed to his right.

Abernathys daughter, Donzaleigh Abernathy, remembers Dresner speaking at her church.

Honestly, I believe that he is one of the unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, she said. It ended up helping to shape my life so that now I live today in an Orthodox Jewish community But I feel at home because this was the world that we grew up in.

Bishop Mitchell Taylor, of Queens, reflects on how Dresners presence shaped social justice movements today.

One voice can speak, but it can easily be ignored, but when united voices speak, it can never be ignored, he said.

Dresners daughter and son are producing The Rabbi and the Reverend, a documentary they call a mile marker on the never-ending march towards equality.

We want to use the film to help re-forge the Black-Jewish alliance that he was such a critical part of You know, were blessed to be able to, you know, to do this for him and do it with him while, while we still can, Dresners son, Avi Dresner, said.

Rabbi Dresner says throughout the pandemic, hes been able to draw strength from services that have been broadcast on television.

Those services were from Central Synagogue in Midtown East, so he made one last in-person Torah blessing there in December. His children also took him for a final pastrami sandwich at Katzs Deli and one last Broadway show.

How do you want to be remembered? Rozner asked.

Well, I want to be remembered as somebody who not only tried to keep the Jewish faith But also to invoke the Jewish doctrine from the Talmud, which is called tikkun olam, repairing the world, and I hope that I made a little bit of a contribution to making the world a little better place, Dresner said.

Dresner says his family was murdered in the Holocaust, which made him painfully aware of what racism could lead to and inspired his activism. Hes a lifelong member of the NAACP and former president Barack Obama honored him at the White House in 2013.

Read more:

Most Arrested Rabbi Israel Dresner Reflects On Life Of Activism After Being Diagnosed With Stage 4 Colon Cancer - CBS New York

If a person was to make up those stories, you would stage it to be authenticated by reliable witnesses. But in the Bible, both of these events were first witnessed by people who did not have credibility in their culture.

His birth was first witnessed by the shepherds, who were not respected in that day, and His resurrection by a woman, Mary, whose testimony was not valid in court.

J. Warner Wallace, in his book Cold Case Christianity, points out that this makes it more believable. The way the gospels are written, with all the weaknesses and failures of Christs followers, gives it an authenticity that you dont find in fiction.

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds story were astonished (Luke 2:16-18).

She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didnt recognize him. Dear woman, why are you crying? Jesus asked her. Who are you looking for? She thought he was the gardener. Sir, she said, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him. Mary, Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, Rabboni! (which is Hebrew for Teacher) (John 20:14-16).

Anyone writing a story to be accepted would not use witnesses with no credibility. So, witnesses for Jesus birth and resurrection are evidence that the gospels are accurate eyewitness accounts. The gospels tell it like it is, even if it might not make the best story.

There Is other evidence for Jesus life that shows the gospels are accurate eyewitness accounts. The fifth century Jewish Talmud (writings and discussions from first and second century rabbis) has the following: Jesus practiced magic and led Israel astray.

The good news is this: There is evidence for Jesus' birth, resurrection and life that shows the gospels are accurate eyewitness accounts. The bad news is that if these accounts are true and you reject Jesus, there will be eternal consequences to that choice.

The Bible is God's warning to us and shows us His provision for salvation and eternal life with Him. The historical and other evidence that give the Word authenticity are just more reasons to believe it.

This article was drafted by Craig Clark and adapted by Pastor Paul McKibben of Grace Community Church of Osage.

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DEVOTIONAL GUIDE: Is the Bible reliable? Ask the eyewitnesses - Park Rapids Enterprise

In 1971, the famed Mr. Snuffleupagus made his first appearance on Sesame Street. Snuffy and Big Bird quickly became good friends. Their friendship was tender and charming, but for 14 years, no one believed that Big Birds friend was real. Adults on the show would be told about Snuffy, but every time Big Bird was ready to introduce them, Snuffy, coincidentally, disappeared. The ambiguous nature of Mr. Snuffleupaguss existence likely meant different things to different children, as did many of the shows running storylines. To some, he was similar to, and so normalized their imaginary playmates. To others, as Martin Robinson, who performed Snuffy since 1980 put it, He was shy, he had bad timing, and the joke was, hes big, you cant miss him, but adults being the way they are preoccupied, going to work, you know they miss those little details. And Snuffleupagus just happened to be one of those little details that they kept missing year after year.

Snuffys persona was an invaluable part of the classic show, and yet in the early 1980s, producers slowly began building up to the Snuffy reveal, in which Snuffy was finally accepted by those around him as real, and not imagined. The decision came as a reaction to the growing focus, and number of exposes on child abuse. As Executive Producer Carol-Lynn Parente said, The fear was that if we represented adults not believing what kids said, they might not be motivated to tell the truth. That caused us to rethink the storyline: Is something weve been doing for 14 years that seemed innocent enough now something thats become harmful? The reveal was slow, and psychologically strategic, and in Sesame Streets 17th season, cast member Bob McGrath tells Big Bird From now on, well believe you whenever you tell us something. It was not the first, nor would it be the last time the producers of Sesame Street reflected on the gravity of their role in childrens lives and reconsidered the messaging their plotlines were conveying. The producers of Sesame Street understood that education goes way beyond the ABCs.

* * *

Imagine the scene. A young, fresh, idealistic teacher walks into the classroom and tells her students to open their Bibles up to the second book of Samuel, chapter 11. They are going to pick up where they left off the week before, with King Davids impressive defeat of local enemy militias, and ascent to the throne in Jerusalem. Chapter 11 recalls the infamous story of Davids sighting of Batsheva on the roof, and his sleeping with her, even though she was a married woman. Batsheva becomes pregnant with Davids child, and after less violent attempts to cover up the affair fail, David has his chief military officer send Uriah, Batshevas unsuspecting husband, to the front lines. The memorandum David sends to his officer is explicit Uriah is not to come back alive.

It is not an easy chapter to get through, and many of her students, as anticipated, have questions. But this teacher has come prepared. After they finish reading the texts, she guides the students to the handouts on their desks and calls on the boy that waves his hand eagerly wanting to read aloud for the class. Anyone who says that David sinned [with Batsheba] is nothing other than mistaken. The quote the student reads is excerpted from the Babylonian Talmud (Shabbos 56a) and is at home with a string of texts that prove why those biblical personalities whom we may assume to be sinners are, in fact, anything but.

The Talmud employs creative prooftexts, and in the case of David, ingenious legal argumentation, which the teacher delves into during the 40-minute class. One girl, pipes in with a tradition she remembers that blames Batsheva for her lack of tzniut, modesty. Her bathing on the roof, the girl offers, echoing what she had learned in camp the previous summer, enticed David to do what he did. Its almost like she did it on purpose because she wanted to be queen. Some of the students are convinced, others voice their skepticism. The teacher creates a space for all the questions and comments, but makes sure to leave time for her closing argument on the matter. The people we read about in the Bible were on a different level than we are, she says, inculcating the dogma she had absorbed as a student, into her own teaching. If they were chosen by God, that means they were righteous. God knows more than we do, and its not for us to judge the actions of tzadikim, righteous people. The bell rings, the students rush off to their next lesson. Most dont give another thought to what had been discussed. Except for one.

You see, what the well-meaning teacher doesnt know is that the girl in the yellow turtleneck, who sits towards the back of the classroom on the left, wrestles with a dark reality that her smiling friends know nothing about. She wrestles with shame, and self-disgust, and terror every time the man who makes her feel that way walks into the room. Shes terrified of where he might be, or when he might show up. And yet somehow, he always does. And he always finds a way to get her alone. Shes thought, in her angriest moments, of getting up the nerve to tell someone about what he does to her. But she doesnt know how anyone would believe her. He is, after all, as her father often mentions in passing, a real tzadik.

* * *

Biblical interpretation is as old as the Bible itself. The library of interpretive literature is rich, and it is valuable. It adds color to otherwise bland stories, fills narrative gaps that left the reader wondering, and adds unforgettable detail to characters, allowing readers to connect to the text in thrilling ways. But it goes beyond that. Interpreters use the text of the Bible as a springboard for all sorts of didactic purposes. Being a people of the book implies the notion that our beliefs, our legal code, and more broadly speaking, our worldview, derive from an ancient text that has been preserved. For traditional Jews, the text itself is believed to have been written with varying degrees of Divine Revelation, and, as a result, all the truths humans are to discover, can be found embedded in the texts holy, multidimensional words.

Most of the interpretations, if approached with intellectual honesty, are thought-provoking. Many are deeply beautiful. Some are humorous; others outrageous. All have a context.

And context is so much more than provenance. Context implies the conscious and unconscious beliefs that feed into an interpreters reading of the text. It implies political considerations, views on race and gender, and it implies motivation. And thats important. Because when we understand context, we dont make the mistake of confusing interpretation, for the text itself. We understand that there is a difference between the Bible, and the way people, in ensuing centuries read the Bible. That there is a difference between the original text, and the way that text was analyzed, expanded upon, and adapted for various ideological and theological purposes. That type of understanding allows people to incorporate simultaneous truths. Like the truth that the Bible doesnt comprise a single perfect person. And the truth that later interpreters needed to create models of perfection to make the values they were espousing come alive. The truth that, in contrast to its neighbors, Biblical Israel did not see its king as any sort of demi-god, but as a person, who will inevitably make mistakes, and be punished for them. And also the truth that years after the Davidic dynasty was no more, its earliest kings morphed into larger than life figures in the collective imagination of those that so badly craved renewed independence under a Jewish monarch. The truth that a prophet of God told David that he sinned, and in the biblical text, David confessed to that sin. And the truth that biblical interpreters firmly believed that a community that respects the heroes of its past will have a future to look forward to.

Being able to hold on to partial, simultaneous truths is not simple, but it can be learned. It requires subtlety and nuance in a world where both seem scarce. But flattening biblical characters in the hopes of garnering reverence for them, whether we realize it or not, has the potential to communicate a very dangerous message, specifically by undermining one of the Bibles most important morals.

Imagine, if that teacher, had presented the same quote from the Talmud, but contextualized it for her students. Imagine if she had said, The Bible holds David accountable. David thought he could sin in secret and get away with it, but the Bible is clear about the fact that no one, not even Gods anointed, should ever get away with abusing power and preying on the vulnerable. Nothing replaces the biblical text. But now, lets move on and see how the story of what happened is used as a starting point for discussions about piety, and about divorce rites in the ancient world.

Imagine how differently things might have felt for the girl in the yellow turtleneck.

*Source: A Brief History of Sesame Streets Snuffleupagus Identity Crisis, by Marissa Fessenden. Smithsonian Magazine, November 20, 2015.

Continue reading here:

Big Bird, Chaim Walder, and the power of nuance - The Times of Israel

Earlier this month, Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry set a new NBA record for most made 3-point baskets when he drained number 2,974 in a game against the New York Knicks. On Dec. 28, he hit number 3,000 in front of his home crowd at San Franciscos Chase Center. That night, he also tied his own record of 157 consecutive games with at least one made 3.

As social media users and the news media celebrated and analyzed the future Hall of Famers 3-point prowess, one local Warriors fan had something else on his mind.

On Dec. 27, Graduate Theological Union assistant professor Sam Shonkoff shared a very Jewish fun fact about Curry on Twitter that attracted quite a bit of attention. In his tweet, he pointed out that the Hebrew word tattooed on Currys left wrist, (kuf-resh-yud), is both a transliteration of the players last name as well as a well-known Talmudic euphemism for accidental emission or ejaculation while sleeping.

fun fact about steph curry, the best shooter of all time: while the hebrew word on his left wrist (our right), , is a fair transliteration of his last name, it's also the technical rabbinic term for "accidental emission," aka "ejaculation while sleeping." you're welcome. pic.twitter.com/6vb4ER6pnf

Sam Shonkoff (@samshonkoff) December 27, 2021

The tweet has received over 300,000 impressions, or views, and dozens of responses ranging from to .

It clearly struck a chord, more than my work on Jewish mysticism, Shonkoff told J. in an interview. Im in a very specific niche where Im an avid Warriors fan and love Steph Curry, and Im a scholar of Jewish studies at the same time. Thats probably why I noticed this thing before most other people did.

Shonkoff, 37, explained that in rabbinic literature, the term baal keri (which literally means master of an accident) refers to someone who experienced what is commonly known as a wet dream and is therefore considered to be in a state of ritual impurity. Its this huge source of anxiety in rabbinic tradition, he said. This is connected to issues of niddah menstrual impurities and who you can come into contact with, where you can go.

He noted that the stakes were especially high for the high priest when the Temple was standing in Jerusalem. For example, in Pirkei Avot 5:5, the fact that no emission occurred to the high priest on the Day of Atonement is considered to be a kind of miracle because the priest was able to enter the Holy of Holies and perform his duties on behalf of the Jewish people.

Shonkoff, who specializes in German Jewish thought and Hasidic mysticism, said he made the connection between Currys transliterated name and keri a few years ago but that he only recently embraced Twitter as a place to share such stray thoughts. His favorite response to his tweet came from Kno, a rapper and producer from the group CunninLynguists. He can shoot in his sleep so this checks out, Kno tweeted. Others riffed on Splash Brothers, the nickname given to Curry and teammate Klay Thompson, another prolific 3-point shooter before he was sidelined by injuries. (Thompson, who is expected to return to the court later this season, owns one of the few 3-point records not held by Curry: the most 3-pointers made in one game, 14.)

He can shoot in his sleep so this checks out.

Kno (@Kno) December 27, 2021

Twitter being Twitter, not everyone appreciated the tweet. Yo, I really didnt need to know that, moaned one Curry fan. A native Hebrew speaker protested that the modern Hebrew term for wet dream is slightly different, -, kri-lilah. Knowing modern Hebrew isnt the same as knowing Talmud, Shonkoff shot back.

Yo, I really didnt need to know that

Soliman (@Curry3Oh) December 28, 2021

It is unclear if Curry or people close to him have seen the tweet or if they are aware of the tattoos euphemistic meaning. (Other members of his family have the same tattoo, including brother and fellow NBA player Seth Curry.) I almost feel a little guilty if Im embarrassing him, but the world knows now, said Shonkoff, who grew up in Berkeley rooting for the Warriors and now lives in El Cerrito. He is not too worried, though, because its widely recognized that Steph Curry is just a wonderful human being and a real mensch.

The tattoo is not the only Hebrew ink that Curry has on his body. On his inner right wrist, there is a line from the New Testament that translates to love never fails.

What is it about Hebrew script that Curry, a devout Christian, finds so compelling? He is very religious, which is part of why I think hes drawn to Hebrew, Shonkoff said. It goes to show that theres the sense that Hebrew is a holy language even for Christians.

Pointing out humorous double meanings of Hebrew transliterations is an old parlor game. Former Secretary of State and presidential candidate John Kerry was the butt of jokes in Israel because his last name is transliterated the same way as Currys. And in October, when Facebook rebranded itself, people gleefully pointed out that Meta means dead in Hebrew.

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'Fun fact' about Steph Curry's Hebrew tattoo makes a splash on Twitter J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

Atypical depression is a subtype of major depressive disorder. It is distinct from melancholic depression, which primarily causes sadness even in the face of hopeful circumstances and positive events. Atypical depression, by contrast, means that a persons mood may improve when circumstances change.

Atypical depression also causes additional physical symptoms, such as feeling exhausted, increased appetite and sleep. This subtype of depression may also make a person very sensitive to rejection.

Some people may use the term atypical depression to refer to depression that is inconsistent with depression stereotypes, or common manifestations of depression. This is a misuse of the term. Atypical depression is a specific subtype of depression with specific diagnostic criteria.

Treatment is similar to other forms of depression, but atypical depression may sometimes respond better to a group of antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI).

Keep reading to learn more about atypical depression, including the symptoms, causes, and tips on living with this condition.

Atypical depression is distinct from melancholic depression. Melancholic depression is the form of depression that most people might identify as depression. It includes a very sad mood and trouble finding pleasure.

Atypical depression can also make people deeply sad. But unlike with melancholic depression, symptoms may improve in response to positive life events or hope for the future. In this regard, atypical depression is more tied to a persons situation and environment.

Some other features of atypical depression include:

A 2017 study suggests atypical depression may correlate with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This emphasizes that depression is both a physical and mental health condition.

People with atypical depression have major depressive disorder (depression). A hallmark of major depressive disorder is feeling sad, hopeless, or overwhelmed. The more traditional presentation of major depressive disorder is melancholic, which causes a person to struggle to feel joy or pleasure, even in pleasurable circumstances.

With atypical depression, the course of the disease is more likely to change and shift. Symptoms may improve with improved circumstances, or worsen with worsening life circumstances. That said, people with atypical depression are more likely to have recurring bouts of the disease. So even once a person feels better for a period, their symptoms may return.

Some hallmarks of atypical depression include:

Atypical depression is not a different diagnosis from melancholic depression. Rather, both are subtypes of major depression, and share many symptoms. Some other symptoms a person might notice in both types of depression include:

Researchers frequently apply a biopsychosocial model to depression, which means that there is no single cause. Instead, a complex interaction of environment, genetics, social factors, interpersonal factors, health, and more interact to cause depression.

Some risk factors for depression include:

A 2019 study of atypical depression found the following characteristics were more prevalent in people with this form of depression:

No single test can determine depression. Doctors diagnose depression based on symptoms.

In some cases, a doctor may want to exclude other potential causes of symptoms, especially in people who are at high risk for other diseases. For example, hypothyroidism can mimic symptoms of depression.

If a doctor suspects a person may have another condition, they may recommend bloodwork or other tests. In most cases, however, a professional will diagnose depression based solely on symptoms. To get an accurate diagnosis, it is important for a person to tell their doctor or mental health specialist about all symptoms they experience.

The diagnostic criteria for atypical depression include:

The mainstay of treatment for depression is a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressants. Psychotherapy can help a person process their emotions, feel less isolated, and develop strategies for dealing with depressing thoughts. For example, in cognitive behavioral therapy, a person will learn how their thoughts influence their emotions and behavior.

Learn more about types of therapy here.

A range of antidepressants may help with atypical depression. However, most research suggests that a group of drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) may be more effective than newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Consider asking a doctor about trying an MAOI first.

MAOIs can cause side effects such as dizziness, nausea, and headaches. They can also interact harmfully with many other drugs, so it is important to tell a doctor about all drugs a person takes.

MAOIs make it difficult for the body to break down a substance called tyramine. Rarely, this failure to break down tyramine can cause brain damage and death. Ask a doctor about which foods to avoid. In general, fish, meat, liver, and salami have higher levels of tyramine, especially when they are not fresh.

Atypical depression tends to relapse. This means that a person may need to undergo treatment throughout their life, and develop a depression relapse plan. Some strategies for living with atypical depression are below:

Some natural supplements may also help. Learn more here.

Depression is a complex illness that can manifest in many different ways. Symptoms may change over time even in the same person in the same circumstances.

Atypical depression is highly situational, which means a persons symptoms may improve in the right environment, or temporarily appear to be better when their external circumstances are happy. As circumstances change, so too may depression symptoms.

Depression is not something a person can think their way out of. It is a medical diagnosis that causes changes in the brain. The right treatment can help counteract these changes, reducing symptoms and improving overall quality of life.

People who think they may have depression should ask for help, and consider seeking care until they find treatment that works.

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Atypical depression: Definition, symptoms, and treatment - Medical News Today

Mangosteen is a small purple fruit that grows in Southeast Asia. In recent years, news reports and internet influencers have said the fruit has a range of health benefits. It now has a reputation as a superfood.

This article will outline what a mangosteen is, look at the science behind the health benefit claims, and explain how to eat mangosteen.

Mangosteen is a small, purple fruit from Southeast Asia. It has a hard outer skin and sweet, white, juicy flesh. People have described its taste as a mix of lychee, peach, strawberry, and pineapple.

Farmers tend to grow mangosteen in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Thailand. In these countries, people consume it as:

Fresh mangosteen is hard to find in the United States for two reasons.

First, mangosteen trees need a fully tropical climate and lots of time to grow. Small farms in Hawaii and Puerto Rico, started in the 1990s, are only now starting to bear fruit.

Second, fresh mangosteen can harbor quarantine pests or non-U.S. native bugs that could threaten the ecosystem. It means mangosteen importers must sterilize the fruit before it enters the country. This sometimes affects the quality, taste, or shelf life.

Mangosteen has many benefits. It contains a range of compounds and substances that are good for human health.

The benefits of mangosteen include:

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, all fruits provide nutrients that are vital for good health.

One cup of drained, canned mangosteen contains:

Most fruits, including mangosteen, are low in fat, sodium, and calories, helping people maintain a moderate weight. They are also free from cholesterol, which can contribute to chronic conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Fruit is also a good source of nutrients that people in the U.S. often lack, such as:

Antioxidants fight free radicals or harmful substances that can build up inside the body. Free radicals can contribute to health problems including:

Studies have suggested that mangosteen contains antioxidants. One study from 2015 asked 30 people to drink a mangosteen-based beverage every day for 30 days. Researchers compared their blood to that of 30 people who had consumed a non-mangosteen-based drink or placebo.

At the end of the 30 days, the mangosteen group had 15% more antioxidants in their bloodstream than the placebo group.

Inflammation is a normal part of the immune system. It is the bodys way of removing foreign substances, like bacteria, viruses, or chemicals.

Sometimes, inflammation happens unnecessarily. Other times, it continues after the body has removed the threat. Doctors call this chronic inflammation. It can contribute to health problems including:

In the 2015 study outlined above, scientists found that mangosteen may also act as an anti-inflammatory. They concluded this by measuring the C-reactive protein, a substance that signals inflammation levels. Over the 30 days of the study, levels of this protein in the mangosteen group reduced by an average of 46%.

Some medicines include mangosteen as an ingredient, including:

It is important to note that studies on the health benefits of mangosteen have been small so far. Scientists need more research before they can be sure.

The National Library of Medicine says that there is not enough evidence to say that mangosteen can help with:

It also advises against using mangosteen medicines in the following situations:

Mangosteen and other herbal supplements may also interact with some medications, such as liraglutide (Saxenda).

People can peel the outer skin of the mangosteen and eat the wedges of fruit inside raw.

However, fresh mangosteen is hard to find in the U.S. Lots of mangosteen-based products, including supplements and juices, are available for people who would like to gain the health benefits of mangosteen but have difficulty finding fresh fruit.

Things to bear in mind with these products include the following:

Mangosteen is a small purple fruit that grows in Southeast Asia. It is difficult to grow and import into the U.S.

Studies have suggested that the fruit has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, there is not yet enough evidence to conclusively prove this.

Some medicines include mangosteen as an ingredient. These include drugs for obesity and gum disease. People who are pregnant, nursing, have a blood disorder, or are about to have an operation should avoid mangosteen-based medicines.

More:

Mangosteen: What it is, benefits, how to eat it - Medical News Today

While the identities of the Stammaim and Savoraim who had a hand in finalizing the Talmud as we know it will likely never be known, that hasnt stopped lovers of the Talmud from speculating on its historical development. InThe Formation of the Talmud: Scholarship and Politics in Yitzhak Isaac Halevys Dorot Harishonim, Rabbi Dr. Ari Bergmann traces one such attempt by a giant of pre-WWII Eastern European Orthodoxy.

Bergmann, who teaches Talmud at Yeshiva University, sets out to describe who Halevy (1847-1914) was and why his work on the Talmuds history, though an apologetic, can and should be taken seriously by those interested in the development of Orthodox Judaism and the study of its foundational text.

Halevy, as Bergmann writes, was a self-taught scholar who led a colorful life of political and scholarly achievements amidst numerous controversies. A traditionalist in a time of change and a pugilistic writer, he was connected to other major rabbinic thinkers of his time, including Rabbi Yosef Duber Soloveitchik (theBeit Halevi), the Netziv, Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, and Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. Amidst the strong winds of the scientific study of Judaism,Wissenschaft des Judentums, Halevy strove, in his work, to offer an Orthodox Wissenschaft, intellectually rigorous but still abiding by traditional belief and observance.

In tracing the development of the Talmud, Halevy sometimes parted ways with traditional thinkers. He, as Bergmann writes, conceded that themidrashicexegesis was a later development that came to provide scriptural proof for laws received at Sinai, but not to derive new laws. This more nuanced view was at odds with those medieval rabbinic authorities, such as Maimonides, who clearly believed in the existence of a creativemidrashicprocess. While sometimes slanting more traditionally, Halevy also relied on numerous non-Jewish historical sources banned by earlier authorities. The contradictions in Halevys workon our resulting inability to characterize it merely as apologeticsdemonstrate the difficulties Halevy faced as a historian in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who also considered himself a strong advocate for Orthodoxy. Even when arguing against the heretics, Halevy received flack. The Hazon Ish sawDorot Harishonimas dangerous because it unduly exposed Orthodox youth to the arguments of those who historicized rabbinic teachings.

Much of Bergmanns volume consists of the nuances of the theory of development Halevy articulated. He posited that the Mishnah was universally accepted as a sealed corpus, after which Abaye and Rava composed a common body of Amoraic traditions emerging from abeit havaad, a central rabbinic governing body, though Halevy never offers proof of the existence of such an entity. He also hypothesized that the Savoraim, later editors, made only minor changes to the text (a theory which Bergmann calls fanciful and contradicted by the historical record.) While much of Halevys scholarship was dismissed, Bergmann emphasizes a historical irony. Halevy helped form Agudath Israel, a rabbinic governing body of much of contemporary Orthodoxy. The Agudah, as it is colloquially called, has since popularizedDaf Yomi, the daily cycle of Talmud study.

Thus, while Halevys imprint on the scholarship of the Talmuds history and development might fall short, his impact on its study to this day, it can be argued, looms taller than ever.

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The Formation of the Talmud: Scholarship and Politics in Yitzhak Isaac Halevy's Dorot Harishonim Yeshiva University News - Yu News