templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com
Temple Beth Shalom's Community Blog: Rabbi Sonsino: "Against Extremism; Choosing the Middle Road"
http://templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com/2014/10/rabbi-sonsino-against-extremism.html
Friday, October 3, 2014. Rabbi Sonsino: "Against Extremism; Choosing the Middle Road". In confronting daily struggles, some people remain apathetic and ignore them, hoping the problems will go away; others, confront the issues with full force, at times, even acting blindly and with anger; however, the best way is to take the middle road and resolve them by learning how to live with the ambiguities of life. As well as “a pact of priesthood” ( berit kehunat olam. For all time (Num. 25:12). Later ra...I sti...
templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com
Temple Beth Shalom's Community Blog: Hanukah Was No Miracle
http://templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com/2014/12/hanukah-was-no-miracle.html
Friday, December 12, 2014. Hanukah Was No Miracle. The traditional explanation of why the festival of Hanukah is celebrated for eight days is based on a Talmudic passage: Oil for one day, miraculously lasted eight. (See below). However, this is a late development. Early texts do not mention this so-called miracle. It is time we give up this irrational explanation and find a better one. And that historical explanation does exist. What is [the reason of] Hanukah? BT Shab. 21b, Soncino). S official blog....
templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com
Temple Beth Shalom's Community Blog: Rabbi Sonsino: "Religious" vs. "Observant"
http://templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com/2015/01/rabbi-sonsino-religious-vs-observant.html
Friday, January 16, 2015. Rabbi Sonsino: "Religious" vs. "Observant". Many people say “I am not religious” when they actually mean, “I am not observant.” What is the difference between the two? The difference between “religious” and “observant” is relatively new. Traditional sources do not seem to be aware of any tension between them. The Bible often refers to individuals who “fear God/the Lord.” This “fear” is more than reverence; God was then viewed as a mysterium tremendum. However, there is no modern...
templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com
Temple Beth Shalom's Community Blog: October 2014
http://templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com/2014_10_01_archive.html
Wednesday, October 22, 2014. What Prayer Can and Cannot Do. Many people turn away from prayer because they realize that it can rarely produce concrete results. Therefore, it is important to understand what prayer can do and what it cannot accomplish. For me, this is the scope of prayer:. 1962, 33). The key word here is “utterance.” High expectations can lead to disappointment. By expressing our hopes and aspirations properly and within reason, we can take the first step towards th...4 We must remember th...
templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com
Temple Beth Shalom's Community Blog: January 2015
http://templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com/2015_01_01_archive.html
Friday, January 16, 2015. Rabbi Sonsino: "Religious" vs. "Observant". Many people say “I am not religious” when they actually mean, “I am not observant.” What is the difference between the two? The difference between “religious” and “observant” is relatively new. Traditional sources do not seem to be aware of any tension between them. The Bible often refers to individuals who “fear God/the Lord.” This “fear” is more than reverence; God was then viewed as a mysterium tremendum. However, there is no modern...
templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com
Temple Beth Shalom's Community Blog: December 2014
http://templebethshalomneedham.blogspot.com/2014_12_01_archive.html
Friday, December 12, 2014. Hanukah Was No Miracle. The traditional explanation of why the festival of Hanukah is celebrated for eight days is based on a Talmudic passage: Oil for one day, miraculously lasted eight. (See below). However, this is a late development. Early texts do not mention this so-called miracle. It is time we give up this irrational explanation and find a better one. And that historical explanation does exist. What is [the reason of] Hanukah? BT Shab. 21b, Soncino). S official blog....