Unraveling Religion, Judaic Edition

Part 2 'Creation' In Torah; The Four Rivers, Formation, Creation, and What Is Made, An Examination and Orientation to Existence: Conversation with Rabbi Gedaliah Gurfein from Jerusalem

The Part 2 of this previously archived talk from 2014 with Rabbi Gedaliah Gurfein [https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-774842] from Jerusalem begins with examining Judaism's relationship to other religions. Also explored: * the Jewish nation as G-d's 'Stop Gap People' [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/245609/jewish/Israel.htm] * The Mission of the Jewish Nation is to bring G-d's Light into World * Noah [https://www.chabad.org/parshah/default_cdo/aid/9168/jewish/Noach.htm] and Abraham [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112356/jewish/The-Story-of-Abraham.htm] * Antisemites, those who actually loves Jews the most * Love and Hatred as the same energy * When Jews do not fulfill thier mission, anti-semitism rises * Reb Zusha [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4285539/jewish/15-Facts-About-Reb-Zusha-of-Anipoli-17181800.htm] on his deathbed, 'why weren't you like Moses?' * The grade school story of assembling the world  * Bashert [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5524205/jewish/What-Does-Bashert-Mean.htm], Destiny and the Soul with Two Faces * God speaks Creation [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/246605/jewish/Creation-of-the-World.htm] into existence  * Adam naming the animals [https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/1144592/jewish/What-did-Adam-Name-the-Animals.htm] * Adam is a title for a human being * All human beings are both male and female  * A baby as an embryo learns the entire torah in their mother's womb - and are shown the Light of Creation that streches from teh beginning of time of one end [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5678558/jewish/When-Does-the-Soul-Enter-the-Body.htm] * What is True is in our bones * Ish and Isha male and female, Kabbalist deconstruction * King Solomon 'he who has found good has found a wife' [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3955505/jewish/King-Solomon.htm] * Bashert Decreed by God    Biography: Gedaliah has been a teacher of Jewish wisdom for over 45 years. His experiences have included a range from traditional yeshivot to Pueblo Indians, Igbo Tribes, China, Netherlands, Mexico and, of course, Israel. Gedaliah has also been involved in the Israeli High-Tech industry since 1995. His classic work - free to the public - is The People's Talmud [http://www.thepeoplestalmud.com/].

Part 1 'Creation' In Torah; The Four Rivers, Formation, Creation, and What Is Made, An Examination and Orientation to Existence: Conversation with Rabbi Gedaliah Gurfein from Jerusalem

This two Part talk was a previously archived conversation from 2014, the second Unraveling Religion, Judaic Edition with Rabbi Gedaliah Gurfein [https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-774842] from Jerusalem, and it surveys: * Who is Kabbalah [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/170308/jewish/What-Is-Kabbalah.htm] meant for?  * What is Torah [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1426382/jewish/Torah.htm]?  * The word 'kabbalah' means 'receive'  * An examination of the influence of the Ba'al Shem Tov [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/388609/jewish/The-Baal-Shem-Tov.htm] * A synopsis of Jewish history pre-Ba'al Shem Tov * There are four rivers out of the Garden of Eden [https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3082157/jewish/Where-Are-the-Four-Rivers-that-Come-from-Eden.htm], these four rivers are the way to a secret return to Eden * These Four Rivers and the rectification of the world * North, East, South, and West are impoverished and need the Waters of Life [https://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/1322449/jewish/Living-Waters.htm] to infuse them  * Torah as a Schematic of Creation [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/361898/jewish/The-Purpose-of-Creation.htm] * Purpose of darkness and evil [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/66680/jewish/Purpose-to-Darkness.htm] * Tree of Life [https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2277982/jewish/Etz-Chayim-The-Tree-of-Life-in-the-Bible-and-Beyond.htm] and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad * Adam and Eve [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/246606/jewish/The-Story-of-Adam-and-Eve-in-the-Bible.htm], pre-sin Choice, itself, was 'true' or 'false' [https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/3715373/jewish/Eden-Decoded-Examining-the-Narrative-of-Sin-in-the-Garden.htm] * Post-sin became good or bad (i.e., subjective)  * Snake as a messenger [https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/526478/jewish/Why-Did-Gd-Choose-a-Serpent-to-Heal-the-Israelites.htm] programmed to challenge Adam and Eve (i.e., test the mettle to resist the snake) * Genuine speech is the rebellion against the ego * What was the snake's seduction, 'I can be like G-d?' what does that mean? 'I call the shots' * the world as it is supposed to be already exists we need time to perefct the world to understand how that is possible  * What is G-d's Kabbbalah? Not the ultimate High Worlds, but the worlds where there is no way to know God and people who are surrounded by evil and still do acts of kindness, who choose to be kind, that is G-d's Kabbalah     Biography: Gedaliah has been a teacher of Jewish wisdom for over 45 years. His experiences have included a range from traditional yeshivot to Pueblo Indians, Igbo Tribes, China, Netherlands, Mexico and, of course, Israel. Gedaliah has also been involved in the Israeli High-Tech industry since 1995. His classic work - free to the public - is The People's Talmud [http://www.thepeoplestalmud.com/].

'Better A Good Question Than A Bad Answer,' An Introduction To Judaism And Kabbalah: A Conversation With Rabbi Gedaliah Gurfein From Jerusalem

Pulled from the Archives of Unraveling Religion, Judaic Edition, this January 2010 conversation with Rabbi Gedaliah Gurfein of Jerusalem opens to the importance of Judaism's connection to the land of Israel. Also discussed is the nature of a human being, being is less important than becoming. Rabbi Gedaliah shares utilizing the time on our planet might be best served by refining ourselves into sacred vessels. * Higher than Kabbalah is Prophecy * In ancient Israel there were school of Prophecy * One cannot generate Prophecy, one can only make themselves a worthy vessel to receive Prophecy * Night as the facilitation of Faith * Day as the facilitation of Wisdom * Why don't we perceive G-d clearly? Is existence a Cosmic Game of hide and seek? * G-d make us Partners in Creation * Star of David, 'Bringing Heaven down to Earth'  * Six days of Creation, Six Directions (i.e., north, east, south, west, up, down) * In order to move in Space, one needs Time * The seventh type of time is Shabbas, returning to oneself, time with no direction * All specifications of our lives are crafted by G-d to give us the the opportunity for its successful completion * The physical and spiritual mirror one another * Judaism's rich tradition and history of meditation * Respecting differences in the World's Religions * Reincarnation is not explicit taught in Torah, Talmud touches on it * Torah is very much about the here and now * Ba'al Shem Tov, Owner of a Good Name * Highest thing a human being can work toward and leave behind is to be Ba'al Shem Tov, the Owner of a Good Name Biography: Gedaliah has been a teacher of Jewish wisdom for over 45 years. His experiences have included a range from traditional yeshivot to Pueblo Indians, Igbo Tribes, China, Netherlands, Mexico and, of course, Israel. Gedaliah has also been involved in the Israeli High-Tech industry since 1995. His classic work - free to the public - is The People's Talmud [http://www.thepeoplestalmud.com].

'It's Bitter Sweet,' What Does Judaism Say About Divorce?: A Talk With Rabbi Ezra Weinberg, Founder of Jews Get Divorce

In this episode, Rabbi Jess explores and delves into the topic of divorce with Rabbi Ezra Weinberg [https://atrarabbis.org/people/ezra-weinberg/], examining 'why does divorce make some people so uncomfortable?'  * divorce touches on the idea that there is nothing more painful than dashed hopes * people think of divorce as a synonym for 'a failed marriage' * Reb Ezra shares reframing divorce as 'marriage coming to completion' * is there a lack of communal support in our commmunity for divorce? * why is divorce sometimes so awkward to talk about? * what are some appropriate responses to divorce when people are experiencing it? * why are we afraid to address divorce when people are going through it? * Exploring the marriage contract (i.e., Ketubah [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/465168/jewish/What-Is-the-Ketubah.htm]) as both a marriage document and a divorce document  * The importance of a Get [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/557906/jewish/Jewish-Divorce-What-Is-a-Get.htm] Aspects of Rabbi Ezra Weinberg's work with divorce: * Jews Getting Divorced [https://rebezra.com/home/] * Divorce First Responders [https://divorcefirstresponder.com/#mission] Also explored in this conversation: 'Does the Jewish community sometimes isolate people going through divorce?' Discussed is the consideration of divorce as a sacred moment in one's life. What are the rituals in divorce to help with closure? Reb Ezra shares the core message of his work: 'the central spiritual gesture of divorce is 'release.''     Biography  Reb Ezra Weinberg is a Philadelphia-based rabbi and a practitioner of conflict transformation. He is the founder of Jews Get Divroce. Among his various projects, he officiates weddings and b’nai mitzvah; teaches courses on connecting to Jewish prayer; and helps communities get unstuck around the topic of 'Israel.' He is an adjunct faculty member at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he teaches the class, 'One G-d, Three Paths,' alongside a priest and an imam. Whether he is working as a shaliakh tzibbur, a Jewish educator, a song leader or a Jewish camp professional, his role in the Jewish community and beyond always comes back to his ability to lift spirits, create community and plant seeds of transformation.

Redemption and Transformation, An Examination Through The Lens Of Christian And Jewish Theology, Easter and Passover: Rabbi Jess Talks with Reverend Amanda Barker

Rabbi Jess and Reverend Amanda Barker discuss the relationship of Redemption in Judaism and Christianity. * What is Redemption?  * What is Redemption in Christianity? * In Judaism?  * How do they overlap? * How do they differ?  * Is redemption an active process?  * What does re demption call us to? * What actions?  * What obligations? * How does one become redeemed?  * How is redemption a transformation? * What does red emption feel like ? * Why at times do we not feel like redemption is real (in the face of the world's suffer ing)? * Is redemption figur ative or literal ? * What is the relationship of Jesus to redemption for christianity? * What is the Eucharist? Our work is not within the walls of a church or temple, but being in this broken world, because the world has not yet been transformed or redeemed, we become the actors to reset our intention and act on behalf of God to tend to the marginalized and those suffering.  Redemption does not erase pain or death . Jesus' ministry was the primary healing to the marginalized, the example set that we become actors in redemption, our world becomes God work to redeem the world.  The world is upside down, our work becomes to right the inversion of the world through love and care.    Biography  Reverend Amanda Barker is the Curate at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Boulder. A Curate is a fancy term used in The Episcopal Church, meaning she's an assistant priest and in her first call and congregation. She grew up in the church and became a priest in 2024 after receiving her Master of Divinity from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. Amanda’s background is in the nonprofit sector, where she worked for two decades with various groups on land conservation and historic preservation action in Colorado. At the start of her career, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Madagascar. She now lives in Boulder with her husband and two stepchildren. When she’s not at church, she's cooking, reading, and traveling to new places and to her favorite people, and she has become an avid backyard birdwatcher.