ביוגרפייה הופכת לביאולוגיה – וידיאו

Parshat Emor: Cosmos or History – video

Mircea Eliade, a leading scholar of religions during the twentieth century, contrasted two conceptions of time. Cosmic time is circular whereas historical time is progressive. The cosmic conception of time was prevalent in ancient times and reflected the world of nature in which the seasons reoccur each year. Despite being a fascist anti-Semite, Eliade credited Judaism with the conception of historical time. However, as Franz Rosenswieg notes it is more accurate to define Jewish conception of time as being like a spiral staircase– both circular and progressing upwards.
A careful study of the Holidays in Pashat Emor validates this more complex approach.

love or be loved: video

According to Rabbi Akiva, the central principle of the Torah, found in our Parsha, is to love others, וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ. Despite this, many of us seek love in the opposite direction. More than we aspire to love others, we hope for others to love us. However, the key to happiness isn’t by being beloved but rather by loving. This insight is know by parents who by nature love their children much more than they are loved in return, yet the joy the parents receive from the children is much greater than the joy of the children from the parents. This message can help guide us to choose to do what is right for others even when it is less popular. Ultimately, as a famous anecdote about Rav Chaim Volozhin teaches, one who loves will ultimately be beloved.

Parshat Metzora: Biography becomes Biology

פרשת תזריע: אשה כוהנת החיים – וידיאו