Weekly Torah Study is via Zoom each Thursday at 7:30 pm.

Interactive Zoom Discussion: https://zoom.us/j/827198761
Meeting ID: 827 198 761

Howard Brill leads us in reading the weekly Parashah (Torah portion) 

In this cycle through the Torah we will be taking a mystical journey. Our guide will be Rabbi Larry Tabick’s book, The Aura of Torah, published in 2014 by the Jewish Publication Society and the University of Nebraska.

Rabbi Tabick, a Reform rabbi in London, England, has translated a wide range of mystical sources from the 12th to 19th century, organized by the parshah of the week. The text is not scholarly but reflects the study guides of a congregational rabbi using Torah study to communicate key ideas in Jewish mysticism. He does not attempt to systematically describe the varieties of Jewish mysticism and their historical development. Instead he shows through excerpts of source texts illustrations of particular themes in the mystical understanding of Torah. These themes include the fundamental unity and presence of God in all of life, the means of experiencing that unity and presence, the moral order embedded in reality, and the paradox of language as both a vehicle and obstacle to expressing a connection to God.

While Rabbi Tabick has attempted to be inclusive of non-hasidic mystical thought, the relative availability of published hasidic writings from the nineteenth century is reflected in the source texts.

I will include excerpts from the source texts, but I recommend purchasing Rabbi Tabick’s book, which includes considerable contextual and explanatory information.

Personally, I’m more comfortable with mussar than kabbalistic and hasidic thought. Mussar is concrete, while kabbalistic texts can be abstract and use a dense technical language. Rabbi Tabick is a good guide and steers us carefully when near technical terms. Part of our Torah study is to explore areas that stretch our understanding and comfort. That will happen during this cycle. – Howard

The Torah study guide for this week* can be found here:

http://www.tbdrochester.org/2021/01/parshat-vaera/

*please note – some weeks Torah study is cancelled – look at events for details

Each week an email is sent out (usually by Wednesdays) to anyone who may be interested.  You’re welcome to join, whether or not you got the email or had time to read it.  Discussions are generally lively.

Study guides from previous weeks may be found below.

 

 

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Torah Study Archive