by Rabbi Dr. Douglas Goldhamer
Chaim Vital, borrowing from the early mystics, teaches that the EGG represents the one who attains self-realization – a symbol of truth. Chaim Vital also learned the following meditation from his teacher Isaac Luria, who taught that this meditation brings you to a conscious at-one-ment – at one with health, clear mind, […]
By Hebrew Seminary President Rabbi Dr. Douglas Goldhamer
Here is a short meditation to rid ourselves of anxiety. We have all been going though an anxious time recently, worrying about COVID-19.
Sefer Assiyah September 2019
In This Issue:
This summer our Hebrew Seminary community explored and reflected upon the Jewish practices of Mindfulness, Kavvanah, and Meditative Focus: the Three Roads to […]
By Hebrew Seminary President Rabbi Dr. Douglas Goldhamer
1. Go to your mi’at meekdash (small holy place) and sit on a comfortable chair with your back in the upright position, and your feet planted firmly on the floor. Wear comfortable clothing and loosen up your tie or belt.
2. Breathe in deeply and gently through your nostrils and as […]
שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד
Shiviti Yod Hey Vav Hey L’negdi Tamid
“I place יהוה Y H V H before me always.” (Psalms 16:8)
שִׁוִּ֬יתִי אֲדֹנָי לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד
Shiviti Adonai L’negdi Tamid
“I place Adonai before me always.”
1. Close your eyes and focus your attention on […]
Sunday, June 30, 2019
2:00 – 3:30 pm
at Hebrew Seminary
How do mindfulness, kavvanah (intention), and meditative focus work together to enhance and strengthen prayer? As we pray, how do these three techniques work together to bring us closer to God?
Living and serving […]
by Student Rabbi Roberta Glick
There are 2 themes: gratitude and tsheuvah that I want to talk about today with regards to Hanukkah. Hopefully something old and something new for everyone.
We sometimes think of Hanukkah as a “minor” holiday, maybe celebrated to balance against another big holiday in December. And we know Hanukkah is about a war that the Jews won against the Greeks, against […]
by Alison C. Brown, Executive Director
Fear not, while it currently feels as though some of our world leaders have purposefully severed our ancestral roots, I suspect every generation feels that way.
Parashah Toldot is a Jewish narrative about our ancestral roots and serves as another installment in the guide to being fully human. Together with the many Jewish texts redacted and commented upon over the […]
Rabbi Goldhamer can you teach us more about the month of Elul? You have referred to this month as the most powerfully charged spiritual month of the Hebrew calendar.
Elul began on August 23rd this year. The Mishnah B’rura (a “clear” or simple version of the Jewish law book Shulchan Aruck) states that Song of Songs 6:3 is, according to the Rabbis, the most important […]
After not seeing any movies all spring, my husband and I have been to four movies in as many weeks. What a treat! Tucked within the barrage of predominately action, adventure and horror previews is a trailer for Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” sequel. While he would eschew the comparison, I thought of former Vice President Gore’s perseverance when I read this week’s Haftarah […]
