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Heschel on revelation
THE MYSTERY OF SINAI: REVELATION – Abraham Joshua Heschel, G-d in Search of man.
What happened on Sinai? The Bible tries to say it in two ways. What it says in one is something words can hardly bear: "The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai" (Exodus 19:20). No sentence in the world has ever said more: He who is beyond, hidden and exalted above space and time was humbly here, for all of Israel to sense. But the Bible also speaks in another way: "I have talked to you from heaven" (Exodus 20:22). He did not descend upon the earth; all that happened was that His word welled "from heaven." These passages do not contradict each other; they refer not to one but to two events. For revelation was both an event to God and an event to man. Indeed, in the second passage it is God who speaks (in the first person); the first passage conveys what the people experienced (it speaks of God in the third person). The same act had two aspects. God did and did not descend upon the earth. The voice came out of heaven but man heard it out of Sinai.
Add a commentA liberal's argument for same-sex marriage
Kieth Olberman, a famous American news anchor and left-wing political commentator, is a long-standing advocate of same-sex marriage. This thought-provoking plea to the people of California was largely drowned out of the news cycle by Obama's election a little over a year and a half ago. I wanted to shine a light on it once more. Some background info: gay marriage was made legal in California in June 2008. 4 months later however, a change in the law called Proposition 8 meant that the right for same-sex couples to marry was repealed. This angered the gay community, and is the subject of Olberman's disappointment. To watch the broadcast, click here. Alternatively, you can read the transcript below:
The benefits of failure and the importance of imagination by J.K.Rowling
In her commencement address at Harvard University's graduation ceremony, J.K. offers some words of wisdom. A really good 20 minutes worth of procrastination if you have time. To watch click here.
Add a commentCrazy, Hazy and Lazy – Sarah's Musings on Denominations of Judaism Today and her Reform Judaism
Having been on Machon for nearly 3 months now, I have learnt a lot about my own Judaism as well as other denominations. Not only has this led me to further understand, criticize and respect other ways in which people choose to practice their religion, but it has also led me to some understandings about my own choices and customs.
I maintain my Reform perspective and attitudes. However, I have decided that up until now my practices have not actually been true to my ideology. We throw around terms like \"informed decision making\" and \"personal autonomy\" and I am usually the first to defend Reform Judaism as more than just non-observance. I would claim that it is not a lesser way of practicing, just a different one; that I am not subscribing to an inactive, thoughtless, unreligious variety of Judaism but that on the contrast, I believe Reform Judaism to be more authentically \"Jewish\" in the sense of debate, thought and discussion contributing to the way we practice. I label myself as a religious Reform Jew but am I true to myself? Do I actually practice what I claim? Or is it hypocrisy to claim to be more than just the Progressive stereotype of \"lazy\" Jews who just d
on\'t really feel like/want to/have time to carry out the "real" Judaism of the Orthodox world.
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