Sublime

There must be justice not only in how the law is applied, but also in how the means of existence – wealth as God’s blessing – are distributed. That is tzedakah.

Mediated by the models of their culture, the Torah’s prohibitions become inscrutable decrees. Human dignity and human partnership are far more central in the rabbinic tradition.

A medieval sage, Rabbi Asher ben Yehiel (Rosh, 1250?–1327), insists that this mitzvah of receiving people warmly applies not just to one-on-one encounters but also to the way we carry ourselves in public. “Let not your face be angry toward passersby,” he says, “but receive them with a friendly countenance.”48 How we comport ourselves in the world

But we are not prophets, and in some ways, that makes our task even harder: unlike Moses, we first have to discern our mission, and then decide whether to heed the call.

unless I live a life that is worthy of her reverence, I make it almost impossible for her to live a Jewish life.

the power of Judaism is clear to those truly engaged in its complex struggles and searchings for truth and divinity. Instead of focusing on new ideas, the Jewish community would be better served by connecting to the original “big ideas” of our heritage: Torah, avodah, and gemilut hasadim,

Nowhere do I feel more connected to my community than on those rare occasions when I find myself in a non-kosher restaurant, eating half a cantaloupe while my companions dab at their shrimp cocktails or paté de foie gras.