The Emergent Torah
Creative spirituality from the roots up
What is emergence?
Emergence is the idea that forms and systems come into being through interaction and relationships.
What is Torah?
Torah is a Hebrew word that means “teaching.”
Torah sometimes refers specifically to first five books of the Hebrew Bible. In Jewish tradition, Torah has a more expansive meaning. Torah can be thought of as the entire body of wisdom transmitted to us, or received by us, from the Divine or Source of Life, as well as our interactions with that wisdom.
It is an element of Jewish practice that we immerse ourselves in Torah – we read it, study it, engage with it, challenge it and wrestle with it. By doing so, we actually become co-creators of Torah and allow new meanings and insights to emerge.
My Offerings
A little of the Torah that has emerged through me….
Poetry
Why I was late
I go in with a list, but the late summer harvest says otherwise
Reeds
“We are the watchers along the shores/
guarding these waters, and those who pass through them”
Mother Blessings
Gather together and hear, oh daughters
Come listen to the wisdom of your Mothers:
Torah
Embracing the Dark as Hanukkah approaches
As the first night of Hanukkah rapidly approaches, I have been thinking a lot this year about the meaning of […]
Vayikra: Mincha & Roses
To stand for human dignity means not only insisting on the right to basic survival needs, but the right to live fully — to experience joy, pleasure, love, friendship, beauty.
Why Me? Parshat Toldot
In looking closely at Rebecca’s question, the Torah invites us to ask: what does it mean to be a human being who struggles, and what sustains us in these moments of difficulty?
Musings
Thinking Aloud: Climate Change, Capitalism and Religion in Public Life
I’m trying something new here, which is writing up some thoughts more or less as they are occurring to me. […]
Entering Shabbat with Israel on Our Minds
Whenever a major crisis occurs in our country or in the state of Israel, I feel a pressure as a […]
Today in Iconoclasm: Beyond Image
I was scrolling through Instagram the other day and found myself admiring the work of others who have creatively used […]