General Wisdom

“…according to the measure of what a person lacks in general wisdom, he will lack a hundredfold when it comes to Torah wisdom, because the Torah and general wisdom are closely linked together.” Rabbi Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman Kremer (The Vilna Gaon) as quoted by Rav Baruch of Shklov is his book “A Hebrew Translation of Euclid”

In Peaces

One who takes leave from his friend should not say “go in peace” (lech BE-shalom), but “Go to peace” (lech LE-shalom). Jethro told Moses, “Go to peace” – Moses went and succeeded in his mission. David told his son Absalom, “Go in peace” – Absalom went and was hanged. When taking leave of the deceased, however, one should say “Go in peace” The Talmud, Berachot 64a

Why do we use one for the dead and one of the living? For those still living we say” go to peace” the implication being that it will not be easy, that while alive we must always be wary and actively seek peace with the understanding that the way may not always be clear and we will often fail. While in death the physical hardships of life are over and while the soul can continue to grow, its path is not encumbered by material hardships, therefore “go in peace” your physical labor is done, now go peacefully on your way.

One's Purpose

"To fulfill ones purpose is not to be a slave…" - Jim Butcher, Cold Days

Steeped in History

“All Jews who are at all conscious of their identity as Jews, are steeped in history.” Isaiah Berlin

An Argument for Faith

Whatever begins to exist has a cause. The universe began to exist. Therefore, the universe has a cause. - Kalam cosmological argument for God

Disparaging Faith

In trying to disparage 'faith', [Richard] Dawkins and his allies constantly confuse 'evidence' with 'proof'; those of us who believe in God do so without proof but not without evidence. As the Oxford theologian (and biophysicist) Alister McGrath has observed: "Our beliefs may be shown to be justifiable, without thereby demonstrating that they are proven." - Mehdi Hasan