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Why did God create the ego?

Someone sent an interesting question the other day in an email: What is the most logical reason why the ego exists?

Why do people ask me only the easy questions?

Here is a thumbnail sketch. The answer to this question probably depends on how one wants to define the term “ego.” Philosophers, psychologists, theosophists and mystics each have their own perspective on what precisely constitutes the “ego.” According to Plato, which he identified with also identified with Nous (‘Mind’) and Descartes likewise ...

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Categories: Bible, biblical theology, Contrarian wisdom, Hassidic Theology, Heart-Centered Judaism, Jewish and Jungian ideas, science and religion, The Future of Judaism, Theology and Philosophy, Uncategorized

A New Milestone for Our Website!

News! Flash!

The metrics of this month indicate we are well on the way of passing the 70,000 hit mark this month!!

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Categories: Uncategorized

Authentic Mysticism vs. McMysticism

A true Jewish mystic doesn’t need to use hype or self-promotion like Rabbi Yitzchak Batzri’s snake-oil charms. Any self-respecting Kabbalist shouldn’t live for the next photo-op.

Martin Buber has always been a great inspiration to me. His views on Jewish mysticism are grounded in the interpersonal realm of the ethical. We meet God when we respect the Other who is before us. Emmanuel Levinas expresses a similar thought in many of his writings as well, but Buber still remains my favorite.

Historically, ...

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Categories: American Jewish Issues, Bible, biblical history, biblical theology, Contrarian wisdom, Current Events, ethics, good and evil, Hassidic Theology, Heart-Centered Judaism, Jewish History, judaism, Talmud, Zohar, and Midrash, The Future of Judaism, Theology and Philosophy, Uncategorized

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A British Synagogue Bans a Famous Hassidic Text!

As of late, I have taken interest in reading the British Jewish news. After perusing through a number of articles, I came across a fascinating new-story. It isn’t every day a synagogue bans a classical Jewish book, but in one of Britain’s largest synagogues, that’s exactly what happened. Several students at an adult education class took offense to a mystical tract on self-improvement, better known as the “Tanya,” because of “racist” comments found in its early chapters. For newcomers, the ...

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Categories: American Jewish Issues, Anti-Semitism, Bible, biblical history, biblical theology, Contrarian wisdom, Current Events, ethics, good and evil, The Future of Judaism, Theology and Philosophy, Uncategorized

“There’s a Cat in the Library!” William James and Albert Einstein’s spiritual insight

One of the best parables told by America’s greatest psychologist of the early 20th century, William James, who tells a story about a cat that loved to hang out at the library. The cat knows all the comfortable places; he knows how to get in and get out; he knows how to identify all the individual nooks and crannies. To the cat, the library is familiar territory; it probably feels quite proud that it masters all that it surveys—except for ...

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Categories: biblical theology, Contrarian wisdom, Theology and Philosophy, Uncategorized

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