Adin Steinsaltz
Founder of The Israel Institute for Talmudic Publications

Adin Steinsaltz

On November 7, 2010, the Rabbi will celebrate his 45-year achievement of translating the Talmud in a 'Global Day of Jewish Learning'

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The Movement of Faith

The Pew Forum survey, along with this week’s On Faith question, uses the word “religion” to mean two different things. On the one hand, “religion” refers to inner feelings of religiosity, or interest in religious life; on the other hand, it refers to an institution.

The fact that there is so much movement among the American people with regard to their religious affiliation indicates that religion is still of interest to people. They continue to think about religion, even if that means they are deciding that they have lost their faith, or that they are abandoning it altogether.

The trends described in the survey also demonstrate a larger phenomenon: declining interest in – and thus the weakening of – established faiths. It seems that the long-standing religious institutions, places of prayer, and temples are no longer satisfying the needs of the people. The attraction of established religion is increasingly lost on our modern society. Today it appears that people are drawn toward religions that are more internally active, as evidenced by the fact that fanatical and fundamentalist movements are not seeing the same declines in participation as the more established faiths. Despite all of the challenges in attracting people to religion today, it seems that the drive and the fire of these active movements are enough to overcome the failings of the religious establishment.

By Adin Steinsaltz  |  March 4, 2008; 7:23 AM ET Save & Share:  Send E-mail   Facebook   Twitter   Digg   Yahoo Buzz   Del.icio.us   StumbleUpon   Technorati  
Previous: Choice: A Healthy Trend Indeed! | Next: In America, It's Religion and Spirituality

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Eucharistmics aka

Posted by: Anonymous | July 9, 2008 6:33 PM
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Comparative Communionism

Posted by: Anonymous | July 9, 2008 6:32 PM
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The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

“establish the just”
“for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.”
“the instruments of death”
“he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.”

Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.

“Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies”

But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

“they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves”

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
These things I command you, that ye love one another.

“I have chosen you, and ordained you”

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

“ordain elders in every city”

Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

“The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked”
“but he blesseth the habitation of the just.”
“shame shall be the promotion of fools.”

In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

“establish the just”
“but he blesseth the habitation of the just.”
“for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.”
“the instruments of death”
“he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.”
“Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies”
“they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves”
“I have chosen you, and ordained you”
“ordain elders in every city”
“ye should go and bring forth fruit,”
“The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked”
“shame shall be the promotion of fools.”

Posted by: harold | May 5, 2008 5:03 AM
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Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue”
“they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

“God Almighty bless thee”
“that thou mayest be a multitude of people;”

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

“in her right hand”
“in her left hand riches and honour”
“She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her”
“The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth”
“by understanding hath he established the heavens.”

The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil

“The preparations of the heart in man”
“the answer of the tongue”
“is from the Lord”
“the Lord weigheth the spirits”

And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord.

“But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you”
“and thou shalt love him as thyself”
“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin”

Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

“The Spirit of the Lord spake by me”
“his word was in my tongue”

My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

“which I have made touching the king”
“my tongue is the pen of a ready writer”
“grace is poured into thy lips”
“therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.”
“Gird thy sword upon thy thigh”
“truth and meekness and righteousness”

For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

“I have walked in thy truth”

Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.

“Now the man Moses was very meek”

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

“Serve the Lord with fear”
“Kiss the son”
“Blessed are all they that put their trust in him”

And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

“the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things”
“Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house”
“I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh”

And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

“the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master”

Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.
Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

“every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.”
“love, for the daughters of Jerusalem”
“behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals”

What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue”
“God Almighty bless thee”
“they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

“in her right hand”
“in her left hand riches and honour”
“She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her”
“The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth”
“by understanding hath he established the heavens.”

“The preparations of the heart in man”
“the answer of the tongue”
“is from the Lord”
“the Lord weigheth the spirits”

“But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you”
“and thou shalt love him as thyself”
“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin”

“The Spirit of the Lord spake by me”
“his word was in my tongue”

“which I have made touching the king”
“my tongue is the pen of a ready writer”
“grace is poured into thy lips”
“Kiss the son”
“Blessed are all they that put their trust in him”
“therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.”
“Gird thy sword upon thy thigh”

“truth and meekness and righteousness”
“I have walked in thy truth”
“Now the man Moses was very meek”
“Serve the Lord with fear”

“the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things”
“Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house”
“I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh”

“the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master”

“every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.”
“love, for the daughters of Jerusalem”
“behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals”

What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips.

They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

"Death in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

“he taught in Capernaum”

This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

“Galilee of the Gentiles”
“shadow of death light is sprung up”

Posted by: harold | May 5, 2008 4:30 AM
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Rabbi wrote, "declining interest in – and thus the weakening of – established faith" The Word written in the Holy Books has to be tried, Solomon wrote, "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." David wrote, "As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him." The only way to prove what is recorded is thru the Spirit of the Lord. "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide." "Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue." The wisdom of Solomon is clear "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Do you see "life in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof" On the other hand "Death in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."


"What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it."

Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips.

"They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent"

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

"Death in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

Posted by: harold | May 4, 2008 11:50 PM
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