In this week’s Torah portion Balak.  Fear of the other is alive and well. The text opens with a fearful king dreading the arrival of the Israelites to his land of Moab. He tells the elders in Number 22:4 what he believes about the Israelites he says “Now this horde will lick clean all that is about us as an ox licks up the grass field”

Episode 53: MInutes of Torah - Balak: Blessing the Stranger

Hi my name is Rabbi Sandra Lawson and welcome to 'Soulful Shalom: a Podcast Exploring Judaism &amp; Jewish Values and Jewish wisdom in just minutes. Each episode, I'll share a bit of wisdom that comes from the Jewish tradition. We will touch on history, ethics and other pieces of wisdom and I can assure you it will be relatable today. I'm recording this from my home office, so every once in a while you may hear a dog barking or two. So come and join me and together we will discuss thousands of years of wisdom in just a few short minutes."

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This episode focuses on the transformative power of starting each day with gratitude, a key aspect of Jewish tradition. It discusses the challenge of maintaining a routine of daily prayers and offers a simpler approach: choosing one meaningful prayer to cultivate a mindset of thankfulness from the day's start. The episode highlights how this practice leads to greater optimism and resilience, positively influencing the entire day. It also touches on the role of gratitude in Jewish morning prayers, encouraging listeners to adopt this practice for a more fulfilled and serene life.



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Gratitude in the Morning: We Need to Wake Up with Gratitude

Lately, my mind has been preoccupied with the nature of our conversations—the very way we exchange ideas and navigate through differences. In an era marked by quick judgments and digital debates, the art of dialogue seems all but forgotten. 
https://rabbisandra.substack.com





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Compassionate Conversation: A Path to Wholeness and Unity

Hello and welcome to our first episode of Soulful Shalom. Thank you so much for joining us today. 
My Jewish values inform how move through the world and I believe they can be a wonderful guide to help anyone regardless if you are Jewish I believe Jewish values are universal and can help everyone. Today we are going to talk about disagreements. Sadly, even though social media and the 24-hour news cycle may make us feel more connected in many ways it is producing the opposite effect.. So today we are going to talk about a Jewish value about disagrements Machloket L'Shem Shamayim. I’ll get to what it means in a moment 
In an age where polarizing opinions often dominate the discourse, it becomes increasingly vital to engage in conversations with grace, patience, and an eagerness to understand. As differences arise and disagreements unfold, the manner in which we address and respond to these conflicts not only determines the immediate outcomes but also shapes the broader societal narrative. A principle rooted in ancient Jewish wisdom offers a roadmap to navigate these challenging terrains.
The Talmud is full of examples of Machloket L'Shem Shamayim, most notably between the two schools of thought led by Hillel and Shammai. Hillel and Shammai disagreed on a wide range of issues, but they were always able to engage in civil and respectful discourse. They were also willing to change their minds when presented with new information or a different perspective.
Machloket L'Shem Shamayim (Disagreement for the Sake of Heaven) is a Jewish ideal that emphasizes the importance of constructive disagreement in the pursuit of truth. It is the idea that we should be able to disagree with others in a respectful and open-minded way, with the goal of learning from each other and arriving at the best possible understanding of a situation.
Key Principles of Machloket L'Shem Shamayim:

 Respect for the other person: Even if we disagree with someone, we should always treat them with respect. This means listening to their perspective thoughtfully and without interrupting, even if we find it difficult.

 Open-mindedness: We should be willing to consider different perspectives, even those that challenge our own beliefs. We should also be willing to admit when we are wrong.

 The pursuit of truth: The goal of disagreement should not be to win an argument, but to learn and to arrive at the best possible understanding of a situation.


Conclusion:
In today's interconnected world, where differing opinions often lead to division rather than dialogue, the values encapsulated by Machloket L'Shem Shamayim stand as a testament to the potential for harmonious coexistence amidst disagreement. By embracing these principles in our interactions, we not only foster personal growth but also pave the way for a more compassionate and cohesive society. Through understanding and mutual respect, we can transform discord into an opportunity for shared growth and enlightenment.


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Disagreeing Better: Uncovering the Secret of Ancient Jewish Debates

Soulful Shalom: a Podcast Exploring Judaism & Jewish Values and Jewish wisdom in just minutes. Each episode, I'll share a bit of wisdom that comes from the Jewish tradition. We will touch on history, ethics and other pieces of wisdom and I can assure you it will be relatable today. I'm recording this from my home office, so every once in a while you may hear a dog barking or two. So come and join me and together we will discuss thousands of years of wisdom in just a few short minutes.

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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/soulfulshalom/message

Soulful Shalom

  On this Shabbat, we enter into the last book of the Torah. We begin the book of Devarim also known as the Deuteronomy.  In Hebrew, Devarim means words and this book consists almost entirely of the final words of Moses, it is his farewell address to the Israelites. Oddly, this is the man who once tried to turn down the job on the grounds that he was not “a man of words.” As we begin Devarim the Israelites are standing on the bank of the Jordan River, poised to cross over and enter, finally, into the Promised Land. Moses stands for the last time before the people he has led for the past forty years, knowing that his days of leadership, and days of life, are coming to an end, and that he himself would not be allowed to enter into the Land. It is under these sad and dramatic circumstances that Moses launches into his final speech. If you knew you had one speech left to give what would it be how would you leave your mark on this earth. What message would you deliver? I imagine you would also remember the fun times and the sad times together. You might even Lament a little.  Shabbat evening we begin the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’av. Tisha B’Av is the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av and it is regarded as the saddest day in the Jewish calendar.  On this day, the ninth of Av, a series of major tragedies of the Jewish people occurred including the destruction of the first and second temples in Jerusalem, massacres, pogroms expulsions Tisha B’av is A day that many believe is a day destined for tragedy. On this day we mourn and read from the book of lamentations and we lament. We ask Why? And How  In the wake of the horrific tragedies that we experiencing as a nation, such mass shootings, family separations I take a note from the book of psalms and ask ad matai - how long will this go on? … How long will you feed your people tears as their daily bread, making them drink great measures of tears?” (Psalm 80:4-5).  The end of the book of Lamentations asks God “why have you forsaken us and then pleads for us to be restored, for God to take us back and renew our days of old. Please take this time, this Shabbat, this holiday of Tisha B’av to sit with where we are as a people, where are we as a nation and we too can be restored to the days of old.  

Episode 53: MInutes of Torah - Balak: Blessing the Stranger

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