I was really struggling to find a way to use this blog constructively, beyond the shameless self-promotion of my literary work and music. What could I uniquely bring to the oversaturated kingdom of blogdom? What do I have to offer that no one else does before my own individuality, a value which truly seems to be stressed in Western and perhaps all modern culture.

Finally, I decided on what I would bring to the world and format of blog-writing: an overview than superficial conceptual analysis of texts that I am reading and learning in a given week. Though I am sure that hardly anyone is or will be reading this blog, I can use it as a source reaction journal simultaneously updating the blog with my recent publications and thoughts on music.

With that being said, I want to begin this blog with a quick d’var Torah, or overview of this week’s Torah (Bible) passage. This week, we read about Matan Torah, B’nei Israel receiving the entire Torah from G-d at Mount Sinai. We also read about Yitro (Jehtro), the father-in-law of Moshe Rabbenu (Moses). As a convert to Judaism, Yitro has always been of great interest to me. The Sages, on them Shalom, tell us that Yitro was a convert. But he was a seeker, perhaps unlike Ruth— the prototypical convert— who joins Naomi and the Jewish people ostensibly more out of desperation then a desire to serve HaShem.

Yitro was a Medianite priest (Kohan mediani) who nevertheless is overwhelmed upon learning of the experience of the Jews at Mount Sinai. Was he there along with them or not? The Sages tells us that all who souls were, are, or ever would be Jewish were at Sinai, but the Meforshim (commentators) puzzle over whether Yitro was there. They tell us that the etymology of the name Yitro is from Yeter, meaning “to add.” Yitro’s presence “adds to” the Torah and the experience of the original Jews of Sinai. Moshe says upon marrying Zipporah that he hopes to, and forgive me for paraphrasing Torah, “sit by Yitro,” perhaps to benefit from his spiritual seeking.

Perhaps all Jews and people should strive to see all things , life, theology and really everything as a wholly new experience at all times, as Yitro does. Perhaps it is not that he adds to the Torah anything but fresh eyes, thus allowing him to advise Moshe from his own opinion to set up law courts so as not to be overwhelmed by the inquiries and demands for guidance from the people.

At Sinai, the Midrash tells us that HaShem held the mountain over the heads of the people and threatened them; either the Jews accept the Torah or that there would be their grave. My teacher, Rav Uri Topolosky once said that this was not a threat but the mountain acted as a marriage canopy, surrounding the people Israel as they “married” G-d through the b’rit (covenant). Maybe each individual must ratify this kiddushin to make it real through a commitment to mitzvoth, than an understanding of what that entails.


N.B. Much of my thoughts herein were influenced by drashot by R. Alex Israel of Pardes and their wonderful podcast series.

Universal Aesthetics

What is it that makes a great artist? Is it innovation or perspiration? Is it the ability to adhere to and bring about universal forms or is it instead the unique vision of a form that seemingly was yet to be conceived? To answer these questions in brief--yes.

In listening to a lecture by the great Israeli, Chabad Kabbalist, Rabbi Ginsburg, I came to hear the scriptural validation from the Jewish tradition that I needed. Rav Ginsburg, Shlit'a, tells us that the inspired, gifted artist commands a level just below a prophet but above a judge. That is because an artist is one of the few who is able to synthesize the wisdom (HOKHMAH) of the masculine cognitive side of experience and the feminine (NAVU'A) or the intuitive imaginative side. Both sides are essential and it is the duty of the artist to assimilate them as did Betzalel in fashioning the Tabernacle. I found this to be a lovely thought that I felt obligated to share.