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Parsha Shemini – A Kosher Life

April 9, 2015 by Russell McAlmond

kosher cup raspberries

In this week’s parsha we learn about the kosher laws or kashrut.  Keeping kosher is a way of making the everyday actions of eating into a holy act.  Actually, it is quite easy to be kosher.  For example, I have never eaten a chameleon, mole, ostrich or flying insect that has four legs.  All of these are forbidden by this parsha and, if you wish to keep kosher, you will not eat them either.  Nonetheless, as with many things in Jewish life, keeping kosher is much more detailed than just a few easy-to-avoid foods.

As modern Jews, we recognize that kashrut has meaning for many Jews but is a somewhat extreme understanding of bringing holiness to everyday life.  Judaism evolves and the thoughts of rabbis long ago is not as applicable in today’s world of modernity and medical science.  The concept of holiness, however, is one that we should never lose.  Kadosh is the word for ‘holy’ in Hebrew and it is not a scientific term – it is beyond science.  Stopping to consider an act to be holy before doing it, a pause in time to reflect on the act, helps to bring holiness into your life.

A kosher life is one that recognizes what is pure and impure about life.  We are often told to not make judgments, but the Torah tells us that judgments are an important part of a holy life.  How else can we tell what is pure or impure?  Being honest rather than deceitful is a step toward purity versus impurity in life. Respecting all people rather than just your group should be a step toward holiness.  Striving for personal improvement rather than just getting by each day can bring something holy to each day.  For some it may be the food they eat, but for others bringing holiness to everyday existence is based on a different style of bringing the sacred to life.

Choose life – a kosher life – for every day.

Filed Under: Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud) Tagged With: convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, kashrut, kosher, online conversion, Parsha Shemini, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier

PunkTorah Radio: Kosher Vegan Cookbooks and Birthday Trees

February 3, 2015 by Patrick Beaulier


This week is all about Kosher Vegans, Tu B’Shvat and a big OneShul announcement!

PunkTorah Radio: Kosher Vegan Cookbooks and Birthday Trees

Also, subscribe on iTunes!

Filed Under: Community Member Blogs, Jewish Media Reviews, Podcasts & Videos, Random (Feelin' Lucky?), Shabbat & Holidays, Tu B'Shevat, Your Questions Answered Tagged With: bible, cookbook, Counterculture, food, holiday, Holidays, Jewish, Jews, Judaism, kosher, newkosher, Parsha, Punk, rebel, Religion, shevat, Torah, Tu B'Shvat, vegan, vegan cookbook, vegetarian

I Can Has Cheeseburger? No, No You Can’t

January 24, 2013 by Patrick Beaulier

no Kosher Jaxon

One of the first big questions I had for my Rabbi was if I should keep kashrut. He told me yes, as I assumed he would. I mean, duh, WOULDN’T your Rabbi tell you that you SHOULD? Well dudes, can we talk as friends for a moment? I’m new to keeping Kosher, and like everything else I’ve done so far, I thought it would be easy.

I thought “Oh I actually hate eating pigs anyway, so whatever.” This was yet ANOTHER one of those things where it was like Jackie, do you even know who you are? You eat cheese with meat like every meal, and every snack. I dream of cheeseburgers and bologna and cheese sandwiches! And no, I’m not kidding. I love food. Fat kid USA over here, I’ll admit it.

Back to my Rabbi though, when I asked him if I should keep kosher, I followed my question with will [Read more…]

Filed Under: Rants Tagged With: children, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, jewish parent, kashrut, kosher, kosher pregnant, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier

Bad Jew: Kosher Virginia by Sarah Bas Avraham

October 30, 2012 by Patrick Beaulier

In this article, Sarah Bas Avraham talks bbq and the perils of keeping kosher in rural Virginia. Interested in kashrut and kosher recipes? Make sure to also check out our kosher recipe blog!

Bad Jew!

I’ve been moving into a new dwelling. This is hard work in all respects, physically, mentally, emotionally. I was lucky enough to have a good friend who recruited some of her friends who helped with the physical moving part-all for the price of a case of beer and some gas for their truck. Much more fun and much less expensive than hiring professional movers. We moved the morning after Yom Kippur. I hadn’t expected to move that day, but my friend called and said she had the truck and friends, so we did. I was still in shock after they left, as I looked around the boxes that filled the small space of my new apt and realized [Read more…]

Filed Under: NewKosher (Recipes) Tagged With: convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, jewish bbq, kashrut, kosher, kosher bbq, kosher small town, kosher virginia, new kosher, newkosher.org, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier

PunkTorah Podcast: Halal vs. Kosher, LGBT Torah and Your Questions Answered!

July 19, 2012 by Patrick Beaulier

What is the difference in Halal and Kosher? How can we support LGBT people in light of what the Bible says? And what are young people really looking for in a synagogue? All this and more in this week’s PunkTorah Podcast.

Click here to listen to this week’s podcast

Filed Under: Community Member Blogs, Podcasts & Videos Tagged With: chipotle synagogue, convert to judaism, darshan yeshiva, don kramer, halal, jew podcast, jewish innovation, jewish podcast, kosher, lgbt, mitzvah island, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, punktorah podcast, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, Torah

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