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Parsha Naso – Repairing Ourselves

May 28, 2015 by Russell McAlmond

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There are certain concepts which are important to recognize in Judaism.  One is that we have free will – we decide – we are not forced to do things.  Two, that we are accountable for the choices we make because we have free will to make them.  In this week’s parsha of Naso we are told to accept personal responsibility for our actions, not to avoid them, and to make restitution for the harms or crimes we commit.  In other words, it is not society’s fault that we chose to take these actions – it is our fault – and we are personally responsible for them.

According to Maimonides, one of the codifiers of Jewish law, one of the thirteen principles of Judaism is that there is reward and punishment for human behavior.  We are responsible and accountable for what we do.  Too often, in contemporary society, we try to shift blame to parents, socio-economic level and other outside sources that supposedly cause our bad behavior.  There is no doubt that life may be more difficult for some than for others.  Nonetheless, no one is forced to commit crimes or hurt others.  These are individual choices and we are responsible individually for them, not society.

We learn from our mistakes unless we don’t take responsibility for them.  By denying that our mistakes are made by our free will, we will never grow to become better human beings.  “Tikkum olam” is the goal of “repairing the world”, not perfecting it.  We will never be perfect – but we can learn from our mistakes by admitting to them, making restitution and striving to repair ourselves.

 

Filed Under: Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud) Tagged With: accountability, miamonides, Parsha Naso, rambam, responsibility, tikkun olam

Halley Cohen: What is G-d? part 1

May 10, 2012 by Patrick Beaulier

The Director of GLOE, GLBT Outreach, of Washington DC answers the question of What is G-d and Judaism with her own insights that Judaism is about more than just prayer, that actions equal prayer.

Watch more videos at www.theg-dproject.org

Brought to you by PunkTorah.org

Filed Under: Podcasts & Videos, The G-d Project Videos Tagged With: faith, GLBT outreach, gloe, God, Halley Cohen, hashem, Jewish, jewish god, Judaism, punk torah, punktorah, spirituality, the god project, theg-dproject, tikkun olam, Washington DC JCC

Jeremy Wood: What is G-d? part 2

May 10, 2012 by Patrick Beaulier

“If you were G-d for a day?” Jeremy gives us his thoughts on that question and how one day wouldn’t be enough.

Watch more videos at www.theg-dproject.org

Brought to you by PunkTorah.org

Filed Under: Podcasts & Videos, The G-d Project Videos Tagged With: belief, faith, God, hashem, Jeremy Wood, Jewish, jewish god, Judaism, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punk torah, punktorah, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, spirituality, the god project, theg-dproject, tikkun olam, Washington DC JCC

Mitch Cohen: What is G-d? part 3

May 10, 2012 by Patrick Beaulier

“If I were G-d for a day?” Mitch’s response to that question and ultimately what he believes is what G-d wants from us: to love, to forgive, to surrender through powerful nonresistance and begin with self.

Watch more videos at www.theg-dproject.org

Brought to you by PunkTorah.org

Filed Under: Podcasts & Videos, The G-d Project Videos Tagged With: belief, faith, God, hashem, Jewish, jewish community, Jewish Experience, Judaism, mitch cohen, mitzvot, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punk torah, punktorah, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, the god project, The Jewish Experience, theg-dproject, tikkun olam

Mitch Cohen: What is G-d? part 2

May 10, 2012 by Patrick Beaulier

Mitch’s insight to the question: What is G-d, part 2 and the questions everyone asks when something goes wrong: “G-d, where are you?” – hear his beliefs in what the answer is.

Watch more videos at www.theg-dproject.org

Brought to you by PunkTorah.org

Filed Under: Judaism & Belief, Podcasts & Videos, The G-d Project Videos Tagged With: belief, faith, God, hashem, Jewish, jewish community, Jewish Experience, Judaism, mitch cohen, mitzvot, punk torah, punktorah, the god project, The Jewish Experience, theg-dproject, tikkun olam

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