Author Archives: Harry Zeitlin

This article first appeared on jewishideas.org Jewish Guilt, at least the European/western/Ashkenazi stereotype, is a cliché that is featured in much our unique, Jewish humor, and it is often seen as a positive trait that reflects our traditional values of … Continue reading →

Life, history and all of reality dances between the poles of singularity and multiplicity, between יקוק (Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay)-consciousness and אלקים (Elohim)-consciousness, between the finite and the infinite.  While we strive to achieve דבקות devekut, total merging with the Infinite God, we’re … Continue reading →

I like to begin classes with a few minutes of guitar music.  It settles and focuses the mind and heart and takes us away from mundane preoccupations.  I usually joke that this is a secret bonus for people who study … Continue reading →

As someone who showed no interest at all in making pictures when I was growing up, it’s hard for me to come to terms with the fact that I’ve worked almost my entire adult life as a visual artist.  Additionally, … Continue reading →

Is it possible to grant, without being naive, that a diverse group of people are united by a shared idealism?  Is it reasonable to assume that the satisfaction of fulfilling a responsibility, rather than wealth and fame and power, is … Continue reading →

It’s not arbitrary that our tradition uses the word אמונה, emunah, to describe faith.  As I’ve often written, this word shares the root form with אומן, uman, a craftsman.  Belief, as far as it is healthy, realistic and growthful, is … Continue reading →

השגחה פרטית, Hashgacha Pratit, the reality that God continually oversees every detail of Creation, is both a foundation of traditional Judaism as well as one of the hardest concepts for modern man to accept.  It’s not necessarily a stretch to grant … Continue reading →

One of my greatest challenges is Bitachon, trust.  This requires very deep belief that not only did God create the world, he also monitors each and every individual being in this universe each and every minute and that he is … Continue reading →

The Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto), the 18th century kabbalistic master, begins his classic, Derech HaShem, The Way of God, with this statement, “Kol Ish M’Yisrael Tzarich Sh’Ya’Amin V’Yeda”, Every Jew needs to believe and to know…..  He completes this … Continue reading →

My heart always returns to this day nineteen years ago.  My children were much younger, my youngest not yet born.  My best friend and his family were visiting from Los Angeles, and the kids were playing, blissfully unaware of the … Continue reading →