0
Mystic Cites Kabbalah
For Jewish Renewal
•
LESLEY PEARL
Staff Writer
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12
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1992
•
rom the beginning of
time the masses have
sought answers to that
which is not easily
understood. Many turn to re-
ligion for that enlighten-
ment. Most recently, they
have looked to the "new-
age" variety — incor-
porating elements of Hin-
duism and Buddhism with
crystals and Shirley
Maclaine.
But Jews need look no fur-
ther than the teachings of
Rabbi Zalman Schacter-
Shalomi and the P'nai Or
4.1
Rabbi Schacter-Shalomi:-
Religious Fellowship in
Prayer, not recitation.
Philadelphia. He will visit
Detroit Sept. 11, 12 and 13
Judaism to mot_', —.ways.
with lectures scheduled at
Temple Emanu-El, Temple
you don't bring.-3.; Aism up
to date it becorrie,4, like the
Beth El and the JCC's Camp
dodo (bird),"7Babbi lSchactero
Ruth.
Shalomi said. "That does not
The Austrian-born schol-
mean we drop that which is
ar/instructor prescribes the
not convenient. thste ad, we
teachings of Lubavitch
maximize possibilities.I
Chasidism for inspiration
Rather than merely keeping
and deep spiritual under-
kosher, many member at
standing.
P'nai Or are vegacapitilS
Rabbi Schacter-Shalomi
keeping the laws of kashrut
was introduced to the
and acting in an eccki.calbL-i
Chasidic movement in
sound manner."
Belgium in 1938. When he
Rabbi Schacter-Shalompi
moved to the United States,
believes such modernizing
he immediately went to
changes occur when the no-
study at a Lubavitch
tions become ripe.
Yeshiva.
P'nai Or makes efforts to
"They taught me how to
gender equalize.' Men and,
pray, how to reach the
women share ladership-'
Divine," Rabbi Schacter-
Shalomi said. "Prior to that,
I had known only how to
"We are upser.
4
recite."
the old standards,
Rabbi Schacter-Shalomi
• -o
said meditation and body
making people
and spirit exercises found in
think aboutlifficult1
the mystical teachings of the
things."
Kabbalah led the way. He
•
refers to a basic spiritual
-Rierobi Zalman
move called "placing oneself
SctYacter-Shalom i
in the presence of God" as a
rlif
•
way of preparing to pray.
ivies and as a community
Another such preparation is
seek to evoke the feminineo
meditation.
"Remember 'may the .:4tfrra,Fcts of God and Judaism.
a culture, we are leaf-
words of my mouth and the
ning to see the world as fem- 4
meditations of my heart' —
one must meditate on the-. mine and alive. A paradigm
shift is occurring; thus wall
personal address he is about
are changing the way we
to give to God," Rabbi .
I
" he explained.
Schacter-Shalomi said. *
LI
We are upsetting the old
From these teachings!
standards, making peopit
P'nai Or is based. However,
think about difficult things.
Rabbi Schacter-Shalomi
reaches further toward Jew-
But the more we think about '
new ideas and inspect them,,
ish renewal — a conceth. diff-
the easier they become to ac-
erent from Jewish restora-
cept," Rabbi Schactera
tion. Rather than approach
Shalomi said.
Judaism to reclaim what
Rabbi Schacter-Shalomi
was lost, like shtetls,
said he and P'nai Or are
renewal seeks to grasp what
challenging the. way Jews'
its followers believe remains
view the elderly r and how
essential to Judaism.
they view themsehrps. He re-
"We reinterpret biblical
I