People of the Word Quotes

“the term ‘afterlife’ is inappropriate, for what we experience after death is a continuation of life.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“Death is not a cessation of life; rather, it describes the process whereby one’s spiritual life takes on a new dimension. This notion is consistent with the scientific principle of conservation of matter, which states that nothing physical can be annihilated. This table or a piece of iron can be cut, burned, etc., but in no instance can the matter of the table or the iron be destroyed. It only takes on a different form. “Likewise, on the spiritual level, our spiritual being—the soul—can never be destroyed. It only changes its form or is elevated to a different plane.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“the Hebrew word for life, chaim, is phrased in the plural and literally translates as “lives,” indicating multiple phases and expressions of a single, never-ending life.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“According to the Jewish take on astrology, one’s mazal is not simply a matter of chance but a matter of choice.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“Herein lies the Jewish twist on ancient astrology: Our “fate” may be decreed “above,” but our “destiny” is determined by our actions “below.” The concept of mazal is the active mediation between these two dimensions, the manner in which what is decreed in the heavens is brought down and materialized on earth in the form of blessing or its opposite.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“The expression mazal tov, therefore, is not an acknowledgment of one’s good luck; rather, it expresses our wish that what is stored up in heaven should manifest on earth in a manner of revealed goodness.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“one’s mazal is not something to be passively received but proactively achieved.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“Based on the Kabbalistic teaching209 that our forefather Abraham also serves as a metaphor for the soul and Sarah for the body, a striking textual allusion to the spiritual supremacy and wisdom of the body over the soul emerges from G-d’s words to Abraham210 (the soul): Whatever Sarah [the body] tells you, hearken to her voice.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“From the soul’s experience of reality, all is already one. Through embodiment, however, the soul experiences a more fragmentary perspective, giving rise to the drives and ambitions of earthly life. These psycho-emotional drives, such as jealousy, envy, and greed, which arise from life in the body, can potentially be harnessed by the soul to propel it beyond the heights it could reach on its own. For instance, the Sages teach: “Envy among scholars increases wisdom.”203”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“After all, it has no hands of its own to don tefillin or give charity, which is why it needs the body to give it form and expression, enabling it to achieve its raison d’être in the physical realm. Accordingly, the Jewish approach to physicality is one of active engagement, not of avoidance or escape through ascetic practices and behaviors. While Judaism does not encourage indulgence, neither does it view abstention as the goal of bodily experience. The purpose of corporeal life is therefore not to negate but to embrace physicality and utilize it to achieve spiritual aims. As it says in Proverbs: Know G-d in all your ways.198”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“Such a positive view of the body may strike some as counterintuitive from a religious perspective, but this is the basis of Jewish faith and practice. Judaism is a religion of action, not just good intentions. Towards this end, G-d desires the physical performance of mitzvot, which the soul is incapable of without the body.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“The Jewish perspective on the body is quite different. Whereas some traditions view corporeal life as an obstacle course—a series of challenges designed to test our spiritual resolve and integrity—Judaism sees the body as the interface and means of expression for the soul in physical reality. In this way, the body gives the soul a voice, and the soul provides the song.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“MANY RELIGIONS AND SPIRITUAL traditions view the body as an adversary of the soul that drags it down and distracts it from its true mission. It follows that the spiritual strategy employed by this worldview is to diminish the body’s compromising impact on the soul.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“Simply put: Completely withdrawing from the sensual world is not the Jewish way to live a spiritual life. To the contrary, one’s true spiritual state is revealed precisely in how one integrates their physical and spiritual needs and desires. This path of integration is what ultimately resolves the seemingly intractable dichotomy between spirit and matter that has troubled so many mystics and philosophers from time immemorial.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“An interesting example of this principle is found in the case of the nazirite. A nazirite was someone who chose to consecrate themselves to G-d by living a more reclusive, ascetic, and isolated lifestyle for a period of time. Surprisingly, these fervent spiritual seekers were instructed to bring a sin offering at the conclusion of their vow! In explanation of this curious law, the Talmud teaches that this was in order to atone for their misplaced self-imposed asceticism.180 In the words of the Jerusalem Talmud181: “Is what the Torah forbade not enough that you must voluntarily forbid other things too?!”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“The Torah’s ultimate concern extends beyond the prescribed bounds of ritual and worship, including also, and even especially, the seemingly “mundane” aspects of human existence and experience. Everyday activities such as getting dressed, eating breakfast, or doing business all fall under the purview of the Torah’s mission to Divinize our lives.178 In fact, bread is used in Scripture179 and Rabbinic writings as a symbol for various forms of physical engagement, including marital relations. Every moment of life is thus a “battle”—an opportunity to open ourselves to the Divine Presence in that experience.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“The Torah’s ultimate concern extends beyond the prescribed bounds of ritual and worship, including also, and even especially, the seemingly “mundane” aspects of human existence and experience. Everyday activities such as getting dressed, eating breakfast, or doing business all fall under the purview of the Torah’s mission to Divinize our lives.178”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“The Hebrew word for bread, the foundational staple of the human diet, is lechem, a cognate of the word lochem, a warrior.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“In many religions, the highest ideal is to remove oneself from all worldly pleasures for the sake of spiritual enlightenment. Judaism, on the other hand, teaches that the real battle is not to withdraw from the material realm in order to avoid the obstacles it presents to spiritual devotion, but to engage and uncover the spiritual purpose within one’s everyday activities.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“Despite Judaism’s emphasis on the sacredness of intimacy, the subject is, for the most part, treated with modesty and discretion and not discussed openly. In fact, Maimonides168 writes that Hebrew is called “the holy tongue” specifically because it has no explicit words for the sexual organs or for the act of intercourse, only referring to them through euphemism.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“Furthermore, the Zohar167 teaches: “When is a person called ‘one’? . . . When a person is in the union of intimacy…. When male and female join, they become one. They are one in body and one in soul; they are one person. And G-d dwells in their oneness.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“To ensure there is no emotional distance, Jewish law states that one may not fantasize about another person during intimacy, nor be intimate when angry with their spouse or when they are contemplating divorce. There is even a view165 that intimacy should be avoided altogether when a person is angry, even if their anger is not directed at their spouse. To avoid any physical distance, Jewish law stipulates that both partners wear no clothing at all so that there is absolutely no separation between them. Couples should also face each other for the same reason. The Sages’ suggestion that Shabbat, the holiest day of the week, is an ideal time for intimacy further highlights the intrinsic potential for holiness within this form of union.166”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“To ensure there is no emotional distance, Jewish law states that one may not fantasize about another person during intimacy, nor be intimate when angry with their spouse or when they are contemplating divorce. There is even a view165 that intimacy should be avoided altogether when a person is angry, even if their anger is not directed at their spouse. To avoid any physical distance, Jewish law stipulates that both partners wear no clothing at all so that there is absolutely no separation between them. Couples should also face each other for the same reason.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“in order to ensure there is no mental distance during intimacy, Jewish law instructs that the ideal time to be intimate is at night and in a place where no other voices can be heard so as to avoid distraction.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“The Biblical word commonly used to refer to physical intimacy is yediah, knowledge. For example, in Genesis163 Adam knew (yada) his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and bore a son.” Referring to intimacy with the word knowledge suggests that Judaism views physical intimacy as a meeting of mind and heart rather than just a purely physiological act.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“Indeed, one of the marital obligations outlined in the ketubah, marriage contract, alongside the requirement for a husband to provide food and clothing for his wife, is a contractual obligation for a man to pleasure his wife on a regular basis.161 Failing to do so even constitutes fair grounds for the wife to demand a divorce.162 Indeed, the Talmud characterizes men who put their wife’s pleasure before their own as meritorious and worthy of special blessing.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“The fact that such “jesting” is part of the Biblical description of the act of intercourse indicates that Judaism does not treat intimacy as a cold, physiological act. And this is not limited to Biblical sources. The Talmud159 advises one to speak “endearing words” to create an emotional connection with one’s partner before engaging in physical intimacy. Similarly, Nachmanides160 notes: “First one must cleave to his wife, and then they will become one flesh. There can be no true oneness of the flesh without first experiencing a cleaving together of the heart.” Fundamentally, Judaism views intimacy as a loving and even playful experience, in which both emotional arousal and sensual pleasure play integral roles.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“The fact that such “jesting” is part of the Biblical description of the act of intercourse indicates that Judaism does not treat intimacy as a cold, physiological act.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking

“There is a common misconception that traditional Judaism advocates a utilitarian approach to marital intimacy, viewing it solely as a functional activity for the purpose of procreation. This could not be further from the truth. For instance, a verse in Genesis157 describes King Abimelech peering out of a window and witnessing Isaac “jesting” or “making sport” with his wife, Rebecca; an observation that led Abimelech to believe that they must be married. The Biblical word for jesting is metzachek from the word tzechok, laughter. Indeed, while some commentators158 understood this to be a euphemism for the act of intercourse itself, others understood this to be a reference to endearing interactions between a couple before engaging in intimacy. For example, R. Eliyahu Mizrachi says that it may have been a reference to “kissing and cuddling,” Chizkuni describes it as “the jest that precedes intercourse,” and the Or Hachaim describes it as “the kind of affectionate behavior customary between man and his wife.”
― Mendel Kalmenson, People of the Word: Fifty Words That Shaped Jewish Thinking