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I asked Reb Zalman about his translation, "The Baal Shem and the Mitnaged" and he said it can be found in his new book which is just out called A Heart Afire. In case you haven't seen the following, please read Reb Zalman's article as posted on an Orthodox site a couple of weeks ago. I think...

Okay It seems to me that it would be possible, in theory, for a change in practice to be innovated / discovered and introduced by someone who does not believe in God. It is possible that that one's psyche would map up to those who believe in divine inspiration. I think we are talking about...

On the one hand, I want to say thank you because it sounds nice. On the other hand, I'm not sure where the group is or what it is. For example, my family and I are members at a Conservative Synagogue, but I don't think that's the group you are referring to. I really think of myself as a Jew who...

I did not mean to suggest these are interfaith activities. Can you explain what you mean here? What do you have in mind when you say Renewal? This term is understood in different ways. What do you mean, "We have tried to work within the framework of the Abrahamic religions." Who is the "we"...

I will do my best to answer any questions you might have. I'd like to hear more about this to make sure I am on the same wave length with you. Are you referring to retreats that include Renewal Rabbis and meditation leaders? In any event, here's a brief summary of my understanding of the...

I’m not sure "always question our teachers" is the tradition. It seems to me, rather, that we question our teachers when a compelling alternative rises within us demanding an airing. I would have no hesitation to raise such an alternative with Reb Zalman, and he is quite gentle and respectful...

Oh. I misunderstood. In other words, something like, "don't argue with me because I have God on my side."

I did not know those categories when I was raised. I was Jewish. My grandparents were Orthodox and my parents were American; and American seems to have meant cultural and non-observant. My family celebrated Jewish holidays but didn’t do Shabbat. My Hebrew school was orthodox after-school cheder...

I like it!

Shalom uvrachah: Dauer: I really appreciate your efforts to share concepts from Reb Zalman’s book, "Integral Halachah: Transcending and Including." The book helped me to understand that one's practices matter and that they potentially can influence the halachah of tomorrow. I used to not...

I don't want to do a Wilber analysis of this book because I think we need to first be sure we understand the book and each other's ideas. In my opinion, that's where we're at at this point. I'm not really familiar with Wilber, except that after some of Reb Zalman's appearances on his site I was...

Hi Dauer: I took a little break on this thread so I could step back. Hope you are well. Regarding the Integral Aspect of it, you might be interested to learn that in the original Reb Zalman shiurim from which this material is drawn, there's no references to Integral Halachah or Ken Wilbur. I...

I'd like to hear more about this. If we are both rooting for the same team, as it were, what is our common thread? I'm getting lost in what I see as our two main disagreements: 1) Whether our yerusha gets a higher priority than our experience. 2) Whether Reb Zalman's message is a departure...

Okay chaver. It looks like we still have some dialogue going here. 1) You say that you think the tweak of halachah through psycho-halachah is more than slight, but I'm not sure what you're referring to. My take about the book is that when Reb Zalman identifies changes to halachah, it is...

There's another important point. If Jews get halachah right, i.e. if the practice shifts so that internationally, halachah is set in the way Zalman lays out in his book, then that will mean that the world over, Jews are totally in synch with paradigm shift. That's a vision of meshiach and God's...

I think that is debatable. A part of what he is talking about is the traditional approach to halachah debunked. The example that comes to mind is his explanation that halachah limoshe misinai really means consensus of the pious. I believe he is right and the people who told me it was mamash...

The reality is that in order to implement Reb Zalman's vision of psycho-halachah as he lays it out in this book, you have to be on the level of a Rabbi, or a scholar, and you have to have spent time living according to the traditional way one follows halachah. I think that is the starting...

So the beauty of orthodox davvenen where you stand as an individual before your maker and davven, is the discipline of being able to davven anywhere. If the shaliach tzibbur is adding anything to your ability to focus on what you need to do, that’s a mechayye. But if not, oy, the Siddur is so...

I want to clarify this. I am not currently a member of a renewal communities. However, I had the good fortune to be a member of P'nai Or Philadelphia when Zalman lived in Philadelphia. So there are some Renewal communities that I would very much desire to be a part of. For where I am...

First off, let me say that it is such a pleasure to meet you. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk with you on these issues. I want you to know that I don't associate myself with Jewish Renewal. I am most comfortable in Orthodox or Conservative davvening or communities. I feel that...