Tag Archives: Judaism

The Road to Diamond, Day 165: Kosher

0
Posted by on in collaborating, Family, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

May 12, 2025, Exton, PA- I stopped at a “New York-style” restaurant, in Vernon, CT, while en route from Saugus to this western Philadelphia suburb that is a third anchor for my sibling family. The place was beyond packed, almost reminding me of the old Jack and Marion’s, in Boston. This was the first place I’ve been in a long while, where the lunch line was practically out the door. I took my Reuben sandwich to go, and enjoyed half in the car. The rest will be tomorrow’s lunch.

Urban delicatessens, especially New York and Chicago styles, are centered primarily on kosher, or traditional Jewish foods. The quality of the meats and cheeses has an appeal far beyond those adhering to the dietary instructions of Judaism. Kosher has come to mean correct, present with integrity, “doing what you say”.

We live in a very precise age, and the slightest slip-up can bring down a host of criticism, some of it well-intended, other meant to make the critic feel better about self, by focusing on a flawed other. I have learned that indulging in criticism, however, will invariably bring the “three fingers pointing back at you” of Hindu lore. Being truly “kosher”, in one’s daily life, is best served by being the one finger that points at self, and doing the requisite self-examination.

I ended the day by visiting with my middle sibling and his wife, for a short time, over dinner here in Exton. Thus, all three of my visits with siblings were pleasant, with meals as backdrops. The next few days will focus on friends. My relationships with all are “kosher”.

Conjunction

4
Posted by on in Community, Matters of Faith, Spiritual, Striving

April 19, 2019-

God has never left Man alone.  In times past, the Divine has sent Guidance, in the form of Scripture and in the Personage of a Holy Being, to lead us away from the promptings of self and desire, which Zoroaster, Jesus the Christ, Mohammad and Baha’u’llah have each personified as Satan. Our lower, animal nature gets us in all sorts of difficulties, by interposing itself between God and our spiritual sense.

So, it seems that when the conditions of the world are darkest, we have the bounty of the sacred days of many faith traditions falling in the same time period.  This year,  for example, the Baha’i Festival of Naw-Ruz occurred at the same time as the Hindu Festival of Holi.   A scant month later, Jews are observing Passover; Christians, Christ’s death and the Day of Resurrection and Baha’is, the beginning of the twelve-day Festival of Ridvan, (commemorating Baha’u’llah’s Declaration of His Mission to the world.)

God never leaves Man alone.  The message that seems clear, from these conjunctions of spiritual celebration is that we ought each honour our neighbours’ spiritual traditions, as we honour our own.  There is, in essence, one continuous flow of spiritual energy.  I could never dishonour the Name of Christ, or those of Moses, Krishna, Gautama Siddhartha or Muhammad whilst claiming to honour the Teachings of Baha’u’llah.

Every one of the Divine Teachers has suffered immense physical pain, whilst on this Earth, at the hands of those who enjoyed earthly power and prestige, as well as at the hands of the uneducated and ignorant who chose to follow those in power.  This is the timeless lesson of Good Friday-the goodness of which stems from the fact that we are so loved by the Divine that the Purest of Beings submitted to unimaginable torture and humiliation.  It is thus, that people of all faith traditions would do well to contemplate the nature of Divine Love and Sacrifice, on this solemn day.

This Sunday, the Day of Resurrection and First Day of Ridvan, will find me celebrating both events of the continuous flow of Divine love and inspiration. May many find it in their hearts to do the same.  The Divine never leaves us alone. Let us honour one another.