So much anxiety is brought on by thinking one won’t receive what is just. Of course, everyone’s view of their own justice looks different. But the idea of not receiving what you think you deserve, whether from a person or the universe creates a division and distancing in one’s relationships to others, to oneself, and even to life itself. 
Justice brings peace, but only when judgment/gevurah is balanced with the proper amount of mercy/chesed. When this is done right, it creates harmony/tiferet.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s last book is titled, ‘Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue’, aptly pulling the words from this week’s parsha, Judges. One lesson to be learned from Ginsberg through her relationship with her Supreme Court colleague, Scalia, is how they exemplified putting aside their egos, building a personal relationship based on humane compassion, even when they disagreed vehemently in their views of justice. The reason people praised their relationship so much is that it seems, as a people, we are moving further and further away from such a rapport. The Talmud is based on opposing opinions and respect. For 3 centuries (200 CE-500 CE) after the redaction & editing of the Mishna, Amoraim and their students discussed & analyzed the Mishna. Their questions, discussions, & solutions comprise the Talmud.
Judaism, from antiquity to now, is steeped in the teachings and the process of learning in the Talmud. Countless Jews (& lots of law students) are lovingly arguing with each other at this moment, using the Talmud as the catalyst for diving deeper into endless hypothetical scenarios connected to the morality of Jewish law & ritual. But, as a modern Western culture & people, we seem to be moving away from this embrace of respectful conflict, something discussed in the book The Coddling of the American Mind.
In a TED talk R’ Jonathan Sacks speaks on how “it’s the people not like us that make us grow” & shares specific ways we can move from the politics of “me” to the politics of “all of us, together.”
I dive fully into justice & how to find peace this week, with wisdom from the Zohar, Rebbe Nachman, MF Doom, & even a little Bieber. Jump into my latest 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔, '𝙴𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙸𝚕𝚕𝚞𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.' Get your copy on @Amazon, or read it online @ https://lightofinfinite.com/and-justice-for-all/Thanks for reading/listening!
Much love & Shabbat Shalom! 
- Erez // @erezsafar


*   Listen: Audio/Podcast version - https://lightofinfinite.com/podcast

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-> ISRAEL TOUR SEPT 20 - OCT 10th! details @ www.lightofinfinite.com/events

…And Justice For All (deuteronomy: shoftim)

Light of Infinite is a blog, a podcast, a festival and a soon to be released book series, where Erez Safar acts as Your Spiritual DJ, curating insights into the weekly Torah portion and the infinite light of Kabbalah.

The project began on the Yartzeit (yearly memorial) of my ex wife’s mother’s passing, and it’s inspired by both her (Yehudis Chava bat Yakov Dov) and my mother (Frida Levona bat Shalom), who passed the same year. When I think of these women, I think of tzedaka and chesed, words that are hard to translate because they capture the real depths of words like ‘generous’, ‘giving’, ‘loving’, and ‘kindness’. These two women embodied and exemplified these qualities to an angelic degree: so full of life, love, warmth, and light, at every turn, every single moment. Being around them inspired me to be more loving, more giving, more full of a zest for each moment in life.

My goal with this ongoing project is to spread that inspiration and Light that I received and still receive from them. Using each week’s Torah portion, delving deep into the text, the commentaries, and the Kabbalah connected to it, I’ll share insights that bring that inspiration and Light to life for me, and will hopefully do the same for you.

As DJ Shadow sampled on his seminal record, Entroducing, “It’s not me that’s coming through– the music’s coming through me”. With that said, I do not take any recognition for any part of the material except the writing style. The recognition is meant for the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and the Giants of Torah that reveal the the Light of Infinite in a way that only they can. So, I would like to give thanks to some of the Chassidic Masters and Rabbis that I draw the most inspiration from, whose wisdom I’m attempting to bring down and make accessible. These include Reb Nachman & Reb Nosson Mi’Breslov, The Arizal, The Ba’al Shem Tov, R’Menachem Mendel Schneerson (the Rebbe), Carlebach, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and so many others.

I hope that these words inspire you to delve deeper into the Torah and kabbalisitc texts, and, as Chaim Vital says, “One can go deeper and deeper, as far as the human mind can delve, and it will always yield new treasures.”

Light of Infinite is an upcoming book series where I act as your spiritual DJ, curating insights into the weekly Torah portion and the infinite light of Kabbalah. The sefer (book) will include newly edited, and in some cases, expanded text on the weekly parashah. There will also be a section on key concepts of Kabbalah as well as a section that includes stories and info on some of my favorite Rebbe’s.

…And Justice For All (deuteronomy: shoftim)

light of infinite