For Thou art my lamp, O LORD; And the LORD doth lighten my darkness.

2 Samuel 22:29, JPS Tanakh 1917

Palm Springs, California holds a street fair every Thursday. On a recent road trip with my sisters, we attended one of these events. I was excited to find a booth called “Ask The Rabbi,” where a local rabbi from Chabad of Palm Springs sat, talking to anyone who had questions for him.

After brief introductions, I asked the rabbi what he found most inspiring about his religious tradition, which sparked an amazing conversation. (By the way, nothing I share is a direct quote. These are simply my own brief remembrances.)

It was impossible for him to choose just one thing he found inspiring, as everything about Judaism inspires him. He landed on sharing this profound truth: every person on earth has a spark of the divine within them.

The implications of this belief are impressive. The rabbi gestured to everyone on the street around us, teaching me that each and every person has power within themselves to do good, bringing a little heaven down to our less-than-amazing world. He emphasized the importance of being an example of good in all that you do.

Our conversation wandered to the topic of proselytizing. Jokingly, he said something like, “We don’t proselytize because I have too much work to do with the Jews I already have.” He then pointed out that Judaism has a way of fostering understanding between its practitioners and other believers due to the fact that they don’t proselytize. He taught me that because Judaism focuses on life now rather than life after death, it’s easier to see other faiths as fellow bringers of light, rather than opponents in the race to an eternal reward.

When I told him that I was able to [slowly and badly] read [some] Biblical Hebrew, he taught me another principle. Though the rabbi sees the brotherhood of all religions, he struggles when someone who reads one translation of the Bible accuses him of “being wrong.” Why? Because Hebrew is his language! He’s read the Hebrew Bible and likely knows it better than most people just skimming through the English NIV or KJV.

I had a lot of takeaways from our conversation, but one is most important: I need to realize that someone that believes differently than me doesn’t necessarily know less than me. In fact, they likely know more.

Enjoy a few more pictures from our adventure to Palm Springs! And look forward to when I hit the road again in the coming weeks!

Tanakh

The Hebrew Scriptures. The word “Tanakh” functions somewhat like an acronym for what it contains; the Torah (Law), the Nevi’im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings) together are the Tanakh.

“The Tanakh.” Jewish Virtual Library. (https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-tanakh)

Rabbi

A teacher; a decider on matters of law. Different branches of Judaism may disagree on who and what a rabbi is (i.e. in matters of gender), but the basic definition remains the same.

“Rabbis, Priests, and Other Religious Functionaries.” Judaism 101. (www.jewfaq.org/rabbi)

Chabad

A major movement within Judaism. Rooted in the Eighteenth Century Chassidic Movement. Began in Russia as an effort to keep Torah Judaism alive, grew to become a global movement. Chabad Houses focus on the teachings of Baal Shem Tov, helping believers align with and enjoy spiritual practices.

“What Is Chabad?” Chabad.org. (www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/776104/jewish/FAQ.htm)

Proselytize

“To induce/recruit someone to convert to one’s faith.”

“Proselytize.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proselytize)

NIV

The New International Version of the Christian Bible. Vision for this translation originally from Howard Long, an engineer in Seattle, Washington. After positive response to this idea, translators and funding gathered to create a new translation, which became the NIV. Aims to give modern Bible readers the same reading experience as those who anciently read the Bible.

“About the NIV.” Bible Gateway. (https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/)

KJV

The King James Version of the Christian Bible. Translation project funded and finished by King James VI of Scotland. Finished and published in 1611.

“The Story Behind the King James Bible.” The KJV Store. (https://www.thekjvstore.com/articles/the-story-behind-the-king-james-bible/)