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		<title>The Dark Shadow of Jealousy</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/05/31/the-dark-shadow-of-jealousy/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/05/31/the-dark-shadow-of-jealousy/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:59:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[Naso Numbers 4:21 &#8211; 7:89 &#160; One of the most disturbingly misogynistic stories in Torah—and, admittedly, there are many—confronts us in this week’s portion. It describes the humiliating ritual a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>We Lose Ourselves to Find Ourselves</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/05/27/we-lose-ourselves-to-find-ourselves/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/05/27/we-lose-ourselves-to-find-ourselves/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 05:33:03 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[B&#8217;midbar Numbers 1:1 &#8211; 4:20 &#160; A midrash relating to the opening of Parashat B’midbar (“In the wilderness”) asks, “Why was the Torah given in the wilderness?” Why not present the Torah in a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>The Path of Mindfulness in Judaism</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/05/10/the-path-of-mindfulness-in-judaism-2/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/05/10/the-path-of-mindfulness-in-judaism-2/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 05:52:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[B&#8217;har &#8211; B&#8217;chukotai Leviticus 25:1 &#8211; 27:34 &#160; “If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>Love Your Neighbor as Yourself</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/04/23/love-your-neighbor-as-yourself-2/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/04/23/love-your-neighbor-as-yourself-2/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:55:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[Acharei Mot &#8211; Kedoshim Leviticus 16:1 &#8211; 20:27 &#160; Tucked in among the verses of the Holiness Code is one of the best-known proclamations in Torah: “Love your neighbor as [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>What is God&#8217;s Will for me? Why am I Here?</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/04/12/what-is-gods-will-for-me-why-am-i-here-2/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/04/12/what-is-gods-will-for-me-why-am-i-here-2/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:53:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.betalef.org/?p=19770</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Sh&#8217;mini Leviticus 9:1 &#8211; 11:47 &#160; Growing up, I always had difficulty with the concept of doing “God’s will.” The rabbis of my youth spoke of observing the mitzvot—the divinely prescribed [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>Major Step in Evolving World Consciousness</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/03/24/major-step-in-evolving-world-consciousness/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/03/24/major-step-in-evolving-world-consciousness/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:22:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[VaYikra Leviticus 1:1 &#8211; 5:26 &#160; The opening of the Book of Leviticus showcases a momentous event in Western history, yet it goes mostly unremarked. In it, we witness a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>When You Lift up the People</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/03/11/when-you-lift-up-the-people-2/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/03/11/when-you-lift-up-the-people-2/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:01:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[Ki Tissa Exodus 30:11 &#8211; 34:35 &#160; It often happens that the reading of Ki Tissa, this week’s Torah portion, and the festival of Purim fall in the same week, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>The Olive Oil Paradigm</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/03/03/the-olive-oil-paradigm/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/03/03/the-olive-oil-paradigm/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:03:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[T&#8217;tzaveh Exodus 27:20 &#8211; 30:10 &#160; You shall further instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light, to kindle an eternal light. Aaron and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>The Kabblah of our Lives</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/02/22/the-kabblah-of-our-lives/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/02/22/the-kabblah-of-our-lives/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:53:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.betalef.org/?p=19725</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[T&#8217;rumah Exodus 25:1 &#8211; 27:19 &#160; Jewish Mysticism holds as fundamental truth that every being—all of us—is but a container for, a manifestation of the Divine Presence. As such, we [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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		<title>Why Did They Have to Drown?</title>
		<link>https://www.betalef.org/2026/02/01/why-did-they-have-to-drown-2/</link>
					<comments>https://www.betalef.org/2026/02/01/why-did-they-have-to-drown-2/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Gazitt]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 01:22:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Torah Reflections]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[B&#8217;Shalach Exodus 13:17 &#8211; 17:16 &#160; The Song at The Sea with its archaic Hebrew style—when compared with the rest of Torah—is probably the most ancient text in the entire [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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