Minyan Book

Rabbi Rami Shapiro says that he went in search of Zen Judaism and found it in Hasidic literature. In writings that speak of the unity of self, God, and the world, he found a deeply spiritual tradition hidden within Judaism, for which many Jews have looked elsewhere. From years of work in his own synagogue, Rabbi Shapiro developed 10 spiritual practices that help ground a person in divine reality and achieve balance in internal and external affairs. Perhaps you don't associate meditation or "ethical consumption" with the Torah, but Shapiro convincingly demonstrates their value to, and history within, Judaism. Eight other practices, such as attention, generosity, and kindness make up Shapiro's metaphorical Minyan. As the ties binding all things become more and more evident in this book, the necessity of persistent self-development also becomes clear. Shapiro places the self as a necessary link in a community, thereby providing us with the refuge of solitude along with the power and love of community. Neither a conservative Hasidic nor a head-in-the-clouds mystic, Shapiro offers a detailed, tested way of Jewish spiritual growth and fulfillment. Read More