Our Rabbi, Miri Lawrence and our Lay Readers present topical and interesting Sermons often giving a modern Liberal interpretation of the week's Torah portion. A recent one on Artificial Intelligence and Liberal Judaism was found fascinating. So below are a selection. More will be added in future.
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been much talked about of late. You will now commonly see its product when you Google a topic or on Amazon as a summary of reviewers’ opinions or if you use one of the specialist models such as ChatGPT. I have seen some early AI summaries of meetings on Zoom that I have attended, that bear no relation to what was discussed (or maybe we were just talking rubbish!). But of late it appears to be learning from its primitive origins and producing a quite a decent job of it. Some people believe that it is the future of all decision making. Whilst others fear that it will take over the world and make people redundant. For those of a certain age, think of the rogue AI computer called HAL in the classic1968 Sci-Fi film 2001: A space odyssey.
My take on AI is that I don’t feel it should have a place in the creative arts, that should be left to real people with a soul, but it does offer the possibility of looking at all the data or information available on a particular subject, sifting through it and learning from it, to provide an overview or analysis. For instance, in medical research, it can look at and learn from studies carried out all over the world and find an answer to the issue researched or look at a mass of data from one study, to offer an analysis or conclusion. This is a good thing. An individual may take years to complete this review or analysis before being able to move the research on. Recently, a complex problem regarding superbug immunity to antibiotics, that took a team of microbiologists from Imperial College a decade to get to the bottom of, was given, before it was published, to a new AI tool with the same data and it came up with the same conclusions in just 48 hours. On a more basic level, it is now being incorporated into everyday technology like your phone – to anticipate and learn from your activities, to make those activities simpler to carry out.
However, ‘Rubbish in Rubbish out’ has always been talked of in modern computing. It is the same with AI, but it should have the learning capability to distinguish between the rubbish and real data or information.
In Progressive Judaism, we look at and study all the history and sources related to our religion. But whilst acknowledging and learning from that information and its many interpretations, we form our own view on how we personally choose to celebrate our Judaism, in the context of the modern world, from our own moral and ethical standpoint.
In that traditionally convoluted way that Jewish Scholars take meaning from very tenuous connections, AI could be said to sound like a shortening of the 16th letter of the Hebrew Alphabet – ‘Ay In’. The one that looks like a Y.
Originally this letter had a sound, but it was subsequently dropped and so now, like the letter Aleph, Ayin has no sound. It is said that ‘it sees but does not speak’. To give it a sound, the person using it adds a vowel. It can then be used in a word to produce a full meaning or context.
Ayin is also a word, when combined with a Yod and a Nun. The word is translated as eyes – i.e. 2 eyes connected by an optic nerve back to the brain. One being the ‘good eye’, Ayin Tov, and the other being the ‘evil eye’, Ayin Ha’ra. The 11th century Jewish scholar, Rashi, said ‘the heart and the eyes are the spies of the body – that can lead a person to do good or to transgress’. By performing mitzvot we allow the good inclination to predominate. This principle, as part of living to a high moral and ethical code, is fundamental to Judaism and, as indicated in today’s Torah portion, will (or should) bring about good things for all.
So it is with artificial intelligence. We should see it potentially as a tool for good, to gather, learn from and analyse all the information available, that we could never do as individuals, or to simply make life easier. But we should bear in mind that this tool is initially created by people, who set its parameters and may be biased by their own moral and ethical views, who may not have the same views as the user and may not present the unbiased conclusion you expect. For instance, the new Chinese AI model called ‘Deepseek’, filters out anything critical or inconvenient to the views of the Chinese Government. Hence all the current talk of the need to build frameworks and guardrails. AI may also look at the wrong sources by, for instance in the legal world, looking at US law rather than UK law for a UK lawyer. So, the questions you ask AI may also need to be very specific or defined.
Note that the potential bias of AI is no different to the modern trend of people getting their information and ‘news’ from social media, posted by people with pre-conceived ideas and open to misinformation or deliberate disinformation, which via the platforms’ algorithms is then self-feeding from other similar origins, to meet or prove those pre-conceived ideas. This is potentially damaging to peoples view on the world, in the context of truth and reality, with the dangers these distorted views may present.
However, my view is, like Progressive Judaism learning from our past but choosing how you want to interpret or use it, don’t be afraid of using or learning from AI, but use your Ayin Tov (your good eye), experience, common sense and moral and ethical standpoint to assess the value and accuracy of what AI produces, and how you can use that product for good.
Today is a really special Shabbat, because we are honoured to celebrate a very rare event together – Nat and Joan’s platinum wedding anniversary.
Before I started leading services here, I had already heard quite a bit about Nat and Joan from Warren. Good news – he liked you! Also, a shout out to Warren who celebrated a fairly significant birthday this week.
All the things that Warren told me about Nat and Joan were true – how intelligent you both are, knowledgeable about Judaism, at the heart of this community, warm and kind, and how Joan can be quite direct! After the first service I took, Joan emailed me showing interest in a sermon I had given on caves and this was the beginning of a special affection I’ve developed for Nat and Joan, whether we are talking about Judaism, fashion, climbing ropes or just generally having a giggle. Like all of us, I am really fond of you both.
So, I wanted to devote my sermon spot to something that relates to your special day. I decided to look at the significance of platinum in Judaism. Guess what I found? Absolutely nothing !
In Judaism, platinum is not explicitly mentioned as having any religious significance. The Torah mentions gold and silver several times, but there is no mention of platinum, for example, when specifying the precious materials for building the tabernacle or temple. Perhaps it was too rare.
So I looked up what I could find out about platinum. A lot of the science went right over my head, but I did find out that Archaeologists have discovered traces of platinum in the gold used in ancient Egyptian burials. For example, a small box from burial of Shepenupet 11 was found to be decorated with gold-platinum hieroglyphics. However, the extent of early Egyptians' knowledge of the metal is unclear. It is quite possible they did not recognize there was platinum in their gold.
The first European reference to platinum appears in 1557 in the writings of the Italian humanist Julius Caesar Scaliger as a description of an unknown noble metal "which no fire nor any Spanish artifice has yet been able to liquefy". From their first encounters with platinum, the Spanish generally saw the metal
as a kind of impurity in gold, and it was treated as such. It was often simply thrown away, and there was an official decree forbidding the adulteration of gold with platinum impurities.
Due to its qualities “Platinum” is not just a description of metal or time. It is a metaphor.
Platinum is strong. Resilient. Precious. It endures heat and pressure. It does not tarnish. It’s not loud or showy, but it holds everything together—like the setting of a cherished diamond.
It is a precious metal often associated with milestones, rare achievements, and enduring value. We refer to milestones as “platinum”—like a 70th wedding anniversary, or a long-standing community service— these are also rare not because we have to wait a long time for seventy years to pass, and because they take extraordinary resilience, faithfulness, and care to reach them.
Most of us will not get to experience a platinum wedding anniversary, like the metal itself, it is rare. We are more likely to experience platinum through joint replacement surgery! Due to its strength, malleability and biocompatibility.
Whether we’re talking about a platinum anniversary, a platinum album, or simply the metal itself, platinum holds a place in human imagination as something exceptional and lasting. And when we pause to think about it, its qualities hold deep resonance with Jewish values and spiritual life.
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Platinum is Rare: Treasuring the Unique
Platinum is one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust.
Its scarcity is what makes it so prized.
We might refer to a person as good as gold, or a real diamond, I can’t think of one that I know for platinum. All I can think of is ‘going platinum’ or platinum blonde, nothing specifically about people.
But Judaism recognises every person is unique, precious and irreplaceable, just like platinum.
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Platinum is Strong: A Symbol of Endurance
Platinum doesn’t corrode. It withstands heat, pressure, and time.
It is often used in settings that require strength and durability, including scientific instruments, catalytic converters, and jewellery designed to last generations.
In Jewish tradition, we hold up endurance as a spiritual virtue.
The prophet Isaiah tells us (Isaiah 40:31):
“But those who hope in God shall renew their strength; they shall soar on wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.”
Just like platinum, as Jews we are called to develop spiritual endurance:
To stay committed to our values when life tests us.
To maintain faith in difficult times.
To continue showing up for each other, year after year.
A 70th anniversary, for example, is not just a marker of time passed. It is a testimony to two people weathering life’s challenges together with faith, humour, forgiveness, and love.
3.
Platinum is Pure and Malleable: The Journey of Growth
Despite its strength, platinum is also malleable. It can be shaped, moulded, and worked with—but only by experts with care and skill. Jewish teaching requires us to be strong in our commitments, but also willing to be reshaped:
To soften when necessary.
To repair when needed.
To allow life, learning, and our faith to shape us into something even more beautiful and enduring.
We are all, like platinum, are works in progress—refined over time.
4.
Platinum and Legacy: What We Leave Behind
Platinum lasts. It endures across generations. Jewellery made today may still be worn decades, even centuries from now.
In Judaism, we often speak about legacy—not just what we accumulate, but what we pass on in values, kindness, and deeds.
The Midrash in Kohelet Rabbah tells us:
“A person is remembered not for their silver and gold, but for their mitzvot and good deeds.”
In this way, the true “platinum” in life is not the metal itself, but the relationships we nurture, the justice we pursue, and the kindness we show.
That was about as much as I could shoe horn into Judaism and platinum, so I then decided to delve into the area I like even less than science – numbers! Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that whist platinum is not specifically referred to in Judaism, the significance of the number 70 is:
There’s something special about the number 70 which comes up over and over again in Scripture and Midrash: Any guesses as to any examples of what this might be?
Seventy nations and languages: The Torah lists 70 descendants of Noah after the Great Flood, and tells us, “These are the families of the sons of Noah . . . the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.” From here the sages learn that humanity comprises 70 nations, each with its own language.
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Seventy members of Jacob’s family come to Egypt: The Torahtells us that the number of Jacob’s descendants that came down to Egypt was 70 (including Joseph and his sons who were already in Egypt) .
Seventy elders: More than 200 years later, Moses is told by God to gather 70 elders of the Jewish people to stand together with him. Later, the Sanhedrin (the rabbinical high court) would also have 70 judges, plus the head of the Sanhedrin, representing Moses (i.e., 70 plus 1).
Seventy “faces” of the Torah: The Midrash tells us that due to the profoundness and complexity of God’s Torah, there are 70 valid ways or perspectives of understanding the Torah (which is one reason given for the 70 members of the Sanhedrin).
Seventy years of exile: Through the prophet Jeremiah, God promised that after the destruction of the First Temple there would be 70 years of the Babylonian exile, after which God would remember and redeem His people.
Seventy holy days: The Midrash calculates that there are 70 Biblical holy days in a solar calendar year (note that by rabbinic decree, Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot are celebrated for an extra day in the diaspora, and Rosh Hashanah is extended into a second day everywhere):
52 Shabbats
7 days of Passover
1 day of Shavuot
1 day of Rosh Hashanah
1 day of Yom Kippur
8 days of Sukkot
Seventy Divine names: In Scripture, God is referred to by many names. In fact, according to the Midrash, He is known by no less than 70 different names.
Seventy names of the Jewish nation: As God’s chosen nation, Israel is a reflection of its Creator. Just as God is referred to in Scripture with 70 different names, so too are the Jewish people.
Seventy names of Jerusalem: The Midrash continues to say that the holy city of Jerusalem is also referred to by 70 names in Scripture.
Seventy full years of a person’s life: The Torah tells us that we are commanded to honor the elderly. Well, when does “old age” begin? King David says, “The span of our life is 70 years, or, given the strength, 80 years . . .” This tells us that only those with “extra strength” reach and surpass the age of 70, and are therefore deserving of honour. Seventy years are seen asa full life span in Psalm 90: “The days of our years are seventy years; and if by reason of strength, eighty years…”
The fact that the number 70 is mentioned so many times in Scripture indicates the pre-eminence of this number. What is the significance of the number 70?
Completeness of Nature
The mystics explain that the natural order is represented by the number 7. God chose to create the world in 7 days, resulting in a week that consists of 7 days, corresponding to the 7 attributes.
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(Chesed—Kindness, Gevurah—Severity, Tiferet—Harmony, Netzach—Perseverance, Hod—Humility,
Yesod—Foundation, Malchut—Royalty).
Any number times 10 represents the completeness of that number. And 7 times 10 represents the
completion of the natural order—each aspect of nature is complete.
Seventy Connected to Leadership
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that the number 70 is especially associated with leadership.
In the Mishnah that is recited as part of the Haggadah on the night of Passover, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah declares: “I am like a man of 70 years old.” The Talmud explains that the reason he declared that he was like a man of 70 is that he wasn’t actually 70; in fact, he was only about 18 years old. However, despite his young age, the sages wanted to appoint him as the nassi, leader of the Jewish people. Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah was reluctant due to his age, so a miracle occured and white hairs appeared in his beard, giving him the respectable appearance of a 70-year-old who was fit for the leadership position.
The Rebbe explains that his appearing specifically as a 70-year-old was not random. Rather, as explained, the number 70 represents the completion or fullness of a person's life, as the verse states, “The span of our life is 70 years . . .” Thus, only after Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah’s appearance became that of a 70-year-old was he satisfied that he was fit to be the nassi and leader of the Jewish people.
What Comes After Seventy?
While the number 70 represents the completion of the natural order, going beyond 70 represents reaching even higher than the natural order, until we ultimately reach the messianic era.
And so just as I was thinking how I could weave all this together a miracle happened! By chance I came across something called the platinum rule, which claims to be a deeper kind of love!!!
Apparently, Rabbi Hillel’s golden rule “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.” Has been surpassed by the platinum rule “What would I want?” but rather, “What do you need?”
It invites us to see the other person not through our own eyes, but through theirs.
According to Dave Karpen in his book the art of people, Hillel’s rule is great but it doesn’t account for the fact that we are all different. What we would want done for us is different from what our partner may want. So he suggested the platinum rule ‘Do unto others as they would want done to them’. It’s a bit like To Kill a Mockingbird where we can only truly understand a person by walking around in their shoes and understand their perspective. This is also similar to Dale Carnegies story in how to win friends and influence people. Even if a fisherman likes strawberries and cream he wouldn’t offer them to the fish he is trying to catch. He needs to know what the fish would like to eat. Maybe a worm?!
This is not easy. It takes empathy. It takes humility. And—perhaps most of all—it takes time. It takes years of listening, learning, forgiving, showing up, and growing.
In other words, it takes exactly what it takes to build and sustain seventy years of marriage.
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B’tzelem Elohim – Seeing the Divine in the Other
In Judaism, we are taught that each person is created b’tzelem Elohim—in the image of God.
But no two people reflect that image in the same way. To love someone truly is not just to project our own values onto them—it is to honor their uniqueness.
That apparently is the Platinum Rule – something that perhaps takes 70 years to perfect.
Love that grows through change.
Love that listens.
Love that adapts.
Love that remembers what matters and forgets what doesn’t.
Love that says: “It’s not just how I would want to be treated—but how you need to be
treated. That’s what I will strive for.”
Like platinum it is a legacy. In Judaism, marriage is not just a contract—it’s a covenant, a sacred partnership between two people, witnessed by God and community.
When a couple stands under the chuppah, they don’t just commit to love each other in that moment. They enter into a lifelong journey of shared joys, challenges, growth, and faith.
The Talmud (Yevamot 62b) teaches us:
“One who has found a spouse has found goodness and has obtained favor from God.”
And what is that “favor”? It’s the blessing of companionship, of growing old together, of building a life brick by brick, day by day.
In the Torah, seventy is a number that symbolizes completion and blessing. It’s not just a number it’s a lifetime and Nat and Joan have made it a shared lifetime. Seventy years together.
And here we are, celebrating seventy years of marriage—a living testament to strength, resilience, faith, and love.
May we all learn from you.
So today, as we reflect—whether marking a platinum anniversary, celebrating a communal milestone, or simply contemplating the rare and precious moments of our lives—let us strive to be
like platinum:
Rare in our kindness.
Strong in our convictions.
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Malleable enough to grow and change. And we heard a fantastic example of this in the story we just heard about the daughters of Zelophehad. When they demand a change in the law it is granted to them. It was time to change the law and Moses was willing to right a wrong when it was pointed out to him.
And lasting in the legacy of love and justice we leave behind.
May each of us, in our own way, become platinum threads woven into the fabric of Jewish history, strengthening our community and bringing enduring light into the world.
BLESSING FOR NAT AND JOAN
May the love that brought you together 70 years ago continue to grow with each passing day.
May your home continue to be filled with light, laughter, and peace.
May you continue to teach all of us what it means to live a life of commitment and love.
And may God bless you with health, joy, and many more sweet moments together.
Mazal Tov to Nat and Joan!