Raise Your Hand

Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism

Have you ever wondered why we don't raise our hands during prayer in Judaism? It's a question that might seem trivial at first, but as we explored in our latest Madlik episode, it opens up a fascinating world of gesture, ritual, and cultural evolution.

As I sat watching the presidential inauguration, I couldn't help but notice the raised hand during the oath of office. This simple gesture, so commonplace in our civic life, is surprisingly absent from our religious practice. Why is that? And what can we learn from the rich tradition of hand gestures in our biblical texts?

In our conversation with Rabbi Adam Mintz, we delved into the surprising prevalence of hand gestures in the Torah. Did you know that the Hebrew Bible has the richest source of gesture phrases of any ancient Near Eastern religion or literature? It's true! From Aaron lifting his rod to God's promise of redemption with an outstretched arm, our sacred texts are filled with powerful non-verbal communication.

But here's the kicker: despite this rich heritage, hand gestures are virtually non-existent in modern Jewish ritual and prayer. It's a stark contrast that begs the question: what happened?

Sefaria Source Sheet: http://www.sefaria.org/sheets/617755 Link to Transcript on episode site: https://madlik.com/2025/01/16/the-nativity-of-moses/