1) Last week, I wrote nothing about
Perkei Avos but in the six weeks from after Pesach to Shavuos, on Shabbos
afternoon we learn a chapter a week. Hopefully below will be the fourth and
fifth weeks of Omer Counting. Between current events and everything else, I am
very busy.
2) Ever do something and there is
an object right before your eyes but somehow you go for what you are looking
for and ignore the object. I was planning out somethings over the next month. I
was using the Calendar checking this and that. I knew this week was a double
portion and I should have known that last week was Tazria-Metzora but I paid
little attention. I was busy recovering the lost data of 2011. So this week we
shall have three Parshiyos.
Parsha Metzora
Leviticus 14:1 – 15:33
Last Friday, after putting the Blogspot out, I began writing furiously
the commentary. I wrote of the Korban of the Leper which as I mentioned is not
what is known medically today as Hansen’s disease but a disease caused by
Lashon HaRa which can be translated as tale bearing, gossip and other things
even if true is defamation.
The Tzoras must bring his Korban mentioned this week and at sundown as
the 8th day starts, he is purified.
I then went on to cover a man who was a Zav or having Gonorrhea. The
flux of seed that spills out twice a day or more. He is unclean for seven days
and everything that he sits upon is also Tumay Medras. Only on the evening of
the entrance of the eight day, if the fluxes stop can he go to the Mikvah to be
purified.
The same applies to a Zava, a women who has a flow of blood outside of
her regular menses or past seven days from the beginning of menstruation of over
three days. The normal woman goes to the Mikvah per the laws of Family Purity.
This woman is required a minimum of seven clean days and also produces Tuma
Medras where she sits.
Parsha Acharei Mos
Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30
Our narrative after a number
chapters of diversion from the tragedy returns to the death of the sons of
Aharon. Because of the time lost in the computer crash and recovery, I have
shortened the commentary.
16:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, after the death
of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD, and died; 2 and
the LORD said unto Moses: 'Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at
all times into the holy place within the veil, before the ark-cover which is
upon the ark; that he die not; for I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover. 3
Herewith shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a
sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen
tunic, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded
with the linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired; they are
the holy garments; and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and put them on. 5
And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two he-goats
for a sin-offering, and one ram for a burnt-offering. 6 And Aaron shall present
the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for
himself, and for his house. 7 And he shall take the two goats, and set them
before the LORD at the door of the tent of meeting. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots
upon the two goats: one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for Azazel. 9 And
Aaron shall present the goat upon which the lot fell for the LORD, and offer
him for a sin-offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell for Azazel,
shall be set alive before the LORD, to make atonement over him, to send him
away for Azazel into the wilderness.
I had originally planned to write
more but due to the commuter crash and recovery, I will only write that the two
goats looked alike and the one chosen for the Korban according to the Gemara
was always picked by the right hand of the Cohain Gadol and the one going to
Azazel was picked in the left. It appears to me that the route went from the
Mikdash straight in the direction of what is called the Promenade in
Yerushalayim today and then on to the wilderness.
11
And Aaron shall present the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself,
and shall make atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the
bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself. 12 And he shall take a censer
full of coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of
sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil. 13 And he shall put
the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may
cover the ark-cover that is upon the testimony, that he die not. 14 And he
shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon
the ark-cover on the east; and before the ark-cover shall he sprinkle of the
blood with his finger seven times. …
17
And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goes in to make
atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made atonement for
himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 And he
shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make atonement for it;
and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and
put it upon the horns of the altar round about. 19 And he shall sprinkle of the
blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from
the uncleannesses of the children of Israel.
The bells on his garment signals to
the Shechina that he is about to enter. But he must be worthy of entering and
exiting alive. In the second Temple towards the end when bribery elected
Cohanim Gedolim, the assistant Rabbi Yishmael took off the service and the
unworthy one was pulled out by a rope attached to him.
20
And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of
meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21 And Aaron shall lay
both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the
iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their
sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away
by the hand of an appointed man into the wilderness. 22 And the goat shall bear
upon him all their iniquities unto a land which is cut off; and he shall let go
the goat in the wilderness.
The man who escorted the goat to
the wilderness would die that year but all his sins would be atoned for. There
was a red colored piece of wool put in the Mikdash. When it would turn white,
the sins of Yisrael would be forgiven.
23
And Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, and shall put off the linen
garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave
them there. 24 And he shall bathe his flesh in water in a holy place and put on
his other vestments, and come forth, and offer his burnt-offering and the
burnt-offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the
people. 25 And the fat of the sin-offering shall he make smoke upon the altar.
26 And he that lets go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes, and bathe
his flesh in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.
He went to the Mikvah 5 times on
Yom Kippur and washed his hands and feet 10 times.
27
And the bullock of the sin-offering, and the goat of the sin-offering, whose
blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be carried
forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their
flesh, and their dung. 28 And he that burns them shall wash his clothes, and
bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. …
29
And it shall be a statute forever unto you: in the seventh month, on the tenth
day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work,
the home-born, or the stranger that sojourns among you.
Afflicting is interpreted meaning no bathing, eating, drinking,
wearing shoes and marital relations.
30
For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your
sins shall ye be clean before the LORD. 31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest unto
you, and ye shall afflict your souls; it is a statute forever. 32 And the
priest, who shall be anointed and who shall be consecrated to be priest in his
father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments,
even the holy garments.
33
And he shall make atonement for the most holy place, and he shall make
atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar; and he shall make
atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 And this
shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make atonement for the children of
Israel because of all their sins once in the year.' And he did as the LORD
commanded Moses.
These are the laws of Yom Kippur
and guarding people from entering the holiest site only once a year and only by
the Cohain Gadol.
17:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak
unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say
unto them: This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying: 3 What man
soever there be of the house of Israel, that kills an ox, or lamb, or goat, in
the camp, or that kills it without the camp, 4 and hath not brought it unto the
door of the tent of meeting, to present it as an offering unto the LORD before
the tabernacle of the LORD, blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed
blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people.
Previously, the first born son
would offer a Korban. Now that we have a Cohain, he is the only one able to
offer and at the place the L-RD has designated.
5 To
the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they
sacrifice in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto
the door of the tent of meeting, unto the priest, and sacrifice them for
sacrifices of peace-offerings unto the LORD.
We are only dealing with bringing
Korbanos to a holy place like the Mizbayach and not dealing with a man’s BBQ to
eat meat.
6
And the priest shall dash the blood against the altar of the LORD at the door
of the tent of meeting, and make the fat smoke for a sweet savor unto the LORD.
7 And they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices unto the satyrs, after whom
they go astray. This shall be a statute forever unto them throughout their
generations. 8 And thou shalt say unto them: Whatsoever man there be of the
house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, that offers a
burnt-offering or sacrifice, 9 and bringeth it not unto the door of the tent of
meeting, to sacrifice it unto the LORD, even that man shall be cut off from his
people. 10 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the
strangers that sojourn among them, that eats any manner of blood, I will set My
face against that soul that eats blood, and will cut him off from among his
people.
Perhaps the biggest lie of the
blood libel was that blood was needed for Matzos while a person eating/drinking
blood gets Kares.
11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the
altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes
atonement by reason of the life. 12 Therefore I said unto the children of
Israel: No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that
sojourns among you eat blood. 13 And whatsoever man there be of the children of
Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, that taketh in hunting any
beast or fowl that may be eaten, he shall pour out the blood thereof, and cover
it with dust.
Fouls and non-domesticated animals
like moose, bison, deer etc. require the blood to be covered over.
14
For as to the life of all flesh, the blood thereof is all one with the life
thereof; therefore I said unto the children of Israel: Ye shall eat the blood
of no manner of flesh; for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof;
whosoever eats it shall be cut off.
Kares of one’s soul in this world
and the next comes from eating blood.
15
And every soul that eats that which dies of itself, [Nevailah]
or that which is torn of beasts, [Trafe] whether
he be home-born or a stranger, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in
water, and be unclean until the even; then shall he be clean. 16 But if he wash
them not, nor bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.
A person who eats a Nevailah or
Trafe is as bad as eating shell fish or pork and therefore the ignoramuses that
think eating an improperly slaughtered piece of beef or chicken in a non-kosher
restaurant has to be shown this. The same thing goes for fish that one cannot
wrap in double foil and certified has fins and scales.
18:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: I am the LORD your God. 3 After
the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do; and after
the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither
shall ye walk in their statutes. 4 Mine ordinances shall ye do, and My statutes
shall ye keep, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5 Ye shall therefore
keep My statutes, and Mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by
them: I am the LORD.
Literally follow Halacha meaning
walking on the path according to (the laws mentioned later on) statutes and
ordinances.
6
None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their
nakedness. I am the LORD.
From here on the Torah specifies
laws of incest. The Torah even takes care of wise guys that a brother and full
sister, half-sister, parent and child and step parent, grandparent are
forbidden. It also goes on forbidding aunts and maternal uncles but because of
inheritance, paternal uncles are not forbidden but sometimes negative genetics
in Judaism have developed.
7
The nakedness of thy father, and the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not
uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
8
The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's
nakedness.
This applies to the opposite sex of
any parent and now the Torah goes on to siblings and grandchildren of opposite
sex if one was married to a previous generation of direct decent of a step
parent grand parent or reverse.
9
The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or the daughter of thy
mother, whether born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt
not uncover. 10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's
daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover; for theirs is thine own
nakedness. 11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy
father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 12 Thou shalt
not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near
kinswoman. 13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister; for
she is thy mother's near kinswoman.
The males or females in combination
up or down the generations are forbidden.
14
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not
approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
All aunts, in-laws are forbidden
and except for inheritance with a Yebum for inheritance of your childless
brother’s wife one is forbidden.
15
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law: she is thy son'
wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 16 Thou shalt not uncover the
nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness. 17 Thou shalt
not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; thou shalt not take her
son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness: they are
near kinswomen; it is lewdness.
Among non-Jews a number of cases do
occur each year for before they met, he was permitted to either mother or
daughter. However, whomever he chooses, the other is forbidden.
18
And thou shalt not take a woman to her sister, to be a rival to her, to uncover
her nakedness, beside the other in her lifetime.
During the lifetime of the sister
this is forbidden, but upon the death of the first sister often the second
sister will step in and raise her nieces or nephews. One of the daughters of
the Maharal of Prague married the husband of her late sister.
19
And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as
she is impure by her uncleanness.
In 15:25 it was not her menses but
gonorrhea. Here she is forbidden because of her menses.
20
And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor's wife, to defile thyself
with her.
We had this in the Asera Dibros
(Ten Commandments) but here from a purity sense of defiling your/her soul(s).
21
And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to set them apart to Molech, neither
shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
This is a ceremony where a baby is
passed above glowing embers/coals or a fire.
Rashi: For Molech. This is a pagan deity called Molech, whose form of
worship was as follows: The
person
hands over his child to the priests of the idol, two large fires are made, and they pass the child
on foot through the two pyres of fire. You must not give. This refers
to handing him over to the priests.
To have pass through to Molech. This refers
to passing the child through the fire.
22
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination.
Homosexuality is forbidden but the
punishment for violation is not mentioned.
23
And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither
shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto; it is perversion.
The previous behavior is
abomination but this is a male of one species with a female of another and a
perversion but the punishment is not specified here.
תֶּבֶל הֽוּא- This is
considered depravity. This
term denotes prostitution, incest, and adultery, and so we find: “and My anger
is over their abomination (תַּבְלִיתָם).” Another
explanation: תֶּבֶל denotes the unnatural mingling and confusion of human seed with animal
seed.
24
Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations
are defiled, which I cast out from before you.
These were the practices of Sodom,
Egypt and Canaan and you are a holy people to purify the land to holiness.
25 And the land was defiled, therefore I did
visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land vomited out her inhabitants.
At this point we come to learn that
incest, homosexuality and bestiality will cause the land to vomit the
inhabitances out.
26
Ye therefore shall keep My statutes and Mine ordinances, and shall not do any
of these abominations; neither the home-born, nor the stranger that sojourns
among you-- 27 for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that
were before you, and the land is defiled-- 28 that the land vomit not you out
also, when ye defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
Just as the Canaanites were vomited
out of the land (only in the days of Yehoshua) so too it will vomit you
out.
29 For
whosoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall
be cut off from among their people.
If you don’t want Kares then
refrain from all these abominable practices.
30
Therefore shall ye keep My charge, that ye do not any of these abominable
customs, which were done before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein:
I am the LORD your God.
Parsha Kedoshim
Leviticus 19:1 – 20:27
Once one has made holy his actions
in his private life by keeping his marital and other relationships pure, he can
become holy. As we see that HASHEM is holy and expects us to be holy too.
19:1
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the
children of Israel, and say unto them: Ye shall be holy; for I the LORD your
God am holy.
The theme of this Parsha is for all
of the Bnei Yisrael to be holy for I the L-RD your G-D am holy. Am Yisrael
essentially has been chosen to be HIS Holy Nation.
3 Ye
shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and ye shall keep My sabbaths:
I am the LORD your God.
The first thing of being a Holy
People is to honor the Holy Shabbos. Shabbos is in the plural and it is weekly
or perhaps it also includes Yomim Tovim or all the other holidays in holiness.
4
Turn ye not unto the idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD
your God. 5 And when ye offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD, ye
shall offer it that ye may be accepted. 6 It shall be eaten the same day ye
offer it, and on the morrow; and if aught remain until the third day, it shall
be burnt with fire. 7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is a vile
thing; it shall not be accepted.
It has become stale and is gluttony
it is called Pegul.
8
But every one that eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned
the holy thing of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from his people. 9
And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the
corner of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest. 10
And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather the fallen
fruit of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and for the stranger:
I am the LORD your God.
Gleaming from the poor is like
stealing for we see the juxtaposition with the next sentence.
11
Ye shall not steal; neither shall ye deal falsely, nor lie one to another. 12
And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, so that thou profane the name of thy
God: I am the LORD.
Swearing falsely in Beis Din is the
first step in stealing from the other person in the court case.
13
Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbor, nor rob him; the wages of a hired servant
shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
Not paying the hired person (not
contractor) his day’s wage may prevent him from eating.
14
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind, but
thou shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in
judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor favor the person
of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.
The words here speak for themselves. We shall continue next week.
I spent over 10 hours between this computer being down and purchasing on El Al
an alternative flight to the one I had bought for my vacation that I ran out of
time. Next week hopefully will complete.
Sara Yocheved Rigler’s Story:
My Rabbi’s Sermons Drove Me to Hinduism |
Aish
[Rabbi Rachamim Pauli was lucky
that his local Conservative Rabbi (Rabbi Alpert) was a graduate of YU and
pushing Mussar towards Orthodoxy even though there was mixed seating when the
time was to turn Frum from 5728-5729 until Rabbi Teitz open up a Stiebel in the
neighborhood.]
It’s part of the reason why only 26% of US Jews believe
in God.
The recently released results of a survey of sermons in American
synagogues revealed what every American
synagogue-goer already knew: Most of the sermons focused on politics and
Israel. The survey, conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute, used AI to
analyze 4,400 sermons given in 34 Reform, Conservative and Modern Orthodox
synagogues between October, 2021, and October, 2024. Even before Hamas attacked
Israel on October 7, 2023, about half the sermons across denominations focused
on politics.
Growing up in a Conservative congregation in suburban
New Jersey, my life’s trajectory was propelled by this phenomenon. Our family
was devoutly dedicated to the synagogue. I went to services every Friday night
and Shabbat morning. I was the president of our synagogue youth group USY, and
on the National Board of USY.
The high point of the Shabbat services, relieving the
boredom of the prayers before and of the Torah reading afterwards, was the
rabbi’s sermon. A polished orator, the rabbi spoke about politics,
antisemitism, or Israel, with an occasion sermon on pop psychology. God was
never mentioned.
My many years of Hebrew school taught me nothing about
the Jewish concept of God.
Innately spiritual, I knew that God existed. Yet my many
years of Hebrew school, which I attended until I was 18 years old, taught me
nothing about the Jewish concept of God. God was like our distant relatives in
Haifa. I knew they existed but I had no relationship with them.
Then, when I was a sophomore at Brandeis University, I
had an epiphany. It was 1968, when 80% of the students were Jewish. I saw a
poster advertising a panel discussion about God to be held in the Student
Union. The four professors on the panel, all of them Jewish, included the
esteemed Dr. Abraham Maslow, founder of Humanistic Psychology, whom I adulated.
The unanimous conclusion of the panel was what they called a “humanistic
concept of God,” meaning the best part of every human being. As for the
transcendent, supernatural God of Judaism, they dismissed it out of hand.
I was excited to finally have a concept of God. The humanistic
God was intellectually cogent, supported my value system, and made no demands
on my behavior. It was good enough for me but apparently it wasn’t good enough
for God, because God then orchestrated my life’s path to draw me into a real
relationship with Him.
I wanted to go abroad for my junior year. Japan was my
first choice but the Japanese scholastic year did not sync with the American
school year. France was my second choice, but only French majors were eligible,
and I was a psych major.
Forlornly surveying the pamphlets in the office of
Foreign Studies, I noticed the “College Year in India” program of the
University of Wisconsin. It accepted applicants from all colleges and all
majors. I applied.
In the late 60s, the West’s infatuation with Eastern
spirituality was just beginning. One of my psych professors, James Klee, had
given me a private tutorial in the Bhagavad Gita. I was game to learn more.
Accepted to the program, in September, 1968, I arrived in Varanasi as a student
in the philosophy department of Benaras Hindu University.
During the summer’s orientation, the program had tried
to prepare us for culture shock: No running hot water, toilets were holes in
the floor straddled by two porcelain footrests, and water could be drunk only
after inserting iodine tablets.
My biggest culture shock was that I found myself in a
God-immersed society.
My biggest culture shock, however, was that I found
myself in a God-immersed society. A temple, or at least a shrine, appeared
every 20 meters. The center of every home was a shrine to the family’s chosen
deity. No one entered or left the house without bowing to the deity.
Most shocking of all was that all of my professors, plus
my friend Mittoo’s father who was a scientist, believed in God. Not a by-the-way
lip service belief in God, but a loving, intimate relationship with their
chosen deity. God mattered. More than politics. More than psychology.
The more I studied Vedanta philosophy and the more
discussions I had with these intellectual and passionate believers, the vague,
invisible, and largely irrelevant God of my Conservative synagogue was replaced
in my mind by a tangible, loving, supernatural presence that permeated daily
life.
God-consciousness became the goal of my life. After a
year in India, I returned to Brandeis and finished my degree. The day after
graduation I joined a Vedanta ashram in the woods of Massachusetts, with an
Indian woman guru. I spent the next 15 years there as a monastic member.
Vedanta is a universalistic philosophy, teaching that
all religions are equally valid paths to God. Therefore, our ashram routinely
invited speakers from other religions. Our stock Judaism representative was a
Jewish Renewal rabbi who spoke more about Sufism than Judaism.
A Hindu woman who lived at the ashram was a teaching
assistant to Elie Wiesel at Boston University. Through him, she met Rabbi
Joseph Polack, an Orthodox rabbi who was head of Hillel at B.U. In November,
1984, we invited Rabbi Polack to speak about Judaism at the ashram.
I had attended synagogue services every Friday night and
Shabbat morning. The rabbi had never once talked about God.
Rabbi Polack came and spoke about “Love of God Even unto
Madness,” quoting Maimonides. I sat there in shock. I knew that Maimonides was
a mainstream Jewish thinker, not a fringe figure. But what did love of God have
to do with Judaism? I had attended synagogue services every Friday
night and every Shabbat morning. The rabbi had never talked
about God.
The words “love of God” were never once uttered from our
synagogue pulpit, that I could guarantee. Yet here was this Orthodox rabbi
talking about love of God as a central dimension of Judaism.
Eight months later I had left the ashram and was
studying Torah in Jerusalem.
While living at the ashram, I would go home to visit my
parents twice a year. During those visits, I would accompany them to their
synagogue for Friday night services. It was a large synagogue, with a sprawling
main sanctuary. After one such service with its typical sermon about politics,
I confronted the rabbi. “Why do you never talk about God?”
He replied, “Did you notice how many people were there
tonight?”
“Yes,” I said. “The place was full.”
His rejoinder stunned me: “How many people do you think
would come if I talked about God?”
Could it be true? Are Jews so disinterested in God?
A Pew study entitled, “Jewish Americans in 2020”
reported that only 26% of U.S. Jewish adults believe in God as described in the
Bible, compared to 80% of Christians and 56% of U.S. adults overall. Some 50%
of Jews say they believe in some other spiritual force or higher power rather
than the God described in the Bible. Some 22% of Jews say they do not believe
in any kind of higher power or spiritual force, compared to just 10% of
American non-Jews.
Why do so few Jews believe in God?
I have my own theory. (Feel free to post your own
replies in the comments section.) Back at Brandeis, my Jewish professors did
not believe in God. In India, the equally intellectual professors all believed
in God because in India, you can believe in God and do what you want. (There
are ethical principles called Yama and niyama, but
they are not obligatory.) But in Judaism, God gives commandments, lots of them,
such as “Don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, keep the Sabbath holy, and don’t
eat shellfish.”
In
Judaism, God gives commandments, lots of them. So if you want to eat shrimp or
commit adultery, you have to get rid of God.
So
if you want to eat shrimp or commit adultery (not necessarily in that order),
you have to get rid of God.
When
God revealed Himself at Mt. Sinai to the entire Jewish nation, He did so by
giving the Ten Commandments. The implicit statement was: If you want to connect
to ME, transform yourself by doing MY will.
New
York Times columnist Ross Douthat’s new
book Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious has become an
immediate bestseller. The book presents scientific and rational reasons for
believing in God. In an interview with Bari Weiss, Douthat, a
devout Catholic, stated something that made me laugh. He explained that an
obstacle to believing is that religious practice is hard. As an example, he
told how that morning, during Lent, he couldn’t make his children a sandwich
with meat.
No
meat for 40 days? That’s hard? Try no bacon, lobster, clams,
or beef stroganoff ever? Try keeping the Sabbath holy by not going
to the movies on Friday nights. Try not starting up with your beautiful, young,
married secretary. No wonder so few Jews believe in the God of the Bible.
However,
the Catch-22 of the commandments of Judaism is that they are the very means of
creating a loving relationship with the infinite God. The two foundational
commandments of the Torah are:
·
Love your neighbor as
yourself.
·
Love the Lord your God
with your whole heart, your whole soul, and all your might.
In
India, one shows love for one’s chosen deity by offering flowers, fruits, or
sweets to the idol. In Judaism, one shows love for God by keeping the mitzvahs.
Just
as I show my love for my husband by giving him what he wants for his birthday,
so I show my love for God by doing His will. You don’t want me to eat ice cream
for dessert during a meat meal? Okay, I can wait for the Bourbon Praline Pecan
because I love you. Every mitzvah—lighting Shabbat candles, unplugging from
electronics even for a few hours on Shabbat, giving charity, calling your
mother—forges a relationship with the One who commanded it.
According
to Judaism, to believe in God and disregard His will is like being married to a
spouse who lives on another continent and never communicates except by text.
Jews get it that having a relationship with God entails keeping—one by one,
ever so gradually-- His commandments.
No
wonder it’s easier for the rabbi to talk about politics.
But
isn’t it time for the 50% of US Jews who believe in “a spiritual force or
higher power rather than the God described in the Bible,” to start learning who
the God of Judaism really is?
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Sara Yocheved Rigler
Related: https://www.timesofisrael.com/survey-finds-38-of-american-jews-believe-in-afterlife/
Milestone: Jill Sobule, 66, https://www.timesofisrael.com/jill-sobule-pop-star-who-also-composed-songs-for-a-new-yentl-dies-at-66/
Inyanay Diyoma
May 2nd
Day 574 end of week 82
Large Reserve Call-up Sunday. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407736
An
engineering force that was operating in the Morag Corridor, between Rafah and
Khan Yunis, returned to Israeli territory and accidentally left a soldier alone
in Gaza for about an hour. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407707
Details of the murder of Hersh. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407720
Members
of the Druze community in Israel are furious over the attacks on their brethren
in Syria by the regime of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. On Thursday evening, they
launched a wave of intense protests across northern Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407721
During
a National Day of Prayer event at the White House on Thursday, US President
Donald Trump discussed the situation of the hostages in Gaza, and said that fewer
than 24 are still alive. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407717
In
her question, the journalist accused Israel of "genocide." The Prime
Minister did not hold back, and rebuked: "Your statement is particularly
questionable. You've already accepted that there is a genocide. That's normally
something for the International Criminal Court to decide." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407698
Sergeant
Shimon Tubol, a soldier in the haredi Hashmonaim Brigade, was killed on
Wednesday night in a car accident, that occurred during his leave from the
army. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407705
Former
Brooklyn Assemblyman and founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, Dov Hikind,
has issued a sharp rebuke to synagogue leaders who cancelled scheduled
appearances by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir during his
recent U.S. speaking tour. Calling the cancellations “deeply troubling” and “a
capitulation to fear,” Hikind voiced frustration at what he described as a
dangerous precedent of surrender to anti-Israel agitators. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407714
As nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran resume in Oman, Prince
Reza Pahlavi and leading Iranian opposition figures remain firmly opposed to
any agreement that legitimizes the Islamic Republic. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407706
https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/underwater-volcano-axial-seamount-inching-closer-eruption
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-strikes-in-southern-lebanon-kill-two-hezbollah-operatives/
Name of soldier killed in accident. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407741
Trump appoints Holocaust Memorial Council. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407734
GWU closes SJP. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407733
May 3rd and May 4th
Day 575 and Day 576 start of week 83
12 planes in raids on Syria: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407774
Hamas weapons destroyed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407773
Lebanon seizes 800 rockets. Warns Hamas. https://www.timesofisrael.com/lebanese-government-warns-hamas-not-to-conduct-operations-from-its-territory/
Only 10% of the Pro-Pally Liberals in Canada
won re-election. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-852301
Mike Huckabee honored. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-852326
Harvard U. loses tax exempt status: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjgwv4gxel
A
70-year-old Jewish man was brutally attacked Wednesday night in the town of
Anduze, near Alès in France, Entrevue reported. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407742
Documents
from the National Security Ministry accessed by Israel National News - Arutz
Sheva show a steady increase in the budget of Israel’s Fire and Rescue
Services over the past two years. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407745
Antisemitic Music Teacher at Berklee School of
Music. https://toniairaksinen.substack.com/p/jews-are-slave-dealers-says-professor
https://www.foxnews.com/world/farages-reform-uk-beats-out-establishment-parties-earthquake-elections
https://www.foxnews.com/world/china-open-talks-trump-admin-lowering-tariffs-ministry-say
May 5th
Day 577
The Israeli Air Force is attacking
targets in Yemen this evening (Monday), in direct response to the strike on Ben
Gurion Airport by a Houthi-launched ballistic missile yesterday. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407883
Houthis looking for an aerial blockade
on Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407838
Assad’s Golan Military Hdqts. During the
operation, the forces located old regime military infrastructure, bunkers, and
weapons, including artillery, launchers, mortars, rockets, bombs, and mines.
The weapons were either destroyed or seized by the forces. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407866
A man in his 20s was killed on Sunday
night after the vehicle he was driving collided with a traffic light on Route
444 near the entrance to Elad. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407861
Turkey arrests Jew for visiting Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407875
Just to let you know why the delayed
news. After a few nights with much less sleep, I need to rest. My main computer
stopped working for now either a crash or gone! There was a lot of Dvrei Torah
for this week and all missed news items from the weekend are gone.
Sabine Taasa, a resident of Netiv
HaAsara who lost her husband, Gil, and son, Or, in the October 7th Massacre, is
furious following the publication of the IDF's inquiry into the failures at
Zikim, which found that soldiers at the scene did not assist civilians and fled
the area. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407863
IDF strikes loaded Hamas rocket
launcher. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407867
After Trump’s visit, operation Gideon’s
Chariots will finish Swords of Iron. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407872
May 6th
Day 578
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-completely-disables-houthi-controlled-sanaa-airport-in-strikes-on-yemen-capital/ https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407944
https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-poet-mosab-abu-toha-wins-pulitzer-for-gaza-war-essays/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/afd-files-lawsuit-against-german-spy-agencys-extremist-classification/
Iranian explosives were left on a
Kibbutz on Oct. 7th and just found. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407881
PM issues a video on why expanding in
Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407880
The IDF spokesperson in Arabic, Avichay
Adraee, released a video from the northern Gaza Strip, in which he stood near a
Gazan school and delivered a sharp message against the Hamas terrorist
organization and its exploitation of civilian institutions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407879
Hamas
weapons in East Yerushalayim. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407891
Hezballah
slowly softened by Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407890
Other
news in Israel:
Another
power failure in the Modiin area and this cost me some production along with
the clouds and rain here and there still after six days 585 KW produced. At the
end of the year I will truly know approximately how much of my investment is
being paid off per year. Of course I have to take into account interest or
stock investment lost during the same period but it would be nice to figure
without interest when the money will come back. Also the rates were raised this
year.
There
have been daily protests by the left with the hostage families. One wants the
PM removed and the other wants the hostages freed.
800
families want to move into the no-man’s land that was once three Yishuvim in
Northern Gaza before Aug. 2005.
Supreme Court Allows Trump
Admin To Enforce Transgender Military Ban - Dr. Rich Swier
US
ceasefire the Houthis capitulate. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407940
US
Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to scrap the Office of Palestinian Affairs
(OPA) at the State Department. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407946
On
the US’ seeming commitment to a path of negotiations with Iran, despite Iran's
open goal of Israel's destruction and Israel’s seeking of a decisive military
solution, Dr. Katz believes that, “the Iranian regime has Israel only as a
secondary target. The main target is the US and the free world as we know it today.
Israel is just standing in the way of the Iranians, to advance their approach
to control the Middle East, to control Europe and eventually, hopefully,
controlling also the United States.” https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-announces-us-stop-bombing-yemen-houthis-attack/story?id=121525865
Trump
thanks Putin for helping release Sasha. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407939
“We're
going to help the people of Gaza get some food. People are starving, and we're
going to help them get some food," Trump said when asked if he supports
Israel's decision. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407885
Charedi
Businessman who owns control of El Al rakes in millions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407936
US
President Donald Trump spoke to reporters on Tuesday and stated that 21 of the
59 remaining hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza are still alive. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407954
May 7th
Day
579
Missionaries
target blind athlete. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407971
Arab
Mafia as 1000 police invade Rahat to crack down on crimes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407978
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-disturbed-by-uks-arrest-of-iranians-in-two-counter-terror-raids/
A
joint investigation team from the Shin Bet (ISA) and Israel Police's Lahav 433
Unit urgently contacted the IDF on Tuesday, demanding clarification as to why
the IDF revealed the identity of one of Hamas'
Nukhba terrorists, Kan Reshet Bet reported Wednesday
morning. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407967
The
IDF on Wednesday announced the elimination of Hamas terrorist Khalid Ahmad
Ahmad in an aerial strike near Sidon, Lebanon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407974
The
IAF on Tuesday struck in the area of Nabatieh in Lebanon and eliminated
terrorist Adnan Muhammad Sadiq Harb, the commander of the logistical support
unit in Hezbollah's Badr unit, which operates in the northern Litani area, the
IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed in a statement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407953
Houthi
retaliatory missile self-explodes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407984
Defense
Minister the IDF will remain in all areas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407982
Another
power failure in the Modiin area and this cost me some production along with
the clouds and rain here and there still after six days 585 KW produced. At the
end of the year I will truly know approximately how much of my investment is
being paid off per year. Of course I have to take into account interest or
stock investment lost during the same period but it would be nice to figure
without interest when the money will come back. Also the rates were raised this
year.
There
have been daily protests by the left with the hostage families. One wants the
PM removed and the other wants the hostages freed.
800
families want to move into the no-man’s land that was once three Yishuvim in
Northern Gaza before Aug. 2005.
Supreme Court Allows Trump
Admin To Enforce Transgender Military Ban - Dr. Rich Swier
US
ceasefire the Houthis capitulate. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407940
US
Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to scrap the Office of Palestinian Affairs
(OPA) at the State Department. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407946
On
the US’ seeming commitment to a path of negotiations with Iran, despite Iran's
open goal of Israel's destruction and Israel’s seeking of a decisive military
solution, Dr. Katz believes that, “the Iranian regime has Israel only as a
secondary target. The main target is the US and the free world as we know it
today. Israel is just standing in the way of the Iranians, to advance their
approach to control the Middle East, to control Europe and eventually,
hopefully, controlling also the United States.” https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-announces-us-stop-bombing-yemen-houthis-attack/story?id=121525865
Trump
thanks Putin for helping release Sasha. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407939
“We're
going to help the people of Gaza get some food. People are starving, and we're
going to help them get some food," Trump said when asked if he supports
Israel's decision. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407885
Charedi
Businessman who owns control of El Al rakes in millions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407936
US
President Donald Trump spoke to reporters on Tuesday and stated that 21 of the
59 remaining hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza are still alive. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407954
May 8th May 9th
Day 580 yesterday
concluded 19 months of war and now on VE Day we start the 20th month.
Day 581 end of week 83.
India kills the
murderer of Journalist Daniel Pearl. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-853233
Pete Hegseth to visit Israel before Trump’s ME
trip. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407792
Hamas publishes another video. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407771
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-judge-says-theres-reason-to-believe-us-based-nonprofit-aided-hamas/
Similar to my days on “The good
fence” in 1977. https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-sets-up-medical-facility-in-southern-syria-for-druze-wounded-in-clashes/
Ban on bonfires. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ahead-of-lag-bomer-comptroller-warns-pm-that-recent-fires-must-be-a-wake-up-call/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-details-terrible-normalized-antisemitism-at-uk-universities/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/another-us-fighter-jet-goes-overboard-from-carrier-in-red-sea/
Op-Ed https://dianebederman.com/fear-of-freedom-leads-us-to-vote-for-more-government/
During the days of JFK I was proud
to be an American and even a Democrat. It is not that I deserted my principles
to become more of a Conservative it is that they don’t have morality anymore.
It is sad for me.
Iran threatens the US with the gates of hell. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408071
Last month, about 290
wanted individuals were arrested, 60 weapons were seized, hundreds of thousands
of shekels of terrorist funds were confiscated, and three terrorist houses
destroyed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407777
The
Lod District Court accepted the appeal of the Israel Police on Thursday
evening, deciding to keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s adviser Yonatan
Urich in custody in the so-called “Qatar-Gate” affair. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408068
Deputy
Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel gave a sharp interview yesterday to CNN senior
anchor Christiane Amanpour. During the interview, she clarified that Israel
will continue fighting in the Gaza Strip until its two main objectives are
achieved: the return of the hostages and the elimination of Hamas. She also
pushed back against claims of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which she said are
based on false information spread by Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408060
The
IDF and ISA on Wednesday struck and eliminated in the area of Gaza City, the
terrorist Muhammad Rasmi Marzouk Barakah, a terrorist in the military
intelligence of Hamas. On October 7th, 2023, Barakah infiltrated Israel and participated
in the abduction of 87-year-old Yaffa Adar from Kibbutz Nir Oz. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408056
Netanyahu
stated, "During the visit, the Prime Minister said: “We are determined to
achieve two goals: one – to defeat Hamas, to defeat Hamas, to eliminate Hamas.
The second thing, of course, at the same time – to release our hostages.” https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408058
150 targets and head of rockets eliminated over
the last day. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408051
The
rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed
various sectors, including cybersecurity. However, this transformation has
sparked a contentious debate: should AI be utilized in offensive cybersecurity
operations? Proponents argue that AI can proactively identify and neutralize
threats, while opponents caution against the ethical and security implications
of such use. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404113
Bedouin caught in gun stealing attempt. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404048
Gaza house clearing: Likud MK Amit
Halevi on Thursday harshly criticized the IDF's current combat methods in Gaza,
labeling them a "crime against our soldiers."
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408036
Shabbat candle-lighting times
| Israel National News
Have a healthy, happy and wonderful
Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
