RE: Your "The Yid Who Ate Squid" rant....
Audio:: "The Yid Who Ate Squid"
Dear Tamar,
Instead of protesting or blocking a Bar Mitzvah at the Kotel, why not get the leading Rabbis in Israel to formally invite Rahm Emanuel to have his son's Bar Mitzvah at the Kotel?
In the process, these Rabbis could individually lay hands on Rahm's son and collectively pronounce a blessing upon him that he prospers with and when Israel prospers and that he diminishes with and when Israel diminishes. Tie this young man's strength and destiny to the Land, sort of like the health of King Arthur being tied to the "health" of Camelot, if you will.
They could pronounce a Divine Blessing upon this young man that he does indeed become a Bar Mitzvah and a Guardian of the Land, despite any machinations, while adding that his father should live to see this! In short, make it an experience that both he and his father will not be able to forget! And if Rahm declines the invitation, then the leading Rabbis should go to his son's Bar Mitzvah anyway and bless him. Just a thought.... ;)
Peace,
Crazy Smade
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Thoughts On Poverty
Someone wrote, "The GRA [Vilna Gaon] says in KOL HATOR [The Voice of the Turtledove] an intresting sentence mashiach ben yosef is raised up to his stature through poverty!"
---------------------------
I'd be interested to learn what Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon means by this and how poverty raises Mashiach Ben Yosef to his stature. Any thoughts?
Champions of the poor, who are born into poverty, typically end up becoming martyrs that few seek to follow and genuinely emulate. The sects that arise out of such "cults of personality" rarely stay true to the virtues of the presumed "founder".
It's been my experience that poverty does one of three things for the individual:
1. Poverty motivates one to claw their way out of it or, at the very least, it motivates one to lash out at the "world". Doing either usually leads one to give the reins over to their Yetzer HaRa -- a recipe for disaster on many levels, IMO.
2. Poverty can break one's hope of ever escaping it and doom one to an existence of servitude, which typically condemns one's offspring to perpetuate the cycle of poverty begets poverty.
3. Poverty can drive one to suicide.
Overcome it. Live with it. Or escape it. Is there another option?
Any which way you cut it, poverty is a cruel task-master and a crippling mistress. May we see the end of economic disparity, speedily in our day!
---------------------------
I'd be interested to learn what Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon means by this and how poverty raises Mashiach Ben Yosef to his stature. Any thoughts?
Champions of the poor, who are born into poverty, typically end up becoming martyrs that few seek to follow and genuinely emulate. The sects that arise out of such "cults of personality" rarely stay true to the virtues of the presumed "founder".
It's been my experience that poverty does one of three things for the individual:
1. Poverty motivates one to claw their way out of it or, at the very least, it motivates one to lash out at the "world". Doing either usually leads one to give the reins over to their Yetzer HaRa -- a recipe for disaster on many levels, IMO.
2. Poverty can break one's hope of ever escaping it and doom one to an existence of servitude, which typically condemns one's offspring to perpetuate the cycle of poverty begets poverty.
3. Poverty can drive one to suicide.
Overcome it. Live with it. Or escape it. Is there another option?
Any which way you cut it, poverty is a cruel task-master and a crippling mistress. May we see the end of economic disparity, speedily in our day!
LIVE - BP SPILL CAM
LIVE - BP SPILL CAM
Just one of the BP's leaks in the Gulf of Mexico.
Well, maybe now the big fishing companies will start building and running on-shore fish farms, like I've been talking about for decades. ::::heavy sigh:::: Why harvest the ocean, when you can grow them on land!? Oh well.... No one listens and I haven't the bucks to do jack-squat about it. Let the world go to Hell in a handbasket. Who cares....
Just one of the BP's leaks in the Gulf of Mexico.
Well, maybe now the big fishing companies will start building and running on-shore fish farms, like I've been talking about for decades. ::::heavy sigh:::: Why harvest the ocean, when you can grow them on land!? Oh well.... No one listens and I haven't the bucks to do jack-squat about it. Let the world go to Hell in a handbasket. Who cares....
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
What Can You Do to Help the Noahide Movement?
What Can You Do to Help the Noahide Movement?
What can I do to help the so-called Noahide Nations? Nothing! I joined this pathetic group, that has about 20 or so members living in different areas across the US. I even joined their homeschooling group. What did I get? One person asked about doing a Torah study, which neither of us was qualified to lead. And a few of the kids on the group sent me their brief greetings.
In short, the best thing that could happen to this group would be that it disappears, because it's not doing anything. Noachidism isn't a religion or an organization, IMO. What these Noachides should do is move to a place where there's a Jewish community and convert to Judaism or, at the very least, attend a synagogue, shut their pie hole and learn something!
I also wrote the founder of the Noahide Nations and got ZERO response. So, if he's serious about accepting help, then maybe he ought to answer his freaking emails and/or the posts on his lame website, instead of crying on the radio about needing a new name for his program, which I have no clue why the Israeli Radio Network even allows on the air! Pfft....
See further my post - Noachide Reflections?
What can I do to help the so-called Noahide Nations? Nothing! I joined this pathetic group, that has about 20 or so members living in different areas across the US. I even joined their homeschooling group. What did I get? One person asked about doing a Torah study, which neither of us was qualified to lead. And a few of the kids on the group sent me their brief greetings.
In short, the best thing that could happen to this group would be that it disappears, because it's not doing anything. Noachidism isn't a religion or an organization, IMO. What these Noachides should do is move to a place where there's a Jewish community and convert to Judaism or, at the very least, attend a synagogue, shut their pie hole and learn something!
I also wrote the founder of the Noahide Nations and got ZERO response. So, if he's serious about accepting help, then maybe he ought to answer his freaking emails and/or the posts on his lame website, instead of crying on the radio about needing a new name for his program, which I have no clue why the Israeli Radio Network even allows on the air! Pfft....
See further my post - Noachide Reflections?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Jews and Shoes
Jews and Shoes
By Lorne Rozovsky
Shoes have always played a role in history and culture. Everyone knows the story of Cinderella and the glass slipper, or the tale of Puss and Boots. Remember Dorothy's magic ruby shoes in the Wizard of Oz?
Language is littered with references to shoes. We wait for the other shoe to drop, or try to experience life in another person's shoes. One has big shoes to fill when he takes on a new challenge. There is the phrase, "if the shoe fits, wear it."
Shoe design can indicate a person's wealth and social position, as reflected in the quality of material or the complexity of the workmanship used to make shoes. Shoes can show membership in a particular group, like cowboy boots or motorcycle boots. High heels make a social statement, as do a sensible pair of Oxfords. Celebrities are known for the number of pairs they own.
What one does with shoes also makes a statement. For example throwing shoes at someone is an insult.
What about Jews and shoes? The Song of Songs 7:2 reads, "How beautiful are thy feet in sandals." Shoes were considered to be so important that Rabbi Akiva instructed his son Joshua not to go barefoot. They were signs of sensuousness, comfort, luxury and pleasure.
The Talmud (Shabbat 129a) declares: "A person should sell the roof beams of his house to buy shoes for his feet."
According to the Code of Jewish law (the Shulchan Aruch), when putting on shoes, the right shoe goes on first. When tying shoes. the left shoe is tied first. When shoes are taken off, the left shoe comes off first. This custom is based on the belief that the right is more important than the left. Therefore, the right foot should not remain uncovered while the left is covered. Shoes should be tied from the left since knotted teffilin is worn on the left arm.
Since the tying of shoes is a reminder of the tying of teffilin, for those who are left handed, and who place the teffilin on their right arm, the right shoe should be tied first rather than the left, so that the tying of shoes matches the tying of teffilin.
There are times in Jewish life when the wearing of shoes is forbidden. When the priestly blessing is given in traditional synagogues, the kohanim remove their shoes outside the sanctuary before their hands are washed by the Levites and before giving the priestly blessing. Removing the shoes avoids the possibility of embarrassment in the event that one of the kohanim has a torn shoe lace and remains behind to tie his shoes while his brethren are blessing the congregation.
There is also a custom amongst certain chassidic groups to remove their (leather) shoes before approaching the gravesite of a holy person. This tradition goes back to the command to Moses when he approached the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:5), "Remove your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground"
On the historic day of mourning, Tisha b'Av, Jews are prohibited from wearing leather shoes. The same prohibition applies on Yom Kippur to show remorse and penance.
In the Book of Isaiah (20:2), Isaiah is commanded to remove his sandals as a sign of mourning. Shoes also play a part in the mourning period after a death. During the period of shiva, the seven days of mourning, leather shoes may not be worn. In Talmudic times, both the pall bearers and the mourners went barefoot.
If the support of a leather shoe is necessary for medical reasons, the preservation of health overrules the prohibition. If someone has to leave the house, leather shoes may be worn, but they should be removed when the person returns home for shiva. If the mourner is going to synagogue for services during shiva, leather may also be worn, though the shoes should be removed at the synagogue.
In all of these exceptions, an unusual practice is required. When the wearing of leather is permitted, a little earth or pebble is placed in the shoes to remind the wearer that they are in mourning.
The question of shoes also arises in Jewish burials. The body of the deceased may be wearing shoes, but only if the shoes are made of linen or cotton. Most Jews are buried in a shroud which covers the feet, so the issue never arises.
Of all the Jewish customs involving shoes, the most unusual and fascinating is that of the laws of halitzah. Going back to Deuteronomy (25:5-9), when a married man dies childless, leaving an unmarried brother, the brother is obligated to marry his widowed sister-in-law. The rationale for what was called a levirate marriage was to continue the name, the assets and the soul of the deceased brother through the subsequent marriage and children.
Reference to this practice is also found in the Book of Ruth 3:4 when Naomi instructs Ruth to go to the granary at night, lie next to Boaz and to uncover his feet.
The brother could also opt to release her to marry someone else. This is the ceremony of halitzah. The widow and her brother-in-law appear before a rabbinical court, a beth din, consisting of five members. The brother-in-law wears on his right foot what is known as the halitzah shoe. This special shoe is made from the skin of a kosher animal and consists of two pieces sown together with leather threads. It must not contain metal and is designed like a moccasin with long straps.
The widow declares that her brother-in-law refuses to marry her, and he confirms it as directed in Deuteronomy (25:7 and 9). She then places her left hand on his calf, undoes the laces with her right hand, removes the shoe from his foot, throws it to the ground, and spits on the ground in front of him. The beth din then recites the formula releasing all obligations.
The shoe is a symbol of the transaction. This tradition is part of the color and romance of Jewish tradition and life.
It is also part of the spiritual tradition. The Kabbalists describe the body as "the shoe of the soul." Just as shoes protect feet from the dirt, so too does the soul require the body as a shoe to protect it during its journey in the physical world.
By Lorne Rozovsky
Shoes have always played a role in history and culture. Everyone knows the story of Cinderella and the glass slipper, or the tale of Puss and Boots. Remember Dorothy's magic ruby shoes in the Wizard of Oz?
Language is littered with references to shoes. We wait for the other shoe to drop, or try to experience life in another person's shoes. One has big shoes to fill when he takes on a new challenge. There is the phrase, "if the shoe fits, wear it."
Shoe design can indicate a person's wealth and social position, as reflected in the quality of material or the complexity of the workmanship used to make shoes. Shoes can show membership in a particular group, like cowboy boots or motorcycle boots. High heels make a social statement, as do a sensible pair of Oxfords. Celebrities are known for the number of pairs they own.
What one does with shoes also makes a statement. For example throwing shoes at someone is an insult.
What about Jews and shoes? The Song of Songs 7:2 reads, "How beautiful are thy feet in sandals." Shoes were considered to be so important that Rabbi Akiva instructed his son Joshua not to go barefoot. They were signs of sensuousness, comfort, luxury and pleasure.
The Talmud (Shabbat 129a) declares: "A person should sell the roof beams of his house to buy shoes for his feet."
According to the Code of Jewish law (the Shulchan Aruch), when putting on shoes, the right shoe goes on first. When tying shoes. the left shoe is tied first. When shoes are taken off, the left shoe comes off first. This custom is based on the belief that the right is more important than the left. Therefore, the right foot should not remain uncovered while the left is covered. Shoes should be tied from the left since knotted teffilin is worn on the left arm.
Since the tying of shoes is a reminder of the tying of teffilin, for those who are left handed, and who place the teffilin on their right arm, the right shoe should be tied first rather than the left, so that the tying of shoes matches the tying of teffilin.
There are times in Jewish life when the wearing of shoes is forbidden. When the priestly blessing is given in traditional synagogues, the kohanim remove their shoes outside the sanctuary before their hands are washed by the Levites and before giving the priestly blessing. Removing the shoes avoids the possibility of embarrassment in the event that one of the kohanim has a torn shoe lace and remains behind to tie his shoes while his brethren are blessing the congregation.
There is also a custom amongst certain chassidic groups to remove their (leather) shoes before approaching the gravesite of a holy person. This tradition goes back to the command to Moses when he approached the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:5), "Remove your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground"
On the historic day of mourning, Tisha b'Av, Jews are prohibited from wearing leather shoes. The same prohibition applies on Yom Kippur to show remorse and penance.
In the Book of Isaiah (20:2), Isaiah is commanded to remove his sandals as a sign of mourning. Shoes also play a part in the mourning period after a death. During the period of shiva, the seven days of mourning, leather shoes may not be worn. In Talmudic times, both the pall bearers and the mourners went barefoot.
If the support of a leather shoe is necessary for medical reasons, the preservation of health overrules the prohibition. If someone has to leave the house, leather shoes may be worn, but they should be removed when the person returns home for shiva. If the mourner is going to synagogue for services during shiva, leather may also be worn, though the shoes should be removed at the synagogue.
In all of these exceptions, an unusual practice is required. When the wearing of leather is permitted, a little earth or pebble is placed in the shoes to remind the wearer that they are in mourning.
The question of shoes also arises in Jewish burials. The body of the deceased may be wearing shoes, but only if the shoes are made of linen or cotton. Most Jews are buried in a shroud which covers the feet, so the issue never arises.
Of all the Jewish customs involving shoes, the most unusual and fascinating is that of the laws of halitzah. Going back to Deuteronomy (25:5-9), when a married man dies childless, leaving an unmarried brother, the brother is obligated to marry his widowed sister-in-law. The rationale for what was called a levirate marriage was to continue the name, the assets and the soul of the deceased brother through the subsequent marriage and children.
Reference to this practice is also found in the Book of Ruth 3:4 when Naomi instructs Ruth to go to the granary at night, lie next to Boaz and to uncover his feet.
The brother could also opt to release her to marry someone else. This is the ceremony of halitzah. The widow and her brother-in-law appear before a rabbinical court, a beth din, consisting of five members. The brother-in-law wears on his right foot what is known as the halitzah shoe. This special shoe is made from the skin of a kosher animal and consists of two pieces sown together with leather threads. It must not contain metal and is designed like a moccasin with long straps.
The widow declares that her brother-in-law refuses to marry her, and he confirms it as directed in Deuteronomy (25:7 and 9). She then places her left hand on his calf, undoes the laces with her right hand, removes the shoe from his foot, throws it to the ground, and spits on the ground in front of him. The beth din then recites the formula releasing all obligations.
The shoe is a symbol of the transaction. This tradition is part of the color and romance of Jewish tradition and life.
It is also part of the spiritual tradition. The Kabbalists describe the body as "the shoe of the soul." Just as shoes protect feet from the dirt, so too does the soul require the body as a shoe to protect it during its journey in the physical world.
Monday, May 17, 2010
SHALOM TV HEBREW ALEFBET LESSON 9 - PART 1 thru 4
SHALOM TV HEBREW ALEFBET LESSON 9 - PART 1 thru 4
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Scientists stunned as grey whale sighted off Israel
Scientists stunned as grey whale sighted off Israel
JERUSALEM (AFP) - – The appearance of a grey whale off the coast of Israel has stunned scientists, in what was thought to be the first time the giant mammal has been seen outside the Pacific in several hundred years.
The whale, which was first sighted off Herzliya in central Israel on Saturday, is believed to have travelled thousands of miles from the north Pacific after losing its way in search of food.
"It's an unbelievable event which has been described as one of the most important whale sightings ever," said Dr Aviad Scheinin, chairman of the Israel Marine Mammal Research and Assistance Center which identified the creature.
A population of grey whales once inhabited the north Atlantic but became extinct in the 17th or 18th centuries and has not been seen there since.
The remaining colonies live in the western and eastern sectors of the north Pacific.
"What has amazed the entire marine mammal research community is there haven't been any grey whales in the Atlantic since the 18th century," he said. Scheinin said the creature, a mature whale measuring some 12 metres (39 feet) and weighing around 20 tonnes, probably reached the Atlantic through the Northwest Passage, an Arctic sea route that connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and is normally covered with ice.
"Here you have an animal that is supposed to live in the Pacific and because the ice in the Arctic is melting, it managed to get through this corridor near the Bering Strait," Scheinin told AFP.
The population which lives in the northeastern Pacific normally migrates southwards in around October, heading for warmer waters around the Gulf of California in a huge round trip of at least 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometres).
So when autumn came, this particular grey whale began travelling south, keeping the land mass on the left and heading for the Californian Gulf with the aim of "turning left" into the bay.
But instead, it reached Gibraltar and turned left into the Mediterranean and ended up off the shores of Israel, Scheinin said.
"The question now is: are we going to see the re-colonisation of the Atlantic?" he said. "This is very important ecologically because of the change of habitat. It emphasises the climate change that we are going through."
So far, the whale seems to be happy enough in the waters off the shores of Israel, he said.
"It is pretty thin, which indicates the trip was quite harsh, but we think it can survive here," he said. "Grey whales are very generalist in what they feed on."
Now experts are mulling the possibility of tracking the whale by satellite -- a costly operation that would need outside funding and expertise, Scheinin said.
"It's quite a big operation to do this. If it stays around here for the next month, it's worth having someone come in and do this professionally," he said.
"It will be interesting to see where it goes and to follow it."
JERUSALEM (AFP) - – The appearance of a grey whale off the coast of Israel has stunned scientists, in what was thought to be the first time the giant mammal has been seen outside the Pacific in several hundred years.
The whale, which was first sighted off Herzliya in central Israel on Saturday, is believed to have travelled thousands of miles from the north Pacific after losing its way in search of food.
"It's an unbelievable event which has been described as one of the most important whale sightings ever," said Dr Aviad Scheinin, chairman of the Israel Marine Mammal Research and Assistance Center which identified the creature.
A population of grey whales once inhabited the north Atlantic but became extinct in the 17th or 18th centuries and has not been seen there since.
The remaining colonies live in the western and eastern sectors of the north Pacific.
"What has amazed the entire marine mammal research community is there haven't been any grey whales in the Atlantic since the 18th century," he said. Scheinin said the creature, a mature whale measuring some 12 metres (39 feet) and weighing around 20 tonnes, probably reached the Atlantic through the Northwest Passage, an Arctic sea route that connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and is normally covered with ice.
"Here you have an animal that is supposed to live in the Pacific and because the ice in the Arctic is melting, it managed to get through this corridor near the Bering Strait," Scheinin told AFP.
The population which lives in the northeastern Pacific normally migrates southwards in around October, heading for warmer waters around the Gulf of California in a huge round trip of at least 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometres).
So when autumn came, this particular grey whale began travelling south, keeping the land mass on the left and heading for the Californian Gulf with the aim of "turning left" into the bay.
But instead, it reached Gibraltar and turned left into the Mediterranean and ended up off the shores of Israel, Scheinin said.
"The question now is: are we going to see the re-colonisation of the Atlantic?" he said. "This is very important ecologically because of the change of habitat. It emphasises the climate change that we are going through."
So far, the whale seems to be happy enough in the waters off the shores of Israel, he said.
"It is pretty thin, which indicates the trip was quite harsh, but we think it can survive here," he said. "Grey whales are very generalist in what they feed on."
Now experts are mulling the possibility of tracking the whale by satellite -- a costly operation that would need outside funding and expertise, Scheinin said.
"It's quite a big operation to do this. If it stays around here for the next month, it's worth having someone come in and do this professionally," he said.
"It will be interesting to see where it goes and to follow it."
Some rhetorical and not-so-rhetorical questions
Some rhetorical and not-so-rhetorical questions
What's the difference between the Tzelem Elokim and the Yetzer HaTov and the Nefesh Elokis?
Do non-Jews have three partners in their conception - their biological mother, their biological father and HaShem Himself?
Are we all Offspring of HaShem, regardless of whether or not we choose to behave like it?
Are non-Jews created in the image of Elokim?
Can a non-Jew activate his/her "Good Imagination" by becoming a Noachide and/or Repentant Stranger?
Does a Noachide or Repentant Stranger have a Nefesh Elokis?
Were the souls of what were to become non-Jews once part of the Adam Kadmon?
Jews and other non-Muslims have been the victims of the Islamic concept of Dhimmitude run amok. Does Judaism teach that non-Jews ought to be viewed and treated as being "dhimmi" and/or as second class citizens and/or as sub-humans in the Divine Economy?
What's the difference between the Tzelem Elokim and the Yetzer HaTov and the Nefesh Elokis?
Do non-Jews have three partners in their conception - their biological mother, their biological father and HaShem Himself?
Are we all Offspring of HaShem, regardless of whether or not we choose to behave like it?
Are non-Jews created in the image of Elokim?
Can a non-Jew activate his/her "Good Imagination" by becoming a Noachide and/or Repentant Stranger?
Does a Noachide or Repentant Stranger have a Nefesh Elokis?
Were the souls of what were to become non-Jews once part of the Adam Kadmon?
Jews and other non-Muslims have been the victims of the Islamic concept of Dhimmitude run amok. Does Judaism teach that non-Jews ought to be viewed and treated as being "dhimmi" and/or as second class citizens and/or as sub-humans in the Divine Economy?
Monday, May 10, 2010
MAN vs BEAST
MAN vs BEAST
By Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum
Scientists have made a startling discovery. Who we are and what we are is all embedded in our chromosomes which contain the genetic code. Everything depends on the sequence of only four different letters, the four different bases. Whether it’s a small worm or a man, whether it’s animal or vegetable, Hashem made us all from the very same building blocks and all of life is very much the same.
Perhaps this is what Shlomo, the wisest of all men, meant when he said (see Koheles 3:19) "u’mosar ho’adom min ha’bheima oyin, ki hakol hevel." In structure, man is not much different from an animal or even a worm. Eventually they all disintegrate into earth and are actually made from the very same elements, as it says "ha’kol holeich el mokom echad. Hakol hayah min he’afar, v’hakol shov el he’afar." The only difference between the two is that man possesses a soul that eventually must face its Creator. Man is accountable for all it does on the earth below, as it says "mi yodei’a ruach bnei adam ho’oleh hi l’malah, v’ruach habheimah ha’yoredes hi l’matah l’oretz.
Man’s only advantage over an animal is his power of speech called "ruach memallela." While other species are able to communicate with each other in various and even sophisticated ways, they lack inteligence and the power of speech (See Rashi Berashis 27). When used properly, this great gift can elevate man to the highest of heights but when it is chas v’shalom misused, it can lower him to the lowest depths. In fact, the Torah tells us that the snake too had originally been granted this great gift. When it misused its great power, its hands and feet were removed and it was relegated to crawling on its belly. It takes only a few small changes in the DNA sequence to make these changes, certainly no big deal.
The only difference between man and beast is the small letter Yud. Animals were created with the word "va’yitzer" that has only one Yud, while man was created with the word "va’yitzer" that contains two Yuds. Rashi (Berashis 27) explains that animals were created with only one life, on this world, while man has the potential of living in a future world. All of mankind were given six commandments with a seventh added in the days of Noach. If they keep them properly, then they will be insured of a share in the world to come, but if they don’t, they’ll have to pay the consequences.
A Jew has been given six hundred and thirteen commandments which he must adhere to. Along with them, he was also granted a holy neshama, which, we are told, is a "chelek Eloki," (a part of G-d) which he must make sure to keep pure and holy.
So let’s take a fresh look at the magnificent and wondrous world we live in and try to realize why we have been put here. "Va’ani lo nivreisi elah l’shamesh es koni." While all of creation was made to serve man, man was created to serve his Creator!
As man increases his knowledge and understanding of life’s complex and marvelous structures and begins to see the great wonders that lie within each cell and in all of creation, he must increase his awe and love of G-d who made and makes it all happen.
We all hope and pray that the time will soon come when all of humanity will recognize that it is Hashem Who created it all, as it says "v’yeidah kol po’ul ki Atta p’alto, v’yavin kol y’tzur ki Atta y’tzarto." Science will come to the realization that not only did Hashem create the entire universe, and has full and constant control of it, but He also reenergizes it at every moment as it says "ha’mechadesh b’chol yom tamid maasei bereishis." Everyone will finally recognize that all of creation is nothing but a manifestation of its Creator and it is to Him alone that all of mankind will bow and serve. "And on that day He will be One and His Name will be One."
By Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum
Scientists have made a startling discovery. Who we are and what we are is all embedded in our chromosomes which contain the genetic code. Everything depends on the sequence of only four different letters, the four different bases. Whether it’s a small worm or a man, whether it’s animal or vegetable, Hashem made us all from the very same building blocks and all of life is very much the same.
Perhaps this is what Shlomo, the wisest of all men, meant when he said (see Koheles 3:19) "u’mosar ho’adom min ha’bheima oyin, ki hakol hevel." In structure, man is not much different from an animal or even a worm. Eventually they all disintegrate into earth and are actually made from the very same elements, as it says "ha’kol holeich el mokom echad. Hakol hayah min he’afar, v’hakol shov el he’afar." The only difference between the two is that man possesses a soul that eventually must face its Creator. Man is accountable for all it does on the earth below, as it says "mi yodei’a ruach bnei adam ho’oleh hi l’malah, v’ruach habheimah ha’yoredes hi l’matah l’oretz.
Man’s only advantage over an animal is his power of speech called "ruach memallela." While other species are able to communicate with each other in various and even sophisticated ways, they lack inteligence and the power of speech (See Rashi Berashis 27). When used properly, this great gift can elevate man to the highest of heights but when it is chas v’shalom misused, it can lower him to the lowest depths. In fact, the Torah tells us that the snake too had originally been granted this great gift. When it misused its great power, its hands and feet were removed and it was relegated to crawling on its belly. It takes only a few small changes in the DNA sequence to make these changes, certainly no big deal.
The only difference between man and beast is the small letter Yud. Animals were created with the word "va’yitzer" that has only one Yud, while man was created with the word "va’yitzer" that contains two Yuds. Rashi (Berashis 27) explains that animals were created with only one life, on this world, while man has the potential of living in a future world. All of mankind were given six commandments with a seventh added in the days of Noach. If they keep them properly, then they will be insured of a share in the world to come, but if they don’t, they’ll have to pay the consequences.
A Jew has been given six hundred and thirteen commandments which he must adhere to. Along with them, he was also granted a holy neshama, which, we are told, is a "chelek Eloki," (a part of G-d) which he must make sure to keep pure and holy.
So let’s take a fresh look at the magnificent and wondrous world we live in and try to realize why we have been put here. "Va’ani lo nivreisi elah l’shamesh es koni." While all of creation was made to serve man, man was created to serve his Creator!
As man increases his knowledge and understanding of life’s complex and marvelous structures and begins to see the great wonders that lie within each cell and in all of creation, he must increase his awe and love of G-d who made and makes it all happen.
We all hope and pray that the time will soon come when all of humanity will recognize that it is Hashem Who created it all, as it says "v’yeidah kol po’ul ki Atta p’alto, v’yavin kol y’tzur ki Atta y’tzarto." Science will come to the realization that not only did Hashem create the entire universe, and has full and constant control of it, but He also reenergizes it at every moment as it says "ha’mechadesh b’chol yom tamid maasei bereishis." Everyone will finally recognize that all of creation is nothing but a manifestation of its Creator and it is to Him alone that all of mankind will bow and serve. "And on that day He will be One and His Name will be One."
Friday, May 7, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Afterlife for Jews and non-Jews
The following is taken from: "Bringing Heaven Down To Earth: Meditations and Everyday Wisdom from the Teachings of the Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson" compiled by Tzvi Freeman, p. 112:
"People have a misconception of Hell. Let me tell you what Hell really is. Hell is a spiritual place where everything that exists in our world exists, but in an infinite way. So, whatever you chased after in this world, there you do it ad infinitum. And that's Hell."
"People have a misconception of Hell. Let me tell you what Hell really is. Hell is a spiritual place where everything that exists in our world exists, but in an infinite way. So, whatever you chased after in this world, there you do it ad infinitum. And that's Hell."
Noachide Reflections?
The following is my response to an article entitled, "Noachide Reflections," that was posted on Rabbi Lazer Brody's website.
Why not remain a Noachide? Well, to be perfectly honest, the Noachide Movement simply doesn't appeal to me for the following reasons:
1. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws pre-date Judaism, they fail to provide one with a genuine sense of security and continuity.
2. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws are universal, they fail to provide one with a sense of belonging because they lack an ethnic, cultural and national identity. This is especially true for modern Americans that come from a White-Anglo-Saxon-Protestant lineage.
3. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws provide non-Jews with a vehicle to eschew Pagan, Christian and Messianic idolatry (avodah zarah), they only grant one the status of what amounts to a second-class citizen in the Divine Economy; hence, Noachidism places a limit on one's need for self-esteem.
Is it better to be a big "Noachide" fish in a little pond or a little "Jewish" fish in a big pond? Why be a star in the minor leagues, if you've got the talent to play on a major league team? Which requires more effort in self-nullification (bitul)...? No pain ... no gain, right?
4. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws establish a base-line for ethical conduct, they fail to provide one with a genuine path for achieving moral and spiritual perfection; hence, Noachidism places a limit on one's ability to self-actualize.
5. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws can help non-Jews to obtain a share in the World to Come, they don't enable one to transcend in the Here-and-Now.
Security, belonging, self-esteem, self-actualization and transcendence are all part of the hierarchy of needs that Dr. Abraham Maslow states that all humans desire and must obtain in order to be truly fulfilled. Sadly, the Noachide Movement falls short on all counts, whereas Judaism provides a path (derech) for one to be all that they can and should be in this life.
This is why so many Noachides opt to convert to Judaism, IMO. Who knows? Perhaps these Seven Categories of Noachide Laws were always meant to be mere stepping stones for the Chasidim of the Nations to use. If we all contain a Divine Spark, then it's the destiny of each Spark to be elevated and return to the Source, no? Which is better -- the short and long way or the long and short way?
See further, "Does the Angel Tap Everyone On The Lip?"
Why not remain a Noachide? Well, to be perfectly honest, the Noachide Movement simply doesn't appeal to me for the following reasons:
1. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws pre-date Judaism, they fail to provide one with a genuine sense of security and continuity.
2. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws are universal, they fail to provide one with a sense of belonging because they lack an ethnic, cultural and national identity. This is especially true for modern Americans that come from a White-Anglo-Saxon-Protestant lineage.
3. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws provide non-Jews with a vehicle to eschew Pagan, Christian and Messianic idolatry (avodah zarah), they only grant one the status of what amounts to a second-class citizen in the Divine Economy; hence, Noachidism places a limit on one's need for self-esteem.
Is it better to be a big "Noachide" fish in a little pond or a little "Jewish" fish in a big pond? Why be a star in the minor leagues, if you've got the talent to play on a major league team? Which requires more effort in self-nullification (bitul)...? No pain ... no gain, right?
4. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws establish a base-line for ethical conduct, they fail to provide one with a genuine path for achieving moral and spiritual perfection; hence, Noachidism places a limit on one's ability to self-actualize.
5. Though the Seven Categories of Noachide Laws can help non-Jews to obtain a share in the World to Come, they don't enable one to transcend in the Here-and-Now.
Security, belonging, self-esteem, self-actualization and transcendence are all part of the hierarchy of needs that Dr. Abraham Maslow states that all humans desire and must obtain in order to be truly fulfilled. Sadly, the Noachide Movement falls short on all counts, whereas Judaism provides a path (derech) for one to be all that they can and should be in this life.
This is why so many Noachides opt to convert to Judaism, IMO. Who knows? Perhaps these Seven Categories of Noachide Laws were always meant to be mere stepping stones for the Chasidim of the Nations to use. If we all contain a Divine Spark, then it's the destiny of each Spark to be elevated and return to the Source, no? Which is better -- the short and long way or the long and short way?
See further, "Does the Angel Tap Everyone On The Lip?"
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Honoring Jewish Gravesites: Flowers or Stones?
My esteemed friend Rabbi Moss in Sydney, Australia gives a superb answer to a question about the Jewish custom of putting stones on a grave rather than flowers:
Dear Rabbi:
I am going to visit my grandmother's grave, and was planning to buy a bunch of her favourite flowers. But I have noticed that Jewish graves don't have bouquets, only stones laid on them. Is there anything wrong with placing flowers on a grave?
Answer:
The custom to place a stone on a grave is an ancient one. By doing so we are symbolically adding to the gravestone, building up the monument that honours the departed. Placing flowers on a grave is not our custom.
Flowers wither and die. Stones remain unchanged. While flowers are a beautiful gift to the living, they mean nothing to the dead. In death, the body which is ephemeral and temporary is gone, and all that remains is that eternal part of the person, their soul. The body, like a flower, blossoms and then fades away, but the soul, like a solid stone, lives on forever.
In the world of truth, the place we all go after life on earth, what counts is the lasting impact we had on the world. It is the achievements of the soul, not of the body, that remain beyond the grave. The money we make, the holidays we go on, the food we eat and the games we play - these are all flowers that die along with us. But the good deeds we do, the love we show to others, the light we bring to the world, these are eternal stones that never die.
If you want to honour your grandmother, take the money you would have spent on flowers for her and give it to charity in her memory. And take a modest stone that cost you nothing, and place it on her grave, to tell her that though she is gone, the impact she had on you is everlasting.
My esteemed friend Rabbi Moss in Sydney, Australia gives a superb answer to a question about the Jewish custom of putting stones on a grave rather than flowers:
Dear Rabbi:
I am going to visit my grandmother's grave, and was planning to buy a bunch of her favourite flowers. But I have noticed that Jewish graves don't have bouquets, only stones laid on them. Is there anything wrong with placing flowers on a grave?
Answer:
The custom to place a stone on a grave is an ancient one. By doing so we are symbolically adding to the gravestone, building up the monument that honours the departed. Placing flowers on a grave is not our custom.
Flowers wither and die. Stones remain unchanged. While flowers are a beautiful gift to the living, they mean nothing to the dead. In death, the body which is ephemeral and temporary is gone, and all that remains is that eternal part of the person, their soul. The body, like a flower, blossoms and then fades away, but the soul, like a solid stone, lives on forever.
In the world of truth, the place we all go after life on earth, what counts is the lasting impact we had on the world. It is the achievements of the soul, not of the body, that remain beyond the grave. The money we make, the holidays we go on, the food we eat and the games we play - these are all flowers that die along with us. But the good deeds we do, the love we show to others, the light we bring to the world, these are eternal stones that never die.
If you want to honour your grandmother, take the money you would have spent on flowers for her and give it to charity in her memory. And take a modest stone that cost you nothing, and place it on her grave, to tell her that though she is gone, the impact she had on you is everlasting.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
SOOTHING THE TROUBLED SOUL
Excerpt"Sparks of Light: Counseling in the Hasidic tradition" by Edward Hoffman and Reb Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi, pp. 151-155:
SOOTHING THE TROUBLED SOUL
Similar to their multi-tiered approach to physical illness, the Hasidic founders expressed varying views toward mental disorder: that is, cases in which people repeatedly and grossly violated religious and community norms. One master intriguingly argued that the normal human condition is insanity and that only by the grace of God are individuals sane. Another espoused that madness is a disease of the will. Rabbi Aaron of Karlin articulated the notion that "There is no mental illness without pride .... All mental illness is based on wanting to have one's own way,"
Yet other rebbes taught that emotional sickness, like its bodily counterpart, derives from the Evil Inclination [Yetzer Ha-Ra]: when people sin, they make themselves vulnerable to the "spirit of folly," which can then seize hold and turn them from moral behavior. From this perspective, mental illness represents a fall from consciousness or "right knowing" - a state of profound forgetfulness of one's higher nature.
Certainly, one of the most prevalent forms of emotional distress within shtetl life was depression. Even a casual perusal of early Hasidic sermons and tracts reveals that rebbes were very much concerned with identifying and treating this debilitating condition. From the unrelieved economic and political hardships of Jews in that milieu, it is hardly surprising that many people fell prey to feelings of hopelessness and despair; powerlessness and self-doubt easily become chronic and pathological.
Rather, what is difficult to explain is that such energetic, optimistic figures as the Hasidic leaders even existed - promulgating a message of joy when so little outwardly justified it. The Besht had repeatedly urged, "There is a great rule in the service of the Creator: guard yourself from sadness in every possible way."
It is important to note that the Hasidic founders focused specifically on the real, clinical signs of depression and not on normal reactions to the vicissitudes of life, such as grief and mourning. Anticipating modern psychology by centuries, rebbes like Nachman of Bratslav and Schneur Zalman of Liady pinpointed such behavioral signs as listlessness and lethargy, loss of appetite and sleeplessness, and the inability to shed tears as indicators of serious depression. Conversely, if the rebbe felt that the hasid was merely trying to avoid confronting his appropriate emotions of sadness, he would be made to face these.
Two basic methods existed by which rebbes treated depression; sometimes, these were used together. With the first, the rebbe sought to arouse the hasid's sense of excitement and anticipation of gratification, such as from spiritual sources. Occasionally, the hasid might also be permitted to regress to more physical pleasures, provided these were sanctioned within Jewish and Hasidic practice.
The second approach-known as the bitush or "shattering" was predicated upon the rebbe's belief that chronic depression can best be broken by heightening the condition to a piercingly acute state. Interpreting the story of Exodus on this level, they taught that the hasid must sacrifice the lamb - his "animal soul' - in order to liberate his imprisoned yearnings for renewed life.
How was this "death" to be accomplished? Sometimes, the hasid's discipline was intensified through fasting and enforced solitude. But above all, rebbes strove to induce the hasid to cry - not with fleeting tears, but with wracking, soul-wrenching sobs, weeping that welled up from one's entire being. Feelings of aching dullness had to give way to release.
The hasid's inner resignation was transformed first to the world-less scream, "Help me, Father!"; then to a long, long wail like a Shofar blast; then to a broken weeping; and finally, to a shattered wimpering. Only after utter despair could come laughter and joy, the Hasidic leaders stressed. The hopelessness that had characterized the inescapability of death had become the impetus for a flight to life.
Of course, not every person was strong enough to withstand such a crisis; but the rebbes regarded palliatives and easy assurances as serving ultimately only to prolong a serious depression. As long as one appeared able to withstand the bitush, no one could spare him the ordeal. It was deemed the surest and quickest way to mental recovery.
Another common type of emotional disturbance among shtetl folk was what we would term hysteria. In essence, hysteric manifestations result from inner conflict and take the form of dramatic impairment or paralysis of the muscular-sensory system. For instance, a woman may suddenly find that she cannot move her hand or leg; one morning, a man may awaken blind or mute. Such cases were far from rare among East European Jews of the time; in fact, they formed the initial basis for Sigmund Freud's private practice in Vienna about a century later.
Generally, rebbes seemed to have treated hysteric episodes as though they were real, physical illnesses. In a sense, rebbes assisted the sufferer by accepting his symptoms as legitimate, but yet banishing these without shaming him by suggesting that he had been feigning true sickness. In this way, the hasid had little motive to adopt new symptoms, as he had gained special, community status as "one who had been healed." His desire for attention having been satisfied, he no longer felt it necessary to cling to his disorder. He could return to normal life.
Thus, rebbes were often called upon to help women in difficult labor to have normal deliveries. Under intense anxiety and fear, they were tightening their own muscles and thereby increasing their agony. A gentle, soothing word from the rebbe, or an amulet with the "Name" [Tetragrammaton] on it, frequently succeeded in calming the woman in labor and effecting a smooth delivery.
So it was with the blind, the lame, and the mute. In one dramatic instance, the rebbe restored a man's sight, then withdrew it. The rebbe wanted to show that he had the power to heal the man, but he did not deserve it. We are told that a rebbe once said in a deaf-mute's presence, "Drown him, shock him, wake his nerves!" and this alone was sufficient to heal him. In another tale, the rebbe first restored a man's hearing and then helped his speech.
Sometimes, the rebbe demanded a certain sacrifice on the part of the hasid's family before agreeing to effect the cure; perhaps, the Hasidic masters were more knowledgeable about subtle, family dynamics and "sick roles" than we think. For example, the father of a deaf-mute son was asked to promise no longer to shave. Because of the intense social sanction involved, this oath represented a real sacrifice on the father's part. Only after he himself had completely accepted the rebbe's condition did the boy's cure take place.
From our present-day vantage point, obsessive-compulsive behavior was also common in the shtetl. Some hasidim were afflicted with a sense of perpetual anxiety and guilt concerning the fulfillment of religious obligations. They felt in need of guidance, to learn how to conduct themselves more meticulously. Some, no doubt, anticipated approval for their zealousness. Such persons were usually in for a rude awakening when they went for their yechidut (lit. "one-ing" - a hasid's private encounter-session with his rebbe).
Rebbes generally regarded over-scrupulosity as a symptom of emotional imbalance. They expected their hasidim to observe the Jewish Law with selfless delight, not with grim determination or boastful self-congratulation. On this subject, the Shtefaneshter poetically remarked, "Scrupulosity is a cloak made of pride, lined with anger, and sewn with melancholia."
In a modern Hasidic story, a rebbe once rebuked his prideful colleagues at a rabbinical convention. As they preened themselves on their zealous religious observances, he suddenly announced his own scrupulous refusal henceforth to eat yellow cucumbers. When his colleagues pressed him for an explanation, he sardonically replied, "Why? Because they taste bitter to me."
By denying the hasid the satisfaction of obsessive-compulsive conduct, the rebbe was often able to shock him into a more modest and ultimately more harmonious lifestyle. Certain Hasidic groups, though, viewed such an aberration less seriously than did others.
Certainly, no examination of shtetl mental illness and its treatment would be complete without a look at the dybbuk phenomenon. Of course, from the Hasidic perspective, possession of one's being by an invading psychic entity was a grave spiritual disorder, not primarily a sign of emotional imbalance. Such an invasion was seen to have been the result of a vulnerability due to some inner, moral lapse on the individual's part. They believed that such a person had become "weakened" by his unholy thoughts or deeds, thus opening himself to the dybbuk's power.
There were several behavioral signs that suggested to rebbes that the individual was possessed. These included a marked loss of appetite and the will to live, severe introversion, and occasionally, convulsions. When urged to eat or behave normally, the person might turn abusive and hostile, sometimes shaming family members in public. He might hurl lurid insults at others, or show contempt for holy rituals or objects. At times, he might unexpectedly regain his ordinary personality for brief periods and complain of being controlled by another being. Eventually, the family would take the sufferer to the rebbe.
Hasidic exorcisms were typically community affairs. Before assembled hasidim who served as witnesses, the rebbe would speak directly to the offending spirit, rather than to the sufferer's normal self. The rebbe would ask questions as to its identity and origins: invariably, the dybbuk would reveal itself as a discarnate soul who had committed some horrible sin in earthly existence. As divine retribution, it had been condemned to wander in the void.
Finally, the rebbe would order the dybbuk to depart; if it initially refused, the rebbe issued dire threats of eternal wandering or offers for later healing and uplifting. At times, the rebbe might even ask a dybbuk how it might be helped. Thereupon, the entity was perceived to leave - and the person restored to health. Once again, the rebbe's transcendent knowledge and power had triumphed over the forces of darkness.
SOOTHING THE TROUBLED SOUL
Similar to their multi-tiered approach to physical illness, the Hasidic founders expressed varying views toward mental disorder: that is, cases in which people repeatedly and grossly violated religious and community norms. One master intriguingly argued that the normal human condition is insanity and that only by the grace of God are individuals sane. Another espoused that madness is a disease of the will. Rabbi Aaron of Karlin articulated the notion that "There is no mental illness without pride .... All mental illness is based on wanting to have one's own way,"
Yet other rebbes taught that emotional sickness, like its bodily counterpart, derives from the Evil Inclination [Yetzer Ha-Ra]: when people sin, they make themselves vulnerable to the "spirit of folly," which can then seize hold and turn them from moral behavior. From this perspective, mental illness represents a fall from consciousness or "right knowing" - a state of profound forgetfulness of one's higher nature.
Certainly, one of the most prevalent forms of emotional distress within shtetl life was depression. Even a casual perusal of early Hasidic sermons and tracts reveals that rebbes were very much concerned with identifying and treating this debilitating condition. From the unrelieved economic and political hardships of Jews in that milieu, it is hardly surprising that many people fell prey to feelings of hopelessness and despair; powerlessness and self-doubt easily become chronic and pathological.
Rather, what is difficult to explain is that such energetic, optimistic figures as the Hasidic leaders even existed - promulgating a message of joy when so little outwardly justified it. The Besht had repeatedly urged, "There is a great rule in the service of the Creator: guard yourself from sadness in every possible way."
It is important to note that the Hasidic founders focused specifically on the real, clinical signs of depression and not on normal reactions to the vicissitudes of life, such as grief and mourning. Anticipating modern psychology by centuries, rebbes like Nachman of Bratslav and Schneur Zalman of Liady pinpointed such behavioral signs as listlessness and lethargy, loss of appetite and sleeplessness, and the inability to shed tears as indicators of serious depression. Conversely, if the rebbe felt that the hasid was merely trying to avoid confronting his appropriate emotions of sadness, he would be made to face these.
Two basic methods existed by which rebbes treated depression; sometimes, these were used together. With the first, the rebbe sought to arouse the hasid's sense of excitement and anticipation of gratification, such as from spiritual sources. Occasionally, the hasid might also be permitted to regress to more physical pleasures, provided these were sanctioned within Jewish and Hasidic practice.
The second approach-known as the bitush or "shattering" was predicated upon the rebbe's belief that chronic depression can best be broken by heightening the condition to a piercingly acute state. Interpreting the story of Exodus on this level, they taught that the hasid must sacrifice the lamb - his "animal soul' - in order to liberate his imprisoned yearnings for renewed life.
How was this "death" to be accomplished? Sometimes, the hasid's discipline was intensified through fasting and enforced solitude. But above all, rebbes strove to induce the hasid to cry - not with fleeting tears, but with wracking, soul-wrenching sobs, weeping that welled up from one's entire being. Feelings of aching dullness had to give way to release.
The hasid's inner resignation was transformed first to the world-less scream, "Help me, Father!"; then to a long, long wail like a Shofar blast; then to a broken weeping; and finally, to a shattered wimpering. Only after utter despair could come laughter and joy, the Hasidic leaders stressed. The hopelessness that had characterized the inescapability of death had become the impetus for a flight to life.
Of course, not every person was strong enough to withstand such a crisis; but the rebbes regarded palliatives and easy assurances as serving ultimately only to prolong a serious depression. As long as one appeared able to withstand the bitush, no one could spare him the ordeal. It was deemed the surest and quickest way to mental recovery.
Another common type of emotional disturbance among shtetl folk was what we would term hysteria. In essence, hysteric manifestations result from inner conflict and take the form of dramatic impairment or paralysis of the muscular-sensory system. For instance, a woman may suddenly find that she cannot move her hand or leg; one morning, a man may awaken blind or mute. Such cases were far from rare among East European Jews of the time; in fact, they formed the initial basis for Sigmund Freud's private practice in Vienna about a century later.
Generally, rebbes seemed to have treated hysteric episodes as though they were real, physical illnesses. In a sense, rebbes assisted the sufferer by accepting his symptoms as legitimate, but yet banishing these without shaming him by suggesting that he had been feigning true sickness. In this way, the hasid had little motive to adopt new symptoms, as he had gained special, community status as "one who had been healed." His desire for attention having been satisfied, he no longer felt it necessary to cling to his disorder. He could return to normal life.
Thus, rebbes were often called upon to help women in difficult labor to have normal deliveries. Under intense anxiety and fear, they were tightening their own muscles and thereby increasing their agony. A gentle, soothing word from the rebbe, or an amulet with the "Name" [Tetragrammaton] on it, frequently succeeded in calming the woman in labor and effecting a smooth delivery.
So it was with the blind, the lame, and the mute. In one dramatic instance, the rebbe restored a man's sight, then withdrew it. The rebbe wanted to show that he had the power to heal the man, but he did not deserve it. We are told that a rebbe once said in a deaf-mute's presence, "Drown him, shock him, wake his nerves!" and this alone was sufficient to heal him. In another tale, the rebbe first restored a man's hearing and then helped his speech.
Sometimes, the rebbe demanded a certain sacrifice on the part of the hasid's family before agreeing to effect the cure; perhaps, the Hasidic masters were more knowledgeable about subtle, family dynamics and "sick roles" than we think. For example, the father of a deaf-mute son was asked to promise no longer to shave. Because of the intense social sanction involved, this oath represented a real sacrifice on the father's part. Only after he himself had completely accepted the rebbe's condition did the boy's cure take place.
From our present-day vantage point, obsessive-compulsive behavior was also common in the shtetl. Some hasidim were afflicted with a sense of perpetual anxiety and guilt concerning the fulfillment of religious obligations. They felt in need of guidance, to learn how to conduct themselves more meticulously. Some, no doubt, anticipated approval for their zealousness. Such persons were usually in for a rude awakening when they went for their yechidut (lit. "one-ing" - a hasid's private encounter-session with his rebbe).
Rebbes generally regarded over-scrupulosity as a symptom of emotional imbalance. They expected their hasidim to observe the Jewish Law with selfless delight, not with grim determination or boastful self-congratulation. On this subject, the Shtefaneshter poetically remarked, "Scrupulosity is a cloak made of pride, lined with anger, and sewn with melancholia."
In a modern Hasidic story, a rebbe once rebuked his prideful colleagues at a rabbinical convention. As they preened themselves on their zealous religious observances, he suddenly announced his own scrupulous refusal henceforth to eat yellow cucumbers. When his colleagues pressed him for an explanation, he sardonically replied, "Why? Because they taste bitter to me."
By denying the hasid the satisfaction of obsessive-compulsive conduct, the rebbe was often able to shock him into a more modest and ultimately more harmonious lifestyle. Certain Hasidic groups, though, viewed such an aberration less seriously than did others.
Certainly, no examination of shtetl mental illness and its treatment would be complete without a look at the dybbuk phenomenon. Of course, from the Hasidic perspective, possession of one's being by an invading psychic entity was a grave spiritual disorder, not primarily a sign of emotional imbalance. Such an invasion was seen to have been the result of a vulnerability due to some inner, moral lapse on the individual's part. They believed that such a person had become "weakened" by his unholy thoughts or deeds, thus opening himself to the dybbuk's power.
There were several behavioral signs that suggested to rebbes that the individual was possessed. These included a marked loss of appetite and the will to live, severe introversion, and occasionally, convulsions. When urged to eat or behave normally, the person might turn abusive and hostile, sometimes shaming family members in public. He might hurl lurid insults at others, or show contempt for holy rituals or objects. At times, he might unexpectedly regain his ordinary personality for brief periods and complain of being controlled by another being. Eventually, the family would take the sufferer to the rebbe.
Hasidic exorcisms were typically community affairs. Before assembled hasidim who served as witnesses, the rebbe would speak directly to the offending spirit, rather than to the sufferer's normal self. The rebbe would ask questions as to its identity and origins: invariably, the dybbuk would reveal itself as a discarnate soul who had committed some horrible sin in earthly existence. As divine retribution, it had been condemned to wander in the void.
Finally, the rebbe would order the dybbuk to depart; if it initially refused, the rebbe issued dire threats of eternal wandering or offers for later healing and uplifting. At times, the rebbe might even ask a dybbuk how it might be helped. Thereupon, the entity was perceived to leave - and the person restored to health. Once again, the rebbe's transcendent knowledge and power had triumphed over the forces of darkness.
Rabbinic courts invalidating conversions after 15 years
Published: 04.30.10, 07:29 / Israel Jewish Scene / Rivkah Lubitch
Let's have some order on the subject of conversion. Here are the main points:
The law: What does the law have to say? That's it, there isn't any law. The State of Israel has not formulated any law that deals with the question of conversion or authorized any entity to carry out conversions, and it hasn't established any rules on the matter either.
But what does the law provide? 'The Rabbinical Court Jurisdiction Law' states that matters of marriage and divorce of Jewish citizens or residents are within the exclusive jurisdiction of rabbinic courts. Consequently, rabbinic courts are entitled to determine who can marry (or divorce) according to Jewish law and who can’t. In other words, if a person applies to marry (or divorce) the rabbinic court may determine if he is a Jew or a non-Jew, if he is a Cohen or she is a divorcee, if he is the son of a prohibited marriage or illegitimate, and for our purposes – if he is a convert or not.
In addition, the 'Conversion Ordinance' states that the head of a religious community (such as the chief rabbi) must authorize all conversions. Thus there can be many persons who oversee conversion and many converts, but for purpose of marriage and divorce, only the chief rabbi can decide which conversion to accept and which to reject.
How it works
Here is the history of conversion in a nutshell: Until the 1970's, people converted through rabbinic courts in a private manner (as had been the custom among the Jewish people for generations). In the 70's, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel established separate rabbinic courts for conversion. People converting in those courts received certification of their conversion from the Chief Rabbinate. In the wake of the large waves of immigration in the 90's, it was necessary to deal in a more orderly and intensive manner with conversion; and, in accordance with the prime minister's orders, a 'Conversion Administration' was set up. From that time to this day most converts convert in the Special Rabbinic Conversion Courts that operate alongside the Conversion Administration, and only a very small number of people still go to regional rabbinic courts. After the conversion, the converts receive a conversion certificate with the seal of the head of the religious community – the Chief Rabbi.
By the way, the vast majority of dayanim (judges) in the regional rabbinic courts are Haredim, the rabbis sitting on the panels of the Special Rabbinic Conversion Courts are Zionists.
The complication: Everything got complicated when Haredi Rabbis were not happy with the conversions of the Special Rabbinic Conversion Courts which, in their opinion, were too lenient. In recent years there have been a lot of stories of dayanim (judges) and Marriage Registrars who exploit their positions and act outside of their authority in order to keep converts from marrying. Converts who appeal to the rabbinic court to divorce are cross-examined regarding their religious observance even if they have a conversion certificate signed by the chief rabbi, and some of them have had their conversions voided.
Waiting for High Court
A petition has been filed with the High Court of Justice in two such cases in the name of the Center for Women's Justice, arguing that the rabbinic court does not have the authority to question conversion certifications signed by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. In many other cases the convert is filtered out at the stage of registration for marriage. The Marriage Registrars refuse to register a couple for marriage if one or both of them are converts. This occurs even when they have legal conversion certifications from the Chief Rabbi. Some of the Marriage Registrars send converts to rabbinic courts where their Jewishness is invalidated, or not (usually it's invalidated). The Jewish Life Information Center (ITIM) and others have now filed a petition with the High Court of Justice on behalf of a couple of converts who were sent to the rabbinic court by the Marriage Registrar, and even after the court ruled that their conversion was valid – the marriage registrar refused to register them for marriage.
The petitioners argue that the Marriage Registrars are not entitled to refuse to register a couple for marriage and to question their Jewishness when they have a signed certification from the Chief Rabbinate, and even more so when their conversion was approved by the rabbinic court.
The solution? There is none. Currently the Haredim are the ones who rule the roost and have managed to twist the State's arm. It doesn't matter how many people the Special Rabbinic Conversion convert if the rabbinic courts go ahead and invalidate the conversion after 15 years, or if the Marriage Registrars simply refuse to register them or their children for marriage.
In the short run, all eyes are on the High Court of Justice, which will have to deal with the various petitions and take a clear stand. If the High Court of Justice stammers many converts and their families will be thrown to the dogs and their rights will be trampled. If the High Court of Justice takes a clear stand – the Haredi world is likely to revolt. In the long run the solution may lie only in the separation of religion and state and the complete privatization of the rabbinic courts. Everyone will convert whom he pleases, how he pleases, and will marry or not marry whom he pleases, just as it's been for two thousand years in the Diaspora.
Published: 04.30.10, 07:29 / Israel Jewish Scene / Rivkah Lubitch
Let's have some order on the subject of conversion. Here are the main points:
The law: What does the law have to say? That's it, there isn't any law. The State of Israel has not formulated any law that deals with the question of conversion or authorized any entity to carry out conversions, and it hasn't established any rules on the matter either.
But what does the law provide? 'The Rabbinical Court Jurisdiction Law' states that matters of marriage and divorce of Jewish citizens or residents are within the exclusive jurisdiction of rabbinic courts. Consequently, rabbinic courts are entitled to determine who can marry (or divorce) according to Jewish law and who can’t. In other words, if a person applies to marry (or divorce) the rabbinic court may determine if he is a Jew or a non-Jew, if he is a Cohen or she is a divorcee, if he is the son of a prohibited marriage or illegitimate, and for our purposes – if he is a convert or not.
In addition, the 'Conversion Ordinance' states that the head of a religious community (such as the chief rabbi) must authorize all conversions. Thus there can be many persons who oversee conversion and many converts, but for purpose of marriage and divorce, only the chief rabbi can decide which conversion to accept and which to reject.
How it works
Here is the history of conversion in a nutshell: Until the 1970's, people converted through rabbinic courts in a private manner (as had been the custom among the Jewish people for generations). In the 70's, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel established separate rabbinic courts for conversion. People converting in those courts received certification of their conversion from the Chief Rabbinate. In the wake of the large waves of immigration in the 90's, it was necessary to deal in a more orderly and intensive manner with conversion; and, in accordance with the prime minister's orders, a 'Conversion Administration' was set up. From that time to this day most converts convert in the Special Rabbinic Conversion Courts that operate alongside the Conversion Administration, and only a very small number of people still go to regional rabbinic courts. After the conversion, the converts receive a conversion certificate with the seal of the head of the religious community – the Chief Rabbi.
By the way, the vast majority of dayanim (judges) in the regional rabbinic courts are Haredim, the rabbis sitting on the panels of the Special Rabbinic Conversion Courts are Zionists.
The complication: Everything got complicated when Haredi Rabbis were not happy with the conversions of the Special Rabbinic Conversion Courts which, in their opinion, were too lenient. In recent years there have been a lot of stories of dayanim (judges) and Marriage Registrars who exploit their positions and act outside of their authority in order to keep converts from marrying. Converts who appeal to the rabbinic court to divorce are cross-examined regarding their religious observance even if they have a conversion certificate signed by the chief rabbi, and some of them have had their conversions voided.
Waiting for High Court
A petition has been filed with the High Court of Justice in two such cases in the name of the Center for Women's Justice, arguing that the rabbinic court does not have the authority to question conversion certifications signed by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. In many other cases the convert is filtered out at the stage of registration for marriage. The Marriage Registrars refuse to register a couple for marriage if one or both of them are converts. This occurs even when they have legal conversion certifications from the Chief Rabbi. Some of the Marriage Registrars send converts to rabbinic courts where their Jewishness is invalidated, or not (usually it's invalidated). The Jewish Life Information Center (ITIM) and others have now filed a petition with the High Court of Justice on behalf of a couple of converts who were sent to the rabbinic court by the Marriage Registrar, and even after the court ruled that their conversion was valid – the marriage registrar refused to register them for marriage.
The petitioners argue that the Marriage Registrars are not entitled to refuse to register a couple for marriage and to question their Jewishness when they have a signed certification from the Chief Rabbinate, and even more so when their conversion was approved by the rabbinic court.
The solution? There is none. Currently the Haredim are the ones who rule the roost and have managed to twist the State's arm. It doesn't matter how many people the Special Rabbinic Conversion convert if the rabbinic courts go ahead and invalidate the conversion after 15 years, or if the Marriage Registrars simply refuse to register them or their children for marriage.
In the short run, all eyes are on the High Court of Justice, which will have to deal with the various petitions and take a clear stand. If the High Court of Justice stammers many converts and their families will be thrown to the dogs and their rights will be trampled. If the High Court of Justice takes a clear stand – the Haredi world is likely to revolt. In the long run the solution may lie only in the separation of religion and state and the complete privatization of the rabbinic courts. Everyone will convert whom he pleases, how he pleases, and will marry or not marry whom he pleases, just as it's been for two thousand years in the Diaspora.
Shomrei Emunim Rebbe Speaks About Iceland Volcano & The Internet
Shomrei Emunim Rebbe Speaks About Iceland Volcano & The Internet
25 April 2010
The volcanic cloud that brought much of the world’s air traffic to a standstill last week is a “sign from Hashem”, stated the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe Shlita, as quoted in the weekly BaKehilla newspaper.
The Rebbe stated that this year, the strength of the 70 nations will wane, warning the United States, Europe and other nations that their anti-Israel policies and demands that construction halt in Yerushalayim will have dire consequences, and the volcanic cloud “is just a warning”.
He singled out Germany, which has established itself as an economic power, and suddenly, its ports were shut and new realities exist. The Rebbe stated that everything closed up, a “punishment from Shomayim, one that is fitting”.
The Rebbe added that in the upcoming period, Eretz Yisrael will require a large measure of Heavenly mercy, expressing his hope that we merit this.
Speaking to his Chassidim on Wednesday night following kiddush levana, the Rebbe spoke of those who have Internet in their homes, warning it brings one down and it is questionable if one can do tshuva, the daily HaMevaser reported.
After kiddush levana at his beis medrash on Sfas Emes Street in Bnei Brak, the Rebbe held a l’chaim tisch as his is tradition. The Rebbe spoke of the situation in the world today, the skies of Europe and the 70 nations, warning those who have Internet in their homes will have difficult returning to tshuva. He praised those who resist temptation and do not have Internet in their homes, stating in this merit they will be privileged to raise holy G-d fearing children.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
25 April 2010
The volcanic cloud that brought much of the world’s air traffic to a standstill last week is a “sign from Hashem”, stated the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe Shlita, as quoted in the weekly BaKehilla newspaper.
The Rebbe stated that this year, the strength of the 70 nations will wane, warning the United States, Europe and other nations that their anti-Israel policies and demands that construction halt in Yerushalayim will have dire consequences, and the volcanic cloud “is just a warning”.
He singled out Germany, which has established itself as an economic power, and suddenly, its ports were shut and new realities exist. The Rebbe stated that everything closed up, a “punishment from Shomayim, one that is fitting”.
The Rebbe added that in the upcoming period, Eretz Yisrael will require a large measure of Heavenly mercy, expressing his hope that we merit this.
Speaking to his Chassidim on Wednesday night following kiddush levana, the Rebbe spoke of those who have Internet in their homes, warning it brings one down and it is questionable if one can do tshuva, the daily HaMevaser reported.
After kiddush levana at his beis medrash on Sfas Emes Street in Bnei Brak, the Rebbe held a l’chaim tisch as his is tradition. The Rebbe spoke of the situation in the world today, the skies of Europe and the 70 nations, warning those who have Internet in their homes will have difficult returning to tshuva. He praised those who resist temptation and do not have Internet in their homes, stating in this merit they will be privileged to raise holy G-d fearing children.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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