THERE IS AN AGGADIC REFERENCE TO THE STORY OF THE GIVING OF THE TORAH THAT BEFORE G-D GAVE THE TORAH TO ISRAEL HE ASKED THE NATIONS IF THEY WANTED IT FIRST. THERE IS EVEN A YIDDISH SONG POPULARIZED BY REB YOMTOV EHRLICH DEPICTING THE ANGEL AS HE GOES TO THE RUSSIANS, THE GERMANS ,THE FRENCH ,THE ENGLISH AND FINALLY, THE AMERICANS. EACH NATION HAD AN EXCUSE WHY THE TORAH WASN'T FOR THEM. IN THE AGGADAH, THE TORAH WAS OFFERED TO THE ARABS,TO THE PERSIANS , BABYLONIANS ETC..ALL OF THE NATIONS REFUSED EXCEPT FOR ISRAEL.
NOW, THERE APPARENTLY IS NO HISTORICAL RECORD OF THIS EVENT IN THE ANNALS OF BABYLON, PERSIA OR ARABIA. SO , HOW ARE WE TO UNDERSTAND THIS PART OF THE TORAH STORY ?
ACCORDING TO NACHMANEDES , THE HOLY RAMBAN, THE SEVEN LAWS OF NOACH ALSO INCLUDED THE SAME CIVIL LAWS THAT WE JEWS HAVE IN THE PORTION OF MISHPATIM-I.E. CIVIL LAWS. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE ASSERTION THAT ALL OF THE ANCIENT CODES OF CONDUCT WERE SIMILAR TO OUR TORAH.HOW COULD THE RAV SAY THIS?
IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT NACHMANEDES WAS THE GREATEST KABBALIST OF HIS DAY.
HE IS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH WHAT WE WOULD CALL A SIXTH SENSE.
IN TORAH TERMS WE CALL IT RUACH HAKODESH-PROPHETIC INSIGHT.
IN THE DIGS AROUND THE ANCIENT CITY OF SUMER WHICH WAS DESTROYED AROUND THE TIME OF ABRAHAM 400 YEARS BEFORE MOSES CLAY TABLETS WERE DISCOVERED. THES TABLETS HAVE A CIVIL CODE ALMOST VERBATIM WITH OUR MISHPATIM-CIVIL LAWS!
IN OTHER WORDS-NACHMANEDES' ASSERTION IS CORRECT . THE ANCIENT TRADITION
WAS LIKE THAT OF ISRAEL. THESE LAWS WERE THE SAME FOR ALL NATIONS.
WHAT THEN HAPPENED?
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I WAS TOLD IN WORLD HISTORY THAT HAMMURABI'S CODE WAS THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT UPON WHICH THE TORAH ETHIC WAS BUILT. OF COURSE THAT REFLECTS THE BIAS OF THE PROFESSORS OF EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES IN THE 19TH CENTURY IN WHICH THEY TRIED TO BELITTLE THE CONTRIBUTION OF ISRAEL AND ITS' HOLY BOOKS SO I LOOKED UP HAMMURABI'S CODE WHICH WAS QUITE DETAILED BUT ARCHAIC AND I NOTICED ONE OUTSTANDING FEATURE. THE NOMENCLATURE-THE ELITE HAD DIFFERENT PUNISHMENTS THAN THE COMMONER AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO EXTRACT PUNISHMENT FOR SOMEONE INJURING THEM. IN OTHER WORDS THE LAWS WERE DIFFERENT FOR THE ARISTOCRAT AND FOR THE COMMONER.
THIS IN DISTINCTION FROM THE TORAH WHERE CITIZEN AND CONVERT ADHERE TO THE SAME RULES!
THIS IS WHAT IS MEANT THAT G-D ASKED THE NATIONS TO ACCEPT THE TORAH THEY REFUSED. HOW?BY CHANGING THE ANCIENT CODE!IF THEY WOULD CHANGE THE CIVIL CODE FOR THEIR OWN SATISFACTION THEN FOR SURE THE COMMANDMENTS THAT APPLY TO WORSHIP WOULD ALSO B E ALTERED. THE TORAH IS ETERNAL AND NO ONE CAN CHANGE IT. ONLY A PEOPLE WHO KEPT THE LAWS AS IS UNDER ALL DIFFICULTIES , EVEN IN BONDAGE IN EGYPT COULD BE ENTRUSTED WITH THE ETERNAL TORAH!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
A TEE HAS BEEN FELLED
SUNDAY WE WILL SAY GOODBYE TO SHLOMO MICZNYK A TRUE CEDAR OF THE LEBANON.
SHLOMO WAS A MEMBER OF BEGIN'S IRGUN AND GREATLY ASSISTED IN THE BATTLES FOR RE-ESTABLISHING THE JEWISH STATE IN OUR HOLY LAND.IT IS WITH SADNESS AND ADMIRATION FOR HIS LIFE'S ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE BEND OUR HEADS AND ASK THAT ' HAMAKOM YENACHEM MISHPACHTO BESOCH SHEAR AVAYLAY TZION VEYERUSHALAYIM'
SHLOMO WAS A MEMBER OF BEGIN'S IRGUN AND GREATLY ASSISTED IN THE BATTLES FOR RE-ESTABLISHING THE JEWISH STATE IN OUR HOLY LAND.IT IS WITH SADNESS AND ADMIRATION FOR HIS LIFE'S ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE BEND OUR HEADS AND ASK THAT ' HAMAKOM YENACHEM MISHPACHTO BESOCH SHEAR AVAYLAY TZION VEYERUSHALAYIM'
TREES
THE TORAH TELLS US THAT WE MUST PROTECT THE FRUIT TREE EVEN AT THE TIME OF WAR. NO FRUIT TREE SHALL BE FELLED IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY.
BUT WHY? ISN'T THE NEED TO PROTECT LIFE PARAMOUNT? WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT SOME TREE?
THE TORAH EXPLAINS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T DESTROY THE TREE "FOR FROM IT YOU SHALL EAT". THIS MEANS THAT THE PURPOSE OF WAR IS NOT TO KILL THE ENEMY. RATHER IT'S TO ALLOW YOUR PEOPLE TOP LIVE AND SURVIVE IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY.
IN THAT CASE DESTROYING THE FRUIT TREE MEANS SACRIFICING THE FUTURE FOR A SMALL PRESENT GAIN.THIS IS UNWISE AS YOU MUST ALWAYS THINK BEYOND THE BATTLE.
ANOTHER APPROACH IS THAT DURING WAR THE VALUES OF PEOPLE CHANGE. MEN OF COMPASSION BECOME HARDENED KILLERS. MEN OF PRINCIPLES LOSE THESE TO THE NEED AND DESIRE TO SURVIVE. BY REMINDING THE WARRIOR TO HAVE COMPASSION ON ANY LIVING THING TEACHES HIM THAT EVEN DURING WAR THERE IS A NEED TO RETAIN ONE'S HUMANITY EVEN IF IT IS FOR A SELFISH PURPOSE.
A THIRD WAY OF LOOKING AT IT IS; MAN IS LIKENED TO THE TREE . JUST AS THE TREE
PROVIDES FRUIT TO OTHERS SO TOO A MAN DOES GOOD DEEDS THAT BENEFIT ALL.ONLY WHEN WE ARE LIKE THE FRUIT TREE ARE WE WORTHY OF G-D'S SPECIAL PROVIDENCE. HENCE WE KEEP THE TREE TO REMEMBER THAT WE MUST EMULATE IT AND CONTINUE TO OBEY THE MITZVOS NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE AND UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
RAABI MATTISYAHU SOLOMON TOLD OF A STUDENT WHO CAME TO GATESHEAD FROM POLAND AFTER THE WAR WHO KNEW HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF TALMUD BY HEART EVEN THOUGH HE HAD SPENT HIS LAST FEW YEARS IN THE WARSAW GHETTO AND THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS. HIS UNCLE GAVE A DAF HAYOMY CLASS IN THE GHETTO WHICH HE CONSTANTLY ATTENDED. ALL THE GEMORAH WAS LEARNED BY HEART AS HE REVIEWED HIS LESSONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, NEVER FORGETTING THAT DESPITE BEING HUNTED HE WAS STILL A MEMBER OF G-D'S CHOSEN PEOPLE AND CONSECRATED EVERY MOMENT TO MAKE HIS JEWISH LIFE MEANINGFUL.
OF COURSE THERE ARE TRAGIC DEATHS IN WARTIME AS WELL AS IN PEACETIME.
HOWEVER, WHERVER WE GO WE MUST REALIZE THAT OUR MAIN PURPOSE IS TO BE LIKE THAT TREE.
PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE ALL COMBATANTS WILL BECOME FRUIT TREES AND LAY DOWN THEIR WEPONS FOREVER.
BUT WHY? ISN'T THE NEED TO PROTECT LIFE PARAMOUNT? WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT SOME TREE?
THE TORAH EXPLAINS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T DESTROY THE TREE "FOR FROM IT YOU SHALL EAT". THIS MEANS THAT THE PURPOSE OF WAR IS NOT TO KILL THE ENEMY. RATHER IT'S TO ALLOW YOUR PEOPLE TOP LIVE AND SURVIVE IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY.
IN THAT CASE DESTROYING THE FRUIT TREE MEANS SACRIFICING THE FUTURE FOR A SMALL PRESENT GAIN.THIS IS UNWISE AS YOU MUST ALWAYS THINK BEYOND THE BATTLE.
ANOTHER APPROACH IS THAT DURING WAR THE VALUES OF PEOPLE CHANGE. MEN OF COMPASSION BECOME HARDENED KILLERS. MEN OF PRINCIPLES LOSE THESE TO THE NEED AND DESIRE TO SURVIVE. BY REMINDING THE WARRIOR TO HAVE COMPASSION ON ANY LIVING THING TEACHES HIM THAT EVEN DURING WAR THERE IS A NEED TO RETAIN ONE'S HUMANITY EVEN IF IT IS FOR A SELFISH PURPOSE.
A THIRD WAY OF LOOKING AT IT IS; MAN IS LIKENED TO THE TREE . JUST AS THE TREE
PROVIDES FRUIT TO OTHERS SO TOO A MAN DOES GOOD DEEDS THAT BENEFIT ALL.ONLY WHEN WE ARE LIKE THE FRUIT TREE ARE WE WORTHY OF G-D'S SPECIAL PROVIDENCE. HENCE WE KEEP THE TREE TO REMEMBER THAT WE MUST EMULATE IT AND CONTINUE TO OBEY THE MITZVOS NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE AND UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
RAABI MATTISYAHU SOLOMON TOLD OF A STUDENT WHO CAME TO GATESHEAD FROM POLAND AFTER THE WAR WHO KNEW HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF TALMUD BY HEART EVEN THOUGH HE HAD SPENT HIS LAST FEW YEARS IN THE WARSAW GHETTO AND THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS. HIS UNCLE GAVE A DAF HAYOMY CLASS IN THE GHETTO WHICH HE CONSTANTLY ATTENDED. ALL THE GEMORAH WAS LEARNED BY HEART AS HE REVIEWED HIS LESSONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, NEVER FORGETTING THAT DESPITE BEING HUNTED HE WAS STILL A MEMBER OF G-D'S CHOSEN PEOPLE AND CONSECRATED EVERY MOMENT TO MAKE HIS JEWISH LIFE MEANINGFUL.
OF COURSE THERE ARE TRAGIC DEATHS IN WARTIME AS WELL AS IN PEACETIME.
HOWEVER, WHERVER WE GO WE MUST REALIZE THAT OUR MAIN PURPOSE IS TO BE LIKE THAT TREE.
PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE ALL COMBATANTS WILL BECOME FRUIT TREES AND LAY DOWN THEIR WEPONS FOREVER.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
WHAT WAS PHARAOH THINKING?
IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING CLOBBERED AND HAVING HIS ECONOMY RUINED , ONE WONDERS WHAT WAS PHARAOH THINKING?
IT IS EASY TO SAY THAT THIS WAS SIMILAR TO THE NAZI SYNDROME. EVEN WHILE THE
NAZIS WERE BEING CLOBBERED THEIR APPETITE FOR KILLING JEWS INCREASED. INDEED MORE DIED IN THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR THEN AT OTHER TIMES.
HOWEVER THIS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN HIS MOTIVE IN REFUSING TO LET ISRAEL GO.
FOR IN EGYPT THERE WERE MOSHE AND AARON WARNING THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT THAT EACH PLAGUE WAS COMING . THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT BELIEVED MOSHE EVEN WHILE THEY HATED ISRAEL. MANY PROTESTED PHARAOH'S INTRANSIGENCE .IT WAS
CLEAR THAT THIS COULD NOT GO ON AND THAT THE MORE THEY HELD ON THE MORE THEY WOULD SUFFER. WHAT COULD PHARAOH HAVE THOUGHT?
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A CHRISTIAN LEADER BEGAN PERSECUTING JEWS AND PREDICTING THAT DIRE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAPPEN FROM HEAVEN IF WE WOULDN'T CONVERT? MOST WOULD NOT CONVERT BUT AS THE SUFFERING CONTINUED MANY WOULD LOSE HEART. ONLY THE LEADERS LIKE THE REBBEIM WOULD STAND FIRM PROCLAIMING THAT NO SIGN IN HEAVEN WOULD SWAY THEIR FAITH IN ONE G-D!
PHARAOH, WHILE THE TEMPORAL LEADER OF THE EMPIRE WAS ALSO ITS' CHIEF PRIEST. PHARAOH SAW IN THIS STRUGGLE THE SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL OF EGYPT. SO WHY DO WE REVILE PHARAOH? NOT BECAUSE OF HIS OBSTINANCE, FOR MANY OF US WOULD DO THE SAME.
RATHER IT WAS PHARAOH'S INHUMANITY THAT MADE HIS WAYS EVIL.WHEN A PEOPLE BECOMES WEALTHY BY BRUTALIZING OTHERS THEN THE CULTURE AND VALUES OF THAT COUNTRY ARE FLAWED.WHAT ISRAEL ASKED FOR WAS THE CONSIDERATION THAT ANY GROUP WOULD CONSIDER JUST. THAT IS TO WORSHI[P AS THEY PLEASED. FURTHERMORE THE WHOLE ENSLAVEMENT WAS NOT BASED UPON RIGHTEOUS PRINCIPLE. EVEN THE ANCIENTS HAD PRINCIPLES REGARDING OTHER PEOPLE'S LANDS AND THE TAKING OF SLAVES.THE BRUTALIZING OF ISRAEL WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE EGYPTIANS' OWN STANDARD.
THEREFORE MARTYRDOM FOR VIOLENT DOMINION OF OTHERS IS NOT MARTYRDOM ,
IT IS MEGALOMANIA! IT IS ROOTED IN THE BELIEF OF ONE'S INFAILABILITY AND MASTER'S DESTINY.PHARAOH REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT OTHERS HAD ANY RIGHTS OTHER THAN WHAT WAS GIVEN THEM BY HIM,AS ALL PEOPLES HAD TO BE HIS SLAVES .
THIS WAS THE GLORY OF THE g-ds OF EGYPT , THAT ALL MEN KNEELED BEFORE THEIR REPRESENTATIVE ON EARTH.THIS BELIEF WHICH WENT AGAINST LOGIC AND HUMAN INTUITION WAS THE BELIEF THAT PHARAOH HELD UNTIL THE LAST MOMENTS OF HIS LIFE.HE REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT THE ASCENDENCY OF EGYPT HAD MORE TO DO WITH THE INDUSTRIOUSNESS OF HIS PEOPLE THAN HIS FAVORED STATUS.THE WORD FOR THIS IS EGOMANIAC NOT MARTYR.
IN HIS CRAZE , PHARAOH WAS WILLING TO LET OTHERS SUFFER IN ORDER THAT HIS PERSONA REMAIN WORSHIPED. THIS IS WHY WE VILLIFY HIM. BECAUSE HE CARED MORE ABOUT HIS IMAGE THAN THE FATE OF HIS OWN PEOPLE. THIS ALSO WAS PART OF HITLER'S DOWNFALL. HIS POSITION AS FEURER WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LIVES OF HIS OWN PEOPLE . MILLIONS WHO COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED BY HIS EARLY SURRENDER DIED VIOLENTLY WITHOUT ANY COMPUNCTION. PHARAOH WAS HITLER'S PARADIGM.
IT IS EASY TO SAY THAT THIS WAS SIMILAR TO THE NAZI SYNDROME. EVEN WHILE THE
NAZIS WERE BEING CLOBBERED THEIR APPETITE FOR KILLING JEWS INCREASED. INDEED MORE DIED IN THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR THEN AT OTHER TIMES.
HOWEVER THIS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN HIS MOTIVE IN REFUSING TO LET ISRAEL GO.
FOR IN EGYPT THERE WERE MOSHE AND AARON WARNING THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT THAT EACH PLAGUE WAS COMING . THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT BELIEVED MOSHE EVEN WHILE THEY HATED ISRAEL. MANY PROTESTED PHARAOH'S INTRANSIGENCE .IT WAS
CLEAR THAT THIS COULD NOT GO ON AND THAT THE MORE THEY HELD ON THE MORE THEY WOULD SUFFER. WHAT COULD PHARAOH HAVE THOUGHT?
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A CHRISTIAN LEADER BEGAN PERSECUTING JEWS AND PREDICTING THAT DIRE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAPPEN FROM HEAVEN IF WE WOULDN'T CONVERT? MOST WOULD NOT CONVERT BUT AS THE SUFFERING CONTINUED MANY WOULD LOSE HEART. ONLY THE LEADERS LIKE THE REBBEIM WOULD STAND FIRM PROCLAIMING THAT NO SIGN IN HEAVEN WOULD SWAY THEIR FAITH IN ONE G-D!
PHARAOH, WHILE THE TEMPORAL LEADER OF THE EMPIRE WAS ALSO ITS' CHIEF PRIEST. PHARAOH SAW IN THIS STRUGGLE THE SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL OF EGYPT. SO WHY DO WE REVILE PHARAOH? NOT BECAUSE OF HIS OBSTINANCE, FOR MANY OF US WOULD DO THE SAME.
RATHER IT WAS PHARAOH'S INHUMANITY THAT MADE HIS WAYS EVIL.WHEN A PEOPLE BECOMES WEALTHY BY BRUTALIZING OTHERS THEN THE CULTURE AND VALUES OF THAT COUNTRY ARE FLAWED.WHAT ISRAEL ASKED FOR WAS THE CONSIDERATION THAT ANY GROUP WOULD CONSIDER JUST. THAT IS TO WORSHI[P AS THEY PLEASED. FURTHERMORE THE WHOLE ENSLAVEMENT WAS NOT BASED UPON RIGHTEOUS PRINCIPLE. EVEN THE ANCIENTS HAD PRINCIPLES REGARDING OTHER PEOPLE'S LANDS AND THE TAKING OF SLAVES.THE BRUTALIZING OF ISRAEL WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE EGYPTIANS' OWN STANDARD.
THEREFORE MARTYRDOM FOR VIOLENT DOMINION OF OTHERS IS NOT MARTYRDOM ,
IT IS MEGALOMANIA! IT IS ROOTED IN THE BELIEF OF ONE'S INFAILABILITY AND MASTER'S DESTINY.PHARAOH REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT OTHERS HAD ANY RIGHTS OTHER THAN WHAT WAS GIVEN THEM BY HIM,AS ALL PEOPLES HAD TO BE HIS SLAVES .
THIS WAS THE GLORY OF THE g-ds OF EGYPT , THAT ALL MEN KNEELED BEFORE THEIR REPRESENTATIVE ON EARTH.THIS BELIEF WHICH WENT AGAINST LOGIC AND HUMAN INTUITION WAS THE BELIEF THAT PHARAOH HELD UNTIL THE LAST MOMENTS OF HIS LIFE.HE REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT THE ASCENDENCY OF EGYPT HAD MORE TO DO WITH THE INDUSTRIOUSNESS OF HIS PEOPLE THAN HIS FAVORED STATUS.THE WORD FOR THIS IS EGOMANIAC NOT MARTYR.
IN HIS CRAZE , PHARAOH WAS WILLING TO LET OTHERS SUFFER IN ORDER THAT HIS PERSONA REMAIN WORSHIPED. THIS IS WHY WE VILLIFY HIM. BECAUSE HE CARED MORE ABOUT HIS IMAGE THAN THE FATE OF HIS OWN PEOPLE. THIS ALSO WAS PART OF HITLER'S DOWNFALL. HIS POSITION AS FEURER WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LIVES OF HIS OWN PEOPLE . MILLIONS WHO COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED BY HIS EARLY SURRENDER DIED VIOLENTLY WITHOUT ANY COMPUNCTION. PHARAOH WAS HITLER'S PARADIGM.
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