Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
ORIGINAL SIN?
The prevailing society often speaks of 'original sin" and that all those born of parents through ordinary sexual activity are conceived in sin as is implied in Psalm 51. It is therefore important to identify a) the origin of the concept and b)the intended meaning of original sin.
Since we are all the issue of Adam we suffer the consequences of his error. Therefore, all people must die, for the evil found within the original sin is intertwined in our very being for which no correction presently exists. When the Messiah comes, mankind will be able to repair their conditions.
This is an important distinction. For in our belief system, the Messiah does not redeem our souls.Rather the Messiah creates the environment for us to redeem ourselves.
Secondly, human sexuality is not the original sin . Neither is it the selfishness of consumption=eating. The original sin was the desire to do everything for one's pleasure ONLY. No longer would man experience pleasures only when necessary
or desirable. Rather , the sin enabled Adam to replicate his experiences and arouse his desires without any internal or functional need.
In the animal kingdom,sexual appetite is reserved for when the female is in heat.
At other times ,the interest of the individual is for survival=food and leisure. This type of existence would have allowed man to focus on obtaining useful wisdom
and making a better environment. Instead , man is fixed upon more and more of the same pleasures to the point of being driven by those desires. Instead of mastery over one's impulses we have become slaves to them.
So,what is the original sin? The desire for self-indulgence in every thing we do.
The entrapment of the imagination into wanting to replicate one's experiences and fantasies are the fruits of the original sin.
How does the arrival of the Messiah change all of that? By taking away the forces that cause jealousy and competition,the Messiah allows people to use their minds to follow their desired pursuit. Because people will have abundance and leisure time,all of mankind will engage in meaningfull discusions and investigation or any item that atracts their interest, good or otherwise. Those who will opt to pursue the path of wisdom will have no distractions. In that process we will be able to reach the highest levels of human experience=prophecy . At that point we will merit the world to come , for we no longer will be controlled by our appetites,we will be masters over them.
For this reason,those who were above succumbing into personal weaknesses
for selfish reasons, were able to enter paradise alive.Others had their bodies preserved in its' entirety.
This is the secret of Elijah who enterred Paradise alive and Moshe whose body did not decompose. In the future when man reaches this level once again , we will live forever. For our attitudes and therefore, the nature of our bodies will have changed for the better.
Since we are all the issue of Adam we suffer the consequences of his error. Therefore, all people must die, for the evil found within the original sin is intertwined in our very being for which no correction presently exists. When the Messiah comes, mankind will be able to repair their conditions.
This is an important distinction. For in our belief system, the Messiah does not redeem our souls.Rather the Messiah creates the environment for us to redeem ourselves.
Secondly, human sexuality is not the original sin . Neither is it the selfishness of consumption=eating. The original sin was the desire to do everything for one's pleasure ONLY. No longer would man experience pleasures only when necessary
or desirable. Rather , the sin enabled Adam to replicate his experiences and arouse his desires without any internal or functional need.
In the animal kingdom,sexual appetite is reserved for when the female is in heat.
At other times ,the interest of the individual is for survival=food and leisure. This type of existence would have allowed man to focus on obtaining useful wisdom
and making a better environment. Instead , man is fixed upon more and more of the same pleasures to the point of being driven by those desires. Instead of mastery over one's impulses we have become slaves to them.
So,what is the original sin? The desire for self-indulgence in every thing we do.
The entrapment of the imagination into wanting to replicate one's experiences and fantasies are the fruits of the original sin.
How does the arrival of the Messiah change all of that? By taking away the forces that cause jealousy and competition,the Messiah allows people to use their minds to follow their desired pursuit. Because people will have abundance and leisure time,all of mankind will engage in meaningfull discusions and investigation or any item that atracts their interest, good or otherwise. Those who will opt to pursue the path of wisdom will have no distractions. In that process we will be able to reach the highest levels of human experience=prophecy . At that point we will merit the world to come , for we no longer will be controlled by our appetites,we will be masters over them.
For this reason,those who were above succumbing into personal weaknesses
for selfish reasons, were able to enter paradise alive.Others had their bodies preserved in its' entirety.
This is the secret of Elijah who enterred Paradise alive and Moshe whose body did not decompose. In the future when man reaches this level once again , we will live forever. For our attitudes and therefore, the nature of our bodies will have changed for the better.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Shmini
This week's Torah portion is troubling . In it , the two oldest sons of Aaron die in Divine fashion,
as they are punished for offering a strange fire that G-D hadn't commanded to offer in the Tabernacle.
They were quite young . However, they were too bold in wanting to partake of the Divine Service and their punishment was to be consumed by a Divine fire. This seems so unfair. Aaron, their father , had just been installed as the High Priest and the Priesthood was given only to his family forever. On the very first day of his ascendancy to this lofty and eternal office , he loses his most precious children!
On the Kaballistic level, the two sons of Aaron are really the reincarnation of Adam . They came back in order to correct Adam's misdeed, known as original sin. Without going into details, Adam
coveted that which was forbidden to him and took without permission. Had Nadav and Avihu followed the Priesthood orders faithfully , they would have corrected Adam's sin and perhaps death would have gone forever. By taking a service that wasn't for them yet , they failed in their life's major mission and were recalled .
Sometime, somewhere a child is born with great spiritual potential . He or she just might be Adam or Eve coming back. It might even be you . So, lets follow the rules!
as they are punished for offering a strange fire that G-D hadn't commanded to offer in the Tabernacle.
They were quite young . However, they were too bold in wanting to partake of the Divine Service and their punishment was to be consumed by a Divine fire. This seems so unfair. Aaron, their father , had just been installed as the High Priest and the Priesthood was given only to his family forever. On the very first day of his ascendancy to this lofty and eternal office , he loses his most precious children!
On the Kaballistic level, the two sons of Aaron are really the reincarnation of Adam . They came back in order to correct Adam's misdeed, known as original sin. Without going into details, Adam
coveted that which was forbidden to him and took without permission. Had Nadav and Avihu followed the Priesthood orders faithfully , they would have corrected Adam's sin and perhaps death would have gone forever. By taking a service that wasn't for them yet , they failed in their life's major mission and were recalled .
Sometime, somewhere a child is born with great spiritual potential . He or she just might be Adam or Eve coming back. It might even be you . So, lets follow the rules!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
truth2
In many temples and synagogues discussions have taken place as to the identity and time frame of King Achashverosh. Some Reform Rabbis have gone so far as to agree with Bible critics that the story of Purim is just that -a story unrelated to reality. The reason is that the name achashverosh does not appear on any historical record. Of course, just because archaeologists haven't found it yet doesn't mean that it isn't there. However,the identity of Achashverosh is quite simple ; his name was Chsyershu . In Greek his name was xerxes - pronounced k'serks . In Hebrew there are no double consonanats at the beginning of a word . So Plato is pronounced Apalto or apalton. Hence Chshershu becomes Achashorsh with the o letter becoming a vov in European communities. As the vov is really the silent form of a w-or wow .. Thus the king is truly a mighty king, one of the great emperors of that time. Besides the various spellings of the name at the end of the Megilla, which indicates familiarity with Persian language articulation, the person writing the text was greatly familiar with the layout of the Capitol city and the palace grounds. As the city was sacked only a few years later, the author had to be contemporaneous with the time of the story . Otherwise , if it were written later there is no way that the accuracy of the text would be so clear. So, instead of just a story we have a Historical document giving us insight into the foolish and self-indulgent character of the great emperor even while he followed the formalities of governance to a fault .Even after knowing this, the biblical critics refuse to acknowledge their errors. Such is truth?
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
TRUTH
Objective truth may never be possible because of all of the variables and new situations that become part of our life's investigations. Nonetheless,we do agree , most often that 2 plus 2 is 4
and that the whole is equal to the sum of its' parts etc...There are times when even these truths have their exceptions,however you get my bend..
So, how can i be so sure that the Torah is true?I could turn that around. Most of you believe that the
Torah isn't true because it would severely limit your lifestyle.That isn't too intellectual either. However, most of you never really bothered studying the Biblical Critics either. Unfortunately i have .
Not intensively ,however i have had to answer many critiques and had to read the verbotten. In most of the cases where the so called scholars declared the Torah to be made up, remarkably the Torah has been proven correct!
Now this does not objective proof make. However, most of you have been taught by Rabbis who didn't believe in the literal text because of xyz objection of the critics. However, if his education was faulty then how could you base your life's decisions on false information?
Furthermore, recent discovery of the Biblical codes have verified that the statements made by the Rabbis about the Torah being the world's blueprint likely or at the very least plausible.
Add to that that modern theories of physics parallel teachings of the Kaballah and you get a very
compelling reason to at least examine with an open mind.
Examples of these abound. The Midrash and Zohar speak of an aura surrounding each person from either Heaven or Purgatory. In other words our thoughts and attitudes project an aura around us. Scholars poo-pooed, until Krilian photography captured these auras. The Talmud states that
sound has an effect on plants-laughed at until experiments showed plants thrived in baths of happy sounds and music!
There is a thirst for the mystic-the Kaballah today more than ever before. Those who are drawn to this study are learned , intelligent and inquisitive. Would it not behoove you, my dear friends to take a second look , with serious evaluation, of the concepts rejected because your teachers didn't believe what they taught?
and that the whole is equal to the sum of its' parts etc...There are times when even these truths have their exceptions,however you get my bend..
So, how can i be so sure that the Torah is true?I could turn that around. Most of you believe that the
Torah isn't true because it would severely limit your lifestyle.That isn't too intellectual either. However, most of you never really bothered studying the Biblical Critics either. Unfortunately i have .
Not intensively ,however i have had to answer many critiques and had to read the verbotten. In most of the cases where the so called scholars declared the Torah to be made up, remarkably the Torah has been proven correct!
Now this does not objective proof make. However, most of you have been taught by Rabbis who didn't believe in the literal text because of xyz objection of the critics. However, if his education was faulty then how could you base your life's decisions on false information?
Furthermore, recent discovery of the Biblical codes have verified that the statements made by the Rabbis about the Torah being the world's blueprint likely or at the very least plausible.
Add to that that modern theories of physics parallel teachings of the Kaballah and you get a very
compelling reason to at least examine with an open mind.
Examples of these abound. The Midrash and Zohar speak of an aura surrounding each person from either Heaven or Purgatory. In other words our thoughts and attitudes project an aura around us. Scholars poo-pooed, until Krilian photography captured these auras. The Talmud states that
sound has an effect on plants-laughed at until experiments showed plants thrived in baths of happy sounds and music!
There is a thirst for the mystic-the Kaballah today more than ever before. Those who are drawn to this study are learned , intelligent and inquisitive. Would it not behoove you, my dear friends to take a second look , with serious evaluation, of the concepts rejected because your teachers didn't believe what they taught?
spirituality
Spirituality is a buzzword for many of us , especially those of us who emerged from the 60's and 70's. It is almost sacrilegious to say that "i am not spiritual"! However, what does spiritual mean?
For most it means looking within , finding a sense of peace, meditating and relaxation. For others it means a certain kind of music beat,the camaraderie of friends or harmony in large groups. Still for others it means complete focus on a certain point to the exclusion of all other impulses.
Whatever your take spirit is synonymous with will and movement.. If you will and if you move
you are spiritual. You may object and say that to be spiritual you must reject your physical selfishness . However what is non-spiritual about yourself and your ego?
So, you must mean selfless spirituality !!
However, there is no such thing as selfless spirituality. It is all about yourself , even if it is about your higher self . People who perfect their so called higher selves go about feeling as if they should be followed because THEY KNOW! So being aware of your higher faculties can make you just as selfish, arrogant and gluttonous as when you were subject to your lower feelings. So what is spirituality? A big hoax!!!!
The truth is that spirituality never fed the hungry or cared for the weak. The most spiritual Gurus are noted for their self-focus and a lack of compassion for others. Jim Jones much have been spiritual for people to follow him and drink the cyanide kool-aid. The list of spiritual guides and shysters are almost equal in length.
So-what are you searching for? G-DLINESS which unlike spirituality is not focused on self.
Nor is it focused merely on meditation. G-DLINESS demands action, care ,concern for details.
It is a living pursuit that demands that one be devoted to the desire of the Creator not one's whims.
G-DLINESS is the meticulous observance of the Torah!
For most it means looking within , finding a sense of peace, meditating and relaxation. For others it means a certain kind of music beat,the camaraderie of friends or harmony in large groups. Still for others it means complete focus on a certain point to the exclusion of all other impulses.
Whatever your take spirit is synonymous with will and movement.. If you will and if you move
you are spiritual. You may object and say that to be spiritual you must reject your physical selfishness . However what is non-spiritual about yourself and your ego?
So, you must mean selfless spirituality !!
However, there is no such thing as selfless spirituality. It is all about yourself , even if it is about your higher self . People who perfect their so called higher selves go about feeling as if they should be followed because THEY KNOW! So being aware of your higher faculties can make you just as selfish, arrogant and gluttonous as when you were subject to your lower feelings. So what is spirituality? A big hoax!!!!
The truth is that spirituality never fed the hungry or cared for the weak. The most spiritual Gurus are noted for their self-focus and a lack of compassion for others. Jim Jones much have been spiritual for people to follow him and drink the cyanide kool-aid. The list of spiritual guides and shysters are almost equal in length.
So-what are you searching for? G-DLINESS which unlike spirituality is not focused on self.
Nor is it focused merely on meditation. G-DLINESS demands action, care ,concern for details.
It is a living pursuit that demands that one be devoted to the desire of the Creator not one's whims.
G-DLINESS is the meticulous observance of the Torah!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
SACRIFICE
Sacrifice
What is the significance of sacrifice?Why do we seem to revere the concept even while we fear it?
Sacrifice reminds us of our mortality. The demand to sacrifice or to set aside for others seems to be a core value that many talk about and honor but few actually do.
So why talk about something that seems impractical? The answer lies in the need that man feels
for perfection. Not only personal development but the repair of the whole world. We feel at one point or another that there is something amiss and that somehow someone shall lead us to this end to human suffering, to the respect for all of G-D's creatures,for a world that shall be in total harmony.
We recognize that the person leading this effort will have to struggle and sacrifice his own aspirations for the good of the whole.
So that's it. The impetus for sacrifice is the desire to correct the world. At its' root is the yearning for Messiah . This is coupled with the hope that man will regain immortality in the process.
Sacrifice; We see in it the roots of our salvation, the means to restore our relationship with G-D.
Hence the devoted following of Mr. Obama .
However, when a person has never really sacrificed as Obama has never done one cannot but be unimpressed. If this be The Messiah I don't want to be helped.
In the Talmud the Messiah is described as a leper filled with the wounds inflicted upon him for the sake of our people , for the world. There is a reason Isiah 53 describes a suffering servant.
Otherwise no reasonable thinking person will follow.
Sacrifice, the ingredient necessary for the Moshiach. Let us hope that the sacrifice of those 8 beautiful children shall be the last sacrifice in the quest of mankind for salvation!
Monday, March 3, 2008
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