Thursday Mar 27, 2008
This week of Shabbat 'Shemini-Parah', the Torah portion to be read is Vayikra/Leviticus 9:1-11-46. It begins with the new account of the consecration/ ordination (semichah) of Aaron and his two sons; Moses ordered Aaron to offer a calf and a ram, lamb without blemish, in front of the Tent of the Meeting. Aaron did offer the calf and his sons brought him the blood that he put at the corners of the altar (cf. daily memorial prayer of "Shacharit - morning prayer"). He dipped his fingers into the blood. Now, the whole thing is strictly and absolutely a bloody blood stuff. Thus, we must be very careful, in this country, in any Jewish society. We are required to showing a spirit of prudence accompanied by wise insights.
Once anointed as priests, Nadab and Abihu, put each a pan, put fire in it and incense and the "fire came forth from the Lord and consumed them (vatochal otam); vayamutu lifnei HaShem - and they died in the Face of the Lord" (=at the instance) (Lev. 10:2). And then, Moses said to Aaron: "This is what the Lord meant when He said: Through those near to Me I show myself Holy / bikrovai ekadesh - and gain glory before all the people." And Aaron was silent/ Vayadom Aharon (Vay.10:3). Aaron remained silent, in a silence that is "dom" and not "sheket - quiet silence". Why did his sons suddenly perish, speedily, swallowed by the fire they came to offer? Was it for the sake of the merits? Were they in a situation of some "Kiddush HaShem - Sanctification of the Name" in which instant death and rush to God is a sign of holiness for the assembled elders and the Israelites? No or maybe yes, because "the Lord had not commanded them to offer this fire", so they offered a "esh zarah - alien fire" (10:1). R. Y. Leibowitz underlined an ancient tradition that is more than important in our present situation, especially this year of anniversary. They were "lo tziwwah - not commanded"; a special cantillation mark (merchah kefulah) is under the /L - lamed/ of lo, suggesting a real command not to perform the offering, but still they could not refrain from doing that. And this is true. We may have in front of us the most impure object but our inner desire to tend to God is so powerful but mistaken that we are overcome and seized by off-beam feelings. Instead of worshipping God the right way, we behave like the pagans and practice idolatry (Avodah Zarah 5b). This is why freedom from slavery also applies in worshipping, sacrifice of the offerings and of our prayers. This is why it is so difficult to act without any spiritual pressure exercised by the society or formal reasons of civilities.
As God took them "in His Face - by instance", these verses maybe suggest other subtleties of our souls and life choices. There are people who are not mature enough to achieve a task or a certain way of living and still they will be given the abilities to get across the intricacy of the challenge. And then they bifurcate. Say, God might have called Aaron's sons to change their route abruptly and with love. At the instance, Aaron's silence shows that he got to his priesthood. He reached the place where a man is in the position of total obedient and silent presence in the Face of God. He went to accomplish the duty that he had accepted, i.e. to be nothing, nil, nigh in order to open the ways of God. This is the Jewish priesthood and way to holiness, wherever the Temple exists or not, for all time, any place (maybe compared to Jesus harsh words: "Follow me and let the dead bury their dead" (Matthew 8:22)).
In the Song of the Song, we are called to become like tender flesh of the sweetest beasts. Animals can be terribly anxious, on guard, as the "gazelles and deer of the fields". Jews have often experienced this feeling. David Ben Gurion accounted that on Friday 5th of Iyar 5748/May 14, 1948 when he proclaimed the independence of the State of Israel. Yes, sixty years ago. "I feel no gaiety in me, only deep anxiety as when I was a mourner at the feast" (D.Ben Gurion, The Peel Report and the Jewish State, p. 86). This "Yiddishe angst - feeling of anxiety mixed with fear and rejoicing" runs throughout the Bible. Joy always prevails.
The Jewish Communities are proposed this week to read how they are called to be holy or to sanctify their lives in order to witness that true holiness is indeed their part. In one month, on the 27th of Nissan, the State of Israel that commemorates the victims of the Holocaust. Some citizens should be educated to get deeper involved into what and how things happened in a Christened Western and Eastern Europe that hardly can define the Christian fundamentals of the European Community. On Nissan 27, any citizen of this State has the duty to keep silent... remain in silence for the blessed memory of those who perished only sixty years ago. The Christians can join this prayer of memory. The Shoah happened, for a part that is too difficult to measure at the present, because of "the teaching of despise", irrational blood libel accusations, forced conversions and theological contests between Judaism and Christianity. Still this day cannot belong to any Church nor can it be "seized" by any denomination. On the other hand, it will take centuries for the Jews and the Christians to get closer to a real and reciprocal dialogue. But dialogue cannot be imposed like touring travels with bed and breakfast, and some flashing ideas, if any.
It would be very sad if the 60ieth anniversary of the State of the Jews systematically would focus on the uttering/chewing of the Shoah catastrophe. It is correct that the Jewish community has paid a special price to sufferings. Ever since, each nation might not compete but find some analogies in the way they have been destroyed or victimized. Strange how Jews need to compare their fate with others in terms of "catastrophes". Right now, the problem is to know if the Tibetans may have something of that Jewish angst and pain. There is a kind of desire to adopt the others because we finally got home. But this is quite unusual for the Jews and even weird for the non-Jews. So if it happened, it is only because they suffered beyond any rate. This is a pagan way of thinking. There is no measure, no middah-system that can allow us to valuate both rejoicings and sufferings. We need a rate because it is convenient. Such comparisons are full of vanity.
Then, there is this above rationality commandment: "Lo tsiwwah - (you are) not commanded". Indeed, we feel sometimes like compelled to do things though we perfectly know it makes no sense to perform them and that they will not clarify who we are. Churban? Shoah? Holocaust-Catastrophe? But this is human, all too humane. Nobody can force anyone to get through extermination via some virtual process. We can be tempted to do that. But the priestly call is rather to explain why priests have to lead to holiness and not cursing or idolatry. This combat is an ongoing war, everywhere, anyhow, whatever cultures and faiths.
This Sunday is dedicated to the Cross in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition. Kneeling down and rising up again, the faithful sing 40 times "Kyrie, eleison - Mar, rachem na" - Lord, have mercy!" The Romans used crosses for killing and torturing, gallows. We have quick shots. But the question is still pending: why are we still here? Here, in Eretz Israel, after 4000, 3000, 2000 years? That means much more than any passion. It is the paradox of coherent lives without possessions.
Alexander Winogradsky Frenkel
March 27, 2008 - 20 deAdar II 5768
Facebook contact: Av Aleksandr: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126861596
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Next year in Ur-Kasdim or Lhassa?
Tuesday Mar 25, 2008
Times runs, we are done with time. Try to think but short, clean and clear cut and a bit Chinese. It means more images we can interpret in various ways. We need to make profits even if the price is total recession and the Western world will get very soon to that. Normally it would imply a war. A real conflict with this "ideogram pictured system"; the enemy is flexible, nowhere, like on a screen. We bomb something like USDollars 3000 billion; the enemy shows again on the screen out of some isolated cave. He drank camel milk and ate dates with the fighters. No sophisticated arms: the westerners had given all the weapond: knives, guns, simple stuff and it works much better than any Hollywood equipment. So, over more than two centuries, from Caucasus, down to Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and India-China local resistants, apparently obedient to all sorts of colonials (British, Russian, Americans, Dutch Petroleum Shell and other Cos, Germans, some French and Japanese, were given some arms to maintain a very special order. Some people get mad with diamonds, others can't look at oil when it starts flooding.
The news is no good at all: frankly, this is the kind of recession in which any normal nation should just drown for ever. It appears that Taiwan never felt so close to continental Zhong Guo (mainland China, Country of the Middle). I wonder what will happen when the Chinese will definitely refuse to pay their debts to the US. It happens very often in history: a collapse, a fall, bankrupt.
The Western superpowers have systematically organized their sucking profits, avoiding any liberal and free State to be created in the name of their common ancestral values I have participated many years ago in some aspect of the inculturation process of the Aramaic - Assyrian Church believers that had left Chaldea (Iraq) during the first war against Saddam Hussein. They settled for example, in a famous, very top-to-the-minute subsurb near Paris that encompasses around 90 ethnics. Traditionally a highly Jewish Oriental town. Dominique Strauss-Kahn was one of them before he head the International Monetary Fund. And, he made it: allowed the Chaldean Assyrian Church to get visas, settle and have two wonderful churches of ancient Middle-East Style.
The French government recently offered 500 visas to those members of the most ancient Church and faith tradition, speaking and praying the language of Jesus. The deal is simple. The situation is so messy, some come to the European Community and will get assistance... the other will try to settle the recession and the balagan, well the mess. But forget about your home country.
Let's say that they will arrive from Mosul, they will have to develop huge efforts to maintain their heritage. The real scholars of the Church were asked to travel to Iraq during the first war with any Vatican passport, a simple protection! The care of "the ancient and venerable Churches" is that the youths can meet, but hamburger is a hamburger and a shashlik is a shashlik. Then, there is more: Would Jews say every year at Pesach: "Next year in Ur-Kasdim, the paternal place of Abraham Avinu?" Or course not! Abraham maintained a family link with Chaldea till the third generation in order to marry his sons. The living memory of the Mishnah deploying towards the East, entering Tibet and China till the Kyu-Shu island of Japan is one of the most dramatic internal murders perpetrated by Western Christians (mainly the Portuguese) against Oriental Christians. Churches are superpowers and as such definitely not know how to get out of the dramas that split Christian faith thoroughly and without appeal. In 1927, the Anglican Episcopalian archbishop of Shanghai, the Russian Jewish Christian Schereschewsky canonized by the Church who had met with the descents of the Chinese Jews that still spoke some Judean-Persian at Kai-Feng.
In 1947-53, when a (Jewish) Righteous among the Nations, Fr. Alexandre Glasberg (Yad VaShem) brought by miracle the Iraqi Children Jews to Israel, he deeply imperiled their and his lives. But it made full sense. The same happened with some Iranian Jews who spoke the same dialect. He saved children and a lot of parents because it was a situation of emergency. No use to waste billions for parading charity actions. When the Chabad climbs up the Hamalayan and invites all the Jews to partake in a Serder Pesach on the roof of the world, it may sound like a parallel of Noah's Ark creatures reaching out of Egypt in Kathmandu. And they know how to dig here and there and look where Jews have passed through history, as in the Ukraine. Lhassa had an Assyrian metropolitan before the Dalai Lama had always to compose with the Chinese.
On March 25th, Greece celebrates its Independence day fixed to the date on which the Great Revolution started on Annunciation Day 1821. It marked the starting point of a long battle to deliver many western countries who were under Ottoman control. That suddenly fainted in 1918. "You father was a wandering Aramean" (Devarim 26:25) recalls ech year to Jews they are pilgrims and foreigners. They are the "Light of the world" and the light never forgets from where it came... Do remember please: Ur-Kasdim, the launching of civilization and consciousness.
Alexander Winogradsky Frenkel
March 25, 2008 - 18 de Adar II 5768
You can contact Av Aleksandr on his Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126861596
Times runs, we are done with time. Try to think but short, clean and clear cut and a bit Chinese. It means more images we can interpret in various ways. We need to make profits even if the price is total recession and the Western world will get very soon to that. Normally it would imply a war. A real conflict with this "ideogram pictured system"; the enemy is flexible, nowhere, like on a screen. We bomb something like USDollars 3000 billion; the enemy shows again on the screen out of some isolated cave. He drank camel milk and ate dates with the fighters. No sophisticated arms: the westerners had given all the weapond: knives, guns, simple stuff and it works much better than any Hollywood equipment. So, over more than two centuries, from Caucasus, down to Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and India-China local resistants, apparently obedient to all sorts of colonials (British, Russian, Americans, Dutch Petroleum Shell and other Cos, Germans, some French and Japanese, were given some arms to maintain a very special order. Some people get mad with diamonds, others can't look at oil when it starts flooding.
The news is no good at all: frankly, this is the kind of recession in which any normal nation should just drown for ever. It appears that Taiwan never felt so close to continental Zhong Guo (mainland China, Country of the Middle). I wonder what will happen when the Chinese will definitely refuse to pay their debts to the US. It happens very often in history: a collapse, a fall, bankrupt.
The Western superpowers have systematically organized their sucking profits, avoiding any liberal and free State to be created in the name of their common ancestral values I have participated many years ago in some aspect of the inculturation process of the Aramaic - Assyrian Church believers that had left Chaldea (Iraq) during the first war against Saddam Hussein. They settled for example, in a famous, very top-to-the-minute subsurb near Paris that encompasses around 90 ethnics. Traditionally a highly Jewish Oriental town. Dominique Strauss-Kahn was one of them before he head the International Monetary Fund. And, he made it: allowed the Chaldean Assyrian Church to get visas, settle and have two wonderful churches of ancient Middle-East Style.
The French government recently offered 500 visas to those members of the most ancient Church and faith tradition, speaking and praying the language of Jesus. The deal is simple. The situation is so messy, some come to the European Community and will get assistance... the other will try to settle the recession and the balagan, well the mess. But forget about your home country.
Let's say that they will arrive from Mosul, they will have to develop huge efforts to maintain their heritage. The real scholars of the Church were asked to travel to Iraq during the first war with any Vatican passport, a simple protection! The care of "the ancient and venerable Churches" is that the youths can meet, but hamburger is a hamburger and a shashlik is a shashlik. Then, there is more: Would Jews say every year at Pesach: "Next year in Ur-Kasdim, the paternal place of Abraham Avinu?" Or course not! Abraham maintained a family link with Chaldea till the third generation in order to marry his sons. The living memory of the Mishnah deploying towards the East, entering Tibet and China till the Kyu-Shu island of Japan is one of the most dramatic internal murders perpetrated by Western Christians (mainly the Portuguese) against Oriental Christians. Churches are superpowers and as such definitely not know how to get out of the dramas that split Christian faith thoroughly and without appeal. In 1927, the Anglican Episcopalian archbishop of Shanghai, the Russian Jewish Christian Schereschewsky canonized by the Church who had met with the descents of the Chinese Jews that still spoke some Judean-Persian at Kai-Feng.
In 1947-53, when a (Jewish) Righteous among the Nations, Fr. Alexandre Glasberg (Yad VaShem) brought by miracle the Iraqi Children Jews to Israel, he deeply imperiled their and his lives. But it made full sense. The same happened with some Iranian Jews who spoke the same dialect. He saved children and a lot of parents because it was a situation of emergency. No use to waste billions for parading charity actions. When the Chabad climbs up the Hamalayan and invites all the Jews to partake in a Serder Pesach on the roof of the world, it may sound like a parallel of Noah's Ark creatures reaching out of Egypt in Kathmandu. And they know how to dig here and there and look where Jews have passed through history, as in the Ukraine. Lhassa had an Assyrian metropolitan before the Dalai Lama had always to compose with the Chinese.
On March 25th, Greece celebrates its Independence day fixed to the date on which the Great Revolution started on Annunciation Day 1821. It marked the starting point of a long battle to deliver many western countries who were under Ottoman control. That suddenly fainted in 1918. "You father was a wandering Aramean" (Devarim 26:25) recalls ech year to Jews they are pilgrims and foreigners. They are the "Light of the world" and the light never forgets from where it came... Do remember please: Ur-Kasdim, the launching of civilization and consciousness.
Alexander Winogradsky Frenkel
March 25, 2008 - 18 de Adar II 5768
You can contact Av Aleksandr on his Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126861596
Let's be mamash, true, substantial
Thursday Mar 20, 2008
What kind of crazy things will we imagine on this Purim? When logics prefer to turn to nonsense, right to left and left to north and reality to dazzling reality? We maybe living in New Zealand, Alaska, Europe, Jews rocks between Sumer and the Mesopotamian civilization and Egypt. On the one hand, the birthplace of Abraham and in, along the Nile, the fight for surviving and getting freed. And, here, in Eretz Israel, we are in between: shifting from there to here and swinging like on seesaw. Getting in and out and back again.
Strange times: The Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah is retiring. In Israel, as by the time of the Ottomans, the first Church is the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, not the Catholic patriarchate restored in the 19th century. Michel Sabbah was born in Nazareth, he speaks Hebrew quite well. He is a "Palestinian". He will be replaced by a Jordanian archbishop who served in North Africa. Michel Sabbah has been the first Arab local clergyman to be a Latin Patriarch since the 14th century. Then, it is evident that we try to measure if it was good or bad for the Jews or bad and good who somebody else, maybe the Arab Christians and their Muslims brothers? It happens that Michel Sabbah considers that the best moments of his ministry, quietest moments were during the festivities of the Millennium of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in 2000. Upon his retirement, he made some very clear statements about the "occupation" and the general attitude of the Israelis. He also said that the Israelis can be afraid by peace. This is very true. The problem is that Jews should be convinced that when he says that, he does not reject them. But indeed, Jews are afraid to live in a peaceful atmosphere, secure. A normal Jew is at least mentally sitting on some suitcases, ready to wander around the world. When the Jews are aware of such a thing, they get panicked. Israelis are not panicked because they got home and they return to their home. Michel Sabbah sounds right, but he cannot really accept that Jews are fully at home here because of Eretz Israel. The same as for Elie Wiesel. He is the model of the Flying Jew.
Both Michel Sabbah and Elie Wiesel have spent their lives with knives in their backs. Or they thought they could be victimized by nature, innate negative fate. It is terrible how overcome with much difficulties the terrible experience that is imprinted or sealed in our memories.
Let's speak of Yaakov. There are plenty of evidences showing that he was worth taking over his brother's birthright and receiving the paternal blessing. He cheated but was cheated in return, in particular by Laban. Then, Yaakov was given another blessing and identity, Israel, during a very special dark and enlightened fight in the night. The new name he got was far more that any lentil stew deal. His very "essence or being" changed to carry over the task of blessing. It would be possible to speak of a "positive transgression" of the Law that had not been given yet to Moses but paved the way to Law-giving. "Averah" is a "transgression" that can be worth and helpful, as in the case of "Pikuach nefesh" (the requirement to save a life, which has numerous implications). "Avar" also means "to be pregnant/"me'uberet", which shows the passing from the womb to outside world; connected with "ivri" as in Bereishit Rabba 42: "The whole world was on one side (idolaters), thus Abraham passed the banks of the rivers". He trespassed the rules of the idolaters in order to receive God's blessings.
Judaism speaks of mamash, mamashut = reality, substance of our lives and beings. In Yiddish mamoshes appeals to the very substance of what exists. There is no reason to oppress oneself or others if we really know who we are in-depths. The problem is to be and to exist to the full whatever circumstances.
The problem of the very nature of reality and objects, humans is that we got confused. This word, in Yiddish (mamushes) totally covers the realm of what is taught about God's Presence in Judaism and Christianity. But it is a normal copy right for the Jews and became a copy left for the others. Faith never requires any disguising, except to show that the worst tragedies will pass because humans are born to rejoice. But how can we rejoice with you, yes you over there - whoever you are and I don't even understand who you are (normal question of a usual tourist here)? You superseded our birth right, our original copy right and captured also any copy left. No copy belongs to you and not to me or vice versa. Because "mine is yours says the tzaddik" (Pirkey Avot). Jesus declared the same to His and Our Father (John 17:10). In cities with walls, let's this year lift our internal rejections and pardon because "purim calls k'purim", "like lots" cast to rejoice and not to mourn. The megillah will continue to be unscrolled... for the best of life. L'chayim!
Alexander Winogradsky Frenkel
March 20, 2008 - 12 deAdar II 5768
You can contact Av Aleksandr on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126861596
What kind of crazy things will we imagine on this Purim? When logics prefer to turn to nonsense, right to left and left to north and reality to dazzling reality? We maybe living in New Zealand, Alaska, Europe, Jews rocks between Sumer and the Mesopotamian civilization and Egypt. On the one hand, the birthplace of Abraham and in, along the Nile, the fight for surviving and getting freed. And, here, in Eretz Israel, we are in between: shifting from there to here and swinging like on seesaw. Getting in and out and back again.
Strange times: The Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah is retiring. In Israel, as by the time of the Ottomans, the first Church is the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, not the Catholic patriarchate restored in the 19th century. Michel Sabbah was born in Nazareth, he speaks Hebrew quite well. He is a "Palestinian". He will be replaced by a Jordanian archbishop who served in North Africa. Michel Sabbah has been the first Arab local clergyman to be a Latin Patriarch since the 14th century. Then, it is evident that we try to measure if it was good or bad for the Jews or bad and good who somebody else, maybe the Arab Christians and their Muslims brothers? It happens that Michel Sabbah considers that the best moments of his ministry, quietest moments were during the festivities of the Millennium of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in 2000. Upon his retirement, he made some very clear statements about the "occupation" and the general attitude of the Israelis. He also said that the Israelis can be afraid by peace. This is very true. The problem is that Jews should be convinced that when he says that, he does not reject them. But indeed, Jews are afraid to live in a peaceful atmosphere, secure. A normal Jew is at least mentally sitting on some suitcases, ready to wander around the world. When the Jews are aware of such a thing, they get panicked. Israelis are not panicked because they got home and they return to their home. Michel Sabbah sounds right, but he cannot really accept that Jews are fully at home here because of Eretz Israel. The same as for Elie Wiesel. He is the model of the Flying Jew.
Both Michel Sabbah and Elie Wiesel have spent their lives with knives in their backs. Or they thought they could be victimized by nature, innate negative fate. It is terrible how overcome with much difficulties the terrible experience that is imprinted or sealed in our memories.
Let's speak of Yaakov. There are plenty of evidences showing that he was worth taking over his brother's birthright and receiving the paternal blessing. He cheated but was cheated in return, in particular by Laban. Then, Yaakov was given another blessing and identity, Israel, during a very special dark and enlightened fight in the night. The new name he got was far more that any lentil stew deal. His very "essence or being" changed to carry over the task of blessing. It would be possible to speak of a "positive transgression" of the Law that had not been given yet to Moses but paved the way to Law-giving. "Averah" is a "transgression" that can be worth and helpful, as in the case of "Pikuach nefesh" (the requirement to save a life, which has numerous implications). "Avar" also means "to be pregnant/"me'uberet", which shows the passing from the womb to outside world; connected with "ivri" as in Bereishit Rabba 42: "The whole world was on one side (idolaters), thus Abraham passed the banks of the rivers". He trespassed the rules of the idolaters in order to receive God's blessings.
Judaism speaks of mamash, mamashut = reality, substance of our lives and beings. In Yiddish mamoshes appeals to the very substance of what exists. There is no reason to oppress oneself or others if we really know who we are in-depths. The problem is to be and to exist to the full whatever circumstances.
The problem of the very nature of reality and objects, humans is that we got confused. This word, in Yiddish (mamushes) totally covers the realm of what is taught about God's Presence in Judaism and Christianity. But it is a normal copy right for the Jews and became a copy left for the others. Faith never requires any disguising, except to show that the worst tragedies will pass because humans are born to rejoice. But how can we rejoice with you, yes you over there - whoever you are and I don't even understand who you are (normal question of a usual tourist here)? You superseded our birth right, our original copy right and captured also any copy left. No copy belongs to you and not to me or vice versa. Because "mine is yours says the tzaddik" (Pirkey Avot). Jesus declared the same to His and Our Father (John 17:10). In cities with walls, let's this year lift our internal rejections and pardon because "purim calls k'purim", "like lots" cast to rejoice and not to mourn. The megillah will continue to be unscrolled... for the best of life. L'chayim!
Alexander Winogradsky Frenkel
March 20, 2008 - 12 deAdar II 5768
You can contact Av Aleksandr on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126861596
Di nakht: darkness or toward dawn
Tuesday Mar 18, 2008
The countdown "Israel: + 60 years" has shown some defects from the very beginning of the Jewish year 5768 and even before. Firstly, it is a "shemittah = remittance" year for the land and this is a silent question with numerous answers and resolutions. It is not possible to confirm that the adamah is having some rest in Eretz Israel with all these qassams, tanks, then killings. Maps vary and will continue to change quite many years. There are points of confusion showing that legality and legacy are weakening. Young girls would not respect the civilian rules and accept the Rabbinical decisions instead. This constitutes a hapax - something totally new for the Zionist movement that always recognized the decisional ruling of the secular law applicable to all Jews.
At the long-prepared wake of the Shishim - the Sixtieth anniversary of the State of Israel that was launched with the UN partition into two States, it is totally baffling that Germany is the first official visitor as foreign country to come at the eve of the Feast of Purim. This is stunning, unreal, kitsch and weird. Either we have no soul and conscience, or, on the contrary, some anniversaries allow mediatic events can be covered by some unuttered forgiveness that is beyond any kind of understanding, safe some actions of the Lamed-Vavnikes, the 36 righteous that keeps the world alive. Who would have thought of a German Kaenzlerin, chancellor, in a modern State of Israel? And she originally comes from East Germany, with a cultural background that , via the former Soviet Union and the Russian civilization, roots her closer to the basements of the State of the Jews.
Judaism has a very special blessing: "Blessed are You, Lord of the Universe / shehecheyanu (Who sustains us in Life) vekimanu (and revives us) vehigiyanu lezman hazeh (and gives us to reach to this time).We may not be able to understand the value of what seems ordinary.
It has been a great moment of my life that my mother who had survived the Shoah specifically decided that I should perfectly speak German. At the present, it is special She had been vehemently criticized for having taken such a decision. She would speak German in case of emergency. She answered that I belonged to the generation that will have the task to reconnect and pardon. Thus, I spent months in the Austrian mountains close to Salzburg. The family, the villagers were "normal evident" Hitler supporters. Erasing the Nazis? They were simple guys and I went to school there, later in Germany (Limburg). Today, Israel has welcomed a lot of German boys and girls, students. Many married here, mainly to Orientals (Mizrachim), which is definitely easier.
The above blessing insists on a regular, cyclic, on the move development and renewal of life. This is what "zikkaron - memorial" also means. If Angela Merkel only lands in Israel because it is a good and juicy economic period when the world is in deep turmoil, this would be useless or just some toasts before further sinking.
Then, it may be puzzling that Elie(zer) Wiesel refuses at the last minute and right out of the blue, to hold a torch for the Sixtieth? He went through "Di nakht - the Night". The reaction that condemns him for personal money profits, utilizing the Holocaust as a self promotion... Nu so what? Jews, as Christians, are none without compassion and loving-kindness. In the "Night", E. Wiesel looks, with the inmates of the camp, at the gallows and the hanging body. A man says: "Where is God?" Wiesel whispers: "There, he is hanging at the gallows".
Elie Wiesel has never become the man he should have been as a member of the Yiddishkayt. His Jewishness and normal route sank during the Shoah. Today, he often would say this and that, partly dreaming, partly surviving. The intriguing part is that only Israelis are entitled to yell at him or be judgmental. Any soul - that solely passes by this Land of Canaan today is place beyond any capacity to measure the value of life. It is far beyond mean survival concerns and still it is interwoven with horrible fears.
From growing flowers, trees, roads, pets, computers to human bones, all of them ache or ached or will go through terrible pains. We are simply at the dawn of some new humanity.
You can join Av a. ont Facebook: Av Aleksandr - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126861596
Chag Purim sameach
The countdown "Israel: + 60 years" has shown some defects from the very beginning of the Jewish year 5768 and even before. Firstly, it is a "shemittah = remittance" year for the land and this is a silent question with numerous answers and resolutions. It is not possible to confirm that the adamah is having some rest in Eretz Israel with all these qassams, tanks, then killings. Maps vary and will continue to change quite many years. There are points of confusion showing that legality and legacy are weakening. Young girls would not respect the civilian rules and accept the Rabbinical decisions instead. This constitutes a hapax - something totally new for the Zionist movement that always recognized the decisional ruling of the secular law applicable to all Jews.
At the long-prepared wake of the Shishim - the Sixtieth anniversary of the State of Israel that was launched with the UN partition into two States, it is totally baffling that Germany is the first official visitor as foreign country to come at the eve of the Feast of Purim. This is stunning, unreal, kitsch and weird. Either we have no soul and conscience, or, on the contrary, some anniversaries allow mediatic events can be covered by some unuttered forgiveness that is beyond any kind of understanding, safe some actions of the Lamed-Vavnikes, the 36 righteous that keeps the world alive. Who would have thought of a German Kaenzlerin, chancellor, in a modern State of Israel? And she originally comes from East Germany, with a cultural background that , via the former Soviet Union and the Russian civilization, roots her closer to the basements of the State of the Jews.
Judaism has a very special blessing: "Blessed are You, Lord of the Universe / shehecheyanu (Who sustains us in Life) vekimanu (and revives us) vehigiyanu lezman hazeh (and gives us to reach to this time).We may not be able to understand the value of what seems ordinary.
It has been a great moment of my life that my mother who had survived the Shoah specifically decided that I should perfectly speak German. At the present, it is special She had been vehemently criticized for having taken such a decision. She would speak German in case of emergency. She answered that I belonged to the generation that will have the task to reconnect and pardon. Thus, I spent months in the Austrian mountains close to Salzburg. The family, the villagers were "normal evident" Hitler supporters. Erasing the Nazis? They were simple guys and I went to school there, later in Germany (Limburg). Today, Israel has welcomed a lot of German boys and girls, students. Many married here, mainly to Orientals (Mizrachim), which is definitely easier.
The above blessing insists on a regular, cyclic, on the move development and renewal of life. This is what "zikkaron - memorial" also means. If Angela Merkel only lands in Israel because it is a good and juicy economic period when the world is in deep turmoil, this would be useless or just some toasts before further sinking.
Then, it may be puzzling that Elie(zer) Wiesel refuses at the last minute and right out of the blue, to hold a torch for the Sixtieth? He went through "Di nakht - the Night". The reaction that condemns him for personal money profits, utilizing the Holocaust as a self promotion... Nu so what? Jews, as Christians, are none without compassion and loving-kindness. In the "Night", E. Wiesel looks, with the inmates of the camp, at the gallows and the hanging body. A man says: "Where is God?" Wiesel whispers: "There, he is hanging at the gallows".
Elie Wiesel has never become the man he should have been as a member of the Yiddishkayt. His Jewishness and normal route sank during the Shoah. Today, he often would say this and that, partly dreaming, partly surviving. The intriguing part is that only Israelis are entitled to yell at him or be judgmental. Any soul - that solely passes by this Land of Canaan today is place beyond any capacity to measure the value of life. It is far beyond mean survival concerns and still it is interwoven with horrible fears.
From growing flowers, trees, roads, pets, computers to human bones, all of them ache or ached or will go through terrible pains. We are simply at the dawn of some new humanity.
You can join Av a. ont Facebook: Av Aleksandr - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126861596
Chag Purim sameach
Sunday, March 16, 2008
VAYIKRa: 5768 God's cry to Moses (with comments)
Posted by Av_a
Comments: 3
It is strange how we rather seem to flounder again and deeper in the mud. There is no real way for any of us living in Eretz Israel to feel at ease with morals. Mud is natural. "Griaz" means "dirt" in Russian. So we can get painted into mud, covered with brown, green, dark black and get better. From Pesach 5766 to Passover 5767, our Israeli society has been profoundly hurt and deceived by the moral, economical, ethical, political, military, religious hypocrisy, imposture combined with corruption and presence of the establishment. It faced a war in Lebanon that is denounced in many aspects. Fraud and stratagems constitute our daily two/multi-faceted dish of speciousness.
The heads of the different sectors of responsibility are of the same generation as Moses, Aaron, the leaders of the Israelites who were brought from jail to freedom. They lost a generation of idolaters in the wilderness. Morally speaking, there is seemingly little difference between that generation of the golden calf and the Tent of the Ark and our Israeli and/or leaders and gurus at the moment. We are all confused and lost and attracted by some legal lawlessness.
Maybe worse in one aspect: Israel appears to be at pain with the spiritual combat for accepting the Mitzvot/Commandments led by the generation of the desert. Teachings and education are the real challenge of a true Jewish and Israeli way of living. Thus, we are responsible for each other in good as in evil.
The parshat hashavua or weekly portion read is VAYIKRa = "And (God) called (Moses)" (Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26). The verb states God's call to Moses and is the Hebrew name of the third Book of the Chumash (Five Books of Moses). In Greek, the Book is called "Ton Levitikon - Biblion ton Leviton, Lat.: Leviticus = the Book of the Levites". The Book explains to the Israelites how to be a nation of priests and reach the realm of holiness. This week, the portion mainly refers to the sacrifices offered for the sins of the people and of the nasi (head, leader).
The Book begins as follows: "Vayikra el Moshe - and calling to Moses / vayidaber HaShem alav - and spoke the Lord to him / me'ohel mo'ed le'mor = from the Tent of Meeting saying." The verbs "daber (speak) and l'emor (say) are used in a way rather close to the giving of the Ten Paroles. It starts in a special way: "Vayikra" = "And (God) called". The translation is not exact. "Kara / keri" means to call, name, invite. "From the day that the Lord created the world, there was no man that called the Holy One Blessed be He Lord, until Abraham called Him Lord" (Gen. 15:19) (Berachot 7b). Then: "A child does not know to call his parents 'abba-imma/dad-mom' before it has tasted grain food" (Sanhedrin 70b - which makes sense in connection with Passover and Pentecost). It also means "to read, recite": "He called to read from the Book of the Torah must read no less than three verses" (Megillah 4, 74b). The root also means "to join, meet, to call with a loud voice". "Mikra = reading, visible congregation". It can be a very basic cry: "Uvshem HaShem ekra / I shall call (cry, scream, invoke) to the Lord" (Tehillim 117:4). There is another word which resembles to this "cry-call": "HaShem yeshu'ati - Lord, my deliverance / yom-tza'akti = I cry out during the day" (Psalm 88:2).
We have seen since the time the Israelites were packing up and fleeing from Egypt, how God called them, convoked them. The birth cry of an infant that hardly can utter any sound. At birth, an essential moment is the first voice cry that opens and develops the lungs, allows breathing, life. God called the people several times in order to prepare them to be opened out to their new freedom. Here, only Moses heard this "vayikra - call (from God)", again covering all guilt and sin (the golden calf, lack of patience of the priest Aaron, the people). God entrusts Moses with the most sacred Book about the Jewish call to be a "kingdom of priests" and "to be holy". All the sacrifices (except that of thanksgiving/ zevach todah) are on suspended, but, they are at the soul and heart of the Jewish Service of God. It might be possible to say that God called Moses as to serve Him as a newborn child. The "V = vav = "and" = a new connection", the "y/yod" is the smallest letter but designates the 10 of the normal quorum of people for the prayer. The final "alef" is usually printed as a small letter because this service of priesthood and holiness requires a lot of humility.
Thus it starts with the guidelines detailing the sacrifices to perform "im/if" (Lev. 4:2) the people will commit certain sins. The problem is then a sort of evaluation of the guilt and, subsequently, what sacrifice should be offered by the priest adequately. It should be noted that sin is "conditional". Guilt is never evident and this is a real intriguing spiritual question. Would it suggest, as Isaac B. Singer, who wrote as a sort of rather blasé apikoros, that Jews may go through sin and be rescued "untouched by guilt"? This is rather a long-term overtime statement that the priestly call of the Jews has often preserved them from being affected by sin? Still, a pagan who believes in God is higher than a high priest (Avodah Zarah 4b).
Instead of the Sacrifices, we stumble along interpretations. This week, we read the Great Code of the Jewish priesthood. We should bear in mind that Aaron died because as a priest, he committed the sin of idolatry in order to satisfy the desperate Hebrews. But Moses did not enter the Land because, though killing a stranger, he had committed a murder. Killing is strongly definitely prohibited by Jewish faith. In our situation, with so much hatred and will to destroy the Israeli reality, it is evident that the Israeli army has the right to consider all sorts of possibilities to counter irrational hatred. Thus, it may sound bizarre to see some Rabbis bless some acts of revenge. "Nekamah = judgment, punishment but it comes from and goes back to God: gdolah nekamah... divine judgment is great for it is placed between two divine names (Berachot 33a). Or: what revenge is meant? The judgment for the evil they did to Israel velo nikmat adam = and it cannot be a revenge executed by man (Midrash Tehillim 146:7).
Clerics of all religions may often be drifted by their weakness and it might be understandable that extreme positions has often overcome patience, insightful analysis and simply true faith in God's Paroles. It is the difficult time to grow lower as the small "alef" at the end of "VAYIKRa".
On the other hand, there is a second aspect in the reading portion: it is obvious that the people have to ask the high priest to offer the chatat, offering for the expiation of their sins, if (im) they are aware of having committed some. Punishment may affect them, according to God's will. But intriguingly, the nasi (head, governor, ruler) is treated otherwise. "Asher – as, as a consequence of his sin, the nasi/ruler" is totally responsible for his sins (Lev. 4:22). Many contemporary thinkers consider that this weekly portion is essential in the situation of our Israeli society. "im - if, in the event" the people or even the priests come to commit sins, there is an apparent provision that softens the burden of any punishment. This is not the case for the leaders, rulers, managerial staff that get corrupt. They stubbornly try to walk ahead in their muddy sins. The statement is realistic and so divinely human: a leader is called to get corrupt. Thus, he is under the direct responsibility - not only checking - of the nation because Israel is called to holiness.
On this First Sunday of the Great Lent, the Christian Orthodox Church commemorates.
The "Feast of the Orthodoxy, i.e. the true upright Faith". It was finally accepted to restore the Icons in 843. Icons that should normally be painted according to the biblical rule. In this respect, the faithful face the same temptations as all believers: to make idols of what shows holiness. To impose faith when free love/ahavat chinam is stronger than any crooked projects.
During Great Lent, the believers read the prayer written by Ephrem the Syrian: "O Lord and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of sloth, idle curiosity, lust for power and idle talk./ But grant unto me, Your servant, a spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love./ Indeed, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brothers and sisters. For blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen". (Greek version). This supplication addressed to the Father Who is in heaven is really up-to-the-minute/second in the present.
I thank God that I could develop almost two years and a full annual text comment cycle showing the profound link that exists between Judaism and Christianity. In our context of Israeli society going through swirling disturbances, it is great that I could do it, though often in difficult conditions shared with many bloggers. Still, The Jerusalem Post launched it and I hope we shall continue through a link on the blogroll.
This blog cannot be a source of profit. Scanning the tragic but irrational path of Jewish-Christian connection, in particular in Israel, is like a weird challenge that faces rejection, deaf-mute reactions or political cant. It does not match with ratings and numberings combined with technical defects. Therefore, I am grateful I could write it here. I shall continue and soon be published as a book.
I prefer to stop this form of publication with the parashat VaYIKRa which is a life point in the Jewish yearly cycle.
Comments: Post your own comment
1 | The only suggestion that I have is that your blog provides a unique “bridge building” dimension. That religious differences are a major cause of Middle East tensions and that your life experience with many sides enables you to present diverse religious ideas that can be helpful in developing mutual understanding and respect. This is no minor issue. This blog must continue, James
James - Israel - United States, Thursday Mar 13, 2008
2 | Many thanks Av_a for sharing your deep understanding of the christian and jewish worlds. Your work is very important, especially at a time of fear and despair. It is a true witnessing that faith brings us to gather beyond our differences.
Barukh - Paris, Friday Mar 14, 2008
3 | I read your blogs since you started. The are lively, serious. They oblige to effort and this is very important.You are not looking for easiness, but you insist on our situation here and the link between two traditions. To my knowledge, you are the only one who roots Christianity to Judaism without offending anyone. Most blogs are published once in while now in this daily. You continue the good work and I hope that the Jerusalem Post and you could continue in decent conditions. It has definitely not been the case for too often. You have to continue. Shimon
Shimon - Israel, Saturday Mar 15, 2008
Comments: 3
It is strange how we rather seem to flounder again and deeper in the mud. There is no real way for any of us living in Eretz Israel to feel at ease with morals. Mud is natural. "Griaz" means "dirt" in Russian. So we can get painted into mud, covered with brown, green, dark black and get better. From Pesach 5766 to Passover 5767, our Israeli society has been profoundly hurt and deceived by the moral, economical, ethical, political, military, religious hypocrisy, imposture combined with corruption and presence of the establishment. It faced a war in Lebanon that is denounced in many aspects. Fraud and stratagems constitute our daily two/multi-faceted dish of speciousness.
The heads of the different sectors of responsibility are of the same generation as Moses, Aaron, the leaders of the Israelites who were brought from jail to freedom. They lost a generation of idolaters in the wilderness. Morally speaking, there is seemingly little difference between that generation of the golden calf and the Tent of the Ark and our Israeli and/or leaders and gurus at the moment. We are all confused and lost and attracted by some legal lawlessness.
Maybe worse in one aspect: Israel appears to be at pain with the spiritual combat for accepting the Mitzvot/Commandments led by the generation of the desert. Teachings and education are the real challenge of a true Jewish and Israeli way of living. Thus, we are responsible for each other in good as in evil.
The parshat hashavua or weekly portion read is VAYIKRa = "And (God) called (Moses)" (Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26). The verb states God's call to Moses and is the Hebrew name of the third Book of the Chumash (Five Books of Moses). In Greek, the Book is called "Ton Levitikon - Biblion ton Leviton, Lat.: Leviticus = the Book of the Levites". The Book explains to the Israelites how to be a nation of priests and reach the realm of holiness. This week, the portion mainly refers to the sacrifices offered for the sins of the people and of the nasi (head, leader).
The Book begins as follows: "Vayikra el Moshe - and calling to Moses / vayidaber HaShem alav - and spoke the Lord to him / me'ohel mo'ed le'mor = from the Tent of Meeting saying." The verbs "daber (speak) and l'emor (say) are used in a way rather close to the giving of the Ten Paroles. It starts in a special way: "Vayikra" = "And (God) called". The translation is not exact. "Kara / keri" means to call, name, invite. "From the day that the Lord created the world, there was no man that called the Holy One Blessed be He Lord, until Abraham called Him Lord" (Gen. 15:19) (Berachot 7b). Then: "A child does not know to call his parents 'abba-imma/dad-mom' before it has tasted grain food" (Sanhedrin 70b - which makes sense in connection with Passover and Pentecost). It also means "to read, recite": "He called to read from the Book of the Torah must read no less than three verses" (Megillah 4, 74b). The root also means "to join, meet, to call with a loud voice". "Mikra = reading, visible congregation". It can be a very basic cry: "Uvshem HaShem ekra / I shall call (cry, scream, invoke) to the Lord" (Tehillim 117:4). There is another word which resembles to this "cry-call": "HaShem yeshu'ati - Lord, my deliverance / yom-tza'akti = I cry out during the day" (Psalm 88:2).
We have seen since the time the Israelites were packing up and fleeing from Egypt, how God called them, convoked them. The birth cry of an infant that hardly can utter any sound. At birth, an essential moment is the first voice cry that opens and develops the lungs, allows breathing, life. God called the people several times in order to prepare them to be opened out to their new freedom. Here, only Moses heard this "vayikra - call (from God)", again covering all guilt and sin (the golden calf, lack of patience of the priest Aaron, the people). God entrusts Moses with the most sacred Book about the Jewish call to be a "kingdom of priests" and "to be holy". All the sacrifices (except that of thanksgiving/ zevach todah) are on suspended, but, they are at the soul and heart of the Jewish Service of God. It might be possible to say that God called Moses as to serve Him as a newborn child. The "V = vav = "and" = a new connection", the "y/yod" is the smallest letter but designates the 10 of the normal quorum of people for the prayer. The final "alef" is usually printed as a small letter because this service of priesthood and holiness requires a lot of humility.
Thus it starts with the guidelines detailing the sacrifices to perform "im/if" (Lev. 4:2) the people will commit certain sins. The problem is then a sort of evaluation of the guilt and, subsequently, what sacrifice should be offered by the priest adequately. It should be noted that sin is "conditional". Guilt is never evident and this is a real intriguing spiritual question. Would it suggest, as Isaac B. Singer, who wrote as a sort of rather blasé apikoros, that Jews may go through sin and be rescued "untouched by guilt"? This is rather a long-term overtime statement that the priestly call of the Jews has often preserved them from being affected by sin? Still, a pagan who believes in God is higher than a high priest (Avodah Zarah 4b).
Instead of the Sacrifices, we stumble along interpretations. This week, we read the Great Code of the Jewish priesthood. We should bear in mind that Aaron died because as a priest, he committed the sin of idolatry in order to satisfy the desperate Hebrews. But Moses did not enter the Land because, though killing a stranger, he had committed a murder. Killing is strongly definitely prohibited by Jewish faith. In our situation, with so much hatred and will to destroy the Israeli reality, it is evident that the Israeli army has the right to consider all sorts of possibilities to counter irrational hatred. Thus, it may sound bizarre to see some Rabbis bless some acts of revenge. "Nekamah = judgment, punishment but it comes from and goes back to God: gdolah nekamah... divine judgment is great for it is placed between two divine names (Berachot 33a). Or: what revenge is meant? The judgment for the evil they did to Israel velo nikmat adam = and it cannot be a revenge executed by man (Midrash Tehillim 146:7).
Clerics of all religions may often be drifted by their weakness and it might be understandable that extreme positions has often overcome patience, insightful analysis and simply true faith in God's Paroles. It is the difficult time to grow lower as the small "alef" at the end of "VAYIKRa".
On the other hand, there is a second aspect in the reading portion: it is obvious that the people have to ask the high priest to offer the chatat, offering for the expiation of their sins, if (im) they are aware of having committed some. Punishment may affect them, according to God's will. But intriguingly, the nasi (head, governor, ruler) is treated otherwise. "Asher – as, as a consequence of his sin, the nasi/ruler" is totally responsible for his sins (Lev. 4:22). Many contemporary thinkers consider that this weekly portion is essential in the situation of our Israeli society. "im - if, in the event" the people or even the priests come to commit sins, there is an apparent provision that softens the burden of any punishment. This is not the case for the leaders, rulers, managerial staff that get corrupt. They stubbornly try to walk ahead in their muddy sins. The statement is realistic and so divinely human: a leader is called to get corrupt. Thus, he is under the direct responsibility - not only checking - of the nation because Israel is called to holiness.
On this First Sunday of the Great Lent, the Christian Orthodox Church commemorates.
The "Feast of the Orthodoxy, i.e. the true upright Faith". It was finally accepted to restore the Icons in 843. Icons that should normally be painted according to the biblical rule. In this respect, the faithful face the same temptations as all believers: to make idols of what shows holiness. To impose faith when free love/ahavat chinam is stronger than any crooked projects.
During Great Lent, the believers read the prayer written by Ephrem the Syrian: "O Lord and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of sloth, idle curiosity, lust for power and idle talk./ But grant unto me, Your servant, a spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love./ Indeed, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brothers and sisters. For blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen". (Greek version). This supplication addressed to the Father Who is in heaven is really up-to-the-minute/second in the present.
I thank God that I could develop almost two years and a full annual text comment cycle showing the profound link that exists between Judaism and Christianity. In our context of Israeli society going through swirling disturbances, it is great that I could do it, though often in difficult conditions shared with many bloggers. Still, The Jerusalem Post launched it and I hope we shall continue through a link on the blogroll.
This blog cannot be a source of profit. Scanning the tragic but irrational path of Jewish-Christian connection, in particular in Israel, is like a weird challenge that faces rejection, deaf-mute reactions or political cant. It does not match with ratings and numberings combined with technical defects. Therefore, I am grateful I could write it here. I shall continue and soon be published as a book.
I prefer to stop this form of publication with the parashat VaYIKRa which is a life point in the Jewish yearly cycle.
Comments: Post your own comment
1 | The only suggestion that I have is that your blog provides a unique “bridge building” dimension. That religious differences are a major cause of Middle East tensions and that your life experience with many sides enables you to present diverse religious ideas that can be helpful in developing mutual understanding and respect. This is no minor issue. This blog must continue, James
James - Israel - United States, Thursday Mar 13, 2008
2 | Many thanks Av_a for sharing your deep understanding of the christian and jewish worlds. Your work is very important, especially at a time of fear and despair. It is a true witnessing that faith brings us to gather beyond our differences.
Barukh - Paris, Friday Mar 14, 2008
3 | I read your blogs since you started. The are lively, serious. They oblige to effort and this is very important.You are not looking for easiness, but you insist on our situation here and the link between two traditions. To my knowledge, you are the only one who roots Christianity to Judaism without offending anyone. Most blogs are published once in while now in this daily. You continue the good work and I hope that the Jerusalem Post and you could continue in decent conditions. It has definitely not been the case for too often. You have to continue. Shimon
Shimon - Israel, Saturday Mar 15, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
VAYIKRa: 5768 God's cry to Moses
It is strange how we rather seem to flounder again and deeper in the mud. There is no real way for any of us living in Eretz Israel to feel at ease with morals. Mud is natural. "Griaz" means "dirt" in Russian. So we can get painted into mud, covered with brown, green, dark black and get better. From Pesach 5766 to Passover 5767, our Israeli society has been profoundly hurt and deceived by the moral, economical, ethical, political, military, religious hypocrisy, imposture combined with corruption and presence of the establishment. It faced a war in Lebanon that is denounced in many aspects. Fraud and stratagems constitute our daily two/multi-faceted dish of speciousness.
The heads of the different sectors of responsibility are of the same generation as Moses, Aaron, the leaders of the Israelites who were brought from jail to freedom. They lost a generation of idolaters in the wilderness. Morally speaking, there is seemingly little difference between that generation of the golden calf and the Tent of the Ark and our Israeli and/or leaders and gurus at the moment. We are all confused and lost and attracted by some legal lawlessness.
Maybe worse in one aspect: Israel appears to be at pain with the spiritual combat for accepting the Mitzvot/Commandments led by the generation of the desert. Teachings and education are the real challenge of a true Jewish and Israeli way of living. Thus, we are responsible for each other in good as in evil.
The parshat hashavua or weekly portion read is VAYIKRa = "And (God) called (Moses)" (Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26). The verb states God's call to Moses and is the Hebrew name of the third Book of the Chumash (Five Books of Moses). In Greek, the Book is called "Ton Levitikon - Biblion ton Leviton, Lat.: Leviticus = the Book of the Levites". The Book explains to the Israelites how to be a nation of priests and reach the realm of holiness. This week, the portion mainly refers to the sacrifices offered for the sins of the people and of the nasi (head, leader).
The Book begins as follows: "Vayikra el Moshe - and calling to Moses / vayidaber HaShem alav - and spoke the Lord to him / me'ohel mo'ed le'mor = from the Tent of Meeting saying." The verbs "daber (speak) and l'emor (say) are used in a way rather close to the giving of the Ten Paroles. It starts in a special way: "Vayikra" = "And (God) called". The translation is not exact. "Kara / keri" means to call, name, invite. "From the day that the Lord created the world, there was no man that called the Holy One Blessed be He Lord, until Abraham called Him Lord" (Gen. 15:19) (Berachot 7b). Then: "A child does not know to call his parents 'abba-imma/dad-mom' before it has tasted grain food" (Sanhedrin 70b - which makes sense in connection with Passover and Pentecost). It also means "to read, recite": "He called to read from the Book of the Torah must read no less than three verses" (Megillah 4, 74b). The root also means "to join, meet, to call with a loud voice". "Mikra = reading, visible congregation". It can be a very basic cry: "Uvshem HaShem ekra / I shall call (cry, scream, invoke) to the Lord" (Tehillim 117:4). There is another word which resembles to this "cry-call": "HaShem yeshu'ati - Lord, my deliverance / yom-tza'akti = I cry out during the day" (Psalm 88:2).
We have seen since the time the Israelites were packing up and fleeing from Egypt, how God called them, convoked them. The birth cry of an infant that hardly can utter any sound. At birth, an essential moment is the first voice cry that opens and develops the lungs, allows breathing, life. God called the people several times in order to prepare them to be opened out to their new freedom. Here, only Moses heard this "vayikra - call (from God)", again covering all guilt and sin (the golden calf, lack of patience of the priest Aaron, the people). God entrusts Moses with the most sacred Book about the Jewish call to be a "kingdom of priests" and "to be holy". All the sacrifices (except that of thanksgiving/ zevach todah) are on suspended, but, they are at the soul and heart of the Jewish Service of God. It might be possible to say that God called Moses as to serve Him as a newborn child. The "V = vav = "and" = a new connection", the "y/yod" is the smallest letter but designates the 10 of the normal quorum of people for the prayer. The final "alef" is usually printed as a small letter because this service of priesthood and holiness requires a lot of humility.
Thus it starts with the guidelines detailing the sacrifices to perform "im/if" (Lev. 4:2) the people will commit certain sins. The problem is then a sort of evaluation of the guilt and, subsequently, what sacrifice should be offered by the priest adequately. It should be noted that sin is "conditional". Guilt is never evident and this is a real intriguing spiritual question. Would it suggest, as Isaac B. Singer, who wrote as a sort of rather blasé apikoros, that Jews may go through sin and be rescued "untouched by guilt"? This is rather a long-term overtime statement that the priestly call of the Jews has often preserved them from being affected by sin? Still, a pagan who believes in God is higher than a high priest (Avodah Zarah 4b).
Instead of the Sacrifices, we stumble along interpretations. This week, we read the Great Code of the Jewish priesthood. We should bear in mind that Aaron died because as a priest, he committed the sin of idolatry in order to satisfy the desperate Hebrews. But Moses did not enter the Land because, though killing a stranger, he had committed a murder. Killing is strongly definitely prohibited by Jewish faith. In our situation, with so much hatred and will to destroy the Israeli reality, it is evident that the Israeli army has the right to consider all sorts of possibilities to counter irrational hatred. Thus, it may sound bizarre to see some Rabbis bless some acts of revenge. "Nekamah = judgment, punishment but it comes from and goes back to God: gdolah nekamah... divine judgment is great for it is placed between two divine names (Berachot 33a). Or: what revenge is meant? The judgment for the evil they did to Israel velo nikmat adam = and it cannot be a revenge executed by man (Midrash Tehillim 146:7).
Clerics of all religions may often be drifted by their weakness and it might be understandable that extreme positions has often overcome patience, insightful analysis and simply true faith in God's Paroles. It is the difficult time to grow lower as the small "alef" at the end of "VAYIKRa".
On the other hand, there is a second aspect in the reading portion: it is obvious that the people have to ask the high priest to offer the chatat, offering for the expiation of their sins, if (im) they are aware of having committed some. Punishment may affect them, according to God's will. But intriguingly, the nasi (head, governor, ruler) is treated otherwise. "Asher – as, as a consequence of his sin, the nasi/ruler" is totally responsible for his sins (Lev. 4:22). Many contemporary thinkers consider that this weekly portion is essential in the situation of our Israeli society. "im - if, in the event" the people or even the priests come to commit sins, there is an apparent provision that softens the burden of any punishment. This is not the case for the leaders, rulers, managerial staff that get corrupt. They stubbornly try to walk ahead in their muddy sins. The statement is realistic and so divinely human: a leader is called to get corrupt. Thus, he is under the direct responsibility - not only checking - of the nation because Israel is called to holiness.
On this First Sunday of the Great Lent, the Christian Orthodox Church commemorates.
The "Feast of the Orthodoxy, i.e. the true upright Faith". It was finally accepted to restore the Icons in 843. Icons that should normally be painted according to the biblical rule. In this respect, the faithful face the same temptations as all believers: to make idols of what shows holiness. To impose faith when free love/ahavat chinam is stronger than any crooked projects.
During Great Lent, the believers read the prayer written by Ephrem the Syrian: "O Lord and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of sloth, idle curiosity, lust for power and idle talk./ But grant unto me, Your servant, a spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love./ Indeed, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brothers and sisters. For blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen". (Greek version). This supplication addressed to the Father Who is in heaven is really up-to-the-minute/second in the present.
I thank God that I could develop almost two years and a full annual text comment cycle showing the profound link that exists between Judaism and Christianity. In our context of Israeli society going through swirling disturbances, it is great that I could do it, though often in difficult conditions shared with many bloggers. Still, The Jerusalem Post launched it and I hope we shall continue through a link on the blogroll.
This blog cannot be a source of profit. Scanning the tragic but irrational path of Jewish-Christian connection, in particular in Israel, is like a weird challenge that faces rejection, deaf-mute reactions or political cant. It does not match with ratings and numberings combined with technical defects. Therefore, I am grateful I could write it here. I shall continue and soon be published as a book.
I prefer to stop this form of publication with the parashat VaYIKRa which is a life point in the Jewish yearly cycle.
The heads of the different sectors of responsibility are of the same generation as Moses, Aaron, the leaders of the Israelites who were brought from jail to freedom. They lost a generation of idolaters in the wilderness. Morally speaking, there is seemingly little difference between that generation of the golden calf and the Tent of the Ark and our Israeli and/or leaders and gurus at the moment. We are all confused and lost and attracted by some legal lawlessness.
Maybe worse in one aspect: Israel appears to be at pain with the spiritual combat for accepting the Mitzvot/Commandments led by the generation of the desert. Teachings and education are the real challenge of a true Jewish and Israeli way of living. Thus, we are responsible for each other in good as in evil.
The parshat hashavua or weekly portion read is VAYIKRa = "And (God) called (Moses)" (Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26). The verb states God's call to Moses and is the Hebrew name of the third Book of the Chumash (Five Books of Moses). In Greek, the Book is called "Ton Levitikon - Biblion ton Leviton, Lat.: Leviticus = the Book of the Levites". The Book explains to the Israelites how to be a nation of priests and reach the realm of holiness. This week, the portion mainly refers to the sacrifices offered for the sins of the people and of the nasi (head, leader).
The Book begins as follows: "Vayikra el Moshe - and calling to Moses / vayidaber HaShem alav - and spoke the Lord to him / me'ohel mo'ed le'mor = from the Tent of Meeting saying." The verbs "daber (speak) and l'emor (say) are used in a way rather close to the giving of the Ten Paroles. It starts in a special way: "Vayikra" = "And (God) called". The translation is not exact. "Kara / keri" means to call, name, invite. "From the day that the Lord created the world, there was no man that called the Holy One Blessed be He Lord, until Abraham called Him Lord" (Gen. 15:19) (Berachot 7b). Then: "A child does not know to call his parents 'abba-imma/dad-mom' before it has tasted grain food" (Sanhedrin 70b - which makes sense in connection with Passover and Pentecost). It also means "to read, recite": "He called to read from the Book of the Torah must read no less than three verses" (Megillah 4, 74b). The root also means "to join, meet, to call with a loud voice". "Mikra = reading, visible congregation". It can be a very basic cry: "Uvshem HaShem ekra / I shall call (cry, scream, invoke) to the Lord" (Tehillim 117:4). There is another word which resembles to this "cry-call": "HaShem yeshu'ati - Lord, my deliverance / yom-tza'akti = I cry out during the day" (Psalm 88:2).
We have seen since the time the Israelites were packing up and fleeing from Egypt, how God called them, convoked them. The birth cry of an infant that hardly can utter any sound. At birth, an essential moment is the first voice cry that opens and develops the lungs, allows breathing, life. God called the people several times in order to prepare them to be opened out to their new freedom. Here, only Moses heard this "vayikra - call (from God)", again covering all guilt and sin (the golden calf, lack of patience of the priest Aaron, the people). God entrusts Moses with the most sacred Book about the Jewish call to be a "kingdom of priests" and "to be holy". All the sacrifices (except that of thanksgiving/ zevach todah) are on suspended, but, they are at the soul and heart of the Jewish Service of God. It might be possible to say that God called Moses as to serve Him as a newborn child. The "V = vav = "and" = a new connection", the "y/yod" is the smallest letter but designates the 10 of the normal quorum of people for the prayer. The final "alef" is usually printed as a small letter because this service of priesthood and holiness requires a lot of humility.
Thus it starts with the guidelines detailing the sacrifices to perform "im/if" (Lev. 4:2) the people will commit certain sins. The problem is then a sort of evaluation of the guilt and, subsequently, what sacrifice should be offered by the priest adequately. It should be noted that sin is "conditional". Guilt is never evident and this is a real intriguing spiritual question. Would it suggest, as Isaac B. Singer, who wrote as a sort of rather blasé apikoros, that Jews may go through sin and be rescued "untouched by guilt"? This is rather a long-term overtime statement that the priestly call of the Jews has often preserved them from being affected by sin? Still, a pagan who believes in God is higher than a high priest (Avodah Zarah 4b).
Instead of the Sacrifices, we stumble along interpretations. This week, we read the Great Code of the Jewish priesthood. We should bear in mind that Aaron died because as a priest, he committed the sin of idolatry in order to satisfy the desperate Hebrews. But Moses did not enter the Land because, though killing a stranger, he had committed a murder. Killing is strongly definitely prohibited by Jewish faith. In our situation, with so much hatred and will to destroy the Israeli reality, it is evident that the Israeli army has the right to consider all sorts of possibilities to counter irrational hatred. Thus, it may sound bizarre to see some Rabbis bless some acts of revenge. "Nekamah = judgment, punishment but it comes from and goes back to God: gdolah nekamah... divine judgment is great for it is placed between two divine names (Berachot 33a). Or: what revenge is meant? The judgment for the evil they did to Israel velo nikmat adam = and it cannot be a revenge executed by man (Midrash Tehillim 146:7).
Clerics of all religions may often be drifted by their weakness and it might be understandable that extreme positions has often overcome patience, insightful analysis and simply true faith in God's Paroles. It is the difficult time to grow lower as the small "alef" at the end of "VAYIKRa".
On the other hand, there is a second aspect in the reading portion: it is obvious that the people have to ask the high priest to offer the chatat, offering for the expiation of their sins, if (im) they are aware of having committed some. Punishment may affect them, according to God's will. But intriguingly, the nasi (head, governor, ruler) is treated otherwise. "Asher – as, as a consequence of his sin, the nasi/ruler" is totally responsible for his sins (Lev. 4:22). Many contemporary thinkers consider that this weekly portion is essential in the situation of our Israeli society. "im - if, in the event" the people or even the priests come to commit sins, there is an apparent provision that softens the burden of any punishment. This is not the case for the leaders, rulers, managerial staff that get corrupt. They stubbornly try to walk ahead in their muddy sins. The statement is realistic and so divinely human: a leader is called to get corrupt. Thus, he is under the direct responsibility - not only checking - of the nation because Israel is called to holiness.
On this First Sunday of the Great Lent, the Christian Orthodox Church commemorates.
The "Feast of the Orthodoxy, i.e. the true upright Faith". It was finally accepted to restore the Icons in 843. Icons that should normally be painted according to the biblical rule. In this respect, the faithful face the same temptations as all believers: to make idols of what shows holiness. To impose faith when free love/ahavat chinam is stronger than any crooked projects.
During Great Lent, the believers read the prayer written by Ephrem the Syrian: "O Lord and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of sloth, idle curiosity, lust for power and idle talk./ But grant unto me, Your servant, a spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love./ Indeed, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brothers and sisters. For blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen". (Greek version). This supplication addressed to the Father Who is in heaven is really up-to-the-minute/second in the present.
I thank God that I could develop almost two years and a full annual text comment cycle showing the profound link that exists between Judaism and Christianity. In our context of Israeli society going through swirling disturbances, it is great that I could do it, though often in difficult conditions shared with many bloggers. Still, The Jerusalem Post launched it and I hope we shall continue through a link on the blogroll.
This blog cannot be a source of profit. Scanning the tragic but irrational path of Jewish-Christian connection, in particular in Israel, is like a weird challenge that faces rejection, deaf-mute reactions or political cant. It does not match with ratings and numberings combined with technical defects. Therefore, I am grateful I could write it here. I shall continue and soon be published as a book.
I prefer to stop this form of publication with the parashat VaYIKRa which is a life point in the Jewish yearly cycle.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Pekudey hamishkan: the records of the Dwelling
The word "adam" has different meanings and is involved in various circumstances of human life, activities and specificities . This is what we had developed last week about the "Shema Israel" and its commandment relating to loving God "with all your might - meodecha". It makes sense and it is also significant that the letters that are used to write the word meod "very - might, power, strength" are the same as "adam", the emblem of human personality and name of the first divine clay and earth fashioning. It makes sense because God's creation and activities have reached its highest technical level with human nature, brains, abilities, physical strengths, creativity. A poodle weekending for four days with "dad and mom" from the sof shavua to the motzaei Shabbat (end of Saturday) in Eilat would not be excitedly creative. On the other hand, the people rushing to the city and its beach have developed all kinds of sophisticated tools, roads, housings, off-shore entertainments, visits to the fish of the Red Sea and then, wow, the same fish are available on sale at the supermarket, cut and cleanly frozen. I it is thus understandable that there is a connection between "all your might - meodecha" and the identity of humans as tank-thinkers, builders using their body and brain resources.
The parshat hashavua or weekly reading portion Vayakhel-Pekudei closes the Book of Shemot or Exodus. As Nahmanide pointed out it is intrinsically the Book of the exile and the redemption. But then Rashi had said that it would have been convenient to begin the TaNaKh with this specific Book that shows the destiny of the Jewish people as a sort of model of the human history and discovery of God's will and path. As we go forth on the way to Pesach, it is important that our basic DNA is always tracking us back to specific reflections. So many nations, races, ethnicities, tongues are intermingling like a melting-pot (indeed not the same way as the golden calf) described by the Jewish tradition. This is connected with the creation of the world and of Adam as the first and unique ancestor of all the human beings that have lived and are to be born at the present and in the future on earth. Talmud Sanhedrin 98b suggests an intriguing way of collecting parts of earth in order to shape Adam: God would have taken from the Land of Israel to fashion Adam's head and from all the soils of all the parts of the world to make his other members, i.e. neck, chest, arms, fingers, legs etc. This shows how the rabbinic tradition focuses on the importance of the Land of Israel "Eretz Israel" as being at the heart and initial of the very nature and call of humankind, perceived as a unique entity.
It may thus be very important in the way our Israeli society evolves amidst a series of hardships and cultural confusion about identity of who we are and why we are a part of the State of Israel in its present development. Say that everything that is given to the Jews is a model for all the humans. Yes, true, but only if the "ol shamayim - the yoke of heaven" or the existential part of the mitzvot are not disconnected from our uniqueness and singularity common to any person that receives a spiritual breath from God into their nostrils. Pesach models the humans according the revelation that the Jews were in exile from the Land of Canaan. Not only from that Land, but the very fundamental events that constituted the Jewish identity found there achievement in the fact that God gave them a land. Even in that promise, the Land, i.e. "Eretz Israel" does not suffice. There is more. A nation born to a wandering, fugitive Aramean (Deuteronomy/ Devarim 27:5) found its soul, goal, identity in a special Land. Until now, it bears the marks of a wrestling fight that made him Israel. Then, the land is indeed a part of some external historical imprint that memorizes the ground, the landscape, the air and atmosphere in the bones of the Jewish people.
This is why Adam's shaping is reputedly accounted as having taken place in Jerusalem is also a sort of "exile and redemption" views. The Gan Eden is located a bit up to the North-East, and not precisely in the Land of Canaan or Israel. It is evident that "adam" is linked to different roots that are also pretty much relevant. Adam has been shaped out of "adamah - earth". Both words relate to "dam, damdam" that means: "To be red, viscous, thick, dark”, thus "to grow, get red, shiny, like blushing faces". Bereishit Rabba 17 is considered in the Targum as the sefer deadam harishon = the account or allegorical book of Adam containing all generations and their leaders from the beginning to resurrection, i.e. destinies of humanity (cf. Ex. Rabba 40; Bava Metzia 85b). "Adamah" is made of thick and moist, earth and clay as the potter takes "efer - sand and dust" which is male and "adamah - clay" which is female (Gen. Rabba 14). "Adamah" is also think like clay and is similar to a 'seal' (Shabbat 8,5). Then, "dam = liquid" and means "blood, life". God created all human beings in His Image and Likeness and then "He diminished the divine image (demut) by neglecting the propagation of man" (Yevamot 63b). This induces that every human does mirror God in a small likeness that is not extended and remains measured, humble. "Dom / damam" means "in silent, dumb, at rest". Human beings are not only like clay and dust, sand in hands of the potter (cf. Prophet Isaiah).
The coming weekly reading portion Vayikra - Leviticus we shall commence to read the Book of the Levites and the commandments referring to the priestly service of the children of Israel. Eretz Israel, the Land of Israel, is an inherent and rudimentary part of the Jewish memory as constantly reinvigorated. At this point, we go out of an exile that was the bondage in Egypt. God's housing and Temple instruments will later be taken into the exile to Babylon. Before they entered again the Land of Canaan where the ancestors had received their call to serve God, the Israelites are marked by the seal of this specific adamah, earth and birthplace. They will have to endure the same torments during the time of exile in Babylon. On the one hand, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-Israel tied them up to a spiritual native land that stamped their identity. The same memorizing process did happen by the time of the exile in Mesopotamia. But they had the Temple instruments with them. The Jewish identity carries that throughout all the exiles, not as a national expectation to get some piece of land. We reach to the core of the faith. This deals with a permanent overtime rental agreement which is only founded on freedom, free access and use and relies on faith and trust in God.
This makes the Jews "very (bney) adam - human" or look like 'damim' = Martians, inhabitants of the Red Planet. This is certainly not comparable to E.T. and other streams that would presuppose that the Israelite and the Jewish heritage came from other worlds. Just the opposite! We are opaquely and intensively the signs that we all were born in Zion (Tehillim 87:5). The movement of return to Zion includes a big part of the major messianic development that has existed in the Jewish traditions throughout the ages. The Israeli German-born philosopher Gerschom Scholem has envisioned this aspect in his books and writings about the famous false messiah Shabtai Zvi. Indeed a false messiah, but the return to Eretz Israel that he provoked en masse shows an uncommon spiritual identity that spread all through the diasporas, irrigating them with the spirit and essence of the Land of Israel. G. Scholem had the nerve to impose to one of his students, a Jew from Prague, David Flusser, who had just turned to be an Orthodox Jew to teach Christianity at the University of Jerusalem, which the involuntary candidate first accepted reluctantly. The whole thing was very insightful and is grounded in the German participation of a spiritual view of the States of the Jews. Martin Buber had collected and saved the Chassidic accounts, Abraham Heschel had shown the all-humane attitude of Jewishness. R. Y. Leibowitz was shrieking his call to true and free Judaism he had gotten from Riga to Germany, where he became a physician specialized in chemistry.
Today, the Jews return to Zion in a way that is very parallel to what happened to the Jacob-Israel descent when they fled from Egypt and erred in the wilderness among a molten calf and pieces of manna, the Luchot/Tablets. It sounds like a national movement comparable to the independence of Montenegro (Chernogora) amidst some Balkans (root for "balagan - mess") turmoil. Or the controversial independence of Kosovo and North Ossetia. Time settles what is wrought in emergency.
And here they met with other people, cultures and beliefs. Are they that human? Will Judaism and a new nation show they are human as inscribed in the Mitzvot. Interestingly, Jesus of Nazareth said: "You will receive a power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" (Acts of the Apostles 1:8). This dispersion has resembled the Jewish scattering processes. The return of Israel challenges any movie scenario. And what will be next? In the meanwhile, local people conquered, lost, seized again, sold, were forced to leave a Land of transition that spiritually imprinted a small nation of wandering Arameans.
The silent red and dark liquid blood that irrigates our hearts and souls face a difficulty to meet with others. They all grew estranged to each other, leaving aside the liquid of life that energizes all the children of man. Slowly, since the Darfur disaster is online in the country, the Israelites (Izrail'tiany = Israelites and Israelis in Russian) might progressively recognize the Armenian genocide, the various genocides that affected most of the oldest Churches of Jerusalem (Syro-Orthodox, Assyrians, Greeks). Too often, it is easier to visit old stones than to encounter with open-mindedness those who are not buildings, but living of silent blood liquid in shape of clay and earth. And we are not on Mars... Totally, definitely right out of the blue moon, we are on earth, in Jerusalem, rescued and alive. Israel is a true human and spiritual laboratory on the eve of Nissan 5768, en route to the Feasts of Pesach and Easter.
The parshat hashavua or weekly reading portion Vayakhel-Pekudei closes the Book of Shemot or Exodus. As Nahmanide pointed out it is intrinsically the Book of the exile and the redemption. But then Rashi had said that it would have been convenient to begin the TaNaKh with this specific Book that shows the destiny of the Jewish people as a sort of model of the human history and discovery of God's will and path. As we go forth on the way to Pesach, it is important that our basic DNA is always tracking us back to specific reflections. So many nations, races, ethnicities, tongues are intermingling like a melting-pot (indeed not the same way as the golden calf) described by the Jewish tradition. This is connected with the creation of the world and of Adam as the first and unique ancestor of all the human beings that have lived and are to be born at the present and in the future on earth. Talmud Sanhedrin 98b suggests an intriguing way of collecting parts of earth in order to shape Adam: God would have taken from the Land of Israel to fashion Adam's head and from all the soils of all the parts of the world to make his other members, i.e. neck, chest, arms, fingers, legs etc. This shows how the rabbinic tradition focuses on the importance of the Land of Israel "Eretz Israel" as being at the heart and initial of the very nature and call of humankind, perceived as a unique entity.
It may thus be very important in the way our Israeli society evolves amidst a series of hardships and cultural confusion about identity of who we are and why we are a part of the State of Israel in its present development. Say that everything that is given to the Jews is a model for all the humans. Yes, true, but only if the "ol shamayim - the yoke of heaven" or the existential part of the mitzvot are not disconnected from our uniqueness and singularity common to any person that receives a spiritual breath from God into their nostrils. Pesach models the humans according the revelation that the Jews were in exile from the Land of Canaan. Not only from that Land, but the very fundamental events that constituted the Jewish identity found there achievement in the fact that God gave them a land. Even in that promise, the Land, i.e. "Eretz Israel" does not suffice. There is more. A nation born to a wandering, fugitive Aramean (Deuteronomy/ Devarim 27:5) found its soul, goal, identity in a special Land. Until now, it bears the marks of a wrestling fight that made him Israel. Then, the land is indeed a part of some external historical imprint that memorizes the ground, the landscape, the air and atmosphere in the bones of the Jewish people.
This is why Adam's shaping is reputedly accounted as having taken place in Jerusalem is also a sort of "exile and redemption" views. The Gan Eden is located a bit up to the North-East, and not precisely in the Land of Canaan or Israel. It is evident that "adam" is linked to different roots that are also pretty much relevant. Adam has been shaped out of "adamah - earth". Both words relate to "dam, damdam" that means: "To be red, viscous, thick, dark”, thus "to grow, get red, shiny, like blushing faces". Bereishit Rabba 17 is considered in the Targum as the sefer deadam harishon = the account or allegorical book of Adam containing all generations and their leaders from the beginning to resurrection, i.e. destinies of humanity (cf. Ex. Rabba 40; Bava Metzia 85b). "Adamah" is made of thick and moist, earth and clay as the potter takes "efer - sand and dust" which is male and "adamah - clay" which is female (Gen. Rabba 14). "Adamah" is also think like clay and is similar to a 'seal' (Shabbat 8,5). Then, "dam = liquid" and means "blood, life". God created all human beings in His Image and Likeness and then "He diminished the divine image (demut) by neglecting the propagation of man" (Yevamot 63b). This induces that every human does mirror God in a small likeness that is not extended and remains measured, humble. "Dom / damam" means "in silent, dumb, at rest". Human beings are not only like clay and dust, sand in hands of the potter (cf. Prophet Isaiah).
The coming weekly reading portion Vayikra - Leviticus we shall commence to read the Book of the Levites and the commandments referring to the priestly service of the children of Israel. Eretz Israel, the Land of Israel, is an inherent and rudimentary part of the Jewish memory as constantly reinvigorated. At this point, we go out of an exile that was the bondage in Egypt. God's housing and Temple instruments will later be taken into the exile to Babylon. Before they entered again the Land of Canaan where the ancestors had received their call to serve God, the Israelites are marked by the seal of this specific adamah, earth and birthplace. They will have to endure the same torments during the time of exile in Babylon. On the one hand, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-Israel tied them up to a spiritual native land that stamped their identity. The same memorizing process did happen by the time of the exile in Mesopotamia. But they had the Temple instruments with them. The Jewish identity carries that throughout all the exiles, not as a national expectation to get some piece of land. We reach to the core of the faith. This deals with a permanent overtime rental agreement which is only founded on freedom, free access and use and relies on faith and trust in God.
This makes the Jews "very (bney) adam - human" or look like 'damim' = Martians, inhabitants of the Red Planet. This is certainly not comparable to E.T. and other streams that would presuppose that the Israelite and the Jewish heritage came from other worlds. Just the opposite! We are opaquely and intensively the signs that we all were born in Zion (Tehillim 87:5). The movement of return to Zion includes a big part of the major messianic development that has existed in the Jewish traditions throughout the ages. The Israeli German-born philosopher Gerschom Scholem has envisioned this aspect in his books and writings about the famous false messiah Shabtai Zvi. Indeed a false messiah, but the return to Eretz Israel that he provoked en masse shows an uncommon spiritual identity that spread all through the diasporas, irrigating them with the spirit and essence of the Land of Israel. G. Scholem had the nerve to impose to one of his students, a Jew from Prague, David Flusser, who had just turned to be an Orthodox Jew to teach Christianity at the University of Jerusalem, which the involuntary candidate first accepted reluctantly. The whole thing was very insightful and is grounded in the German participation of a spiritual view of the States of the Jews. Martin Buber had collected and saved the Chassidic accounts, Abraham Heschel had shown the all-humane attitude of Jewishness. R. Y. Leibowitz was shrieking his call to true and free Judaism he had gotten from Riga to Germany, where he became a physician specialized in chemistry.
Today, the Jews return to Zion in a way that is very parallel to what happened to the Jacob-Israel descent when they fled from Egypt and erred in the wilderness among a molten calf and pieces of manna, the Luchot/Tablets. It sounds like a national movement comparable to the independence of Montenegro (Chernogora) amidst some Balkans (root for "balagan - mess") turmoil. Or the controversial independence of Kosovo and North Ossetia. Time settles what is wrought in emergency.
And here they met with other people, cultures and beliefs. Are they that human? Will Judaism and a new nation show they are human as inscribed in the Mitzvot. Interestingly, Jesus of Nazareth said: "You will receive a power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" (Acts of the Apostles 1:8). This dispersion has resembled the Jewish scattering processes. The return of Israel challenges any movie scenario. And what will be next? In the meanwhile, local people conquered, lost, seized again, sold, were forced to leave a Land of transition that spiritually imprinted a small nation of wandering Arameans.
The silent red and dark liquid blood that irrigates our hearts and souls face a difficulty to meet with others. They all grew estranged to each other, leaving aside the liquid of life that energizes all the children of man. Slowly, since the Darfur disaster is online in the country, the Israelites (Izrail'tiany = Israelites and Israelis in Russian) might progressively recognize the Armenian genocide, the various genocides that affected most of the oldest Churches of Jerusalem (Syro-Orthodox, Assyrians, Greeks). Too often, it is easier to visit old stones than to encounter with open-mindedness those who are not buildings, but living of silent blood liquid in shape of clay and earth. And we are not on Mars... Totally, definitely right out of the blue moon, we are on earth, in Jerusalem, rescued and alive. Israel is a true human and spiritual laboratory on the eve of Nissan 5768, en route to the Feasts of Pesach and Easter.
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