Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Abraham HD
- Abraham My Lover
- Netiv - The Path
- Shem and Abraham [of course]
- Mi/Mah Barah [Eleh]
- User Name and Password
- Ki Savo in Perspective
- The Real Ger Tzedek
- Iyov Program
- Love and Brotherhood
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Lech Lecha: Mr. Ger Tzedek- Lover Of God -Abraham Program!
Parashas Lech Lecha
Abraham My Lover – The First Ger Tzedek
Rabbi David Katz
God loves Abraham. Abraham was a Ger. Abraham loves God.
Under these terms, one will conclude and realize the true meaning of the text, “Abraham
My Lover” – and that this Love is unconditional, running the gauntlet of every
faction of Love contained in the Torah. If you want – Love God, Love Israel,
Love Jews, Love Gerim, Love Torah, Love your neighbor, Love your wife, Love
your son – every true love on Earth, then perhaps one should invest time into
understanding Abraham, the first [Ger Tzedek] of all Gerim. To put it simply,
Jews are commanded to Love [to which the commentators will apologize for the
difficulty that runs towards perceived impossibility of this command] while the
Ger [i.e. Abraham] simply falls in love.
To first understand matters, we as people don’t dictate our
emotional affairs with God [when undeserved]. If I feel like loving God [or at
least convince myself of this new religious flavor] there is no guarantee that
God will openly Love me back. Yes God loves us all, yet as Torah will show time
and time again, if one is so bold as to claim to Love the God of Israel, your
grace period is quite short, and soon you will have the merit of meeting “Mr.
Test” – for any serious follower of Torah will have his faith based on love
tested promptly by God. Yet the Torah is littered with exceptions to the rule
no matter what; sometimes it’s the widow, or the orphan, or the Levite….or the
Ger. And always remember, God Loves the Ger. He just does.
Yes we try to Love God and sometimes it works out and
sometimes we stumble in our efforts, not different than any flesh and blood
relationship. Where God is different, is that His side of the equation is not
based on a flesh and blood [emotional] response. God might weigh it out as a
test as was mentioned, He could enter merit into the equation, this could be a
matter of repentance; there are essentially a myriad of ways that God will act
towards a human yearning for Him. At that rate all we can say is that God is
Good, righteous, Just, and the True Judge. Some will experience a clear path to
God, others will be met with challenges. Yet the biggest perceived impediment
to God’s Love [as the Love is always there, that’s the point of the effort and
the Torah on the matter to encourage the Servant of God to Love God through
various agencies and Mitzvot, all leading to Love Hashem your God] might not be
in the ingredients of which we approach Him, rather in the withdrawal of the
subject’s own Love! In fact if one is compelled to Love God from trial, one can
ask why do good people suffer, and if from the source of Blessing, one can belittle
the actual dynamic taking place as a perceived happenstance.
Underneath the complexities of Life and Love – “He loves
me/He loves me not” – for whatever reason, and all of one’s struggles and life
made easy moment’s, the relationship might be different than you ever imagined,
in fact, you may be operating the Abraham program, all the while you are
searching for merit in Abraham! In other words, as you search for God, and to
offer Love to Him, He may have already found you; Joe average may be perhaps
something different to God. Sometimes God pours out His love for the sake of
His love, and this becomes the foundation of being a Ger [Tzedek]. Should this
be the case, instead of “trying” to Love God, one would need to realize “God loves
me!” – I am a Ger, and at that point, it becomes the journey of falling in
Love.
The Torah is for Jews and Gerim. Jews are commanded to Love
God, Love your fellow, Love the Ger, etc. One could even say this is one reason
why God created the Jews out of the World’s Gerim, to be a Nation that would
forever be charged and bound to the task of preserving the art of Love. Moses
reiterates often in the Book of Devarim, “What does Hashem your God want from
you – only to Love Hashem your God!” This is the very premise of the Shema, in
which we proclaim a Love for God after declaring his unique One-ness over His
peoples. This begs the question then, as to the nature of the Ger – if he
really even exists.
The good news is that he does exist, and the journey of the
Ger is unique in the eyes of God, for if Noah found grace in the eyes of God,
we can at least say the same thing about every Ger; one could call it the
Naaman moment, when one realizes he is having a God/Jewish moment, and needs
the prophet of Israel stat! Ok, not always is there a prophet of Israel standing
nearby, but thanks to God’s providence [mazal], Jews and [invisible/unknown]
Gerim are intertwined, and have been
since God said “I am Hashem Your God, and even going back to Shem and Abraham
where it all began to take its current shape. Thus for every Naaman moment, a
Jew [even if unbeknownst to himself] will have his “be a light to the nations
moment” – and this is where the falling into Love begins, not much different to
Naaman, who departs from Elisha the Prophet, in order to properly fall in Love,
and fall out of idolatry.
It is here, the Ger
Toshav is born, and the path of the Ger Tzedek begins; he need not search for
Abraham outside of himself in a mythological what if scenario, for he is now a
student of Abraham, finally realized as a Lover of God in God’s eyes. This is
where the path to the Garden of Eden and joining hands with the Shechinah will
fill the heart of the Ger. God loves the Ger, and the Ger Loves God – not much
different from Shir Hashirim, and the Love that King Solomon compares to the
Holy of Holies.
The Ger in Love, who loves by responding to and recognizing
God’s love upon him, for simply realizing that he is a noble Ger to God, will
literally fall in Love on many levels and to many furthest extents. He will
Love Israel, Love the Jews, Love his fellow man, etc. – in short, for every
Torah precept of Love, the Ger is there. The irony is in his relationship with
the Jew, for the Jew knows not of this Love, struggles with his inclinations
that counter love, and even denounces the Love of the Ger; the entire time the
Ger is there in Brotherhood for the Jew, yet the Jew remains blind to the
Divine dynamic. Oddly, this scenario plays out throughout the entire Torah,
from Kain and Able, Yishmael and Isaac, all the way until today. For all that
the Jew is challenged by the yolk of Heaven, the Ger has fallen into place, and
has become a standing partner in Serving God.
How ironic is it then, that Loving Ger should be discouraged
from Torah, prayer, Brotherhood, Mitzvot, song and dance, etc. To put it
mildly, the Ger has been put into a place of Love, and his soul’s desire now is
to express this Love! – all in the name of serving God from Love, and most uniquely
from the lack of command, rather from the very fact that God has Loved him, and
he has seen this Love and acts to preserve it for eternity. The Ger under the spread
wings of the Shekinah, will delight in the path of Torah such that the Zohar
explains that this is the way to healing all of the World’s sufferings […urging
people to accept their divine role and place, such that God’s Love reaches all
of the Torah’s subjects; Gerim, Priests, Levites, etc. All must be realized and accepted to find
content within the soul, and this alleviates suffering].
The crown jewel to such philosophy is the Shabbat, for it resonates
in the exact light of the Noahide Laws. Just as one takes the Laws in the
fashion as Moses taught at Sinai, so too a Ger is to take Shabbat. Not for his
sake is he to take Shabbat, but to join the Brit of Yisrael [who is sworn to
guard preservation that God created the World as represented by Shabbat; this
serves as the World’s continued existence as well], as an expression of Amen to
the Jewish command of Shabbat. The Torah hints at this by stating “My Sabbaths
you shall keep” – implying two peoples’ Sabbaths; along with commentary that
suggests this is the deeper appreciation as to why Hashem created Shabbat in
the first place, was for World Peace between those who keep the Torah.
In short, God Loves the Ger. The Ger Loves God. Abraham was
called by God His Lover, and the Ger from then on until the end of time shall
be subjected to falling in Love. There is nothing to fear from such providence,
for one’s salvation is finally find this Love; Blessed is the Ger to be of the
first to know God’s Love, and Blessed is Am Yisrael to have a faithful
Lover/Brother in the Ger. One day the Jews with give back the light and Love
the Ger as he was created to do, but ironically, by that time, the Ger’s Love
will already have played its part in bringing Moshiach. Torah of Moshiach? –
learn to Love, and that journey began with the Ger. You may even want to call
him Tzedek…like Abraham who loved God, as the father of all Gerim, and who
fulfilled the Torah’s deepest desire, in making Gerim. As Torah states, God
loves the Ger, and there is no greater Honor to God, than having Gerim return
to walk the Divine path.
Audio Shiur Tonite Sunday 11 P.M. [Tzfat Time]
Monday, October 7, 2013
One Kingdom May Not Impose Upon Another - Ramchal
חיים עובדיה יוסף בן יעקב
[גורגיה]
- 555 - Moshiach ben Yosef in atbash [opposite letters]
- Add a ה to יהוסף for 'קידוש ה plus a "ו" for יעקוב as per Inyanei Geulah, and the Gematria is 566 - Moshiach ben Yosef.
- Roshei Teivot + Ima: חייב 'ע' הרי גוג: "The decree" against 70 Nations, who are destined to fall in the Mtns. of "Gog" [Thus the Rav's Name alludes to the impending Geulah, like Moshe preceding Joshua]
May we see Yeshuot Klal Yisrael B'Zchut Torat HaEmet! ב''ה הביאת המשיח בקרוב
Noah In Your Ear
- Noah and Shabbat
- My Sabbaths You Shall Observe
- Day and Night - Ultimate Shabbat
- Noah and Redemption
- Abraham, Noah, Shem
- Tree of Life
- etc.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Noah's Secret
Parashas Noach
Shabbos:
Taking the First Step Towards Redemption
Rabbi David Katz
Parashas Noach contains one of the most emphasized verses in
the Torah that brings form to most [if not all] opinions that weigh into
whether the Noahide is to keep Shabbat or not. The verse [8:22] says, “…Continuously
, all the days of the earth , seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and
winter, DAY AND NIGHT, shall not cease.” The range is vast in interpreting this
verse, for some it spells out an obvious forbidden connotation in regards of
the Noahide’s opportunity to keep the Shabbat, yet for the advocate [i.e. the
Kabbalist vs. the Rationalist] of the Noahide/Ger, it is not a question of ‘no”
but rather when and how! The Zohar has a couple of views that are most
pertinent when exploring the Noahide Shabbat, and how it serves as a massive
step towards Redemption and in revelation of one’s soul, name, and mission on
this Earth.
The path to understanding the Zohar’s very premise that the
verse quoted is a proof for Shabbat observance, one must first have a
background knowledge of a deeper look at the Six days of Creation – after all,
Shabbat is the day that we glorify Hashem of having created the World! The
following system is a key to understanding most Kabbalah and the Noahide –
Jewish relationship through usage of the famed model of the Tree of Life; this
will be through precedent of the Days of Creation Divine Attributes [Sefirot]
that are applicable to Jews and Gerim.
As most are aware, the Creation took place through God’s
labor amidst six days, whereas on the Seventh Day, it would become a Blessed
rest day for Hashem through His Blessing to make it so. For all that the
traditional 7th Day “Shabbat” is the proper time and place for this
rest day, i.e. at the end of the week [as this would be the precedent given to
Israel at Sinai, and the most easily understood in the Torah] the Zohar
illustrates that per force of Kabbalistic truths, there is another aspect to
the rest day, and this comes from yet another principle in scripture [Vayikra
19:3], “My Sabbaths you shall observe.”
The grammar in this expression implies that the Shabbat is
not double for one observant group; rather it implies two different observances.
The simple answer is the Jew and the Ger are its subjects – to which the Sefer “Bahir”
offers an analogy to describe a King’s Day of Joy that he shares with his
beautiful bride along with his two sons of which he deeply loves. The Zohar [Hakdamah
5a] then takes liberty to explain through the Divine Attributes offer a clear
blueprint as to how this works. Once we have a model of Wisdom as to how this
works on a soul level, it becomes quite easy to provide the Chassidut [“Chassidei
Umot HaOlam”], or, the sweet Torah of Spirituality in real time, in a way that
we can easily see how to live this out in our lives every day of the week.
The Zohar after an explanatory discourse, shows how the
first three days of creation are called “Avot” [“fathers”, after Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob in an analogous level of exegesis], and they culminate into an
unprecedented revelation on the Fourth Day, which is the day that the Moon was
reduced in size [which fourth emphasizes the point, as the Moon is a hint of
the Shabbat Day, or the proverbial “Seventh” level]. Simultaneously, days Four,
Five, and Six function as a unit of three [and obviously a full set of Six
Days], logically, giving way to the Seventh Day, the traditional Shabbat. What
makes this passage in the Zohar most interesting is that it says that Day Four
as the Fourth Day in regards to the Three “Avot” is actually a hidden Shabbat
[in regards to the first three days] and can only express itself as such,
alongside our traditional Seventh Day Shabbat.
The spin on this outlook, is that anyone uninitiated into the
Zohar’s rationale, may hastily conclude that the “first Shabbat” [i.e. the
Fourth Day] would belong to the non-Jew and the traditional Shabbat belongs to
the Jew. Yet with careful consideration
to all angles [the Zohar takes into account an extremely dynamic model and
numerous factors into its formula], we see that the Jewish Shabbat is surprisingly
the Day Four revelation [that can only be revealed on the Seventh Day] while
the Noahide Shabbat is in its traditional spot. To simplify matters, the
Seventh Day is the location of the level of Shabbat “To Guard” [“שמור”]
(which is taken up by Jews and Gerim) while the level of the Fourth day
[actualized on the Seventh day] is synonymous with the term “To Remember
Shabbat” [“זכור”].
Thus Israel embodies “to guard” and “to remember” – two powers
condensed into one day. The Ger contains his “to remember” within the confines
of “to guard.” The outcome is one day of Shabbat for two peoples, perfectly
catered to both, in a way that not only is spiritually satisfying, but prepares
the World for Messianic revelation. This becomes more easily visible once
perceived in context of the Name of God and in Divine Attributes.
In Kabbalah, there are 10 Sefirot, which when placed in
context of a system of “Seven” [days of the week, Laws of Noach, etc.] the
custom is to employ the lower seven Attributes, while the upper three serve as
an inspiration to the lower seven, much like a head and a body. Thus the Seven
levels of Attributes can be seen in two different ways, such that the model of
Shabbat works.
The first Three Days that are coined “Avot” would find that
their “Fourth” Day is located in “Kingship” [Malchut] – the traditional 7th.
It just so happens that the first three days/attributes find their fourth level only in the seventh
and last space, thus leapfrogging over the traditional 4th, 5th,
and 6th spots, settling in Kingship/7th Day – the Day of
God’s Glory. This is parallel to the Forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and
their culmination into the “Fourth Forefather” – King David. This constitutes
the level of “Remembering Shabbat.” The Ger Shabbat then takes numbers 1st,
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th,
and into the 7th Day – the Holy Shabbat that must be guarded.
It is at this junction, that we find two peoples, Jews and
Gerim, each observing Shabbat, in a unique way tailored to their souls, and in
the same time and space. As the verse says, “DAY AND NIGHT, shall not cease” we
now have two people to observe, guard, and remember an entire Shabbat. The
Zohar explains that the Ger’s Shabbat emphasizes and utilizes the Friday Night as
a modus operundi to fully punctuate the portion of Shabbat that falls within
the first hours of Shabbat. The Shabbat portion that best suits the Jew, is to
take command of the Shabbat Day, gaining full steam ahead, and erupting through
Havdalah, onwards into “Yom Rishon” [Day one of the new week].
Both keep the Shabbat by day and night; metaphorically the
Jews rest Friday Night and are prepared to enhancingly serve God by day [as there
are more proactive measures to fulfill by day for the Jew] while the Ger is
infused to rush into Shabbat after an exhilarating 6th Day and onwards
into Friday night, while enjoying a day of rest with the Lord on Shabbat Day.
Both Night and Day are kept by both, and when Gerim and Jews perfect the art of
Shabbat before Moshiach arrives, we will find an enlightened Night by Jews [as
prepared by the Gerim] and a day of Torah for Gerim [as prepared by Jews]. It may be quite simple to say that Jews have
kept night and day Shabbat forever, yet the emphasis comes within, “Shall not cease” – as if in
taking shifts while one sleeps, the other takes command.
The Zohar states that through this, Holiness will pour into
the World, and levels of never seen before Wisdom will enter our lives. As we
grow in Holiness, Hashem will reveal Himself in Awesome revelation that will
allow Mankind to repair the World for the Messianic Age. Thus we find two verses that the Zohar shows
how Jews and Gerim working together in their mutual Shabbat, are foretold as “You
shall guard my Sabbaths” and “Night and Day shall not cease.” As the story
usually goes with Jews and Gerim, the Torah and Kabbalah are predicated around
the existence and fulfillments of these two Nations; Shabbat perhaps is the
greatest example of unity, partnership, and Brotherhood that is prerequisite to
God’s Most Holy Day.
We find yet another theme in the Zohar, that Noach is
synonymous with Shabbat, for his prophetic name means what Shabbat is by definition:
Rest! Parashas Noach may be a great source to learn about Shabbat, but truth be
told, it is THE GUIDE to understanding redemption for all of time, either by
simple definition of the past, or by looking forward in prophecy by means of
the allegorical truth latent in the Parsha.
Yet one topic that is utterly buried in the Parsha, and is
often overlooked [if not blatantly left out] is the life and story of Shem.
Underneath all of the redemption plotlines of the Parsha starring Noach, we are
bound to get caught up in the Noach – Abraham comparisons that will spill over
into Lech Lecha. The missing link to these Parshiot, and to the Torah itself is
Shem and the Torah of Shem. We are told by tradition that Shem stood for peace
as lesson learned against the evil that existed in the days prior to the Flood.
Thus for the Parsha that carries the loudest undertones for Shabbat is defined
by definitions of Peace / Shalom.
The Arizal says that Noach and Shem are the same aspect in
two different people; each one giving a unique perspective of Torah, for we
needed two people to express what the Mouth of God can say as one. If Hashem
said “Remember and Guard the Shabbat Day” [the Torah captures both versions,
and fittingly enough alludes to both Jews and Gerim separately in each
location] in one utterance [as we heard two], then perhaps the message of Noach
and Shem [to Abraham the First amongst the Gerim and all other Gerim] is simple…The
path to redemption can be enveloped in the simple yet eloquent greeting that
World will one day be announcing in every city on the planet; none other than, “Shabbat
Shalom.” Once this is said, then His “Mikdash you shall fear” – as Shem and Abraham
stood in Jerusalem [fear/Shalom lit.], obvious secrets of Torah hidden no more.
Audio Shiur on Parasha 11 P.M. [Tzfat Time] Yom Rishon [Sunday Night]
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Let Mazal Decide
Americans say they need a crisis. Perhaps the World needs World Crisis I instead of the WWIII. As Rahmbo says, never let the opportunity of a good crisis go to waste. This is political engineering that I can actually look forward to; Mazal-nomics 101 - letting fate decide [i.e. God] could actually be the trump card this transition needs. I'm game if this is in fact the game.
The US government began a partial shutdown on Tuesday for the first time in 17 years, potentially putting up to 1 million workers on unpaid leave, closing national parks and stalling medical research projects.
Federal agencies were directed to cut back services after lawmakers could not break a political stalemate that sparked new questions about the ability of a deeply divided Congress to perform its most basic functions.
After House Republicans floated a late offer to break the logjam, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid rejected the idea, saying Democrats would not enter into formal negotiations on spending "with a gun to our head" in the form of government shutdowns.
The political dysfunction at the Capitol also raised fresh concerns about whether Congress can meet a crucial mid-October deadline to raise the government's $16.7 trillion debt ceiling.
With an eye on the 2014 congressional elections, both parties tried to deflect responsibility for the shutdown. President Barack Obama accused Republicans of being too beholden to Tea Party conservatives in the House of Representatives and said the shutdown could threaten the economic recovery.
The political stakes are particularly high for Republicans, who are trying to regain control of the Senate next year. Polls show they are more likely to be blamed for the shutdown, as they were during the last shutdown in 1996.
"Somebody is going to win and somebody is going to lose," said pollster Peter Brown of the Quinnipiac University poll. "Going in, Obama and the Democrats have a little edge."
The dollar held steady on Tuesday even though much of the US government was due to start shutting down. S&P stock futures inched up 0.2 percent, unchanged from earlier price action after the cash index fell 0.6 percent on Monday, while US Treasury futures slipped 5 ticks.
Most Asian markets were trading higher on Tuesday.
POLITICAL POLARIZATION
The shutdown, the culmination of three years of divided government and growing political polarization, was spearheaded by Tea Party conservatives united in their opposition to Obama, their distaste for Obama's healthcare law and their campaign pledges to rein in government spending.
Obama refused to negotiate over the Republican demands and warned a shutdown could "throw a wrench into the gears of our economy."
Some government offices and national parks will be shuttered, but spending for essential functions related to national security and public safety will continue, including pay for US military troops.
"It's not shocking there is a shutdown, the shock is that it hasn't happened before this," said Republican strategist John Feehery, a former Capitol Hill aide. "We have a divided government with such diametrically opposed views, we need a crisis to get any kind of results."
In the hours leading up to the deadline, the Democratic-controlled Senate repeatedly stripped measures passed by the House that tied temporary funding for government operations to delaying or scaling back the healthcare overhaul known as Obamacare. The Senate instead insisted on funding the government through Nov. 15 without special conditions.
Whether the shutdown represents another bump in the road for a Congress increasingly plagued by dysfunction or is a sign of a more alarming breakdown in the political process could be determined by the reaction among voters and on Wall Street.
"The key to this is not what happens in Washington. The key is what happens out in the real world," said Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis. "When Joe Public starts rebelling, and the financial markets start melting down, then we'll see what these guys do."
A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed about one-quarter of Americans would blame Republicans for a shutdown, 14 percent would blame Obama and 5 percent would blame Democrats in Congress, while 44 percent said everyone would be to blame.
An anticipated revolt by moderate House Republicans fizzled earlier on Monday after House Speaker John Boehner made personal appeals to many of them to back him on a key procedural vote, said Republican Representative Peter King of New York.
After Boehner made his appeal, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer called on him to permit a vote on a simple extension of federal funding of the government without any Obamacare add-on. "I dare you to do that," Hoyer roared.
THE FALLOUT
The potential fallout has some Republican Party leaders worried ahead of the 2014 mid-term elections and the 2016 presidential race, particularly given the Republican divisions over the shutdown.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who commandeered the Senate floor for 21 hours last week to stoke the confrontation and urge House colleagues to join him, sparked a feud with fellow Republicans who disagreed with the shutdown and accused the potential 2016 presidential candidate of grandstanding.
"Whether or not we're responsible for it, we're going to get blamed for it," King told reporters on Monday. "They've locked themselves into a situation, a dead-end that Ted Cruz created."
It was unclear how long the shutdown would last and there was no clear plan to break the impasse. The Senate on Tuesday planned to recess until 9:30 a.m. (1330 GMT), at which time Democrats expect to formally reject the House of Representatives' latest offer for funding the government.
The shutdown will continue until Congress resolves its differences, which could be days or months. But the conflict could spill over into the more crucial dispute over raising the federal government's borrowing authority.
A failure to raise the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling would force the country to default on its obligations, dealing a potentially painful blow to the economy and sending shockwaves around global markets.
Some analysts said a brief government shutdown - and a resulting backlash against lawmakers - could cool Republican demands for a showdown over the debt limit.
"A lot of this is political theater. It's not about real policy. Part of this is taking a stand for their constituents," said Julian Zelizer, a historian at Princeton University.
"If there is fallout from a shutdown and there is a big enough shock, maybe they will be willing to move on to other issues," he said.
Obama says negotiating over the demands would only encourage future confrontations, and Democrats are wary of passing a short-term funding bill that would push the confrontation too close to the deadline for raising the debt ceiling.
"The bottom line is very simple - you negotiate on this, they will up the ante for the debt ceiling," Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said.
