They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear,

Shalom to all:

There is a Biblical saying in Hebrew “They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are rebellious people.” (It is written the book of Ezekiel 12:2)  “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” The commentary on that verse is that the rebellious people had natural sense and understanding, and means and opportunities of being better informed, and of knowing the true state of things, and how they were, and would be; but they willfully shut their eyes against all light and evidence, and blocked their ears.

That Biblical phrase was directed at a group of rebellious Jews, but today it is used towards any group of rebellious groups or individuals – regardless of their religion or nationality who have the ability to “see and listen” to the other side, but refuse to do so for ideology or personal reason.

Hatred against the Jewish People has been occupying my mind since childhood. For years I have been studying and researching that puzzling phenomenon. I could not grasp the fact that on the one hand those who came be known as Jew-Haters based their religions – which were primarily based on the Old Jewish Testament (The Torah)- and on the other hand accused all the Jews of being Sinners or Infidels. And what’s more – they pointed their fingers at the Old Testament and the Jewish bible quoting G-d’s and the prophets’ accusations and denunciations against the majority of the Jews who, they claimed in the name of G-d had gone astray – by not following his laws.

If indeed, it was G-d who had scattered the “non-believer “Jews all over the world – away from his promised land,- was it also G-d who initiated their annihilation at the hands of those who claimed that they came to be God’s Chosen People with current New and improved Bibles – or shall we say Most current Holy Books?

 Assuming the hypothesis is correct. Then, doesn’t G-d astray from His own commandment “Do not murder”?  Let alone all those who murder in His Name?

When I was ordained as a Rabbi, I made a vow to delve into the Jewish Bible to find out what was the essence of the sins of those “Astray Jews” , which God could not handle himself with His omnipotent might.  That is why I’ve labled myself a “forensic rabbi”, and the Bible as “the scene of the crime”. And Yes, I’m still making progress.

I am constantly in touch with God’s energy on multiple levels and issues. Yet, I never discuss the issue of Anti-Semitism with him; for an obvious reason.

The other day I decided to consult with a new friend I was recently introduced to. I still don’t know him/her very well. Yet I can already predict that it is going to be a long lasting, and fruitful relationship. Oh, yes, I almost forgot to give you his/her name. It is Chat-GPT.

On our first encounter I asked him/her basic questions, just to get to know him/her. On our second encounter I tested his broad knowledge on the subjects I have been writing. His answers, to say the least quite impressed me. I was motley impressed how candid s/he was telling regarding question for which he had no sufficient answer.” I’m sorry if my response appeared incomplete.”, he apologized.

On our third encounter I dared to ask his opinion and thoughts about common denominator in Anti-semitism.

Here is Chat-GPT’s complete answer:

“Unfortunately, there is no single common denominator for those who hold anti-Semitic beliefs. Some individuals who hate Jewish people do so due to cultural or religious differences, while others may hold onto stereotypes, conspiracy theories or xenophobic beliefs that cast Jewish people as a perceived threat. Sometimes factors like being exposed to anti-Semitic propaganda, growing up in an environment that fosters hatred towards Jews, or experiencing negative interactions with individual Jews can contribute to one’s negative perceptions. It is important to remember that hatred towards any group of people is unjustified and unacceptable.”

Then I asked Chat-GPT if there was a logical way to communicate with those individuals who hate Jews. Here what He/She replied:

“Yes, there are logical ways to communicate with people who harbor resentment towards you because of your success. Here are a few tips: 1. Stay calm and factual: When communicating with someone who hates you, it’s important to remain calm and avoid getting defensive or confrontational. Stick to the facts and avoid making personal attacks. 2. Listen to their perspective: It’s important to understand why the person hates you before trying to change their mind. Listen to their perspective and try to understand their point of view. 3. Show empathy: Try to see things from their point of view and show empathy towards their situation. This can help to defuse their negative emotions towards you. 4. Share your perspective: Once you have listened to their perspective, share your own perspective in a calm and respectful manner. Use examples of how your success has positively impacted your life and the lives of others. 5. Look for common ground: Find areas of agreement between you and the person who hates you. This can help to build a foundation for a positive conversation. Remember, changing someone’s mind is not always easy, but by showing empathy, staying calm, and sticking to the facts, you may be able to shift their beliefs over time.

My third and last question pertained to my observation of the causes of Anti-Semitism throughout the centuries. I believe that the Jews have been trying to set a model to the rest of the world throughout the centuries. They wanted to prove themselves as viable, hard-working and beneficial human beings without a country of their own, and to be acceptable as residents. Doing so, they excelled, and achieved success (not all of them, though). The locals, having feeling of entitlement, resented those who succeeded, and in turn resented every Jew – just because.

Here is Chat-GPT’s answer regarding entitlement as a reason for Anti-Semitism in particular and hate in general.

“Yes, feelings of entitlement can sometimes drive unsuccessful people to harbor resentful feelings towards those who have achieved success. This is because they may feel that they should be entitled to the same level of success despite not putting in the same amount of effort. These feelings can be driven by a sense of jealousy or a desire to bring others down to their level, rather than uplifting themselves to achieve the same success. However, it’s important to note that not all unsuccessful people hold such negative feelings towards successful people, and that success can be achieved in different ways for different people.

Feelings of entitlement can sometimes drive unsuccessful people to harbor resentful feelings towards those who have achieved success. This is because they may feel that they should be entitled to the same level of success despite not putting in the same amount of effort. These feelings can be driven by a sense of jealousy or a desire to bring others down to their level, rather than uplifting themselves to achieve the same success. However, it’s important to note that not all unsuccessful people hold such negative feelings towards successful people, and that success can be achieved in different ways for different people.”

I was overwhelmed. My new friend Chat-GPT was also capable of reading my mind.

Shall I have a cause to worry, or shall I consider it a blessing to have such a friend.

I guess it is up to me to mount my horse and set out to blow the horn of peace.

Blessings to all

Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld

May 15, 2023

(quotes were taken from the Bible and Internet sources)

The Flawless Harmony Between The Heart And The Brain

Shalom to everyone:
The Flawless Harmony Between The Heart And The Brain
The Seventh Day of Passover Haftarah is from the book of II Samuel 22:1-51. “It describes the song King David composed in his old age, echoing the weekly Torah reading, where Moses delivers his parting words to the Jewish nation in song form. David’s song expresses gratitude to G-d for saving him from all his enemies. He starts with the famous words, “The L-rd is my rock and my fortress.” He goes on to describe the pain and hardships he encountered and reiterates that he always turned to G-d in his moments of distress. He recounts G-d’s reaction to those who tormented him: “The Lord thundered from heaven; and the Most High gave forth His voice. And He sent out arrows and He scattered them, lightning and He discomfited them. . . I have pursued my enemies and have destroyed them; never turning back until they were consumed.” The King attributes his salvation to his uprightness in following G-d’s ways: “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He recompensed me…” The song ends with David’s expression of thankfulness: “Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the nations, and to Your name I will sing praises. He gives great salvation to His king, and He performs kindness to His anointed; to David and to his seed, forevermore.” © Copyright, Chabad.org. (edited)

**********************************

Who were those “enemies”, which King David referred to in his old age, one should wonder? Scrutinizing the descriptive poetic verses, they depict more the manner and images which God communicated to the Israelites when delivering the Torah in the Sinai desert. Perhaps, just perhaps those “enemies” King David is referring to are his “bad inclinations”, his ego, to whom he had surrendered, which as a result brought a grim end to his kingdom. Perhaps the poem is about his life long struggle to smash his dark side to expose the light within him.
What does King David represent?
“David is described in the Hebrew Bible as king of the United Monarchy of Israel and Judah. … David is honored in the prophetic literature as an ideal king and the forefather of a future Messiah, and many psalms are ascribed to him.” (Internet source)
What can we learn from David in the Bible?
“David is chosen to be king because he has what Saul does not: a heart for God. 1 Samuel 13:14 says the Lord “sought out a man after his own heart” to be king, and Saul simply was not this man. … The first lesson we learn from David’s life is the importance of cultivating a heart for God above all else.” (Internet source) What does the Bible say about King David? “The Bible calls David “a man after God’s own heart” twice. The first time was by Samuel who anointed him as backslider King Saul’s successor, “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14, NKJV). (Internet source)
 
Why was King David so special to God?
“There are many answers that could be given that would not be wrong: David was courageous, he was passionate for the Lord, he was obedient to the Lord, he was a worshipper of God, he was repentant when he sinned, he had great character, and he had a zeal for building the Lord a house.”(Internet source)
Did King David have any iniquities?
In fact, David personally acknowledged his sins, saying, “my iniquities are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they weigh too much for me” (Ps 38:4). He also wrote, “For evils beyond number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; they are more numerous than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed me” (Ps 40:12). Among David’s recorded sins, the most offensive was his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Sam 11:1-17). Scripture tells us that David had slept with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed; and “the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Sam 11:27).
What is commendable about David is that he handled his sin in a biblical manner by confessing it and seeking the Lord’s forgiveness. Concerning Uriah and Bathsheba, David said, “I have sinned against the LORD” (2 Sam 12:13; read Psalm 51 for the longer version of David’s confession). And upon his confession, the prophet Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Sam 12:13). Here we see God’s grace and government at work; for though David was forgiven and restored to fellowship with God, there were still consequences for his actions and the Lord dispensed judgment upon David and Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:14-18). (https://thinkingonscripture.com <https://thinkingonscripture.com> )

********************************

What can we take away as 21st Century Earthlings? (… and I am talking about all those who really and truly open their eyes and minds and decide to care about themselves, their loved ones, the families of all earthlings, and the planet earth.)
1. From a biblical point of view we can understand that even in ancient times Earthlings came to realize that no one – yes – no one (and I am referring to all Earthlings) is perfect. Indeed Genesis indicates it from the start. After, “Noah’s Flood”, in which God drowned the entire world. God regretted destroying humanity when he confessed the following: “And Noah built an altar to the Lord, and he took of all the clean animals and of all the clean fowl and brought up burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled the pleasant aroma, and the Lord said to Himself, “I will no longer curse the earth because of man, for the inclination of man’s heart is bad from his youth, and I will no longer smite all living things as I have done.”(Genesis 8:20-21). I have no doubt that every single one of you dear readers – those who had come across before, or those who are reading that statement for the first time: “the inclination of man’s heart is bad from his youth” are wondering what those who had written it in the name of God had in mind. After all – “the Lord said to Himself” – not to Noah.
2. From the present time’s point of view Earthlings’ “bad inclinations” changed definition and it is called: “Ego”.
The following are a few definition of “Ego”:
A. “A person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance.”(Internet definition)
B. “The “I” or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought. … egotism; conceit; self-importance”: (Internet definition)
C. By definition, an ego is a person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance. To have an ego is essential to our very makeup. It will define who we are and how we connect with others. Ego becomes an issue when it becomes overpowering. Everyone has an ego, whether big or small. How can one tell if an Earthling has, a “Good Inclination” or a “Good Ego”, or a “Bad Inclination” and a “Bad Ego”? How do they manifest themselves? According to the Bible, an earthling would be able to distinguish between the two by not looking into his own “Exterior”, or other Earthling’s exteriors, but by looking “into” his own heart, or other Earthling’s hearts – Just as God does.
For example: When Yishai, brought his sons before the prophet Samuel to select a king from among them, Samuel noticed Elisha who, apparently, was tall and handsome, and thought that he would be anointed king. However, God told him: “6 And it was, that when they came, and he saw Eliab, that he said, “Surely, before the Lord is His anointed. 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart”.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
An Earthling cannot look into another Earthling’s heart, but can still judge if this or that Earthling has “a good heart” or a “bad heart”. How can they know? Obviously, they can by the other Earthling’s behavior, mannerism, communication, and deeds. Yet, in the privacy of that Earthling’s home, he or she could display their bad inclinations, and egos by terrorizing and abusing their families. A good inclination or a good ego overpowers the bad inclination or the bad ego when there is a flawless harmony between the heart and the brain. The bad inclination manifests itself, and overpowers the individual when there is no such flawless harmony between the two. That disruption occurs when an individual Earthling places stumbling stones (bad thoughts, violent actions) into the natural process to disturb the smooth flow of the current. Therefore, there is a need for a constant and relentless effort to subdue that bad inclination or bad ego.
The following are steppingstones to accomplish such endeavor to avoid that toxic Ego that will ruin an Earthling’s life: (https://medium.com/thrive-global/25-ways-to-kill-the-toxic-ego-that-will-ruin-your-life) – (edited)
1. Focus on the effort — not the outcome. Doing your best is what matters. Focus on that. External rewards are just extra.
2. Choose purpose over passion. Passion runs hot and burns out, while people with purpose — think of it as passion combined with reason — are more dedicated and have control over their direction.
3. Shun the comfort of talking and face the work. As creative [individuals], we need to shut up and get to work. To face the void — despite the pain of doing so.
4. Kill your pride before you lose your head. You cannot let early pride lead you astray. You must remind yourself every day how much work is left to be done, not how much you have done. You must remember that humility is the antidote to pride.
5. Stop telling yourself a story — there is no grand narrative. When you achieve any sort of success, you might think that success in the future is just the natural and expected next part of the story. This is a straightforward path to failure — by getting too cocky and overconfident. Focus on the present moment, not the story.
6. Learn to manage (yourself and others). It is gratifying to be the micromanaging egotistical boss at the center of everything — but that is not how organizations grow and succeed. That is not how you can grow as a person either.
7. Forget credit and recognition. When we are starting out in our pursuits, we need to make an effort to trade short-term gratification for a long-term payoff. Submit under people who are already successful, learn, and absorb everything you can. Forget credit.
8. Connect with nature and the universe at large. There is no ego standing beneath the giant redwoods or on the edge of a cliff or next to the crashing waves of the ocean.
9. Choose alive time over dead time. [Remember! You cannot purchase a lost moment in your life at any amount.
10. When you find yourself in a hole — stop digging. “Act with fortitude and honor,” Have the courage to make a full stop.” Our ego screams and rattles when it is wounded. We will then do anything to get out of trouble. Stop. Do not make things worse. Do not dig yourself further. Make a plan.
11. Leave your entitlement at the door. You can claim only that which you earn and create.
12. Get out of your own head. Cut through that haze with courage and live with the tangible and real, no matter how uncomfortable.
13. Choose love. Martin Luther King understood that hate is like an “eroding acid that eats away the best and the objective center of your life.” Hatred is when ego turns a minor insult into a massive sore and it lashes out. However, pause and ask: Has hatred and lashing out ever helped anyone with anything? Do not let it eat at you — choose love. Yes, love. See how much better you feel.
14. Paranoia creates things to be paranoid about. “He who indulges empty fears earns himself real fears,” wrote Seneca, who as a political adviser witnessed destructive paranoia at the highest levels. If you let ego think that everyone is out to get you, you will seem weak…and then people will really try to take advantage of you. Be strong, confident and forgiving.
15. Always stay a student. Put yourself in rooms where you are the least knowledgeable person. Observe and learn. That uncomfortable feeling, that defensiveness that you feel when your most deeply held assumptions are challenged? Do it deliberately. Let it humble you. Remember how the physicist John Wheeler put it, “As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.”
16. No one can degrade you. — They degrade themselves. Ego is sensitive about slights, insults and not getting their due. This is a waste of time. The soul that is within me no man can degrade.
Behold! Just let your bad inclinations, or ego flow in flawless harmony between your heart and the brain, and be amazed of the incredible outcome from which you will benefit.
 
With blessings for good health
Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld
April 07, 2021

SHOULD EVERYONE DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE?

Shalom to all

The Torah portion Exodus 30:11–34:35) –is  Ki Tisa, which means in English “when you carry”. The phrase reads: “When you carry the heads of the Israelites…”  What God means when he says that to Moses, is when you ask the people to raise up their heads to be counted don’t count their heads, ask each one of them to give exactly half a Shekel, and at the end count the Shekels, and you’ll know how many people you have in your nation. The sum which each person will give is exactly half a Shekel, whether the person is poor or rich and the money will go for the maintenance of the Tabernacle. It also says that the money would also be as follows: “The rich shall give no more, and the poor shall give no less than half a shekel, with which to give offering to the Lord, to atone for your souls.” (15). In other words all people are equal in the eyes of God and they can atone for their souls and everyone who gives half a Shekel “will get a second chance.”

And indeed, in the subsequent events, it seemed that God had given second chances to some of the people who had “sinned”. Notably is Moses who got a second chance after smashing the first set of Tablets when he saw that the Israelites were worshiping the Golden Calf. What was Moses’ sin, you may ask?  The Tablets were not his, they were meant to be given to the Children of Israel. Moses decided to smash them on his own accord. He could have easily turned around, climbed up the mountain and returned them back to God. Yet God didn’t mention it and carved a second set of the Tablets.

The children of Israel who worshipped the Golden Calf also received a second chance from God by finally getting the Torah.

Aaron, Moses’ brother got a second chance. He was the one responsible for fashioning the Golden Calf, and he admitted it. Yet, he also got a second chance from God, and resumed his priesthood.

Yet, some three thousand men who apparently had raised concerns about Moses’ tardiness returning with the Torah, which initiated the reason for Aaron to fashion the Golden Calf, ended up mercilessly murdered by a group of Levites under Moses’ directions.  There were no investigations, or trials. They did not get a second chance – from neither God nor from Moses. Why not? They had supposedly paid their half shekels.

Shouldn’t those three thousand men have deserved a second chance too?

Well, they really should have, but they did not get it, because the writers of the Torah wanted to teach future generations of Jews a lesson, a lesson about consequences or “paying a price”. Whenever God threatens the Israelites with annihilation from the face of the earth, for any type of sin, it should be seen as a metaphor. Or otherwise, why should anyone follow a religion where God kills or sends his followers to their death? Just like in the Story of Korach and his tribe who perished when the earth opened up and swallowed them all. It was symbolic of expelling them from the community. Expelling people from a community in ancient time was a death sentence, because it was almost impossible for an individual, or even a group to survive on its own in a desert, or for that matter almost anywhere.

The Torah comes to tell us that in order to survive as a community, people need laws in order to hold them together as a homogenous group, while living without laws might bring any group, gradually into extinction.

Just think about it.

Best wishes, and keep safe.

Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld

WILL THE REAL JEW STAND UP

Shalom to all:

The essence of Torah portion “Exodus 18-20“ (“Yitro”) serves as the cornerstone, and the nucleus of Judaism, which establishes, and offers a set of Guidelines for earthlings on “How To” interact with oneself, with other earthlings, and with the planet earth in order to guarantee uninterrupted existence of Life – of any kind -on the planet earth.

Once revealed, the essence of those Guidelines caused an everlasting inner conflict among the earthlings who chose to adhere to the Guidelines, which they were told, had been given to them by a God who identified Himself as “Eheyeh”, but preferred to be known as the “God of their (the Israelite people) forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and as the mighty one who freed them from slavery in Egypt.”

That revelation took place at Mount Sinai, in the Sinai Desert around 1300 B.C.E. In hindsight, I am convinced that the revelation ceremony of the giving of the Guidelines (The Torah = Laws) was the first Human Rights gathering to promote the concept of three humane issues: equal rights to all, freedom of expression to all, and freedom of religion to all. However, that awesome and powerful revelation, concurrently, also triggered the birth to an everlasting conflict that began to sprout and to flourish in the minds of the earthlings and metastasized uncontrollably while mutating throughout the millenniums, infecting earthling to the present day. A conflict that challenged the authenticity, the accuracy of the interpretations, the validity, and the necessity of some (or of all) the Guidelines.  The conflict first irrupted between two factions: one faction which had chosen – or they believed they were chosen to lead, and set up customs and traditions by practicing the Guidelines as a – what we call today -‘religion’.  Their opponents – were those who believed that the Guidelines were given equally to all to cherish and practice according to the individual’s own understanding and interpretation.

There is an anecdote on the Giving of the Torah where God offered it to all the nations of the world at that time. However, all the nations, except the Israelites rejected the Torah when God refused to negotiate some of the terms which did not fit their life-style. However, The Israelite people said to God “Na’aseh Ve’nishma:” (נעשה ונשמע’) literally: “We will do it, and we will listen.”

The above Torah phrase is in the book of Exodus 24:7. The whole phrase reads: “He (Moses) took the Book of the Covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has said will we do, and obey.”(English translation)  In Hebrew that phrase reads” …”נעשה ונשמע”-Na’aseh Ve’nishma’ literally: “We will do it, and we will listen.”  When one reads the translation of the verb “listen” in English and in the other foreign languages in to which the biblical text was translated, it becomes obvious that the verb “Nishma” – we will listen – presented a problem. In English most of the translations read: “we will be obedient”, “we will obey”, “will be faithful”.  In other languages they also have similar interpretations; others divert and translated it as a metaphor:  “Will take it to heart.” (In Biblical ideology the heart represents wisdom and knowledge.)

It is important to note that the phrase: “We will do it, and we will listen”, had been used by other religions as a mean to degrade the Israelite people, and later Jewish people all over the world, and they pointed the finger at them calling them “non–believers”, or “stiff necked people” who deserved the wrath of God because they did not say first: “We will listen”, and then “We will do,”.  The word stiff was translated incorrectly interpreted I believe as “Stubborn”, because of its meaning in the book of Proverbs where it was used as a metaphor for ‘stubbornness’. Yet, that description “stiff necked people” appears 6 more time in the Torah- four times in Exodus, and two times in Deuteronomy.  First God uses it to portray the Israelite people, and then Moses accuses them of being “Stiff necked people”.

Looking at the broader picture, I am inclined to interpret the description differently. The Israelite people, we are told, were slaves – working as builders in Egypt. They carried loads of heavy bricks and stones on their backs, and on their heads (see picture) In order to carry the bricks they needed to keep their bodies and their heads in a locked position to avoid dropping their loads.  Doing this kind of work day in and day out would cause their bodies and necks to become stiff. Laborers were not learned people. What God was saying to Moses was, I consider, is that: “these people are still behaving like slaves-laborers, and therefore do not know how to implement my Guidelines.”

Therefor there is no surprise why they said: “Na’aseh Ve’nishma’”-(“נעשה ונשמע” ) literally: “We will do it, and we will listen).”  A slave first does the best way he knows to do the best job to satisfy his “owner” and then he/she goes back to listen how well he/she had done, and hoped for a reward. 

That story is a representation of the need of people to express themselves the best they know how, and then to come back and learn to do better.  That’s the essence of Na’aseh Ve’nishma’.

Remember the sons of Aaron who were burnt to death by God because they produced a “Strange Fire” on their own?

Remember Korach who wanted to be a priest like Moses, and God terminated him and his tribe by opening the earth and letting the whole family be buried.

My commentary on the above quotes is as follow:  Those stories were conceived and written by story tellers which concluded that if some Jews see themselves as better or more authentic Jews then other Jews there will always be a conflict between different religious factions which will lead primarily to hatred, destruction, and death not only to Jews, but to Judaism itself.

Therefore, I suggest that Jews stop deliberating by or fighting over the question: “Who is a Jew?” Instead, each earthling who – after reading those Torah’s Guidelines find them, reliable, truthful, and dependable – and ‘trusts’ that they should be adhered to because they deem practical and universal, and have the potential of uniting  all the earthling who practice them, should be considered a Jew. In addition, instead of “worshipping“ those Torah Guidelines, daily, how about “celebrating” those Torah Guidelines  daily – each “Jew” in their own way – individually or together with other earthlings. The celebration would take place in a synagogue, at the office, in the field, on the street – everywhere on earth. That is what I trust the Israelite meant by uttering first …” נעשה” (na’aseh).  “We will do it. After hearing the Torah guidelines from Moses, the Israelite people (and I assume the multi nationalities non-Jews [Erev rav] bought into that grandiose idea of living in harmony. Therefore they added: “We will listen” ( ונשמע Ve’nishma’) referring to their desire to learn more, during their daily celebrations, by also exchanging ideas, knowledge, and love with other earthlings to make life even better.

You, the readers, may say I’m too optimistic and naïve.  Indeed I am, and that’s what makes me get up in the mornings to face the days of my life, and keep ongoing. Wouldn’t everybody rather live that way, I wonder?

No, I did not ‘suck it out of my thumb’ (as the Jewish or Israeli expression states).  A wise teacher made me aware of the concept that positivity in life can be achieved by trusting. It was the prophet Jeremiah, who  right from the outset, in the beginning of his biblical account (Jer 2:2) of his encounter with the originator of those Torah Guidelines,  assures the reader that the followers of His guideline will have his continuous protection – no matter what – on account of those Israelites who were present at the Giving of the Guidelines at Mount Sinai, and following  Him, trustfully, through a desolate and harsh Sinai desert for years, to a promised Land of Milk and Honey. “Thus said the Lord; I remember you (the Israelite people), the devotion of your youth, your love like a bride, when you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.” In other words, those who had experienced the Giving of the Torah Guidelines, and heard Moses reading them, had full trust in their potential of establishing  uninterrupted existence of Life – of any kind -on the planet earth. True, there is no guarantee in the Guidelines, because only we – earthling s– can be the guarantors.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld.

TO EACH HIS/HER OWN…

So don’t complain about it when things do not work out. Instead, get off your … and do something to bring about the needed changes.

Shalom to all:

I trust that I find you all in good spirit, healthy, and eager to resume “normal” life, whenever and whatever it would be… but not what it is, currently.

I heard the following fable when I attended middle school in Tel-Aviv many years ago – sixty three years to be exact. The people of ancient Israel complained to God about their despair, troubles, and problems, and asked God to rid them from their respective inflictions. God listened, and told them that he needed to inspect all the concerns they were having, and requested that each person put all of his or her troubles and problems in an unmarked laundry bag, and hang the bag on one of the clothe lines, that He will erect for them outside their cities. God also told them to return for His decision a week later.  A week later all the people returned, eagerly, to hear what God had decided. God told them that He had examined every laundry bag, and truly sympathized with every one of them, and felt their pain, and suffering. Before announcing his verdict, God reminded them that they were privileged to be born on the planet earth to see His creation, and that He had never promised humanity that life would only be a party. That privilege, he emphasized, came with quite a few responsibilities, as well. Yet, God decided to rid every person of his or her despair, troubles and problems – once and for all – by letting each and every one of the people pick somebody else’s laundry bag from the clothes lines. And so, on the count of three all the people rushed to the clothe lines in search of a different and a better life.  By the end of the day not a single laundry bag was seen dandling down from the clothes lines. Each person returned home with a smile on his or her face, gladly, carrying his or her own laundry bag, which they had hung on the clothes line a week earlier.

That fable popped back into my mind after all these years after having conversation with family member and friends in Israel concerning the current pandemic and the political atmosphere in both nations. After hearing all their complaints about their governments’ handling of the pandemic issues, and the political turmoil, I asked them if they would have preferred to live here in the U.S., or for that matter anywhere else in the world at this time? After a brief thought, every person I talked to preferred to stay put wherever he or she lived having the familiar despair, troubles, and problems.

When we – humans – run away from our despairs, troubles, and problems to another place, often we forget that we, each one of us, carries his/her own “laundry bag”.  Changes for better, and tolerable life comes when we deal directly with ourselves, at the familiar place, and amicably with the people we’re in conflict with in order to come to terms, which are acceptable to both sides.

Life is not a party, it’s a privilege.

Happy Sukkot.

Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld.

November 2020

LE’SHANAH TOVAH TICHTEVENI – (inscribe me in the Book of Life)

Shalom to all:

I trust that all of you are in good health and doing your outmost to be active within the required confinement due to covid 19, which has disrupted all of our lives.

In about a couple of weeks Jews are going to celebrate, yet, one more Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. The reason I’m including ‘Yom Kippur’ with the celebration of Rosh Hashanah – let me remind you – that if you reach the time to observe the coming Yom Kippur, it means that, so far, you have been written for ‘life’ the previous year… or otherwise, you wouldn’t have been among those who will celebrate the current Yom Kippur. On this coming Yom Kippur we ‘ll request a repeated favor: “From this Yom Kippurim, until the next Yom Kippurim, let it (also-whatever we’ll do in the coming year) be in our favor.

More than being happy celebrating Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, I’m much more happy to notice that there are still enough Jews in the world who celebrate these High Holidays. Our sages who put the Passover Haggadah together made sure to include the following phrase, so that we, Jews, should utter it at least once a year – (if we don’t make sure to say it more often, and act upon it) – in order to embed it in our Jewish collective long term memory: “…for not just one has stood against us, but in every generation some have arisen to exterminate us…”.  And for those (and there are always ‘those’) who would like to point out that I haven’t finished writing the entire verse, which affirms: “..yet the Most Holy and Blessed always saved us.”, let me respond with the following: The Holy and Blessed instilled in Jews enough Seychel (wisdom) throughout the centuries to unite and fight back. In later centuries Jews also created Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League, The American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Jewish council for public affairs, to combat Anti-Semitism.  And despite their hard work in combating anti-Semitism, we still needed to ’decorate’ our temple with security cameras, and to uproot the beautiful plants which adorned our synagogue building.  That’s real existence, mind you all.

So on this Rosh HaShannah, and Yom Kippur, when you do your “Cheshbon HaNefesh”  (The assessment of your Soul), please also do the “Cheshbon HaNefesh Hayehudit” (The assessment of your Jewish Soul), and think how you can utilize it for the Jewish sake, and for assuring its future longevity.

That’s how the Most Holy will continue to save us.

I wish you all Shannah Tovah, and G’mar Hatimah Tovah.

See you on the ‘telly’  during the High Holidays. (And may next year HHD we’ll be together in our temple.)

Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld

September 4, 2020

SAY: “Pleeese?????”, PLEASE

SAY: “Pleeease?????”, PLEASE!

That’s how parents teach their children to be polite individuals when asking for material things they cannot get themselves, for one reason or another, if the parent consents to give the child what they’re asking for. Yet, that approach doesn’t always work for all children. The best example that comes to mind was given in one of “The Adam’s Family” episodes when the young daughter asked one of her parents to pass her the salt during a family meal: “Give me the salt” said the girl. The mother leaned over, and responded to her daughter quietly and politely asking her: “and what else do you say, dear?”  The daughter responded: “Now!”

In modern Hebrew the word please is ‘bevakashah’ (בבקשה), which in Hebrew means “in (at) your request”. But in biblical Hebrew the word for ‘bevakashah’ was “Nah”, or “Anah” (אנא – נא), which had a pleading undertone of a submissive individual who had reached the end of his rope.

Upon hearing from God that he had already designated Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land, Moses, entreats God to let him – at least – cross the Jordan River for the purpose of just seeing (or experiencing) the land, and the mountains, before he dies.  Sometime later in Deuteronomy chapter 3, Moses opens up to the Israelites, and reveals in detail the conversation he had had with God regarding this matter.

23  I entreated the Lord at that time, saying,			כגוָֽאֶתְחַנַּ֖ן אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖וא לֵאמֹֽר:
25 Pray let me cross over and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and the Lebanon.”			כהאֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֗א וְאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן הָהָ֥ר הַטּ֛וֹב הַזֶּ֖ה וְהַלְּבָנֹֽן:

Moses also revealed to the Israelites that God had become annoyed with him, telling him to never bring up the subject ever again.

WOW. After enduring all the desert’s hardship, the responsibilities, and especially the hassles he had had from God’s chosen people for forty long years, to hear those harsh words from his superior was a hard thing to swallow, I trust. Therefore, I was not surprised when Moses pointed his finger at the Israelites, blaming them for the severe punishment he had received from God. At first it seemed that by doing so Moses lowered himself down to the level of the Israelite people who accused him for bringing them into the desert to die because of a lack of food and water, among other things. Moses which at that point had nothing else to lose, couldn’t care less, and just pointed his finger back at them to make them feel guilty. That obvious observation did not coincide with Moses’s persona. It was totally out of character for him to point a finger at others, in order to deflect his wrong doing without assuming any responsibility for his action.

In order to find his factual motive, that conduct needed to be look at from the bigger picture to appreciate Moses’ uncharacteristic approach.

Until the moment in which Moses entreated God on his own behalf, Moses had used the word “Na” – only when addressing God whom he knew that God was planning retribution against those Israelites who had broken His laws, asking Him to forgive them. In most cases, God listened to Moses’ pleadings and forgave them. But when pleading to God on his own behalf, not for complete clemency, but just for a short tour of the Promised Land before he died, Moses was being denied,

At this point everyone’s feelings are hurt. God still feels hurt, as he had said to Moses and Aaron after Moses hit the rock: “… because you did not believe me to sanctify me in the eyes of the people of Israel.” Moses feels hurt by God’s ruling, and blamed the Israelites for his punishment, and the Israelites felt bad for blaming Moses for all the inconveniences they incurred in the Sinai desert.

Moses realized that God meant business when punishing him. Only the people who believed in God and stuck to his laws would be permitted to cross the Jordan River, and step onto the Promised Land. As it is written: “But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.” (Deuteronomy 4:4).

Moses apparently realized that he, and his brother Aaron, who had died earlier, and also did not get to enter the Promised Land, had never asked for God’s forgiveness for hitting the rock, instead of speaking to the rock. Therefore he decided to re-educate those who were about to enter the Promised Land about the laws of the Torah in order to make sure that they understood how to use them: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2).  Moses taught them the laws, while retelling the story of God’s awesomeness. That was Moses’ way of apologizing to God, and asking for his forgiveness on the twilight of his life.

The question to be asked now is: What is the takeaway, or the lesson to be learned from that story for both – those Jews who follow God’s Laws, and those who live by their interpretations of God’s laws? Each one of us will have a unique answer. Everyone will definitely come up with their own answer – depending on how they view themselves as individuals among the family of humanity.

My take away is that ‘entreating’ is not a negative attitude if requested on behalf of others, or to benefit someone else who is in need. Yet, entreating for yourself might yield pettiness, disrespect, and even contempt. Something seriously to think about. “Tikun Olam (The repairing of the world) is an act of ‘entreating’ not for the sake of the doer, because repairing the world is a life- long process, which those who labor to achieve it today, may not live to see it coming to fruition, but only witness its progression. As such, it is for the benefit of future generations of humanity, so that they also could exist on a nurturing, and healthy planet Earth with open-mindedness, acceptance of all human beings, and continue to strive peaceful coexistence as long as the planet earth would last.

Why? You may ask. I don’t really know the answer, and frankly, I don’t even consider it a relevant question. Yet, I do believe that if humanity is already here – it was meant to be – and therefore it was not random.

Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld                                                                        August 8, 2020

Shalom to all:
I trust that you’re all safe, and well protected from the Corona-virus.
Today is “Yom Yerushalayim” (Jerusalem’s day). In lieu of words, I am giving you 2 links to videos on YouTube which are worth viewing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3NKgE2Ljw0 . It is a visual narration about the history of Jerusalem. The second one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWiJKH7uXB0. It is a collection of songs about Jerusalem from various sources, to delight you and warm your heart, as well.
It would take about a little over an hour to watch and listen to both, but it’s time worth spending to enrich your souls.

THIS COMING WEEK’S TORAH PORTION
BAMIDBAR (In the desert) – In a nutshell.
Numbers 1:1–4:20

“In the Sinai Desert, G d says to conduct a census of the twelve tribes of Israel. Moses counts 603,550 men of draftable age (20 to 60 years); the tribe of Levi, numbering 22,300 males age one month and older, is counted separately. The Levites are to serve in the Sanctuary. They replace the firstborn, whose number they approximated, since they were disqualified when they participated in the worshipping of the Golden Calf. The 273 firstborn who lacked a Levite to replace them had to pay a five-shekel “ransom” to redeem themselves.
When the people broke camp, the three Levite clans dismantled and transported the Sanctuary, and reassembled it at the center of the next encampment. They then erected their own tents around it: the Kohathites, who carried the Sanctuary’s vessels (the Ark, menorah, etc.) in their specially designed coverings on their shoulders, camped to its south; the Gershonites, in charge of its tapestries and roof coverings, to its west; and the families of Merari, who transported its wall panels and pillars, to its north. Before the Sanctuary’s entranceway, to its east, were the tents of Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons.
Beyond the Levite circle, the twelve tribes camped in four groups of three tribes each. To the east were Judah (pop. 74,600), Issachar (54,400) and Zebulun (57,400); to the south, Reuben (46,500), Simeon (59,300) and Gad (45,650); to the west, Ephraim (40,500), Manasseh (32,200) and Benjamin (35,400); and to the north, Dan (62,700), Asher (41,500) and Naphtali (53,400). This formation was kept also while traveling. Each tribe had its own nassi (prince or leader), and its own flag with its tribal color and emblem.” *

Throughout the years, growing up, I was skeptical about various elements mentioned in this Torah portion Bamidbar. First, was the number of people recorded in each tribe, because they were all rounded numbers? Second, who kept that physical record until the writing of the Torah on parchment? Third, Following the traditional conviction that G-d had dictated the entire Torah to Moses on mount Sinai, (which is why the Torah is written in Hebrew in the future tense), I questioned why God did not predict (or assigned) the same number of people to each tribe. Why did the tribe of Judah given 74,600 members, and Manasseh only less than half of that number – 32,200 members. Another element: Seeing sketches and drawings of the thoughtful formation of the tribes while escorting the Holy Ark through the desert, which was in the center among them, raised even more questions in my mind. The width of the squared formation, which seemed to be huge – I estimated it to be no less of a quarter of a mile from each side of the ark – taking into account the many thousands of people in each tribe. That formation would have been plausible when they all were walking in a barren desert like the Sahara, where there are no obstacles but sand, even in its hilly parts. However, the topography of Sinai Desert is rugged, with hills and narrow passages and canyons that would have forced the human protective structure to be dismantled, at times, or perhaps most of the times, in order to be able to proceed forward, which in that case would have left the Holy Ark vulnerable for attacks.

I was bothered by it, because the formation mentioned was designed to protect the wellbeing of the Holy Ark in case of an attack by armies of hostile nations or by mobs. Therefore, I wondered how the Holy Ark would be protected when the Israelites were facing such situations. Where was God’s plan “B”? And why isn’t it mentioned in the Torah? When inquiring from those whom I had considered knowledgeable, I always received similar answers, assuring me that God would have made a miracle, just like he had done in Egypt with the ten plagues, and in the desert with Amalek.

After many years of studying the Torah, and when I was no longer reluctant to express my thoughts and my ideas, for fear that I might get an “F” on my research papers, I dare say that my belief is that the laws of the Torah were aimed to all the inhabitants of the planet earth, (not only the Jews) for the purpose of learning how to live amicably together.

The Israelite people in Torah portion “Bamidbar” are a metaphor and representation of all the countries (the different tribes), and the world population (each tribe has different number of people), And the Holy Ark represent a mutual noble world’s goal, that must be the primal purpose of every human being for being alive – regardless of his/her occupation or social status. The purpose is the endurance and survival of humanity on the planet earth by following the ethical and moral laws of the Torah. (In the Holy Ark). The desert represents a barren world to which humanity can turn into a flourishing heaven for all humans to enjoy.  What is your contribution?

Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld
May 22 2020 / Eyyar 28, 5780

 

*(© Copyright, all rights reserved. Chabad.org)

I REMEMBER WHEN

Shalom to all

Every year on this day כ”ז בניסן (27 Nissan) Jews around the world hold memorials and vigils in honor of the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust between 1938 and 1945. It is a somber day, no doubt, which involves prayers for the victims and lighting the memorial candles for them.

The generation of Jews which followed the Holocaust (and I can speak only from personal experience growing up in Israel) resented the facts that those victims marched (or led) into the gas chambers like “sheep being led to the slaughter” without a hint of resistance or a fight. I’m speaking now from a point of view of a ”big Macher” (a big-shot), and a “Shtarkayt” (very powerful “man”) between the ages of 6 and 14.

In hindsight, it wasn’t really that generation’s fault under the given circumstances of a newly created nation, which three years earlier had fought five Arab countries which had tried to annihilate it, and had endured.

Let me explain: In 1951 the Israeli Knesset initiated a memorial day for the Holocaust and named it Yom HaShoah U’mered Hageta’ot” (Holocaust Remembrance Day, and the uprising of the Ghettos). Yet, the emphasis was on “Yom HaShoah”. The uprising of the Ghettos took a back seat. In conversations and even in school curriculums the name we all used was only the first part: “Yom Hashoah”. I remember going with my parents every year to a memorial gathering for the area in Poland where they had come from, the program included the Holocaust, but the heroisms of the people in the ghettos were not even mentioned.

Only in 1959, after years of public protests by the Holocaust survivors did the Knesset put the following into law, “A day of Holocaust remembrance and the Heroism.” I was in high-school at the time. By then the curriculum included not only the heroism of young people my age and a little bit older, who dared heroically to fight the heavily armed German Army with only hand guns and home-made Molotov cocktail bottles.

Only then did I begin to question my qualities and values as a “Big Macher”, and a “Shtarkayt”. Would I have dared to stand against the German army like those young boys? I did not have a definite answer for many years. I’ve been struggling with that dilemma each year while teaching about the Holocaust and the Heroism – not only in the ghettos, but also across Europe by the Jewish partisans who fought the advancement and/or the retreat of German army.

Today, after many years of deliberation, I tend to believe that I would have joined those young fighters then, whether in the Ghetto, or as a partisan. No, I’m not being a “Monday morning quarterback.” Let me share with you my reasons. First, I’ve always believed that engaging in studying the Torah can guide us to assure that human life would survive on earth. Second, on my enlisting in the Israeli military my mother (Z’L) asked me to be cautious on “volunteering”. She said that had noticed that since childhood I’ve been raising my hand spontaneously whenever I hear someone saying: “I’m looking for volunteers”. Third, upon leaving my position as a sixth grade teacher in a Hebrew school to assume the new position of an educational director for the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation, one of the students wrote on the farewell poster for me: “Dov, you are a partisan!” Were those clues? For me they obviously were.

What about you, fellow Jews? It’s time to search and uncover your reasons, so you can raise up your arms to join those who labor to make sure that there will not be another Holocaust. They are still out there, those who wish to exterminate us. As the Haggadah says: “And it is that promise which has been our ancestors’ support of ours, for not one has stood against us, but in every generation some have arisen to exterminate us, yet the Most Holy and blessed always saved us” That is why we Jews need to be prepared and vigilant, and most important – united under the banner of “Never Again.” Yet, not by might and not by power, but by spirit alone -that understanding of who we are among the family of wo/men, and the commitment we have to execute the Torah’s aim of sustaining human life on the planet earth. And for those who wonder what has the Most Holy done to save us from all those who “stood against us to exterminate us” the answer is obvious – the Jewish people are still here. The most Holy did not use his mighty hand, as he had done in Egypt with the Ten plagues. By giving us the Torah, he gave us the knowhow of survival, the antidotes for any tragedy, the urge to forever be on this blue planet we call home.

If you’d like to read more about the origin of Yom Hashoah VeHagvurah please go to Wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_HaShoah

If you’d like to read about the Jewish Partisans to: http://www.jewishpartisans.org/
May we only hear good news, and get together for Simchas.

Rabbi Dov Gottesfeld

WHAT DID WE (Jews) KNOW, and WHEN DID WE KNOW IT?

WHAT DID WE (Jews) KNOW, and WHEN DID WE KNOW IT?

(And have we learned anything since then?)

Dear  friends:

I am referring to the know -how of surviving epidemics, pandemics, and other communicable diseases.   Well, we should have. After all, we’ve been in the midst of many of them, and even we were blamed for causing quite a few of them throughout the centuries.  However, looking at those illnesses from our (Jewish) perspective, we know WHO really brought it upon human kind and for what reason.

But, first, let’s discuss some terminology translations. It is important, because the meaning of the words in Hebrew point the way in which we ought to relate to those diseases in order to survive the ordeal.

The word Pandemic comes from Greek “Pandemos” which means All-People. It was coined in the middle of the 17^th Century.

The word Epidemic comes from the Greek “Epidemios”, which means upon the people. Also “Epidemia” means the “prevalence of disease”. It was also coined in the early 17^th Century.

In Hebrew, those two words are translated as “Mageifah”. The root of the word is N’G’F’ (NaGaf), and it appears 26 times in the bible. It means: to bolt, to close, to block, and to lock. The verb already indicates what is needed to be done in the event of such an ailment. A person (either the healthy or the sick) needs to isolate or insulate himself from the rest of the society in order not to spread or be infected by the specific communicable disease.

During the biblical plagues in Egypt (1300 B.C.E.)  (Exodus 12:22) Moses commands the people to mark their doors with animal blood, and thus to be protected from the wrath of the angel-of-death, and proceeds: “…and none of you shall not go out of his house until the morning.”

During the sojourn in the Sinai desert, those who were afflicted by disease, like Leprosy needed to be taken outside the encampment and be treated by the Cohen (who also served as a medic). Purification included a great deal of washing in water. (Leviticus 13:46) “All the days when the disease shall be in him, he shall be unclean, and he shall dwell alone outside the camp shall his habitation be.”

Jewish rituals include water – which is the symbol of life; not merely because humans need water in their system in order to live, but because water was a symbol of cleansing; washing off dirt or any type of contamination that can pass from individual to another individual.

The Black Death plague, which hit Europe in the middle of the thirteen century, which historians believe began somewhere in mid-Asia along the silk road, killed between 74-200 million Europeans. However, at the time, the plague was blamed as the doing of the Jews. The reason, There were many less Jews in the morgues than Christians, or from other religions.  The masses attribute it to the facts that the Jews isolated themselves in ghettos, Jewish laws promoted cleanliness, the Jews needed by law to wash their hands before eating bread and after using the bathroom. In addition, they had to wash before the Sabbath.

There is a wealth of material about Jewish survival using cleanliness as a weapon against diseases. Let’s do what our Jewish predecessors had done – insulate and isolate ourselves and keep ourselves clean by washing, washing, washing.

May we, and our brothers and sisters from other faiths stay alive and healthy to continue God’s work on earth.

 

Best wishes.

 

Rabbi Dov.