Judaism

[crystalpc]

Thanks again!

And oh, something else came up: What's wrong with vowels in words referring to God?

It is a sign of great respect, to be sure they don't take the Lords name in vain as the commandment teaches.

 

[Perceivence]

It is a sign of great respect, to be sure they don't take the Lords name in vain as the commandment teaches.

Ohhh...

Thx.

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

Crystalpc asked:

do you think that sacrifice, or Korban will ever be reinstated? I hear that there is training in Israel for temple service. Is this an Orthodox movement in Israel?

Yes, as an orthodox Jew, I believe that the order of offerings in its entirety will be restored in full when the Messiah comes. You mention Maimonedes (when you come to visit the Holy Land, I'll take you to his tomb in Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee). He writes:

“In the future, the King Messiah will stand up and restore the Davidic monarchy...build the Temple, gather the dispersed of Israel, and restore all the laws as they were in former times: offerings, sabbatical and jubilee years as they are commanded in the Torah.

There are (orthodox) Jews all over the world who study the laws regarding the various offerings (as we have ever since the Temple was destroyed ) in joyous anticipation of the day when they will be restored.

By the way thank you for the links. I had never read about Moshe Mamaion until last night.

You're welcome!

Regarding kabbala, I repeat what I said in my first post on this thread:

Kabbalah (esoteric Jewish mysticism) is, quite properly, the province of very few. Only the most pious, learned & saintly need delve into kabbalah (see http://www.jewfaq.org/kabbalah.htm). That chain of "Kabbalah Centers" has as much to do with real kabbala as a Twinkie has to do with real pastry.)

Perceivance posted:

And oh, something else came up: What's wrong with vowels in words referring to God?

Well, Torah scrolls (and all words therein) are written without the vowel points. In the miniature prayerbook (with the weekday afternoon & evening prayers and the blessings after meals) that I have in my wallet, the names/euphemisms for God are voweled. In the printed Tanakh that I keep here at my office for reference, all of the names/euphemisms for God are voweled, including the Tetragrammaton. However, it (alone) is never pronounced as it is written. We believe that the knowledge of how to correctly pronounce the Name has been temporarily lost (until the Messiah times). Even when the Temple stood, only the High Priest would pronounce the Name and only on Yom Kippur. Anyone other than the High Priest pronouncing it is a sinful act. Thus, we do not pronounce the Name on the off chance we might get it right & commit a sin.

Be well!

ssv

 

[crystalpc]

Yes, as an orthodox Jew, I believe that the order of offerings in its entirety will be restored in full when the Messiah comes. You mention Maimonedes (when you come to visit the Holy Land, I'll take you to his tomb in Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee). He writes:
Quote:

“In the future, the King Messiah will stand up and restore the Davidic monarchy...build the Temple, gather the dispersed of Israel, and restore all the laws as they were in former times: offerings, sabbatical and jubilee years as they are commanded in the Torah.

I have never been to Israel, and it is my hearts desire one day to come over there, and take you up on this gracious offer.

I have been blessed enough to be able to help bring some people back to Israel on Aleyah<spelling?> I look, forward one day being able to afford to
make the trip myself.

Blessings

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

Crystalpc, aliyah (which literally means "going up") means "immigrating to Israel." You were close enough!

I look forward to welcoming you here one day soon!

I'll add a historical note. The order of offerings was revived for a brief period during the Bar Kochba Revolt against the Romans (135-137 CE, http://tinyurl.com/ypnjl). There are scholars who believe that they were revived for a very brief period during the reign of the Roman Emperor Julian (http://tinyurl.com/2ouey) and when the Sassanid Persians (with whom we were allied) took Jerusalem from the Byzantines in 614 CE. But since then, nada.

Be well!

ssv

 

[crystalpc]

Hi all!

Crystalpc, aliyah (which literally means "going up") means "immigrating to Israel." You were close enough!

I look forward to welcoming you here one day soon!

I'll add a historical note. The order of offerings was revived for a brief period during the Bar Kochba Revolt against the Romans (135-137 CE, http://tinyurl.com/ypnjl). There are scholars who believe that they were revived for a very brief period during the reign of the Roman Emperor Julian (http://tinyurl.com/2ouey) and when the Sassanid Persians (with whom we were allied) took Jerusalem from the Byzantines in 614 CE. But since then, nada.

Be well!

ssv

Thank you so much for these interesting links. In school we were taught that when the Romans plowed the city under they added the insult of salting the earth. There has always been a Jewish presence on the land though even with all these persecutions..
I am so glad that once again, in my lifetime that Israel took its rightful place among the nations.

Thank you again for the links I will bookmark them and continue my reading.
Blessings

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

I've always liked the message in this lesson.

A few weeks back, we (Jews all over the world) read the weekly Torah portion (actually, it's 2 portions that were read together this year) of Leviticus 16:1-20:27 in synagogue. Leviticus 19:18 tells us (inter alia):

...but you shall love your neighbor as yourself...

This, of course, is the famous "Golden Rule". But the (original) Hebrew presents us with a grammatical anomaly. The (original) Hebrew is:

v'ahavta lere'acha cmocha

The use of the preposition/prefix "le..." goes against the standard rules of Hebrew grammar. Normally, the preposition/prefix "et..." would be used.

It is a principle of Jewish Biblical exegesis that there is no wasted or redundant ink in the scriptures, that every word and every letter of the Torah are full of meaning & are there to teach us something, and that we can learn much from seemingly trivial turns of phrase, subtle differences in the text, grammatical anomalies, the seeming repetitions of accounts, etc. The late Prof. Nechama Leibovitz cited this principle when she noted, "how the slightest variation in phraseology, and addition or omission, may contain a world of significance." I quote from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin's column on the this weekly Torah portion from the Friday Jerusalem Post:

Martin Buber utilizes the unusual prefix form of the biblical text to establish a fundamental principle of human relationships - and at the same time strengthen the theological underpinning with which we began our discussion (Buber, I and Thou). We would have expected to find the phrase "You shall love et re'acha" - rather than what actually appears, lere'acha - because the conjunctive et always appears before an objective case; in this case, "your friend" is the object.

A human being is never to be seen as an object, thunders Buber. A fellow human being is never acted upon; he must always be related to (lere'acha). When we use another human being as merely a means to our end, not recognizing him/her as a child of God in the fullness of being, we are establishing an illegitimate "I-it" relationship rather than the biblically mandated "I-thou" relationship. Using another, taking advantage of another, robbing another of his/her freedom of choice - even if they be family members or students - are all forms of slavery, which must be prohibited.

"You must act with love toward your neighbor in the fullness of a relationship of equals because he/she is like you under God the Creator, who demands universal freedom."

From this perspective, I would insist - along with the Tosafot Yom Tov, 1579-1654 (ad loc), and Rabbi Hayim Vital, 1542-1620 (Gate of Holiness) - that "your neighbor" in this context includes gentiles. After all, the text does not read "your brother" or "your colleague."

Moreover, the etymology of re'a (neighbor or friend) seems to include even someone who may be evil (ra)...

Link: http://tinyurl.com/257mh

Be well!

ssv

 

[crystalpc]

Hi all!

I've always liked the message in this lesson.

A few weeks back, we (Jews all over the world) read the weekly Torah portion (actually, it's 2 portions that were read together this year) of Leviticus 16:1-20:27 in synagogue. Leviticus 19:18 tells us (inter alia):
This, of course, is the famous "Golden Rule". But the (original) Hebrew presents us with a grammatical anomaly. The (original) Hebrew is:

The use of the preposition/prefix "le..." goes against the standard rules of Hebrew grammar. Normally, the preposition/prefix "et..." would be used.

It is a principle of Jewish Biblical exegesis that there is no wasted or redundant ink in the scriptures, that every word and every letter of the Torah are full of meaning & are there to teach us something, and that we can learn much from seemingly trivial turns of phrase, subtle differences in the text, grammatical anomalies, the seeming repetitions of accounts, etc. The late Prof. Nechama Leibovitz cited this principle when she noted, "how the slightest variation in phraseology, and addition or omission, may contain a world of significance." I quote from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin's column on the this weekly Torah portion from the Friday Jerusalem Post:


Be well!

ssv

stillsmallvoice,
Thank you again for this insight..