The joke, if that’s what it is, goes like this: “You’ll have to forgive us Jews for being a little nervous. Two thousand years of Christian love have worn down our nerves.”
That says it all, doesn’t it? The scars of antisemitism and missionary activity, the pathos-drenched sense of humor, the contempt for Christianity — this is certainly how I regarded our local majority religion as I was growing up. When I was a child, Christianity was like the big, stupid bully: at once idiotic, and overwhelmingly powerful. Couldn’t they see how ridiculous their religion was? A virgin birth? Santa Claus? An Easter Bunny? A messiah who got killed, but actually died for our sins? And yet, these were the people running our country, telling us which days we get off from school and which we don’t, and playing their insidious music every winter.
If the books the Forward receives for review are any indication, I am not alone in my neurosis about Yeshu ben Yoseph. Though nothing, it seems, will match the never-ending torrent of books about the Holocaust, these past few years have seen a small mountain of Jesus books arrive on my desk, most of them not worthy of review. Screeds about how Jesus got Judaism wrong, or how Christians got Jesus wrong, or how much better we are than they are — these are books my younger self would have written.
Surely, some of the Jesus fad is due to the success of David Klinghoffer’s 2005 book, “Why the Jews Rejected Jesus.” (Answer: We’re the chosen people — a nation, not universalists.) But I think a lot of it is also due to our increased confidence as an assimilated minority in the United States. Where once we could have been tortured or burned for not accepting Christ, now we can publish books criticizing him.
It was not always thus. Indeed, the texts discussed in the best book of the recent crop, Peter Schafer’s “Jesus in the Talmud,” were once considered so outrageous that they were self-censored from European editions of the Talmud. Not that the attempt succeeded: Christian authorities burned the Talmud anyway, and antisemitism continued unabated. But the censorship did succeed somewhat; these texts are practically unknown even today.
And they are still somewhat scandalous. What Schafer shows is that the rabbis of the Talmud knew the New Testament well enough to parody it and were concerned enough about the growth of the Jewish-Christian sect to condemn the testament. And they did so in unsparing terms.
The image of Jesus that one gets from the Talmud is that of an illicit, sex-crazed black magician who uses trickery to lead Israel astray. In BT Sanhedrin 103a, Jesus is depicted as a poor disciple who “spoiled his food,” which Schafer speculates may be a euphemism for sexual misconduct: “to eat the dish” being a recognized Talmudic euphemism known for the sex act itself. A later emendation adds that he “practiced magic and led Israel astray.” And the virgin birth is ridiculed as a cover-up of Jesus’ true parentage: His mother was an “illicit woman” (another Talmudic locution), perhaps even a prostitute.
Strong stuff — no wonder they don’t teach it in Sunday school. But fascinating, as well, as long as, of course, we don’t take it too seriously (which, doubtless, some Jews do). The texts Schafer adduces — all of them relatively late, dating to the third- or fourth-century C.E., suggesting a conscious effort to fight the upstart sect — show that the Talmudic rabbis did not reject Jesus for the noble reasons that Klinghoffer and his ilk suggest. At least according to these texts, they rejected him because they thought he was evil, or saw him as a threat.
The most notorious of all the “Jesus texts,” however, is BT Sanhedrin 43a, which describes the halachic procedure of Jesus’ trial and execution. This is notorious, of course, because for nearly 2,000 years, Christian authorities have been blaming the Jews for killing Jesus, even though the New Testament itself makes clear that it’s the Romans who actually did the deed.
Shockingly, however, the Talmud does not shirk responsibility for Jesus’ death. On the contrary, it says that he deserved it and that the Jews did it themselves. Jesus was, the text relates, a sorcerer, an idolater and a heretic who led Israel to idolatry. His conviction was entirely just, and his execution — stoning and then hanging — was carried out in strict accordance with rabbinic law.
Why would the Talmud make such a claim? Schafer speculates it is to undermine the Gospels’ account and empower the rabbis. In the Gospels’ account, the rabbis are tools, almost, of Rome. In the Talmud’s account, they are powerful — so powerful that they condemned the hero of the Christian sect to his brutal death. (Believe it or not, there are actually even more graphic texts, which Schafer includes in his book. Suffice to say, their gruesome account of hell puts even Dante to shame. But I’ll leave that out of this family newspaper.)
What’s fascinating about reading these texts together with Schafer’s careful and thorough commentary is that the ambivalence about Jesus, which I experienced as a young man, seems to be already in place back in the fourth century. On the one hand, Jesus is beneath contempt. On the other, he is dangerously powerful. These texts were written before the church became the most powerful force on Earth, but they wouldn’t be out of place among the books I chose not to include here.
Indeed, I’m sure that there are some readers who may have preferred these comments not be published at all. The texts in Schafer’s book are still dangerous. They still might incite violence against Jews. And they threaten decades of progress in Jewish-Christian relations.
One wonders when, if ever, we Jews will be able to heal from the trauma of Christian oppression and actually learn from, while still differentiating ourselves from, Christian teaching and tradition. Along my own spiritual path, I’ve been amazed at how much I learn from the teachings of other traditions — Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism, Sufism — yet how jittery I get when it comes to Christianity. Yes, like many Jews, I have an appreciation for the teachings of Jesus, and I even wrote my master’s thesis on Paul and the Talmud. But this isn’t enough. I want to understand Christ the way Christians do — not to become one of them, but in order to enrich my own religious life. I want to learn from them how to have a personal relationship with a personal, humanized, embodied God who cares, and who saves. I want to experience Jesus as a human being enlightened enough to see everyone as holy, even the impure, the leprous and the marginalized. And I want to follow his example, seeing all my fellow human beings and myself as sons and daughters of God.
Four years ago, I developed some of these thoughts in an essay in Zeek magazine. I playfully titled the piece “How I Finally Came To Accept Christ in My Heart,” explaining the irony in the first paragraph. At a conference where the magazines were for sale, someone saw that title, took the entire stack of magazines and threw it on the floor, proceeding to scream at the bookseller for selling missionary trash.
Well, I guess you’ll have to forgive us Jews for still being a little nervous…
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It was very interesting to read the comment about the Jewish rejection of Jesus: "We’re the chosen people — a nation, not universalists". Historically, it's true. At any time or place in Jewish history, all Jews would have agreed that we are a nation, a people. It certainly is obviously true for the Hebrew-speaking Jews of Israel. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case in the American Diaspora. There, the Jews see themselves as part of the American people. The American story is the national narrative with which they are really familiar, English is the only national language that they really know, and they also reject the concept of an exiled nation. "Jewish peoplehood" and "assimilated minority" are two contradictory concepts.
http://www.angelfire.com/mt/talmud/jesusnarr.html Check out this source which deal with the subject of Jesus in the Talmud.
The true authorities of Torah, the Kabbalists, such as Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, his disciple and Mashiach ben David, of his generation, Rabbi David Valle, Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia and others all concur that the negative writings about Jesus found in rabbinical texts are corrupt, falsified and fraudulent. They paint an entirely different picture. Jesus was the Messiah of his generation who came to bring the pagans and gentile nations back to the true Torah. According Valle (the Messiah of his generation), the rabbis distorted the teachings and story about Jesus, just as the Erev Rav (Mix Multitude) wreaked havoc while Moses ascended Mount Sinai. Same story. Different period. Valle says Jesus would have brought the final redemption if he was allowed to carry out his work. The same way the rabbis distorted, slandered and persecuted the great Kabbalists, like Ramchal, (R. Luzzatto), they did the same thing about Jesus and Christianity. Son of God, Trinity, Resurrection and Messianic Salvation, all the tenets found Christianity ARE Torah and are found in the Zohar. According to Chaim Vitale and Maimonides and others, all these secrets were put into Christianity to preserve them and to give pagans and assimilated Jews in Christianity a way back home at the End of Days. Christians have no conception that their teachings are Torah and they too do not understand who Jesus was. Valle says both Jews and Christians have it wrong and only Kabbalah can reconcile and bring true peace to Muslims, Israelites and Christians.
The true authorities of Torah, the Kabbalists, such as Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, his disciple and Mashiach ben David, of his generation, Rabbi David Valle, Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia and others all concur that the negative writings about Jesus found in rabbinical texts are corrupt, falsified and fraudulent. They paint an entirely different picture. Jesus was the Messiah of his generation who came to bring the pagans and gentile nations back to the true Torah. According Valle (the Messiah of his generation), the rabbis distorted the teachings and story about Jesus, just as the Erev Rav (Mix Multitude) wreaked havoc while Moses ascended Mount Sinai. Same story. Different period. Valle says Jesus would have brought the final redemption if he was allowed to carry out his work. The same way the rabbis distorted, slandered and persecuted the great Kabbalists, like Ramchal, (R. Luzzatto), they did the same thing about Jesus and Christianity. Son of God, Trinity, Resurrection and Messianic Salvation, all the tenets found Christianity ARE Torah and are found in the Zohar. According to Chaim Vitale and Maimonides and others, all these secrets were put into Christianity to preserve them and to give pagans and assimilated Jews in Christianity a way back home at the End of Days. Christians have no conception that their teachings are Torah and they too do not understand who Jesus was. Valle says both Jews and Christians have it wrong and only Kabbalah can reconcile and bring true peace to Muslims, Israelites and Christians.
Oops, sorry for double post. Meant to post this quote from Italian Kabbalist, Rabbi and physician Moses David Valle, Mashiach ben David of his generation. He lived in Padua c. 1770s. Here is the quote:
"There was a whole fabrication about the danger of the teachings of that man (Jesus). It was created with false dogmas and it was done in a repugnant manner. Through him a lot of nations were going to know God, and now we have to fix those mistakes. The phrase 'We Heard that God is With You' refers to these gentile nations, who are hanging onto his shirt, grabbing just a little of wisdom of Torah, but then the whole story (about Jesus) was falsified. He was sent to bring salvation to the other nations."
VALLE: “Until now Jacob (Children of Israel) and Esav (Christian nation) fight with each other, two nations that contradict one another, that could have made an alliance to create the biggest force in the world.”
Valle is saying the contradiction is false. When you look deep into Christianity's teachings, through the lens of Kabbalah, both Jews and Christians will see its all Torah. There is no contradiction. If these two nations would unite, the world would transform in ways we cannot imagine. But the Mix Multitude reincarnate in every generation to keep people from these Kabbalistic insights, as they did on Sinai, to delay the redemption. In addition to slandering Jesus and every single Kabbalist in history, they made tragic and malicious lies about the age of the Zohar, slandering the name of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai by denying that the Zohar is the Or Ganuz, the Hidden Light of Mount Sinai that Moses revealed by virtue of the Second Tablets and then he reincarnated as Rabbi Shimon to reveal the Or Ganuz in the form of the Zohar manuscripts. The delay of Messiah is solely, absolutely due to the lack of Zohar study, acceptance and dissemination in the world. This is why they killed Jesus, Akiva, Gamalial, R. Ishmael and other Kabbalists during the Second Temple era. It was to be the Second Revelation. The same way the first two tablets shattered, the two temples shattered because Kabbalah and the teachings of Jesus/Akiva/Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai were not embraced and shared.
VALLE: "The first dove that Noah sent out and came back with nothing, that was Jesus. He came into the world and tried, but did not get the job done at that time. The second dove that brings back the olive branch, that is the Messiah who gets the job done."
The world has bled and endured horrors for twenty centuries. Kabbalists say when the truth about Jesus, Kabbalah and the Zohar are finally revealed, it will be the end of pain, suffering, and death itself. The truth is subtle. Both sides are right, depending upon which lens you view it through. When you view through Kabbalah, you see there is a higher truth and the whole last 2000 years has been one giant misunderstanding by the children of Israel and the Christians. It's a family feud that has caused more pain beyond measure. I came across manuscripts that had such secrets ripped out. Universities threatened us for delving into this subject matter. Books have been censored or destroyed. And it is the world, including the perpetrators who have suffered. No one has to suffer any longer, not you, not your enemies, not anyone. The entire world can experience what is the ultimate destiny of mankind. Peace. Immortality. Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia and others say the 72 Names of God can unite Muslims, Christians and Israelites. So instead of looking for reasons to engage in debate. Lets just share the wisdom and end this once and for all.
Either way we will get there, according to the Zohar. Our only choice is to choose pain/judgment or the path of spiritual transformation, which means we all give up the ego. Of course, man has died for 2000 years protecting his ego, so its easier said than done. Nonetheless, the choice is ours. There are two Messiahs. Mashiach ben Joseph and Mashiach ben David. If the former is killed, we will achieve the goal through pain and suffering. If our egos are killed, then Mashiach ben David will arrive and will seal the Messianic era with peace and joy.
billy Philips: I don't know where you got all that unadulterated nonsense from. Literally every word you write is not only crude ignorance but outrageously ridiculous rubbish.I suggest you get yourself either a good psychiatrist, or enroll in grade 1 of a Hebrew elementary school and then after a few years of intensive study perhaps you may be able to study Jewish texts and to understand the Jewish concept of Messiah.
Dear Jacob, I see no reason why you are slandering me. I am quoting Rabbi Moses David Valle, who according to Ramchal, (Moses Chaim Luzzatto, considered to be one of the greatest minds of Jewish history) was none other than the Mashiach ben David of his generation. So you are, in effect, slandering and insulting the potential Messiah of the 17th century. Read the manuscripts. Read the handwriting of the Kabbalists. This is what they say. Second, if you choose to disagree with their opinion, that is your right. But why engage in insulting rhetoric. Why not disagree with dignity and just agree to disagree? Did you know that Kabbalist Moses Cordervero, Rav Ashlag, Rav Isaac Luria and other Kabbalists say it is the unkind, disrespectful speech exchanged between two Israelites that contributes to the darkness, disease and destruction that afflicts our world.
Your intolerance has been the trademark of Jewish history for two thousand years and this is why the blood of Jews runs deep and runs rampant (not my opinion, so i respectfully ask you not to insult me but direct your insults to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai).
I wish you and your family nothing but love, Light, blessings and good fortune and I hope we find reasons to come together instead of reasons for engaging in hurtful comments.
Further to Jacob Isaacs: I have no view of the Messiah. I only share what the Zohar says, what Rav Isaac Luria, his student Chaim Vital and other Kabbalists such as the Ben Ish Chai say. And what they say is this:
There are two Messiahs:
Mashiach ben Yoseph and Mashiach ben David.
The first comes to wage war. But not physical war, according to the esteemed Kabbalist of the 20th century, Rav Yehuda Ashlag. It is a war against consciousness, against false teachings, lies and the illusion of the material world. There will be Jews who rise up against the Messiah (see Zohar portion called Naso) who will wage war against the Messiah.
According to the great Bagdad Kabbalist, Ben Ish Chai, the Messiah son of Joseph does NOT necessarily have to die. If enough people embrace the Zohar and the path of eradicating our sick, ugly, intolerant egos (evil inclination in the parlance of traditional religion) then we can effect global change with mercy.
The Zohar says that it WILL be the Ark of our generation. And those people who taste from the Zohar will leave the exile with mercy.
Stop the insults, open up your mind, if only for a a few minutes, and climb aboard the ark. I am extending an unconditional hand of friendship. Don't fall into the trap of scholarly debate and intellectual self pleasurement.
Life is only about unity, coming together and finding ways to respect each other.
The whole purpose of Torah study and "Hebrew school" as Hillel says, is to "Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself. All the rest is commentary." Your commentary about my commentary did not reflect Hillel's commentary about the Golden Rule. Peace. Salaam. Shalom.
Finally to my good friend Jacob Isaacs: Kabbalist Moses David Valle (Messiah son of David of the 17th century) we must fix the lies surrounding Christianity, Jesus and Kabbalah, in order to quicken the arrival of the Messianic age. He explains that Christianity was founded for one reason. To give the Jews a place to endure the exile as a result of the sin of the Golden Calf. It was decreed that the Jews be sent into the exile for 2000 years. Christianity, containing the truths of Zohar/Kabbalah/Torah, is like an umbilical cord and lifeline so that the Jews and Pagans will always retain some connection to the Light of the Creator. Maimonides echos a similar statement about Christianity. He says it preserves the idea of Salvation and a Messiah and Resurrection.
Christianity, if taken literally, says Valle, is idol worshipping. But its an illusion. When you understand it through the lens of Zohar, its pure Torah. This is the miraculous way in which the Creator creates an exile while still giving us truth a the same time. It all depends upon our consciousness.
Christians and Jews suffer because both are lacking the true Torah, Kabbalistic secrets that govern all people. Black. White. Yellow. Christian. Israelite. Muslim. Hindu. Atheist. We are all God's children.
In regards to the major tenets of Christianity belonging to Torah and Zohar here is a quote from the Zohar. Sit down. Take a deep breath. This passage was actually censored in the Soncino edition of Zohar cause it is so explosive. Ready? Read slow. Read it a few times. Its dense. Packed with meaning. And it shows everyone is arguing for no reason whatsoever. If you still have reason to argue with me or anyone after this regarding Jesus, Kabbalah and Torah, you did not understand. Here it is:
"HE NOW INTERPRETS THE GRADE OF THE SON, SAYING: Happy is the portion of the son, who deserves to strive to know his Father's secrets and all the mysteries of His house, like an only child whose father gave him authority over all his secrets. It is to the glory OF THE SON to have power over everything. He who strives in the Torah to know the Holy One, blessed be He, and His mysteries is 'the son of the Holy One blessed be He,' and in all the heavenly hosts, there is none that will stop him from entering his Father's presence at any time he needs to.
HE EXPLAINS FURTHER. A son is always bound to his father without any separation at all, and no one stops him.
From that day onward, that man is known and recorded in all those worlds. In his time of need, all the hosts and legions are ordered to be with him. And the Holy One, blessed be He, needs nothing but him alone, THAT IS, ALL THE WORLDS ARE SUPPORTED BY HIM. A voice stirs AND PROCLAIMS, 'It is well for an only one, THAT MAN, to be with an Only One, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, and for the one to be occupied with the One.'"
That's a lot of information. How do you reconcile Moses David Valle as being the son of David for the 17th century? Would Issac Luria be as well for the 16th century? I never understood there to be multiple Mashiach - perhaps one or less per generation/era; can you expand on that?
Jacob Issacs, relax. No matter what another says, you can learn. And Billy Phillips is right: what about the Golden Rule?
Bottom line. Anyone who masters the wisdom of Kabbalah, which means transforms from self interest to selfless love for his fellow man, elevates to the grade called SON OF THE HOLY ONE. It say God needs him and him alone. This explains Christianity's view that Jesus was only Son of God. He was. And so are You, when you make the transformation.
Rabbi Moses David Valle (again, he was Messiah of 17th century) says Jesus IS the connection for the gentile world to come back to the true Torah. This is why they gentile world will not let go of him. They are not supposed to. Just as Kabbalah students over the last 2000 years hang onto Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. These two leaders will lead us to one place, one tent, that will house Muslims, Christians, Jews and everyone. Abulafia says the prophet Muhammad, Jesus and Moses all knew the truth. It's the people, through their bickering and intolerant debate that prolong the suffering of children and all mankind.
That's a lot of information. How do you reconcile Moses David Valle as being the son of David for the 17th century? Would Issac Luria be as well for the 16th century? I never understood there to be multiple Mashiach - perhaps one or less per generation/era; can you expand on that?
Jacob Issacs, relax. No matter what another says, you can learn. And Billy Phillips is right: what about the Golden Rule?
That's a lot of information. How do you reconcile Moses David Valle as being the son of David for the 17th century? Would Issac Luria be as well for the 16th century? I never understood there to be multiple Mashiach - perhaps one or less per generation/era; can you expand on that?
Jacob Issacs, relax. No matter what another says, you can learn. And Billy Phillips is right: what about the Golden Rule?
@Reuven:
Hmm. I am a Jew in the American Diaspora, and I have seen myself as a member of the Jewish people, I identify with the narrative of the Jewish people, and I speak Hebrew. I guess I must be wrong.
@Another "nervous Jew."
Thanks for citing Rabbi Gil Student's Talmud page. It should be required reading. Jesus of Nazareth does not appear in the Talmud. If Jesus was a fictional or, more likely, partially fictionally person, then it's possible he might have been based on the same person who is also the basis of the stories in the Talmud. Student cites the suggestion that this same 1st century BCE "Yeshu" might also have been the Qumran sect's "Teacher of Righteousness." I find that fascinating.
April 30, 2009
It is amazing to me that with all the scholars and experts out there, few have bothered to really understand who Jesuah ben Josef (Jesus) was as Jew. For those who have the patience to make the effort at unearthing the history of those times and what the historical Rabbi Jesuah ben Josef was actually preaching, the reward in understanding is well worth the effort. First and foremost it is quite clear that the historical Jesuah ben Josef never intended to build a church or anything else. What he was as near as can historically be determined was a Jew who practiced gnosticism and focused on the spirit of the law instead of the letter of the law. He was influenced greatly by his stay in Egypt from the age of 12, most probably studying with the Greek Jewish sect of the Therapeutae in Alexandria and going to the great Jewish Temple of Onias (see description below).
There Jesus learned about the tenets of Gnosticism which came from the Greek phrase, "Gnosis Kardias" - Knowledge of or by or from or through the heart. It is interesting that the earliest followers of Jesus, all Jewish, including his brother, james, established what has been called the Church of Jerusalem (City of Peace) and that it was there that Jesus' real message was understood, respected and adhered to, a message of Jewish Gnosticism. The message that stated that belief is an insufficient and totally inadequate way to understand G_d. The true path and the only path is to "know" G_d personally and that each and everyone of us has that capacity. There is no need for intermediaries, rabbis, priests, ministeries, gurus, only a sincere open individual with a intense desire to "know" G_d. For this Jesus was reviled by the staunch Orthodox Jews of his day, and later by the Christians who hijacked his message and built a new religion in his name but without retaining the essence of his message.
It is indeed the ultimate irony that the powerful message of Jesus and his best disciple, Mary of Magdala, was squelched by the offical Roman Catholic Church and hidden for 2000 years. It is a cruel joke that both Christians and Jews have been duped by power driven men to follow a false and bankrupt faith in the hopes of personal salvation. If you really want to understand some of the swirling churning currents of the gnostics and their practitioners such as Jesus, do not look to the official Constantinian scrubbed and cleaned Roman state Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. Instead go read the Nag Hamadi scriptures which were found not terribly far from where Jesus would have been in Egypt, buried in jars to be saved for posterity and thus not suffering the fate of nearly all other non Constantinian gospels, burning in the bonfires of the ignorant.
Jesus real message and his real teachings and practices where about the glory and ecstacy of the immanence of G_d within each and everyone one of us. He met the old paternalistic Jewish idea of G_d head on said no to it. G_d is not some vengeful old puppet master pulling strings and watching humanity writher. What a anthromorphic projection for a G_d this old Jewish G_d was. No the G_d Jesus knew in his heart was the essence of love, soft nurturing and caring, completely the opposite of the venegeful, wrathful G_d of the old Orthodox Jews of his day. For that the Jews in power at the time could never forgive him for their whole power structure and cushy domain of sacrifices and worshippers gifts was at risk. The Greed of men, both Jewish and Gentile, condemned millions upon millions of people to untold suffering because a few men with faulty visions wanted to hijack this message of love and twist it to their own ends. So sad.
But there is a ray of hope. Gnostics like Carl Jung, Emerson and many many others have paved the way for a new opening of light into the shadowy world of hidden secrets and whispered heresies. Let there be light; let the Dan Brown's of the world work their story magic and bring us out of our naive slumbers into the broad glory of the true nature of life, consciousness, awareness and creation. It is time.
Dr. Stephen L. Gomes
The Land of Onias (Greek: Oneion)[1] is the name given in Hellenistic Egyptian, Jewish, and Roman sources to an area in Ancient Egypt's Nile delta where a large number of Jews settled. The Land of Onias, which included the city of Leontopolis, was located in the nome of Heliopolis. While accounts differ on the details, it is known that the Jews of Leontopolis had a functioning Temple, presided over by kohanim of the family of Onias IV (for whom the "Land of Onias" is named). Like its predecessor the Jewish Temple at Elephantine (destroyed in the 4th century BCE), the Temple at Leontopolis was the only Jewish sanctuary outside of Jerusalem where sacrifices were offered. Aside from a somewhat uncertain allusion of the Hellenist Artapanus,[2] only Josephus gives information about this temple.[3] The Talmudic accounts are internally contradictory. The establishment of a central sanctuary in Egypt was probably undertaken in response, in part, to the disorders that arose in Palestine under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the desecration of the Temple at Jerusalem under his reign, the supplanting of the legitimate family of priests by the installation of Alcimus, the personal ambition of Onias IV, and the vast extent of the Jewish diaspora in Egypt that created demand for a sanctuary of this nature.
In regards to the major tenets of Christianity belonging to Torah and Zohar here is a quote from the Zohar. Sit down. Take a deep breath. This passage was actually censored in the Soncino edition of Zohar cause it is so explosive. Ready? Read slow. Read it a few times. Its dense. Packed with meaning. And it shows everyone is arguing for no reason whatsoever. If you still have reason to argue with me or anyone after this regarding Jesus, Kabbalah and Torah, you did not understand. Here it is:
"HE NOW INTERPRETS THE GRADE OF THE SON, SAYING: Happy is the portion of the son, who deserves to strive to know his Father's secrets and all the mysteries of His house, like an only child whose father gave him authority over all his secrets. It is to the glory OF THE SON to have power over everything. He who strives in the Torah to know the Holy One, blessed be He, and His mysteries is 'the son of the Holy One blessed be He,' and in all the heavenly hosts, there is none that will stop him from entering his Father's presence at any time he needs to.
HE EXPLAINS FURTHER. A son is always bound to his father without any separation at all, and no one stops him.
From that day onward, that man is known and recorded in all those worlds. In his time of need, all the hosts and legions are ordered to be with him. And the Holy One, blessed be He, needs nothing but him alone, THAT IS, ALL THE WORLDS ARE SUPPORTED BY HIM. A voice stirs AND PROCLAIMS, 'It is well for an only one, THAT MAN, to be with an Only One, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, and for the one to be occupied with the One.'"
Hi Shlomo,
The Ari (Rav Isaac Luria) was Mashiach ben Yoseph (16th century) while Chaim Vital was Mashiach ben David. In the 18th century, Ramchal (R. Moses Chaim Luzzatto) was Moses, of his generation, while Rabbi Moses David Valle was Mashiach ben David. Moses and the two Messiahs appear in every single generation in a state of potential. They are not here as saviors but rather waiting for a critical mass of people to achieve transformation (repentance, which means the Hei, in the Tetragrammaton returns to the Vav, the spiritual realm) and then they will be here to seal the final redemption. It is up to the people affect change. Moses and the Two Messiahs can inspire and enlighten us by sharing and disseminating the Or Ganuz (hidden Light lost on Mount Sinai) which is the Light and energy of Zohar/Kabbalah. But its up to the people to embrace the path of change through Torah, which is the conditioning agent that uproots the negative ego from our nature.
RE STEPHEN: First, there is such thing as "jewish". The correct term is Israelite. And Kabbalah predates all religions, all spiritual doctrines and thus scholars get lost in a maze of endless currents and streams of intellectual and religious thought as different peoples throughout the ages have tried to make contact with the spiritual reality of the Divine.
But Kabbalah was the DNA and blueprint, since the time of Adam that reveals the technology for all mankind. Israelite is derived from the story of Jacob wrestling with angel of Esav. After defeating him, the Torah changes Jacob's name to Israel. The story is a code. you and i are jacob. Our selfish ego is the negative angel. When we use Torah to triumph over self-centeredness and we truly transform, we are called Israelite. Moses was NEVER given a religion on Mount Sinai. He was empowered with tools and a path to allow us to change from selfish to selfless because only then will Messiah arrive for good. its that simple. Jesus was a Kabbalist, an Israelite who saw the corruption of the religious establishment and tried to bring Kabbalah to the masses by way of parable and simple teachings. To his disciples he taught the true mysteries of Kabbalah. There is no such thing as Jewish Gnosticism. It's all Kabbalah. It is derived from the verse "Adam knew Eve and she bore Cain." The Kabbalist asks, why does the Torah use the word "knew" to imply sexual relations. It's a code only Kabbalah explains. In simple terms Adam is the supernal world, Eve the physical world. To connect the two, you must KNOW -- as in Kabbalistic knowledge -- the Divine Names and inner secrets of the Torah precepts to connect our world to the spiritual reality. Gnosis is a derivative of this idea. We tend to overcomplicate what is, in fact, a very simple explanation of Torah, the meaning of life, and the root and seed of all spirituality, which is and always has been Kabbalah.
To be an atheist is to breathe the air of religious freedom. Nothing exemplifies the deadening burden of religion, any religion, more than the tripe I have just finished reading. All of it, from the article in The Forward to the commentary which follows. It's all just a crock.
Full disclosure: I am a gentile Christian. For what it's worth, I think the Jews and Christians are brothers because we are both "people of the book", both are here for God's glory and a specific purpose. As the Torah/OT explains brotherly relations can have a particularly tough relationship. When the world trade centers were attacked, a great majority of Texans/Christians, had no problem sticking up for NY and it's large Jewish population looking for answers and a little bit of payback, because we are Americans. The rest of the time texans and NY'ers typically despise each other. It's no different than when UT plays A&M in football, the rivalry is so severe that fights break out, but in the end we are brothers and Texans. It's the commonality that we share and the brotherhood that makes the relationship tough.
In my own view, I think it's apparent that Jews and Christians play a role in God's plan for this earth. Even Jesus says "I did not come to change the law and the prior prophets are 100% accurate". To me this means that the old testament contract between God and the nation of Israel is still a valid contract and will always be. The new testament is a contract between God and individuals, hence the strong individualist streak in more Christian nations.
I think that conservative Christians (like myself) and liberal Jews spend too much time trying to undermine each other through our centers of power. It will eventually tear America into pieces unless we focus more on commonality. Of course things like the war of gog and magog will happen, because it is written, so we can't change what is, but we can spend our time more in harmony than in 'discomfort' and hopefully comfortably enjoy our differences as well.
America started off as something new, a beacon of light unto the world like the Jewish nation is, but this nation is slowly becoming a failed state. We need to work together to, hopefully, regroup when it does fail and create an even better framework of governorship.
in the article it states that "Christianity was like the big, stupid Ibully". I'm not defending many Christian's or those who claimed to be Christians actions. However, it' wasn't Jesus' teachings that led to oppression but man's sinful desire and tribalistic nature. The lineage of David, the lion, has also been a tough foe for Christians, espcially considering the relatively small population. We need to figure out how to have a governorship, respecting differences, and enjoying our commonalities, otherwise the world will be in chaos and war, again. The Torah states that there will peace for a millenia. I think that making everyone the same will never happen so we need a government that respects differences (doesn't undermine differences) while appreciating our commonaolity and goal in glorifying God.
What I think some helpful remedies are to improve our situation on earth in general are:
#1. Focus a little more on commonality while still being proud or preserving of our origins/differences, otherwise we fall into the same cycke of "tit for tat".
#2 Focus on glorifying God and the words that were given to us through the Torah and, if you prefer to believe, the new testament, each are playing an important role, for practical purposes on earth at the least.
#3. Stop trying to undermine each other through our centers of power, this will be the toughest task. In some ways we will always have to "agree to disagree" because we are different but there is much more to gain from trying for stability rather than both of our groups trying to destabilize the other. Isn't chaos and war tiring?
Of course, I speak for the nation of Christianity no more than the Jewish friends I made in S. Florida represent the nation of Israel. However, 'truth' is univeral, at least in my humble opinion.
Shalom
Full disclosure: I am a gentile Christian. For what it's worth, I think the Jews and Christians are brothers because we are both "people of the book", both are here for God's glory and a specific purpose. As the Torah/OT explains brotherly relations can have a particularly tough relationship. When the world trade centers were attacked, a great majority of Texans/Christians, had no problem sticking up for NY and it's large Jewish population looking for answers and a little bit of payback, because we are Americans. The rest of the time texans and NY'ers typically despise each other. It's no different than when UT plays A&M in football, the rivalry is so severe that fights break out, but in the end we are brothers and Texans. It's the commonality that we share and the brotherhood that makes the relationship tough.
In my own view, I think it's apparent that Jews and Christians play a role in God's plan for this earth. Even Jesus says "I did not come to change the law and the prior prophets are 100% accurate". To me this means that the old testament contract between God and the nation of Israel is still a valid contract and will always be. The new testament is a contract between God and individuals, hence the strong individualist streak in more Christian nations.
I think that conservative Christians (like myself) and liberal Jews spend too much time trying to undermine each other through our centers of power. It will eventually tear America into pieces unless we focus more on commonality. Of course things like the war of gog and magog will happen, because it is written, so we can't change what is, but we can spend our time more in harmony than in 'discomfort' and hopefully comfortably enjoy our differences as well.
America started off as something new, a beacon of light unto the world like the Jewish nation is, but this nation is slowly becoming a failed state. We need to work together to, hopefully, regroup when it does fail and create an even better framework of governorship.
in the article it states that "Christianity was like the big, stupid Ibully". I'm not defending many Christian's or those who claimed to be Christians actions. However, it' wasn't Jesus' teachings that led to oppression but man's sinful desire and tribalistic nature. The lineage of David, the lion, has also been a tough foe for Christians, espcially considering the relatively small population. We need to figure out how to have a governorship, respecting differences, and enjoying our commonalities, otherwise the world will be in chaos and war, again. The Torah states that there will peace for a millenia. I think that making everyone the same will never happen so we need a government that respects differences (doesn't undermine differences) while appreciating our commonaolity and goal in glorifying God.
What I think some helpful remedies are to improve our situation on earth in general are:
#1. Focus a little more on commonality while still being proud or preserving of our origins/differences, otherwise we fall into the same cycke of "tit for tat".
#2 Focus on glorifying God and the words that were given to us through the Torah and, if you prefer to believe, the new testament, each are playing an important role, for practical purposes on earth at the least.
#3. Stop trying to undermine each other through our centers of power, this will be the toughest task. In some ways we will always have to "agree to disagree" because we are different but there is much more to gain from trying for stability rather than both of our groups trying to destabilize the other. Isn't chaos and war tiring?
Of course, I speak for the nation of Christianity no more than the Jewish friends I made in S. Florida represent the nation of Israel. However, 'truth' is univeral, at least in my humble opinion.
Shalom
Full disclosure: I am a gentile Christian. For what it's worth, I think the Jews and Christians are brothers because we are both "people of the book", both are here for God's glory and a specific purpose. As the Torah/OT explains brotherly relations can have a particularly tough relationship. When the world trade centers were attacked, a great majority of Texans/Christians, had no problem sticking up for NY and it's large Jewish population looking for answers and a little bit of payback, because we are Americans. The rest of the time texans and NY'ers typically despise each other. It's no different than when UT plays A&M in football, the rivalry is so severe that fights break out, but in the end we are brothers and Texans. It's the commonality that we share and the brotherhood that makes the relationship tough.
In my own view, I think it's apparent that Jews and Christians play a role in God's plan for this earth. Even Jesus says "I did not come to change the law and the prior prophets are 100% accurate". To me this means that the old testament contract between God and the nation of Israel is still a valid contract and will always be. The new testament is a contract between God and individuals, hence the strong individualist streak in more Christian nations.
I think that conservative Christians (like myself) and liberal Jews spend too much time trying to undermine each other through our centers of power. It will eventually tear America into pieces unless we focus more on commonality. Of course things like the war of gog and magog will happen, because it is written, so we can't change what is, but we can spend our time more in harmony than in 'discomfort' and hopefully comfortably enjoy our differences as well.
America started off as something new, a beacon of light unto the world like the Jewish nation is, but this nation is slowly becoming a failed state. We need to work together to, hopefully, regroup when it does fail and create an even better framework of governorship.
in the article it states that "Christianity was like the big, stupid Ibully". I'm not defending many Christian's or those who claimed to be Christians actions. However, it' wasn't Jesus' teachings that led to oppression but man's sinful desire and tribalistic nature. The lineage of David, the lion, has also been a tough foe for Christians, espcially considering the relatively small population. We need to figure out how to have a governorship, respecting differences, and enjoying our commonalities, otherwise the world will be in chaos and war, again. The Torah states that there will peace for a millenia. I think that making everyone the same will never happen so we need a government that respects differences (doesn't undermine differences) while appreciating our commonaolity and goal in glorifying God.
What I think some helpful remedies are to improve our situation on earth in general are:
#1. Focus a little more on commonality while still being proud or preserving of our origins/differences, otherwise we fall into the same cycke of "tit for tat".
#2 Focus on glorifying God and the words that were given to us through the Torah and, if you prefer to believe, the new testament, each are playing an important role, for practical purposes on earth at the least.
#3. Stop trying to undermine each other through our centers of power, this will be the toughest task. In some ways we will always have to "agree to disagree" because we are different but there is much more to gain from trying for stability rather than both of our groups trying to destabilize the other. Isn't chaos and war tiring?
Of course, I speak for the nation of Christianity no more than the Jewish friends I made in S. Florida represent the nation of Israel. However, 'truth' is univeral, at least in my humble opinion.
Shalom
Hi admin, the posting script of this website tends to double post, it needs to be fixed. Thanks
Hi admin, the posting script of this website tends to double post, it needs to be fixed. Thanks
None of my Jewish friends have any problem with Jesus. Most like him as an ethical teacher. They merely don't accept him as divine. But then, lots of Christians don't either. In my Soncino Talmud Jesus is tried for idolatry by the Sanhedrin. If you define idolatry as the presence of a tangible God on earth, that strikes me as sound reasoning.
In a nutshell, what I am saying at the most basic level, is that God created us with more commonality than he did differences, this should not be overlooked and taken for granted, also he did create us individually and collectively with many differences, because we have individually and collectively different purposes, which should also not be overlooked and taken for granted. We need a framework of governorship that reconciles both concepts, otherwise the cycle of war, which is not our purpose, will repeat itself.
In my humble opinion.
I don't know. I am teaching History of Pseudo-messianism (official title) at the Rabbinical Seminary of Budapest. I wrote stories on messianic movements around Nijinsky in the 90s in Budapest in the Thirties /they were my grandparents neighbours /.It is at www.sfsalvo.com in English. Of course the Talmud does speak about the legend of Yeshua in a dozen of places, and quite negatively, all the Jay M-article is correct.:-) I also am glad to see that Billy phillips shared with us this beautiful story on David Valle./Except the Son mentioned in yr quote refers to Zeir Anpin so it is not so simply what it means...no need to provoke anyone I guess, but i may be mistaken. Bigots will get upset for less./ I also feel some fascination with Kabbalist universalist teachings as they show that Jews now are maybe more open than ever to actively teach their Unique Eternal traditions...and I am glad that both Ashlagians, Berg and Laitman work hard on this project in spite of mainstream outcry...it is a powerful philosophical-psychological tool, to claim that only thru humbleness (low ego) can one grasp the Teaching, Torah.It is said by everybody since Moses (including Maimuni, Nachmanides, Luzzatto, the Maharal, Caro, Luria, the Baal Shem Tov, the Lubaitchim)and yes it is also said by Paul and Mohamed - everybody agrees but for some reason the Pharao/Ego is still in power:-) Just my twocents on a side issue: the word "Jew" comes from the word "yehodi" which hints (hoda=grateful)/or also hed=echo/ at exactly this humbled loving relationship to a Higher Power (meaning "being" or "Future" hinted at the Ye syllable).I understand Billy why you say only "Israelites" exist - but it is a small side issue that cd be settled if we translate the yehodi-jew word too, not just the Yashar kel -Israel as you do. By the way Neo-Orthodox Gadol, Samson RAfael Hirsch (1800s years) taught that al the stories of the Torah are hints (remez) at inner soul processes...Adam was the first prophet so science of Darwin may go on...very similar to Kabbalah. It wd be great if we cd get in touch (I wd need exact sources for Valle for my Ph.D. is on this topic- is it in the Patai messiah-document book?), I am in yahoo dot com and my name is constructed by a hhebrew word that means "also this"=gamzo and then comes my age 48, :-)I hope it is not a problem that I try to mention my address and hopefully no one will notice or object. I hope Billy you will not miss the Laitmanists "Bne Baruch" seminary on the Zohar in Catskill near NY on the 15th of May.Sorry if it sounds off-topic: but they do teach the very same message you shared about and which in the past created Chistianism and Islam.So they are historically important even if they may be mistaken too - whatever one hopes.:-)
Hi, sorry to come back: I must add that the Hirsch quote stems from Dr. Russell Hendel's RashiYomi website.
"If you define idolatry as the presence of a tangible God on earth, that strikes me as sound reasoning."
What strikes me as odd is that some try to define God by human logic. Many things described between the OT and NT are not logical in human/practical terms.
Also, in the OT/Torah Satan is certainly not described in the same manner as the NT by any means. The absence of light, the void, is called darkness, but there is no dark substance. Cold is merely the absence of heat like, from what I read in the OT (the older contract), the absence of God is merely a void called sin, maybe I'm wrong here though. In the NT (the new contract) it is clear that Satan is some sort of entity or being. This is clearly a difference and something that Christians/Jews will have to agree to disagree on, again, there is more commonality than difference though. Like the foreigner who walks through the door we notice the 5% of difference more than the 95% of commonality, weighing the 5% equally with the 95% or even pretending to ignore the 5% and for many ignoring the 95%, is what leads to the renewal of the cycle of war.
Again, in my humble opinion...
Good night
"Adam was the first prophet so science of Darwin may go on"
The 'science' of Darwin started in the 1800's so he's a little late to "go on". Darwinism, the evolutionary struggle for supremacy described in the book The Origin of Species: The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life and also described in the Descent of Man is nothing more than teaching that differences are to be of the utmost focus because we are in a struggle of warfare for racial/evolutionary superiority.
It's crap and has lead to a lot of death on a massive scale like Socrates led to Plato then to Aristotle who led to Alexander well Darwin led to Nietzche who led to Spengler who led to Hitler. You are merely trying to restart that second cycle, repetition of prior cycles is not a solution to our problems.
"Adam was the first prophet so science of Darwin may go on"
The 'science' of Darwin started in the 1800's so he's a little late to "go on". Darwinism, the evolutionary struggle for supremacy described in the book The Origin of Species: The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life and also described in the Descent of Man is nothing more than teaching that differences are to be of the utmost focus because we are in a struggle of warfare for racial/evolutionary superiority.
It's crap and has lead to a lot of death on a massive scale like Socrates led to Plato then to Aristotle who led to Alexander well Darwin led to Nietzche who led to Spengler who led to Hitler. You are merely trying to restart that second cycle, repetition of prior cycles is not a solution to our problems.
Mr. Gomes, saying that Jesus was trying to coop the Greek version of Gnosticism, in my opinion, is complete rubbish. His teachings point to nothing of the sort. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism
"humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god"
It doesn't even come close to passing the smell test.
This again, is the stuff that puts walls in between pieces of the puzzle.
Which, only adds to the cycle of war and unGodliness that we are currently in.
imho..
now I really have to go to bed. night
RE: GEO COSMOS—Of course, the Zohar explains that Zeir Anpin (the Vav from the Tetragrammaton) is also know as THE SON. There is no discrepancy, for when an individual completes his transformation of selfish desire to selfless desire to impart (unconditionally) he attains unification -- spiritually speaking -- with Zeir Anpin, the supernal realm. Thanks for the info about Laitman but I have a teacher in Kabbalist Rav Berg, Karen Berg, and rabbis Yehuda and Michael Berg, the true lineage of Kabbalists leading back to Rav Shimon Bar Yohai.
As much misinformation about Jesus/Kabbalah/Torah/Muslims/Israelites/Christians/Meaning of Life, that's how much misinformation there is about Kabbalist Rav Shraga Feivel Berg.
Also, acquiring intellectual assets and scholarly research is not my goal or objective. The sole purpose of study is to purify and elevate and become a nicer person, as it simple as it may seem. Once again, it's all about Love Thy Neighbor. Nothing else. At all. Whatsoever. And i was a terribly egocentric individual concerned and focused solely on the ME. I am not saying i am a transformed person. I am saying that i am striving for transformation. There is great danger studying Torah and Kabbalistic history if its for academic reasons or for self righteousness.
Rav Ashlag says the Torah -- yes the Torah -- becomes the drug of death when pride is involved.
By the way all the slander over the years against the Rav is not bad news or a complaint. It's good news. Why? Cut to the 13th century. Kabbalist Rabbi Abraham Abulafia. His insights sum up the feelings and words of all the true Kabbalists of history. He said if the Rabbis call you crazy and persecute you, the Kabbalist should make himself as strong as a lion for God does this with all true Kabbalists. When you read what they did to Ramchal and other Kabbalists, and you read the words that rabbis spoke about them, it sends a cold chill down your spine, it is so reprehensible and vile. All the more tragic when those who spewed venom were lost to history and the Kabbalists like Luzzatto became giants recognized by even the rabbinical establishment. The days when slandering living Kabbalists and then honoring them after their passing is over. We are in the process of our redemption right now which is why the world is as chaotic as it is. Never in history has the Zohar and Kabbalah been so widespread. And the Zohar and Kabbalists are clear -- when a dumb shmuck like myself can enter into the world of Kabbalistic study in order to become a more decent human being, then the words of Torah are true -- everyone young and old will come to KNOW the Light of the Creator.
By the way Abulafia further confirms the importance of uniting Muslims, Israelites and Christians. Abulafia says the name MOSES, JESUS AND MUHAMMAD = 765, the same as "Shem, Hashem Meyuchad" (The Name of God Unified).
Only Kabbalah can unify Yakov, Ishmael and Esav, (their respective nations) according to Abulafia, specifically the 72 Names of God.
RE YAHALOMI: I understand your feelings. Kabbalah agrees. Religion is an utter corruption and man made disease. Moses was never given a religion. Kabbalah is simply an understanding of how the universe works. It reconciles science and spirituality and it destroys the corrupt view of a God with a beard on a throne. Some of the biggest most dedicated students of Kabbalah were also atheists. Kabbalah blows the lid of off the corruption. There is no belief. No blind faith. You test it. You see if it works. If it does, great. If it doesn't, don't waste another second.
Wishing you much good fortune, blessing and Light in your life.
I quoted someone (R.Hendel) who claims rabbi S.R. Hirsch (a contemporary of Darwin) has tried to solve he controversy on the age of Creation in the Bible and in science. S o Yafeth i am not "trying" to "restart" "cycles". I don't understand your tone, I mentioned some academic facts. People die even if they never read Nietzsche. /With an s before the c after the z:-)/ Thoughts lead to othe thoughts but also to the opposite thoughts. But i want to say sorry to billy Phillips for naively inviting him to a Laitman seminary in NY on mid-May as Billy Phillips is a spokesperson of the Madonna-promoted Bergs of L.A. and it seems to me there is some controversy between the Berg Kabbalists and the Laitman Kabbalists (although I do not see any important difference in their ideas - from a distance - except some details that led one of them to be very capitalistic and the other openly socialistic: an interesting side topic for psychohistory). Still i came back to say sorry to rav B.Ph. because it wd seem evident I was kind of trying to be ironic or witty. But no. I never heard your name before Billy, i am sorry. really sorry. (As I never heard Laitman's and Berg's name before a few months. In spite of yr huge PR work - which I do respect - of both groups for decades - and I am teaching history of kabbala since decades...in Hungary in my Conservative school founded in 1878 by my great-great-grandfather... But i wish you good luck to both of your movements. Such groups are always surrounded by tragic misunderstandings and it is a brave and much needed thing to stick to yr ideas in spite of these attacks.)
RE: GEO COSMOS: Valle material did not come from published books. We found too many odd discrepancies that made me question the validity of the text. So i went to his original hand written manuscript, which i got from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Not surprisingly, when i got to the sections with all the juicy material on Jesus and Kabbalah, suddenly the pages were missing in that one section. Same thing happened with other manuscripts by Kabbalists and Kabbalistic scholars such as Benamozegh. When they start revealing the truth about jesus and Kabbalah, the paragraph stops in the middle because the next page is missing. Everything i shared on this site was culled from the pages that we do have and it was painstaking. We did this over six years ago. Without mentioning names, i found one scholar who literally changed the text, censored and added his own text to change what was actually written.
I trust no published books at all. I only look at the original hand written manuscripts and even then, there was a lot of hanky panky going on. As Rav Berg taught me, the real war, the war no one talks about or knows about or will even understand when i mention it right now...the real was was fought in the books. The history books were changed. Altered. Censored. And rewritten in many cases. But the true story, was passed down orally through the chain of Kabbalists. It would blow your mind if you really knew how the Zohar appeared in the middle ages after being hidden away at the time of the second temple and after its redaction many decades later. Afraid we cannot reveal that right now. Soon.
RE GEO COSMOS: Absolutely zero need to apologize. We are sharing together and i did not feel any hidden agenda on your part. Thank you for sharing all that you did and it is my hope that you deepen your connection to your loved ones, friends and the endless Light that radiates from the source we call Creator.
OK now again I must ome back because I only read your kind comments after I sent my previous letter apologizing for mentioning Laitman to you. Next time when I answer to someone I will resarech his name before on google...:-) I am very happy to hear that you say you are helped by these teachings. I feel the same actually. Some of my students have ran away because they wanted to learn only the names of the Sefiroth and when a few weeks ago I aóstarted to assign them to read the bookmof Kaen Berg, well...I try to keep my job so now I am more careful and I am able to find all the teachings of Berg in the Ramchal and this reassures the academic minded students. MAy I ask someting? The techings of Laitman are clearly the same (from Ashlag) as those of R. Berg. I have nothing against either. But you know here in the ex-Soviet Zone people simply do not have the money to buy yr /wonderful/ books and other services(a monthly salary average is around 300 USD) so people here tend to flock to Laitman where you may get a book for 20 USd or even free video study groups exist 24/7. It is that simple. I really mention this in the hope that this unique opportunity - that an East European ex-scholar like me met by "chance" you Rav Billy - shd be used to some common good that helps others...But I know it is futile: I could never bring together Laitman and Berg as I cd not even bring together less reknown rabbis from two diffeernt shuls...if there is a controversy, it will stay. Anyway, i congratulate you, I think yr work is important as I said before. have you heard about the donmeh site? they are full into this three-religion-are-the-same stance. www.donmeh.com is the site name...As a professional you better know all the parallel movements I suppose. Just my twocents.Wd it not be possible for you to write me privately - I told my address before at yhoo and that I am called gamzo48 - on some job related stuff as I am Ph D in history of Kabbalah and not affiliated with anyone and not working presently as I still have a study grant this year - maybe you wd need someone able to do something for yr movement here? or I am being naive again it does not work this way...:-)
I am not a Rav. At all. That was one of the key points. A simple, formerly secular, religion hating, money hungry, not-nice-human being could change a little and become wiser in the ways of life so that he could treat others with dignity. That's who i am. Nothing more. Nothing less. And when others like me get the opportunity to learn (which they can thanks to the internet etc.) then we will reach a critical mass of regular people like myself. I was literally pulled up out of the mud, muck and mire, in spite of myself, by a true Rav, Kabbalist Rav Berg. Everyone has that chance.
If you didn't know, the Centre offers an amazing scholarship program for people who cannot afford to learn. Thousands upon thousands all over the world study for free thanks to the Centre. And we give away tens of thousands of Zohars free, all over the world, to Muslims, Israelites, Christians, Hindus, to people from all walks of life, because the Zohar, merely by its physical presence, protects and infuses the individual with the divine energy. There is no greater gift on earth than the giving of a Zohar.
The biggest deception ever pulled on humanity -- even bigger than the Jesus/Kabbalah concealment --is the fact that people think the Zohar is a book.
It is not.
It is Light.
Energy.
Is IS the Light of the Second tablets that Moses received in a cave after the First Tablets were shattered.
Kabbalists from 1000 years ago, to 500 years ago, confirm this. This Light takes the form of a book, just as the Torah takes the form of stories on a scroll, because that is the cable, the conduit through which you transmit and transfer the God Current. Call it Light. So having the Zohar brings you Light which removes any darkness. is there anything more important to people than removing their chaos, pain and suffering. Would one want to be smart, wise and an intellectual powerhouse, but miserable and sad? Or be of average intelligence, a regular person, but filled with Light, happiness, serenity and true ( i mean real true) inner peace and comfort.
I am easy to reach. my first name. and i am at the www.kabbalah.com domain.
I am off for the evening. I wish you a Shabbat Shalom.
RE BILLY. And what if I wd translate a book of yours into Hungarian? As I told I am fascinated by this topic - both in the personal aspect and in the hisorical stuff. I am not surprised by what you said about the Valle material being torn. I find torn issues of historical papers (newspapers) in the Library of the Theological Seminary of Budapest...(by the way - pity there is no contact between the NY seminary and the Budapest one. Historically they were established by people who knew each other and there were contacts before the war - but since the Fall of Sovietism there was not yet any contact I think...) But here the issue of torn documents is mostly that compulsory pro-Soviet stuff of still living Rabbis wich are stimes torn. It is quite frightening stimes when we come up to the evidence of hatred and fear...Now I begin to feel grateful for having had an atheist upbringing so I am able to go and learn from each school and each religion wihout pressure (which canot be completely avoided in childhood).:-) We really live in a blessed era - it is rare and seems as if on the verge of crumbling.
Email me. We have some books in hungarian already but we can translate more. i gotta run now. I will check into this for you. I will also send you a complimentary Zohar. Very powerful. Forward me your address etc in my email.
GEO COSMOS: by the way, this Zohar is a gift from Yehuda Berg, the son of Rav Berg. I just spoke to him. May it bring you great blessings and Light.
GEO COSMOS: you can also reach me at TWITTER: @billyco7
Hi I think Geo you shd beware of the Bergs and the Laitmans. Both can be drawing you into misudnerstandings if you do not have a stable inner balance. Kabbalah was always dangerous for Jews. Maybe it is a good way to reach non-jews and I do not doubt it is important for some desperate souls. They will both tell you that it does not count if you teach historyof Kabbalah, because what counts is if you can diminish your egoism. But whatever you say they will decide if it is egoistic or not. It is like the tale of the Naked King who believed those tailors claiming zthey are weawing a cloth hat is invisible for non-celever (or egoistic) people so the King pretended he sees the cloth and eventually went out on the street naked. Of course all jewish teachers always said that the Torah is an inner path and the key to it is humility. There is nothing new in the Berg-Laitman Ashlag version except that they are humbe enough to go among the non-Jews. But for ethnic Jews this is a trap. You will probably get some free stuff ow that you gave yr address but after a while...who knows? Look at rickross. Berg's defense is that among thousands or millions of students it is natural that a few of them has controversial claims of coercive and humiliating incidents...Laitman cd even explain to the sectbuster rickross that he is transparent and doing it for free...(But ten percents do trickle to them too - and both do deseve the contributions...Except it just cannot be financially transparent, religions never are.) All sects can be dangerous - except if you are in therapy or have an exceptionally stable constitution. I had my share that is why I am telling this to you. (Though not with them.) I do not doubt their good intentions, and it is not a personal attack - I just am worried as it is clear you never heard about Billy Philips and the Bergs before or did not know enough about them (because it is not possible not to hear about Madonna). To invite Billy to Catskills to seee Laitman was hilarious! Why not inviting Ahmedinedjad to Tel-Aviv gay Pride? :-) They are in a marketing battle like Coke and Pepsi! But it is possible to hear about Madonna and not look closely on the stuff. Or not understand the possible dangers involved. I am sorry if I sound paranoid.I hope you will be able to dismiss my warnings if they are not coming true.
I must agree with Yahalomi, Atheism is the liberation from myth, fable and fairy tales. The works quoted above--talmud, kaballah, torah, zohar, etc.--are simply collections of people's opinions, no more. The comments above show how a large mountain can be made out of a kernal of sand. And religious people endow their opinions with certainty, and spend years debating how many angels can stand on the head of a pin, while the truth is angels are imaginary beings. How many more centuries will people pretend to know the nature of a non-existent deity? Give it up, brothers and sisters. The gods are dead, they were ALL false gods. bigkoala@verizon.net
This discussion seems to have gone far astray from the contents of the original article. I would like to make some very brief comments to Jay M. 1 - Gil Student has effectively rejected the substance of Peter Schafer's theses, at the link brought above. As a marginal comment, Schafer's theses become suspect when he exposes his Talmudic ignorance in the course of his speculation. The expression "spoiled his food" cannot be a reference to sexual misconduct, for it is used in the last mishnah in Tractate Gittin to express the view of Bet Hillel concerning what justifies a man's divorcing his wife, and is in direct contrast to that of Bet Shammai, who find that only sexual misconduct justifies divorce. 2 - Jay writes that he would like "to learn from [the Christians] how to have a personal relationship with a personal, humanized, embodied God who cares, and who saves." Yet a Jewi should not need to learn these from Christians. These are Jewish teachings (yes, up to a point). We may suffer a bit from excessive concern about the dangers of anthropomorphizing and embodying G-d, yet R. Samson R. Hirsch notes that "the danger of depersonalizing G-d is even greater than the danger of 'materializing' Him". See Hirsch's commentary to the Torah, at the end of Parshat B'reishit. 3 - Jay writes that he wants "to experience Jesus as a human being enlightened enough to see everyone as holy, even the impure, the leprous and the marginalized." A Jew does not need Jesus to learn these things. This "enlightenment" is found in our Jewish sources, from the prophet's "Do we not all have one father?", to the Mishnah's "whoever kills one soul destroys and entire world", and on to the Talmud's "A bastard talmid chakham takes precedence over a High Priest 'am ha'aretz", -- and much more. On the other hand, we do not accept Korach's demagogic argument, "the entire congregation is holy", but rather G-d's charge YYou shall be holy", that is, we recognize that life is dynamic, and that we are in constant process of seeking holiness. 4 - Jay writes that he wants "to follow [Jesus'] example, seeing all my fellow human beings and myself as sons and daughters of God." Again, a Jews doesn't need Jesus' example to learn this - our prophets have already taught it to us, as above. See also the book of Yonah, and much more. 5 - My conclusion: Jay, get yourself a good Jewish teacher, and you won't need to learn (y)our values from sources that come mixed with a lot of highly questionable - to say the least - beliefs and values.
Yes Herb, you are right. I am sorry this off-topic digression came about by the strange and humorful coincidence that I did not know who Billy Phillips was - sorry again. Of course you are right that some of the theses in the Schafer book can be debated, but mostly it sounds correct. I read Jay M earlier writing exactly what you say that Jesus never "invented" anything and all the Christian "novelties" are indeed in the Torah of Moses (on love and providence and all the rest)- which is true...I have the feeling that it is just his way of writing - he needed this kind of colourful and self-absorbed ending for this article.:-) Ari, I appreciate your concern. I do hope they are just human and due to the extreme distance I am not too much worried. And for me to get a book from them (or even being able to translate for them) is not such a trifle.
As you'll see from http://www.angelfire.com/mt/talmud/jesusnarr.html there's no basis for concluding that the Talmud is referring to whom the Christians call Jesus. Either it's someone else, or the Christians took pieces of the story in the Talmud and added it to their own Jesus story.
I am encouraged with the commentaries and dialogue. There is another group on a path of tikkun at www.shomeryisrael.org
The polemics continue. An important article by the Israeli Kabbalah scholar Yehuda Liebes, "Christian Influences on the Zohar", available in an abridged version in the collection, Studies in the Zohar (SUNY Press, 1993), points out the ways in which the Zohar both polemicizes against Christianity and yet finds itself adopting certain theological formulations that were current in the time of its composition (mostly late 13th century in Castile). My own reading of Zohar has led me to see many, many times, that Israel's identification as the true son of God, while not explicitly polemical, can hardly be interpreted otherwise. Joel Hecker, Associate Professor of Jewish Mysticism, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
Once again, history repeats. You have jews slandering Kabbalists and students of Kabbalah in the name of Judaism when Judaism and the "Jewish" religion does not exist. There is the path of Torah. Period. Quoting scholars as opposed to the true Torah authorities -- the ancient Kabablists -- is why we have suffered for twenty centuries.
We cling to the same old ways that brought nothing but destruction.
Rabbi Moses David Valle is clear -- there is nothing wrong if someone, ignorant of the supernal worlds/sephirot, humanizes God. Honi the circle drawer called out Father Father bring us rain. Valle explains the humanized view of Jesus as God is NOT the problem and this is a misunderstanding propagated by the rabbis.
The personal attacks and slandering by earlier comments is the problem. The only problem. You don't know anything about me. My teacher. My life. My experiences. Yet you judge. The typical "jewish" disease. All your facts, figures, "torah insights" mean zero. Nothing. Its only about Love Thy Neighbor. Two opposites coming together for the sake of unity, not being duped into the "right versus wrong" argument of the Evil Inclination. Messiah will come if we are wrong about everything but unified in our hearts. Messiah will not come if we are intellectually right, but disunified, jealousy and bitter towards one another.
How many more centuries of bloodshed before we all realize this?
Herb, if that is all you got from my posts, i suggest you read again with an open heart. We can bring much Light to the world this Shabbat by coming together, regardless, or we create further separation.
Everything rides on our interactions.
I wish you and your loved ones blessings and Light on this Shabbat.
Re Jay Michaelson's desire " ... to learn from [Christians] how to have a personal relationship with a personal, humanized, embodied God who cares, and who saves."
Does believes in a "humanized, embodied God". Does he believe that he needs to be "saved"?
On the idea of being "saved", I'd direct his attention to Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsh's writings on the Hebrew that is usually translated as "salvation". You can find it in his commentary on Chumash (where Joshua gets his name changed) and in his commentary on Psalms. Quite revolutionary.
Liebes argument becomes mute and invalid if the Zohar predates the emergence of Christianity. It does. The proofs are there. Which means Christianity is a product of the Zohar/Torah, which it is. Zohar itself explains the entire concept of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, where Father is the Sephirot of Chokhmah, The Son is Zeir Anpin and The Holy Spirit is Malchut, the physical reality.
A book will soon be published that will end the last 12 centuries of misinformation.
Again, the Torah concepts of Trinity, Son of God, Resurrection, Repentance (the true word is "return") were embedded into Christianity for the purpose of giving the Israelites a connection to truth while enduring the exile. The Kabbalists say this truth will only become known as the End of Days.
@ Billy Phillips Advance copies of such a soon to be published book would make excellent reading over a pending Shabbat.
Inquiring minds want to know.
Shabbat Shalom to all, Shlomo
A most interesting blog. By now everyone has heard of the "rapture," the favorite and most lucrative end-of-the-world belief promoted by many evangelical leaders such as Hagee, Lindsey, Swaggart, Van Impe, LaHaye, Ice etc. etc. One leading journalist/historian, Dave MacPherson, has spent several decades researching the historical roots of that 19th century, fringe-British-invented, American-fund-raising-for-political-agendas apocalyptic belief. He says he has much evidence that the same "rapture" belief has a long-covered-up, anti-Jewish foundation that was developed in Britain in the 1830s. Theologically it's known as the "pre-tribulation rapture" and is a secret, unannounced return of Jesus - to instantly transport all true Christians to heaven - that is supposed to occur several years before the well-known Second Coming. Its appeal is the constantly repeated "hope" that Christians will be raptured off earth just before the "horrors" of the book of Revelation in the New Testament. MacPherson's internet articles include his Google piece entitled "Roots of (Warlike) Christian Zionism" and his bestselling book "The Rapture Plot" (see online stores such as Armageddon Books) is 300 pages of documentation on the origin and later development (it finally "captured" American evangelicalism in the early 20th century) of the same escapist view which was never a part of any official Christian theology before 1830, according to MacPherson. Fascinating material including a rare behind-the-scenes look at anti-Jewishness in unexpected places!
Daniel - When commenting on trends in Jewish life within the framework of a paragraph or two, one generalizes. So generally speaking, the trend of American Jewish life has been one of assimilation. The Jews see themselves as part of the American people. The American narrative is their story. Most American Jews perceive their Jewishness as religion (not peoplehood), even if they aren't too religious. Moreover, generally speaking of course, Jewish education in America is very poor. Most American Jews don't know any Jewish language, nor do they know the history of the Jews. Ask a random Jewish friend if he knows the names of the months of the Jewish calendar (not to mention which holiday falls in which of those months). In short, the quote from David Klinghoffer in this article, claiming that the Jews are a people, was certainly true throughout the Middle Ages - and it is certainly true for the Jewish public in Israel. Perhaps, it is true for you and for many others in the American Diaspora. There will always be Jews who will continue passing on the historic identity to the next generation.
And yet, there is room for a generalization that holds true for 85%-90% of American Jews. They are no longer a nation among the nations. They no longer understand the very idea of Jewish peoplehood. You can find exceptions to the rule, but these exceptions do not negate the general picture: a severe break in identity continuity.
I agree that there are diff't ways to be or feel "jewish". We shd maybe simply translate the word from Hebrew: yehodi. Hoda is thanks. /Hed is Echo.../In The Bible when Jehuda gets his name from his mother it was meant to signify gratefulness. (Sorry I repeat it, no one listened before but I suppose it was Shabbat.) Similar for the word Christian (Anointed but only those giving offering of Gratefulness got anointed.) And similar for Islam (also having a level in its meaning hinting at gratefulness and acceptance.) Of course most followers do not grasp the inner meanings - maybe the Founders did. I am still recovering from the shock that I was told I should "beware" of Kabbalah. I never exchanged words with someone dealing with Kabbalah and so I was maybe a bit stirred and forgot we are here to speak about the Jesus-in-Talmud issue.(he generally is disguised though, like the Four lepers or Ghehazi...for instance, I am sure it is mentioned in the book.) I happen to teach the history of kabbalist and messianist conroversies at a University in Europe since years - and I am surprised - all the more - to be left in the dark about the real truth about this Bergian teaching...I think I simply let myself be carried away by prejudice (although I have an actor friend who worked with Madonna and I was sure it is a God-send - for "Jews" in general /if they exist in general/ - that someone so influential among the masses turned to Kabbalah...(About which people think is Jewish lore.)
and I agree absolutely with Billy Philips that it is a good sign if people are against my way ...it means they feel I have something they lack...or something like that...As I am far away from the US I simply do not know these movements and have only hearsay and gossips in rickross.com. /there is no institution where no student ever commits suicide etc./ But all I have seen now as I researched it on the net on the content and text level was very positive and absolutely in harmony with major writers (Pirke Avot or later the Maharal, Luzzatto, Tanya)- Yes sometimes in a simplistic popular language (which is pedagogically sound)...so the only problem may be that this group is also talked about in the circles of Madonna fans and Jagger fans...so what? I congratulate you, Billy - and to yr Rav too - and I think it is a very humble gesture on your part that you also care about what we Forward readers think...(I hope no one at my University reads me here though.)(generally they either do not read English well or are not interested in jay M or Jesus...hopefully.)
On the other hand it is evident that for many different reasons mainstream religions will not embrace the Kabbalist ground level...It wd be a geat leap for them and I do not see how it cd happen...but I respect those who dare to hope in such radical terms. From China the three Bible-based religions surely look the same...so it can be imagined that a few more decades of Chinese stgrength will bring about a need to unite Moses-Jesus-Mohamed people...this wd be the natural way (with some painful crises and wars)- if Kabbalists cannot explain their case before that.
by the way Jake, there is an interesting theory forwarded by Lloyd DeMause at www.psychohistory.com about the different Rapture movements and their cycles.
Affirmed. Just oh mi God He's got such a delicious face. Can someone help me here?
Hi Geo, you are making funny comments. We shd come back to the J M text. This movement, probably started by Paulus of Damascus has started exactly like your favourite Kabbalists, Laitman and Berg. They thought it wd be high time to reach the non-jewish masses. But the result is always that they must incorporate pagan myths. It might be helpful to some, as Jesus can be helpful for J M. I am not surprised that you know about hese 12step groups too: they are based on the Kabbalah (and C.G. Jung) too.But you will see, billy Philips might be a genius, but he will not consider your offer of fan-ship. It might be alluring for you that he sends you a book and you may think they are interested in your problems - but they are not. The only thing I can imagine is that they will want you to participate at some program for training instructors if they deem they can snatch an academic they are happy. But if you are so well advanced in 12steps you will be able to deal with the eventual dumping and ensuing frustration. They are a movement - they are not interested in individuals. Still, i understand that you fall for them, Billy Phillips seems to be a fascinating person and clearly does real research too. But if he pretends to be interested in you it is only because you are working as a University lecturer. I used to particaipate in a similar moveemnt and has rather unpleasant experiences. By the way I do not understand atheists comments by the way. Even atheists say "Nature wants us to care for the environment". So "Nature" can say what it wants. But there is no difference basically between Nature and "God". And in the Bible its name (yhwh) is simply a Creator force, like Nature. Jesus must have known this - otherwise he wd not have said that the outward precepts are not always valid.
Hi Stan the atheist,I do not agree that all gods are false.
1. they or the names that hint at them do mean sthing for their users. We all experience a Higher Power (higher than us, like electricity or air) and as we can say "Thou" to our car when it does not start and we say "Go!"...in the same way we can turn in a personal way to the All-Maker. It is psychology.
2. The earliest documented god-name is YHWH which means "make-be-er" existenciator or even futurator or Will-Be-er...an instance that creates the next moment...It stems from the word haya or yihye (was and will-be)- hinting at timelessness...I do no think this concept is false. It is the best approximation of this Force that does dictate situations (we certainly do not by our egos-)
3. What is a person? Do we know why "I" am "I" - where is this "I"? So why not project it onto the World? Solipsism cannot be disproven...(that only one "I" exists and everything is just its projection- so if I change myself inside the world gets etter - that is the basic stance of all religions.And also of pragmatists in psychology.)
4. Shit stays shit (bad things happen to good people) even if you delete the concept of God in yr mind. But than there is no cause to good things either. So you are there in the same Bad or Evil scheme- and you cannot even try to console yself with a bit of self-talk.
5. No one can persuade a religious person that he is an idiot.
So thank you.
I am not religious an d I dont believe in any god. But i know it is real need.
But I respect others doing so and understand them. It is diffidult to see why you come at a blog where most people are probbaly intereste din religions and state that we are simply dumb...:-) geo
ari, I really appreciate yr concern. As you know we do not have power over situations and other people. I think that people are equal in that they do stimes good stimes bad things and they average out at the end. So I do not think that I cd demand anything from Mr. Phillips - and I have the right to be grateful for even that few instances when he did seem to care. And I will happy to get a real Zohar maybe or any other book. It is perfectly natural if they are interested in academics. You may write me personally if you have further advices I wrote my address and fo instance Billy did write me. So please...lets stay on topic. What wd Jesus say? :-)
RE ARI:
Dear Ari, The Kabbalists of history agree that pagan myths were partly incorporated into Christianity. But there was a reason for this.
It would help make the true teachings of Kabbalah(disguised as Christianity) more palatable. It was done out of respect to the masses, to talk the language of the people in order to bring them closer.
Kabbalists teach us that we have no right to talk at a higher level than a student. A true Kabbalist will lower himself to the lowest rung of the ladder in order to reach a student and help pull them out of the darkness. A Kabbalist will even take on some darkness in order to descent into the chaos and help transform it into Light. This latter point is the most least understood and most misunderstood by scholars and religious people alike.
Anyway, this idea of using a little "deception" to ultimately help another human being reach a deeper connection to the Creator happened at the burning bush with Moses.
Moses did NOT initially hear the voice of God. He heard his father's voice. Only later did he realize it was God who was speaking.
What do the commentators say about this?
Moses would have never approached the bush (the bush being a metaphor for the difficult, challenging path leading to the spiritual reality) if he heard God's voice and saw the challenges that lied ahead.
This is life, according to Kabbalah.
If we saw true reality and heard the pure voice of God, if we saw the forces that swirl in our midst, we'd drop dead of a heart attack, according to Kabbalah. If we saw our tikun, if we saw all the negativity and darkness that we brought into this world through our intolerant actions, we'd be too frightened to confront these truths. So initially, we taste the pleasantness of the Light of the Creator to summon us forth (Moses hearing his father's voice). Then, once we have acclimated to this new surrounding and have tasted of the Divine, we then must work to eradicate and cleanse ourselves of all ego, the source and root of the darkness we brought into this world, this life and past life.
So, infusing some pagan myths into Christianity, along with the Torah truths of repentance, salvation, etc, was to make it more accessible and draw into the path a pagan world that had no conception of true reality and the path of Torah. This is what Christianity is all about today. Christians, according to the Kabbalists, have no idea of the truth of Torah and the true essence of Jesus, the Rav and Kabbalist. But they say this is fine. This is okay. They can taste the truth of Torah through his teachings and will ultimately lead them back to the Torah in the End of Days. As i said in an earlier post, Christianity has a dual nature and it all depends upon how you view it. If u view it literally, it looks like idol worshipping. If you view it and understand through the lens of Zohar, it is pure Torah. This is how the Creator creates an exile and a place for that exile without disconnecting the Israelites from their root. It's deeply profound and a bit difficult to expand in a post to an article. But hopefully you can feel with i am sharing.
Second, to question my actions in regards to sharing a Zohar with Geo, unconditionally, is simply another sad and tragic example of why the world bleeds. We always have two choices:
1. See the good.
2. See the bad.
Why couldn't you see the good and thus help create that reality in our world with your consciousness? It is not you who saw the bad. It is the ego, the Evil Inclination that dupes us. Why listen to it? Why delay the redemption. When a critical mass of people "choose" to only see the good in our fellow man, the pain is over. The dying is over. But there is a force that delays it and we feed it each time we see only the bad.
It is the force the Torah calls "the Adversay" (The Satan) that distorts our view of a simple kind action of sharing Zohar, the original Light of Mount Sinai. Think about that. I mean, really think about that.
We can be puppets of the Light or puppets of the Adversary. If we ever see anything but negativity in another person, the Baal Shem Tov says it's a reflection of what is inside of us.
Look a little harder. Is it possible that we are sharing a Zohar with Geo simply to help restore some of the Lost Light of Sinai so that today a little darkness is in our world?
Is it possible?
I wish you connection, unity, Love and Light.
ADDITIONAL NOTE TO ARI:
The only way the Messiah arrives with mercy and not pain and suffering is through the dissemination of the Zohar into the Christian, Islamic worlds. The three brothers must unite, Ishmael, Esav and Jacob. This is why the Centre reaches out to everyone.
Second, millions of Israelites were exiled after the second temple was destroyed. Christianity was then created to house those Israelites during the exile. So how many Israelites, (true soul level and physical level) do you think are among the Christian nation? Do the math.
Second, the mix multitude, the Erev Rav, are mingled in with the Jewish nation since the time of Sinai, up through the Second Temple period, to this very day. How many among the so called "jews" are really, spiritually and physically, the mix multitude.
The Kabbalists tell us that only the Messiah and Elijah the Prophet know who is a true Israelite.
Bottom line, the Christians and Muslims and all people from all walks of life want the Light of the Creator, (Light being simple happiness, the end of suffering and death). This is what the Light of the Tablets of Sinai was all about. The whole world experienced immortality at that moment. Not just 600,000 Israelites. The world.
And the world will participate in the redemption as well. Reaching out to Christians with the truth and Light of the Torah/Zohar is how we quicken the arrival of the Messiah.
Second the Zohar says all humanity is ONE body. This is why we are different. A liver is different than a heart. A kidney has a different appearance and function than a spleen. But together, when unified, it creates one healthy body.
We need all people, all the organs that are the other nations to work together to create the one peaceful, healthy body that is humanity.
The Zohar says the Israelites and the path of Torah/Zohar is the "heart" organ of humanity. On a physical level, the heart furnishes all the organs of the body with blood to nourish and sustain them. Without the heart performing its function, the other organs suffer. Disease sets in. Gangrene can set in if there is a lack of blood flow to an area of the body.
Israelites must perform this function spiritually with the LIght of the Creator. Only Kabbalah/Zohar connects us to the Light so that we can share it with the OTHER nations of the world so they can be nourished.
What is hatred towards Jews?
Spiritual gangrene caused by a lack of "bloodflow" and "Lightflow."
Now do you see why the Centre shares Zohars all over the world?
This is why i am sharing one with Geo.
ARI: By the way, it is only "paganism" when you don't understand Kabbalah. It is only "idol worshipping" if you interpret the Christian texts literally. When you read the Zohar, you see Christian tenets mean something else, such as the trinity and Son of God. It was all designed by the Creator in such fashion that both sides see what they want to see, during the exile. If you say "Father, Son and holy spirit" are three individual forces, this is incorrect and can be called Idol Worshipping. When u read the Zohar and u find out that Father if Chochmah, The Son is Zeir Anpin and the Holy Spirit is Malchut, you see the oneness of reality and it becomes a Torah truth.
So which is it?
It's up to our free will to interpret the text as we see fit.
This is how the Creator devises an exile that has both truth and falsehood existing at the same time. From the perspective of the Creator, its truth. From our limited fragmented perception, it appears like idol worshipping.
Now, each time you look at another human being, and disconnect yourself from that person, by only seeing the bad, you are committing the same mistake.
Deep. Very deep.
ER...I am quite awed by your arguments and I am sorry if I sounded too egoistic or even harsh against you...I am willing to admit that maybe my attitude was partly prejudiced. I have no business of judging you. I just tried to explain to geo who might not grasp that from his country (where the average income is ten times lower than the one here) that even a huge organization like yours, even you cannot help him - except with a Zohar, but he has it in his university Library, and clearly one cannot understand it only after years of study (and he himself said he just teaches its historical aspect and all these egoless idea was news to him. I went to read you online and I see that your views are consistent and helping, so again please forgive my hutzpe, arrogance. I think it is a very original approach - basically in a solipsist way ("only itself exists")considering the whole World a huge Self projection (in the form of a human person with body parts) you claim that by diminishing our ego we can change the world around us - if bad things still happen they are just a test to strengthen us and all things have endless causing factors (sefirot and partcufim). No way to prove or disprove solipsism but yes, most religions use it - so they stem from you (Kabbalah). And yes it does help probbaly in more than 50% of the cases so it is a benevolent trend, i am glad you help people with it. What I am not so sure is the drive to go to very poor countries (like Geo's in eastern EU or like Malawi that is even worse)where people are maybe betters erved by the services of "Rav" laitman promoting the same ideas for almost free. I wrote to Geo on his yahoo address and I see he has real hopes of visiting a Kabbalah center in a nearby town - with your assistance he hopes... and this is what I wanted to warn him about: to accept or to beg such dependence causing help...for someone who knows 12 Stepping (which was based on the Zohar and CG Jung as he claims), well i think this is a game I have to warn him about - even if I acknowledge that yr teachings are beneficial. I was in a sect and only 12steps helped me out so I have a right to talk to him on this and try to diminish his hopes. You should not even answer him on his sudden enthusiasm: imagine being a far away small-town teacher meeting the world reknown Guru...I think I have to warn him, and you also should be aware it can be even dangerous for him and his career (at his University he said students left his course when he started being positive about Kabbalah.)It is OK you think Jesus was a Kabbalist: wd he tease a naive but peaceful stranger to follow him if that wd cause harm to that person (like leaving his family etc).(Ok i see yr answer is yes.)
RE ARI:
My new good friend Ari: It is not my intention to engage in an endless dialogue about facts, history and information, despite the fact that I posted a lot Kabbalistic insights earlier. My ultimate intention was to extend the hand of friendship with the wisdom of the Kabbalists and truth being the bridge upon which we meet.
Thus, i respect and acknowledge your opinions and because the Light of the Creator and the realm called "zein anpin" is infinite, all opinions and viewpoints are present there (with the exception of those fueled by intolerance).
Thus, the real point and goal is to find common ground and just exchange a little bit of caring and consideration for the purpose of injecting the force called "kindness" into our world. I hope we accomplished that today.
Thank you for sharing and acknowledging my earlier concerns and no apology on your part is necessary as per your earlier post. We are all brothers. It is the Adversary who blinds us to this truth and causes us to display intolerance. I make this same mistake constantly and I strive (but not hard enough) to eradicate it from my being.
So i choose to see your soul, the real you, the authentic you, and i appreciate the opportunity i had to engage in a dialogue with you today.
With warm regards,
Billy
Billy, Your comments are well thought out and almost sound staged. I am quoting your comment above where you say that your were a religious hating, money hungry, not-nice-human being and you changed. Now you treat others with dignity. What about all of the families who have split up because of Kabbalah. I unfortunately know that even your extended family could not escape the negative repercussions of Berg's Kabbalah. It's ironic that someone like you can say words like, and I quote "the real point and goal is to find common ground and just exchange a little bit of caring and consideration for the purpose of injecting the force called "kindness" into our world. I hope we accomplished that today", when you don't feel those seemingly heart felt words towards your own parent and siblings. It's easy to spew out words, what is difficult is to accept everyone, especially family, even when they may not agree with your view points. It's time you practiced what you preach, then perhaps we can take you seriously and believe in the words you say. It's a sad world when someone talks about love, light, acceptance, and does the exact opposite. Remember Billy, love begins and ends with family. You are lucky to possess the gift of gab, as I too could have fallen under your spell, until I realised you don't really understand tolerance, love, or the light. Remember, you can't escape your past, so you should reconcile with it. I am an old friend from your past who just happened to come across this forum it just reinforced my belief that you are not the person who you want us to believe you are. Remember, it can't be "slander" if it is the truth! I wish you connection, unity, love and light.
RE: ARI, SHLOMO, HERB, ET AL
WOW!
I have to first say "WOW" to all the jaw-dropping revelations that Billy put forth on this blog. They are simple, well documented, but most importantly, profound insights that really made me think. Great job billy.
However, the second "WOW" has to go to reading all your responses to billy's messages. First, some of you spout your own theory/rebuttal, then condemnation...then apologies with egg on your face. However, I have to say that i'm truly surprised that few of you have really commented on, or considered the VAST implications of these astounding quotes from sages and the Zohar.
Here it is...the beginnings of an answer to an age-old question that has caused nothing but pain, loss, death and confusion for millions of people...for more than 2,000 years, yet few comments here seem to even be the least bit fazed. WOW!
The great debate over the separation of Judaism and Christianity seems to be completely erased by these Kabbalistic texts -- written by those who are inarguably to be considered some of the greatest "Jewish" sages who have ever lived -- and again...we're arguing about "the color of the drapes".
I don't say this to criticize anyone here. You all seem to care about what you are saying...and passionately serious about the subject. I just hope, that perhaps if you are reading this, that something will awaken inside you that might address the real questions.
1. Does it really matter, who is a "jew"...and who isn't? Will this bring about peace between nations?
2. Who is...and who is not "entitled" to study Kabbalah? Will the answer to this bring us any closer to removing pain and suffering from this world?
3. Was "that" person really Mashiach Ben Yosef...or Mashiach Ben David? If we establish a comprehensive "who's, who", will that get us any closer to loving each other?
and finally....
4. Was Jesus a Jew...a Kabbalist...The Messiah...or a Carpenter? Does the answer to this really matter, as long as it completely distracts us from discovering the answer to, perhaps, the only question that's worth answering...HOW DO I LOVE MY NEIGHBOR...AS MYSELF???
What i really appreciated about what Billy had to say, was that it reminded me how caught up i get in the intellectual debate, and distracted from the real mission at hand. Sure, I can't wait to read more about Valle, and his remarkable writings...but hopefully, i will seek this information as a tool for further personal transformation and awakening.
Thanks to you Billy, and thanks to everyone who participated in this compelling dialogue.
I wish you all love and happiness.
RE: ARI, SHLOMO, HERB, ET AL
WOW!
I have to first say "WOW" to all the jaw-dropping revelations that Billy put forth on this blog. They are simple, well documented, but most importantly, profound insights that really made me think. Great job billy.
However, the second "WOW" has to go to reading all your responses to billy's messages. First, some of you spout your own theory/rebuttal, then condemnation...then apologies with egg on your face. However, I have to say that i'm truly surprised that few of you have really commented on, or considered the VAST implications of these astounding quotes from sages and the Zohar.
Here it is...the beginnings of an answer to an age-old question that has caused nothing but pain, loss, death and confusion for millions of people...for more than 2,000 years, yet few comments here seem to even be the least bit fazed. WOW!
The great debate over the separation of Judaism and Christianity seems to be completely erased by these Kabbalistic texts -- written by those who are inarguably to be considered some of the greatest "Jewish" sages who have ever lived -- and again...we're arguing about "the color of the drapes".
I don't say this to criticize anyone here. You all seem to care about what you are saying...and passionately serious about the subject. I just hope, that perhaps if you are reading this, that something will awaken inside you that might address the real questions.
1. Does it really matter, who is a "jew"...and who isn't? Will this bring about peace between nations?
2. Who is...and who is not "entitled" to study Kabbalah? Will the answer to this bring us any closer to removing pain and suffering from this world?
3. Was "that" person really Mashiach Ben Yosef...or Mashiach Ben David? If we establish a comprehensive "who's, who", will that get us any closer to loving each other?
and finally....
4. Was Jesus a Jew...a Kabbalist...The Messiah...or a Carpenter? Does the answer to this really matter, as long as it completely distracts us from discovering the answer to, perhaps, the only question that's worth answering...HOW DO I LOVE MY NEIGHBOR...AS MYSELF???
What i really appreciated about what Billy had to say, was that it reminded me how caught up i get in the intellectual debate, and distracted from the real mission at hand. Sure, I can't wait to read more about Valle, and his remarkable writings...but hopefully, i will seek this information as a tool for further personal transformation and awakening.
Thanks to you Billy, and thanks to everyone who participated in this compelling dialogue.
I wish you all love and happiness.
RE BCM
It's funny. When ever someone has something negative to say, they are afraid to identify themselves. In response to your comments I can only offer this. The Centre has brought together thousands of families, they have saved lives, mended broken relationships and transformed the lives of thousands. Thankfully, i witnessed it with my own eyes, but more importantly i have lived it.
Granted, those who were not willing to embrace the path of losing the ego and becoming accountable for the chaos in their own lives -- though they are few -- they have left the path of Kabbalah. I am not here to convince anyone or persuade anyone. You either feel it or you don't. Everyone has free will.
If you don't feel it or agree with Kabbalah, why waste a second of your life on this subject? Just to spread negativity? Life is too short. If a sibling relationship or old friendship was lost because a person moved onto to a different path in life, and this person is happy, be happy for them. That is unconditional love. If you find yourself complaining or angry or in need, then go help a stranger and bring comfort to someone else's life instead of lamenting over your own complaints. There is a big difference between love and need. Love is when we are only concerned for the happiness of the other person. Need is how we want a person to treat us and we focus upon how they make us feel.
I learned in Kabbalah that its far too easy to point the finger of blame instead of being accountable for everything -- and i mean everything -- that happens in your life. But you clearly choose to blame me, instead of accepting the responsibility and asking yourself "why did this happen to me?" No problem. You are entitled to your feelings. I was the same way. I was worse. The old me would have written a comment far more stinging, biting, and mean-spirited than your comment.
I learned, the hard way, in spite of my self, and only through the graciousness and unconditional love of my teachers, Rav Berg, Karen Berg and their sons Rabbis Yehuda and Michael, that I could stop being a victim and a self righteous, obnoxious moron, and start changing myself so that i could treat my wife with more respect, more dignity and unconditional love. Ask her if she is happy with me.
The Rav taught me how to play with my children and truly enter their world and give my time when my kids needed it and wanted it—NOT when i found the time or made the time to offer it. Ask my children if they are happy with me.
You cannot please everyone. I chose to focus my life on my wife and children and soon my children's children, in terms of becoming a nicer, more decent human being. I have no idea if i am successful. You have to ask them.
And if you want to blame me for choosing to focus my life on making my wife and children happier and hopefully succeeding, well, i hope the entire world makes the same "mistake" i just made.
I found it takes a long time to say "I am responsible for everything that makes me unhappy or mad or aggravated."
As an aside, but no less profound, Kabbalah teaches that our biological family give us temporary birth into the physical reality, of which death is a part of. But our spiritual teachers and spiritual family give us birth into immortality and the spiritual authentic reality which is eternal. This is the purpose of studying, learning and of course transforming along the path of this wisdom. This is why it was given to mankind on Sinai.
Spiritual bonds of Light are much stronger than physical bonds of blood, but people who are governed by ego and self-interest and the physical reality cannot fathom, grasp or embrace that truth. If one's own siblings happen to also be spiritual, then you achieve both levels of relationship, physical and spiritual.
Thankfully, I have that with my wife and children. I sure didn't have that growing up.
Past life incarnations, karma etc are all different for each person. Kabbalah teaches sometimes you are born into a family for certain karmic reasons and once that karma is paid back, you move on. Real, lasting relationships between human beings are only based on spiritual ideals and the mutual objective of removing pain, suffering and death from the world by eradicating our own egos. Period. If you are blaming another person, right or wrong, for anything at all, you still have ego.
My own barometer for success in life is not the comments people have about me from my past. It's whether my wife, my children, my spiritual friends and my teachers are happy in THEIR life and that i am bring a good friend, husband, father, and student by helping them achieve that very happiness.
What is so beautiful about Kabbalah and this world is that the moment anyone decides to stop the negativity, the blaming, the victimhood, and the complaining and they choose to become accountable, then a whole new universe opens up for them. The door is always open. Eventually, we will all get there. If not now, next life.
But the decision has to be theirs to make.
The truth of the matter is, we don't truly choose the path of Kabbalah. The path chooses us. One has to have the merit to be on this path and that merit is often acquired through many lifetimes.
The merit can be achieved in the moment we say, "I am blaming no more, and only looking at the good in others, not the bad."
RE BARRY
You hit the nail on the head. What you said is the very reason i responded to the article in the first place. And isn't it ironic that some responses were even personal. Talk about arguing over the color of the drapes.
We like to hit people over the head and condemn in the name of God or in the name of our own good intentions.
Yet we never see the hand of the Adversary (the ego) behind the scenes fueling our intolerance or our hostility and of course, never once, looking in the mirror and taking responsibility. I battle this every second. right now. always.
Reminds me of a wonderful quote from Andre Gides. I will paraphrase:
"One must have a belief in the Creator in order to serve him. But one does not need to believe in the devil to serve him."
Gides said he too did not believe in the so-called devil and that concerned him because he knew, paradoxically, that his disbelief only strengthened him.
Dear Jay Michaelson,
Still playing the victim, even now that Jews have total and illegal control over America? I am a Christian and I live every day of my life now in FEAR of the tyrannical Jewish Power which controls and dominates my life.
Not a day goes by that I don't fear that what was once my government will start rounding up Christians and take us away to our DEATHS! Just as happened in Turkey and Russia.
If a Jew spies against the United States, AIPAC can get him off without charge.
I now have ZERO rights, NONE, I have NO RIGHTS because of Jewish domination of the banks and corporations of my once beloved country. I am a slave...to Jewish tyrants who control the federal reserve system.
They control television, they control motion pictures, they control Google, they control Youtube, they control Wikipedia, they control the money, they control congress, they control the public school system, they control the colleges, they control the supreme court, they own the president who is but a puppet of the banking cartel.
I can read the 13th amendment, Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction., and know they are empty words, as I am a modern slave to the Jewish power which controls and dominates most of the world.
I have absolutely NO FREEDOM whatsoever thanks to your people!
RE: Bob
I congratulate you on saying what should of been said from the first comment. American Jews are loyal to Israel before any other country, and that includes the country they reside in. Especially in the United States. One must only look at the ADL and how Abraham Foxman refers to anyone he disagrees with as an anti-semite.
Politicians in the U.S. try and divide themselves amongst the left and the right, yet they will never criticize Israel. The political war between media outlets like Fox News and MSNBC portray this better than anyone. During all their bickering with each other, neither take the stance of common sense.
Neither stood up for the rights of the Palestinians. Not one. They all just labeled them "terrorists" like George Bush did with the entire Muslim population and writ them off. Of the thousands of special interest groups in the United States, not one will take up the fight against the Israelites. They all know it's a losing battle. When Jews dominate the media, Congress, and even the President, you stand alone, and deemed a racist for even asking the needed questions.
Bob and Jonathon, this is a Jewish newspaper. Why don't you post your comments on the white supremesist, conspiracy theory, world is flat sites where I am sure they will be welcomed. Here you just open yourselves up to pity and ridicule.
Billy, Thank you for your comments. I can see that you truly believe what you are saying. It's wonderful that you have such a spiritual and loving relationship with your wife and children. That is something that we all aspire to, however you mentioned unconditional love. How is it that you can't accept your extended family just because they happen to have taken a different path than yours? Do they not deserve your love just as your wife and children do? Have they stopped loving you because you have chosen your path in life? I think not. I have seen your siblings and they have expressed nothing but love for you, your wife and children. They have expressed a desire to see you and to be a family with you. They have expressed how heartbroken they all are because you have chosen to keep your children away from them and their children. Billy, one thing you must rememeber, even if you have chosen not to believe it, BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER. Your family will always love you, always be there for you and always accept you for who you are. You have not given them the same respect. Your past was not the typical Ozzy and Harriet family, nobody had that. That kind of life is a fantasy, but I do remember love and caring in your family, as crazy as it was. Your siblings came from that same house yet they have remained close, and their children are best friends. You have selfishly kept your children from experiencing and knowing their extended family. You have poisened your childrens minds against their blood relatives, who happen to want to know them and love them. that my friend is a sin. I don't think your actions reflect the goodness and light that you preach about. Loving unconditionally Billy, this is something that you have not done. Your wife and children of course come first, but that does not mean you do not have enough love and acceptance for the rest of your family. Like I said in my last posting, you have the gift of gab, you have always been charming so you can convince people who really don't know you that you are a man of love and peace and that the teachings of Kabbalah has changed your life for the better, but if they could see what your actions of distancing yourself from your family has done, nobody would want Kabbalah in their life. You actually make Kabbalah look bad. Kabbalah is suppose to bring the light to people, not teach people to shun anybody including family who choose not to study it. I have known you long before Kabbalah came into your life, and I do see that you have become less angry and probably a better family man towards your wife and kids, but you have lost your spark. You talk about blame, yet you obviously blame your family for issues that you have tried to rid yourself of. In the process you gave up your extended family and you believe that this is ok. It's time you actually put Kabbalah to good use and do what it says to do. Go to your family, love them, accept them for their faults, understand your faults. G-d does not promote nor accept people who treat each other with indifference, especially not family. You should be teaching your children love and acceptance. They need to know their family, they need to have that connection. I shutter to think how you and your wife would feel if one of your kids did this to you. Stop using Kabbalah as an excuse to stay away from your mother and sisters. You obviously harbor some kind of resentment towards your family, don't you think it is time to let that go? Your family was not exactly the norm, but I do remember the love and caring. Your mother went through hell and back yet she never stopped loving you or your siblings. You and your siblings also had it rough, yet your sisters still can love each other and you. If you look at the whole picture, it is them who is stronger, more accepting, and more loving than you. You could learn a thing or two from them. Billy, love your family, before it is too late. I choose not to identify myself because I fear your rejection just as you have done to your family. The difference is, should the day come when you want to see your past friends and family, we will all be here with open arms. We can't say that about you right now and yet you are suppose to be the one who preaches kindess and acceptance. May you finally see the light. As always, I wish you only love and peace.
Hi I am astonished at this personal attack. I can very well imagine that if I am part of a quite revolutionary world movement (Kabbalah) that wants to change the peception of most poeple about basic identity things (who am I what it means to be religious or Jewish or Muslim ...or living) that someone might not want to spend too much time with people who do not share these beliefs and especially I can imagine that I do not want my children to spend too much (or any) time with those family members who probably think our (kabbalist) aspirations are ridiculous or futile or failing. Leaders (and Billy clearly you are kind of a leader in unkown terrotories) must accept of course that they are toxic containers and community members will use leaders to "contain" their hatred and un-processed doubts...Otherwise I cannot understand how anyone could disclose such personal matters on a public site - there are millions of estranged family members (of course without such a valid reason as a completely different world view) , and we do not hear about them...there are lots of forums and probably most people even here could get some long-forgotten "friends" accusations, but only Billy is singled out - this Kabbalah idea must be really strong provoking other's Egos...On the other hand it is refreshing to see that apublic figure is willing to explain himself - Billy could have simply stay mum, but he chose another way. But all this is not off-topic: Kabbalah clearly is a present day Christian movement , trying to disseminate "Love Thy Neighbour" ideas...and (similarly - I am sorry this is not a pejorative list - to charismatic Christians and Communists or Islamists)all value reframings do arise severe antagonism. Before I discovered my Jewish family members I did find Muslims and Christians in my family and I did - for awhile - try to learn their customs too. And in all groups there were split up families - it is not easy to accept each other. But no one has the right to judge others anonymously shaming someone - and yes it is lashon hara even if it is true. By the way Kabbalah says that anti-Jewish hatred is the consequence of our not disclosing Kabbalah's secret (the anti-ego stance) to the world at large - so they feel kind of "missing sthing" which we do have...and also, that probably the soul of a Jew-hater may be part of the Lost Tribes, otherwise why would he focus on Jews (there are lots of other factors in the world.) But if the Jewish biblical Being-god's name YHWH is really the closest to the real Name and everything is onnected to this Name and its contextual words...then the Zohar /which explains these letter's connections and meanings/ is an important secret to share. I hink we shd welcome the Jew-hater users in our site, they are just people with a lot of bad feelings and where shd they complain if not at a place where we deal with the only Be-er, the Jewish God, and to whom shd they complain if not us, who failed to explain them what it all means? They fear some partly imagined Jewish presence and they are projecting Jews everywhere without even knowing that Jew means simply yehodi, "religious" or "grateful".And we are afraid of them, because we do know from the past that nasty words and imagined wrongs by us will lead them to bombs and killings. What if the Zohar (or Christians) where right and someohow we should try to enhance the quality of our practice of educating everyone in a way that will not feel oppressive? If it is possible, who knows. But I do appreciate those who at least try it. WE all have personal failings, stimes we are okay stimes less so- we are average. But to attack Billy here was not the expression of your best side, BCM. We almost all have family members we shun. And we have a right to do so. But when someone shares new insights at a site like this, to raise such un-provable personal misgivings will simply cause the opposite: I certainly will respect Billy's stance even more.
GEO I respect what you say. The only comment that I have, is Billy's family did not shun him for his beliefs in Kabbalah, they stated how they felt but continued to support and love him. It was Billy who turned away from his family because they chose not to follow Kabbalah. They were not against it, they just chose a different path. That is all. Billy's family was always loving towards him and each other. There was not a reason for him to turn his back on them. You cannot comment on what you really don't know, but I do appreciate your loyalties to Billy. He is a good man, just misguided.
Who's Messiah? While much of what Billy says I find so on target. I would challenge him by asking "who is the Moses of this generation"? Your Rabbi, is he also the potential Messiah ben David or ben Joseph too. This is not a put down, it's a point. To often when it's about the teachers the lesson is about to be lost. When we make it about the lesson and not about what's been learned. We are at risk of not really learning much at all. At mount Sinai we made it about Mosses hence the golden calf & let's stop blaming the Arivrav. Mosses was the "Messiah" or "Mosses" for them as well. If we rule out everyone we perceive as a non Israelite, non Jew or a non Kabblaist we may miss this generations chance at Messiah ben Joseph. He may come as a black Baptist preacher form the deep south or a short thin Indian man dressed in simple cloth & sandals. After all Mosses apparently came from the house of Paro.
Here we are again the Jews (who still have faith) await a Jewish Messiah, the Christians (who still have faith a wait) a Christian Messiah and the Mausoleums...
I will just pray for the wisdom to recognize the Anointed One & that my actions will be a harbinger for that day. Now I fear, unfortunately almost everyone will have a problem with this.
What about our silly "Yahweh"?? Who is he? What does he look like? How don we know he even exists? Becuase a bunch of old men say so??
RE BARRY II
Hi Barry,
Who is the Moses of our generation? You. Seriously. What I am saying is, no one is coming to save us. No Kabbalist. No Savior. No Messiah. It does not work like that. Yes, Moses and the two Messiahs appear in every generation. But only in a state of potential, waiting to see if mankind, you and I, reach that critical mass of people, the specific threshold of individuals who have transformed themselves, defeating their Evil Inclination (The Satan) or Ego. When that threshold is achieved, the Messiah arrives to not to save us, but rather SEAL the deal on our behalf. He is sealing the peace that we have brought to our lives and this world by our transformation. This was the problem at Sinai and throughout history. Everyone is waiting for Moses or the Messiah to do the work and they cannot.
Moses and The Messiah reside in each and every single person on earth. First we must achieve a personal state of Messiah, which is peace of mind, freedom from fear, anxiety, envy, jealousy etc, and all influences of the ego, and then when a critical mass of people achieve their personal messiah, the global Messiah appears to cement and finalize the transformation of the world and all the dead are resurrected.
However, keep in mind, the dead rising is not what you might think. The dead are still among us. They are in a different dimension right before our very eyes but it is our ego, our selfish nature that blinds us to this hidden reality. When the Global Messiah arrives, the blinders are removed and we see all those souls who have been here the entire time.
And we realize this whole 6000 years was one dream. The Zohar says it will feel like the dream lasted but a moment once this illusion has ended.
The role of the Messiahs and Moses who return in each generation is to help waken up the world to spirituality and the path of transformation. But they will not and cannot do the work on our behalf.
We all must participate.
So, as you say, you want to pray to recognize the Anointed One? Your prayer is answered. Look in the mirror. You have the power to change your life and this world using all the tools that were given to ALL mankind (Not just the Israelites) 3400 years ago.
The Zohar is simply the fast track to change and the fast track to igniting the LIght to stamp out all darkness.
But every true path, like Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, etc. if u probe to their spiritual core, beyond the literal meaning of their respective sacred texts, they are all teaching and offering the same thing as the Zohar. The tools to change EVERYTHING.
Kabbalah simply helps each "organ" of the body of humanity become a better organ. The Zohar helps a Muslim become a better and more fulfilled Muslim and Christian a better and more contented Christian.
This is why it says if the Messiah has not yet arrived by our time, the Zohar MUST be shared with all peoples of the earth to quicken our transformation.
You see, there are two ways to end the rule of our ego.
1. Pain and suffering.
2. Or proactive transformation.
The Kabbalists (Abraham Azulai 17th century) say that starting on Rosh Hashanah 2000 the world entered into a new era where the dividing lines will be drawn and time will speed up.
The egocentric will become more egocentric and the spiritual people will become more spiritual. No more gray. Thus, we'll see more insane chaos and we also see amazing positive changes. The Zohar says it will happen side by side and the people enslaved to selfishness will be totally confused wondering how so many people can be experiencing blessings while so many suffer.
Its up to us. It's up to you.
You think Jews are nervous? We atheists are, and have been since time began, self censoring out of fear. It is time for all non-christians to stand up and declare our rights. " Under the law of nature, all men are born free, every one comes into the world with a right to his own person, which includes the liberty of moving and using it at his own will. This is what is called personal liberty. " (Thomas Jefferson, 1770)
RE LOUISE
Dear Louise,
You might be surprised to know that Kabbalists, from 2000 years ago, to today, would agree with you. No one has the right to tell anyone what to believe or what not to believe. If (i use the word "if" out of respect to your views) there is a God, clearly God does not show Himself to mankind overtly, clearly and blatantly.
His concealment is by design. The point is, "if" God does not impose His presence upon us and leaves it up to us to figure out how the universe and life works, than man has no right to impose his views upon others.
The fact is, the God spoken of by mainstream establishment of Judaism, Islam and Christianity is not the God of the Torah, Koran and New Testament.
The truth of God's essence and nature was concealed at the time of Creation, which ancient Kabbalists described as a big bang. Literally.
If you plant an apple seed, the seed vanishes the moment it sprouts in order to create the tree. You cannot and will not be able to find that original seed that gave birth to the tree. It's impossible. Yet the original seed still permeates the entire tree.
The moment God gave birth to the universe (big bang), He vanished like the original seed and cause of the tree. So Kabbalists explain we cannot detect the original Cause with our five senses.
This was on purpose.
Imagine playing hide and seek with your friends but no one hides. There is no joy, even though you find them. The joy and fun only happens when they hide.
We had paradise, joy and infinite happiness beyond our present understanding when we were originally conceived in another reality. But it was not enjoyable because it was handed over like a charitable handout.
We asked the Creator to hide everything, INCLUDING the fact that we ARE playing Hide and Seek.
As a result, false and incorrect conceptions of God emerged and they are wrong. There is no being in heaven with a beard. The entire Torah is a code. The ancient Kabbalists say who ever reads the bible literally is a fool and its better if he were never born.
The God of the Torah, as seen through the lens of Kabbalah, is the same force that gives rise to the atom, to subatomic particles, to the dark matter that permeates the universe, to the life force that animates a blade of grass and a human being.
There is no discrepancy between science and kabbalah when you read the texts. Kabbalah sounds like quantum physics, superstring theory and medical science when you read it. I have shown the texts and interviewed Nobel Prize winning physicists and leading physicists around the world. They were dumbstruck when they saw the texts.
For instance, Physicist Michio Kaku said "I am rather dazzled by the fact that modern day cosmology and and astrophysics is mirrored in the Zohar."
It is religion that caused atheism because of its corruption.
And it was the Rabbis (according to all the Kabbalistic biblical authorities) who prevented the masses, Jew, Christian and Muslim, from discovering the truth about their sacred texts. And that beneath the literal meaning, lies a profound, stunning and elegant handbook that is part science, spirituality and the ultimate book, the book of love.
Not so. Louise. Atheism has been on the march for over 100 years and the real problem with athiests for which they should be in hiding is the total failure to establish any secular values in our society. Statistics on teenage pregnancies, and crime show no lack of personal liberty but that liberty has translated into a form of "me first-ism" which results in an inability to live together as communities
Your full of surprises! While I agree personal responsibility is paramount and in no way do I think a Messiah is on the way like a cosmic maid service to clean up our mess here. But nor would I think I can do it on my own. Or that the Messiah is just the final cheery on top ( excuse the analogue).
I would point out that the nature of man has always been to follow. The good or evil inclinations. Be it in the form of a Hitler or Gandhi a Paro or a Mosses. Our history demonstrates our need to be lead. All history since Barashis has demonstrated that all we really have is some free will her to select who or what we follow. Hashem or the snake, now ultimately perhaps our faith needs to be bigger then an immediate presences. To experience Mosses as being present even while he's atop the mountain. To cling to G-D when all we see is the snake & the tree of Knowledge. That may be a "prerequisite" we, I need to do to prepare for Messiah. In that limited form could agree & as you pointed out look no further then the mirror. Now I freely admit a limited understanding of anything that approaches your grasp of Kabbalah. I am apparently unable to see the dead (in whatever form they may now be, nor am I sure I want or need to see them ). I do want see the resurrection of the dead & have a deep desire for the arrival of Messiah. I would say I attempt as the Lubavitch say to "welcome him with good deeds" and as you would suggest look for the Mosses in the mirror. Two fundamental truths I would hope we can agree on. We can't do it alone. We need G-D & each other. Clearly with unity, so much more is always within reach, good or bad. If humanity could do it with unity alone & good intentions, wouldn't communism have worked?
When I say we need G-D I am reaching for the broadest Jewish prospective. Not limited to the Tetragrammaton but inclusive of all his names and attributes. Now clearly you have the right to build toward a messianic age. Clearly a path of self examination & transformation can only help. But I would challenge you to see it in terms of merely building path towards the finial redemption. In a way like building the field of dreams. In my own way I hope to help you build it. But in the end, for me at lest. I know that something bigger is on the way, much bigger. Bigger then anything mankind can do on our own. Bigger then any sect or religion and when King Messiah takes the field. They will come, they will all come!
RE BARRY II
You are right. We are here to follow. To follow the longing of our soul as opposed to the whims of our ego and negative inclinations. Second, you are also right in that we need a teacher. A teacher is critical, vital and paramount to this process because, as you say, we cannot do it alone. This is why we need community as well, of like minded individuals who share the same goal and objective. The sole reason the Zohar was revealed 2000 years ago was not because of the brilliant minds of the Kabbalists, or academic prowess of the scholars, but because Rav Shimon Bar Yochai and his colleagues shared unconditional love within their circle. That was the sole prerequisite of having a SECOND revelation 2000 years ago.
So the tools of Torah/Zohar and a like-minded community, led by a teacher is the path of how we change. Rav Ashlag, founder of the Centre in 1922 says we must make one teacher for life and stick by him for the teacher plays the role of the Light, of Moses, of Rav Shimon in the life of the student.
Likewise, we must also become a teacher to someone else.
Quite profound.
You say we need God. Absolutely. God is an infinite force of Light, Energy and Power that gives us the ability to accomplish anything and everything. But we must first "plug in" to this Force.
God does not answer our prayers. WE answer our prayers by connecting to the Source of the answers -- the Light of the Creator.
Don't blame electrical current for the darkness in a room if the lamp is unplugged. Man must plug the lamp into the source of power, the wall socket and electrical current in order illuminate the room.
Man must plug himself into the "God current" to banish the darkness in his life and this world.
We plug in each time we use a tool of Kabbalah to uproot and eradicate a small morsel of ego and self interest. The more difficult it is to let go of self interest, the stronger our connection and the bigger the Light.
But to give us free will, the Adversary, the ego, injects us with doubt, cynicism and skepticism.
Geo, You are right and I apologize to everyone for discussing Billy's past on this forum. When I told his sisters what I had done, they were not happy, and they agreed with you that it was in bad taste. So to everyone who read my comments, please accept my apologies. I only commented on what I observed in Billy's family, and I should not have done that.
I've read all these posts. Now your apology. My opinion? Too late. Damage done. Slander then apologize. Slash and burn—then say I'm sorry. Shrewd tactic. and note the final dig at the end of the apology. sound like BCM has issues. I gotta hunch BCM you are one of the sisters. Just a feeling. thank you for wasting everyone's time by detracting from what is compelling debate. leave the forum and do not return. you jews never learn.
Gary, No, not a sister, just a good friend of the family. "You Jews"?? Actually I am not Jewish.
BCM, I think that yr apology shows that your feelings were real and you did not mean harm, so it is okay for me. Of course you have to apologize to Billy too...but i am sure he will read this and understand it even better than I as he probably does know who you might be. I just said (and wanted to repeat when I found your surprising but wise turn-around) that in most families there are tensions and past misunderstanding so... if we would all be always just loving...well no one can do that... hence public speakers (even if Billy is rarely speaking publicly)or inventors of new paths (as he is one) must accept that there will be such negative memories of the past - I happened to survive serious almost-abusive relationships as a child and some of my "abusers" are famous people now but i would not go to a forum of his/hers to denounce him/herm,,, if I have to deal with the issue I'd prefer it personally. But the reverse can also hapen: sometimes it is the abuser who attacks me (I could cite examples) even puiblicly (before others. And I have to be patient and not retort, that hey, you were the one who started this...and maybe it wd be better to see your part in the present estrangement. I just want to hint at it, that it is simply not possible to see clearly as we do not know the real facts - so clearly your interference backfired - I think the best way really was to ask for forgiveness and I appreciate your candor in this., What I added was meant as a general observance, not cllosely related to this instance as I do not know the details. Even if Billy would have harmed someone in the past, that is none of my business - I just wanted to say anmd I reiterate it, that we cannot know if it was not he, who was the victim in an unknown family past - Kabbalah or any acute difference of opinion is always just the top of an iceberg. I hope that with my forced neutrality I am not hurting Billy. But I must try hard not to judge too harshly someone who just apologized correctly and surprisingly too. From my past experience I sense some sibling rivalry and the estranged family members clearly think it wiser not to disclose their part in the whole problem.So let's go on. I just finished a mediator course, so if you want my personal advice you can write me personally and i will respect the confinetiality of all party. But I cannot help in situations when one of the parties does not want to be starightforward and sincere. (This is also a general remark maybe it wd not happen here - if ever we would tart some mediated communication maybe after years or decades of distance.)
By the way I am surprised at the question, who the hell is Yehove...I did mention in an earlier comment that the name YHWH is the historically first ever name of the "creator" (maybe of inner novelties)it simply is the active mode of the verb to be...in future, so this word refers to that unfolding of wondrous worlds right before our eyes when awake and when we dream. To zhink that people do believe for thousands of years in a nonsensical entity that has no meaning whatsoever...it is a hint to a slef-despising mind that can only elicit empathy and pity...As i said, atheists are probably right (as Billy said too), but simple human beings do need consolation and to see an unpersonal cold word of hazard...well it is too sad. I prefer to read the beautiful verses and stories around YHWH (even if He is not tangible and canmnot be sensed in this world of us especuially before diminishing our Ego to make space to Him - and the beautiful texts of the Bible and Zohar which explain these letter-numbers - how this Creator Being unfolds into Faces (Father Mother Son) and Number-Shperes (Kindness and Strictness etc.)
As for the messianic and rapture movement side-topics I want to tell you all that on www.psychohistory.com there are wonderful essays on the psychology of such world-reforming movements in history.
Geo, Thank you. My apology was heartfelt. I should not have discussed things that really are not my business to discuss. I thank you for understanding, as I spoke in the heat of the moment. I came across this forum and I guess I just got carried away. Believe me, I only want happiness and peace for everyone.
"God" is speaking to me!!! I can hear "God" talking to me!!!
"God" tells me that your 'prophets' were all liars.
Why don't you believe me?
Why do you believe THEM?
Could the bullshit that is religion be summed up any more succinctly?
And why are Jews allowed to sexually torture their own babies and not face any penalty for it?
Gee... I wonder which sicko came up with that idea...
"Gee... I'm a homosexual paedophile and I want to torture little baby boys... I know - I'll tell these IDIOTS around me that "God" told me that I must be allowed to torture their babies, because "God" says so".
Retards.
As i told in this track, the YHVH "god-"name means Existenciator, Will-be-er...it is a rational concept, and you are right, we all use its equivalents when we say "Nature compes me"...Nature tells me to....Society tells me to...Such inner dialogues with parental alters (see www.psychohistory.com - they agree with you) exist even if we do not believe in God (I dont.)It is now Society (Another parent alterego)that dictates you that circumsision is harmful. In fact i let it made only at 40 a few ys ago (when the Soviet-Zone was lifted where they all thought like you and hence all religion was un-allowed with most customs and religious people humiliated, killed or re-trained forcefully). And the operation is not more painful than any small hurt (when a child - later - falls running and a bit of the skin gets off). For an eigthtday old baby it is not a huge pain - after the birth pains anyway. In a few minutes they stop crying. But it has many positive consequences on health (all Middle East people do it - it is a comfortable and clean feeling, no junk collects in theat place, so it is proven: women have less infections and cancer if wed to such people).But maybe you are right...still this level of hatred and belittling of the opponent is a hint that you are not really sure of your opinion's truth content. Life and humans with the ten fingers and strtange orifices and hair...well, we are really absurd-looking enough: what if there is a Ten-Fingered Hairy Universal Mind and S/He does speak to some visionaries? Maybe he did want us to be free - to choose Him/Her - and hence s/he let (Ten)Evil Spheres be created with hateful creatures who harrass His Faithful in every generation, like Pharao (symbol of Evil)and now they do it online too...Naturally I do not think that you may be persuaded of yr stances' failings. The idea that pedophilia dictates beautiful poems (written on very expensive leather) is quite insane too. I was put in an orphanage after birth and as I had diarrhee I was given daily enemas - a very painful process (medicines entering thru the anus). The doctor explained it was necessary. Nature compelled her. Told her it saves my life. / So later i went to a Freudian analysis and cried some about the re-lived "rape experience"./ But if such things happen the best way to fight it is not to attack and hurt the perpetrators who eveidently think they are just doing a sensible healing procedure. Because this kind of anger hurts you more. No religious person will come here to read you. But regular people like me will see you as someone losing balance... but it is okay, you probbaly think you are being funny. In a way it is funny to see how otherwise sensible ideas (that God is just a parental alterego and inner sex drives may dictate mistaken ideas)become fuels in the everpresent jealous hatred of "Yeah-How-D'Yas - yehodi meaning Jew, and referring to people with Hod /Echo and Gratitude) in their hearts (and not an ethnic group only, that is a later symbolic interpretation.) We should do more to explain others why we do the things we do. If they could or would listen...But they do listen only to the inner Pharao and they forget the inner Jewish (altruist, non-Ego) archetype. And the inner Pharao tells them to "kill the babies" (by letting them "unharmed" and hence spreading all kinds of diseases by germs under their foreskin.)
Decades of christian jewish interfaith progress. Where? I dont see it?
What I see is a cloaked war by jews of every persuasion: -for the US to fight proxy wars for Israel -to promote the height of individuality in birth control and abortion -it was jewish leaders that brought us feminist war against boys and men and the family -it was jewish socialists/communists in hollywood that brought their values to film and tv -it was jewish lawyers that attacked the catholic church via pedophilic priests
Why in the country, if your a christian or a white male then your a unprotected target by every approved minority
Jews want this secular war because they think its good for them. Yet at the same time they reach for allies in christian tolerance against their fears of radical islam...they still persue a cloaked war against christians...just as at the same time the persue feminism its still the men who are fighting the proxy wars for Israel.
And now the global recession/depression, dare we say the number of jewish bankers, hedge funds, venture funds, etc etc that are jewish and funnelled their money to jewish and Israeli causes many of which are purely secular, communist/socialist and anti-christian.
In truth...the jews dont just persue their religion but the extermination of all other religions...and yet they do it asking for tolerance and friendship.
You gotta love all the recent progress in christian jewish interfaith progress! (what it really means is that the jews get what they want)
Let me leave with just one thought: It wasnt just Sanhredrin texts against jesus and it wasnt just anti-semetism...if it was...anti-semetism would have died long ago. Anti-semetism comes from the projection of jewish power whether it be orthodox, reformed or secular in origin.
Spain was once tolerant of jews and then expelled them
Christianity was tolerant of the jews but it was the jews that rebuked christianity...it was the jewish campaign to undermine christianity that brought the inquisition
It was the jews that brought Russia to communism and the starvation of millions in eastern europe
It was the jews that paved the way for Hitler also. They thought they could control him but it was the german fears of a bankrupt and demilitarized germany falling from within the jewish communities loyalties to jews in Russia.
Anti-semetism doesnt come from being anti-jewish...it comes from the repulsion of jewish power in non-jewish nations.
Even today...the intolerance that jews have used to weakened all the institutions in western civilization have succeeded in building and transfering power to those whom anti-semetism has no meaning: Islam and the Orient.
Who will defend the jews when the next war comes and western civilization isnt strong enough to defend them?
What I find curious here, despite acknowledging overt Jewish hostility towards Christ, is the complete lack of self reflection, that gulp, maybe, possibly, there is some Jewish culpability in fomenting so called 'anti semitism' (since that now includes criticizing Israel, I don't think anyone but Jews take the term seriously, though people might be scared what powerful jewish groups can do when accusing people of anti semitism)
When Christianity was still a weak religion, it is difficult to imagine that Jewish leaders did NOT persecute Christians, and, during times of high Jewish power, the overt hostility towards Christianity would always foment to the surface (Moorish Spain, Communist Russia, and America today) yet in the 'public discussion Christians are 100% to blame.
Unfortunately, this article by Michaelson relies on assumptions that are false. In fact, the Talmud ignores or is unaware of the historical Jesus.
The name Jesus/Iesous/Yeshua/Yehoshua was an extremely common name. Around the turn of the Common Era, around 10% of the male Jewish population was called by this name. (The Dead Sea Scroll dialect(s) of Hebrew came to pronounce the name Yehoshua as 'Yey-shua' via assimilation of the vowel 'o', palatizing between the 'y' and the 'sh'. (Compare modern Yiddish 'Moy-she', for Moshe.)
The Talmud simply discusses other Jews who were called 'Jesus'. The Jesus who the Sanhedrin stoned and hanged for witchcraft and idolatry, in fact, lived during the days of King Yanai, about a century before the historical Jesus.
Likewise, the person who was reputed to derive from an illigitmate birth lived during the days of Akiva, about a century after the historical Jesus.
These descriptions in the Talmud have nothing to do with the historical Jesus. During the Medieval Period (c. 9th century), Midrashists created a genre of literature called Toldot Yeshu. The radically reinterpreted the Talmudic texts to weave together a (humorous) parody of the Gospels. However this genre is strictly midrash, alien to the original meaning of the Talmud, and more importantly never achieved canonical status within Judaism. Toldot Yeshu is simply a fairytale that Jewish communities indulged to entertain themselves during the dominant Christmas holidays. The Talmud itself, says nothing about the Christian Jesus, regardless of how later witty Rabbis played with its texts.
That said, the Talmud does mention Christians (Notsrim) and calls them a 'Min', that is, a Nonjewish 'sect' that strays from Tora. However, this is simply a correct description of Christianity, and while inappropriate for Jews, isnt really offensive toward Nonjews. Soon after Jesus died, Paul (who is explicitly called the 'Apostle to the Nonjews') created a separate Nonjewish movement that identified Jesus as a divinely authorized king who ruled all nations. (The Epistle to the Galatians describes the separation between the Nonjewish followers of Paul versus the Jewish followers of Jesuss Twelve Apostles.) Paul goes to great length to legitimize his movement without the sactity of Tora, relying on faith instead of mitsvot, thus making it suitable for Nonjews.
The Jewish Jesus movement was centered in Jerusalem. It ended as a significant movement in the 2nd century, when the Romans killed Jesus's Jewish followers who were in Jerusalem, during the Bar Kokhba Revolt. As part of the Roman policy to genocide the Jews of Judea, the Romans forced Nonjewish followers of Jesus (from Pauls Nonjewish movement) to become the new 'bishops' of Jerusalem. Eventually, only Pauls Nonjewish movement flourished, which the Rabbis refer to as the Notsrim, and forbid Jews to participate in this Nontora movement.
Eventually, in the 4th century, the Roman Emperor Constantinus headed the Council of Nicea that systematically divorced Christianity from Judaism, even to the point of officially rejecting the commands by God to observe Shabat and Pesakh.
Pauls movement *IS* a Nonjewish Nontora movement, and the Rabbis of the Talmud are simply descriptive. Christianity is 'Min' that is inappropriate for Jews.
The Talmud has nothing to say about Jesus himself. To the degree Jesus is a Tora-observant Jew, hes fine. If he strays from the Tora, he errs. The Talmud makes no assessment.
If Christian persecution of Jews accounts for contemporary Jewish hostility towards anything and everything Christian (like Christmas), what accounts for Jewish hostility for Christians in the centuries BEFORE Constantine made Christianity the state religion of the Roman empire?
Between the death (and resurrection) of Jesus and the time Constantine made Christianity the state religion of Rome, it was JEWS that persecuted Christians. This was especially true in places such as Alexandria.
Why?
Ralf: Jews are humans - if in power they may be against (stimes violently halas) againts those who are perceived as threats (because they deny the basic concepts of Torah). But all in all Jews or Judaism /the word meaning "religious, grateful, echoer /of Being/(even sel - on the longterm as a spiritual historical influence - mitigating vionence (by the seventh day to rest for servants..or by teaching children to read..and making human sacricifice taboo etc..voting about basic questions in an academy where knowledge and not only wealth is the criterium of membership (www.psychohitory.com)- and this non-violent basic message caused (as Llyod DeMause claims) the violent reactions against them later and today. There are always open debates about how to react to attacks:pietist always acept it without opposing it and some are moe prone to retaliations even violent counter attacks or preventive attacks. All humans behave that way if stressed. At, there is a theory/book of Professor Rabbi Stephen Doman (in Hungarian) that has sources elsewhere that some pseudonymes (code names) are used to hint at Jesus ijn the Talmud /of a late period in the forth century so there are no witness descriptions as basically the J M article hints at falsely/without saying so/. (Code names like Gehazi the unfair servant of Eliezer and the Four Lepers in a midrash on a famous battle against the Babylonians).
Typo:
(even sel - on the longterm as a spiritual historical influence - mitigating vionence..
sel - it wanted to mean "self styled Jews like Christians and Mulsims and Kabbalists" - on the longterm...mitigating...violence
sorry geo
So, in the New Testament, the rabbis, try, and sentence Jesus to death for crimes against Judaism but have to plead with Pilate for his execution. Whereas, in the Talmud, they apply the death sentence themselves. So why do Jews moan about Christians blaming them for killing Jesus, especially when the Jewish settlers in the Holy Land use the chant of "we killed Jesus and we'll kill you too" to intimidate Christian visitors?
Phillip, I find this curious too, many Jewish groups and individuals - Daniel Goldhagen comes to mind- claim Christianity is inherently 'anti semitic' because it puts the blame for Jesus's execution on Pharisees, yet Judism's own holy books actually take more credit for the death of Jesus than even the Gospels claim. Yet no one has ever said the Talmud is anti-semitic.
Frankly I know of no other peoples that engage in such mind numbing hypocrisy.
St. Paul before he was converted on his way to Damascus was involved in persecuting Christians of the early church. The notion that the Jews suffered under the Christians and not the other way around is a lie.
From http://state-of-exile.blogspot.com/2009/05/when-you-truly-feel-equal-love-for-all.html
"When you truly feel equal love for all beings, when your heart has expanded so much that it embraces the whole of creation, you will certainly not feel like giving up this or that. You will simply drop off from secular life as a ripe fruit drops from the branch of a tree. You will feel that the whole world is your home." - Ramana Maharshi
Jesus was the Jewish Maharshi ("great seer"). He transcended the particular to feel equal love for all beings, dropping off from secular life as a ripe fruit drops from the branch of a tree. Individual Jews can achieve redemption from galut as surely as individual Hindus can achieve liberation from samsara. Jesus was part of the prophetic tradition, perhaps its culmination - but he was not the messiah.
The messiah is not just an enlightened being who feels the whole world is his home; the messiah, in the Jewish tradition, makes the whole world home for everyone. Converting the whole world to Christianity cannot make the world Christ-like, as surely as declaring the state of Israel Zion cannot end the galut. Salvation is not collective; like damnation, it is tailored to the individual.
St. Paul writes: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." It is a beautiful vision; but Jesus still considered himself a Jew, and arguably so did Paul himself. Greeks still consider themselves Greeks, and aren't particularly fond of Jews at that.
Paul inspired the Christian tradition of forcing the evidence to fit the claim. If Jews aren't yet one in Christ Jesus, an Inquisition can fix the matter. Greeks of course can still keep their Greek identity - as long as they pay lip-service to the universal Christ. By no means did Paul or Jesus intend this charade, but history is beyond anyone's control - even the Jews, despite what anti-Semites claim.
I am a Jew for Jesus in the same sense that Hindus who recognize Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu are "Hindus for Buddha." A Samaritan can be good without ceasing to be a Samaritan; a Jew can be universally-minded without ceasing to be a Jew. The universal is not only accessible from the vantage of the particular, it is only accessible from the vantage of the particular.
A Christian once told me that he didn't like Jews for their "us and them" mentality. Of course, the Christian "us" are those who reject the "us and them" mentality by embracing Christ; the heathen "them" are those who reject that rejection by retaining their own image of God. The word Islam means both peace and submission - and there's the rub for Abrahamic universalism.
A scattering of enlightened souls see that all is one. An army of hypocrites say that all is one, as long as everyone becomes one by converting to their religion. Christ is a way out of exile, but not the way. I will feel the whole world is my home not by making everyone like me, but by seeing in them my likeness. If I never reach that point it is because not everyone can be the Jewish Maharshi.
What a disgusting attack on Christians and Western culture...If you jews dont like it here then get the hell out of here. How dare you!
If I wrote a piece like this for my newspaper belittling the jewish religion then I would be arrested for a hate crime.
I remind you that the USA has treated you extremely well
What a disgusting attack on Christians and Western culture...If you jews dont like it here then get the hell out of here. How dare you!
If I wrote a piece like this for my newspaper belittling the jewish religion then I would be arrested for a hate crime.
I remind you that the USA has treated you extremely well
I want to thank the author for this piece. It is quite timely for me, as I have been reading Jan Karon's Mitford Series for exactly the purpose Michaelson described "I want to learn from them (re: Christians) how to have a personal relationship with a personal, humanized, embodied God who cares, and who saves". I've not found such explicit descriptions of how to live a personal relationship with God in other sources, and Ive been feeling awkward and guilty in looking at this Christian source. Never did feel that way while learning from Buddhist sources, of course. Thank you, Jay, for permission to learn from the Christians as well!
I came to this article through a catholic website and am a catholic myself. However, I have always been interested in Jews and Jewish matters and find the discussion following the article absolutely fascinating.
So I would like to say this. Why all the mental convolutions and contortions? Why the labyrinths and wheels within wheels? Why the smoke and mirrors and shifting perspectives?
The Bible puts it simply.
Psalm 46:10 (45:11) Be still and see that I am God;
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.
Hebrews 3:7-8 Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith: (Psalm 95:7,8 (94:8,9)) Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation; in the day of temptation in the desert...
Most Jews reject the Christian Messiah because they aren't meant too - yet!. (Isaiah 53:1).
In fact the more they reject Christ then the more they fullfill Isaiah fifty three verse one. "Who hath believed our report?."
Quote from the article: "Believe it or not, there are actually even more graphic texts, which Schafer includes in his book. Suffice to say, their gruesome account of hell puts even Dante to shame. But I’ll leave that out of this family newspaper."
I believe the author of this article is in this quote referring to the statement(s) in the Talmud which write that Jesus is forever condemned to hell for his supposed transgressions against Israel/Jewry and is as a result being punished by eternally boiling in a vat of scalding excrement/semen (Gittin 57a)? N'est pa?
Why the strong reluctance to include this factual and verifiable information in this article even though it is in Schafer’s book?
Jay:
You and Henry Makow have been duped. Here, let me show you:
"The British Empire is a vampire of jackals who have used Machiavellian intrigue to conceal their identity and by perverting Scripture from grace to race they have sought to replace confidence in the spirit of Christ for confidence in the flesh, and upon this basis have led men to believe that the kingdom of God is carnal and temporal. It is with the revival of this ancient Phariseeism, popularized and evangelized worldwide, which is used to manipulate history and nations in the name of Christ. The plot is to destroy political nationalism and totally integrate the nations into an organic unity. This process is attained and held through the SPIRITUAL. In this instance we mean spiritual darkness. The substitution of flesh for spirit or the kingdoms of this world for the kingdom of God is spiritual darkness and certain bondage to those who believe it. And the Pharisees said to Christ, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man." Christ spoke of their spiritual bondage and they thought He spoke of chains. Bondage of the spirit renders unnecessary bondage with chains, and it is out of this truth which determines if man is divided against himself. And it is with this principle that the world is being put into chains politically. It must first be evangelized against itself then it will not rebel from that which it believes, nor indeed can it. After this SPIRITUAL UNITY is accomplished, the organic unity is sure to follow. In this is the power of British Israel and it does not even fly the Union Jack nor need it ever, lest it be overcome with the containment of its vanity and glory. Nations of the world need not apparently give up their sovereignty, their flag and their false security for this is like a child with his toys surrounded by a fence. For though a nation may have its government, its flag and its Constitution (as the patriots fight for), it is its spirit, the beliefs of the people, that determines its freedom. It is upon this plane that we have become justly called the bondage of the free. It is spiritual darkness which causes us to do evil thinking that we do good. It is spiritual bondage which causes us to become victims of our own frustrations when we condemn evil under one name and promote it under another. It is spiritual bondage which causes us to fight against ourselves and stir up revolution based on shams, for the main ally of British Israel is the blindness of those on whom it feeds." Helen Peters, The Union Jack,page 17
Regards,
Larry
Editors: TRY to be reasonable and objective in allowing this perfectly legitimate perspective: I love the Jewish people and pray for them often both as a nation and an ethnic group, but there is no doubt that they are HIGHLY prejudicial against Jesus/Yeshua and the Gospel testimonies because of a long standing rabbinical-bias AGAINST Jesus as the Messiah and Suffering Servant {Isaiah 53}. Christians should remember that the Jewish people have been judically BLINDED BY GOD "until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" and GOD UNblinds them in His own appointed time. UNTIL that time: only a remnant of Jewish people will come to a knowledge of Yahweh's salvation in Messiah Yeshua. The rest will remain blinded AND UTTERLY PREJUDICED AGAINST Jesus, doing all they can to discredit his messiahship ... until the appointed time that He lifts that blindness and long standing animosity. Jesus is all about Love, Mercy, Moral Purity, and Grace. BUT MOST OF ALL: He is about ULTIMATE & FINAL Atonement. ... may GOD grant repentance and a knowledge of His great grace and salvation. Zechariah 12:10; 14:3-9.
'Jesus' is a combination of rabbis joshua and shimon who were both students of akiva. both were condemned to death by rome, and one surrendered to become a martyr. the other one fled to p'quin. One wrote zohar down on paper, and one taught it in the streets to poor women.
As a person who was raised Catholic, is now largely an agnostic and yet enjoys reading other people's religious insights and exegeses, especially of those from a faith tradition different than my own, I just wish to say how much I've enjoyed reading this scintillating interchange.
Christianity was invented by the jewish priest class who feared the revolutionary ideas of revolutionary rabbis. Christianity was the idea they manufactured to keep the peasants ignorant and helpless. Teaching that life begins 'after death' was directly opposite those teachings of Christ (Shimon bar Yochai) which advocated revolution against State mandated religion.
Religion is a mental illness.
Very nice site!
http://jhrtukeedoer.com/
Billy, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Zohar is Midrash and the Messianism of such figures as Luzatto or Shabbatai Tzvi is not the Messianism of Jesus and the followers of Christ but an intensely more neurotic form of textological idolatry. Laitman and Berg have both corrupted, perverted, and hellenized the teachings of Ashlag who did not intend the themes of redemption to be separated from particularist Jewish mitzvah-observant concerns. Beyond that, the historical record demonstrates that the Zohar is not a divine text but man-made aggadah and Ashlag's work also has no prophetic force. The entire Torah is not a code and the pshat of its law is not overturned by the literary investigations of kaballah which are, however inspired, man made inventions. Without a grounding in Hebrew culture and Jewish family life naive followers of Laitman and more particularly the Bergs are only eating up vomit.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the comment. For the record, Rav Berg's teachings do not separate "mitzvah-observant concerns." On the contrary, the teachings ignite the power of the mitzvot setting them aflame within the hearts and minds of students all over the world. Countless people have returned to the mitzvot connections because of the Rav's teachings.
Second, if you had the opportunity to read the hand-written letters from esteemed Kabbalist and disciple of Rav Ashlag, the great Rav Yehuda Brandwein, written to his own disciple Rav Berg, you would see the Rav Ashlag's work is truly embodied in every single action associated with the Rav Berg's teachings in the most profound way. If a person cannot recognize the true Torah and the very spiritual DNA of Rav Ashlag's teachings in the work of Rav Berg, Karen Berg and Yehuda and Michael Berg, then the very first sentence in your post applies to such an individual. In other words, they'd don't get Kabbalah. They don't get Torah. They don't get Rav Ashlag. As you say, the reason for the hatred and unkind remarks -- including yours about "eating vomit"-- is the clearest example of "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." In other words, a lack of knowledge about Torah-- whose sole purpose is to bring you and I and you and Rav Berg to a state known as "love thy neighbor" -- is the only reason you are disagreeing with me in a manner that lacks human dignity. Love thy Neighbor does not mean you have to agree with me. It means we all must learn to agree to disagree...with human dignity!
I am afraid there was a lack of dignity in your response.
In regards to the origins of the Zohar and it's purpose, I choose to listen to the Kabbalists of history. They know far more than I do. In terms of its "divine status" i choose to make my decisions based on personal experiences -- my own and people that i know, love and trust. And based on personal experiences, the Zohar is beyond anything you might dare to imagine. The Kabbalists say it is the hidden Light lost on Mount Sinai. I have experienced that magic in my own life. I suggest you do NOT take my word for it but rather test it for yourself. If we just listen to others blindly, we are being "religious" which is a dangerous thing. If you test the wisdom, the book and the teachings for yourself, then you can make your own informed decision.
I wish you much good fortune and blessings and peace.