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PAR'SHAT TAZIA-METZORA: A Different Kind of Murder and Atheism

4/27/2017

Par'shat Metzorah tells us of the priestly ritual of purification from biblical leprosy. We continue our association with the deadly sin of slander and gossip.

וידבר יהוה אל־משׁה לאמר׃
... זאת תהיה תורת המצרע ביום טהרתו והובא אל־הכהן׃

Adonai said to Moshe, "This is to be the law concerning the person afflicted with tzara`at on the day of his purification. He is to be brought to the cohen, ...
(Lev 14:1-2 CJB)

Here are some anecdotal perspectives on the sin of gossip.

Zissel Ziv of Kelm Rabbi Simcha wrote that studying the portion of Metzora is analogous to visiting a doctor prior to an operation. If the patient sees that the doctor requires a large amount of surgical instruments for the operation, It will frighten him. ... The Torah continues for an entire section with a description of the instruments and operations that are necessary to cure the Metzora spiritually. From here we can learn the gravity of slander and gossip (Chochmah Umussar).

Sforno explains why the Metzora was required to bring a guilt offering. When someone gossips and slanders, they usually do it secretly. This implies a lack of awareness of God's omnipresence. Just as a person must bring a guilt offering for the sin of misusing sacred property (me'elah), so to the Metzora must bring a guilt offering for his trespass against God.

The Yeraim also expresses this concept in his explanation of the Talmudic statement that slander and gossip is tantamount to atheism (Ershin 15b). Although the slanderer/gossiper usually makes sure that the subject is not listening, he forgets that God hears every word.

Slander and gossip these days are often related to politics and religion. While we know we shouldn't do it, we seem to have no qualms speaking badly of somebody on the opposite spectrum of our political or religious views. Doing so, we not only forget where we come from, but we also forget that we are speaking of someone else's servant.
We live in a time when tempers easily flare up eon these subjects, but I would personally advance that the maturity of a congregation can be measured in their ability to be able to discuss opposite opinions, especially on these two subjects, while keeping them in their proper place of importance: last. There is more in the text of the Torah to unite us than there is to divide us.

Social media, especially FB has become a cesspool of ignorant vindictive and accusative talk. We must remember that all humans are made in the image of God and that if, according to the words of the Master, "He makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. " (Mat 5:45), who are we to treat people otherwise?
This evil practice of slander/gossip also happens in the realm of Bible prophecy. Throughout the decades, many people or groups have been qualified as the Antichrist. I have heard many different ones since the 70's and so far, all have been wrong. When we do these things; when we practice slander and gossip, we sully the image of God and thus, misuse sacred things.
Forgetting the presence of HaShem, we also commit the sin of atheism. We also commit the sin of manslaughter through the murder of someone's reputation. School kids these days are having to learn about the ugliness of verbal bullying, but are we modeling a better sample for them?

There is a Jewish teaching that says that the sound waves of our words may diminish, but they actually never die. I do not know if that is true, but one thing I do know is that:

"The way you judge others is how you will be judged -- The measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you." Mat 7:2

and

"By your own words you will be acquitted, By your own words you will be condemned."
(Mat 12:37)

Here is a little article I wrote on my Fire Chaplain blog on the subject:
A LESSON FROM TOOTHPASTE

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PAR'SHAT SHEMINI: True Chesed.

4/20/2017

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'The following creatures of the air are to be detestable for you -- they are not to be eaten, they are a detestable thing: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, the kite, the various kinds of buzzards, the various kinds of ravens, ... the stork, ....

ואת־אלה תשׁקצו מן־העוף לא יאכלו שׁקץ הם את־הנשׁר ואת־הפרס ואת העזניה׃
ואת־הדאה ואת־האיה למינה׃ ...
... ואת החסידה
(Lev 11:13-19 CJB)

In Chulin 63a, the Talmud states that the Hebrew name for the white stork is חסידה, because it acts with kindness towards its friends.
The Rambam notes that most of the birds enumerated in this text are unfit for consumption because they are cruel scavengers, and that if so, due to its kindness, the stork should be allowed.
But the Kidushei Harim answers to this argument: "The stork does favor only for those that are his friends. Since it does not do kindness to strangers, it is considered unclean. Chesed, to be valid, must be practiced towards anyone, not just one's friends!"

It seems that the Master taught along the same lines.

When associating the injunction to love Hashem with all our hearts, mind, and possessions with the concept of loving our neighbor like ourselves, the Master was challenged with the question, 'Who is my neighbors? (Luke 10:30-37).
The Master addressed the challenge with a parable. In the parable, a traveler between Jerusalem and Jericho was attacked by robbers and was left for dead. A priest and a levite passed by him and left the man by the side of the road not wanting to soil their ritual purity with blood. Next came a Samaritan. Samaritans and Jews are enemies. This Samaritan showed compassion. He stopped and cared for the wounded Jew at his own expense. This was a true example of kindness that is not limited to one's own friends or kin.

The Master also said,

"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Love your neighbor -- and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:43-48 CJB)

In all the previous examples of that chapter, the master elucidates the practical obedience of actual Commandments. But in this one He says, You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Love your neighbor -- and hate your enemy.'. To love our neighbor is a commandment but to hate one's enemy is not. Why did He then say that?

In this teaching, Yeshua was reacting to the dogmas and ethics of the society of his days. By mentioning that the fathers were told to hate their enemies, Yeshua was simply referring to one of these 'traditions of men' which negate the commandment of God. We are not asked to have 'good feelings' toward those who hate us, but the attitude we should have can be easily inferred through other commandments.

For example we are told, Don't take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai. Lev 19:18 We usually bear a grudge against people who have been mean to us and did things to hurt us; people who by their actions become our enemies. . We are told, "Do not murder." Exo 20:13. We usually want to murder people we either hate or don't care about, while all the time, we are commanded, "Love your neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai."

It was usual for Rabbis to 'build fences' around the commandments in order to make it impossible to break them. To 'love your enemy' is a fence against hating, bearing a grudge, or murdering them. Some may object to the idea of a 'fence around the commandment' claiming it is nothing more than a commandment if man. Yeshua's teachings in Matthew 5-6-7 is based on that very idea, so Yeshua seemed to agree with them.

Here is a story on how they work.

A rich Englishman living in hilly area of the country needed to hire a new driver so he set up a test an ability test. He asked each candidate to drive in the safest way possible close to the cliff. Each candidate tried to drive as close as possible to the deadly ravine to their left (Brits drive on the left side) until one finally one drove as far as possible away from the cliff, actually hugging the right side of the hill. "That is the safest way to drive close to the hill!" he said. He was hired.

It is the same with the commandments. We should live our lives as far away possible from the 'deadly 'cliff' of disobedience (For what one earns from sin is death Rom 6:23) as possible. That's what it means to put a fence around the commandment!

In in his teaching on Matthew 5: 43-48, Yeshua actually equates the ability to love and pray for one's enemies with being 'perfect', just like the Father in Heaven who 'makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike' is 'perfect'.

We must always remember that:

We were reconciled with God through his Son's death when we were enemies, ...(Rom 5:10 CJB)

WE MUST THEREFORE EXTEND TO OTHERS THE SAME MERCY HE EXTENDED TO US BECAUSE

For the way you judge others is how you will be judged.
The measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.
(Mat 7:2 CJB)

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EZEKIEL 37 AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.

4/13/2017

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THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

ויאמר אלי בן־אדם התחיינה העצמות האלה ואמר אדני יהוה אתה ידעת׃
ויאמר אלי הנבא על־העצמות האלה ואמרת אליהם העצמות היבשׁות שׁמעו דבר־יהוה׃
כה אמר אדני יהוה לעצמות האלה הנה אני מביא בכם רוח וחייתם׃

He [HaShem] asked me, "Human being, can these bones live?" I answered, "Adonai Elohim! Only you know that!" Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, 'Dry bones! Hear what Adonai has to say! To these bones Adonai Elohim says, "I will make breath enter you, and you will live.
(Eze 37:3-5 CJB)

Whatever calendar one favors, the resurrection of the Master happens within the festival of Unleavened Bread. The ancient sages of Israel must have had some messianic insight of some sort to have chosen Ezekiel 37 as a aftara for the Shabbat that is in the feast of Unleavened bread as it pertains to the Resurrection not just of the Master but of all Israel at the end of days.

Paul the emissary reminded his pupils that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died. (1Co 15:20 CJB) Yeshua was the firstfruit. Look at what happened right when he died:

But Yeshua, again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit. At that moment the parokhet in the Temple was ripped in two from top to bottom; and there was an earthquake, with rocks splitting apart. Also the graves were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life; and after Yeshua rose, they came out of the graves and went into the holy city, where many people saw them.

(Mat 27:50-53 CJB)

DOUBTING THE IDEA OF RESURRECTION?

But if it has been proclaimed that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, how is it that some of you are saying there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead?

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then the Messiah has not been raised; and if the Messiah has not been raised, then what we have proclaimed is in vain; also your trust is in vain; furthermore, we are shown up as false witnesses for God in having testified that God raised up the Messiah, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then the Messiah has not been raised either; and if the Messiah has not been raised, your trust is useless, and you are still in your sins.

Also, if this is the case, those who died in union with the Messiah are lost. If it is only for this life that we have put our hope in the Messiah, we are more pitiable than anyone. But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died. For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a man. For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive. But each in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming; then the culmination, when he hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power. (1Co 15:12-24 CJB)

But some people ask, "Oh no! Why do you say yeshua was the firstfruit like if he were the first one to resurrect? Yeshua was not the first one. Elijah and Elisha also brought people back; even Yeshua did it with a child and with Lazarus!".

These were not resurrections. These could be considered resuscitations. These people will still die. At the Resurrection of the dead, we will have bodies like that of Yeshua when he resurrected. Look at what it says here:

But he said to them, "Why are you so upset? Why are these doubts welling up inside you? Look at my hands and my feet -- it is I, myself! Touch me and see -- a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, as you can see I do." (Luk 24:38-39 CJB)

No blood? Blood is what creates corruption. To conserve meat you take out the blood. The whole idea of clean and unclean/tahor and tamei is about corruption caused by blood.

THE DAY WE ARE WAITING FOR:

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will also be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Rom 6:5 CJB)

Many of those sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken,
some to everlasting life and
some to everlasting shame and abhorrence.
(Dan 12:2 CJB)

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God's shofar; those who died united with the Messiah will be the first to rise; then we who are left still alive will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord. (1Th 4:16-17 CJB)

I like to imagine the disciples every year remembering the resurrection event, "Oh ye;, that was the day when we saw him by the Sea of Galilee and ...!"
All the resurrected appearances of Yeshua happened during the counting of the Omer so I put together a little list of verses to read during that time that takes us to Shavuot.

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PAR'SHAT TSAV: It is Wrong to Embarrass Others Publicly

4/6/2017

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Adonai said to Moshe, "Tell Aharon and his sons, 'This is the law for the sin offering: the sin offering is to be slaughtered before Adonai in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is especially holy. (Lev 6:24-25)

וידבר יהוה אל־משׁה לאמר
דבר אל־אהרן ואל־בניו לאמר זאת תורת החטאת במקום אשׁר תשׁחט העלה תשׁחט החטאת לפני יהוה קדשׁ קדשׁים הוא׃
(Lev 6:17-18)

The sages of the Jerusalem Talmud suggest that the reason for this commandment was to save sinners from public exposure causing embarrassment and public humiliation.

Someone who publicly brings a sin offering is inferred to have committed a sin or a transgression. By coming to the Temple with their sin offering, that person automatically exposes themselves to public embarrassment, if not humiliation. This in itself might prevent someone from coming forward. But if the sin offering is to be offered at the same place as the burnt offering, anyone witnessing someone bringing a sin offering to the Temple could also assume that it was a burnt offering brought as a donation. This is the reason why in synagogues, people are told to recite the sh'money-esrei prayer quietly in order for people not to feel embarrassed if they confess their sins during prayer The goal is to come clean before HaShem. As people, we have a tendency to love to get involved in other people's affairs, but offenses committed between two parties which are independent of us are really none of our business. When we get involved, we commit the sin of triangulation.

This verse therefore seems to teach us to be respectful of others; and not embarrass them by bringing their past faults.

A PASSOVER SEDER MESSAGE.
While these conclusions may seem to be obvious for most of us, I thought of bringing up some ideas as to how, even with benign intentions, we sometimes embarrass people by bringing up their faults. A mother who is friend of mine was complaining that her children, especially her boys, seldom come to visit her. This seems to be a general complaint of parents of young adult children. Later in the conversation this dear mother mentioned how when her children come, she tries to tell them about this and that and the other thing that she doesn't like, or bring back funny things from their past.

I am a father of six: five boys and one girl (which are now adults starting families of their own). My circle of friends is mostly composed of parents and grand-parents. I have noticed that mothers feel it as their entitled privilege to embarrass their kids, especially their boys, during family/friends gatherings, and that especially in front of their boy/girl friends or spouses. These mother seem to thoroughly enjoy publicly bringing up the embarrassing things their children did (is it some sort of pay-back :-)?) In return, the boys smile but might they feel diminished in front of their wives or fiancees? On the other hand, most mothers I know complain at the lack of communications, and mostly visits from their boys. I wonder why...?

Our children are out there in the adult world where they get some respect as individuals in their own rights, and do not like to come home to be humiliated and embarrassed by being treated like children in front of their spouses.

SOME OTHER WAYS WE EMBARRASS PEOPLE PUBLICLY.

Sometime, while intending to encourage someone with a child who has drug problems for example we may say something like, "Your John may be doing bad right now but you should have seen my Rick a few years ago when he ... but now after this and that treatment, you wouldn't ever know ...!" The thing is that while our intentions are right, Rick may not like to be reminded of his past, especially not publicly. I also think of us. As middle-aged (and maybe older) adults (baby-boomers), we all have 'skeletons' in our closets that we would rather not have brought out by our parents at a public function. Competitive politicians feel not scruples at dissing their opponents by bringing up their (distant or not so distant) past in order to boost themselves that is, until someone does it to them!

Here is a true story on the subject:
Rabbi Blauser once invited Rabbi Aharon Bakst to eat lunch at his home. Since Rabbi Blauser's wife was sick in bed, a poor maid served the meal. They heard Mrs Blauser call out to the maid, "Have you served the fish and meat?" The maid replied that she had.

The truth however was that the maid had only served them bread and soup, having maybe taken the fish and meat for herself. Although Rabbi Blauser heard the maid lie, he did not mention anything to his wife so as not to embarrass the maid (Kochvai ohr, vol 2, p.16)

It is important to notice also that the rabbi did not publicly embarrass the maid by giving her a tongue lash in front of his guest. Of course, he might have spoken to her later,and maybe hired another maid in the future.

CHAG SAMEACH.
חג שמח
HAVE A MEANINGFUL
AND UNEMBARRASSING
SEDER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

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PAR'SHAT TAZIA-METZORA: A Different Kind of Murder and Atheism

PAR'SHAT SHEMINI: True Chesed.

EZEKIEL 37 AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.

PAR'SHAT TSAV: It is Wrong to Embarrass Others Publicly

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