Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The "Generation of Enosh - Dor Enosh"
B"H
130 years after the creation of Adam (HaRishon), Seth (Shet) was born. With Seth, the second generation came into existence. At the age of 105, he begot Enosh. According to the famous Kabbalist, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (1534 – 1572), Enosh was a Gilgul (reincarnation) of Abel (Hevel). However, the reincarnation came from the negative side of Hevel. Nevertheless, Enosh, as well as his father Shet, were created in the image of Adam HaRishon and, therefore, didn’t look like animals.
The generation of Enosh made a vital mistake: The people (including Enosh) used to say that G – d had created the planets and star constellations in order to reign over our planet. G – d Himself had a kind of vanished and now the planets would be in charge of everything. With this belief, the generation started to bring sacrifices to the other planets.
The Rambam (Maimonides) in his “Mishna Torah” describes the sins of Enosh’s generation. Their deeds were nothing but the first idol – worship taking place in the world. However, the people didn’t rebel against G – d (see Ramban and Rashi). The Midrash (Lech Lecha), on the other hand, states that the people did rebel against G – d and this is why G – d decided to punish them. The oceans swallowed one – third of the land. The former land became sea (see Rabbeinu Bachya).
In the days of Enosh, it was quite popular praying to the sun. Still in Gan Eden (Paradise), Adam had learnt the language of the trees but he never really used his skill. Enosh did the opposite and actively used the language of the tree for the negative.
The two Talmud Tractates Sukkah 28a and Bava Batra 134a explain the “Language of the Trees”: It is not a language with whom the trees communicate with each other but what people say about the trees. King Salomon (Shlomo HaMelech), for instance, used natural healing and this is what the language of the trees stands for. Using natural healing remedies from plants.
Shet and Enosh were created in the image of Adam HaRishon (Zelem E – lo – him) but this would change in the future. G – d also punished the generation of Enosh by making their faces look like apes. Have you ever asked youself where the Neanderthals came from ? Here is you answer: It was a G – dly punishment for the generation and not in order to justify Darwin.
Africa and Europe once used to be one continent but G – d made the oceans swallow a big portion of land (see Talmud Shekalim 17a). The G – dly plan was that mankind should do Teshuva but no one understood the message. There are commentators claiming that Enosh only began his idol – worship practises when Adam died. However, Bialik’s Aggadah is listing another reason for G – d’s punishment:
1. It was hard working the land, as stones were everywhere.
2. The “Nefillim” fell from the sky and were walking around on earth until the Flood came (see “Pirkei Eliezer”, Chap. 7).
3. The descendants of Shet got too much involved with the descendants of Cain. The result was that the so – called “Anakim – Giants” were born (see Sefer Seder HaDorot).
Remark: Please note that the NEFILLIM as well as the ANAKIM need further explanation and not everything should be taken literally ! Were the NEFILLIM really fallen angels or just a concept for something else ? I will look into some commentaries as well as into kabbalistic sources and write a separate article.
Links:
Ima (Mother) Taliban gave her first Interview
B"H
"Ima Taliban - Taliban Mother" is famous in Israel. Famous for abusing her children. She was sent to jail and where she now gave her first interview to a secular Israeli TV station. In jail, she is kept separately due to her lifestyle.
In the TV report, a female journalist speaks to Ima Taliban who only answers in writing, as she has put upon herself a "Ta'anit Dibur - Refraining from Speech". However, during the last few seconds of the video, the Mother did say a couple of words.
She grew up in the religious Kibbutz Shluchot near Beit Shean in northern Israel. The report also shows her lawyer, her husband and her followers. The so - called Jewish female Taliban movement only has a very small and limited amount of members in Israel. The secular press loves to claim that there are hundreds or even thousands of those Breslover Baalot Teshuva but this is not true at all. There are far less than 100 women like Ima Taliban.
The Mother regrets what she did to her children. She is busying herself with prayers and reading Tehillim. Her statement regarding her clothes is that she is dressing like our foremothers Sarah, Rivka, Leah and Rachel. Kashrut has never changed its rules and why then should women's modesty change ?
Actually I don't think that our foremothers walked around covered like the Mother. To be honest, I think they would get a shock themselves when they saw her. :-)
The video is in Hebrew only but interesting to watch:
Monday, February 14, 2011
Is Atlantis on Google Earth ?
B"H
The great secret ATLANTIS and the eternal search of people finding this former perfect island. Gold, wealth, happy inhabitants - Until today, thousands of people keep on dreaming of Atlantis. Of finding the ancient paradise and getting a glimpse of a perfect life but do we rally need Atlantis in order to be happy ? Or shouldn't we rather concentrate on finding our own Atlantis inside of us instead of looking for external happiness ?
There is a theory that the ancient population of Atlantis were the descendants of the Biblical Cain. An almost hightech society and more advanced than anyone else in the world. However, the island somehow got to a certain point where G - d decided its destruction. If this is really true and the former people of Atlantis were the children of Cain, then we should stop dreaming about us living in Atlantis.
Hamantaschen Controversy
B"H
Next month, in Adar B, Purim is going to take place and, therefore, you should take the following into consideration:
Sunday, February 13, 2011
URGENT REQUEST for Tefillah - Rabbi Meir Schuster, Shlita:
B"H
Rabbi Schuster of the Heritage House in the Old City of Jerusalem needs our prayers
As you may know, sadly, Rabbi Schuster is quite ill struggling with the effects of Lewy Body Disease, a rare degenerative condition with symptoms similar to both Parkinsons and Alzheimers. In the last 2 weeks, his condition has sadly deteriorated to the point where he now requires full-time in-patient care.
Unfortunately there has been a major down turn in R Meirs condition in the past few hours, and his condition is critical. He is going in to major surgery within the next hour and the medical opinion has not been positive.
He has the best medical experts on the case. He needs our tefillos immediately. Please circulate amongst the list of friends to daven and say Tehillim for the next few hours which are critical. The surgery is taking place in Shaarei Tzedek.
His Hebrew name is Meir Tzvi ben Mirka.
Rabbi Me'ir Schuster
Link:
The HERITAGE HOUSE
The Chassid who slept in the Cemetery
B”H
The Gemara (rabbinic discussions) in the Talmud Tractate Berachot 18b teaches us about a Chassid who slept in a cemetery. One day before Rosh HaShana, the Chassid gave away a large amount ot money and his wife got angry. That night, the Chassid preferred to sleep in the cemetery.
The Gemara is asking the question how the man could have been a Chassid when sleeping on a cemetery. Doesn’t the same Talmud Tractate (daf 43b) teach that a Talmid Chacham should not go out alone at night ?
The Kisei Rachamim said that the Chassid didn’t sleep on the cemetery but nearby.
The Talmud commentator Maharsha explained that the Chassid never went to the cemetery but experienced the entire scene in a dream.
Rabbi Israel Salanter commentated that the Gemara didn’t directly intend to say that the Chassid’s wife was angry at her husband. However, she made her husband angry. As it was one day before Rosh HaShana (a Jewish holiday when the whole world is being judged), the Chassid preferred sleeping on the cemetery in order to keep the anger at his wife low. Otherwise G – d may have judged her too harsh.
The Gemara continues that the Chassid suddenly heard spirits discussing the afflictions the world would receive in the new year. However, the Talmud teaches at a different section that the Heavenly Court is judging only during the day and not at night (Talmud Rosh HaShana 8). How then could the Chassid hear the voices of the Heavenly Court ?
The Vilna Gaon commentated that the Chasid slept in the cemetery on the night preceding the second day of Rosh Hashanah, after the decree had been issued on the first day.
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