http://www.aish.com/literacy/jewishhistory/Crash_Course_in_Jewish_History_Part_5_The_Promised_Land.asp
Jewish History Series (Part 5 of 68)The Promised Land by Rabbi Ken Spiro
God gave Abraham and his family the Land of Israel as a laboratory where his descendants are supposed to create the nation that's the model for the world.
The Jewish story begins in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 12, when God first speaks to Abraham, and continues through to the end with the death of Jacob and Joseph. This segment can best be described as the development of the "family" of Israel, which in the Book of Exodus will become a "nation."
In the last installment of these series we examined the patterns set into history when God sent Abraham on his journey.
Abraham had been born in Ur Kasdim in Mesopotamia (today's Iraq) then moved with his father to Haran (today's northern Syria/southern Turkey) and that is where he got the instruction to go to Canaan, the Promised Land, which will become the Land of Israel.
God said to Abram: "Go from your land ... to the land that I will show you." (Genesis 12:1)
This is a key statement and the promise is repeated several times. For example:
On that day, God made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river the Euphrates. The land of the Kenites, Kenizites, Kadmonites; the Chitties, Perizites, Refaim; the Emorites, Canaanites, Gigashites and Yevusites." (Genesis 15:18-21)
"And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your temporary residence, all the land of Canaan as an eternal possession and I will be a God to them." (Genesis 17:8)
We say that Judaism is God, Torah and the Land of Israel. The Land of Israel is not a pay off. God did not say to Abraham: Support me and if monotheism spreads throughout the world, I will give you a good piece of real estate for your own. God gave Abraham and his family the Land of Israel as a laboratory where his descendants are supposed to create the nation that's the model for the world.
A SPIRITUALLY SENSITIVE PLACE
The Land of Israel is a special place; it's the only place on the planet earth where the Jewish people can achieve their mission. A model nation cannot come to be anywhere else. So, it is very important to understand the Jewish relationship with the land.
And because it's a special place, a spiritually sensitive place, a place of tremendous potential, it's also a place where one has to behave in a special manner. The Jews were only given the land because of their mission. If they abandon the mission, they lose the land. This is another very important lesson in Jewish history which is repeated, and it is also one of the most often repeated prophecies: "If you don't keep Torah, the Land will vomit you out."
Throughout the early part of the Bible, God is constantly talking about giving the Jewish people the Land of Israel and reaffirming that commitment.
Indeed, the great 11th century Biblical commentator Rashi, asks a question of the very first sentence in the Bible: Why does God begin with the creation of the universe?
If the Bible is a book of theology for the Jews, why not begin with the creation of the Jewish nation and go immediately to the story of Exodus. That's when the Jews become a nation, get the Torah, and go into the land.
And Rashi answers, quoting an ancient oral tradition that in the future, the nations of the world will say "you are thieves" to the Jewish people. You have stolen the land from the Canaanite tribes. So God begins the Bible here at the creation of the universe to tell the world: "I am the Creator of the Universe. Everything is mine. I choose to give the Land of Israel to the Jewish people."
CLAIMS OF CONQUEST
Every other nation in the world bases its claim to its land on conquest. A people came (for example, the English or the Spanish) conquered the indigenous people (for example, the Indians) took the land, settled it, and called it by a new name (for example, United States of America). "Might makes right" is the historical claim of almost all nations in history.
However, the Jewish people base their claim on God's promise. It is a moral claim because God is God and God is by definition truth, and God is by definition morality. God gave the Jewish people the Land of Israel. Without that, the only claim the modern State of Israel can make is it is stronger and was able to take the land from the Arabs.
This is a very important thing, and essential for the State of Israel -- which is not a religious state and often far removed from Jewish values -- to realize that the Bible gives the Jews a moral claim.
Indeed, the early founding fathers of the modern state, even if they were not religious, were deeply steeped in the realization of Biblical heritage of the Jewish people and their connection to the land. Ben Gurion had an appreciation of the necessity of anchoring a modern, even secular Israeli state in Judaism and Jewish tradition. (We'll get more on Zionism later in this series.)
ISHMAEL
After Abraham arrives in the Promised Land, he is faced with a dilemma. His wife Sarah is barren, and she wants Abraham to have an offspring. So she suggests that Abraham take a surrogate wife, Hagar, who joined Abraham's camp when he passed through Egypt. Hagar is the daughter of the Pharaoh and she had elected to travel with Abraham as Sarah's maidservant. Great people have great servants. And so Abraham takes Hagar as his second wife and from that relationship is going to come a child by the name of Ishmael.
Ishmael will not want to carry on Abraham's mission. Ishmael will go off and found his own lineage; this is all recorded in the Bible, in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 16.
In human history, we're going to have two great monotheistic faiths, which are going to appear later, after Judaism is already established for more than 2,000 years: Christianity and Islam.
Islam is a religion which originated with the Arab peoples. The Arabs, according to their own tradition and according to the Jewish tradition, are the descendants of Ishmael. One of the great attributes of Arab culture is hospitality. And the Bible tells us that Abraham was famous for hospitality.
It seems therefore that even though Ishmael does not carry on Abraham's mission he can't help but be great. He's blessed. By the way, the Bible says specifically that Ishmael is going to be great and that he's going to be at odds with the rest of the civilized world.
"You shall call his name Ishmael ... And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall live in the presence of all his brothers. (Genesis 16:11-12)
SUPERNATURAL BEGINNING
When it is clear that Ishmael will not carry on the mission, God tells Abraham, who is then 99, that Sarah, who is 90, is going to become pregnant. And this is how Isaac is born, supernaturally.
As we noted earlier, this is what defines the Jewish people. The Jews never should have been there. The Jews certainly shouldn't have survived, yet they did and still are here.
Before Sarah conceives God tells Abraham:
"Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an eternal covenant to his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael ... I have bless him and I will make him fruitful and will increase him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish My covenant with Isaac who Sarah will bear to you at this time next year." (Genesis 17:19-21)
So Isaac is the person who will carry on the mission of Abraham, the mission of the Jews.
NEXT: ISAAC AND HIS SONS
Author Biography:Rabbi Ken Spiro is originally from New Rochelle,NY. He graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Russian Language and Literature and did graduate studies at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow. He has Rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem and a Masters Degree in History from The Vermont College of Norwich University. Rabbi Spiro is also a licensed tour guide by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and five children where he works as a senior lecturer and researcher on Aish HaTorah outreach programs.
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Monday, October 29, 2007
...hell is for real...conclusive evidence!!!!!
http://www.av1611.org/hell.html I dedicate this message to the Association Of Corrupted Malaysian Politicians....approval pending!!!! THE POSITIONS U HOLD ARE ELECTED ONES AND NOT YOUR BIRTHRIGHT!!!!!!....U can hoodwink the people who voted for u and perhaps get away with it BUT U CANNOT ESCAPE WHATS AWAITING AT THE END OF DAYS!!!!! click on the link and find out....hv a nice day!!!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
TajMahal. Shocking truth. Photographic Evidence.....
red lotus at apex of entrance
rear view of taj and 22 apartments
view of sealed doors and windows in back
typical vedic-style corridors
the music-house---a contradiction
a marble apartment on ground floor
the OM in the flowers in the walls
staircase that leads to lower levels
300 foot long corridor inside apartments
one of the 22 rooms in the secret lower level
interior of one of the 22 secret rooms
interior of another of the locked rooms
vedic design on ceiling of locked room
huge ventilator sealed shut with bricks
secret walled door that leads to other rooms
secret bricked door that hides more evidence
palace in baranpur where Mumtaz died
pavillion where Mumtaz is said to be buried
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Shah Jehan??, You've been a naughty boy!!!!
Hidden Truth of TAJ MAHAL ... must read ...shocking………
NOW READ THIS. No one has ever challenged it except Prof. P. N. Oak, who believes the whole world has been duped. In his book Taj Mahal: The True Story, Oak says theTaj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya ) . In the course of his research O ak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was usurped by Shah Jahan from then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court chronicle, Badshahnama,Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra was taken from Jai SIngh for Mumtaz's burial . The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur stillretains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for surrendering the Taj building. Using captured temples and mansions, as a burial place fordead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers. For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried in such mansions. Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal. He says the term " Mahal " has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries from Afghanisthan to Algeria . "The unusual explanation that the term TajMahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects. Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani," he writes. Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, he claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace . Oak also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created bycourt sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists . Not a single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story. Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by Rajputs of Agra city. For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a fewsamples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan. European traveler Johan Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's death), describes the life of the cit y in his memoirs. But he makes no reference to the Taj Mahal being built. The writings of Peter Mundy, an English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the Taj was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time. Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu templeratherthan a mausoleum. Many rooms in the Taj ! Mahal have remained sealed since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public. Oak asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples . Fearing political backlash, Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Prof. Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the first edition dire consequences . There is only one way to discredit orvalidate Oak's research. The current government should open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal under U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate. Do circulate this to let others know about this reality.....
Forward the truth to as many as you can !
Stay tuned for photographic evidence.
NOW READ THIS. No one has ever challenged it except Prof. P. N. Oak, who believes the whole world has been duped. In his book Taj Mahal: The True Story, Oak says theTaj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya ) . In the course of his research O ak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was usurped by Shah Jahan from then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court chronicle, Badshahnama,Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra was taken from Jai SIngh for Mumtaz's burial . The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur stillretains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for surrendering the Taj building. Using captured temples and mansions, as a burial place fordead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers. For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried in such mansions. Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal. He says the term " Mahal " has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries from Afghanisthan to Algeria . "The unusual explanation that the term TajMahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects. Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani," he writes. Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, he claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace . Oak also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created bycourt sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists . Not a single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story. Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by Rajputs of Agra city. For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a fewsamples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan. European traveler Johan Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's death), describes the life of the cit y in his memoirs. But he makes no reference to the Taj Mahal being built. The writings of Peter Mundy, an English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the Taj was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time. Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu templeratherthan a mausoleum. Many rooms in the Taj ! Mahal have remained sealed since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public. Oak asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples . Fearing political backlash, Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Prof. Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the first edition dire consequences . There is only one way to discredit orvalidate Oak's research. The current government should open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal under U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate. Do circulate this to let others know about this reality.....
Forward the truth to as many as you can !
Stay tuned for photographic evidence.
| From: Tina Raj Date: 22/Oct/07 12:20:15 PM Subject: FW: Hidden Truth of TAJ MAHAL ... must read ...shocking[Scanned] | |
From: augustin_manuel211@hotmail.com
To: a.manel86@hotmail.com; altime@ca.com.au; mcdonld@skyenigma.net; patnavid@aol.com; dtd@streamyx.com; bneward@tm.net.my; gec@tm.net.my; augustineanuel@yahoo.com; njc@tm.net.my; mabel_931@yahoo.com; mrnrg@yahoo.com; nasth@gmail.com; t.zah@lycos.com; tina_rj@hotmail.com; ester.dvk@onsemi.com
Subject: FW: Hidden Truth of TAJ MAHAL ... must read ...shocking[Scanned]
Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2007 12:04:43 +0000
Something that gets you thinking.
gus.
Subject: FW: Hidden Truth of TAJ MAHAL ... must read ...shocking[Scanned]
Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2007 10:41:43 +0800
From: Ray.Baptist@iluka.com
To: apl_jbs@optusnet.com.au; ramani@streamyx.com; augustinemanuel@hotmail.com; dalipchail@hotmail.com; darryl.lambert@mcb.wa.gov.au; Frandcruz@aol.com; jack.singh@bigpond.com; joelnathan1@amnet.net.au; jcsstar@gmail.com; baptist_m_j@cisco.com.sg; mikrimoro@yahoo.com; vemmanue@bigpond.net.au; james.vandort@bigpond.com
Iluka Resources Limited | 249 Goulds Road | Narngulu WA 6530
Phone +61 8 9956 8364 | Mobile 0429 088 241 | Fax + 61 8 9956 8233
Ray.Baptist@iluka.com
From: TERENCE NICHOLAS [mailto:n_terence@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 9 October 2007 10:07 AM
To: a.surias@gmail.com; DATO DR RAMANATHAN RAMIAH; jaya kugan; lorainemanuel@hotmail.com; ramani15@yahoo.com; Ranjith Perera; Baptist, Ray
Subject: FW: Hidden Truth of TAJ MAHAL ... must read ...shocking[Scanned]
From: edithn@enigmacorp.com.au
To: edithn@enigmacorp.com.au
Subject: FW: Hidden Truth of TAJ MAHAL ... must read ...shocking[Scanned]
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2007 15:56:54 +0800
read ...shocking
Hidden Truth of TAJ MAHAL ... must read ...shocking………
BBC says about Taj Mahal---Hidden Truth - Never say it is a Tomb
Aerial view of the Taj Mahal 
The interior water well 
Frontal view of the Taj Mahal and dome
Close up of the dome with pinnacle 
Close up of the pinnacle 
Inlaid pinnacle pattern in courtyard
Red lotus at apex of the entrance 
Rear view of the Taj & 22 apartments 
View of sealed doors & windows in back 
Typical Vedic style corridors
The Music House--a contradiction
A locked room on upper floor
A marble apartment on ground floor
The OM in the flowers on the walls
Staircase that leads to the lower levels
300 foot long corridor inside apartments 
One of the 22 rooms in the secret lower level
Interior of one of the 22 secret rooms 
Interior of another of the locked rooms
Vedic design on ceiling of a locked room
Huge ventilator sealed shut with bricks 
Secret walled door that leads to other rooms
Secret bricked door that hides more evidence 
Palace in Barhanpur where Mumtaz died
Pavilion where Mumtaz is said to be buried
NOW READ THIS.
No one has ever challenged it except Prof. P. N. Oak, who believes the
whole world has been duped. In his book Taj Mahal: The True Story, Oak says
the
Taj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of
Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya ) . In the course of his research O
ak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was usurped by Shah Jahan from
then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court chronicle,
Badshahnama,
Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra
was taken from Jai SIngh for Mumtaz's burial . The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur
still
retains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for
surrendering the Taj building. Using captured temples and mansions, as a
burial place for
dead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers.
For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried
in such mansions. Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal. He says
the term " Mahal " has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries
from Afghanisthan to Algeria . "The unusual explanation that the term Taj
Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects.
Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani," he writes.
Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's
name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, he
claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace . Oak
also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created
by
court sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists . Not a
single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story.
Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates
Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by
Rajputs of Agra city. For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a
few
samples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed
that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan. European traveler Johan
Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's
death), describes the life of the cit y in his memoirs. But he makes no
reference to the Taj Mahal being built. The writings of Peter Mundy, an
English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the
Taj was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time.
Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies
that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu temple
rather
than a mausoleum. Many rooms in the Taj ! Mahal have remained sealed
since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public. Oak
asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects
commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples . Fearing political
backlash, Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Prof. Oak's book
withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the
first edition dire consequences . There is only one way to discredit or
validate Oak's research.
The current government should open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal under
U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate.
Do circulate this to let others know about this reality.....
Forward the truth to as many as you can !
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Saturday, October 20, 2007
Israel an illegal state???...says who????
From: Aish.com
Subject: Jewish History Series - Part 4
http://www.aish.com/literacy/jewishhistory/Crash_Course_in_Jewish_History_Part_4_Abrahams_Journey.asp
Jewish History Series (Part 4 of 68)Abraham's Journey by Rabbi Ken Spiro
Abraham gave rise to a nation of Hebrews -- people who live "on the other side."
History is a guidebook for the future. The early lessons of Jewish history reveal a pattern, so we have to pay extra special attention to anything that happens at this period of time.
When we meet Abraham in the Bible in the Book of Genesis, he is already 75 years old, which is interesting because we'd love to know what Abraham did as a little kid and what sports he played, etc. But God doesn't want to fill our brains with extraneous information. He only wants to give us the messages we need to learn, because He's trying to teach us and guide us.
The story of Abraham begins when God first speaks to him. This means that Abraham lived his whole life without prophecy, without any kind of outside confirmation that his ideology of monotheism is correct, and this says a lot about Abraham's dedication to truth.
In an entirely polytheistic world, Abraham chose to see the reality of one God and to dedicate himself to a mission -- if necessary, at the cost of his own life -- of bringing that reality to human consciousness. He did so not because God needs people to die for Him, but because that's reality.
It's one thing if God is regularly speaking to you, you'll take any pain to live in that reality, but to just go on the basis of your own conviction takes some doing. And this gives us a little indication of what a great human being Abraham was and what a tremendous idealist he was. He did not mind standing "on the other side" -- and that is the meaning of the word Ivri, "Hebrew."
And this is why I call Abraham "the proto-Jew." From Abraham onward, we see this idealism -- an uncompromising drive to "change the world" -- in the Jewish personality.
Abraham passed on this drive to his descendants, who have been at the forefront of virtually every major advance, cause, or social movement in world history. (Jews have not only been awarded a disproportionate number of Nobel prizes for their intellectual contributions, but have led movements such as communism, socialism, feminism, civil rights, labor unions, etc.) Notes non-Jewish historian Ernest Van den Haag:
Asked to make a list of the men who have most dominated the thinking of the modern world, many educated people would name Freud, Einstein, Marx and Darwin. Of these four, only Darwin was not Jewish. In a world where Jews are only a tiny percentage of the population, what is the secret of the disproportionate importance the Jews have had in the history of Western culture? (Ernest Van den Haag, Ernest, The Jewish Mystique.)
The answer to Van den Haag's question is understanding the personality of Abraham.
THREE PATTERNS
So now let's take a look at how Abraham is introduced in the Bible -- not for purposes of Bible study but to identify the sweeping patterns we encounter here, of which we can identify three.
Number one:
God said to Abram, "Go from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)
We see here that God is not like Charles Dickens. Dickens got paid by the word, and he would be as verbose as possible. God is the exact opposite. So the question we have to ask is: Why does God, who uses words so sparingly throughout the whole Bible, repeat this command so emphatically? "Separate yourself completely, not just from your land, but from your birthplace, from your father's house."
If you grew up in a specific house for a specific period of time, that will always be home for you. When you think of home, no matter where you've lived after that and how comfortable you've been, you'll always think about it as home. There's a very deep connection. So God is saying to Abraham: "Separate yourself on the most basic emotional level."
More importantly, from the macrocosmic, historical perspective, God is saying to Abraham, and therefore the Jewish people: "Separate yourself completely and go in a different direction."
The journey that God is directing Abraham to undertake is not just a physical journey, it's a journey through history that is going to be different from anyone else's. Abraham is going to become a father to a nation that is not reckoned among the rest of the nations, a nation that dwells alone.
This is the first unique characteristic of Jewish history.
Number two we learn in the next verse:
"I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great; and you will be a blessing." (Genesis 12:2)
This verse conveys God's promise that He will be actively involved in Jewish history: "I will make you ..."
In the 17th century when Blaise Pascal, the great French enlightenment philosopher, was asked by Louis XIV for proof of the supernatural, he answered, "The Jewish people, your Majesty." Why? Because he knew Jewish history and he realized that for the Jewish people to survive to the 17th century, violated all the laws of history. Can you imagine what he'd say seeing the Jews made it to the 20th century?! Jewish history is a supernatural phenomenon.
Jewish people should have never come into existence. With Abraham's wife Sarah being barren, that should have been it. Abraham would have died, and his mission would have died with him. But it didn't. A miracle happened.
Thus we learn that the Jewish people come into being miraculously and survive all of human history miraculously, outliving some of the greatest empires that ever were.
This is so because the Jews are a nation with a unique mission, a nation with a unique history. Things happen to the Jews that don't happen to other peoples.
To live for 2000 years as a nation without a national homeland is not normal. It's unique in human history. To re-establish a homeland in the place that was yours 2000 years ago is not normal. It's unique in human history.
And number three:
"I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and through you, will be blessed all the families of the earth." (Genesis 12:3)
God is saying here to Abraham that he and his descendants -- the Jews -- will be under God's protection. The nations and peoples who are good to the Jews will do well. Empires and peoples that are bad to the Jews will do poorly. And the whole world is going to be changed by the Jewish people.
That is one of the great patterns of history. You can literally chart the rise and fall of virtually all the civilizations in the western world by how they treated the Jews. A part of it is supernatural for sure, whether it's Spain or Germany or Poland or America or Turkey. We will see this as we go through the timeline.
Part of it, by the way, is not so supernatural, because if you have a group of people living within your country -- an educated, driven, dedicated, loyal, creative, well-connected people -- and you're nice to them and you allow them to participate and contribute in a meaningful way, your country is going to benefit. If you crush those people and expel them, you're going to suffer, because of the economic fallout. But, of course, there's much more going on than just that.
So we have a third pattern -- that the rise and fall of nations and empires is going to be based on how they treat the Jews, which is an amazing idea, and one you can clearly demonstrate in human history.
You can see the incredibly positive impact the Jews have had on the world. The most basic of all is that the Jews have contributed the values that are now linked with democracy -- the values that come from the Torah -- respect for life, justice, equality, peace, love, education, social responsibility etc.
So from these three verses in Genesis we see the key underlying patterns of Jewish history.
Abraham's journey is the paradigm. His personal life and the life of his immediate descendants is going to be a mini-version, a microcosm, of what Jewish history is all about.
NEXT: THE PROMISED LAND
Author Biography:Rabbi Ken Spiro is originally from New Rochelle,NY. He graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Russian Language and Literature and did graduate studies at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow. He has Rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem and a Masters Degree in History from The Vermont College of Norwich University. Rabbi Spiro is also a licensed tour guide by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and five children where he works as a senior lecturer and researcher on Aish HaTorah outreach programs.
ORDER KEN SPIRO'S BOOK "WORLDPERFECT: THE JEWISH IMPACT ON CIVILIZATION" What it would take to constitute a perfect world? Ken Spiro questioned more than 1,500 people of various backgrounds, revealing six core elements: respect for human life; peace and harmony; justice and equality; education; family; and, social responsibility. A highly readable and well-documented book about the origins of values and virtues in Western civilization as influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Christians, Muslims and, most significantly, the Jews.
"This is a book that everyone in the world should read"Kirk Douglas-Actor and authorClick here to order WorldPerfect
This article can also be read at: http://www.aish.com/literacy/jewishhistory/Crash_Course_in_Jewish_History_Part_4_Abrahams_Journey.asp
Like the Jewish History Series? As a non-profit organization, Aish.com relies on readers like you to enable us to provide meaningful and relevant articles. Join Aish.com and help us continue to give daily inspiration to people like you around the world.
Make a secure donation at: http://www.aish.com/membership or mail a check to Aish.com, 400 South Lake Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701Copyright © 1995 - 2005 Aish.com - http://www.aish.com
What do you think of this email? Help us make these personalized newsletters -- and our site -- better. Send us your questions and comments to tellus@aish.com.
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If you have any questions or suggestions, email to: tellus@aish.com. Aish.comOne Western Wall PlazaPO Box 14149Jerusalem 91141IsraelTel - 972-2-628-5666Fax - 972-2-627-3172 © 2005 Aish.com
Yeshiva Aish HaTorah, 24 Davis Road , Lakewood , NJ 08701, USA
Subject: Jewish History Series - Part 4
http://www.aish.com/literacy/jewishhistory/Crash_Course_in_Jewish_History_Part_4_Abrahams_Journey.asp
Jewish History Series (Part 4 of 68)Abraham's Journey by Rabbi Ken Spiro
Abraham gave rise to a nation of Hebrews -- people who live "on the other side."
History is a guidebook for the future. The early lessons of Jewish history reveal a pattern, so we have to pay extra special attention to anything that happens at this period of time.
When we meet Abraham in the Bible in the Book of Genesis, he is already 75 years old, which is interesting because we'd love to know what Abraham did as a little kid and what sports he played, etc. But God doesn't want to fill our brains with extraneous information. He only wants to give us the messages we need to learn, because He's trying to teach us and guide us.
The story of Abraham begins when God first speaks to him. This means that Abraham lived his whole life without prophecy, without any kind of outside confirmation that his ideology of monotheism is correct, and this says a lot about Abraham's dedication to truth.
In an entirely polytheistic world, Abraham chose to see the reality of one God and to dedicate himself to a mission -- if necessary, at the cost of his own life -- of bringing that reality to human consciousness. He did so not because God needs people to die for Him, but because that's reality.
It's one thing if God is regularly speaking to you, you'll take any pain to live in that reality, but to just go on the basis of your own conviction takes some doing. And this gives us a little indication of what a great human being Abraham was and what a tremendous idealist he was. He did not mind standing "on the other side" -- and that is the meaning of the word Ivri, "Hebrew."
And this is why I call Abraham "the proto-Jew." From Abraham onward, we see this idealism -- an uncompromising drive to "change the world" -- in the Jewish personality.
Abraham passed on this drive to his descendants, who have been at the forefront of virtually every major advance, cause, or social movement in world history. (Jews have not only been awarded a disproportionate number of Nobel prizes for their intellectual contributions, but have led movements such as communism, socialism, feminism, civil rights, labor unions, etc.) Notes non-Jewish historian Ernest Van den Haag:
Asked to make a list of the men who have most dominated the thinking of the modern world, many educated people would name Freud, Einstein, Marx and Darwin. Of these four, only Darwin was not Jewish. In a world where Jews are only a tiny percentage of the population, what is the secret of the disproportionate importance the Jews have had in the history of Western culture? (Ernest Van den Haag, Ernest, The Jewish Mystique.)
The answer to Van den Haag's question is understanding the personality of Abraham.
THREE PATTERNS
So now let's take a look at how Abraham is introduced in the Bible -- not for purposes of Bible study but to identify the sweeping patterns we encounter here, of which we can identify three.
Number one:
God said to Abram, "Go from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)
We see here that God is not like Charles Dickens. Dickens got paid by the word, and he would be as verbose as possible. God is the exact opposite. So the question we have to ask is: Why does God, who uses words so sparingly throughout the whole Bible, repeat this command so emphatically? "Separate yourself completely, not just from your land, but from your birthplace, from your father's house."
If you grew up in a specific house for a specific period of time, that will always be home for you. When you think of home, no matter where you've lived after that and how comfortable you've been, you'll always think about it as home. There's a very deep connection. So God is saying to Abraham: "Separate yourself on the most basic emotional level."
More importantly, from the macrocosmic, historical perspective, God is saying to Abraham, and therefore the Jewish people: "Separate yourself completely and go in a different direction."
The journey that God is directing Abraham to undertake is not just a physical journey, it's a journey through history that is going to be different from anyone else's. Abraham is going to become a father to a nation that is not reckoned among the rest of the nations, a nation that dwells alone.
This is the first unique characteristic of Jewish history.
Number two we learn in the next verse:
"I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great; and you will be a blessing." (Genesis 12:2)
This verse conveys God's promise that He will be actively involved in Jewish history: "I will make you ..."
In the 17th century when Blaise Pascal, the great French enlightenment philosopher, was asked by Louis XIV for proof of the supernatural, he answered, "The Jewish people, your Majesty." Why? Because he knew Jewish history and he realized that for the Jewish people to survive to the 17th century, violated all the laws of history. Can you imagine what he'd say seeing the Jews made it to the 20th century?! Jewish history is a supernatural phenomenon.
Jewish people should have never come into existence. With Abraham's wife Sarah being barren, that should have been it. Abraham would have died, and his mission would have died with him. But it didn't. A miracle happened.
Thus we learn that the Jewish people come into being miraculously and survive all of human history miraculously, outliving some of the greatest empires that ever were.
This is so because the Jews are a nation with a unique mission, a nation with a unique history. Things happen to the Jews that don't happen to other peoples.
To live for 2000 years as a nation without a national homeland is not normal. It's unique in human history. To re-establish a homeland in the place that was yours 2000 years ago is not normal. It's unique in human history.
And number three:
"I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and through you, will be blessed all the families of the earth." (Genesis 12:3)
God is saying here to Abraham that he and his descendants -- the Jews -- will be under God's protection. The nations and peoples who are good to the Jews will do well. Empires and peoples that are bad to the Jews will do poorly. And the whole world is going to be changed by the Jewish people.
That is one of the great patterns of history. You can literally chart the rise and fall of virtually all the civilizations in the western world by how they treated the Jews. A part of it is supernatural for sure, whether it's Spain or Germany or Poland or America or Turkey. We will see this as we go through the timeline.
Part of it, by the way, is not so supernatural, because if you have a group of people living within your country -- an educated, driven, dedicated, loyal, creative, well-connected people -- and you're nice to them and you allow them to participate and contribute in a meaningful way, your country is going to benefit. If you crush those people and expel them, you're going to suffer, because of the economic fallout. But, of course, there's much more going on than just that.
So we have a third pattern -- that the rise and fall of nations and empires is going to be based on how they treat the Jews, which is an amazing idea, and one you can clearly demonstrate in human history.
You can see the incredibly positive impact the Jews have had on the world. The most basic of all is that the Jews have contributed the values that are now linked with democracy -- the values that come from the Torah -- respect for life, justice, equality, peace, love, education, social responsibility etc.
So from these three verses in Genesis we see the key underlying patterns of Jewish history.
Abraham's journey is the paradigm. His personal life and the life of his immediate descendants is going to be a mini-version, a microcosm, of what Jewish history is all about.
NEXT: THE PROMISED LAND
Author Biography:Rabbi Ken Spiro is originally from New Rochelle,NY. He graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Russian Language and Literature and did graduate studies at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow. He has Rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem and a Masters Degree in History from The Vermont College of Norwich University. Rabbi Spiro is also a licensed tour guide by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and five children where he works as a senior lecturer and researcher on Aish HaTorah outreach programs.
ORDER KEN SPIRO'S BOOK "WORLDPERFECT: THE JEWISH IMPACT ON CIVILIZATION" What it would take to constitute a perfect world? Ken Spiro questioned more than 1,500 people of various backgrounds, revealing six core elements: respect for human life; peace and harmony; justice and equality; education; family; and, social responsibility. A highly readable and well-documented book about the origins of values and virtues in Western civilization as influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Christians, Muslims and, most significantly, the Jews.
"This is a book that everyone in the world should read"Kirk Douglas-Actor and authorClick here to order WorldPerfect
This article can also be read at: http://www.aish.com/literacy/jewishhistory/Crash_Course_in_Jewish_History_Part_4_Abrahams_Journey.asp
Like the Jewish History Series? As a non-profit organization, Aish.com relies on readers like you to enable us to provide meaningful and relevant articles. Join Aish.com and help us continue to give daily inspiration to people like you around the world.
Make a secure donation at: http://www.aish.com/membership or mail a check to Aish.com, 400 South Lake Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701Copyright © 1995 - 2005 Aish.com - http://www.aish.com
What do you think of this email? Help us make these personalized newsletters -- and our site -- better. Send us your questions and comments to tellus@aish.com.
Need to change this e-mail?
You are currently subscribed to: jewish_historyThis email was sent to: timo455@gmail.com
To modify your email account, change your e-mail address, or Unsubscribe: Go to http://www.aish.com/lists/email_selectpage.asp?email=timo455@gmail.com
or: http://www.aish.com/lists/
If you have any questions or suggestions, email to: tellus@aish.com. Aish.comOne Western Wall PlazaPO Box 14149Jerusalem 91141IsraelTel - 972-2-628-5666Fax - 972-2-627-3172 © 2005 Aish.com
Yeshiva Aish HaTorah, 24 Davis Road , Lakewood , NJ 08701, USA
THE WORLD NEEDS LEADERS LIKE THESE
WAY TO GO HOWIE!!!!!!!!!!
Subject: WORLD NEEDS LEADERS LIKE THIS!
Prime Minister John Howard - Australia
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on
Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted
radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to
Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John
Howard , he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face
a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello , seen as heir apparent to
Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the
country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and
its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if
you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then
Australia is not for you", he said on National Television
"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws
governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another
Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law,
independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have
the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps,
then, that's a better option", Costello said.
Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he
said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to
the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told
reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should
"clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who
don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well
then, they can basically clear off", he said.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by
saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.
Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some
individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we
have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of
Australians."
"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the
'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility
that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against
immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a
better life by coming to Australia " "However, there are a few things
that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some
born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a
multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and
our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture,
our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."
"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles,
trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought
freedom"
"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to
become part of our society . Learn the language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right
wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on
Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly
documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of
our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another
part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our
culture."
"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask
is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment
with us."
"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go",
then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this
planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change,
and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By
all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.
"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow
you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done
complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our
Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take
advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."
"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come
here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."
Subject: WORLD NEEDS LEADERS LIKE THIS!
Prime Minister John Howard - Australia
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on
Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted
radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to
Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John
Howard , he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face
a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello , seen as heir apparent to
Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the
country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and
its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if
you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then
Australia is not for you", he said on National Television
"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws
governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another
Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law,
independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have
the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps,
then, that's a better option", Costello said.
Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he
said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to
the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told
reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should
"clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who
don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well
then, they can basically clear off", he said.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by
saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.
Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some
individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we
have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of
Australians."
"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the
'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility
that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against
immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a
better life by coming to Australia " "However, there are a few things
that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some
born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a
multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and
our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture,
our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."
"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles,
trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought
freedom"
"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to
become part of our society . Learn the language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right
wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on
Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly
documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of
our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another
part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our
culture."
"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask
is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment
with us."
"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go",
then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this
planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change,
and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By
all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.
"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow
you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done
complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our
Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take
advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."
"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come
here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."
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