Interesting Messages from the Vatican

Interesting messages from the Vatican this week, dealing with the interface between science and religion: Evolution fine but no apology to Darwin.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican said on Tuesday the theory of evolution was compatible with the Bible but planned no posthumous apology to Charles Darwin for the cold reception it gave him 150 years ago. …

Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican’s culture minister, was speaking at the announcement of a Rome conference of scientists, theologians and philosophers to be held next March marking the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species”. …

“Maybe we should abandon the idea of issuing apologies as if history was a court eternally in session,” he said, adding that Darwin’s theories were “never condemned by the Catholic Church nor was his book ever banned”.

(hat tip:Our #1 Contributor Charles)

Charles Johnson supports the Catholic Church now because it supports Evolution

As a Catholic I’m happy that Charles approves my version of Christianity. He is the one that decides which faith is correct. Thanks Charles!

/Sarc

Vatican Evolution Congress Excludes Creationism, Intelligent Design

The Vatican is sponsoring an international conference on the evolution debate, and “intelligent design” creationists like the Discovery Institute are not invited.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Speakers invited to attend a Vatican-sponsored congress on the evolution debate will not include proponents of creationism and intelligent design, organizers said.

The Pontifical Council for Culture, Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana are organizing an international conference in Rome March 3-7 as one of a series of events marking the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s “The Origin of Species.”

Jesuit Father Marc Leclerc, a philosophy professor at the Gregorian, told Catholic News Service Sept. 16 that organizers “wanted to create a conference that was strictly scientific” and that discussed rational philosophy and theology along with the latest scientific discoveries.

He said arguments “that cannot be critically defined as being science, or philosophy or theology did not seem feasible to include in a dialogue at this level and, therefore, for this reason we did not think to invite” supporters of creationism and intelligent design.

I’m glad to see that the Catholic Church has taken a stand against promoting creationism as science. For more details: The Panda’s Thumb.

Is Charles a sciende nut now?

Salon Smear of the Day

It must not have been easy with Sarah Palin’s approval rating at 72% in Alaska, but Salon found two people willing to dish out negative gossip for their latest hit piece: Sarah Palin, Wasilla, book banning.

In what may be the source of those “Palin the book-burner” rumors, retired American Baptist Rev. Howard Bess says Palin wanted to ban his book. The book apparently argues that gays are the new Jesus.

Inevitably, his work brought him into conflict with Palin and other highly politicized Christian fundamentalists in the valley. “Things got very intense around here in the ‘90s — the culture war was very hot here,” Bess said. “The evangelicals were trying to take over the valley. They took over the school board, the community hospital board, even the local electric utility. And Sarah Palin was in the direct center of all these culture battles, along with the churches she belonged to.”

Bess’ first run-in with Palin’s religious forces came when he decided to write his book, “Pastor, I Am Gay.” The book was the result of a theological journey that began in the 1970s when Bess was asked for guidance by a closeted homosexual in his Santa Barbara congregation. After deep reflection on the subject, Bess came to the conclusion that “gay people were not sick, nor they were special sinners.”

In his book, Bess suggests that gays have a divine mission. “Look back at the life of our Lord Jesus. He was misunderstood, deserted, unjustly accused, and cruelly killed. Yet we all confess that it was the will of God, for by his wounds we are healed … Could it be that the homosexual, obedient to the will of God, might be the church’s modern day healer-messiah?”

(If you really, really want to read the book, Amazon has it for $456.00.)

The other person willing to go on the record is a moonbat “progressive” musician known for a maudlin tribute to International Solidarity Movement heroine/terror supporter Rachel Corrie, that was canceled after a public outcry. Philip Munger is the first source I’ve seen who claims that Sarah Palin tried to get creationism into Alaskan schools. (The Associated Press said she had not.)

Another valley activist, Philip Munger, says that Palin also helped push the evangelical drive to take over the Mat-Su Borough school board. “She wanted to get people who believed in creationism on the board,” said Munger, a music composer and teacher. “I bumped into her once after my band played at a graduation ceremony at the Assembly of God. I said, ‘Sarah, how can you believe in creationism — your father’s a science teacher.’ And she said, ‘We don’t have to agree on everything.’

“I pushed her on the earth’s creation, whether it was really less than 7,000 years old and whether dinosaurs and humans walked the earth at the same time. And she said yes, she’d seen images somewhere of dinosaur fossils with human footprints in them.”

Munger also asked Palin if she truly believed in the End of Days, the doomsday scenario when the Messiah will return. “She looked in my eyes and said, ‘Yes, I think I will see Jesus come back to earth in my lifetime.’”

(Hat tip:Chucky@LGF)

A fantastic collection of videos

I was looking for a video of Brigitte Gabriel a few minutes ago and I found this youtube poster by the name of Dangelooo. He has quite a collection of videos pertaining to Islam, Christianity and other topical things.

Very well done account!

I sent him a message about LGF2. I hope he drops by.

savage

Charles continues his anti Judeo-Christian Crusade

Charles who has come out of the closet for hating God of Israel believers, now is happy that some Conservatives think religion should stay out of politics.

Survey: More Americans Question Religion’s Role In Politics

A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds that a majority of conservatives now think religion should be kept out of politics.

Some Americans are having a change of heart about mixing religion and politics. A new survey finds a narrow majority of the public saying that churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters and not express their views on day-to-day social and political matters. For a decade, majorities of Americans had voiced support for religious institutions speaking out on such issues.

The new national survey by the Pew Research Center reveals that most of the reconsideration of the desirability of religious involvement in politics has occurred among conservatives. Four years ago, just 30% of conservatives believed that churches and other houses of worship should stay out of politics. Today, 50% of conservatives express this view. …

There are other signs in the new poll about a potential change in the climate of opinion about mixing religion and politics. First, the survey finds a small but significant increase since 2004 in the percentage of respondents saying that they are uncomfortable when they hear politicians talk about how religious they are – from 40% to 46%. Again, the increase in negative sentiment about religion and politics is much more apparent among Republicans than among Democrats.

Second, while the Republican Party is most often seen as the party friendly toward religion, the Democratic Party has made gains in this area. Nearly four-in-ten (38%) now say the Democratic Party is generally friendly toward religion, up from just 26% two years ago. Nevertheless, considerably more people (52%) continue to view the GOP as friendly toward religion.

Charles aka Nancy the Cry Baby is happy about this. He hates The Judeo-Christian faith and wants America to be an Atheist state. Charles, fuck you you fake scumbag.

Beijing Olympics hoopla

I’m sure everyone is enjoying the Beijing Olympics and I wish I had more time to see some of the events but I keep thinking of the 1972 Munich Olympics and the way the Israelis had no security from Germany and therefore Black September slipped into the Olympic Village and butchered up eleven Israeli athletes.

I found the latest essay from Dan Simmons.  A must read

This is from the same Dan Simmons who wrote about the time traveler

Charles continues to go after the Discovery institute instead of the Jihadis

There are a group of people with a radical ideology that want to destroy our liberty and enslave our minds. This group of people are not the Discovery Institute to my knowledge. The problem is Jihadis not everyone that believes in G-d. 

Jeffrey P. Schloss, a former Senior Fellow at the anti-evolution Discovery Institute, has raised the ire of his ex-associates by breaking from the ID/creationist line: The evolution of Jeffrey P. Schloss.

In August 2003, Jeffrey Schloss left the Discovery Institute.

What happened?

In 2005, Schloss spoke out in a public interview published in the Sacramento Bee:

Then Schloss realized that unless people like him spoke up, the public would never get to hear more moderate ideas on the subject – such as the notion that evolution and God are not mutually exclusive; that scientists are not by definition godless nor religion advocates brainless; and that extremists on both sides have been responsible for fueling a feud that need not exist.

(Source: Sacramento Bee “Some find middle ground in science-theology clash” By Edie Lau – Published 2:15 am PDT Monday, October 3, 2005.)

Why did Schloss join the Discovery Institute?

Like Townes, Schloss believes science can contribute something to the question of whether the nature of the universe is accidental or purposeful. That’s why the Westmont College biology professor was an early supporter of the Discovery Institute, which was founded in 1990.

Why did he decide to ‘part ways’?

“Is there a way we can formalize (that understanding) and make it scientifically rigorous rather than intuitive?” Schloss said. “I think that’s a fully legitimate question.” Schloss said that while he supports science applying its tools to the question, he disagrees strongly with the institute’s stance against evolution. “I think evolutionary theory is compatible with faith,” Schloss said.

 

Schloss’ review of Ben Stein’s film is a must-read, especially the sections that explore the question, “Did Darwin lead to Hitler?”

Michael Savage dropped his CAIR lawsuit…

Typical Islamist behavior.  Threaten to kill the messenger.

Apparently, there have been death threats….

CAIR lawsuit dropped

Charles again attacks God Believers

Charles once again continues his Jihad against Christians and Jews. His new one is an attempt to discredita find he disagrees with. He calls it fake without scientific evidence.

Analysis of a Phony Creationist Fossil

I have no opinion on this since I wasn’t around back then. When we die the truth will be revealed by God. This is just Charles attacking Judeo-Christianity and anyone who is against Darwinism. He’s tired of bashing Islam, now it’sthe turn of Jews and Christians. His cult follows his lead and attack their own kind. Charles Johnson is the Charles Manson of the Internet!

lgfsucks is discontinued

Hello,

I have decided to rename this blog http://mytorah.wordpress.com so as to avoid a confrontation with LGF. In retrospect I realize I started this blog when I was upset and angry because of the action of another. I should not have let this bother me like it did, and because I recognize my error I will be deleting this blog within a week.

In the meanwhile I will be writing my postings on the http://mytorah.wordpress.com blog.

muman613

Parsha – Mas’ei

Once again Shabbat is here. All week I look forward to the Sabbath bride and the comfort of being in the peace {Shalom} of the Shabbat. For the Jewish soul was the Sabbath created, so our own creations can flourish in this world.

This week we read the story of Mas’ei, or Numbers 33:1-36:13. This happens to be the last chapter of the Book of Numbers. When we finish a book of Moshe we rise and say “Strength, Strength, may we all be strengthened”.

The Parsha starts with a recollection of the journeys of the Children of Israel through the desert. Each of the 42 encampments is listed in very vivid detail. At some of the camps there were big problems when Hashem got mad at us and rebuked us. Each of these stops is recalled by Moshe as it is written:

32:1. These are the journeys of the children of Israel who left the land of Egypt in their legions, under the charge of Moses and Aaron. 2. Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of the Lord, and these were their journeys with their starting points. 3. They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day following the Passover sacrifice, the children of Israel left triumphantly before the eyes of all the Egyptians. 4. And the Egyptians were busy burying because the Lord had struck down their firstborn and had wrought vengeance against their deities. 5. The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses and camped in Succoth. 6. They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, at the edge of the desert. 7. They journeyed from Etham and camped in Pi hahiroth, which faces Baal zephon. 8. They journeyed from Penei hahiroth and crossed in the midst of the sea to the desert. They walked for three days in the desert of Etham and camped in Marah. 9. They journeyed from Marah and arrived in Elim, and in Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. 10. They journeyed from Elim and camped by the Red Sea.

It is understood that this recollection is representative of the journeys all human souls go through in this world. Personally I can relate to this understanding because I have journeyed quite a bit in my life. The Parsha continues with the rest of the 42 stops.

Chapter 33 begins with Hashem speaking to Moshe about how they will drive out the inhabitants of Canaan who were idol worshiping barbarians. It reads:

50. The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying: 51. Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52. you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their temples, destroy their molten idols, and demolish their high places. 53. You shall clear out the Land and settle in it, for I have given you the Land to occupy it. 54. You shall give the Land as an inheritance to your families by lot; to the large, you shall give a larger inheritance and to the small you shall give a smaller inheritance; wherever the lot falls shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers, you shall inherit. 55. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the Land from before you, then those whom you leave over will be as spikes in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you settle. 56. And it will be that what I had intended to do to them, I will do to you.

As we see Hashems word was true. He said that if we did not drive out the inhabitants of the land then those who are left will harass us in the land which we inherited. If only we had done as Hashem had wished and been able to remove them from the land we would not have these bloody terrorists at our backs.

Next the Torah relates the borders of the Biblical Israel:

1. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2. Command the children of Israel and say to them, When you arrive in the land of Canaan, this is the land which shall fall to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to its borders. 3. Your southernmost corner shall be from the desert of Zin along Edom, and the southern border shall be from the edge of the Sea of Salt [the Dead Sea] to the east. 4. The border then turns south of Maaleh Akrabim [elevation of Akrabim], passing toward Zin, and its ends shall be to the south of Kadesh barnea. Then it shall extend to Hazar addar and continue toward Azmon. 5. The border then turns from Azmon to the stream of Egypt, and its ends shall be to the sea. 6. The western border: it shall be for you the Great [Mediterranean] Sea and the border this shall be your western border. 7. This shall be your northern border: From the Great [Mediterranean] Sea turn yourselves toward Mount Hor. 8. From Mount Hor turn to the entrance of Hamath, and the ends of the border shall be toward Zedad. 9. The border shall then extend to Ziphron, and its ends shall be Hazar enan; this shall be your northern border. 10. You shall then turn yourselves toward the eastern border, from Hazar enan to Shepham. 11. The border descends from Shepham toward Riblah, to the east of Ain. Then the border descends and hits the eastern shore of Lake Kinnereth. 12. The border then continues down along the Jordan, and its ends is the Sea of Salt [the Dead Sea]; this shall be your Land according to its borders around

Then the Parsha elaborates on how the land will be divided amongst the tribes and how the Levites are to establish cities of Refuge for people who accidentally kill someone. This is very interesting:

35:6. Among the cities you shall give to the Levites, shall be six cities of refuge, which you shall provide [as places] to which a murderer can flee. In addition to them, you shall provide forty two cities. 7. All the cities you shall give to the Levites shall number forty eight cities, them with their open spaces. 8. And as for the cities that you shall give from the possession of the children of Israel, you shall take more from a larger [holding] and you shall take less from a smaller one. Each one, according to the inheritance allotted to him, shall give of his cities to the Levites. 9. The Lord spoke to Moses saying: 10. Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan to the land of Canaan, 11. you shall designate cities for yourselves; they shall be cities of refuge for you, and a murderer who killed a person unintentionally shall flee there. 12. These cities shall serve you as a refuge from an avenger, so that the murderer shall not die until he stands in judgment before the congregation. 13. The cities that you provide shall serve as six cities of refuge for you. 14. You shall provide the three cities in trans Jordan and the three cities in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. 15. These six cities shall be a refuge for the children of Israel and for the proselyte and resident among them, so that anyone who unintentionally kills a person can flee there. 16. If he struck him with an iron instrument and he dies, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall be put to death. 17. If he struck him with a fist sized stone which is deadly, and he dies, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall be put to death. 18. Or with a fist sized wooden instrument which is deadly,and he dies, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall be put to death. 19. The blood avenger shall kill the murderer; he may kill him when he meets him.

Then it goes on about how to judge whether he is a murderer or just guilty of manslaughter.

The Parsha concludes with the issue of Zelophehads daughers inheriting their portion of land in Eretz Yisroel.

Shabbat Shalom!

muman613

INTERESTING LINKS

Mas’ei: Zelophehad’s Legacy http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/8151
An Ounce of Prevention : http://torah.org/learning/olas-shabbos/5758/matos.html
Chabad Parsha In Depth : http://www.chabad.org/parshah/in-depth/default_cdo/aid/296692/jewish/In-Depth.htm

Tehillim – Chapter 94

Every day I am amazed at the Psalms I open up to. Sometimes I just pick up my book of psalms and open to a random page. I am often amazed how pertinent to my life at the time I read them. Today I was inspired by the words of Psalm 94. I have copied it here:

1. The Lord is a God of retribution; O G-d of retribution, reveal Yourself!

2. Judge of the earth, arise; render to the arrogant their recompense.

3. How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult?

4. They continuously speak insolently; all the evildoers act arrogantly.

5. They crush Your people, O Lord, and oppress Your heritage.

6. They kill the widow and the stranger, and murder the orphans.

7. And they say, “The Lord does not see, the G-d of Jacob does not perceive.”

8. Understand, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?

9. Shall He who implants the ear not hear? Shall He who forms the eye not see?

10. Shall He who chastises nations not punish? Shall He who imparts knowledge to man [not know]?

11. The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are naught.

12. Fortunate is the man whom You chastise, O Lord, and instruct him in Your Torah,

13. bestowing upon him tranquillity in times of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.

14. For the Lord will not abandon His people, nor forsake His heritage.

15. For judgment shall again be consonant with justice, and all the upright in heart will pursue it.

16. Who would rise up for me against the wicked ones; who would stand up for me against the evildoers?

17. Had the Lord not been a help to me, my soul would have soon dwelt in the silence [of the grave].

18. When I thought that my foot was slipping, Your kindness, O Lord, supported me.

19. When my [worrisome] thoughts multiply within me, Your consolation delights my soul.

20. Can one in the seat of evil, one who makes iniquity into law, consort with You?

21. They band together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.

22. The Lord has been my stronghold; my G-d, the strength of my refuge.

23. He will turn their violence against them and destroy them through their own wickedness; the Lord, our G-d, will destroy them.

This psalm is so inspiring to me. I hope it gives you strength to defeat the enemies which challenge you.

muman613

Tehillim – Chapter 44

The book of psalms express such a range of emotions. I was thinking of Tehillim Chapter 44 over this last Shabbat. In it, the sons of Korach, describe the feeling of being in Hashems protection. Even though at times it seems the L-rd has forsaken us we must remember that he really is with us and we will see our salvation.

1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a maskil. 2. God, with our ears we have heard, our fathers have told us, of the deeds You wrought in their days, in the days of old. 3. You drove out nations with Your hand, and planted [Israel in their place]; You afflicted peoples and banished them. 4. For not by their sword did they inherit the land, and their own arm did not save them, but by Your right hand, Your arm and the light of Your countenance-for You favored them. 5. You are my king, O God; decree the salvation of Jacob. 6. Through You will we gore our adversaries; with Your Name we will trample our opponents. 7. For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword cannot save me. 8. For You have delivered us from our foes, and You shamed those who hate us. 9. In God we glory all day, and forever thank Your Name, Selah. 10. Though You abandon and disgrace us, and do not go forth with our armies; 11. You cause us to retreat from the oppressor, and those who hate us plunder for themselves; 12. You deliver us like sheep to be devoured, and scatter us among the nations; 13. You sell Your nation without gain, and do not set a high price upon them; 14. You make us a disgrace to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us; 15. You make us a byword among the nations, [a cause for] nodding the head among the peoples; 16. all day long my humiliation is before me, and the shame of my face covers me 17. at the voice of the reviler and blasphemer, because of the foe and avenger- 18. all this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant. 19. Our hearts have not retracted, nor have our steps strayed from Your path. 20. Even when You crushed us in the place of serpents, and shrouded us in the shadow of death- 21. did we forget the Name of our God, and extend our hands to a foreign god? 22. Is it not so that God can examine this, for He knows the secrets of the heart. 23. For it is for Your sake that we are killed all the time; we are regarded as sheep for the slaughter. 24. Arise! Why do You sleep, my Lord? Wake up! Do not abandon [us] forever! 25. Why do You conceal Your countenance and forget our affliction and distress? 26. For our souls are bowed to the dust, our bellies cleave to the earth. 27. Arise! Be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.

May Hashem assist us in all times of distress…

muman613

Tehillim – Chapter 9

I love reading Tehillim {Psalms}. Today I was thinking about Tehillim Chapter 9. It expresses how I feel about my relationship with Hashem. Please read this moving psalm:

1. For the Conductor, upon the death of Labben, a psalm by David. 2. I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will recount all Your wonders. 3. I will rejoice and exult in You; I will sing to Your Name, O Most High. 4. When my enemies retreat, they will stumble and perish from before You. 5. You have rendered my judgement and [defended] my cause; You sat on the throne, O righteous Judge. 6. You destroyed nations, doomed the wicked, erased their name for all eternity. 7. O enemy, your ruins are gone forever, and the cities you have uprooted—their very remembrance is lost. 8. But the Lord is enthroned forever, He established His throne for judgement. 9. And He will judge the world with justice, He will render judgement to the nations with righteousness. 10. The Lord will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 11. Those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You. 12. Sing to the Lord Who dwells in Zion, recount His deeds among the nations. 13. For the Avenger of bloodshed is mindful of them; He does not forget the cry of the downtrodden. 14. Be gracious to me, O Lord; behold my affliction at the hands of my enemies, You Who raises me from the gates of death, 15. so that I may relate all Your praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion, that I may exult in Your deliverance. 16. The nations sank into the pit that they made; in the net they concealed their foot was caught. 17. The Lord became known through the judgement He executed; the wicked one is snared in the work of his own hands; reflect on this always. 18. The wicked will return to the grave, all the nations that forget God. 19. For not for eternity will the needy be forgotten, nor will the hope of the poor perish forever. 20. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your presence. 21. Set Your mastery over them, O Lord; let the nations know that they are but frail men, Selah.

My prayers go out to everyone who is Hashems champion.
muman613

What Makes Me Cry

I found this video on youtube and had to share it…

Tefilla {Prayer} is so very important for the Jewish soul. Sometimes it seems like all the tsouras {problems} which afflict us are just messages from our father in heaven telling us to make good in this life. My mind is so full of the pain and suffering of my family, my people, my country, my world and my universe during my daily conversation with the living G-d Hashem. This video is a very real attempt to convey that message, that our people need to open up and let out our prayers. We must project them upward to the heavens with a strong voice and clear articulation. As we know the angels in heaven sing, in unison “Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, Hashem Tzivaot Melech Kol Haaretz” or in English “Holy, Holy, Holy is Hashem, Master of Legions, The Whole World is full of his glory!”

A Jew is required to pray 3 times a day {at least} and say 100 blessings. I dont know if I am fulfilling the 100 blessings, but I do say many blessings {on tzittzits, on bread, on wine, on beauty, etc.}. It is our personal time with our creator, and the creator of worlds.

Parsha Chukas – Deliberate Mystery

This weeks Parsha, Chukat contains some very interesting wisdom. The very concept of wisdom in hebrew is contained in the word “Chochma”. There are mitzvot in the Torah which are called “Chok” which means a mitzvah who’s logic is beyond human comprehension.

This weeks parsha contains the mitzvah of the Red Heifer. This mitzvah has been studied by the sages and the commentators through the centuries. There is a paradox in this mitzvah which has puzzled some of the greatest Torah giants. According to the midrash only Moshe Rebbeinu was privy to the inner workings of this mitzvah.

The basic working of the mitzvah of the Para Adumah is that there is this concept of purity. Things are either pure or contaminated. People become contaminated through contact with dead.

“This is the Torah [the law]: when a person dies in a tent, all who come into the tent, and anything in the tent, shall be impure for seven days.” [19:14]

The Torah tells us that a person who is contaminated must go through this process whereby ashes of a Red Heifer are sprinkled on him. The paradox is that the Kohen who purifies this person takes on the impurity.

Do we really understand how this happens, and why the Kohen must take on the impurity from the person? It is hard to comprehend the meaning of this. In order to accept it one must realize that there are things that humans will just never know until the end of days. Those who think they know it all often are proven wrong.

The Torah continues with the story of Miriams death. The Children of Israel had witnessed a miracle on Miriams behalf, that of the miraculous well which followed the people. Now they started to complain to Moshe. Of course this caused Moshe much consternation and he asked the L-rd for the peoples welfare. Then the unfortunate happened. Moshe was commanded to speak to the rock and it would give forth water. But Moshes emotions got the better of him and his anger towards the unfaithful people reared up and he struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Because Hashem wanted to demonstrate to the people his mercy instead of appearing that Moshe just struck it and it produced water, he told Moshe he would not enter the land of Israel.

The people of the land begin to act beligerently toward the Children of Israel in their travels. First Edom {a descendent of Essau} would not allow passage of the people through their land, the most direct route to Eretz Yisroel. Then Ahron dies and the protective cloud which covered the people disappeared. Elazar, his son, takes the Kehuna. Because Ahron was a man of peace the entire people loved him and mourned him for 30 days.

But the stiff necked people once again complain against Moshe and ask “Why have you brought us from Egypt to this desert to die?”. This upsets Hashem so he unleashed fiery serpents on the people. The people realize this is the punishment for their unfaithfulness and come to Moshe asking him to pray to the L-rd. As it is written:

4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became impatient because of the way. 5 And the people spoke against God, and against Moses: ‘Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.’ 6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses, and said: ‘We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that He take away the serpents from us.’ And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live.’ 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon the pole; and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived.
[19:4-9]

After they realized their mistake and repented before Hashem and Moshe, Hashem tells Moshe to make the brass snake which allowed the people to be cured of the snake bite. This was another miracle of the desert.

Then the Children of Israel mount a battle against Sichon, king of the Emorites, and Og the king of Bashan and they are victorious.

Check out some more insights into the Parsha.

Some interesting links:

• Actual Torah Reading : http://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et0419.htm
• Video Shuir (Rabbi Schachter) : (Chukas)
• Rabbi Kalatsky on Chukas @ torah.org : (Our Relevance to the Infinite)
• Rabbi Winston on Chukas @ torah.org : (The “Chok’s” On You)
• Rabbi Lapin on Chukas @ iawaken.org : (The Artful Juggle: Ego – “Now you See it now you don’t”)

Judaisms View on Treatment of Animals

I have been thinking about Judaisms view on the treatment of animals. For over 20 years I have been taking care of up to 6 cats. Currently there are only 3 cats who live inside and the oldest is 12 years old.

Judaism holds the principle of preventing tza’ar ba’alei chayim, or the suffering of living creatures. It is also important to remember that the way a man relates to the animals around him reflects on the way he relates to fellow humans.

It is very interesting that even animals must be given Shabbos rest. According to Exodus 20:10 we must allow our animals to rest on the Sabbath. Torah has many mitzvahs regarding how a person treats his domestic animals, for instance the prohibition of muzzling the ox while it works in the field.

There are also the mitzvahs regarding unloading the burden of an animal, even if we don’t like its owner {Exodus 23:5 & Deut 22:4}. And everyone knows that one must send away a mother bird if we are going to take its eggs. This mitzvah has the same reward as honoring your mother and father.

Talmud and Feeding Animals

The Talmud says that before people eat a meal, they have to feed the animals in their care. (Gitten 64) The Talmud also says that before people decide to take a work or companion animal into their home, they must first make sure they can feed the animal properly.

We are permitted to violate Shabbat to a limited extent to rescue an animal in pain or at risk of death. For example, we can move them if they are in pain, move objects that we would not otherwise be permitted to touch to relieve their pain, we may give them medicine, and we may ask non-Jews to do things that would violate Shabbat to help a suffering animal.

The following links contain more information about Judaism and treating animals.

http://www.jewfaq.org/animals.htm

Overwhelming Majority of Americans believe!

According to a new poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public life a majority of Americans believe in G-d.

By many measures, Americans are strongly religious: 92 percent believe in G-d, 74 percent believe in life after death and 63 percent say their respective scriptures are the word of G-d.

There are some troubling findings but in general this is very good news.

http://religions.pewforum.org/

The Song At the Sea

I was just thinking about this awesome song the Children of Israel sang at the shore of the Sea of Reeds. This song is part of our Shabbat morning davening.

1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the
LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for He hath
triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath He thrown into
the sea.

2. The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation:
He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father’s
God, and I will exalt Him.

3. The LORD is a Man of War: the LORD is His Name.

4. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea: his
chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.

5. The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

6. Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right
hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

7. And in the greatness of Thine excellency Thou hast overthrown them
that rose up against Thee: Thou sentest forth Thy wrath, which
consumed them as stubble.

8. And with the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were gathered
together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were
congealed in the heart of the sea.

9. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the
spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword,
my hand shall destroy them.

10. Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as
lead in the mighty waters.

11. Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the heavenly powers? Who is like Thee,
glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12. Thou stretchedst out Thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

13. Thou in Thy Mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast
redeemed: Thou hast guided them in Thy Strength unto Thy Holy
Habitation.

14. The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on
the inhabitants of Palestina.

15. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab,
trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan
shall melt away.

16. Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm
they shall be as still as a stone; till Thy people pass over, O
LORD, till the people pass over, which Thou hast purchased.

17. Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine
inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee
to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have
established.

18. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.

19. For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his
horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of
the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in
the midst of the sea.

20. And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in
her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and
with dances.

21. And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for He hath
triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into
the sea.

Interesting Link on Chabad

I found this interesting link which gives us people of faith a reason for heretics and atheists.

Here is the 1st paragraph:

Thank G‑d for atheists. If not for their scorn, how shallow our god would be! As one chassidic master told his disciple in reference to a certain heretic, “His heresy is closer to the truth than your faith.”

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/687840/jewish/Beyond-Heresy.htm