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Chief Rabbi Sacks: Dignity of Difference

Posted on May 24, 2007 | Leave a comment

While browsing the Lookjed forum, I came across an amazing
reference, posted by R’Gil Student. It is a massive collection of sources in
short book form by Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Judaism’s positive view of other
religions and nations. Fascinating stuff, it can be found here. Enjoy!


Its introduction begins with a quote from Rav Kook, from his sefer “Orot Hakodesh”, truly beautiful and insightful:

When the knowledge of G-d is suffused by a great love, when it is pervaded by its true illumination, according to the capacity of each soul to receive it, there radiates from its absolute light a love for the world, for all worlds, for all creatures, on all levels of their being . . . When these love-possessed people see the world, especially living creatures full of quarrels, hatred, persecutions and conflicts, they yearn with all their being to share in those aspirations that move life toward comprehensiveness and unity, peace and tranquillity. They feel and know that the nearness of G-d, for which they yearn, can only lead them to joining themselves with all and for the sake of all. When they confront the human scene, and find divisions among nations, religions, parties, with goals in conflict, they endeavour with all their might to bring all together, to mend and to unite . . . They want that every particular shall be preserved and developed, and that the collective whole shall be united and abounding in peace. (R. Abraham Isaac Kook, Orot haKodesh, II: 442-43)

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Interesting critique of contemporary culture

Posted on May 8, 2007 | Leave a comment

See the article here

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Interesting Tid Bits

Posted on April 29, 2007 | Leave a comment

Rather interesting on the recreation of Noah’s ark, see the article here.
The song of the sun, science confirms the sun’s praise to G-d, see here.

If you have any links that you feel others would enjoy reading about, leave a comment and I’ll post it in here.


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R’ Eliezer Berkotvits’ Critique Of Mysticism

Posted on April 11, 2007 | Leave a comment

In a world enamored with mysticism, it is always of interest to read an alternative view point. R’ Eliezer Berkovitz in “God, Man and History” elucidates his world view of Judaism, clarifying and extrapolating upon his understanding of the “Encounter” between man and God. The following is an extract from Pg 40 of that book where R’Berkovitz offers his critique of the mystical approach to religion, for in his opinion, it is this approach that is in reality antithetical to the world view of religious man.

The encounter should not be confused with mystical communion. The mystics goal is the surrender of personal existence. His desire is to merge himself in the One, to pour himself into God, to be drawn into the All. The mystic finds his fulfillment in the extinction of his dignity through being consumed by the Absolute. For him individuality is a burden and a shame. Only the One or the All is real, and every form of separateness from it is an unworthy shadow existence. In the encounter, on the other hand, the original separateness is affirmed; in fact, it is granted the highest dignity by being sustained by God. The encounter may occur because the individual personality is safeguarded. Where there is encounter, there is fellowship; and fellowship is the very opposite of the mystical surrender of man’s identity in an act of communion. Judaism is essentially non-mystical because it is religion. The mystical communion is the end of all relationship and, therefore, also the end of all religion.

Judaism is essentially non-mystical because, according to it, God addresses himself to man, and he awaits man’s response to the address. God speaks and man listens; and God commands and man obeys. Man searches, and God allows himself to be found; man entreats, and God answers. In the mystical union, however, there are no words and no law, no search and no recognition, because there is no separateness. Judaism does not admit the idea that man may rise “beyond good and evil,” as it were, by drowning himself in the Godhead.

There is a natural affinity between mysticism and pantheism. All mysticism tends toward pantheism. Once the mystical union is completed, there is nothing left but the Absolute, in which all is contained. The appropriate worldview of the mystic is pantheism. It is his justification for devaluing individual existence, as well as for attempting to redeem it through return into the All. On the other hand, mysticism is only available “religion” for the pantheist. His worship of the Absolute demands the denial of his own separateness from it. Thus, we are led to the Spinozistic amor dei; since nothing exists apart from the infinite, man’s love for God “is the very love of God with which God loves himself.” One is inclined to agree with those who see in this the monstrous example of absolute self-love. The truth, of course, is that where there is no separateness, there is no love either. Where there is no encounter, there can be no care or concern. The mystic endeavors to overcome all separateness; the pantheist denies it from the very beginning. Judaism, on the other hand, through its concept of the encounter, affirms the reality as well as the worth of the individual existence. Judaism is not only non-mystical, it also essentially anti-pantheistic.


 

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Attention: Advertising Opportunity For You, Your Family and friends!

Posted on March 22, 2007 | Leave a comment

For those who are not already aware I have been working for an online marketing company for the last 7 months named Get Me On Media. I have never really promoted my company or work on my blog, however, my company has got an incentive program running for staff at the moment, offering commissions for customers brought in. I therefore shamelessly / shamefully (not really quite sure, have mixed emotions about this *smile* ) using this blog to get some free advertising space.

Let me just basically state how this works and what our company does:

Our company specializes in Google Adwords, Googles PPC (Pay Per Click) system. Every time you type in a word in Google, along with the search results, on the right hand side and in a blue box at the top are sponsored links (these are Adwords). You pay every time someones clicks on that ad and goes to your site (you pay for someone clicking, not for the amount of times the ad is shown, otherwise known as an impression, so even if no-one clicks you are still geting great exposure!).

It is a great, simple easy way to get traffic to your site. Whether you are a company, blog, multinational, it doesn’t matter, we can service you and bring you quality traffic. You choose your budget, its all entirely up to you. We have clients spending $1 a day up to a couple of thousand dollars per day. Either way, we will get your great results for your dollar.

Why do you need US (or rather me) instead of doing it yourself?

1) Google adwords is complicated, time consuming and requires training
2) The vast majority of people would not know how to write ad copy, choose the right keywords that actually have traffic or choose the right words that actually work.
3) We know what we are doing, we are Adwords Proffesionals!
3) If you have problems you have somone to help you

For those who want to give it a go for $5 (excluding the cost per google clicks) read on here:

– You sign up with the link here (note it has my special cid to track customers)
– It costs $5 for the first month, you signup. We analyze your site, create your keywords, adcopy and prepare your budget.
– We send you an email giving you instructions to activate your account
– Warning: You have to activate your account, if you don’t get this email contact us. Our billing system is automatic so therefore if you don’t activate you will still get charged and that will be a real pity because a) you will be really annoyed b) you will cancel and most importantly c) you will not get the oppurtunity to get some traffic to your site
– Once you are up and running, you can be in contact with us and we can help work with you to get the objectives you desire. Here is my personal email address at work (rael at getmeonmedia.com). If you have any problems let me know.

If you like the service you can continue for $59/month. If you don’t, you can quit at any time, there is no contract! So the most it can cost you is $5 (excluding your Google click costs, you specify the budget of what you want to spend a day)

So here is a shameless plea to tell your friends, family, etc. If you have a rich uncle with a massive multinational who wants a great advertising service, let me know!

As I said before, contact me at (rael at getmeonmedia.com) if you have any further questions. That link again to pass around so I get the credit is
http://www.getmeonmedia.com/getonnow.aspx?cid=254

P.S Helping a fellow Jew make a parnassah is a big mitzvah

The END

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100 Posts!

Posted on February 10, 2007 | Leave a comment

The last post was my 100th post! Hopefully there will  be many more to come :) If there are any comments, requests for particular topics, things you like, things you dislike etc please let me know. My blog wouldn’t be around if it were not for you the readers. Keep, on reading & commenting.

Yours sincerely,

– Rael

(Image from: http://www.familyhood.com/img/index-congratulations-logo.jpg)

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Thoughts On Love From Rav Kook – Part 2

Posted on January 27, 2007 | Leave a comment

Rav Kook had some profound, awe inspiring words to say about the theme of Ahavah. Here are some excerpts that I found while reading a fantastic sefer by HaRav David Samson “Torat Eretz Yisrael – The teachings of HaRav Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook”.

Read, be inspired and spread the light (Orot)!

The Ahava of mankind requires substantial effort in order to attains its appropriate station of constantly filing every aspect of life. This comes in opposition to the superficial view which arises, at first glance, upon a cursory investigation of Torah and conventional ethics, which seem contradictory to this Ahava, or at best, apathetic to it. The most exalted level of Ahavah for mankind must encompass the love of the individual, and includes every person, regardless of all of the differences of religion and belief, race and locale. One must endeavor to understand fully the mentalities of the various peoples and communities, to study, as thoroughly as possible, their characteristics and attributes, in order to know how to base human love on practical foundations.

Only a person rich in Ahavah for mankind, and for each individual man, can attain a love for his own nation in its most noble dimension, and for its spiritual and material grandeur. The myopic vision, which views everything outside the boundaries of a particular nation, even that which is outside the boundaries of Yisrael, as ugly and impure, is a part of the awful darkness which causes the utter destruction of the universal spiritual goodness which every sensitive soul longs to see:


(Midot HaRiyah, Ahavah, 10. HaRav Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook) {Footnote 97, Pg 86, “Torat Eretz Yisrael”- HaRav David Samson}

My father ZT”L said that since groundless hatred (Sinat Chinam), caused the destruction of the Second Temple, we must increase unconditional Ahavah (Ahavat Chinam), to bring about the Temples rebuilding. This Ahavah isn’t dependent on anything. It is like Hashem’s love for Israel, which is an eternal Brit. Ahavat Chinam doesn’t aspire to attain an added level of Divine service, or to do a good deed. Ahavat Chinam comes when there are no personal advancements to be won. This Ahavah exists regardless of any shortcomings in the beloved, and without any conditions that have to be met. Even with all of the deficiencies and imperfections in people, Ahavah must be total. And let none of your device evil in your hearts against his neighbor. There can be great differences in personalities, or disagreements in learning, or debate over the right thing to do, but, true Ahavah transcends all of this, and surrounds all of the Children of Israel. This is the eternal love of Hashem for his people.


(Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, pg 63, “Torat Eretz Yisrael")

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Quote: Some Words of Mussar From Rocky

Posted on December 31, 2006 | Leave a comment

Like most people I know, I was brought up watching the Rocky movies. Although I will not be watching the new Rocky Balboa film, I was curious to see what the plot would be about. I checked out the plot summary on Wikipedia and came across some interesting dialogue from the movie which I thought I would share. Robert (Rocky’s son) is trying to convince Rocky not to participate in the upcoming fight. Rocky responds with the following:

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean, and nasty place an’ no matter how tough you think you are, it’ll always beat you if you let it. It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! If you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits and not pointin’ fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that, and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!"


Kind of reminds you of Proverbs (24:16) “For a righteous man can fall seven times and rise, but the wicked shall stumble upon evil” :)



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To be listened to by all!

Posted on December 11, 2006 | Leave a comment

This is the most fantastic, well thought out and articulate presentation on the issue of Jewish Unity – Achdus I have ever heard. It has to be listened to by everyone, spread the word. Find the link here.

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Welcome Back!

Posted on November 25, 2006 | Leave a comment

Well it has been a grueling few months, but I have finally finished. I wrote my last exam on Thursday 23 November and am now home free. G-d willing if I pass everything (and there were some close ones!) I will be graduating with a BSC in Information Technology. At last working hours go back to normal (9am – 6pm) which gives me some much needed time in the evenings. I’ll put together a post tomorrow. Thanks for reading the blog while I have been away, it really means a lot to me.

Its good to be back, and I look forward to some great blogging ahead.

– Rael

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