basic judaism

Idol Worship today in most cases doesn’t exist where you stand near a statue to offer some sacrifice but where you sacrifice a part of yourself for another object or even person above G-D. We might have believed that idol worship is gone forever as most of the major religions are monotheistic but how do those “followers” of such religions act is just as important.   When we sacrifice our values just to gain an extra $$ or to capture the attention of the public aren’t we in way sacrifice to an idol. If we give into lust or even love to act in a way that betrays our closeness to G-D in a way aren’t we  building that idol. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t seek fame, fortune and love but not at the point of where we turn our back on the ultimate creator G-D.   Go for it all but remember to stay on the right path to get there or your sacrifice might be your ultimate curse.

As mentioned in my previous blog that the experiences that I have been in and helped others witness would have been enough but that doesn’t mean I don’t seek many other day(s). G-D willing my efforts to make the world around me a bit better will allow me to experience this wonderful gift.  So G-D here is my list (below) I hope to achieve if given those many days.

(1) Help my son and daughter gain a foothold in their career so they can be self sufficient productive part of the workforce and achieve health and happiness in their life.

(2) Get my loved ones to be able to express happiness more easily to those around them and themselves.

(3) Give others avenues to achieve greater knowledge in faith and how it is found.

(4) Find avenues to help others through the experiences and talents you have let me acquire.

(5) Bring laughter and happiness to friends, family and associates that need that spark to help them get through a tough day.

(6) Achieve new knowledge that will help make me a better person as a whole.

(7) Insure that after I move on that those around me are protected enough to continue in a lifestyle that helps them achieve happiness and success.

If we can see life as just a journey from one place to a higher place with no cell service (emails or faxes) it makes us less fearful of moving through “G-D willing” the heavenly gates. For our deceased loved one’s are living without pain and suffering in a world that is truly peaceful and just right for them.  Why should we think otherwise if we believe that G-D is all good, powerful and just then obviously this one stop here can’t be the end for those that were made in G-D’s image. Of course we will miss them but understanding that they are in the better place that makes the Trump Towers appear as a squatters village, makes the pain a bit more bearable.   Our job is to do our best here for goodness sake so the door to the heavenly gates will be wide open upon our return home.

This year I cleaned my whole house out of items that could be even be slightly considered “non kosher” for Passover and hid them away except for a little Soybean Oil from a Butter substitute.  Most of the “Kosher for Passover” items in Israel contain soybean products because they follow the Sephardic  teachings of the Jewish tradition rather then the Ashkenazi leanings. Not to get too much in the weeds (I’ll only touch the tip) one group of rabbi’s from one area believes that Soybeans, Corn Products, & Rice isn’t Kosher for Passover while another group from a different area believes otherwise. The Rabbi’s from the strict side basically say a Soybean/Corn might get confused with a prohibited Wheat product because they’re  grown in a similar area.  I happen to have Ancestry from the rabbi’s that come from the stricter area but this year  I decided to travel to the other side of town and unwittingly have some Soybean Oil. In the end I believe it is the effort that G-D seeks in trying to live according to “the rules” that count not the dot’s and dashes that fill those rules in-between.

If one law was followed strictly the world would be a much better place. “Love thy fellow as thyself” would stop all criminal activity in it’s trap and cruelty to fellow man (I would expand it to woman as well). We could eliminate most other laws because individuals would seek betterment for all individuals instead of just themselves and/or family.  Some comedian’s would have to change their act though to be more self deprecating then they could go after those in the audience as well. This one law would help us to learn to love thyself for our good and not such good traits. We would realize that G-D loved us so much to put us in this place at this time so we should have the same love for others.  May G-D grant us the day soon when this one law would be followed in area corner of this world.

When a loved one passes away many will go to a funeral but as a Kohen I’m restricted from attending most funerals (that contain a body). A Kohen is considered a direct descendant of Aaron and as such has priestly duties that contact with most of those that have passed away would interfere with  by making us “impure”. We also aren’t supposed to marry a divorcee or a convert but that is a different story.  This is a Torah/Bible law and therefore there isn’t much wiggle room except for the immediate family.  I believe that the wiggle room they have allowed permits you to attend the funeral of non-Jews but this is wiggle room I have decided not to accept. Truth be told in the past I have attended funerals of others that contain bodies but this doesn’t give me permission to continue to make such a mistake and to be perfectly honest this is one restriction I gladly accept.

Basic Judaism accepts that the path of the “Orthodox” observers is right but that doesn’t mean it’s the only path. The path for any Jew should be based on the Torah and the wise teachings from the Talmud but that doesn’t mean that this is the end. For without observing the world today these books become ancient to many of the faith. Here’s a good example, those who are traditional will not write on Shabbos because it is considered a “work activity” but too many today this activity has more to do with leisure and expressing themselves then any form of work. I’m one such individual who feels Shabbos is the time that one can ponder and think about deep issues but if one doesn’t write it down then it soon will be forgotten. Even if one is against writing with the standard instrument of a pencil writing on a computer or with a newer device might be seen as an alternative. What do you believe feel free to share your thoughts?

In the biblical days people would offer sacrifices on the altar to G-D for all different reasons but today we have no such Temple to make such an offering or do we?  The Temple might be destroyed but everyday (G-D willing) we are given bounty to eat so why can’t we leave a symbolic  amount to the one who has given us this and the ability to enjoy it. That is why before I take a bite of my food I put a small piece aside for G-D and leave the last morsel to G-D . Sometimes I’ll sacrifice an item of food I love because I want to make an offering for a transgression I’ve committed.  This is my own way of showing that I appreciate what G-D has given me and although there is no altar to bring it to at least I have not forgotten the desire to show my gratitude or ask for forgiveness.