basic judaism

A bad choice doesn’t have to lead to a dead end but just a longer path.  The road might be a bit more bumpier then if we went on the right course but in the end if we start making better choices we can still get there. Joseph’s brother’s sold him into slavery and claimed to his father that a wild beast took his life. This lead to despair for the entire family especially their father Jacob and might have led to years of famine but in the end G-D lead the family to a path of redemption peace and prosperity in a way no one would have imagined.  Many might believe that our poor decisions have put an end to our trail but remember G-D might have other paths that with the right decision open new doors of hope and happiness.

How do you know that your simple prayer is the balancing act in favor of good vs evil?  Those few words that come from your heart and soul maybe just what the world needs to have G-D give that policeman new insight to prevent a terrorist attack in Times Square, or maybe give the extra beat of a heart that gets a young child out of difficult surgery who knows what your prayer does?  I guess in the end when we meet our maker we will finally have that answer but in between I’ll say a few prayers to try to  keep that day away.

There are very few dreams that I can remember except for some nightmares such as dropping from a bridge yet dreams play such a significant force in prophetic individuals from the bible. Jacob’s dream of angels climbing a ladder is one such dream.  This dream had such a great impact on his life I wonder if we had such a dream would it impact us as well?  I guess if we heard G-D speaking to us in our dream it would hold a deeper thought then any other dream yet if it was a dream how would we know it was real or actually belief that it’s context was prophetic?  It must be that these individuals who had such dreams had a greater insight into the truth then we do today. That they could see the world conscious and unconscious with a deeper understanding because they weren’t clouded by the material world as we currently are. May G-D grant us a similar ability so when the message is brought to us we can hear it whether in our dreams or in our conscious life.

If you heard the voice would you believe or would you commit? I guess it depends what the voice said and even how it was heard? For that voice could be misunderstood as being the one when it was a Demon or even a psychotic episode. How could you know if you were the only one who heard and would you dare ask others if they ears, minds and souls were listening as well?  Would you respond to the voice or be too afraid to comment. Maybe it all depends not only what is said and how it is said but also how it makes you be. If this voice makes you a better person in your life and the life of others then listening /following should be the path that you take but if that voice does the opposite then it’s best to close those ears and seek professional help.

Can you imagine leaving your family and friends at a young age and starting a new life with someone you never met?  Let us say that this stranger enticed you with jewels but also a mission of faith would you follow? Would our parents agree to let leave even if you took a friend or two along the way? Probably not in today’s times but Rebecca the future wife of Issac took such a journey and because of this wondrous journey she became the matriarch to a great family of faith. For most of us such a trip appears to treacherous but if we’re stuck in one place in our life maybe it’s time we consider such a move if we see similar signs.

In today’s secular world too many souls don’t know how to fly and their beauty is hidden from themselves and the world. Basic Judaism doesn’t accept this principle and therefore beliefs the basic foundations of faith should be heard by all who have the ability to listen. Lot was pulled away from evil by Angels and we should be willing to do so for our fellow man whether they be people of the faith or those who feel lost and confused. When we ignore those because they have a different foundation then ours it can also bite us back as they fill that empty space with a philosophy that is bad for them and us as well. G-D has created every soul and we should try to reach out and help those in need with material as well as spiritual charity.

Those who take the bible seriously must understand that man and woman are equal in the eye’s of G-D. For G-D made woman out of the same body as a man not from some other worldly creature.  Furthermore even though man and woman are made from the same body it is from different parts which have different purposes that allow each to have their own strengths and weaknesses. We also can conclude that this is of prime purpose to G-D because it is the first mention of man and woman.  It is when these two unique bodies come together that G-D allows them to perfect the word that has been created for them to enjoy and take care of.

Simchat Torah is one of the most joyous holidays in the Jewish Calendars. It marks the end of the annually reading of the Torah and the beginning of a new cycle. This holiday is full of the good aspects that we love from these occasions including dancing with the ultimate partner (the Torah) the you can’t step on it’s feet, drinking a bit and finally  eating.  It also gives everyone a chance to hold the holy book while others rejoice around you.  Simchat Torah a time of the year it’s extra fun to be a Jew.