FEATURED JOBS
I wanted to share the discussion you brought up in this article not because it has much to do with Jewish anti-Semitism those who loathe who they are and therefore work against Jews and Israel as well as those who allow the political proclivities to take the place of traditional theology … but because there is a profound lesson here about the role of the Jewish people and their relationship with G-d. I hope I do the concept justice….
Remember G-d never said it would be easy, He only promised it would be worth it ... I think sometimes our tests in life are painful for a reason; they test our degree of commitment to G-d not only in times of strife but also in times of plenty and blessing. What is our commitment on a spiritual level (internal) as well as external (giving money, time, writing letters etc.)...
I think the basis of Jewish anti-Semitism and even in a broader scope of in-fighting within Jewish communities , there appears to be a deep sense of self hatred and loathing, a regret of being different. Those who engage in this behavior and act on it nourish this hatred and allow it to fester in every aspect of their lives; particularly disturbing this newspaper, The Baltimore JEWISH Times and their editorial board/opinion columnists and the constant haranguing against the Orthodox community, which frankly is exhausting, have allowed their political proclivities to overrule their Ahavat Yisrael. They deeply believe that anti-Semitism will go away if all the Jews would give up and give in and just assimilate chuck it all to be like everyone else.
Nothing could be further from the truth. When G-d gave Moses the commandments at Sinai, He was setting the Jewish nation apart from the masses of idol worshipping pagans, He was raising them to a new standard and in essence giving to them a bit of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh with the very first utterance of
“I am the Lord your G-d and you shall have NO other G-ds before me.” The statement is clear; He didn’t say I was the G-d or I will be the G-d; He said “I am the Lord your G-d…”
PRESENT TENSE…
I (G-d) will be here with you, times are going to get really bad but I need you to remember that my word is everlasting, forever, eternal and the covenant I make with you is unbreakable ... you are my people, my children I will see you through the mess that this world is going to become because there are people who will abuse their free will and agency and do evil things, but I need you to do your part to stand even if you have to stand alone in the cesspool and slime of whatever place you live—you my children, will be held up a higher standard for all to aspire to; you will be my light in the darkness and if you will do this then come hell or high water I’ll have your back and there will be times when your very survival will hang by a thread but I will be there—I am telling each of you every one of my creations has their free will to choose good or evil and some will be victims of others choosing evil, but I will always preserve, even if it is just a remnant, of my chosen to carry on this covenant. It will be you and me against the world; I will go before you in battle both physical and spiritual but you have to stay on my team ... what do you say?
Thankfully, the majority of those gathered at the foothills of Mt Sinai entered into the covenant and the world is better place for it.
It is unfortunate that some have forgotten whose team they are on and have lost their way and thank G-d we have good people be they from Chabad, Heredi, Modern Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Humanistic or even reconservodox Jews who extend their hands and invite all Jews to join them… to re-kindle their Jewish light to let their neshama come out of the closet ...
as a human family we must turn away from the very thing that caused the destruction of the 1st temple, baseless hatred, to live by the constant mitzvot of Ahavat Yisrael ... What is Ahavat Yisrael and what does it have to do with anything in the 21st century?
A. “Ahavat Yisrael” means “love of Israel”—but who’s Israel? We don’t mean the country here. Israel is you. Israel is me. Israel is all of us. All Jews alive today together comprise this massive thing called “Israel.” And that’s why Israel the country has that name—because it’s the place that is home to “Israel”: all Jews. So, “love of Israel” means love of fellow Jew.
B. Love of fellow Jew is based on the Torah, where it says, “Love your fellow as yourself.” It’s an attitude—a friendly, helpful attitude towards fellow Jews.
C. Ahavat Yisrael is a spiritual approach to life that produces physical results—friendship, kindness and unity amongst Jewish people. This spiritual approach says we are all little sections of the same cosmic entity, We are all part of each other, and if we hurt each other, we’re really hurting ourselves.
(Special thanks to AskMoses.com)
A timely reminder to us all … Go, spread Ahavat Yisrael, to all before it’s too late.