This photo was taken by friend of native Dogwoods blooming in Beacon NY.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7
With the Hebrew month of Nisan, God's creation comes to life. This blog post is inspired by Tree's.
TREES
A POEM BY JOYCE KILMER
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wea
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
A tree's rings tell us about the life of a tree.
Dendrochronology is the study and dating of annual rings in trees. A "dendrochronologist" is a scientist who uses tree rings to answer questions about the natural world humans faces as recorded in the rings of a tree.
A tree's rings tell you a tree's age. Each dark ring is another year. Each spring and summer a tree adds new layers of wood to it's trunk.
The wood formed in spring grows fast and is lighter because it consists of large cells. In summer, growth is slower; the wood has smaller cells and is darker. So when a tree is cut, the layers appear as alternating rings of light and dark wood.
Many things affect the way a tree grows. The conditions in a tree's life alter the shape, thickness, color and uniformity of it's rings. What the tree has been through, such as a drought or fire or a plague, are recorded in it's rings.
Trees react to their environment, and this reaction is reflected in their growth rings. Climate effects the width of tree rings. Other factors in the life of a tree, such as rockfalls, avalanches and attacks by insects and other wildlife, effect the formation of tree rings. Even the death of a neighboring tree, which increases the exposure to light may effect a tree's rings.
A prehistoric tree preserved for thousands of years in loam soil, bogs and lakes can tell us a great deal about life in the times when the tree was alive.
The beginning formation of a tree is called the "Heartwood." It is the central supporting pillar of a tree. Although dead, it will not decay or lose strength while the outer layers are intact.
The heartwood is generally rot-resistant, fungus-resistant, and somewhat insect-resistant.
Heartwood is often denser and harder than sapwood. It is sought after in woodworking. Heartwood provides a robust core that provides the structural strength which supports the tree.
At the very center of the heartwood is the "pith." Like stem cells in a human, the pith's cells of a tree are special undifferentiated cells. Pith cells (parenchyma) function in the storage of the nutrients. Pith cells give the tree life.
In language terms, the "pith" means the essence of something; the important or essential part. The pith is the core or heart of the matter. The pithiest part is the most significant; it carries the most weight. The pith is the essence.
Like our finger print, a tree's rings identify it. Our heart and lungs sustain us.
Tree's exchange CO² for Oxygen. Human lungs exchange O² for Carbon dioxide. The veins of each leaf are like a river network. Like human veins, they support the life of it's cells.
In the ancient Jewish science (NOT religion) of Creation there is the Tree of Life comprised of "Sefirot," meaning emanations. The sefirot are the attributes (emanations) through which the Ein Sof (The Infinite), the Creator, is revealed.
The 10 Points of Light;
Jacob's Ladder Tree of Life
Keter (Crown)
Chokmah (Wisdom)
Binah (Understanding/ Intelligence)
Hesed (Love)
Gevurah (Strength)
Tiferet (Beauty)
Netzach (Eminence)
Hod (Majesty Glory)
Yesod (Foundation)
Malkhut (Kingship)
Da'at is a location (the mystical state) where all ten sefirot in the Tree of Life are united as one. Da'at is roughly translated as "knowledge" or "consciousness" about things outside of oneself.
The Creator bestows. Creation recieves.
Proverbs 3:18-26
It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and those who draw near it are fortunate.
The Lord founded the earth with wisdom, established the heavens with discernment.
With His knowledge the depths were split, and the heavens drip dew.
My son, let them not depart from your eyes; guard sound wisdom and thought,
and they shall be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
Then you shall go securely on your way, and your foot shall not stumble.
If you lie down, you shall not fear, and when you lie down, your sleep shall be sweet.
Be not afraid of sudden terror, or of the darkness of the wicked when it will come.
For the Lord shall be your trust, and He shall keep your foot from being caught.
I hope this post blesses you.
Jonah
Epilogue:
The farm I am developing is called "Tree of Life" for many reasons including several alluded to in this blog post.
King Ptolemy II (283-246 BCE) wanted a Greek translation of the Torah (the Septuagint). He gathered 72 Israelite elders and sequestered them in 72 different houses.1 He visited each of them and instructed, “Translate for me the book of Moses your teacher.” Miraculously, each Sage’s translation was identical, even though they each independently made certain changes to the text. The Jewish elders felt that if they gave him G‑d’s literal words to Moses, Ptolemy might be misled or use it against the Jewish people.
Significantly, the Sages all altered the first verse of the Torah. Instead of writing בראשית—“Bereishit, (In) the beginning, created G‑d … ” they wrote אלקים—“Elokim (G‑d) created, (in) the beginning,” thus beginning the Torah with the letter א—aleph instead of the letter ב—bet.
The First Letter in the Torah
The first word in the Torah is Bereshit and the first letter in the first word is Bet. Bet is closely related to the Hebrew word for "House" Beit בַּיִת.
God Created In Two's
Bet is the second letter in the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. Bet is equivalent to the number 2. As such, Bet represents duality. God created the world in two's. Male & Female; East & West; North & South; Left & Right; Hot & Cold. The world is filled with opposite forces. There is only one God. A marriage is a balancing act; and effort to become one by finding the right balance. The Right balance is found in God. By doing so we establish and maintain a home.
The House
Before Passover, Jewish families prepare their homes by cleaning and removing all leavened foods, or chametz, from their house. (The Christian parallel is removing sin from one's home.)
God commanded the Israelites to bring the PascalLamb into their home for 4 days. Then, when it was time, at the start of the 5th day they were to consume* it entirely! (5 is the number that is associated with "behold" and the concept of something Godly being revealed.)
* The Christian can see a parallel to taking communion.
Psalms 121:8 -- "You will be guarded by God himself. You will be safe when you leave your home, and safely you will return. He will protect you now, and he'll protect you forevermore!"
PAY ATTENTION:
In the Bible, take note when the people are leaving or going to their houses or homes.
House and home are significant in the scriptures. "Returning home", "going home" and "coming home" have important spiritual implications in Judaism and Christianity. So does "leaving home."
Jesus returned to heaven to prepare a place for us in His Father's house. Mark 5:19 -- "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you"
What happens in a home and the roles of those who live in a home is important in so many ways. One's "house" speaks volumes about those who live in the home and how they live.
Genesis 28:16-19
And Jacob arose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had placed at his head, and he set it up as a monument, and he poured oil on top of it. And he named the place Beth El, (House of G-d) but Luz was originally the name of the city..
In Judaism, the phrase "the Place" (Hebrew-HaMakom) is one of the names for God. The verse above, Genesis 28.19, is the reason that Place was marked by a Rock. That Rock became a House. Jacob named the place Beth-El, House Of God. The letter that symbolizes the word for House (Beit) is the letter ב BET. One side of the letter Bet is open because God's house, like Abraham's tent is always open.
In it's ancient form the letter "Bet" was shaped like a tent. The Israelites traveled in tents during the Exodus.
Numbers 24.5
How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!
Bet is so important that God used the letter Bet (בַּ) to start the first word in the Bible - Bereshit בְּרֵאשִׁית which means "In beginning." Jewish sages say the Torah, and Creation, start with a bet because the world itself begins with—I and is contained within—the letter Bet.
The word Ben (Bet Nun) pictured above in their ancient form also means Son. The letter NUN in Son has the numeric equivalent to 50 (Pentecost). 50 is Jubilee. The shape of the ancient NUN is a fish/seed.
The first two letters in the Hebrew word Bereshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית) are Bet and Resh (בְּרֵ). They make the Aramaic word "Bar" which means "Son."
Imagine how sad and difficult life would be without a house or home. A house (Beit) provides shelter, a critical means for survival. But there is more to life than survival. Man is not meant to be alone, and thus God created woman. Together, a father (Av-אָב in Hebrew and Abba-אבא in Aramaic) and a mother (Emma-אִמָא) make a house (Beit) into a home where they build a family by adding a son (Ben-בֵּן) and/or a daughter (Bet-בַּת). In the Torah, the legacy of the family is handed down through the Son. ("Son of").
The first three letters in Bereshit בְּרֵאשִׁית, spell בְּרֵא (Bra). Pronounced Barah. בְּרֵא (Bra) means “ "create.”
So we have HOUSE Bet (בַּ), SON Bar (בְּרֵ) and CREATE בְּרֵא (Bra) in the first 3 letters IN THE BEGINNING (Bereshit בְּרֵאשִׁית) of the first WORD of CREATION in the Bible. How cool is that!!
Getting back to just the letter Bet, one way we can find the meaning of BET is through Psalm 119. Psalm 119 is organized around each of the 22 letters in the Hebrew aleph-bet. For each letter there are 8 verses that provide us insight and understanding of the respective letter. The 8 verses associated with Bet are found in verses 9 - 16. The Hebrew word that starts each verse is printed in bold when translated into English.
Psalm 119: 9-16 9. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. 10. With my whole heart I have sought You. Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments. 11. Your word I have hidden in my heart that I may not sin against You. 12. Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your statutes. 13. With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. 14. I have rejoiced IN the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15. I will meditate on your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. 16. I will delight myself in your statutes; I will not forget Thy word.
Walking in the ways of the Lord brings us closer to God. Our home is an expression of our inner self and when we go out of our home we are a reflection of what happens in our home.
Genesis 7.1
And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
The phrase “come and see” appears four times in the Gospel of John.
The world renowned Kabbalist, Michael Laitman, Ph d. writes that, "The Creator is the quality of love and bestowal. In the works of Kabbalah, "The Zohar states that the reason G‑d created the world is “So that we may know Him.” Rabbi Chaim Vital in Etz Chaim writes that “G‑d wished to reveal the complete array and perfection of His powers and deeds.”
God created Man in His image. He put the Devine Light of the Creator in us. To achieve our connection with God we need to be like God, to walk in His ways. He commanded us to Love our Fellow. By bestowing loving kindness (Chesed) we connect with the one another and the Holy One.
God created such a beautiful and diverse world Garden for us to live in.
Tragically for Mankind that wasn't enough. We wanted more. So we ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil. So God put us outside the Garden -- outside the home God prepared for us. But God is always calling us back. His House is always open.
John 14:23 -- Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
In Exodus, God instructs (the word Torah means instruction) Moses on precisely how to build the Tabernacle.
Parshat Pekudei (Exodus 38:21–40:38) describes the manufacture of the vestments of the priests and high priests which were described in the previous portion of Tetzaveh, where God instructs Moses how these garments are to be assembled.
God instructs on the very specific materials, dimensions & shapes and certain colors that are to be used to construct the Tabernacle. The Holy of Holies is covered in a special way. What is it about all of this design the suites God's taste? Is this about accommodating God or receiving God?
Light travels through a 186,282.397 miles through a vacuum (space) at exactly 983,571,056 feet PER SECOND! Through the vacuum of space, all light, regardless of wavelength or energy, travels at the same speed.
Each of the gem stones and each of the dyes God specified in the making of the Tabernacle have a certain color. What is it about the colors of the Tabernacle that God's wants us to see?
I think the answer has something to do with light. Light is most accurately described by frequency and wavelength.
Regardless of the object, color is it's own thing. In science terms, light, is both a frequency and a wave. Each color is a particular frequency with a particular wave. Color is a universal language. Light powers our planet.
What scientists call photons, we call light. Photonics deals with the science behind light waves. Quantum physics deals with the behavior of nature at and below the scale of atoms. A Photon is a particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation. A photon carries energy proportional to the radiation frequency but has zero rest mass.
There is an ancient secret science that is rooted in the Torah and Prophets which explains the "radiance" of the Creator and all of his creation. In my personal opinion, Yeshua was fully aware of this science and as I see it, his teachings are extremely entwined with the great teachings of this supernatural science regarding the Light that God bestows and what His creature's recieve.
The highest-frequency of visible light is roughly speaking blue. Violet waves have the most energy of the visible spectrum. The higher the frequency, the faster the oscillations and thus the higher the energy. The highest-frequency with the lowest wavelength is ultra-violet light.
UV radiation constitutes about 10% of the total electromagnetic radiation output from the Sun. The photons of ultraviolet have greater energy than those of visible light. Short-wave ultraviolet light is ionizing radiation; it damages DNA and sterilizes surfaces with which it comes into contact. Ultraviolet light is also responsible for the formation of vitamin D in most land vertebrates, including humans.
Violet is made up of the colours blue and red. Those are two of the colors in the dyed wool. Purple is also made from red and blue. When the dyed fabrics threads are woven together with the white linen I would imagine the color that the fabric would have given off from a distance would be the color violet.
The Holy of Holies, where the Ark was placed, was covered with such think fabrics that the inside would have been completely dark. It was pitch darkness year round. The light outside is totally separated from the darkness inside. That means there was zero interference from ANY frequency of VISIBLE light EXCEPT the holy light provided by that seven-fold lamp stand in the outer tabernacle when the veil was pulled back. Inside the holy of holies, there was only darkness. This is THE PLACE where the priest would meet with God. It was inside this inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle, where there was no zero light interference where the Shekhinah (God's presence) appeared.
Light also played a part in how the High Priest made decisions. The אוּרִים (Urim) and תֻּמִּים (Thummim) also known as the "Lights and Perfection" are two gem stones that were built into the breastplate worn by the ancient Hebrew Temple High Priest. They were a means of casting lots. They would look for which one would light up. In effect the light frequency would be seen as a sign from Hashem. Kind of a "true or false" or "yes or no" outcome to a question. In a sense, they were consulted like an oracle of Adonai.
Isaiah 54:11-12
“O afflicted, desolate, and comfortless, behold, I will set thy stones in antimony, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. I will make thy pinnacles of agate, and thy gates of carbuncle, and all thy wall of precious stones.”
Blue Sapphire:
Israel, prophecy and precious stones are closely linked in the bible. The sapphire in particular is a stone with an ancient spiritual significance for Judeo-Christianity.
Exodus 24:10
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
It symbolizes God's Glory, purity and Gevurah (God's severity)[19][20]
The blue stripes are intended to symbolize the stripes on a tallit, the traditional Jewish prayer shawl. The Star of David is a widely acknowledged symbol of the Jewish people and of Judaism. In Judaism, the color blue symbolises God's glory, purity and gevurah (God's severity). The White field represents Chesed (Divine Benevolence). The history behind the source of the original dye for the color blue is an interesting one.
Each of the 12 gemstones on the breastplate represents one of the tribes of Israel. There is disagreement on what the gems in the Breastplate actually were, but the most comprehensive studies suggest that they may have been (1st row) Carnelian, Peridot and Emerald, (2nd row) Garnet, Lapis Lazuli and Quartz, (3rd row) Yellow Zircon, Banded Agate and Amethyst, (4th row) Citrine, Onyx and Green Jasper.
Many sagely commentators focus on the relationship between each stone and the tribe whose name was inscribed on it, associating the color and other qualities of the gem with the virtues of its respective tribe.
"Gemstones are inanimate matter, yet they shine and impart radiance. The stones of the breastplate thus empowered the Jews to refine their coarse animalistic souls and make them shine. Similarly, words of prayer may on their own be “inanimate,” but through imbuing them with feeling, each word becomes a dazzling gem." Rabbi Yehuda Altein
Colors are important to people. We start our day choosing the colors we want to wear. We start a new home choosing colors. We like to pick out the color of our car. We notice the colors in the sky. Spring is marked by colorful flowers and birds. Color is everywhere in our lives. The source for all those colors, including our ability to see and recognize them, is a gift from God. They are made possible by light.
When white light is passed through a glass prism it splits into its spectrum of 7 colors. The spectrum in order is: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. These are the colors of the rainbow that God showed us after the flood, when rain came down for the first time.
Genesis 9:11-17
And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud.
A New Testament Case for God as Light -- Ultra-Violet Light and the Shroud of Turin:
There are puzzling enigmas regarding the image on the Shroud that is believed to have been Yeshua's burial Shroud.
- The image is only on the uppermost surface of the fibrils, thus it could not have been formed by chemicals.
- The image shows the whole body, however not all areas of the cloth came into contact with the whole body.
- The image was not produced by vapors from chemicals or vapors from the corpse itself.
- There is a double image on both the front of the cloth and on the back, but no image in the middle of the cloth, implying that the cloth collapsed into a mechanically transparent body.
One theory is the image was created by intense vacuum ultraviolet radiation that produced a perfect three-dimensional negative image of both the frontal and dorsal parts of the body wrapped in it.
The startling discovery of an image on both the front and back of the cloth implies that the cloth collapsed into and through the body. There is no scientific explanation of how this could have happened unless the body became mechanically transparent, causing the cloth to collapse into it. If the cloth did collapse into the body, then the ultraviolet light would have completely surrounded the body. This would produce a double image on both the front and the back of the cloth, but nothing on the fibers in the middle.
The last enigma concerns the bones of the hand which appear visible—as if they were encased in flesh. The process that formed the image recorded both the inside of the hand (the skeleton) and the outside of the hand (the flesh surrounding the skeleton) at the same time.
This again implies that somehow the body covered with the Shroud became mechanically transparent, and that the cloth collapsed into and through this body. If it had not done so, the image would only be of the outside of the body.
Scientists studying the data state:
“Currently, the known laws of physics cannot explain how a decomposing body can emit an intense burst of vacuum ultraviolet radiation. Furthermore, they cannot explain how such a body could become mechanically transparent and emit light from every three dimensional point within it.”
The most recent scientific evidence makes it clear that the image on the well known Schroud of Turin involved a burst of electromagnetic energy.
Some scientists have deduced that vacuum Ultra-Violet radiation is the only possible explanation for the image’s formation. First, in order to turn linen into a perfectly photographically sensitive material you need light radiation. However, it must be without any accompanying heat radiation.
The formation of the Shroud’s image would take several billion watts of light radiation, which exceeds the maximum output of any source of UV radiation known today. If the accompanying heat energy had been present, the cloth would have vaporized in less than 1/40 billionth of a second.
Teams of independent experts have concluded:
“In particular, vacuum ultraviolet photons account for the very thin coloration depth, the hue of color and the presence of image in linen parts not in contact with the body."
Despite the breakthroughs, scientists are still unable to replicate the Shroud’s ‘impossible image’ – that is, the high-resolution, photographic-negative, 3-D image that appeared on the cloth after the wounds, blood flows and blood clots had formed.
It is reasonable to infer that there is some transphysical cause for the emission of this kind of radiation. After all, Jesus was not just raised from the dead, His body changed from a physical one to a glorified transphysical one. Remember, He was able to pass through solid doors, but He was not a ghost; the apostles touched Him, and He ate with them.
Luke 2:30-32
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
2 Peter 1:19
There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Revelation 22.5
Shout out to Bobby H:
Revelation 22:16-17
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” (BA) And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
I suppose I can call this blog post a remembrance in honor of my good and loyal chaver (friend), Benji.
It has been a long night. At 3 am on the 13th day of the 3rd month - The 3rd day of Adar II - I lost my very dear friend. Our family pet (member) Benji. 😪 A 13 year old Labradoodle. I laid by his side till his last breath. I miss him already.
When I came home from scripture study group tonight Benji's brother Casper came to greet me at my car door without Benji. The two ALWAYS greeted me together. "Where's Benji?" I asked Casper.
Benji was laying oddly near the mudroom door I come in. He looked at me from where he laid as if to say "I need your help." I went over to Benji and helped his 85lbs off the lawn furniture he put himself on at some point earlier in the day. I put his front legs on the ground. He waited for me to help him with his rear legs too. He had virtually no strength and was very wobbly. Benji struggled to make his way inside, rather than expecting me to carry him in, but as soon as he made his way into the kitchen his big body collapsed to the floor.
Benji stretched himself flat on the rug and looked at me with his big eyes. He looked so sad and I knew he wanted me to join him on the floor. I did. Never leaving his side.
I cuddled up to Benji and we laid together for hours right where he went down. I told Benji "stay," just so Benji could feel like he was still following commands. A dog wants to serve his master, and I knew that the only command Benji could follow was "stay." It was my way off giving Benji his dignity as " my dog." He could do "stay."
All his life Benji wanted to be my side, now it was time to be by his. I reassured him he was still a "good boy Benji" He knew this phrase. Just like he knew all his commands. "Good boy Benji" seemed to comfort him. I said it over & over as we laid and he labored to breath. I said it to try to reward him for his lifetime of good behavior, loyalty and friendship. I wanted Benji to know that he was STILL a "good dog" even if he couldn't get up, or sit, or go with me from where he laid ever again. I wanted Benji know I was with him. I didn't want him to be afraid of anything!
Benji knew it was his time. He kept his eyes open and looked into mine many times during these evening hours. He made an attempt to join his buddy and brother Casper one more time to "go outside" to relieve himself. But he could not lift himself off the floor.
They always went outside together. They always came in together too. They waited for each other all the time! They were inseparable. One of the saddest moments tonight was when Benji couldn't join Casper to go out. He tried so hard, lifting his front up for just a moment and looking at Casper, then dropping himself back to the floor. It was like Benji was implying to Casper, "go on without me." Casper went and quickly came back. He stayed the night with us in the kitchen. All of us, Mary too. She laid down under the dining table. We all wanted to be with our family member.
Casper knew it was Benji's time to pass. I comforted Benji and assured him he could relieve himself inside as laid with me on the kitchen floor. He did and when Casper came in he laid down with his body beside Benji's for a time, the last time they would be laying with one another. It seemed like Casper needed to feel Benji's closeness one more time and to be by his friend's side.
Benji was a large animal with a gentle soul. He was a "Certified Therapy Animal" and we were a team. We were "Partners." That's the technical term for it. Certified Service dogs have a special quality and Benji had a gift for comforting anyone who meet him. In a room with people he always knew who needed his body beside them. The interesting thing I learned "working" with him on volunteer visits is that what he did was counter intuitive. Benji's means of comforting someone was to recieve affection. It was allowing a person "in need" of comfort "to give" affection that made the "patient" feel better. Benji was affectionate with just his presence. Benji would draw people out to bestow kindness. When Benji stood by a person, they wanted to pet him.
The Hebrew word for love, ahavah, reveals this true definition of love, for the word ahavah is built upon the root consonants h‑v, which means “to give.”
The Hebrew word for friend is Chaver. For me, his name was Benji. R.I.P. One other thing I just noticed about Benji's name. The first three letters are "Ben." That is the Hebrew word for "Son." Ben or Bar is also the first word inside the first word in the Torah -- Bereshit בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית
P.S. If you click on the tag DrBenji Labradoodle it will take you to Benji's Facebook page. I kept it to remember some of the special moments we worked together as a "Pet Partner's Therapy Team."
P.P.S. Most everyone who reads this post has gone through the loss of multiple animals. Each is special with your own experiences. God blesses.
Dear Beacon
and Poughkeepsie City Council Members:
The
definition of antisemitism authored by the International Holocaust Remembrance
Alliance (IHRA) was nearly unanimously adopted by the Dutchess County Human
Rights Council and the Dutchess County Legislature in 2023. It is endorsed by
the Jewish Federation of Dutchess County.
This
definition stipulates actions, any one of which, is deemed anti-Semitic. One of
those is:
"Applying
double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any
other democratic nation."
Now
let's consider what this city council knows:
Regardless of any believed justification, this council must recognize that the
current war began with the attack by Hamas on Oct 7th before which there was a
ceasefire. Hamas has broken every ceasefire there has been.
This
council must recognize that the attack by Hamas on Oct 7th was planned for the
purposes of drawing Israeli soldiers into Gaza for a deadly conflict that would
take place amongst a dense civilian population.
This
council must recognize that Hamas has the ability at any time to put a halt to
the war by surrendering themselves, their weapons and the hostages. Furthermore, by not doing so Hamas chooses to continue the war.
This
council must recognize that Hamas intentionally distributed hostages throughout
Gaza, thus forcing the IDF to fight throughout Gaza in order to recover it's
citizens. Clearly, Hamas made extraordinary plans and efforts to hid the
hostages thus prolonging the conflict and adding to civilian losses.
This
council must recognize that by storing weapons intended to kill Israelis in
schools, hospitals, mosques, U.N. offices and homes throughout Gaza that
Hamas deliberately endangered civilian lives.
This
council must recognize that Israel has the right to use force to seize and
destroy weapons from their enemy vowed to use them kill Jews again and
again.
This
council should know that Hamas murders any Palestinian opposition in Gaza and
that Hamas pays the families of terrorists who murder civilian men, women and
children.
This
council must know that Hamas deliberately and strategically prevents civilians
from escaping the violence and from receiving humanitarian aid. Furthermore, Hamas leaders divert money and resources intended for civilians to their
personal benefit.
This
council should know that Hamas controls the educational system in Gaza and uses
it to brainwash children to grow up dreaming to kill Jews.
This
council should know that the only hope Hamas instills in the civilian
population is the death of all Jews in Israel.
This
council must understand that Israel is fighting an enemy that is a terrorist
organizations which is sworn to the destruction of Israel.
This
council must recognize that a ceasefire will be used by Hamas like the dozens
of other ceasefires it violated, to reload in order to pursue it's mission to
kill more Jews.
The
members of this council must be able to imagine whether they would be calling
for a ceasefire if it was their family and friends who were brutally raped and
murdered on Oct 7th.
This
council has every reason to believe Hamas means it when they vowed to repeat
Oct 7th again and again.
This
council must recognize that this resolution demands a behavior of Israel that
it has not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
Therefore,
the resolutions before members of both city councils fit the very
definition of antisemitism which this County's own Legislature and the Human Rights
Commission adopted.
By
passing this resolution this council would literally be endorsing antisemitism.
Passage of this resolution will damage the reputation of this City,
validate hatred of Israel and endanger the lives of Jewish residents you are
sworn to serve.
This
resolution as written is highly offensive to many of your city's residents who
have contributed to the well being of this city for many years and in many
cases a lifetime.
The
resolution should NOT be passed by this city council. I urge you to put it down
and consider real ways of helping civilians on both sides RATHER THAN
of cursing Israel.
Respectfully,
R.
Jonah Ritter Parent
and Grandparent to Beacon residents City
of Poughkeepsie Homeowner Vice
President of the Jewish Federation of D.C. Past
President Vassar Temple Past
President of the D.C. Realtors Association
Consider the following hypothetical scenario as a basis for whether Israel has a moral obligation to ceasefire in Gaza. After you read the scenario below, answer 2 simple questions.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD YOU KILL IN THIS SCENARIO?
SAY there is a room with 10 people in it.
SAY that every one of the 10 people in that room is armed with a gun.
SAY that room is right next to a room with you and your entire family and close friends in it. Say that only one man in your room, you, has a gun and it is your responsibility to defend your entire family and friends in your room.
SAY that every single one in the room of 10 next to your room is determined to kill every single person in your room. All ten of them pray to kill you, dream of killing you and teach their children to want to kill you. In fact they are so determined to kill you that they consider it the highest honor to die themselves in the effort of trying to kill you.
SAY that 2 of the people from the room next to you break into your room. The two of them kill your father, rape and kill your wife and daughter. They also kidnap your mother and cousin and take them back to their room where the other 8 people are. They are torturing your mother and cousin.
SAY those 10 people did this with the expectation that you would come to their room to rescue your family members. And, they were preparing to kill you when you do.
Answer the following two moral questions:
1. Would you go to rescue your family members?
2. If you do, how many of those ten people are you prepared to kill? In other words, at what point did you ceasefire?
In this scenario, let's further say that there are some additional unarmed non-combattens in the room with the 10 people. They are aware of the situation at play, including what their roommates did to your family. What's more, they are quite thrilled and proud of what their roommates did to your roommates!
These unarmed non-combattens are free to leave the room. In fact, you encouraged them to do so and gave them time to do so! But they chose to stay, being fully aware of the risks. Who is to blame if some of those unarmed non-combattens are killed or injured during the ensuing battle?
Take events in America and around the world since around the start of this millennium, the year 2000. Imagine these as images. They could be people, headlines or even a concept. The images do not need to be in chronological order. Your thoughts can be random. They will be random.
Scan the globe -- The images and thoughts can be of something 5,000 thousand miles away or in your state. They can be of political or financial or cultural events or anything meaningful to large bodies of people. The subjects and images aren't personal even though you may have personal opinions about them. You might even find yourself having a conversation with someone in your mind.
Stand back. Widen your lens. Remove your ego from what you see. Don't judge the images. Simply see the pictures as a collection, like a collage or a reel. Allow feelings to drift by you -- let them just come and go. You may have a feeling but don't apply any emotion to what you see -- Just watch.
Don't overthink this exercise. Allow God's Spirit, in your subconscious, not your intellect, to choose what you see. You don't even need to be aware that you're seeing anything. Your subconscious mind can process this without you consciously seeing and knowing what is happening. All you need to do is intentionally direct your mind and allow yourself some time, some seconds, to perform this task uninterrupted by other demands and distractions. Shut off everything else.
Don't be concerned if totally random and seemingly irrelevant and trivial images pop up. Don't focus or think about the images, just let them scroll by you like a series of shutter frames. Do the same with the thoughts associated with any image. When you reach the present let the inertia take you forward in time. Sense the future and the way the world is heading.
Now, let go of ALL the images. Rather than traveling in time, move beyond the dimension bounded by time. Enter the spiritual realm. There is only Light. Connect with the Love in the Light. This is the Light of the Creator.
Form an intention for the Glory of the Devine to reveal Himself. Seek correction and guidance. Pray for that. Pray for the world. As difficult as things seem, come to a place of gratitude to the Lord.
You are exercising your "sixth sense" and applying it to the situation mankind is faced with. This is your Spiritual sense. It is your ability to make a connection with the Creator, Hashem.
Epilogue:
Our world is facing a crossroads. Humanity has reached a crucial threshold. We are in a spiritual battle. Evil forces are at hand. Good will prevail, but many will suffer terribly. We have an important role to play, but in order to play a positive role we need understanding so we do what we can to minimize the suffering.
