Facebook and the Bomb
Recently I was abruptly interrupted from my childlike stupor, which had ensured me that reason would eventually prevail in the world. What happened… you may ask? Well, I have always felt that, when it comes down to it, people will be reasonable and rational, even if they have a few hiccups along the way. It all started about a month ago, on Facebook, when I received a friend request from someone that I didn’t know. As usual, when this occurs, I sent him a message asking him how he found me. He replied that he liked what I wrote on the status of a Dali Lama post. I don’t remember what it was now, but probably something that differed with Mr. Lama’s assertion about compassion for our fellow human beings, in and of itself, as a way to true and everlasting peace in the world. I feel that without a higher source, we will always get lost in the fluff of our egos, but more on the ‘ego’ thing later. Once this guy and I were ‘Facebook friends,’ I commented a few times on his posts, which were mostly things about how we are all headed for some kind of a new ‘human’ experience that he called an ‘awakening.’ I liked reading what he had to write, even if he really didn’t lay out a path to get there and he often ‘liked’ my comments, which made me feel good too. We had become ‘real-Facebook friends.’ You know— the three Sh’s; Short-term, Shallow, and… well you catch my drift.
So, the other day I opened my inbox and lo-and-behold, a large Palestinian flag and the words “Free Palestine” were written there. I have seen all that propaganda before, so it was nothing new or special, but it was on my personal Facebook wall! When I want to read about how the other camp is manipulating the issues, I will (and I do) go find out for myself. When I use Facebook, I want to maintain my childlike stupor and pretend that the world is really not all that bad and that we can rely on things like reason to solve the world’s woes. Was I being naive or what?
Well, this wall spammer was not a Palestinian, an Arab, or even a Muslim. This guy was a real American. He seemed like a normal sort of bloke. He seemed to love Obama, he was very interested in the democratic process, he even seemed sensible. So, when I wrote him a discrete, non-challenging, private message, trying to inform him that someone had spammed his wall, thus... spamming my wall, with these obviously false accusations about an Apartheid Palestine, a Palestinian people that were under the oppression of Jews, and even outright inciting to racial hatred against Jews based on absurd and false pretenses and accusations, I was shocked to learn that he... disagreed. I sent him a link to a Palestinian journalist’s (Khaled Abu Toameh) writings that really do an amazing job of exposing the truth of the real problem that the ‘Palestinian’ people are suffering from — oppression by their own leaders and other Arab countries… and my new Facebook friend didn’t care. I tried to explain that historically there was never any people called Palestinians anywhere on the planet and that the Romans invented the word ‘Palestine’ 2,000 years ago in an effort to wipe the Jews (Israel) off the map... and he didn’t care. I tried to explain that no autonomous country, besides Israel (twice over), has ever stood on that spot in the Middle East in the history of the world... and he didn’t care. It seemed to go against his world view to admit that there was such a thing as the Jewish people; and that they had lived in the Land of Israel for over 3,000 years. He didn’t even care about all of the media blackout issues with regards to the truth of the pretty amazing quality of life that the people of Gaza seem to enjoy (Have you seen the new Gaza Mall and the Beach life there?) They even have a thriving middle class ― no doubt from all the foreign ‘aid’ money that keeps pouring in… He chose to believe the mainstream media that pipes all those slanted, biased, and just plain made-up stories into every American’s home. In the end, he
chose his own ego over the democratic process and the real plight of the people. In the end… he chose to align himself with Esau and the power of the west.
I guess this is where this week’s parsha, Vayishlach, comes in…
Jacob, after living as an indentured servant for 20 years, working for Mr. White, begins his 2 year long trek home to Eretz Israel. Along the way, he discovers that his twin brother Esau is plotting to kill him with 400 soldiers. (400, by the way is equivalent to the ‘Evil Eye’ or Ayin Hara, but that is kind of another story.) So, Jacob counters this threat by, first, praying, then sending gifts to his brother, and then by preparing for battle. Rabbis from the time of the Greeks and Romans, all the way up to modern day prime ministers of Israel, have been sought out to consult with when a Jewish leader was required to speak or negotiate with a potentially dangerous leader of Goyim (non-Jews) in the world and this parsha’s lessons were taught to them all. According to Rabbi Hirsch, “Just as Jacob and Esau oppose each other here (in this parsha), so they continue to stand opposed to one another unto this very day.”
I know, you want to know how it works, don’t you? OK. First, Esau becomes Edom. The Edomites then become Rome through Antipater of Edom and his son King Herod, when they invite in the Romans, who take over Israel and after the Great Revolt, rename it Palestine. The Romans have pretty much taken over the western world by then, but between the years 306 and 337, Emperor Constantine of Rome converts to Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church then spreads through the western part of the Roman Empire, becoming the ‘not-so-Holy,’ ‘not-so-Roman,’ and ‘not-such-an-Empire,’ Holy Roman Empire and this solidifies Esau in the seat of power.
learning about these events in history, it is possible to see that every step of the way, power and might are crucially involved in order to create the next transformation of Esau, and it all started, way back in the parsha of the week or two ago, with Isaac’s blessing to Esau: “See, your dwelling place will be of the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above. You will live by your sword and you will serve your brother; only when you will humble yourself will you loosen his yoke from your neck.”
So, how do we see this today you may ask? Keep in mind that according to the Rabbis, there is a spiritual underpinning to everything that happens in the world. We all have responsibilities and Jacob’s responsibility is to learn and then teach the world about Hashem, bringing light unto the nations. Esau’s responsibility is to burry his ego, humbling himself enough, so that he can hear Jacob and understand who actually runs the world ― Hashem, not a bank account, a car, a job, an idol, or a man. Hashem is not only the Creator of the universe but the sustainer of the universe, directly involved in every instant that happens in the world.
I read the other day about how Obama has decided to give Israel 20 F-35 Stealth Fighter Aircraft for free... well not for free really, in an effort to convince the Netanyahu government to impose a three-month moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank. My first thought was, “Yeah... that sounds good to me!” But, then I thought about it some mor
e. Aren’t we supposed to be giving the Goyim gifts and offerings? And aren’t they supposed to be humbling themselves to the power of Hashem? With Iran scheduled to begin five days of nationwide air defense war games this week, I have to wonder what Netanyahu is thinking. The word on the street is that Israeli defense officials are saying that the arrival of these joint strike fighters is of critical importance for the security of the State of Israel...
All I can say to that is, ‘in the words of Rabbi Abraham Twerski, “Sometimes our appetites are insatiable; more accurately, we act as though they are insatiable. The Midrash states that a person may never be satisfied. ‘If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he gets two hundred, he wants four hundred’ (Koheles Rabbah 1:34). How often have we seen people whose insatiable desire for material wealth resulted in their losing everything, much like the gambler whose constant urge to win results in a total loss?”’
Iran with a Bomb
won’t even need to use it in order to destroy Israel. The only truly safe haven for Jews around the world is Israel and has been that way since the modern state of Israel began on the heels of the Holocaust, when 6,000,000 Jews and 3,000,000 disabled, gay, or otherwise ‘undesirable,’ people were slaughtered by fascism. If Iran gets a bomb, it will no longer be safe for Jews in Israel, driving them away and around the world. Obama knows this and it seems to fit right into his plan of one world government for one world people, making everyone the same, and, in his mind, making peace on Earth (just like my former Facebook friend). The Iranians and the Muslims also want peace on Earth and they will conquer and subjugate everyone in order to arrive at that goal; and they are very patient. The Jews are also seeking peace on Earth, but a peace that revolves around knowing who the real Boss is and where we human beings really stand.
What have I learned? Well, it seems that true freedom seeking has become an underground movement. It seems that we are no longer able to meet in public and voice our opinions, unless they fall in line with the status quo. What is the status quo? Be politically correct or else face censorship and moral indignation (on Facebook no less!). I have always been a center-left thinker and when I see my own principles turned on me by my own camp, all I can say is that, ‘I refuse to be brain-washed by any fascist regime, whether it calls itself the voice of the people, the democratic process, or rational realism for a one world order or even some kind of awakening.’ We all have the ability to look deeper into the facts with an open mind, without shutting down out of fear of reprisals, financial loss, or even loosing a few Facebook friends...
I have learned that blind idealism is Fascism, plain and simple.
Shabbat Shalom!
So, the other day I opened my inbox and lo-and-behold, a large Palestinian flag and the words “Free Palestine” were written there. I have seen all that propaganda before, so it was nothing new or special, but it was on my personal Facebook wall! When I want to read about how the other camp is manipulating the issues, I will (and I do) go find out for myself. When I use Facebook, I want to maintain my childlike stupor and pretend that the world is really not all that bad and that we can rely on things like reason to solve the world’s woes. Was I being naive or what?
Well, this wall spammer was not a Palestinian, an Arab, or even a Muslim. This guy was a real American. He seemed like a normal sort of bloke. He seemed to love Obama, he was very interested in the democratic process, he even seemed sensible. So, when I wrote him a discrete, non-challenging, private message, trying to inform him that someone had spammed his wall, thus... spamming my wall, with these obviously false accusations about an Apartheid Palestine, a Palestinian people that were under the oppression of Jews, and even outright inciting to racial hatred against Jews based on absurd and false pretenses and accusations, I was shocked to learn that he... disagreed. I sent him a link to a Palestinian journalist’s (Khaled Abu Toameh) writings that really do an amazing job of exposing the truth of the real problem that the ‘Palestinian’ people are suffering from — oppression by their own leaders and other Arab countries… and my new Facebook friend didn’t care. I tried to explain that historically there was never any people called Palestinians anywhere on the planet and that the Romans invented the word ‘Palestine’ 2,000 years ago in an effort to wipe the Jews (Israel) off the map... and he didn’t care. I tried to explain that no autonomous country, besides Israel (twice over), has ever stood on that spot in the Middle East in the history of the world... and he didn’t care. It seemed to go against his world view to admit that there was such a thing as the Jewish people; and that they had lived in the Land of Israel for over 3,000 years. He didn’t even care about all of the media blackout issues with regards to the truth of the pretty amazing quality of life that the people of Gaza seem to enjoy (Have you seen the new Gaza Mall and the Beach life there?) They even have a thriving middle class ― no doubt from all the foreign ‘aid’ money that keeps pouring in… He chose to believe the mainstream media that pipes all those slanted, biased, and just plain made-up stories into every American’s home. In the end, he
chose his own ego over the democratic process and the real plight of the people. In the end… he chose to align himself with Esau and the power of the west.I guess this is where this week’s parsha, Vayishlach, comes in…
Jacob, after living as an indentured servant for 20 years, working for Mr. White, begins his 2 year long trek home to Eretz Israel. Along the way, he discovers that his twin brother Esau is plotting to kill him with 400 soldiers. (400, by the way is equivalent to the ‘Evil Eye’ or Ayin Hara, but that is kind of another story.) So, Jacob counters this threat by, first, praying, then sending gifts to his brother, and then by preparing for battle. Rabbis from the time of the Greeks and Romans, all the way up to modern day prime ministers of Israel, have been sought out to consult with when a Jewish leader was required to speak or negotiate with a potentially dangerous leader of Goyim (non-Jews) in the world and this parsha’s lessons were taught to them all. According to Rabbi Hirsch, “Just as Jacob and Esau oppose each other here (in this parsha), so they continue to stand opposed to one another unto this very day.”
I know, you want to know how it works, don’t you? OK. First, Esau becomes Edom. The Edomites then become Rome through Antipater of Edom and his son King Herod, when they invite in the Romans, who take over Israel and after the Great Revolt, rename it Palestine. The Romans have pretty much taken over the western world by then, but between the years 306 and 337, Emperor Constantine of Rome converts to Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church then spreads through the western part of the Roman Empire, becoming the ‘not-so-Holy,’ ‘not-so-Roman,’ and ‘not-such-an-Empire,’ Holy Roman Empire and this solidifies Esau in the seat of power.
learning about these events in history, it is possible to see that every step of the way, power and might are crucially involved in order to create the next transformation of Esau, and it all started, way back in the parsha of the week or two ago, with Isaac’s blessing to Esau: “See, your dwelling place will be of the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above. You will live by your sword and you will serve your brother; only when you will humble yourself will you loosen his yoke from your neck.”
So, how do we see this today you may ask? Keep in mind that according to the Rabbis, there is a spiritual underpinning to everything that happens in the world. We all have responsibilities and Jacob’s responsibility is to learn and then teach the world about Hashem, bringing light unto the nations. Esau’s responsibility is to burry his ego, humbling himself enough, so that he can hear Jacob and understand who actually runs the world ― Hashem, not a bank account, a car, a job, an idol, or a man. Hashem is not only the Creator of the universe but the sustainer of the universe, directly involved in every instant that happens in the world.
I read the other day about how Obama has decided to give Israel 20 F-35 Stealth Fighter Aircraft for free... well not for free really, in an effort to convince the Netanyahu government to impose a three-month moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank. My first thought was, “Yeah... that sounds good to me!” But, then I thought about it some mor
e. Aren’t we supposed to be giving the Goyim gifts and offerings? And aren’t they supposed to be humbling themselves to the power of Hashem? With Iran scheduled to begin five days of nationwide air defense war games this week, I have to wonder what Netanyahu is thinking. The word on the street is that Israeli defense officials are saying that the arrival of these joint strike fighters is of critical importance for the security of the State of Israel...All I can say to that is, ‘in the words of Rabbi Abraham Twerski, “Sometimes our appetites are insatiable; more accurately, we act as though they are insatiable. The Midrash states that a person may never be satisfied. ‘If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he gets two hundred, he wants four hundred’ (Koheles Rabbah 1:34). How often have we seen people whose insatiable desire for material wealth resulted in their losing everything, much like the gambler whose constant urge to win results in a total loss?”’
Iran with a Bomb
won’t even need to use it in order to destroy Israel. The only truly safe haven for Jews around the world is Israel and has been that way since the modern state of Israel began on the heels of the Holocaust, when 6,000,000 Jews and 3,000,000 disabled, gay, or otherwise ‘undesirable,’ people were slaughtered by fascism. If Iran gets a bomb, it will no longer be safe for Jews in Israel, driving them away and around the world. Obama knows this and it seems to fit right into his plan of one world government for one world people, making everyone the same, and, in his mind, making peace on Earth (just like my former Facebook friend). The Iranians and the Muslims also want peace on Earth and they will conquer and subjugate everyone in order to arrive at that goal; and they are very patient. The Jews are also seeking peace on Earth, but a peace that revolves around knowing who the real Boss is and where we human beings really stand.What have I learned? Well, it seems that true freedom seeking has become an underground movement. It seems that we are no longer able to meet in public and voice our opinions, unless they fall in line with the status quo. What is the status quo? Be politically correct or else face censorship and moral indignation (on Facebook no less!). I have always been a center-left thinker and when I see my own principles turned on me by my own camp, all I can say is that, ‘I refuse to be brain-washed by any fascist regime, whether it calls itself the voice of the people, the democratic process, or rational realism for a one world order or even some kind of awakening.’ We all have the ability to look deeper into the facts with an open mind, without shutting down out of fear of reprisals, financial loss, or even loosing a few Facebook friends...
I have learned that blind idealism is Fascism, plain and simple.
Shabbat Shalom!
