Shalom to you all...
Thank you for your continuing support of
KosherTorah...
Please remember, KosherTorah is here for
you... and I need you to be here for
KosherTorah. Your support, however
great or
small, however often or seldom is needed and
appreciated. If you enjoy this lesson, then
please express your support by making a small
online donation... Thanks.
Now that Elul is upon us, it is again time
for me to begin my annual fund raising
drive... I am not very good in soliciting
funds... maybe this is why KosherTorah has
remained small all these years... but no
matter... I trust that HaShem will speak to
each of you individually in your hearts and
that you will each support KosherTorah as
Heaven knows we need. In future emails this
month, I will be outlining for you my many
publishing project I hope to get off the
ground this coming year.... Thank you all in
advance for your continuing interest and
support of KosherTorah.
BTW, you can also help KosherTorah by
introducing us to your friends and
associates. We would love to have more email
subscribers. Please share KosherTorah and
ask your friends to freely subscribe.
Thanks again!
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Our new RaMBaM series has begun... our first
lesson in this series is entitled...
WHAT IS G-D?
G-d is not
simply a religious concept;
IT is also a scientific reality. How can
this be? It depends upon how we understand
what exactly G-d is. This lesson delves into
the meaning and nature of just what is
Primordial Existence and what it has to do
with us. This lesson also shows us how the
author Maimonides, lauded as leader of the
rationalist movement was also very well
versed and experienced in the mystical lore.
This lesson is available in CD format and
NOW also in MP3 format for immediate
download and listening. MP3 format
is less expensive than CD... more MP3s will
be coming shortly...
Links to both formats can be found near the
top/center of our KosherTorah.com front page.
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What Do You Do With A Stubborn Mule
By HaRav Ariel Bar Tzadok. Copyright (c) 2008 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
Question: How do you get a stubborn mule to
move forward?
Answer: You smack him hard in the behind and
yell move!
Question: What happens if the stubborn mule
still refuses to move?
Answer: You drag him by the neck, smack his
rear and yell move all at the same time.
Question: What happens if he still refuses to
move?
Answer: Keep tightening the rope around his
neck, continue smacking his rear and keep
yelling, if this doesn't kill the stubborn
mule, eventually your efforts will be rewarded.
Question: What does this example have to do
with us and getting ready for Rosh HaShana?
Answer: It all depends whether or not you are
a decent human being or just a stubborn mule.
The moral of all this is simple. Human
beings, as stubborn as we may sometimes be,
still move when we must and go to where we
belong. Mules, on the other hand, cannot
think clearly like human beings, and are only
concerned about their immediate environment.
Human beings can see beyond the immediate and
recognize the need for change regardless of
how unpleasant it may be. Mules are animals;
they cannot see beyond that which is right in
front of their eyes and they have no
interests other than in immediate instant
gratification.
Human beings think and control their
feelings. Mules only feel and have no real
deep sense of thinking at all.
Human beings work hard to attain a goal.
Mules work hard because they are coerced.
Left to their own devices, mules would simply
rather graze in the fields. Left to their
own devices, human beings would still work
hard to strive for accomplishment. Human
beings care; mules do not.
Does any of this sound familiar?
How many of us have ever seen a mule walking
on two legs? Maybe we have seen any of them
but have a hard time recognizing them. Then
again, maybe it is not hard at all.
Far be it for me to suggest that anyone is
more a mule than a human being. Yet, actions
speak louder than words. If one acts more
like a mule than a person, then it is not me
saying anything; on the contrary such a
person is making a statement about
themselves. Their behavior defines their
identity and no words from me are necessary.
Only human beings can stand before G-d,
change their ways and seek forgiveness for
their errors. Animals frankly do not care
about changing their ways or seeking
forgiveness. Just give the mule his feed and
leave him alone and he is happy.
G-d created us to be human beings and not
animals. As long we as behave like animals
we stand the chance of Heaven treating us
like one. Yet, the desire of Heaven is not
to force us to move like a stubborn mule;
rather Heaven's desire is to awaken us to the
reality than we are not mules at all.
We are human beings and although we may share
some physical traits with certain members of
the animal kingdom; still we are not animals.
We are special creatures, created in the
Image of G-d.
With such a great pedigree comes an equally
great responsibility. If we choose to act
like a mule in contradiction to our humanity,
then indeed, Heaven will treat us like
stubborn mules and pull us by the necks and
smack us on our behinds. Yet, if we act like
the human beings we are born to be, then
Heaven treats us as human and not like an animal.
When we do the right things, the right things
are in turn done for us. When we act human,
we are treated human. On the contrary, when
we act like animals we are treated as such.
On Rosh HaShana, all stand before the
Heavenly cosmic force that will decide our
fates for the coming year. Both man and
animal will pass through the mighty scales
and be subject to the influence of their
balancing. Human beings may be told where
they have to go in order to prosper. Wise
people will move and go and prosper.
Stubborn mules, on the other hand, refuse to
budge. They have to be beaten, even if just
to remove them from harm's way.
I do not believe that mules like to be
beaten. Yet, they bring it on themselves
with their behavior. What is one to do? Two
legged mules do however have a choice. They
can after all, choose to act human.
Personal Note...
Here at KosherTorah, I have devoted my
entire career and essentially my life to get
this very message across. The original
Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed for one
single reason; this being because we failed
to listen to the Prophets who warned us in
G-d's Name what to do and not to do.
Here we are centuries later and I wonder
how much has really changed. We as
individuals have such great potentials within
us, if only we live up to being what it means
to be truly human. G-d never commanded us to
be angels. He only commanded us to be human.
Torah was not given to angels; it was given
to us human beings.
We will never impress Heaven by trying to
act like angels. We will however impress
Heaven when we act like fully intelligent,
compassionate and caring human beings. This
is what Torah is all about. Try reading
through the words of the Biblical Prophets
and you'll see this message for yourselves.
The time of change is upon us. We have to
revert to the innocent and sincerity of the
desirous and passionate Virgin. This is the
time. Will you make the place?
Please remember KosherTorah in your
prayers and with your financial support. We
have a lot of work to do, I pray, together!
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Shalom, Ariel Bar Tzadok
