by nvpadmin | Jan 1, 1970 |
“You shall not cook a kid in the milk of its mother.” Exodus 23:19 Exodus 34:26 Deuteronomy 14:21 Judaism is filled with prohibitions, restrictions, laws of separation and sacrifice. Nowhere is this as clear as in the laws of kashrut. “The prohibition of cooking meat and milk together applies to all sheep and cattle; not only kid meat in the milk of its own mother. The Torah gives this prohibition three times. It is forbidden to cook it, to eat it, and even to benefit from it. (Rashi). R’Hirsch suggests a reason for the prohibition and for its insertion in this passage. Meat represents the animal portion of life, the muscle and sinew. Milk represents the reproductive capacity of animal life, for milk is the nourishment that supports new life. In animals, these two aspects of life are inseparable; animals instinctively eat and reproduce. Man has a higher calling. He must not mingle these aspects of his nature. To the contrary, he must learn to differentiate between his activities and – primarily – to subjugate them all to this duty in the service of the God and to put Godliness into all his activities. The higher duty is symbolized in the prohibition against mixing milk and meat. Its proximity to the laws of the festivals and the first fruits conveys the teaching that one who succumbs to his animal instincts destroys the holy nature of the seasons and God’s blessings of prosperity.” Etz...
by nvpadmin | Jan 1, 1970 |
From This Story We Evolved Into A Great Nation “And it came to pass … that God put Abraham to the test and said unto him: “Abraham,” and he answered: “Here am I.” And He said: “Take you son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I will point out to you.” So early the next morning, Abraham saddled his ass and took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and he set out for the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his servants, “You stay here with the ass. The boy and I will go up there; we will worship and we will return to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, and put it on his son Isaac. He himself took the firestone and the knife; and the two walked off together. Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he answered, “Yes, my son.” And he said, “Here are the firestone and the wood; but where is the sheep for the burnt-offering?” And Abraham said, “God will see to the sheep for His Burnt-offering, my son.” And the two of them walked on together. Genesis...
by nvpadmin | Jan 1, 1970 |
“You are moved by urgings not of this world. In the silence you listen to echoes of childhood. Legends of ancient days and visions of the last days take shape here quietly, flooding the soul and refreshing the anguished heart with the dew of hope and longing.” David Ben...
by nvpadmin | Jan 1, 1970 |
The Jew quickly moves out of the image, reading the early morning prayers to himself. How does he not bump into another human? The Wall is busy, which is in sharp contrast to this image. No matter how populated is the Wall in the early morning hours, it always feels empty, like you have the entire Wall to yourself and it speaks only to you. The soldiers at the entrance gate, checking security, are alert but talkative, cracking jokes as they silently examine your backpack. Beggars immediately accost you as they stake out their territory to best position themselves for their daily hustle. It is a sad sight to see so much poverty in a Jewish State. Absolute poverty. Desperate poverty. A large bloated man stumbles by. His filthy stained trousers are held up to his waist by a dirty rope. His torn shirt can barely cover his large girth. He bloats from too much bad food and bad liquor. A vacant and hollowed stare comes through his eyes. He sees me and yet he does not. I look down, to his broken, worn sandals and see that his large toe is deeply infected with some kind of purple fungus. I notice that he is dangling red strings on his wrist. Another beggar. An elderly woman of small frame and stature sits in a chair. A warm smile and tender eyes greet me as she asks me for some shekel. There is something wise and sad and kind in her look, as if she has seen all of life and it is not a pretty picture and this is...
by nvpadmin | Jan 1, 1970 |
Do not fear sudden terror, or the holocaust of the wicked when it comes. Plan a conspiracy and it will be annulled; speak your piece and it shall not stand, for God is with us. Even until your seniority, I remain unchanged; and even until your ripe old age, I shall endure. I created you and I shall bear you; I shall endure and rescue. Proverbs 3:25. Isaiah 8:10. Isaiah...
Recent Comments