Mythinformation (continued)

I’m happy to say I received some very good suggestions for myths.  Why am I so happy about it?  I just happen to know the answers.  If I had to look it up I wouldn’t have been as happy.

Back to business.  Dealing with the Adam and Eve story, there is a myth that the forbidden fruit was an apple.  That probably goes back to the Bible story that we heard when we were 5 years old.  One reader suggested that Malum is apple in Latin and is the same word for evil.  When translated from the original text it could have been misinterpreted.  I am not familiar with the word but that is the sort of misunderstanding that has been handed down through the years (thank you for that insight).  So what was the fruit?  We get a hint after the sin occurred.  They realized they were not clothed (a polite way of saying you know what).  The commentary states that they took leaves from the tree that they ate from and the leaves that they took were fig leaves, which are bigger.  Hence, they must have eaten figs. 

One might ask:  was the sin of eating the forbidden fruit so severe that it should cause close to six thousand years of problematic history for us needing rectification?  There are two answers.  One that I will mention today and the other is complicated enough to deserve its own blog post.  Today’s answer:  Hashem in his mercy is forgiving once we repent our sins and follow-up with corrective actions.  If done inadvertently, we are forgiven.  Adam sinned.  When Hashem asked him what he did (Hashem knew, He was testing Adam), Adam answered “it was that woman you gave me – she made me do it.”  Not the best repentance; but, instead it was the first tattletale episode.  Even worse, he blamed Hashem – You gave me that woman.  The full answer is much deeper and that is the part I hope to blog in the near future.

Next topic:

The miraculous splitting of the Red Sea is another very misunderstood episode.  First of all it is not the Red Sea but the Sea of Reeds.  The story goes that in the 1800’s there was a non-Jewish Bible printer who was proof reading his layout and came across the name the Reed Sea.  Even though it was totally correct, he thought it was a spelling error and changed it to Red Sea.  Even though we know that throughout Jewish scriptures is the name Yam Suf which means the Sea of Reeds, this printer’s mistake was adapted by many other printers and became the new name of the sea. 

Then we have the scientific explanation of why there was no miracle but merely a fluke of nature.  The so-called experts explain that there was actually a ridge in the water and that a wind came along to expose the ridge allowing the Israelites to cross.  That explanation eliminated all the miracles involved and even diminished the C B DeMille version (The Ten Commandments) which was also totally inaccurate.   What were some of the miracles that everyone ignores?  The main purpose of Hashem trapping the Israelites at the sea was to show them once and for all that Hashem is there and protecting them.  He made it look hopeless but it was a setup.  They were on a very large beach area that had mountains behind and only one entrance.  That way when the Egyptians arrived they had only one passageway to get to the Israelites.  This made it simple for Hashem to block the Egyptians with the pillar of fire.  The sea did not actually split, but instead 12 separate tunnels formed – one for each tribe.  They entered on completely dry land.  The walls between the tribes were hard vertical surfaces yet if the Israelites were thirsty, they could put their hands into the wall which would become good drinkable water.  They did not cross the sea but instead the pathways became semicircular and cause them to exit the tunnels on the same side (according to the Talmud).

When the Egyptians entered and where completely into the sea area, the ground became soft, the horses stopped (controlled by Hashem), the chariots were mired in the mud and the sea closed.  The walls of the sea remained hard surfaces not just to drown the Egyptians but to injure them as a wall falling on them.  Their bodies were washed ashore for the Israelites to see since (all within the same beach area).  Hashem buried the Egyptians by having the ground open and swallowing the bodies.  After that day the Egyptians were seen no more and the Israelites were in total awe of the power of Hashem. 

The most amazing thing is that Hashem has provided for us to see further proof of the event.  In recent years chariot wheels have been found at the bottom of the Reed Sea.  Here are some of the many pictures:  

There are so many other miraculous details about the Exodus from Egypt that, once again, I could write a book.  Some very curios examples to whet your appetite:

·        There were an estimated 2 ½ to 3 million who left Egypt and miraculously they left immediately.  How long would it take for that amount of people with all their belongings to leave and travel into the desert?  There is more happening here than meets the eye.

·        They were surrounded on six sides by the clouds of glory.  It is even brought down that they were in a climate controlled atmosphere and actually rode on the clouds (definitely not the movie version).

·        On of the factors that determine a kosher animal is that there are no physical defects or blemishes.  This is both outside and inside the animal.  Since the animals were used in the portable Tabernacle for offerings, they had to be perfect.  One can inspect and see the external acceptability of the animal, but as is done today, the internal situation can only be determined once the animal is killed and cut up.  That was not the case in the desert.  Are you ready for this?  The pillar of clouds that was leading them through the desert was actual an X-ray machine.  They were able to place the animal in front of the cloud and see if it had internal blemishes.  

·        During the 40 years in the desert, they ate the manna that fell from Heaven everyday.  The manna would take on the flavor of whatever the Israelites had a craving for.  The manna also got completely absorbed in the body meaning that for forty years there was no need to go potty (once again I am trying to be polite with my words).

 

There are many more myths to discuss but, once again, I am going to end it here and hopefully will continue tomorrow.

One more topic dealing with a personal request.  Today is the Yahrzeit (anniversary of the passing) of my mother, Rivka bas Menachem.  I want to dedicate today’s learning to her memory.  Her neshamah (soul) should see an aliyah (a going up or an elevation of spiritual level) in Shemayim (Heaven).  A little explanation is in order, considering that this blog is to teach about Judaism.  When a person leaves this world, whatever they have accomplished here is reviewed by the Heavenly court (the concept of judgment day), and their fate for eternity is determined.  The answer here is not just Heaven or Hell but at what level one has earned within the place designated.  The one who has passed can no longer help himself or herself.  What happened during the time of correction in this life is what determines the final destiny.   

However, those left on Earth, loved ones, friends, etc can help those who have gone on.  If a Jew needs correction, he or she will only go to Hell, at maximum, for one year.  That is why commemoration or the departed Jew is observed everyday within the first year.  The effort of loved ones on Earth can actually get the deceased out of Hell sooner.  As already mentioned, whether it is the first year or beyond, the person is greatly helped by those on Earth.  By studying Torah in a persons name; saying the Kadish prayer on the person’s Yahrzeit; giving charity in the person’s memory; if it is a day that the Torah is read in the Synagogue, going up to the Torah and saying the blessings; if it is a parent or grandparent, being an observant Jew and observing all the commandments, gives merit to the parents and grandparents all year round.   Of course, most of these observances can be done all year round, not just on the Yahrzeit.  A very different concept in Judaism than in the secular world is that Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and many other wonderful occasions comes everyday – not once a year.

I have been saying all along, being an observant Jew or a righteous gentile has tremendous advantages many of which are not obvious at all.  We will all find out what this means to each and every one of us but, unfortunately, on the “too late date.”  Now is the time for action.  Have a good life.

Mythinformation

There are so many myths about the Bible and Judaism, that I thought I would mention a few and clear the air.  When I hear such statements as “I don’t believe certain individuals really existed; or, I don’t think that really happened (especially miracles),” I know that I am talking to someone who has not studied the truth.

EXAMPLES:

Adam and Eve.  Was there really a first couple or is this just an allegorical example of the beginning of human beings?  It’s interesting that scientists have discovered that 99% of all human DNA is common in all humans and is called mitochondrial DNA.  This means that the differences that we have, hair color, eye color, height, head shape, etc are all contained in only 1% of our DNA structure.  Paleontologists have concluded that all humankind has descended from one woman.  Since this mitochondrial DNA is past down through the mother and is found in every man as well, they believe also that we all have descended from one man.  Paleontologists call this original couple, ready for this one, Adam and Eve.  Those scientists are so clever.  There are estimates that modern behavioral humans have been around for about 10 to 50,000 years.  Here again, scientists are getting close but don’t have the correct number since it is definitely 5772 years since Adam and Eve were created.  We will talk more about that when we compare Torah to science (coming soon to a blog near you).

What other proof do I have that the first couple was real people?  If they weren’t, then who is buried in their graves?  I happen to live about a half hour’s drive from where they are buried in Hebron in the Cave of Machpelah.  Genesis 23 records the purchase by Abraham of a plot of ground in Hebron for a burial cave for his wife Sarah.  In a deal that foreshadows many such other Middle Eastern deals; Abraham paid an outrageous 400 shekels of silver to Ephron the Hittite.  Later, along with Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah would be buried here.  Jacob’s wife Rachel is buried in Bethlehem, which happens to be about 15 minutes away.  What brought Abraham to this cave in the first place?  One day when Abraham was grazing his sheep and one went astray, he found the sheep at this cave and noticed an odor emanating from the entrance.  He entered to discover that within the cave was the entrance to the Garden of Eden which was the pleasant odor he was experiencing.  He then realized that this is the burial cave of Adam and Eve.  This is the building that was erected over the cave that is today used by thousand of visitors, especially for prayer.

There is much to be said about all this but the most important idea is the not only were Adam and Eve real people but also the patriarchs and matriarchs.  A side note is that the Garden of Eden also is real.  Throughout Israel one can see the burial spots of most of the people in the Torah and even the Bible.  The prophets, the Rabbis of the Talmud, the kings, etc are accounted for and not just legendary names, and definitely not mythical people. 

I happen to live near many of the occurrences depicted in the Bible.  Not too far from me is the valley where David fought Goliath.

This panoramic view of the Elah Valley from the south is an approximate view of what the Philistine army saw as they faced the Israelites in the battle (the highway in the middle was added later).  The Philistines were encamped on the south side of the valley and King Saul's forces occupied the hill on the northern side.  Yes, it is a real story and they were real people.

West of this area is where Samson lived and fought.  Yes, he also was real.

A controversy of the existence of the two Temples can be solved by many archeological finds.  They have found so much that they know came from the time of the Temples.  It is easier to send you to sites such as this (there are more – just Google away to your hearts content).

http://www.templeinstitute.org/archaeological_finds-2.htm

The best evidence is the fact that the Moslem Wakf has been destroying as much evidence as they can since the Arabs don’t want the truth known.  They are totally aware of what was on the Temple Mount; but, it’s not good for business or Arab propaganda if they can’t perpetuate their myth.  The biggest lie comes from the fact that Islam only dates back to the 7^th century, about 600 years after the 2^nd Temple was destroyed.  They certainly can’t lay claim to the area if they didn’t even exist.

I have always been fascinated by the myth that the Torah was coauthored by many and some of the mythinterpretation (there goes my spell check again) of what is said in the Torah.  As I had pointed out in Prayer Works (continued) 10 Apr 12, that there are many names for Hashem.  Two of the most important are L-rd and G-d (of course that is the English translation).  L-rd is the name which has a connotation of mercy – G-d is the name of judgment.  The beginning of the Torah only uses the name of judgment and later it switches to the name of mercy.  The so-called experts therefore stated that this was due to a change in writer.  They didn’t consider Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day and mercy was not needed before that.  In fact, since the first five days of creation were Hashem creating and judging that it was good, His name for judgment was appropriate.  It’s easy to make mistakes when you are a literary expert and only evaluating literary style but not an expert in the text that you are evaluating.  Then, there are those who misinterpret words to satisfy their own agenda.  The name of Hashem connoting judgment has what appears to be a plural ending.  Generally in Hebrew words are made plural by adding an “im” (for a masculine word) or “ot” (for a feminine word) to the end of the word.  The actual translation of the name used for judgment is “the G-d of many powers.”  Powers being plural gives the name a plural ending but it is definitely only talking one G-d.  This, of course, has been used by gentile clergy and missionaries for thousands of years who claim that this is proof of the trinity concept.  They say “you can see it is right in the beginning of your Torah the idea of g-ds, plural.”  The absolute proof of them making an intentional mistake is that in Hebrew, as in many languages, the verb agrees with the subject of the sentence.  Since it says G-d created the heaven and the earth and the verb created is in the first person singular form, it absolutely cannot be translated as g-ds created.  Those who say it is, are greatly sinning and have completely mythed the boat. 

There are no errors in the Torah.  If someone finds an error, it is definitely that person’s error, not Hashem’s.  There are so many misinterpretations especially if you have a translation in a different language.  People are not aware that the King James Version of the Bible has an estimated 20 to 30,000 differences than the Hebrew Jewish Bible.  Most are strictly interpretive changes but many are intentional to create prophecies that aren’t valid.  When text in Hebrew is translated into Greek and then into Latin and finally into English, many errors creep in due to the incompatibility of languages.  But when your agenda is to purposely change the text, we are back into the sinning category.  Hashem’s word is sacrosanct and not to be changed in any way.  He who does will not be happy on his or her judgment day.

I have many more myths but have decided to continue tomorrow.  If you have a myth that you have heard and are curios about, send me a comment or an Email, today, and I will try to include it in tomorrow’s post.

Orchard

The Torah was given to Moses on Mount Sinai 3324 years ago in a fiery display.  The 304,805 letters were in a single string and Moses put the spaces between the words.  How do I know?  It says so in the Torah.  How do I know it’s true?  Since I have shown proof that the Torah is Hashem’s creation by verifying that the number of bits of information in the Torah that no human (or alien) could have known is infinite, I would say we have pretty good odds that it came from Hashem.  The most miraculous thing about the Torah is that it can be studied at different levels.  At the same time that we can read the simple meaning, the Torah can be studied at levels so deep it goes beyond human comprehension.  That, in itself, hints to the fact that it could not have been a product of human hands.

There are basically four different levels that the Torah can be studied.  The free encyclopedia on the web, Wikipedia, has a very good explanation that I thought I would use (it also saves me allot of typing).  Read this information and then I will get back to you (I’m getting a cup of coffee while you are reading):

Pardes (Jewish exegesis)

Pardes refers to (types of) approaches to biblical exegesis in rabbinic Judaism (or - simpler - interpretation of text in Torah study). The term, sometimes also spelled PaRDeS, is an acronym formed from the name initials of the following four approaches:

• Peshat (פְּשָׁט) — "plain" ("simple") or the direct meaning.
• Remez (רֶמֶז) — "hints" or the deep (allegoric: hidden or symbolic) meaning beyond just the literal sense.
• Derash (דְּרַשׁ) — from Hebrew darash: "inquire" ("seek") — the comparative (midrashic) meaning, as given through similar occurrences.
• Sod (סוֹד) (pronounced with a long O as in 'bone') — "secret" ("mystery") or the mystical meaning, as given through inspiration or revelation.

Each type of Pardes interpretation examines the extended meaning of a text. As a general rule, the extended meaning never contradicts the base meaning. The Peshat means the plain or contextual meaning of the text.  Remez is the allegorical meaning. Derash includes the metaphorical meaning, and Sod represents the hidden meaning.  There is often considerable overlap, for example when legal understandings of a verse are influenced by mystical interpretations or when a "hint" is determined by comparing a word with other instances of the same word.
Some thinkers, such as the Tolaat Yaakov, divide Pardes into Peshat, Remez, Din (law), and Sod. According to this understanding, Derash is divided into the homiletics, which are classified under Remez, and legal interpretations, which are classified under Din.

Examples:

Pshat

{Gen. 1,2) And the earth was empty (tohu) and formless (vohu).
Rashi - The Hebrew word 'tohu' means astonishment in English and the word 'bohu' means emptiness and next to emptiness. Thus the phrase is 'amazement and desolation'. This means that a person would be amazed and astonished at anything that was there.

Remez

(Gemara Makkos 2b) Q. A hint that the law of conspiring witnesses is in the Torah, where is it?
A. There is no such hint, because it is stated explicitly (Deut 19,19) You do to them what they conspired to do to the accused.
Q. But a hint that conspiring witnesses receive a whipping [if they cannot be punished by doing to them as they conspired] according to the Torah, where is it?
A. As it says (Deut 25,1-2) They caused the righteous to be righteous and the evil to be evil. And therefore the evil get whipped.
Q. Because they caused the righteous to be righteous and the evil to be evil. And therefore the evil get whipped?
A. But there must have been witnesses who testified that the righteous were evil.  And other witnesses came and caused the righteous to be known as righteous as they were before, and caused the previous witnesses to be known as evil. And therefore the evil get whipped.

Derash (Midrash)

(Gemara Makkos 23b) Rabbi Simlai deduced that there were 613 mitzvot (commandments) taught to Moses at Mount Sinai. The verse says that (Deut 33,4) Torah was given to us through Moses at Sinai. The gematria of Torah is 611. And one should add to them the first two of the Ten Commandments that were given directly by G-d to the Jews [this is known because they are written in the first person singular], making the total 613.

Sod

(Guide for the Perplexed, book2 section 30) "Adam and Eve were at first created as one being, having their backs united: they were then separated, and one half was removed and brought before Adam as Eve."  Note how clearly it has been stated that Adam and Eve were two in some respects, and yet they remained one, according to the words, "Bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh" (Gen. ii. 23). The unity of the two is proved by the fact that both have the same name, for she is called ishah (woman), because she was taken out of ish (man), also by the words, "And shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh" (ii. 24). How great is the ignorance of those who do not see that all this necessarily includes some [other] idea [besides the literal meaning of the words].

Association with paradise

The Pardes system is often regarded as mystically linked to the word pardes (Hebrew פָּרְדֵּס), meaning orchard. "Pardes" is etymologically related to the English word "paradise", and the Quranic Firdaus (Arabic فِردَوس) among various other forms, in that they all share a common origin in an Old Iranian root, attested in the Avestan language as pairi.daêza-.  It occurs only three times in the Tanakh (Bible), namely, in Song of Songs 4:13, Ecclesiastes 2:5, and Nehemiah 2:8.  In the first of these passages it means "garden"; in the second and third, "park."  In the apocalypses and in the Talmud the word is used of the Garden of Eden and its heavenly prototype.


I’m back.  Isn’t this cool stuff?  You were wondering why I called this post Orchard, sorry to make you wait so long to find out; but, I thought I would keep you in suspense. 
A very important concept to learn from all this is that the Torah is the most complicated text in existence.  Many of us went to a Sunday school, as an example, and at the age of 5 we heard for the first time the Bible stories – Adam and Eve in the garden, Noah and the ark, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’s escapades and, of course the story of the Exodus (which we know well from the movie version – extremely inaccurate).  We grow up and by the time we are 20 or 30 years old we are still stuck with the stories we learned at age 5.  Most people see the Torah at the Peshat level and go no further.  If I asked someone to tell me about Quantum Physics or corporate law or differential equations or brain surgery (that’s enough – we get the point), most would answer “Oh, I’ve never studied those subjects.”  But, if I ask them questions about the Torah or the Bible, everyone would have an opinion.  Even worse they would tell me “I’m skeptical as to whether that really happened.”  To know that the Torah and even all of Jewish scriptures are so deep and even beyond comprehension doesn’t compute -- after all “I read it once and know all the 5 year level Bible stories.”
 
I know that 10 lifetimes of Torah study would only scratch the surface of what the deeper meaning is.  What is even worser (I know, I made up another word) is we study in English which is Peshat personified.  The true, deeper meaning can only come from the mystical and miraculous letters of Hebrew.
 
There are no wasted words or even wasted letters in the Torah.  The 22 Hebrew letters of the alphabet are basically consonants.  (The first two letters are Alef, Bet hence the origin of the word alphabet – not the Greek alpha beta since Greek also came from Hebrew).  Vowel sounds are added by symbols beneath the letter which means that every word has several meanings by just changing the symbols.  The Torah has no symbols beneath the letters so a variety of translations are possible.  Sometimes the hidden message of a word would come from pronouncing the word differently.  Examples to this could fill volumes but for obvious time and bandwidth constraints (that’s web and computer talk) here’s a good one:


The story of Abraham taking his son Isaac to the alter, as Hashem commanded, includes a very interesting statement that Abraham tells his servant Eliezer and Ishmael who accompanied them to the foot of the mountain where the alter was.  He told them “You stay here with the donkey and I and the boy will go to that place.”  With the donkey?  No wasted words in the Torah?  The words in Hebrew for “with the donkey” are “eim hachamor” (ch is the guttural sound not available in English).  If I changed the vowel sounds under those words, not the spelling, (remember there are no symbols for vowels in the Torah) and pronounce it “am hachomaer” the translation changes to “a people of materialism.”  Abraham is saying a very profound statement that you are physical, materialistic beings of this world while he and his son are spiritual beings.  To complete the thought, Abraham says “I and the boy will go to that place.” The Hebrew word in the verse being translated as “place” is actually one of Hashem’s names which solidifies the idea of Abraham and Isaac approaching the spiritual.
     
Another type of coded message can be exemplified using the very famous verse of “An eye for an eye.”  Is it really telling us that by law, which the Torah accurately guides us, that if someone were to take out my eye (may Hashem protect me from such horror), that I can just reciprocate likewise (de-eye him)?  The actual translation is more accurately “an eye below, or substituted, by an eye.”  The message is: the three Hebrew letters for the word eye are in the alphabet below three Hebrew letters that spell the Hebrew word for money.  In other words it is hinted in the translation to substitute the letters according to the alphabet and you will see what the law is.  Physical damage is subject to monetary compensation.
 
One more example, that shows how, by putting the words together and making new spaces, one can gain insight into the meaning or even see prophecy.  In the book of Numbers, Moses is told by Hashem that “you are not getting this land because of your righteousness, but because of their wickedness.”  The paragraph ends off with the famous statement “you are a stiff-necked people.”  If you look at the Hebrew of that expression, remove the spaces and put in new ones you see the name “Arafat.”  Wickedness personified and a very prophetic message for our time.


OK, one more really cool example.  This is not even in the Torah but is in the commentary of Onkelus.  Onkelus, who lived about two thousand years ago, was a Babylonian who translated the Torah into Aramaic.  Aramaic was the language of Babylonia and also, the language that is used throughout the Babylonian Talmud to this very day.  His translation is so important that most books that we use of The Five Books of Moses include the Onkelus translation.  Aramaic uses Hebrew letters so Hashem even provided messages in Onkelus’s commentary.  My favorite example appears in the book of Numbers also where Onkelus is talking about judges but if you take on particular sentence and push the letters together and make new separations, you will read this sentence as “today will be Diana’s funeral.”  Every Shabbos throughout the year we read a portion of the Torah divided as such that over a year’s time we read the whole Torah.  The portion that we read on the day that Princess Diana was put to rest contained that sentence found in Onkelus.  There are no coincidences.  Hashem’s messages are very spooky sometimes.


We live in a time that we should look for deeper meaning.  We read the entire Torah every year but need to delve into its meaning in a more profound way.  It is our handbook of life and is truly our guide to total success and happiness.  We say during praying “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and all who support it are fortunate.  Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace. Cause us to return to You, Hashem, and we shall return; renew our days as of old.”  Such good advice – thank You, Hashem.

Who is Gog and Magog?

Years ago there was very interesting collection of information proving that President George Bush was Gog and the United States was Magog.  Since Obama became president and the code of OBAMA was found with a 7 letter skip in Ezekiel 38 where it talks about Gog and Magog, everyone became convinced that the new president was Gog.

Let us revisit the proof of Gog Bush and see if the factors pointing to his being Gog have changed.  Also, let me introduce other information that has been ignored.  I wasn’t able to find the article that made such a stir but I believe I remember most of the facts in order to recreate it here. 

First we have the pronunciation of Gog.  That in itself is very interesting since a Sephardic Jew would pronounce it more like Joj.  There is no J sound in Hebrew and the pronunciation by a Sephardic Jew doesn’t have letters in English to do it justice; however, it sounds almost like someone is mispronouncing Jeoje.  The Jews of Yemen would add an extra R sound making closer to Jeorje.  Either way it puts an interesting connotation on why the Bible calls him Gog.

Then there is Magog.  The Hebrew letter mem (with the M sound) when used as a prefix in a word means “from.”  Now we are hinting to a George from George.  What a coincidence that his father is George senior.  But, since we are trying to determine a place, it is suggested that the father of our country Gog Washington might hint to the place.  Gog Bush is “from” Washington named after another Gog.

I remember reading that the Bush family has roots in England and that they came from a town that was located at the foot of the hills of Gog and Magog.  I wasn’t able to verify that fact but did find the Gog Magog Downs (also known as the Gog Magog Hills) are a range of low hills, extending for several miles to the southeast of Cambridge in England.  I do believe the Bush family came from Yorkshire which is a distance from Cambridge.

More dramatic a fact is that the Bushes were members of the Yale Secret Society of  Skull and Bones.   The nickname used by George H. W. Bush in this satanic society was Magog.  The nickname of George W. Bush is currently unknown outside of the group but I heard years ago that it was a name that included Gog (sorry I don’t have more info on that).  The Bushes continued there evil worship as members of the Illuminati, an organization that holds annual dark side worship practices at a place called the Bohemian Grove outside of San Francisco.  Their satanic doctrine teaches that, ultimately, the New World Order can be established in society only after a time of planned, great world turbulence and chaotic disorder.  It is this very concept- “order out of chaos”- which is at the foundation of all Masonic doctrine.  Gog Senior’s famous speech, when he was president, that they were instituting a New World Order is well known.  What is sad is how he was convincing the world that is was a good thing.  The evil plan which is being perpetuated to this day comes from another organization called the Bilderberg Group within which the Bushes are very active.  This group of 120 to 140 of the richest, most influential people in the world meets once a year to forward their agenda of a New World Order.  Their goal is to continue much of the chaos going on in the world which they orchestrated, to cause World War 3, a nuclear holocaust and to kill off about 90% of the world population.  Do I really believe that?  Absolutely, since there is so much evidence to prove their agenda.  They will then institute a one world government with a single monetary currency that they will control.  The government will be of a Communistic nature since this greedy group of megalomaniacs wants to literally own the world and all that is in it.   A much smaller world population is desirably for control.  Nobody in the world will actual own anything but will be subservient to the leaders of the one world government (a slave mentality).  The most important thing to take from all this is that the Bush family is far from retired and is still looking to carry out the Gog and Magog scenario but more covertly.  Gog senior wanted to do this in the 1990’s but had a major setback when he did not pick up another four years as President.  Gog junior thought he would continue as president since he and Dick Chaney, his vice (and I do mean vice) gave speeches in August of 2008 that WW3 would start in September.  The attempted attack on Israel, that Hashem curtailed, was the action that would have started the war they were counting on.  It is interesting to note that the third battle of Gog and Magog was to be 7 years according to scriptures.  That means that from 9/11/2001 to 9/2008 when the war would have happened was the 7 years.  I have mentioned that any negative prophecy, such as a huge nuclear world war, does not have to happen.  This obviously with Hashem’s mercy was prevented.

Here is an article about Bush senior’s father, Prescott.

Both Gog junior and senior continue the Nazi Zaidy legacy--Here's PROOF:

http://clamormagazine.org/issues/14/feature3.php

This is the proof that Prescott Bush's bank financed Hitler and his Nazi machine -- with the complicit approval of the US government.  It’s high time the Jews and true allies of Israel know the truth of Bush and his family legacy.  Holocaust survivors should sue the Bush heirs in the US courts to lay all the horrific and grisly details bare. You will find IBM, the Ford Foundation and the Rockefellers as co-conspirators in the annihilation that was the Jewish Holocaust -- with every desire to see it happen again in Israel.

Israel, know who your true enemies are and why your governments are so easily blackmailed into the assistance of the next Jewish Holocaust.

Let's all pray that the G-d of Israel saves the Jews now -- from themselves and their "best friends!"

There are three battles to occur in Gog and Magog.  The famous Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, known popularly as The Chofetz Chaim, said (I believe in 1929), after the Great War that was renamed World War 1, that this war was the first battle of Gog and Magog.  He then predicted that in 10 years the second battle would pursue.  He passed away in 1933 but his prediction of another big war in 1939 was totally accurate.  The Chofetz Chaim also said that the third battle would take place in the end of days but would be a spiritual war.  It seems that he was accurate on that one also since the 7 year spiritual war mentioned above (2001 to 2008) satisfied that prophecy.

But who was Gog during the three wars.  WW1 was King George the 5^th ,  WW2 was King George the 6^th and WW3 is King George the Bush.  By the way, the word in Hebrew for shame or embarrassment is Busha.  What a coincidence? 

Next clue to Gog’s identity:


Incredibly, President George W. Bush told French President Jacques Chirac in early 2003 that Iraq must be invaded to thwart Gog and Magog, the Bible's satanic agents of the Apocalypse.
Honest.  This isn't a joke.  The president of the United States, in a top-secret phone call to a major European ally, asked for French troops to join American soldiers in attacking Iraq as a mission from G-d.


Now out of office, Chirac recounts that the American leader appealed to their "common faith" (Christianity) and told him: "Gog and Magog are at work in the Middle East. . . . The biblical prophecies are being fulfilled. . . . This confrontation is willed by G-d, who wants to use this conflict to erase his people's enemies before a New Age begins."


This bizarre -- seemingly deranged -- episode happened while the White House was assembling its "coalition of the willing" to unleash the Iraq invasion.  Chirac says he was boggled by Bush's call, and "wondered how someone could be so superficial and fanatical in their beliefs."

So where is Magog?  Ezekiel 38:15 tells us that Gog will come from the North.  Many have speculated that Russia or Iran is Magog just because of threats that have come from these countries in modern times.  But, a closer look at the wording says from the “uttermost parts of the north,” or another translation “the far north.”  What could that be referring to?  If one would look at a globe and go directly north from Jerusalem, over the pole (that’s far north) one would come to a place called the United States of America.  What a coincidence?

I saved the best for last:

Yes, we find Obama in Ezekiel with a skip rate of 7.  But, let us look at a more pertinent verse, 38:3, which reads: 

Thus said Hashem:  Behold, I am against you, Gog, the prince, leader of Meshech and Tuval.  Verse 4 I will lead you astray…

In Hebrew:

...הנני אליר גוג נשיא משר ותבל: ושובבתיך

The Hebrew word for prince is nausi which happens to be the word used in modern Hebrew for President.  But the best part is in the name of the place Meshech and Tuval in Hebrew we find with skip rate of two (every other letter) BUSH.  It even goes from left to right just like English.

משך ותבל

In the next word, we just happen to find BUSH again this time no letter skip and also left to right.

ושובבתיך

What a coincidence and far more impressive than the Obama code.

Obviously, Hashem is giving us very definite clues as to whom Gog is.  The scarier part is how much the Bushes still are involved in world politics and what they are planning.  Obama is very involved in what is transpiring but is really a puppet to the agenda of the Illuminati and the Bilderberg Group.  I have never seen the United States as a friend of Israel.  I could right a very long blog post on all the negative actions that the US has perpetuated on Israel.  The information is extensive.  I will just give some examples and leave it at that.  On my post entitled "Who Owns this Land?” of 29 March, I stated “It was well known that the United States State Department advised the then President Harry Truman to sign in favor of the Jewish state but only because the US was convinced that 5 mighty Arab armies would obliterate this new nation.  The many agreements orchestrated by the US that have caused havoc in Israel and also, are responsible for thousands of deaths.  Thanks to the US, Israel gave up its buffer zone in the Sinai that has resulted in terrorist groups and much armament being setup in Gaza and the agreement never resulted in peace with Egypt.  Then there is the giving back of the buffer zone in southern Lebanon that permitted terrorists to kidnap and kill Israeli soldiers and allowed the staging of 10’s of thousands of missiles on Israel’s northern border.  This caused the 2006 war with Israel.  Then there are the accords like Oslo and others requiring Israel to give up land that belongs to Israel and receive terror in return.  Good deal, huh?

An interesting website (long read) that gives more proof of George bush being Gog:

http://www.biblesearchers.com/prophecy/ezekiel/gogumogog.shtml#Rosh

Once again, I am not worried.  Hashem is the Guardian of Israel, the Jewish people and the righteous gentiles.  It all has a happy ending. 

Near Death Experience

One of the sources that I have used as proof that there is a Heaven and Hell is the many stories of people who have actually died and come back to tell about it.  The whole question as to whether this is the real life here on Earth; or, as I have been saying, that this a very temporary existence and our eternity is the real life.  Even people who have had an out of body experience without going to Heaven or Hell, have testified beyond a shadow of a doubt of our spiritual existence. 

The most important thing about these stories is the tremendous consistency giving them total validity.  The first commonly described experience is that of floating above the physical body.  Witnesses describe being aware of all of the events that happened around them even though they may be in a state of anesthetization or even in a coma.  Afterwards, most of them describe finding themselves in a place of light and great inner beauty, and then "gliding" through a dark tunnel towards a bright light.  Many describe a voice speaking to them.  Disabled people describe a sense of freedom from their limitations, and almost everyone notes the evaporation of human fears from the mystery we call death.

I could never do justice in describing the experience as well as an individual who lived it.  Watch this video of a wonderful story by a Mr. Alon Anava.  He was born in Israel, but lived in New York at the time of his life changing experience:

 

http://www.alonanava.com/

 

The well known American psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, has seriously investigated the matter of near death experiences for many years. "I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that life continues after physical death," says Ross, summarizing research of more than twenty years. "I am very skeptical at heart and this is why I tested every aspect of this phenomenon with rigor.  I discovered, for example, that people who have lost limbs told of how their souls were whole again when they left their bodies.  Moreover, people who were blind from birth described to me with incredible precision what the people in the room with their body were wearing — the jewelry they had on, and what they were doing.  This is impossible! How could they have known that?"

Kubler-Ross does not feel any need or reason to convince other people of the truth of the phenomenon: "Those who are open to hear it — will hear it.  And, if they close their ears, then they are in for a surprise."

Research into the realm of near-death experiences points to shared elements reported by millions of witnesses (an estimated 30 million!) from around the globe.

Back to me.   One day while I was involved in our study group, we got into the subject of out of body and near death experiences.  Some in the group were skeptical until a particular Rabbi walked by and overheard our conversation.  He immediately exclaimed “Oh, it’s real!  I experienced an out of body experience during a recent operation.”  He told us how he watched the entire procedure while hovering over his body and was even able to relay all the details after he had recovered.  He observed every individual in the room, what they were wearing and even disclosed details of conversation during the operation.  The most fascinating detail he told us was that he felt more alive than when he was in his body.  He knew that his spiritual experience was the real life.  Being a very righteous and honest individual, the Rabbi was very credible in his story and convinced the skeptics in the group to believe such experiences do exist and are real.

Rabbi Akiva Tatz, a renowned Rabbi and doctor explains that this is not the real world.  He gives as an example: sometimes when we sleep we have very realistic dreams.  We wake up in the morning thinking – that was realistic; but, now I am back in the real world.  When we come to the end of our lives and change address, we have the same sensation of “that was a very realistic experience, but now I am back in the real world.”  Our entire life on Earth will seem like a dream.

I have been asked by a couple of my readers: who was the Rabbi who verified that Hashem had curtailed the first attempted nuclear attack on Israel in 2008.  Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, 'a"h was sick in the hospital and died.  After, I believe, 20 minutes he came back to life and told of his experiences in Heaven.  He met the 8 yeshiva boys who had been killed that summer in a horrific Arab terrorist attack at Jerusalem's Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva.  The sacrifice of those boys was an atonement and the reason Hashem stopped the attack.  Rabbi Eliyahu said that the 8 boys were very happy and had a wonderful eternity that came from their sacrifice.

There is no doubt about our experience in this life on this physical planet being an opportunity to perfect ourselves and set up an eternity so wonderful, so great it is beyond human comprehension.  It is worrisome how people using their flawed human logic think they know better.  Please, please you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to open your mind, search for the truth and take advantage of the great opportunity of a perfect future.  It is a gift and a blessing from Hashem.  Just remember the too late date is approaching rapidly.  

What did Becoming an Observant Jew Really Mean to Me?

Obviously, my spiritual level has changed and I am much more aware of Hashem and His goodness.  Many times I have received His help in rough situations.  It would take me hours to tell you all the miraculous occurrences that I have experienced; but, I rather would like to concentrate on some specific areas of my life.

 

The greatest and most enjoyable improvement was in our family life.  Before we became observant, my wife, two children and I would sit and watch television together but never realized that we were four people in different worlds and miles apart.  We didn’t talk to each other or share life together.  We only went through motions and pretended to know one another.  Suddenly, when we began observing the Sabbath, there was no television and fewer distractions.  We sat around the dinner table and actually started to talk to each other.  We shared Torah issues that we had learned and found ourselves teaching each other.  We sang, we laughed and, best of all, we discovered how much we love each other.  To this day my wife and I couldn’t be closer with our children but to really talk about pure happiness is grandchildren.  Even though we only had two children, we now have 14 grandchildren.  The best part is that our children and grandchildren are very good people.  They are beautiful, intelligent (bi-lingual), totally respectful and very pleasant to be with (this is an unbiased opinion).  They don’t fight, they don’t argue and they always help each other.  This type of behavior isn’t limited to my family.  Children that I have met in many observant Jewish communities are the absolute best in the world.  The expressions:  “kids will be kids” and “teenagers will be teenagers” are meaningless to me since they are usually excuses for misbehaving. 

 

My wife and I grew up in secular communities.  We attended regular public schools.  I went through a military career, living in 5 states and two countries. We have been observant for about 20 years which means we have extensive experience with both worlds – secular and observant.  So, why would so many of the problems that we experienced in secular communities not be prevalent in a observant community?  The city we live in of about 45,000 people is 100% observant.  The Mayor is a Rabbi.  His staff consists completely of Rabbis or observant women.  The major industry is studying Torah.  There are about 150 places to pray and study Torah.  I personally live about a four minute walk to 12 places of worship.  It goes past 20 if my walk is increased to 10 minutes. Television is not allowed and children are not to have computers.  There are many computers in this city but they are used mostly for business and by retired people like me who keep up with the world using the web.  My son who uses the computer for business has a kosher web service.  All filth is blocked by the service; meaning, that if his children see the screen, it will not have improper content.  The children are exited about learning and they actually use books.  Most of all, they are happy children.

 

You may think that this seems archaic; but, let us look at the results of such a pristine society.  We have no police force in this city.  Stores often leave merchandise outside over night or receive deliveries overnight to be taken in at opening time.  There is no theft.  There are times that people need items that are left outside the store, they are permitted to take what they want since the owner knows that they will return to pay for it when the store opens.  All grocery stores and supermarkets only carry kosher products – that makes shopping much easier.  The bus service within the city and those buses that travel to other cities have separate seating.  Women sit in the back because they do not want to be looked at by men.  Am I saying that even observant men can’t control their emotions?  It so happens we are also human and we appreciate not being able to look at women on the bus or during prayer.  This leads to an interesting situation since women enter the bus by the center door; they scan their own card to pay for the ride.  There is a separate machine at the center door and it is completely on the honor system even for children who use that door.  I remember a situation recently where my son took a taxi home and realized he didn’t have money on him.  The cab driver said “no problem, I will stop by tomorrow and you can pay me.”  This city has no drug problems, no teen pregnancy (dating starts when we are ready to get married), a very low divorce rate; gossip isn’t allowed or any other prohibition in the Torah.  Even music is completely in praise of Hashem and is very popular.  Lots of music can be heard and on special occasions I’ve seen dancing in the streets (the men of course since men even shouldn’t watch women dancing).  24/7 is serving Hashem.  These are the happiest people on Earth.  Very honest, very generous, people always trying to help others, very good parents to their children and, of course, very good grandparents to their grandchildren, is the norm in my neighborhood.   All the negative stereotypes that we have heard about Jewish people are non-existent.  Jew hatred doesn’t exist.  Even when secular Jews or non-Jews visit, I have noticed such an atmosphere of respect and even emulation since the people are so friendly and lovable.  The only disagreement I have had with neighbors is when they try to pay me for thing and I don’t want the money.  The reverse has happened many times that someone does something for me or my family or gives us something, even at great expense, and they won’t take any money in payment.  Niceness between people should be my worst problem in life.

 

When we live in the states, we also lived in a city that was about 60,000 people with about 40,000 being observant.  Any crime that occurred came from outside the community and it was obvious.  I used to invite guests to my house, especially on Shabbos, to share the observant experience.  Very often it was a secular Jew or secular Jewish family that we wanted to teach about Hashem and His ways – let them experience the true joy of Shabbos.  I constantly got comments such as: “Your neighbors are such nice people,” or “Jews aren’t this way where I live.”  Any time I had a guest, there would always be a neighbor trying to steal my guest or guests for a meal.  I always got comments such as “I can’t believe that total strangers want to feed me and my family and treat us like we are their family.”  It actually is enjoyable since I, myself have stolen guests (that’s a secret so make sure you tell everyone).  The most telling comment was when we went for prayer service on a Saturday morning.  There were always young children there who were praying.  The service would last about 2 ½ hours.  My guest would notice how intense these you children would be praying to Hashem and would comment.  “Adults could put on airs, but the children don’t lie – these are well adjusted children that really want to serve Hashem.”  When it came to doing outreach work and helping people, my neighbors and especially the children (especially my children) were my best assets I had.

 

One incident that I want to relate involves a situation where two families were living in one house.  It was very crowded and did not afford the individual families privacy.  The observant Jewish community wanted to help and made a city wide collection.  They raised enough money to buy a separate home for one of the families.  There is no better way of serving Hashem than helping others and that was one of the most inspiring acts I have ever witnessed.

When someone tells me about an observant individual who was a crook, I explain that the individual they are talking about had a secular moment.  Observant crook is an oxymoron; you can’t do the commandments and violate them in the same breath.  I can’t put on a stethoscope and walk into a hospital and call myself a doctor.  Likewise, I can’t call myself an observant Jew and not follow the commandments of the Torah.

 

We are products of our environment.  If we grow up surrounded by goodness and happiness, than that is what we become.  If we are surrounded by evil; well, you get the point.  Jewish stereotypes usually come from people who never really met an observant Jew.  A non-observant Jew can have the same bad habits as a non-observant gentile, but if the one seeing the individual with bad habits knows that he or she is Jewish, it becomes an “all Jews are that way” scenario.  

 

Someday, I hope to invite each and every one of you to my house (don’t tell my wife I said that).  Seeing is believing (unless it is something reported in the news).  This will sound strange; but, I don’t want you to believe a word that I am saying.  If you ever get the chance to go to an observant Jewish community and meet the people, I can give you an “I told you so.”  That experience will be worth a thousand of my words.