"The sword [dedicated] to the Lord is filled with blood…. for [there is] sacrifice to the Lord in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom." Isaiah 34:6
Most rabbis divested from God. Their God is a subordinate who must be content with whatever attention is paid him. He is not expected to have any influence on current affairs, thus not feared. Had the rabbis feared God, they would follow his precepts, not government instructions. Why the rabbis did not call on the Jews to fight the government over the destruction of Gush Katif? Because the rabbis don’t see the commandment to conquer Canaan or establish a Jewish state as binding. They are skeptical about that ancient fellow, Joshua bin Nun who conquered the land. Maybe he received a commandment; they didn’t. Rabbis demand miracles, such as supernatural Messiah because they don’t believe the words of Torah. The commandments do not persuade them; rabbis know how readily the Talmud twists the commandments. De facto, Torah takes for them distant second place after the sages – whom they also reinterpret at will. Had the rabbis believed that the commandments are divine and the words passed to us intact – why demand a Messiah? But they don’t believe that the commandments are miracles – and demand that miracle happen before their eyes. God, however, tend to perform miracles without violating the laws of nature. Every miracle can be explained away. Pundits explain persuasively how the Red Sea parted naturally. Jewish survival in Holocaust is attributed to chance, and Israel's victories against behemoth Arab armies – to tactical superiority.
Meir Kahane conformed to the profile of messiah as close as one can imagine: a genius, charismatic leader, a man of religion and war, suffering, humiliated, condemned to death by Jewish leaders, and murdered by Edomite Arab. Talmudic rabbis called the Romans Edomites, too. If Messiah comes and is recognized, would the Jews follow him? The case is far from theoretical. Scores of Chabadniks consider the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Messiah. In clear violation of the commandment that prohibits images, they put the Rebbe’s photo in homes and offices, and revere him. They gather at his grave to ask for blessings and intercession. But Chabadniks ignore the Rebbe’s major injunction against ceding any part of the Land of Israel. Perhaps they consider the Rebbe a spiritual leader, not worthy consulting in earthly matters? That’s not so. Jews cheered Sharon’s, Netanyahu’s and other politicians’ visits to the Rebbe. Sharon specifically sought the Rebbe's help against Shamir’s plan of elections in Palestine. Chabadniks - presumably ready to die on stakes rather than forfeit their religion – were afraid to fight the renegade government over the Gush Katif destruction.
Chabad leaders vociferously condemned the flock in Kfar Chabad who voted for Baruch Marzel and his program of holding the Jewish land and expelling the Arab enemies. The leaders knew they act contrary to the Rebbe’s teaching and invented a flimsy pretext: Chabadniks shouldn’t vote for Marzel because he won’t pass electoral barrier and their votes will be lost. As if the votes are not lost on Shas and similar quasi-religious outfits committed to cooperation with the government – in return for money and promotion. Chabad leaders could have helped Marzel to pass the electoral barrier instead of campaigning against him.
Judaism is a religion of deeds. There is no gap between earthly and spiritual things. A religion of practical purity is hard, indeed. Religious Jews invented a parallel life. Judaism remains for them a religion of deeds – but of insignificant deeds, rites unrelated to real life. They tear toilet paper in advance of Sabbath and observe absurd rites without slightest basis in the Torah – but expunged God from practical matters. They disregarded the reformer’s warning, “Hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matter of the law: justice and mercy, and faith.” They followed his wrong advice, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
In Judaism, even the land we live in is God’s; nothing belongs to petty caesars from Israeli government.
Nice article. Just a question: who you mean with"
They disregarded the reformer’s warning, “Hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matter of the law: justice and mercy, and faith.” They followed his wrong advice, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
who is the reformer??
Sounds a lot like Jews for Jesus or Hebrew Jews!
Your reformer is obviously Yeshu and your quote render unto Ceaser is also Yeshu. So now we know where you are comming From!!
Obadiah quotes Talmud in the previous article.
The reformer is Jesus
I would give every heredity in Israel 2 choices go to the Army or go to NYC/ anywhere else! No more hand outs as we then have to give the Arabs at least the Same so we have to support 2 large worthless ethnic sectors who compete against ea other for title of Largest Baby producers, Knowing full well that we poor working stiffs will be forced to pay for both of these useless dregs of society.
I have a sneaking feeling that obvadia is a sneaking jews for jesus or some other cult. after reading a lot of their literature much sound exactly like this writer of this Blog. Are we being Duped?
Good one there!By the way what do mean by wrong adice?
To Edmund: Jews resent Christian dichotomy of deeds and beliefs. In Judaism, everything is God's, nothing is Caesar's.
To Jeff: Read Obadiah's views on Christianity here http://www.samsonblinded.org/files/Jesus_and_Christ.pdf
Jeff you might like to know that one Arab in Israel has no less than 67 children (Probably more by now). He has 9 wives, 1 state that pays him for these children, and 0 loyalty to that country.
Long live democracy.
While I disagree with Obadiah on many essential points, I am in awe , over his originality, his freedom of thought and courage to go out on the limb. It is impossible to stick Obadiah in any ready made category, he creates his own category as he writes and explores. If more people would exercise such creative freedom of thought we might create an entirely new paradigm for a new kind of Jew, and indeed a new human being. Unfortunately almost everybody else clings to some belief, tradition, philosophy, or ideology, or they cling to their own ego and try to defend their previous statements right, or wrong. No freedom in that.
Well, this became interesting here. Danny still has not answered my question about who is the reformer.
And to Danny also, Jesus taught the exact thing, maybe you just missed the point. They asked to him:
Should we pay the taxes? He asked them for a coin, then asked them, who is on the image here? the cesar. So give the Cesar what belongs to him, and to G-d what belongs to G-d.
Imagine right now, Israel today. Ovadiah says revolution. Non-believers say we cannot do it. Ovadiah says Israel is for jews, non-believers say we cannot expel arabs, so the idea is clear.
Money power and what you have to do with it is something, and G-d ways and wisdom is something else. So, Jesus say you cannot serve at the same time money and G-d.
Reflex the same situation on us today and you'll understand what he said back then.
What belongs to G-d has nothing to do with what belong to the temporal power out there.If you preach to follow G-d laws, you cannot preach to follow men's laws
B"H
Messiah. In clear violation of the commandment that prohibits images, they put the Rebbe’s photo in homes and offices
How long will you sttradle two sides of the fence?
Sometimes you pretend to be a Karaite like now and sometimes you quote the Talmud, Code of Jewish Law etc.
I understand you have a Machiavellian approach to politics however it also seems that your approach to Torah is no less Machiavellian no real standards in how you chose to interpret Torah and Jewish Law whatever is expedient…
Also In this case it would ave been more honest to blame part of the corrupt leadership of Chabad in Israel not entire Chabad since many didn't listen to them including most fervent believers in the Rebbe's messianship like Rabbi Woplo and others.
your article is mixed truth with non sense.
It is true that the Rabbi system dosent suffice everything in the TORAH.
HASHEMS Servant MOSHE EVED HASHEM was above all prophets and trusted by HASHEM the most To give us the
The TORAH and it stands by itself .
No Prophet , No King has a Prophecy higher than HASHEMS Servant MOSHE. so definitely no Rabbi can change the TORAH.
When you make little of Shabat rules like cutting toilet paper before Shabat then that is a severy mistake . It is because of the rules of Shabat and keeping these rules that HASHEM protects Bnei Yisrael.
Remember that Keeping the Shabat is in the 10 commandments so thats a binding agreement in Stone. and placed in the ARk. So we need to keep all the mitzvot as much as we can.
anybody that reforms from the Torah should change his ways.
I know some Rabbis run there shul like a business . i know rabbis discouraging Aliyah in America. But we still have our obligations to the Torah regardless of them. If youre Jewish and Rabbis dont make sense to you .
then dont reform stay intouch with me and i can guide you the way HASHEM shows me. by the Torah way. Im not aHalachic athority.
Im not a prophet but TORAH has led me until now. The TORAH was given to us by the highest of all Prophet Moshe . HASHEM says Bechol Beiti NeEman HOO which means in my entire house he is loyal.
this is what we need to strive for
Joseph Levy
Ohrplus@yahoo.com
To Ariel: Obadiah knows Talmud and the later works decently, but doesn't embrace Orthodoxy.
Sure, no blame applies to Chabad at large, the post clearly relates to the particular deviations.
Obadia, contradictions on contradictions,
do you really understand what 're you talking about? Machiavelli, Jewish values, and above all TORAH LAW FOR REPUBLIC OF JUDEA instead of secular law, now you are after Children of G-d who pray to Him all day and study Torah all days and nights
And now Christian quotes and argumentation that those who tear toilet paper for Shabbat didn't listen …. to WHOM ?!!!
Man, after CHmelnitsky massacres/ Shabbetai Zvi and subsequent rise of Chassidism and ultimate destruction by Nazis of that zone of settlement that Chassidism covered –requirements for messiahs are pretty high.
If everything is His, from and by Him, every moment, even right now, not only in the beginning, but to the end, and in between, then what can you do in reaching religious ideal other than praying for it? Definitely not getting involved in Machiavellism — or terrorism, for that matter.
He took us out of Egypt without our participation, only after some time there,
He took us into the Land, only after some time in the desert, He gave Solomon to build the Temple, not even David was given the honor.
He said to exterminate Amalek, but Saul took upon himself and spared the life of the amalek king. Question: Is Saul more merciful then He is Himself? That let to ultimate demise of Saul, and rise of David. So, why do you think things that you advocate
would bring Moshiakh/Third Temple about?
So, your argumentation is pretty weak on free will and calls for actions, especially for actions that you advocate — we have to decide who is the traitor and definitively so, and then militarily/terrorist like actions — this is not religious ideal,
Just like one of your readers mentioned — Jews become united in times of catastrophe, by imposing RAW FORCE to exile arabs — you would bring about a catastrophe by uniting all arabs and Muslim world alike — Pakistan does have nukes and missiles, and 150 mln of jew haters
G-d is the only reality according to Judaism,
and if you want to bring happiness to mankind with iron hand, it was attempted by Bolsheviks and NKVD/KGB and it didn't work, the only way is to change yourself, that's why you pray,
you 're either very confused or evil