Qorbanot

"Take with you words, and return unto the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept us graciously: so will we render as bullocks the offerings of our lips." Hosea 14:1-2

Perhaps more than any other Jewish Holiday, Pesach (Passover) reminds us of the centrality of the Temple in Jerusalem. Observance of Pesach recalls the significance of the Temple sacrifice, and its connection to the redemption of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. In Exodus we are told that the Jews were commanded by God, through Moses, to slaughter a lamb and sprinkle its blood on the door-posts of their homes so that the Angle of Death would pass them over at night as he went to take all the first-born of Egypt in the tenth and final plague. This sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb was to be eaten by the Jews prior to their flight from bondage the following day. After the departure from Egypt, Jewish tradition holds that this sacrifice was repeated only once during the forty year sojourn in the Sinai Dessert prior to the arrival of the Jews in the Holy Land. It was then decreed that every year on the eve of Passover(Passover commences at nightfall on April 2, 2007, 15th day of Nisan 5767) within the Land of Israel, a Paschal Lamb would be offered by every Jewish family, slaughtered at the Holy Temple by a Priest of the Temple, and then consumed in its entirety by the families making the offerings in their homes. Jewish law has always maintained that these sacrifices could only be made either at the Temple, or at some other place specified by God. Therefore, ever since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E., no sacrifices have been offered.

The Hebrew term for sacrificial offering is Qorbanot - קרבנות. The Qorban Paschal, is but one of many different types of Qorbanot. The majority of these offerings were termed Olim, as "burnt offerings". The purpose of these offerings was two-fold; first, to commune with God, and secondly, to expiate sin. It is however, extremely important to realize that true forgiveness for sin, has always been held by Jewish law, to require genuine contrition and remorse. Sacrifice without contrition and belief in God without confession are ineffective. Moral righteousness, loving kindness, combined with faith in God far exceed sacrifice. The Book of Micah, from the Tanakh states:

With what shall I approach the Lord,
Do homage to God on high?
Shall I approach Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
With myriads of streams of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for my sins?
Man has told you what is good.
But what does the Lord require of you?
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:6-8

Indeed no measure of forgiveness for sins can be obtained by an offerer with an impure and uncontrite heart, while, on the other hand, complete and perfect forgiveness can be obtained through prayer and pertinence alone. For Jews, our words and actions, and the way in which we form a personal and communal relationship with God takes the place of the Temple offerings of our ancestors. Our deeds of charity -- Tzedaka צדקה, and loving kindness -- Chessed חסד, and our performance of Mitzvot מצווה, are the Qorbanot through which we commune with the Creator, and gain forgiveness for the wrongs we have done.

Our Passover Seder pays homage to the Qorban Pesach with the inclusion of the lamb shank on the ceremonial plate. In the Seder we are told to recall the Temple sacrifices, the deliverance from slavery and the flight from bondage. On Passover we recall how we came to life as a nation in the Sinai Dessert, and how we all, as a nation entered into a covenant with God to serve Him alone, to abide by His laws, and to obey His will. Although the physical Ark of the Covenant containing the actual Laws given at Sinai is lost, and the Temple is destroyed, our bond with God, our commitment to him, and our love for him is undying, and eternal.

The term Qorbanot is a word which cannot be precisely translated into English. It generally means, "offering" or "sacrifice", but it also has the meaning of "drawing nearer to God". Oleh, too, defies complete definition in English; it generally means "burnt offering", but is based upon the Hebrew word for "ascension", or "going up". These words have great significance in Judaism for what they literally represent, and for what they have come to represent. Since the destruction of the Temple, the blood of martyrs dying for their God has taken the place of the blood of the unblemished lambs offered to God on the alter. These martyrs are regarded as human Qorbanot. With the miraculous re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel, Jewish immigrants to Israel are referred to as Olim, and the process of Jews migrating to Israel is known as Aliyah, based upon the same root word-- meaning, "ascension" or "going up".

Beginning shortly after the Holocaust, Orthodox Judaism initiated a movement to encourage Jews who have have become non-observant, or who have otherwise fallen away from Judaism, to return to the faith. This project is known as Kiruv. Kiruv is a Hebrew word which also denotes the concept of "drawing near", but unlike Qorbanot, Kiruv does not also convey the meaning of "offering". As such, Kiruv can be applied to a variety of endeavors, but is understood as entirely distinct from the ritual of sacrificial offering. Kiruv is often referred to as "outreach". However, as pointed out by Rabbi Howard Gorin, because Kiruv seeks to re-establish observant Judaism among people who were born Jewish, and who in reality, never truly departed, it might more properly be called, "inreach". Faith-based outreach to non-Jews has not traditionally been a part of normative Judaism. Therefore other than the typically values-laden concepts of "proselytizing" and "missionary", there are no uniquely Jewish terms that apply to the effort of pro-actively seeking converts.

When one thinks of missionary activity, a broad range of very unpleasant and disdainful images are likely to be conjured up. Missionaries have often worked hand in hand with imperial powers as agents of colonialism. Native peoples have been told by missionaries that they must accept, and submit to colonial overlordship, through the guise of religion. In the hands of missionaries, religion has served to blunt the natural instinct of people to reject and fight against injustice and oppression. Missionaries have been associated with the use of direct and implied force in order to induce conversion. Often the granting and withholding of political and economic rights and privileges has been linked to the acceptance of a religion. Moreover, missionary activity has often historically been focused upon the disputation of a prospective convert's previously held beliefs and traditions. Jews, in particular, have been the frequent historical targets of intense and aggressive missionary activity. These types of actions, whether by intent, or by affect, must never have any place in Jewish outreach to non-Jews.

However, this does not mean that we cannot, or should not, "offer" our faith to the millions of people in the world who might embrace a true and sincere conversion, and be greatly benefited by it. The reasons for "offering" Judaism are compelling. Judaism has sustained us as a people for over three thousand years, and in spite of tremendous pressures and great violence, we know that the our worship of God, through adherence to the laws of the Torah, has never be superseded. But we do not adhere to Judaism simply through inertia, or even less, because of a threat of retribution, or a promise of reward. Judaism is not a religion that demands violent and unceasing war against all non-Jews. Nor is it a religion that permits us to be unaccountable for our own conduct on this earth, or to fail to hold others accountable for theirs. Judaism alone, exalts justice, and man's duty to do justice above adherence to ritual, and vastly above proclamation of faith. Judaism proclaims that the best evidence of God's love for man is God's gift to man of freedom. The ability, and the command, to "pursue justice" is the very essence of freedom. Judaism rejects predetermination. For all of these reasons, we cannot excuse ourselves from the obligation to look at the larger "human condition" and ask ourselves, what more we can do, not merely for fellow Jews, but for fellow man. And when we look to the larger condition of humanity, we find that there are many people in the world who thirst for justice and spiritual enlightenment and who have been failed by all other belief systems that have entered into, and passed through, their lives -- we must "offer" Judaism to them.

Qorbanot is an appropriate term for defining Jewish cultural and spiritual outreach to non-Jews. By "offering" Judaism to non-Jews, we present them with a cultural and spiritual legacy whose value is beyond estimation. We "offer" Judaism to a non-Jewish human being just as we used to offer our sacrifices, and as we now offer our prayers and pertinence, as replacements for sacrifice, to God Himself, in whose image Man is made. For us to effectively make the "offering", we must place our skepticism, narrowmindedness, and hidebound attitudes on the alter, and commit them to fire, ensuring that they are entirely consumed and destroyed in the process. Those of us who believe in making the "offering" must give of our time, effort, and resources.

However, what we "offer" to non-Jews in welcoming them to Judaism, is not destroyed in the process, but rather, it is ignited and set aglow within the hearts of all those who embrace the worship of God and the Mitzvot. Nor are we diminished by the "offerings" that we make. To the contrary, we are in every way, enhanced. Just as we perform Mitzvot when we give to the poor and perform acts of living kindness for those in need, by "offering" Judaism, we do God's will by giving to those who are spiritually in need and impoverished. In doing so, we "draw" not only the convert, but also, ourselves, "closer to God", just as our ancestors did with Qorbanot. Finally, as we recall in Pesach our deliverance from slavery, our worship of God through Qorbanot, and our freedom, our "offering" of Judaism to non-Jews, provides them with the same hope of redemption, justice and communion with God.

As we "offer" Judaism to non-Jews, we must bear in mind several core principles, lest our mission be diverted from its purpose, and its results be undesired:

• Tradition -- Every conversion that takes place must strictly conform to the requirements of Halacha -- Rabbinic Jewish Law. The requirements of Jewish Law must not be relaxed for the sake of inducing conversions. There must however, be no conditions placed upon prospective converts that Jewish Law does not otherwise require. Additionally, Jewish scriptures and texts must be taught in accordance with accepted Jewish rules of construction and interpretation. Other faiths have, to a significant extent, co-opted Jewish texts and applied diametrically apposed interpretations to them -- these un-Jewish interpretations cannot be reconciled or harmonized, and must be rejected. The wisdom of the Prophets, the Talmudic sages, and other well-recognised Jewish thinkers are the source of Jewish knowledge.

• Peoplehood -- Judaism is unlike other religions, in that it encompasses not only spirituality, but also culture, and tradition. Being Jewish is not a private matter, but to truly be Jewish one must enter into a covenantial relationship with God, and with all Jewish people. Being Jewish means bonding ones fate with the fate of all Jews, everywhere. Being Jewish means respecting and honoring the traditions of all Jews, and recognising that they all derive from a common origin. Being Jewish means honoring the ancestors of other Jews, as they are your own. Being Jewish means recognizing that the beating heart of all Jews is in Jerusalem, and that sovereignty in our Land is a Godly mandate. Any conversion which fails to embrace Jewish Peoplehood as defined herein, is a nullity.

• The Thirteen Principles of Maimonides -- These must be believed and followed:
  1. God exists
  2. God is one and unique
  3. God is incorporeal
  4. God is eternal
  5. Prayeris to be directed to God alone and to no other
  6. The words of the prophets are true
  7. Moses's prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets
  8. The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah(teachings now contained in the Talmudand other writings) were given to Moses
  9. There will be no other Torah
  10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men
  11. God will reward the good and punish the wicked
  12. The Messiah will come
  13. The dead will be resurrected

• A True and Sincere Conversion -- Every person who seeks to convert, must do so out of a coextensive faith in God, love of God, desire to worship God and to perform Mitzvot, and a deep sense of belonging to Jewish Peoplehood, and a love of Zion. A man or woman cannot make a true and faithful conversion if he or she is induced to convert only for material gain. Judaism is not offered as an instantaneous "escape" from all poverty and oppression. However, every person who converts to Judaism can, and should, view Judaism as a powerful method of self-empowerment, leading to spiritual, material, and economic betterment. All converts must embrace the Ten Commitments, as set frorth by Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn :
  

  1. Yom Kippur Observance - Fasting and attending synagogue
  is symbolic of our commitment to observe the High Holy ways and the Festivals.
  2. Kindle Shabbat Candles - Symbolizes our commitment to begin to observe Shabbat at home and in the synagogue.
  3. Mezuzah - Symbolizes our commitment to having a Jewish home.
  4. Tzedakah - The commitment to give of ourselves, our time and our money, according to ability.
  5. Affiliation - The commitment to join a synagogue and become an
  active member of the synagogue community.
  6. Dietary Laws - Accept some aspect that reflects and understanding of their importance for Jewish life. Acknowledge the validity of the discipline.
  7. Worship - The commitment to a regular worship experience.
  8. Education - Each individual must present an outline or plan for continuing a Jewish education.
  9. Love of Israel - Includes support for the Jewish people and the Land of Israel as the historical Jewish homeland and the Jewish State. Support the United Jewish Appeal or other organizations that act on behalf of Israel and
  Jews in American and around the world.
  10. Raise Children as Jews - The commitment to "teach them faithfully to your children" (the v'ahavta prayer). Our commitment to raise children in the Jewish faith.

• The Cycle of "Offering" -- Every convert should aspire to become educated in Judaism within his or her ability, and to then reach out and "offer" his faith to others in his community, who have not yet been touched. Every convert should aspire to become a Jewish Leader, and to contribute to the discourse of normative Judaism, so that his or her legacy will be known to future generations.

• Tikkun Olam -- We must "offer" Judaism as a vehicle for empowerment and social justice. We must bring "Qorbanot" to the world's "broken people".

• Citizenship -- Every convert must understand that it is God's will for him or her to succeed, and flourish in the land of his birth. Every convert should aspire to seek the betterment, not only of his family, his people and his community, but also of his Nation. All converts should aspire to play a leadership role in their Nations, and should develop a sense of responsibility towards all fellow citizens. As it is stated:

  "This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all; those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may -have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Jeremiah 29: 4-7

  As a corollary, of all the millions upon millions of prospective Jewish converts in the world, not all can, or should, seek to make Aliyah to Israel. However, every Jew should make "Aliyah of the heart", and support and love Zion, in the heart.

• Permitted Pluralism -- Judaism, having developed for nearly two thousand years in the Diaspora, has many different variations. In all of the nations where Jews have lived, they have adopted and developed some unique customs, idioms, and folkways. It is to be expected and encouraged, that new converts will bring to Judaism, various aspects of their native traditions. So long as these new elements are not inconsistent with normative Jewish law, they are to be welcomed, and appreciated as adding to the rich cultural mosaic of Jewish tradition.

• Patience and Wisdom -- This idea originates with Igbo Jewish leader, Remy Ilona. There is no deadline or time limit for the conversionary process. Some people will rapidly accept all fundamental principles of Judaism, and will convert quickly. Others will remain somewhat attached to their previously held beliefs. It is every person's choice to either embrace, or not embrace Judaism, and every person must be allowed the time and space to arrive at his or her own decision. No person should be cut off or excluded from the dialogue because they are not yet ready to make a full conversion. Honesty and candor for all parties is a necessity.

• Openness to All -- No person may ever be excluded from the "offering" of Judaism, or deprived of the opportunity to convert because of ancestry, poverty, illness, illiteracy, or any immutable characteristic. No person will ever be required to pay any sum of money to convert. However, consistent with Jewish Law, charitable giving, to religious institutions, Jewish philanthropic organizations, and other worthy recipients, is a duty for every Jew.

It is my hope that these ideas will represent a framework for us to begin the process of "offering" Judaism to the world. It's now getting late, as I finish this essay on Friday afternoon, and the sun will be setting soon. I wish everyone Shabbat Shalom. And may we all have a peaceful and joyous Passover.

May they Choose Peace

On February 25, 2007, a forty two year old Israeli father of three was brutally stabbed to death by a two Palestinian Arabs. His name was Erez Levanon. He was attacked and killed while he was in the midst of prayer. In a very moving tribute to Erez's life, the following article, written by Michael Disend, appeared in the March 22, 2007 edition of Israel Insider. The words of the article not only beautifully pay tribute to a peaceful and God-loving man who died a horrific death for the Sanctification of God -- al Kiddush HaShem, but they also convey, in my opinion the essence of Judaism:

The forest of Bat Ayin was his meditation chamber. The trees brimmed with life. They were a suspension of time in the midst of Judea's stony hills.

That is where Erez Levanon, musician and tzadik [righteous man] of Bat Ayin, communed with God. The tree tops, as uplifted as his heart, inspired Erez. He would wander in solitude beneath their feathery green until Providence led him to the place of prayer.

There he entered devout silence.

Opening to God.

Blooming as a Jew.

And within that beautiful and sacred spot of the Holy Land this gentle father of three was stabbed many times while at prayer.

Once again floodgates of Jewish grief sprung open. The murder of this righteous lover of HaShem left his family bereft and his baal teshuvah religious-zionist community devastated. In photographs of his funeral procession I saw mourning faces glazed with sorrow. But I am certain they will soon recover and flourish anew. For I recently returned from an extended visit to the blessed settlement of Bat Ayin, 2600 feet above the Dead Sea. and what moved me above all else is that the residents have put God first in their hearts.

In stark contrast to the grotesque caricatures of "West Bank settlers" as hateful fanatics, I met mostly loving, non-judgmental people who dwell with each other in deep accord. These are Jews from all over the world whose souls are directed toward spiritual harmony. Never -- not even once -- did I hear a negative word directed toward the surrounding Arab villagers. There was only praise for their neighbors' shared love of the land, their skill as farmers, and their traditional "family values."

This absence of negativity startled me, because over time even I had come to partly believe biased portrayals of these passionate lovers of God. That's how relentless propaganda works. I expected canards of rage and violence and racism. Instead I found serenity and inner strength. Not just in Bat Ayin, but throughout Gush Etzion. The "settlers", on the whole, are warm people, caring people. Not expropriators of property. Not supremacist zealots. Simply devout Jews who have, at long last, come home in more ways than one.

I've come to believe that one of the best things the organized Jewish community can do is conduct tours of Judea and Samaria. Foreign visitors -- and large numbers of misinformed Jews -- will return confirmed in their prior views, or they will make startling discoveries. Because in the "settlements" they will meet vividly transformed Jews -- beautiful, humble Jews toiling upon the historical land of their forefathers -- not simply perching behind computer screens in Tel Aviv. They will meet Jews growing olives, grapes and wheat with exquisite care . They will encounter Jews utterly different from any they've known before, even the most pious.Visitors can place their hands upon the soil of Judea, feel the radiant power, and an inner awakening may commence, as it did for me. They will enjoy Shabbat with large luminous families and come away fortified and grateful. Perhaps they will comprehend that under no circumstances must this sacred soil be given away to those with genocidal ill will in their hearts.

If anything, the tragedy of Erez Levanon's murder in February has made Bat Ayin stronger and her external enemies weaker.

And I have no worries for the ongoing destiny of Erez Levanon . This "simple Jew" with his kindly face, a man who sung delightedly of God to his own and his community's children, lived wisely and well. His offspring will grow taller than the sacred forest where his life was taken. And his soul's journey to its destiny continues unthwarted. What God is in Himself, how God exists in Himself, I can neither say nor describe. But I am absolutely confident of God's Grace upon Erez Levanon.

My prayers are for his murderers.

My compassion is for his assassins.

My sorrow is for his murderers.

May they finally understand that they that they have slain the essence of themselves, not those of the Jewish people or other "infidels."

It was unsurprising to learn the killers were young men from a nearby Arab village. They were quickly captured and apparently have expressed no regret whatsoever. Quite the opposite, we're told. This, too, is familiar. In the Ukraine they laughingly bashed in Jewish heads with lead pipe. They raped religious Jewish girls with drunken abandon. So to hear the terrorist entity Islamic Jihad -- modern day Nazis in every way but the name -- take "credit" for the cowardly atrocity in Bat Ayin wasn't precisely earth-shattering . Nor was the fact that Erez Levanon's death was virtually ignored by global mass media.

Still, despite all that, my prayers are for his murderers.

By their irreparable action they have removed themselves from any sort of inner peace. The destiny of Erez Levanon's murderers is to know continual pain. Not just now for but a terribly long time to come. The constant pain reflects the endless burning of hatred within their own minds. For any congratulations from their depraved mentors of destruction, the day will come when the clear light of conscience must dawn. This is God's Law. It is inevitable. Accompanying that clear light will be a tremendous inner sorrow, the like of which every shameless murderer in history has come to know. All rationalizations for the crime then vanish like acrid smoke. Any and all moments of tranquility disappear. The murderer knows only a thunderous grieving. Over and over. Hour after hour. An inner din without respite. And it will last far beyond the mourning for Erez Levanon. This long suffering can't be covered over by demonic pieties or mythical intoxications. It burns. It roars. It weeps. Then and only then, in torment and solitude, these murderers of their own souls can start the arduous recovery process of knowing God's Love.

My prayers are for the murderers of Erez Levanon.

Much as a part of me wants to say, "May HaShem avenge his blood, " I will not utter those words.

I want a heart free of hatred, anger, and revenge.

I want peace and I chose peace.

I will not let the murderers if Erez Levanon --or the demons of the Shoah -- kill my soul.

I am a Jew. And the story of the Jew is always David versus Goliath.

External enemies -- those who declare their enmity -- are real. And they are to be dealt with accordingly and realistically. But I won't let them emerge victorious by murdering my soul. My work, first and foremost, is to slay the ugly giants of fear and hatred and self pity within myself. I do that by keeping my inner gaze upon God. In that way I can live with love for all people. Even my enemies. Even Islamic Jihad. And, yes, even Nazis. For if I give in to hatred, I will have no peace and the enemies, within and without, will have won. I will have lost my soul.

This does not mean we can not and will not fight. This does not mean that murderers and terrorists are allowed to slaughter and torment Jews and go free. There is a time and a place for fighting and the nation of Israel excels at combat -- without hatred in our hearts. Our holy books teach us the secrets of warfare. When we fight with justice, with a serene love of God, we have been victorious and will be again,

My most dangerous enemies are within. I can spend the rest of my life fearing and hating all Nazis of past and present. I can obsess and fume day and night. I can even kill by the millions. But millions more will appear in their place. And I will have no peace. Ever. And the Satan, whether I believe in him or not, will take my soul. Because I will live within a prison cell of my own creation.

And I will have utterly failed to live as a true Jew in this world.

So I chose peace.

May those who sponsor the murderers of Erez Levanon, and the murderers themselves, also choose peace.

Keep these thoughts and images in your mind. And let us say: Amen.

Honoring the Victims of the Holocaust

Between 1938 and 1945 between five to six million European Jews were killed by the murder machine of Nazi Germany. These victims were non-combatants who presented no threat to the sovereignty or security of Germany, or of any other European country. These were ordinary people, who were killed, not merely for practicing Judaism, but for being Jewish. In terms of sheer magnitude, the Holocaust eclipses all other tragedies -- and there have been many -- that has ever befallen the Jewish people. Over the years, countless volumes have been written by people who have dedicated their lives to studying the evidence and attempting to preserve it, and explain it to the world. These people stand as witness and champion for those who died and cannot speak for themselves.

With an issue so enormous and morally laden as the Holocaust, it is important that we are self-critical in our approach to discussing the matter, and that we constantly ask ourselves whether we learned the right lessons from this historical tragedy, and whether our words and actions effectively honor its victims. Just as every Jewish person is commanded to view himself as though he, personally, had been redeemed from Egypt, every Jew should feel a personal sorrow and connection with the Holocaust. Every Jew should feel some sense of personal obligation to prevent a holocaust from ever happening again. Finally, the Jewish people should strive to encourage the non-Jews of the world to similarly feel a personal sense of sorrow towards the inhumanity of the Holocaust, and a personal sense of responsibility to ensure that it never happens again. The common theme of these goals is that Jews must view the Holocaust personally, but also, as something that affects and affirms the "oneness" of all humanity.

I believe that a great flaw in the way that many Jews confront this issue lies in the fact that, in their focus on the personal dimension of the Holocaust, they have largely lost sight of its universal aspects. In what has become the standard discourse, rather than communicating a message of unity and commonality between Jews and non-Jews, the message has almost invariably become one of distinction and difference. Such an approach not only diminishes the empathy that non-Jews have towards Jews, but it deprives the rest of the world of a critical moral lesson regarding the universality of injustice and suffering. This approach also has the potential of creating divisions between Jews of European ancestry, whose ancestors bore the brunt of the Holocaust, and Jews from other ethnic backgrounds, who may have different cultural and social experiences to bring to the table. This is not the best way to honor the victims of the Holocaust.

Israel and the Holocaust

One of the great ways in which the conventional wisdom regarding the Holocaust has become frankly detrimental is in the Holocaust's perceived role in the creation of Israel. It is true that Israel was established by the remnant of pre-Holocaust European Jewry, along with some earlier pioneers. It is also inarguable that centuries of oppression against Jews, culminating with the Holocaust, served as a powerful motivating force for the founding fathers and early leaders of the state. Clearly, modern Israel was created in part as a refuge for Jews who survived the Holocaust, and were fleeing oppression. However, it is one thing to say that centuries of oppression and genocide spurred the Jewish people to actualize the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty in Israel, and quite another to say that the historical suffering of the Jewish people is necessary to prove that Israel has "a right to exist".

The very notion of externally questioning a nation's "right to exist", is suspect. History shows that every nation's "right to exist" is justified completely by the fact of its existence. No nation is required to prove that its people were historically oppressed, or nearly exterminated, in order to gain "legitimacy". Yet, many Jews seem to honestly believe that the Holocaust is essential for not only the world's acceptance of Israel as a sovereign state, but also for their support of the beleaguered country. For example, an Israeli columnist states in an op ed piece for the November 15, 2006 Jerusalem Post, entitled Anti-Semite and Jew:

“I believe the history of anti-Semitism gives Jews the right to a state. . .”

This is somewhat like saying, "I have a right to experience the warmth and light of the Sun, because I 've been locked in a cave all my life." No other people resort to such tortured logic to justify their right to self-determination, yet for Jews, this is received as an unexceptional statement of the "obvious". It should therefore come as no surprise when the anti-Semitic enemies of Israel seize upon this theme, of our own creation, to attack its weaknesses.

The fact that the common Jewish approach to the Holocaust has become a great weapon in the hands of Israel's anti-Semitic enemies, is demonstrated by the obsessive rhetoric of the Iranian government under the leadership of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As stated by a Journalist for the BBC on December 16, 2006, the approach of Holocaust denial "has all the simplicity of a mathematical proof"; if Israel is built upon the moral and diplomatic foundation of the the Holocaust, then denying the existence of the Holocaust, and causing others to doubt it, strikes a mortal wound to the Jewish state. The very fact that Iran even thought to sponsor and hold a conference on the Holocaust -- a European phenomenon, which has no direct relevance to Iran -- shows how the conventional wisdom, rather than confirming Israel's legitimacy in the eyes of the world, has had the unintended consequence of encouraging even more vituperative attacks against Israel, the Jewish people, and the deceased victims of Nazi genocide. Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki clearly summed up the reason for the conference, as follows:

“If the official version of the Holocaust is thrown into doubt, then the identity and nature of Israel will be thrown into doubt. And if, during this review, it is proved that the Holocaust was a historical reality, then what is the reason for the Muslim people of the region and the Palestinians having to pay the cost of the Nazis' crimes?"

But contrary to Mottaki's underlying assumption, the desire to re-establish Jewish sovereignty in Israel was born the moment the sovereignty was lost, nearly two thousand years ago. The state was not given to the Jews as a form or "restitution" for the Holocaust by the powers of Europe, it was created through the convictions of its founding fathers, and brought into existence by the courage and sacrifices of its people. Many Jews fought and died to bring the state into existence and many Arabs fought and died to try to prevent it. It was a competition for land and resources, and the Jews won. Yet, the Foreign Minister's words seem to resonate. They resonate because perhaps Jews do not have a complete confidence in the righteousness of their cause. Therefore, rather than allowing the victims of the Nazis to rest in peace, we have somehow felt the need to resurrect them and press them into service defending a nation which they never knew, and in reality, did not die for.

The Holocaust happened --it is a fact. But Israel would have a right to exist, even if it had not happened. If we know this, and believe it, there should be no reason to invite the anti-Semites of this world to challenge this historical event, or to desecrate the memories of the souls who perished.

The Holocaust and our Common Bond with all of Humanity

Between 1915 and 1917, well over one million Armenian men, women and children were slaughtered in Turkey. This was the first modern example of genocide. Every form of indignity was inflicted upon the Armenians, forced deportations, starvation, mass executions, beatings, and the copious use of rape and sexual torture as a means of suppressing and destroying them as a people. Although the atrocities were known to the world from press accounts, no nation did anything to stop it. Adolf Hitler is credited with saying, in contemplation of his "final solution" against the Jews, "after all who remembers the slaughter of the Armenians?" There are also, unfortunately, tragically, many other examples of genocide in modern history -- Biafra, Darfur, Rwanda, Bosnia; just to name a few. There were millions of victims of the trans-Atlantic African slave trade. Nearly one quarter of a million Roma (Gypsy) perished along side the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The victims of all of these historical atrocities were made in the image of God, and died simply for who they were. Moreover, unspeakable oppression against Dalits, and other "untouchables" continues to this very day, the victims also, God's children, and their degradation and shame, grave and unforgivable sins.

All of these abuses and atrocities are well-documented. And efforts at denial are as offensive and morally repugnant as they are unpersuasive. Yet the Jewish community seems reticent to join hands with these people who have similarly suffered. The fact that we have not built significant bridges to these non-Jewish communities, and established bonds of shared experience, seems to be a tremendous waste of opportunity, and a failure to put Tikkun Olam into practice. I would suggest that rather than focusing on every incident of anti-Semitism around the world, and attempting to pressure countries to criminalize Holocaust denial and prosecute every reprobate Holocaust denier, we would be far better served by cultivating relationships with the world's other historical victims of oppression, and joining forces with them in apposing great evil.

Jewish suffering is uniquely Jewish, but the concept of "suffering" is the province of humanity. Jews, although we belong to a specific covenant that defines our existence, are nevertheless still a part of the family of man. Giving honor to the victims of oppression, and acknowledging the injustice that was done to other people, does not diminish from the honor that we accord to our own.

We must continue to honor the Jewish Victims of the Holocaust and cherish their memories. But rather than telling the non-Jews of the world that our victims have suffered more then theirs, our suffering is greater than theirs, and our oppressors were more evil than theirs, should we not, instead be saying : "Our victims suffered, just like yours, our suffering was great, just as yours was, and our oppressors were evil, just as yours were"? Should we not say to all those who have been oppressed: "We stand with you in your struggles, and we would hope that you too, will stand with us"?

Our attachment to the Land of Israel begins and ends with the Torah. Although our Covenant makes us unique, it certainly does not make us any less worthy of freedom and dignity than all other people. The sages long ago acknowledged that returning to our Land is supreme among the mitzvot. Therefore, rather than saying that we deserve sovereignty and statehood because we have been more oppressed than all other people, we must have the moral clarity to understand, believe, and state without equivocation, that we deserve these things, in our land, because we are just like all other people.

Finally, we must understand that Judaism is not a religion of misery and suffering, but rather it is a religion of redemption. By proclaiming the redemptive nature of Judaism, we ensure that the victims of the Nazis have not died in vain, and we create a greater bond with all of humanity.

It seems to me that this is a better way to honor the six million.

The Fifth Commandment - Honor your Mother and Father

During the forty year sojourn of the Jews in the Sinai Dessert under the leadership of Moses, the heart of the ethical and spiritual framework of Judaism was received. Historically, Jews, Christians, and also Muslims, have regarded the laws of Moses as the bedrock of ethical monotheism. Foremost of the principles of Judaism -- and ethical monotheism generally -- are the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are divided into two categories; rules that govern the relationship between men and God on the one hand, and rules that govern the relationships amongst men, on the other. Each set of laws is inscribed on a separate tablet of stone given directly by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. In Jewish tradition, the Fifth Commandment, requiring us to honor our parents, is said to be inscribed upon the tablet that contains the laws that govern man's relationship to God. The text of the Commandment reads as follows:

"Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."Exodus 20:12

Honoring our parents is a duty that we owe to God. The relationship between children and parents is parallel to the relationship between humanity and God. Just as our parents gave us life, so God gave life to man. Just as our parents teach us religion, so God taught Abraham our father, how to pray, and how to worship. Just as our parents teach us to abide by the laws, and to distinguish between wrong and right, so God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Indeed, all of humanity is God's children, and in Exodus 4:22, God calls Israel his "firstborn". By honoring our parents, our worldly creators, we honor God, our heavenly creator.

There is however, another aspect of this Commandment which also bears great significance. We are the product of our parents' union -- we are their flesh and blood. Their heredity is our heredity, and their ancestors are ours. Regardless of how morally upright, or otherwise successful our parents are or may have been in life, we are never released from the obligation to honor them. Whether our parents were very good, kind and temperate to us, or if they were neglectful and even abusive, we still must honor them. There is no greater insult that a person can give than to insult another's parents. By honoring our parents, in spite of whatever differences we may have, or grievances we harbor, we affirm our independent existence as moral, responsible adults, and we signal our preparedness to bring our own children into the world. For those who strive under all circumstances to give honor to their parents, the result is a greater communion with God, and a true liberation of the spirit.

At its core, the Commandment to honor our parents is a Godly mandate to have self-respect.

There are many ways to honor our parents. By succeeding professionally, and establishing a positive reputation in the community, we certainly bring honor upon our them. By fighting for justice and living a morally upright life, we honor them. We also can honor our parents through specific acts. We can thank our parents, publicly and privately for all that they have given us. We can instill their teachings in our children. We can, and must assist them when they are in need, whether they ask for help, or not. We also can, and must, care for them when they are sick. When they pass on, we must give them a proper burial. In doing these acts we honor God, and in doing so, reflect credit upon ourselves.

There are also many ways to dishonor our parents. Similarly, a person who dishonors, disgraces or shames his own parents is, in fact, committing these very offenses to himself. Moreover, when a person commits these acts to his parents, he is not only violating the Fifth Commandment, but he is also inevitably committing a variety of other sins. Under Jewish law, the act of shaming another person - causing a person to be humiliated - is deemed to be a very serious sin in its own right, and has been said to be equal in severity to committing the act of murder upon the person's soul. It is also against Jewish law to swear a false oath, to take the Lord's name in vain, to steal, to covet, to murder, to abandon God and His laws, and to turn to idolatry. Almost always, a violation of the Fifth Commandment -- dishonor towards parents -- occasions one or more of these additional transgressions. Regarding actions or words that dishonor our parents, the Torah states:

"Cursed be he that dishonors his father or his mother." Deut 27:16

A phenomenon which has an enduring and sordid place in Jewish history is the existence of Jewish anti-Semitism. At first glance, this does not seem to make any sense. Most people in this world have some degree of love, warmth and loyalty towards their kin. Loving ones own family and culture, does not denote a rejection of others. To the contrary, love for ones family and culture is a predicate for self-respect. The duty to honor ones parents and ancestors is by no means unique to Judaism. For most cultures and religions, this is axiomatic. For example, you will not find many Irish, Italians, or Arabs, who have not only abandoned their sense of identity, but who actually hate other members of their own culture or faith simply because they have not also abandoned and rejected their ancestry and faith. Yet, you will very easily find Jews - or, more properly, people who were born Jewish, or "ethnic" Jews - who have left Judaism, and have dedicated their lives to not only attacking Judaism, but also to impugning the character of the Jewish people. These are Jewish anti-Semites.

There is no creature more piteous than a Jewish anti-Semite. To non-Jewish anti-Semites he is at best a useful idiot, and to Jews, and many unprejudiced non-Jews, he is a merely a disloyal and pathetic wretch. This is an individual who unmercifully flagellates his own culture, his ancestors, and truly himself, in a desperate attempt to flay away the skin from his body that holds his Jewish identity. Ultimately, the Jewish anti-Semite deludes himself into thinking that his Jewish ancestry gives him moral authority to denigrate his own culture and gives him license to violate the Fifth Commandment. What most people see as positive values --culture, tradition, respect for elders, loyalty -- to the Jewish anti-Semite, are burdens to be rejected and cast off. The Jewish anti-Semite lives a life of perpetual unmitigated dishonor. The Jewish anti-Semite attempts to drown out his own conscience by proclaiming that he is somehow serving a larger good for humanity by grinding the bones of his ancestors under foot. The Jewish anti-Semite is utterly without friends, living in a prison he created for himself, and cut off from the love of God.

There is undoubtedly a multitude of reasons why a Jew becomes an anti-Semite. But I would suggest that the following examples provide the best explanation.

Jewish anti-Semitism is Cowardice

One of the most difficult aspects of military training is the "forced march". This entails marching for 20, 25, 30 miles carrying a rifle, ammunition, and upwards of 80 pounds worth of gear. This hike is sometimes referred to as a "hump" - indicating the hump-like appearance created by the back-pack. These marches can be gruelling. Stress fractures, sprained ankles and knees, and horrendous blisters are common injuries, not to mention the ever-present prospect of heat exhaustion and dehydration. The pack seems heavier with each mile. Often, during a "hump", after several hours, with your body wracked with pain and soaked with sweat, and with no end in sight, it becomes tempting to fall off to the side, and quit. Just taking off the pack would be an enormous relief. Yet, you do not quit, you keep the pack on your back, you put your head down and you finish the hike. And when you arrive at your destination, your weapon is clean, you have plenty of ammunition, and although you are physically exhausted, you are ready to fight.

The concept of "keeping your pack on", is a metaphor for refusing to quit, not taking the easy way out. When things get tough, someone will remind you, "don't drop your pack". Judaism, as I've stated previously, can be a difficult path. Many Jews suffered and died horrific deaths because they chose to walk the path, and not to quit. The Jewish anti-Semite is someone who has "dropped his pack", he has "unburdened" himself from the culture, traditions, and heritage that sustained his ancestors for thousands of years. But, for the Jewish anti-Semite departure from Judaism is not a private matter; for he cannot accept the fact that others did not follow suit and similarly "drop their packs" with neither regret nor remorse. The fact that others continue to maintain and honor the culture and traditions of their ancestors, and continue to take the difficult path, stands as a constant reminder to the Jewish anti-Semite, that perhaps, he is little more than a nebbish, a cowardly moral failure.

The Jewish anti-Semite attempts to cover his moral bankrupcty with a false bravado, and attempts to reinvent himself as one who "speaks the truth to power". In reality, however, there has never been any significant price - any worldly price - to pay for abandoning and betraying Judaism. It takes far more courage to be Jewish, and to walk the sometimes difficult path, and to embrace the culture and traditions of your forefathers, then to attempt to run and hide from who you are. It takes far greater moral fibre to seek to honor your parents and ancestors, and to cherish their traditions, than to frantically attempt to cast off "the weight of three thousand years."

Jewish anti-Semitism is Moral Derangement

"Derangement" literally means a state in which things are "out of place" -- the natural order is broken. Personal derangement is always an undesireable state of existence, and in extreme cases it indicates profound psychosis and mental illness.

Jewish anti-Semitism is comparable to any deranged and deviant moral path that a person might follow in life. For example,a child molester, at some point, before he starts committing crimes, awakens to the reality that he strongly desires intimate sexual contact with innocent children. At first he resists, perhaps due to his conscience, or perhaps due to fear of being caught. But ultimately, he gives in, and he is instantly addicted and incurable. Similarly, a serial murderer, at first resists killing people (usually starts with killing and torturing animals), but eventually takes his first human life. The unsurpassed evil of committing murder is intoxicating to the serial murderer. He spends the rest of his life until he is caught, selecting, stalking and killing new victims. In both examples, grave sin and evil have overtaken free choice and the portion of the conscience that cries out in horror is either non-existent, incapacitated, or ignored.

So too, when the Jewish anti-Semite crosses the line and "draws first blood", he becomes intoxicated and seeks to replicate the experience again and again. His behavior becomes compulsive, until he transgresses beyond the point of all possible redemption. His conscience either never was, or becomes dead. However, unlike child molesters and serial murderers, the Jewish anti-Semite does not commit his sins in secret, hoping to avoid being caught. Jewish anti-Semitism is intrinsically voyeuristic. The Jewish anti-Semite does not incur the universal wrath and condemnation of society, rather, he will be enthusiastically cheered on (and exploited) by those who have always hated Jews and Judaism. Having abandoned and savaged his people, and God, the Jewish anti-Semite attempts to fill his spiritual and moral void with the perverse encouragement and recognition he receives from those who would trample the graves of his ancestors. The Jewish anti-Semite is a willing agent in his own degradation and spiritual destruction. Indeed it is the Jewish anti-Semite's own shame and defilement -- as a Jew, not as opponent of Jews, but as a Jew -- that entertains and brings the greatest pleasure to his bemused and hateful non-Jewish patrons.

Far worse than Esau, the Jewish anti-Semite has sold his birthright, and forever broken his covenant for a bowl of feculent pottage.

To be sure, I do not see leaving Judaism, in and of itself, as a violation of the Fifth Commandment. It is certainly possible to honor parents, even though one has chosen to leave the spiritual and cultural realm of ones ancestors. A true, sincere conversion to another faith, born of love, and commitment, does not permit the convert to dishonor or despise his own culture and ancestors. Even falling away from Judaism into some vague agnostic creed, or losing belief in God altogether need not inevitably lead to the dishonoring of ones parents. However, Jewish anti-Semites have gone far beyond taking a divergent spiritual path or neglecting, or even abandoning, the laws of the Torah; they have in fact gone directly into the service of Amalek, the historical and eternal enemy of the Jewish people.

In Judaism, a psychotic individual is referred to as a shoteh. One way of defining a shoteh is:

He who destroys all that is give to him.Gemara Hagiga 3b

Under Jewish law, a truly mentally ill person is to be accorded great pity, and is often excused from being held accountable for his acts, because he simply does not know any better. But in the realm of judging the actions of a person, there are few things more offensive than a man (or a woman) blatantly and knowingly engaging in criminal behavior, and then claiming or feigning insanity in an attempt to gain absolution. The Jewish anti-Semite is indeed a person who destroys all that has been given to him, but unlike a true shoteh, the Jewish anti-Semite knows all too well what he does; he acts not from mental illness, but from moral infirmity.

In his degenirate world, the Jewish anti-Semite does not listen to the voice of God, calling out in sorrow:

I thought you would call Me Father,
And not turn away from following Me.
Jeremiah 3:19

Ultimately, the Jewish anti-Semite would be worthy only of pity, if he and his ilk throughout history had not been so intimately involved, as a partner of Amalek, in the creation of so much misery, suffering and death for the Jewish people. For their sins unto God, God alone can forgive them. But, for their sins unto the countless souls who suffer and perish unjustly because of their words and actions, they must never be forgiven. Beware of them, turn your eyes away from their evil, do not listen to their words.

And follow your heart.

The arms of Moses

In one of the most compelling images from the Torah, the Jews wage a war for their lives, against their terminal foe, Amalek. The Bible records the fight as follows:

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. (Exodus 17)

So, what, if anything does this have to do with conversion to Judaism?

Of all the enemies of the Jews, the Torah reveals that God has a particular wrath towards the Amalekites; Amalek alone, among Israel's many enemies is condemned to utter annihlation. The Jewish tradition teaches that God had this anger toward Amalek for two reasons. First, Amalek attacked Israel while she was weary and in flight from the Egyptians, and Amalek targeted the stragglers and the weakest among the Jews. Secondly, and more importantly, all of the other nations who saw Israel's flight from Egypt were aware of and observed the power of God, including the parting of the Red Sea, and stood in awe of God, and dared not attack the Jews. Amalek stood in defiance of God. Even though God's miracles were observed, Amalek did not resist the urge to prey on the people who, so obviously to other nations, had God's favor.

The sages never interpreted this episode to demonstrate that Moses had some "magical" ability to influence the outcome on the battlefield by raising or lowering his hands. Rather, the message is that when Moses raised his arms, and the Jews raised their eyes to heaven, they took courage in the presence of God, and fought with valor, and ultimately, were victorious in battle. However, although Amalek was defeated at Rephidim, he was not destroyed. And consequently, throughout history Amalek has returned, and we are under an unremitting duty to wage uncompromising war against him, until at last, he is completely destroyed.

Who is Amalek today?

Certainly, there is a potential Amalek in every person; that inclination to quit God, to to embrace the idolatry of hedonism or materialism, or even to believe in the absence of any higher power than man - the inclination to forget that the Jews only prevailed at Rephidim through the worship and love of God. We must fight Amalek in this very personal way.

But to Jews, there is certainly also another aspect of Amalek. Amalek arises in all those who seek to spiritually degrade and demoralise us, and also, sadly; it is still the case, destroy us. Amalek is alive and well. Jews have been able to survive the onslaught of Amalek for many centuries. But, even the arms of Moses grew weary. In 2005, Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert stated:

"We are tired of fighting, we are tired of being courageous, we are tired of winning, we are tired of defeating our enemies. . ."

Several months later, Israeli Nobel Laureate Israel Aumann stated:

“[T]he Prime Minister said that we are tired. He was right. He was elected by the nation, and he expresses the sentiments of the nation. We are like a mountain-climber that gets caught in a snowstorm; the night falls, he is cold and tired, and he wants to sleep. If he falls asleep, he will freeze to death. We are in terminal danger because we are tired."

These comments speak of a collective sense of "combat fatigue" felt by Israeli society, but they could have just as easily been speaking for all Jews. Indeed in this globalized world, Amalek is everywhere. The temptation for Jews to turn our eyes away from God in despair, and to forget who we are is very real.

Amalek wants to see Judaism fail, to witness the Abrahamic Covenant forever broken. In an age where idolatry and aetheism are deemed public virtues, and the superstructure of morality yields to unlimited relativism as it is cut free from the anchor of God, Amalek practices stealth warfare and in many instances, hides in plain sight. Amalek knows no civilized rules of engagement, and abides by no codes of chivalry. There is no truth so self-evident, or proof so overwhelming that Amalek will not deny it. Amalek is an enemy with no shame.

Yet, when a non-Jew embraces Judaism through a sincere and faithful conversion, the potential Amalek within him - the evil inclination leading away from God - is defeated. But in a larger sense, the conversion of a non-Jew deprives Amalek of one more agent on this earth against the Jews, and brings to the Jewish people one more "brother in arms" in the age old struggle. Conversion means not simply one more person to "stand with the Jews", but rather, it means one more person, in steadfast loyalty, zeal, and love of God, standing as a Jew.

We are told, "always remember Amalek". Indeed, we must never forget Amalek, but we also must never forget how we prevailed at Rephidim. When Moses was tired, Aaron and Hur raised his arms and held them up. For millions of people throughout the world who live in poverty and oppression, and for millions more who crave spiritual awakening, and who detest the godlessness of the world around them, by turning to Judaism, they can raise their eyes to heaven and defeat the presence of Amalek in their lives; and God wil receive and redeem them "with a strong hand and an outstretched arm." Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook stated: "God's 'mighty hand' dramatically raised the Jewish people from the depths of defilement and degradation in Egypt to the spiritual heights of Mount Sinai." Such is the power of worshipping God and accepting the Torah. And to Jews, converts will be like Aaron and Hur, filling the Jewish people with new life and energy, renewing our spirit - raising the arms of Moses. And we shall rejoice!

And when the battle is joined, we will prevail.

Seeking Converts

Conversion has always been an integral part of the Jewish religion. In fact, you could quite properly say that converts to Judaism are as "the chosen among the chosen". The following Biblical and Talmudic excerpts reveal the great significance of conversion in Judaism:

"You shall love the convert." Deuteronomy 10:19

"When a proselyte comes to be converted, one receives him with an open hand so as to bring him under the wings of the Divine Presence."
(Leviticus Rabbah 2:9)

"When a proselyte comes to be converted, one receives him with an open hand so as to bring him under the wings of the Divine Presence."
(Leviticus Rabbah 2:9)

"Dearer to God than all of the Israelites who stood at Mount Sinai is the convert. Had the Israelites not witnessed the lightning, thunder, and quaking mountain, and had they not heard the sounds of the shofar, they would not have accepted the Torah. But the convert, who did not see or hear any of these things, surrendered to God and accepted the yoke of heaven. Can anyone be dearer to God than such a person?"
Tanhuma (ed. Buber),Lekh Lekha 6:32

Yet, whenever the issue of conversion to Judaism is raised, it is almost invariably greeted with skepticm from Jews and non-Jews alike. Jews do not seem to encourage people to convert to their faith, and as a result, many no-Jews think that Judaism itself is institutionally apposed to conversion. In extreme cases, some people think - and a few anti-Jewish bigots have claimed - that conversion to Judaism is prohibited. This view, that Judaism is in any way institutionally apposed to conversion, is patently false. The prevalence of this view among both Jews and non-Jews is also incalculably damaging to Judaism as a religion and to the Jewish people. There are, however, very important historical reasons why this view has emerged and why it continues to hold currency.

The Exile

Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, was the first convert to Judaism. But for Abraham's choice to spurn idolatry, and to worship only God, there was nothing culturally to distinguish him from any of the other "Aramean" inhabitants of the city of Ur, where he was born in modern day Iraq. Over the generations, Abraham's family grew and more people were drawn to the faith in one God. Centuries later, the Jewish people emerged from slavery in Egypt as a nation consisting of twelve tribes. In time, these twelve tribes came to dominate the Holy Land and militarily vanquished their foes. In many cases, the members of other ethnic groups accepted Jewish sovereignty and formed alliances with the Jews, often merging with the Jewish people and converting to Judaism. Jewish sovereignty reached its apex, with all of the twelve tribes united, in the pre-modern era under the leadership of King David, and then King Solomon during the 9th and 10th centuries B.C.E. It was during the reign of Solomon, that the Great Temple in Jerusalem was built; it was destroyed and rebuilt in the 5th Century B.C.E., and its site served as the focal point of Jewish worship for the next thousand years.

During the next 900 years, the Jews saw their fortunes rise and fall on several occasions, at times losing all sovereignty and facing tremendous threats to their very existence. Yet through it all, as long as they remained faithful to the Torah and worshipped God, they managed to survive, all the while attracting converts in the lands where they lived. The last truly independent sovereign Jewish state was the Hasmonean Kingdom of Judah which lasted until the arrival of the Roman Empire in 37 B.C.E. During the Hasmonean reign many inhabitants of the Kingdom of Judah converted to Judaism - one of the very rare instances in which a people were forcibly converted to Judaism occurred during this period.

When Rome arrived, it marked the first time that a power with a firmly European center of gravity came into contact with the Jews. Prior to that, the Jews had been ruled over by Hellenic powers, but Greek civilization was still oriented eastward - the primary enemy of the Greeks were the Persians, and the main portion of the Greek Empire, and its sucessor states lay in Asia and Egypt. This historic shift had a tremendous impact upon the development of Judaism and in many ways ushered in the most bitter time in Jewish history.

The Jews chaffed under Roman rule and attempted to overthrow it on three separate occasions. Each revolt was put down by Roman Imperial troops, with ever increasing brutality. In 135 C.E., after the final rebellion, which had succeeded in establishing a sovereign Jewish state for a mere three years, was finally suppressed, over a half a million Jews were killed, the rebuilt Temple and multiple cities and villages were destroyed, and the survivors were expelled from Jerusalem and many parts of the Holy Land. The practice of Judaism - the teaching and study of the Torah - was banned. Many Jews were carried off as slaves to Rome and its provinces.

After the cataclysm of the destruction of the Temple, and the ensuing exile, Jews found themselves everywhere they went as "strangers in a strange land." The heart of Jewish life- the center of worship, and the holiest place in Judaism - seemingly, had died.

But the Jews survived.

They could not have imagined it at the time, that as bad as things were, they would manage to grow in number, develop a rich spiritual and cultural tradition in every place where they would live, and nearly 2000 years later, their descendants would return to the Holy Land, and reestablish a sovereign state. But they also could not have imagined, as bad as things were, that in the future, on many occasions, things would become far worse.

For the first time, Jews in significant numbers left the middle eastern part of the world that had nourished them for centuries - the "Levant", Egypt, the Fertile Crescent - and entered into the cold continental climes of Europe. With the adoption of Christianity, and later Islam, by the ruling powers in all of the lands were Jews came to live in exile, the best that the Jews could hope for, was to survive as a "tolerated" minority ; and their survival as a people depended upon maintaining a strong sense of identity and encouraging and promoting the development of Judaism within Jewish communities, and strengthening the commitment to the Torah, to fellow Jews, and to the family as an institution.

To be sure, there were some periods of great enlightenment, such as the "Golden Age" in Moorish Spain, but these periods were intermittent between periods of oppression. Christianity and Islam are missionary religions. Over the centuries, on many occasions, Christian and Muslim powers have attempted to persuade, coerce, and force Jews to abandon Judaism. Although some did convert, far more refused to do so, and either lived as second class citizens, fled, or died a martyr's death. By and large oppression against Jews was far worse in Europe - the world of "Christiandom" - than in Muslim lands.

Regardless of the relative level of persecution that they faced, in virtually every nation where they lived, although missionary activity towards Jews was not only accepted, but often a matter of policy, missionary activity by Jews, towards non-Jews, was deemed a crime, frequently punsihable by death. Punishment usually would be meted out not only towards the Jews who were adjudged to have sought out a non-Jewish convert, but also to the convert, himself. Moreover, the local Jewish communities would be all too likely to feel the wrath of collective punishment - rape, beatings, mob violence, murders - in response to a claim of Jewish proselytizing.

Additionally, from the 10th century C.E. onward, Jews faced mass expulsions from many communities where they lived throughout Europe. The expulsions were usually accompanied by the expropriation of any property, goods and land they might have owned. It obviously would be quite difficult to persuade anyone to convert to Judaism when Jews were struggling merely o survive as they fled from one city and nation to the next. Moreover, seeing this wretched existence, who wouldn't thank God that they were not a Jew, let alone consider becoming a Jew?

All of these circumstances understandably lead to great reluctance on the part of the Jewish people to proselytize and a disdain for seeking converts to the faith. The key to Jewish survival for nearly 2000 years has been to strengthen communal bonds and religious observance from within, but never to try to gain new Jews through inducement to convert; such efforts were always perceived as counterproductive and far more likely to lead to a tragic end both for the Jews, and the potential converts. Judaism now contends with this vestigial "galut" mentality.

The unfortunate but not unforeseeable result of this attitude is that many sincere seekers of truth and potentially devout followers of the Torah have been turned away. Jews are smeared as tribal, racist and ethnocentric. And in the end, people who could have been greatly enriched by the ethical and spiritual treasure trove of Judaism are no better off, and Jews are alone and isolated, as always.

Communal disinclination to encourage converts not only deprives the Jewish people of much needed human fellowship, but it also deprives our fellow man of exposure to a way of life, a system of ethics and cultural tradition that has sustained the Jewish people during the hardest of times, and which could be a powerful force for good and empowerment for those who open their hearts. There are many people in this world for whom the promise of other religions has not been fulfilled. There are still more - millions - who other religions have simply left behind. The victims of genocide in Africa, the degraded Al Akhdam of Yemen, the 250 million victims of the 4000 year old abomination called "untouchability" in India, Nepal, and other South Asian countries are but a few examples. How better to sanctify the Holy Name, than to uplift these people, all made in the image of God, by bringing them to the Torah?

Encouraging conversion is not inimical to Judaism; rather, it is concomitant with the practice of Judaism. "Tikkun Olam" - is not an empty platitude, it is a moral imperative conferring honor and blessings upon those who pursue it. In pursuing "Tikkun Olam" we seek to repair that which is broken, for our own sake, and for the sake of humanity.

In closing I would like to point out a syllogism that I have observed. Those suffering from the inhumanity of untouchability are known as "Dalits". In Hindi, "Dalit" means "broken people". In Hebrew, "Dalit" means "to draw water", as Rebekah did for Eliezer in the famous biblical example of loving kindness, the mitzvah of "chessed". There can be no clearer sign. Perhaps it was for this purpose that God gave us the very notion of "Tikkun Olam", and perhaps the Dalits were placed on this earth so that we could meet and work together to perfect God's world.

The great sage Hillel said:

If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, when? (Pirkei Avot 1:14)

Indeed, if the Jewish people do not take care of themselves, clearly, no one will, but if we do not reach out to others, to bring the light of the Torah and the Laws of God - to increase our fold, what kind of people are we - what kind of future do we have? And if we do not do it now, when we have strong communities in many nations and also sovereignty in our land, when will we ever be able to do it?

If at some point in the future, we have failed to reach out, and there are hundreds of millions of people throughout the world who suffer, and to whom we could have given a voice through Judaism, and to whom we could have given dignity through Judaism, and whose allegiance and goodwill we could have nurtured through Judaism, and they fail to take our side when we are unfairly and selectively prosecuted for something, and our very existence is under threat, as we search in vain for allies and freinds will we really have anyone but ourselves to blame for our isolation?

The Difficult Path

The purpose of this blog is to communicate to all those who might be interested, particularly, non-Jews, what Judaism is, and what it stands for and to hopefully, start people on the path towards embracing the Torah and worshipping God. This is a call for born Jews who have drifted away from the faith to return. But more than that, this is a call for non-Jews to become Jews.

Choosing Judaism, or commiting to practice it is not an easy path. It requires making difficult choices, shunning some of your most compelling desires, and living a spiritually disciplined life. There is no phrase that you can utter or simple ritual that you can undergo to instantly become Jewish.

Moreover, Jews have been for many centuries, and continue to be, the object of intense, irrational, and often murderously violent hatred. Therefore embracing a Jewish identity carries with it the sad and unfortunate consequence of being a potential target for anti-Jewish bigotry. Millions of Jews throughout history have died as martyrs for their faith. In Hebrew there is a phrase for this martyrdom:

"Kiddush Hashem" - To Sanctify the Holy Name

Additionally, insults, and slights which you would have never taken notice of before will now be a personal affront. Your friends and family may look at you differently, and people whom you have known for many years may suddenly treat you differently. You may find yourself dragged into uncomfortable conversations about a variety of issues that never would have concerned you before. You will have to be prepared to face a new kind of prejudice. And it will not always be easy.

But if you choose to follow the path of Judaism, you will see why so many people have been willing to sacrifice so much, including their very lives, for the faith.

Judaism is a universal faith. The God of Israel is the God of all humanity and all creation. To be Jewish means believing that all people are created in the Image of God - human life is precious and must be protected. But Judaism is more than simply theology, or religion as commonly perceieved in the western world; Judaism is a way of life. Being a good, and just, and God-fearing person is not easy; we are not born with an inate knowledge of right and wrong. Religion tells us, through communing with God, and adherence to His laws, how to be good people. For every issue that arises in your life, there is a moral implication, and Judaism provides the means of arriving at the most ethically correct answers.

Judaism is a treasure trove of wisdom and ethics and spirituality to guide us through life's challenges. Judaism helps us to mourn our losses, celebrate our accomplishments, and learn from our mistakes. Judaism helps us to be better parents, children, siblings, and friends. Judaism helps us achieve worldy success in life surrounded by family, complimented by a structure of charity, kindness, and positive interaction with our fellow man.

3000 years ago, the essense of Judaism was stated in this Biblical passage by the Prophet Micah in Chap. 6:8:

"What does the Lord require of you? Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God."

Then approximately 100 years B.C.E., the Hebrew sage Rabbi Hillel stated, to be a Jew one must believe:

"That which is hateful to you, do not do to another."

Babylonian Talmud, tractate Shabbat 31a

There is of course far more to Judasim than these two concepts. Under Jewish law, the Torah actually has a total of 613 commandments - known as mitzvot. These commands have been studied over the centuries and thousands of volumes have been written upon the proper application of law under virtually every circumstance. And indeed very good men and women continue to study the Torah and strive to demonstrate its continuing relevance and vitality in today's world.

There are many streams of Judaism; Reform, Reconstructionsist, Conservative, Orthodox, Karaism. There is mystical Judaism focusing on the study and practice of Kabbala. There are Jews from Arab lands stretching from Morroco to Iraq, Iranian Jews, Ethiopian Jews and Jews in Uganda, Nigeria, and other African countries, there are Jews from India. There are devout and pious Hassidic Jews - masters of Kabbala. There is inspiring African American Judaism. And their are convert movements throughout the world. What these groups have in common is that they all aspire to worship God and follow His Laws as one people- as Jews.

I would like to close this entry by referring to a concept in Judaism which has its origins in Jewish mysticism. The concept is called:

"Tikkun Olam"

This phrase, in Hebrew means "fixing the broken world". There is so much poverty, oppression and cruelty in the world- the world is truly a broken and fractured place. However, through our actions, we can fix the world, and in doing so, make the world a more perfect and just place for all of humanity. That is the goal.