The bullfrog...croaking
Last week I think that most people were a little reticent about really approaching the subject at hand and I think that we should spend a little more time addressing what it is, or was, that was bothering you. If you remember, it was Jeremiah that was suggesting something that did, in fact, come to pass and we were discussing the possibility that those prophesies might also be applicable to the twenty-first century (CE) as well.
So, bluntly put: what is it about my question that makes you uncomfortable with discussing the possibilities inherent in that suggestion? When you look at the Congo, Somalia, South Africa, Poland, Scandinavia, England, Haiti, Mexico, Chile, South-east Asia... what are you seeing? When you see Tea Parties right here in the Coachella Valley and large automobile corporations cutting corners and Wall Street going back to “business as usual”, and CEOs demanding and accepting huge bonuses... what are you seeing? Are these things that are occurring all over the globe at this time indicative of something? Something that Jeremiah prophesied over 2400 years ago?
So, again; what makes you uncomfortable about addressing this question? Is it that it seems too obvious? Or that there is just “too much” for an individual to comprehend and it’s easier to play ostrich? Perhaps you have the deep-seated feeling that perhaps the Chabad has it right and that the Mochiach is just about to make an appearance and we will see... what?
Perhaps you feel that, in spite of everything that we do here (at Beth Shalom to bring it home!) is not enough? That coming to Minyan regularly is insufficient? That there is more that we can do for the community or to/for individuals? Perhaps you feel we need to do more to support our troops, our outreach to the homeless or those below the poverty line? Or perhaps you think that doing that is a way to avoid the real problem(s) and that that kind of involvement is just so much “busy work” to keep from making a real and meaningful soul-searching evaluation of our own short-comings? Or all of the above?
Meanwhile the Bullfrog is still croaking at us. So what are you (me) [we] {us} going to do about it? How do we address this question?
And... if you really don’t want to discuss this: let’s look at some the events in the (earlier) life of Jeremiah because, as it is always said: “If you don’t know history; you are doomed to repeat it.” - a modern version says: “Try to learn from the mistakes of others; you really don’t have enough time to do them all yourself!”
As I mentioned last week, da‘ Bullfrog made an impression on King Josiah who then undertook the restoration of the Temple. He (the king) then called all the Jews together from across the land and had the Laws (Torah) read to them to instruct them and - guess what? - that said [in effect]: “We will hear and we will do.” Golly gee - once again. [I guess they had not learned from history themselves]
Okay, so back in the throne room, the king was distressed after having read the Torah and was terrified by the threats contained in it. He sent for the hig-priest for counsel and he, in turn sent him to the prophetess Huldah who announced that the impending misfortune would not descend upon him and his people (in his own days) as he had repented.
Now, comforted King Josiah pursued the task in the way that he saw it laid out and had the Temple cleansed, the statue of Astarte {probably a nude statue of Aphrodite} removed (we don’t know what he had done with it - history does not say that it was broken up and destroyed...), the cells of prostitutes cleansed, the pagan altars broken, crushed and destroyed and the purification extended beyond Bethel where Cutæans had settled.
From there the king continued his campaign of cleansing and by the spring of 621 BCE he had the entire nation summed to Jerusalem to celebrate Pesach. During this holiday, they were reminded of what we learn about when we hold our own seders. The king insisted on the enfranchisement of Hebrew slaves who had had six years of slavery in accord with the law. It is said (by history) that no king before him had ever returned to G-d in such sincerity and such devotion to the Torah!
King Josiah also asserted his independence against Egypt. He (the king) caused changes and broke Assyria (before it was Muslim - but a major force in the East) which was subjected to total destruction. But now, Egypt saw what had happened - with Media and Babylon avenging the crimes of Assyria - and marched under King Necho (various: Nekos, Nekaii) with the intention of conquering Lebanon as far as the Euphrates and to further humiliate Assyria. He too the Philistine city of Gaza and advanced along the coast of the Mediterranean intending to reach Jordan by way of Jezreel. Here King Josiah opposed the advance through his territory even though the Egyptian assured that he was advancing only upon Assyria.
To cut this short, King Josiah stood fast and forced a confrontation with Egypt. That was not a good choice. His army was beaten and he himself was dangerously wounded. He was taken to Jerusalem where he died. (so much, I guess, for the vision of prophetess Huldah)
The battle of Megiddo on the plain of Jezreel was the turning point in the history of Judah. The last king of the house of David had died.
And, again, what do we learn from history? What is there in this story of a man who made a great turning in his own life and the country that he led?
So, bluntly put: what is it about my question that makes you uncomfortable with discussing the possibilities inherent in that suggestion? When you look at the Congo, Somalia, South Africa, Poland, Scandinavia, England, Haiti, Mexico, Chile, South-east Asia... what are you seeing? When you see Tea Parties right here in the Coachella Valley and large automobile corporations cutting corners and Wall Street going back to “business as usual”, and CEOs demanding and accepting huge bonuses... what are you seeing? Are these things that are occurring all over the globe at this time indicative of something? Something that Jeremiah prophesied over 2400 years ago?
So, again; what makes you uncomfortable about addressing this question? Is it that it seems too obvious? Or that there is just “too much” for an individual to comprehend and it’s easier to play ostrich? Perhaps you have the deep-seated feeling that perhaps the Chabad has it right and that the Mochiach is just about to make an appearance and we will see... what?
Perhaps you feel that, in spite of everything that we do here (at Beth Shalom to bring it home!) is not enough? That coming to Minyan regularly is insufficient? That there is more that we can do for the community or to/for individuals? Perhaps you feel we need to do more to support our troops, our outreach to the homeless or those below the poverty line? Or perhaps you think that doing that is a way to avoid the real problem(s) and that that kind of involvement is just so much “busy work” to keep from making a real and meaningful soul-searching evaluation of our own short-comings? Or all of the above?
Meanwhile the Bullfrog is still croaking at us. So what are you (me) [we] {us} going to do about it? How do we address this question?
And... if you really don’t want to discuss this: let’s look at some the events in the (earlier) life of Jeremiah because, as it is always said: “If you don’t know history; you are doomed to repeat it.” - a modern version says: “Try to learn from the mistakes of others; you really don’t have enough time to do them all yourself!”
As I mentioned last week, da‘ Bullfrog made an impression on King Josiah who then undertook the restoration of the Temple. He (the king) then called all the Jews together from across the land and had the Laws (Torah) read to them to instruct them and - guess what? - that said [in effect]: “We will hear and we will do.” Golly gee - once again. [I guess they had not learned from history themselves]
Okay, so back in the throne room, the king was distressed after having read the Torah and was terrified by the threats contained in it. He sent for the hig-priest for counsel and he, in turn sent him to the prophetess Huldah who announced that the impending misfortune would not descend upon him and his people (in his own days) as he had repented.
Now, comforted King Josiah pursued the task in the way that he saw it laid out and had the Temple cleansed, the statue of Astarte {probably a nude statue of Aphrodite} removed (we don’t know what he had done with it - history does not say that it was broken up and destroyed...), the cells of prostitutes cleansed, the pagan altars broken, crushed and destroyed and the purification extended beyond Bethel where Cutæans had settled.
From there the king continued his campaign of cleansing and by the spring of 621 BCE he had the entire nation summed to Jerusalem to celebrate Pesach. During this holiday, they were reminded of what we learn about when we hold our own seders. The king insisted on the enfranchisement of Hebrew slaves who had had six years of slavery in accord with the law. It is said (by history) that no king before him had ever returned to G-d in such sincerity and such devotion to the Torah!
King Josiah also asserted his independence against Egypt. He (the king) caused changes and broke Assyria (before it was Muslim - but a major force in the East) which was subjected to total destruction. But now, Egypt saw what had happened - with Media and Babylon avenging the crimes of Assyria - and marched under King Necho (various: Nekos, Nekaii) with the intention of conquering Lebanon as far as the Euphrates and to further humiliate Assyria. He too the Philistine city of Gaza and advanced along the coast of the Mediterranean intending to reach Jordan by way of Jezreel. Here King Josiah opposed the advance through his territory even though the Egyptian assured that he was advancing only upon Assyria.
To cut this short, King Josiah stood fast and forced a confrontation with Egypt. That was not a good choice. His army was beaten and he himself was dangerously wounded. He was taken to Jerusalem where he died. (so much, I guess, for the vision of prophetess Huldah)
The battle of Megiddo on the plain of Jezreel was the turning point in the history of Judah. The last king of the house of David had died.
And, again, what do we learn from history? What is there in this story of a man who made a great turning in his own life and the country that he led?
Let’s go daven, if we cannot address ourselves to the course of history.
Shabbat Shalom
Tazria-Metzora
Beit Iyar 5770
Beth Shalom - Bermuda Dunes, CA
Shabbat Shalom
Tazria-Metzora
Beit Iyar 5770
Beth Shalom - Bermuda Dunes, CA
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