LONG LIVE ISRAEL!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
This week was a momentous one in a number of ways.
We celebrated my Jewish father's birthday. His initials are V.E. because he was born on Victory in Europe day; oddly enough, I was the only one to know what V.E. Day was in my WW2 films class back in college. None of my peers--educated ones at that--knew what V.E. stood for.
Along with about 40 others, I took my turn to speak up and speak out against a proposed zoning ordinance during a public hearing with my city's commissioners. The proposed ordinance would have turned my 326 year old small town into a "smart growth transit village"-- a postmodern term for squishing as many people into as tiny a space as possible, in order to "save the wildlife" (and do G-d knows what else-- as a Jew, I despise ghetto mentality in any form for good reason). Penned by the local bunch of eco-nazis, the ordinance would have plowed over our history, character, and beauty for developers keen on building low income housing, multi-tiered parking garages, and hotels on wetlands. It was a classic case of the few and the powerful looking to make a profit off the weak and the uninformed, and looking to do so in a sneaky matter. When they realized that our small group had caught on and actually read the document, one city planner said, "Uh oh, the rats are out of the bag." (Not kidding.) Needless to say, our grass-roots efforts were nothing short of democracy at work; the public hearing was packed with people I didn't even know, speaking out against the ordinance. Fortunately (and fearfully) the commissioners heard us and responded to the public's outcry, tabling the ordinance for further re-write and review, with citizen input. I'm pretty sure this summer in town will be akin to the summer of Philadelphia, circa 1776. But, Thank G-d free speech still exists in this country, to some extent at least.
Most importantly, this week we celebrated Israel's 60th Birthday. We did so by investigating Olmert's gross corruption, witnessing John McCain (finally) publicly announce that Hamas supports Barack Obama, and watching as the Lebanese PM succumbed to Hizbullah terrorist demands and resigned.
This world is in a weird place. Even in my own small way, in my two minute speech to my commissioners and fellow citizens, I felt as if I were "raging against the dying of the light." We need a perspective change. We need to realize that, as Jews and as believers in Messiah, we are the light, and we aren't dying. Whether it is hearing people applaud when you speak the truth, or watching fireworks over Jerusalem, we need to be aware that we are the winners here-- that being Jewish means we align ourselves with G-d and, in doing so, WE ALWAYS WIN.
We're the winners here. We're the ones doing the right thing. And in that, I rejoice.
Last weekend I happened to pick up a Victorian print I'd had my eye on for a while. It's a close-up of three horses staring at you with the sea in the distance. I don't know why I like it-- I'm generally not into animals or animal prints-- but something about them spoke to me.
After doing a little research, I found out that the print is actually from a famous painting done for Queen Victoria by an artist and horse trainer named J.F. Herring. Ironically, the painting is titled "Pharaoh's Horses"-- hence the oceanic background; these are the horses leading the chariots on the chase after the Hebrews, about to be washed assunder by the waves of the Red Sea. Now, every time I look at them I can see clearly the fear in their eyes: being knowingly led by a cruel master into their demise, and not being able to do anything about it. These were the animals chasing after my ancestors (after me, after all of us really, since we are to feel that we have been personally freed from Egypt) yet the horses are the ones in fear, not us. Because we always win.
Happy Birthday, Israel. We always win!
Labels: American elections, Freedom, Israel Independence Day, Jerusalem, Jewish
posted by Shoshana @ 10:44 AM
Yom HaShoah & Israel Independence: Thoughts
Saturday, May 03, 2008
When asked who held the most blame for the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel answered "the American Jews." He's right. Jewish Americans were in places of power and authority within the FDR Administration, and they willingly chose to do nothing despite having full knowledge of what was going on. The Editor-in-Cheif of the NY Times openly made it a point to keep reports about European Jewry in the back pages of the largest newspaper in America--that is, when he chose to cover the story at all. Hollywood Jews did make an effort to draw attention to Hitler's atrocities in Europe in the late 1930s, as well as to help European Jews emigrate to the US, until the US Government sent Joe Kennedy to warn them against their commentary, lest America blame the Jews for being drawn into the war.
Sure, there were average Jewish Americans who did what they could to speak out, to bring family and friends over from Europe, and even to fight. But the Jewish Americans with the greatest power and authority by and large did nothing.
Today, American Jews claim that without Jewish American money, the State of Israel couldn't survive. They're wrong. Don't tell the survivors and descendants of an army that fashioned lipstick cases into bullets that they need greenbacks to function. That's plain bull. I can't help but wonder if the money argument doesn't have a twofold purpose: to ease the guilt of not taking on the burden of responsibility for leaving our European brothers and sisters in the dust, and to justify the lack of willingness to make aliyah. In any case, it's an argument that's got to stop if we are to ever begin healing the rift between American and Israeli Jewry, a great number of whom are of European descent.
Related Links:
NEVER AGAIN: Speech by the IDF Chief of the General Staff for the 'March of the Living' [Israpundit]
Lebanon Palestinians to march on border [JPost]
More than 100,000 Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon are expected to march toward the border with Israel on May 14 in the context of the Palestinian Authority's plan to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Israel, PA officials told The Jerusalem Post Thursday.If you get 'Shalom TV' you'll recall that Israel Update covered this story months ago. Whether it will really happen or not, I don't know. Trying to get those forces to unify has failed more than once in the past. But, trust that if it does, it should be one hell of an Israel Independence Day.
...
The plan calls on the refugees to return to Israel with suitcases and tents so that they can settle down in their former villages. The refuges are requested to carry UN flags upon their return and to be equipped with their UNRWA-issued ID cards.
The plan asks Arab countries hosting the refugees to facilitate their return by opening their borders. The plan specifically refers to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.
Palestinian refugees living in the US, EU, Canada and Latin America have been requested to use their foreign passports to fly to Ben- Gurion Airport, while dozens of ships carrying refugees will converge on Israeli ports.
Labels: American Jewry, Holocaust, Israel, Israel Independence Day, Jewishness, Judaism, Yom HaShoah, Zionism
posted by Shoshana @ 11:48 AM
Modern-Day Devorah Takes Rabbinic World By Storm
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Rabbis call for Bible Quiz boycott [JPost]
A group of religious Zionist rabbis have called for a boycott of this year's International Bible Quiz after discovering that one of the four finalists from Israel is a Messianic Jew who believes Jesus is the true Messiah.As far as I'm concerned, Bat-El Levi deserves a hearty hug of support from the entire Messianic community for having the guts to even enter the contest, knowing full well the uphill battle she would face if she did win any round, let alone make it to the finals.
...
The call to boycott the quiz came after Yad L'Achim, a haredi anti-missionary organization, discovered that one of the finalists, Bat-El Levi, an 11th grader from a high school in Pisgat Ze'ev, was a Messianic Jew.
...
Calev Myers, founder and chief counsel of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, an advocacy group that represents members of the Messianic community, said that the rabbis' call to boycott the quiz was a show of weakness.
"If the participation of a Messianic Jewish lady is enough to shake up those rabbis' world, it shows the weakness of that world," said Myers.
"Why should they have a problem with a young woman who knows how to quote from the Bible?
"It is about time that they stop having a monopoly over determining who is a Jew. The beauty of the Jewish world is the diversity. If you can still be considered a Jew even if you believe that the Lubavitch Rebbe [Menachem Mendel Schneerson] is the messiah, the same thing should hold true if you believe Jesus is."
A Messianic Jewish Israeli teenage chick who knows her Torah bowls over the Rabbinic Jewish world. How awesome is that? Call it the D'vorah Moment of the Week.
Labels: International Bible Quiz, Israel, Jerusalem Institute of Justice, Messianic Judaism
posted by Shoshana @ 10:08 PM
It's a Pesach MIRACLE!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Israeli Supreme Court rules in favor of Messianic Jews [israeltoday.co.il]
The following is a press release issued by Jerusalem Institute for Justice co-founder Calev Meyers:
In a landmark decision this week, the Supreme Court of Israel ratified a settlement between twelve Messianic Jewish believers and the State of Israel, which states that being a Messianic Jew does not prevent one from receiving citizenship in Israel under the Law of Return or the Law of Citizenship, if one is a descendent of Jews on one's father's side (and thus not Jewish according to halacha).
Added Bonus: "This important victory paves the way for persons who have Jewish ancestry on their father's side to immigrate to Israel freely, whether or not they belong to the Messianic Jewish community. This is yet another battle won in our war to establish equality in Israel for the Messianic Jewish community just like every other legitimate stream of faith within the Jewish world."
YAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Labels: aliyah, Israel, Jewishness, Messianic Jewish, Messianic Judaism, Zionism
posted by Shoshana @ 9:46 PM
It's the Economy...and They're Stupid
Monday, April 14, 2008
I was not an Economics Major. However, like George Orwell, who ventured into the working-class-poor world after his stint at a ritzy English university (I want to say Oxford, but it may have been Cambridge), I have ventured far from the ivy halls of the ivory tower and thusly consider myself as having a PhD in Common Sense.
So, Common Sense Economics 101:
Lesson one: NAFTA
NAFTA = No Jobs for Americans on American Soil
Mom and Dad who have high school educations and VoTech trade degrees can't get jobs->
Mom and Dad go on unemployment-->
Mom and Dad begin living lives subsidized by the American government (the same government that approved the bill that lost the couple their chances for employment)--->
Mom and Dad have a kid, and get more government money---->
Mom and Dad realize that kids=more government money, so they keep having kids, and keep getting checks----->
Eventually:
Mom and Dad manage to swing buying a house on a 100% sub-prime mortgage (thanks to shady bankers) and continue to live off government money while taking secondary, under-the-table employment (legal or illegal, cash only=no taxes=not putting back in the government pot) in order to furnish new home, OR
Mom and Dad realize that if they split up, Mom can live in low income, government subsidized housing with the kids----->
Mom and Dad realize that dad can move in with friends, and rent out the house where they live, so they can pay the mortgage with rent money and pocket the government checks (most likely to be spent on plasma TVs)----->
Kids grow up without a steady father-figure--->
Most likely in a seedy neighborhood--->
Most definitely in an environment that promotes living off government money--->
Eventually:
>Kid thinks, "Why bother with school?" and the system continues, OR
>Kid wins "disadvantaged youth" scholarship, winds up in Ivy League School in order to fill "underpriveledged minority" enrollment quota, and lands big money job in high class environment while--->Working class kid with working parents who refused to live off government money doesn't qualify for scholarships (parents make just a little "too" much) doesn't get into Ivy League School (no money to pay for it) and doesn't get that big money job in high class environment that they're otherwise totally qualified for.
And this is why the socialization of the government in any form or fashion results in complete destruction and eventual collapse of the society as a whole.
The primary purpose of the Federal Government was to act as a bastion of national defense. In fact, the whole reason we fought the Revolutionary War was to keep the government from barging into our homes, our pocketbooks, and our lives.
Of course, the idea of American independence is now a notion under intense government scrutiny. It is a joke to think that the economy is receeding or collapsing; just as with the Great Depression in the 1930s, the middle class was raked over the coals while the rich (like FDR and his cronies) kept getting richer all the time. Look at who stands to benefit from the failure of the US Economy: Arab nations, whose markets are booming; China; Russia--- you know, all of our greatest moral enemies. They also happen to be the nations we bow to (and force our allies to bow down to-- need I remind you of the Annapolis Conference?) and borrow money from (ahem, CitiGroup); do our greatest amount of trading with (MADE IN CHINA ring a bell?); and send our oil to.
So, what better way to destroy the United States than implement a series of laws and policies to break down our economic structure, resulting in a weakening of our moral fiber, and rendering us malleable enough to agree to just about anything in order to sate our appetites overwhelmed with living off the fat of the government, or tired of scratching to pull weeds from the ground? This wouldn't be the first time poor people succumbed to the empty promises of socialist systems-- or didn't you get that lesson in your 9th grade unit on Hitler's Germany?
Weaken the Dollar -->
Weaken the Moral Resolve -->
Present Alternative Currency/Promises of Better Economy -->
So what if an Alternative Government comes along with it?
Recommended Reading:
Inside the Hush-Hush North American Union Confab [StopSPP.com]
A largely unreported meeting held at the State Department discussed integration of the U.S., Mexico and Canada in concert with a move toward a transatlantic union, linking a North American community with the European Union.
The meeting was held Monday under the auspices of the Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy, or ACIEP. WND obtained press credentials and attended as an observer. The meeting was held under “Chatham House” rules that prohibit reporters from attributing specific comments to individual participants.
...
The meeting agenda included topics reviewing the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, or SPP, and the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council, or TEC.
The SPP, declared by the U.S., Canada and Mexico at a summit meeting in 2005, has 20 trilateral bureaucratic working groups that seek to "integrate and harmonize" administrative rules and regulations on a continental basis.
Several participants said the premise of the SPP is to create a North American business platform to benefit North America-based multi-national companies the way the European Union benefits its own.
Others noted the premise of the TEC is to create a convergence of administrative rules and regulations between Europe and North America, anticipating the creation of a "Transatlantic Economic Union" between the European Union and North America.
...
Before the meeting began, concerns were raised informally by participants worried that the Ohio Democratic Party primary had prompted both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to talk of renegotiating NAFTA.
Participants at the State Department meeting pointed out U.S. political candidates could be expected to argue "protectionist themes opposed to global economic integration" as a tactic, without necessarily being committed to taking aggressive steps once in office.
Amero Currency News & Updates
Stop the Security & Prosperity Partnership
Absolute Madness is at the doorstep.
Labels: 2008, Amero, Currency, Dollar, Economy, Elections, North American Union, Presidential Election, Security and Prosperity Partnership, SPP, United States Economy
posted by Shoshana @ 7:28 PM
Dangerous. Very, Very Dangerous.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
IDF collecting settlers' weapons [JPost]
After more than 25 years of holding onto his IDF-issued gun, Moshe Grosberg was surprised to learn from the head of security in Ofra, the Samarian settlement where he lives, that he had to give it up.IDF Collecting Reserve Guns, Supplies From Civil Response Teams [Israel National News]
"I haven't killed anyone with the weapon," said Grosberg, who notes that he lives close to Palestinian areas and needs the gun for protection when he walks or drives outside of the community.
Still, like 50 others in Ofra, he handed in his gun last week.
The measure is one of a number of changes that have settler leaders up in arms. In recent weeks, the IDF has collected army-issued weapons held by Israelis living in the West Bank, as well as caches of weapons held in storage in the settlements. It has also stopped providing bulletproof windows for settlers' cars.
Accordingly, the gun collection program excluded those weapons currently issued to local security personnel and to members of emergency response teams in the Judea and Samaria region, according to the IDF. However, residents of the towns in question said that it was now impossible to obtain any new guns, even for those who have been volunteering with community emergency response teams for weeks prior to the latest collection efforts.Related Articles via the JPost:
Army spokespeople noted that the confiscated weapons are to remain in IDF reserve armories for the time being. In case of emergency, according to officials, the guns will be distributed among reservists who served in combat units during their military service.
But some security personnel in the affected communities expressed concern that they will be left with little defense at the same time that the government has ordered the removal of dozens of roadblocks and blockades designed to restrict travel by Arab terrorists.
Hamas Threatens to Breach Israeli Border
Syrian Official: We're Prepared for War
Iran begins installing 6,000 new centrifuges
via Israel National News:
Arabs Attack Drivers in Judea
Ramon Admits Security Fence Actually Partition Wall
Citizenry Emergency Drill Begins With Nationwide Sirens
The BBC did a news report on a group of religious Zionist teenagers in the West Bank, who literally stand their ground against IDF soldiers who are being ordered to evict them from "illegal" outposts. Unarmed with only their faith to defend them, these young people are forcibly carried away and detained (often for unusual lengths of time without being formally charged-- something the BBC neglected to mention) simply for defending what the Torah says. One young man, probably no more than 14 or 15, said to the reporter, "This land is ours. G-d gave it to us. They have no god; that is their problem."
No guns. Just faith. Pure and simple. This is what it has all boiled down to, which is ironic, since that's what it's all about in the first place.
Labels: IDF, Israel, Judea, Samaria, weapons, Yesha, Zionism
posted by Shoshana @ 6:40 PM
Some Purim Halacha
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Chag Purim Sameach!
Of course, Purim is a great holiday for many reasons.
1. We are reminded once again that we always win. Baruch haShem!
2. We are reminded once again that we work best together as a team. Sure, leaders are called out from among us, but victory requires unity.
3. Shiksappeal can't hold a candle to Yehudiyappeal. Sure, Mia Farrow may have snagged Woody Allen, but our girl got the Persian king. Can Annie Hall hold a candle to the winning over of a kingdom? I don't think so-- and the critics agree.
Favorite Verses from the Megillah:
"If Mordekai, before whom you have begun to fall, is a Jew, you will not get the better of him; on the contrary, your downfall before him is certain." (Zeresh, Haman's wife, to Haman, Esther 6:13)
"...the Jews resolved and took upon themselves, their descendants and all who might join them that without fail they would observe these two days..." (9:27)
"For Mordekai the Jew was second only to King Achashverosh; he was a great man among the Jews, popular with all his many countrymen. He sought the good of his people and interceded for the welfare of all their descendants." (10:3)
Personal Observations:
New treat for this year's Purim: chocolate hamentashen from Israel. I've had fruit-filled from some of the finest (and not so fine) American bakeries, but I've never seen chocolate-filled before. Needless to say-- c'est tre bon!
Of course, Purim this year coincided with Easter weekend, which meant that everywhere I went people were wishing me a Happy Easter. I could have replied, "Happy Purim to you, too," but since I'm not a jerk, I just smiled and wished them the same.
Yay for being a minority!
Personal Purim Victory Story:
This week, my order from Andy Books came in the mail. I picked up a series titled, "Halacha: Walking with G-d" by Dr. Karl Coke. The series deals with the concept of Halacha in a Biblical context. In other words, drop the religious façade, read the Bible, and live what it says. Think Torah observance as Yeshua lived it, not as the Rabbis teach it or as the Church ignores it.
For the past four years, I have become increasingly aware of the fact that as believers we often live two very separate lives. We have what my boss often calls, "work mode" where we go into our daily lives, to our jobs, interacting with other people, etc., with a certain attitude and a certain set of behaviors. This is often in complete opposition to "G-d mode" which is the pattern we fall into when we go to services, spend time with fellow believers, or even just come home after a long day out in the world.
Nowhere did the dichotomy between "work mode" and "G-d mode" become more apparent to me than in my job search. I happen to be a freelance writer who writes about Jewish things. I also happened to write about Jewish topics during my graduate studies. These works are included in my online portfolio I prepared to show potential employers. I'll never forget the day my brother basically told me that if I wanted to shop myself I should just not talk about or flash around anything that relates to being Jewish. In other words, not only should I omit the truth of who I am, I should also ditch half the work in my portfolio, lest my Jewishness become a hindrance in landing a professional career.
Whoa.
Intellectually, I understood that being Jewish was not a popular thing. But it seems like a part of me couldn't resist testing that notion in practice in the real world. I suddenly became very evasive about things when applying for jobs or going on interviews. Sometimes, I would just boil my thesis down to, "cultural studies," or neglect to pass along my business cards to people whom I thought wouldn't appreciate my writing portfolio. Suddenly, I found myself becoming very careful about expressing my Jewishness. And the more careful I became, the more frustrated I became, and the more I questioned whether or not I wanted a "career" in the "real world" after all.
The last job interview I went on was with a fairly large, well-known publishing company. The woman who interviewed me for a glorified secretarial position (think: "foot in the door, chance for bigger things" type-position) asked me what computer programs I was familiar with. Then, for some reason still unbeknownst to me, felt the need to ask me what blogs I read. (If you can tell me how my wpm count and my Internet surfing predelictions relate to one another in the context of interviewing to get someone's coffee every day, I'll give you five thousand shekels.) Taken slightly aback, I thought to myself, "Say 'Daily Kos.' NO! Don't associate yourself with those nutbags! What's a popular, mainstream blog? Uhm, uhm, she wants an answer. Oh, forget it!" before responding, "Israpundit."
"Oh, I've never heard of that one," she answered. "What news sources do you read?"
At this point, I knew the cat was out of the bag. "The Jerusalem Post," I replied, adding, "The New York Times," to soften the blow.
"Oh, you follow the news over there, then. That's a personal interest to you," the comment came with a slightly shocked expression, followed by a slightly patronizing grin and chuckle. She then proceeded to skewer me about my lack of publishing experience, and had no problem cutting me off when I answered her questions.
That night, when I got home, I made sure the link to my writing portfolio was included in my thank you email to her.
Nearly three weeks went by. The friend who referred me for the job was shocked that I hadn't heard anything, because she knew for a fact that her boss needed a new assistant, pronto. Finally, after weeks of waiting and feeling confident I wasn't going to hear anything, I got a call.
"Oh, we'd love to offer you the position. Just name your start date!"
Cool, okay. I asked some questions and when she said she'd have to obtain the answers from HR, I told her I'd call back in 24 hours with an answer.
But something shook inside of me. Later, my father and my brother would both ask me if I was excited when I got the offer, and I had to honestly respond, "No." It wasn't that this was a bad job, or a bad company. Something just didn't feel right. But, I reasoned, an offer is an offer, and after three years of working dead-end jobs and looking for the "career-position" that everyone wanted me to have, I had no right to say no.
"G-d," I prayed out loud, "I love you, and I want to do what is right by you. Please, if you want me to take this job, talk to me. I will listen and obey if it is what you want." I listened, but I didn't get any response.
So, the next day I called back. It happened to be Friday. It happened to be Shabbat. And, it happened to be Purim. My questions were answered, and I accepted the position. Then, we got to talking about the start-date. Suddenly, "name your date," turned into a patronizing lecture about how she felt no need to get with me sooner, because she was sure I would be available any time (despite knowing that I am currently employed). My date was not good enough, so she named a date. Then, in the next breath she changed her mind; the date she had stated wasn't good enough because she was travelling, so I'd just have to be in sooner.
This wouldn't have allowed me to give a full two weeks notice to my current employer. I stated as much, and she then implied that I hadn't communicated my situation clearly, saying she "thought" and she "assumed" I would be available any time, so she didn't feel the need to ask about my schedule. I asked her if I could call her back on Monday morning, to which she replied, "Well, we'll really need to know by then, because if this isn't going to work, we can't keep wasting our time. We'll have to start the process of looking all over again."
I played it cool, told her I had to make a phonecall and would call her back. Then, I hung up the phone, baffled. It made no sense. The woman who had been so sweet the day before, saying I could name my date, suddenly barked at me as if it was my fault that she neglected to ask me a fairly important question. Something wasn't kosher. But, at the same time, I felt like everyone was counting on me to get a "career" and get going with my life.
At that point, my family had arrived and was ready to celebrate Purim and Shabbat. So, I took the opportunity for a quick conference before I called this woman back. "Well, do you want the job, Sis?" my brother asked.
"Not really," I replied.
"Well then, don't take it," my brother and parents responded in unison. "Don't do something that's not going to make you happy."
It was as simple as all that. And, suddenly, it clicked. I called the woman back and politely declined the offer. She was stunned.
When I hung up the phone, the full impact of what I had just done hit me. Four years later, I had turned down a solid career offer, a chance to establish myself in the professional world. I couldn't believe myself.
That night, after everyone went home, I prayed about it and a peace I hadn't felt all week came over me. Determined to set it all aside, I made it a point to focus on HaShem, on Shabbat, and on the holiday at hand. As I praised HaShem, the peace increased and I felt a new strength grow within me.
The next day, my mother and I talked about it, and I commented that I couldn't just leave my current employer (who has been very good to me, and who also enjoys the fact that I am a Jew like him) without a full 2 weeks notice.
"No," she answered, "you couldn't do that. It wouldn't be right. And you have to do the right thing. She wanted you to do the wrong thing, and that's her problem, not yours."
Being Jewish, for me, isn't about flashing a Magen David, or claiming that I'm a Chosen One, or pushing a portfolio in people's faces. Being Jewish is about doing the right thing. How many times have we been asked to do the wrong thing when we're in "work mode"? How many times have we pushed our relationship with G-d to the backseat because we're in "work mode"? Every week, my boss's daughter comes in with her baby son to say hello, and every week, my boss says to her, "I can't stop now, I'm in work mode." The other week, the baby who just turned one, came in the door, spied his grandfather and said, "Pop pop!" He reached for my boss in excitement, something my boss would later remark, "was pretty cool."
Life isn't about "work mode." Life is about walking with our G-d. If I had conceeded to this woman's demands, I would have done the wrong thing by my current employer. And what would it have gotten me? A career? Maybe. The chance to work under someone who operates in confusion? The chance to work in a politically correct environment where conversations about my G-d, my faith, and my identity would not be considered kosher? Definitely.
We struggle so much with who we are supposed to be in this world. On the one hand, we're taught that degrees, careers and subseqent money and possessions mean nothing. Yet, on the other hand we're taught that to achieve respect and status, we are to become educated, establish a career, and earn a lot of money. Tele-preachers and megachurches today thrive on the "prosperity doctrine" of men, claiming that if you throw all your money into building funds for new stadium-like sanctuaries, G-d will rain fortune down upon you. Yet, G-d is no respector of persons. He chose fruit pickers, shepherds, and working class fishermen to teach and preach the Truth to the world. He uses the simple to confound the wise. We know all of this, yet we race to earn more status in the professional sphere so that we can earn more money which will earn us more status with those around us-- whether they are our neighbors, our peers, or even our religious leaders. And, all the while, we're sending a message to G-d that reads, "I don't have time for you now, I'm in work mode."
There is nothing wrong with having a career, or being successful at it. The motivation to achieve and succeed, however, becomes wrong when it is not motivated by the Truth of the Word of G-d. Ever since I was a child, I was instructed by teachers that since I had a brain and could get A's on tests, I was supposed to obtain a career that would make me rich. My gifted and talented peers now have myspace pages where they brag about how much money they make and all their subsequent social opportunities and chances for promotion as doctors, lawyers, politicians, you name it. You never see one of them bragging about how many people they healed, or how many innocent people they defended and saw acquitted. When I interviewed with this woman, she asked me why that particular publishing company interested me. I responded that I respected the fact that they specialized in medical publishing, and that working for a medical publisher would allow me to contribute in some small way to the betterment of the world around me. Her response was, "Oh, that's interesting. I never really thought of it that way."
In the most famous passage from the book of Esther, Mordechai warns his niece, "Don't suppose that merely because you happen to be in the royal palace you will escape any more than the other Jews. For if you fail to speak up now, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from a different direction; but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows whether you didn't come into your royal position precisely for such a time as this?" (4:12-14)
Just because you may win the world's favor, doesn't mean you'll escape their wrath when they turn on you. If you fail to do the right thing, in accordance with your covenant with G-d, G-d will still see that His promises are fulfilled. You, however, will have written yourself out of the picture. Here's your test: Are you going to do the right thing by G-d, and honor your covenant with Him, or are you going to do what the world thinks you should?
When Yeshua said no slave could serve two masters, He meant it. "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me, and the one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." (John 14:21)
When "work mode" overrides the one Source that should impact your decision-making process, you are losing out. You may be gaining a "good" grade, a "great" career, or a "fabulous" friend, but you are losing the opportunity to walk with G-d. You are losing the opportunity to be a part of the picture. You are losing the opportunity to have Him reveal Himself to you. So, what have you truly accomplished?
Chag Purim Sameach. And if you celebrate Easter, I don't really know what flowers and candy bunnies have to do with Messiah's rising from the dead, but have a nice time with your family-- and don't forget to spend time with the Messiah you're celebrating today. Only, I'd skip offering Him any ham. For some reason, I don't think it'd go well with the hamentaschen.
Labels: Halacha, Karl Coke, mitzvot, Purim, Torah, Yeshua
posted by Shoshana @ 10:40 AM
