YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Family and Society
- Articles on Current Events
- Various Events
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Middot - Character Traits
- Additional Lessons
In my opinion there is another aspect to the Greek problem that has seeped into Western and Jewish society over the past few decades. And that is that all of the negative facets of ancient Greek culture and lifestyle have returned with a vengeance after having lain dormant for millennia.
Hedonism, uninhibited sexual activity, pornography, child abuse, glorification of the body, sanctioned euthanasia for the "misfits" of society, terrible intolerance of "others," rampant public glorification of homosexuality, and a hatred of Judaism and Jews with their "quaint" rituals, are all recognizable and even dominant aspects of current society.
And, these are the characteristics of Greek society of long ago. Greek society also gave civilization philosophy, theater, music, a form of very limited democracy, poetry and prose masterpieces and advances in science, astronomy and mathematics. The world would have been wise to retain the wheat and discard the chaff. But in our current world and the chaff dominates.
All of the moral and spiritual weaknesses that ancient Greek society represented have somehow now been totally embraced and enshrined as untouchable progressive values and human lifestyles. Just as the bill for Greece’s economic errors has come due so too will the repetition of the ills of ancient Greek societal behavior also have its day of reckoning and payment.
One of the tenets of Judaism that the Greeks most opposed was that of circumcision. When the Greeks ruled in Judea just prior to the Maccabean revolt they banned circumcision. Many Jews were executed by the Greeks for having fulfilled this commandment of the Torah and for upholding the covenant of our father Abraham.
Hellenist Jews underwent painful surgeries to restore their foreskins in order to fit in with Greek society. The Greeks decried the "mutilation" of the body inherent in the ritual of circumcision. In the Soviet Union under the great progressives of Lenin, Stalin, etc. circumcision was also forbidden. How enlightened of those murderers of millions of innocents to be so caring of the infants’ alleged pain!
There is currently a proposition on the ballot in San Francisco, California to be voted upon in a few months to ban circumcision for anyone under eighteen years old. It is another step in the adoption of ancient Greek culture and values into modern society.
Since the proponents of this measure - like all of their progressive do-gooder compatriots - know what is best for us poor unwashed citizens they feel fully justified in enforcing their ideas on the population as a whole. And since there is obviously more than a tinge of anti-Semitism attached to this whole sorry spectacle - and there will also always be Hellenist Jews that support such anti-Jewish initiatives - the entire issue of circumcision is now a matter of public debate and controversy. A hatred that has lain dormant for twenty-five hundred years has now arisen, cloaked in compassion for infants and other pseudo-scientific claims and myths.
Every Jewish generation has been challenged by forces, both external and internal, that wish to destroy Judaism and the Jewish people. Our current generation is no different. One prays and hopes that these challenges to our faith and rituals will not become the life and death issues that they have been in past generations.
There is no doubt that Jews will not give in to this hateful, pagan, oppressive culture and demands. The strength of purpose and tenacity of faith that marked our Maccabean ancestors is part of the DNA of the current Jewish world as well. It is ridiculous to think that an ordinance in San Francisco will change thousands of years of Jewish history and devotion.
Ancient Greece is no longer with us and modern Greece also looks pretty wobbly. But the foolish tragedy of our times is that all of the ills of ancient Greece and its society have resurfaced in our time and have become acceptable norms. And, once again, it is the lonely and unpopular task of Judaism and Jews to stand firm against these norms and values. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, this stand of ours against Greek culture may be our finest hour.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
