{"id":4377,"date":"2025-01-31T02:53:45","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T02:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.takemeon.org\/dir\/?p=4377"},"modified":"2025-02-01T00:47:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T00:47:47","slug":"jewish-and-native-american-indigenous-torah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.takemeon.org\/dir\/2025\/01\/31\/jewish-and-native-american-indigenous-torah\/","title":{"rendered":"Jewish and Native American indigenous Torah"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Before the attempted genocide of Jews in the 15th century CE \u2013 think BEFORE 1492\u2019s Iberian version of the \u201cTrail of Tears\u201d, inflicted upon the Jewish people by the Christian conquers of Spain and Portugal (you know, indigenous Jews of Judea and Samaria who were forced up northward into the Iberian Peninsula by the Roman Empire\u2019s violent occupation of our Canaan land of Israel) \u2013 some of our chacham put pen to paper and wrote a native Jewish mystical text in the 13th-century CE (aka, A.D. for the Christian Conquistadors and their colonized subjects). Thus, adding to our ever growing Jewish people\u2019s Torah!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Zohar
Left \u2013 Zohar Vaera 3, the twelve are one. Right \u2013 Zohar, Introduction 12.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here is just a taste of what our Jewish ancestors wrote before the Conquistador\u2019s arrival:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFire, water, and air, as three primordial elements, were still in suspense, their activity not having become visible until the land disclosed them and so made knowable the workmanship of each one of them.\u201d \u2013 Zohar, Introduction 12, Soncino Press, 1933<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus began the Jewish \u201cfive souls\u201d circle (Bereshit Rabbah 14:9, D\u2019varim Rabbah 2:37). Which Jews who survived Conquistador genocide and settled in Michilimackinac (Colonial America) \u2013 and so, many refugee Jews thereafter \u2013 have naturally made association with the indigenous Native American (\u201cIndian Country\u201d) peoples\u2019 \u201cmedicine wheel\u201d. So, let\u2019s be clear, our Jewish form of the \u201cmedicine wheel\u201d is Southwest Asian in nature, and NOT a \u201crip off\u201d of Native American traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt [the breath-of-life, \u201cspirit\u201d, \u201csoul\u201d] is called by five names: nefesh (Genesis 2:7), rua\u1e25 (Ezekiel 37:14), neshama (Genesis 2:7), ye\u1e25ida (Psalms 22:21), \u1e25aya (Psalms 143:3). Nefesh \u2013 this refers to blood, as it is stated: \u201cFor blood is the soul [nefesh, the physical body-mind shaped from the soil]\u201d (Deuteronomy 12:23). Rua\u1e25 \u2013 because it ascends and descends, as it is stated: \u201cWho knows the spirit of the sons of man? Does it ascend upward?\u201d (Ecclesiastes 3:21). Neshama \u2013 this refers to man\u2019s intellect, as people say: Intellect is good. \u1e24aya \u2013 because all of one\u2019s limbs may die, but it [the breath-of-life, \u201cspirit\u201d, \u201csoul\u201d] remains alive (\u1e25aya) in the body. Ye\u1e25ida \u2013 because all of one\u2019s limbs are in pairs, but it [the breath-of-life, \u201cspirit\u201d, \u201csoul\u201d] is solitary (ye\u1e25ida) in the body.\u201d \u2013 Bereshit Rabbah 14:9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRabbi Simon said: The soul is called the following five names: Rua\u1e25, nefesh, neshama, \u1e25aya, ye\u1e25ida. The Rabbis say: Come and see that the Holy One, blessed be He, fills His world and [the Holy One\u2019s] soul fills his body. The Holy One, blessed be He, bears His world and the soul bears the body. The Holy One, blessed be He, is One in His world and the soul is one in the body. The Holy One, blessed be He, does not sleep and the soul does not sleep. The Holy One, blessed be He, is the pure One in His world and the soul is the pure one in the body. The Holy One, blessed be He, sees but is not seen and the soul sees but it is not seen. Let the soul that sees but is not seen come and laud the Holy One, blessed be He, who sees but is not seen.\u201d \u2013 D\u2019varim Rabbah 2:37<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P.S. \u2013 In a future post, we will talk about mekubalim. What or who is an authentic mekubal? \u2026. On THIS post, we ask for thoughts and knowledgeable opinions and understandings. \ud83d\udd4e\ud83e\udeac NDNCollective and The 7 Clans , you might deeply appreciate this post!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, let\u2019s take this indigenous Jewish Torah on our SWANA people\u2019s LIVED HISTORY one additional post step further! \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jewish
Left \u2013 Commentary on the Zohar, Parashat Va\u2019ara, page 24, page 1. Notice that East is the \u201cNorth\u201d of our Jewish people\u2019s four directions! Right \u2013 \u201cAnd these are the forms of his letters and their vocalizations\u201d, from a manuscript of Or Hasekhel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

BEFORE the Alhambra Decree of 1492, South Asian indigenous Jews from the Canaan land of Israel wrote the Zohar in the Iberian Peninsula. The Zohar contains native Jewish discussions on the nature of the Creator god, the origin and structure of the universe, the nature of the human animal (one of the \u201cnefashot\u201d, physical-\u201csouls\u201d, shaped by the Creator god), and so forth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian Conquistadors sought to forcibly convert the Jewish people from our indigenous Judean beliefs, our Torah (\u201cteaching\u201d\/\u201dlaw\u201d), to the extent of committing genocide and ethnic-cleasing of our people from Spain and Portugal. Here, in these following quotes, is a taste of what the Christians tried to erase:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTherefore man was created from the dust of the lower Sanctuary; and the four winds of the world united at that place which afterwards was named the House of Holiness, and these four were then joined to the four elements of the lower world: fire, air, earth, and water. And when these winds and these elements were thus mingled, the Holy One, blessed be He, formed one body of wondrous perfection. Therefore it is plain that the substances composing man\u2019s body belong to two worlds, namely, the world below and the world above.\u201d \u2013 Zohar Vaera 3:2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMark well this! Fire, air, earth, and water are the sources and roots of all things above and below, and on them are all things grounded. And in each of the four winds these elements are found \u2013 fire in the North, air in the East, water in the South, earth in the West; and the four elements are united with the four winds \u2013 and all are one. Fire, water, air, and earth: gold, silver, copper, and iron; north, south, east, and west \u2013 these make altogether twelve; yet are they all one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fire is in the left, at the side of the North, for fire has the energy of warmth, and the power of dryness is strong in it, and the North is just the reverse, and so the two are commingled. Water is in the right, in the side of the South, and the Holy One mixes the warmth and dryness of the South with the coldness and moisture of the water, and they become one as with the previous combination.\u201d \u2013 Zohar Vaera 3:4-5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jews that \u201cconverted\u201d publicly were legally titled \u201cNew Christians\u201d (Conversos), because Old Christians wanted to legally and socially distinguish themselves from Jews even after conversion. Old Christians believed that \u201cpure unmixed\u201d Christian bloodlines distinguish them as a unique group, and these Conquistadors did not trust non-Spanish bloodlines to be true Christians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, for those who do not know this, it was 4th century CE northern Aegean-created Roman Christianity that invented the concept of geographical racism \u2013 which metastasized into vile demonizing systemic antisemitic racism and, from this, eventually into skin-color based racism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This anti-Indigenous racism for the glory of Colonial Christ dominionism \u2013 (duplicated by the Arabs down south, with their Hejaz Arabia-created Islam\u2019s colonialism for Allah\u2019s dominionism) \u2013 was believed to be caused by humans sinning against Christ before their birth. Hence, the location (the \u201cskin color\u201d) of their birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Christian belief that justifies the need to conquer and convert non-Christians, by any means necessary, was derived from the psuedo-science religious teachings of Origen of Alexandria and became fundamental Christian theology (1):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet us take the risk and give an account of a few of the more profound truths which have a mystical and secret conception of the way in which different regions of the earth were divided from the beginning among different overseers [angels].\u201d\u2026 Each human to be birthed is led \u201cto the parts of the earth which they deserve. Some are led to parched land, for example; others to country which afflicts the inhabitants by being cold; and some to land that is difficult to cultivate; others to land that is less hard; and some to country full of wild beasts, and others to country that has them to a lesser degree.\u201d \u2013 249 CE (A.D.), Origen of Alexandria, Against Celsus 5.28, 5.30<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cmala natura animae ad gentem malam destinetur, bona autem ad bonas (a soul of an evil nature is destined for an evil nation and a good one for a good nation).\u201d \u2013 229 CE (A.D.), Origen of Alexandria, First Principles 2.9.5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who were these \u201cgood\u201d nations and \u201cevil\u201d nations, according to this early pre-\u201cTrinity\u201d gentile Christianity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good nations according to 3rd century CE Christians were Hebrews (Jews, \u201cwith whom he finds instruction in the divine Law\u201d) and Greeks (\u201cthemselves also wise and a people of no small learning,\u201d though Greek Hellenization is utterly repugnant to many Jews!), and bad nations were Ethiopians (\u201cwho are accustomed to feed upon human flesh\u201d), Scythians (\u201cwhom parricide is practiced as if by law\u201d), and Taurians (\u201cwhere strangers are sacrificed\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the 4th century CE (A.D.) official adoption of Christianity as the Roman Empire\u2019s sole religion, the \u201cHebrews\u201d (aka, Jews) had become worse than Ethiopians in the teachings of early Christianity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy enemies are the Jews; they have conspired in hatred against Me, crucified Me, heaped evils of all kinds upon Me, blasphemed Me.\u201d \u2026 \u201cthe ceremonies of the Jews are harmful and deadly to Christians\u201d \u2013 Saint Jerome, white Christian man, 4th century CE (A.D.), homiletic against the Jews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026as for these enemies of mine [Jews] who did not want me [Jesus] to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.\u201d \u2026 \u201cJews are impure and impious, and their synagogue is a house of prostitution, a lair of beasts, a place of shame and ridicule, the domicile of the devil, as is also the soul of the Jew. As a matter of fact, Jews worship the devil: their rites are criminal and unchaste; their religion a disease; their synagogue an assembly of crooks, a den of thieves, a cavern of devils, an abyss of perdition! Why are the Jews degenerate? Because of their hateful assassination of Christ.\u201d \u2013 St John Chrysostom, white Christian man, 4th century CE (A.D.), Sixth Homily Against the Jews<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot by bodily death, shall the ungodly race of carnal Jews perish \u2026 \u2018Scatter them abroad, take away their strength. And bring them down O Lord\u2019.\u201d \u2013 Saint Augustine, white Christian man, 4th century CE (A.D.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, back to the beginning of this post we go, now, to address the \u201cwhy?\u201d for all this antisemitism. Jews are the original Indigenous people that were appropriated from, by the creators of Christianity and Islam. And, we refuse to be assimilated into these Colonial theological religions! We refuse to be socially erased, despite the easily verifiable fact that we Jews are extremely outnumbered and always spoken for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTherefore the human was created from the dust of the lower Sanctuary [literally, according to our Torah, the human was \u201cshaped\u201d into form from the humus, the \u201ctopsoil\u201d, and the breath-of-life, the \u201csoul\u201d of the Creator, was breathed into this adam (the intersex human, soon to be split in half into male and female genders)]; and the four winds of the world united at that place which afterwards was named the House of Holiness, and these four were then joined to the four elements of the lower world: fire, air, earth, and water. And when these winds and these elements were thus mingled, the Holy One, blessed be He, formed one body of wondrous perfection. Therefore it is plain that the substances composing human\u2019s body belong to two worlds, namely, the world below and the world above.\u201d \u2013 Zohar Vaera 3:2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 \u2013 Matthijs den Dulk, Origen of Alexandria and the History of Racism as a Theological Problem, The Journal of Theological Studies, Volume 71, Issue 1, 07 April 2020, pages 164\u2013195.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pirkei
Pirkei Avot 5:20 commentary on Torah.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On this birth of the new moon \ud83c\udf11, the new lunar month, let\u2019s learn the meaning of animals that are found in Pirkei Avot 5:20 (\u201cEthics of the Fathers\u201d), as taught to us by Rabbi Joshua Kulp who is rosh yeshiva of the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJudah ben Tema said: Be strong as a leopard, and swift as an eagle, and fleet as a gazelle, and brave as a lion, to do the will of your Father who is in heaven. Judah ben Tema uses images that are taken from the animal world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strong like a leopard to stand up against people who denounce those who observe the Torah. Others say that this refers to the strength needed to rebuke those who don\u2019t observe the commandments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swift as an eagle to run away from sin. Others say this refers to ministering to Torah scholars, which should be performed with great speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fleet as a gazelle to perform the commandments. Others say that this refers to moving to a place where one can study Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brave as a lion to conquer one\u2019s evil inclination. Others say that this refers to getting up at night to learn Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He used to say: the arrogant is headed for Gehinnom and the blushing for the garden of Eden. The word \u201carrogant\u201d in Hebrew is the same word used in section one to mean \u201cstrong\u201d. Although one should be strong, this is only so if the strength is used for holy purposes, for the sake of Heaven [here on our SHARED planet Earth].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, arrogance, which is unjustified demonstrations of strength, leads one to despise those who might legitimately criticize him. An arrogant person will not check his deeds to make sure that he is acting correctly [for example, Trumpy kinds of people].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One who is embarrassed and blushes at his mistakes, will learn from them and will not continue to sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Judaism does not seek out perfection [like a theological\/ideological religion], but rather moral progress. One who is capable of such embarrassment will, in the end, inherit the garden of Eden.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We felt that this teaching was the NEEDED teaching for this new lunar moon \ud83c\udf12. Rather, than focusing on the present Parashat Bo 5785 \u2013 to address, in WARNING, this time in history of \u201cTrump\u201d-ism return to the world stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider,\u2026 Parashat Bo (\u201cCome\u201d, Shemot\/Exodus 10:1-13:16) recounts the last three plagues that G-d inflicts on the Egyptians: locusts, darkness, and death of firstborns. G-d commands the Israelites to offer a lamb sacrifice for Pesach. After the last plague, Pharaoh and the Egyptians demand that the Israelites leave. WHY?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even our Torah scroll is teaching at this time in our SHARED human history that it is a very bad time to be a citizen of European and Arab Conquistador nations \u262a\ufe0f\u262d\u271d\ufe0f . Who is the present Paro (Pharaoh) or Paro(s) that are not \u201cletting our people go\u201d \u2013 not allowing our Indigenous nations to peacefully and securely decolonize amongst you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This new moon of Sh\u2019vat \ud83c\udf11 happens in the morning hours of the 29th of Tevet, 5785 \u2013 Wednesday, 29 January 2025. The new lunar month of Sh\u2019vat, 5785 \u2013 \ud83c\udf12 Rosh Chodesh Sh\u2019vat \ud83c\udf12 \u2013 begins on Thursday, 30 January 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/English_Explanation_of_Pirkei_Avot.5.20.2?lang=bi<\/a>
Pirkei Avot 5:20 \u2013 an Explanation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ysoscher<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Ysoscher Katz shared, \u201cAgam Berger, who was released from Hamas captivity earlier today, is presenting observant parents, teachers and rabbis with a huge challenge. They\/we will need a lot of \u05e1\u05d9\u05d9\u05e2\u05ea\u05d0 \u05d3\u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05d0 to successfully thread a fine line, and it won\u2019t be easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During her time in captivity, Agam refused to eat non-kosher food, which obviously put her in great danger. The worst, chas ve\u2019shalem could\u2019ve happened. She could have died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a huge debate among poskim if that\u2019s permissible, if one is allowed to risk death in order to avoid transgressing any aveira other than the three cardinal sins (Idolatry, certain sexual transgressions and Murder). Rambam believes that it is prohibited, while a significant number of Chachmei Ashkenazi think that it\u2019s permitted. The Halakha follows Rambam, that one indeed is not allowed to put their lives in harms way in such circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, if she would have asked beforehand any posek what to do, the unanimous answer would have been that she\u2019s definitely allowed to eat non-kosher food, ne\u2019 not only allowed, she actually has to do it. In technical terms: she\u2019s chayevet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that after the fact, this courageous choice makes her a real kedosha, a sacred soul, on par with the many in our history who lost their lives al kiddush Hashem. She was willing to die in order to avoid transgressing God\u2019s will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We, as a result should be in awe of her and inspire our children, congregants and students to admire her unfathomable level of devoutness. We should encourage reverence for a person like Agam whose love for God is so great that she couldn\u2019t fathom transgressing ANY of God\u2019s commandments, even at the risk of being in immeasurable danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, we also have to teach them that if, God forbid, they ever find themselves in a similar situation, they should never ever emulate her. In that sense she is a negative role model. A-priori, it is wrong to choose death over one of the remainder six hundred and ten mitzvot, the non-cardinal ones. We need to ensure that they internalize the fact that Halakha values life above everything else. That one should NEVER risk their life for the sake of avoiding a non-cardinal sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Striking this perfect balance is undoubtedly extremely hard but refusal to grapple with this challenge would be parental and rabbinic malpractice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an Indigenous person, to what degree are you willing to go to keep your Native ways? EVEN when those who\u2019ve captured you desire your humiliation and your abandonment of your very identity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Torah laws are a tree life for our Jewish people of the Canaan land of Israel! This is why it is true Indigenous resistance \u270a\ud83c\udffc\ud83e\udeac\ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udffc to refuse forced assimilation at the risk of dying for this. Such resistance comes from neshama kedosha, a truly \u201csacred soul\u201d! BUT,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Torah, the foundation to our Jewish derech (\u201cpath\u201d, \u201clifeway\u201d), demands that we break with tradition in times of extreme danger for the sake of preserving life and the sanctity of it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf one ate a forbidden item in a place of danger, he is allowed to bless on it.\u201d \u2013 Orach Chayim, Siman 196:2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who eat non-kosher food for survival or are forced to eat such for their very survival will not suffer the effects of timtum halev, the \u201cdefiling of the indigenous heart (Yoma 39a:2-3)\u201d. In fact, it is obligatory in Jewish halacha to feed yourself non-kosher food when in life-threatening danger!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd his face changed \u2013 and without his face changing, despite saying that his heart is weak and he needs to eat, they do not feed him\u2026 because he is considered healthy, since the sick person himself, who knows the bitterness of his soul, can take it for himself and eat it, whether on Yom Kippur or with the other prohibitions*, since he feels for himself that he could be in danger.\u201d \u2013 Mishna Berurah 617:6, *- \u201cother prohibitions\u201d, for example, eating non-kosher food in a situation of pikuach nefesh, \u201csaving life\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, it is a machloket if it is even permissible to refuse to eat food that is permitted based on bitul \u2013 see Pitchei Teshuva, Yoreh De\u2019ah 116:10 and Mishneh Halachot VII:104.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Thus, it means that if a vessel contains a s\u2019 or a vessel containing a s\u2019, it is not necessary to be strict. That is, there is no obligation on a person to be strict. But if the M.M. wants to be strict in this matter as well, it is a mitzvah\u2026\u201d \u2013 Pitchei Teshuva, Yoreh De\u2019ah 116:10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Torah is a tree of life for every Jew!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor someone who has a dangerous illness, it is a commandment to break Shabbat for him. One who hurries to do this is praised. One who asks about this is a murderer.\u201d \u2013 Orach Chayim, Siman 328:2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ysoscher
AMEIN! Ysoscher Katz represents Indigenous Judaism FULLY in his teachings!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In a follow up post, Rabbi Ysoscher Katz clarifies the intention of his post on Agam Berger, \u201cFriends and \u201cfriends,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quickly, a brief note of clarification before shabbos regarding yesterday\u2019s discussion about Agam Berger\u2019s choices, especially for friends in Israel for whom shabbat is literally knocking on the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you know, I live in multiple physical and virtual universes simultaneously. One of those consists of people who are hyper halakhic, halakha is almost the exclusive prism by which they encounter the world. (really the world of my youth, my birth community).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment it was revealed that Agam refused to eat non-kosher meat, that world has been buzzing with intense discussion about the halakhic legitimacy of such a choice. For the most part, the consensus was that halakhically it was not the correct choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And some raised the concern that perhaps frum women will take away the wrong message from her heroism and assume that it is indeed what one should always do. Whenever there is a choice between being observant or risking one\u2019s life, the ideal choice is the latter. The truly devout would choose to die rather than taint their souls with treif food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My post yesterday was directed to them. Attempting to offer a means by which to negotiate the difficult challenge of talking about Agam to a hyper halakhic audience, with nuance and sophistication. Primarily the question those groups were grappling with was how to convey to people the notion that if halakha is your exclusive point of reference, don\u2019t make the mistake of thinking that halakha indeed demands of you to take unreasonable risks just so that you don\u2019t commit any sin, regardless of how big or small that transgression is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big challenge was to do that in a way that doesn\u2019t diminish one iota of Agam\u2019s heroism. How can we diminish the halakhic weight of that choice without compromising the immense spiritual value of her decision?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My post was an attempt to add my two cents to this conversation, to model how one can hold on to competing truths, whereby on the one hand Agam\u2019s choice is not halakhically endorsed, but that fact nevertheless doesn\u2019t diminish her religious and spiritual stature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, as I said at the outset, I was talking to a particular audience, people who look at the world almost exclusively through an halakhic prism, who by the time I wrote my post had already spent a couple of hours grappling with the above mentioned question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are not that kind of person, your prism is much broader and isn\u2019t limited to the confines of halakha, then the post wasn\u2019t at all for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, some of the critical feedback, while undoubtedly well intended, was driven by a misunderstanding of who I was trying to talk to. If any of the first principles informing and undergirding the conversation I was trying to have irked you or seemed foreign to you, I indeed wasn\u2019t talking to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, I am nevertheless truly indebted to (almost) all of you for a vibrant and (for the most part) mature and sensitive discussion, one that was mostly shtooch free. And honestly, the few pricks and taunts were fine too.That\u2019s what one signs up for when choosing to be a rabbi \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shabbat shalom and (a belated) chodesh tov,
Ysoscher\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shlomo Fingerer \u2013 \u201cI come to Rebbi Ysoscher\u2019s feed specifically for his Torah \u2013 this is his beis medrash. I once considered applying to Chovevei to learn under him but quickly realized how wildly off that would be!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have to be part of his old world to truly appreciate the unique genius of his approach. I\u2019ve never found anything he says to be inconsistent with what my roshei yeshiva would say \u2013 if only they dared to navigate such modern waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, I\u2019ve jokingly challenged the idea that there\u2019s anything \u201cnew world\u201d about his approach, since, as a virtual student of his, I\u2019ve never encountered anything different from what his classmates \u2013 who are my charedi roshei yeshiva \u2013 would say if they dared to approach these topics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joseph Tsefanyahu Farkasdi, Yosef ibn Yehuda, and we here at Jewish Indigenous Rights Advocacy \u2013 JIRA fully emphasize and absolutely agree with Shlomo Fingerer about Rabbi Ysoscher Katz!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hen
Hen Mazzig asks, \u201cWhat do we Jews think about this?\u201d \u2013 Palestinians are refusing to leave Israeli prisons to be sent back to HAMAS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Palestinian \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8 fighter for Islamic HAMAS that wants to stay in Israeli prison \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf1 , rather than be returned to Gaza. Some amongst us would say \u201cSend him back regardless what he wants\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s NOT our Jewish people\u2019s Indigenous derech. It\u2019s Shabbat, so let\u2019s learn together:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf one encounters one\u2019s friend on the road and sees that that person\u2019s animal is suffering from its burden, whether the burden is appropriate for the animal or is excessive, it is a mitzvah to remove this burden (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Rotzeah 13:1).\u201d This includes an animal belonging to an enemy (Kesef Mishneh, Hilkhot Rotzeah 13:9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut should he say to you, \u2018I do not want to leave you [and be returned to my slave master, aka HAMAS \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8 ]\u2019 \u2014 for he loves you and your household and is happy with you \u2014 you shall take an awl and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall become your slave in perpetuity [meaning, until the Jubilee of release and rebalance]\u201d \u2013 D\u2019varim 15:16-17<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such prisoners should be well fed and not given useless or endless work to perform \u201cin the manner that the Egyptians used to oppress the Israelites\u201d, for the goal of Jewish\/Israeli society \ud83d\udd4e\ud83e\udeac\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf1 is to move humans away from slavery and sacrifice, and bring humans to tefilla and life-affirming contemplation (Mishneh Torah \u2013 Slaves 9:8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ysoscher<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ysoscher Katz also shared, \u201cHow in the world did I not know about this evocative and highly pertinent tefilah, composed by the Piaseczno rebbi zecher tzadik ve\u2019kadosh livracha, and recited yesterday at the UN by Israel President Isaac Herzog? (During the holocaust, he was a Rebbi in the Warsaw Ghetto, until he was killed by the Nazis, who earlier killed his only son, daughter in law and sister in law.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I of course will not start reciting it everyday until \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u05e8\u05d1\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5 \u05e9\u05dc \u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u05d4\u05d0\u05d6\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05dc\u05e7\u05d5\u05dc \u05d1\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0\u05e0\u05e7\u05ea \u05dc\u05d1\u05e0\u05d5, \u05e8\u05d0\u05d4 \u05d0\u05ea \u05e6\u05e2\u05e8\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d5\u05e2\u05e0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5, \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d5 \u05de\u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05e7\u05ea\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d4\u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4. \u05e7\u05e8\u05d5\u05d1\u05d9 \u05e0\u05e4\u05e9\u05e0\u05d5, \u05e0\u05e9\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05d9\u05dc\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd,\u05d0\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05d0\u05de\u05d4\u05d5\u05ea, \u05d0\u05d7\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05d0\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05e9\u05d0\u05e8 \u05d0\u05d7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc, \u05e0\u05e2\u05e7\u05e8\u05d5 \u05de\u05ea\u05d5\u05db\u05e0\u05d5, \u05d4\u05dd \u05e0\u05dc\u05e7\u05d7\u05d5 \u05d1\u05e9\u05d1\u05d9 \u05d5\u05e2\u05e7\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 \u05e0\u05d5\u05d3\u05e2\u05d5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u05d4\u05d9\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0 \u05d0\u05ea\u05d4, \u05d0\u05dc \u05e9\u05d3\u05d9, \u05de\u05d2\u05e0\u05dd \u05e9\u05dc \u05db\u05dc \u05d4\u05e9\u05d1\u05d5\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd, \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05e8 \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05de\u05db\u05dc \u05e6\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05e6\u05d5\u05e7\u05d4, \u05ea\u05df \u05dc\u05d4\u05dd \u05db\u05d5\u05d7 \u05dc\u05e2\u05de\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d1\u05e2\u05e0\u05d5\u05d9\u05d9 \u05de\u05e2\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05de\u05d7\u05e8\u05e4\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05d5\u05de\u05d2\u05d3\u05e4\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd. \u05d4\u05de\u05e6\u05d0 \u05dc\u05d4\u05dd \u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05de\u05e2\u05df \u05d9\u05d6\u05db\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e9\u05d5\u05d1 \u05d0\u05dc \u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d7\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd, \u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05dc\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05d4\u05ea\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05e8\u05db\u05d9\u05dd, \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4 \u05e9\u05e0\u05d2\u05d6\u05dc\u05d5 \u05de\u05d7\u05d9\u05e7 \u05d0\u05d1\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05d5\u05d0\u05de\u05dd, \u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0 \u05e9\u05d9\u05ea\u05d2\u05dc\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d9\u05d6\u05db\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e9\u05d5\u05d1 \u05d0\u05dc \u05d0\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05db\u05d1\u05d9\u05de\u05d9 \u05e6\u05d0\u05ea\u05e0\u05d5 \u05de\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05de\u05e6\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Master of the Universe,
Hear the sound of our weeping and the cry of our hearts. See our suffering and anguish, and deliver us from this great distress. Our loved ones\u2014women and children, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, and many others among the people of Israel\u2014have been torn away from us. They have been taken captive, and their fate remains unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almighty God, the protector of all those in captivity, shield them from harm and hardship. Grant them the strength to withstand the torment of their captors, who abuse and revile them. Sustain them with life so that they are able to return to their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And for the children, the tender infants stolen from the embrace of their parents, please let them be found and reunited with their families, as in the days of our exodus from Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(This is only part of the tefilah. For the complete version, see the comments.)\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, now for a more somber thought on the necessity of our public displays of Indigenous resistance \u270a\ud83c\udffc\ud83e\udeac\ud83d\udd4e\ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udffc for the sake of Torah!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jewish
For those who are unfamiliar with halachically permitted L\u201dH, please read this whole post!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is BlueSky, folks. Praised for being not like X-Twitter! This social media benevolence only applies so long as you\u2019re NOT a Jew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

@joy.msnbc.com , @chrislhayes.bsky.social , @ayman.msnbc.com , (etc) this kind of racist hate trolling happens to our native Jewish people every single day. And your antisemitic disinformation broadcasts about Israelis only adds to this virulent anti-Indigenous racism. Good job!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Jews in the European diaspora were speaking and writing in the Colonial narratives of Europe, we Middle Eastern Jews were busy restoring our land and waters sovereignty in preparation for sovereign decolonization. It worked!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahistorical! The British gave the Arabian Hashemite family the British and French established Colonial nations of Jordan, Syria, and Iraq as a reward for helping to re-colonize Southwest Asia. Take your disinformation campaign elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Jewish people of our Canaan land of Israel have had a nonstop 3,500 year presence upon our SWANA sacred land \u2013 despite every single attempted ethnic cleansing of our Indigenous Judean people by the European and Arab Conquistadors for Colonial Allah, Christ, and Marx ruling dominionism!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn something!!! \u2013 http:\/\/www.takemeon.org\/dir\/the-history-of-canaanite-jews-from-beginning-to-present-day\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who may believe we have committed lashon hara with this post, consider two things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) It is a halachic obligation to report wrongdoing when it threatens the safety of others. And, 2) by publicly addressing the situation of implicit antisemitism that is fueling explicit antisemitism, we are saving lives \u2013 Jewish lives \u2013 through this mitzvah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is permitted lashon hara within the Jewish people! We will now provide sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your fellow, but you shall not bear a sin on his account. (Vayikra 19:17)\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This obligation exists regardless of whether the action harms others, and the requirement lasts until the wrongdoer begins to curse or scream at you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut if one knows that his words would not be listened to he should not say publically, that they should be admonished except once. But he should not increase the admonishing, since he knows that they will not listen to him. However, in private a man is obligated to admonish him (the transgressor) until this transgressor beats him (the admonisher) or curses him, (\u05e8\u05f4\u05df \u05e1\u05f4\u05e4 \u05d4\u05d1\u05e2\u05f4\u05d9).\u201d \u2013 Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 608:2; also see Shulchan Aruch ha-Rav, ibid. 608:4\u20136.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, this is shared directly from Chofetz Chaim: Ethics of Speech:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 7 conditions for speaking L\u201dH we discussed in chapter 10 of Hilchot L\u201dH-
(1) The information must be true.
(2) The information cannot be exaggerated.
(3) The speaker should verify that the information is an objective violation of Jewish Law.
(4) The speaker must have pure intentions.
(5) The speaker should first approach the transgressor before resorting to speaking L\u201dH about him.
(6) If the purpose can be achieved in a way other than speaking L\u201dH, that alternative method should be tried first.
(7) The L\u201dH should not cause more damage to the subject that would have been decreed in a Beit Din.\u201d \u2013 Chafetz Chaim, Hilchot Issurei Lashon Hara 10:1\u201317 and Hilchot Rechilut 9:1\u201315. See, https:\/\/torah.org\/learning\/halashon-rchapter9\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

META Description : Jews and Native Americans share similar understandings of reality in our respective Indigenous peoples\u2019 Torah!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more blogs available on this site, click here now<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Link to the book directly below. Touch the cover!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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