On Jews and Jesus

Posted on June 18, 2017 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

There are several reasons that Jews do not claim Jesus as the Messiah.

One reason is that Jews say it is sacrilegious for a person to claim to be God. It is a violation of the first three Commandments for God to be depicted, so a person could not be God.

Exodus 20:1-6

Then God spoke all these words: ²I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. ³Do not have other gods besides Me. ⁴Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. ⁵You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands.

However, Jesus never said he was God. He said he was the Son of God – and also said that we all are if we do God’s will. More often, he referred to himself as the Son of Man.

Now, Christianity says that Jesus is God, but Jesus himself never said this. Jesus prayed to God all the time. This would be pointless if he was God. However, he is united with God. The next point will illustrate this.

Another issue is that Jews deny the Trinity of God.

Let’s look at some points in Genesis that prove that God is more than we think.

Genesis 1:26

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

Who is God talking to when God says “in Our image”?

And here, God appears as three men in Genesis 18:1-2

“Then the Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting in the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. 2 He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed to the ground.”

Even the name “Elohim”, a word commonly used in the Hebrew Scriptures to refer to God, is a plural word.

Essential to the belief of every Jew is the idea that God is one – and this is true. At least twice a day observant Jews say the Shema, which proclaims that God is one. However – the word “one” that is used in the Shema is “echad” – which is a composite unity. An indivisible unity is “achid”. “Echad” would be used to describe a bunch of grapes. It is one thing, made up of different parts. “Echad” would be used to describe how all of Israel was united around Mount Sinai when they received the Torah.

Yes, God is One, but that One is composed of many parts. Essentially, God is everything, as everything came from God.

Another example of this is in Genesis 2:24

24 This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.

“Echad” is used in the original in this verse, to mean “one”. They are two people, but they are united.

Jews say that Jesus violated the commandments by working on the Sabbath and saying that people could eat food that wasn’t kosher. The Messiah would never break the commandments, so Jesus can’t be the Messiah. But God said through the prophet Jeremiah that a new covenant was to come. The old ways weren’t going to stay that way forever.

Jeremiah 31:31-34

³¹“Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. ³²This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke even though I had married them”—the Lord’s declaration. ³³“Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. ³⁴No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”

More importantly, the original message of the commandments had gotten watered down. There is nothing in the Ten Commandments about keeping kosher, or any of the other 600-plus “commandments” that Orthodox Jews honor. These extra “commandments” came from interpretations of the Torah by rabbis – and not from God.

Jesus wanted people to focus on what was important – loving God, and treating everyone with kindness. Everything else was extra – and it was following people, not God. That way leads to trouble. Jesus wants to redirect our attention to what matters.

Jews say that one of the hallmarks of the Messiah is that he would be king.

Look at John 6:14-15 which took place after Jesus fed 5,000 people:

¹⁴When the people saw the signHe had done, they said, “This really is the Prophet who was to come into the world!” ¹⁵Therefore, when Jesus knew that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He withdrew againto the mountain by Himself.

Why did he refuse to be King? Because only the immortal God is their King – not a fallible human.

Jesus knew what was in their hearts, and wanted them to search for the right things. He wanted them to put their faith in God. He wanted them to redirect their love to God, instead of putting their trust in a person.

John 6:26-27

²⁶Jesus answered, “I assure you: You are looking for Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. ²⁷Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal of approval on Him.”

Note that God never wanted Israel to have a human king over them. Here is the prophet Samuel speaking to the nation:

1 Samuel 12:8-15

⁸“When Jacob went to Egypt,your ancestors cried out to the Lord, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place. ⁹But they forgot the Lord their God, so He handed them over to Sisera commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab. These enemies fought against them. ¹⁰Then they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, for we abandoned the Lord and worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the power of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ ¹¹So the Lord sent Jerubbaal, Barak,Jephthah, and Samuel. He rescued you from the power of the enemies around you, and you lived securely. ¹²But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king rule over us’—even though the Lord your God is your king.¹³“Now here is the king you’ve chosen, the one you requested. Look, this is the king the Lord has placed over you. ¹⁴If you fear the Lord, worship and obey Him, and if you don’t rebel against the Lord’s command, then both you and the king who rules over you will follow the Lord your God. ¹⁵However, if you disobey the Lord and rebel against His command, the Lord’s hand will be against you and against your ancestors.

When the people called to God for help, he sent them leaders and prophets, but not a king. But then they saw that other nations had kings, and wanted one – even though God was their king. The Jews were special, unlike other nations, but wanted to be the same. Then they chose a king to rule over them. God did not choose the king. God told them that if both they and the king follow God, then all will go well. God didn’t tell them to follow the king. God wanted his people to follow God.

Jesus also told them to follow God. He drew attention away from himself –

Luke 18:18-19

¹⁸A ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁹“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One—God. ²⁰You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.”

Jesus was king, but not of this world. Read what happened in his trial before Pilate:

John 18:33-37

³³Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” ³⁴Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about Me?” ³⁵“I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” ³⁶“My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here.” ³⁷“You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”

Jews say that it is not acceptable for a human to be sacrificed, yet they do not include the prophecy about Jesus from Isaiah in their readings in synagogue.

Isaiah 53:1-6 is talking about Jesus.

Who has believed what we have heard? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? ²He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. ³He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. ⁴Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. ⁵But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. ⁶We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.

However, it is important to note that Jesus himself never said that he died for other people’s sins. That is something that the Christian church says. What we can learn from what Jesus did was to show complete unwavering loyalty to God. God asked him to be crucified, and he obeyed. His resurrection then proves the grace of God, and that even death has no power. God is powerful over everything. Jesus proves that if we trust in God and do his will, we have nothing to be afraid of. A life without trusting in God isn’t a life, after all.

Jews also say that another reason that Jesus cannot be the Messiah is that he didn’t rebuild the Temple. It is essential to realize that God never wanted a permanent physical building. God had them build a travelling tabernacle when the Jews were in the desert. All of Israel was there, together.

Exodus 25:8

“They are to make a sanctuary for Me so that I may dwell among them.”

Exodus 29:45

“I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.”

God wants to dwell among us – to be where we are. How can God dwell among us if we are scattered all over the world? One building won’t do.

Later, in Leviticus 26:11

“I will place My residence among you, and I will not reject you.”

Jesus speaks about the need to NOT have one place to worship God –

Matthew 6:19-20

19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

It is dangerous to give so much attention to any physical thing. It becomes an idol. Instead, Jesus knew that people need to focus on God, and to make a dwelling place for God in our hearts. That is the true tabernacle – our own selves.

Jews are also concerned that they are being misled – that they are being told to worship another god.

Deuteronomy 12:1-6

“If a prophet or someone who has dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, ²and that sign or wonder he has promised you comes about, but he says, ‘Let us follow other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us worship them,’ ³do not listen to that prophet’s words or to that dreamer. For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul. ⁴You must follow the Lord your God and fear Him. You must keep His commands and listen to His voice; you must worship Him and remain faithful to Him. ⁵That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has urged rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the place of slavery, to turn you from the way the Lord your God has commanded you to walk. You must purge the evil from you.”

However, Jesus consistently said to worship God – the God of Abraham. Not him. Jesus never told anyone to worship him.

Latkes

Posted on December 29, 2016 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

Makes about 14 latkes – serves 4 to 6.

– Ingredients –
4 medium potatoes – organic if possible
1 medium onion
2 eggs
2 pieces of matzo (or ½ cup flour)
1 Tsp. salt
¼ Tsp. pepper
Olive oil to coat the pan

– Method –
Wash and peel the potatoes. Grate them on the medium side of the grater (by hand- don’t use a food processor). Put the results into a colander and rinse well to get out the starch. Place colander over a large bowl. Press down on the grated potatoes to remove moisture. Leave the colander sitting over the bowl to drain out more moisture while you do the rest.

Peel off the outer layer of the onion. Slice off the top and bottom. Cut into four wedges and place into a food processor. Mince the onion in the food processor. Set aside in a separate colander over a bowl to drain.

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add the salt and pepper.

Crush the matzo into tiny pieces – flour-like consistency. You can do this in a thick sandwich bag, using a rolling pin.

Gently mix the potatoes, onions, and egg mixture together in a large bowl. Fold in the matzo (or flour) Do not overmix – this will transform the grated potatoes into mashed potatoes, totally altering the texture.

Pour the oil into a pan and heat medium-high. When hot, use a tablespoon to scoop up the mixture. Flatten gently with the back of the spoon. Use two spatulas to turn, cooking the latkes golden brown on each side. You will likely need to add more oil to the pan as you cook the rest of the latkes.

Transfer the latkes to paper towels over newspaper to drain.

Keep them warm while you cook the rest by placing them on a cookie sheet covered with brown kitchen paper – placing them into the oven at 250 degrees.

Serve warm with sour cream or applesauce (traditional)

Jewish prayer shawls

Posted on April 12, 2016 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

The prayer shawls used by Jews today were not used in antiquity. They evolved from the everyday item of clothing they wore that had four corners to which they affixed tassels (called in Hebrew “tzitzit”) per the Lord’s command. The Torah has two places where Jews are instructed to wear tzitzit on their clothing.

Numbers 15:37-38 37 The LORD said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout their generations they are to make tassels for the corners of their garments, and put a blue cord on the tassel at each corner.
– and –
Deuteronomy 22:12 “Make tassels on the four corners of the outer garment you wear.”

Why did the Lord command this? Numbers 15:39-40 explains. 39 “These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the LORD’s commands and obey them and not become unfaithful by following your own heart and your own eyes. 40 This way you will remember and obey all My commands and be holy to your God.41 I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am Yahweh your God.”

Only Orthodox Jewish men wear the four-cornered garment with tzitzit these days. For all other Jewish men, there are prayer shawls that serve the same purpose. The shawl is usually worn only during morning prayer, while the garment is worn throughout all the daylight hours. It is rare for Jewish women of other denominations to wear the prayer shawl, and they never wear the garment.

The prayer shawl itself is not important – the tassels (tzitzit) are. They are to serve as a constant visual reminder of the oneness of God and of the need to fulfill God’s commandments. Interestingly, they serve as a reminder not only to the wearer, but also to anyone else who can see the tassels.

The tasseled four-cornered garment that the Orthodox Jews wear is worn underneath the regular clothes and is called a tallit katan, meaning a “small tallit”, or it is also called arba kanfot, meaning “four corners”. It is popularly known as simply “the tzitzit”, while the large prayer shawl is commonly known as “the tallis”.

Here are examples of the tallit katan (or arba kanfot)

There are no specific requirements as to the size or color of the tallit. The most important thing is that it has four corners that tzitzit are affixed to. Some tallits are large enough to wrap over the head to make a sort of tent so that the wearer can be in seclusion with God while he prays. Some are so narrow that they look more like scarves.

One side is given a special band, called the Attarah, to mark the top outside of the Tallit, as it is considered a garment and thus must not be worn upside down or inside out.

The Tzitzit have very specific and detailed ways that they are tied and knotted. There are different opinions as to exactly how many knots and wraps around the group are to be done, but each style has significance. In the past, one thread was always a royal blue, but some experts say that the source of that color has been lost, so rather than get it wrong they recommend using all white threads to create the tzitzit.

Here are various examples of tzitzit –

Here are examples on how they can be knotted –

Before putting on the tallit, one should check the tzitzit to see that they are still kosher, making sure that they are not frayed and the knots are still intact. While checking the tzitzit one recites:

Transliteration:
Bar-chi Naf-shi Et Ado-nai, Ado-nai E-lo-hai Ga-dal-ta M’od, Hod V’ha-dar La-vash-ta. O-teh Ohr Ka-sal-mah, No-teh Sha-ma-yim Ka-ye-ri-ah.
Translation:
My soul, bless the Lord! Lord my G d, You are greatly exalted; You have garbed Yourself with majesty and splendor. You enwrap [Yourself] with light as with a garment; You spread the heaven as a curtain.

Then, when putting on the Tallit, one says the blessing:

Transliteration:
Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam A-sher Ki-de-sha-nu B’mitz-vo-tav V’tzi-va-nu L’hit-a-teif Ba-Tzi-tzit.
Translation:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to wrap ourselves in Tzitzit.

Note that we are commanded to wrap ourselves in the tzitzit, not the tallit. The fringes are the focus, not the garment that holds them. The prayer shawl itself is just a vehicle for the tassels.

Then you pull the Tallit over your head and wrap the two tassels of the right side over the left shoulder and recite the following verses from Psalms 36:8-11.

Transliteration:
Ma Ya-kar Chas-de-cha E-lo-him, U-v’nei A-dam B’tzeil K’na-fe-cha Yir-v’yun M’de-shen Bei-te-cha, V’na-chal A-da-ne-cha Tash-keim. M’kor Cha-yim, B’ohr-cha Nir-eh Ohr. M’shoch Chas-d’cha V’tzid-kat-cha L’yish-rei Leiv.
Translation:
How precious is Your kindness, O G d! The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They shall be satiated with the delight of Your House, and You will give them to drink from the river of Your bliss. For with You is the source of life; in Your light we see light. Bestow Your kindness upon those who know You, and Your righteousness on the upright in heart.

We know that Jesus obeyed the commandment to wear Tzitzit through these verses from the Gospels –

Matthew 9:20-21 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years approached from behind and touched the tassel on His robe, for she said to herself, “If I can just touch His robe, I’ll be made well!”

and

Matthew 14:36 They were begging Him that they might only touch the tassel on His robe. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

It is worth noting that the tzitzit are visible most when we have our eyes downcast, as when we are depressed. It is then that we most need to be reminded of the closeness of God. Following God’s commandments helps us to get back on the proper path, and seeing the tzitzit remind us to do so.

Resources:
“The Complete Artscroll Siddur” by Rabbi Nosson Scherman
“The Complete Book of Jewish Observance” by Leo Trepp
“How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household” by Blu Greenberg
“Understanding Jewish Holidays and Customs: Historical and Contemporary” by Sol Scharfstein
The Chabad website
All Bible translations are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

Fear of God?

Posted on April 11, 2016 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

The Hebrew word יִרְאָה that is translated into English as “Fear of God” means something entirely different. It is spelled phonetically as “yirah” and pronounced as “Year-uh”.

“Fear” is an improper and misleading rendering, because God does not want us to be afraid. It is said that the phrase “Don’t be afraid” appears 365 times in the Bible – one for every day of the year. We are told repeatedly that “God is love”, so why should we be afraid of God?

According to Strong’s, the word actually means “reverence” or “piety”, not fear.

It is to indicate respect, to know before Whom you stand. To not take God for granted, but remember that God is your Creator. It is the same feeling you would have for a good parent or a wise teacher.

However, it is not the feeling that you would have for a friend. You must always remember that God is greater than you and existed long before and will exist long after you. You must remember that God created you and the rest of the universe. There must be some humility because of this.

But it isn’t fear.

Consider what other words that we have been told about God and Jesus that are not true, that were given to control us.

Turn away

Posted on February 4, 2016 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

I’ve seen several pictures of things that have really disturbed me recently, and rather than just turn away again, I’ve decided to meditate on exactly what I find repulsive about these pictures. This is part of my recent decision to be more mindful. It is not an easy practice, but it is necessary for being fully conscious and aware of my actions.

These images aren’t things that people normally would turn away from, such as violence or abuse for instance. Those are abhorrent as well, of course. What I’m writing about here are images of people who are in ICU, hooked up to machines and tubes. I never gave it a second thought as to why I was repulsed until I saw a video about a machine that can keep a heart alive outside of the body in preparation for transplant. That tipped the scales.

What disturbs me about it is not exactly the same as what disturbs me about the ICU pictures, but it is a good thing to start with. The donor was dead, as far as doctors could determine. The brain had ceased functioning. The heart had been removed, and rather than keep it on ice as was normally done in a transplant situation, it was hooked up to a machine that replicated the environment inside the chest. It was kept humid and warm, with blood circulating through it. This heart was beating just like a normal heart, but it was inside a plastic box. There was no person attached.

I also saw a video of two mothers who had a strange connection. Mother A had a young child who had suddenly died due to trauma. She had decided to donate his organs. Mother B’s child had received his heart. They met three years later and mother A used a stethoscope to hear the heart of her son beating inside the chest of Mother B’s daughter. It was supposed to be a touching video, but I was really disturbed. Something seemed deeply wrong about this.

I kept being triggered by these images. I decided to examine the original related triggers – images of people in ICU. I don’t seek these out – people share them sometimes on social media as part of a story.

One was about a new mother who had been in an accident and the nurse brought her child to her so she could breastfeed her child. While the person who posted it was pointing out the value of breastfeeding, it was very disturbing. The mother was not present in any form other than her body. She was not being helped to breastfeed. The nurse put the child to her breast and that was it.

I look at a sketching website every day, and today there was one of a man in ICU. The sketcher even commented about it, wondering if it was ethically correct to sketch such a thing. He did not mention if he’d thought about the ethics of sharing it online as well.

I read something recently that speaks to all of this in a useful way.

There is a Jewish belief that it is improper to have an open casket. To do so is to violate the privacy of the person. It is also putting focus and attention on the wrong thing, as the “person” is not there – their soul has left. When there is just a body and not a soul, it is not a person. It is a shell, a husk. An open casket is an insult to the person who had inhabited that body, because they have no say over how they are seen. They have no control over what happens to them. They are fully exposed for the world to see and cannot do anything about it.

I think this is at the center of it all. To show pictures of people who are not at their best (to say it lightly) is to violate their rights. It is an invasion of privacy. It is embarrassing. To focus on body parts rather than the whole is equally unethical.

The lady’s son was no longer present. His heart was just a piece of muscle, doing a job. The heart in the box for transplant was moving as if it was alive, but as it was not attached to a person, it was simply the illusion of life. There was no soul in it. It was the same as looking at a machine.

Being mindful and considerate of others’ feelings also applies to not sharing pictures of people who have passed out from being drunk or are intoxicated to the point that they are unaware of their actions.

Remember the story of Noah and his sons?

Genesis 9:18-27
18 Noah’s sons who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were Noah’s sons, and from them the whole earth was populated. 20 Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine, became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked. 24 When Noah awoke from his drinking and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said: Canaan will be cursed. He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers. 26 He also said: Praise the LORD, the God of Shem; Canaan will be his slave. 27 God will extend Japheth; he will dwell in the tents of Shem; Canaan will be his slave.

The son who saw him in his drunken state, unable to control himself, was cursed, along with his children. The two sons who covered him and made sure not to see him exposed were blessed.

This is the core teaching. To look at someone who is dead, or like dead (in ICU, or passed out due to intoxication) is an insult to their very being as a person. It is disrespectful. It is a violation of their privacy. It is the same as stripping someone naked. One might even go so far as to say it is equivalent to rape, as the person is treated as a thing and not as a person.

Chanukah books for children

Posted on December 28, 2015 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

These are very good picture books for children that are about Chanukah. I will add to this list as I find more.

Simon and the bear: a Hanukkah story by Eric A Kimmel

The menorah story by Mark H. Podwal

Hanukkah Bear by Eric Kimmel

The Count’s Hanukkah Countdown (from Shalom Sesame) by Tilda Balsley and Ellen Fischer

A conversation at the YMCA

Posted on December 10, 2015 by betsybeadhead | 2 Comments

I was in the changing room at the Y when I heard the most amazing thing. This lady who I’ve known for a few years through my water aerobics class asked me what I thought about “The Trump thing”. She actually didn’t even give me time to give an answer. She started saying that “He has a point, that all the terrorist attacks were being done by Muslims and so it was a good idea to keep them out of this country.” She even said that she had some Muslim friends but she still thought that it was a good idea.

I paused and looked at her and shook my head a little. I said “I can’t believe that you’re actually saying this. I can’t agree with you at all.”

She said “What? All the terrorist acts have been done by Muslims.”

I said
“What about Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, the Columbine murderers?
What about Timothy McVeigh, who blew up the Murrah federal building?
What about James Holmes, the Aurora theater shooter?
What about Sandy Hook massacre, by Adam Lanza?

These are all acts of terrorism
that have been perpetrated
by young white males.
They weren’t Muslim.”

Sadly, the list is much longer than these that I could recall off the top of my head, with all of them committed by young, white, males.

I then quoted this famous speech from Martin Niemöller, speaking about how the German people didn’t stand up against the Nazis during World War 2.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

I said “I can’t stand behind this entire idea of keeping people out based on their ethnicity. That’s racist.”

I repeated the word “racist” several times through the last part of my discussion. I wanted her to hear it for what it is. I wanted her to think about her support of something that is as dangerous, as un-Christian, as inhuman as racism. I’m sure she didn’t even think of herself as being racist.

At the same time I was thinking of the Rwandan genocide, where nearly a million people were slaughtered by their own countrymen over three months, simply because they were seen as “other”, as “lesser”. They were called “cockroaches” by the leaders, who encouraged average citizens to take up machetes and kill their own neighbors. I’m sure they didn’t think they were doing anything wrong either.

When we marginalize a group, when we group them together and say that the actions of a few represent the whole and propose eliminating the entire group, then that has moved from racism into genocide. We have to stop this entire way of thinking before it is allowed to get to this point. These are like weeds that will take over the garden, choking out all beauty in the world.

At the end of my speech, she said she didn’t know all of that. She recognized the names but hadn’t put it together. She hadn’t realized that in America, more acts of terror have been committed by non-Muslims than Muslims.

I’m grateful for all the classes that I’ve taken that allowed me to maintain my cool and answer her in a calm way to educate her. Years ago I would have thought she was wrong, but not been able to speak up. Now, I was able to not only take a stand against a racist but also to educate her.

We must all be lights in this world. We must all combat racism and ignorance no matter where it erupts.

The Chanukkah gift

Posted on December 9, 2015 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

(the lights from the first night of Chanukah)

I learned something on the second night of Chanukah.
I learned to trust that God will provide.

I have a small box of Chanukah candles that I bought last year on clearance. That was the first year that I have lit Chanukah candles. If I did it the normal way, by the time the whole thing is done the entire box would have been used. That is 44 candles. That seemed really wasteful.

What I did instead that first year was to light them and say the prayers, let them burn for maybe ten minutes and then I’d blow them out. I’d use the same candles over and over, so over the course of the holiday this meant that the candles were different heights and looked very odd. There was a definite slope downward to the right where the first night’s candle was, which had been burned the most.

This year I learned that not only are the candles supposed to burn for at least 30 minutes, but the woman of the house is not supposed to work for those 30 minutes. I’m not one for sitting still, so I decided to dedicate that time to making 4 x 6 collages.

I’d started making these this year and posted some here, but got out of the habit of assembling them. I’d taken the time to cut out and sort words and pictures already, so I really have no excuse. The funny thing is that so many of my craft projects are like “There’s a hole in the bucket” song – where in order to do one part, I have to do another part, and I have to do yet another part to get to that part. So sometimes I don’t do anything at all. I’m learning to break up the projects into small bits so that I feel that I’ve gotten something done. Since I already have all the pieces, it is easy to do at least two of these while the candles burn.

This year, while making the collages, I looked at the candles on the second night and saw how lopsided they looked already after letting them burn the longer time the first night. I got up and blew them out.

And then I thought about it. Part of what is celebrated in Chanukah is the miracle that the oil that was supposed to only last for one day lasted for eight. They needed to rededicate the Temple after it had been desecrated, and didn’t want to wait. It took eight days to make more oil, but they knew that it was too important to delay. They lit the light anyway, and God made it last long enough until the new oil was ready.

It is about trusting that God will provide for our needs.

Why was I being so guarded about these candles, only letting them burn for a little bit? I got them on sale, after all. Even before that, they cost $7. I can buy another set next year. They’ll make more.

Things are tight right now, with my husband out of a job, but even before that I’ve lived like a pauper most of my life. I was raised poor. Not having much is my normal. Worrying about future finances was part of my training.

We are comfortable, but not set by any means.

But God is using these candles to teach me something important.

I relit the candles and watched them, delighting in their cheery light.

I don’t think God wants us to be wasteful – certainly not. I think that God wants us to be good stewards of what we are given.

What does Jesus teach us?

Jesus tells us in the story of the loaves and fishes that God can make the little we have much more. We have to give thanks first, and we have to give what little we have away. This isn’t about making more money and hoarding it.

Jesus tells us in the story of the ten talents that we have to use what we are given. God gives us resources (as they said in my previous church – “time, talent, and treasure”) to use them for God’s glory, not our own, and not to hide away.

Jesus tells us to not worry about anything, that God provides for the least of the creatures, so surely God will take care of us.

So this was the gift that God gave to me – to trust, and not be afraid. To not think that I have to do it all. To remember that everything comes from God, and God can do anything.

How to play the Dreidel game at Chanukkah

Posted on December 6, 2015 by betsybeadhead | Leave a comment

The traditional Chanukkah dreidel is a reminder of the times when the armies of King Antiochus controlled the Holy Land. This regime passed a series of laws making it illegal to study or practice Judaism. The Jews decided to do their Torah learning secretly in outlying areas and forests. The children brought along small tops to pull out and play with after hiding their texts, so that they could pretend to be playing games instead of studying if a patrol came by.

Playing the dreidel game reminds us to always be true to our faith even when it is dangerous. This is a valuable thing to remember for all faith traditions.

Here’s how to play the dreidel game –

Things you need –

1 Dreidel (or several to speed up the game play)
2 or more players
The “Ante” Chocolate coins, nuts, or pennies, for instance.
A flat surface to spin the dreidel on, such as a table top or floor.

A platter of Latkes (hash browns) and/or Sufganiot (jelly doughnuts) add to the fun. Fried foods are part of the holiday. They commemorate the miracle of the one small jar of oil lasting eight days during the re-dedication of the Temple.

1. All players sit around the playing area.
2. All players get an equal amount of the “ante”
3. To choose who goes first, everyone takes a turn at spinning the dreidel. The one with the highest spin has first turn. (Nun is highest, then gimmel, hey, and shin.) Spin again if there is a tie.
4. Everyone puts one unit of the ante (Chocolate coin, penny, etc.) into the pot. (A bowl is useful for this)
5. Player A spins the dreidel and does the appropriate action according to the result.
6. The play proceeds to the left.

Nun looks like נ
It stands for the Yiddish word nul, which means nothing.
Take nothing from the pot.
This letter also refers to the Hebrew word “nes” – which means “miracle”.

Gimel looks like ג
It stands for the Yiddish word gantz, which means whole.
Take everything in the pot.
This letter also refers to the Hebrew word “gadol” – which means “great”.

Hay looks like ה
It stands for the Yiddish halb, meaning half.
Take half of what is in the pot.
This letter also refers to the Hebrew word “haya” – which means “happened”.

Shin looks like ש
In Yiddish, Shin is for shenk, which means give.
This means put one item from your ante into the pot.
This letter refers to the Hebrew word “sham” which means “there”.

These four letters together are an acronym for the sentence “nes gadol hayah sham” which means “a great miracle happened there.”

In Israel, the letter “shin” is replace with a “pey” פ – which refers to the Hebrew word “po” – meaning “here” , saying “A great miracle happened here.”

May we all be ready to receive miracles at all times and in all places.

A list of books about Judaism

Posted on December 5, 2015 by betsybeadhead | 2 Comments

Here is a short list of books that would be useful to anyone who is interested in learning more about Judaism, especially if they are Christian. They are in no particular order.

Menorahs, mezuzas, and other Jewish symbols by Chaikin, Miriam

The book of letters : a mystical alef-bait by Kushner, Lawrence

God was in this place and I, i did not know : a spiritual encounter : Genesis 28:16 by Kushner, Lawrence

The book of words by Kushner, Lawrence

The book of miracles by Kushner, Lawrence

Living Jewish life cycle by Milgram, Goldie

Jewish ritual by Olitzky, Kerry M

Reclaiming Judaism as a spiritual practice by Milgram, Goldie

Traditions : the complete book of prayers, rituals, and blessings for every Jewish home by Shendelman, Sara

How to run a traditional Jewish household by Greenberg, Blu

Jewish living: a guide to contemporary reform practice by Washofsky, Mark

The Jewish home : a guide to the Jewish holidays and life cycles by Syme, Daniel B