Mizbeah - Altar

                                                                                                      B-H

Among many ways to categorize Mitzvois – Biblical commandments, that of differentiating them between those regarding a person’s relationship to Creator and those regarding person to person relationships is probably one of the most known.

Ben Adam le Mukoim and Ben Adam le haveiro are clearly visible in Atzeres Hadibres – the Ten Commandments.

 אָֽנֹכִ֖י֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֣֥ית עֲבָדִֽ֑ים׃

“I the LORD am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage”

The first Mitzva of the ten  instructs us to act as a free people and free individuals. This along with the following four commandments including Kuvoid le Aim ve Av are categorized by Chazal as those setting our relationship with G-d.

The following five commandments clearly regulate our relationships with our fellow humans.

The parsha Mishputim following the Ten Commandments continues in setting detailed regulations of human behavior toward others. Only at the end of the sequence are Yomim Toivim listed, but the argument can be brought that even those commandments are more human-centered than focused on our Creator. The rest of the commandments of the Parsha are clearly Ben Adam le haveiro.

But there are few lines right between Ten Commandments and following parsha which, after the excitement of reading the text written on the Luchois HaBris – Tablets of Covenant, we might be paying less attention to. This is commandment of building Earth Altar – Mizbeah.

That insert clearly interrupts the flow of continuity between second part of the Ten commandments and the detailed laws of human interactions. It sticks there like a giant “BUT” – You should do all those commandments BUT under these conditions, or being restricted by these conditions or setting these as principals when you are doing the rest of the commandments, those listed on the Tablets as well as those following in Parshas Mishputim.

Rav Hirsh notice that three commandments following the Ten from the Luchois are in fact rephrased commandments from the Luchois itself. For these three commandments we must rather give up our earthly existence than break them in any form.

לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּן אִתִּ֑י אֱלֹ֤הֵי כֶ֙סֶף֙ וֵאלֹהֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶֽם׃

“With Me, therefore, you shall not make any gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves any gods of gold”

This is clearly a rephrase of the commandment prohibiting any form of idolatry.

But then a really strange thing happens. Hashem gives the commandment of building the Altar or rather certain details of how the altar has to be constructed and operated. Specifically, there are two details.

מִזְבַּ֣ח אֲדָמָה֮ תַּעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֒ וְזָבַחְתָּ֣ עָלָ֗יו אֶת־עֹלֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶ֔יךָ אֶת־צֹֽאנְךָ֖ וְאֶת־בְּקָרֶ֑ךָ בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּֽיךָ׃

“Make for Me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.

וְאִם־מִזְבַּ֤ח אֲבָנִים֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֔י לֹֽא־תִבְנֶ֥ה אֶתְהֶ֖ן גָּזִ֑ית כִּ֧י חַרְבְּךָ֛ הֵנַ֥פְתָּ עָלֶ֖יהָ וַתְּחַֽלְלֶֽהָ׃

And if you make for Me an altar of stones, do not build it of hewn stones; for by wielding your sword upon them you have profaned them.

וְלֹֽא־תַעֲלֶ֥ה בְמַעֲלֹ֖ת עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶ֥ה עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו׃ (פ)

Do not ascend My altar by steps, that your nakedness may not be exposed upon it.”

As the Mizbeah is being build and operated, not even the symbol of violence which is the sword should be used in the process and not even a slight exposure of the body should happen.

Those are clearly referencing Shivas Dumim and Giluy Arayos -- two of the Ten Commandments as Rav Hirsh will explain below.

But before we go to the detailed commentaries let’s look at the Rashi.

מזבח אדמה AN ALTAR OF EARTH [SHALT THOU MAKE] — i. e. an altar attached to the earth, meaning, that they should not build an altar upon columns or upon a base, but it must rest upon the actual ground.”

After a general explanation of the commandment of Mizbeah, Rashi explains the further meaning of not using a tool of violence or giving indecent exposure of the body.

“THEN YOU HAST PROFANED IT — Thus you may learn that if thou liftest up thy iron tool above it thou profanest it. The reason of this it, because the altar is created (its purpose is) to lengthen man’s days and iron has been created (one of its purposes is) to shorten man’s days, it is not right that an object which shortens man’s life should be lifted up above that which lengthens it. And a further reason it: because the altar makes peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven, and therefore there should not come upon it anything that cuts and destroys. Now, the following statement follows logically, à fortiori: How is it in the case of stones which cannot see nor hear nor speak? Because that they promote peace Scripture ordains, “Thou shalt not lift up against them any iron tool!” Then in the case of one who makes peace between a man and his wife, between family and family, between a man and his fellow, how much more certain is it that punishment will not come upon him.”

“THAT YOUR NAKEDNESS BE NOT UNCOVERED — because on account of these steps you will have to take large paces and so spread the legs. Now, although this would not be an actual uncovering of one’s nakedness (of the parts usually kept covered), since it is written, (Exodus 28:42) “And thou shalt make for them (the priests) linen breeches [to cover the flesh of their nakedness]”, still the taking of large paces is near enough to uncovering one’s nakedness that it may be described as such, and you would then be treating them (the stones of the altar) in a manner that implies disrespect. Now the following statement follows logically à fortiori: How is it in the case of stones which have no sense (feeling) to be particular about any disrespect shown to them? Scripture ordains that since they serve some useful purpose you should not treat them in a manner that implies disrespect! Then in the case of your fellow-man who is made in the image of your Creator and who is particular about any disrespect shown to him, how much more certain is it that you should not treat him disrespectfully!”

Now after reading Rashi’s commentary we can go further with Rabbi Hirsch’s commentary. As we will see, his understanding is very much parallel with Rashi however Rav Hirsch brings some other details of Mesoira which hopefully will help us understand this out of place insert of the commandments apparently not fitting to the sequence of the Mitzvois Ben Adam le haveiro.

“You shall not make images, shall not form the likeness of the sun or moon or anything that is with Me: but I do allow you to form for yourselves things that are with you; what you are to do, is not to bring heavenly things down to you on earth, but to elevate all earthly things up to Me. When you wish to come to Me, you have not to represent to yourselves things that you imagine are with Me in heaven, but rather to ponder on how I wish things to be carried on by you on earth. It is the earth not heaven that concerns you if and when you wish to come near to Me.

The altar that you build up to Me should represent the earth raised up to God by Men's deeds, Men's action. "An altar of earth "מִזְבַּ֣ח אֲדָמָה֮ direct and immediately from the earth is to arise, even an intervening space of a handbreadth would make the altar invalid. The temporary altar of the Mishkan was itself a freshly erected heap of earth, which was then enclosed in hollow box.

And when you will have finished your wanderings and entered into your permanent State, and then will have also to change your "wandering" altar into a permanent one of stone, then every stone of your altar is to preach to you the holiness and dedication to God of the whole of your national life. No steel may have touched a stone out of which you wish to build your altar, no steel may touch any stone out of which you have built your altar. The stone over which you have swung your steel becomes desecrated thereby for the altar of God.”

Not destruction, not sacrifice, nor giving up life, is the meaning and purpose of the altar, and the sword, the instrument of force and violence cannot get any consecration at the Jewish altar, right and humanity must build the altar, and the realm of rights and humaneness, not the mastery of the sword, is to spread from it. In the "Hall of Stone" adjoining the altar of stone, Jewish Right had its permanent citadel (the Sanhedrin was housed there.I.L.) and not the sword, the altar is the symbol of Jewish Justice. V. 23.

And just as the altar is to be a preacher of right and humaneness, those twin spirits of society striving upwards to God, be a preacher of modest decency, that fundamental trait of godliness in humanity without which justice and humaneness will be sought for in vain in human society. With Giluy Arayos – Forbidden relationships –  the heights of the altar will never be mounted! וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס׃ The earth became corrupt before G-d; the earth was filled with lawlessness. (Gen. VI,12) is the oldest and the most serious experience of the history of Man. ("The world became morally corrupt before G-d, then the whole world became full of injustice and inhumanity." I.L.).

To summarize this epilogue to the "Ten Commandments" : the three main sins which undermine our relation to G-d are countered, and to banish them, to expel the very last trace of them from our midst is the object of the Divine Lawgiving. These are Avoida Zura, Shvichas Dumim and Giluy Arayos, the culmination of sin against God, of sin against one's fellow-man, and of sin against oneself. V.20 and V 21 A’Z, V.22 S’D and V.23 G’A. God, society and the human being are the subjects of the Divine Torah, and this epilogue announces that just as our relation to these form the contents of the Lawgiving, so it, and it alone, is to form the subject of the symbolism of the Sanctuary, as a whole, and of all its parts. The altar and the Torah itself have solely human beings as their subject matter and meaning as well as the godly building up and extending of all that true humanity should be .” Rav Hirsch, Parshas Yisro.

Back in Parshas Noach Rav Hirsch comments on the same topic of Mizbeah in following words:

“To take a single slab of stone and sacrifice thereon would mean recognizing God from the standpoint of Nature; whereas the built מִזְבַּ֣ח expresses the conception of first working oneself up above the bound character of Nature to the godlike free-willed standpoint of Man, and, from that point of view, strive upward to God. So that inasmuch as Noah built an altar to God on the fresh gift of the earth, he, as the Ancestor, dedicated this newly-gifted earth to be a place on which the future activity of mankind is to add stone to stone until ultimately the whole becomes a holy mount of God. When other nations tried, and try, to get near their God, they get away from human surroundings and believe they can find God nearer to them out in nature. Certainly, one can find God there too, but He is much nearer in all His Glory in the sphere of a human life. There, in Nature, His Omnipotence, His infinite Power is revealed, here His infinite Love .”

One of the first Talmudic Mesechtois learned by very young students in the Haider is ‘Mesechtas Succa’. One of the first subjects which they learn is ‘Lulav Goizel’ – stolen Lulav and the concept of ‘Mitzva abube aveira’ – Mitzva performed by means of Aveira – sin.

It should be clear to everyone after reading above commentaries of Rashi and Rav Hirsch on topic of the Mizbeah inserted in this strange place, out of flow of the Mitzvois concerning human interactions, why it is there.

We learn from the words of Rashi and Rav Hirsch that the construction of the Altar is raised from below up. It is constructed with our actions, where stones of that Altar are elevated by our submission to G-d‘s Law. We learn that the altar can not contain any elements of intermediary between us and our Creator. No form of violence is justified in building this Altar on the individual or national level (Except actions commanded by Prophets and Sanhedrin). No form of promiscuity should be used to achieve higher goals. 

The commandment of building an Altar with provided guidelines in this place and as explained by our commentators constitutes a general rule for all the other commandments listed in both Atzeres Hadibres and parshas Mishpatim.

Line, Crescent, Cross and Swastika

B-H

I ) + # The Four Representations of Civilizations

I don’t remember in which of Hoimar Von Ditfurth’s books I saw for the first time a picture of a virus under a microscope. I was either 10 or 15. I instantly knew – that thing did not assemble itself, the complexity of what I saw required ‘an assembler’. There is no other way about it.

It still took some time and study to establish my personal relationship with the Assembler and Creator. It took years until I found the path designated to approach Him and ultimately to accomplish complete Unity in Him.

But back then, for the first time in my life I saw a pattern, something undeniably too complex to exist without intent, design and supervision. A sign for those with open eyes and honesty to challenge their own ego in admission of this Higher Power.

Once the personal relationship was established, I had no need to continue seeing those signs. That is because now I was experiencing Him in my life. Yet, time and time again He gave me enjoyment of finding such revelations.

Once I began to learn the commentaries and Sefurim written by Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch I quickly developed a great love for every mark of his pen.

He exposed me to the essential idea that the Creator of the universe reveals himself in three methods. Besides the Torah and ‘nature’, He reveals Himself in human History as well. Any keen, intelligent, and sensitive mind can see His guiding actions in the development of mankind.

The earliest days and years of our history are known to us only through the revelation of Torah and our oral tradition recorded in the Medrish. As such, it should be treated as a part of the revelation given to the Jewish people and not as the third component of general revelation accessible to the rest of humanity. It must be stated that parts of the Sinaitic revelation were addressed to all children of Noah, all humans. Scientific research on nature and history is accessible to all humanity, if they seek the Truth.

In certain parts of humanity’s development, the Creator of Man can be easily, so to say, detected by anyone possessing any knowledge of history, culture, and religion. There are certain patterns which only stubborn individuals can deny as something random and “natural”.

We observe the patterns because patterns exist, and we are created with a mind able to see them.

My aim in composing this essay is to discuss these phenomena.

World Views

Humanity can be divided into four basic religious or cultural groups of people.

Each of these groups are represented by a graphic symbol defining the very core of their philosophies and approach to life, as individuals, as nations and as religions.

v  The First group is represented by a vertical line.

v  The Second group is represented by a curved and sloping line.

v  The Third group is represented by a vertical line that is interrupted by a second horizontal line.

v  The Fourth is represented by a cross with arms broken in a way that is showing movement. In some cultures, it takes the form of a swastika on the square plane, in other cultures it may be on the circle plane or a wheel. Some other places contain only three arms of sign representing turn around.

Our Mesorah, or more commonly referred to as Oral Tradition, describes additional details to the history described in the first chapters of Tanach, the first chapters of the Bible.

The history of the creation of Adam and Eve is known by nearly all mankind.

Some people deny the veracity of the Bible as a whole and like to describe it as a Mid-Eastern legend of nomadic tribes from the Sinai Peninsula.

Others take moral and spiritual inspiration from this story. As it was declared for the first time in the history of the nations, that all mankind comes from the same set of parents created by G-d. In contrast to the myths that told that humans came out from different body parts of gods or that they have evolved on different trees.

Yet there are those who are inspired by the moral lessons but deny the historic value of this story. The story of creation seems a little bit childish and naïve to them.

However, for those of us who understand the Holy Language and who learn the Torah, it is well-known that precisely this part of The Tanach contains the greatest levels of revelation and veracity. In the narrative of Genesis is prescribed the goal of humanity itself and a guide for every individual to choose his or her own goals in life.

First Man: Paragon of Humanity

Adam HaRishon – the first man, was created completely naked and morally pure in fact, his skin was translucent and had a transcending glow of illumination and was made of fingernail-like substance. He was of immense height and stature and had supernatural sight and insight. He was mature in mind yet innocent in spirit. Being devoid of shame and immorality (there was no right or wrong for him, only true and false) there was no reason to cover his skin.

Immediately when Adam sinned, he discovered that he was naked. Namely, he discovered that there is shame in his nakedness. He covered himself with fig leaves and upon leaving the Garden after the sin,  G-d gave him a set of clothes made out of animal skin. It is clear and obvious that the animalistic nature of Adam prevailed over the Angelic, spiritual makeup of his higher being. Thus, Adam was greatly demoted from his lofty position and his radiance and splendor much diminished.

Since then, man must cover his or her skin, as a proof of his failure and shame. The clothes made by G-d possessed potent characteristics of illumination and power. Generations later these clothes were used by individuals like Nimrod and Eisav. They used it as a ‘magical’ device of intimidation and as a tool to deceive people into worshiping and submitting to them.

It should be added that the word ‘skin’ (עור – pronounced OR)) and word ‘light’ (אור – pronounced OIR) in Holy Tongue are pronounced almost the same and only the spelling of the first letter is different. This is because of Adom’s physical/spiritual illumination was changed to an object of separation, distancing, and darkening of his relationship with creation and the Creator (thus we find disharmony between humans and animals, the labor needed to cultivate, the fear of the night, etc).

 

 

The Staff of Elokim

It is brought in Kabbalah that Adom was created naked and unclothed. However, he was holding in his hand a device, a staff. This staff appears later in the Biblical narrative when it comes into the possession of Moshe Rabeynu (Moses) and is called “Mateh Elokim” – the Staff of G-d.

It was a device created in the hand of the first man.

Just as man himself and all the physical and natural phenomenon surrounding him, this device was representing something from the higher spiritual reality.

The Staff was made out of the same material as the Luchois Habris – the Tablets of the Covenant. This material is called “Even Saphiri” – Stone of Saphiri. This stone was heavenly blue in color (sapphire) evoking the Heavenly Abode.

Furthermore, the word “saphiri” is associated with “Sefirot” (G-dly emanations and attributes), “Sefira” (counting of 50 days from Pesach to Shevuos), “Sapar” (telling; story), “Sefer” (book) and many other words which by association can give an idea of what this stone was about, namely a “telling” or representation of the Spiritual potential.

The Staff in Moshe’s Possession

To add another element to the puzzle, let’s examine the story of when Moishe, our Master and Teacher met G-d for the first-time, face to face.

He was holding a Mateh – a staff, in his hand at the time. This staff was the Matteh Elokim. How did this staff come to be in Moshe’s possession?

The Medrish says that Moshe ``plucked it '' out from his father-in-law Yisro’s garden. In turn, Yisro stole it from Egypt when he abdicated his post as advisor to Pharaoh. In turn, it was brought to Egypt by Yosef who got it from Yaakov and who acquired it from his forebears all the way to the time of Creation.

For a short while Yaakov was in possession of two objects given to Adam by his Creator, the Staff and the Beged Ha’Or – garments of hides, when he wore them to get the blessing from his father Yitzchok. However, there was one moment in his life when Yaakov was completely naked and the only thing that was left in his hand was the Mateh – the staff. It was when Eliphaz ben Eisav caught up to him at the River of Yarden while escaping from Eisav. He remained with nothing but his staff. Just as Adam, Yaakov the perfect one (Tam) had nothing but the staff. 

It should be noted, the fact that he wore the clothes for this short a time, affected his descendants in the most negative way.

We know that “masey avois simun lebunim” – the doings of the patriarchs are a preordination for their children. Namely, the Patriarchs’ actions and life events are like a genetical code that forms and shapes the history and character of the Jewish people. I will explain this particular event later.

The Staff in Egypt

When Moishe met Hashem, he was told to throw the staff on the ground and that it would turn into a snake in order to convince his brothers about the legitimacy of his mission. But first Moishe has to convince himself.

The staff becomes a snake, not just any snake, which of course Moishe would not be afraid of while talking to the Creator himself. He saw the snake that brought devastation and suffering on the first man and his descendants and this was something that Moishe was afraid of – even while talking to G-d.

Hashem tells Moishe to grab the snake, but not from the front rather from the tail end, in a way of trickery.

It immediately becomes a staff again from the tail to the head: the Snake becomes a vertical linear object in the hand of man.

When Moishe meets the Pharaoh, he shows him that a time will come when the snake will be grabbed and be made into a device going from down, up, from a lower to higher realm.

Pharaoh, his priests, his wives and children replied to Moishe that it will not be so fast and not so easy. They could make staff into snakes and that’s what they are planning to do throughout history.

Moishe’s Staff eats the snakes of Mitzrayim – the Egyptians. That is the end and goal of history.

The Straight Line

We are created as the Tzeilem Elokim. All parts of our body represent some element from the higher reality, the only reality which is actual. (On this point the Maharal explains that just a sketch of a tree is a far-removed representation of what a tree is, so we too are mere images of the Divine).

A Hand represents the action. Our actions are always good or bad – moral or immoral, desired by our Creator or causing Him anguish. When our actions are in accordance with the Will of our Creator, we are holding the staff in our hand. When we are insubordinate, the snake is chasing us. With the staff, miracles can be made, when the snake is chasing us our life is a horror and tragedy. For good or bad, our actions have a direct impact on heaven which in turn has a direct impact on earth.

This is the vertical line: the straight connector between heaven & earth: the staff.

The vertical line connecting lower and higher is represented in the Hebrew alphabet as letter Vav and the meaning of the prefix Vav is “and”.

Vav is the crucial element of the word Mitzvah – the meaning of the word Mitzvah is a link or connection. By following the Will of the Creator – the Mitzvos, one is connecting to the Creator Himself.

 

The Curved Line

The second group of humanity that is represented by curved; tilted line, are the nations of Islamic faith.

Islam is aware of the Creator and possesses high philosophical and moral standards. Let’s take a look at the entire history of Islam, though not through the prism of propaganda of the nations of Edom who see the Muslims as a competition to their own philosophy of ruling the planet in their own way.

When Islam arose, from the very beginning our masters called Rishonim saw it as an advance in human history and a step closer to the Geula. Those who understand that we as the Jewish people were obligated to be the Light for the nations and ultimately their spiritual leaders in moral teachings; they understood that Islam with its understanding of G-d, ideas of charity, and teaching of Seven commandments of Noah will make this task much easier. There are many statements from the Rishonim that express precisely this idea. Sefer Kizuri, Rambam, Ramban, Hovos Halvuvois from that period of history and later the Maharal from Prague and Rav Hirsch talk openly about this idea.

It must also be mentioned that the difference in treatment of the Jewish people and other religious minorities in Islamic countries was astoundingly different than in Christian realm. There were few hot spots in the history of Jewish Muslim relations, but Islamic civilization has never produced anything close to inquisition, pogroms and holocaust. There were no Muslim Torquemada, Chmielnicki or Hitler Y-Sh-m. Planet Earth unfortunately always saw some religious or ethnic tensions on the ground of economic exploitation, and it must be pointed out that in Islamic states, Jewish community was living a relatively good life considering minority status. Major persecutions or animosity directed against Jews is limited to few periods and local range.  We will mention two major periods and places where Islamic countries decided to be Judenrein - Almohads in northern Africa in 12^th century and the Saudi Arabian regime in modern times.

The curved line also starts from the bottom shutting up. It reaches almost the highest point but the path itself is not a straight and safe ladder connecting higher and lower realm as it was designed for Yaacov-Yisrael. Curiously, the Islamic sword also often has that curved shape unlike Christian weapons which we will talk about next. I see no further reason to explain why Islam is considered – what is called in Latin: Preparatio Judaicae, as it should be obvious to an intelligent and educated reader.

Curved line, therefore, represents legitimate attempts and even connection with the higher realm but it is not a direct or straight connection.

The Cross

The other big portion of humanity are considered by us as Bnai Eisav – the children of Eisav-Edom.

I wrote about the characteristics of the civilization of Edom-Eisav in many of my other essays and encouraged my readers to go to this material as it was and (Beezras Hachem) still will be a topic of essays to come.

The main idea expressed in those essays is that Chazal – our Sages of blessed memory, explain that Edom-Eisav represents brutal militaristic conquest and control of the world.

Control can be achieved by many means.

It can be achieved by propagandizing the minds of the world with content appealing to the animalistic desires of humans. The immense entertainment industry is doing precisely this work, delivering on a daily basis their values and ideas that are mostly conflicting with the moral principles expressed in Revelation or even simple logic.

The decline of family and marital values is not only self-destructive to individuals but destroys entire societies and nations.

Another tool of control is the loan and banking system in the form as it exists in our society.

I will never forget a conversation I had with my friend when I simply told him that he, like millions of Americans, doesn't own ‘his’ house – the bank owns it. And as millions of Americans learned at the time of the recession, banks can send you under the bridge or to the tent cities without mercy.

At the time when the control of minds and possessions of the inhabitants of the Edomite nations fails to work, the rulers don’t hesitate to use deadly force as they are using it to control other nations.

I expressed in my essays on American democracy, that there is a change in progress. However, it will still take a time to come to that era, when the Chazer becomes Kosher, as it is promised in the words of our prophets and masters.

Meanwhile the nations, culture, and religion of Edom-Eisav is a major obstacle to us on many levels.

Edom did everything in its power to deny our moral message as it usurped our task and right to be chosen to lead humanity in spiritual measures.

They persecuted us mercilessly and not only millions of our brothers were killed in periodic persecutions and sometimes almost total annihilation by sword – the very symbol of their civilization. The vertical line of connection is cut by a horizontal flattening force. A divide severing the direct connection. A Symbol with a dead Jew hanging on it.

Another aspect of this disruption is our own weakness when we falsely assume that by operating in the realm of their values we can survive or even accomplish something.

The Hours when Yaakov imitated Edom-Eisav by wearing his clothes, somehow imprinted in us the wrong idea, that by aping Edom we are being nobilitated.

The Wheel of Fortune.

The Swastika is one of the oldest graphic symbols related to spirituality and life philosophy.

It is known to the ancients in the Middle East, it has been used by Hindu civilizations since they exist. It was known to Greeks, Romans, and Mezzo Americans. It is still used by Chinese, Mongols, Siberian nations, Native Americans, and is known in various places in Africa. That’s a lot of places and a lot of time!

It represented most people in the world in the past and it still represents a big part of human society in the present day. The ‘swastika philosophy’ is still popular, but not the symbol itself.

The Swastika had become a shameful symbol only after WWII, for its association with the Nazi regime.

In all of those places, and in all of those cultures, it still has an almost universal and common meaning; as expressed in a Roman saying – “Fortune turns around.”

For example, The Greek Gammadion was equivalent to the one of the Sanskrit swastika and the meaning of both symbols was almost the same.

Fortuna, known to Greeks as Tyche was a deity of luck, good or bad luck while the Indian Swastika was a wish of good luck.

There are many relatively contemporary interpretations of this symbol, but historically it has another meaning.

It’s supposed to represent the idea that whatever is now down, will be up, whatever is left, will be right, and so on… There is no solid standard, there is no pattern, there is no right and wrong, and neither does right or wrong have an influence on up and down – our life situation. It is a random self-sustained mechanism without an ultimate source, without an outside influence other than itself. The wheels turn. Karma.

In this mindset there is no space for G-d, The ultimate Creator and (Manhig) of reality.

In this philosophy there may be space for gods - devices helping to achieve different goals but they operate within the circle of the swastika or the swastika is a part of this spiritual non-reality.

There is a place for prayer and even sacrifice but only to achieve our ends, not to subordinate our ends in accordance with Whom we own our existence to.

The ‘good’ is what is good for me and the ‘bad’ is what is bad for me. ‘Me’ is the ultimate center of the universe.

‘I’ can use different devices to change ‘my’ luck, but it has nothing to do with ‘my’ moral standards or actions.

Sometimes ‘I’ can adjust my behavior to something to which was told to ‘me’ as being moral, but only to use it as another device to adjust ‘my’ luck. G-d and morality serves ‘me’.

This is the kind of syncretic mindset common among formal monotheists. They still believe that there are self-turning powers independent from The Only One Above.

B’Ezras Hashem I will come back to the topic of “luck”, as it deserves an essay for itself.

Conclusion

Those are the four forms of civilization and their four graphic symbols representing the very essence of what they are.

As I said in the introduction to this essay, this observation is just a glimpse of the revelation of G-d in history.

G-d and Nimrod

                                                                                     B-H

Abraham, a man of flesh and blood is bargaining with the Creator of the Univerese in an attempt to save the cities Sdom, Amora, Adma and Seboim from destruction. Sodom and Gomora are the two that are most known from this account.

We Jews, know this conversation very well.

Those who attend any kind of services on Sundays or Saturdays, know this story as well. At this moment, we can talk about it without the risk of overexaggerating, that most of our fellow Americans know this story.

I would even take a risk and say that some self-declared atheists may know this story as well.

In the world, in philosophical literature (but not limited to) some of the events that are described in the Bible are considered to be fundamental in human history for developing ideas of justice. This particular conversation may be familiar to most of humanity.

We do not judge, or even worse, harm the majority on the account of deeds or beliefs of the minority. This is the moral teaching coming from this dialog.

But there is a part of this story that is not known to public.  I will describe a quiet different chat, which I imagine, took place before G-d came to our father Abraham.

Nimrod the First known also as Amraphel, was the emperor of Babylon, the first city and government organized in a way that later in history was described as Hegemony.

Nimrod the First was killed by Abraham in the battle of the four kings by supernatural means described in detail in the Midrash.

After the death of his father, Nimrod the Second approached G-d with a complaint against his enemies from the Valley of Shittim. Which is where Abraham came to rescue and save his nephew Lot, and in process killied the first Nimrod - Amraphel.

Nimrod the second called:                           

-          G-d?

-          Yes, my servant Nimrod.

-          Oh, you call me a servant now but you allowed my father to be eliminated by this enemy of social order Abraham?

-         Don’t you know? Lev Hamelech be yadaim Hashem. Your heart is in my hands so of course you are my servant like all the other Nimrods in the future – Cesar, Napoleon, Hitler. Those are the big ones but there are pages of the future filled with names of all small Nimrods. Anyhow we will not talk about what is to become of history now and why I allow them to act in the way they do. What is you Issue Nimrod?

-         G-d, did you hear about the evil perpetrated in the cities of the Valley of Shittim? The lack of hospitality, their laws against any immigration that would undermine the wellbeing of the citizens, and then cardinal sins against the first commandment in your Torah, that about marriage? I think they deserve to be eliminated from the rest of the healthy society for they may endanger the rest of us with their misdeeds, it is potentially danger her in Bavel and for my relatives in Canaan.

-         Yes, something came to me, but I can’t eliminate such a large population on the account of some bad individuals…How many bad people do you think live there in the five cities of Shittim Valley?

-         I don’t know but let me ask you G-d, if there would be 10 evildoers then would you consider eliminating them?

-         Nooo …can’t destroy human lives on account of 10 bad individuals. You talking about my creation and well… if I created them that means I love them and it would cause me tremendous suffering if I would have to harm them in any way.

-         What about 20 bad guys, would it be enough for You to act?

-         Of course not, I can’t do it.

-         What if 30 are evil?

-        Where is this going Nimrod? What are you trying to achieve? Of course, my Justice Love would not allow Me to harm the population on the account of 30.

-         What about 40, would you send angels of destruction then?

-         No.

-         45 G-d, 45 bad guys and You say it would not justify the elimination of those cities’ populations?

-         No, Nimrod! I said No!

-         Let me tell you G-d. I’m quite sure that there is at last 50 bad individuals in those cities, that makes 10 bad guys per city. I appeal to your Justice to destroy the lives of the inhabitants of those cities.

-         It will not happen Nimrod, the only condition is that all the members of those societies must be evil to be eliminated, otherwise My Attribute of Chesed will not allow to harm those people.

-         But G-d they are pagans, they don’t believe in You, is this not enough to destroy them and erase them from under the heaven?

-         Nimrod! Enough! They are mistaking perhaps with their intellect, while you and your father rebelled against me in action, and I still allowed you to exist. I myself will go and learn what are you crying about and then I will ask my friend Abraham what he thinks about whole thing. Then I will make my decisions.

I wonder, did I make this story up from scratch or some people already heard it before and are siding with Nimrod?

By Matys Weiser