"When you beget children and grandchildren and will have been long in the land, you will grow corrupt and make a carved image, a likeness of anything, and you will do evil in the eyes of Hashem, your G-d, to anger him." Vaeschanan, 4:25 What corruption brought about the Destruction of the first Bayit? Can we effect and end to our Geulah? How? Was Moshe's statement in Devarim 4:25 a warning or a Prophecy? If prophecy, does Hashem negate prophecy? Can we negate prophecy through our actions? Are Gematria found in Gemorra equivalent with "Bible Codes" on any level? With reference to Klal Yisroel's reliance on Kohen Godols' Yom Kippur service for atonement rather than striving for perfection in Avodas Hashem, perhaps I'm not the first to posit this but I see this former reliance on the Bais Hamikdosh service as a crutch and obstacle as similar to today's observance of mitzvahs without responsibility, appreciation or understanding, observance by rote, amulets, red bendels, silver rings, mezzuzahs, etc., ad nauseum. Such are the conditions, which brought about little resistance to avoda zorah, the destruction of the first Bayit, and quite possibly what extends our Geula today. A rabbi with whom I learn agreed and as I've been able to make arguments that refined our approach in other areas, we checked together for any Talmudic reference. You'll have interest in learning into the Gemorrah as well as the additional references my research has provided for us. We will address the dangers of complacency then and now and bring attention to the timely issue that since we have not yet brought on Geula it is aparrent that Klal Yisroel needs to rise far above our current modes of observance (by extension of living in golus we are all tainted with Avodah Zorah- Kesubos 110b) in understanding what our true pursuits and goals should be, consequently wanting this perfection so much that we are toiling in it to achieve it. Sources and observations for consideration: -Toldos Aron on Vaeschanan, 4:25; Vinishantem; trans: "will have been long" references Sanhedrin 38a -Artscroll, Sanhedrin 38a, Gittin 88a - Ramban on Moshe' Rabbainu's statement 4:25, (Chavel p.58) and on the question on negative prophecies going unfulfilled, codes, etc. Moshe does open with Ki=when not Im=if and Ramban seems to hold that he was prophesizing about the warning going unheeded but not decreeing that Klal Yisroel would indeed commit Avoda Zora. Take note of footnotes regarding 850 yrs. in the land prior to exile vs. 852 prior to destruction. I do not see any problem with a prophecy actually being negated here by Hashem's intervention given the context of Moshe's statement as a warning against complacency according to Ramban. Further, in the notes to this section referencing Sefer Hageula, Ramban alludes that the time of redemption may also be found in this section but will not be aparrent until the Geula just as the Gematria referred to here was only aparrent after the fact and with much Chochma. Since we have the power to bring Geula within ourselves, this date cannot be a definite although Hashem "knows" when it will ultimately be. It's known that some hold that if we don't bring Geula ourselves by a certain preordained time, then Hashem will do so. That beleif seems to be flawed since it would negate our abilities to use free will to create the conditions favorable to Geula. As far as the "Codes" go then, I believe that the Torah encompasses infinite possible outcomes given infinite possible actions on our part allowing us actual free will. Yes, algorithms may be employed to give a glimpse into a logical system, but for all we know those codes may have only been accurate at that moment in time and/or Hashem "willed" us to have the tools for such a glimpse so that many would observe for themselves the veracity and infinitely accurate "Living Torah" within a context more likely to resonate within our nature at present. The "Codes" did afterall come at time where we are more socially and culturally bereft and in need of Avodas Hashem than ever as a people. Whether or not this was "intended" by Hashem we cannot say, but many people gave the Torah a "second look" after the "Codes" was published. It becomes clear here why Rambam posits in Moreh Nevuchim that Metaphysics are a "dessert for wisdom". What Men of Chochma have learned out for us in terms of proper lifestyles of "Shomrei Torah Umitzvos" and practical Wisdom and even perhaps science far outweighs what any scientific approach has divulged to date. There are many of us who search for Objective Truth. There are different approaches and provided that they are logical, they will lead to a glimpse of some of the same tenets of this Whole Truth- "Echad" regardless. We will however, err in our appraisement of what works best for the Human Being for a lack of truly investigating knowledge which has already been made available to the world and is there for the taking. So, we may continue in our Golus, "Living to Eat" crying out for and amassing unnecessary material wealth, engaging in empty, vain pursuits and perhaps fitting a little perfunctory and logically flawed Torah observance into lives overburdened and spiritually atrophied by such "idolatrous" endeavor. We follow the pack, maintain status quo in apparent observance because, as Moshe recognized, it is human nature to do so. Our ancestors were also very busy maintaining cultural or societal status quo, and one would postulate that in those times also, there were individuals too lazy or concerned with the wrong priorities to perfect themselves in their Avoda. Instead, they counted fully and exclusively upon atonement through their Kohen Godol only to lament their sins at the Waters of Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar was struck with a merciful spirit and lessened their hardship to some degree. In two thousand years of scientific, cultural, and societal experimentation, our priorities are still backward by a full 180 degrees. Perhaps we may do better to give our Neshamas the opportunity to consider the importance of, to recognize it for ourselves and to seek the truth of "Echad" wanting it so very, very much that our Neshamas cry out for it, to celebrate it, just as our less fortunate bretheren yearn for wealth, fame and good fortune without cognizance for its toll on the world's physical and spiritual resources. Avodas Hashem, developed through mature investigation of Torah is the proper framework for life. We thereby internalize the wisdom of Truth, we desire only to learn and take pleasure in the many facets of this Truth. In order to fulfill our role as Hashem's "partners in creation" This concept of "Echad" reveals itself to those who yearn for and toil in its Chochma and effectively employing this wisdom practically in all of our endeavors. We are then "Eating to Live" in a world where we recognize that our most important resources are plentiful, learned minds bearing the fruits of the correct Torah lifestyle, which in turn bring the blessings promised to us so that we are free to spend our resources to create a better world for all humankind. As long as we justify the status quo with groupthink and our excuses for not doing more as critically thinking individuals, following the masses within our people and indeed the world, not to change our priorities and increase our learning and observance, qualitatively and correctly, we shall endure this Golus. Let us resolve to dispense with our conformity to the status quo, our childish approach to Judaism in our deification of men and the desire to experience "magic", segulahs, silver rings, red strings and other foolish notions and commit ourselves as individuals to the extent of our abilities to the singular goal of becoming individuals capable of achieving Echad. May we be zocheh to see our individual paths merge into one, to bring upon ourselves the advent of our Geula. |