"Brit-Am Now"-725
Contents:
1. URLs of Interest
2. Thomas Malloy: Covenanters in Scotland
3. Is Anti-Zionism really anti-Semitic?
4. Brit-Am membership and the magazine Brit-Am Truth
5. Irish Jews can now wear chainmail and leather armor:
6. The Jews of Ulster and Ulster
7. Proverbs 6:1-5
1. URLs of Interest
Center for Scientific Creation
www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/FAQ14.html+world+36+mtDNA&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=31&lr=lang_en|lang_iw
http://www.csit.fsu.edu/~beerli/bsc5932/Rohde-et-al.pdf.
traces the common ancestors of all mankind back to
ca. 3000 BCE
2. Thomas Malloy: Covenanters in Scotland
Dear Yair;
I was just reading your post on the church in Scotland. The church in the area where Presbyterianism emerged were sabbitarians until 1100 CE or so.
3. Is Anti-Zionism really anti-Semitic?
Captain Ian McRae:
Subject: Re: "Brit-Am Now"-724
Yair,
Your latest Brit-Am Now 724 has the comment by Orjan Svensson: "The site about Tara and the ark that you mention is obviously antisemitic. For example they have a section on the page which they call "Zionism - The Occult Guild Of Antichrist". "
You seem to agree with this statement.
I think you should draw a line between "anti-Semitism" and "anti-Zionism", and not equate the two together. Just because someone is anti-Zionist, does not automatically mean they are anti-Semitic.
I know of quite a few Jews who are opposed to Zionism, but you could hardly call them anti-Semitic !
Best Wishes,
Ian McRae
Answer: Jewish anti-Zionism mainly stems from (a) assimilationist tendencies
(b) religious confusion (c) self-hatred
Gentile anti-Zionism stems from (a) hatred of Jews or (b) misplaced sympathy for Palestinians.
To explain:
(1)Jewish anti-Zionism
(a) assimilationist tendencies
When the Jews first went into exile (at the hand of Babylonians and fall of the First Temple)
they were told to pray for the place they were to stay in for the welfare of that place would be to their own good:
[Jeremiah 29:4] THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, UNTO ALL THAT ARE CARRIED AWAY CAPTIVES, WHOM I HAVE CAUSED TO BE CARRIED AWAY FROM JERUSALEM UNTO BABYLON;
[Jeremiah 29:5] BUILD YE HOUSES, AND DWELL IN THEM; AND PLANT GARDENS, AND EAT THE FRUIT OF THEM;
[Jeremiah 29:6] TAKE YE WIVES, AND BEGET SONS AND DAUGHTERS; AND TAKE WIVES FOR YOUR SONS, AND GIVE YOUR DAUGHTERS TO HUSBANDS, THAT THEY MAY BEAR SONS AND DAUGHTERS; THAT YE MAY BE INCREASED THERE, AND NOT DIMINISHED.
[Jeremiah 29:7] AND SEEK THE PEACE OF THE CITY WHITHER I HAVE CAUSED YOU TO BE CARRIED AWAY CAPTIVES, AND PRAY UNTO THE LORD FOR IT: FOR IN THE PEACE THEREOF SHALL YE HAVE PEACE.
Jews always identified with their places of residence.
There exists a fear that "Zionism" is trying to take them away
from the countries they have come to identify with.
In 1917 the Government of Great Britain issued the Balfour Declaration.
This declared the purpose of establishing a Jewish State in "Palestine" i.e.
the areas of modern day Jordan and Israel.
The original draft of this Declaration had said to establish "Palestine"
as a Jewish State. It was the pressure of assimilationist Jews that modified it
and also inserted a clause "guaranteeing" the "rights" of the "Palestinians".
(b) religious confusion. The Bible and Jewish tradition all speak of an obligation
and greatest desirability of establishing an independent Jewish State in
the Land of Israel.
Zionism is basically an expression of the Bible and Jewish religion.
Before the Holocaust modernist often socialist-type groups took control of
the Zionist movement and introduced anti-religious tendencies.
Some Rabbis thought that the time to return had not arrived
and were against association with non-observant Zionist politicians.
The Holocaust changed that attitude for the most part
but remnants of it still exist especially amongst some Satmar Hasidim
and similar groups.
They basically say:
<<Since God put us into Exile, and He has not yet miraculously redeemed us from Exile, taking matters into our own hands and creating our own State is an evil act nothing less than a rebellion against God.>>
http://www.mevaseret.org/mmy/Shiurim/Rabbi%20Haber/Yom%20HaAtzmaut%20in%20Halacha%20and%20Hashkafa.htm
There is also a very small group called Neturei-Karta
that are violently against the State of Israel and they receive a lot of publicity.
They are a break-off from Satmar Hasidim who have disowned them.
They present themselves as religious
but recently profaned the Shabbath in order to hold a press conference with
the PM of Iran.
(c) Self-Hatred. Every nation has its traitors.
(2) Gentile anti-Zionism stems from (a) hatred of Jews and/or hatred of the God of Israel
and the Bible and/or
(b) misplaced sympathy for Palestinians. More often than not however (b)
turns out to be a disguise for (a).
4. Brit-Am membership and the magazine Brit-Am Truth
Issue no. 9 of our magazine Brit-Am Truth has gone to press.
Anyone subscribed to our magazine automatically
becomes a member of Brit-Am and receives a Brit-Am membership certificate.
The present certificate is not bad but we hope to replace it with
something better in the near future.
So too anyone who contributed to Brit-Am becomes a member of Brit-Am unless they
wish not to. This is a recent decision. Yair Davidiy handles all the office work at present
on his own so putting the decision into effect may not go so smoothly at first
but eventually it too should be applied automatically.
5. Irish Jews can now wear chainmail and leather armor:
http://volokh.com/posts/1142477277.shtml
Ireland has repealed its law, enacted in 1181, which forbade Jews from possessing armor.
The Irish law was almost certainly based on the Assize of Arms, which was promulgated by England's King Henry II in 1181. At the time, England claimed sovereignty over Ireland, so presumably the Assize remained part of Irish laws, even after Irish independence was recognized in 1921.
Other sections of the Assize of Arms required freemen to possess weapons and armor, with the particular implements depending on the subject's socioeconomic rank. The Assize was one of many examples of the English policy of relying on a widely-armed populace for national defense.
The Jewish section of the Assize stated:
[7. Item, no Jew shall keep in his possession a shirt of mail or a hauberk (an armored shirt made of mail or leather), but he shall sell it or give it away or alienate it in some other way, so that it shall remain in the king's service.
6. The Jews of Ulster and Ulster
http://headheeb.blogmosis.com/archives/014565.html
There's an old joke told in Northern Ireland about a guy in Belfast who is stopped by a ruffian and asked his religion.
Wanting to avoid trouble all around, he responds, "I'm Jewish."
Without missing a beat, the ruffian says, "Fine. A Catholic Jew or a Protestant Jew?"
Rarely do punch lines highlight such truths. Northern Ireland is a deeply religious country, a rarity in Western Europe. In this nation your church defines you, even if your church happens to be a synagogue, mosque or Buddhist temple.
There are about 600 Jews living in Northern Ireland, down from 16,000 in the 1960s. They try to stay neutral in the conflict between Catholics and Protestants, but sometimes it finds them:
For some Protestants, the alliance with Jews has more to do with religious ideology than political expedience. They view their ties to the Jews in the context of religion and history.
"There is a movement in Protestantism that sees the Jewish people as an integral part of the Christian salvation. They believe the second coming is impossible without first the ingathering of the Jews to Israel," Richardson says.
[...]
Billy Logan, a well-known Unionist with moderate views, is head of a Protestant group called the Royal Black Institution, which adheres to a literal interpretation of the Bible.
He says, "I believe from ancient times the Jewish people have a right to a homeland. I fervently support Israel and we consider ourselves true friends of our Jewish neighbors."
By contrast, the Catholics, as a minority struggling for reunification with the mostly Catholic Republic of Ireland, often draw parallels between their struggle and that of the Palestinians.
In a country where colors have the kind of significance usually associated with gang warfare, both Unionists and Republicans have adopted the corresponding banners of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In Belfast, each side has flown the flag of its respective Middle East proxy.
The incongruity of the blue-and-white Israeli flag flying alongside the Union Jack and other Loyalist banners and the green of the Palestinian flag flying alongside the Irish Tricolor has some Belfast Jews somewhat bemused.
7. Proverbs 6:1-5
[Proverbs 6:1] MY SON, IF THOU BE SURETY FOR THY FRIEND, IF THOU HAST STRICKEN THY HAND WITH A STRANGER,
According to the simple meaning Solomon is speaking of someone who has pledged himself for somebody else or has simply placed himself in danger of bondage for a debt.
[Proverbs 6:2] THOU ART SNARED WITH THE WORDS OF THY MOUTH, THOU ART TAKEN WITH THE WORDS OF THY MOUTH.
[Proverbs 6:3] DO THIS NOW, MY SON, AND DELIVER THYSELF, WHEN THOU ART COME INTO THE HAND OF THY FRIEND; GO, HUMBLE THYSELF, AND MAKE SURE THY FRIEND.
<<THY FRIEND>>: Hebrew "ray-echa" meaning "fellow".
The Commentators says that at the simple level this passage is an exhortation to someone who is such a situation to realize they are in a trap and should do their utmost to get out of it at one.
Do not be proud, be humble. Do what it takes. Placate your creditors, work, borrow from your friends
if you can. Get rid of the debt. This is your priority.
[Proverbs 6:4] GIVE NOT SLEEP TO THINE EYES, NOR SLUMBER TO THINE EYELIDS.
[Proverbs 6:5] DELIVER THYSELF AS A ROE FROM THE HAND OF THE HUNTER, AND AS A BIRD FROM THE HAND OF THE FOWLER.
Consider yourself like a wild animal in danger from a hunter.
get out of the mess as quickly and with as much alacrity as you can muster.
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavour" Henry David Thoreau.
The Sages also saw the above passage as an allegory.
The Children of Israel obligated themselves to keep the commandments.
They should therefore do their utmost to placate "their fellow" who holds them in surety
i.e. the Almighty, do His will, and fulfill their obligation.
The Torah is a blessing and an elevation but it is also a liability.
God set before the Children of Israel both a blessing and a curse:
[Deuteronomy 11:26] BEHOLD, I SET BEFORE YOU THIS DAY A BLESSING AND A CURSE;
[Deuteronomy 11:27] A BLESSING, IF YE OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHICH COMMAND YOU THIS DAY:
[Deuteronomy 11:28] AND A CURSE, IF YE WILL NOT OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, BUT TURN ASIDE OUT OF THE WAY WHICH I COMMAND YOU THIS DAY, TO GO AFTER OTHER GODS, WHICH YE HAVE NOT KNOWN.
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