Talmudic Thoughts For the Day

[shereads]

I hope we all don't have to become more and more obvious as we get older. What a thought!

Whatever works.

 

[Oblimo]

Jews were the chosen people and everybody else (pagan) was doomed (so much for your pluralism)

Sorry, this has probably been already discussed in this thread, but the above statement is so hateful and wrongheaded it really pisses me off.

First of all, there is no doom in Judaism. None. The Messiah comes for everyone, Jew and gentile alike. The few stories of Hell in Judaism not only state that Hell is only for Jews, but also that Hell will be destroyed and everyone within given the opportunity for eternal life. (The vast majority of Jewish thought contains no belief in Hell--and no afterlife and no eternal soul, either, by the way. Heaven isn't a place your soul goes when you die. Heaven is a time in the future when the Messiah arrives and returns you to life.)

Judaism is a religion of law. To be a Godly Jew, there are a few hundred laws you need to follow. To be a Godly gentile, there are seven; these are occasionally called the Noahide Laws.

 

[Oblimo]

Bump -

Dr. M, how about a little Talmudic wisdom on the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

Honest answer: "I don't know," but I suspect the Jewish thinkers have wrestled with this more than most, and may have some insights (and maybe some comfort) that we "Dummies" could benefit from.

The answer is:

The Angel of Death is an idiot.

No, seriously. That's why many Jewish people do not name their children after older, living relatives. The Angel of Death is so stupid he might confuse the two and take healthy Reuben Jr. instead of Reuben Sr., who's scheduled to die of old age.

One of the things God is supposed to do when the Messiah arrives is say, "Oh, sorry, guys, My bad," and kill the Angel of Death.

 

[Oblimo]

I wouldn't go so far as to assume that all major religions had matriarchal sources.

Me neither; I suspect history is more pluralistic than that. There is, however, the Shekinah, the divine Light of God, who just so happens to be female.

 

[rgraham666]

The answer is:

The Angel of Death is an idiot.

No, seriously. That's why many Jewish people do not name their children after older, living relatives. The Angel of Death is so stupid he might confuse the two and take healthy Reuben Jr. instead of Reuben Sr., who's scheduled to die of old age.

One of the things God is supposed to do when the Messiah arrives is say, "Oh, sorry, guys, My bad," and kill the Angel of Death.

Thanks for the good laugh.

 

[AchtungNight]

The bit about the Angel of Death got me thinking about one of my all-time favorite villainesses- Alter from Y the Last Man. She's an Israeli soldier and goes by the nickname "Old Man" to keep death away from her as she lives surrounded by war. A very inspiring and yet horrifying woman.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

For hours today and yesterday, God has apparently been my 14-year-old cocker spaniel, who has developed a new way to keep my attention:

she paces back and forth between my desk and the kitchen, back and forth, toenails tapping on the wood floor. At the desk, she stares at me until I lose my train of thought and make eye contact; then she hangs a u-turn and heads for the kitchen...Tap-tap-tap-tap...Tap-tap-tap-tap...Reaches the corner cabinet where the Milkbone Dog Biscuits are kept, pauses for a few seconds as if waiting for me to find her; then makes another u-turn and heads back to the office. Tap-tap-tap-tap...Tap-tap-tap-tap. It's exhausting. She does this whether she's had one Milkbone or five or zero, or has just had her breakfast, or has been offered a rawhide bone or a game of Chase Squeaky President's Bush's Head. Eventually, she knows I'll have to cave and give her anotehr #$@% Milkbone in exchange for a few minutes' peace. Then the cycle begins again.

God thinks I'm manipulating Him and have become obsessed with Milkbones.

LOLOL!
I love you, She...

if we're really really good or really really lucky, maybe even a dash of drash.

*smile*
This is so incredibly quotable... "dash of drash"... love, it Doc.

 

[shereads]

Judaism is a religion of law. To be a Godly Jew, there are a few hundred laws you need to follow. To be a Godly gentile, there are seven; these are occasionally called the Noahide Laws.

Seven seems like a lot.