RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:HAMAS;WAR;PEACE;GAZA

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:HAMAS;WAR;PEACE;GAZA

 

Jewish Spiritual Renewal:Shabbat 1/10/09:Torah/Talmud/TaNaK:Hebrew College,MA

 

Shalom Talmidim v' Chaverim and Rabbinic Students from both Hebrew College Rabbinic Yeshiva in Suburban Boston, MA, and Aleph Rabbinic Yeshiva in Suburban Philadelphia, PA:

 

There is a Chinese curse: ''May you live in interesting times.'' For Jews this is not a curse. For as Children of Israel, we who wrestle daily with God, we would have a boring life if we lived in uninteresting times. Who would we argue with over current events? As we all know, if there are 10 Jews, there will be at least 11 opinions, because one of us statistically will have a multiple personality disorder from a resentment held toward one's mother. :-)

 

I would like to ask, that regardless of one's opinion of the events in Gaza, since we are now engaged in a land war, with hand- to- hand combat, to please pray with me for our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, who are now in harm's way. {Also below is a list of charities provided by one of our members}.

 

 

"May He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men and women from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor. Amen."

This week's parasha is very important to Judaism as it is one of the proof texts the Rabbi's used in the Talmud to develop the idea of the Jewish Messiah. Hebraism, as led by the priests, denied this theological aspect, and was one of the main reasons of disagreement, some times armed, among priests and rabbis.

 

This was not the only difference between Hebraism and Judaism. Hebraism's Deity is their's. He defends them as they went out to war. He smote their enemies. He also smote Hebrews who offended Him, e.g. who brought the wrong formula of incense to worship Him. And we know He smote the whole of humanity, except for Noah and his kin, and a few giants, (long story), for offending Him.

 

The Judaic God evolved to be a universal God available to all humankind. He is one with the attributes  of love, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, peace, et. al, and wants us to do our best to emulate Him. He does not chose sides. In fact in the Midrash He chastises Miriam for rejoicing at the Sea when the Egyptians are drowning saying that Pharaoh's army are His creations as well and how dare Miriam and her fellow Hebrews rejoice at their suffering.

 

Now all of this may seem like an academic arm chair exercise but remember that the Rabbinic Talmudic sages lived being beaten by the likes of Nebedchadnezar, Greek kings, and Roman Caesars.  They were also at the mercy of Hebrew Hasmonean Kings who were slaughtering rabbis wholesale on behalf of the priests.

 

Yet they still counseled us to return hate with love.

 

But they were pragmatists.

 

''Siz shver tzu zine a Yid'', "It's hard to be a Jew." As part of our responsibility, we must edify our own belief in who we are and how we see our ultimate redemption, and we need to express this with sincere joy and the strength that can be garnered only through true conviction and true education.

 

About 1,000 years ago, the great Spanish-Jewish poet and philosopher Yehudah Ha Levi wrote what became a central text of medieval Jewish thought—The Kuzari.

The book, apparently based on a historical incident, describes how the king of a tribe called the Khazars invited scholars from the three Abrahamic faiths to come before him. He posed questions to each of them, and the book recounts the discussions which ensued. Ultimately, he was most satisfied with the answers
offered by the Jewish scholar and subsequently converted himself and his entire tribe to Judaism.

But twice in the book, the king poses questions which the Jewish scholar can not answer satisfactorily. In one case, he asks about the deep connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. If the land is so crucial to Jewish faith and practice, then how can we explain the fact that most of the Jews live outside of Israel? To which the Jew replies: "You have found my Achilles heel."

In the second case, the king asks about Jewish morality, which  developed in a situation of powerlessness. If you were to have military power, asks the king, wouldn't you then become just as violent as any other people? To this also the Jewish scholar has no adequate answer, responding, "I am embarrassed, as you have found my weak point."

Unfortunately, in our time, there seems to be a connection between these two  issues. Jews have returned to the land, and it is in connection with the land that Jews must confront the challenge of military power.  

 

It was this question that I was asking my fellow local Jews to grapple within the 250 -word- allowed letter to the editor, not telling the Israelis to sit idly by waiting for God to throw thunderbolts on Hamas, or 'turn the other cheek.'' Yet, some folks, few and unschooled, saw it through eyes of fear, worry, and resentment, and called me a traitor, a Nazi, or what I guess was meant to be an insult, a "Jesus-freak-peacenik.'' And of course they did so anonymously, as cowards do. One wrote me a kind, intellectual email which I cherished. Newspapers as you know, will take a letter, and edit it, so many times, the author can hardly recognize it.

 

This is most unJewish because as Jews, as long as we disagree  when debating something that is for the sake of Heaven, we are to do so with kindness towards one another. It is only when we argue with makloket, strife, and not for Heaven, that we are breaking  a Torah commandment to ''not be like Korach.''

 

A little Torah: Exodus: 22:2; ''If a thief is found in the act of forcing his way into a house, and his death is caused by a blow by the homeowner, the owner of the house is not responsible for his death.''

 

A little Talmud: Talmud Bavli Tractate Sanhedrin 72a: "If someone comes to kill you, act first and kill him." The Gemara (Sanhedrin 73a), in turn, presents the sources in the Torah  that teach that one must kill someone who is attempting to kill another person. This rule applies not only to self-defense but also to defending the lives of others. Moreover, it also applies to someone who engages in sexual assault (Sanhedrin 73a).

 

Thus one has a Rabbinic Mitzvah to kill (if no other alternative is available) someone who is attempting to murder or rape. This is called the law of the Rodef, the pursuer, or stalker.

 

A little more of Talmud: Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 56b teaches us that the above law applies to individuals and not to governments. They use as example King Shlomo's marriage to the daughter of Pharaoh. This initiated the process of the destruction of the Temple and then exile. Similarly, the Gemara states that King Yeravam's introduction of two golden calves to Beit El and Dan accelerated the process of the destruction of the Temple and then exile. The sages however, do not define either Shlomo or Yeravam as   Rodefs despite the actual eventual destruction to the Jewish community caused by these kings.

 

Hence the use of this Rabbinic Talmudic rule to kill Prime Minister Rabin, OBM, was ruled to be a false teaching by some zealot rabbi.

 

A little more Talmud : Talmud Bavli Tractate Sanhedrin 74a; ''So how do we know that you shouldn't murder somebody if your life is threatened? And how do we know this is murder itself?  It is common sense. Someone asked Rabbah, 'The Governor of my town has ordered me, "Go and kill Ploni  and if you don't, I'll kill you"'.He answered him, 'Be murdered, rather than murder; who knows that your blood is redder? Perhaps his blood is redder.' ''

The point of the metaphor should be obvious. The question Rabbah is asking is "Who are you to decide that you will live and the other guy will die?"; How do you know that your blood is any better than his?

We Jews grapple. We wrestle. We do not live in black and white. We live in gray. And we are to ask God for Guidance.

Some TaNaK: Judges 12: 5-6: 5: And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites . And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, "Let me go over," the men of Gilead said to him, "Are you an Ephraimite ?" When he said, "No," 6 they said to him, "Then say Shibboleth," and he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites  fell.

Do you know of any modern Shibboleths? Remember during Viet Nam: "Love It of Leave It," "It" being the USA? Well, look above and see what happens when we Jews have Shibboleths. Not a pretty picture. Do we have the Shibboleth of:  "Israel has the right to defend its self from attacks," as Rabbi Arthur Waskow suggests? Add any qualifier like, "but I am not sure just how,", or "I truly hope for Shalom,'' and you have now pronounced  the word ''sibboleth'' and you are tossed off the Island.

Of course, we Jews are great ''Island tossers.'' If we are spiritual and experience God in an area that is mostly agnostic, we are tossed, and if we don't follow ritual to the letter in an area that does, we are also tossed.

Some more TaNaK: Psalm 18:37 : "I will chase my enemies and catch up to them and I shall not return until I annihilate them."  Well, that is King David, our great Hebrew king, going out to war. But read Psalm 18 carefully, with a Judaic, not  a Hebraic mind set.  I have printed it below. Is David talking of an actual battle with human enemies or is he talking of a spiritual battle with his yetser ha ra in which his dependence on God makes him victorious? And we know Dovid Melech had a huge yezter ha ra (evil inclination).

It is ironic that our parasha this week focuses on the future kingship and even the future messiah of Israel. The first assumes that Israel will have its own land and government while the second assumes that humans will continue to treat each other horridly, with chamas (terror). Chamas  is why God flooded the world during Noah's time. [Gen 6:11]. ['' Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with terror...  v ta-mawlay ha eretz chamas.'']

The messiah will be needed to rescue us from all of this.  Let us not kid ourselves. God could not rid the earth of chamas even with a deluge. Can we humans do any better?

Our sages would, and most certainly I, understand  that Hamas is a terrorist organization and a harsh enemy.  Judaism is neither dovish nor pacifist, nor are we blindly opposed to the use of force.  Judaism supports Israel in defending and protecting its citizens from attack, including through military action if necessary and appropriate to the threat. Judaism believes that force cannot be Israel's only or preponderant response.

Our last bit of Torah from this week's parasha:Beresheit 49:5: ''Shimon and Levi are brothers -- instruments of violence are their weapons. My soul should not come into their secret meetings; my glory should not be united into their assembly, for in their anger they killed a man ...  ''

There's nothing like a little anger to ruin a perfectly good act of zealousness, Jacob indicated to Shimon and Levi on his deathbed. Jacob does not curse Shimon and Levi; he curses their anger, for it is that which caused them to lose perspective, and do what Jacob had clearly decided not to do: take physical revenge for the violation of Dinah.

I do not know about you, but without God, as I taught in my last class and which is taught in my The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew, I will have anger and I will hold grudges and I will have resentments. With God, I forgive instantly, pray for those who try to offend me, and am like Teflon, with stings and arrows, slipping off of me.

This is why I pray  3 times a day in the Amidah: "It should be Your will, God, God of our Forefathers, that no person should be jealous of me, and that I should not be jealous of others; that I should not be angry today, nor anger You ..."  If I think an angry thought, I immediately ask God to remove it. Anger and resentments are only acids eating away at those that hold those thoughts. I don't want them. It is easier for me to pray for my detractors, and to be happy, joyous and free, that to be upset with them.

A little more Talmud: Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 105b : "Someone who tears his clothing in anger, or breaks something in anger, or throws his money in anger, will be in Your eyes like one who worshipped idols, because that is the trade of the yetzer ha ra " The rabbis ask: How many relationships have been destroyed because of anger? How many wars have been waged and fought in anger -- small and large? Anger, everyone must agree, is, perhaps, the most destructive human trait known to man.

Anger, and hence holding on to it, with grudges and resentments,  is a rejection of one's personal Divine Providence. An angry person and/or one who holds a grudge, or a resentment, is one who does not understand the basic principles of Judaism. He doesn't love God and he doesn't love his fellows.   That is a form of pagan thinking. The rabbis say that this person is not fit to be a rabbi nor even serve on a jury.

Elsewhere, the Talmud warns that anger leads to sin (Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 29b), and most people will vouch for the fact that loshan ha ra, [gossip] one of the most serious sins a person can commit, is often spoken only out of anger. According to the Talmud, anger can even lead to a loss of wisdom (Talmud Bavli Tractate Pesachim 66b) -- which is scientifically documented now (at least forgetfulness is). And finally, in the Talmud's opinion, one who constantly gets angry and doesn't control his temper is like one who is not alive (Talmud Bavli Tractate Pesachim 113b)

No wonder, then, that Jacob chose to recall the anger of Shimon and Levi so many years later after the incident of Shechem. It turns out that Jacob's words weren't just a warning to Shimon and Levi for the future, but for all future descendants of Jews. As the King of the Khazars asked the rabbi (above): ''If you were to have military power wouldn't you then become just as violent as any other people? ''

This is what I, humbly, as a Jewish Spiritual Renewal Rabbi ask you, as God- wrestlers, with which to grapple.

For those who really want to help Israel, whether we think the incursion in Gaza is right or wrong (I am no military person so I am still grappling and that is all I ask any of you to do), here is a list of humanitarian charities, provided to us by our Chavarah Sharon in NJ at Adath Israel Synagogue:

Magen David Adom - American Friends: http://www.afmda.org/

Lev LaLev: http://www.levlalev.com/

B'nai Brith Emergency fund: www.bnaibrith.org/ief/

American Jewish Committee/ Israel Emergency fund: http://www.ajc.org

Masort Movements Israel Emergency fund: http://www.masorti.org/contribute.html

Hatzolah Israel: Saving Lives (medical emergency fund): http://www.hatzolah.org.il/e-donate.shtml.htm

United Jewish Committee Emergency  Fund: www.ujc.org

Friends of the IDF: supports needs of the IDF not met by standard budgeting procedures in all branches and areas of the IDF, IAF, and INF.  The FIDF also provides support for the families of fallen soldiers. http://www.israelsoldiers.org/

www.lemaanachai.org  Lemaan Achai, emergency relief activities in Bet Shemesh 

www.tabletotable.org.il Table to Table, packages for soldiers and relief for residents of the north 

www.israelsoldiers.org Friends of the IDF, support IDF soldiers up serving in the north and in the Gaza Strip

www.onefamilyfund.org One Family Fund, support for victims of northern missile attacks and their families  

www.livnot.com Livnot, Tzfat organization raising funds to fix bomb shelters, assist the elderly, provide meals

www.hazonyeshaya.org Hazon Yeshaya, provide/deliver meals to people in bomb shelters and displaced residents of the north

www.yadsarah.org Yad Sarah, medical equipment, specifically for residents of the north

www.mishnasyakov.org Mishnas Yaakov, provide massive amounts of emergency supplies to residents of the north

www.jfsisrael.org Jewish Family Services Israel, provide emotional and crisis management support

www.crisisinisrael.com a web page with specific information on people/groups who need help and people/groups offering help 

 

Psalm 18, as promised appears below, and our weekly d'var Torah appears after it.

 

Please send me your thoughts and comments. This is an ago old question in Judaism.

Psalm 18

 1I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

 2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

 3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

 4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

 5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

 6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

 7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

 8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

 9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

 10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

 11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

 12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

 13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

 14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

 15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

 16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

 17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

 18They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

 19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

 20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

 21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

 22For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

 23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

 24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

 25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

 26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

 27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

 28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

 29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

 30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

 31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

 32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

 33He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

 34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

 35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

 36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

 37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

 38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

 39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

 40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

 41They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

 42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

 43Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

 44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

 45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

 46The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

 47It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

 48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

 49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

 50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. 

Many Blessings, Pray for Shalom!

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Hebrew College, Newton Centre, MA, USA
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Hilton Head Island, SC;Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

 

Parasha Vayechi: Genesis 48:01-50:26

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Hebrew College, Newton Centre, MA, USA
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Hilton Head Island, SC;Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

 When I woke up this morning I could've sworn it was the Judgment Day

This parasha ends the book of Genesis. We find our people in the Land of the Pharaohs. We find that Jacob dies at the conclusion of this Torah portion. Before his death, Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph as well as his own twelve sons.

To Judah, Jacob said "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a scholar from among his descendents until Shiloh arrives, and his will be an assemblage of nations." (Gen 49:10 Art Scroll Edition). Other translations (Plaut) read: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, so that tribute shall come to him, and the homage of peoples be his." Still others (Hertz) read: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, as long as men come to Shiloh, and onto him shall the obedience of the peoples be." The King James version states: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes: and to Him shall be the obedience of the people."

Why are there so many translations? What has been read into this passage by so many over the centuries? What can we derive from this verse for ourselves?

In Talmud Sanhedrin, Chapter 11, the sages argue about the validity of the Messiah in Judaism, who he will be, how he will arrive, if he already arrived, and when he would arrive. One of their proof texts is this very verse. On daf (folio) 98B, Rav Shela's student interprets Shiloh as referring to the Messiah on the basis of the verse from Isaiah 18:7: "a gift (tribute) shall be offered to God," which the Midrash renders into "all nations are destined to bring a gift to Israel and the Messianic king." The word Shiloh is formed by the two Hebrew words for gift and "to him." The Ramban (Nachmonides) says that Jacob promises Judah in this verse that the kings of the Jewish people will emerge exclusively from his tribe, until the advent of the Messiah, who will rule not only over all of the Jews but of all the nations.

By the scepter not departing from Judah, Jacob is predetermining that our kings will be from the Tribe of Judah. (Of course our first king was Saul, from Benjamin's tribe). However, it set up the "divine right" of the Davidic line from the tribe of Judah to be not only our kings, but also our Exilarchs in the Diaspora in Babylon. Many of the Rosh yeshivas during the time of the writing of the Mishna traced their lineage to King David. According to Talmud Sanhedrin (daf 5A), Hillel and Judah ha Nasi were from the Davidic-Judah line.

Onkelos' Aramaic Translation of the Torah (Targum) renders "until Shiloh arrives" as "until the messiah arrives, to whom the kingdom belongs." This Torah version was written in 90 C.E. This verse is the primary Torah source for the Talmudic belief (and it was not a unanimously held rabbinic belief at the time) in a Jewish messiah. The rabbis consistently referred to it in their debates with the church leaders in the Middle Ages.

The lines that follow (Gen. 49:11-12) make allusions to the messiah as a man of peace (the Talmud says one of his names will be the prince of peace) by the symbols of the donkey and the vineyards.

We can see that this verse pushes some hot topical buttons. The Talmudic sages, living under the harsh Roman thumb in the centuries following the destruction of the second Temple and the total loss of independence of Judea, looked for hope in a redeemer. There were no new prophets. They had to work with the texts that where available to them. Their background was Pharasitic, as the Sadducees denied the oral law (Mishna-Gemorah-Talmud) as divine and did not believe in any bodily resurrection.

The rabbis in Sanhedrin grappled with these issues. They tried to justify the suffering of our people and of the martyrdom of our great sages by speaking of the world to come and of the bodily resurrection. They also debated the idea of a messianic leader to come and save us. They even agreed upon the idea, that in every generation, a great sage will be martyred and will die for the sins of those in his generation.

These rabbis were not just dealing in the time of a few Jews who were following a cult of Jesus. They were writing the Talmud up to 500 C.E. from 586 B.C.E. The sages had to contend with forces of Christianity combined with the power of Constantine's new Rome in what is now Istanbul. While the written Mishna was still being discussed from 200 to 500 C.E. in what we call the Gemorah, the Nician creed (which delineated the Trinity) went into effect less than a hundred years after Judah ha Nasi redacted the oral tradition.

We therefore can see how different people at different times translated this verse to meet their philosophical needs. The Traditionalists via the Art Scroll edition are very Moshiac oriented. Rabbi Plaut, representing the post World War Two Reform movement, set his translation up to completely mirror the Davidic line of flesh and blood kings, but to delete references to a divinely sent messiah- savior.

How does this battle for wording, translate into our lives in this third millennium?  Simply put, we as individuals need to pick up the scepter promised to us. We need to lead using honest and ethical values whether we are at home, at work, at play, or in the synagogue boardroom. We cannot stand idly by while we are needed to do justice. We need to be excellent parents and spouses. We also need to be kind and giving adult children to our own elderly. We are all the Children of Jacob, the People of Israel, and we have all taken the name of the tribe of Judah by calling ourselves Jews.

The royal staff is in our hands no matter what position we find ourselves. Let's all do our best to be the most honest and ethical we can be in what ever we do. This is what God wants from us. We all have sparks of our own savior inside each of us. Let us each vow to hold on to this scepter, and let its golden glow be a light unto others.

Shabbat Shalom:

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal
Hebrew College, Newton Centre, MA, USA
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Hilton Head Island, SC;Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

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