RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: DEREK ERETZ: GREAT IS PEACE: BLUFFTON SUN: HATRED: IDLENESS

 

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:  DEREK ERETZ:  GREAT IS PEACE: BLUFFTON SUN:  HATRED: IDLENESS 

 

CAUSELESS  HATRED IS AT ODDS WITH ETHICAL SPIRITUALITY

EXCERPTED FROM: 'GREAT IS PEACE: A MODERN COMMENTARY ON TALMUD TRACTATE DEREK ERETZ ZUTA' BY RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL AND SARA DAVIES

http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org/books/great-is-peace-a-modern-commentary-on-talmud-bavli-tractate-derek-eretz-zuta

Shalom and Peace:

We continue with Talmudic Jewish Ethics (Derek Eretz). For two months we discussed four of the seven abominations taught from Proverbs 26:25: "Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.'' The Rabbis say they are: thoughts, scorn, haughtiness, cruelty, idleness, causeless hatred, and an evil eye. We continue with two more.

Idleness: Sociologists have reported what happens when folks have too much time on their hands. Some synagogues, churches, organizations, and board rooms turn into wrestling arenas. Idleness causes our monkey minds start to dwell on ourselves. Idleness is the yetzer ha ra's, the evil inclination's, petri dish. We become prisoners in bondages of self. We are the jailors of our own Mitzraim, our own narrowness.

When our neglected pride, combined with idleness, fueled by ego, gets us into positions of so-called power, ugliness can develop. You can easily tell which folks are having issues in this area by looking at an organization's newsletter. If you see the same names highlighted year after year, there is a good hint that more is going on than altruism.

Causeless Hatred...sinat chinam. The Talmud teaches us that this was the major cause of the destruction of Jerusalem's Temple in 70 CE and the reason God's Holy Presence (Shekinah) left. The sages were not talking of Romans hating Jews. They were talking of Jews hating Jews for no reason. They spoke of cliques, elite parties, terrible lashon ha ra (gossip), and of rabbis and Jews disrespecting one another. Sinat chinam keeps many ethical spiritual Jews away from synagogues. In fact 60% of American Jews are unaffiliated. Polls site the same reasons as why more than half of American Jews avoid synagogues. The Talmudic Rabbis said God and a hateful person cannot abide in the same Universe. By a fortiori deduction, God and hateful people cannot dwell in a synagogue together. The rabbis wrote 2000 years ago how they sadly wanted to stay away.

Benji came to breakfast Saturday morning. "I'm not going to synagogue today!" he said to his sister Sarah emphatically.
"Yes you are." Sarah replied calmly.
"No I'm not ! I don't want to ever go again!" Benji said with obvious irritation. "The people don't like me, they ignore me , they are mean to me and each other. I won't go back."
"Yes, you will go ", said Sarah with confidence. '' I'll give you two reasons. Number one, you're 45 years old . Number two, you're the Rabbi!"

Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit him at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org . Follow him on FaceBook at 'Arthur L Segal', on Twitter at RabbiASegal, or his blog at http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com  . Email at RabbiSegal@JewishSpiritualRenewal.net .

 

 Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
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