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Friday, January 18, 2019

Jews and Pashtuns: The Sons of Israel's -Checklist For One of Many Beliefs: KINDNESS According to Moses

Nadene Goldfoot                                           
The Exodus, Going Into Canaan
Moses Gave lessons along the way when they stopped and rested from  over 40 years of traveling. 


Does this sound familiar to you?
Do you try to do these things? 
                                                                         
3,300 years ago, we  were taught to be kind (hesed).  To be kind is to exert yourself a little on behalf of another person.  
                                                                   
We are expected to show love for other humans.  It's in our Torah, the 5 Books of Moses that he himself wrote.   Are each of us following these precepts?  
                                                     
                                                     

1. "AND YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF=Leviticus 19:18.  
      Hillel, a famous teacher of the Torah born in 1st century BCE:  (I see that Mark, centuries later, also took this seriously.)  (Luke claimed he said it first, too.)  The Good guys taught this but...it seems to be the hardest when your neighbor is a country.  
                                                        

                 What is hateful to you, do not do to others!  
                                                 THE GOLDEN RULE-Hillel said this in 1st century BCE
                                                             
lodging with you in your home
   
     A. It is a religious duty (mitzvah)  to show hospitality of your home with food and lodging  when the need arises.  
                 
     
             
                                                     

   B.  It is a religious duty (mitzvah) to visit a person who is sick.  Friends and family members need to visit him as soon as possible when you hear of his illness.   Others need to wait at least for 3 days. 
                                                                                            

                           
  C.  It is a religious duty to visit a person in mourning and comfort him in his sorrow.
                                                        
Jewish Orthodox wedding in Lithuania

  D.  It is a religious duty to provide orphaned or the very poor girls when they marry with a dowry.   
                                                         
Returning a lost wallet
  
 E. It is a religious duty to return anything lost to the owner as it is written...you must surely return it." Deut: 22:1).  
                                                        

   F. If we see a neighbor whose life is in danger and you can help or get help for that person, you are obligated to go to every trouble and expense to do so.  In this case you may expect to be reimbursed.  If you don't take any action, you are going against this command, "You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor." (Leviticus 19:16.)
                                                      

         1. If you are aware of a conspiracy against another and continue to mind your own business doing nothing to reveal the danger , you are going against this command, "You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor."
                                                     

      2. Rabbi Joshua:  Watch out for:
             a. The evil eye (jealousy)
             b. The evil inclination (lust)
                                                     

             c. The hatred of mankind (Whenever anyone says: Love the Sages but hate the disciples (students) or love the disciples but hate the common people. 
              
                  These 3 behaviors put men out of this world.  
                                                        
This is not everything, but a beginning of lessons.  
You'd think that we've all been born knowing and practicing these,
but evidently not.  Mankind often ignores them.  
Are they really impossible expectations?  

Reference:  To Be a Jew by Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin

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