Showing posts with label Moses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moses. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Moses, Leader of 603,550 people Out Of Slavery Of 400 Years

 Nadene Goldfoot                                             

     12 Tribes of Israel, Others, slaves of Egypt, Leaving


Moses of the tribe of Levi, the Lawgiver of Judaism, prophet for his people, and founder of the Jewish religion, was born in Egypt to  Jochabed and Amram in 1391 BCE, slaves of the Egyptians, 3,417 years ago in the city of Avaris, in Goshen. Levites did not have a state of their own, commanded to live in all of them to teach their religion. Avaris, the ancient Hyksos capital in the eastern Nile Delta, is most famously referred to in the Bible as Rameses (or Raamses). In the book of Exodus (1:11), it is described as one of the "store cities" built by the Israelites for Pharaoh.                                      

    Egypt's Goshen area and area of Canaan where slaves came from



The people first taken into slavery had been the children, descendants of Jacob and his family of Israelites, for the past 400 years. To understand time; that's like the 1900's when horse and buggies were being used for transportation to the time of 2300 or today.  However, Egypt in that period was not inventing new transportation at all.  They had slaves to do everything.  The Israelite slaves were used to build storage buildings needed in Goshen, so they lived there.                      

Moses and been saved by the pharaoh's daughter at a time boy babies were thought by the pharaoh to grow up and take over Egypt, so they had them all killed that year, and Moses was in great danger.  His mother hid him in the bull rushes growing in the Nile's marshy shallows that emptied into the Mediterranean Sea.  

He was raised as  Prince, so one day he saw an overseer whipping a slave almost to his death, and he stopped him but the overseer fell, hit his head and died in the process.  

 I imagine this is the same chariot that Moses used to get to Midian.

Even a Prince couldn't do that legally so Moses hid his body and left town, seeking refuge in Midian (Saudi Arabia) , a land next to Egypt, making it 420-440 miles to Midian. 



 

He came upon several women who were watching their sheep and being harassed by some other men, and Moses stepped into help them.  That's how he met his wife, Zipporah, daughter of the local priest, Jethro.  He spent his life there, becoming father of 2 sons, Gershom and Eliezer  until he was 80 years old, and then felt he must go back after seeing and hearing a vision in a burning bush, burning unusually from something other than fire,  and help his people escape from slavery. He felt it was a message from G-d.  

He followed the route he had taken 40 some years before back to Egypt and found in the slave's homes his brother, Aaron.  They went together to plead with a younger pharaoh for the Slaves to be freed.

Aaron did the talking as Moses had a lisp.  Snakes of each decided the debate of letting the slaves go with Moses.                                             

After some quick preparation, the people were ready to leave, and Moses took a census and counted 603,550 male Israelite slaves with others mixed in the tribes with:  The book of Numbers explains that before the camp was arranged, a census was taken of the Israelite men who were able to fight. More than 600,000 men were counted, not including women and children (Numbers 1:45-46). This means the camp may have included over two million people, making it like a moving city in the wilderness.

Reuben:  46,500       Zebulun:  57,400     Asher:       41,500

Simeon:  59,300      Dan:         62,700     Ephraim:   40,500

Judah:     74,600     Naphtali   53,400      Manasseh: 32,200

Issachar:  54,400    Gad          45,650      Benjamin:  35, 400

By day, a pillar of cloud rested over the Tabernacle, and by night, a pillar of fire lit up the camp (Exodus 40:36-38). When the cloud of God’s presence lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would pack up and march in the same order as their camp. 1. Judah’s tribe led the way, followed by 2. Reuben’s, then the 3. Levites carrying the holy objects, then 4. Ephraim’s tribe, and finally 5.Dan’s tribe as the rear guard. This order protected the Israelites and kept them together on their journey through the wilderness.

During their wilderness journey, the Israelites camped at night under the brilliant glow of the pillar of fire. Organized by tribe, the massive encampment featured thousands of tents surrounding the central Tabernacle, with Moses' Tent of Meeting placed at a distance for communing directly with God. 

       Fighting against  the Amaleks 

Moses had learned how to move army groups in his Egyptian classes, so knew how to have them make camp at night, and how to walk during the day.  I doubt if his training had allowed for women to give birth, or rest so many, at times..  The men did have to fight off attackers, though, as they went through certain towns, and the Amaleks were after them, too.  The ones last in the Exodus line were attacked as slower people were there, the aged, more feeble ones finding it hard to keep up.  

Resource:

The Tanach (Old Testament, the Stone Edition, ArtScroll series.

                                                       




Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Is Buddaism related at all to Judaism?

 Nadene Goldfoot                                             


Are Buddhism and Judaism related? 

 Theologically, Judaism and Buddhism are fundamentally different—Judaism is a monotheistic religion centered on a Creator God, while Buddhism is non-theistic and focuses on achieving enlightenment and escaping the cycle of rebirth, or reincarnation. 

However, the two traditions share surprisingly strong modern and cultural connections:
  • The "JewBu" Phenomenon: There is a significant overlap between the two communities. A large number of disaffected or secularized Jews have gravitated toward Buddhism, leading to the creation of the term "JewBu" (or "JuBu"). It's estimated that a large percentage of Western Buddhist leaders have Jewish roots. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that the Jewish Buddhist movement really took off. With the hippy ‘peace and love’ mentality on the rise, and many modern Jews seeking a more spiritual path, lots of young American Jews turned to Buddhism. Jewish friends Michael Fagan and Sam Bercholz established the Shambhala Buddhist festival; Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg and Jacqueline Mandell-Schwartz founded the famous Insight Meditation center and movement; and even David Ben-Gurion espoused Buddhist meditation!
  • Shared Ethical Values: Both traditions strongly emphasize the interconnectedness of humanity, ethical living, and the ethics of reciprocity (e.g., the concept of "Love thy neighbor" in Judaism and compassion for all sentient beings in Buddhism). 
  •  Contrasting Worldviews: Judaism teaches active engagement with and perfecting the physical world. Buddhism, on the other hand, emphasizes detachment from worldly desires to end suffering. 
  • Which religion is the oldest?  Judaism or Buddhism...
  • Judaism is significantly older than Buddhism. Judaism emerged in the Middle East around 2000 BCE to 1500 BCE. In contrast, Buddhism originated in ancient India much later, around the 6th century BCE.  
                         Moses and the 10 Commandments
  • Moses was the leader of Judaism.  We Jews follow the Mosaic Law in different degrees.  There are the Orthodox who are most stringent of followers, the Conservative and the Reform who have attempted to bring the laws more up to date by following some of them.
                                  David Yosef, (Sephardi)
                         Kalmen Bur, (Ashkenazi)
  • In each community, large or small, there has been someone officiating the Jewish laws:  for instance-the state of Israel:  Israel's two chief rabbis are Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber and Sephardi Chief Rabbi David Yosef (also known as the Rishon leZion). Both rabbis were elected in late 2024 to serve 10-year terms overseeing the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Yes, we also have a division of Ashkenazi (more German/Hebrew-western) and Sephardi (more Spain, Latin American,) and even Mizrahi (Egypt, Middle Eastern).  Mizrahi Jews have no chief rabbi. Mizrahi Jews (Jews from the Middle East and North Africa) fall under the jurisdiction of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi, a position officially known as the Rishon LeZion
               Israel's population: Israel's total population is approximately 10,178,000 to 10,224,200. Demographic breakdown:
    • Jewish and others: 76.3% (about 7.7 million) In Israel, about 50% of the Jewish population identifies with Orthodox Judaism, while only about 2% to 3% identify as Conservative and Reform combined. The remaining 45% either identify as traditional, strictly secular (Hiloni), or claim no specific denominational affiliation
    • Arab citizens: 21.1% (about 2.1 million)
    • Foreign citizens: 2.6% (about 260,000) 
  • In Israel, the Jewish population is nearly evenly split between the two main ethnic branches. Approximately 45% are Ashkenazi (European descent), while 48% to 50% are Sephardic or Mizrahi (Middle Eastern, North African, and Central Asian descent). The remainder belong to smaller, diverse communities like Ethiopian Jews. 

  • Buddhism does not have a single, universal leader. Instead, the religion is structured around regional schools, lineages, and monastic orders rather than a centralized governing authority.                                

  • Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha): The historical founder of Buddhism who lived in ancient India. While he is not a "leader" in the modern sense, his teachings (Dharma) form the foundational basis for all Buddhist traditions. 

  • The Dalai Lama: The spiritual leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The incumbent, Tenzin Gyatso, is widely recognized globally as the preeminent figure and voice of Tibetan Buddhism. 
  • Other Lineage Leaders: Different Buddhist schools are led by their own respected patriarchs, abbots, or monastic councils. For example, Theravada Buddhism (practiced heavily in Southeast Asia) is guided by councils of senior monks, while Zen Buddhism relies on an unbroken chain of recognized teachers (Roshi or Sensei).
  •  


  • Resource:
  • https://blog.nli.org.il/en/judaism-and-buddhism/
  • https://www.embodiedphilosophy.com/reflections-of-a-jewish-buddhist-2/

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Using the Term, "Cease Fire" Loosely In This War

 Nadene Goldfoot                                         

The holiday of Shavuot, which marks the beginning of the 1. wheat harvest as well as 2. the anniversary of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, began last Thursday, May 21, 2026. . May we be blessed with health, success and peace. Chag Sameach!  With all the wars enveloping Israel one way or another, such a holiday can get forgotten.  Just what's been going on?                           


 First in line came the Torah, which means "teaching", "law," "the Written  Law." This law was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai together with a detailed oral exposition of the Torah and its commandments.  It includes the entire talmudic literature and commentaries. 
Yet, once we are freed from the bondage of slavery, we are not fully prepared to stand up as free people.  Rather, we need to undergo a transformative process to spiritually and psychologically prepare and cleanse ourselves. Once we have fully come into our liberated state, we are ready to receive the Torah on Shavout — true wisdom, the divine word, direct experience of revelation. 

According to the biblical narrative, Moses was 80 years old when he led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Torah (including the Ten Commandments) at Mount Sinai. His life is traditionally divided into three distinct 40-year periods: Age 0 to 40: Raised as a prince in the royal court of Pharaoh.Age 40 to 80: Lived as a shepherd in the land of Midian.  Age 80 to 120: Led the Israelites through the wilderness, received the Torah, and guided the people until his death at the age of 120. At my age of almost 92 today, 80 seems to me like a young kid.  Yes, he could have done it and could have felt he was full of such knowledge. 

Harvest Festivals in Biblical days such as in Eretz Yisrael (later-Palestine) began immediately after Passover in April or May, especially in the Jordan Valley.  In the coastal plain and hill regions, it continued throughout the summer. 

 First came the gathering-in of barley and wheat, followed by olives and the vintage.  There were 3 harvest-festivals:  the Omer festival when the  barley-flour offering was brought to the Temple (Passover) and the counting of 50 days (counting the Omer) Counting the Omer is a Jewish commandment to verbally count the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot. The practice begins on the second night of Passover and ends the night before Shavuot, linking the physical Exodus from Egypt to the spiritual giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

the first-fruit (Bikkurim) festival 7 weeks later when the wheat ripened (Feast of Weeks);  and the feast of the ingathering (Asiph) marking the end of the entire harvest (Tabernacles).  

Agricultural significance of the festivals has been re-emphasized in modern Israel by special observances, especially in small villages.  

                         Giving the law on Mt. Sinai

In Temple times, they brought 2 loaves to the priests and the offering of first fruits.  After the Temple was destroyed, the tradition was emphasized that Shavuot commemorated the giving of the law on Mt Sinai on Sivan 6 (day of harvesting wheat).  

From the 16th century on, kabbalists have observed the eve of Shavuot by studying from the Torah.  The Book of Ruth, which mentions the barley and wheat harvests, is read in the synagogues on this time.  

 I remember that in Israel, we stayed awake all night long studying and discussing it.  That was the custom.                                               

According to U.S. media reports (including CNN, WSJ, Axios), Prime Minister Netanyahu has been urging President Trump, in several phone calls this week, to resume strikes against Iran, while Trump has been pushing for continuing negotiations. CNN reported that Trump told Netanyahu he wanted to allow several more days for a deal to emerge in order to save lives. The picture being painted is clearly one of Netanyahu trying to "pressure" Trump and drag the U.S. deeper into a war. 

But clearly,  President Trump is running the show and making decisions based on what he feels is best. Israel is following his direction. Yes, the U.S. military conducted airstrikes in southern Iran. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) described the attacks as "self-defense strikes" aimed at protecting American troops. The strikes hit Iranian missile launch sites and boats attempting to emplace mines.The action took place in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas, which is Iran's main naval base, located roughly 70km from the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM stated that the military action is being executed while utilizing "restraint" during the ongoing ceasefire. The strikes occurred simultaneously with ongoing ceasefire negotiations, as President Donald Trump recently indicated that talks with Tehran were "proceeding nicely".The United States struck targets in southern Iran on May 25, 2026. CENTCOM stated the action was taken in self-defense to protect American troops. The strikes specifically targeted Iranian missile launch sites and mine-laying boats off the Iranian coast, despite a fragile ceasefire that had been in effect since April.  This is past the time of counting the Omer which ended on Shavuot.  

Israel pounded Lebanon with more than 120 airstrikes in a single day, heavily targeting Hezbollah sites in the southern and eastern regions. The bombardment followed a tense phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump regarding ongoing US-Iran peace negotiations.  President Donald Trump’s stance on Israel's right to defend itself has been heavily shaped by the ongoing regional conflict, including massive joint U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran that began in February 2026. While the U.S. and Israel have closely coordinated in combat, the administration has also placed certain diplomatic constraints on certain actions. Netanyahu says Israel deepening its operations in Lebanon.  Hezbollah targets Israeli forces with drones, rockets as Israeli strikes intensify.  I think IDF is trying to get as much Hezbollah terrorism destroyed as they can while they have a green light before a cease fire does exist.  

Resource:

Added: 5/27/26

israelAM

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia 


Sunday, February 22, 2026

The Life of Moses Before the Exodus





 Nadene Goldfoot                      

                             Moses Found In The Bulrushes

The story of Moses is primarily told in the "Old Testament" or Five Books of Moses, our Torah, starting in Exodus chapter 2 and spanning through Deuteronomy. His life begins with his birth and adoption (Exodus 2:1-10), continues with his calling at the burning bush (Exodus 3), the plagues on Egypt (Exodus 7-12), the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14), and ends with his death in Deuteronomy. The Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and subsequently delivered to the Israelites, with the primary account found in Exodus 20:1–17. A second, slightly different recitation of the commandments occurs in Deuteronomy 5:4–21.

Jochebed was Moses' mother and his father was Amram, both from the tribe of Levi, who lived as Hebrew slaves in Egypt. Amram was the son of Kohath, and Jochebed was his aunt (father's sister). They were also the parents of Miriam and Aaron.

     Egyptian slaves making bricks

   they were delivering babies, and you see it on the birthstool, if a boy, kill him.  Shifrah and Puah, midwives, disobeyed and their excuse they used was Hebrew women ae unlike he Egyptian  women, for they areexperts;  before the midwife comes to them, they have given birth already.


all newborn boy babies into the river.

by the searching soldiers, and of course transferred that fear into the milkduring nursing.  He cried a lot in-between nursing, no doubt.  

Fearful of the growing Hebrew population, the Egyptian Pharaoh ordered that all male Hebrew infants be drowned in the Nile. 

Jochebed, hid him for three months. She used the waterproofed basket made of wicker smeared with clay and pitch to protect him, then placed Moses in the basket and put it in the Nile River in the bulrushes growing on the side.  

It was traumatic for Jochebed to stop nursing Moses and send him off in the basket as well as being traumatic for Moses. 

 The baby was now in a new environment and smell of the basket, the sun and wind and no mother to sing him to sleep when he cried for her.  From this experience, Moses would develop a stuttering when speaking. Stuttering is caused by a combination of genetic, neurological, and developmental factors rather than just emotional distress. It often stems from inherited, complex genetic factors—making it more likely to run in families—and differences in brain structure/function that affect speech production. Other factors include:

  • Genetics: A high likelihood of inheritance exists, especially if a first-degree relative stutters. Brain Differences: Research shows that people who stutter may have reduced blood flow in the Broca’s area (involved in speech production) and differences in areas that manage speech muscles.

Jochabed kept an eye on the basket.  She saw the maidens of the Pharaoh's daughter all bathing in the river and then pick him up out of the basket and coo over him, giving him to the Princess.  Jochabed sent Mirium to watch over him.  

 He was discovered and adopted by Pharaoh's daughter.  They had seen that he was a Hebrew boy but did not tell the Pharaoh.  Mirium offered to get a Hebrew wet nurse for him.  The Princess agreed so Jochabed took Moses and kept him till he grew up. Then Jochabed returned him to the Princess who named him Moses-meaning:  I drew him from the water. 


  

     Moses as a young man when he accidently killed an overseer, who was beating to death a Hebrew slave,  causing him to run off to Midian.  According to Exodus 2:11-12, Moses killed an Egyptian overseer who was beating a Hebrew slave, marking a turning point in his life. After witnessing the abuse, Moses checked to ensure no one was watching, killed the Egyptian, and hid his body in the sand. The act was prompted by righteous indignation for his people, but it forced him to flee to Midian for 40 years to escape Pharaoh's wrath.   



When Moses was  about 20 working as a shepherd for Jethro, his father in law who was he priest of Midian,  guided the sheep far into the wilderness, and he arrived at the mountain of God, toward Horeb.  An angel appeared to him in a blaze of fire from a bush.  He looked at the burning bush but the bush was not being consumed.  Moses turned away and looked at this great sight wondering why the bush was not burned.

He heard a voice calling him. "Moses, Moses," and he replied, "Here I am!" He was told not to come closer but to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. The voice told him who was speaking:  God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  Moses hid his face, not wanting to see G-d.

Moses' wife was Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, a priest of Midian. They had two sons: Gershom and Eliezer. Zipporah is noted for saving Moses by circumcising their son, and she briefly left him to return to her family before later reuniting with him in the desert.

After our people left Egypt, Moses’ sons (Gershom and Eliezer), along with their mother (Zipporah) and grandfather (Jethro), rejoined their father in the desert. This is the last overt mention of Moses’ sons in the Torah.

In fact, when the time came to choose a successor for Moses, our Sages relate that Moses requested one of his sons be appointed. G‑d responded, “Your sons sat and did not occupy themselves with TorahJoshua, who served you, is fitting to serve Israel.”

And while Moses’ physical progeny did not live up to his example, Aaron’s sons—who succeeded their father as priests—did carry on the noble traditions of their father and uncle. G‑d considered Moses’ nephews as his children, for he was the one who taught them Torah. This is reflected in Numbers (3:1), which begins “These are the descendants of Moses and Aaron…” but only lists Aaron’s four sons.

Moses and Aaron where Aaron takes over the talking as Moses does he walking stick trick turning it into a snake.  

Thus G‑d reassured Moses, explaining that even Joshua would need to confer with Aaron’s son, the High Priest, to know G‑d’s will.3Rabbi Menachem Posner

God continued telling Moses that he had seen when happened to the Hebrew people in Egypt and will rescue them and bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivvite and the Jebusite.  I shall dispatch you to  Pharaoh and you shall take My people, the Children of Israel,  out of Egypt.  

Moses argues with G-d in the Pharaoh would not do as Moses asks.  This is a different Pharaoh from the one he grew up with.  Moses was shown that his staff could become a snake and wow the Egyptians.  He also showed him another trick, his hand could become white, and if this didn't work, he could take water from the River that would become blood when on dry land.  What Moses is to do is ask to take the people out of Egypt for 3 days.  Moses pleads with his stuttering speech saying he was heavy of mouth and heavy of speech.  G-d reminded him that he was talking to G0d who created all and knew this and he would be with his mouth and will teach him what to do.  With his staff in his hands, you shall perform the signs.
Aaron spoke for him.  

Moses was to let the Hebrews make camp  before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Gaal-zephon, and camp opposite it, by the sea.  Pharoah would think they were imprisoned in the land, with the Wilderness locking them in.  The heart of Pharaoh would be strong and would pursue to Hebrews, and pursue them; one way to see who is G-d.  The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled and he and his servants asked why they had sent away Israel from serving them?  They all wanted their slaves back.  

Egypt pursued them and overtook them, ---all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen and army---He approached them and the Children of Israel cried out.  Moses said not to fear.  A pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and went behind them.  Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. the Children of Israel came within the sea on dry land;  and the water was a wall for them, we know the rest.  

Moses lived till 120 years old.  

 Giving people Ten Commandments

Resource:
The Tanach, Art Scroll series, The Stone Edition