The Greatest Blessing (I wish for all of you)

[History]

The Greatest Blessing

Rabbi Isaac was not only Rabbi Nahman's mentor, but his dear friend. At the end of a long day of study, Rabbi Nahman asked his teacher to give him a blessing before the two men parted.
Rabbi Isaac replied, "Your request reminds me of the story of a man traveling across the desert. Not long after the start of his journey, the man runs out of food and water. Overcome by exhaustion, he can go no further. Fortunately he come upon a beautiful tree laden with magnificent fruit. The man eats a few pieces, thinking to himself, 'My, this is the tastiest fruit I have ever eaten.' Observing the tree's strong branches, he notices that they are bountiful with leaves. Under the tree's abundant shade, the man rests peacefully while he is recovering his strength. Upon awakening, he spots a bubbling brook flowing near the tree's roots, and he drinks its cool, refreshing water. Like the fruit, it too is nourishing and delicious.
"Filled with vigor, the man wishes to express his appreciation to the tree before embarking on his journey. 'You have given me so much," he said. "How can I bless you in return?'"
Rabbi Isaac turned to his student and asked, "Should the man bless the tree by saying, 'May your fruit be sweet?' But that would be foolish, since he had already enjoyed the sweet taste of its fruit.
"Should the man bless the tree by saying, "May your limbs be wide and filled with beautiful leaves?' But that would be foolish, since he had already sought refuge from the sun under the shade that the tree had provided.
"Should he have blessed the tree by saying, 'May clean, cool waters flow swiftly beside you to nourish your roots?' But that would be foolish, since such waters already flowed by the tree."
"How then should the man bless the tree?" asked Rabbi Nahman.
Rabbi Isaac turned to his friend and answered, "He should have asked in blessing that all the tree's saplings be blessed just as the tree itself was."
With this, the learned rabbi said, "And this is the way it is with you, my dear friend and student. For how can I seek to bless you? With knowledge? That would be foolish, for you already have knowledge. With wealth? That would be silly because the riches of the world are already yours.
"Perhaps with children," Rabbi Isaac continued. "I could ask that you be blessed with children, but you already have children.
"And so my most sincere and deep hope for you in blessing is simply this: May your children grow to be as you are, and bless you with the same abundance of goodness that you give to others."
------------[Talmud: Ta'anit 5b]

Commentary: We are all blessed with one thing or another; it may be a measure of material goods, or intellect, or physical attributes. Yet there is no greater blessing than to see whatever goodness we possess reproduced in our offspring. Another blessing is to see the values that we cherish carried on by those who come after us.
Above all, we want everything with which we have been blessed to be passed on to our children, so they can continue to offer the same goodness to the world.
This is the greatest blessing, and there is no finer legacy.

----------Source: Saving the World Entire, Rabbi Bradley Bleefield, 1998

Respectfully,
History


P.S. With this, I think it is time for me to leave ummah.com. I seem to cause more contention than I am building bridges. The world is not black and white, neither is Life, and the Israelis and Jews are not always right and neither are the Palestinians and Muslims. Where there is injustice we shold speak out but not do so in a way that denies justice to those we accuse of injustice. The path to peace, and to G-d, requires we recognize our fellows are as human as ourselves, with similar loves and dreams and desires. May G-d bless you and keep you and watch over you.

[Mary Carol]

May your children grow to be as you are, and bless you with the same abundance of goodness that you give to others."
------------[Talmud: Ta'anit 5b]

Mashallah History, this is truly a great blessing.

The path to peace, and to G-d, requires we recognize our fellows are as human as ourselves, with similar loves and dreams and desires. May G-d bless you and keep you and watch over you.

Ameen.

Sorry to see you go...please think about what you contribute to the forum before deciding to do more than take a well deserved break.

[History]

Dear marian,
Thank you and (Kohr-Ah, Makki, & Dhakiyya)for your posts and kind words.

Sorry to see you go...please think about what you contribute to the forum before deciding to do more than take a well deserved break.

I’ll take a break ("well-deserved"? >smile<) and see how things go. I appreciate that you all feel I have made a contribution here so far.

I enjoy engaging in dialogue when it is constructive and fun. But excessive repetition, especially with the “few who will never agree with anything” makes dialogue stale.
Yet I’m guilty in rising to “the bait” in my hope of dispersing misconceptions and untruths regarding Jews, Judaism, even Israel and Zionism.

I have a number of books (including the Etz Chaim [“Tree of Life”] Torah Commentary, and the first volume of a purported excellent new translation of the Zohar [The Book of Splendour] I wish to read. I also, time permitting, would like to reread the Quran now that I’ve spent many months among you. I have always wanted to compare how I perceive writings/teachings in the Quran with “How does a Muslim understand this?” Sura by Sura. [For I always wished more non-Jews would ask how we Jews understand our Scripture instead of telling us “You’re wrong! This is what it Jewish Scripture really means.”] I recognize that my innate human skepticism and wariness regarding the Quran (and New Testament, ftm), especially in regard to their depiction of the Jews may bias me and have me misconstrue the meanings of these Islamic teachings as a Muslim sees them. I’m uncertain if this would be the right forum for such an undertaking, so I may look around.

Anyway, Because I find participating in Forums like these rather addicting, it is likely I’ll at least be checking in to see the tenor of various discussions and perhaps make a quick addition. If you desire to reach me, and you are always welcome to do so, you can always leave me a private message, or drop a post at: http://disc.server.com/Indices/208699.html or http://members.lycos.co.uk/christiansandmuslims/ where I’ve been visiting more frequently and enjoying the dialogue.

Many blessings,
History

[swan]

History? Noooooooooooooooooooooooo! please reconsider. you have provided me with insight i feel i never would of gained about Judaism. i do respect and thank you for that. i read all your posts and your honesty and kindness is so refreshing. please do come back and visit. i will miss you. :crying:

[Abdullah al-Muhajir]

Good riddance. I feel like the Greek supporters in Lisbon. :D

[History]

Dear Swan,

Thank you for your kind words.
I'm sure I'll come back to share (sorry Xaxerian).
In the next few weeks I hope to catch up on some reading and study. Also, my synagogue and hometown have some community activities my family and I are participating in.

I've left links (above) where you can find me in the meantime (except for 2 week vacation at the end of the month I have coming up where I'll have no computer access! Will I survive? >smile<)

Respectfully,
History

[AbuMubarak]

umar was once looking thru the torah

the prophets face became red with anger

umar quickly apologized

the prophet said, if moses was alive, he would follow me

[History]

Abu Mubarek,

Thank you for sharing.
If you will humbly permit: Why do feel the need to attack Torah? And to subjugate Moses?

It is as reasonable to say: Perhaps if Mohammed knew Moses he would have followed him (i.e. Exodus). To follow Moses is to follow G-d and His Teaching (Torah).

I find your post another sad example of superseccionism (I have often wondered why Christianity and Islam cannot be secure enough in their own faiths, which have much of merit, yet they seem to require to denigrate other faiths, especially Judaism).

Moses followed no man, no pharoah, but only G-d, Blessed be His Name--yet at the same time he was also a servant to all of G-d's people.

In your post I find the strong corrective statements attributed to Mohammed in unique contrast to the spirit for which Moses is known:


ג וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה, עָנָו מְאֹד--מִכֹּל, הָאָדָם, אֲשֶׁר, עַל-פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה.
3. Now the man Moses was very humble, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth.-- Bamidbar 12


And I am reminded of Korach, and also of the admonishment of Aaron and Miriam who sought to supersede Moses [see the remainder of Bamidbar 12: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0412.htm ]. Moses spoke no word against any of their accusations; spoke no word against them. But G-d was not silent. What G-d explains to them:


ו וַיֹּאמֶר, שִׁמְעוּ-נָא דְבָרָי; אִם-יִהְיֶה, נְבִיאֲכֶם--יְהוָה בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע, בַּחֲלוֹם אֲדַבֶּר-בּוֹ.
6. And He said: 'Hear now My words: if there be a prophet among you, I the LORD do make Myself known unto him in a vision, I do speak with him in a dream.

ז לֹא-כֵן, עַבְדִּי מֹשֶׁה: בְּכָל-בֵּיתִי, נֶאֱמָן הוּא
7. My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house;

ח פֶּה אֶל-פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר-בּוֹ, וּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בְחִידֹת, וּתְמֻנַת יְהוָה, יַבִּיט; וּמַדּוּעַ לֹא יְרֵאתֶם, לְדַבֵּר בְּעַבְדִּי בְמֹשֶׁה.
8. with him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD doth he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?'

ט וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה בָּם, וַיֵּלַךְ.
9. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and He departed.


Moses was the only Prophet to speak "face to face" with G-d, Blessed be He. No messenger, no angel, no vision, no signs, no intermediary.

G-d punished Miriam and Aaron for their arrogance. Miriam was struck with leprousy [12:10]. And on witnessing then what did this "humblest of all men," Moses, do? Whereas he would not defend himself, Moses immediately interceded for them!:


יג וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה, אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר: אֵל, נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ.
13. And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying: 'Heal her now, O G-d, I beseech Thee.'


To follow Mohammed is to follow All-h and His Teaching (Quran).
To follow Moses is to follow G-d and His Teaching (Torah).

Both are fine choices. My preference, by his example, is to choose Moses, G-d, and Torah. I respect that you choose differently.

Respectfully,
History

[AbuMubarak]

i didnt post that to counter you, history

you are pretty set in your rejection of the final message to man from god

i posted that as a reference and reminder to the muslims that the message from god is complete and been finalized by the prophet muhammad, even though there are many who reject it, it doesnt take away from the veracity of the message nor of the nobility of the messenger

[AbuMubarak]

In the west Spain fell quickly into the hands of Muslim invaders. In 709 when Roderick usurped the Spanish crown. According to legend repeated by Arabic and Spanish historians, Roderick raped Florinda, the virgin daughter of Count Julian, who ruled Ceuta across the strait on the northwest tip of Africa. For revenge Julian betrayed his religion and country by assisting the Muslim general Jebel Tariq, who sent 500 Berbers the next year. In 711 Jebel Tariq landed with 7,000 men across the straits of Gibraltar named after him. The Muslims conquered Andalusia, taking Malaga, Granada, and Cordoba. Toledo was betrayed by Jews, who had been unfairly treated by the Christians, and Tariq's forces defeated Roderick's army in July. African governor Musa ibn Nusayr became jealous and crossed over with an army of 10,000 Arabs the following year and conquered Medina Sidonia, Seville, and Merida. By the end of 713 all of Spain was controlled by the Muslims, as the Gothic rulers fled across the Pyrenees to their provinces in Gaul.

[History]

you are pretty set in your rejection of the final message to man from god

i posted that as a reference and reminder to the muslims that the message from god is complete and been finalized by the prophet muhammadDear Abu Mubarek,
Thank you for your post.
I appreciate that this is what you believe.
Doesn't make it true, of course.
Where it matters, imho, the Truth in Torah and Quran is the same (e.g. One Just and Loving G-d/All-h; human purpose under Him to live by His Teachings and "do what is right and good; honor and respect and love one another, etc.).
There is much I find wonderful in the words of Mohammed and the Quran, and I am so pleased thereby the Arab peoples were brought from idolatry to the worship of the One G-d.
As a Jew, I find G-d's Word to humanity through Moses and the Prophets complete. While the Quran is wonderful, for a Jew knowledgeable in Torah one finds what is true in the Quran is not new--and what is new (and contradictory to G-d's known Word) is untrue. I respect that Muslims believe differently, and that is perfectly o.k.--as long as the Truth we share (e.g. One Just and Loving G-d/All-h; human purpose under Him to live by His Teachings and "do what is right and good; honor and respect and love one another, etc.) is preserved.

Many blessings,
History

[AbuMubarak]

THE QUEST FOR ALLAH'S MERCY
Prepared by Muhammad Ash_Shareef

It was narrated that in the days that Musa, alayhis salam, wandered with Bani Isra’eel in the desert a grizzly drought befell them. Together, they all raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain. Then, to the astonishment of Musa, alayhis salam, and all those watching, the few clouds that scattered the sky vanished, the heat scorched down, and the drought intensified.

It was revealed to Musa, alayhis salam, that there was a sinner amongst Bani Isra’eel that had disobeyed ALLAH for more than 40 years of his life. “Let him separate himself from the congregation,” ALLAH told Musa, alayhis salam, “Only then shall I shower you all with rain.”

Musa, alayhis salam, called out to the throngs of humanity, “There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed ALLAH for 40 years. Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought.” That man, waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward…but no one did. Sweat poured from his brow and he knew he was the one.

If he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst; yet, if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity.

He raised his hands with sincerity he had never known before, with humility he had never tasted, tears poured on both cheeks, “O ALLAH, have mercy on me! O ALLAH, hide my sins! O ALLAH, forgive me!”

As Musa, alayhis salam, and Bani Isra’eel awaited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured. Musa, alayhis salam, asked ALLAH TA’ALA, “O ALLAH, you blessed us with rain even though that sinner did not come forward.” And ALLAH TA’ALA replied, “O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Isra’eel with water.”

Musa, alayhis salam, wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked: “Show him to me O ALLAH!” ALLAH TA’ALA replied, “O Musa, I hid his sins for 40 years. Do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him? ”


THE $1,000 NOTE

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $1,000 note in a room of 200 people. He asked, “who would like this $1,000 note?” Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this to one of you, but first- let me do this. He proceeded to crumple the note up. He then asked, “who still wants it?” The hands still went up in the air.

“Well,” he replied, “what if I do this?” He dropped it on the ground, and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?” Still hands went into the air.

“My friends,” he said, “you all have learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it, because, it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $1,000.” Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make, and the circumstances that come our way. We feel that we are worthless, but, no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value! Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you! The worth of our lives does not come in what we do, or whom we know, but in who we are!”

You are special- don't ever forget it!

Pass this on. You will never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it can bring.

. . . Always count your blessings, not your problems!



SLOW DOWN!

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids running out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and reversed back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. He jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid who threw the brick and pushed him against parked car shouting. "What was that all about? Just what the heck are you doing?"

Building a head of steam he went on. "That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money!!"

"Please, mister, please. I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do!!" pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be okay. "Thank you and May God bless you," the grateful child said to him. The man then watched the little boy push his brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long walk back to his Jaguar ... a long, slow walk. He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.
ALLAH whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart. Sometimes when you don't have time to listen, He has to throw a "brick" at you...

It's your choice:
Listen to the whisper, or wait for the brick...

MAY ALMIGHTY ALLAH BLESS YOU... AMEEN...