Here we are in the second week of our return to the Bible. We know its stories; we know its lessons; we know its ups and downs, but we are in new territory.
We are reeling from the senseless slaughter of innocents simply because they were Jewish.
Did you ever think that would happen again? I might have feared it but hoped it would never happen, and what we are seeing is the normalization of antisemitism in word and deed in the media, in the bastions of education, and at the highest levels of western governments.
The Jewish people make less than point 2% of the population of the globe and are the only people who have been victimized since the beginning of time and who nations have sworn the elimination of to a surprising lack of condemnation.
Shame on us. The platitudes of life offer no protection or satisfaction.
This week, we continue as the cosmic forces of creation formed our world - and now G0d undoes what he did and destroys man, except for the one person who he thought was worth saving.
We all make mistakes, and G0d continues to wonder about this one - as this week, we read about Noah and the ark and the saving of the true teachers to man – the animals.
Our animals share their souls with us as great teachers. Proverbs 12:10 tells us – “A righteous person knows the soul of their animal companion.” And I am sure you all knew and know the souls of yours. We take this opportunity to bless the animals of our lives and to thank G0d.
Blessed are you, lord our god, who brings animals into our lives so that we might learn love.
Blessed are you, lord our god, who knows our lives are so much better because we are together.
Blessed are you, lord, our god, who helps us learn how to be better humans by teaching us through our animal companions.
Blessed are you, lord our god, who trusts us to love and care for all of creation.
They are our unspoken great friends and supporters, the true envoys of unconditional love. And the lessons we learn from them are innumerable, and they, too, remind us not to count life by the breaths we take - but by what takes our breath away, and our pets and their love for us – takes our breath away.
This is the Bible’s first story of faith - adrift in a box – in the hands of, and relying on, the love of God. This was not a boat as we like to think of it. It was a larger version of the basket baby Moses was set adrift in.
We also get the first prayer of the Bible – the thanksgiving prayer and we still wake and give thanks every day as we recite the “modeh ani – I give thanks.”
In addition to thanksgiving, Noah brought us what are known as the seven Noahide laws to live life by, and they stayed in place for all mankind until the great epiphany at Sinai. They are simple, direct, cover everything, and they are:
- Embrace the relevance of oneness - every life on earth breathes with purpose and meaning
- Do not profane that oneness - do not damn or curse the power that conducts the universe or deny that there is one
- The value of human life cannot be measured – therefore, do not murder - this force breathes within every human being – each of us contains the soul of the universe – this is the divine image of god
- Do not eat flesh from a living animal – it contains the life force of blood -
- Respect other property – do not steal
- No incest, rape, or adultery
- Ensure justice in the world
These aren’t so hard to follow, are they? Both the Talmud and the book of Jubilees talks of them, and you can see they form the basis of the epiphany laws of Sinai – the Ten Commandments.
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Enjoy and celebrate your life and the lives of others, and in doing so, be safe, my friends, be happy, and may you all sow the seeds of and reap the rewards of peace and love and miracles, and make sure you also celebrate your unique individuality and your incredible awesomeness.
And remember – your world is what you make it. Just wish upon a star and continue to be the angel in someone’s life, and let us all pray for the release of the hostages.
Blessings
