tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104942432909993520.post1879732002805997371..comments2024-03-07T02:11:48.612-08:00Comments on Fusion 613: Seattle Metropolitan Transit Authority takes a stand on the Middle East?fusion 613http://www.blogger.com/profile/04527618316229889614noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104942432909993520.post-16808148977917401672010-12-25T12:00:44.620-08:002010-12-25T12:00:44.620-08:00Shavuah Tov Chaverli Rebbe Brad:
Saint Ellen aka ...Shavuah Tov Chaverli Rebbe Brad:<br /><br />Saint Ellen aka Ellie Lou aka Ellen Louise Freedman Segal, aka My Long Suffering Wife says :"Israel gave the world Torah; Seattle gave the world over- priced caloric coffees. Israel gave the world smoked salmon on bagels with cream cheese; Seattle tosses salmon like frisbees in Pike's Market. We survived worse."<br /><br />Seattle has forgotten that the word bus derives from omnibus, for all the people. No country is perfect, not Israel, not the USA, nor any country to whom our tax dollars go. When we pick on Israel, we are only defining our own defects.<br /><br />Torah was given in Sinai in no-man's land and the lessons belong to all. Today in synagogues thru out the globe we read of the burning bush, a symbol of hope and message. Yet the Mishna by R'Shimon bar Yochi describes this bush as full of thorns so that if a bird gets caught in it, it tears itself apart escaping. He further expounds on God seeing our suffering, using the word 'see' twice. He posits that this means that not only did Pharaoh kill our first born, he buried them to be slaves for kings in Egyptian after life.<br /><br />We survived with God's aid Mitzraim, and were redeemed for revelation and renewal.Yet our freedom had to be won many times over there after. War is messy, war is hell. We pray and work towards shalom in every generation.<br /><br />Baruch ha Shem, our children and grandkids will see peace, and we will be a light unto other nations to guide them towards peace as well.<br /><br />When the Seattle buses run with the prophecy of world peace on its sides of our Isaiah, then I will applaud them for inventing a double latte mocha chocolate with hot non-fat milk coffee.<br /><br />Shalom uvracha, chaverli Rebbe B.<br />Avrael<br />Rabbi Arthur Segal<br />www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.orgRabbi Arthur Segalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03947065948583008845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104942432909993520.post-519456476965088782010-12-24T09:09:50.987-08:002010-12-24T09:09:50.987-08:00I completely agree with you, Rabbi. As you may kno...I completely agree with you, Rabbi. As you may know, this issue was resolved in the way you advocated, clearly because so many people saw it your way, as well, and made their voices heard.williambilekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12661425315862881039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104942432909993520.post-7226432922234869932010-12-24T07:37:19.974-08:002010-12-24T07:37:19.974-08:00Shabbat Shalom chaverli Rebbe Brad:
Seattle has f...Shabbat Shalom chaverli Rebbe Brad:<br /><br />Seattle has forgotten that 'Bus'is an apheresis (where we drop a syllable to shorten a word) of the Latin word Omnibus. It's derived from the hatter Omnès' shop named "Omnes Omnibus" which was situated in front of the first bus station in Nantes, France in 1825. "Omnes Omnibus" was a pun on the Latin sounding name of the hatter : omnes meaning "all" and omnibus means "for all" in Latin. Nantes citizens nicknamed the vehicle Omnibus.<br /><br />By definition, buses belong to all. Granted that Israel's IDF admits some of it soldiers did 'war crimes,' but unfortunately this happens in all wars. War is nasty hell. Seattle's bus company is heading down a slippery slope with ads of hate speach.<br /><br />Torah too belongs to all people. In was given in Sinai, no-man's land. This Shabbat, we begin Exodus. The midrash on Exodus is Mekhilta d'R' Yishmael.It covers Exodus from chapter 12 on. This deletes one of our greatest biblical motifs: the burning bush(Ex:3). <br />An earlier Midrash Mekhilta d'R'Shimon does cover the bush.<br />"Moses was tending the flock. An Angel appeared in a blazing<br />fire out of a bush (Ex 3:1). R'Shimon b'Yochai says: Why did God appear from heaven to speak with Moses from a bush? This bush was the thorniest of all in the world. A bird that entered it was torn limb from limb while trying to leave. The slavery of Israel in Egypt was the most oppressive slavery in the world. 'I have seen, yes, seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt. (Ex 3:7)Why does Scripture say 'see' twice? Because after the Egyptians drowned the Hebrews' sons in water, they would embed them in buildings."<br /><br />While the bush is usually used as a possitive motif, here its used to show perpetual slavery, even in Olam Ha Ba. We DO know that Pharaoh's, as well as other depots (Chinese), killed+ buried their slaves. There was no escape.<br /><br />Israel isn't perfect, but we are a light to those still enslaved, showing that freedom can be achieved, albeit needing to be won over + over in each generation.<br /><br />As your fellow Californian Ken Kesey said "Either you're on the bus, or you're off the bus."<br /><br />Shabbat Shalom,<br />Chaver Avrael<br />Rabbi Arthur Segal<br />www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.orgRabbi Arthur Segalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03947065948583008845noreply@blogger.com