|
|
|
 |
|
Manis Friedman
Rabbi Manis Friedman is a world-renowned author, counselor, lecturer and philosopher; and co-founder of Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies in Minnesota. He also served as simultaneous translator for the live televised talks by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Latest Comments:
In one of his letters, the Lubaviter Rebbe compares the world to a macro body and each nation to an individual organ, Where each organ must fulfiil its function independently yet harmoniously with the other organs. I.e. each nation has its function.
A minor observation
The seven Noachdite, or universal laws are focused at sustaining humanity, at impressing normalcy throughout the world. The Talmud compares a gentile who observes the 7 laws to the high Priest serving in the holy temple on Yom Kippur. Maimonides rules that a Ben Noach who observes the seven laws for the sake of heaven has a share in the world to come.
While the 613 mitzvos are meant to establish a connection between the Physical and the spirtual realms and merge them into one.
Each nation has a purpose and function.
|
This is how i understand it to be.
A jew is a human being who observes the mitzvot(who's brought into himself the essence of the divine) in each and every materialistic thing hes encountered in life.
However, if theres a break in this chain(ie; a Jew not observing the mitvot, nor channeling into himself the influence of kavanot) that spiritual chain will have been broken and that Jew(who had the generational accumulation which resulted in his higher soul) would have been reduced to the level of a normal human.
This is how i understand the idea of a Jew having a "higher" soul....
|
I like Rabbi Friedman's commentaries, I am a member of a Chabad shul (though I'm not a Chabadnik, per se), and have gotten a lot of good out of my association with Chabad.
However, I find objectionable, no more than objectionable, I find vile and disgusting, the concept that the souls of Jews are somehow significantly different, more G-dly, than the souls of the rest of mankind.
We Jews may be the children of Abraham, but all humanity together are the children of Adam and Eve, and thus share a common humanity. And as a common humanity, we have a choice: to either move forward together as equals towards our common destiny, or fracture into warring tribes and so destroy ourselves.
This myth of a G-d given superiority of the Jewish soul over all others can only lead us to that latter fate, and I urge Rabbi Friedman and all others who hold it to think again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Why Don’t You Go To Heaven?
|
|
The soul is sent away from its home in heaven to earth. At first the soul is confused by earthly conditions; only gradually does it begin to appreciate its mission in transforming a world devoid of G-dliness. |
|
|
|
|
|
LOGIN
ASK THE RABBI
3 Comments
Listen
