tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56215691691111688812024-03-13T19:03:51.121-04:00brakhaKabala Vi'Yhoshua קבלה ויהושע (Jewish Spirituality and Historical Jesus) (Stein Atle Vere ©2011-2012. brakha.blogspot.com)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-40646386832594103722012-05-10T16:30:00.001-04:002012-05-11T17:55:21.401-04:00Lag B'Omer Sameakh!(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Lag Ba'Omer Sameakh! brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
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<b>See also:</b><br />
• <a href="http://brakha.blogspot.com/2011/05/stones-of-heavens-shimon-ben-yokhai.html">The Stones of Heavens - Shimon Ben Yokhai</a><br />
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<b>Lag B'Omer Sameakh!</b><br />
לַ״ג בָּעוֹמֶר שָׂמֵחַ<br />
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Joyous 33 in Omer!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Light</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J6wU0p-yvLc/T6wk6LtiIwI/AAAAAAAAAKk/dAnZ3UCEgqc/s1600/img342509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J6wU0p-yvLc/T6wk6LtiIwI/AAAAAAAAAKk/dAnZ3UCEgqc/s400/img342509.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Israel National News ©2012. Artist: Hillel Meir. Image: Lag B'Omer Bonfire. Article: A Call for Ecological and Spiritual Lag B'Omer. israelnationalnews.com.<br />
Online Page: <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155609">www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155609</a>.<br />
Online Image: www.israelnationalnews.com/static/Resizer.ashx/news/250/168/342509.jpg).</span></div><br />
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The counting of the Omer is on each day between the Festival of Pesakh (“Passover”), the Return from Mitsrayim and the Festival of Shavuot (“Weeks”), the Giving of the Tora on the Mountain of Sinai.<br />
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Shavuot is the fiftieth day, comprising the forty-nine days in between - a sevensome of sevensomes.<br />
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Today, on the thirty-third Omer, is the Khilula חִלּוּלּה (memorial) of Rashbi - Rabi Shimon Ben Yokhai - a great teacher of Kabala (Tora spirituality).<br />
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It is a custom to light bonfires during the eve. Zal זַ״ל ! The memory of him be for a blessing!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-28639394994913291872012-05-10T00:03:00.000-04:002012-05-10T05:48:14.359-04:00Kabala: Pardes Rimonim: Sfirot As Acronym(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Kabala: Pardes Rimonim: Sfirot As Acronym. brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
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The author of Sefer Pardes Rimonim סֵפֶר פַּרְדֵּס רִמּוֹנִים , “The Book of the Paradise of Pomegranates”, is Rabi Moshe Kordovero רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה קוֹרְדוֹבֵירוֹ (Rabbi Moses Cordovero), also known by his acronym, Ramak רמ״ק . An early publication, dating to 1592, illustrates the ten Sfirot (Sephirot), the ten “numberings” of spiritual states, as ten concentric letters. The illustration uses the initial Hebrew letter of each name to represent the Sfira (Sephirah) as a concentric circle. Thus each letter of the acronym fits inside the previous one. The center letter is מ , the Sfira of Malkhut מלכות , the “Kingship” of God.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sfirot As Acronym</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-135jE9KXqPA/T6tPVzHyXyI/AAAAAAAAAKE/S5XcDqfs7is/s1600/Vere2012+Ramak1592+Acronym+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stein Atle Vere, וירא , brakha.blogspot.com, Pardes Rimonim פרדס רימונים , Ramak רמ״ק , Rabi Moshe Kordovero רבי משה קורדובירו , Moses Cordovero, Sfirot ספירות , Sefirot, Sephiroth" border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-135jE9KXqPA/T6tPVzHyXyI/AAAAAAAAAKE/S5XcDqfs7is/s400/Vere2012+Ramak1592+Acronym+1.png" title="Vere 2012, Pardes Rimonim, Sfirot Acronym 1" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_BYwSKubN6A/T6tPe_SnIWI/AAAAAAAAAKM/h2XRKgC5SiQ/s1600/Vere2012+Ramak1592+Acronym+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stein Atle Vere, וירא , brakha.blogspot.com, Pardes Rimonim פרדס רימונים , Ramak רמ״ק , Rabi Moshe Kordovero רבי משה קורדובירו , Moses Cordovero, Sfirot ספירות , Sefirot, Sephiroth" border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_BYwSKubN6A/T6tPe_SnIWI/AAAAAAAAAKM/h2XRKgC5SiQ/s400/Vere2012+Ramak1592+Acronym+2.png" title="Vere 2012, Pardes Rimonim, Sfirot Acronym 2" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h5gGhmIQwrc/T6tPkKb-8LI/AAAAAAAAAKU/qfdw9cWEsbY/s1600/Vere2012+Ramak1592+Acronym+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stein Atle Vere, וירא , brakha.blogspot.com, Pardes Rimonim פרדס רימונים , Rimmonim, Ramak רמ״ק , Rabi Moshe Kordovero רבי משה קורדובירו , Moses Cordovero, Sfirot ספירות , Sefirot, Sephiroth" border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h5gGhmIQwrc/T6tPkKb-8LI/AAAAAAAAAKU/qfdw9cWEsbY/s400/Vere2012+Ramak1592+Acronym+3.png" title="Vere 2012, Pardes Rimonim, Sfirot Acronym 3" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Acronym of the Sfirot</b><br />
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The form of each letter gestures the distinctive behavior of each circle, as it reveals more and more light into the lowest world, the physical universe, Malkhut מ .<br />
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(The revealing of light happens thru the process of humans learning to sharing - in an optimal, wise, balanced, and sustainable way. The technical term for this process of sharing is: Or Khasdim אוֹר חַסְדִּים , “the light of compassionate actions”.)<br />
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Each Sfira is a distinctive spiritual state. The names of the Ten Sfirot, according to the Ramak, are:<br />
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• כ Keter כתר , “Crown”<br />
• ח Khakhma חכמה , “Sageness” (Chochmah “Wisdom”)<br />
• ב Bina בינה , “Understanding” (Binah)<br />
• ח Khesed חסד , “Compassion” (Chesed “Kindness”, “Mercy”, “Love”)<br />
• ג Gvura גבורה , “Overpowering” (Gevurah “Strength”)<br />
• ת Tiferet תפארת , “Adornment” (Tiphereth “Beauty”)<br />
• נ Netsakh נצח , “Triumph” (Netzach “Victory”)<br />
• ה Hod הוד , “Glory”<br />
• צ Tsadik צדיק , “Altruist” (Tzaddik “Righteous”) - usually the name is Ysod יסוד “Foundation” (Yesod)<br />
• מ Malkhut מלכות , “Kingship” (Malchut “Kingdom”)<br />
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<b>Paradise</b><br />
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The word Pardes, “Paradise”, literally means a “Tree Garden”, an elegant orchard. Pardes is another name of Malkhut, albeit specifically when the Sfirot fully reveal all of their light to Malkhut.<br />
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In other words, Pardes is the same name as Gan Eden גַּן עֵדֶן , “the Garden of Eden”. Even more specifically, the “Garden” is the infinite desire of Malkhut, while “Eden” is the infinite light.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-20473100613332762132012-05-06T21:38:00.001-04:002012-05-10T19:19:32.699-04:00Kabala: Ets Khayim: Ten Sfirot(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Ets Khayim: Ten Sfirot. Translation: Vere Hyperliteral from Hebrew to English. brakha.blogspot.com).<br />
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<h2>Sefer Ets Khayim</h2>סֵפֶר עֵץ חַיִּים<br />
[“The Book of the Wood of Lives”] [The Book of the Tree of Life]<br />
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The Tora of the Ari - Adonenu Rabi Yitskhak Lurya Ben Shlomo Ashkenazi [Rabbi Isaac Luria]<br />
תורת האר״י ־ אדוננו רבי יצחק לוריא בן שלמה אשכנזי<br />
On the mouth of Rabi Khayim Vital [Rabbi Chaim Vital]<br />
חיים ויטאל<br />
Gate 1, Branch 2<br />
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In the interest of En Sof אֵין סוֹף [“No End” the infinite oneness of God]:<br />
- By the help of God [to even talk about En Sof]:<br />
How was the beginning of the emanation of the worlds, the ones being emanated from it?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>En Sof</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ge_RcgIaNnc/T6diFTMeaBI/AAAAAAAAAI8/SG96VXLnnaw/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BEn%2BSof%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ge_RcgIaNnc/T6diFTMeaBI/AAAAAAAAAI8/SG96VXLnnaw/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BEn%2BSof%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Sefer Ets Khayim: En Sof. brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
En Sof, Ein Soph, “No End”, Infinite Oneness</span></div><br />
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And also a great investigation: A tremendous division [among viewpoints]: All of the Mkublim [the teachers of Kabala “being received”], all of them were divided.<br />
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Because theres someone that wrote as [follows]:<br />
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The Ten Sfirot סְפִירוֹת [“numberings”] are as the order of ten steps, this one after this one, and this one down from this one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o3CGVbK4oec/T6cicVw4tGI/AAAAAAAAAFo/IBy9vWPjJMk/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BTen%2BSteps%2B1%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o3CGVbK4oec/T6cicVw4tGI/AAAAAAAAAFo/IBy9vWPjJMk/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BTen%2BSteps%2B1%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fl2PHi0UTw8/T6ciuAcpShI/AAAAAAAAAF0/G21WdeN7_pc/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BTen%2BSteps%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fl2PHi0UTw8/T6ciuAcpShI/AAAAAAAAAF0/G21WdeN7_pc/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BTen%2BSteps%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><br />
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And theres someone [else] that wrote as [follows]:<br />
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The order of their position is [by] way of lines, right and left, and middle.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Three Lines of the Sfirot</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aO4zvTeyhM0/T6ckgbxl1aI/AAAAAAAAAGA/Z7fNNEmE0WI/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BThree%2BLines%2B1%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aO4zvTeyhM0/T6ckgbxl1aI/AAAAAAAAAGA/Z7fNNEmE0WI/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BThree%2BLines%2B1%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ks2l0ihuuSA/T6dATCZJYLI/AAAAAAAAAHc/MlQMaLth17Y/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BThree%2BLines%2B2%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ks2l0ihuuSA/T6dATCZJYLI/AAAAAAAAAHc/MlQMaLth17Y/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BThree%2BLines%2B2%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HN9_B302TVs/T6dtTp777wI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Eccr_Sjiyp0/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BThree%2BLines%2B3%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HN9_B302TVs/T6dtTp777wI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Eccr_Sjiyp0/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BThree%2BLines%2B3%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NE7ofiOBqkY/T6hcSwfQNNI/AAAAAAAAAJc/KQlWjErWr2k/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BThree%2BLines%2B4%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NE7ofiOBqkY/T6hcSwfQNNI/AAAAAAAAAJc/KQlWjErWr2k/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BThree%2BLines%2B4%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><br />
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And those ones are three Sfirot -<br />
• Khakhma חָכְמָה [“sageness”] [Chochmah, wisdom], <br />
• Khesed חֶסֶד [“compassion”] [Chesed, kindness, mercy], <br />
• Netsakh נֶצַח [“triumph”] [Netzach, victory, eternity]<br />
- this one on the back of this one, in the right line.<br />
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And three Sfirot - <br />
• Bina בִּינָה [“understanding”] [Binah], <br />
• Gvura גְּבוּרָה [“overpowering”] [Gevurah, strength], <br />
• Hod הוֹד [“glory”]<br />
- this one on the back of this one, in the left line.<br />
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And four Sfirot - <br />
• Keter כֶּתֶר [“crown”], <br />
• Tiferet תִּפְאֵרֶת [“adornment”] [Tipheret, beauty, grandeur], <br />
• Ysod יְסוֹד [“foundation”] [Yesod],<br />
• Malkhut מַלְכוּת [“kingship”] [Malchut, kingdom] <br />
- this one on the back of this one, in the middle line.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Ten Sfirot</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5DX_Xtvfsp8/T6cmmoCs48I/AAAAAAAAAGk/8-0rdEo4Uds/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BSfirot%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5DX_Xtvfsp8/T6cmmoCs48I/AAAAAAAAAGk/8-0rdEo4Uds/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BSfirot%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Sefer Ets Khayim: The Ten Sfirot. brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
“The Book of the Wood of Lives: The Ten Numberings”<br />
Sefer Ets Khayim, Sepher Etz Chaim, Tree of Life: Eser Ha'Sfirot, The Ten Sfirot, Ten Sefirot, Ten Sephiroth</span></div><br />
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And masses will become sage. And they will say as [follows]:<br />
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They are in the form of circular wheels, this one inside this one, and this one orbiting and going around to this one. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Ten Wheels</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ-Y1a6apRQ/T6c4-2ExhUI/AAAAAAAAAG0/OEfPngX_xqs/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BTen%2BWheels%2B1%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ-Y1a6apRQ/T6c4-2ExhUI/AAAAAAAAAG0/OEfPngX_xqs/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BTen%2BWheels%2B1%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ob9rm24kvGs/T6c611urXZI/AAAAAAAAAHM/anYKnQ41Ts8/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BTen%2BWheels%2B2%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ob9rm24kvGs/T6c611urXZI/AAAAAAAAAHM/anYKnQ41Ts8/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BEts%2BTen%2BWheels%2B2%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Sefer Ets Khayim: Ten Sfirot As Ten Wheels. brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
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In the lowest world, Malkhut is the farthest from the En Sof,<br />
being at the extemity of the “line” קַו of light,<br />
the only light available after the Tsimtsum צִמְצוּם , “Constriction”. <br />
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But eventually, as in the upper worlds now,<br />
Malkhut will be the center of all of the light.<br />
Each Sfira, being each “step” up in the line of light,<br />
is actually a holistic “circle” עִגּוּל of light.<br />
But the rest of its circle is hidden creating the appearance of linear causality,<br />
within the limitations of time and space and time.<br />
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Transcending all,<br />
even the infinity of the light of En Sof exists for one purpose:<br />
To fulfill the infinite desire of Malkhut.<br />
Malkhut is the center of En Sof.<br />
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Developing Emuna אְֶמוּנָה “trust” in God is a way to benefit <br />
from these hidden holistic ways to fulfill desire<br />
via the opportunities that are unobvious.<br />
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In the lowest world, <br />
only the process of sharing reveals more light,<br />
more of the circle of each Sfira of light,<br />
that the Constriction hides from Malkhut.</span></div><br />
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<h2>ספר עץ חיים</h2><br />
תורתו של האר״י<br />
על פי רבי חיים ויטאל<br />
שער א ענף ב<br />
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בענין א"ס<br />
ב"ה ׃<br />
איך היה התחלת אצילות העולמות הנאצלים ממנו<br />
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וגם חקירה גדולה ומחלוקת עצום נחלקו בו כל המקובלים כולם<br />
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כי יש מי שכתב כי ׃<br />
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הי"ס הם כסדר י' מדריגות זו אח"ז וזו למטה מזו<br />
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ויש מי שכתב כי ׃<br />
סדר עמידתן דרך קוים ימין ושמאל ואמצע <br />
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והם ג"ס <br />
חח"ן <br />
זו ע"ג זו בקו ימין <br />
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וג"ס <br />
בג"ה <br />
זו ע"ג זו בקו שמאל <br />
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וד"ס <br />
כתי"ם <br />
זו ע"ג זו בקו האמצעי <br />
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ורבים יחכמו ויאמרו כי ׃<br />
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הם בצורת גלגלים עגולים זה תוך זה וזה מקיף וסובב לזהUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-39033659736331799092012-05-04T19:49:00.003-04:002012-05-07T03:35:25.890-04:00Kabala: Constriction(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Kabala: Constriction. brakha.blogspot.com).<br />
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<h2>Desire All</h2><br />
Every blessing is the fulfillment of a desire.<br />
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Desire is infinite. When a human achieves the fulfillment of one desire, one desires more. There is even a feeling of wanting “all”.<br />
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In the highest world of spirituality, long before and high above the creation of the physical world, there is only God. God is En Sof אֵין סוֹף , “No End”, the infinite one. <br />
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Beyond the fabric space and time, God infinitely, immediately, and completely fulfills the infinity of desire.<br />
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God is both the infinite desire, and the infinite fulfillment of the infinite desire. Both the “container” כְּלִי that desires and the “light” אוֹר that fills the container. Both the need and the blessing.<br />
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This infinite desire - to desire all - is an aspect of God that humans experience immediately, intimately, and self-evidently.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Kingship of the Light of No End</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fjvUCvGffbk/T6Rj9nLqbDI/AAAAAAAAAFM/Px9pO4Vhzv8/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BKingship%2Bof%2BLight%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fjvUCvGffbk/T6Rj9nLqbDI/AAAAAAAAAFM/Px9pO4Vhzv8/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BKingship%2Bof%2BLight%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Kingship of the Light of No End. brakha.blogspot.com).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The highest world corresponds to the Sfira (Sephirah) of Keter כֶּתֶר, the “Crown”.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">The divine infinite fulfillment satiates the divine infinite desire. </span></div><br />
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<h2>Desire Sharing</h2><br />
There is only one desire that God cannot fulfill in the highest world. Or more precisely, God does fulfill it, but this fulfillment requires and causes the lower worlds to come into existence.<br />
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This infinite desire of God includes a desire to be like the infinite fulfillment of God.<br />
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In other words, the receiver wants to also be a giver. The one who is loved wants to express love back, not just receive love, but reciprocate love. Just like the fulfiller is infinitely self-sharing, the desirer wants to be infinitely self-sharing too. Pure love.<br />
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However in the highest world, the receiver cannot become a giver because the giver already fulfills every need - infinitely, immediately, and completely. There is no room to give, sotospeak. No absence to fill.<br />
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The only way the fulfiller can fulfill the desire for sharing, is to stop fulfilling all desires except the desire for sharing.<br />
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Only in the absence of the fulfillment, can the desire for sharing find places and times to fulfill the still-unfulfilled desires.<br />
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Thus the lower worlds require the absence of blessings. The absence of light. Darkness. Emptiness. Chaos. This is the fabric of space of time.<br />
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In Kabala, Adonenu Rabi Yitskhak (Rabbi Isaac Luria), the “Ari”, coined the phrase Tsimtsum צִמְצוּם (often Tzimtzum). In means “constriction”, compressing something into a smaller space. By extension, it means “minimizing”, minimalism. It describes how God as the infinite fulfillment withdraws from God as the infinite desire. Thus the infinite light hides, causing a lowest world of infinite darkness. A terrifying infinite absence of God.<br />
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Into the lowest world, farthest from the fulfillment for all, where infinite desire suffers infinite deprivation, the fulfillment sends a thin ray of light. The “line” קַו . This light shining in the darkness is the fulfillment of the desire for sharing.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Constriction</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y6_uLsniScU/T6dSJBg8JMI/AAAAAAAAAIs/2gR8_PtGMUI/s1600/Vere%2B2011%2BConstriction%2BAll%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y6_uLsniScU/T6dSJBg8JMI/AAAAAAAAAIs/2gR8_PtGMUI/s400/Vere%2B2011%2BConstriction%2BAll%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Constriction: All. brakha.blogspot.com).<br />
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“Fulfill All” corresponds to the Sfira of Khakhma, “Sageness”.<br />
“Desire All” corresponds to the Sfira of Malkhut, “Kingship”.<br />
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These two infinite principles emanate from Keter, “Crown”,<br />
as the Desire for All separates from the Fulfillment for All,<br />
choosing deprivation rather than to continue to take without giving.<br />
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Tsimtsum means the “Constriction” (Minimization, Restriction, Reduction, Contraction).<br />
It corresponds to the location of Daat, “Knowledge”.<br />
Constriction refers to the process whereby space and time enables <br />
the infinite fulfillment to hide from the infinite desire.<br />
Where fulfillment is light, the absence of fulfillment is darkness. </span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EbfASt0c2M0/T6dSBH3xmLI/AAAAAAAAAIg/mbyyx7Mh_ho/s1600/Vere%2B2012%2BConstriction%2BSharing%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EbfASt0c2M0/T6dSBH3xmLI/AAAAAAAAAIg/mbyyx7Mh_ho/s400/Vere%2B2012%2BConstriction%2BSharing%2Bbrakha%2527blogspot%2527com.png" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Constriction: Sharing. brakha.blogspot.com).<br />
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The Constriction denies the fulfillment of any desire except the Desire for Sharing.<br />
Only the Desire for Sharing can receive fulfillment.<br />
The rest of the Desire for All remains unfulfilled unless<br />
humans make effors to fulfill them<br />
by means of sharing.<br />
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“Desire Sharing” corresponds to the Sfira of Bina, “Understanding”.<br />
“Fulfill Sharing” corresponds to the Sfira of Tiferet, “Adornment”.<br />
This is the fulfillment of the Desire for Sharing. <br />
The Fulfillment for Sharing is the only means to fulfill the Desire of All.<br />
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The Desire for Sharing is a subset of the Desire for All.<br />
Therefore the Desire for Sharing exists both <br />
above in Bina where it is pure sharing<br />
and below in Malkhut where it is part of all.<br />
As a human, below, makes an effort to fulfill the Desire for Sharing with others,<br />
the unity with the divine Desire for Sharing, above, makes Fulfillment happen.</span></div><br />
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<h2>Light Shining in the Darkness</h2><br />
From this line of light, everything in the lower world comes into being.<br />
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(This ancient concept of creation out of light anticipates the modern concept of the Big Bang.)<br />
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The light radiates and recombines to form all of the convolutions and permutations of everything that exists. It becomes the bewildering diversity of the physical universe.<br />
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This divine light is both “light” and “sight” - both energy and consciousness.<br />
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The light continues shining in the darkness to sustain the existence of the matter and consciousness entangling and structuring within the lowest world.<br />
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From this light humans come into existence. This light fulfills desires. This divine light is awareness, money, friendship, health, children, and so on, all that fulfills desire, including the desire to exist.<br />
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However, the light of this world can only fulfill the desire to share. From this light, humans derive their existence. But humans must use their existence to share. If a human use the blessings that one has to bless others, then the light intensifies with even more blessings shining into the universe. More sharing, more fulfillment, more love, more power, more success, more pleasure. However, if a human abuses ones blessings to fulfill ones own selfish needs only, the light shining into ones own experience of the universe dims. More predation, more need, more hate, more powerlessness, more failure, more pain. The resources of the selfish person eventually run dry, leaving empty darkness. <br />
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All the fulfillments besides sharing remain forever hidden.<br />
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In this lowest world, there is no way to fulfill the infinite desire except by means of sharing.<br />
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<h2>Sharing</h2><br />
In this lowest world, there is no way to fulfill the infinite desire except by means of sharing.<br />
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When a human has a little bit of light, and uses this light to share, with others who suffer darkness, then God sends that human even more light. Those who use the flashes of light for compassion and justice, and mercy, will gain even more light. Those who use the light for predation and injustice, and cruelty - even what they have will be taken away.<br />
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As more humans begin to share, more light, more power, more potential becomes available in this universe. The line of light intensifies, shining brighter and brighter, fulfilling eachothers desires.<br />
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<h2>God is One</h2><br />
The day will come - in a future “world that is coming” עוֹלָם הַבָּא - when sharing infinitely will fulfill the infinite desires for all. Thus the infinite fulfillment becomes fully present in the lowest world.<br />
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Thus at the culmination of this process of sharing, there will no longer be any difference between the highest world and the lowest world. They are the same.<br />
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<b>God will be One</b><br />
Tanakh: Zkarya 14'9<br />
(Jewish Bible: Zechariah)<br />
(Stein Atle Vere 2012. English Hyperliteral Translation.)<br />
(Hebrew. mechon-mamre.com)<br />
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And, God will be for a King over all of the Land.<br />
In that day,<br />
God will be one, <br />
and the Name of [God] one.<br />
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וְהָיָה יְהוָה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל-כָּל-הָאָרֶץ<br />
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא<br />
יִהְיֶה יְהוָה אֶחָד<br />
וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד<br />
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Within the fabric of space and time, there “will be” in the future a time when there is no difference between the lowest world of “the Land” of infinite desire, and the highest world of the “King”.<br />
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Humans will achieve the power to transcend the fabric of space of time, to become infinite. This is the great resurrection, the life of the world that is coming. Humans only achieve this by means of sharing, of using ones own power to empower others - to empower eachother - in the most optimal ways possible.<br />
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By means of human efforts, God will become one.<br />
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“God” as fulfillment and “the Name” of God as desire will become indistinguishable from each other. One.<br />
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Actually, this divine “King” is only the light of this world, shining in the darkness of this world. But human sharing intensifies this light. “In that day”, the process of sharing will grow to fulfill all needs. No darkness will remain anywhere in the infinite desire. All light. Therefore, by means of human efforts to share, there will no longer be any difference between the light shining in this world and the infinite light shining in the higher worlds.<br />
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The fulfillment for sharing will become the same as the fulfillment for all.<br />
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In this way, by means of humans, the divine desire for sharing becomes able to fulfill the infinite desire for all. Thus the receiver of love becomes able to be the giver of love.<br />
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Also, the giver of love becomes able to become the receiver of love.<br />
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Humanity participates in both the infinite desire who receives and eventually the infinite fulfillment who gives. The very existence of a human - the energy and consciousness - is a fulfillment of the divine desire. Yet this divine fulfillment - as a human within fabric of space and time - becomes able to feel need and receive love. Reciprocally, the giver becomes a receiver.<br />
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Thus by means of the process of human efforts to share - God - the infinite desire and the infinite fulfillment become one and the same.<br />
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By means of this process within the fabric of space and time - the loved loves and the lover is loved. One absolute infinite love. Divine oneness. Divine simplicity.<br />
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Of course, God is infinite, utterly beyond the fabric of space and time. In the highest world, from the perspective of God, this process has already completed. The work of sharing is done. God is already one. God is already loving and loved. God never changes.<br />
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<h2>God Is Perfect</h2><br />
God is beyond the limitations of space and time. God is already perfect. But it is precisely this perfection of God that causes an imperfect world to come into existence.<br />
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Humans will eventually perfect this world. Thus humans are part of what makes God perfect.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-19165484823119598922012-04-29T20:45:00.001-04:002012-05-07T04:10:02.349-04:00Kabala: While on One Foot(Stein Atle Vere 2012. Kabala: While on One Foot. brakha.blogspot.com).<br />
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The Torá תּוֹרָה (often Torah) is the sacred scroll that forms the first five books of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible). The study of the Tora expands to include the sacred texts that apply and explain the Tora, the rest of the Tanakh, Mishna, Talmud, and so on. In its widest sense, Tora is synonymous with Yahadut (Judaism), a comprehensive spiritual heritage and way of life. During the Classical Age, the sage Hilel (Hillel) defines the essence of Tora. “It that is hateful on you, you will not do it to your companion.” This teaching summarizes the essence of the Tora legal tradition. It also summarizes the essence of the Tora spiritual tradition, Kabalá קַבַּלָה (Kabbalah).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Tree of Life</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nH_1IwFCoRo/T53hw_1lToI/AAAAAAAAAE4/WxbeeB0lEWg/s1600/Kabala+on+one+foot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nH_1IwFCoRo/T53hw_1lToI/AAAAAAAAAE4/WxbeeB0lEWg/s320/Kabala+on+one+foot.png" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Kabala while Standing on One Foot. brakha.blogspot.com).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Here the Tree of Life that comprises the Ten Sfirot (Sepherot) of Kabala (Kabbalah) maps out a teaching by Hilel (Hillel),<br />
who sumarizes “all of the Tora (Torah)” into a single sentence.<br />
What Hilel says is the essence of all of the Tora, is likewise the essence of all of Kabala.</span></div><div align="center"></div><br />
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<h2>Kabala is Tora</h2><br />
Kabala is an aspect of the study of the Tora. Kabala is Yhudi spirituality. It literally means the “reception”, being an area of Tora study that each generation receives from the previous generation.<br />
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Tora tends to cluster into three areas of study: Halakha (Halachah), Agada (Aggadah), and Kabala (Kabbalah).<br />
• Halakha is the “way” of life, the Yhudi legal tradition.<br />
• Agada is the “tale” of life, the Yhudi narrative tradition.<br />
• Kabala is the “reception” of life, the Yhudi spiritual tradition.<br />
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<h2>The Essence of the Tora</h2><br />
The book of the Talmud Bavli (Babylonian Talmud) reports an incident concerning the ancient sage, Hilel (Hillel). He then summarizes the essence of the Tora. A man challenges the teachers of the Tora to explain the entirety of the Tora culture within a reasonably short amount of time, while he as a listener can remain standing on one foot.<br />
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<b>All of the Tora while standing on one foot</b><br />
(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Hyperliteral translation, Hebrew and italic Aramaic: Talmud Bavli, Seder Moed, Msakhat Shabat 31a. brakha.blogspot.com):<br />
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Again, an (other) deed:<br />
In (the deed of) one (Nonjewish) foreigner that came before (the sage) Shamai.<br />
(The foreigner) said to him:<br />
Make me a resident (adopting me into the kinship of Yisrael) on condition that you teach me all of the Tora, all of it, as I am standing on one foot.<br />
(Shamai) pushed him (over) by the cubit (measuring stick) of the building, that is in his hand.<br />
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(The foreigner) came before (the sage) Hilel.<br />
<i> (Hilel) made him a resident.</i><br />
(Hilel) said to him:<br />
<i> (It) that is hateful on you, you will not do (it) to your companion.</i><br />
This (teaching), it is all of the Tora, all of it.<br />
And all-else (in the Tora), it is (detail) explaining it.<br />
<i> Go conclude (the explanations, learning them by heart).</i><br />
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שוב מעשה<br />
בנכרי אחד שבא לפני שמאי<br />
א"ל<br />
גיירני<br />
ע"מ שתלמדני כל התורה כולה כשאני עומד על רגל אחת<br />
דחפו באמת הבנין שבידו<br />
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בא לפני הלל<br />
<i>גייריה</i><br />
אמר לו<br />
<i>דעלך סני לחברך לא תעביד</i><br />
זו היא כל התורה כולה<br />
ואידך פירושה הוא<br />
<i>זיל גמור</i><br />
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The text is originally and mostly in Hebrew. But the Talmud adds comments in Aramaic, and translates the saying by Hilel into what is already a famous rendition of the saying in Aramaic. <br />
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Whatever you hate to happen to you, dont do to others.<br />
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<h2>The Essence of Kabala</h2><br />
This saying that summarizes the essence of all of the Tora, is therefore also the essence of all of Kabala. Kabala is a subset of the study of the Tora.<br />
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Kabala (Jewish spirituality) is about what a person actually “does”. It is a spirituality of physical actions.<br />
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Moreover, Kabala is about what one “doesnt do”. Only certain actions have merit, those that make the world a better place. One must avoid actions that worsen the world.<br />
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It is easy to see, striving to do good actions is spiritually good.<br />
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Less obvious, refusing to do bad actions is in some ways more spiritually vital. Altho avoiding the bad actions seems like only a minimal requirement, it is a prerequisite for a community of people who are doing good actions, mutually, in a sustainable and expanding way. Bad actions disrupt the ability of the community to function. Thus even if one does good actions less often, simply avoiding bad actions is still making a real effort to maintain the good activity of a community. What the community can do cooperatively is powerful, far more powerful than the sum of the good actions that each individual can do separately.<br />
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The general rule for deciding which actions to do and which actions to avoid, is using ones own experience. What does one desire to happen to oneself? Generally, one should do the equivalent for others. What does one hate to happen to oneself? Generally, one should stop oneself from doing equivalent to others.<br />
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This general rule is all of Kabala. ALL of it. The rest of Kabala is just commentary that goes into more detail.<br />
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<h2>Tikun Olam</h2><br />
Whatever actions a human does to others, the universe eventually does the equivalent actions back to that human doer.<br />
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Kabala emphasizes how God creates, sustains, and maintains the universe in such away that the universe itself responds in kind. When a doer does an abundance of deeds to fulfill the desires of others, helping others become able to share, then the universe reciprocates in kind. The universe ensures an abundance of deeds happen to the doer to fulfill the doers desires to share. In other words, the doer experiences even more blessings while making an effort to share those blessings with others.<br />
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Oppositely, when a doer does actions to fulfill ones own desires in a predatory way that is hateful to other humans, this lack of sharing shuts off the blessings that is to flow toward others. Likewise, the universe itself responds in kind, to ensure a cessation of the flow of blessings toward the predator. Eventually the resources of the predator dry up.<br />
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Often this universal principle is called “karma” from the Hindu tradition. Kabala calls it Tikun Olam תיקון עולם , “the Restoration of the World”. The world is currently incomplete and requires humans to do sharing actions in order to restore it to its fully beatific potential. As individuals bless the universe, the universe likewise blesses the individuals.<br />
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The Tikun (Restoration) is a slow process requiring many humans across thousands of years. The Tikun culminates in the Days of Mashiakh (Messianic Era). Beyond that era of compassion, the Tikun will culminate in a mode of reality beyond what humans can currently imagine.<br />
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Each human makes the world a better place when making an effort to do desirable actions - and making an effort to avoid doing hateful actions.<br />
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<h2>The Greatest Desire of All</h2><br />
Surprisingly, we also desire the frustration of desires.<br />
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The frustrations of desire are death, poverty, isolation, disability, childlessness, and so on. The lack of blessings is opportunities built into the world. In the absence of a blessing, each individual can become a blessing. Where someone is poor, one can make an effort to share money with that person. Where someone endures a disability, one can make an effort to assist and accommodate that person. And so on.<br />
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By fulfilling the desires of others, we become as God. God fulfills desires.<br />
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It is easy to understand the concept of God as one that is “powerful”. Actually, the concept of God is one that “bestows compassionate actions” גומל חסדים . The power has no purpose except to fulfill the compassionate desires of others.<br />
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The desire to become as God is the greatest desire of all - and the reason this universe comes into existence in the first place.<br />
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<h2>Mirror</h2><br />
The activity of Tikun Olam is evident in the “tale” about Hilel and Shamai.<br />
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This Non-Yhudi (Nonjewish) student wants to become a “resident” among the doers of the Tora, the Yhudi (Jewish) community. But his actions are mixed. On the one hand, he wants to understand the Tora and become part of the life of the Tora - good efforts. On the other hand, he lacks patience and seriousness - these are less good here.<br />
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Likewise, the universe itself mirrors his physical efforts back at him with the same mixed results. Via Shamai, the universe responds to him with impatience and lack of seriousness. Afterward, the student makes a special effort to muster some persistence. Via Hilel, the universe itself responds to him in kind, and patiently and seriously fulfills his desire.<br />
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On principle, Shamai greets every human with a friendly welcoming face. When Shamai pushes the man away with a “cubit” measuring stick, it isnt to be cruel. This a method of teaching. Putting the teaching prop into words, by the exact same measure of the hateful action that this man does - in this case expressing a lack of patience and seriousness - the universe mirrors back the same amount - in this case occassioning experiences that also lack patience and seriousness.<br />
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To the mans merit, he takes the lesson to heart and avoids taking personal offense. Instead, he makes an extra effort to become a resident among the Yhudim (Jews). Because of this, the universe blesses his efforts, and he finds Hilel who is known for his compassion and insight. Hilel succeeds in sharing the Tora in a way that can fulfill this mans desires.<br />
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Notice, the mans desires remain the same. He still wants to know the Tora in brief. But in this case, he channels his desires thru active efforts that no longer express impatience and unseriousness. Instead, his actions express his desire for deep insight so as to make sense of the bewildering details of the culture of the Tora.<br />
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<h2>Foreign Resident</h2><br />
According to Tora, the concept of “conversion” sotospeak is more like becoming a resident or even a citizen in another country. In the case of the Tora, the resident becomes a member of an ancient tribal kinship system. There are two different kinds of resident. (Often it is ambiguous which one is meant.) There is the “inhabiting resident” גר תושב , this is a Non-Yhudi (Nonjew) who lives as a member of a Yhudi (Jewish) community. Such person does the basic requirements of the Tora, namely the Laws of Noakh, including trusting God and doing general principles of good actions. This one remains Non-Yhudi. Note, only Yhudim (Jews) need to do the rest of the Tora, such as keeping kosher. An inhabiting resident can affiliate with the Yhudi community in any number of ways, intimately by marriage, distantly by mutual alliances, and so on. Now the other kind of resident, sotospeak, is an “altruist resident” גר צדיק . In this case, the altruism refers to the love for the Tora to the point of self-identification. This member of the Yhudi community formally becomes a Yhudi, and takes on all of the cultural activities that the Tora requires Yhudim to do and to not do. Such a person is truly Yhudi and is actually no longer a Non-Yhudi. In either case, the resident is a member of the spiritual community, is part of Am Yisrael (the kinship of Israel), and the active presence of God dwells among them, and inside them.<br />
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<h2>Tree of Life</h2><br />
Look at the “map” of Kabala (the illustration near the top of this post). It is a map of the spiritual states that the Tora alludes to and that the study of the Tora discovers. Kabala calls this map, the Tree of Life עץ חיים . The map has ten circles. Each circle represents a Sfira סְפִירָה (Sephirah), a distinctive spiritual state. The word Sfira literally means a “numbering”, and refers to the ability to count different ways that God interfaces the universe, despite God Godself being One. This numbering only applies to within the diversity of the creation of the universe. Of course, without creation, there is no numbering. The Tree of Life is a “theory of everything”, mapping out the states of the spiritual journey, the states of the existence of the universe, the ways God engages the universe at different states, and everything else really.<br />
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The context is, a sage summarizes the whole Tora briefly within the amount of time that a student can remain “standing on one foot”. Here four Sfirot (Sephiroth) gain emphasis to map out the Tora in brief:<br />
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• “Compassion” חסד (the one doing good deeds) on the right, <br />
• “Overpowering” גבורה (the one not doing bad deeds) on the left,<br />
• “Adornment” תפארת (“Do”: the one doing deeds wisely in balance) in the center,<br />
• “Kingship” מלכות (“Desire”: the desire for deeds) below the three, is the physical world where deeds happen.<br />
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Notice, the possible deeds from above fulfill the desire below. Desire motivates action.<br />
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Technically, the word “all” כל in the phrase “all of the Tora” כל התורה corresponds to an additional Sfira in the map, the one in between Adornment saying “Do” and Kingship saying “Desire”. This is “Foundation” יסוד that channels the flow of possible actions above into the physical world below. Nevertheless, the four Sfirot around this one constitute the essence of the Tora.<br />
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While there are other spiritual states in this map - plus an endless sea of profound yet encrypted insights - the essence of Kabala is these four spiritual states. These four Sfirot organize and structure the rest of the ten.<br />
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The physical universe is also called the world of “Doing” עְַשִׂיָּה , where the activities - the “deeds” - happen. However the world of the “Doer” עֹשֶׂה - the one who does these actions - is at a higher spiritual state. This Doer is God. The actions within the physical universe are God revealing Godself by means of what are ultimately compassionate activities. (If we ask why does the universe exist rather than not exist, this fundamental axiom of abundance, of simply existing in the first place, is an aspect of the Compassion of God.) <br />
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But this “Doer” can also be each and every human individually - as a spiritual being - who freely does desirable actions and refuses to do hateful actions.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-47607234425538484712012-04-20T13:56:00.001-04:002012-04-23T17:38:33.655-04:00Seventh Day<h1>Seventh Day</h1><br />
(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Seventh Day. brakha.blogspot.com).<br />
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In the opening chapters of the Tora Scroll (the first five books of the Jewish Bible), the Book of Breshit (Genesis) says:<br />
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God made this universe in six days, “and, desisted” וַיִּשְׁבֹּת on the seventh day. The name of this seventh day is Shabat שַׁבָּת , meaning a “desistance” from doing an activity, whether a cessation or an interruption.<br />
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“And, Divineships blessed the seventh day. And, (Divineships) made it holy.”<br />
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On this seventh day, God desists from doing those “tasks” of God מְלַאכְתּוֹ that are necessary to maintain the blessing and the holiness of creation. By the seventh day everything becomes able to receive blessing. God sets this seventh day aside, dedicating it for holiness, marking it as different from the rest of the seven days.<br />
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The rest of the Tora Scroll (being the first five books of the Jewish Bible) reinforces the holiness of these days. These days comprise a week in the calendar, a cycle of a time of seven days. Every seventh day manifests the blessing and holiness of the primal seventh day. The Book of Shmot (Exodus) says: <br />
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<h2>Rested in the Seventh Day</h2>(Shmot 31'17. English translation from Hebrew: Vere 2012).<br />
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Six days you will serve.<br />
And, you will do all of your tasks.<br />
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And a day − the seventh − is Shabat (that belongs) to your Divineships.<br />
You will not do each task.<br />
- Yourself and your son and your daughter, <br />
- Your servant, your maid, <br />
- And your cattle, <br />
- And the (foreign) resident in your gates.<br />
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Because six days God did the heavens and the land - the sea - and all that is in them.<br />
And, (God) rested in the seventh day.<br />
On (account of) thus, God blessed the day of the Shabat.<br />
And, (God) made it holy.<br />
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שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד<br />
וְעָשִׂיתָ כָּל מְלַאכְתֶּך<br />
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וְיוֹם , הַשְּׁבִיעִי − שַׁבָּת , לי״הוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ<br />
לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָל מְלָאכָה<br />
אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ , עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ וּבְהֶמְתֶּךָ , וְגֵרְךָ , אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ<br />
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כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה י״הוה אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם<br />
וַיָּנַח , בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי <br />
עַל כֵּן , בֵּרַךְ י״הוה אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת − וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ<br />
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According to the Pshat פְּשָׁט (“plain meaning”), God created during the six days and “rested” וַיָּנַח in the seventh day, Shabat.<br />
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Note, the first day of the week specifically corresponds to Sunday in the common calendar, and the seventh day corresponds to Saturday.<br />
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In Saturday, God rests.<br />
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God blesses the seventh day - because - in it God rests.<br />
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God makes the seventh day holy - because - by means of this day, God is able to rest.<br />
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God rests.<br />
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Am Yisrael (the Kinship of Israel) participates in this blessing and in this holiness when they likewise rest on the seventh day.<br />
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God rests because on the seventh day, humans become fully able to participate in the blessing and holiness of God. God does not need to “do” anything.<br />
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Shabat Shalom.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-33147187009407654562012-04-16T00:59:00.000-04:002012-05-01T21:48:57.629-04:00Timeline from Moshe(Stein Atle Vere. ©2012. Timeline from Moshe. brakha.blogspot.com).<br />
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<h1>TIMELINE FROM MOSHE</h1><br />
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<b>TORA TIMELINE</b><br />
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Tora divides chronology into the following ages:<br />
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• From Creation<br />
• From Adam<br />
• From Noakh (Noah)<br />
• From Avraham (Abraham)<br />
• From Moshe (Moses)<br />
• From David<br />
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This post examines the Age from Moshe.<br />
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<b>TIMELINE FROM MOSHE</b><br />
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<b><i>Middle Bronze Period</i></b><br />
(−1590) Moshe Period<br />
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<b><i>Late Bronze Period</i></b><br />
(−1500) Early Shoftim Period<br />
(−1348) Middle Shoftim Period<br />
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<b><i>Early Iron Period</i></b><br />
(−1193) Late Shoftim Period<br />
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<b><i>Late Iron Period</i></b><br />
(−1009) Early Bet David Period<br />
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<b>YEARS −1550 AND −930</b><br />
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brakha.blogspot.com presents speculative research, toward a hypothesis that archeology can confirm or disconfirm.<br />
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It lists dates for events according to the textual record of the Tanákh תַּנַּ״ךְ (Jewish Bible) in a way that coheres with the current scientific understanding of the archeological record.<br />
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All of the Tanakhí תַּנָּכִי dates organize around two absolute dates: roughly −1550 and precisely −930.<br />
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Year −1550 is when the town of Yrikhó יְרִיחוֹ (Jericho) falls, marking the return of the Tribes of Yisrael to the Land of Yisrael. Year −930 is when the Kingdom of Shomron secedes from the the Kingdom of Yrushalayim, dividing the Tribes of Yisrael into north and south.<br />
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Toward the end of these two dates, the tribes of Yisraél יִשְׂרָאֵל (Israel) gradually transition from a nomadic culture to a sedentary culture. The archeology corroborates this shift. From about about −1200 onward, pastoral nomads gradually build permanent villages. Typically these comprise the distinctive four-room houses that characterize the material culture of the Tribes of Yisrael across the entire Iron Age, from the −1100s to the −500s.<br />
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Finally, in light of the plausibility of these dates, the exodus of the Tribes of Yisrael from Mitsráyim מִצְרַיִם (Egypt) occurs about 40 years before the destruction of Yrikho. The Tanakh reports these many years for nomadic migrations in the wilderness between these two events.<br />
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Hence, the exodus occurs in Mitsrayim in year roughly −1590.<br />
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<b>(−1550) DESTRUCTION LAYER OF THE TOWN OF YRIKHO</b><br />
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Around this time in the Bronze Age, (I personally am confident), Yhoshua Bin Nun (Joshua Son of Nun) destroys the town of Yricho (Jericho). (Yhoshua 6'24). At least, this is the destruction layer that the Tanakh claims credit for.<br />
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Archeologically, this destruction layer (stratum city 4) dates to about −1550, from its pottery styles. (Kenyon 1957 1981). From the radiocarbon of its grain, it dates it to roughly −1541, ranging from −1560 to −1523. (Bruins, Plicht 1995) An alternative radiocarbon date is also possible that is earlier, roughly −1582. The later date seems preferable because it corroborates the pottery date. Hence roughly −1550.<br />
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Note, there is conflictive evidence that might date the destruction to later, during the −1400s. Some local pottery styles seem date to this time, as do some finds by Garstang, including a rare scarab of Pharaoh Hatshepsut not earlier than −1478. (Wood 1990 2009).<br />
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Some archeologists, including Bryant Wood concerning Yrikho and Kenneth Kitchen concerning Avaris in Egypt, emphasize irregularities in the calibration methods for the radiocarbon dates, thus continue to prioritize ceramic evidence.<br />
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Evidence suggesting a later date still requires a careful answer. For now, possibly there is a disturbance of the stratum, or the local pottery style originates in this locale, earlier than expected. Meanwhile surface evidence might suggest habitation at Yrikho during or soon after the −1400s, without necessarily associating with the destruction of Yrikho at a date of −1550.<br />
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Tentatively, brakha.blogspot.com accepts the majority opinion of roughly −1550 for the destruction of Yrikho, corresponding to the radiocarbon date.<br />
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This destruction layer at Yrikho evidences peculiarities that corroborate details in the story in the Tanakh. (Wood 1990).<br />
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• Remarkably, the western townwalls of Yrikho fall down, apparently due to an earthquake, thus corroborating the famous report of the townwalls “came tumbling down”.<br />
• The attackers enter the breach.<br />
• There are homes built up against the townwalls from the inside. The Tanakh reports a prostitute who assists Yisrael lives in such a home.<br />
• It is spring, just after the harvest with large amounts of grain. The Tanakh times the destruction to just after the spring festival of Pesakh.<br />
• Unusually, the attackers destroyed the grain totally, rather than using it, suggesting a sacred destruction.<br />
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It seems clear, this is the destruction layer that the Tanakh describes. It associates with the Days of Yhoshua Bin Nun.<br />
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Soon afterward, Yhoshua destroys the town of Khatsor (Hazor). (Yhoshua 11'11).<br />
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Likewise, archeology dates a destruction layer at Khatsor (stratum 16 and lower city 3) to roughly −1540, contemporary with the destruction of Yrikho. (Yadin 1969, Dever 1992).<br />
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The archeological evidence tentatively supports attributing the destructions in Yrikho about −1550 and soon after in Khatsor about −1540, to Yisrael during the Days of Yhoshua.<br />
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<b>(−930) DIVISION: YRUSHALAYIM (JERUSALEM) AND SHOMRON (SAMARIA)</b><br />
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The chronology of the Bet David Period (Davidic Dynasty Period) coheres precisely to the synchronicities with the choronology of Ashur (Assyria). (Thiele 1965, McFall 1991, 2008, Finegan 1998). Accordingly, during the Iron Age, in year −930, the Kingdom of Yisrael falls to civil war. The Kingdom of Shomron (Samaria) in the north secedes from the Kingdom of Yrushalayim (Jerusalem) to the south.<br />
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By extension, before the division, Shlomo Ha'Melekh (Solomon the King) begins his reign in −969 about forty years before this. And David Ha'Melekh begins his reign in about −1009 about forty years before him. The kingdom of David and Shlomo succeeds in uniting all twelve tribes of Yisrael. Notably, in about −966 in the fourth year of Shlomo, Yisrael begins construction of Bet Ha'Mikdash (the House of the Holy Place) (the Temple) in Yrushalayim.<br />
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<b>DAYS OF THE SHOFTIM</b><br />
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Between these two absolute dates, −1550 and −930, spans the chronology according to the Book of Shoftim (Judges) and the Books of Shmuel (Samuel 1 and 2). The succession of the reigns of the Shoftim (Judges) lacks anchors, allowing a loose chronology. But simply stretching the reigns between these two dates - without intellectual gymnastics - produces dates that cover this timespan naturally.<br />
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The “precision” is about the same as that of the Dynasty 18 in Mitsrayim (Egypt), who are contemporaries of this timespan. Certain squences of Shoftim and Pharaohs can “slide” later or earlier upto about decade, without too much disruption, if necessary to accommodate absolute dates still awaiting discovery.<br />
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<b>CHRONOLOGY OF BOTH TANAKH AND ARCHEOLOGY</b><br />
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The dates here in brakha.blogspot.com are plausible, both for cohering to the evidence of the Tanakh and for explaining the archeological evidence.<br />
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<b>SHELVING THE 480 YEARS</b><br />
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Traditional scholars of the Tanakh might notice: I ignore the “480 years” between the Ytsiya and the fourth year of Shlomo. (Melakhim-1 6'1).<br />
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The scholars of the Tanakh - whether classical, medieval, or modern - seem to fixate on this verse because of its simplicity. And to avoid the complexity and obscurity of other years elsewhere. Nevertheless, the emerging archeology suggests the traditional understanding of this 480 years is improbable. Meanwhile the lists of years elsewhere in the Tanakh during this same timespan, require more time. This longer time agrees with the archeological record.<br />
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According to the timeline here in brakha.blogspot.com: <br />
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Rather than 480 years, there are roughly 594 years between the Ytsiya and the fourth year of Shlomo. About a 114 years longer.<br />
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Ancient Yisrael can and do keep track of long periods of time. The sacred farming calendar marks the cycles of the Shmita (year of fallow) every seventh year. Moreover the calendar marks the Yuval (jubilee) every seventh Shmita, every forty-ninth year. Thus every two of these 49-year cycles can count off almost a century.<br />
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I suspect the report of 480 years “from the going out from Mitsrayim” are a meaningful number. I dont know what it means. Possibly Yisrael is somehow not “completely” out of Mitsrayim until this time. Are there Yisreli caravans still returning to Mitsrayim for trade during the reign of Thutmose 3? Or possibly Yisrael is unable to start the farming cycle of the Shmita until this time, and in this sense is not “completely” in the Land, thus not completely out of Mitsrayim? I allow the number 480 to remain “difficult”. Both the archeological evidence and the weight of the numbers elsewhere in the Tanakh seem to require more time, over a century more, than the simplistic 480 seems to suggest.<br />
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<b>YISRAEL VERSUS HYKSOS</b><br />
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This chronology here distinguishes between two separate groups: the tribes of Yisrael versus the royal Hyksos.<br />
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In about −1549, Pharaoh Ahmose 1 from Upper Egypt conquers Lower Egypt, the Nile delta. He founds his Dynasty 18 and thus begins the New Kingdom Period.<br />
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Eventually in about −1540, Ahmose expels the Hyksos, the former Pharaoh of Lower Egypt and his courtiers. Until this time, Ahmose is sieging their capital, trapping the Hyksos inside their townwalls. The Hyksos flee to the town of Sharuhen, while Ahmose pursues them, and defeats them there.<br />
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Happily, archeology has an account of the expulsion of the Hyksos by an eyewitness. One of the warriors who participates in the campaign of Pharaoh Ahmose against the Hyksos, is also called Ahmose. Ahmose Son of Ebana (his mother) (his father is Baba) writes his autobiography on the wall of his tomb, for posterity. Despite both groups being Amu (from the Land of Yisrael) who flee Mitsrayim, surely the description of the Hyksos in this mural has no relation to the Tribes of Yisrael in the Tora. These are separate events.<br />
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Tentatively, according to the chronology here, the nomadic tribes of Yisrael already flee from Mitsrayim, in about year −1590, decades before Ahmose ever takes control of Lower Egypt.<br />
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Unfortunately, this date happens to fall into the Second Intermediate Period in Egypt, somewhat of a “dark age”. At this time, the sequence of Pharaohs remains uncertain both for Dynasty 17 of Upper Egypt and for Dynasty 15 of Lower Egypt.<br />
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Thus it is difficult to identify which Pharaoh most likely relates to the sacred tradition of Ha'Ytsiya Mi'Mitsrayim (the going out from Egypt), that the Tora records.<br />
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On the other hand, the scarcity of evidence from this period in Egypt, might also explain the difficulty with finding textual inscriptions that mention Moshe or other members of Yisrael by name.<br />
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Even so, archeological evidence demonstrates a vibrant presence of foreigners who come from the Land of Yisrael, who the Egyptians call Amu and Shasu. Not least among them are the Hyksos themselves. Thus the presence of Yisrael fits the milieu of this time.<br />
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<b>LIVE IN TENTS</b><br />
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Important to understanding the archeological record, the ancient tribes of Yisrael (Israel) are nomads.<br />
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In the beginning of the Late Bronze Period, the aboriginal Tribes of Yisrael return to their Land of Yisrael, the Land of their sacred ancestors. Even then, they continue to live as nomads. They live in tents.<br />
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They still appear to read and write, and transmit a cultural sophistication that is intimate with urban environments. Nevertheless, their ancient way of life since the Days of Avrahám אַבְרָהָם (Abraham) persist. They transmit a culture of pastoral seminomads, who herd sheep and goats, and periodically rest to farm. The Tribes of Yisrael continue to wander the Land of Yisrael as tent-dwellers for centuries.<br />
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In the Early Iron Period, from about year −1175, Yiftakh Ha'Shofet (Jephtah the Judge) appears to be the first person among the Kinship of Yisrael, that the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) specifies as living in a “house”. His daughter comes out of the “door” of his house. (Shoftim 11'31, 34). His rivals threaten to burn his house down with him in it. (12'1).<br />
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Upto this time, references to a “house” virtually always mean, “house of a father” - Bet Av - meaning not a physical structure, but rather the nuclear family. The word “house” means all the children, spouses, guests, and servants who journey with and live under the authority of the “father”. In Hebrew, the word “house” Bayit בַּיִת (also in the form Bet) relates etymologically with the words “son” Ben בֵּן and “daughter” Bat בַּת , all in the sense of “building up” the family.<br />
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Only later, does this word “house” come to mean primarily a physical building, as the Tribes of Yisrael gradually abandon their nomadic traditions, and settle in permanent structures, building villages, then towns with town walls.<br />
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In the Early Iron Period, from roughly −1175, archeology identifies a massive shift in the material culture. Pastoral nomads who roam the Land for centuries, begin to settle down and to build the “four-room houses” that come to exemplify the presence of the Tribes of Yisrael across the entire Iron Age.<br />
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“The emergence of Israel begins at the end of the thirteenth century BCE [−1325] and culminates in about 1000 BCE [−1000]. ... Evidence from both excavations and archaeological surveys suggests a process whereby pastoral tribes already inhabiting Canaan [the Land of Yisrael] grew in number and began to settle down. In time, they built impressive cities in the Shephelah, inland valleys, and highlands, the latter being the region with which Israelites are traditionally associated.” (Golden 2004).<br />
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Despite increasingly adopting town life, most of Yisrael continue to live as nomads in tents. Social processes on the other side of the River of Ha'Yarden (Jordan), similarly produce “kings of the nomads”, among Moav, Bne Amon, and Edom. (Labianca, Younker 1995). These nomadic but increasingly sedentary tribal kingoms centralize their authority to group their military numbers together. Thus they better defend their way of life against the military power of the bureaucratic township states, as well as against rival nomads. A curious feature of the Bronze Age is the coexistence of pastoral nomads and urban elites, in addition to farmers. This complex population persists to some degree thru much of the Iron Age too. The emergence of Shaul, David, and even Shlomo probably represent this “King of the nomads” phenomenon among Yisrael<br />
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Even by the time of David Ha'Melekh (David the King) near the start of the Middle Iron Period, most of Yisrael still appears to be living in tents.<br />
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<h1>Timeline</h1><br />
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<h3>MIDDLE BRONZE PERIOD</h3><br />
<h3>(−1590) Days of Moshe Ha'Navi (Moses the Prophet)</h3>(For 40 years in the wildernesses)<br />
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(−1590) Ytsiya Mi'Mitsrayim (Going out from Egypt)<br />
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<h3>LATE BRONZE PERIOD</h3><br />
<h3>(−1550) Days of Yhoshua Bin Nun (Joshua Son of Nun)</h3>(For probably about 25 years) (Yhoshua 24'29)<br />
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(−1550) Khurban Yrikho (Destruction of the town of Jericho)<br />
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(−1540) Khurban Khatsor (Destruction of the town of Hazor)<br />
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<b>Estimate the timelength of Yhoshua</b><br />
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According to the Tanakh, Yhoshua Bin Nun is probably about 45 years old at the time of the Ytsiya, then about 85 years old at the destruction of Yrikho, and is said to die at the great age of 110 years old. (Yhoshua 24'29, Shoftim 2'8). Thus his reign as a prophet is from the time of Yrikho for life, about 25 years, while on the Land of Yisrael.<br />
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Arriving at this timespan, his contemporary, Kalev Ben Yfune, is 40 years old at the time of the Ytsiya. (Yhoshua 14'6-7). Kalev outlives Yhoshua. However Kalev is unlikely to live as long as 110, like Yhoshua does. Tho he seems to come close. Therefore, Yhoshua is probably older than Kalev.<br />
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On the other hand, Yhoshua cant be too much older. When Kalev is 40, Moshe sends both he and Yhoshua out as military scouts. So both are the age of a warriors. Yhoshua seems about 45, possibly 50, while on this mission.<br />
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Therefore later, the Days of Yhoshua on the Land of Yisrael are probably about 25 years, possibly 20.<br />
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<h3>(−1525) Days of the Zkenim (Elders)</h3>(Probably for about 25 years) (Yhoshua 24'31, Shoftim 2'7)<br />
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<b>Estimate the timelength of the Zkenim</b><br />
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After the Days of Yhoshua Bin Nun, his younger contemporaries live out a full generation after his death. If they are as young as 20 years old, taking military orders from Yhoshua at the beginning of his reign, then they are about 45 at the time of his death. Likely some of them live on as Zkenim, tribal “elders”, to be about 70 years old. Hence about 25 years after the death of Yhoshua.<br />
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Thus the Days of the Zkenim are about 25 years.<br />
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Later, the first Shofet (Judge) is Atniel Ben Knaz. Probably it is his father Knaz who is the youngest “brother of Kalev”. (Shoftim 3'10). Thus the Days of Yhoshua are one generation, the Days of the Zkenim are the next generation, including Knaz the youngest brother of Kalev. Finally, Atniel the son of Knaz is in the next generation after that, who begins the Early Shoftim Period.<br />
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<h3>(−1500) Early Shoftim Period</h3>(For 146 years total)<br />
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(−1500) Oppression by Aram<br />
(For 8 years) (Shoftim 3'8)<br />
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(−1492) Days of Atniel Ben Knaz<br />
(For 40 years) (Shoftim 3'11)<br />
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(−1452) Oppression by Moav<br />
(For 18 years) (Shoftim 3'14)<br />
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(−1434) Days of Ehud Ben Gera<br />
(For 80 years) (Shoftim 3'30)<br />
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<h3>(−1354) Days of Shamgar Ben Anat (Shamgar Son of Anat)</h3>(For possibly about 6 years, an interruption in the timeline)<br />
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<b>Uncertain Provenance of Shamgar</b><br />
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The Book of Shoftim (Judges) mentions Shamgar between two extensive sequences of oppressions and liberations. Apparently Shamgar flourishes “after” the eighty years of peace of Ehud, but ambiguously before the next sequence of Shoftim, starting with the oppression by Khatsor (Hazor). If so, there are several ways to reconstruct a chronology from these two separate timelines. Possibly, he signifies an unspecified amount of time between the two sequences. Seemingly, he stands for both an era of oppression by the Plishtim (Philistines), and then an era of freedom following his heroic victory.<br />
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<b>Proto Plishtim</b><br />
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In the context of Shamgar, these “Plishtim” probably refer anachronistically to the aborigines that already live in the southern Land of Yisrael. They preexist the immigration of the Plishtim. But these Plishtim merge with these aboriginal communities, and come to define the self-identity of these aborigines. By extension, the preexisting aborigines, being the inhabitants of the territory of the Plishtim and part of the identity of the Plishtim, also come to be called “Plishtim”. Hence “Proto Plishtim” sotospeak.<br />
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As early as the Middle Bronze Age, Avraham visits aborigines that the scribes call “Plishtim”. (B'Reshit 20'1, 21'34, 26'1). These early Plishtim specifically come from the town of Grar.<br />
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<h3>(−1348) Middle Shoftim Period</h3>(For 155 years total)<br />
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(−1348) Oppression by Khatsor (Hazor)<br />
(20 years) (Shoftim 4'3)<br />
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(−1328) Days of Dvora Ha'Navia Ha'Shofta (Deborah the Prophet the Judge)<br />
(For 40 years) (Shoftim 5'31)<br />
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(−1288) Oppression by Midyan (Midian)<br />
(For 7 years) (Shoftim 6'1)<br />
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(−1281) Days of Gidon Yrubaal (Gideon, also known as Jerubaal)<br />
(For 40 years) (Shoftim 5'31)<br />
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(−1241) Days of Avimelekh Ben Yrubaal<br />
(For 3 years) (Shoftim 9'22)<br />
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(−1238) Days of Tola Ben Pua<br />
(For 23 years) (Shoftim 10'2)<br />
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(−1215) Days of Yair Ha'Giladi<br />
(For 22 years) (Shoftim 10'3)<br />
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<b>Proto Iron Age</b><br />
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Iron artifacts exist during the Bronze Age, long before the socalled Iron Age.<br />
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Iron artifacts come into existence experimentally and sporatically, including from the high-quality iron of meteorites. Since the Early Bronze Age, especially northwestern Turkey is known for ironwork. (Weeks, Leichester 1968, Sarna 1989). The Tora mentions “Tuval Kayin the Forger, (the father of) each artificer חֹרֵשׁ of bronze נְחֹשֶׁת and iron בַּרְזֶל .” (B'Reshit 4'23). This epynomous ancestor corresponds roughly to the Bronze Age culture relating to the town of Tuval in Turkey. In Iraq, variants of this townname likewise come to mean “metalworker” in Akkadian (tabura, tabira) and in Sumerian (tibira, dibira). (Sarna 1989). Later, the Empire of Hatti in northern Turkey achieves a reliable technology for smelting iron for industrial use, from roughly −1400 onward. (Weeks, Leichester 1968).<br />
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Via caravans across the traderoutes, nomadic Yisrael occasionally acquire iron tools. The famous mural in the tomb at Beni Hasan in Mitsrayim, portrays nomadic Amu with their donkey transporting a bellow, suggesting the possibility of ironwork in the −1800s. Iron tools are known, albeit rare and precious. The Tora mentions the presence of iron among bronze and tin, and these metals alongside gold and silver. (B'Midbar 32'22).<br />
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Possibly Yisrael acquires iron smelting technology, in the Early Iron Period. (Kurinsky 1994). <br />
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<b>Iron in Khatsor</b><br />
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Before the Iron Age, tentatively abound the same era as Dvora Ha'Shofta (Deborah the Judge), an iron dagger ornaments the burial of Pharaoh Tut'ankh'amun (King Tut) in about −1323 in Mitsrayim. These iron tools display his royal wealth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Iron in the Bronze Age</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D40yQCqdtdY/T4u7Nzv7YpI/AAAAAAAAAEw/SbhoSwSAUdo/s1600/LB+iron+dagger+-+Vere+2012.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D40yQCqdtdY/T4u7Nzv7YpI/AAAAAAAAAEw/SbhoSwSAUdo/s320/LB+iron+dagger+-+Vere+2012.png" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Stein Atle Vere 2012. Late Bronze Period (−1323), Mitsrayim: Iron Dagger of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. brakha.blogspot.com.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Derivation: Cairo Museum. Digital: ancient-egypt.co.uk. </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.ancient-egypt.co.uk/cairo%20museum/cm,%20tutankhamun,%20artifacts/pages/tutankhamun's%20bronze%20and%20iron%20knives%201.htm">http://www.ancient-egypt.co.uk/cairo%20museum/cm,%20tutankhamun,%20artifacts/pages/tutankhamun's%20bronze%20and%20iron%20knives%201.htm</a>, 2012.)</span></div><br />
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In the preceeding era, Yavin (a royal name like “Pharaoh”) the king of Khatsor has “nine hundred rider of iron” רֶכֶב בַּרְזֶל . (Shoftim 4'3). The Hebrew word רֶכֶב derives from the verb “he rode” and can mean “a ride” in the sense of a chariot or later a steed, or can mean “a rider” in the sense of a charioteer or later a horseback rider. Originally horses are too small to support humans effectively, whence several pull a chariot, until human breeders increase their size.<br />
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Here the “iron” probably describes the “rider” - that is the charioteer - not the chariot. Large amounts of iron and even the benefit of using iron for chariots, are unlikely at this time.<br />
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Possibly the phrase, “rider of iron”, is a metaphor, meaning a “deadly” or “impervious” charioteer. If so, there would be no literal iron artifacts for archeologists to find at Khatsor during this era. Iron enjoys glamor: prestigious and striking awe. Iron blades cut thru bronze blades, thus inspire terror. Whence an origin for a hypothetical proverb such as “rider of iron”.<br />
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Possibly the “iron” refers to combat gear. Iron spearheads are possible. However around this time, the chariots seem mainly for archers, who stand on the mobile platform to fire arrows into enemy infantry, while racing out of reach. Precious iron for arrowheads is improbable. Possibly the iron refers to the “scales” of scale armor. The novelty of iron armor is extravagantly expensive, but has practical benefit for stronger and lighter armor, and deserves fame.<br />
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<b>Apiru in the Amarna Letters</b><br />
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Tentatively, much of the era of the oppression by Khatsor from about −1348 to −1328 overlaps with the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten from about −1351 to −1333. The Amarna Letters are the international correspondences in the Akkadian language between this Pharaoh and the various towns of his empire, in cunieform cut into clay tablets.<br />
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Among them, “Yavin” (Yebaenu) the “King of Khatsor” (Shar Khazura) appears to initially request assistance from Pharaoh, but later to gain independence from the control of Pharaoh. This suggests both general turbulance and a surge in the power of Khatsor.<br />
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Other Amarna Letters mention the presence of the “Apiru” (Egyptian plural ˁpr.w), possibly relating etymologically to the word Ivri עברי (“Hebrew”). These are generally pastoral seminomads, often working as military mercenaries. Records from across Syria, Iraq, and Turkey attest to their presence from roughly −1800 to −1100. The Tribes of Yisrael seem to be a subset of the broader category. Altho not mentioning the tribal affiliations by name, the Apiru in the Amarna Letters probably include members from the Tribes of Yisrael.<br />
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<b>Who Destroys Khatsor?</b><br />
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The town of Khatsor (Hazor) stands in the north of the Land of Yisrael, north of the Kineret (Sea of Galilee).<br />
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Notably, the Book of Shoftim (Judges) lacks any claim, the tribes of Yisrael destroy the town of Khatsor at this time. Archeology identifies two destruction layers at Khatsor, both before and after the Days of Dvora (Deborah): one dates to roughly −1400 and one in roughly −1230. (Yadin 1972 suggests mid-third −1200s, Kitchen 2003 suggests about −1220). These evidence the turbulance of the period for Khatsor during this period.<br />
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Tentatively, Yisrael has no responsibility for either of these destructions in Khatsor.<br />
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Regarding the earlier destruction layer of roughly −1400, probably Pharaoh Amenhotep 2 is responsible. He reigns from about −1424 to −1399. His Amada Stele claims to conquer Khatsor in his year 3, thus about −1422. Unlike other Pharaohs, who exaggerate such claims, possibly for magical effect, Amenhotep 2 might have actually destroyed the town. Nevertheless, the two Leningrad Papyri from his year 18 over a decade later, suggest Khatsor begins to recover becoming part of a trading community, probably by its rural population in the surrounding farming areas.<br />
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It is unclear who is responsible for the later destruction of roughly −1230 sometime after the Days of Dvora. <br />
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Note, Yisrael is probably responsible for the much earlier destruction layer that dates to the Days of Yhoshua, in about −1540.<br />
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<h3>EARLY IRON PERIOD</h3><br />
<h3>(−1193) Late Shoftim Period</h3>(For 149 years total)<br />
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(−1193) Oppression by Plishtim and Bne Amon (Philistines and Amonites)<br />
(For probably 18 years) (Shoftim 10'7-8)<br />
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(−1175) Days of Yiftakh Ha'Giladi (Jephtah the Gileadite)<br />
(For 6 years) (Shoftim 10'9)<br />
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(−1169) Days of Ivtsan Mi'Bet Lakhem<br />
(For 7 years) (Shoftim 12'9)<br />
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(−1162) Days of Elon Ha'Kvuloni<br />
(For 10 years) (Shoftim 12'11)<br />
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(−1152) Days of Avdon Ben Hilel Ha'Piratoni<br />
(For 8 years) (Shoftim 12'14)<br />
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(−1144) Oppression by Plishtim (Philistines)<br />
(For 40 years) (Shoftim 13'1)<br />
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(−1104) Days of Shimshon (Samson)<br />
(For 20 Years) (Shoftim 15'20, 16'31)<br />
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(−1084) Days of Eli Ha'Kohen (the Priest)<br />
(For 40 Years) (Shmuel-1 4'18)<br />
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<b>Plishtim</b><br />
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The Plishtím פְּלִשְׁתִּים (Philistines) seem among the seafaring nations that archeologists today call the “sea peoples”. The Mitsrí (Egyptian) name for them, “Pr-s-t”, appears identical with the Ivrí (Hebrew) name, “Pleshet” פְּלֶשֶׁת (Philistia), namely the territory of the Plishtim.<br />
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These Plishtim attack Mitsrayim about −1174 during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses 3. Pharaoh claims to defeat them and apparently to settle them in the coast of the Amu, apparently along the southern coastland of the Land of Yisrael.<br />
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Archeology shows, after a lull the Plishtim resurge in power. and appear to force Mitsrím (Egyptians) to retreat and even abandon their empire about −1150. Pharaoh Seti 2 definitively withdraws from the Land of Yisrael.<br />
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Tentatively, the Plishtim attack the Land of Yisrael from the west from the Sea - a decade or so before they attack Mitsrayim in about −1174. Meanwhile the Bne Amon attack Yisrael from the east from across the Yarden (Jordan River). <br />
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When Mitsrayim defeats the Plishim, there appears to be an era of peace among the tribes of Yisrael too, beginning with the Days of Yiftakh (Jephthah), about −1175. This is also the time when the Plishtim settle the coastland and merge with the local aboriginal population. The peace lasts about thirty years.<br />
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Then Plishtí aggression surges with a vengence.<br />
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Tentatively, after the Mitsrí withdraw in −1450, the Plishtim emerge as the most dangerous enemies against the Tribes of Yisrael from about −1144 on.<br />
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<h3>(−1044) Days of Shmuel (Samuel) and Shaul Ha'Melekh (Saul the King)</h3>(For possibly about 35 years)<br />
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<b>Estimate the timelength of Shmuel and Shaul</b><br />
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The Books of Shmuel (1 and 2 Samuel) omit the years of reign for both Shumel Ha'Shofet שְׁמוּאֵל הַשֹּׁפֵט (Samuel the Judge) and Shaul Ha'Melekh שָׁאוּל הַמֶּלֶךְ (Saul the King). Thus the timespan of Shmuel-and-Shaul between Eli and David remains loose.<br />
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Adding to the complexity, the sequence of all four reigns - Eli, Shmuel, Shaul, and David - involve coregencies and possibly an interregnal gap because of the illegitimacy of later years of Shaul.<br />
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Together, Shmuel and Shaul seem to represent one or two generations. With each generation averaging about twenty-five years, their combined reigns span somewhere between the twenty-five and fifty years.<br />
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The Books of Shmuel, describe events that, according to the plain meaning, suggest extensive reigns for each of them.<br />
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Tentatively, the Days of Shmuel and Shaul together approximate roughly 35 years. Each is at least twenty years, but part of these twenty overlap while they share a coregency.<br />
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<h3>MIDDLE IRON PERIOD</h3><br />
<h3>Bet David Period (Davidic Dynasty Period)</h3><br />
(−1009) Days of David Ha'Melekh (David the King)<br />
(For 40 years)<br />
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(−969) Days of Shlomo Ben David Ha'Melekh (Solomon Son of David, the King)<br />
(For 40 years)<br />
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(−966) Shlomo in his fourth year of reign begins construction of the Bet Ha'Mikdash (Temple)<br />
(Mlakhim-1 6'1)<br />
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(−930) Rkhavam Ha'Melekh Yrushalayim (Rehoboam the King of Jerusalem)<br />
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(−930) Yravam Ha'Melekh Shomron (Jeroboam the King of Samaria)<br />
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<b>Division</b><br />
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Yravam the King (Jeroboam) founds the Kingdom of Shomron (Samaria) to the north, after leading the ten tribes of the north in a successful revolt. The secession leaves Rkhavam the King (Rehoboam) with the Kingdom of Yrushalayim (Jerusalem) to the south.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-944416241082765022012-04-15T14:24:00.000-04:002012-04-16T15:38:05.233-04:00Navi - Prophet - Shaman<h1>Navi - Prophet - Shaman</h1><br />
(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Navi - Prophet - Shaman. brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
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The leadership style of Moshé מֹשֶׁה (Moses) Ha'Naví (the Prophet) resembles that of a shaman. We can understand the concept of a Naví נָבִיא , usually translating as “prophet”, in some similar sense to “shaman”.<br />
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The Navi communicates the desire of God during oracles, thus physicalizes the divine authority as a political authority. Among the nomadic Tribes of Yisraél (Israel) יִשְׂרָאֵל , the shaman evolves into the only political institution whose authority can extend beyond one tribe, to lead all twelve tribes. Usually each tribe is its own nation. In the case of Yisrael, it is only the Navi that unites the twelve separate tribes into a single nation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Navi (Prophet) (Seer) (Shaman)</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UlXoDMMLg8Y/T4sRD26oF4I/AAAAAAAAAEo/5KNR5dHymiQ/s1600/Moshe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UlXoDMMLg8Y/T4sRD26oF4I/AAAAAAAAAEo/5KNR5dHymiQ/s320/Moshe.png" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
(Stein Atle Vere 2012. Image: Moshe Ha'Navi (Moses the Prophet). brakha.blogspot.com.<br />
Derivation: Charlton Heston as Moshe. Movie: Ten Commandments. Paramount Pictures 1956).</span></div><br />
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<b>Moshe Ha'Navi</b><br />
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Moshe demonstrates divine authority by his shamanic manifestations.<br />
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In addition, Moshe enjoys political prestige among the nomadic tribes because of his status as a Son of the House of Pharaoh, being a member of the aristocracy in Mitsráyim (Egypt). Similar to the mastery of Mitsrí divination by Yoséf יוֹסֵף (Joseph) before him, the Mitsri education of Moshe likely provokes awe and dread.<br />
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Moshe has difficulty in speaking. Probably this refers to his nonfluency with the Ivrít עִבְרִית language. In this case, Ivrit refers to “Proto-Hebrew”, namely the Canaanite language that the “Hebrews” - Ivrím עִבְרִים - speak. The first language of Moshe is Mitsrít (Egyptian). A daughter of Pharaoh adopts him when he is near birth. Apparently Moshe speaks Ivrit with a heavy Mitsrit accent.<br />
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Possibly, the Tribe of Leví לֵוִי already serves as a sacred caste among these nomadic tribes. Moshe happens to be a member of this caste, and enjoys its prestige. If so, he confirms the sacred status of his caste, and, in the role of a shaman, goes further to appoint his biological brother, Aharon, as a Kohén כֹּהֵן (a hereditary priest) and as the founder of a new clan of Kohaním כֹּהְַנִים (priests) within this sacred Tribe of Levi.<br />
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These three factors for Moshe - his shamanic manifestations of prophecy, his education as an aristocrat, and possibly his sacred caste - can elevate his leadership status beyond his own tribe, to influence the other nomadic tribes.<br />
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<b>Evolution of the shaman</b><br />
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Later, a special kind of Shoftím שֹׁפְטִים (Judges) who also happen to be Nviím נְבִיאִים (Shamans) emerge. Their new political clout shows a shift in the tribal structure of Yisrael, as they start to intermingle to some degree. These nomadic tribes intermarry, journey together, and periodically camp together at certain vicinities to grow crops. Also, pragmatically, they band together to increase the size of their armies, to cope with aggressive neighbors, especially the brutal township kings with their bureaucrats inside townwalls.<br />
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Initially, each nomadic tribe has its own tribal council with its own clan “elders”, Zkenim זְקֵנִים . Plus, its own tribal court system with its own “judges”, Shoftim. (Yhoshua 24'1). These Shoftim seem to derive from the “seventy Shoftim”, who Moshe appoints, selecting them from among the Zkenim. (B'Midbar 11'24-25). Probably each Shofet שֹׁפֵט adjudicates only the legal disputes between the clans of ones own tribe, respectively. These founding Shoftim appeal to Moshe as a Navi for divine guidance in cases without precedent, or possibly consult him as a shaman in cases of disputes between different tribes.<br />
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This institution of a legal system with interclan authority is social revolution. The Tora (five books of the Tora scroll) attributes the innovation to Moshe. The earliest known law code, in this case a royal one, develops in Shinar (Babylonia). There the Code of Hammurabi the King promulgates it roughly two centuries before Moshe, depending on the chronologies for Hammurabi and for Moshe. (Akkermans, Schwartz 2003). Probably, some of the Amu or Shasu from the Land of Yisrael brought knowledge of the Code into Mitsrayim (Egypt) from across the traderoutes. The Tribes of Yisrael themselves may know of it, since some of their ancestors via Avraham come from that region. Whence indirect influence inspiring Moshe.<br />
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<b>Yhoshua Ha'Navi</b><br />
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Moshe the Navi transmits his own central intertribal authority to his successor Yhoshúa יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Joshua). Yhoshua himself is also a Navi. (B'Midbar 27'18). Only the role of a shaman can enjoy the respect of all twelve tribes because each respects the authority of God.<br />
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After Yhoshua there seems an intermediary generation, during the Days of the Zkenim. These clan elders appear to revert back to the affairs of their respective tribes, but they preserve the union of the twelve tribes out of their pious reverence for Yhoshua the shaman. (Yhoshua 24'31, Shoftim 2'7). Probably, these Zkenim also consolidate the legal systems of each tribe that earlier Moshe innovates. So those Zkenim who are also Shoftim emerge as an authoritative decision-making institution among the clans of each tribe.<br />
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<b>Shoftim Ha'Nviim</b><br />
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The first leader to explicitly “judge” וַיִּשְׁפֹט more than one tribe is Atniél Ben Knaz, who apparently judges all of the tribes of Yisrael, following an era of intertribal crisis. Atniel innovates this intertribal authority of the Shofet. Thus he causes a new period in the lives of Yisrael, albeit the years of the crisis that he responds to mark the beginning of this Early Shoftim Period.<br />
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“And, the spirit of God was on him. And, he judged Yisrael. And, he went out to war.” (Shoftim 3'10).<br />
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Thus, it is his role as a shaman who manifest the oracles by “the spirit of God”, that allows Atniel to extend his legal authority beyond his own tribe to the other tribes. Probably these members from other tribes come voluntarily, to him to hear Atniel transmit the verdict of God to settle their legal disputes. The authority of Atniel to send the armies of multiple tribes of Yisrael to war, derives from his status as a shaman. However, his decision to go to war seems to emerge within the context of a remedy concerning a legal dispute.<br />
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Later near the start of the Middle Shoftim Period, Dvorá Ha'Shoftá דְּבוֹרָה הַשֹּׁפְטָה (Deborah the Judge) is necessarily Ha'Nviá (the Prophet), a shaman, as well. The report about her gives a fuller picture about this leadership position of an intertribal “Shofet”. As a nomad, she would sit outdoors in a wellknown locale, “under the palm tree between Rama and Bet El”. Presumably she and her husband keep their tent permanently nearby. Members from all of the nomadic tribes of “Bne Yisrael” “would go up to her for judgment”, probably voluntarily because of her reputation as an authentic shaman. It appears she is a Zkená זְקֵנָה, a clan elder, whence becoming a Shofta with judicial authority among her own tribe. Yet it is her status as a Nvia, giving oracles from God, even moreso than her sageness as a Shofta, that extends her reputation to other tribes.<br />
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Her role as a military commander extends from her shamanic authority, but again, like Atniel, it seems to emerge within the context of a legal decision. She literally summons the warrior to her outdoor court.<br />
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“And, she sent (a messenger). And, she called for Barak Ben Avinoam from Kedesh Naftali. And, she said unto him: Did God the Divineships of Yisrael not command you? Go. And, you will take with you ten (military units of) subtribes, man (of military age) from Bne Naftali and from Bne Zvulun.” (Shoftim 4'6).<br />
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If Barak already hears this command from God, then Dvora is probably the oracle that he hears the divine command from. Possibly, Barak himself has volunteered to take his legal question to Dvora. Her oracle is the final judgment on his case. Possibly Barak is afraid to carry out her divine and legal verdict. Therefore Dvora follows up on this case, to ensure her legal decree carries effect. Moreover, her followup demonstrates how her shamanic and judicial authority take on the responsibilities of a military commander, who can lead the armies of multiple tribes. By prophecy, she spells out the war strategy that these warriors must put into effect.<br />
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The report about Dvora demonstrates how the institution of the clan elder - Zaken - can extend to serve judicial duties for other clans of the tribe - Shofet. But then this institution of Shofet evolves to serve as a leader of all the tribes, if a Shofet also exhibits the status of a shaman - Navi.<br />
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During eras of oppression by foreign groups, the nomadic Tribes of Yisrael seem as if they lack Shoftim to “save” them from their enemies. Surely, each tribe has Shoftim, per se, meaning the Zkenim of certain clans who also serve as a Shofet to adjucate among the clans of their tribe. However, these intermediary eras lack a Shofet who also has a reputation as an authentic shaman, who can communicate oracles directly from God. Therefore none of these Shoftim have any authority over all of the other tribes of Yisrael. <br />
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<b>Centralizing political authority of the shaman</b><br />
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The institution of the clan elder, by itself, enjoys no authority over other clans - and has zero authority over other tribes.<br />
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It is the shaman - the Navi - alone who has the divine authority to unite all the tribes under one leader. This leader is God Godself.<br />
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This sole intertribal authority of the shaman explains the centrality of the sacred memory about Moshe. As a shaman, he unites the disparate tribes by the authority of God directly. During the Days of the Shoftim, this sole intertribal authority also explains why, politically, the tribes have no choice but turn to God via a shaman to unite the armies of their various tribes against the common enemy. It also explains how the authority of the shaman remains above even the authority of a king, albeit tensions emerge between the two.<br />
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This sole intertribal authority of the shaman also explains why the desire of the tribes for a king seems to hurt the feelings of God sotospeak. Pragmatically, via oracles, God alone functions as the central government for the twelve independent tribes. To Shmuel the shaman, God says, “They rejected me from being king over them.” (Shmuel-1 8'7). The desire among the tribal elders for a human king who can centralize the intertribal political system, in some sense, overthrows God who upto now is the only one to wield this authority.<br />
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Later, well into the Iron Age, the tribes recognize their kings, David and his son Shlomo, as authentic because they are also shamans. Apparently it is only their reputation as shamans that can succeed in uniting all twelve tribes within a central monarchy. The ancient proverb, “Is also Shaul among the Nviim (Prophets)?”, communicates doubt about his authenticity as a shaman, thus necessarily doubt about his legitimacy as an intertribal king. (Shumel-1 10'12).<br />
<br />
Finally, the political institution of the shaman persists even among the scribes and Kohanim (priests) among the royal courts of the Kingdoms of Yrushalayim and Shomronim. It is these courtiers who are also Nviim, who produce the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) as we know it today.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Navi - Prophet - Shaman</b><br />
<br />
The rise of this title “Shofet”, in a special sense to mean an intertribal shamanic authority, signals a shift in the tribal social structure. These Shoftim are unlike clan “elders”, who are only patriarchs (and anomalous matriarchs) of specific clans. Their jurisdiction extends beyond their own tribe because of the authority of God Godself. Instead, these Shoftim emerge military leaders, who can draft warriors from several tribes and command them in times of war, because of their shamanic status as a Navi.<br />
<br />
The nomadic Tribes of Yisrael evolve in a peculiar way. Via the prophetic oracles of their Nviim, God Godself is literally the central political system that unites these separate tribes into a single kinship system, Am Yisrael (the Kinship of Israel). God becomes the common origin that imbues the pluralistic societies with a sense of national unity.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-90489828574105060062012-04-11T15:19:00.000-04:002012-04-21T22:09:52.695-04:00Salvation: one way or an other<b>ONE WAY OR AN OTHER</b><br />
<br />
(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. One way or an other. brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>KEYWORDS</b><br />
<br />
Tora תורה (instruction) (Judaism)<br />
Ha'Tora התורה (“The” Tora) (Five Books of the Tora Scroll)<br />
<br />
Talmud Bavli תלמוד בבלי (Book of the Babylonian Talmud)<br />
Sanhedrin סנהדרין (Talmud Section of Sanhedrin)<br />
Brit Khadasha ברית חדשה (Books of New Testament)<br />
Matityahu מתתיהו (New Testament Book of Matthew)<br />
<br />
Rabi רבי (Rabbi)<br />
Rabanim רבנים (Rabbis)<br />
Rabani (Rabbinic)<br />
<br />
Rabi Yhoshua Ben Khananya רבי יהושע בן חנניה (Rabbi Joshua Son of Hanania)<br />
Yhoshua Ben Yosef יהושע בן יוסף (Joshua Son of Joseph) (Historical Jesus)<br />
<br />
Mashiakh (Anointed King) (an official representative of an ideal government of Yisrael according to Tora)<br />
Tshuva תשובה (Return to God) (Repentance) (Returning to the way of Tora)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>WITH OR WITHOUT A RETURN</b><br />
<br />
The Book of the Talmud agrees with Rabi Yhoshua Ben Khananya. God will make the Days of Mashiakh happen. This is a future time when an ideal government prevails for a thousand years. One way or an other.<br />
<br />
One way, is by Tshuva. Humans returning to God, doing Tora, optimizing compassion and justice, and trusting God to allow this effort to succeed.<br />
<br />
An other way, is by humans veering away from God. If humans do not return, God allows their fear and lack of trust to spawn cruel governments. Eventually humans cannot survive such oppression, except by returning to God and trusting in God to press on.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
But even if humans continue to veer away from God, God guarantees the Days of Mashiakh will happen. Ultimately, there is a deadline at the beginning of the seventh millennium. No matter what, God ensures the thousand years of this ideal government will happen by this time. God creates the universe in a way that makes the age inevitable.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If this optimal government begins with return, then it can start early - even today. It is possible for humans to get a headstart, to enjoy life now, with even miraculous assistance.<br />
<br />
If this optimal government begins without return, by defaulting to the deadline at the start of the seventh millennium, then sadly, humans undergo massive suffering before that deadline. Moreover the “holy one”, the government official that accomplishes this ideal government does so under total humiliation.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless. The thousand years of joy will happen. Either way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Talmud, Sanhedrin 97b</b><br />
(Stein Atle Vere 2012. Translation to English. brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
(Talmud Bavli. Organization: Mechon Mamre 2002. mechon-mamre.org):<br />
<br />
Rabi Yhoshua (Ben Khananya) said to (Rabi Eliezer):<br />
If theres no (Yisrael) doing a return (to God),<br />
(then) theres no being redeemed,<br />
but the Holy (God) - that one is blessed! - makes a king stand (with hostility) to them,<br />
that his decrees are (as) cruel as Haman.<br />
And (thereby) Yisrael do a return (to God).<br />
And (God) makes them revert to doing well.<br />
...<br />
And is it not already being said?:<br />
(Yhoshua 49'):<br />
God the redeemer of Yisrael said thusly:<br />
And (with regard to) his holy one,<br />
lifeforce is to despise (him), <br />
a (foreign) ethnicity is to abhor (him).<br />
(He is) to (be) the servant of (foreign) rulers.<br />
<br />
אמר ליה רבי יהושע<br />
אם אין עושין תשובה<br />
אין נגאלין אלא הקב״ה מעמיד להן מלך<br />
שגזרותיו קשות כהמן<br />
וישראל עושין תשובה<br />
ומחזירן למוטב<br />
...<br />
והלא כבר נאמר<br />
כה אמר ה׳ גואל ישראל<br />
וקדושו לבזה נפש למתעב גוי לעבד מושלים<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
According to the Talmud, God guarantees to redeem humanity.<br />
<br />
God will ensure humans enter this thousand years of Mashiakh. Either by the difficult way of humans returning to God and doing their part in Tora. Or by the painful way of humans veering from God and defaulting to a cruel life that is with fear and without trust.<br />
<br />
But even if humans choose the painful way, God empowers a holy leader who can withstand the predatory instinct of foreign governments and can succeed in establishing a holy government among the Kinship of Yisrael. When this government succeeds, all of the governments of humanity will ratify treaties to participate in it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>COME IN BY THE NARROW ENTRANCE</b><br />
<br />
The Book of Matityahu, portrays Yhoshua Ben Yosef teaching Tora. Yhoshua evidences an early form of the understanding of the Talmud, about the arrival of the thousand years of Mashiakh.<br />
<br />
This is a new age, when all of humanity enters an ideal government of holiness, compassion-and-justice, that persists for a thousand years.<br />
<br />
God will accomplish it, one way or an other. If humans do Tora and optimize a difficult life of sharing, wisdom, and trusting, then humans can achieve and enter this miraculous government - even now. Early. Without tragedy.<br />
<br />
Alternatively, if humans veer away from Tora and default to a “convenient” life of fear, shortsightedness, and predation, then humans manifest the governments of oppression and death.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, both of these “entrances” inevitably lead into the Kingdom of the Heavens. Ultimately. God guarantees this ideal government will happen one way or an other.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Book of Matityahu 7'13-14</b><br />
(Stein Atle Vere 2012. Translations from Greek to Hebrew to English. brakha.blogspot.com)<br />
(Novum Testamentum Graece. NA27 1998):<br />
<br />
Come (in) by the narrow entrance.<br />
<br />
Because broad is the entrance.<br />
And spacious is the way leading to destruction.<br />
And masses are the ones going (in) by it.<br />
<br />
And narrow is the entrance.<br />
And pressed is the way leading to lives.<br />
And few are the ones (even) finding it.<br />
<br />
בֹּאוּ בַּפֶּתַח הַצָּר<br />
<br />
כִּי רָחָב הַפֶּתַח<br />
וּמְרֻוַּחַת הַדֶּרֶךְ הַמּוֹלִיכָה לַאֲבַדּוֹן<br />
וְרַבִּים הַהוֹלְכִים בוֹ ׃<br />
<br />
וְצַר הַפֶּתַח<br />
וּלְחוּצָה הַדֶּרֶךְ הַמּוֹלִיכָה לַחַיִּים<br />
וּמְעַטִּים הַמּוֹצְאִים אוֹתוֹ ׃<br />
<br />
εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης · <br />
<br />
ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη<br />
καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν , <br />
καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι αὐτῆς ·<br />
<br />
τί στενὴ ἡ πύλη <br />
καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν , <br />
καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν .<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There are two ways for humanity to enter paradise. The difficult way or the painful way.<br />
<br />
The way of Tora discerns useful limits, to channel the energy of selfish desires toward altruistic goals. Both compassion and justice are important. The optimal way is subtle, involving balance - even hard to recognize.<br />
<br />
Alternatively, the painful way results in death and destruction for most of humanity.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, ultimately, both entrances lead into the Kingdom of the Heavens, the government of paradise.<br />
<br />
God desires a great destiny for the human species. <br />
<br />
One way or an other, humans will learn to avoid future errors.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-47668348487315926872012-04-09T21:32:00.000-04:002012-05-01T21:22:58.133-04:00Timeline of Archeology<b>ARCHEOLOGY TIMELINE</b><br />
<br />
(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Timeline of Archeology. brakha.blogspot.com).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
brakha .blogspot .com consults the following Archeology Timeline:<br />
<br />
Clink the link to the Timeline page <a href="http://brakha.blogspot.com/p/stones-of-heavens.html">here</a> - OR - click the link in the Pages list (top right sidecolumn).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>HERDER-GARDENER AGE</b><br />
(−9500)<br />
<b>POTTERY AGE</b><br />
(−5500)<br />
<b>COPPER AGE</b><br />
(−4500)<br />
<br />
<b>BRONZE AGE</b><br />
(−3400) Early Bronze 1 Period<br />
(−3000) Early Bronze 2 Period<br />
(−2700) Early Bronze 3 Period<br />
(−2200) Intermediate Bronze Period<br />
(−2000) Middle Bronze Period<br />
(−1550) Late Bronze Period<br />
<br />
<b>IRON AGE</b><br />
(−1200) Early Iron Period<br />
(−1009) Late Iron Period<br />
<br />
<b>CLASSICAL AGE</b><br />
(−538) Proto Classical Period<br />
(−331) Early Classical 1 Period<br />
(−166) Early Classical 2 Period<br />
(−36) Middle Classical 1 Period<br />
(220) Middle Classical 2 Period<br />
(324) Late Classical 1 Period<br />
(425) Late Classical 2 Period<br />
<br />
<b>MEDIEVAL AGE</b><br />
(638) Early Medieval Period<br />
(1099) Middle Medieval Period<br />
(1250) Late Medieval Period<br />
<br />
<b>MODERN AGE</b><br />
(1517) Early Modern Period<br />
(1917) Late Modern Period<br />
<br />
<b>FUTURE AGE</b><br />
(2240) ;-)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>PERIODIZE</b><br />
<br />
Here appear considerations for the Archeology Timeline above.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE</b><br />
<br />
Archeologists debate when activities happen, or what dates define new trends in culture. Naturally, the periods that seem most important provoke the most interest, and the most challenges.<br />
<br />
If compelling information comes to light, the Timeline updates to accommodate it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>BE NEUTRAL</b><br />
<br />
The names of the periods strive for neutrality: Bronze, Iron, Classical, Medieval, Modern.<br />
<br />
Neutral names work in a variety of contexts. For example, to periodize political trends for government structures, the name “Late Medieval Period” corresponds to the “Mamluk Period”. Alternatively to periodize spiritual trends for Tora (Judaism), this same period, “Late Medieval Period”, corresponds to the publication of the Zohar, and the flourishing of Kabala across the Tora World. Neutral names organize and coordinate a diversity of trends.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Neutral names reduce distortion. For example, to periodize by political names - thus to list those foreigners who oppress the Land of Yisrael - such as “Persian”, “Roman”, “Arab”, “Crusader”, and so on - seems to make some archeologists forget: the aborigines of the Land are still here - alive and well - and have been here since the dawn of human history. Most foreign rulers never visit the Land of Yisrael. For the aborigines of Yisrael - Yhudim (Jews) and Shomronim (Samaritans) - life goes on. Often the main difference is who they pay their taxes to.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The name “Proto” signals an ambiguous transition between between ages.<br />
<br />
Here, the “Proto Classical Period” corresponds to the Persian Period. Archeologists usually separate it out as its own distinctive period. Some lump it with Iron Age, calling it Iron Age 3. Some lump it with the Hellenistic and Roman Periods, calling it the Second Temple Period. Here, the Persian Period is “Classical” in a sense similar to its contemporary neighbor, “Classical Greece” (−478\−322).<br />
<br />
Similarly, the “Early” Modern Period corresponds to the Ottoman Period. It is “Modern” in a sense similar to the Renaissance Period of Europe.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>ORGANIZE</b><br />
<br />
An “age” divides into “periods”. Each period subdivides into “eras”.<br />
<br />
The period is the basic measure of time, about a century or more. A period distinguishes the features of an evolution in culture.<br />
<br />
Periods lump together into an age, about a millennium or more. An age is a panaroma to see the massive trends of the human species.<br />
<br />
A period splits into eras, each about a decade or more. An era is a closeup to notice the developments of a vibrant generation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I am keen to “metricize” the passage of time, also for neutrality. The keywords correspond roughly to magnitudes of 10.<br />
<br />
Epoch: a million years or more (1m)<br />
Eon: ten thousand years or more (10000)<br />
<br />
Age: a thousand years - a millennium - or more (1000)<br />
Period: a hundred years - a century - or more (100)<br />
Era: ten years - a decade - or more (10)<br />
<br />
Year: one year (1)<br />
<br />
These keywords convey the scope of a comment, whether broad generalizations or narrow specifics, to help navigate thru time.<br />
<br />
Age, period, or era.<br />
<br />
Highlighting the amount of time that an activity involves helps show how it fits in the big picture.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Ideally, an “age” is a thousand years or more. However, conventional periodization makes this goal difficult for certain ages. For example, here the “Iron Age” is only six hundred plus years. Its brevity inspires doubt about it being useful as an “age”. Perhaps it makes more sense to think of Iron as periods within the Bronze Age. Perhaps a new name is more helpful, such as a “Law Age” beginning from the Middle Bronze Age with the Code of Hammurabi onward. Yet, the term “Iron” entrenches within the archeological tradition. So there are few options to rethink it. Oppositely, the Early Bronze Age is awefully long. All by itself it spans over a thousand years. Probably it is more useful to think of it as its own “age”. It might make more sense to split it off, to emphasize what makes it differ from the later other timespans.<br />
<br />
Note, I lump the “Proto Classical” Persian Period with the “Classical Age”, rather than with the Iron Age. Among vast empires, the Persian Empire is at least as sophisticated as its Greek contemporary that defines the Classical Age. Indeed, the “Early Classical” Hellenic Periods exist because the Greek Empire blends with the Persian Empire. This transnationalism characterizes the Classical Period.<br />
<br />
In any case, as is, cutting off timespans at magnitudes of ten, where possible, intimates a sense of scale. there are inconsistencies with this “metric” methodology. <br />
<br />
Measuring by tens isnt perfect, but it is still good.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>YEAR ZERO</b><br />
<br />
Archeology already uses a “year zero” for astronomical years, radiocarbon dating, and so on.<br />
<br />
This year 0 equals the year 1 BCE in the common calendar.<br />
<br />
By extension, year −10 (“year minus ten”) equals 11 BCE.<br />
<br />
To remember: The “minus” date is “one less” than the common date BCE.<br />
<br />
Note, dates that approximate round numbers, such as the “Copper Age” (−4500) remain round.<br />
<br />
The invention of the common calendar, during the Medieval Age, lacks the mathematical discovery of the zero. But when exploring the distant past, calculations and comparisons become friendlier with a year zero.<br />
<br />
Our hero, zero.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>SIMPLIFY NUMBERS</b><br />
<br />
Modern numbers replace Roman numerals, for example, for archeological excavations (Early Bronze 2) and for dynastic names (Thutmose 3).<br />
<br />
MCMXLVIII. Nuff said.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>SYMBOLS OF CONVENIENCE</b><br />
<br />
Usually, the meaning of a slash or backslash is obvious in context.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
“/”<br />
<br />
The slash signifies an uncertainty or a dispute about when an event happens, thus alternative dates.<br />
<br />
“either/or”<br />
<br />
A slash can signify if the year according to different calendar system overlaps two common years. The event might happen in the later part of one year or the earlier part of the next year. But not both.<br />
<br />
For example, the phrase, “in the fourth year of King Shlomo”, referring to a regnal year in the ancient Yhudi (Judahite) calendar system. According to some chronological calculations, it overlaps two common years: −968/−967. Thus either date might be the actual one, but not both. In this case, it happens in spring, thus the beginning of the year, thus year −967.<br />
<br />
Sometimes archeologists dispute a date. There are different approaches to define when the Bronze Age begins: −3600/−3500/−3400.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
“\”<br />
<br />
The backslash signifies an activity that takes place during an extensive span of time.<br />
<br />
“both\and”, “from\to”, “begins\ends”. <br />
<br />
For example, with regard to the Copper Age (chalcholithic):<br />
<br />
−4500: begins in year −4500<br />
−4500\−3400: begins −4500 and ends −3400<br />
\−3400: ends in year −3400<br />
\−4000\: an activity flourishes in year −4000, but its beginning and ending remain unsaid<br />
<br />
Bio dates for a leader might look like so:<br />
<br />
Hilel Ha'Zakan (−110, Reign −30\10)<br />
<br />
Read this as “born in −90, and reigning from −30 to 10”, reigning until death in year 10, traditionally at age 120. In this case, Hilel reigns as one of the Zugot (“pairs”), probably two co-presiders over the Sanhedrin, analogous to the two Consuli of Rome. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Unless notes say otherwise, treat ALL ancient dates as “circa”. Even accurate dates may be one year off. Many dynasties can stretch earlier-or-later by several years, depending. Radiocarbon dating is vague. Astronomical synchronisms are rare. And so on.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>IN SUM</b><br />
<br />
In sum, brakha.blogspot.com uses timeline that strives to be accurate, convenient, and easy to understand.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-23545355129993481432012-04-09T11:00:00.001-04:002012-04-16T15:56:22.734-04:00Birkat Ha'Kohanim - 70000!<br />
<br />
<br />
See last year at brakha: <a href="http://brakha.blogspot.com/2011/04/birkat-kohanim.html">Birkat Ha'Kohanim</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This year:<br />
<br />
About seventy thousand people attended the Kotel (Outerwall) of Har Bet Ha'Mikdash (the Mountain of the House of the Holy Place) to manifest Birkat Ha'Kohanim (the blessing of the priests). One of the biggest turnouts for the blessing ever!<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Birkat Ha'Kohanim</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.org/Resizer.ashx?source=albums&image=37281&a=460&b=950" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://a7.org/Resizer.ashx?source=albums&image=37281&a=460&b=950" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image: Priestly Blessing. Israel news photo. Journal: Arutz Sheva. ©2012 4/9. Digital: IsraelNationalNews.com.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Article: <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/154620">http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/154620</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image linked: </span><a href="http://a7.org/Resizer.ashx?source=albums&image=37281&a=460&b=950"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://a7.org/Resizer.ashx?source=albums&image=37281&a=460&b=950</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, 2012)</span></div><div align="center"><br />
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<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-21171588862864472182012-04-04T22:13:00.002-04:002012-04-04T22:13:42.092-04:00Pesakh - Going Out From Mitsrayim<b>Khag Pesakh!</b> <br />
<br />
Khag Pesakh lkhem! (A joyous Passover to you guys!)<br />
<br />
Pesakh is the celebration of the freedom from oppression - from enslavement of any kind.<br />
<br />
In honor of the upcoming Pesakh, I want to explore the archeology relating to an ancient miracle.<br />
<br />
Not only does God continue to save us today, but God also saves the Tribes of Yisrael (Israel) in ancient days!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This Ytsiya (exodus) from Mitsrayim (Egypt) shapes the self-identity of an aboriginal people.<br />
<br />
Even thousands of years later, today, the event continues to shape the self-identity of over a billion members of the human species, directly and indirectly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The Hiddenness of the Ytsiya</b><br />
<br />
The Tora (first section of the Jewish Bible) describes the setting of the Ytsiya (exodus) as well as the event itself. The narrative involves large numbers of people and upheavals.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, despite the strong interest, archeologists still fail to identify these ancient Yisrelim (Israelis/Israelites) within the archeological record. Of course, what archeologists “want” is to find an inscription that mentions Yisrael by the name - better yet - an Mitsri (Egyptian) inscription that details the “plagues” that compel their Pharaoh to let these Yisraelim go free. Yes, that would be nice. Lacking these convenient labels, the archeological record is ... ambiguous.<br />
<br />
The Tora never mentions the Pharaoh by name, but addresses him as “Pharaoh”, in other words, “King”. The title of address appears appropriate for the culture of this time - but unhelpful for modern scholars to identify the pharaoh, thus to examine the evidence.<br />
<br />
Yet more difficult, the archeology of Mitsrayim is becoming robust. The science is gaining a better understanding of the record, to the point the scientists can start to say with confidence what times and places the Ytsiya *didnt* happen. And the Ytisiya is running out of places to hide in the archeological record.<br />
<br />
Even archeologists that are skeptical about the Tora tend to suspect a “grain of truth” in these kinds of sacred traditions. They too want to clarify what actually happened.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Toward a Hypothesis</b><br />
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I have a tentative solution. It is speculative, but it understands the Tora tradition in a way that coheres with the archeological record. It is specific enough to form a hypothesis that archeology can confirm or disconfirm, and by knowing when and where to look, perhaps even to identify positively the tribes of Yisrael in their Ytsiya from Mitsrayim.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-43250642772446451842012-03-29T00:22:00.001-04:002012-04-07T18:39:29.465-04:00The “Greatest”(Stein Atle Vere. ©2012. The “Greatest”. brakha.blogspot.com.)<br />
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Rabi Shimon Ben Yokhai רַבִי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי is a sage during the Roman Period, who the Talmud mentions. To him, the Medieval Rabanim (Rabbis) attribute the Zohar, the authoritative book of Kabala קַבָּלָה (Jewish spirituality). He lives about a hundred years after Yhoshua. In the disaster of the Bar Kokhba Rebellion around 135, he witnesses the massacre of Yhudim (Jews). The Roman emperor and his armies murdered hundreds of thousands of the Yhudi aborigines in Yhuda (Judea).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X3kWQYYBWF8/T3UzZ51IfqI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/lbrosgVa9XE/s1600/Brakha%2B-%2BHadrian.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X3kWQYYBWF8/T3UzZ51IfqI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/lbrosgVa9XE/s320/Brakha%2B-%2BHadrian.png" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>(Stein Atle Vere. ©2012. Image: Caesar Hadrianus Augustus. brakha.blogspot.com.)</em></span></div><br />
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In the Book of Talmud Yrushalmi, Ben Yokhai teaches his students:<br />
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“The greatest of the Nonjews is a killer.”<br />
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Hyperliterally:<br />
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<b>A good one that is among the Nonjews is a killer.</b><br />
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טוֹב שֶׁבַּגּוֹיִים הָרוֹג<br />
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(Kidushin 66c.)<br />
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<i>Note: הָרוֹג , irregular plural הָרוֹגוֹת (Post-Biblical Hebrew) killer, murderer. (Klein. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language.)</i><br />
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In the days of Ben Yokhai, the “greatest” of the Nonjews was Caesar Hadrianus, indeed a killer.<br />
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Even before Ben Yokhai, Yhoshua (Historical Jesus) teaches this same Tora tradition:<br />
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<b>And Yhoshua called them unto him.<br />
He said:<br />
You know:<br />
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As: The chiefs of the Nonjews oppress among them.<br />
And the great ones dominate among them.<br />
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It will not be thus among you ones.<br />
But each someone that will desire<br />
to be great among you ones,<br />
will be a servant that (belongs) to you ones.</b><br />
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וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ קָרָא אֶלָיו אֹתָם<br />
אָמַר <br />
אַתֶּם יֹדְעִים<br />
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כִּי שָׂרֵי הַגּוֹיִם רֹדִים בָּהֶם<br />
וְהַגְּדוֹלִים שֹׁלְטִים בָּהֶם<br />
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לֹא כֵּן יִהְיֶה בָּכֶם <br />
כִּי אִם כֹּל מִי אֲשֶׁר יִרְצֶה <br />
לִהְיוֹת גָּדוֹל בָּכֶם <br />
יִהְיֶה מְשָׁרֵת אֲשֶׁר לָכֶם<br />
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ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς<br />
εἶπεν<br />
οἴδατε<br />
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ὅτι οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν<br />
καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι κατεξουσιάζουσιν αὐτῶν<br />
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οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν<br />
ἀλλ ὃς ἐὰν θέλῃ <br />
ἐν ὑμῖν μέγας γενέσθαι<br />
ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος<br />
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(Mt 20'25-26.)<br />
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It is an uncomfortable fact of history, the “great” empires among Nonjews - especially the Pagan Roman Empire - achieved their “greatness” by becoming brutal killers.<br />
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When Yhoshua and Ben Yokhai refer this tradition of Nonjewish oppressors, they seem to refer to four specific Nonjewish governments who oppress the Jewish Land of Yisrael, as the Tanakhi (biblical) Book of Daniel describes them.<br />
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Daniel portrays these four governments as parts of an idolatrous statue. (Daniel 2'31-45.)<br />
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• The head is gold corresponding to the Kingship of Bavel (Babylonian Empire).<br />
• The chest and arms are silver for the Kingship of Madai and Paras (Mede and Persian Empire).<br />
• The belly and thighs are bronze for the Kingship of Yavan (several Hellenistic governments, namely, Aleksandros the Great, Ptolemaic Egypt, and Selucid Syria).<br />
• The shins and and feet are iron corresponding, as the Rabanim (Rabbis) understand it, to the Kingship of Rome. <br />
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The kingship of Rome also encompasses several governments: Roman, Byzantine, and other governments emerging from the Roman legal system, such as Nazi Germany.<br />
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This fourth Kingship, Rome, mixes partially with a fifth Nonjewish Kingship, because the iron intermingles with clay to form the feet. But the iron and clay fail to blend or adhere. This fifth kingship comes to correspond with the Arab Empires, and other governments that emerge from its legal system.<br />
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The iron and clay alternate their coercive control over the aboriginal Jewish Land of Yisrael.<br />
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Ultimately, God will overthrow these historically oppressive Nonjewish governments, and will empower an aboriginal Jewish government over the Land of Yisrael. Daniel visualizes this sacred ancestral government as a holy unhewn stone. The Kingship of the Heavens.<br />
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Tora (Judaism) recognizes the authority that comes from violence, but the violence has no authority in itself, and no merit. Only the Tora itself has the authority. Only those who choose to pursue the authority of Tora gain merit.<br />
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This authority that comes from love, is “the kingship of the heavens” מַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם .Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-37473890301952451682012-03-28T12:01:00.000-04:002012-03-28T12:14:42.836-04:00But Chosen for What?(Stein Atle Vere. ©2012. But Chosen for What? brakha.blogspot.com.)<br />
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Jews are “chosen”. But chosen for what?<br />
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God chooses Jews to do Tora. Tora. Thats it. Tora. Nothing more, and nothing less.<br />
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Most Nonjews dont want to do Tora. So there is no reason to resent this choice by God. Of course, if there are Nonjews who want to do Tora, they can convert to Judaism.<br />
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Nonjews dont need to do Tora. But Jews do. <br />
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God chooses Jews to do Tora.<br />
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Notice Yhoshua (Historical Jesus) also desires Jews to do Tora. Yhoshua commands his own Jewish students: “The Sofrim (scribes) and the Prushim (Pharisees) sit in the [Judgment] Seat of Moshe (Moses). Therefore do whatever they say.” (Matt 23'2-3.)<br />
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With regard to the commandments by God that are in the first five books of the Bible - the Tora of Moshe - the Prushim and Sofrim are the ones who inherit the authority (“the judgment seat”) to define how Jews must do these commandments.<br />
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The Prushim are the successors of the ancient “seventy elders” who share the spirit that God gave to Moshe. (Numbers 11'16-17,24-25.) Here Yhoshua corroborates the Rabanim (Rabbis) who trace the transmission of this authority from Moshe to Yhoshua Ben Nun to the seventy elders, and so on all the way to Hilel, who is one of the Prushim. (Mishna, Pirke Avot 1'1-.)<br />
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Jews must do Tora in whatever way the Prushim and their successors define it.<br />
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Moreover Yhoshua instructs his own students, it isnt enough to just do the commandments of the Tora. They must do them with the proper intention: do the commandment with love, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness.<br />
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Jewish spirituality considers proper intention to be a vital requirement to fulfill a commandment by God.<br />
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Yhoshua wants Jews to do Tora.<br />
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Of course, Nonjews dont need to do these commandments in Tora. But Yhoshua believes Jews do them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-8968817417393860592012-03-28T11:36:00.001-04:002012-03-28T12:10:25.680-04:00Hate the Hate(Stein Atle Vere. ©2012. Hate the Hate. brakha.blogspot.com.)<br />
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The following article with the link is by Giulio Meotti.<br />
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The news is disturbing, about a resurgence of hate against Jews among Christian churches today.<br />
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Giulio Meotti. 2011. Op-Ed: How Deep is the Christian-Jewish Abyss? Arutz Sheva.<br />
<a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/11447">http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/11447</a>, 2012.<br />
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His article mentions:<br />
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• the Vatican seems to indulge a medieval demonization of Jews that persists among Catholics in the Mideast, and similarly among Orthodox Christians in the Mideast<br />
• Mainline Protestant Churches (Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian, and United Church of Christ) initiate radical delegitimization doctrines and boycott campaigns against the Jewish state - especially vicious in their umbrella organization, World Council of Churches.<br />
• even the Evangelical Churches (especially Pentacostal) experience some Antiisrael groups emerging<br />
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To combat this dark trend, Meotti lists the following steps that Christians can take,<br />
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• dont proselytize the Jews<br />
• dont slander them<br />
• dont preach their conversion<br />
• avoid any theological topic<br />
• fight the apocalyptic cults<br />
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• proclaim the uniqueness of the Jewish covenant<br />
• recognize Jews right to Judea and Samaria<br />
• defend a united Jewish Jerusalem<br />
• support Israel’s right to defend itself<br />
• stop spiritualize the Bible, as if the promises to Abraham were not about a specific land for a specific people but about some heavenly domain<br />
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This is an excellent list. In sum, help Jews worship God in a Jewish way - according to the Jewish Bible.<br />
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Meotti warns, “Unless these steps are taken, any Jewish-Christian reapproachment would be not only futile, but dangerous.” Note, this blog seeks a reapproachment between Jews and Nonjewish Christians. But he is correct. Christians must do everything in their power to prevent the hate against Jews. Pray for God to help Jews be Jews.<br />
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Hate the hate.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-46243278798562509962012-03-27T22:58:00.003-04:002012-03-28T12:10:40.072-04:00The Spirituality of Science(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2012. “The Spirituality of Science”. brakha.blogspot.com.)<br />
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Tora spirituality - Kabala - refers to the four levels of meaning as Pardes “Paradise”. P-r-d-s is the acronym for: Pshat “plain meaning”, Remez “gesture”, Drush “inquired meaning”, and Sod “mystery”. From bottom up, these levels function as a kind of scientific method.<br />
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• Pshat: physical activity, the evidence<br />
• Remez: patterns, analysis and feeling, the investigation<br />
• Drush: paradigm, synthesis of conceptual principles and ideals, the laws and theories<br />
• Sod: transcendence, the centrality of the unknown, the decision to trust (confidence) and to doubt (skepticism).<br />
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Here Tora spirituality corresponds well with post-modern epistomology and scientific methodology.<br />
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The level of Pshat is the “plain meaning”. The raw data, the sensory experience. This is the physical level that we desire to understand and master. Science engages this level via evidence. It observes this evidence and interacts with it to test its responses.<br />
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The level of Remez is the “gesture” of meaning. This is the appearing of patterns within physical activity. Thereby the evidence provokes us to intuit explanations, research for consistency, define verifiable hypotheses, experiment, verify (confirm or disconfirm) the hypotheses, publish these findings, and corroborate, integrate, and systematize those insights that prevail by confirmations.<br />
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Most of the steps of the scientific method occur within the spiritual level of Remez. Here scientific method prioritizes logical analysis as well as repeatability of experiments. At the same time, this method tentatively values a “scientific hunch” (proto-science) if experiments are currently difficult to do, as long as the speculation coheres with current research and strives toward the formulation of hypotheses that later experiments can test.<br />
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Remez is the level of both logical analysis and emotional feeling. Consider the expression, “Cant see the forest because of the trees.” Logic sees the individual trees. Emotion sees the collective forest. Logic tends to analyze phenomena atomistically as “on” or “off”. Emotion tends to feel phenomena holistically as “clear” or “blurry”. Each method of discernment has strengths and weaknesses. While logical detachment enjoys advantages toward maneuverability and innovation, it can get lost in the details of the central “text” thus become “unrealistic”. Meanwhile emotional attachment enjoys advantages toward integration and standardization, while it also maintains some awareness of the peripheral “context”. Altho these methods of discernment are conflictive, we need both. Science prioritizes rational logic, but it is an error to underestimate the role of emotional feeling.<br />
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The level of Drush is the “inquired meaning”, or perhaps more literally the “demanded answer”. This is the level of meaning that we experience as concepts.<br />
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The Drush is within thought itself. The understanding. The paradigm. It includes both logical constructs and the emotional ideals. Principles and archetypes. It is our worldview. The world as we can understand it. Generally, whatever evidence we dont understand, we also dont experience, because we simply dont “notice” it. We tend to live in our conceptual worldview, moreso than in our sensations of the physical world.<br />
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At this level of meaning, we engage the paradigms that give meaning to our world. Often we take these paradigms for granted as “true”. They are unquestioned often unconscious assumptions. It doesnt even occur to us to doubt them. Our sensorial experiences seem to confirm these paradigms seamlessly. The paradigms often cover over contradictions and “fill in blind spots”. Often what we call “common sense” is paradigms we learned since birth.<br />
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Science strives to consciously construct more effective paradigms to enlighten the world that experience. By means of carefully examining our physical world, and consciously defining our paradigms, science achieves more powerful ways for us humans to master our physical world.<br />
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Note, while science searches for paradigms at the level of Remez, the paradigms themselves exist at the level of Drush. Drush comprises the “laws” of physical sciences and human sciences - or at least the tentative theories that seem to survive ongoing disputes. It needs to be said, but these paradigms also comprise the emotional ideals. The world of Remez is a bridge between the physical world of Pshat and the conceptual world of Drush. Remez is where scientists wrestle for accuracy and precision, to find an agreement between the physical results of experiments and the conceptual explanations for them. And discuss these results.<br />
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The level of Sod is the “mystery”. This is the level where we “know” - in the sense we personally experience - the infinite. Infinity is intimate, such as our openess to new possibilities and our capacity to learn new things. The human brain is infinite in the sense it can go beyond its current finite memory. We experience this infinite as an aspect of our consciousness. Beyond being aware of particular finite sensations or concepts, we are aware of being aware. This aspect of consciousness transcends our ability to describe it adequately, since it is no particular thing to describe. But we can use analogies to refer to it, to “point” to it, and trust our fellow humans who likewise experience the infinite to recognize what our analogies refer to. Ultimately, the infinite capacity achieves a sense of freewill. Choice.<br />
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Science is “positivist”, preferring to rely on those concepts that we can demonstrate by means of observable evidence. Science loves the known. It firmly establishes itself within the level of Pshat. Nevertheless, science prioritizes the unknown. It makes an effort to discover new phenomena and to clarify perplexing phenomena. What is known extends into the unknown. Science uses what we do understand to try to make sense of what we dont yet understand. This confidence to reach into the unknown, is where the role of choice comes into play. In this way, science engages the infinite, the level of Sod.<br />
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So science has the evidence in the form of physical activities. It has the level of discussion of the patterns and the formulation of experiments to test these patterns. And science has the paradigms that successfully explain these patterns.<br />
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These paradigms (Drush) are the models that successfully explain ... the patterns (Remez) ... of the physical activity (Pshat). ... But this method also engages the existentialist level (Sod), when choosing to be confident or skeptical, trusting or doubting either the physical evidence or the conceptual paradigms.<br />
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This trust and doubt are “more” than just the evidence and concepts alone. They are the infinite part of ourself choosing how to interact with what the infinite presents to us.<br />
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Once paradigms “win” over other paradigms, we experience them as “truth”. They organize our thoughts and emotions. They become the worldview that we take for granted. If a paradigm fails, we experience pain. The dissonance between our paradigm and our senses of the physical world, destabilize the paradigm to the point of collapse. Then the world as we know it falls apart. It feels like an apocalypse. But it is during these times of crisis, while our understandings fail, that we become accutely aware of the infinite that transcends all understanding. To be open to new paradigms, new ways of understanding the world, takes courage. Of course, not all paradigms are equal. Some paradigms are more useful and robust than others.<br />
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Science strives to avoid taking its paradigms for granted. It makes an effort to remember these are paradigms. Conceptual constructs and visions. The goal is to be able to welcome new paradigms if they cohere better with the physical evidence. (In this way, science opposes “idolatry”. It will not “worship” a finite concept.) For example, a famous paradigm shift is from the Neutonian paradigm that understands the world as resembling the machinery of a clock, to the Einsteinian paradigm that understands the world as partly resembling waves of energy - where even the flow of time becomes relative. Here the paradigm shift was less painful because it moves from one good explanation to another good explanation whose superiority is only for special situations, such as extreme speed. Even so, the worldview changed. Thus the universe as we know it became different. The openess to learning new worldviews is brave. And it requires trust. Science must trust the infinite, to provide good ways of understanding our world. Science continues the quest for new knowledge because science believes the infinite does provide.<br />
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In this sense, science makes the unknown the center of the scientific worldview. It employs what scientific discussions can explain adequately, to begin the process of explaining what currently defies explanation - or perhaps defies discovery. Science trusts the unknown to become helpful. In this way, the scientific community maintains a relationship with the infinite.<br />
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Notice the difference between theoretical science and applied science. Theoretical science is bottom up, from the physical evidence to discover new conceptual paradigms. Oppositely applied science is top down, employing the conceptual paradigms to invent new physical tools.<br />
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Science engages the infinite (Sod), especially as skepticism about the known and confidence to enter the unknown. The scientific worldview with its principles and ideals (Drush) ... strive to discuss and master (Remez) ... the world of physical activity (Pshat).<br />
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Moreover science applies its hard-won power over the physical world ... to do compassionate actions for fellow humans ... in ways that are increasingly wiser (more efficient, more effective, more self-sustaining).<br />
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Significantly, science requires a community to make this effort.<br />
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Science is a spiritual activity.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-14485023807165881682012-03-25T04:37:00.004-04:002012-03-25T05:08:15.745-04:00KnowledgeMidrash מדרש means “inquiry”. But the Hebrew word is stronger than that. It comes from the verb, Darash דרש meaning “he demanded” - required. In the sense of “he demanded answers”, he “inquired”.<br />
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Knowledge necessitates desire and effort.<br />
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The Tora is a text of many meanings. Most of them are hidden. The Infinite wants us to “demand answers” from the Tora. To discover its meanings. And put the insights into actions.<br />
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The Tora is the “saying” Maamar, it is the “thought” Makhashava. It is the capacity of meaning itself. A place to engage meaning. As we engage the Tora, our efforts to discern its meanings, also bring to light our own meanings. Our values, our language, our assumptions, our worldviews. We do this as a spiritual community. We share understanding, while we transcend together.<br />
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The spirituality of Tora seems to cluster into three kinds of Midrash. The areas of inquiry are: Agada, Halakha, and Kabala.<br />
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Agada אגדה is the “tale”, the narrative tradition. Our goals, our challenges, where we come from, and where we are going.<br />
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Halakha הלכה is the “going”, the way, the legal tradition. Our human rights, our personal freedoms, our mutual responsibilities, our negotiations.<br />
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Kabala קבלה is the “reception”, the spiritual tradition. Our insights, our compassionate actions, our system, our transcendence. <br />
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Of course, these three discussions entangle eachother, giving eachother contexts.<br />
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By these kinds of Midrash, the infinite imbues our humanity with meaning. It is like learning a language. Meaning takes effort. But it is more than our words, it is our actions - every aspect of our humanity.<br />
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There are also four worlds of meaning: Pshat, Remez, Drush, and Sod.<br />
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Pshat פשט is the “plain”, the unembellished meaning, the naked truth. The things that appear to be. What you can see, hear, smell, taste, touch. Matter-of-fact. The literal meaning, the obvious point of the analogy. The raw data. The evidence.<br />
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Remez רמז is the “gesture”, the indication, the subtle nod, the hint, the clue, the suggestion. These are the patterns that you can detect. When you wonder why, you look for answers. The emotional pull, the logical conclusion. The evaluation, the analysis. But where do the clues lead to?<br />
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Drush דרוש is the “demanded answer”. The insight. The knowledge we struggle for. The plot of the story, the principles of the ethical behavior, the laws of nature. The deep meaning. The vision, the integrity, the science. The synthesis. The comprehensive paradigm that imbues all the diversity of experiences with meaning. The thought that can make sense of the world.<br />
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Sod סוד is the “mystery”, beyond any understanding, the experience of infinity. There is a transcendent meaning, utterly free, utterly unshakable. We trust the Infinite even while we cannot understand. We know, even while we cannot describe. We know more than we know. It is faith in God. It is confidence in the infinite. We can always go beyond. Even when we know facts, we can doubt. Even when we lack facts, we can trust. We can imagin other ways. We can sympathize with other points of view. We can pursue the best options. Seek out new options. There is more to knowing than any particular thing we happen to know.<br />
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Together these four levels of meaning, Pshat-Remez-Drush-Sod, spell P-R-D-S: Pardes פרדס “Paradise”.<br />
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By these levels of meaning, we learn love and power. By these levels of meaning, we do love and power.<br />
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We see the Pshat - how the things of this world are. But we know the Sod - there is more. We can pursue the Remez of the patterns of things. We can envision the Drush and build a world to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-82985728498158922542012-03-25T02:24:00.001-04:002012-03-25T04:55:35.851-04:00Springbrakha.blogspot.com comes out of hibernation.<br />
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Back to our weekly schedule - by the help of God.<br />
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Pesakh (Passover) is coming soon!<br />
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Khag Sameakh!<br />
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Joyous festival!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-20752390708664701582011-07-01T22:41:00.000-04:002011-07-01T22:41:42.485-04:00Stones of Heavens - Midrash and Yhoshua(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Stones of Heavens: Midrash and Yhoshua”. brakha.blogspot.com.)<br />
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Due to time constraints this is an unfinished roughdraft to finish soon.<br />
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Remarkably, the list of the twelve gems in Midrash Raba by the Rabanim (Rabbis), in the book of Shmot Raba, seems identical to the list in the New Testament by the students of Yhoshua (Historical Jesus), in the book of Khazon Yhokhanan (Revelation of John).<br />
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The twelve different types of gems decorate the Khoshen חשן amulet that Kohen Ha'Mashiakh כהן המשיח (anointed priest) wears to enter the holiest area of the presence of God. Each is the official gem of one of the twelve tribes of Yisrael (Israel).<br />
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The list of the gem types that survives in Greek in the New Testament, in the book of Khazon Yhokhanan 21'19-20, is unusual. It differs from the Greek list in the Targum Hashivim (Septuagint Greek Bible), by updating the Greek gem names to Huakinthos υακινθος, Khalkėdȯn χαλκηδων, and so on. This list in Khazon represents the gem names that Yhoshua יהושע (Historical Jesus) and his students know during the Classical Age circa 00s.<br />
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About a thousand years later, during the Medieval Age circa 1000s, a similar list survives in Hebrew in Midrash Raba, in the book of Shmot Raba 38'10. The list is Hebrew, but its gem names derive clearly derive from Greek loanwords, such as Daykintin דייקינתין being a variant of Hebrew *Hyakintin הְיַקִינְתִּין from Greek Hyakinthos, and Bardinin ברדינין probably being a scribal copying variant of *Kardonin כַּרְדּוֹנִין , a contraction of *Karkdonin כַּרְכְדּוֹנִין from Greek Kalkhėdȯn. (For Hebrew Karkdonim compare the Latin variant Carcedonius in the Vulgate Latin Bible circa 300s to refer to the same gem name.)<br />
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Note: The copying variants in this list in Shmot Raba evidence, the Rabanim do not quote these gem names directly from a Greek source, but rather preserve their own list of gem names in Hebrew, that the scribes recopy a number of times, thus transmitting the names since ancient times. It is an independent Rabani tradition.<br />
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The medieval Rabanim and the ancient students of Yhoshua share this same Tora tradition to identify the twelve tribal gems.<br />
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Regarding the Rabanim, the list in the book of Khazon by the students of Yhoshua demonstrates the antiquity of the Tora tradition - already existing about a thousand years earlier.<br />
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Regarding the students of Yhoshua, this list in the book of Shmot Raba by the Rabanim demonstrates the Yahadut (“Jewishness”) of the Tora tradition that Yhoshua upholds.<br />
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The gem list in Shmot Raba that the medieval Rabanim copy is already ancient.<br />
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The Rabanim seem to preserve this list, generation after generation, for almost a thousand years. The list is in Hebrew, but most of these Hebrew gem names - probably all of these Hebrew gem names - derive from the Greek gem names. As such, the Hebrew names function as technical terms (somewhat analogous to modern scientific nomenclature) to specify the merchandise of the international gem trade across the Roman Empire.<br />
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This Hebrew list originates during the Classical Age, probably as early as circa 00s (first century CE). It uses the same gemological nomenclature as do the book of Khazon, the books by Titus Iosephus Flavia (Flavia Josephus), and as the encyclopedic books of Naturalis Historia (Natural History) by Gaius Plinius Secundus (Pliny the Elder). All of these writers flourish during the 00s, and the Hebrew list preserves this same terminology.<br />
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During the Classical Age circa 00s, the Temple of God stands in Yrushalayim ירושלים (Jerusalem), the capital city of Yhuda יהודה (Judea). Pilgrimage there from the across the known world brings enormous wealth to the city. Gold, silver, and the costliest gems adorn the aboriginal sacred traditions of Yisrael. Since the days of the Hashmonim (Hasmoneans), the Kohanim (priests) are the sovereign leaders of the Yhudim יהודים (Judeans), especially after the secular kings and governors are representatives of Rome. Moreover, Yrushalayim includes a significant minority of Greek-speaking “Hellenist” Yhudim. Note: The Greek gem names that actually derive from Hebrew - such as Greek Sapphiros from Hebrew Sapir ספיר and Greek To-pazd-ion from Hebrew Pitda פטדה - evidence the Yhudim to enjoy a significantly presence in the international gem trade since ancient times. The land of Yisrael is part of the links between Rome and Bavli בבלי (Babylon), and via the Red Sea even part of the links between Rome and India. Apparently, there are Hebrew-speakers during the 00s who know the Greek gem names because of their participation in the international trade for gems.<br />
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These ancient Yhudi lapidaries - gem dealers - are probably the authorship that ultimately produces the list of gem names that the Rabanim mention in Shmot Raba.<br />
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The Hebrew gem list is an independent tradition. It doesnt simply copy an ancient text, such as that of Khazon, Iosephus, or Plinius.<br />
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If the Hebrew list already exists during the 00s, then the book of Khazon Yhokhanan probably knows it, so that its gem names in Greek actually refers to the Hebrew international gem nomenclature as it pertains to the gems that the Kohen Ha'Mashiakh wears in the sacred Khoshen amulet.<br />
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The Hebrew list of these gem names seems to already exist by the 300s. At that time, Hieronymus (Saint Jerome) seems to refer to it for his Vulgate Latin translation of the Hebrew Bible. He lives in the land of Yisrael, in the coastal city of Caesarea. He frequently consults with the Rabanim there to explain obscure Hebrew words. It seems his original spelling in Latin, Carcedonius, with an -r- to represent the Greek gem name Khalkedon with an -l-, seems to derive directly from the Hebrew gem name *Karkdonin כַּרְכְּדוֹנִין.<br />
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Note: This particular gem, Karkdonin, derives from the name of the ancient city of “Carthage” in today Tunisia, and not from the ancient city of “Kalkedon” in today Turkey. Notably, both of these names come from the same Canaanite Kart-Khadsha קרת חדשה meaning “New Town” and referring to a colony of the seafaring Knaanim (Canaanites) of today Lebanon. It makes sense the gem corresponds to Carthage, since the same gems of that city also tend to exist in Mitsrayim (Egypt). The tribes of Yisrael get these twelve gems during the Bronze Age, from Mitsrayim.<br />
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During the Classical Age circa 00s, Plinius describes the gem of Carthage as a dark gem that gleams a fiery orange-red light when held up to the sun. Evidently, this is the same gem that today calls the garnet - a dark variety of it - and is identical to the same gem that Targum Hashivim (Septuagint Greek Bible) calls Anthraks, meaning an ember of burning “coal” in Greek. Moreover, this is identical to the Latin loan translation Carbunculus, which also means “coal”, and that Hieronymus uses elsewhere as the name for this same garnet gem.<br />
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Indeed the Mitsriyim (Egyptians) use garnets in their amulets during the Bronze Age.<br />
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In sum, the garnet stone in the Khoshen, that comes from the gems of Mitsrayim during the Bronze Age, appears during the Classical Age in Greek in Targum Hashivim as the name Anthraks, but appears in Greek in the New Testament as Khalkedon. Notably, this gem name apparently refers to the name of the city, Carthage, in today Tunisia that is famous for garnet, rather than to the city in Turkey that shares a related name. In the 300s, this garnet appears in Latin in the Vulgate Bible as Carbunculus that translates Greek Anthraks exactly and as Carcedonius that refers to Carthage. This Latin name Carcedonius appears to correspond to the Hebrew technical name for this garnet, Karkdonin, thus corroborates the existence circa 300s of the gem list that the later medieval Rabanim refer to in Shmot Raba.<br />
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In the Hebrew gem list, the twelve gem names are part of the living Hebrew language and evidence natural linguistic shifts. Its existence within a living Hebrew language also points to the early date. <br />
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Example: The name for the purple quartz - also known as amethyst - exemplifies the linguistic shifts that most of the gem names undergo in the Rabani Hebrew list.<br />
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Ultimately, the Greek name Amethustos αμεθυστος evolves into the Hebrew name *Hemesiyin הֵימֵיסִּיִין . <br />
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When Hebrew first borrows the Greek name Amethustos, the Hebrew lacks certain Greek sounds. The distinctive Greek -u- (rounded high front) vowel sometimes approximates as the Hebrew -u- (rounded high back) vowel or else the Hebrew -i- (unrounded high front) vowel, depending on the context of nearby sounds. Here, the -u- in Greek Amethustos approximates to the -i- in Hebrew Amethistos. But then Hebrew adds the suffix -in ין . This is the classical Greek diminutive suffix -ion -ιον , but signifies precisely the later pronunciation per the international Koine Greek as -in. (Klein. “ין”. Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language.) Thus the original Hebrew gem name deriving from Greek circa 00s, and serving as the professional nomenclature for the purple quartz in the gem trade, reconstructs as something like: *Ametistin אֲמֶתִּיסְטִין in Hebrew.<br />
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However this original approximation is unstable, and shifts.<br />
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The syllable stress from the -e- in Greek Amethustos to the final syllable -in in Hebrew *Ametistin causes a rapid succession of sounds.<br />
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Hebrew finds it awkward to pronounce two nearby -t- sounds in Greek loanwords and often reduces them to one. Thus in the context of resolving the shortened syllables, *Ametistin swaps the sounds of the consonant -t- and vowel -i- (metathesizing), tentatively *Ameitsĕtin אֲמֶיִתְּסְטִין with the vowels merging to a monosyllabic *Ametsĕtin אֲמֵיתְּסְטִין , and finally the aspirated -t- sound assimilating into the oncoming nearby -t- sound: *Amesĕtin אֲמֵיסְּטִין . To prevent contracting the initial ultrashort vowel into nothing, the initial syllable expands into a long vowel while assimilating into the oncoming -e- vowel: *Emesĕtin אֵמֵיסְּטִין . While expanding, the initial vowel also aspirates. Hebrew often does this for Greek loanwords. (Compare Greek Sunedros that becomes Hebrew Sanhedrin, when the addition of the Greek diminutive suffix -ion, actually -in, mark a Greek loanword, but shifts the stress of vowels, while the distinctive Greek -u- approximates into Hebrew as unstressed -i-, likely -ĕ-, whence -a-, and while -e- aspirates into -he-.) So far: *Hemesĕtin הֵמֵיסְּטִין . Probably later, this -t- weakens, assimilating (palletizing) among the -s-, ultrashort -ĕ-, and oncoming -i-, thus forming a -y-: *Hemesyin הֵימֵיסְּיִין .<br />
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The result: The Greek loanword Amethustos enters Hebrew as *Ametistin אֲמֶתִּיסְטִין but morphs into *Hemesyin הֵימֵיסְּיִין as part of the rhythm of the living Hebrew language.<br />
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The surviving form of the gem name in texts is, Hemesyon הֵימֵיסְּיוֹן . Probably, the -o- is a copying variant by scribe who is unfamiliar with the obscure Hebrew technical term and who visually reinterprets an ambiguous form of -י- as -ו- , thus an -o- instead of the original -i-. The accumulation of scribal variants evidences the passage of time. This list that the Rabanim cite appears many centuries old.<br />
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The gem list of the Shmot Raba evidences spoken Hebrew. Hebrew-speakers adapt these Greek technical terms as part of the rhythm of the everyday Hebrew language. Hebrew ceases to be a language of common speech circa 300, in the aftermath of the genocide of the Yhudim in Yhuda (Judea) that culminates the Bar Kokhba War circa 135. Thus the names probably derive before 300.<br />
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The Hebrew names in this list already exist during the 300s. One of the gem names survives as ברדינין , at first glance this looks something like Bardinim, a meaningless word. Most scholars agree this name must somehow be a scribal “garble” of the Hebrew gem name Kadkod כַּדְכֹּד . I agree, but the variant isnt as drastic as it seems. It seems obvious to me, the Hebrew letters ברדינין are a scribal variant of כרדונין . Rereading these letters this way is common in Hebrew even with the best handwriting. Thus the Hebrew Gem name is actually Kardonim כַּרְדּוֹנִין<br />
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<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed; mso-yfti-tbllook: 480;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">GREEK</span></span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">LATIN</span></span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">HEBREW</span></span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iosephus</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Jewish Antiquities)</span></span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Khazon Yhokhanon</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">21'19-20 </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Revelation of John)</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vulgate Bible</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">/ Plinius</span></span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reconstruct of original classical Hebrew gem names</span></span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Extent of later medieval Hebrew gem names</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shmot Raba</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">38'10</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">σαρδόνυξ</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">σαρδόνυξ</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sardonix</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Sardonukin<span dir="rtl" lang="HE"></span></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">שַׂרְדֹנֻכִּין</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">שדרגנין </span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">τόπαζος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">τοπάζιον</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Topazius</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Topazin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">טוֹפַזִין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">שימפוזין </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">λιγύριον</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ὑάκινθος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hyacintus</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Hyakinthin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">הְיַקִינְתִּין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">דייקינתין </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ἄνθραξ</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">χαλκηδών</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carcedonius</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Karkdonin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">כַּרְכְּדוֹנִין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ברדינין </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">σάπφειρος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">σάπφιρος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sapphyrus</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Sapirin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">סַפִּירִין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">סנפרינון </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">σμάραγδος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">σμάραγδος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zmaragdus</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Smaragdin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">סְמַרַגְדִּין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">אסמרגדין </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">βήρυλλος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">βήρυλλος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Berillus</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Berulin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">בֵּירוּלִּין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">כוחלין </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ἀχάτης</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">σάρδιον</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sardinus</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">/ Achates</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Akhates</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">אֲכַאטֵיס</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">אבאטיס </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ἀμέθυσος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ἀμέθυστος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amethistus</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Amethistin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">אֲמֶתִּיסְטִּין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">הימיסיון </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ὄνυξ</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">χρυσόπρασος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chrysoprassus</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Krusoprasin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">קְרוּסֹפְרַסִין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">קרומטסין </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ἴασπις</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ἴασπις</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iaspis</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">/ Perileucos</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Perileukin</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;">פֵּרִילֶוְקִין</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">פראלוקין </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">χρυσόλιθος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">χρυσόλιθος</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chrysolithus</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Krusolitos<span dir="rtl" lang="HE"></span></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">כְּרוּסוֹלִיטוֹס</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 16.66%;" valign="top" width="16%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span dir="rtl" lang="HE" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">מרגליטוס </span></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-13571007601213108002011-06-22T02:44:00.033-04:002011-06-22T16:29:23.448-04:00Yhoshua, Yhudim and Notsrim(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Comment: Yhoshua, Yhudim and Notsrim”. brakha.blogspot.com.)<br />
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Jewish Ideas Daily publishes a book review about the “Jesus question”. Namely, how to understand the ancient Yhoshua (Historical Jesus) within the context of the Tora (Judaism).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MB-dR0AUHLE/TgGQ_lMruyI/AAAAAAAAAEE/yMRnrB7Cwe0/s1600/20110614_061511T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" i$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MB-dR0AUHLE/TgGQ_lMruyI/AAAAAAAAAEE/yMRnrB7Cwe0/s200/20110614_061511T.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Chagall, Marc. ©1943. “Yellow Crucifixion”. Online: Jewish Ideas Daily.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/imgLib/20110614_061511T.jpg"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.jewishideasdaily.com/imgLib/20110614_061511T.jpg</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, 2011.)</span></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2011/6/15/main-feature/1/jesus-for-jews">Eve Levavi Feinstein</a> reviews the following book about Yhoshua, his place within Tora, and by extension the implications for the modern friendship between Yhudim (Jews) and Notsrim (Christians).<br />
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• The Jewish Jesus: Revelation, Reflection, Reclamation. Edited by Garber, Zev. ©2011.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thepress.purdue.edu/sites/default/files/imagecache/large/covers/9781557535795_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" i$="true" src="http://www.thepress.purdue.edu/sites/default/files/imagecache/large/covers/9781557535795_0.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(The Jewish Jesus. Online: www.thepress.purdue.edu.<br />
<a href="http://www.thepress.purdue.edu/titles/format/9781557535795">www.thepress.purdue.edu/titles/format/9781557535795</a>, 2011.)</span></div><br />
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The Jewish Jesus is a collection of essays whose topics range from the ancient Yhoshua doing the Tora to modern Yhudi scholars reclaiming him as a Yhudi spiritual figure.<br />
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The review concludes cautiously:<br />
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“It may certainly be argued that beliefs such as these are not beyond the pale of traditional rabbinic Judaism. <br />
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Yet it is difficult to imagine that they will be widely accepted within the Jewish community any time soon, making them a questionable basis for genuine inter-communal dialogue.<br />
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Moreover, as none of the Jewish thinkers cited in these essays accepts the core Christian doctrines of the resurrection and full divinity of Jesus, the gulf between mainstream Jewish and Christian views of Jesus remains quite wide.<br />
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For Jews, learning to understand and respect Christian views about Jesus - without necessarily accepting them - may be more fruitful than attempting to claim him as one of our own.”<br />
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In sum, Yhoshua seems true to Tora. There are ways to understand him within Tora. At the same time, the Tora is unable to entertain the “full divinity” of Yhoshua - namely, unable to worship a human as if a human is God.<br />
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Even so, it seems to me, Notsrim have enough ideological room to bridge the gulf. <br />
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Thus the modern reclamation of Yhoshua as a Yhudi is valuable because it clarifies how Notsrim connect to the Tora.<br />
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Rather than Yhudim needing to embrace the theology of Notsrim, Notsrim can bridge the difference, by understanding the teachings of Yhoshua within the context of the Tora.<br />
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Yhoshua, like any human, is to be “one” with God. Even so, God isnt a human. God is utterly beyond any human, including beyond the human Yhoshua.<br />
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And so on within the context of the Tora - especially within the concepts of Kabala (Jewish spirituality) - it is possible for Notsrim to reexplain the theology to clarify its monotheism.<br />
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I believe it is possible, for Yhudim and Notsrim to form a spiritual alliance.<br />
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More than a friendship among those who agree to disagree, it seems to me possible to arrive at a mutual understanding.<br />
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The bridge between Yhudim and Notsrim has something to do with the following:<br />
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• See Yhoshua as one among many Yhudim, <br />
• See the ongoing Tora among all Yhudim as the spiritual authority, <br />
• See the spiritual necessity of both Yhudim and Non-Yhudim,<br />
• See why Yhudim need to do Tora, and why Non-Yhudim dont need to do Tora.<br />
• See Non-Yhudi students of Yhoshua as God-fearers, a kind of Gerim, thus part of the spiritual community of Yisrael.<br />
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<b>See Also:</b><br />
• <a href="http://www.jewishideasdaily.com">Jewish Ideas Daily</a>. ©2011. jewishideasdaily.com, 2011.<br />
• Feinstein, Eve Levavi. ©2011. “Jesus for Jews”. jewishideasdaily.com. <br />
www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2011/6/15/main-feature/1/jesus-for-jews, 2011.<br />
• The Jewish Jesus: Revelation, Reflection, and Reclamation. Edited by Galber, Zev. ©2011. Purdue University Press.<br />
www.thepress.purdue.edu/titles/format/9781557535795, 2011.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-3293439852721176702011-06-13T08:57:00.031-04:002011-06-14T22:09:36.277-04:00Stones of Heavens - Bareket Stone(Vere, Stein- Atle. ©2011. “Stones of Heavens - Bareket Stone”. <br />
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Among the twelve stones of heavens, the one that Hebrew calls the Bareket stone is probably the green beryl. Namely the emerald.<br />
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The green beryl is native to the land of Mitsrayim מצרים (Egypt). During the Bronze Age, the Mitsrim (Egyptians) know it and carve amulets from it, even mine for it.<br />
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The nomadic tribes of Yisrael ישראל (Israel) are also in Mitsrayim during this time. The tribes have access to this gem, when they determine the twelve gems for the Khoshen amulet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVolrJmEaec/TfYZR0eDjUI/AAAAAAAAAEA/pTXxxXYLNkY/s1600/Bareket+-+Green+Beryl+-+Egyptian+Emerald+-+Hippo+-+Vere+2011+-+brakha+blogspot+com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVolrJmEaec/TfYZR0eDjUI/AAAAAAAAAEA/pTXxxXYLNkY/s640/Bareket+-+Green+Beryl+-+Egyptian+Emerald+-+Hippo+-+Vere+2011+-+brakha+blogspot+com.png" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Vere, Stein-Atle. ©2011. “Stones of Heavens - Bareket Stone- Green Beryl - Egyptian Emerald - Hippo.” </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">brakha.blogspot.com.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">From the land of Mitsrayim מצרים (Egypt) during the Bronze Age circa -1900s, hippopotamus amulet carving in </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">a Bareket stone ברקת - namely green beryl.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source of image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. ©2000. “Hippos Head”. Egyptian. Dynasty 12. Beryl.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. </span><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/10.130.2310"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/10.130.2310</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, 2011.)</span></div><br />
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The stones of heavens are those twelve gems that adorn the Khoshen חשן (“Chestpouch” amulet). The Kohen Ha'Mashiakh כהן המשיח (Anointed Priest) wears it over his chest to enter the holiest area of the presence of God. Originally, a nomadic Tent-Shrine.<br />
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During the Bronze Age, in my view circa -1590, the nomads of Yisrael carve these gems. Per the book of Shmot שמות (Exodus) of the Tora תורה in the Tanakh תנך (Hebrew Bible), they do so while returning from the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt) back to the land of Yisrael. <br />
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There is one gem per tribe. Each gem is a different kind, especially to exibit a different tribal color.<br />
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These gems come from Bronze Age Mitsrayim.<br />
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During the Iron Age circa -600s, the scribes of the Tanakh probably update the transmission with the contemporary forms of the gem names. The book of Shmot (Exodus 28'17) identifies one of the twelve as the Bareket stone ברקת .<br />
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During the Classical Age, circa -200s, the book of Targum Hashivim תרגום השבעים (Septuagint Greek Bible) translates the Hebrew Tanakh into Greek. Targum Hashivim actually borrows the Hebrew gem name Bareket as a loanword to form the Greek gem name Smaragdos σμάραγδος. (Klein, Earnest. ©1987. “ברקת”. Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language.) The letters of Maragd in S-maragd-os correspond to the Hebrew letters of Bareket.<br />
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Later circa 00s, in Latin, Gaius Plinius Secundus (Pliny the Elder) describes this Smaragdus stone in some detail. He clearly means the green beryl, the emerald. He mentions Aegyptus (Egypt), namely Mitsrayim, as one of its sources, and identifies its crystalline form with the light green-blue beryl, the aquamarine, that he refers to as the Beryllus stone. There are complications in the evidence, such as there being more than one kind of Smaragdos because of other stones that are Smaragodos-green in color.<br />
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Nevertheless, the primary meaning of Smargados is the green beryl, and its etymological meaning is the Bareket stone itself.<br />
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Significantly, the emerald exists in the material culture of the land of Mitsrayim, during the Bronze Age.<br />
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This green beryl especially appears during Dynasty 12 and Dynasty 13 of the pharaohs of Thebes. Precisely when, in my view, the nomadic tribes of Yisrael are there.<br />
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The Mitsrim carve the emerald to use as amulets.<br />
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<div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E7mLwb5I2u0/TfYZOvxUnsI/AAAAAAAAAD8/kXV-NxJtZ5w/s1600/Bareket+-+Green+Beryl+-+Egyptian+Emerald+-+Fish+-+Vere+2011+-+brakha+blogspot+com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E7mLwb5I2u0/TfYZOvxUnsI/AAAAAAAAAD8/kXV-NxJtZ5w/s640/Bareket+-+Green+Beryl+-+Egyptian+Emerald+-+Fish+-+Vere+2011+-+brakha+blogspot+com.png" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Stones of Heavens - Bareket Stone - Green Beryl - Egyptian Emerald - Fish”. brakha.blogspot.com.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">From the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt), during the Bronze Age circa -1900s to -1600s, a fish amulet carving in a Bareket stone, namely green beryl.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source of image: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. ©2000. “Fish”. Beryl. Egyptian. Dynasty 12-13. Lisht North, Tomb L847.<br />
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/09.180.1182"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/09.180.1182</span></a>, 2011.)</span></div><br />
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The Bronze Age emerald of Mitsrayim tends to be rough, often aggregating other minerals.<br />
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It also tends toward light green. Misleadingly, modern gemologists sometimes avoid calling it “emerald” because they prefer to reserve this word for only deep-green beryl. (Similarly, gemologists avoid calling red corundum “ruby” if the red is light “pink”.) Chemically, despite aggregates that tinge its color, the green beryl of Mitsrayim is true emerald - being neither the green-blue aquamarine nor green-yellow heliodor.<br />
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During the Bronze Age, most of the emerald is chance finds. Even so, the Mitsri culture pioneers minerological technologies, including mining for gold, copper, rock, and so on. They seek and utilize various minerals for glass, glazes, paint pigments, even to create artificial gems, and so on. Their surveys for various minerals help discover more emeralds.<br />
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Indeed, one of the mines at the Cleoptra Emerald Mines in Mitsrayim, reveals tools from early mining activity there, during the Bronze Age.<br />
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In sum.<br />
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The green beryl - the emerald - exists in ancient Mitsrayim. The tribes of Yisrael can access this gem, when carving the twelve gems of the Khoshen. The Greeks and Romans identify one of these twelve gems, namely the Bareket stone, as Smaragdos and Smaragdus, and clearly describe it as an emerald.<br />
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Among the twelve stones of heavens, the Bareket stone is probably green beryl.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-88562304140967922292011-06-10T08:48:00.023-04:002012-01-18T03:46:21.156-05:00Midrash Raba: Shmot Raba 38'(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Midrash Raba: Shmot Raba 38'”. brakha.blogspot.com.)<br />
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The passage below comes amid an ongoing discussion. <br />
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At this point, the precise wording of the Tora תורה - the five books that begin the Tanakh תנך (Hebrew Bible) - seems to imply:<br />
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Moshe (Moses of the Tora) must do something ... to make the tribes of Yisrael holy to God ... for the sake of Aharon that is to found the family of Kohanim (Priests).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h7qO7VZUUco/TfIUiB9emrI/AAAAAAAAAD0/NNSx8Hqf8do/s1600/Midrash+Raba+-+Shmot+Raba+38%2527+10-11+-+Vere+2011+-+brakha+blogspot+com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h7qO7VZUUco/TfIUiB9emrI/AAAAAAAAAD0/NNSx8Hqf8do/s640/Midrash+Raba+-+Shmot+Raba+38%2527+10-11+-+Vere+2011+-+brakha+blogspot+com.png" t8="true" width="394" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Midrasha Raba. Shmot Raba 38”. brakha.blogspot.com.<br />
Source of derivation: Midrash Raba - Shmot Raba 38'. Version ©1960, New York. <br />
Online: Hebrew Books.<br />
hebrewbooks.org/14385, 2011.)</span></div><br />
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The Rabanim (Rabbis) explore in what sense Yisrael makes this Kohen (Priest) holy, and what it is that God is doing here.<br />
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One Rabi (Rabbi) proposes how Yisrael is holy and how this protects the Kohen:<br />
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Yisrael becomes holy by means their “treaty” ברית with God, specifically the treaty of circumcision that consecrates the kinship system of Yisrael to God, and God alone. This treaty is a spiritual force - a concept that is “alongside” the Kohen - that promotes “lifes and peace”. In some sense, the presence of the communal circumcision literally prevents the Kohen from dying in the overwhelming presence of God.<br />
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Note: The understanding intrigues. Society itself is a kind of entity that has the power to make people “holy”, even to safeguard them during mystical events - existential, transcendent experiences. Moreover consecrating the society as holy to God makes the power of the society holy to God.<br />
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The consensus of the Rabanim accepts this view. <br />
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Yet even in the consensus, the Rabanim explore deeper.<br />
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An other is “saying”, is debating, there is more at work spiritually. It isnt only the consecration of Yisrael that protects the Kohen. It is the very fact this society divides into twelve that protects the Kohen. Moreover, it is the fact each of these subcultures has its own unique identity. Its own name.<br />
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It is precisely the diversity of the society of Yisrael (Israel) that makes the Kohen holy.<br />
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Note: Twelve is a compelling number. From the twelve lunar cycles per solar year, to the twelve zodiacs mapping the heavens, to the twelve tribes of Yisreli (Israeli) society, even to the horoscopes sotospeak that assign unique personalities to each of the twelve - twelve is an archetype. This archetype seems to resonate the dynamic interrelationships of a society. It includes both the strengths and the weaknesses of each of the twelve. Archeologically, what reveals the unique presence of humanity is the creation of geometric shapes. Humans have a biological impulse to organize reality numerically. The experience of 'twelve' is complex. It is difficult to contemplate twelve different concepts simultaneously. Twelve seems to 'multiply' the simpler experiences of the 'place-ness' of four - within the cosmic map of the four directions of the cosmos that are ultimately forward, backward, right, and left - with the dynamic 'unfinished-ness' of three. As abstract as twelve is, it is vivid. It is vivid enough to even make the abstraction of thirteen vivid. Where twelve evokes the dynamic interaction of society, among each other, thirteen evokes the entire society itself interacting with the unknown. On the one hand, the unknown can evoke fear and danger. On the other hand, the unknown can evoke opportunity, curiosity, discovery, unlimited potential. Ultimately, when healthy, the number thirteen represents the relationship of a society with the infinite - thus becoming an infinite society who can adapt with anything the infinite reveals. Perhaps mathematically, twelve is a minimal or optimal number for the self-sustaining dynamic equilibrium of society, but in any case, twelve seems to psychologically - probably neurologically - connote such.<br />
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So each of the twelve tribes is unique. To enter the presence of God, the Kohen must clothe himself with twelve gems, where each gem conveys the uniqueness of each tribe by a unique name.<br />
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It is the diversity of Yisraeli society that makes it possible for the Kohen to enter the infinite.<br />
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The Rabanim agree: It is the unique identity of each tribe that makes the Kohen holy.<br />
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To emphasize the necessity of unique subcultures, the Rabanim mention an ancient list that correlates the unique name of each tribe with the uniqe kind of gem that exhibits its name.<br />
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This list that the Rabanim hold up as an authority is itself remarkable. I discuss it in more detail elsewhere. It appears to be a copy of an ancient document. The document itself now appears to be lost, but fortunately its content is now part of the Rabani content, and survives.<br />
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When the Rabanim cite this document, they do so to emphasize the exact sequence of tribal names.<br />
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Without more comment, their point seems to be: What makes the tribes holy is not just the uniqueness of each tribe, but these twelve unique tribes working together as a single whole. It is the unity in diversity, where an entire tribe functions as a member of a team of tribes. Tribe by tribe, they negotiate with each other to communicate their various needs, but then to prioritize - hierarchize - the goals that they are to achieve together.<br />
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A tribe is to achieve its own tribal goals, only if they are within the framework of the wider intertribal goals, that all the tribes determine collectively by negotiation.<br />
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<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 480;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shmot Raba</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">aka Shemot Rabba, Exodus Rabbah.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">38'</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">שמות רבה</span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Translated by Stein-Atle Vere. ©2011. brakha.blogspot.com.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‹There is› an other talk ‹to explicate the words in the Tora in an other way›.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">«And ‹the word› ‛this’ is the talk [that you ‹Moshe› will do for them ‹of Yisrael›, to make them holy, for the Kohen, to me].»</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Shmot 29'1) (Exodus).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By which merit ‹of Yisrael› was Aharon ‹the Kohen› entering into the House of the Holinesses of the Holinesses?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rabi Khanina his child - that belongs to Rabi Yishmael - said: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The merit of the circumcision was entering with him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‹As it› that ‹is› said ‹in the Tanakh›:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">«By ‹the word› ‛this’, Aharon will come.»</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Vayikra 16'3) (Leviticus).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This ‹is› the circumcision.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As what ‹it is› that you are saying ‹when reading out loud the Tanakh›: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">«‹The word› ‛this’ ‹is› my treaty ‹of circumcision› that you ones will guard.» (Breshit 17'10) (Genesis).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And thusly it is saying:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">«My treaty was alongside him ‹as› the lifes and the peace.» (Malakhi 2'5) (Malachi).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ד״א . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">" וְזֶה הַדָּבָר . " (שמות כט' א . )</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">באי זה זכות היה אהרן נכנס לבית קדשי הקדשים ?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">א״ר חנינא בנו של רבי ישמעאל : </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">זכות המילה היתה נכנסת עמו . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">שנאמר : </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">" בזאת יבא אהרן . " (ויקרא טז' ג . ) </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">זו המילה . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">כמה דאת אמר : </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"זאת בריתי אשר תשמרו . " (בראשית יז' י . ) </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">וכן הוא אומר : </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">" בריתי היתה אתו החיים והשלום . " (מלאכי ב' ה . )</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rabi Yitskhak ‹was› saying:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The merit of the tribes was entering with him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‹As it› that ‹is› being said:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">«And ‹the word› ‛this’ ‹is› the talk that you will do for them.»</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‹Per Gmatrya numerology› the count of ‹the numerical value of the letters in the word› ‛this’ ‹is› twelve.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And these are the twelve stones that were given on his heart - that belongs to Aharon. On them ‹is› the names of the tribes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ר׳ יצחק אומר : </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">זכות השבטים היתה נכנסת עמו .</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">שנאמר : " וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה לָהֶם . " </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">מנין זה י"ב . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ואלו הן י״ב אבנים שהיו נתונות על לבו של אהרן . <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ועליהם שמות השבטים .</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And as this order, ‹the names on the twelve stones› are given:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">וכסדר הזה היו נתונות : </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ruven (Reuben): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>sdrgnyn</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shimon (Simeon): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>swmpwzyn</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Levi (Levi): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>dyyknytyn</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yhuda (Judah): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>brdynyn</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yissakhar (Issachar): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>Sanpirinon</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zvulun (Zebulon): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>Ismaragdin</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan (Dan): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>kwklyn</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Naftali (Naphtali): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>'b'tys</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gad (Gad): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>hymysywn</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Asher (Asher): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>krwmtysyn</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yosef (Joseph): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>pr'lwkyn</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Binyamin (Benjamin): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>mrglytws</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="HE">ראובן : <b>שדרגנין</b> . </span><span dir="ltr"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">שמעון : <b>שימפוזין</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">לוי : <b>דייקינתין</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">יהודה : <b>ברדינין</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">יששכר : <b>סנפרינון</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">זבולון : <b>אסמרגדין</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">דן : <b>כוחלין</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">נפתלי : <b>אבאטיס</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">גד : <b>הימיסיון</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">אשר : <b>קרומטסין</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">יוסף : <b>פראלוקין</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="HE"><span style="font-family: inherit;">בנימין : <b>מרגליטוס</b> . </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="direction: rtl; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Note: In the last section above, the gem names frequently accumulate scribal variants. Example: In the image, the letters פימיסיון appear where the tradition expects the gem name הימיסיון . Thus I standardize the name forms per Jastrow per their critically attested forms. These gem names are Hebrew but obscure technical terms probably deriving from ancient lapidaries who trade in gems. Many scribes are unfamiliar with these terms, thus unable to recognize ambiguous letters or oppositely have the motive to update the tradition to introduce a clearer meaning. I transliterate most of the gem names as letters only, so they appear unclear similar to the unclarity of the Hebrew originals that the scribes copy. I will discuss the forms, origins, and meanings of these gem names elsewhere.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-62393732326460511352011-06-09T05:47:00.026-04:002011-06-12T15:48:12.968-04:00Stones of Heavens - In Ancient BooksStones of Heavens - In Ancient Books<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here I list the ancient books that mention the stones of heavens by name.<br />
<br />
I also list medieval books that preserve ancient traditions naming them.<br />
<br />
I list the gem names in their original languages.<br />
<br />
It is convenient to reference all of the evidence for the gem names in one place.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWfkTZ-K50M/TfCicoBDYNI/AAAAAAAAADs/v9Jq4GdvRww/s1600/Khoshen+-+Reconstruction+Temple+Institute.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWfkTZ-K50M/TfCicoBDYNI/AAAAAAAAADs/v9Jq4GdvRww/s1600/Khoshen+-+Reconstruction+Temple+Institute.bmp" t8="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A reconstruction of the Khoshen, per Halakha, by R' Chaim Richman. The Temple Institute, templeinstitute.org.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image closeup and enhanced: R' Chaim Richman. ©2011. From tour. Online: templemountjerusalem.blogspot.com.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(templemountjerusalem.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html, 2011.)<br />
(www.imsclients.com/listmail/admin/temp/newsletters/494/Rabbi-with-Choshen-nwslttr.jpg)<br />
</span></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
These gems are the holy stones of the twelve tribes of Yisrael.<br />
<br />
The twelve gems bejewel the Khoshen חשן - the “Chestpouch” amulet that the Kohen Ha'Mashiakh כהן המשיח (“Priest the Anointed”) dons to enter the presence of God.<br />
<br />
Each tribe has its own official kind of gem to represent it.<br />
<br />
The Rabanim (Rabbis) of the book of Bamidbar Raba understand, each tribe has its own official color, and it is the color of the gem that makes that type of gem significant to the tribe. <br />
<br />
For the Khoshen, the name of the tribe then engraves into the stone, apparently as a reverse intaglio, as a seal that can imprint the name properly on other surfaces.<br />
<br />
The custom is to use the gem seal to emboss the wet clay around string that ties tight a container, so the clay dries to create an official seal that evidences if anyone tampers with the contents.<br />
<br />
These twelve stones signify the official authority of each tribe.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thru the Ages, Yisreli (Israeli) cultures continue to honor these stones.<br />
<br />
The twelve stone seals originate during the Bronze Age. I suspect an early date. In my view, the nomadic tribal artisans carve the stones circa -1590. While still nomadic, they are familiar with the urban Mitsrayi (Egyptian) bureaucracy and technology.<br />
<br />
The names for the gem types probably preserve the Hebrew language of the Iron Age. The Hebrew that the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) uses to identify the types of stones probably records the dialect of the later urban Tora scribes, circa -600s.<br />
<br />
The gems vanish during the Classical Age in the destruction of the Temple in Yrushalayim (Jerusalem). <br />
<br />
The Yisrael cultures continue to preserve and celebrate the memory of them - and the hope to restore them. These aborigines of the Land of Yisrael continue to celebrate their sacred tribal traditions, century after century after century, across thousands of years.<br />
<br />
The stones are national heritage.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There are twelve different kinds of gems. <br />
<br />
To specify the mineral and color of each historical gem is a puzzle.<br />
<br />
There seems sufficient evidence to solve each identity, even definitively.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Below I strive to summarize all the ancient material that lists all twelve kinds of gems.<br />
<br />
The information includes the Age, the language, the dialect, the century, the name of the book, the author when possible, an online link to that book, and finally the names of the twelve gem types in their original language.<br />
<br />
A survey of the evidence suggests the identities of the gems remain more-or-less consistent, but their order can vary considerably.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>IRON AGE</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
ORIGINAL HEBREW<br />
Hebrew, Yrushalmit, circa -600s,<br />
aka Jerusalemite Hebrew, Judahite Hebrew, Southern Canaanite, Biblical Hebrew.<br />
<br />
Tanakh תנ״ך ,<br />
aka Hebrew Bible, Jewish Bible, Mikra מקרא .<br />
<br />
Tora תורה , <br />
ie “Instruction”, Law,<br />
aka Torah, Khumash חומש , Pentateuch, Sifre Moshe, Books of Moses. <br />
<br />
Shmot שמות ,<br />
aka Shemot, Exodus.<br />
28'17-20.<br />
<br />
(www.mechon-mamre.org/i/t/t0228.htm, 2011.)<br />
<br />
<b>אֹדֶם , פִּטְדָה , בָּרֶקֶת <br />
נֹפֶךְ , סַפִּיר , יָהֲלֹם <br />
לֶשֶׁם , שְׁבוֹ , אַחְלָמָה <br />
תַּרְשִׁישׁ , שֹׁהַם , יָשְׁפֵה </b><br />
<br />
The letters only.<br />
<br />
אדם , פטדה , ברקת <br />
נפך , ספיר , יהלם <br />
לשם , שבו , אחלמה <br />
תרשיש , שהם , ישפה<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>CLASSICAL AGE</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Greek, Koine, circa -200s,<br />
Alexandria, Egypt.<br />
<br />
Septuaginta,<br />
aka Targum Ha'Shviim תרגום השבעים ,<br />
aka Septuagint (Lxx), Greek Bible.<br />
<br />
Exodos ἔξοδος, <br />
aka Shmot, Shemot, Exodus.<br />
28'17-20.<br />
<br />
(apostolic.interlinearbible.org/exodus/28.htm)<br />
<br />
<b>σάρδιον , τοπάζιον , σμάραγδος <br />
ἄνθραξ , σάπφειρος , ἴασπις<br />
λιγύριον , ἀχάτης , ἀμέθυστος<br />
χρυσόλιθος , βηρύλλιον , ὀνύχιον</b><br />
<br />
The letters only.<br />
<br />
σαρδιον , τοπαζιον , σμαραγδος <br />
ανθραξ , σαπφειρος , ιασπις<br />
λιγυριον , αχατης , αμεθυστος<br />
χρυσολιθος , βηρυλλιον , ονυχιον<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Greek, Koine, circa 00s.<br />
<br />
Greek New Testament.<br />
<br />
Apokalupsis ἀποκάλυψις,<br />
aka Apocalypse, Revelation.<br />
21'19-20.<br />
<br />
All versions agree, including Codex Vaticanus (B). There seems no scribal variants.<br />
<br />
(www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=re%2021&version=WHNU, Westcott-Hort, 2011.)<br />
<br />
<b>ἴασπις , σάπφιρος , χαλκηδών , σμάραγδος , σαρδόνυξ , σάρδιον , χρυσόλιθος , βήρυλλος , τοπάζιον , χρυσόπρασος , ὑάκινθος , ἀμέθυστος </b><br />
<br />
The letters only.<br />
<br />
ιασπις , σσπφιρος , χαλκηδων , σμσραγδος , σαρδονυξ , σσρδιον , χρυσολιθος , βηρυλλος , τοπαζιον , χρυσοπρασος , υακινθος , αμεθυστος<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Greek, Koine, circa 75.<br />
<br />
Yosef Matitya יוסף מתתיה , <br />
aka Titus Flavia Iosephus, Josephus Flavia.<br />
<br />
Ioudaikou Polemos Ἰουδαϊκοῦ πόλεμος, <br />
aka Lat. De Bello Iudaico,<br />
aka Jewish War.<br />
<br />
Book 5 Verse 234,<br />
aka Book 5 Chapter 5 Section 7.<br />
<br />
(www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=J.+BJ+5.234&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0147, 2011.)<br />
<br />
<b>σάρδιον , τόπαζος , σμάραγδος <br />
ἄνθραξ , ἴασπις , σάπφειρος <br />
ἀχάτης , ἀμέθυστος , λιγύριον <br />
ὄνυξ , βήρυλλος , χρυσόλιθος, </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Greek, Koine, circa 93.<br />
<br />
Yosef Matitya יוסף מתתיה , <br />
aka Titus Flavia Iosephus, Josephus Flavia.<br />
<br />
Ioudaike Arkhaiologia ιουδαικη αρχαιολογια, <br />
ie “Yhudi Sayings of the Beginning”, Jewish ancient lore,<br />
aka Lat. Antiquitates Judaicae,<br />
aka Antiquities of the Jews.<br />
<br />
Book 3 Verse 168,<br />
aka Book 3 Chapter 7 Section 5.<br />
<br />
(www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0145%3Abook%3D3%3Awhiston+chapter%3D7%3Awhiston+section%3D5)<br />
<br />
<b>σαρδόνυξ , τόπαζος , σμάραγδος <br />
ἄνθραξ , ἴασπις , σάπφειρος <br />
λίγυρος , ἀμέθυσος , ἀχάτης <br />
χρυσόλιθος , ὄνυξ , βήρυλλος </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Aramaic, Syriac, circa 100s.<br />
<br />
Pshitta פשיטתא , <br />
ie “Plain” Translation,<br />
aka Syriac Bible.<br />
<br />
Shmot<br />
aka Shemot, Exodus. <br />
28'17-20.<br />
<br />
(www.peshitta.org/pdf/ot/Exodus.pdf, 2011.)<br />
<br />
<b>סָמְקָן , יָרְקָן , בָּרְקָן <br />
איזמרגזין *אִזְמַרַגְדִּין , שַׁבְזֵיז , סַבְהְלוֹם *סַבְהַלוֹם <br />
קנקירי *קַנְכֵרִי , טְרַקְיָא *טַרְקְיָא , עֵין עִגְלָא <br />
כְּרֻום יַמָא , בֻּורְלָא , פַּנְתֵירִי </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Greek, Koine, circa 100s-200s.<br />
<br />
Hexapla ἑξαπλά.<br />
Parallel Hebrew-to-Greek translations, circa 200s.<br />
<br />
Edited by <br />
Ȯrigenės ὠριγένης,<br />
aka Origen Adamantius,<br />
aka Origen of Alexandria.<br />
<br />
1 Hebrew: Masorti, aka Masoretic text.<br />
2 Secunda: Hebrew-to-Greek transliteration. <br />
3 Aquila עקילס , of Sinope, Pontus. circa 130. Word-for-word translation. <br />
4 Ebionitės Summakhos συμμαχος, Symmachus. circa 200. Verse-for-verse paraphrase. <br />
5 Septuagint. circa -200s. Circa 200s Origen marks Non-Hebrew expansions.<br />
6 Theodotiȯn θεοδοτίων. circa 150.<br />
<br />
Exodos,<br />
aka Shmot, Shemot, Exodus.<br />
28'17-20.<br />
<br />
(www.archive.org/stream/origenhexapla01unknuoft#page/130/mode/2up, 2011.)<br />
<br />
All agree - Septuagint, Aquila, Theodotion - except Summakhos varies:<br />
<br />
<b>σάρδιον , τοπάζιον , σμάραγδος [Summakhos: κεραύνιος]<br />
ἄνθραξ , σάπφειρος , ἴασπις<br />
λιγύριον , ἀχάτης , ἀμέθυστος<br />
χρυσόλιθος [Summakhos ὑάκινθος], βηρύλλιον , ὀνύχιον </b><br />
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Aramaic, Bavlit, circa 200s-300s.<br />
aka Jewish Babylonian Aramaic.<br />
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Targum Onkelos תרגום אונקלוס ,<br />
aka Targum Onqelos, Targum Bavli תרגום בבלי , Babylonian Targum.<br />
<br />
Nkudot per the Masoret Ha'Temanim נקודות לפי מסורת התימנים ,<br />
ie “vowel-points per the tradition of the Yemenites”.<br />
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Shmot,<br />
aka Shemot, Exodus.<br />
28'17-20.<br />
<br />
(www.mechon-mamre.org/i/t/u/up0208.htm, 2011.)<br />
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<b>סָמְקָן , יָרְקָן , בָּרְקָן <br />
אִזְמַרַגְדִּין , שַׁבְזֵיז , סַבְהֲלוֹם <br />
קַנְכֵּרִי , טְרַקְיָא , עֵין עִגְלָא <br />
כְּרוּם יַמָּא , בֻּרְלָא , פַּנְתֵּירִי </b><br />
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Latin, Vulgate, circa 385.<br />
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Vulgata,<br />
aka Versio Vulgata, <br />
aka Vulgate Bible, Latin Bible.<br />
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Translated by Eusebios Sȯphronios Hierȯnumos, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος, <br />
aka Lat. Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus,<br />
aka Jerome, Hierom.<br />
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Apocalypsis,<br />
aka Apocalypse, Revelation.<br />
21'19-20<br />
<br />
(http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Revelation+21&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0060, 2011.)<br />
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<b>Iaspis , Sapphyrus , Carcedonius , Zmaragdus , Sardonix , Sardinus , Chrysolitus , Berillus , Topazius , Chrysoprassus , Hyacinthus , Amethistus </b><br />
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Compare modern standardized spelling.<br />
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(www.veritasbible.com/lvb/read/Apocalypsis_21, 2011.)<br />
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Iaspis , Sapphirus , Calcedonius , Smaragdus , Sardonyx , Sardius , Chrysolithus , Beryllus , Topazius , Chrysoprasus , Hyacinthus , Amethystus . <br />
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Latin, Vulgate circa 390.<br />
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Vulgata,<br />
aka Versio Vulgata, <br />
aka Vulgate Bible, Latin Bible.<br />
<br />
Translated by Eusebios Sȯphronios Hierȯnumos Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος, <br />
aka Lat. Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus,<br />
aka Saint Jerome, Saint Hierom.<br />
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Exodus <br />
aka Shmot, Shemot.<br />
28'17-20.<br />
<br />
(www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Exodus+28&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0060, 2011.)<br />
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<b>Sardius , Topazius , Zmaragdus<br />
Carbunculus , Sapphyrus , Iaspis<br />
Ligyrius , Achates , Amethistus<br />
Chrysolitus , Onychinus , Berillus </b><br />
<br />
Compare modern standardized spelling.<br />
<br />
(www.veritasbible.com/lvb/read/Exodus_28, 2011.)<br />
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Sardius , Topazius , Smaragdus<br />
Carbunculus , Sapphirus , Iaspis<br />
Ligurius , Achates , Amethystus<br />
Chrysolithus , Onychinus , Beryllus<br />
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<b>MEDIEVAL AGE</b><br />
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Aramaic, Syriac, circa 600s.<br />
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Pshitta פשיטתא<br />
aka Syriac New Testament.<br />
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Glina גלינא ,<br />
aka Apocalypse, Revelation 21'19-20.<br />
<br />
(Seeking online link.)<br />
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<b>ישפה , ספילא , קרכדנא , זמרגדא , סרדון־וטפרא , סרדון , כאף־דהבא , ברולא , טופנדיון , כרוספרסא , יוכנתוס , אמותסס</b><br />
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Aramaic, Yrushalmi, circa 600s.<br />
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Cairo Genizah Fragment Targums.<br />
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From the Gniza (burial “stash” for worn books) of Bate Kneset Ben-Ezra. Includes different Targumim, three probably dating to 600s.<br />
<br />
(Seeking.)<br />
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Aramaic, Glilit,<br />
aka Galilean Aramaic.<br />
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Targum Neofiti, תרגום נאופיטי .<br />
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Colophon of copy dates to 1500s, Spain, ספרד , after the expulsion of Yhudim. Content seems early, possibly even 300s. But possibly sectarian, as some content opposes Halakha. Possibly a medieval compilation.<br />
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Shmot<br />
aka Shemot, Exodus.<br />
28'17−20.<br />
<br />
(Seeking.)<br />
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Hebrew, circa 1000s.<br />
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Midrash Raba שמות רבה , <br />
aka Midrash Rabbah.<br />
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Shmot Raba שמות רבה ,<br />
aka Shemot Rabbah, Exodus Rabba.<br />
38'10.<br />
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Numerous scribal variants, even in these modern copies that I cite here. I standardize them per Jastrow to determine the critically attested forms.<br />
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(www.tsel.org/torah/midrashraba/titsaveh.html, 2011.)<br />
(www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14385&st=&pgnum=352, 2011.)<br />
(he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%93%D7%A8%D7%A9_%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%94_%D7%A2%D7%9C_%D7%AA%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%94, 2011.)<br />
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<b>שדרגנין , שימפוזין , דייקינתין , ברדינין , סנפרינון , אסמרגדין , כוחלין , אבאטיס , הימיסיון , קרומטסין , פראלוקין , מרגליטוס <br />
</b><br />
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Aramaic, Glilit, circa 1200s,<br />
aka Galilean Aramaic.<br />
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Targum Yrushalmi Ktaim תרגום ירושלמי קטעים ,<br />
aka Targum Ktaim, Fragment Targum, Fragmentary Targum.<br />
aka Targum Yrushalmi B, Targum Yerushalmi 2.<br />
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Fragments difficult to date but includes early content associating Targum Neofiti, and possibly represents its variants. Probably medieval, probably after 1000s as its gem list seems to derive partly from Shmot Raba gem list.<br />
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Shmot<br />
aka Shemot, Exodus<br />
28'17-20.<br />
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(he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%AA%D7%A8%D7%92%D7%95%D7%9D_%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%99_(%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9D)_%D7%A2%D7%9C_%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%AA#.D7.A4.D7.A8.D7.A7_.D7.9B.D7.97, 2011.)<br />
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<b>סַמְקָתָא , יַרְקָתָא , בַּרְקָתָא <br />
כַּדְכְּדָנָא , סִמְפּוּלְיָנָא , עֵין עִיגְלָא <br />
זוֹזוּן , בִּירְזְלִין , זְמַרְגְּדִין <br />
כְּרוּם יַמָא , בְּדוֹלְחָא , מַרְגְּלִיתָא <br />
</b><br />
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Aramaic, Glilit, circa 1300s,<br />
aka Galilean Aramaic.<br />
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Targum Yrushalmi Yonatan תרגום ירושלמי יונתן , <br />
aka Targum Myukhas L'Yonatan תרגום מיוחס ליונתן , Targum Psevdo-Yonatan פסבדו-יונתן , Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Targum Yonatan Ben Uziyel תרגום יונתן בן עוזיאל . <br />
aka Targum Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Targum, Targum Erets Yisrael תרגום ארץ ישראל , Land of Israel Targum,<br />
aka Targum Yrushalmi A, Targum Yerushalmi 1.<br />
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Medieval origin, circa 800s-1500s, after 700s (mentions Aisha spouse of Muhamad and Fatima his child, after Islam), after 800s (alludes conquest of Constantinople קוסטנטיני קרתא חייבתא ), probably after 1100s (after Gonim and Rashi who dont refer to it).<br />
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Shmot<br />
aka Shemot, Exodus.<br />
28'17−20.<br />
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(he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%AA%D7%A8%D7%92%D7%95%D7%9D_%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%99_(%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%AA%D7%9F)_%D7%A2%D7%9C_%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%AA#.D7.A4.D7.A8.D7.A7_.D7.9B.D7.95)<br />
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<b>סִמוּקְתָּא , יַרְקְתָא ,בַּרְקְתָא <br />
אִיזְמוֹרַד , סַפִּירִינוּן , כַּדְכוֹדֵי <br />
קַנְכִּירִינוּן , עַרְקִין , עֵין עֵיגָל <br />
כְּרוּם יַמָא רַבָּא , בִּירְלֵיוַות חַלָא , מַרְגְּנִיַית אַפַּנְטוּרִין <br />
</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-27839953304959460682011-06-07T17:13:00.017-04:002011-06-07T18:10:42.354-04:00Khag Sameakh! ShavuotKhag Sameakh! Shavuot Sameakh!<br />
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This evening is the Eve of Shavuot.<br />
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Khag חג Shavout שבועות - the “Festival” of “Weeks” - celebrates the Seven Weeks after Pesakh פסח (Passover), when God begins the Tora תורה , in the Mountain of Sinai סיני , thru the hands of Moshe (Moses) משה , during the Bronze Age.<br />
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In my view, this formative event occurs circa -1590. <br />
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Shavuot defines the moment that the Twelve Tribes of Yisrael ישראל become a “nation” אום and an “ethnicity” גוי , distinctive among the other ethnicities of West Asia. It begins the Tora, the ongoing ethical, narrative, and spiritual tradition of Yisrael.<br />
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This is the same day that Greek calls Pentėkostė (Pentecost) πεντηκοστη, namely Day “Fifty” after Pesakh.<br />
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This evening is a great time to “pull an all-nighter” getting together with friends to study the Tora til dawn, or read and discuss anything even remotely related to the Bible and the Rabanim (Rabbis).<br />
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It is suprisingly fun. <br />
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Shavuot is one of my two favorite holidays ever. The other is Pesakh. <br />
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Yes, Yom Kipur is important too, but these two holidays are fun - and deep. Plus. One day all humanity will be overflowing with compassion, and without sin. Perhaps we wont need Yom Kipur anymore? But we will always have Tora. Even in infinity.<br />
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Eat lots of “cool” refreshing “milk” foods. These physicalize Compassion חסד . Did you know icecream and cheesecake are healthy for your higher self? Tonight they are!<br />
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Here is a <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=223967">solid article</a> about the role of Shvuot in modern Yisreli (Israeli) society.<br />
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It sets a good mood to appreciate the Khag.<br />
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Khag sameakh חג שמח ! “A joyous festival”! Happy holiday!<br />
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<b>See Also</b><br />
• (David Newman. ©2011. “Religious Pluralism on Shavuot”. The Jerusalem Post.<br />
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=223967, 2011.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621569169111168881.post-61505641900948806252011-06-03T15:53:00.024-04:002011-06-07T19:47:27.777-04:00Stones of Heavens - Heraldry of Tribes(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Stones of Heavens - Heraldry of Tribes”. brakha.blogspot.com.)<br />
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Here is my art to reconstruct the heraldic flags for each of the twelve tribes of Yisrael. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyLxrMVk6Jk/TelCfOUzSOI/AAAAAAAAADg/KyImYo4C9bk/s1600/Heraldry+of+Twelve+Tribes+-+Vere+2011+-+brakha+blogspot+com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyLxrMVk6Jk/TelCfOUzSOI/AAAAAAAAADg/KyImYo4C9bk/s640/Heraldry+of+Twelve+Tribes+-+Vere+2011+-+brakha+blogspot+com.png" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. Image: “Heraldry of the Twelve Tribes of Yisrael”. brakha.blogspot.com.)</span></div><br />
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The medieval Rabanim (Rabbis) רבנים develop these flags in their book of Bamidbar Raba במדבר רבה . <br />
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They assign a “symbol” סימן from the Tora תורה for each tribe of Yisrael (Israel) ישראל , to represent it as a heraldic badge for its official “flag” דגל − “banner” מפה , coat of arms, medal, and so on − in addition to the official “color” צבע of each tribe.<br />
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It comes out beautiful.<br />
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The reconstruction uses the blazons - the technichal rules - of medieval European heraldry, to approximate the images that the medieval Rabanim refer to, as they design the flags.<br />
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The color of the 'imperial purple' (of the amethyst) is irregular, but symbolically significant. I treat it as if one of the 'tinctures' in addition to red, green, blue, and black. Example: all hues of red count as the tincture 'red'. Plus, the two 'metals' are gold equating yellow and silver equating white or light gray.<br />
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I derive the flag images from historical medieval badges displaying similar images. The 'shoulder' is unusual, but other bodyparts for badges are common, especially head, face, hand, arm, foot, and leg. In context, shoulder fits in. I havent found a badge with an olive 'tree', but olive branches are common.<br />
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I strive to make the impression feel appropriate for medieval pagentry.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com