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By Janine - 3 Jan 2017

In Reference to: 1 January 2017 - People Blinding Themselves

Dearest Frank and Mary,

WOW and WOW and WOW and WOW again, you never fail to amaze me, and once more you did it again, I can't believe how your current sermon is being repeated all over the globe in many forms whether by a Rabbi here in the U.S., or one in England, or I noticed even in the Holy Land, in Israel, it's totally amazing...

I'll explain more fully, when I comment, Frank, on your excellent sermon you wrote entitled People Blinding Themselves...

1.  Omitted for personal reasons.

2. I wanted to comment on your most recent sermon, please, now, about People Blinding Themselves, and sharing the following two things:

(A.) The VERY Good news, is as follows, and this is really great, Frank: In Eilat at Ben Gurion University, coming up soon, on the 16th of January, and this is not

just merely a coincidence, but an entire textbook was just written, by an Orthodox and outspoken vegan Rabbi: Rabbi Asa Keisar,

called "People blinding themselves!" This book (hundreds of them) will be distributed for free. The talk will cover

the topic:

...the way the Bible deals with the slaughter of animals, and the reality check, unveiling hidden and shockingly all most too horrifying to be true facts, that reveal what is actually going on today, which is blatantly contravened, in bleak reality, to the compassionate nature of G-d and negates reason, logic, and defies kind sentiment. 

Come listen to how a call for justice is summoned, for us to move forward in rethinking our stance. What is called for is our making a commitment to change our lifestyles to become fully vegan, in view of the imperatives of leading a life free of this worrying connection to the bloodshed of these non-human animals. Open up your eyes.  Come one, come all. Become emancipated from these shameful evil doings of humanity.

Finally, Frank another interesting point:

(B.)  Here's a talk I wish to share that is something universal on how to become G-d's best friend:

<< 

May God be my best friend

A prayer: (by David Sacks) Master of the universe

Creator of all history

Good thing to be best friends with G-d.

Giving  us 100% of his goodness 100% of the time.

Two stories illustrate  in order, placing kid in the back seat car, start to drive, driving aimlessly, just in order to put my child to sleep, got me thinking...

(1.) Did this not too long ago, just driving all of a sudden for twenty minutes, while my little Moshe was in the back seat, simply keeping me from going someplace in particular...

No concept of what this involves, except that this entire exercise is just for him, for Moshe to fall asleep?

Thought to myself, WOW what a similar situation. Isn't it G-d who is driving the entire world? Are we sitting blindly not realizing this, being driven, and we are moving along aimlessly in the back seat? Why is this happening? How come G-d is doing this, "Just for us?"

Think again about this notion... Whole thing for us...

When will we appreciate some level of appreciation...?????????

and...

(2.) Another story, my little boy, really young, had not such great vision. I think it was normal that he couldn’t see very far in front of his face as an infant. He could see only a couple of inches in front of his eyes. He was crying, because he was hungry, and he wanted to be fed. Now, I’m preparing his baby bottle which was his mother's expressed mother's milk, she had me help in the feedings, and knew that this was exactly what he needed at that moment, just merely a few inches from his face, although he still doesn’t see... he is blind because he hasn't developed his eye sight yet, but what excuse do we have for not seeing????? 

Thought often times G-d is preparing our salvation right in front of our eyes, but we don’t have the eyes to see it...

Incredibly happy to be developing good eyesight. When you understand 24 hours a day going on, how can you be distant from G-d. Am really mad at… (whatever the "external" thing that aggravated me was) what are you talking about? It’s surrounding you, you’re inside of it. The anger comes from you. G-d gives compassion, love and kindness...

(3.) Share two types of faith. Wholesale sin and retail sin. Retail is this smaller or bigger? Retail sin Friday night what am I doing? Instead of praying, maybe one is eating animals that were killed needlessly, at a restaurant, and then the clubs opening, and am going out. Far greater than that is this, the wholesale sin, praying at the Western Wall with intent, the Kotel, in Holy City of Jersualem, maybe reaching a level of piousness and spiritual uplifting but then as soon as turning away, or walking away maybe to get onto a bus, back to "reality, check" getting on with my life... is this not the greater "sin?" That’s wholesale, why have I left G-d behind, is there a place where G-d doesn’t exist? Wholesale sin... for wherever we go, G-d is WITH US... but any sin is darkness, is it not?

(4.) First Jew our Holy Father Abraham Avinu, accessed this level, after being circumcised in his 90’s, outside his tent, burning sun, third day, all of a sudden Abraham's doors being opened up from all four sides. From a distance he sees three, very hot, waves, ripple, level of intense heat, strangers in distance, G-d was visiting with Avraham, a great Mitzvah, wake up, G-d comforts him, Avraham sees strangers jumped up ran towards them to offer hospitality. Rabbis ask, G-d’s in middle you jump up running after strangers? Change my life. Don’t for a moment believe that it was Avraham who was interrupting G-d rather he was deepening his conversation w/G-d applying to the strangers through this realm of kindness. Life is basically constant dialogue w/G-d every action doing carrying on conversation every thought every word, no distance. Breslev Chasid Jerusalem wanted burial site surrounding his grave. Great merit he did? Worried earthquake in  China would go. Nothing I can do to help those, too far, don’t have money can’t do it, if G-d revealed there’s suffering can still do something to help it is a responsibility and cannot stand by doing nothing... I SEE that I have to help... 

(5.) Walking down street drive car see someone homeless, drive by all the time, do we say something? Do we give them some of our food to share with them and a kind word and listen to what their story might be?

Level of prayer, should not be so different, that of prayer while sitting in the midst of the community of the congregation during the middle of an organized prayer service or on our own wherever we may be...

Let's say we hear a Siren of a fire engine and ambulance, or a police car this could be interpreted as a signal from G-d to pray to Hashem that He should send salvation

Understand every single moment nature relationship rabbi Berger, said if  you have 2 people in a relationship one of them wants to give to you constantly while the other is Luke warm? Not returning, breakdown, determined by person less interested, if just like, back and forth, connection Hashem is loving us the most 24 hours 8 days a week right? Question is where are we? Insight offering you we determine the nature of our relationship with Hashem to the extent we want to be close, we’re close, we want to be distant we’re distant. Close right now. A lot of us don’t understand how instantaneous it really is. It’s like so many calls, don’t even know the numbers… don’t have strength, and forget about it. Not the case. Hashem is not the electric company honestly think I’m joking? It’s instantaneous.

(6.) Okay, when shall we start? Do I want to see the sunset? G-d: It’s night time, how about settling for seeing the moon? Appreciate it, it’s instantaneously. Be open to receive G-d’s friendship. It’s here. Open your eyes, begin to really SEE!

(7.) We think imagine relationship the more someone does for me the more I’m going to love them. Consciously unconsciously no crime all in life it’s exactly opposite the more you do for someone else invest of yourself in that relationship the deeper the tie to that person, if you think wait a second don’t know if that’s true love affair times I loved them the most, they were doing the most for me... it's when I was doing more for them!!! Why is it so hard to understand and see that? Again, the part everyone forgets, at that moment you were also doing the most for them, reciprocating...

Jump start relationship? Start doing for that person

Surprise me!

Truth is, want to jump start feel tremendous love? Do something for them

Then you’re going to want to do another thing, and then another thing...

(8.) Moment for US to step up, G-d is waiting for us to make positive things and see the way...

Question is logical determination... take for example at a traditional wedding on a Sunday, might be a holy custom of a Jewish traditional wedding husband getting under chupa his callah, the bride, walks around him seven times, sheva brachot, one part connected, when Jews were attacked Jericho entering land of Israel circled walls of city 7 times, all walls came down. What’s happening under canopy bride circles groom7 times hopefully all walls existing between them are falling down.

First thing get rid of all walls job one between you and G-d. Rabbi Nachman of Uman, said why do we have to talk to Hashem prayer book synagogue, walking down street think you whatever it is blessings drink coffee Starbucks thank you G-d really good cup of coffee. Hopefully just hearing that, relate to G-d moment to moment concrete presence in your life breaks downfall of walls married I’m  married for 34 years, perfect relationship… never came up? Close? Ask G-d, not saying everything, how crazy is that? Rabbi Nachman compares to general, incredibly protective wall, over, gets to entrance place wants to go, spider web entrance, not going to work out that’s what we do, I mean when you get ready to pray pen up, G-d guides what you write, you want to connect that already can’t believe how many oceans in your heart not to take next step? Hide everything instead of saying thank you for being here to G-d, simply start anew, G-d will inspire you, all over again.

(9.) Funny,  talking to yourself, joke, Jewish collection sign of intelligence it’s when you answer  yourself something’s wrong!

Going over something in my head, walking down Broadway, approaching, not crazy notice at that moment some who is also talking to themselves, so important can't even imagine

(10.) Everything all of creation, us humans and non-human animals, the animals sing praises to G-d and so can we, in fact we can talk to G-d directly because we have the power of speech and if we don’t use it to access our relationship w/G-d use that most special gift special tool to connect how can we change? We were supposed to be able to communicate spontaneously. When we do something not so holy we need to stop doing that. Habit for us to break now, oh I just did something or other... fill in the blank, got to remember… let me ask you possibly something if you had a sculpture at your home, the kids were playing, and they broke off the head of this sculpture, you would think you have got to get that fixed, stop everything get it fixed right away, right? Well, we need to realize that our soul is infinitely more precious than the sculpture, don't we? Needs repair, correcting, on spot.

>> 

Isn't it all about being tuned in, Frank, to what is G-d's Divine way of how we can get closer to G-d that is all so simple and right in front of us, right before our eyes, were we not blind to seeing it?

Now, once again, I have that special request from me, Frank, for a sermon whenever the spirit moves you, to please consider the following topic, Frank:

Opening up our ears to hear the music of the gloriousness of G-d's creations who offer praise in G-d's name aware of their souls and breathing in G-d's holiness?

Thanks! Anything about listening would be great, the above is way too long, of course, but I get distracted and my mind wanders, however I know you'll get the drift of the sermon my heart is yearning for (knowing how musically inclined I seem to be, right, Frank?) :)

Love,

Hugs, Kisses, Smiles, best wishes,

Janine

Go on to comments: By Frank and Mary Hoffman - 3 Jan 2017
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