08/19/2024
For those who want to know: it’s a lot but here it goes….
What do Jews believe?
Jewish people believe that all humans are souls (light forces) sourced by a tremendous loving creator we call G-D or source. We believe God or this life force created and provides for all living beings in the world. We believe we have been given free choice to use our time here on earth, some use their power to destroy and some to build, some do both, it’s the journey to over come our ego and stay connected to our internal life force/godliness. The journey is to bring the spirituality into our daily life. For example, as we build and grow our interests and interact with eachother we can practice speaking respectfully, or as we go to work we can practice honesty, or as we enter into relationships we can practice empathy etc). That is Judaism.
The Torah is our manual, filled with the path to stay connected to our life force and it tells us what to avoid and what to do more of. It warns us of our selfish inclinations and how to avoid the common slips. There are 613 precepts, and they can be studied in the literal, the analytical (oral laws gemarah Talmud etc), the metaphorical/hints through stories, and through the spiritual (or secrets the Zohar). Each are important and everyone is more drawn to one of those ways of study. We were also given the ten commandments to maintain civility, these include laws between man and man, and laws between man and G-D.
We believe in turning to source/G-D for comfort when times are tough and when times are easy similar to turning to a caring mom or dad. We believe that creating a personal connection with God is what strengthens our own life force and inner vibrancy and it is this life force that sustains us. This relationship to light to G-D is what grounds us when the world around us is uncertain, we always have certainty.
We believe that even the darkest times are a part of a bigger picture that we don’t always understand but it is for the greater good (even if it’s horrible).
We don’t believe in revenge. We believe that G-D will address people’s misdeeds. We don’t believe in an eye for an eye, for we would never know the value of anyone’s misdeeds to assign retribution. An eye for an eye is term that applies to how G-d works not how people interact.
We create a relationship w life force (G-d ) through prayer, meditation, the breath, living in moderation, awareness that we are made up of energy or light force. We build our relationship to our Lifeforce by taking care of each other, community service, doing good deeds and giving charity.
We believe that we are here to be the best versions of ourself, and as my Rabbi (Rabbi Silber) said it best (as he quoted Reb Nachman) we need to embrace our handicaps, learn from our mistakes, refine our character and live our highest potential. We are not here to be anyone but ourselves. We are not here to become anything. We already Are. We need to say no where we need to say no, and say yes where we need to say yes and if we are uncertain then we need to get guidance from a reliable resource.
It is not our job to make sense of why good things or bad things happen bc sometimes it’s clear and sometimes it’s not. This is the journey. Can you stay centered to source when the world is wonky. That’s the journey.
We believe that all living creatures matter. We believe that Jewish people were chosen to share this wisdom to restore and maintain civility, it doesn’t make us better than anyone else. We believe that everyone is special and skilled and made with their own unique qualities and abilities and talents. We believe that life is precious and to create peace wherever possible.
We do believe that there is such a thing as evil forces, but it’s complicated, bc it all comes from the creator. We believe that when you are not in your power and succumb to lack and doubt that produces energy that grows the low vibration energy (where evil evolves). Energy is always flowing. To keep It flowing at high vibrations we need to do good deeds, help eachother talk nicely etc otherwise life force migrates to the other side.
No where does it say we can’t protect ourselves, in fact it is important to avoid danger and dangerous people, places or things. And it’s okay to fight if you are attacked. Of course it should be avoided until it can’t be. This is where it can get hard to detangle from the negative energy and even produce more darkness. The solution is always - The more you focus on positive and light force, even when you are defending yourself, turn towards the light to G-d, the more life force and light will grow. This is our goal. It is that easy. You have to agree to believe during those moments (when the whole world is firing missiles focus on life force on G-D) And that’s the journey, to believe energy flows where you focus.
We believe the spiritual is as important if not more important than the physical, and that our ancestors, our grandparents and great great parents were the wisest people who ever lived, and those are the true role models. And we need to learn about the Arizal, Rambam, Ramban, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai , Rabbi Akiva, to name a few. Those should be the first people we study and pictures to hang on our walls. We believe that every generation has a great sage.
We believe that our homes should be filled with Jewish books that teach the ways of healthy relationships, how to be good parents, how to have successful marriages, good conversations, prosperous businesses, and creating strong communities. Homes that have these books like the Tanya, Kohelet, mishlei etc are much more equipped to handle life.
We believe that learning Torah is as important if not more than enlisting in the military. We believe there are those who are skilled at physical labor (I.e. military) and those who are skilled at intellectual labor (i.e, Torah study). We value both. We believe that anyone who separates G-d from government is making a direct attack on Torah. Sadly Many of the Jews in Israel who oppose Torah in government/ school are not aware of the importance of Torah as an energy source, many people think life force comes from their hard work, businesses, money and political leaders etc. while it is true to some extent, both are necessary in running a smooth country or society.
Other fun facts, We believe in Mashiach, a person who will be able to teach higher consciousness to the masses and restore civility forevermore. We believe in reincarnation, yep, and that souls return to earth to complete their mission. We also believe in the resurrection of the dead when the mashaich comes, just like a plant comes to life from a seed in the earth so will the dead.
We believe that much of what is happening politically and internationally is a spiritual unraveling of sorts plying out old souls, cycles and that each country, each leader is divinely chosen and given free will to restore justice. We believe that everyone is given the opportunity to align with higher power (G-D).
Most people today don’t know how to feel their way into their inner spiritual body, their inner vibrancy and allign with source energy, bc they are too immersed in their jobs cars politics fame power material world etc. (this is a struggle for most of us and therefore miracles will come in the form of natural explainable occurrences (like secret service waiting to fire the assassin and a bullet missing the brain).
We believe that loving your neighbor like you love yourself is the answer to everything. We believe our daily mission is about sharing and serving one another, gifting eachother with our precious skills and talents while maintaining a humbleness and devotion to source.
Myths debunked:
We don’t hate people that are gay or le***an. We don’t hate period. We do believe in restricting sexual activity even in the heterosexual marriage to maintain overall energy and Lifeforce, and we also believe in the sanctity of marriage of heterosexuals as part of sustaining population and family unity.
We don’t hate other religions nor do we proselytize. We accept true converts and hold them In high regard. We do make sure conversions are honest bc we know that much of our problems today stem from dishonest conversions.
We also love our non Jewish brothers and sisters and believe we are all one.
We celebrate sabbath and holidays. We use prayer to fulfill obligations that can’t be fulfilled bc we no longer have the temple. Holidays are days that have special energy where we (anyone) can access abundance and happiness . The sabbath is also a day where we replenish our energy for the week ahead.
When we live our life as though we know we are are precious, divine, honorable worthy whole and complete then we are in our life force. It’s our egos that are filled with criticism and selfishness that gets in the way of our godliness. When people say they don’t believe in G-d, that it’s the cause of all problems, that they don’t believe in GD they are atheist, or that G-d is mean punishing and judgemental they are often describing themselves, or people, or their ego and unresolved parts of themselves, hurt and wounded by friends parents and siblings. This is why we need to be loving to eachother.
Gd is loving kind and comforting and sees you as light and abundant and wants you happy and is sad when you are not. Gd is life force, our light, pure love, just like your inner vibrance. Most of us weren’t raised to understand life this way, most of don’t see ourselves as energetic souls full of love and light, not even most Jews.
So that’s basically it.
