Rabbi Steve

[RabbiSteve]

yes, i know that one pretty well. but it isn't connected to the other root though, is it?

b'shalom

bananabrain

Friends,

Thanks for the exposition on Hebrew grammar .

But my interpretation of "Yisrael" was metaphorically based. For me when "Yis-ra-el," "one wrestles with God, " one becomes "saved."

It is in the questioning and even rejection, rather than tacet acceptance of human based religious text of all cultures, that we become "free." That is the message I take from "Yisrael." Many if not most of the world's problems have occured in the name of "faith."

Fundemental interpretations of all religious text are fundementally responsible for the condition the world is in.

In closing, Bananabrain- you have given much thought to all of this, but you come from a halachic position and I from a non-halachic perspective. I know that we are both correct for ourselves and our communities and that we cannot agree on many things, though we can respect one another.

I only wish I was as articulate as you in presenting my positions. But that is clearly your gift.

I wish you shalom.
Rabbi Steve

 

[Bandit]

well, i am entitled to consider that a squandering of an incredible cultural inheritance, which reduces judaism to the level of, say, a chocolate easter bunny. what a loss to the jewish people.

That is how I think quite a few people in a religion feel about it and that is pretty much what interfaith does, not through marriage alone. It indirectly widdles away at everyones culture as a real thing & attempts to disolve the core of beliefs until the only thing left in the religion is a chocolate easter bunny.

I appreciated your post on that.