Noach, Avraham, and Moshe Rabbeinu

As a Haitian-American woman, I have been in many life intersections.  Am I African-American or not?  The White people who say, "You're not like the others!" were they trying to compliment me or divide and conquer? Can one have pride in being a Haitian or is it as horrific as the media says? 

Although my parents tried to shield me from many things, among them racism, the brutal gentrification of our neighborhood was quite obvious.  My brothers were frisks frequently, people were pulled over if they didn't move fast enough when the light turned green.  This brought in a new slew of racism questions.  Why are Black people hated so much?  In the case of my neighborhood it was mostly Puerto Ricans.  Why is there so much negativity directed at Black and Brown?  Although I had since moved to Israel, my concern for the Black/Brown world is still in my heart.  That and a pocket full of questions.

I never found anyone to really answer these questions for me.  Not, until, I came to Judaism.  In Judaism I learned about three pillars, three people who were real game changers.  Noach, Avraham, and Moshe.  And with these game changers, I was able to make sense out of the whole thing.

The way I see it, in a depraved society -- when everyone is corrupt and is out to outdo the next fellow in corruption, at these times, the racist seems like the most righteous person out there.  When everyone is looking out for number 1 - themselves, the only one who's actually trying to bind two or more people in kindness or caring or even love is the racist.  It's not necessarily racism, any us versus them by default entails an "us" which means more than one person is to be concerned for.

In Noach's society, that was exactly what happened.  Everyone had become corrupt, stealing from one another, the courts were a farce, etc.  So Noach was given the task of building the ark and saving only his family and the animals.  He did try to warn the rest of humanity.  Once.  But after that he went on about his business knowing full well that everyone would die in the flood.  And yet he is considered righteous - for that time.

This is also what I see today in America. With so much corruption going on, sex scandals, corrupt politicians, even dishonest business men, the name of the game is to make a buck any which way you can -- whether it's exploiting people's woes in reality shows to scamming hard working people with bad mortgages. Everyone is out for number 1.  Themselves.  As a result, the police can shoot Black men dead in the streets for the most minor reason and get away with it.  But everyone is too busy protecting their asset to fight against it.  Or when people actually do fight against it, it's mainly other Black people.  Even though injustice is a threat to the whole fabric of a society, no one seems bothered except the "us."  That is truly a depraved society.

Then comes a slightly higher level.  The level of Avraham -- in this stage society can pretty much figure out what's right and what's wrong, what's beneficial and what's detrimental.  They understand that goodness and trust is needed in a society in order for it to function.  However, they do not dismantle the status quo (established by the Noach level).  The ones kicked stay kicked; the elite stay elite.

This was the case with Avraham.  He was full of kindness and was ready to preach the "good word" to anyone who would be his guest.  But he didn't uplift anyone (nor down grade anyone).  If they were considered an outcast, so outcast they remained.  Such was the case with his faithful servant Eliezer.  Eliezer had a daughter he wanted to match with Avraham's son, Isaac.  But Isaac refused because Eliezer was from the bad stock.  Never mind that according to some, Eliezer was so holy that he went to heaven literally -- he didn't die.  Even then because his status was what it was, Avraham would not associate with him.

This was a bit how I saw many Jews today.  They are very kind.  Willing to share the Torah and have a great time.  But at the end of the day, you must stay in your lane.  Not all Jews are like this, but they are out there.

It was awesome that Operation Solomon happened and Operation Moshe and the many other operations that helped to bring the Ethiopians Jews to be with their brothers in Israel.  But it is also heartbreaking to hear them complain about the racism they've experienced there.  A few have even gone back to Ethiopia.

Stay in your lane.

I know even as a Black Jew, some people are hesitant to call upon a Black Jew to come to the Torah or would use a Black person in their advertisement when they want to represent the typical "goy."

 And then there's the Moshe Rabbeinu level (Moses).  Moshe was like a bull in a china store!  He crashed through all the taboos and social mores.  Whereas the Jewish people were punished for trying to emulate the Egyptians, Moshe lived right inside the Pharaoh's palace learning their ways.  Whereas the Jews avoid those who worshiped idols or like in Avraham's story, distanced themselves from those considered lower status, Moshe later married Midianite woman, the daughter of the high priest of Midian no less. Previously he married an Ethiopian woman as well.  Whereas most prophets had to go into a sort of trance to receive heavenly messages, Moshe was said to receive them while he was in his regular conscious state.  Whereas most scorn the Egyptians and considered them vile, Moshe brought some of the Egyptians that had been turning to Judaism (probably since Yosef's time), to come and receive the Torah as well.  He totally put the people ahead of himself.

Interestingly, it was this one who crossed and crashed through so many social mores who was the one to bring the Torah laws to the Jewish people.

This makes me think of all the times in history when the law was on the evil's side.  The holocaust was legal, slavery was legal, so many horrific things can be made legal, but it's the bull in the china store that can bring down the true, goodly laws. The Rosa Parks. 

This makes me think of the imminent redemption and nullification of racism.  Can it be that only when we are willing to charge ahead like a bull in a China store will we bring down laws that are in pleasant places?  Only when we carve our own paths? Thought schema? Our own Torah understandings?

Nevertheless, we must be cautious not to let things get too depraved otherwise the highest point we will be able to see is to just huddle together in an "us" versus "them" dichotomy

At any rate, the goal to strive for is the Moshe Rabbeinu level. It's great to call upon the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  But maybe, just maybe we should be calling upon the G-d of Moses (that facet of G-d)?

Muhammad Ali 1942 -- 2016

R.I.P.

A new ancestor is unto us.

Professor James Smalls breaks down Voodou

Where is Bnei Hham's Torah? Part 3

It is a bold step to compare a Black man's skin with Torah -- or really, to imply that there are instructions embedded there.  It is a probably jarring for most who are used to hearing the typical mainstream talk.  But let's explore this for a minute, shall we?

Because they have Torah/Instruction, intrinsicly, (1) their behavior may seem bizarre for someone who doesn't know Torah and (2) they may endure harsher punishments when they stray away from this inner knowledge because it's such a part of them.

Bizarre Behavior in the USA:

For example, in the USA alone, mass incarceration is the name of the game.  Many Black men are thrown in jail for the slightest of reasons, they were shamed and miseducated in schools.  It was an attempt to kill them.

In response, the women still had children -- but out of wedlock.  Even though so many Black men were broken or thrown in jail, the women found a way to keep the peoplehood going.

This story is reminiscent of Israel.  When in Egypt, Pharaoh decided to kill all the Hebrew baby boys lest one arises to save them.  In retaliation, Amram, Moses' father, decided that all couples should separate.  That way, no one will have children and no babies will be killed.

Amram's daughter, Miriam, thought differently.  She accused Pharaoh of trying to kill all the boys and Amram for trying to kill both boys and girls!  Since no children would be born the future looked bleak.  Everyone saw her reasoning and concurred.  So they had babies and tried to hide them and hope for the best if it was a boy.  Some may have even tried to dress their boys as girls.

Now Black women are fighting to have babies even though "the system" is trying to kill their boys.  Some men/boys even resort to behaving extra soft so as not to appear to pose a threat. Certainly, they may have not raised many correctly.  But thankfully, there are living boys to work with.


Another bizarre behavior is this phenomenon that Black people will stand by and march for everyone else's problems.  Many within the community complain about that and wonder why don't they just stick with their own problems.

"Whoever prays for mercy on behalf of his friend, and he needs the same thing, will be answered first." (Baba Kama 92a)

But because of the "hidden Torah" within the Black people, that may explain why they see the bigger picture and tend to be self-sacrificing.

There is the bizarre behavior of Black folks thinking they are gods or kings and their women are goddesses or queens.  In Kabbalah, there is a teaching that G-d and the Torah are as one -- meaning, they are very connected in a very close way.  So he who has Torah -- learning it, loving it, living it, etc,. it's as if he is almost one with G-d.  So therefore, Black folks with Torah written on their skin may feel very much as if they are G-d if not extremely close to The Most High.

Harsher Punishments:

Again, sticking with USA history, there is no need to elaborate on the harsher punishment and treatment that Black folks are enduring.  Not even in the USA alone, but all over South America, Africa, the Arab world, everywhere.

It behooves us all to take a moment of meditation and appreciate who we are and how we are and to use it for maximum good for ourselves and for the world. With so much propaganda and constant distraction everywhere and continuously bombarding us, its very hard to find a place of nature and quiet to meditate and "read" our Torah.  But we should be reading it every day. 

Its would be more beneficial to read this "instruction book" away from burnt metal, petrified wood, beaten rocks, which is the "forest" of the non-melanated people.  Rather, it would be best to go into the forest, nature, greenery, place of life and the living and meditate.

To be continued...

Where is Ham's Torah part 2

The Precious Stone:

In the story of Noah and the ark, at the top of the ark was something to bring light into it.  Some say it was a window, some say it was a precious sapphire stone.  If it was a window then it would only shine light when it was day.  But since it was very stormy, probably definitely rainy weather, a precious stone may have been in order.

What is so special about a precious stone?  It really enhances the beauty of something.  Crowns in particular are decked out with precious stones.  But it's not coincidental, just something pretty to decorate a crown with.  No, it's purposeful.

Keter means crown in Hebrew.  According to some, the precious gems on the crowns allows one to actually peer to what's above -- the next spiritual/astrological level.  Kind of like a crystal ball. Or like the Urim v'Thummim -- the breastplate of the Cohen/High Priest. The king wearing such a crown can boast that they were meant to be the leader because now they have access to "higher information" from above and special spiritual help. 

Also just as we place hot stones on human bodies during massages to open blocks, the sapphire stone is know for opening mental blocks.

So there was Noah and the three sons and their wives all encased in the ark with a precious sapphire stone shining above, calling to whomever will engaged with it.  Calling for 40 days.

The Intercourse:

When Adam mated with Eve, it's written Adam "knew" Eve.  In fact, this "knowing" is a way of intimately getting familiar with someone -- or even something or a concept.  When it is taught that Ham had "intercourse" in the ark, he broke a glass ceiling and gained intimate knowledge.  In addition, he actually had intercourse in the physical sense.  Canaan may have been the product of this union (which would explain why Noah took his anger out on Ham)..

There were others who also "had intercourse in the ark"  under the sapphire stone, according to the sages; the dog and the raven.  As a result, the dog was made to be tied and the raven was made to expectorate (spit).  Interestingly, the dog is, in fact, tied by humans.  It is now closer to the human plane than most animals.  In some countries it's known as a "man's best friend." 

As for the raven, interestingly, it can actually use speech much better than the well-known parrot.  Speech is a very human characteristic.  Maybe the raven can't "spit a rythm" but it can definitely speak which is a  human trait.  That combined with their great intelligence (ravens are said to be as smart as a seven year old human child).  Both the dog and the raven were brought up to a higher level away from their previous animal plane and very close to the human plane.

The dog and the raven were both brought up to a higher level.  Slightly away from the animals, and closer to the humans.  Ham was already human.  So with his new gift he also rose from human to something near the angels.  Its not uncommon to hear Black folks, particularly African Americans referring to themselves as gods and their women as godesses.

Romancing the Stone:

In the ark, Ham gazed at the precious stone and from gazing he peered through, like looking through a crystal ball, and gained intimate knowledge - as is known, sapphire stones open mental blocks.  What is this knowledge that Ham gained?

As a result of this act, he is said to have gotten stricken in the skin.

In a different section of the Jewish Torah is the story of Moses who was told to "speak to the rock" so that it would render water for the people.  Moses heard these instructions, but yet went and hit the rock instead!

This also reminds me of parents.  When a parent says to do something, they say it calmly.  If that is not heeded, the parent shouts and speaks loudly.  If that doesn't work, then the parent may give the child a smack.  A strike.   As if a strike is physical -- very loud -- word.

So Ham was "stricken" in the skin.  Another big bang just happpened.  Gd spoke strongly into Ham's skin.

Black skin is black because of the high amounts of carbon in it.  Carbon is one of the basic building blocks of life.  Nothing that is living is without carbon.  Black skin has a factor that is almost like the chlorophyll in plants.  Plants use a process called photosynthesis to convert light energy into chemical energy for fuel.  As well, melanin is a process that converts light energy from the sun into chemical energy for fuel.  That's on a physical plane.

On a different plane, let's talk about light.  In every synagogue, there is a light that is forever shining above the ark which contains the Torah.  Let that sink for a minute...  So from within the ark, Hham who was contained within the ark stared up at the light shining constantly from the precious stone and as a result was stricken in the skin ( given a Torah - instruction within the skin).

The Torah can only be written on skin.  Traditionally, it's been written in cow hide (cows are another one with high melanin in their skin).

To be continued...

Where is Ham's Torah (Instructions)?

Many will argue that the original Jews were Black or Brown people.  And that seems pretty logical.  But I want to focus my attention on Ham.  They are also a Black/Brown people.  But they get a bad rap.  It's as if they are almost the exact opposite of the Jews!

One is considered blessed.  The other is considered cursed.  Now I would like to introduce a new idea:  that perhaps both are blessed/cursed depending on what they do with their gifts.

Let's review the stories:

In the case of the Jewish people:

They left Egypt, traveled through the desert and come on the Mountain Sinai.  There, they heard lightening and saw thunder -- miracles and Moses came down with the Torah Tablets which some say is made of sapphire.  Now this Torah can only be written on skin -- usually it's written on cow skin.  They said na'ase v'nishma (we will do and we will hear).  Then anti-semitism came into the world.

In the case of  Ham:

Ham left with his family to enter the ark.  There there was a precious sapphire stone above to send down light.  Ham had intercourse (please note, very often when they talk about "intercourse" its like a form of getting to know something. So we can say he gained some knowledge very intimately there).  Because of this he is stricken in the skin.  He comes out of the ark and witnesses Noah drunk and naked.  He does something to Noah - some say he castrated him and then calls his brothers.  Noah wakes up from his stupor and curses out Ham and/or Canaan.

Let's compare:

Jewish people go up Mt. Sinai
Ham people go into the ark

Jewish people have a revelation
Ham people gain intimate understanding

Jewish people are given a Torah that can only be written on skin
Ham people are stricken in the skin as a result of this intimate knowledge

Jewish people say na'ase v'nishma (we will do and we will hear)
Ham people did an act and listened (to his brothers)

Jewish people got anti-semitism
Ham people got racism

Their histories are very similar, But why is one considered cursed and the other blessed?  Answer:  because someone wants to be the narrator of history.  And that someone is Esav.  He wants full ownership of our imagination.  That way you will think only as far as he wants you to think and have the capacity to do only as much as he wants you to do.   They want to play G-d.  And as such, they play one against the other.

Someone can easily look at the Jew's history and not think they were blessed; every country they've been in people have tried to kill them or stop them from performing their Torah ordained deeds.  Many have been slaughtered simply for being Jewish.  Their place of origin was taken from them and should they attempt to get it back, they are shamed and fought against.

Someone can easily look at  Ham's history and think they were blessed -- they were blessed to live in African continent, such a fertile land envied by all.  Endless sunshine and resources scattered about their land in great demand then and now.  Exotic animals, rain forests, their melanin and the abilities that come with it, etc..

But one thing is for sure, both groups hold on tight to life.  But now its time to turn on the light for the Black world. To dispell this image of cursedness and to turn on the "light" -- the "אוֹר" or the "עור" to our Torah. Interestingly, both the Hebrew word for light and the Hebrew word for skin sound exactly the same.  The first Hebrew word means light, spelled with an Alef Vav Dalet.  The second Hebrew word means skin, spelled with an Ayin VAv Dalet.  But they are both pronounced Ohr. 

Both the skin and the light have some kind of connection.

It is also interesting that in the synagogues, the Torah can only be written on skin.  And it is placed in the ark in the center of the synagogue where there is a light that should always be forever kept lit.

This reminds me of Ham who was in the ark.  The ark was continuously lit by a sapphire stone above.  This was where Ham was "stricken in the skin" after having biblical intercourse.



To be continued...

P.S  A word on Noah.  He was said to be a righteous man "of his generation"?  What does that mean.  Meaning he was the best of the worse.  He was not a righteous man.  He was only the least evil of his generation.

When Ham had the revelation in the ark, that placed Ham above Noah, and that brought jealousy.  /In fact, it seems as though Noah became jealous at everyone who had intercourse in ark.  According to the Oral traditions, there is a teaching that Noah didn't send the raven out to see if there was no more water, he sent the raven out because he was trying to kill it.  but the raven was smart and kept  flying back to the ark.  According to the Oral tradition, The raven protested with his new found speech ability and said, "you are only trying to kill me out of prejudice so you can take my wife."  And a voice in Heaven confirmed that the raven was right.

Gorilla vs Boy vs Stupid

As you all know in the Cinncinatti zoo, a small boy of 4 years old managed to get into the gorilla's sanctuary and fell right near the gorilla.  The zookeepers followed protocol and shot the gorilla.

If it was a white family -- the mother of the boy was a white lady, I think that would have been the end of the story.  but since its a Black family, people are seriously upset that the gorilla was killed because of a little Black boy -- as if it was a waste of a death.

Not even giving a second thought to the fact that maybe the gorilla shouldn't be locked up in captivity for their viewing pleasures.

Investigations are being made on the family! All their past wrongs are being put out in the media. SMH.  And if anyone dare call out racism, then the collective will roll their collective eyes as in, "why'd you have to bring that up?"  Burst their bubble of pretend.  They are being racist!

It almost makes me wonder if they are not sad that a gorilla was harmed.  Rather they are sad that their pleasure got taken away from them for the sake of a Black boy.  They would harm another gorilla to capture it and replace Harambe when all this dies down.

Heck! Once upon a time they had Black folks in zoos!

Rest in peace Harambe.  Sad that you were captured and caged and sad about the whole incident.

Thankfully, the boy is okay.  The family is probably going through hot waters right now with lots of emotions, lots of spirits around them.  Send vibes of goodness towards them. If you can write good for them.  Keep that light on.

Rape and Molestation in the Black Community

The healing continues...

What If Business was War?

PROLOGUE:

I am excited about the awakening in the Black community collectively.  I too am experiencing an awakening.  However, I do long for the day when the Black community's actions are not viewed immediately as "coonery" or "stupid" until further analysis is done.  I mean, I long for the day when it's assumed wise until proven otherwise.

What If Business was War?

Thanks to people like Boyce Watkins, Andre Hatchett, and legends like Claud Anderson, the buzz for creating Black businesses is being felt and people are moving and shaking things.  Businesses are getting created in an amazing array of industries, apps are getting created, the list goes on and on.  But the question that seems to puzzle everyone is this:  Why aren't Black consumers going to black businesses?

Many of the answers have something about "coonery" on the public's part or "stupidity" on their part, but I would like to analyse it a bit more and from a new angle.

When an entity's will goes against another entity's will, it makes for a clash.  One may try to impose their will on the other one if they are small minded.  This battle of the wills is the stuff that war is made out of.

Group A wants land X.  Group B opposes.  They go to war about it.
Group A wants product X.  Group B opposes.  They go to war about it.
Group A wants X.  Group B opposes.  They go to war about it.

You get the picture.

If not, another good example is sports.  There are two teams.  They both have the will to get a rare resource: the winner status.  They go out screaming or some  kind of battle cry and it's on.  They go to war about it.

Sports is the entertainment for warlike people.

Businesses are not too different.  They introduce item X.  But they don't let you have it unless you yield (money).  The battle cry is the marketing and advertisements.  In the end, they both hope to be the victor and compete for that position.

What's Love Got to Do With It?
Now would someone one who loves another battle it out?  Or would they have the same will -- to make sure item X is available to their loved ones who need it without struggle?  Can you see why a Black person who loves another Black person would maybe not want to engaged in such battles, bargaining, outsmarting, etc.?

Hopefully, we can begin to see the wisdom and love in the Black collective's action. It could be they don't want to engaged in this war against their own.  Whereas with other companies, other groups, they know they are in a battle and there's no love there.  So they do what they can to outsmart the business or they resign themselves to possibly being the defeated one, the outsmarted one.

Once I heard that a Black woman started a detergent line.  But she and her friends were offended that Black consumers felt comfortable enough to ask her what ingredient went in the making of the detergent.  They asked, "would they ask Tide about their ingredient?!"   No.  They wouldn't.  But they may wonder.  However, if they know they'll be lied to, outwitted, or they have no choice in the matter anyway, so they buy without question.  But it doesn't necessarily mean there are no questions!

Best Model for Paradise
To the best of my knowledge, I think the best model is how some native Indians had it.  There was an area where everyone brought their excesses and those in need would rumage through and take what they needed.  But everyone had to be productive and kind enough to share their excesses.

We are nowhere near recreating this self sustaining model (nor even desiring such a model possibly), and so therefore must go out and hunt.  Go out and go to war and bring in resources into the community.  But to chastise people for not hunting the hunter makes no sense.  Let him hunt.  We should all be hunting and bringing home resources until the community is self sustaining.

It's awesome that these warriors are getting created.  They are needed.  And when possible Black consumer should buy from them if/when they can.  But one must use caution to make sure it's truly to our advantage in the short and long run.

YAS!! The Foundation is Getting Worked

Irritated Genie and Tazaryach and a few others came together to address not only the situation in regards to Bambaataa molesting many boys in the community but child molestation in general.  

This is foundational work because in order to build lasting houses it's got to have a good foundation.  

In Kabbalah, Yesod means foundation.  It is the symbolized by the groin area in Man.  If that area is kept pure, that means the foundation is solid.

For a long, long time now the Black community has been swamped with lewd advertising, The music industry only promoted the songs that pushed for sexual promiscuity -- the others were turned down, People associated Black women and men with over riped (?) sexuality -- extra raunchy in the bedroom, etc. Black women and men who grew up in that time began to think this was their identity and fulfilled the "prophecy" -- the lie took hold.  So, so much ensued.  

But now a beginning is happening.  With Iratated Genie at work and the community supporting him and finally talking about all the aftermath of all the garbage going in, the house is finally getting cleaned out.  The gut is finally getting the clean up it so badly needed.  Good energy channeling down from all the Knowledge -- good knowledge we are absorbing, y'all!

In the Torah and Bible, when they want to say that Man man cohabitates with  his wife, they say he Knew her.  As in they are exchanging knowledge.  Knowledge and cohabitating have something in common -- the exchange of information.  It's as if because we are using our wisdom and understand to bring down good knowledge to the people, we have also triggered all the other parts to start aligning correctly.  Is there more kindness going on?  More strength to protect our vulnerable amongst us?  Beauty? More determination?  More splendor?  Definitely, the foundation is being rocked.


This is the YESOD work that needs to be done.  And it's beginning..Praise G-d!

Afrika Bambaataa

Its so good that these twin brothers, Red Pill and Blue Pill stepped up to remind everyone that hiphop started with people who were underdogs and that it should stay for the people.  Yes, singers and rappers get rich from it and people from outside the culture come in looking to cash in as well.

But that is like another level -- maybe shouldn't even be called hip-hop? 



Also in the Jewish community, people are struggling with people who take on the roll as leaders, teachers, etc and then they abuse their constituents.  The depth of the abuse -- I wish on no one because you almost have to change your very identity in order to survive it.

Brother Polight on Herb, Psychic Self Defense and More

When I first started blogging, this type of information sat in my head as big maybes but no way (or no interest in verifying it because, well, because life was going on.).  So many years later, now I'm hearing guys like Brother Polight teaching this.

Pretty exciting!

B"H Thank You, Kalam

Titans TV is one of the best development in the Black community.  However, I do get weary when those not from the community comes and tries to establish themselves in there.  Why is it so great?  And why do others want so much to get in on it?

But first a story:

There was once a Jewish man who was raising his son a best he can.  He kept him away from booze promoting commercials, kept him away from talk about sleazy things, etc.  

Well, one day he had to take his son to a specific doctor.  And that doctor was in a neighborhood filled with billboards of liquor, scantyly cladded women advertising who knows what, etc.  The father was afraid.  So he went to his rabbi and asked him what should he do.  The rabbi replied, "Keep him engaged in Torah.  Keep his heart engaged and he will be okay."

So as soon as they got off the bus, the father began engaging the son in all sorts of Torah questions.  The son loved it and searched in his mind for answers and posed questions of his own on the topic.  This went on all the way until they arrived at the doctor"s office and also when they left the doctor"s office/  This way, the boy saw nothing because his heart was preoccupied!

Why is this Titans TV show so great?  Because this is the next necessary step in Black Consciousness.  When we are engaged in discussions that we want to be engaged in, when we discuss and disect these very interesting ideas, we are engaging our hearts.  We are also blocking out all the bullsh*t and propaganda from the world of shekker /the world of lies.  So just like that boy who had to navigate through a street full of advertisements and billboards trying to lure us towards things that are not beneficial to us, every time we are watching Titans TV, every time we engage one another about why so-and-so said this or why so-and-so thinks that, we are cleaning out and purifying our hearts from the crap the world tries to smear us with.

Also, it is taught in the Jewish world that conversation is 1/60th of the Garden of Eden.  Meaning, when we engage in conversation, it's as if we are enjoying a piece of the Garden of Eden -- home!

This is a powerful thing.  But as with all powerful things, it is also something people will want to control. Derail.  Or even perhaps recreate to their own benefit -- and that is why people want to come in and try to give half truths.  But the problem with half truths is if its not full truth, if its not with the full heart, if its not genuine -- but rather agenda driven, then its not Eden.  It's a billboard of propaganda.

So my dear friends, I implore you to continue these debates -- maybe without the "Fuck your whole family" type talk.  But engaged in the debates and call in and everything.  But please be cautious who is let in.

Sometimes I think we almost lost Africa because of the people who were allowed in.  Now that we are getting it back albeit in the mental/or spiritual realm, let's keep that light shining until it becomes a courser light -- i.e. until it materializes in reality.

Praise G-d for this wonderful step!!  And thank you, Kalam!!

My take on Rabbi Harry Rozenberg vs. Brother Polight Debate

My comment on it... I think Harry Rozoenberg needs to learn HOW to speak to black folks. To be honest and upfront.  When in a white people crowd, people use words that can be vague in meaning, skirt around topics, etc.  but I think in a black crowd, he should have went straight to the points and tackled it head on.  He did broach some good topics, but it could have gone deeper with it.

Brother Polight didn't need to do the whole "guy getting on his knee for atonement."  that was kinda crass.  Also the Black Power chant wasn't necessary.  He did come prepared to deal with all the hard topics which was expected.



Will this encourage friendship?  Will this make for good future dialogue??

Hmmm....

Let's Create a Dictionary! -- Updates!

Hey folks,

One weapon that is used against us is the weapon of lies... using words in such a way that we get side blinded.

Well, I think it's important that we create for ourselves a temporary dictionary were we all can access and understand the world better because the words are reduced to commonly used terms.

For example:  Instead of saying "Army" we define it as "a gang working for a national government"; "Media" = "american court system"; "Rules" = "barriers install by Elites", etc.

If you have any great example, put them  in the comment section and we'll create an online dictionary.

Let's do this!

Update!!

Thank you, Kim for the additions:

Facebook - a tool of distraction and misinformation
Police - Slave patrol
Courts - a place where the lives of black men and black women are destroyed
Child Support - a tool used to keep mothers and fathers fighting

More updates: Thanks Devorah!
1- "War on Terror"= Blaming Muslims for things white America got away with for 400 years.

2- "Thug"= Black people killed by the police in questionable/mysterious or illegal circumstances. 

3- "Police Force"= Armed militia.

4- "KKK"= Police Force (Some have been found to be in white nationalist groups). 

5- "Education System"= Establishment brainwashing, usually affecting African-American history. 


6- "Political Parties (Democrat/Republican)"= Corporate Establishment. 

Why Racism is So Hard to Fight

Racism is a behavior based on the value of cruelty.  This value -- as all values is not a tangible thing.  It's just part of a belief system.  Not something you can "kill."  You can merely surround yourself with people who do not possess cruelty as a value.

In the society that we are in -- namely, the USA, I'm afraid that they do not even comprehend ethics.  They are literally like children with no ethics.  Of course, they are not as cute as children when you see the police brutality, the lynching, the economic oppression that they wrought the cute-factor is not there.

(I guess another way is to shame them into behaving out of fear of punishment.  That's something, however, it only means the behavior will become more concealed the next time.  And is that what we really want?)

The United States is so lacking in ethics that even the court system is not based on it. In the court system, the question is simply did you break an assigned rule for the citizen?  It's not whether you did wrong or not.  So many people go into court ready to defend themselves based on ethics and values only to lose miserably in court because the judge is not looking for that.  They just want to see if you, as a citizen of the State, were within your rights to do x or if you violated a barrier they placed.

The problem of cruelty is compounded in that it is surrounded with lies.  The racists create an excuse as to why the victim is deserving of this cruelty.  In their anger, they can't even see the wider picture and don't care that their reasoning may be contradicting an opposing reason that had been stated earlier as to why the victim is deserving of the cruelty.  His pants were sagging, he seemed like a thug; he was behaving so uppity with that suit, and the list can go on and on.

That's the tier #1.  The next surrounding lies is the denial of any malicious action happening.  That is tier #2 lie.  It's a concealment within a concealment.  What do you do with someone like that?  If you're not careful, you can spend years fighting this lie -- falsehood -- something that doesn't even exist.  You can spend years fighting for the admittance that you really are a good person, that you come from good ancestry, that you have good in you, that you didn't do anything wrong.  And as long as no one validates, the fight -- the struggle -- will go on endlessly.  You're not really fighting anything but an illusion and the racists fight back by simply being passive and letting us run around in circles.  Say, "Black Lives Matter!"  and you will be met with either silence or diffusion (all lives matter!). (We have to have the psychological fortitude to not need their validation).

It's such an illusion that when the police come, they have to wait and hope that the Black person trips up and does something to give them a reason to fall into their cruel, frenzied attack.  Because there really isn't anything wrong with that person.

So for this reason, I don't think that racism can end anytime soon if we wait on them to come around.  However, we must embrace the fact that we have ethics, we have values and morals, we have a compass that tells us what's right and what's wrong, and we need to obey that "teacher" inside us.

So how to have an ethical life in the midst of this exile surrounded by non-ethical people?  The only way I can think of is to have safe havens.  Just like Chinatown has its little enclave where the people can live and exercise their own ethics, just like the Italians have their "little Italy" where they practice their own set of values, so the Black community must also work on that.  And have a buffer -- an organization that will come to their defense when a member has to deal with the outside buffer zone.  An organization that knows the laws, keep track of the changes in the laws, puts out public service messages, and figures out how best to avoid, circumvent, or otherwise benefit despite the laws.

To conclude, racism is not a tangible thing so no physical weapon can strike and kill it.  However, it can be tempered by avoiding its "carriers" when possible and having a buffer or shield to protect oneself should the need arise to deal with the racists.

George Carlin on Politicians

Personally I do think that voting is important because it shows how much people are still hopeful about the american system.  When people stop voting the gov gets nervous -- doesn't matter that tle electoral college decides a lot of it all (re presidency), but it shows rebellion.

The House

Everyone builds houses.  I remember when I was a kid one of the things used to shame Africa or at least to help me distance myself from Africa was the strange concept that the Massai built houses out of cow dung.

Needless to say I was quite surprised by it.  I put this information away in my puzzled box section of my brain.  I never quite bought the idea that I should hate Africa or Africans or black people because I loved myself and felt kinship to them and to Africa.  But since I couldn't defend them in my youth, I would just gather information and store it as part of a puzzle piece.

Well, you know what?  The West also make their homes out of dung -- bullsh*t to be exact.  With all the lies that feed everyone, everyone who swallows what they say without filters is building their houses out of bullsh*t -- and it ain't the non-stinky, mineral-rich kind.

 

Then it got me thinking about houses in general.  And of course in a Jewish context.  Avraham was said to be connected to the mountains.  Yitzhok was connected to the field.  But Yaakov was connect to building a house.  Now what kind of house could that be? 

We know he lied an aweful lot.  Had to -- you can't do good middot around Esav and survive without getting bullied everyday.  And then with Laban and his little "laban" lies, lol Yaakov had to be able to protect himself.  

But he was also a man of truth.  How does that work?

Well, I wonder if he figured out a way to make a house with double paneling?  If you look at it from one angle,  you see Esav, and lies, and whatever else that's needed to fight Esav.  but if you look at it from a different angle you see truth and life and all the mineral-rich things that the Torah gives?

Just musing...

Making the World go Round

The sages teach us that the world stands on three things:

• Gemilut Chasadim/Acts of Kindness
• Torah/Instructions from Above/Within
• Avodah/Godly service 

Gemilut chasadim/Acts of Kindness:  This is the easiest thing to do.  It entails opening one's heart to another and doing for them what we want for ourselves...or not doing to them what we wouldn't want done to ourselves.  It is a very positive energy and makes people smile.

The flipside of that -- the negative energy associated with this is being truthful.  Having wisdom.  Keeping it real.

Both are needed, but there must be that in-between to keep it functioning properly which is conviction, perseverance, determination.  That opens up a conductive path (grace) of self confidence so that things will flow.

********

Torah/Instructions:  Everyone has instructions from the Creator.  Some wrote it down into a book and study that book.  Some teach through word of mouth.

But that is one side.  The other side of this is dancing and clapping with joy.

Like a battery.... 

...these two are like negative energy (Torah/Instruction) and positive energy (dancing and clapping) going to each other.  So with the negative (anode) energy being the Torah/Instruction, and the positive (cathode) energy being the dancing and clapping, what is the electrolyte?  It's staying humble.

Staying humble creates something metaphysical... a conduit path that makes the "battery" work.

It's not an easy route to go.  Being humble is frowned upon in arrogant societies and you'd have to have an iron backbone to go this route.

********

Avodah/Godly service:  That means doing godly things. Praying.  Actually following the instructions given down from the ancestors, forefathers, parents, or the Creator.  That is the positive side of things.

The "negative" energy to that is having zeal.  Zealots are not looked upon kindly, but this type of enthusiasm is needed to make things move.

And the middle part, or the grace producer, or the electrolyte for this "battery" parts is staying connected to our ancestors, forefathers, parents, the Creator.

So there are basically three batteries that can spin the world and move it.  Pick your place and let's get "moving"!!

Be Kind!!

News close to my Heart

A whole group of people in Madagascar has turned to Judaism!  Yep.  They are on their way to conversion and Kulanu seems to be willing to get orthodox beit din to come and do the conversion.

People from Zimbabwe and Cameroon are travelling to pioneer rabb, Rabbi Riskin to learn more Torah.  They will bring back what they know to help their community to grow.

Rabbi Harry Rozenberg decided to take on Brother Po-light, from the black conscious community.  Who won the debate?  You decide.

Good Response to Beyonce's haters

At the NFL half time, Beyonce came out with a song and video that honors her heritage and turned it into an entertainment piece.  Here it is:



People became so outraged.  It's almost fascinating to see how the veil is kinda slipping off the head and truth is being revealed in such a blatant manner.

Here is  a good response to all the haters...




It's really worth it to understand that what the media gives you is not always the truth...The portray the Black Panthers and Malcolm X as such violent people, but if you actually learn the truth about them, you will see there wasn't much violence going on.  True, one Black Panther member was accused of killing a cop, but he was later acquitted.  Malcolm X was very pro-Black and that was portrayed as a grave danger.

The media has its own agenda...

A Case for Kindness

I know what I want to say... just not sure how to say it right...here goes:

WHY BE KIND?

I would like to offer a logical reason why it's imperative for us to be kind to one another.

Kindness is a very fluid thing that can take on all sorts of shapes, methods, and ways.  I can comfort someone and that's kindness.  Give a needy person some food, give an encouraging word to another, or pay someone's way through college.  All these are acts of kindness.  All these are forms of kindness or forms of charity.  Interestingly, one way that kindness can manifest is via money.  If I don't know what mode of kindness is best to do for someone -- I don't know if they need a kind word, or new shoes, or whatever, then I can just use a common denominator which is money and give them charity money.  With money the person can go and buy most things (therapy session, food, whatever).

THE MONEY CONNECTION

Money is a strong manifestation of kindness.  But it's the one who's doing the giving (of a product or service) who is being kind; the one who is consuming is being kind also -- more like gratitude.  The giver is the one who will be more blessed than the receiver.  Putting out a product to the world is a kindness.

So if people don't like you, they will not be kind to you -- they may not give you access to a product or service.  Or, even worse, if people don't like you, they may still be kind and give you access because they realize that the kindness is for them, but they may not want anything from your hands -- except maybe what they just gave you -- in other words,  if you try to offer a good or a service they may insist on cornering you into a "buyer's market" where they "give" you the amount they want to pay -- which is usually lower than your asking price.  

The highest form of kindness exchange would be where people put out whatever excess goods they have in a certain area and also come and get whatever they need.  Like giving charity anonymously and receiving charity anonymously.  I think many Native American Indians did it this way.  But that's not always possible.

THE TRAP

I have noticed and have learned from our great shepherds (May their memories be a blessing for us!) that in America especially, people do not want us to be producers.  They want us to be consumers -- to give away our kindness -- our money -- to work and earn kindness/money and give that away.   And give it away to those who don't like us, don't appreciate us, and would not give us an opportunity if we wanted.   But they don't want to receive products from us -- straight from our guts.  Things we create.  Businesses we begin.  They don't want us to give -- to partake in the blessing of kindness. And without kindness we get no money, no wealth blessings.  They would rather colonize a Black nation and suck the wealth out as if they were the givers.  Even many black folks don't want to participate in the kindness exchange with other Black folks.

So how do we make it in a system that is rigged for us to not be providers, producers or givers and to only consume (like saying thank you, oh, thank you forever and feeling indebted always)?

KINDNESS IS THE ANSWER

We have to use our wisdom and understanding to know that we only have ourselves right now.  We need to be kind to each other -- in other words, we need to give money to each other.  There is a campaign out there called Buy Black.  That is an awesome start.  But I want us to understand why we need to buy black and not just do it while the sun is shining.  If we give kindness to each other, that will bring wealth and yes, money as well.

Kindness comes in many forms.  I once saw a post on Facebook about a million dollar sandal.  Million dollar sandal!  It had carvings of animals on the strap, intricate jewelry, etc.  But showcasing the sandal was a Black person.  The only comments that post had was how ashy the feet was, how the toe nail was badly clipped. Nothing about the intricacies of the sandal.  Nothing about anything except criticism of the black guy's foot.   It was a sad sign.  There was zero kindness given, zero grace for that person.  Kindness is looking at someone with a positive eye.  We don't have to overlook a wrong, but be judicious in what we do with it.  Same goes with the "smDh" who has a damned head? And referring to one another as "yo a$$" -- why the backside?  Why the side of judgement? If not out of true love, then out of the wisdom of understanding that without the exchange of kindness we remain far from wealth and yet more blessings that await us.

THE STARVING ARTIST

And then you have the starving artist syndrome.  The one who does want to produce and does! But nothing seems to work.  They are starving and still trying to give of their kindness, sell their creation -- something that they made straight from their heart.  What now?  What is missing?

JUSTICE

The flipside of all this kindness is to keep it real.  To be truthful no matter how much it hurts.  And the truth is that probably nobody deserves an act of kindness.  Everyone has fallen short of being perfect and is probably deserving of punishment -- or at least no kindness.

That is a righteous way of looking at things. It's just.  But do we need justice at this point?  Yes!! We do.  As things stand right now there is no justice.  We see our fellow getting killed daily -- by the police at that!  There is no one to turn to.  No one to call.  What used to be the court is no longer a place of justice.  The media is the new court system.  And the media has never found us innocent -- always guilty.  The actual court system seems more like a farce or a ritual to keep everyone calm. 

But we shouldn't wait for criminals to give us a court system.  We should create a court system with our elders for ourselves and agree to abide by those rules.  We judge ourselves so that we not be judged Above.

With the combination of Truth and Justice, we will feel truly free and confident to move forward.  There should be no more doubt of undeservedness.  No more secret fear that we shouldn't have something or shouldn’t become something.  No question that we ought to move forward.

GRACE

I believe conviction, perseverance and determination is what will give us the grace that's needed for people to be receptive to gifts of kindness.  The giver themselves have to truly believe that what they have to offer is something so valuable that the world may crash if it's not given!  Then they won't be shy or have to worry about self-confidence because it will be a matter of urgency.

A MATTER OF URGENCY

And I want to tell you that what you have to offer is a matter of urgency.  We need black doctors, plumbers, carpenters, computer programmers, import/exporter everything...literally everything to create a functioning Black world.  If you close your eyes and imagine a functioning Black world how big would that world be?  To me it seems very vast and empty --where are the bank owners?  The water purifying companies?  The airlines?  Who is connecting to Afro-Cuba?  Who is connecting to Afro-Brazil?  To Afro-Asians (assuming they have embraced their Africaness) we need more people to populate it and we should give their businesses patronage -We are our economy.  May we be vessels for the Creator to bring goodness for our people.

Be kind.

The Curse of Hham

Do you believe that the children of Hham are cursed?  Do you believe that the Jews are cursed?  I believe that the children of Hham are not cursed just as the the Jewish people are not cursed, but blessed!!  They both received a blessing and they both made the same, albeit fixable, mistake.

When a blessing comes down, it can either fall "heads up" for lack of a better word or "tails up" in which case it is a curse.  It all depends on one's behavior. 

So what was this blessing that came down and went wrong?  Can it be corrected?

BACKGROUND

In the story of Hham.  His father was the tzaddik of the generation -- the righteous one of the generation.  He got the call to build an ark and to enter it with many of the animals because of an incoming flood.  So he did.

All this is done out of mercy.  Hashem had mercy on the world; it had gone so badly, with people hurting one another, stealing from one another, and mating in an unnatural way to the point that it became the law of the land.

So he built the ark and as a window, he used a precious stone to bring light into the ark according to some commentaries.

Precious stones are also embedded in crowns.  According to Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, the crown -"keter" - is the highest tip of one level.  Looking through the precious stone one can see into the next level -- the lowest part of the next level.  Hham may have stared into that precious stone and received a revelation -- i.e. he studied and pondered until he "knew" something.

Knowing has lots of different connotation.  It can mean understanding a piece of information or it can me mating; such as Adam Knew Eve/Chava.  But really they both mean the same thing.  Knowing someone or something well; all the contours, all the ins and outs, understanding.

So Hham had intercourse in the ark.  He knew something.  He got a revelation of something and understood something.  As a result of this understanding he was stricken in the skin.

Along with Hham, the dog and the raven also "had intercourse" in the ark.  As a result, the dog is made to be tied.  In other words, the dog also understood or figured something out and they are brought into the human world -- tied to the human -- a step higher than the animal world.

The raven was made to expectorate.  Ravens are one of the smartest creatures on the earth.  In fact, it is said they are even better at speech than the parrot.  Speech is a human quality -- one step ahead of the animal world.

These animals moved to a higher level away from the animal world and into the human world.

Hham was already in the human world.  So there was only one place for him to move.  The spiritual world.  The skin being stricken caused the move to the spiritual world.  In fact the melanin is controlled by the pineal gland -- that which is activated when we pray or meditate.

THE CURSE

After the ark everyone came out and began life anew.  However, Noah shamed himself by drinking from the vineyard, stripping himself naked, and doing who knows what.  Already, problems can begin.  Because even if Noah was mating with his wife, he shouldn't do this while drunk.  And if he wasn't with his wife, the last thing the world needs is spilled seed on the holy, freshly washed land.

Hham did not like that.  He and his fourth son, Canaan went and did something to Noah.

But where Hham did wrong is that afterwards, he went to Shem and Yaffet and reported what he saw.  They then took a sheet and covered Noah up.

When Noah woke up and found out what happened, he cursed Hham.  He said Hham would be a slave to all his brothers.

If Hham had to go to his brothers and hear what they say rather than stand on his own knowledge, his own center, and his own two feet and make decisions, he basically is putting himself under whatever people's reactions are to his ways.  That is the curse.

THE JEWS

It's not a rare mistake.  There was another group who made have done the same thing.

In the story of the Jewish people, the Jews left Egypt (along with some Egyptians) and went to the mountain of Sinai.  There the prepared themselves for the "wedding canopy" with Hashem.  In this time, they all received the Torah -- a set of instructions carved in stone.  Although the Torah was received in stone, when it gets written, it can only be on leather, i.e. skin -- usually the hide of a cow.  Cows are also known to have high melanin content.

They were so amazed from it all, they responded "we will DO and we will hear!"

Commentaries have said that right then and there antisemitism came into the world.

It could be that when they said "we will DO" that was the blessing.  They were willing to do God's will.  They would receive it and do it.

But then, just like Hham ran and told his brothers, the Jews spoke and said "and we will hear!"  Hear what?  They had to have heard already before they can do.  So what is this second hearing?  Some commentaries say that the second hearing is for the parts of Torah to come.  But it could be that this "we will hear" is listening to what the world says about their actions.  And listening to what the world says is making them very hard press to live their lives as they should, with conviction, determination, etc.

THE ANSWER

The answer is that both the children of Hham and the Jewish people need to stop listening to what the world says -- especially to what the West says.  Why the west?  Because Esav/Esau is the one who it's said was a man of war.  Who goes around with trickery and is under the angel Satan.  If they see that there is a person, or group of people who are waiting to hear what is said -- waiting for validation, that is an opening for a tricky person to take advantage of the situation.  That is a controllable person -- put before the wrong person, they are in trouble.

STEP BY STEP

Both groups need to clear out their candelabrum so they can be better.  The candelabrum I speak of is the black lights -- the two eyes, the two nostrils, the two ear holes and the mouth.  Take great care what is let in.  And use the best oil for the light.  Taking in negative news, self-negating programs, seeing gross imagery, bloody imageries, illicit relationships (for the nose is related to the reproductive parts), eating the wrong food or even speaking negatively about one's own are all things that will ruin our candelabrum.  The candelabrum must be pure in order to shine far and wide.  What is it that we are using the candelabrum to sense?  The truth.   With the light of the Truth, we will know where to walk and where to go.

The Jews have the extra light of Torah that must be kept pure and that is doing good deeds (mitzvoth) and acts of kindness.

For Black folks, there is the extra light of the candelabrum which is the black skin -- that is also a light and must be kept pure -- doing good deeds and acts of kindness.

THE FUTURE

In the long run, doing the right thing is beneficial for the entire universe and so well worth the efforts.  This includes the environment, the animals, the plants, and the people.  It behooves us to find the strength, like Joshua/Yehoshua ben Nun to be strong and courageous.

But before we even go there, good strong character traits are needed otherwise will can fall right back to listening to what others say and being unsure and seeking validation.  Traits and values such as diligence, patience, generousity, faith, wisdom, and mercy.  These traits and values must be instilled as quickly and consistently as possible -- we must raise and teach our own children to make sure that these values are in place --on LOCK.  And the learning must be continuous.  Hopefully, this way an "other" will not be able to come and shake them.

Plus, pride should have no part in this.  If one becomes proud, the mouth opens up.  Then we may find it necessariy -- even commendable -- to try and teach others.  But if others aren't ready to hear it or may feel inferior because they don't understand it, what good did we do?  We would have only created envious creatures.  The knowledge is for us.  We are the ones who need it.

Be strong and courageous.