Priests Should Look Good: Both On The Outside and On The Inside

The highest caste in Judaism is priest.  It is higher than Levite, and the Levite caste is higher than the Israelite caste.  There is no law in Judaism that says priests can’t marry.  In fact, the Torah says that the high priest must marry a virgin.

Priests are forbidden from having property.  A priest could be a beggar, but that is unlikely.  Simply by looking good, priests earn their living.  Merchants want to give them their positions because a priest is as a living advertisement to buy a product.  We all know that the models used in advertisements are selected simply for good looks, and that people will buy a product if a good looking model uses the item in appealing way.

I can imagine some objections.  Isn’t Gd concerned with our inner beauty and not our outer beauty?  There is some truth to that.  It is true that Gd is concerned with our inner beauty.  However, people with true inner beauty are more likely to look good.  Why?  There are several reasons.  For one, a good looking person makes those around him or her feel good.  Thus, a positive feedback loop is created where people react to each other and these reactions, these small muscle twitches that exercise our muscles help us look better.  That is through mimicry, priests are able to work with the public and help the public actually look better, and that in turn feeds back to the priest.  This is the power of positive thinking.

Priests are Levites.  They are loving, and want others to look correct.  A good priest knows how to put a smile or a frown on your face.  What I am getting at is that good looks are a choice.  I am not saying that there won’t be some trial and error, and sometimes misconceptions may be adopted based upon inappropriate interpretations of actions.

Isn't that rather audacious to say that good looks are a matter of choice?  Looks like I have some defending to do.

I am suggesting is that there are many reasons for looking in the mirror.  Sometimes looking in the mirror can be narcissistic, but  it can actually also be the complete converse if someone looks in the mirror in order to teach themselves how to look good so that they can paint happy picture on others.  That is, a narcissist looks in the mirror only so that they themselves look better, and they do this in order to make others feel bad about themselves, or to proliferate poor sense of self worth through horrible bodily image.  A priest looks in the mirror so that he or she can help others look better.

If you are considering looking better, I suggest a diet high in vegetables.  The book of Daniel chapter 1 describes that eating vegetables actually makes one look better.  Eating kosher foods, and if nothing else kosher style meats without the kosher label is far better for your looks than eating unclean foods.  So, you see it is a choice.  Eating unclean foods has a negative spiritual affect on us.  Choosing not to eat kosher actually can be a cause for one looking ugly, such that he or she has a poor self image.  People that eat a kosher diet should feel good about themselves, and that they are serving Gd through their actions, which in turn is going to make people want to gain a good positive image of them.

There are many gimmicks to looking good.  The current trend is an attitude of, “The skinnier the better, and there is no such thing as too skinny.”  Those girls that look like walking skeletons have it all wrong.  A healthy person has a few extra pounds, but is not obese.  This affinity for skeletons is a very destructive attitude our society struggles with, and this sort of attitude causes people to become misguided about the absolute truths of looking good.  It wasn’t always that skeletons were considered to be beautiful.  It is a problem that is very recent to our species.

The absolute truth about looking good is that anyone can look good, and the way to go about accomplishing having good looks starts with having a good amount of understanding of how to obey Gd’s law.  The answers to looking good are found in the Jewish canon, let’s let the secrets of good looks be unlocked, and study regularly until we look beautiful.

2nd Zerah Edomites and Gluten

A word in Torah is essentially a formula, such that when Jacob ate lentils, it was as brain food, but when Esau ate porridge, it caused aggression, and desire.  Chapter 1 of the book of Daniel notes that a part of having good looks is the consumption of legumes (such as lentils).  Zerah is in both Israel’s and Edom’s family.  That is, if you have Edom’s trait, and eat gluten, it greatly increases your evil urge, such as desire, which leads to idolatry.  Gluten was probably the reason Edom came to be known as idolaters.  All people that eat wheat aren’t affected in the same way.  To Edom, the hate of Gd, and hate in all forms, can be as paradise.  That is, Jacob probably loved to be loved by God, and Esau probably loved to be hated by God, and everyone is different.  The Bible says that Jacob was loved by God, but that Esau was hated by Gd, but one’s affinities for the way in which they desire to relate to Gd is biochemical.  Ecclesiastes teaches to avoid extremes.   Some people may not know about the affect of gluten on Edom, and especially some Edomites may not know about the affect gluten has on them, such that they want to seek the help of a doctor in order to decrease their desire.  It is my thought that one of the reasons the Bible claims Edom will be destroyed is for the consumption of gluten.  However, I do not believe Edom will likely ever be completely destroyed.  The existence of Edomites is a way of life.  If you notice the what Genesis says of many of Edom’s sons, they are listed as having died.  However, not all of them are listed as having passed away.  In fact, if what I suggest is true, the verse, “And so all Israel shall be saved,” is an actual prohibition of the utter annihilation of the Edomites, especially since some individuals are both Israelite and Edomite.

Pet Turtles – Some Animals Are Unclean

I have pet turtles.  As I am writing this, my turtles have been in my care for about 25yrs.  Knowing my turtles, I would not eat them or any turtle for that matter.  My turtles are not like me, as to the environment they prefer.  For example, the last time I cleaned their tank, one of them stopped eating.  The turtle was losing weight and not showing interest in food.  So, naturally being somewhat of an expert in turtle care, I let the tank go for an extended period of time without cleaning it.  Quite frankly, the tank stank for months on end.  However, my turtle that was not eating previously, started eating again once the water was dirty enough.  That turtle is now at a good weight.  In fact, I would say that it is downright cruel to keep a creature such as a turtle in an ultra-clean environment.

On Being African

All of us have ancestors that are from Africa.  Really, we are all African.  However, some of us are white African’s that are not albinos.  Purebred folks with more recent African ancestry are less likely to be successful in northern wintery climates.  How do I know this?  Because many years ago after migrating to northern Europe, there starts to be Caucasians in the fossil record.  That is, according to historical genetics, white skin was a mutation that enabled Caucasians to survive in northern Europe.  Those with black skin were not as well adapted to the climate, and thus all the black skinned African’s in that area died off during that period.  Additionally, in warmer climates, white folk are less likely to be successful.  White folk need stuff like sunscreen as they get closer to the equator.  Personally, I have olive toned skin, neither black nor white.  Sometimes I have identified more with black skinned Africans, and sometimes more with white skinned Africans.

On the Parting of the Red Sea: Another look at the Israelite’s crossing of the Red Sea.

Some have said that this passage, the parting and crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus, lacks archeological authentication.  The most scholarly claim made is that the Israelite’s crossed the Sea of Reeds.  There is much imagery of the way this is done.  Most of it depicts a sea that has parted, water standing high on end, as the Israelites pass, and then once they are out of the way the sea collapses.  This is a rather uniformed way of looking at the way things happened.

In another blog, I have mentioned that there is evidence for crossing into the Arabian Peninsula from Africa at two different times, but that each of these times does not match the date given by the “Hebrew” calendar.  

Archaeology suggest that the two exoduses from Africa happened at a much earlier date than is suggested by the Hebrew calendar.  As I am writing this, the Hebrew calendar says that the world is yet to be 6,000 years old.  Yet, as I am writing this scholarly folk have think they have disproved this as the actual date.  What is certain is that the Hebrew calendar is Kabbalistically correct with some world events, but I think that it is possible that neither the Bible scholars nor the scientists have the correct answer.

I accept that the two exoduses where by Jews, where the exodus of Abraham, the first Jew, and his company represents one exodus, 

 and the exodus of Moses with the Israelites from Africa represents a second exodus.

Thus, I am deriving the word Jew from the word Abraham here, and not Judah.

The first exodus - Abraham's exodus - occurs in the book of Genesis.  The second exodus occurs in the book of Exodus.

The reason I am writing this is mainly to correct the imagery that is common to paintings.  I specifically remember traveling to Canada as a youth.  More importantly, during my journey I encountered tides that fluctuated many more feet than they do on Cape Cod.  If I remember correctly, it was said that of one area that I was in that the tide regularly fluctuated 40ft.

This is probably more than double the amount of fluctuation in my area.  This amount of fluctuation is enough that it is possible to consider that the part of the Red Sea did occur for Moses and the Israelites, but that it was a tidal fluctuation.  It is conceivable that tidal patterns change.

Thus the Israelites crossing of the Red Sea, may have possibly been due to irregularities of tidal fluctuation.  For example, tidal fluctuations in my area, predicted well in advance, are available for purchase, and it is even predictable when moon tides will occur.  A moon tide is a tidal change that is more extreme than is normal.  Thus, Moses only needed to be familiar with tidal regularities in order to cross the Red Sea at best time, in order to escape from Pharaoh’s men. 

However, I suggest, something even greater than a moon tide.  Think bigger: a great tidal wave generated by an earthquake may have been involved.  Their is  6th sense some people have when it comes to creatures activities with respect to natural disasters.  I suggest, Moses had that same sense.

Thus, I accept that it was not a sea of reeds that parted for the Israelites.  It was that the area to either side was water, and that there was an extensive stretch of sand that made it possible for Israelites to walk across at low tide, and that this was due to an earthquake.  However, by the time the Israelites had crossed, the tides were changing such that Pharaoh’s men were unable to cross, and may have drowned or been forced to swim.

“The wise man has eyes in his head; but the fool walks in darkness.” Solomon

Wise men are able to see both with their eyes and their mind’s eye.  Your mind’s eye, if you know what I refer to is a spark of wisdom, a bolt of lightning from within.

Things I have heard that describe the mind’s eye to are comparable to flashbacks that people with PTSD experience, photographic memory, which is the idea of a mind that can remember images, dreams, and being able to see a working invention in your mind before it has been built.

It is as if a wise man’s mind is double monitor computer screens, one monitor is looking inside his head, and one monitor looks outside his head.  Images and video are even capable of being transmitted.  It is even conceivable that one could be see only internally, and never externally.  Kabbalah is sometimes referred to as receiving, but information can also be transmitting though windows in the sky as well.

I just read an article based on Ethics of Our Fathers, and that interpretation is true as well.  It is that a wise man is essentially able to know an invention will work without even building it.  He sees that it will work.  Testing is usually not needed for one who knows the answer.  Additionally, artificial testing won’t help him arrive at the answer.  He either knows it or he doesn’t.  He knows the answer because he is able to derive it from what he knows.

Why then is it important not be, “Wise in your own eyes.”  My best attempt at answering this is that using one’s mind’s eye burns up nutrients too fast.  And, that while it is important to burn up nutrients, it is also important not to consume your mind zealously by causing it to fire bolts of lightning inside your head nonstop, all day long.  However, many perspectives can be taken on the wisdom of Solomon, but in my opinion that is what made him noted for wisdom.

As for fools walking in darkness, walking in darkness is a good way to get mugged.  Fools also walk in spiritual darkness, like an experimenter performing an experiment, and pretending like he doesn’t know the answer or an experimenter who performs an experiment thinking that he will find an answer in logic.  Darkness is a time to be at home.  As a friend of mine said about northern New Jersey, an area where many people are poor, many years ago, ~ "It is safe to drive anywhere during the day, but not at night."  Darkness is a time to be seated or to be reclined.  Reminds me of a time I tripped over a lawn chair in our yard.

Social Intelligence

Many people think that the person who is the center of attention has the greatest social intelligence.  That is not true, as sociopaths, a diagnosable and almost untreatable personality disorder, are often charismatic.  Hitler was charismatic, but his social intelligence was deplorable.  Hitler was often the center of attention, but his social intelligence was deplorable.

Social intelligence is something that is desirable.  People that don’t have it are often in prison.  Bernie Madoff could see things from other people’s perspectives, but because he didn’t use it for good, he was not intelligent.  So, what is good?  I have to define that before I start.

The definition of good is doing that which is most correct to the best of one’s ability, otherwise known as good deeds.  There is forgiveness for those that act their best.  However, there is punishment for those that try their hardest.  That is, social intelligence does not require for one to try their hardest.  Therefore, doing one’s best and trying as hard as one can are not the same thing.

People that are socially intelligent are nice, and see judgment and ethics as being very important.  They also know when to be merciful.

Many people that are socially intelligence have written works that far outlast their generation.  The authors of the Bible were socially intelligent.  Plato was socially intelligent.  Plato often didn’t even put himself first in his works.  His works were usually about Socrates.  And, though Plato was a philosopher, and most learned individuals would consider him the important philosopher, being a philosopher does not make one socially intelligent, as there can be knowledge of good and evil.

The socially intelligent person turns the evil into good by doing good deeds, while the person that creates knowledge of evil for its own sake is not socially intelligent.  That is, even if there is seemingly nothing redeemable about a situation or a person, a socially intelligent person can say, look at that guy, he does evil, therefore, his time of judgment will eventually come.  Thus, though a socially intelligent person may not able to redeem the evil person himself, he can at least use that person as an example that in the battle of good and evil, where good always wins eventually.  It may take many, many years, but good wins eventually.

People that are socially intelligent are those that will call someone and be nice, without asking or expecting anything in return, even though it means that they are calling someone who is not a social butterfly or even popular, and the socially intelligent person is able to put a smile on his or her face, knowing that he or she has done a good deed.

Though a socially intelligent person is not a villain, he or she can act the role of a villain, if it is required that someone play that role.  Devil’s advocates are important too!  Being a good devil’s advocate requires social intelligence.

People who are socially intelligent don’t see themselves as needing to be the greatest hero.  Someone who is socially intelligent would more likely try to be the best fan.