More of My Comments to Why Do Rabbis Discourage Conversions? By Aaron Moss

If we are keeping a low profile, then we are not doing our job. As Rabbi Tzvi Freeman elucidated in another article it is the mission of Hassidic Judaism to bring Torah to any place that needs it. This was the idea of the Baal Shem Tov. And, that is to bring Torah to the world, and that when this is done the age of Messiah will be here.

If why are bringing the Torah to the world, why then would it be prudent to discourage conversions? So far as I understand, conversions are discouraged in order to give potential converts a push and pull with the culture and religion of Judaism. It is expected that converts accept the entire Torah, and if they can’t do that, then gentiles are still welcome as friends.

I, personally, find the idea of turning away converts to be difficult. Several times it has made me very angry. However, I do not accept the Torah in its entirety, and thus as I understand the Bible, which is paramount in my life, it is not right for me to become Jewish. Specifically, I do not believe that the command to be fruitful and multiply has any relevance in today’s world, as there are billions upon billions of people. If you ask me, then I would say that we are headed toward population dystopia, which I believe is already happening in places like China, where all their major rivers are polluted. However, the vast portion of Torah; I believe, and usually far more than most anyone I ever meet, including Jews.

Really, if we are keeping a low profile [at chabad.org], then what is the deal with this website? Millions come here!!! And, anyone, Jewish or gentile, can ask a question to a Rabbi. I like the rules, as long as I am not excluded. When I was informed that as a friend of the Jews, I would not be treated as a gentile; that was all I wanted to hear!

True I have heard that there once was a time when Jews evangelized, but if anything, we no longer do so because most of us know how obnoxious it is to be evangelized to, us usually being in the minority. All Chabad.org does is to make the Torah available, which is not like evangelizing, except in the most abstract sense. It is putting out loving information that if someone is stumbling upon the Hebrew nation: they are likely to enjoy it.

A reason I don't like evangelism is because it has the potential to rip apart families. I know that my pursuit of Judaism has been somewhat of a stumbling block for my own family, which I might describe as Judeo-Christian. For example, my wife observes Passover with me, but we don’t go all out for it doing things such as clean every last inch of the house to get rid of bread crumbs though usually I do some cleaning. However, I do admit, as far as Judaism goes: I am an addict.

I still believe in encouraging folks to do as they feel is correct. Sometimes folks practice parts of Jewish Law though they aren't Jewish (like myself), and that is great when someone goes the extra mile when they don't have to. I encourage those folks that do so without fear. Fear Gd; not the bully!

Judaism doesn't actively seek converts, and especially it is taught that one does not have to be Jewish in order to be a good person. As we speak, I am happy being a good person. A part of that is that Judaism is at the center of my world, as Torah teaches. I don’t feel like I have to be Jewish though. Conversion would probably only alienate me from my family even more, and I don’t think any Rabbi would support that. Even my wife recognizes that the time I spend at chabad.org has at least taught me a few good things.

Judaism does seek to make Jews observant, such that there is almost evangelism within the religion. Really, this is not evangelism in the sense that Christians or Catholics practice, as Jews believe that the residue of Gd’s speech in Genesis 1 is in all, and that one cannot accurately ask Gd into his or her heart because Gd is already there! That is, all that is what created in the 10 Divine Utterances of Gd, and everything we know of is somehow a derivative of these words.

One reason I choose Judaism over Christianity is that it is accurate. Granted, I probably have a few typos, but for the most part I try to say what I mean. When the words born again come up, to me that means starting from nothing. Being born again sounds as if someone is going to be relearning everything that they have learned up to that point. However, Christians say that it doesn’t really mean that. In fact, whenever I use the literal definition of anything with Christians, they almost always back down and say, “That thing [in the New Testament] doesn’t mean what is says it means. It means something else," such that a whole jargon of Christian speak is created based upon New Testament inaccuracy. Jews often try to make Jews to be better Jews, through Jews trying to get other Jews to be more observant. Rather than a Christian born again experience a complete starting over from nothing. Differently, Jews believe that the goodness in all souls is already present and that it only needs to be revealed if it has in some way become hidden.

Call me Korah (Craig) (Koreck, Korah)

The following blog describes how I am immersed in Torah, which is a command of the Bible.

Genesis Chapter 36:(5) and Oholibamah bore Jeush, and Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau, that were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

I was born an Edomite.  Additionally, I belong to Haplogroup I, which is, according to the Jews of the Middle Ages, the Haplogroup of Edom.  For example, the Jews often depicted the rulers of Europe in the Middle Ages as Edom.  Like Edomites, I was wicked, but it wasn’t my fault.  Nowhere in Torah does it say that wickedness is the fault of the child.  However, when I was 21, I encountered Gd, and he spoke to me, and I repented.  When I repented, it was revealed to me that I had a dietary issue where it was that eating certain foods caused me to be wicked.  The test was performed by the Great Plains Laboratory under the supervision of Dr. Greenblatt, and the results were that I had opiates that came from eating both gluten or casein, such that if I cut out these foods, my sense of myself as being a wicked person was removed.

(14) And these were the sons of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife; and she bore to Esau Jeush, and Jalam, and Korah.

As a youngster, Korah had a chief.

 (18) And these are the sons of Oholibamah Esau's wife: the chief of Jeush, the chief of Jalam, the chief of Korah. These are the chiefs that came of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife.

Exodus 6: (21) And the sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

Thus, Korah was a Cohenim.  I should note that after a few generations Edomites are permitted to be in the assembly of Jews.  My grandfather had become interested in being a Jew, and now as the generations of time have worn on, it is okay for me to be in an assembly of Jews.  For example, twice I attended service at Cape Cod Synagogue.  However, I feel Orthodox is a better denomination than Reform.  There is no reason for me to convert as, my family is Christian, though I am not Christian, such that I could not hope to have a Jewish child, because Jewishness is matrilineal.

First Chronicles Chapter 6:(3) And the sons of Kohath were Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

Korah had sons that went to Egypt, where sons are not necessarily genetic, but are raised by a father.

(24) And the sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.

Numbers Chapter 16 describes the rebellion of Korah against Moses.

As a result:

(32) And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

Many died as a result of what happened to Korah.  I believe that my leaving of New Jersey after having committed idolatry, as the Torah says my father would turn my head away such that I believed in a false G-d, and I did though I realized my mistake in having committed idolatry, such that I moved to a new locality and I repented.  It was amazing that I lived after calling 9-11.  I am suspicious that my having committed idolatry and calling 9-11  resulted in the 9/11 terrorism.  However, I am not proud of that incident, and wish that 9/11 never happened.  However, when I was sick and called 9-11, I was glad that G-d visited me, and I immediately repented from my idolatry and worshiped YHVH, who spoke to me as I AM. 

Numbers 17:(14) Now they that died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that died about the matter of Korah.

However, the sons of Korah, the ones that where loyal to him as a father did not die. 

Numbers 26: (11) Notwithstanding the sons of Korah died not.

Korah becomes a Levitical clan, where Levites are spread out throughout the world.

Numbers 26:(58) These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. And Kohath begot Amram.

Many great songs are associable with the Korahites.

Psalms Chapter 42, Psalms Chapter 44, Psalms Chapter 45, Psalms Chapter 46, Psalms Chapter 47, Psalms Chapter 48, Psalms Chapter 49, Psalms Chapter 84, Psalms Chapter 85, Psalms Chapter 87, Psalms Chapter 88, 

Why Many Scientists Are Atheists

According to my religion, doctors are supposed to act as if there is no Gd when it is time to heal.  This action, suspension of belief for the sake of administering healing, is fundamental to the way modern medicine is currently practiced.  When doctors find suspension of belief in the practice of medicine works, this is often when pride becomes puffed up, such that they take their job disbelief home with them, and IMO miss out on the joys of faith.

The Greatness of Our Niche Means Something Greater Than Gambling Is Responsible

Some people find meaning in life through only standing in awe of creation.  They are unable to get beyond this idea.  They believe our purpose is our biological niche.  I agree, and stand in awe, as well as trying to find my niche.  However, humanity has found that the grandness of our niche is far greater than could be expected from a species of small mouthed monkeys.  It can only be explained by the verse in Genesis, "Let them rule (humankind)."  As Rabbi Tzvi Freeman states, "We’ve also embraced some truly beneficial ideals that work. Like world peace, human rights, ending global starvation, celebrating human diversity, saving the world’s children, being good stewards of our planet, making knowledge accessible to all, and just spreading random acts of kindness and beauty everywhere to everyone."  These ideas, such as contemplation of how to care for the planet seem far greater than the idea of chance that the universe was essentially gambled into existence, as science would have us believe.

Cyanobacteria, Trees, the Sun, and the Day Age Creation Theory

This image is of cyanobacteria.  Cyanobacteria existed, and they still exist as one of the most essential species ever- otherwise known as blue green algae as the seeds (ancestors) of trees before the sun was created.  Like trees cyanobacteria can process sunlight, although unlike trees, they do not need it.  This is because in science a species can acquire a trait without immediate use for it. 

I happen to be a day age theorist with respect to science and with respect to the Bible that the days of creation where not literal 24hr days. I have written on this subject elsewhere, with other conflicts in the Genesis creation account resolved without deviation from what most scientists teach with respect to how the universe and our world came into being.

In the Genesis creation week, I translate the Hebrew word, “Yom,” which is usually used to mean a literal 24 hour day, to mean an age. Though this is not the usual translation of yom, sometimes yom is translated to mean an age in other biblical literature. For example, one Psalm writes that, “A day (yom) of Gd’s time is like 1,000 years of man’s time, or a watch in the night.”

This theory, the day age theory often has criticisms that I resolve. In support of this theory, Cyanobacteria, the cells that evolved to have chloroplasts existed for before the Cretaeous extinction. The Cretacious extinction that blotted out the sun and caused an estimated 95% of species to become extinct is the period.

How can this be? I believe that the Hebrew creation week should rather be translated that seeds of what would evolve as trees, specifically cyanobacteria, where created before the sun came into existence. Thus, this explains why the "trees" did not die for lack of sun. The primitive chloroplasts existed while the sun was blotted out. Thus, I suggest that on age 3 of creation, these cyanobacteria evolved.

As a part of evolution, it has been proven that cells can evolve. Richard Dawkins mentions this in his book, “The Greatest Show On Earth.”

In conclusion, according to the fossil record shows the Genesis creation account to be true. The chronological period, age 3, where in the Bible seeds of trees, cyanobacteria where created - complete with a chloroplast serving no purpose - occur before the creation of the Sun, but not before Day, or Light.

Of Snakes, Amphibians, Men, and Brachiosaurs

Brachiosaurs, a kind of dinosaur, is essentially a snake with legs, giving credence to the Bible theory that snakes once walked.  In that sense, they are similar to amphibians, such as salamanders that evolved to no longer have legs, becoming snakes.  Remember, the snake was told it would have to crawl on its belly as a punishment.  Meanwhile man was to suffer from back pain, and it is also true that many people suffer from back pain.  What I am suggesting is that snakes evolved to no longer have legs.  Granted, I completely understand the similarity between us and dinosaurs in that we have a one way digestive tract.  However, one of us came to walk and the the other came to slither on its belly.  Additionally, old world snakes, such as pythons have the boney remnants of limbs within their body though you wouldn't know it by just looking. It is only upon dissecting an old world snake that the remnants of its limbs may be found.

The Greatest Command: To Love Gd or To Love One's Neighbor, Which Is It?

On the greatest command; I believe that it is to love your neighbor because this command is at the heart of every great religion.  Thus, I do not believe that the greatest command is to love the L-rd your Gd with all of your heart, strength, and mind.  Jesus was wrong.    Surely, we would have found world peace by now if Jesus were correct on this matter, but as we tick past another thousand years with no world peace, it only highlights that Jesus was incorrect.

If you ask folks of every religion about Gd, there would most likely be differing opinions and arguments, especially even among members of the same faith.  These arguments go nowhere, and are often heartfelt, despite that they are on the same subject.  On the issue of Gd, when it comes to various religions, the people of earth spin their wheels and get nowhere.  Surely, this should not be the focal point of religion.  The focal point should be ethics, and even the ethics about how to treat folks of other religions that believe in a different Gd that you believe in.

As Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Lydia said, when he was asked which is greater, to love God or your neighbor; this Rabbi said to love your neighbor because then you are loving the ones whom God loves.  He was correct.  The focus of religion should be ethics, including the ethics of faith.  However, if we can not get along despite the fact that we believe in Gd, especially over issues such as the name of Gd, then all of our faith is practically for nothing.  

We are put here on earth for a specific reason.  That reason is our purpose.  That purpose according to my Bible is to act ethically to our neighbors for if we don't get along our faith is as nothing.