Maybe I'm Crazy For Having This Image, But...

Maybe, just maybe, Christopher Hitchens did have the deathbed conversion that he called a possibility, albeit a slim one: maybe after losing his mom, who left his dad and committed suicide shortly after her leaving, and losing his dad; plus growing up in a poor family then having a divorce when he started his own family, maybe he's being rocked in G-d's arms tonight.

 Maybe he's being rocked in G-d's arms tonight and being told that it's okay, like a dad would rock his child and comfort him or her. After all, Christopher Hitchens was Jewish and had a hard life, so he was biologically a     ben-Elohim-- a son of G-d-- who had a lot of suffering from which he needed to be saved.

In other words, any Jew is a ben- or bat-Elohim, since he or she is created (as all humans are; but unlike other humans, created) and set apart and chosen as part of 'am-Elohim in keeping 'im hab'rit im Avraham, Yitzchak, v'Ya'akov. So, Christopher Hitchens was, by nature (that is, ethnicity; not, as the Mormons would put it, sexuality or G-d-human sexual relations) a biological (but not, as I said, G-d-human-sexual relations-wise) a ben-Elohim, thus part of the chosen 'am-Elohim.

As for the suffering aspect, who does G-d seek out?

Matthew 9:12-14

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹² When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’^[a] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”^[b]


G-d has been called the Great Physician, the only one who could ultimately heal or save Christopher Hitchens from throat cancer in either lifetime. Let's just hope that Christopher Hitchens as a ben-Elohim got a bikur chol visit from the Great Physician Himself and yeshuat 'im habikur.

Staying Silent Is Yielding To the Apostates and Legalists, So...

Since Paul openly rebuked Peter for giving up on something "pagan", I am not afraid to do the same to some others regarding Christmas (cf. Galatians 2:5). I know that if Christmas were pagan, it would not be attacked as such. Because Christmas was deliberately designed to celebrate the birth of Yeshua (Jesus), and as a redemption of and counter to the Winter Solstice, it is attacked as pagan (cf. Galatians 1:6-2:4, 5:7-12 Romans 14, Acts 15, Colossians 2:16-17, Hebrews 6:4-6). If I have to name names of those who are attacking Christmas as pagan, I will start naming names. 

If I have to lose friends and "friends", so be it. If I make enemies, good: that means that I stood up for something, sometime in my life. I'll stand up for this:

In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.

And:

hy do we have a decorated Christmas Tree? In the 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, went to Germany to teach the Word of God. He did many good works there, and spent much time in Thuringia, an area which was to become the cradle of the Christmas Decoration Industry.

Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The converted people began to revere the Fir tree as God's Tree, as they had previously revered the Oak. By the 12th century it was being hung, upside-down, from ceilings at Christmastime in Central Europe, as a symbol of Christianity.

The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have decorated a small Christmas Tree with candles, to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.

Don't you ever to my face again twist the meaning of this parsha, which is not a reference to Christmas trees:

 To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal 
      And compare Me, that we should be alike? 
       ⁶ They lavish gold out of the bag, 
      And weigh silver on the scales; 
      They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; 
      They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. 
       ⁷ They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it 
      And set it in its place, and it stands; 
      From its place it shall not move. 
      Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer 
      Nor save him out of his trouble. 

And do not twist this, either. It is a reference to ba'alim, not Christmas trees:

 ¹ Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel.
² Thus says the LORD: 


      “ Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; 
      Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, 
      For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. 
       ³ For the customs of the peoples are futile; 
      For one cuts a tree from the forest, 
      The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. 
       ⁴ They decorate it with silver and gold; 
      They fasten it with nails and hammers 
      So that it will not topple. 
       ⁵ They are upright, like a palm tree, 
      And they cannot speak; 
      They must be carried, 
      Because they cannot go by themselves.
      Do not be afraid of them, 
      For they cannot do evil, 
      Nor can they do any good.” 

With Miracles Come Curses, Which I Should've Remembered

So I probably (unless by a miracle) failed the Math exam, and I got flack about doing the dishes today. Excuse me; but Michelle was home all day, so she could've easily done the dishes. Besides, when she was texting friends, she could've done the dishes; and all while waiting for a callback from someone. I've waited for things while doing the dishes, cleaning things, etc.. And so what if she already did a first load? She could've done a second one-- and she'd apply that standard to me if I was home all day. Besides, she has an easier time putting the dishes away.

She gets everything (or almost everything)-- the social life, the friends, the not having Cerebral Palsy, etc.. And what do I get? Nada. Lo d'var. She has people reaching out to her left and right, and I don't-- in fact, at least sometimes, I have people deliberately shunning me-- because of my Cerebral Palsy.

As if to prove my point, one of her friends just called her now and she's talking to him or her. I don't have friends call me daily like that-- and yet, my Facebook friends see my numbers on my profile. I hardly even get a text. By the way, she's whining because I'm posting "our private life" on my blog.

Grow up, Michelle; and "[w]henever you feel like criticizing anybody, just remember that [I of] all of the people in this world haven't had the privileges that you've had." And count your blessings.

So A Miracle Did Happen (See My Twitter Status.), And...

This month and my life are still going to be rough. This month alone-- forget being (as Kyle Brofslovski sings) "a lonely Jew on Christmas" (let alone a lonely Messianic Jew), even though I have family and friends surrounding me. I won't have consistent presence but for G-d, and even many nevi'im and others got lonely-- so of course, I'll get lonely with even the presence of G-d. Also, I haven't found the one-- what a lonely thought during Mo'ed Chag Mashiach and in general (especially for someone like me). And Kislev 29 (Hanukkah 4) is Great-Granddad Czarnecki's P'rushi Lu'ach yahrzeit-- he committed suicide on Kislev 29,  5725 (December 2, 1964) by P'rushi Lu'ach calculations.

And my life-- well, I've blogged about that.

I Mean, I Do Have People Praying For Me and All, But...

What big miracle's going to happen this time, huh? Maybe my Computer Forensics professor will have a calculator that I can borrow for my Statistics exam? Maybe I'll find the one? Maybe whatever other big miracle? When some small thing doesn't happen, a bigger miracle sometimes or usually happens. For example, my mom accidentally picked up my sister's bag instead of mine. So, I calculator and other stuff at home, and I can't borrow a calculator or pencil for now. As if my life couldn't get worse...

I can't drive home to get it (I have Cerebral Palsy and OCD/Anxiety/Depression, remember?). My keys are in my bag as well and my sister's asleep, so driving home to get them would be non sequitir. Do you see part of why I'm still tempted to commit suicide?

I Wonder Why I Bother Sometimes...

Suicide looks better. Firstly, I'd be in Heaven (I'm a Christian, so I know where I'm by-grace going.), and I wouldn't have to wait for the Rapture. Secondly, Mom, Michelle, and others (including many who'd like to see me dead and/or never really cared, anyway) would be left to pick up the mess that I leave behind. Also, for what being more known in death than life is worth, I'd be more known in death than life-- I even prewrote my own obituary in case something does happen to me, though (G-d willing) I might have to go back and edit it. At least an obituary, a Facebook, a Twitter, and other updates, and other ways of communication are coverage.

Thirdly, I'm a survivor of a suicide attempt from when I was eight to ten years old. Long story short, after I foolishly erased my Pokemon game on the advice of a "friend", I threatened to stab myself-- with the knife in my hand. I chickened out and put the knife down and away from me.

Fourthly, I'm the survivor of a suicide threat-- I ended up at Sheppard Pratt for that threat, and quite a few of my dad's family don't believe what happened even though the Sheppard Pratt incident finally helped provoke the courts to believe what happened. Fifthly, as I've implied, I'm more disliked than liked for good and bad; and as I said, others would be left to pick up the mess that I leave behind. For some of them, picking up my mess would be pure punishment and judgement against them.

I could go on; but as an endnote, I also consider that children in the Third World segments of the human population have a fate better than mine (since they get, for example, plenty of reward in Heaven and not as much judgement because of what they've suffered and because of the "to whom much is given" standard-- including the age of accountability implication). Sexual abuse victims even also have a better fate than mine because some of them parallel (and sometimes even are) the children in the Third World-- they get sympathy and people who'll help them at some point and juncture, some reward in Heaven just for their suffering alone, etc..

With me; my situation's like, who the hell (including my own church) cares (or really or ultimately cares) about a 'mamzerah' Messianic Jew with Cerebral Palsy, OCD/Anxiety/Depression, and mild-enough Cerebral Palsy that she can (seemingly) get by?

I Keep Getting Visitors From Russia... Relatives?

Look, guys (and gals); if you're mishpacha, do not be afraid to contact me. Besides, I still am looking for specifically Jewish (including Messianic) and Anusi (including Messianic, but just understandably scared to admit any Jewishness):

1. Rusznaks (Rusnaks, etc.)
2. Fockos (Foskos, Foczkos, etc.)
3. Novaks (Nowaks)
4. Gajdoszes (Gaydoses, etc.)
5. Ushinskys (Uszinskys, etc.)
6. Huglinksys
7. Trudniaks (Trudniaks, etc.; since one did marry a Jewish Monka)
8. Monkas
9. Chernetskis (Czarneckis, etc.)
10. Morgiewiczes (Margiewiczes, etc.)
11. Andrulewiczes (Andruleviches, etc.)
12. Danilowiczes (Daniloviches; even ones related to Kirk Douglas-- mi estomago!)
13. Laczinskys (Latshinksys, etc.)
14. Hanzoks (Hanssaks, etc.)
15. Homas (Hamas-- plural of "Hama", not the terror group which no Self-Respecting Jew would hang around)

Contact me-- I don't bite.

An Untitled Novel, Part 9

As I looked at a Reform beit knesset on my way from Reistertown Road back to Upper Park Heights, I couldn't help but wonder about the Union for Reform Judaism and eugenics. I should've brought my mom along because I had so many questions for her, including this one: "Mom, why is abortion allowed in Talmud?" Reform Judaism defends their position on abortion with Talmud.

"Talmud states, 'IF A WOMAN IS IN HARD TRAVAIL, ONE CUTS UP THE CHILD IN HER
WOMB AND BRINGS IT FORTH MEMBER BY MEMBER, BECAUSE HER LIFE COMES
BEFORE THAT OF IT. BUT IF THE GREATER PART HAS PROCEEDED FORTH,
ONE MAY NOT TOUCH IT, FOR ONE MAY NOT SET ASIDE ONE PERSON'S LIFE FOR
THAT OF ANOTHER.' Haven't you been studying 'Ohalot'?"

I went back to my hotel room at the Red Carpet Inn that night and reexamined the URJ documents. I guessed that their argument would be that the case of a child having a genetic disease could so unbearable to the mother that she "is in hard travail", thus "her life comes" first. I then understood why my mom once said that what seems to contradict Torah in Talmud is just a sh'eilah."


I was reminded of when she literally threw Talmud at me for me to catch and quoted, "Withhold not correction from the child; for though thou beat him with the rod, he will not die. Thou beatest him with the rod, and wilt deliver his soul from the nether-world." She then explained, "In your case, the rod is the book. As the old saying goes, 'Throw the book at him.'"


I asked her to further explain her sh'eliah comment, meanwhile. "We are given sh'eliot, such as Ohalot 7:6, to see whether or not we will follow the mitzvot in Tanakh. The sh'eliot are paradoxical only in the sense that they are mitzvot until they are realized as sh'eliot which Torah and rachamim override. Actually obeying anything that is a purposeful violation of Torah means that we have failed a sh'eliah."


Wishing my mom "L'Laila tov", I hung up the phone and recited the "Bedtime Shema". I had a long day ahead of me.

"God Help the Outcasts" Lyrics Rewritten

The original lyrics here

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME
OR IF YOU'RE EVEN THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD LISTEN
TO A "JEW GIRL"'s PRAYER.
YES, I KNOW I'M JUST AN OUTCAST,
I SHOULDN'T SPEAK TO YOU.
STILL I SEE YOUR FACE AND WONDER
WEREN'T YOU ONCE AN OUTCAST TOO?

GOD HELP THE OUTCASTS,
HUNGRY FROM BIRTH.
SHOW THEM THE MERCY
THEY WON'T FIND ON EARTH.
GOD HELP MY PEOPLE,
THEY TRY TO LOOK TO YOU STILL.
GOD HELP THE OUTCASTS
OR WHOEVER WILL?

I ASK FOR WEALTH.
I ASK FOR FAME.
I ASK FOR GLORY TO SHINE ON MY NAME.
I ASK FOR LOVE.
I CAN POSSESS.
I ASK FOR GOD AND HIS ANGELS TO BLESS ME.

I ASK FOR NOTHING.
I CAN GET BY,
BUT I KNOW MY PEOPLE, THEY'RE LESS BLESSED THAN I.
PLEASE HELP ISRAEL,
THE POOR AND DOWN-TROD.
I THOUGHT WE STILL WERE THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
GOD HELP THE OUTCASTS
CHILDREN OF GOD.

An Untitled Novel, Part 8

My mom bought me the Magen David tree topper and an artificial tree as a gift. "Don't tell your dad or your brothers," my mom warned. She also asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to request before I hang up?"

"That you pay my phone bill," I joked.

"If you can pay for your own trip and sustainabilites with it, then you can pay your own phone bill." By "sustainabilities", she meant everything that would sustain the trip and me while I was on said trip-- food, lodging, gas for my car, and other necessities. "L'Laila tov, and be safe in Baltimore," she admonished.

I stayed at the Red Carpet Inn, which cost $45 per night. But I somehow managed to afford a $45-a-night room with just myself in that room. On Shabbatot, I would hide that I am Jewish and pose as a Kushi v'goy l'Shabbat to work at the local batei knesiyot and earn a few shekalim.


One night, I was at the Red Carpet Inn and dreamed a flashback: I was at home with a Kwanzaa candelabra and replaced the Black candle with an Olive candle, and the red and green candles with red-olive-and-green-blended candles. My dad yelled at me, "What are you doing?!"


I explained, "Olive is for the color of 'ami-- my people. We are Jewish." I was chased around the house by my very-angry dad after that.


With the few remaining shekalim that I had from the previous Shabbat, I bought a cup of coffee from a beit cafe in the Reisterstown Road shopping district. Then to take my mind off of the flashback, I called my mom and asked her a few questions which I had.


"You know why they couldn't have gone to the Reform or Conservative, or Modern Orthodox batei knesiyot around where you are. The batei knesiyot are modern and weren't there then, and your grandparents are very haredi-- which is why they went to B'nai Israel." She knew that I had Googled some things before I left.


One of the questions was obviously why they went and still go to a beit knesset that is so far away from their home.

Reform Judaism, As Covered By Others, Apostately Allows Eugenics...

GeoAsher023 on YouTube and Masada2000.org (among others and myself) have rightly pointed out that Reform Judaism and even parts (if not all) of Talmud Bavli are koferim-- apostate. For example, from the URJ website:

1. "Knowing more about these serious genetic conditions, as well as the availability of screening for these disorders, will empower young adults in the Jewish community to become proactive in their family planning and may avert the anxiety surrounding prenatal carrier screening or the need to make a potentially heart-wrenching decision [e.g., abortion] during pregnancy. "
   
   (http://urj.org//about/union/governance/reso//?syspage=article&item_id=1894). 
2.   "Reform Judaism understands the original position of the Talmud wherein is described the notion that an abortion should be performed only for the sake of the life of the mother, and even as late as the moment before the head of a baby emerges from the birth canal. However, Reform goes beyond this narrowly defined period and gives sanction to its members (and all others for that matter) to elect to terminate a pregnancy when confronting other circumstances: as... when through genetic testing, it is determined that the child to be born will have a disease that will cause death or severe disability, and the parents believe that the impending birth will be an impossible situation for them; and other circumstances." (http://urj.org/ask/questions/abortion/)

"[T]o elect to terminate a pregnancy when confronting... through genetic testing, it is determined that the child to be born will have a disease that will cause death or severe disability, and the parents believe that the impending birth will be an impossible situation for them" is avoda kofer. There is nothing ever okay about aborting a child, especially when " it is determined that the child to be born will have a disease that will cause death or severe disability, and the parents believe that the impending birth will be an impossible situation for them".

To abort is a violation of tikun ha'olam for several reasons, including for the reasons that an innocent life is taken via eugenic abortion and a couples' potential option to adopt is taken from them.

I Just Ordered A Free Book, And...

I have a free book to give away in a few days or so for any fellow Jew who's more curious about Jesus. If you

want the book, e-mail me. If you decide to keep the book and even later utilize it for your own purposes, keep

it. If not, give the book to a loved one or loved one's loved one, or an acquaintance or whoever else is Jewish

and is curious about Jesus (Yeshua). 




The book is not intended to be returned; so as I said, give the book to a loved one or loved one's loved one, or

an acquaintance or whoever else is Jewish and is curious about Yeshua if you don't intended to keep it. The

book is not meant for gentiles-- they can go to church, or to the public library, or to more gentile-demographic

places to find books about Yeshua for gentiles.

To Lose All This Weight Is Going To Be Hard...

5'1.75" and 128.5 pounds. Just pray for me.

In Fairness to Goly'at, David Would Be Ashamed At Likud's and Beiteinu Yisrael's Behavior...

Let's be fair about the Palestinians: having Haredi Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, and similar parties can't fair (actually, "fare"; but we could say "fair") well for 

them. While Yisra'el belongs to David, there's no reason to provoke Goly'at in a Jewish Supremacist way. Self 

defense is okay; Jewish Supremacy is not. By the way, not all gentiles (especially Arabs and descendants 

thereof) in the Middle East have oil.

Philista is Palestine.

Statistics Should Not (If Mom's Right) Be Required For Everyone...

My mom claims that Statistics is required for everyone (even non-math, non-psychology, and other liberal-arts-and-sciences-- e.g., political science-- majors) at every four-year college or university. Well, Statistics shouldn't be required for everyone. Not everyone is skilled or talented in mathematics. Not everyone (including everyone in political science) wants to be pollster or other type of statistician. Not everyone is going to use μ, σ, or other statistical letters. Not everyone is going to need to know or calculate even one mean with a standard deviation.


I could go on, but you get the point: if nothing else, require only Fundamentals in Statistics for liberal-arts-and-sciences majors. Otherwise, don't require statistics for anyone but the hard-math and hard-science majors.

Is Faceshuk Not Accepting My Blog Because I'm Messianic Jewish? Well, Wait a Minute...

I'm not a proselytizer. I'm going to be open about my faith, but not force my faith down people's throats. All of my dad's relatives but for the Trudniaks (as far as I know) died Crypto Jews in order to survive Anti Semitism in both Europe and America, and many of us live as Crypto Jews for the same. Sadly, they and others (e.g., Ashley Wojnar and Janet Rozzi) aren't proud to know that we're Jewish for good and bad. 


(Ola, Ashley; que no te gusta que somos judias y que tu abuelo Leo se parece ese un judio irani es lamentable. I'm like an elephant, Ashley-- I don't forget that you defriend me after that. Boo-hoo-- eres tu una supremista cubana, por cierto? Even if you don't like that you're a Jew first, you're a Jew first; and I'm rather proud that your grandmother Helen was Jewish, and that your granddad Leo looks like a fellow Jew. P.S. I figured out that we and he are Jewish.)


Now that I'm done ranting at Ashley (And in a way, I hope that Ashley and Brittany read this), let me get back to the categories of my family. As I said, "All of my dad's relatives but for the Trudniaks (as far as I know) died Crypto Jews in order to survive Anti Semitism in both Europe and America, and many of us live as Crypto Jews for the same. Sadly, they and others (e.g., Ashley Wojnar and Janet Rozzi) aren't proud to know that we're Jewish for good and bad."


By the way, I mean the ones born before and in the 1900s by "All". The "many of us" are descendants of the "All". Some of the "All" may have been Messianic, but never (as far as I know) admitted (though some dropped hints) that they were Jewish.


"They and others" refers to the "many of us" and "All" progeny like Ashley Wojnar who aren't proud of our Jewish heritage and that I found out that we are Jewish. Some are sadly seeming neutral on the subject or ignore it-- then again, they might fit in with the "many of us". Some of them are Messianic and nonetheless of the "many of us".


The fourth category is the descendants of the "All" who are Messianic Jews and/or are open about our Jewish heritage, even if implicitly. We even have a Non-Messianic Jewish Taoist among us (which is understandable after she was raised-- as many of us were-- in some of variant of Roman Catholicism. She was raised in regular Roman Catholicism, I in Episcopalianism until I was in fifth grade or thereabouts. We were both baptized Roman Catholic as well.).


In conclusion, Faceshuk should accept my blog because, if nothing else, of the four categories of my dad's family:

1. The Ashkenazi Anusim from the 1770s (e.g., the Fockos, Foskos, Foczkos) to the 1900s (e.g., Anna Monkaova Trudniak), referred to as the "All".
2. The "many of us"
3.  The "they and others". "They and others" refers to the "many of us" and "All" progeny like Ashley Wojnar and Janet Rozzi (And Janet, I didn't forget that you defended your kapo American grandmother, my great-grandmother Mary Rusnak Gaydos.).
4. The descendants of the "All" who are Messianic Jews and/or are open about our Jewish heritage, even if implicitly.

I might have to make a YouTube video to clarify this, by the way.

An Untitled Novel, Part 7

Mytreetopper.com started to sell a Magen David tree topper for Christmas. I wanted to get one offline or even in a store in Baltimore if I could find one. My dad said no. "I am not Jewish. I do not care if you and your mother-- and your sisters-- are Jewish. Your brothers and me are not Jewish. So we will not get a Star of David tree topper. Besides, your mother's the one who lets you celebrate that holiday for the White man's messiah, and she doesn't even believe that he's the Jewish Messiah."


A similar occurrence took place when I wanted to put my electric menorah in the window for Hanukkah and asked him about it. "No!" he responded. But I even quoted from the Soncino Talmud, the Talmud Bavli equivalent of the Christian King James Bible, to explain why the menorah was to go in the window at least until we all went to bed each night-- actually, in the window l'kol Yamim-Hanukkah and turned on each night until we all went to bed:

"Our Rabbis taught: It is incumbent to place the Hanukkah lamp by the door of one's house on the outside;  if one dwells in an upper chamber, he places it at the window nearest the street. But in times of danger  it is sufficient to place it on the table. Raba said: Another lamp is required for its light to be used; yet if there is a blazing fire it is unnecessary. But in the case of an important person,even if there is a blazing fire another lamp is required.

"What is  Hanukkah? For our Rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislew the days of Hanukkah, which are eight on which a lamentation for the dead and fasting are forbidden.  For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oils therein, and when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated them, they made search and found only one cruse of oil which lay with the seal of the High Priest,  but which contained sufficient for one day's lighting only; yet a miracle was wrought therein and they lit  therewith for eight days. The following year these  were appointed a Festival with Hallel  and thanksgiving."

My dad responded, "I and your brothers are not Jewish. It is not going in my window."

Intellectual Dishonesty and Word Games On the Part of Dr. Joel Hoffman

• The tenth Commandment, commonly but wrongly translated as "thou shalt not covet," illustrates how internal structure or etymology can be misleading. Like the English "host" and "hostile" that share a root but don't mean the same thing, the words for "desirable" and "take" in Hebrew come from the same root. It's the second word, "take," that appears in the Ten Commandments. But translators, not recognizing that related words can mean different things in this way, misunderstood the Hebrew and wrongly translated the text as "thou shalt not covet" for what should have been "thou shalt not take." (Learn more: "Thou shalt not covet?")

Dr. James Strong's carefully-compiled concordance can immediately challenge this:


"The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon

Strong's Number: 02530 Original Word Word Origin dmx a primitive root Transliterated Word TDNT Entry Chamad TWOT - 673 Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech khaw-mad' Definition v to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in (Qal) to desire (Niphal) to be desirable (Piel) to delight greatly, desire greatly n f desirableness, preciousness King James Word Usage - Total: 21 desire 11, covet 4, delight 2, pleasant 1, beauty 1, lust 1, delectable things 1"

• The translation "Jubilee year" results from a mistaken application of cognates (similar words in different languages). In the original Hebrew, the year was called the "year of the horn," or, in Hebrew, "the year of the yovel." The Latin for yovel is iobileus, which just happens to sound like the Latin word iubileus, connected to the verb iubilare, "to celebrate." The English "Jubilee year" comes from the Latin. (A similar Latin coincidence gave rise to the notion that the fruit in the Garden of Eden was an apple.)

This can be easily challenged by context. HaShanah l'Yovel was announced with the shofar on the 49th-counted Yom Kippur in the cycle, and it was a cause for celebration:


"'You are to count seven Shabbats of years, seven times seven years, that is, forty-nine years. 9 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom-Kippur, you are to sound a blast on the shofar; you are to sound the shofar all through your land; 10 and you are to consecrate the fiftieth year, proclaiming freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a yovel for you; you will return everyone to the land he owns, and everyone is to return to his family. 11 That fiftieth year will be a yovel for you; in that year you are not to sow, harvest what grows by itself or gather the grapes of untended vines; 12 because it is a yovel. It will be holy for you; whatever the fields produce will be food for all of you. 13 In this year of yovel, every one of you is to return to the land he owns. 14 "'If you sell anything to your neighbor or buy anything from him, neither of you is to exploit the other. 15 Rather, you are to take into account the number of years after the yovel when you buy land from your neighbor, and he is to sell to you according to the number of years crops will be raised. 16 If the number of years remaining is large, you will raise the price; if few years remain, you will lower it; because what he is really selling you is the number of crops to be produced. 17 Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am ADONAI your God...

• This is how the Hebrew in Isaiah 7:14 -- which describes a young woman giving birth to a boy who will be named Emmanuel -- ended up in Greek as a virgin giving birth. Though these facts about Greek and Hebrew are generally undisputed among scholars, the translation error remains, both because people are usually unwilling to give up familiar translations, and also perhaps because the Gospel of Matthew describes the virgin birth of Jesus by quoting the mistaken Greek translation of Isaiah 7:14.

In context, in Yesha'yahu 7:14, "almah" and its Greek equivalent absolutely referred to a betulah. Dr. David Stern further explains this in the Complete Jewish Bible translation.

• Metaphors are particularly difficult to translate, because words have different metaphoric meanings in different cultures. Shepherds in the Bible were symbols of might, ferocity and royalty, whereas now they generally represent peaceful guidance and oversight. So the image of the Lord as shepherd in Psalm 23 originally meant that the Lord was mighty, fierce and royal. The impact was roughly the same as "the Lord is a man of war." But in most English-speaking cultures, "the Lord is my shepherd" conveys a wholly different, and therefore inaccurate, image.

Actually, shepherds were considered low lifes, ishim-ha'aretz, such as was David ben Yishai, who surprisingly became the  melekh b'kiddush-- sanctified king-- of Yisra'el.

• Similarly, kinship terms like "father," "brother," "sister," etc. were used in the Bible specifically to indicate power structure. This is why the romantic Song of Solomon -- the Bible's only full length treatise on relationships -- says "my sister, my bride" or "my sister, my spouse." On its face, that English translation is not only unromantic but in fact felonious. The original point, however, was that the woman in this relationship should be the man's equal.

Here, Mr. Hoffman is obviously playing word and decontextualization games. She isn't literally his biological achoti, but she is a Shulamit achot. So, there is adultery but not a felony (as we think of felony, anyway.). Shlomo clearly took more than one wife and a goyah kallah.

Dear Mom...

I know that I'm a failure. I know that you're not proud that I don't study as hard as I could, do much around the house as I could, and do much else as I could. But I try. I struggle with OCD/Anxiety, Depression, and possible Aspberger's. I may also struggle with ADD and ADHD (Aunt Mary struggles with mild ADD.). And I struggle with my Cerebral Palsy.

Imagine going through all that I've gone through with little to no support, and spurts of support that are about the extent of the support that I get. Imagine knowing that you're-- though imperfect-- unappreciated and not good enough for anyone no matter what you do. Imagine having my rough family history and not being discouraged from dealing with and talking about it, especially by me & other family. And imagine being mostly or entirely alone otherwise all the time.

I could go on; but Dear Mom, I know that I'm a failure. And now you know why.

When Math Is the Matter, the Calculator Is My Best Friend...

I'm from the lingual, political, and other mostly-right-brained side of my family (and you have to be at least little creative to be lingual-- since languages, such as verbal conjugations, don't just happen overnight; and political-- since governments don't just happen overnight, and an example of a creative type was the multi-talented Mizrahi Jewish Thomas Jefferson. He was a musician and revisionist Biblotique for goodness' sake-- and you have to be a little creative to come up with a seemingly-plausible alteration of the Bible).

Other relatives, on the other hand (or in the other brain), are left brained-- cousins Shelley and Rob, and granduncles Jim and Tony, for example. They're in the medical, financial, computer, and similar fields. I didn't inherit their passed-down math skills-- and I honestly don't know who passed the math down to them.

I know that their grandparents (and Shelley's and Rob's great-grandparents) Julian and Alexandria were creative types; that's for sure. They did an excellent job of posing as Polish-Lithuanian Roman Catholics, at least on the surface and to the untrained Census and Immigration-Naturalization officials. I mean, for example, inconsistencies and other material on the Census and Immigration-Naturalization records should've stuck out-- e.g., "Czornecki"/"Czarnecki" in 1910, "Chernetski"/"Chernetobe"/"Chernitcki" in 1920, "Czarnecki" in 1930-- come on. And Great-Granddad being three when he came over must've learned perfect English from somewhere besides school and English speakers outside of his home.

So, here I go studying for my math test. Wish me b'tzlacha and buena suerte, and rogen por mi and 'im tefilot. Todam v'/y gracias.

An Untitled Novel, Part 6

I once shocked my grandparents during one Hanukkah when I was still little. I told them that I considered that Jesus might be Messiah. They looked at me apprehensively and asked, "Are you sure?", and I knew not to discuss whether Jesus is or isn't the Messiah further. Then they continued the reading and discussion of the parsha l'hayom.

When I took this trip to Northwest Baltimore then to Sugar Notch to compare the lives of my Jewish family and the mysterious Crypto-Jewish family about which I'd heard in relation to Mom's great-great-grandparents, that matter didn't end as well. My dad mockingly sat shiva for me, and my mom couldn't understand why I had to compare Yehudim and Anusim to better understand my heritage and get a clearer picture of the Jewish community at large.

So first, I Googled the Northwest Baltimore shtetl. I'd read enough in the "Baltimore Jewish Times", and heard and seen other material regarding the Jewish Marylander haredit kelliat. Besides, since the Lewjes lived there, I had to see where my mom's family even still live-- although as I said, they sat shiva for her; so they wouldn't talk to her, let alone me.

Like most shtetlach, the Northwest Baltimore shetl is in a "Heights" area-- Upper Park Heights. There also is the Reisterstown Road shopping district, but I was looking for the Park Heights shtetl; and so I went to the Park Heights shtetl in Fallstaff.

My grandparents faithfully walked to B’nai Israel Congregation of Baltimore from their home in the Fallstaff shtetl and drove only in emergencies-- for example, when one of the children or one of themselves was sick or unable to walk, but no so ill or debiltated that he or she could not observe Shabbat at the shul. They awoke three hours earlier than they had to, to walk the nearly-three hours that getting to the shul took them. When they drove, they arrived there in 20 minutes to an hour.

Their affectionally-called "rav" was Samuel "Sh'mu'el" Pilskin. According to B'nai Yisra'el's website, "Rabbi Pliskin was meticulously Orthodox, but he did not question the level of observance of his congregants. He said, "When a long-lost child comes home, parents do not ask questions.'"

Of course, the Lewjes never had to worry about any questioning from anyone, as they were shomrim-Haredi Yahadut. They will remain shomrim until they die, being buried in B'nai Israel Cemetery as soon as humanly and Jewishly possible after they die. Meanwhile, the family of Rachel Helen Lewj Umani is not invited to any of the Lewj levayot.

How To Use Blogger To Do Schoolwork

As I was sitting there and about to save one of my Introduction to Corrections essays for home, a proverbial figurative lightbulb went off: I could use Blogger to draft the essay, then finalize it at home and in Microsoft Word. As my piano professor said, study and practice in spurts throughout the day-- like taking small meals-- instead of huge timeslots. In the same way, I could use a for-right-now hobby (which could become a career) to study and make use of time that could've been otherwise procrastination or eventual boredom.

I wrote my first draft of my reflection, take-home essay on Blogger (and wergild is still a hard word to remember how to spell). Using Word, I double-checked "wergild" before replacing "weirgald" with it. By the way, I've similarly done at-home Sociology assignments on Blogger.

In conclusion, I used social media to make the grade and share knowledge with both my professor (so that he can see that I learned in class) and with the world and fellow people who are only in (and not of) the world (to prove that, while I'm not the brightest bulb in the bunch, I'm not the dullest bulb, either).

Second Draft of My Essay for Criminal Justice

In regards to Introduction to Corrections, I still maintain that the class could have been taught with much less book learning and more "chit chat", or engagement of and with the material. Engagement of and with the material would not only have supplemented the book learning, but applied it and made it easier to remember. The field events were a fine application; but the engagement known as "chit chat" would have also helped, and frankly helped apply to the field experience what we learned in class.

I also maintain that Drako did not apply "the punishment fits the crime" first, and the Ancient English did not apply lex talions and wergild first. The Hebrews did, and Genesis 9:6 applies one of the first-- if not the first of the-- Drakon-associated codes. As for lex talions (family justice) and wergild (restitutive sanctions-- e.g., blood money), the Hebrew Torah gives cases in which each are to be applied. For example, if a man accidentally kills another and does not flee to a marked city of refuge allows for lex talions, or if he must make restitution for a baby who he caused to be miscarried during a fight allows wergild.

I respectfully bring to point that I did not like the mockery of Christianity. Being a Messianic Jew and now understanding that (as far as I can tell) you are a Non-Messianic Jew, I fully respect your right not to believe in Jesus. However, I did not like the mockery of, incidentally, what the Quakers themselves based their rehabilitative, reformatory, and penitentiary models on. To them and me, Jesus would not just have been another high for drug and alcohol addicts, let alone one comparable to work and other addictions for the same. I also did not like the "Lazarus has risen" joke regarding Cameron. To me, Lazarus' resurrection was a sacred even and nothing to make light of, let alone to use as a metaphor for Cameron finally coming back to class after car problems.

I myself do not seek to proselytize, but hold strong Evangelical Christian, Messianic Jewish views. As the Quakers did with the views, I apply my views to my life and every aspect thereof, including an Introduction to Corrections class and corrections themselves. On that point, I found the Drug Court to be consistent with a Quaker-Christian view of saving the lost, rehabilitating, reforming, and bringing to penance. As a Messianic Jew, I look forward to seeing the Drug Courts-- and now the Mental Health, Veterans', and other Specialized Courts-- increase in number and effectiveness in decreasing the backlog in the Criminal Justice System.

In conclusion, I learned much about corrections and how to strengthen and apply my views to corrections in Introduction to Corrections, but I still would have liked to engage more with the material to supplement it and the applications of it (e.g., the field trips). I also, as I said, would've liked to see less mockery of Christianity, although I understand your views and certainly do not seek to proselytize. However, as aforementioned, I will do my views as the Quakers did with their views-- that is, apply them to corrections, and learn about other views in light of how to examine and strengthen my own.

Draft of My Reflection Essay For Criminal Justice (It'll Be Easier To Write It This Way First)

In regards to Introduction to Corrections, I still maintain that the class could have been taught with much less book learning and more "chit chat", or engagement of and with the material. Engagement of and with the material would not only have supplemented the book learning, but applied it and made it easier to remember. The field events were a fine application; but the engagement known as "chit chat" would have also helped, and frankly helped apply to the field experience what we learned in class.

I also maintain that Drako did not apply "the punishment fits the crime" first, and the Ancient English did not apply lex talions and weirgald first. The Hebrews did, and Genesis 9:6 applies one of the first-- if not the first of the-- Drakon-associated codes. As for lex talions (family justice) and weirgald (restitutive sanctions-- e.g., blood money), the Hebrew Torah gives cases in which each are to be applied. For example, if a man accidentally kills another and does not flee to a marked city of refuge allows for lex talions, or if he must make restitution for a baby who he caused to be miscarried during a fight allows weirgald.

I respectfully bring to point that I did not like the mockery of Christianity. Being a Messianic Jew and now understanding that (as far as I can tell) you are a Non-Messianic Jew, I fully respect your right not to believe in Jesus. However, I did not like the mockery of, incidentally, what the Quakers themselves based their rehabilitative, reformatory, and penitentiary models on. To them and me, Jesus would not just have been another high for drug and alcohol addicts, let alone one comparable to work and other addictions for the same. I also did not like the "Lazarus has risen" joke regarding Cameron. To me, Lazarus' resurrection was a sacred even and nothing to make light of, let alone to use as a metaphor for Cameron finally coming back to class after car problems.

I myself do not seek to proselytize, but hold strong Evangelical Christian, Messianic Jewish views. As the Quakers did with the views, I apply my views to my life and every aspect thereof, including an Introduction to Corrections class and corrections themselves. On that point, I found the Drug Court to be consistent with a Quaker-Christian view of saving the lost, rehabilitating, reforming, and bringing to penance. As a Messianic Jew, I look forward to seeing the Drug Courts-- and now the Mental Health, Veterans', and other Specialized Courts-- increase in number and effectiveness in decreasing the backlog in the Criminal Justice System.

In conclusion, I learned much about corrections and how to strengthen and apply my views to corrections in Introduction to Corrections, but I still would have liked to engage more with the material to supplement it and the applications of it (e.g., the field trips). I also, as I said, would've liked to see less mockery of Christianity, although I understand your views and certainly do not seek to proselytize. However, as aforementioned, I will do my views as the Quakers did with their views-- that is, apply them to corrections, and learn about other views in light of how to examine and strengthen my own.

A More Specific Example of Frivolous Lawsuits-- re The Papua New Guinean Who I Mentioned....

I am under persecution from HAYRIPITIR1/JLO801. He's threatening me with a frivolous lawsuit. He claims to be simultaneously in Papua New Guinea (as HAYTRIPITIR1), California (as JLO801, on his YouTube profile), and Maryland. His latest threat under his second username:

I ask you nicely to remove the video. since you do not want to do it, that is find with me. Im currently station in Andrews Air force Base in Maryland, since you live in Maryland too that is perfect for me. I will sue you... for violated my privacy. So you think I'm in overseas and not in the State lol we are in the same State. So I gave you 48 hours to get that video remove or i will contact my local police get you arrested. take you to court. read the law about violating person privacyrivacy is the expectation that confidential personal information disclosed in a private place will not be disclosed to third parties, when that disclosure would cause either embarrassment or emotional distress to a person of reasonable sensitivities. Information is interpreted broadly to include facts, images (e.g., photographs, videotapes), and disparaging opinions.surreptitious interception of conversations in a house or hotel room is eavesdropping. See e.g., N.Y. Penal §§ 250.00, 250.05
one has a right of privacy for contents of envelopes sent via first-class U.S. Mail. 18 USC § 1702; 39 USC § 3623
one has a right of privacy for contents of telephone conversations, telegraph messages, or electronic data by wire. 18 USC § 2510 et seq.
one has a right of privacy for contents of radio messages. 47 USC §605

I did nothing wrong. I merely mentioned his name since he commented re a video which I made. Besides, NY penal codes don't apply in MD.

A Magen David Christmas Tree Topper? And More Antimissionarism From Some...

I saw this in a Facebook and "Liked" it almost right away. I'm not sure that Mom will buy it, but we'll see what happens. Meanwhile, I had to tell one of the Antimissionaries, "[A]s a Messiani[c] Jew, I suggest that you instead go to an Antimissionary website where your Scrooge-like and very Un-Jewish behavior would be welcome. If you don't want to be reminded that Christmas was to celebrate a Jewish man who many Jews like myself believe to be the Messiah, and who even many Non-Messianic Jews consider a prophet, that's your schtick. Just please don't try to proselytize against celebrating Christmas in a Jewish way here."

Her excuse to the page administrators before I came in:

"than why is it called a christmas tree, it's not just any tree. we decorate it and put presents under it . i am a interfaith person and we have a tree and a mehorah so the children no the meaning of both holidays.tthat toppersays nothing about hannukkah. the candels must be light. enough said."

Too bad that some Scroogesque people have to try to ruin both the secular Christmas and the Messianic Jewish and gentile Chag Mashiach.

I Should've Mentioned This In My Last Video...

If I sued for all of the times that I've had legitimacy to sue (and I've had plenty, including against Mia Danilowicz for her frivolry-- and I could've easily countersued for her attempt to defame me, misrepresent me and herself, and attempting to stifle legal and acceptable freedom of speech and expression of information), I could've sued.

But I haven't sued? Why? As I mentioned in my last video, a person who brings themselves into a matter needs to deal with whatever arises because of the matter. I, for example, have dealt with Mia-- I've called for any boycott for Marcela "Mia" J. Danilowicz until she gets her act together and starts treating people right. I'm not reaching out to befriend her again and apologize for anything that I may have done-- she added me as a friend in the first place, anyway, then removed me; and I have nothing for which to apologize to her.

Also, suing for selfish reasons is not Christian-- or even good Non-Messianic Jewish-- behavior.