#the way of yehoshua

[thewayofyehoshua]

THE TORAH: HOLY, JUST AND GOOD!

Those who think Sha'ul/Paul sought an escape from the Jewish Law in order to make Christianity easy for pagan converts must find this verse difficult. It proves that Sha'ul neither had an un-Jewish view of the Law nor desired to abrogate it. The verse witnesses to Sha'ul's lifelong high regard for the Torah, which corresponds to his lifelong observance of it (see Act_13:9 Act_21:21). This attitude would have been with him from his youth, since his parents were Pharisees (Act_23:6); it would have been strengthened by his studies with Rabban Gamli'el (Act_22:3); and there is no reason to suppose that his coming to faith in Yehoshua who did not "come to abolish the Torah" (Mat_5:17)-would have changed it. So many errors about Sha'ul's opinion of the Law could have been avoided had this verse been understood as constraining everything he writes about it. YHVH-God's holy Torah for holy living does not change. Why? Because YHVH himself does not change (Mal_3:6) and holiness does not change. Moreover, this verse is not alone: Rom_7:10, Rom_7:14, Rom_7:16, Rom_7:22 andRom_8:2, Rom_8:4, Rom_8:7-8 show that Sha'ul had a high regard for the Torah.

[short-wooloo]

From Jediism to Judaism: Star Wars as Jewish Allegory, by Daniel Perez

A look at some of the Jewish elements – coincidental or otherwise – of Star Wars.

A long time ago in a place far, far away...

It is a period of civil war. A new government has declared the practice of the old faith a crime punishable by death, disbanding an ancient order of sages and sending many into exile. Rebel fighters, striking from a hidden base, have won their first major victory against the evil Empire, stirring a spirit of defiance among the populace. Outarmed and vastly outnumbered, the ragtag band of rebels – aided by an all-powerful, all-permeating Force that binds together all life in the universe – remain the only hope for restoring peace and freedom to their people.

It's one of the greatest epics known to mankind. No, not Star Wars. The above synopsis is actually the story of Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival that commemorates a miraculous victory of Israelite insurgents against the tyrannical Seleucid Empire roughly 2,200 years ago.

With Star Wars Episode VII set to premiere in just a few short weeks, I got to thinking about how certain aspects of the Star Wars universe are eerily similar to the history, beliefs, and teachings of the Jews. Now George Lucas did not set out to create a fantasy universe full of Jewish references, but the connections are nevertheless there. So let's put the “Han” back in Hanukkah (Harrison Ford, by the way, technically a member of the tribe) and look at some of the Jewish elements – coincidental or otherwise – of Star Wars.

A Galaxy of Hebrew Names

The heroes of the Star Wars series are members of a “rebel alliance,” basically Maccabees in outer space. It's right there in the name: Jedi. The Hebrew letter yud is often anglicized as a “J,” and syllables occasionally get dropped in translation. Hence, a Biblical name like “Yehoshua” makes its way into English as “Joshua.” It's not much of a stretch to see how “Jedi” can be derived the original Hebrew word for Jew, “Yehudi.”

Remember Luke Skywalker's Jedi rebbe, Grand Master Yoda? Is it just me, or is his peculiar syntax reminiscent of someone whose first language is Yiddish (“Yodish”)? More to the point, his name sounds a lot like “yada,” the Hebrew word meaning “to know.”

And how about those Skywalkers? Luke Skywalker might sound like a gentile name, but that name was clearly chosen to alliterate with his twin sister Leia (Leah). Also keep in mind that their parents were an interfaith couple. The father, Anakin Skywalker, played by the unmistakably un-Jewish Hayden Christensen, tried to convert to Jediism, but as we know he ultimately turned to the Dark Side instead. Their mother was Queen Amidala, portrayed by the beautiful and talented Israeli-born actress Natalie Portman. Suffice it to say their marriage did not end well, and it wasn't until much later in life that their children discovered their Jedi-ish identity.

Learning Academy

When an aspiring Jedi Knight goes to the Academy, he or she must complete what is essentially an apprenticeship with one more learned in Jediism than they are. Similarly, a future rabbi's yeshiva experience will consist largely of chavruta learning (studying with a partner – lit. “friendship”). Fun fact: The name for a young, unmarried yeshiva student, “bochur,” actually means “chosen” (as in “The Chosen People”). The idea of a foretold “Chosen One” who would “restore balance to the Force” was a theme running throughout the Star Wars films, wherein Anakin Skywalker was recognized for his extraordinary potential as a Jedi. As mentioned above, he went “off the derech” and became the villainous Darth Vader. In Return of the Jedi, however, Vader/Skywalker fulfills the “prophecy” when he does teshuvah (our term for repentance, which literally means “return.” Whoa. Return of the Jedi!), thwarting Emperor Palpatine to save his son's life, and ultimately, the galaxy.

Of course, if you tell a young rabbi-in-training that he is the “Chosen One,” it sounds cool and dramatic and is technically true, but then, the same can be said of all of his classmates.

While the Star Wars films don't feature Jedi trainees delving into sacred texts (it doesn't make for the most exciting movie montage), some of the greatest rabbinic books of ethics and Jewish philosophy would be right at home in any Jedi library. “Duties of the Heart,” “The Path of the Just”....tell me these don't sound like the reading list for a hero of the Light Side.

The Force

While Jediism isn't a theistic religion per se, its practitioners do teach of a Force that, in the words of Reb Obi-Wan Kenobi "...is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together." That almost sounds like some sort of Chasidic teaching – just replace “energy field” with “entity” or “consciousness,” and “created by,” with “that creates,” and what you have starts to come across less like new age hippie talk and more like an introduction to Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism.

One idea that devout Jews of all stripes share, is that God, the creative “Force” that sustains all, is the source of a Jew's power. “Ein od milvado,” there is none besides Him. The Jew expresses his or her connection to the universe by striving for an ever closer relationship with its Creator.

Another aspect of Jedi belief is the notion of balance, the idea that the Light Side and the Dark Side are both aspects of the same Force seeking equilibrium. The religions that branched off from Judaism tend to show the Creator and Satan, or “The Devil,” in an adversarial relationship, almost a sort of de facto dualistic theology with a God and an anti-God, if you will. Judaism maintains that the Satan (lit. “Accuser”) is the angel associated with temptation, and prosecution in the Heavenly Court. He's basically Slugworth to God's Willy Wonka. He's got a dirty job to do, but in the end, we're both serving the same Boss.

Judaism also teaches that the source of Light and Darkness are One and the same, as it says in the prayer book: “Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates all things.” The source for this line of liturgy can be found in the Hebrew Bible, Isaiah 45:7: “Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil; I am the Lord, Who makes all these.”

Incidentally, one of the traditional names for God – invoked particularly by the Jewish mystics – is HaMakom, literally “The Place.” The deeper idea conveyed by this name is that the Creator does not exist within the universe; the universe exists within Him. It sounds a lot like The Force. The key conceptual difference between the fictitious all-uniting Force of Star Wars and the Shechinah or “Divine Presence” is that the former is impersonal and passive, the latter is an omnipotent consciousness that actively intervenes in human history, speaking with Prophets and working miracles until this very day.

So if you see the new Star Wars movie, directed by Jeffrey Jacob Abrams (who couldn't sound more Jewish if his name was Saul Cohen or Herschel Rosenblatt), perhaps you'll be able to seek out and appreciate the surprisingly Jewish flavor of the Star Wars universe.

Happy Hanukkah, and may the Force be with you!

[girlactionfigure]

🇮🇱After Rosh Hashana/Shabbat Updates  - events from Israel  

ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

( VIDEO - IDF soldiers doing Rosh Hashana prayers during a break deep in Lebanon. )

🔹HEZBOLLAH.. buried Nasrallah in a temporary grave in a secret place.  Israeli hacker group Red Evils believes they extracted the data and publish the site of the grave - suggesting the body be taken in trade for missing Israeli Ron Arad.

🔹IRAN SAYS.. “Israel does not have the military capability to strike vital facilities inside Iran except with Washington's support, and this makes America a partner in the aggression.”

🔹Lebanese media:  Ibrahim Amin al-Sayed, Hezbollah, refuses to accept the leadership of Hezbollah and asks to go to Tehran (Iran capital) to settle down and devote himself to his religion.

🔹FRANCE TO ISRAEL.. French President Emmanuel Macron: "The priority now is to stop arms shipments to Israel that are used for the war in Gaza, France is not supplying them. The priority is to avoid an escalation in Lebanon, I'm afraid we are not being heard enough in this matter. I told Netanyahu that I think this is a mistake." 

.. PM Netanyahu to the President of France: Israel will win with or without you - but your shame will reverberate long after Israel wins.

⚠️OCT. 7 - IDF spox: “IDF will be prepared and on on high alert for fear of terrorist attacks.”

♦️LEBANON - IDF called three Mukhtars and told them to evacuate the residents of the town due to the launches from their town.

♦️LEBANON - IDF attacked a mosque right next to a hospital in Lebanon - - being used as a Hezbollah HQ.  Warnings to evacuate given.

♦️LEBANON - Airstrikes in Gia, coastal city south of Beirut.

♦️GAZA - intense airstrikes in the north of the Gaza Strip.

▪️AID.. Israel allows aid planes from the United Arab Emirates to land at Beirut airport carrying medical aid.

▪️OCT. 7 EVENT LIMITS.. Due to the security situation and the directives of the Home Front Command limiting gatherings, the national memorial ceremony in the Yehoshua Gardens Park will be held in the presence of a limited crowd of families on Oct. 7.  The organizers regret to announce that the tickets for the general public are canceled and call on citizens to obey the instructions of Home Front, watch the ceremony in their residential area in a communal way, and stand together at 19:10 for a minute of silence in solidarity with the families who will be in the park.

[eretzyisrael]

From the first two interviews we have our baseline.

Conducted respectfully

The statements from the two religious leaders were not challenged

Both interviews were headed by related footage

And both were accompanied by numerous respectful religiously themed images.

It is time to turn to the interview with the Jewish Rabbi. The only way to balance this out would be to have played a video related to the hostages, or the rockets still being fired at Tel Aviv before the interview started. Or perhaps footage from the funeral of 12-year-old Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simcha who had been shot and murdered by Palestinian terrorists on 12 December. Instead there was nothing. The BBC gave the Reverend the unverified tent attack, and the Imam the week-old settler attack on the mosque – but the Rabbi had to start cold.

It began with the same type of questioning the other two had faced about general thoughts, peace and the idea of a two state solution:

Can there be more peace in 2025 than in 2024?

What about the idea of a two state solution – of Palestinians living in a homeland alongside an Israeli homeland – is that still a viable option?

And this facade lasted for about one minute and eight seconds. As Rabbi Gideon Sylvester was (correctly) stating the problem of peace required a Palestinian partner – the BBC’s Ben Brown (who had sat quietly as the Imam spouted his nonsense) interrupted the Rabbi and began to visibly unleash the BBC’s hatred of Israel, by turning what had meant to be a discussion about Jews celebrating Chanukah into a raw anti-Israel rant. His third question suggested the war was needless and Bibi Netanyahu was simply killing Palestinians to keep himself out of jail:

“But doesn’t it also (peace) depend on your government – on the government of Benyamin Netanyahu. Because there are a lot of Israelis who say that he has been pursuing war for his own ends in a sense and he has been pushed by some of the right wing nationalists in his government. And there are a lot of Israelis who want to see an end to war and also deals to release the hostages?”

His fourth question simply turns a Rabbi who had come to answer questions about Jews celebrating Chanukah into an IDF spokesperson being expected to personally respond to Hamas propaganda points and justify Israeli military action:

“when YOU look at the actions of the Israeli military in Gaza which many people around the world have condemned – some people in Israel itself have condemned as well – 45000 people dead according to the Hamas run health ministry in Gaza, most of them, the majority of them, they say, women and children – do you think that has been a proportionate response to the attacks of October 7?”

Struggling to make enough time to continue his attack Ben Brown squeezes in a fifth question.

“But, I mean, just very briefly, we have only got a few seconds left. I’ve frequently interviewed people like Gideon Levy from Ha’aretz Newspaper who said Israel cannot keep living in a state of war – it has to make peace.”

And when the Rabbi hits back (correctly) that Gideon Levy is not representative (it would be like frequently interviewing George Galloway types in the UK and holding them up as representative) Ben Brown continues arguing:

“we interview lots of voice in Israel (remember, he said he interviewed people like Gideon Levy ‘frequently’) including your own right now”

Then it was over.

And remember the respectful religious civilian images and footage, the BBC ran alongside the interviews of the Reverend and the Imam – well this is the imagery that the BBC put alongside the interview with the Rabbi. Soldiers, bulldozers, and tanks:

[apenitentialprayer]

are there any Jews who view Jesus in a positive way (aside from like messianic Jews who, as far I’ve understood, are considered evangelical Christians by all other Jews)

Okay, ah, to answer this question simply: to my knowledge, as far as Jewish communities who (1) self-identify as Jewish, (2) consider themselves practicing Judaism, and (3) deny that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah go, none of them have an "official" stance on Jesus. Jesus may be a false Messiah, but this is only a "doctrine" in Judaism the same way that the fact that Vissarion of Siberia is a false Parousia of Jesus is a "doctrine" in Christianity — which is to say, not so much an actually asserted belief, but a natural corollary to more deeply held beliefs.

That being said, individual Jewish people have held a variety of beliefs about Jesus of Nazareth. Some of them are, well, quite negative. For example, one Hasidic story tells of how the Baal Shem Tov saw Jesus and Sabbatai Zvi (both false Messiahs) stuck in the same level of Hell together; the infamous Toledot Yeshu, a parody gospel, certainly does not paint Jesus or His Mother in a particularly good light; Maimonides doesn't even use the usual "may his name be blotted out" as he would when talking about an enemy of Israel, but instead uses "may his bones be ground to dust" after citing Jesus by name.

There are relatively sympathetic views among those whose views are negative too, for the record; for example, there's a story of a Rabbi, Yehoshua ben Prachya, who was said to have been incredibly cruel to a student, and by the time he chose to relent that student had already gone off to form his own idolatrous sect. Struck by the consequences of his harshness, he would go on to emphasize the importance of kindness and giving people the benefit of the doubt. Though the timeline doesn't match up (Yehoshua lived two hundred years before Him), some commentators identified this student as Yeshu the Nazarene.

But, let's actually answer your question. You will find a spectrum of relatively positive views. Bob Dylan technically falls outside the parameters I listed above because he does seem to believe Jesus is the Messiah, but I'll use him as the extreme example, because he continued to be active in his Orthodox Jewish community after his conversion. You also have Leonard Cohen, whose Jewishness was very important to him, who could at least understand the importance of the mystical connection to Jesus that Christians claimed as their own — "the figure of Jesus, nailed to a human predicament, summoning the heart to comprehend its own suffering."

You have some scholars, like Amy-Jill Levine; in the work she did in The Misunderstood Jew, The Historical Jesus in Context, and The Jewish Annotated New Testament, she tries to emphasize the idea that the Person of Jesus is something that can bring Christians and Jews into closer ecumenical dialogue; that if Christians could get more comfortable with the Jewish context of Jesus, and if the Jewish community could see the New Testament as a corpus of texts that isn't non-Jewish, but rather a particular type of first century Jewish, then there could be ground for both groups to better understand each other.

During the early modern period, there were attempts by some Jewish thinkers to reclaim Jesus. Rabbi Jacob Emden argued that Jesus never meant to abolish the Law, and that He has actually "done a double kindness in the world" by increasing veneration of the Torah and bringing light to the Gentiles, if only the Gentiles could learn how to properly interpret their own Scriptures (talk about flipping the script!). Moses Mendelssohn also claimed that Jesus never meant to abrogate the Law, and suggested that Jesus and the early Christian community could be models that modern 19th century Jews living among oppressive Prussian authorities could emulate.

The above paragraph was about Jewish individuals who tried to distance Jesus from traditional Christian understandings of Him. So I'm going to end, I think, with Rabbi Jacob Neusner, who engaged the Gospel on its own terms. In 1993, he published A Rabbi Talks with Jesus. In this book, Rabbi Neusner imagines himself as a first century Jewish man and tries to earnestly listen to and consider the words of Jesus as depicted in the Gospel of Matthew. This work places the words of Jesus in conversation with the Rabbinic tradition, and ultimately ends with Neusner being unconvinced and unable to follow Jesus as His disciple. Pope Benedict lauded this work as an authentic exercise in interreligious dialogue, and cites it frequently in his own Jesus of Nazareth.

[jewish-vents]

Today, a woman in the grocery store noticed my kippah. I heard her from behind me say "oh is that a yarmulke?" and when I turned around to see herz she grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes. Then she started loudly praying to Jesus about protecting me and Israel. She called him "Yehoshua" and said "I know you don't believe in him, but he's going to help you and your people and keep you safe." And then she prayed some more. Her husband stepped over and put his hand on my shoulder as well. I am not a confrontational person, so I quietly said "thank you" and walked away. It made me feel gross. Especially that I said "thank you." I wish I had rebuked her in some way, but I just... Didn't want to cause a scene? Didn't want to be mean? What was I supposed to do?

Another time, I was at a laundromat and a man came up and started talking to me about Israel. Did I know anyone who died, did I know any of the hostages, how was I affected by Oct 7. Just a random guy at the laundromat.

Another time, at work, I accidentally popped my head into the wrong meeting room and my coworker's client immediately noticed my kippah and started asking me about Israel, about if/how I was affected by Oct 7, and what sort of antisemitism Id experienced. I didn't know how to tell him I was experiencing anti-Semitism in that moment. Thankfully my coworker cut him off. He also said he'd pray for me.

But I can't get the feeling of that woman's hands off my shoulders.

.

[haleviyah]

Hello! I've been following you for quite some time, and I figured it's about time I'd let you know something. I promise, this isn't trolling or anything like that. I just noticed that I don't remember seeing an ask like this on your blog. Your past posts about the relationship with you and Yeshua has inspired me to form a relationship with Him of my own. Like, I relate to how you said God led you out of Christianity, and I didn't identify as one for a long time. It's true what you said, just talk to Him and get to know Him, ya know? He's really cool once you get to know Him.

Anywho, I just thought I'd let you know that. Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful day!

You are in for a rollercoaster ride in a good way! That's all you need to know from this point forward.

I will let you know... the past nine or ten months have been very rough. I don't like putting the spotlight on myself, but I will admit there were moments where He and I's relationship were on rocks because of how much people threw hate just because I loved a Jew or just because I looked up to Israel. I have been damned, told to die, called a "whore", "baby-killer", or even a "nazi"... Hell, these keyboard warriors waving watermelons on their profile don't give a damn about my home (RGV) ...

However, the fact that you learned how a relationship with G-d should be and how to nurture it while also getting to know Him as a person rather than an icon... That really helps a lot, you have no idea. I will say this again, you have just begun this journey. It will shape you up and change you despite the crazy odds it will be worth it.

My advice, keep the integrity of the nature of Love and that will help you gain a better foothold as you keep walking. 1 Corinthians 13 and the book of John is a great to start for gentiles and you can germinate from there. Proverbs is the next step, but ruminate over those! Take your time, there is no rush at all.

Talking about this, believe it or not is helping me TREMENDOUSLY. You have no idea how this comment was like a drink from an oasis for not just myself but many others who are walking along side me.

You among a few others have helped me this week to get back on track, so you sincerely have my thanks. I am humbled to hear of your walk and I hope for nothing but the best. Again, you may be in for a ride, but it's a journey you won't regret.

I will end it on this note:

The Jews don't hate gentiles. If they do, that is a violation of Leviticus 19.

The Jewish people have longed for the gentiles to exceed far greater than they have imagined. They long for another Cyrus if not greater. This faith in the gentiles is what motivated Yeshua (Yehoshua Bar Yosef) to make his final case at the court. This faith in the gentiles is what contributed to his life being cut short. I refuse to believe the lie that Jews hate gentiles or "see them as animals" as the radial ones say... because why would one marry me, why would they treat me as blood, and why would the one you call "Messiah" or "King" died for them too.

So to you I leave you with this question that I know will build your relationship further: "Who do you say I am?" ... "Who are you in your heart?"

This is Zion: an ingathering under G-d (אהבה).

[goldyke]

Every time I see people responding to “this started way before October 7th” with “you’re right Jews have been here since fucking biblical times” or whatever I want to ask them to read Sefer Yehoshua (book of Joshua) which details how the ancient Jews colonized Israel the first time.

Like I’m not going to go back and criticize ancient history like that but I will say that it still doesn’t speak to indigeneity

[the-incradible]

I HAVE MADE A GREAT DICOVERY ABOUT JOJO’S

(steel ball run spoilers I guess)

So the protagonists of parts that are in the “jojo” bloodline are “jojo”’s because thay have a first name that starts with jo and the last name jostar, right?

and araki uses a lot of western names for his characters and stands, ok?

so I noticed something about some the names that araki uses...

Jonathan

Joseph

Jonny

ARE ALL FROM HEBREW ORIGINS!

Even jesus’s original name was Joshua (son of Joseph).

Now, you might be asking yourself, “why does it matter?”, well you better get ready for this.

In the transilation between hebrew and english (with some other languages) there was an odd decision that was made. I won’t go into detail because even I have no fucking idea why it was decided to do this (other then to pronounce it beter) but the short version is:

these names don’t originaly start with a J sound in Hebrew.

in fact, all of the name start the exact same way in Hebrew.

Yōnatan

Yosef

Yochanan

Yehoshua

ALL OF THESE START WITH A “Y”!

AND BECAUSE JONATHAN, JOSEPH AND FUCKING JESUS STARTED THE ENTIRE SHOW

IM AFRAID “JOJO’S” SHOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT NAME

IT SHOULD BE CALLED

[rainintheevening]

buddy look, i dont know how to tell this to you but the fact that you are centering your christian religion (talking abt jesus) in relation to a war in which both participants are part of religions who are oppressed by christians is oppression. buddy, jesus has nothing to do with this, youre Personal spirtiual beliefs are not relevant. literally saying this would all be solved if we listened to jesus is literally a) islamophobic and antisemitic b) demeaning (i know the right way and these poor people are wrong) c) just blantantanly fucking callous, like imagine centering your religious beliefs when people are literally dying. jesus fucking christ.

Hi there. So for context, you're responding to my post about Anakin and radical forgiveness.

Why would I talk about Jesus, and forgiveness when there's a war on? Because He loves all those people in that war, and they need His forgiveness for themselves and each other. I'm pretty sure everyone talks about their 'religious beliefs' when people are dying.

Personal spiritual beliefs have everything to do with it—the attacks by the Hamas were driven by personal spiritual beliefs, and the retaliation is driven by personal spiritual beliefs. Everything you do comes out of your worldview, and that grows out of your personal spiritual beliefs. No matter what those are, whether you believe in an afterlife or not, whether you believe God is real or not, whether you belive in absolute truth or not, whether you believe there is right and wrong or not. Those are personal spiritual beliefs, and they will influence whatever you do.

Jesus is the Greek transliteration of His name, which spread the widest among the western gentiles thanks to the Roman Empire, but His name is originally Yehoshua, usually shortened to Yeshua. Hebrew, means 'the LORD is salvation'. Jesus, Yeshua, was a Jew, born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, preached around much of Judea (present-day Isreal and Palastine). Jesus was the fulfillment of thousands of years of prophecies given to and for the Jewish people first, and then the rest of the world. He was fully God, and fully man. He lived, died, and came back to life all on Israeli and Palestinian soil. He was a real person, and I encourage you to look into that, overhaul the evidence for yourself.

Yes, many people have done awful things to Jews in the name of Jesus, but those things didn't line up with what He instructed His followers to do. The first Christians were Jewish, and Jewish people continue to find hope in Jesus today.

Believing that Islam is a false and empty religion, does not mean I am afraid of muslims. I care deeply about them, that's why I am willing to disagree with them. It's like a person standing in the middle of a street licking an ice cream cone, and they say, "Hey, I'm fine, you can't tell me to move," when there's a dump truck about to run them over. Believing the wrong thing is dangerous. That's why asking questions and digging into the background and basis of your beliefs is so important. And many many Muslims have come to believe in Yeshua and everything he said.

I dunno, is it demeaning to tell people they need help, and I know someone who can help them, because He helped me? He saved me from despair and darkness and bitterness, and He forgave me of all the wrong things I've done, so I can forgive others with joy. That kind of saving, that kind of life is available to anyone. From murderers, to little kids, to doctors, to exhausted parents. Palestinian, Israeli, Canadian, American, whoever YOU are, my friend, wherever you are, you need saving. Jesus, Yeshua came for you too.

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17NLT)

How is it callous to talk about the source of hope in hopeless times? I'm praying for peace, and I'm praying that peace will come through something so much more powerful than a bullet or a bomb. I'm praying that peace will come through forgiveness and the power of God, of Yeshua who came for Israel and the whole world.

All the links are to YouTube videos, some of them are longer, but I hope you'll watch/listen to some of them, and do some digging of your own.

[thewayofyehoshua]

Shabbat Shalom my friends.

The holiness of Shabbat emerges as the shackles of daily life and the hurriedness of the workweek are set aside for a day. In loving care, YHVH provides Shabbat as a weekly time of restoration between humanity and their Creator.

[roybunnies2023]

The Tough Times

Yehoshua B. Bautista                                                                                        Grade 11 - ROY (A)

Bullying was always an experience I never want to feel and experience ever again. It broke me mentally, and physically, and made me lose trust in the people that surrounded me. Back then, I was bullied because they said I wasn’t manly enough, and that my masculinity was not the same as the other boys in my class. It was a tough time for me since no one wanted to talk to me because of whatever rumors and untrue facts those bullies said to my classmates. Due to bullying, I didn’t have the confidence to be myself, and to properly express myself and my feelings around the people I find comfortable with. Back then, I was scared of who to trust, and because I feared that they’ll mock and make fun of me. What's more, hearing the words “weird” and “gay’ spew out of their mouths was such a painful and degrading thing to hear. It brought a drastic effect on my confidence because ever since they started bullying me, I was scared of what people thought of me, of what they could probably judge me for by the way I talked, the way I act, or the way I expressed myself. 

Although being bullied was such a painful experience, I managed to handle it slowly and made sure that I was healed mentally from that experience. I managed to handle that problem by simply cutting off those people. Cutting them off felt relieving as it helped me to move on from what they did to me, and helped me to feel much better mentally about myself now that no one is continuously bullying me because of my masculinity. Another way that I handled that situation was by ignoring the mockeries and insults they threw at me. At first, it felt maddening to hear them insult me, but I realized that they only insult me as a way to make me feel worse, and lose confidence in myself so, by ignoring the things they say to me, I can continue to grow and heal from the bullying experience. 

For those struggling with bullying, an advice I would give is to be strong and never let them win. Bullying can be a tough and challenging experience, but what you have to conquer this experience is by never fighting this alone. Ask help from your trusted and genuine friends, and from your family. Moral support is important especially in bullying and having the people you trust and love will help you to become stronger and confident about yourself. Never let those who bully you win, cutting them off helps if you feel like it’s really draining you mentally and physically. Meditate if it helps you to be calm and be mentally well. As someone who is still healing from bullying, this is the advice I can give to you to cope with an experience such as bullying.

[girlactionfigure]

Looking for tips on how to tell my kids that their principal’s son was murdered today. 

Shimon Yehoshua Asulin fell in Gaza fighting a vile terrorist organization that attacked his country unprovoked and in the most barbaric way the world has seen since the holocaust. 

A sweet kid whose father is a righteous man that has taught hundreds of students about the land of Israel, the Torah of Israel, the people of Israel, and how Judaism is a religion of peace. 

He now joins a club he never asked to be a part of. I can tell you first hand, this is a club no one wants to be a part of. 

Baruch Dayan Haemet. RIP, Shimon.

[eretzyisrael]

Following Hamas's criminal invasion of southern Israel, brave men and women have stepped up to defend their homeland, with dozens sacrificing their lives in the process; These are their names

Yoav Zitun, Ilana Curiel, Elisha Ben Kimon, Meir Turgeman, Israel Moskvitz, Roni Green Shaulov|Updated:10:13

Related Topi

More than 700 Israelis were murdered on the first day of the war against Hamas. So far, only a few dozen names have been released.

Reports emerged on Saturday of the death of Nahal Brigade Commander Col. Jonathan Steinberg among numerous others. He was killed in clashes with a terrorist near Kerem Shalom. On Sunday morning, the names of an additional 25 fallen soldiers were reported.

Nahal Brigade Commander Col. Jonathan Steinberg

(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Steinberg, 42, from Shomria, was en route to a clash site where his soldiers were engaged with terrorists. He encountered a terrorist on his way there and was killed during a firefight near Kerem Shalom.

The names of the fallen IDF soldiers that have been released are as follows: Sst. Roi Weiser, 21, from Efrat, a Golani soldier; Sst. Adir Geori, 20, from Jerusalem, a Sayeret Matkal commando; Cpl. Ariel Eliyahu, 19, from Mitzpe Yericho, a 7th Armored Brigade soldier; Sst. Guy Simchi, 20, from Gedera, a Paratrooper; Cpl. Shira Shochat, 19, from Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, a Unit 414 soldier; Sgt. Maj. Aharon Parash, 36, from Ofakim, a Technology and Maintenance Corps inspector; and Lt. Shilo Cohen, 24, from Sderot, a Shaldag soldier.

Maj. Amir Sakuri, 31, from Jerusalem, a Sayeret Matkal commando; Warrant Officer Ido Rosenthal, 45, from Ben Shemen, a Shaldag soldier; Maj. Ariel Ben Moshe, 27, from Kiryat Bialik, a commander in Sayeret Matkal; Cpl. Danit Cohen, 19, from Sderot, a soldier in Southern Command; Sst. Or Mizrachi, 21, from Petah Tikva, a Nahal soldier; Cpl. Amit Gueta, 21, from Rehovot, a Maglan soldier.

Earlier, the names of the following fallen were cleared for publication: Col. Roi Yosef Levy, 44, from Shavei Tzion, commander of the Multidimensional Unit, also known as the “Ghost” Unit; Lt. Col. Yonatan Tzur, 33, from Kedumim, the commander of the Nahal Reconnaissance Battalion, Maj. Avraham Hovlashvili, 26, from Ashdod, an officer in Caracal; Sgt. Itay-El Marciano, 20, from Shoham, a Paratrooper; Pvt. Ofir Davidian, 18, from Patish, a logistics soldier in the Home Front Command; Cpt. Tal Grushka, 25, from Kfar Saba, a Nahal officer; Cpt. Arye Shlomo Tsering, 27, from Raanana, a K-9 Unit officer. Sst. Ilay Gamzu, 20, from Ashdod, a Paratrooper; Sst. Ohad Cohen, 20, from Idan, a Shaldag soldier.

Cpl. Itamar Ayash, 19, from Kiryat Gat, served in the Southern District of the Home Front Command; Maj. Ido Yehoshua, 27, from Yavne, commander of the training platoon at the Special Air Forces School. Cpl. Uri Locker, 19, from Pardes Hana Karkur, a Golani solider; Maj (Res.) Omri Michaeli, 35, from Nes Ziona, a Duvdevan soldier; Maj. Vitali Skipkevich, 21, from Ariel, an Egoz soldier. Lt. Shoham Tomer, 23, from Srigim, company commander in the 934th Reconnaissance Battalion; Lt. Itai Maor, 23, from Rosh Ha'Ain, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion; Lt. Rom Shlomi, 23, from Moshav Ganot, reconnaissance platoon commander in the Shaldag Unit. Cpl. Yaron Zohar, 19, from Kiryat Ata, a Golani soldier.

Cpt. Adir Aboudi, 23, from Modi'in, a commander in the Home Front Command; Cpt. Yotam Ben Bassat, 24, from Bat Hefer, a commander in the Multidimensional Unit; Sgt. Ofir Tzioni, 21, from Yokneam Illit, a commander in the Home Front Command; 2nd Lt. Adar Ben Simon, 20, from Neve Ziv, a commander in the Home Front Command; Sgt. Or Asto, 21, from Be'er Sheva, a logistics NCO in Golani.

Fallen IDF soldiers and officers from the Swords of Iron War

(Photo: Israel Police, IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Sgt. Eden Alon Levi, 19, from Nirit, a commander in the Home Front Command; Sst. Yuval Ben Yaakov, 21, from Kfar Menahem, a solider in the 7th Armored Brigade; Cpl. Guy Bazak, 19, from Givatayim, a Golani soldier; Pvt. Nerya Aharon Nagari, 18, from Talmon, a Home Front Command soldier; Pvt. Naama Boni, 19, from Afula, a soldier in the 7th Armored Brigade; Lt. Iftah Yavetz, 23, from Ramat Hasharon, a commander in Maglan.

Lt. Col. Sahar Mahlouf, 36, from Modi'in, the commander of the 481st Signal Battalion; Sgt. Ofek Rosenthal, 20, from Kfar Menahem, a Maglan soldier; 2nd Lt. Yanai Kaminka, 20, from Tzur Hadassah, a commander in the Home Front Command; Lt. Or Moses, 22, from Ashdod, a commander in the Home Front Command; Sst. Omri Niv Feirstein, 20, a Home Front Command soldier; Cpl. Dvir Lisha, 21, from Nitzan, a Golani soldier.

Sgt. Ido Harush, from Mitzpe Ramon, a soldier in the 7th Armored Brigade; Sgt. Menashe Yoav Maliev, 19, from Kiryat Ono, an officer in the 7th Armored Brigade; Cpl. Netanel Yang, 20, from Tel Aviv, a Golani soldier; Maj. Chen Buchris, 26, from Ashdod, the deputy commander Maglan; Lt. Or Yosef Ran, 29, from Itamar, a commander in Duvdevan; Cpl. Adi Gurman, 19, from Hogla, a Unit 414 soldier; Sfc. Amir Fisher, 22, from Tel Aviv, a Duvdevan soldier; Lt. (Res.) Ido Edri, 24, from Givaton, an infantry officer.

Raz Tzioni, father of Sst. Ofir Tzioni, said, "We spoke to him for the last time Friday evening, he said that everything is fine with him. On Saturday when we realized what happened, I sent him a message 'Write that everything is fine...,' but he didn't respond. In the evening, the army representatives came to inform us."

Fallen police officers

After a day of intense combat, where Israel Police officers, Border Patrol soldiers and commandos valiantly stood at the forefront of battles against the enemy, the Israel Police solemnly announces the death of 30 of its members. The following are their names:

Chief Superintendent Ge-ar Davidov, commander of the Rahat station; Chief Superintendent Itzhak Shvili, commander of the Segev Shalom station; Superintendent Martin Kuzmickas, commander in the coordination of enforcement operations unit; Chief Inspector Shlomo Moshe Al, officer in the Yamam counter-terror unit; Superintendent Nisim Lugasi, deputy commander of a Magav unit; Superintendent Amin Ohonadov, squad commander in the Yoav unit; Inspector Andrei Poshivi, town station patrol officer; Inspector Alexei Shamkov, officer in the Yamam counter-terror unit; Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Meir Abragil, Sderot station investigation coordinator; Sergeant Major Chen Nahmias, sniper in the Yamam counter-terror unit.

Sergeant Major Roman Gendel, instructor in the Lotar counter-terror unit; Sergeant Major Yehuda Kedar, non-commisioned officer Border Police officer at the Eshkol Ein Habsor station; Sergeant Major Roni Abuharon, detective at the Rahat station; Sergeant Major Adir Shlomo, head of logistics at the Sderot station; Sergeant Major Igal Iluz, bomb sapper; First Sergeant Bar Sivan, fighter in the Yamam counter-terror unit; First Sergeant Alon Barad, investigator at the Rahat station; First Sergeant Alexey Borodovsky, Negev Yasam patrol unit; First Sergeant Vitaly Karsik, forensics department crime scene investigator, Tel Aviv District; First Sergeant Alik Poznyakov, detective in the Magen unit.

First Sergeant Melik Karim, investigator at the Be'er Sheva station; First Sergeant Yoram Eliyahu Cohen, fighter in the Yamam counter-terror unit; Staff Sergeant Major Dror Elton, sapper in the Yamam counter-terror unit; Staff Sergeant Yaakov Shlomo Krasninski, fighter in the undercover police unit; Staff Sergeant Major Elior Yifrach, detective; Sgt. First Class Avi Buzaglo, detective at the Rahat station; Sgt. First Class Michael Lizmi, detective at the Be'er Sheva station; Sgt. First Class Shai El Knafo, town patrol in police’s Southern District; Staff Sergeant Alyona Astapenko, town patrol at the Ofakim station; Corporal Ravit Hanna Asayag, Border Police officer in police’s Southern District.

The harrowing details from the incident near Moshav Re'im, where Hamas terrorists raided an open-air rave, are gradually coming to light. So far, the identified victims from the event include Tzur Saidi, Omri Ram and Aviad Halevi.

List of names of the deceased from Netiv HaAsara

Shortly before midnight on Saturday, the names of 15 victims in Netiv HaAsara, a town of less than a thousand people near the Gaza border, were cleared for publication: brothers Amit and Yigal Wax, Oren Stern, Shlomi and his wife Ayelet Molcho, Hevik Segal, Gil Ta'aseh, Adi Baharev, Tal Keren, Ruthi and Aryeh Akuni and their daughter Or, Nurit Berger, Marina Almagor and Danny Vobek.

Vobek, a resident of Netiv HaAsara, had been a volunteer with the ZAKA divers unit for many years. The organization said that "he took part in dozens of rescue missions, dedicated to saving lives and honoring the deceased. During the brutal attack on Netiv HaAsara, Vobek courageously defended his home and friends, ultimately losing his life in the battle against armed terrorists. ZAKA volunteers, alongside the entire nation of Israel, mourn his loss, share in the pain, and extend condolences to his family and loved ones."

Talia Marcelle, from Kiryat Arba, was murdered in the surprise attack on Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha near the Gaza border. A few years ago, Marcelle relocated from the Talia farm in the Hebron hills to Kiryat Arba. She was fatally shot on the kibbutz where she was celebrating the holiday.

Dolev and Odeya Swissa and their two daughters

Dolev and Odeya Swissa were murdered in their hometown of Sderot. They leave behind two young daughters, ages 3 and 7. Dolev, who was shot by terrorists, was found dead Saturday night. A search was conducted throughout the night for his wife Odeya, who was considered missing until her body was discovered in the morning. "We don't know how the girls were saved," said Rehovot Deputy Mayor Zohar Blum, who is married to Dolev's sister. "We woke up to a dark morning."

Blum added, "Following the heart-wrenching news of Dolev's murder and a sleepless night, we have now learned that Odeya, his beloved wife whom we searched for hours, was also mercilessly murdered by the assassins. This young couple's lives were tragically cut short in the war, simply because of their location near the Gaza Strip and the startling ease with which the terrorists invaded their home. A remarkable couple, they leave behind two young, now orphaned, daughters. My heart aches for my wife and her family in Sderot.

Aharon Haimov, a 25-year-old senior paramedic and ambulance driver with Magen David Adom (MDA) from Ofakim, was fatally shot on Saturday morning en route to treat the wounded in his hometown. He is survived by his wife and two children. Haimov began his career with Magen David Adom as a post-high school volunteer before joining the organization in a professional capacity.

Magen David Adom senior medic and ambulance driver Aharon Haimov, 25, of Ofakim was killed on his way to treat injured

“He was a person who put the good of others and the value of life ahead of everything else — including today, on this tragic morning,” said MDA Director-General Eli Bin.

Israel Fire and Rescue Services announced that Kiryat Gat Fire Station Commander Battalion Chief Shalom Tzaban and Senior Firefighter Yevgeny Galsky were also slain in the attack. Tsaban, 60, a father of two, joined the fire brigade in 1992 and was posthumously promoted to fire deputy chief. Galsky, 34, served in the Netivot fire station. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of sergeant firefighter.

Israel Fire and Rescue Services Commissioner Eyal Caspi extended his condolences to the families and commended the firefighters and commanders who were working tirelessly in numerous locations throughout the conflict zone.

Israel Fire and Rescue Services announcement of the death of Shalom Tzaban (right) and Yevgeny Galsky

The fire brigade on Sunday morning announced the death of Sergeant Major Firefighter Eric Yehuda Marciano, 50, who joined the fire brigade in 1996 and served as a team leader at the Kiryat Gat Fire Station. He is survived by his wife and three children.

His daughter Coral said: "He went on duty, and probably because of the pressure, he forgot his bag at home. I wrote to him, 'Dad, you forgot your bag.' At 7:05am, he told me he would come back to get it and at 7:20 he no longer answered me, he had already encountered the terrorists. Numerous trucks loaded with armed terrorists entered the area. He fought the terrorists and managed to save a child. I knew my father was dead before we were informed; someone saw him dead and sent me a picture. My father is a hero. He was my whole world. He was a father who always put us first, and himself second, placing everyone before him."

Head of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, Ofir Libstein, was killed in the terrorist attack on the Gaza border town

(Photo: Contact)

The head of the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council, Ofir Libstein, was killed during fighting with Hamas terrorists Saturday morning. “Ofir was killed when he went to defend a town during the terrorist attack,” the council said.

Israel Amichai Vitzan and Moshe Yedidya Raziel (Rosenberg) were killed in Kerem Shalom. They were both residents of the West Bank settlement of Psagot.

Nine people, including a number of children, were killed when rockets struck their communities in the northern Negev, which do not have shelters, according to local authorities.

In Arara, Yazan Zakaria Abu Jama was killed when a rocket landed near his home. In Alba’at, brothers Malek Ibrahim Alkra’an, 14, and Jawad Ibrahim Alkra’an, 15, were killed in a direct strike. Alba’at cousins Amin Akal Alkra’an, 11, and Mahmoud Diab Alkra’an, 12, were also killed. Faiza Abu Sabaakh, 57, and her granddaughter May Zuheir Abu Sabaakh, 13, were also killed in Alba’at.

On Monday morning the IDF released the names of a further 16 fatalities among its force.

Lt. Col. Eli Ginsburg, 42, a commander of the Naval Commando 13 unit, from Dovrat; Private Lior Levy, 19, an operations commander in the Home Front Command, from Dimona; Corporal Adir Tahar, 19, a soldier in the Golani brigade, from Jerusalem; Staff Srg. Uriel Moshe, 21,from the Golani brigade, a resident of Rechasim; Major Peleg Salem, 30, from Netanya; Corporal Amit Tzur, 19, a fighter in the Golan Brigade from Eliachin; Corporal Elai Bar Sade, 19, a fighter in the Golani brigade, from Ramat Gan; Lt. Itai Cohen, 22, a commander in the Engineering Corps' Yahalom special unit, from Rehovot; Sgt. Ben Rubinstein, 20, from the Lotar anti-terror unit, from Hod Hasharon; Srg. Yaron Uri Shai, 21, from the Nahal elite unit, from Kadima-Tzuran; Srg.(Res.) Roi Nagri, 28, from the Lotar anti-terror school, from Tel Aviv; Staff Srg. Itamar Bruchim, 21, paratrooper and commander in the officers' school, from Ashdod; Lt. Nitai Amar, 22, Engineering Corps, from Ma'alumim; 2nd Lt. Yonatan Gutin, special forces, from Modi'in; Staff Sgt. Tashgr Tekah, 21, Golani Brigade, from Jerusalem; Staff Sgt. Naveh Eliezer Lacks from the Matkal special forces unit, from Lod

First published: 00:25, 10.08.23

[rabbicreditor]

Said Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah: "Once a child got the better of me." "I was traveling, and I met with a child at a crossroads. I asked him, 'which way to the city?' and he answered: 'This way is short and long, and this way is long and short.' "I took the 'short and long' way. I soon reached the city but found my approach obstructed by gardens and orchards. So I retraced my steps and said to the child: 'My son, did you not tell me that this is the short way?' Answered the child: 'Did I not tell you that it is also long?'" (Talmud, Eruvin 53b) #talmud #wisdom #life #path #lifequotes https://www.instagram.com/p/CoArQfQvotS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[christophe76460]

🔕🔕-[[EXHORTATION ON THE GREATNESS OF THE MERCIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE HEART OF ELOHÎM]]🔕🔕

🌟🌟((ILLUSTRATION TEXT) (Is 1,18) ))🌟🌟

- Beloved in the Lord Yehoshua, in this life, when we are not, or do not do like others, when we go through challenges, trials and others, when we live a life of sin, this, regardless of the reasons why we do it),

👉- (The people of this world will judge you, crucify you, reject you and find reasons to sideline you).

👉- And (generally, most often, even when the human being knows the truth about us, he will use it even more, to attack us and use it to destroy us).

👉-Why? Because it is (so done, because rare are those who know how to appreciate their peers and neighbors at their true value);

💥- And just like (these men who refused to themselves to be aware that they too were not righteous before Elohim, their creator in (Jn 8,3-11); and that each returned to reason after becoming aware of this truth, or like this wicked woman in (Mt 9:10-13);

👉- In this world, (the human being is able and very eager to judge his neighbor, and see the evil or the defects that are found in him, than he is for himself).

👉- But the God who created us is a completely different matter, yes, because if Elohim were quick to judge us and render to each according to his actions, no one would be worthy enough to be found righteous before him to deserve his love here below).

👉- But (Glory be given to him for this love, his compassion, and above all his unparalleled mercy towards each of us here below).

👉- Because it is because of this that (Is 1,18) could say: << COME, I PRAY YOU, AND LET'S ARGUMENT, SAY: YHWH. IF YOUR SINS ARE LIKE CRIMSON, THEY WILL BECOME WHITE LIKE SNOW, IF THEY ARE RED LIKE SCARLET, THEY WILL BECOME LIKE WOOL >>

👉- Yes, (this is the heart of our creator, because although he hates sin, he does not reject the sinner, and no matter the darkness, the greatness or the seriousness of the sins that we do not have committed, if we sincerely repent of this before Elohim, he will forgive us and erase it).

👉👉 - Nb: So my Brother and my Sister in the Lord Yehoshua, Creatures and children of Elohim, Young people, (Let us know that whatever the reasons why someone sins, this does not give us the right to judge the person, and even less the condemned, we can advise, butnot condemn).

💥- Besides, sometimes (this life is not kind to some of us, this prostitute there, this unfaithful and irresponsible man there, this child who finds himself in the street to become a bandit, delinquent and rebellious child that many of us condemn, basing ourselves on the type of lifethat he sometimes leads has not been lucky in this life).

👉- (Of course we are not attesting or approving sin here, no).

👉- But we are talking here, about (our creator Elohim, the way he sees us, about his unparalleled love for each of his creatures, especially for those who are lost and who live in sin, because it are they who must be saved, for the righteous have no moreneed; moreover Yehoshua reminds us of this in (Mt 9,11-13).

💥💥((SO LET’S BE AWARE OF THIS, AND LET’S STOP JUDGING OTHERS))💥💥

🔥🔥🔥[[PRAYER RELATING TO THIS EXHORTATION]]:

- My Father! My Father! Thank you for this exhortation.

- Grant each of us the grace and the awareness to no longer be the first to throw stones at our neighbor, but to examine what is evil in us, in order to bring this before you in the prayer in the name of Yehoshua.

- Forgive all those who are the first to judge and despise their fellow men under the pretext that they live a bad life or the life of sin in the name of Yehoshua.

- Thank you for listening and hearing me again today in the powerful name of Yéhoshoua Mashiah. Amen. 🔥🔥🔥

⛔️⛔️[[ALL GLORY TO YOU, ELOHÎM]]⛔️⛔️

!!!! MAY HE BLESS US IN THE MAJESTIC AND SOVEREIGN NAME OF YEHOSHUA MASHIAH!!!! AMEN!!!!!