ה’ הוא האלהים

נוסח קבלת עול מלכות שמים – מורחב (עדות מזרח)

ה’ הוא האלהים

לַאדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָרַחֲמִים וְהַסְּלִיחוֹת – כִּי חָטָאנוּ לוֹ:

לַאדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָרַחֲמִים וְהַסְּלִחוֹת – כִּי מָרַדְנוּ בּוֹ:

אַל נָא תָשֵׁת עָלֵינוּ חַטָּאת – אֲשֶׁר נוֹאַלְנוּ וַאֲשֶׁר חָטָאנוּ:

חָטָאנוּ צוּרֵנוּ – סְלַח לָנוּ יוֹצְרֵנוּ:

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יהוה אֶחָד:

יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים:
יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים:

אֶרְאֵלֵי מַעְלָה. אוֹמְרִים:

יהוה אֲדוֹנֵנוּ.
בְּחִירֵי סְגֻלָּה. עוֹנִים וְאוֹמְרִים:

יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים:
גַּלְגַּלֵּי מַעְלָה. אוֹמְרִים:

יהוה אֲדוֹנֵנוּ.
דְּגוּלֵי סְגֻלָּה. עוֹנִים וְאוֹמְרִים:

יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים:
הֲמוֹנֵי מַעְלָה. אוֹמְרִים:

יהוה אֲדוֹנֵנוּ.
יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצָרָתָם וּבְגָלוּתָם עוֹנִים וְאוֹמְרִים:

יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. יהוה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים:

יהוה מֶלֶךְ. יהוה מָלָךְ. יהוה יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
יהוה מֶלֶךְ. יהוה מָלָךְ. יהוה יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

בְּטֶרֶם שְׁחָקִים וַאֲרָקִים נִמְתָּחוּ. יהוה מֶלֶךְ.
וְעַד לֹא מְאוֹרוֹת זָרָחוּ. יהוה מָלָךְ.
וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה. וְשָׁמַיִם כְּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ. יהוה יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

יהוה מֶלֶךְ. יהוה מָלָךְ. יהוה יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

וְעַד לֹא עָשָׂה אֶרֶץ וְחוּצוֹת. יהוה מֶלֶךְ.
וּבַהֲכִינוֹ יְצוּרִים עֲלֵי אֲרָצוֹת. יהוה מָלָךְ.
וְעֵת יְקַבֵּץ נְפוּצִים מֵאַרְבַּע תְּפוּצוֹת. יהוה יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

יהוה מֶלֶךְ. יהוה מָלָךְ. יהוה יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

מאתר ויקיטקסט, כאן.

‘Shelo Asani Isha’ – Yes, Women Are Inferior to Men!

Dear Reader: If you want to pretend Judaism is feminist, go away; it is not. And if you think you can use this truth to attack Judaism, you hardly need my help. If you want the truth for its own sake, however, read on.

Shelo Asani Isha“: Dishonest apologists would have you believe this blessing says nothing “against” womankind at all, at least according to some commentators. Actually, it does, and cheap Mussarite/Aggadic books do not count as dissent in any way.

Question:

Wait. If you are right and manage to prove your point, what of the damage you might do (on the margin, anyway)? Why create or exacerbate feelings of inferiority?

Answer:

Everyone, all humans, should be feeling inferiority, not self-esteem. But we are inferior in different ways (this is called the division of labor). Judaism is theocentric, and therefore biased against all human beings.

As Jews say on Rosh Hashana:

אדם יסודו מעפר וסופו לעפר. בנפשו יביא לחמו. משול כחרס הנשבר. כחציר יבש וכציץ נובל. כצל עובר וכענן כלה וכרוח נושבת וכאבק פורח וכחלום יעוף. ואתה הוא מלך אל חי וקים.

The ArtScroll Machzor translates:

A man’s origin is from dust, and his destiny is back to dust, at risk of his life he earns his bread; he is likened to a broken shard, withering grass, a fading flower, a passing shade, a dissipating cloud, a blowing wind, flying dust, and a fleeting dream. But you are the King, the living and enduring God.

The key to this matter is my explanation of the flaw in [genuine] racism:

There are differences, negative and positive between people. But the response should not be: Therefore I’m better. Rather, we’re all lacking.

We have said the same thing in the past to those who stress the faults of communities not their own and I would say the same to those who stress the faults of womankind.

“The Unlimited” has limited us all in different ways. We are meant to stand together for the right goals, compensating for our weaknesses.

The Rambam introduces the Bracha’s text in Hilchos Tefillah 7:6:

ומברך אדם בכל יום ברוך אתה יי’ אלהינו מלך העולם שלא עשני גוי ברוך אתה יי’ אלהינו מלך העולם שלא עשני אשה ברוך אתה יי’ אלהינו מלך העולם שלא עשני עבד.

The simple, straightforward meaning of “For not having made me a woman” (Shelo asani isha) – especially as versus the customary feminine “For having made me according to His will” (She’asani keretzono) – is obvious. We are thanking Hashem for being obligated in more commandments, while women meekly “justify Hashem’s harsh judgment” (Tur here: ואפשר שנוהגים כן שהוא כמי שמצדיק עליו הדין על הרעה).

The same holds for manifold similarly “offensive” texts. Any radically different interpretation of Scripture and Chazal is an unintentional (?) anachronism. Try to imagine the “Ba’alei Hashemu’ah” standing before you, and then tell me – with a straight face – they meant “women are more spiritual”, or some such modern, egalitarian idea. Even Maharal and the like, coming about fifteen centuries later, would agree their “expositions” here and elsewhere are but homiletic.

Yes, we are all equal as regards our capacity to come close to the Divine, relatively speaking, as says the known Rambam in Teshuvah 5:2 כל אדם ראוי לו להיות צדיק כמשה רבינו או רשע כירבעם, and therefore in our general obligation to do so, but not in our station while doing so. There are kings, priests, poor and rich, etc. Some are born non-Jewish (and must convert). Some mitzvos were only given once, to one generation or to one person. Tough!

Moreover, women are often the legal “Other” (עם בפני עצמן הן) in the androcentric Jewish code of law — as seen even in the casual, standard language of the above Rambam: מברך אדם בכל יום, cf. Magen Avraham 46:9.

“Inspirational” speakers say women are “different but equal”, who have less mitzvos because they have less to “rectify”, which is like saying low-level workers earn less, not because they are less valuable, but because their jobs just so happen to be less responsible, and the company needs all kinds of jobs performed, blah blah… Surprise: Life is not “fair”.

Oh, but women are physically weaker, more empathetic, [shallowly] altruistic, catty (eh, scratch out the last one), so they are born more Godly! That’s what’s “Kertzono” means. They have way more potential than men! Didn’t Shlomo Hamelech say: _אדם אחד מאלף מצ… (eh, never mind that last one)?

Hello, your list of “godliness” attributes is Cursedian! Quit the empty slogans. Are we really going to analyze a word from a made-up bracha which isn’t מטבע שטבעו חכמים (like הנותן ליעף כח), see Pri Chadash (O. C. 46)? And the “potential” for what, exactly?

We might as well pretend the proposed “Shelo asani bur” blessing (who has not made me an ignoramus) in gemara Menachos 43b is, likewise, in no sense opposed to ignorance…

Bottom line: We should each look down on our inherently worthless human selves, and thank Hashem for granting us the undeserved gift of his many mitzvos.

All genders get to sing: “Shelo asani Goy (or ‘Goya’!)”, as we recall the inscription in Hashem’s tefillin (so to speak), and as Hashem listens closely to our words, and grins (so to speak).

P.S. For more references on this, see Marc Shapiro here.

‘The Energizer Bunny of Interventionism’

The Ron Paul Institute Take on John McCain

Over the first five years of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity’s (RPI) existence, John McCain, the long-time Republican United States senator from Arizona, has often been a focus of the institute’s attention — though quite a bit less since his sickness removed him from much of his involvement in politics. This focus stems from McCain having been an exemplar in the US government of adherence to nearly the opposite agenda as the agenda supported by RPI Founder and Chairman Ron Paul.

While Ron Paul worked in the US House of Representatives and founded RPI to advocate for a peaceful foreign policy and the protection of civil liberties at home, McCain was advocating for war abroad and restraints on liberty at home.

As RPI Executive Director Daniel McAdams commented in an article in the institute’s first year, McCain was “the Energizer Bunny of interventionism.” With McCain’s death Saturday, the US Senate lost a major advocate for expansive intervention abroad and at home. Yet, there are many individuals in the US government who can be expected to take up the slack.

Many glowing accounts of McCain are being promoted in the media in these days after his death. For some balance, take a look at these articles focused on McCain at the RPI website:

Five Minutes Five Issues: Drug Dogs, McCain’s Award, NZ Marijuana, Amazon Rejection, Crime Lab” by Adam Dick, October 22, 2017

McCain As Metaphor” by Justin Raimondo, October 19, 2017

McCain Hammers Tillerson On Human Rights: Why The Panic?” by Daniel McAdams, May 9, 2017

Rand Paul Calls For Congress To Demand War Powers Authorization . . . John McCain Says Paul Is ‘Wrong’ and Alone In The Senate” by Jonathan Turley, April 9, 2017

John McCain Blasts Trump White House for Allowing Assad to Stay in Power” by Alex Christoforou, March 31, 2017

McCain and Montenegro: The Anatomy of a Conspiracy Theory” by Justin Raimondo, March 21, 2017

Sen. McCain Explodes: ‘Rand Paul is Working for Putin!’” March 15, 2017

McCain in Munich: The War Party Fights Back” by Justin Raimondo, February 20, 2017

The McCain Malady” by Charles Goyette, January 30, 2017

McCain’s $5 Trillion Military Budget: Will It Make America Great Again?” by Daniel McAdams, January 19, 2017

‘John McCain Passed Dossier to Make Trump Look Bad; Now He’s Trying to Save His Hide’” interview with Daniel McAdams, January 18, 2017

Did John McCain ‘Launder’ Dodgy Trump Intel Dossier?” by Daniel McAdams, January 11, 2017

Election ‘Hack’ – Do We Believe Snowden And Assange…Or McCain And Graham?” by Daniel McAdams, December 12, 2016

McCain to Trump: Don’t You Dare Make Peace with Russia!” by Daniel McAdams, November 15, 2016

Senators McCain and Corker Use Faulty Geography to Support US Arming Saudi Arabia” by Adam Dick, September 22, 2016

McCain’s Nightmare – Dr. Kelli Ward For US Senate” by Daniel McAdams, August 4, 2016

Sen. McCain Attacks Due Process, Votes No Guns for Americans on Watch List” by Daniel McAdams, June 23, 2016

Sen. McCain Furious Iran Treated US Sailors Well” by Daniel McAdams, January 13, 2016

John McCain Wants to Shoot Down Russian Planes” by Daniel McAdams, October 1, 2015

Ukraine’s American Finance Minister Asks John McCain for Weapons” by Daniel McAdams, April 21, 2015

McCain to Israel: Go Rogue!” by Daniel McAdams, March 31, 2015

McCain Stands With ISIS?” by Daniel McAdams, March 9, 2015

Nuland’s Neocon Lies and McCain’s Agony – McAdams and Taylor Week in Review” interview with Daniel McAdams, March 7, 2015

McCain ‘Troubled’ by Iranian Help With ISIS” by Daniel McAdams, March 3, 2015

Sen. McCain: ‘I’m Ashamed of America’” by Daniel McAdams, February 23, 2015

Lawrence Wilkerson: Resist ‘Warmonger’ John McCain’s Call to Arm Ukraine” by Adam Dick, February 11, 2015

McCain Seeks to Protect US-Backed Terrorists From Other US-Backed Terrorists?” October 22, 2014

McCain: ‘Vote For Us and We’ll Start Another Bigger War!’” October 22, 2014

Where Does John McCain Want to Attack?” by Chis Rossini, October 13, 2014

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson: Reject ‘Raving Maniac’ John McCain; Cooler Heads Can Create Ukraine Peace” by Adam Dick, July 21, 2014

No Nation Left Un-Invaded: Sen. McCain Would Put US Military Into Nigeria In ‘A New York Minute’” by David Stockman, May 14, 2014

McCain’s Eleven Point Plan For War” by Daniel McAdams, March 18, 2014

Is John McCain Running For The Ukrainian Parliament?” by Chris Rossini, March 16. 2014

McCain: Why Aren’t We At War Already?” by Daniel McAdams, March 13, 2014

McCain: ‘It’s Tragic’ There’s No U.S. Military Option In Ukraine” by Daniel McAdams, March 8, 2014

McCain and Graham Go To Work Against Iran Agreement” by Daniel McAdams, January 14, 2014

McCain in Ukraine: What Is He Really Up To?” interview with Daniel McAdams, December 17, 2013

Sen. McCain, Interventionism’s ‘Energizer Bunny’” by Daniel McAdams, December 17, 2013

Religious Tolerance of McCain’s Syrian Allies” by Daniel McAdams, October 28, 2013

McCain Taken Down Over Support for Al-Qaeda” by Daniel McAdams, October 24, 2013

McCain’s Moderates Join Al-Qaeda” by Daniel McAdams, September 26, 2013

Ron Paul Institute’s McAdams Talks Syria, Vladimir Putin and John McCain’s Assessment of the Rebels” interview with Daniel McAdams, September 23, 2013

McCain and Graham: Let’s Do Syria…NOW!” by Chris Rossini, August 25, 2013

RPI’s McAdams Talks McCain and Neocons With Scott Horton” interview with Daniel McAdams, August 7, 2013

McCain: ‘Vote For Berlin Wall!’” by Adam Dick, June 27, 2013

McCain’s ‘Moving Experience’” by Chris Rossini, May 30, 2013

McCain Spends Memorial Day with Al-Qaeda Allies” by Daniel McAdams, May 27, 2013

From The Ron Paul Institute, here.