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| Pâ•qidꞋ Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu |
I'm an Israeli Orthodox Jew, but the combination of logic applied to úÌåÉøÈä and Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ makes it crystal clear that, although the Tei•mân•imꞋ are the closest thing to the teachings of Mosh•ëhꞋ on the planet, even this has eroded over millennia to the point that it no longer satisfies the úÌåÉøÈä conditions of the bᵊrit•otꞋ and, therefore, it isn't enough to satisfy é‑‑ä — or the úÌåÉøÈä bᵊrit•otꞋ that define Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ.
All recent Jewish polls, stripped of their "positive spin" veneer, confirm that "the rabbis" have driven more than 95% of Jews away from úÌåÉøÈä (see documentation in the English-language book, ôÌÄùÑúÌÈä ëÌÅäÈä). Over the centuries, the rabbis have perverted what was once service to the Creator-Singularity, ordained by Av•râ•hâmꞋ, Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ, Ya•a•qovꞋ-Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ and Mosh•ëhꞋ at Har Sin•aiꞋ, into an accumulation of interpretations de convenance in defiance of logic, built on irrational, medieval European superstitions that have perverted genuine service of the Creator-Singularity into a religion of institutions, money and politics that, in this defining characteristic, is no longer essentially different from any of the rival idolatrous religions.
For the last 2,000 years, Pᵊrush•imꞋ-heritage (Orthodox) Judaism, while continually eroding, has been the only religion close to the legitimate service sanctioned by the Creator-Singularity, the Ël•oh•imꞋ of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ. During that time, however, the rabbis have reoriented from úÌåÉøÈä of Har Sin•aiꞋ to interpretations that suit their own interests – their own heart and their own eyes. This has resulted in apostasy unparalleled since the "days of NōꞋakh."
Mosh•ëhꞋ ordained the Beit Din system (Shᵊm•otꞋ 18.13-26). However, the Beit Din system is precisely the tool that rabbis have corrupted, subverted and perverted to serve their whims.
This apostasy occurred because rabbis presumed to elevate themselves to a level above – authority to override and contradict – é‑‑ä; usurping logic as the ultimate authority to interpret úÌåÉøÈä. Logic is absolutely fair, impartial, compatible with science and technology and the orderly universe that reflects its Perfect Creator-Singularity. Rabbis are men. That makes them subjective, egotistical (motivated to save face and career rather than embrace correction) and vulnerable to every form of hypocrisy, bribery, corruption and vice.
Logic is the perfect, and only acceptable, authority because it is not vulnerable to any of these. The only way to restore úÌåÉøÈä-defined acceptable service to é‑‑ä is by mortals deferring authority to Discrete Logic (by which I mean discrete mathematical logic reflecting the Logic of the Creator-Singularity; not the error-prone, intuitive assumptions that philosophers mistake for logic).
Over the millennia, both Jews and non-Jews have been obsessed with finding a better label, from Pᵊrush•imꞋ to Orthodox to Ultra-Orthodox, Haredim, Hasidim, Lubavitch, Chabad; even Reform, Conservative and an entire spin-off genre. Then there are Bᵊn•eiꞋ-NōꞋakh, God-fearers, etc. (Christians aren't even in the correct ballpark to merit mention here.) The obsession has completely diverted attention from the primary need: it isn't what you call yourself but whether your practice adheres to úÌåÉøÈä.
Beyond the erosion of the Pᵊrush•imꞋ-heritage Orthodox, even "Jew" has lost most of its meaning. "Jew" is an abbreviated corruption of Yᵊhud•âhꞋ – the ancient tribe of Yᵊhud•âhꞋ. I'm recognized as a Jew because I met the Orthodox requirements and was so recognized and attested by Orthodox rabbis (which the Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ of millennia defined as immutable). é‑‑ä opened that door for me and my wife perhaps because it was essential that the Pâ•qidꞋ ha-Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ be a Jew in order for the Pâ•qidꞋ to properly represent RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa Bën-Dâ•widꞋ, who is from the tribe of Yᵊhud•âhꞋ – the only possible candidate satisfying the úÌåÉøÈä criteria to be the Mâ•shiꞋakh Bën-Yo•seiphꞋ and, due to the return of his spirit in the form of the 20th century restoration of his original teachings, the only possible candidate satisfying the úÌåÉøÈä criteria to eventually be recognized as the Mâ•shiꞋakh Bën-Dâ•widꞋ.
While all Yᵊhud•imꞋ belong to Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ, however, not everyone in Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ was from the tribe of Yᵊhud•âhꞋ. Being in Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ (which includes geir•imꞋ) is critical; doing one's utmost within the logical constraints of úÌåÉøÈä to satisfy an Orthodox Beit Din for conversion is critical. But if "the rabbis" refuse conversion in such case, recognition by such rabbis is non-essential. (Note, however, that not converting under Orthodox auspices creates future marital barriers for singles and children).
Orthodox rabbis are increasingly being limited to recognizing only those who meet Orthodox criteria – and becoming even more limiting: recognizing only those who meet Ultra-Orthodox criteria; no longer the Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ of millennia defining who is a Jew. Yet, 95% of the Jewish community, including the State of Israel, accepts even non-Orthodox definitions of who is a Jew. Though Orthodox rabbis increasingly tout their signatures as essential to validate a Beit Din, marriage or conversion, this is self-serving. The fact is that, historically, the rabbis are halakhically no more than witnesses that the criteria of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ was satisfied, while Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ set forth that any three úÌåÉøÈä-observant Jews sufficed as witnesses in each case – even one úÌåÉøÈä-observant Jew in extenuating circumstances in which it isn't feasible to gather three úÌåÉøÈä-observant Jews.
The situation has deteriorated to the point that Orthodox rabbis in different countries contradict each other concerning whether Orthodox conversions are valid. The status of new Orthodox converts now depends on which country they happen to move to, or be visiting at a given time. Orthodox rabbis in some countries say they're Jews while the Orthodox rabbis in other countries say they're gentiles. So, the status of new Orthodox converts will now fluctuate back and forth between Jew and gentile as they fly over or visit various countries!
There is a crucial point that must be made here: one cannot become better than an Orthodox Jew without first becoming as good in keeping úÌåÉøÈä practice – according to Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ – that an Orthodox Jew is supposed to practice. Selecting a superior label and calling oneself by that label changes nothing; it is a meaningless, futile and deceptive (misleading and fraudulent) waste of everyone's time. For a Christian or Muslim to claim to supersede Orthodox Jews, for example, is both blasphemous and ludicrous.
There is no avoiding the tendency of intermarriage to breed assimilation. This is why é‑‑ä cut the bᵊrit with the bearers of His úÌåÉøÈä to thereby define a kindred. Therefore, service to é‑‑ä is limited to a kindred. This dictates that every person who desires to serve é‑‑ä meet the kindred's requirements, be adopted into the kindred and become equally protective of the kindred against intermarriage and assimilation.
With few exceptions, rabbis – of all persuasions – will be unable to get on this bandwagon because logic spotlights error while making corrections means flushing their career. From politics to business to religion, when leaders have to choose between their institution-entrenched careers and something else, they find a way to "interpret" things in a way that protects their ca-rears and security.
Thus, the future of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ lies in restoring the elite kindred defined at Har Sin•aiꞋ by applying logic as the supreme earthly halakhic authority. Mortals – whether Jews, Jewesses or geir•imꞋ – will decide issues based on their knowledge of úÌåÉøÈä complemented by their mastery of logic, presented before a Beit Din that is submissive to logic. Except for the Beit Din, inherent personal authority and credentials, which have been the integral generators of the apostasy, are no longer valid. Israel has voted and, by a 95% majority, the feckless shepherds (Zᵊkhar•yâhꞋ 11.17) were fired a considerable time ago.
Regardless of the pronouncements of rabbis and rabbinic institutions, those who practice úÌåÉøÈä according to logical interpretations of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ, meeting the definition of the bᵊrit in úÌåÉøÈä, are Biblically-defined kindred of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ – and those who are not, are not.
Logicians and those learned in úÌåÉøÈä are needed. Rabbis not meeting that criteria are, beyond superfluous, a counter-productive hindrance.
The consequences of this insight is that responsibility for maintaining the kindred of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ is, with the exceptions of a few good Orthodox rabbis, removed from "the rabbis" and transferred squarely to the shoulders of every úÌåÉøÈä-keeper, whether Jew or geir, to learn and apply úÌåÉøÈä according to logical Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ, to recognize only those Orthodox Bât•eiꞋ-Din that defer to the authority of logic and to press Bât•eiꞋ-Din that accede to logic to redress the breaches in úÌåÉøÈä – from liberating a•gun•ōtꞋ, declaring, in harmony with science, that electricity is "not fire"; to respecting proselytes; to regrowing beards and restoring the pᵊtilꞋ tᵊkheilꞋët in tzitz•itꞋ. Over the centuries, the list has grown (see my book, ôÌÄùÑúÌÈä ëÌÅäÈä).
In the final analysis, we each have to ask ourselves, "When rabbis behave like Boethusian Tzᵊdoq•imꞋ, and rabbinic interpretations are incompatible with Logical úÌåÉøÈä (and, therefore, é‑‑ä), and we must choose, then which is more important: pleasing and being recognized by rabbis? Or pleasing é‑‑ä by keeping úÌåÉøÈä according to the Logic by which He governs our universe – true Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ? Which is more important: that our children be able to marry Israeli Rabbinate-approved "Jews"? Or that they please é‑‑ä by keeping úÌåÉøÈä according to Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ marrying someone who is doing the same and bring their children up in úÌåÉøÈä? It's a tragedy we have to ask such a question, but Yᵊho•shuꞋa Bin-Nun has provided the clarion, and only acceptable, answer (Yᵊho•shuꞋa 24.14-15)!
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