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Haven on Earth
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Haven on Earth
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'THE WORDS OF KOHELET, THE SON OF DAVID, KING IN YERUSHALAYIM. VANITY OF VANITIES, SAYS KOHELET, VANITY OF VANITIES; ALL IS VANITY. WHAT PROFIT HAS A MAN OF ALL HIS LABOUR WHEREIN HE LABOURS UNDER THE SUN? ONE GENERATION PASSES AWAY, AND ANOTHER GENERATION COMES: BUT THE EARTH ABIDES FOR EVER. THE SUN ALSO RISES, AND THE SUN GOES DOWN, AND HASTENS TO ITS PLACE WHERE IT RISES AGAIN. THE WIND GOES TOWARD THE SOUTH, AND VEERS TO THE NORTH; ROUND AND ROUND GOES THE WIND, AND ON ITS CIRCUITS THE WIND RETURNS. ALL THE RIVERS RUN INTO THE SEA; YET THE SEA IS NOT FULL; TO THE PLACE WHERE RIVERS FLOW, THITHER THEY RETURN.' KOHELET 1:1-7.
Gravity centred sun star - shine bright, give light. Colourful revolving earth planet - plant roots, seed deep. Giving star light to the planet soil as the warmth filters through. By clouds onto crusts, under open sky a layer of earthy dew. Some moisture begins to warm and rise. Vapour evaporate, spread go! Warm, fill the air, swirl, build up. Up over the hill; the mountain top. At last down, pour all around, fill the ground, go thither - flow. Soak in, get in - absorb it now what ever you can. Where ever you might draw tight, give flower, let go. Seed me and fly, around me we grow.
'ALL THINGS ARE FULL OF WEARINESS; MAN CANNOT UTTER IT: THE EYE IS NOT SATISFIED WITH SEEING, NOR THE EAR FILLED WITH HEARING. THAT WHICH HAS BEEN, IT IS THAT WHICH SHALL BE; AND THAT WHICH HAS BEEN DONE IS THAT WHICH SHALL BE DONE: AND THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN. IS THERE A THING WHEREOF IT MAY BE SAID, SEE, THIS IS NEW; BUT IT HAS ALREADY BEEN IN THE AGES BEFORE US. THERE IS NO REMEMBRANCE OF FORMER THINGS; NOR WILL THERE BE ANY REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS THAT ARE TO COME AMONG THOSE THAT SHALL COME AFTER.' KOHELET 1:8-11.
My baby, cry for me, smile and giggle. An arm clutching is really a hand. Glowing sky is baby seeing with hazy eyes. Sniffle, burp, a yawn - all the same to baby. My baby and yours too. Our baby, what now? Your baby, your turn - go on - you'll know how. Older now is baby, really a child. Ever young, my son, like I used to be. Its amazing son, your almost smarter than me.
'I KOHELET WAS KING OVER YISRAEL IN YERUSHALAYIM. AND I GAVE MY HEART TO SEEK AND SEARCH OUT BY WISDOM CONCERNING ALL THINGS THAT ARE DONE UNDER HEAVEN: IT IS A SORE TASK THAT G~D HAS GIVEN TO THE SONS OF MAN TO BE EXERCISED WITH. I HAVE SEEN ALL THE WORKS THAT ARE DONE UNDER THE SUN; AND, BEHOLD, ALL IS VANITY AND A STRIVING AFTER WIND. THAT WHICH IS CROOKED CANNOT BE MADE STRAIGHT: AND THAT WHICH IS WANTING CANNOT BE NUMBERED.' KOHELET 1:12-15.
Though I know son, you try, but I am your father, that's final, son I am your father, son, that's the reason why. When you're a father, and when you've read those big books on the higher shelf - politics, yes them, then we will roster our house duties. For now, son, this is your job, I'm teaching you discipline in this, my house. So son, a motor cycle, is it now? Hold a good job, I'll pay for half, all right? Remember this my son, fuel and maintenance are your responsibility.
'I SPOKE TO MY OWN HEART, SAYING, SEE, I HAVE ACQUIRED GREAT WISDOM, SURPASSING ALL THOSE WHO WERE BEFORE ME IN YERUSHALAYIM: FOR MY HEART HAS SEEN MUCH OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. AND I GAVE MY HEART TO KNOW WISDOM, AND TO KNOW MADNESS AND FOLLY I PERCEIVED THAT THIS ALSO WAS A STRIVING AFTER WIND. FOR IN MUCH WISDOM IS MUCH GRIEF: AND HE THAT INCREASES KNOWLEDGE INCREASES SORROW.' KOHELET 1:16-18.
Father, I agree with the Marx brothers - if we work together we'll be richer, all of us. Not so, however, can I be motivated, just because of the punishment due me for the sake of the society, if I would desire to put into practice my idea to capitalize personally. My therapist agrees with me father, all you really need is love. My therapist asked me, do I think that I could love everyone all the time. Father, do you think it could be done practically? I have read that history book father, do you have a Bible? I would like to see it please. I would like to put a sign up in our community centre, I'll need to bring a quote from the Author.
'KOHELET SOUGHT TO FIND OUT ACCEPTABLE WORDS: AND WORDS OF TRUTH WRITTEN IN PROPER FORM. THE WORDS OF THE WISE ARE LIKE SPURS, AND LIKE NAILS WELL DRIVEN IN ARE THE SAYINGS OF THE MASTER OF COLLECTIONS; THEY ARE GIVEN BY ONE SHEPHERD. AND FURTHERMORE, MY SON, BE ADMONISHED: OF MAKING MANY BOOKS THERE IS NO END; AND MUCH STUDY IS A WEARINESS OF THE FLESH.' KOHELET 12:10-12
A group to meet to plan to build. Lets use Shammai's builders rod to fix our Torah study. All are warmly received if to attend and participate. We will be learning Hillel's example of patience and love, come along. Don't be shy, we are all beginners, we want to learn and live together in a fully motivated living Torah harmony.
'RABBI CHALAFTA OF KEFAR CHANANIA SAID: WHEN TEN PEOPLE SIT AND OCCUPY THEMSELVES WITH TORAH, THE DIVINE PRESENCE RESTS AMONG THEM. IT IS THUS WRITTEN, "G~D STANDS IN THE GODLY CONGREGATION" (TEHILIM 82). FROM WHERE DO WE KNOW THAT THIS IS TRUE EVEN OF FIVE? IT IS WRITTEN, "HE HAS ESTABLISHED HIS GROUP UPON THE EARTH" (AMOS 9). FROM WHERE DO WE KNOW THAT THIS IS TRUE EVEN OF TWO? IT IS WRITTEN, "THEN THOSE WHO FEARED G~D SPOKE TO ONE ANOTHER AND G~D LISTENED AND HEARD; IT WAS WRITTEN IN A RECORD BOOK BEFORE HIM . . ." (MALACHI 3). FROM WHERE DO WE KNOW THAT THIS IS TRUE EVEN OF ONE? IT IS WRITTEN, "IN EVERY PLACE THAT I HAVE MY NAME MENTIONED, I WILL COME TO YOU AND I WILL BLESS YOU" (SHEMOT. 20)' AVOT 3.
Smaller groups will be encouraged to work together at first, and share their results under competent supervision. From then on we will manage a schedule, summarize our learning and begin building larger groups according to the demands of the living Torah environment and the productivity of practice among the smaller groups. Please note that any participant wishing to be part of a group will be requested to suggest among his group an acceptable common organizer. An organizer respected by the group, able to guide the group according to Torah law, and is careful to take the interests of another not as a means for his own, but rather his own as a means to the interests of another.
'IF ONE SAYS, "MINE IS YOURS AND YOURS IS YOURS" . . . IF HE IS HARD TO ANGER AND EASY TO PACIFY . . . IF HE WISHES TO GIVE AND OTHERS TO GIVE . . . IF HE GOES TO THE HOUSE OF TORAH LEARNING AND ACTUALIZES IT, HE IS OF THE TRAITS OF THE DEVOUT.' AVOT 5.
'THE END OF THE MATTER, WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE: FEAR G~D, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: FOR THAT IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. FOR G~D SHALL BRING EVERY WORK INTO JUDGMENT, WITH EVERY SECRET THING, WHETHER IT BE GOOD, OR WHETHER IT BE EVIL.' END OF THE BOOK OF KOHELET.