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Am I Under a Curse?
Contents:
Introduction.
The Letter from R (in Altered Form)
Brit-Am Reply:
(a) Personal Aspect of Yair
Davidiy
(b) Points of Advice.
The Prophet Jeremiah
The Almighty does not owe you anything!
Be Open to Opportunities
Listen to People.
Salvation can come from
Above.
Work from Below. Overall Inventory.
Sex: A person should be happily married.
Do what you can as you can.
Be Honest.
People Know.
Look After Yourself
Natural Depression
Do not give up.
The Bible
Do good in general.
Learn the Bible. Learn the
Brit-Am message and/or other efficacious writings.
Reply from R: Is Joseph About to Face a Period of Tribulation?
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The Letter from R (in Altered Form):
I was wondering if it
is possible to be suffering from a sort of curse. It seems I have been trying to
be above board and extra honest in all my dealings the last couple of years. I
have had more calamity follow me around in the last two months than at any other
time in life. since I've learned of possible Israelite origins of my Scottish
ancestors...
[ He then
began to take steps to come closer to fulfilling what he perceived to be his
Biblical obligations.
We do not know exactly what these are and if we did we might not agree with
them.
Nevertheless
the point he makes remains a valid one...]
...all hell broke
loose in my life. Is there any hope for those of us who are wandering around
waiting for Elijah, or a Messiah. Thanks
Brit-Am Reply:
(a) Personal Aspect of
Yair
Davidiy
Shalom,
Many (but not all) go through periods in their life when everything goes wrong
and they feel as if they have been cursed.
I myself went through such experiences.
Personally I have gone through some very bad periods and even now certain
aspects of my existence are seriously lacking but I hope the lack will be made
up for and am looking for ways to work towards it.
Even today on a minor scale there are days when everything gores wrong just as
(now much more often, thank God) there are days when everything goes right.
Anyway I am partially qualified to answer these questions since I have partially
been relieved and delivered so to say from a dark phase of existence.
Just for the record:
Yair Davidiy, looking back, considers himself overall to have been greatly blessed in life. This is despite certain problems of a private nature.
In addition it is not over and we sincerely hope that we will be enabled to continue to do what we must do and be shown how to do it.
This in itself is a blessing.
In Jewish Thought everyone has their own Tikkun or personal matter of Rectification they should fulfill.
What exactly our own individual Tikkun entails we do not always merit to know.
We should endeavor to do what we can as well as we are able.
(b) Points of Advice
Here are points I have found useful: [Some of them may seem obvious but
putting them into practice is not always that easy.]
First we will deal with the feeling of being cursed after undertaking actions
that should have led to improvements but did not do so.
The Prophet Jeremiah
The Prophet Jeremiah encountered this question when dealing with a group of Jews
in Exile in Egypt whom he had persuaded to abandon idolatry.
They subsequently complained:
"But since we
stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings
to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by
famine? (Jeremiah 44:18).
Jeremiah replied that in the past they had sinned through idolatry and were
being punished for it. He pointed out that they had not really repented
but rather had taken a break and were about to return to their perverse ways and
therefore would be punished even more.
This answer however is a little too easy and does not quite fit the experience
that many undergo in similar situations.
This verse of Jeremiah 44:18 was actually pointed out to me some years ago by an
associate. He said that the verse expressed his own experience.
Formerly he had enjoyed a relatively high status but since arriving in the
Promised Land with the intention of leading a Torah-orientated existence had lost it almost entirely. Looking at this person from the
outside I would now say that His problem seemed to be lack of will to want to
start again. He did not see why he should. There was no justice in it therefore
he was not about to do so.
He in fact assumed that he was owed something.
This is an extreme example of an attitude that most of us (albeit usually to a
lesser degree) incline to!
The Almighty does not owe you anything!
This is the final message of the Book of Job. We all however to some degree
assume that God should be good to us and that things should go well.
Usually they do and we take it for granted. The problem is that every now and
again it is as if we need to be shaken up and made to consciously work towards
obtaining Divine Favor.
[Isaiah 59:2] BUT YOUR INIQUITIES HAVE SEPARATED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD, AND
YOUR SINS HAVE HID HIS FACE FROM YOU, THAT HE WILL NOT HEAR.
All this is perhaps easier said than done. One can always solve another's
problems (at least in theory) easier than cope with those of oneself.
We have the Book of Job. The three companions of Job followed by the fourth
protagonist all bring claims that are basically correct.
God is good. God does no evil. A righteous person will be blessed and an evil
person punished. This is true. This is what happens in the long run.
There are however numerous exceptions and Job was one of them. Even in the case
of Job however the ultimate result was that he received an even greater reward
as a result of his steadfastness.
Based on my own experiences I would suggest the following:
A person experiences a period of bad luck usually because drastic change has
taken place or is required.
Something is needed to be done but you are not doing it. Perhaps a partial
change has taken place but it is not enough. We may be trying to stop the
process in its half-way stage.
What is happening may in effect be a sign of Divine Interest in one's self
beyond that experienced by others.
Even after being taken in to Captivity disasters will still pursue the
Israelites (Amos 9:4-5). What difference is there between you and other
peoples? (Amos 9:7). What makes you better than them? The House of Israel will
be sifted among the nations like sand in a sieve and none will be lost (Amos
9:9). The sinners of Israel and those who claimed that nothing bad would happen
if we continue to sin will be killed (9:10). We tend to look at others and take
it for granted that what applies to them will also pertain to ourselves, i.e.
others can act in a certain way and get away with it.
Why should we not be the
same?
The God Almighty is the God of Israel and only unto us has HE made HIMSELF
known: therefore HE will punish us (Amos 3:2). We are CHOSEN.
Our deeds and attitudes are more important. Consequently we will be held more
responsible for them.
In the same way that we are liable to be punished so may we be rewarded and
assisted. Miracles can happen. We need to find the right track, get on it, and
go with it.
God wants us to turn to HIM, to rely on HIM, to come back to where we should
have been. This is the meaning of Teshuvah (Repentance) which literally means
"Returning".
RETURN UNTO ME, AND I WILL RETURN UNTO YOU, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS [Malachi
3:7]:
Malachi goes on to exhort Israel to give tithes and tithing is an aspect of Repentance.
It is required. To whom the tithes should go is something that may be discussed but the principle remains.
Be Open to Opportunities
Sometimes the best job opportunity you are going to have is the first one
offered to you. Be prepared for it. This applies to everything else. Just because you
have had a bad run in some areas does not mean that it has to continue in every
field, every day. You can change it or change can come to you if you are
prepared to give it a try. Do not be afraid of success.
Listen to People.
Very, very often the answer lies somewhere in the advice and ideas that others
put forward. Listen to them. This does not mean automatically agreeing with
others or doing what everybody tells you but at least listen to what others say
and take it into consideration.
Salvation can come from Above.
Miracles and Divine intervention in almost miraculous manner does and can occur.
Believe in it. Pray for it if you can.
Work from Below. Overall Inventory.
The way out of a difficult situation will probably involve using what you have.
What do you have going for you? What experiences do you have? What are you good
at? What do you feel good doing? What do others like in you? What have others
recommended to you at any time in the past? What would you really like to do?
What do you feel really needs doing? Could you do it? Or something along the same lines? What would be required for you to go ahead?
Sex
A person should be happily married.
I recently read in a Rabbinical Commentary (Nativot Shalom, "BeChukoti") a message
that could be understood as saying:
Someone who achieves marital union in a healthy and legitimate way and maintains
that state of affairs will get along with other people.
[ The next best thing (in lieu of marriage) may be abstinence but this is very difficult, at
least for males.]
The message was somewhat more refined than I am expressing it but basically that
is what it says and it is correct.
For proof we suggest taking notice of the slang words of youths and young people. Someone who is not in tune with the accepted social norms
and who is regarded as alien and menacing will invariably (all over the world) be found to be referred to in terms of the sexual dysfunctional or
worse.
It is as if it is instinctually recognized that they who have such problems will also have trouble at the social
level. They will be morally unsound in more ways than one.
Forget what the pscychologists and modern liberalized experts try and tell us. They do not know.
They get it wrong, project their own wishful thinking, and are mislead. We cannot change reality altogether.
The Bible tells it as it is.
A person radiates messages. Subliminally we tell others what and who we are and
others react accordingly.
Someone who is sexually correct instills a sense of camaraderie and sympathy in
others and does not pose a threat or source of potential perturbation to them.
Very often a major component of the "feeling cursed" phenomenon is due to a
lack of ability to find a place in the surrounding society.
There may be a sexual element to this.
It could be that because of lack of employment or other traumas etc the family situation has
deteriorated. Try and make it better.
Family is a source of strength.
These points of advice may not be possible to put immediately into practice but
they should be kept in mind.
Do what you can as you can.
You do not have to have the perfect solution straight away. Use what you have.
Be Honest.
"Honesty is the best policy" is not just a platitude. Honesty is recognized and
rewarded.
Dishonesty is usually found out, causes loss, and is not worth the trouble
despite in some cases being seemingly unavoidable.
You should not only just be honest but also avoid being unnecessarily suspected
of dishonesty.
At the same time be realistic.
Perhaps the local
council would prefer you not to report everything that is liable for taxation if it means you paying less taxes in
the long run and your family becoming a burden?
People Know.
People know subconsciously what the truth is. So should you.
Look After Yourself
The beginning of change for the better may simply require a psychological
switch. Be optimistic, feel better. Eat well, sleep well, engage in light (or
heavy) exercise, breathe in and out and step forward.
[ An athlete who beats up a punching bag finds it much easier afterwards to be
respectfully pleasant to others.]
Avoid or cut down on chemical substances etc.
Sometimes our physical surroundings are unhealthy. There may be little one can
do on this matter but even just being aware of it is a beginning.
Natural Depression
Many of us suffer from various degrees of depression. This may be inherited or
acquired. It is not necessarily negative. Maimonides on this matter quotes
favorably from Aristotle who said that all great men suffer from the "Black
Phlegm" i.e. depressive disorders. Churchill called it the "Black Dog" and he
himself suffered from it.
See "Chance Thoughts" by Sue Chance, M.D.: "Churchill's Black Dog"
http://www.healthieryou.com/exclusive/chanceth0196.html
If you suffer from some degree or other of Depression recognize the problem and
deal with it.
"By wise counsel wage war" (Proverbs 20:18): The expression translated here as
"By wise counsel" in Hebrew is "Be-Tachbulot" or literally by stratagems,
artifices, tricks, crafty procedures. You have a problem so find ways to
overcome it, get around it, make it work for you.
Do not give up.
You have not even begun yet.
The Bible
The Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes contain some very good advice so
does the Bible in general.
The Bible can be your life and vitality.
Do good in general.
Help others when you can. Sometimes we have opportunities to help others with
little cost to ourselves and we do not take advantage of them. It may be that
helping others is the key to our own deliverance? The favor you do to someone
else may actually be to one's self.
Do not get angry.
Respect others especially those who are vulnerable and whom we may tend to take
too much for granted.
Judge people favorably.
Trust others in general but where there are grounds to suspect negativity take
the approach of "respect and inspect" i.e. treat them with respect but keep your
eyes and ears open.
Do not loose control.
Do not dwell on negative experiences.
You can always make it better. Do so.
The marginal difference may be what determines success. Pay attention to little
matters. Make corrections and more corrections
and do not be afraid of work.
On the other hand, an artist named Yehonatan David White once told me:
"A painter must know when to walk away from a painting".
Do what you can and give others a chance to help you and participate with you.
Do not deny negative messages but cope with them.
Take what comes your way as a sign as to what you should do.
Learn the Bible.
Learn also Brit-Am
Teachings, Bible Studies, and/or other efficacious writings.
Our studies of the Psalms are often helpful.
Reply from R:
Is Joseph
About to Face a Period of Tribulation?
R said:
I read the reply to the questions I had asked concerning curses. I understand
what you had said about the prophet Jeremiah and his response to the Jews of
Egypt. I have no intentions of returning to the misconceptions of my past, in
fact we had given up without too much resistance and have accepted that we might
be in for a storm of sorts. I however never expected the things which I have
gone through in the past year or so. in the past 2 years I have experienced the
loss of a very close friend, this was very devastating, was arrested for being
accused of something I had nothing to do with. I have always followed the law,
believed in the law until that point. I was forced to hire an attorney to help
me at least get the charge reduced-although I did not commit any offence. I do
however accept this as punishment from the Almighty for past anger and things I
probably should not have done. I do not think Gd owes me anything.
I have done what I could to help improve my situation and I try to help others
as I can. I find that many of my fellow tribes people are in similar situations.
its as though Gd is punishing us all. I was told from Jewish Rabbinical sources
that the suffering servant of Isaiah is the Jewish people, or Judah. it is
obvious that they have certainly suffered , the many pogroms of Europe and the
middle east, the Shoah [Holocaust], the anti-Jewish sentiments of most of the
world today. I am starting to think that Josephs glory, or high and mighty days
might be over, it certainly looks like we're in for a wild ride and some
punishment. Is the South Africa scenario in the future for the rest of lands?
The sources within the context of the bible scriptures indicate that Jacob is
"my servant" if Jacob is the suffering servant perhaps my sense of protection
from the cruel world during my short stint as a Christian was a false sense.
I'm only aware of the possibility that my people are lost tribesmen due to the
things which have taken place in my life as of late, none of it is very
pleasant, none of us are going to be exempt from this. bring it on, life kind
of sucks now anyway.
Thanks for your reply, it was evident much thought was put forth to answer my
query.
Brit-Am Answer:
We could preach to you in reply but it
would not necessarily be pertinent. No-one can stand in the place of another and
no-one wants to be put to the test.
We all do what we can.
King Solomon summed it up:
Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:2)
In the morning sow your seed,
And in the evening do not withhold your hand;
For you do not know which will prosper,
Either this or that,
Or whether both alike will be good (Ecclesiastes 11:6).
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Details on How To Contribute to Brit-Am http://britam.org/contribute-Brit-Am.html Am I Under a Curse?
Brit-Am Reply:
(b) Points of Advice Here are points I have found useful: [Some of them may seem obvious but putting them into practice is not always that easy.] First we will deal with the feeling of being cursed after undertaking actions that should have led to improvements but did not do so. The Prophet Jeremiah The Prophet Jeremiah encountered this question when dealing with a group of Jews in Exile in Egypt whom he had persuaded to abandon idolatry. They subsequently complained: "But since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine? (Jeremiah 44:18). Jeremiah replied that in the past they had sinned through idolatry and were being punished for it. He pointed out that they had not really repented but rather had taken a break and were about to return to their perverse ways and therefore would be punished even more. This answer however is a little too easy and does not quite fit the experience that many undergo in similar situations. This verse of Jeremiah 44:18 was actually pointed out to me some years ago by an associate. He said that the verse expressed his own experience. Formerly he had enjoyed a relatively high status but since arriving in the Promised Land with the intention of leading a Torah-orientated existence had lost it almost entirely. Looking at this person from the outside I would now say that His problem seemed to be lack of will to want to start again. He did not see why he should. There was no justice in it therefore he was not about to do so. He in fact assumed that he was owed something. This is an extreme example of an attitude that most of us (albeit usually to a lesser degree) incline to! The Almighty does not owe you anything! This is the final message of the Book of Job. We all however to some degree assume that God should be good to us and that things should go well. Usually they do and we take it for granted. The problem is that every now and again it is as if we need to be shaken up and made to consciously work towards obtaining Divine Favor. [Isaiah 59:2] BUT YOUR INIQUITIES HAVE SEPARATED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD, AND YOUR SINS HAVE HID HIS FACE FROM YOU, THAT HE WILL NOT HEAR. All this is perhaps easier said than done. One can always solve another's problems (at least in theory) easier than cope with those of oneself. We have the Book of Job. The three companions of Job followed by the fourth protagonist all bring claims that are basically correct. God is good. God does no evil. A righteous person will be blessed and an evil person punished. This is true. This is what happens in the long run. There are however numerous exceptions and Job was one of them. Even in the case of Job however the ultimate result was that he received an even greater reward as a result of his steadfastness. Based on my own experiences I would suggest the following: A person experiences a period of bad luck usually because drastic change has taken place or is required. Something is needed to be done but you are not doing it. Perhaps a partial change has taken place but it is not enough. We may be trying to stop the process in its half-way stage. What is happening may in effect be a sign of Divine Interest in one's self beyond that experienced by others. Even after being taken in to Captivity disasters will still pursue the Israelites (Amos 9:4-5). What difference is there between you and other peoples? (Amos 9:7). What makes you better than them? The House of Israel will be sifted among the nations like sand in a sieve and none will be lost (Amos 9:9). The sinners of Israel and those who claimed that nothing bad would happen if we continue to sin will be killed (9:10). We tend to look at others and take it for granted that what applies to them will also pertain to ourselves, i.e. others can act in a certain way and get away with it. Why should we not be the same? The God Almighty is the God of Israel and only unto us has HE made HIMSELF known: therefore HE will punish us (Amos 3:2). We are CHOSEN. Our deeds and attitudes are more important. Consequently we will be held more responsible for them. In the same way that we are liable to be punished so may we be rewarded and assisted. Miracles can happen. We need to find the right track, get on it, and go with it. God wants us to turn to HIM, to rely on HIM, to come back to where we should have been. This is the meaning of Teshuvah (Repentance) which literally means "Returning". RETURN UNTO ME, AND I WILL RETURN UNTO YOU, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS [Malachi 3:7]: Malachi goes on to exhort Israel to give tithes and tithing is an aspect of Repentance. It is required. To whom the tithes should go is something that may be discussed but the principle remains. Be Open to Opportunities Sometimes the best job opportunity you are going to have is the first one offered to you. Be prepared for it. This applies to everything else. Just because you have had a bad run in some areas does not mean that it has to continue in every field, every day. You can change it or change can come to you if you are prepared to give it a try. Do not be afraid of success. Listen to People. Very, very often the answer lies somewhere in the advice and ideas that others put forward. Listen to them. This does not mean automatically agreeing with others or doing what everybody tells you but at least listen to what others say and take it into consideration. Salvation can come from Above. Miracles and Divine intervention in almost miraculous manner does and can occur. Believe in it. Pray for it if you can. Work from Below. Overall Inventory. The way out of a difficult situation will probably involve using what you have. What do you have going for you? What experiences do you have? What are you good at? What do you feel good doing? What do others like in you? What have others recommended to you at any time in the past? What would you really like to do? What do you feel really needs doing? Could you do it? Or something along the same lines? What would be required for you to go ahead? Sex A person should be happily married. I recently read in a Rabbinical Commentary (Nativot Shalom, "BeChukoti") a message that could be understood as saying: Someone who achieves marital union in a healthy and legitimate way and maintains that state of affairs will get along with other people. [ The next best thing (in lieu of marriage) may be abstinence but this is very difficult, at least for males.] The message was somewhat more refined than I am expressing it but basically that is what it says and it is correct. For proof we suggest taking notice of the slang words of youths and young people. Someone who is not in tune with the accepted social norms and who is regarded as alien and menacing will invariably (all over the world) be found to be referred to in terms of the sexual dysfunctional or worse. It is as if it is instinctually recognized that they who have such problems will also have trouble at the social level. They will be morally unsound in more ways than one. Forget what the pscychologists and modern liberalized experts try and tell us. They do not know. They get it wrong, project their own wishful thinking, and are mislead. We cannot change reality altogether. The Bible tells it as it is. A person radiates messages. Subliminally we tell others what and who we are and others react accordingly. Someone who is sexually correct instills a sense of camaraderie and sympathy in others and does not pose a threat or source of potential perturbation to them. Very often a major component of the "feeling cursed" phenomenon is due to a lack of ability to find a place in the surrounding society. There may be a sexual element to this. It could be that because of lack of employment or other traumas etc the family situation has deteriorated. Try and make it better. Family is a source of strength. These points of advice may not be possible to put immediately into practice but they should be kept in mind. Do what you can as you can. You do not have to have the perfect solution straight away. Use what you have. Be Honest. "Honesty is the best policy" is not just a platitude. Honesty is recognized and rewarded. Dishonesty is usually found out, causes loss, and is not worth the trouble despite in some cases being seemingly unavoidable. You should not only just be honest but also avoid being unnecessarily suspected of dishonesty. At the same time be realistic. Perhaps the local council would prefer you not to report everything that is liable for taxation if it means you paying less taxes in the long run and your family becoming a burden? People Know. People know subconsciously what the truth is. So should you. Look After Yourself The beginning of change for the better may simply require a psychological switch. Be optimistic, feel better. Eat well, sleep well, engage in light (or heavy) exercise, breathe in and out and step forward. [ An athlete who beats up a punching bag finds it much easier afterwards to be respectfully pleasant to others.] Avoid or cut down on chemical substances etc. Sometimes our physical surroundings are unhealthy. There may be little one can do on this matter but even just being aware of it is a beginning. Natural Depression Many of us suffer from various degrees of depression. This may be inherited or acquired. It is not necessarily negative. Maimonides on this matter quotes favorably from Aristotle who said that all great men suffer from the "Black Phlegm" i.e. depressive disorders. Churchill called it the "Black Dog" and he himself suffered from it. See "Chance Thoughts" by Sue Chance, M.D.: "Churchill's Black Dog" http://www.healthieryou.com/exclusive/chanceth0196.html If you suffer from some degree or other of Depression recognize the problem and deal with it. "By wise counsel wage war" (Proverbs 20:18): The expression translated here as "By wise counsel" in Hebrew is "Be-Tachbulot" or literally by stratagems, artifices, tricks, crafty procedures. You have a problem so find ways to overcome it, get around it, make it work for you. Do not give up. You have not even begun yet. The Bible The Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes contain some very good advice so does the Bible in general. The Bible can be your life and vitality. Do good in general. Help others when you can. Sometimes we have opportunities to help others with little cost to ourselves and we do not take advantage of them. It may be that helping others is the key to our own deliverance? The favor you do to someone else may actually be to one's self. Do not get angry. Respect others especially those who are vulnerable and whom we may tend to take too much for granted. Judge people favorably. Trust others in general but where there are grounds to suspect negativity take the approach of "respect and inspect" i.e. treat them with respect but keep your eyes and ears open. Do not loose control. Do not dwell on negative experiences. You can always make it better. Do so. The marginal difference may be what determines success. Pay attention to little matters. Make corrections and more corrections and do not be afraid of work. On the other hand, an artist named Yehonatan David White once told me: "A painter must know when to walk away from a painting". Do what you can and give others a chance to help you and participate with you. Do not deny negative messages but cope with them. Take what comes your way as a sign as to what you should do. Learn the Bible. Learn also Brit-Am Teachings, Bible Studies, and/or other efficacious writings. Our studies of the Psalms are often helpful.
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