I read the word treatise

Then I searched Google.

http://socserv2.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/hume/treat.html

Then I looked him <----------- up.

And found out Charles Darwin counted Hume as a central influence, as did "Darwin's bulldog," Thomas Henry Huxley.

Closer to the truth

All you had to do
Without hiding
Love from me
Is say I don't believe
In you or any convoluted
Story you imagined
Including the one
Where we look alike

Perfect

As planned, we let them go. Our neighbor's son helped Ewe release them. We hadn't met until then.

10

Are out. We are going to let them free when Ewe comes home from school. As much as I would like to keep them around, they belong outside.

One started shaking after hearing 9 Crimes

The Rambam describes the nature of prophecy.

E-MAIL ARTICLE PRINT ARTICLE

by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon

messages=new Array()
messages [1] = "Torah the entire body of Jewish wisdom and teachings, both the Oral law and the Written law. Sometimes refers only to the hand-written scroll of the Divine Law (the Five Books of Moses). "

messages [2] = "Rambamacronym for R. Moshe ben Maimon, also called "Maimonides"; 4895-4964 (1135-1204 CE). Physician and Torah scholar originally from Cordoba, Spain, but who fled from persecution to north Africa, eventually settling in Egypt. Known for his works of Jewish law and philosophy works, Mishna Torah and Guide to the Perplexed, he also commanded kabbala, though he did not overtly present this knowledge in his works. "

messages [3] = "Pardes literally, "orchard." The word is an acronym of peshat, remez, drush, sod -- the interpretation of the Torah according to the plain meaning of the text (peshat), allusion to deeper meanings (remez), the homiletic explanation (drush), and the esoteric explanation (sod), respectively. These correspond to the four worlds, Asiya*, Yetzira*, Beriya*, Atzilut*."

messages [4] = "mitzvahTorah commandment(s), religious obligation(s); pl. mitzvot"

messages [5] = "Angelincorporeal heavenly beings, specifically melachim, malachei haShoresh, seraphim, ofanim, and chayot."

Becoming a Prophet
Adapted by Eliyahu Touger from Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, Chapter 7
1. It is [one] of the foundations of [our] faith that G-d communicates by prophecy with man.
The Rambam lists as the sixth of his Thirteen Principles of Faith, the concept of prophecy. In Hilchot Teshuva 3:8, the Rambam includes in the category of heretics who have no portion in the World to Come "One who says prophecy does not exist and knowledge is not communicated from the Creator to the heart of man". (See also "Guide for the Perplexed", Vol. ii, Chapters 36-46.)

Prophecy is bestowed only upon a very wise sage of a strong character, who is never overcome by his natural inclinations in any regard. Instead, with his mind, he overcomes his natural inclinations at all times. He must [also] possess a broad and correct perspective. A person who is full of all these qualities and is physically sound [is fit for prophecy].

These characteristics do not themselves bring prophecy, but remove obstacles that a prophet might face were he to lack them.

" Prophecy is not acquired in a short time or without great effort...."
When he enters the Pardes [the realm of spiritual knowledge] and is drawn into these great and sublime concepts, if he possesses a correct perspective to comprehend and grasp [them], he will become holy. He will advance and separate himself from the masses who proceed in the darkness of the time. He must continue and diligently train himself not to have any thoughts whatsoever about fruitless things or the vanities and intrigues of the times.

This is because prophecy is not acquired in a short time or without great effort.
Instead, his mind should constantly be directed upward, bound beneath [G-d's] throne [of Glory, striving] to comprehend the holy and pure forms and gazing at the wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He, in its entirety, [in its manifold manifestations] from the most elevated [spiritual] form until the navel of the earth, appreciating His greatness from them.

[After these preparations,] the spirit of prophecy will immediately rest upon him.
Nevertheless, there is the possibility that G-d will withhold prophecy from a person who is worthy of it.
" When the spirit rests upon him, his soul becomes intermingled with the angels...."
When the spirit rests upon him, his soul becomes intermingled with the angels called "ishim", and he will be transformed into a different person and will understand with a knowledge different from what it was previously. He will rise above the level of other wise men, as the prophet, Samuel told Saul: "[The spirit of G-d will descend upon you] and you shall prophecy with them. And you will be transformed into a different person." (Samuel I 10:6)

2. There are a number of levels among the prophets. Just as with regard to wisdom, one sage is greater than his colleague, so, too, with regard to prophecy, one prophet is greater than another. They all, [however share certain commonalities].

With the exception of Moses, as stated in Law 6.

They receive prophetic visions only in a visionary dream or during the day after slumber has overtaken them, as the verse states: "I make Myself known to him in a vision. I speak to him in a dream." (Num. 12:6)
When any of them prophecy, their limbs tremble, their physical powers become weak, they lose control of their senses, and thus, their minds are free to comprehend what they see, as the verse states concerning Abraham: "And a great, dark dread fell over him." (Gen. 15:12)

Similarly, Daniel states: "My appearance was horribly changed and I retained no strength." (Daniel 10:8)
Since these prophets' level of refinement is not complete, their conscious minds cannot operate in their normal fashion while they prophecy.

3. When a prophet is informed of a message in a vision, it is granted to him in metaphoric imagery. Immediately, the interpretation of the imagery is imprinted upon his heart, and he knows its meaning.
For example, the ladder with the angels ascending and descending envisioned by the patriarch Jacob was an allegory for the empires and their subjugation [of his descendants]. Similarly, the creatures Ezekiel saw, the boiling pot and the rod from an almond tree envisioned by Jeremiah, the scroll Ezekiel saw, and the measure seen by Zechariah [were all metaphoric images].

" Prophecy cannot rest upon a person when he is sad or languid, but only when he is happy...."
Similarly, some of the prophets would relate the allegory and its explanation. Others would relate only the explanation. At times, they would relate only the imagery without explaining it, as can be seen in some of the prophecies of Ezekiel and Zechariah.

All of the prophecies come in the form of metaphoric imagery and allegories.

4. All the prophets do not prophecy whenever they desire. Instead, they must concentrate their attention [upon spiritual concepts] and seclude themselves, [waiting] in a happy, joyous mood, because prophecy cannot rest upon a person when he is sad or languid, but only when he is happy.

See II Kings, Chapter 3, which relates that after Yehoram, King of Israel, had aroused the wrath of Elisha, the prophet, it was necessary to have a minstrel play before him before he could attain prophecy. And see the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. II, Chapter 36), which explains that the reason prophecy ceased shortly after the destruction of the First Temple is that the difficulties of the exile prevented our people from experiencing the genuine happiness necessary to be fit recipients of the prophetic spirit.

Therefore, the prophets' disciples would always have a harp, drum, flute, and lyre [before them when] they were seeking prophecy. This is what is meant by the expression [I Samuel 10:5]: "They were prophesying" - i.e. following the path of prophecy until they would actually prophecy - as one might say, "So and so aspires to greatness."

5) Those who aspire to prophecy are called "the disciples of the prophets." Even though they concentrate their attention, it is possible that the Divine Presence will rest upon them, and it is possible that it will not rest upon them.

6) All the statements made above describe the path of prophecy of all the early and later prophets, with the exception of Moses, our teacher, the master of all the prophets.

" G-d spoke to Moses...as a man speaks to a friend...."
What is the difference between Moses' prophecy and that of all the other prophets? [Divine insight is bestowed upon] all the [other] prophets in a dream or vision. Moses, our teacher, would prophecy while standing awake, as states: "When Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak to Him, he heard the Voice speaking to him." (Num. 7:89)

[Divine insight is bestowed upon] all the [other] prophets through the medium of an angel.
Because their level of refinement is insufficient for them to receive the divine revelation openly.
Therefore, they perceive only metaphoric imagery and allegories [which reflect the nature of that particular angel]. Moses, our teacher, [would prophecy] without the medium of an angel, as the verses state: "Mouth to mouth I speak to him" (Num. 12:8), "And G-d spoke to Moses face to face" (Ex. 33:11) and "He gazed upon the image of G-d" (Num. 12:8) - i.e. there was no metaphor. Rather, he would perceive the matter in its fullness, without metaphor or allegory. The Torah testifies concerning him "[I speak to him...] manifestly, without allegory" (Num. 12:8), meaning his appreciation of prophecy would not be through metaphor, but through open revelation, appreciating the matter in its fullness.

All the [other] prophets are overawed, terrified, and confounded [by the revelations they experience], but Moses, our teacher, would not [respond in this manner], as the Torah relates: "[G-d spoke to Moses...] as a man speaks to a friend" (Ex. 33:11) - i.e. just as a person will not be awe-struck from hearing his friend's words, so, too, Moses' mental power was sufficient to comprehend the words of prophecy while he was standing in a composed state.

All the [other] prophets cannot prophecy whenever they desire. Moses, our teacher, was different. Whenever he desired, the divine spirit would envelop him, and prophecy would rest upon him. He did not have to concentrate his attention to prepare himself [for prophecy], because his [mind] was always concentrated, prepared, and ready [to appreciate spiritual truth] as the angels [are]. Therefore, he would prophecy at all times, as the verse states: "Stand and hear what G-d will command you." (Num. 9:8)

He was promised this by G-d, as [implied by]: "Go and tell them 'Return to your tents,' but you stand here together with Me" (Deut. 5:27-28).This should be interpreted to mean that when prophecy departs from all the [other] prophets, they return to their "tents" - i.e. the needs of the body, like other people. Therefore, they do not separate themselves from their wives. Moses, our teacher, never returned to his original "tent". Therefore, he separated himself from women and everything of that nature forever. He bound his mind to the Eternal Rock. [Accordingly,] the glory never left him forever. The flesh of his countenance shone, [for] he became holy like the angels.

7) There is the possibility that a prophet will experience prophecy for his own sake alone - i.e. to broaden his perspective and to increase his knowledge - [allowing him] to know more about the lofty concepts than he knew before.

" If he follows the paths of prophecy in holiness...it is a mitzvah to listen to him...."
It is also possible that he will be sent to one of the nations of the world, or to the inhabitants of a particular city or kingdom, to prepare them and to inform them what they should do or to prevent them [from continuing] the evil which they are doing.

When he is sent [on such a mission], he is given a sign or a wonder [to perform], so that the people will know that G-d has truly sent him. Not everyone who performs signs or wonders should be accepted as a prophet: only a person who is known to be fit for prophecy beforehand; i.e. his wisdom and his [good] deeds surpass those of all his contemporaries. If he follows the paths of prophecy in holiness, separating himself from worldly matters, and afterwards performs a sign or wonder and states that he was sent by G-d, it is a mitzvah to listen to him, as the verse states: "Listen to him" (Deut. 18:15).

It is possible that a person will perform a sign or wonder even though he is not a prophet - rather, the wonder will have [another cause] behind it. [This is because signs and wonders and even divining the future can be performed by sorcery and the like, as explained in ch. 8-10]. It is, nevertheless, a mitzvah to listen to him. Since he is a wise man of stature and fir for prophecy, we accept [his prophecy as true].

This is the nature of [the Torah's] commandment. [To give an example of a parallel:] We are commanded to render a [legal] judgment based on the testimony of two witnesses. Even though they may testify falsely, since we know them to be acceptable [as witnesses], we presume that they [are telling the truth].

Considering these matters and the like, the Torah states: "The hidden matters are for G-d, our Lord, but what is revealed is for us and our children" (Deut. 29:28), and "Man sees what is revealed to the eyes, but G-d sees into the heart" (Samuel I 16:7).

The Rambam is implying that it is impossible for man ever to know the absolute truth about a situation. Therefore, the Torah gives us criteria with which to govern our decisions. Though they may not be totally foolproof, they are, nevertheless, applicable to our circumstances. If we follow these criteria and an error does occur, G-d does not hold man responsible.

(In the following three chapters (8-10), Maimonides sets out the rules for determining whether a purported prophet is genuine or not.)

(Published by Moznaim) Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon 'Maimonides', known as the Rambam, from the acronym of his name Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon; 4895-4964 (1135-1204 CE). Physician and Torah scholar originally from Cordoba, Spain, but who fled from persecution to North Africa, passing through Morocco and eventually settling in Egypt. Known for his works of Jewish law and philosophy works, Mishna Torah and Guide to the Perplexed, he also commanded kabbala, though he did not overtly present this knowledge in his works. Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.

Human

Riding in car, the CHILD asks a question.

CHILD
What is 40 + 80?

MOTHER
One twenty.

CHILD
No it isn't!

MOTHER
Yes, it is!

CHILD
No! It's one hundred and
twenty.

The MOTHER smiles and shakes her head.

For my sister.

Build you a space elevator?

http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/watch/elevator/build.htm

Jean

Elisha

Self-portrait: Olriutchson

 

Cast some light and you'll be alright

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1428362303

 

Do nothing

Let things settle
Open yourself up
To this wisdom
All your hatred
Is imagined
Let it go

Found in my oyster po boy last night

 

Vulture Wisdom Includes:
Immunity
How to Express Yourself in an Active and Balanced Way
Avoid Getting an Unfavorable Reputation
Cleanses and Restores Life and Death to Their Natural States
Resolution of Problems
Life, Death, and Rebirth
Compassion
Protection
Discernment

 

In a parallel universe, I am the bull

NEWARK, N.J. - It took an urban cowboy from the farms of South Africa to corral and lasso a 600-pound bull running loose Friday in the streets of New Jersey's largest city.

For Denton Infield, now an animal control officer, rounding up wayward cattle was second nature, even if the scene was not.

Officers chased the bull for 10 hours through the streets of Newark — at one point, it took a turn toward downtown — before Infield final got close enough early Friday to corral it in the parking lot of a tool and die shop. There, the bull was tranquilized and eventually drifted off to sleep as the rush-hour traffic snarled and children snapped pictures with their cell phone cameras from passing school buses.

"Back home in South Africa, this is quite common," said Infield, a manager with the Associated Humane Societies' Newark office. "A lot of our cattle are transported by truck, and a lot of times the truck will turn over and there's cattle all over the place."

But that's in rural South Africa. Newark is quite another story.

"It's a shock to see a bull running loose here," said resident George Romero. "Usually when you hear about Newark, it's a murder or some crime, but a bull running loose? Seeing is believing. I was like, 'Holy Cow!'"
The bull was corralled less than a mile from Newark Liberty International Airport, about eight miles from New York City.

It was the second time in as many years that wayward cattle were caught wandering around Newark. In May 2004, a steer escaped from a slaughterhouse and was eventually taken to a farm sanctuary.

Infield said the bull caught Friday likely escaped from a slaughterhouse or fell off a truck bound for one.
The 3-year-old mixed breed bull had an auction tag affixed to its back, indicating it wasn't far from The Final Roundup.

The bull was first spotted at 10 p.m. Thursday, running up and down an industrial street leading to Newark's heavily populated downtown. Police shooed onlookers away and blocked off streets to keep vehicles away from the animal, which managed to elude its pursuers until Friday morning.

"He was jumping over air conditioning units and over small fences," Infield said. "He was a little wild."
Infield finally chased the bull into the empty parking lot, where he tossed a rope around its neck and nudged it close enough for a second animal control officer to jab it with a tranquilizer syringe.
"He's asleep now," Infield said, rubbing the animal's flank.

Authorities called in a trailer from Popcorn Park Zoo in Lacey Township, a refuge for abused or unwanted animals that is operated by the Humane Societies. Infield said the bull would be taken there to live out the rest of its life.

Warrior III

And Halloween, feels like you are flying.

And I thought last time I had a problem relating

How can I get them to see themselves in us?

On my way home I had to stop over analyzing every second of our presentation to wait for an Iguana (huge, 3ft in length, at least) to cross the road. There are a legion of them.

Badly Drawn Boy

01. (Swimming Pool) 02. Born In The UK 03. Degrees Of Separation 04. Welcome To The Overground 05. A Journey From A To B 06. Nothing's Gonna Change Your Mind 07. Promises 08. The Way Things Used To Be 09. Without A Kiss 10. The Long Way Round (swimming pool) 11. Walk You Home Tonight 12. The Time Of Times 13. One Last Dance

Feedback

Yesterday we had our third MTM meeting, our second presentation is next week. We are discussing Chaim Lipchitz and Louise Nevelson, sculptors. I haven't looked over the notes, so I don't know too much. My partner wants to do a project with clay, which will take up most of the time.

Also, everyone spoke of their first presentation experience, only a handful went to Pine Grove. One docent had a very positive response, another spoke of the contrasts between schools, the next felt humbled and said it is a mitzvah. I basically said what I wrote, told them next time I'll modify the presentation for the 5th graders.

Beancounter vs. rsx2

We've been battling for the top spot since football season started. In my mind, I saw him using a formula to determine his picks and quite pleased with the results. He's a CPA, that's why I think this. Well when I found out he didn't make his selections before the 1:00pm games, we called the commissioner to find out what happened? And tell him to get his picks in. I can't believe he forgot, bums me out I'm going to compete with someone else.

Procrastinating

credit: Daniel Verschatse

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html - most of the pictures i post come from this site

Credit: Gain Lee