The Dangers Of Power, Wealth And Luxury

Building A Peaceful Society On That Which Is REAL.

Isn't it strange how just because someone is wealthy there is a widespread perception that they are automatically imbued with all other attributes as well? Why would you logically assume that an entrepreneur or wheeler-dealer would have any innate appreciation for the arts or can be trusted to decide public policy? Not every money-manager is an intellectual giant. The acquisition of wealth demands a specific skill-set and this does not necessarily translate into other disciplines.

The Torah warns us against developing a skewed view of reality.

"Be careful not to forget God and fail to keep His commandments… You might eat and be satisfied, build good houses and live in them. As your herds and flocks increase, your silver and gold accumulate and everything you have grows, your heart may become arrogant and you might forget God" (Deuteronomy 8:11-13).

A chilling and timely lesson to all of us about the dangers of wealth and luxury, however encoded in the words we can read a message about how to relate to the wealth of others:

Just because a person has houses, gold and silver, don't automatically assume that everything he has also grows. Keep things in perspective; riches do not confer intellectual legitimacy. Scholars are our true aristocracy and the role of rich men is to support the study of Torah and to supplement the functioning of society.

Wealth can be a challenge for those blessed with it. Always remember who your true friends really are. Money comes and goes, but character lasts forever. If you forget this timely reminder you run the risk of arrogance and disgrace.

The challenge for the rest of society is to accept and honor a man proportional with his intrinsic worth, not his bank-balance. We must never forget that God is the one who rules the world and we are ultimately answerable to no one other than Him. [Elisha Greenbaum]

To know that this world is not some wild jungle where whoever is stronger or richer or smarter can abuse and destroy without regard for those beneath them - this is not a matter of religion or faith, particular to one people or group of believers. This is the underlying reality - that this world has a Master, and it is not any of us.

The Creator has also granted the human being freedom of choice, which means that every empowerment we are given carries a certain degree of risk. We can use our resources to accomplish our mission, or we can use them to sabotage it, and even sabotage the good that other souls are trying to achieve.

A peaceful society can only endure when it is built upon that which is real. [The Rebbe]

Learning Lifes Lessons From A Ship At Sea

 Costa Concordia Cruise Ship

An Italian passenger cruise ship the  Costa Concordia ran aground and tipped over late Friday the 13th, killing at least three people, injuring 30 and leaving up to 40 others still missing.

The ship struck a reef that got stuck inside the left side, making it (the ship) lean over and take on a lot of water in the space of two, three minutes.

The ship’s Italian captain, Francesco Schettino, was detained late Saturday and is being investigated for manslaughter and abandoning ship. Officials say the captain appears to have taken the vessel close to shore in a dangerous manner, Reuters says.

Passengers described a scene reminiscent of “Titanic” — which sank 100 years ago this April.

The sinking of the Costa Concordia brings this parable to mind;

Once upon a time, a wise man went to the docks to watch as ships entered and left the port. He noticed that, as one ship sailed out toward the open sea, all the people on the dock cheered and wished it well. Meanwhile, another ship entered the port and docked. By and large, the crowd ignored it.

The wise man addressed the people saying, "You are looking at things backwards! When a vessel leaves, you do not know what lays ahead or what its end will be. So there really is no reason to cheer. But when a vessel enters the harbor and arrives safely home, that is something to make you feel joy."

Life is that journey and we are the vessel. When a child is born, we celebrate. When a soul returns home, we mourn. Yet if we viewed life on earth the way the wise man viewed the ship, perhaps we too could say, "The vessel has gone on its journey, it has weathered the storms of life, it has finally entered the harbor and now it is safely home." [Midrash, Shemot Rabbah]

Taking Care Of Our World; A Safe World

At one time we thought human ethics could care for the world. "Human intelligence," we argued, "will find truth and protect it."

We discovered we were wrong. The nation that cultivated the human mind to its highest degree committed the most horrifying crimes of our age. Human intelligence today has not saved the world, but ravaged it.

Humankind cannot live securely on this earth until we recognize it for what it is: A creation cherished by its Creator, who continues to involve Himself in it at every moment with all His essence and being. And so it is full of wisdom and beauty without end.

He has put this masterpiece, and the masterpiece of our own bodies and selves in our hands and told us how to care for them.

All of it looks to us, to see if we will come to know that which is beyond us, and take care of our world as we were charged. [The Rebbe]

Thousands Of US Troops Deployed To Israel

The Juniper Cobra exercise in 2003.(Quique Kierszenbaum/Getty Images)

The US military is preparing a massive military campaign against Iran, sending thousands of American troops, warships and weaponry to Israel.

An unnamed source said the military deployment of US anti-missile ships and accompanying support personnel will occur in January and later this spring, Global Research reported.

Commander of the US Third Air Force based in Germany Lt.-Gen Frank Gorenc said it is not just an "exercise," but a "deployment," The Jerusalem Post said.

Washington and Tel Aviv have planned to hold what they call the largest-ever joint military exercise this spring.

The US commander visited Israel two weeks ago to confirm details for “the deployment of several thousand American soldiers to Israel.”

The US General also visited one of Israel's three Iron Dome anti-missile outposts. The Israeli Air Force has announced plans to deploy a fourth Iron Dome system in coming months.

While US troops will be stationed in Israel for an unspecified amount of time, Israeli military personnel will be added to United States European Command (EUCOM) in Germany.

This is while the US is reportedly bringing its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and ship-based Aegis ballistic missile systems to Israel.

The White House has resumed its anti-Iran war rhetoric after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a report in November, in which Tehran was accused of conducting activities related to developing nuclear weapons. Iran strongly dismissed the allegations.

US analyst Robert Parry said the documentary evidence showed that IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano was installed with the support of the US and that he privately indicated to US and Israeli officials that he would help advance their goals regarding Iran.

In December, Iran's Navy launched massive 10-day military drills in the strategic Strait of Hormuz to show that the country is ready to defend itself against any attack.

"We wanted to send this message to certain powers that Iran is always prepared to defend itself against foreign aggression," Iran's Navy Deputy Commander Admiral Amir Rastegari told Press TV.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama on Saturday signed into law fresh economic sanctions, targeting Iran's Central Bank and financial sector.

Anti-Iran measures provoked by the US and Israel are aimed to deny Iran's right of having peaceful nuclear program.
Tehran, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, has repeatedly stated that its nuclear activities are solely for civilian purposes. [AGB/HGH/IS]

Our Nature Afire

By our nature, we are afire. We burn with anxiety, the angst of survival in a hostile world.

For this fire, we have meditation and prayer. We fan a fire of love for that which transcends this world. One fire swallows another and we are set free.

Liberated from fear, we face the world no longer as slaves, but as masters. [The Rebbe]

Watch: Sydney New Years Eve 2012 Fireworks