It is early morning... Doing THIS first thing. Today is a light day - only appt is to see Rachel, etc. It is the time when the University Chorus is on hiatus between quarters...
I hope to take a walk today - at least to the club... in the early afternoon. And watch Anora which I have rented and have to watch soon. Do some prep for trip to Portugal -- medications, underwear?, cpap... and other stuff that can be done.
BUT what are the thoughts for the day??? The stock market is down, down, down.... No one in the Times has wondered out loud -- are the American Oligarchs enriching themselves by selling short or are they prepared to jump back into the market, etc. etc.. In other words - a falling market can create opportunities for the rich ... and some of the richest are part of a team creating world havoc w/tariffs. OY!
And who is prepared to challenge the current powers? Who stands to lose if they challenge. Who has made Devil's Bargains ...
Here is a definition I think is correct:
"The phrase "Devil's bargain" refers to a situation where someone makes a deal or agreement that seems to offer significant benefits but ultimately comes with severe moral, ethical, or personal costs. It often implies a compromise of one's values or integrity for short-term gain, reminiscent of the mythological idea of selling one’s soul to the devil for power, wealth, or success."
At least for a while the rising stock market was a benefit. What other benefits were there in the first 50 or 60 days of the current administration? What will be the consequences?
\And noting the "devil" -- what about the coming of an anti-christ? There is something negative to think and say about someone who WANTS to be a leader or ASSERTS he/she is a leader, a god, a savior. I don't think Jesus asserted that in his time. Theology talks about the coming(S) of an anti-christ ... maybe followed by Christ or followed by ????? Here is an AI description of the anti-christ:
"AI Overview
In Christianity, the Antichrist is a person who will oppose Jesus Christ and try to take his place before the Second Coming. The term appears in the New Testament in the First and Second Epistle of John.
Characteristics
- The Antichrist will be a tyrant who will persecute Christians and Jews
- The Antichrist will be a deceiver who will claim to be the Christ
- The Antichrist will be the "man of sin" and the "beast from the earth"
- The Antichrist will have the number 666 "
Number 2 and 3 are, to me, clearly applicable to our current president. One can wonder about number 4. As for number 1 ... well - watchout!!! There are white christians and black christians and persecution of some might be in the cards (and stars). As for Jews -- we are in one of the international centers of conflict and The Deal some of us may hope for is not a righteous deal. It includes irony (cleansing and The Holocaust are very linked... before The Holocaust Jews were, I think, "encouraged" to leave Germany and/or Europe!), hate, and fear.
I often ask myself -- where are the brave in this home we call America!, the United States of America? Our national anthem may be criticised for being bellacose and yet we are now more at war in our homes than standing bravely against tyranny and greed. I believe our country has the capability to be The Good in The World ... that we once were or thought we were. Being good to ourselves first.. .yes - but only for ourselves is selfish and wrong (both ethically and politically - as isolation does not work!), and the time is always NOW. Wisdom literature tells us what is right and what is wrong. Death and destruction is not for us humans to decide to do and do... Only G-d really knows who deserves death, who deserves destruction... and who amongst us really knows the Will of G-d? Today that knowledge is from teachings of the past for Jews. We Jews no longer have prophets through whom G-d speaks. We are taught to follow certain rules and ways ... and in the post-biblical times we are taught to show lovingkindness and compassion to all people. The great Rabbi Hillel was asked and answered thusly when asked: "Whatever is hateful and distasteful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the entire Torah, the rest is commentary. Go learn." To me .. the Torah as commentary includes additional instructions and stories showing what is right AND what is wrong. There are things done and ways lived which while effective a long time ago are not the model for good behaviour now nor for most people ever. ONE "for instance" is the love shown by Isaac and Rebecca to their two sons, Jacob and Esau. Parental favoritism, especially when divided as with those to boys, is questionable at least and bad on the continuum of good vs bad. SO - the basic lesson is do not harm and then go learn about how harm might manifest itself... and then avoid doing harm as well as you can! Today in Gaza, etc ... the tit-for-tat stuff that is so destructive and deadly is a cycle that must be ended as it is, in my opinion, humble or otherwise, on the bad side of the continuum of good and bad.
Enough for now... some of what is above will be published, I think, elsewhere... the newspaper or facebook or ???
now -- a second cup of coffee and the piano and breakfast and Rachel... (is now 3/11/25: 0830)
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Added... about 9:30am --- As I am thinking about Judaism and Israel...
This is only bullet points... I have to leave so cannot fill in...
earliest religious recollections -- Grandmother Langer and me at Orthodox Synagogue - very nice, big, ornate... we were in women's section looking down on the men praying.. Light, airy... sunny!
earliest recollection about Isreal -- Hebrew school teacher telling us, first day, about Ashenazi pronunciation VS the Isreali pronunciation. Mrs. Abramovitz was Isreali but in the early 1950's - American prayed with Ashenazi pronunciation.
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