Modern Mussar
I remember watching as a kid (a real one, not just a Rabbi's one) an episode of the New Twilight Zone (Google has almost definitely established it was called "Take My Life ... Please!"). It was a long time ago, so I'll have to paraphrase.
A comedian finds himself suddenly back stage, and is ushered out onto the stage. He figures he should do as he always does, and reels off a list of one-liners. Silence. Pin-drop quiet. He can't see the audience due to the glaring spotlight. None of his jokes elicit a chuckle. Then a voice from the crowd calls out "Tell us about Frank". A chorus of voices shout "Yeah, tell us about Frank". So the comic hesitantly says "Frank was my best friend, he was away on business a lot and I had an affair with his wife". The crowd roar with laughter. "What about the hit and run?" "I clipped a young boy with my car once but didn't stop to help, just drove straight home" - the crowd are on the floor, rolling in the aisles. The comedian is forced to recount all his wrongdoings and the crowd laps it up, begs for more.
Beis Din Shel Maalah?
TRK
posted by TRK @ 11:10 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
I dont know....I see it more like a boxing match, Your in the ring, every sin you get punched, every good thing you punch, if you get knocked out you go to hell, if you in, its heaven....
Since Jews don't believe in Christian hell (You know, fire, hell's minions, and Satan), I figure that having to recount every sin or getting punched for them is hell. Who knows? I guess we'll have to get there to really find out what it's all about.
Though, I figure for special people like Stalin or Hitler, their hell is that everyone they murdered gets to torture them for all eternity. That's how I like to think of it.
-OC
i looked at this episode as being more like a self recounting of ones sins, something i guess we should do more often.
Dude, I don't get it. I know beis means house, right? Please translate...
Twennytwo
beis din shel maalah is the heavenly court (lit. a a house of law from above)
TRK: Recently found your blog and am so interested in learning more about the truth of the situation in Israel. I am a "reform" Jew, whatever that means to you, to me I'm just a Jew (as Stan says on South Park). But I wonder if you could email me a site or book that I could use to translate some of your Hebrew transliteration. Thanks for putting the info out there.
Shu/Nat, thanks for the assistance.
Twenny - you are impressive (I know you grew up amongst us but I'm still impressed)
Marla, Vilkommen, You are right, I should be more sensitive and I will be from now on. Feel free to ask anything here and I or another helpful soul will try and answer. Mussar = ethical admonishment, beis din shel maalah = heavenly court. Will look for a site for you as well.
TRK
Marla
For just a glossary I found a pretty good one:
http://www.jewishcincinnati.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=127472
If you are looking for more details there are many sites about the ins, outs and stories of religious judaism.
You weren't insensitive, I'm just learning what I missed out on.
Thanks, 2r for the suggestions
of course, 'beis' isn't modern hebrew... it's ashkenazi. and the modern hebrew 'beit' is actually the same as it is in arabic. one of the twenty or so arabic words i learnt in the army
Post a Comment
<< Home