Many Jews have a question.

Each week Jews read a Parasha / section from the Torah – the 5 books of Moses – in a Synagogue. Each Year they complete reading the whole Humash (5 books of Moses).  Each Parasha has a name. Some are named according to their subject matter. Some are named after an Individual. The person who has their name as one of the Parashas must have a particular merit.

One Parasha’s Name is Yitro – named after a Midianite Priest. He served all forms of idol worship until he found Judaism. Then he rejected all of his former religions and converted to Torah Judaism.

Why name a section of torah for a former idol worshiper?

The question – why did Yitro – a former priest of Idol worship – merit one of the Parasha’s names to be called after him?

The Two Attitudes

One answer is is that there are two types of attitudes.

One is the attitude of convenience – one is the attitude of truth.

The attitude of convenience is to defend my particular lifestyle – because I enjoy it. It could be a neutral or even a horrible thing – but I defend it because it was brought up that way or it is convenient for me or to fit into the crowd.

The attitude of truth is to put all your effort into finding truth and following it regardless of how it affects your lifestyle.

Yitro had this attitude of truth. He rejected fame, riches and glory for truth. Apparently he was following the attitude of Abraham. He rejected the world’s ways- at a time when idol worship and child sacrifices were common practice. Thus the Torah gives a Parasha His name to condone this attitude of Truth.

The Truth Seekers

Jews who repented sincerely or gentiles who converted to follow Torah Judaism know the attitude. They lived in a world of shallowness and of chasing after fleeting shadows to find true depth and meaning in Judaism. They experienced a moment of truth and grabbed it by the reins.

The Convenience Seekers

Many people will reject Judaism because they are steeped into a lifestyle that they would have to change if they admitted the truth of Judaism. So it is easier to reject Judaism than to change my lifestyles. Scientists, missionaries, anti-semites, followers of other religions all fall prey to this attitude. In the end – when they arrive at the world of truth – heaven they will be shown where they erred.

Worse than their feeling that they were wrong – will be their feeling that they wasted their life chasing after shadows.

To these people I say one thing – “don’t worry there are kosher restaurants.”

Meaning – if you are afraid to accept Judaism – because you will have to give up your nightly restaurant hopping – “don’t worry you will be able to eat in kosher restaurants instead.” Which are many times better than their non-kosher counterpart. (Only Jews are obligated to eat Kosher according to Halakha / Torah Law. A gentile may eat non-kosher food as long as – if it was an animal – the animal was completely dead before it was chopped up. This is one of the Torah’s 7 Noahide laws called ever min haHay / the prohibition of eating a limb taken from a living animal.).

Answering to G-d

The Anti-Semites who waste life

Hitler hated the Jews because he wanted to act like a barbarian – without having a guilty conscience. Jews reminded him of G-d’s laws. He didn’t want to be reminded. Instead of correcting himself – he decided to commit genocide. He says this straight out it in Mein Kampf. He fell into the same trap – the attitude of convenience. Other anti-semites fall into this same attitude.

But they will have to answer to G-d one day of why did they spend their time hating Jews rather than helping the world.

Those who prevent life

Those who support same-gender marriage will have to answer why did they support this law that prevented millions of potential children from entering the world. The world could have been some much more beautiful if these people got married to the opposite gender and had children.

You can’t outsmart G-d

I found out a long time ago that you can’t outsmart G-d. He knows more. He thought everything out. He made a perfect world. Digressing from the laws that he gave us just hurts ourselves. But we think we are smarter.

I am happy that I found out I am not smarter than G-d many years ago.

Who says Judaism is the True Religion

What many will ask is why follow Torah Judaism (Judaism based upon adhering to Shulchan Arukh – the Code of Jewish Law by R. Yosef Karo).

Good question. There are about 80,000 religions out there – who says Torah Judaism is the True law of G-d?

The Four Questions

It’s rather easy. There are four questions that if answered logically – you will come to the conclusion that Judaism is the true religion of G-d.

Here they are:

1. Is there a G-d?
2. Did G-d give a law?
3. What is that Law?
4. Did G-d change His Mind?

Let’s play devil’s advocate and answer all questions against Torah Judaism. Then we’ll do the same answering according to logic.

The Answers that many a non-believer will give are :

1. No.
2. No. if there is a G-d.
3. not Judaism.
4. Yes.

all the above answers are illogical.

Here’s why:

1. Saying No – there is no G-d means that the world, all nature, humans, animals, planets, radio waves, fire, energy came about by random atoms flying around. Not logical. Order is not created by randomness. If one found a pencil in the sand – he will not say this pencil was formed by sand randomly flying around. One who would say that would be deemed mentally incompetent or irrational. Thus you must say that an Intelligent creator created the world. The randomness theory of creation is illogical and irrational.
2. Saying No – G-d did not give a law – means that G-d who created the world does not care if one destroys it. A painter surely cares if one destroys his painting. Thus G-d must have given laws to prevent the destruction of the world or in the world.
3. saying Torah Judaism is not the law of G-d means that another religion is the law of G-d. The Torah is the The only divinely given document whose giving was witnessed by millions of people. All other religions cannot claim this and do not claim this. If G-d is going to give a law He will give it to be witnessed millions not to just one person. Thus we must say that the law that was given in front of millions of people that heard G-d speaking must be the true law.
4. saying G-d changed his mind means that G-d is fickle. G-d knows the past , present and future, knows where every single molecule is, was and will be from the beginning of time till its end. It doesn’t make logical sense to say that He will change His mind. Thus we must say that G-d never revoked the laws of the Torah.

The laws are still the same as when G-d gave them. “Orthodox” Jews follow them in their entirety. Nohaides or Benei Noach’s follow the 7 Noahide laws for non-Jews that are from the Torah.

Thus through logical deduction we find that G-d’s law by which he Judges the world is the Torah.

No Interfaith Discussions for Me – thanks

Thus I don’t go for inter faith discussions or partnerships. Not that I don’t respect people. I respect people. But I don’t respect ways of life if they are not the truth.

So why should I waste my time pretending that other religions are truth when logically they don’t fit the bill. (as shown above)

Suffering Caused by Haughtiness

Thus true ethics are the ethics of G-d. The Ethics of G-d are the ethics of the Torah. The Torah has answers to questions – what to do with crime, terrorism, stealing, building bridges, helping others, helping countries. But people think they know better than Torah. So people take the circuitous route and play G-d, or rely on trial and error or turn to so called “ethical experts” – like those who judged the Charlie Gard case and end up with disastrous results.

Your Options in Doing What’s Right

If what’s right is what G-d says. So go to someone who knows best the way G-d thinks – to a Reputable Talmid Hakham – a Torah Scholar and ask him what is the Torah opinion on any ethical issue with which you are concerned. (Usually you can ask an “orthodox” Jew who is a reputable Talmid Hakham.). Just like one who is concerned about nutrition goes to a reputable nutritionist; a person who wants to build a building – goes to a reputable architect, a person sincere in doing the will of G-d and wanting to know what is truly ethical in G-d’s eyes – goes to a reputable Talmid Hakham.

When people realize this and actually do this, it will be one of the first steps to bringing Mashiach / Messiah. This is the way G-d wanted – ethics are to be decided by the Torah. Spirituality, truth and Ethics was given to Jacob – now represented by the Torah scholars of the Jews.

A government needs to know what is ethical, a doctor has an ethical medical issue he or she must decide – contact a reputable Talmid Hakham / Torah scholar and you can be reassured that what you do will be the right thing in the eyes of G-d. Obviously – you must provide all the details for him to give you the right ethical decision of what the Torah holds on the matter / Daat Torah.

Better to rely on Torah. Better to rely on someone who knows true will of G-d. Someone who studies and follows Torah all day. They’ll be able to tell you what G-d wants from you, from your family, from your city and from your world.