why is Halakhah more important than Compassion ?

[Hart60]

Hi Steve, Good to hear from you,I'm well thanks,I'm still taking the tablets and sticking to Doctors (and my wifes) orders,Lol.
Yes, I'm still attending shul as much as I can,I went up last Shabos and usually manage to go at least once a month,I've also met a couple of other gentiles that also attend which is good.
Did you manage to contact anyone at your nearest Synagogue ?
Hope you are well.
Best wishes and Shana tova to you and yours.

[steve]

Good to hear your well Dan,
I never went along to the synagogue because my perception was that I was unwelcome. The Rabbi only replied to me once then just ignored me.
I realise this is only one synagogue and I still have a lot of respect for Jewish people,but I now feel that Judaism is exclusively for Jewish people.
A lot of Jewish people don't even know what a Noahide is, so there seems to be no validity in following the Noahide path.
Lately I have been concidering the Tao which is about unity and being part of the universe.
Do we have to give the creator a name ?
Is believing in unity and being a part of the universe not enough ?

Steve

[Hart60]

Hi Steve,
I think it's a terrible shame that the Rabbi has not seen fit to help you with your spiritual needs,although I understand that they have a duty to dissuade any gentile that shows an interest in conversion at least three times I think they could have given you some encouragement to become a member or at least a friend of their community.
As a believer in The God of Abraham I can understand why Taoism draws your interest,but I fear you may find yourself in the same situation as you are now with Judaism/Noachism - IE without a community to support you,or maybe you feel you don't need to be part of a community,in which case the same goes for Noachism.
I know what you mean about many people not having heard about Noachism as I have also received the strange look when I mention it to some people and I guess I'm lucky that most at our Shul are aware of the sheva mitzva b'nei Noach and that they are the minimum of God's laws that Gentiles should observe.
I agree with you that Judaism is for Jews,no doubt about it,their customs and traditions are theirs only and not for Gentiles and sure believing in unity and being a part of the universe can be enough for some but I truly believe that Hasidic Gentiles have an important part to play in the World alongside Jews in Studying and implementing God's Word and his instructions to his creation the Human race.
God be with you Steve.

Dan.

[steve]

Thankyou for the reply Dan,

"To be a person of truth, be swayed neither by approval nor disapproval.
Work at not needing approval from anyone and you will be free to be who you are"
Rabbi Nachman of Breslev.

I think that my biggest obsticle to serving Hashem has been the need for approval from Jewish people.

Steve.

[David_L]

A quote in the Talmud that I found especially meaningful:

As Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai lay dying, he blessed his students, "May it be [G-d's] will that the fear of heaven shall be upon you like the fear of flesh and blood." [Berachos 28b] This quote could also be stated as, “May your fear of G-d be as great as your fear of people.”

[steve]

Thank you for your reply David,
the quote is really meaningful,
What is meant by fear? All I want to do is serve G-d for all the good he has given me.

Do I need to fear G-d ?

thanks
Steve.

[David_L]

The Hebrew word that's often translated as "fear" can also be translated as "awe" or "revere".

[steve]

Thank you David,
Revere is to love G-d,
fear and love are the same?

Thanks
Steve

[David_L]

Steve:

I found some articles that address this:

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_c ... -G-d-I.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_c ... G-d-II.htm

[aries]

Perhaps the confusion arises from how the word Mitzveh is used today. In the middle ages, Mitzveh is one of commandments of the torah. All the 613 mitvot are lines from the torah. Although everyone one agrees there are 613 mitvot or commandments in the torah not everyone agrees what they are. Some books include seven mitvot from the Rabbis but I have never found what editor put them in. Now if we count all of the mitvot or commandments a Jew does today, from both the torah and the Rabbis, it comes to about 2000 mitvot.
However, in popular language, mitzvot has come to mean any good deed, like helping little old ladies across the street. There is not technical obligation to help little old ladies accross the street but we still call it a mitzveh.