Celebrate with us!

http://thewriterscafe.tripod.com/id22.html

Tree of Life!

Original Writing By Aharon Moshe Sanders

Torah Tree of life thought for the day:

The Torah as it was given to us the jewish nation by Hashem Elokim is perfect:

It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and its supporters are praiseworthy. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace.

We say these words when we return the Torah to the ark. Very often even in casual conversation, or writing, people tend to remember only the last thing you said.

Maybe we should really at least think for a moment what the idea of grasping Eytz- Chayim really means. When we put the Torah away we might notice that we are surrounded by people. As followers of the Torah we support Ha-Torah, and the Torah supports as well with its ways, which are ways of pleasantness. I have heard it said, that it is not so much that we keep the sabbath, as it is that the sabbath keeps us.

It is so easy to forget how fortunate we truly are. We are able to keep the Torah and are not being threatened with loss of life, loss of income, loss of shelter, we need not fear persecution for our religous beliefs and customs. We can support Ha-Torah by embracing it, and we can be happy, because the ways of the Torah are ways of pleasantness.We should also recall that:

Hashem Elokim commanded the the man saying, "You may certainly eat from every tree in the Garden. But from the Tree of Knowledge of what is good and evil, you shall not eat from it, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die". (Bereeishis 2:16-2:17- The Metsudah Linear Chumash)

Refrainig from judgement is a difficult thing, it is very easy to find something wrong in others. When we see someone do something which perhaps we might consider as wrong, it is very simple to judge that person negatively. However when we do that, we bring ourselves up for judgement. We all fall short, we daven and pray for rachmanos (mercy) from Hashem. What ever we may be seeing in others, we may not even truly understand, yet it is very easy rush to judgement.

The whole element of din is best left to Hashem. Hashem has commanded us not to eat from the Tree of Knowldge of good and evil, and maybe each time we judge someone negatively or as evil, then just maybe as the pusek says- a little part of us- dies.

Aharon Moshe Sanders October, 18, 2007
(edited on 10/23/07)

Genius...Albert Einstein!

The first person to come to mind under the heading of genius would be Albert Einstein.

If he truly were an atheist, then why would he bring up G-d, in so many of his famous saying such as "I do not believe G-d would play dice with the Universe" (its not an exact quote).

Einstein was able to unlock the secret to how energy and matter are really different forms of the same thing. It does not take a Genius to look up to the heavenly constellations with a sense of awe. It does not take a genius to look down into the water depths, and feel a sense of wonder at living things that create and give off their own light!

So, one might ask, if scientists who believe in Hashem, are so well informed and knowledgeable in various areas, then where does the Rabbi fit in?

Then we must look to human relations to find the answer. To err is human, and adherence to a strict set of rules is not easy for everyone. Mistakes get made, intentions are misunderstood. Words are misquoted. Even silence can be misinterpreted.

Today every one's words, thought and actions can be reduced to what's known as soundbites. You can find so many things that are wrong in others. and take someone's words totally out of context. In issues regarding strict adherence to din, perhaps we should ask ourselves, why was the Eytz haDaat placed in the very center of Gan Eden, and why were we told not to eat of its fruit?

To err is human. To solve complex issues which perhaps even strict adherence of Halacha creates some sort of impossible situation then we depend on our Rabbis to issue (or poskin) a solution for us, that allows us to work out the issue in the most direct and simple method.

Even the great chess masters can make moves without truly perceiving every nuance of that choice's implications with regards to the dynamics of all the pieces. It takes an extremely perceptive mind to truly understand all the underpinnings involved in the various choices which one is faced with. Additionally it exteremely difficult to discover if there actually is a flaw in your opponents position.

When Adam ate of the Eytz HaDaas our entire outlook on life itself, had changed. We were told not to eat of the fruit, for on that day surely we will die. We (collectively) ate of the fruit, now it seems we didn't die... but what has happened to our objectivity?

(Taking the conclusion to a better page for such idea...)

NOVA Online | Runaway Universe | How Big is the Universe?

NOVA Online Runaway Universe How Big is the Universe?: "If this grand idea is correct, then the universe is larger than we ever could have imagined. But the question remains: Is there a boundary, and if so, what lies in the voids beyond? The answer, according to some cosmologists, is truly mind-boggling. If the universe sprung forth in this manner"

Whales and Habitat Preservation

Whales and Habitat Preservation: "For 50 million years, whales have swum in the Earth's oceans. Whales were nearly hunted to extinction in the 19th century when whale products were in high demand. At the turn of the century there were estimated to be only a few thousand California gray whales left. Today, whales are protected by a myriad of national laws and international treaties, and most species have made a remarkable comeback (see JWHALE case, NWHALE case, and ESKIMO case studies). The California Gray Whale, or Pacific Gray Whale, is among the most impressive of these success stories. These animals spend half of the year in Mexican waters, and the Mexican government has acted to protect this species of whale by preventing development in most of the lagoon areas that make up the whales' winter home. The species has recovered to its pre-whaling population of 15,000 to 20,000. A 1993 count found approximately 21,000 California gray whales (Seaworld home page). In June 1994, the California gray whale became the first marine mammal to be removed from the endangered species list. This represented a great victory for conservation efforts."

The Story of the Atom Bomb

The Story of the Atom Bomb: "Einstein advanced the idea that ordinary energy had been regarded as weightless through the centuries because the mass it represented was so infinitesimally small as to have been missed and ignored. For example, the amount of heat energy required to change 300,000 tons of water into steam is equivalent to less than 1/30 once of matter. Einstein published a mathematical equation to express the eqivalency of mass and energy. The equation is E=MC2 where E represents energy in ergs, M is mass in grams, and C is the velocity of light in cm/sec. This last unit is equal to 186,000 miles per second. When this number is multiplied by itself as indicated in the formula, we get a tremendously large number; hence, E becomes an astronomically huge equivalent. For example, one pound of matter (one pound of coal or uranium) is equivalent to about 11 billion kilowatt hours, if completely changed into energy. Compare this figure with the burning (chemical change rather than nuclear change) of the same pound of coal, which produces only about 8 kilowatt hours of energy. In terms of energy produced, therefore, a chemical change such as burning is an extremely inefficient energy-producing process in comparison to the release of energy locked up in the nucleus of an atom (nuclear reaction). In other words, the available nuclear energy of coal is about 2 billion times greater than the available chemical energy of an equal mass of coal."

The Story of the Atom Bomb

Pacific gray whale 'declining'

Pacific gray whale 'declining': "Reduced numbers of gray whales will also have an impact on other species in the Pacific Ocean, the researchers add. The whales dig troughs in the seabed for food, sending food to the surface which other animals live on. The feeding plumes of gray whales also provide foraging grounds for Arctic seabirds. 'Despite our best efforts these genetic results suggest gray whales have not fully recovered from whaling. They might be telling us that whales now face a new threat - from changes to the oceans that are limiting their recovery,' said Professor Palumbi. 'Decades ago, whales were the first creatures to tell us that we were overfishing the oceans. Maybe now they trying to tell us the oceans are in deeper trouble.'"

The My Hero Project - Albert Einstein

The My Hero Project - Albert Einstein: "In 1916, about halfway through the First World War, Einstein published his famous General Theory of Relativity. In this new theory, one of the main predictions was concerned with the deflection of light in a gravitational field. This prediction was tested during the May, 1919 Solar Eclipse by two British Astronomer eclipse expeditions. The results from these expeditions agreed with Einstein's theory, and laid the foundation for Einstein's world fame; he became an overnight celebrity. In November 1921, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. In 1916, about halfway through the First World War, Einstein published his famous General Theory of Relativity. In this new theory, one of the main predictions was concerned with the deflection of light in a gravitational field. This prediction was tested during the May, 1919 Solar Eclipse by two British Astronomer eclipse expeditions. The results from these expeditions agreed with Einstein's theory, and laid the foundation for Einstein's world fame; he became an overnight celebrity. In November 1921, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. "

Atheism: Common Arguments

Atheism: Common Arguments: "The universe is so complex it must have been designed 'The presence of design in the universe proves there is a God. Surely you don't think all this appeared here just by chance?' This is known as the Argument From Design. It is a matter of dispute whether there is any element of design in the universe. Those who believe that the complexity and diversity of living creatures on the earth is evidence of a creator "

Atheism: Common Arguments

Atheism: Common Arguments: "The universe is so complex it must have been designed 'The presence of design in the universe proves there is a God. Surely you don't think all this appeared here just by chance?' This is known as the Argument From Design. It is a matter of dispute whether there is any element of design in the universe. Those who believe that the complexity and diversity of living creatures on the earth is evidence of a creator "

Atheism: Common Arguments

Atheism: Common Arguments: "if we assume that there's a God, that doesn't imply that there's one unique God. Which should we believe in? If we believe in all of them, how will we decide which commandments to follow? Secondly, the statement that 'If you believe in God and turn out to be incorrect, you have lost nothing' is not true. Suppose you're believing in the wrong God--the true God might punish you for your foolishness. Consider also the deaths that have resulted from people rejecting medicine in favor of prayer. Another flaw in the argument is that it is based on the assumption that the two possibilities are equally likely--or at least, that they are of comparable likelihood. If, in fact, the possibility of there being a God is close to zero, the argument becomes much less persuasive. So sadly the argument is only likely to convince those who believe already. Also, many feel that for intellectually honest people, belief is based on evidence, with some amount of intuition. It is not a matter of will or cost-benefit analysis. Formally speaking, the argument consists of four statements: One does not know whether God exists. Not believing in God is bad for one's eternal soul if God does exist. Believing in God is of no consequence if God does not exist. Therefore it is in one's interest to believe in God."

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein: "Asking if Albert Einstein was a Zionist is about like asking if St. Francis Xavier was a Catholic. It is a silly question, that would not be necessary were it not for the absurd disinformation propagated by anti-Zionist enemies of truth. Albert Einstein once remarked, 'If relativity is proved right, the Germans will call me a German, the Swiss will call me a Swiss citizen, and the French will call me a great scientist. If relativity is proved wrong the French will call me a Swiss, the Swiss will call me a German, and the Germans will call me a Jew.' Perhaps he was too modest. His triumph is so great, that the anti-Zionists are claiming he was an anti-Zionist. This may be hard to believe, but the evidence is before us. For example, at .dissidentvoice.org/Articles4/Petersen_Einstein.htm we find this claim by one Petersen"

Positive Atheism's Big List of Albert Einstein Quotations

Positive Atheism's Big List of Albert Einstein Quotations: "If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed. The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge.If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed. The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge."

Expanding Universe

Expanding Universe: "governs modern cosmology's view of the universe. But when Einstein began to apply his theory to the structure of the universe, he was dismayed to find that it predicted either an expanding or contracting universe--something entirely incompatible with the prevailing notion of a static universe. In what he would later call 'the greatest blunder of my life,' Einstein added a term called the cosmological constant to his equations that would make his calculations consistent with a static universe. Einstein admitted his mistake in 1929 when Edwin Hubble showed that distant galaxies were, indeed, receding from the earth, and the further away they were,the faster they were moving. That discovery changed cosmology. Enter Hubble's Law. The familiar sound of a train whistle as it recedes into the distance is a consequence of the Doppler Effect. As the train moves away from the listener, the crests of the sound waves are stretched out or shifted, resulting in a lower pitch. The faster the train recedes, the more stretched out the waves become. The same holds true for any wave-emitting object--whether they be sound waves, light waves, or radio waves. Conversely, the wavelength of objects that are moving toward us are shorter than those emitted by an object at rest. Atoms emit or absorb light in characteristic wavelengths: hydrogen, helium, and all the other atomic elements have their own spectrum signatures. In the early part of this century, Vesto Slipher was studying the spectra of light emitted from nearby galaxies. He noticed that the light coming from many galaxies was shifted toward the red, or longer wavelength, end of the spectrum. The simplest interpretation of this 'redshift' was that the galaxies were moving away from us."

Positive Atheism's Big List of Albert Einstein Quotations

Positive Atheism's Big List of Albert Einstein Quotations: "Strange is our situation here on Earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men -- above all for those upon whose smiles and well-beingStrange is our situation here on Earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men -- above all for those upon whose smiles and well-being"

Positive Atheism's Big List of Albert Einstein Quotations

Positive Atheism's Big List of Albert Einstein Quotations: "believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings. -- Albert Einstein, following his wife's advice in responding to Rabbi Herbert Goldstein of the International Synagogue in New York, who had sent Einstein a cablegram bluntly demanding 'Do you believe in God?' Quoted from and citation notes derived from Victor J Stenger, Has Science Found God? believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings. -- Albert Einstein, following his wife's advice in responding to Rabbi Herbert Goldstein of the International Synagogue in New York, who had sent Einstein a cablegram bluntly demanding 'Do you believe in God?' Quoted from and citation notes derived from Victor J Stenger, Has Science Found God? "

Urantia Book Commentary and Articles

Urantia Book Commentary and Articles: "Of course the reason he didn't reach philosophic or religious climax is because mathematics is only a minor and impersonal revelation of the vastly greater whole. But you must admire the quality of his thinking, if not his unremitting persistence. How many of us are able or willing to devote our thinking to one subject for decades? Imagine what thoughts he could have conjured as a result of embracing the Urantia revelation! The physical universe is elegantly simple on its surface; ultimatons manifest in space and gravity begins its work (465:2). The ultimatonic “huddling” [478:4] tendency pulls them into masses (eventually with direction from the physical controllers) that gravity faithfully crushes. This creates heat and pressure which breaks down matter (463:12), and that causes light to be released. Light goes out in all directions, and this light fuels plant life which propels animal life, which is needed for spirit life to begin the journey back "

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein: "Long hair minimizes the need for barbers; socks can be done without; one leather jacket solves the coat problem for many years; suspenders are superfluous. Study, and, in general, the pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all of our lives. It is only to the individual that a soul is given. You can be sure that nothing can be achieved solely by preaching reason. The important thing is not to stop questioning."

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein: "Long hair minimizes the need for barbers; socks can be done without; one leather jacket solves the coat problem for many years; suspenders are superfluous. Study, and, in general, the pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all of our lives. It is only to the individual that a soul is given. You can be sure that nothing can be achieved solely by preaching reason. The important thing is not to stop questioning."

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein: "What really interests me is whether God had any choice in the creation of the world."

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein

Empyrean - My Words - Quotations - Albert Einstein: "What really interests me is whether God had any choice in the creation of the world."

Wiley-VCH - Renn, Jürgen (ed.) - Albert Einstein - Chief Engineer of the Universe

Wiley-VCH - Renn, Jürgen (ed.) - Albert Einstein - Chief Engineer of the Universe: "Quantum theory of the atom Quantum mechanics and Einstein's reaction Einstein-Podolski-Rosen paradox Einstein and politics: the First World War A liberal leftist in the Weimar Republic Science at the abyss Unified field theory Rise of the National Socialists, deprivation of citizenship and expropriation of the Einstein family Life in exile Assistance for emigrants The atom bomb project World government The fight for civil rights 3.) Einstein's world today Special Theory of Relativity Michelson experiment Sagnac effect General Theory of Relativity Principle of equivalence Black holes Gravitation Lenses Gravitation Waves GPS Quantum theory of the atom Quantum mechanics and Einstein's reaction Einstein-Podolski-Rosen paradox Einstein and politics: the First World War A liberal leftist in the Weimar Republic Science at the abyss Unified field theory Rise of the National Socialists, deprivation of citizenship and expropriation of the Einstein family Life in exile Assistance for emigrants The atom bomb project World government The fight for civil rights 3.) Einstein's world today Special Theory of Relativity Michelson experiment Sagnac effect General Theory of Relativity Principle of equivalence Black holes Gravitation Lenses Gravitation Waves GPS "

Einstein, the universe, and God

Einstein, the universe, and God: "Brownian motion, is the foundation of modern statistical mechanics, and the fourth became the basis for his Special Theory of Relativity. This was based on Albert's 'thought experiments', such as what he might or might not see if he were in a space ship travelling at the speed of light. In 1916 Albert published 'The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity'. This was based on more 'thought experiments' that gravity and acceleration produce identical effects, and that this is a consequence of gravity warping (distorting) both space and time. Scientists were both bedazzled and bewildered. Then the theory appeared to be confirmed during an eclipse of the sun in the West Indies, on May 29, 1919.9 The world's press started referring to Albert as 'the greatest genius on earth'. Brownian motion, is the foundation of modern statistical mechanics, and the fourth became the basis for his Special Theory of Relativity. This was based on Albert's 'thought experiments', such as what he might or might not see if he were in a space ship travelling at the speed of light. In 1916 Albert published 'The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity'. This was based on more 'thought experiments' that gravity and acceleration produce identical effects, and that this is a consequence of gravity warping (distorting) both space and time. Scientists were both bedazzled and bewildered. Then the theory appeared to be confirmed during an eclipse of the sun in the West Indies, on May 29, 1919.9 The world's press started referring to Albert as 'the greatest genius on earth'. "

Einstein, the universe, and God

Einstein, the universe, and God: "Albert fell in love with Mileva Maric, a Hungarian and the only woman student in his class who, though rather plain, afflicted with a limp, and not in the least flirtatious, knew enough physics to be able to have intelligent conversations with him. In 1901 he fathered an illegitimate child with her. He married Mileva in 1903, after he had secured a job as patent examiner at the Swiss Patent Office in Berne.6 In 1905, the prestigious Berlin journal Annalen der Physik published four papers written by Albert between March 17 and June 30 of that year in his spare time!7 The first, for which he received the Nobel Prize 16 years later, described how light could behave as both a wave and a stream of particlesAlbert fell in love with Mileva Maric, a Hungarian and the only woman student in his class who, though rather plain, afflicted with a limp, and not in the least flirtatious, knew enough physics to be able to have intelligent conversations with him. In 1901 he fathered an illegitimate child with her. He married Mileva in 1903, after he had secured a job as patent examiner at the Swiss Patent Office in Berne.6 In 1905, the prestigious Berlin journal Annalen der Physik published four papers written by Albert between March 17 and June 30 of that year in his spare time!7 The first, for which he received the Nobel Prize 16 years later, described how light could behave as both a wave and a stream of particles"

Einstein, the universe, and God

Einstein, the universe, and God: "uth, which was thus lost, was a first attempt to free myself from the chains of … an existence which is dominated by wishes, hopes, and primitive feelings.'4 Albert's anti-authoritarianism, and probably also his desire to escape compulsory military service at age 17, led him to renounce his German citizenship. On January 28, 1896 he became a stateless person at the age of 16. His application for Swiss citizenship was approved February 21, 1900. uth, which was thus lost, was a first attempt to free myself from the chains of … an existence which is dominated by wishes, hopes, and primitive feelings.'4 Albert's anti-authoritarianism, and probably also his desire to escape compulsory military service at age 17, led him to renounce his German citizenship. On January 28, 1896 he became a stateless person at the age of 16. His application for Swiss citizenship was approved February 21, 1900. "

Design vs Evolution

http://www.godandscience.org/evolution/index.html

okay, so the argument gets started.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v23/i1/einstein.asp

There are over 500,000 listings using these words: Albert Einstein Universe Creation. Reading A. Einstein's quotes, and developing a feel for the many things he said, I personally conclude that A. einstein may have well believed in G-d, however his renown as a scientist prohibited him from disclosing his true emunah (belief)!