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does the Tanakh explicitly talk about drugs?

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Zenith:
ABOUT REPENTANCE


--- Quote ---Teshuvah and Repentance

"Repentance" in Hebrew is not teshuvah but charatah. Not only are these two terms not synonymous. They are opposites.

Charatah implies remorse or a feeling of guilt about the past and an intention to behave in a completely new way in the future. The person decides to become "a new man." But teshuvah means "returning" to the old, to one's original nature.

Underlying the concept of teshuvah is the fact that the Jew is, in essence, good. Desires or temptations may deflect him temporarily from being himself, being true to his essence.
--- End quote ---

1. You either imply that all men are, in essence, good, or you imply racism (a good race and a bad race).

Also
--- Quote ---The Jewish soul has a bond with G-d. But it also inhabits a body, whose preoccupation with the material world may attenuate that bond.
--- End quote ---
I'd call you a nazi, but because the nazi were also enemies of the jewish people, I cannot.

2. If all men are, in essence, good, then it means that "charatah" was always meaningless, because all are, in essence, good. So that means that you actually believe in the "pure race". And saying such things also means you are conceited. But:
a. G-d hates conceited men. Amos 6.8.
b. G-d hates the man who gives credit to himself for what he is (a king, a powerful man, a jew, jewish, etc.) or what he has accomplished. Amos 6.13 (well, this means that he is conceited).
c. You seem to believe that because you 'are' good in essence, G-d is more willing to care for you and answer your prayers, but, besides of being conceited by this, you do in contradiction to what the prophet Daniel did: he said "because not for our righteousness do we cast our supplications before You, but for Your great mercies" (Daniel 9.18) and Daniel, along with other Jews, was a righteous man.

So this brings the question: don't you fear G-d to say that you are superior in nature?

3. Some things I don't see that sound right with people being, in essence, good:

Well, we know that Adam and Eve were in essence good, because G-d said that what He has done was good. And that meant that Adam and Eve could have not sinned against G-d, as long as they did not want to. Also the angels: I guess we all agree that they, unlike us, don't need atonement for their sins, because they do not commit them. But it seems that now we do unintentional evil, which the good angels don't. We are susceptible to evil things - evil things are more a temptation than the good things: to do good things you must struggle, while to do evil things is easy, and they even come themselves without us noticing! So, if we are in essence, good, than how can we be, in essence, also evil (sinners)? And the fact that we cannot stop doing evil/sin, no matter how much we struggle, proves that we are, in essence, sinners (not good).

Also, the fact that the Jews are in essence good, contradicts the Tanakh:

--- Quote from: Isaiah 48.8 --- for I knew that you would deal treacherously, and you were called transgressor from the womb
--- End quote ---
The Jewish people and Jews of that time were, in essence, transgressors. How could the events turn in such a way that all Jews would become, in essence, good?


--- Quote ---Charatah implies remorse or a feeling of guilt about the past and an intention to behave in a completely new way in the future. The person decides to become "a new man." But teshuvah means "returning" to the old, to one's original nature.
--- End quote ---
This difference sounds very odd. Though, in a sense, becoming a new being is the same as a strong decision to be in a completely new way in the future, than wicked as you are in present, you cannot call it oposite to But teshuvah means "returning" to the old, to one's original nature because your nature, not matter what you do, remains your nature: one cannot change/transform himself from John(original person) to Alexander (a different person), and one cannot transform from a man to an angel.

This missunderstanding is also visible, when you said:

--- Quote ---And the wicked, however distant they are from G-d, can always return, for teshuvah does not involve creating anything new, only rediscovering the good that was always within them.
--- End quote ---

1. Every man has good in him. Though many don't struggle to focus on it and don't make it grow. Though many make the evil grow in them.

2. A man for whom no one cared, most surely will never be able to care for someone else, if no one cares for him first. That's because we learn to be good, and we need to see good to know what it is and how that is, to be able to perform it. So this is a kind of good from outside, not from within.

3. Due to the fact what you said is odd, I'll have to guess what the author actually believed by that, and comment that: Of course every wicked man that decides to change actually uses his own potential of doing good to do good. I can't see how it would possible be otherwise!

So becoming a new man cannot be put against "returning" to the old, to one's original nature, because, in the good sense, it is odd. But in the bad sense, our nature is, evil, selfish, etc.: You can see it even from the little children who's selfishness is evident (they believe that all is for them, you can hardly convince a little child to give something he has to another little child to play with, etc.). Anyway, satanists claim the same: a man must "return" to his original nature, only that they add that he must reject religion and other theories that tell him how to behave and puts restrictions on him.

Anyway, becoming a "new man" is a requirement for Jews & Jewish people in the Tanakh:

--- Quote from: Ezekiel 18.31 ---Cast away from yourselves all your transgressions whereby you have transgressed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit, and why should you die, O house of Israel!
--- End quote ---


--- Quote from: Ezekiel 46.26 ---And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
--- End quote ---

These verses says clearly about becoming a new man, for Jews/Jewish people.

muman613:
Are you a missionary? What is it you are trying to do here? I have explained several very intricate Jewish concepts and you still do not seem to understand.

A Jew has a special soul, it is the soul breathed into him by G-d. But because the world was degraded by the sin of the Tree of Knowledege, the ability of man to discern good and evil has been diminished. And because Hashem created free-will for the purpose of being able to reward the good done by mankind and punish the evil done by him, we are always faced with the choice of doing Hashems will, or violating it.

But Hashem, in his divine goodness, created a way for a Jew to return to the original state of the soul, that of wanting to do HIS will from the point of love, not fear.

But please explain to me what you are trying to learn here. If you have a specific question please just ask it.

muman613:
http://www.torahweb.org/torah/2006/moadim/rtwe_teshuva.html

Teshuva: In Your Mouth and In Your Heart

    “ki hamitzvah hazos asher Anochi metzavcha hayom lo niflais he mimcha vlo rechoka hi…ki karov eilecha hadavar meod bificha vblevavecha laasoso – for the commandment that I command you today is not hidden from you and it is not distant…Rather the matter is very near to you – in your mouth and your hear – to perform it.” (Devarim 30:11,14 Artscroll Stone Edition translation)

According to the Ramban, the mitzvah depicted in these verses is the mitzvah of teshuva (repentance). The Torah emphasizes our capacity and ability to repent. It is “in your mouth and your heart” to repent.

Let us focus on the Torah’s choice of words – “in your mouth and your heart.” Clearly, the Torah is conveying that teshuva is very doable, but that has already been conveyed by the first half of the verse, “[it] is very near to you”. What is added by the phrase “in your mouth and your heart”?[1]

This terse, rich phrase anticipates the myriad excuses that we offer for our failures to do teshuva. Our first line of defense is that we do not need to do teshuva. We are not at fault. After all, we are only human. And to be human is to sin. Alternatively, we silence our consciences by reasoning that our sins are not our fault. Our sins are due to our upbringing, society, genetics, etc. In a word, we do not assume responsibility for our sins. The Torah utterly rejects such moral escapism. “Free will is bestowed on every human being…the human species had become unique in the world…there is none who can prevent him from doing that which is good or that which is evil” (Rambam Hilchos Teshuva 5:1). Being human is not a source of extenuation, but rather moral responsibility. “Thus Yirmiyahu [Jeremiah] said ‘out of the mouth of the Most High not evil and good’; that is to say, the Creator does not decree either that a man shall be good or that he shall be wicked” (ibid, halacha 2).

The primordial ploy of shifting the blame – “The woman whom you gave to be with me – she gave me of the tree, and I ate” “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Breishis 3:12,13 Artscroll translation) – was rejected by Hakadosh Baruch Hu in time immemorial. The modern equivalents – my upbringing is responsible, society is to blame, there is no overcoming genetic tendencies – will share the same fate.

Thus the Torah exhorts us that teshuva is “in your mouth…to perform.” The teshuva process begins “in your mouth”, by confessing and thereby accepting responsibility for our sins.

When our first line of defense for not doing teshuva fails, we seek other justifications for out inaction. One common excuse appeals to age. “I am too old; my habits are too deeply entrenched. After all, you can not teach an old dog new tricks.” What is the Torah’s response to this hackneyed excuse? “For You do not wish the death of one deserving death, but that he repent from his way and live. Until the day of his death You wait for him; if he repents You will accept him immediately.” [Mussaf, Yomim Noraim, Artscroll translation]

At times, we attribute our failures to repent to the magnitude of our sins. “I have sinned too egregiously; I am too mired in sin. How can you expect me to do teshuva?” The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 2:1) paraphrases the Torah’s response, “Even if he transgressed throughout his life but repented on the day of his death and died as a penitent all his sins are forgiven.” Even a lifelong sinner can, and therefore must, repent.

And, finally, another favorite excuse id “if only someone would help me. If only my Rebbeim z”l were still alive…” The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 17a) debunks this excuse by depicting the teshuva of Rabbe Elazar ben Durdia. Rabbe Elazar had led a life of wanton promiscuity; he had consorted with every harlot in the world. Finally impelled to seek forgiveness he petitioned the mountains and hills to implore on his behalf. They declined, citing their need to pray on their own behalf. Next he addressed himself to heaven and earth, seeking their intervention on his behalf. Their response was identical to that of the mountains and hills. Then Rabbe Elazar appealed to the sun and moon with the same negative results. Finally, he said, “It [i.e. attaining forgiveness] in entirely dependent upon me. He rested his head between his knees and burst out crying until his soul departed. A heavenly voice emerged and proclaimed, ‘Rabbe Elazar ben Durdia is prepared and deserving of the world to come’”. The “if only” excuse is just that, a shallow, hollow excuse. Ain hadavar taloi ela banu; repentance depends entirely upon us.

The Torah rejects our second line of defense – “I am only human”, “I am too old”, “if only…” Teshuva “is in your heart to perform”. If only we inwardly resolve and strive, we can, with Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s help, repent, v’chain yehi ratzon.

Zenith:

--- Quote from: muman613 ---Are you a missionary?
--- End quote ---
No. What, Jews don't believe in the 'inheritance' of sin?


--- Quote ---I have explained several very intricate Jewish concepts and you still do not seem to understand.
--- End quote ---
And you blame me for that??


--- Quote ---What is it you are trying to do here?
--- End quote ---

--- Quote ---But please explain to me what you are trying to learn here. If you have a specific question please just ask it.
--- End quote ---

It seems to me that you expect me to be like you and to think the same thoughts you think in your head. Perhaps I must repeat myself and say that I am not a Jew and neither lived in Jewish traditions, in an environment of Judaism, etc. to already believe what you believe. If you don't have patience, no one forces you to answer to the forum. As about my critical eye, this is how I actually am, don't take it as an offense to you. I cannot be satisfied with an answer if it seems to me that it contradicts something, or if the answer is too vague (so that it doesn't explain all needed), etc.

And if my understanding of the subject is different that what you say, God did not command me to call myself "the stupid" and call you "the wise", so that I would step on my own logic for anything you say, and to accept what you say as "the absolute truth", without question. The fact that you cannot accept the idea of me being right and you being wrong, and your attitude caused by your utmost desire to be smart and right all the time while myself to be the stupid and wrong all the time, is not my problem. If you don't have strong arguments to prove your view or you can't explain properly, that is not my problem either.

Zenith:
Now, regarding our discussion:

--- Quote ---A Jew has a special soul, it is the soul breathed into him by G-d. But because the world was degraded by the sin of the Tree of Knowledege, the ability of man to discern good and evil has been diminished.
--- End quote ---

OK, first, I don't understand your claim of superiority: In Genesis it is written that G-d breathed His breath into a man, not into a Jew. There is no place in the Bible to support your claim of soul racism. G-d breathed into man His breath, not into a Jew, and people have degraded by sin, and man (not Jews) have gotten diminished their discerning of good and evil. And, by the way, in Genesis I find that the Tree of Knowledge has actually given the man the ability to discern good and evil, not diminished it (Gen 3.22).


--- Quote --- for the commandment that I command you today is not hidden from you and it is not distant…Rather the matter is very near to you – in your mouth and your hear – to perform it.” (Devarim 30:11,14 Artscroll Stone Edition translation).

According to the Ramban, the mitzvah depicted in these verses is the mitzvah of teshuva (repentance)
--- End quote ---
Wrong.

It seems that Ramban forcebly combined Deut 30.11-14 with the second half of the Deut 30.10 ("...when you return to the Lord, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul"). Otherwise I can't explain how he got the repentance there.

I'll explain: Follow the context of the verses. We'll start with Deut 29:
1. The topic of the covenant goes from Deut 29.1-14.
2. The falling of Israel by turning from G-d and not keeping the covenant any longer is the topic of Deut 29.15-28. A representative verse for this section is v. 24: "It is because they abandoned the covenant of the Lord, G-d of their fathers, [the covenant] which He made with them when He took them out of the land of Egypt."
3. The repentance of Israel and re-acceptance of its repentance by G-d is the topic of Deut 30.1-10. It is a repentance as that of the Jews that returned from captivity, that before served other gods and now repented and decided to keep the covenant.
4. Since NOW the GREAT commandment begins, beginning with its description, which is written in the verses 11-15. And the ONE commandment sounds as such:


--- Quote from: Deut 30.16 ---I command you this day to love the Lord, your G-d, to walk in His ways, and to observe His commandments, His statutes, and His ordinances, so that you will live and increase, and the Lord, your G-d, will bless you in the land to which you are coming to take possession of it.
--- End quote ---

The one, great commandment given is plainly stated in verse 16.

5. A brief review of points 1-4 goes in verses 17-20.

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