The entire city turned out for the funeral. No one had seen anything like it since the last Pope had died. It was massive. The dilemma within the Jewish community was what concerned the people of the Hague. How would they react? Baruch Spinoza was dead. But in February 1677 no knew what this really meant. Spinoza was born to a family that knew trouble. They left Spain to save themselves from being converted. They found themselves in Amsterdam, which was a safe haven for the Jewish community fleeing from forcible conversion in Spain that was seized by the inquisition.
Spinoza had a view of the world that rubbed the establishment the wrong way. He believed that “God was nature, a thought that definitely outgrows any traditional semblance of what God is.” But that is not the most important reason that Spinoza needs to be remembered at this place in 2009. Spinoza said, “Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice. – Baruch Spinoza
“Peace is not the absence of war…” Spinoza was not the first to come up with this idea. Ecclesiastes said that there was a time for everything; for war, for peace, for silence, and for speaking. If peace is not the absence of war, then what is it? We live in a time of peace, but there are situations around the world that impact each of us. Even in our middle class environment in North America we are impacted by these situations on the other side of the world. I am saddened each time I hear about a peacekeeper in Afghanistan that is hurt or killed by a hidden device.
We live in a world that is guided by ideals that are outside of what most of us can even imagine.
“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue;…” Virtue is a state of moral excellence. But what does that mean? In Hebrew, virtue is associated with an advantage, something of merit, ma’alah. So if peace is a virtue, a state of moral excellence, then what will it take to make sure that we reach this state of peace, of virtue. Each generation tries to bend areas of conflict to their moral high ground. They insist that people in conflict resolve their dispute and reconstruct their society in the image of a high moral plain, even if they have never entertained anything close to what is imagined. For those of us outside of the conflict area, we are not willing to learn where the conflict sides are coming from and try to build on their deep-rooted histories for a resolution of their conflict.
“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind;…” A state of mind is a temporary psychological state. If that is true, then what is peace? If peace is only temporary then what can we expect in the absence of war? Peace is “the freedom from quarrels and disagreement; harmonious relations”. Peace can be as simple as the freedom from quarrels between two friends. We ask ourselves, if this is only temporary, how are we expected to live from one period of disagreement to another without being torn down from our pedestal, our place of virtue, and sucked back into the mud, the trench of endless conflict. At the end of conflict there has to be a resolution that is fair and just for all sides. We must find the courage to love, to make our world a safer place.
“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence;…” a disposition for benevolence in a state for the victor. A state that allows the victor to act kindly towards those that are on the losing end of a war. It is as if the victor has to be kind to the loser and has to be charitable with everything that is done in the resolution of the conflict. But what if the disposition for benevolence is not there? Why should the victor in a conflict be charitable? The nature of charity is to give of oneself without the cost being too high. In the Middle Ages warriors were guided by the code of chivalry. This code went so far as to stop a battle during the 3rd Crusade when King Richard of England lost his horse and Saladin gave him the choice of any of his horses. This was done even without a decision in the conflict. In that situation there was no thought about how to act. I wish that were the case today.
“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence;…” Confidence is the belief in oneself and one’s powers or abilities. In peace time having a disposition of confidence is necessary to ensure that people can end conflicts to the betterment of all people. Having confidence allows all people to share in the comfort of a new and peaceful world. In post-war Germany of 1919, there was no confidence. The people were fearful of the armistice and the terms of the peace treaty they would have to sign. The post-war world was full of fear and dread that would lead to a tragic end years later for the world. Without confidence on the side of the victors and losers peace did not have a chance.
“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.” The etymology of justice comes from the old French world justise, dating from 1140 meaning, “the exercise of authority is vindication of right by assigning reward or punishment.” After a conflict, justice is in the hands of the victor and must be exercised in a fair way. If it is not, the victors will find themselves in situations of having to defend the rule of law in a harsh environment, an environment that will find each and every decision being challenged by many factions. Justice in Hebrew is Tzedek, a state to be worked for both in the world and in the individual. A Tzedek is a person who lives a righteous life, a life dedicated to acts of kindness to all. Justice is the ultimate rule of law.
“Peace is not the absence of war;…” At each service we recite the Sim Shalom, the prayer for peace, which comes at the end of the Amidah. This prayers asks God to:
Grant peace, goodness, blessing, grace, kindness, and compassion upon us and upon all of Your people Israel. Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your face, for with the light of Your face You gave to us, Adonai our God, the Torah of life and love of kindness, righteousness, blessing, compassion, life, and peace. And may it be good in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at every time and at every hour with Your peace. Blessed art You, Lord, Who blesses His people Israel with peace.
It is incumbent upon all people to pray for peace and to seek a life that leads to peace.
The Dalai Lama said it best, “Peace, in the sense of the absence of war, is of little value to someone who is dying of hunger or cold. It will not remove the pain of torture inflicted on a prisoner of conscience. It does not comfort those who have lost their loved ones in floods caused by senseless deforestation in a neighboring country. Peace can only last where human rights are respected, where the people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free.”
“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.”
3.29.2009
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will”.
On August 28th 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and proclaimed to the people of the United States and the World:
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. “
This speech was the culmination of a tremendous journey that brought this humble preacher from his quiet congregation in Montgomery, Alabama to the steps of power in Washington, D.C. Could Dr King, Jr. have imagined this journey before his congregant Rosa Parks stood up to the authorities on that famous bus ride home?
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will”- George Bernard Shaw.
Could Moses have imaged the journey he was to begin when he went up Mount Horeb to see the bush that was burning but not consumed by the fire?
Moses set his people free from the slavery of Egypt. He imagined his people free and from this dream he helped God to create freedom for the Jewish people.
Imagination is one’s path in life, each, very different. The steps you take and the obstacles you overcome help you to grow as an individual. When “ you imagine what you desire” striving to get an A on your next test for example, you push yourself and study to achieve your goal “you will what you imagine.” After hours upon hours of studying you take that test and receive that A as you imagined you would “and at last you create what you will.”
Each new idea comes from imagination; Vincent Van Gogh would never have been a painter had he not imagined himself with a paintbrush in hand. Rosa Parks would have never been a hero, if she was not, as Nikki Giovanni writes in her book Rosa, “tired of ‘coloured’ entrances, ‘coloured’ balconies, and ‘coloured’ taxis. She was tired of getting somewhere first and being waited on last. Tired of ‘separate’, and definitely tired of ‘not equal’. Steven Spielberg, himself a Jew, would not have been able to become the director he is today without his imagination and his will to create.
Imagine you heroes and your favourite artists, from music, to drama to visual arts-all are crucial elements to out influences and inspirations as young adults. Without the countless gifts of imaginative expression, presented by out heroes and favourite artists, would we be the same people who we are today, filled with dreams in search of insight?
Within your home community there is always a person you look up to confide in with trust. It could be a friend or family member or maybe someone of authority in your community. That person has their own ideals in life, coming from their ideas, which originate from their imagination. They dream and live up to what they desire, which is the fundamental message of George Bernard Shaw’s quotation.
In parashat Vayeitzei found in the book of Genesis, Jacob’s dream reflects an ancient belief in a cosmic bond between heaven and earth. In his dream he imagined himself embarking on a journey to the land of the people of Kedem. Its stated that in Jacob’s ladder dream the Eternal stood above the ladder, and said,
“ I, the Eternal, father of Abraham your father, and God of Isaac. I will give to you and your descendants the land upon which you are lying.
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth. You shall spread out to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south. All the families on earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.
I am with you. I will protect you wherever you go and bring you back to this soil. I will not turn aside from you until I have fully kept this promise to you.”
Even dreams can stimulate and perpetuate imagination, and push you to pursue something you have never quite thought of. With that said, Jacob followed his dream and led by his imagination he continued his journey to Kedem. He imagined himself doing something he desired then took the first steps in order to create his new beginning.
In life, one thing leads to another. In the beginning of time God imagined there would be one male and one female. If God imagined differently what would life be like today? Would you and I be here?
Approximately sixty years before Martin Luther King Jr., another man was fighting for the rights of his people. Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, stood before the world to proclaim the necessity of a Jewish homeland. Herzl coined the phrase “Im tirtzu ein zo agada” “If you will it, it is no fairytale,” which became the motto of the Zionist movement. Although at the time no one could have imagined it, Zionism led, only fifty years later, to the establishment of the independent State of Israel.
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will”. Moses, Dr King Jr., and Herzl all desired that their people would be able to pursue a life free from the taskmasters of their time. They understood that they had to create from their own imagination the freedom that they desired. It is the process of imagination, desire and the motivation to create, which spur people to do great things. George Bernard Shaw has shown us that our dreams and thoughts make us who we are. They truly serve as the deeply rooted foundation to our souls. In believing and self-actualizing them, we create what we will.
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. “
This speech was the culmination of a tremendous journey that brought this humble preacher from his quiet congregation in Montgomery, Alabama to the steps of power in Washington, D.C. Could Dr King, Jr. have imagined this journey before his congregant Rosa Parks stood up to the authorities on that famous bus ride home?
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will”- George Bernard Shaw.
Could Moses have imaged the journey he was to begin when he went up Mount Horeb to see the bush that was burning but not consumed by the fire?
Moses set his people free from the slavery of Egypt. He imagined his people free and from this dream he helped God to create freedom for the Jewish people.
Imagination is one’s path in life, each, very different. The steps you take and the obstacles you overcome help you to grow as an individual. When “ you imagine what you desire” striving to get an A on your next test for example, you push yourself and study to achieve your goal “you will what you imagine.” After hours upon hours of studying you take that test and receive that A as you imagined you would “and at last you create what you will.”
Each new idea comes from imagination; Vincent Van Gogh would never have been a painter had he not imagined himself with a paintbrush in hand. Rosa Parks would have never been a hero, if she was not, as Nikki Giovanni writes in her book Rosa, “tired of ‘coloured’ entrances, ‘coloured’ balconies, and ‘coloured’ taxis. She was tired of getting somewhere first and being waited on last. Tired of ‘separate’, and definitely tired of ‘not equal’. Steven Spielberg, himself a Jew, would not have been able to become the director he is today without his imagination and his will to create.
Imagine you heroes and your favourite artists, from music, to drama to visual arts-all are crucial elements to out influences and inspirations as young adults. Without the countless gifts of imaginative expression, presented by out heroes and favourite artists, would we be the same people who we are today, filled with dreams in search of insight?
Within your home community there is always a person you look up to confide in with trust. It could be a friend or family member or maybe someone of authority in your community. That person has their own ideals in life, coming from their ideas, which originate from their imagination. They dream and live up to what they desire, which is the fundamental message of George Bernard Shaw’s quotation.
In parashat Vayeitzei found in the book of Genesis, Jacob’s dream reflects an ancient belief in a cosmic bond between heaven and earth. In his dream he imagined himself embarking on a journey to the land of the people of Kedem. Its stated that in Jacob’s ladder dream the Eternal stood above the ladder, and said,
“ I, the Eternal, father of Abraham your father, and God of Isaac. I will give to you and your descendants the land upon which you are lying.
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth. You shall spread out to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south. All the families on earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.
I am with you. I will protect you wherever you go and bring you back to this soil. I will not turn aside from you until I have fully kept this promise to you.”
Even dreams can stimulate and perpetuate imagination, and push you to pursue something you have never quite thought of. With that said, Jacob followed his dream and led by his imagination he continued his journey to Kedem. He imagined himself doing something he desired then took the first steps in order to create his new beginning.
In life, one thing leads to another. In the beginning of time God imagined there would be one male and one female. If God imagined differently what would life be like today? Would you and I be here?
Approximately sixty years before Martin Luther King Jr., another man was fighting for the rights of his people. Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, stood before the world to proclaim the necessity of a Jewish homeland. Herzl coined the phrase “Im tirtzu ein zo agada” “If you will it, it is no fairytale,” which became the motto of the Zionist movement. Although at the time no one could have imagined it, Zionism led, only fifty years later, to the establishment of the independent State of Israel.
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will”. Moses, Dr King Jr., and Herzl all desired that their people would be able to pursue a life free from the taskmasters of their time. They understood that they had to create from their own imagination the freedom that they desired. It is the process of imagination, desire and the motivation to create, which spur people to do great things. George Bernard Shaw has shown us that our dreams and thoughts make us who we are. They truly serve as the deeply rooted foundation to our souls. In believing and self-actualizing them, we create what we will.
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