Tuesday, February 28, 2012

How to stop School Shootings

With the horrible Ohio School Shooting yesterday it is advisable to look into some of the causes behind such heartless and senseless violence. How does a young seventeen year old boy lose all hope in life, get so depressed and dejected as to have no other hope in life but to go on a bloody shooting rampage to make himself feel that he somehow has a place and a meaning (however sick) in this world? Obviously the reason behind such an occurrence are numerous and complicated but let us consider what this boy was taught in his school. Was he taught that there is an Ever-present, All encompassing God who loves him and wants him to succeed? Or was he taught that he was created from a meaningless blob of matter, he came from meaninglessness and he will eventually be absorbed into utter meaninglessness yet again. It is time that all children learn that there is an "Ear that hears, an Eye that sees and that all deeds are recorded in a book". This is the only way that a society can function and have a hope to never witness such events as we have to live through time after time after time.

By Divine Providence today's Rambam is the commandment for all People to follow the 7 Noahide Laws.

Six precepts were commanded to Adam:
a) the prohibition against worship of false gods;
b) the prohibition against cursing God;
c) the prohibition against murder;
d) the prohibition against incest and adultery;
e) the prohibition against theft;
f) the command to establish laws and courts of justice.
Even though we have received all of these commands from Moses and, furthermore, they are concepts which intellect itself tends to accept, it appears from the Torah's words that Adam was commanded concerning them.
The prohibition against eating flesh from a living animal was added for Noah, as Genesis 9:4 states: 'Nevertheless, you may not eat flesh with its life, which is its blood.' Thus there are seven mitzvot.
These matters remained the same throughout the world until Abraham. When Abraham arose, in addition to these, he was commanded regarding circumcision. He also ordained the morning prayers.
Isaac separated tithes and ordained an additional prayer service before sunset. Jacob added the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve. He also ordained the evening prayers. In Egypt, Amram was commanded regarding other mitzvot. Ultimately, Moses came and the Torah was completed by him.

and a Rebbe story;

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