Re: The cost of Jewish communal responsibility

[BlackMonk <BlackMonk...>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alex Jacobowitz" <alexbjacobowitz (at) yahoo(dot)com>
To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 2:57 AM
Subject: Re: The cost of Jewish communal responsibility


> B"H Munich
>
> > Let's see. What are those mitzvot being violated.
> > Stumbling block before the
> > blind, since this can drive away anyone uncertain
> > about whether or not they
> > should practice Judaism, embarassing others,  the
> > phrase "shanda for the
> > goyim" also comes to mind.
>
> Let´s be serious for a moment?
> G-d Himself demands a 10% donation (FIRST tithe)
> of one´s income to the Temple.

He also demands animal sacrifices at the temple. When there actually is a
temple, then we'll talk.

THAT, friends
> is a mitzva d'oraisa. Lesee, that means
> that if your local synagogue requests $300 (per
> person), you must have a yearly income of
> a whopping (ready?) $3000 (net!). On the other
> hand, if you have a yearly income of $30,000
> (excuse me?), the Big Guy demands (drum roll, please)
> THREE THOUSAND smackaroos. Gosh. No matter how
> you seem to slice it, shelling out 300 bucks
> for the shul is a great deal. And you get SEATS
> to boot! And a concert, even!
>

I suppose that might work for Reform, but no one else thinks their
synagogues are the temple in Jerusalem.

> And I guess the local sofer should donate
> tefillin to me, too, hm? I mean, if he doesn´t
> provide me with tefillin (AND for my chilren),
> then that might be a stumbling block to my JUDAISM.
> And he should throw a few mezuzas in, of course.
>

So you're saying Judaism really is just a con to seperate Jews from their
money?

> And tzitzis.
> And the local fruit vendor should donate a lulav
> and esrog to me. Hey, I mean it would be embarrassing
> to have to pay for it, right?
> And did I mention kosher food? Shouldn´t the butcher,
> well, just DONATE the food to me?
> And shouldn´t the Jewish funeral home just give
> me my coffin for free?
>
> No, friends. If we want a quality life, we have
> to pay for it. And if that means that Paul McCartney´s
> concert costs 80 bucks a ticket, I pay it. And
> if Yom Kippur tix cost 300 bucks, I´ll pay it.
> Because everything is in His hands, including
> my income for the coming year. And I´ll daven
> with special kavana. Won´t you too?
>

Again, not at a synagogue that engages in spiritual blackmail.

And someone who can pay 80 bucks for a concert ticket has no place in this
conversation. "If they have no bread, let them eat cake," right?

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