Transcript [00:02] life audio. [00:04] >> On today's episode of Timeless Wisdom, [00:09] >> when I taught Genesis 1, I showed the [00:13] the the absolute centrality of the [00:17] teaching that God is not in nature. God [00:20] is above nature and controls nature. [00:23] that that is the purpose of Genesis 1, [00:27] arguably the most important chapter in [00:29] the Torah. But now that's the most [00:31] important universal chapter. This is the [00:33] most important, as it were, chapters [00:36] specific to the Jews. There are two [00:39] things in the Torah, the universal and [00:40] the particular. The universal is God [00:43] creates the world. In particular, as God [00:44] takes the Jews out of Egypt. [00:47] But the but the purpose of the [00:49] particular was to teach a universal [00:50] lesson. Again, the greatest theme of the [00:53] Torah is which will you human beings [00:58] worship, God or nature? [01:02] All paganism can be summarized, all [01:05] polytheism can be summarized as the [01:08] worship of nature. [01:12] That is the reason not because they had [01:15] 55 or 100 or 10,000 gods that it's a [01:19] problem. [01:20] That's a that's a little problem, the [01:22] number issue. The bigger problem by far [01:26] is the adulation [01:29] of of nature. [01:34] It is happening in our alone time. And [01:36] that's why I said it should shake you up [01:39] because you would think it'll shake you [01:41] up for one of two reasons. One, because [01:44] you would have thought the battle was [01:45] long ago won. or two because a little [01:48] part of you worships nature. [01:52] And the truth is it would not be [01:54] surprising if you are in any way [01:56] representative of modern [01:59] uh educated Americans [02:02] who are not uh particularly involved in [02:07] in conscious organized monotheistic is [02:11] especially if you're of my generation or [02:13] younger [02:14] that you do have elements of nature [02:18] worship left. That's coming up on [02:20] Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. [02:23] >> As prices keep rising, social security [02:25] is even more important to older [02:27] Americans. [02:28] >> I counted it to pay for groceries and [02:30] prescriptions. Everything costs more [02:32] now. [02:32] >> AARP is fighting to protect the Social [02:35] Security Americans earn through a [02:37] lifetime of hard work. [02:39] >> I've paid into Social Security since I [02:41] was a teenager. It isn't a handout. I [02:44] earned it. [02:45] >> Join us to stand up for Social Security. [02:48] Visit aarp.org/social [02:50] securitycurity voter. Paid for by AARP. [02:54] >> Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis [02:57] Prager. Here thousands of hours of [02:59] Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic [03:01] radio programs. And to purchase Dennis [03:03] Prager's rational Bibles, go to [03:05] dennisprager.com. [03:09] >> Okay. Uh where was I? Yes, a very last [03:13] night at this uh the Darthothy Chandel [03:14] pavilion in the in the midst of this [03:17] during the intermission of this really [03:19] once in a-lifetime type concert the um [03:23] there were many speakers including Rabbi [03:24] Hy the head of the Whisinfall center and [03:28] uh Rabbi Hire is an Orthodox Jew and he [03:31] noted uh in speaking about the [03:34] assassination of Yakma [03:36] uh that the considered one of the [03:40] greatest two three greatest Orthodox [03:42] Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, [03:44] Rabbi Salvich [03:47] had said, and again I must recall this [03:50] is an Orthodox rabbi [03:53] said uh that the twin pillars or or [03:55] whatever the phrase was of of of Judaism [03:58] was is the holiness of the land and the [04:00] holiness of the Jewish people. And he [04:02] said and if they ever come in conflict, [04:04] there is no question that the holiness [04:07] of the people is much greater than the [04:09] holiness of the land. [04:11] And uh and he used a good term. He said [04:14] uh the soil of Israel is more important [04:16] than the soil of Israel. [04:19] And uh that is a an Orthodox rabbi [04:22] speaking for for those of us who are not [04:24] Orthodox to say that is easier as it [04:27] were. And uh so that uh the answer is [04:32] yes. There this is the rift. Uh but uh [04:37] did God give the uh did God give the [04:40] land to Israel or did the Israeli army [04:43] the Israeli defense forces [04:46] like that's a legitimate question and [04:48] when God gave the land uh it was not [04:51] intended that it have a million [04:53] inhabitants who shared uh a different [04:56] religion [04:58] than uh than the Jews did. So I've never [05:01] utilized that. And I and I find in any [05:03] event, I spoke about this with you last [05:05] week, the uh the use of the notion of [05:09] God speaking, God doing, God this is [05:11] very complex in in our age. Uh and to [05:15] utterize God, I mean [05:18] re raises a number of difficult issues. [05:22] Did God really win the six day war? [05:26] Where then? [05:28] Where was God in the Holocaust? See, I [05:31] don't have a problem with God and the [05:33] Holocaust. I don't I have emotional, but [05:35] I don't have a theological problem [05:37] because I believe that God allows people [05:39] to do good and evil. And if people wish [05:41] to go gas chambers, God allows that. So, [05:45] I have never had that theological [05:47] problem. But I don't like loading all [05:51] the dice in God's favor. When it's good [05:54] for the Jews, God is operative. When [05:56] it's bad for the Jews, God is absent. [06:00] humans killed uh killed Jews and humans [06:03] won the six- day war. [06:05] You can't likewise atheists do the [06:08] opposite. Atheists say, "Ah, you see all [06:11] the evil, it shows God doesn't exist?" [06:14] To which the question is, okay, if evil [06:16] argues against God, then doesn't [06:18] goodness argue for God? Doesn't the [06:21] birth of a child, you know, the the [06:23] union of of sperm and egg does not argue [06:25] for God? Which is why I believe what [06:28] people do with God and so much else in [06:30] life is they simply offer evidence to [06:32] support their previously held opinion. [06:37] You see uh I never really mind [06:41] disagreeing with people. The only thing [06:43] that gets me angry in case you heard my [06:46] show today was my bianual blast. I uh [06:50] about every six months I yell at [06:52] somebody. Today was one of those uh [06:55] times. And what inner was not that he [06:57] disagreed. I that's a half my callers [07:00] disagree with me. It was the absence of [07:02] of logic and the and the uh the offering [07:06] of evidence only in support of one idea. [07:09] And that is just that's dishonest. [07:13] I have opinions. You have opinions. And [07:15] and that's okay. If someone wants to say [07:18] we shouldn't give back the land because [07:21] of X Y and Z, that's fine with me. Uh [07:24] that's a respectable opinion. Okay. It [07:27] endangers Israel. Uh the Arabs are not [07:30] not democratic regimes. Uh it's holy. [07:34] Even that is okay. I I can I can respect [07:36] that opinion though. I'm on the other [07:37] side. I do not respect though this [07:40] loading of the dice on the issue of God [07:43] in the direction of your prejudice. I [07:46] don't believe in God. So I therefore [07:47] will tell you all the evil in the world. [07:49] But the good doesn't argue for God. If [07:51] you put a a god in court, the atheist [07:54] only allows the prosecution to speak. [07:57] Likewise, on the other side, oh, God [08:00] gave us the land. Well, I then God gave [08:04] us the Holocaust. You can't have it one [08:05] way. If God gave the land in the Six-Day [08:08] War, God gave Ashvitz during World War [08:10] II. Okay? I don't I don't understand the [08:14] argument that he only operates when we [08:17] like the results. [08:19] Okay? So, does that answer your [08:22] question? [08:24] Oh, this is one of many because after [08:26] all in Genesis is where it begins God [08:28] saying this. This is a simply a [08:30] restatement of God's pledge to Abraham, [08:32] Isaac, Jacob. Yes. [08:42] >> So, what does God want to bring to we [08:45] ought to have slaughtered everything the [08:47] areas that we occupy JBS? Yeah. Well, as [08:50] it happens, sir, did everybody give his [08:52] question? It as it happens, Mayor Kahana [08:55] was not would not have been terribly uh [08:58] opposed to what you the reading you just [09:00] offered uh when he was asked by the [09:01] Baltimore uh Jewish Times in 1985. [09:06] Uh [09:07] they they said, "Well, you want to quote [09:09] unquote transfer and expel all the Arabs [09:12] from the West Bank?" And then they asked [09:14] him, "Well, what if they don't go?" to [09:17] which he responded, "We'll shoot him." [09:22] So, and I'm sure he felt he had biblical [09:24] authorization to do so. [09:27] It's very complex uh all these issues. [09:30] It's it's distressing. See, it's [09:33] distressing, my friends, is uh when the [09:36] thing you love most is used for [09:38] ugliness. [09:40] And I love Judaism very deeply. And when [09:43] I see it used for ugliness, it's a very [09:46] painful process. As I have no doubt that [09:49] uh not only no doubt, I know for a fact [09:52] a very good Muslim friend of mine is [09:54] actually uh depressed. I he's enter I [09:58] don't know if he's clinically depressed. [10:00] Uh if he were, he could take Prozac and [10:03] it would help. Uh unfortunately, his [10:05] depression is deeper than clinical. It [10:08] it it's it's worthwhile. Uh it it it's [10:11] it's a a rational reaction to what he [10:15] sees happening to Islam with groups like [10:17] Islamic Jihad and and uh and Hezbollah [10:21] and Kamas and you know he knows this is [10:24] a religion of beauty and peace and [10:26] tolerance and and and look at what he [10:29] sees going on in the name of Islam in [10:31] the world that as results from what he [10:33] loves. uh that it happens whatever [10:37] whatever you believe in it's happened to [10:39] your ideal. Do you believe in humanity? [10:42] Look at what the communists did in the [10:43] name of humanity and progress and [10:45] socialism. [10:47] There is no ideal on earth, no beautiful [10:51] thought that some group forget [10:53] individuals [10:55] has not made terribly ugly. [10:58] And all you can do then is try to do the [11:01] right thing with that ideal rather than [11:04] abandon it. Unless you believe that the [11:07] ideal is corrupt in and of itself and [11:09] must lead to the evil done in its name, [11:13] which is a challenge every one of us has [11:15] to ask a religious Jew. I've had to ask [11:18] myself, are there anything is there [11:20] anything in Judaism that could in fact [11:23] lead to to doing evil? And the answer is [11:26] yes, there are. [11:28] But I don't abandon it any more than I [11:30] abandon America because their uh the [11:33] Dread Scott decision ruled that the [11:35] blacks weren't fully human. [11:38] What you do is correct unless you [11:40] believe it's born in original sin. The [11:43] fascist idea is born into original sin. [11:46] Certain aspects of of of other ideas are [11:49] and some ideas are likely to cause uh [11:53] evil like the belief for example in the [11:55] value of blood. [11:58] That is not that is an idea that has so [12:01] little good that comes out of it. The [12:02] the the amount of evil that comes out of [12:05] the belief in the importance of blood [12:08] is so much greater than any good that [12:10] comes out of it. The ownership of [12:12] children on the micro and the uh [12:15] destruction of other races in the macro. [12:19] How do how are the Serbians doing what [12:20] they're doing now except for a belief [12:22] that your blood is different? And yet [12:24] there were Jews who believe that [12:26] non-Jewish blood is different from [12:27] Jewish blood. And they are not uh [12:30] insignificantly small. [12:33] So it's uh [12:36] a friend of mine, Rabbi Irving [12:38] Greenberg, has a great motto whenever he [12:40] stands up before a Jewish group. He says [12:43] uh I don't care what denomination you're [12:45] a member of as long as you're ashamed of [12:48] it. [12:52] It's a terrific, terrific statement. And [12:55] what he's saying is whatever group we're [12:57] in, we have we have to be humble about [13:01] it, knowing that it has had a lot of [13:04] corruption. There is no group without [13:06] it. It's a romantic Jewish notion. Jews [13:09] don't kill Jews. Yeah. By and large [13:12] since 1945 [13:14] the remain the remaining groups of from [13:17] the Holocaust survivors haven't shot [13:19] each other. Uh but in Jewish history [13:22] this was not true. [13:24] Uh in fact uh there is in the Jerusalem [13:27] report there is an interesting [13:29] suggestion that the rabbis declare the [13:32] day that Rabin was assassin [13:42] wanted to know asked me uh what uh what [13:45] references do I use for example right uh [13:48] to for biblical study uh let me give you [13:52] uh [13:54] a reform, a conservative and an orthodox [13:58] uh and uh a a fourth that is a um [14:03] compilation of ideas. The refer is uh [14:07] Rabbi Dunther Plout's commentary on the [14:10] Torah and it is these are available at [14:13] at Jewish bookstores. [14:15] Uh generally speaking, [14:20] uh a a real loss to real loss to Los [14:23] Angeles jewelry took place when Jack [14:25] Walt's bookstore closed. This it was a [14:28] blow. Uh it we it was the best Jewish [14:32] bookstore [14:34] perhaps in the world and I think [14:36] certainly in the United States. [14:38] Uh it's very sad. Uh [14:41] there are other uh good ones now but [14:44] this was exceptional. At any rate, [14:46] that's one uh plout pl a u t gther plout [14:51] uh the Torah and that's title. [14:55] The uh the conservative, though it's not [14:57] officially called the conservative, but [14:59] it is de facto is the Jewish Publication [15:02] Society commentary on the Torah. It's [15:04] also by far the most expensive, [15:08] but to be honest, it's the one I use the [15:10] most. [15:12] uh and uh partially because it just is [15:15] more of it has more it's five volumes [15:19] versus one. Uh you couldn't put them in [15:22] one volume. It's they're too large. Uh [15:24] the um the one I'm using for Exodus is [15:27] uh is the thinnest and it's SA s a ruman [15:32] who also did Genesis. It's published by [15:34] the Jewish Publication Society of [15:36] America located in Philadelphia. The [15:38] Orthodox is the old mainstay by Rabbi [15:41] Dr. Herz, Hert TZ, published by the [15:44] Sansino, SN C I NL Press. [15:48] Uh, [15:50] thousands and thousands have been stolen [15:51] from Orthodox Shunes in the course of [15:54] uh, [15:56] you should go and buy one. [15:59] He actually has withtood the test of [16:01] time. His is by far the oldest and I and [16:04] I and I I use all three with great [16:08] uh with great gratitude to these uh to [16:10] these men. Uh I I just mentioned the the [16:13] Jewish publication Society because it [16:14] just has the most commentary. Finally uh [16:17] is uh Nama Liowitz L E I B O W TZ her [16:24] studies in the books of they're and [16:27] they're they're not easily found. Does [16:30] anybody know where you could get them? [16:33] House of David would have it, [16:36] right? There you go. House of David in [16:39] both the valley and in LA [16:42] and the Mitzvah store would have it. [16:43] That's right. Exactly. On Pico, [16:46] right near my cleaners. So, we may bump [16:49] into each other while you're picking up [16:50] Liowitz. Uh she is a an an immense [16:53] scholar. Uh and it is very down to her. [16:58] Okay, let me go on now. Chapter 7. [17:01] Ladies and gentlemen, [17:02] >> this episode of Timeless Wisdom will [17:04] continue right after this. [17:10] Who answers America's call for more [17:12] energy? Our people do. Chevron's US [17:16] energy production has increased by [17:18] nearly 60% in the past 3 years. [17:20] >> Hi, my name is Aaron and I'm a Wellsite [17:23] representative at Chevron. I'm proud of [17:25] the work that I do every day. It gets [17:27] more American oil out of the ground and [17:28] it brings America more energy security. [17:31] >> Learn more about what our people do at [17:33] chevron.com/amea. [17:41] Now back to more of Dennis Prager's [17:44] timeless wisdom. The 10 plagues are [17:49] truly fascinating. They're obviously in [17:52] intrinsically interesting, [17:55] but you don't realize how important they [17:58] are. Generally speaking, one realizes [18:01] how interesting blood, raw, lights, [18:05] boil, vermin. I mean, this is this is [18:08] terrific. Uh, but you know, the uh you [18:12] don't realize what is going on till it's [18:15] explained. [18:17] what God is doing, what the Torah is [18:19] explaining is is infinitely greater than [18:23] the plagues. The plagues represent [18:26] things. And that's what I will uh be [18:29] trying to explain to you first. Well, [18:32] first I'll go up to 11 and then I'll [18:35] tell you uh what it is about. [18:38] Chapter 7 verse one, God replied to [18:40] Moses. This is after again Moses uh is [18:44] objecting to having to go to to Pharaoh [18:46] and deal with all of this. [18:49] See, I place you in the realm of God to [18:52] Pharaoh. It meaning that you will give [18:55] commands to Pharaoh. That is what it [18:57] means. Not that you will be his god, but [18:59] I just want you to understand what the [19:01] the meaning is with your brother Aaron [19:02] as your prophet. Now, this is a very [19:05] important thing. It's terrible that the [19:08] word prophet is the word used or the [19:11] word nave. [19:14] Uh you you now know you've all heard of [19:17] the Jewish prophets or the Hebrew [19:18] prophets, right? Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc. [19:23] And uh it's very unfortunate that the [19:26] word prophet is the word chosen to [19:29] explain the Hebrew for what they are. [19:32] Now, here is a perfect be perfect [19:34] example to show you that it can't mean [19:37] prophet as you normally understand. It [19:40] doesn't isn't prophet in your [19:41] understanding. One who tells the future [19:43] that is not what Na'vi is. It almost has [19:46] nothing to do with it. In fact, it says [19:49] here Aaron your brother will be your [19:52] prophet. Now, does that make sense to [19:55] you? First of all, does Moses need a [19:56] prophet? Secondly, does Moses need a a a [20:00] fortune teller? a future a a soothsseer [20:04] soothsayer. [20:06] No, obviously not. So, it can't mean [20:08] that. Na'vi means spokesman. [20:12] That is all it means. And it is said [20:17] that we refer to the Hebrew prophets. [20:20] Hebrew spokesman would have been [20:23] accurate and give you a much better idea [20:26] what they were doing. They came as [20:28] spokesmen for God. Aaron is spokesman [20:32] for Moses. He is Moses Na'vi. [20:36] Okay, you with me? That's what is [20:38] involved here. And just so that you know [20:39] from now on, prophets don't tell the [20:42] future. Prophets tell what God told them [20:44] to tell. End of issue. [20:48] You may repeat all that I command you [20:50] and your brother Aaron will speak to [20:52] Pharaoh to let the Israelites depart [20:54] from his land. [20:56] But this is God again reassuring Moses. [21:00] Remember Moses was told all this the [21:02] last time and everything got worse. [21:04] Remember? [21:06] So God is reassuring them about what's [21:08] going to happen. But I will harden [21:10] Pharaoh's heart. In other words, [21:13] he is going to say no to you. Don't [21:16] don't get [21:18] depressed. [21:20] I'm telling you in now Pharaoh is going [21:23] to harden his heart or I'll harden his [21:25] heart. In other words, I'm telling you [21:27] now, Moses, he will say no. that now God [21:30] explains why [21:33] God wants Pharaoh's heart. [21:38] That I may multiply my signs and marvels [21:42] in the land of Egypt. [21:45] When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will [21:48] lay my hand upon Egypt and deliver my [21:51] troops, my people, the Israelites, from [21:55] the land of Egypt with extraordinary [21:58] punishments. [22:00] Okay, there are three purposes [22:04] for the plagues. [22:06] Three purposes. [22:08] The words the three in the words of [22:11] Shauna retributive, coercive and [22:14] educative. [22:16] Let me explain. Retributive means to [22:19] punish. [22:21] One purpose is to punish the Egyptians. [22:24] If per chance Pharaoh would have said [22:27] the first day Moses came, you want the [22:29] Israelites to leave? That's a good idea. [22:33] After a few hundred years of slavery and [22:36] and mass killing of infants, [22:38] I think you guys deserve a break. Have a [22:41] nice day. [22:44] There would have been no retribution. [22:48] My instinct to punishing criminals [22:51] definitely emanates from the Jewish part [22:53] of my psyche. I have no desire to [22:57] forgive criminals. I have a desire to [23:01] forgive everybody else. [23:03] Just a word about that for a moment [23:05] because it's an enormous subject. [23:07] Forgiveness. [23:08] Uh I think people don't think the issue [23:11] of forgiveness through I think they [23:13] think it uh through emotionally more [23:16] than rationally. [23:18] I see strange behavior a lot where [23:22] people don't forgive non-malicious acts [23:26] and then believe in forgiving terribly [23:30] malicious acts. [23:33] We s should punish murderers and rapists [23:36] and muggers. We should punish them. They [23:39] deserve to be punished. [23:42] If they are apologetic, that is a good [23:44] thing. Is good for their soul. It is [23:46] good for society. They should still be [23:48] punished. But I see on the other hand, [23:51] people will be angry at friends. [23:55] won't forgive a friend who forgot to [23:57] show up one day at an appointment at a [23:59] lunch and they will carry a grudge for a [24:03] year. There is no one in this room who [24:06] has never been hurt by a friend. It is [24:08] not possible. [24:10] The very fact that we consider somebody [24:12] a friend means that it will happen at [24:15] some point they missed an appointment. [24:17] They said something out of line. [24:20] Anything is possible. That's that's the [24:23] way it works in life. And so you get you [24:26] know some people forgiven [24:29] maliciousness but non-malicious mistakes [24:33] are not you not forgiven. And uh it's [24:36] like last night I was at at this [24:38] reception. I was with an assistant [24:41] district attorney [24:43] very uh very bright woman and I like her [24:46] a lot. She's a very impressive person [24:48] and she was uh how did it happen? Oh, [24:52] this was the discussion. Uh she was [24:55] asking about um my having conducted the [24:59] national anthem at the Hollywood Bowl [25:00] with the LA Filmonic and said, "How did [25:04] it go?" I said, "Well, I I think it went [25:06] I mean, you know, how could it not go [25:07] well? The LA Filmonic could play the [25:09] national anthem in a coma." So, uh, the, [25:13] um, what I said, interestingly, the the [25:17] New York the the LA Times music reviewer [25:20] actually had a comment about, and he [25:23] said, while something to the effect, I [25:25] was telling you, while Prager's uh, [25:26] rendition of the national anthem was [25:28] very wellreceived by the uh, by the uh, [25:31] crowd, uh, uh, he he justiculates too [25:34] much or something like that. You know, I [25:36] like I move my hands too much in keeping [25:39] a beat. Uh, so she said, "Which one [25:43] wrote it?" [25:45] I said, "I don't I have I don't I don't [25:46] have a clue. I don't remember." She [25:48] said, "You don't remember? Who wrote a [25:50] negative thing about me?" She said, "I [25:53] would remember it till the day I died." [25:56] And it was a great little discussion [25:58] about uh and she said, "You know, my [26:00] husband is just like you. He doesn't [26:02] take these things personally, but we [26:04] women, you know, and it was an example [26:06] of of of a male female difference. Not [26:09] that men don't have grudges and stuff, [26:11] but I think this is an area where women [26:13] have to work on themselves more [26:15] naturally than men tend to. I don't I [26:18] meant nothing to me. Uh but uh in fact, [26:21] it affects my wife for example much more [26:23] than me when I'm attacked. You know, I [26:25] go home and have dinner and she is [26:27] seething. He should drop dead. He's in [26:30] bed. He should have boils and frogs and [26:34] blood, you know, and and you know, [26:36] that's the which is the norm. That's [26:38] that's the way it is. Uh but uh the the [26:43] the the point being of all of this is to [26:46] know when and when not to uh to forgive. [26:50] And it all emanates from my point here. [26:53] God wants Egypt punished. [26:57] That's why I'm going to that's one of [26:59] the reasons I am going to strengthen [27:01] Pharaoh's heart to say no with all these [27:03] plagues. These punishments are are [27:06] deserved. [27:08] By the way, it is a very difficult [27:10] philosophical issue about how much do [27:13] people get deserve do the people of a of [27:16] a nation deserve to be punished for the [27:19] national crimes. For example, I suspect [27:23] that a lot of people [27:26] are not [27:29] uh overwhelmed with guilt at the fire [27:33] bombing of Dresden in World War II. [27:36] I suspect that a lot of Western [27:39] Europeans conquered by the Nazis, a lot [27:42] of British and a lot of Americans, [27:43] certainly a lot of Jews don't walk [27:46] around feeling terrible for the German [27:49] civilians killed uh in the in the fire [27:52] bombing of Dresden. [27:55] Now, I'm not here to argue whether it [27:57] was right or wrong. I'm here to tell you [27:59] that I'm putting in modern terms the [28:02] problem of who gets punished when a [28:06] nation does great evil. [28:08] Were there no innocent Egyptians? [28:11] It's inconceivable to me there were no [28:13] innocent Egyptians. Inconceivable. There [28:16] is no nation in the history of the world [28:18] that had no good people in it. [28:22] Right? Maybe Saddam and Gomorrah didn't [28:23] have 10 righteous people, but they were [28:25] just local cities. [28:27] But to think that in all of Egypt there [28:30] wasn't a single good Egyptian strikes me [28:32] as inconceivable. [28:34] So that uh this this is a this is a real [28:37] issue about the punishing of a people. [28:41] But remember and I pointed this out [28:43] earlier. It kept speaking about the sins [28:47] of Ham, the Egyptian nation that they [28:52] were part of the throwing of the [28:53] Israelite boys into the Nile and [28:56] drowning them. [28:57] this was not Pharaoh and a couple of [28:59] higherups that it was a national [29:03] supported and uh and and participated in [29:06] evil with me. I just want you to think [29:09] about that in case it troubles you. God [29:11] wants to punish Egypt, all of Egypt, but [29:14] Pharaoh ordered, etc., etc. Okay. Number [29:18] two, remember three points to the [29:20] plagues. Number two, coercive [29:24] to force Pharaoh to finally say yes. [29:31] Your day you say okay. [29:34] And number three, [29:36] educational or educative in Sarna's [29:40] words [29:41] to teach the Egyptians and the Jews. [29:44] That's very very important. The purpose [29:47] of purposes of the plagues were as much [29:49] for Jews as for Egyptians [29:54] to teach the uh the [30:00] Egyptians and the Jews who is God. [30:04] There are many things being taught by [30:05] the plagues. [30:07] Who is God? [30:10] And we'll I'll talk about that. And that [30:12] polytheism is untrue. [30:18] each uh it seems that every chapter [30:20] raises a one enormous theme that I [30:24] develop at length and and I guess we're [30:27] going to we're coming to that one right [30:28] now. what it what they came to teach. [30:34] It is so relevant [30:36] when I'm when I will tell you that the [30:38] plagues came to teach that it will shake [30:43] you up. [30:48] Polytheism is untrue. I said that is all [30:53] non-monotheistic religion which means [30:55] everything else except what the Hebrews [30:58] believe. Right? In all the world [31:01] monotheism, one God is unique. [31:06] What people don't know is why the Jewish [31:10] revolution in human history [31:13] from paganism, polytheism [31:16] to monotheism is so enormous. [31:20] It's not that we went from 56 gods to [31:24] one god. That's important, but it's not [31:28] the most important. It's the nature of [31:32] this God that the whole change is about. [31:36] The staggering difference [31:39] and that is [31:41] that God rules nature. [31:45] I will talk about that's when I'm going [31:46] to talk about uh talk about that. [31:53] The epic battle of the Torah is God [31:56] versus nature. [32:00] If I had to summarize [32:02] the purpose of the Torah, [32:06] and clearly there are many, but if you [32:08] forced me to say one, I would say, and I [32:12] wouldn't have said this 10 years ago, a [32:15] I didn't know as much, but there's a [32:16] bigger reason. [32:19] I didn't realize that the battle had not [32:22] been won. [32:24] That's why [32:27] when I taught Genesis 1, I showed the [32:31] the the absolute centrality of the [32:35] teaching that God is not in nature. God [32:38] is above nature and controls nature. [32:41] That that is the purpose of Genesis 1, [32:44] arguably the most important chapter in [32:46] the Torah. [32:48] But now that's the most important [32:49] universal chapter. This is the most [32:51] important as it were chapters specific [32:54] to the Jews. There are two things in the [32:57] Torah, the universal and the particular. [33:00] Universal as God creates the world in [33:01] particular as God takes the Jews out of [33:03] Egypt. [33:05] But the but the purpose of the [33:06] particular was to teach a universal [33:08] lesson. Again, the greatest theme of the [33:11] Torah is which will you human beings [33:16] worship? God or nature. [33:19] All paganism can be summarized, all [33:22] polytheism can be summarized as the [33:25] worship of nature. [33:30] That is the reason not because they had [33:33] 55 or 100 or 10,000 gods that it's a [33:36] problem. [33:38] That's a that's a little problem. the [33:40] number issue. The bigger problem by far [33:44] is the adulation [33:47] of of nature. [33:52] It is happening in our own time. And [33:54] that's why I said it should shake you up [33:57] because you would think it'll shake you [33:59] up for one of two reasons. One, because [34:02] you would have thought the battle was [34:03] long ago won. Or two, because a little [34:06] part of you worships nature. [34:09] And the truth is it would not be [34:12] surprising if you are in any way [34:14] representative of modern [34:17] uh educated Americans [34:20] who are not uh particularly involved in [34:24] in conscious organized monotheistic [34:28] where there is especially if you're of [34:29] my generation or younger [34:32] that you do have elements of nature [34:35] worship left in the [34:40] the abandonment of God [34:44] as defined by the Torah because after [34:47] all God is defined by Hitler too. But [34:50] the God defined by the Torah transcends [34:54] nature, controls nature, [34:57] and doesn't want you to worship nature. [35:01] The plagues are all attacks on Egyptian [35:06] gods. That's the point that you will see [35:09] and I will show you in each case how so [35:13] that is why it is so educative the [35:16] plagues they are there to teach you [35:19] something that why is nature [35:23] why is it bad not an error bad as well [35:29] as an error to worship nature what's [35:31] wrong with nature [35:34] the answer comes from the following [35:40] uh in uh actually in in in two of my [35:44] three books the the the nine questions [35:46] people ask about Judaism in my new book [35:48] think a second time I have a chapter on [35:50] God and whenever I talk about God at any [35:53] length I offer characteristics [35:56] because you always get the question what [35:58] do you mean by God I say okay I'll tell [36:00] you core characteristics [36:02] above nature personal moral and holy [36:10] put aside above nature because that's [36:12] what I'm explaining the whole time. [36:14] Nature is not personal, not moral and [36:18] not holy. [36:20] That's why it's so antithetical to [36:24] monotheism and and the Jewish concept of [36:28] of God and worship. [36:32] Let's start with uh with the first. [36:34] Nature is not moral. God is. [36:39] Nature couldn't care less about [36:44] morality. [36:47] The only law in nature is not love your [36:51] neighbor as yourself. [36:54] The only law is not thou shalt not [36:56] murder or thou shalt not steal. The only [37:00] law is survival of the fittest. [37:05] That is nature's only law. [37:10] The fit shall survive. It it has there [37:13] is no issue of morality. Now, by the [37:15] way, there can't be an issue of [37:16] morality. This is not an anti-ature [37:19] talk. I love nature, [37:22] but but I don't worship it. [37:25] Why can't there be morality in nature? [37:28] Is because there was no freedom of [37:30] choice in nature. [37:32] when a when a German shepherd [37:36] bit a a a a Jew in in a in concentration [37:41] camps, a common form of sport to the [37:43] Nazi guards. [37:46] That dog was not evil [37:49] any more than the guns that the Nazis [37:53] used were evil. The Allies used dogs to [37:56] to sniff out hiding places of Nazis. [37:59] Were those dogs saints? [38:02] maybe say Bernard's but not saints. [38:06] It it's it's we we we anthropomorphosize [38:10] animals today and they certainly did in [38:13] the past at our peril. Aside from [38:16] everything else, it's stupid. [38:20] When I am constantly told, "Look, a [38:22] parrot could say sentences. Look, a [38:24] gorilla could learn colors." I am [38:27] fascinated. [38:29] But a gorilla can't learn good and evil. [38:32] Gorilla cannot sit down and say, you [38:34] know, I really want to take this female. [38:37] She may be having a headache. [38:41] Okay, this is alien to a gorilla. It [38:45] cannot be taught to her. [38:48] This is the way in which in which [38:51] animals work. Animals are aim all. [38:53] They're not immoral because you you can [38:55] only be immoral if you've chosen. [38:58] An animal that does bad is no more bad [39:01] than a flower. [39:03] It would be silly, wouldn't it, to speak [39:05] of a kind tulip. [39:07] So too, it's silly to speak of a kind [39:09] animal, unless they're programmed. They [39:12] may be programmed. Animals will save you [39:14] if you're drowning, but that's cuz you [39:16] fed it a lot. I have a feeling that with [39:19] my dogs, if robbers came in and gave [39:21] them bones, they would be their best [39:23] friend very rapidly. [39:26] Certainly in the case of the one that's [39:28] 212 pounds [39:34] nature I saw I learned all this uh one [39:38] of the it was actually interestingly [39:41] enough one of the most interesting of my [39:43] many trips in in this world and also [39:47] oddly enough a little depressing when I [39:50] went on safari in Kenya and Tanzania [39:52] about 20 years ago [39:54] to see nature outside of a zoo. I mean, [39:58] real live nature where you're the one [40:01] behind the bars gives you a very [40:03] different view of things. You know what [40:05] most animals, at least on the planes in [40:08] South Africa, spend their lives doing [40:11] avoiding getting eaten. [40:14] It's not a pleasant life. [40:17] Uh Zebu and and uh the beast or new, if [40:22] you don't know what they are, they're [40:23] the ones who attack uh Mufasa. [40:26] Uh, so does that help? Maybe it doesn't [40:29] help. Okay, well maybe you don't have a [40:31] three-year-old. Uh, at any rate, [40:35] uh, they, these poor things just are [40:39] looking around constantly, who's going [40:41] to eat me? Not a pleasant life, as I I I [40:44] told you. And you know who gets eaten? [40:47] the weakest zebra, the frailst one, the [40:50] littlest baby that hasn't made it uh uh [40:54] uh to to walk fast enough. And that's [40:57] why zebra are pretty strong cuz all the [41:00] weak ones get killed by lions. [41:04] I have zero magneticization of nature as [41:08] a result of that experience, but also as [41:11] a result of my learning, my study, my my [41:13] my belief in in this Torah. I [41:17] understand. I don't worship this stuff. [41:19] This is not It's fascinating, but it [41:22] isn't godlin. [41:24] And the reason number one is it isn't [41:27] mull. That is why my ears perked up [41:31] immediately with new age thought that [41:34] God is in nature. Certainly not just new [41:37] age. It started with spinosa. It's [41:39] called pantheism where you worship [41:42] nature or God is in nature. When I'm [41:45] told God is the universe, a very common [41:47] statement these days. What does that [41:49] mean? God is the universe. [41:52] What what what does that mean? God is [41:54] Mercury, Venus, Earth, Jupiter, [41:56] Andromeda. [41:58] What does that even mean? God is the [41:59] universe. Then God is finite matter. A [42:03] moral finite matter. God is not the [42:05] universe. God is outside of the [42:08] universe. [42:09] Now, your God may be inside. I'm can't [42:12] coers you into believing anything [42:13] different. You could believe God as a [42:15] postage stamp. Done. [42:18] It's not the God of the book that gave [42:21] us God. [42:23] That's the point. The book that gave us [42:26] God is this book. And it's now telling [42:28] you in particular from Genesis 1 and now [42:32] God is not equable with nature. God is [42:36] not in nature. God can play with nature. [42:40] That's what God does in the 10 plagues. [42:43] He plays with it sometimes actually with [42:47] a sense of humor as we will see. There [42:49] are some funny parts that come up here [42:51] with the especially with the Egyptian [42:53] magicians. [42:54] >> This episode of Timeless Wisdom will [42:56] continue right after this. [43:02] Who answers America's call for more [43:04] energy? Our people do. Chevron's US [43:08] energy production has increased by [43:10] nearly 60% in the past 3 years. Hi, my [43:13] name is Aaron and I'm a wellsight [43:15] representative at Chevron. I'm proud of [43:17] the work that I do every day. It gets [43:18] more American oil out of the ground and [43:20] it brings America more energy security. [43:23] Learn more about what our people do at [43:25] chevron.com/amea. [43:33] Now, back to more of Dennis Prager's [43:36] timeless wisdom. Third on the on it not [43:40] being moral. The third reason is uh [43:42] please understand what natural means. It [43:46] is natural to steal. It is natural to [43:49] kill. It is natural to rape. [43:53] Uh that you know why a lot of America [43:56] well educated Americans don't know that [43:59] because we have fashioned relatively [44:01] speaking such a civilized society that [44:04] many educated people have forgotten what [44:07] people are really like. [44:10] They really should visit Rwanda. [44:14] They really should read a lot about the [44:16] Holocaust. [44:17] They should read about the Armenians. [44:19] They should read about slavery more. [44:22] It It's so bizarre to me that people [44:25] think that those are aberrations. Do you [44:27] know what is an aberration? This is an [44:29] aberration. that in relative security, [44:33] especially the women came here tonight [44:36] not afraid of getting killed and raped [44:39] or raped and killed in that order. [44:42] It's incredible in human history. That [44:45] is quite remarkable. [44:48] When when it armies came in, I a book [44:50] was just published on what happened in [44:52] Germany when the Soviet army came in. [44:54] Well, I what was it? 2 million German [44:56] women were raped. It is estimated by [44:58] this scholar. That's a lot. [45:01] That's a lot. [45:04] Were the Soviet troops all sick? No. [45:09] They were all normal [45:12] and wrong. [45:15] It is natural to do bad things. Why on [45:19] God's earth would I then worship nature [45:22] if I'm interested in goodness? It's the [45:25] last thing I want to worship nature. [45:30] So reason number one why nature and God [45:33] are antithetical [45:35] in in our in what should be our [45:37] allegiance [45:39] is the mole reason God is mole nature [45:43] isn't number two [45:47] God is personal nature is impersonal [45:51] precisely for the reason that I [45:53] explained in the first uh part [45:57] nature doesn't care a hoot about any of [46:00] you. It cares about your species. [46:05] Nature has one intent for humans as much [46:09] as for animals that the fittest [46:11] survived. When the Greeks exposed sick [46:14] children to die on mountain tops, they [46:17] were acting naturally. They wanted only [46:19] healthy, good-looking children. [46:23] Right? That was a natural act. [46:28] Why should we be better than nature? [46:30] Sickly kids die in nature. Why shouldn't [46:33] we're part of nature? That is why again [46:35] the modern rhetoric, hey, we're just [46:38] part of nature is so scary. Our biology [46:42] is part of nature. Our soul isn't. [46:47] Soulless human beings are only part of [46:49] nature. And soul human beings are not [46:53] part of nature. [46:56] It is very dangerous to think of the [46:58] human as only part of nature. [47:03] Nature doesn't care about individual [47:05] zebras and it doesn't care about [47:07] individual people. [47:09] It only cares that you reproduce as many [47:12] as possible. [47:14] Our battle is not only whom do we [47:16] worship, it's how do we live? Do you [47:19] live fully naturally? [47:22] Well, then you do a lot of bad things. [47:24] It is fully natural for men, forgetting [47:27] even rape. It is fully natural for men [47:29] to inseminate as many females as [47:32] possible. This is true for the mamalian [47:34] and most other forms of animals species. [47:39] But we don't generally highly regard a [47:42] man who does that because we were [47:44] trained by Judaism and then Christianity [47:47] and then Islam. the the the uh the [47:51] monotheistic faith that came from this [47:53] book from this Torah that this is not [47:56] the way in which men should act. [48:00] But that is the natural way. [48:04] It's just the wrong way. If you believe [48:07] that there are things higher than [48:08] nature, [48:10] all of everything you value would be [48:13] worthless if you believe that nature [48:17] were it and that there isn't a god above [48:20] nature telling you don't act by nature. [48:22] Likewise, our great battle is with our [48:25] nature. If you listen to your nature and [48:27] just live by it, you will do a great [48:30] deal of bad things. [48:32] That doesn't mean that you shouldn't be [48:34] in touch with your nature. It means you [48:37] have to know how to channel it, not how [48:39] to suppress it, how to channel it. [48:42] That's where religions often make a [48:44] mistake. They want us to suppress the [48:47] the the lower parts of our nature. Where [48:50] whereas in fact and I don't I should [48:52] really say not religions but religious [48:54] people. Religion at its highest teaches [48:57] you how to channel not suppress. [49:00] There's an enormous difference. [49:03] That is why I believe that innocuous [49:06] uh expressions of your le parts of your [49:08] nature are okay [49:11] because what are you going to do with [49:13] that lower part of your nature books of [49:16] my nature? If you don't think you have [49:18] any lower parts to your nature, [49:21] we have a problem. [49:23] A you're not terribly interesting. [49:27] And that I mean it it would be a real [49:29] problem if you don't think you have [49:30] lower parts to your nature. Something [49:33] has been killed in you and it's worth it [49:36] really is worth exploring what they are. [49:40] Therefore there should be no shame in [49:42] having lower darker parts to one's [49:45] nature. There should only be shame in [49:47] expressing them wrong [49:50] in a hurtful manner [49:53] but not in having them, thinking them, [49:55] fantasizing them, talking about them, [49:58] etc., etc. [50:02] Third, [50:04] God is holy, nature is not holy. [50:09] Do you know in uh in Judaism, one of the [50:12] more common names of God is the kadosh [50:14] boru. [50:16] The holy one, blessed be he. [50:21] It's uh the word for nature in Hebrew is [50:23] tea. It just occurs to me now in in all [50:27] of my lifetime of of knowing Hebrew and [50:29] hearing it spoken, I have never heard [50:32] tevacados, [50:34] holy nature. It it it's it's it's [50:37] literally the ultimate oxymoron. [50:40] It's the ultimate self-contradictory [50:43] statement. [50:44] Holy nature. [50:46] Nature is not holy. [50:49] If nature inspires in you holy thoughts, [50:52] that is great. You see beautiful [50:55] mountains, beautiful rivers and streams. [50:58] You're walking through the wilderness in [51:00] Alaska and you think, "Oh, God, what you [51:02] have done? That's wonderful." [51:05] But there's a very big difference [51:07] between two people all struck by a [51:09] beautiful natural scene. The one who [51:11] says, "Isn't nature great?" Period. end [51:14] of issue. The answer is no. It it's it's [51:18] mixed. It's a big mixed bag. [51:21] And the other who says h this reflects [51:25] on a grand architect. [51:28] Just like with the arts, the same thing [51:30] with the arts. If beautiful music [51:32] conjures up uh a uh a belief [51:37] in God as it did for Bach who on every [51:40] manuscript virtually wrote to the [51:42] greater glory of God I write this music [51:45] that's wonderful [51:47] but if it merely conjures up uh a great [51:51] beat and rhythm well then you end up [51:53] with um Guns and Roses [51:57] and uh even things of greater decay [51:59] whose names I just I don't know cuz my [52:02] my daughter has left teenagehood. I was [52:05] only up on this stuff during teenagehood [52:07] and now she likes nice music again. The [52:10] dark years are over. [52:16] Uh [52:22] my definition of holy incidentally [52:25] is in fact [52:28] the moving to the godlike from the [52:32] animallike or from the natural. [52:36] In Jewish law, whatever we share with [52:38] animals, the behaviors we share with [52:41] animals are the most legislated. Eating [52:44] and sex. [52:46] You can eat like an animal, right? [52:50] And by the way, that's why holy and [52:53] moral are distinguishable. There is [52:55] unholy and there is immoral. If you eat [52:58] like a pig, you are not doing anything [53:00] immoral. If you stuff your face in a [53:02] bowl and lick everything in it up, you [53:04] have done nothing unethical or immoral. [53:07] Unless there are people at the table [53:08] whose appetite are lost, that's that's a [53:10] separate issue. [53:12] But you have not But you have eaten like [53:15] an animal. [53:17] In Judaism, to eat like an animal is [53:20] wrong because you must separate yourself [53:23] from the animal. [53:25] You use a utensil. You make a blessing. [53:29] You uh you wash before and after. [53:34] See, that makes it holy. Uh to uh have [53:39] intercourse with everybody you want is [53:42] unholy. Even incidentally, [53:45] if it's agreed to, [53:48] it's immoral when not agreed to. [53:52] Like I got a call on the radio just [53:54] yesterday [53:56] uh someone telling me he's a married guy [53:58] and he has a single friend. They're in [54:01] their 30s and they just went to Baja on [54:04] vacation. He with his wife and the guy [54:07] with his uh with his latest girlfriend [54:10] who's loves him but he doesn't love her. [54:12] He just loves having sex with her. And [54:15] this guy is is doing something immoral. [54:19] It is not rape by any means, but it is [54:22] immoral in that he is implying what is [54:25] not true. If the two agree we just like [54:29] to have fun, I never call that immoral. [54:33] That is unholy. And they're different. [54:37] Holiness is holiness. Morality is [54:39] morality. Sometimes they converge. They [54:41] often don't. Religion has gotten it [54:43] wrong by calling all premarital sex, for [54:45] example, immoral. It isn't. [54:49] If agreed to [54:52] it's uh it's unholy. If he tricks her [54:56] it's immoral [54:58] and if he rapes her it's evil. Okay, [55:02] different degrees need different need [55:04] different terminology and a lot of [55:06] people are confused on this and by the [55:08] way one has to decide in one's life how [55:12] much holiness one wishes to live by. I'm [55:14] not here to preach to you on that. I'm [55:16] here to describe to you the difference [55:18] between holy and natural. [55:21] The God is holy. You you rise to it. But [55:25] I could give you any number of examples. [55:27] If if to [55:30] belching, [55:31] okay, if someone were to belch at your [55:34] table a great deal [55:38] that or or flatulating, I mean, all the [55:42] sounds of blowing one's nose, these are [55:45] all natural acts, [55:47] but if you do them publicly, [55:51] you're not considered fully human, [55:54] right? But they are certainly natural. [55:58] If I may be vivid, which I'm known for [56:00] being, I remember, this was really [56:03] funny. I've never told the story, [56:06] but they they come to me these stories. [56:08] I was in an airport bathroom, [56:11] God knows what city recently, and in the [56:13] stall next to me, the guy was making a [56:15] lot of noises. [56:18] And it was very touching cuz after about [56:20] the fourth he said, "Excuse me, I'm [56:24] sorry." [56:27] And I in my stall yelled back, "It's a [56:32] bathroom. [56:33] You do not have to be sorry." [56:37] And I meant it sincerely. That's that [56:39] it's what you go to the bathroom to do. [56:43] uh if he had done it in an eye at Delta [56:48] that's a different story [56:50] that is that you see that's where you [56:52] got to know and that is what makes [56:54] civilization possible is the is how do [56:58] we deal with the natural in us [57:02] that's all natural but it isn't human [57:05] fully human to do that God is holy [57:09] nature isn't [57:12] you Well, I I just want to finish this [57:14] by warning you. The words it's natural [57:19] don't mean a damn thing. Or for example, [57:23] when people act terribly or [57:26] disgustingly, what is the most common [57:27] thing you hear? Well, it's human nature. [57:30] It's human nature to avoid getting [57:32] involved if someone is hurt. It's human [57:35] nature to join uh a uh a crowd doing a [57:39] bad thing. It's human nature not to [57:41] stick up for the the little fat kid in [57:43] the bunk. It's human nature. It's human [57:45] nature. It's true. That's true. But it's [57:48] not a defense. [57:50] It's a statement of fact. God help us if [57:53] we follow human nature. [57:58] Natural is good in food because that's [58:01] that's all that matters. There's no [58:03] moral apple. [58:05] But there is a natural apple. I'm all [58:08] for that. natural and wholesome food, [58:11] then the word natural is good because it [58:13] only refers to biology. But if you want [58:16] nature to be more than biology, you are [58:19] starting to worship it. And the greatest [58:23] purpose of this book is to get you out [58:25] of it. [58:28] The Torah is here to give monotheism, [58:31] worship of the one God to the world. The [58:33] nature of this God is first and foremost [58:37] I made nature. It's the first sentence [58:41] of the Torah. [58:44] And now I will fool around with nature [58:48] and really show you what the difference [58:51] between Egyptian religion and of course [58:53] all religion in the world and Hebrew [58:57] monotheism. [59:04] different take on the plagues than than [59:06] one normally associates it with yet I [59:08] have read nothing into it. Every Jewish [59:11] scholar on the plagues points to this to [59:14] to these ideas. [59:17] What uh what verse are we up to? [59:24] >> Five. And the Egyptians shall know, see, [59:27] the Egyptians shall know that I am God [59:32] when I stretch my hand over Egypt and [59:35] bring out the Israelites from their [59:37] midst. [59:40] This Moses and Aaron did as the Lord [59:42] commanded them. So they did. Moses was [59:45] 80 years old and Aaron 83 when they made [59:49] their demand on Pharaoh. They start [59:51] their careers at a very late time. [59:53] should give some of the older members of [59:55] the audience great optimism for what you [59:57] can still do in life. Moses started at [60:00] 83. [60:02] God said to Moses and Aaron, "When [60:04] Pharaoh speaks to you and says, produce [60:07] your marvel, [60:10] you shall say to Aaron, take your rod [60:12] and cast it down before Pharaoh. It [60:15] shall turn into," and it says here, [60:17] "cerpent." [60:18] Overwhelmingly, scholars hold it's a [60:21] crocodile. [60:24] which is pretty good trick [60:27] turning a stick into a crocodile. Not [60:29] that it's bad with a serpent, but this [60:31] is even even more impressive. I suspect [60:35] uh the reason for that uh aside from the [60:38] etmological reasons, the reasons are [60:40] this was a this was and seen by others [60:43] till the till modern times a trick known [60:46] to magicians in Egypt. how to uh as it [60:51] were um hypnotize a crocodile into [60:55] absolute stick-like [60:58] uh form. Something I would love to see, [61:00] frankly. It would uh I but I never have. [61:03] So, Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh. [61:08] You'll This is great stuff. Moses and [61:10] Aaron came before Pharaoh and did just [61:12] as the Lord had commanded uh had [61:15] commanded. Aaron cast down his rod in [61:18] the presence of Pharaoh and his courters [61:20] and it turned into a serpent/crocodile. [61:25] Then Pharaoh [61:27] for his part summoned the wise men and [61:30] the sorcerers [61:32] and the Egyptian magicians in third did [61:35] the same with their spells. [61:39] This is a terrific little uh note here [61:44] with their spells. [61:48] That's the operative word here. And it [61:51] is part of the monotheistic Torah [61:55] battle. [61:57] How does Aaron use spells? [62:00] No. [62:02] The difference between the two, they [62:04] both after all do the same trick, [62:07] right? What's the difference? [62:11] The Torah is is [62:14] profoundly anti-magic [62:17] because not not fun magicians who, you [62:20] know, make elephants disappear at the [62:21] magic castle against magic, uh, voodoo, [62:25] that type of the belief in that because [62:30] it takes away, it takes away from God's [62:33] providence over the world. It means that [62:37] we can invoke non- good in order to make [62:42] things happen. That's why it is totally [62:45] banned in the Torah. Totally banned. [62:47] That's why superstition though Jews is a [62:50] great example of where Jews and Judaism [62:52] are not the same. Jews have enormous [62:54] numbers of superstitions. Tell your [62:57] mother you haven't had a cold in 6 [62:59] months. Just I dare you if your mother [63:02] is Jewish. Two. Two. Two. Don't talk [63:06] like that. Stupid. [63:09] Or not walking over. Any of you remember [63:11] this? You can't walk over a baby, right? [63:14] Won't grow. [63:16] Look at me. [63:19] Didn't work. And some did walk over me. [63:23] Uh [63:24] that just it, you know, were filled with [63:27] superstitions. Judaism is radically [63:30] anti-supstition. [63:31] Radically. [63:33] Anything that has if if a black cat has [63:37] no power. A ladder has no power. Walking [63:40] over a child has no power. You get it? [63:44] Because you are you are ascribing [63:46] independent powers or powers to [63:48] independent forces of God. No. God runs [63:53] the show. Nothing else. No one else and [63:56] not nature. [63:58] The operative element is they did it [64:01] through sorcery. [64:04] Aaron did it because of God. [64:07] That's why that is so that's the one [64:09] difference between the what the two did. [64:13] Let me read to you here on uh the use of [64:17] spells contrasts that's what I'm just [64:21] speaking of strongly with the simplicity [64:23] of Aaron's act which is unaccompanied by [64:26] any incantation or practis. The term [64:29] itself suggests that the wonder belonged [64:32] to the magician's con conventional [64:34] repertoire of tricks. In fact, to this [64:37] day, Egyptian snake charmers practice [64:39] the deception of turning a rod into a [64:42] serpent. They are able to induce [64:44] catatonic rigidity in the native cobra [64:47] by exerting strong pressure on a nerve [64:50] just below its head. This should not be [64:53] tried by any of you should meet a cobra. [64:55] Incidentally, in this state, the snake [64:58] assumes a rod-like appearance and can [65:00] even be handled by onlookers, some of [65:03] whom, however, have died. I I added that [65:09] only one in 10 are then bitten. The [65:14] jolt it receives when thrown to the [65:16] ground restores its mobility and then [65:18] everybody ruts away. This is not the [65:21] sort of trick I like. I, you know, as a [65:23] kid, I like tinker toys. [65:25] We all have different tastes. At any [65:27] rate, they uh this was uh this was uh [65:30] they're doing it. Uh the Egyptians doing [65:33] it. [65:34] Uh we go to verse [65:38] uh each 12 each cast down his rod and [65:40] they turned into serpents, crocodiles, [65:42] but Aaron's rod swallowed their rod [65:49] just like it did earlier in the first [65:51] trip. remember with the rod but didn't [65:53] uh didn't have an an impact. Uh 13 yet [65:56] Pharaoh's ark stiffened [66:00] and he did not heed them as the Lord had [66:02] said. It is interesting. Why would God [66:06] have Aaron do it do a marvel that [66:10] Pharaoh's magicians could duplicate? [66:14] It's an interesting question, isn't it? [66:16] And I don't have a full answer. [66:20] probably probably to start [66:24] very slowly in the repertoire of blowing [66:27] Pharaoh away. This I mean, you know, I I [66:31] would have been a little shaken if their [66:34] guys without sorcery, two things [66:36] happened. The Hebrews trick ate my [66:40] trick. [66:41] It's not a little deal. And there was no [66:44] incantation. [66:47] So if I were Pharaoh or any Egyptian [66:50] looking on, I would have who was wanted [66:53] to be critical and Sora's be objective. [66:56] I might have been a little blown away, [66:58] but probably not enough to let the Jews [67:01] leave. But that's the way it's that's [67:03] what God is doing. starting off his [67:05] repertoire, his repertoire of tricks [67:08] till it leads up to the ultimate and [67:10] non-duplicable in any way and not even [67:14] explicable naturally, which we'll get to [67:16] when we get to the 10th plague. [67:18] >> This episode of Timeless Wisdom will [67:20] continue right after this. [67:25] Who answers America's call for more [67:27] energy? Our people do. Chevron's US [67:31] energy production has increased by [67:33] nearly 60% in the past 3 years. [67:36] >> Hi, my name is Aaron and I'm a wellsight [67:38] representative at Chevron. I'm proud of [67:40] the work that I do every day. It gets [67:42] more American oil out of the ground and [67:44] it brings America more energy security. [67:46] >> Learn more about what our people do at [67:48] chevron.com/amea. [67:56] Now back to more of Dennis Prager's [67:59] timeless wisdom. [68:01] >> 14. And the Lord said to Moses, Pharaoh [68:04] is stubborn. Actually, Pharaoh's heart [68:07] is heavy. [68:10] Uh he refuses to let the people go. Go [68:13] to Pharaoh in the morning. Now, let me [68:15] tell you another thing about the [68:16] plagues. [68:18] The plagues follow a phenomenal order. [68:22] There are 10 plagues. Forget the 10th. [68:25] It's totally uh unique. The first nine [68:29] plagues follow patterns. There are a [68:32] number of patterns. And they go by [68:34] groups of three. [68:37] First three, second three, third three [68:39] plagues. And here's how they work. The [68:42] first two of each group are for war. [68:47] The last strikes suddenly. [68:51] You get with you with me? There were [68:52] three groups of three. In each group, [68:55] the first two plagues, Moses warns [68:57] Pharaoh they're coming. In the third, no [69:00] warning. And so, it's almost as if, [69:02] okay, it didn't work. We'll start all [69:04] over. I'll warn you. I'll warn you. No [69:07] warning. I'll warn you. I'll warn you. [69:08] No warning. I'll warn you. I'll warn [69:09] you. No warning. And then the 10th [69:11] plague. [69:14] Next. Uh, next order to the plagues. In [69:17] the first plague of each group, Moses is [69:20] told to go in the morning and to station [69:23] himself where Pharaoh will be. [69:26] In the second of each, Moses is told to [69:30] quote come in before par Pharaoh. In [69:33] other words, go to the palace and [69:35] confront Pharaoh. The third comes [69:37] without warning. [69:40] And obviously as I told you in the first [69:43] group, Aaron is always the agent of the [69:46] plague. And in the third group, it is [69:49] always Moses. A buildup again. See? [69:53] Okay. So, showing up on plague one, [69:56] which is obviously the first plague of [69:58] the first group, three. [70:01] Verse 19. Oh, no, excuse me. Verse uh [70:04] verse 14. And God said to Moses, Pharaoh [70:07] stubborn, go to Pharaoh in the morning. [70:10] 15 as he is coming out to the water. [70:13] Now, why does Pharaoh go out to the [70:15] water in the morning? And it's presumed [70:18] here every morning, right? Because it [70:20] doesn't say a specific day. Uh there are [70:23] two theories. One to worship at the [70:25] Nile. Uh the Nile is a god of Egypt, [70:29] which I will talk to you about in [70:30] keeping with what I was saying earlier. [70:34] and uh also to measure how high the Nile [70:38] was. Uh it was something that was done [70:41] then. I do not know enough agriculture [70:43] to know why, but I'm just telling you. [70:47] Sorry. Well, for floods. Yeah. But oh, [70:49] so to be able to predict a flood. [70:52] So if it's a certain level, he warns the [70:55] people. [70:56] Okay. Thank you. [70:59] Uh he's coming out to the water. station [71:02] yourself before him at the edge of the [71:03] Nile, taking with you the rod that [71:05] turned into a snake, and say to him, [71:11] "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent [71:13] me to you to say, let my people go that [71:15] they may worship me in the wilderness." [71:20] Incidentally, remember I discussed with [71:23] you, why would that be the request that [71:25] they worship God? [71:28] The word for worship, [71:30] it finally hit me. The word for worship [71:34] in Hebrew is the same as the word to [71:38] serve or to work. [71:42] So it's like a play on words. [71:45] Worked for me, not worked for you. [71:49] Get? You get the play. Imagine if the [71:52] word worship [71:54] was the same meant the same as work. Now [71:57] you understand they'll work me not work [72:01] you. [72:03] That's the point. [72:06] So it that's part of the insult to [72:08] Pharaoh. What do you mean work for you? [72:10] That you work for me. [72:13] But you have paid no heed until now. [72:15] Thus says the Lord. By this you shall [72:18] know that I am the Lord. See, I shall [72:21] strike the water in the Nile with the [72:24] rod that is in my hand, and it will be [72:27] turned into blood, [72:29] and the fish in the Nile will die. [72:33] The Nile will stink [72:36] so much that the Egyptians will find it [72:38] impossible to drink the water of the [72:40] Nile. [72:43] The first plague is against one of the [72:45] gods of Egypt [72:48] and certainly its most important natural [72:50] resource. When I visited Egypt in 1974, [72:55] flying over Egypt is all you have to do [72:58] to understand a a significant part of [73:00] Egyptian history. Egypt is a desert. It [73:04] is blank gray brown from the airplane. [73:07] except for this eternal green line down [73:12] the center [73:14] that that goes all the way down to [73:16] central Africa to the mountains which [73:19] feed it and it flows out into the [73:21] Mediterranean. [73:23] Egypt is essentially the Nile River. [73:28] Okay, think of it that way. If you play [73:30] with the Nile, you play with Egypt. [73:33] So God started big. [73:38] Interestingly all the plagues are [73:43] natural phenomena. [73:45] What renders them marvelous or [73:47] miraculous though the word miracle is [73:49] never used here. Never. Marvels is used [73:52] not miracle [73:55] is the timing and the extent. [73:59] So listen to this. This plague has been [74:01] explained as the extreme intensification [74:04] of a well-known phenomenon that occurs [74:07] periodically in the Nile Valley. The [74:10] river is fed by melting snow and summer [74:13] rains that pour down from the highlands [74:15] of Ethiopia, thus it's it's east central [74:18] of Africa and carry with them sediment [74:21] from the tropical red earth that [74:23] characterizes that region. Following [74:26] from this explanation, the plague must [74:28] have resulted from an abnormally heavy [74:30] rainfall that led to an excessively high [74:34] rise of the Nile and washed down [74:36] inordinate amounts of the red sediment [74:40] center sediment. The neutralization of [74:43] this substance which normally occurs in [74:45] the course of the flow of the river was [74:47] now so that the entire river [74:50] took on a bloody hue. The it is [74:53] incorrect to think the Nile became [74:55] blood. It became like blood. Okay? [74:59] Doesn't it's not actual blood. [75:02] As a result, purple bacteria washed down [75:05] from the high mountain lakes together [75:07] with the particles of red earth, [75:09] disturbed the oxygen balance, and killed [75:11] off the fish, which produced a foul [75:14] stench. [75:17] Next, that's the natural. Every plague [75:19] has a natural explanation, but the [75:22] timing, remember I I said that I want to [75:24] repeat it. And remember too, they come [75:27] for punishment and for education. You [75:30] remember all these things. Now, now here [75:33] comes the education and the punishment. [75:36] The Egyptians personified and deified [75:38] the river Nile as the god Puppy [75:43] to whom offerings were made at the time [75:45] of inundation. The flooding itself was [75:48] regarded as a manifestation of the god [75:50] Osiris. [75:52] It is quite possible then that the [75:54] contamination of the river served to [75:56] discredit Egyptian polytheism. [76:00] Right? This is what I have stressed. Now [76:04] the punishment by commencing the series [76:08] of plays the text suggests an underlying [76:11] notion of retribution measure for [76:14] measure for Pharaoh's iniquitous decree [76:17] that all newborn males be cast into the [76:20] river. [76:22] There's a lot of blood in this river [76:24] Pharaoh. So we're going to make this [76:27] river like blood. [76:36] All right. 19. [76:45] And the Lord said to Moses, "Say to [76:47] Aaron, [76:49] take your rod and hold out your arm over [76:51] the waters of Egypt, waters." In other [76:54] words, put your lot out in all [76:57] directions of where there is water, not [77:00] only over the Nile, [77:05] its rivers, its canals, its ponds, all [77:08] its bodies of water that they may turn [77:09] to blood. There shall be blood [77:12] throughout the land of Egypt, even [77:15] in the vessels of wood and stone, or [77:18] just even in wood and stone, literally. [77:21] Now, Kasut, that great Italian Jewish [77:23] scholar, makes a great point here. We [77:26] have almost no vessels of wood and stone [77:28] from ancient Egypt. So, what could this [77:32] possibly being referred to? And his [77:34] theory, and I think he's right, is it's [77:37] referring to the Egyptian idols which [77:39] were made up with stone. So, that the [77:42] ultimate iniquity when they when they [77:45] wash their idols, they are washing them [77:47] with blood. [77:49] Again remember playing with polytheism, [77:53] playing with paganism, playing with [77:55] nature [77:59] 20. [78:04] Moses and Aaron did just as God [78:06] commanded. He lifted up the rod [78:09] and struck the water in the Nile in the [78:11] sight of Pharaoh and his courters. And [78:12] all the water in the Nile was turned [78:14] into blood and the fish in the Nile [78:16] died. The Nile stank so the Egyptians [78:20] could not drink water from the Nile. [78:22] Incidentally, the Nile is mentioned uh [78:24] seven times in this chapter, one of the [78:27] many sevens that constantly reoccur in [78:30] the Torah. It's almost like a signal. Uh [78:34] there's one author here [78:37] or if you wish one editor. [78:41] But when the Egyptian magicians did the [78:44] same with their spells, again, their [78:46] spells, [78:48] Pharaoh's hearts stiffened and he did [78:49] not heed them as the Lord had spoken. [78:52] One of them makes a hilarious point [78:55] about this. [78:58] Kasuto, I love Kasuto. Kasuto was a live [79:01] wire. I like Italians in general. Uh, [79:04] Kasuto says [79:07] that it is it had to have been one of [79:10] the great funny moments for Moses and [79:12] Aaron watching Pharaoh's magicians [79:16] bring a plague on Egypt. [79:20] I I had never thought of that, you know, [79:23] in all the times I read this story. Hey, [79:26] Moses, big deal. We could also ruin our [79:28] water supply, [79:32] right? I mean, isn't that exactly what's [79:33] happening here? Ah, what do I have? [79:36] Great guys or what? Pharaoh's comment [79:38] after that. Aren't they magnificent? [79:40] They too can ruin the entire water [79:42] supply. Of course, there is a [79:44] fascinating question here. What water [79:47] wasn't bloodlike that they would turn it [79:49] into that? There was the full answer to [79:51] that question except to say that uh I [79:56] mean there are any number of answers [79:57] that are given traditionally. [80:00] Herd says it's water that they dev say [80:03] they beg water was pure. Uh the there's [80:08] another possible answer. He was told to [80:10] put his rod over all the waters, but it [80:12] only says he did it over the Nile. So [80:14] there probably were other water supplies [80:16] that he had not that had not that Aaron [80:19] had not caused to be bloodlike. [80:22] In any event, uh it's a very funny part [80:24] of the story to me that the magicians [80:27] ruined their own water to show that they [80:28] were great. [80:30] Uh and uh and by the way, oh yeah, okay. [80:33] So when the Egyptian did the same thing, [80:35] Pharaoh's heart stiffened and he did not [80:37] heed them as God had spoken. In other [80:40] words, had God predicted, right? That's [80:44] important because now Mo's saying, [80:45] "Okay, this time I'm not going to panic. [80:47] God told me he's not going to let them [80:49] out after this plague." Pharaoh turned [80:52] and went into his palace, paying no [80:54] regard even to this. And all the [80:56] Egyptians had to dig round about the [80:59] Nile for drinking water because they [81:01] could not drink the water [81:04] of the Nile. [81:09] Excuse me, did I say Nile appeared [81:11] seven? Nile appears 14 times in the [81:13] chapter. Double seven. Finally, seven [81:15] again. When seven days had passed after [81:18] God struck the Nile, the Lord said to [81:21] Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, [81:22] thus says the Lord, let my people go [81:24] that they may worship me." Here, if you [81:27] refuse, remember now this is the second [81:29] of the first trio. Now, he goes to [81:32] Pharaoh's palace, doesn't wait in the [81:34] morning when Pharaoh comes out and [81:36] happens to be around. [81:38] If you refuse to let them go, then I [81:40] will plague your whole country with [81:42] frogs. This is kids favorite. All kids [81:45] love this story that with the thought [81:48] that when I learned it as a kid, I [81:50] really loved it because I was told that [81:51] frogs even hopped in Pharaoh's bed and [81:54] that just brought me a great deal of joy [81:56] for some reason [81:59] cuz that could affect your sleep. [82:01] There's no question. And you know, frogs [82:03] are the sort of thing that, you know, [82:05] they don't bite. You know, I'm not [82:08] talking poisonous frogs here, but you [82:10] don't want a lot of them around. [82:13] like I mean that's the sort of animal it [82:14] is very cute in a little but [82:19] not very cute when you're in the buck [82:23] the Nile shall swore with frogs and they [82:26] shall come up and enter your palace your [82:28] bed chamber and your bed your talking of [82:31] Pharaoh now enter your bed chamber your [82:34] your room your bed the houses of your [82:38] courtiers and your people and your ovens [82:40] and your kneading bowls the frogs shall [82:43] come up on you and on your people and on [82:46] all your courters. [82:48] And uh let me just explain that and with [82:50] that we'll conclude [82:53] uh because we've come to the end of [82:54] chapter 7 perfect timing. During their [82:57] reproductive period frogs concentrate in [83:00] particular areas such as ponds and lakes [83:03] as the Nile begins to recede in [83:05] September October [83:08] they usually mass on land. In the [83:10] present circumstances, their habitat had [83:12] become polluted by the putrifying fish. [83:16] So the amphibians would have been forced [83:18] to invade the land much earlier than [83:20] usual. [83:22] But the dead fish would have been a [83:24] source of infection carried by insects [83:26] so that the frogs died on mass. [83:30] It is possible. Here we go. Now [83:34] uh this is now the educative and [83:37] punitive. It is possible that this [83:39] plague like the first one was regarded [83:41] as a judgment on Egyptian polytheism for [83:44] a frogheaded goddess named [83:48] was the consort of the god kum. [83:53] Egyptian men were into frog like women [83:56] for reasons we do not know. [83:59] Who is credited with having fashioned [84:01] man out of clay. She was associated with [84:05] fertility and was thought to assist [84:06] women at childbirth. [84:09] Hence, the plague may have been taken as [84:12] retribution for the decree ordering the [84:14] midwives to kill the newborn males at [84:17] birth because she was a goddess involved [84:19] with birth. [84:21] God knew what he was doing, ladies and [84:24] gentlemen. And that brings us to the [84:26] second plague. [84:29] And I thank you and I look forward to [84:31] seeing you the next uh semester. Thanks [84:33] very much. [84:34] >> On tomorrow's Sunday Fireside Chat, [84:37] >> I am a ma massive uh advocate of [84:41] adoption and and have always been [84:47] it wasn't even something I needed to be [84:48] talked into. I I just I didn't [84:50] understand I don't I still to this day [84:52] don't understand the mentality of blood. [84:56] Does Let me ask you a question. Do you [84:59] love all your blood relatives? [85:01] The answer is no. I'll tell you right [85:04] now, nobody loves all their blood [85:06] relatives. It doesn't exist. That human [85:09] hasn't been made. And that's nothing [85:12] wrong with that. By the way, it's not a [85:13] sin. It's not to be embarrassed by. It's [85:16] the nature of things. [85:18] I if in fact if you love half your blood [85:21] relatives, you're ahead of the game. I [85:24] often note because I, you know, I'm a [85:26] big fan of the Bible. just literally two [85:30] days ago finished the third volume of my [85:32] five volume commentary on the first five [85:35] books. It'll be out in November. And I I [85:39] hope you'll get it because I explain [85:42] things that are generally never [85:43] explained. [85:45] And I always note the book of Genesis is [85:49] just stories of families. After the [85:51] creation story, it's just stories of [85:53] families. [85:55] Every single family in the Bible's book [85:58] of Genesis is dysfunctional. [86:01] Every single one. And I think of that as [86:04] God's gift to humanity. You know what? [86:08] If you have a dysfunctional family, [86:11] it's normal. [86:13] It's the functional family that's [86:15] extraordinary. [86:17] >> Join us tomorrow to hear more on [86:19] Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. [86:22] Visit dennisprager.com for thousands of [86:25] hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and [86:27] classic radio programs and to purchase [86:29] Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles. [86:35] We want to take just a second to thank [86:37] the team at Life Audio for their [86:39] partnership with us on the podcast. Go [86:41] to lifeaudio.com to find dozens of other [86:43] faith-c centered podcasts in their [86:45] network, including shows about prayer, [86:47] Bible study, parenting, and more. When [86:50] someone you love is hurting, what do you [86:52] do? We're often quick to say, "If [86:54] there's anything I can do, just let me [86:56] know." But what if we stopped waiting to [86:58] be asked and simply showed up? On the If [87:01] There is Anything I Can Do podcast, Pam [87:04] McConnell shares real stories, biblical [87:06] wisdom, and practical ways to walk [87:08] alongside people through grief, loss, [87:10] and life's hardest moments. Learn how to [87:12] show up and make a difference. Subscribe [87:14] now at kalepodcast.com, [87:17] YouTube, or wherever you listen to [87:19] podcasts.
