YAREK OATH, CIRCUMCISION, GOD'S INNER THIGH, KNEELING & PRAYING HANDS
discoveries at http://rexcurry.net/yarek-oath-praying-hands-kneeling-inner-thigh-circumcision.html

For other fascinating information about tetragrammatons, tetragrams, YHWH, etc see http://rexcurry.net/tetragrammaton.html Regarding the "L" shaped letter gamma in the Greek Alphabet crux gammata image http://rexcurry.net/tetragrammaton.JPG YHWH, YAHWEH, ADONAI CROSS GAMMATA, TETRAGRAM photo http://rexcurry.net/tetragram.JPG For fascinating information about other ancient symbols and symbolism see http://rexcurry.net/book1a1contents-swastika.html  For SHOCKING info on modern rituals and worship see http://rexcurry.net/book1a1contents-pledge.html Hear audio on worldwide radio at http://rexcurry.net/audio-rex-curry-podcast-radio.html

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A lot of fascinating research examines how ancient religious rituals still influence modern behavior. Praying people would be surprised to learn that the posture of hands in prayer may be a modern re-enactment of touching testicles. The ancient practice is known as the "Yarek Oath" and the new discoveries come from the work of the historian Dr. Rex Curry. It is based on some of the oldest descriptions of prayer (or oaths) in the Bible.

Wikipedia has helped to spread the news about Dr. Curry's discoveries. Recent articles at opinioneditorials.com report on the many references to Dr. Curry's research and discoveries on Wikipedia. Even Wikipedia founder Jimmy "Jimbo" Wales has publicly noted Dr. Curry's influence on Wikipedia. Some Wikipedia writers use Dr. Curry's work without attribution in apparent attempts to bolster their own credibility.

An amazing new theory asks if praying (kneeling with hands folded) symbolizes touching the testicles of a religious superior, or touching God’s inner thigh or circumcision.  The internet url for the article is http://rexcurry.net/yarek-oath-praying-hands-kneeling-inner-thigh-circumcision.html

Praying with hands together (steepled hands) is a posture with an origin that is virtually unknown. Most people, including members of the Jewish and Christian religions, do not know that the hands-in-prayer was a Jewish practice. It was done in Judaism and still is in at least one annual orthodox ritual in some temples.

A Rabbi stated "We kneel and bow during parts of the Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur prayer.  We fold our hands in prayer of 'Shmoneh Esreh' (the main portion of prayer - the 18 blessings) - (source: "Code of Jewish Law" O.C. 95:3; MB 6 there).  For Kabbalistic reasons, we do not interlace our right and left hand fingers together - (source: "Ta'amei Minhagim" 511)."   

"The book of Jewish Knowledge" by Nathan Ausubel (p. 351) states “It has also been commonly assumed that folding the hands in prayer is exclusively a Christian custom. This is not the historical fact at all. As early as the post-Exilic period, when Jews prayed, they folded their hands, and they observed this custom for several centuries even after it had been adopted by Christians.”

The Talmud relates how the Babylonian Sage, Rabba (Abba ben Joseph, C. 280-352), used to pray with his hands folded.

During the time of Jesus, Judaism's postures for prayer included folding the hands.  Being Jews, Jesus and his followers did so too.

Judaic practice was discontinued by Jews in reaction against their persecution under the Christian religion in the Holy Roman Empire.   Rabbis decreed that Jews cease steepling hands in prayer because their oppressors used folded hands.

It was a deliberate disassociation according to Ausubel.  And it has been forgotten by almost everyone.

The praying-hands mystery leads to an amazing new theory (farther down) about another forgotten prayer practice in the book of Genesis.  Genesis contains passages in which a male takes an oath by placing his hand “under the thigh” of the male to whom he is swearing.   It has sometimes been interpreted as swearing upon, or touching, the testicles.

The Book of Genesis (Ch. 24, verse 2-4, and also see verse 9) states “And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell...”  Abraham’s servant swore that he (the man-servant) would not bring a wife for his son (Abraham's son, Isaac) from the land of Canaan.  

The Book of Genesis (Ch. 47, verse 29) states: “And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt...”  Israel had his son Joseph swear that he would bury him in the Holy Land and not in Egypt.

The Book of Genesis (Ch. 32, verse 25) appears to relate God seizing Jacob in the same part of the anatomy.

There is also an artistic interpretation of Issac blessing Jacob from the 1891 Gustave Dore illustrations of the Bible http://rexcurry.net/yarek-oath-issac-blessing-jacob-1891-gustave-dore.jpg

The Talmud, an encyclopedia of Jewish life, contains numerous stories of devoted slaves. A model of the devoted slave is the biblical figure of Abraham's slave, Eliezer. Abraham found Eliezer starving by the road to Damascus. Eliezer was a runaway slave. After Abraham nursed him back to health, he told the runaway that he was free to leave, but Eliezer, who was born to serve, vowed never to leave Abraham, having finally found a worthy Master. When Abraham asked Eliezer to swear loyalty, he told him to “place your hand upon my thigh.”

The Hebrew word in some passages is ‘yarek,’ meaning ‘thigh’ in the Old Testament. That ritual might derive from the belief that the thigh is a center of power, probably because it is near the genitals.  Some interpreters argue that it is a swearing upon the genitals, with "under the thigh" being a euphemism in Hebrew.

Dr. Lee Stone, in his book “The Power of a Symbol,” said that the “most ancient way of administering the oath was by placing the hand between the thighs, on the genitals. These were regarded as the Christian and the Jew regard the Bible, as being the most sacred of tangible things” (10, pg. 45).

Dr. P. C. Remondino, in his book “History of Circumcision from the Earliest Times to the Present” said that “It was partly this custom of swearing, or of affirming, with the hand under the thigh, by the early Israelites,” which led many to believe that their hand was being placed on the testicles (11, pg. 35).

It is likely that the passages above inspired the popular claim that the word ‘testify’ derived from ‘testicle,” but the claim is disputed with alternative derivations and interpretations.  

A popular claim also alleges that Greeks and Romans would touch their own testicles while swearing, however there is no evidence in support.   The "testicle" theory argues that the testicles were used for oaths because they represented virility, power, and represented the man’s future generations, and the source of life. If so, perhaps that is the true "ancient Roman salute" (grasping one's own testicles), as the stiff-armed salute is definitely NOT an "ancient Roman salute."

The new theory asks whether the “inner thigh” posture (the "yarek oath" or "yarek prayer" or "yarek pledge") acknowledged the man’s circumcision.  In Judaism the circumcision is the male’s covenant with God and is also called the “Covenant of Abraham,” because it began with the Patriarch Abraham.  Two references to the “inner thigh” oath (above) refer to Abraham, whose circumcision would have been new and revered.  Abraham would have circumcised his slaves, who later performed “inner thigh” oaths to Abraham. http://rexcurry.net/praying.html

The book of Genesis (at 16:1-3, 15-16, 17, 21:1-2) states: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty;" walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous." Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God."

Remarks such as "exceedingly fruitful" "exceedingly numerous" and "ancestor of a multitude of nations" raises the question whether circumcision was believed to increase virility or have aphrodisiac effects. 

Is the Biblical verse an ancient manner of stating "You need to be circumcised because it will increase sexual pleasure for you and your mates, and increase your virility / fertility"?

If the Yarek oath is a reference to the life-giving essence, then even more questions arise about the action.

God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."

Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the slaves born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised; and all the men of his house, slaves born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him. . . .

It is interesting to note that the act of circumcision was performed on slaves also.

Circumcision has been used as a basis of identification and discrimination.

Circumcision is a type of bodily alteration and has even been described as mutilation of the flesh. A circumcision is distinguished from a tattoo, because a tattoo is taboo in the religion. http://rexcurry.net/yarek-oath-circumcision-jesus-chartre-mezizah.jpg

The reference indicates that it was adult circumcision and that adult circumcision was common.  How were complications avoided?  Did suturing exist? Or was tight binding used to avoid complications from bleeding or tumesence?

The book of Genesis does not state whether the covenant (or contract) was reciprocal in regard to whether God was already circumcised or became circumcised.

In an earlier example above, Abraham says to his servant “Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth.....” thereby making the act also a prayer to God and a gesture to Abraham’s covenant with God (Abraham’s circumcision).   

The biblical references do not state the posture of any male who placed his hand(s) on the “inner thigh.”  Did he kneel?  It is plausible that the servant/slave kneeled before his master Abraham when swearing such an important oath.  It is plausible that the son Joseph kneeled before his father Israel.  Did they kneel in prayer to God, in the same manner as a slave to his master, and a son to his father?
   
Was the oath-taker seated?  If so, the oath-giver might kneel and place his hands in the lap of the oath-taker.  The word "yarek" is sometimes interpreted as "lap."

There is an artistic interpretation of Issac blessing Jacob (detail) from the 1891 Gustave Dore illustrations of the Bible http://rexcurry.net/yarek-oath-issac-blessing-jacob-1891-gustave-dore.jpg

Did genuflection occur? Many religions, including Judaism, used (and some still use) kneeling, bowing/prostration and genuflection as prayer postures.  

Kneeling was lessened in Judaism because of persecution under the Christian religion during the Holy Roman Empire (the same reason that folded hands were discontinued) according to “The book of Jewish Knowledge” by Nathan Ausubel (p. 351).

Often, kneeling is only performed during Aleinu prayer on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Judaism certainly still uses terminology in its liturgy that refers to kneeling. Three times on Yom Kippur there are moments to kneel on saying the word "cor'im" which is a word meaning "to kneel." Additionally, the word for a blessing or benediction, "berachah" comes from the word "berech" which means knee.  Some also bow in several prayers, who used to kneel but discontinued the practice. 

(e.g. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha'olam oseh ma'aseh vereshit. translated as: We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe, Source of creation and its wonders).

The biblical references do not state the form of any male’s hand(s) during the “inner thigh” oaths.  Were the hands folded in the posture of kneeling to pray?  Folded hands would enable an oath-giver to put both hands upon both inner thighs of the oath-taker.

The new theory asks if praying (kneeling with hands folded) is a symbolic re-enactment of Abraham's “inner thigh” or lap prayer, and/or if praying heavenward symbolizes an oath upon God’s “inner thigh” or lap as an acknowledgment of God’s covenant with Abraham (or as an acknowledgment of God’s own circumcision and covenant in reciprocity). 

It gives a new layer of meaning to the "Ark of the Covenant." Popular images of the Ark of the Covenant often show cherubs portrayed to resemble humans (with wings) who are kneeling with wings extended forward in a prayer-like position.

For more information on this topic and other mind-boggling topics visit http://RexCurry.net


Issac blessing Jacob from 1891 Gustave Dore illustrations of the Bible http://rexcurry.net/yarek-oath-issac-blessing-jacob-1891-gustave-dore.jpg
(detail)

What any of the above has to do with Mezizah b'Peh ( also called metzitzeh b’eh ) as part of Mila is unknown.

For other fascinating information about tetragrammatons, tetragrams, YHWH, etc see http://rexcurry.net/tetragrammaton.html Regarding the "L" shaped letter gamma in the Greek Alphabet crux gammata image http://rexcurry.net/tetragrammaton.JPG YHWH, YAHWEH, ADONAI CROSS GAMMATA, TETRAGRAM photo http://rexcurry.net/tetragram.JPG For fascinating information about other ancient symbols and symbolism see http://rexcurry.net/book1a1contents-swastika.html  For SHOCKING info on modern rituals and worship see http://rexcurry.net/book1a1contents-pledge.html Hear audio on worldwide radio at http://rexcurry.net/audio-rex-curry-podcast-radio.html

Asian bowing up-and-down with hand position of Yarek Oath?  http://rexcurry.net/yarek-oath-japanese-bow.jpg Inner thigh oath


The Mitzvah of circumcision is primarily to be done on the eighth day of birth. Most Jewish males from the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have never been circumcised due to the long-standing socialist prohibition of Jewish religious practice.

An organization named "FREE" has been working to repair the scars caused by the policies of Soviet socialism. FREE provides Russian Jewish immigrants an educational insight to this essential Mitzvah and offers the opportunity of having a complete ritual circumcision ceremony absolutely free of charge.

FREE arranges the logistics, addresses questions and concerns they provide a courtesy pick-up for transport to the hospital where a mohel performs a state-of-the-art, professional, painless procedure with local anesthesia and little to no after-effect. At the circumcision ceremony all necessary prayers are said and a Hebrew name is given.

Russian immigrants have responded favorably over the years, leading to over 12,900 Jews of all ages receiving circumcision, strengthening the relationship to their heritage through this mitzvah.
...................................

Namaste, Gassho, mudra, orans, kneeling with hands clasped, steepled hands body language, steepled fingers, steepling hands

associated unfruitful searches for web research
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