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 |
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.
It is unknown what it all has to do with the ritual during the fight that Moses had (and won) with God at Exodus, 4:24-26: On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the LORD met him and tried to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin, and touched his feet with it, and said, "Truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me!" So he let him alone. It was then she said, "A bridegroom of blood by circumcision."
Some scholars say it is not clear whether Zipporah touched the feet of Moses or of God, and that it is not clear if “feet,” is intended, or if genitals were touched.
For other fascinating information about tetragrammatons,
tetragrams, YHWH, etc see
http://rexcurry.net/tetragrammaton.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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Israel is comparable to the size of the state of New Jersey. There has been so much money taken by the government of the USA and spent on the middle East (and even on Israel alone) that it would have cost less to relocate everyone in Israel to the USA, and at the same time give them mansions to live in and Lamborghinis to drive. It would also have saved so many lives. It is clear that the same potential benefits continue to exist.
The government's theft and war will not end. How much more money and life should be spent in the Middle East. Would the problems be solved by twice and much? Ten times? 100 times? One thousand times as much money and life?
Israel (with Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran et cetera) is another example of how the USA has never won a war, and more support for the cliché that in war there are no winners. The USA's ongoing involvement in the Middle East is merely a continuation of WWI (and WWII). Not only did the USA lose WWI, it should never have been involved in the first instance.
There are devout Jewish people who believe that Israel was not supposed to be re-established and that there is no support for it in the Bible.
Compare that to the many people who call themselves Jewish but are not devout, and who are ignorant of the devout origins of the Jewish religion. Some devout Jews consider non-devout Jews to not actually be Jewish and to be destroying the true Jewish religion.
The name “Israel,” according to the Bible, was given to the patriarch Jacob (Standard Yisraʾel, Isrāʾīl; "persevere with God") after Jacob successfully wrestled with an angel of God (and apparently won, don't ask how). (From the King James Version of the Bible: "And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." (Genesis, 32:28, 35:10). See also Hosea 12:5).
It is a reminder of the fight that Moses had (and won) with God at Exodus, 4:24-26: On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the LORD met him and tried to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin, and touched his feet with it, and said, "Truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me!" So he let him alone. It was then she said, "A bridegroom of blood by circumcision."
Some scholars say it is not clear whether Zipporah touched the feet of Moses or of God, and that it is not clear if “feet,” is intended, or if genitals were touched.
ETYMOLOGY, LINGUISTICS, LANGUAGE IN LIBERTARIANISM - the language ..."Beth Israel" means "House of Israel." The original "B" letter looks like the floor plan of a house, as does the modern letter, derived from Greek. Http://rexcurry.net/words.html
REEF DIVING AND AQUACULTURE IN FLORIDA, ARTIFICIAL REEFS, MAN-MADE ...Sophisticated structures for artificial reefs have been built at Eilat, Israel. Even near Key Largo, reefs have been built the old-fashioned way - by … http://rexcurry.net/reefs.html
VAMPIRES, PSYCHIC VAMPIRISM, VAMPYRES DRACULAS DEMONS WARLOCKS ...To bring all sacrifices from outside Israel to the Temple (Deuteronomy 12:26) 36. Not to slaughter sacrifices outside the courtyard (of the Temple) … http://rexcurry.net/socialist-vampires.html
DA VINCI CODE & THE LOST SYMBOL, PRIORY OF SION & OCCULT SOCIALISM ...... in dictionaries including: utopia or an idealized, harmonious community (that concept is also used as a reference to the historic land of Israel). … http://rexcurry.net/da-vinci-code-priory-of-sion.html
INQUISITIONS, HERESY & OCCULT SOCIALISM Image http://rexcurry.net ...... in dictionaries including: utopia or an idealized, harmonious community (that concept is also used as a reference to the historic land of Israel). … http://rexcurry.net/inquisitions-heresy-socialism.html
OCCULT REVELATION OF 666, THE MARK OF THE BEASTS, SATAN'S RAPTURE ...... concept is also used as a reference to the historic land of Israel). The USSR, PRC, and NSGWP all promised utopia or an idealized, harmonious community. … http://rexcurry.net/666-mark-of-the-beast-revelation-occult.html
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