Today is the seventh day Sabbath, so I figured I'd take our dog for a walk in Swan Creek Park instead of just going around the neighborhood as I normally do. Something special for both of us among God's good creation. :-)
Immediately on the trail I saw this young fellow about 19 years old who looked Jewish and we said hi and he went the one way and we went the other (it circles around). When we met up again I asked him if he saw any lions, tigers or bears. He joked, "Plenty, so be careful." I noticed he was wearing an upside down hand around his neck and asked him in Hebrew, "Ata Yehudi?" (Are you Jewish?). He said yes and smiled, "How could you tell?" I asked if it was Fatima - meaning the Hand of Fatima (among Muslim culture) and he said the hand is to ward off the evil eye. Jews have their versions of it, as well as Muslims and others. I didn't bother saying it's a pagan superstition although I thought it. (I refer to such Babylonian relics in my article Israel and Judah Must Get House in Order Before King Messiah Arrives).
I introduced myself, "Kareem lee David Ben-Ariel." (My name is David Ben-Ariel). His name is Aharon (Aaron).
I asked Aharon if he'd been to Israel and he said no, and I said, "od lo" (not yet). Aharon asked if I had been and I said yes, including living on 8 kibbutzim throughout the Land fulfilling my goals (mentioned in God-given love for the Jews), with the intention of finally living in Jerusalem, b'ezrat HaShem (with the help of God).
Aharon asked, "What are you doing here?" I said, "To meet you...and to tell you to follow Judaism to the Jewish Homeland. Do you hate me now?" He laughed and said, no. I told him I'm a Christian but not a missionary, otherwise I wouldn't have so many Jewish friends in Israel.
I mentioned my Beyond Babylon blog with its political and religious articles, with a focus on Israel, and encouraged him to check it out and we went our ways. Conveniently, we met up again near where I had parked and I was then able to give him one of my Beyond Babylon cards that pictures my book and on the back offers my David Ben-Ariel website address and personal email. God is good.
Shabbat Shalom (Sabbath peace),
David Ben-Ariel
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2 comments:
Just be sure to stay away from the Evil Eye!
We're commanded we're not to learn the way of the Gentiles, the heathen nations, and to FORSAKE BABYLON. Those who continue to wallow in the mire of pagan superstitions, like wearing foolish "charms" to supposedly ward off the "evil eye" - trusting in idolatrous silver and gold to protect them - fail to have faith in the God of Israel (who wouldn't permit the sorcerer Balaam to harm Jacob) and those who sell such trinkets, who pimp such pagan superstitions, partake of their sins.
Numbers 23
23 There is no sorcery against Jacob,
no divination against Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
and of Israel, 'See what God has done!'
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