On Top

G-d forbid we say G-d forbid?!

Watching the news one evening right after the pandemic broke and I found myself finishing every newscaster’s report with G-d forbid and I wondered when did we ever stop saying G-d Forbid?

Regardless of when we stopped, I’m sure glad we did. (I’ll explain why at the end.)

Especially with all the not such good news being reported. (That was written soon after Covid broke)

It is more vital than ever to use those two incredibly mellowing special words. It is a matter of mental health and public safety. Some might argue that to some extent it is a matter of life and death.

It used to be in our lingo and “slang” and I think that we should bring it back and use it, now more than ever.

G-d forbid is a prayer. It’s reassurance.

If any news is being reported about, G-d forbid, surges in hospitalizations or an impending storm brewing over the Atlantic, ending the presumptive and ‘worst-case-scenario’ report with a ‘G-d forbid’ is a blessing of sorts that may indeed ‘sweeten the judgment’ but definitely ‘blesses the blesser.’

The G-d forbid is like a silent prayer to the One above and is also a nod of reassurance to a person listening that thing will work out, because G-d is good and nothing bad comes from above and G-d will forbid anything bad to happen.
It’s even more important when reporting negative events which are seemingly (more) out of our control is when it’s most appropriate to use those words.

I think reporters when reporting on a possible catastrophe that if happens would require the reporter listing a list of possible consequences to actually report on his made-up list, G-d forbid should say G-d forbid at the end of their assumptive report of the demise that might befall on whomever is listening, G-d forbid.

Saying G-d forbid means you’re being mindful. It’s an act of Kindness on your part and indeed, G-d returns the favor of Kindness with Kindness and will forbid the situation from getting to that point – where G-d forbid was needed to be said and now what becomes necessary to say is Thank G-d.

But some might say what if someone doesn’t believe in G-d, they might find it offensive when a reporter says G-d forbid. Well, let that person tune out if they want, but most people do believe in G-d. Even if they practice different forms of religion, most people have an innate belief in the one unifying and unique G-d. It’s almost like an understanding, which may come to be expressed in one form or another, but it’s a knowledge that we all came from the same place.

Besides, usually atheists like to be considered intellectuals and an atheist shouldn’t be offended by someone expressing a belief that to some is so natural. Just like an atheist can’t see the world with a G-d in it, so too is the opposite on the believer, he cannot fathom a world without G-d in it.
An atheist by dis-believing is not losing anything when someone adds the words, G-d forbid, thank G-d. On the other hand, the believer is continuously losing out on his beloved thank G-d and G-d bless, G-d forbid.

Where to, G-d forbid, place the G-d forbid?

Well, G-d forbid we should ever have to use this phrase, but where to place it within the sentence, depends on the a few things, the context, the length of the sentence and is generally up to the speaker.

It depends. G-d forbid we should ever have to use this phrase, but it depends on the veracity of the paragraph it’s being called into. So, if you decide to re-up and use this phrase, G-d forbid, more often then I thank you and G-d bless you!

The reason why I’m glad we stopped using it, because going into the future, the trajectory of events which will require this phrase to be called into play will become less and less frequent until our kids will not understand this phrase G-d forbid, so for me it’s just a ‘sign of the times’…

*As to the reason why I’m glad we stopped: I’m glad we stopped because it confirms the fact that we are definitely living in the times of the redemption where there will be is no need to ever use that phrase

The Just Be (f*%$n) Mindful Campaign

One day as I was walking into Shul that the signs for No talking and Stop the talking are important but they have too much of a negative tone and so in the spirit of creating a positive /welcoming /all-inclusive/politically-correct greeting expereience for all ages, races, genders, species and “things” this is what I came up with:

Was Moses struck by lightning?

Recently I read a fascinating book by Dr. Oliver Sacks called Musicophilia, where, as a neuroscientist, he studies how music affects the brain and one of the cases he describes is a Dr. Tony Cicoria, who at the age of forty-two, was struck by lightning which caused him to suddenly be able to play the piano and become a concert pianist.

This is not an isolated case. A person has a 1 in 500000 chance of getting “lit” and depending on many conditions, very few live, let alone talk about it.

Those who do live to talk about it, become super-humans.

As I was reading the recent parshiot of the book of Shemot it struck me that it might be possible to say that Moses was hit by lightning?

The question which led to this hypothesis was what happened that took Moses from being a shepherd, with (seemingly) no background or immense interest in G-d and no previous communication with G-d that we know of or that was substantial enough for the Torah to include. Compare this to Avraham who researched and sought out G-d for the better part of his life, before getting a G-dly revelation. Moses on the other hand gets a visit from G-d on the first day. No testing. No waiting. No angels. Moses met G-d on a “level (par none) to your ancestors”.

Moses sees G-d on a different level.

What would lead to an “ordinary person” to suddenly see the world through G-d’s eyes? Well he deserved it. He tried to make peace between those two Jews who were fighting back in Egypt and he chased after the sheep. We can rationalize it, but how does someone go from 0 – infinity in an instant?

What actually happened on that day in the mountainous fields of the dessert? Something physical had to have happened.

What really solidified this theory was the burning bush factor. The Torah tells us of a burning bush which was not consumed. When lightning hits a tree it could look like an explosion yet the tree can bear the strike and remain standing.

Moses was electrifying but was he electrified?

Would it be too far of a stretch (or too “off the derech”) to suggest that as a possibility. It being in the dessert with sporadic rain showers and sandstorms transpiring there all the time. We know that he was near a tree, and we know that lightning is attracted to wet trees (which is why it is known to stay away from trees during a lightning storm)

By lightning I do not mean a huge bolt that could’ve caused him any damage c”v, but a bolt of lightning, nonetheless. Just a tap of which can awaken any senses that are asleep within the mind.

So, I took the google with my inquisitions regarding dessert storm frequencies in that geographical region to see and other research tags as criteria for this research and will update here with my findings. Until then do you have any thoughts on this topic? Do you think it is too off the rocker to say that? Do not hold back. Comment below… Toda!

Yaacov’s Angels

.. The ones he saw in his dream

Any thoughts, comments would be very welcomed so please post below..

Toda!

On Trend

Popular Stories

New Torah

תורה חדשה מאיתי תצא (ישעיה נ”א ד’) 

G-d forbid we say G-d forbid?!

Watching the news one evening right after the pandemic broke and I found myself finishing every newscaster’s report with G-d forbid and I wondered when

On Focus

All About
Photography

On Flight

Travel & Explore the world

New Torah

תורה חדשה מאיתי תצא (ישעיה נ”א ד’) 

G-d forbid we say G-d forbid?!

Watching the news one evening right after the pandemic broke and I found myself finishing every newscaster’s report with G-d forbid and I wondered when

Was Moses struck by lightning?

Recently I read a fascinating book by Dr. Oliver Sacks called Musicophilia, where, as a neuroscientist, he studies how music affects the brain and one

Yaacov’s Angels

.. The ones he saw in his dream Any thoughts, comments would be very welcomed so please post below.. Toda!

Explore and travel the world

On Brand

Beauty Tips and Tricks

New Torah

תורה חדשה מאיתי תצא (ישעיה נ”א ד’) 

G-d forbid we say G-d forbid?!

Watching the news one evening right after the pandemic broke and I found myself finishing every newscaster’s report with G-d forbid and I wondered when

On Style

Glorious Fashion

P.O.T. for Israel

Put On Tefillin for Israel was a campaign started as a joke by my friend Ezzy Duchman who was traveling on the west coast. The

Wow G-d

Hungry here and thirsty as all —– combined. Wanting to do something BIG for that one, the one and the only one. Would love to

On Taste

Food & Drinks From Around the World

On Air

Watch Animag's Video Channel

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur acing elit alora sedo eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore magna aliq.