Ariel Sharon Kabbalistic death curse

[semper occultus]

The Sharon Death Curse<br><br>Religions around the world have a long history of curses aimed at opponents. Therese Taylor describes a recent use of Kabbalism against the Israeli Prime Minister.<br><br>In July 2005, Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister of Israel, was targeted by Jewish extremists with an ancient Kabbalistic death curse. This curse is known in the Aramaic language as a "pulsa denura" or "lash of fire", and was motivated by opposition to the policy of withdrawing Israeli settlements from Gaza. This action against Sharon showed the combination of politics and religious extremism at the heart of the current Middle East crisis.<br><br>The curse also demonstrated how religious rituals can make symbols of hatred and past acts of violence to a believer. It recalled the Rabin assassination, and took place at the gravesite of a Zionist executed for an attempted assassination in the 1930s. Real history and the ineffable world of the supernatural were conjured up together.<br><br>The pulsa denura, like most curses, is understood to be dangerous to the person who casts it as well as the person at whom it is aimed. "We believe in God," said Michael Ben-Horin, a settler in the Golan Heights who helped organise the rite. "I put myself in judgment before God. Either Sharon will die or I will." At the time of writing, both are still alive.<br><br>The ceremony took place at midnight on the eve of the Sabbath, performed by a Kabbalist who led 20 men in prayer. One participant described it: "It was done in a beautiful cemetery with a thick forest around it, under a Full Moon. We performed it near the graveside of Shlomo Ben Yosef…"<br><br>While leading figures in the Israeli settler movement denounced the curse, it wasn't the first such ceremony. The same group of hardliners used a curse against a previous Israeli Prime Minister, Yitshak Rabin, one month before his death in 1995. Rabin was shot dead by a ruthless assassin; while there was nothing mystical about that event, it's possible that the curse emboldened some people to plot actual violence.<br><br>It is significant that the ritual was carried out at the grave of Shlomo Ben Yosef, who was executed in 1936, during the British Mandate, for violent acts that included shooting at a bus full of Arabs. Such activities by settlers wishing to halt the Gaza withdrawal were seen again during August 2005.<br><br>The letters pages of Israeli newspapers were full of opinions about the curse. One irritated writer exclaimed: "Sir, – These 'extremists' are a bunch of scoffers who make fun of God in order to get front-page coverage. Next thing they will do is construct a Golem to put up for the next elections." But there were some who believed in it. Another correspondent stated: "I have been researching pulsa denura for years, and I am sorry to say that it is definitely a danger to the life or health of the target of that terrible curse."<br><br>Dr Dov Schwartz, from Bar-Ilan University's Talmud faculty, told the Jerusalem Post: "the pulsa denura curse is a recent evolution of the more widely known act of herem – the excommunication from the Jewish community of a person believed to be a criminal… and the first-known pulsa denura only occurred in 1958, after a person mysteriously died following an excommunication prayer."<br><br>But popular rumour gives this curse a longer history. According to some, the 'Curse of the Kennedys' – the misfortunes that appear to haunt America's famous political family – dates back to the 1940s when Joseph Kennedy, US ambassador to Britain, quarrelled with an eminent Polish rabbi, Aaron Kotler. He was said to have been cursed with a pulsa denura, which would continue to strike subsequent generations.<br><br>Australian Rabbi Chaim Gutnick acknowledged that such rumours about the Kennedy curse had circulated in the Jewish world since World War II. However, he said he did not believe Rabbi Kotler was responsible, because the late Rabbi was not a Kabbalist, and in any case, "It was not in his nature".<br><br>Such destructive actions, seeking to channel hatred and malign thoughts, are part of the folklore of many religions. In Catholicism, the Virgin Mary is associated with mercy and love. Few realise that in pre-industrial Europe a number of Virgin Mary shrines celebrated her destructive powers; she was credited with the ability to cause sickness or death in those who had annoyed her devotees. Such places have a long history – Michael P Carroll wrote an entire book, Madonnas that Maim (1992), on their influence in Italy. Islamic legends too contain many tales of holy people whose miraculous abilities included the fatal curse. Religious authorities now denounce such tales, regarding the topic of curses as mere superstition, but an audience remains.<br><br>When informed by journalists that he was the subject of a death curse, Ariel Sharon laughed and asked when it would take effect. But Sharon is in his late seventies; this must give the creators of the death curse some hope. He cannot live forever, and his eventual death, whenever it takes place, may then be attributed to the successful workings of the curse.<br><br>                <br>         <br><br>From FT 206<br>January 2006<br><br>AUTHOR<br><br>Therese Taylor teaches modern history at Charles Sturt University, Australia. She is the author of a scholarly biography of a French saint: Bernadette of Lourdes, her life, death and visions, Continuum, 2003.<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/206_sharon.shtml ">www.forteantimes.com/arti...ron.shtml </a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <br> <p></p><i></i>

[Floyd Smoots]

s.o., thanks for the "info?", but what the heck kind of credibility do you expect if you actually post any of "YOUR" own opinions here, with a screen-name that in Latin, means Always Hidden??? It's not a reinvention of any former "names" here, is it?<br><br>Actually, it looks to me as if the "People of the Book" are now claiming to have invented Voo Doo. However, if that turned out to be the absolute truth, it would no longer surprise me. Too many of the "Truths of the World" have fallen by the wayside in the last couple of decades for me to be surprised anymore by much of anything. Events may anger me, sadden me, or even at times, dishearten me, but I don't believe that I could be easily surprised by much of anything anymore.<br><br>Oops, I erred! If the U.S. and/or Israel DO NOT attack Iran very Very SOON, I will be MOST (and very pleasantly) SURPRISED!!! Go figure.<br> <p></p><i></i>

[semper occultus]

Hi FS<br>I have lurked here for a while but have "unhidden" myself.<br>You might like this....<br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://uk.geocities.com/srjmsbnd007/f009/index.html" target="top">uk.geocities.com/srjmsbnd007/f009/index.html</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> <p></p><i></i>

[havanagila]

there's a curious little story in the bible about the prophet Elisha, who was once walking in the streets, and a few punks ran after him calling him "bald man, bald man", and he cursed them on the spot and they died.<br><br>I never figured it out<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[professorpan]

The actual story is that the kids made fun of Elisha for calling him bald, and he called a she-bear down from the mountains. The bear slaughtered the children.<br><br>Elisha was a holy man, loved by God, and apparently the killing of the children was a-okay by the big man in the sky.<br><br>I first encountered a reference to that passage in Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land." I keep it handy when Bible-bangers start proselytizing to me about the "Good Book" being the unabridged word of God. You should hear how they twist themselves into pretzels trying to explain that passage. <p></p><i></i>

[havanagila]

thanks prof., i had a memory from my bible class in elementary school...apparently it wasn't verbatim, but catches the gist. The only positive feature of this, and other bible stories, is that they take a special effort to always keep people in proportions, as humans and not gods or perfect ones. I wish some of that literary finesse remained with us. I think the epitome is the story of david, and the entire saga of him killing uriah, deviously and cowardly, to take his wife from him. in our era, the PR industry has taken over, and actual criminals, low life no good people become gods for the media, and all their weaknesses are glossed and censored. (have both cheney and sharon in my mind..).<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[Floyd Smoots]

HEY, Somebody had to feed the bear!!! <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :rolleyes --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eyes.gif ALT=":rolleyes"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br> <p></p><i></i>

[Floyd Smoots]

....Awwwww, Y'all Ain't gonna talk to me now!!! It's not my fault that those youths, (teenagers, NOT Children, professorpan) got eaten by the she bear. You really need to study the ancient Hebrew, or ask "havanagila" to translate it for you. But, I think I have already figured out the mindset of most posters "here" who "just don't like God, and Fervently WISH HE would just go away".<br><br>You/they don't WANT to answer to ANYONE or ANYTHING, at the end of your mortal lives, about what you did, or didn't do, what you should have done, but didn't, or what you wish you could have done, but didn't have the resources, will, or stamina to do about ANY form of evil which you, I, and ALL of us have encountered in our "Journey to Otherness", which is the most basic human yearning.<br><br>Unless, of course, you (anyone here) just happen to be a True Believer in the Luciferic/Satanic "Meme", and really think that your "Losing Horse" is going to "FIX" everything just as soon as he gets here. But, that's just my opinion, I could be right. If I AM, Then What????????<br> <p></p><i></i>

[AlicetheCurious]

Hey, Floyd, your mask is slipping...And what's beneath is not exactly inspiring. <p></p><i></i>

[Floyd Smoots]

AlicetheCurious, not everyone wears masks. I haven't worn one since Halloween 1960 when I was twelve. I can understand a certain "verinoia" here on the web, largely fueled and encouraged by the Big Boyz. However, my belief is that real troublemakers, possibly including myself, are well known to all the alphabet-soup agencies, and, like a few other readers/posters here, I'm just too old and tired to care.<br><br>I'm not going to give an unknown poster like you (or anyone else), my social security no., nor will I share ALL of my embarrassing family secrets. I don't think anyone else here will, either. However, IF you have a legitimate question for me about my work, beliefs, why I blog, etc., then, just ask me, and I'll give you the answer. One major caveat I give you is this. If you ask me something, like my name and address, you may find a surprising answer.<br><br>That answer may look like this: APH. That means "Already Posted Here", at Rigorous Intuition; therefore I don't feel like posting that particular information over and over again, everytime someone new comes aboard and wants to know who I am, and whatever I'm all about. Fair enough? The ball, as they say, is now in your "pool", 'cause I missed the court when I hit it.<br><br>Verinoid Floyd<br> <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p216.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=floydsmoots>Floyd Smoots</A> at: 2/18/06 6:48 pm<br></i>

[Floyd Smoots]

Alice, I personally cannot read ancient Hebrew, if that's what bothered you. I just happen to own several quite good Bible commentaries, by Christian scholars who Can read it. If that's what made your "spider senses" tingle, then, I hope I have explained it. I personally consider "professorpan" to be a well-informed individual, but he gets on my nerves by disparaging Jesus, as much as I (and others) probably get on his nerves by our fierce defense of Jesus. Any questions, as I said before, just ask.<br><br>The Man With "HALF" The Answers<br>Alexander Franklin Mutter, B.A.<br> <p></p><i></i>

[havanagila]

I checked the hebrew bible to see the precise wording of that paragraph, and apparently my memory didn't fail me. The youth were calling after him "up you go, bald man" and he "cursed them in the name of god". Thereafter, came the bears and killed 42 of them. So, it is a case of "curse" and voodoo after all. <br><br>--<br>Floyd, surely Jesus can handle this by himself, can't he ? I say the same to religious Jews here who feel obliged to "fight in the name of god", and end up making fools of themselves, which is certainly counterproductive. <br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[AlicetheCurious]

Floyd, why would I care about your name and address? What I meant was that it jolted me that someone who claims to defend Jesus ("suffer the children", "turn the other cheek") would chuckle appreciatively at the thought of children being mauled by a bear because they teased a prophet. <br><br>I have an impossible dream: that those who claim to defend God (or his prophets, or his Son) would simply shut up and channel all that energy into revealing by their actions and example, exactly why God is worthy of our love and trust, and adoration. <br><br>The reason I said "inspiring" is that I have my own personal smell test for whether someone really is "of God": words and vehemence are less than irrelevant. Not to mention hatred and hypocrisy.<br><br>Unless they've been FUBARed, our hearts are exquisitely-tuned instruments, calibrated precisely to vibrate in response to communications from God. Whether or not someone SAYS they are "religious", if their fruits are peace, compassion, wisdom and true humility, then my heart recognizes them, is INSPIRED by them, and I pay attention to the message they bring.<br><br>Otherwise, <br><br>"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean." (Matthew 23:27) <p></p><i></i>

[Floyd Smoots]

....I apologize for making light of "feeding the bear". It was a snide comment to/on those (who will remain unnamed) who use verses like that one in the Bible as absolute positive proof that the Bible is just a pack of lying myths written down by a bunch of old dead Jews. I get as tired of that "meme" as our gracious host, Jeff does of people who blame all the world's troubles on "the Jews".<br><br>My life insurance rep. is Jewish, and my daughter and I graciously hosted his presence here yesterday morning so he could sell her and her husband life insurance policies for the financial protection of their young family. He and I (the rep) are the same age, and we get along very well together.<br><br>Jesus also tells us not to brag or boast about the good we do (in real life), nor how much money we give to His (God's) work. But I would like you to to rest assured that the amount I have given for 2005, and so far, into this year, 2006, only makes me wish I had given more, and done more.<br><br>However, I make very, very "researched sure" that the money I give to the Bible Broadcasting Network (headquarted in Charlotte, North Carolina), and Union Mission Ministries in Norfolk, Virginia go to only two purposes, spreading the Word worldwide, and feeding & sheltering the hurting & hungry, right here where I live.<br><br>I felt badly about not giving a nickel to any of the agencies, especially the Red Cross, after hurricane Katrina; but, by checking, and double checking, (see the R.I. thread about how to research a subject here on the web), I actually came to the honest conclusion that most of the donated money to the most-hyped "charity" agencies was going to be stolen and never, never get to the people who really needed it.<br><br>There were just too many well-documented, and first-person-witnessed stories about good-hearted, caring, well-meaning churches, mosques, synagogues, and civic groups who had gathered TRUCKLOADS of food, water, ice, clothing, tents, you-name-it, that the victims could have used, and used NOW; only to see their loving, caring contributions turned back from New Orleans, and its environs by FEMA!!! And it was well-documented that there was NO DAMAGE to the roads that led straight to the Superdome!! Trucks with supplies, and Busses for evacuation were Turned Back for NO REASON, but for the fact that FEMA said so!<br><br>This was not a case of, Oops, we miscalculated. This was a case of MURDEROUS ABANDON by our Own Government to get those poor unwanted people the heck out of there FOREVER, and, don' come back, y'all, y'hear!!! Sorry, Alice, I really didn't mean to get off on an anti-government rant here, it just sorta happened.<br><br>As Christians, we are also commanded to preach the gospel to all nations. I never came here to R.I. to preach. I don't even feel "called" to do that. I can make you a conditional promise right now. If posters here will concentrate more on political issues which affect ALL of us, and stop "Jesus-bashing", I will do my part to help your dream come true. But, when posters on any particular thread start to "pile on the quarterback", Jesus, I will weigh in, and I will express my opinionated disapproval.<br><br>Lastly, for now, I HOPE you will note that you have never seen me use the word "religious". Its meaning in English, is simply "regular", as in I wake up in the morning religiously. I brush my teeth religiously. I "go to church" religiously. Many people in the last group are "religious" in their church attendence, but often not in their "heartfelt" love and fellowship with God.<br><br>I, however, am no longer religious in church attendance. My nearest neighborhood church, where I was first baptised in 1965, has, sadly now gone for the apostate teachings of Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life" & "Purpose Driven Church". Ergo, I no longer attend at all, much less "religiously".<br><br>Make of it what you will, but as I posted previously, don't hesitate to ask questions of me. I will do my best to give you the most honest answer that I can.<br><br>Peace & Love,<br>brother Alexander<br> <p></p><i></i>

[DavidMartinez]

maybe the good lord didnt send those bears and it was just a coincidence. synchronicity <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>i remember a guy telling a story about a couple of mormon missionaries getting mad at him and cursing him in the name of the lds church or joseph smith or something. <p></p><i></i>