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22093753? ago

Part 55 >

Denying Fundamental Principles of the Torah and Inventing new ones

If all that were not enough, another of his books, modestly, titled "The Ground Breaking Book that tells you all about Reincarnation - THE WHEELS OF A SOUL," p. 46, has the following pronouncements of "orthodox rabbi" Berg.

"We are taught from childhood that if we do something good, G-d will reward us and if we do something bad, He punishes us. Never believe it."

In other words, Berg tells you not to believe one of the "13 Fundamental Principles of Judaism" (Principle 11, in Maimonides' formulation) that "G-d rewards those who perform the commandments of the Torah and punishes those who transgresses its admonitions." According to this "greatest Kabbalist" we are not to believe the numerous passages in the Torah that speak explicitly of reward and punishment, such as Leviticus ch. 26 and Deuteronomy ch. 28-29; or in the Shema recited twice daily - Deuteronomy ch. 11:13ff., to mention but some major sources.

In the same tract, p.29, Berg alleges that "Reincarnation is not a question of faith or doctrine, but of logic and reason.. the Bible is its Fountainhead;" and p. 51: "By now it should be quite clear that reincarnation is discussed and accepted in the Bible, and that by virtue of that acceptance it is an integral part of Judaism and Christianity alike."

Very interesting. Why is it, then, that some of the greatest authorities of Judaism, including Rav Saadiah Gaon (to whom Berg makes several references and who says of the idea of reincarnation that it is no less than "madness and confusion"), R. Abraham Ibn Chinya, R. Abraham Ibn Daud and R. Joseph Albo, denied and rejected the idea of reincarnation? One need not be too great a scholar or student of religion to know that one can hardly imagine something more absurd than Berg's assertion than "Judaism is not concerned with conforming to a strict religious way of life" requiring the performance of certain religious tasks. Religious law and ritual is the very foundation, the beginning and the end, of the Torah and Judaism. Berg's teachings are no more than a poor-echo of the basic claim of the apostle Paul, in the New Testament, and later of the movement of the false Messiahs Shabbatai Tzvi and Jakob Frank, that the laws or rituals of the Torah and Jewish tradition are no longer required. So is his claim that "proper understanding of the Torah," i.e., the teachings and doctrines of Bergism , will remove "the barriers that have been created between Jews and non-Jews."

Berg and his people make constant use of astrology and horoscope-readings to "counsel" those who come to them. They pretend to see all kinds of negative forces or auras threatening their victims, and then advise them that the "pending evil" can be avoided by means of hefty contributions to the Kabbalah Centre. A favorite ploy of theirs is to suggest the amount of $30,000 for reprinting the Sulam-edition of the Zohar, payable either by post-dated cheques or credit-card. The use of astrology, of course, is forbidden by Jewish law. To be sure, there have been a good number of Jewish scholars who believe in the principles of natural forces and influences suggested by astrology. Nonetheless, Jewish law and tradition state quite clearly that Jews are not to consult horoscopes and astrology. Maimonides condemns astrology as a form of idolatry. The Schulan Aruch, the universal Code of Jewish Law, composed by Rabbi Joseph Karo who himself was a great Kabbalist and studied with Rabbi Isaac Luria himself, states unequivocally: "One is not to consult astrologers or fortune-tellers - GLOSS: because it is written 'You shall be wholehearted with the Lord, your G-d' (Deuteronomy 18:13), and how much more so, therefore, it is forbidden to consult those that use divination, enchanters and sorcerers." (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah, section 179, paragraph 1). The Zohar is also very emphatic in prohibiting a Jew's use or consultation of astrology (see Zohar, vol. I (Book of Bereishit), p. 90b; vol. II (Book of Shemot), p. 172a; and vol. III (Book of Vayikra-Davarim), p. 216b; etc. For Maimonides' condemnation see his Code, Laws of Idolatry, chapter II, par. 8-9 and 16, and his Book of Commandments. Vol. II, par. 32).

See Part 56 >