ALL GOD DOES IS FOR THE GOOD. GAMZU L'TOVAH
RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL
BLUFFTON / HILTON HEAD SUN 3/1/17
Shalom: This year we are learning a bit about Judaism's famous Talmudic rabbis and the universal lessons that they taught.
Another of Judaism's most famous sages, living circa 130 CE, is Rabbi Akiva. He recognized General Bar Kokhba as the Messiah, and was executed by the Romans when Bar Kokhba's revolt, 3 years after recapturing Jerusalem, circa 136 CE, failed.Akiva was a shepherd and his employer's daughter fell in love with him. She offered marriage if Akiva would begin studying Torah. He was 40 years old and illiterate. Her father disowned her, and she and Akiva lived in poverty. Akiva spent 24 years away from his wife, in study, and became a great rabbi, returning with 24,000 disciples. His father-in-law, now impressed gave Akiva and his wife, half of his possessions.
Akiva's favorite maxim was "Whatever God does, He does for the best", in Hebrew: "Gamzu L'Tovah.'' Once, being unable to find any sleeping accommodation in a certain city, he was compelled to pass the night outside its walls. Without a murmur he resigned himself to this hardship; and even when a lion devoured his donkey, and a cat killed the rooster whose crowing was to herald the dawn to him, and the wind extinguished his candle, the only remark he made was, ''Gamzu L'Tovah.'' When morning dawned he learned how true his words were. A band of robbers had fallen upon the city and carried its inhabitants into captivity, but he had escaped because his abiding place had not been noticed in the darkness, and neither beast nor fowl had betrayed him (Talmud Berachot 60b).
Talmud Berachot 61b tells of Akiva's torture and death by the Romans. His skin was torn off a piece at a time, and his students asked him how he could pray to God in pain. Akiva answers: "All my life I was worried about the verse, 'loving God with all your soul.' Now that I am finally able to fulfill it, shouldn't I?" He then said the Shema Prayer, ending with "The Lord is One." He extended the final word Echad ("One") until he died with ''Echad'' on his lips. A heavenly voice announced: "Blessed are you, Rabbi Akiva, that your life expired with "Echad". This death bed Jewish tradition exists still today.
Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit him at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org . Email at RabbiASegal@aol.com , and www.FaceBook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal
JEWISH WEDDINGS OFFICIATED BY RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: TRADITIONAL, INTERFAITH, CO-OFFICIANT, DESTINATION
"One of the Joys of being a Rabbi," says Rabbi Arthur Segal," is working closely with the bride and groom and officiating at their wedding." He can do this with couples living near by or with couples having a destination wedding in the greater beautiful Hilton Head Island area.
Rabbi Arthur Segal helps develop a custom ceremony with the couple so that each word in the ceremony rings true to them. His ceremonies can range from the very traditional to what ever the couples desires. Rabbi opines that this is the couple's special day, and to treat each wedding as unique.
For those who are having an interfaith wedding, Rabbi takes special care to respect both traditions, again with total input from the couple. He will be pleased to co-officiate at weddings, using non-Trinitarian language.
Rabbi will work closely with the wedding planer and/or caterer to make sure the wedding is seamless, and the bride and groom can totally enjoy themselves on their special day.
Rabbi Arthur Segal is available, and actually prefers, to be at the rehearsal, to ensure all is going smoothly, and to get to know the bridal party, and family, before the actual wedding day.
For those that wish to have a Ketubah, rabbi will work closely to make sure everyone's name has correct calligraphy on the document, in English and Hebrew, so the signing ceremony is flawless.
For a beautiful gallery of Ketubahs go to JudaicConnection.com (My couples receive a $15 shipping discount)
Rabbi Arthur Segal tries to limit his weddings to Hilton Head, SC, Bluffton, SC, Palmetto Bluff, SC, Savannah, GA, and Charleston, SC, but has been known to make himself available elsewhere, even out of the USA. He will also conduct weddings and recommitment ceremonies on cruise ships.
In keeping with Jewish ethics, if the couple resides in Rabbi Arthur Segal's town, Rabbi will ask, unless there are some special circumstances, if the couple has first asked the local pulpit rabbi to officiate.
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Hilton Head Island, SC; Bluffton, SC; Savannah, GA
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Hilton Head Island, SC; Bluffton, SC; Savannah, GA
