Ask Harel13 Anything

[Harel13]

Going over to the dark side.

Well, I truly emulate this meme:

Snacking is my dark side.

 

[Gargovic Malkav]

Why do you call yourself Nin-Jew Master? Are you some kind of stealth specialist? And is Nin-Jewtsu a Japanese based martial art? Or is it like a substyle of Krav Maga?

 

[Harel13]

Why do you call yourself Nin-Jew Master? Are you some kind of stealth specialist? And is Nin-Jewtsu a Japanese based martial art? Or is it like a substyle of Krav Maga?

It was just something I thought of doing earlier today .

There are some Jewish martial artists who market themselves with puns such as these, but I'm not a martial artist. I learned a little bit of mandatory Krav Maga in the army, but probably wouldn't be really effective in a hand-to-hand fight anymore because of two injuries I've had over the last few years.

No, it's just a joke. Maybe I'll change it to something else.

 

[Gargovic Malkav]

It was just something I thought of doing earlier today .

There are some Jewish martial artists who market themselves with puns such as these, but I'm not a martial artist. I learned a little bit of mandatory Krav Maga in the army, but probably wouldn't be really effective in a hand-to-hand fight anymore because of two injuries I've had over the last few years.

No, it's just a joke. Maybe I'll change it to something else.

I wasn't being serious either when I asked those questions.

 

[ChristineM]

@ChristineM

Last summer I joined a challenge with some other religious Israeli graphic designers. The challenge was to design every day some kind of image with text at the bottom commemorating the s'firah of that day. S'firah, short for s'firat ha'omer is the counting of 49 days from Passover to the holiday of Shavuot. I decided to do every day something related to IDF history, seeing as I'm an IDF history nut. Here I wrote about Battalion 34. The mech symbolizes the many changes the battalion went through over the years: first it was an infantry unit (hence the humanoid form and tactical helmet), then it was a tank unit (hence the armor and the right-hand Merkava cannon) with yeshiva students (hence the tzitzit on the body and tefillin on the helmet), then it was an armored infantry unit, hence the upper torse desgined to look like an armored vehicle's windshield. In the background, an image of a fake village used for training by the IDF.

View attachment 44323

This is the unofficially official "Valiant Striver" certificate from NaNoWriMo 2019, done as a collab with another member.

View attachment 44324

A few years ago I started designing a humorous "Jewified" image in celebration of the US's Independence Day. Here's the last one. It reads on the bottom "I want you to daven for the USA" and features Uncle Sam with a Star of David in his hat and a tallit on his shoulders. "Daven" means "to pray" in Yiddish.

View attachment 44325

Lastly, probably the only time I was paid for my work (other than stuff I did in the army, but that doesn't count because I had no obligation to do that and would get my paycheck either way), I designed the pages of a small booklet of Torah ideas for a military rabbi who wanted to gift copies of this to people in the unit he was leaving. As he had previously sent out these ideas via Whatsapp, he wanted the design to look like that.

View attachment 44326

Although i don't particularly like the first one (military stuff upsets me), the convept, story it portrayed, detail and the feeling of motion are very good

I love the 4th July image, with its subtle touches and use of colour ;-)

I'm not sure what to make of the whatsapp one, it looks like a screen copy, but then again, that is the point.

I am impressed with the work.

 

[Harel13]

Although i don't particularly like the first one (military stuff upsets me)

Sorry. If it makes it any better, I would prefer we wouldn't need a military.

I am impressed with the work.

Thanks!

 

[ChristineM]

Sorry. If it makes it any better, I would prefer we wouldn't need a military.

Thanks!

Don't be sorry for my emotions. You do what you need to do.

 

[Hellbound Serpiente]

Is it possible for you and other Jewish brothers and sisters of mine to be friends with a gentile like me?

 

[Harel13]

Is it possible for you and other Jewish brothers and sisters of mine to be friends with a gentile like me?

Sure! You know, there are several stories in the Talmud about Jewish-Non-Jewish relations. For example, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai would be first to greet anyone in the market, including non-Jews. And Rabbi Yehudah The Prince was famously great friends with Emporor Antoninus.

 

[Rival]

What's your first memory?

 

[Harel13]

What's your first memory?

I think I was about 2 years old, maybe younger. It's a blurry image of a random day at my daycare, which was in the house of someone who lived (and still does) on our street. I can see the glass screen leading to the yard, there other kids around and there are some toys littered in the floor.

 

[metis]

Feel free to ask me stuff, but please keep it clean.

OK, as I took a shower within the month.

Moshe gave the Law a bit over 3000 years b.p., and yet we in anthropology generally believe, based on the evidence, that us humans as humans seem to go back to around 6 or so million years ago.

So, what took haShem so long, and why only in one little area of the world?

 

[Harel13]

OK, as I took a shower within the month.

Perhaps you have a future as a yeshiva student...(old yeshiva joke, don't mind me ).

So, what took haShem so long, and why only in one little area of the world?

Well, I'll try to give this a shot. First, let's cut down the millions of years to about 5781 years ago - that's when humanity as a thinking, God-like species with real purpose and free will came to be. Next, theoretically, all men should have been worshipping God from the start. Ultimately, though, the world chose to move in a different direction - farther and farther away from God. At the same time, though, it was starting a process - a kind of backup plan, if you will. That process eventually brought upon the figure of Abraham. His story eventually brought upon the People of Israel, and that brought the giving of the Torah. Was it the best way to come to God? Well, it really depends how you look at it. There are many different aspects to the story. I'm sure you're familiar with the 70 facets idea in Judaism, right?

 

[metis]

Perhaps you have a future as a yeshiva student...(old yeshiva joke, don't mind me ).

Well, I'll try to give this a shot. First, let's cut down the millions of years to about 5781 years ago - that's when humanity as a thinking, God-like species with real purpose and free will came to be. Next, theoretically, all men should have been worshipping God from the start. Ultimately, though, the world chose to move in a different direction - farther and farther away from God. At the same time, though, it was starting a process - a kind of backup plan, if you will. That process eventually brought upon the figure of Abraham. His story eventually brought upon the People of Israel, and that brought the giving of the Torah. Was it the best way to come to God? Well, it really depends how you look at it. There are many different aspects to the story. I'm sure you're familiar with the 70 facets idea in Judaism, right?

I have to leave because I'm being threatened [by my wife] to get my leg up. See ya tomorrow, so I'll respond to it then, but thanks for posting it.

 

[Harel13]

I have to leave because I'm being threatened [by my wife] to get my leg up

Feel good!

 

[metis]

Perhaps you have a future as a yeshiva student...(old yeshiva joke, don't mind me ).

Hey, I wrote the book!

First, let's cut down the millions of years to about 5781 years ago - that's when humanity as a thinking, God-like species with real purpose and free will came to be.

Do you accept the commentary that the Creation accounts in Genesis were the 7th and final creation by haShem with the others being previously but only partially destroyed?

We know that at least some Cro-Magnon and Neanderthals had religious beliefs long before that date with cave paintings and some ritualistic burials that go back tens of thousands of years b.p.

Next, theoretically, all men should have been worshipping God from the start.

Or is it "God's"?

I'm sure you're familiar with the 70 facets idea in Judaism, right?

Not by that name, but yes.

Anyhow, I just wanted to rattle your cage a bit per your OP, as I love playing "devil's advocate"-- or is it "haSatan's advocate"?

Feel good!

Thanks you soooooooooo much, my friend, and again congrats!


BTW, I was a moderator at another religious website a couple of decades ago, and I know how taxing that job can be. But you're obviously a smart cookie, so I'm optimistic you can well handle it.

Take care.

 

[Harel13]

Hey, I wrote the book!

On yeshiva students' showering habits? I'd love to read it.

Do you accept the commentary that the Creation accounts in Genesis were the 7th and final creation by haShem with the others being previously but only partially destroyed?

I see it as certainly a plausible possibility.

Or is it "God's"?

Perhaps you mean gods?

And no, not all.

haSatan's advocate"

That...doesn't make much sense, when you think about it. Satan is an advocate, he doesn't need his own advocate.

BTW, I was a moderator at another religious website a couple of decades ago, and I know how taxing that job can be. But you're obviously a smart cookie, so I'm optimistic you can well handle it.

Thank you. I'm still in utter freak-out mode. I hope it may pass, but I may just be getting my hopes up.

 

[VoidCat]

Whats your favorite animal?

 

[Harel13]

Whats your favorite animal?

Cheetah. Wish I could run as fast as one.

 

[VoidCat]

How do you think if aliens from outerspace visited would respond to humans? Do you think some things such as drinking alcohol and eating hot sauce they would find weird?