Part 4 - The Man of Elohim
The Lived Religion - Book 4 - The Man of Elohim
Chapter 1
1 Man is divided not only into nations, peoples, tribes, and creeds, but also broadly in twain:
2 There are among all men, all peoples, two kinds of man: The Man of Elohim, and the weakling;
3 those who are neither wholly one, nor wholly the other, nevertheless, tend towards the nature of one or the other of these;
4 consider the Man of Elohim: He is the man who reaches out towards elohim-liness,
5 he is the man in whom Elohim has succeeded, he is Elohim's elect!
6 he is like unto a spreading tree planted in black soil which blossoms quietly and doubles the yield of its fruit in the summer,
7 its fruit is a delight to the mouth and fills the stomach with satisfaction,
8 beneath the canopy of its foliage the weary find a pleasant refuge from the heat, in its shade all men find shalom and contentment;
9 behold the uprightness of the Man of Elohim:
10 Is he not the father of the orphan? and the husband of the widow? the brother of the forsaken? and the guardian of the fatherless?
11 do not the friendless find in him a friend? and the poor a benefactor?
12 it is not hard to give to the needy within reach or to help the weak when they are at hand,
13 but the Man of Elohim works not in such narrow confines, for he stretches out his hand to those beyond,
14 watch him among the distressed, as he talks with compassion and listens with understanding, see him among the lowly, how he deals with them in patience and kindness,
15 such men stand out, not only because of their own qualities, but because of the respect which others feel bound to accord them!
16 the Man of Elohim remains unperturbed by the whims of life,
17 he does not flinch before misfortune, or, turn his head when fortune smiles upon him,
18 when misfortune descends upon him, and his hopes and dreams are shattered, he does not go about lamenting in a loud voice, but quietly continues his daily task,
19 if fortune is gracious towards him, he braces himself and is not overwhelmed,
20 for he knows that often it takes a better man to bear the bounty of fortune than to bear the burden of misfortune!
21 the ruach of the Man of Elohim does not bow before the blows of misfortune, no matter how grievous its afflictions,
22 his calmness deflects its arrows, and his fortitude breaks its thrust, the shield of cheerfulness and the sword of courage, he never discards in despair,
23 he has compassion on the blind man, he helps the lame man, and he guards the deformed and afflicted against the mockery of weaklings,
24 he carries himself with the dignity becoming a man! he remains unshaken in calamity,
25 deceit and hypocrisy are things far beneath him, he has an air of quiet confidence and courage to speak the Truth,
26 the thoughts of his heart are the words of his mouth, and whatever he promises is as good as done!
27 the Man of Elohim is he who serves the Purpose of Elohim and carries out His Plan,
28 because of him, all men rejoice for what they are, and the weakling he carries as his burden,
29 he treasures womanhood and the dreams of men,
30 he is the master of Earth, and the adon of creation!
31 nothing more is required of man on Earth than that he be a Man of Elohim,
32 this is a sufficient objective, and difficult enough for any man to achieve.
Chapter 2
1 Manhood is a state of freedom! but its stronghold is in the ruach of a man,
2 the body may be held forcibly in bondage, but the ruach cannot be shackled!
3 he who lies imprisoned in the lowest dungeon may be more free than he who walks above, with a servile ruach holding him in thraldom;
4 be not a loud-mouthed bag of wind, for quietness within a man is as a rock,
5 against which, the tempest-driven waves of wrath and rage, rashness and haste, dash in vain;
6 only the Men of Elohim, can, with safety, destroy the tangled forests and wilderness of Earth, and make from them gardens, but will those who till the gardens be real men?
7 the Torah decrees that they must be, or the wilderness will reclaim its own!
8 he who would live in a garden must labour in the sun and subdue the soil,
9 he who is content to live in the wilderness may sleep in the shade, but he is a slave of life;
10 the Man of Elohim stands out above all others, his head is high, his footfall firm,
11 his bearing is dignified, his face calm, his hand steady, his heart tranquil, he sweeps aside all obstacles in his way,
12 he proceeds through all the dream fiends and powers of darkness that seek to bar his progress!
13 but where today is he who can gather the Men of Elohim together? and make them rulers of all men! that Earth may resound with glory and greatness?
14 the burden of the Man of Elohim and the shame of the Earth, is the weakling: He is one that frustrates the Plan of Elohim and degrades all men,
15 the weakling is wicked of heart, for wickedness comes easily to men,
16 it is easier to be wicked than to be good, it is easier to be weak than to be strong,
17 the weakling is one who takes the easy path;
18 the soul of the wicked man is wrapped in a winding sheet of hate, and corruption eats his ruach,
19 he mocks, for mockery is an overspill of poison brewed in little hearts;
20 the Man of Elohim would rather be hated than mocked, for while men hate, cowards mock;
21 man is divided in twain: Men of Elohim and weaklings; take your place with one or the other, for they will never be reconciled!
Chapter 3
1 Lend your arm to the aged, and open your purse at the cry of the poor,
2 guard well against the urge to plunder the unprotected, and from treating the destitute with harshness,
3 if you are lacking in compassion for others, it is well to remember that today one man may be rich and another poor,
4 yet ere a year has passed, the rich man may be working in a stable, and the poor man may be clothed in fine linen, such are the balances of life,
5 and it is therefore wise to turn a like countenance towards all men;
6 do not deride the clumsy speech of a lowly man,
7 the pleasant phrases of the pretentious man may be pretty things of no substance, sincerity is rarely bedecked with finery,
8 what a man has in his head and heart is more important than the fine words that fall from his lips;
9 an honest man is slow of speech, he fumbles for words and is confused, but his eye is straight,
10 the wily man is quick of speech, his wits are ever sharp from constant use;
11 if any man, himself being powerful, defrauds the helpless, he shall be your enemy! nor shall he be your enemy in secret, for this would make you a hypocrite,
12 if you see injustice, hide it not in your heart, but cry it from the housetops!
13 the Man of Elohim is the protector of the unprotected and counsellor of the ignorant,
14 for there will always be those who abuse power and strength to oppress,
15 they will rob the poor, oppress the afflicted, exploit the helpless man, and seduce the ignorant maiden from the household of her father,
16 they burden the Earth! and the Man of Elohim knows how to deal with them;
17 manliness carries its burden of responsibility, it is not a gown of fine linen, but a coat of mail,
18 it is not sufficient for the Man of Elohim that he turn away from wickedness, a Man of Elohim is called to enter the fight! and his instructions are to combat evil wherever he finds it,
19 he who sees an evildoer at work and remains silent is an accomplice!
20 he who remains inactive in the presence of evil condones the deed!
21 that which is not actively opposed is encouraged! take hold of yourself, be a man!
22 though now you have a body given over to weaknesses, the soul within has a reserve of resolution, call it forth, and it will serve you well!
Chapter 4
1 Forget the things wherein you are strong, for they need no attention,
2 consider your weaknesses and failings and keep them ever in sight;
3 beware the weakness of indecision, for at times a bad decision is better than no decision at all,
4 I say, beware of irresolution, as sometimes better is it to journey along the wrong path than never to start;
5 set out a code of conduct peculiar to yourself and at all times abide by it,
6 never betray the principles you set yourself, and thus, you will find the road to stability,
7 he who has no rules to abide by is like a vessel which has lost its steering oar, or as an unmanned chariot;
8 suppress the desires that rise to dominate you! selah;
9 relinquish the urges that drive to misfortune, and the shalom reigning within will not be disturbed by anxiety and disappointment,
10 away from the beguilement of false womanhood! from the tables of intemperance and the sideboards of gluttony!
11 go, seek your place in the company of Men of Elohim! see, are they not upstanding, brave, and active?
12 they are surrounded by the halo of vigour, they vibrate with the song of vitality, their arms are brawny and strong, and labour is to them as play to the child,
13 their talk is virile and manly, they know the weaknesses of fornicators and the softness of she-men,
14 their passions are vanquished by self-command, and evil habits do not suck their ruchot,
15 they take their pleasures in moderation, and therefore the enjoyment endures!
16 their hours of shabbat are few, but their sleep is deep and sound,
17 their hearts are serene and their bodies strong,
18 their thoughts are quick and their form lithe,
19 they are men, and the sons of men.
Chapter 5
1 Rejoice, O man, in your body's strength and cleanliness, be not ashamed of your nature,
2 live in shalom and contentment, for cakes of flour and water eaten with a contented heart serve the body better than fine meats eaten with strife and enmity;
3 courage is not the absence of fear, but the conquest of fear, fear comes to the courageous and cowardly alike,
4 the greatest courage is that which cheerfully and stoutly fights a losing battle!
5 at all times, whatever the circumstances, bear yourself manfully, with courage and fortitude!
6 set an example to others by ever reaching out to the limits of your capabilities,
7 let your arm be ever ready to guard the unprotected, ease the plight of the destitute, and turn not your face from the misery of the hungry!
8 if you turn a hungry man away unsatisfied, and he steal to satisfy the craving within his belly, how can you, who are well fed, judge him? and expect to be held guiltless before Adonai?
9 it is not the way of a Man of Elohim to defile the house of another in his absence,
10 only weaklings sneak around furtively to gratify their body lust in another's domain;
11 strive always to be the best in your calling, whatever it may be, and let not your energy be consumed in the envy of another's achievements,
12 strive always to improve your own abilities, so that you may take your place among the masters of your craft;
13 seek not to take advantage of your competitor by any underhanded methods,
14 but overcome his opposition only through your own superiority, thus, even though you may fail, the blow will be softened by the retention of your honour;
15 all labour is vain unless done with purpose, and toil should not only be to sustain the body but also to satisfy the ruach,
16 the man who attacks the task with zest shows his love of life!
17 if you toil without satisfaction, if you labour with distaste, following a dull routine of drabness, then it were better you did not labour at all,
18 a loaf baked with indifference sits heavily on the stomach,
19 if a dwelling is built without care, it becomes a home to discomfort,
20 do good wherever you can and labour to the best of your ability, and gladness shall rule your heart!
21 toil is more your lot on Earth than revelation, speculation about Divine things need not extend beyond the confines of your heart,
22 keep the desires of your heart ever within moderation, and they will come to fruition in due course!
23 never let another excel you in goodness,
24 and never envy another his abilities, for such is a profitless thing, seek rather to improve your own;
25 never seek to further your plans by unworthy or mean methods, or to pull another down that you may rise above him,
26 seek only to reach your goal by virtue of your own superiority, and if success elude you, nevertheless honour will walk at your side;
27 honesty does not necessarily bring its own reward on Earth,
28 the true reward of honesty is the unperceptible strengthening of the soul,
29 Men of Elohim are honest for the sake of honesty, it is in their nature,
30 weaklings are hypocritically honest, because of the reward reaped for a reputation for honesty, only the Ruach is not deceived!
31 maintain your self-control at all times,
32 the fires of fanaticism burn strongly and consume reason, therefore, dampen down the heated thoughts which burn in a fervent heart,
33 the man who walks slowly often finds the quickest way;
34 he who leads to victory is great, but he who can lead in defeat is still greater,
35 the Man of Elohim is seen at his best in defeat.