Remember the 'Bible Code' that was all the rage before the 'DaVinci Code' made the scene? A friend of mine has a Bible Code software program where you type in a word or phrase, and it gives the chapter in scripture (parasha) from where your term or phrase is said to "emanate". This has to do with Kabbalistic concepts such as Gematria and Tzeruf which are beyond the scope of this blog to explain. Well, we typed in the phrase PEKITI TIRSIA and what we got back is the story of Pinhas ben Yair, summarized below. Maybe there's something to this after all...
The story of Pinhas actually began at the end of the previous Parashah. While the Israelites were encamped at Shittim, they were induced to having sexual relations with the Moabite women, who also invited them to the sacrifices for their god. The Lord was incensed with Israel and commanded Moses to have all the ringleaders publicly impaled. Just then one of the Israelites came and brought a Midianite woman over to his friends. When Phinehas, a priest, saw this he took a spear in his hand and stabbed both of them, the Israelite and the woman. Then the plague against the Israelites was checked. This episode of valiant behavior seems to end the rift between God and the Israelites.
Welcome to THE BALISONG JOURNAL An online journal of Southeast Asian Martial Arts, Culture and Spirituality from Guro Jeff Davidson and Detroit Kali-Silat. We will focus on Filipino Kali, Batangas Knife, and Silat Melayu (especially Silat Kuntau Tekpi) - along with Yoruba (West African) fighting and healing arts- and other interesting diversions along the way.
4 comments:
The problem with those Law of Large Numbers things is that you can find anything. I'll bet you could squeeze the numerology enough to get "No matter how you slice it it's still baloney" out of something in Tanakh.
You may have a point, but c'mon...what are the odds of typing in Pekiti Tirsia and coming out with a parasha that talks about someone getting stabbed?!?!?!?
JD
Jeff, I happened upon your blog and was excited to see a Torah reference on a kali-Silat site! I would add another potential Pekiti referece in Tanakh, specifically Kol Demama Daga of Pekiti sounds highly reminiscent of the term "kol demama daka" ("still small voice") found both in Tanakh and the High Holiday liturgy.
Jeff, are you frum? I haven't encountered any Orthodox Jews in the Filipino or Indonesian martial arts, although we are well represented in other martial arts.
P.S. Any Filipino or Indonesian martial arts instructors in the Northern NJ area whom you are familiar with and could recommend?
Shalom Moshe,
Thanks for your comment! Very interesting. I don't know if Tuhon Gaje is familiar with Tanakh or the High Holy Days liturgy, but I DID give him a copy of Rebbe Nachman's 'Outpouring of the Soul' a few years ago! As you know, Rebbe Nachman also referred to the SSV.
Other Fun Facts:
- My post here:
http://balisongplayer.blogspot.com/2006/01/hanya-aku-dengan-tuhanku.html
is a story about the Baal Shem Tov
- we also rendered the phrase PENCAK SILAT into Hebrew letters and arrived at "P'nei Tzaddik" neat, huh?
- Rabbi Alex Sternberg trained with Tuhon Gaje; and Tuhon Gaje is a proud member of the Jewish Karate Federation.
My maternal great-great grandfather and his brothers were students in the Volozhin Yeshiva. There are many Members of the Tribe in Pekiti; yes I do know of a few people you should hook up with. Please email me directly esubi@yahoo.com.
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