This has always been my biggest contention. The practice of taking stories from the Torah and Judaism and completely disregarding the teachings accompanied with those stories by the people who's stories they are and twisting the meaning.I understand, but the Torah studies is studied by Jewish people, I'm not Jewish(not that I have anything against it). So do I have to study Judaism to get the full meaning? Or is there more in other beliefs also?
Sorry Coach, I'm just not seeing the connection on this one. I understand where you want it to go with the wheat heads = white squares and the chaff = black squares on the mosaic pavement and Masons winnowing what is important from what is not. (i.e. an EA divesting themselves of superfluities) I just don't know that I agree with your symbolism on this one.
Mount Moriah was used for winnowing until it was purchased by David where he built an altar for sacrifice. It wasn't until his son Solomon built The Temple that the mosaic pavement comes in. My point is, once the land was purchased it ceased to be used for the purpose of winnowing and became a place dedicated to sacrifice and offerings to G-d. And most every lecture focuses on the mosaic pavement as a representation of the good and bad in persons life making a whole. It is no coincidence that our altars in our Lodges are placed at the center of these mosaic pavements. Don't get me wrong, there are arguments to be made about sacrifice and divesting.
We already, though, have a working tool in Masonic symbolism that has the symbolic use of divesting ourselves from superfluities, or unnecessary aspects that are distractions, or keep us from positive growth. Basically winnowing.
I am not dismissing your connections out of hand, I just feel there are many more important lessons that can be gleaned from the acquisition of Mount Moriah by David than this one. For instance, a sacrifice that costs one nothing is worthless, and a place of worship acquired unfairly diminishes it.
I do not see what you and I are saying as mutually exclusive. I think that they both apply if they both make sense and a difference to the Brother who is studying it. I was focusing on winnowing, not to the exclusion of other lessons, but as merely one lesson amongst many.No, it doesn't only refer to the purchase, in Torah study these facts are used to apply much more broadly.
My only contention with the connection is what I see as a tenuous connection between the winnowing, place of sacrifice, and the mosaic pavement in Judaism and Masonry.
I love when I hear it all come together. I had read this before and kind of forgot it. To hear it again is like a Light bulb coming back on.I recently read that is winnowing done using the wind, either natural or from a fan. This I knew
What I didn't realize is that the 'wind' is representative of a 'spirit' our G_d. Who helps us winnow through what is good and bad; what will help us, and what is useless to us.
Oh, is that YOU, Bukeye? Y'know, people are trying to sleep over here and we'd appreciate it if you put a lampshade over the bulb, okay???I love when I hear it all come together. I had read this before and kind of forgot it. To hear it again is like a Light bulb coming back on.
What's next? Something completely different.Feed Me, Feed Me. What's next?
t h e l a r c h ----------------------->what's next? Something completely different.
The need for Masons to Thresh and Winnow.Question 15: Based upon the history of the Masonic Temple Mount, what does the checkered pavement represent?
Question 16: What are Vices and Superfluities?
Nice!The very things we need to winnow from our lives, vices and superfluities are unnecessary excesses. Vices is the opposite of virtue. Vices are behaviours or habits unaccepting. Superfluities is things unnecassary.
Distractions from my path.The need for Masons to Thresh and Winnow.
Question 16: What are Vices and Superfluities?
Vices are of a personal nature, and superfluities are of material natureQuestion 17: What distinguishes Vices from Superfluities?
Sparky (and all), I think we may benefit by taking a peek at the old dictionary here. I'm pulling out my big one: Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language 1983.Vices are of a personal nature, and superfluities are of material nature