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Heed the Warning
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
November 17, 2024, Israel
Are you training in Krav Maga? Yes? Great, no? Why not??
So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry [Or were married to] his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. (or, Saw him as a joker) Genesis 19:14
There is a Talmudic concept, One cannot punish, unless one has been warned. This is a legal leniency, that basically says, ignorance of the law is in fact a valid defense. We need to make sure that you knew this act was wrong, that you were aware of this, only then can a punishment be meted out.
In life, sadly, there are very few warnings. We need to seek them ourselves. Last week I was in a bad car crash. Turns out that it is "a known thing", that with the first rain in our region, there is oil on the road. Something to do with the fact that we live in the desert, have no rain for a long time, and the first rain brings out the oil of the cars that have been driving there. I was not aware of this. I had not been warned, but now I warn others. Nonetheless, despite not being warned, I was "punished" by life, by nature. Life does not issue a warning.
The job of parents and teachers includes to warn: If you do not apply yourself in school, you may have difficulty attaining a job when you are older. If you do not eat properly, you will have health problems. If you not put on a coat, you may catch a cold and become sick.
As a Krav Maga instructor, my job is not only to teach, but to warn, and this I have been doing for many years via my blogs, my books, my seminars, and my casual conversations. I would have to say that on the whole I have not been very successful. Most of the people I know do not train in Krav Maga or in any form of self-defense. I have tried to warn others but have not truly succeeded. I feel like the prophet Isaiah who said, "Why did I come and there was no one there? I called, but no one answered?" (Isaiah Chapter 50, verse 2) מדוע באתי ואין איש, קראתי ואין עונה
Yesterday in the synagogue we read once again the story of destruction of Sodom, the evil city, destroyed by God for the wickedness of its inhabitants. I know that among my readers and my students, friends, and family, there are devout believers in the words of the Bible, and there are those who are not. My contention is that either way, the stories of the Bible are relevant to us today, regardless of their historical truth. A story that survived nearly 4,000 years, has value.
In modern times many Biblical legends have come closer to being accepted as history as modern science has found evidance backing up the historicity of these stories. Archaeologists and scientists have discovered that some 3,600 years ago a meteor exploded over the Dead Sea area likely pointing to the cause of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. These findings were the result of research at Tall el-Hamamn in Jordan. It is now believed that a likely cause of these destructive events described in the Bible was the meteor that exploded in this region, the details are a perfect match. This would also explain why a region that was one of the most productive agricultural regions that supported tens of thousands of people for more than 3,000 years, suddenly died and remained barren for several hundred years.
“The description in Genesis of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Dead Sea area is consistent with having been an eyewitness account of a cosmic airburst,” In reaching their conclusions on the cause of the Tall el-Hammam destruction, the scientist said they investigated 14 major lines of evidence, including the discovery of pottery and bricks that melted at extremely high temperatures, diamond-like carbon formed at high pressure and temperature, and evidence of minerals that melted at temperatures of over 2500°C (4500 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Genesis 19:24–25 says: “Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah — from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus He overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities — and also the vegetation in the land.” All these Biblical descriptions, from so long ago, match up perfectly with what we know today.
Regardless of how we interpret these events, there is a powerful message. God gives advance notice to Lot that Sodom, known for wickedness, will be destroyed. Two angels/messengers arrive in Sodom and warn Lot, "Have you anyone here besides yourself? ...take them out of this place. for we will destroy this place, because the great cry of the oppressed has reached the Eternal God." Lot warns his family. His sons in law saw him as a joker, as one who is telling jokes. They did not take him seriously. They did not heed the warning, and they died.
Lot hesitated but the angels grabbed him and urged him to run for the mountains and not look back.
As I was sitting in the synagogue, hearing these words read for the 100th time, or more, it hit me. This is the same message of my own life. I am warning people, I am telling them that danger lurks all around us. I am telling them to learn to defend against Multiple Attackers, knife attacks, armed robbery, to be prepared, but I am seen as "one who is joking", I am as a jester in their eyes.
The stories are true, the messages are true, but are we paying attention? That is why we read the same stories year after year, eventually the message might sink in. Pay attention! Your life depends upon it.
Moshe Katz, 7th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt hall of fame, USA and Europe.
Understand the Israeli Fighting Mentality - Israel a Nation of Warriors by Moshe Katz
What is the cultural background of Krav Maga? What makes it unique? What makes the Israeli military so effective? Why are Israeli security systems used all over the world?
What are the Biblical origins of Krav Maga and who was the first Krav Maga instructor?
What weapons and military strategies did our Biblical ancestors use?
How has Krav Maga developed in Israel and what are its goals?
All that and more in this unique book.
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