Friday, November 09, 2007

Put up or shut up time

A modern Honi HaM'agel [*] has been invited to work his spiritual magic down south.

Reports the JTA:
Rabbi Yehuda Levin will perform an ancient prayer ritual Wednesday seeking divine help to end the drought in the South, the Christian Newswire reported. Levin reportedly performed the ritual in 1986, after which there was four days of rain.
Here's how this is going to go down.

If it rains
R' Levin will:
(1) Claim success

If it does not rain
R' Levin will:
(1) Blame someone (ie, the liberals, the gays, the skeptics) eg: "Their sins, have made my prayers useless." [Never mind that this is kfirah, in that it denies that God is all powerful. Its still how the ultra pious play the game.]
(2) Never mention the failure again.

Incidentally, this is how it works in the mentalist game. Once, when the Big Ben clock stopped working, Uri Geller claimed credit. Oddly enough, no mention of this famous failure [Wait till the video gets to the Johnny Carson show] appears on his website (and take note of who Geller blames)

Important note: This post is no reflection on prayer. I'm sure it works (maybe) It's also no reflection on Rabbi Levin. I am sure he believes it works, is confidant in his own powers, and isn't defrauding anyone.

[*] Honi is a famous rain maker

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