08-29-2008, 02:37 PM
Shlama all--
Still grinning...
This is kind of funny in a way. I have an interesting story to tell all of you. But first, I just wanted to thank several folks for their recent supporting comments about how Paul and I weathered/dealt with recent attacks. It has been very nice hearing from you all, both just now on this forum and in supporting emails. I do not hold any malice, I want you all to know that. There are very few of us Peshitta scholars out there and we can't really afford to be sniping at one another if it can be helped. As I told David B even in my frustration, I have supported his scholarship even in some of the more esoteric areas (codes) more so than many others have. That has not changed. We are bigger than the insults we receive. Master Y'shua demands it as does the Peshitta itself.
Okay, now moving on. As most of you know, a certain Rabbi brought great disgrace upon the Netzarim by advocating perversion. When this happened, I had to literally stop what I was doing and write a rebuttal, the rough draft of which in part appeared on my proofreader Shali's website, <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.therefinersfire.com">http://www.therefinersfire.com</a><!-- m -->.
Without getting into personal details, Shali was a very fierce advocate for me doing this, and I got letters from all over the world from Nazarene and Christian ladies who were thanking me for setting the record straight. The essay went through some more changes and eventually reached final form as a piece called "Basar Echad". I want all of you to know that I really, really struggled with striking the right tone in the piece, trying to keep it less personal and more Scriptural. It had to be one of the hardest things I ever had to write, but through it all Shali was my rock, telling me in very animated language that I was the only person in this moment who could help kill the heresy. So, I persevered, and it got done, and all seemed well....
...but then guess which was the first thing Shali noticed was missing in Mari????
You got it, "Basar Echad"was gone. I thumbed through my copy of Mari for 3 hours and never noticed it was missing. Neither did Baruch, who probably spent twice that time. The essay was simply gone, both it and the subject heading in the appendix. Had Shali not called us on it, one of the most important halachic controversies of the last 20 years would have gone almost un-commented on in Mari! At this moment, having gone through the pdf files Baruch sent me and that Shali proofed, I have no idea how "Basar Echad" dropped out of the text. It was there one moment and gone the next. I must believe this was one more last minute attempt by the enemy to dilute the impact of Mari and it also very nearly succeeded.
Now however, to paraphrase a hymn, it was once lost but now it's found. Now "Basar Echad" is back in Mari, but the natural consequence of that is to make Baruch and I want to understandably take a small amount of time to make sure all is well.
As I write this I am 95% sure that all is absolutely well, but I am giving more weight to the 5% that says otherwise because the reality is I have only one shot to make this the best it can be. Baruch wants to print one more copy and review it this weekend. That means September, sorry to say it but it can't be helped. I am extremely hopeful we are still only 1-2 weeks away, but you guys know me. I am not giving a false delivery date. I cannot take pre pub orders because I will not have it said that I unreasonably delayed folks from getting what they paid for. I did this project in part to show how a Nazarene should do something like this honestly, unlike a certain false teacher and his Horribly Ruined Version...
On the positive side though, Baruch points out:
Shlama Akhi Andrew,Yes I've added Basar Echad to the Appendix and to the list.
Thankfully!!! We've made it under the 1104 page cut off!!! Baruch haShem YHWH!!!
Shali and Bill did a REALLY fine tooth comb of the whole manuscript and have found about 40 minor edits and one biggie, mainly bracket-period inconsistencies. So we're looking good.
Also keep in mind I am non-weight bearing on my knee for another month, so I am not going anywhere when the last thingie hits my inbox! Todah for your continued patience. As you all can see though a project this massive takes a lot of painstaking and detailed loving care to be as good as it can be.
Shlama w'burkate
Andrew Gabriel Roth
Still grinning...
This is kind of funny in a way. I have an interesting story to tell all of you. But first, I just wanted to thank several folks for their recent supporting comments about how Paul and I weathered/dealt with recent attacks. It has been very nice hearing from you all, both just now on this forum and in supporting emails. I do not hold any malice, I want you all to know that. There are very few of us Peshitta scholars out there and we can't really afford to be sniping at one another if it can be helped. As I told David B even in my frustration, I have supported his scholarship even in some of the more esoteric areas (codes) more so than many others have. That has not changed. We are bigger than the insults we receive. Master Y'shua demands it as does the Peshitta itself.
Okay, now moving on. As most of you know, a certain Rabbi brought great disgrace upon the Netzarim by advocating perversion. When this happened, I had to literally stop what I was doing and write a rebuttal, the rough draft of which in part appeared on my proofreader Shali's website, <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.therefinersfire.com">http://www.therefinersfire.com</a><!-- m -->.
Without getting into personal details, Shali was a very fierce advocate for me doing this, and I got letters from all over the world from Nazarene and Christian ladies who were thanking me for setting the record straight. The essay went through some more changes and eventually reached final form as a piece called "Basar Echad". I want all of you to know that I really, really struggled with striking the right tone in the piece, trying to keep it less personal and more Scriptural. It had to be one of the hardest things I ever had to write, but through it all Shali was my rock, telling me in very animated language that I was the only person in this moment who could help kill the heresy. So, I persevered, and it got done, and all seemed well....
...but then guess which was the first thing Shali noticed was missing in Mari????
You got it, "Basar Echad"was gone. I thumbed through my copy of Mari for 3 hours and never noticed it was missing. Neither did Baruch, who probably spent twice that time. The essay was simply gone, both it and the subject heading in the appendix. Had Shali not called us on it, one of the most important halachic controversies of the last 20 years would have gone almost un-commented on in Mari! At this moment, having gone through the pdf files Baruch sent me and that Shali proofed, I have no idea how "Basar Echad" dropped out of the text. It was there one moment and gone the next. I must believe this was one more last minute attempt by the enemy to dilute the impact of Mari and it also very nearly succeeded.
Now however, to paraphrase a hymn, it was once lost but now it's found. Now "Basar Echad" is back in Mari, but the natural consequence of that is to make Baruch and I want to understandably take a small amount of time to make sure all is well.
As I write this I am 95% sure that all is absolutely well, but I am giving more weight to the 5% that says otherwise because the reality is I have only one shot to make this the best it can be. Baruch wants to print one more copy and review it this weekend. That means September, sorry to say it but it can't be helped. I am extremely hopeful we are still only 1-2 weeks away, but you guys know me. I am not giving a false delivery date. I cannot take pre pub orders because I will not have it said that I unreasonably delayed folks from getting what they paid for. I did this project in part to show how a Nazarene should do something like this honestly, unlike a certain false teacher and his Horribly Ruined Version...
On the positive side though, Baruch points out:
Shlama Akhi Andrew,Yes I've added Basar Echad to the Appendix and to the list.
Thankfully!!! We've made it under the 1104 page cut off!!! Baruch haShem YHWH!!!
Shali and Bill did a REALLY fine tooth comb of the whole manuscript and have found about 40 minor edits and one biggie, mainly bracket-period inconsistencies. So we're looking good.
Also keep in mind I am non-weight bearing on my knee for another month, so I am not going anywhere when the last thingie hits my inbox! Todah for your continued patience. As you all can see though a project this massive takes a lot of painstaking and detailed loving care to be as good as it can be.
Shlama w'burkate
Andrew Gabriel Roth