Why I AM a Chacham and NOT a Rabbi!

I want you all to understand something: This thing called סמיכה‎ smicha only exists within Rabbinic Judaism. Within Rabbinical lore is the self-justifying Rabbinical premise that the “original smicha was the formal ‘transmission of authority’ from Moses through the generations.” And, that this form of smicha “ceased between 360 and 425 CE,” but has continued since then “in a less formal way.” All of this is, of course, an accepted *LIE* in Western Judaism, made up by rabbis to maintain ruling power over communities.

You know what I mean, white-folk Judaism that has spread everywhere they’ve settled. The same Western Jews who think that all forms of Judaism that are not like them are somehow less authentic forms of Judaism. Attention, I have something to say about this as a Jew: Letter B and letter S, B.S.! (Note, I’m referencing authentic Judaisms, not Christians pretending to be Jews, so don’t get your hopes up, idol worshiping Messianics pretending to be Jews!) You know what I mean, these European-raised Jews that think the only way to be a rabbi is to be ordinated as one by another rabbi and, then, get a white man’s degree – to prove just how white you are as a Jew, to both Jews and Gentiles alike.

Here’s a simple Jewish worldwide fact: A teacher, a מורה moreh/morah, a חכם chacham, a ቄስ Qess is not such by way of ordination. Rather, but by way of *self-study* and by *acts of leadership* – whether “ordinated” or not (such a Christian word!) in the Rabbinic way, and whether zero or seven college degrees in the Gentile way. The word סמיכה smichah derives from the Hebrew root סמך samach, which means to “rely on” (in the sense of “lean on”). Literally, it means “leaning of the hands”. Even Rabbis of Western Judaism have to admit one fundamental Jewish truth: With “ordination” or not, you are not a rabbi until a community chooses you as their rabbi.

Chacham Yosef, here, would like to say, “Ashkenazi, please! I throw a shoe at your smicha ways, Rabbinic Judaism.” If your papers of title and respect means turning a nose up towards Jews of color (who are just trying to teach you something!), and means being utterly detached from the plight of the common man and woman because of your white privilege, then I don’t want your rabbi title connected to my name! And if you think that you can only be a rabbi *if some other HUMAN BEING tells you that you’re a rabbi* – then *YOU haven’t studied yet*! Because, I speak for the rest of the born Jews in this world. You know, the island Jews, Mizrahi Jews, Haymanot Jews, etc., etc. – the ones seeking to have a real voice within Western Judaism. The ability to be someone to lean upon is all upon you and, then, if *you* are worthy the role, a community chooses you by your ability.

This message I send to all the denominations of Rabbinic Judaism: the #OrthodoxUnion (commonly called #OU ), the #UnitedSynagogueofConservativeJudaism (#USCJ), the #UnionforReformJudaism (#URJ), the #ReconstructingJudaism (#RJ), and the #SocietyforHumanisticJudaism (colloquially known as #SHJ ). I pull no punches, a spade is a spade, and I call it such!