 Salam rabbi Yehudah Sometimes ago I posted your article on my blog that is: "Is Chanukkah The Conception of Yeshua?" As I think this is a good article to share. Here is the link: IS CHANUKKAH THE CONCEPTION OF YESHUA ? Chanukkah The Conception of Yeshua .
Yeshua was born on Sukkot and circumcised on Simchat Torah. However, can we determine when He was conceived, and does the time of His conception have any significance to the Jewish Calendar?
"You can find the year Yeshua was born by counting backwards from the
year he was crucified.
We know he was crucified April 3rd 30 A.D. because the Talmud records
that for 40 consecutive years up until the Roman Seige in 70 A.D. that
the Yom Kippur ribbon on the goat failed to turn white. The stone
failed to turn white, and the doors to the temple opened mysteriously
and the fire went out on the altar for 40 consecutive years.
That year in 30 A.D. Passover fell on a Wednesday giving us the 3 days
and 3 nights in the heart of the earth as Yeshua said he would be. He
resurrected on Havdalah "exiting the Sabbath" on Saturday night. He
then waived the first fruits offering before Yehovah on the day after
the Sabbath following Passover.
If we count 33.5 X 360 days for a Biblical Lunar Calendar = 12,060
days to his life
If we count 33.5 X 365 days for Solar Calendar = 12,227.5 days to his life
This means that there is a difference of 167.5 days to his life from
the Biblical Calendar to the Solar Calendar. This is a difference of
about 6 months.
And so if we go by the solar calendar he was 34 at his death. If we go
by the lunar calendar he was 33.5 at his death.
Going by the solar calendar, we count 30 A.D. minus 34 years and it
comes to 4 B.C. but we don't count the year "zero" so it brings us to
Feast of Tabernacles in 3 B.C. and the announcement came on Feast of
Trumpets with the constellation on September 11, 3 B.C.
This constellation was on September 11, 3 B.C. showing Ariel the Lion
of Judah, and Bethula (Virgin) the "woman clothed with the sun and the
moon under her feet, and she had a crown of 12 stars, she gave birth
to a man child who would rule all nations with a rod of iron"
(Revelation 12).
I found out that the Jewish Calendar that year in 3759 when Yeshua was
born in 3 B.C., was the same as the year 1999. So I found a Jewish
Calendar online for 1999, counted 180 days or 6 months from Passover
(when John the Baptist was born) and it lands precisely on the Feast
of Tabernacles for the birth of Yeshua!
Then I counted 271 days backwards to Chanukkah and it lands in 4 B.C.
on December 13th.
The reason why we use 271 days for a normal gestation is because the
Hebrew word for pregnancy is Herayon and it adds up to 271 in Hebrew
Gematria!"
So we can conclude that Yeshua was conceived on Chanukkah 4 B.C. 3758.
By: Lioness4Yeshua
Reposted by: Rabbi Yehudah ben Shoemyr
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Xristidis gave comment on this posting, what do you thing of his comment?.
His comment posting:
IS CHANUKKAH THE CONCEPTION OF YESHUA ?.
Adherents of the religion of Judaism do not have faith in either Jesus or the Old Testament Law and prophets, but in the Talmudic and Kabbalistic traditions.
Pretending that Judaism is the Old Testament faith minus Christ is madness.
"The rulers of the Jews knew that He was the Messiah: and if there was any ignorance in them it was affected ignorance, which could not excuse them. Therefore their sin was the most grievous, both on account of the kind of sin as well as from the malice of their will.
Moreover, the Bible itself declares unambiguously the guilt of the Jewish leadership and the fact that those who adhere to the dogma of these assassins are under wrath:
"For ye brethren became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us; and they please not God and are contrary to all men: forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost" (I Thessalonians 2:14-16).
No pope, preacher, president, prime minister, or professor has one scintilla of authority or competence to overthrow the preceding Words. The whole world may be arrayed against the Word of God but its force and validity endures
The recent movement within the Church to declare opposition to Judaism an accursed form of "anti-semitic racism" is, in its inspiration and praxis, thoroughly Talmudic, for it either extinguishes the New Testament's teachings or distorts them to such a degree that they are effectively made "of none effect."
This movement must also ignore or negate 2,000 years of historic Christian exposition of these teachings.
The extra-Biblical and anti-Christian nature of this fifth column within the Church is patent. It derives its credibility almost entirely from the blind allegiance it commands from Christians duped by usurpers and traitors occupying high ecclesiastical office, and by the tremendous glamour which the media accord it
Since the great criterion of Jesus Christ for assessing the diabolic or the divine was "by their fruits ye shall know them," we discern that the fruits of today's Protestant and Catholic leaders are mostly rotten in this regard. As such, their actions reveal that they are neither "vicars of Christ," nor His ministers or saints. They are in fact agents of Judaism in all but name.
Therefore, the various anathemas these impostors and apostates thunder against Christians, whose only crime is to believe as all the apostles, martyrs and saints of the Church always did, has about the same moral authority as a pronouncement from the Secretary General of the U.N. or the Master of the Masonic Lodge. (Given that the occupation of even the highest of church offices is no longer a guarantor of fidelity to Jesus Christ, the question of who holds true Christian authority is one of the thorniest questions facing Christians today).
The hidden hand of Talmud and Kabbalah is revealed wherever the Jewish people are made the objects of veneration and sanctity. Jewish supremacy was opposed from the earliest days of the Church. John Chrysostom wrote: "Jesus said to them, 'If you are children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham, but as it is, you are seeking to kill Me.' Here He repeatedly returned to their murderous design and reminded them of Abraham. He did this because He wanted to detach them from their racial pride and to deflate their excessive conceit, and to persuade them to no longer place their hope of salvation in Abraham or nobility of race, for this was the thing that prevented them from coming to Christ; namely that they taught that the fact of their descent from Abraham sufficed for their salvation" (The Fathers of the Church: St. John Chrysostom New York: Fathers of the Church, Inc., 1960, p. 70).
This radical departure from Biblical teaching and Christian practice, reveals itself as an accomplice of Antichrist, by Scriptural definition: "Such a man is the anti-Christ who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father" (I John 2:23).
Christ testified that "no man cometh unto the Father except by Me." Yet men have grown "dull of hearing" (Hebrews 5:11) and to the great drama of Christian salvation prefer instead a bland accommodation with the spirit of the modern age, which holds that a civilization based on the Father can be created by those who have made a religion out of denouncing and rejecting His Son.
This delusion, which would be laughable were its consequences not so tragic, has led to the rise of legions of "Judeo-Christians," who equate Judaism's strange gods with authentic Old Testament Israel and who go so far as to claim that it is necessary for Christians to embrace Judaism in order to be justified before God.
They look to a religion based on a Pharisaic sect comprised of the irreconcilable enemies of Christ for clues on how to become a better follower of Christ!
Worse, they intimate that Jesus is a liar. Jesus directly condemns the "tradition of the elders" and its "commandments of men," which are the oral basis of the idolized books, Talmud and Kabbalah. (Matthew 15:1-9, Mark 7:1-13).
The brazen betrayal and hypocrisy of Judeo-Christians in the face of clear Gospel teaching on this subject, bids battle and defiance unto Heaven itself.
The glorified modern popes, preachers, politicians and rabbis often succeed for a time in deceiving the multitude, and in gathering a large and noisy following in this world, but their deeds also follow them and proclaim their evil,God is not mocked
It has been an established fact for years that the political Zionists plan to make Jerusalem the administrative capital of a One World Government. This lofty (but purely carnal) ambition was laid out in unmistakable terms by David Ben Gurion, Israel's Prime Minister, in a piece written for Look Magazine in 1962, predicted what would happen on the world scene over the next quarter of a century.
The first part of Ben Gurion's prediction has reached fruition. Can an attempt to fulfill the second part be far behind?
On Sunday, March 26 , 2000 the Pope prayed at the "Western" or "Wailing Wall" in Jerusalem, making remarks betraying Christianity -- begging the forgiveness of the heirs of Caiaphas.
Here is the prayer the Pope placed within the wall: "God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your name to the nations," said the note in English, which was later moved to the Israeli Yad Vashem Holocaust museum to be preserved. "We are deeply saddened by the behavior of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer. And asking your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the covenant. Jerusalem, 26.3.2000. Joannes Paulus II."
Not one word about Jesus Christ, His Crucifixion or Resurrection, just a nonsensical supposition that the Khazar Zionists from [lower Mongolia, and more recently,] eastern Europe, who have scourged the Middle East with blood and fire, and who have as their supreme holy book not the Bible but the Talmud, are somehow "the children of Abraham and the people of the covenant"! It is a strange Covenant that includes neither Christ nor the Bible. The Pope is idolizing a nation of people, putting them on a pedestal for worship, exactly as the Talmud does..
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reply by Rabbi Yehudah ben Shoemyr on Feb 12 :
Sadly, I think this person is too far gone, duped and set in their ways in regards to modern day pagan Protestant X-tianity, and refuses to accept the facts of 1st century X-tianity and that they will most likely not accept anything I would have to say. The so called facts they present, many are false and are to many to respond too here. I will only reply this once, because most likely this person will only want to debate endlessly to prove their point and since it is clear both of us are set in our beliefs it is pointless to even respond, but I will since you asked. I am in the process of writing a book about 1st century Christianity which was and is Nazarene Judaism. This person ignorantly slams the Talmud, Kabbalah and such without truly and fully know what it is and how it is used and regarded in Nazarene Judaism. If this person continues to disrespect your beliefs and views as such I suggest you delete them off your "friends" list. Seemingly they are not interested in knowing the truth, just proving their point and own beliefs.
The following is an excerpt from "WHAT IS : NAZARENE JUDAISM?" by Rabbi James Trimm, President of the Society for the Advancement of Nazarene Judaism.
“Who were the Nazarenes?”
The first believers in Yeshua were a Jewish sect known as “Nazarenes" or in Hebrew "Netzarim" (Acts 11:19; 24:5). The church father" Jerome (4th Cent.) described these Nazarenes as those "...who accept Messiah in such a way that they do not cease to observe the old Law." (Jerome; On. Is. 8:14). The fourth century "church father" Epiphanius gives a more detailed description:
But these sectarians...did not call themselves Christians-but "Nazarenes,"... However they are simply complete Jews. They use not only the "New Testament" but the "Old Testament" as well, as the Jews do....They have no different ideas, but confess everything exactly as the Law proclaims it and in the Jewish fashion— except for their belief in Messiah, if you please! For they acknowledge both the resurrection of the dead and the divine creation of all things, and declare that G-d is One, and that His Son is Yeshua the Messiah. They are trained to a nicety in Hebrew. For among them the entire Law, the Prophets, and the... Writings...are read in Hebrew, as they surely are by the Jews. They are different from the Jews, and different from Christians, only in the following. They disagree with Jews because they have come to faith in Messiah; but since they are still fettered by the Law-circumcision, the Sabbath, and the rest they are not in accord with Christians...they are nothing but Jews.... They have the Good news according to Matthew in its entirety in Hebrew. For it is clear that they still preserve this, in the Hebrew alphabet, as it was originally written.
(Epiphanius; Panarion 29)
Nazarene Judaism maintains a belief in Yeshua as the Messiah. We do not leave the Jewish identity, heritage and culture to "convert" to a new or foreign religion. To some the concept of Jews believing in Yeshua and practicing Judaism is a contradiction in terms. The common wisdom is that on the one side you have Jews and Judaism, and on the other you have Gentiles and Christianity. However in the first century there were literally hundreds of thousands of Jewish followers of Yeshua (Acts2:41,47;4:4, 6:7,9:31, 21:20) They were zealous for the Torah (Acts 15:19-21, 21:17-27) and met in Synagogues (James 1:1, 2:2). The big question then was, had Yeshua come for the Gentiles as well (Acts 10 & 15). The greatest paradox in history eventually occurred, for today people question how one can follow Yeshua and remain Jewish.
TBC...
replyraybashkatan wrote on Feb 12
Is “Jesus” the Anti-Christ?
and
Don’t Ask WWJD, Just DWYD (Do What Yeshua Did)
II Thess. 2:3 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for except there come a falling away first, and that the man of sin revealed…”
I Jn.3:4 Defines what sin is. “Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law (Torah) for sin is the transgression of the law (Torah).”
Mt.7:21-23 “Not everyone that says, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
What is the will of the Father? Torah!
V.22 Many will say to me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name? And in Your Name cast out demons? And in Your Name done wonderful works?” v.23 And then I will profess unto them, “I never knew (Hebrew: have been intimate with) you: depart from me you that work iniquity (Torahlessness).”
Iniquity is defined as, “Lawlessness” (Torahlessness) Greek: Anomia. A= Anti, against or another. Nomia= law. (Strong’s: 458)
The “Jesus” of Catholicism and Christianity is seen as a Leonardo Divinci painting, Hellenistic, Greco-Roman looking, toga wearing, long haired, fair skinned, blue eyed, British speaking, zombified, hippy guru, rebel, who came and did away with Torah, and started a strange new religion. Like a bad, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” make over, they have turned Yahshua into something He’s not.
It’s like calling Dr. Phil the Messiah yet painting him to look like Sigmund Freud, and taking, and reading Dr. Phil’s book and yet not doing one thing he said to do, and on top of that interpret what he has said to say something entirely different from what he meant.
This is NOT my Messiah! This is NOT the Jews Messiah! Hopefully it is not YOUR Messiah. This according to II Thess. 2:3-12, is a description of the anti-Messiah! It is no wonder that the Jewish people will not accept this “Jesus” as the Messiah. And rightly so, because He’s NOT! The Jews look at the Tanak (“Old Testament”) and it tells what their Messiah is supposed to be like, and they see the “Jesus” portrayed in Catholicism and Christianity, and immediately dismiss him. Why? Because the “Jesus” they see doesn’t line up with the Torah.
Most Catholics and Christians today believe and claim that the Law has been abolished by the work of Christ on the cross. However, this “Christ” Himself who died on that cross said this about the Law.
Mt.5:17-20 “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law (Torah) or the Prophets: (Nevi’im) (Both are the Tanak or the “Old Testament”) I am not come to destroy but to fulfill.” The word fulfill in v.17 does NOT mean, to complete, as in to put an end to something. It DOES mean to fill up, to bring and render its full and complete meaning, to perform. In other words Yahshua came to show us the true meaning of the Torah so we could live it out as He did. V.18 For verily (Truly, Most assuredly) I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass…[Get up right now and look out side. Is the sky still up there? Is the earth still out there?]…not one jot… (Jot is Yod in Hebrew, the smallest letter. Looks like an apostrophe.) … or one tittle… (Tittle is the tiniest extension of the Hebrew letter Dalet, that differentiates it from another similar Hebrew letter, the Resh. It can also refer to the decorative flare on any given Hebrew letter.) …shall in NO wise pass from the Law (Torah) till ALL be fulfilled (preformed fully).
“Some understanding of Yeshua's words needs to be expressed. The terms 'destroy the law' and 'fulfill the law' are Pharisaic arguments. When someone disagrees with a Torah teacher they accused him of 'destroying the law' even on a little point. Usually the teacher will respond that he is 'fulfilling the law' by correctly interpreting it. Thus Yeshua was responding to those who disagreed with his teaching by saying that he was correctly interpreting or establishing the law and thus, 'fulfilling the law'. Yeshua said that not one jot (an apostrophe-like a Hebrew letter known as a yod) or a tittle (a Hebrew decoration atop the letter) would pass away until heaven and earth pass. Since Heaven and Earth are still here in its current form, I would say that the Torah is still in effect. Verse 19 is a sobering warning to those who teach others to break any commandment in the Torah. To teach others to break even the least of these commandments would result in being called the least in the kingdom of God. This is one example of what can happen when teaching others to break God's Torah. God did not say they will lose their salvation, but they will still pay a price. God help those who are teaching others to break the larger Torah commandments. By the way the least of the commandments is mentioned in Deut 22:6-7. It was forbidden to take the mother bird and her offspring at the same time for food. Later this was also taught that you could not even take the eggs or offspring in front of the mother bird. This showed God's compassion to ease the anguish of animals when they lose their young. The last part of Yeshua's teaching here says that if you do and teach the Torah, you shall be great in the kingdom of God. Let us be careful not to condemn the Torah as so many have and teach it instead.
Remember that Yeshua was an observant Jew. He was sinless. If he violated any part of Torah he would not have been sinless and thus could not be the Lamb of God. Yeshua followed the Torah perfectly!” – Law vs. Grace by Rev. Allan Moorehead
V.19 Whosoever therefore shall break (Greek: to loose or destroy) one of the least commandments (according to the rabbinical sages of blessed memory, Deuteronomy 22:6 is the least of all commandments, concerning the disturbance of a birds nest.) And teaches men so… (“Ah, go ahead, it’s alright, we’re not under the Law anymore, but under grace.”) …he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall DO and TEACH; the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. V.20 For I say unto you that except your righteousness … (Not the righteousness of Messiah bestowed upon a believer, but YOUR righteousness, meaning your works!)… shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees… (Performing all the commandments with ALL your heart and mean it! Not only on the outside, but on the inside as well)… you will in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven. V.20 of Matthew 5 mentions righteousness and connects it with works. Although we are not saved by works, but by faith in Messiah's sacrificial death in our place, we must prove, show, and back up our faith by our faith-full-ness to His Torah. Speaking of Torah, Yahshua said in John 5:46-47, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, (The Living Torah) for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words (Which is no different from the Written Torah)?”
John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Messiah and YHWH are one (Jn.17) so Yahshua’s commandments are no different from YHWH the Father’s. So Yahshua didn’t teach anything new, He just taught Torah, and taught us how to live it correctly.
James 1:22 “Be DOERS of the WORD (Torah) and not hearers only…” v25b “…a DOER of the work, this man will be blessed in his deed.” (Deut.27-28) James 2:17-18 “Even so FAITH, if it hath not WORKS is dead being alone. Yes, a man may say, “You have faith, I have works: show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith BY my works.””
Yahshua and all the apostles were Torah observant, and because Yahshua was Torah observant, I don’t have to ask myself, W.W.J.D.? I simply D.W.Y.D.! (Do What Yeshua Did)
• He was circumcised. Lk. 12:21
• He was dedicated and named at his circumcision. Lk. 2:22-24,39-40
• He kept the feasts. Lk. 2:4, 9:28-36 Jn. 10:22-23
• He was Torah trained. Lk. 2:46-52
• He was “mikvahed”. (baptized) Mt. 3:13-17
• He kept Sabbath. Lk.4:14-21
• He went to the Temple. Lk. 19:47
• He went to the Synagogue. Lk. 4:16,44
• He read and taught a portion of the annual Torah and prophetic reading cycle. (Parashat) Lk. 4:14-21
• He most likely prayed the ancient set of Jewish prayers, prayed 3x’s a day, called the “Amidah” meaning, “To stand.” He refers to this very prayer in Mark 11:25-26, “When you STAND to pray....”
• He said the Shema the Jewish declaration of YHWH’s Oneness said every day by faithful Jews, from Duet. 6:4: Mark 12:29,30.
• He was a Rabbi. Lk. 10:25-28, Jn. 20:16
• He taught Torah. Lk. 24:44-45
• He wore tzitzit. (fringes) Lk. 8:43-44, Jn. 19:23-24
• He kept Torah. Jn. 15:10
• He taught us to live out Torah. Mt. 5:17-20, Jn. 14:15, Lk. 5:14
• He lived and died as a Jew. Jn. 20:6-8, 19:40
• He left as a Jew. Lk. 24:50-51
• He is returning as a Jew. Rev. 19:13,16
• He will reign forever as the Jewish Messiah. Rev.21:1-6, 22:3-5
There were two schools of Jewish thought. The school of Hillel, and the school of Shami. Hillel was conservative. Shami was ultra conservative. Yahshua sided with Hillel and agreed with everything the Pharisees (which was from the school of Hillel) taught, except, on the issue of divorce, (Mt. 19:1-9) and the issue of tradition, oral torah, rabbinic law, which nullified the Torah. (Mk. 7:1-13) Yahshua even kept traditions except when it conflicted with Torah itself (Lk. 2:52). During the “Last Supper” Messiah held a Passover Seder for His Talmidim (disciples) and made the traditional blessings over the tirosh (non alcoholic grape juice) and matzah, (for everything even the wine was with out yeast or leaven) and followed the traditional order of the Passover Seder haggadah (the program and order of the Seder).
All of the apostles were Torah observant; all His followers were Torah observant as well. Let’s take a look. Acts 21:20 talks about how they were all ZEALOUS for the TORAH!
Jim Myers has this to say concerning the early Jewish believers in Messiah Yahshua, from his article, “Would Your Church Really Allow You To Be Like Jesus?” Found at: http://www.biblicalheritage.org/Jesus/would.htm
“The book of Acts provides us with some very valuable information. Acts 21:17-25 records Paul's return to Jerusalem and his meeting with the leaders of the "church." Keep in mind that these were the men who had been personally taught by and lived with Jesus. Their words provide us with some very enlightening information. The translation given below is based on a cultural and historical methodology. Your translation most probably reflects the doctrines of the Roman church and therefore may differ.
"You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have become faithful (observant). All of them are zealous for the Torah (Law). They have been informed that you have taught the Jews of the Diaspora to not keep the Torah, that they should not circumcise their children or live according to the Jewish religion.... Take these men and do the following... so that everybody will know that there is no truth in these reports about your teachings, but that you yourself are living an observant lifestyle and keeping the Torah."
A quick summary provides us with some very significant information. Is your church producing the same results?
(1) Jews became more faithful (observant) Jews because of the message.
(2) They became zealous for the Torah (Law).
(3) They kept the Laws of Moses (the Torah).
(4) They circumcised their children.
(5) They lived according to the traditions (Jewish religion).
Notice that Paul did as he was requested - he wasn't teaching the Jews to abandon their religion. Paul was "under the law" and lived an observant lifestyle. How then could he have been the author of a doctrine that advocated rejecting the law?
I don't mean to linger on this point forever, but are you really getting the importance of this message?
(1) The message of the apostles caused Jews to repent and become observant Jews who practiced Judaism faithfully.
(2) The apostles were causing Jews to become eager for the Torah and to pursue it with fervor. It is clear that they were not teaching them that "they were under grace and no longer under the law." This one point is in complete opposition to most fundamental teaching of every modern Christian doctrine.
(3) The Jewish members of the early church continued to circumcise their children. In other words, they continued to see themselves as participants in the Abrahamic Covenant, just as every practicing Jew does today. Their children were Jews, not members of some new mystical religion that replaced Judaism.
(4) The Jewish members of the early church continued to practice Judaism. They did not switch to a new religion.”
Further examples of the Torah observant lifestyle of the apostles:
Kefa (Peter) – prayed Mincha (afternoon) prayers and he kept kosher. (Acts 10)
Rav Sha’ul (Paul) – said “I am (not was) a Pharisee…” He kept the traditions and customs of the Jewish people. (Acts 23:5-6, 28:17)
He made an offering after Yahshua’s death and resurrection. (Acts 21:17-26)
One day the temple will be rebuilt and sacrifices will resume. During the millennial reign of Messiah everyone will keep the feasts. (Is.66:22-24) Yahshua said he didn’t come for the ones who were already keeping Torah. He came for the ones who didn’t keep Torah. (Mt. 9:9-13, Mk. 2:13-17, Lk. 5:27-32) These are but a few examples:
Daniel 2:21 and 7:25 is giving a description of the Anti (against or another)-Messiah.
“He shall speak great words against the Most High (How? By speaking against His Words, His Torah!) and shall wear out the saints of the Most High and think to change TIMES (the Feast of the L-RD) and LAWS (Torah) (Forbidding Sabbath observance and Biblical Festivals, and enforcing Christianized pagan holidays, like Christmas and Easter just like the “Christian” Roman Emperor Constantine did! May his name and memory be erased!), and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of times.”
How many Catholics and Christians today are Torah observant? How many keep all of the Feasts commanded by YHWH in Leviticus 23? Almost none! Most Catholics and Christians keep Sunday, not Sabbath. Most Catholics and Christians go by a Roman solar calendar, instead of the traditional Hebrew lunar one. Most Catholics and Christians keep pagan rooted holidays (Christmas and Easter etc.) instead of the Feasts of the YHWH.
The Anti-Messiah (Anti-Christ) is called the man of lawlessness or we could say, Torahlessness. (2 Thes. 2:3-12) Because of this, I believe many Catholics and Christians will be deceived. He’ll agree with the majority of Catholicism and Christianity and say that the Torah has been done away with. Remember, sin is anything against the Torah, (I Jn.3:4) Elohim’s standards for holiness.
Matthew 24:24 tells that the Anti-Messiah (if it were possible will deceive the very elect!) will not show up with horns, pitchfork, pointed tail, with 666 blazing across his forehead. He couldn’t fool anyone like that. No, he’ll look just like the “Jesus” of Catholicism and Christianity, working miracles, making peace everywhere, changing laws and holy day observances, making Temple worship to cease as if to say, “I am the Messiah. You don’t have to sacrifice anymore, I’m here, I have fulfilled it all!” (Mt.24:15, Dan. 9:27; 12:11). All because Most Catholics and Christians believe today that most, if not all, the Torah was done away with in the death of Christ. NO! The penalty of death has been done away with, NOT the LAW itself! (Rm.7:7-13; 24-25)
Matthew 5:17-20 paints the TRUE picture of the Messiah, that non-believing Jews NEED and MUST see! Are you “Taking YHWH’s Name in vain” by living like the Catholic and Christian “Jesus”, contrary to His Word, Thus Soiling His Name? Or are you living like Yahshua, the Jewish, Torah observant Messiah? Will you, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may SEE YOUR good WORKS, and glorify your Father in heaven (Mt.5:16).”
So, is “Jesus” the Anti-Christ? Well, that depends on how YOU present Him.
TBC...
replyraybashkatan wrote on Feb 12
A Messianic Christian?
(Acts 11:26, 26:28)
The name “Christian” is a misnomer today. Scripturally, Christian means one who has converted in the sect of Judaism that followed in the footsteps of Yahshua Messiah by following Torah, called the Netzarim. This term was a derogatory name given to the Gentiles who converted to Netzarim Judaism by the Gentiles who opposed them. This is equivalent to calling a black person the “N” word, or a Jew the “K” word! That’s not what Christian means today. The word Messianic is the Hebrew form of Christian. So, a Messianic Jew is an oxymoron, unless one means a religious Jew who believes in a Messiah that has come or is coming. In that case all Jews are Messianic Jews.
Here is what one person said on one of the web groups I am apart of:
“THE NAME CHRISTIAN
The Roman soldiers branded the followers of Yeshua with the name
Christian, not G_D.
Through out scripture G_D, Yeshua, the Disciples and to a limited
degree the writer of this topic agree and clearly state that Jewish
converts stay Jewish(they are not completed Jews) and Saved by Yeshua
from some of the Laws, not all the Law.
Gentiles converts become completed Spiritual Jews grafted into the
one family of G_D save from SOME of the Law, Not Jewish Law.
Gentile believers are still under some of the Jewish Law to include
keeping the Sabbath and Honoring G_D's special days.
Using the names Christian was created by evil Romans, G_D never told
Yeshua to start a new religion called Christians. Also words like OT
and NT, Trinity, minor and major Prophets are some of the manufactured
words gentile believers use to give themselves perceived power and
authority with G_D.
To separate themselves from Jews, gentile believers took the name
Christian to follow Roman theology to justify the killing of Jews.
In addition, the Messianic movement has turned their back on G_D's
Jews and created a false second religion.
If any one is bold enough to reply: I follow this authority.
What G_D says and What Yeshua says: if you can not reply with what
G_D or Yeshua said, your words will have little meaning. Nothing in
scripture can have meaning or understanding if the Word does not
originate from G_D. See John 4:22 , and Rev. 11:2. Yeshua said: The
Father gives me the words I speak.
To the gentile believer Jew haters, your missing everything and
follow false teaching. If G_D changed his word to the Jews Has He
already change his Word to YOU !!!!!!
The only completion that exist is to the gentile, There is one HOLY
Spirit, do you really believe the Holy Spirit gives 1.3 Billion
different answers to the same question to gentile believers?.
Do Gentile believers know how to separate voices that chatter in
their head from the Voice of the Holy Spirit, or are they are to busy
bringing glory to themselves.
Wake up, Read ALL the WORD beyond your limited agenda; time is very
Short.”
BY: L_p_e2001
Most “Messianic Jews” today are nothing more that Baptists in Jewish clothes. They look like Jews, and participate in the Jewish culture, but they believe and live for the most part, like Christians. Their motto is: “One faith, two expressions.” Most believe, like Christians, that most if not all the Law has been abolished in the death of Messiah.
By this time some people may think that I believe all Christians are utter pagans and are going to hell. This is not the case; nothing could be further from the truth. I know many Christians who sincerely love and serve YHWH with all their heart to the best of their ability with what they currently know. Scriptures say Elohim winks at our ignorance. (Acts 17:30) However, once a person knows the facts, knows the truth, and knows better, the ball is in their court and they are accountable for what they know and do with it. Christians need to take a hard look at Christianity, research its roots and ask the hard questions. Be Bereans (Acts 17:11) Study out what you are told. Just don’t be spoon fed and believe what everyone teaches in the name of YHWH. Even this work you are reading. As my Rabbi, Rabbi Daniel Harris has said:
“For the record, I believe there will be MILLIONS of Christians going to Heaven. G-D’s mercy endures forever and there are so many sincere Christians who really love the L-RD. They really have no Idea of the pagan roots of their faith and are serving G-D to the best of their ability and knowledge.” Also, “As far as ‘Christian bashing’ goes, all I can say is, it is incumbent upon me by Torah to DENOUNCE any and all paganism regardless of WHAT it is or WHO its offends (Ex.34:13; Mt.15:13). I have no INTENTION to offend ANYBODY but it is inevitable if one preaches and teaches Truth (Ps.119:142; Ezk.3).”
- “Confessions of a Legalist” Kol Ha-Shofar vol.2.issue 5
I have been asked do I believe Christians are pagans. Let me use an allegory to explain:
It is like a baby pig who feeds with lambs nursing from a mother sheep. The pig is not a sheep, yet it has been accepted and raised by the sheep. One can clearly see, even the lambs it plays with, that the pig is not a sheep. Yet it lives out its days among the sheep. It may adopt many of the ways of sheep. It may learn to prance and skip around like a sheep. It may nibble grass every now and again, yet it will eat slop and roll around in the mud when given the choice. It will “oink” instead of bleat. But in the end, the farmer will take both the sheep and the pig to the same mutual final destination.
It is similar with Christians, They may have been raised with a form of the Torah, and may even have adopted a shadow of the ways of a Jew, yet the will always return to pagan practices they adopted after the believing Gentiles split off from the believing Jews. They will go to heaven just as the believing Jew, however, they will go having lived out a watered down mingled form of Judaism and paganism.
According to Rabbi James Trimm:
“…In many Christian circles there is a teaching that says that originally Judaism was the true faith but that it has been now replaced by a new faith “Christianity” which is now the true faith. This theology is totally counter to the teachings of the “New Testament”. The “New Testament” is plain in telling us that there is one true faith (Eph.4:5) which was given once and for all time (Jude1:3). This means that theology that claims that Christianity is a true faith which has replaced Judaism which had been the previous true faith is absolutely false! There is, according to the “New Testament” itself ONE TRUE FAITH and it was ONLY GIVEN ONCE. Christianity is too young to be that ONE true faith that was ONCE given, that ONE true faith that was ONCE given therefore MUST be Judaism!”
-“Error of Two Torah Theology I” –Messianic-updates
Yahshua didn’t come to start a new religion; He came to bring fullness to the original one. Here is what Jim Myers has to say about it, in his article, “Would Your Church Allow You to Really Be Like Jesus?” Found at: http://www.biblicalheritage.org/Jesus/would.htm
“Jesus was a Jew, not a Christian and he was certainly not both. It is clear that Jesus was a practicing Jew who lived a very observant lifestyle. An amazing discovery for any Christian is the fact that there is simply no evidence that Jesus ever renounced Judaism and quit being a Jew. Also, his teachings do not indicate that he ever wanted any Jew to renounce their Judaism and join a new religion. How then, did he get credited with the distinct label that he was the person responsible for creating a new religion? Especially a religion which opposed the religion and way of life he continued to live?”
“Without a great deal of effort it becomes glaringly apparent that neither R. Jesus, the apostles nor the Paul of Acts 21, would be allowed to join a church. On the other hand, it is also clear that R. Jesus would not participate in any religion that not only opposes, but is actively dedicated to destroying his religion! Is it not true that the goal and stated mission of Christianity is to "save the world?" How is this mission to be accomplished? To put it very simply, the goal is to convert every non-Christian to Christianity. The convert must renounce any non-Christian religion, agree to accept the doctrines of Christianity and oppose any religion that opposes Christianity.
Instead of a physical Jihad (holy war), Christianity has engaged in a doctrinal Jihad. As I stated above, Christianity is an exclusive religion. Christians are not allowed to simultaneously practice Islam, Buddhism, Judaism or any other religion. Therefore, if Christianity was to attain its goal of "getting every person on the face of the earth to believe in Jesus," including all the Jews, Judaism would be totally destroyed and cease to exist.
This would accomplish something that the crusaders, the inquisition, Hitler and a number of others have failed to accomplish. How do you think R. Jesus would react to the idea that such a mission was being carried out in his name? This really gets weird when you think about it! Christians base their proof for their ultimate salvation on a Jewish rabbi named Yeshua (Jesus), who was an observant Jew who faithfully practiced Judaism. On the one hand, his religion would most probably not allow him to practice modern Christianity. On the other hand, modern Christianity would not allow him to practice its religion without first renouncing his religion -- Judaism!
This should present a very important challenge to every Christian -- If R. Jesus could not, and would not, practice a religion dedicated to destroying his religion, how can anyone who bases their salvation on R. Jesus participate in and perpetuate it? Would R. Jesus agree with a salvation message being based on such a system? Are you getting the drift of this discussion?”
“Christianity, almost universally, requires a Jew to convert to Christianity before he can become a member of the church or be saved. This conversion process forces the Jew to renounce his or her Judaism and terminate or redefine any Jewish practices.”
Christianity, as it is today is incompatible with Netzarim Judaism and isn’t even Scriptural Christianity. So the expression running rampant in “Messianic” Judaism concerning it and Christianity, “One faith, two expressions,” holds no water. Christians fails to see the level of the deception. How they have accepted the doctrine of men and of demons, of Rome and of Babylon. How they have broken off, and have separated themselves from the 1st century Netzarim Judaism. They have essentially have created another religion.
TBC...
replyraybashkatan wrote on Feb 12
Rav Sha’ul (The Apostle Paul) Jewish Friend or Fiend?
Many Christians have portrayed Rav Sha’ul (Paul) as defecting from Pharisaical Judaism and converting to the supposed new religion called Christianity. They also portray him as rejecting Torah, assimilating into Gentile culture and even taking on a Gentile name! Rav Sha’ul was called so to his Hebrew brethren and was called Paul to his Gentile brethren. No different than a guy called Mike, would be called Michael in Hebrew, Michel in Russian and Michele in French.
To many Non-Believing Jews, because of the way Christians portray Rav Sha’ul, he was even worse that Yeshua in there eyes! Most Jews will admit that Yeshua was Torah Observant, but because of the way Rav Sha’ul’s writings have been so distorted by Christians, so much so that Christians claim Rav Sha’ul taught people not to keep it, Jews as a result think of Rav Sha’ul along the same lines as Hitler!
Do Christians have it right, or is Rav Sha’ul doing 360’s in his grave screaming, “NO! That’s NOT what I said! NO, that is NOT what I meant! You got it ALL wrong!”
There is no doubt that Rav Sha’ul is a misunderstood man, even in his day. Here is what Kefa (the Apostle Peter) a contemporary of Rav Sha’ul had to say about his writings.
II Peter 3: 15-16
15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
And hence it continues today, even in Kefs’s day.
Let us look into the Brit Chadasha and see what others and Rav Sha’ul has to say about himself.
BACKGROUND:
ROMAN CITIZEN:
ACTS 22:22-29
22And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
Here Rav Sha’ul states that he was born a Roman Citizen, and this fact indeed allowed him to escape a few Roman versions of “Police Brutality”.
CITIZEN OF TARSUS
ACTS 21:39; 22:3
39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
So to summarize, Rav Sha’ul was a Roman citizen from the city of Tarsus. It would be like me saying, I was born in the United States and am a U.S. citizen, I was born in the city of Mansfield in the state of Ohio.
A TRUE JEW!
PHIL. 3:5
5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
ROMANS 11:1
1I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
ACTS 23:6
6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
WOAH! Did you catch all of this!? He said, “I AM” NOT “I was a Pharisee.” Not only that but he is from the tribe of Benjamin and is proud to be a full fledged “car carrying” Jew!
FAMILY BACGROUND:
ACTS 22:22-29
22And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
As we already established he was a Roman citizen by birth which leads us to our next point.
FAMILY FOURTUNE:
ACTS 22:28
28And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
For Rav Sha’ul to be born a Roma citizen and his Father and Mother being faithful Jews, they had to have had some wealth because as the man who was about to flog Rav Sha’ul said, that he had to buy his citizenship and it was expensive!
Myself having a Canadian wife and us living in the U.S. and now Canada, I can attest first hand that purchasing a citizenship of a country is STILL pricy!
OCCUPATIONAL TRADE:
ACTS 18:3
3And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
Not only was Rav Sha’ul a Rabbi, but he made tents on the side to supplement his income. This is thought by some to mean he didn’t make tenst to live in, but “tents” to pray in. a tent is a Hebraic slang term for a Tallit, a Prayer Shawl. So some say he made prayer shawls and being a well trained, educated Rabbi, he would know all the halacha (rules) that goes into making a Tallit.
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION:
ACTS 22:3
3I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Even today Rabbi Gamaliel is one of the most revered and well read of the entire ancient Rabbi’s, right up there with Rashi, the Rambam, and Rabbi Akiva. He is also quoted in a prominent Jewish section of the Talmud called the Perkie Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) Chapter 1 verse 16.
Rabbi Gamaliel was also said concerning the Nazarene Jewish movement in the Brit Chadasha (New Testament):
ACTS 5:34-40 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, [even] as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten [them], they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
ZEALOUS FOR JUDAISM:
GALATIANS 1:13-14
13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
BECAME A BELIVEING JEWISH PHARISEE:
ACTS 23:6
6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
ZEAL FOR HIS JEWISH BROTHERS:
ROMANS 10:1
1Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
WAS TORAH OBSERVANT AFTER BEING CHANGED BY YESHUA:
ACTS 28:17
And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men [and] brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Here Rav Sha’ul proudly proclaims that not only has he kept the Torah, but also the traditions and customs of the Father’s relating to the performance of the commandments!
ACTS 21:17-26
17And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
18And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
19And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
21And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
22What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
23Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
24Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
25As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
26Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
Here Rav Sha’ul was accused of teaching Gentiles and Jews that they did’t have to keep the Torah, which was a total lie. So to solve the problem the Elder’s suggested an act on Rav Sha’ul’s part that would prove to the people his allegiance to the Torah, which was to take on a Nazarite vow (which is apart of the “Old Testament” Law) along with other believers and to have Rav Sha’ul fit the bill for the other believers in regards to the sacrifices.
This meant he took on a Nazarite vow, and when the vow was completed he went to the Temple to offer the prescribed sacrifice! Why would Rav Sha’ul do this if he thought the Torah, the Temple and the Sacrifices were done away with, or if he actually was teaching others to forsake the Torah!?
Either Rav Sha’ul was a Torah Observant Jew till the end or right here is proving himself to be a two faced liar, playing what ever crowd he was with at the moment.
I say that the Scriptures are evident and clear that Rav Sha’ul never abandoned Judaism, the Torah, nor did he assimilate into the Roman culture at that time, nor did he convert to “Christianity”.
Unfortunately As Kefa said in II Peter 3:15-16 that Rav Sha’ul’s texts has been and it is evident even now have been taken out of context to suit a bias Anti-Jewish and Anti-Torah doctrine in the majority of Christianity.
Bottom line is, if your interpretation of Rav Sha’ul’s writings is anything but pro-Torah, you have sorely misinterpreted, misrepresented, and misunderstood this great Nazarene Jew.
TBC...
replyraybashkatan wrote on Feb 12
Jews, Netzarim (Nazarene) Jews, and Christians, at one time worshiped together in harmony. They basically believed the same things, worshiped and lived the same way. A Christian back in the first century was defined as a Gentile who converted to the sect of Judaism known as the Netzarim, who believed Yahshua was the promised Messiah of Israel and began to walk in his ways by following the Torah. That is until the Gentiles who converted to Judaism began to out number the Jews, and started to assert some of their pagan influence, philosophy, and theology into their new Christian lives. By the end of the first century Gentile believers were in authority in many congregations and eventually broke off from Judaism and created a new religion. Constantine solidified this break by making it an official religion in and of itself, and forbid any form of Judaic expression.
Now Netzari or Messianic Jews as some say, ended up being banished from Judaism because during a Roman revolt, a head Rabbi named Akivah proclaimed General bar Chokbah as the Messiah. The Netzari Jews basically said, “Look, we know who the Messiah is, and this guy ain’t it! Sorry, we cannot fight along side you any longer.” To this the non -believing Jews said, “Fine, get out you traitors!” So from that point until resent history, Netzarim / Messianic Judaism had gone underground.
Now, Rav Yoshi ben Shofar gives us a brief history of the time shortly after this where the Gentiles began to join the Nazarenes in droves and the Gentiles began to take what they have learned into something else:
“Most church history is unquestionably at best biased. With out so much as an apology, they intentionally, castoff and aside any Jewish history, or 3rd party accounting. Then, completely unopposed they condemn as heretic any that would offer a different view to the truth of the faith. How convenient for them; "church" history is what "we" the church, says it is. In an almost 'to the victor goes the spoils' attitude, they allow and disavow knowledge and history, as they see fit; thus ensuring a controlling influence over those who would believe, or ascribe to their brand of religion.
Today, there are those who with broad sweeping strokes, espouse their denominational party rhetoric as the "gospel truth". So emphatic, this contingent blazingly asserts, that the bible was written only for the Christian, ensuring that any semblance of its Jewishness is erased.
This assaulting of the truth is not the product of 'happens stance,' but a cleverly devised plan, affected if you will, by the early leadership of the 'not Jewish church.' Most today are then, unwitting participants of this depraved scheme. However, they long ago set about removing the Jewish fingerprint from the Judaism of Messiah. They banished and killed the Jewish leadership and believers in an attempt to wipe out the truth. They tried to remove all evidence of the foundation the rich olive root. Adonai, however, has had through out history a remnant of the "Original", and as promised He is restoring the original before His coming.
This original is what the first followers of Yeshua (J-sus) His talmadeem (disciples) walked in. It is the Judaism of Messiah, the Torah obedient life practiced by Kefa (Peter), Ya'akob (James), the brother of Yeshua, and Yochanan (John). Shaul (Paul) followed the Judaism of Messiah Yeshua, known as the Natsreet Way, up until the day he died. There is no evidence that he ever changed from who he was, and he never claimed to be a "chr-stian." The Judaism of Yeshua, continued through the second century, and is mentioned in the sixth century and even down to today. Church history is riddled with the accounts of various encounters with Jewish believers and their Judaism.
The prescribed means of dealing with these 'heretics' was death, and for what? Following the Way of Yeshua? How can one say that they are following the Messiah if they never knew His Ways? How can they be like Him if they never knew what He was truly like? Or, how can you say you know Him, if your not walking in the same manner He walked? Though I know I will be hounded for this, but Chr-stianity is no friend of the Messiah. I am not saying that those who believe, and are in Chr-stianity, are lost or going to hell. All I am saying is Chr-stianity has marred and skewed the truth from its beginning.
The truth is, Chr-stianity in any form, is just watered down Catholic doctrine. All Chr-stianity traces its roots back to the Catholic Church; its self being the combination of Paganism and a perverted form of the Judaism of Messiah Yeshua. As time went on, more and more changed, until there was very little left of what Messiah Yeshua left. This catholic "church" in only a few hundred years resembled nothing of the kehilats (assemblies) of Rav Shaul (the Apostle Paul). Even cursory glances at the immediate post Pauline history, shows how changes had begun that would unravel to the very foundation the fabric of Messiahs Judaism. This catholic way, is in no way, the Way of Messiah Yeshua.
As they slander us with, so it has become their own, 'they teach the doctrines of men as though it is the very Word of HaShem,' something it could never be. Now we stand on the brink of history changing events again. Not only with what's happening in Israel now, but also this; That the Ruach (Spirit) of HaShem (G-d) is moving across the body of Messiah, looking for those who are willing to stand up for the Truth of Yeshua. The Truth that the Messiah wasn't a part time Jew, or a Messiah who was ashamed of his Jewish roots, but He was and is a full time Torah obedient Yehudi (Jew). In fact, He is the Torah Giver Himself come to us veiled in humanity. Take off the "chr-stian" glasses and read the Brit Chadashah, from the Jewish perspective in which it was written you will see a very different Messiah. Then one will begin to see the poison leaked into the "faith" by the catholic "church".
And yes, if you worship on the day the catholic 'church' keeps as a Sabbath, and you keep the holy days they installed, and wear the objects they insist one must wear, then your catholic, deal with it. Also in rejecting the Shabbot, and not keeping the feast days of HaShem, or wearing the holy objects that He commanded us to wear, then you have rejected the ways of Adonai, and became catholic. There are no two Ways to HaShem there has always been only One. There are two belief systems, if you will, The Way of HaShem, and Paganism. That's all there has ever been. Just because someone protested or sought to reform the Catholic Church, in no way, means they went back to the truth. If the Truth is the Way of Messiah Yeshua, then leaving the lie and returning to the Truth would mean returning to the Judaism of Messiah Yeshua, not creating your own form of the Catholic Church. You've only created a new form of Paganism, no matter what you call it. You are either grafted into the cultivated olive tree (meaning Judaism and that of Messiah Yeshua), or you are still on the uncultivated olive tree (meaning paganism), or you're a dead branch on the ground ready to be swept up and put into the fire.
There is no scriptural basis for what we see in Catholic chr-stianity, today or in it's past. There is not one prophecy about the catholic church, or its chr-stian daughters. You are either adherents to the Judaism of Messiah Yeshua or you're a catholic, in one form or another.” – Rav Yoshi ben Shofar, President of Ha Derek Netzarim
Now for the most part Jews and Netzari Jews believe and live the same way, both keep the Torah (Law). The only major and obvious difference is that Netzarim believes that Yeshua is the promised Messiah of Israel, and the rest of Judaism does not. Today, at least the reason why mainstream Judaism rejects Yeshua as the Messiah is because of the way Christians portray Him. They paint Him to be a Messiah who did away with the Law and started a new religion called Christianity. Jews are confounded how Christians can say that they serve the same G-D and a Jewish Messiah, yet do not keep the (His) commandments.
Since Judaism and Christianity have become two distinct and separate religions, distrust, fear, animosity and hostility has characterized relations between the two. Christianity has done much to drive a wedge between the two faiths. Ever since the Gentiles broke away from Judaism, some Church Fathers have treated the Jews with disdain for rejecting Jesus, some to the point of promoting anti-Semitic actions, such as burning, synagogues, and holy books, and even killing Jews. Christians, and so called Christian rulers of that time, forbade Torah observance, and encouraged and sometimes forced Jews to convert, and adopt Gentile practices and ways forbidden in the Torah. This has snowballed in recent history into what has been called Pogroms. This is where Gentile and Christian people would, as an army or a mob, harass, raid, riot, rape, kill and pillage the Jewish people in their villages and towns world wide. Then the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition came along, where the same sort of things occurred, where you converted, or were tortured, killed, or driven elsewhere, all in the name of Christ!
TBC...
replyraybashkatan wrote on Feb 12
The New Testament Church
It has been said well intended, by many Christians, “We need to get back to the New Testament Church.” In the past, I have said this very thing. But, there are two things wrong with this statement. There are two things the New Testament Church didn’t have. First of all they didn’t have a New Testament. It wasn’t written, compiled or canonized yet. What Scriptures do you think Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul) was referring to when he told Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim (I will from here on out refer to the Creator by His Hebrew Name YHWH or HaShem, Adonai or other Hebraic renderings, which in most translations is rendered as LORD, or by this Hebrew Title Elohim, mostly rendered as God) and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of Elohim may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2Timothy 3:16,17 KJV)? He, of course, was referring to the Tanak (Old Testament). Secondly, they didn’t have a Church. They all met in Synagogues on Shabbos day, the Temple on Biblical festivals, and in their homes for Havdalah (a special service officially ending the Sabbath and ushering in a new week held on Saturday evening at sunset). Acts 20:7
The Jewish people of today comes from (believe it or not) the Biblical times Pharisaical movement, and is now called Rabbinic Judaism. The ancient and modern day synagogue was modeled after the Torah service Ezra had in the book bearing his name, and today is the main meeting place for Jews, besides the home, since the Temple was Destroyed in 70 C.E.
Church is a mistranslation in the Scriptures. It is an Anglo-Saxton word “kirke” or “kirch” which by definition means “a pagan place of worship”. The word translated Church in the Scriptures comes from the Hebrew word “K’hal” and the Greek word “Ekklesia” which both mean “a called out assembly or congregation.” So, the “church” didn’t start in the book of Acts at Shavout (Pentecost), but B’ney Yisrael (The Children of Israel) was called the “church” at Mount Siani, after the Exodus, when the Torah (Law) was given. It is no coincidence that Shavout is the commemoration of that very event.
The New Testament Is Not New
The term “New Testament” is also a bit misleading in translation as well. A better translation would be, “The Renewed Covenant” or “Brit Chadashah” in Hebrew. “New” gives the impression of “brand new” and the New Testament isn’t “new” it’s just re-newed. Because G-d does not change and cannot lie, He said His Word, His Law stands forever through all generations. It confirms and backs up the Old Testament or as we Jews call it, The Tanak. It is in a sense a commentary on the Tanak. If you look at the “New Testament” through Jewish eyes you will find that there is really nothing “new” about it! It is simply a renewing of all the covenants mentioned in the Tanak.
Many will argue with me concerning the “literal” meaning of the Hebrew word for “new.” They say Chadashah means “new” not “renewed”. However, a literal translation of a word doesn’t always carry the literal meaning. We do the same with English words. You must determine meaning upon overall context. Here is a combined example of a Hebrew and English word used the same way. The word or phrase “New Moon” In English and Hebrew, Rosh Kodesh, does not man that we literally get a new moon each month, it is just a figure of speech denoting the cycle of the moon, and in a since it is refreshed or renewed each month. But a literal translation and use of words would lead one to believe that it is a literal “New” moon we get each month. The same is to be said about the “New” Testament.
The Renewed Covenant is like a remodeled ’57 Chevy. It is an original ’57 Chevy, just refurbished, remodeled and renewed. When this Chevy owner shows off his car, he says, “Check out my New Car!” He is not saying that it is brand new, for it it’s a 1957 year model, the word “New” implies that it is 1.) New to him, and 2.) That it is a “Renewd” car. Not much different with the “New” Testament. The word “Testament” is a misnomer because it implies a legal document like a Will, “This is my last will and testament…” or a defendant’s testimony. Covenant refers back to the Torah, which is the Covenant between HaShem and B’ney Yisrael, which in turn, is really a Ketuvah (marriage contract) between Elohim and Israel. So the word term “Renewed Covenant” would be a more accurate depiction for this important and influential document.
Some may wonder why most of the commandments of the Torah were not reiterated in the Brit Chadasha. Well, what is set in stone, what is a hard and fast rule, what is a given does not need to be repeated. Most of the commandments mentioned again in the Renewed Covenant Yeshua and the Apostals were simply expounding on. Digging out the deeper meaning, and or explaining their application better.
Speaking of the Ketuvah, Israel, after Solomon, was split up into two kingdoms, or two houses.
1. The House of Judah. The southern kingdom ruled by king David’s line. It consisted of the tribes of Judah and Levi and a bit of Benjamin mixed in.
2. The House of Israel, or sometimes referred to as the House of Ephraim, the northern kingdom. It consisted of what is now called the Lost 10 Tribes with Levi mingled in.
Now Judah was taken into Babylonian captivity and returned. They are now whom the world recognizes as Jewish people today. The house of Ephraim or the house of Israel on the other hand, was taken into Assyrian captivity and never returned. Israel was scattered world wide and assimilated into the occupying cultures in which they were in. So today there are people walking this earth who are Hebrew and don’t even know it!
“According to Eliezer Shulman in his book “The Sequence of Events in the Old Testament”, Avraham was born in the year 1948 from creation (aprox. 2050 BCE). His son of promise Yitzchak, (Isaac) was born one hundred years later in 2048 from creation (aprox. 1950 BCE). This places the birth of Yitzchak some 3950 years from the present time. Using 25 years as a generation means that today we are 158 generations removed from Avraham. Using 40 years per generation, still removes us nearly 100 generations.
The number of ancestors for any single person increases exponentially with each generation (two parents, four grandparents, eight great grandparents, etc.). Going back only 40 generations yields a potential of over one trillion direct ancestors for a single individual. This number far exceeds the total number of people who ever lived on earth since the beiggining of time. With such immense numbers involved, it should be no surprise that we are all more closely related than might have been imagined.
Avraham lived nearly four thousand years ago. Surely, if this statistical model is anywhere near correct, every person on earth could conceivably be descended from him, just as Nivrecu Theory suggests. Equally possible is the theory that every person on earth could be descended from the twelve sons of Ya’acov, the progenitors of the children of Israel.” – Hebrew Roots Issue 02-2 pg. 20
In Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea (Jer.3:6-8, all of Hosea, Ezk. 37) the Prophets speak of Judah and Ephraim committing adultery. Judah was labeled as an adulteress and Ephraim was divorced from YHWH. Further on it speaks of Judah being restored and Ephraim being taken back in marriage to YHWH. How did this happen? By Yahshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) the living manifestation of the Torah! Yahshua being a Jew, and according to the Torah cannot have an adulterous bride, a gentile bride, (assimilated) or a bride who has been divorced and remarried. The reason YHWH divorced Ephraim was because she committed Idolatry (which is spiritual Adultery) and ended up practicing the pagan religions around her. In YHWH’s sight is being married to that pagan deity and religion. The reason He didn’t divorce Judah, but simply labeled her with the stigma of being an adulterer is because of Elohim’s promise to King David. (1Kings 2:4, 11:31-40, 2 Sam. 7:12-16) So how did Yahshua restore Judah and take back Ephraim? It was because of Yahshua’s death and resurrection. He was the same person and yet a new man and therefore, Yahshua renewed the marriage contract (Torah) with Judah and Israel, allowing them once again to be in a marital and covenantal relationship with G-D. This is known as the “Two House Teaching and or Theology.”
It’s All Greek To Me…. Right?
A common fallacy that is perpetuated in Christian Colleges, Universities and Seminaries is that the so called “New Testament” was written in Greek. This could not be further from the truth. Just as the Tanak (aka: “Old Testament”) was written all in Hebrew and by Jews and was later translated into Greek, so too with the Brit Chadasha (“New Testament”). The Renewed Covenant was written to Jewish synagogues, by Jewish men. Yes, I know Luke was a convert, again making him Jewish, it is forbidden in Judaism to bring up ones Gentile past after one has fully converted. So, having that said, all the writers of the Renewed Covenant were Jews. So the whole of Scripture, Tanak and Brit Chadasha was written for Jews by Jews and those who converted to Nazarene Judaism. The majority of the congregants daily language was Aramaic, NOT Greek. Greek was the Lingua Franca, like English is today; it is a trade and business language, no one that would be used in the synagogues or in the daily lives of the common people. Hebrew on the other hand was a religious language mostly spoken in religious circles and synagogues. It is ludicrous to believe that Rav Sha’ul (Paul) or any other Renewed Covenant writer would have originally written their letters and documents meant for Jewish eyes in Greek. It makes no sense. There is much documentation to this fact. Most of the original manuscripts and copies of the Aramaic and Hebrew texts of the Renewed Covenant was destroyed or confiscated by Catholic or Non-Believing Jewish authorities in an attempt to destroy or hide the Jewish origins of the Nazarene sect of Judaism and its converts called Christians or Messianics. Despite exile attempts of hellenization and assimilation the Jews have never lost their Hebrew language the prophetic books written during exile testifies to this irrefutable fact. Even Josephus the first century Jewish historian testifies to the fact that Hebrew was a language of first century Jews (Josephus Antiquities 20:11:2). Many archeological documents, scriptural and secular have been found from the first century that was written in Hebrew and Aramaic. Some of these documents include the Mishna, the Gemera, the Letter of Gamaliel, and War of the Jews by Josephus. Even the so called “Church Fathers” like Papias (Ecc. Hist. 3:39), Origen (Ecc. Hist. 6:25), Jerome (Jerome; De Vir. 3:36), Eusebius (Ecc. Hist. 3:24) have testified to the fact that the Gospel of Matthew was penned in Hebrew, and Clemet of Alexandria (Hypotyposes; Eccl. Hist. 6:14:2), Jerome (Lives of Illustrious Men, Book V) and Eusebius (Eccl. Hist. 3:38:2-3) even testify that Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews was translated to Greek from the Original Hebrew. Which also relieves us of the mystery in Christianity of Who wrote the Book of Hebrews. Rabbi James Scott Trimm has gathered enough Aramaic and Hebrew manuscripts to translate the entire “New Testament” completely in Hebrew and Aramaic called the HRV; The Hebraic Roots Version.
The Old Testament Is Not Old
The Old Testament is not really “old” as in obsolete or done away with, as the name sometimes implies. Older, yes; Old, as in obsolete, NO, G-d Forbid!
“A generation after the passing of Sha’ul of Tarsus there lived a highly influencial church leader named Marcion (ca.130 CE). “On the one hand, early church leaders condemned Marcion as a heretic (144 CE), but on the other, they were influenced by his theological reflection. Even today Marcion-like ideas continue to circulate, exerting influence in Christian teachings.” One of these impressionable ideas was that he stressed calling the Hebrew Bible, “The OLD Testament,” indicating that the contents of that book no longer have application for a believer in Yeshua. In addition, Marcion also taught that grace was first revealed in the Brit Hadasha to counteract the legalism taught in the Tanakh.”
--First Fruits of Zion’s Ha Yesod Program: Lesson Two: Page L2.1
So we see Marcions pervertic and heretical ideas are unfortunately alive and well today and influence current theological thinking in Christian and Non-Netzari Jewish thinking.
The proper name for the “Older Covenant” is the Tanak. It is a Hebrew acronym to describe the contents.
T- Is for the Torah, the Law, The 5 books of Moses, which is the
foundation of all Scripture.
N – is for Nevi’im, which is the Hebrew word for the books of the
Prophets.
K – is for Ketuvim, which is the Meggillot, the books such as the Psalms,
Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, Esther, etc.
The Bible is like a house. The Torah is the bedrock, unmovable, unchangeable foundation, which the rest of Scripture is built upon. Trying to live by the New Testament alone is like living on a shingled A-frame roof or like building a house upside down, roof first.
One must filter the whole of Scripture through the Torah. The Scriptures were written by Jews, for Jews, (Luke was a Jew by conversion) In an Eastern, Hebraic, lingual, cultural, historical mindset and context. We must interpret Scripture in such a context using tried and true Hebraic hermeneutics. If one tries to interpret Scripture any other way, especially in a modern Western Greek, lingual, cultural, historical context, you end up with gross misinterpretations and contradictions.
In regards to Christianity and the Bible, it is like speaking Spanish and trying to translate a Portuguese book. You’re going to get a lot of it right, but your also going to get a lot of it wrong.
I have been asked by a Christian Pastor if I felt that even students in whom I went to college with, who have gone on to great ministries and seminaries are wrong in their theology. I must say, yes, to some degree. Because who are they learning from, Jews or Gentiles? Who are they reading and believing, and how old is their commentaries? Is it Gentile Christians from the 4th or 18th centuries? If so it is biased information disconnected from the 1st Century Jewish believers and their commentaries which is closer to that of Yeshua and what He taught and practiced.
TBC...
replyraybashkatan wrote on Feb 12
Torah: All for One, and One for All
To say the Torah is only for the Jews is ridiculous. When the Torah was given, yes, it was given to B’ney Yisrael, but remember, there was the mixed multitude that went out with them during the Exodus. (Exodus 12:38) The mixed multitude was there when the Torah was given. And they, like Israel, agreed to obey and live by the Torah.
It is in my opinion (and some Sages will agree with me) that in the mixed multitude there was a representative from all the seventy nations of the world at that time. For everyone present, even the mixed multitude, said “Yes, we will obey!” (Ex. 19:8), Even BEFORE they heard all that was expected of them! Levi, who wasn’t born yet, gave tithe to Melchizedek through Avraham (Heb. 7:1-5), so in like manner mankind agreed to obey the Torah through those ancestors who were at Sinia when the Torah was given.
It is said of the Torah in Scriptures (too numerous to mention) that it is forever, for all generations. Nowhere does it say that one day it will be done away with or annulled by the coming of the Messiah. On the contrary, Yeshua, our Messiah, said in Matthew 5:17-20 “Think not…” Some people stop there and fail to read on “…that I’ve come to destroy the Torah and the prophets, I didn’t come to abolish, but to fulfill.” The Greek and Hebrew word for fulfill does not mean to complete or stop. But to fill up to bring it to full meaning. Yeshua showed us how to live Torah appropriately. Some say that the “Law of Christ” supercedes the Law of YHWH. When has it ever been proper for a son to tell a father what to do, or the command of a son to over rule the command of a father? Since when did sons make the rules to be followed and obeyed? What sense does it make for Yeshua, the Living manifestation of Torah and Elohim in human form to say, “You know all the Rules my Father laid out for you to obey? Well, forget about ‘em. I’m calling the shots now; it’s a whole new ballgame.” That would make YHWH:
1) A Liar – It is impossible for Elohim to lie. (Num.23:19, Titus 1:2) He is always and forever the same. (Mal.3:6, Heb. 13:8)
2) Double minded. The Scriptures talk about one who is double minded is unstable in all he does. (James 1:8)
Is our Elohim a liar? Double minded? Unstable? If I may use an old catch phrase: “NOT!” YHWH and Yahshua are “Echad” one in plurality (John 10:30, John 17) and Yeshua said “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) He is referring to the Torah. Yahshua’s commandments are no different than YHWH’s. A couple of my personal mottos are, “If you don’t have Torah, you don’t have Messiah.” And, “A Messiah with out Torah is no Messiah at all.” Yahshua the Messiah is the Living Torah, the Light of the world. A Messiah without the Torah is like a flashlight without batteries.
The word “Torah” has been translated “Law”, and rightly so, but the root meaning is “Teachings” and “Instructions”. So does it make any sense to say the Yahshua came to do away with YHWH’s Teachings and Instructions!? Absolutely not! If you went through survival training you wouldn’t get out there and say, “I’m not going to obey my survival instructors’ teachings, I’m going to pick and choose what I like that he taught and wing the rest.” NO! Survival instructions are as LAW to you, it is your life! You obey and live, or you ignore and die! Didn’t Elohim say to Israel that the Torah was their life (Deut. 32:47)!
Change Doesn’t Change the Changeless
Isn’t it Ironic that the very nature of change makes it consistent and there for change is one thing that stays the same?
But as far as change goes, Time’s have changed. This isn’t the “Brady Bunch” world of our Mothers, nor the “Leave it To Beaver” world of our Grandmother’s, nor the “Walton’s” of our Great-Grandmother’s, nor is it the “Little House on the Prairie” of our Great-Great-Grandmother’s. No doubt about it times have changed.
Technology has changed, from smoke signals, to Morris code, to the telegraph, to the telephone, to the cell phone, to the internet, technology has definitely changed.
Sholomo Ha Melek (King Solomon) argued in his book call Ecclesiastes that there is nothing new under the sun, and it is true, what seems new is just a recycled or an improved upon idea.
So in essence even though the package may change, the core is virtually the same. Yet this illusion of change makes one believe that the changeless changes and therefore one excuses oneself from so called moral and religious entrapments.
I have found three things that never change:
1. G-d (Mal. 3:6, Titus 1:2)
2. The Human Condition
3. G-d’s Torah
Just because times have changed and technology has changed doesn’t mean that the three things mentioned above do. Changing times only causes the illusion in the spirit to rationalize that these 3 things change.
Since the downfall of our parents Adam and Chava (Eve) we have inherited this predisposition to sin, and it will not change until be are in the World to Come. We fight and struggle between the choice of good and evil everyday, in every aspect of our lives. Even after one is “saved” one still fights the old nature, Rav Sha’ul (Apostle Paul) did (Rom. 7:13-25) The Human Spirit changes not.
G-d said Himself that He does not lie, and He does not change (Mal. 3:6, Titus 1:2) Yet this is precisely what most Christians claim when they say the Torah is irrelevant, it has been done away with, or at best they try to divide the Torah up into subjects or special classifications and say, “Oh, the religious and ritual laws have been done away with the moral code is still in effect for us today.” The Scriptures says there is one Torah, not three (Ex. 12:49, Lev. 24:22, Num. 15:16,). G-d does not change and therefore His Word, His Torah does not change.
Some try to argue that the Torah, by necessity, has changed because of the changing times and the changing technology. NO, because the human spirit and G-d are a constant, this predetermines that His Torah does not change. As I have stated before, time and technology come in different packages yet the core of it is essentially the same.
Just look at G-d’s Word and we will see the times change, yet the message, the Torah remains a constant. You have the leadership or the governmental structure of Israel change, yet the Torah that guides them never changes. From the Patriarchs, to the Judges, to the Kings and to the Prophets, the message of absolute and resolute obedience to Torah changes not. Yet after the closing of the Scriptural cannon people claim that we are to far removed from those times, and that the Torah is outdated. And so the secular state of Israel runs without the Torah of their ancestors. One my also say, “Besides we are in the age of Grace right!?” We have always been in the age of Grace! And the Torah is and will never be outdated.
Let me attempt to put this in perspective. I stand firm in saying that the Torah is relevant and applicable for today and none of it has been “done away with” even after the advent of Messiah Yeshua. However, because times have changed doesn’t mean the Torah changes but that certain commandments are unfulfillable at this time in history.
For instance, because there is no Temple standing at this present time in Jerusalem, and because there are no working Levitical Priests in the Temple, the laws regarding the priesthood and the sacrificial and Temple service are temporarily put on hold, or suspended until the time of the building up of the 3rd Temple. But the Prophets tell of a time when the 3rd Temple will be rebuilt and the sacrifices will resume and at the time of Messiah’s reign no less!
We need to sift rabbinic decrees regarding Torah commands, Jewish literature, customs and traditions of Judaism in regards to the law and filter it through the words of Torah itself and the Words of Messiah who in Matthew chapter 5 proclaimed that He didn’t come to do away with the Torah but to show us how to live it correctly. If the Rabbi’s uphold Yeshua’s words or we see that the fences the Rabbi’s have erected around the Torah are wise, needful and maybe necessary in some circumstances, we need to graciously and joyously abide by them. If they do not measure up, then we must not fear to toss them aside, despite what men may say.
Free In Christ?
The Torah is not bondage. It is YHWH’s handbook to keep us well physically, mentally and spiritually, and keep us in a right relationship with Elohim and man.
There are not just 10 commandments as most people think, but 613! There are 248 positive (commandments) ways to get closer to HaShem, “Thou shalt’s,” and 365 negative (commandments) ways to get closer to HaShem, “Thou shalt not’s.” Yet not all 613 apply to one person. Some are for men, some are for women, some for kings, some for Levitical priests and the Temple which currently is no longer standing, and some for farmers in Israel.
Our Sages (Talmud: Makkot 23b) explain that this verse also serves as the source, which teaches us the exact number of Mitvot.
The numerical value of the Hebrew word Torah, is 611.
Moses conveyed 611 Mitzvot, to the Jewish people.
The first two of the ten commandments - "I am the L-rd, your G-d," and "You shall have no other gods before Me," we heard from G-d, Himself, at Mount Sinai.
Thus, there are a total of 613 mitzvot which the Jewish people are commanded to observe.
Daniel Botkin, in his article; “Christians Keeping Old Testament Commandments? Not a Yes/No Question, but a Question of Which Ones” writes:
“So how many commandments are Christians still supposed to keep? Or we might ask, How many of the 613 commandments can we still keep? Years ago Chafetz Chayim listed all the Torah commandments which can still be observed today…. The Chafetz Chayim lists 77 positive commandments (things we are still commanded to do), 194 negative commandments (prohibitions), and 26 commandments which apply only in the land of Israel. That makes a total of 271 for people outside Israel, and 297 for people living in Israel. That’s 316 less than 613. What happened to the other 316 commandments? These are , for the most part, commandments which pertain to the Tabernacle/Temple service and sacrifices which were administered by the Levitical priesthood.”
6 + 1 + 3 = 10. And 1+ 0 = 1. So the 10 commandments sum up the 613 and the 1 greatest of the commandments: “Sh’ma Yisrael HaShem Eloheynu, HaShem Echad. Hear oh Israel, YHWH our Elohim, YHWH is one. “You are to love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart…soul…mind…and strength…” (Deut. 6:4-9) Sum up the 10 and the 613. (Matt. 7:12) You think 613 commandments are a lot? Dake’s Annotated Bible lists 1,050 commandments in the New Testament!
“The Issue is did Messiah Yeshua change Judaism to a new form of religion? Or did He intensify the Judaism of the Torah? If one says as some of the Chr-stians do that he replaced the Torah then He also created a new religion, if this is true then the G-d of Israel changed. If this is true then we are all in trouble.”
-- Rav Yoshi ben Shofar
The bondage spoken of in the Renewed Covenant is not talking about Torah, but about the additions to the Torah. The tradition and doctrine of men and of demons (Col.2:8, 1Tim. 13:9) which were added (Mk. 7:9-13, Deut. 4:2,12:32, Rev. 22:18,19) by men and raised to the level of authority of Torah itself, which in some cases nullifies the Torah.
Yahshua agreed with the Pharisees in all points except divorce (Mt. 19:19) and traditions elevated to Torah status (Mk. 7:1-13). Rav Sha'ul (Paul) whom many use out of context to say the Torah has been done away with said, the Torah is good (Rom. 7:12). And regarding the terms “under the law”, and “curse of the law”, these refer to the penalty under the law that has been done away with and “nailed to the cross”, (Col.2:13-14) that penalty is death. That is what grace is all about. Our sin debt is what has been nailed to the cross, not the Torah. The Torah was never the problem, our hearts were. The Torah wasn’t imperfect, our hearts were. Regarding the phrase, “works of the law”, in the Renewed Covenant, refers to one counting on their Torah observance, their works, to secure their salvation. Some know this as “Legalism”. This is the negative definition of that word. But when someone accuses me of being “Legalistic” I say, “I am guilty as charged!”, because I see, and use “Legalism” in the positive sense. In other words I’d rather be “Legal” than “Illegal”!
There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, which is a free gift from Elohim. Yet, it is our responsibility to maintain our salvation by obedience to Torah. It’s like winning a car from someone by them simply pulling your name out of a hat. You in no way earned the car; it was a free gift to you. But to keep the car, you can’t just drive and drive and drive and drive, and never check the oil, change the fluids, fill up with gas, air up the tires, get a tune up, etc. If you don’t do these things you will loose the car, it will either blow up or break down. You need to MAINTAIN the car which you got by no merit of your own. It’s the same with your salvation. As my Former Rebbetzin (Rabbi’s wife) has said, “We are saved by Grace, kept by Works.”
“It has been brought to my attention on more than one occasion that Chr-stians are not under the law. This statement of Rav Shaul's is taken out of letters to various assemblies of the called out ones. The most amazing thing to me is that Chr-stians rest on this out of context statement even when presented with the truth. The argument goes that; if we try to keep any part of the law then we have put ourselves back under its authority, and voided our salvation. Yet every time a Chr-stian sins they are admitting that they are indeed under the law. How and Why is as follows. If I stand on the principle that there is no law, believing that when Paul wrote 'for where there is no law there is no sin', then to confess that I have sinned is hypocritical. If I say that the Torah (wrongly translated Law) has ended then there is no need to confess any so called sin. However (John) says very clearly that if we confess our 'sin' we are forgiven, and that if we say we have no sin we are liars. So, how do we reconcile this conundrum? First we must look at what Chr-stians are really trying to say. Second we must look at what HaShem has really said. And thirdly we must develop a peace and determination in ourselves about following the truth.
Having listened to and spoken with over a thousand learned Chr-stians scholars this is the jest. What Chr-stians are really trying to say is, that "Chr-st died for our sins and that this death removed not only our sins but also magically removed the cause of our sins the law. Now, we are set free from the control of the law and able to have peace with G-d, through the blood of Chr-st. You must understand it was the law itself that was weak and ineffective, and therefore had to be removed. Really, you are damned if you try to live by the law, and not by faith. For the Holy Spirit of G-d will come into you and change your heart so that no matter what you do, G-d can't see the sin in you, or the sins you commit. Most importantly anyone who tries to tell you to live a Torah obedient life or keep any part of the law is a Judaizer and is evil."
Okay, so obviously I don't agree with this view, duh!!! Your mom says to you when you're a kid, "don't drink the chocolate milk before dinner". Being a kid, you drink it, and your mom catches you. However, after you beg not to be punished, and she extends mercy and doesn't punish you, does that mean that from now on you can get a class of chocolate milk before dinner? Of course not! Unless she says, "okay from now on you can get a class of chocolate milk before dinner", otherwise the rule still applies.
There once was a man who had two sons; he wanted to give them joy, so he thought to do a magic trick for them. He placed a small soft red ball In his hand made a motion, closed his hand and said some words then swoosh opened his hand and it was gone. The shock and amazement on his son's faces as they looked and wondrous joy they expressed was the reward he wanted, as the boys scurried off to tell their friends. The truth however is that the ball never went anywhere it is simply in the other hand.
This is Chr-stianity in a nutshell. The law is the little red ball. The old man is the Catholic ch-rch; the children are unlearned disciples. The illusion is that the law is gone, poof. The sons are none the wiser and tell others what the old man did.
Scripturally you can't do away with the law anymore than the man could make the ball truly disappear, yet that is what they want you to believe, that they have made the law to disappear. For Yeshua Himself said 'heaven and earth will pass away before one yod (jot) or tageen (tittle) of the Torah would disappear.
Very simply said, if there is no law, why would you confess to breaking it? I won't go into my scant on the book of Hebrews. Suffice it to say this is book that is used and misused by so many to confuse and twist the truth. If as Chr-stians claim the book of Hebrews teaches that the law was weak and ineffectual, then the Chr-stian G-d is weak and imperfect. How and why would the true EL create a defective set of laws for us to follow? Having to then send the Messiah to be slaughtered, just to be able to then remove it? This all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing, all-just G-d would not be so powerful, loving, knowing, or just, huh? Could this be why so many people are now leaving the catholic and chr-stian ch-rchs? Chr-stians can't understand why the Jews don't get it. I understand why, you see, you can't have a perfect G-d, and then have him not so perfect. You can't have the TeNaCK, and then have the works of Paul translated in a way that contradicts the TeNaCK. Unless something is lost in the translation, this maybe why we supposedly, only have Greek translations of the ReNewed Covenant texts.
Adonai's word however, never changes. How could a perfect EL (G-D) give something of Himself, and have it be weak and ineffectual? It is not the Torah that is weak it is us, we are the defective part, made that way by original sin. It is Messiah Yeshua who comes and shows us how to live the Torah, and then cleanses our hearts so that we would be able to have the Torah written on them. Then we will be able to live in the Way that HaShem intended, in a right way, in a right standing, righteous. The Torah is not the enemy of the Chr-stian, but the Chr-stian can be, and almost always is, the enemy of the Torah. The Messiah did not come to give us a new Torah. No He came to cleanse us, to give us a new heart so that we could keep the Torah. Yochanan did not say " behold the Lamb of G-d who takes away that weak and ineffective Torah." No he said ' behold the Lamb of G-d who takes away the SIN of the world.' Sin is what you get when you break the Torah, the evidence that the Torah remains in effect. Can you see the wind? No, but you see the effect of the wind blowing. The same is true of the Torah. You know its still in effect because of sin. If there was no Torah, then there would be no sin; no wind, no breeze, it really is that simple. The Torah Remains Baruck HaShem!
The only thing left is for you to determine where you will stand. Will you stand on the side of Torah or on the side without Torah? Anomia is the Greek word for A- without or against, and nomia- Torah (law). The word latterly means against or without the Torah. It is from the word Anomia that the best translators derive the English word lawlessness. Lawlessness, lets break it down; Law+less+ness, lawless is pretty clear: less the law, or without the law, ness: meaning being in a state of. So lawlessness is to be in a state of, against or without the law. Yochanan (John) says that all sin is lawlessness. Putting it back in Hebraic thought, sin is being in a state against or without the Torah. There can be no lawlessness if there is no law. No law would therefore mean, no, 'man of lawlessness' as Paul predicted.
So where do you or where will you stand? May His peace seek you out and overtake you, and may you grow in a deeper walk with Yeshua, and may the Ruach HaKodesh empower you for the walk.” – Rav Yoshi ben Shofar President of Ha Derek Netzarim
The “legalism” Rav Sha’ul and the other apostles were concerned about was the additions to the Torah, the fences around the law elevated it to Torah status, or nullified a Torah command. The laws men made up which were imposed as bondage upon the common people, a heavy yoke, impossible to keep (even the Pharisees who made up many of these “fences” couldn’t keep them) (Lk. 11:45-46, Acts 15:10).
“Obviously no one can keep the whole Torah. No one is perfect. Therefore, we should not try to keep the Torah because it is too difficult.” Moses must have foreseen our faulty logic. Therefore he insists in no uncertain terms that “this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach” (Deuteronomy 30:11). The Apostle John agrees saying, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). It’s not about being perfect, it’s about loving God.” –ffoz: Nitzavim : Choose Life, 2007
YHWH said this about the Torah: “You can do it!” (Deut. 30:14, Rom. 10:8) If you want to call following Torah legalism, or legalistic, call me a “Legal Eagle.” But wouldn’t you rather be legal, than illegal?
We also must remember that in the Hebrew and Greek of Rav Sha’ul's day, there were not any words to express things like the negative idea we know of in religious circles as “legalism,” being saved or justified by ones works alone. So he had to use the same word in the Greek he used for Torah, that word is, “Nomos.” Thus, it is of the utmost importance when reading and interpreting the Scriptures dealing with Torah in the Renewed Covenant, that we look at the context and usage of the word “nomos” translated “law.” Is it talking about Torah, or a secular legal system, or a manmade legal system imposed upon the Torah? Is it talking about depending upon the Torah to obtain salvation? In that case the Torah isn’t bad, man’s misuse and misunderstanding of it is the problem. The examples in the Renewed Covenant are too numerous to mention and it is not the purpose of this work to tackle and iron out misunderstood and misinterpreted passages of the Renewed Covenant. However to help us in this area, it is always good to keep in mind again, that if our interpretation causes the Torah to be done away with, our interpretation is wrong! Period!
Not all of the “fences” around the Torah are bad. Only those imposed upon people as if they were Torah commands itself. Some people need “fences” so as not to break the actual commandments. For instance, a man may put extra software on this computer to keep him from accessing improper web sites. He knows that going to those certain sites is wrong, and has no desire to, and doesn’t plan on visiting those sites. But when tempted, why have an open door to it? So he erects a “fence” to keep himself from getting to those sites. Or, it’s like a mother saying to her children just coming in from a hard day of play, “No cookies before supper.” That’s her “commandment.” They know it would be wrong to eat a cookie before supper, but they are so hungry, and the cookie jar is just in reach. So Mom comes into the kitchen and puts the cookie jar on a high shelf, or in a cabinet to where they can’t get to it. Mom erected a “fence” for her children, to help them keep her “commandment.” An A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) sponsor can be seen as a type of “fence.” They can be called upon to help a person not to “fall of the wagon” and drink when a person is tempted.
The four laws given to the Goyim (Gentiles) in Acts 15 weren’t exhaustive or the only laws they were to keep.
These were starter laws, if you will, to : 1) Help Gentiles make a clean break with the pagan world and 2) Enable Jews and Gentiles to fellowship and eat at the same table (Acts 15:19-21). These Laws were taken from Leviticus 17-18, called the “Heart of the Torah.” I often ask those who believe that theses four laws are the only laws Gentiles are to keep, “Do you buy beef at the store?”
“Yes.”
“It’s saturated with blood right?”
“Yes.”
“But you rinse it off and fry it up anyway, in direct opposition to Acts 15. If it was kosherly slaughtered they would be no blood in it. So you don’t even keep the four laws in Acts 15.”
Most Christians don’t even keep all of the10 Commandments. We’ll cover that a little later.
Just because not all the 613 commandments are covered in the Brit Chadasaha does not mean that the laws not mentioned have been done away with. The books of the Renewed Covenant were written with the idea that these 613 laws were a given, so there was no need to mention them again. The only things Yeshua and Rav Sha’ul and others did were to clarify the priority of the certain laws and bring them into a greater understanding.
The Netzarim Sanhedrin headed up by Ya’akov (“James,” Yeshua’s half brother) knew the Goyim would end up learning the whole Torah at the Synagogue every Sabbath, through the annual Torah reading cycle (Acts 15:19-21). They would eventually learn and live all 613 mitzvot (commandments). This would culminate into the Gentile who learned Torah for a whole year to have the opportunity to officially convert to Netzarim Judaism by undergoing circumcision and a mikvah (baptism).
Daniel Botkin in the same article mentioned above states:
“For most Christians, the commandments which they have a problem with are commandments which deal with the Sabbath, Feasts, dietary laws, and miscellaneous things like tzitziyot (fringes), mezuzahs, beards, etc. These things are dismissed as “Jewish rituals, just for the Jews to do until Christ came.” Yet the Bible nowhere singles out these commandments from the rest of the Torah and says that they are just for the Jews. Nor does the Bible say that these commandments would be abolished by the coming of the Messiah. People think of these things as Jewish practices only because Christians abandoned them centuries ago, and the Jews have continued to practice them. But the Bible does not give one set of rules for Jews and a different set of rules for non-Jewish believers. “Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am YHVH your G-d.” (Lev.24:22).”
TBC...
replyraybashkatan wrote on Feb 12
Oral Tradition / Oral Torah
I believe in holding to, but not bound by, Jewish Traditions and customs that uphold and help fulfill Torah Commands, and enhance the meaning and significance of YHWH’s Word. I believe all extra Biblical Documents, (which gives us some of the “How to’s” in fulfilling the Torahs commandments,) such as the Book of Jasher, the Books of Enoch, theTalmud, Shulchan Aruch, Pirkei Avot, Zohar, Kabbalah, etc. need to be filtered through the whole of Scripture. I reject all that which annuls, or contradicts YHWH’s Word. One has three choices in regards to Traditions:
1. If it lines up with Torah: Keep it!
2. If it is neutral, neither enhancing nor detracting from Torah one may choose or choose not to keep it.
3. If it nullifies Torah then we MUST NOT keep it!
Scriptural Opinion
Opinions, we all have them. Even if we agree on foundational things we still may differ in certain customs, tradition and doctrines. This is not a big deal and is not necessary in seeing eye to eye. This is what makes our particular religious communities unique. For instance, we can both agree that doing dishes is important and necessary, but we may differ on how to dry them. You may prefer drying with a hand towel. I may prefer to put them on the dish rack and air dry. The ends are the same, so the drying procedure is but a matter of opinion, there is no “right or wrong way to do it per se. Mezuzahs; one may prefer to have the rabbinical approved cylinder which encases the relevant passages pertaining to that particular mitzvah and nail it at a slant to their door post, others may actually burn, chisel or paint the command actually on their door post. All of which is totally acceptable and legitimate ways of fulfilling that particular commandment.
When reading the Brit Chadasha one must remember though it is accepted as Scriptural Canon among Christians as well as Messianic and Netzarim, that writers such as Rav Sha’ul (Paul) has no idea their letters to synagogues would one day be held as Holy Writ. But even so, we must take Rav Sha’ul, Kefa (Peter), Matthew, Mark, Luke and Yochanan’s (John’s) and filter it, as we do the Prophets and the Writings, through the Torah and what ever is pure Torah we accept and adhere to, and what ever is of a writes opinion, we take it as such. “What do you mean by this,” you may ask? Well, Rav Sha’ul gives his opinion often and says such. For example:
“But I speak to those who do not have wives and to widows,
that it is profitable to them if they remain like me.
(1Cor. 7:8)
1Cor. chapter 7 is a very complex section of scripture.
To begin with this section unusually delineates Paul's opinions from
YHWH's commands.
7:6 But this I say as to the weak (or sickly) not by commandment
7:10 it is not from me but from the Lord
7:12 I say-- I, not the Lord
7:17 the rule *I* lay down
7:25 I do not have a command from the Lord, but I offer an opinion
7:40 in my opinion
Among the personal opinions Paul lays out in this chapter is a
controversial call to remain uncircumcised (7:18-20).
7:6 precedes 7:8 to tell us this call to remain unmarried was Paul's
opinion and not to be mistaken as instruction from YHWH.
7:17 specifically precedes 7:18-20 to indicate that this is only
Paul's opinion, like the call to remain unmarried, and NOT from YHWH.
Why would Paul hold such strange opinions such as persons remaining
unmarried?
Why would Paul seem to discourage circumcision when the Torah requires
it (Gen. 17:14)?
Why would Paul seem to discourage marriage and sex when the Torah
requires them (Gen. 1:28; 9:1)?
There is a parallel to 1Cor. 7:6 in Jasher 5:12
And Noach the son of Lamech refrained from taking a wife
in those days, to beget children, for he said, Surely now
Elohim will destroy the earth, wherefore shall I beget children.
(Jasher 5:12)
There was a specific reason that, at a specific time, Noach and Lamach
remained unmarried. Yet YHWH instructed him to take a wife and begat
children before the flood anyway (Jasher 5:13-15)
There is also a parallel to 1Cor. 7:18-20. This time the parallel
comes from the Tanak.
In Joshua 5:2-7 we learn that during the forty years in the wilderness
the people of Israel were abstaining from circumcision, though they
were circumcised just before entering the promised land.
Rashi's commentary to Joshua 5:2 says: "for the entire forty years
that they were in the desert, the north wind did not blow for them,
and they did not have any day suitable for circumcision. " This
follows the ancient commentators which all indicate that due to the
harsh conditions, circumcisions were not being performed during the
forty years in the wilderness.
1Corinthians was written in 59 C.E.. At that time the Kingdom offer
was being accepted and the believers were expecting the last week to
run from 64 to 70 C.E..
In 63 when the Kingdom Offer expired without being accepted they
Realized that the last days would not occur until after 6,000 years of
human History had been completed.
In 59 Paul was of the opinion that there was precious little time
left. In his opinion it was not a time to embark on a new marriage or
to start a conversion process.
Paul gives his reason for this "opinion" saying it was "…because of
the urgency of time (1Cor. 7:26)… the time now is shortened (1Cor.
7:29)… for the fashion of this world passes away (1Cor. 7:31)…" Thus
Paul gives this *opinion* for the same reason that circumcisions were
not performed in the forty years in the wilderness, and for the same
reason Noach and Lamech remained unmarried in the days before the
flood. It should be noted that everyone that remained uncircumcised
in the wilderness still had to be circumcised before they could enter
the promised land, and Noach was also instructed to get married before
the flood after all.” – Rabbi James Trimm “Eunuchs and Celibacy Pt.1
When running across a Scriptural writers opinion it is up to us to look into it and see why they have an opinion that seems to differ from that of Torah, and if so is their opinion rational and acceptable for today? Just don’t read a Brit Chadasha writer and automatically think just because they have been accepted in to Scriptural Canon that we should heed what they say without question. Remember the Torah is the final Authority and litmus test for any Biblical or Extra Biblical work.
TBC...
replyraybashkatan wrote on Feb 12
I will attempt to briefly tell you how I came to these conclusions. How I got here from there.
Now, it certainly didn’t happen overnight. It was approximately a 10 year journey for me to come to where I am at today. I had to ask the hard questions, and rethink everything I knew.
It all started when my wife and I were attending a Bible college and commuting 30 minutes to and from our school.
One fateful, cloudy, dismal, rainy day I sat in the passenger seat of our car. As my wife drove, I was looking out the window, feeling a million miles away from Elohim. I asked Him in my heart, “Why do I feel so distant from You? I cannot think of any sin in my life that has separated us. Is this all there is to this Christian life? There’s got to be more!” The reply HaShem gave me didn’t directly answer my question, or even make sense to me. But strangely it gave me shalom (peace). He said three times in my heart and Neshama (Soul), almost audibly, “Get back to the first century.”
And so began my study of the first century and its followers of Yahshua Messiah, their customs, culture, beliefs, and practices. As I began to learn more and more, I saw how the Christian church didn’t line up with the Scriptures, and that it actually opposed them at times. I began correcting faulty Christian doctrine in my own life. I slowly started separating myself from the Church. I felt compelled to take on more and more Jewish practices. My first step was that I started following the dietary laws, eating Kosher. My family and I then did away with all the pagan holidays and began keeping the Biblical Feasts. Then I bought a Tallit Katan, the small poncho like garment with the fringes (tzitzit) that is worn under the cloths. I wore it all the time to fulfill the command to wear fringes at the four corners of your garments (Num.15:36-41). I was given a Tallit (Prayer shawl) by my former Rabbi to use during prayer and synagogue services; he eventually adopted me into his family which is from the Tribe of Levi. This is the prayer closet referred to by Yeshua in Mt.6:6. Think about it, only kings and the extremely wealthy had closets. Most people had one or two room houses. Your closet was understood in Yeshua’s time as your prayer shawl. Closets are really a more Western World modern amenity. I then bought a kippah (head covering) which I began to wear all the time as well. I then purchased a Siddur (prayer book), and began praying three times a day. My wife and I then discovered that we both had Jewish ancestry in our families; this confirmed in our minds that we were on the right track. I stopped attending Church all together, and began to look for a Messianic (for I knew nothing of the Netzarim at the time) synagogue. The one we had been attending was so small that it had to close its doors. Yet in my search I never found a Messianic synagogue that met the Scriptural criteria. Most of them were either cults, or Baptist churches with Jewish décor. Also during this time frame my wife and I both found out we have Jewish ancestry in our family trees, both on our mother’s side. This all confirmed that my wife and I were traveling the path G-D had intended for us. After a while I obtained a set of Teffilin, to wear during Morning prayers. By this time I had found a Netzarim synagogue and became totally involved. I felt if my Messiah did these things and they were good enough for Him, then I should too. Wow! What a privilege to wear, do, celebrate, and live out the very things my Messiah did! Because Practicing Believers in Netzarim Judaism are few and far between, I am pretty much a self made Jew. Almost everything I know up to this point has been self taught. I sought this knowledge out on my own until just recently when I came under the Mentorship and Tutelage of my current Rabbi. Now, approximately 10 years later, here I am, a convert to Netzarim Judaism through hatafat dam brit (ritual circumcision) and mikvah (baptism). I am now a 21st century Orthodox Netzarim Jew.
There is no arguing or debate here. Unfortunately I have lost many Christian friends and family members who wanted to argue about my beliefs and to try to prove their point and “convert” me or “win” me back to Christianity. I have no problem with, and am very happy to answer sincer questions that people have wanting to know what I believe and why. But I do not tolerate the arrogance, and disrespect of people who want to argue and debate and try to prove their point with me. I have learned the hard way, in an effort to try to help people understand what I believe and why, that there is a diference in people who are sincerely seeking knowledge in attempts to understand and one who is on a mission to be right. I have had people argue old tired points with me, and came across in such an arrogant way as if to say that I am totally uneducated and unfamiliar with Christian doctrine and the Scriptures, and have been fooled by the deceits of the devil. As Job told his “comforters”:
Job 21:27 “Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.” (KJV)
As I have said, I have studied and prayed long and hard and have asked all the hard questions for myself and did not make this life change arbitrarily or overnight. I have found that people who are looking for a debate or an argument do not want to know the Truth, or what one truly believes. They assume they know what you believe and have answers already premeditated to give you. I know this because when I have foolishly gotten into arguments with people about my beliefs, or ones who have read a rough draft of this work, asked questions that I had already covered and or makes assumptions on what I believe, after I told them their assumption was incorrect and explained what I really believed. They in turn respond as If they did not listen to my reply or read the answers I have provided in this book. It’s as if they already assumed what my beliefs are, and what my responses are going to be, and is not truly listening to what I am saying at the moment but are spending that time formulating what they are going to say to me in a rebuttal after I have finished speaking. In cases and with people such as this I say, “Look, you are not going to change my mind, and I can see I am not going to change yours. Let us drop this discussion and just simply agree to disagree, agreeably.” Yeshua says not to cast your pearls before swine lest they turn on you and rend you (Matt. 7:6), and Rav Sha’ul said not to involve yourself with foolish (some versions say “stupid”) questions or arguments (II Tim. 2:23, Titus 3:9). My time is too precious and too valuable to squander and waste in such a manner when I can be spending time with my family, studying Torah, or answering people who sincerely want to know.
I have never been more happy or complete in my whole life! I finally feel like I’m home, and that I have a family. I finally fell like I belong. I have direction, purpose, and meaning in life now. I finally realize my true calling and purpose in HaShem’s plan for my life, to be a Netzarim Rabbi.
All that you’ve read above is but a thumbnail sketch, a “Cliffs Notes” version of my discoveries from that fateful rainy day till now.
And so the journey continues…
Shalom,
--Rabbi Yehudah .
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