Who is Edom? Continued...

 

By Rabbi Levi bar Ido /B’nai Avraham

 

   Before Mashiach returns, a world government patterned after the ancient Roman Empire must be set up among the goyim.  It is being put together in our day.

           

 

• “Rabbi Hama bar Hanina said: The son of David will not come until the despicable Roman government will be utterly wiped out from Yisrael, for the verse states (Yeshayahu 18:5):  ‘For before the harvest, when the blossom is past, and the bud is ripening into young grapes, he shall cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and remove and cut down the branches.’  Rabbi Hana bar Hanina understands the word translated here as ‘sprigs,’ as a reference to the despicable government of Rome.  Only after that government is cut off will the final redemption come, for the verse that follows states (Yeshayahu 18:7):  ‘In that time will a present be brought to the YHWH of hosts, by a people tall and smooth.’ 

 

• “Rabbi Ze’eiri said in the name of Rabbi Hanina:  ‘The son of David will not come until the arrogant of spirit are utterly wiped out from Yisrael, for the verse states (Zephaniyah 3:11):  ‘On that day you shall not be ashamed for all your doings, in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride, and you shall no more be haughty in my holy mountain.’  And the next verse states (Zephaniyah 3:12):  ‘And I will leave in your midst a poor and lowly people, and they shall trust in the name of the YHWH’” (p.16).

 

  The despicable government is understood by the ancient sages as referring to Roman that is despicable and despises Yisrael.  “Rashi and Ramah understand the expression to mean ‘sovereignty of little value.’  The Mashiach will not come until the last vestiges of sovereignty and self-rule, meager as they might be, are utterly wiped out from Yisrael” (“Notes,” p.16). 

 

 The Talmud:

 

• “Rabbi Simlai said in the name of Rabbi Elazar the son of Rabbi Shimon:  The son of David will not come until all the judges and officers are wiped out from Yisrael, and the last vestiges of Jewish self-rule disappear.”  

 

 Under “Notes”:

 

• “Some understand that Rabbi Simlai means to say that the Mashiach will not come until the wicked judges and officers of Yisrael are utterly wiped out, for their sins and wicked deeds cause the exile to continue so long.”

 

  Louis Ginzberg in Legends of the Jews gives us information concerning Esau, linking him and his seed to Rome.  According to tradition, Rebekah suffered such pain during her pregnancy that she went to Shem and pleaded with him to inquire of Elohim concerning the cause of her distress.

 

• “And Shem replied: ‘My daughter, I confide a secret to thee.  See to it that none finds it out.  Two nations are in thy womb, and how should thy body contain them, seeing that the whole world will not be large enough for them to exist in it together peaceably?  Two nations they are, each owning a world of its own, the one the Torah, the other sin.  From the one  will spring Solomon, the builder of the Temple, from the other Vespasian, the destroyer thereof”' (Legends, 1968, vol. 1, page 314)

 

The Mother of all persecution and religious apostasy has its home in Rome.  Rome fulfills the words of Edras that ‘Esau is the end of this age, and Ya’akov is the beginning of the one that follows.’

 

• “They [Esau and Ya’akov] will never be in the same estate.  Esau will vaunt elohims, while Ya’akov will have Kings.  They, Yisrael and Rome, are the two nations destined to be hated by the entire world.  One will exceed the other in strength.  First Esau will subjugate whole world, but in the end  Ya’akov will rule over all” (Legends, vol. 1, page 314)

 

• “Elohim will call out to the Mashiach: "Roar at this monster that devours   the fat of the nations, that justifies its claims for recognition through  being a descendant of Avraham by his grandson Esau, the nation that  forgives all for the sake of money ,  that kept Yisrael back from the study of the Torah, and tempted them to deeds that are in accord with the wishes of Satan” (Legends, vol. 3,  page 167)

 

 Esau was significant in Rome.  No doubt that “Rome” in a very real sense epitomizes the “way of Esau.”  The Book of Yasher connects Esau’s seed with the Romans. 

 

• “And the children of Chittim [Cyprus, Phoenicia, Rome] saw the valor of Zepho [a valiant descendant of Esau], and the children of Chittim  resolved and they made Zepho king over them . . . . Zepho reigned over the whole land of Chittim and over the land of ITALIA 50 years” (p.186).

 

  The Rome-Esau connection is verified time and time again in various writings.  The children of EDOM or ESAU intermarried with the Italians and they became ONE PEOPLE.  Esau is identified as the people of Italy, the Romans, and the source of religious apostasy.

 

  According to prophecy, the rivalry between Esau’s and Ya’akov’s seed was to characterize the ongoing relationship of these two people throughout time.  Finally, the “age of Esau” -- this present world – will be replaced by the “age of Ya’akov”.  The Book II Esdras in the Apocrypha states:

 

• “‘What will mark the parting of the times?  Or when will the end of the first or the beginning of the second be?’” And he said to me, ‘From Avraham to Avraham, for from him sprang Ya’akov and Esau, but Ya’akov’s hand held Esau’s heel from the beginning.  For ESAU IS THE END OF THIS AGE, AND YA’AKOV IS THE BEGINNING OF THE ONE THAT FOLLOWS.  For the beginning of a man is his hand and the end of a man is his heel’” (II Esdras 6:7-10).

 

 In the book The Other Bible Code:  Ancient Hebrew Revelations about Events of Our Time, written by H. M. Davidson it says:

 

• “In many ancient Hebrew and Aramaic writings, Rome – and obscure Italian village which emerged as an early hub of Western civilization and economic power – is identified as an early extension of the Esau/Edom personality” (p.6-7).  The Babylonian Talmud, a treasure of information, identifies Esau/Rome’s scheming against the sons of Ya’akov as not just a plot or scheme, but as a country:  Germany! (Babylonian Talmud, Megillah, 6a).

 

  Rome is the earliest post-Biblical extension of Esau and his descendants.  If it was compared to a tree, then Esau would be the “root,” and Rome would be the major branch from that tree’s root.

 

  The eighteenth century Lithuanian rabbi, Elijah ben-Solomon Kramer, known as the “Genius of Vilna,” Davidson writes:

 

• “Argued that half of the nations of the contemporary world are branches of the Esau/Edom/Rome tree” (Davidson, page 37). 

 

  The sixteenth century Rabbi Yehuda Lowe, the “Maharal,” argued that characteristics which ancient Jewish writings attribute to Esau/Rome can be used to:

 

• “Identify the contemporary groups of nations which today bear the torch of Esau/Edom/Rome” (ibid.).

 

  Thus we see that “Euro-Western civilization may be regarded as a BRANCH OF THE ESAU/EDOM/ROME TREE”, he explains:

 

• “And the mind-set of the contemporary West also suggests a kinship with Esau/Edom/Rome.”

 

  European and Western civilization is the beneficiary of the culture of Rome, with similar institutions, government, and laws.  Also, like ancient Rome, modern Europe/America, and the Western world enjoy largely unchallenged military, economic, and political dominance over most of the world, and a disproportionate part of the world’s wealth. 

 

 Says Davidson, 

           

• The West champions democracy, freedom, opportunity.  Most people in the Western nations cheer these concepts, but these principles are not of themselves intrinsically good!  A society consisting of thieves and crooks, even though it has a “democratic” government, will still be evil.  Democracy and decently are not identical.  Iraq today has “democracy” but is filled with hatred, conflict, and is on the verge of Civil War due to disagreeing factions of Islam battling each other for supremacy.  According to ancient Jewish sages, the essence of Esau/Edom/Rome was its emphasis on outward form and appearance over intrinsic goodness.  Good manners took precedence over good morals.  Etiquette over ethics.  Judicial process and procedure over justice.  System over substance” (p.39).

 

   Ancient Rome was the center of civilization during its day – a mega city which was the financial center of the world.  Its legacy, today, which would symbolically be called “Rome,” would be New York City in the USA– an attraction for powerful people, wealth, politics, and business. 

 

 Davidson adds on page 40:

 

• “In today’s world, the city of New York has no equal as a financial hub.  Many of the world’s most influential companies are based in New York and it is in New York that their shares are traded.  The adage, ‘When Wall Street sneezes, the rest of the world catches the flu,’ captures the essence of New York’s financial hegemony over the rest of the world” In addition, he says, “the presence of the United Nations in Manhattan underscores New York City’s status as an unparalleled magnet for dignitaries from across the globe, much as Rome was in ancient days.”

 

  In Tehillim 140:9, we read, “Grant not, O YHWH, the desires of the wicked man; further not his plotting – lest they be exalted.”  In the Babylonian Talmud, in a commentary on Tehillim 140:9, the wicked man in this verse is identified as one of Esau’s later day manifestations – namely, Rome.  Yisrael pleads with Elohim to withhold the desires of “Rome” and to stop Rome’s plotting against Yisrael.

 

   The whole world today seems to be plotting against Yisrael. The “Road Map to Peace,” which threatens Yisrael’s future, is evidence of a conspiracy to eliminate the Jewish state, in favor of Arab oil, on which the world’s and the USA’s whole economy depends.

 

 In the same passage from the Talmud, Esau/Rome’s plotting is identified with or connected with Germany (Babylonian Talmud, Megilla 6a, H. M. Davidson, page 7).

 

  Germany has been a root of anti-Semitism in the twentieth century.  Hitler’s pogroms, and his “final solution,” which led to the deaths of six million European Jews, was not an isolated episode.  German resentment toward the Jews was historic, and today remains against the state of Yisrael.  The Germans, as a leader in the European Union, are strong advocates of the deceitful “Road Map to Peace.”  Germany has long been a very powerful advocate of the Arabic lobby and the Palestinians.

 

  Says Davidson:

 

• “The Talmud continued that Ya’akov/Yisrael feared that if Germany and Rome were to end their mutual antagonism (as we see in the world, today, with Germany being a part of the “Western Alliance” and NATO) and combine forces, they would set forth to ‘destroy the world’” (page 8).

 

  Elohim warned the Yisraelites to never forget the attack of the Amalekites, when they left Egypt under Moshe.  Elohim said:

 

• “Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way, when you were faint and weary, and struck down all who lagged behind you; he did not fear Elohim”

 

 The Jewish and Yisraelite struggle against Amalek was not a one-time affair, but was to continue through history.  Amalek was to be blotted out, but it never happened.  A descendant of Amalek during the Persian Empire.  An Amalekite by the name of Haman, viceroy to the king, sought to kill every Jew in Persia. (Esther 3:13). 

 

 Likewise, Germany, in the twentieth century, fulfilled the same role.  Germany is a contemporary state with a strong Amalekite/Esau inspiration, as well as being populated by many Assyrians, who anciently fought against Yisrael.

 

 Hitler succeeded in annihilating one third of the Jews alive during World War II.  In Jewish thought, there is a German-Amalekite connection.

 

 The Talmud warned that another “Haman” would arise in the future.  In a section dealing with the End of Days, and the coming of the Mashiach, we read:

 

• “If the people of Yisrael fail to repent on their own, the Holy One, blessed be He, will set a king over them whose decrees are as harsh as those of Haman, and the people of Yisrael will repent against their will, and He will restore them to good” (Sanhedrin 97B, vol.21, p.13). 

 

This prophecy was fulfilled by Adolf Hitler, who, like Haman, sought the total annihilation of the Jews. The Holocaust woke up millions of Jews who during and after World War II sought sanctuary by fleeing to Palestine, their original homeland.

 

 Was the Nazi Holocaust prophesied in Scripture?  Interestingly, a passage in the Book of Esther describes the execution of Haman’s “ten sons.”  A  look at the names of Haman’s ten sons reveals – three Hebrew letters are written very small in the Hebrew text – the Hebrew equivalents of T (tau-t), Sh (shin-s), and Z (zayin-z); and one, the Hebrew equivalent of V (vav-v), is written exceptionally large!  (Esther 9:7-9).Why was this written in this coded message?

 

Says Davidson,

 

• “Such an oddity should draw attention.  The ancient Hebrews understood that an enlargement or contraction of Biblical letters is always significant.”  In the Hebrew alphabet, every letter has a numerical value.  In the case of the text in Esther, the three small letters have the numerical value as follows:  T = 400, Sh = 300, Z = 7, for a total of 707.   The numerical value of the large letter Vav is 6.

 

 

 

 

Here is where it gets remarkable! The date on which Hitler’s ten henchmen during World War II were hanged, even as Haman’s sons were hanged, was October 16, 1946 – a date that coincided with the 707^th year of the sixth millennium of the Hebrew calendar – the Hebrew year 5 7 0 7.   Notice – the large “Vav” refers to the Jewish millennium – “5.”  The “707” refers to the century and year.   The execution date that year fell on the 21^st day of Tishri – the day of Hoshana Rabbah, the seventh day of the Feast of Sukkoth.  That date, in Jewish tradition, is identified as the one day of the year picturing the “Judgment Day” of the nations of the world!

 

  A reporter for Newsweek magazine, at the time, wrote about the execution of Julius Streicher, one of Hitler’s Nazi henchmen.  As he faced his execution we read in Newsweek:

 

• “Only Julius Streicher went without dignity.  He had to be pushed across the floor, wild-eyed and screaming:  ‘Heil Hitler!’  Mounting the steps, he cried out:  ‘and now I go to G-d!’  He stared at the witnesses facing the gallows and shouted, ‘Purim-fest, 1946!’  (Newsweek, October 26, 1946, page 45).

 

The hanging of the ten henchmen of Adolf Hitler in 1946 was a mysterious repeat of the hanging of the ten sons of Haman on the day of Purim, in 510 B.C.E. Hitler, like Haman, sought to annihilate all Jews.  And like Haman, he died a terrible death, and his ten henchmen were hanged just like Haman’s sons.

 

   Let us go forward to the year 2006. The world is engaged in the war against worldwide terrorism.  It is a war pitting the Muslim world against the Christian world.  It involves terrorist groups and their Arab supporting nations – the Middle Eastern “axis of evil.”

 

 In a prophecy found in Yeshayahu 21, Elohim condemns the Arab nations for their treachery, perfidy and cruelty. 

 

• “As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.  A stern vision is told to me; the betrayer betrays, and the destroyer destroys” (Yeshayahu 21:1-2)

 

 It is a scene of destruction. Yeshayahu cries out, “Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor . . . My mind reels, horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has turned for me into trembling” (Yeshayahu.21:3-4).

 

  This is a prediction concerning the Desert – Arabia – and its inhabitants, the Dedanites, Tema, and the warriors of Kedar (verses 13-16).

 

Writes Davidson,

 

• “An ancient Jewish sage, culling from the insights into this chapter which he had received from earlier generations, states that the Arabs will wage an unprecedentedly heavy ‘war of confusion’ in the End of Days – and that the scene of this war will be ‘a great city.’  Furthermore – the ancient sage continues – this episode will trigger events which will lead to the coming of the Mashiach and the Final Redemption of the world” (p.41).

 

 A “war of confusion” suggests a war where the enemy is hard to identify – as terrorists, who disguise themselves, and go underground, and strike by craftiness.  The term “a great city,” says Davidson, in ancient Hebrew literature, is “almost invariably a coded reference to Rome or its successor” (ibid.).

 

Thus here we are reading about “terrorism,” a war where your enemies are not obvious – and a “great city” – a modern day “Rome.” Does this not sound similar to the events of 9-11?

 

The Zohar, an ancient Hebrew commentary, in its section on the book of Bemidbar, gives details of devastation which would shake “Rome,” in the End of Days. Davidson adds:

 

• “Amplifying the prophecy of Bil’am, the Zohar predicted that on a certain calendar date the future Rome will suffer the tumbling of three high buildings or ‘strongholds’ [Aramaic: shoorin eelaeen], and that this event will be among the factors triggering the process which will lead ultimately to the coming of the Mashiach” p.42).

 

 On 9-11, not only the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center collapsed after being flown into by hijacked airliners, but a third 47-story skyscraper, part of the same complex, also tumbled to the ground, at 5:20 pm, the very same day. The Zohar predicted this tremendous event would occur on the 25^th day of the month of Elul, in its most recognized edition.  However, in the 18^th century, the Genius of Vilna stated the text was off by two days – that the most correct version of the Zohar reads that this devastation would occur on Elul 23.  September 11, 2001, was the 23^rd day of Elul!

 

Once again we see a Rome/Esau/Edom connection in Scripture and other sources!

2010-09-07T01:31:49Z 2010-08-09T11:09:59Z tag:www.2house.org,2010-08-09:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fdada%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fuonyc_teaching%2F20100809110959%2F

UONYC Teaching Letter Message What? What? You can't see the forest for the trees? Shabbat Shalom Kol Yisrael. It is our pleasure to present this week's Torah Parsha commentary by Nazarene Yisraelite Rabbi T. (Mordecai) Mitchell, Rabbi and Rosh Zaken

UONYC Teaching Letter bnaiavraham@qwestoffice.net

What?

What? You can't see the forest for the trees?

Shabbat Shalom Kol Yisrael. It is our pleasure to present this week's Torah Parsha commentary by Nazarene Yisraelite Rabbi T. (Mordecai) Mitchell, Rabbi and Rosh Zaken of B'nai Yeshurun Nazarene Yisraelite Synagogue, Kittanning, Pa., and board member of the Union of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations. It is our sincere hope and prayer that these commentaries encourage, inspire, and strengthen the body of Messiah in Kol Yisrael. This week our Parsha is R'eh (See) Debarim (Deuteronomy) 11:26 – 16:17. Our Haftarah portion is YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 54:11 – 55:5. Our suggested Brit Chadasha readings are: I Corinthians 5:9 – 13; I Yohanan (I John) 4: 1 – 6. Please also read Tehillim 123 and 149.

Debarim 11:26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.

27. The blessing, when you obey the commands of YHWH your Elohim which I command you today;

28. and the curse, if you do not obey the commands of YHWH your Elohim, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other mighty ones which you have not known.

R'eh may well be one of the most intriguing Para shot in the Bible. We can say that, for one, based on the number of verses it contains, 126, the same numerical or Gematria value of pliyah, meaning “wonderment.” A form of pliyah is found in Bereshith (Genesis) 18:14 in the phrase (actually a question) “Is any matter too hard...” (Lit. Is any matter a wonder...) Of course, this is something that will escape most all casual Bible readers who do not take the time to dig into the meat of the Word. We might add that this is exactly why we point out such things in our weekly commentaries. We do not want Yahweh's faithful people to take a casual approach to Bible study.

Recently a friend and brother e-mailed me to say that he had just purchased a somewhat expensive, out of print book on Gematria. He considered his investment both an opportunity and a blessing. His communication was like sweet music to our ears. When we consider that most people are willing to spend great sums on TVs. VCRs home entertainment systems, computers or other material items, we realize few are willing to invest in good sound books that aid our spiritual development.

The word pliyah or “wonderment” (again based in Bereshith 18:14) is all about learning to see and go beyond the physical, and in some cases, even set aside the laws of physics. It is certainly about defying logic.

The second word of the Parsha is “Anochi” which means “I” or “Me,” and in this case it is Yahweh who is speaking. Anochi brings what is being said down to a personal level. Yahweh is speaking to Kol Yisrael (all Israel). When Yahweh speaks on a personal level we must take His words on the same personal level. He was not speaking only to the Israelites of that time, but He was, in every respect, speaking as well to us today. When this message is brought down to a personal level, Yahweh is telling us that we have the unique ability to R'eh – See the difference between good and evil – and the absolute power to make the right (or wrong) choice.

Of course, our ability to choose correctly depends on our ability to see correctly – to see with spiritual, not carnal eyes. We could also say the ability to “See” is the ability to make distinctions or tell the difference.

When considering this, I was immediately reminded to Yehezqel (Ezekiel) 44:23 And they are to teach My people the difference between the set-apart and the profane, and make them know what is unclean and clean.

Please note two things regarding this verse. First, Yahweh specifies that is it His people who are to be taught. By the phrase “...My people” we can understand that we are talking about those willing to learn and take correction – those who are of humble minds and hearts. The second consideration is that this small but select group of people must have available and be willing to receive sound teaching so they may be able to differentiate between the “...the holy and the common,” (set-apart and profane) and between the clean and unclean.

Getting back to the Parsha of Debarim 11, we must also understand that what is being given to us is the freedom of choice – free will. This means, as we have said numerous times, Yahweh does not bless or curse anyone. We bless or curse ourselves by the choices we make, by our actions, our words and even our mindset.

In verse 31 we read that the people are about to enter Eretz Yisrael – the Land of Israel. We should understand that the Land of Israel, the Promised land, that is the specific physical , geographical location, has great sanctity. It is a most special, and spiritually powerful place on earth to Yahweh. What Yahweh is really telling the Israelites, is that if they enter a holy land without being themselves holy, the land will eventually spew them out.

Despite the great spiritual power to be found there, Israel has always, from its very beginning to this very day, been a land of war, conflicts and upheavals. We might wonder how this can be so when the land is a land of unparalleled spiritual power. The answer is simple. The real conflicts in the land have always been clashes between “religion” and spirituality. Among other things, so-called “religion” lacks respect for human life and dignity, spirituality never does. To one degree or another, “religion” tolerates sin – it does not teach people the “... difference between the set-apart and the profane, and make them know what is unclean and clean. Spirituality, however, does teach exactly that. And because the lives of Yahweh's people are spiritually enriched by the teaching of sound doctrine and by learning the deeper things of the Word, they are then able to “R'eh,” See. And because they are able to truly See with spiritual eyes, they are able to make wise and right choices and decisions, ones that are in perfect harmony with Yahweh's Torah – the lifestyle of the redeemed. Therefore, they will live that lifestyle and be worthy not only of entering the Land, but be found worthy to remain there.

So it is with our promised hope, the Kingdom of Yahweh. We cannot nor should we expect to enter into His Kingdom without first being spiritual people who can discern rightly and live by right decisions.

Some years ago a group of people were of the opinion that it was not necessary to keep Sukkot as a “commanded convocation.” They felt that all that was necessary was to construct a small Sukkah on the (Messianic) Synagogue property to which they belonged, and to attend a short service on the first High Day and possibly on the Last Great Day (Shemeni Atzaret) “...if convenient.” Although they understood that Sukkot was kept by the ancient Israelites, and acknowledged that it would be kept again the the Kingdom, they they failed to see the necessity of keeping an eight-day Feast in this day and age.

I explained to them that their role and destiny, if they were faithful, was to function as kings and priests in Yahweh's Kingdom, based on Shemoth (Exodus) 19: 5 – 6; Daniel &:18; and Revelation 5:10. I also quoted ZecharYah 14:16 – 21. I reasoned with them that keeping Yahweh's Moedim today was a “dress rehearsal” if you will, for what was to come. I asked how, as kings and priests, could they expect to teach others to obey commands that they themselves had not obeyed. In the end, I was deeply saddened by their adamant refusal to fulfill the clear commands of Scripture. Soon afterward, we left that congregation. In less than a year, most of the original members had also departed, however, the purpose of their leaving was to return to some form or another of Sunday worship and antinomianism. Last year I heard that the present leadership of that synagogue had allowed not one, but several “xmas” trees to be erected in the synagogue – contrary to YirmeYahu (Jeremiah) 10:1 – 6. Those individuals went from a developing vision and starting to R'eh, See and reverted to total blindness and spiritual degradation.

In Debarim 12:5 we read: But seek the place which YHWH your Elohim chooses, out of all your tribes, to place His Name there, for His dwelling place, and there you shall enter.

This of course is a Remez or hint of the future temple, though no one at that time could realize it, or catch a glimpse of Yahweh's vision – to see what Yahweh saw. Of course, the temple does not stand today, and for most of us, it is nearly impossible to travel to Eretz Yisrael. However, until the Kingdom does come, we don't need a temple. Moreover, it is not up to us to say that we must travel to this place or that place, to garner spiritual energy. What we must do, however, is learn to be spiritual where we are. That means practicing spirituality and being spiritual as much as possible every day. Our real spiritual battle is fighting against haSatan and fulfilling the Great Commission of MattithYahu 28:19 “Therefore, go and make taught ones of all the nations, immersing them in the Name of the father and of the Son and of the Set-Apart Spirit.” This the the “vision” that the evil one does not want us to see, a spiritual vision he does not want to be made real. The next verse, 20, is more specific: teaching them to guard all that I have commanded you, and see, (R'eh) I am with you always, until the end of the age,” Amen.

Can we see the full impact of these verses, especially verse 20? We are to teach (and do) all the commands, not just a select few. In order to teach, of course, we must first have fulfilled them ourselves. Next, Yahshua says that He will be with us, even to the “...end of the age,” meaning of course, from the time He spoke these very words until this age ends and the Kingdom comes to this earth. That means He is and must be with His faithful ones even now. While He was speaking to His talmudim, He was in every sense speaking to us today. Note again, the use of the word “See,” in verse 20. Have we paid attention to these seeming small details? Are we able to correctly “See” the Messiah's challenge to us today?

In closing, we should consider that as Israel entered the Promised Land, the people of the nations who were in the land (the Am HaEretz) were driven out. They we expelled from the land because they clung to religion but rejected spirituality. They refused to “R'eh” and therefore brought curses on themselves and upon their offspring.

In essence, Yahweh is issuing a stern warning to the Israelites that they must not become like the people of the land. They must completely reject the religious practices and customs of the nations, and unScriptural attitudes, or else like them, the Israelites will also be driven out of The Land. We have a similar admonition in Debarim 12:8 Do not do as we are doing here today – each one doing whatever is right in his own eyes.

Today, all too many people want to “do their own thing.” Too many people seem to want to “modify” Yahweh's Torah. It is all to easy to rationalize behavior, ideas and attitudes that are not in harmony with Torah. Frankly, I am appalled that some will spend time, energy and resources attending “conferences” or just outright spending all their time and money on “vacations,” then not be able to attend Sukkot or have any interest in doing so. To that I will end by saying “Shame!”

May Almighty Yahweh bless us all as we seek to serve Him, learn His ways, and See his will and direction in our lives.

Rosh Chodesh of Elul begins Tuesday evening, Aug, 10. (Last week I inadvertently wrote that last Tuesday was the New Moon. I apologize for any misunderstanding or confusion this may have caused). May this coming month be a month of blessing to all Yahweh's people. Please don't forget to spend some time welcoming the New Moon and thanking and blessing Almighty Abba Yahweh for all His blessings to us.

For questions, comments or criticisms regarding this week's Parsha commentary please e-mail Rabbi Mitchell at: yoel@arm-tek.net

Please tune into our weekly Pal Talk Bible studies. Once in Pal Talk, click on “Religion and Spirituality (Pal Talk's choice of terms, not ours) then click on “Other” Our room is B'nai Yeshurun. The Bible studies are held Erev Shabbat (Friday evening) at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

NOTE: We may have a Pal Talk study from our regional Sabbath meeting at the Covenant Center in Kittanning. At 1 p.m EDT Shabbat afternoon. We will try a remote Internet connection. Let us pray it works. All people of goodwill in or near western Pennsylvania are welcome. We will begin with a fellowship meal at noon

Please visit our (still developing) Website; www.bnaiyeshurun.com

For more information e-mail: yoel@windstream.net, or write: Bnai Yeshurun, c/o Mitchell's, 210 Garretts Run Road, Kittanning, PA 16201. ]]> 2010-09-07T01:31:49Z 2010-08-04T19:33:45Z tag:www.2house.org,2010-08-04:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fdada%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fuonyc_teaching%2F20100804193345%2F

(Mailing List Information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.) __ Correction-Tuesday Aug.10th is Rosh Chodesh and Aug.11th is ELUL 1

UONYC Teaching Letter bnaiavraham@qwestoffice.net is located at the end of this message.)
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Correction-Tuesday Aug.10th is Rosh Chodesh and Aug.11th is ELUL 1 ]]> 2010-09-07T01:31:49Z 2010-08-03T11:50:10Z tag:www.2house.org,2010-08-03:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fdada%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fuonyc_teaching%2F20100803115010%2F

UONYC Teaching Letter Message *Let Us Keep the Rosh Chodesh* by Rabbi T. Mordecai Mitchell Rabbi and Rosh Zaken of Bnai Yeshurun Nazarene Israelite Synagogue, Kittanning Pa. and board member of the UONYC Tehillim (Psalms) 104:19 /*He made the moon

UONYC Teaching Letter bnaiavraham@qwestoffice.net

Let Us Keep the Rosh Chodesh

by

Rabbi T. Mordecai Mitchell

Rabbi and Rosh Zaken of Bnai Yeshurun Nazarene Israelite Synagogue,

Kittanning Pa. and board member of the UONYC

Tehillim (Psalms) 104:19 He made the moon for appointed times. (To set the Holy Days of Vayyiqra [Leviticus] 23.

Blessings brethren. Starting Tuesday evening at sundown (August 3, 2010) is Rosh Chodesh (New Moon— month) of Elul. Therefore Wednesday is a New Moon day.

I believe that all too often Yahweh's people ignore or fail to remember the Mitzveh of Rosh Chodesh.

In Bereshith (Genesis) 1:14 – 18, the Fourth Day of the recreation of the world, Yahweh ordained celestial bodies for times and seasons.(moedim – commanded convocations).

14. And Elohim said, “Let lights come in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth.” And so it came to be.

15. And Elohim made two great light, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars.

16. And Elohim set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,

17. and to rule over the day and over the night., and to separate light from darkness. And Elohim saw that it was good.

18. And there came to be evening and their came to be morning, the fourth day.

What we read about in verse 14 is three basic units of time. Let us cross reference this verse with YirmeYahu (Jeremiah) 33:25 Thus said YHWH, “If My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not appointed laws of the heavens and earth,

Then I would also reject the descendants of Ya'aqob and David My servant, so that I should not take care of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Avraham, Yitshaq, and Ya'aqob. For I shall turn back their captivity, and have compassion on them.”

What we have read here shows a direct connection between the Torah and the celestial signs.

Keeping Rosh Chodesh is a Torah command, one that will be enforced in the Kingdom of Yahweh to be established on this earth. It will be obeyed by all peoples regardless of ethnic origin or race.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 66:23 “And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me,” declares YHWH.

The term “...all flesh” means just that. The New Moon and the (weekly) Sabbath day are not just for Jews, and not just for Kol Yisrael. They are a Torah Command for everyone, everywhere.

Some so-called lunar sabbath people would misconstrue this verse to make a contention that the weekly Sabbath is determined by a Rosh Chodesh. Addressing the false doctrine of the lunar sabbath is beyond the scope of this article. However, for a detailed study of the subject, and reasons why we reject the so-called lunar sabbath. Please visit our Website: www.BnaiYeshurun.com and click on the lunar sabbath article. (There are several mainstream Jewish congregations with the name B'nai Yeshurun, so please be sure to call up the one that specifies Nazarene Yisraelite).

In closing, I would like to address two more issues: Exactly what is a Rosh Chodesh (and what is not a Rosh Chodesh) and, How should we keep this commanded observance today.

Some misinterpret Tehillim (Psalms) 81:3 Blow the rams horn at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our festival day, to mean the the “new moon,” falls when the moon is full. This contention does not harmonize with Scripture, for we read in Bemidbar (Numbers) 28:11(a) we read: “And on the beginnings of your months...” The phrase “...the beginnings of your months” reads in Hebrew: “...ra'shei chodesheikim...”

which is correctly translated as “The head of the crescent month...” Therefore, in the light of this Scripture we must understand that the beginning of a Hebrew month begins with a crescent moon – just when the moon evolves being obscured by the sun.

In the Union of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations we follow the authority of the standard Hebrew (Jewish) calendar in setting the Hebrew months. That is our halakah (the way we interpret and apply Torah).

How may we observe or commemorate a Rosh Chodesh?

In the TaNaKh there is no clear command outlining what is to be done to observe Rosh Chodesh (other than animal sacrifices). So unless the New Moon falls on a weekly Sabbath, or in the case of 1 Tishri (Rosh HaShannah or Yom Teruah) the New Moon is not a day to refrain from servile work.

Some suggestions are to read Tehillim (Psalms) 81 and 67. We read in 1 Shemu'el 20 and 2 Melakim 4:22 – 23 that a New Moon day is a day of festivity for the family. Therefore, a special meal or at lest a special treat is in order. It is also important to sound the Shofar or rams horn. A blessing may also be recited:

Blessed are you, Yahweh our Elohim, who has sanctified us by Your commandments and given us the great light, the lesser light and the stars for times and seasons. May this Month (name of month) be a blessing for us and for all Israel.

Other Scriptures or a short study, singing or other appropriate activity may be added as the Ruach leads.

May Almighty Yahweh bless us as as we seek to fulfill all Torah as ordained by the example of Yahshua our Messiah, MattithYahu 5: 17 – 19.

Questions or comments may be addressed to Rabbi Mitchell via e-mail: yoel@windstream.net

2010-09-07T01:31:49Z 2010-07-29T12:43:37Z tag:www.2house.org,2010-07-29:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fdada%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fuonyc_teaching%2F20100729124337%2F

UONYC Teaching Letter Message *Just Because* Shabbat Shalom Kol Yisrael. It is our pleasure to present this week's Torah Parsha commentary by Nazarene Yisraelite Rabbi T. (Mordecai) Mitchell, Rabbi and Rosh Zaken of B'nai Yeshurun Nazarene Yisraelite

UONYC Teaching Letter bnaiavraham@qwestoffice.net

Just Because

Shabbat Shalom Kol Yisrael. It is our pleasure to present this week's Torah Parsha commentary by Nazarene Yisraelite Rabbi T. (Mordecai) Mitchell, Rabbi and Rosh Zaken of B'nai Yeshurun Nazarene Yisraelite Synagogue, Kittanning, Pa. and board member of the Union of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations. It is our sincere hope and prayer that these commentaries encourage, inspire, and strengthen the body of Messiah in Kol Yisrael. This week our Parsha is Ekev (Because...) Debarim (Deuteronomy) 7:12 – 11:25. Our Haftarah portion is YeshaYahu (Isaiah 49:14—51:4. Our suggested Brit Chadasha readings are: MattithYahu 4:1-11 and Ya'aqob (Jacob – James) 5:7—11. Also please read Tehillim (Psalms) 1 and 19.

7:12. “And it shall be, because you hear these right rulings, and shall guard and do them, that YHWH your Elohim shall guard with you the covenant and the kindness which He swore to your fathers,

13. and shall love you and bless you, and increase you...”

Let us give consideration to these opening verses of Ekev. The word Ekev has several meanings. Commonly, and as it pertains to this Parsha, it means “Because...” or “As a result...” However, the word may also mean “heel,” It is related etymologically to the name of our Patriarch Ya'aqob (heel grabber). Ekev is spelled in Hebrew with the letters Ayin, Qoph, and Vet (Bet). Ya'aqob is the same three letters but beginning with a Yod, and of course, in many versions of Hebrew Scriptures, vowel pointed differently.

Interestingly, if we add two letters to this word, a holem Vuv and a Tav, we have the letters Ayin, Qoph, Vet, (holem) Vuv, and Tav, pronounced “eek'vot” meaning “footprints.”

As I got into this study I thought of Bereshith (Genesis) 3:15 “And I put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed. He shall crush your head and you shall bruise His heel.” This verse is the first promise of Messiah.

If we consider the secondary meaning of Ekev, “Heel” perhaps we can see a relationship between this meaning and Bereshith 3:15. However, to understand where we are headed with this, let us continue.

The heel is of course, an important part of the foot. With our feet we stand, and we walk. We also have the saying “Put your foot down,” meaning to take a firm stand for something.

The word “walk,” should remind us of “Halakah” (A way to walk) which has come to mean our doctrines and beliefs, the way we apply or interpret Torah.

Are we beginning to see a picture here?

At the beginning of of our Parsha Yahweh is telling Yisrael (and by extension, us) that He is our partner in keeping Torah “Ekev” (Because) we chose to “Hear” His Torah and actively do it, walk in it. This is brought out in the phrase “”YHWH you Elohim shall guard with you...”

By doing Torah, we form an active partnership with Almighty Yahweh Himself.

For the past several years we have taught the concept: “First I will do Torah, then I will understand it.”

This idea is not difficult to accept if we use the analogy of driving an automobile.

We do not have to be a mechanical engineer to learn to drive. We do not have to understand how all the various components that make up an automobile work to get in and drive it across town, or across the country. However, the more we learn about the vehicles we drive, the better we can maintain them or know when to have the experts maintain them for us. While we do not have to have an engineering degree to drive a car, it is very doubtful than any automotive design engineer could do his or her job without ever having driven a vehicle.

As we apply the Torah to our daily lives (living the lifestyle of the redeemed) we learn more about the Torah. This leads us to establish “Halakah,” our core doctrines or beliefs.

There is much doctrinal confusion in the so-called “religious” world today. A veritable hodge-podge of halakah, or doctrines runs rampant. Why is this? Why can't we “Halakah” or walk in one accord with Yahweh's Torah?

One answer is that ha-satan has also “bruised” our heel. Because of this wound, we cannot stand firm or we have difficulty walking. Those who reject Torah as a “...bunch of old Jewish laws” will never understand it. They will never come to know the blessings of Yahweh. However, those who allow themselves to become embroiled in petty disputations will be side tracked from their goal and purpose in life.

Sad to say, even in Nazarene or Messianic Yisrael, there is no total doctrinal unity, especially when it comes to the calendar issue. There are also other doctrinal issues that serve to divide us, such as circumcision, using Yahweh's and Yahshua's true Name(s), use of the “extra writings,” and yes, Kaballah. Also sad to say, some are still squabbling over such issues as whether the Star of David is “pagan,” or whether or not we should say the words “Amen” or “Adonai,” or just how “Jewish” we should be. This latter stumbling block leads to rejection of such practices as “Kabbalat Shabbat” (Welcoming the Shabbat) and “Havdalah” (Separation, or commemorating the outgoing of the Shabbat). Interestingly, many who reject Havdalah as being “too Jewish” fail to see a picture of Messiah in this beautiful and meaningful ceremony. And yes, some decry our practice of commemorating Purim and Chanukkah, failing to see the great prophetic significance of these two minor festivals.

It is not the intention or practice of the Rabbis of the Board of Union Of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations to engage in doctrinal debates or to pass judgment on those brethren who do not follow our particular Halakah. Our aim is to strive to build bridges, not walls. Nevertheless, we remain firmly committed to the UNOYC basic Statement of Beliefs.

Obviously, not all agree on Halakah. For all of us, our heels are also bruised to some degree. Yahshua our Messiah encountered a similar situation with the various Halakah that were practiced in His day. However, Yahshua had a simple yet effective solution as stated in Luke 9:49-55

And Yohanan answering said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your Name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.

But Yahshua said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.”

Previously, in verse 23, Yahshua said “...If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his stake daily, and follow Me.”

By “...follow Me...” Yahshua was saying that we should follow His Halakah. By doing so we will be blessed just “Ekev” or “Because” we are doing so.

In verses 52-55 Yahshua entered into a village of the Shomerites (Samaritans) and “...because His face was set toward Yerushalem...” they did not receive Him. This seeming rejection angered Ya'aqob and Yohanan and they asked for permission to destroy them with fire. In verse 55, Yahshua rebuked them for their evil spirit and said, “...You do not know what manner of spirit you are.”

In the light of these verses it must be our intention to live at peace as much as possible with all men, and concentrate on hearing and doing Yahweh's Torah. When we experience rejection or hostility over our Halakah, we must do as Yahshua did and turn our faces toward Yerushalem.

If you are familiar with the Haftarah readings you may have noticed that this week we added one extra verse to the Haftarah. Instead of ending at YeshaYahu 51:3, extending our reading to include verse 4, and with this we shall end this week's commentary.

“Listen to Me, O My people, and give ear to Me, O My nation, for the Torah goes forth from Me, and My right-ruling I set as a Light for the peoples (nations).”

We shall all surely be blessed “Ekev” (because) we “Halakah” (walk) in The Light of Yahweh's Torah, and His Living Torah, Yahshua our Messiah.

Questions or comments about this week's commentary may be addressed to Rabbi Mitchell by e-mail at: yoel@windstream.net

Please tune into Pal Talk Erev Shabbat (Friday evening) at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and 1 p.m. EDT Shabbat afternoon. Once in Pal Talk click on “Religion and Spirituality” then click on “Other.” Our room is Bnai Yeshurun.

WEBSITE

There has been some difficulty in accessing our Website. Our webmaster is working on this problem. For whatever reason it cannot be accessed at this time through the normal search engines. However, it may be accessed directly at; www.bnaiyeshurun.com

SHABBAT MEETING

For those living in or near western Pennsylvania our next regional Sabbath meeting will be held at noon, Aug. 14, in Kittanning. Fopr directions or additional information please e-mail: yoel@windstream.net

May Almighty Abba Yahweh bless us all as we seek to serve and obey Him, b'Shem Yahshua Meshikaynu, Amen!

2010-09-07T01:31:49Z 2010-07-25T10:15:31Z tag:www.2house.org,2010-07-25:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fdada%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fuonyc_teaching%2F20100725101531%2F

UONYC Teaching Letter Message The Way of Cain Rabbi Levi bar Ido/E.L. Nydle B’nai Avraham* _1 Yochanan (1 John 3:10-12)_* By* this the children of Elohim and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone not practicing righteousness is not

UONYC Teaching Letter bnaiavraham@qwestoffice.net

The Way of Cain

Rabbi Levi bar Ido/E.L. Nydle B’nai Avraham

1 Yochanan (1 John 3:10-12) By this the children of Elohim and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone not practicing righteousness is not of Elohim; also the one not loving his brother.   Because this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain was of the evil one, and killed his brother. And for what did he kill him? Because his works were evil, but the things of his brother were righteous.

 

 We all know that our world today is flawed and in trouble. However, those flaws are not a part of its true essence. All the murder, hate, rape, prejudice, imperialism, and anger were not built into the original creation. Elohim looked at the world of at creation and said:

·         “And behold, it was very good- ve’hineh-tov me’od” Gen.1:31

 Today, as we look around us, we cannot say that the world is very good. Unfortunately the First Commandment of the world is, “What exits is the Reality-Thou shalt have no other elohims before it.” To imagine a different reality is greeted with hostility and cynicism. How then can the status quo be changed? The healing and restoration (tikkun olam) will be done by flawed human beings like you and I. The message of the Torah is one of transcendence and compassion, and calls for Yisrael to be the ones who are the healers and repairers. Yisrael and the Torah become the tools of social transformation and restoration. It is only within the context of a social setting that the choices between good and evil have to be made. It is also within that context that man’s responsibility to his fellow man must be viewed.

·         Isa 58:6-12 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the fetters of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?  Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?   Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee, the glory of YHWH shall be thy rearward.  Then shalt thou call, and YHWH will answer; thou shalt cry, and He will say: 'Here I am.' If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedness;   And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in darkness, and thy gloom be as the noon-day;  And YHWH will guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make strong thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.  And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places, thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.

 

 In Bereshith 6:5 it says, “Va’ayar YHWH ki rabah ra’at ha’adam ba’arets ve’chol yetzer machshavot libo rak ra kol ha’yom.” The thoughts of mankind became focused upon evil all day .Man failed to recognize each other as human beings created in the image of Elohim. Torah teaches the truth that ALL mankind came from a single father and mother created in the image of Elohim. The sin of non-recognition prevailed upon the earth. This is called “racism”. Racism is the need to deny the other’s right to be taken care of by finding some aspect of the other person which makes the other not really a human being like ourselves. Racism and its proponents are more than willing to provide an outlet for anger, jealousy, and rage by urging people to direct it at some demeaned “other” who is the cause of our own non-recognition.

·         Gal 5:13-15 For, brothers, you were called to freedom. Only do not use the freedom for an opening to the flesh. But through love serve one another.   For the whole Torah is fulfilled in one word, in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Lev. 19:18   But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you are not consumed by one another.

 

  This distorted consciousness manifested in the words of Kayin (Cain) after slaying his brother Hevel (Abel), “Am I my brother’s keeper (watchman)?[1]” Notice the question remains unanswered by Elohim. This is the same classic response by those who turn their backs on the homeless, the widow, the orphan, and the starving. The Torah is very clear that we are our brother’s keeper. The origins of cruelty lie in the sin of not recognizing in one another the image of Elohim that is an essence of our own being. We turn our backs on the hurting and do not hear their pain. It is alienation from the Higher Self and other people that causes a feeling of rejection. The resulting action is violence towards those whom we feel are the source of our rejection. The root of violence of any form is the unbearable feeling of rejection and alienation. [2]Only a murderer renounces the Torah obligations of brotherhood. His own feelings of rejection, alienation, unworthiness, and sin caused Kayin to violate the interpersonal relationship instructions of the Torah. YHWH warned Kayin to change his psychological outlook and not feel disappointed, dejected, rejected or alienated or sin would overtake him. By harboring these emotions of envy, anger, and violence Kayin opened the door of his heart to sin. Sin is the inflated presumption of the Ego which takes over the functions of the Self.

·         James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted by his own lusts, being drawn out and being seduced by them.   Then having conceived lust brings forth sin. And sin being fully formed brings forth death.

·         Gen 4:5 -7 but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.  And YHWH said unto Cain: 'Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door; and unto thee is its desire, but thou mayest rule over it.'

 

 In slaying his brother Hevel, Kayin[3] destroyed generations of his descendents. A murder not only kills his victim, but something within the survivors’ souls as well. Their lives will never be the same as before. Elohim says that Hevel’s bloods (plural-dmei) are crying to Me from the ground. A more correct translation would read, “The sound/voice (singular)! Your brother’s bloods (plural) are screaming/crying (plural)!”We may not hear their cries for justice, but YHWH does hear the cries of innocent blood and future generations that are destroyed due to mankind’s neglect for his brother. We are all aware of the cries of the aborted unborn, but how many of us pay heed to the cries of the unborn future generations that have been murdered by corporation greed, starvation, violence, war, and diseases around the world? The bloods of these innocent people that have been ignored screams from the ground to our Father in the heavens.

·         “He who destroys a single human life is as if he destroyed a while world.” Talmud

·         “One man’s blood is equal to all creation”- Midrash

·         Matt 19:19 Honor your father and your mother," and, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Ex. 20:12-16; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 5:16-20

·         Psalm 94:3-9 YHWH, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?  They gush out, they speak arrogancy; all the workers of iniquity bear themselves loftily.  They crush Thy people, O YHWH, and afflict Thy heritage.  They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. And they say: 'YHWH will not see, neither will the Elohim of Jacob give heed.'   Consider, ye brutish among the people; and ye fools, when will ye understand?   He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see?

 

YHWH asks Kayin, “What have you done?”When confronted with his sin Kayin justifies his violent behavior towards his brother with an insolent answer. We can try to justify our lack of compassion and love towards our neighbor with false excuses, but in the end we will be held accountable for our actions in this life. Survivors of the Holocaust not only remember the murderous Nazis, but also the cold indifference of their neighbors who looked on and did nothing as they were being led away to the camps and their deaths. Those who stand by idly and watch the innocent die due to the cruelty and injustices of mankind are also accountable for their silence. When people see others only in terms of what others can do to satisfy their needs, then they become expendable. If they are expendable, then they are not deserving of our love and care, and can be eliminated from society. The Torah juxtaposes the command to "love your neighbor," next to the prohibition "not to stand idly by while another is in need." (Leviticus 19:16-18). YHWH demands man to answer for his deeds while upon the earth.

·         Lev 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor: I am YHWH.

·         Gen 9:5 -6: And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man.   Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of Elohim made He man.

 We, as Yisrael, have a commandment to attain the qualities of goodness and kindness. We are to rid ourselves of jealousy, hatred, falsehood, conceit, and prejudice, and strive to acquire the virtues of humility, kindness, truth, and love for all humanity. How can this be achieved? Only by recognizing the primacy of the soul of a person and the subordination of the body can one attain this quality of love. If we regard the body as preeminent then we can only have conditional love for another.

  From this perspective we can only see two distinct human beings. When we recognize the primacy of the other person’s soul, then we possess genuine unconditional love for one another. Only when one’s Ego (yeshus) has been nullified can the quality of essence be revealed in a person. By identifying with the “other” and shedding one’s autonomous limitations, the essence of the soul is revealed.

 We are all caretakers of this world and its inhabitants, responsible to deal with the problems. We cannot neglect the ethical instruction given to us in the Torah. Everything on earth offers an opportunity for you to connect with others and to grow. Every person you encounter is there because you need it at that time. If someone needs help, it's part of your test in life, a message for you. The Talmud asks, "Why was Adam created alone? So that every person should say, 'the entire world was created just for me.'" This is a recognition that everything -- including the needs of every other human being -- was created for you.

·         1 John 2:9-11 The one claiming to be in the light, and hating his brother, is in the darkness until now.  The one loving his brother rests in the light, and no offense is in him.  But the one hating his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness blinded his eyes

·         1John 4:20-21 If anyone says, I love Elohim, and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one not loving his brother whom he has seen, how is he able to love Elohim whom he has not seen?  And we have this commandment from Him, that the one who loves Elohim also loves his brother.

 

 

---

[1] H8104

שׁמר shâmar BDB Definition:1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed1a) (Qal)1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)1a3) to watch for, wait for1a4) to watch, observe1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (Sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)1a8) to keep, preserve, protect1a9) to keep, reserve1b) (Niphal)1b1) to be on one’s guard, take heed, take care, beware1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain1b3) to be kept, be guarded1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from.

 

[2] One of the classical archetypes of alienation is the concept of “wilderness”.

[3] The gematria of Kayin ( ]yq) is 160. It has the same numerical value as the word silver ( [wck) in Gen 37:28. This account also speaks of sibling rivalry when Yosef’s brothers sold him into slavery because of envy, rejection, and jealousy. It is amazing what man will do to his fellow man for money and ]]> 2010-09-07T01:31:49Z 2010-07-23T08:21:18Z tag:www.2house.org,2010-07-23:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fdada%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fuonyc_teaching%2F20100723082118%2F

UONYC Teaching Letter Message *Promises Fulfilled* Shabbat Shalom Kol Yisrael. It is our pleasure to present this week's Torah Parsha commentary by Nazarene Yisraelite Rabbi T. (Mordecai) Mitchell, Rabbi and Rosh Zaken of B'nai Yeshurun Nazarene Yis

UONYC Teaching Letter bnaiavraham@qwestoffice.net

Promises Fulfilled

Shabbat Shalom Kol Yisrael. It is our pleasure to present this week's Torah Parsha commentary by Nazarene Yisraelite Rabbi T. (Mordecai) Mitchell, Rabbi and Rosh Zaken of B'nai Yeshurun Nazarene Yisraelite Synagogue, Kittanning, Pa. and board member of the Union of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations. It is our sincere hope and prayer that these commentaries encourage, inspire, and strengthen the body of Messiah in Kol Yisrael. This week our Parsha is Va'etchanan (And I Pleaded) Debarim (Deuteronomy) 3:23 to 7:11. Our Haftarah portion is YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 40:1-26. Our suggested Brit Chadasha readings are: MattithYahu (Matthew) 4:1-11; Romans 3:27-31 and Ya'aqob (Jacob – James) 2:14-26. Please also read Tehillim (Psalms) 102 and 99, and Mishle (Proverbs) 4.

3:23. And I pleaded with YHWH at that time, saying,

24. O Master YHWH, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand, for who is a mighty one in the heavens or on the earth who does according to Your works and according to Your might?

25. I pray, let me pass over and see the good land beyond the Yarden, this good hill country, and Lebanon.

Our Parsha begins with Mosheh pleading with Almighty Yahweh to set aside His decree that Mosheh should not enter the promised land because of his transgression of striking the rock in Bemidbar (Numbers) 20:11-12, rather than speaking to it, as Yahweh commanded him.

The opening verses of this Parsha show us several things. First, Mosheh was never willing to give up the hope that a sentence could be reversed. Yet, despite his pleading, Yahweh stood firm on His decision. This shows us that there are times when we may plead for something we want or think we should have, yet our requests will be denied. Simply put, we cannot and do not get everything we want. We cannot expect to escape the consequences of our sins. We read in Tehillim (Psalms) 99:8 You answered them, O YHWH our Elohim. You were a forgiving El to them, though You took vengeance of their deeds.

However, Yahweh is a forgiving and merciful El. Despite the fact that Mosheh's request to enter The Land was not granted, this in no way affected his salvation. Mosheh died, having only seen The Land. Although he did not set foot in The Land, he died with the assurance of his salvation, and the sure hope of his resurrection to eternal life in the Kingdom of Yahweh.

Our ultimate goal should not be to “get” everything we want from Yahweh, (The desire to receive for self alone) but rather, to obtain the gift of eternal life. Sometimes, however, we fail to listen, and consequently we fail to see the ultimate good that Yahweh has in store for us. The vision of our plan often obscures the vision of Yahweh's plan for our lives. Rest assured that Yahweh will never abandon us if we are faithful.

In Debarim 4:6, Mosheh has to remind the people of their role and purpose. Referring to the instructions of the Torah, he says:

“And you shall guard to do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these Laws, and they shall say, 'Only a wise and understanding people is this great nation.'”

Mosheh was telling Yisrael, and by extension us today, that it is our faithful keeping of the Torah as a lifestyle of the redeemed, that is a witness to the people of the nations. This admonition also tells us the the Torah is not exclusively for the “Jews” or even for “Kol Yisrael,” it is for all people, everywhere, regardless of race or ethnic origin. (YeshaYahu 66:23).

Please read Debarim 4:25-32 carefully, for this great prophetic passage contains the crux of the Two House message.

Certainly, we all should be familiar with the Ten Utterances or Ten Commands in Debarim 5:6-21, however, in closing I would like us to consider the Shema, in Debarim 6:4-9.

Most of us are in the habit of reciting the Shema at least twice a day, according to Debarim 6:7b “...when you lie down, and when you rise up.” However, the Mitzvah of the Shema is more than mere recitation. To understand this, let us consider a few of the verses that are sometimes ignored or taken lightly by some.

Verse 8 says: “And (you) shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”

The Mitzvah of this verse is the basis and reason for Tefillin. It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for “frontlets” is “Totafot,” literally, “a headband.” The binding of Tefillin is largely misunderstood and ignored even by some in spiritual Kol Yisrael. For a thorough study and understanding of Tefillin, may I suggest that our readers contact Rabbi Nydle to see if he has copies of his tape series, “Binding to Purpose.” This is a Positive Mitzvah that cannot be rationalized or “spiritualized” away. We owe it to ourselves to make a diligent study of this subject. Binding Tefillin can endow us with great blessings, powerful spiritual energy and protection from Almighty Yahweh.

Verse 9 says: “And you shall write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates.”

This is another greatly misunderstood and often ignored Mitzvah. The Hebrew word for “doorpost” is “Mezzuzah,” and from this we get the name for the rectangular shaped little boxes that are often seen on the door posts of the homes of observant Jews and Torah observant Messianic believers.

Placing a Mezzuah on each door post of our homes is another Mitzvah that cannot be rationalized or spiritualized away. However, fulfilling the Mitzvah requires some consideration.

To understand the Mitzvah of Mezzuah we must turn to the Oral Law. Before going any further, we must clarify our position on Oral Law. We in the Union of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations do not believe that the Oral Law is “inspired.” However, our position is: We set our doctrine (core beliefs) by Written Torah, and we turn to the Oral Law, when necessary, for further clarification or for a deeper understanding.

The Command in Debarim 6:9 is at best, somewhat vague. How do we manage to write the Commands of Yahweh on the door posts of our homes? Do we write the entire 613 Commands, or do we write only a few that are representative of all? Do we actually “write” on door frames?

The Oral Law settles these questions for us by determining that we can fulfill the Mitzvah by writing four Scriptures on a small parchment, called a “Klef,” and enclosing the Klef in a rectangular box (to protect it from the elements and ravages of time) and affixing the box to the right side of the doorway as we enter our homes. Details of placing a Mezzuah and blessings to be recited while doing so may be found in a book available from First Fruits of Zion: Living Emblems, Ancient
Symbols of Faith.

Another book resource is: The Book of Jewish Practice, by Louis Jacobs, available from most book stores.

As we have often said, we must not attempt to separate the physical from the spiritual. Although the Mezzuzah may be regarded as a mere physical object, and perhaps by some, erroneously, as Jewish myth, mysticism or superstition, it is none-the-less, sanctioned and commanded by Yahweh's Torah. While it is a physical object, the proper placing of Mezzuoth (Plural of Mezzuah) on various doors of the home (never on bathroom or basement doors) is not only a silent witness to our Yisraelite faith, but has deep spiritual implications.

Let us consider this passage from the Zohar, Vaetchanan, Vol. 22, Page 45: It is a commandment that man should fix a Mezzuzah at his door, so that everyone will be guarded by the Holy One, blessed be He, upon leaving THE HOUSE and entering THE HOUSE. This is the secret of “HaShem (Yahweh) shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and forever more” (Tehillim-Psalms 121:8).

Prior to this portion, the Zohar says that a Mezzuzah (properly placed in good faith) will guard against demonic activity entering the home.

Brothers and sisters, I realize that some will scoff and ridicule these seemingly astonishing ideas. Nevertheless, we do not apologize for bringing forth such teachings. Both Rabbi Nydle and I are encouraged by the words found in MattithYahu (Matthew) 7:28-29: And it came to be, when Yahshua had ended these words, that the people were astonished at His teaching. 29. For He taught them as one possessing authority, and not as the scribes.

With all that's been said, the greatest and most vital fulfillment of the Shema is to demonstrate genuine love for Almighty Yahweh. This principle was taught by our Master and Messiah, Yahshua, as he recited the Shema in Mark 12:29-30, and added the Mitzvah of Vayyiqra (Leviticus) 19:18 to love our neighbor as ourselves, in Mark 12:31.

29. And Yahshua answered him, “The first of all the commands is, 'Hear O Yisrael, YHWH our Elohim, YHWH is One.

30. And you shall love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first command.

31.And the second, like it, it this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Again, we cannot separate the physical from the spiritual. Fulfilling Mitzvaoth such as Tefillin and Mezzuza are Mitzvaoth (Plural of Mitzvah) to which we must give serious consideration and study if we seek the blessings and deep things Yahweh has for us. However, without a true spiritual commitment to living Yahweh's Torah as the lifestyle of the redeemed, then such “ritual objects,” are just that, and nothing more. We must be modern-day Bereans who: “Prove all things and hold fast to that which is good.”

May Almighty Yahweh bless us all as we seek to serve Him and learn more of His ways. This Shabbat is Shabbat Nachamu, the Sabbath of Consolation. This is the first of sseven Sabbaths of Consolation. Please read YeshaYahu 40:1. Our Parsha, Va'etchanan, is always read following the Ninth of Av, one of the most dreadful and sorrowful days in the history of the Hebrew people. May the words of this week's Parsha and perhaps the words of the commentary as well, bring us consolation as we encounter the personal griefs of life, and may those temporary griefs, turn to everlasting Joy in Yahweh and His Annointed, our Messiah, Yahshua. Va'etchanan should remind us that no matter how far we might stray from Almighty Yahweh and His Torah, and His Living Torah, Yahshua our Messiah, He is always ready to accept, love and forgive us if we just call upon Him with a sincere desire to return to Him.

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Questions or comments regarding this week's Parsha commentary may be addressed to Rabbi Mitchell by e-mail at: yoel@windstrean.net