Category Archives: Judaism

The Oral Torah or Talmud—Good or Bad?

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Deuteronomy 17:8–13, Matters of controversy. How respectful and obedient are you to the spiritual leaders YHVH has placed over you? Or do you follow their wise counsel only if and when it suits you? Nowadays if one does not like congregational leadership for any reason, they simply leave that congregation and find a new one. In ancient Israel, this was not an option, nor was it an option in the first century. There was only one congregation in each town, and if there was a disagreement, people had to learn to work out their differences. What if we were in that situation today? How would that change your method of operation if you couldn’t just “cut and run” whenever things didn’t go your way or you got offended?

Rabbinic Justification of the Jewish Oral Torah Known as The Talmud. This Scripture passage has been used by Rabbinic Jews as a justification for  their so-called Oral Torah, or as Yeshua referred to it as “the tradition of the elders.” This oral tradition was eventually put into written form in the second century A.D. and was known as The Mishnah, which eventually evolved into The Talmud, which came hundreds of years later. Other Scriptures the rabbinics use to substantiate their claims regarding the legitimacy of their Oral Torah include Deuteronomy 1:16; Exodus 24:12; 34:27 (See Everyman’s Talmud, p. 146). Yeshua  and the apostolic writers make references to the Oral Torah as well (see Matt 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43; 12:5; 23:2–3; 1 Cor 14:34; 1 Tim 1:14). 

So what is the bottom line here? Are the saints supposed to follow the Oral Torah or not? These are some guidelines on how to view any non-Scriptural rabbinic Jewish writings: First, does it contradict or line up with the Written Torah-Word of Elohim? If not, then reject it. Second, does it point us to Yeshua the Messiah or away from him? If not, reject it. Third, is it historically accurate or is it fable and legend? If the latter, then it should probably be rejected. Finally, was it written during the Second Temple era or afterwards when many rabbinic Jewish took a decidedly anti-Christian and anti-Yeshua bent? If the latter, then  take it with a grain of salt—with a high degree of scepticism. 

Frankly, studying the Bible itself with the guiding help of the Spirit of Elohim and Spirit-led, Yeshua-believing and Torah-obedient teachers should be sufficient to give the saint the information they need to have a right relationship with YHVH Elohim through Yeshua the Messiah (see John 14:26; Eph 4:11–16; 1 John 2:27). Extra-biblical sources like the Talmud can be helpful for historical background information on a few subjects, but is of little value beyond that, in my opinion.

Finally, the purpose of the judges in Israel as per Deuteronomy 17:8–13 was to apply and interpret the Torah to everyday life situations, and not to change the Torah or add to and subtract from it, which the Jewish Oral Torah often does. This is elevating the mind and traditions of man above the Word of Elohim, which both the Torah (Deut 4:2; 12:32 cp. Rev 22:18) and Yeshua forbid (Mark 7:8–13), and which, quite frankly, is idolatrous, humanistic and feeding from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil instead of feeding from the tree of life and, therefore, is an evil practice.

 

Responding to the “Rabbi’s” Daughter Again…

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I found another terse comment from the so-called “Rabbi’s” daughter. Here is what she said followed by my comments:

The messiah is not Hashem the Father

Here is my comment:

You are correct. Yeshua is NOT HaShem because HaShem is a non-existent entity and a silly made up name by the rabbinic Jews as a result of a false, pagan doctrine they plagiarized from the Babylonians called the ineffable name doctrine. Scripture reveals nearly 7,000 times in the Tanakh that the name of the Elohim the Father is YHVH or Yehovah. Scripture also reveals that the name of Elohim the Son or Yeshua the Messiah is also YHVH. This is Bible 101.

Moreover, Scripture reveals that the Father is Elohim and that Yeshua is also Elohim. Elohim is a compound unity (the Hebrew word for this, in case you didn’t learn this in schul is echad) comprised of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The sephirotic “tree of life” in rabinic Jewish mysticism.

Doesn’t the sephirotic tree as your own “rabbis” teach define Elohim not just as being three entities but as being, what, ten entities of which the Father, Son and Ruach are only three? Do you deign to toy with me thinking that I don’t know these things that you rabbinic Jewish folks keep so well hidden from the Christians? The Trinity doctrine has nothing on you guys! You teach that the Godhead is ten!!!

Yes, Yeshua is not the Father, yet he and the Father are one. He said if you’ve seen him, you’ve seen the Father. Make of this what you will. Neither your brain nor mine is capable of comprehending the exact nature of the “Godhead,” so let us leave it there before we get into water that’s way over both of our collective heads.

Besides why to you care who Yeshua is? You don’t believe that he’s the Messiah anyway, so take a hike and stop trolling this blog. The gate here is now shut to you unless you show a genuine change of heart. Be blessed…

 

The Parable of the Prodigal Son: An End Times Prophetic Picture of Jews and Christians

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Luke 15:11–32

In this parable, a certain man had two sons the youngest of which requested his share of the inheritance of his father’s estate. The young man took his inheritance from his father and left home to journey into a far country where he wasted it on riotous living. A famine broke out and the penniless and hungry son joined (literally, glued, joined tightly) himself to a citizen of that country as a servant. His new master then sent him into the fields to feed husks to the swine. Conditions were so bad for the son and his hunger so acute that he desired to eat the swine’s food. Out of desperation and in realization of his sinful condition, the young man determined to return to his father’s house, willing no longer worthy to be received as a son, but to be received only a hired servant. His father spotted him a great way off, had compassion on him, ran to greet him and fell on his neck and kissed him where upon the son confessed to his father that he had sinned against heaven and that he was no longer worthy to be called a son. The father, out of joy, dressed his son in the finest robe, put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. The father had the fatted calf killed and merriment was made over the return of the prodigal. To the father, the son was dead, but was now alive, was lost and was now found. Feasting ensued with music and dancing. When the elder brother heard the feasting and found out about the return of his younger brother, he was angry and refused to participate in the celebration. The father pleaded with him to join the feast. The jealous older brother stated that he had faithfully served the father during the intervening years and that a feast had never been made for him, but that the younger son who had wasted his inheritance on harlots and riotous living was now receiving royal treatment. The father replied that the elder son had no reason to be angry since he had always been with the father enjoying the rights and privileges of that position and that it was only proper to celebrate the return of the prodigal brother who had been “dead” and was “alive” again, had been lost and was now found.

Prophetic Points to Analyze:

  • verse 11— two sons
  • verse 13— far country
  • verse 13— riotous living
  • verse 15— joined himself to a citizen of that country
  • verse 15— feed husks to the swine
  • verse 16— desired to fill his belly with the husks that the swine did eat
  • verse 18— return to my father
  • verse 22— best robe
  • verse 24— he was lost, and is found
  • verse 25— elder son
  • verse 27— your younger brother
  • verse 30— wasted his inheritance with harlots
  • verse 32— was dead and is alive again
  • verse 32— was lost and is found

This parable, in a nutshell, outlines much of the history of Israel up to the end time final redemption. This is a parable that is a genre of ancient Jewish literature called aggadah. The purpose of aggadic literature was not to establish line-by-line dogma, doctrine or theological truth, but was a means to teach general moral principles in story form. We will discuss this at greater length latter in our treatment of the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man in Luke 16.

Continue reading →
 

From the Mailbag: “Are the Hebrew Scriptures for the Jews only?”

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I just received this comment on one of our Hoshana Rabbah YouTube channel videos from a Jewish fellow:

It is interesting to see how Christians have interpreted the Hebrew scriptures. I think it’s great that you are interested in our faith, but adopting traditions that aren’t yours is not respectful. Talk to a rabbi, you might find new perspective.

Natan addressing the points one by one:

A) The Hebrew Scriptures including the Written Torah were given to ALL people starting with the children of Israel who YHVH commanded to take to all the nations of the world as per Deuteronomy/D’varim. That’s why Elohim placed Israel and Jerusalem at the center of the trade routes of the ancient world between three continents, so that they could be a light to the nations. Isaiah also talks about this as I’m sure you must know. So the Written Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy) is not just for the Jews who are primarily descended from one of 12 tribes—Judah. In fact, the Written Torah itself says that there was to be one Torah-law for the native born and the one and same Torah-law for the alien and/or sojourner. So the modern Jews DO NOT have exclusive rights over the Hebrew Scriptures. To say they do is unbiblical and a manifestation of ethnic or racial superiority, i.e. a form of racism. I reject racism in all of its permutations.
B) The Hebrew Scriptures IS NOT your faith only. My previous point addresses this. Now if by “your faith” you mean rabbinic Judaism, yes then I will concede to your point. You see, rabbinic Judaism is not strictly comprised of the Written Torah, but many, additional and even unbiblical traditions of the elders that are now found in the so-called Oral Torah or Talmud. You are welcome to your extra-biblical, second temple and post-second temple traditions. They are, for the most part, of little or no interest to me. I follow the Hebrew Scriptures of which the Written Torah is the cornerstone foundation.
C) As noted above, the Jews are primarily descended from the tribe of Judah as per Scripture and as per rabbinic tradition. There are still 11 other tribes out there that are scattered worldwide. Your own morning shacharis/t prayers call for the regathering of the tribes. The Hebrew Scriptures prophesy this to occur over and over again as well. Your own sages call this regathering of the tribes to the land of Israel “the final redemption,” and which is to occur at the end of the “Messianic Era” and which is part of the beginning of “the Messianic Age.” So how do know that the Christians who are taking an interest in the Hebrew Scriptures, which by the way is part of their Bible as well, aren’t some of those “lost” and returning tribes that the Hebrew Scriptures and your own Jewish sages predict will return to their spiritual heritage?
D) Talk to a Jewish rabbi? There is only one Rabbi (a word which in strict Hebrew means “my great one”), and that is Yeshua the Messiah whom the Christian call Jesus. All other “rabbis” though highly learned sages, with all due respect, are not rabbis by technical biblical definition. And frankly, the only perspective I care about is that of Scripture, and not that of some man or woman be they Christian, Jewish or any other faith. It is the Word of Elohim/God that will judge every human in the last days, not unbiblical man-made traditions as ancient or was widely accepted as they may be.

This has been a strong dose of medicine presented in a way you’ve likely never heard before. I pray that at least a point or two contained therein will cause you to ponder the truth-basis of your cherished religious position. In the mean time, I bless you and call you my brother as I am one your tribal brothers who is returning to the Hebraic roots of our faith even as Malachi prophesied would happen in the last days (Mal 4:3–6) and as your own Medieval Torah scholars predicted and observant Orthodox Jews pray every morning will happen. Therefore, you should rejoice that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled meaning Messiah’s coming is imminant rather than decry our videos for encouraging Christians to make teshuvah and come back to the Torah. Shalom aleichem!