Friday, May 11, 2012

Some reminders

Reminders for some true facts.  It does not matter if you are Jewish or not.

1)  Israel became a nation in 1312 BC.

2) Arab refugees in Israel started to identify themselves as Palestinians in 1967, two decades after the modern state of Israel was formed.

3) After they conquered the Land in 1272 BC. the Jews ruled the Land for 1000 years and they have a running presence there for 3300 Years.

4) For more than 3300 years Jerusalem was the Jewish Capital; Citadel.  Jerusalem was never a capital of any Arab or Muslim entity.  Even the Jordanians, when they conquered Jerusalem, never made it their capital and no Arab leaders visited the city.

5) Jerusalem is mentioned more than 700 times in the Tanach and not even one time in the Koran.

6)  King David established Jerusalem--Muhammad never set foot in it.

7) Jews are praying facing Jerusalem, Muslims pray facing Mecca and if they are between Jerusalem and Mecca, then their face is toward Mecca and their behind is toward Jerusalem.

8)  In 1948 it was the Arab leaders who encouraged the Arabs to leave Israel when they promised to clean the Land from all Jews.  68% of them run away before they ever saw an Israeli soldier.

9) Jewish refugees was forced to escape Arabs lands for the fear of violent pogroms.

10) The Number of Arabs that left Israel in 1948 is estimated as 630,000.  The number of Jews who left the Arab countries is estimated the same.

11) The Arab refugees were not absorbed by the Arab nations, despite their vast amount of land.  Within the 100,000,000 refugees in the world post WWII, they are the only group that was never absorbed or assimilated in their lands.  on the other hand the Jewish refugees were all absorbed into Israel, a country the size of New Jersey.

12)  The Arabs have 8 nations-----Israel has only one.

13) The PLO's treaty is still calling for the destruction of Israel despite Israel relinquishing the Gaza Strip, most of the West Bank, gave them Autonomy under the Palestinian authority, and supplied them with weapons.

14) Under Jordanian rule sacred Jewish sites were pillaged and the Jews were not allowed access to them.  All the sacred Muslim and Christian sites were protected and have access to believers of all religions.

15)  The UN kept silence when they desecrated the ancient cemetery in the Mount of Olives.

16)  The UN kept silence when the Jews did not have access to the Kotel.


These are peril times.  Jew or not, truth and peace are international values.  What are we going to tell our grandchildren that we did, when there was  a turning point.

Let's stat doing something NOW!  Like educating people with these reminders.

Monday, March 26, 2012

The Egyptian Gazette.

To honor the coming Passover, we decided to search the archives and we found a copy of the "Egyptian Gazette" from the time of the exodus.

                                                   THE EGYPTIAN GAZETTE

A miracle in the Red Sea...

"Just minutes before we were caught, the water split...."
The people of Israel are still trying to absorb the events of "Yam Suff," where the sea split in two and enable the multitude to escape the wrath of Pharaoh's army.
Moses: " Until the last minute, I believed."
Nachshon ben-Aminadav: "It was easier than swimming across the Nile."

The Egyptian people demand an investigative committee, and calls of the firing of 100's of Generals.

Alert:

Thousand of Egyptian soldiers drowned in the red Sea...

Because of the spread of Vermin, all Kinder gardens are closed.  There is a growing fear for the closure of all schools.

A mother in the town of Pithom:  "My eldest son dies unexpectedly."  The Egyptian Police investigates the mysterious death of a 17 year old youth.  The investigation points to blood found on neighbors doorpost.

Weather report:

Hail throughout Egypt.  Sunny and clear in Goshen.

Food:

A new combination between a sausage and dough, created by Aaron the Sheff is the new hit in Egypt.  It is called "Moses in the Basket."  Aaron the High priest predicted that in the future it will take over throughout the world under the name: " Pigs in a blanket."

Commentary:

1) The insistence to build a golden calf will break all laws and regulations. Written by Yehoshua Ben-Noon.

2) Despite his difficulties in speaking, Moses is doing a great job leading the Israelites.  Written by Jetro the Midianite.


Anyone who has old Egyptian Gazette writings fro that time, please add on....

Saturday, March 17, 2012

A cheeseburger dilemma?

Every time I walk into MacDonald's I experience a guilty uneasiness.  Here I am wearing a Tzitzit and about to order a cheeseburger. Oh, Lord, have mercy on me.....

Does the Torah forbids eating meat and milk together?

לא תבשל גדי בחלב אמו -" Lo tevashel gedi bechalev (not bechalav. see below) imo."  (you shall not cook a kid in its mother's milk.  Exodus 23:19). It is repeated two more time in exactly the same language. (Ex. 34:26 and Deut. 14:21).  This verse, through the years was the subject of hundreds of Mitzvot, and rules by various Rabbis and became the Kashrut laws as we know them today.  Especially the Kashrut of separating milk and meat.

What caused God to "wake up" one morning and decide that it does not suit His purpose for the "Children of Israel" to eat cheeseburgers?  Just like that? Without a reason?  Or maybe it was the Rabbis, throughout history who did not understand the writing of Moses?

Archaeological digs in Tel Ras Samara (north Syria), revealed instructions for an ancient pagan ritual at the time of the Canaanites, to sacrifice the offspring of the sacrificial animal (its mother) in its fat as an offering to the god-du-jour, be it Baal, Ashtoret, or Anat.  It was one ritual among other known rituals in Tanach time that was practiced by the pagans who dwell in proximity to the children of Israel.  Could that be the answer?  You bet it is...  Jump five verses forward and in Exodus 23:24 we find the reason why God commanded what he commanded in Exodus. 23:19: " You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, not do according to their deeds; but you shall utterly overthrow them, and break their pillars in pieces."

It is clear from this context that the reason was not "don't eat this kind of food." but it is a command not to worship other gods.  If the verse was speaking of food, wouldn't it be logical to expect it to be included with other verses where God speaks about what, and what not He allowed to consume?  The verse itself does not speak of eating but of cooking.

Now to the Hebrew.  Two words:

חלב-with a Kamatz under the Lamed- Chalav- milk.

חלב - with a Tzeire inder the Lamed- Chalev- animal's fat. (according to the Bible dictionary of Bar-Ilan univ. P. 301) (see also 1 Samuel 15:22).

The ancient Rabbis wrongly interpret Exodus 23:19.  One of the reasons for this is, they suffered from what I call "The Elvis Syndrome."  You see, Elvis Presley wore a necklace with a cross and a star of David.  when asked for the reason he replied: " I Do not want NOT to reach heaven on a technicality."  The Rabbis, then, and today are suffering from the same syndrome.  Even some leaders in Messianic Judaism.  I know of a leader of a Messianic Jewish congregation who alternates Onegs of milk and meat on Shabbat services.  The reason he says is not to offend Jewish people who come to visit.  You see, he actually agrees that there is no mandate to separate milk and meat in the written Torah, his reason is not to offend....

And I ask, how many Halacha keeping Orthodox Jews ever visited his congregation?  Elvis syndrome is still in force....

So, dear blog readers (tip of the hat to Judah), go ahead and have your cheeseburger.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Who are the real chosen people?

" The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ' You shall surely observe My Shabbats; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you,  Therefore you are to observe the Shabbat, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.  For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a Shabbat of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the Shabbat day shall surely be put to death."

I have been wondering, since according to BE and "Divine Invitation," Gentile believers are not a part of the people, therefore they cannot be cut off from the people...Gentiles 1--Jews 0.

Since Gentiles are not a part of the people, and not to do any work on Shabbat is a Jewish thing, Gentiles don't get to be put to death....Gentiles 2----Jews 0.

Since "there is a shabbat of complete rest" for the Jews only, Gentiles are not restricted and can do any heavy recreational activity...Gentiles 3--Jews 0.

What a deal....

I am starting to understand why FFOZ made the switch.

Wait..We can apply the same principle to eating pork...Gentiles get to have a ham sandwich...No problem...  Biblically Kosher?....

Not for nothing did Yeshua say: "Therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them."

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Kabbalah: the way to God or a game for adults (Part II)

Kabbalh opposite Torah

"We want Mashiach now!"  the famous cry of the Lubavitch Chasidim.  It looks like they believe they have the right to demend Messiah's coming now,  They believe that there is increased study of Torah, and there are more Mitzvot performed then ever.  They offer "food for the soul" mixed with Kabbalistic ideas.  But did God really hide Himself from mankind like the Kabbalah claims?  Is the Kabbalah the right way to find Him, and find the Messiah?  And what do Scriptures have to say about that?  What does the prophecies about the Messiah say?  Who will He be? When and how will He appear?  What does the Torah have to say about the nature of God and how to stay connected to Him? What does the Tanach teach regarding the sinful nature of mankind, and how can we solve the implications?

The best thing to do is to listen to what the Torah says:

" The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this Law" ( Deut. 29:29).

how clearly did Moses address the Israelites before they enter the Promise Land.  The fact is, that throughout the five books of Moses we discover a personal God, who communicates with Moses and others freely and honorably.  The Torah reveals to us a holy God, separate, distinct, and exalted, and at the same time unreachable.  It shows us a God who distances Himself from sin, but at the same time paving a way for sinners to right the obstacles by teaching how to remove the consequences of sin.  The god of the Bible loves to be close to His people.

There are many hidden things in connection to God that the Torah does not reveal.  Also the God of Abraham did not insist on us knowing the precise mystery of his unique nature, yet God still revealed all we need to live a life of holiness, including strict warnings of the consequences for human rebellion and unconfessed sins.  In Deut. 31:17 God is  says:

" Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they shall be consumed, and many evils and troubles shall come upon them; so that they will say in that day, 'is it not because God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?' "

Adam and Eve sinned and were removed outside the presence of God.  The Israelites were warned that they too will be exiled from God's presence if they will live a life of sin without repentance.  God heeded his warning and Israel has a hard time to understand why this had happened.  The Kabbalists are wrestling with this issue and uses signs and symbols to support the mystical answers they come up with.  But what did God say to the first person who held the complete Torah in his hands?

" This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success" ( Joshua 1:8 ).

God commanded Joshua to take His words seriously, not to add nor remove anything from them.  God did not command Joshua to find some secret code in the Torah nor did He ask him to search for hidden mysterious meanings.  Joshua was to keep the commandments in a practical manner, honor God and neighbor.  Joshua was also to learn the severity of sin and the need for repentance before God.

Unfortunately, the philosophy of the Kabbalah concerning the redemption ignore these command completely, a command that still supposed to speak to us today.  How did we get to this condition?  well, a look at the historical development of the Kabbalah reveals some understanding on how this flawed philosophy concerning the redemption came to be.  Rabbinic Judaism itself was developed as a result of the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 AD.  The spirit of God resided in the Temple, but as God warned beforehand, his spirit departed the temple at the same time that the nation was dispersed.  The Talmudic Rabbis were not mysticans, they seriously struggled with the event of their time,  The questioned: how are we to continue living as Jews without the presence of God and without a temple?  They turned toward the traditions, the Chukim- rules and the Takanot-regulations.  Later on, when the Kabbalists also struggled with the loss of the presence of God, they developed a mystical yearning for His closeness, and later they systematically edited all these ideas and codefied them.

In order to explain the absence of God they combined Gnostic superstitions.  As a result of the troubles that the Jewish people experienced in the diaspora, which demanded explanation, the Kabbalists in Tzefat developed mystical superstitions and beliefs concerning the departure of the Shekinah.  Later on in a desperation to try to connect with God, the Chasidics zeroed in on mystical experiences, like "Dvekut" and "Kavanah," in order to try to unify with God and open a way for Messiah who will redeem and renew the world.

Despite the fact that god promised Moses that he will raise a prophet like him for the Israelites( Deut. 18:18) the Mysticans arrive to the belief that they, themselves, will be responsible to the return of the Messiah.  By doing so, the Kabbalists missed the important and open to everyone source, the teachings of the prophets.  Throughout the pre-exilic period God revealed clearly who the Messiah will be, and what he will do.  Messiah will be the one that will be sent by God to redeem the world through his sacrificial death.

All of us long for the mysteries of the universe to be solved and reveal hidden truths,  But god wants us to experience His presence without running through a maze in order to solve this mystery.  he sent the Messiah to show us how we can be with god today and forever.  Yeshua told His disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them, and they will know how to get there.  Yeshua said: "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father but by me.  If you see me, you see my Father."

whoever saw Yeshua, saw God.  Messiah came indeed, but the mysticans missed Him.  instead of searching for the answers through good intentioned scholars, but who lack godly gaudiness, we need to take into account that God revealed everything through Yeshua, who came to carry our sins, to forgive and to offer us an eternal future.  A future we will not see through dark glass anymore (1 Cor. 13:12).

God bless.

Friday, February 17, 2012

The truth will set you free.

Our old friend Derek finally had enough.  He is against an even field.  He owns the ball and if you don't play by his rules he will take the ball and go home.  See here:

http://www.derekleman.com/musings/2012/02/16/cute-poodles-a-parable/#comments

You see, it is a lot more comfortable to live in a world of Poodles.  You can cuddle them, you can yell at them, you can whine at them, but they don't answer, they just stare at you and sometime lick you.  Wow...Isn't that wonderful?  Isn't that real utopia?  Can life be better than that?  You present yourself as someone you ain't, and no one can expose you for the fraud you are.  because the truth, Derek is, that you and your ilk spend most of your time trying to prove who you are, because you still are not sure yourself.

Derek decided he wants to become a Messianic Rabbi.  But how can one become one without being a Jew?  so he decided to ignore Scripture (1 Cor. 7:18) and become one.  He found a small obscure organization that will convert him, and walla, he is Jewish now....Never mind that none of the Jewish organizations accepts his phony conversion, not even the group that he claim to represent, the UMJC.

Derek, among other things sees himself as a pioneer, so he mastered enough chutzpah to have his own blog and present himself as a Jew among Jews.  As long that he can find some gullible poodle lovers, he is in business.  So what if we have a little deceit here and there.....

So, when someone comes to his blog to remind him of the fraud that he is, Derek takes the ball and goes home....Some scholar...

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Quote of the week.

" What does it mean to follow the Bible literally?

To follow the Bible literally-at face value, at its word, according to its plain meaning-isn't just a daunting proposition.  It's a dangerous one.

Consider: In the third century, the scholar Origen is said to have interpreted literally Matthew 19:12-  ' There are the eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven' -and castrated himself.  Origen later became a preeminent theologian of his age and an advocate of figurative interpretation."

A. J. Jacobs

The Year of Living Biblically.