Josephus and the Pharisees

By Hakham Meir Yosef Rekhavi

One should always bear in mind that history is written by the victors, and in this case, the victors were the Pharisees who collaborated with the Romans. Many people labour under the assumption that the Pharisees were the “Party of the People”, attracting the masses. This is simply not true. Such information as this is drawn from the Talmud and the works of Josephus, who himself was a Pharisee. However, if we comb through Josephus’ works we will notice that he has not been consistent in his white washing of the Pharisees. First, Josephus confesses as a Pharisee that the Pharisees added to the Tora laws that had not been handed down by YHWH to Moshe and the Children of Yisrael. What I would now explain is this, that the Pharisees have delivered to the people a great many observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in the laws of Moses; and for that reason it is that the Sadducees reject them, and say that we are to esteem those observances to be obligatory which are in the written word, but are not to observe what are derived from the tradition of our forefathers. (Josephus Ant. 13 Ch. 10 Par. 6) The following passages taken from the works of Josephus clearly illustrate that the people did not adhere to the ways of the Pharisees but to those of the Sadducees. It will also become clear, against popular misconception, that it was the Pharisees who allied themselves and collaborated with the Roman Empire and not the Sadducees. “So she (Alexandra) made Hyrcanus high priest, because he was the elder, but much more because he cared not to meddle with politics, and permitted the Pharisees to do every thing; to whom also she ordered the multitude to be obedient. She also restored again those practices which the Pharisees had introduced, according to the traditions of their forefathers, and which her father-in-law, Hyrcanus, had abrogated. So she had indeed the name of the regent, but the Pharisees had the authority; for it was they who restored such as had been banished, and set such as were prisoners at liberty, and, to say all at once, they differed in nothing from lords.” (Josephus Ant. 13 Ch. 16 Par. 2) In the above passage, we notice several things; i) Queen Alexandra (76-67 b.c.e.), who succeeded her husband Alexander Yannai (103-76 b.c.e.) to the throne, was a sympathizer of the Pharisees. Alexander Yannai was a Sadducees. ii) We also notice that John Hyrkanos (134-104 b.c.e.) the second Hasmonean king and father of Alexander Yannai was also a Sadducee. iii) Queen Alexandra made the Pharisees her advisors and gave them a free hand in the affairs of State. iv) Queen Alexandra’s elder son Hyrkanos was weak and turned a blind eye to the Pharisaic coup d’etat. v) The people were ordered to follow the Pharisees, in other words a totalitarian dictatorial government of “do what we say or else” came about, the people therefore followed the Pharisees not because they loved the Pharisees nor because they agreed with them, but out of fear. vi) The Pharisaic way was installed by the power of the crown and not by the will of the people. vii) The Pharisees now had the power of government and not the Sadducees. Seventy two years later we notice that not much had changed; “HOW Sosius and Herod took Jerusalem by force; and besides that, how they took Antigonus captive, has been related by us in the foregoing book. We will now proceed in the narration. And since Herod had now the government of all Judea put into his hands, he promoted such of the private men in the city as had been of his party, but never left off avenging and punishing every day those that had chosen to be of the party of his enemies. But Pollio the Pharisee, and Sameas, a disciple of his, were honored by him above all the rest; for when Jerusalem was besieged, they advised the citizens to receive Herod, for which advice they were well requited.” (Josephus Ant. 15 Ch. 1 Par. 1) Herod was placed in power by Rome and therefore owed his allegiance to Rome. We notice in the above passage that the Pharisees supported Herod. Therefore, with Herod being a Roman proxy and the Pharisees being supporters of Herod, the Pharisees were also lackeys of the Roman Empire. During Herod’s rule the Kohen Haggadhol (High Priest) was appointed by Herod and seeing that the Pharisees were supporters of Herod it is only natural that he would appoint a Pharisee to the position of Kohen Haggadhol and not a Sadducee who would have been loyal to the Hasmonean dynasty. Therefore, during the Roman occupation the Kohen Haggadhol would have been a pro-Herodian Roman lackey, in other words a Pharisee, and not a pro-Hasmonean anti-Roman nationalist, i.e. a Sadducee. The victors, i.e. the Pharisees, after the Great Revolt and at the time of Emperor Hadrian rewrote history making themselves into anti-Roman nationalist and changing the Sadducees into collaborators when in truth, it was the other way around. Further proof can be found in the works of Josephus that the people supported the Sadducees and not the Pharisees. The words in brackets are my notes. “NOW Hyrcanus (a Pharisee) was heir to the kingdom, and to him did his mother (Alexandra) commit it before she died; but Aristobulus (a Sadducee like his father and grandfather before him) was superior to him in power and magnanimity; and when there was a battle between them, to decide the dispute about the kingdom, near Jericho, the greatest part deserted Hyrcanus, and went over to Aristobulus; but Hyrcanus, with those of his party who staid with him, fled to Antonia, and got into his power the hostages that might he for his preservation (which were Aristobulus’s wife, with her children); but they came to an agreement before things should come to extremities, that Aristobulus should be king, and Hyrcanus should resign that up, but retain all the rest of his dignities, as being the king’s brother. Hereupon they were reconciled to each other in the temple, and embraced one another in a very kind manner, while the people stood round about them; they also changed their houses, while Aristobulus went to the royal palace, and Hyrcanus retired to the house of Aristobulus.” (Josephus War. 1 Ch. 6 Par. 1) We can clearly see from the above passage that the people went over to Aristobulus who was a Sadducee. In fact there were only two Hasmonean rulers who were Pharisees, Alexandra and her weak son Hyrcanus, the rest were Sadducees and the Hasmoneans held the support of the people. It would seem a little strange, if indeed the masses did follow the Pharisees, why they would support a Sadducean dynasty. Josephus further furnishes us with evidence that the people supported the Sadducees and that the Pharisees were pro-Roman and not the other way round as we are led to believe. “At this treatment Pompey was very angry, and took Aristobulus into custody. And when he was come to the city, he looked about where he might make his attack; for he saw the walls were so firm, that it would be hard to overcome them; and that the valley before the walls was terrible; and that the temple, which was within that valley, was itself encompassed with a very strong wall, insomuch that if the city were taken, that temple would be a second place of refuge for the enemy to retire to.” “Now as be was long in deliberating about this matter, a sedition arose among the people within the city; Aristobulus’s (a Sadducee) party being willing to fight, and to set their king at liberty, while the party of Hyrcanus (a Pharisee) were for opening the gates to Pompey… So Aristobulus’s party was worsted, and retired into the temple, and cut off the communication between the temple and the city, by breaking down the bridge that joined them together, and prepared to make an opposition to the utmost; but as the others (the party of Hyrcanus, in other words the Pharisees) had received the Romans into the city, and had delivered up the palace to him (Pompey)… he then disposed all things that were round about them so as might favor their attacks, as having Hyrcanus’s party very ready to afford them both counsel and assistance.” “Now here it was that, upon the many hardships which the Romans underwent, Pompey could not but admire not only at the other instances of the Jews’ fortitude, but especially that they did not at all intermit their religious services, even when they were encompassed with darts on all sides; for, as if the city were in full peace, their daily sacrifices and purifications, and every branch of their religious worship, was still performed to God with the utmost exactness. Nor indeed when the temple was actually taken, and they were every day slain about the altar, did they leave off the instances of their Divine worship that were appointed by their law; for it was in the third month of the siege before the Romans could even with great difficulty overthrow one of the towers, and get into the temple.” “And now did many of the priests, even when they saw their enemies assailing them with swords in their hands, without any disturbance, go on with their Divine worship, and were slain while they were offering their drink-offerings, and burning their incense, as preferring the duties about their worship to God before their own preservation. The greatest part of them were slain by their own countrymen (the party of Hyrcanus, in other words the Pharisees), of the adverse faction, and an innumerable multitude threw themselves down precipices; nay, some there were who were so distracted among the insuperable difficulties they were under, that they set fire to the buildings that were near to the wall, and were burnt together with them. Now of the Jews were slain twelve thousand; but of the Romans very few were slain, but a greater number was wounded.” “But there was nothing that affected the nation so much, in the calamities they were then under, as that their holy place, which had been hitherto seen by none, should be laid open to strangers; for Pompey, and those that were about him, went into the temple itself whither it was not lawful for any to enter but the high priest,… Moreover, he made Hyrcanus high priest, as one that not only in other respects had showed great alacrity, on his side, during the siege, but as he had been the means of hindering the multitude that was in the country from fighting for Aristobulus, which they were otherwise very ready to have done.” (Josephus War. 1 Ch. 7 Par. 1-2,4-6) In the above passages, we notice several things; i) The Sadducees offered resistance to the Romans. ii) The Pharisees sided with the Romans and opened the gates of Yerushalem to let them in, thus betraying the nation to Rome. iii) The Pharisees not only opened the gates of Yerushalem to the Romans but were “very ready to afford them both counsel and assistance” in other words they fought alongside the Romans against the people. iv) The majority of the Jews fought against Rome and supported Aristobulus, they thus supported the Sadducees. v) The defenders of Yerushalem, i.e. the Sadducees, were meticulous in keeping the Shabbath and the Torah. vi) 12,000 Jews were massacred when Yerushalem was taken. vii) This massacre of the people was carried out by the Pharisees and not by the Romans. I find it rather difficult to believe that the people would then wilfully accept the ways of those who were responsible for such a massacre. viii) The people were greatly affected by these events, i.e. the massacre and desecration of the Temple, which were carried out by the Pharisees. Again it seems hardly likely that after such acts as these carried out by the Pharisees that the people would wilfully accept the ways of the Pharisees. ix) Hyrcanus a Pharisee is made Kohen Haggadhol by Pompey and not his brother Aristobulus who was a Sadducee. x) Pompey made sure that the Nation of Yisrael, which sided with Aristobulus a Sadducee, were unable to support him, “but as he had been the means of hindering the multitude that was in the country from fighting for Aristobulus, which they were otherwise very ready to have done.” When it came to the time of the Great Revolt against Rome we see again that little had changed. “Hereupon the men of power got together, and conferred with the high priests, as did also the principal of the Pharisees; and thinking all was at stake, and that their calamities were becoming incurable, took counsel on what was to be done. Accordingly, they determined to try what they could do with the seditious by (their) words, and assembled the people before the brazen gate, which was that gate of the inner temple [court of the priests] which looked toward the sun-rising. And, in the first place, they showed the great indignation they had at this attempt for a revolt, and for their bringing so great a war upon their country; after which they conflated their pretense as unjustifiable.” “So the men of power perceiving that the sedition was too hard for them to subdue, and that the danger which would arise from the Romans would come upon them first of all, endeavored to save themselves, and sent ambassadors, some to Florus, the chief of which was Simon the son of Ananias; and others to Agrippa, among whom the most eminent were Saul, and Antipas, and Costobarus, who were of the king’s kindred; and they desired of them both that they would come with an army to the city, and cut off the seditious before it should be too hard to be subdued.” “Upon this the men of power, with the high priests, as also all the part of the multitude that were desirous of peace, took courage, and seized upon the upper city [Mount Sion;] for the seditious part had the lower city and the temple in their power; so they made use of stones and slings perpetually against one another, and threw darts continually on both sides; and sometimes it happened that they made incursions by troops, and fought it out hand to hand, while the seditious were superior in boldness, but the king’s soldiers in skill. These last strove chiefly to gain the temple, and to drive those out of it who profaned it; as did the seditious, with Eleazar, besides what they had already, labor to gain the upper city. Thus were there perpetual slaughters on both sides for seven days’ time; but neither side would yield up the parts they had seized on.” (Josephus War. 2 Ch. 17 Par. 3-5) i) The Pharisees were in allegiance with the men of power. ii) The Pharisees through seditious words tried to persuade the people to surrender to Rome. iii) The Pharisees did not support the revolt. iv) The Pharisees went over to the Romans and desired that the Romans should conquer Yerushalem. v) The Pharisees helped the Romans and fought against the people. Conclusion: Just as the Pharisees were divided into various schools, the main two being Beth (House) of Hillel and Beth Shammai, the Sadducees were also divided into various schools. However, none of them were Hellenists, but were rather ardent upholders of the Torah. The Rabbanites in the early medieval period tried (to ruin) the name of the Sadducees by claiming they were Hellenists and assimilationists. This lie became entrenched in Rabbanite Judaism and was later taken on by Christian and secular historians of the Second Temple period. The raison d’etre of both the Pharisees and Sadducees can be seen in the meanings of their names. The name Pharisee in Hebrew is Perushi (singular) Perushim (plural), which actually means Separatists and not Interpreters as the Rabbis of the late medieval period liked to claim in order to white-wash themselves. In other words they were Separatists from the pure way of the Torah. The name Sadducee is usually pronounced in Hebrew as Sedhoqi (singular) Sedhoqim (plural). However, this is a misnomer and is a label applied to them by the Pharisees/Rabbanites in order to besmirch them by claiming that the Sadducees were founded by a man named Sadhoq (Zadok). The proper pronunciation was probably Sidduqi (singular) Sidduqim (plural), which is a Second Temple period Hebrew word meaning; justification/righteousness derived from the word Sedheq meaning justice, righteousness, correctness; hence the Hebrew sedhaqa meaning charity/righteous act; and Sadhiq (Zadik) a righteous person. In conclusion, it was the Sadducees who were anti-Roman, pro-Hasmonean, nationalistic, and had the support of the people. While the Pharisees were proRoman, fought against the people, were in control under the Roman occupation, invited the Romans into Yerushalem, aided the Romans during the Great Revolt and thus brought about the destruction of the Temple. 

Un Segundo Exodo: ¿qué tiene que ver esta guerra contra Israel?

Han llegado tiempos difíciles para nosotros. Los judíos y los creyentes de la Biblia en todas partes están conteniendo la respiración, inseguros de lo que está sucediendo en términos de sus creencias y de lo que dice la Biblia sobre los eventos del fin de los tiempos. ¡Especialmente los acontecimientos que incluso ahora están fuera de control en Tierra Santa! ¿Pero de qué se trata?

Israel ha estallado en una guerra catastrófica justo en el momento en que los judíos están regresando a su tierra en masa. Es casi como un segundo Éxodo y esta vez el Faraón parece estar EN LA TIERRA así como en las fronteras tratando de destruir a cualquiera que quiera regresar. Ahora no es sólo Egipto, sino todas las naciones limítrofes las que se han unido a los ataques diarios para robar la tierra de Israel y matar a sus habitantes. ¿Porqué ahora?

Ok, los judíos han celebrado el primer día de Pesaj de 2024, y en la mayoría de los seders, al menos se contempla, si no se discute, la cuestión de por qué los judíos parecen sufrir eternamente, como si fuera nuestro destino sufrir. Este año la celebración de nuestra libertad es cuestionable. ¡Cómo podemos celebrar la libertad cuando las naciones quieren acabar con nosotros, otra vez! — ¿Esta vez desde nuestra propia tierra dada por Dios? ¡Seguramente Hashem no debe estar mirando! ¿Por qué está pasando esto? ¡Pensábamos que el fin de los tiempos se trataba de regresar a la tierra, terminar el exilio y darle la bienvenida al Mesías! Quizás haya algo más que no hayamos visto. ¡Quizás el pueblo de Dios necesite una transformación!

Quizás podamos sacar fuerzas de las cosas negativas que están sucediendo. Miremos más allá de la realidad de lo que está pasando.

De acuerdo a un Artículo del Times of Israel con fecha de El 23 de diciembre de 2023, más de 2600 personas se mudaron a Israel entre el 7 de octubre y la fecha del artículo. De acuerdo con lacrónica judía, más de 6.500 judíos emigraron a Israel antes del 14 de febrero y se han presentado muchas solicitudes de aliá.

¿Qué se puede deducir de esto? Hasta el momento de la declaración en Times of Israel (23/12) no se habían producido muchas protestas anti israel en todo el mundo, al menos no como las ha habido recientemente. Entonces, ¿qué las motivó? ¿Culpa por no estar en la tierra para sustentarlo? ¿Un sentimiento de querer permanecer juntos, pase lo que pase? ¿O hay algo más?

Durante la seder en la casa de unos amigos aquí en los Altos del Golán, conocimos a algunas personas nuevas que acababan de mudarse de Estados Unidos. Todavía no han establecido residencia pero afirman que Israel es el único lugar para los judíos. ¡Vendieron todo y se apresuraron aquí, con o sin beneficios de aliá! ¡Definitivamente esta no es la primera vez que escucho a gente afirmar esto!

¿Es realmente Israel el lugar más seguro para los judíos, como sugiere el artículo anterior? Bien puede serlo, pero no lo parece en este momento. Dejando a un lado los sentimientos, ¿cuál es el plan de Hashem para Israel? ¿Existe un plan? ¿Los judíos serán perseguidos y atacados para siempre? ¿Será porque son el Pueblo de Alianza? ¿Es porque de alguna manera se extraviaron hace miles de años? Bueno, tal vez, pero no veo a un Dios amoroso y misericordioso castigando eternamente a un pueblo con persecución cuando no tienen idea de por qué. Estoy seguro de que hay algo más involucrado en el abrumador impulso de regresar a la tierra de nuestros antepasados. ¿Por qué estamos aquí, de hecho?

Otra cosa, ¿por qué las organizaciones cristianas, especialmente las evangélicas, creen que los judíos deben regresar a su tierra?

Según la declaración cristiana sionista en Wikipedia::

“Dios Padre, El Todopoderoso, eligió a la antigua nación y pueblo de Israel, los descendientes de Abraham, Isaac y Jacob, para revelar Su plan de redención para el mundo. Siguen siendo elegidos de Dios, y sin la nación judía Sus propósitos redentores para el mundo no se completarán”.

Por supuesto, detrás de esta declaración está la premisa de que el mesías cristiano (Jesús) debe regresar a Jerusalén y, como algunos han dicho, “convencer a los judíos de su misión divina y de su posicion de Mesias”.

Aunque sea tan falso como afirmamos la mayoría de nosotros, el resultado es que se está ayudando a muchos judíos a regresar. ¿Condenaremos su buena voluntad y nos negaremos a aceptar sus regalos, aunque estén motivados por razonamientos erróneos? Votemos al bebe junto con el agua del baño? No creo. Hashem ha trabajado con las naciones para hacer realidad su voluntad a lo largo de milenios y no lo veo cambiando de planes ahora. Entonces, ¿cuál podría ser Su propósito al llevar a los judíos a experimentar una horrible guerra contra Israel en lo que muchos de nosotros creemos que es el fin de los tiempos? ¿Vamos a ver algo espectacular?

Algunos ven esta guerra como completamente controlada por un gobierno secular que no está dirigido por YHVH. ¿Algunos han declarado que Dios no está entre nosotros y no puede trabajar con este gobierno? ¡Esperar!

¿Trabajó Dios con Ciro de Babilonia para enviar a los judíos de regreso a la tierra? ¿No significa eso que todo está en Manos del Eterno Arquitecto de la Historia?

Otra cosa, además del atentado del 7 de octubre (ver mi artículo Bailando con el Diablo aquí, pronto lo tendrá en español), se han disparado muchos misiles, drones, cohetes y bombas contra Israel desde todos lados. Además de que muchos de nuestros queridos soldados murieron en la lucha con Hamás, Hezbolá y todos los representantes de Irán, ha habido muy pocas víctimas civiles. Como por ejemplo lo que ocurrió la noche del sábado 13 de abril cuando más de 300 proyectiles fueron disparados contra Israel desde Irán y nadie resultó herido excepto una niña beduina que resultó herida. ¿Es la fuerza de nuestra cúpula de hierro? ¿O es posible que alguien allá arriba nos esté cuidando? Es cierto que nuestro gobierno en su mayor parte se considera la única protección de Israel. Por más malvado que sea, ¿está Hashem ahí trabajando detrás de escena? ¿Puedes decirme que no lo es? Él puede desarraigar a los reyes cuando quiera. ¿Simplemente sucede que Él está trabajando junto a él y logrando lo que Él quiere?

Algunos de nosotros todavía cuestionamos la estúpida estupidez de nuestro gobierno por sorprenderse con el ataque del 7 de octubre, o incluso ignorarlo hasta que fue demasiado tarde. ¿Tenía Dios un propósito al permitirlo? ¿Tenía Él un mensaje para nosotros? ¿Lo usó de alguna manera para comenzar un ataque a mayor escala contra Israel que se desarrollaría para mostrar su mano poderosa al final? Y ahora, ¿qué pasa con nuestros 133 rehenes, que muchos de nosotros creemos que ya están en su mayoría muertos? No puedo entender el motivo de su tortura y muerte, pero no permitiré que mi fe en YHVH falle. He orado por ellos una y otra vez y es hora de dejarlos con el Todopoderoso que protege a los inocentes. ¿Lo hace o no? Algunos dicen que claramente no ha protegido a ninguno de ellos. ¿Asi que que hacemos? ¿Desechar nuestra fe? ¿Podría haber una razón para todo esto? Digo que lo hay, pero no puedo decirte qué es. ¿Echaremos la culpa al gobierno, o el gobierno es sólo una marioneta en manos de Hashem?

Si leemos las profecías de Ezequiel 37-39, queda bastante claro que algo corresponde con lo que está pasando.

Sé que estoy argumentando para salvar la reputación de Di-s. Algunos podrán afirmar que soy un fanático religioso. Puede que lo sea. Pero tengo claras un par de cosas.

1. Esta guerra es necesaria para cumplir el Plan Divino y está insinuada en la Biblia.
2. El pueblo siempre ha sufrido, especialmente el Pueblo de Alianza.
3. La Biblia promete traer de vuelta a los que han muerto (¿rehenes?) en la resurrección. (Ver Isaías 26, Daniel 12, Ezequiel 37).
4. La Tierra de Israel pertenece a YHVH y Él promete acabar con Edom (Isaías 63). Dice que lo hará solo (Isaías 63:3).
5. Debe haber una separación entre los justos y los malvados. (La maldad está mostrando su rostro especialmente ahora. Esta guerra está revelando las actitudes y motivaciones secretas de la gente. Algunos judíos se aferran a su dinero como lo más importante que tienen. Algunos están vendiendo todo y mudándose a Israel, cueste lo que cueste. Muchos no- Los judíos hacen fila para ayudar, mientras que otros se tapan los oídos para no oír. Algunos buscan la ascendencia de sus padres y hacen búsquedas de ADN para ver si pueden ser judíos o de las 10 tribus perdidas.

Entonces, sí, hay mucho que contemplar y lo mejor que podemos hacer es confiar en que Dios hará Su voluntad. Sólo él está a cargo, sin importar lo que estén haciendo los gobiernos y las organizaciones. ¡No nos interponemos en Su camino!

Mi esperanza es una fe mayor mientras vemos que las montañas se desmoronan y las torres caen. ¡Que seamos fieles a través de todo!

Ariella

¡Por favor, comparte, comenta y sigue si te gusta alguno de mis artículos!

A Second Exodus–What does this War have to do with It?

Difficult times are here for us. Jews and Bible believers everywhere are holding their breath unsure of what is going on in terms of their beliefs and what the Bible says about end time events–especially events that are even now spiraling out of control in the Holy Land! But what is it all about? 

Israel has broken into a catastrophic war just at the time when Jews are returning to the land en masse. It is almost like a second Exodus and this time Pharoah seems to be IN THE LAND as well as on the borders trying to destroy anyone who wants to return. Now it is not only Egypt, but all the bordering nations who have joined in on the daily attacks to steal the land of Israel and kill its inhabitants. Why now?

Ok so Jews have celebrated the first day of Pesach of 2024, and at most seders the question is at least contemplated if not discussed as to why Jews seem to suffer eternally, as if it is our destiny to suffer. This year the celebration of our freedom is questionable. How can we celebrate freedom when the nations want to wipe us out, again! — this time from our own G-d given land? Surely Hashem must not be watching! Why is this happening? We thought the end times was about returning to the land, ending the exile and welcoming the Messiah! Maybe there is something else that we  have not seen. Maybe God’s people need a transformation! Maybe returning to the Land is a test!

Perhaps we can draw strength from the negative things that are happening. Let’s look behind the reality of what is going on.

According to a Times of Israel article dated December 23, 2023, more than 2600 people moved to Israel between October 7 and the date of the article. According to the Jewish Chronicle, over 6500 Jews emigrated to Israel by February 14 and many applications for aliyah have been made.

What can be deducted from this? As of the time of the statement in Times of Israel (12/23) not a lot of anti-Israel protests had taken place around the world– at least not like there have been recently.. So what motivated those who came? Guilt for not being in the land to support it? A feeling of wanting to stand together, come what may? Or is there something else?

During the seder at some friends’ house here in the Golan Heights, we met some new people who had just moved from the United States. They still have not established residency but they claim that Israel is the only place for Jews. They sold everything and high-tailed it over here, with or without aliyah benefits! This is definitely not the first time I have heard people claim this! 

Is Israel really the safest place for Jews as the above article suggests? It may well be, but it does not feel like it at the moment. Feelings aside, what is Hashem’s plan for Israel? Is there a plan? Are Jews going to be forever persecuted and targeted? Is it because they are the Covenant People? Is it because they somehow went astray way back thousands of years ago? Well, maybe, but I don’t see a loving and gracious G-d eternally punishing a people with persecution when they have no idea why. I am sure there is something else involved in the overwhelming drive to return to the land of our forefathers. Why are we here, indeed? 

Another thing, why do Christian organizations, especially evangelicals, believe that the Jews must return to the land?
According to the the Zionist Christian statement in Wikipedia:
“God the Father, Almighty, chose the ancient nation and people of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to reveal His plan of redemption for the world. They remain elect of God, and without the Jewish nation His redemptive purposes for the world will not be completed.”
Of course underlying this statement is the premise that the Christian Messiah (Jesus) must return to Jerusalem and as some have stated, “convince the Jews of his “divine mission and Messiahship.”  

Be that false as most of us claim, the outcome is that many Jews are being helped to return. Shall we condemn their good will and refuse to accept their gifts, even though they are motivated by wrong reasoning? Do we throw the baby out with the bath water? I am not so sure. Hashem has worked with nations to bring about his will over the millennia  and I don’t see Him changing plans now. So what could be His purpose in bringing Jews to experience a horrible war against Israel at what many of us believe to be the end times? Are we to see something spectacular?

Some see this war as being completely controlled by a secular government that is not directed by YHVH. Some have stated that G-d is not in our midst and cannot work with this government? Wait!

Did G-d work with Cyrus of Babylon to send the Jews back to the land. Does that not mean that all is in the Hands of the Eternal Architect of History? 

Another thing, besides the attack on October 7 (see my article Dancing with the Devil here), there have been many missiles, drones, rockets, and bombs fired at Israel from all sides. Besides many of our dear soldiers being killed in the fight with Hamas, Hezbollah and other proxies of Iran, there have been very few civilian casualties. Like for example what happened on Saturday night April 13 when over 300 projectiles were fired at Israel from Iran and nobody was hurt except one bedouin girl who was injured. One missile landed in our town between a couple of apartment buildings and left a 10 foot hole in the yard and some structural damage. But curiously, it did not hurt anyone! Is the secret in the strength of our defense forces and our Iron dome? Or is it possible that Somebody Up There is watching out for us? It is true that our government for the most part looks to themselves as the sole protection of Israel. Evil as that may be, is Hashem there working behind the scenes? Is it possible that He alone is guiding the movements of the war? Can you tell me He is not? He can uproot kings whenever He wants to. It just happens that He is working alongside and bringing about what He wants?

Some of us still question the apparent stupidity of our government for being surprised at the October 7 attack, or even ignoring it until it was too late. Did G-d have a purpose in  allowing it? Did He have a message for us? Did He use it somehow to begin a bigger scale attack on Israel that would play out to show His Mighty Hand at the last? And now, what about our 133 hostages which many of us believe are mostly dead by now? I cannot fathom the reason for their torture and death, but I will not allow my faith in YHVH to fail. I have prayed for them over and over and it is time to leave them with the Almighty who protects the innocent. Does He or does He not? Some say He clearly has not protected any of them. So what do we do? Throw out our faith? Could there be a reason for all of this? I say there is, but I cannot tell you what it is. Shall we place the blame on the government, or is the government just a puppet in Hashem’s hands? 

If we read the prophecies of Ezekiel 37-39, it is pretty clear that something corresponds with what is going on. 

I know I am arguing to save G-d’s reputation. Some may claim that I am a religious fanatic. I may be. But a couple of things are clear to me.

1. This war is necessary to fulfill the Divine Plan and is hinted at in the Bible.
2. People have always suffered, especially the Covenant People.
3. The Bible promises to bring back those who have died (hostages?) in the resurrection. (See Isaiah 26, Daniel 12, Ezek 37).
4. The Land of Israel belongs to YHVH and He promises to wipe out Edom (Isaiah 63). He says he will do it alone (Isaiah 63:3).
5. There is to be a separation between the righteous and the wicked. (Wickedness is showing its face especially now. This war is revealing people’s attitudes and secret motivations. Some Jews are hanging onto their money as the most important thing they have. Some are selling everything and moving to Israel, whatever the cost. Many non-Jews are lining up to help, while others are covering their ears so that they do not hear. Some are searching the ancestry of their parents and doing DNA searches  to see if they may be Jewish or from the 10 lost tribes. 

So, yes, there is a lot to contemplate and the best thing we can do is trust G-d to work out His will. He alone is in charge no matter what governments and organizations are doing. Let’s not get in His way!

My hope is for a greater faith while we see mountains crumble and towers fall. May we be faithful through it all!

Ariella

Please like, share, comment and follow if you like any of my articles! 

A Second Exodus–What does this War have to do with It?

Difficult times are here for us. Jews and Bible believers everywhere are holding their breath unsure of what is going on in terms of their beliefs and what the Bible says about end time events. Especially events that are even now spiraling out of control in the Holy Land! But what is it all about? 

Israel has broken into a catastrophic war just at the time when Jews are returning to the land en masse. It is almost like a second Exodus and this time Pharoah seems to be IN THE LAND as well as on the borders trying to destroy anyone who wants to return. Now it is not only Egypt, but all the bordering nations who have joined in on the daily attacks to steal the land of Israel and kill its inhabitants. Why now?

Ok so Jews have celebrated the first day of Pesach of 2024, and at most seders the question is at least contemplated if not discussed as to why Jews seem to suffer eternally, as if it is our destiny to suffer. This year the celebration of our freedom is questionable. How can we celebrate freedom when the nations want to wipe us out, again! — this time from our own G-d given land? Surely Hashem must not be watching! Why is this happening? We thought the end times was about returning to the land, ending the exile and welcoming the Messiah! Maybe there is something else that we  have not seen. Maybe God’s people need a transformation!

Perhaps we can draw strength from the negative things that are happening. Let’s look behind the reality of what is going on.

According to a Times of Israel article dated December 23, 2023, more than 2600 people moved to Israel between October 7 and the date of the article. According to the Jewish Chronicle, over 6500 Jews emigrated to Israel by February 14 and many applications for aliyah have been made.

What can be deducted from this? As of the time of the statement in Times of Israel (12/23) not a lot of anti-Israel protests had taken place around the world– at least not like there have been recently.. So what motivated them? Guilt for not being in the land to support it? A feeling of wanting to stand together, come what may? Or is there something else?

During the seder at some friends’ house here in the Golan Heights, we met some new people who had just moved from the United States. They still have not established residency but they claim that Israel is the only place for Jews. They sold everything and high-tailed it over here, with or without aliyah benefits! This is definitely not the first time I have heard people claim this! 

Is Israel really the safest place for Jews as the above article suggests? It may well be, but it does not feel like it at the moment. Feelings aside, what is Hashem’s plan for Israel? Is there a plan? Are Jews going to be forever persecuted and targeted? Is it because they are the Covenant People? Is it because they somehow went astray way back thousands of years ago? Well, maybe, but I don’t see a loving and gracious G-d eternally punishing a people with persecution when they have no idea why. I am sure there is something else involved in the overwhelming drive to return to the land of our forefathers. Why are we here, indeed? 

Another thing, why do Christian organizations, especially evangelicals, believe that the Jews must return to the land?

According to the the Zionist Christian statement in Wikipedia::

“God the Father, Almighty, chose the ancient nation and people of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to reveal His plan of redemption for the world. They remain elect of God, and without the Jewish nation His redemptive purposes for the world will not be completed.”

Of course underlying this statement is the premise that the Christian Messiah (Jesus) must return to Jerusalem and as some have stated, “convince the Jews of his divine mission and Messiahship.”  

Be that false as most of us claim, the outcome is that many Jews are being helped to return. Shall we condemn their good will and refuse to accept their gifts, even though they are motivated by wrong reasoning? Do we throw the baby out with the bath water? I am not so sure. Hashem has worked with nations to bring about his will over the millennia  and I don’t see Him changing plans now. So what could be His purpose in bringing Jews to experience a horrible war against Israel at what many of us believe to be the end times? Are we to see something spectacular?

Some see this war as being completely controlled by a secular government that is not directed by YHVH. Some have stated that G-d is not in our midst and cannot work with this government? Wait!

Did G-d work with Cyrus of Babylon to send the Jews back to the land. Does that not mean that all is in the Hands of the Eternal Architect of History? 

Another thing, besides the attack on October 7 (see my article Dancing with the Devil here), there have been many missiles, drones, rockets, and bombs fired at Israel from all sides. Besides many of our dear soldiers being killed in the fight with Hamas, Hezbollah and all the proxies of Iran, there have been very few civilian casualties. Like for example what happened on Saturday night April 13 when over 300 projectiles were fired at Israel from Iran and nobody was hurt except one bedouin girl who was injured. Is it the strength of our Iron dome? Or is it possible that Somebody Up There is watching out for us? It is true that our government for the most part looks to themselves as the sole protection of Israel. Evil as that may be, is Hashem there working behind the scenes? Can you tell me He is not? He can uproot kings whenever He wants to. It just happens that He is working alongside and bringing about what He wants?

Some of us still question the lame stupidity of our government for being surprised at the October 7 attack, or even ignoring it until it was too late. Did G-d have a purpose in  allowing it? Did He have a message for us? Did He use it somehow to begin a bigger scale attack on Israel that would play out to show His Mighty Hand at the last? And now, what about our 133 hostages which many of us believe are mostly dead by now? I cannot fathom the reason for their torture and death, but I will not allow my faith in YHVH to fail. I have prayed for them over and over and it is time to leave them with the Almighty who protects the innocent. Does He or does He not? Some say He clearly has not protected any of them. So what do we do? Throw out our faith? Could there be a reason for all of this? I say there is, but I cannot tell you what it is. Shall we place the blame on the government, or is the government just a puppet in Hashem’s hands? 

If we read the prophecies of Ezekiel 37-39, it is pretty clear that something corresponds with what is going on. 

I know I am arguing to save G_d’s reputation. Some may claim that I am a religious fanatic. I may be. But a couple of things are clear to me.

1. This war is necessary to fulfill the Divine Plan and is hinted at in the Bible.
2. People have always suffered, especially the Covenant People.
3. The Bible promises to bring back those who have died (hostages?) in the resurrection. (See Isaiah 26, Daniel 12, Ezek 37).
4. The Land of Israel belongs to YHVH and He promises to wipe out Edom (Isaiah 63). He says he will do it alone (Isaiah 63:3).
5. There is to be a separation between the righteous and the wicked. (Wickedness is showing its face especially now. This war is revealing people’s attitudes and secret motivations. Some Jews are hanging onto their money as the most important thing they have. Some are selling everything and moving to Israel, whatever the cost. Many non-Jews are lining up to help, while others are covering their ears so that they do not hear. Some are searching the ancestry of their parents and doing DNA searches  to see if they may be Jewish or from the 10 lost tribes. 

So, yes, there is a lot to contemplate and the best thing we can do is trust G-d to work out His will. He alone is in charge no matter what governments and organizations are doing. Let’s not get in His way!

My hope is for a greater faith while we see mountains crumble and towers fall. May we be faithful through it all!

Ariella

Please like, share, comment and follow if you like any of my articles! 

Follow Take Hold the Tzitzit on WordPress.com

¿Quién de todos está en el cielo?

Estudio sobre la Muerte y la Inmortalidad del Alma

Recientemente escuché a un amigo comentar acerca de todas las almas en el Cielo que están observando los acontecimientos en esta tierra, aplaudiendo el buen progreso en la restauración de la tierra de Israel y llorando por todos los errores cometidos por el gobierno israelí. Me sorprendió porque la Biblia, el Tanaj, el Antiguo Testamento, por así decirlo, no dicen estas cosas. Es claro que los que están muertos no participan en lo que sucede bajo el sol, ni siquiera saben cuándo sus hijos llegan a ser honrados o deshonrados. No hay forma de que ningún ser humano que conozcamos aparte de Enoc y Elías esté ahí afuera mirándonos y observando los eventos que nos suceden. Y no pretendo saber lo que hacen Elias y Enoc allá. Es mi opinión de que sepan lo que pasa aquí en la tierra. (Recuerde, este estudio está basado en las Escrituras hebreas y no consulta la Biblia cristiana).

Entonces, comencemos con una lectura minuciosa de los textos relacionados con este tema.

Génesis 2:7:: “Entonces Jehová Dios formó al hombre del polvo de la tierra, y sopló en su nariz aliento (alma) de vida; y el hombre se convirtió en un ser viviente”.
 וַיִּיצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה׃

Génesis 2:17 ”Pero del árbol de la ciencia del bien y del mal no comerás, porque el día que de él comas, ciertamente morirás.” (o muriendo morirás),

וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹת תָּמוּת׃

La idea de morir “ese mismo día” es algo que muchos estudiantes de las Escrituras han tratado de entender. El versículo usa dos palabras para la muerte (מוֹת תָּמוּת). Esto se encuentra en otras partes de las Escrituras. Cuando los hijos de Israel estaban en el desierto y se habían quejado de muchas cosas, YHVH le dijo a Moisés que muchos morirían en el desierto.

Números 26:65 “Porque Jehová había dicho de ellos: Ciertamente morirán en el desierto. No quedó ningún varón de ellos, excepto Caleb hijo de Jefone y Josué hijo de Nun.”

Este pasaje también usa las dos palabras que se traducen como “ciertamente morirás” en algunas Biblias (מוֹת תָּמוּת). De ambas historias vemos que la muerte física ocurrió algún tiempo después. ¿Pero podría significar también que Adán y Eva, en ese día, se volvieron mortales y ya no tenían vida eterna dentro de ellos? En ese momento el elemento de la vida eterna los había abandonado.

Pero, ¿qué sucede realmente cuando alguien muere físicamente? Esta es realmente una pregunta importante y muchas religiones afirman que solo el cuerpo muere y deja de respirar, pero el alma sigue viviendo como un elemento eterno, ya sea en el cielo o en otro lugar. Pero ¿qué dice la Biblia?

¿Existe evidencia de que la teoría de la eternidad del alma es algo que proviene del paganismo? ¿Cuándo comenzó esta creencia? Sé que en el Antiguo Egipto, los restos momificados de los gobernantes eran enterrados con tesoros y comida para que pudieran pasar al más allá. No sólo Egipto, sino también Babilonia, el culto de Osiris/Isis y los griegos mantenían esta creencia. Mira aquí. Parece que todas las religiones paganas se aferraban a esta creencia: la idea de una vida eterna del alma que elevaba los sentidos a la bienaventuranza o los destinaba al infierno y al tormento. ¿Pero es esto lo que dice la Biblia? Miremos todo esto mientras lo abrimos al escrutinio. Los siguientes versos tratan de la muerte:

Job 7:9-10 “[Como] la nube se consume y se desvanece, así el que desciende al sepulcro, no volverá a subir [más]. No volverá más a su casa, ni su lugar lo conocerá más”.

Job 14:10, 14,15, 21, “Pero el hombre muere y se desgasta; sí, el hombre entrega el espíritu, ¿y dónde está? Si un hombre muere, ¿vivirá [de nuevo]? esperaré todos los días de mi tiempo señalado, hasta que venga mi cambio. Llamarás, y yo te responderé: desearás la obra de tus manos. Sus hijos vienen a honrar, y él no lo sabe; y están abatidos, pero él no se da cuenta de ellos”.

A veces la gente me dice que estos versículos hablan de los malvados, no de los justos, pero no veo ningún versículo circundante que sugiera esto. Observe en el versículo anterior que Job está esperando un tiempo señalado. Confiando en que Dios se acordará de él.

Sal 6:5 “Porque en la muerte no hay memoria de ti; En el Seol, ¿quién podrá alabarte?

Nuevamente, no se menciona que existen dos tipos de personas con diferentes condiciones de muerte. De hecho, los malvados no estarían alabando a Yah de todos modos.

Salmo 115:17: “No alaban a Jehová los muertos, ni los que descienden al silencio”.

Sal 13:3 “Considera y respóndeme, oh Jehová Dios mío; ilumina mis ojos, para que no duerma el sueño de la muerte”. Por eso aquí el salmista llama a la muerte un sueño.

Una vez, el rey Saúl buscó un médium espiritual (uno que practica la nigromancia) que había sido prohibido por YHVH en la Torá (ver aquí). Quería saber el resultado de la batalla con los filisteos. Deuteronomio 18:9-11 Ver aquí.

Saúl pidió que le trajeran a Samuel para contarle el futuro de la batalla. Samuel dijo lo siguiente:

1 Sam 28:15: “Entonces Samuel dijo a Saúl: “¿Por qué me has perturbado haciéndome subir?” Saúl respondió: “Estoy en gran angustia; porque los filisteos están en guerra contra mí, y Dios se ha apartado de mí y ya no me responde, ni por profetas ni por sueños; por eso te he llamado para que me digas lo que debo hacer”.

Note que Samuel dijo: “¿Por qué me has molestado?” Como estamos viendo, Samuel estaba muerto y no, no bajó del cielo, fue despertado para hablar con Saúl y no se alegró por ello. YHVH claramente prohibió la comunicación con los muertos. No se les debe despertar ni molestar. Saúl pagó cara su desobediencia. Lea el pasaje completo en el enlace de arriba.

Sal 16:10 “Porque no me entregarás al Seol, ni dejarás que tu santo vea el abismo”.

Aquí parece que tal vez el versículo, si se toma solo, significa que los justos no descienden al Seol, pero note que dice que el Eterno no “me entregará al Seol”. Otras versiones utilizan la palabra “abandona mi alma”. Si el alma tiene la posibilidad de ser abandonada en el Seol (la tumba), entonces David está diciendo que confía en que su alma no permanecerá allí permanentemente. ¿Y cuánto dura eso?

Sal 49:15 “Pero Dios rescatará mi alma del poder del Seol, porque él me recibirá”. [Sélah]

¿Qué pasa con la resurrección? ¿Por qué YHVH siquiera necesitaría una resurrección si Él ya tiene las almas de las personas buenas con Él? La resurrección es un principio de fe tanto para los judíos, ver aquí, como para la mayoría de las organizaciones cristianas, ver aquí.

En Job 19:25-27, Job habla de esperar la resurrección: “Porque yo sé que mi Redentor vive, y al fin se levantará sobre la tierra; – y después que mi piel haya sido así destruida, entonces desde mi carne veré a Dios, – al cual veré en mi costado, y mis ojos verán, y no a otro. ¡Mi corazón desfallece dentro de mí! Vea el versículo 25 en hebreo a continuación:

וַאֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי גֹּאֲלִי חָי וְאַחֲרוֹן עַל־עָפָר יָקוּם׃

Nuevamente, ¿cuál sería el propósito de Job al afirmar con fe que el Gran Redentor de las almas lo recordaría en el último día sobre la tierra?

Daniel 12:1-2 “En aquel tiempo se levantará Miguel, el gran príncipe que está a cargo de tu pueblo. Y será tiempo de angustia, cual nunca ha sido desde que hubo nación hasta entonces; pero en aquel tiempo será libertado tu pueblo, todo aquel cuyo nombre se encuentre escrito en el libro. Y muchos de los que duermen en el polvo de la tierra despertarán, algunos para vida eterna, y otros para vergüenza y desprecio eterno. .”

¿Te diste cuenta de las palabras “Dormir en el polvo”? Nuevamente vemos que los muertos están dormidos y no deambulan ni en el infierno ni en el cielo. Pero, ¿qué regresa a Hashem de todos modos?

Eclesiastés 12:6-7: “Antes que se rompa el cordón de plata, o se rompa el cuenco de oro, o se rompa el cántaro junto a la fuente, o se rompa la rueda junto a la cisterna, y el polvo vuelva a la tierra como era, y el espíritu (ruach) vuelve a Dios que lo dio.”

Observe que el espíritu (aliento) regresa, no el alma.
וְיָשֹׁב הֶעָפָר עַל־הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהָיָה וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ׃

Sal 146:4 “Cuando le falta el aliento, vuelve a su tierra; ese mismo día sus pensamientos perecen”.

תֵּצֵא רוּחוֹ יָשֻׁב לְאַדְמָתוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָבְדוּ עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָיו׃

Si sus pensamientos perecen, ni siquiera sabrá que está sepultado, ni sabrá si está en el Cielo.

Eclesiastés 9:5-6, 10 “Porque los vivos saben que han de morir, pero los muertos nada saben, y no tienen más recompensa; sino que se pierde la memoria de ellos. Su amor, su odio y su envidia ya han perecido. , y nunca más tendrán participación en todo lo que se hace bajo el sol. Todo lo que tu mano encuentre para hacer, hazlo con tu fuerza, porque no hay trabajo ni pensamiento ni conocimiento ni sabiduría en el Seol, al que estás destinado. yendo.”

Lo siguiente muestra que las almas nunca existen y aquí incluso las almas de los que pecan (que somos todos nosotros), mueren junto con el cuerpo. Nadie está en el infierno sufriendo condenación, ni en el cielo disfrutando del paraíso, excepto aquellos como Enoc y Elías, cuyas historias de traducción están escritas para nosotros en el Tanaj. Y ellos no murieron primero sino que fueron tomados por el Creador. ¿Cuál era su propósito? Podría especular que fueron tomados como jueces de la generación en la que vivieron. ¿Hay otros? No lo sabemos.

Ezequiel 18:4, 20: “He aquí, todas las almas son mías; tanto el alma del padre como el alma del hijo es mía; el alma que pecare, esa morirá”.
“El alma que pecare, morirá. El hijo no sufrirá por la iniquidad del padre, ni el padre sufrirá por la iniquidad del hijo; la justicia del justo recaerá sobre él, y la maldad de los impíos recaerá sobre él. él mismo.”

Nefesh y Neshama: El cuerpo y el aliento que contenia el alma puro de YHVH hicieron un ser viviente.

Génesis 2:7: “Entonces Jehová Dios formó al hombre del polvo de la tierra, y sopló en su nariz aliento (Neshama o alma) de vida; y el hombre se convirtió en un ser viviente”.

וַיִּיצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפ ַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה׃

Nuevamente vemos este versículo, pero con el propósito de identificar el cuerpo y el alma como una unidad una vez que el aliento de su Creador ha sido colocado en sus fosas nasales.

Muchos interpretan que esto significa que el aliento de Di-s era en realidad el alma y así lo parece en este versículo. Pero entonces, ¿por qué más tarde, cuando el hombre muere, sólo el Ruaj (aliento) regresa a Dios? Déjame explicarte la pregunta nuevamente. En Génesis 2:7, el hebreo es bastante claro en cuanto a que el Creador sopló un alma en Adán y luego él se convirtió en una criatura viviente (Nefesh). Entonces, como hemos visto anteriormente, cuando el hombre muere, sólo el aliento (no, no neshamá-alma, sino ruach-viento o aliento) regresa al Eterno. Sin embargo, y observemos de cerca esta línea de pensamiento, Adán fue creado con vida eterna: era un alma que existía eternamente. Entonces algo cambió cuando él y su esposa Eva comieron del fruto del árbol del conocimiento del bien y del mal.

Génesis 2:17 “Pero del árbol de la ciencia del bien y del mal no comerás, porque el día que de él comas, ciertamente morirás”.

Sabemos que comieron del árbol y algo les pasó en ese momento. Mi mejor estudio me dice que la primera pareja se volvió mortal ese día. Eso significa que hubo un cambio en el alma. El alma ya no era inmortal. Y entonces surge la pregunta: si Adán y Eva ya no eran inmortales y esta parece ser la muerte que fue predicha como “el día que comáis de él”, entonces esto describe el cambio del alma de inmortal a mortal. Se perdió la inmortalidad. Entonces se seguiría que el alma ahora no podría regresar al Creador en su forma contaminada, no, no por mucho tiempo. El cuerpo ahora estaba ligado al alma y esta combinación (cuerpo y alma) tendría que esperar hasta la resurrección de los muertos. Si volvemos a ver el versículo de Ezequiel 18 arriba que dice “el alma que pecare, esa morirá”, está claro que no sólo muere el cuerpo, sino que también muere el alma que está encadenada a él. Después de todo, ahora es un alma mortal, no inmortal.

Espero que este estudio resulte claro. Si no, por favor deja un comentario en la sección de comentarios.

Para otro estudio, el tema del juicio y la recompensa y el castigo eternos debe dejarse para más adelante.

¡Bendiciones mientras excavamos en la mina de la verdad–La Tanaj!

Ariella

Comparta sus comentarios conmigo, dé me gusta y compártalos con otros y haga clic en el enlace a continuación para seguir mis estudios. ¡Gracias por su apoyo!

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Who’s in Heaven Anyway?

Death and Immortality of the Soul

Recently I heard a friend comment about all the souls in Heaven that are watching the events on this earth–cheering for the progress in restoring the land of Israel and crying over all the mistakes made by our Government. I was shocked because the Bible, Tanakh, Old Testament if you will, do not say these things. It is clear that those who are dead take no part in what happens under the sun, nor do they even know when their sons come to honor or disgrace. There is no way any human that we know of other than Enoch and Elijah are out there watching us and the events that happen to us. Remember, this is based on the Hebrew Scriptures only. 

So let’s begin with a perusal of texts that relate to this topic. 

Genesis 2:7:: “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath (soul) of life; and man became a living being.”

 וַיִּיצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה׃

Gen 2:17””But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” ( or dying you shall die), 

וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹת תָּמוּת׃

The idea of dying “that same day” is something a lot of students of scripture have tried to wrap their heads around. The verse uses two words for death ( מוֹת תָּמוּת). This is found elsewhere in scripture. When the children of Israel were in the desert and had been complaining about many things, YHVH told Moses that many would die in the wilderness. 

Num 26:65 ”For the LORD had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” There was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.”

This passage also uses the two words that are translated “surely die” in some Bibles (מוֹת תָּמוּת). From both stories we see that physical death happened sometime later. But could it also mean that Adam and Eve, on that day became mortal, no longer having eternal life within them? At that point the element of eternal life had left them. 

But what actually happens when someone dies physically? This is really an important question and one that many religions state that only the body dies and stops breathing but the soul goes on living as an eternal element whether in Heaven or the other Place. But what does the Bible say? 

Is there evidence that the theory of the eternality of the soul is something that comes from paganism? When did this belief begin? I know that in Ancient Egypt, the mummified remains of rulers were buried with treasures and food for them to enter the afterlife. Not only Egypt, but Babylon, the cult of Osiris/Isis and the Greeks held this belief. See here.  It seems all pagan religions clung to this belief–the idea of an eternal life of the soul which elevated the senses to bliss or destined to them to hell and torment. But is this what the Bible says? Let’s look at all of this as we open this up for scrutiny.  The following verses deal with death and the grave:

Job 7:9-10 “[As] the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no [more]. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.”

Job 14:10, 14,15, 21, “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where [is] he? If a man die, shall he live [again]? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. His sons come to honor, and he knoweth [it] not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth [it] not of them.”

Sometimes people tell me that these verses are speaking of the wicked, not the righteous, but I don’t see any surrounding verses that suggest this. Notice in the verse above, Job is waiting for an appointed time. Trusting that God will remember him.  And mind you, Job is listed as one of the three most righteous men.

Eze 14:14: “even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, says the Lord GOD.”

Psa 6:5 “For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in Sheol who can give thee praise?”

Again, no mention that there are two types of people with different conditions in death. In fact, the wicked would not be praising Yah anyway. 

Psalm 115:17: “The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any that go down into silence.”

Psa 13:3 “Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.” So here the Psalmist calls death a sleep. 

Once King Saul sought out a Spirit Medium (one who practices Necromancy) which had been forbidden by YHVH in the Torah (see here). He wanted to know the outcome of the battle with the Philistines.Deut 18:9-11 See Here.

Saul asked to have Samuel brought up for him to tell the future of the battle. Samuel said the following:

1Sam 28:15: “Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress; for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.”

Note that Samuel demanded, “Why have you disturbed me?” As we are seeing, Samuel was dead and no, he did not come down from heaven, he was awakened to speak to Saul and was not happy about it. YHVH clearly forbade communication with the dead. They are not to be woken up, disturbed. Saul paid dearly for his disobedience. Read the whole passage in the link above.

Psa 16:10 “For thou dost not give me up to Sheol, or let thy godly one see the Pit.”

Here it seems that maybe this verse, if taken alone, means that the righteous do not go down to Sheol, but notice that it says that the Eternal will not “give me up to Sheol.” Other versions, us the word “abandon my soul.” If the soul has the possibility of being abandoned to Sheol (the grave), then David is saying that he trusts that his soul will not remain there permanently. And how long is that? Until the resurrection according to Daniel 12 and other passages.

Psa 49:15 “But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.” [Selah]

What about the resurrection?

Why would YHVH even need a resurrection if He already has the souls of the good people with Him? The resurrection is a principle of faith for both Jews, see here,  as well as most Christian organizations, see here. 

In Job 19:25-27, Job speaks of waiting for the resurrection: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth; – and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God, – whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!” See verse 25 in Hebrew below:

 וַאֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי גֹּאֲלִי חָי וְאַחֲרוֹן עַל־עָפָר יָקוּם׃

Again, what would be the purpose for Job to claim with faith that the Great Redeemer of souls would remember him in the final day upon the earth if there were no resurrection of the dead?

Daniel 12:1-2 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time; but at that time your people shall be delivered, every one whose name shall be found written in the book.- And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Did you notice the words,” Sleep in the Dust”? Again we see that the dead are asleep, not wandering around either in Hell or in Heaven. But what returns to Hashem anyway?

And what about Isaiah?
Isa 26:19 “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead”

So, again, what returns to the Creator when one dies?
Eccl 12:6-7: “before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit (ruach) returns to God who gave it.” 

Notice the spirit (breath or ruach)  returns, not the soul.

 וְיָשֹׁב הֶעָפָר עַל־הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהָיָה וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ׃

Psa 146:4 “When his breath departs he returns to his earth; on that very day his thoughts perish.” 

 תֵּצֵא רוּחוֹ יָשֻׁב לְאַדְמָתוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָבְדוּ עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָיו׃

If his thoughts perish, he will not even know he is buried, nor would he know if he is in Heaven. 

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10 “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward; but the memory of them is lost. Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and they have no more for ever any share in all that is done under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”

The following shows that souls are not ever existing and here even the souls of those who sin (which is all of us), die along with the body. Nobody is in hell suffering damnation, nor in Heaven enjoying paradise except for those such as Enoch, and Elijah whose stories of translation are written for us in the Tanakh. And they did not die first but were taken by the Creator. What was their purpose? I could speculate that they were taken as judges for the generation in which they lived. Are there others? There are no others written of in the Tanakh.  

Ezek 18:4, 20: “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins shall die.”

“The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

Nefesh and Neshama: The body and the soul–(breath of YHVH) made a living being

Gen 2:7: “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath (Neshama or soul) of life; and man became a living being.”

וַיִּיצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה׃

Again we see this verse, but for the purpose of identifying the body and the soul as one unit once the breath of his Creator has been placed in his nostrils. 

Many take this to mean that the breath of G-d was actually the soul and it appears to so in this verse. But then why later when man dies, does only the Ruach (breath) return to God? Let me explain again. In Genesis 2:7, the Hebrew is clear that the Creator breathed a soul into Adam and he then became a living creature (Nefesh). So as we have seen above, when man dies only the breath (no not neshama–soul, but ruach–wind or breath) returns to the Eternal. However, and watch this train of thought closely, Adam was created with the potential of eternal life–He was an eternally existent soul. Then something changed when he and Eve ate from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 

Gen 2:17 ”But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” 

We know that they ate of the tree and something happened to them at that time. My best research reveals that the first pair became mortal on that day. That means there was a change in the soul. No longer was the soul immortal. And so the question arises: If Adam and Eve were no longer immortal and this seems to be the death that was foretold as “in the day that ye eat thereof,” then this describes the change of the soul from immortal  to mortal. Immortality was lost. So then it would follow that the soul now was not able to return to the Creator in its defiled form. The body now was bound up with the soul and this combination (body and soul) would have to wait for the resurrection of the dead. It also suggests that there must be a judgment day which we must study at another time.

If we see again the verse in Ezekiel 18 above that says “the soul that sinneth, it shall die”, it is clear that not only the body dies, but that the soul that is chained to it dies also. After all it is now a mortal soul, not an immortal one. 

I hope this study comes across clearly. If not, please leave a question or comment in the comments section.

For another study, the subject of judgment and eternal reward and punishment must be saved for later. 

Blessings as we dig deeply into the mine of truth!

Ariella

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Sencilla, La Limpieza para Pesach

Hoy nos encontramos apenas una semana antes de Pesaj y la mayoría de mis amigos judíos están limpiando febrilmente cada grieta y grieta de todo lo que se pueda imaginar que sea Jametz. ¡Todos sus platos se guardan y los platos y utensilios Kosher para Pesaj se sacan de donde se mantuvieron libres de contaminación durante el año pasado! (Si no conoce la palabra Jametz, consulte aquí). Yo personalmente estoy empezando, un artículo al día durante los próximos días. Y no, no separo mis platos y utensilios para las vacaciones. Después de lavarlos, ¡no puedo imaginarlos con Jametz untados! Hoy limpié la nevera. Mañana limpiaré la estufa. Y despues…

Aquí nuevamente vemos donde se ha colocado valla tras valla para proteger lo que se dio en el Sinaí. De hecho, algunas de estas vallas se han convertido en muros tan altos que no se puede ver más allá de lo que se dio originalmente, ni podemos entender por qué. ¡Probablemente deberíamos atravesar algunas de esas vallas para poder vislumbrar la Torá original!

Una de estas leyes con múltiples vallas que se han construido alrededor del Sinaí se encuentra en la estricta observancia de Pesaj.

He estado en casas que cubren todo incluso los sofás con papel de aluminio. Me pregunto: ¿creen entonces que YHVH no ve a través del papel de aluminio? ¡Caramba! Cada pedacito de harina, cada uno de los cinco granos enumerados por, no, no la Torá, pero lo has adivinado, los libros rabínicos deben sacarse de la casa o venderse a una organización judía que los venderá a algún gentil que no conocemos. Ni siquiera lo sé.

Y ésta es la laguna jurídica. Simplemente guarde todo en una habitación o armario cerrado y véndalo a su rabino. Es decir, pagarle a Jabad o a cualquier otro grupo ortodoxo para que lo vendan a un gentil y luego lo vuelvan a comprar después de Pesaj. Parece un gran plan para hacerse rico rápidamente, si las ganancias de más de 25 dólares por persona judía en el mundo van a los bolsillos de las instituciones ortodoxas. ¿A cuánto ascendería si los 10 millones de judíos que se estima en el mundo ganaran siquiera 10 dólares cada uno por vender el Jametz de su pueblo? ¡Eso equivale a 10 millones de dólares!

Pero, por supuesto, SI la Torá lo ordena, será mejor que paguemos por ello. ¿Pero lo hace?

En realidad, la Torá no permite la venta del Jametz. Debe ser desechado o sacado de la propiedad de uno. Y también debemos ver que se ha pasado por alto algo. ¡Todos los Gerim de la tierra también debían limpiar para Pesaj! Mire de cerca el siguiente versículo de Éxodo 12:

“…porque si alguno come leudado, será cortado de la congregación de Israel, sea extranjero (Ger) o natural de la tierra. Éxodo 12:19”

Miremos el hebreo:

שִׁבְעַת יָמִים שְׂאֹר לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּבָתֵּיכֶם כִּי כָּל־אֹכֵל מַחְמֶצֶת וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מֵעֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְאֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ׃

Así que hay un lugar para los gentiles en la Tierra de Israel, ¡pero no son compradores legítimos de Jametz! Quizás más adelante necesitemos estudiar quién es el Ger, pero el Ger no es un judío nacido en casa. Y ciertamente no un converso. Elijo verlos como los trabajadores que vienen a Israel para apoyar la agricultura y el cuidado que se requiere. También deben guardar muchas de las leyes de la Torá.

También necesitamos ver que muchas cosas que no son Jametz se dice que lo son. Uno son los cinco granos. La Unión Ortodoxa explica lo siguiente:

“Si uno de los cinco granos (trigo, cebada, centeno, avena y espelta) permanece en agua durante más de 18 minutos, se convierte en jametz, y uno no puede comerlo, obtener beneficios ni poseerlo en Pesaj. Además, los Ashkenazim no comen kitniyot – un grupo de alimentos que incluye (entre otras cosas) arroz, maíz, soja y sus derivados – pero se les permite poseer alimentos kitniyot en Pesaj”. De OUKosher, consulte aquí.

Pero ¿qué dice realmente la Torá?

Levítico 23:5-6: “En el mes primero, a los catorce días del mes por la tarde, será la pascua de YHVH. Y el día quince del mismo mes es la fiesta de los panes sin levadura a YHVH; siete días comerás pan sin levadura”.

Éxodo 12:15-20: “Siete días comerás panes sin levadura; el primer día quitaréis la levadura de vuestras casas, porque si alguno come leudado desde el primer día hasta el séptimo, esa persona será eliminada de Israel. El primer día celebraréis un día santo. asamblea, y el séptimo día santa asamblea; en esos días no se hará ningún trabajo; pero lo que cada uno debe comer, eso sólo lo podéis preparar vosotros. Y guardaréis la fiesta de los panes sin levadura, porque en este mismo día saqué a vuestros ejércitos de la tierra de Egipto; por tanto, guardaréis este día por vuestras generaciones, como ordenanza para siempre. En el mes primero, el día catorce del mes por la tarde, comeréis panes sin levadura, y así hasta el día veintiuno del mes por la tarde. Por siete días no se encontrará levadura en vuestras casas; porque cualquiera que coma algo leudado, será cortado de la congregación de Israel, ya sea es un extranjero o un nativo de la tierra. Nada con levadura comeréis; En todas vuestras habitaciones comeréis panes sin levadura”.

Veamos el principio subyacente. “Nada con levadura no comerás”. NO dice que se deben desechar las cosas que puedan fermentar, como los cinco granos o lo que llaman Kitniyot (arroz, maíz, soja). ¿Cómo puedes imaginar que la soja creará levadura para que se vuelva comestible con solo humedecerse? Es cierto que aumentan de tamaño cuando los remojas y los cocinas, pero esto no es levadura, es una expansión normal. La levadura es la que hace que la harina suba y cree pan con levadura. La regla simple es no leudar la harina de ningún tipo de grano. Deshacerse de la levadura (la levadura). Ahora bien, ¿cuál fue el proceso de fermentación original? La masa madre era la forma en que se leudaba el pan en Egipto. La levadura seca activada moderna era desconocida en aquel momento. Sin embargo, sí califica como levadura para obras de la misma manera. En cuanto al proceso de fermentación del antiguo Egipto:

“Debido a que la masa madre consiste en un proceso de fermentación espontánea, sin duda puede considerarse la forma primordial de levadura del pan. Se cree que el uso de masa madre como levadura para pan se desarrolló en el antiguo Egipto aproximadamente en el año 3000 a.C. y desde allí se extendió gradualmente a Europa, a lo largo de la antigua Grecia y el Imperio Romano hasta la actualidad.

El trigo y otros cereales cultivados en el valle del río Nilo se utilizaban en el antiguo Egipto para fabricar panes con levadura a gran escala, suficiente para alimentar a miles de personas al día; Esto se ve respaldado por el descubrimiento de pan desecado y numerosas imágenes murales del proceso de elaboración del pan en tumbas antiguas”. De Ciencia Directa. Mira aquí.

Por lo tanto, se debe desechar toda la masa madre, lo cual es un poco inconveniente porque luego se espera hasta después de Pesaj para comenzar un nuevo lote. De lo contrario, el entrante tendría que colocarse fuera de su propiedad y no atenderse hasta después de la semana de Pesaj.

¿Qué pasa con la cerveza?

Algunos piensan que esto es discutible… Pero la cerveza se elabora con levadura. Y si alguna vez has comido pan de cerveza, estarás de acuerdo en que leuda la masa. Así que la cerveza definitivamente está descartada. No, no comemos cerveza, pero la gente la bebe, que es básicamente ingerirla, que es lo que haces cuando comes. También es cuestionable la levadura de cerveza, que es un subproducto de la elaboración de la cerveza. Es una levadura, aunque no sirve para leudar el pan.

Hay otras cosas que la OU enumera como prohibidas para quienes celebran la Pascua. El vinagre figura en la lista porque está fermentado. Pero el vinagre no es levadura ni sirve para levantar la masa.

Y la fermentación no es levadura. Sólo en el caso de que la fermentación de la harina realmente genere levadura, pero esto es un proceso largo como en el proceso de elaboración del pan de masa madre.

Suena bastante simple, simplemente no coma nada que contenga agentes leudantes. Sin levadura, sin masa madre, ni bicarbonato de sodio ni polvo para hornear. Esto significa nada de pan, pasteles o galletas, ni cerveza. Hay muchos agentes leudantes que se utilizan en patatas fritas y galletas saladas. Asegúrate de leer los ingredientes. ¡Y mirar todas las etiquetas de ingredientes en hebreo puede llevarme un día más!

Pero más allá de la alimentación, aún queda mucho por hacer. No debe haber levadura en la casa, ni en la propiedad personal de uno, ya sea su oficina en el centro o el garaje donde estaciona su automóvil.

Ahora bien, antes de que nos volvamos locos limpiando debajo del refrigerador, o volteando el sofá para ver qué hay dentro de las grietas, recordemos que la Torá enfatiza varias veces que se trata de no comer levadura. Nunca te comerías las migas que encontrarías debajo de los muebles. Y aunque sugeriría limpiar el refrigerador de todos los restos y migas de pan y pasteles y hacer una limpieza profunda del horno y la parrilla, puedes evitar el escrutinio de un mes y la compra de utensilios y platos nuevos que acabas de usar para Pesaj. La limpieza básica necesaria para Pesaj y la Semana de los Panes sin Levadura no debería llevar tanto tiempo. Después de todo, ¡realmente NO es ciencia espacial!

Y la elaboración de matzá, ¿desde cuándo necesitamos la regla de 18 minutos antes de que la harina comience a fermentar (nuevamente, no se trata de fermentación, se trata de levadura)? Entonces, lo que aprendimos antes sobre la masa madre: que se necesita tiempo para crear levadura, en realidad es cuando la mezcla de harina y agua crea levadura, que dura más de un par de días. Al tercer o cuarto día, la masa madre puede funcionar, pero generalmente se requiere hasta una semana de alimentación para crear la levadura que hace crecer el pan. No levantará la masa durante los primeros días después de mezclar la harina con agua. Así que dejemos de lado la idea de que la masa fermentada se leuda. La fermentación no es lo mismo que la levadura a menos que cree un tipo de bacteria que se convierta en levadura, lo que ocurre después de un largo período como en el caso de la masa madre.

Los israelitas llevaron su masa envuelta a su primer campamento donde cocinaron su pan sin levadura durante esa primera semana de pan sin levadura. Puede que tenga acidez pero no estaba leudado. Gracias a este ejemplo, podemos estar seguros de que la regla de los 18 minutos para la matzá es sólo una frustración rabínica creada para los judíos.

Así que aquí nos acercamos a Pesaj y la semana de los Panes sin Levadura. Mantengámoslo sin ir a los extremos: ¡no es necesario limpiar dentro de los bolsillos de la chaqueta de invierno favorita de su esposo! Ni debajo del refrigerador!

Simplemente no dejes nada leudado en su propiedad, no la vendas ni la vuelvas a comprar… ¡¡De verdad!!

¡Por favor ayuda a apoyar mi canal dándole me gusta, compartiéndolo, comentando y siguiéndome!

Gracias,

Ariela

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K.I.S.S. Cleaning before Pesach

Today we find ourselves just a week before Pesach and most of my Jewish friends are feverishly cleaning every crack and cranny of everything that can be imagined to be Chametz. All of their dishes are stored away and Kosher for Pesach plates and utensils are brought out of where they have been kept free of contamination for the past year! (If you don’t know the word Chametz, See Here). I personally am just starting, one item a day for the next few days. And no, I do not separate my plates and utensils for the holiday. After washing them, I can’t imagine them to have Chametz smeared on them! Today I cleaned the fridge. Tomorrow I will clean the stove…

(Cartoon above is sourced from here)

(Be sure to check out the Karaite Matzah recipe at the end of this article!)

Well, tomorrow is here and I cleaned both of my ovens and as I cleaned them, I realized that if you cause leaven to be rendered unusable, you destroy it. And that means that it has no more power to leaven anything. Therefore, if you clean the oven with chemicals or heat it to a high temperature, there is no chance that leavening will remain in any kind of active form. So I cleaned it well, but I could not get every dark spot off of the roof of the oven and I am not worried.

In regards to cleaning for Pesach, again we see where fence upon fence has been placed to protect what was given at Sinai. In fact some of these fences have become walls so high you cannot see past them to what was originally given, nor can we understand why. We probably should crash through some of those fences so we can catch a glimpse of the original Torah!

One of these multi-fenced laws that have been built around Sinai is found in the strict observance of Pesach.

I have been in homes that cover everything including the sofas with aluminum foil. I ask myself, so do they think that Hashem does not see through tin foil? Good grief! Every bit of flour, every one of the five grains listed by, no not the Torah, but you guessed it, the Rabbinic books must be taken out of the house or sold to a jewish organization who will sell it on to some gentile we don’t even know. 

And this is the loophole. Just put everything in a closed room or cupboard and sell it to your rabbi. That is, pay to Chabad or any other Orthodox group to have them sell it to a gentile and then buy it back after Pesach. Seems like a great-get rich quick plan, if the proceeds at $25 plus per Jewish person in the world goes into the pockets of the Orthodox institutions. How much would it come to,  if the estimated 10 million Jews in the world earn even $10 each to sell their people’s Chametz? That comes to 10 million dollars!

But of course, IF the Torah commands it, we had better pay for it. But does it? 

Actually the Torah makes no allowance to sell the Chametz. It is to be discarded or taken out of one’s’ property. And also we must see that something has been overlooked. All of the Gerim in the land were to clean for Pesach as well! Look closely at the following verse from Exodus 12:

“…for if any one eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner (Ger) or a native of the land. Exodus 12:19”

Let’s look at the Hebrew:

 שִׁבְעַת יָמִים שְׂאֹר לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּבָתֵּיכֶם כִּי כָּל־אֹכֵל מַחְמֶצֶת וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מֵעֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגֵּר וּבְאֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ׃

 So there is a place for the gentile in the Land of Israel, but they are not legitimate buyers of Chametz! Perhaps later we need to study who is the Ger, but the Ger is not a homeborn Jew. And certainly not a convert. I choose to see them as the workers who come to Israel to support the farming and caregiving that is required. They also are to keep many of the laws of Torah.

Also we need to see that a lot of things that are not Chametz that are claimed to be. One is the five grains. The following is claimed by the Orthodox Union:

“If one of the five grains – wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt – sits in water for more than 18 minutes it becomes chametz, and one may not eat, derive benefit from or own it on Pesach. In addition, Ashkenazim don’t eat kitniyot – a group of foods which includes (among other things) rice, corn, soy and their derivatives – but are allowed to own kitniyot foods on Pesach.” From OUKosher, see here.

But what does the Torah actually say?

Leviticus 23:5-6: “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is YHVH’s passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to YHVH; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.”

Exodus 12:15-20: ”Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses, for if any one eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly; no work shall be done on those days; but what every one must eat, that only may be prepared by you. And you shall observe the feast of unleavened bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt: therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as an ordinance for ever.

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, and so until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses; for if any one eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.”

Let’s look at the underlying principle. “You shall eat nothing leavened.” It does NOT say that things that might ferment, like the five grains, must be discarded or what they call Kitniyot (rice, corn, soy). How can you even imagine that soybeans will create leavening so that they become edible just by becoming damp? It is true that they increase in size when you soak and cook them, but this is not leavening–this is normal expansion. Leaven is that which causes flour to rise and create leavened bread.  The simple rule is to not leaven the flour of any type of grain. Get rid of the leavening (the yeast).  Now what was the original leavening process? Sourdough was the way bread was leavened in Egypt. Modern activated dry yeast was unknown at the time. However it does qualify as leavening for works the same way. So concerning the ancient Egyptian leavening process:

“Because sourdough consists of a spontaneous fermentation process, it can undoubtedly be considered the primordial form of bread leavening. It is believed that the use of sourdough in bread leavening developed in ancient Egypt in approximately 3000 BC and from there spread gradually to Europe, throughout ancient Greece and the Roman Empire until the present.

Wheat and other grains cultivated in the Nile River Valley were used in ancient Egypt to manufacture leavened breads on a large scale—enough to feed thousands of people per day; this is supported by the discovery of desiccated bread and numerous wall pictures of the bread making process in ancient tombs.” From Science Direct. See Here. 

So all of one’s sourdough starter must be discarded, which is a bit inconvenient because you then wait until after Pesach to start a new batch. Otherwise the starter would have to be placed outside your property and not attended until after the week of Passover. 

What about beer?

Now some think this is debatable.. But beer is made with yeast. And if you have ever eaten beer bread, you will agree that it leavens the dough. So beer is definitely out. No we don’t eat beer, but people drink it which is basically ingesting it which is what you do when you eat food. Also the brewer’s yeast which is a by product after the making of beer, is questionable. It is a yeast, though it does not serve to leaven bread. 

There are other things that are listed by the OU as no-nos for those who keep passover. Vinegar is listed because it is fermented. But vinegar is not leaven, nor is it used to raise dough. 

And fermentation is not leavening. Only in the case of when fermentation of flour actually creates yeast as in the process of making sourdough bread. 

So it sounds pretty simple, just don’t eat anything with leavening agents. No yeast, no sour dough starter, and no baking soda or baking powder. This means no bread, cakes or cookies, nor beer.  There are a lot of leavening agents used in chips and crackers. Be sure to read the ingredients. And looking at all the ingredients labels in Hebrew may take an extra day for me!

 But, beyond food, there is more to be done. There should be no leavening found in the house, nor in one’s personal property, be it your office downtown or the garage where you park your car. 

Now, before we go crazy cleaning out from under the refrigerator, or tipping over the sofa to see what is down inside the cracks, let’s remember that the Torah stresses several times that it is about not eating leaven. You would never eat the crumbs that you would find under the furniture. And though I would suggest cleaning the fridge from all bread and cake remnants and crumbs and doing a deep clean on the oven and grill, you can avoid the month long scrutiny and the purchase of new utensils and plates just used for Pesach. The basic cleaning needed for Pesach and the Week of Unleavened Bread should not take that long. After all, it really is NOT rocket science! 

And the making of Matzoh, since when did we need the rule of 18 minutes before the flour would start to ferment (again it isn’t about fermentation, it is about leavening)? So what we learned earlier about sourdough– that it takes time to create yeast, is actually when the flour and water mixture creates yeast which is more than a couple of days. By the 3rd or 4th day, the sourdough may work, but usually up to a week of feeding it is required to create the yeast that raises the bread. It will not raise your dough during the first few days after mixing the flour with water. So let’s let go of the idea of fermented dough being leavened. Fermentation is not the same as leavening unless it creates a type of bacteria that turns into yeast, which happens after a long period as in the case of sourdough.  

The Israelites carried their dough wrapped up to their first encampment where they cooked their unleavened bread during that first week of unleavened bread. It may have soured but it was not leavened. Because of this example, we can be sure that the 18 minute rule for Matzoh is just a created rabbinic frustration for Jews. 

So here we are coming up to Pesach and the week of Unleavened Bread. Let’s Keep it Simple Stupid–no heavy duty cleaning inside the pockets of your husband’s favorite winter jacket!

Just don’t leave anything leavened on the property, don’t sell it nor buy it back– Really!!

And here is the promised link to Karaite Matzah! Enjoy!
https://www.nehemiaswall.com/karaite-matzah-recipe

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Thanks,

Ariella

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Strong as a Dead Lion–Then What?

Painting by a Highschooler named Uri in Katzrin, Israel

At the time before there was a king in Israel, Samson arose as a judge and spent his life wiping out the Philistines, one episode after another. After having killed a lion with his bare hands, he later came upon the carcass and it was full of bees which had made honeycomb and was dripping with the sweet honey. From this experience he thought of a riddle with which to trick the Philistines that should attend his wedding to a beautiful Philistine woman.

“…Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness…” Judges 14:14

Do we remember that the Philistines occupied in part what today is called Gaza? The town of Timnah, where the wedding was to take place, was located a few miles east of what today is Gaza.  

It comes to mind that Judah was called a lion in the blessing given to him by his father, Jacob. Judah was to hold the kingship of Israel and rule like a lion. But what we see today is appearing to be an almost dead lion. What will happen if the lion is killed? What then? Will sweetness come from the carcass? Let’s look a little deeper. 

What we see in modern Israel is a political government that is not concerned with its mandates from its covenant the God of Heaven. This is the lion we see trying to fight with all the worldly power it can muster, trying to satisfy the different nations that supply weapons and yet subjugate themselves to the foreign policy of nations who care nothing for Israel–those who wield world power at the touch of a switch, and we see our nation “going along to get along.” Perhaps this lion will die. Then what?

Could we even imagine that something could happen then to help Israel in its most trying time? Is there Anyone watching this struggle? Anyone in the Heavens who might just be ready to take the reins when all seems lost? Will there yet be a sweetness that exudes from this dead lion? Wouldn’t it be better if we were not looking to might and power but to something else?

“Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” – Zec 4:6

Few know what it means to depend on El Shaddai, and even those may wring their hands in fear of what is coming upon the world and especially what will happen to those in this land given and  promised to God’s people. It is mandatory that we take heart at this time. 

It will get very ugly before it gets over. Maybe it should get over, the sooner the better. We need to stop being led by those who think like the world thinks, however wise that may seem. What if we had pure faith (Emunah if you will) in YHVH and His great power? Will He let us down? Where are we in the line up of what is happening to bring about the Divine plan for this world? How does Israel play a part in this? Do we fight like the nations, or do we march out with trumpets blowing when we hear a sound in the mulberry trees? 

“And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” – 2Sa 5:24.

But we are a long way from that type of trust. Why do we tremble? Is it because we have never seen the Hand of Providence guiding our lives? Is it because we remember pogroms, Holocaust, and the Kristanacht? Where was God during those times? Maybe somehow we were in the wrong places or worse yet, that we were not listening to Him? 

Maybe these terrible tragedies should tell us something. Maybe we need to step back and ask who we are following in our religion? Who wrote the instructions? When did we deny our Creator to go after a strange doctrine? 

The way I see it is that we follow the nations because we believe there is more wisdom and skill than that offered by the ONE who made a Covenant with us about land and protection and about raising us up to be a Holy Nation. 

What would happen if we really knew the God of Israel? Would He come alongside and win the war for us so that we could go out with tambourines and march (dance perhaps) to the sound in the myrtle trees?

Judah, “you’ve come a long way, Baby” but maybe in the wrong direction. 

In hopes of a new day after the storm…

Ariella

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A Hostage Crisis and Hotel California

We in Israel find ourselves sitting in the dark tunnels of the lying media wars that accuse Israel of war crimes and excuse those who kill and rape and burn people alive. And we are supposed to feel sorry for terrorists? Really? We have all been taken hostage…How?

Illustrative art from students of Katzrin highschool gallery

The stress among many in Israel is getting out of hand and it is turning into anger for some of us. Unfortunately, that anger has nowhere to go so let me tell you about it! Just now another two planes are circling overhead with their deafening roar shutting out the normal sounds of small town life. We believe that it is our IAF planes. We trust it to be so. But in our subconscious we ask, what if? And we know that even though they are Israeli planes, they are responding to sudden attacks by missiles from outside.

All of nature has gone away. It seems the birds have hidden and the flowers hide their brilliant colors.

We honestly don’t know what the HELL is going on. If we read the news, we see things that make no sense. There are lies inside and outside of this war, we see our own diplomats and statesmen telling us things we can’t fathom—things we would never support. And another cliffhanger is that Israel has scrambled our GPS so that if we need to travel to a town an hour away, we open our apps and find ourselves in Beirut or Cairo. We don’t know where in G-ds green earth we are. And I said we feel like hostages. Except we still have enough to eat and we are not being raped physically, not yet. BUT, it feels like betrayal from within and without. It feels like our souls have been raped. And we are actually starving for words of hope. Words we can trust.

We tell our friends that going back to America or Europe would be much worse, that Iran or Russia will nuke America first. Shall we kid ourselves?

No I don’t want to leave Israel, but it really seems like we have been taken hostage. Or should I say Israel has become Hotel California. We hear that we have to prepare the bombshelters for three days. We hear that they are going to cut off our electricity and water. Ok so it may happen and then what?

We look for comfort watching right wing YouTubers who used to support Israel. One by one they are turning their backs on Israel! Almost everyone says we are starving the “poor Gazan children” and that we are killing them along with their mothers. Good grief! Doesn’t everyone know that Terrorists kill their own people? Doesn’t everyone know that the women and children, yes Gazan civilians also participated in the horrendous October 7 massacre and afterwards? It is the civilians that have housed our hostages and forced them to work without food, some raping them as often as they desire.

Should there be no consequence to a people who not only allowed this but are aiding and abetting it?

Terrorists have no consideration for civilian women and children when they place their armaments under hospitals and kindergartens and push the kids and women out in front of their war machines? What do people say about the terrorists who have shot children for “stealing” food from the multitudinous trucks that bring them “free food?” Just imagine, if we laid out tables filled with all the food that is coming into Gaza they would be lined up all the way to the Nile and back! We know they are not starving, but many of our cousins in America and England think otherwise…Why? Because they believe what they hear. Because they refuse to be upset by anything. When will the stupidity stop? When will people stop believing the propaganda on the News and mainstream media? When was it ever a crime to tell the truth? When will people realize that perhaps, going to church or synagogue to hear words of comfort is “blue pill” that puts them to sleep as they ignore the very real threats that stare them in the face?

Back in the Covid days, the propaganda in the media was nauseating, as if the vaccine was saving lives and “you will probably die without it!” Didn’t people learn from this? Unfortunately there are many who still believe they were protected by a triple dose of big pharma, even though they still have side effects. And for those who did learn, why don’t they realize that this is the same hired media that is covering and promoting this propaganda to please whatever powers are paying them to do it?

What we need is smarter people. People who ask what is NOT being said. Who when they hear the same lines repeated, conclude that there is an agenda and that they are being played.

Why don’t they ask us here in Israel what is really happening? Maybe they are afraid to know the truth? Maybe it is easier to sit back and let the world take care of itself. And maybe they will still be in their comfortable recliners when all hell breaks loose for them as well.

“ The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” ~~author unknown

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Purim–Queen of Chutzpah–What about Hamas?

Purim 2024! The Middle East war is bombarding us on every side, is there anything significant for us in Purim and the book of Esther? Right or wrong, this time we are handling the sneaky Haman (Hamas) differently. Maybe because we do not have a covert Jewish woman sitting as queen in Iran’s palace. Esther prayed and fasted and knew how to don her most beautiful garments to be attractive enough to break the King’s rules about illegal entrance into the throne room. She had no invitation but she took a chance and went before the king. What Chutzpah! Really? She sounds a lot like a normal Israeli once you know the culture. Nobody takes no for an answer here, nor do we always follow protocol. How did we learn this? And did Esther (Hadassah) teach us something about rules that make no sense and the right to refuse something that does us harm? 

Some Biblical scholars say that the book of Esther is a myth. Even if it is, there are lessons we can learn from its teaching about Jews in exile. Must Jews always take things into their own hands to be able to defend themselves? Is the Most High Eternal God of the Universe somehow gone on leave of absence? Or is He trying to get us to use our God-given wisdom and cunning to run the enemy out of our Promised Land? Is He somewhere in the shadows standing alongside us as we fight? Does He bring circumstances about so that even corrupt leaders are forced to make right choices about how and where to fight and whom to resist, even if it be the United States and Great Britain? Can we trust that things will go well in the long run? I often wonder what will happen when the United States decides to cut off all military aid to Israel–aid that they promised to their greatest ally in the Middle East. It is a horrifying thought and one that our leaders are trying to avoid by what appears to be stupid agreements with mediators who have betrayed Israel. And many of these mediators are actually Jewish!

So, Israel has offered 700 terrorists, some of them murderers, in exchange for 40 hostages! That is more than 17 to 1!  Are we serious? But as we watch, I wonder if something will happen that will change the circumstances.. Are we really alone in this? Is the Great YHWH absent from this war? Or is He working behind the scenes?

Yesterday my husband and I attended a Purim Megillah reading. The normal Purim treats and drinks were on the table. Visitors from out of town were present as well as friends from our town in the Golan Heights. The Megillah reading was a normal 2000+ years traditional reading except for the fact that we sat outside and as the chazan was reading the scroll, IAF planes flew over every minute or so, continuing throughout the day in response to hundreds of attacks from the enemy. Many of us had figured in advance that with Ramadan in place, Purim 2024 was going to be under fire from Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria.

The loud sound of the F-15s overhead was enough to make some want another drink of the hard stuff. The Chazan tried to space the reading so that the planes would drown out the name “Haman”. I guess it was meaningful. For me, the service was a reminder that we were in another encounter with Haman, but this time we are in our Holy Land and the looming question is…”Why do we suffer Amalek after we return to our homeland?” Are we still exiles? Did we import some of that mentality from the diaspora? The celebration, if you will call it that, became meaningful to me when I began to contemplate what is happening on a spiritual level. 

I recently questioned the need to continue Purim festivities. Must we remember that we are still in Persia–Iran?  Amalek is, in fact, still in our midst! And 75,000 enemies killed at the command of Esther and Mordechai was still not enough to put an end to the hatred that has generated through the centuries.

Seventy-five thousand is a lot more than the MSM claims as Israel’s victims! Some reports say 32,000 Gazans killed.Maybe it would be better for Israel if this was true! Where is our thinking? Why are we pussyfooting around to save “innocent civilians” when we know what those same “civilians” did to our people on October 7? The old saying “never forget” seems to be forgotten. Why are we trying to make peace with those who have our necks on their chopping block? Where is the Chutzpah of the Queen of Persia? She did not, after all, try to be politically correct when she had Haman and his ten sons hung on the gallows!

When will we realize that something is walking out of step with the Eternal? How can we expect His full intervention? Maybe we should stop fasting to fulfill tradition and start fasting for a renewed vision as to what Hashem expects of us!

And then, we shall ARISE and take back that which was promised to us in the strength of YHWH, the Almighty God of the Universe!

 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of YHWH rises upon you.  See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but YHWH rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isa 60:1-3 

Shalom in the Midst of War,

Ariella

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Cómo ser un individuo y seguir siendo religioso

¿Es posible tener una religión basada en la Biblia sin inclinarse ante alguna jerarquía? ¿Qué pasa con el judaísmo? ¿Es mejor que otras religiones?

Hay varias ramas del judaísmo, algunas más complejas que otras. Cada uno tiene su propia Halajá, Mitzvot o conjunto de normas que sigue. Algunos judíos o aspirantes a judíos todavía están en el desierto reuniendo información sobre qué camino tomar. Yo afirmaría que la mayoría de esta clase son de ascendencia judía (quizás perdida en el proceso de la inquisición) o de las 10 tribus perdidas. Pero ¿cómo se sabe a qué grupo seguir y cuánto derecho tiene una organización a ejercer influencia sobre sus seguidores?

Quizás estemos cansados de instituciones creadas por el hombre que nos gobiernan sin que nosotros decidamos al respecto. Vemos jerarquías en el catolicismo, y en cualquiera de las principales iglesias cristianas, en los diferentes niveles del judaísmo ortodoxo y también en los movimientos más liberales del judaísmo rabínico. ¿Qué tal el caraísmo? ¿Está esto exento? Me doy cuenta de que hay al menos tres o cuatro grupos de caraítas, cada uno con su propio enfoque del Tanaj y la Torá. Hay siddurim para algunos de estos. Algunos exigen una estricta observancia de su Halajá.

Si bien personalmente sugiero individualidad en nuestro enfoque en la Torá y su Tanaj interpretativo, no recomiendo el caos. Lo diré, aunque a menudo parece un caos cuando la gente considera su propia religión natal y la encuentra defectuosa. Y cuando se dan cuenta de que cosas que antes consideraban leyes fundamentales de pronto se les presentan como si tuvieran poco valor bíblico, se desilusionan. Algunos descartan por completo la religión, otros buscan otras religiones y otros intentan encontrar la verdad por sí mismos. Pero, considerando este gran renacimiento religioso que está ocurriendo en todo el mundo, ¿estamos entre los que abandonan todas las formas y ceremonias y desechan por completo lo que consideramos religión organizada? ¿Cómo vamos a tener una religión si no tenemos algo en lo que estemos de acuerdo?

La forma caraíta de judaísmo, a diferencia de otras ramas del judaísmo, parece permitir la libertad más bíblica, que es lo que muchos buscan. ¿Pero podemos estar de acuerdo en algo? ¿Podemos aceptar estar en desacuerdo y seguir unidos? La verdad fundamental del caraísmo es que todo debe basarse en la Torá dada en el Sinaí y las obras de los profetas en el Tanaj. En el caraísmo hay un rechazo universal de lo que se llama la Torá Oral o תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה.
Esto se basa en las instrucciones a Moisés de que Israel no agregue ni quite de las palabras que YHWH le dio a Israel.

“No añadirás a la palabra que yo te mando, ni quitarás de ella, para que guardes los mandamientos de Jehová tu Dios que yo te mando”. – Deuteronomio 4:2

La ortodoxia, así como otras ramas del judaísmo que siguen a los rabinos, afirman que los sabios recibieron la transmisión de la Torá y se les dio el derecho de reinterpretarla y aplicarla como mejor les pareciera. La siguiente cita lo resume:

“La tradición judía identifica la cadena histórica interpretada por individuos a quienes se les confió la transmisión de la Ley Oral desde Moisés hasta el período rabínico temprano: “Moisés recibió la Torá y la transmitió a Josué;
Josué a los Ancianos; los Ancianos a los profetas; y los profetas lo transmitieron a los hombres de la Gran Asamblea”. (mira aquí).

Pero muchos de nosotros vemos tanta desviación de las palabras originales de Moisés que buscamos un acercamiento a la Torá que resista la prueba del tiempo. Y, por supuesto, hay problemas para aplicar toda la Torá incluso hoy en día porque no hay Templo ni sacrificios. Esa parte de la Torá parece haberse perdido al menos hasta que se construya otro Templo. Algunas de las normas actuales no permiten cosas como la poligamia, lo que significa que tenemos que mirar de nuevo y comprender los principios detrás de lo que estaba permitido. A veces la Torá permitía algo pero no había ninguna ley que dijera “lo harás o no lo harás”. Así que la aplicación de la Torá tiene un desafío continuo y así debe ser. No hay ningún deseo de que recreemos una nueva religión jerárquica que decida por nosotros lo que debemos o no debemos hacer. Después de todo, Moisés dijo:

“Ahora bien, lo que os mando hoy no es demasiado difícil para vosotros ni está fuera de vuestro alcance. No está en el cielo, de modo que tengas que preguntar: “¿Quién subirá al cielo para recibirlo y proclamárnoslo para que podamos obedecerlo?” Tampoco está más allá del mar, de modo que tengas que preguntar: “¿Quién cruzará el mar para conseguirlo y proclamárnoslo para que podamos obedecerlo?” No, la palabra está muy cerca de ti; está en tu boca y en tu corazón para que puedas obedecerlo”. Deuteronomio 30:11-14

Entonces, ¿qué se requiere de nosotros hoy? ¿No sería un buen punto de partida si empezáramos a estudiar seriamente el Tanaj por nosotros mismos y dejáramos de aprender tanto de rabinos y pastores? No digo que no haya razón para dejar de aprender y sí, otras personas deben tener influencia, pero ninguna tiene derecho a ejercer autoridad espiritual sobre el individuo en este momento. Y cuando el templo se restablece y se instala el Sacerdocio junto con un tribunal levítico apropiado, entonces los juicios estarán en orden. Aún no estamos allí. Y no creo que ninguno de nosotros sepa cómo será exactamente.

Lo que se requiere en este momento es que estudiemos y oremos, pidiéndole al Eterno que escudriñe nuestros corazones y nos mantenga ante Su vista mientras nos entregamos voluntariamente a obedecer Sus mandamientos. Después de todo, ¿es posible que estas leyes ya estén escritas en nuestros corazones y mentes?

“Porque este es el pacto que haré con la casa de Israel después de aquellos días, declara Jehová: Pondré mi ley dentro de ellos, y la escribiré en sus corazones. Y yo seré su Dios, y ellos serán mi pueblo. Y ya no enseñará cada uno a su prójimo ni cada uno a su hermano, diciendo: ‘Conoce a YHWH’, porque todos me conocerán, desde el más pequeño de ellos hasta el mayor, declara YHWH. Porque perdonaré su iniquidad y no me acordaré más de su pecado.” – Jer 31:33-34

“Él te ha dicho, oh hombre, lo que es bueno; ¿Y qué exige YHWH de ti sino hacer justicia, amar la bondad y caminar humildemente con tu Dios? Miqueas 6:8.

Enfocando en la Tora

Ariella

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How to Be an Individual and still be Religious

Is it possible to have a Bible-based religion without bowing to some hierarchy? What about Judaism? Is it better than other religions?

There are several branches of Judaism, some more complex than others. Each has its own Halakha, Mitzvot or set of standards which it follows. Some Jews or wanna-be Jews are still in the wilderness gathering information about which road to travel. I would assert that most of this class are either Jewish by descent (perhaps lost in the process of the inquisition) or of the 10 lost tribes. But how does one know which group to follow and how much right does an organization have to exert influence over its adherents? 

Perhaps we are tired of man-made institutions that rule over us without our decision in the matter. We see hierarchies in Catholicism, and any of the mainline Christian churches, in the different levels of Orthodox Judaism and also in the more liberal movements of Rabbinic Judaism. How about Karaism? Is this exempt? I realize that there are at least three or four groups of Karaites, each with its own approach to the Tenakh and Torah. There are siddurim for some of these. Some require strict observance of their Halakha. 

While I personally suggest individuality in our approach to the Torah and its interpretive Tanakh, I do not recommend chaos. I will say, though it often seems like chaos when people consider their own natal religion and find it flawed. And when they realize that things they have formerly considered as fundamental laws suddenly loom up before them as having little Biblical value, they become disenchanted. Some throw religion out completely, others look for other religions, still others try to find the truth by themselves. But, considering this great religious renaissance going on around the world, are we among those who abandon all forms and ceremonies and throw out completely what we consider organized religion? How will we even have a religion if we do not have something that we agree on? 

The Karaite form of Judaism, in contrast to other branches of Judaism, seems to allow the most Biblical liberty, which is what many are seeking. But can we agree on anything? Can we agree to disagree and still stand together? The fundamental truth of Karaism is that everything must be based on the Torah given on Sinai and the works of the prophets in the Tanakh. In Karaism there is a universal rejection of what is called the Oral Torah or the תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה. 

This is based on the instructions to Moses that Israel not add nor subtract from the words he was given by YHWH for Israel.  

“You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you.” – Deu 4:2 

Orthodoxy, as well as other branches of mainstream Judaism, claim that the sages received the transmission of Torah and were given the right to reinterpret it and to apply it as they saw fit. The following quote sums it up:

“Jewish tradition identifies the unbroken historical chain of individuals who were entrusted with passing down the Oral Law from Moses to the early rabbinic period: “Moses received the Torah and handed it down to Joshua; Joshua to the Elders; the Elders to the prophets; and the prophets handed it down to the men of the Great Assembly.” (see here).

But many of us see so much deviation from the original words of Moses that we look for an approach to Torah that stands the test of time. And of course there are problems applying all of the Torah even today because there is no Temple and there are no sacrifices. That part of the Torah seems to have been lost at least until another Temple is built. Some of today’s norms do not allow things like Polygamy which mean we have to take a new look and understand the principles behind what was allowed. Sometimes the Torah allowed something but there was no law saying “Thou shalt, or thou shalt not.” So Torah application has an ongoing challenge and must be so. There is no desire that we recreate a new hierarchical religion that decides for us what we shall or shall not do. After all, Moses said:

“Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”  No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” Deu 30:11-14 

So what is required of us today? Wouldn’t it be a good place to start if we began to study the Tanakh in earnest for ourselves and stop learning so much from rabbis and pastors? I do not say there is no reason to stop learning and yes, other people must have an influence, but none have the right to exercise spiritual authority over the individual at this time. And when the Temple is reestablished, and the Priesthood is installed along with a proper Levitical court, then judgments will be in order. We are not there yet. And I don’t think any of us knows how it will be exactly. 

What is required at this time is that we study and pray, asking the Eternal to search our hearts and keep us in His sight while we willingly surrender to obey His commandments. After all, is it possible that these laws are already written in our hearts and minds?

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘KnowYHWH,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares YHWH. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” – Jer 31:33-34 

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does YHWH require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Mic 6:8.

Yours,

Ariella

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