Getting Through to Messianics Part 1

I recently watched a featured video by Jews for Judaism Canada:

Now, readers, the content is well and good, but it doesn't necessarily get through to Messianics. Of course, Jews for Judaism is primarily countering Jews for Jesus, not necessarily Messianics. And yes, there is a difference. As my brother recently wrote about in his Messianic blog, there is indeed a difference. While some J4Jesus might call themselves Messianic, the difference I am talking about is in the intentions of the missionary organization J4Jesus and the intentions of most groups titling themselves Messianic.

Again, I agree entirely with the content of this video, but let me show you some places that Messianics will try to get a word in to prove otherwise.

1.  Rabbi Skobac's first point is that when the coming Mashiahh is reigning as King, Israel will have been returned from exile. He says the past 2,000+ year exile, but couldn't it have been around the first century CE? It definitely could have been, and that is what any given Messianic might point out regarding this first point.

However, Rabbi Skobac is correct in that - this didn't happen in the time of Yeshu. It could have, but didn't. There were many Jews still in Bavel, and that is actually given in the Gemara, by Resh Lakish, as one of the reasons for this past Roman exile.

I don't believe, however, that all Jews must be in Israel in order for the Mashiahh to return Dawid's Kingdom. I think that will be a result of that Kingdom being re-established, and should it be soon in our days.

2.  Rabbi Skobac's second point is of the Temple and that it was still standing when Yeshu is said to have existed. That doesn't necessarily mean there couldn't have been a return of Dawid's Kingdom via his descendant to be Mashiahh, but it definitely would have needed to be at least somewhat reconstructed to its former glory.

However, that did not happen in the early centuries CE.

3.  The third point raised is that when Mashiahh comes, world peace will come about. This is true, but only after Israel destroys many nations.

But neither destroying Israel's enemies nor the resulting world peace happened via Yeshu. In fact, the opposite. As the Rabbi mentions, wars increased, sometimes in the name of Jesus, and very often against Israel. The Crusades, which resulted in persecution and destruction of Jewish life that had yet remained in the Land of Israel. Christian Europe was constantly involved in the persecution of Jews, a special hatred that is specifically bred by Christianity itself which labels Jews as "primitive" and non-believers in their claimed salvation.

4.  The fourth point is that at the time of the reign of King Mashiahh, Dawid, and his restored Kingdom, Jews will collectively become observant.

This is true, because by both physical and spiritual means, this re-establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven upon this earth, which is the Kingdom of Dawid, the aspect of emuna (faith) in HaShem will be elevated to it's proper place. This will affect the whole world, in fact, and lead to remaining nations in the earth to undoubtedly draw closer to HaShem.

For especially over the last 2,000 years, secularism and philosophy (the attempt to rationalize the Creator) have flourished, causing atheism, and people who follow their family's religion only in name. The Catholic who goes out and parties, does whatever he wants in his college years, indulges in hedonism. The Muslim who does whatever, just prays extra on Friday. And the Jew who minorly observes some religious customs while basically doing whatever he wants, following along in the culture of where he lives.

It would have been better had all of the nations stayed with their native pagan beliefs instead of forming new religions like Christianity and Islam which make mention of the Jewish people and claim to be the correct extension of them, and claim to correct mistakes that the Jewish people supposedly made. That is the largest catalyst of world anti-Semitism.

5.  Point number 5 goes together with the rest and has much to do with point 4.

This blog is getting a bit long, so I'm going to insert "Part 1" into the title and continue with the rest in a second post.

"Shadow of Things to Come" 2: Shavu`oth

The great day of Shavu`oth, the memorial of the giving of the Torah to Israel at Har Sinai through Moshe Rabbenu. A time to celebrate the Torah which separates the people of Israel from all other nations.

The Torah proclaims that HaShem is One; that there is no other Creator besides Him. One of the biggest forbidden things in the Torah is serving, worshiping, or even thinking about doing such. In fact, even if one defecates on an idol as an insult, if that is the way its worshipers praise this false deity, that person is still guilty of a sin, albeit an accident.

Merely giving the impression of serving any other god, even when one is not actually doing so, is forbidden. This is because a Jew must be seen as serving only HaShem, being that he is chosen for special service to HaShem, and any indication of foreign service is forbidden to the extreme.

So clearly, Shavu`oth has nothing to do with anything contrary to HaShem and His Torah. However, the Messianics and in fact all strains of Christianity say that on this day, there was a supposed outpouring of the "Holy Spirit" on "Pentacost" which is their holiday partially derived from Shavu`oth.

The term in Hebrew is Ruahh HaQodesh (please note: "hh" refers to the guttural "h" sound of the letter "hheth"; whereas most people pronounce this the same as the letter "khaf", a "kh"/"ch" sound). I distinguish between this and the Christian concept of Holy Spirit. It is said that the followers of the Christian messiah had a day paralleled by the Shavu`oth account of the Torah being spoken by HaShem in all the 70 languages of the goyim. What is claimed to have happened is people "speaking in tongues".

Speaking in tongues is meant in the NT to mean speaking in foreign languages at random. Whereas today, the Pentacostal sect of Protestant Christianity as well as some Messianics and other Christians know it is unintelligible speech as well as foreign languages.

So what is the point of all this?

"Speaking in tongues" may be random jibberish, a form of demonic influence on speech, or be a mixed spiritual experience; or it could be all of those or any combination of those. The point is, people who worship a foreign entity and breach a basic law of Torah - to serve only HaShem - are not in a position for spirituality in qedusa, rather they partake in the side of qelipa; the other side.

In other words, the Pentecost and the "Holy Spirit" of the goyim and of `avoda zara are the sittra ahhra (other side) version of what is in true Torah-Judaism.

Just as I learned earlier today on Shabat (it is motza"sh as I am writing this), in Liquttei Moharan, torah 8, the sighing of a Jew is great. The breath (neshima) is related to the soul (neshama) and has to do with the ruahh (spirit/wind/breath) of life that HaShem breathes into creation. The sigh of the Jew, fills the hhesron (lack) which exists in a given thing because of a lack of 'ruahh' in that thing. This sigh draws life into the thing.
On the flip side, the resha`im (the evil) symbolized by `Esaw who is "ish se`ir" draw their fulfillment of lack from the other side in what is a "ruahh se`ara" (storm wind), which is strong temporarily but results ends up sweeping away the bodies and souls of those who use it.

This "Holy Spirit" of the Christians is an aspect of `Esaw, the "ruahh se`ara"/storm wind, which has strong but temporary strength, and eventually passes away like every storm, bringing the bodies and souls of those who are caught up in it away into destruction. As we see, Christianity is passing away; and Messianism will either result in the currently non-Jewish, potential Jewish souls eventually coming to true Torah or the withering away of their lives.

"A Shadow of Things to Come"

It has been a while since my last blog post since I've been enjoying all of the hhagim. In light of the holidays, I'd like to take a brief look at the overview of all 7 of the DeOraita holidays. These are usually used as "proofs" by Messianics and "Hebrew Roots" Christians to the authenticity of their god's supposed miraculous birth and his claimed existence and ascension.

In fact, they are each usually referred to as "prophetic pictures" having described their god and messiah's supposed first coming and his fantasized second. In response to such an idea, I'd like to briefly refute their main points, and give the correct understanding. This post will be dedicated to Pesahh, and I'll continue with Shavu`ot, and Sukot.

Pesahh, firstly, as everyone knows, is a memorial of the exodus from Egypt. This is replayed in the exodus from every exile, in fact, since our Sages say that every exile is called "Egypt". A huge reason many of the Jewish people are often ensnared in exile, despite the fact that there is abounding persecution in each, is cultural assimilation and the idols of materialism. Cultural assimilation works in two ways. While in one way it leads to a loss in the number of Jews via intermarriage and through Jews thinking of themselves as one with the local populace, acting, talking, and dressing like them - it can also work in spreading Jewish lineage to those who are born goyim, and after a generation or two, those children often feel an arousing to return to some of their ancestors' people and religion.
This is explained by Rabi Nahhman of Uman, as I recall, having to do with Jewish souls being overpowered by the forces of the "other side", actualized by the goyim, and they end up being freed and returning to their source after some generations. This is the beauty of the idea of encouraging zera` Yisrael (that is, non Jews with some Jewish lineage or ancestors; for example, someone with only a Jewish father) to return to Judaism.

Nonetheless, Pesahh has nothing to do with Jesus. His worshipers claim him to be the "sacrifice lamb", akin to the pascal lamb, the blood on the doorposts, etc. What is quite comical is that slaughtering this lamb was a direct affront to the Egyptians, since they worshiped a lamb-god. Egyptians wouldn't kill and eat sheep or cattle, just like modern day Indians wouldn't the latter. Meaning slaughtering this lamb had to do with defamation, insult, and affront toward foreign deities, yet these people assign it to the exact opposite. Think about that for a moment.

I could go into the placing of sins upon sacrificial animal for atonement, for the Tanakhic fact that prayer is as these sacrifices. I could tie in the idea of repentance and confessing sins to HaShem as necessity in the act of repentance, etc. All of these things are known and written of, and I am fairly proficient in that knowledge. However, not many Messianics are very much. There is tons of confusion in their minds about this issue, as a result of the erroneous doctrines they are brainwashed with. I am not going to go in this topic on this particular post, but it would be a good one to write about in the future.

Pesahh truly symbolizes Jews getting out of exile, returning to the Land of Israel, rejection the way of life of the goyim, and their religions and idolatry (whether of gods or materialism). Christianity and all its forms, including Messianism, couldn't be a better example of the kind of foreign religion and idolatry. As you'll see, Messianism claims to be a fulfillment of the Tanakh, but yet is actually be the direct opposite, as in this case.

So let's see who HAS done HaShem's will and has gotten out of exile, back into the Land of Israel and have merited this return which keeps coming into fruition, continuously removing the layers of galut. Is it the Messianics, the vast, vast majority of whom live outside of Israel and most of whom are not halakhically Jewish? Or is it the Jewish people, who continue to go according to the Sages of Israel, not those who come up with their own interpretations, and who have returned to the Land of Israel in mass, established a thriving nation there, and are on their way to complete redemption? The answer is extremely obvious.

Antidote To The Big Swindle

I want you all to click this link and read my article that was published (thanks to R' Lazer Brody!) on Breslev Israel. It is about my spiritual journey from the fake sadiq to the Sadiq-Amath. Enjoy!

Family Matters

Still Waiting...
I've been waiting for over 2 weeks for a response from one of my brothers (biologically speaking), combating an issue he raised on my other brother's blog. I countered what he said and backed it up with verses from the Tanakh and common Torah knowledge and concepts. Very basic, not hard to do.

I still haven't received an answer, after reminding him about 2-3 times.

Just today, I confronted my ex-sister about a Christian anti-Semitic picture she 'liked' on Facebook, stating something like: "Draw the line between tradition and Torah, or you'll end up like the Pharisees". She proceeded to tell me that Torah isn't tradition (because, you see, tradition is just so bad...), but that it is a command, something obligatory.

I told her that if the Torah commands to teach it to our children and thereby be passing it on... it is logically and obviously then also tradition. This is a very simple concept. It is extremely elementary, and it just goes to show how much logic these people must throw away in order to maintain their senseless theology.

The Rooster, or the J-man?
I also mentioned to her that Messianics sure like to take verses here and there from the Tanakh to supposedly support their beliefs - but they CAN'T EVEN answer me when I ask them one single question raised against them from the Tanakh. Weak. They apparently don't realize, taking out snippets of the Tanakh and mis-applying them can be done to make a chicken look like the promised messiah. Poppycock (pun intended) like this is what happens when people who aren't adept at any level in Hebrew and Judaism try to make messianic claims.

It is so ridiculous how they tout and tout but then when I confront them they can't answer back. It is actually comical. When I recently began to converse with a Messianic blogger, I wrote to him a lot and answered some of his questions. It was civil until he chose not to answer my questions at all in our emails, but instead posted one of my questions on his blog. In the comments, this guy used the "born of a virgin" verse in the Tanakh - which doesn't actually exist since the word in question is alma, not bethula (idiots...). Despite that he doesn't know any Hebrew, he wanted to convince me that the Septuagint backs him up. He said that I was having a hard time arguing with him (HAHA), and that I should call for some back up.

People asked questions, but never answered any of mine. It was funny, this repetitive trend of me debunking lies and calling out their misconceptions, just for my own questions being ignored and me being asked more questions as if I didn't know how to answer. Or as if I didn't understand their assumptions that they were trying to get across. As if I had never heard such before in my younger years as a captive in Messianic theology. I answered and wasn't polite with them at all.

Ignorance and Arrogance
But you see, it doesn't get through to them ever. It is all about emotional connection and believing what you believe, knowing what you know, holding on to that "spiritual" emotionally warm feeling, and that assurance that you don't need to do jack, since Yeshu has it all covered. And how could you think twice? After all, if you're wrong, you really are screwed...
So they decide not to believe the people who actually do speak Hebrew and who make it their business to learn Torah for the length of their lives. The people who have the Torah not just as God-given law, but as a tradition ingrained in their very culture as well as their constant daily lives.

Every time I eat or drink anything, after I go to the bathroom, before I do a misswa, when I behold the greatness of HaShem's creation; I give thanks and recognize the power of my Creator. And that is an obligation. These people choose to ignore those on a higher level than them and to learn from those who are actually in the position to teach. Not so Zekharya 8:23 of them, now, is it?

It is time wasted to try to convince a die-hard `oved `avoda zara.

What Covenant Are YOU Under?!

Are You Under the New Covenant?
There is a whole belief held among Messianics, and almost exclusively among them, about "covenants". A series of "covenants" which is supposed to make it work that Yeshu initiated a "new covenant" for all of mankind. Giving them that "magical loophole" that I touched on in the very last post before this one. A magical loophole making them the new chosen people, or the Super Israel. As if...

Islam doesn't even take it that far. They just say that the Jews messed up, and they have the real divine book, the Quran, and that Muslims are the new chosen people. And that's why a small group of Jews came into the middle of tons of their own and they still can't get us out of 'their' land.

So where does this idea come from? Well, there was the covenant given to mankind after the flood. There are universal laws for everyone in the world to obey, and we know that the world will not be destroyed again by a flood.
We have the covenant given to Avraham which actually just started with him and extended onto his righteous and chosen offspring.
We have the fruition of that covenant given at Har Sinai between HaShem and Israel, the descendants of Avraham who were to possess the Land of Israel, promised to Avraham, and obey all of the commands of HaShem in order to be a special nation in the world with a special purpose.

Then there is the covenant with Pinhhas, Dawid, etc. So what do these covenants have to do with Messianic theology?

"Brit Chadasha" - Its NOT the 'NT'
They say that Yeshu came to initiate a new covenant, which they say is what a verse in Yirmeyah ('Jeremiah') 31:30 is talking about. In this new covenant, which the supposed magical effect of believing in Yeshu automatically initiates people this new covenant, and apparently into the people of Israel too.
But not so fast - let's go over 31:30-32 for a second:

ל הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם-יְהֹוָה וְכָרַתִּי אֶת-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת-בֵּית יְהוּדָה בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה 
30Behold the days are coming, says HaShem, that I will cut with the House of Israel and the House of Judah a new covenant. 
לא לֹא כַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרַתִּי אֶת-אֲבוֹתָם בְּיוֹם הֶחֱזִיקִי בְיָדָם לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אֲשֶׁר-הֵמָּה הֵפֵרוּ אֶת-בְּרִיתִי וְאָנֹכִי בָּעַלְתִּי בָם נְאֻם-יְהֹוָה
31 Not as the covenant I cut with their fathers on the day of the gripping of their hands, taking them out from the land of Egypt, in which they broke my covenant, and [in which] I had been a master to them, says HaShem.
 לב כִּי זֹאת הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר אֶכְרֹת- אֶת-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵי הַיָּמִים הָהֵם נְאֻם-יְהֹוָה נָתַתִּי אֶת-תּוֹרָתִי
בְּקִרְבָּם וְעַל-לִבָּם אֶכְתֳּבֶנָּה וְהָיִיתִי לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים וְהֵמָּה יִהְיוּ-לִי לְעָם
32 Surely this is the covenant which I will cut with the House of Israel after those days, says HaShem, I will place my Torah inside of them, and on their hearts I will write it. And I'll be God to them and they will be My people.

The Malbim comments extensively on these verses, which is the norm for his excellent commentaries. Basically the Malbim explains that the previous covenant was on the conditions that they don't cross it, that they don't sin. But, you see, people have a yesser hara ('evil inclination'). In this future covenant, it is stated that HaShem will write the Torah in Israel's heart, place it inside of them. The Malbim comments specifically: "...שלא תתעורר אצלם בחירה הפך התורה", meaning that there will not be aroused in them any [free] choice opposite to the Torah. Annulment of any free choice contrary to Torah. That is what the REAL new covenant that will be.

Has Yeshu Annulled Your Desire to Sin? LOL
So did you just read those verses, or what? What do they have to do with Yeshu? I have never met a Messianic that fully accepted the Torah, either (you kinda can't, believing in Yeshu and all).
So how are they supposedly in a new covenant where the Torah is written on their hearts, etc? They're not! And trust me, I had been Messianic before, and I sure had the desire to sin! I had an inclination to do wrong, like every other human being on the planet.

And what has come from Yeshu in this world? The advancement and expansion of Torah Judaism, as well as people no longer being able to choose contrary to the Torah? Definitely the exact opposite. WHO are we kidding here? This "new covenant" idea of theirs is completely unfounded, and it takes a monkey reading the above verses to extract this theology from it.

Don't be a monkey. If you're a Messianic reading this, please remove the emotional conditioning and recognize how obviously erroneous your theology is. It just doesn't mesh with Torah.

The New Israel?

The New Israel?
There is the classic Christian idea that they are the "new Israel", God's new chosen people. In fact, Islam has the same thing. "Oh the Jews, ohh the Jews... Once God's people then they [insert: 'changed the Tanakh', if you're Muslim]/[insert: 'rejected the Messiah', if you're Christian/Messianic] and now we ['have the restored religion of old which we now call Islam, as delivered to us by the prophet Muhhammad']/['have the new covenant of God which breaks all barriers between Israel and the nations, making all true believers in Jesus God's new chosen special people'], and the Jews are still going on their own fallen path, never recognizing the truth."

Do you see the pattern?

A popular question going on in some of the Messianic blogs of late has been "are Gentiles considered part of Israel [now that Yeshu apparently changed the Torah's clear distinction between Israel and the goyim]".

This idea comes from various places in the Christian Bible (what they call the "New Testament") which refer to goyim, via Yeshu, becoming "part of the commonwealth of Israel", or becoming "grafted in", and other such terminology. What is funny to me is that lots of these people say they are totally "pro-Torah" and believe that Torah is still valid (contrary to popular Christian thought) because of Yeshu's statement in Matthew 5:17-19, in which he says that he didn't come to abolish the 'Law and Prophets', but rather to fulfill them.

But rest assured that this statement is both contradicted and supported various times throughout their texts, as bipolar as they are.

So let's see what Torah has to say about this.

First, there is the fact that HaShem delivered the Torah to the Israel at Har Sinai. There ARE universal laws of Torah, called the Noahide Laws, which are binding on all goyim. However, there is much, much more given to Israel that is specific to Israel. We have Shabat which is a "sign forever", "between Me and between the sons of Israel", mentioned specifically. The whole system of Torah: written and oral, constantly refers to the separation and difference between Israel and the goyim. In brakha of Havdalla, we say "hammavdil bein qodhash lahhol, bein or lahhoshakh, bein Yisroal lajoyyim, bein yom hashavi`i lasheshath yamei hama`asa" ("[HaShem] who distinguishes between holy and common, between light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the 7th day and the rest of the days of Creation"). Then to top it off, we have this concept - as if it weren't clear enough already! - mentioned blatantly in Tehillim 147, in the last two verses:
מגיד דבריו ליעקב, חוקיו ומשפטיו לישראל. לא עשה כן לכל גוי, ומשפטים בל ידעום.
He declares His Words to Ya`aqov, His statutes and ordinances to Israel. He hasn't done such for any other nation (literally "for any goy"), and [His] ordinances they have not known.

Magical Loophole?Seriously, how much more clear do we need to be? If these Messianics believed in Torah, believed in Tanakh like they claim - how do they get over this verse and the whole entire concept of separation between Israel and the nations? It is quite ridiculous. But here is a probable Messianic "answer" to that question:

"Since Yeshu made a way for everyone to come to God through him, and since this new covenant is circumcision of the heart (a claim they make based on Yirmeyah 31:30-31), then all are made holy through him and brought into the commonwealth of God's people."

See, this is their loophole: Yeshu's magical powers. Even though they believe Yeshu said, as I cited earlier, that he didn't come to abolish or annul the Torah, but to "fulfill" it. No one can believe that, and then believe his supposed special powers changed a fundamental and extremely important aspect of Torah like this.

Let's keep in mind, in the days of `Ezra, many Jewish men were called out for having goyot as wives. Now, this was not like in the days of Shimshon, Dowid, etc, whose foreign wives were converted into Israel. In `Ezra's day, clothes were torn over this sin, and repentance was done. As one stated to `Ezra concerning this (`Ezra 10:2): "'We have broken faith with our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing." This shows how serious this concept is to Torah.

God's Truly ChosenWhat goyim may do to actually become God's chosen is convert to Judaism. Then they will be fully Jewish. But how could conversion into `Am Yisrael be promoted by Messianics, when they cannot adhere to or promote Judaism because of their above-stated beliefs. Even among the ethnically Jewish minority of Messianics, and the further minority who seek to adhere, they cannot adhere to halakhic observance completely because they breach a whole aspect of Torah/halakha.

IF Yeshu were truly the Messiah of Judaism, we would see many goyim perhapts of lost or partial Jewish ancestry (or possibly neither) convert to Judaism. This would be in fulfillment of many pasuqim in Tanakh regarding goyim coming to HaShem. But we see, this is NOT the case with Yeshu. In fact, it is much the OPPOSITE. Instead, there are attempts to take Jews away from Judaism, an overall hatred or looking down upon of Judaism. That is directly opposite of what will happen when the real Mashiahh comes into the world.

The ReasonAll of these erroneous concepts and absurd ideas are rooted in one thing. And that is a lack of understanding Judaism/Torah. Anyone who understands isn't fooled by a collection of Roman writings aimed to mix Judaism with Roman 'pagan' concepts. That's why the Yeshu narrative is paralleled to the supposed life, death, and resurrection of the classic universal mythologies of the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, etc, etc. And that is why Catholic means universal. What Romans did was mix everyone under their domain into a common belief and culture.

They took some known and common Jewish concepts and mixed them with their religion. Thus Christmas, December 25th, had been known as Saturnalia, the birthday of the god of the sun. Easter maintained the name of the goddess of fertility (known as Isis, Ashtar, etc, by other civilizations). Most Messianics distance themselves from these holidays and from Sunday "sabbath", etc. That is fine and good - but they still maintain the idolatry and most of the totally mixed beliefs of Christianity, but simply put a supposed "Torah" label on it, attempting to make their pig kosher.