From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 03:43:45 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 01:43:45 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] "..but the house of the righteous shall stand."
Message-ID: <855590370903010143qd92a3bfs873af7b6d1b2a1db@mail.gmail.com>
ToraLife 7
by HaRav Ariel Bar Tzadok. Copyright (C) 2009 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All
rights reserved. *Evil individuals will be overthrown, and will cease
[to exist]; but the house of the righteous shall stand. *Proverbs 12:7
Evil individuals have two enemies, one that is small and one that is great.
The small enemy is the multitude of peoples whom evil individuals oppress.
The great enemy is the very evil itself that resides within the heart of the
evil individual.
Those whom evil individuals oppress do not always have the necessary
strength to pose a threat to their oppressors. The weak and the downtrodden
may or may not be able to defend themselves against evil souls, therefore
they are most often no threat at all. This is why they are called the small
enemy, for although they pose a constant threat to the evil individual in
their thirst for justice and revenge, still more often than not, they lack
the power and therefore can cause no real serious harm.
However, although the weak and oppressed can be silenced and their danger
neutralized, there still remains the greater enemy, the one who cannot be
silenced, or intimated. The great enemy cannot be oppressed, for it is the
oppressor. The great enemy cannot be conquered for it is the conqueror. The
evil heart inside the evil individual has a life of its own and more often
than not turns on its own self, just as easily as it turns on the weak and
oppressed. Ultimately in the end the evil individual becomes as much a
victim of his own evil as are those whom he oppresses. This is unavoidable
and inevitable. Evil is its own downfall. For them we have no pity and for
them we shed no tears. Evil deserves its fate.
After all the harm evil does to others, evil eventually turns back on itself
and destroys its host. Although we may not be the instruments for the
destruction of evil, we can hurry it along. Although we may not be strong
enough to confront, attack and defeat evil, we can still gain a minor
victory in that we are able to resist. It is in our resistance that lays our
true strength and it is in our resistance that plants the seeds for evil's
inward turn and destruction of itself.
The secret of defeating evil is righteousness. Righteousness simply means
living by doing what is right, always. It is often hard to distinguish
between right and wrong in all circumstances. Therefore, the righteous rely
upon what they know in their hearts more so than what they know in their
heads.
Knowing in the heart is not an emotional state. Knowing in the heart begins
when feelings and emotions end. In order to truly know what the heart knows
one must silence the noise of conflicting emotions and still the raging fire
of one's feelings.
When the heart is silent, then it can hear the voice of the inner mind. The
inner voice is not heard by either the ear or the mind, but the heart knows
its language well. It tells the heart what the right thing is to do, when
and how to do it. This is the voice of conscience. It is the heart of
righteousness. No one can be righteous without a conscience. No one can hear
the voice of conscience over the roar of a conflicted heart.
One's house is one's home; yet it is more than a building or a physical
place. The house of the righteous is his inner place; the place where his
heart and mind merge as one, showing him the proper path that defines
righteousness. This house shall stand forever, it shall never fail or fall.
Although the power of evil can be most formidable and most foreboding,
still, the righteous stand firm against it. Although the evil one may kill
the body of the righteous soul, still the resolve and heart of the righteous
will stand firm and live forever. Thus his house remains forever intact.
The echo of righteousness lives on forever. It is more powerful than any
force evil individuals can ever generate. The echo of righteousness seeps
into the inner mind of the evil individual and does war with his evil heart.
It is this inner war that is the fall and demise of evil. When evil turns to
fight the inner war within the evil individual, the evil becomes consumed;
it self-destructs and eventually ceases to exist.
The echo of righteousness however will live on and on. It will pass from one
righteous soul to the next, from one generation to the next. In the end,
only righteousness will remain. This is a long road and we still have a way
to travel upon it. Yet, the end is near, and the outcome is assured.
-------------------------------------------
Shalom, HaRav Ariel Bar Tzadok
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 04:24:18 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 02:24:18 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
Message-ID: <855590370903010224t430c1adbvd70128f4b4f3540d@mail.gmail.com>
Shalom John,
Boker tov in Louisiana! The two excerpts below, from story's from
today's Arutz-7 illustrate elements related to those two articles (one that
you posted, and one that I did) relating to changing residency &
citizenship (as well as conversion) requirements. I have interspersed my
comments in *RED*....
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on your original note....if we
wait for others to jump in first, we may be here a very, very long
time...LOL
* Hanoch*
*Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim*
Outreach Rabbi Singer to Challenge Missionary Aggression Adar 4, 5769, 28
February 09 08:15
by by IsraelNN Staff
(IsraelNN.com) The *Outreach Judaism* organization has announced that it is
launching an exhaustive four-part lecture series in Jerusalem to respond
directly to missionaries who engage in Jewish evangelism. The campaign is in
an effort to combat a disturbing assault by fundamentalist Christians who
target Jews for conversion.
* It continues to astound me - there truly is no willingness, whatsoever,
to allow beliefs other then their personal Christian ones. As John Hulley
once said, they're in Israel and when giving Jewish children candy, they
just HAVE to tell them that Jesus loves them....*
Outreach Judaism is an international organization dedicated to countering
the efforts of fundamentalist groups and cults who specifically target Jews
for conversion.
The series entitled *Judaism?s Response to Christian Missionaries* will be
the first course run in Jerusalem by Outreach
Judaismfounder and director Rabbi
Tovia Singer, who moved to Israel last year from
the United States.
In the current series, Rabbi Singer, a world-renowned expert on Jewish
evangelism, said he will respond to fundamentalist Christian groups who
try to lure vulnerable Jews into their ranks, by exploring the "dark
history" of the groups. He intends to expose the aggressive techniques used
by organizations like Jews for Jesus that spend millions of dollars annually
to ?bring the message of the Gospel to the Jewish people.?
Rabbi Singer said he will also demonstrate how missionaries twist the Jewish
scriptures in order to make the sacred Hebrew texts appear as though they
are speaking about Jesus.
?Jews for Jesus and other well-funded missionary organizations have launched
a deceptive campaign to convert the most vulnerable segments of our
community to their extremist brand of Christianity,? said Singer, who also
hosts his own talk show on *Israel National
Radio
*.
?In their unrelenting spiritual assault on Jewish communities worldwide,
these aggressive organizations, backed by major evangelical churches
worldwide, deliberately blur the distinctions between Judaism and
Christianity in order to lure susceptible Jews who would otherwise resist a
straightforward Christian message,? he added.
*This is bound to work against Ephramite believers in Yeshua who are willing
to keep their personal beliefs to themselves, because they will be 'lumped
together' in everyone's minds, that they are missionaries! Remember,
Israeli's are hearing this Ephramite message for the first time - if they
start hearing songs that Yeshua is the Messiah (like were sung on the World
Biblical Zionist Tour/Program), they are simply going to think" CHRISTIAN
MISSIONARY!*
*Immigration Authorities Raid Dead Sea Hotels*
Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 08:56
by by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com) Immigration police rounded up dozens of illegal Sudanese
workers in a massive raid along the hotel strip at the southern tip of the
Dead Sea at daybreak Sunday.
Police were present to stop the first bus of workers from leaving at 5:30
a.m., said one hotel worker, who requested anonymity because she was not
authorized to speak to the media. Police also stopped every other employee
transport that followed, and raided every hotel along the strip, which
serves hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
*Israel has had immigration raids periodically, to catch foreign workers who
had been brought in (to replace the arab labor) and had stayed illegally.
However, if this is a trend - that they are NOW really serious about making
sure that those without appropriate visas are expelled (and not allowed to
come back, BTW), then I know a number of Ephramites who are going to be very
disappointed....*
The worker noted that about 70 Eritreans work in the hotel where she is
employed and that ?only the ones that are here illegally were picked up.?
There are more than a dozen hotels on the strip at the Dead Sea alone.
Hundreds of refugees from the Sudan who infiltrated in to the country from
Egypt in the past year had been hired ?off the books? by the hotels at the
Dead Sea, said the source.
?They even took Ethiopians off the bus to check their documents,? she said.
?They can?t seem to tell the difference.?
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Sun Mar 1 08:55:27 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 09:55:27 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] PLEASE help the former residents of Gush Katif
In-Reply-To: <855590370902282032i5e93a158q8515fd2ac03a31dc@mail.gmail.com>
References: <855590370902282032i5e93a158q8515fd2ac03a31dc@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID:
Will do, Hanoch. Thank you for sending us this opportunity. Pat
From: Hanoch Young
Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2009 11:32 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] PLEASE help the former residents of Gush Katif
The people of Gush Katif have suffered SO much, and have lost everything. Is there anyway that you, or someone you know could help?
Hanoch
Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim
Click here: JobKatif - How To Donate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 09:32:40 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 07:32:40 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] PLEASE keep praying for rain in Israel
Message-ID: <855590370903010732m3c9b0eb3g8e2df9b069ee2d30@mail.gmail.com>
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Kinneret Rises 21 Centimeters Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 09:23
by
(IsraelNN.com) The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has risen by 21 centimeters
(nine inches) since the precipitation began falling on Friday.
Meteorologists said the lake could rise by another 20 inches in the next
week due to runoff and continued rain storms. The lake had previously risen
only 28 centimeters (11 inches) since its low point this winter. Before the
storm hit, the Kinneret was 85 centimeters (34 inches) over the black line,
where contamination may force a halt to pumping of water into water lines.
The red line, which is the minimum desirable level, is 1.15 meters (46
inches) above the current water level. Meteorologists said there is a slight
chance of more rain next Sabbath, and one or two more late winter storms
could bring the Kinneret above the red line and possibly leave Israelis with
enough water for daily use throughout the summer.
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 09:36:26 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 07:36:26 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] What a real idiot!
Message-ID: <855590370903010736i286cba52kf51e35b6d901e9a4@mail.gmail.com>
*THURSDAY THE RABBI **GOT** FOOLED*
By Moshe Phillips
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield can be counted among the foolish people who thought
that they knew Muzzammil Hassan and what he stood for. "Mo" Hassan is the
Islamic TV executive who confessed to murdering his wife and leaving her
decapitated body in the offices of the Bridges TV network they created
together. Rabbi Hirschfield was fooled by Hassan into believing he was
interested "fostering understanding between cultures and diverse
populations."
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield is a foolish rabbi. Rabbi Brad is the president of
the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL) and wrote the
foolish book *You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right: Finding Faith
Without Fanaticism*. In that 2008 masterwork Rabbi Brad attempted to
overturn thousands of years of Jewish Thought and proclaim that there is
no absolute truth. Foolish book. Foolish Rabbi Brad.
Rabbi Brad foolishly decided he wanted to be a TV star. His foolish show is
called *Building Bridges: Abrahamic Perspectives on the World Today*, which
began airing on an American Islamic TV network called Bridges TV in 2006.
The foolish show is described as "Rabbi Hirschfield is joined by Christian
and Muslim leaders to look at world events from their common Abrahemic
Roots."
Foolish Rabbi Brad thought that he was working with "moderate"
Muslims. On February
12, 2009 Muzzammil Hassan, the founder of the pro-Islamic Bridges TV
network, beheaded his estranged wife Aasiya Zubair Hassan. "Mo" Hassan had
violently abused his wife when they lived together.
The controversial Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) organization
presented Muzzammil Hassan with an award at the first banquet of their
Pennsylvania chapter on April 7, 2007. CAIR National Chairman Parvez Ahmed
posed with Hassan for pictures at the Hilton Hotel in Philadelphia. *Investor's
Business Daily* in a March 6, 2007 editorial declared CAIR to be "the PR
machine of militant Islam."
A second TV series called, *American Pilgrimage*, was created by
Foolish Rabbi Brad for Bridges TV in 2008. It was described as "bringing
viewers into the homes and mosques of Muslim leaders across the country..."
Rabbi Brad most not have cared about CAIR.
One wonders what Foolish Rabbi Brad thought of the abuse in the Hassan
family's home.
Foolishly *Newsweek *magazine declared Rabbi Brad to be "one of the nation's
50 most influential rabbis." The media loves foolish rabbis. Rabbi Brad has
a weekly radio show and has been on PBS many times.
On PBS Foolish Rabbi Brad criticized the "extremist" Jewish Settlers in
Judea and Samaria (that he foolishly referred to as the "West Bank"). PBS
spoke to Foolish Rabbi Brad for their *Frontline* pogrom, er program, about
the September 11th Islamic terrorist attacks.
For PBS Foolish Rabbi Brad stated: "It's just that when I look at those
terrorists, I don't see something wholly "other," because I know from my own
life experience what it means to allow your most deeply felt beliefs to
motivate you to do violent things to other people. Now, it's true, I haven't
done anything even approaching that. I don't even think that Jewish
terrorists have done -- and there are Jewish terrorists who are using the
traditions I hold most dear to justify and to motivate their terror -- have
done anything approaching that. But I'm not going to sit here and pretend
it's wholly other, because it's not. When I look in their faces, I do see
the shadow side of what were once some of my dreams and aspirations, and
continue to be for some of my teachers from that time."
Foolish Rabbi Brad compared the 9/11 hijackers to fellow Jews. Now that's
not just foolish; that's what our forefathers used to call beyond the pale.
FOXNews.com reported on Feb 17, 2009 that Foolish Rabbi Brad stated the
following on the day of Aasiya Zubair Hassan's funeral "I will only say to
those who leap to the conclusion that this kind of thing is intrinsic to
Islam, ask yourselves if you think that drunkenness is intrinsic to Irish
Catholics, or cheating in business is to Jews?" The statement came from
Rabbi Brad's foolish "Windows & Doors" blog on beliefnet.com.
How can one even begin to respond to such foolishness?
Jews in America have a choice. Be foolish and allow Rabbi Brad to
participate in organized Jewish life or shun him as the fool he is and hope
that he finds a real job more suited to his intellect. Perhaps as a stable
boy cleaning horse manure from barns?
And now let us join in prayer: May G-d bless and keep Foolish Rabbi Brad
far, far away from us.
-30-
**
*Moshe Phillips* is a member of the Executive Committee of the Philadelphia
Chapter of Americans For a Safe Israel - AFSI. The chapter's website is at:
www.phillyafsi.com and Moshe's blog can be found at
http://phillyafsi.blogtownhall.com.
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Sun Mar 1 09:48:17 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 10:48:17 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
In-Reply-To: <855590370903010224t430c1adbvd70128f4b4f3540d@mail.gmail.com>
References: <855590370903010224t430c1adbvd70128f4b4f3540d@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID:
Am so thankful for Rabbi Singer, who has actually received death threats from "loving" Christians whose cherished misconceptions he confronts Scripture for Scripture. As far as I'm concerned, he is a HERO of our times, and I have supported him in every way I can since the early '90's when I first met him.
Would urge all who possibly can afford to do so, to order his teaching tapes. They come with a book which makes understanding the truth of what he is teaching impossible to miss. In his book, you will see each Christian teaching examined carefully according to the Word of G-d.
He's the best "preacher" you'll ever hear! And this will be the best money you ever spent!
His motivation to begin teaching was to rescue Jews who had fallen into Christianity because of their lack of knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. What he never expected was that he would awaken the GREAT HERD OF LOST SHEEP from THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES!!!!!!!
CHAZAK! CHAZAK, DEAR RABBI SINGER!!!!!!
Pat Robbins
From: Hanoch Young
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 5:24 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
Shalom John,
Boker tov in Louisiana! The two excerpts below, from story's from today's Arutz-7 illustrate elements related to those two articles (one that you posted, and one that I did) relating to changing residency & citizenship (as well as conversion) requirements. I have interspersed my comments in RED....
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on your original note....if we wait for others to jump in first, we may be here a very, very long time...LOL
Hanoch
Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim
Outreach Rabbi Singer to Challenge Missionary Aggression
Adar 4, 5769, 28 February 09 08:15by by IsraelNN Staff
(IsraelNN.com) The Outreach Judaism organization has announced that it is launching an exhaustive four-part lecture series in Jerusalem to respond directly to missionaries who engage in Jewish evangelism. The campaign is in an effort to combat a disturbing assault by fundamentalist Christians who target Jews for conversion.
It continues to astound me - there truly is no willingness, whatsoever, to allow beliefs other then their personal Christian ones. As John Hulley once said, they're in Israel and when giving Jewish children candy, they just HAVE to tell them that Jesus loves them....
Outreach Judaism is an international organization dedicated to countering the efforts of fundamentalist groups and cults who specifically target Jews for conversion.
The series entitled Judaism?s Response to Christian Missionaries will be the first course run in Jerusalem by Outreach Judaism founder and director Rabbi Tovia Singer, who moved to Israel last year from the United States.
In the current series, Rabbi Singer, a world-renowned expert on Jewish evangelism, said he will respond to fundamentalist Christian groups who try to lure vulnerable Jews into their ranks, by exploring the "dark history" of the groups. He intends to expose the aggressive techniques used by organizations like Jews for Jesus that spend millions of dollars annually to ?bring the message of the Gospel to the Jewish people.?
Rabbi Singer said he will also demonstrate how missionaries twist the Jewish scriptures in order to make the sacred Hebrew texts appear as though they are speaking about Jesus.
?Jews for Jesus and other well-funded missionary organizations have launched a deceptive campaign to convert the most vulnerable segments of our community to their extremist brand of Christianity,? said Singer, who also hosts his own talk show on Israel National Radio.
?In their unrelenting spiritual assault on Jewish communities worldwide, these aggressive organizations, backed by major evangelical churches worldwide, deliberately blur the distinctions between Judaism and Christianity in order to lure susceptible Jews who would otherwise resist a straightforward Christian message,? he added.
This is bound to work against Ephramite believers in Yeshua who are willing to keep their personal beliefs to themselves, because they will be 'lumped together' in everyone's minds, that they are missionaries! Remember, Israeli's are hearing this Ephramite message for the first time - if they start hearing songs that Yeshua is the Messiah (like were sung on the World Biblical Zionist Tour/Program), they are simply going to think" CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY!
Immigration Authorities Raid Dead Sea Hotels
Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 08:56by by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com) Immigration police rounded up dozens of illegal Sudanese workers in a massive raid along the hotel strip at the southern tip of the Dead Sea at daybreak Sunday.
Police were present to stop the first bus of workers from leaving at 5:30 a.m., said one hotel worker, who requested anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the media. Police also stopped every other employee transport that followed, and raided every hotel along the strip, which serves hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
Israel has had immigration raids periodically, to catch foreign workers who had been brought in (to replace the arab labor) and had stayed illegally. However, if this is a trend - that they are NOW really serious about making sure that those without appropriate visas are expelled (and not allowed to come back, BTW), then I know a number of Ephramites who are going to be very disappointed....
The worker noted that about 70 Eritreans work in the hotel where she is employed and that ?only the ones that are here illegally were picked up.? There are more than a dozen hotels on the strip at the Dead Sea alone.
Hundreds of refugees from the Sudan who infiltrated in to the country from Egypt in the past year had been hired ?off the books? by the hotels at the Dead Sea, said the source.
?They even took Ethiopians off the bus to check their documents,? she said. ?They can?t seem to tell the difference.?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 09:50:19 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 07:50:19 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] "8 Souls, 8 Torah Scrolls"
Message-ID: <855590370903010750n424ac947k2aabf5966a1bfbf9@mail.gmail.com>
This is written by Moshe Kepinski, one of the oweners (along with his
brother) of Shorashim - a wonderful store in the Old City of Yerushalayim.
I am proud to say that both of my daughters attended this event...may G-d
avenge the blood of these boys...
* Hanoch *
* Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim*
[image: http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/israeldiary/]
[image:
http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/]
[image: Eight Souls, Eight Torah Scrolls] by Moshe Kempinski
*As I closed my eyes I imagined eight souls dancing in a circle above us
and the circling Torah scrolls.*
Email this Print
this
Eight Torah scrolls for eight souls. Eight Torah scrolls were completed one
year after eight young Jewish boys were gunned down by a Palestinian
murderer. Eight Torah scrolls were brought together with singing and dancing
through the streets of Jerusalem back into the yeshiva where the flame of
those eight young souls was extinguished.
I struggled during the day as to whether I wanted to join the ceremony in
memory of those boys, a ceremony that would be so interlaced with sadness
and loss. The evening was called "Remembering and Continuing" and I finally
decided that I could not detach myself from that sadness and loss.
As I approached the area of the Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva I found myself joining
a steady stream of young people, families with little children, and older
Jews walking on canes. Every face set with determination and every set of
eyes glistening with a tear. Yet, as we got closer, the stream became a
river and the mood seemed to change. Soon, I was engulfed by a sea of people
singing and dancing as they approached the gates of the yeshiva.
We were all there to honor the souls of eight young people who had still so
much to achieve in their young lives. We were there to offer strength and
comfort to eight families who had lost the most precious of gifts that God
and life have to offer. At the deepest level, we were also there to be
comforted and strengthened ourselves.
As I entered the yeshiva study hall, I was again engulfed in a sea of pain
and joy, hope and loss. The new Torah scrolls were held aloft amidst the
dancing, each scroll with the name of one of the eight young boys
embroidered on the Torah cover. The Torah scrolls of Avraham David Moses,
Ro'i Aharon Roth, and of Neria Cohen were dancing with the scrolls of
Yonatan Yitzchak Eldar., Doron Maharete, Yochai Lifshitz, Segev Peniel
Avichail and Yonadav Chaim Hirschfeld.
It was probably because I wanted it to be so, but as I closed my eyes I
imagined eight souls dancing in a circle above us and the circling Torah
scrolls. Then the Torah scrolls mixed in and joined the other Torah scrolls
of the yeshiva.
The thunderous singing shook the large windows of the building. It was
impossible to do anything else but jump up and down, and that very action
added to the intensity of the moment. Thousands of people trying to reach to
the very heavens with leaps and bounds.
The evening was also an opportunity to bring to a culmination a study cycle
of the Talmud that was begun in the memory of the eight boys. Over the
course of the year, those who wished to study a section of the Talmud in
memory of the slain students had signed up via an Internet site designated
for the purpose, specifying the pages they planned to study. The entire
Talmud was completed more than three times in this manner.
As Rabbi Shapira began the *siyum* ("conclusion") ceremony, each bereaved
father sat with his son's Torah scroll. It was clear that they were not
holding up the Torah scroll at all, but rather the scroll was holding them
up and strengthening their broken souls.
I remembered a story that I had heard a very long time ago.
After the end of the madness of the Holocaust, a small community tried to
regather in one of the small towns of Poland. It was the eve of Simchat
Torah, the holiday celebrating the study and reading of the Torah. When the
congregants opened the ark to dance with the scrolls, they were shocked to
find it empty. The scrolls had been stolen. At that point, the children
began to cry uncontrollably. Several men simply picked up the children, some
of whom were orphaned in the camps, and began to dance with the children.
The Torah scrolls became children.
In Jerusalem, over 60 years later, the children became Torah scrolls.
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Sun Mar 1 10:06:28 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 11:06:28 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] What a real idiot!
In-Reply-To: <855590370903010736i286cba52kf51e35b6d901e9a4@mail.gmail.com>
References: <855590370903010736i286cba52kf51e35b6d901e9a4@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID:
This "foolish Rabbi" is the perfect example of HELLENISM TODAY! The two platforms upon which Hellenism stands are: 1) THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTES! 2) MAN IS THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS.
Hanoch, you are truly a modern-day MACCABEE!!!! Thank you for your tireless efforts.
Pat
From: Hanoch Young
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 10:36 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] What a real idiot!
THURSDAY THE RABBI GOT FOOLED
By Moshe Phillips
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield can be counted among the foolish people who thought that they knew Muzzammil Hassan and what he stood for. "Mo" Hassan is the Islamic TV executive who confessed to murdering his wife and leaving her decapitated body in the offices of the Bridges TV network they created together. Rabbi Hirschfield was fooled by Hassan into believing he was interested "fostering understanding between cultures and diverse populations."
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield is a foolish rabbi. Rabbi Brad is the president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL) and wrote the foolish book You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism. In that 2008 masterwork Rabbi Brad attempted to overturn thousands of years of Jewish Thought and proclaim that there is no absolute truth. Foolish book. Foolish Rabbi Brad.
Rabbi Brad foolishly decided he wanted to be a TV star. His foolish show is called Building Bridges: Abrahamic Perspectives on the World Today, which began airing on an American Islamic TV network called Bridges TV in 2006. The foolish show is described as "Rabbi Hirschfield is joined by Christian and Muslim leaders to look at world events from their common Abrahemic Roots."
Foolish Rabbi Brad thought that he was working with "moderate" Muslims. On February 12, 2009 Muzzammil Hassan, the founder of the pro-Islamic Bridges TV network, beheaded his estranged wife Aasiya Zubair Hassan. "Mo" Hassan had violently abused his wife when they lived together.
The controversial Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) organization presented Muzzammil Hassan with an award at the first banquet of their Pennsylvania chapter on April 7, 2007. CAIR National Chairman Parvez Ahmed posed with Hassan for pictures at the Hilton Hotel in Philadelphia. Investor's Business Daily in a March 6, 2007 editorial declared CAIR to be "the PR machine of militant Islam."
A second TV series called, American Pilgrimage, was created by Foolish Rabbi Brad for Bridges TV in 2008. It was described as "bringing viewers into the homes and mosques of Muslim leaders across the country..." Rabbi Brad most not have cared about CAIR.
One wonders what Foolish Rabbi Brad thought of the abuse in the Hassan family's home.
Foolishly Newsweek magazine declared Rabbi Brad to be "one of the nation's 50 most influential rabbis." The media loves foolish rabbis. Rabbi Brad has a weekly radio show and has been on PBS many times.
On PBS Foolish Rabbi Brad criticized the "extremist" Jewish Settlers in Judea and Samaria (that he foolishly referred to as the "West Bank"). PBS spoke to Foolish Rabbi Brad for their Frontline pogrom, er program, about the September 11th Islamic terrorist attacks.
For PBS Foolish Rabbi Brad stated: "It's just that when I look at those terrorists, I don't see something wholly "other," because I know from my own life experience what it means to allow your most deeply felt beliefs to motivate you to do violent things to other people. Now, it's true, I haven't done anything even approaching that. I don't even think that Jewish terrorists have done -- and there are Jewish terrorists who are using the traditions I hold most dear to justify and to motivate their terror -- have done anything approaching that. But I'm not going to sit here and pretend it's wholly other, because it's not. When I look in their faces, I do see the shadow side of what were once some of my dreams and aspirations, and continue to be for some of my teachers from that time."
Foolish Rabbi Brad compared the 9/11 hijackers to fellow Jews. Now that's not just foolish; that's what our forefathers used to call beyond the pale.
FOXNews.com reported on Feb 17, 2009 that Foolish Rabbi Brad stated the following on the day of Aasiya Zubair Hassan's funeral "I will only say to those who leap to the conclusion that this kind of thing is intrinsic to Islam, ask yourselves if you think that drunkenness is intrinsic to Irish Catholics, or cheating in business is to Jews?" The statement came from Rabbi Brad's foolish "Windows & Doors" blog on beliefnet.com.
How can one even begin to respond to such foolishness?
Jews in America have a choice. Be foolish and allow Rabbi Brad to participate in organized Jewish life or shun him as the fool he is and hope that he finds a real job more suited to his intellect. Perhaps as a stable boy cleaning horse manure from barns?
And now let us join in prayer: May G-d bless and keep Foolish Rabbi Brad far, far away from us.
-30-
Moshe Phillips is a member of the Executive Committee of the Philadelphia Chapter of Americans For a Safe Israel - AFSI. The chapter's website is at: www.phillyafsi.com and Moshe's blog can be found at http://phillyafsi.blogtownhall.com.
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 10:09:42 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 08:09:42 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID: <855590370903010809s4e036107g7b8c280d853b7a92@mail.gmail.com>
Zion Needs the Messiah Arutz-7 Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 01:37
by by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
(IsraelNN.com) Regarding the recent election in the State of Israel,
journalist Griff Witte, from the *Washington Post* Foreign Service, wrote:
*Yet as Israelis go to the polls Tuesday to choose a new government, the
national mood is anything but confident. Instead, there is widespread
anxiety over the threat Israel sees in Iran?s developing nuclear program.
There is exhaustion with the Palestinian conflict, which has no end in
sight. And there is grim resignation that none of the candidates on the
ballot appears to have the answers to the country?s complex problems.* (From
?Israelis Head To Polls, Anxiety and Fatigue Rule?, *Washington Post*,
February 10, 2009)
The mood has not really changed since the elections. There is
disillusionment with the current political leaders of Zion, whose various
political and military solutions have failed to bring us redemption. This
disillusionment should increase our yearning for the spiritual leadership
and vision of the Messiah, of whom it is written, ?A redeemer shall come to
Zion and to those of Jacob who turn back from defection.? (Isaiah 59:20) As
a classical commentator, Ibn Ezra, explains, this verse is referring to the
Messiah.
As we shall discuss, our sacred scriptures reveal that the Messiah will be a
great sovereign and teacher who will inspire Israel and all the nations to
serve *HaShem*, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, and thereby
inaugurate an age of universal enlightenment, unity and *shalom*.
Some people have difficulty imagining that one great person could become the
Messiah and cause a radical change in the world. The late Rabbi Aryeh
Carmell was a noted Torah educator who had an inspiring influence on my
life, and he addressed this issue in the following passage in an essay
titled, ?Judaism and the Environment?:
*In modern times, many of the most far-reaching revolutions in thought have
been sparked off by Jews: Einstein, Freud, Marx; though all these were far
from the Torah tradition. Would it be so far-fetched to think of the coming
revolution of the spirit as led by a dynamic personality, steeped, this
time, in the spiritual truths of the Torah ? with a releasing vision much
profounder than Freud?s, with revolutionary ideals much more radical than
Marx?s, and with the means at his disposal to swing the world from the dark
nightmare of a polluted planet to a brighter future of spiritual creativity?
*
According to a teaching of Maimonides, the belief in the coming of the
Messiah is one of the thirteen principles of our faith (commentary of
Maimonides to *Mishnah Sanhedrin*, chap. 10). The following statement is the
well-known summary of this teaching of Maimonides:
?I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though
he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come.?
The belief in the coming of the Messiah is deeply embedded within the
consciousness of the Jewish people. Even those of our people who view
themselves as ?secular? have been affected by this belief. For example, the
book *World of Our Fathers*, by Irving Howe, describes the messianic
yearnings of an earlier generation of Jewish socialists and progressive
activists who strayed from the path of Torah. Although their ideology was
secular, their yearning, hope and striving for a better world was rooted in
the ancient Jewish belief that the Messiah will eventually come and
inaugurate a new age of universal justice, unity and *shalom*. In one
chapter (page 454), Howe quotes from a poem by the Yiddish poet, Aaron
Zeitlin, which refers to this belief:
*Being a Jew means running forever to God
Even if you are His betrayer,
Means expecting to hear any day,
Even if you are a nay sayer,
The blare of Messiah?s horn.*
A description of the messianic age of redemption and the role of the Messiah
is found in Chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah, and it opens with the
following passage:
*A staff will emerge from the stump of Jesse, and a shoot will sprout from
his roots. The spirit of *HaShem* will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom
and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge
and reverence for *HaShem*. He will be imbued with a spirit of reverence for
*HaShem*; and he will not need to judge by what his eyes see nor decide by
what his ears hear. He will judge the destitute with righteousness, and
decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will strike the world
with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the
wicked one. Righteousness will be the girdle round his loins, and faith will
be the girdle round his waist.* (Isaiah 11:1-5)
In the above passage, it states: ?The spirit of *HaShem* will rest upon him
- a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a
spirit of knowledge and awe of *HaShem*.? This verse clearly indicates that
the Messiah is an enlightened human being who is in awe of *HaShem*, but who
is not *HaShem*. This verse serves as a reminder that we are not to deify
any human being, including a great Jewish human being.
It also states: ?He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one.? According to Rabbi
Samson Raphael Hirsch, this verse reveals that the power of the Messiah will
come from ?the rod of his mouth? - the strength of his teachings. Through
these teachings, explains Rabbi Hirsch, the conscience and power of goodness
within the wicked one will be awakened; thus, ?the wicked one has certainly
been killed, but in his place, a fresh pure human being has arisen anew.?
(Commentary on the *Haftorot*)
The prophet then describes an era of universal *shalom* and spiritual
enlightenment:
*The wolf will live with the sheep, and the leopard will lie down with the
kid; and a calf, a lion whelp and a fatling together, and a young child will
lead them. A cow and bear will graze and their young will lie down together;
and a lion, like cattle, will eat hay. A suckling will play by a viper?s
hole; and a newly weaned child will stretch his hand towards an adder?s
lair. They will neither injure nor destroy in all of My sacred mountain; for
the earth will be filled with knowledge of *HaShem* as water covering the
sea bed.* (Isaiah 11:1-9)
With the arrival of the Messiah, adds the Prophet Isaiah, *HaShem* will
bring all our people home:
*It shall be on that day that the Master of All will once again show His
hand, to acquire the remnant of His people... He will raise a banner for the
nations and assemble the castaways of Israel; and He will gather in the
dispersed ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth.* (verses 11,12)
The above prophecies reveal what the Messiah will accomplish after he
arrives. We are therefore awaiting the arrival of the true Messiah, when all
of these prophecies will be fulfilled. Even though he may tarry, we are not
to lose hope, for when the hour arrives for the birth of the messianic age,
he will not delay. In this spirit, the prophet Habakkuk proclaims:
*For there is yet another hazon ("vision") for the appointed time; it will
speak of the end and it will not deceive. Though it may tarry, await it, for
it will surely come; it will not delay.* (Habakkuk 2:3)
*Related Teachings and Information*
1. There are those who wonder how our generation can experience the coming
of the Messiah when previous generations that were more righteous than us
did not merit this experience. The *Chofetz Chaim*, a leading sage of the
late 19th and early 20th centuries, responds to this concern:
*It is true that we are much smaller than our ancestors, but it is known
that *HaShem* attaches to every individual his own merit and that of his
ancestors. We are like a dwarf riding on a giant?s back, who sees farther
than the giant.. So too, our merit joined to that of our ancestors is
greater than theirs alone.* (*Machaneh Yisrael*, "Last Section", Chapter 20
- cited in *The Chofetz Chaim Looks at Eternity* - Feldheim Publishers)
2. Within the Books of the Prophets, there are vivid descriptions of the
messianic age and the role of the Messiah. One well-known example is
Isaiah?s vision of ?the end of days?, when the Messiah ?will settle the
disputes of many peoples? and ?they shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against
nation and they will no longer study warfare.? (Isaiah 2:4)
3. Within the Five Books of the Torah, we find the following brief
references and allusions to the Messiah:
A. Our father, Jacob, blessed his 12 sons - the founders of the 12 tribes -
before he died, and in his blessing to Judah, he mentions the future arrival
of Shiloh. Jacob adds that ?his will be an assemblage of peoples.? (Genesis
49:10)
The ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah, known as *Targum Onkelos*,
refers to Shiloh as the Messiah; moreover, *Midrash Yalkut Shimoni* says
that this is referring to the ?King Messiah.? This is also the
interpretation cited by the classical commentator Rashi. As Rashi explains,
the peoples will gather around the Messiah, and Rashi refers us to the
following related Divine promise regarding the Messiah: ?It shall be on that
day that the descendant of Jesse who stands as a banner for the peoples,
nations will seek him, and his restful tranquility will be glorious.?
(Isaiah 11:10)
B. ?I shall see him, but not now, I shall look at him, but not in the near
future. A star has issued from Jacob and a scepter-bearer has arisen from
Israel.? (Numbers 24:17) According to a classical Biblical commentator,
Ramban (Nachmanides), this verse is a prophecy concerning the Messiah.
Maimonides, in his *Mishneh Torah*, also interprets this verse in a similar
manner ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
C. ?Then *HaShem*, your God, will bring back your captivity and have
compassion on you, and He will gather you in from all the peoples to which *
HaShem*, your God, has scattered you. If your dispersed will be at the ends
of heaven, from there *HaShem*, your God, will gather you in and from there
He will take you. *HaShem*, your God, will bring you to the Land that your
ancestors possessed and you shall possess it; He will do good to you and
make you more numerous than your ancestors.? (Deuteronomy 30: 3-5)
According to Maimonides, the above verses are referring to the redemption
which will follow the arrival of the Messiah; thus, Maimonides states
regarding the Messiah: Anyone who does not believe in him or does not wait
for his coming, denies not only the validity of the other Prophets, but also
the validity of the Torah and Moses, our teacher ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 10:35:41 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 08:35:41 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] "Europe's Woes, America's Warning"
Message-ID: <855590370903010835k2125e282n7cae6c28b1454b61@mail.gmail.com>
*EUROPE'S WOES AMERICA'S WARNING*
by Nidra Poller
February 23, 2009
It is difficult to imagine how European nations could find the will and the
ways to counter the subversive forces they have invited upon themselves and
allowed to flourish for more than three decades. The current phase of global
jihad, already underway in the much vaunted decolonization process,
coalesced with the seizure of power in Iran by Ayatollah Khomenei (who had
been living as a pampered refugee in France). But the American reader should
be wary of concluding that Europe is lost?and the United States is standing
firm.
On the contrary, all of Western civilization is under fire. As promised
during the campaign, Barack Hussein Obama is making a radical change in
American policy. Not of course the glorious change his worshippers promised
themselves, but a troubling shift toward dhimmitude. The newly elected
president lost no time in pleading guilty as charged by Muslim authorities
and promising to refrain from further rebellion in order to receive their
benevolent indulgence.
Similar methods produce similar results. Jihad forces in Europe--and in the
United States--used Israel?s Cast Lead operation in Gaza as a pretext to
organize virulent, violent pro-Hamas demonstrations. Because Europe is
further down the path to surrender, the enraged pro-Hamas mobs were more
violent, destructive, and physically threatening here than in the United
States. But in both cases they advanced their dominion. This should be
recognized as authentic conquest of territory by enraged mobs bearing down
on hapless victims in an ominous show of force and not, as claimed and
widely accepted, citizen demonstrators exercising their right to free
speech.
If you can carry signs equating the Magen David with the swastika, if you
can scream ?Jews to the ovens? in the face of Zionists in Ft. Lauderdale
Florida, if you can storm into a synagogue in Caracas, Venezuela and
terrorize the congregation, if you can bully the police in England, smash up
the Place de l?Op?ra in Paris, burn Israeli and American flags, shout Allahu
Akbar without meeting resolute opposition, it means you can keep going and
ultimately fulfill those murderous promises. Do American Jews understand
what was acquired by these phony demonstrations that are really paramilitary
operations? Wherever those enraged mobs set foot they transformed the
streets into de facto waqf territory.
Each successive crisis is an opportunity to ratchet up Jew hatred and the
concomitant assault on Western civilization, achieving, step by step, tacit
acceptance of the unspeakable. Here is how it works: first, the provocation.
Jihadist attacks?thousands of rockets launched against Israel, a few
airplanes flown into the WTC, capture and beheading of hostages, roadside
bombs, inhuman pizzeria bombers, nuclear weapons programs?finally provoke a
riposte. Bingo! The Muslim wailing machine goes into action. It is
immediately picked up by complicit Western media and transmitted, with a
Good Journalism stamp of approval, to public opinion. Israel, the United
States and anyone else who dares to fight back is accused of war crimes,
peace crimes, and original sin. This justifies subsequent acts of subversion
and aggression against the free world.
When the United States used its formidable military force and assumed its
international responsibilities, European nations, with rare exceptions,
exploited opposition to ?the war in Iraq? to undermine the American
superpower. This agitation was exploited in turn by jihad interests to
advance the Islamization of Europe?and by ricochet to influence domestic
politics in the United States as Obamamania surfed on the theme of repairing
America?s battered image.
The European Union, with France in the lead, vaunting its diplomatic savoir
faire, competes with the U.S. for influence in the Middle East, and always
seems to pull in the Arab direction. French ceasefire diplomacy restrained
Israel?s capacity to defeat Iranian proxies?Hizbullah in 2006, Hamas today.
The harsh criticism of Israel and the U.S. that underlies this
self-righteous peacemaking fuels domestic pro-jihad protest marches that end
in attacks against police and property, further undermining government
authority in Europe and endangering local Jewish populations.
All of this subversive activity is advanced by what I call ?lethal
narratives.? These are stories of what is happening generated by global
jihad and relayed by Western media and officialdom. Unlike propaganda, which
is used in conjunction with military activity aimed at defeating an enemy in
battle, lethal narratives are used in lieu of military action. Promotion of
enemy propaganda in past conflicts was limited to a small minority of
traitors and fellow travelers; today, lethal narratives are swallowed by all
but a minority of r?sistants, who are marginalized, labeled extremists,
persecuted and prosecuted. Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers who stormed
through European cities screaming ?death to Israel, death to the Jews? go
scot free but Dutch politician Geert Wilders is prosecuted for ?hate speech?
for showing the connection between these same declarations, from Qur'anic
verses to contemporary sermons, and murderous acts such as 9/11.
The lethal narrative, a tissue of lies made credible by a superficial
journalistic veneer, becomes the accepted version of what is happening. G.W.
Bush lied about Saddam?s WMDs, the neocons wanted a war in Iraq, torture at
Guantanamo, hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties, an unbeatable
insurgency, the war spawned a thousand terrorists for every one that was
killed, etc. Another tissue of lies was issued during the Cast Lead
operation: the homemade rockets were harmless; Gaza is an open prison; the
Gaza population suffered a humanitarian crisis, no food, water, electricity,
medicine; Israel engaged in intentional massacre of civilians, bombing
mosques, UN schools, babes in arms and, the last straw, deliberately killed
the daughters of the good-hearted doctor who practices in both Gaza and Tel
Aviv.
In less than a decade life has become problematic for European Jews. It
started with the al Dura blood libel on September 30, 2000 and has steadily
worsened since. During periods of relative calm, we tell ourselves that the
nightmare is over. When the tension exacerbates, as happened during the Gaza
operation, it becomes obvious that we have no future anywhere in Europe?and
Europe has no future anyway!
France, with the largest Muslim and Jewish populations and the greatest
diplomatic ambition, is emblematic of the Western European condition. The
Sarkozy government is sincerely troubled by the upsurge of
anti-Semitism?approximately 150 incidents reported since the start of Cast
Lead. The president promises to put an end to this unacceptable behavior but
declares, in the next breath, that ?Islamophobia? will be punished as
severely as anti-Semitism, falsely implying that Jews are attacking Muslims,
and effectively blocking an honest investigation of the Islamic sources of
Jew hatred
On another level, the ?Obama effect? works against Jews in France and more
generally in Europe. Thrilled by the multicultural chic of a black president
in the powerful U.S., Europeans vow to give more than equal opportunity to
their own ?visible minorities? in the hopes of getting themselves a YesWeCan
president in the near future. Unfortunately, the integration of law-abiding
Muslims into European society also serves as cover for infiltration by
subversive Muslims.
Political enfranchisement of European Muslims in the absence of genuine
acceptance of Western values is another destabilizing factor. Instead of
promoting a peaceful climate of mutual respect, the rise of Muslims into
executive positions in public and private sectors may lead to ethnic
favoritism that will be prejudicial to Jewish colleagues and candidates,
rebuffed to get even for an alleged previous supremacy or punished whenever
there is a flare-up in the Middle East. Serious problems in public
education, up to the university level, further compromise the future of
Europe and more precisely of European Jews.
The far left, unashamedly aligned with European jihad movements, proudly
marched with pro-Hamas mobs that systematically ended their ?demonstrations?
with attacks against property and the police. Fearful of losing ground, the
parliamentary left also sidles toward this constituency, hiding its perfidy
behind dubious humanitarian concerns. CID [Centre d?information et de
documentation de d?mocratie et de Moyen Orient] reports from Brussels that
all political parties except the droite lib?rale marched along with the
keffieh-wrapped mobs that shouted ?death to Israel, death to the Jews.?
Another aggravating factor is the economic crisis, exploited by the left to
mobilize and channel discontent into increasingly aggressive demonstrations,
strikes and civil disobedience, while the right, hungry for capital,
welcomes sharia finance with open arms.
In 2003, when Jewish boys from Hashomer Hazair were beaten up by anti-war
protestors, I described the incident as a ?peace march verging on pogrom.?
Alain Finkielkraut applied the term to the 2005 banlieue riots, then
withdrew it as inappropriate. Was it an exaggeration? Or foresight? There
can be no doubt that the enraged mobs storming through European and American
cities will go further.
No longer content to throw fire bombs or ram burning cars into synagogues,
they now want to break in during services. Thirty men traveled from Mulhouse
to Strasbourg for that purpose. Their plan failed?that time. Carjackers in a
Parisian suburb, discovering their victim was Jewish, slashed his neck four
times with exquisite cruelty until the blood flowed. That crime was
denounced as anti-Semitic but the culprits have not been found, and other
incidents are left hanging with question marks, as if to calm the populace.
A Jewish doctor was shot dead in another Parisian suburb, the warehouse of
the biggest kosher food distributor in still another was burned down.
Europeans who do cherish their freedom try to organize, speak out, influence
their governments. They see?or saw?America as a refuge, a haven, a beacon of
liberty. Many see Israel as a sterling example of r?sistance against global
jihad. Though life looks quite normal on the surface, we are living in a
perilous, highly volatile situation in which, precisely, normal life is a
battlefield. As these lines are written, Iran announces the launch of a
satellite that could leave southern European cities no less vulnerable than
Sderot. The news landed like a monster walking into a bustling caf?. The
excited chatter about peace talks and negotiation and friendly outreached
hands falls silent. If existential fear has finally stricken the heart of
European governments, all is not lost.
Nidra Poller is an American who moved to France in 1972 and is a journalist,
novelist, and translator.
http://mideastoutpost.com/archives/000541.html
=============================================
Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
mailto:wfit2 at womeningreen.org
http://www.womeningreen.org
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 10:55:41 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 08:55:41 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] When you've got time, THIS is a site to check out!
Message-ID: <855590370903010855r19df5021g930360b750e3af95@mail.gmail.com>
This is a GREAT site for inexpensive, but meaningful gifts from Israel.
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* Hanoch*
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From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Sun Mar 1 11:29:10 2009
From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 12:29:10 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] Ross Nichols Interviews James Tabor
Message-ID: <4770CBCC-C526-4837-92FC-2E12052A79A0@earthlink.net>
Ross Nichols Interviews Dr. James Tabor
Ross Nichols, founder and director of Roots of Faith introduces
something new to his podcast audience this week. Nichols, having just
completed an intensive 11 week series of studies on Dr. Tabor's latest
book, Restoring Abrahamic Faith, conducted a half-hour interview with
Dr. Tabor about the book, how he came to write it, its essential
message, and what how he envisions it contributing to an understanding
of biblical truths. Toward the end of the interview Nichols also has
Dr. Tabor talk a bit about his forthcoming book on the apostle Paul,
scheduled to appear in Spring, 2010 with Simon & Schuster.
You can listen to or download this interview at the Roots of Faith Web
site here.
http://rootsoffaith.org/blog-and-podcasts/2009/02/27/ross-nichols-interviews-dr-james-tabor.htm
More details about the book, Restoring Abrahamic Faith, including
readers responses and reviews can be found at the publisher's Web
site: genesis2000.org.
You will not want to miss this exciting interview with Dr. James D.
Tabor.
(This message may be circulated freely)
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From dhcole1 at cox.net Sun Mar 1 11:40:20 2009
From: dhcole1 at cox.net (Dave Cole)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 11:40:20 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
References: <855590370903010224t430c1adbvd70128f4b4f3540d@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID:
Hanoch, How high do I jump? ("if we wait for others to jump in first, we may be here a very, very long time...LOL") This is THE subject to discuss!
I wish I had more to offer concerning this "pull" to the land, but at this point I feel like an observer, (not by choice...but reality), rather then a participant.
I do find it interesting that "this jesus" (the jesus in the minds of the so-called missionaries) is still causing problems in the land. The people in these jesus cults do not bother me as much as the moslems that want to cut off my American head. They are both out to get US....sort of like a tag team!
I do understand that these jesus cults cause problems for people that are seeking truth and are only trying to follow the narrow path..... a major problem!......something that Is not new to me. One thing that I can offer is that our Father is faithful to finish what was started.......however that is, so label me a Pan Head! (it will pan out)
jumping in head first with both eyes closed....
dave
----- Original Message -----
From: Patricia Robbins
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:48 AM
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
Am so thankful for Rabbi Singer, who has actually received death threats from "loving" Christians whose cherished misconceptions he confronts Scripture for Scripture. As far as I'm concerned, he is a HERO of our times, and I have supported him in every way I can since the early '90's when I first met him.
Would urge all who possibly can afford to do so, to order his teaching tapes. They come with a book which makes understanding the truth of what he is teaching impossible to miss. In his book, you will see each Christian teaching examined carefully according to the Word of G-d.
He's the best "preacher" you'll ever hear! And this will be the best money you ever spent!
His motivation to begin teaching was to rescue Jews who had fallen into Christianity because of their lack of knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. What he never expected was that he would awaken the GREAT HERD OF LOST SHEEP from THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES!!!!!!!
CHAZAK! CHAZAK, DEAR RABBI SINGER!!!!!!
Pat Robbins
From: Hanoch Young
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 5:24 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
Shalom John,
Boker tov in Louisiana! The two excerpts below, from story's from today's Arutz-7 illustrate elements related to those two articles (one that you posted, and one that I did) relating to changing residency & citizenship (as well as conversion) requirements. I have interspersed my comments in RED....
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on your original note....if we wait for others to jump in first, we may be here a very, very long time...LOL
Hanoch
Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim
Outreach Rabbi Singer to Challenge Missionary Aggression
Adar 4, 5769, 28 February 09 08:15by by IsraelNN Staff
(IsraelNN.com) The Outreach Judaism organization has announced that it is launching an exhaustive four-part lecture series in Jerusalem to respond directly to missionaries who engage in Jewish evangelism. The campaign is in an effort to combat a disturbing assault by fundamentalist Christians who target Jews for conversion.
It continues to astound me - there truly is no willingness, whatsoever, to allow beliefs other then their personal Christian ones. As John Hulley once said, they're in Israel and when giving Jewish children candy, they just HAVE to tell them that Jesus loves them....
Outreach Judaism is an international organization dedicated to countering the efforts of fundamentalist groups and cults who specifically target Jews for conversion.
The series entitled Judaism?s Response to Christian Missionaries will be the first course run in Jerusalem by Outreach Judaism founder and director Rabbi Tovia Singer, who moved to Israel last year from the United States.
In the current series, Rabbi Singer, a world-renowned expert on Jewish evangelism, said he will respond to fundamentalist Christian groups who try to lure vulnerable Jews into their ranks, by exploring the "dark history" of the groups. He intends to expose the aggressive techniques used by organizations like Jews for Jesus that spend millions of dollars annually to ?bring the message of the Gospel to the Jewish people.?
Rabbi Singer said he will also demonstrate how missionaries twist the Jewish scriptures in order to make the sacred Hebrew texts appear as though they are speaking about Jesus.
?Jews for Jesus and other well-funded missionary organizations have launched a deceptive campaign to convert the most vulnerable segments of our community to their extremist brand of Christianity,? said Singer, who also hosts his own talk show on Israel National Radio.
?In their unrelenting spiritual assault on Jewish communities worldwide, these aggressive organizations, backed by major evangelical churches worldwide, deliberately blur the distinctions between Judaism and Christianity in order to lure susceptible Jews who would otherwise resist a straightforward Christian message,? he added.
This is bound to work against Ephramite believers in Yeshua who are willing to keep their personal beliefs to themselves, because they will be 'lumped together' in everyone's minds, that they are missionaries! Remember, Israeli's are hearing this Ephramite message for the first time - if they start hearing songs that Yeshua is the Messiah (like were sung on the World Biblical Zionist Tour/Program), they are simply going to think" CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY!
Immigration Authorities Raid Dead Sea Hotels
Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 08:56by by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com) Immigration police rounded up dozens of illegal Sudanese workers in a massive raid along the hotel strip at the southern tip of the Dead Sea at daybreak Sunday.
Police were present to stop the first bus of workers from leaving at 5:30 a.m., said one hotel worker, who requested anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the media. Police also stopped every other employee transport that followed, and raided every hotel along the strip, which serves hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
Israel has had immigration raids periodically, to catch foreign workers who had been brought in (to replace the arab labor) and had stayed illegally. However, if this is a trend - that they are NOW really serious about making sure that those without appropriate visas are expelled (and not allowed to come back, BTW), then I know a number of Ephramites who are going to be very disappointed....
The worker noted that about 70 Eritreans work in the hotel where she is employed and that ?only the ones that are here illegally were picked up.? There are more than a dozen hotels on the strip at the Dead Sea alone.
Hundreds of refugees from the Sudan who infiltrated in to the country from Egypt in the past year had been hired ?off the books? by the hotels at the Dead Sea, said the source.
?They even took Ethiopians off the bus to check their documents,? she said. ?They can?t seem to tell the difference.?
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From tposborne77 at yahoo.com Sun Mar 1 13:38:53 2009
From: tposborne77 at yahoo.com (Tracy Osborne)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 11:38:53 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
References: <855590370903010809s4e036107g7b8c280d853b7a92@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <639138.10929.qm@web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Shalom Achi Hanoch,
?
I definitely agree with this article, although it?shows only "one side of the coin" of the work of Mashiach. But?(in my mind) it definitely portrays correctly that side of the coin...May HaShem send the Mashiach today!!!
?
And, yes, I do believe it is Yeshua ben David...and he is Jewish...and he wants Jews to remain Jews and keep the Torah. Believing in the resurrection of Yeshua does not make one "non-Jewish" nor is it forbidden to believe so. However, those who believe in a 3nitarian/anti-torah version of him, are in error and?will have to?correct their interpretations of him.
?
And, if,?most of my?Jewish friends?do not believe in the resurrection of Rabbi Yeshua ben David, his ascension to Heaven, and that it is he who will return and fulfill all of what?the article below describes, that's their business...??It will all pan out soon!!
?
Shalom u'Brachot,
Tracy
________________________________
From: Hanoch Young
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Sunday, March 1, 2009 11:09:42 AM
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Zion Needs the Messiah Arutz-7
Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 01:37by by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
(IsraelNN.com) Regarding the recent election in the State of Israel, journalist Griff Witte, from the Washington Post Foreign Service, wrote:
Yet as Israelis go to the polls Tuesday to choose a new government, the national mood is anything but confident. Instead, there is widespread anxiety over the threat Israel sees in Iran?s developing nuclear program. There is exhaustion with the Palestinian conflict, which has no end in sight. And there is grim resignation that none of the candidates on the ballot appears to have the answers to the country?s complex problems. (From ?Israelis Head To Polls, Anxiety and Fatigue Rule?, Washington Post, February 10, 2009)
The mood has not really changed since the elections. There is disillusionment with the current political leaders of Zion, whose various political and military solutions have failed to bring us redemption. This disillusionment should increase our yearning for the spiritual leadership and vision of the Messiah, of whom it is written, ?A redeemer shall come to Zion and to those of Jacob who turn back from defection.? (Isaiah 59:20) As a classical commentator, Ibn Ezra, explains, this verse is referring to the Messiah.
As we shall discuss, our sacred scriptures reveal that the Messiah will be a great sovereign and teacher who will inspire Israel and all the nations to serve HaShem, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, and thereby inaugurate an age of universal enlightenment, unity and shalom.
Some people have difficulty imagining that one great person could become the Messiah and cause a radical change in the world. The late Rabbi Aryeh Carmell was a noted Torah educator who had an inspiring influence on my life, and he addressed this issue in the following passage in an essay titled, ?Judaism and the Environment?:
In modern times, many of the most far-reaching revolutions in thought have been sparked off by Jews: Einstein, Freud, Marx; though all these were far from the Torah tradition. Would it be so far-fetched to think of the coming revolution of the spirit as led by a dynamic personality, steeped, this time, in the spiritual truths of the Torah ? with a releasing vision much profounder than Freud?s, with revolutionary ideals much more radical than Marx?s, and with the means at his disposal to swing the world from the dark nightmare of a polluted planet to a brighter future of spiritual creativity?
According to a teaching of Maimonides, the belief in the coming of the Messiah is one of the thirteen principles of our faith (commentary of Maimonides to Mishnah Sanhedrin, chap. 10). The following statement is the well-known summary of this teaching of Maimonides:
?I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come.?
The belief in the coming of the Messiah is deeply embedded within the consciousness of the Jewish people. Even those of our people who view themselves as ?secular? have been affected by this belief. For example, the book World of Our Fathers, by Irving Howe, describes the messianic yearnings of an earlier generation of Jewish socialists and progressive activists who strayed from the path of Torah. Although their ideology was secular, their yearning, hope and striving for a better world was rooted in the ancient Jewish belief that the Messiah will eventually come and inaugurate a new age of universal justice, unity and shalom. In one chapter (page 454), Howe quotes from a poem by the Yiddish poet, Aaron Zeitlin, which refers to this belief:
Being a Jew means running forever to God
Even if you are His betrayer,
Means expecting to hear any day,
Even if you are a nay sayer,
The blare of Messiah?s horn.
A description of the messianic age of redemption and the role of the Messiah is found in Chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah, and it opens with the following passage:
A staff will emerge from the stump of Jesse, and a shoot will sprout from his roots. The spirit of HaShemwill rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and reverence for HaShem. He will be imbued with a spirit of reverence for HaShem; and he will not need to judge by what his eyes see nor decide by what his ears hear. He will judge the destitute with righteousness, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one. Righteousness will be the girdle round his loins, and faith will be the girdle round his waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
In the above passage, it states: ?The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and awe of HaShem.? This verse clearly indicates that the Messiah is an enlightened human being who is in awe of HaShem, but who is not HaShem. This verse serves as a reminder that we are not to deify any human being, including a great Jewish human being.
It also states: ?He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one.? According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, this verse reveals that the power of the Messiah will come from ?the rod of his mouth? - the strength of his teachings. Through these teachings, explains Rabbi Hirsch, the conscience and power of goodness within the wicked one will be awakened; thus, ?the wicked one has certainly been killed, but in his place, a fresh pure human being has arisen anew.? (Commentary on the Haftorot)
The prophet then describes an era of universal shalom and spiritual enlightenment:
The wolf will live with the sheep, and the leopard will lie down with the kid; and a calf, a lion whelp and a fatling together, and a young child will lead them. A cow and bear will graze and their young will lie down together; and a lion, like cattle, will eat hay. A suckling will play by a viper?s hole; and a newly weaned child will stretch his hand towards an adder?s lair. They will neither injure nor destroy in all of My sacred mountain; for the earth will be filled with knowledge of HaShemas water covering the sea bed. (Isaiah 11:1-9)
With the arrival of the Messiah, adds the Prophet Isaiah, HaShem will bring all our people home:
It shall be on that day that the Master of All will once again show His hand, to acquire the remnant of His people... He will raise a banner for the nations and assemble the castaways of Israel; and He will gather in the dispersed ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (verses 11,12)
The above prophecies reveal what the Messiah will accomplish after he arrives. We are therefore awaiting the arrival of the true Messiah, when all of these prophecies will be fulfilled. Even though he may tarry, we are not to lose hope, for when the hour arrives for the birth of the messianic age, he will not delay. In this spirit, the prophet Habakkuk proclaims:
For there is yet another hazon ("vision") for the appointed time; it will speak of the end and it will not deceive. Though it may tarry, await it, for it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)
Related Teachings and Information
1. There are those who wonder how our generation can experience the coming of the Messiah when previous generations that were more righteous than us did not merit this experience. The Chofetz Chaim, a leading sage of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, responds to this concern:
It is true that we are much smaller than our ancestors, but it is known that HaShemattaches to every individual his own merit and that of his ancestors. We are like a dwarf riding on a giant?s back, who sees farther than the giant.. So too, our merit joined to that of our ancestors is greater than theirs alone. (Machaneh Yisrael, "Last Section", Chapter 20 - cited in The Chofetz Chaim Looks at Eternity - Feldheim Publishers)
2. Within the Books of the Prophets, there are vivid descriptions of the messianic age and the role of the Messiah. One well-known example is Isaiah?s vision of ?the end of days?, when the Messiah ?will settle the disputes of many peoples? and ?they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.? (Isaiah 2:4)
3. Within the Five Books of the Torah, we find the following brief references and allusions to the Messiah:
A. Our father, Jacob, blessed his 12 sons - the founders of the 12 tribes - before he died, and in his blessing to Judah, he mentions the future arrival of Shiloh. Jacob adds that ?his will be an assemblage of peoples.? (Genesis 49:10)
The ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah, known as Targum Onkelos, refers to Shiloh as the Messiah; moreover, Midrash Yalkut Shimoni says that this is referring to the ?King Messiah.? This is also the interpretation cited by the classical commentator Rashi. As Rashi explains, the peoples will gather around the Messiah, and Rashi refers us to the following related Divine promise regarding the Messiah: ?It shall be on that day that the descendant of Jesse who stands as a banner for the peoples, nations will seek him, and his restful tranquility will be glorious.? (Isaiah 11:10)
B. ?I shall see him, but not now, I shall look at him, but not in the near future. A star has issued from Jacob and a scepter-bearer has arisen from Israel.? (Numbers 24:17) According to a classical Biblical commentator, Ramban (Nachmanides), this verse is a prophecy concerning the Messiah. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, also interprets this verse in a similar manner ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
C. ?Then HaShem, your God, will bring back your captivity and have compassion on you, and He will gather you in from all the peoples to which HaShem, your God, has scattered you. If your dispersed will be at the ends of heaven, from there HaShem, your God, will gather you in and from there He will take you. HaShem, your God, will bring you to the Land that your ancestors possessed and you shall possess it; He will do good to you and make you more numerous than your ancestors.? (Deuteronomy 30: 3-5)
According to Maimonides, the above verses are referring to the redemption which will follow the arrival of the Messiah; thus, Maimonides states regarding the Messiah: Anyone who does not believe in him or does not wait for his coming, denies not only the validity of the other Prophets, but also the validity of the Torah and Moses, our teacher ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
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From ptyler at aac-usa.com Sun Mar 1 14:06:49 2009
From: ptyler at aac-usa.com (Patty )
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 15:06:49 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] =?utf-8?q?The_Census_Goes_to_the_White_House_?=
=?utf-8?q?=E2=80=94_What_Are_They_Thinking=3F?=
In-Reply-To: <639138.10929.qm@web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
References: <855590370903010809s4e036107g7b8c280d853b7a92@mail.gmail.com>
<639138.10929.qm@web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <000601c99aa9$54fd0b70$fef72250$@com>
FOX News Blogs ? FOX Forum ? Betsy Newmark
February 9th, 2009 4:57 PM Eastern
The Census Goes to the White House ? What Are They Thinking?
By Betsy Newmark
High School History and Government Teacher
In response to concerns that black and Hispanic groups have about Obama?s nominee to head the Department of Commerce, the Obama administration has decided to have the director of the census, normally part of the Commerce Department, report to the White House .
This raises a couple of questions. If Gregg is the optimal candidate to be Secretary of Commerce, why does the Obama administration mistrust him to perform one of his primary responsibilities? Either they think he?s a man they can trust or they don?t. Gregg has a record of supporting free trade and that is clearly in the purview of the Commerce Secretary. Are they going to circumvent him on trade issues also?
I?d like to see the legal answer from the White House Counsel on circumventing these statutes. It?s not just that it is custom for the Commerce Department to run the Census, it?s actually the law.
By moving the line of responsibility for the census to the White House, they are indicating that they don?t really trust him and that Obama picked him more for the political benefits of removing a senior senator from the GOP caucus and increasing Republican chances in taking that seat in 2010 plus for the brownie points of looking bipartisan by inviting a Republican into his cabinet. But if Obama is going to cut him off right from the get go, then Obama is playing politics with both the census and his nomination.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Rubin points out that the statutes are very clear on where the authority over the census is located. Somehow, the Obama administration is going to have to find a legal justification for going against what seems pretty well laid out in the actual laws governing the census.
Congress has ?directed? in Title 13 that the Census be carried out by the Bureau of the Census ?as an agency within, and under the jurisdiction of, the Department of Commerce.? 13 U.S.C. 2. The Secretary of Commerce is directed to carry out the duties of this title and while he can delegate ?the performance of such functions and duties,? he can only do so to ?officers and employees of the Department of Commerce.? 13 U.S.C. 4. So what Obama is doing by having the Census Bureaus report directly to the White House is not authorized by federal law. Also, only ?sworn officers and employees of the Department or bureau? are allowed to examine individual census reports. This is part of the confidentiality requirements of Section 9 of the law. Depending on what kinds of reports and information would be given to the White House, there could also be a violation of this confidentiality requirement.
Interesting. I?d like to see the legal answer from the White House Counsel on circumventing these statutes. It?s not just that it is custom for the Commerce Department to run the census, it?s actually the law.
And finally, how would the Democrats appreciate the idea of a Republican president, say George W. Bush, putting the control something as political as the census in the White House in violation of the laws governing the census? I think we can imagine the outrage that move would arouse among the Democrats.
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From stephen at 777jesusislord.com Sun Mar 1 15:18:50 2009
From: stephen at 777jesusislord.com (stephen)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 15:18:50 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] Ross Nichols Interviews James Tabor
References: <49AACD26.653BF.7C1B@pop.directnic.com>
Message-ID:
Ross,
First of all, thank-you for the interview. Other than
wishing it were longer, I thought you did a great job!
Of particular interest to me, were Prof Tabor's
references to specific Hebrew words, and some of the
depth expressed by those words, which do not translate
that same depth into English.
Hopefully, some day, you can do an interview with
Prof. Tabor where you go more in depth just on the
word Friend of G-d, etc.
Thank-you for sharing.
Stephen
Tikkun Tzedek
From stephen at 777jesusislord.com Sun Mar 1 15:30:08 2009
From: stephen at 777jesusislord.com (stephen)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 15:30:08 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] "Europe's Woes, America's Warning"
References: <49AABE12.E5314.67BC@pop.directnic.com>
Message-ID:
I think of the years which European countries sought to have
dominion over other countries in the world, and now, reaping
other countries or Islamic families having dominion over them...
There was a time in history where England said that the Sun
never set on the English empire.
Perhaps it is finally setting.
Stephen
Tikkun Tzedek
*EUROPE'S WOES AMERICA'S WARNING*
by Nidra Poller
February 23, 2009
It is difficult to imagine how European nations could find the will and the
ways to counter the subversive forces they have invited upon themselves and
allowed to flourish for more than three decades. The current phase of global
jihad, already underway in the much vaunted decolonization process,
coalesced with the seizure of power in Iran by Ayatollah Khomenei (who had
been living as a pampered refugee in France). But the American reader should
be wary of concluding that Europe is lost.and the United States is standing
firm.
On the contrary, all of Western civilization is under fire. As promised
during the campaign, Barack Hussein Obama is making a radical change in
American policy. Not of course the glorious change his worshippers promised
themselves, but a troubling shift toward dhimmitude. The newly elected
president lost no time in pleading guilty as charged by Muslim authorities
and promising to refrain from further rebellion in order to receive their
benevolent indulgence.
Similar methods produce similar results. Jihad forces in Europe--and in the
United States--used Israel's Cast Lead operation in Gaza as a pretext to
organize virulent, violent pro-Hamas demonstrations. Because Europe is
further down the path to surrender, the enraged pro-Hamas mobs were more
violent, destructive, and physically threatening here than in the United
States. But in both cases they advanced their dominion. This should be
recognized as authentic conquest of territory by enraged mobs bearing down
on hapless victims in an ominous show of force and not, as claimed and
widely accepted, citizen demonstrators exercising their right to free
speech.
If you can carry signs equating the Magen David with the swastika, if you
can scream "Jews to the ovens" in the face of Zionists in Ft. Lauderdale
Florida, if you can storm into a synagogue in Caracas, Venezuela and
terrorize the congregation, if you can bully the police in England, smash up
the Place de l'Op?ra in Paris, burn Israeli and American flags, shout Allahu
Akbar without meeting resolute opposition, it means you can keep going and
ultimately fulfill those murderous promises. Do American Jews understand
what was acquired by these phony demonstrations that are really paramilitary
operations? Wherever those enraged mobs set foot they transformed the
streets into de facto waqf territory.
Each successive crisis is an opportunity to ratchet up Jew hatred and the
concomitant assault on Western civilization, achieving, step by step, tacit
acceptance of the unspeakable. Here is how it works: first, the provocation.
Jihadist attacks?thousands of rockets launched against Israel, a few
airplanes flown into the WTC, capture and beheading of hostages, roadside
bombs, inhuman pizzeria bombers, nuclear weapons programs?finally provoke a
riposte. Bingo! The Muslim wailing machine goes into action. It is
immediately picked up by complicit Western media and transmitted, with a
Good Journalism stamp of approval, to public opinion. Israel, the United
States and anyone else who dares to fight back is accused of war crimes,
peace crimes, and original sin. This justifies subsequent acts of subversion
and aggression against the free world.
When the United States used its formidable military force and assumed its
international responsibilities, European nations, with rare exceptions,
exploited opposition to "the war in Iraq" to undermine the American
superpower. This agitation was exploited in turn by jihad interests to
advance the Islamization of Europe.and by ricochet to influence domestic
politics in the United States as Obamamania surfed on the theme of repairing
America's battered image.
The European Union, with France in the lead, vaunting its diplomatic savoir
faire, competes with the U.S. for influence in the Middle East, and always
seems to pull in the Arab direction. French ceasefire diplomacy restrained
Israel's capacity to defeat Iranian proxies?Hizbullah in 2006, Hamas today.
The harsh criticism of Israel and the U.S. that underlies this
self-righteous peacemaking fuels domestic pro-jihad protest marches that end
in attacks against police and property, further undermining government
authority in Europe and endangering local Jewish populations.
All of this subversive activity is advanced by what I call "lethal
narratives." These are stories of what is happening generated by global
jihad and relayed by Western media and officialdom. Unlike propaganda, which
is used in conjunction with military activity aimed at defeating an enemy in
battle, lethal narratives are used in lieu of military action. Promotion of
enemy propaganda in past conflicts was limited to a small minority of
traitors and fellow travelers; today, lethal narratives are swallowed by all
but a minority of r?sistants, who are marginalized, labeled extremists,
persecuted and prosecuted. Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers who stormed
through European cities screaming "death to Israel, death to the Jews" go
scot free but Dutch politician Geert Wilders is prosecuted for "hate speech"
for showing the connection between these same declarations, from Qur'anic
verses to contemporary sermons, and murderous acts such as 9/11.
The lethal narrative, a tissue of lies made credible by a superficial
journalistic veneer, becomes the accepted version of what is happening. G.W.
Bush lied about Saddam's WMDs, the neocons wanted a war in Iraq, torture at
Guantanamo, hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties, an unbeatable
insurgency, the war spawned a thousand terrorists for every one that was
killed, etc. Another tissue of lies was issued during the Cast Lead
operation: the homemade rockets were harmless; Gaza is an open prison; the
Gaza population suffered a humanitarian crisis, no food, water, electricity,
medicine; Israel engaged in intentional massacre of civilians, bombing
mosques, UN schools, babes in arms and, the last straw, deliberately killed
the daughters of the good-hearted doctor who practices in both Gaza and Tel
Aviv.
In less than a decade life has become problematic for European Jews. It
started with the al Dura blood libel on September 30, 2000 and has steadily
worsened since. During periods of relative calm, we tell ourselves that the
nightmare is over. When the tension exacerbates, as happened during the Gaza
operation, it becomes obvious that we have no future anywhere in Europe ?and
Europe has no future anyway!
France, with the largest Muslim and Jewish populations and the greatest
diplomatic ambition, is emblematic of the Western European condition. The
Sarkozy government is sincerely troubled by the upsurge of
anti-Semitism?approximately 150 incidents reported since the start of Cast
Lead. The president promises to put an end to this unacceptable behavior but
declares, in the next breath, that "Islamophobia" will be punished as
severely as anti-Semitism, falsely implying that Jews are attacking Muslims,
and effectively blocking an honest investigation of the Islamic sources of
Jew hatred
On another level, the "Obama effect" works against Jews in France and more
generally in Europe. Thrilled by the multicultural chic of a black president
in the powerful U.S., Europeans vow to give more than equal opportunity to
their own "visible minorities" in the hopes of getting themselves a YesWeCan
president in the near future. Unfortunately, the integration of law-abiding
Muslims into European society also serves as cover for infiltration by
subversive Muslims.
Political enfranchisement of European Muslims in the absence of genuine
acceptance of Western values is another destabilizing factor. Instead of
promoting a peaceful climate of mutual respect, the rise of Muslims into
executive positions in public and private sectors may lead to ethnic
favoritism that will be prejudicial to Jewish colleagues and candidates,
rebuffed to get even for an alleged previous supremacy or punished whenever
there is a flare-up in the Middle East. Serious problems in public
education, up to the university level, further compromise the future of
Europe and more precisely of European Jews.
The far left, unashamedly aligned with European jihad movements, proudly
marched with pro-Hamas mobs that systematically ended their "demonstrations"
with attacks against property and the police. Fearful of losing ground, the
parliamentary left also sidles toward this constituency, hiding its perfidy
behind dubious humanitarian concerns. CID [Centre d'information et de
documentation de d?mocratie et de Moyen Orient] reports from Brussels that
all political parties except the droite lib?rale marched along with the
keffieh-wrapped mobs that shouted "death to Israel, death to the Jews."
Another aggravating factor is the economic crisis, exploited by the left to
mobilize and channel discontent into increasingly aggressive demonstrations,
strikes and civil disobedience, while the right, hungry for capital,
welcomes sharia finance with open arms.
In 2003, when Jewish boys from Hashomer Hazair were beaten up by anti-war
protestors, I described the incident as a "peace march verging on pogrom."
Alain Finkielkraut applied the term to the 2005 banlieue riots, then
withdrew it as inappropriate. Was it an exaggeration? Or foresight? There
can be no doubt that the enraged mobs storming through European and American
cities will go further.
No longer content to throw fire bombs or ram burning cars into synagogues,
they now want to break in during services. Thirty men traveled from Mulhouse
to Strasbourg for that purpose. Their plan failed.that time. Carjackers in a
Parisian suburb, discovering their victim was Jewish, slashed his neck four
times with exquisite cruelty until the blood flowed. That crime was
denounced as anti-Semitic but the culprits have not been found, and other
incidents are left hanging with question marks, as if to calm the populace.
A Jewish doctor was shot dead in another Parisian suburb, the warehouse of
the biggest kosher food distributor in still another was burned down.
Europeans who do cherish their freedom try to organize, speak out, influence
their governments. They see?or saw?America as a refuge, a haven, a beacon of
liberty. Many see Israel as a sterling example of r?sistance against global
jihad. Though life looks quite normal on the surface, we are living in a
perilous, highly volatile situation in which, precisely, normal life is a
battlefield. As these lines are written, Iran announces the launch of a
satellite that could leave southern European cities no less vulnerable than
Sderot. The news landed like a monster walking into a bustling caf?. The
excited chatter about peace talks and negotiation and friendly outreached
hands falls silent. If existential fear has finally stricken the heart of
European governments, all is not lost.
Nidra Poller is an American who moved to France in 1972 and is a journalist,
novelist, and translator.
From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 18:45:51 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 16:45:51 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] "What a Hobby!"
Message-ID: <855590370903011645w40b36d77ia6fb03ddb6b13a8f@mail.gmail.com>
Generation Z Blog - Israelnationalnews.com (Arutz-7)
Adar 5, 5769, 3/1/2009
What a Hobby!
*Subject: Model of Temple
*
*Content:* Good morning Yishai! Saw this in the London Daily Mail today and
thought it was quite interesting. Thought you might like to see
it.
Take care! Olivia
*Pensioner spends 30 years building amazing model of Herod's Temple ... but
admits he won't be around to finish it*
Brick by brick, tiny figure by tiny figure, Alec Garrard has painstakingly
worked for 30 years on an astonishing recreation of Herod's Temple.
But despite spending all that time and effort the retired farmer believes he
won't finish it in his lifetime as he keeps finding things to add to it.
In contrast, legend has it that the original construction of the entire
complex lasted only three years, although historians believe it took far
longer.
It was his fascination for religion and buildings which first started Alec
on the Biblical project which now measures 20ft by 12ft and is housed in a
seperate building in his garden.
His version is so impressive that some of the world's top archaeologists and
experts from the British Museum have come to view it.
'It's now recognised as the most authentic version of the temple in the
world,' he said. 'I've had a lot of offers from people to buy it, but it's
not for sale.'
And while he sees it as a form of relaxation, he says his wife thinks he is
mad.
'She wishes she'd married a normal person,' he said.
The original temple was built in 19BC by King Herod the Great but was
flattened in AD70 by Roman troops under Emperor Titus during the Siege of
Jerusalem, just six years after completion.
In its heyday the complex covered 36 acres - four times the area of Windsor
Castle.
Today, all that remains of the temple is the Western Wall or so-called
Wailing Wall. The temple itself was located on the site of the Islamic
shrine the Dome of the Rock.
When [the J-man] came to Jerusalem, the temple had just been rebuilt and it
was in an area known as Solomon's Porch that he argued with rabbis, amazing
them with his questions and answers.
Herod, keen to perpetuate his name through building projects, ensured that
the temple dominated the Jerusalem landscape, effectively becoming its focal
point.
The ambitious project involved an estimated 10,000 workers more than
doubling the size of the pre-existing site. This was done by cutting away
rock, constructing walls and then filling the areas with earth and rubble.
Two years ago an archaeologist with the Israeli Antiquities Authority
announced the discovery of a quarry which may have provided Herod with the
stones to build the temple.
Coins and pottery tied the date to 19BC while large outlines of the stone
cuts was seen as evidence of a massive public project worked by hundreds of
slaves.
For his part, Mr Garrard, 78, has dedicated 33,000 hours to constructing his
model and has hand-baked and painted every clay brick and tile and even
sculpted 4,000 tiny human figures to populate the courtyards.
Historical experts believe the model, which has attracted thousands of
visitors from all over the globe, is the best representation in the world of
what the Jewish temple actually looked like.
'I have been working on it for decades but it will never be finished as I'm
always finding something new to add,' he said.
'I've always loved making models and as I was getting older I started to
think about making one big project which would see me through to the end of
my life.
Mr Garrard said he had seen one or two models of the temple and thought he
could do better so began building one himself. 'I have an interest in
buildings and religion so I thought maybe I could combine the two and I came
up with the idea of doing the temple,' he said.
The original temple featured the Court of the Priests, where the animals
were prepared for sacrifice, the Golden Vine at the entrance to the Temple
and the Eastern Gate.
Since the day the temple was destroyed scholars have argued over the detail
of its construction.
Mr Garrard has sculpted 4,000 half-inch figures to populate the courtyards.
Each one takes three hours to make. Mr Garrard, from Norfolk, spent more
than three years researching the temple, which was destroyed by the Romans
2,000 years ago and deemed to be one of the most remarkable buildings of
ancient times.
He then started to construct the amazing 1:100 scale model.
'Everything is made by hand. I cut plywood frames for the walls and
buildings and all the clay bricks and tiles were baked in the oven then
stuck together,' he said.
As well as having religious services, the temple had a bazaar, people
selling souvenirs, as well as currency changers, exchanging Roman for Jewish
money, as mentioned in the New Testament account of [the J-Man] and the
money changers.
'I have also sculpted and painted 4,000 figures, measuring just half an inch
and all wearing their correct costumes.
'Each one takes about three hours to make and there are 32 versions of [the
J-Man], although no one can ever spot him no matter how religious they are.'
Mr Garrard still spends hours working on the model every day.
'I look upon it as a work of art, there is lots of detail and I want it to
look as real as possible,' he said.
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 18:56:03 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 16:56:03 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] "Busting the Demography Scare Bubble in Israel"
Message-ID: <855590370903011656k7680831dq9dc912bdcf55c2f2@mail.gmail.com>
Erev Tov,
I found the article below pretty interesting on a number of levels, even
though it doesn't take Ephramites into account; which wouldn't be possible
at this point, in any case.
* Hanoch*
* Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim*
March 01, 2009 Bursting the Demography Scare Bubble in Israel
*Redacted from an article by Yoram Ettinger*
*The Jerusalem Post, February 23, 2009*
The bubble of demographic fatalism is bursting, according to the most recent
data, published by the* Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (ICBS). *The
data should be leveraged, by the government, to formulate a demographic
policy aimed at *increasing the current 67 percent Jewish majority, west of
the Jordan River (without Gaza). *The policy would uproot demographic
fatalism and advance demographic optimism, thus energizing aliya, *(the
immigration of Jews to Israel)* the economy, overseas investments,
diplomacy, national security, posture of deterrence and minimizing
Jewish-Arab tension, which is fed by demographic fear.
According to the ICBS, the country's Jewish population is getting younger
and the Arab population getting older. The number of annual Jewish births
increased by 45% between 1995 (80,400) and 2008 (117,000), as a result of
aliya from the USSR, the shift by the Soviet Olim *(Russian immigrants
already in Israel)* from a typical Russian rate of one birth per woman to a
typical Israeli rate of two-three births. This is the rising secular Jewish
rate and the sustained high Orthodox and Haredi *(Ultra Orthodox
religious)*rate.
The number of annual Arab births has stabilized - since 1995 - at around
39,000, reflecting a most successful integration by Arabs into the country's
infrastructures of education, health, human services, commerce, finance,
culture, sports and politics. The fertility gap is down from six births per
woman in 1969 to 0.7 in 2009, and the proportion of Jewish births has grown
from 69% (of total births) in 1995 and 74% in 2007 to 75% in 2008.
The downward trend typifies, also, the Arabs in Judea and Samaria due to
large scale emigration, entrenched family planning, reduction of teen
pregnancy, rapid urbanization, expanded education, especially among women,
record divorce rate and higher median marriage age.
The Westernization of Arab fertility rate (3.5 births per woman in pre-1967
Israel and four in Judea and Samaria) is apparent throughout most of the
Arab and Muslim world. For instance, the 2008 map of the UN Population
Division documents an average fertility rate of two-four births, compared
with over four births 30 years ago. Even Yemen, the flagship of robust Arab
demography, is adopting family planning. This month it approved a new law
setting the minimum age for marriage at 17 for boys and girls, prohibiting
marriage without the consent of the woman and benefiting divorced women.
*THE JEWISH DEMOGRAPHIC tailwind behooves the new government to introduce a
demographic road map, which would increase the Jewish majority, while
respecting the rights of the Arab minority: *
1. Placing aliya at the top of the order of national priorities, as expected
from the Jewish state and as required by economic and security challenges.
The global economic meltdown, and the rise in anti-Semitism should be
leveraged to increase aliya from the former USSR, US, Europe, Latin America
and South Africa.
2. The conversion of some 250,000 Olim from the former USSR - in accordance
with Jewish laws - should be expedited.
3. Jewish immigration to - instead of emigration from - Jerusalem would be
facilitated by the availability of jobs and lower-cost housing, created
through entrepreneurs attracted by a drastic enhancement of the city's
infrastructure (airport, fast railroad, Loop, additional freeway, industrial
and residential zones).
4. Enticing the return of expatriates and reducing the number of quality
emigrants by improving education and research and development
infrastructures.
5. Expanding high school and academic programs for prospective Olim.
6. Significant development of infrastructure in the Galilee and in the
Negev, triggering emigration from the Greater Tel Aviv area, which would
yield economic, environmental and demographic benefits.
7. Synchronizing an industrial and educational 9-5 schedule, which would
facilitate raising children and obtaining employment.
8. The establishment of a global Jewish foundation, which would support
Jewish fertility worldwide, in view of high assimilation, low fertility
rates among non-Israeli Jews and Holocaust-driven demographic challenges.
In 1949, David Ben-Gurion considered demography a top priority to salvage
the Jewish state, thus transferring to his successors a foundation for a
long-term robust Jewish majority. In 2009, the new government will enjoy an
impressive critical mass of demography, military, economy and technology.
Will it resurrect the Ben-Gurion legacy and buttress the future of the
Jewish state by reinforcing Jewish majority?
*Ambassador Yoram Ettinger is a consultant on US-Israel relations as well as
the Chairman of Special Projects at the Ariel Center for Policy Research.*
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 19:09:16 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 17:09:16 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <639138.10929.qm@web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
References: <855590370903010809s4e036107g7b8c280d853b7a92@mail.gmail.com>
<639138.10929.qm@web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <855590370903011709x9ce9553r2a93f24526faeacf@mail.gmail.com>
Hey Tracy,
How's things? Glad you had a chance to read the article - and yes, it
was written with only one perspective in mind.
And I truly hope that it all does "pan out soon" as you put it, because
this world is getting worse and worse...
Take care achi!
* Hanoch*
*Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim
*
On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 11:38 AM, Tracy Osborne wrote:
> Shalom Achi Hanoch,
>
> I definitely agree with this article, although it shows only "one side of
> the coin" of the work of Mashiach. But (in my mind) it definitely portrays
> correctly that side of the coin...May HaShem send the Mashiach today!!!
>
> And, yes, I do believe it is Yeshua ben David...and he is Jewish...and he
> wants Jews to remain Jews and keep the Torah. Believing in the resurrection
> of Yeshua does not make one "non-Jewish" nor is it forbidden to believe so.
> However, those who believe in a 3nitarian/anti-torah version of him, are in
> error and will have to correct their interpretations of him.
>
> And, if, most of my Jewish friends do not believe in the resurrection of
> Rabbi Yeshua ben David, his ascension to Heaven, and that it is he who will
> return and fulfill all of what the article below describes, that's their
> business... It will all pan out soon!!
>
>
>
> Shalom u'Brachot,
>
> Tracy
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Hanoch Young
> *To:* dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
> *Sent:* Sunday, March 1, 2009 11:09:42 AM
> *Subject:* [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
>
> Zion Needs the Messiah Arutz-7 Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 01:37
> by by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
>
> (IsraelNN.com) Regarding the recent election in the State of Israel,
> journalist Griff Witte, from the *Washington Post* Foreign Service, wrote:
>
>
> *Yet as Israelis go to the polls Tuesday to choose a new government, the
> national mood is anything but confident. Instead, there is widespread
> anxiety over the threat Israel sees in Iran?s developing nuclear program.
> There is exhaustion with the Palestinian conflict, which has no end in
> sight. And there is grim resignation that none of the candidates on the
> ballot appears to have the answers to the country?s complex problems.*(>From ?Israelis Head To Polls, Anxiety and Fatigue Rule?,
> *Washington Post*, February 10, 2009)
>
> The mood has not really changed since the elections. There is
> disillusionment with the current political leaders of Zion, whose various
> political and military solutions have failed to bring us redemption. This
> disillusionment should increase our yearning for the spiritual leadership
> and vision of the Messiah, of whom it is written, ?A redeemer shall come to
> Zion and to those of Jacob who turn back from defection.? (Isaiah 59:20) As
> a classical commentator, Ibn Ezra, explains, this verse is referring to the
> Messiah.
>
> As we shall discuss, our sacred scriptures reveal that the Messiah will be
> a great sovereign and teacher who will inspire Israel and all the nations to
> serve *HaShem*, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, and thereby
> inaugurate an age of universal enlightenment, unity and *shalom*.
>
> Some people have difficulty imagining that one great person could become
> the Messiah and cause a radical change in the world. The late Rabbi Aryeh
> Carmell was a noted Torah educator who had an inspiring influence on my
> life, and he addressed this issue in the following passage in an essay
> titled, ?Judaism and the Environment?:
>
> *In modern times, many of the most far-reaching revolutions in thought
> have been sparked off by Jews: Einstein, Freud, Marx; though all these were
> far from the Torah tradition. Would it be so far-fetched to think of the
> coming revolution of the spirit as led by a dynamic personality, steeped,
> this time, in the spiritual truths of the Torah ? with a releasing vision
> much profounder than Freud?s, with revolutionary ideals much more radical
> than Marx?s, and with the means at his disposal to swing the world from the
> dark nightmare of a polluted planet to a brighter future of spiritual
> creativity?*
>
> According to a teaching of Maimonides, the belief in the coming of the
> Messiah is one of the thirteen principles of our faith (commentary of
> Maimonides to *Mishnah Sanhedrin*, chap. 10). The following statement is
> the well-known summary of this teaching of Maimonides:
>
> ?I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even
> though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come.?
>
> The belief in the coming of the Messiah is deeply embedded within the
> consciousness of the Jewish people. Even those of our people who view
> themselves as ?secular? have been affected by this belief. For example, the
> book *World of Our Fathers*, by Irving Howe, describes the messianic
> yearnings of an earlier generation of Jewish socialists and progressive
> activists who strayed from the path of Torah. Although their ideology was
> secular, their yearning, hope and striving for a better world was rooted in
> the ancient Jewish belief that the Messiah will eventually come and
> inaugurate a new age of universal justice, unity and *shalom*. In one
> chapter (page 454), Howe quotes from a poem by the Yiddish poet, Aaron
> Zeitlin, which refers to this belief:
>
> *Being a Jew means running forever to God
> Even if you are His betrayer,
> Means expecting to hear any day,
> Even if you are a nay sayer,
> The blare of Messiah?s horn.*
>
> A description of the messianic age of redemption and the role of the
> Messiah is found in Chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah, and it opens with the
> following passage:
>
> *A staff will emerge from the stump of Jesse, and a shoot will sprout from
> his roots. The spirit of *HaShem* will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom
> and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge
> and reverence for *HaShem*. He will be imbued with a spirit of reverence
> for *HaShem*; and he will not need to judge by what his eyes see nor
> decide by what his ears hear. He will judge the destitute with
> righteousness, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will
> strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips
> he will slay the wicked one. Righteousness will be the girdle round his
> loins, and faith will be the girdle round his waist.* (Isaiah 11:1-5)
>
> In the above passage, it states: ?The spirit of *HaShem* will rest upon
> him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and
> strength, a spirit of knowledge and awe of *HaShem*.? This verse clearly
> indicates that the Messiah is an enlightened human being who is in awe of
> *HaShem*, but who is not *HaShem*. This verse serves as a reminder that we
> are not to deify any human being, including a great Jewish human being.
>
> It also states: ?He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and
> with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one.? According to Rabbi
> Samson Raphael Hirsch, this verse reveals that the power of the Messiah will
> come from ?the rod of his mouth? - the strength of his teachings. Through
> these teachings, explains Rabbi Hirsch, the conscience and power of goodness
> within the wicked one will be awakened; thus, ?the wicked one has certainly
> been killed, but in his place, a fresh pure human being has arisen anew.?
> (Commentary on the *Haftorot*)
>
> The prophet then describes an era of universal *shalom* and spiritual
> enlightenment:
>
> *The wolf will live with the sheep, and the leopard will lie down with the
> kid; and a calf, a lion whelp and a fatling together, and a young child will
> lead them. A cow and bear will graze and their young will lie down together;
> and a lion, like cattle, will eat hay. A suckling will play by a viper?s
> hole; and a newly weaned child will stretch his hand towards an adder?s
> lair. They will neither injure nor destroy in all of My sacred mountain; for
> the earth will be filled with knowledge of *HaShem* as water covering the
> sea bed.* (Isaiah 11:1-9)
>
> With the arrival of the Messiah, adds the Prophet Isaiah, *HaShem* will
> bring all our people home:
>
> *It shall be on that day that the Master of All will once again show His
> hand, to acquire the remnant of His people... He will raise a banner for the
> nations and assemble the castaways of Israel; and He will gather in the
> dispersed ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth.* (verses
> 11,12)
>
> The above prophecies reveal what the Messiah will accomplish after he
> arrives. We are therefore awaiting the arrival of the true Messiah, when all
> of these prophecies will be fulfilled. Even though he may tarry, we are not
> to lose hope, for when the hour arrives for the birth of the messianic age,
> he will not delay. In this spirit, the prophet Habakkuk proclaims:
>
> *For there is yet another hazon ("vision") for the appointed time; it will
> speak of the end and it will not deceive. Though it may tarry, await it, for
> it will surely come; it will not delay.* (Habakkuk 2:3)
>
> *Related Teachings and Information*
> 1. There are those who wonder how our generation can experience the coming
> of the Messiah when previous generations that were more righteous than us
> did not merit this experience. The *Chofetz Chaim*, a leading sage of the
> late 19th and early 20th centuries, responds to this concern:
>
> *It is true that we are much smaller than our ancestors, but it is known
> that *HaShem* attaches to every individual his own merit and that of his
> ancestors. We are like a dwarf riding on a giant?s back, who sees farther
> than the giant.. So too, our merit joined to that of our ancestors is
> greater than theirs alone.* (*Machaneh Yisrael*, "Last Section", Chapter
> 20 - cited in *The Chofetz Chaim Looks at Eternity* - Feldheim Publishers)
>
>
> 2. Within the Books of the Prophets, there are vivid descriptions of the
> messianic age and the role of the Messiah. One well-known example is
> Isaiah?s vision of ?the end of days?, when the Messiah ?will settle the
> disputes of many peoples? and ?they shall beat their swords into plowshares
> and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against
> nation and they will no longer study warfare.? (Isaiah 2:4)
>
> 3. Within the Five Books of the Torah, we find the following brief
> references and allusions to the Messiah:
>
> A. Our father, Jacob, blessed his 12 sons - the founders of the 12 tribes -
> before he died, and in his blessing to Judah, he mentions the future arrival
> of Shiloh. Jacob adds that ?his will be an assemblage of peoples.? (Genesis
> 49:10)
>
> The ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah, known as *Targum Onkelos*,
> refers to Shiloh as the Messiah; moreover, *Midrash Yalkut Shimoni* says
> that this is referring to the ?King Messiah.? This is also the
> interpretation cited by the classical commentator Rashi. As Rashi explains,
> the peoples will gather around the Messiah, and Rashi refers us to the
> following related Divine promise regarding the Messiah: ?It shall be on that
> day that the descendant of Jesse who stands as a banner for the peoples,
> nations will seek him, and his restful tranquility will be glorious.?
> (Isaiah 11:10)
>
> B. ?I shall see him, but not now, I shall look at him, but not in the near
> future. A star has issued from Jacob and a scepter-bearer has arisen from
> Israel.? (Numbers 24:17) According to a classical Biblical commentator,
> Ramban (Nachmanides), this verse is a prophecy concerning the Messiah.
> Maimonides, in his *Mishneh Torah*, also interprets this verse in a
> similar manner ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
>
> C. ?Then *HaShem*, your God, will bring back your captivity and have
> compassion on you, and He will gather you in from all the peoples to which
> *HaShem*, your God, has scattered you. If your dispersed will be at the
> ends of heaven, from there *HaShem*, your God, will gather you in and from
> there He will take you. *HaShem*, your God, will bring you to the Land
> that your ancestors possessed and you shall possess it; He will do good to
> you and make you more numerous than your ancestors.? (Deuteronomy 30: 3-5)
>
> According to Maimonides, the above verses are referring to the redemption
> which will follow the arrival of the Messiah; thus, Maimonides states
> regarding the Messiah: Anyone who does not believe in him or does not wait
> for his coming, denies not only the validity of the other Prophets, but also
> the validity of the Torah and Moses, our teacher ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
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From gets52000 at yahoo.com Sun Mar 1 19:12:40 2009
From: gets52000 at yahoo.com (susie getskow)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 17:12:40 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <639138.10929.qm@web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <247680.51907.qm@web54502.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Shalom All,
?
My mind has been almost consumed with this very thought lately and not just Zion needing the Messiah but the whole world. In all the topics we have discussed lately especially regarding the law of return , ephramites, keeping Torah for non jews etc. I think of how it is going to take HaShem's kingdom here on Earth to get it all straightened out!
One topic that I haven't seen discussed is that of Messiah Ben Joseph. James Tabor in his book RAF lightly touches on the fact that Yeshua did not fulfill the Davidic role of Messiah and that most Christians feel he did and is fulfilling that role in the spiritual realm.? This is one of the major reasons(along with Yeshua being G-d and Torah being abrogated) Jewish faith has rejected Yeshua as Messiah. However, there is Rabbinic midrash about the fact that Scriptures show two different demeanors of Messiah. One of a humble servant riding on a lowly donkey and one as conquering King. Messiah Ben Joseph and Messiah Ben David. James makes the point in his book that the Jewish brethen would have no problem if Yeshua of Nazareth would come back as Messiah Ben David they just feel that possiblity to be highly unlikely. It is possible that Yeshua will be the one to fulfill both roles.
?
Joseph was made viceroy to Pharoh. He was given all authority, power and honor by Pharoh but he was not Pharoh. Jacob and Joseph's 11 brothers all bowed down to Joseph. Not as their G-d but as the one chosen by G-d. This was to fulfill Joseph's dream but is that it? Was the meaning of this deeper?
?
There has now come a time after?2000 years of bad theology, miscommunication, mistrust, criminal acts and on and on to have meaningful dialogue about these thoughts. Are the scars too deep? Probably. We need Messiah.
?Some have a longing to live in Israel so deep in their souls they will move there no matter the conditions while others can see that because of the above they will have to wait till Messiah brings them there. We need Messiah.
?
I believe when Messiah comes or returns to Earth both Jew and Gentile will have some surprises but then both sides will be really ready to listen to one another. One thing I think both sides can agree on is that We need Messiah!
?
Susie
--- On Sun, 3/1/09, Tracy Osborne wrote:
From: Tracy Osborne
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Sunday, March 1, 2009, 11:38 AM
Shalom Achi Hanoch,
?
I definitely agree with this article, although it?shows only "one side of the coin" of the work of Mashiach. But?(in my mind) it definitely portrays correctly that side of the coin...May HaShem send the Mashiach today!!!
?
And, yes, I do believe it is Yeshua ben David...and he is Jewish...and he wants Jews to remain Jews and keep the Torah. Believing in the resurrection of Yeshua does not make one "non-Jewish" nor is it forbidden to believe so. However, those who believe in a 3nitarian/anti-torah version of him, are in error and?will have to?correct their interpretations of him.
?
And, if,?most of my?Jewish friends?do not believe in the resurrection of Rabbi Yeshua ben David, his ascension to Heaven, and that it is he who will return and fulfill all of what?the article below describes, that's their business...??It will all pan out soon!!
?
Shalom u'Brachot,
Tracy
From: Hanoch Young
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Sunday, March 1, 2009 11:09:42 AM
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Zion Needs the Messiah Arutz-7
Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 01:37by by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
(IsraelNN.com) Regarding the recent election in the State of Israel, journalist Griff Witte, from the Washington Post Foreign Service, wrote:
Yet as Israelis go to the polls Tuesday to choose a new government, the national mood is anything but confident. Instead, there is widespread anxiety over the threat Israel sees in Iran?s developing nuclear program. There is exhaustion with the Palestinian conflict, which has no end in sight. And there is grim resignation that none of the candidates on the ballot appears to have the answers to the country?s complex problems. (From ?Israelis Head To Polls, Anxiety and Fatigue Rule?, Washington Post, February 10, 2009)
The mood has not really changed since the elections. There is disillusionment with the current political leaders of Zion, whose various political and military solutions have failed to bring us redemption. This disillusionment should increase our yearning for the spiritual leadership and vision of the Messiah, of whom it is written, ?A redeemer shall come to Zion and to those of Jacob who turn back from defection.? (Isaiah 59:20) As a classical commentator, Ibn Ezra, explains, this verse is referring to the Messiah.
As we shall discuss, our sacred scriptures reveal that the Messiah will be a great sovereign and teacher who will inspire Israel and all the nations to serve HaShem, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, and thereby inaugurate an age of universal enlightenment, unity and shalom.
Some people have difficulty imagining that one great person could become the Messiah and cause a radical change in the world. The late Rabbi Aryeh Carmell was a noted Torah educator who had an inspiring influence on my life, and he addressed this issue in the following passage in an essay titled, ?Judaism and the Environment?:
In modern times, many of the most far-reaching revolutions in thought have been sparked off by Jews: Einstein, Freud, Marx; though all these were far from the Torah tradition. Would it be so far-fetched to think of the coming revolution of the spirit as led by a dynamic personality, steeped, this time, in the spiritual truths of the Torah ? with a releasing vision much profounder than Freud?s, with revolutionary ideals much more radical than Marx?s, and with the means at his disposal to swing the world from the dark nightmare of a polluted planet to a brighter future of spiritual creativity?
According to a teaching of Maimonides, the belief in the coming of the Messiah is one of the thirteen principles of our faith (commentary of Maimonides to Mishnah Sanhedrin, chap. 10). The following statement is the well-known summary of this teaching of Maimonides:
?I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come.?
The belief in the coming of the Messiah is deeply embedded within the consciousness of the Jewish people. Even those of our people who view themselves as ?secular? have been affected by this belief. For example, the book World of Our Fathers, by Irving Howe, describes the messianic yearnings of an earlier generation of Jewish socialists and progressive activists who strayed from the path of Torah. Although their ideology was secular, their yearning, hope and striving for a better world was rooted in the ancient Jewish belief that the Messiah will eventually come and inaugurate a new age of universal justice, unity and shalom. In one chapter (page 454), Howe quotes from a poem by the Yiddish poet, Aaron Zeitlin, which refers to this belief:
Being a Jew means running forever to God
Even if you are His betrayer,
Means expecting to hear any day,
Even if you are a nay sayer,
The blare of Messiah?s horn.
A description of the messianic age of redemption and the role of the Messiah is found in Chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah, and it opens with the following passage:
A staff will emerge from the stump of Jesse, and a shoot will sprout from his roots. The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and reverence for HaShem. He will be imbued with a spirit of reverence for HaShem; and he will not need to judge by what his eyes see nor decide by what his ears hear. He will judge the destitute with righteousness, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one. Righteousness will be the girdle round his loins, and faith will be the girdle round his waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
In the above passage, it states: ?The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and awe of HaShem.? This verse clearly indicates that the Messiah is an enlightened human being who is in awe of HaShem, but who is not HaShem. This verse serves as a reminder that we are not to deify any human being, including a great Jewish human being.
It also states: ?He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one.? According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, this verse reveals that the power of the Messiah will come from ?the rod of his mouth? - the strength of his teachings. Through these teachings, explains Rabbi Hirsch, the conscience and power of goodness within the wicked one will be awakened; thus, ?the wicked one has certainly been killed, but in his place, a fresh pure human being has arisen anew.? (Commentary on the Haftorot)
The prophet then describes an era of universal shalom and spiritual enlightenment:
The wolf will live with the sheep, and the leopard will lie down with the kid; and a calf, a lion whelp and a fatling together, and a young child will lead them. A cow and bear will graze and their young will lie down together; and a lion, like cattle, will eat hay. A suckling will play by a viper?s hole; and a newly weaned child will stretch his hand towards an adder?s lair. They will neither injure nor destroy in all of My sacred mountain; for the earth will be filled with knowledge of HaShem as water covering the sea bed. (Isaiah 11:1-9)
With the arrival of the Messiah, adds the Prophet Isaiah, HaShem will bring all our people home:
It shall be on that day that the Master of All will once again show His hand, to acquire the remnant of His people... He will raise a banner for the nations and assemble the castaways of Israel; and He will gather in the dispersed ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (verses 11,12)
The above prophecies reveal what the Messiah will accomplish after he arrives. We are therefore awaiting the arrival of the true Messiah, when all of these prophecies will be fulfilled. Even though he may tarry, we are not to lose hope, for when the hour arrives for the birth of the messianic age, he will not delay. In this spirit, the prophet Habakkuk proclaims:
For there is yet another hazon ("vision") for the appointed time; it will speak of the end and it will not deceive. Though it may tarry, await it, for it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)
Related Teachings and Information
1. There are those who wonder how our generation can experience the coming of the Messiah when previous generations that were more righteous than us did not merit this experience. The Chofetz Chaim, a leading sage of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, responds to this concern:
It is true that we are much smaller than our ancestors, but it is known that HaShem attaches to every individual his own merit and that of his ancestors. We are like a dwarf riding on a giant?s back, who sees farther than the giant.. So too, our merit joined to that of our ancestors is greater than theirs alone. (Machaneh Yisrael, "Last Section", Chapter 20 - cited in The Chofetz Chaim Looks at Eternity - Feldheim Publishers)
2. Within the Books of the Prophets, there are vivid descriptions of the messianic age and the role of the Messiah. One well-known example is Isaiah?s vision of ?the end of days?, when the Messiah ?will settle the disputes of many peoples? and ?they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.? (Isaiah 2:4)
3. Within the Five Books of the Torah, we find the following brief references and allusions to the Messiah:
A. Our father, Jacob, blessed his 12 sons - the founders of the 12 tribes - before he died, and in his blessing to Judah, he mentions the future arrival of Shiloh. Jacob adds that ?his will be an assemblage of peoples.? (Genesis 49:10)
The ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah, known as Targum Onkelos, refers to Shiloh as the Messiah; moreover, Midrash Yalkut Shimoni says that this is referring to the ?King Messiah.? This is also the interpretation cited by the classical commentator Rashi. As Rashi explains, the peoples will gather around the Messiah, and Rashi refers us to the following related Divine promise regarding the Messiah: ?It shall be on that day that the descendant of Jesse who stands as a banner for the peoples, nations will seek him, and his restful tranquility will be glorious.? (Isaiah 11:10)
B. ?I shall see him, but not now, I shall look at him, but not in the near future. A star has issued from Jacob and a scepter-bearer has arisen from Israel.? (Numbers 24:17) According to a classical Biblical commentator, Ramban (Nachmanides), this verse is a prophecy concerning the Messiah. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, also interprets this verse in a similar manner ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
C. ?Then HaShem, your God, will bring back your captivity and have compassion on you, and He will gather you in from all the peoples to which HaShem, your God, has scattered you. If your dispersed will be at the ends of heaven, from there HaShem, your God, will gather you in and from there He will take you. HaShem, your God, will bring you to the Land that your ancestors possessed and you shall possess it; He will do good to you and make you more numerous than your ancestors.? (Deuteronomy 30: 3-5)
According to Maimonides, the above verses are referring to the redemption which will follow the arrival of the Messiah; thus, Maimonides states regarding the Messiah: Anyone who does not believe in him or does not wait for his coming, denies not only the validity of the other Prophets, but also the validity of the Torah and Moses, our teacher ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
_______________________________________________
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 19:12:46 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 17:12:46 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] "Europe's Woes, America's Warning"
In-Reply-To:
References: <49AABE12.E5314.67BC@pop.directnic.com>
Message-ID: <855590370903011712hde69190wd3e2adc5b5a2498f@mail.gmail.com>
Hey Stephen,
I'm starting to wonder if America is in the state of eclipse that the UK
experienced after WWII. Only time will tell, I guess...
* Hanoch
*
On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 1:30 PM, stephen wrote:
> I think of the years which European countries sought to have
> dominion over other countries in the world, and now, reaping
> other countries or Islamic families having dominion over them...
>
> There was a time in history where England said that the Sun
> never set on the English empire.
>
> Perhaps it is finally setting.
>
> Stephen
>
> Tikkun Tzedek
>
> *EUROPE'S WOES AMERICA'S WARNING*
> by Nidra Poller
> February 23, 2009
>
> It is difficult to imagine how European nations could find the will and the
> ways to counter the subversive forces they have invited upon themselves and
> allowed to flourish for more than three decades. The current phase of
> global
> jihad, already underway in the much vaunted decolonization process,
> coalesced with the seizure of power in Iran by Ayatollah Khomenei (who had
> been living as a pampered refugee in France). But the American reader
> should
> be wary of concluding that Europe is lost.and the United States is standing
> firm.
>
> On the contrary, all of Western civilization is under fire. As promised
> during the campaign, Barack Hussein Obama is making a radical change in
> American policy. Not of course the glorious change his worshippers promised
> themselves, but a troubling shift toward dhimmitude. The newly elected
> president lost no time in pleading guilty as charged by Muslim authorities
> and promising to refrain from further rebellion in order to receive their
> benevolent indulgence.
>
> Similar methods produce similar results. Jihad forces in Europe--and in the
> United States--used Israel's Cast Lead operation in Gaza as a pretext to
> organize virulent, violent pro-Hamas demonstrations. Because Europe is
> further down the path to surrender, the enraged pro-Hamas mobs were more
> violent, destructive, and physically threatening here than in the United
> States. But in both cases they advanced their dominion. This should be
> recognized as authentic conquest of territory by enraged mobs bearing down
> on hapless victims in an ominous show of force and not, as claimed and
> widely accepted, citizen demonstrators exercising their right to free
> speech.
>
> If you can carry signs equating the Magen David with the swastika, if you
> can scream "Jews to the ovens" in the face of Zionists in Ft. Lauderdale
> Florida, if you can storm into a synagogue in Caracas, Venezuela and
> terrorize the congregation, if you can bully the police in England, smash
> up
> the Place de l'Op?ra in Paris, burn Israeli and American flags, shout
> Allahu
> Akbar without meeting resolute opposition, it means you can keep going and
> ultimately fulfill those murderous promises. Do American Jews understand
> what was acquired by these phony demonstrations that are really
> paramilitary
> operations? Wherever those enraged mobs set foot they transformed the
> streets into de facto waqf territory.
>
> Each successive crisis is an opportunity to ratchet up Jew hatred and the
> concomitant assault on Western civilization, achieving, step by step, tacit
> acceptance of the unspeakable. Here is how it works: first, the
> provocation.
> Jihadist attacks?thousands of rockets launched against Israel, a few
> airplanes flown into the WTC, capture and beheading of hostages, roadside
> bombs, inhuman pizzeria bombers, nuclear weapons programs?finally provoke a
> riposte. Bingo! The Muslim wailing machine goes into action. It is
> immediately picked up by complicit Western media and transmitted, with a
> Good Journalism stamp of approval, to public opinion. Israel, the United
> States and anyone else who dares to fight back is accused of war crimes,
> peace crimes, and original sin. This justifies subsequent acts of
> subversion
> and aggression against the free world.
>
> When the United States used its formidable military force and assumed its
> international responsibilities, European nations, with rare exceptions,
> exploited opposition to "the war in Iraq" to undermine the American
> superpower. This agitation was exploited in turn by jihad interests to
> advance the Islamization of Europe.and by ricochet to influence domestic
> politics in the United States as Obamamania surfed on the theme of
> repairing
> America's battered image.
>
> The European Union, with France in the lead, vaunting its diplomatic savoir
> faire, competes with the U.S. for influence in the Middle East, and always
> seems to pull in the Arab direction. French ceasefire diplomacy restrained
> Israel's capacity to defeat Iranian proxies?Hizbullah in 2006, Hamas today.
> The harsh criticism of Israel and the U.S. that underlies this
> self-righteous peacemaking fuels domestic pro-jihad protest marches that
> end
> in attacks against police and property, further undermining government
> authority in Europe and endangering local Jewish populations.
>
> All of this subversive activity is advanced by what I call "lethal
> narratives." These are stories of what is happening generated by global
> jihad and relayed by Western media and officialdom. Unlike propaganda,
> which
> is used in conjunction with military activity aimed at defeating an enemy
> in
> battle, lethal narratives are used in lieu of military action. Promotion of
> enemy propaganda in past conflicts was limited to a small minority of
> traitors and fellow travelers; today, lethal narratives are swallowed by
> all
> but a minority of r?sistants, who are marginalized, labeled extremists,
> persecuted and prosecuted. Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers who stormed
> through European cities screaming "death to Israel, death to the Jews" go
> scot free but Dutch politician Geert Wilders is prosecuted for "hate
> speech"
> for showing the connection between these same declarations, from Qur'anic
> verses to contemporary sermons, and murderous acts such as 9/11.
>
> The lethal narrative, a tissue of lies made credible by a superficial
> journalistic veneer, becomes the accepted version of what is happening.
> G.W.
> Bush lied about Saddam's WMDs, the neocons wanted a war in Iraq, torture at
> Guantanamo, hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties, an unbeatable
> insurgency, the war spawned a thousand terrorists for every one that was
> killed, etc. Another tissue of lies was issued during the Cast Lead
> operation: the homemade rockets were harmless; Gaza is an open prison; the
> Gaza population suffered a humanitarian crisis, no food, water,
> electricity,
> medicine; Israel engaged in intentional massacre of civilians, bombing
> mosques, UN schools, babes in arms and, the last straw, deliberately killed
> the daughters of the good-hearted doctor who practices in both Gaza and Tel
> Aviv.
>
> In less than a decade life has become problematic for European Jews. It
> started with the al Dura blood libel on September 30, 2000 and has steadily
> worsened since. During periods of relative calm, we tell ourselves that the
> nightmare is over. When the tension exacerbates, as happened during the
> Gaza
> operation, it becomes obvious that we have no future anywhere in Europe
> ?and
> Europe has no future anyway!
>
> France, with the largest Muslim and Jewish populations and the greatest
> diplomatic ambition, is emblematic of the Western European condition. The
> Sarkozy government is sincerely troubled by the upsurge of
> anti-Semitism?approximately 150 incidents reported since the start of Cast
> Lead. The president promises to put an end to this unacceptable behavior
> but
> declares, in the next breath, that "Islamophobia" will be punished as
> severely as anti-Semitism, falsely implying that Jews are attacking
> Muslims,
> and effectively blocking an honest investigation of the Islamic sources of
> Jew hatred
>
> On another level, the "Obama effect" works against Jews in France and more
> generally in Europe. Thrilled by the multicultural chic of a black
> president
> in the powerful U.S., Europeans vow to give more than equal opportunity to
> their own "visible minorities" in the hopes of getting themselves a
> YesWeCan
> president in the near future. Unfortunately, the integration of law-abiding
> Muslims into European society also serves as cover for infiltration by
> subversive Muslims.
>
> Political enfranchisement of European Muslims in the absence of genuine
> acceptance of Western values is another destabilizing factor. Instead of
> promoting a peaceful climate of mutual respect, the rise of Muslims into
> executive positions in public and private sectors may lead to ethnic
> favoritism that will be prejudicial to Jewish colleagues and candidates,
> rebuffed to get even for an alleged previous supremacy or punished whenever
> there is a flare-up in the Middle East. Serious problems in public
> education, up to the university level, further compromise the future of
> Europe and more precisely of European Jews.
>
> The far left, unashamedly aligned with European jihad movements, proudly
> marched with pro-Hamas mobs that systematically ended their
> "demonstrations"
> with attacks against property and the police. Fearful of losing ground, the
> parliamentary left also sidles toward this constituency, hiding its perfidy
> behind dubious humanitarian concerns. CID [Centre d'information et de
> documentation de d?mocratie et de Moyen Orient] reports from Brussels that
> all political parties except the droite lib?rale marched along with the
> keffieh-wrapped mobs that shouted "death to Israel, death to the Jews."
> Another aggravating factor is the economic crisis, exploited by the left to
> mobilize and channel discontent into increasingly aggressive
> demonstrations,
> strikes and civil disobedience, while the right, hungry for capital,
> welcomes sharia finance with open arms.
>
> In 2003, when Jewish boys from Hashomer Hazair were beaten up by anti-war
> protestors, I described the incident as a "peace march verging on pogrom."
> Alain Finkielkraut applied the term to the 2005 banlieue riots, then
> withdrew it as inappropriate. Was it an exaggeration? Or foresight? There
> can be no doubt that the enraged mobs storming through European and
> American
> cities will go further.
>
> No longer content to throw fire bombs or ram burning cars into synagogues,
> they now want to break in during services. Thirty men traveled from
> Mulhouse
> to Strasbourg for that purpose. Their plan failed.that time. Carjackers in
> a
> Parisian suburb, discovering their victim was Jewish, slashed his neck four
> times with exquisite cruelty until the blood flowed. That crime was
> denounced as anti-Semitic but the culprits have not been found, and other
> incidents are left hanging with question marks, as if to calm the populace.
> A Jewish doctor was shot dead in another Parisian suburb, the warehouse of
> the biggest kosher food distributor in still another was burned down.
>
> Europeans who do cherish their freedom try to organize, speak out,
> influence
> their governments. They see?or saw?America as a refuge, a haven, a beacon
> of
> liberty. Many see Israel as a sterling example of r?sistance against global
> jihad. Though life looks quite normal on the surface, we are living in a
> perilous, highly volatile situation in which, precisely, normal life is a
> battlefield. As these lines are written, Iran announces the launch of a
> satellite that could leave southern European cities no less vulnerable than
> Sderot. The news landed like a monster walking into a bustling caf?. The
> excited chatter about peace talks and negotiation and friendly outreached
> hands falls silent. If existential fear has finally stricken the heart of
> European governments, all is not lost.
>
> Nidra Poller is an American who moved to France in 1972 and is a
> journalist,
> novelist, and translator.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 21:40:14 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 19:40:14 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] quick look at today's headlines
Message-ID: <855590370903011940j16dbc4a1k7aa761a528264ae9@mail.gmail.com>
A quick look at today's headline....
* Hanoch*
*Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Shomron*
*Top US Army Chief: Iran Can Make a Nuclear Bomb* - Israelnationalnews.com The
clock has run out on stopping Iran, US Army Chief of Staff Admiral Mike
Mullen said. ?Iran has enough nuclear material to make a bomb.?
Well, thank you
Admiral Mullins! After insisting that Iran was still years away from a
nuke, oops....he made a mistake. It's a good thing he doesn't live in
Israel, which has Iran's nukes and Iran's proxy armies in both the north and
the south. Great, so what does Israel, the American vassel state do
now?!?! Keep wagging our fingers saying 'Iran will never get the bomb,'
get off the drugs and deal with reality; NOW!
Hamas missile upsurge erodes Israeli deterrence, dashes ceasefire hopes
*DEBKAfile* Special Report
Wow....this is a real shockaroo! They fire records, we don't do
anything, and we wonder why our 'deterrence' is eroding. Hmmmm...that's a
tough one to figure out....Why would we be hoping for a ceasefire?!?! Turn
Gaza into a giant Parking Lot!
*Israeli Arab Arrested for Aiding Hizbullah Israelnationalnews.com*
**
Another total shock, right? This has happened more and more, and will only
get worse!
A dangerous 5th column that has become a real problem. They MUST GO!!!
*Quartet Middle East Envoy Tony Blair Visits Gaza *Israelnationalnews.com
Nice time of the year to visit Gaza, Tony? Have you figured out a way to
get your muslim pals to stop firing rockets at Israel, or what's another few
dead Jews, right? What a sham....
*Former Top Aide Incriminates Olmert on Bribery Charges *
Israelnationalnews.com
How many indictments, threats of indictments or incrimination's can this
loser have?? He's like Israel's version of John Gotti - teflon Ehud! He is
going to be one wealthy ex-PM, don't you think?
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From tposborne77 at yahoo.com Sun Mar 1 21:59:17 2009
From: tposborne77 at yahoo.com (Tracy Osborne)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 19:59:17 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
References: <855590370903010809s4e036107g7b8c280d853b7a92@mail.gmail.com>
<639138.10929.qm@web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
<855590370903011709x9ce9553r2a93f24526faeacf@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <597607.90386.qm@web51104.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Hey Hanoch,
All is well! Now studying intently under an Orthodox Rabbi (Sephardic and Nazarean [more labels for John]), preparing to do some more recording and ministering at some Ephraimite gatherings this year. Praying with and for you daily my dear friend, The Shemoneh Esrei ... (what a marvelous summary of our faith!!!!!) Trying to?build bridges of love and clear away misunderstanding where ever possible. Oh, and listening to my heart, the one?I left in Zion, telling me to come home!!
Hoping to see you soon!
Tracy
________________________________
From: Hanoch Young
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Sunday, March 1, 2009 8:09:16 PM
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Hey Tracy,
??? How's things?? Glad you had a chance to read the article - and yes, it was written with only one perspective in mind.?
??? And I truly hope that it all does "pan out soon" as you put it, because this world is getting worse and worse...
???? Take care achi!
??????????????? ?Hanoch
Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim
On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 11:38 AM, Tracy Osborne wrote:
Shalom Achi Hanoch,
?
I definitely agree with this article, although it?shows only "one side of the coin" of the work of Mashiach. But?(in my mind) it definitely portrays correctly that side of the coin...May HaShem send the Mashiach today!!!
?
And, yes, I do believe it is Yeshua ben David...and he is Jewish...and he wants Jews to remain Jews and keep the Torah. Believing in the resurrection of Yeshua does not make one "non-Jewish" nor is it forbidden to believe so. However, those who believe in a 3nitarian/anti-torah version of him, are in error and?will have to?correct their interpretations of him.
?
And, if,?most of my?Jewish friends?do not believe in the resurrection of Rabbi Yeshua ben David, his ascension to Heaven, and that it is he who will return and fulfill all of what?the article below describes, that's their business...??It will all pan out soon!!
?
Shalom u'Brachot,
Tracy
________________________________
From: Hanoch Young
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Sunday, March 1, 2009 11:09:42 AM
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Zion Needs the Messiah Arutz-7
Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 01:37by by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
(IsraelNN.com) Regarding the recent election in the State of Israel, journalist Griff Witte, from the Washington Post Foreign Service, wrote:
Yet as Israelis go to the polls Tuesday to choose a new government, the national mood is anything but confident. Instead, there is widespread anxiety over the threat Israel sees in Iran?s developing nuclear program. There is exhaustion with the Palestinian conflict, which has no end in sight. And there is grim resignation that none of the candidates on the ballot appears to have the answers to the country?s complex problems. (From ?Israelis Head To Polls, Anxiety and Fatigue Rule?, Washington Post, February 10, 2009)
The mood has not really changed since the elections. There is disillusionment with the current political leaders of Zion, whose various political and military solutions have failed to bring us redemption. This disillusionment should increase our yearning for the spiritual leadership and vision of the Messiah, of whom it is written, ?A redeemer shall come to Zion and to those of Jacob who turn back from defection.? (Isaiah 59:20) As a classical commentator, Ibn Ezra, explains, this verse is referring to the Messiah.
As we shall discuss, our sacred scriptures reveal that the Messiah will be a great sovereign and teacher who will inspire Israel and all the nations to serve HaShem, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, and thereby inaugurate an age of universal enlightenment, unity and shalom.
Some people have difficulty imagining that one great person could become the Messiah and cause a radical change in the world. The late Rabbi Aryeh Carmell was a noted Torah educator who had an inspiring influence on my life, and he addressed this issue in the following passage in an essay titled, ?Judaism and the Environment?:
In modern times, many of the most far-reaching revolutions in thought have been sparked off by Jews: Einstein, Freud, Marx; though all these were far from the Torah tradition. Would it be so far-fetched to think of the coming revolution of the spirit as led by a dynamic personality, steeped, this time, in the spiritual truths of the Torah ? with a releasing vision much profounder than Freud?s, with revolutionary ideals much more radical than Marx?s, and with the means at his disposal to swing the world from the dark nightmare of a polluted planet to a brighter future of spiritual creativity?
According to a teaching of Maimonides, the belief in the coming of the Messiah is one of the thirteen principles of our faith (commentary of Maimonides to Mishnah Sanhedrin, chap. 10). The following statement is the well-known summary of this teaching of Maimonides:
?I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come.?
The belief in the coming of the Messiah is deeply embedded within the consciousness of the Jewish people. Even those of our people who view themselves as ?secular? have been affected by this belief. For example, the book World of Our Fathers, by Irving Howe, describes the messianic yearnings of an earlier generation of Jewish socialists and progressive activists who strayed from the path of Torah. Although their ideology was secular, their yearning, hope and striving for a better world was rooted in the ancient Jewish belief that the Messiah will eventually come and inaugurate a new age of universal justice, unity and shalom. In one chapter (page 454), Howe quotes from a poem by the Yiddish poet, Aaron Zeitlin, which refers to this belief:
Being a Jew means running forever to God
Even if you are His betrayer,
Means expecting to hear any day,
Even if you are a nay sayer,
The blare of Messiah?s horn.
A description of the messianic age of redemption and the role of the Messiah is found in Chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah, and it opens with the following passage:
A staff will emerge from the stump of Jesse, and a shoot will sprout from his roots. The spirit of HaShemwill rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and reverence for HaShem. He will be imbued with a spirit of reverence for HaShem; and he will not need to judge by what his eyes see nor decide by what his ears hear. He will judge the destitute with righteousness, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one. Righteousness will be the girdle round his loins, and faith will be the girdle round his waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
In the above passage, it states: ?The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and awe of HaShem.? This verse clearly indicates that the Messiah is an enlightened human being who is in awe of HaShem, but who is not HaShem. This verse serves as a reminder that we are not to deify any human being, including a great Jewish human being.
It also states: ?He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one.? According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, this verse reveals that the power of the Messiah will come from ?the rod of his mouth? - the strength of his teachings. Through these teachings, explains Rabbi Hirsch, the conscience and power of goodness within the wicked one will be awakened; thus, ?the wicked one has certainly been killed, but in his place, a fresh pure human being has arisen anew.? (Commentary on the Haftorot)
The prophet then describes an era of universal shalom and spiritual enlightenment:
The wolf will live with the sheep, and the leopard will lie down with the kid; and a calf, a lion whelp and a fatling together, and a young child will lead them. A cow and bear will graze and their young will lie down together; and a lion, like cattle, will eat hay. A suckling will play by a viper?s hole; and a newly weaned child will stretch his hand towards an adder?s lair. They will neither injure nor destroy in all of My sacred mountain; for the earth will be filled with knowledge of HaShemas water covering the sea bed. (Isaiah 11:1-9)
With the arrival of the Messiah, adds the Prophet Isaiah, HaShem will bring all our people home:
It shall be on that day that the Master of All will once again show His hand, to acquire the remnant of His people... He will raise a banner for the nations and assemble the castaways of Israel; and He will gather in the dispersed ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (verses 11,12)
The above prophecies reveal what the Messiah will accomplish after he arrives. We are therefore awaiting the arrival of the true Messiah, when all of these prophecies will be fulfilled. Even though he may tarry, we are not to lose hope, for when the hour arrives for the birth of the messianic age, he will not delay. In this spirit, the prophet Habakkuk proclaims:
For there is yet another hazon ("vision") for the appointed time; it will speak of the end and it will not deceive. Though it may tarry, await it, for it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)
Related Teachings and Information
1. There are those who wonder how our generation can experience the coming of the Messiah when previous generations that were more righteous than us did not merit this experience. The Chofetz Chaim, a leading sage of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, responds to this concern:
It is true that we are much smaller than our ancestors, but it is known that HaShemattaches to every individual his own merit and that of his ancestors. We are like a dwarf riding on a giant?s back, who sees farther than the giant.. So too, our merit joined to that of our ancestors is greater than theirs alone. (Machaneh Yisrael, "Last Section", Chapter 20 - cited in The Chofetz Chaim Looks at Eternity - Feldheim Publishers)
2. Within the Books of the Prophets, there are vivid descriptions of the messianic age and the role of the Messiah. One well-known example is Isaiah?s vision of ?the end of days?, when the Messiah ?will settle the disputes of many peoples? and ?they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.? (Isaiah 2:4)
3. Within the Five Books of the Torah, we find the following brief references and allusions to the Messiah:
A. Our father, Jacob, blessed his 12 sons - the founders of the 12 tribes - before he died, and in his blessing to Judah, he mentions the future arrival of Shiloh. Jacob adds that ?his will be an assemblage of peoples.? (Genesis 49:10)
The ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah, known as Targum Onkelos, refers to Shiloh as the Messiah; moreover, Midrash Yalkut Shimoni says that this is referring to the ?King Messiah.? This is also the interpretation cited by the classical commentator Rashi. As Rashi explains, the peoples will gather around the Messiah, and Rashi refers us to the following related Divine promise regarding the Messiah: ?It shall be on that day that the descendant of Jesse who stands as a banner for the peoples, nations will seek him, and his restful tranquility will be glorious.? (Isaiah 11:10)
B. ?I shall see him, but not now, I shall look at him, but not in the near future. A star has issued from Jacob and a scepter-bearer has arisen from Israel.? (Numbers 24:17) According to a classical Biblical commentator, Ramban (Nachmanides), this verse is a prophecy concerning the Messiah. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, also interprets this verse in a similar manner ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
C. ?Then HaShem, your God, will bring back your captivity and have compassion on you, and He will gather you in from all the peoples to which HaShem, your God, has scattered you. If your dispersed will be at the ends of heaven, from there HaShem, your God, will gather you in and from there He will take you. HaShem, your God, will bring you to the Land that your ancestors possessed and you shall possess it; He will do good to you and make you more numerous than your ancestors.? (Deuteronomy 30: 3-5)
According to Maimonides, the above verses are referring to the redemption which will follow the arrival of the Messiah; thus, Maimonides states regarding the Messiah: Anyone who does not believe in him or does not wait for his coming, denies not only the validity of the other Prophets, but also the validity of the Torah and Moses, our teacher ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Mon Mar 2 06:23:08 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:23:08 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] Re: [UILIST] That interesting article we're going to
discuss.
Message-ID: <030220091223.21515.49ABCFAC0005732B0000540B22230650629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Hey Bro'
Sorry I took so long to respond. It's turned out to be a busy weekend. I had forgotten how much work it is to sell one's house. We also began some renovations at the Synagogue this weekend. We started pulling out the awful green carpet and found a very beautiful floor underneath, it was almost like an archaeological dig ;-{)}.
Anyway, I do have some other thoughts regarding the issue of emigrating to Israel that I would like to air.
As you pointed out, there are many Ephraimites who are currently living out their attachment to Israel by simply evading immigration law enforcement and trusting that G-d will keep them safe. It is entirely possible in my opinion that He will. The irony here is that many (if not all) of these folks actually have a heart to help the people of Israel and in fact are. Yet they may be caught up and evicted because of both a narrow-minded Israeli government as well as an infuriatingly persistent "Christian" evangelical movement.
In what I have come to believe is my own calling, it has become clear to me that that emigration to Israel is a very unique ambition fraught with very unique problems. To my knowledge, Israel is the only country (at least the only democracy) whose religion is completely intertwined with both their culture and their government. However, it is not such a far stretch to compare this situation with the Government of the United States and the separation of church and state controversy.
Every approach Israel takes to these problems has drawbacks. It is obvious that neither ancestral nor religious connection to Judah is a guarantee of either loyalty or friendliness to the nation of Israel. There are those who can prove ancestral connection to Judah who are in no way thier friends and there are those who convert to Judah's religion who are in no way her friends. There are those who were born Jewish and are practicing Judiasm who are in no way her friends and there are those who believe that they are the new, spiritual Israel who are in no way her friends.
I heard today that the official position of the Unitied States toward Israel is for a two state solution. No big surprise. Not her friends.
The United States faces a parallel (if not so much an obvious) problem. We are a nation founded on the belief in the G-d of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Yet we are constantly under assault from those who claim loyalty to us but refuse to acknowledge that belief in G-d is valid, the so-called Aethists. I use that term loosely because I personally believe that there is no such thing as an Aetheist. But that is an argument for another time.
Anyway, my point is that Israel and the US both need to figure out how to ensure that they are opening their arms to their friends and excluding their enemies at the same time. This is difficult because of the principles we both hold dear. But restriction to a pariticular set of ancestral and/or religious affiliations is not the answer, that has been proven.
When one is granted citizenship in the US, they are made to take an oath of loyalty with their hand on the Bible (at least it used to be that way), it should be the same for Israel. There should be no argument over which book to swear over, it should be the book of the country to which you aspire to belong, that is the whole point of swearing. If you don't agree with the terms then you don't belong, go somewhere else that agrees with you.
So for me, I am ready to swear my allegance to Isreal under her terms for my own reasons which are no-one elses business except Israel's. It is between me and my G-d who has chosen Israel. Does that mean that I am ready to abandon the US? No indeed, last I heard we could hold dual citizenship, which, BTW, has it's own complexities.
Yes, I do believe that Yeshua is the Messiah. But my definition of Messiah is very different from that of traditional Christianity. I don't think Messiah has anything to do with anyone's personal salvation, he is intended to redeem the nation. Nor do I have any burning desire to convince Judah of my opinion, I think G-d is big enough to straighten that mess out when the time is right. In my opinion, those who want to "save" Judah have missed Yeshua's message completely, mostly beacuse they focus more on his birth, death and ressurection instead of what he taught.
The way I see it, there has got to be a place for me at Israel's side and I believe G-d will make that happen, legally, in spite of all of the governments.
My two cents.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Mon Mar 2 08:28:59 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 06:28:59 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] I SO wish this guy were wrong....but I'm not sure he
is...
Message-ID: <855590370903020628m734058e0kd0a61dfb9b561354@mail.gmail.com>
I'm not sure that 'hate' is the correct word...perhaps 'loathe' is; But I
SO wish he was wrong about American Jews....I don't think he is, though...
* Hanoch*
* Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim*
**
What the Goyim Think About The Jews %Date%
by by from "The Tamar Yonah Show" - Tamar Yonah
(IsraelNN.com) *Now, before anyone gets their feathers ruffled, the term
'Goyim' just means 'Nations'. It is not meant as a derogatory term here.
Saying this, below is an email I received from a good and righteous non-Jew
named Dean. His little experience he has had with Ameican Jews has given
him an impression, that he wants to check out to see if it is true. *
*My friends, here is what the 'righteous' of the Nations, the 'righteous
Goyim', are saying about the Jews....*
Dear Tamar:
I am a christian who lives in the United States. I write to you quite often.
I am not what you call Roman. I am a Christian Zionist with great love for
Israel and all that it represents. I recently attended a Gert Wilders speech
in Massachussetts. It was held in a Jewish synagogue. I rarely rub shoulders
with U.S. Jews, but I enjoy it when I do.
I got there early and began chatting with as many as I could. I told them
how I spend an hour or so each day on the internet surfing in the Jerusalem
Post. I was trying to compare spiritual notes with them. Many of them said
they did not own a computer, but all those who did asked me what the
Jerusalem Post was. I thought they were trying to be sarcastic to me because
I was not wearing a Yarmulkah (is that how you spell it?) But, the more I
tried to be spiritually friendly the more I found they were not interested
in Israel or what was going on there. I left the meeting hall, which was
quite large (400 people.) in a well to do area of Massachussetts, three
miles from Boston.
Feeling quite overwhelemed with perplexity, my inner feelings were thus. How
in the world, with all the things that are going on, could religious
synagogue goers, be ignorant of their own little besieged home? I dwelt on
this all night, very disturbed. I believe God told me why the next day.
Much of the time in their synagogue, I heard them make references to each
other, when someone entered the building, "Oh, do you see that couple over
there, that is so and so and man are they loaded." Oh, "See those people
over there, that is such and such." These people were very pleasant to me
and knew that I was not part of their group. I asked them if they ever heard
of Geert Wilders and to my astonishment none of them had. I probably asked
five or six people. I thought I was at a dog and pony show. I was quite
taken aback. I thought that most of Jewry in the U.S. were up to speed on
spriritual matters like you people at Arutz Sheva. Tovia and Yishai and
Tamar etc. Well, I was set back aways on my spiritual haunches. I thought
about this the next day and I believe God revealed to me the matter.
This is what I feel the sum of the matter is. Many U.S. Jews hate Israel.
That may be too strong. U.S. Jews ignore Israel and this is why. Israel is
an extreme threat to them. If they thought about Israel too long, they might
feel they have to help Israel. Sure, they send them a few bucks now and
then, but that is to relieve their conscienceses. That way when they stand
before God, they will be able to say they supported Israel. Also, I am now
going to reveal why, they mostly all voted for OBAMA. This will blow you
away. This makes tears run down my cheeks. I may be wrong about all of this,
please tell me if I am. I live in Maine. Not many Jewish people up here. I
know of none personally. All I know is what I hear on Jerusalem Post and
read in the Bible. But, I am connected to Israel and the future. I am
connected to the God of Israel. Okay, these are the ten reasons why U.S.
Jews voted for OBAMA and why they do not like the word Israel.
Many, many U.S. Jews are well off with big bucks and big estates and big
connections and extremly little persecution here in the U.S. For them to
admit Israel exists, would cause them to feel they have to help Israel. This
might mean possibly having to take a stand in their daily speech, with
others over here, thereby labeling them as ONE OF THOSE and causing
persecution to come down on their heads. Most Jews are tucked away in little
enclaves or FORTS they have created for safety over here and to leave the
safety of the fort would again open them up for what maybe their forfathers
went through. (OH MY G-D NOT THAT) You know, I almost really can't blame
them. America is like a little Israel to them, when they get tucked away in
their little communities over here. Okay, here comes the punch line. They
feel if they spend ten minutes thinking about Israel, they may feel
attracted to go on Aliya over there. Wow, the thought of all those gun
battles they hear every night on the news, reminds them of the Nazis so
much, what they do is place Israel so far out of their minds, the very
thought of it causes them great pain.
Am I anywhere near the mark??? They almost hate Israel. They almost despise
Israel. The very thought of Israel causes them discomfort. Why do 35,000
Jews in Iran refuse to go to Israel? They live right next door. They know
they would be too easy a target in Israel. How am I doing? This is why they
voted for OBAMA. They feel he will stop helping Israel and maybe just maybe
Israel will disappear and leave their thoughts.
*So... please answer Dean. He wants to understand, is he right, or is he
wrong?*
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Mon Mar 2 08:44:38 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 06:44:38 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] What is 'Extremist'? some interesting points
Message-ID: <855590370903020644g2df2722clca85c26727c49607@mail.gmail.com>
What is 'Extremist'? Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 11:57
by by Yoel Meltzer
(IsraelNN.com) As coalition talks heat up, the phrase "extremist coalition"
is frequently heard. At times, it is Kadima stating that they will not join
an "extremist coalition", while at other times it is the leadership of the
Likud saying they will form a right-wing coalition, albeit not an
"extremist" one. With the term being bantered about so regularly, perhaps it
should be clarified what exactly this term means.
For starters, according to one dictionary, "extremist" means "one who
advocates or resorts to measures beyond the norm." Hence, right from the
start, it should be clear that "extremist" is a relative term. Moreover,
something is determined as extremist only in relation to its position
vis-a-vis the "norm" (which, of course, is also a relative term). Thus, for
example, we find that according to this definition, Zeev Jabotinsky's
frantic pleas in the 1930s to European Jewry "to liquidate the exile before
the exile liquidates you," would certainly be considered extremist, since
the majority of European Jewry (the "norm") did not agree with Jabotinsky's
prediction. Nonetheless, history proved that Jabotinsky was unfortunately
correct, while the majority (the "norm") was clearly wrong.
This is just one example of many to show that what occasionally is
considered an extremist approach is, in retrospect, correct, while what is
considered the norm is, in retrospect, mistaken. Of course, this is not a
fixed law and sometimes the opposite is true. What is important, however, is
to understand that these terms are purely subjective and relative. Thus,
whoever designates an idea or approach as "extremist", and by default what
is the norm, is doing so from his own personal, subjective point of view and
world outlook. This is an important point that should be kept in mind when
confronted by such terms.
A much healthier approach would be if public officials would clearly state
what they consider extremist in another party, and why, and in the process
clarify what is their own unique point of view and world outlook. Thus, for
example, if Kadima or Likud were to state why they believe that Yisrael
Beiteinu's calling for citizenship based on loyalty is extremist, perhaps
Yisrael Beiteinu would respond with their own reasoning of why they believe
that such a position is legitimate and required. Whatever the outcome of
such a dialogue would be, at the very least the public would be presented
with some clear ideas of what our public officials actually believe in,
rather than being fed the usual cliches.
Turning to another dictionary, we find that "extremism" is "any political
theory favoring uncompromising policies." Thus, for example, based on this
definition Kadima could easily claim that HaIchud HaLeumi has an extremist
point of view, since they are 100% opposed to the creation of a Palestinian
state in any shape or size, in any part of the Land of Israel. In other
words, they are totally uncompromising and therefore extremist. However,
similar to the case above, if Kadima would only state this clearly, rather
than talking in general terms about an "extremist coalition", perhaps some
genuine public dialogue would ensue.
In such a scenario, HaIchud HaLeumi might respond by saying that Kadima's
determination to establish a Palestinian state in the majority of Judea and
Samaria - despite the experience of missile attacks from Lebanon and Gaza
during the past few years and despite the direct threat that such a state
would pose against Tel Aviv and Jerusalem - is not only foolish, but it is
also extremist, due to Kadima's uncompromising commitment to bring such a
policy to fruition. Or perhaps they would respond by explaining in an
intelligent way that from a Jewish perspective their position is actually
the norm, while everything else should be viewed relative to their position.
The debates could go on and on, but the point here is that rather than
continuing to spend endless time delegitimizing and vilifying other parties
who have different points of view, the time has come for Israeli pubic
officials to start engaging in real discussions based upon actual ideas and
approaches, rather than mere sound bites and cliches such as "extremist".
The Israeli public deserves this from their elected officials.
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From bkgivin at charter.net Mon Mar 2 13:24:48 2009
From: bkgivin at charter.net (Betty Givin)
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 13:24:48 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES & KIM!
In-Reply-To: <030220091223.21515.49ABCFAC0005732B0000540B22230650629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
References: <030220091223.21515.49ABCFAC0005732B0000540B22230650629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Message-ID:
I haven't been very active on the list lately; I have been reading, but just
not writing, but I but wanted to jump in a minute here with a lighter note
and wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two of my favorite people, . who deserve the
very best.my dear brother James, and my precious daughter, Kim!!!
Happy Birthday you two! And may HaShem continue to shine His Light on you
and within you so that you may continue to radiate
that Light outward!!!
My love always,
Elisheva/Betty/Mom
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From jid at westnet.com.au Mon Mar 2 14:46:43 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:46:43 +1000
Subject: [Fwd: [Dialogue] HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES & KIM!]
Message-ID: <49AC45B3.2040408@westnet.com.au>
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From: "Betty Givin"
Subject: [Dialogue] HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES & KIM!
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 13:24:48 -0600
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Mon Mar 2 14:59:55 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 12:59:55 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES & KIM!
In-Reply-To:
References: <030220091223.21515.49ABCFAC0005732B0000540B22230650629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Message-ID: <855590370903021259n6bc38041k118458107056dc5c@mail.gmail.com>
Happy Birthday to both of you! May this year be your best one yet!
* Hanoch
*
On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 11:24 AM, Betty Givin wrote:
> I haven?t been very active on the list lately; I have been reading, but
> just not writing, but I but wanted to jump in a minute here with a lighter
> note and wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two of my favorite people, . who deserve
> the very best?my dear brother James, and my precious daughter, Kim!!!
>
>
>
> *Happy Birthday you two! And may HaShem continue to shine His Light on you
> and within you so that you may continue to radiate *
>
> *that Light outward!!!*
>
>
>
> My love always,
>
> Elisheva/Betty/Mom
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
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From jid at westnet.com.au Mon Mar 2 15:20:07 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:20:07 +1000
Subject: [Fwd: [Dialogue] Re: [UILIST] That interesting article we're going
to discuss.]
Message-ID: <49AC4D87.30107@westnet.com.au>
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From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net
Subject: [Dialogue] Re: [UILIST] That interesting article we're going to
discuss.
Date: Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:23:08 +0000
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From ptyler at aac-usa.com Mon Mar 2 15:47:47 2009
From: ptyler at aac-usa.com (Patty )
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 16:47:47 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES & KIM!
In-Reply-To: <855590370903021259n6bc38041k118458107056dc5c@mail.gmail.com>
References: <030220091223.21515.49ABCFAC0005732B0000540B22230650629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
<855590370903021259n6bc38041k118458107056dc5c@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <00ae01c99b80$886bdfe0$99439fa0$@com>
Happy Birthday James & Kim!!
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/noiraud/ochiai/Happy_Birthday.jpg
Love, Patty & Dave Tyler
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Mon Mar 2 17:36:07 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 18:36:07 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES & KIM!
In-Reply-To: <855590370903021259n6bc38041k118458107056dc5c@mail.gmail.com>
References: <030220091223.21515.49ABCFAC0005732B0000540B22230650629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
<855590370903021259n6bc38041k118458107056dc5c@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID:
YES!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR KIM AND JAMES!!!!!
Love,
Pat
From: Hanoch Young
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 3:59 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES & KIM!
Happy Birthday to both of you! May this year be your best one yet!
Hanoch
On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 11:24 AM, Betty Givin wrote:
I haven?t been very active on the list lately; I have been reading, but just not writing, but I but wanted to jump in a minute here with a lighter note and wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two of my favorite people, . who deserve the very best?my dear brother James, and my precious daughter, Kim!!!
Happy Birthday you two! And may HaShem continue to shine His Light on you and within you so that you may continue to radiate
that Light outward!!!
My love always,
Elisheva/Betty/Mom
_______________________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Mon Mar 2 18:43:45 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:43:45 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES & KIM!
In-Reply-To:
References: <030220091223.21515.49ABCFAC0005732B0000540B22230650629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Message-ID: <030320090043.4730.49AC7D40000D288B0000127A22228869349B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Hey James and Kim,
Happy birthday! May we share many more with in the years to come.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from "Betty Givin" : --------------
I haven?t been very active on the list lately; I have been reading, but just not writing, but I but wanted to jump in a minute here with a lighter note and wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two of my favorite people, . who deserve the very best?my dear brother James, and my precious daughter, Kim!!!
Happy Birthday you two! And may HaShem continue to shine His Light on you and within you so that you may continue to radiate
that Light outward!!!
My love always,
Elisheva/Betty/Mom
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Mon Mar 2 19:03:07 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:03:07 +0000
Subject: [Fwd: [Dialogue] Re: [UILIST] That interesting article we're
goingto discuss.]
In-Reply-To: <49AC4D87.30107@westnet.com.au>
Message-ID: <030320090103.22969.49AC81CB00021781000059B922228869349B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Hey Joe,
I love ya man. Unconditional Love and Unity with Yehudah is what I'm talking about. But somewhere along the line it has to materialize in the here and now, with our personal actions and decisions. We can't lay this all on Messiah.
And believe me I'm not laying the blame at the feet of Judah either, there are good reasons why Judah doesn't trust Joseph.
My point is, it is up to us (Jew and Gentile) to strive to heal the wounds of the past. Unfortunately, that means dealing with the all too mortal issues of politics, demographics, citizenship, theology and messiahship. Israel will never learn to trust those who truly desire to stand with her if she doesn't try to recognize us. And we will never learn how to stand with Judah if we don't stop insisting that we have a better solution to their salvation than G-d Himself planned for. We have to learn to understand each other. But I believe will will never learn to do that if we expect G-d or Messiah to do it for us.
Israel said at Mount Sinai, "We will do and understand", none of us are very good at the doing part I don't think.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from JOE INDOMENICO : --------------
Shalom John,
there is a very strong message in this article.
" they will not listen to me..... the rabbi, but they will to you..... the friends."
The key to this discussion I believe is not politics, demographics, citizenship, theology nor even Messiahship.
It boils down to our Ahavat and Achdut - Unconditional Love and Unity with Yehudah.
Only this can break down the millennia of distrust and enmity. This is the role of Mashiach.
When we reach out and do , the stage is set for the Redemption to unfold.
by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical Paths
There are many opinions as to what life will be like when the Mashiach finally comes. Although they argue on most points, they all agree that one big change will be the way the Nations of the world will view the Jewish People. After the Redemption, they will appreciate the Jews and will look toward Jerusalem for guidance.
There is a well known teaching about the time of the Mashiach. It says that the non-Jews will realize that the more the Jews learn Torah, the better it will be for the entire world, including them. They will want this reward so much that they will station guards outside the study halls with sticks in their hands. If a Jew comes out before the day is over, they will threaten him with blows unless he returns and finishes his day of study.
Can you imagine a non-Jew being so dedicated to the Jews? spiritual development?
Yesterday at the Kotel, there were three young men standing together apparently discussing the history of the place. It turned out that they were volunteers for one of the many projects that are set up around the country to attract Jews from all over the world. But of these three, only one was a Jew. He was a medical student in America, and the other two were from Holland.
I asked the Jewish man to put on tefillin. He refused with a definite ?No!? Many times, a Jew who is with his non-Jewish friends will not want to put on tefillin because he does not want to break up the group, or does not want to embarrass the non-Jew by telling him that he cannot do it. So they most often side with the gentile and not with me. There can be any number of reasons that a Jew invents to refuse to put on tefillin, and this guy seemed to have them all.
I saw that I could not get anywhere with him, so I said to the two guys from Holland, ?Look you cannot put on tefillin because you are not Jewish, but if you get him to put on tefillin you will get credit in Heaven. He won?t listen to me, but he will listen to you because you?re his friends.?
They picked up on it right away. ?Yeah,? They said smiling broadly. ?Go for it. It will be good.? He gave in immediately, and with a gentle hug I slid him over to the tefillin stand.
I explained to them what the mitzvah of tefillin is, and gave him the English prayers to read. Then I explained to the two non-Jews that G-d loves all People, and that now He loves them even more since they helped a Jew to put on tefillin.
Signs of the times. Redemption is getting closer and closer.
Shalom v'Ahavah to you and Carin.
JOE.
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From goodears at jps.net Mon Mar 2 19:29:26 2009
From: goodears at jps.net (Ron Runyon)
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 17:29:26 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
In-Reply-To: <855590370903010224t430c1adbvd70128f4b4f3540d@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID:
Shalom Hanoch,
I am very interested in this thread and the articles you are posting. Thank
you.
Your comments in this article leave me with a question. When some group of
Jews proclaim Rabbi Schneerson as the Messiah do all the rest of the Jews
lump these in to a group that can not be trusted and should be removed, like
the Christian Missionaries?
Help me understand your objection or the Jews objection to the songs of
Ephramites.
Have you ever heard these type of songs at other Ephimite gatherings, like
the one you and I were at in a school in Yerushalaim?
It seems to me that the expectation is that Ephraim should come in with out
their beliefs and practices. Is that what you are propossing?
May be I am missing something.
Ron
_____
From: Hanoch Young [mailto:youngbarzel at gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 2:24 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
Shalom John,
Boker tov in Louisiana! The two excerpts below, from story's from
today's Arutz-7 illustrate elements related to those two articles (one that
you posted, and one that I did) relating to changing residency & citizenship
(as well as conversion) requirements. I have interspersed my comments in
RED....
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on your original note....if we
wait for others to jump in first, we may be here a very, very long
time...LOL
Hanoch
Israel's 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim
Outreach Rabbi Singer to Challenge Missionary Aggression
Adar 4, 5769, 28 February 09 08:15
by by IsraelNN Staff
(IsraelNN.com) The Outreach Judaism organization has announced that it is
launching an exhaustive four-part lecture series in Jerusalem to respond
directly to missionaries who engage in Jewish evangelism. The campaign is in
an effort to combat a disturbing assault by fundamentalist Christians who
target Jews for conversion.
It continues to astound me - there truly is no willingness, whatsoever, to
allow beliefs other then their personal Christian ones. As John Hulley once
said, they're in Israel and when giving Jewish children candy, they just
HAVE to tell them that Jesus loves them....
Outreach Judaism is an international organization dedicated to countering
the efforts of fundamentalist groups and cults who specifically target Jews
for conversion.
The series entitled Judaism's Response to Christian Missionaries will be the
first course run in Jerusalem by Outreach Judaism
founder and director Rabbi Tovia Singer,
who moved to Israel last year from the United States.
In the current series, Rabbi Singer, a world-renowned expert on Jewish
evangelism, said he will respond to fundamentalist Christian groups who try
to lure vulnerable Jews into their ranks, by exploring the "dark history" of
the groups. He intends to expose the aggressive techniques used by
organizations like Jews for Jesus that spend millions of dollars annually to
"bring the message of the Gospel to the Jewish people."
Rabbi Singer said he will also demonstrate how missionaries twist the Jewish
scriptures in order to make the sacred Hebrew texts appear as though they
are speaking about Jesus.
"Jews for Jesus and other well-funded missionary organizations have launched
a deceptive campaign to convert the most vulnerable segments of our
community to their extremist brand of Christianity," said Singer, who also
hosts his own talk show on Israel National Radio
.
"In their unrelenting spiritual assault on Jewish communities worldwide,
these aggressive organizations, backed by major evangelical churches
worldwide, deliberately blur the distinctions between Judaism and
Christianity in order to lure susceptible Jews who would otherwise resist a
straightforward Christian message," he added.
This is bound to work against Ephramite believers in Yeshua who are willing
to keep their personal beliefs to themselves, because they will be 'lumped
together' in everyone's minds, that they are missionaries! Remember,
Israeli's are hearing this Ephramite message for the first time - if they
start hearing songs that Yeshua is the Messiah (like were sung on the World
Biblical Zionist Tour/Program), they are simply going to think" CHRISTIAN
MISSIONARY!
Immigration Authorities Raid Dead Sea Hotels
Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 08:56
by by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com) Immigration police rounded up dozens of illegal Sudanese
workers in a massive raid along the hotel strip at the southern tip of the
Dead Sea at daybreak Sunday.
Police were present to stop the first bus of workers from leaving at 5:30
a.m., said one hotel worker, who requested anonymity because she was not
authorized to speak to the media. Police also stopped every other employee
transport that followed, and raided every hotel along the strip, which
serves hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
Israel has had immigration raids periodically, to catch foreign workers who
had been brought in (to replace the arab labor) and had stayed illegally.
However, if this is a trend - that they are NOW really serious about making
sure that those without appropriate visas are expelled (and not allowed to
come back, BTW), then I know a number of Ephramites who are going to be very
disappointed....
The worker noted that about 70 Eritreans work in the hotel where she is
employed and that "only the ones that are here illegally were picked up."
There are more than a dozen hotels on the strip at the Dead Sea alone.
Hundreds of refugees from the Sudan who infiltrated in to the country from
Egypt in the past year had been hired "off the books" by the hotels at the
Dead Sea, said the source.
"They even took Ethiopians off the bus to check their documents," she said.
"They can't seem to tell the difference."
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Mon Mar 2 19:41:13 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:41:13 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <247680.51907.qm@web54502.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
References: <639138.10929.qm@web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
<247680.51907.qm@web54502.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <030320090141.25617.49AC8AB8000406490000641122228869349B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
I agree with you completely regarding the the surprises in store for both Jew and Gentile Susie. I also agree with you about the two Messiah concept.
But I have to bring up a point that has been bothering me for quite some time.
I have spent a good part of my life in Christian circles in one form or another and I have come to the conclusion that one of the most insideous doctrines ever developed is the idea that everyhing will get better when Messiah returns or, to put it another way, nothing is going to get better until he does. Most of the Christian friends I have that are studied in their beliefs (a lot of Christians, in fact, I would say a majority, really have no idea why they believe what they do. I was one of them) have simply given up trying to deal with the present reality. They are now living thier lives wating for Messiah to return...for the rapture. They no longer watch the news, they have no clue what is happening in Israel and they see no reason to.
Don't misunderstand, I am convinced as are most who study G-d's Word are that there will never be true peace until Messiah returns. But this does not mean the absence of war and hate, it means the ascendance of the Kingdom as G-d intended it to be in the first place. It means G-d's goodness will once again permeate His creation. My understanding of scripture is that WE (those who believe on the G-d of Abraham, Issac and Jacob) are supposed to usher in this era by walking in the way of our belief. Every man and woman has a choice to make ( it is the one Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy 30), I think when G-d is satisfied that every man and woman in His creation has made that choice, Messiah will return and not before. No-one knows when that will be. So it is up to us to live out our choice with as much devotion as we can muster in the meantime.
I don't think moving to Israel is the right decision for everyone. But I do think that supporting her as actively we can, is. No matter what our calling.
I fear that Judah and/or Ephraim may be taking too much for granted if all we do is wait for Messiah to return.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from susie getskow : --------------
Shalom All,
My mind has been almost consumed with this very thought lately and not just Zion needing the Messiah but the whole world. In all the topics we have discussed lately especially regarding the law of return , ephramites, keeping Torah for non jews etc. I think of how it is going to take HaShem's kingdom here on Earth to get it all straightened out!
One topic that I haven't seen discussed is that of Messiah Ben Joseph. James Tabor in his book RAF lightly touches on the fact that Yeshua did not fulfill the Davidic role of Messiah and that most Christians feel he did and is fulfilling that role in the spiritual realm. This is one of the major reasons(along with Yeshua being G-d and Torah being abrogated) Jewish faith has rejected Yeshua as Messiah. However, there is Rabbinic midrash about the fact that Scriptures show two different demeanors of Messiah. One of a humble servant riding on a lowly donkey and one as conquering King. Messiah Ben Joseph and Messiah Ben David. James makes the point in his book that the Jewish brethen would have no problem if Yeshua of Nazareth would come back as Messiah Ben David they just feel that possiblity to be highly unlikely. It is possible that Yeshua will be the one to fulfill both roles.
Joseph was made viceroy to Pharoh. He was given all authority, power and honor by Pharoh but he was not Pharoh. Jacob and Joseph's 11 brothers all bowed down to Joseph. Not as their G-d but as the one chosen by G-d. This was to fulfill Joseph's dream but is that it? Was the meaning of this deeper?
There has now come a time after 2000 years of bad theology, miscommunication, mistrust, criminal acts and on and on to have meaningful dialogue about these thoughts. Are the scars too deep? Probably. We need Messiah.
Some have a longing to live in Israel so deep in their souls they will move there no matter the conditions while others can see that because of the above they will have to wait till Messiah brings them there. We need Messiah.
I believe when Messiah comes or returns to Earth both Jew and Gentile will have some surprises but then both sides will be really ready to listen to one another. One thing I think both sides can agree on is that We need Messiah!
Susie
--- On Sun, 3/1/09, Tracy Osborne wrote:
From: Tracy Osborne
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Sunday, March 1, 2009, 11:38 AM
Shalom Achi Hanoch,
I definitely agree with this article, although it shows only "one side of the coin" of the work of Mashiach. But (in my mind) it definitely portrays correctly that side of the coin...May HaShem send the Mashiach today!!!
And, yes, I do believe it is Yeshua ben David...and he is Jewish...and he wants Jews to remain Jews and keep the Torah. Believing in the resurrection of Yeshua does not make one "non-Jewish" nor is it forbidden to believe so. However, those who believe in a 3nitarian/anti-torah version of him, are in error and will have to correct their interpretations of him.
And, if, most of my Jewish friends do not believe in the resurrection of Rabbi Yeshua ben David, his ascension to Heaven, and that it is he who will return and fulfill all of what the article below describes, that's their business... It will all pan out soon!!
Shalom u'Brachot,
Tracy
From: Hanoch Young
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Sunday, March 1, 2009 11:09:42 AM
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Zion Needs the Messiah Arutz-7
Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 01:37by by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
(IsraelNN.com) Regarding the recent election in the State of Israel, journalist Griff Witte, from the Washington Post Foreign Service, wrote:
Yet as Israelis go to the polls Tuesday to choose a new government, the national mood is anything but confident. Instead, there is widespread anxiety over the threat Israel sees in Iran?s developing nuclear program. There is exhaustion with the Palestinian conflict, which has no end in sight. And there is grim resignation that none of the candidates on the ballot appears to have the answers to the country?s complex problems. (From ?Israelis Head To Polls, Anxiety and Fatigue Rule?, Washington Post, February 10, 2009)
The mood has not really changed since the elections. There is disillusionment with the current political leaders of Zion, whose various political and military solutions have failed to bring us redemption. This disillusionment should increase our yearning for the spiritual leadership and vision of the Messiah, of whom it is written, ?A redeemer shall come to Zion and to those of Jacob who turn back from defection.? (Isaiah 59:20) As a classical commentator, Ibn Ezra, explains, this verse is referring to the Messiah.
As we shall discuss, our sacred scriptures reveal that the Messiah will be a great sovereign and teacher who will inspire Israel and all the nations to serve HaShem, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, and thereby inaugurate an age of universal enlightenment, unity and shalom.
Some people have difficulty imagining that one great person could become the Messiah and cause a radical change in the world. The late Rabbi Aryeh Carmell was a noted Torah educator who had an inspiring influence on my life, and he addressed this issue in the following passage in an essay titled, ?Judaism and the Environment?:
In modern times, many of the most far-reaching revolutions in thought have been sparked off by Jews: Einstein, Freud, Marx; though all these were far from the Torah tradition. Would it be so far-fetched to think of the coming revolution of the spirit as led by a dynamic personality, steeped, this time, in the spiritual truths of the Torah ? with a releasing vision much profounder than Freud?s, with revolutionary ideals much more radical than Marx?s, and with the means at his disposal to swing the world from the dark nightmare of a polluted planet to a brighter future of spiritual creativity?
According to a teaching of Maimonides, the belief in the coming of the Messiah is one of the thirteen principles of our faith (commentary of Maimonides to Mishnah Sanhedrin, chap. 10). The following statement is the well-known summary of this teaching of Maimonides:
?I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come.?
The belief in the coming of the Messiah is deeply embedded within the consciousness of the Jewish people. Even those of our people who view themselves as ?secular? have been affected by this belief. For example, the book World of Our Fathers, by Irving Howe, describes the messianic yearnings of an earlier generation of Jewish socialists and progressive activists who strayed from the path of Torah. Although their ideology was secular, their yearning, hope and striving for a better world was rooted in the ancient Jewish belief that the Messiah will eventually come and inaugurate a new age of universal justice, unity and shalom. In one chapter (page 454), Howe quotes from a poem by the Yiddish poet, Aaron Zeitlin, which refers to this belief:
Being a Jew means running forever to God
Even if you are His betrayer,
Means expecting to hear any day,
Even if you are a nay sayer,
The blare of Messiah?s horn.
A description of the messianic age of redemption and the role of the Messiah is found in Chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah, and it opens with the following passage:
A staff will emerge from the stump of Jesse, and a shoot will sprout from his roots. The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and reverence for HaShem. He will be imbued with a spirit of reverence for HaShem; and he will not need to judge by what his eyes see nor decide by what his ears hear. He will judge the destitute with righteousness, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one. Righteousness will be the girdle round his loins, and faith will be the girdle round his waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
In the above passage, it states: ?The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and awe of HaShem.? This verse clearly indicates that the Messiah is an enlightened human being who is in awe of HaShem, but who is not HaShem. This verse serves as a reminder that we are not to deify any human being, including a great Jewish human being.
It also states: ?He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one.? According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, this verse reveals that the power of the Messiah will come from ?the rod of his mouth? - the strength of his teachings. Through these teachings, explains Rabbi Hirsch, the conscience and power of goodness within the wicked one will be awakened; thus, ?the wicked one has certainly been killed, but in his place, a fresh pure human being has arisen anew.? (Commentary on the Haftorot)
The prophet then describes an era of universal shalom and spiritual enlightenment:
The wolf will live with the sheep, and the leopard will lie down with the kid; and a calf, a lion whelp and a fatling together, and a young child will lead them. A cow and bear will graze and their young will lie down together; and a lion, like cattle, will eat hay. A suckling will play by a viper?s hole; and a newly weaned child will stretch his hand towards an adder?s lair. They will neither injure nor destroy in all of My sacred mountain; for the earth will be filled with knowledge of HaShem as water covering the sea bed. (Isaiah 11:1-9)
With the arrival of the Messiah, adds the Prophet Isaiah, HaShem will bring all our people home:
It shall be on that day that the Master of All will once again show His hand, to acquire the remnant of His people... He will raise a banner for the nations and assemble the castaways of Israel; and He will gather in the dispersed ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (verses 11,12)
The above prophecies reveal what the Messiah will accomplish after he arrives. We are therefore awaiting the arrival of the true Messiah, when all of these prophecies will be fulfilled. Even though he may tarry, we are not to lose hope, for when the hour arrives for the birth of the messianic age, he will not delay. In this spirit, the prophet Habakkuk proclaims:
For there is yet another hazon ("vision") for the appointed time; it will speak of the end and it will not deceive. Though it may tarry, await it, for it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)
Related Teachings and Information
1. There are those who wonder how our generation can experience the coming of the Messiah when previous generations that were more righteous than us did not merit this experience. The Chofetz Chaim, a leading sage of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, responds to this concern:
It is true that we are much smaller than our ancestors, but it is known that HaShem attaches to every individual his own merit and that of his ancestors. We are like a dwarf riding on a giant?s back, who sees farther than the giant.. So too, our merit joined to that of our ancestors is greater than theirs alone. (Machaneh Yisrael, "Last Section", Chapter 20 - cited in The Chofetz Chaim Looks at Eternity - Feldheim Publishers)
2. Within the Books of the Prophets, there are vivid descriptions of the messianic age and the role of the Messiah. One well-known example is Isaiah?s vision of ?the end of days?, when the Messiah ?will settle the disputes of many peoples? and ?they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.? (Isaiah 2:4)
3. Within the Five Books of the Torah, we find the following brief references and allusions to the Messiah:
A. Our father, Jacob, blessed his 12 sons - the founders of the 12 tribes - before he died, and in his blessing to Judah, he mentions the future arrival of Shiloh. Jacob adds that ?his will be an assemblage of peoples.? (Genesis 49:10)
The ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah, known as Targum Onkelos, refers to Shiloh as the Messiah; moreover, Midrash Yalkut Shimoni says that this is referring to the ?King Messiah.? This is also the interpretation cited by the classical commentator Rashi. As Rashi explains, the peoples will gather around the Messiah, and Rashi refers us to the following related Divine promise regarding the Messiah: ?It shall be on that day that the descendant of Jesse who stands as a banner for the peoples, nations will seek him, and his restful tranquility will be glorious.? (Isaiah 11:10)
B. ?I shall see him, but not now, I shall look at him, but not in the near future. A star has issued from Jacob and a scepter-bearer has arisen from Israel.? (Numbers 24:17) According to a classical Biblical commentator, Ramban (Nachmanides), this verse is a prophecy concerning the Messiah. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, also interprets this verse in a similar manner ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
C. ?Then HaShem, your God, will bring back your captivity and have compassion on you, and He will gather you in from all the peoples to which HaShem, your God, has scattered you. If your dispersed will be at the ends of heaven, from there HaShem, your God, will gather you in and from there He will take you. HaShem, your God, will bring you to the Land that your ancestors possessed and you shall possess it; He will do good to you and make you more numerous than your ancestors.? (Deuteronomy 30: 3-5)
According to Maimonides, the above verses are referring to the redemption which will follow the arrival of the Messiah; thus, Maimonides states regarding the Messiah: Anyone who does not believe in him or does not wait for his coming, denies not only the validity of the other Prophets, but also the validity of the Torah and Moses, our teacher ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
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From oneillcody at yahoo.com Mon Mar 2 20:10:48 2009
From: oneillcody at yahoo.com (cody oneill)
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 18:10:48 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] Israel Apartheid Week
Message-ID: <647158.85731.qm@web37305.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Israel Apartheid Week
By Ted Belman
The anti-Israel rhetoric on campuses has gone on long enough! The
dialogue among students and the academic community has gotten out of
hand with the hateful apartheid characterization of the state of
Israel. It is Israel Apartheid Week on Canadian university
campuses. We need 10,000 more signatures on this petition within the
next 48 hours to stop this event.
PETITION
It is URGENT that we get our message out and that we show Canadian
universities and colleges that hateful rhetoric and gross
intimidation is unacceptable.
Please sign the petition right away and encourage your family and
friends to do so. It doesnt matter whether you live in Canada or
not.
I suggest that a similar PETITION be set up for the US.
We must do this for our kids.
If you know of a student who was threatened or assaulted on any
campus in North America, please have them get in touch with me, Ted
Belman. Email - tedbel at rogers.com
"To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all."
--JFK--
From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Mon Mar 2 20:20:46 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:20:46 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] Israel Apartheid Week
In-Reply-To: <647158.85731.qm@web37305.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <030320090220.27687.49AC93FE000150A600006C2722228869349B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Cody,
I tried to sign this but it sent me to facebook and crashed.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from cody oneill : --------------
>
> Israel Apartheid Week
>
> By Ted Belman
>
> The anti-Israel rhetoric on campuses has gone on long enough! The
> dialogue among students and the academic community has gotten out of
> hand with the hateful apartheid characterization of the state of
> Israel. It is Israel Apartheid Week on Canadian university
> campuses. We need 10,000 more signatures on this petition within the
> next 48 hours to stop this event.
>
> PETITION
>
> It is URGENT that we get our message out and that we show Canadian
> universities and colleges that hateful rhetoric and gross
> intimidation is unacceptable.
>
> Please sign the petition right away and encourage your family and
> friends to do so. It doesnt matter whether you live in Canada or
> not.
>
> I suggest that a similar PETITION be set up for the US.
>
> We must do this for our kids.
>
> If you know of a student who was threatened or assaulted on any
> campus in North America, please have them get in touch with me, Ted
> Belman. Email - tedbel at rogers.com
>
>
>
>
> "To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no
> special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an opportunity that
> sooner or later is presented to us all."
> --JFK--
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Tue Mar 3 03:48:54 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 01:48:54 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
In-Reply-To:
References: <855590370903010224t430c1adbvd70128f4b4f3540d@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <855590370903030148j4ada298ctef6b0fa73da41a24@mail.gmail.com>
Hey Ron,
Glad that you've found the articles of interest. You asked a number
of questions that will help make it even MORE interesting, at least in my
opinion. And I'd love to clarify for you everything I wrote.
However, it's 4:39AM though, and I'm waiting for a car service to take
me to the airport. Actually, I'll be in Montana until Thursday, having been
invited by a group of leaders of Ephramite groups to join them in their
discussions regarding Israel.
Although I cannot promise to write a detailed reply until after
Shabbat, G-d willing I will get it done before the weekend is over. Got
snowed in yesterday, hope I can actually leave this morning...
Take care,
*Hanoch
*
On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 5:29 PM, Ron Runyon wrote:
> Shalom Hanoch,
>
>
>
> I am very interested in this thread and the articles you are posting.
> Thank you.
>
>
>
> Your comments in this article leave me with a question. When some group of
> Jews proclaim Rabbi Schneerson as the Messiah do all the rest of the Jews
> lump these in to a group that can not be trusted and should be removed, like
> the Christian Missionaries?
>
>
>
> Help me understand your objection or the Jews objection to the songs of
> Ephramites.
>
>
>
> Have you ever heard these type of songs at other Ephimite gatherings, like
> the one you and I were at in a school in Yerushalaim?
>
>
>
> It seems to me that the expectation is that Ephraim should come in with
> out their beliefs and practices. Is that what you are propossing?
>
>
>
> May be I am missing something.
>
>
>
> Ron
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* Hanoch Young [mailto:youngbarzel at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Sunday, March 01, 2009 2:24 AM
> *To:* dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
> *Subject:* [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
>
>
>
> Shalom John,
>
>
>
> Boker tov in Louisiana! The two excerpts below, from story's from
> today's Arutz-7 illustrate elements related to those two articles (one that
> you posted, and one that I did) relating to changing residency &
> citizenship (as well as conversion) requirements. I have interspersed my
> comments in *RED*....
>
>
>
> Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on your original note....if we
> wait for others to jump in first, we may be here a very, very long
> time...LOL
>
>
>
> * Hanoch*
>
> *Israel**'s 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim*
> *Outreach Rabbi Singer to Challenge Missionary Aggression *
>
> Adar 4, 5769, 28 February 09 08:15
>
> by by IsraelNN Staff
>
> (IsraelNN.com) The *Outreach Judaism* organization has announced that it
> is launching an exhaustive four-part lecture series in Jerusalem to respond
> directly to missionaries who engage in Jewish evangelism. The campaign is in
> an effort to combat a disturbing assault by fundamentalist Christians who
> target Jews for conversion.
>
> * It continues to astound me - there truly is no willingness, whatsoever,
> to allow beliefs other then their personal Christian ones. As John Hulley
> once said, they're in Israel and when giving Jewish children candy, they
> just HAVE to tell them that Jesus loves them....*
>
> Outreach Judaism is an international organization dedicated to countering
> the efforts of fundamentalist groups and cults who specifically target Jews
> for conversion.
>
> The series entitled *Judaism?s Response to Christian Missionaries* will be
> the first course run in Jerusalem by Outreach Judaismfounder and director Rabbi Tovia Singer, who moved to Israel last year from
> the United States.
>
> In the current series, Rabbi Singer, a world-renowned expert on Jewish
> evangelism, said he will respond to fundamentalist Christian groups who
> try to lure vulnerable Jews into their ranks, by exploring the "dark
> history" of the groups. He intends to expose the aggressive techniques used
> by organizations like Jews for Jesus that spend millions of dollars annually
> to ?bring the message of the Gospel to the Jewish people.?
>
> Rabbi Singer said he will also demonstrate how missionaries twist the
> Jewish scriptures in order to make the sacred Hebrew texts appear as though
> they are speaking about Jesus.
>
> ?Jews for Jesus and other well-funded missionary organizations have
> launched a deceptive campaign to convert the most vulnerable segments of our
> community to their extremist brand of Christianity,? said Singer, who also
> hosts his own talk show on *Israel National Radio
> *.
>
> ?In their unrelenting spiritual assault on Jewish communities worldwide,
> these aggressive organizations, backed by major evangelical churches
> worldwide, deliberately blur the distinctions between Judaism and
> Christianity in order to lure susceptible Jews who would otherwise resist a
> straightforward Christian message,? he added.
>
> *This is bound to work against Ephramite believers in Yeshua who are
> willing to keep their personal beliefs to themselves, because they will be
> 'lumped together' in everyone's minds, that they are missionaries!
> Remember, Israeli's are hearing this Ephramite message for the first time -
> if they start hearing songs that Yeshua is the Messiah (like were sung on
> the World Biblical Zionist Tour/Program), they are simply going to think"
> CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY!*
>
> *Immigration Authorities Raid Dead Sea Hotels*
>
> Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 08:56
>
> by by Hana Levi Julian
>
> (IsraelNN.com) Immigration police rounded up dozens of illegal Sudanese
> workers in a massive raid along the hotel strip at the southern tip of the
> Dead Sea at daybreak Sunday.
>
> Police were present to stop the first bus of workers from leaving at 5:30
> a.m., said one hotel worker, who requested anonymity because she was not
> authorized to speak to the media. Police also stopped every other employee
> transport that followed, and raided every hotel along the strip, which
> serves hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
>
> *Israel has had immigration raids periodically, to catch foreign workers
> who had been brought in (to replace the arab labor) and had stayed
> illegally. However, if this is a trend - that they are NOW really serious
> about making sure that those without appropriate visas are expelled (and not
> allowed to come back, BTW), then I know a number of Ephramites who are going
> to be very disappointed....*
>
> The worker noted that about 70 Eritreans work in the hotel where she is
> employed and that ?only the ones that are here illegally were picked up.?
> There are more than a dozen hotels on the strip at the Dead Sea alone.
>
> Hundreds of refugees from the Sudan who infiltrated in to the country from
> Egypt in the past year had been hired ?off the books? by the hotels at the
> Dead Sea, said the source.
>
> ?They even took Ethiopians off the bus to check their documents,? she said.
> ?They can?t seem to tell the difference.?
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
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From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Tue Mar 3 07:09:45 2009
From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 08:09:45 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <247680.51907.qm@web54502.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
References: <247680.51907.qm@web54502.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID:
Thanks for this Susie.
The late David Horowitz, z'tl (who died in 2002 at age 99), founder of
United Israel, whom I always found to be a person of great wisdom,
used to say, "When the Messiah comes both Jews and Christians will be
completely surprised and have to revise many of their ideas and
assumptions." He is also the one who first pointed me to the emphasis
on the "coming" of YHVH, rather than the messiahs, of whatever
description, as the the major emphasized hope in the Prophets--but you
know this view from RAF.
Best,
James
Horowitz's remarkable life is remembered here:
http://unitedisrael.org/United-Israel-Organization-Information/Founder-David-Horowitz.html
On Mar 1, 2009, at 8:12 PM, susie getskow wrote:
> Shalom All,
>
> My mind has been almost consumed with this very thought lately and
> not just Zion needing the Messiah but the whole world. In all the
> topics we have discussed lately especially regarding the law of
> return , ephramites, keeping Torah for non jews etc. I think of how
> it is going to take HaShem's kingdom here on Earth to get it all
> straightened out!
> One topic that I haven't seen discussed is that of Messiah Ben
> Joseph. James Tabor in his book RAF lightly touches on the fact that
> Yeshua did not fulfill the Davidic role of Messiah and that most
> Christians feel he did and is fulfilling that role in the spiritual
> realm. This is one of the major reasons(along with Yeshua being G-d
> and Torah being abrogated) Jewish faith has rejected Yeshua as
> Messiah. However, there is Rabbinic midrash about the fact that
> Scriptures show two different demeanors of Messiah. One of a humble
> servant riding on a lowly donkey and one as conquering King. Messiah
> Ben Joseph and Messiah Ben David. James makes the point in his book
> that the Jewish brethen would have no problem if Yeshua of Nazareth
> would come back as Messiah Ben David they just feel that possiblity
> to be highly unlikely. It is possible that Yeshua will be the one to
> fulfill both roles.
>
> Joseph was made viceroy to Pharoh. He was given all authority, power
> and honor by Pharoh but he was not Pharoh. Jacob and Joseph's 11
> brothers all bowed down to Joseph. Not as their G-d but as the one
> chosen by G-d. This was to fulfill Joseph's dream but is that it?
> Was the meaning of this deeper?
>
> There has now come a time after 2000 years of bad theology,
> miscommunication, mistrust, criminal acts and on and on to have
> meaningful dialogue about these thoughts. Are the scars too deep?
> Probably. We need Messiah.
> Some have a longing to live in Israel so deep in their souls they
> will move there no matter the conditions while others can see that
> because of the above they will have to wait till Messiah brings them
> there. We need Messiah.
>
> I believe when Messiah comes or returns to Earth both Jew and
> Gentile will have some surprises but then both sides will be really
> ready to listen to one another. One thing I think both sides can
> agree on is that We need Messiah!
>
> Susie
>
> --- On Sun, 3/1/09, Tracy Osborne wrote:
> From: Tracy Osborne
> Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
> To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
> Date: Sunday, March 1, 2009, 11:38 AM
>
> Shalom Achi Hanoch,
>
> I definitely agree with this article, although it shows only "one
> side of the coin" of the work of Mashiach. But (in my mind) it
> definitely portrays correctly that side of the coin...May HaShem
> send the Mashiach today!!!
>
> And, yes, I do believe it is Yeshua ben David...and he is
> Jewish...and he wants Jews to remain Jews and keep the Torah.
> Believing in the resurrection of Yeshua does not make one "non-
> Jewish" nor is it forbidden to believe so. However, those who
> believe in a 3nitarian/anti-torah version of him, are in error and
> will have to correct their interpretations of him.
>
> And, if, most of my Jewish friends do not believe in the
> resurrection of Rabbi Yeshua ben David, his ascension to Heaven, and
> that it is he who will return and fulfill all of what the article
> below describes, that's their business... It will all pan out soon!!
>
> Shalom u'Brachot,
> Tracy
>
>
> From: Hanoch Young
> To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
> Sent: Sunday, March 1, 2009 11:09:42 AM
> Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
>
> Zion Needs the Messiah Arutz-7
>
> Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 01:37by by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
> (IsraelNN.com) Regarding the recent election in the State of Israel,
> journalist Griff Witte, from the Washington Post Foreign Service,
> wrote:
> Yet as Israelis go to the polls Tuesday to choose a new government,
> the national mood is anything but confident. Instead, there is
> widespread anxiety over the threat Israel sees in Iran?s developing
> nuclear program. There is exhaustion with the Palestinian conflict,
> which has no end in sight. And there is grim resignation that none
> of the candidates on the ballot appears to have the answers to the
> country?s complex problems. (From ?Israelis Head To Polls, Anxiety
> and Fatigue Rule?, Washington Post, February 10, 2009)
> The mood has not really changed since the elections. There is
> disillusionment with the current political leaders of Zion, whose
> various political and military solutions have failed to bring us
> redemption. This disillusionment should increase our yearning for
> the spiritual leadership and vision of the Messiah, of whom it is
> written, ?A redeemer shall come to Zion and to those of Jacob who
> turn back from defection.? (Isaiah 59:20) As a classical
> commentator, Ibn Ezra, explains, this verse is referring to the
> Messiah.
> As we shall discuss, our sacred scriptures reveal that the Messiah
> will be a great sovereign and teacher who will inspire Israel and
> all the nations to serve HaShem, the Compassionate and Life-Giving
> One, and thereby inaugurate an age of universal enlightenment, unity
> and shalom.
> Some people have difficulty imagining that one great person could
> become the Messiah and cause a radical change in the world. The late
> Rabbi Aryeh Carmell was a noted Torah educator who had an inspiring
> influence on my life, and he addressed this issue in the following
> passage in an essay titled, ?Judaism and the Environment?:
> In modern times, many of the most far-reaching revolutions in
> thought have been sparked off by Jews: Einstein, Freud, Marx; though
> all these were far from the Torah tradition. Would it be so far-
> fetched to think of the coming revolution of the spirit as led by a
> dynamic personality, steeped, this time, in the spiritual truths of
> the Torah ? with a releasing vision much profounder than Freud?s,
> with revolutionary ideals much more radical than Marx?s, and with
> the means at his disposal to swing the world from the dark nightmare
> of a polluted planet to a brighter future of spiritual creativity?
> According to a teaching of Maimonides, the belief in the coming of
> the Messiah is one of the thirteen principles of our faith
> (commentary of Maimonides to Mishnah Sanhedrin, chap. 10). The
> following statement is the well-known summary of this teaching of
> Maimonides:
> ?I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and
> even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that
> he will come.?
> The belief in the coming of the Messiah is deeply embedded within
> the consciousness of the Jewish people. Even those of our people who
> view themselves as ?secular? have been affected by this belief. For
> example, the book World of Our Fathers, by Irving Howe, describes
> the messianic yearnings of an earlier generation of Jewish
> socialists and progressive activists who strayed from the path of
> Torah. Although their ideology was secular, their yearning, hope and
> striving for a better world was rooted in the ancient Jewish belief
> that the Messiah will eventually come and inaugurate a new age of
> universal justice, unity and shalom. In one chapter (page 454), Howe
> quotes from a poem by the Yiddish poet, Aaron Zeitlin, which refers
> to this belief:
> Being a Jew means running forever to God
> Even if you are His betrayer,
> Means expecting to hear any day,
> Even if you are a nay sayer,
> The blare of Messiah?s horn.
> A description of the messianic age of redemption and the role of the
> Messiah is found in Chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah, and it opens
> with the following passage:
> A staff will emerge from the stump of Jesse, and a shoot will sprout
> from his roots. The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him - a spirit
> of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a
> spirit of knowledge and reverence for HaShem. He will be imbued with
> a spirit of reverence forHaShem; and he will not need to judge by
> what his eyes see nor decide by what his ears hear. He will judge
> the destitute with righteousness, and decide with fairness for the
> humble of the earth. He will strike the world with the rod of his
> mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one.
> Righteousness will be the girdle round his loins, and faith will be
> the girdle round his waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
> In the above passage, it states: ?The spirit of HaShem will rest
> upon him - a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel
> and strength, a spirit of knowledge and awe of HaShem.? This verse
> clearly indicates that the Messiah is an enlightened human being who
> is in awe of HaShem, but who is not HaShem. This verse serves as a
> reminder that we are not to deify any human being, including a great
> Jewish human being.
> It also states: ?He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth,
> and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked one.?
> According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, this verse reveals that
> the power of the Messiah will come from ?the rod of his mouth? - the
> strength of his teachings. Through these teachings, explains Rabbi
> Hirsch, the conscience and power of goodness within the wicked one
> will be awakened; thus, ?the wicked one has certainly been killed,
> but in his place, a fresh pure human being has arisen
> anew.? (Commentary on the Haftorot)
> The prophet then describes an era of universal shalom and spiritual
> enlightenment:
> The wolf will live with the sheep, and the leopard will lie down
> with the kid; and a calf, a lion whelp and a fatling together, and a
> young child will lead them. A cow and bear will graze and their
> young will lie down together; and a lion, like cattle, will eat hay.
> A suckling will play by a viper?s hole; and a newly weaned child
> will stretch his hand towards an adder?s lair. They will neither
> injure nor destroy in all of My sacred mountain; for the earth will
> be filled with knowledge of HaShem as water covering the sea bed.
> (Isaiah 11:1-9)
> With the arrival of the Messiah, adds the Prophet Isaiah, HaShem
> will bring all our people home:
> It shall be on that day that the Master of All will once again show
> His hand, to acquire the remnant of His people... He will raise a
> banner for the nations and assemble the castaways of Israel; and He
> will gather in the dispersed ones of Judah from the four corners of
> the earth. (verses 11,12)
> The above prophecies reveal what the Messiah will accomplish after
> he arrives. We are therefore awaiting the arrival of the true
> Messiah, when all of these prophecies will be fulfilled. Even though
> he may tarry, we are not to lose hope, for when the hour arrives for
> the birth of the messianic age, he will not delay. In this spirit,
> the prophet Habakkuk proclaims:
> For there is yet another hazon ("vision") for the appointed time; it
> will speak of the end and it will not deceive. Though it may tarry,
> await it, for it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)
> Related Teachings and Information
> 1. There are those who wonder how our generation can experience the
> coming of the Messiah when previous generations that were more
> righteous than us did not merit this experience. The Chofetz Chaim,
> a leading sage of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, responds
> to this concern:
> It is true that we are much smaller than our ancestors, but it is
> known that HaShem attaches to every individual his own merit and
> that of his ancestors. We are like a dwarf riding on a giant?s back,
> who sees farther than the giant.. So too, our merit joined to that
> of our ancestors is greater than theirs alone. (Machaneh Yisrael,
> "Last Section", Chapter 20 - cited in The Chofetz Chaim Looks at
> Eternity - Feldheim Publishers)
> 2. Within the Books of the Prophets, there are vivid descriptions of
> the messianic age and the role of the Messiah. One well-known
> example is Isaiah?s vision of ?the end of days?, when the Messiah
> ?will settle the disputes of many peoples? and ?they shall beat
> their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks;
> nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they will no
> longer study warfare.? (Isaiah 2:4)
> 3. Within the Five Books of the Torah, we find the following brief
> references and allusions to the Messiah:
> A. Our father, Jacob, blessed his 12 sons - the founders of the 12
> tribes - before he died, and in his blessing to Judah, he mentions
> the future arrival of Shiloh. Jacob adds that ?his will be an
> assemblage of peoples.? (Genesis 49:10)
> The ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah, known as Targum
> Onkelos, refers to Shiloh as the Messiah; moreover, Midrash Yalkut
> Shimoni says that this is referring to the ?King Messiah.? This is
> also the interpretation cited by the classical commentator Rashi. As
> Rashi explains, the peoples will gather around the Messiah, and
> Rashi refers us to the following related Divine promise regarding
> the Messiah: ?It shall be on that day that the descendant of Jesse
> who stands as a banner for the peoples, nations will seek him, and
> his restful tranquility will be glorious.? (Isaiah 11:10)
> B. ?I shall see him, but not now, I shall look at him, but not in
> the near future. A star has issued from Jacob and a scepter-bearer
> has arisen from Israel.? (Numbers 24:17) According to a classical
> Biblical commentator, Ramban (Nachmanides), this verse is a prophecy
> concerning the Messiah. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, also
> interprets this verse in a similar manner ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
> C. ?Then HaShem, your God, will bring back your captivity and have
> compassion on you, and He will gather you in from all the peoples to
> whichHaShem, your God, has scattered you. If your dispersed will be
> at the ends of heaven, from there HaShem, your God, will gather you
> in and from there He will take you. HaShem, your God, will bring you
> to the Land that your ancestors possessed and you shall possess it;
> He will do good to you and make you more numerous than your
> ancestors.? (Deuteronomy 30: 3-5)
> According to Maimonides, the above verses are referring to the
> redemption which will follow the arrival of the Messiah; thus,
> Maimonides states regarding the Messiah: Anyone who does not believe
> in him or does not wait for his coming, denies not only the validity
> of the other Prophets, but also the validity of the Torah and Moses,
> our teacher ("The Laws of Kings" 11:1).
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> _______________________________________________
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From oneillcody at yahoo.com Tue Mar 3 08:21:31 2009
From: oneillcody at yahoo.com (cody oneill)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 06:21:31 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] Israel Apartheid Week
Message-ID: <274971.8181.qm@web37306.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Hi John,
When I went to the site, it first asked for my email address, then asked if I'd like to add it to facebook.
I did not go to the second step since I rarely get on facebook anymore. So I think if you were able to enter your email address, that is all that was needed.
Thanks!
-Cody
"To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all."
--JFK--
From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Tue Mar 3 12:41:30 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:41:30 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] Israel Apartheid Week
In-Reply-To: <274971.8181.qm@web37306.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <030320091841.27319.49AD79D80000A3F900006AB722243651029B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Okay, thanks Cody.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from cody oneill : --------------
> Hi John,
> When I went to the site, it first asked for my email address, then asked if I'd
> like to add it to facebook.
> I did not go to the second step since I rarely get on facebook anymore. So I
> think if you were able to enter your email address, that is all that was needed.
>
> Thanks!
>
> -Cody
> "To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an opportunity that
> sooner or later is presented to us all."
> --JFK--
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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From bkgivin at charter.net Tue Mar 3 14:28:44 2009
From: bkgivin at charter.net (Betty Givin)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 14:28:44 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] Israel Apartheid Week
In-Reply-To: <274971.8181.qm@web37306.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
References: <274971.8181.qm@web37306.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <143C16E053BB4C6EA0053AB8C6F5CDF0@bettylaptop>
Thanks, Cody for sending this out. I don't do much on facebook either, so I
only went to the first step...hope it worked! BTW, congratulations on your
debut interview!!! Good job!
Take care,
Elisheva/Betty
-----Original Message-----
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of cody oneill
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 8:22 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] Israel Apartheid Week
Hi John,
When I went to the site, it first asked for my email address, then asked if
I'd like to add it to facebook.
I did not go to the second step since I rarely get on facebook anymore. So
I think if you were able to enter your email address, that is all that was
needed.
Thanks!
-Cody
"To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula,
no special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an
opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all."
--JFK--
_______________________________________________
From MiriamL613 at aol.com Tue Mar 3 16:35:39 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 17:35:39 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah. Not really. We
know exactly what he is going to do. So why do we need him to do it? He's
going to teach the Jews to observe the whole Torah. Didn't Moses and all of the
Prophets already teach us that? He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept
the basic moral laws of the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and
say these laws are so "natural," they almost don't need to be taught, but we
do already know what they are.
HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human King. So
what are we really saying when we say we need the Messiah? We're saying we need
to be forced to do what we know we're supposed to do. Because that's the
"meaty" role of the King Messiah - to force by authority of the Crown. And
that's kind of sad when you think about it. We have the whole Torah, but need a
King to read it to us and make us do it. And then we'll say, "Oh yeah, we
knew that."
Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the Christians and
Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my words, you knew the role of
the King of the Jews. Why did you wonder what I was going to do? Why did
you need my physical presence to do what I said?"
Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward is
today, before the Messiah comes. After we begin to obey by pressure of force, the
rewards will be diminished.
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Tue Mar 3 17:48:55 2009
From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 18:48:55 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <75460363-FAEE-4D59-BABE-422CDC4F6BDB@earthlink.net>
I find some real wisdom in your works here Miriam.
The two things HaShem said he did not want Israel to have were a human
king and a temple. And yet ironically, in various ways, Christians and
Jews ended up making those very two things the central focus of future
hopes, the singular answer to all our ills, the fulfillment of our
future dreams. And in each case the response, to both king and temple,
through the prophet involved, was why would you want such if you have
YHVH?
The one consistent refrain in Torah and Prophets is the intimate
personal relationship between HaShem and his people--both individually
and corporately:
To this one will I look, to him of a poor and contrite heart who
trembles at my word...
And I will be their God and they will be my people...
If not now, when?
James
On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:35 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
> Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah. Not
> really. We know exactly what he is going to do. So why do we need
> him to do it? He's going to teach the Jews to observe the whole
> Torah. Didn't Moses and all of the Prophets already teach us that?
> He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept the basic moral laws of
> the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and say these laws
> are so "natural," they almost don't need to be taught, but we do
> already know what they are.
>
> HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human
> King. So what are we really saying when we say we need the
> Messiah? We're saying we need to be forced to do what we know we're
> supposed to do. Because that's the "meaty" role of the King Messiah
> - to force by authority of the Crown. And that's kind of sad when
> you think about it. We have the whole Torah, but need a King to
> read it to us and make us do it. And then we'll say, "Oh yeah, we
> knew that."
>
> Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the Christians
> and Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my words, you
> knew the role of the King of the Jews. Why did you wonder what I
> was going to do? Why did you need my physical presence to do what I
> said?"
>
> Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward
> is today, before the Messiah comes. After we begin to obey by
> pressure of force, the rewards will be diminished.
>
> Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
> recession.
> _______________________________________________
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From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Tue Mar 3 18:11:59 2009
From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 19:11:59 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <75460363-FAEE-4D59-BABE-422CDC4F6BDB@earthlink.net>
References:
<75460363-FAEE-4D59-BABE-422CDC4F6BDB@earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <26CF3CBC-2E52-45FE-91FF-601D4D89C6A9@earthlink.net>
Sorry, I mean "words," but I am sure your works are good too!
James
On Mar 3, 2009, at 6:48 PM, James Tabor wrote:
> I find some real wisdom in your *works* here Miriam.
>
> The two things HaShem said he did not want Israel to have were a
> human king and a temple. And yet ironically, in various ways,
> Christians and Jews ended up making those very two things the
> central focus of future hopes, the singular answer to all our ills,
> the fulfillment of our future dreams. And in each case the response,
> to both king and temple, through the prophet involved, was why would
> you want such if you have YHVH?
>
> The one consistent refrain in Torah and Prophets is the intimate
> personal relationship between HaShem and his people--both
> individually and corporately:
>
> To this one will I look, to him of a poor and contrite heart who
> trembles at my word...
> And I will be their God and they will be my people...
>
> If not now, when?
>
> James
>
>
> On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:35 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
>
>> Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah. Not
>> really. We know exactly what he is going to do. So why do we need
>> him to do it? He's going to teach the Jews to observe the whole
>> Torah. Didn't Moses and all of the Prophets already teach us
>> that? He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept the basic moral
>> laws of the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and say
>> these laws are so "natural," they almost don't need to be taught,
>> but we do already know what they are.
>>
>> HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human
>> King. So what are we really saying when we say we need the
>> Messiah? We're saying we need to be forced to do what we know
>> we're supposed to do. Because that's the "meaty" role of the King
>> Messiah - to force by authority of the Crown. And that's kind of
>> sad when you think about it. We have the whole Torah, but need a
>> King to read it to us and make us do it. And then we'll say, "Oh
>> yeah, we knew that."
>>
>> Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the
>> Christians and Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my
>> words, you knew the role of the King of the Jews. Why did you
>> wonder what I was going to do? Why did you need my physical
>> presence to do what I said?"
>>
>> Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward
>> is today, before the Messiah comes. After we begin to obey by
>> pressure of force, the rewards will be diminished.
>>
>> Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
>> recession.
>> _______________________________________________
>
> _______________________________________________
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From chattertonw at bellsouth.net Tue Mar 3 18:42:14 2009
From: chattertonw at bellsouth.net (W Glenn Chatterton)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 16:42:14 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <75460363-FAEE-4D59-BABE-422CDC4F6BDB@earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <302662.61330.qm@web83916.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Amen to this, Ya'aqov! I believe our focus should be firmly fixed on?YHVH, and not on a man, even if he is Mashiach. We have but One King,?Redeemer, Deliverer and Saviour... and I for one anxiously await His appearance!
?
Glenn
--- On Tue, 3/3/09, James Tabor wrote:
From: James Tabor
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 5:48 PM
I find some real wisdom in your works here Miriam.
The two things HaShem said he did not want Israel to have were a human king and a temple. And yet ironically, in various ways, Christians and Jews ended up making those very two things the central focus of future hopes, the singular answer to all our ills, the fulfillment of our future dreams. And in each case the response, to both king and temple, through the prophet involved, was why would you want such if you have YHVH?
The one consistent refrain in Torah and Prophets is the intimate personal relationship between HaShem and his people--both individually and corporately:
To this one will I look, to him of a poor and contrite heart who trembles at my word...
And I will be their God and they will be my people...
If not now, when?
James
On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:35 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah.? Not really.? We know exactly what he is going to do.? So why do we need him to do it?? He's going to teach the Jews to observe the whole Torah.? Didn't Moses and all of the Prophets already teach us that?? He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept the basic moral laws of the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and say these laws are so?"natural," they almost don't need to be taught, but we do already know what they are.?
?
HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human King.? So what are we really saying when we say we need the Messiah?? We're saying we need to be forced to do what we know we're supposed to do.? Because that's the "meaty" role of the King Messiah - to force by authority of the Crown.? And that's kind of sad when you think about it.? We have the whole Torah, but need a King to read it to us and make us do it.? And then we'll say, "Oh yeah, we knew that."?
?
Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the Christians and Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my words, you knew the role of the King of the Jews.? Why did you wonder what I was going to do?? Why did you need my physical presence to do what I said?"
?
Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward is today, before the Messiah comes.? After we begin to obey by pressure of force, the rewards will be diminished.
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession._______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
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From MiriamL613 at aol.com Tue Mar 3 18:53:58 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 19:53:58 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
Thanks, Jim. My note about not really needing the Messiah was kind of a
tongue-in-cheek oversimplification. He's gotta come for things to really take
off. Knowing the role of the Messiah is at least the first step in smoothing
the way for him. It would be great to start a discussion on what the
Messiah would have to do first and what problems he will run into.
What great things Rabbi Kahane would have done had he been blessed to have a
chance because I think it needs to start in Israel, i.e., the Torah will go
forth from Zion.
To cut the human race a break, we haven't all had the scriptures at our
fingertips and in our native tongues for so very many years. I don't think my
grandparents could read much, and I don't think they even had a bible. Look
what we have today, with the internet and almost everything ever written by
anyone on a particular subject available at the push of a few buttons. On the
other hand, there's so much information that maybe the challenge of sorting
through it all is overwhelming.
Personally, I see education as the most important thing that can be done by
people who really want G-d's will to be done on earth. I'd like the Muslims
to come to understand that our Torah is real and unchanged, and that is
confirmed by the Quran as well as by the Dead Sea Scrolls. Only then will Muslims
stop striving against the Jews to wipe out Judaism and take over Israel.
(Sheikh Palazzi offers such a shining example of the wonderful world of
brotherhood possible between the three faiths of the children of Abraham.)
I'd like the Christians to understand the same thing, and that the Torah was
not canceled by Jesus. I'd like all Jews, Christians and Muslims to have a
grasp of what king messiah's job role will be. I'd like the Jews in Israel
to know that peace cannot be found by political means, and that the Torah's
promises for peace based on Torah observance are reliable.
It's nice to meet people who share the goal of brotherhood.
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Tue Mar 3 20:41:34 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:41:34 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] "..but the house of the righteous shall stand."
In-Reply-To: <855590370903010143qd92a3bfs873af7b6d1b2a1db@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <030420090241.3208.49ADEA5D0006464B00000C8822230703629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Amein!
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from Hanoch Young : --------------
ToraLife 7
by HaRav Ariel Bar Tzadok. Copyright (C) 2009 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
Evil individuals will be overthrown, and will cease [to exist]; but the house of the righteous shall stand. Proverbs 12:7
Evil individuals have two enemies, one that is small and one that is great. The small enemy is the multitude of peoples whom evil individuals oppress. The great enemy is the very evil itself that resides within the heart of the evil individual.
Those whom evil individuals oppress do not always have the necessary strength to pose a threat to their oppressors. The weak and the downtrodden may or may not be able to defend themselves against evil souls, therefore they are most often no threat at all. This is why they are called the small enemy, for although they pose a constant threat to the evil individual in their thirst for justice and revenge, still more often than not, they lack the power and therefore can cause no real serious harm.
However, although the weak and oppressed can be silenced and their danger neutralized, there still remains the greater enemy, the one who cannot be silenced, or intimated. The great enemy cannot be oppressed, for it is the oppressor. The great enemy cannot be conquered for it is the conqueror. The evil heart inside the evil individual has a life of its own and more often than not turns on its own self, just as easily as it turns on the weak and oppressed. Ultimately in the end the evil individual becomes as much a victim of his own evil as are those whom he oppresses. This is unavoidable and inevitable. Evil is its own downfall. For them we have no pity and for them we shed no tears. Evil deserves its fate.
After all the harm evil does to others, evil eventually turns back on itself and destroys its host. Although we may not be the instruments for the destruction of evil, we can hurry it along. Although we may not be strong enough to confront, attack and defeat evil, we can still gain a minor victory in that we are able to resist. It is in our resistance that lays our true strength and it is in our resistance that plants the seeds for evil's inward turn and destruction of itself.
The secret of defeating evil is righteousness. Righteousness simply means living by doing what is right, always. It is often hard to distinguish between right and wrong in all circumstances. Therefore, the righteous rely upon what they know in their hearts more so than what they know in their heads.
Knowing in the heart is not an emotional state. Knowing in the heart begins when feelings and emotions end. In order to truly know what the heart knows one must silence the noise of conflicting emotions and still the raging fire of one's feelings.
When the heart is silent, then it can hear the voice of the inner mind. The inner voice is not heard by either the ear or the mind, but the heart knows its language well. It tells the heart what the right thing is to do, when and how to do it. This is the voice of conscience. It is the heart of righteousness. No one can be righteous without a conscience. No one can hear the voice of conscience over the roar of a conflicted heart.
One's house is one's home; yet it is more than a building or a physical place. The house of the righteous is his inner place; the place where his heart and mind merge as one, showing him the proper path that defines righteousness. This house shall stand forever, it shall never fail or fall.
Although the power of evil can be most formidable and most foreboding, still, the righteous stand firm against it. Although the evil one may kill the body of the righteous soul, still the resolve and heart of the righteous will stand firm and live forever. Thus his house remains forever intact.
The echo of righteousness lives on forever. It is more powerful than any force evil individuals can ever generate. The echo of righteousness seeps into the inner mind of the evil individual and does war with his evil heart. It is this inner war that is the fall and demise of evil. When evil turns to fight the inner war within the evil individual, the evil becomes consumed; it self-destructs and eventually ceases to exist.
The echo of righteousness however will live on and on. It will pass from one righteous soul to the next, from one generation to the next. In the end, only righteousness will remain. This is a long road and we still have a way to travel upon it. Yet, the end is near, and the outcome is assured.
-------------------------------------------
Shalom, HaRav Ariel Bar Tzadok
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Tue Mar 3 20:53:57 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:53:57 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] These are the kind fo views NOT welcome in Israel...
In-Reply-To: <855590370902282024nf78aa3cj707bdaf5f7bb1431@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <030420090253.29221.49ADED45000A16A00000722522230703629B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Incredible!
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from Hanoch Young : --------------
This just makes me count the days until I arrive...there's a LOT to do...
Hanoch
Uncomfortable Beliefs
by Reb Akiva at Mystical Paths
Judaism has some core beliefs. (I guess this is true of every major religion.) You can't avoid them and you can't ignore them, they're a part of what makes Judaism Judaism.
Example: G-d is one. Judaism does not allow for multiple divine powers or competing gods, nor G-d divided into some sort of multiple limited entities. G-d is one.
Similarly, just as the Jewish people are designated a holy nation, the land of Israel is designated a holy land, and a permanent relationship between the two was created. (Hence all Jews pray facing Jerusalem, and pray for rain during the Israeli rainy season.)
Sometimes some of these beliefs make people uncomfortable. That's ok, often ways of Judaism have found ways to mess with modernity or 'progress'. Other times, a choice is faced, Judaism or not. Around the world this can be tricky , but within Israel it is sometimes striking when someone - literally while standing on the ruins of Judaism past - would deny the very ground they are standing upon...
(Speaking about a newly elected member of the Israeli Knesset, Haaretz Newspaper says...) Ben-Ari, with his racist, Kahanist and pro-transfer ideology, will stain any government and damage Israel's reputation around the world. The message that will be conveyed by including the National Union is that transfer has received a seal of approval in Israel. Kahane was not right, definitely not, but he has won. There is no other way to look at it.
Ben-Ari, the representative of Baruch Marzel and Rabbi Dov Wolpe, members of the Eretz Israel Shelanu (Our Land of Israel) faction in the National Union, already expressed himself on Arutz Sheva radio shortly before the elections that, "if breaking a law means opposing the expulsion of Jews, I'm a lawbreaker."
Together with his designated assistant, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has had 46 indictments served against him and was in fact acquitted in most of the cases, they are a pair of extreme right provocateurs who do not belong in the government. Anyone who espouses transfer of the Arabs, the construction of the Temple and redemption must not be a member of the government here, not even a junior member.
Got that, ANYONE who hopes for the geulah must not be a member of the government, per the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. I shouldn't be at this point, but I'm just stunned.
Published at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com. Reading it somewhere else? Stop by the source!
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From oneillcody at yahoo.com Tue Mar 3 22:19:56 2009
From: oneillcody at yahoo.com (cody oneill)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 20:19:56 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] RE: Israel Apartheid Week
Message-ID: <396234.1682.qm@web37307.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Thanks Betty!
-Cody
"To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all."
--JFK--
From stephen at 777jesusislord.com Wed Mar 4 12:23:11 2009
From: stephen at 777jesusislord.com (stephen)
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 12:23:11 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] King David's Example
References: <49AEC1AF.B5907.6D15@pop.directnic.com>
Message-ID:
King David's example.
One thing David did, as the leader of the government, that
set him apart in my opinion,
Is that when a prophet of Hashem spoke to him, whether
rebuke, or encouragement.... David heeded the prophet.
Stephen
Tikkun Tzedek
From RNDAVAR at aol.com Thu Mar 5 00:09:35 2009
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com (RNDAVAR at aol.com)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 01:09:35 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] New Series - March 8th
Message-ID:
Sorry for any duplication. I'm just a bit excited about getting back behind
the microphone and wanted to make sure everyone remembered! Please help me
spread the word ~
New Series - A Parsha Study with Roots of Faith
I am pleased to announce that beginning March 8th, 2009 at 6:00 P.M.
Central, I will begin a new and informative series.
Content
The weekly classes in my new series will focus on the Annual cycle of
readings followed faithfully by traditional Jews around the world. Each week,
according to this cycle of readings, a section of the Torah and the prophets will
be highlighted.
Options - Make the experience personal!
You will have the option of listening in live on Sunday night, or if your
schedule does not allow you to listen in live, you will have an entire week to
download our podcast for study at your own leasure. Some may wish to wait
until the Sabbath to listen.
I have also determined through feedback from many of my faithful listeners
(and from other sources) that the length of the most effective teachings are
under an hour and razor sharp! My goal will be to organize the teaching in
such a way to effectively cover the main points of the weekly parsha (Torah
section) in a class that is much closer to 30 minutes. This way, most people can
download the class and listen to it during an average commute to work or
while you run errands, go to the gym, etc.
My main goal as a teacher is to encourage you to study the Torah and to
learn to apply its principles to your life in a modern world - thus inspiring you
to live a more biblically authentic lifestyle. I am trying to make this is
convenient for you as possible. I want you to learn!
Over the course of the year we will cover the entire Torah! Your life will
be transformed as you drink of the refreshing waters of the God-inspired
teaching of Moses.
Why focus on the Torah?
As David said in Psalm 119:18, "Open my eyes and I will look for wonderful
things from your Torah". We will do just that! We will open our eyes and take
a fresh look at the Torah.
The final prophetic word in the Hebrew Bible, recorded in Malachi says,
"Remember the torah of my servant Moses" (Malachi 4:4 - English Bible). And yet,
humanity has drifted far from "the teaching". The nearly 6.5 billion
inhabitants of our planet need to hear the words of this eternal teaching delivered
once and for all to the ancient people of Israel. After all, the intent of
this teaching was that it would go forth to all nations (Isaiah 2 and Micah 4),
and ultimately, in what the Bible calls the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34),
the Torah will be written upon the heart.
Despite what people believe Jesus the Jew taught, it is recorded that he
claimed that did not come to abolish the Torah or the prophets but to fulfill -
adding further that until heaven and earth passed - not a single letter...not
even a stroke of a letter would pass from the torah until all was fulfilled
(Matthew 5:17-20)!
I can think of no greater subject matter to devote my time to learning and
to helping others learn than the Torah of Moses.
Who Would Benefit from these classes?
I believe that these classes will be helpful for Jews and Christians as my
style is unique. I am a bit tough to label as I tend to resist such
categories, opting for the simple designation of "biblical". I will at times draw upon
Jewish wisdom, much of which is organized around these very weekly readings
from the Torah and Prophets, but I am not Jewish. I will often draw upon texts
from the Christian Scriptures, much of which clearly points people to a
Torah way of living, though I no longer associate myself with the label of
Christian. "Christianity" in its modern sense has long ago abandoned the religion
of Jesus for a religion about him.
I hope that you will listen in and that you will encourage others to listen
in as well. In addition to the weekly class I will post a blog for download.
The intent will be to publish a handsome document for download and printing
each week with my own notes on the weekly parsha. You can put them in a 3-ring
binder and at the end of the year you will have a complete reference work
for your further studies. I hope to expand this as time goes on into a full
course, complete with on-line tests and a certificate of completion for those
who stick with us.
I am more and more planning to spend my energy developing, with the help of
my faithful friend Brian Jones, a virtual community on the web where you can
experience fellowship with others who are seeking to live according to the
principles of the Hebrew Bible. This "_Synagogue Without Walls_
(http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) " is catching on. People from literally around the world are
joining up. I encourage you to check it out.
And finally, there is no greater reward than to lead people to a better
understanding of God and His ways. As Hillel said, "Be of the disciples of Aaron,
loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them closer to
the Torah".
We are all disciples and this saying has inspired me in the current
direction of Roots of Faith and our ongoing effort to bring people closer to the
Torah. I hope that you can join us.
The new series will be called A Parsha Study with Roots of Faith. I believe
that you will be greatly blessed by this series.
Shalom, Ross
Roots of Faith
Ross K. Nichols
_www.RootsofFaith.org_ (http://www.rootsoffaith.org/)
**************Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
(http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=employment_agencies&ncid=emlcntusyelp00000005)
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Thu Mar 5 08:02:30 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 09:02:30 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] New Series - March 8th
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID:
TERRIFIC!!!! THANKS, ROSS!
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 1:09 AM
To: uilist at unitedisrael.org ; dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] New Series - March 8th
Sorry for any duplication. I'm just a bit excited about getting back behind the microphone and wanted to make sure everyone remembered! Please help me spread the word ~
New Series - A Parsha Study with Roots of Faith
I am pleased to announce that beginning March 8th, 2009 at 6:00 P.M. Central, I will begin a new and informative series.
Content
The weekly classes in my new series will focus on the Annual cycle of readings followed faithfully by traditional Jews around the world. Each week, according to this cycle of readings, a section of the Torah and the prophets will be highlighted.
Options - Make the experience personal!
You will have the option of listening in live on Sunday night, or if your schedule does not allow you to listen in live, you will have an entire week to download our podcast for study at your own leasure. Some may wish to wait until the Sabbath to listen.
I have also determined through feedback from many of my faithful listeners (and from other sources) that the length of the most effective teachings are under an hour and razor sharp! My goal will be to organize the teaching in such a way to effectively cover the main points of the weekly parsha (Torah section) in a class that is much closer to 30 minutes. This way, most people can download the class and listen to it during an average commute to work or while you run errands, go to the gym, etc.
My main goal as a teacher is to encourage you to study the Torah and to learn to apply its principles to your life in a modern world - thus inspiring you to live a more biblically authentic lifestyle. I am trying to make this is convenient for you as possible. I want you to learn!
Over the course of the year we will cover the entire Torah! Your life will be transformed as you drink of the refreshing waters of the God-inspired teaching of Moses.
Why focus on the Torah?
As David said in Psalm 119:18, "Open my eyes and I will look for wonderful things from your Torah". We will do just that! We will open our eyes and take a fresh look at the Torah.
The final prophetic word in the Hebrew Bible, recorded in Malachi says, "Remember the torah of my servant Moses" (Malachi 4:4 - English Bible). And yet, humanity has drifted far from "the teaching". The nearly 6.5 billion inhabitants of our planet need to hear the words of this eternal teaching delivered once and for all to the ancient people of Israel. After all, the intent of this teaching was that it would go forth to all nations (Isaiah 2 and Micah 4), and ultimately, in what the Bible calls the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34), the Torah will be written upon the heart.
Despite what people believe Jesus the Jew taught, it is recorded that he claimed that did not come to abolish the Torah or the prophets but to fulfill - adding further that until heaven and earth passed - not a single letter...not even a stroke of a letter would pass from the torah until all was fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-20)!
I can think of no greater subject matter to devote my time to learning and to helping others learn than the Torah of Moses.
Who Would Benefit from these classes?
I believe that these classes will be helpful for Jews and Christians as my style is unique. I am a bit tough to label as I tend to resist such categories, opting for the simple designation of "biblical". I will at times draw upon Jewish wisdom, much of which is organized around these very weekly readings from the Torah and Prophets, but I am not Jewish. I will often draw upon texts from the Christian Scriptures, much of which clearly points people to a Torah way of living, though I no longer associate myself with the label of Christian. "Christianity" in its modern sense has long ago abandoned the religion of Jesus for a religion about him.
I hope that you will listen in and that you will encourage others to listen in as well. In addition to the weekly class I will post a blog for download. The intent will be to publish a handsome document for download and printing each week with my own notes on the weekly parsha. You can put them in a 3-ring binder and at the end of the year you will have a complete reference work for your further studies. I hope to expand this as time goes on into a full course, complete with on-line tests and a certificate of completion for those who stick with us.
I am more and more planning to spend my energy developing, with the help of my faithful friend Brian Jones, a virtual community on the web where you can experience fellowship with others who are seeking to live according to the principles of the Hebrew Bible. This "Synagogue Without Walls" is catching on. People from literally around the world are joining up. I encourage you to check it out.
And finally, there is no greater reward than to lead people to a better understanding of God and His ways. As Hillel said, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them closer to the Torah".
We are all disciples and this saying has inspired me in the current direction of Roots of Faith and our ongoing effort to bring people closer to the Torah. I hope that you can join us.
The new series will be called A Parsha Study with Roots of Faith. I believe that you will be greatly blessed by this series.
Shalom, Ross
Roots of Faith
Ross K. Nichols
www.RootsofFaith.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
-------------- next part --------------
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Thu Mar 5 08:36:31 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:36:31 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] New Series - March 8th
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <030520091436.4557.49AFE36F00010054000011CD22228869349B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Excellent Ross!
Everybody remember, we go to daylight savings time Sunday morning.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from "Patricia Robbins" : --------------
TERRIFIC!!!! THANKS, ROSS!
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 1:09 AM
To: uilist at unitedisrael.org ; dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] New Series - March 8th
Sorry for any duplication. I'm just a bit excited about getting back behind the microphone and wanted to make sure everyone remembered! Please help me spread the word ~
New Series - A Parsha Study with Roots of Faith
I am pleased to announce that beginning March 8th, 2009 at 6:00 P.M. Central, I will begin a new and informative series.
Content
The weekly classes in my new series will focus on the Annual cycle of readings followed faithfully by traditional Jews around the world. Each week, according to this cycle of readings, a section of the Torah and the prophets will be highlighted.
Options - Make the experience personal!
You will have the option of listening in live on Sunday night, or if your schedule does not allow you to listen in live, you will have an entire week to download our podcast for study at your own leasure. Some may wish to wait until the Sabbath to listen.
I have also determined through feedback from many of my faithful listeners (and from other sources) that the length of the most effective teachings are under an hour and razor sharp! My goal will be to organize the teaching in such a way to effectively cover the main points of the weekly parsha (Torah section) in a class that is much closer to 30 minutes. This way, most people can download the class and listen to it during an average commute to work or while you run errands, go to the gym, etc.
My main goal as a teacher is to encourage you to study the Torah and to learn to apply its principles to your life in a modern world - thus inspiring you to live a more biblically authentic lifestyle. I am trying to make this is convenient for you as possible. I want you to learn!
Over the course of the year we will cover the entire Torah! Your life will be transformed as you drink of the refreshing waters of the God-inspired teaching of Moses.
Why focus on the Torah?
As David said in Psalm 119:18, "Open my eyes and I will look for wonderful things from your Torah". We will do just that! We will open our eyes and take a fresh look at the Torah.
The final prophetic word in the Hebrew Bible, recorded in Malachi says, "Remember the torah of my servant Moses" (Malachi 4:4 - English Bible). And yet, humanity has drifted far from "the teaching". The nearly 6.5 billion inhabitants of our planet need to hear the words of this eternal teaching delivered once and for all to the ancient people of Israel. After all, the intent of this teaching was that it would go forth to all nations (Isaiah 2 and Micah 4), and ultimately, in what the Bible calls the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34), the Torah will be written upon the heart.
Despite what people believe Jesus the Jew taught, it is recorded that he claimed that did not come to abolish the Torah or the prophets but to fulfill - adding further that until heaven and earth passed - not a single letter...not even a stroke of a letter would pass from the torah until all was fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-20)!
I can think of no greater subject matter to devote my time to learning and to helping others learn than the Torah of Moses.
Who Would Benefit from these classes?
I believe that these classes will be helpful for Jews and Christians as my style is unique. I am a bit tough to label as I tend to resist such categories, opting for the simple designation of "biblical". I will at times draw upon Jewish wisdom, much of which is organized around these very weekly readings from the Torah and Prophets, but I am not Jewish. I will often draw upon texts from the Christian Scriptures, much of which clearly points people to a Torah way of living, though I no longer associate myself with the label of Christian. "Christianity" in its modern sense has long ago abandoned the religion of Jesus for a religion about him.
I hope that you will listen in and that you will encourage others to listen in as well. In addition to the weekly class I will post a blog for download. The intent will be to publish a handsome document for download and printing each week with my own notes on the weekly parsha. You can put them in a 3-ring binder and at the end of the year you will have a complete reference work for your further studies. I hope to expand this as time goes on into a full course, complete with on-line tests and a certificate of completion for those who stick with us.
I am more and more planning to spend my energy developing, with the help of my faithful friend Brian Jones, a virtual community on the web where you can experience fellowship with others who are seeking to live according to the principles of the Hebrew Bible. This "Synagogue Without Walls" is catching on. People from literally around the world are joining up. I encourage you to check it out.
And finally, there is no greater reward than to lead people to a better understanding of God and His ways. As Hillel said, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them closer to the Torah".
We are all disciples and this saying has inspired me in the current direction of Roots of Faith and our ongoing effort to bring people closer to the Torah. I hope that you can join us.
The new series will be called A Parsha Study with Roots of Faith. I believe that you will be greatly blessed by this series.
Shalom, Ross
Roots of Faith
Ross K. Nichols
www.RootsofFaith.org
Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
_______________________________________________
-------------- next part --------------
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Thu Mar 5 08:42:35 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 09:42:35 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <302662.61330.qm@web83916.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <302662.61330.qm@web83916.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID:
Yes, thank you for this wonderful reminder, James! Our G-d Reigns!!!! He is Everything Good and Pure and Wonderful to us!!!!! HE IS THE FOCUS OF OUR LIVES, not a man!
Pat
From: W Glenn Chatterton
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:42 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Amen to this, Ya'aqov! I believe our focus should be firmly fixed on YHVH, and not on a man, even if he is Mashiach. We have but One King, Redeemer, Deliverer and Saviour... and I for one anxiously await His appearance!
Glenn
--- On Tue, 3/3/09, James Tabor wrote:
From: James Tabor
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 5:48 PM
I find some real wisdom in your works here Miriam.
The two things HaShem said he did not want Israel to have were a human king and a temple. And yet ironically, in various ways, Christians and Jews ended up making those very two things the central focus of future hopes, the singular answer to all our ills, the fulfillment of our future dreams. And in each case the response, to both king and temple, through the prophet involved, was why would you want such if you have YHVH?
The one consistent refrain in Torah and Prophets is the intimate personal relationship between HaShem and his people--both individually and corporately:
To this one will I look, to him of a poor and contrite heart who trembles at my word...
And I will be their God and they will be my people...
If not now, when?
James
On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:35 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah. Not really. We know exactly what he is going to do. So why do we need him to do it? He's going to teach the Jews to observe the whole Torah. Didn't Moses and all of the Prophets already teach us that? He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept the basic moral laws of the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and say these laws are so "natural," they almost don't need to be taught, but we do already know what they are.
HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human King. So what are we really saying when we say we need the Messiah? We're saying we need to be forced to do what we know we're supposed to do. Because that's the "meaty" role of the King Messiah - to force by authority of the Crown. And that's kind of sad when you think about it. We have the whole Torah, but need a King to read it to us and make us do it. And then we'll say, "Oh yeah, we knew that."
Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the Christians and Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my words, you knew the role of the King of the Jews. Why did you wonder what I was going to do? Why did you need my physical presence to do what I said?"
Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward is today, before the Messiah comes. After we begin to obey by pressure of force, the rewards will be diminished.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
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From gets52000 at yahoo.com Thu Mar 5 09:17:00 2009
From: gets52000 at yahoo.com (susie getskow)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 07:17:00 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
Message-ID: <239787.8381.qm@web54503.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
I guess it comes down to how one understands YHVH and "echad".
?
Susie
--- On Thu, 3/5/09, Patricia Robbins wrote:
From: Patricia Robbins
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 6:42 AM
Yes, thank you for this wonderful reminder, James!? Our G-d Reigns!!!!? He is Everything Good and Pure and Wonderful?to us!!!!!? HE IS THE FOCUS OF OUR LIVES, not a man!
?
Pat
From: W Glenn Chatterton
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:42 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Amen to this, Ya'aqov! I believe our focus should be firmly fixed on?YHVH, and not on a man, even if he is Mashiach. We have but One King,?Redeemer, Deliverer and Saviour... and I for one anxiously await His appearance!
?
Glenn
--- On Tue, 3/3/09, James Tabor wrote:
From: James Tabor
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 5:48 PM
I find some real wisdom in your works here Miriam.
The two things HaShem said he did not want Israel to have were a human king and a temple. And yet ironically, in various ways, Christians and Jews ended up making those very two things the central focus of future hopes, the singular answer to all our ills, the fulfillment of our future dreams. And in each case the response, to both king and temple, through the prophet involved, was why would you want such if you have YHVH?
The one consistent refrain in Torah and Prophets is the intimate personal relationship between HaShem and his people--both individually and corporately:
To this one will I look, to him of a poor and contrite heart who trembles at my word...
And I will be their God and they will be my people...
If not now, when?
James
On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:35 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah.? Not really.? We know exactly what he is going to do.? So why do we need him to do it?? He's going to teach the Jews to observe the whole Torah.? Didn't Moses and all of the Prophets already teach us that?? He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept the basic moral laws of the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and say these laws are so?"natural," they almost don't need to be taught, but we do already know what they are.?
?
HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human King.? So what are we really saying when we say we need the Messiah?? We're saying we need to be forced to do what we know we're supposed to do.? Because that's the "meaty" role of the King Messiah - to force by authority of the Crown.? And that's kind of sad when you think about it.? We have the whole Torah, but need a King to read it to us and make us do it.? And then we'll say, "Oh yeah, we knew that."?
?
Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the Christians and Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my words, you knew the role of the King of the Jews.? Why did you wonder what I was going to do?? Why did you need my physical presence to do what I said?"
?
Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward is today, before the Messiah comes.? After we begin to obey by pressure of force, the rewards will be diminished.
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession._______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Thu Mar 5 09:34:12 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 10:34:12 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <239787.8381.qm@web54503.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
References: <239787.8381.qm@web54503.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID:
Hi Susie,
Nu. 23:19 says, "G-d is not a man (lo eesh El)........or the son of a human being (u'ben adam)." To me, that explains what "echad" means. I think the second part of that verse clears up all misunderstandings concerning G-d taking on human form and being born of a human mother (which was universally believed among the Mystery Religions of their gods!).
Love,
Pat
From: susie getskow
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 10:17 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
I guess it comes down to how one understands YHVH and "echad".
Susie
--- On Thu, 3/5/09, Patricia Robbins wrote:
From: Patricia Robbins
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 6:42 AM
Yes, thank you for this wonderful reminder, James! Our G-d Reigns!!!! He is Everything Good and Pure and Wonderful to us!!!!! HE IS THE FOCUS OF OUR LIVES, not a man!
Pat
From: W Glenn Chatterton
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:42 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Amen to this, Ya'aqov! I believe our focus should be firmly fixed on YHVH, and not on a man, even if he is Mashiach. We have but One King, Redeemer, Deliverer and Saviour... and I for one anxiously await His appearance!
Glenn
--- On Tue, 3/3/09, James Tabor wrote:
From: James Tabor
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 5:48 PM
I find some real wisdom in your works here Miriam.
The two things HaShem said he did not want Israel to have were a human king and a temple. And yet ironically, in various ways, Christians and Jews ended up making those very two things the central focus of future hopes, the singular answer to all our ills, the fulfillment of our future dreams. And in each case the response, to both king and temple, through the prophet involved, was why would you want such if you have YHVH?
The one consistent refrain in Torah and Prophets is the intimate personal relationship between HaShem and his people--both individually and corporately:
To this one will I look, to him of a poor and contrite heart who trembles at my word...
And I will be their God and they will be my people...
If not now, when?
James
On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:35 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah. Not really. We know exactly what he is going to do. So why do we need him to do it? He's going to teach the Jews to observe the whole Torah. Didn't Moses and all of the Prophets already teach us that? He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept the basic moral laws of the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and say these laws are so "natural," they almost don't need to be taught, but we do already know what they are.
HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human King. So what are we really saying when we say we need the Messiah? We're saying we need to be forced to do what we know we're supposed to do. Because that's the "meaty" role of the King Messiah - to force by authority of the Crown. And that's kind of sad when you think about it. We have the whole Torah, but need a King to read it to us and make us do it. And then we'll say, "Oh yeah, we knew that."
Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the Christians and Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my words, you knew the role of the King of the Jews. Why did you wonder what I was going to do? Why did you need my physical presence to do what I said?"
Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward is today, before the Messiah comes. After we begin to obey by pressure of force, the rewards will be diminished.
--------------------------------------------------------------
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_______________________________________________
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From shdennis at rogers.com Thu Mar 5 11:14:21 2009
From: shdennis at rogers.com (Stephen & Sharon)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 13:14:21 -0400
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References: <239787.8381.qm@web54503.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID:
Pat, I can't let your quote and commentary go without a hearty "Amein"!
Love, Sharon
----- Original Message -----
From: Patricia Robbins
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 11:34 AM
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Hi Susie,
Nu. 23:19 says, "G-d is not a man (lo eesh El)........or the son of a human being (u'ben adam)." To me, that explains what "echad" means. I think the second part of that verse clears up all misunderstandings concerning G-d taking on human form and being born of a human mother (which was universally believed among the Mystery Religions of their gods!).
Love,
Pat
From: susie getskow
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 10:17 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
I guess it comes down to how one understands YHVH and "echad".
Susie
--- On Thu, 3/5/09, Patricia Robbins wrote:
From: Patricia Robbins
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 6:42 AM
Yes, thank you for this wonderful reminder, James! Our G-d Reigns!!!! He is Everything Good and Pure and Wonderful to us!!!!! HE IS THE FOCUS OF OUR LIVES, not a man!
Pat
From: W Glenn Chatterton
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:42 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Amen to this, Ya'aqov! I believe our focus should be firmly fixed on YHVH, and not on a man, even if he is Mashiach. We have but One King, Redeemer, Deliverer and Saviour... and I for one anxiously await His appearance!
Glenn
--- On Tue, 3/3/09, James Tabor wrote:
From: James Tabor
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 5:48 PM
I find some real wisdom in your works here Miriam.
The two things HaShem said he did not want Israel to have were a human king and a temple. And yet ironically, in various ways, Christians and Jews ended up making those very two things the central focus of future hopes, the singular answer to all our ills, the fulfillment of our future dreams. And in each case the response, to both king and temple, through the prophet involved, was why would you want such if you have YHVH?
The one consistent refrain in Torah and Prophets is the intimate personal relationship between HaShem and his people--both individually and corporately:
To this one will I look, to him of a poor and contrite heart who trembles at my word...
And I will be their God and they will be my people...
If not now, when?
James
On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:35 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah. Not really. We know exactly what he is going to do. So why do we need him to do it? He's going to teach the Jews to observe the whole Torah. Didn't Moses and all of the Prophets already teach us that? He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept the basic moral laws of the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and say these laws are so "natural," they almost don't need to be taught, but we do already know what they are.
HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human King. So what are we really saying when we say we need the Messiah? We're saying we need to be forced to do what we know we're supposed to do. Because that's the "meaty" role of the King Messiah - to force by authority of the Crown. And that's kind of sad when you think about it. We have the whole Torah, but need a King to read it to us and make us do it. And then we'll say, "Oh yeah, we knew that."
Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the Christians and Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my words, you knew the role of the King of the Jews. Why did you wonder what I was going to do? Why did you need my physical presence to do what I said?"
Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward is today, before the Messiah comes. After we begin to obey by pressure of force, the rewards will be diminished.
------------------------------------------------------------
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
----------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
-------------- next part --------------
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From mhyde7 at tds.net Thu Mar 5 12:34:59 2009
From: mhyde7 at tds.net (mhyde)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 13:34:59 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References: <239787.8381.qm@web54503.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <00b001c99dc1$1904e550$0400a8c0@marvin>
Let?s pose a question along the line of this thread. Let?s say our focus should be on YHVH, One on one relationship, walking in the garden just like Adam and Eve. However, YHVH instituted and or allowed a Messiah, Prophet, Priest, King and a Temple. Now, considering that God is dealing with us humans, working to bring us back to the one on one relationship, I can see were all the offices and positions are needed and they work and operate around the Temple, both in the past and the future. But if God really wanted a one on one relationship with out any go between why did he give eternal promises to at least a couple of these positions? Maybe in the future the positions, Prophet Priest and King(Messiah) will be rolled into one? Is that a biblically based Ideal or Christian interpretation placed on the text? I?m still not sure? But according to that line of reasoning we really do not need any thing or one standing between us and YHVH. Maybe, as we are in the process of return they are all needed but some or all drop off as we go through time?
So, following this line of thinking why did YHVH send Moses to gather the Israelites? Jump forward into time, Notice a couple of things in the text.
Exo 32:1 And when the people saw that Mosheh was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aharon, and said to him, ?Arise, make us mighty ones who go before us. For this Mosheh, the man who brought us up out of the land of Mitsrayim, we do not know what has become of him.?
Exo 32:2 And Aharon said to them, ?Take off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.?
Exo 32:3 ?And all the people took off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aharon.
Exo 32:4 And he took this from their hand, and he formed it with an engraving tool, and made a moulded calf. And they said, ?This is your mighty one, O Yisra??l, that brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim!?
Exo 32:5 And Aharon saw and built an altar before it. And Aharon called out and said, ?Tomorrow is a festival to ????.?
Exo 32:6 And they rose early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Exo 32:7 And ???? said to Mosheh, ?Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Mitsrayim have corrupted themselves.
Exo 32:8 ?They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a moulded calf, and have bowed themselves to it and slaughtered to it, and said, ?This is your mighty one, O Yisra??l, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim!? ?
Exo 32:9 And ???? said to Mosheh, ?I have seen this people, and see, it is a stiff-necked people!
Exo 32:10 ?And now, let Me alone, that My wrath might burn against them and I consume them and I make of you a great nation.?
Exo 32:11 But Mosheh pleaded with ???? his Elohim, and said, ?????, why does Your wrath burn against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Mitsrayim with great power and with a strong hand?
Exo 32:12 ?Why should the Mitsrites speak, and say, ?For evil He brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth?? Turn from the heat of Your wrath, and relent from this evil to Your people.
Exo 32:13 ?Remember Ab?raham, Yitsh?aq, and Yisra??l, Your servants, to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ?I increase your seed like the stars of the heavens. And all this land that I have spoken of I give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.? ?
The children of Israel made Moses, there ?Mighty One? in to a golden calf (idol) then they offered burnt offerings on a festival to YHVH. They got there eyes on the man Moses and forgot who their elohim really was, they replaced YHVH with a man(Moses). Moses in v.11 never forgot who is elohim was. I think God?s pattern is that he will use a man to bring us, we just have to remember who or ?Mighty One? is. By the way, that is Mighty One, not Mighty Two! Still trying to figure it all out!
shalom
_____
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of Patricia Robbins
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 10:34 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Hi Susie,
Nu. 23:19 says, "G-d is not a man (lo eesh El)........or the son of a human being (u'ben adam)." To me, that explains what "echad" means. I think the second part of that verse clears up all misunderstandings concerning G-d taking on human form and being born of a human mother (which was universally believed among the Mystery Religions of their gods!).
Love,
Pat
From: susie getskow
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 10:17 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
I guess it comes down to how one understands YHVH and "echad".
Susie
--- On Thu, 3/5/09, Patricia Robbins wrote:
From: Patricia Robbins
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 6:42 AM
Yes, thank you for this wonderful reminder, James! Our G-d Reigns!!!! He is Everything Good and Pure and Wonderful to us!!!!! HE IS THE FOCUS OF OUR LIVES, not a man!
Pat
From: W Glenn Chatterton
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:42 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Amen to this, Ya'aqov! I believe our focus should be firmly fixed on YHVH, and not on a man, even if he is Mashiach. We have but One King, Redeemer, Deliverer and Saviour... and I for one anxiously await His appearance!
Glenn
--- On Tue, 3/3/09, James Tabor wrote:
From: James Tabor
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 5:48 PM
I find some real wisdom in your works here Miriam.
The two things HaShem said he did not want Israel to have were a human king and a temple. And yet ironically, in various ways, Christians and Jews ended up making those very two things the central focus of future hopes, the singular answer to all our ills, the fulfillment of our future dreams. And in each case the response, to both king and temple, through the prophet involved, was why would you want such if you have YHVH?
The one consistent refrain in Torah and Prophets is the intimate personal relationship between HaShem and his people--both individually and corporately:
To this one will I look, to him of a poor and contrite heart who trembles at my word...
And I will be their God and they will be my people...
If not now, when?
James
On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:35 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
Oddly enough, I really don't think we need the Messiah. Not really. We know exactly what he is going to do. So why do we need him to do it? He's going to teach the Jews to observe the whole Torah. Didn't Moses and all of the Prophets already teach us that? He's going to teach the non-Jews to accept the basic moral laws of the Torah. I wouldn't go so far as some Rabbis do and say these laws are so "natural," they almost don't need to be taught, but we do already know what they are.
HaShem expressed displeasure when Jews first asked for a human King. So what are we really saying when we say we need the Messiah? We're saying we need to be forced to do what we know we're supposed to do. Because that's the "meaty" role of the King Messiah - to force by authority of the Crown. And that's kind of sad when you think about it. We have the whole Torah, but need a King to read it to us and make us do it. And then we'll say, "Oh yeah, we knew that."
Even if HaShem decides to send Jesus, for the sake of the Christians and Muslims, I could just see Jesus saying, "You had my words, you knew the role of the King of the Jews. Why did you wonder what I was going to do? Why did you need my physical presence to do what I said?"
Perhaps this is why the Rabbis will say how much greater the reward is today, before the Messiah comes. After we begin to obey by pressure of force, the rewards will be diminished.
_____
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession .
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_____
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_____
_______________________________________________
-------------- next part --------------
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From stephen at 777jesusislord.com Thu Mar 5 18:12:46 2009
From: stephen at 777jesusislord.com (stephen)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 18:12:46 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] Sabbath and New Moon
References: <49B01328.226F1.6A23@pop.directnic.com>
Message-ID: <03CE03CBC5C4434CBCBDFECE8128E92F@SEWVAC011>
I found this scripture in the Stone Edition Tanach while reading.
I loved the poetry of it.
Ezekiel 46:1
Thus said the Lord Hashem/Elohim: "The gate of the inner courtyard that
faces
eastward shall be closed during the six days of labor, but on the Sabbath
day
it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.
... I'm sure various denominations or groups could come up with a myriad of
meanings... I was just intrigued to find "Sabbath" and "New Moon" related to
a similar event.... a gate being opened. Anyone with any wisdom to share on
this for me, I would appreciate. As mentioned, to myself, it is "poetry of
the
Word - of Scripture" .. almost like a beautiful song being song. And while
I may
not always know the meaning of a song... my heart can resonate with the
beauty of a song....
Stephen
Tikkun Tzedek
From MiriamL613 at aol.com Thu Mar 5 18:50:29 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 19:50:29 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
In a message dated 3/5/2009 10:17:23 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
gets52000 at yahoo.com writes:
I guess it comes down to how one understands YHVH and "echad".
Susie>>
There are various ways of understanding "one," and that's led to lots of
different opinions. The first time we encounter this is in Genesis where Adam
and Eve become "one." Water in a glass is one glass of water, but the water
is not the glass. Similarly, G-d dwelling IN His people does not make His
people G-d. In both the Tanach and the Christian writings, people are equated
with being Temples for the indwelling of G-d. In the Tanach, G-d says, "Let
them make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in them" (Exodus 25:8). Both the
Gospel of John (2:21) and 1 Cor. 6:19 speak of the body as a temple. John
14:10 says, "I am in the Father and the Father in me...the Father who dwells in
me does His works."
The basic concept here is that oneness is not sameness. Adam and Eve would
have to buy two tickets to get into a movie. There's a oneness in heart and
spirit that Jesus spoke of in John 17 -- a prayer in which he asked that all
of his followers "...be one, even as we are one, I in them and Thou in me
that they may become perfectly one."
Particularly in chassidic Judaism, one could find discussions that say
because G-d is everywhere and no part of creation exists without His presence and
because His presence (i.e., the fullness of the meaning of "omnipresent" and
G-d is One) fills all of creation, one can conclude that everything IS G-d.
Yet, of course, we understand that the Creator is not the creation.
So, yes, there's lots of ways to understand "One." Fortunately, Torah law
defines what ways it may not be understood and what ways constitute idolatry,
so that worship is directed to G-d Alone.
Miriam
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From MiriamL613 at aol.com Thu Mar 5 19:07:58 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 20:07:58 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
Priests in the truest sense of the word must be descended from Aaron. Aaron
was of the Tribe of Levi. Messiah in its classic sense, i.e., King Messiah,
must be descended from David and Solomon (and also Zerubabel), of the tribe
of Judah. So it can't be the same person.
There are ways to understand both "messiah" and "priests" which are not
specific to patrilineal descent, but are more or less "generic" titles referring
to anointing (apart from that of Kingship) as in Psalm 105:15, and a
functional service role (i.e., all Israel being a kingdom of priests - Exodus 19:6)
not related to serving in the Holy Temple.
Miriam
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From bkgivin at charter.net Thu Mar 5 20:08:47 2009
From: bkgivin at charter.net (Betty Givin)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 20:08:47 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] Sabbath and New Moon
In-Reply-To: <03CE03CBC5C4434CBCBDFECE8128E92F@SEWVAC011>
References: <49B01328.226F1.6A23@pop.directnic.com>
<03CE03CBC5C4434CBCBDFECE8128E92F@SEWVAC011>
Message-ID: <6EDBC89651684F1783EBD35200332204@bettylaptop>
Steven, I love the poetry of these words too.
I am not sure exactly how the Sabbath relates to the New Moon either, but it
is beautiful how the gate of the inner courtyard that faces the east is
opened on both the Sabbath and the New Moon. I have a couple of ideas, but
do not have the time to adequately expound on them. Perhaps someone else
might want to pick up on these thoughts.
Briefly, my thoughts on this subject center around the possibility that
there is a gender connection between the two...a gender connection in the
spiritual sense, that is. The Shekhinah, or the name of HaShem's Presence
dwelling within, is traditionally viewed as feminine.
So, on Erev Shabbat (Sabbath eve)in Jewish tradition we welcome the Sabbath
Bride in singing the beautiful song "Lechi Dodi" as we ritually turn and
face towards the east and the open doors of the sanctuary. The Sabbath then
is seen as a bride to be welcomed as a special guest into our hearts, as and
as welcome the Sabbath Bride, we welcome the Shekhinah...not to say that we
would not welcome and carry HaShem into our hearts during the rest of the
week.but just that on Sabbath, since it is a special day set aside since the
Creation, the indwelling might be said to be more special or more apparent.
The mystics even say we receive an additional soul or double blessing on the
Sabbath.
There are many teachings on the New Moon and its relationship to the
feminine gender and the Shekhinah as well.and even a ceremony for going
outside, facing the moon and blessing HaShem for the moon's renewal. Lots
more info regarding renewal of the New Moon, connections to Israel and
redemption.really some deep and fascinating stuff.
Shalom & Blessings
Elisheva/Betty
-----Original Message-----
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of stephen
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 6:13 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] Sabbath and New Moon
I found this scripture in the Stone Edition Tanach while reading.
I loved the poetry of it.
Ezekiel 46:1
Thus said the Lord Hashem/Elohim: "The gate of the inner courtyard that
faces
eastward shall be closed during the six days of labor, but on the Sabbath
day
it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.
... I'm sure various denominations or groups could come up with a myriad of
meanings... I was just intrigued to find "Sabbath" and "New Moon" related to
a similar event.... a gate being opened. Anyone with any wisdom to share on
this for me, I would appreciate. As mentioned, to myself, it is "poetry of
the
Word - of Scripture" .. almost like a beautiful song being song. And while
I may
not always know the meaning of a song... my heart can resonate with the
beauty of a song....
Stephen
Tikkun Tzedek
_______________________________________________
-------------- next part --------------
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From standenz at bellsouth.net Thu Mar 5 20:32:02 2009
From: standenz at bellsouth.net (standenz at bellsouth.net)
Date: Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:32:02 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] Sabbath and New Moon
In-Reply-To: <6EDBC89651684F1783EBD35200332204@bettylaptop>
References: <49B01328.226F1.6A23@pop.directnic.com><03CE03CBC5C4434CBCBDFECE8128E92F@SEWVAC011>
<6EDBC89651684F1783EBD35200332204@bettylaptop>
Message-ID: <030620090232.7353.49B08B2200006CDD00001CB922243322829B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF96020A0B04020E0A06@att.net>
No big theological breakthrough, but if you look at a Jewish calendar you will find that certian spring and fall Holy Days commence with a new moon. These Holt days are Sabbaths and have nothing to do with the weekly Sabbath. Maybe I have misunderstood your query, but this came to mind.
Stan
-------------- Original message from "Betty Givin" : --------------
Steven, I love the poetry of these words too.
I am not sure exactly how the Sabbath relates to the New Moon either, but it is beautiful how the gate of the inner courtyard that faces the east is opened on both the Sabbath and the New Moon. I have a couple of ideas, but do not have the time to adequately expound on them. Perhaps someone else might want to pick up on these thoughts.
Briefly, my thoughts on this subject center around the possibility that there is a gender connection between the two...a gender connection in the spiritual sense, that is. The Shekhinah, or the name of HaShem's Presence dwelling within, is traditionally viewed as feminine.
So, on Erev Shabbat (Sabbath eve)in Jewish tradition we welcome the Sabbath Bride in singing the beautiful song "Lechi Dodi" as we ritually turn and face towards the east and the open doors of the sanctuary. The Sabbath then is seen as a bride to be welcomed as a special guest into our hearts, as and as welcome the Sabbath Bride, we welcome the Shekhinah...not to say that we would not welcome and carry HaShem into our hearts during the rest of the week?but just that on Sabbath, since it is a special day set aside since the Creation, the indwelling might be said to be more special or more apparent. The mystics even say we receive an additional soul or double blessing on the Sabbath.
There are many teachings on the New Moon and its relationship to the feminine gender and the Shekhinah as well?and even a ceremony for going outside, facing the moon and blessing HaShem for the moon?s renewal. Lots more info regarding renewal of the New Moon, connections to Israel and redemption?really some deep and fascinating stuff?
Shalom & Blessings
Elisheva/Betty
-----Original Message-----
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of stephen
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 6:13 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] Sabbath and New Moon
I found this scripture in the Stone Edition Tanach while reading.
I loved the poetry of it.
Ezekiel 46:1
Thus said the Lord Hashem/Elohim: "The gate of the inner courtyard that
faces
eastward shall be closed during the six days of labor, but on the Sabbath
day
it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.
... I'm sure various denominations or groups could come up with a myriad of
meanings... I was just intrigued to find "Sabbath" and "New Moon" related to
a similar event.... a gate being opened. Anyone with any wisdom to share on
this for me, I would appreciate. As mentioned, to myself, it is "poetry of
the
Word - of Scripture" .. almost like a beautiful song being song. And while
I may
not always know the meaning of a song... my heart can resonate with the
beauty of a song....
Stephen
Tikkun Tzedek
_______________________________________________
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From gets52000 at yahoo.com Thu Mar 5 20:57:13 2009
From: gets52000 at yahoo.com (susie getskow)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 18:57:13 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] Sabbath and New Moon
In-Reply-To: <030620090232.7353.49B08B2200006CDD00001CB922243322829B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF96020A0B04020E0A06@att.net>
Message-ID: <360656.80028.qm@web54507.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
I think you will find the answer in the Feast of Trumpets( also known as Yom Teruah, The Hidden Day, The day no man knows the day or hour, etc.)
Susie
--- On Thu, 3/5/09, standenz at bellsouth.net wrote:
From: standenz at bellsouth.net
Subject: RE: [Dialogue] Sabbath and New Moon
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 6:32 PM
?No big theological breakthrough, but if you look at a Jewish calendar you will find that certian spring and fall Holy Days commence with a new moon. These Holt days are Sabbaths and have nothing to do with the weekly Sabbath. Maybe I have misunderstood your query, but this came to mind.
?
Stan
-------------- Original message from "Betty Givin" : --------------
#yiv651922378 st1\:*{}
Steven, I love the poetry of these words too.
?
I am not sure exactly how the Sabbath relates to the New Moon either, but it is beautiful how the gate of the inner courtyard that faces the east is opened on both the Sabbath and the New Moon.? I have a couple of ideas, but do not have the time to adequately expound on them.? Perhaps someone else might want to pick up on these thoughts.
?
Briefly, my thoughts on this subject center around the possibility that there is a gender connection between the two...a gender connection in the spiritual sense, that is.? The Shekhinah, or the name of HaShem's Presence dwelling within, is traditionally viewed as feminine.
?
So, on Erev Shabbat (Sabbath eve)in Jewish tradition we welcome the Sabbath Bride in singing the beautiful song "Lechi Dodi" as we ritually turn and face towards the east and the open doors of the sanctuary.? The Sabbath then is seen as a bride to be welcomed as a special guest into our hearts, as and as welcome the Sabbath Bride, we welcome the Shekhinah...not to say that we would not welcome and carry HaShem into our hearts during the rest of the week?but just that on Sabbath, since it is a special day set aside since the Creation, the indwelling might be said to be more special or more apparent.? The mystics even say we receive an additional soul or double blessing on the Sabbath.
?
There are many teachings on the New Moon and its relationship to the feminine gender and the Shekhinah as well?and even a ceremony for going outside, facing the moon and blessing HaShem for the moon?s renewal.? Lots more info regarding renewal of the New Moon, connections to Israel and redemption?really some deep and fascinating stuff?
?
Shalom & Blessings
?
Elisheva/Betty
?
-----Original Message-----
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of stephen
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 6:13 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] Sabbath and New Moon
?
I found this scripture in the Stone Edition Tanach while reading.
?
I loved the poetry of it.
?
Ezekiel 46:1
?
Thus said the Lord Hashem/Elohim: "The gate of the inner courtyard that
faces
?
eastward shall be closed during the six days of labor, but on the Sabbath
day
?
it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.
?
... I'm sure various denominations or groups could come up with a myriad of
meanings... I was just intrigued to find "Sabbath" and "New Moon" related to
a similar event.... a gate being opened.? Anyone with any wisdom to share on
this for me, I would appreciate.? As mentioned, to myself, it is "poetry of
the
Word - of Scripture" .. almost like a beautiful song being song.? And while
I may
not always know the meaning of a song... my heart can resonate with the
beauty of a song....
?
Stephen
?
?
Tikkun? Tzedek
?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
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From gets52000 at yahoo.com Thu Mar 5 21:38:58 2009
From: gets52000 at yahoo.com (susie getskow)
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 19:38:58 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
Message-ID: <56069.47873.qm@web54506.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
I find interesting that Mary(Miriam) the mother of Yeshua descended from both the priestly line and the kingly line.
?
Susie
--- On Thu, 3/5/09, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 5:07 PM
Priests in the truest sense of the word must be descended from Aaron.? Aaron was of the Tribe of Levi.? Messiah in its classic sense, i.e., King Messiah, must be descended from David and Solomon (and also Zerubabel), of the tribe of Judah.? So it can't be the same person.?
?
There are ways to understand both "messiah" and "priests" which are not specific to patrilineal descent, but are more or less "generic" titles referring to anointing (apart from that of Kingship)?as in Psalm 105:15, and a functional service role (i.e., all Israel being a kingdom of priests - Exodus 19:6) not related to serving in the Holy Temple.
?
Miriam
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From MiriamL613 at aol.com Thu Mar 5 23:03:04 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 00:03:04 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
In a message dated 3/5/2009 10:39:06 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
gets52000 at yahoo.com writes:
I find interesting that Mary(Miriam) the mother of Yeshua descended from
both the priestly line and the kingly line..
Susie>>
It's an assumption that the Gospel of Luke lists a lineage for Mary, since
her name is conspicuously absent from the list. In Judaism, tribal lineage
traces through the father. That's why, for example, 1 Chronicles only lists
the men and their sons.
But even if Luke did list the lineage of Mary, it still goes back to David
who is of the tribe of Judah (Luke 3:31). And I would genuinely be interested
in learning how any Christian commentary explains how Shealtiel and
Zerubbabel could be descendants of David's son Nathan (Luke 3:27) while Matthew
1:12-13 says Shealtiel and Zerubbabel were descendants of David's son Solomon.
My personal take on this is that the author of Luke was mistaken, because
Zerubabbel is in the lineage of Solomon (1 Chronicles 3:10-19).
Miriam
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Thu Mar 5 23:05:21 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:05:21 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
Message-ID: <030620090505.23678.49B0AF110000B94D00005C7E22243429029B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Miriam,
Please elaborate, I don't understand.
i.e., King Messiah, must be descended from David and Solomon (and also Zerubabel), of the tribe of Judah. So it can't be the same person.
Why can't they be the same person?
There are ways to understand both "messiah" and "priests" which are not specific to patrilineal descent, but are more or less "generic" titles referring to anointing (apart from that of Kingship) as in Psalm 105:15, and a functional service role (i.e., all Israel being a kingdom of priests - Exodus 19:6) not related to serving in the Holy Temple.
What is your point here?
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from MiriamL613 at aol.com: --------------
Priests in the truest sense of the word must be descended from Aaron. Aaron was of the Tribe of Levi. Messiah in its classic sense, i.e., King Messiah, must be descended from David and Solomon (and also Zerubabel), of the tribe of Judah. So it can't be the same person.
There are ways to understand both "messiah" and "priests" which are not specific to patrilineal descent, but are more or less "generic" titles referring to anointing (apart from that of Kingship) as in Psalm 105:15, and a functional service role (i.e., all Israel being a kingdom of priests - Exodus 19:6) not related to serving in the Holy Temple.
Miriam
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession.
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From MiriamL613 at aol.com Thu Mar 5 23:12:43 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 00:12:43 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
The question that was posed was -- couldn't the Messiah also be a priest?
He cannot be a priest in the classic sense of the word, "Kohane," because the
Kohanim must be descended from Aaron of the Tribe of Levi, whereas the King
Messiah must be descended from David and Solomon who are of the Tribe of
Judah. One man cannot have two patrilineal tribal lineages, just as a man cannot
be the physical son of his father as well as the physical son of his uncle
(his father's brother). Judah and Levi were brothers.
Miriam
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Thu Mar 5 23:19:18 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:19:18 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
Message-ID: <030620090519.8039.49B0B255000F19BB00001F6722243429029B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Thank you.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from MiriamL613 at aol.com: --------------
The question that was posed was -- couldn't the Messiah also be a priest? He cannot be a priest in the classic sense of the word, "Kohane," because the Kohanim must be descended from Aaron of the Tribe of Levi, whereas the King Messiah must be descended from David and Solomon who are of the Tribe of Judah. One man cannot have two patrilineal tribal lineages, just as a man cannot be the physical son of his father as well as the physical son of his uncle (his father's brother). Judah and Levi were brothers.
Miriam
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession.
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From long777 at att.net Fri Mar 6 06:17:34 2009
From: long777 at att.net (Jeremy)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 06:17:34 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <000001c99e55$88d99760$4001a8c0@Rainbow>
I think it is important to note, that Messiah indeed cannot hold the EARTHLY
office of a High Priest. This is reserved for the descendents of Aharon.
This is why Hebrews tells us about Melechzedek. This is one who was BOTh
Priest and King. Messiah on earth cannot officiate at the Temple, he is
bound by the rules as we all are. Do these same rules apply to a Heavenly
Tabernacle???
Jeremy
Ecc 12:13 This is the conclusion; when all has been heard; fear God, and
keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
_____
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of MiriamL613 at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 11:13 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
The question that was posed was -- couldn't the Messiah also be a priest?
He cannot be a priest in the classic sense of the word, "Kohane," because
the Kohanim must be descended from Aaron of the Tribe of Levi, whereas the
King Messiah must be descended from David and Solomon who are of the Tribe
of Judah. One man cannot have two patrilineal tribal lineages, just as a
man cannot be the physical son of his father as well as the physical son of
his uncle (his father's brother). Judah and Levi were brothers.
Miriam
_____
Worried about job security? Check
out the 5 safest jobs in a recession.
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From mhyde7 at tds.net Fri Mar 6 07:05:49 2009
From: mhyde7 at tds.net (mhyde)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 08:05:49 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <000001c99e5c$47351210$0400a8c0@marvin>
Miriam,
If you are interested in what christian commentaries say on these verse let
me know and I will send these to you. When I get into these birth records
I generally end up with a headache. I personally lean toward the thinking
that the birth records in Matt. and Luk. are to establish Jesus lineage to
Judah for the reader but not to be used as a legal document to divide up the
family inheritance. Kind of like the birth record in your family bible, a
judge might except it at face value, but once it came down to dividing up
the Zillion's we then do a DNA test. :-)
And beside's christian theology makes these not relevant, since all good
christain that have and maintain the faith, know that Joseph was not Jesus'
daddy.
marvin
_____
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of MiriamL613 at aol.com
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 12:03 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In a message dated 3/5/2009 10:39:06 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
gets52000 at yahoo.com writes:
I find interesting that Mary(Miriam) the mother of Yeshua descended from
both the priestly line and the kingly line..
Susie>>
It's an assumption that the Gospel of Luke lists a lineage for Mary, since
her name is conspicuously absent from the list. In Judaism, tribal lineage
traces through the father. That's why, for example, 1 Chronicles only lists
the men and their sons.
But even if Luke did list the lineage of Mary, it still goes back to David
who is of the tribe of Judah (Luke 3:31). And I would genuinely be
interested in learning how any Christian commentary explains how Shealtiel
and Zerubbabel could be descendants of David's son Nathan (Luke 3:27) while
Matthew 1:12-13 says Shealtiel and Zerubbabel were descendants of David's
son Solomon.
My personal take on this is that the author of Luke was mistaken, because
Zerubabbel is in the lineage of Solomon (1 Chronicles 3:10-19).
Miriam
_____
Worried about job security? Check
out the 5 safest jobs in a recession.
-------------- next part --------------
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Fri Mar 6 08:19:11 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 09:19:11 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID:
I'm not sure if we are in agreement on this thread, Miriam. You and I may well be saying the same thing here. I had assumed Susie's implied question to be, "Is Jesus G-d, and what does Torah say concerning that premise?" To me, HaShem pointedly answers this very question with Nu 23:19, "G-d is not a man (lo eesh El).....or the son of a human being (u ben adam)."
Since "Miriam (Mary)" was a human being, and Jesus was her son, I am not able to draw any conclusion other than: he is therefore not G-d, according to Torah. Also, since Jesus was a man, he must be doubly disqualified from being G-d, according to Torah, or so it seems to me. I'm just not brave enough to argue with G-d concerning His Torah (I.e., "You might say that, but I'm sure You don't really mean it!), and Nu 23:19 leaves no room for doubt that I can discern.
As I mentioned before, Nu 23:19 appears to be answering the cults of Mystery Religion that were prevalent, (and indeed, still are) in the Earth. In those cults, their gods impregnated a human being (often a virgin), who then gave birth to the god's son. Nu 23:19 was a profound statement concerning their belief systems. The G-d of the Hebrews was NOT like their gods. He was NOT born of a human being. He was NOT a man.
Love,
Pat
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 7:50 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In a message dated 3/5/2009 10:17:23 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, gets52000 at yahoo.com writes: I guess it comes down to how one understands YHVH and "echad".
Susie>>
There are various ways of understanding "one," and that's led to lots of different opinions. The first time we encounter this is in Genesis where Adam and Eve become "one." Water in a glass is one glass of water, but the water is not the glass. Similarly, G-d dwelling IN His people does not make His people G-d. In both the Tanach and the Christian writings, people are equated with being Temples for the indwelling of G-d. In the Tanach, G-d says, "Let them make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in them" (Exodus 25:8). Both the Gospel of John (2:21) and 1 Cor. 6:19 speak of the body as a temple. John 14:10 says, "I am in the Father and the Father in me...the Father who dwells in me does His works."
The basic concept here is that oneness is not sameness. Adam and Eve would have to buy two tickets to get into a movie. There's a oneness in heart and spirit that Jesus spoke of in John 17 -- a prayer in which he asked that all of his followers "...be one, even as we are one, I in them and Thou in me that they may become perfectly one."
Particularly in chassidic Judaism, one could find discussions that say because G-d is everywhere and no part of creation exists without His presence and because His presence (i.e., the fullness of the meaning of "omnipresent" and G-d is One) fills all of creation, one can conclude that everything IS G-d. Yet, of course, we understand that the Creator is not the creation.
So, yes, there's lots of ways to understand "One." Fortunately, Torah law defines what ways it may not be understood and what ways constitute idolatry, so that worship is directed to G-d Alone.
Miriam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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_______________________________________________
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Fri Mar 6 08:38:04 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 06:38:04 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] Purim (this Monday night) gifts for Sderot - please help
& forward!
Message-ID: <855590370903060638n61f0d722y27b3159c4f0c5f57@mail.gmail.com>
*Purim: Last Call For Sderot
*This Sunday the 12th of Adar 5769 (March 8, 2009) B'Ahavat Yisrael staff
and volunteers will converge on the Kassam plagued Southern Israeli City of
Sderot. We will arrive with our vehicles full of Mishloach Manot (Shaloch
Manos) gift packages to distribute to the beleaguered residents. The
security situation has not improved in Sderot from last Purim. Kassam
rockets and mortars keep landing daily from Hamas controlled Gaza. Children
have grown up with rockets landing around them for 8 years!
I can personally attest to the fact that every package and greeting received
in Sderot is appreciated. I have seen their smiles and their gratitude
knowing that other Jews care and feel their plight. Last year we distributed
almost 2,000 packages. This year I'm sure due to the international financial
crisis we're a little under 1,500 packages. It is not too late as we have
made arrangements with a local wholesaler that we can add on up to an
additional 1,000 packages early Sunday morning.
To order by credit card via a secured server please
click.
All donations received after Sunday will be applied to our Passover food
drive in Sderot.
Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom and a Joyous Purim,
With love of Israel,
Yosef Ben Tzion (Joel Busner)
Director, B'Ahavat Yisrael
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From mhyde7 at tds.net Fri Mar 6 08:41:12 2009
From: mhyde7 at tds.net (mhyde)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 09:41:12 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <000001c99e55$88d99760$4001a8c0@Rainbow>
References:
<000001c99e55$88d99760$4001a8c0@Rainbow>
Message-ID: <001701c99e69$99fb0790$0400a8c0@marvin>
One point I was attempting to make yesterday is: when they say messiah and you say messiah and I say messiah are we all fully in agreement with the same concept and then are we on the same page, in it?s most narrow or broadest understanding. I don?t think so.! We have many view points and understandings. I have lots of questions, and this leads to answers. Make no mistake I?m still looking for answers. The Messiah concept seems to have developed more fully after the Babylonian exile, therefore is it correct to read backwards? Yes, it could be understood as revelation going forward in time, that is for each of us to decide for ourselves. The term as used in the Tanack in a literal and strict sense is for one who has been anointed with oil?. Priest , Lev. 4&6 or King. 1Sam.24, 2Sam 19 & 23 chapters. Cyrus in Isa 45 is spoken of as God?s ?Anointed?. But we have no record of him being anointed with oil, just like we have no record of Jesus being anointed with oil, and some interrupt Hab 3:13 as referring to the whole people of Israel as ?Anointed?. Later as we see in Jer 30 were a ?person? taken from the mist of the people approach unto YHVH. What is this persons title? Priest, Messiah, King or just the average citizen who becomes a noble, leader, governor among the people? I don?t know, still working on that. However, in Jer 33: we still see those promise?s that are to be forever, Priest / King linked to the Sun and the Moon, day and night.
Jer 33:14 ?See, the days are coming,? declares ????, ?when I shall establish the good word which I have promised to the house of Yisra??l and to the house of Yehud?ah:
Jer 33:15 ?In those days and at that time I cause a Branch of righteousness to spring forth for Dawid?. And He shall do right-ruling and righteousness in the earth.
Jer 33:16 ?In those days Yehud?ah shall be saved, and Yerushalayim dwell in safety. And this is that which shall be proclaimed to her: ????? our Righteousness.?
Jer 33:17 ?For thus said ????, ?For Dawid? there is not to cease a man to sit on the throne of the house of Yisra??l.
Jer 33:18 ?And for the priests, the L?wites, there is not to cease a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to slaughter continually.? ?
Jer 33:19 And the word of ???? came to Yirmeyahu, saying,
Jer 33:20 ?Thus said ????, ?If you could break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there be not day and night in their season,
Jer 33:21 then My covenant could also be broken with Dawid? My servant ? so that he shall not have a son to reign upon his throne ? and with the L?wites, the priests, My attendants.
Jer 33:22 ?As the host of the heavens is not counted, nor the sand of the sea measured, so I increase the descendants of Dawid? My servant and the L?wites who attend upon Me.? ?
Jer 33:23 And the word of ???? came to Yirmeyahu, saying,
Jer 33:24 ?Have you not observed what these people have spoken, saying, ?The two clans which ???? has chosen have been rejected by Him?? So they have despised My people, no more to be a nation before them.
Jer 33:25 ?Thus said ????, ?If My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the laws of the heavens and earth,
Jer 33:26 then I would also reject the descendants of Ya?aqob? and Dawid? My servant, so that I should not take of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Ab?raham, Yitsh?aq, and Ya?aqob?. For I shall turn back their captivity, and have compassion on them.? ?
Unless I?m mistaken or have missed something??. Where does it say that there will be no PRIEST or KINGS for the nations? It seems that these above mention promises are to the ?descendants of Abraham? even if you ?spiritualize? who these descendants are as both Christian and Jewish writers have ( in the debates of who is a Jew, converts, people of faith) you still have the people of the nations. Below you have an example of A family and another family, Jethro?s family?? two distinct and different blood lines but both have a relationship with YHVH.
Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High. We also have Jethro, Moses father in law who is a priest and in Exo.18 Jethro seems to know this YHVH and YHVH seems to know Jethro and then Jethro makes sacrifice to God.
Then we have to look at Psa 110. Could Messiah be both Priest and King? The Jewish concept of Messiah as I understand it is that this ?Son of David? brings peace to Israel and sets up his throne in Jerusalem?.. But you still have the nations. Who rules them, do they have a Priest? Make no mistake?.. regardless of how many offices, positions, Priests, Kings or Messiahs there are to come?? they all are servants of the most high(YHVH) nothing more, in my understanding.
I wonder, if our problem in understanding is not keeping all of these positions uncoupled from the term messiah, I can be a father, I can be a son, I can be a brother, I can even be and Uncle, but I can?t be all things to all people.
Shalom,
Marvin
_____
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of Jeremy
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 7:18 AM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: RE: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
I think it is important to note, that Messiah indeed cannot hold the EARTHLY office of a High Priest. This is reserved for the descendents of Aharon. This is why Hebrews tells us about Melechzedek. This is one who was BOTh Priest and King. Messiah on earth cannot officiate at the Temple, he is bound by the rules as we all are. Do these same rules apply to a Heavenly Tabernacle???
Jeremy
Ecc 12:13 This is the conclusion; when all has been heard; fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
_____
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of MiriamL613 at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 11:13 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
The question that was posed was -- couldn't the Messiah also be a priest? He cannot be a priest in the classic sense of the word, "Kohane," because the Kohanim must be descended from Aaron of the Tribe of Levi, whereas the King Messiah must be descended from David and Solomon who are of the Tribe of Judah. One man cannot have two patrilineal tribal lineages, just as a man cannot be the physical son of his father as well as the physical son of his uncle (his father's brother). Judah and Levi were brothers.
Miriam
_____
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Fri Mar 6 08:47:21 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 06:47:21 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] The Story of Purim
Message-ID: <855590370903060647s4b88f5bfq14b988b7e9376d3b@mail.gmail.com>
Shalom to all - this video is less then 2 minutes long and does a great job
explaining the significance of Purim. Please watch it and share it with
your friends.
Click here: YouTube - The Story of
Purim
* Hanoch*
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From tposborne77 at yahoo.com Fri Mar 6 12:24:16 2009
From: tposborne77 at yahoo.com (Tracy Osborne)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 10:24:16 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] Fw: OBAMA PLAN FOR PEACE IN MIDDLE EAST ... SHOCKING BUT
NOT SURPRISING !!!!!
Message-ID: <284397.42002.qm@web51105.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
________________________________
Subject: OBAMA PLAN FOR PEACE IN MIDDLE EAST ... SHOCKING BUT NOT SURPRISING !!!!!
?
US President Barack Obama is receiving guidance on contending with Iranfrom former Congressman Lee Hamilton, who co-authored the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group report published in December 2006. It appears that Obama has signed on to the Hamilton plan....
That report calls for the US to:
- Coordinate the withdrawal of its forces from Iraq with Iran and Syria - the principal sponsors of both the Shiite and Sunni insurgencies in the country.
-?Pressure Israel to surrender the Golan Heights and Judea to? Syria ,
- Pressure Israel to surrender the Samaria and Jerusalem to Hamas.
- US to win Iran 's trust by accepting it as a nuclear power and pledging not to overthrow the regime.
?
________________________________
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Fri Mar 6 13:50:23 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 11:50:23 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] What doesn't the Israeli government 'get'?!?!
Message-ID: <855590370903061150s49243326h7f09555365bfc135@mail.gmail.com>
>From Arutz-7, Israelnationalnews.com -
Please note the *red* highlighted sections...what is it that the Israeli
government doesn't seem to understand??
*THEY MUST GO!*
* Hanoch*
**
*Tractor Terrorist: J'lem Arab
*by Maayana Miskin [image: Tractor Terrorist: J'lem Arab]
The Arab terrorist who attacked police officers and civilians in Jerusalem
with his bulldozer on Thursday was a resident of the city, police have
announced. He was identified as 26-year-old Mir'i Redeideh.
Redeideh was married, police said, and had one child. He lived with his
family in the neighborhood of *Beit Hanina, in the northern part of the city
*.
Redeideh was carrying a Palestinian Authority ID at the time of the attack,
leading to initial reports that he was a resident of the PA-controlled areas
in Judea and Samaria.
He was shot and killed by alert police officers and a civilian taxi driver
as he attempted to carry out his rampage. Before he was neutralized he
managed to wound two police officers and had sent several schoolgirls into
severe emotional shock.
The tractor used in the attack was apparently Redeideh's personal property,
police said. An open copy of the Koran was found inside.
Radeideh is the *fourth Arab resident of Jerusalem to carry out an attack in
the capital in less than a year*. In the summer of 2008 two attacks took
place in which Arab residents of the city who were working on construction
sites used bulldozers to attack Jews.
In September of 2008 an *Arab teenager from Jerusalem* rammed his car into a
group of soldiers and civilians standing near the Old City, wounding more
than 20 people in the process. The terrorist was shot and killed.
Just a few months before the 2008 bulldozer attacks, *another Arab resident
of Jerusalem opened fire at young students in the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva,
murdering eight and wounding many more.
*
Many activists and politicians have called for the terrorists' houses to be
destroyed in the hopes of deterring other potential attackers.
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Fri Mar 6 14:09:58 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 12:09:58 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] Some JOY from the Knesset!
Message-ID: <855590370903061209je86d1d6xd64d030ea880f40@mail.gmail.com>
Reading this article has given me a WIDE grin....this has made my entire
Shabbat!
* Hanoch*
[image: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/]
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Ben-Ari Gives First Speech; Arab MKs Walk Out Adar 6, 5769, 02 March 09
10:36
by by Maayana Miskin
(IsraelNN.com) MK Rabbi Dr. Michael Ben-Ari gave his first speech to the
Knesset on Monday. Ben-Ari discussed the economic hardship being felt by
many in Israel as well as the costs of making concessions to Arab enemies.
Arab MKs left the hall during his speech, leading Ben-Ari to express
satisfaction at what he called *?my first great achievement in Knesset.?*
Ben-Ari reminded those assembled of the suffering in Hatzor Haglilit, where
workers are protesting the closure of the factory that provides many of the
town's jobs. ?As we gathered here, all of us beautifully dressed, in
splendid garments, in Hatzor Haglilit they wore sackclothes and ashes,? he
said.
The government always has excuses for the economic hardships facing
Israelis, especially those outside central Israel, Ben-Ari continued. ?The
crisis lies in our leadership, which does not know how to focus on the
national issues facing us,? he stated.
The leadership fails to address social and economic problems, he continued,
choosing instead to ?run after visions of false peace, visions that have
brought us blood, fire, suffering and pain... and economic damage.? He
detailed the financial costs to Israel from such initiatives as the
withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula, the barrier in Judea and Samaria and
the expulsion of Jews from Gaza.
Regarding the Judea and Samaria barrier, Ben-Ari told those assembled, ?I'll
tell you a secret ? kassams and missiles can also fly over an eight-meter
wall.?
What Israel must do, he said, is to establish ?a national economic front.?
Israel must stop chasing a peace that cannot be achieved and instead focus
on developing neglected parts of the country, he said. ?This is the most
burning issue... to turn the periphery, the rough neighborhoods, the
Galilee, the Golan, the Negev, Judea and Samaria ? to turn all of them into
'central Israel,'? he concluded.
*Arab MKs Walk Out*
*As Ben-Ari began his speech, Arab MKs left the hall, leading him to quote a
biblical verse, ?Those who seek to destroy you, will go out from within.?*
After leaving, MK Ahmed Tibi told reporters, ?We'll treat Michael Ben-Ari,
the Kahanist [follower of Rabbi Meir Kahane ? ed.], as we treated [Rabbi]
Meir Kahane when he was a Member of Knesset.?
MK Jamal Zahalka lamented the fact that only Arab MKs left the hall as
Ben-Ari spoke, and said members of other parties should have left in protest
as well.
Ben-Ari expressed satisfaction at the stir caused by his speech. ?This is my
first great achievement in Knesset, and I am glad to see it. If the fifth
column leaves every time I speak, it's an important step, and I hope a sign
of things to come.. *Soon we should merit to see them not only leaving the
hall, but leaving the entire Israeli Knesset.?*
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Fri Mar 6 14:18:59 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 12:18:59 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] The clock is ticking.....
Message-ID: <855590370903061218k742ee7c1w6e6802428e482c7@mail.gmail.com>
*The Iran-Israel nuclear endgame is now much closer*
Iranian Threat, Israel Politics - Feb 26, 2009
Edwin Black
In recent days, four key developments have clicked in to edge Iran and
Israel much closer to a military denouement with profound consequences for
American oil that the nation is not prepared to meet.
What has happened?
First, Iran has proven it can successfully launch a satellite into outer
space as it did on February 2. Teheran claimed, to the incredulity of
Western governments, that the satellite was to monitor earthquakes and
enhance communications. Few believe that, especially since America's own
space program continuously launches unpublished military satellite missions.
Teheran plans three more satellites this year, creating an easily weaponized
space net that worries American military planners.
Second, the International Atomic Energy Agency last week admitted that it
had underestimated Iran's nuclear stockpile by about one-third. The watchdog
group now confirms Iran possesses 2,227 lbs. of nuclear material, sufficient
to create at least one nuclear bomb. That stockpile includes 1,010 kilograms
of low-enriched uranium hexafluoride, or approximately 700 kilograms
containing the vital uranium 235 isotope, the stuff needed to weaponize.
Third, Iran has ramped up its enrichment program with thousands of new
homegrown, highly advanced centrifuges. As *The Cutting Edge News *reported
in April 2008, Iran wants 6,000 centrifuges to speed the enrichment of
weapons-grade material. The number of working centrifuges now exceeds 5,400,
including 164 new ones believed to be the faster and more efficient IR-2 and
IR-3 models made in Iran. These new Iranian centrifuges are at least as
sophisticated as its recently imported P-2 models.
American policymakers are now convinced that Iran, despite all protests and
charades, is in a mad dash to create a deliverable nuclear weapon. The Obama
administration has almost openly abandoned the assertions of the CIA's
much-questioned 2008 National Intelligence Estimate that concluded Iran was
not pursuing nuclear weaponry for the simple reason that its atomic program
and military programs were housed in separate buildings.
Fourth, Binyamin Netanyahu has just become prime minister of Israel. He is
determined to take action before - not after - Iran achieves its nuclear
potential. This creates a volatile, hair-trigger situation that could
explode at any moment. Hence, the endgame is now vastly closer than it was
in mid-January, when many believed Israel might take action during the
lame-duck interregnum.
Israeli countermeasures to date have included a massive international covert
program of equipment sabotage, assassination of key nuclear personnel and a
vibrant diplomatic offensive. But all these efforts combined amount to
nothing more than delaying tactics, as Iran is irrevocably determined to
achieve a nuclear weapon as fast as possible. Many believe such a weapon
will be used to fulfill its prediction that Israel will soon be wiped off
the map.
THE CONSEQUENCES for this confrontation are apocalyptic because Iran's full
partner in this enterprise is Russia. The Russian company Atomstroiexport
has provided most if not all of the nuclear material for the 1,000 megawatt
Bushehr reactor, along with thousands of technicians to service and operate
it.
Following its invasion of Georgia, Moscow forged ahead with final delivery
plans for the S-300 advanced air defense system which can track scores of
IAF airborne intruders simultaneously, whether low-level drones or
high-altitude missiles, and shoot them down. But the S-300, the linchpin of
Iran's defense against Israel, will not be fully operational for several
months, creating a narrow window for Israel to act. Indeed, Russia has just
announced a pause in missile deliveries for the system in fear that it will
accelerate an Israeli response.
Iran, of course, has repeatedly threatened to counter any such attack by
closing the Strait of Hormuz, as well as launching missiles against the Ras
Tanura Gulf oil terminal and bombarding the indispensable Saudi oil facility
at Abqaiq which is responsible for some 65 percent of Saudi production. Any
one of these military options, let alone all three, would immediately shut
off 40% of all seaborne oil, 18% of global oil, and some 20% of America's
daily consumption.
America's oil vulnerability has been back-burnered due to the economic
crisis and the plunge in gasoline prices. However, the price of gasoline
will not mitigate an interruption of oil flow. The price of oil does not
impact its ability to flow through blocked or destroyed facilities. Indeed,
an interruption would not restore prices to those of last summer - which
Russian and Saudi oil officials say is needed - but probably zoom the pump
cost to $20 per gallon.
American oil vulnerability in recent months has escalated precisely because
of oil's precipitous drop to $35 to $40 a barrel. At that price, America's
number one supplier, Canada, which supplies some 2 million out of 20 million
barrels of oil a day, cannot afford to produce. Canadian oil sand petroleum
is not viable below $70 a barrel. Much of Canada's supply has already been
cancelled or indefinitely postponed. America's strategic petroleum reserve
can only keep that country moving for approximately 57 days.
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, like the Bush administration before it, has
developed no plan or contingency legislation for an oil interruption, such
as a surge in retrofitting America's 250 million gas guzzling cars and
trucks - each with a 10-year life - or a stimulus of the alternate fuel
production needed to rapidly get off oil. Ironically, Iran has undertaken
such a crash program converting some 20% of its gasoline fleet yearly to
compressed natural gas (CNG) as a countermeasure to Western nuclear
sanctions against the Teheran regime that could completely block the flow of
gasoline to Iran. Iran has no refining capability.
The question of when and how this endgame will play out is not known by
anyone. Israeli leaders wish to avoid military preemption at all costs if
possible. But many feel the military moment must come; and when that moment
does come, it will be swift, highly technologic and in the twinkling of an
eye. But as one informed official quipped, "Those who know, don't talk.
Those who talk, don't know."
*The writer is The New York Times best-selling investigative author of IBM
and the Holocaust, Internal Combustion and the just released The Plan: How
to Save America When the Oil Stops - or the Day Before (Dialog Press). *
3965 W. 83rd. Street #292 Shawnee Mission, KS 66208 I Phone: 913.648.0022 I
Fax: 913.648.7997
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Website copyright ? 2006. Unity Coalition for Israel.
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Fri Mar 6 14:27:32 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 12:27:32 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] Sunrise, over the Dead Sea
Message-ID: <855590370903061227g409e4b13s4ec68bb661c4f6d9@mail.gmail.com>
Sunrise, today - Erev Shabbat, at the Dead Sea; photography by Ayala Rivka
Young, my favorite eldest daughter...enjoy.....
Shabbat Shalom,
*Hanoch*
[image: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2708615&id=699766534]
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Fri Mar 6 15:22:06 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 13:22:06 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] 'Zachor: It's Not Just Villains
Message-ID: <855590370903061322w16bc9625hd0b270e3ba7c665@mail.gmail.com>
Zachor: It's Not Just Villains Adar 10, 5769, 06 March 09 01:36
by by Rabbi S. Weiss
(IsraelNN.com) Memory is the key to Redemption. The ability to forget can be
a great *bracha*, for how could we go with our lives on if we were unable to
forget our troubles and our failures? But the ability to remember is an even
greater *bracha*. Memory bestows on us a glorious past, focuses our present
course and defines our future destiny as a people.
All our various senses are designed to trigger memory. *Chazal* (commenting
on our *sedra, Tetzaveh*) tell us that the people would hear the *Kohen
Gadol* approach the *Kodesh HaKodashim* on Yom Kippur (there were little
bells on the hem of his robe) and they would remember the awesomeness of the
day and be spurred to repent. And when they saw the sky-blue color of the *
techelet* he wore, they were reminded of the blue heavens and *HaShem*'s
indigo Throne of Glory.
Smell, too, plays a key role in our spiritual life. The *b'samim* at *
Havdalah*, the etrog on Sukkot, the Chanuka latkes, the Pesach *knaidlach* -
every Jew "nose" the unique feeling we get when the right aroma arrives.
This Shabbat is *parshat Zachor* - when the entire Jewish People is
commanded to remember what Amalek did to us, and never to forget G-d's
charge to wage an eternal fight against evil. From Haman to Antiochus to
Hitler to Hamas, we Jews know that every generation has its anti-G-d, and we
are eternally called to battle against *HaShem*'s enemies.
So perhaps it is eminently fitting that this Shabbat marks the opening of
Beit Knesset and Torah Learning Center Ohel Ari in Ra'anana (the
official *Chanukat
HaBayit* will come a bit later *I.Y.H.*) Our son Ari, for all his sweet
gentleness, was a brave fighter against the monstrous evil of terrorism. He
recognized and fully embraced his obligation to put aside the dreams of
youth and take up arms as a soldier in the holy IDF. Like his namesake the
lion, he sprang into action when his extended family - *Am Yisrael* - was
endangered. It seems right and fitting that Ari should be remembered
on *parshat
Zachor*.
The first time we encounter Amalek, in *parshat B'shalach*, we are told that
the struggle to eradicate these vicious sadists is "an unending, Divine war,
for (Amalek's) hand is on the throne of G-d." The Hebrew words *ki yad al
kays Y-h* are missing three letters, signifying that *HaShem*'s very name is
incomplete so long as Amalek is not indelibly purged from this world.
The three missing letters are *alef* from the word *kiseh*; and *yud* and *
hay* from the word *HaShem*. These are the same letters which stand for
Ari's name - Ari Yehoshua Halevi.
Ari, you are indeed missing and sorely missed by your family and friends.
But your name, and the cause you so bravely fought for, lives on. May your
memory be blessed.
www.IsraelNationalNews.com
? Copyright IsraelNationalNews.com
Subscribe to the free Daily Israel Report - sub.israelnn.com
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From MiriamL613 at aol.com Fri Mar 6 15:32:54 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 16:32:54 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
>>In a message dated 3/6/2009 9:22:15 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com writes:
I'm not sure if we are in agreement on this thread, Miriam. You and I may
well be saying the same thing here. I had assumed Susie's implied question to
be, "Is Jesus G-d, and what does Torah say concerning that premise?" To
me, HaShem pointedly answers this very question with Nu 23:19, "G-d is not a
man (lo eesh El).....or the son of a human being (u ben adam).">>
I was raised catholic and converted to Judaism. So my beliefs about G-d are
Jewish, i.e., G-d is not a man.
I didn't have too much trouble with the trinity concept as a youngster. I
saw it as three equal partners - what's the big deal? In the church, however,
I remember being bothered that "the Father" was kind of ignored and
everything revolved around the Son. It was as though the Father, depicted as an old
man with a grey beard, retired and just kind of watched over while his son
did everything. I also remember wondering why the Holy Spirit was even more
ignored than the Father. What did he/it do, and why was the the third
member/person? It didn't seem very equal. And if Jesus existed co-eternally with
the Father, why was he a nice looking young man, almost always standing with
his arms outstretched, with an old Father, always sitting, looking kind of
bored and grouchy. Even that was a notch better than the mysterious, wordless
dove who represented the spirit. So in the eyes of this young catholic girl in
the 1950's, the G-d of Israel was an old man, a young man, and a bird.
But I didn't spend a lot of time worrying about it until I realized that
Jews didn't believe in a trinity! That was a shocker. I felt bad because, as I
was taught, the Jews were going to hell because they didn't realize Jesus
was the Messiah -- but not believing in a trinity? That needed to be looked
into. Moses stood before G-d face to face. Shouldn't G-d have mentioned that
he was a trinity? Maybe, "Oh, by the way, there's three of Us." Weren't
the Jews "the Chosen" and as G-d's special treasure, shouldn't they have known
most intimately what His nature was?
So my investigation led to the goings on at the Nicene Council and the Roman
break with original Christianity which was entirely Jewish. I also found it
quite interesting that the Christian bible shows a "hierarchy" of sorts
where G-d is above everyone, including the resurrected Jesus. That doesn't
correspond with the idea of co-equal and co-eternal which is part of the Church's
trinity doctrine. Did spending 30-something years in the form of a man make
him forever secondary in rank, assuming that he gave up some of his equality
to take on flesh?
I'll leave the Christians to struggle with those ideas. For me, whatever
the Torah of Moses and the Hebrew Prophets after him, have to say about the One
G-d who never changes suits me just fine. I'm forever grateful the Jews
were around to function in their assigned role as "light to the nations" when I
was mired in some pretty deep darkness. Baruch HaShem for His Torah and His
people.
Miriam
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From MiriamL613 at aol.com Fri Mar 6 15:46:48 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 16:46:48 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
Marvin, I'm really interested in one thing about Jesus's lineage in Matthew
and Luke: how can Zerubabbel be a descendant of BOTH Solomon, the son of
David, and Nathan, the son of David? If you find any commentary that tackles
that, I'd enjoy seeing it.
My personal opinion is that without being of the physical seed of David and
Solomon, no man can become King Messiah. Interestingly, the maternal lineage
of the Messiah, from Sarah's conception at an old age, and three or four
extraordinary conceptions after that, a virgin birth wouldn't necessarily rule
out seed being fertilized by a man of the proper lineage. Some form of
artificial insemination would just be another of the five or so maternal miracles
along the way. Judaism has its very own virgin birth in its legends.
Miriam
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Fri Mar 6 17:07:10 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 18:07:10 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID:
LOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!! Terrific story, Miriam, thank you so much!
I too converted to Judaism. BARUCH HASHEM FOR HIS LOVE AND MERCY TOWARD US ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So glad He is gathering us "one from a city, two from a family."
Shabbat Shalom, Dear One,
Pat
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 4:32 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
>>In a message dated 3/6/2009 9:22:15 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com writes:
I'm not sure if we are in agreement on this thread, Miriam. You and I may well be saying the same thing here. I had assumed Susie's implied question to be, "Is Jesus G-d, and what does Torah say concerning that premise?" To me, HaShem pointedly answers this very question with Nu 23:19, "G-d is not a man (lo eesh El).....or the son of a human being (u ben adam).">>
I was raised catholic and converted to Judaism. So my beliefs about G-d are Jewish, i.e., G-d is not a man.
I didn't have too much trouble with the trinity concept as a youngster. I saw it as three equal partners - what's the big deal? In the church, however, I remember being bothered that "the Father" was kind of ignored and everything revolved around the Son. It was as though the Father, depicted as an old man with a grey beard, retired and just kind of watched over while his son did everything. I also remember wondering why the Holy Spirit was even more ignored than the Father. What did he/it do, and why was the the third member/person? It didn't seem very equal. And if Jesus existed co-eternally with the Father, why was he a nice looking young man, almost always standing with his arms outstretched, with an old Father, always sitting, looking kind of bored and grouchy. Even that was a notch better than the mysterious, wordless dove who represented the spirit. So in the eyes of this young catholic girl in the 1950's, the G-d of Israel was an old man, a young man, and a bird.
But I didn't spend a lot of time worrying about it until I realized that Jews didn't believe in a trinity! That was a shocker. I felt bad because, as I was taught, the Jews were going to hell because they didn't realize Jesus was the Messiah -- but not believing in a trinity? That needed to be looked into. Moses stood before G-d face to face. Shouldn't G-d have mentioned that he was a trinity? Maybe, "Oh, by the way, there's three of Us." Weren't the Jews "the Chosen" and as G-d's special treasure, shouldn't they have known most intimately what His nature was?
So my investigation led to the goings on at the Nicene Council and the Roman break with original Christianity which was entirely Jewish. I also found it quite interesting that the Christian bible shows a "hierarchy" of sorts where G-d is above everyone, including the resurrected Jesus. That doesn't correspond with the idea of co-equal and co-eternal which is part of the Church's trinity doctrine. Did spending 30-something years in the form of a man make him forever secondary in rank, assuming that he gave up some of his equality to take on flesh?
I'll leave the Christians to struggle with those ideas. For me, whatever the Torah of Moses and the Hebrew Prophets after him, have to say about the One G-d who never changes suits me just fine. I'm forever grateful the Jews were around to function in their assigned role as "light to the nations" when I was mired in some pretty deep darkness. Baruch HaShem for His Torah and His people.
Miriam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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From ptyler at aac-usa.com Sat Mar 7 09:34:37 2009
From: ptyler at aac-usa.com (Patty )
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 10:34:37 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <03f001c99f3a$3e60a350$bb21e9f0$@com>
Hi Miriam,
I am not very good at the lineage thing, but wouldn't it be probable that
the descendants of Solomon married the descendants of Nathan, thus producing
offspring that would be descendants of both?
Patty
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of MiriamL613 at aol.com
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 4:47 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Marvin, I'm really interested in one thing about Jesus's lineage in Matthew
and Luke: how can Zerubabbel be a descendant of BOTH Solomon, the son of
David, and Nathan, the son of David? If you find any commentary that
tackles that, I'd enjoy seeing it.
My personal opinion is that without being of the physical seed of David and
Solomon, no man can become King Messiah. Interestingly, the maternal
lineage of the Messiah, from Sarah's conception at an old age, and three or
four extraordinary conceptions after that, a virgin birth wouldn't
necessarily rule out seed being fertilized by a man of the proper lineage.
Some form of artificial insemination would just be another of the five or so
maternal miracles along the way. Judaism has its very own virgin birth in
its legends.
Miriam
_____
Worried about job security? Check
out the 5 safest jobs in a recession.
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From RNDAVAR at aol.com Sat Mar 7 17:05:28 2009
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com (RNDAVAR at aol.com)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 18:05:28 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
Message-ID:
I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have been
praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to involve people in
an active way in spreading Torah faith and in making them feel like they are
part of a real community. The Synagogue Without Walls
(_http://www.rootsoffaith.net/_ (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) ) was the first thing that I
established towards this goal. If you are on this list and have not signed up, please
do so. I want you to get a sense of what we can do with technology.
The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was meant
for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world read and
record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into files broken down
by torah readings and post them on the web!? Within one year we would have an
audio version of the torah read by the people of the world, for the people of
the world!
The obvious question is how do we pull this off. Here is what I am
thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's torah to
anonymously read and record! We now have members from literally around the globe
with all sorts of wonderful accents - some from the deep south, (in the US and
even deeper - Australia), some from the north, some from the east and some from
the west, some from Europe, etc.
Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on this
later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts from the weekly
reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in orthodox circles, and I
will likely follow these divisions based upon tradition as well as number of
volunteers.
If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and let me
know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you would like to
volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a list updated (no names) so
people know what is available.
I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming torah
reading so that people can download and listen to my class as well as the torah
reading that I am teaching on.
The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will discuss
translations etc, in another message.
I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and so some
may already know how to make an audio file while others may want to
participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not let technology stand in your
way of participating. We will help you.
Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of the
torah with global voices? I hope so!
Shalom, Ross
Ross K. Nichols
_www.RootsofFaith.org_ (http://www.rootsoffaith.org/)
**************Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
(http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=employment_agencies&ncid=emlcntusyelp00000005)
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sat Mar 7 17:15:11 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:15:11 +1000
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID: <49B2FFFF.8040107@westnet.com.au>
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From ptyler at aac-usa.com Sat Mar 7 17:26:40 2009
From: ptyler at aac-usa.com (Patty )
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 18:26:40 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <042001c99f7c$2cf562d0$86e02870$@com>
Hi Ross, this is an awesome idea! Let us know if we can help putting this
together.
Patty
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of RNDAVAR at aol.com
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 6:05 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have been
praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to involve people
in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in making them feel like they
are part of a real community. The Synagogue Without Walls
(http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the first thing that I established
towards this goal. If you are on this list and have not signed up, please do
so. I want you to get a sense of what we can do with technology.
The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was meant
for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world read and
record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into files broken down
by torah readings and post them on the web!? Within one year we would have
an audio version of the torah read by the people of the world, for the
people of the world!
The obvious question is how do we pull this off. Here is what I am
thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's torah
to anonymously read and record! We now have members from literally around
the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents - some from the deep south,
(in the US and even deeper - Australia), some from the north, some from the
east and some from the west, some from Europe, etc.
Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on this
later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts from the
weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in orthodox circles,
and I will likely follow these divisions based upon tradition as well as
number of volunteers.
If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and let me
know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you would like to
volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a list updated (no
names) so people know what is available.
I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming torah
reading so that people can download and listen to my class as well as the
torah reading that I am teaching on.
The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will discuss
translations etc, in another message.
I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and so some
may already know how to make an audio file while others may want to
participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not let technology
stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of the
torah with global voices? I hope so!
Shalom, Ross
Ross K. Nichols
www.RootsofFaith.org
_____
Need a job? Find
employment help in your area.
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From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Sat Mar 7 17:53:15 2009
From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 18:53:15 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID:
This is truly an amazing idea...please send it to the UI List.
James
On Mar 7, 2009, at 6:05 PM, RNDAVAR at aol.com wrote:
> I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have
> been praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to
> involve people in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in
> making them feel like they are part of a real community. The
> Synagogue Without Walls (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the first
> thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on this list
> and have not signed up, please do so. I want you to get a sense of
> what we can do with technology.
>
> The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was
> meant for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
>
> How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world
> read and record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into
> files broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!?
> Within one year we would have an audio version of the torah read by
> the people of the world, for the people of the world!
>
> The obvious question is how do we pull this off. Here is what I am
> thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's
> torah to anonymously read and record! We now have members from
> literally around the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents -
> some from the deep south, (in the US and even deeper - Australia),
> some from the north, some from the east and some from the west, some
> from Europe, etc.
>
> Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on
> this later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts
> from the weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in
> orthodox circles, and I will likely follow these divisions based
> upon tradition as well as number of volunteers.
>
> If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and
> let me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you
> would like to volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a
> list updated (no names) so people know what is available.
>
> I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming
> torah reading so that people can download and listen to my class as
> well as the torah reading that I am teaching on.
>
> The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will
> discuss translations etc, in another message.
>
> I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and
> so some may already know how to make an audio file while others may
> want to participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not
> let technology stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
>
> Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of
> the torah with global voices? I hope so!
>
> Shalom, Ross
>
> Ross K. Nichols
> www.RootsofFaith.org
>
>
> Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
> _______________________________________________
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Sat Mar 7 17:57:29 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 23:57:29 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <1092186150-1236470275-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-644372848-@bxe1157.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
I'm in Ross.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
-----Original Message-----
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 18:05:28
To:
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
_______________________________________________
From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Sat Mar 7 17:58:21 2009
From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 18:58:21 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID:
I was wondering if you and Brian could put up on ROF as a PROJECT a
"sign up" list of all the Torah portions broken down into Aliyot so
that people could then sign up for a portion that they wanted to do.
That would keep you from having to respond individually to everyone
who writes, tell this one or that one, that a portion has already been
taken. If Brian had a way to have a chart, where we can log in to ROF
and sign our name at a slot, that seems to me to really be a good way
to do this. I love it!
James
On Mar 7, 2009, at 6:05 PM, RNDAVAR at aol.com wrote:
> I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have
> been praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to
> involve people in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in
> making them feel like they are part of a real community. The
> Synagogue Without Walls (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the first
> thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on this list
> and have not signed up, please do so. I want you to get a sense of
> what we can do with technology.
>
> The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was
> meant for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
>
> How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world
> read and record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into
> files broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!?
> Within one year we would have an audio version of the torah read by
> the people of the world, for the people of the world!
>
> The obvious question is how do we pull this off. Here is what I am
> thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's
> torah to anonymously read and record! We now have members from
> literally around the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents -
> some from the deep south, (in the US and even deeper - Australia),
> some from the north, some from the east and some from the west, some
> from Europe, etc.
>
> Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on
> this later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts
> from the weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in
> orthodox circles, and I will likely follow these divisions based
> upon tradition as well as number of volunteers.
>
> If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and
> let me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you
> would like to volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a
> list updated (no names) so people know what is available.
>
> I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming
> torah reading so that people can download and listen to my class as
> well as the torah reading that I am teaching on.
>
> The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will
> discuss translations etc, in another message.
>
> I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and
> so some may already know how to make an audio file while others may
> want to participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not
> let technology stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
>
> Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of
> the torah with global voices? I hope so!
>
> Shalom, Ross
>
> Ross K. Nichols
> www.RootsofFaith.org
>
>
> Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
> _______________________________________________
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sat Mar 7 18:06:22 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 10:06:22 +1000
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID: <49B30BFE.3000407@westnet.com.au>
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From MiriamL613 at aol.com Sat Mar 7 18:08:01 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 19:08:01 EST
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
In a message dated 3/7/2009 10:34:51 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
ptyler at aac-usa.com writes:
I am not very good at the lineage thing, but wouldn?t it be probable that
the descendants of Solomon married the descendants of Nathan, thus producing
offspring that would be descendants of both?>>
If women were included in the tribal lineage, every Jew would be a
descendant of both parents' lineage and it would just be totally scrambled. Lineage
only runs through the paternal line, which is why, as I mentioned earlier,
the Book of Chronicles only lists fathers and their sons. Matthew and Luke
also only lists fathers and sons, since they understood the legal requirements
of tribal descent. The Torah also has a discussion about inheritance, since
the Land of Israel was passed along within each tribe's lineage. Women who
had no brothers were required to marry within their tribe so that the land
would remain in that tribal name. If women could pass along their tribal
lineage, there would be no such requirement.
Miriam
**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
recession.
(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000002)
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From rndavar at aol.com Sat Mar 7 18:19:17 2009
From: rndavar at aol.com (Ross Nichols)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 00:19:17 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <2136165480-1236471448-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-174291444-@bxe1260.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
Yes I can do this by next week. At some point tonight I will send out the aliyot for Ki Thissa to get things rolling. You can forward the original message to the UI list. I am not on line right now. Great idea by the way. Brian actually encouraged me to put a spreadsheet together with the readings.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
-----Original Message-----
From: James Tabor
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 18:58:21
To:
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
_______________________________________________
From rndavar at aol.com Sat Mar 7 18:21:12 2009
From: rndavar at aol.com (Ross Nichols)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 00:21:12 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
Message-ID: <139205688-1236471563-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-2114973814-@bxe1260.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
I should add that I want men and women's voices! I am fairly certain that this was understood, but wanted to emphasize it.
------Original Message------
From: Ross Nichols
Sender: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org
To: Dialogue List
ReplyTo: Dialogue List
Sent: Mar 7, 2009 6:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
Yes I can do this by next week. At some point tonight I will send out the aliyot for Ki Thissa to get things rolling. You can forward the original message to the UI list. I am not on line right now. Great idea by the way. Brian actually encouraged me to put a spreadsheet together with the readings.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
-----Original Message-----
From: James Tabor
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 18:58:21
To:
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
From jid at westnet.com.au Sat Mar 7 18:19:20 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 10:19:20 +1000
Subject: [Fwd: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah]
Message-ID: <49B30F08.9060501@westnet.com.au>
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Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
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From ptyler at aac-usa.com Sat Mar 7 18:45:19 2009
From: ptyler at aac-usa.com (Patty )
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 19:45:19 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] Matriliny in Ancient Israel (was "Zion Needs the
Messiah")
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <044a01c99f87$2a241960$7e6c4c20$@com>
Hi Miriam and All,
This was a short blurb I wrote about this awhile ago:
Matriliny In Ancient Israel ? The Stones Cry Out
In my studies I have found that royal lineage was in fact passed through the female (matriliny) as well as the male. In fact, David's lineage may have become "royal" due in part to his marriage to Michal, Saul's daughter. In "The Royal Dynasties in Ancient Israel", Tomoo Ishida writes concerning David's marriage to Michal: "When David, a promising your warrior, heard of Saul's intention to give him his daughter, he was embarrassed, because he came neither from the northern tribes nor from a family good enough to match with the royal family. Nonetheless, Saul encouraged him to take Michal to wife: it was David who was 'the most faithful among Saul's honored in the royal house'. J. Morgenstern has argued that this was a "beena-marriage", in which the lineage was transmitted on the distaff side, and so, through it, David acquired his "real and substantial claim to the successor ship to Saul". David became a member of the House of Saul through the marriage. That David demanded Michal's return from Abner as the first condition of making a treaty (II Sam. 3:13) shows that he attached importance to his marital tie with Saul's daughter in establishing his legitimate claim to be his successor." The Royal Dynasties in Ancient Israel, p 72-73
When studying the dynasties of that time, it is important also to consider the dynastic practices of the surrounding nations, since after all, Israel wanted a King "like all the nations". Tomoo Ishida continues, "The marriage can be compared to that of the general Haremhab with Mutnodjme. In the dynasties of Egypt, this Pharaoh married a princess of royal blood with the intention of bringing legitimacy to the royal throne into his House, which sprang from a commoner (1). On Ishbaal's death, he (David) had recovered his membership of the House of Saul through his Remarriage to Michal." " After...David had convinced to the people of Israel that he possessed the claim to the throne of Israel as legitimate successor to Saul, he received the visit of the elders of Israel at Hebron and got their offer of the kingship over Israel. Their offer was based on three grounds: a) the people of Israel were David's bone and flesh (II Sam. 5:1); b) David was the leader of the army of Israel under Saul; c) YHWH designated him "nagid" over Israel". All three of these criteria ensured the legitimacy of David's throne after Saul.
While the offspring of David and Michal is a subject of contention, I think it is important to note the legitimacy of kingship at that time - that even when establishing the Davidic line, matriliny played an important role.
(1) See C.J. Bleeker, The Position of the Queen in Ancient Egypt, in: The Sacral Kingship, Studies in the History of Religions, Suppl. To Numen 4 (1959), 266; A. Gardiner, Egypt of the Pharaohs, 1962, 242
In the study of Matriliny, also known as Uterine Descent (sorry if this term is a bit biological), it is helpful to go back to the structure of the family in the primitive times of the Semites. The center of life was the clan, in which later studies have shown that the family played a subordinate role. The early Semites more than likely lived under a matriarchate, and kinship was determined by uterine ties, the father?s relation being almost insignificant. In the Hebrew Bible names like Leah, Rachel, Zilpah and Bilhah appear to be clan names. In the sadiqa marriages, practiced by the ancient Hebrews (indications found in the Book of Judges and particularly in the cases of Jerubaal & Samson) a woman was allowed, with compensation, to marry and leave her clan, or she might contract through her father or other male relative with a man of another clan provided she remained with her people and bore children for her clan.
A.H. Keane says in Man, Past and Present, ?In the clan system descent was probably reckoned at first only through the female line; consequently uterine ties alone constituted kinship ? the father not being considered related to his own children or a member of the family.? When looking at the Semitic people, the matriarchate emerges to the forefront in society. Frequently in the Hebrew Bible, men are described as being the sons of their mothers rather than their fathers. In Genesis, Bethuel is called the ?son of Melcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham?s brother?. Joab is ?the son of Zeruiah?, and Abishai, Joab?s brother, is also called the son of Zeruiah. In II Sam. 19:23 King David refers to them both as the ?sons of Zeruiah?. Zeruiah was the daughter of Jesse of the Tribe of Judah. Consider the case of Abimelech, the son of Gideon and a Shechemite woman, who in Judges 9 is referred to as a Shechemite. In the description of the Kings of Edom in Genesis 36:39 the lineage reads, ?Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab?.
When, how and why did this change? After the Babylonian captivity maternal descendent was no longer sufficient proof that a family was of the House of Israel (Ezra 2:59). Unfortunately along with the change of the system and the loss of importance of the maternal line came the loss of the status of the women in Ancient Israel. In an article in The Popular Science Monthly, Marriage Among the Ancient Israelites, we read ?The Hebrew books are stated to have been restored by Esdras, when they had been destroyed by the Chaldeans (2 Esdras, 14:21,47) and, according to Eusebius, it is solely to his recollection that we are indebted for these books of the Old Testament. Now, at that time it was necessary for a man who claimed to be of Israel to show his father?s house; Esdras was one of those who made this sine qua non. The change to this system had?..been probably gradually taking place for some generations, and what is certain is that the system of female descents had been left so far behind, that the compiler(s) of the books had not the least suspicion that it had ever existed?..that the indications of female descendants noted were preserved, was doubtless due to the superstitious regard they had for the actual words of the oral traditions??
Whether by accident or intent, the status and role of the women in the Bible and in history in general has been suppressed, covered up and erased - almost to the point of extinction. And though only a trace of their legacy remains, the voices of Miriam as an equal to Moses and Aaron, Deborah judging Israel and the prophetess Huldah being consulted by the High Priest and Mary Magdalene, Teacher and companion of Jesus the Messiah cry out from the pages of our Hebrew Bibles. For, as it is written, ?If these keep silent, the stones will cry out.?
Blessings,
Patty
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sat Mar 7 19:39:25 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:39:25 +1000
Subject: [Dialogue] PARASHAT TETZAVEH.
Message-ID: <49B321CD.7090406@westnet.com.au>
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sat Mar 7 19:56:00 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:56:00 +1000
Subject: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.
Message-ID: <49B325B0.4000306@westnet.com.au>
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From patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com Sat Mar 7 20:14:46 2009
From: patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com (Patricia Robbins)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 21:14:46 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.
In-Reply-To: <49B325B0.4000306@westnet.com.au>
References: <49B325B0.4000306@westnet.com.au>
Message-ID:
Thank you, Joe, for alerting us to pray concerning this new threat to your beautiful land. May HaShem show Mercy to Australia, and to us all. Am joining you in asking Him to safeguard the south east corner just north of Brisbane from this cyclone's destruction.
Have appreciated reading your recent posts, and am so very glad you have been able to send them to us.
To you also (Gam l'attah?) Shalom v'Ahavah,
Avigail
From: JOE INDOMENICO
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 8:56 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.
Shalom Chaverim,
Australia is just about to be hit by another major event, Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish.
Over the past month, North Queensland has had major flooding with 60% of our state under water.
Victoria has been scorched by the recent horrendous bushfires with over 200 human victims, not to mention the wildlife and flora.
A couple of days ago Melbourne was hit by an earthquake measuring 4.7 . Baruch HaShem .... no casualties.
The Hebrew word for "Heaven" is "Shamayim" which is made up of two words: esh- fire and mayim- water.
Esh is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Righteousness and Judgement.
Mayim is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Mercy.
This teaches us that Heaven is HaShem's Abode where he intertwines his attributes.
So Australia is in the midst of this precedence.
Now, we have Cyclone Hamish which is bearing down the Queensland coast with wind gusts up to 300 km/hr.
If it strikes the south east corner near or just north of Brisbane the consequences will be dire.
Hamish is the Scottish name for "James" which in turn is the English for "Yacov"
Island resorts in the Great Barrier Reef are battening down as north Queenslanders prepare for severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish which has now been upgraded to a Category 5. Tourists have been evacuated and residents are preparing for the worst.
Whitehaven Bay in the Whitsunday Islands.
May HaShem have mercy on us.
Shalom v'Ahavah
JOE.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
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From ptyler at aac-usa.com Sat Mar 7 20:25:58 2009
From: ptyler at aac-usa.com (Patty )
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 21:25:58 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] PARASHAT TETZAVEH.
In-Reply-To: <49B321CD.7090406@westnet.com.au>
References: <49B321CD.7090406@westnet.com.au>
Message-ID: <046101c99f95$396d07c0$ac471740$@com>
Thanks Joe, this is so beautiful! I was reading a book about the great
pyramid and it says that the Hebrew/Chaldean word for pyramid is Urim. I
thought that was quite interesting.
Love & Blessings,
Patty
From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of JOE INDOMENICO
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 8:39 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: [Dialogue] PARASHAT TETZAVEH.
Tetzaveh : Supernatural Stones.
The Choshen Mishpat -the breastplate worn by
the Kohen Gadol - each gem represented one of the 12 tribes (colours above
are approximations only)
The First Row of Gems:
Odem was a jewel as red as blood, selected for the Tribe of Reuven. It
alluded to Reuven's merit. His face had reddened with shame when he admitted
his sin in the incident involving Bilha. Despite the humiliation it entailed
for him, he confessed his error and did teshuvah. This precious stone
possessed a special power to prevent miscarriages and to promote pregnancy.
It was granted to Reuven in the merit of the dudaim flowers which he brought
to his mother.
Pitada was a green jewel on which Shimon's name was engraved. That colour
was assigned to Shimon to hint that his face turned green (pale) with shame
when Zimri rebelled against Moshe. Their faces paled also when members of
their tribe were seduced by Moabite girls. That gem possessed a cooling
propensity, aiding a person in controlling his passionate nature.
Barekes was a multi-coloured sparkling jewel which glowed like fire. (This
was the precious stone which Noach used to illuminate the ark). It was given
to the tribe of Levi since the members of that tribe illuminated the world
with the light of their Torah study. The segula of that stone was to
enlighten a person's mind and to instill wisdom in him.
The Second Row
Nofech was a greenish brilliant stone representing Yehuda. It was given to
him as a reward that his face paled when he was challenged by Tamar, and
when his father suspected him of having killed Yosef. But finally he emerged
with his face shining when his father Yaakov cleared him of the suspicion in
the final blessing to his sons. One who carried that jewel on him possessed
the power to make the enemy retreat.
Sapir was a skyblue sapphire stone for Yissachar who was famed for his Torah
study. He was therefore found worthy of receiving the sapphire stone from
which the luchos were made. The skyblue colour was a sign of his humility.
This diamond is beneficial for a person's eyesight and is said to heal all
types of physical pains.
Yahalom was a white jewel bearing Zevulun's name. Its white colour
represents a merchant's chair which was white. Its segula was success in
business, appropriate for Zevulun, the tribe which engaged in commerce in
order to support Yissachar.
The Third Row
Leshem, the stone of Dan, reflected the image of a person upside-down. This
was a hint that the members of the tribe of Dan reversed their true goal of
serving Hashem when they set up the image of Micha.
Sh'vo was Naftali's precious stone. It enabled a rider to remain seated
firmly on horseback without falling off. It was suitable for this tribe as
the name Naftali denotes "attachment".
Achlama was designated for the tribe of Gad, since this jewel strengthens a
person's courage in battle and the children of Gad were famous for their
skill in warfare.
The Fourth Row
Tarshish was Asher's gem. Its golden colour was reminiscent of the olive oil
that was found in abundance in Asher's portion. Other interpretations state
that its colour was sea-blue and aided in the digestion of food so that
people became round and fat. It says about Asher's bread that it is
fattening (Beraishis 49:20).
Shoham was Yosef's diamond. It possessed the segula of causing a person to
find favour in the eyes of others, even before high officials. The name
Shoham contains the same letters as Hashem, to indicate that it was Hashem
who granted Yosef grace in the eyes of his superiors.
Yashpe was a multicoloured jewel. It was awarded to Benyamin because, after
the sale of Yosef, conflicting thoughts raced through Benyamin's mind. He
was uncertain whether or not he should reveal to his father Yaakov what had
transpired. He controlled his urge to divulge the secret to his father and
remained silent. As a reward, he received the diamond Yashpe. The name
"Yashpe" is a composite of yaish peh, meaning that although Benyamin was
capable of revealing word of Yosef's sale to Yakkov, he nevertheless
refrained from doing so.
(The Mishnah Says)
Shalom v'Ahavah
JOE.
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Sat Mar 7 20:26:45 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 02:26:45 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.
In-Reply-To: <49B325B0.4000306@westnet.com.au>
Message-ID: <030820090226.2912.49B32CE4000A855A00000B6022230647029B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
We are praying for y'all Joe.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from JOE INDOMENICO : --------------
Shalom Chaverim,
Australia is just about to be hit by another major event, Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish.
Over the past month, North Queensland has had major flooding with 60% of our state under water.
Victoria has been scorched by the recent horrendous bushfires with over 200 human victims, not to mention the wildlife and flora.
A couple of days ago Melbourne was hit by an earthquake measuring 4.7 . Baruch HaShem .... no casualties.
The Hebrew word for "Heaven" is "Shamayim" which is made up of two words: esh- fire and mayim- water.
Esh is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Righteousness and Judgement.
Mayim is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Mercy.
This teaches us that Heaven is HaShem's Abode where he intertwines his attributes.
So Australia is in the midst of this precedence.
Now, we have Cyclone Hamish which is bearing down the Queensland coast with wind gusts up to 300 km/hr.
If it strikes the south east corner near or just north of Brisbane the consequences will be dire.
Hamish is the Scottish name for "James" which in turn is the English for "Yacov"
Island resorts in the Great Barrier Reef are battening down as north Queenslanders prepare for severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish which has now been upgraded to a Category 5. Tourists have been evacuated and residents are preparing for the worst.
Whitehaven Bay in the Whitsunday Islands.
May HaShem have mercy on us.
Shalom v'Ahavah
JOE.
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sat Mar 7 20:33:48 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 19:33:48 -0700
Subject: [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
In-Reply-To: <855590370903030148j4ada298ctef6b0fa73da41a24@mail.gmail.com>
References: <855590370903010224t430c1adbvd70128f4b4f3540d@mail.gmail.com>
<855590370903030148j4ada298ctef6b0fa73da41a24@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <855590370903071833w6dfcf4fcw5990a7bc3399628d@mail.gmail.com>
Hi Ron,
Shavua tov, thanks for your patience in my getting back to you; getting
to Montana turned out to be quite a challenge. I have listed your comments
below (*in Blue)* my response is below each comment, or question.
*Your comments in this article leave me with a question. When some group
of Jews proclaim Rabbi Schneerson as the Messiah do all the rest of the Jews
lump these in to a group that can not be trusted and should be removed, like
the Christian Missionaries? *
**
**
The *only* group of Jews that have a belief that Rav Schneerson, of Blessed
Memory is/will be the Messiah are among the Lubavitch (Chabad). There are
indeed those within the Orthodox community that feel that Chabad is
believing in something controversial (see: *The Rebbe, The Messiah, and the
Scandal of Orthodox Indifference *by David Berger), You used the
terminology, *"...should be removed, like the Christian
missionaries?"* *'Removed'
* from what? *'Removed' from Israel*? Is that what you mean? Why on Earth
would Israel (the State of), treat a group of Jews (*any *group of
Jews) like Christian missionaries? Israel, is a Jewish country (not Jewish
enough in my opinion..but that's off the topic). Proselytizing by Christian
missionaries is against the law (in Israel), and those caught are expelled
from Israel and not allowed to return; ever. They are not expelled for
their personal beliefs, but for their attempts to convert Jews.
*
Help me understand your objection or the Jews objection to the songs of
Ephramites. *
**
There was no objection on the part of "the Jews" - since I was speaking
based my experience with the WBZ (World Biblical Zionist) Tour group. This
was a group that stated SPECIFICALLY that it was designed to include ALL who
supported Israel, including Ephramites, Jews, Christians, B'nei Noah, etc).
It's '10 Commandments of a Biblical Zionist' were VERY specific that it was
designed to be an umbrella organization, to serve all individuals - of all
religions and beliefs, as long as they agreed with those '10 Commandments of
a Biblical Zionist.' Interestingly enough, those '10 Commandments' have
been removed from their website, possibly because they had been written by
Eddie Chumney, who no longer has any affiliation at ALL with that
organization. Eddie himself, told me that he wrote them in such a way, as
to include EVERYONE, and not 'step on anyone's toes.'
So, THAT is why I was surprised with the songs with lyrics like 'Yeshua
HaMashiach.' Once again, Israel is a Jewish country (whether any particular
self-identified Ephramite likes it, or not), and you don't 'make friends and
influence people' when publicly proclaiming it IN Israel. It was at that
point that I disassociated myself from any involvement with the WBZ (that
and their 'backroom politics' with the Likud party).
*
Have you ever heard these type of songs at other Ephimite gatherings, like
the one you and I were at in a school in Yerushalaim?*
**
There is a HUGE difference between people at an Ephramite prayer gathering
held at the Anglican School in Jerusalem singing songs like that, and an
'All-Inclusive' umbrella organization. When I was there (at Ephraim Frank's
meetings), I was an invited guest, and did not voice, or feel anything about
any songs they sang. OR, when I was invited to the MIA (Messianic Israel
Alliance) National Convention - I was a guest at a Messianic Ephramite
gathering. The WBZ tour was supposed to be all inclusive....it was NOT
supposed to be a Messianic Ephramite gathering.
*
It seems to me that the expectation is that Ephraim should come in with out
their beliefs and practices. Is that what you are propossing?*
**
*"Come in"* where, or, to what? Can I assume you mean Israel? If you mean
as tourists to Israel, there is NO issue, as long as they don't proselytize
Jews. If you mean as CITIZENS (New Immigrants) to Israel - there is
currently no provision for that at this time - you surely know that. In
fact, the Israeli government is currently looking into it's immigration and
conversion criteria. Frankly, it will make it more difficult for people to
immigrate to Israel and become citizens. .
What it will 'look like' religiously when Judah & Ephraim are eventually
reunited (as promised in the Tanach) is anyone's guess (or belief..).
However that is something that we, plain human beings are NOT going to
resolve for ourselves. We need to spend the time and effort to get to know
each other, and work together on projects for Israel. We need to focus on
that which we have in common, not what divides us..
*
May be I am missing something.
*
If you need any further clarification of anything I wrote, please ask - I'll
do it gladly .
On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 2:48 AM, Hanoch Young wrote:
> Hey Ron,
>
> Glad that you've found the articles of interest. You asked a number
> of questions that will help make it even MORE interesting, at least in my
> opinion. And I'd love to clarify for you everything I wrote.
>
> However, it's 4:39AM though, and I'm waiting for a car service to
> take me to the airport. Actually, I'll be in Montana until Thursday, having
> been invited by a group of leaders of Ephramite groups to join them in their
> discussions regarding Israel.
>
> Although I cannot promise to write a detailed reply until after
> Shabbat, G-d willing I will get it done before the weekend is over. Got
> snowed in yesterday, hope I can actually leave this morning...
>
> Take care,
> *Hanoch
> *
> On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 5:29 PM, Ron Runyon wrote:
>
>> Shalom Hanoch,
>>
>>
>>
>> I am very interested in this thread and the articles you are posting.
>> Thank you.
>>
>>
>>
>> Your comments in this article leave me with a question. When some group of
>> Jews proclaim Rabbi Schneerson as the Messiah do all the rest of the Jews
>> lump these in to a group that can not be trusted and should be removed, like
>> the Christian Missionaries?
>>
>>
>>
>> Help me understand your objection or the Jews objection to the songs of
>> Ephramites.
>>
>>
>>
>> Have you ever heard these type of songs at other Ephimite gatherings,
>> like the one you and I were at in a school in Yerushalaim?
>>
>>
>>
>> It seems to me that the expectation is that Ephraim should come in with
>> out their beliefs and practices. Is that what you are propossing?
>>
>>
>>
>> May be I am missing something.
>>
>>
>>
>> Ron
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* Hanoch Young [mailto:youngbarzel at gmail.com]
>> *Sent:* Sunday, March 01, 2009 2:24 AM
>> *To:* dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
>> *Subject:* [Dialogue] That interesting article we're going to discuss
>>
>>
>>
>> Shalom John,
>>
>>
>>
>> Boker tov in Louisiana! The two excerpts below, from story's from
>> today's Arutz-7 illustrate elements related to those two articles (one that
>> you posted, and one that I did) relating to changing residency &
>> citizenship (as well as conversion) requirements. I have interspersed my
>> comments in *RED*....
>>
>>
>>
>> Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on your original note....if we
>> wait for others to jump in first, we may be here a very, very long
>> time...LOL
>>
>>
>>
>> * Hanoch*
>>
>> *Israel**'s 2 State Solution - Yehuda & Ephraim*
>> *Outreach Rabbi Singer to Challenge Missionary Aggression *
>>
>> Adar 4, 5769, 28 February 09 08:15
>>
>> by by IsraelNN Staff
>>
>> (IsraelNN.com) The *Outreach Judaism* organization has announced that it
>> is launching an exhaustive four-part lecture series in Jerusalem to respond
>> directly to missionaries who engage in Jewish evangelism. The campaign is in
>> an effort to combat a disturbing assault by fundamentalist Christians who
>> target Jews for conversion.
>>
>> * It continues to astound me - there truly is no willingness,
>> whatsoever, to allow beliefs other then their personal Christian ones. As
>> John Hulley once said, they're in Israel and when giving Jewish children
>> candy, they just HAVE to tell them that Jesus loves them....*
>>
>> Outreach Judaism is an international organization dedicated to countering
>> the efforts of fundamentalist groups and cults who specifically target Jews
>> for conversion.
>>
>> The series entitled *Judaism?s Response to Christian Missionaries* will
>> be the first course run in Jerusalem by Outreach Judaismfounder and director Rabbi Tovia Singer, who moved to Israel last year from
>> the United States.
>>
>> In the current series, Rabbi Singer, a world-renowned expert on Jewish
>> evangelism, said he will respond to fundamentalist Christian groups who
>> try to lure vulnerable Jews into their ranks, by exploring the "dark
>> history" of the groups. He intends to expose the aggressive techniques used
>> by organizations like Jews for Jesus that spend millions of dollars annually
>> to ?bring the message of the Gospel to the Jewish people.?
>>
>> Rabbi Singer said he will also demonstrate how missionaries twist the
>> Jewish scriptures in order to make the sacred Hebrew texts appear as though
>> they are speaking about Jesus.
>>
>> ?Jews for Jesus and other well-funded missionary organizations have
>> launched a deceptive campaign to convert the most vulnerable segments of our
>> community to their extremist brand of Christianity,? said Singer, who also
>> hosts his own talk show on *Israel National Radio
>> *.
>>
>> ?In their unrelenting spiritual assault on Jewish communities worldwide,
>> these aggressive organizations, backed by major evangelical churches
>> worldwide, deliberately blur the distinctions between Judaism and
>> Christianity in order to lure susceptible Jews who would otherwise resist a
>> straightforward Christian message,? he added.
>>
>> *This is bound to work against Ephramite believers in Yeshua who are
>> willing to keep their personal beliefs to themselves, because they will be
>> 'lumped together' in everyone's minds, that they are missionaries!
>> Remember, Israeli's are hearing this Ephramite message for the first time -
>> if they start hearing songs that Yeshua is the Messiah (like were sung on
>> the World Biblical Zionist Tour/Program), they are simply going to think"
>> CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY!*
>>
>> *Immigration Authorities Raid Dead Sea Hotels*
>>
>> Adar 5, 5769, 01 March 09 08:56
>>
>> by by Hana Levi Julian
>>
>> (IsraelNN.com) Immigration police rounded up dozens of illegal Sudanese
>> workers in a massive raid along the hotel strip at the southern tip of the
>> Dead Sea at daybreak Sunday.
>>
>> Police were present to stop the first bus of workers from leaving at 5:30
>> a.m., said one hotel worker, who requested anonymity because she was not
>> authorized to speak to the media. Police also stopped every other employee
>> transport that followed, and raided every hotel along the strip, which
>> serves hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
>>
>> *Israel has had immigration raids periodically, to catch foreign workers
>> who had been brought in (to replace the arab labor) and had stayed
>> illegally. However, if this is a trend - that they are NOW really serious
>> about making sure that those without appropriate visas are expelled (and not
>> allowed to come back, BTW), then I know a number of Ephramites who are going
>> to be very disappointed....*
>>
>> The worker noted that about 70 Eritreans work in the hotel where she is
>> employed and that ?only the ones that are here illegally were picked up.?
>> There are more than a dozen hotels on the strip at the Dead Sea alone.
>>
>> Hundreds of refugees from the Sudan who infiltrated in to the country from
>> Egypt in the past year had been hired ?off the books? by the hotels at the
>> Dead Sea, said the source.
>>
>> ?They even took Ethiopians off the bus to check their documents,? she
>> said. ?They can?t seem to tell the difference.?
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>
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From shcole1 at cox.net Sat Mar 7 20:39:48 2009
From: shcole1 at cox.net (sherry cole)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 20:39:48 -0600
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <676A827B781D4A97A92159F930F3C91A@sherryPC>
Hey Ross, I'm with you on this. I'm amazed at God's timing. A few weeks ago I started getting the impression that I should start reading the annual cycle.I'm excited about tomorrow.
See you at the Synagogue,
Blessings,
Sherry
----- Original Message -----
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:05 PM
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have been praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to involve people in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in making them feel like they are part of a real community. The Synagogue Without Walls (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the first thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on this list and have not signed up, please do so. I want you to get a sense of what we can do with technology.
The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was meant for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world read and record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into files broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!? Within one year we would have an audio version of the torah read by the people of the world, for the people of the world!
The obvious question is how do we pull this off. Here is what I am thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's torah to anonymously read and record! We now have members from literally around the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents - some from the deep south, (in the US and even deeper - Australia), some from the north, some from the east and some from the west, some from Europe, etc.
Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on this later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts from the weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in orthodox circles, and I will likely follow these divisions based upon tradition as well as number of volunteers.
If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and let me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you would like to volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a list updated (no names) so people know what is available.
I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming torah reading so that people can download and listen to my class as well as the torah reading that I am teaching on.
The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will discuss translations etc, in another message.
I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and so some may already know how to make an audio file while others may want to participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not let technology stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of the torah with global voices? I hope so!
Shalom, Ross
Ross K. Nichols
www.RootsofFaith.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
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From rndavar at aol.com Sat Mar 7 20:51:30 2009
From: rndavar at aol.com (rndavar at aol.com)
Date: Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:51:30 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To: <676A827B781D4A97A92159F930F3C91A@sherryPC>
References:
<676A827B781D4A97A92159F930F3C91A@sherryPC>
Message-ID: <8CB6DAFEAB00709-628-BC9@FWM-D26.sysops.aol.com>
Sherry,
I cannot wait to see you guys! I am at the synagogue tonight about to prepare my notes for tomorrow's class. I miss all of you and cannot wait to teach!
Shalom, Ross
-----Original Message-----
From: sherry cole
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 8:39 pm
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
Hey Ross, I'm with you on this. I'm amazed at God's timing. A few weeks ago
I started getting the impression that I should start reading the annual
cycle.I'm excited about tomorrow.
See you at the Synagogue,
Blessings,
Sherry?
----- Original Message -----
From:
RNDAVAR at aol.com
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:05
PM
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of
the Torah
I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have been
praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to involve people in
an active way in spreading Torah faith and in making them feel like they are
part of a real community. The Synagogue Without Walls (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the
first thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on this list and
have not signed up, please do so. I?want you to get a sense of what we
can do with technology.
?
The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was meant
for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
?
How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world read
and record?portions of the torah, assemble these readings into files
broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!? Within one year we
would have an audio version of the torah read by the people of the world, for
the people of the world!
?
The obvious question is how do we pull this off.? Here is what I am
thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's torah to
anonymously read and record! We now have members from literally around the
globe with all sorts of wonderful accents - some from the deep south, (in the
US and even deeper - Australia), some from the north, some from the east and
some from the west, some from Europe, etc.
?
Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on this
later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts from the
weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in orthodox circles,
and I will likely follow these divisions based upon tradition as well as
number of volunteers.
?
If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and let
me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you would like to
volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a list updated (no names)
so people know what is available.
?
I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming
torah reading so that people can download and listen to my class as well as
the torah reading that I am teaching on.
?
The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will discuss
translations etc, in another message.
?
I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and so
some may already know how to make an audio file while others may want to
participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not let technology stand
in your way of participating. We will help you.
?
Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of the
torah with global voices? I hope so!
?
Shalom, Ross
?
Ross K.
Nichols
www.RootsofFaith.org
Need a job? Find
employment help in your area.
_______________________________________________
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG -
www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.278 / Virus Database: 270.11.9/1989 - Release
Date: 03/07/09 18:43:00
_______________________________________________
Sherry
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sat Mar 7 21:01:50 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 20:01:50 -0700
Subject: [Dialogue] "Faith in G-d and Samson Weapons"
Message-ID: <855590370903071901r1f44f830gdea53d48ef93ba63@mail.gmail.com>
?K A H A N E? The magazine of the authentic Jewish Idea
*Nissan -5737 April-1977*
*FAITH IN G-D AND SAMSON WEAPONS*
The men of little faith fear Washington far more than the All Mighty. The
descendants of the Jews who turned in fear and prostration to Egypt to save
them from Assyria and who turned as some beggar standing in a doorway to
Assyria for succor from Babylon, today raise their eyes unto Washington and
from Plains, Georgia shall come their salvation?
The key to the Jewish redemption lies in the deep and abiding faith in G-d
that is as strong as the situation is bleak. In the face of darkness and
danger, the Jew trusts all the more in the All Mighty and the threats of
finite flesh and blood fade into insignificance if trust in the infinite
King of the Universe is real and unbending. ?Israel, trust in the L-rd,? is
more than a topic for a temple rabbi?s sermon. It is the foundation of
Judaism, that upon which rest all the 613 commandments. ?And the righteous
shall live by his faith.?
What does a Jew do when the United States attempts to strangle Israel by
demanding betrayal of the land to the Arabs or risk losing American weapons
and support? He first prays to the All Mighty and affirms his faith in Him.
He vows not to violate the commandment that forbids giving up Jewish land. He
realizes that retreat is insanity and that it will lead not to peace but to
disaster. He knows that each bowing to Washington will lead only to more
demands. And so he prays and has faith.
And then he turns and says: *You have the choice of selling us conventional
weapons (and what a ludicrous term that is and when did cluster bombs and
missiles and napaim become ?conventional??) or not. But know that if you do
not, we will develop and if need be use the unconventional nuclear, chemical
and biological weapons that can destroy not only Arabs but their Soviet
allies. *And then he opens the New York Times and Washington Post of March
21 and reads:
?The Pentagon is quietly upgrading its ability to wage war with nerve gas, a
weapon that can cause agonizing death from spasms and convulsions if only a
drop or two gets on a person?s skin. The reason is a growth in the Soviet
Union?s chemical warfare capability? ?We underestimated the threat and it
got us into trouble,? said a chemical warfare expert.?
And the same day the times quotes Dr. Alexander Langmuir, the former top
civilian epidemiologist as saying that he devoted one fifth of his time to
military biological warfare studies ?because he regarded biological warfare
as a serious threat to the United States.?
The United States is permitted to develop biological and chemical weapons
because it is threatened. *Israel is not?* The United States is allowed to
have an atomic arsenal that is awesome and can destroy the world many times
over, because of fear of the Soviets? Israel ? threatened daily with
extinction by the Arabs ? can do no less. Faith in G-d and fear of neither
enemies nor allies. *That is the Jewish way. *
* *
*Anyone reading this Rav Kahane article and is not on my personal list to
receive the weekly articles written by Rav Kahane and would like to be,
please contact me at:*
*barhow at netvision.net.il *
* *
*Visit my blog for previously e-mailed Rav Kahane writings:***
*http:/www.barbaraginsberg.blogspot.com***
* *
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Sat Mar 7 21:27:10 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:27:10 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To: <49B2FFFF.8040107@westnet.com.au>
Message-ID: <030820090327.2688.49B33B0A0009160900000A8022230647029B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Hey Joe,
This is a very clear and concise article, I have come to realize much of what is said here in my own studies.
I do have some contentions with it though;
It doesn't address the prophetic statement regarding a virgin birth associated with mashiach (Isaiah 7:14). I bring this up not to contest the conclusions but because the proponents of the virgin birth validity see this passage as confirmation. I think it must be discussed.
I don't think it necessarily excludes Yeshua from messiah-ship, the whole issue of "dual messiah" (messiah ben Judah, messiah ben Joseph) is not discussed.
While there is no doubt (to me anyway) that the "Christian" description of messiah as defined here cannot be accepted by anyone claiming to be Jewish, the Ebionite description still remains valid, Just because pagan influence hijacked the movement known as the Way, does not mean what Yeshua taught was nullified. I don't agree that Yeshua denied being messiah, I think that is exactly what he claimed to be. This was not an unusual thing in his time, the important thing to realize is that he never claimed to be divine, there is a big difference. Neither Hebrew nor Jewish understanding describes mashiach as divine.
So, I guess that while I agree with much of the logic by which the conclusions were reached, I disagree with the conclusions themselves.
BTW, have you guys read James Tabor's account of Yeshua's lineage in The Jesus Dynasty?
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from JOE INDOMENICO : --------------
Shalom Chaverim,
My apologies for my prolonged absence. Due to personal circumstances my postings will be sporadic for the time being.
B'Ezrat HaShem this will only be temporary.
First and foremost I would like to welcome Miriam to the list. I share your Catholic background being Italian by birth.
I also share your quest for the truth. Shalom and welcome.
There has been much traffic regarding the topic of Mashiach and his lineage.
I would like to add some comments from an article that a personal friend of mine wrote here on the Gold Coast.
She is Italian with a Catholic background and has converted to Orthodox Judaism.
She has a degree in Religious Studies .
My apologies for the long post. However the issues raised are quite challenging.
Luke and Matthew
Both Luke and Matthew?s accounts were written around 85 C.E., and are believed by Church
historians to be copies of Mark?s account. Luke and Matthew give the only two accounts of a
Virgin Birth in the entire New Testament. They obviously didn?t copy Mark?s account very well,
or maybe the translators didn?t copy Mark?s account very well.
Luke and Matthew also give accounts of Yeshua?s genealogy. However, Luke?s version is
contradictory to Matthew?s (or vice versa). Some of the names are completely different and in
regards to Zerubbabel, Matthew makes Zerubbabel a descendant of Solomon, David's son. Luke,
however, makes him a descendant of Nathan, also a son of David. Since Solomon and Nathan
were brothers (I Chronicles 3:5) they cannot both be paternal ancestors of Zerubbabel. Besides
this, since both Matthew and Luke then go on to claim that Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit,
not by Joseph, both genealogies (which are Joseph?s) become pointless, making the entire
genealogy accounts a waste of time and space.
OTHER GOSPELS
As mentioned earlier, there were many ?gospels? in circulation in the 1st and 2nd centuries C.E.
These are called the ?Apocryphal Gospels? that the Catholic Church did not include in the New
Testament. In total, there are more than one hundred.
These ancient writings include the Lost Letter of St. Paul, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of
Philip, the Gospel of Peter, the Gospel of Barnabas, Pseudo Matthew and the so called Lost
Gospels of the Hebrews, Ebionites and Nazarenes. Of these ?Lost Gospels?, one of the most
interesting and much discussed by the Church Fathers is the Gospel of the Ebionites or the
?Hebrew Gospel?.
The early Christian communities occasionally accepted some Apocryphal gospels as canonical.
Today?s scholars believe that while some of these writings may include actual words and events
from Yeshua?s life, many lack real historical value.
Let?s take a look now at the Ebionite Sect and their ?Hebrew Gospel?.
The Ebionites
The original Ebionite/Nazarene movement was made up of Jewish followers of John the
Immerser, and later of Yeshua of Nazareth. They were concentrated in Israel and surrounding
regions between the years 30-80 C.E. and led by Ya?akov ha-Tzaddik (James the Just), brother of
Yeshua. The Ebionites were zealous for the Torah, and continued to walk in all the mitzvot
(commandments) as enlightened by their Rabbi and teacher.
Yeshua referred to his own disciples as ?Evyonim? (Ebionites), meaning ?poor ones?. In his
?Sermon on the Mount?, Yeshua began with the words:
?And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, ?Blessed are you poor (Evyonim), for the
kingdom of God is yours.?? 111
Was Yeshua making a reference to the Ebionites and not necessarily, as the Church would have
all believe, to the economically disadvantaged?
Like Yeshua, the Ebionites? main focus was to bring the ?lost sheep of the house of Israel? back
to the Torah, although they did also accept Gentiles who wished to convert to the Jewish faith.
The Ebionites were sometimes given the name Netzarim, from the Hebrew word Netzer (branch)
and not necessarily taken from the word ?Nazareth? where Yeshua spent his childhood years. In
the book of Acts of the Apostles 24:5, Paul is called ?the ringleader of the sect of the Netzarim.?
In around 100 C.E. when Hellenised Jews and Gentile converts began developing a breakaway
group, later becoming ?Christianity?, the Ebionites became frowned upon because of their strict
adherence to the Torah. In the 3rd century C.E., when Christianity became the official religion of
the now Holy Roman Empire, Church leaders began to refer to the Ebionites as ?heretics
Why Were the Ebionites Considered ?Heretics??
Let?s take a look at what the Church Fathers wrote concerning the ?heresy? of the Ebionites.
Eusebius wrote:
"But the heresy of the Ebionites, as it is called, asserts that Christ was the son of Joseph and
Mary, considering him a mere man, and insists strongly on keeping the law in a Jewish manner,
as we have seen already in this history.? 112
Irenaeus (120-200 C.E.), is probably the earliest witness to the Ebionites. He reported that the
Ebionites used only Matthew?s Gospel, but also that they denied the virgin birth. This means that
they must have been using their own Gospel and not Canonical Matthew (the one in the New
Testament), which clearly attests to this belief. 113
Irenaeus concluded that the Ebionites regarded Yeshua as the Messiah but that they insisted he
was neither divine nor born of a virgin. He wrote:
?The Ebionites assert that he was begotten by Joseph.114 Jesus is a mere man, and nothing more
than a descendant of David, and not also the Son of God (born of a virgin).? 115
In the text ?Fragments From The Lost Writings Of Irenaeus?, we read:
?The Gospel according to Matthew was written to the Jews. For they laid particular stress upon
the fact that Christ should be of the seed of David. Matthew also, who had a still greater desire to
establish this point, took particular pains to afford them convincing proof that Christ is of the
seed of David; and therefore he commences with an account of His genealogy.? 116
If Messiah ?should be of the seed of David?, then this implies that he cannot be born of a virgin.
In his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, the Christian theologian, Justin Martyr (100-165 C.E.)
conceded that some of his co-religionists rejected the divine fathering and virgin birth of Yeshua
because they sounded too much like pagan myth. Justin referred to the myth of Danae, who was
impregnated by Zeus:
"It is quite true that some people of our kind acknowledge him to be Christ, but at the same time
declare him to have been a man of men. I, however, cannot agree with them, and will not do so,
even if the majority of Nazarenes insist on this opinion." 117
Therefore, the idea of the Virgin Birth was not accepted everywhere. The majority of Nazarenes,
as Justin Martyr stated, regarded it as a pagan intrusion into their religion ? Judaism.
It seems that the Ebionites were making significant numbers of converts to Judaism from among
the Gentiles. Jerome voiced his concern in a letter to Augustine:
?To Augustin, My Lord Truly Holy, and Most Blessed Father, Jerome Sends greeting in Christ. If,
however, there is for us no alternative but to receive the Jews (Ebionites) into the Church, along
with the usages prescribed by their law; if, in short, it shall be declared lawful for them to
continue in the Churches of Christ what they have been accustomed to practise in the synagogues
of Satan, I will tell you my opinion of the matter: they will not become Christians, but they will
make us Jews.? 118
112 Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book VI, Chapter XVII (4th century)
113 R. J. Miller, Editor, The Complete Gospels.
114 Against Heresies, Book III, Chapter XXI, 1
115 On the Flesh of the Messiah, Chapter XIV, 4. Parenthesis mine.
116 Fragments From The Lost Writings Of Irenaeus
117 Italics mine.
118 Augustine?s Letters XXVIII, XL & LXXI. Ch 1V
The Gospel of the Ebionites
The documents of the Early Church Fathers tell us that there was a very early version of Matthew,
called ?Hebrew Matthew? or the ?Hebrew Gospel?, which was used by the Ebionites.
Concerning the Ebionite Gospel, Jerome wrote:
?In the Gospel which the Nazareans and the Ebionites use, which we recently translated out of
the Hebrew tongue into the Greek and which is called by most people the authentic (Gospel) of
Matthew ?? 119
Iranaeus wrote:
"Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect.? 120
Papias (70-160 C.E ) wrote:
?Matthew composed his history in the Hebrew language and everyone translated it as he was
able.? 121
There are some major differences between this ?authentic? Gospel of Matthew referred to by
Jerome, and Canonized Matthew, that is also attributed to Jerome. The major difference being
that Jerome?s ?authentic? Matthew does not contain an account of the Virgin Birth. So, if the
?authentic? Gospel had no Virgin Birth account, how authentic is the version in the New
Testament?
Another problem is that a contemporary of Jerome, Epiphanius of Salamis (315-403 C.E.), had a
completely different view of the Ebionite Gospel, regarding it ?mutilated? and ?a forgery?
because it did not contain the Virgin Birth account, but rather begins with John immersing in the
Jordan.
In the Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Epiphanius wrote:
?In the Gospel that is in general use among them which is called ?according to Matthew?, which
however is not whole and complete but forged and mutilated? and the beginning of their Gospel
runs: ?It came to pass in the days of Herod the king of Judaea, when Caiaphas was high priest,
that there came one, John by name, and baptised with the baptism of repentance in the river
Jordan. It was said of him that he was of the lineage of Aaron the priest, a son of Zacharias and
Elisabeth: and all went out to him.?? 122
If this ?authentic? Hebrew Matthew of the original disciples of Yeshua is so very different from
Canonized Matthew, what happened?
It is important that we realize that the Christian religion was not founded on doctrine formulated
in a book. It formed its own doctrine as it grew. We can only conclude, therefore, that passages
and words were interpolated or mistranslated (intentionally or unintentionally) in order to clarify
Church doctrine ? a response to the practical needs of the Christian Church.
119 Jerome Commentary on Matthew
120 Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3.1.1
121 Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica (HE) 3.39.16
122 Epiphanius, Panarion 30.13.6
INTERPOLATION
To ?interpolate? means to make insertions for the purpose of giving a certain impression. The
Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary defines ?interpolation? as ?making insertions in (book etc),
so as to give false impressions; to insert words. 123
The more closely we examine the two Gospels of Matthew and Luke the more surprising it
appears, not that the Virgin Birth story was rejected by so many sects of early followers of
Yeshua, but that it was ever accepted by any of them. After the first two chapters in each Gospel
account, there is never a single word of reference to the Virgin Birth. The contradictions involved
in a Gospel story that frequently refers to Joseph as the father of Yeshua, and yet begins with the
Virgin Birth episode, can be accounted for only by assuming that the original Gospels did not
contain the earlier chapters of our present Gospels, or they were interpolated (added to).
Martin Larson in his book Essene, (p 175 writes): ?The first two chapters of Matthew and the first
three chapters of Luke were added in the second century by Hellenizers who would accept only a
divinely born ?saviour-god? like those of the pagan mystery-cults.?
A commonly known example of interpolation in the New Testament is in 1 John 5:7. It states:
?And there are three which bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and
these three are one.?
This verse only appears in the Catholic Doue Bible (Latin Vulgate) and in the King James
Version that was translated from the Latin Vulgate. You will not find this verse in any other
translations of the New Testament. Bible scholars tell us that this verse was added in order to
clarify Church doctrine - the doctrine of the Trinity of course.
There is enough evidence in certain styles of writing found in the New Testament to show that
there is a strong Jewish input. However, the mere fact that the New Testament was not translated
and compiled by Jewish authorities renders it un-authorative for Jews. It is a Christian sacred text,
not a Jewish one. Jews who treat the New Testament as authoritive in matters of faith and law are
using the sacred text of another religion, a religion that has no connection to the historical Yeshua
of Nazareth and his disciples
123 The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English. Edited by G. W. Turner, 1987.
ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR MORE WITNESSES
The Torah states that a matter is established by the testimony of two or more witnesses.
Although the Virgin Birth account appears in two of the Canonized Gospels, there are no human
witnesses to this event.
The Tanakh tells us that God does nothing without first revealing His plan to the right authorities:
?Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the
prophets.? 124
Yet, in the ?Virgin Birth? scenario, the angel Gavriel makes the announcement to Mary on her
own and then to Joseph in a dream ? not to the Jewish authorities and not even to Mary?s parents.
Nobody seems to know about this incredible event, including Yeshua himself. And no one wrote
about it except Matthew and Luke, the latter of which was not even one of Yeshua?s disciples.
Under Jewish Law, the only admissible testimony is that of witnesses. It is a commandment for a
Beth Din (Jewish Court of Law) to thoroughly examine and cross-examine witnesses so as to get
to the root of a matter. But in this case, there are no witnesses, however there is a ?matter?: a
pregnant Jewish maiden and her betrothed who doesn?t claim that the child is his.
An event such as a ?Virgin Birth? has no precedent in Jewish history. In addition, most Jews
would have been familiar with the virgin birth myths of the pagan religions that are as old as
Judaism. This is, therefore, a very delicate situation, as in the eyes of the community Mary could
have been suspected of immorality (sotah). God would not subject a young, betrothed maiden to
such a situation.
124 Amos 3:7
Yeshua and his Parents
Nowhere is it recorded that Yeshua himself made claim to a supernatural origin, unless his
reference to his ?Heavenly Father? be strained to imply such a claim. However, this is unlikely, as
all Jews refer to God as Avinu ? our Father.
Neither do Mary and Joseph seem to remember that Mary allegedly conceived of the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel of Luke tells the story where twelve-year-old Yeshua could not be found for three
days. When his parents finally found him in the Temple, Mary said to Yeshua, "Behold your
father and I have been looking for you anxiously." Yeshua replied, '"How is it that you sought
me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father?s house?" We are told that Mary and Joseph
"did not understand the words which he said to them." 131
Now, if Mary and Joseph knew that Yeshua was conceived by the ?seed? of God, and that God
was the ?father?, then why was Yeshua's statement so strange that they did not understand it?
131 Luke 2:43-50
THE ?SEED? ? TRIBAL LINEAGE AND ANCESTRY
Way back in the book of Genesis (Bereshit), God declared to the serpent, representing the
adversary, ?And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her
seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.? 134
Women do not have ?seed?; therefore this passage is not referring to physical gender, but to THE
Woman ? Israel. Through the ?seed? of Israel, the Mashiach would come, who would crush the
adversaries of Israel.
The seed of the woman, Israel, is passed down through the Patriarchs ? the males:
?And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and
came to Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him; His sons, and his grandsons with him, his
daughters, and his sons? daughters, and all his seed brought he with him to Egypt.? 135
In his Letter to the Romans, Paul wrote concerning Israel:
?Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law,
the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the
human ancestry of Messiah?? 136
Tribal Lineage
Women have no bearing on tribal lineage. The ?seed? are the descendants of the male. The only
way for a man to qualify as the Mashiach is to be a physical descendent from the line of Judah.
The book of Chronicles makes this clear:
"And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I
will set up your SEED after you, who will be of your SONS; and I will establish his kingdom. He
shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his Father, and he shall
be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before
you. And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be
established forever." 137
This passage clarifies the following:
? It is talking about the Anointed One - the Mashiach Ben David.
? This Mashiach will come from the line of David.
? This Mashiach will come from David's SEED, according to the flesh.
? This Mashiach will build his Father?s house ? the Temple.
The New Testament book of ?Acts of the Apostles? echoes this prophecy given to King David, in
saying:
"Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the
FRUIT OF HIS BODY, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, He would raise up the Anointed One to
sit on his throne." 138
Thus, the Mashiach would come from the fruit of David's body (the tribe of Judah), according to
the flesh.
Ancestry
According to the Torah and Jewish Law, genealogy is reckoned from the father?s ancestry. The
father gives the ?tribal affiliation? and the mother gives one the ?Jewish soul?. Jewish tradition
states that a person is a Jew if his or her mother is a Jew. A person cannot contest who his mother
is. However, this is not ?genealogy? or ?lineage?, as these are only determined by the father.
This principle is clear in the Tanakh. The children always received the tribal inheritance of the
father, not the mother. For example, in Exodus chapter 6, the High Priest, Aaron, from the tribe of
Levi, married Elisheva, from the tribe of Judah. However, Aaron?s children were raised Levites,
not Judahites.
Let?s take a look at what the Tanakh says concerning the lineage and ancestry of the Mashiach.
? Mashiach is to be of the line of Judah: ?The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the
ruler?s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the
nations is his.? 139
? Mashiach is to be from the House of David: ?The days are coming,? declares the LORD,
?when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what
is just and right in the land. In his day Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This
is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.?? 140
Thus, it is not enough for the Mashiach to be a Jew - he must be of the line of Judah. He cannot
be a Levite, Cohen or convert to Judaism.
Yeshua?s Genealogy
The first chapter and opening verse of Matthew states:
"The book of the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his
brothers? Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of
Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus.?
If this genealogy was in existence before the Virgin Birth story was thought of, then, assuming
the latter is true, the genealogy is worthless.
If Yeshua was the product of a ?Virgin Birth?, why are the genealogy accounts in Matthew and
Luke those of Joseph? This is an irrelevancy if Joseph had not impregnated his wife. Unless
Joseph was the father of Yeshua, there could be no object in tracing the pedigree of Joseph; and if
Joseph was the father of Yeshua, the Virgin Birth story is not true.
Possibly the original idea was to trace Yeshua's lineage through Joseph to David in an attempt to
fulfil messianic prophecy. Then the idea of making Yeshua ?divine? through a ?Virgin Birth?
arose and was interpolated into the text, spoiling the object of the genealogy.
134 Genesis 3:15
135 Genesis 46: 6,7 (Italics mine).
136 Romans 9:4,5
137 1 Chronicles 17:11-14
138 Acts 2:30
139 Genesis 49:10
140 Jeremiah 23:5,6
What About Adoption?
Some Christian denominations teach that Yeshua was adopted by Joseph and thus inherited
Joseph?s lineage through adoption.
The emphasis on bloodlines has serious consequences for adoption in Jewish law. For example,
the status of the birth mother as Jew or Gentile at the moment of birth establishes the identity of
the child as Jewish or Gentile. If the mother is Jewish, then the father's tribal status decides the
child's tribe.
If the child were adopted, the child?s tribal status would still be determined according to his
biological father.
But what if the father is unknown?
If the birth father is a Gentile or unknown, the adopted child is considered a ?Yisrael? ? part of
the community of Israel, but of no specific lineage. The status of the adoptive father does not
affect the adopted child. 141 Adoption, which is a legal procedure, does not allow one to inherit
genealogical inheritances.
If Yeshua was not a product of Joseph?s seed, then according to Jewish law, Joseph could be a
caretaker father, but could not pass on to Yeshua the Judahite tribal lineage. Therefore, this
means Yeshua had unknown tribal lineage.
Two scenarios with which this situation can be compared are:
? A case of rape. If a Jewish woman is raped, the child would be considered a ?Yisrael?, but of
no specific lineage.
? Artificial insemination. The case of a woman becoming pregnant and not being able to give
the name of the biological father could be compared with a ?donor sperm? scenario. The idea
of using donor sperm has not been accepted by many Rabbis. While the use of donor sperm is
not considered adultery (since sexual relations are not involved), it is still strongly
discouraged. Rabbinic sources generally agree that paternity is determined by who provides
the sperm, so that a baby conceived from donor sperm would not, halachically, be considered
the child of the infertile husband. 142
According to the ?Virgin Birth? scenario, God Himself is the father. But because God is not a man
that He should have sperm, nor is He of any specific tribe, this would still leave the child without
tribal lineage.
141 Jewish Law: Examining Halacha, Jewish Issues & Secular Law -
http://www.jlaw.com/Articles/maternity5.html
142 Assisted Reproduction and Judaism, by Miryam Z. Wahrman, Ph.D.
THE ACCOUNT ITSELF
We should now take a closer look at the ?Virgin Birth? account itself. I will quote the passages as
they are written in the New International Version of the New Testament.
? Luke 1:26-35
?In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin
pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin?s name was
Mary. The angel went to her and said, ?Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is
with you.? Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this
might be. But the angel said to her, ?Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with
God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom
will never end.? ?How will this be,? Mary asked the angel, ?since I am a virgin?? The angel
answered, ?The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.??
? Matthew 1:1-25
?This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be
married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the
Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her
to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ?Joseph son of David, do not be
afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy
Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will
save his people from their sins.? All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through
the prophet: ?The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him
Immanuel? ? which means, ?God with us.? When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of
the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her
until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.?
There are several problems with these passages, other than the ones already discussed
The Canonical Luke Account
The two main points in question in the Canonical Luke account are:
? ?The angel said to her, ?Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will
be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus? ?How will this
be,? Mary asked the angel, ?since I am a virgin???
? ?He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom
will never end.?
In the first passage, the angel tells Mary that she will be (future tense) with child. This is not a
problem because Mary, who was already betrothed to Joseph, would expect to eventually be with
child. However, Mary replies in the present tense. She says: ?How will this be, since I am a
virgin?? In other words, ?I am not having sexual relations with anyone at the moment."
Up to this point the angel had not said anything about a virgin birth. If the angel had said, "You
are pregnant", then her reply would have made sense. But he says, "You will be pregnant", thus
her response is inappropriate. Either Mary intended to remain a virgin after her marriage to
Joseph, or she wasn?t listening to what the angel said.
In the second passage, the angel tells Mary what this child would achieve:
?He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will
never end.?
The problem with this is that none of these words, spoken by the angel, came to pass in Yeshua?s
lifetime. Yeshua did not rebuild the Temple and re-establish the throne of David, nor did he usher
in the ?everlasting Kingdom? ? the Messianic Age. On the contrary, less than forty years after
Yeshua?s death the Jews were exiled and the Temple destroyed.
The Canonical Matthew Account
In this account, there is no record of any discussion between the angel Gavriel and Mary. We are
only told of the angel?s communication with Joseph in a dream.
The two main points in question here are:
? ?But before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.?
? ?Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public
disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.?
Let?s take a look at the first point: ?But before they came together, she was found to be with child
through the Holy Spirit.?
In the Tanakh, several women who were barren conceived miraculously. However, the
conception did not omit their husband?s participation. So, the main problem with this statement is
that it states that Joseph was not involved. Unlike the gods of pagan myths, the God of Israel does
not impregnate women.
The Torah places much emphasis on a man and woman bringing forth children by becoming ?one
flesh? in the context of marriage. This is the first of the 613 Mitzvot in the Torah. To claim that
Mary conceived by the ?seed of God? undermines God?s foundational precepts of conception, life
and family and also opens the door to ?alternatives?, such as homosexuals adopting children etc.
The second point: ?Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose
her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.?
If Joseph were indeed a ?righteous? man, he would have married Mary immediately because in
Judaism there is no such thing as a ?quiet divorce?, not now and certainly not then.
A divorce can only be obtained from the Beth Din (Jewish Court of Law) and it is no short
procedure. The Beth Din would have judged the case according to Torah Law:
?If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent
about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his
house?? 143
Joseph would have had to specify to the Beth Din why he wanted the divorce. The Beth Din
would then have to question Mary as to whose child it was. I doubt that the ?Holy Spirit? story
would have been convincing. If neither Joseph nor Mary could name the father, then according to
Jewish law this is a case of doubtful legitimacy. 144
How does one hide a pregnant maiden in a small Jewish community? How many people would
accept the ?Virgin Birth? story? Many might say, ?It doesn?t matter what people think. God can
do what He likes.? True, God can do whatever He likes ? He is able to cause a virgin to become
pregnant. But God has never gone against His own Law. Whenever He has performed miracles,
it was always in the presence of many witnesses and, never has He performed a miracle that could
incriminate one of His servants as violators of His Law or giving the appearance of transgression.
Jewish law forbids mar?at ayin ? ?giving the appearance of evil?. Paul also warns of this in his
letter to the Thessalonians: "Abstain from all appearance of evil." 145 The ?Virgin Birth? scenario
would have placed Mary in exactly this situation - giving the ?appearance of transgression?. She
had no witnesses and the correct authorities were not informed, her own parents included.
143 Deuteronomy 24:1
144 Talmud ? Mas. Yevamoth 37a
145 I Thessalonians 5:22
OURS IS NOT TO REASON WHY
Growing up in a traditional Christian school I had many questions concerning the ?mysteries? of
the Church, such as the Virgin Birth. The standard answer I would receive was, ?Ours is not to
reason why.?
If the ?New Testament? were available to the 1st century followers of Yeshua, as Orthodox Jews
they would have rejected the inconsistencies, contradictions and non-Jewish concepts. In fact, this
is exactly what did happen in the 4th century C.E. when ?Christianity? became the official religion
of the Roman Empire and the ?New Testament? was compiled. The Jews questioned, argued and
rejected, resulting in all ties being cut once and for all between the Jewish Ebionites / Nazarenes
and the Gentile Christians.
Where did the Ebionite and Nazarene Jews go? They remained within the Jewish community, as
usual. They had never left. It was the Gentile ?Christians? who cut themselves off and began a
new religion ? Christianity.
There is evidence that the Ebionite / Nazarene Sect continued to exist until at least the 12th
century. They had nothing to do with Christianity but remained true to the Jewish faith. The 12th
century Papal author and historian, Bonacursus, in his article entitled 'Against the Heretics', refers
to the Nazarenes, who were also called 'Pasagini'.
Bonacursus says:
?Let those who are not yet acquainted with them, please note how perverse their belief and
doctrine are. First, they teach that we should obey the Law of Moses according to the letter - the
Sabbath, and circumcision, and the legal precepts still being in force. Furthermore, to increase
their error, they condemn and reject all the Church Fathers, and the whole Roman Church.? 146
Ours is to reason why.
146 Bonacursus: Contra Haereticos, in d'Achery, Spicilegium, vol. 1.
CONCLUSION
A person who accepts Christianity as his or her religion, gladly accepts its sacred texts, rituals,
dogmas and doctrines. This is what it means to be a Christian. All religions have their sacred
texts, rituals etc. and people are free to live by whatever religion they choose. Ultimately, what is
important, is that people treat one another ethically and morally.
Having said that, a Jew needs to understand that he cannot accept Christianity and remain true to
his Jewishness any more than a Jew can embrace Islam and remain true to his Jewishness.
Christianity, as defined for the past 1700 years, has no foundation in Judaism. To the Jew,
Christianity today is akin to Hellenism yesterday. The religion of the God of Israel and the Torah
does not allow a mixture.
As far as the identity of Mashiach Ben David is concerned, it is obvious that no person has
fulfilled this role as yet. What we do know for certain, however, is that Mashiach Ben David will
not be someone who fits the description of the Christian ?Jesus?.
The identity of the Christian ?Jesus? is supposedly one of a Jew who was born of a virgin, who
opposed Judaism and founded a new religion. ?Jesus? is a Gentile/Christian deity. There has never
existed a Jew who fits this description. Thus, from a Jewish perspective, ?Jesus? is not the Jewish
Messiah, he is an image created by the Church - a myth.
The historical Yeshua was a Jew who upheld the Torah in every way. He was born and lived
according to all the precepts of Jewish Law. He never claimed to be ?God? nor ?born of a virgin?,
nor ?son of God.? In fact, he himself never claimed to be a messiah in any shape or form.
We will know that Mashiach Ben David has come when the enemies of Israel will be destroyed,
the exiles regathered, the dead resurrected, the Temple rebuilt and a Torah State established in
Israel, ushering in the Messianic Age. We believe with complete faith in his coming and even
though he tarries, we eagerly await him every day.
May he come speedily and in our lifetime.
Shalom v'Ahavah
JOE.
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Sat Mar 7 21:41:11 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:41:11 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <030820090341.22158.49B33E560006DE060000568E22230647029B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
I'm with ya Miriam.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from "Patricia Robbins" : --------------
LOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!! Terrific story, Miriam, thank you so much!
I too converted to Judaism. BARUCH HASHEM FOR HIS LOVE AND MERCY TOWARD US ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So glad He is gathering us "one from a city, two from a family."
Shabbat Shalom, Dear One,
Pat
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 4:32 PM
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
>>In a message dated 3/6/2009 9:22:15 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com writes:
I'm not sure if we are in agreement on this thread, Miriam. You and I may well be saying the same thing here. I had assumed Susie's implied question to be, "Is Jesus G-d, and what does Torah say concerning that premise?" To me, HaShem pointedly answers this very question with Nu 23:19, "G-d is not a man (lo eesh El).....or the son of a human being (u ben adam).">>
I was raised catholic and converted to Judaism. So my beliefs about G-d are Jewish, i.e., G-d is not a man.
I didn't have too much trouble with the trinity concept as a youngster. I saw it as three equal partners - what's the big deal? In the church, however, I remember being bothered that "the Father" was kind of ignored and everything revolved around the Son. It was as though the Father, depicted as an old man with a grey beard, retired and just kind of watched over while his son did everything. I also remember wondering why the Holy Spirit was even more ignored than the Father. What did he/it do, and why was the the third member/person? It didn't seem very equal. And if Jesus existed co-eternally with the Father, why was he a nice looking young man, almost always standing with his arms outstretched, with an old Father, always sitting, looking kind of bored and grouchy. Even that was a notch better than the mysterious, wordless dove who represented the spirit. So in the eyes of this young catholic girl in the 1950's, the G-d of Israel was an old man, a young man, and a bird.
But I didn't spend a lot of time worrying about it until I realized that Jews didn't believe in a trinity! That was a shocker. I felt bad because, as I was taught, the Jews were going to hell because they didn't realize Jesus was the Messiah -- but not believing in a trinity? That needed to be looked into. Moses stood before G-d face to face. Shouldn't G-d have mentioned that he was a trinity? Maybe, "Oh, by the way, there's three of Us." Weren't the Jews "the Chosen" and as G-d's special treasure, shouldn't they have known most intimately what His nature was?
So my investigation led to the goings on at the Nicene Council and the Roman break with original Christianity which was entirely Jewish. I also found it quite interesting that the Christian bible shows a "hierarchy" of sorts where G-d is above everyone, including the resurrected Jesus. That doesn't correspond with the idea of co-equal and co-eternal which is part of the Church's trinity doctrine. Did spending 30-something years in the form of a man make him forever secondary in rank, assuming that he gave up some of his equality to take on flesh?
I'll leave the Christians to struggle with those ideas. For me, whatever the Torah of Moses and the Hebrew Prophets after him, have to say about the One G-d who never changes suits me just fine. I'm forever grateful the Jews were around to function in their assigned role as "light to the nations" when I was mired in some pretty deep darkness. Baruch HaShem for His Torah and His people.
Miriam
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession.
_______________________________________________
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sat Mar 7 21:43:26 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 20:43:26 -0700
Subject: [Dialogue] Lost Tribes Symposium in Jerusalem!
Message-ID: <855590370903071943i2b5d0489y32d4647064ca6daf@mail.gmail.com>
Shavua tov L'Kulam,
I spent a very interesting time with 15 Ephramite leaders (some from
the MIA, others from independent congregations, ministries, etc) last week
in Montana. They represent the efforts of a 'Union of Bnai Ephraim,' with
plans to do several projects in Israel. One of the items on the agenda is a
'Ten Lost Tribes Symposium' planned (dates are tentative) for January,
2010. More details to follow as I'm able to release them - but start saving
your $'s - it will be an exciting symposium, and a great time to schedule a
TOUR around it (wink, wink), if anyone's interested in doing that.
They invited me there for my feedback and some info sharing about a
number of things. Although Montana is very far from NYC, how often do you
get to meet near the Battlefield of Little Bighorn, Custer's "last stand"?
Some very exciting things are in the works...stay tuned!
*Hanoch Israel's 2 State Solution: Judah & Ephraim*
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Sat Mar 7 22:03:15 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:03:15 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] Sunrise, over the Dead Sea
In-Reply-To: <855590370903061227g409e4b13s4ec68bb661c4f6d9@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <030820090403.19233.49B343830004214300004B2122230647029B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
When Carin and I were in Israel, we had two experiences associated with the clouds at sunset. One was at the Dead Sea and the other was at the Galilee. In both cases we saw (each of us saw this individually) what we took to be "eyes" looking down on the Land.
I see the same thing just over the hills in this photo.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from Hanoch Young : --------------
Sunrise, today - Erev Shabbat, at the Dead Sea; photography by Ayala Rivka Young, my favorite eldest daughter...enjoy.....
Shabbat Shalom,
Hanoch
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From gets52000 at yahoo.com Sat Mar 7 22:25:30 2009
From: gets52000 at yahoo.com (susie getskow)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 20:25:30 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
Message-ID: <801810.18964.qm@web54502.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Miriam,
?
This is a lovely story! Also heartwarmingly comical in regards to the old man, young man and a bird! Praise Hashem that he has opened the eyes of many many Christians who also had these same images implanted in their minds from others who taught this and believed it themselves.
They now see that the essence of ?G-d known as the Ruach was described in Matthew "like a dove" and not actually a dove. That the Spirit of G-d "hovered" upon the surface of the waters in the very beginning(and that the sages believed this to be the Spirit of Messiah). They have also learned that the tzitzit on the prayer shawl are also known as "wings" and the belief that there is healing and?power?in those wings. Yeshua stated in Acts 1:8 "you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you...". Many essences or manifestions of One G-d.
?
Love,
Susie
--- On Fri, 3/6/09, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Friday, March 6, 2009, 1:32 PM
>>In a message dated 3/6/2009 9:22:15 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, patriciarobbinz at hotmail.com writes:
I'm not sure if we are in agreement on this?thread, Miriam.??You and I?may well be saying the same thing here.? I had assumed Susie's?implied question to be, "Is Jesus G-d, and what?does?Torah say concerning that premise?"???To me, ?HaShem pointedly answers this very question with?Nu 23:19, "G-d is not a man (lo eesh El).....or the son of a human being (u ben adam).">>?
?
I was raised catholic and converted to Judaism.? So my beliefs about G-d are Jewish, i.e., G-d is not a man.
?
I didn't have too much trouble with the trinity concept as a youngster.? I saw it as three equal partners - what's the big deal?? In the church, however, I remember being bothered that "the Father" was kind of ignored and everything revolved around the Son.? It was as though the Father, depicted as an old man with a grey beard, retired and just kind of watched over while his son did everything.? I also remember wondering why the Holy Spirit was even more ignored than the Father.? What did he/it do, and why was the the third member/person?? It didn't seem very equal.? And if Jesus existed co-eternally with the Father, why was he a nice looking young man, almost always standing with his arms outstretched,?with an old Father, always sitting, looking kind of bored and grouchy.? Even that was a notch better than the mysterious, wordless dove who represented the spirit.? So in the eyes of this young catholic girl in the 1950's, the G-d of Israel was
an old man, a young man, and a bird.
?
But I didn't spend a lot of time worrying about it until I realized that Jews didn't believe in a trinity!? That was a shocker.? I felt bad because, as I was taught, the Jews?were going to hell because they didn't realize Jesus was the Messiah -- ?but not believing in a trinity?? That needed to be looked into.? Moses stood before G-d face to face.? Shouldn't G-d have mentioned that he was a trinity?? Maybe, "Oh, by the way, there's three of Us."? Weren't the Jews "the Chosen" and as G-d's special treasure, shouldn't they have known most intimately what His nature was??
?
So?my investigation led to the goings on at the Nicene Council and the Roman break with original Christianity which was entirely Jewish.? I also found it quite interesting that the Christian bible shows a "hierarchy" of sorts where G-d is above everyone, including the resurrected Jesus.? That doesn't correspond with the idea of co-equal and co-eternal which is part of the Church's trinity doctrine.??Did spending 30-something years?in the form of a man make him forever secondary in rank, assuming that he gave up some of his equality to take on flesh?
?
I'll leave the Christians to struggle with those ideas.? For?me, whatever the Torah of Moses and the Hebrew Prophets after him, have to say about the One G-d who never changes suits me just fine.? I'm forever grateful the Jews were around to function in their assigned role as "light to the nations" when I was mired in some pretty deep darkness.? Baruch HaShem for His Torah and His people.
?
Miriam
Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a recession. _______________________________________________
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From eliasaph at uniteourheart.com Sat Mar 7 22:50:33 2009
From: eliasaph at uniteourheart.com (Steve Mathe)
Date: Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:50:33 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.
In-Reply-To: <49B325B0.4000306@westnet.com.au>
References: <49B325B0.4000306@westnet.com.au>
Message-ID: <200903080450.n284oXfV005800@mail384c25.carrierzone.com>
Chaverim,
Please add to your prayers for Australia that people there may wake
up to the meaning of these disasters to be Divine wake-up calls. It
is God who sends the spirit of repentance when we are blind and deaf
to what is going on.
"For I will pour water upon the thirsty land, and streams upon the
dry ground; I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon
thine offspring;" -- Isa. 44-3
Steve
At 04:56 PM 3/7/2009, you wrote:
>Shalom Chaverim,
>
>Australia is just about to be hit by another major event, Severe
>Tropical Cyclone Hamish.
>
>Over the past month, North Queensland has had major flooding with
>60% of our state under water.
>Victoria has been scorched by the recent horrendous bushfires with
>over 200 human victims, not to mention the wildlife and flora.
>
>A couple of days ago Melbourne was hit by an earthquake measuring
>4.7 . Baruch HaShem .... no casualties.
>
>The Hebrew word for "Heaven" is "Shamayim" which is made up of two
>words: esh- fire and mayim- water.
>Esh is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Righteousness
>and Judgement.
>Mayim is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Mercy.
>
>This teaches us that Heaven is HaShem's Abode where he intertwines
>his attributes.
>
>So Australia is in the midst of this precedence.
>
>Now, we have Cyclone Hamish which is bearing down the Queensland
>coast with wind gusts up to 300 km/hr.
>If it strikes the south east corner near or just north of Brisbane
>the consequences will be dire.
>
>Hamish is the Scottish name for "James" which in turn is the English
>for "Yacov"
>
>
>
>[]
>Island resorts in the Great Barrier Reef are battening down as north
>Queenslanders prepare for severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish which has
>now been upgraded to a Category 5. Tourists have been evacuated and
>residents are preparing for the worst.
>
>[]
>Whitehaven Bay in the Whitsunday Islands.
>
>
>May HaShem have mercy on us.
>
>Shalom v'Ahavah
>JOE.
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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From chattertonw at bellsouth.net Sat Mar 7 22:58:53 2009
From: chattertonw at bellsouth.net (W Glenn Chatterton)
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 20:58:53 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To: <676A827B781D4A97A92159F930F3C91A@sherryPC>
Message-ID: <523049.8122.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Shall we settle on a particular translation?
--- On Sat, 3/7/09, sherry cole wrote:
From: sherry cole
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 8:39 PM
Hey Ross, I'm with you on this. I'm amazed at God's timing. A few weeks ago I started getting the impression that I should start reading the annual cycle.I'm excited about tomorrow.
See you at the Synagogue,
Blessings,
Sherry?
----- Original Message -----
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:05 PM
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have been praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to involve people in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in making them feel like they are part of a real community. The Synagogue Without Walls (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the first thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on this list and have not signed up, please do so. I?want you to get a sense of what we can do with technology.
?
The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was meant for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
?
How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world read and record?portions of the torah, assemble these readings into files broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!? Within one year we would have an audio version of the torah read by the people of the world, for the people of the world!
?
The obvious question is how do we pull this off.? Here is what I am thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's torah to anonymously read and record! We now have members from literally around the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents - some from the deep south, (in the US and even deeper - Australia), some from the north, some from the east and some from the west, some from Europe, etc.
?
Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on this later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts from the weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in orthodox circles, and I will likely follow these divisions based upon tradition as well as number of volunteers.
?
If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and let me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you would like to volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a list updated (no names) so people know what is available.
?
I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming torah reading so that people can download and listen to my class as well as the torah reading that I am teaching on.
?
The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will discuss translations etc, in another message.
?
I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and so some may already know how to make an audio file while others may want to participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not let technology stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
?
Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of the torah with global voices? I hope so!
?
Shalom, Ross
?
Ross K. Nichols
www.RootsofFaith.org
Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
_______________________________________________
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.278 / Virus Database: 270.11.9/1989 - Release Date: 03/07/09 18:43:00
_______________________________________________
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From rndavar at aol.com Sat Mar 7 23:02:35 2009
From: rndavar at aol.com (Ross Nichols)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 05:02:35 +0000
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To: <523049.8122.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <676A827B781D4A97A92159F930F3C91A@sherryPC><523049.8122.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <1262495542-1236488446-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-735946534-@bxe1260.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
We will decide on this and other details very soon. Can't wait to see you tomorrow.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
-----Original Message-----
From: W Glenn Chatterton
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 20:58:53
To:
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
_______________________________________________
From eliasaph at uniteourheart.com Sat Mar 7 23:10:49 2009
From: eliasaph at uniteourheart.com (Steve Mathe)
Date: Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:10:49 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH./ addenda
In-Reply-To: <200903080450.n284oXfV005800@mail384c25.carrierzone.com>
References: <49B325B0.4000306@westnet.com.au>
<200903080450.n284oXfV005800@mail384c25.carrierzone.com>
Message-ID: <200903080510.n285Ankp028723@mail385c25.carrierzone.com>
My wife Charlene came across a verse that also fits; am adding /
including it as a commentary addenda below: She says it says
somewhere in the Torah: "God's fateful blows."
At 08:50 PM 3/7/2009, you wrote:
>Chaverim,
>
>Please add to your prayers for Australia that people there may wake
>up to the meaning of these disasters to be Divine wake-up calls. It
>is God who sends the spirit of repentance when we are blind and deaf
>to what is going on.
>
> "For I will pour water upon the thirsty land, and streams upon the
> dry ground; I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing
> upon thine offspring;" -- Isa. 44:3
"Upon the wicked He will cause to rain coals; fire and brimstone
and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup."
>(the KJV uses the words " a horrible tempest" instead of "burning
>wind." The Oxford marginal note says the Hebrew means "a burning tempest"
>
>Steve
>
>
>
>At 04:56 PM 3/7/2009, you wrote:
>>Shalom Chaverim,
>>
>>Australia is just about to be hit by another major event, Severe
>>Tropical Cyclone Hamish.
>>
>>Over the past month, North Queensland has had major flooding with
>>60% of our state under water.
>>Victoria has been scorched by the recent horrendous bushfires with
>>over 200 human victims, not to mention the wildlife and flora.
>>
>>A couple of days ago Melbourne was hit by an earthquake measuring
>>4.7 . Baruch HaShem .... no casualties.
>>
>>The Hebrew word for "Heaven" is "Shamayim" which is made up of two
>>words: esh- fire and mayim- water.
>>Esh is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Righteousness
>>and Judgement.
>>Mayim is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Mercy.
>>
>>This teaches us that Heaven is HaShem's Abode where he intertwines
>>his attributes.
>>
>>So Australia is in the midst of this precedence.
>>
>>Now, we have Cyclone Hamish which is bearing down the Queensland
>>coast with wind gusts up to 300 km/hr.
>>If it strikes the south east corner near or just north of Brisbane
>>the consequences will be dire.
>>
>>Hamish is the Scottish name for "James" which in turn is the
>>English for "Yacov"
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From eliasaph at uniteourheart.com Sat Mar 7 23:15:26 2009
From: eliasaph at uniteourheart.com (Steve Mathe)
Date: Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:15:26 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading: nominate JPS
In-Reply-To: <523049.8122.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <676A827B781D4A97A92159F930F3C91A@sherryPC>
<523049.8122.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <200903080515.n285FPaZ022823@mail383c25.carrierzone.com>
I nominate the JPS translation, it is widely available:
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm , it is available in English
and Hebrew, with tutorials for those who want to hear it in Hebrew in
order to practice, and it is close to the KJV which is in the
collective consciousness of the English-speaking peoples.
Steve
At 08:58 PM 3/7/2009, you wrote:
>Shall we settle on a particular translation?
>
>--- On Sat, 3/7/09, sherry cole wrote:
>From: sherry cole
>Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
>To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
>Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 8:39 PM
>
>Hey Ross, I'm with you on this. I'm amazed at God's timing. A few
>weeks ago I started getting the impression that I should start
>reading the annual cycle.I'm excited about tomorrow.
>See you at the Synagogue,
>Blessings,
>Sherry
>----- Original Message -----
>From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
>To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
>Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:05 PM
>Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
>
>I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have
>been praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to
>involve people in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in
>making them feel like they are part of a real community. The
>Synagogue Without Walls
>(http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the
>first thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on this
>list and have not signed up, please do so. I want you to get a sense
>of what we can do with technology.
>
>The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was
>meant for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
>
>How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world
>read and record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into
>files broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!?
>Within one year we would have an audio version of the torah read by
>the people of the world, for the people of the world!
>
>The obvious question is how do we pull this off. Here is what I am
>thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's
>torah to anonymously read and record! We now have members from
>literally around the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents -
>some from the deep south, (in the US and even deeper - Australia),
>some from the north, some from the east and some from the west, some
>from Europe, etc.
>
>Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on
>this later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts
>from the weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in
>orthodox circles, and I will likely follow these divisions based
>upon tradition as well as number of volunteers.
>
>If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and
>let me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you
>would like to volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a
>list updated (no names) so people know what is available.
>
>I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming
>torah reading so that people can download and listen to my class as
>well as the torah reading that I am teaching on.
>
>The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will
>discuss translations etc, in another message.
>
>I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and
>so some may already know how to make an audio file while others may
>want to participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not
>let technology stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
>
>Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of
>the torah with global voices? I hope so!
>
>Shalom, Ross
>
>Ross K. Nichols
>www.RootsofFaith.org
>
>
>
>----------
>Need a job?
>Find
>employment help in your area.
>
>----------
>_______________________________________________
>
>----------
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>Version: 8.5.278 / Virus Database: 270.11.9/1989 - Release Date:
>03/07/09 18:43:00
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>_______________________________________________
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From eliasaph at uniteourheart.com Sun Mar 8 00:03:19 2009
From: eliasaph at uniteourheart.com (Steve Mathe)
Date: Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:03:19 -0800
Subject: [Dialogue] More commentary on Australia and the rest of us
Message-ID: <200903080603.n2863I3G027858@mail384c25.carrierzone.com>
17 "They shall be turned back, greatly ashamed, that trust in graven
images, that say unto molten images: 'Ye are our gods.' {P}
18 Hear, ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19 Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger that I
send? Who is blind as he that is wholehearted, and blind as the LORD'S
servant?
20 Seeing many things, thou observest not; opening the ears, he heareth not.
21 The LORD was pleased, for His righteousness' sake, to make the
teaching great and glorious.
22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled, they are all of them
snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses; they are for a prey, and
none delivereth, for a spoil, and none saith: 'Restore.'
23 Who among you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear
for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not
the LORD? He against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they
would not walk, neither were they obedient unto His law.
25 Therefore He poured upon him the fury of His anger, and the
strength of battle; and it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not, and it
burned him, yet he laid it not to heart."
--
Isa. 42:17-25
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 8 05:58:33 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 03:58:33 -0700
Subject: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.
In-Reply-To: <200903080450.n284oXfV005800@mail384c25.carrierzone.com>
References: <49B325B0.4000306@westnet.com.au>
<200903080450.n284oXfV005800@mail384c25.carrierzone.com>
Message-ID: <855590370903080358n30de110ckb6674ac8cfd8a8ba@mail.gmail.com>
All my prayers that Australia be safe...
* Hanoch
*
On Sat, Mar 7, 2009 at 9:50 PM, Steve Mathe wrote:
>
>
> Chaverim,
>
> Please add to your prayers for Australia that people there may wake up to
> the meaning of these disasters to be Divine wake-up calls. It is God who
> sends the spirit of repentance when we are blind and deaf to what is going
> on.
>
> "For I will pour water upon the thirsty land, and streams upon the dry
> ground; I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine
> offspring;" -- Isa. 44-3
>
>
> Steve
>
>
>
> At 04:56 PM 3/7/2009, you wrote:
>
> *Shalom Chaverim,
>
> Australia is just about to be hit by another major event, Severe Tropical
> Cyclone Hamish.
>
> Over the past month, North Queensland has had major flooding with 60% of
> our state under water.
> Victoria has been scorched by the recent horrendous bushfires with over 200
> human victims, not to mention the wildlife and flora.
>
> A couple of days ago Melbourne was hit by an earthquake measuring 4.7 .
> Baruch HaShem .... no casualties.
>
> The Hebrew word for "Heaven" is "Shamayim" which is made up of two words:
> esh- fire and mayim- water.
> Esh is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Righteousness and
> Judgement.
> Mayim is the character trait of HaShem which relates to Mercy.
>
> This teaches us that Heaven is HaShem's Abode where he intertwines his
> attributes.
>
> So Australia is in the midst of this precedence.
>
> Now, we have Cyclone Hamish which is bearing down the Queensland coast with
> wind gusts up to 300 km/hr.
> If it strikes the south east corner near or just north of Brisbane the
> consequences will be dire.
>
> Hamish is the Scottish name for "James" which in turn is the English for
> "Yacov"
>
> *
> [image: []]
> Island
> resorts in the Great Barrier Reef are battening down as north Queenslanders
> prepare for severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish which has now been upgraded to a
> Category 5. Tourists have been evacuated and residents are preparing for the
> worst.
>
> [image: []] Whitehaven Bay in the Whitsunday Islands.
>
>
> *May HaShem have mercy on us.
>
> Shalom v'Ahavah
> JOE.
> *
>
> _______________________________________________
> _______________________________________________
>
>
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sun Mar 8 06:18:03 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:18:03 +1000
Subject: [Fwd: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"]
Message-ID: <49B3A96B.6050907@westnet.com.au>
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From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:27:10 +0000
Size: 86450
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sun Mar 8 06:33:45 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:33:45 +1000
Subject: [Fwd: Re: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.]
Message-ID: <49B3AD19.6070609@westnet.com.au>
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From: Hanoch Young
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 03:58:33 -0700
Size: 10593
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From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Sun Mar 8 07:06:29 2009
From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 08:06:29 -0400
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading: nominate JPS
In-Reply-To: <200903080515.n285FPaZ022823@mail383c25.carrierzone.com>
References: <676A827B781D4A97A92159F930F3C91A@sherryPC>
<523049.8122.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
<200903080515.n285FPaZ022823@mail383c25.carrierzone.com>
Message-ID: <62ACE43C-5D3D-484B-A510-40967139AF92@earthlink.net>
I second this nomination, though we should clarify it is not the
current JPS that is in print, but the 1917 edition, on line, and now
out of print. Having it on line is good, since people would then not
have to go and find a copy of the same thing. This is perfect. Also,
this translation is Jewish, which I think is essential for this
project. And it does read quite well.
I hope we decide to go with this and I also think everyone using the
same translation is an important idea.
James
On Mar 8, 2009, at 12:15 AM, Steve Mathe wrote:
>
> I nominate the JPS translation, it is widely available: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm
> , it is available in English and Hebrew, with tutorials for those
> who want to hear it in Hebrew in order to practice, and it is close
> to the KJV which is in the collective consciousness of the English-
> speaking peoples.
>
> Steve
>
> At 08:58 PM 3/7/2009, you wrote:
>> Shall we settle on a particular translation?
>>
>> --- On Sat, 3/7/09, sherry cole wrote:
>> From: sherry cole
>> Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
>> To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
>> Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 8:39 PM
>>
>> Hey Ross, I'm with you on this. I'm amazed at God's timing. A few
>> weeks ago I started getting the impression that I should start
>> reading the annual cycle.I'm excited about tomorrow.
>> See you at the Synagogue,
>> Blessings,
>> Sherry
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
>> To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
>> Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:05 PM
>> Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
>>
>> I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I
>> have been praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do
>> to involve people in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in
>> making them feel like they are part of a real community. The
>> Synagogue Without Walls (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the
>> first thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on
>> this list and have not signed up, please do so. I want you to get a
>> sense of what we can do with technology.
>>
>> The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was
>> meant for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
>>
>> How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world
>> read and record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into
>> files broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!?
>> Within one year we would have an audio version of the torah read by
>> the people of the world, for the people of the world!
>>
>> The obvious question is how do we pull this off. Here is what I am
>> thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love
>> God's torah to anonymously read and record! We now have members
>> from literally around the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents
>> - some from the deep south, (in the US and even deeper -
>> Australia), some from the north, some from the east and some from
>> the west, some from Europe, etc.
>>
>> Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on
>> this later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of
>> texts from the weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3
>> to 7 in orthodox circles, and I will likely follow these divisions
>> based upon tradition as well as number of volunteers.
>>
>> If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and
>> let me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you
>> would like to volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a
>> list updated (no names) so people know what is available.
>>
>> I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the
>> upcoming torah reading so that people can download and listen to my
>> class as well as the torah reading that I am teaching on.
>>
>> The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will
>> discuss translations etc, in another message.
>>
>> I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and
>> so some may already know how to make an audio file while others may
>> want to participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not
>> let technology stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
>>
>> Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version
>> of the torah with global voices? I hope so!
>>
>> Shalom, Ross
>>
>> Ross K. Nichols
>> www.RootsofFaith.org
>>
>>
>> Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 8.5.278 / Virus Database: 270.11.9/1989 - Release Date:
>> 03/07/09 18:43:00
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> _______________________________________________
> _______________________________________________
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From shcole1 at cox.net Sun Mar 8 08:03:20 2009
From: shcole1 at cox.net (sherry cole)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 08:03:20 -0500
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
In-Reply-To: <523049.8122.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <523049.8122.qm@web83912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <52173E40D71045F5B40C4367C14E596D@sherryPC>
What translation would you suggest?
Sherry
----- Original Message -----
From: W Glenn Chatterton
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 11:58 PM
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
Shall we settle on a particular translation?
--- On Sat, 3/7/09, sherry cole wrote:
From: sherry cole
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 8:39 PM
Hey Ross, I'm with you on this. I'm amazed at God's timing. A few weeks ago I started getting the impression that I should start reading the annual cycle.I'm excited about tomorrow.
See you at the Synagogue,
Blessings,
Sherry
----- Original Message -----
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:05 PM
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have been praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to involve people in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in making them feel like they are part of a real community. The Synagogue Without Walls (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the first thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on this list and have not signed up, please do so. I want you to get a sense of what we can do with technology.
The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was meant for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world read and record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into files broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!? Within one year we would have an audio version of the torah read by the people of the world, for the people of the world!
The obvious question is how do we pull this off. Here is what I am thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's torah to anonymously read and record! We now have members from literally around the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents - some from the deep south, (in the US and even deeper - Australia), some from the north, some from the east and some from the west, some from Europe, etc.
Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on this later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts from the weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in orthodox circles, and I will likely follow these divisions based upon tradition as well as number of volunteers.
If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and let me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you would like to volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a list updated (no names) so people know what is available.
I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming torah reading so that people can download and listen to my class as well as the torah reading that I am teaching on.
The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will discuss translations etc, in another message.
I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and so some may already know how to make an audio file while others may want to participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not let technology stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of the torah with global voices? I hope so!
Shalom, Ross
Ross K. Nichols
www.RootsofFaith.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.278 / Virus Database: 270.11.9/1989 - Release Date: 03/07/09 18:43:00
_______________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.278 / Virus Database: 270.11.9/1989 - Release Date: 03/07/09 18:43:00
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From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Sun Mar 8 08:09:17 2009
From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 09:09:17 -0400
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <8BBDE611-1AB0-4C16-ABF5-847BD2D4C6B8@earthlink.net>
As an interesting sidelight, one way to understand the "two shall
become one," is not so much the sexual/psychological union of man and
woman, as it is commonly taken, but that two parents come together and
produce from the two, another, who is one--namely a child. This is a
perfect description of what happens with DNA union/fertilization. I am
not advocating either view but just suggesting this as a possibility,
and if such be the case "echad" would be unitary here in this verse,
not just an expression of solidarity.
On Mar 5, 2009, at 7:50 PM, MiriamL613 at aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 3/5/2009 10:17:23 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, gets52000 at yahoo.com
> writes:
> I guess it comes down to how one understands YHVH and "echad".
> Susie>>
>
> There are various ways of understanding "one," and that's led to
> lots of different opinions. The first time we encounter this is in
> Genesis where Adam and Eve become "one." Water in a glass is one
> glass of water, but the water is not the glass. Similarly, G-d
> dwelling IN His people does not make His people G-d. In both the
> Tanach and the Christian writings, people are equated with being
> Temples for the indwelling of G-d. In the Tanach, G-d says, "Let
> them make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in them" (Exodus 25:8).
> Both the Gospel of John (2:21) and 1 Cor. 6:19 speak of the body as
> a temple. John 14:10 says, "I am in the Father and the Father in
> me...the Father who dwells in me does His works."
>
> The basic concept here is that oneness is not sameness. Adam and
> Eve would have to buy two tickets to get into a movie. There's a
> oneness in heart and spirit that Jesus spoke of in John 17 -- a
> prayer in which he asked that all of his followers "...be one, even
> as we are one, I in them and Thou in me that they may become
> perfectly one."
>
> Particularly in chassidic Judaism, one could find discussions that
> say because G-d is everywhere and no part of creation exists without
> His presence and because His presence (i.e., the fullness of the
> meaning of "omnipresent" and G-d is One) fills all of creation, one
> can conclude that everything IS G-d. Yet, of course, we understand
> that the Creator is not the creation.
>
> So, yes, there's lots of ways to understand "One." Fortunately,
> Torah law defines what ways it may not be understood and what ways
> constitute idolatry, so that worship is directed to G-d Alone.
>
> Miriam
>
>
> Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a
> recession.
> _______________________________________________
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From chattertonw at bellsouth.net Sun Mar 8 08:16:52 2009
From: chattertonw at bellsouth.net (W Glenn Chatterton)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 06:16:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading: nominate JPS
In-Reply-To: <200903080515.n285FPaZ022823@mail383c25.carrierzone.com>
Message-ID: <363879.17847.qm@web83905.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Hey, Steve! The new JPS, or the 1917 version? Bothhave pros and cons, of course... I agree that they are well supported with additional materials. I also think Jame's translation would provide a fresh perspective on the readings...
--- On Sat, 3/7/09, Steve Mathe wrote:
From: Steve Mathe
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading: nominate JPS
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 11:15 PM
I nominate the JPS translation, it is widely available: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm , it is available in English and Hebrew, with tutorials for those who want to hear it in Hebrew in order to practice, and it is close to the KJV which is in the collective consciousness of the English-speaking peoples.
Steve
At 08:58 PM 3/7/2009, you wrote:
Shall we settle on a particular translation?
--- On Sat, 3/7/09, sherry cole wrote:
From: sherry cole
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 8:39 PM
Hey Ross, I'm with you on this. I'm amazed at God's timing. A few weeks ago I started getting the impression that I should start reading the annual cycle.I'm excited about tomorrow.
See you at the Synagogue,
Blessings,
Sherry
----- Original Message -----
From: RNDAVAR at aol.com
To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:05 PM
Subject: [Dialogue] A Global Reading of the Torah
I woke up yesterday morning with an idea that has me excited. I have been praying for quite some time for guidance on what I can do to involve people in an active way in spreading Torah faith and in making them feel like they are part of a real community. The Synagogue Without Walls (http://www.rootsoffaith.net/) was the first thing that I established towards this goal. If you are on this list and have not signed up, please do so. I want you to get a sense of what we can do with technology.
?
The torah belongs to the community of Israel, but ultimately it was meant for the entire world, so........here was my waking thought.
?
How incredible would it be to have people from all over the world read and record portions of the torah, assemble these readings into files broken down by torah readings and post them on the web!? Within one year we would have an audio version of the torah read by the people of the world, for the people of the world!
?
The obvious question is how do we pull this off.? Here is what I am thinking. I am, by this message asking for volunteers who love God's torah to anonymously read and record! We now have members from literally around the globe with all sorts of wonderful accents - some from the deep south, (in the US and even deeper - Australia), some from the north, some from the east and some from the west, some from Europe, etc.
?
Each torah reading is broken down into aliyot (I will write more on this later). For now just think of these aliyot as sections of texts from the weekly reading. The number of aliyot varies from 3 to 7 in orthodox circles, and I will likely follow these divisions based upon tradition as well as number of volunteers.
?
If you are interested in participating in this, please email me and let me know. Do you have a favorite passage in the torah that you would like to volunteer for? Get to me early. I will try and keep a list updated (no names) so people know what is available.
?
I would like to have an audio file posted each week for the upcoming torah reading so that people can download and listen to my class as well as the torah reading that I am teaching on.
?
The first step is to see how many people are interested. We will discuss translations etc, in another message.
?
I realize that some are more skilled in technology than others and so some may already know how to make an audio file while others may want to participate, but have no idea how to do so. Please do not let technology stand in your way of participating. We will help you.
?
Are you interested in making perhaps the very first audio version of the torah with global voices? I hope so!
?
Shalom, Ross
?
Ross K. Nichols
www.RootsofFaith.org
Need a job? Find employment help in your area.
_______________________________________________
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.278 / Virus Database: 270.11.9/1989 - Release Date: 03/07/09 18:43:00
_______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 8 09:08:58 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 07:08:58 -0700
Subject: [Dialogue] 'Bibi's Hebron Conondrum'
Message-ID: <855590370903080708i72ad13ame3568c108b0ceb5c@mail.gmail.com>
*Bibi's Hebron conundrum*
David Wilder
March 08, 2009
On September 7, 1995 Binyamin Netanyahu, candidate for Prime Minister, while
visiting Hebron, issued the following statement:
The Jewish settlement will remain in Hebron permanently. If someone tries to
take it away, my friends and I will be here, and they will have to take us
away as well. It will be a fatal mistake to bring hundreds of armed
Palestinian policemen here, and there will be a small area where the Jews
can pass and where the police and IDF can operate. If there will be a
conflict, the IDF will not be able to function and will quickly collide with
the Palestinian forces. This is a prescription for tragedy. There is one
body responsible, and that has to be the IDF".
On May 13, 1996 he declared "redeployment should be put off until the final
settlement. Hebron is a very complicated problem. It is the oldest Jewish
settlement in the world, and the Jewish community there is in great danger.
We all remember what happened in 1929. It is preferable that such a complex
matter be carefully considered at the final status talks."
Yet, in early 1997, during a press conference dealing with the Hebron
Accords, Netanyahu proclaimed: "the ideological concepts he grew up
believing are "not all within reach anymore," necessitating "hard decisions
and generating a "meeting ground between vision and reality. This is
leadership."
On January 14, 1997, Prime Minister Netanyahu, together with Yassar Arafat,
signed the Hebron Accords, which were implemented six days later. Those
accords divided Hebron into two sections, leaving over 80% of the city under
the security control of the Palestinian Authority. Amongst the land
abandoned were the Abu-Sneneh Hills, overlooking Hebron's Jewish community
to the south, and Harat a-Shech, to the north. It was from these hills that
Arafat's gunman terrorized Hebron for over two and a half years, shooting
day and night, into people's apartments, cars and walking on the street. Abu
Sneneh became infamous following the murder of ten month old Shalhevet Pass,
exactly eight years ago.
The Jewish Community of Hebron continues to come under attack on numerous
fronts. Only a few months ago outgoing Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered
the forced expulsion of families from Beit HaShalom, despite letters signed
by some 50 Knesset members, both to him and to Attorney General Mazuz,
demanding postponement of the eviction pending the elections and examination
of new evidence.
The Israeli Supreme Court continues to allow extreme left-wing
organizations, such as Shovrim Shtika (Breaking the Silence) and Bnei
Avraham to incite Hebron's Arabs against the Jewish community under the
guise of 'guided tours.' This, at tremendous cost to the state. In the words
of attorney Sherman, representing the state, such 'tours' demand
apportioning of large numbers of police and army forces to provide security
during the 'tours.' However, he refrained from pointing out to the court
that the police themselves define these events as blatant provocations which
have led to an increase in unrest and violence in Hebron.
These 'tours' are conducted at the cost of Hebron residents' civil
liberties. Police routinely close streets in Hebron to Jewish traffic
because of the left-wing visits to the city. A Hebron resident was stopped
by police and not allowed to reach his Tel Rumeida home because of the
extremist's visiting an Arab family in the neighborhood.
Concurrently, ninety seven percent of Hebron is closed to Jews, and Jewish
groups are prevented by the police from similar visits in cities such as
Um-el-Fachem.
Arab violence in Hebron is on the rise. Almost daily rocks are hurled at
Israeli automobiles driving between Hebron and Kiryat Arba, injuring drivers
and passangers and causing damage to the cars. Two months ago two Jewish
girls were physically attacked by Arabs on this road. Additionally, Arab
terrorists armed with knives are apprehended weekly near the Tomb of the
Patriarchs. During questioning they admit that their goal was to stab and
kill Israelis. A few months ago a woman terrorist nearly killed a
high-ranking police officer near Ma'arat HaMachpela.
At the same time, Hebron and Kiryat Arba leaders have been informed by the
IDF central command that 'Tzir Tzion,' the Zion Road, beginning about a
kilometer north of the entrance to Kiryat Arba, and continuing into Hebron,
will soon be opened to Arab vehicular traffic. The last time the roadblocks
on this road were removed and Arab traffic allowed free travel on it, two
Israelis were killed in the space of 12 hours: Contractor David Cohen and
Kiryat Arba Councilman Hezzy Mualem. This is the only road bridging Hebron
to Kiryat Arba and is used hundreds of times a day by Jews traveling from
Hebron to Kiryat Arba and from there to Jerusalem, and vice-versa.
Unfortunately, Israel has, in the past year, witnessed a new type of terror,
utilizing moving vehicles. Reopening this road is a sure recipe for
continued terror aimed at Hebron-Kiryat Arba residents and the hundreds of
thousands of visitors who tour the city annually.
How will incoming Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu react to these threats?
What will be his attitude towards the Jewish Community of Hebron?
The cabinet decision approving the Hebron Accords in 1997 included the
following statement: "The Government will act to maintain all the conditions
and requirements necessary for the existence, security and consolidation of
the Jewish community in Hebron." Will Netanyahu keep his promise? Will he
provide full security for Hebron? Will he approve permits allowing Jews to
build on Jewish property? Will he issue permits allowing Jews to legally
purchase property from Arabs desiring to sell?
Not too long ago President Shimon Peres, speaking about the destruction of
Gush Katif, told visiting American Jewish leaders: "I was for leaving Gaza.
I feel myself as one of the persons mistaken?Whatever will happen in the
future, we shall not repeat the mistakes we made in leaving Gaza."
What could be more appropriate than Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
standing on the stairs leading to Ma'arat HaMachpela, conceding that the
Hebron Accords, dividing Hebron, were an error on his part, guaranteeing
never again to enact policies endangering the existence of Hebron's Jewish
community, while promising concrete measures fulfilling his past
government's commitment to provide maximum security and strengthen the first
Jewish city in the land of Israel!
comments
*The Jewish Community of Hebron**
*POB 105 , *Kiryat Arba-Hebron 90100
**hebron at hebron.org.il*
* *
*Tour Hebron:** Tel *[See the attached file][See the attached file][See the
attached file][See the attached file][See the attached file][See the
attached file][See the attached file][See the attached file][See the
attached file][See the attached file]972-52-...[See the attached file]* or
write:
tour at hebron.com *
*The Hebron Fund**
*1760 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11230
*www.hebronfund.com hebronfund at aol.com *
[See the attached file][See the attached file][See the attached file][See
the attached file][See the attached file][See the attached file][See the
attached file][See the attached file][See the attached file][See the
attached file]718-677-6886[See the attached file]
*Web:* www.hebron.com *Ma'arat HaMachpela:* www.machpela.com
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 8 09:14:41 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 07:14:41 -0700
Subject: [Dialogue] "The Price of a Miracle"
Message-ID: <855590370903080714o23fa3caega88d595981f31807@mail.gmail.com>
*The Price of a
Miracle
by Rabbi Lazer Brody*
We often take for granted the fact that we, the Jewish people, live on
miracles. The Jewish people in Israel especially exist on a
higher-than-nature plateau that defies any natural course of events. Only an
idiot would attribute Israel's existence to military might and so forth. On
a military level, as we evr-so-painfully see despite the recent Gaza war,
Israel still has no technological/military answer to missile warfare, with
missiles still falling in the south of Israel, from Ashkelon to Sderot and
all points in between. The Hamas missiles are a tiny threat compared to the
quantity and quality of the Hizbolla, Syrian, and Iranian missiles aimed at
every square centimeter of our beloved Holy Land this very moment.
People have the mistaken impression that we can sit back and do nothing
while Hashem gives us miracles. That's wrong. The miracle of Purim was only
after Esther said to Mordechai (Esther 4:16), "Go gather all the Jews...
fast for me, don't eat or drink for 3 days and 3 nights; I and my
handmaidens shall fast likewise." In other words, the entire Jewish people
made complete teshuva and returned to Hashem.
The existential threat of this generation is just as bad as it was in the
time of Haman. Achmedinejad and Assad's designs together with their proxies
Hamas and Hisbolla, as well as global Islamofascist objectives, are no
different than Haman's platform. Although we don't know what our own
politicians stand for, since they promise one thing before elections and
quickly change their minds after the elections for political expediency, our
neighbors are not politically expedient. They have a clear political and
military agenda that's based on the destruction of the Jewish people, just
like Haman. The words "Israel" and Zionism" are only excuses for the desire
to kill Jews.
Every Adar, Hashem renews the of the miracle of our survival. That's what
the joy of Purim is all about. Yet, miracles have a price tag - they behoove
us. When there's no teshuva to pay for the miracle, Hashem must take a
public sacrifice from the greatest and purest tzaddikim of our generation.
That explains the brutal murder of Erez
Levanonduring
his personal prayer to Hashem exactly two years ago in Adar, and the
barbaric massacre of the 8 Mercaz HaRav
boys
during their Torah study last year on Rosh Chodesh Adar.
Who needs more martyrs? Let's gather all the Jews and commit to genuine
teshuva. If that's too hard, let's help spread emuna in the world. We can
start by teaching the bedtime "Shma Yisrael" prayer to every Jewish child we
know. Here is the The Shma Prayer in
PDFwith the
original Hebrew, transliteration, and translation; send it to
everyone you know. Our sages tell us that the mitzva of saying Shma Yisrael"
alone is enough to save us from any and all calamity. Happy Purim week.
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From youngbarzel at gmail.com Sun Mar 8 09:30:37 2009
From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 07:30:37 -0700
Subject: [Dialogue] How Obama, Hillary and Kerry will, ultimately,
bring peace to the Middle East
Message-ID: <855590370903080730s6e7bc9a0v36b5326070648c9@mail.gmail.com>
*How Obama, Hillary and Kerry will, ultimately, bring peace to the Middle
East *
By Caroline B. Glick
**
*http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |* Compare and contrast the following
three events:
At the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors meeting on
Wednesday, George Schulte, the US ambassador to the IAEA pointed an
accusatory finger at Syria. Syria, Schulte said, has not come clean on its
nuclear program. That program of course, was exposed in September 2007 when
Israel reportedly destroyed Syria's North Korean built, Iranian financed al
Kibar nuclear reactor.
In its report to its board of governors, the IAEA stated that in analyzing
soil samples from the bombed installation, its inspectors discovered traces
of uranium. The nuclear watchdog agency also noted that the Syrians have
blocked UN nuclear inspectors from the site and from three other suspected
nuclear sites.
Reacting to the IAEA report, Schulte said that it, "contributes to the
growing evidence of clandestine nuclear activities in Syria." He added, "We
must understand why such [uranium] material - material not previously
declared to the IAEA - existed in Syria and this can only happen if Syria
provides the cooperation requested."
On Tuesday, at a press conference in Jerusalem with outgoing Foreign
Minister Tzipi Livni, visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
announced that the Obama administration is sending two senior envoys to
Syria. Their job, as she put it, is to begin "preliminary conversations," on
how to jumpstart US-Syrian bilateral ties.
Clinton's statement made good headlines, but she was light on details. On
Wednesday, hours after Schulte accused Syria of covering up its illicit
nuclear program, US Senator John Kerry helpfully filled in the blanks about
the nature of the Obama administration's overtures to nuclear-proliferating
Damascus. In an address before the left-leaning Saban Center for Middle East
Policy at the Brookings Institute in Washington, the Chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, who just returned from a visit to Syria, Israel
and the Palestinian Authority said that the purpose of US overtures to Syria
is to appease Syrian President Bashar Assad.
If in the past, both American and Israeli policymakers interested in
engaging Syria have made ending Syria's alliance with Iran a central goal of
their proposed engagement, Kerry dismissed such an aim as unrealistic. In
his words, "We should have no illusions that Syria will immediately end its
ties with Iran."
Indeed, as far as Kerry is concerned, Syria's role in these talks is not to
actually give the US anything of value. Rather, Syria's role is to take
things of value from the US - and of course from Israel.
Kerry proposed that in exchange for Syrian acceptance the US's offer of
friendship and Assad's willingness to negotiate an Israeli surrender of the
Golan Heights, the US should consider "loosening certain sanctions" against
Syria. Doing so, he claimed will also be good for the US economy because it
will open new opportunities for US businesses.
On the surface, the disparate statements by Schulte, Clinton and Kerry
present us with a puzzle. In Geneva, Schulte noted that Syria is a nuclear
proliferating rogue state that has refused to cooperate with UN nuclear
inspectors. And in Jerusalem and Washington, Clinton and Kerry ignored
Syria's dangerous actions, and advocated a policy of appeasement.
At the same IAEA Board of Governors meeting this week, the agency reported
that Iran has produced more than a thousand kilograms of low enriched
uranium - enough to build a bomb after further enrichment. That enrichment
can be completed by year's end with Iran's 5,600 centrifuges. Moreover,
between the Russian-built, soon to be opened nuclear reactor in Bushehr and
Iran' illicit heavy water reactor in Arak, Iran will have the capacity to
build plutonium-based bombs within two years.
Commenting on the IAEA's report on Iran, US Admiral Michael Mullen, the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff acknowledged that Iran has enough
uranium for a bomb. Seemingly contradicting Mullen, Defense Secretary Robert
Gates claimed that there is no reason to worry about all that uranium
because Iran won't have a bomb for some time given that the uranium it
possesses is not sufficiently enriched to make a bomb.
For his part, US President Barack Obama is receiving guidance on contending
with Iran from former Congressman Lee Hamilton, who co-authored the
Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group report published in December 2006. That
report called for the US to coordinate the withdrawal of its forces from
Iraq with Iran and Syria - the principal sponsors of both the Shiite and
Sunni insurgencies in the country. It recommended that the US purchase
Syria's good will by pressuring Israel to surrender the Golan Heights to
Damascus and Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem to Hamas. It recommended that the
US win Iran's trust by accepting it as a nuclear power and pledging not to
overthrow the regime.
In an interview last month with Washington Post columnist David Ignatius,
Hamilton reiterated those recommendations. He claimed that the starting
point for US-Iran discussions is for the US to "state our respect for the
Iranian people, renounce regime change as an instrument of US policy, seek
opportunities for a range of dialogue across a range of issues, and
acknowledge Iran's security concerns and its right to civilian nuclear
power."
Hamilton assured Ignatius that these recommendations have been adopted by
the White House.
All of the above show that there is no contradiction between what the Obama
administration understands about Iran and Syria and the policy it has
adopted towards them. Specifically, as Schulte's and Mullen's statements
make clear, the administration is aware of the dangers that both Iran and
Syria constitute to global security. And as Clinton, Kerry, Gates and
Hamilton all make clear, the administration's policy for dealing with those
dangers is to change the subject and hope the American public won't notice
or mind.
To this end, the administration is now asserting that Iran and Syria - the
two most active agents of regional instability - share the US's interest in
a stable, democratic Iraq. And owing to their sudden devotion to stability,
Obama's surrogates tell us the Syrians and Iranians will support the new
anti-Syrian and anti-Iranian Iraqi democracy and even protect it after the
US withdraws its forces from the country.
Then too, as both Kerry and Clinton made clear, the administration plans to
ignore Syria's support for Iraqi, Palestinian and Lebanese terrorism, its
nuclear proliferation activities and its massive ballistic missile arsenal
as well as its strategic alliance with Iran. Rather than confront Syria
about its bad behavior, the administration favors a policy based on making
believe that in his heart of hearts, Assad is a liberal democrat who aspires
to peace, and hope, and change.
But the core of the administration's campaign to ignore Iran's nuclear
program - as well as Syria's - is its unrelenting quest for the big payoff:
Palestinian statehood.
This week Iran staged yet another "Destroy Israel" conference in Teheran,
replete with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's trademark Holocaust denial, Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei's ritual castigation of the Jewish state as a "cancerous
tumor," and the US as a treacherous enemy, and Ali Larijani's threat to
attack Israel's suspected nuclear sites. The conference enjoyed a newfound
sense of international legitimacy taking place as it did just after
burka-clad Annette Benning's goodwill Hollywood celebrity visit to the
mullocracy.
The genocidal pageantry in Teheran, elicited no significant response from
Clinton and Kerry. They had bigger fish to fry. While the administration and
its supporters seem to believe that the US has no right to make demands on
Iran and Syria which, they assert, are both just advancing their national
interests, for them Israel is a completely different story. As Clinton and
Kerry demonstrated this week, the administration and its supporters will not
stop making demands on Israel.
Kerry justified Syria's continued alliance with Iran by saying that Syria
should be expected to "play both sides of the fence [with the US and Iran]
as other nations do when they believe it is in their interests."
But Israel has no right to similarly take what action it deems necessary to
secure its interests. In Kerry's view, the time has come for the US to show
that it is serious about Palestinian statehood and the way to do that is to
force Israel to block all Jewish building in Judea and Samaria.
In his words, "On the Israeli side, nothing will do more to make clear our
seriousness about turning the page than demonstrating - with actions rather
than words - that we are serious about Israel freezing settlement activity
in the West Bank."
He also called for the US to compel Israel to open its borders with Gaza.
And he said that from his perspective, it is unacceptable for the incoming
Netanyahu government not to embrace establishing a Palestinian state as its
most urgent goal.
Clinton joined Kerry his efforts to compel the Jewish state to ignore its
national interests in the cause of the higher goal of Palestinian statehood.
Like him, she attacked Israel for not handing control over its borders with
Gaza to Hamas. And like Kerry, she stated repeatedly that her greatest goal
is to establish a Palestinian state.
Clinton's unique contribution to that great "pro-peace" endeavor this week
was her outspoken criticism on Wednesday of the Jerusalem municipality's
decision to enforce the city's building and planning ordinances equally
towards both Jews and Arabs. That policy was made clear this week when city
inspectors destroyed illegal buildings in both Jewish and Arab
neighborhoods.
Since as far as Clinton is concerned, Israel will one day be required to
throw all the Jews out of East, South and North Jerusalem to make room
forwhat she believes is the "inevitable" Palestinian state, Israel has no
right to treat Arabs and Jews equally in its soon-to-be-inevitably divided
capital city. Arabs should be allowed to break the law at will. When Israel
insists on enforcing its laws without prejudice, Clinton condemns it for
being anti-peace.
Kerry argues that by forcing Israel to give its land to the Palestinians the
US will be promoting regional stability by doing the bidding of anti-Iranian
Arab states like Egypt and Saudi Arabia. But even if putting the screws to
Israel makes Cairo and Riyadh happy, their happiness will have no impact
whatsoever on Iran's nuclear weapons programs or on Syria's proliferation
activities. That is, Israeli land giveaways will have no impact on regional
stability.
And that's precisely the point. The Obama administration has no intention of
preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power or Syria from maintaining its
alliance with the mullahs. The White House seeks far more modest ends.
Through its policies towards Israel on the one hand and Iran and Syria on
the other, the Obama administration demonstrates that it has already
accepted a nuclear Iran. Its chief concern today is to avoid being blamed
when the mushroom clouds appear in the sky. And it may well achieve that
aim. After all, how could the administration be blamed for a nuclear Iran
when it has wholly devoted its efforts to advancing the righteous cause of
peace?
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sun Mar 8 10:10:35 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:10:35 +1000
Subject: [Fwd: [Dialogue] How Obama, Hillary and Kerry will, ultimately, bring
peace to the Middle East]
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sun Mar 8 10:15:04 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:15:04 +1000
Subject: [Dialogue] A Japanese View of the' Palestinians'
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From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Sun Mar 8 10:27:33 2009
From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (carlson_john at bellsouth.net)
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:27:33 +0000
Subject: [Fwd: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"]
In-Reply-To: <49B3A96B.6050907@westnet.com.au>
Message-ID: <030820091527.12629.49B3E3E200077B970000315522216125569B0A02D2089B9A019C04040A0DBF02080106A102019C049D0E0C@att.net>
Hey Joe,
How are things going over there?
Let me clarify, I'm not defending the virgin birth, I agree with the conclusion that it is a redaction intended to defend the Christian doctrine.
My point is that disposing of it from ones belief does not necessitate eliminating Yeshua as messiah. The Ebionites didn't accept the virgin birth idea, did not consider Yeshua divine and still followed his teaching and considered him messiah, in a very Jewish way.
--
John C.
"Be excellent to each other!"
Bill and Ted
-------------- Original message from JOE INDOMENICO : --------------
Shalom John,
just got back from visiting my father and sister in Brisbane to ensure they are ready for the possible strike of Cyclone Hamish. We had a lovely Italian BBQ.
To do justice to my friend who wrote the article that I had sent recently, I would like to add from the same article , the inclusion of Isaiah 7 v 14.? My apologies if the Hebrew characters do not encrypt.
Sorry another long post.
The Virgin Birth
?The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel? -
which means, ?God with us.? 90
This verse from Isaiah chapter 7 is the only Tanakh verse that has been used by Christians as the
supposed basis for the Virgin Birth. The above quotation, as found in the Gospel of Matthew, is
not worded accurately. It has been translated in the future tense, whereas Isaiah wrote it in the
present and past tense. This will be discussed in detail in the next section.
THE VIRGIN BIRTH IN THE TANAKH (?OLD TESTAMENT?)
Is there a precedent for the Virgin Birth in the Tanakh?
There is only one reference in the Tanakh that has been used by Christians as the supposed basis
for the Virgin Birth: Isaiah chapter 7.
The Isaiah Chapter 7 Prophecy
It should be said at the outset that the word ?virgin? - betulah, does not appear in the seventh
chapter of Isaiah. The translator of Matthew?s gospel (Jerome) mistranslated the Hebrew word
ha?almah ? ?the young woman? - as ?the virgin.? The Hebrew word ha'almah does not mean
?the virgin,? it means ?the young woman,? with no implication of virginity. A young woman can
be either married or unmarried. The word for ?virgin? is betulah, which refers to an unmarried
girl.
If you read Isaiah chapter 7 and the following chapter, it is clear that Isaiah?s declaration was a
prophecy of the unsuccessful siege of Jerusalem by the two armies of the kingdoms of Israel and
Syria, not a ?virgin birth? more than 700 years later. If we interpret this chapter as referring to
Yeshua's birth, what possible comfort and assurance could Ahaz (735 B.C.E), who was
surrounded by two overwhelming military enemies, find in the birth of a child seven centuries
later? Both he and his people would long be dead and buried. Such a sign would make no sense.
Verses 15-16 state that by the time this child reaches the age of maturity (he knows to reject bad
and choose good), the two warring kings, Pekah and Rezin, will have been removed. In II Kings
15-16 we see that this prophecy was fulfilled when these two kings were suddenly assassinated.
With an understanding of the context of Isaiah 7:14 alone, it is evident that the child born in
Isaiah 7:14 is not referring to Yeshua or to any future virgin birth. Rather, it is referring to the
divine protection (Immanu?el - God with us), that Ahaz and his people would enjoy, from their
impending destruction at the hands of these two enemies, the northern Kingdom of Israel and
Syria.
Let?s take a look at what the Hebrew actually says.
k?2t ?b?7OE!g ??n}A ,t?7r7e?u i?2? ,3s?3k`h?u ?v7r7v v7n0k*g?7v v???1v
?Behold, the young woman is with child, and she will bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanu-El.? 91
? The passage says the young woman, not a young woman, which implies that it is a specific
young woman known to Ahaz.
? The young woman is already pregnant, because the word following ?ha-almah? v7n0k*g7v
is ?hara? ?v7r7v, which means is pregnant. ??the young woman is with child.?
This passage is not speaking of a future event as suggested by the translation found in the Gospel
of Matthew. In Isaiah?s account, the ?young woman? (almah), not virgin (betulah), is already with
child.
The Hebrew word ?almah? appears ten times in the Tanakh; in each case it means ?young
woman?. When the Scriptures refer to a virgin (and they do over fifty times) the Hebrew word
used is always ?betulah?.
The translator of the ?original? Matthew account (Jerome) was using the Septuagint - the Greek
version of the Hebrew Bible, which incorrectly uses the word ?parthena? in the Isaiah 7 text. The
Greek word parthena, is the same word from which is derived the name of the Greek ?Temple of
Virgins? - the Parthenon. The word parthena specifically means ?virgin?, not ?young woman?.
The Septuagint, created in 245 B.C.E by 72 Jewish Sages at the request of King Ptolemy
Philadelphus of Egypt, was a Greek translation of the ?Five Books of Moses? alone (the Torah).
It did not contain the other books of the Tanakh ? the Prophets and the Writings. The Talmud
explicitly states this in Tractate Megillah (9a):
?R. Judah said: When our teachers permitted Greek, they permitted it only for a scroll of the
Torah. This was on account of the incident related in connection with King Ptolemy, as it has
been taught: ?It is related of King Ptolemy that he brought together seventy-two elders and placed
them in seventy-two [separate] rooms, without telling them why he had brought them together,
and he went in to each one of them and said to him: Translate for me the Torah of Moses your
master.??
Josephus also affirms that the Septuagint was a translation only of the Law of Moses in his
preface to Antiquities of the Jews. 92
The rest of the Tanakh was translated into Greek by about 100 B.C.E, but it is uncertain by
whom. 93 The fact that additional books known as the ?Apocrypha?, which are uniquely sacred to
the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, are found in the Septuagint should raise a red flag to
those inquiring into the ?Jewishness? of the Septuagint.
The Septuagint is such a poor translation that Jews wouldn?t even use it - not then, not now. In
fact, the Jewish authorities at the time condemned the work and declared a period of mourning
because of the defects in the version.
In the 3rd. century C.E., the Septuagint became identified as the ?Old Testament of the Christian
Church.? 94
Nowhere does the Tanakh, or other Jewish writings, specify that the Messiah would be born of a
virgin; the very idea is alien to Jewish expectations of whom the Messiah would be. Quite
contrary to the Hellenized ?Jesus? figure, whose identity is based on the virgin-born demi-gods of
that era.
The trend to drag in, however irrelevantly, any Tanakh text that could be looked upon as
prophetic, is noticeable throughout the New Testament. This seems to be an attempt to replace
Israel with ?Jesus?. All promises and prophecies concerning Israel now pertain to ?Jesus?. The
Church Fathers, in their arguments with those who did not believe in their new interpretations of
Scripture, do not adduce evidence about the facts, but use quotations from the Prophets as to what
facts should be expected. In the case of the Virgin Birth, because the Isaiah passage had
inaccurately been translated as ?virgin? (parthena), and because the New Testament translators
had already decided that this passage was a reference to the birth of the Messiah (incorrectly), and
that ?Jesus? was that Messiah, then he must have been born of a virgin. That is their argument.
92 Antiquities of the Jews, XII, ii, 1-4.
93 Lawrence H. Schiffman, Texts and Traditions, quoting ?The Letter of Aristeas: How the Jewish Law Was
Translated From Hebrew Into Greek?. The Encyclopedia of Judaism: The Septuagint.
94 Patzia, A. The Making of the New Testament
On the definition of Mashiach , this is what she writes :
DEFINITIONS
Before we begin to look at the concept of the ?Virgin Birth?, let us compare Christian and Jewish
views of the Messiah.
The Messiah in Christianity
The most important characteristic of the Christian messiah is that he was conceived of the Holy
Spirit by the virgin Mary. He had no earthly father, but rather was ?Son of God? by the Holy
Spirit. ?Jesus? is also considered ?God incarnate?, that is to say, ?God in the flesh.?
This belief is a foundational doctrine of Christendom and central theme of who ?Jesus?, the
Christian messiah, is. Without the Virgin Birth, Jesus is not the ?Son of God? by Christian
definition.
Here are some examples of mainstream Churches? Statements of Faith concerning ?Jesus?:
? Roman Catholic Church
?I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God; he was conceived by the power of the Holy
Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary." 12
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, ?Jesus, from the beginning, was the one
whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, conceived as holy in Mary's virginal
womb. God called Joseph to take Mary as his wife, for that which was conceived in her was
of the Holy Spirit.? 13
? Baptist Church of Australia
?Jesus Christ as the second Person of the Godhead is eternally one with God the Father of
whose person and glory Jesus is the accurate expression. To become human He was
conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect
natures, the nature of God and human nature, were united in one Person; truly God and truly
human.? 14
? Anglican Church, Australia (U.S.A. Episcopalian)
?The Son of God: He is eternal. He took on human nature and was born of the virgin Mary.
He has both Divine and Human Natures in the one Person.? 15
? Assemblies of God (Pentecostal)
?We believe there is One God, eternally existent in three persons, God the Father, God the
Son and God the Holy Spirit, in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth.? 16
12 Catechism of the Catholic Church, The Profession Of Faith, Articles 2 & 3.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm
13 Catechism of the Catholic Church
14 http://baptistnsw.asn.au/about/faith
15 http://www.stlukesclovelly.org/pages/beliefs/our_beliefs.htm
16 http://www.pastornet.net.au/harvest/jesus/about.html#Statement%20of%20Beliefs
The Messiah (Mashiach) In Judaism
The Hebrew word Mashiach means ?anointed?. In the Tanakh many were given the title
?mashiach?, including kings, prophets and priests. For example, Moshe (Moses) was a mashiach
(anointed one). God even referred to Moshe as ?elohim? (a ruler/god):
v`?g}r8p0k oh1v?%t ?h?!?*,?b v?2t}r v?#A`n?k#t ?v??v?h r#nt`?oe?u
?And the Lord said to Moses, See, I have made you a god oh1v?%t (elohim) to Pharaoh?? 17
King David is also called ?mashiach?:
c`?e4g??h h?2v?%t ?8jh?!A}n k?7g o8e?9v ?r3c???8v o?{t?b? h*A?h?i3? s??u7?
?David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed ?8jh!A}n
(mashiach) of the God of Jacob?? 18
But there is only one mashiach who is HA-Mashiach - THE Messiah, the son of David, of the
tribe of Judah, spoken of in the Tanakh:
?The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler?s staff from between his feet, until he
comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.? 19
"And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you (David) must go to be with your fathers,
that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his Father, and he
shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was
before you. And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall
be established forever." 20
In the Peshita (translated from the Aramaic), the above is translated as:
?And it shall to pass when your days are fulfilled that you shall go to be gathered with your
fathers; I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come out of your loins, and I will
establish him in your kingdom.? 21
The above passage states that the Mashiach will come from the ?loins? of the sons of David. He
will be a direct physical descendant through the literal seed of the sons of David, thus ruling out a
?Virgin Birth?.
All others given the title of ?mashiach?, do not fit this description. Moshe was a Levite, not from
the tribe of Judah. And David could not have been the one, because Ha-Mashiach is a descendant
of David.
The concept of Messiah has not been constant throughout Jewish history. Often the longing for
Messiah tended to intensify during periods of persecution or exile. During such difficult times, a
tzaddik (righteous one) would arise and bring hope and spiritual revival to the Jewish people.
Sometimes, this tzaddik was looked upon as a mashiach.
Judaism teaches that in every generation there is a person with the potential to be the Mashiach.
Throughout Jewish history there have been several tzaddikim (righteous ones) who have served as
a messiah for that generation, but none have fulfilled the role of ?Ha- Mashiach Ben David? (The
Messiah, Son of David) - the one who will regather all dispersed Jews, resurrect the dead and
usher in the Messianic Age.
Judaism?s ?Principle of Faith? concerning the Messiah states:
?I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah. Even though he tarry, I will eagerly
await his coming every day.? 22
Judaism?s basic teaching concerning the Messiah is as follows:
?The Messiah will be a regular human being, born naturally to husband and wife. He is not to be
a god, nor a man born of supernatural or virgin birth. The very idea that God would take on
human form is repulsive to Jews because it contradicts our concept of God as being above and
beyond the limitations of the human body and situation. Jews believe that God ALONE is to be
worshipped, and not a being who is His creation, be he angel, saint, or even the Messiah
himself.? 23
Judaism teaches that the Messiah will accomplish the following:
? Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).
? Resurrect the dead (Daniel 12:1,2; Isaiah 26:19).
? Gather all Jews back to the land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).
? Usher in an era of world peace, end all oppression, suffering and disease. As it says: "Nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall man learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2:4).
? Spread universal knowledge of the God of Israel, which will unite humanity as one. As it
says: "God will be King over all the world - on that day, God will be One and His Name will
be One" (Zechariah 14:9).
17 Exodus 7:1
18 2 Samuel 23:1
19 Genesis 49:10
20 1 Chronicles 17:11-14
21 1 Chronicles 17:11, Peshita, Lamsa
22 Maimonades? Thirteen Principles of Faith, quoted in: Noson Gurary,?The Thirteeen Principles of Faith,
A Chasidic Viewpoint.?
23 The Jewish View of the Messiah:
http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_messiah4.htm
Defining the Virgin Birth
Let us define the Virgin Birth according to Christian doctrine.
The Roman Catholic View
First of all, it is important to point out that the Virgin Birth is a dogma of the Roman Catholic
Church. A ?dogma? is a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof. 24 The Catholic
Encyclopedia gives this definition: ?The word dogma (Gr. dogma from dokein) signifies, in the
writings of the ancient classical authors, sometimes, an opinion or that which seems true to a
person; sometimes, the philosophical doctrines or tenets, and especially the distinctive
philosophical doctrines, of a particular school of philosophers (cf. Cic. Ac., ii, 9), and sometimes,
a public decree or ordinance, as dogma poieisthai.? 25
Concerning the Virgin Birth, the Catholic Encyclopedia states: ?The Virgin Birth of Christ: the
dogma which teaches that the Blessed Mother of Jesus Christ was a virgin before, during, and
after the conception and birth of her Divine Son.? 26 The dogma of the Virgin Birth was defined
as an article of faith by the Fifth General Council held at Constantinople under Pope Vigilius in
553 C.E., and again by the Lateran Council held by Pope Martin I at Rome in 640 C.E.
The Roman Catholic Councils and Creeds state:
?The virginity of our Blessed Lady was defined under ?anathema? 27 in the third canon of the
Lateran Council held in the time of Pope Martin I, A.D. 649. The Nicene Constantinopolitan
Creed, as recited in the Catholic Mass, expresses belief in ?Christ incarnate by the Holy Ghost of
the Virgin Mary?; the Apostles' Creed professes that Jesus Christ ?was conceived by the Holy
Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary; the older form of the same creed uses the expression: born of
the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary.? 28 These professions show that the body of Jesus Christ
was not sent down from Heaven, nor taken from earth as was that of Adam, but that its matter
was supplied by Mary; that Mary co-operated in the formation of Christ's body as every other
mother co-operates in the formation of the body of her child, since otherwise Christ could not be
said to be born of Mary just as Eve cannot be said to be born of Adam; that the germ in whose
development and growth into the Infant Jesus, Mary co-operated, was fecundated not by any
human action, but by the Divine power attributed to the Holy Ghost; that the supernatural
influence of the Holy Ghost extended to the birth of Jesus Christ, not merely preserving Mary's
integrity, but also causing Christ's birth or external generation to reflect his eternal birth from
the Father in this, that ?the Light from Light? proceeded from his mother's womb as a light shed
on the world; that the ?power of the Most High? passed through the barriers of nature without
injuring them; that ?the body of the Word? formed by the Holy Ghost penetrated another body
after the manner of spirits.? 29
The Protestant View
Protestant teaching states:
?The virgin birth refers to Mary?s miraculous conception of Christ through the power of the Holy
Spirit, without any male participation, so that, though the birth process was not unlike that of
other humans, Mary was still a virgin when Jesus was born.? 30
?Having been born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus was human offspring. Having been conceived of the
Holy Spirit and overshadowed by the power of the Most High, Jesus was holy Offspring - the
sinless Son of God. Therefore, the doctrine of the virgin birth impacts one?s view of the
sinlessness of Christ. When Mary conceived, she passed on her human nature to the anthropic
person, but she was prevented by the Holy Spirit from transmitting a sin nature. The doctrine of
the virgin birth is also closely tied with our own salvation. If Jesus had been tainted with sin, then
He could not have been our sufficient Sacrifice. On the other hand, if Jesus had not been born of
Mary, and so had not been the Man, Christ Jesus, then He could not have died, nor could He
have been a suitable sacrificial substitute as a Man for men. Christ became human in a
miraculous way. The provision of salvation, therefore, is all of God and none of man.? 31
The sole difference between Roman Catholic and Protestant views of the Virgin Birth is that
Protestantism doesn?t accept the Catholic view that Mary was a perpetual (forever) virgin.
Protestantism teaches that after ?Jesus? was born, Mary had normal relations with Joseph, her
husband.
24 WordNet: a lexical database for the English language: Cognitive Science Laboratory,
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
25 Catholic Encyclopedia: Dogma
26 Catholic Encyclopedia, Virgin Birth of Christ.
27 ?Anathema? ? Cursed by God & the Church.
28 The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV, 1999 by Kevin Knight Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1912. Remy
Lafort, S.T.D., Censor Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
29 Ibid
30 Erickson, Millard J. Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1986.
31 Gromacki, Robert G. The Virgin Birth: Doctrine of Deity. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981 reprint.
This study by my friend was years in the making.
She was meticulous in all her research and endeavours and was applauded by the local rabbis.
Her study has helped my immensely in unraveling of the personage of Yeshua ben Yosef.
This study does not detract in any way the prophetic message and mission of Yeshua. I believe that it actually reinforces and clearly elucidates the prophets.
It tears away the Hellenistic Jesus to reveal Yeshua the Jew and his love of HaShem and His Torah.
I do not have any hang ups.
What was more important to me , to believe in Jesus , born of a virgin or Yeshua the one who showed us all how to follow and obey the Father.
Jesus, the demi-god and his Greco- religion makes it impossible for me, thereby requiring his atonement.
Yeshua, the man shows me ,the sinner, that it is possible to do teshuva and keep the Torah.
It is not a belief but a way of life. The choice is ours.
???????? ?????????? ???????, ?????? ???????????????? ???????--???-???????? ???? ???????, ????? ??????? ????. 11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off.
??????? ???????????, ????:? ??????, ??? ???????-?????? ????????????? ??????????? ??????, ?????????????? ??????, ?????????????. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?'
?????????-??????? ??????, ????:? ??????, ??? ???????-????? ???-????? ?????? ??????????? ??????, ?????????????? ??????, ?????????????. 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?'
????????-?????? ??????? ????????, ?????:? ???????? ????????????, ??????????.? {?} 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. {S}
????????? ???????? ????????? ???????, ???-??????????????-???????, ?????-????????, ?????-?????. 15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil,
?????????? ??????? ?????????, ???????, ????????????-??????????????? ??????? ???????????, ?????????? ??????????? ?????????????????????????; ????????? ?????????--?????????? ?????? ?????????, ???????? ??????-?????? ???-??????? ????????????. 16 in that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances; then thou shalt live and multiply, and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess it.
?????????-??????? ????????, ????? ????????; ????????????, ????????????????? ????????? ????????--????????????. 17 But if thy heart turn away, and thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
??????????????? ????? ???????, ???? ????? ??????????:????-?????????? ??????, ???-?????????, ?????? ?????? ????????-???????????, ?????? ??????? ????????????. 18 I declare unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish; ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over the Jordan to go in to possess it.
????????????? ????? ???????, ???-????????????????-???????--????????? ?????????? ???????? ?????????, ??????????????????????; ???????????, ??????????--??????? ????????, ????????????????. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed;
???????????? ???-?????? ?????????, ????????? ???????? ???????????-???:? ???? ???? ????????, ???????? ???????--???????????-????????? ?????? ????????? ?????? ??????????? ??????????? ????????????????????, ????? ?????.? {?} 20 to love the LORD thy God, to hearken to His voice, and to cleave unto Him; for that is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. {P}
Does the birth by a virgin change one iota from the above scripture in Deuteronomy 30 ?
Shalom v'Ahavah
JOE.
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From jid at westnet.com.au Sun Mar 8 10:39:48 2009
From: jid at westnet.com.au (JOE INDOMENICO)
Date: Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:39:48 +1000
Subject: [Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"]]
Message-ID: <49B3E6C4.1010708@westnet.com.au>
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From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"]
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:27:33 +0000
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From MiriamL613 at aol.com Sun Mar 8 10:45:13 2009
From: MiriamL613 at aol.com (MiriamL613 at aol.com)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 11:45:13 EDT
Subject: [Dialogue] "Zion Needs the Messiah"
Message-ID:
Thanks for the welcome, Joe. Your article was great! A keeper.
As for the messianic status of Jesus, I look at it this way. If his lineage
approximates that in Matthew and he is of the physical seed of David and
Solomon, there is no reason to rule him out as a potential King Messiah. If G-d
went to the trouble of creating a man from Mary's seed alone, that would be
a way of guaranteeing that his messianic role is not to be confused with that
of the coming Messianic King.
But as for his messianic role, that cannot be denied. In Rambam's Mishneh
Torah, Laws of Kings 11:4, Rambam discussed the true messiah's role and
explained it by referring to the passage in Zephaniah 3:9 "I will make the peoples
pure of speech that they all will call upon the Name of G-d and serve Him
with one purpose." (Emphasis added) Then in the very same chapter, Rambam refers
to the "deeds of Jesus of Nazareth and that Ishmaelite who arose after him"
saying, "Nevertheless, the intent of the Creator of the world is not within
the power of man to comprehend, for His ways are not our ways, nor are His
thoughts, our thoughts. [Ultimately,] all the deeds of Jesus of Nazareth and
that Ishmaelite who arose after him will only serve to prepare the way for the
Messiah's coming and the improvement of the entire world, [motivating the
nations] to serve G-d together, as [Zephaniah 3:9] states, 'I will make the
peoples pure of speech that they will all call upon the Name of G-d and serve Him
with one purpose."
This role, obviously, will come into greater focus as the teachings of both
are brought into the light and the billions who claim to follow them actually
do just that.
Miriam
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From j.h.lusk234 at sbcglobal.net Sun Mar 8 11:23:13 2009
From: j.h.lusk234 at sbcglobal.net (Helen Lusk)
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 09:23:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Fwd: Re: [Dialogue] CYCLONE HAMISH.]
In-Reply-To: <49B3AD19.6070609@westnet.com.au>
Message-ID: <732051.29348.qm@web82501.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Shalom, Joe:
?
I pray that Australia will be mercifully spared from great destruction from Hamish. May Hashem protect his segulah and may?they cling to Him. Your country?and its people must be very precious to Hashem with all the judgment He is placing there.I pray also that many will respond to His wake up calls.
?
Kind regards,
?
Helen
--- On Sun, 3/8/09, JOE INDOMENICO