"SALT" – Art by BBB@S6K/Prayer 1

 

SALT by BBB@S6K                                                                                              Art Work on display at 744 Alabama St., San Francisco, CA

SALT by BBB@S6K Art Work on display at 744 Alabama St., San Francisco, CA

 Oh God,

You have called us into life,

and set us in the midst of purposes we cannot measure;

but we thank You for the good we know,

and pray that we will learn to be patient

until You send more light.

Waken our hearts to gratitude, O Lord,

for mercies have flowed upon us day by day:

in health and sickness,

in labour and repose,

 in the ever renewed beauty of earth and sky,

in thoughts of truth and justice

which stir us from our ease and quicken our endeavor,

and in the contemplation of Your eternity,

which fills us with hope

that what is good and lovely cannot perish.

O train our spirits more and more

into accord with Your pure will!

Amen.

[Note:  Source unknown; we  would appreciate it if any of our website visitors could help us give proper credit to whoever penned this prayer.]

Isaiah 14:12-15 is not about the Devil

Hebrew translation:  [AST] ArtScroll Tanach/The stone Edition

Christian Translation:  [NASB] New American Standard Bible

ISAIAH 14:12-15

 

 

Image from boymeetsworldilluminati.tumblr.com

Image from boymeetsworldilluminati.tumblr.com

[AST] 12 How you have fallen from the heavens, O glowing morning star; been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of nations? 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; higher than the stars of God I shall raise my throne; I will sit at the Mountain of Meeting, on the northern side; 14 I will ascend over the tops of the clouds; I will liken myself to the Most High!” 15 But to the nether-world have you been lowered, to the bottom of the pit!’

 

[NASB] 12 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn!  You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!  “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol.  To the recesses of the pit.

 

Reading through the Hebrew translation and the Christian version, the rendering is much the same. Taken out of its literary context, the subject could indeed apply to any “fallen being” because of the metaphoric language.  This is why reading the larger context and the development of the theme in previous verses and preceding chapters are important when checking out any prooftext presented for doctrinal interpretation.

 

These verses in the book of Isaiah are usually cited together with Ezekiel 28 as proof texts among others, to explain how the “fallen angel” who is referred to as the “Devil” of Christianity supposedly fell from grace, sometime in eternal past, but mentioned in the “Old” Testament.  However, let us take a closer look to see to whom these verses are actually referring, at least in context, devoid of infusion of Christian interpretation.  Remember, CONTEXT is key to understanding anything written to be read.  The author, unless he does not want his reader to understand, will provide the background for any verse, so never read out of context. 

 

First, one key phrase:  “Glowing morning star”, “son of the dawn”, “star of the morning”. 

 

 

  • Of the three languages to which the TNK was translated, the term for “morning star” is [Hebrew] helel, [Septuagint/Greek] heosphoros, and [Vulgate/Latin] lucifer, we can see why Lucifer from the 4th century on was applied to this Christian figure Satan/Devil.  
  • According to the Catholic encyclopedia, originally Lucifer denotes the planet Venus because of its brilliance; the Roman Catholic Latin translation Vulgate uses the word for “the light of the morning” in Job 11:17, “the signs of the zodiac” in Job 38:32, and “the aurora” in Psalm 109:3. 
  •  Strangely enough, the phrase “bright morning star” is also used in the last book of the New Testament, referring to Jesus.   Revelation 22:16: I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches.  I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.

 

Secondly, in the context of Isaiah 14 and previous verses leading up to it, we can see that the language is metaphorical; the bright planet is said to have fallen from the sky or heaven but obviously it is referring to a figure:

 

Who is this unnamed figure?  

  • O conqueror of nations
  • You destroyer of nations
  • You who have weakened the nations
 

So why would this figure fall from the heights where he was?

 
  • You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; higher than the stars of God I shall raise my throne; I will sit at the Mountain of Meeting, on the northern side; 14 I will ascend over the tops of the clouds; I will liken myself to the Most High!” 
  •  “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.
 

Where will this figure initially fall?

  • down to the ground; 
  • cut down;
  • to the earth;
 

And further?

 
  • But to the nether-world have you been lowered, to the bottom of the pit!
  •  nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol.  To the recesses of the pit.
 

Isolated from the rest of the chapter, these verses could apply to anyone who comes to mind, and specially to a Christian who believes in a fallen angel called Lucifer/Satan, it is easy to conclude “AHA, who else!” And while Sheol and ‘the pit’ is understood to be the grave, when a reader believes in a place called ‘hell’, then he reads it predictably as Christians normally do.   Preconceived ideas inherited from teachers with a particular orientation, easily lead to the same connection. The reader strives no further because he has been . . . well, brainwashed to think a certain way. But one should never read any verse, specially ‘prooftexts’ in isolation, without checking the verses before and after.  Bible teachers should emphasize that basic rule of thumb for reading any text and specially scripture.

 

But if one reads from the beginning of Chapter 14, it is very clear that the figure being referred to is the king of Babylon, so let’s read the verses leading up to the “prooftext”:

 

[AST] Isaiah 14:1-27

 

 For HASHEM  [YHWH] will show mercy to Jacob [Israel]. He will choose Israel again and grant them rest upon their land.  The proselyte will join them and be attached to the House of Jacob.  The nations will take them and bring them to their place, and the House of Israel will possess them as slaves and maidservants upon the land of HASHEM [YHWH]; they will be captors over their captors and they will rule over their oppressors.

 

It shall be on the day when HASHEM [YHWH] grants you relief from your distress and your anxiety and from the hard labor with which you were worked:  You will recite this parable about the king of Babylonia:

 

How has the oppressor come to an end, the arrogance been ended?  HASHEM [YHWH] has broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of rulers who would strike peoples with fury, with unrelenting blows, who would oppress nations with wrath [the nations] were pursued [by them] without respite.  The entire land is at rest and tranquil,’ they broke out in glad song.  Even the cypresses rejoice over you, the cedars of Lebanon [saying,] ‘From the time that you were laid low, the woodcutter would not come up against us.’  The nether-world from below trembles for you to greet your arrival; it has awakened the giants for you, all the leaders of the world, it has roused all the kings of the land out of their thrones. They will all proclaim and say to you, ‘You also have been stricken as we were; you are compared to us.  Brought down to the nether-world were your pride and the tumult of your stringed instruments; maggots are spread out under you, and worms are your covers. How have you fallen from the heavens, O glowing morning star; been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of nations?  You had said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; higher than the stars of God I shall raise my throne; I will sit at the Mountain of Meeting, on the northern side; I will ascend over the tops of the clouds; I will liken myself to the Most High!”  But to the nether-world have you been lowered, to the bottom of the pit!’  Those who see you will take note, they will contemplate you carefully: ‘Is this the man who made the land tremble, who made kingdoms quake; who made the world like a wilderness and tore down its cities; who never released his captives to go home?’  All the kings of the nations, all of them, like in honor, each in his place, but you have been flung from your grave like a detested tree shoot; like the garment of corpses pierced by the sword, which are lowered into the stones of the pit, like a trampled carcass.  You will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people; your evil offspring will not be called [by your name] for long.  Prepare a slaughter for his sons for their father’s iniquity; let them not arise and inherit the land, lest the world become full of enemies.

 

I will rise up against them —the word of HASHEM [YHWH]Master of Legions —- and I will cut off for Babylonia name and remnant, child and grandchild — the word of HASHEM [YHWH]. And I will make it an inheritance for the hedgehog and marshes of water, and I will sweep it clean with the broom of destruction —the word of HASHEM [YHWH] Master of Legions.

 

HASHEM, Master of Legions, has sworn, saying: ‘Surely as I have conceived, so shall come about; and as I have devised, so shall be established:  To break Assyria in My land; I will trample him on My mountains; his yoke will be removed from upon [Israel] and his burden will be removed from upon [Israel’s ]shoulder.  This is the plan that is devised against all the land, and this is the hand that is outstretched against all the nations.  For HASHEM [YHWH] Master of Legions, has devised, and who can annul?  His hand is outstretched, and who can turn it back” 

 

 

Image from www.pinterest.co

Image from www.pinterest.co

Outside of the biblical text, the historical context places this at a time the Babylonian empire was the most powerful nation under Nebuchadnezzar and yet it was overtaken by the Medo-Persians, the Greeks, and Romans. There is mention of Assyria, another nation under judgment.

 

 

Powerful leaders of nations through the centuries continue to fall into the same pitfalls; just look at the heads of the nations being dislodged by the recent phenomenon in the Middle East referred to as the “Arab Spring”.  Look at the fall of Saddam Hussein of Iraq (modern Babylon) who, ironically, was in the process of reconstructing those ancient ruins which was completely deserted by the 7th century, C.E.  The fate of Saddam Hussein is the fate of all leaders who abuse their position of prominence and misuse their power.  History truly repeats itself because those in power do not learn from the lessons of history.

 

As we keep emphasizing over and over in this website, read verses in context! The literary context explains a lot if you read through the chapter alone, but more so if you read it in the context of the whole book of Isaiah and in the general context of the Hebrew Bible which does not at all teach the existence of a fallen angel who can lead a rebellion against God and dominate the earth and oppress mankind. That Devil, Lucifer of Christianity appears more powerful than YHWH Himself, how can that be?

 

 The consistent message of the TNK is:  Adonai Elohim YHWH is ALONE.  To borrow a doxology from the NT book of Revelation, “to Him (YHWH) be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

 

NSB@S6K

The Adversary & Balaam

These verses were not included in the earlier article titled TNK “ha Satan” vs. NT “Devil” because the use of the adversarial role of a “Malak” or angel is different in the story of Balaam.
 
Image from safeguardingtheeternal.wordpress.com

Image from safeguardingtheeternal.wordpress.com

In the book of Numbers,  the gentile prophet Balaam is summoned by the king of Moab, Balak, so that he could curse the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness of Sinai.  The newly liberated slaves, because of their sheer numbers, met opposition from groups that felt threatened by the great mass of people who might use up their desert resources. Balak sought the help of Balaam, for a fee of course!

 
Please read Numbers 22-23 for the full story and notice the following:
  • The God of Israel communicated not only with Israel’s prophets, but with gentile prophets as well, like Balaam.  Surprise?
  • The adversary here is just another malak or angel, whose assignment from God is to impede, oppose, be contrary toward Balaam as he journeys to see Balak.
  • This adversary here or ha satan is not to be mistaken for the “devil” as characterized by Christianity.
  • By the way where does the word “devil” come from?  According to etymologists, the most common English synonym for “Satan” is “Devil” which comes from Middle English devel, and from Old English deofol, borrowed from Latin diabolus, which was borrowed from Greek diabolos. What does it mean?  “Slanderer”.
  • For a gentile prophet, Balaam perfectly describes the role Israel would play then and in the future:  Behold!  It is a nation that will dwell in solitude and not to be reckoned among the nations.  
———————————————————————————-
Translations:   [AST]  ArtScroll Tanach, The Stone Edition; [EF] Everett Fox, The Five Books of Moses
[NASB] New American Standard Bible.
[AST] Numbers 22:21,22Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his she-donkey and went with the officers of Moab. God’s wrath flared because he was going, and an angel of HASHEM stood on the road to impede him. He was riding on his she-donkey and his two young men were with him.
[EF] Bil’am arose at daybreak,
he saddled his she-ass,
and went with the nobles of Moav.  
But YHWH’s anger flared up because he was going,
so YHWH’s messenger stationed himself in the way as an adversary to him,
while he was riding on his she-ass, his two serving-lads with him.  
[NASB] So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab. But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.
———————————————————————
[AST] Number 22:31,32Then HASHEM uncovered Balaam’s eyes and he saw the angel of HASHEM standing on the road with his sword drawn in his hand. He bowed his head and prostrated himself on his face. The angel of HASHEM said to him, “For what reason did you strike your she-donkey these three times? Behold! I went out to impede, for you hastened on a road to oppose me.
[EF]  Then YHWH uncovered Bil’am’s eyes
and he saw YHWH’s messenger stationed in the way,
his sword drawn in his hand;
he bowed and prostrated himself, to his brow.  
YHWH’s messenger said to him:
For what (cause) did you strike your she-ass (on) these three occasions?  
Here I came out as an adversary,
for the way was rushed out against me.
[NASB]  Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand ; and he bowed all the way to the ground. The angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times ? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way was contrary to me.
—————————————————————
[AST] Numbers 22: 34Balaam said to the angel of HASHEM, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing opposite me on the road. And now, if it is evil in your eyes, I shall return.”
[EF]  Bilam said to YHWH’s messenger:  
I have sinned,
for I did not know that you were stationed to meet me in the way.  
But now, if it is ill in your eyes,
I will head back. 
[NASB]  – Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back.”



Wings of the Wind – SMK@S6K

[Christians would call this “testimony” — we Sinaites simply explain our journey of faith that began in Catholicism to Evangelical Christianity and on to Messianic Judaism and now we have arrived at Sinai 6000.   This was among the first articles posted in this website, dated April 6, 2012; contributed by SMK@S6K who resides in Texas USA.  We have featured her husband’s watercolor art in this website:

We wish he had painted the the image featured here.—Admin1]

 
"Wings Of The Wind" is a painting by Karen Condron which was uploaded on June 19th, 2014.

“Wings Of The Wind” is a painting by Karen Condron which was uploaded on June 19th, 2014.

Death is a painful subject that many people wish to avoid. No intention to be gruesome but really, there is no denying the fact that that is the destination that we all share. Famous movie actor Woody Allen once quipped, “I’d like to attain immortality by not dying.” If only that were possible, what a relief it would bring many. But it is not. It is one of those things we start thinking about when we face a life threatening crisis, be it a disease, an accident or even reaching the winter season of life. Certainly it will come but how prepared we are puts us in a dilemma.

 

I, for one, was not ready. Death was a monster that horrified me. I married a pilot whose risky career faced that eventuality anytime. I could not bear the thought of losing him nor any of the people I love.

 

In 1979, the untimely death of my Dad hit me with a big blow. The most influential person in my life was gone. In my grief, I could not find any solace though I pretended to be strong. Where shall I find the strength to comfort this reality? Who was there guide me? I knew God has the answers but where do I find Him? I certainly did not find Him in the religion of my birth. To fill this vacuum, I accepted the suggestion of friends from Campus Crusade to open a regular bible study in our home. I was a staunch Catholic and I launched into the bible study with a skeptical mind. But the Bible proved me wrong. The bible study became the beginning of my lifetime pursuit of intimacy with God. Like everyone else, I acknowledged that I was indeed a sinner and needed forgiveness from God. However I was baffled with the idea that Jesus took responsibility for my sins and died on my behalf. Was I not supposed to be responsible for my sinful actions? But like everyone else , I humbled myself in repentance and gratefully accepted salvation in Jesus. By faith I became born again. Learning Scriptures produced a radical change in my life and outlook.

 

Foremost, prayers to my favorite saints now focused exclusively on the Triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Oftentimes though, it confused me whom to address my prayers, since each Person of the Trinity performed specialized functions. While other denominations emphasized prayers to the Holy Spirit, my evangelical faith centered on Jesus. Being the practical person that I was, I played safe and prayed to God the Father, Whom I perceived as the Chairman of the Board of the Trinity. I never shared this perplexity with anyone, not even to my husband. It was between God and me and I prayed that someday, He will show me some answers.

 

Another thing that bothered me was the practice of calling for Christ’s imminent return to extinguish personal troubles. I found that dumb, cowardly and irresponsible. Unlike animals, God created man with the intelligence to process circumstances that will bring out a better change in our character. Feeling all alone with my questions, I proceeded on in my Christian walk, living the best as I could to give honor and glory to God. But my longing left me disquieted in spirit like” the deer pants for the living water.”

 

Then I stumbled into the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God and the accountability of man. This teaching made sense to me and I became excited in my spirit. Surely this confirmed that God did not make me into a robot. Robots do not have the ability to reason out with God. The Patriarch Abraham did and so did Moses, David, Solomon, Job and many others. God reasoned with them and they enjoyed His intimate fellowship. That God gave man the freedom to be

responsible for his choices became the underlying motivation for my faith journey. My late father was never a religious man but I saw that he was a righteous man in every way. One time, I mustered the boldness to ask him why he never joined us in church. He said that he prayed directly to God and if he needed to confess, he confessed directly to God. God is God and he does not need any mediators. Shocked at his theology, I kept this quietly in my heart. At the time of his death, I was afflicted with much grief because I perceived his convictions to be heretical.

 

 

In the 30 years of my Christian life, my husband and I have taken an active part in pioneering 3 evangelical churches and 3 Christian schools. Church ministries were our source of fulfillment but the thirst for intimacy with God lingered on. It seemed to burrow on my spirit.

 

During a conference held in Baguio City, it dawned on me that Jesus was a Jew. He was raised and educated in the Torah in the historical culture and setting of the land of Biblical Israel. How could I have missed that detail all these years? The thrust of the conference encouraged us to study the Hebrew roots of our Christian faith.

 

Back in Manila, we joined a group that met every Jewish Sabbath for Torah study. No rabbi was present to teach us but we all took the responsibility to research and learn from each other. The studies were thorough and the lively discussions exhilarated my spirit. I felt I was connecting with the Biblical God of Israel, His people and His land. I was beginning to understand the God that Jesus was pointing to in his teachings. But as our group deepened in our study, I found contradictory teachings between the Old and New Testament that shook my spiritual position.

 

First of all, If God declared Himself in theTorah that He is One and Indivisible, why then was I taught to believe in a divisible Trinitarian God?

 

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you might.

 

 [Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13:21 and Number 15:37-41]

Before Me there was no god formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even, I am YHWH, and besides Me, there is no Savior. [Isaiah 43:10]

 

Secondly, If human sacrifice is so horrible a concept to God that it did not even come into His mind according to Jeremiah 19:4-6, Ezekiel 16:20 and Psalm 106, why then did the apostle Paul teach in Romans 3:25 that Jesus sacrificed himself as “the propitiation for our sins through faith in his blood.”

 

Thirdly, if God can directly forgive our sins, what then is the value of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross?

 

You do not delight in sacrifice or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken spirit and contrite heart, O God you will not despise. Psalm [51:16-17]

He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God’s face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state. [Job 33:26]

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  [2 Chronicles 7:14]

 

Finally, if the Bible is clear and consistent that no one can die for the sins of another, that one person’s guilt cannot be forgiven because of another person’s death, why then did Jesus die for us?

 

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the father. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. [Deut.24:16]

 

These contradictions became my friends because in them, I found the truth. As I continue to walk in the joy of knowing the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, I experience so much freedom along the way. I agree with the prophet Jeremiah when he wrote in 33:2-3, I call unto Him and He answers Me and tells me great and mighty things which I do not know.

 

Surprisingly, the fear of death does not bother me anymore. I don’t know why. Perhaps it is because I am now enjoying a deep fellowship with God in His Torah, His blueprint for life. Truly, if from there you seek the Eternal your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul. [Deut. 4:29]

 

In the One Indivisible God, I found my life and I found my peace. My Dad was right after all.


WWJD? WWMD?

April 1st, April fools day to the irreligious, Palm Sunday to the Christian faithful.

There they were . . . vendors selling their woven designs made

of slender flexible shoots cut from palm or coconut branches.  It is the traditional commemoration of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem—Palm Sunday begins the week-long religious observance of Christianity’s Easter traditions.

 

Vendors hope to make a killing on this day knowing that churchgoers do buy souvenir fronds to commemorate the NT event; aside from folk belief that these might bring blessing, they’re long-lasting decorations for the home and it’s proof to neighbors that one has fulfilled a “holiday of obligation.”

 

Along the highway, we spotted a group of men dressed up in purple robes, following a man [presumably the Jesus-character] carrying a lightweight cross like an umbrella tucked under his armpits.  They were all walking so fast; the last guy was dragging a rolling luggage. We figured this was not the show, they were on their way to the location, probably running late. [It’s only Monday guys, crucifixion is scheduled on Friday.]

 

Radio commentators, aside from announcing how bus stations are trying to cope with the deluge of travelers, intersperse these updates with all the strange religious traditions unique to this country. As we natives say, “only in da Pilipins . . . “

And it doesn’t end there. . .

 

Today, some churches have made minimal-religious-compliance even more  convenient for their flock, resorting to “if Mohammed won’t go to the mountain . . .”.  

 

They’ve moved their religious services to the malls and other populated centers such as parks.  In one such mall-park in Metro Manila that is frequented by hundreds of strollers, the stations of the Cross have taken on a modern new look!  Instead of the usual religious icons, billboards with texts explain what each station represents in the Passion story.  Passersby leave river stones in front of the billboard, probably to indicate they’ve done the ritual [. . . guessing. . .]

 

How far have today’s religious observances deviated from the Biblical origins of the celebration? About as far as how the “New” Testament drifted from what it claims as its scriptural foundation, the “Old” Testament.  If the historical Jewish Jesus returned today, could he  relate to any of this? WWJD? He’d probably do an encore of what he supposedly did in John 2:13-16 Matt 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48.

 

What about the original mediator?  If Moses were given a glimpse of how gentiles have turned the liberation of God’s chosen people [commemorated by Jews in the Biblical feast of Passover/ Pesach]  into a festival named after Astarte, [a pagan fertility goddess] with easter egg hunts, while exhibitionist penitents are re-enacting the crucifixion of a deified Jewish itinerant preacher, WWMD?  Most probably, he would ask Adonai YHWH to give a refresher course on the original revelation on Sinai.

 

Well guess what?  That’s what this website is all about!

 
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Q&A: Why did God take an animal's life to provide covering for Adam and Eve?

Question:  Why did G-d take an animal’s life to provide clothing of skin for Adam and Eve?
What’s wrong with covering nakedness with leaves?

 

This gives Christians/Messianics a springboard to justify blood atonement that only Jesus could fulfill, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.”

 

Answer: Rabbi M. Younger/Aish.com

 

Shalom –

 

Thank you for your note.

Our sages teach that it was not just any animal skin. Rather, it was snake skin!

 

This teaches that even when we sin, it itself can be a springboard for a rectification and even a new path with which to grow.

 

Regarding forgiveness there are four requirements when seeking atonement:

 

* Regret. Realizing the extent of the damage and feeling sincere regret.
* Cessation. Immediately stopping the harmful action.
* Confession. Articulating the mistake and ask for forgiveness.
* Resolution. Making a firm commitment not to repeat it in the future.

 

I think that the following article should help give us some insight into the matter:

 

The idea of how the animal offerings worked is most often misunderstood. Many believe that sacrifice was the only way to achieve atonement. Actually, atonement always was
accompanied by sincere prayer, teshuva (spiritual return), and charity. Hoshea (8:13) decries people bringing offerings without making an attempt to get closer to God. For this reason, their offerings were rejected.

 

The animal offering aided the atonement process, as it drove home the point that really the person deserved to be slaughtered, but an animal was being used in his/her place. The offering also helped atonement in many spiritual mystical ways. But we should not mistake the animal offering for more than what it is. It was an aid to atonement. It did not cause atonement.

 

Logically, how can one think that the death of an animal could atone for their sins? If a person were to commit an atrocity, such as murder, stealing, adultery, or even less severe sin, could one possibly think that slaughtering a cow and a sheep will atone for the sin? Of course not! God is not a child who is appeased by gifts and animal slaughter. God, the true judge, provides atonement for those who sincerely desire to fix their ways. An offering must be accompanied with the will to get closer to God (prayer), a promise to observe the words of the Torah more carefully (teshuva), and concern for God’s creation (charity).

 

The verse says: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit” (Psalms 51:19).
This teaches us that a person who does teshuva is regarded as if he had ascended to Jerusalem, built the Temple, erected the Altar, and offered all the offerings upon it. (Midrash – Vayikra Rabba 7:2)

 

When a person transgresses a mitzvah in the Torah, he destroys some of his inner holiness. He cuts himself off from the Godliness that lies at the essence of his soul. When a person does teshuva — “spiritual return” — he renews and rebuilds the inner world that he has destroyed. On one level, he is rebuilding his personal “Temple” so that God’s presence (so to speak) will return there to dwell.

 

Today, without the Temple service, one of the most powerful ways to teshuva is through the inspiration of prayer. In fact, the Talmud (Brachot 26b) says that’s why the main “Amidah” prayer is recited at the exact same time that the daily offerings weresacrificed!

 

The text of the “Amidah” was formulated by prophets who knew how to awaken deep yearnings within the Jewish soul. Through prayer, we are to achieve a spiritual desire for a full and total connection to God.

 

The following is from the Jewish prayer book:

 

“Master of the Universe, You commanded us to bring the Daily Offering at its appointed time; and have the Kohanim perform their service, and the Levites sing and play music at the platform, and the Israelites attend at their stations. And now, because of our sins, the Holy Temple is destroyed and the Daily Offering discontinued. We have neither a Kohen at his service, nor a Levite on his platform, nor an Israelite at his station.

 

However, you have said, ‘Let the offerings of our lips replace bulls.’ Therefore, let it be Your will, our God and the God of our ancestors, that the prayer of our lips be considered and accepted and regarded favorably before You as if we had offered the Daily Offering at its appointed time, and stood in attendance at its service.”

 

Also, the Jews have had an oral tradition from the time of Moses (when the sacrifices started) that God considers the study of offerings as if the offering was actually brought. This is evident from Leviticus 7:37 in which it states, “This is the Law of the elevation-offerings…” (Talmud – Menachot 110a)

 

(Additional sources: “Noda Beyehuda” I, O.C. 35; “Chatam Sofer” Y.D. 236 & 318; “Kovetz Teshuvot Chatam Sofer” 59.)

 

With blessings from the Holyland.


Q&A: Original Sin and Psalm 51:7

Question:   If there is no such thing as “original sin”, then please explain this verse: Psalm 51:7 “Behold in iniquity was I fashioned and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

 

Answer:  Rabbi M. Younger/Aish.com

 

Shalom –

 

If one uses “original sin” to mean that all individuals are decreed to damnation unless they believe in the Christian “savior”, that is totally antithetical to Jewish belief. We believe that God presents challenges and that we have the capacity and responsibility – and hence the reward and punishment – to overcome these challenges.   But, if you ask me if there are certain innate drives/forces in a person that are counter-spiritual I will say yes. We are definitely made of a physical component and that part of us makes demands and is part of the challenge. One formulation of our challenge is that our goal is to make our souls master over our bodies.   And there are things that are matters of environment. One who is born in South Bronx will have challenges presented  that are on a “lower” level (e.g.whether or not to mug someone today) than one who is born into Jerusalem aristocracy. The Almighty accounts for that when given the final reward! When one seeks to repent he must minimally fulfill four criteria:   *

 

Regret. Realizing the extent of the damage and feeling sincere regret. * Cessation. Immediately stopping the harmful action. * Confession. Articulating the mistake and ask for forgiveness. * Resolution. Making a firm commitment not to repeat it in the future.   Part of cessation is to be able to identify root causes that induce one to sin. It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles. Realizing that we are formed in a way that is inimical to pure spirituality is a matter of knowing the enemy…..

 

For further study,   read “The Real Messiah” by Rabbi Aryeh  Kaplan

 

You may also want to check out:

 

http://messiahtruth.com/response.html http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/ http://drazin.com/ http://www.outreachjudaism.org/

 

The last, in particular, has a section “Let’s Get Biblical” and essays on original sin that you may find useful.

 

The latter is at http://www.outreachjudaism.org/articles/original-sin.html

 

I hope that this has been helpful.

 

With blessings from the Holyland.

Q&A: Why is Seth the one "in the likeness of Adam" instead of firstborn son Cain?

Ask the Rabbi

 

 

S6K:  Why is Seth the one “in the likeness of Adam” instead of Adam’s firstborn, Cain?

 

 

Clarification:  Rabbi Eliahu Levenson:  Please give me the Verse you are looking at please.

 

S6K:  Sorry, Rabbi, for not giving the exact verse about Seth.

Genesis 5 opens with the book of the generations of Adam.
In verse 1, it repeated that man was created in the likeness of G-d.
In verse 3, when Adam lived to be 130 years, it says he “fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth.”

If there were 2 previous sons born to Adam and Eve, Cain being the firstborn from the first parents should have been the son after Adam’s likeness and his image. But Scripture chooses to say it was Seth.

 

Why is this so? Some say that it is because it’s from Seth that humanity comes, but Scripture also gives a genealogy for Cain . . . so humanity comes from Cain as well. Unless the line being traced is to start over with Noah and his sons.

 

 

1.  Answer: Eliahu Levenson/JewishAnswers.org]

 [Wed, Jan 4th 2012 at 10:34 AM]

 

Shalom,

 

That is not necessarily a listing of firstborn sons.

It is a listing of the generational progression to Noah, and also a year count to the Flood.

 

Regards.

 

2. Answer: Rabbi M. Younger/Aish.com

 

Shalom –

 

Thank you for your question.

 

Rabbi S.R. Hirsch in his commentary to 5:3 points out that the phrase there, “in his form. like his image” is the opposite of 1:26. This possibly teaches us that Sheis was born in an inferior state but nonetheless endowed with the spiritual elements needed (i.e. free will) to fulfill Adam’s
task in the world.

 

Whereas, we may speculate, Cain had committed his sin and was no longer going to be in that chain of legacy to perform Adam’s original mission. Only the descendents through Sheis were to be the ones to carry on Adam’s mission….

 

Seforno notes on the words that Sheis was a greater tzaddik than his either of his older brothers (and hence the one to be Adam’s successor). The Ramban says that the phrase just teaches us his great degree of strength and beauty.

 

I hope that this has been a bit helpful.

 

With blessings from Jerusalem.

 

3.  Answer:  Rabbi Menachem Posner/Chabad.org

 

About Seth, there are a number of views regarding why the Torah specifically mentions that he was born in Adam’s image. The Targum writes that, as Abel did not survive, there was no point in recounting that he carried on the image of Adam, and Cain was indeed not in the image of Adam. Following this vein, Nachmanides points out that this verse comes almost immediately after we read that Adam was created in the image of G-d. As Seth was the one who became the ancestor of Noah and all subsequent people, telling us that he was in the image of Adam and Adam was in the image of G-d tells us that we too are in the image of G-d.

 

Please let me know if this helps.

 

Yours truly.

 

 

S6K Commentary:

 

Three different answers from three rabbis.  Are we satisfied? Not quite.  It appears that to rabbis, this is not an issue.  It is to us who are familiar with Christian teaching on original sin being passed on from the first parents to everyone born thereafter.

 

To us, it is strange that scripture would make a specific remark about the ‘image’ of the fallen first father (Christianity calls him “Adam”) passing on NOT to his firstborn son Cain, nor to second-born Abel, but to Seth who is presumably third in line (though we’re not sure).

 

If there was indeed such an evil taintedness as “original sin” on all humanity after the first man and woman disobeyed and failed the test in Eden, then it makes sense that ‘Adam’s’ fallen image would have been inherited by Cain and Abel.  Well, Cain did become a murderer of his brother; but Abel was  described as anything but fallen or evil-inclined, in fact his offering was acceptable to the Creator.

 

If this is not an issue with the rabbis (Judaism does not believe in nor teach inherited ‘original sin’), it should be an issue with Christianity.  And that is why we asked this question in the first place.

 

The rabbis teach that each person has an ‘evil inclination’ . . . only an inclination, get it?  Not an evil nature, as in fallen, damned, unable to choose nor do any good.  Everyone ever born on this earth is free to follow either his good inclination or his evil inclination.  The evil inclination is there only because man is endowed with free will and freedom of choice.  This requires that man has a minimum of two options:  to do good, or not good.  What does ‘good’ mean in scripture?

 

The Creator was pleased with His creation and declared it “good” and “very good” — meaning, everything created fulfills the purpose for which it was created.  Everything, except the creature that was made in the Creator’s image who has the ability and capability to choose not to fulfill his/her purpose, and that is humanity.

 

For now, we will leave the discussion at that and pick up this topic in later articles. Please read this post for further clarification:

 

NSB@S6K

Biblical Diet 4c: Peter's Vision in Acts 10:9-23

 Coupled with Mark 7:19 and Matthew 15 plus sweeping declarations in the Pauline epistles that New Testament believers in Jesus are under “grace” and not the “law”, this “prooftext” supposedly beefs up the argument that the Biblical diet prescribed in Leviticus 11 was done away with.

 

Checking the literary context of these verses, Chapter 10 opens with introducing a Roman centurion named Cornelius who lived in Caesarea. He’s described as a “devout man, a God-fearer, charitable to the Jewish people, who prayed constantly. He sees a vision of an angel who tells him God is pleased with him, and instructs him to dispatch some men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon [Peter] who is staying with a tanner whose name is also Simon.  Whatever the reason for doing this is not specified, but who’s going to question an angel?  So Cornelius obeys, sends a delegation and as they approach the house of Simon the tanner, Peter goes up to the roof top to pray because it is the 6th hour:
 
 

vs 10-16  

 

And he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.  And a voice came to him, “Arise, Peter, kill and eat!” But Peter said “By no means Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.  And again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.  And this happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.   

 

Image from eborg3.com

Image from eborg3.com

If you were Peter, what would you think?  If the vision was isolated from the general context of Chapter 10, it would be easy to conclude, just as Peter did, that he was being commanded to eat creatures forbidden by Torah law. But consider Peter’s response, because it is crucial!

 

The God who appeared to Moses on Sinai educated His chosen people, the Israelites, about a lifestyle that would set them apart from the nations on different levels, not the least of which is a holistic health regimen to make them long-lived with a quality of life. God’s chosen people must not only be role models for the nations on all counts, they must survive for them to fulfil their God-given destiny!  

 

As in ALL of Torah law, the blessing is in the observance, even in dietary, sanitary, hygienic instructions. Medical science has taken many millennia to get to what the Israelites were given their menu on a silver platter by the Divine Diet-Planner back in the days of antiquity.  

 

It is doubtful that Peter, a Jew, or any other Jew who has been kosher-observant could actually develop an appetite for the meat of unclean animals.  For that matter, people today (like yours truly) whose palates have long been retrained (whether for medical or biblical reasons) to become vegan or resort to the Biblical diet would have difficulty in suddenly ingesting unpalatable stuff they consider UNfit for human consumption. Peter would not have been any different. So what was this vision all about?  

 

vs 17-19

 

Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who is also called Peter, was staying there.  And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.  But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.”

 
So while Peter is mulling over whether or not he’s going to change his kosher diet, the centurion’s delegation knock on the door. There you have it, Peter’s vision is connected with the vision of Cornelius. The Jewish Peter then meets with gentile Cornelius. The social context to be considered here is Jews and gentiles don’t normally mix and in this case, Jewish citizens in Judea under Roman occupation probably stayed clear of Roman centurions. But supposedly, God arranged this encounter to emphasize something that was going to change in the Jew-gentile relationship.

 

New Testament scriptures give many examples of Jewish attitude toward gentiles and vice-versa.  Jesus words to the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15:21-28/Mark 7:24-30 are surprising for an itinerant preacher teaching love for God and fellowmen:  It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.  To this woman’s credit, her humble response elicits praise from Jesus for her great faith: Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

 

So, what are we getting at?

 

Christian teachers consider Peter’s vision as a sign that there are no more food restrictions for those under the ‘New Covenant’.  To their credit, messianic teachers emphasize  that the context is key to understanding what the 2 visions are all about; that God is now extending the “gospel of Jesus Christ” to the gentiles even if Jesus himself kept repeating during his ministry on earth, that “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

 

So much more can be said in this article but we are not in a classroom situation; suffice it to say that this vision is NOT about opening up the floodgates for unclean animals to make it to our dinner plate.  Sure, with man’s freedom of choice, he can eat anything he wants but—be ready to suffer the consequences.  Health statistics will bear out the blessings and the curses of the strict observance or violation of the “Maker’s Diet”, to borrow Dr. Jordan Rubin’s perfect title for his mouth-watering health alert.

 

 

NSB@S6K

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