faith

¿Un Nombre Pagano para El Eterno Dios de Israel?

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YHWH o Adonai?

Por Ariella Casey

Muchos judíos rezan al ETERNO en los servicios religiosos dirigiéndose a Él como Adonai. Este es el reemplazo hebreo del Santo NOMBRE en el Tetragrámaton YHVH. ¿De dónde viene esta práctica y tiene algo que ver con el nombre Adonis que fue utilizado por los fenicios, griegos, romanos, etc.? Si es así, ¿cómo llegó a ser un título respetuoso para el Di-s hebreo? Quiero aclarar que hay una advertencia y es cuando la palabra para “mi maestro” אדוני se usa realmente en el texto hebreo, pero a menudo también se refiere a gobernantes y profetas y es un título de posición más que un nombre. Lo mismo se aplica a la palabra SEÑOR, que los cristianos utilizan abundantemente para referirse a Jesús. Lo escriben como “SEÑOR” en su “Antiguo Testamento” dondequiera que el hebreo use el Tetragrámaton, y “Señor” en su Nuevo Testamento para referirse a Jesús.

“Etimología. Del hebreo אֲדֹנָי‎ (ādônay, “Mi Señor”); usado en lugar del Tetragrámaton YHWH como nombre del Dios de los hebreos durante la recitación de la oración.”(https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ Adonai -,Etimología,los hebreos durante la recitación de la oración.)
Entonces, según Wikcionario, Adonai es un reemplazo de YHVH. ¿Por qué elegiríamos reemplazar el Santo nombre con algo que suena parecido a la forma en que los antiguos paganos se dirigían a sus deidades? ¿Qué dice la Torá sobre el uso de los nombres de otros dioses como sustitutos?
Éxodo 23:13:
“Estad atentos a todo lo que os he dicho. No menciones los nombres de otros dioses; no se oirán en vuestros labios”.

Adonis proviene de la antigua mitología fenicia, griega y romana y se adaptó a la religión judía y otras religiones. Es una forma de decir “Maestro” o “Señor”.

“En la Biblia, al Dios israelita, Yahvé, a veces se le llama Adón, aunque el término se usa como un título, no como el nombre personal de Yahvé. Con el tiempo, la denominación “Adonai” (mi Señor) se convirtió en un nombre de sustitución para pronunciar en oración el nombre indecible Yahweh, que en el período rabínico temprano (siglos I y II d.C.) se había vuelto demasiado sagrado para pronunciarlo. Hasta el día de hoy, cuando los judíos encuentran las consonantes de “Yahweh” (YHWH) en la oración, la pronuncian “Adonai”. Quizás se sorprendan al saber que esta palabra de sustitución está relacionada con el fenicio “Adon” y el grecochipriota “Adonis”. .’” https://phoenicia.org/adonis.html

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Momentos místicos en el tiempo y el espacio

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Por Ariella Casey

Alguien preguntó durante una discusión de la parashá Bmidbar: “¿Por qué YHWH decidió dar los mandamientos en el Sinaí y no en la tierra de Israel?”

Tengo un par de pensamientos sobre esto.

YHWH eligió el Sinaí porque Israel tuvo que abandonar el Egipto idólatra antes de poder tener una atmósfera donde pudieran escuchar la Voz de Dios.

Israel necesitaba recibir los mandamientos antes de entrar a la tierra y aprender a obedecerlos. Si hubieran entrado a la tierra en su estado idólatra, no habrían seguido las instrucciones de exterminar a los habitantes de la tierra; no habrían tenido discernimiento para entender qué era tan malo en sus prácticas y podrían haber elegido unirse a ellos.

Israel necesitaba ser una Nación Santa, necesitaba aprender a caminar con Dios en el desierto antes de poder caminar con Dios en la Tierra. Desafortunadamente, hoy en día no hay desierto en la transición desde la diáspora. Y sí, ha habido muchas tonterías aprendidas por parte de las naciones, tonterías que vienen con el equipaje de la Aliá a Israel.

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Mystical Moments in Time and Space

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When and where was Sinai?

By Ariella Casey

Someone asked during a Parsha Bmidbar discussion: “Why did Hashem choose to give the commandments on Sinai and not in the land of Israel?”

I have a couple of thoughts on this.

YHWH chose Sinai because Israel had to leave idolatrous Egypt before they could have an atmosphere where they could hear the Voice of God. 

Israel needed to receive the commandments before they entered the land and learned to obey. If they had entered the land in their idolatrous state they would not have followed the instruction to wipe out the inhabitants of the land–they would not have had discernment to understand what was so bad about their practices and might have chosen to join them.

Israel needed to be a Holy Nation, they needed to learn to walk with God in the wilderness before they could walk with God in the Land. Unfortunately, there is no desert in the transition from the Diaspora today. And yes, there has been a lot of learned nonsense from the nations–nonsense that comes with the baggage of Aliya to Israel.

The desert of Sinai, a place completely desolate, was a place for learning. No distractions or false teachings. Only the voice of the Eternal could be heard. 

The wilderness represents the idea that these commandments are not location bound. They are for the entire world and, no, I don’t embrace Noahide laws.

Sinai, where the Eternal Covenant was made, was a place beyond time and space. Thus the Eternal Covenant is a Mystical Covenant. The 10 commandments are not limited to several thousand years for a certain people in a certain land. They are Eternal. 

The Covenant people had to be separate from those who were not willing to embrace the covenant. This took 40 years. The Covenant was not to be trusted to those who would not follow it–notwithstanding their Jewish (Hebrew) blood. The same thing goes for today. The idea of being a descendant of the Chosen People has nothing to do with obligational entitlement to blessings. It is mandatory that we spend time at Sinai and “become” the Chosen People. 

Lev 20:26 – “And ye shall be holy unto me; for I YHWH am holy, and have separated you from the peoples to be mine.”

So the Covenant of YHWH is given in a Place outside any nation and in a time that is not time-bound. No one knows the date of the giving of the commandments, other than an approximation.  

The Shavuot holiday also is a little bit mysterious. Each year in Israel we count the Omer rather than basing the Holy Day of Shavuot upon a set calendar. The Holy Days of Pesach and then Shavuot are determined each year after the Barley is seen and the New Moon of the first month opens the door to Pesach. From the day after the Sabbath of Pesach, we count day by day to determine Shavuot. It is a personal counting. And Shavuot occurs only around the time the 10 commandments were given, which are even more mysterious as to time relativity. Shavuot requires us to follow the real signs of the Heavens plus Torah specified math calculation to determine when it falls. There can be no preset calendar. The counting is an individual application, that without it, you would miss some of the mitzvoth of Shavuot. 

Then the day of commandments, which was never specified, happens a few days or weeks later. And that is why! Because it is for all time.

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Shavuot is not a Shabbat

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Shavuot and Holy Day Observance

Let’s talk about the rules, Rabbinic or not, of keeping Yom Tov’s and their relation to the observance of Shabbat. My Rabbinic Jewish friends will not turn on a light on Shabbat nor on Yom Tov. And in case you were wondering, a Yom Tov means “a good day” and is the name used for the Holy Days that are required by the Torah as festivals to YHWH. 

Picture from the Jewish Federation of New Jersey

There are indeed a lot of rules about keeping these days!

Observant Jews must refrain from driving on any Shabbat or Yom Tov. They do not light an original fire. That is, on Yom Tovs, they can transfer a fire but not light a new one. There is nothing in the Torah that prohibits the use of fire on a Festival (Yom Tov) other than Shabbat or Yom Kippur. 

Cooking or baking may be done on a Yom Tov, but only for those who eat of the meal. (That by the way is biblical). Basically the rules for Yom Tovs are almost the same as for Sabbaths, but they stress that the day must be celebrated even more than the Shabbat. Employment at a job or making any money is forbidden. The handling of money also is forbidden (No law was specified in the Torah here). Suppose my family wanted to go to a good restaurant. We would be forbidden to pay for the meal, or at least pay in advance of the day. I see nothing in the Torah that forbids driving a vehicle or eating at a restaurant on a Yom Tov. Writing is also forbidden because  it involves creating something from nothing, supposedly. You can’t turn the TV on but you can read novels. Really? Also, since the requirement to not carry a burden on the Sabbath includes not even carrying a handkerchief if it is not part of your attire, then also this rule applies to Yom Tovs! (To verify some of these rules I have stated, check out what Chabad says here. 

How can we simplify all of this? First start by comparing what the Torah really says!

Rulings in the Diaspora (anywhere outside of Israel) include keeping two days for Holy Days such as Rosh Hashanah, and actually 4 Holy days for Pesach (two at the beginning and two at the end), Shemini Atzeret and Sukkot also have 2 days when only one is specified. However, and here it gets sticky: some of these Holy Days are not to be kept outside the land of Israel. Research for yourself. I find that both Shavuot and Sukkot are harvest Holy Days and are only meant for Israel. Any time the Torah says, “and when you come into the land” referring to a Holy Day, then realize that that Holy Day is for Israel only. But not many follow this. Sometimes observant Jews get tired of keeping so many days as well as saying so many specified prayers, for which each Holy day has it’s own prayer book. Certainly, YHWH gets tired of it too!

Let us take a look at Shavuot. Here are the Torah verses:

Lev. 23:10-22 Read here. Note from verse 10: “… When ye come in unto the land which I am giving to you, and have reaped its harvest, and have brought in the sheaf, the beginning of your harvest unto the priest,”

So you see Shavuot is not to be celebrated in its entirety outside the land, and actually, until there are sacrifices and a temple, even in the land, it is very limited.

Exo 34:22 YLT – “`And a feast of weeks thou dost observe for thyself; first-fruits of wheat-harvest; and the feast of in-gathering, at the revolution of the year.”

Deu 16:10 YLT – “and thou hast made the feast of weeks to Jehovah thy God, a tribute of a free-will offering of thy hand, which thou dost give, as Jehovah thy God doth bless thee.”

Deu 16:16 YLT – “‘Three times in a year doth every one of thy males appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which He doth choose — in the feast of unleavened things, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of booths; and they do not appear before Jehovah empty;”

To discover what is to be done on Shavuot or any other Holy Day, please read all of Leviticus 23. You may discover some interesting things that will change your outlook. 

Basically we must admit that eating cheesecake is not a commandment for Shavuot. Of course, it is not forbidden, but the tradition comes close to requiring it. Why? Most branches of Judaism other than Karaites specify that the 10 commandments were given on Shavuot, which I take issue with. Nowhere does it say that. In fact Shavuot is not connected to the month system, rather to the weekly counting from the Sabbath of Pesach which is also something the Orthodox have changed. Since to them, any Holy Day is a Shabbat, they then count from the day after the first Holy Day of Pesach, which explains why those in Israel they are keeping from the 11th at Sundown through the 12th of June this year and Karaites, who count correctly from the weekly Shabbat that falls during Pesach, seven weeks of days ending on a Sunday (Yom Rishon) the first day after 7 full weeks. That means we will celebrate on the 16th, but beginning at Sundown on the 15th. Very difficult to live with two Holy Day systems, especially when the calendar in Israel is fixed to accommodate the Rabbinic days rather than the Torah days. So the stores will all be closed Monday night through Tuesday but open on the real Holy Day of Shavuot.  

Happy researching, my friends! What is really required and when?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ariella

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

According to the the Zionist Christian statement in Wikipedia::

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ariella

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

Follow Take Hold the Tzitzit on WordPress.com