judaism

The Evil Inclination–How to catch a Snake before it Bites

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The Power of Choice

Among religions that embrace the Bible as God’s word, there are two approaches that attempt to explain the nature of man. Christians for the most part embrace Original Sin and this belief is backed by the current understanding which comes from the writings of the New Testament. Jews however do not embrace this theory, as the belief put forth in the Old Testament or Tanakh does not support it. We call what came upon humanity after eating of the tree in the Garden, the Evil Inclination. In this paper, I want to open discussion of these two beliefs and their effects on humanity.

So first off, what is Original Sin, and when was this doctrine formalized in Christianity?

The following quotes cite what is generally believed to be timing for the development and the definition of Original Sin:

“While the Genesis story lays the foundation for the concept of the Fall, St. Augustine was the first to use the term “original sin” and articulate its transmission through human reproduction. The Roman Catholic Church later formalized the doctrine at the Council of Trent, while figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin contributed to its development and spread, especially during the Protestant Reformation.” (See Reference here).

“The doctrine of original sin was developed by Saint Augustine in the 4th and 5th centuries and gained official acceptance in the Western Church at the Council of Carthage in 418 CE, leading to its incorporation into Roman Catholic doctrine. The doctrine was then formalized further by the Councils of Trent in the 16th century.” (Web Reference here).

“Original sin is an Augustine Christian doctrine that says that everyone is born sinful. This means that they are born with a built-in urge to do bad things and to disobey God. It is an important doctrine within the Roman Catholic Church. The concept of Original Sin was explained in depth by St Augustine and formalized as part of Roman Catholic doctrine by the Councils of Trent in the 16th Century. Original sin is not just this inherited spiritual disease or defect in human nature; it’s also the ‘condemnation’ that goes with that fault.” (Reference)

But is this an acceptable approach in the process of salvation?

I would guess that the majority of Christians accept the doctrine of Original Sin as undeniable truth.  I am uncomfortable with it.
The belief that Adam and Eve, by choosing to eat of the forbidden tree, now had no alternative but to receive a fallen nature– inherently sinful for their descendants from birth. It continues that all of humanity has carried this curse from that moment in the garden until this day. This obviously demands interference from Heaven in providing a substitute who cleans up the record of whomever will accept it. However, if we think through this theory and what it actually reveals, we will see things that do not fit the picture.

Sins that pass down:

There is the verse given in Exodus 20 in the command to abstain from idol worship which claims that the sins of the fathers pass down.

Exo 20: “5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I YHVH, thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;” Note that these are passed down from those who hate God.

So how do we fit that into our views? We know that an alcoholic or drug addict often passes down tendencies toward addictions to his or her children. We see it all the time. And a mother or father who justifies lying in their own life will see the same trend in the lives of their children. Is this a genetic weakness? Or is it learned behavior? If it is not genetic, then why do children who are adopted out as infants to different home often have the same traits? It is almost like hereditary weaknesses to disease. But regardless of our parents weaknesses and actual sins, we are challenged to overcome these things, no matter how difficult.

There is the question of why the Eternal would even place that tree in the garden and allow Eve to be seduced and lied to in her status of innocence. This creates a picture of a cruel and unjust God who purposely created mankind to fail. It also leads to a need for another substitute god who understands mankind by taking on human flesh and is able to present them to this angry God and justify them by his own blood.  But I cannot accept this theory because of what it does to distort the character of the God of the Universe!

If my last two articles are correct (See Here and Here), when the Creator said, Let US make man in Our image, after Our likeness, He was speaking to the man who would play a part by his own choice of which nature would dominate him. It also indicates that mankind, though created by the hand of God, was still made from the dust of the earth, which meant that he was created to be human and not in the image of the angels. His choices would decide if he would reflect the divine image, or if he would merely be as the beasts that perish. 

Those who strive for the divine image struggle with difficulties placed upon their nature by the choices their first parents made at the forbidden tree. Is this struggle all bad? It surely would have been easier for humans to live here on earth in luxury, not having to work, having everything they want bestowed upon them without a struggle on their part, but was that the divine plan?

So what actually happened at the tree? Is it possible that rather than God being harsh and exacting, He was planning through the cooperation of mankind after the fall to become the strongest race of beings that were ever created? Was the Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination) really a condemnation of doom to the human race, or was it actually a test and process for the creation of man in the image of God? A program for the creation of people who would be trusted to rule the world and maybe even part of the universe?

A case was made by the serpent to doubt God’s word and His very character. Eve chose to offer the same temptation to Adam, who might have resisted but for her insistence, joined her in disobedience. At this point they opted for the right to choose for themselves against the instructions of the Creator. Was it right to choose for themselves at this point in their time on earth? I can’t answer that. The choice they made was clearly based on doubt towards their Creator and desire for something new and exciting. Isn’t this what is behind nearly every bad choice that humans make?  If we think of the sins that usually tempt us, most of them are irrational based on good judgment. Sins of lust, exploitation, self gratification, murder, thievery, abuse of drugs and every other temptation.

Judaism claims that the Yetzer Hara came into being when the couple chose to eat of the fruit. But how is the Evil Inclination different from Original Sin? 

So what is the difference in the two views?

Original sin is a burden mankind cannot deal with unless he has a substitute. He is born with a sinful nature and cannot be righteous by his own choices nor by suppression of his evil nature, nor of locking oneself in monasteries where self chastisement is practiced. 
The Evil Inclination, is an inherited tendency to obey one’s passions and lusts, that is, like Original Sin passed down from generation to generation, but contrary to the view of the helpless condition of mankind under Original Sin, the evil inclination can be suppressed by obedience to the Torah and humbly seeking help from the Almighty. So the Yetzer Hara can actually be a testing agent to prepare us for greater things. We think of kings who sent their young sons to learn sword fighting in past ages. They had to become strong and clever to be able to fight the wars that they must win when they became king themselves.

From Sefaria (a Jewish Reference website), the Way of God by the RaMCHal:
“Man is the creature created for the purpose of being drawn close to God. He is placed between perfection and deficiency, with the power to earn perfection. Man must earn this perfection, however, through his own free will…Man’s inclinations are therefore balanced between good [Yetzer Hatov] and evil [Yetzer Hara], and he is not compelled toward either of them. He has the power of choice and is able to choose either side knowingly and willingly...” Reference

There is a proof text for the idea that sin can be overcome before the evil inclination is acted upon in Genesis, where God interrupted Cain before he slew his brother:

Gen 4:”5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the YHVH said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

So before Cain acted on his anger, he was told that he could and must rule over it. This does not sound like Original Sin, of which it is claimed that humanly we can do nothing about it and that is the reason for the need of a substitute to overcome for us.

Very early on in the history of the world, God Himself tells Cain that he can “do what is right”: and if he does, he will “be accepted”. Note that he is not condemned for his anger. This is that evil inclination that he received from his parents genetically. But Elohim continued:”you must rule over it.” Can we as humans rule over our passions? Christianity says we cannot without a substitute. The Bible says we can do it with God’s help and our own determination. This is how righteous men and women of old were formed–man rising above the dust of the earth to reflect in himself the divine image!

Before the flood, there were two distinct classes of people. The righteous Sons of God who exercised control over their passions and submitted to God’s leading, and the wicked rabble –those who chose to follow their passions. The world came to an end at that time for all but eight people. 

Are there other examples?  Does God offer strength to overcome?

So how do we explain Psalms 51:5?

“5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.” 

This verse is used to support the doctrine of Original Sin, yet, the Evil Inclination, (the desire to do evil) is also passed down from generation to generation. So what is David saying? That the temptation was overwhelming and he blew it. That it was natural for him to be tempted and though he does not excuse it, he reminds the Creator of this as if reminding Him of his human weakness, but David goes on to express his gratitude for God’s mercy. In a way, he blames his parentage for passing this temptation down to him. But in the words that follow, he takes the entire blame. 

Psa 51:”3 For I know my transgressions; And my sin is ever before me.  … 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  9 Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities.  10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.  11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy Holy Spirit from me.  12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with a willing spirit. “14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you do not delight in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering. “

It is interesting that while David pleads with God to forgive him and to restore to him a clean heart, he shows it has nothing to do with a blood sacrifice. This shows the trusting human response to God when after we have sinned. And the truly righteous God we serve who needs no middle man to stand for us as an advocate. Our Creator Himself is our Savior and the only one who can forgive sin. 

Mic 7: “18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. 19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

Nineveh: In the story of Jonah, the people of Nineveh put on sackcloth and repented from their sins after Jonah told them of the forthcoming destruction of their city. Then God repented of the wrath that he had towards them and forgave them, though it angered Jonah:

Jon 3: “6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.”

Jon 4:”1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 2 And he prayed unto YHVH, and said, I pray thee, O YHVH, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.”

Are babies born sinners?

This belief, one of the most damning of them all, places sin in the genetics which cannot be overcome. It takes sin out of the realm of acting and places it in our flesh. In the case of Cain, above, when Elohim spoke to him, he was already angry and ready to kill his brother. But that thought and attitude was not sin, he was reminded to overcome the tendency to do evil. When we blame ourselves or others for what we or they think, then we are missing the entire picture. Sin is what happens after the temptation. 

How to stop smoking! Just do it? 

One desires to stop smoking (I am not referring to smoking here as sin). 

The urge is extreme. “Just let me have that next cigarette.” But you resist it this time. The urge gets stronger, You stop for two weeks, then someone lights up and offers you a rolled cigarette. This time you light up and enjoy it, but then you feel ashamed, but you don’t give up. You try again. Two months later the same thing happens, and you hate yourself for your weakness, but you determine to try again. Two years later the urge is a little less though still desirable, and you have learned to stay away from people at work who are taking a smoke break. Avoidance.

Ten years later, the smell of tobacco still affects you, but you have learned to resist and to avoid it. And now you are no longer a smoker. So good for you! Some people never muster up the courage to quit, and some don’t want to quit. But this is about choices and change. You can do anything, almost, that you set your mind to do!

What about words? What about an angry temper and cussing? If words unjustly hurt people, are they classified as sin? If cussing makes us look weak and evil, with no self-control, then maybe start a cuss jar. Put money into it each time. When it adds up, give it to charity. Turn something bad into something good, and if it hurts enough, maybe you will see a change. 

So, I believe that the evil inclination–the temptation to do things that are wrong, is not sin. It is what you do with it. And as to Original Sin, no baby is destined to hellfire without sprinkling. We die for our sins, not for our tendencies! 

May your path to the Divine Image be successful,

Please subscribe to my blog. like and comment when you have an opinion. It really helps.

Ariella Golani

Elohim–God, or Gods? Part 1

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And what about Human Mediation?

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In Exodus 32 we find the children of Israel pleading with Aaron to make them “gods” to go before them. They had been waiting for Moses to come down from the Mountain of God (Sinai) for several weeks and had grown tired of waiting. Their faith in what they had experienced seeing the lightning and hearing the thunderous voice of God was now weak, and apparently they were accustomed to having a visible, tangible god that they could experience in human terms. We see the same humanistic need for a touchable, feel-able God today in many religions. The idea of a God that is beyond comprehension is outside the scope of people’s understanding, it always has been. I want to get back to this idea, but first let us examine something that most versions of the Bible have wrong to my understanding. 

In verse 4, in the passage where Aaron has made the requested golden calf, we see words that the majority of Bible translations claim to say: “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

But it was not two or more calves. It was a single golden calf, so why is it referred to in the plural? Maybe a good look at the Hebrew will help us:

וַיִּקַּ֣ח מִיָּדָ֗ם וַיָּ֤צַר אֹתוֹ֙ בַּחֶ֔רֶט וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ עֵ֣גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

For those who do not read Hebrew, the highlighted words אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ can be translated as singular or plural. The first word “ele” is a participle that defines the word that follows, and can mean either “these” or “this” in English. The world “Elohim” is plural and is rendered “Elohecha” in this case, which is still plural but shows possession by adding the “cha” on the end. But why would something that is clearly singular in nature (a golden calf) be called “gods” rather than “god”? This stems from the use of the word “Elohim” and a common misunderstanding of what it means. When used for the God of the Universe, it is often understood in Christianity to refer to the “Triune Godhead.” But in the case of the Golden Calf, it is clearly one object. So does this lead to the idea that the calf was really more than one calf? Or does it help us to understand that the Eternal YHVH who is also called Elohim is not several entities, but One Entity with many aspects? I won’t go into defining God here, He is beyond comprehension to our human minds. But we do know that He is everywhere, He is all knowing, No secrets can be hidden from Him. He hears, sees, speaks, loves, judges….just to specify a few aspects. 

It is true that in the Bible there are times when Elohim is used to indicate human judges, leaders, or false gods. But in the case of the golden calf, it is clearly used in the singular as well as in the case of the Creator and His dealings. By the way, in Genesis 1:1 Christians claim that Elohim was all three persons creating mankind. But if you understand Hebrew and do not go to the English for understanding, you will see the following:

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

“In the beginning, Elohim (God) created the heavens and the earth.” 

(The words “in the beginning, are also misunderstood, but that is for another time since we need to focus on the highlighted words)

In Hebrew, biblical or modern, the words that accompany the noun, in this case “Elohim” must show whether it is expressed as singular or plural and feminine or masculine. In this instance, the word that precedes Elohim is bara בָּרָ֣א: “He created” or brought forth (masculine singular). 

To say that Jesus was in the beginning with God creating the universe, as is declared in John 1;1-3, does not fly when you look deeply into what is really said in the original Hebrew text of Genesis. 

If we look at other verses where Elohim is used in the plural, maybe we will see that the verbs, adjectives, participles, etc. verify the plurality of these verses. Here is one example: 

Psa 97:7 “Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.” In Hebrew:

 יֵבֹשׁוּ כָּל־עֹבְדֵי פֶסֶל הַמִּתְהַלְלִים בָּאֱלִילִים הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לוֹ כָּל־אֱלֹהִים׃

The highlighted words say “worship him all ye elohim” referring to the false gods mentioned in the verse.  Note the obvious plural in the English rendition. (Above) And to help simplify the words הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לוֹ  where (Hishtavu), the masculine plural is used in qualifying the word “elohim” which is used for the idols or false gods.

There are several more examples in the Bible where Elohim is used for angels, leaders, judges, wicked or righteous leaders, etc. 

I promised in the first paragraph that we would touch on the unfathomable nature of the Divine. Really there are no words other than what the Bible itself says. When Moses asked Yehovah to reveal Himself, Elohim told him a few things about himself:

Exo 34:6-7: ” And YHVH passed by before him, and proclaimed, YHVH, YHVH, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, 7 keeping loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.”

Basically that is all that was given for a definition as far a character goes. Perhaps that is enough for humanity other than knowing all the other things that describe the activity of the Almighty as revealed in Scripture. Can it be enough? It has to be!

Let us not raise another golden calf and claim that these be our god’s that have led us or saved us from the wrath of the Eternal! Or that these are the ones who deserve to lead us because they are like us, and we can understand them, and God forbid we claim that God needed a human to help him understand what people need! No! There is no one standing beside the Eternal in Heaven telling Him what humanity needs, nor is there (like some in Judaism claim) a famous Rabbi who has an office next to God in Heaven–someone who answers emails when we need instruction! 

May I ask what science people study that denies the Bibles clear instructions to not communicate with the dead? The belief in communication with the supernatural and out-of-body experiences comes from ancient pagan cults and is with us today in many religions including, sadly, some sects of Judaism. 

Kabbalah goes against much of what the Bible says, it includes spiritualistic practices including communication with the dead. See the following statement from Kabbalahexperience.com: 

“It has long been decided in Jewish law that talking with the dead (by oneself or through a medium) is only prohibited if you think that the dead body is in itself the conduit to the discussion. If one is communicating with the soul of the deceased, it is permissible.” But what does the Bible say?

Deu 18:10 “There shall not be found among you, he that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, that uses divination, that uses auguries, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, 11 or a charmer, or one that inquires of a spirit of Python, or a soothsayer, or one that consults the dead. 12 For every one that does these things is an abomination to Yehovah, and because of these abominations Yehovah thy God doth dispossess them (the nations) from before thee.”

If, as I am asserting, our Creator is all knowing and all compassionate, forgiving and just and does not allow evil into his Kingdom, then why do we need human mediation? After all, He is the one with the manufacturer’s warranty on the universe!

For an unshakable faith,

Ariella

250 Brass Fire Pans

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A Memorial for All Time?
By Ariella Golani

Take a deep breath and hang on to your seats while we dive into last week’s Parsha (Numbers 16 – 18.)

Parsha Korah is about defiance of law and order–Divinely appointed law and order and the historic results. This event, compared to today’s violent protests, seems to bring to the forefront the seed of human dissatisfaction with leadership and for the first time in Biblical history, the description of public efforts to take down a monarchy, a rulership or God forbid, an entire government. But, perhaps modern movements are not necessarily evil, nor, on the other hand, led by holy purposes. And since world governments at this time do not fall under the classification of Divine Order nor Divine Appointment, per se, then they cannot be judged by the same laws that were set up for the People of YHVH at Sinai. Nothing today resembles the Nation of Israel when it was set up through Moses.

The United States was founded on the constitutional principle of “a government by the people and for the people.” Noble and praiseworthy, as it was founded to be, it was never and still is not what was established at Sinai. The Sinai government, although idealistically perfect, also falls short of its ideal when men are no longer connected to the Source of Holiness. And we see the results today. But at the time of Moses and Aaron, things were of a different order.

What happened in Numbers 16 and 17 and why? How was it wrong then for the common people to rise up and take over that government?

It was clear from the start of the Exodus from Egypt that Moses and Aaron were in charge by Divine appointment. As always happens even in modern times, when people become disgruntled about being governed, they rise up, protest, create anarchy, and sometimes succeed in an overthrow.

Klal Israel, while in Egypt, had been under oppressive tyrannical rule, made into slaves, yes-men, if you will, and not given the opportunity to think for themselves. When they were given freedom, they swung to the opposite extreme. Now they became rebellious, complaining was the agenda for anything that went wrong, and blame was placed on anyone who came between them and their comfort zone. And because Moses was the specified leader, he was caught trying to bring order out of chaos, As we well know, this bit of complaining about leadership is a typical human problem. Will humanity ever get it that righteous leadership is not the same as oppressive tyrannical governments?

So they were hungry, or at least didn’t see where they would find food in the near future while camped in the desert! The water was about gone and based on what they could see, they would surely die of thirst! This showed they were not ready to trust God, nor His leadership. A people of slaves, when set free, becomes a narcissistic group of complainers. Do it my way or else! Haven’t we seen this elsewhere in the world? Slaves, who are set free, now demand that their governments do everything for them?

So, in Parsha Korah, we see a disgruntled Levite of the lineage of Kohath, son of Levi, organize a group to defy the authority of Moses and Aaron and perhaps bring about a coup d’etat. He and two Rubenites: Dathan and Abiram, plus 250 leaders of the community join him to question the authority of Moses and Aaron, asserting that since the entire nation is holy, basically then, anyone may serve in the office of priesthood in the Tabernacle. Thus, a seething rebellion against Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s son, Eliezer was fomenting and must be dealt with. 

Moses asked Korah directly if he was seeking the priesthood, since his duties, though set apart as a Levite, were to serve the Tabernacle and minister to the people in a different role. He felt cheated because he was not allowed the highest and holiest order. His narcissistic views led to open rebellion and many lost their lives because of it.

The story goes that the 250 were told to bring fire pans to burn incense and there would be a Divine selection of whom God chose to serve. Korah, Dathan and Abiram and the 250 were to present themselves before the LORD at the Tabernacle the next morning, Korah and his rabble showed up but Dathan and Abiram refused.

The upshot of the story is that the people were to move away from the tents of these three.  The ground opened up and swallowed them their children and all their belongings. The 250 who offered incense in their fire pans were consumed by a fire that came out from YHVH. Then Eliezer, Aaron’s successor, was told to collect the pans and pound them out for a covering for the altar:

“The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before YHVH, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar: To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as YHVH said to him by the hand of Moses.” – Num 16:38-40.

But as if this were not enough to get their attention:

41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of YHVH. 42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of YHVH appeared.” Num 16:41-42.

You know, it almost seems that the people thought that Moses and Aaron had some kind of magical powers and that they really were not dealing with the God of the Universe. How could they not reverence the Eternal when they had seen His direct leading? When they had witnessed His power and glory?

So then after still maintaining that Moses and Aaron had killed the people of God, we see the miracle of Aaron’s rod budding and the people fearing to even come near to the Tabernacle.

But, there is something important here, the brazen fire pans were pounded out and used to cover the altar, not the golden altar of incense, but the altar of sacrifice, located in the courtyard. This clearly signifies that the courtyard is the place available to the common people for all time. The priests were the only ones allowed in the Holy Places of the Tabernacle. And only the High Priest, a direct descendant of Aaron, was allowed in the Most Holy place.

Is it any different now? If and when we build a third temple, will religious leaders be smitten before YHVH for pretending to have the right to serve as priests, when their qualification for religious leadership comes from certificated Yeshiva education? Are they Levites by blood? And even if they are Levites, are they truly Kohanim? (Descendants of Aaron)?

Have things changed with Heaven’s order for the worship of the Temple just because we live in modern times and do not follow the Torah’s clear instructions in this regard? Is it really true that scholastic institutions can train students to think like Moses and guarantee the mantle of Heaven? Maybe this needs a hard look in light of where we are today.

If we no longer hear a Voice from Heaven, how can we get back on track?

What about the Bible? 

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Some say the Bible has been tampered with. Lots of voices are saying this. But let me quote something from the Bible itself:

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3

This is a deep concern. I get emails from New Zealand by a couple of Noahides who are taking apart everything but the Moses Scroll (Shapira Scroll), which means that they hold none of Torah or Tenakh as valid, except, what was written by the hand of Moses. (I think I will unsubscribe). There is a book out there called “Who Wrote the Bible” which does the same thing. And it is not just these sources that are trying to rattle the foundations! Sometimes it is more subtle and has been around for a long time!

There are voices everywhere discrediting everything from the Bible. This is what is happening on one side. And among those who profess belief in the Bible, we hear rabbis stating that the only way to understand the Bible is to let them interpret it for you. Where have we heard this before? 

In my relationship with my Jewish friends, I rarely find someone who has read the entire Tenakh, other than listening to Torah readers at Synagogue in Hebrew read the current Portion so quickly, they are virtually not understandable.

On another side of the religious world, Catholics (especially in Spanish-speaking countries) have told me that since the mass is done in Latin, that only the priest can be trusted to know what God wants of them.  How much difference is there in what has been accepted in Judaism for thousands of years? Similarly, only a rabbi can interpret Torah. Really! And why does individual study of the Bible get so little attention? 

So we have our traditions, and often the Minhagim are fine and acceptable if one is really led to be more spiritual and more connected to the Source of all things. But, that being said, the question arises by critics in religious circles, “who can trust where these things came from?” 

And I will ask who can trust academics? We have seen how the colleges of today have gone down the woke path. I saw it beginning in secular colleges in the 90s. I could not believe how things had changed since I first attended college in the mid 70s. If things can change through academics in the political and educational fields, why would they not be influenced by hundreds of generations of teachers, (rabbis or preachers) who claim to know, but that were taught by others who claim to know, and so on ad infinitum, back for a couple of thousand years? Ever played telephone? Ever see how the message changes so much that when the last person receives the whispered sentence, it has nothing to do with the first person’s idea? And that is exactly how the chain of transmission has gone. There are some things that are so far from what the Torah says that you cannot recognize where they came from! So a young man goes to Yeshiva and everyone says “Wow”! And he graduates more confused than ever before. There are always arguments and debates on what the ancient Sages taught, who was right and whom does this would be “rabbi” choose to follow in his future career. Ever think of studying for one’self? Especially if you can learn Biblical Hebrew? 

But perhaps as in the first instance, the most dangerous trend out there is to discredit the Bible entirely, as many have been doing in recent years! As the Psalm says, “what can the righteous do if the foundations are destroyed?” So if we have to throw out the majority of the Tenakh because parts of it were somehow rewritten, then what are we going to use to guide our lives? Is there nothing? Perhaps a somewhat tarnished instrument is better than no instrument at all!

As to the evolutionary theory, I never bought into the idea that man descended from a monkey and such chaos. Perhaps if atheists could experience a living God who created the Universe, One who works in individual lives to bless, guide and strengthen, maybe, just maybe, we would see a different trend in the world. 

But then, there have always been haters of God, defiant of His leadership and law. 

We have several monsters raising their heads in the religious world. Beware of following them!

I would say in conclusion, let’s not “Throw out the Baby with the Bathwater!” 

What could be wrong with thinking for ourselves?

Ariella

Mezuzot

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Several years ago, my husband and I made Aliya to the Land of Israel, we lived for a time in Tzfat, which is considered one of the four “holy” cities of Israel. 

During that time, I tripped over an uneven place in the doorway of our  house and broke a bone in my foot. Several observant Orthodox friends told us we needed to have the Mezuzah inspected because it might have a broken letter in the scroll. That seemed pretty weird. Since that time I have had suspicions about man made laws. And to have the mezuzah inspected by a trained person costs money so again the element of making money over rabbinic teachings comes to view. . 

We left Tzfat after a hard struggle with some rabbis. We found a little town that was not so fanatical, a bit more secular, and where people left you alone. 

But the Mezuzah theme never left my mind. If you look at Torah there is nothing said about a box. It says to “write these commandments.” Does it say to buy an expensive parchment scroll, expertly written by a sofer and then hide it away in a box that you kiss when you pass in and out of your house? 

The verse says nothing about putting a scroll in a box. It does command each of us to do our own writing, not to go buy something and hide it away in a box!

Deut 6:4-9: “Hear, O Israel: YHVH our God, YHVH is one.[a] 5 Love Hashem your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

So the purpose of the Mezuzah, which means door post, is that we might have the commandments embedded, if you will, in our hearts and minds. What a better way than to do the writing ourselves and to place them where we can see them! 

The act of kissing an object is what is done in paganism. People kiss the graves of Saints and Rabbis. People kiss the image of St. Peter in the Cathedral in Rome and other places. Nowhere does the Torah tell us to kiss an object. 

But before we totally dismiss the Mezuzah, we need a new approach to it. How about finding a way to engrave the 10 commandments in a wooden plaque? Paint them, write them, wood burn them and hang them up so you see them and remember them when you go out and when you come in? 

Let’s make the Torah something personal between us and our God! 

Shabbat Shalom
Ariella