judaism

Parashat Bereshit: Tidbits from Ancient Times

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Genesis 1-6

By Ariella Casey

Every year, Jews read this parasha very quickly, and most take very little time to scrutinize it. If we look at it closely, we see that there are things that do not seem to line up with what we know about the world today. There are some hidden things that we probably will never fully understand, based on our perspective of life today. 

So here are a few thoughts and observations. I do not claim pre-existent knowledge, but please check out the logic. It rings clearer than some of the fiction that is written about those times. 

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The idea of Eve claiming to get a “man from Yehovah” when Cain was born has been understood by some that she had a child by someone other than Adam, perhaps she slept with the serpent. But I believe she simply remarked when she was surprised by the birth of their first child and gave credit to the Creator for giving her a child. Some Christian theology says that Eve was looking forward to the “messiah” who would come and save the world from the mess they were now in. But this is not indicated anywhere in the Torah or Tanakh. 

Then there was the incident of the sacrifices brought by Cain and Abel. Yehovah smiled upon Abel’s sacrifice but ignored Cain’s. What can we make of this? There is nowhere that the Torah that says they or our first father and mother were instructed about making a sacrifice. I often consider that they somehow knew about sacrifices but, again, nothing is mentioned previously. One thing we do know, and that is that Cain did not bring the best of his produce. The verse says:

“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto Jehovah. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering, he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” (Gen 4:3-5 ASV)

So whom was the anger about? Why did Cain blame Abel for what the Creator chose to favor? Was YHVH showing partiality? Was this a teaching moment about sacrifices? Why did Cain not honor the Eternal by bringing the choice fruits of his harvest? It appears he brought just average fruit. It specifies that he brought the “fruit of the ground” which was not tree fruit. Was this “fruit” somehow of less value?  It does not specify that it was the best of the crop. 

Perhaps these sons of Adam had an idea of the covenant that was to be written out much later on Sinai. It seems clear that the sacrifices that they brought were not sin offerings, or were they? There was never any written instruction before this incident about atonement. Were they somehow taught to make sacrifices and somehow Cain was doing his own thing? 

This raises the question about the eternal nature of the Covenant. If the Covenant was to be everlasting and if even the Creation was accomplished by the principles of Torah, then why would they not know about sacrifices for pleasing the Creator by returning to him the best of what they had labored to produce? Was this a test of their minds? And if so, then Cain showed very little respect, and certainly no gratitude to the Creator. Could it be that tithing started here? 

People tell me that tithing started at Sinai, but why then did Abraham know about it when he tithed the spoils of war to Melchizedek?

A glaring problem that raises its head is; who were the divine beings that took the beautiful women who were daughters of men and procreated with them, producing nephilim? The word Nephalim in Hebrew means “fallen ones”, it does not mean demon’s offspring. Were they indeed angels? 

Some versions of the Bible interpret the verse to say: divine beings, but the Hebrew says Bene Elohim (sons of God). This does not mean necessarily that they were angels. They could be righteous men.

Hear me out if you will. I do not believe that angels can mate with humans, (they are of a different order) nor do I believe that divine beings were tempted to procreate and produce strange creatures (nephalim) with these beautiful women, producing men of renown. What renown might mean, I am not sure, unless they were strong to do evil and became famous for their wickedness. My best thinking has to do with the two lineages that descended from Adam. There was the lineage of Cain which clearly was noted for its immorality, and by the way, it is never stated that Cain was in Adam’s image. On the contrary, there was Seth, whom the Bible does claim was after Adam’s image. (See Genesis 5:3). As we look down the genealogy from Seth until the flood, we see two distinct types of men. Those of Seth’s lineage who were noted as righteous, including Enoch and Noah, who walked with God. Apparently, this lineage was in Adam’s image.  But the lineage of Cain somehow fell short of achieving this righteous or noble stature. Then, if I am correct, the sons of Elohim would have been those from the righteous lineage of Seth and the daughters of men would have been from the lineage of Cain. So, when they intermarried, the world became a mixture of good and evil to the point where Noah, who was the only one left of the lineage of Seth was chosen to repopulate the earth. However, it appears that one of the wives, whether of Noah or one of his sons, maybe Ham, was of Cain’s lineage. Why? Because of the curse put on Canaan, the son of Ham when he saw his mother’s nakedness, and what that means, I am not going to discuss here. Ham himself was not declared righteous, as was Shem, which makes me wonder about Noah’s wife. Were there two lineages from Noah, just as there were from Adam? 

But this is all a mystery and remains in the shadows to be explained in the world to come. 

I hope you enjoyed studying with me. I am open to hear your thoughts. Please comment or write to me. 

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Israel is at War! Did God Leave Us?

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By Ariella Casey

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What most people believe today is extracted from what they have been taught. Most people are not thinkers. Most people have no idea of the real history that made up their religion. Most of us believe what we have been brought up to see as reality. Try, as a young person, questioning anything that your church or synagogue teaches! Most of those who question are silenced, and if they crave companionship in a non-threatening environment, they soon buckle down and stop rocking the boat. Others–those that are more insistent and less attached to people, separate themselves and become rebels looking for a cause to fight. They are often black-balled as rebels, loonies or druggies. See what happens when you don’t go along with the status quo! Most of us want to be accepted, and so we have gone along to get along! Case in point: the COVID-19 Vaccine. How many actually didn’t want to get it but succumbed to media, public and peer pressure? And how many have paid dire consequences?

Yesterday I read an article about how mistakes are actually helpful to a person’s growth. And I thought about my past. I thought about how and what led up to my leaving the church I was raised in. And how I wandered alone for over 15 years, looking for something. I had to find solid rock to base my faith on. The leaving was based on several choices I had made in my life that were not exactly favored by the church. The attitude towards me pressed me to study. And THAT was not a mistake. What was it that the church believed? What was it that was brainwashed into me, and how many centuries had this been going on?  I studied and researched for years. I finally left Christianity completely, I found community in a Jewish synagogue in Central California. After changing streams, that is, doing a conversion and moving to Israel, I began to research that school of thought and found that Judaism has a long history and some of it is not what it claims to be. Most of what is known today is not what was known at Sinai or even at the time of King David. So here I go again! I am not satisfied with mediocrity! In something so important as religion, I won’t go along to get along if what is being taught is not sound doctrine based on the Torah. Some, lately have pressured me to give up the Bible altogether. But without any standard, where is our anchor? Where is the basis of faith?  

Last week, I sat inside a friend’s Sukkah with several people. We chatted and discussed several things, but what still rings in my ears were the words my friend said during the conversation. “If we didn’t have the rabbis, would there be God?” I was shocked. She said she was leaning towards being an agnostic because it made more sense in the light of what is happening. She said perhaps God created the world and then left us to sort it all out. What could I say? What would really convince a Jewish woman who was raised to believe that Judaism is true Torah? 

I have my own ideas as to why the Jewish people suffer–why the Holocaust, why pogroms? Why the Inquisition? And why is God apparently Missing in Action? But how can I tell people, whom for the past 2000 plus years, have been brainwashed to believe that God gave all authority to rabbis for them to manage His people? 

The rabbis have created a cult and most branches of Judaism are taught that Halakha is divine instruction, when it is, at best, the will of the rabbis to gain control over the people to keep an organized religion under their authority. Did God really abandon His people? Is it possible that His Hands are tied by the extra-biblical teaching engrained in those who are most religious? When you compare Halakha to what the Torah actually says, there is very little that ties the two together. 

There was a time when the leading rabbis declared that they would no longer listen to Heaven. If that is the case, then how can the Jews hear God when He is trying to speak? This comes from the story of the Oven of Achnai. 

Here is an excerpt from the Talmud: Baba Metzia 59b:

“The Gemara presents a fairly straightforward argument between the Sages. A question was raised about the status of an oven that was made of separate pieces and then placed together with sand between the pieces. Should this tanur shel akhnai – this “snake oven” – be seen as having lost its status as an existing oven when taken apart and rebuilt, or is it considered an oven throughout, since it was made to be taken apart in this way? Rabbi Eliezer felt that it lost its status as an oven and therefore, had it become ritually defiled, it would lose that status, as well; the Hakahmim (sages) ruled that it retained its status throughout.

Rather than argue the case on its merits, the Gemara records that Rabbi Eliezer called on the carob tree to support him, the flowing water to support him, and the walls of the study hall to support him. In response to his call, the carob tree uprooted itself and moved 400 amot (=cubits), the spring flowed backwards, and the walls began to collapse – until Rabbi Yehoshua stopped them. The Sages refused to be influenced by any of these miraculous occurrences.

Finally, Rabbi Eliezer asked the heavens to support his position, and a bat kol – a heavenly voice – was heard to say “Why are you arguing with Rabbi Eliezer, whose rulings are always correct?” In response, the Sages said lo ba-shamyim he – since the Torah was given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, decisions are no longer made based on heavenly decisions, but on the decisions of the Rabbis who interpret it.” (See reference here).

Looking closely at this story, it shows that it is not the voice of one rabbi that makes decisions for the people, but the majority–dare I say:  even if they are wrong? There is a lot of pressure to take the rulings on Halakha according to the consensus of the rabbis.  There is little room for individual study. If people only understood the history of how the rabbis replaced the Levites and the Cohanim (priests) back at the time when the Jews returned from Babylon! Then there would be room to differ with rabbinic Halakha. When people run to their rabbi for advice rather than to the Torah, they have virtually replaced the Torah with the instruction of the rabbis. This is remarkably similar to the Catholics who run to their priest for interpretation of the will of God. 

I have been advised many times not to tear down what has been established for centuries. Not to question! But my questioning of religion began many years ago. If there is no voice of God anymore, then why? Why did the holocaust happen? Why were Jews exiled, and the second temple destroyed when they were so set on following the rabbis? 

The Talmud tells us of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai who bartered off Jerusalem for Yavneh and the sages:

“The Talmud in Gittin and the midrash in Avot De Rabbi Natan tell us that Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai snuck out of Jerusalem during the siege that led to the destruction of the Second Beit HaMikdash in a coffin to make a separate peace with the future Roman emperor who would level Jerusalem. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai asked for Yavneh and its scholars to be granted the religious freedom to study and continue growing the rabbinic tradition but would leave Jerusalem for Rome to destroy. Vespasian accepted the deal. Yavneh was saved, Jerusalem was destroyed, and rabbinic Judaism survived…”(see reference here). 

All of this raises a red flag for anyone who is used to following the clear instruction of the Creator. What if all religious leaders truly followed the Torah and were guided by the God of the Universe? Could we feel safe following them? Has any of us been given a mind to discern truth? Are we all to be like robots that never question what comes before us even if it appears to be contrary to logic or contrary to Biblical/Torah standards? Again, we see an elite majority controlling the minds of the common and brainwashed people. Why, if the Torah is not complicated, should not an average person be able to understand and follow it? 

When the rabbis quoted that “the Torah is not in Heaven”, they used only part of what the verse in Deuteronomy says:

“For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou should say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou may do it. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;” (Deu 30:11-15).

I say that Heaven is trying to open the eyes of the Jewish people. In 2021, I saw that many rabbis urged their congregants to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Some people, to their credit, did not, but many did, even in Israel. Many suffered grave consequences. 

Now we have a horrible war raging against Israel by the surrounding nations. The question in the forefront of those inclined to religion, is: Why? Where is God? I ask: Where should He be? Where is the power of those who usurped God’s throne over 2 millennia ago? Go seek your rabbi, maybe he can make the missiles go away. 

Unfortunately, many are becoming more religious. Many try to reform becoming Shomer Shabbat, meaning no switching on or off of electricity, no phones, no driving, no use of makeup, no writing, no musical instruments, no carrying even a small purse or one’s keys in the street without an Eruv. Really? An Eruv is a city wall? Who are we kidding? But we go along with it? And then men must remember to go to pray twice a day in a synagogue, where hundreds of prayers are said at top speed to satisfy the Lord of the Universe! What about the prayer of the contrite heart? And of course we must have two sets of plates and flatware, pots and pans or use disposable dishes because of the rabbinic stand on the separation of milk and meat. Check it out! Chickens don’t produce milk! Nor is a goat the mother of a young cow!

I may be wasting my time here. I hope not. But I challenge anyone who has read this far to start thinking for himself. Read the Torah and don’t be afraid to question! 

Your’s for a greater challenge than the individual has ever faced! 

Ariella

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What Applies Today?

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Parsha Shoftim, Deuteronomy 16:18- 21:9

There are laws that cannot be followed by the majority of Jews and ten tribers when they do not live in Israel. Much of what is written in this Parsha is for when ancient Israel entered the land of Canaan. However, there are principles given which ideally should be followed in any country. What are these principles? People need to study and think deeply. Maybe make plans to return to the land?

What about cutting down fruit trees? (Deut. 20:19,20) This was forbidden during a siege against an enemy city. But what happens in the case of modern warfare when bombs are used rather than personal weapons? Should bombs be outlawed to protect Israel’s trees? A bomb can burn a lot of fields, as we see every time we drive even a few kilometers from our home. 

This is an especially significant problem now when the enemy has attacked Israel on seven different fronts. Many of the descendants of Esau and Ismael have organized to wipe Israel off the map. Daily bombardment, suicide bombs, knifings, car ramming, all of these threaten the lives of Israelis, let alone the land where we live and the desire to live a life of peace. In fact, the main greeting in every conversation is, “Shalom” which means not just “Hello”, but “Peace.” 

In last week’s Hebrew class, we discussed how to answer: “How are you?”, in the state of anxiety that we all find ourselves. We learned answers to this question. Answers such as: “not so good,” “I am sad when I hear the news,” “It is difficult for me.” And the one asking would then say: “Everything will be good by the will of God.” (Be-Ezrat Hashem, YiYay Tov). 

As we study the Parsha, it seems the laws for Israel at the moment cannot be applied, at least in the light of the current situation. Would things be different if Israel had followed the Torah during the past 2000 years?  And what if Israel truly followed Torah today, rather than all the superfluous laws that are now recognized by most Jews as Torah? So, since our modern situation has changed, are we somehow able to apply the principles indicated by Torah? The law about not destroying fruit trees was for the purpose of preserving the food supply. How can we guarantee the preservation of the food supply today? 

What about magistrates deciding on a case where 2 or 3 witnesses report a crime? Do we have this system set up today? Can it even work without a Beit Din or hall of judgement in every locality in Israel? 

What about destroying those who worship false gods in the land? According to this Parsha (Deut. 20:16-18). We have other religions that live in Israel. Some of these are peaceful and support the war effort. At this point, it is not feasible to destroy them all. It seems that the focus today is to decide who will help us and who is our enemy. 

So, yes, we are fighting for our very existence. And the question is: Why? Where is the God of Heaven? Does He hear our prayers? I believe He does and yes, there are miracles happening. There are hundreds of Jews worshiping every week on the Temple Mount now!  Full prostration while begging the Almighty God of Heaven to give us back this Holy Place that was so wickedly bartered away in 1994 to allow Jordan to control worship there.  (https://jcpa.org/article/jordan-and-the-temple-mount/). But the fact that Jews are worshiping there is, no doubt, a miracle and a step forward. Will it last? 

When will we be able to return to the true principles of the Torah? I believe things are moving in that direction. Most Israelis support the stand against giving away any more land. We have yet to see the conquest of the original borders of the land of Israel and their extension to the Biblically promised allotment to Israel which included all the land from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean Sea, from the Red Sea upwards into part of Lebanon. 

Let us all pray that YHWH will go out with Israel’s armies in an even more significant way. We do not have a high priest to go out ahead of the Army yet, but we have people everywhere praying for the success of Israel’s efforts to gain control of our own land.

B’Shalom

Ariella

¿Qué es lo que determina nuestro destino?

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Por Ariella Casey

Existe una filosofía de que las personas nacen en un destino y que no importa qué camino elijan, terminarán de acuerdo con su destino predeterminado. Lamentablemente, esto es adoptado por muchas religiones, incluso algunas ramas del judaísmo. 

Muchos judíos creen que haber nacido judíos en realidad los convierte en elegidos. Que esto automáticamente hace que todas sus decisiones apoyen de alguna manera un propósito y un destino superior. He oído que todos los judíos heredan el más allá. Pero nada de esto es bíblico. 

Hablando a Israel, Moisés los desafió antes de morir: 

“Pongo hoy por testigos contra vosotros al cielo y a la tierra, que os he puesto delante la vida y la muerte, la bendición y la maldición; escoge, pues, la vida, para que vivas tú y tu descendencia, para amar a Jehová tu Dios, para obedecer su voz, y adhiérete a él; porque él es tu vida, y la duración de tus días, para que habites en la tierra que Jehová juró a tus padres, a Abraham, a Isaac y a Jacob, que les daría;”. (DEU 30:19-20)

Adam Rishon eligió en Gan Eden comer la fruta que abriría dos opciones para sus descendientes: dos conciencias, por así decirlo, están ahí afuera hablando a la voluntad humana; el poder para el bien y el poder para el mal. Si un joven elige correctamente, incluso cuando es un niño pequeño, es decir, sigue el camino del bien, cada vez que se enfrenta a una decisión, le resultará cada vez más fácil elegir el camino correcto. La voz maligna se vuelve cada vez más silenciosa hasta que casi no hay impulso para la inclinación al mal. Lo mismo sucede si un niño es rebelde y prueba el mal que tiene delante. La siguiente elección se vuelve cada vez más fácil, y si no corrige su camino, terminará completamente bajo el poder del mal. Se convierte en una trampa de acero en la que no puede elegir lo correcto aunque piense en hacerlo. 

Pero está claro que todo esto depende de cada uno. La Biblia no apoya la idea de que haya personas destinadas al infierno. A menudo parece así cuando vemos a padres malvados abusar de sus pequeños y hacer que se rebelen y prueben el camino del mal. ¡Quizás deberíamos decir que los padres tienen mucho que ver con las decisiones que toman sus hijos! 

Éxodo 20:5 nos dice que el mal continúa hasta la tercera y cuarta generación de los que odian al Dios del Universo. ¿Pero es eso predestinación? ¿O es eso el resultado de las elecciones de una persona? ¿El destino de uno se ve afectado por las decisiones que toman sus padres?

Cuando estudiamos las vidas de aquellos antes del Diluvio, vemos dos líneas de personas, los justos y los malvados. Quizás esto sugiera predestinación. Pero no lleguemos a esa conclusión todavía. Los que eligieron bien abrieron camino a su descendencia, así como los que hicieron el mal a su descendencia. Si tomamos la regla matemática establecida anteriormente (de 3 a 4 generaciones de maldad después de que un padre se rebela), entonces, si los descendientes no se vuelven y se arrepienten de la maldad de sus padres, y salen de ese sistema, el mal seguirá de ellos otras 3 o 4 generaciones y así, de una generación a otra, tal vez así en adelante para siempre. Pero de vez en cuando vemos a alguien rebelarse contra el mal que le ha sido impuesto, girar 180 grados y hacer lo correcto. ¡Veamos si esto es correcto!

“Y si ha engendrado un hijo violento, derramador de sangre, y que hace solo una de estas cosas, y que no cumple ninguno de esos deberes, sino que además come en los montes y contamina a la mujer de su prójimo, oprimió al pobre y necesitado, ejerció el robo, no devolvió la prenda, y alzó sus ojos a los ídolos, cometió abominación, dio a usura y recibió ganancias, ¿no vivirá? Ha hecho todas estas abominaciones; ciertamente morirá; su sangre será sobre él”. 

“Pero he aquí, si ha engendrado un hijo que ve todos los pecados que su padre ha cometido, y considera, y no le agradan: No comió en los montes, ni alzó sus ojos a los ídolos de la casa de Israel; no ha deshonrado a la mujer de su prójimo, ni ha oprimido a nadie, ni ha retenido la prenda, ni ha practicado robo; al hambriento dio su pan, y al desnudo cubrió con un manto; Retiró su mano de los pobres, no recibió usura ni aumento, cumplió mis derechos y anduvo en mis estatutos; no morirá por la iniquidad de su padre. Ciertamente vivirá. En cuanto a su padre, por cuanto hizo opresión, robo a su hermano e hizo lo que no era bueno entre su pueblo, he aquí, morirá en su iniquidad. Y decís: ¿Por qué el hijo no lleva la iniquidad del padre? Pero el hijo hizo juicio y justicia, guardó todos mis estatutos y los cumplió; ciertamente vivirá.” (Reyes 18:10-19)

Es realmente simple, ¡haz el bien y vive, haz el mal y muere! ¡La elección es tuya! ¡Pero será necesaria cierta abnegación y una revisión completa de las inclinaciones de uno! 

La idea errónea de que los judíos nacen santificados de alguna manera es errónea. A toda la humanidad se le permite seguir la Torá. ¡si así lo desean! La gente dice que el Tanaj fue escrito para los judíos (las 12 tribus, en realidad), pero ¿es esto cierto? ¿Qué pasa con esa persona en La La Land que de repente ve que hay una mejor manera y elige unirse al pacto y seguirlo lo mejor que puede? Algunos los llaman conversos. ¿Está exento del pacto sólo porque no nació judío? 

¡Es una mentira terrible que sólo se elija a los judíos! ¡Lea todos los versículos del Tanaj sobre el Ger, el Extraño o como lea su Biblia! 

“Así dice Jehová: Guardad la justicia y haced justicia; porque cercana está mi salvación para venir, y mi justicia para ser revelada. Bienaventurado el hombre que hace esto, y el hijo del hombre que lo retiene, que guarda el sábado. Ni el extranjero que se ha unido a Jehová hable, diciendo: Ciertamente, Jehová me separará de su pueblo, ni el eunuco diga: He aquí, soy seco; porque así dice Jehová de los eunucos que guardan mis sábados, y escogen lo que me agrada, y retienen mi pacto: A ellos les daré en mi casa y dentro de mis muros memoria y nombre mejor que el de hijos y. de hijas; les daré un nombre eterno, que no será cortado.También los extranjeros que se unen a Jehová para ministrarle, y amar el nombre de Jehová, para ser sus siervos, todos los que guardan el sábado para no profanarlo, y retienen mi pacto; aun a ellos los llevaré a mi santo monte, y los alegraré en mi casa de oración: sus holocaustos y sus sacrificios serán aceptados sobre mi altar; porque mi casa será llamada casa de oración para todos los pueblos. Dice el Señor Jehová, que reúne a los desterrados de Israel: Aún juntaré junto a él a otros, además de los suyos, que están reunidos.” (Isaías 56:1-8)

¡Lee eso de nuevo! YHWH se va a reunir”otros, además del suyo”!

Vemos a los judíos convirtiendo a las personas en Noájidas porque no pueden tolerar la idea de ser desafiados por las multitudes que quieren la salvación. El Tanaj deja claro que el pueblo puede aferrarse al pacto y vivir entre el pueblo de Israel. Según la Torá, incluso algunos de los enemigos de Israel podrían convertirse en parte del pueblo y adorar con él después de varias generaciones. 

“No entrará amonita ni moabita en la asamblea de Jehová; ni aun hasta la décima generación, ninguno de ellos entrará en la asamblea de Jehová para siempre:” (Deuteronomio 23:3). 

Una lectura minuciosa de este versículo muestra que hasta la décima generación, no se les permitiría estar en el Beit HaMikdash. Cuando dice para siempre, no puede significar nunca. Según tengo entendido, esta regla se aplica para siempre. Entonces, ¿qué significa? Que un moabita elija vivir entre el pueblo de Israel no podrá entrar al Templo durante 10 generaciones. ¿Por qué tan estricto? ¡Evidentemente, con estos idólatras, el mal era tan grande que fue incorregible durante 10 generaciones! ¿Qué pasa con Rut–(una moabita)? ¿Esto de alguna manera no se aplicaba porque ella se casó con un judío? Sólo tres generaciones después, David nació y vivió como judío y entró en el Santo Templo. Incluso planeó la construcción del primer templo. ¿Eso invalidó de alguna manera la declaración hecha por Moisés en Deuteronomio? ¿El matrimonio cambia un poco el efecto de la ascendencia de uno? 

En resumen, la puerta del Cielo siempre está abierta para aquellos que se arrepienten, se apartan de sus malos caminos y se aferran al pacto. Hay que tomar decisiones y tener firmeza decidida en seguir el camino de los justos:

“Pero el camino de los justos es como la luz resplandeciente, que brilla cada vez más hasta llegar al día perfecto”. (Pr 4:18)

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Choices

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By Ariella Casey

There is a philosophy among religious groups that proclaims that people are born into a certain path and that no matter which choices they make, they will end up according to their predetermined destiny. Sadly, this is embraced by a lot of people, religions and even some branches of Judaism. 

Alongside this belief in Destiny, comes the fact that many Jews believe that being born Jewish actually makes them chosen and that this automatically makes all of their choices lead them to fulfill their predetermined destiny. I have heard that all Jews inherit the hereafter. But none of this is Biblical. 

Speaking to Israel, Moses challenged them before he died: 

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that thou may live, thou and thy seed; to love Jehovah thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou may dwell in the land which Jehovah swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” (DEU 30:19-20)

Adam Rishon chose in Gan Eden to eat the fruit that would open two options for their descendants–two consciousnesses, if you would, are out there speaking to the human will; the power for good and the power for evil. If a young person chooses correctly even as a small child–that is, to follow the path of good, it becomes easier and easier each time faced with a decision, to choose the correct path. The evil voice becomes quieter and quieter until there is almost no drive for the evil inclination. The same thing happens if a child is rebellious and tries out the evil that is before him. The next choice becomes easier and easier, and if he does not correct his path, he will end up fully under the power of evil. It becomes as a steel trap for which he cannot choose the right even if he thinks to do so. 

But it is clear that this is all up to the individual. The Bible does not support the idea of people who are destined to hell. It often seems that way when we see evil parents abusing their little ones and causing them to rebel and try out the path of evil. Maybe we should say that parents have a lot to do with the choices their kids make! 

Exodus 20:5 tells us that evil continues to the third and fourth generation of those who hate the God of the Universe. But is that predestination? Or is that the result of a person’s choices? Is one’s destiny affected by the choices his parents make?

So what about those before the Great Flood?

When we study the lives of those before the Flood, we see two lines of people, the righteous and the wicked. Perhaps this suggests predestination. But let’s not jump to that conclusion, yet. Those who chose well opened a path for their descendants, just as those who did evil to their offspring. If we take the mathematical rule established above, (of 3 to 4 generations of evil after a parent rebels), then, if the offspring do not turn and repent of the evil of their fathers, and leave that system, the evil will continue from them another 3 or 4 generations and thus, from one generation to another, maybe onward thus forever. But once in a while we see someone rebel against the evil that has been placed upon them, turn 180 degrees and do what is right. Let’s see if this is right!

“And if he has begotten a son that is violent, a shedder of blood, and that does only one of any of these things, and that does not any of those duties, but also has eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor’s wife, hath oppressed the poor and needy, exercised robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, committed abomination, given forth upon usury, and taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall certainly die; his blood shall be upon him.” 

“But lo, if he has begotten a son that sees all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considers, and does not such like: — he hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he hath not defiled his neighbor’s wife, and hath not oppressed any, nor withholden the pledge, neither hath exercised robbery; he hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment; he hath withdrawn his hand from the poor, hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, and walked in my statutes: he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall certainly live. As for his father, because he practiced oppression, exercised robbery upon his brother, and did what was not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity. And ye say, Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father? But the son hath done judgment and justice, hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them; he shall certainly live.” (Eze 18:10-19)

It is really simple, do good and live, do evil and die! The choice is yours! But it will take some self-denial and complete overhaul of one’s inclinations! 

The mistaken idea that Jews are somehow born sanctified is erroneous. In fact, all mankind is allowed to follow the Torah if they so choose! God forbid that the King of the Universe should alienate anyone who desires to serve Him!

People say that the Tanakh was written for Jews (including all the 12 tribes), but is this true? What about that person out in La La Land who suddenly sees that there is a better way and chooses to join himself to the covenant and follow as best he can? Some call them Gerim. Some call them Gentiles. But is this person exempt from the covenant just because he was not born Jewish? 

It is a terrible lie that only Jews can be chosen! Read all the verses in Tanakh about the Ger, the stranger, the foreigner, or however your Bible reads! 

“Thus saith Jehovah, Keep ye justice, and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that does this, and the son of man that holds it fast; that keeps the sabbath from profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the foreigner, that hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah will surely separate me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith Jehovah of the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and hold fast my covenant: Unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also, the foreigners that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keeps the sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. The Lord Jehovah, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, saith, Yet will I gather others to him, besides his own that are gathered.” (Isa 56:1-8)

Read that again! YHWH is going to gather together “others, besides his own”!

We see Jews making people into Noahides because they can’t accept the idea of being challenged by the multitudes that want salvation. The Tanakh makes it clear that people can take hold of the covenant and live among the people of Israel. According to the Torah, even some of the enemies of Israel could become part of the people and worship with them after several generations. 

“An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Jehovah; even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of Jehovah forever:” (Deu 23:3). 

A close reading of this verse shows that until the 10th generation, they would not be permitted in the Beit HaMiqdash. When it says forever, it cannot mean never. As I understand it, it is this rule that applies forever. So what does it mean? That a Moabite chooses to live among the people of Israel is not allowed to enter into the Temple for 10 generations. Why so strict? Evidently, with these idolaters, the evil was so great that it was uncorrectable for 10 generations! What about Ruth–(a Moabitess)? Did this somehow not apply because she married a Jew? Only three generations later, David was born and lived as a Jew and entered the Holy Temple. He even planned the building of the first temple. Did that somehow invalidate the declaration made by Moses in Deuteronomy? Does marriage change a bit of the effect of one’s ancestry?  Could it be that the combination in marriage changes the curse of the tenth generation? Obviously, the children will be raised differently in a mixed marriage.

To sum it up, the door of Heaven is always open to those who repent and turn from their evil ways and take hold of the covenant. Choices have to be made and resolute firmness in following the path of the just:

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.” (Pro 4:18)

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