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| Below are various quotations, mainly Rabbinic, from several sources concerning Messiah for the most part - but also dealing with other topics as well. Not all of the quotations that are included here have been looked up and verified at their sources - yet those should be familiar to some. Hopefully you'll find these useful as a resource though. When using these in witnessing to Rabbinic Jews, often their validity was questioned by them, however when this came up: of those that were looked up, they were found valid. The Zohar quotes are from the Amsterdam Version - {but I don't recommend studying the Zohar! -- subject of another topic :-}. RASH MISHLE[10:21];Rab Huna counted amongst the seven Names of Messiah also: HaShem Zidkenu, [Referring to Jer.23:6]. . R.JOSEPH ALBO OF TOLEDO[SEPHER IKKARIM 28:54] The Scripture calleth the Names of Messiah also: L-rd Zidkenu, because He is the Mediator through Whom we shall get the righteousness of the L-rd. . R.ELIJAH DE VIDAS: The meaning of He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities is, that since Messiah bears our inquities, which produce the effect of His being bruised,it follows that whoso will not admit that the Messiah thus suffers for our iniquities must endure and suffer for them himself. [on Is. 53] . SANHEDRIN [93B]:Messiah...What is His Name? The disciples of the school of the Rabbi [Yehudah Hanassi, the author of the Mishnah] said: Cholaja [The sickly] for it says[Is.53:4]: Surely He hath born our sicknesses & carried our pains; and we did regard Him stricken, smitten of G-d and afflicted. [See also note aa Pesiqta]. . ZOHAR[TO DEUT. 6:4]: Hear O Israel:HaShem our G-d,HaShem is One. Why is there a need of mentioning the Name of G-d three times in this verse? The First HaShem is the Father above.The Second is the Stem of Jesse, the Messiah Who is to come from the family of Jesse through David. And the Third One is the Way which is below [meaning the Holy Spirit Who shows us the way] and These Three are One. . Rabbi Moshe el Sheikh, Chief Rabbi of Safed... "I will do yet a third thing, and that is, that 'they shall look unto Me,' for they shall lift up their eyes unto Me in perfect repentance, when they see Him Whom they pierced, that is Messiah,the Son of Joseph; for our Rabbi's, of blessed memory, have said that He will take upon Himself all the guilt of Israel, and shall then be slain in the war to make an atonement in such manner that it shall be accounted as if Israel had pierced Him, for on account of their sin He has died; and therefore,in order that it may be reckoned to them as perfect atonement they will repent and look to the Blessed One, saying, that there is none beside Him to forgive those that mourn on account of Him who died for their sin; this is the meaning of 'They shall look upon Me...'" . Rabbis Samuel bar Nahman in the name of Rabbi Jonathan said, that at the time when Moses wrote the Torah, writing a portion of it daily, when he came to this verse which says, `And Elohim said, let Us make man in Our image after Our likeness,' Moses said, Master of the Universe why do You give herewith an excuse to the sectarians (who believe in the Tri-Unity of G-d), G-d answered Moses, You write and whoever wants to err let him err.. Come near unto me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I; and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. (Isaiah 48:16) . G-d will set His own crown upon the head of King Messiah, and clothe Him with honor and majesty...Midrash Tehillim on Ps.21:3...Rabbi Hann in the name of Rabbi Aha; continues the thought...G-d will bestow a portion of His supernatural glory on Messiah....The Midrash then continues with two designations of Messiah; HaShem, a man of war and HaShem, is our righteousness. . [On Is.9:6; R.Aben Ezra:]...There are some interpreters who say that 'Wonderful, Everlasting Father' are Names of G-d and only 'Prince of Peace' is the Name of the Child. But according to my view the interpretation is right (which says): all are the Names of the Child. . [Midrash Echa (1:51):]...What is the Name of King Messiah? To this answered Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: HaShemis His Name, for it is written: 'This is the Name whereby He shall be called: HaShemZidkenu'. . [See also, Midrash Rabbah 999:8), (Ps. 45:6), (Prov.30:4), (Ps.2:7), (Sukkah [52a]), (Zohar [part III, fol.307, Amsterdam edition]) (Ps.2:12 Lesser's trans.)...{ect...... also, verses in Tanach may be one or two verses differance depending upon your translation}.. [Zohar vol.III]...The Ancient and Holy One is revealed and described as being Three; it is because the Other Lights are Two complete Ones, yet is the Ancient and Holy One described and complete as One, & He is One, positively One; thus are the Other Lights united and glorified in One, because They are One...[Rabbi Simeon further states]...Thus are the Three Lights united in One. The Spirit which is downward, Who is called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit which is the Middle Pillar, Who is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, also called the Spirit below. The Upper Spirit is hidden in secret; in Him are existing all the Holy Spirits [the Holy Spirit and the Spirit that is the middle pillar], and all that is light." . [Rabbi T. Nassi on Rosh HaShannah]...the three-fold sound of the ram's horn which is sounded on Rosh Hashanah, is an emblem of the Three-fold nature of G-d. . {see also, (Bereshis Rabba 2), (R.Simeon on Song of Songs 2:6, Zohar Tanchuma), (R. Tzvi Nassi's book, The Great Mystery), (Burt Yellin's book, Messiah, A Rabbinic & Scriptural Viewpoint, {available locally only}) (Sukkah 52a; Rabbi Dosa), (Rabbi B'rekhyah: From the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, S. Driver & A. Neubauer, Hermon Press, New York, 1877.)....ect...ect...ect.... .The King Messiah shall be exalted above Abraham, be high ABOVE MOSES. [Neve Shalom] . I have examined and searched all the Holy Scriptures, and have not found the time for coming of Messiah, clearly fixed, except in the words of Gabriel to the prophet Daniel, which are written in the ninth chapter of the prophecy ofDaniel." R.Moses Abraham Levi. . While the shofar is being blown in the Synagogue on Rosh HaShannah the following remarkably significant prayer is offered: . Merciful and gracious G-d, I have sinned against Thee, and done that which is evil in Thy sight. Have mercy on me and forgive all my transgressions, trespasses and sins, through >Yehoshua< the Prince of His Presence.1 . In most prayer books of the present day this prayer is omitted, and the following offered instead: . May it please Thee, O L-rd G-d, and the G-d of our fathers, that Thou mayest accept it as the meditation through Elijah and Joshua, the Prince of the Presence, the Prince Metatron and that Thou mayest be filled with mercy towards us. Blessed art Thou, O L-rd Who art merciful. . The angel Metatron, according to Jewish theology, was he who discoursed with Moses[2] and the angel in whom G-d placed His Name. The following from the Zohar is of interest in this case: . There is a man, if a Man He is, Who is an Angel.This Angel is Metatron, the Keeper of Israel; He is a man in the image of the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is an Emanation from Him [from G-d]; yea, He [the Metatron] is Jehovah. Of Him cannot be said, He is created, formed or made; but He is the Emanation from G-d.3 . 1.Salvation:don't have the referrance handy to look it up for myself as to the exact form of the word used...seems to be Joshua. from the Prayer Book For The New Year (1913). Rev.Dr.A.Th.Phillips, page 100. 2.Exodus 3:2-15 3.Zohar, chapter 67, page 130. . "In fact the MESSIAH IS SUCH A PROPHET as it is stated in the Midrash on the verse, "Behold My servant shall prosper...Moses by the miracles which he wrought drew but a single nation to the worship of G-d, but the MESSIAH will draw ALL NATIONS to the worship of G-d." R.Levi ben Gershom. . "Rabbi Phinehas, Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Menachem; 'In the Time to Come, all sacrifices will be annulled, but that of thanksgiving will not be annulled.' This is indicated by what is written in [Jeremiah 33:11]. . The thought of Torah changing in the "Age to Come" is again made perfectly clear in the rendering of Deuteronomy 17:18,in Sifra. Here it is stated that the L-rd wrote a copy of Mishna-Torah for Himself, and that He would not be content with the Mishna-Torah of the father. The question is asked..."Why does He say Mishna-Torah? Because it is destined to be changed." . "The Torah which a man learns in this world is but vanity compared with the Torah of Messiah" Midrash Qohelet on Eccl.11:8. . And I will put enmity between thee and the WOMAN, and between thy seed and her SEED; He shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise His heel. -Gen.3:15 Lesser's. . It is not written that we may perserve a son from our father, but SEED from our father. This is the SEED that is coming from another place. And Who is this? This is the King Messiah. -Ber.Rabbah (51,ed. Warsh. p.95 a, on Genesis 19:32).. This is that SEED that is coming from another place, and Who is this? This is the King Messiah. -Ber.Rabbah 51, ed. Wars. P.95,a, on Gen.19:23 . The serpent of Gen.3 is identified with satan. -Jewish Ency. (p.70,col.b) . Isaac carried the wood like a man who takes up his cross. -Pesikta Rab. (54, a). . Our Rabbis have a tradition that in the week in which Messiah will be born there will be a bright star in the east, which is the 'star of the Messiah.' -Pesikta Sortarta. (fol.58 c.1) . Kings shall not cease, nor rulers from the house of Judah, nor sapherim teaching the Law from his seed, till the time that the King The Messiah shall come, Who will arise from Yehudah. How beauteous is the King, The Messiah Who will arise from Yehudah. -Targum Palestine, Gen.49:10. . From what has been said you will perceive that Shiloh, The Messiah, was to appear whilst Judah was a distinct tribe, having its genealogies, and its magistrates, scribes, lawyers and expounders of G-d's Laws. But it is an undeniable fact that Tribe of Judah, as well as all the other tribes, has lost its genealogies for more than seventeen hundred years and therefore the Messiah must have appeared, or the prediction is false. To assert the latter would be blasphemy;to deny the former is unreasonable. -R. Frey . For many days shall the children of Israel abide without a King, and without a Prince, and without a Sacrifice, and without a standing image, and without an ephod, and without a teraphim. After that will the children of Israel return and seek for the L-rd their G-d, and David their King,.... -Hosea 3:4-5, Lesser's. . David their King is this Messiah, like, 'My servant David shall be their King forever." -Aben Ezra . The Messiah had one spirit which was equal to all the others put together according to Isaiah 11:1-10. -Yalkut (vol.1 p.247,d)(Edersheim) . Therefore will the Lord Himself give you a sign; behold this almah/young woman, [in LXX trans. done by 70 Rabbi's it is the Greek word for virgin], shall conceive, and bare a Son and she shall call His Name Immanuel,(G-d with us). -Isaiah 7:14 Lesser's. . 'Behold a virgin shall conceive', There are some who say that this was made a sign, because a virgin 'fuit non apta generationi. -Jarchi. . R. Huni in the name of R. Ide and R. Joshua said, that this man is the King Messiah of Whom it is said, Psalms 2:7, 'This day have I begotten Thee.' -Talmud Bab. . Jarchi refutes the above by observing that Hezekiah was nine years old when his father Ahaz began to reign, and he must be at this time, at least thirteen years of age. In like manner Kimchi, and Eben Ezra object to it; and besides his mother could not be called a virgin. -Gill . Out of thee Bethlehem shall Messiah go forth before me, to exercise dominion over Israel. Whose Name has been spoken from of old from the day of eternity. -Micah 5:2 Targum Jonathan . Out of thee (Bethlehem) shall come forth unto me Messiah, the Son of David. -R.Jarchi . Behold, I will send my messenger, and He shall clear out the way before me: and suddenly will come to His Temple the L-rd Whom ye seek; and the Messenger of the Covenant Whom ye desire, for behold He is coming saith the L-rd of hosts. -Malachi 3:1 Lesser's . The L-rd is the King Messiah; He is also the Angel of the Covenant. -Kimchi . The L-rd is both the Divine Majesty, and the Angel of the Covenant, for the sentence is doubled. -Aben Ezra . The L-rd may be explained of the King Messiah. -Mashmiah Jeshua, fol.76 . The Most Holy is the Messiah, for He is more holy than the sons of David. -R. Nachman . Our Rabbis expound this in a Midrash of the King Messiah saying, He shall be higher than Abraham, exalted above Moses, and loftier than the ministering angels. -R.Sa'adyah Ibn Danan {Midrash Tanchuma} . For to us a Son is born, to us a Son is given: and He shall receive the Law upon Him to keep it; and His Name is called from of old, Wonderful, Counselor, ELOHA, The Mighty, Abiding to Eternity, The Messiah, because peace shall be multiplied on us in His days. -Isaiah 9:6 Targum Jonathan . Rabbi Samuel, the son of Nachman, said, 'When Esau met Jacob he said unto him, "My brother Jacob, let us walk together in this world. Jacob replied: Let my L-rd, I pray thee, pass over before his servant" (Genesis 33:14) What is the meaning of, "I pray thee, pass over? Jacob said to him: I have yet to supply the Messiah, of Whom it is said: "Unto us a Child is born". -Midrash (Deuteronomy 2:4) . For those who cannot look upon the Son Himself, behold Him in His reflected light, even thus do they regard the image of G-d, Who is His Angel, the Word [Logos], as G-d Himself. -(De Plant Noe) Philo Judaeus . There are it seemeth two Temples of G-d. The one in this world, in which also there is a High Priest, His First Begotten Divine Word (Logos). -Philo Judaeus . As it is said of the former redeemer, and Moses took his wife, and his sons, and set them on an ass (Exodus 4:20), so it is said of the latter Redeemer {Messiah} "poor and riding on an ass"-Midrash Kohelet (fol.63:2) . Deutero-Zechariah's Messiah has much in common with Isaiah's. He is described (Zechariah 9:9) as a righteous Prince of Peace who will rise from the ranks of the pious and oppressed, who will ride into Jerusalem not in military splender, but on an ass. (Compaire Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on an ass),.... -Jewish Encyl. {vol.8, p.507, c.a.} . My Son art Thou; I have indeed this day begotten Thee. *Do homage to the Son, lest He be angry, and ye be lost on the way; for His wrath is so speedily kindled. Happy are all they that put their trust in Him. -Psalms 2:7-12 Lesser's . *[Ps.2:12 Heb. 'Bar' = 202]...Thou art the Son, the faithful shepherd; of Thee it is said, 'Kiss the Son'. {note: this has been removed in English in many new Jewish Tanach translation, but it is there in the Hebrew!} Thou art the Governor of the Universe, the Head of Israel, the Lord of ministering angels, the Son of the Highest, the Son of the Holy and Blessed One, yea the very Shechinah. { note: The Shechinah is the VERY HOLY SPIRIT OF HA-SHEM!}. . Our Doctors expound the Psalm of the Messiah. -(Jarchi (Maas) [ref.Ps.2] . Whosoever is not willing to praise This Son, his sins shall be brought before the Holy King. -Zohar (Dent.fol.109) [ref.Ps.2] . But if it be interpreted of the Messiah, the matter is clear. -Aben Ezra [ref.Ps.2] . It is a tradition of the Rabbis that Messiah, The Son of David, Who is to be revealed speedily.....the Holy One said unto Him, Ask of Me anything and I will give it thee, for it is said; 'I will declare the decree, etc. "Today have I begotten thee." -Talmud Bab. (Succah, fol.52) [ref.Ps.2] . *This is the faithful Shepherd; Of Thee it is said, "Kiss the Son," Thou art the Prince of the Israelites, the L-rd of the earth.....The Son of the Most High, the Son of The Holy G-d.....and the gracious Shekinah. -Zohar (Gen.fol.88, c.348) [ref.Ps.2] . Know Him as your G-d, Who is the Son of G-d. -Sibylline Oracles (Lactantins P.10 s.) . Then He [My Servant Messiah] will become despised, and will cut off the glory of all the Kingdoms; they will be prostrate and mourning, like a man of pains, and like One destined for sickness; and as though the Presence of the Shekinah had been withdrawn from us, they will be despised, and esteemed not. -Targum Jonathan Isaiah 53:3 . Our Rabbis with one voice accept and affirm the opinion that the prophet is here speaking of the Messiah. -R.Mosheh El-Sheikh [ref.Is.53:3] . There is a secret one [interpretation] sealed up in it's midst, which sees throughout allusions to the King Messiah ......And in the same sense it is expounded by our Rabbis. -R.Sa'adyah Ibn Danan [ref.Is.53:3] . Awake, O sword against My Shepherd, and against the Man I have associated with Me, saith the L-rd of hosts: smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; but I will turn my hand towards the feeble one. -Zechariah 13:7 Lesser's . This prophecy refers to the great wars which shall be in all the earth in the times of Messiah ben Joseph: but they regard the times of Messiah, the Son of David, Who is already come. -Aden Ezra [ref.Zech.13:7] . But the wise man, R. Abraham Ben Ezra, has interpreted this prophecy of the great wars which shall be in all the world in the days of the Messiah the Son of Joseph....The Messiah therefore is the Person to be smitten before the scattering of the sheep. -R. Kimchi [ref.Zech.13:7] . ...At that time G-d will tell Messiah all that will happen to Him. The sins of the souls of the ones who are with Thee under My throne will in the generation of Messiah bend Thee down under a yoke of iron and Thou make Thee like a calf whose eyes are dimmed because of pain and Thy Spirit will be pressed as with a yoke; Because of the sins of these souls; Thy tongue shall cleave to the roof of Thy mouth. Art Thou willing to suffer these things? Messiah will ask [G-d], will these sufferings last many years? G-d answers Him: I swear... that they will last for one week only. If Thou dost regret it I will banish their sinful souls right away! Messiah answered, With joy in My soul and gladness in My heart, I take upon Me these sufferings that no one in Israel might perish, both the living and those that are buried in the dust of the earth,and all the souls from the First Adam even until now... During the week [of years] when the Son of David, the Messiah comes,they will bring iron bars and put them on His neck until His height is bent low and He cries, and weeps so that His voice ascends even to the sky. And He [Messiah] will say: Master of the Universe, is then My power and My Spirit unlimited, even My limbs and My soul? Am I not flesh and blood? It is because of this future ordeal that David [prophetically] wept, saying My strength is dried up like a potsherd [Psalms 22:7]. At this hour, G-d will say to Him, Ephraim, My Righteous Messiah, didst Thou not agree before the creation to this? Now let Your sorrows be as My own sorrows.... At that Messiah answers, Now is My Spirit calmed for 'It is enough for a servant to be like master.' Pesikta Rabbati {Piska 36:142}/Yalkut on Isaiah 60:1-2} . It is well known that in the coming of the Messiah is (included) the coming of the Blessed G-d into the world. -R. Alschech . And being beaten He shall be silent lest any one should know what The Word is, or whence it came, that it may speak with mortals; and He shall wear the CROWN OF THORNS. -Sibylline Oracles (B.C. 117, 184) . And they shall inflict on G-d blows with impure hands, and with polluted mouths they shall send forth polluted spittle and He shall then absolutely give His Holy back to stripes. -Sibylline Oracles (B.C. 117, 184) . While He bore the sins of many and for the transgressors He let (evil) befall Him. -Isaiah 53:12.b Lesser's . And when Israel is sinful, the Messiah seeks for mercy upon them, as it is written, "By His stripes we were healed, and He carried the sins of many; and made intercession for the transgressors." -B'reshith Rabbah (pp.430, 671) . .....And they will look up toward Me (for every one) Whom they have thrust through, and they will lament for Him as one lamenteth for an Only Son, and weepeth bitterly for the Firstborn. -Zechariah 12:10 Lesser's . And the heathen will look unto Me to see what I will do to those who have pierced Messiah, the Son of Joseph. -Aben Ezra . It must be granted him that says, for Messiah the Son of Joseph that shall be slain as it is written, And they shall look upon Me Whom they have pierced. -Talmud Bab. (Succah 52, 1) . He will revive us after two days; on the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His Presence. -Hosea 6:2 Lesser's . This passage is applied to the resurrection and to the Messiah by R. Moses Hadarshan in Genesis 22:4. -Ber Rabbah (Frey) . And after sleeping three days, He shall put an end to the fate of death; and then releasing Himself from the dead, He shall come to light, first showing to the 'called ones' the beginning of the Resurrection. -Sibylline Oracles (See Jewish Encyclopedia) . R. Alexander said R.Joshua ben Levi objects to what is written, "And behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven; and it is written, "Poor and riding upon and ass"; if they {Israel} are worthy He {Messiah} comes with the clouds of heaven; but if they are not worthy, He comes poor and riding on an ass. -Talmud Babl. (Sanh., fol.98, 1) . The following from tractate Sanhedrin 98a..... Rabbi Yoshua met Elijah standing at the entrance to the cave of Rabbi Simeon b. Yochai and said to him: "When will the Messiah come?" Elijah responds: "Go and ask Him yourself." R. Yoshua: "And where does He reside?" Elijah: "He abides among the poor, the sick and the stricken." R. Yoshua went and met Messiah and said: "Peace be unto You, my Rabbi and my L-rd." Messiah replies: "Peace be unto you, son of Levi." R. Yoshua asks the Messiah: "When will You come my L-rd?" Messiah: "Today!" Upon returning to the cave, Elijah asks Him: "What did He say to you?" R. Yoshua: "He said, 'Peace be unto you son of Levi.'" {Elijah explains to him that the Messiah has assured both him and his father of the World to Come.} R. Yoshua perplexed says: "But He deceived me, in that He said He would come today, and He has not come." Elijah replies: "By the word 'Today,' He meant, 'IF YOU BUT HEAR MY VOICE!'" . !!!!!!! w . ==============RABBINIC QUOTES [ANCIENT] CONCERNING YESHUA=========== . The Talmud states that Yeshua was of royal decent.... Rabbi Ulla's comments; Sanhedrin 43a>Would you believe that any defence would have been so zealously sought for him? He was a deceiver, and the All-mercciful says: You shall not spare him, neither shall you conceal him, [Deut.13:9]. It was different with Jesus, for He was near to the kingship. . From the Karaite Anthology, by Leon Nemoy, Yale press, pgs. 50-51, 9... Next there appeared Yesua, who Rabbanites say was the son of Pandera; he is known as Jesus, the son of Mary. He lived in the days of Joshua, the son of Perahiah, who is said to have been the maternal uncle of Jesus. The Rabbanites plotted against Jesus until they put him to death This took place in thereign of Augustus Ceasar, the emperor of Rome, i.e.,at the time of the second Temple.{Jacov Al-Kirkisani,900's AD/CE.} . ===========JUDAIC/RABBINIC QUOTES [MODERN] CONCERNING YESHUA======== . Intermountain Jewish News Pages 31-32 Sec.A August 12, 1988..."WE WONDER WHETHER AMERICAN ORTHODOX JEWISH LEADERSHIP, ONE OF WHO'S SPOKESMEN RABBI GREENBERG CLAIMS TO BE..." "LEADING ORTHODOX RABBI IN THE UNITED STATES" says...[quoting from the article]... "A Jewish leader today, Rabbi Irving Greenberg, has written (in The Relationship of Judaism and Christianity: Towards a New Organic Model, " a 19 page essay published in Quarterly Review, then distributed by CLAL)):" "...I believe the early Christians were faithful Jews when they recognized Jesus. Like good, faithful Jews, they were looking for the Messiah, particulary in a different century. Lo and behold! They recognized his arrival. That is a very faithful response of a Jew - to recognize that the Messiah has arrived, and to respond" (p.5; pagination of CLAL reprint)" . "should enable one to affirm the fullness of the faith-claims of the other, not just offer tolerance...We need a model that would allow both sides to respect the full nature of the other in all its faith-claims" (pg.2) . "The one thing the rabbis would give Christianity, then, is that Jesus was a Messiah- a false Messiah...The Rabbis concluded that Christianity was an alien growth, developed by those who followed a false Messiah. The Rabbis perhaps erred here...." . "...In short,the classic Christian interpretation that Christianity has superceded Judaism is an understandable hermeneutic, rooted in Jewish models of interpetation and capable of being derived out of faithfullness to pastJewish modes of thinking"(pg.7)." . "The Rabbis and the Jews...sensed the profound continuity from Judaism into Christianity."(pg.8)" . "Nor does my analysis foreclose the possibility that sacramental Christianity is in fact a higher form of Biblical religion, i.e.,one in which God is even MORE manifest and present"[emphasis in origional] (pg.14)" . "...this model offers the affirmation of the fullest possibilities of Christ: from God Incarnate to prophet or messiah or teacher - freed at least of the incubus of hatred and monopolistic claims of owning God" (pg.15)" . ...................................................................... . RABBI HILLEL GOLDBERG: Denver, Colo. I.M.J.N. in View From Denver... "Now, a few authoritive Jewish philosophers did not see Christianity as idolatry for non-Jews, and still fewer went further, seeing in Christianity a positive, civilizing, and even religiously elevating influence for non-Jews." . DAVID FLUSSER, PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS HISTORY AT HEBREW UNIVERSITY IN JERUSALEM: I do not think that many Jews would object if the Messiah - when He came - was the Jew Jesus. . We may all feel thankful that the Jewish race was so prolific in great men, that even so late in history, it produced one {Jesus} Who deserves to be compared with Moses, Isaiah and Hillel. -Rabbi Adolph Moses in Courier-Journal 1885 . Former Chief Rabbi finds the Messiah, [adapted from a narrative by Dr. Jacob Gartenhaus].... Rabbi Daniel Zion, former chief Rabbi of Bulgaria and later chief Rabbi of Jaffa Israel. The article says that more controversy has he been the subject of than any other personality. Scores of articles in both Jewish and Christian periodicals have been written about him. . He first made his confession of Belief in Yeshua in 1952, and was discharged from being the chief of Jaffa the same year, Rabbi Zion was allowed to tell of his experience on Kol Israel Radio station in Israel such a thing had never been permitted before. {His Kol Israel Radio statement follows}.... . ...More than 20 years ago, I had the first opportunity of reading the New Covenant. It influenced me greatly. I began to speak of it in a small circle in Bulgaria. I always regretted that Yeshua the Messiah has been estranged from the community of Israel. Yeshua had nothing but good for the Jewish people. He called them to repentance and proclaimed the Kingdom of G-d. But I must confess that my position as a Rabbi did not allow me at once to come out openly before the world in order to spread this truth until, G-d in His great mercy, set me free from all fear. He brought me into this country of Israel, where at first I discharged my duties as a Rabbi of Jaffa. After I gave up my position [as a Rabbi], I went to Jerusalem where for a whole month I engaged in fasting, prayer and supplicaton. It was then that I asked G-d to show me the right way, and the Eternal heard my prayer. On the first of Shebat, 5710 [Spring 1950], the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Yeshua is indeed the Messiah,who suffered for us and sacrificed Himself for our sin. A burning fire in my heart gave me no rest until I had publicly confessed my faith. In spite of all difficulties, suffering and persecutions, which I have endured incessantly, nothing could dissuade me from my faith. On the contrary, G-d to Whom I have given my heart and to Whom I turn in all my needs, has given me the strength and power to continue in my witness. He spoke to me through a verse in Is.41:10:Fear thou not; for I am with thee; yea, be not dismayed, for I am thy G-d;I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness." By this I understood that a great and important task has been given to me by the Eternal, which I must accomplish at all costs. Do not think that I have left Judaism. On the contrary, I have remained Jewish, and become more Jewish because Yeshua Himself remained Jewish. I comply with the Torah, just as Yeshua the Messiah complied with it. May it be G-d's will that Yeshua the Messiah come to unite the whole world in one faith, that everyone may be prepared for the Kingdom of the Almighty, in order that the words of Zechariah 14 be fulfilled: 'And the L-rd shall be King over all the earth'. 2 . 2 Postcript: Rabbi Zion was able to proclaim his faith in Yeshua to thousands of Jewish people till he died in his one hundredth year. THERE YOU HAVE IT, STRAIGHT FROM THE FORMER CHIEF RABBI OF YAFFA! . --------------------------------------------------------------------- . Refferance to the Tiberias Rabbi is found in Would I Would You, a book giving accounts of famous Hebrew Believers, from the Lewis & Harriet Lederer Foundation 6204 Park Heights Ave. Baltimore, Maryland 21215, Another book is, Famous Hebrew Christians by Jacob Gartenhaus... The Tiberias Rabbi, and David H. Stern's, Messianic Jewish Manifesto. The account of Rabbi/Haham Ephraim ben Jospeh Eliakim: became a dayanim, overseeer of justice, in the community, married the chief Rabbi's daughter, was the son of a Rabbi and leading man in the community, was also a teacher of Bible and Talmud. Part of the start of him becoming a Believer was knowing the older Jewish interpetations of Is. 53, had his mikvah shel Yeshua in Nazareth. He witnessed in Jerusalem, used to discuss Yeshua with the Yeshivah students in Jerusalem, many of whom were his former students, and died at the age of 74 on Aug.31, 1930. . Alfred Adersheim was a Torah Scholar of renown, Rabbi Max Wertheimer, Talmud Scholar, Shabbetai Benjamin Rohold Ben of respected Rabbi's in Erets Israel, Jospeh Rabinowitz Ben of a Chassidic-rabbanic family and considered a Jewish leader of his time, Rabbi Iechiel Lichtenstein district Rabbi in Tapio Szele Hungary, Scholar Joachim Heinrich Raphael Biesenthal, Scholar David Baron, Rabbi Ephraim ben Joseph Eliakim Haham of Tiberias & dayanim of the community, Hebrew Scholar Hayim Yedidiah Pollak; all of these people became Messianic Believers in Yeshua the Messiah, and the list goes on and on.... . Subj: Judaic Quotes concerning Yeshua******************* . "As a child I recieved instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene" Albert Einstein/Nobel Prize winner in physics; former professor, Princeton University; {Quoted from an interview by George Sylvester Viereck. "What life means to Einstein," The Saturday Evening Post, October 26, 1929, Curtis Publishing Company.} . "Jesus is a genuine Jewish personality, all his struggles and works, his speech and silence, bear the stamp of a Jewish style, the mark of Jewish idealism, of the best that was and is in Judaism. He was a Jew among Jews...." Rabbi Leo Black/for many years the religious leader of German Jewry;{Quoted by Shalom Ben-Chorin in"The Image of Jesus{Yeshua} in Modern Judaism," Journal of Ecumenical Studies 11, no. 3 (summer 1974), 408. Used by permission.} . "It is a peculiar manifestation of our exile psychology that we permitted, and even aided in, the deletion of New Testament Messianism, that meaningful offshoot of our spiritual history. It was in a Jewish land, that this spiritual revolution was kindled; and Jews were those who had spread it all over the land....."We must overcome the superstitious fear which we harbor about the Messianic movement of Jesus{Yeshua}, and we must place the movement where it belongs, namely, in the spiritual history of Judaism...." Martin Buber/author and former professor at Hebrew University, Jerusalem; {From "Three Talks on Judaism,"translated by Paul Levertoff in "Jewish Opinions About Jesus," Der Weg 7 no.1 (January-February, 1933),8.} . "Neither Christian protest nor Jewish lamentation can annul the fact that Jesus was a Jew, an Hebrew of the Hebrews. Surely it is not wholly unfit that Jesus be reclaimed by those who have never unitedly nor organizedly denied him, though oft denied by his followers; that Jesus should not be so much appropriated by us as assigned to the place in Jewish life and Jewish history which is rightfully his own. Jesus was not only a Jew but he was the Jew, the Jew of Jews....In that day when history shall be written in the light of truth, the people of Israel will not be known as the Christ-killers, but as Christ-bearers; not as G*d-slayers, but as the G*d-bringers to the world." Rabbi Stephen S. Wise/Zionist leader and founder of the Jewish Institute of Religion; {Taken from an article written by Stephen S. Wise, "The Life and Teaching of Jesus the Jew," in The Outlook, June 7, 1913.) . "Jesus was a Jew and a Jew he remained till his last breath. His one idea was to implant within his nation the idea of the coming of the Messiah and, by repentance and good works, hasten the 'end'...'In all this, Jesus is the most Jewish of Jews...more Jewish that Hillel...From the standpoint of general humanity, he is, indeed, 'a light to the gentiles'." Joseph Klausner/Professor at Hebrew University, Jerusalem and author; {Joseph Klausner, Jesus of Nazareth (New York: Macmillan, 1925), 363, 368, 374, 413.} . ===========================RABBINIC MISC.=========================== . Just as the seventh year is one year of release in seven, so is this world; One thousand years out of seven shall be fallow, as it is written, 'And the L-rd alone shall be exalted in that day;' meaning that the day is altogether a Sabbath, as it is said, 'For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past." -Rabbi Kattina on Genesis 1: . -------------------------------------------------------------------- ...did so under the spiritual influence of an Orthodox Rabbi, who considers the Talmud not only SECONDARY TO THE BIBLE but believes, as a Jew should, that the Talmud was given unto Moses orally on Mount Sinai together with the Bible; as the Talmud states (Volume I, page 12).... *Volume I/pg. iv, EN JACOB, Agada Of The Babylonian Talmud; By Rabbi Jacob Ibn Chabib revised & translated into English by Rabbi S.H. Glick; Third Edition New York 5680-Copyright 1916 . Vol.I/pg.viii, #2; Since we find that the sages themselves had said, concerning medical knowledge that the opinion of such and such a Rabbi did not prove to be true, as for instance, The Eagle-stone (Shabbath fol.66b), or other things mentioned. We infer from this that they DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE TRUE ULITMATE CONCLUSION OF EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE TORAH. . The above, from the first complete English Translation of the Talmud, shows that even back in 1916, the idea of Talmud being secondary in nature to the Bible, [although note the importance attached to it]. -------------------------------------------------------------------- . Though there are certain Rabbi's who say they do not believe in satan today, the idea is indeed in Tanach and Rabbinic lit. as well. That is where it came from. Try reading the writings of the Baal Shem Tov sometime, and say that Jews don't believe there is a satan, you'll quickly see they do. The Stories of Eliyahu Hanayi by Yisroel Yakkov Klapholz is full of such things from various Rabbinic sources. Not to mention the personification of the yitsaharah in Talmud. . =======================M I S C. M E S S I A N I C=================== . Hugh Schonfield writes in The History of Jewish Christianity pgs.170-171]...Organizations were quickly set up to ameliorate the lot of the Jewish suffers, but the Jewish Christians and non-Aryan Christians were largely denied relief from these sources, and their pitiful appeals came before the I.H.C.A.... . I would suggest getting the MARCH/APRIL 1989 issue of Archaeology today. Seems that they have found quite a bit of evidence that Rabbinic Jews and Messianic Jews both worshiped side by side up till the 7th century in parts of Israel and the rest of the world. . We possess manuscripts of the New Covenant from about 130 AD (Rylands MS), with major portions of the New Testament from 200 AD (Beatty Papyri). Along with a first Century Mishnaic Hebrew Matthew, as well as various quotes of early manuscripts, not to mention the early Syriac manuscripts. . =======================M I S C. V A R I O U S======================== . In terms of praying to saints. It is said that it is merely asking them for intercession, however, as a Catholic, you are taught that they can respond. The most notable incident is in the case of Joan of Arc, St. Catherine, who was dead, gave her advice. Theresa of Avila, I believe, also had the same type of experience. These are both saints in the church and are to emulated as such. These were people who were dead, and is necromancy, which is forbidden in Tanach/{O.T.}! . ===============VARIOUS QUOTES ANCIENT CONCERNING YESHUA============= . First, Josephus [whether reading the Arabic or western versions refers to particular followers of Jesus, called the Christ. Both versions refer to Jesus...The western refers to him as"He was the Christ,...for he appeared to them alive again on the third day", while the arabic says "His conduct was good... They reported that He had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion... He was perhaps the Messiah.." ("Kitab Al-Unwan Al-Mukallal..."]. . Cornelius Tacitus: "But not all the relief that could come from man, not all the bounties...availed to relive Nero...Hence..he falsely charged..the persons commonly called Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate...". . Pliny also notes that ...people sang hymns to Christ as "to a God" [Epistle 10, 96ff]. |