TorahApologia.page

BERESHEET...
      IN THE BEGINNING...

These are the first words of the Torah |1|. Indeed, Biblical Judaism's
beginning and foundation is centered in the Torah of G-d |2|.

If one were to be transported, (for but one example), back in time to a
typical Shtetl |3| in Prussia, - let's say during the 19th century of
our era, one would note that the life of the community as a whole was
built around the Synagogue; and the Synagogue itself was centered
around the Ark |4|; and inside of the Ark, - the primary scroll, (of
the three scrolls of the Tanakh |5|), that we would see would be the
Torah Scroll.

Since the Torah is foundational to Biblical Judaism, and since Biblical
Judaism is what Messianic Judaism originates from, (as well as the the
various later developments of Gentile Christian expression that
likewise can claim their "roots" in 1st Cent. AD/Ce Messianic Judaic
origin), it would seem prudent to look a little closer at this "Torah"
that sits at the front of our Bibles.

I saw a picture some time back, and the caption read: "What is wrong
with the Church today?" The picture was a drawing of a large hand
reaching out the back door of a Church and holding a small Moses with
the Ten Commandments in his arms, and that hand was setting this Moses
and the Law outside!

If you ask the average Christian today what they think is the main
focus of the "Old(er) Covenant", you will likely hear something on the
order of: 'It is the Law'. This is one of the most common perceptions;
but is only true in part. While it is true that there are many Mitzvot
/(Commandments), within Torah, the Hebrew word "Torah" itself is much
better translated with the idea of the English word: "Instruction".
While this difference at first may seem slight; the implications behind
the simplistic idea of: "The Law", has taken on an extreme twist at
times. There are those for example who hold to a hyper-dispensational
viewpoint that say such things as: all the Words of G-d before the time
of Messiah have little meaning. Some will even go so far as to say
that even Yeshua Messiah's teaching when He walked upon the earth only
applied to those of that day, but not to the "Church" after His
Resurrection. Not only do I find these notions preposterous, if one
continues in this vein, one is left with a mighty thin Bible! Also
this type of dogma ignores such things as where Yeshua tells us: ...if
you love Me, keep My commandments; or where after His resurrection He
tells His Talmidim: ...teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever
I have commanded you. Rather than take the time in this article to
examine various negative and false dogma |6| that some have developed
over the centuries to G-d's Torah; we'll be focusing instead on what is
the makeup of the Torah Itself; and what the New Covenant Scripture has
to say to us as Messianic Jews and Messianic Gentiles, concerning the
relationship of the Torah to our daily life and walk as Believers.

Judaism has calculated that there are 613 Mitzvot/(Commandments) in
Torah; but we also know that there are over 1000 commands in the New
Covenant! However, - many of these "1000+" are either built upon, or
direct quotes of, the Torah Mitzvot themselves. (One example):
     Honour thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment
     with a promise,... Eph.6:2/Dby.

As the Tanakh is comprised of three parts, so too the Mitzvot of Torah
can be shown to be made up of three "groups": The TEMPLE ORDINANCES;
The MORAL MITZVOT; and The JUDAIC INJUNCTIONS. While there is certain
overlap and interaction between the various Commands in these three
groupings; nevertheless one can clearly see these distinctions. One
can somewhat discover Scripture Itself making such a definition. For
one example of this see in Psalms 119:1-6(& on)/Dby, where David says:
       ALEPH. Blessed [are] the undefiled in the way, who walk in the
       Law of the LORD. Blessed [are] they that keep His testimonies,
       [and that] seek Him with the whole heart. They also do no
       iniquity: they walk in His ways. Thou hast commanded [us] to
       keep Thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to
       keep Thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have
       respect unto all Thy Commandments.

       Briefly, these three groupings can be considered as thus:

1). MORAL MITZVOT: The Commands that deal with mans relationship with
    G-d; and mans relationship with man. Each of these two sets
    include both: Positive (thou shalt), and Prohibitive (thou
    shalt not), Commandments that are applicable to all of mankind.
    This first grouping of Commands encompasses "the weightier matters
    of the Torah" that Yeshua/(Jesus) talks about Mat.23:23. Of these
    two sets of the "weightier" Mitzvot, the ones dealing with mans
    relationship with G-d are the mightier, and also the Positive
    Commands of each set are stronger than the Prohibitive, -in that if
    one keeps the Positive they won't be in a position to worry near as
    much about breaking the Prohibitive. For example, he who follows:
    "loves thy neighbor as thyself", will not have to be near as
    concerned about breaking the Prohibitive Command: "Thou shalt not
    covet thy neighbor's {...}". -One who truly is loving his neighbor
    as himself would not be meditating on breaking the Prohibitive
    Commandment against coveting in the first place. The two Mitzvot
    on which Yeshua says: "...hang all the Torah and the Nevi'im/
    (Prophets)." Mat.22:40b, is first the greatest one from the first
    set of Positive Commands; and the second Mitzvah is the greatest
    one from the second set of Positive Commands in this grouping. One
    more way to illustrate the "degree" of these Mitzvot is through
    looking at these two following famous quotes:
1). Yeshua: Matt.7:12 - "Therefore all things whatever ye
desire that men should do to you, thus do ye also do to them;
for this is the Torah and the Prophets."
2). Hillel: BT Sabbath (EnYa'akov V.I pg.124) - "That which is
hateful to thee, do not do unto thy neighbor, this is the
whole Torah, and the rest is merely commentary."
    Usually when one sees scholars mentioning these sayings together,
    they note how they are similar one to the other. But I think that
    entirely misses the point. There is a subtle but important
    difference between these two sayings. Hillel would have one doing
    no "negative" thing to ones neighbor; Yeshua would have one doing a
    "positive" thing. While Hillel's statement is indeed valid, and
    covers the 'Prohibitive' -or- the "thou shalt not" mitzvot;
    Yeshua's statement embraces BOTH the 'Prohibitive' and the
    'Positive'. Yeshua's statement is thus the more powerful of the
    two. - As if one DOES to his fellow man what he'd have him do unto
    him, then by forte' he ALSO will NOT DO unto his fellow man what is
    hateful unto him!

2). THE TEMPLE ORDINANCES: I believe that these Commands, relating to
    the Temple sacrifices, are those things being considered in what
    the Talmidim/(Disciples) & Emissaries/(Apostles) say in Acts
    15:10/(Eph.2:15), when they mention those things that are hard to
    bear. I also believe that these are also the Ordinances that are
    being spoken of in Hebrews 8:13-(& on) as: "...ready to vanish
    away". Now they have 'vanished away' from view, (the Temple is
    gone); but they have NOT disappeared from practice since they have
    vanished away from view into the Heavenlies, and are now kept for
    us by our eternal Cohen-HaGadol/(High Priest) Yeshua HaMashiach/
    (The Messiah).

3). THE JUDAIC INJUNCTIONS: Specific Commands given to the Jewish
    people forever and to all generations, (tzitzit, mezuzah, etc.).
    While these are not directly enjoined upon the Goyim/(Gentiles) in Tanakh,
    they are not forbidden to them either; - if one is so led of Ruach HaKodesh/
    (The Holy Spirit.) I believe we see included in certain Commands
    of this group some of the "least" Mitzvot that Yeshua speaks of in
    Mat.5:15-18/(Mat.23:23).

It is important for us as Messianic Believers to remember: it is NOT
Torah/Law that saves us! - BUT: when we are saved, we are enabled by
Ruach HaKodesh/(the Holy Spirit) to walk LAWfully. Now we know that
legalistic use of the Torah, through man's own effort, leads to a
self-righteousness that is as filthy rags. - Yet since those who walk
in the Spirit will walk in accord with the Written Word, (which
includes the Torah), and NOT LAWlessly or contrary to It, - we see then
that: Grace is an enabling to walk LAWfully; but NOT a license to sin.

Sha'ul/(Paul) says in Galatians 3:24b/AV that: "...the Torah was our
Schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Messiah, that we might be justified by
faith." But ask yourself: just because one is no longer "under" a
Schoolmaster, does it seem wise to forget the lessons one has learned,
or to walk contrary, to ones prior instruction? Rather, Sha'ul writes
to us in 2 Tim. 3:16/AV: "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of
God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness:". Again Sha'ul writes in Rom.7:14/AV:
"Wherefore the (Torah)/Law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and
just, and good." And yet again in Romans 3:29-31/AV: [Is He] the God
of the Jews only? [is He] not also of the (Goyim)/Gentiles? Yes, of
the (Goyim)/Gentiles also: Seeing [it is] one God, which shall justify
the Circumcision by faith, and unCircumcision through faith. Do we
then make void the (Torah)/Law through faith? God forbid: yea, we
establish the (Torah)/Law!

Yet we see that during the 1st Century it was a mistake of some to
falsely ascribe to Sha'ul anti-Nomian, (anti-Torah), teaching...
     In Yerushalayim, the brothers received us warmly. The next day
     Sha'ul and the rest of us went in to *Ya'akov, and all the Elders
     were present. After greeting them, Sha'ul described in detail
     each of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his
     efforts. On hearing it, they praised God; but they also said to
     him, "You see brother, how many tens of thousands of believers
     there are amongst the Judeans, and they are all zealots for the
     Torah. Now what they have been told about you is that you are
     teaching all the Jews living amongst the Goyim to apostatize from
     Moshe, telling them not to have a *B'rit-Milah for their sons and
     not to follow the traditions. What, then, is to be done? They
     will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you.
     We have four men who are under a vow. Take them with you, be
     purified with them, and pay the expenses connected with having
     their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is nothing
     to these rumors which they have heard about you; but that, on the
     contrary, you yourself stay in line and keep the Torah. However,
     in regards to the Goyim who have come to trust in Yeshua, we all
     joined in writing them a letter with our decision that they should
     abstain from what had been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from
     what is strangled and from fornication." The next day Sha'ul took
     the men, purified himself along with them and entered the Temple
     to give notice of when the period of purification would be
     finished and the offering would have to be made for each of them.
     Acts 21:17-26/JNT-Stern
   *(Ya'akov - Hebrew for: James)
   *(B'rit-Milah / ritual circumcision, in accord with the
   Covenant G-d made with Avraham)
Here we see that the people who thought these false things about Sha'ul
were in error; and yet, that is exactly the same error that is leveled
against the teaching of Sha'ul today. In the prior portions we have
noted, together with the witness of Ya'akov and the Elders in Acts 21,
that the attitude of Rabbi Sha'ul was one of deep respect for the
Torah.

But what is the attitude of Yeshua Messiah Himself toward the Torah?
While there are several New Covenant quotes that would show us, let us
look at a familiar passage from a composite-harmony version which gives
the readings from the ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts
together, for this portion of Matthew:
     And at that time Yeshua said unto His Talmidim: "Do not think that
     I came to abolish, annul, remove or cancel the Torah of Moshe or
     the Words of the Prophets/Nevi'im. - I came not to diminish nor
     annul the Torah of Moshe, but to complete It, - to complete Truth
     by the Words of Truth. ~In all these Words not to add a Word to
     the Words of the Torah, nor to subtract any.~ For in truth I say
     unto you, - That until the heavens and the earth depart (&) pass
     away, - not one yud or dot shall in any way be abolished (or) pass
     away from the Torah or the Nevi'im/Prophets, because all will be
     wrought complete. And whoever therefore shall transgress, break,
     annul (or) cancel, one Word of these small (or) least Mitzvot/
     Commandments, and shall teach men so, - he shall be called the
     little (yea,) least (&) a vain person by-(&)-in the Kingdom of the
     Heavens. But whoever shall do, uphold, and teach (them), - the
     same shall be called great by-(&)-in the Kingdom of the Heavens."
     {Mattityahu 4:17-19 [compilation] Sepher haB'sorah haTovah version.}
Here we see that Yeshua's attitude toward the Torah is also one of deep
respect.

But, is there even more to it than this? We know from Yochanan's/
(John's) Good-News account, (Jn.1:1-14), that the Word is God and
became flesh. One who knows this doesn't really have a problem with
saying that Yeshua HaMashiach is the Living Word. Next we know that
the identity of The-Messiah used in connection with the Torah is seen
in various places in Rabbinic writings. (One of several examples)....
     "The Torah which a man learns in this world is but vanity compared
     with the Torah of Messiah". Midrash Qohelet on Eccl.11:8.
...Likewise, the way that Yochanan portrays "The Word" is not limited
to just his Good-News account; nor even to the the Jewish writer Philo,
(who was not a Believer but lived contemporary with Yochanan. Two
examples from Philo Judaeus)...
     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 we see such echoed all throughout the Targumim |7|, where the
concept of "The-Memra", (Memra/[Aramaic] Davar/[Hebrew] & Logos/[Greek]
- each translated in the English: "WORD"), appears 596 times |8| in
association with G-d and His Manifestations, - and over half of these
references approach the subject as if The-Memra Itself is
"Personified". (Only three of many such examples)...
     Targum Yerushalayim on Beresheet/(Genesis) 1:27: "And the LORD's
     Memra created man"; In Tar. Yer. Beresheet 16:13 when Hagar speaks
     with the "angel of the LORD" she calls Him: "the LORD's Memra"; in
     Targum Onqelos on Beresheet 28:20, when Ya'akov/(Jacob) makes a
     vow, he says: "If the LORD's Memra will be with me {...} then the
     LORD's Memra will be my God".
Professor Gottlieb Klein, (in: Sehx Foeredrag, p88), identifies the
Metatron, (here used as a descriptive title for HaMashiach), with the
Memra/(Word) of HaShem/(The-L-RD). According to Klein...
     '...it was precisely this Aramaic word which gave the grounds to
     the belief that Christ is "the Word or Logos of God become
     flesh".' - (From: THE MESSIAH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; written by
     Risto Santala. Keren Ahvah Meshihit P.O. Box 10382 Jerusalem,
     Israel.)
Given all the above: since the Torah is part of G-d's Word, I believe
we can see an obvious conclusion that one could just as easily apply
the term "The Living Torah" to Yeshua The-Messiah.

Finally, the Torah includes much more then simply "Commands". Touching
briefly on this, we note several things that It also holds that came
about centuries before the giving of the Ten-Commandments: the Shabbat
at creation; the Commands to Noach/(Noah), - (which Commands we see
reflected in Acts 15 to the Gentiles, but these were also part of the
Mitzvot given to Israel later after Noach); the account of Avraham and
his faith; even the first three of the Seven Feasts of The L-RD,
(Pesach/Passover, Chag-haMatzot/Feast-Of-Unleaven-Bread/[known by some
Christians as: Passion-Week], & Omer Raesheet/ Resurrection-Day), were
all given to the Children of Israel before Mt. Sinai.

There are too many aspects involved in the ideas introduced in this
article to be able to discuss them in any more depth in this format;
we have only just skimmed the surface of what is a very lengthy study
in itself. But I believe that you'd be richer if you were to go on to
study more on this subject yourself.

      So I'd leave this with a summary:

Torah is the Word of G-d, It is built into the very fabric of the universe,
and is a path that leads one to Messiah.
Messiah is the Door. When one enters through the Door, (through
Messiah), the path of good-works/Mitzvot that one walks upon (Eph.
2:10), is a path enabled by the Power of the Holy Spirit to walk in
accord with the Torah; and is not a walk that is contrary to It.

          Shalom

NOTES:

|1| The Torah is the Pentateuch, or the five books of Moses, which are
the first five in the front of the Tanakh/Old(er) Covenant
    Scripture (see |5| below). Some times the word Torah is used in
    Judaism to refer to the entire Tanakh, at other times it can refer
    to the Oral Torah, (the Mishnah); but usually the term by Itself
    refers only to the five Books of Moses.

|2| In this file, the Orthodox Judaic practice of substitution for the
    vowels of the English Names of L-rd and G-d, (except when quoting
    or directly referring to Scripture), has been followed. This in
    part is in remembrance of the Mitzvah: Thou shalt not take the Name
    of the LORD thy God in vain.

|3| Shtetl: is a Yiddish word that means a small-town in the Jewish
    communities of Eastern Europe.

|4| ARK: The closet-like structure on the eastern wall of Synagogues
    that contains either the Torah scroll, or all three Scrolls of
    Tanakh (see: |5|). It is to remind oneself of the Ark of the
    Covenant, as spoken of in Scripture.

|5| TANAKH: this is the usual Hebrew collective term for the Old(er)
    Testament. It is composed of the initial letters of the Hebrew
    words: Torah/(Pentateuch), Nevi'im/(Prophets), and Ketuvim/(The
    Writings), - which are the three divisions of the Tanakh.

|6| I will add though that the word translated as "iniquity" in the
    KJV, (in other versions such as the NKJV as: LAW-less-ness), is the
    Greek word "anomia", Strongs # 458/(459), and literally means:
    "violation of the Jewish Torah". As a result, we can read Yochanan
    as saying, in 1Jn.3:4, thus: Everyone doing sin also violation-of-
    the-Torah does, and sin is violation-of-the-Torah.

|7| Targumim/(Singular - Targum): Is the Hebrew word for the very early
    Aramaic versions of Scripture. They were expanded in many places
    way beyond the literal reading of the Masoretic Hebrew text, giving
    us much valuable insight into early Judaic commentary on the Holy
    Scripture. Several probably date to Yeshua's time or earlier, and
    there is ample evidence of Targumic use by some of those who wrote
    Brit-HaChadashah/(The New-Covenant) in certain verses.

|8| Risto Santala in his, (above mentioned), book, points out that The-
    Memra is never mentioned even once in the Talmud. He makes a good
    case that the reason for this absence may be a Rabbinic reaction to
    the early Messianic Jewish Believers interpretation of The-Memra of
    the Targumim indicating Yeshua.

[This article is taken from APOLOGIA.TX2 Article I.
All Rights Reserved 5753]

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