Reader Comments: 2003
7 Jan 2003
Hey
I'm not Jewish however I previously wore the star of solomon as a symbol of philosophy and the acquisition of wisdom (how ironic), so I was most interested to read your article. I will destroy the symbol as I have no intention to do anything but good. Your article was extremely informative and whilst searching I mostly found information regarding its use as a symbol of protection and only two pages said otherwise, yours and an extremist mormon page. Thank you and sorry about my bad spelling, keep on searching.
-Giles
Dear Sir,
I am newly coming back into trying to find my faith and I truly believe the Jews are God's chosen people. I am very confused as to which Bible is really and truly the correct Word of God. I have tried many different ones and they all have their own man made interpretations. I have bookmarked your website because I feel that our Lord keeps taking me there. I pray to Him to show me the "truth" and most of these so called preachers today seem phony to me but your words are plain, factual, and to the point.
Thank you for your time, Respectfully,
Cynthia
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Avram responds:
Dear Cynthia,
Shalom: May His Peace be with you today.
There is much to cause confusion as to which Bible is 'the correct Word of God.' There is no Bible that is 100% accurate as all of them rely on translators or as you write, 'their own man made interpretations.' I would suggest the New King James or the New American Standard or the New Revised Standard. All of them are very good and if you can, get two or all of them to reference them against one another.
Of course, the best way to understand the Bible is to learn Hebrew and Greek and then you can see what is actually written (of the ancient manuscripts that we have). It's not as hard as it might seem. If you're interested in learning Hebrew from me, I have a course that in nine lessons, you'll be able read, write and sing enough Hebrew to use in your daily Bible devotions. It's a beginners course and designed with the 'average' person in mind (especially in terms of time that one can devote to it during the week).
You can access it via www.seedofabraham.net/c&v.html.
Avram
28 January 2003
Dear Brother,
I have an appetite for the truth and I don't like being lied to, who doesn't right. I have read your article on the star of david. I can verify that you are telling the truth about the star of david because I have done my own investigation on the issue and it only confirms what you are saying about it. However I am having a hard time telling the rabbi about the issue. I have never seen him so upset. what do you suggest ?
shalom
Yochanan
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Avram replies:
Dear Yohanan,
Shalom: May His Wisdom guide you in reaching your rabbi.
Have you considered changing rabbis? Many within Messianic Judaism are so caught up in 'being Jewish' that they don't see the hand of Satan in the things they believe and do.
Some people will never come to the Truth.
Searching for Truth, finding it, and applying it to our lives is the task of every talmid (student-disciple). There is a disease in the Body of Messiah called 'unteachable-ness' that cannot be part of a student of Yeshua.
Resistance to change is normal (carnal). But rejection of Truth means that carnality is ruling. This is not the Spirit led life.
I suggest you give your rabbi a copy of my article and ask him to check it for errors. Perhaps he will come to the Light. Or, you might just tell him of my website and ask him to check it out on there.
You have a right to ask your rabbi/pastor/shepherd what is right and what is wrong. When it doesn't line up with the Word of God though, you also have a right to explain to the person, in love and humility, that they are in error. From there we can only follow the leading of the Spirit.
Avram
May, 2003
I just read your article on Shavout. I found it very powerful. Every time I
get burdened about not knowing how to celebrate the Feasts of the Lord, you
have an article that just tears away the heaviness and simplifies the word
so that it is understandable. I fill the freedom to celebrate God's Feast without
a lot of religious
baggage.
Father, I thank You for Avram and what you have done though him. For his obedience
to You and his heart of Yeshua. He is truly doing a mighty work. Continue to
bless Avram and Ruti as they Press on. May the joy of the Lord over take them
this
Shavout. In the name of Your Son Yeshua.
With Love,
Bonnie
Dear Bro. Avram,
My name is Elaine. I live in Georgia. I'm a mother of seven and a grandmother
of 2. I'm 46 y.o. and have been a christian for 19 years although I was raised
in a Southern Baptist Church all my life. In 1993 I recieved the Baptism of
Holy Spirit and it has truly been an adventure. Abba Father turned my world
upside down a few years ago when he started taking me back to the Jewish Roots.
Everything that I thought I knew was counted naught. He has given me such a
hunger for Torah and everything else that is so foreign to me. Your teachings
have so blessed my life and have opened up so many questions, one being the
Nazerite vow.
Could you please explain to me exactly who and why would take the vow. I've
read Numbers 6 and understand that men or women could take the vow. I quess
what I would like to know is , if Yeshua would have taken the vow. As far as
I can tell he ministered the Lord's supper (passover) , but did not partake
of it. I would so appreciate your help in this. Our little group that meets
here looks forward to your teachings. I pray that Abba through Holy Spirit
will continue to pour out through you for all of us here. Blessings to you
and yours....
Elaine
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Dear Elaine,
Shalom: His Peace surround you today.
Thank you for sharing about yourself. I was blessed to hear of your infilling
with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is really our Teacher, via Messiah Yeshua.
When the Lord opens up the Word to us, it really means something.
I'm going to 'read between the lines' and try to 'cut to the quick' on your
question about the Nazarite Vow. If I'm not 'on point' please tell me. You're
asking the question because you want to know about the drinking of alcohol.
Is it a sin? And or, you want to know if Yeshua ever drank alcohol.
I have a short teaching on that on the web site: Nazarite
or Nazarene?
In Hebrew, the two words are not the same. Sort of like in English, if someone
tried to link guard and garden together, any English speaking person would
know that it was silly. So too with Nazarite and Nazarene. They come from two
different Hebrew words and have two different meanings.
For Yeshua not to have tasted of His own cup at the Passover would have been
very, very unusual, especially as it pictured His own Death. But, even so,
if He didn't, which I don't believe, can you imagine it being 'wrong' for Him,
yet He giving it to all His students (talmidim; followers)?
Drinking alcohol has never been a sin. Living a life-style of drunkenness has
always been a sin. Some in Christianity have confused alcohol with alcoholism.
There is a big difference. Perhaps it would be similar to confusing eating
food with gluttony. No one advocates that we stop eating cause of gluttony.
And yes, I'm familiar with the counter-argument that we need food but we don't
need alcohol to survive but survival is not the question. The question is,
'Is alcohol sin in God's eyes?' And the biblical answer in both the Tanach
and New Covenant is 'No'.
When Matthew writes of Yeshua being a Nazarene, we have to understand several
things. One, Nazareth is where Yeshua grew up. It comes from the Hebrew Netzer
which means 'branch'. Two, 'Branch' is a favorite messianic title for the prophets
to use of Messiah (Jer. 23:5; Zech. 6:12-13, etc.). Three, the term came into
being when Aaron's role as High Priest was initially accused by Korach (Num.
16-17), as having been installed into the office by his brother, Moses. Yahveh
puts an end to that perverse opinion by having all the tribal leaders place
the symbols of their tribal leadership, their branches (staffs), before the
Ark of the Covenant. God says that the branch that 'comes alive', buds, flowers,
etc., would be the one whom He had chosen for High Priesthood. Aaron's bud,
flowers and grows ripe almonds. Aaron's DEAD BRANCH came back to life. And
so it is seen with Yeshua as the dead branch in His Resurrection. Not only
did He grow up on the city of the branch (Nazareth), but He WAS the Branch
of Yahveh, as the prophets spoke of. And this is why Hebrews is adamant that
no one takes the High Priesthood 'upon himself' but is given it by God:
Heb. 5:4: 'And no one takes the honor to himself but receives
it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. So also Messiah did not glorify
Himself so as to become a High Priest, but He who said to Him, 'You are My
Son. Today I have begotten You.' Just as He says also in another passage,
'You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.' (Heb.
5:4-6; with the last reference of Priest forever from Psalm 110:4)
And some passages with reference to Messiah as the Branch of Yahveh:
Jer. 23:5: 'Behold, the days are coming,' declares Yahveh, 'When
I will raise up for David a righteous Branch. And He will reign as King and
act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the Land.'
Zech. 6:12: 'Then say to him, 'Thus says Yahveh of Hosts, 'Behold, a man
whose Name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is and He will build
the Temple of Yahveh.'
Zech. 6:13: 'Yes, it is He who will build the Temple of Yahveh and He who
will bear the honor and sit and rule on His Throne. Thus, He will be a (High)
Priest on His Throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.'
In Torah, the Priesthood and Kingship came from two different tribes:
Levi and Judah. In Messiah, they will be one, as it was with Melchizedek.
You might want to read more about the Branch in one of my Jewish Newsletters: Spiritual
Reality
So in answer to your question, Yeshua never took the Vow of the Nazarite.
My Love to all in the group. And thank you for your kind assessment of the teachings
that the Lord Yeshua has given me for His Bride.
May you all grow into His Image and Likeness in greater and greater ways,
Avram
18 Sept 2003
Shalom,
Mr. Avram, my name is Leo, 20 years old, I'm a reformed Christian.Live in Indonesia,
Jakarta. But for the last year I have been a Torah Observer. I consider myself
as a Christian who learn to walk with Yeshua and understand Scriptures through
Hebrew point of view. And also ask for the Holy Spirit in Yeshua to guide me.
I'm in a study class of Hebraic roots for the last two weeks, but before that
I already learned much from library and browsing through the internet...
A few days ago I read the articles bout messianic symbol of Jerusalem, I was
so excited.. and i want to make a ring out of it for me & my friend, it has
the Star of david that being form by menorah stand and fish tail from ichtus..(I
considered it is like a message that gentiles and Hebrews are one in the Messiah
Kingdom). But then I learn bout a society called Freemason, they are using
star of David, then I also realized that many of New Age and Satanic worshippers
uses the Star of David. Is kabbala kosher...?? Can you explained it to me..
?
I need to know cause some of my friend said that there are 2 Kabbala, one is
the real from Torah, and the other are false-pseudo Kabbala. Me myself don't
know anything about kabbala... But I do want to know where it came from...
Cause so much Messianic Judaism movements or believers uses this symbol.. below
is the copy of the article about Messianic Seal of Jerusalem..
Please help me akhi Avram, .. I rally want to walk in the truth.. :-)
Thank You,
Shalom aleikha
Your lil' brother in Yeshua, Leo
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Avram replies:
Dear Leo,
Shalom: May the Peace and Joy of Yeshua our Messiah surround you today.
Glad that you are walking in Torah and following Yeshua by His Spirit and His
Word (the Bible).
As you already have seen, many pagans use he so called Star of David. You can
find out more on it, how pagan it is, by reading this article that I wrote:
The Star of David
As for the Fish symbol, that also is very pagan. Please read another article
of mine:
Jesus the Fish god?
The only thing in the so called Messianic Seal that is not pagan is the Menorah
(Lampstand).
I think the things that have been found with these symbols on them are ancient
(perhaps 200-300 A.D.), but that they are ancient things that use pagan symbols...just
like today, you'll find many Jews and Christians wearing the so called Star
of David, thinking them to be something that David or King Solomon used. But
this is not true.
The ancient pottery found tells us that many false things were used in Christian
worship early on and this is in accord with Church history. Much changed from
the days of the Apostles to 200 A.D. Have you ever read the classic on paganism
in the Church? It's Alexander Hislop's, The Two Babylons. It's worth reading
Leo.
Kabbalah is nothing more the Babylonian mysticism with Jewish clothes on. It
is certainly forbidden by Torah, even though many Jews practice it. It is sorcery.
For an understanding of why I say this, please read another article of mine:
Kabbalah
Even within Judaism it is recognized as witchcraft, yet it pervades Judaism.
Nothing new under the sun as King Solomon once wrote (Eccl. 1:9).
Avram
10 Oct 2003
Brother Avram,
I just discovered your article on the beard and really appreciate the hard
work and study you have put into it. Also bringing into it the Torah and New
Covenant writers to show contrast and balance.
I am a Gentile believer in Yeshua and a Counseling/ Psychology major in a large
Christian University. I, too, have to deal with all of the cultural pagan practices
people are doing even in Yeshua and the embracing of the world within the church.
I found this article very to be liberating. For it is written " Come out from
among them and be ye separate says the LORD and I will receive you". Since
I have been in school, the LORD has been teaching me about keeping the Ten
Commandments and honoring the Sabbath and keeping it holy. Which you probably
know that the church in a lot of sections does not advocate any longer by reason
of and imbalanced teaching on grace.
Concerning the article, I agree completely. The HOLY SPIRIT led me along these
lines 13 years ago in following YESHUA completely. It was one of the greatest
joys of my life to learn about and be apart the ancient heritage of Israel.
I remember seeing Orthodox Jews walking on the Sabbath every saturday and longing
and praying for the same opportunity to honor and worship Yeshua in this way
as well as other ways. Also concerning the portrayals of Yeshua in film, (as
many good ones as there are out there) I have always commented that Yeshua's
beard is to short and his hair is too long. Which I think doesn't give accurate
portrayal of the Jewishness of Yeshua. It is sad that the Christian world has
done so much to separate Yeshua from being Jewish and the non-believing Jewish
world separating themselves from their promised heritage in Yeshua.
Thank you so much for your article and for being willing to be used as a, " A
voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the paths of the LORD".
Very Sincerely,
Richard
Texas
Thank you for this courageous article. Recently, I was motivated to make a
banner for a women's group (Aglow International) to which I belong. One of
the primary symbols I was going to use was the Star of David.
As I began to research the symbol, I realized that it should not be used in
relation to God. Words such as charm, good luck, etc.; caused warning bells
in my mind. Consequently, I will not use this symbol.
As a Christian, the cross has always been an emotional issue. Being raised
Catholic the cross is the most commonly used symbol of Christianity for the
purpose of adornment.
Recently, two-to-three years ago, The Sprit of God has helped me to realize
that the cross was absolutely the most humiliating symbol possible to our Lord
and Savior, Jesus the Christ. How could I use this ultimate humiliation of
my Lord as a piece of adornment? I suppose this is thought to be strange to
others, however; my conscience will not allow me to use these symbols either
as adornment or for spiritual purposes.
Thank you for the confirmation and inspiration.
May you continue to always walk after the Holy Spirit of GOD.
In Him,
Pamela
30 Nov. 2003
Shalom:
I just finished your article on the Mogen David, I praise G-d for your bold
stand and obedience in this matter. Through His precepts I get understanding,
therefore I hate every false way.
I am not ethnically Jewish, but am a 'grafted in' Gentile through the precious
blood of Yeshua. I recently left my position as worship leader at an evangelical
church because I felt I could no longer in good conscience continue going along
to get along with things such as the pagan holidays, secret rapture belief,
and warmongering spirit/inability to separate America from the Kingdom Of God...I
left the Assembly Of God where I was leading worship before that because of
the merger I perceived taking place with Catholicism through things like watering
down of the doctrinal statement, Promise Keepers, ECT statement, etc.
I have been attending Shabbat on Friday evenings at a nearby Messianic Jewish
congregation, but today was my first Saturday service. At about the midway
point, the large cabinet positioned in the corner of the platform was opened
and what I later learned to be scrolls was removed, but at first was rolled
up and covered and appeared to be topped with some sort of golden crown. One
of the brothers walked the aisles of the sanctuary, children following, and
I noticed people kissing the roll, of kissing their hand and touching the roll,
or touching it with their Bibles. When he passed by me I did not do it, although
I felt awkward, as though I was expected to, but I have made up my mind I will
not follow along blindly anymore, unless I can do so with a clear conscience,
and as you said in the article about the Mogen David, to be able to 'biblically
state to anyone, 'why I do the religious, ceremonial, symbolic things that
I do.' Is this more of a "tradition"...do I do a disservice to the Lord by
not participating? I love His word and try to honor it by living it out, and
hiding it in my heart. I would appreciate your comments on this.
Thank you and stay encouraged..
Trenet
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Avram replies:
Dear Trenet,
Shalom: May His Peace surround you today and His Wisdom lead you into His Ways.
Thank you very much. I agree wholeheartedly with you about getting understanding
through God's precepts. And I am very glad that you have left the old church
are charting out new Waters with His Spirit.
Kissing the Ark or the Torah Scroll (five books of Moses), is certainly a tradition
in Judaism. I remember when I was young that if you dropped a religious book,
you picked it up off the floor and kissed it. Out of respect for the book and
it's contents. And it didn't necessarily have to be a religious book.
The kissing of the Torah Scroll is supposed to be, and is in many instances,
a sign of affection for God's Word. It is a tradition but tradition is not
necessarily evil. Only those traditions that nullify the Word of God are evil.
There are good traditions though. The Jewish tradition of having four cups
of wine for the Passover Meal, is where we get Communion. Nothing in Scripture
for the original Passover (Ex. 12), spoke of having wine. But it was there
that night for Yeshua to give to His students (disciples; talmidim in Hebrew,
students). So we have to discern if the tradition is evil or not. If not, then
it can stand. (Not many in the Church realize that half of Communion comes
from a Jewish tradition associated with Passover. And that the other half of
Communion comes from the Jewish Holy Feast of Passover; the bread should be
unleavened (matzah: Ex. 12:8), and I imagine, originally was. Today of course,
any bread will suffice but if it's leavened bread, what the person is saying
is that Christ's Body was full of sin; 1st Cor. 5:1-8.)
There is nothing in Scripture where God commands the kissing of the scroll
and here we get into undefined waters. What I mean by that is that it's obviously
not a sin to kiss or to touch, a Torah scroll or a Bible, showing one's affection
for God and Torah through it. But is it 'kosher'? How does God view it? I know
from experience that I've seen some people go overboard, going crazy in their
fervor (usually non-Messianic Jews in traditional synagogues), in that they
are obviously expressing too much 'affection' for it. But perversion of something
by a group or a person, does not mean that it's actually bad.
In my early time as shepherd of the Seed of Abraham in Tulsa, OK, we would
walk the Scroll around. It was a way of elevating the Word of God in the midst
of the community, in a physical way.
The Bible, in many evangelical circles, is highly regarded, as it should be,
as God's Word. Walking the Scroll around, the precursor to the Bible, I think
is just an expression of this esteem. It's a way of thanking God for His Word.
The kissing aspect relates to how we as human beings, show emotion to those
we love. As with any tradition it can get perverted but again, where is the
tradition in God's eyes?, and who is doing it?
There are many things in Judaism, and unfortunately in Messianic Judaism, as
much of the time, Messianic Jews, in wanting 'to be Jewish' and be seen as
Jewish by their non-Messianic brethren, have taken whole chunks of tradition
and walked in it themselves. This is one of them. It's hard for me to put my
finger on any pagan or perverse origins of this practice. But there are some,
like the wearing of the kipa/yarmulkah (traditional head covering), that is
very pagan. Or studying or taking things from Kabbalah, or some/much of rabbinic
teaching (which is often anti-Messiah and filled with Kabbalah. For more on
these please see my articles:
The Kipa
Kabbalah
Jewish Idolatry
As for the kissing of the Scroll/Word of God, I think the best thing for you
would be to just let the Spirit of Yeshua lead you in this matter.
And if you have any other concerns/questions, etc., please feel free to let
me know,
Avram
1 Dec 2003
I am so grateful to have been sent your email - which began with the explanation
of the Star of David. It broke my heart. But I think we will take down the
flag in our Congregation Meeting room; do you suppose a new flag, say with
the Lion of Judah might be forthcoming some day? Or at least a new flag of
some kind? Your balance and sense of integrity in your writings blesses me!
Shalom,
Carol D.
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Avram replies:
Thank you, Carol.
When we learn the Truth, His Truth, it may very well break our hearts. I know
mine was struck when I first learned the truth about the Star of David. I
couldn't believe it but I knew it was true. Out went many things with the star
on it, to the trash. I couldn't, in godly conscience, have them when I was
supposed to be an example, a living example, of His Truth. Truth and deception
are not good partners. And when found out, one has to go.
Good for you! To take down the flag of the Star in your congregational meeting
room. We used to have a beautiful flag of Israel, many years ago, before I
learned of the Star but when I learned of it, it had to go to.
There are flags with the Lion of Judah on it. They are flags of Jerusalem.
It's the city's emblem and it's beautiful. With the Wailing/Western Wall of
the Temple Mount in the background.
Thank you again for your email. It tells me that you desire Yeshua more than
the traditions of men that nullify Who He is.
May His Glory Shine forth from you,
Avram
4 Dec 2003
Dear Avram,
I have benefited much from some of your articles. I have printed them out and
shared them with people who wanted the truth on such issues as the "Star of
David" and the "Kipa".
I have been studying about the Talmud. I have read your article concerning
the Talmud. It is very good, but one thing troubles me, you stated" as helpful
as it might be on some occasions and as destructive as it might be on others,
it is not divinely authoritative", now the thing that bothers me is that you
said it could be helpful on some occasions. I do not agree, the Talmud should
never be considered helpful, not on any occasion. Have you studied about this
book, in depth?
It states the most blasphemous things about our Saviour and Redeemer, Yeshua.
It really does "make void the laws of God". It is full of perversion, racism
and demonology. I have been studying this topic for a month, along with several
friends. We have done much research and my conclusion is, anyone that proclaims
they follow Yeshua, our Messiah, should not have anything to do with the anti-Christ
, wicked, perverse, evil writings contained in the Talmud.
I like your article, you bring forth much truth about the Talmud, but I would
hope you would take a deeper look into this subject and perhaps would retract
your statement in the last paragraph of the article. This statement infers
that at times the Talmud might be helpful. I must disagree in love. IT is truly
a book that no believer should ever refer to. You are right, it is not divinely
authoritative, it is inspired by Satan himself. My heart goes out to all of
the Jewish people who are held in bondage to the Talmudic teachings of the
rabbis, who exalt the Talmud above the Torah, and also to the "Messianics" who
listen to Messianic teachers quote the Talmud, like it is just a "historical
book" or a Biblical commentary. (It actually makes null and void the Laws of
YAH.) When in reality, if they studied, and knew what was contained in it,
they would be sickened. I think that some who quote the Talmud, are probably
just quoting someone else's statements, and they, personally don't really know
much about the perverse, racism, and sexual depravity contained within it's
pages.
Avram, my point is, I think you wrote a fine article. I want to print it out
and share it with others because of all the truth you bring forth, but.........
the statement in the last paragraph saying "as helpful as it might be on some
occasions"........ I just cannot agree with that ... any book that says such
things, especially about our Messiah Yeshua, could never be helpful.
I truly hope I have not offended you. I am about to read your article on the
Virgin Birth, I have glanced over it, but want to read it slowly. I am very
glad you have written this because there are many "Messianics" denying the
Virgin Birth and the deity of our Messiah Yeshua. I really do appreciate your
labors, and your work is a blessing to me and those I share it with.
With love in our Messiah,
Janet G. , Your Sister in Yeshua
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Avram replies:
Dear Janet,
Shalom: May His Peace surround you today and His Hand be upon you to lead you
into all His Truth.
Thank you Janet. I appreciate your desire for God's Truth and also to bring
to my attention a possible need for correction. Before I get into that though,
I like to say that I hope you find the Virgin Birth helpful. I know that a
number of believers, Jews and Gentiles, have been deceived into questioning
and denying the miraculous conception of Yeshua in Miryam's womb. That's too
bad for them.
As for your critique of the Talmud, it is not a book per se but many volumes
(approximately 35 by Soncino in English), with about two and a half million words
covering Jewish law and superstition and most everything in-between) written
by many different people over 500 years or more. And that's a major point.
It's not written by one or two authors with a particular viewpoint on demons
or Yeshua or perversion, etc. It's more like a gigantic commentary with both
good and evil.
On the one hand you say that you've been studying it for about a month now
but on the other you say that one shouldn't read it. So I imagine that you're
studying 'about' it, from a writing that has a particular slant against it
(for it's perverse writing on Yeshua, etc.). But here, all you're getting is
the evil. With just that understanding, I too would be against the reading
or use of it.
The few things written about Yeshua (which they call Yeshua; an acronym for:
May His Name be Blotted Out), however evil and gross they are, and some of
them are really gross, only occupy an extremely tiny space compared to the
entire work.
What I meant by the Talmud being helpful has to do with its recording of things
like the Temple rites and rituals which cast tremendous light on some of the
sayings and meanings of Yeshua (like His call to those who thirst (Jn. 7:37ff),
at the water drawing ceremony for Sukote: Feast of Tabernacles, with all it's
implications of Messiah and what Messiah would give Israel: Living Waters).
You wrote about the Talmud that, 'It actually makes null and void the Laws
of YAH', but are you suggesting that all the laws of Yahveh are made void by
the Talmud? And if not, which ones? If making void a law of Yahveh was a criteria
for not reading something, most Christian literature couldn't be read as it
either states or implies that the Law of Moses is done away with.
I'm currently reading a book about a tremendous man of God called John G. Lake.
I am in awe of the incredible things that the Holy Spirit did through this
man. But when it comes to his theology on say, the Sabbath or the Torah, he
was as much in the dark as most any Christian in his time (he died in 1935).
The reason I brought this up is to say that when it comes to things I know
that aren't true, like Lake's understanding of the Sabbath, I realize that,
as powerful as he was in the Spirit, he didn't have any Light on the subject
of God's true Sabbath. But I glean what I can from him. The same is true of
the Talmud. There are some beautiful things in it and some very gross things
in it (that have absolutely nothing to do with Yeshua), and some things that
are run of the mill. I don't study it per se but find it extremely useful in
presenting Messiah Yeshua to those in the Jewish community that hold it in
some esteem. The ancient Rabbis before Yeshua had some keen insight about a
Messiah dying for their sins (Sanhedrin 98a/b), which they called Messiah the
Son of Joseph, out of understanding Is. 53 and the Suffering Servant of Yahveh
being rejected by Israel (Is. 53:4-5). You might want to read the latest Jewish
Newsletters (# 28 & #29) and see all the good things that the Talmud had to
say about Messiah, and how perfect it fits Yeshua.
Now, if the Talmud was all superstition, like Kabbalah, that's another story.
I know that there are too many ignorant Jewish leaders and people in the Messianic
community that are teaching and using Kabbalah and not realizing it's Babylonian
witchcraft in Jewish clothes.
I'm also not in favor of studying Talmud per se, but it's nice to know certain
passages that are helpful to us, whether for understanding more about Yeshua
or being able to present him from an ancient rabbinic point of view, or just
to know how the procedure for the morning sacrifice went about (as in A. Edersheim's,
The Temple and it's Ministry, where there are a number of Talmudic cites noted),
etc.
Again, I thank you and note your concern. I hope you can understand my position.
Avram