To Embrace Hebrew Roots: Part II
The Bible & The Talmud
"In the volume, Josephus, the historian, also contrasts the views of the Pharisees and Sadducees regarding the Oral Law:
"…the Pharisees have delivered to the people a great many observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in the law of Moses; and it is for this reason that the Sadducees reject them, and say that we are to esteem those observances to be obligatory which are in the written word, and not to observe what are derived from the tradition of our forefathers. " 22.
In defense and support of the Pharisees, Hyam Maccoby adds this tribute to their preservation and multiplying of religious rituals and traditions:
"The Pharisees added new Festivals (Chanukah and Purim) to the Jewish religious year; they added to the canon of Scripture…they added new doctrine to Judaism…they added new rites to the Temple worship…as well as being continual creators of new prayers and ceremonies in the synagogue." 23.
Indeed, the authority and respect attributed to rabbis is so great, that it is taught within the Babylonian Talmud, section Hagigah 27a., that no rabbi will go to hell.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were both believers in the word given by God to man, but the Pharisees added extra-Biblical oral teachings as authority over the written Word of God. They called the Sadducees heretics for not doing so. Those in the Hebrew Roots movement parallel the Pharisees in that they look to these extra-Biblical works for their guidance---and wish all to follow suit.
Jesus refuted the teachings of the Sadducees:
Mark 12:24:
"And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?"
Exclusiveness of the Talmud
Why would the leaders of the Hebrew Roots, Nazarene movements want us to study the Talmud, and so on, when the Talmud itself teaches that it's precepts are only for the Jews??
P.L.B. Drach states in his " De l' Harmonie entre l'Elise et la Synagogue,"
"… the Talmud is not a law of righteousness for all mankind, but a meticulous code applying to the Jew alone ....In the Talmud and ... as Drach points out, "the precepts of justice, of equity, of charity towards one’s neighbor, are not only not applicable with regard to the Christian, but constitute a crime in anyone who would act differently ... The Talmud expressly forbids one to save a non-Jew from death, ...to restore lost goods, etc., to him, to have pity on him." 24.
The exclusiveness of the Talmud is commonly understood among the Jews. In the footnote regarding these quotes it is noted that Drach was:
"Quoting the treatise Aboda-Zara, folio 13 verso, and folio 20 recto; also treatise Baba Kamna, folio 29 verso. Drach adds: "We could multiply these quotations to infinity"
It should be noted that Mr. Drachs knowledge comes firsthand. Accordingly,
"…The Jewish Encyclopædia has an article on Drach in which it says he was brought up in a Talmudic school…" 25.
Furthermore the Talmudic view of the Gospels and those who own them are as follows:
" In the Talmud those who possess books called the Gospels are heretics [Minim]. Thus in Schabbath (116a) it says: "Rabbi Meir calls the books of the Minim Aven Gilaion [iniquitous volumes] because they call them Gospels." 26.
What Scripture supports the idea that we must hold to Hebrew thought that the Gospels are iniquitous and those who believe them are heretics? Is this what Larry Rowland means by "understanding in order to grasp all that scripture has to offer"? Is this oral tradition committed to the writings of the Talmud, to be embraced as truth and supporting what Christ himself taught?
Or did Jesus say in Matthew 15:6:
"Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition."
James 2:9:
"But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as trangressors."
Considering the great importance of the Talmud in Hebrew thought and Hebrew Roots teachings, we need to understand exactly what the Talmud is and what it contains.
The Talmud
Many involved in Judaism and the Hebrew Roots movement embrace the idea that the Talmud is divinely inspired and of benefit to Christianity. In the past, not surprisingly, some Jews have viewed the Talmud as an obstacle, preventing reconciliation between the groups.
We know that many people, Jewish and non-Jewish, do not consider the New Testament to be of God.
However, Avi ben Mordechai redefines the gospel as the Oral Torah:
"…When Paul says, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel" you need to see the definition of Gospel in light of the Mishnah of Mark 1:1ff. It's a direct connection to the Torah of Moshe- Oral and Written…" 27.
It has been established that the oral traditions of the Pharisees, which were committed to the Talmud, take authority and precedence over the Old Testament, as Judaism's holiest book. The Talmud contains material accumulated over several centuries. A complete collection consists of 63 books in 524 chapters. The main elements of the Talmud are the Mishna, the Gamera (Babylonian and Palestinian) and the Midrashim or Midrash. The Mishna and Gemara compose the Jerusalem Talmud, which was revised in the third to fifth century and later named the Babylonian Talmud, the one commonly used today. Credit is given to Rabbi Judah the Prince for the compilation of the Mishna around 200 A.D.
The Talmud itself confirms, again, the authority of the Talmud teachings in Erubin 21b (Soncino edition):
"My son, be more careful in the observance of the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Torah (Old Testament)." 28.
In Judaism on Trial, Hyam Maccoby quoted Rabbi Yehiel ben Joseph, who insists that it is indispensable to understanding Scripture:
"Further, without the Talmud, we would not be able to understand passages in the Bible...God has handed this authority to the sages and tradition is a necessity as well as scripture. The Sages also made enactments of their own... anyone who does not study the Talmud cannot understand Scripture." 29.
From Fabre d' Olivet, author of La Langue He'braique, we learn not only the true source of the Hebrew Oral Tradition, which is Egypt, but its future transmission into the great body of Jewish mysticism called the Kabbalah:
"…According to Fabre d'Olivet, Moses, who was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, "drew from the Egyptian Mysteries a part of the oral tradition which was handed down through 'the leaders of the Isrealites."¹. That such an oral tradition, distinct from the written word embodied in the Pentateuch, did descend from Moses and that it was later committed in writing in the Talmud and the Cabala is the opinion of many Jewish writers." ². 30.
From the "Kabbalah in English", we may glean factual information about the Hebrew Sacred books, whose Gnostic (hidden) meanings were later developed into the Kabbalah:
"…But the Scripture alone can not show the meanings within. Rabbinic hermeneutics could find a wealth of meaning in the subtlest details of the text, a characteristic that Kabbalistic writing took over… The Talmud is actually two works in one… The core work is the Mishnah, a codification of Jewish Law from the second century CE, together with transcriptions of debates, discussions, and teachings of various sages in the next two to three centuries, organized around the Mishnah, called the Gemara. The Talmud thus shares the same structure of the Mishnah--a tractate by tractate enunciation of Jewish law; but, being in form the record of oral teaching, the Gemara wanders far and wide. There are two versions of the Gemara, based on the work of the Academies of Babylonia (Babylonian Talmud/Talmud Bavli) and Palestine (called the Palestinian Talmud or Talmud of the Land of Israel; in Hebrew the title is Talmud Yerushalmi, or Jerusalem Talmud). Not every tractate of the Mishnah accumulated a Gemara, and some tractates have Gemara in one recension but not the other… the standard complete translation of the Bavli is that of Soncino Press, originally done in the 1930s… The Hebrew contains various commentaries normally printed with the Talmud, but these are not translated…"31.
Regarding the Midrash, The Kabbalah in English, notes the legendary character of its content, and further explains the more important authors and their commentaries.
"…The Midrash, stemming from the same period as the Talmud, but more concerned with supplying context and elaboration of the Biblical text. Much legendary material is archived here. Midrashim exist on the Torah, the books of Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Song of Songs (together referred to as the five Megillot), and Psalms. Usually all but the last are grouped together as Midrash Rabbah, and an multivolume translation from the Soncino Press is available…"32.
"Ancillary to this is Rashi and Rambam. Rashi is Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak, author of the most important, because most widespread, commentary on the Bible and the Talmud; even the most uneducated of Jews in premodern times knew what Rashi said about a passage in the Bible, and his glosses are to be found on almost every page of the Talmud… His commentary generally distills the Talmudic teaching, and draws on the Midrash heavily; and in turn lies at the foundation of many later commentators… Rambam is Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (another acronym), usually called in English by his Greek name, Maimonides. He wrote the first definitive compilation of Jewish law since Talmudic times, the Mishneh Torah, but for the student of Kabbalah it is the Guide for the Perplexed, Moreh Nebuchim…" 33.
Peter Michas, Jacob Prasch and others in the Hebrew Roots, also favour the Midrash. Hyam Maccoby notes that The Haggada of the Midrash is composed of Jewish fables:
"The Haggada (found mainly in the Midrash) is the poetical side of Pharisaism, and comprises folktales, parables, quaint fancies and metaphysical speculations." 34.
God issues this warning in the Scriptures found in Titus 1:14:
" Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth."
Jewish Education and "Halacha"
Project Genesis, found at www.torah.org/info/genesis.html, is connected to such Hebrew Roots sites as Larry Rowlands, Messengers of Truth. Part of its purpose includes education about Jewish roots:
"Project Genesis promotes further Jewish education about our Jewish roots, as represented in Jewish sources…"
According to their Facts,
"Our teachers are Orthodox, so they approach the tradition from a traditional perspective (which is logical, after all). But our program so carefully avoids labels and politics that Conservative and Reform Rabbis have actively expressed their support of the program to their congregants and colleagues." 35.
One of their online Torah projects is the Hypertext Halacha, which is a translation of selections of the Mishna. The Hypertext Halacha:
"is a translation of the Shulchan Aruch and Mishna Berurah as distributed by Project Genesis " 36.
The term Halacha is used frequently when discussing the Midrash, Mishnah and Talmudic teachings, and needs to be defined. According to one authority,
"Halacha means "Way" or "Path". Halacha is the application of the Law (Torah) to everyday living. The traditional viewpoint is that Halacha should be decided by those who are most knowledgable in all aspects of Jewish law. Since the Halacha of each generation is decided by its greatest Torah scholars, and the Torah doesn't change, there is usually little change in the Halacha from one generation to the next. The development of Halacha is most evident when new situations arise for which rulings must be made, such as the destruction of the Temple, the development of electricity, and the increasing complexity of modern food processing technology. Since the non-traditional viewpoint is that the Torah itself was written by people, both the interpretation of the Law and its application are re-evaluated in each generation, using the interpretations of the past to serve primarily as non-binding guidance in how to continue this process. Both viewpoints encourages all Jews to study halacha, and apply it to their daily lives in order that they be brought closer to G-d." 37.
The Halacha List Home page cites that the teachings of the Mishna Berurah (like Project Genesis) are provided with the intended aim, " to familiarize the general public with various Halachic situations which are relevant to our everyday life." 38.
With that in mind we see from the Hypertext Halacha, distributed by Project Genesis , a list of topics from these Sacred Jewish books, relevant to everyday life. Just a small portion of these includes the following examples.
"Siman 11. The Laws of Tzitzis The Laws of the Tzitzis String, 12. Things that Invalidate Tzitzis [Fringes] … Siman 20. Laws of Tzitzis in a Cemetary… Siman 26. The Law for Someone Who Has Only One "Tifila"… Siman 28. The Laws of taking off the Tefillin… Siman 35. The Law Concerning the Number of Lines (in the Torah Passages of Tefilin)… Siman 39. Which People are fit to write Tefilin and …" Siman 43 The laws of tefilin when entering a bathroom(cont.)… Siman 45 The Laws of Tefillin in a graveyard and bathhouse… Siman 73 How one who sleeps with his wife and children should act… Siman 75 One should be careful about [a woman's] uncovered hair and a woman's [singing] voice when reading the Shema, and also not to read it in the presence of nakedness… Siman 76 To Be Careful of Excrement While Saying the Shema … Siman 79 One who comes across excrement when reading the Shema (continued)…Siman 89 The Laws of Prayer and Their Proper Time… Siman 100 One must concentrate upon all of the blessings, and one can pray in any language [Shmoneh Esrei]… Siman 103 Someone who needs to flatulate in the middle of praying…. Siman 114 The law of mentioning wind, rain and dew." 39.
The Jewish writer, Solomon Maimon, wrote in 1792, to expose what he called "absurd questions" which are discussed with utmost seriousness and explicit detail in the Talmud.
". . .the oddest rabbinical conceits are elaborated through many volumes with the finest dialectic, and absurd questions are discussed with the highest efforts of intellectual power: for example, how many white hairs may a red cow have, and yet remain a red cow; what sort of scabs require this or that purification; whether a louse or a flea may be killed on the Sabbath-the first being allowed, while the second is a deadly sin; whether the slaughter of an animal ought to be executed at the neck or the tail; whether the high priest put on his shirt or his hose first; whether the Jabam, that is, the brother of a man who died childless, being required by law to marry the widow, is relieved from his obligation if he falls off a roof and sticks in the mire." 40.
Global Unity and the Halacha
Avi ben Mordechai, an Orthodox Sephardic Jew, indicates that we need to incorporate the Jewish "halacha" teachings in order for "believers" to be unified globally. His intention is that Jewish teachers and eventually a Jewish high court should be in place in order to teach us the truth.
"…As I see it today… Nazerean (Messianic) halacha should be in place to help us as a global community of believers in Y’shua HaMashiach properly interpret the written code of Sinai for the community at-large. Not only is this good government (i.e., "the kingdom of G-d on earth") but this is also the commandment of Y’shua.…"
"The council in Acts Chapter 15 led by it Nasi (Prince) Ya’acov HaTzadeq (James) and his Av Bet Din (Father of the House of Judgment) Kefa (Peter), was built on Y’shua’s Mishnah and Gemara and on the principle that biblical Jewish government must include the halachic jurisdiction of a Bet Din or high court ( Mattityahu 18). Consequently, I believe we have the responsibility and privilege to establish another authority like the one recorded in Acts 15, and ideally, it should be seated in Y’rushalayim! "
"… first century halacha is not what it used to be. Furthermore, since there is no official high court to represent the halachic interests of believers in Y’shua, what are we to do with our own disputes, judgments, and need for legal rulings? Do we turn to the established traditions of the Sephardim? [Kabbalists] The Ashenazim? [Mystics] The Conservatives or some other body of Judaism?…I believe that Judaism’s ancient scholars and sages were far more knowledgeable on the Oral Traditions than we could ever hope to be. So, what do we do? Where do we stand today since we do not have our own high court and have not had one for nearly two millennia?" 41.
Both the Sephardim and the Ashkenazim are gnostic sects of Judaism. The Sephardim are credited with the dissemination of the Cabala throughout Europe after the Jews were expelled from Spain.
Since the Talmud is considered to be above the Bible, it behooves us to know what things it teaches about the very foundations of our Christian beliefs. Since we are admonished we are not able to understand the Word of God without it and we need to be taught by Jewish sages, that is to whom we will turn, to see what is believed and taught.
Psalm 119: 16:
"I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."
I Corinthians 1:19:
"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
All Scripture quotes from the Authorized King James Bible
Next: To Embrace Hebrew Roots: III-- The Talmud & Jesus Christ
Footnotes
Peter Michas, ez
Fitzmeyer, "Responses to 101 Questions on the Dead Sea Scrolls; p.104 ; as Cited in Andrew Goulds SOME DISTURBING ASPECTS OF THE SO-CALLED "HEBREW ROOTS' MOVEMENT, AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS"
Unger's Bible Dictionary p. 706, Ibid.
Ibid p.422 Ibid.
Hyam Maccoby; "Revolution in Judaea: Jesus and the Jewish Resistance"; p. 230, ii. Ocean Books; 1973
House of Yahweh, www.yahweh.com
Jacob Prasch; Explaining the Midrash; www.cw.co.za/moriel/midrash.html]
Ibid.
Kingsland, William. THE GNOSIS OR ANCIENT WISDOM IN THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES: OR THE WISDOM IN A MYSTERY; London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1954 (1937), Kingsland, p.83
Avi ben Mordechai; www.millenium7000.com/halacha.htm
Michael Rodkinson (i.e. Rodkinssohn), in Preface to the translation of the Talmud, Vol. I. p. x. ; as Cited in: Nesta H. Webster, p. 370-371., "Secret Societies and Subversive Movements" Omni Publications, Eighth edition, 1964
Rev. I.B. Pranaitis; The Talmud Unmasked: The Secret Rabbinical Teachings Concerning Christians; The Talmud; holywar.org/txt/talmud_unmasked.html
Ibid.
Ibid.,
Michael A. Hoffman II & Alan R. Critchley, The Campaign for Radical Truth in History; hoffman-info.com
Pranaitis, op.cit.
Maccoby, op.cit., p.77-78
Ibid., p. 74
Ibid., p.74-75
Ibid., p.75
Ibid., p..76
Ibid., p.77
Ibid., p.281
P.L.B. Drach, De l’Harmonie entre l’Elise et la Synagogue, I. 167. Cited in: Nesta H. Webster, op. cit. p.371
Webster, Ibid., p.11-12
Rev. Pranaitis; holywar.org/txt/talmud_unmasked.html
Avi ben Mordechai, email to Ed Tarkowski, May 1998
Michael A. Hoffman II & Alan R. Critchley, op. cit.
Ibid.
1. Fabre d' Olivet, La Langue He'braique, p.28 (1815); 2. According to the Jewish view God had given Moses on Mt. Sinai alike the oral and the written Law, that is, the Law with all it’s interpretations and applications."-Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,I.99 (1883)quoting other Jewish authorities; as Cited in Nesta H. Webster; Ibid., p.6
Kabbalah in English, remus.rutgers.edu
Ibid.
Ibid
Maccoby, op.cit., p. 281
Project Genesis, torah.org
Hypertext Halacha; torah.org
Torah and Halachic Authority (3/12) - What is "Halacha?" How is it determined?; cis.ohio-state.edu
virtualjerusalem.com
Hypertext Halacha; torah.org
Solomon Maimon: an Autobiography, translated from the German by J. Clark Murray, p. 28 (1888). The original appeared in 1792. As Cited in: Webster ; op.cit. p. 7
Avi ben Mordechai, Halacha; www.millenium7000.com/halacha.htm |
