"How to Prepare for Passover": a short practical lesson

 

IS GOD FAIR?

This question was posed to me this week after a study of Parashat Mishpatim, (Ex. 21:1-24:18). I thought it to be an excellent topic for another post. So, here is my answer to this question. 

It depends on your definition of “fairness.” As we discussed in our study, what is “fair” to man is often not the same as God’s Justice. Here’s a thought. If we believe Yeshua is the Son of God, and we believe in his Divinity and sinless nature, while he was tempted, he sinned not… then is it “fair” that he took on all of the punishment of humanity’s guilt and paid for it with his life when He, himself was guiltless? Is it fair that God sent His own Son to die for the evil committed against his Father that He was not responsible for?

And what of evil? Is it fair that God gave free will to mankind and yet man chose to turn his back on God? Yet without that evil and sin that existed, Yeshua’s sacrifice would have been of no value. Without evil, we have no salvation. In other words, what Judas did by betraying Yeshua was evil. The Crucifixion was evil done to an innocent man, yet without that evil committed to Yeshua, you and I could not be saved, and we’d be eternally separated from God.

So, is God fair? What do you think?

It is very important to know "how” we look at this question from a biblical perspective. Many things like this are what we call a paradox. God commands mankind not to murder, but without Yeshua’s murder and bloodshed, we have no salvation. There’s a paradox.

Here’s a good article from a Bible Dictionary:

Justice of God—that perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first, God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according to the requirements of the law in rewarding or punishing them (Ps. 89:14). In remunerative justice he distributes rewards (James 1:12; 2 Tim. 4:8); in vindictive or punitive justice he inflicts punishment on account of transgression (2 Thess. 1:6). He cannot, as being infinitely righteous, do otherwise than regard and hate sin as intrinsically hateful and deserving of punishment. “He cannot deny himself” (2 Tim. 2:13). His essential and eternal righteousness immutably determines him to visit every sin as such with merited punishment.^[1]

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Eric

 

---

^[1] Easton, M. G. 1893. In Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature, 401. New York: Harper & Brothers.

Today is Tu B'shevat

 

A Tu B'shevat Seder!

Chag Sameach! What today? Feb. 13th 2025? It's not Valentine's Day...what is the holiday today? Today is Tu B'shevat, began last night at sundown. In the last blog post I explained what Tu B'shevat is. Today's post is how to celebrate it. 

Many Jews observe it with a seder. No, not a Passover Seder, rather a Tu B'shevat seder! In the picture above you can see the various foods and fruits and nuts and wine and juices that are native to Israel that are ritually eaten during a Tu B'shevat Seder. The picture was from a Tu B'shevat Seder we did together several years ago. Olives, grapes, wheat, barley, dates and honey, pomegrante seeds, figs and almonds are some of the foods eaten at the seder. 

The seder also calls for 4 cups, just like a Passover seder, however each of the cups is a different color of wine or grape juice. The first cup is white grape juice or wine, (the lightest you can find). It represents the winter time in Israel. The second cup is a rose colored juice or wine that represents the changing of the season, such as the season we are in now, Tu B'shevat is the beginning of Spring in Israel. The third cup is a mix of white and rose or a light reddish color, which symbolizes early summer. Then finally the fourth cup is a dark, deep red color, representing the late summer early fall harvest season. Of course before each cup we say the B'rucha. 

We eat the fruit of the tree, the fruit of the earth and the seeds of the trees and earth. The Shehechianu is also recited thanking God to again enabling us to reach yet another year another season. 

For a copy of the Tu B'shevat Haggadah you can Click Here. And do the seder at home today with your family. 

The beauty of this ritual is the connection it brings believers today to the Land of Israel. We, living in the Diaspora, have become so disconnected to the cycle of seasons and agriculture of the Bible. Many of the mitzvahs and commandments we cannot keep because there is no Temple, no altar, we cannot even tithe the fruits of the Land like we want to, and desire to. Heck, I'd love to make three vacations to Jerusalem each year for Shavuot, Pesach and Sukkot, but that too is impossible. But the Tu B'shevat seder is a way you and your family can make that connection to the Land and to the Bible itself. So, why not. Children love it too. 

Here is one more tradition you may enjoy...

So, Happy Tu B'shevat to you all, may we all, like the trees produce good fruit for Messiah Yeshua and the Malchut Hashamayim, fruit that will last forever.

And don't forget to donate a tree to be planted in Israel! You can do that here: https://mjaa.org/messianic-forest-relief/  

Amen,

R' Eric

Happy New Year for Trees!

 

Another New Year is about to arrive, no its not 2025, and its not even 5785, although we are already in those new years, and it is not Nissan 1, the month of Passover, rather this Wednesday, at sundown corresponding to Thu, 13 February 2025 = 15th of Sh’vat, 5785 aka: ט״ו בִּשְׁבָט תשפ״ה "Tu B'Shevat."

According to Eisenberg, "Tu b’Shevat, which occurs on the 15th day (full moon) of the month of Shevat (January–February), is known as the “New Year of the Trees,” the day on which God decides how bountiful the fruit of each tree will be in the coming year. The word “Tu” derives from the Hebrew alphabetical form for the number “15”—ט (9) plus ו (6). Although adding י (10) and ה (5) to get יה (15) would make more mathematical sense, this spelling is not used since it is one of the holy names of God.

In ancient times, produce needed to be tithed annually. As the New Year of the Trees, Tu b’Shevat was the beginning of a new tithing cycle (Talmud Rosh Hashanah 1:1). In the Land of Israel the rainy season precedes Tu b’Shevat, so fruits that began to form after this date were taxed in the following cycle. The determination of the age of a tree was also important because one was forbidden to eat or derive any benefit from the fruit that a tree bears during its first three years (Lev. 19:23). During the fourth year, all fruit had to be brought to Jerusalem and eaten there (Lev. 19:24); only in the fifth year were all restrictions removed (Lev. 19:25). Tu b’Shevat also corresponded to the time of the flowering of the almond tree, the first to bloom in Israel."*

When I think about it, this biblical appointed time has great significance for us today as Messianic believers. Back in January our IAMCS Rabbi's & Leader's Conference theme was John 15:16 "I selected you so that you would go and produce fruit, and your fruit would remain." So, this corresponds well with Tu B'shevat. Some points I think we need to remember:

I. WE NEED TO BEAR FRUIT...

We are like trees, Yeshua compared us to them. Luke 13:6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' 

 8" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "

If we don't bear fruit we can be in danger of being cut down! Oy! No thanks!

II. WE ARE LIKE THE FRUIT ITSELF THAT IS OFFERED IN THE TEMPLE, WE ARE THE FIRST FRUIT OFFERING!

1 Peter 2:5 You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house—a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua.

Romans 15:16 to be a servant of Messiah Yeshua to the Gentiles, in priestly service to the Good News of God—so that the offering up of the Gentiles might be pleasing, made holy by the Ruach ha-Kodesh.

Jewish and Gentile believers are both called to be an offering and are both incorporated into the holy priesthood and commonwealth of Israel.

This also means...

III. WE MUST WALK IN FAITH AND PRAY!

Matthew 21:18 Now early in the morning, as He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came up to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And He said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree shriveled up at once.

20 When the disciples saw it they were astonished. “How did the fig tree shrivel on the spot?” they asked.

21 Yeshua answered them, “Amen, I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, trusting, you shall receive.”

If we fail to walk in faith and produce fruit, like this fig tree, we have leaves only. Are we believers who have leaves only? We will shrivel up and die! Oy! No thanks!

We cannot afford to not walk in faith and produce fruit!

IV. GOING TO WAR!

What was Israel commanded to do with the trees of their enemies in the Land? The Torah says, 

Deuteronomy 20

Confidence in Battle

20 “When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horse and chariot—a people more numerous than you—do not be afraid of them. For Adonai your God, the One who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. 2 When you draw near to the battle, the kohen will come forward and speak to the people. 3 He will say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, you are drawing near today to the battle against your enemies. Don’t be fainthearted! Don’t fear or panic or tremble because of them. 4 For Adonai your God is the One who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies to save you.’

5 “The officers are to speak to the troops saying, ‘What man has built a new house but has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house—otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it. 6 What man has planted a vineyard but has not put it to use? Let him go back to his house—otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would begin to use it. 7 What man has become engaged to a woman but has not married her? Let him go back to his house—otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.’ 8 The officers will speak further to the troops and say, ‘What man is afraid and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house—so he does not weaken his brothers’ heart like his own.’ 9 Then when the officers have finished speaking to the troops, they should appoint army commanders at the head of the troops.

10 “When you go near a city to fight against it, call out shalom to it. 11 Now if it answers you shalom and opens up to you, then all the people found in it will serve you as forced laborers. 12 If it does not make peace with you but makes war against you, then lay siege against that city. 13 When Adonai your God hands it over to you, you are to strike all its males with the sword. 14 Only the women, children, livestock and all that is in the city—all its spoil—may you take as plunder for yourself. So you may consume your enemies’ spoil, which Adonai your God has given you. 15 Thus you will do to all the cities that are very distant from you, which are not among the towns of these nations nearby. 16 However, only from the cities of these peoples, which Adonai your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not let anything that breathes live. 17 You must utterly destroy them—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites—just as Adonai your God has commanded you. 18 You are to do this so they will not teach you to do all the abominations as they have done for their gods, and so you would sin against Adonai your God.

19 “When you lay siege to a city for a long time, making war against it to capture it, you are not to destroy its trees by swinging an axe at them. For from them you may eat, so you shall not chop them down. For is the tree of the field human, that it should enter the siege before you? 20 You may destroy and chop down only the trees that you know are not trees for food, so that you may build siege equipment against the city that is making war with you until its downfall.

Israel, the Jewish people are commanded to always offer peace to our enemies. But the Torah knows realistically that our enemies will not always choose life, they mostly choose death and destruction. The mercy and grace shown to our fellow man is additionally required for the Land and the fruit bearing trees. If man is like a tree and we can show this mercy and grace to the trees and find value in them, how much more a human being, even one's enemy!?!

  כי האדם הוא עץ השדה, what a beautiful Mitzvah the Torah giving us that we should not cut trees even of our enemy’s in a city under siege. May we all continue not to cut each other down and to grow to bare much fruit to further the kingdom of G-D as we all are like the trees. 

NOTE: I WILL BE POSTING MORE ABOUT HOW TO CELEBRATE TU B'SHEVAT SOON! STAY TUNED!

R' Eric

*Eisenberg, Ronald L. 2004. The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions. 1st ed. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society.

How do you prepare for High Holy Days?

This post is designed to give helpful advice directly to members and regular attenders, and those interested in observing God's Appointed Fall Feasts of Israel here at Tikvat Yisrael Messianic Synagogue. Anyone however may benefit from this post.

A Messianic synagogue is unique in the sense that it is made up of individuals from various backgrounds, Jewish and Gentile, and all from a variety of religious communities. Our Jewish members, some of whom were raised Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or completely Secular. Our Gentile families also have derived from a complex history of Christian denominational backgrounds, more than can be listed here in this blog post!  Nevertheless, according to the Bible in Ephesians 2, we are taught that we all makeup Messiah's body and we are One New Man together, as One in Messiah Yeshua.  One body, one mikveh (immersion), and One Faith. 

Nevertheless, within the Body of Messiah, there are a variety of different expressions of this One Faith, and there are cultural and even doctrinal differences as we all know and can imagine. This reality can bring its challenges to a Messianic Jewish synagogue that is committed to Jewish identity and culture while at the same time, welcoming non-Jews who want to be with us in this community. Since 1 Cor. 7 prohibits converting Gentiles into Jews and Acts 15 & 21 give us the Apostolic decision not to require Gentiles to become "Jews"; we, therefore, are a bit of a "mish-mash" of peoples from among all nations coming under the banner of Messianic Judaism.  This is beautiful when it works smoothly. 

It has its challenges, and when the High Holy Days roll around each year, and over the years those challenges become more noticeable. That is what I would like to address for the remainder of this post.

The 23rd chapter of Leviticus is one that outlines the Hebrew calendar and all of God's Appointed Times, known as "moadim", (literally: 'appointed times'). 

"23 Adonai spoke to Moses saying: 24 “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a Shabbat rest, a memorial of blowing (shofarot), a holy convocation. 25 You are to do no regular work, and you are to present an offering made by fire to Adonai.” (Lev. 23:23-25).

Each year, many of our people, who are unfamiliar with the High Holy Days and appointed times of God, and have never observed these biblical holy days, are sometimes caught off guard when they roll around and how to prepare for them...

So, this should help many, hopefully.  First, notice what this particular holy day is... there are 7 things that are laid out to describe this holy day for us:

1. In the 7th month (Hebrew month), that would be Tishrei. It occurs usually around September-October - NOTE IT CAN FALL ANYWHERE AROUND THIS TWO MONTH PERIOD, AND NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE...

2. It is the FIRST DAY of the 7th month. That means it can fall just about ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. It is NOT always on a Saturday.  

3. What do we do on this day?  First, we are commanded to have a Shabbat rest, (i.e., remember it may fall any day of the week, a Shabbat "rest" doesn't mean it's always on "Saturday". 

4. Second, we are to blow and hear the Shofar that day.  The worship must include the traditional sounds of the Shofar. These blasts actually have names and syncopations: "Tikeeah", "Taruah", "Shevarim" and "Tikeeah Gedolah".  Each has its own sound. So it's not just "blowing" it once, there is a whole series of blasts and they all have meaning.

5. Third - we are to convene. That means God commands us to "Come Together" into a Holy Convocation.  In other words, this is a pretty serious appointment/gathering (it cannot properly be observed alone in isolation), or in a "prayer closet". 

6. Fourth - No work - that means literally no labor/earning money, buying or selling. This is where most people are caught off guard.  Since it can fall during the week....

7. Present an offering.  NOTE: The Torah calls this a "Korban Isheh" An offering made by fire.   וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה, לַיהוָה.  V'hi'krabetem Isheh L'Adonai.  The root of this first word is: קרב Kof Resh Bet, and it means "to draw near".  Korban means to draw near but it has a dual meaning, to draw near with your offering. The vav and the hey before the root means "and you will"...the tav and final mem as the suffix indicates you meaning a group of people, "you all", in other words, the people God is addressing through Moses, namely Israel!  What is the point of this?

The Korban is NOT the Tithe, it is a separate special offering just for this occasion. It is not the regular daily Tamid offering or the regular Tithe offering, it is its own Rosh Hashanah offering...

Have you prepared your special Rosh Hashanah offering to Adonai, yet?  Have you thought and prayed about what you plan to bring before the King at this appointed time?  

Preparing for the High Holy Day is not the same as just showing up and thoughtlessly throwing in any extra change we find in our pockets along with the lint that comes with it. 

The fact it is called Isheh (fire) means that it is wholly given over, completely burned in smoke up to the Lord, nothing is held back or shared.  In other words, it is not a "fellowship offering" where everyone shares a piece of challah that someone brings.  No, it is completely 100% for Adonai.  

So this is what it means to prepare for Rosh Hashanah.  One last thing.  Since this year Rosh Hashanah and many of the rest of the High Holy Days fall on weeknights and weekday mornings... HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING YOUR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION REQUEST TO YOUR EMPLOYER TO GET THESE DAYS OFF?  

Every year I provide letters on Tikvat letterhead explaining that you are a member of Tikvat and as a member, your religious obligation requires you to be excused from work on these holy days.  The State of Ohio as well as most all States in the Union have laws that protect and guarantee religious accommodation to be made on behalf of all employees.  In other words, it is the LAW that your employer must give you these days off upon your request.  A letter from your rabbi will assist in helping you request the High Holy Days off.  

Are employers required to accommodate the religious beliefs and practices of applicants and employees? Yes. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. This includes refusing to accommodate an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs or practices unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship (more than a minimal burden on the operation of the business). A religious practice may be sincerely held by an individual even if newly adopted, not consistently observed, or different from the commonly followed tenets of the individual's religion. see more at: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/what-you-should-know-workplace-religious-accommodation 

So, there you have it, friends. There is nothing holding you back from being at this Holy Convocation.  It is time to be getting ready.  Get your days off now, put in your requests, if you need a letter, call the office and let me know, I'll even email it to you. 216-297-9929.  This is for those who are committed to regular attendance and membership at Tikvat Yisrael.  

Shalom,

R' Eric 

"To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate, That is the Question"

 

“To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate – That is the Question.”

            In his play, Hamlet, William Shakespeare made the line famous, “To be or not to be…”. The great question facing most Americans today is whether to vaccinate, or not, against the Covid-19 virus. Before giving a spiritual, pastoral answer to this dilemma, I first want to summarize the description of the landscape surrounding this conundrum within this brief article. Since the beginning of this global pandemic, the Covid virus has literally brought out the best and the worst of humanity. This issue, as with just about every other issue, has become highly dramatized and politicized in and by the media. Social media has not helped this situation either, it has only made it worse. It has gotten to the point, that no matter where one stands on the issue, you are damned if you do or damned if you don’t; and inevitably someone around you will take offense in disagreement over your choice either way on the matter. Gone are the days of civil disagreements. Today, if someone disagrees with you, you are villainized and hated by your opposition. We can go even farther back to the fall of 2016, after the Presidential elections, remember all the coverage of the inability of family celebrations of Thanksgiving? The effects of the political climate deteriorated to the level where most every family in the United States was impacted. For the subsequent four years virtually every holiday season saw families torn apart and unable to even sit at the table together. Remember reading all the advice columns on how to interact with aunts and uncles, parents and adult children who differed on politics? It is sad to see that the condition has not improved and now Covid has only contributed to the polarizing of American society.

            Now, we turn our attention to the issue at hand, the choice to vaccinate or not. I will answer this in context of a Messianic rabbi serving a Messianic Jewish community, within our relatively small Messianic movement worldwide. As Messianic Jews, we are all too familiar with being marginalized.  By nature, our very existence stirs up controversy. Many Messianic biblical commentators have paraphrased Rav Shaul’s words in 1 Cor. 4, to describe the survival of the Messianic Jew:

For it seems to me that God has put us, the emissaries, [Messianic Jews] on display last of all—like men sentenced to death. For we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. We are fools for Messiah’s sake, but you are wise in Messiah! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored! To this very hour we are both hungry and thirsty, dressed in rags and mistreated and homeless. We toil, working with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless. When we are persecuted, we endure. When we are slandered, we speak kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the dregs of all things—even to this moment. (1 Cor. 4:9-13).[1]

 

We have chosen our lot, and most of us have counted the cost with our decision to follow Yeshua of Nazareth. As difficult as that naturally is, it not as unbearable as when your opponent comes from your own mishpocha. We all know what Yeshua warned, “…and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.” (Matt. 10:36). However, my hermeneutical understanding, and I would venture to say most of our understanding of this pesuk is referring to our literal family members who are not born-again believers in the Messiah. Unfortunately, we are coming to learn very quickly that we must reevaluate our own exegesis and expand our definition of “mishpocha”. It is now our spiritual family within our own Messianic congregations. With the onset of the global pandemic, we now see that another virus has infected the Body of Messiah, and it isn’t Covid. The Jewish element of the Body of Messiah is suffering from the same acute case of שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם “sinat chinam”[2], the same dysfunction we are witnessing in society in general.

            The Messianic Jewish movement has reflected the same behavior as the wider gentile world when it comes to the divisions over Covid-19. Opinions are broad on the topic of this pandemic, if it can even be described this way; some would take exception. To some in our movement it is a serious pandemic to others it is nothing but a conspiracy, a “plan-demic”; and for others it is anything in between. Regardless, of how one feels about it, many are frightened less of the virus itself, but more scared to even share their opinion about it! This condition has considerably affected the communal life within the Messianic synagogue as well. Speaking for myself, as a rabbi, I can say with certainty that while most laymen have tremendous opinions on the subject of Covid, little if any of them understand what it is like to be in the seat where the buck stops, and the leaders’ decisions can impact the health and well-being of every member of the kehillah, from the 90 year-old Holocaust survivor, to the infant who just had his bris, both those in perfect health, and those who suffer terrible conditions. Lots of people have lots of opinions, but it is usually based on their own personal perspective with little to no consideration of how their actions, opinions, denunciations of those they disagree with affect others. A critical spirit has infected the Messianic movement and this essay is a word of warning to all of us.

            It has been almost one year since the Governor of our State issued orders requiring all Ohioans to wear a mask in all public places. Only one week before that order was issued in the summer of 2020, I and my board had made our own decision that we would require the same policy at our synagogue. We made our decision, not out of fear, but in consideration for every one of our sheep, even those whom we knew were fighting major life-threatening conditions such as cancer, of whom several were already getting radiation, and chemo therapy. We had no idea at that time how this decision would have such a ripple effect. Within one week I had several letters on my desk from families who were offended by this decision and immediately withdrew their membership (without even a discussion), all at the same time! The angry tones of the letters and the amount of kvetching was tangible. One would think that we as a board had unilaterally decided to burn down our own synagogue by the way many in our community were behaving. However, others were grateful and expressed their appreciation and agreement with the Board’s decision. This reminded me that again, when it comes to this issue, you are “damned if you do or damned if you don’t.”  We cannot please everyone. The decision over the mask though was only the beginning.

            Now, we all face another decision, to vaccinate ourselves and our children or not. As soon as word came out that vaccines were coming, I braced myself for what I knew was about to come: additional controversies and rhetoric, especially on social media. What I now see happening among the flock are sometimes vicious responses to anyone who disagrees with a perspective on the vaccine. Some believe it is a “godsend”, while others believe it is the “mark of the beast”. May God help you if you choose to express your own opinion, especially on social media! Here we go again! So, rabbi where do you stand? Everyone asks the rabbi all kinds of things. Do you know what it is like to have your cell phone on and active on the Eve of Pesach when everyone is trying to remove chometz from their homes? All the halachic questions that come in…you either turn your phone off or you hire a hotline to field them all. Imagine now, what it is like, should I get the vaccine or not?  Let’s ask the rabbi…

            So here is what the rabbi is going to say. We all know that there is a disproportionate number of Jews in the medical field. With all the Jewish doctors, we also know come all the Jewish attorneys who are hired to sue the Jewish doctors for malpractice! Jews have always dominated the medical industry and have contributed arguably more than all others, just count the number of Jewish Nobel Prize winners for science and medicine! For a population that is less than 1% of the earth’s population that says something. It is simply not Jewish to oppose medicine. There are cults such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and others like Scientologists who refuse medical treatment based on religious observance; and that is their Constitutional right, in so far as the law limits that in some cases. Nevertheless, it is virtually the same as finding kosher pork in the meat section, as it would be to find a Jew who refuses medical attention due to “religious reasons”. Even Orthodox rabbis will give a “rabbinical dispensation” to any Frum Jew who requires medicine that contains non-kosher resin to sustain life! Yet, we now find many militant Messianics who believe they are the judge and the jury ready to condemn anyone who does choose to vaccinate; and humiliate them on social media. Yet, before Covid came around, would we find these same people consider expressing attacks against those who choose chemotherapy? Somehow, now that this issue is so political, many Messianics feel it is their duty to shame anyone who chooses to get vaccinated. This is the plain fact. In so far as Jehovah Witnesses and Scientologists have the God-given right to choose to refrain from medical attention on certain matters, so too does any American have the right to choose to refrain from any vaccine, in my opinion. (Yes, you finally heard the rabbi’s opinion). No one should be forced against their own conscience to be vaccinated. Likewise, those who do choose to exercise their own right to receive such a vaccination should also be free to do so expecting the same respect that others are given. There should be mutual love and respect given, ESPECIALLY TO A BROTHER/SISTER IN THE LORD, who chooses either way. The judgmental spirit that is being exercised in our movement is sickening and is worse than Covid-19 itself! There is more to the issue, however.

            It is not only un-Jewish to be anti-medicine, but also unbiblical. The Bible says many things about medicine:

 

2 Kings 20:7 Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” So, they took one and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

 

Revelation 22:2 down the middle of the city’s street. On either side of the river was a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 

Jeremiah 51:8 Suddenly Babylon is fallen! Shattered! Howl over her! Bring balm for her wound. Perhaps she may be healed?

 

Isaiah 1:6 From the foot to the head there is no soundness. Wounds, bruises, and raw sores: not pressed, nor bandaged, nor softened with oil.

 

1 Timothy 5:23 (No longer drink only water but use a little wine for your stomach and for your frequent ailments.)

 

Luke 10:33 But a Samaritan who was traveling came upon him; and when he noticed the man, he felt compassion. 34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then setting him on his own animal, he brought him to a lodge for travelers and took care of him.

 

Let me be clear, however, I am NOT advocating that everyone go get vaccinated. What I am saying is that everyone needs to make their own decision based on their own relationship with God and be directed by their own conscience. Furthermore, Godly Leadership, AND GODLY GOVERNMENT – AND GODLY BROTHERS AND SISTERS SHOULD NEVER DO OR SAY ANYTHING TO VIOLATE SOMEONE’S CONSCIENCE! Everyone deserves the respect due to their own choice, and along with that choice, there are consequences. There are consequences on both sides of the issue, and all these consequences need to be weighed carefully and in prayer by each individual. If you choose to vaccinate, there are consequences such as the possibility you may be allergic to it. There is a small number of those who have even died from reactions to one. There could be other consequences not even foreseen, perhaps it may not work as well as we thought? On the other hand, those who choose not to vaccinate will no doubt experience consequences as well. Those without vaccinations could experience discrimination from some public services or access to certain services as well. Other consequences could include infection from exposure to the Covid virus even carried by others who enjoy a level of immunity due to their vaccination. These are just some preliminary possibilities off the cuff; more consequences could be discovered in the future. We must all realize that these decisions are not easy for anyone. There are also many variables for everyone, individually. Each person must consider their own individual health issues, their age, their employment status (some work in the medical field), whether they have dependents, etc. It is just completely out of order for ANY Messianic believer to shame, condemn, ridicule, slander, embarrass or call out anyone, let alone another believer for their personal choice that may differ from yours! I question the intentions of the heart of Messianic believers who behave this way, it is a שאַנדע “Shanda”![3] I cannot express the level of disappointment I feel when I witness believers acting and speaking this way in the judgment of others who make their own decisions they may not agree with. Therefore, I will give my final word on this matter, first to those who are being attacked, I remind you from the words of Rav Shaul, in paraphrase form: “Therefore, do not let anyone pass judgment on you in matters of food or drink, or in respect to a festival or new moon or Shabbat, [or Vaccine]. (Col. 2:16). And for those of you who are behaving foolishly, the words of our same Shaliach, even while originally speaking of food; his admonishment also applies: “For the one who is weak is destroyed by your knowledge—the brother for whom Messiah died. In this way, when you sin against the brothers and sisters and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Messiah.” (1 Cor. 8:11-12).

 

---

[1] All Scripture is from the TLV, unless otherwise noted. This verse paraphrased for emphasis.

 

[2] Heb. “Baseless hatred”; an idea that Judaism offers as to the reason for the destruction of the 2^nd Temple. That Jews hated each other so much that God allowed the Romans to come and destroy Jerusalem.

[3] Yiddish, a word that expresses a shameful act of one Jew against another Jew that makes all Jews look bad in the eyes of the goyim (gentiles).

Do Messianic Jews celebrate Yeshua's Resurrection

 This is a question that seems to always come at this time of year. Here is a 2-point teaching I have given on the subject:

I.           Sefirat HaOmer & Messiah Yeshua

John 12: 23  Yeshua gave them this answer: “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24  Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless a grain of wheat that falls to the ground dies, it stays just a grain; but if it dies, it produces a big harvest.

The Barley harvest begins right during Pesach, and we know that this is the season in which Messiah Yeshua died and gave His life as atonement for our sin.

Alfred Edersheim comments…

The Sheaf of Firstfruits

A little later on in the evening of that same day, just as it was growing dark, a noisy throng followed delegates from the Sanhedrim outside the city and across the brook Kedron. It was a very different procession, and for a very different purpose, from the small band of mourners which, just about the same time, carried the body of the dead Saviour from the cross to the rock-hewn tomb wherein no man had yet been laid. While the one turned into 'the garden' (John 20:15), perhaps to one side, the other emerged, amidst loud demonstrations, in a field across Kedron, which had been marked out for the purpose. They were to be engaged in a service most important to them. It was probably to this circumstance that Joseph of Arimathea owed their non-interference with his request for the body of Jesus, and Nicodemus and the women, that they could go undisturbed about the last sad offices of loving mourners. The law had it, 'Ye shall bring a sheaf [literally the omer] of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest; and he shall wave the omer before Jehovah, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it' (Lev 23:10,11). This Passover-sheaf, or rather omer, was to be accompanied by a burnt-offering of a 'he lamb, without blemish, of the first year,' with its appropriate meat- and drink-offering, and after it had been brought, but not till then, fresh barley might be used and sold in the land. Now, this Passover-sheaf was reaped in public the evening before it was offered, and it was to witness this ceremony that the crowd gathered around 'the elders,' who took care that all was done according to traditionary ordinance.  (Edersheim, 1889 circa)

What we see here is that it was Yeshua himself, his own death that fulfilled the first fruit of the Omer of Barley, right at the exact time.

And it was his resurrection that shows the significance of this holiday…

I Corinth. 15: 20 ¶  But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died. 21  For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a man.

22  For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive. 23  But each in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming; 24  then the culmination, when he hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power. 25  For he has to rule until he puts all his enemies under his feet.

Messiah’s death & resurrection was the culmination and the requirement of the Sefirat HaOmer.

Sefirat HaOmer is the commandment to (Count the Omer see Lev. 23:15) and it foreshadows for us what was to come in the Messiah. As a bride counts down the days to her wedding, we likewise begin counting from the Passover until Shavuot (Pentecost).

But I want you to notice that a Bikur is just the beginning.  While Messiah is the first fruit, there is coming a big Harvest…

II.          Harvest Time

Mark 4: 26  And he said, “The Kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27  Nights he sleeps, days he’s awake; and meanwhile, the seeds sprout and grow!- how he doesn’t know.

28  By itself the soil produces a crop!- first the stalk, then the head, and finally the full grain in the head. 29  But as soon as the crop is ready, the man comes with his sickle, because it’s harvest-time.”

The second harvest is the harvest of Wheat.

Edersheim says,

Pentecost

The 'Feast of Unleavened Bread' may be said not to have quite passed till fifty-days after its commencement, when it merged in that of Pentecost, or 'of Weeks.' According to unanimous Jewish tradition, which was universally received at the time of Christ, the day of Pentecost was the anniversary of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, which the Feast of Weeks was intended to commemorate. Thus, as the dedication of the harvest, commencing with the presentation of the first omer on the Passover, was completed in the thank-offering of the two wave-loaves at Pentecost, so the memorial of Israel's deliverance appropriately terminated in that of the giving of the Law— as, making the highest application of it, the Passover sacrifice of the Lord Jesus may be said to have been completed in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Jewish tradition has it, that on the 2nd of the third month, or Sivan, Moses had ascended the Mount (Exo 19:1-3), that he communicated with the people on the 3rd (Exo 19:7), reascended the Mount on the 4th (Exo 19:8), and that then the people sanctified themselves on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of Sivan, on which latter day the ten commandments were actually given them (Exo 19:10-16). *  (Edersheim, 1889 circa)

The Wave-loaves Were Leavened

Contrary to the common rule of the Sanctuary, these loaves were leavened, which, as the Mishnah, informs us (Men. v. 1), was the case in all thank-offerings. The common explanation— the wave-loaves were leavened because they represented the ordinary food of the people— partially accounts for this. No doubt these wave-loaves expressed the Old Testament acknowledgment of the truth which our Lord embodied in the prayer, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' But this is not all. Let it be remembered that these two loaves, with the two lambs that formed part of the same wave-offering, were the only public peace- and thank-offerings of Israel; that they were accompanied by burnt- and sin-offerings; and that, unlike ordinary peace-offerings, they were considered as 'most holy.' Hence they were leavened, because Israel's public thank-offerings, even the most holy, are leavened by imperfectness and sin, and they need a sin-offering. This idea of a public thank-offering was further borne out by all the services of the day. First, the two lambs were 'waved' while yet alive; that is, before being made ready for use. Then, after their sacrifice, the breast and shoulder, or principal parts of each, were laid beside the two loaves, and 'waved' (generally towards the east) forwards and back wards, and up and down. *  (Edersheim, 1889 circa)

Keep this idea of waiving the offerings while alive in your mind for a moment….

The point I am trying to make here is that Shavuot speaks of a “Harvest” that is to come. 

We are that Harvest.  It is a revival of G-d’s Jewish people coming to Him in repentance and faith in the Messiah.

Is it any wonder then why so many came to Messiah on Shavuot when the Spirit of G-d was poured out in ACTS 2?

Ephesians 1:14
That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it--to the praise of His glory.

What Rabbi Shaul is saying here is that the Ruach is the first fruits of our salvation and guarantee, a deposit of our inheritance of eternal life and atonement for our sins. 

Just as during the wheat harvest a sin offering was given with the omer of wheat, so too during this season was the Ruach given along with the atonement in Messiah Yeshua for the forgiveness of our sin.

This was the only time leavened grain was offered in the Temple…

The point is that we are that leavening, we represent sin, but the sin offering that accompanied the wheat is the Messiah.

We are the Harvest and we too are first fruits…

James 1:18
And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself].

The Messianic Jewish movement today is the continuation of this Harvest.  Messiah is gathering his people, Israel, and those from among the nations who will join His People to be an offering of first fruits unto the L-rd.

That is what this season represents, let us remember today the offering that was made on our behalf and give thanks to Hashem for Messiah Yeshua!

Bibliography

Edersheim, A. (1889 circa). The Temple. Eerdmans Pub Co.

NOTE: Resurrection then is not just a one-day event - Yeshua's resurrection took place during Passover, and during Passover at our Seder, we Messianic Jews remember Yeshua's Yahrzeit (memorial of His death) at this time and we break the Afikomen, (the Matzah that is broken, buried and then brought back) as His body as He taught us to do. We drink the Third Cup of the Seder that is a reminder of His Blood... but then we begin counting the days to Shavuot which is a reminder of our Resurrection. You see it was on that day in Acts 2 that 3,000 Jews were born again in one day. That event, not only was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit but restoration, a kind of resurrection of the 3,000 Jewish souls that perished at the hands of the Levites for worshiping the Golden Calf, Ex. 34. I'm not saying those who worshiped the calf were resurrected, but what I am saying is that God restored 3,000 new souls into the Kingdom of Heaven that day on Shavuot (Pentecost). This is the promise of what is to come for us. So there you have it, Messianic Jews do observe the Resurrection!