QUESTION: Why does YHWH need a Messiah?

A FRIEND RECENTLY POSED THE FOLLOWING GREAT QUESTIONS:

“I going to be honest in that I am struggling since I came to Torah observance. Why does YHWH need a messiah? I believe that Yeshua is real but don’t understand why Jewish people don’t think He is Messiah. Then I am struggling with there is only one God so why does He need another man? Scriptures please.”

MY RESPONSE:

QUESTION: Why does YHWH need a messiah?

ANSWER: The simple answer on this is: He probably doesn’t “need one”; however, since we mere humans cannot actually SEE God Himself (and it’s hard to believe in, and worship an “invisible” entity), He obviously decided to send one as a human who was to teach mankind face-to-face via a “human vessel” that could help us understand Him better.

That is why He supernaturally sent “The Word” (John 1:1, 14) into a human woman’s womb, who would be born to be the Messiah … someone who was totally sinless in every way (so that he could later offer himself as the Final SIN Sacrifice*, and relieve us of the burden of having to kill innocent animals to atone for our sins); and would teach not just the ordinary population, but also the Rabbis who needed to be “wowed” and reminded that they weren’t doing everything correctly, and had even been “putting fences” around His Word and thus turning some of His commands into a burden.

(NOTE:  *By the way, Yeshua was not “sacrificed” as nobody sacrificed him in the Temple; he willingly martyred himself on our behalf, against which there is NO Torah law.)

Furthermore, YHWH actually SAID He was going to send us someone who would be “greater than Moshe” who was to do everything He ordered him to do – and I’m taking this straight from my website’s article Proclaming Torah which says, in part:

Deuteronomy 18: 15 "ADONAI will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him, 16 just as when you were assembled at Horev and requested ADONAI your God, 'Don't let me hear the voice of ADONAI my God any more, or let me see this great fire ever again; if I do, I will die!' 17 On that occasion ADONAI said to me, 'They are right in what they are saying. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I order him. (CJB)

Yeshua then said He came to teach and do HIS FATHER's will; not his own – in words that God’s people could understand!

John 6: 35. Y'shua said to them, I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will not hunger. And whoever believes in me will not ever thirst. 36. But I have said to you that you have seen me, and you do not believe. 37. All who my Father has given to me will come, and whoever comes not to me I will cast outside! 38. For I came down from heaven,[1] not to do my will, but to do the will of Him who sent me. 39. And this is His will, that of Him who sent me, that all that He has given to me I do not lose even one. 40. For this is the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him, will have life that is eternal. And I will raise him up on the last day. (AENT)

[1] As in the context of Miltha (the Word) or the "Manifestation" or the "Will of" YHWH coming down from heaven to do the Will of YHWH upon earth; his Spirit is of YHWH but his nephesh (soul) and body are human and temporal. This shows that Yeshua was NOT in charge; HIS FATHER WAS!

QUESTION: I believe that Yeshua is real but don’t understand why Jewish people don’t think He is Messiah.

ANSWER: The short answer is that Christians have turned “Jesus” into God Himself, and Jesus is supposedly the be-all-end-all, and the Father (YHWH) is hardly ever mentioned in church! To them, it’s all about “Jesus!”

The Jews know and believe that throughout the Torah, YHWH kept telling them He was the ONLY God – and He IS! Yet, Christians have turned “Jesus” into “God in the Flesh” – which is not a good description at all. He was the DIVINE Messiah (“divine” because of who his Father was!). Yeshua had a divine Nature, and thus, he innately KNEW YHWH’s Will (because he was “The Word made flesh” after all (and “the Word” is a PART of who YHWH is!). Yeshua clearly had a special relationship with YHWH that we mere humans cannot possibly comprehend. However, he was NOT a separate god! He CAME from God as His prophesied MESSIAH – someone who was able to be born and die (neither of which YHWH ELOHIM can ever do and never did!)…

Take a look at these passages from the Hebrew and Aramaic viewpoints:

Here are some great footnotes in the Aramaic English New Testament to John 1:1 and 14:

Yochanan 1:1. In the beginning [1] was the Miltha.[2] And that Miltha was with Elohim, and Elohim was that Miltha. 2. This was with Elohim in the beginning.[3] (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The phrase B’resheet aytohi hwa miltha breaks a most basic rule of Aramaic grammar by combining a feminine noun (miltha) with two masculine verbs for “to be” (aytohi, hwa). This is unheard of in Aramaic literature other than right here in this passage and in 1 John. This shows YHWH has male and female “images/spirits” even though YHWH remains a He. It may also be a midrash on Isaiah 11:1-2, which describes the Spirit of YHWH descending on Mashiyach using both masculine and feminine suffixes. This is not something easily translated, let alone when it occurs within the first four words.

[2] Miltha has no direct English equivalent. It can mean ‘Word’, ‘Manifestation’, ‘Instance’ or ‘Substance’ among other things. In this context, it may best be left untranslated.

[3] Fulfilling Messianic prophecy: Mashiyach (ruler of Israel) to have origins of the ancient past Micah 5:2; Isaiah 48:16. Bear in mind that Micah is referring to the spiritual “Israel of Elohim,” those of the Kingdom of Heaven according to the circumcision of heart.

John 1:14. And the Miltha[1] became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw his glory,[2] the glory as the Only-Begotten[3] who is from the Father who is full of grace and truth. 15. Yochanan witnessed concerning him and cried out and said, “This is he whom I said would come after me, and yet be before me because he was earlier than me.” 16. And from his fullness we all have received grace on account of grace; 17. Because Torah was given through Moshe, but truth[4] and grace[5] through Y’shua who is the Mashiyach.[6] 18. Man has not ever seen Elohim. The Only Begotten of Elohim, he who is in the bosom of his Father, he has declared Him. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[[1]] Miltha refers to the “Manifestation” of the Ruach haKodesh within Mashiyach. The physical body of Mashiyach is not the Word of YHWH, but his words and actions demonstrate the Will and Word of YHWH, which upholds observance of Torah. However, Christo-Pagans like Marcion and Constantine taught that Y’shua’s body and spirit manifest a different “word” that did away with Torah. The Word of YHWH was substituted with dispensational and replacement “theologies,” which are very popular among Christians.

[2] Isaiah 42:8; 48:11

[3] Ekhadaya is a beautiful term used among Eastern theologians and poets; it literally means “THE ONE”

[4] Shemot/Ex. 34:5, 6; D’varim/Deut. 32:4; Psalm 25:10; 31:5; 119:142, 151; 146:5, 6; Isaiah 65:16; Jer. 4:1, 2; John 17:17.

[5] Genesis 6:8; Shemot/Ex. 33:12-17; Psalm 84:11; Jeremiah 31:1-3; see footnote 1 Peter 5:10.

[6] The Torah of Moshe is the Word of YHWH, but grace and truth revealed in Y’shua are the impelling forces that uphold all righteousness and keep the Word of YHWH (Torah) positioned in our hearts; these are complimentary, not opposites. It is according to the Grace of the Father YHWH that Mashiyach is revealed in a person’s heart; see John 17:9, 10.

As mentioned above, Yeshua was sent by the Father NOT to do his own will, but the Father's! So many erroneously seem to think he came to replace the Father and abolish Torah....Yet he came to restore man's relationship with YHWH and remind us to totally rely on YHWH for everything. There are LOTS of scripture passages, complete with proper footnotes on the above-mentioned article and I would highly suggest you read it all in order to get the “whole” picture:

I believe all of the above serves to answer your final question: “Then I am struggling with there is only one God so why does He need another man?”...

Recommending the movie called “The Six Triple Eight”

MY HUSBAND AND I RECENTLY WATCHED A TERRIFIC NETFLIX MOVIE ENTITLED, "THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT" (based on real events during WWII) about Black women in the Women's Army Corps (WAC).  This story touched me because, when I joined the Army, right after high school in 1969, it was still called the Women's Army Corps - which was finally incorporated into the "Regular Army" during the 1974/1975 timeframe.

When I did my 9-week basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama in 1969,  the races were no longer separated, and I distinctly remember that our Black Drill Sergeant (Sergeant First Class Farrington) explained to us that we had better get used to to the fact that there was no black, white, yellow or red in the WAC's, as we were all GREEN!  (And yes, everything WAS some shade of "green" ... the entryways into our barracks, our uniforms, our rod-iron beds, the wool blankets on our beds, the wall lockers, the footlockers and even the floors that were buffed every evening before bed, and waxed once a week...)

Anyway, the story "Six Triple Eight" is a true World War II story about a Black Army Captain (played by Kerry Washington) who leads her historic battalion of all-female Black soldiers in a mission unlike any other: to restore hope to WWII’s frontlines by delivering over 17 million backlogged letters (which - to everyone's surprise, was accomplished within only 90 days!).

I highly recommend this movie where you will get to witness the courage and determination of a unit  of military women who had TWO obstacles to overcome in a basically "White" world: they were women and they were Black...

I, being a woman, can identify with "having to prove" myself, because - even though the chasm between men and women in the military kept growing smaller over the years - every single time I was promoted to the next rank, some man would feel compelled to make ignorant comments designed to put me down for it. 

That happened even in 1992, while I was a lesson developer and substitute instructor at the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy.  When the "Promotion to Sergeant Major" list came out that year, I was elated to see that I was among the few at the Academy who had made it to the highest enlisted rank!  

However, my joy was briefly damped via comments made by - get this! - the Equal Opportunity NCO! – who said, in front of everyone gathered around the Promotion List:  "Well, the Army HAS to promote their 'token women,' don't it?" 

While I knew he had uttered those words out of anger because he had FAILED to make the promotion list, I could no longer “laugh off” the silly barbs and insinuations.

Tossing him a searing glance, I remarked that his comments were completely unwarranted, as he had personally witnessed me and my work, since we had not only been classmates but were recruited by the Academy leadership to remain there after graduation! I reminded him that out of 500 students during that grueling six-month period, only 10 of us were women … and we ALL had managed to graduate, while not all men did – and that it certainly had NOT been “because” we were women, but BECAUSE we completed ALL the requirements, both academically AND physically!

“And oh, by the way,” I concluded, “as you know, promotions are based on many things, including work performance, efficiency reports, physical fitness, and military and civilian education – all of which I either met and/or exceeded!  I am a Business college graduate, and during my 22 years of military service, I managed to get a four year college degree – all at night school, after normal duty hours.

“The Army has used me as an office administrator with a German language translator designator, trained me as a military journalist and newspaper editor, and most recently, used me as a lesson developer and substitute instructor at this prestigious institution. So … unless YOU have accomplished more than me, you have NO RIGHT to call me a “token woman!”

Not long after that incident, at age 42, I decided to retire and go to work as a journalist in the civilian sector, where I no longer had to “prove” myself, because my work and accomplishments spoke for themselves.

The good news was, before I left, that particular sergeant apologized for his insensitive comments; and I apologized for embarrassing him in front of some of our colleagues that day.
Keeping in mind that ADONAI ELOHIM created clear differences in men and women and their roles in this life, I'm just glad to know that the male/female issues in the military have mostly been resolved since I retired back in 1993.

Unfortunately, the military now has other "gender" issues to deal with...

Yes, you have the free will to do Christmas, but do you also have a right to perpetuate the lie about Santa and his flying reindeer?

PEOPLE HAVE THE FREE WILL TO "DO" CHRISTMAS IF THEY WANT TO … but where in the Bible does it tell us we have a RIGHT TO LIE to our children, and teach them to lie?

I am writing this because, my friends, that is exactly what NORAD and the news media (and parents) do every year - by telling Americans they have "spotted Santa and his reindeer" flying across the skies of Colorado (or wherever). Santa … that MYTHICAL, made-up being that has NOTHING whatsoever to do with the birth of Messiah [who was born on the first day of one of God’s commanded festivals called Sukkot/Tabernacles]; and that this “Santa” supposedly "knows whether the children have been good or bad, and will bring them a lump of coal if they have been among bad).

Proverbs 12:22 "Lying lips are an abomination to Adonai, but those who deal faithfully are his delight." (CJB).

Note the word “abomination” in the passage above. There are many other verses which seem to suggest that lying lips are absolutely forbidden and that the liar is doomed to She'ol. Take Revelation 21:8 for example: "But as for the cowardly, the untrustworthy, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those involved with the occult and with drugs, idol-worshippers, and all liars — their destiny is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, the second death."

So, yes, lying is bad! HOWEVER … we can also see in Scripture that lying is NOT necessarily an “unpardonable sin” or that all liars are destined to the second death! Apparently, it depends on the nature of the lie. (Two wit, our three Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were ALL guilty of lying at some point – and God still used them!)

Let’s check out Exodus chapter 1 for the story of the midwives.  A new king arises (verse 8), and among the horrors he imposes on the Israelites, he orders the Hebrew midwives to kill the male children of the Hebrew women (verse 16). But the midwives let the boys live and when asked, (verse 18-19), they lied!  And then, in verse 20, we find that the midwives were not punished for their lies, rather, they prospered!

"Therefore God prospered the midwives, and the people continued to multiply and grow very powerful." (CJB).

Since Scripture does not record that the midwives were condemned to She'ol, it appears that their lie was overlooked!

Another instance: Turn to Joshua 2. Here, Rachav hid the Hebrew spies who had come to inspect the land and Yericho (verses 1-4), and she lied to the servants of the king regarding the whereabouts of the spies (verses 4-5). She lied – yet she, too, was not condemned to She'ol but was, instead, rewarded for her actions (Joshua 6:17-25).

Regardless, that does NOT mean we can simply lie whenever it suits us because – as we saw in Proverbs 12:22, lying lips ARE an abomination to Adonai! Matter of fact, other stories in the Bible reveal people who were punished for their lies! Read, for example, Acts 5:1-11.

Here's the point I’m trying to make: If you consider the two cases, Exodus and Joshua, we see the lie perpetrated was in defense of someone else. The midwives protected the innocent Hebrew babies with a lie. Rachav, protected the Hebrew spies with a lie.

This seems to be the key: A lie, if not meant for one's personal gain, pleasure, self-indulgence, or other reason of self-satisfaction or selfishness, can be credited as righteousness. Indeed, in the story of Hananyah and his wife Shappirah in Acts 5, their lie was for personal gain - and they were punished.

What does this mean to us today?

Well, we certainly should continue to follow the Torah commands and raise our children to do the same, which includes learning NOT to lie. Period. Children typically learn to lie because they are learning the covering-up of guilt or they are trying to gain something; perhaps the approval of parents, siblings or peers. In other words, their nature is to lie to protect themselves. This, they need to be taught, is categorically wrong. (In their limited minds, this is not an issue. Better that it be an "absolute" to them than a "gray area". Regardless, they should be taught not to lie. Period.)

As we grow into adults, we should gain from our adult understanding how God expects us to live and love each other; that sometimes for the protection of others, a lie may be permitted and desirable.

Note that I said "we should gain from our adult understanding how God expects us to live." We only grow in our understanding IF we keep our noses in Torah, and actually learn from Scripture what it has to offer regarding how we should live and love each other!

If we don't spend time with God, learning HIS ways, then from whom are we learning?  Lying basically remains a “gray area,” but knowing YHWH and His ways will help you to determine how to make the right choice at the time.

Anyway, referring back to that “Santa and his flying reindeer” thing: THAT IS AN OUTRIGHTT LIE … an abomination … not only because it’s a perpetuated myth; but it’s also part of a “holiday” that pretends to be one of the BIBLICAL High Holy days. 

Lying about “Santa Claus” is a biggie.  It’s not just a “little white lie” so that the kiddies can have fun!  As we have seen above, even "white lies" are deceptions intended to benefit the one who uttered them, and are clearly wrong. (See Leviticus 19:11; Proverbs 12:22). Where possible, one should always speak truthfully, especially friends, relatives, neighbors. (Ephesians 4:25).

Please think about that.

Got idols in your life?

GOT IDOLS IN YOUR LIFE or do you share the same disdain as Yahweh about idolatry?
We can get a good idea of how He feels about idolatry by checking out the 1st and 2nd Commandments:

Exodus 20:2 “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Idolatry is the first of the curses mentioned:

Deuteronomy 27:15 “ ‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to Yahweh, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’

We're told that idolators are devoted to destruction:

Exodus 22:20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than Yahweh alone, shall be devoted to destruction.

Deuteronomy 17:2 “If there is found among you, within any of your towns that Yahweh your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God, in transgressing his covenant, 3 and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden, 4 and it is told you and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently, and if it is true and certain that such an abomination has been done in Israel, 5 then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones.

Warning about Prophets and Dreamers:

Deuteronomy 13:1 “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For Yahweh your God is testing you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after Yahweh your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
Warning about the dangers of listening to Family or friends who serve "other gods":

Deuteronomy 13:6 “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known, 7 some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, 8 you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him. 9 But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. 10 You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Warning about inhabitants of cities that entice you to serve "other gods":

Deuteronomy 13:12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which Yahweh your God is giving you to dwell there, 13 that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, 14 then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you, 15 you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction, all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword. 16 You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to Yahweh your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again.

SO, IT’S TIME TO DO A SELF_EXAM: Do YOU tolerate idolatry in your life - or do you share the same disdain as Yahweh when it comes to idolatry?

Please take a really close look at Matthew 5:17-19!

SOMETHING TO PONDER: Matthew 5:17-19 was never about losing atonement but about gaining rank in the Kingdom of Elohim. Those who break the least of the Commandments do get into the Kingdom; but will be considered to be the “least” in the Kingdom…

Note Matthew 5:19 which says: "So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (words/commands) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven." This is a major key, because it is talking about YHWH's commands – the ones commanded in Torah (the five Books of Moses) and taught by Yeshua.

(NOTE: What are the “least” of the commandments? No one knows; and anything YHWH commands is important.  Therefore, we should view and treat ALL as important and continue to obey the ones we still can today. (Remember: Most of those 613 commands were for the Levite Priests; some were only for men and some only for women. But some were meant “forever” – for instance, keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath and the seven Feasts.) Yeshua was trying to make the point that it’s not for us to try to figure out what we can “get away with.”  Whatever the issue, we must always repent of it and try not to define or classify it.)

First Century believers knew Yeshua was “haTorah”; and today, more and more believers have come to understand that to follow Yeshua (the “Living Torah”) implies keeping the Torah, as the Torah is the Living Word of God. Yeshua became the embodiment of those living rules; hence, he was and is "haTorah!" (See Isaiah 55:1-3; John 1:1 thru 14; 6:51; 6:63; and 14:6.)

Because Yeshua followed Adonai YHWH's teaching perfectly, he could become 'a lamb without blemish and without mockery' (1 Peter 1:19-20). He didn't sin (for sin is the transgression of the law/Torah (1 John 3:4).

The apostle Paul still, asks us: “Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, we confirm Torah.” Later, he concludes: 'Wherefore the Torah [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. (See Romans 7:12; 3:31.)

And Romans 8:4 says "So that the righteousness of Torah might be fulfilled in us, since it is not in the flesh that we walk, but in the Spirit." The first believers in Yeshua were still "zealous for Torah" (Acts 21:20), as were the gentiles, who were taught weekly by the Jewish apostles (Acts 15:21).

So ... as you have surely realized by now, many texts written by the apostles have been wrongly interpreted! Yeshua even says he came NOT to destroy (Matthew 5:17), but to fulfill (do) Torah perfectly; and all nations should be taught what Yeshua taught the disciples (Matthew 28:20).

Please begin to understand that Yeshua's death did NOT abolish YHWH's Torah; he martyred himself on our behalf as a “sin sacrifice ”(against which there is no law!).  His divine blood abolished our need to kill innocent animals to atone for sin!

So yes, it is a VERY good idea to NOT ignore the Torah commands, as Matthew 5:19 says: "So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (words/commands) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven."

JEREMY CHANCE SPRINGFIELD, author of several books and host of the Random Groovy Bible Facts website offers the Jewish perspective on this issue:

From a Jewish perspective, there was a Pharisaic debate as to which command was the greatest and which was the least.

The greatest was agreed upon just as Yeshua said—to love Adonai with all our heart, soul, and veryness.

The least commandment was identified by the sages as what to do if you find a bird’s nest accidentally that happens to have both mother and eggs still in it.

The sages decreed that was the least likely scenario to ever happen that would be a command applying to all Israel:

• You had to be traveling and not on your property

• You had to accidentally find it, not go looking for it

• The nest had to have mother and eggs

• If the nest only had eggs and the mother was not physically in it but watching from outside, you could not do it

• If the adult in the nest was a male of the species you could not take the eggs

• If the mother will not leave the nest even if you try to shoo her away, you cannot take the eggs

Based on these specifications, the sages decreed this was the “least” of the commandments in regards to this scenario almost never occurring for people.

I find it significant in that the greatest is all about loving our Creator, and the least is all about loving ourselves (knowing we have value and a divine authority and so our life should be preserved and takes precedence over other creatures), but also loving the creation considering that His creation needs to continue in the earth, as well. It is also interesting in that this commandment, like the fifth of the Big Ten, is the only other commandment to promise a long life if followed, should it happen.

To me, these factors show the care with which we are to approach any commandment at all, knowing that they are all for our good and how we treat the spiritual as well as the physical is significant. Everything matters.

A word about Matthew 23:9-13

IT ALWAYS SADDENS ME TO SEE PEOPLE MISINTERPRETING SCRIPTURE!  Matthew 23 is a great example of this, as many of Paul’s teachings seem to negate Torah.

A ministry on Facebook called Shtiebel on the Hill suggests “Yeshua’s critique in Matthew 23 targets hypocrisy and the abuse of authority, not the system of communal rulings itself.” Take a look at their comment:

DID YOU KNOW? That the concept of takkanot—rabbinic enactments designed to adapt Torah law to practical and communal needs—has its roots in the Torah itself? In Deuteronomy 17:8-13, the Torah commands the Jewish people to follow the rulings of the priests and judges, who sit in the "seat of Moses." This authority to interpret and apply the Torah was the foundation for the Pharisaic tradition, which Yeshua affirmed when he said, "The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat" (Matthew 23:2). However, in Shem Tov’s Hebrew Matthew, this idea is expressed with the phrase “Do as Moses says,” emphasizing that all authority stems from the Torah itself.

While some misinterpret this as a rejection of takkanot, the context reveals otherwise. Yeshua’s critique in Matthew 23 targets hypocrisy and the abuse of authority, not the system of communal rulings itself. In fact, Paul, a Pharisee and Torah-observant Jew, continued this tradition by giving practical guidelines to Messianic communities, such as support for widows, leadership qualifications, and worship conduct. These instructions mirror the approach of later rabbinic figures like Rabbeinu Gershom and the Rambam, who codified similar takkanot for ethical and communal stability.

Rejecting takkanot undermines the Torah’s intent to create a unified and cohesive nation, as these enactments serve as bridges between the eternal principles of Torah and the practical realities of daily life. By following takkanot, we uphold the Torah’s authority, preserve its legacy, and embody the very principle Shem Tov’s Matthew reminds us of: "Do as Moses says," ensuring that the Torah remains relevant and applicable across generations. Whether in ancient courts or contemporary communities, takkanot are a testament to the timeless wisdom of the Torah.

SO, LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES:

First, MATTHEW 23:9-13, which some people attempt to take literally, instead of using the common sense gleaned from the Torah, God’s original Divine Instructions in Righteousness:

Matthew 23:. 9. And do not call yourself Father[1] for your Father is one who is in heaven. 10. And you should not be called leaders, because one is your leader, the Mashiyach. 11. But he who is greatest among you, let him be a servant to you. 12. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! For you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven before the sons of men. For you are not entering yourselves, and those who would enter you do not allow to enter.[2] (AENT)

[1] The above does NOT mean we shouldn’t call our own fathers “Father.” After all, he who produced the sperm that met your mother’s egg IS your “father!” That fact does NOT take anything away from YHWH. If you have a child, you’re a “father.”  You’re not “exalting” yourself by admitting it. 

Furthermore, common sense dictates that the prohibition against calling leaders “father” is simply to avoid giving high status to men which is due unto YHWH. Catholics openly defy this commandment, but all institutions who use flattering titles for leaders are culpable; see Job 32:21-12. Isaiah 56:10-12 exposes leaders who “can never have enough” and who keep their “followers” in spiritual and often financial poverty by seeking personal gain for themselves. See also 1 Timothy 4:3 .

[2] There is so much in this one small passage above that definitely CAN “sound confusing”; however, the use of a little common sense would alleviate the nonsense brewing in our limited, human mindsets!

I mean, we surely all agree that there can be no doubt that religious leaders are the greatest stumbling block that keeps people from entering into the Kingdom of Heaven (which definitely include the “armchair experts” of today)! So, let’s take a look at Matthew 23:14, which actually describes that fact:

Matthew 23:14. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! For you consume the houses of widows, and that for a pretense you lengthen your prayers. Because this you will receive a greater judgment. 15. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you traverse sea and land that you might make one proselyte, and when he has become one, you make him double the son of Gehenna that you are yourselves. 16. Woe to you blind guides, for you say that whoever swears by the temple is not anything, but who swears by the gold of the temple is guilty.

17. You are blind fools, for what is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18. And whoever swears by the altar, it is not anything, but he who swears by the offering that is upon it is guilty. 19. You are blind fools! What is greater, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering? 20. Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and all things that are upon it. 21. And whoever swears by the temple, swears by it and by He who dwells in it. 22. And whoever swears by Heaven swears by the throne of Elohim, and by Him who sits upon it.

23. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and you overlook the weightiest[3] things of Torah: Judgment[4] and Mercy[5] and Faith.[6] And these things were necessary for you to have done, and these things you should not have forgotten.

24. Blind guides who strain at gnats and swallow camels. 25. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate but inside they are full of extortion and iniquity. 26. Blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, Then the outside will be clean also. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[3] Lighter or weightier (kol v’homer) is a principle that Y’shua employs on many occasions. In Matt. 6:30 Y’shua teaches that if Elohim clothes the fields with grass (lighter), then how much more will he take care of your needs? (weightier) (Source: AENT)

[4] The Mitzvot (Commandments) of YHWH are categorized as Mishpatim (Judgments), Edyut (Testimonies) and Khokim (Statutes). The Judgments are the moral or ethical Commandments that differentiate right from wrong.

[5] Hosea 6:6

[6] Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4

A note to the Church bashers…

The Bible tells us that most will NOT be taking that narrow gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). Our job is to proclaim the Truth to the world (Psalm 96:3; Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15); NOT to scream and yell or force anyone into submission – which is exactly what goes on here on Facebook and the rest of social media.

Remember - not everyone hears, or listens to, that “small, still voice” that you and I heard and began to heed (Isaiah 40:3-8; Matthew 3:3; John 1:23). Therefore, I posit that it is high time to thoughtfully consider three things:

(1) We need to remember that most of us were "saved in the Name of Jesus" in a church.

(2) We didn’t automatically become Torah experts, Bible scholars or qualified “teachers” just because our eyes were opened to the knowledge of, and need for Yahweh/Yeshua/Torah.

(3) Yelling at, or bashing and berating people don’t yet know, only serves to drive them away and even keeps them FROM the Truth – which means those of us who do that, are guilty of doing exactly what the following verse warns us against:

Luke 11:52 "Woe to you Torah experts! For you have taken away the key of knowledge! Not only did you yourselves not go in, you also have stopped those who were trying to enter!” (CJB)

The unfortunate reality is, instead of being grateful that WE actually heard and listened to that "small, still voice,” and wanting to SHARE it with the rest of the world, most of us Messianic/Hebrew Roots adherents immediately seem to grow fangs and concentrate, instead, on bashing and poking fun at everybody who doesn’t yet know, pointing out ad nauseam, the supposed “evil” of the church that wants to keep everyone “deceived” on purpose, because – well, apparently every church leader on the planet wants us all to go to Hell, right?

Poppycock!

Do you honestly believe that? And do you honestly believe you are being blessed by "turning people off" BEFORE they even have a chance to understand the need for, and beauty of YHWH/Yeshua/Torah?

Instead of spreading endless negativity about "the church" and its adherents, let’s try concentrating instead, on our own knowledge and how we can best share it.

Prayerfully, do a self-search, and ask yourself WHOM you have been following! (Are you following solid, intelligent Bible scholars, or just a bunch of loud-mouthed, ear-tickling know-it-alls, espousing their interpretation of Scripture, peppered with plenty of personal opinions? Social media REEKS with those types!)

Decide this very day to stop harassing others and pointing out the faults you think you see in them! Snap out of the endless viciousness and vitriol you spew forth on a daily basis on Social Media, and start concentrating on becoming a servant ADONAI can actually use for His purposes!

Start sharing YOUR knowledge with "the church, and pray your words land on fertile soil - and may Abba richly bless you if you do!

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am ELOHIM…

2 Timothy 2:14 Keep reminding people of this, and charge them solemnly before our Master (Y'shua) not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers! 15 Do all you can to present yourself to Elohim as someone worthy of his approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straightforwardly with the Word of the Truth. 16 But keep away from godless babbling, for those who engage in it will only become more ungodly, 17 and their teaching will eat away at people like gangrene. (CJB)

2 Timothy 4:2. Proclaim the Word and persist (in it) with diligence, in time and out of time; admonish and rebuke with all patience and instructiveness. 3. For the time will come when they will not give ear to sound teaching; but, according to their lusts, will multiply to themselves teachers in the itching of their hearing; 4. and will turn away their ears from the truth, and incline after fables. 5. But be vigilant in all things; and endure evils and do the work of a proclaimer of the Good News, and fulfill your ministry. (AENT)