Jewish Sources

Study Archive

Agrippa II
Queen Bernice
Herod the Great
James
King Jesus
Josephus
Apostle John
Justus of Tiberias
Matthew
Apostle Paul
Apostle Peter
Alfred Edersheim

Die Zerstörung des Tempels von Jerusalem - Francesco Hayez (1867)

Hebrew Glossary And Terminology

Expository Glossary of Hebraic Terms used in Messianic Teaching

By Johann van Rooyen and Dennis Humphrey

 

"Behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down.. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place"
(Micah i. 3, 4)

Key

Entries followed by the symbol are Greek terms. [G]

Entries followed by the symbol are Latin terms. [L]

Entries followed by the symbol are Aramaic terms. [A]

Almost all other foreign-language entries are transliterated Hebrew.

A

Hebrew: Wordplay on shiqutz shomem. Desolating sacrilege; mute abomination. "Ba'al samem" ba'al —"Ba'al of heaven," indicating that this idol is not (master) and not ruler of heaven, but in fact a mute abomination that lays waste and brings desolation. Hebrew term for an idolatrous image, specifically one set up in the of the haQodesh Beit haMiqdash (Temple) in Yerushalayim, proclaimed to be "master of heaven" and worshiped as such. Historically, the mentioned in the book of desolating sacrilege Dani'el, was a statue of the pagan Greek idol, Zeus, bearing the facial image of Antiochus IV "Epiphanes." This image was set up on the golden altar of incense by the insane Greek-Seleucid king, who attempted to outlaw the worship of Almighty YHWH and replace it by the worship of the Greek pantheon and the worship of himself as "god manifest." Scripture is clear that an eschatological shiqutz shomem will be set up in the time immediately preceding the second coming of the Son of Man. Allusions and intimations lead the student of Scripture to expect the of the shiqutz shomem acharityamim (end of days) to be a Roman Catholic crucifix bearing the image of the False messiah, who will demand worship as "Christ" and "God." The eschatological shiqutz shomem is described in Yeshayahu 40-46. The False Prophet will erect it in the haQodesh Beit haMiqdash (Set-Apart Place) of the (Temple). In its eschatological intent, the book of Yirmeyahu intimates that an image of a Madonna ("Holy Virgin;" "Queen of Heaven") may in all likelyhood also be set up in the Temple compound.

Abaddon

Destruction. Angel of the bottomless pit, mentioned in Revelation 9:11. A name in the Tanakh for the grave, the netherworld.

Iyov 26:6

She'ol is naked before Elohim; Abaddon lies uncovered.

Iyov 28:22

Abaddon and She'ol say, `Only a rumour of it has reached our ears.'

Iyov 31:12

It is a fire that burns to Abaddon; it would have uprooted my harvest.

Proverbs 15:11

She'ol and Abaddon lie open before YHWH— how much more the hearts of men!

Abba

"Daddy." We are related to Almighty YHWH not only as subjects are related to a King, but also as children to a loving Father, having been adopted on the basis of the broken body, the shed sacrificial blood and the resurrection of Messiah Yahushua.

The end-of-days; the latter days; the last days. A Hebrew term for the time of the consummation of all things. The days are pictured as an army marching past. The reshith acharit is the part that has already passed, while the is the part that is still approaching. Events said to happen (at the end of days) often ba'ha-acharit ha-yamim had one or even more partial fulfillments in history, which serves as a or pattern tavnit that foreshadows events that will happen in Yom YHWH.

The other Hebrew term for eschatology is (Footsteps of the ‘Iqqvot haMashiach Messiah). Scriptural history is a carefully woven prophetic that tavnit (pattern) teaches—to those who have ears to hear—the Footsteps of the Messiah.

Acharonim

The latter rabbinic authorities; in contradistinction to the ("early ones"). Latter- rishonim day authorities within Judaism.

Adon

Master, ruler. Expresses a relationship of rulership, headship, royalty and authority, and not necessarily one of ownership. The antonym of Adon is —servant. eved

The itinerant, aggadic proto-rabbi, Yahushua ben-Yosef mi Natzeret, was addressed by the title Adon, as was other sages.

Adonai

An intensive form of Adon or Adoni; "great master" or "my great master." A title used to address kings and royalty. The name Adonai is most often used of the Almighty in the writings of the prophets—they were the messengers of the King, and therefore used the terminology of a messenger of a king.

The term is a plural of majesty. It is not the unique name of the Almighty; in Adonai Scripture it is also used of mighty men, e.g. Yosef as vice-regent of Mitzrayim under Pharaoh, and of King David.

In Orthodox Jewish worship, the name is used as an evasive synonym or circum- Adonai locution for YHWH, the Name of HaQadosh, baruch Hu ("the Holy One, blessed be He").

"My Adon," i.e. "my master." A term for the Messiah in Tehillim 110:1.

Af

Nose. See: ("my nose"). api

This word comes from Greek and means "that which comes after" or "after-dish." The last morsel of eaten at the meal. During the Passover Seder meal, matzah Pesach Seder three pieces of matzah are placed inside a During an early stage of the matzah-tash.   Seder meal, the children are sent out of the room. Then half of the central piece of matzah is broken off, wrapped in linen and hidden away. This is evidently symbolical of burial. The broken, wrapped and hidden piece of matzah is called the Afikoman.

Toward the end of the Seder meal, the children are given the opportunity to search for the The children search for it with fervour and great expectation; shouts of Afikoman.  joy are heard when it is found. The child who finds the Afikoman can bargain with the father for a gift. The father promises to buy a gift, but must make an immediate downpayment, which serves as a proof and pledge of the gift that is to come—the "Promise of the Father."

The Messiah came. His body was broken and He was buried, hidden away. He who finds the Messiah, shouts with joy. Our Father in Heaven gives us the promise of a share in the abundant life of the World to Come, to be in the resurrection of the righteous. The Promise of the Father is His Ruach—His life-giving Breath, Power, Presence, Personin-action. —the firstfruits of We now receive the firstfruits of the Promise of the Father the impartation of the That is a downpayment, a seal, a pledge of the Ruach HaQodesh. great gift that will be given to us in the fulness of time, at the final redemption, the geulah shelemah. , When King Messiah comes in esteem all who have found the living Afikoman Promise of the Father. will receive the fullness of the

Africa

It is a fact that Africa has played an important role in YHWH's programme throughout history. In Scripture, we see that Africans have taken responsibility during some of the most difficult and dark times when the Qahal needed leadership and protection. When Mosheh fled from Pharaoh, refuge and place of preparation for his ministry was provided by Yitro the Midyanite (an African) Exodus 18:1-2. When was thrown — Yirmeyahu into the well and condemned for preaching the word of YHWH, he was rescued by an Ethiopian eunuch an African. When Yahushua was just an infant and his parents had — to flee to protect him from the wrath of Herod, they took refuge in Egypt, Africa. The first disciple who were added to the Messianic Qahal outside of after the Yerushalayim outpouring of the was an African an Ethiopian eunuch. The leader- Ruach HaQodesh — ship of the first Qahal in Antioch included two Africans. These, and other examples, demonstrate that the Qahal in Africa has a specific responsibility in YHWH's programme, most times relating to crises when leadership, directive and protection are most needed.

Ages of salvation-history

The sages understood that salvation-history would unfold as a cosmic week with "days" of 1000 years each. Chronology starts with the impartation of the nishmat chayim (breath of life; to Adam. The preceding 6 days of creation are seen as being neshamah) separate from chronology, and to contain all the secrets and ages of the universe. Adam and Chawwah were in the and in the fulness of the image of Elohim. Malkut Shamayim, They transgressed and were diminished to the shell of the image of Elohim. The fall of man precipitated the (desolation), which endured for 2000 years. This was Age of Tohu followed by the (instruction) and the (Days of the Age of Torah Yemot haMashiach Messiah), each lasting 2000 years. Together, these three periods constitute the Olam hazeh —the present age or "this world." These 6 days will be followed by Yom YHWH, the sabbatical millennium, the 1000 year reign of King Messiah. Just as king David first ruled over Yahudah from for 7 years, and then over all Israel from Chevron Yerushalayim, we expect Yahushua to rule from heaven for 7 years, and then on earth from Yerushalayim for the balance of the Millennium. The Messianic Kingdom is also called the —the age to come. It is followed by the Great White Throne Atid Lavo Judgement, and the —the World to Come. Olam ha-bah

Age of Tohu

The age of desolation. The first 2000 years of the (present age), i.e. from Olam Ha-zeh the fall of Adam until the calling of Avraham. Less than 10 chapters in all of Scripture deals with this 2000 year period, whereas hundreds upon hundreds of pages deal with the next 2000 year period—the Age of Torah.

Age of Torah

The age of instruction. The middle 2000 years of the (the present age). Olam Ha-zeh The was preceded by the Age of Desolation, and followed by the Yemot Age of Torah ha-Mashiach—the Days of the Messiah. The began with the calling of Age of Torah Avraham and ended at the first coming of the Messiah, when the Yemot haMashiach (Days of the Messiah) arrived.

Aggadah

A story that serves as an object-lesson. A parable. The ethical sayings and scriptural expositions of the sages, in contrast to their (legal) statements. The nonlegal halakhic part of rabbinic literature.

Agrapha

A term applied to sayings of Rabbi Yahushua from Natzeret not recorded in the Gospels.

An important Agrapha is the "Logia" or "Sayings" discovered 200 km south of Cairo in 1896. Logion 2 states:

[Yahushua said] "Unless you fast to the world, you shall in no way find the Kingdom of Elohim, and unless you keep the Sabbath you shall not see the Father."

Logion 3 states:

[Yahushua said] "I stood in the midst of the world, and in the flesh was I seen by them, and I found all men drunken, and none found I thirsty among them; and 1 my being griefs over the sons of men, because they are blind in their heart…"

Aiyin Ra'ah

Literally: bad eye. To have an "evil" or "bad" eye is simply a Hebrew metaphor for a stingy person.2

Aiyin Tovah

Literally: good eye. A Hebrew metaphor for a generous person . In the King James 3 Version (KJV), this term is inaccurately translated as, "If your eye be single…"

1 Thirsty for saving truth, which leads to right conduct.

2 Afrikaans: 'n Suinige mens.

3 Afrikaans: 'n Vrygewige persoon.

Binding an animal for sacrifice; specifically, Abraham's binding of Yitzchaq for sacrifice to the Almighty (this sacrifice was, of course never consummated.) A sacrifice had to be bound in order to be valid.

Akkum

Non-Israelites who do not observe the Noachide commandments.

Al Chet

Literally: "for the sin;" an important prayer, listing sins for which we beg Yom Kippur forgiveness.

Aleinu Leshabe'ach

According to many early sources, the Aleinu prayer—a declaration of faith and dedication—was composed by Yehoshua after he led Yisra'el through the river Yarden.

During the Talmudic era it formed part of the Mussaf service, and at Rosh HaShanah some point during medieval times it began to find its way into the daily service.

The Aleinu was probably added to the daily prayers to implant faith in YHWH's Oneness, the Oneness of His Kingship, and the conviction that He will one day "remove detestable idolatry from the earth," thus preventing the Yehudim from being tempted to follow the beliefs and lifestyles of the nations among whom they dwelt in the galut. The is recited at the conclusion of every service. Its first paragraph proclaims the Aleinu difference between Israel's monotheism and the polytheism of other nations. The second paragraph expresses confidence that all humanity will eventually recognise YHWH's sovereignty and declare their obedience to His commandments. The Artscroll Siddur (Sherman, page 159) continues It should be clear, however, that this does not imply a belief or even a hope that they will convert to Judaism. Rather, they will accept Him as the only Elohim and obey the universal Noachide laws that are incumbent upon all nations (Rabbi Hirsch).

The inclusion of the sentence, "For they bow to vanity and emptiness and pray to a god which helps not" is quoted from Yeshayahu 45:20. Around the year 1400 a Roman Catholic Jew, no doubt seeking to prove his loyalty to the Church, spread the slander that this passage was meant to slur Christianity. This charge was refuted time and again, particularly by Menasheh ben Israel, a 17th century scholar. However, repeated persecutions and the insistence of the Roman Catholic Church, caused this line to be censored from most Siddurim (prayer books).

Eschatological perspective: The Aleinu is an ancient prayer of thanksgiving for being separated from the heathendom. This prayer quotes a passage from Yeshayahu 45. Yeshayahu 40-53 are prophecies spoken in the spirit and power of Eliyahu haNavi—the prophet Eliyah. Malakhi 3 states that the role of Eliyahu is to prepare the way before YHWH. In Messiah's first coming, Yochanan haMatbil (John the Baptist) prophesied in the spirit and power of Eliyahu, pointing to the true Anointed One and proclaiming "Behold: the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sins of the world." In doing so, he prepared the way for YHWH. In the second coming of the Messiah, the two witnesses will prophesy in the spirit and power of Eliyahu—Revelation 11. They will prophesy in the streets of Yerushalayim for 1260 days. They will prophesy the songs of the of Eved YHWH. They will proclaim that Yahushua is the unique Messiah of Almighty YHWH.

They will see the being set up in the ha-Qodesh of the shiqutz shomem Beit haMiqdash.

All their future prophesies are embryonically contained in Yeshayahu 40-55—this second section of the book Yeshayahu begins with the statement that the time of redemption has come and that a path will be prepared for YHWH in the wilderness. This identifies the passage as an Eliyahu-prophecy. An idol is described in Yeshayahu 40-46.

Historically, it describes an asherah-type idol. Eschatologically, it is a description of the shiqutz shomem (abomination of desolation), i.e. the idolatrous image of the False messiah that will be set up in the HaQodesh of the rebuilt in Beit haMiqdash Yerushalayim by the False prophet. During the time of the Spanish Inquisition, the beautiful Aleinu prayer was censored by the Roman Catholic Church because it was identified as an attack on the Indirectly, this confirms the intimations of crucifix.

Scripture that the eschatological will be a Roman Catholic crucifix shiqutz shomem bearing the face of the Antichrist, i.e. the face of Antiochus IV "Epiphanes," i.e. the popularly accepted face of "Jesus."

Al HaNissim

Thanksgiving to YHWH for the miracles of, especially, saving Israel from overwhelmingly strong enemies; added to prayer and grace after the meal on the festivals of Chanukah and Purim.

Aliyah

Plural: Aliyot

Literally: "going up." To "have an aliyah" refers to the honour of being called up to the bimah Torah. to recite or chant the blessings over the To "make aliyah" or "go on aliyah" means to immigrate to Eretz Yisra'el.

The personal name of the Almighty is YHWH. Hebraic names by which He is addressed, include (the Set-apart One, blessed be He), HaQadosh Baruch Hu Ribono shel Olam, HaRachamam, Adoshem, Adon Olam Avinu Sheba- (Master of All) and Shamayim (our Father who is in Heaven).

Greek: Pantokrator.

Al Miqra Megillah

The blessing before the reading of the megillah (scroll).

Al Netilat Yadayim

The blessing over the washing of hands before the meal.

Am ha'aretz

Peasantry. Used in the Talmud and thereafter as a derogatory reference to ignorant people of the land. A country bumpkin. (Afrikaans: "plaasjapie"; "bekvelder.")

Standing prayer; a group of prayers, quietly murmured, thrice daily as part of each daily service, while standing up. Also called the or the Tefillah Shemoneh Esreh (Eighteen Benedictions).

Plural: Amora'im.

Also see: Tanna'im.

Literally: Speaker, interpreter. Term used for an expounder of Talmudic (Mishnaic) law from the time of the completion of the Mishnah to the redaction of entire Talmud.

Rabbis who contributed to the Gemarah—the lengthier sections of the Talmud that expounds the Mishnah. In Babylon the Amora'im were given the title Mar or Rav. In Israel they were called Rabbi. Their discussions and teachings span the period 220 YM 550 YM, and form the Gemara lengthier sections of the Talmud that – —the follow each Mishnah.

Am Qadosh

Set-apart covenant people. A term for Israel, specifically the faithful remnant of Israel in the eschaton. They are commissioned to be —wholly different; set-apart to qadosh Almighty YHWH and His purposes.

Ana Adonai hoshi'ah na, Ana Adonai hatzlichah na

"Please, O Adonai, save us! Please, O Adonai, make us succeed!" A prayer from Psalm 118:25, recited on the last great day of . This salvation Hoshana Rabbah, Chag Sukkot was understood to come through the Messiah. This prayer was chanted at the triumphant entry of Messiah Yahushua on Aviv 10, less than a week before His execution.

Ancient of Days

A title for YHWH in Dani'el 7:9. Called in the book of the Before-Time Chanoch (Enoch).

Ani ma'amin

Literally: "I believe;" a song that is often sung at the Seder and at Pesach Yom Hashoah observances in memory of Holocaust victims who sang this song of faith on their way to their deaths at the hand of the Fascists during WW2.

Anshei K'neset Hagdolah

Sages of the Great Assembly during the first part of the Second Temple Period.

Antinomianism

The belief that faith frees a believer from all obligations to observe the Law of the Almighty. Also an attitude of hostility towards the of YHWH. Torah

A careful reading of Yirmeyahu 31 shows that the Renewed Covenant so changes people that knowledge of, and observance of, the Torah becomes our new nature, by the indwelling of and regeneration through the Ruach HaQodesh. We are not saved by keeping the Torah; Torah Scriptural -observance is the lifestyle of the redeemed.

Messianic Yehudim should be -observent; faithful Gentiles should keep the Torah Noachide mitzvot as entrance requirements, and should then begin to grow in knowledge of the without converting to Judaism, except in special circumstances, e.g. Torah, marriage to a Yehudi.

Api

"My nose."

The literal translation of Yeshayahu 13:3:

I have commanded my dedicated ones;

I have also summoned my mighty ones to my nose (l'api)

To be exuberant over my grandeur.

The first verses of Yeshayahu 13 may therefore be read as a promise that YHWH will, before the destruction of eschatological Babylon, gather those dedicated to Him, to His very presence. A deep study of the fall of Bavel in Yom YHWH further shows that it will happen on Tishri 8, 7 days after 1 day before the False messiah comes Yom Teruah, to power and 2 days before he makes a strong covenant (military treaty) with many fore one "seven" i.e. yearweek, i.e. 7-year period. We also note that, in most prophecies of the fall of Bavel, there are promises of saving the faithful and bringing them into the very presence of YHWH (Yeshayahu 13:3), of the resurrection of the dead (Yeshayahu 18:3) and of the coronation of the Messiah (Yeshayahu 21:5 Tehillim 84:9). For this and „± remez other reasons, a pre-tribulation is not an unscriptural position to hold. natzal

Ideas and teachings pertaining to the revelation (apocalypse uncovering, unveiling) of the last days and the end of the present age. Examples are Dani'el 7-12, Zekharyah 1-6 and the book of Revelation.

Apocrypha [G]

A Greek adjective that means "things concealed." Old Testament Apocrypha, specifically the fourteen books written after the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures was closed and which, being the least remote from the canonical books, laid strongest claim to canonicity…The body of Jewish literature written between the second century BM and the second century YM, not included in the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Aram

Syria.

Aravah

Plural: Aravot.

A willow branch taken as one of the four species on Sukkot. The four species are the aravah, etrog, hadas and lulav—the willow, citron, myrtle and palm branch.

Arva kosot

The four glasses of wine drunk at the Pesach Seder.

The 4 plant species used at Chag Sukkot.

In rabbinic literature, the name of the Antichrist or False messiah of the latter days. The name was apparently derived from the name Romulus, the legendary founder of the city of Rome. The sages saw that Scripture intimates that the False messiah will initially rule the revived Roman Empire, i.e. united Europe, possibly (initially) from Rome.

Aron Qodesh

The Ark of the Covenant. Also used as a term for the large wooden cabinet in which the Torah scrolls are kept in the synagogue. Today called in Sephardic synagogues. Hekhal

The used during four species Chag Sukkot:

„¿ a palm branch (lulav)

„¿ myrtle twig (hadas)

„¿ willow twig (aravah)

„¿ citron (etrog).

Evening prayer.

Asaph

To gather.

Ascetic ideal

A wholly unscriptural, pagan tradition of renouncing social life and comfort for solitude and self-mortification. Crept into Christianity before and during the Middle Ages.

Aseret Yemei Teshuvah

The ten days of penitence and return. The "High Holy Days." The Days of Awe.

Tishrei 1 – Tishrei 10, i.e. to Seven days of awe are framed in- Yom Teruah Yom Kippur. 

between the 2 days of and the day of . Yom Teruah Yom Kippur

A trespass or guilt offering made by one who has trespassed against his fellow man.

Qorban asham.

An upright idolatrous image. A crucifix may be classified as an idol of class asherah.

Ashkenazi

Plural: Ashkenazim.

Referring to Jews coming from Central and Eastern Europe.

Ashrei

Psalm 145 recited thrice daily.

Historical Assyria. Ashshur under king Sancheriv is a foreshadowing picture of eschatological Gog of the land of Magog who will invade in Yom YHWH. Eretz Yisra'el

Forbidden. The opposite of mutar, which means permitted.

Atah Chonantanu

A passage added to the evening prayer after the Shabbat to note the difference between the and the (ordinary, mundane). qadosh chol

The age to come. A term for the Messianic era. The Millennium or Messianic Kingdom.

The Day of YHWH. Literally: "the future to come."

Atzeret

A festive gathering for the conclusion of a festival or a festival season. Concluding observance of an appointed time or festival. The word is derived from atzeret "gathering." is the concluding day of is a Talmudic term Shemini Atzeret Sukkot; Atzeret for because that festival concludes the spring festival season as well as Chag Shavuot, the counting of the Omer.

Av

Father. Also the eleventh month of the scriptural year.

We are related to HaShem not only as subjects to a King, but also as children to a Father.

Av Beit Din

"Father of the house of judgement." Today: The Chief Justice of Israel.

Avel

Someone who is in mourning.

Avelim

Those who have recently lost a next of kin, find expression for their avelut by observing 7 days of confinement at home—"sitting sheva"—foregoing new clothes and musical entertainment, and reciting the qaddish prayer.

Avelut

Third period of mourning; the first year after death.

Averah

An infringement of the Torah; mitzvah the opposite of a (commandment).

Av HaRachamim

A prayer to "Father of compassion mercies" for the persecuted communities."

Avi

Prefix or suffix meaning "my father."

"My father rejoices." The beautiful and intelligent wife of the fool Naval who was later married by Dawid after Naval's death—see 1 Samuel 25.

Avinu Malkenu

"Our Father, our King;" a prayer of supplication. Specifically prayed during the Ten Days of Awe (Days of Penitence; Days of Return and fast days. (teshuvah))

Our Father Who is in Heaven.

Avishua

"Father of salvation." Son of Pinchas and fourth High Priest of Yisra'el (1 Chronicles 6).

Aviv

First month of the religious calender of scripture, instituted in Exodus 12. and Pesach Chag haMatzah fall in Aviv. Aviv marks the beginning of the barley harvest; the wheat harvest begins about 50 days later, with Chag Shavuot.

"My Father is YHWH." Mother of king Chizkiyahu.

Avodah

The Temple service, specifically that performed by the High Priest.

Since the destruction of the Temple, modified versions of the services have been Beit haMiqdash moved to the synagogues and homes; these consist of Scripture readings, teachings, songs, liturgical poems, etc.

Often a specific reference to the Yom Kippur service.

Chasidic concept of life dedicated to Almighty YHWH.

Avot

"Fathers." Avraham, Yitzchaq and Ya'aqov.

Ayin ha-ra

An evil eye. Being stingy, jealous or envious; having a bad attitude. In Talmudic times, a superstitious dread of the "evil eye" developed.

Azarah

Plural: Azarot.

Generic term for a courtyard in the compound. Beit haMiqdash

In the service, lots were drawn over two goats. The one lot read, Yom Kippur l'YHWH ("to YHWH") and the other lot ("to Azazel"). The goat was led from l'Azazel l'Azazel

the Miqdash (Temple) by a chosen priest who is called an (a "timeless man," i.e. a ish iti man without any sense of time or season, rain, snow or inconvenience) and taken to Har Azal (Mount Azal) where it was pushed off backwards from a high, steep, jagged cliff to be torn to shreds and fall to his death.

In the Me'am Lo'es Torah Anthology: Yom Kippur Service (Kaplan, 1982: 17), the teachings of the sages about the meaning of the word is summarised: Azazel

The etymology of the word is as follows: it is derived from the word Azazel az or azuz, strong. which denotes The word Azazel refers to a powerful, strong rock or cliff. The word means strong… el

Some say the word refers to the cliff over which the goat was pushed. Azazel

The word Azazel could also be broken up into " which means az azel," "the goat who goes."

Rabbi Kaplan (1982: 17-18; 54) describes the manner in which goat was killed: l'Azazel

The High Priest would then come to the goat upon which there was the lot "to Azazel." He would place both his hands on it and make confession for all Israel.

He would say, "O YHWH, Your people have erred, sinned and rebelled before you…"

He would then call the priest who had been designated from the day before Yom Kippur, and would give him the goat to bring to the desert. On the day before Yom Kippur, people would go to huts that had been put up previously, to accompany the person leading the goat. Those in the last hut would stand at the edge of the area where one can go…to see from a distance what the person in charge of the goat does.

The priest to whom the goat is given over, brings it to the cliff that we have mentioned and leads it to the top of the cliff. Half of the hank of scarlet cloth he would tie to the rock, and half he would tie between the goat's horns. Then with his hands he pushes the goat down so that it tumbles down the cliff. It would not reach halfway down before it was broken into pieces, totally dismembered. The cliff over which the goat was thrown consisted of sharp, jagged rocks that would tear the goat into shreds. He would then say, "This is the way the sins of the House of Israel should be destroyed."

The sages taught that the command to slay the goat in this particular manner is a l'Azazel chukah—a decree, which cannot be fully comprehended with the intellect. The reasons are known to YHWH, and Israel should obey it although they do not understand it fully.

The sages grappled with the meaning of the concerning goat chukah l'Azazel. The Torah Anthology: Yom Kippur Service (Kaplan, 1982: 20-21) relates one explanation:

When comes, HaShem sends Satan Sama'el his portion in the form Yom Kippur of the goat sent to Azazel. This is sent by the Israelites to the desert, which is a place of demons This is where Satan Sama'el has power…When (shedim).

Sama'el sees the goat sent to the desert, he also goes to the desert…and he no longer speaks evil against Israel.

Therefore a hank of scarlet wool was tied between the horns of the scapegoat…When the goat was pushed off the cliff, that skein of scarlet wool would become white. This teaches that this act atoned for the sins of the Israelites and whitened them: "If your sins are like scarlet they shall become white as snow" (Yeshayahu 1:18).

Through this repentance and confession, all the unclean spirits and denouncing forces that were created out of the sins are placed on the goat's head. They are destroyed with him in the desert, since this is the abode of these denouncing forces.

Scripture intimates that the glorious second coming of King Messiah will climax on a Yom Kippur, when He will enter Yerushalayim and destroy all the armed forces that has come up to fight against Him. We know that the False messiah will be captured and slain on this very day. It is therefore a distinct possibility that the to slay goat chukah l'Azazel in this most unusual manner could, besides other possible symbolical meanings, be a prophetic rehearsal for this joyous future event. Scripture teaches that the False messiah will be cast into the "lake of fire." This is a term for the Dead Sea—until roughly 1850, petroleum gas and combustible oil trapped beneath this lake often leaked out to catch fire, giving it, especially at night-time, the appearance of a lake of fire. It is believed that the earthquake that will coincide with Messiah's coming to the Mount of Olives (Zekharyahu 14) will enlarge the Dead Sea ("Lake of Fire") to reach the bottom of Mount Azazel. The earthquake will also cause huge amounts of petroleum gas and kerosene to surface through fissures in the earth's crust, and to ignite. On that day we will understand the full significance of the to cast goat off the steep cliff chukah l'Azazel on Mount Azal on . Yom Kippur

Azazel is a prominent character in the pseudepigraphic book of Chanoch (Enoch). In Chapter 54 of 1 Chanoch, a great judgement scene is described. A question is posed:  "For whom are these imprisonment chains prepared for?" to which the answer is given,

"They are prepared for the armies of Azazel." The pronouncements of extra-scriptural sources about Azazel does, of course, not carry much weight; these sources give us the commonly held ideas of people, but not the of YHWH. Devar

There is a difficult theological problem with asserting that goat is a prophetic l'Azazel tavnit l'Azazel of the coming Anti-messiah. According to Leviticus 16:20-22, goat carries the sins of the people of Israel upon him. The theological problem is: how can the Anti-messiah, the man of lawlessness, carry the sins of others upon him? How can an evil monster be a sin-bearer? Seventh Day Adventists (SDAs) have been exposed to very harsh criticism for following Mrs Ellen White, who taught that goat l'Azazel represents Satan. To this, SDAs reply that there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood, so that sending goat into the wilderness could not have an l'Azazel atoning efficacy. Dr Walter Martin, author of has defended the Kingdom of the Cults, SDA Church against its harsher critics on the issue of the eschatological significance of goat in the (service). l'Azazel Yom Kippur avodah

B

Reader of the in a synagogue. Torah

The shofar blower in a synagogue.

Badeken

Traditional formal veiling of the bride by the groom before the wedding ceremony.

Baptism

See: Immersion.

Barak

Lightning. See Lappidoth.

Bar-Anash [A]

See: Son of Man.

Barchu

A call upon the congregation to bless the Almighty.

Barech

"Blessing." The part of the Pesach Seder when the blessing after the meal is recited.

Bar Kochba

Leader of a Jewish revolt (132-135 YM) against the Roman Empire. This revolt was cruelly put down by emperor Hadrian. Rabbi Akiva made the grave error of proclaiming Bar Kochba to be the Messiah. At that point, Yehudim who were followers of Messiah Yahushua deserted the Jewish army. This led to a souring of the relations between Messianic and rabbinical Judaism. The Bar Kochba Revolt also fed the de-Judiaising of Christianity—powerful Gentile Christian leaders began doing everything possible to distance themselves and their faith from the "troublesome Jews" in order to escape persecution by the Roman Empire.

Bar Mitzvah

Literally: son of the commandment; ceremony marking a youngster's reaching the age of religious majority, traditionally thirteen for boys and twelve for girls; in many congregations, thirteen for girls as well. The young man or woman is considered old enough to be responsible for performing the commandments of the Torah. Bar Mitzvah is a ritual of acceptance by the community.

Baruch Dayan Ha'emet

A blessing of acceptance of the Almighty's judgements. "Blessed be the true Judge."

Said on news of a bereavement. One must say a blessing to Almighty YHWH for the bad as well as the good.

Baruch ha-ba

Blessed is the person that comes in. Welcome.

Baruch ha-ba b'shem YHWH

Blessed is the person that comes in the name of YHWH. Believing Israel will say this when the Messiah comes in the acharit-yamim.

"Bless Him and Bless His Name." A phrase of blessing of the Almighty's Name upon hearing it uttered.

Basar

To be fresh, cheerful; to announce glad news. To preach, publish, show forth, bear, bring, carry, tell glad tidings, good news. Flesh; meat.

(The word "gospel" is a contracted form of the old English term "good spell" which means "good news.")

Batel be-shishim

Of no significance. If less than volume/volume of non-kasher food falls into food that ƒp  ƒuƒo  complies with kashrut, it is batel be-shishim. 

Anything undesirable that pales into unimportance.

Batey Midrashot

See: Plural of Beit Midrash. Beit Midrash.

Houses of Study.

Bat Kol

Literally: "daughter of a voice." An "echo" of the voice of Elohim. The sages taught that during the 400 silent years YHWH did not speak through the prophets, but only occasionally through a bat-kol.

Scholarly Jewish teachers who, in ancient days, were either independently wealthy or on some type of financial support to enable him to provide the congregation with accurate and scholarly teachings and answers to difficult questions. The Pharisee and member of the Beit Din, Nicodemus, whose Hebrew name was Nakdimon ben-Gurion, was a Batlan.

Bat Mitzvah

Literally: Daughter of the commandment; ceremony marking a girl's reaching the age of being responsible for her own sins, traditionally 12 or 13 years.

The woman whom King David seduced and later married. She became the mother of King Sh'lomo. Literal meaning: "Daughter of the Oath."

Bavel

Hebrew word usually rendered as Babylon.

Bavlites

Babylonians.

Ba'Yamim ha-hu

"In those days…" A phrase understood by the sages to signify that something will come to pass at the time that the Messiah will come and accomplish the final redemption.

Ba-yom ha-hu

"In thát day." A phrase that signifies that something will happen in the Day of YHWH.

The sages identified several phrases which tells us that a passage will have its final fulfilment in the time when King Messiah would come. Some of these phrases are summarised in Table G.1 below:

Table G.1

Hebrew English

ba-yom ha-hu

In thát day (i.e

In those days

In those days and at that time

The days are coming

Yom YHWH)

Sing to YHWH a new song

Bechirah

Free will. That every human being has a fundamental bechirah between good and evil, is never in doubt.

Bechiya le-dorot

A cause for eternal regret. Literally: "A moaning for generations."

Bechor

Birthright. Ephrayim is the tribe of (birthright), whereas Yahudah is the tribe of bechor

the (ruling staff). shevet

1 Chronicles 5:1-2

1The sons of Reuven the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Yosef son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, and though Judah was the strongest of his 2 brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Yosef)…

Yirmeyahu 31:9

They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel's father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

Devarim 33:13-17

13About he said: "May YHWH bless his land with the precious dew from Yoseph heaven above and with the deep waters that lie below; with the best the sun 14 brings forth and the finest the moon can yield; with the choicest gifts of the 15 ancient mountains and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills; with the best 16 gifts of the earth and its fulness and the favour of him who dwelt in the burning bush. Let all these rest on the head of Yoseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

17In majesty he is like a bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With firstborn

them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Such are the ten thousands of such are the thousands of Ephraim; Menashsheh."

The search for, and cleansing & casting out of the leaven, which was performed just before Yahushua cleaned out his Father's House from leaven (greedy dealers) Pesach.

before He became our Lamb. (The cleansing of His Father's house is also based Pesach on the last verse of Zekharyah 14.)

Be-ezrat HaShem

With the help of Almighty YHWH.

Behemah

Plural: Behemot.

Beast. General term for animals. As a simple plural, means beasts; as a plural behemot

of intensity, it signifies a large beast, similar to the liv'yatan.

Plural: Beinonim.

People of median (intermediate) piety; the sinners; the average people. In Hebrew thought, mankind consists of 3 classes on the day of Judgement: the Tzadeqim (righteous), the (sinners, intermediates, average people) and the (the Beinoni Resha'im perversely wrong; the wicked).

Beit

House. The Temple in Yerushalayim.

Beit Din

plural: batei din.

"House of Judgement;" "House of Law." The court system was established by beit din Mosheh in (Bereshith 18), which operated under the aegis of the Parashat Yitro Beit Din HaGadol. Beit Din HaGadol, Beit Din Beside the well known the system comprised, under the aegis of the district and, under the aegis of the Beit Din HaGadol, Batei Din

district local representing the various communities recognised as Batei Din, Batei Din

legitimate by the higher A "must read" article is Batei Din. Bet Din and Judges in the Encyclopedia Judaica. beit din It is only with the Judaic phrase that the uninterrupted chain is obvious between the established by Mosheh, the Batei Din Beit Din HaGadol, which operated in the with the many under its supervision, Beit haMiqdash Batei Din and the which continue to operate today. Batei Din

House that is set-apart…The in . Beit haMiqdash (Temple) Yerushalayim

Beit HaShoevah

House of the Waterpouring. A joyous ceremony of water libation held during Sukkot.

The sages taught that those who have never observed the joy of the House of the Waterpouring, have never seen joy in all their life. During the Chag Sukkot, Beit HaShoevah Simchat Beit HaShoevah ceremony was held during the day, while the ("Rejoicing in the house of the waterpouring") ceremony was celebrated in the Temple compound during nighttime. Four gigantic torches lit up the Beit haMiqdash compound at Sukkot during the nights; these were called "the light of the world."

Beit Hillel

The School of Hillel. Pharisees who stressed YHWH's (loyal love) towards all chesed people who turn to Him.

Beit Midrash

House of Study that was a part of or adjacent to ancient synagogues. The sages taught "if you meet the Evil Inclination along the road, drag him off to the Beit Midrash; there you will conquer him."

Beit Shammai

The School of Shammai. Pharisees who stressed a particularly strict adherence to the Torah, and tended to hate Gentiles. They gained control over Judean society at the time of the birth of Yahushua, but lost their grip on the religious life of the nation with the destruction of the second in 70 YM. Beit haMiqdash

Aramaic: Bar-Anash.

See: Son of Man.

Ben-Noach

Literally: a son of Noach. Plural: Bnei Noach. A non-Israelite who worships YHWH,

observing the Noachide commandments. All people descend from Noach, so that we are all sons and daughters of Noach. In Acts 15, the Noachide are stipulated as mitzvot entrance requirements for Gentiles into the empowered eschatological qahal—the Messianic Assembly of the Yemot haMashiach.

A blessing.

Bereshith

The first book of the named after its first words, "In the beginning of/when." Torah,

Genesis.

Be-seder

In order. OK.

Be-shem

"In the name of" i.e. "according to the teaching received from" and "in the authority of"

a teacher of Torah.

It is Jewish ettiquette to state teachings be-shem omro—"in the name of the person who

said it." Example:

Said Rabbi Chanina: "Anyone who says an idea be-shem omro ge'ulah brings

(redemption) into the world, for it is written, 'And Esther said to the king, in the

[Talmud, Megilah]

Betzah

Roasted egg, a symbol for the second sacrifice of . Pesach

White vestments of the High Priest.

Bigdey ha-zahav

Golden vestments of the High Priest.

Bikat ha-Yarden

The Jordan Valley.

Bikkur

Examining or investigating.

Bikkur Cholim

Visiting the sick a pious duty, carried out in the past by — Chevra Kadisha.

The offering of the firstfruits of the harvest.

Bimah

The raised platform in the beit knesset (synagogue; shul) from which the is read Torah

and from which worship services are usually conducted; the platform is called in tevah

Sephardic synagogues. The reader's stand in a synagogue.

Page 20

The terms "bind" and "loose" are two Semitic idioms used in Rabbinic literature as

technical terms referring to authority. To "bind" means to an activity halakhic forbid

and to "loose" means to an activity. Clear examples in the Apostolic Writings permit

("New Testament") are 16:19 and 18:18: Mattityahu

Mattityahu 16:19

And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind

on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you on earth will be loosed loose

in heaven.

Mattityahu 18:18

Truly I say to you, and whatever you on earth will be bound in heaven and bind

whatever you on earth will be loosed in heaven. loose

In Yochanan 7:22-23, Yahushua refers to a decision handed down by the Beit halakhic

Din and recorded in the Mishnah (Shabbat 18:3 19:2 Talmud Bavli Shabbat 128a). – „M

Here the Greek text reads:

Yochanan 7:23a

If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should

not be broken…

However the Aramaic reads

…that the Torah of Moses should not be loosed.

In Yochanan 5:18 we read in the Greek:

Yochanan 5:18

"Therefore the Judeans sought the more to kill him, because…he had broken the

Sabbath…

However the Aramaic text reads

"…he had the Sabbath…" loosed

This is important because the Aramaic text does not have Yahushua breaking the

Sabbath, but instead has him permitting certain activities on the Sabbath (loosing it).

A final example of an important Aramaic reading is in

Ephesians 2:14:

He is, therefore, our who made the two of them one and the shalom loosed

hedge which stood between us.

The phrase "and loosed the hedge" in the Aramaic reads and was used as a sh'ra s'yaga

technical halakhic term in Judaism. was used to mean "loose" or "permit" (as in Sh'ra

Mattityahu 18:18 and in various places in Rabbinic literature) The term appears s'yaga

in Mishnah Avot 1:1 "make a hedge about the Torah." To "loose the hedge" would

mean to permit activities that these hedge rules had effectually discouraged, so as to truly

love thy neighbour.

Page 21

In Mattityahu 16:18-19, Yahushua states "…I will build my assembly…I will give you

the keys of the Kingdom…" It is easier to understand this passage if we first understand

its sister passage in Mattityahu 18:15-18. Both passages discuss an which has assembly

the power to "bind" or "loose." As we have seen, the terms "bind" and "loose" are

Hebrew/Aramaic idiomatic expressions meaning to "permit" or "prohibit" in a court of

religious law. These technical terms are employed many times in the Talmud. halakhic

Table G.2 summarises a number of notable occurrences of these terms.

Table G.2:

Version Order Tractate

Yerushalmi Zera'im Berakhot 5b; 6c

Yerushalmi Nashim Sanhedrin 28a

Bavli Nashim Avodah Zarah 37a

Bavli Nashim N

4

5

edarim 62a

Bavli Nashim Yevamot 106a

Bavli Mo'ed Beitsah 2b; 22a

Bavli Zera'im Berakhot 35a

Bavli Mo'ed Chagigah 3b

6

Mattityahu 18:15-18

15"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the

two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the and if he refuses qahal (assembly);

to listen even to the treat him as you would a pagan or a tax qahal (assembly),

collector. Amein.

18"Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you

This text bears an implicit reference to

Devarim 19:15

One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offence he

may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or

regarding witnesses before the court (Devarim 19:15-21). Mattityahu 18 relates to the

authority to administer (right-ruling) in courts. These courts permitted or mishpat

prohibited, as enacted in e.g. Acts 15. The word "church" here in the Greek is

4 That is, seeds.

5 That is, women.

6 That is, appointed times.

"ekklesia;" in Hebrew it is or All of these words simply mean "qahol" "qahal."

"assembly." In fact, "ekklesia" is the word used for "assembly" throughout the

Septuagint; the Septuagint talks repeatedly of the "Ekklesia of Israel." (The founders of

dispensationalism overlooked this and therefore portrays "the church" as being an

exclusively New Covenant phenomenon; they developed their theology from English

translations of Scripture, where the term "Church" suddenly appears in the "New

Testament." This oversight fuelled their conceptual fragmentation of salvation history,

as well as antinomian tendencies.)

The word does not always refer to the Body of Messiah; sometimes it refers to a ekklesia

mob (Acts 19:41), sometimes the "assembly" of Israel (Acts 7:38) and sometimes it can

refer to a court, i.e. a (as in Acts 19:39). Since Mattityahu 18:16 quotes Beit Din

Devarim 19:15, it follows that the spoken of in Mattityahu 18:17 must be "…the ekklesia

judges who serve in those days…" which are mentioned in Devarim 19:17. Now if the

"qahal" which "binds" and "looses" in Mattityahu 18:15-18 is a "court" or judicial

council (a such as in Acts 7:38) then it is this same "church" that is mentioned Beit Din

in Mattityahu 16:18-19. The "keys of the Kingdom" refers to this authority to make

mishpat halakhah. (right-rulings) and udicial rulings should be solidly based on Such j

Scripture.

Let us now look at

Revelation 3:7

To the messenger of the in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him qahal

who is set-apart and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no-one

can shut, and what he shuts no-one can open.

which quotes

Yeshayahu 22:21-22

21I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your

authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Yerushalayim and to

This "church" which has the keys of the Kingdom, then, is the of the ruling council

Messianic Assemblies which is seen meeting in Acts 15. Ya'aqov presided as the Nasi

(President) of the of the Messianic Assembly. Beit Din

The Roman Catholic Church claims to have inherited this authority through apostolic

succession. However, their " " is a messy and often pagan perversion of, and halakhah

addition to, Scriptural truth, and therefore carries no weight whatsoever— may halakhah

never contradict Scripture.

The Body of Messiah still has the authority of courts. Local congregations may make

locally applicable rulings on many issues. (A Bible-school may, e.g. forbid halakhic

students to smoke or consume alcohol.) Sadly, we have become so ignorant and divided

that any large-scale application of this authority of courts may lead to incessant quarrels

and possibly even a cruel inquisition. Therefore it is the best to apply this authority only

Page 23

within local assemblies and within denominations (e.g. at general synods), and not on a

greater scale. Let us wait for King Messiah to come and restore right-ruling to the earth,

to magnify the so that the will of YHWH be done on earth, as it is done in Torah,

heaven.

Groups such as the Assemblies of Yahweh and Netzarim Judaism have tackled the

problem of the sometimes chaotic division within Christianity by distancing themselves

from Christianity, and by proclaiming themselves the eschatological remnant of the

apostolic assembly of the first century. Netzarim Judaism acknowledges and submits to

the Beit Din system operating in Orthodox Judaism, and adds to this a Netzarim Beit Din

to decide on matters internal to Netzarim Judaism. The Assemblies of Yahweh views

themselves as the reconstituted Apostolic Assembly, reformed after 19 centuries or error

and darkness. They do not submit to the Beit Din system operating in Orthodox

Judaism, but seek to make their own rulings based on written Scripture.

„M „M „M „M „M „M „M

Next, we quote an article (pirated from the World Wide Web), "Binding and Loosing"

in Hebraic Thought by Dr Joseph B. Fuiten:

Mattityahu 16:19

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will

be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Mattityahu 18:18-20

I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and

whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two

The which YHWH gave on Mount Sinay formed the constitution of the nation Torah

Israel. It was both a simple and complex relationship. On the one hand the was Torah

simple. Yet in daily life it often became complex. In the earliest days, Mosheh himself

both instructed the people in the and decided complicated matters of law for them. Torah

Mosheh said, "Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between

the parties and inform them of YHWH's decrees and laws." In time this became too

much for Mosheh alone and he appointed assistants. His father-in-law, Yithro, gave this

advice:

Exodus 18:21-22

But select capable men from all the people—men who fear Elohim, trustworthy

men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands,

In time, this group of assistants in the became an institution in their own right. Torah

Authority soon rested among the sages to interpret the meaning of the They Torah.

would consider the principles of the and decide issues. The decisions which they Torah,

made carried great weight. Over the centuries, Rabbinical expansion of the principles of

the took place in all areas of community life. Torah

The Rabbis were constantly called upon by their community to interpret scriptural

commands. Was such-and-such an action permitted? Was such-and such a thing or

person ritually clean? Scripture, for example, forbids working on the Shabbat, but it

does not define "work." As a result, the sages were called upon to declare what an

individual was and was not permitted to do on the Sabbath. They "bound" (prohibited)

certain activities, and "loosed" (allowed) other activities.

In the Hebrew way of thinking, binding and loosing is the interpretation of the by Torah

a Beit Din that performs and makes based on the written and mishpat halakhah, Torah

the oral Anyone who acted in this capacity was sitting in the seat of Mosheh. It Torah.

is easy to see why they used that term. Since Mosheh had acted in this way when he was

alive, interpreting the and since they were carrying on that tradition, they were Torah,

sitting in his seat.

Yahushua himself acknowledged the authority that resided in the teachers of the Torah

and among the Pharisees:

Mattityahu 23:1-2

Then Yahushua said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the

Torah and the Pharisees sit in Mosheh's seat. So you must obey them and do

everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice

The early Church recognised this authority and what it meant. Writing in the mid-fourth

century, Cyril of Yerushalayim said,

"The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; for it signifies not his wooden

seat, but the authority of his teaching."

This authority found its highest expression in the Beit Din. Yet it existed down to the

local town and synagogue level. Outside the gates of the excavated ruins of ancient Dan,

there is a seat where once such decisions were made. There, the city elders gathered to

"sit in Mosheh's seat." Proverbs 31:23 gives us a sense for this:

Proverbs 31:23

"Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the

elders of the land."

It is in this context, and with this meaning, that Yahushua spoke the words which

Mattityahu records:

Mattityahu 16:19

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven; whatever you bind on earth

will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in

This is an important moment in the history of non-Messianic and Nazarene (Messianic)

Judaism. Here is Yahushua, the Anointed One of YHWH, investing the power of

Mosheh into the hands of his talmidim, who now become His sh'liachim—apostles, sent

Page 25

ones, emissaries. They now become the ones responsible for interpreting the Torah.

This is decisive for it represents the imposition of authority. It places the authority held

by those who sit in the seat of Mosheh within the context of the Messianic Assembly.

Within the Messianic Assembly established by Yahushua, we find that this authority

continued on. In the beginning, it was the Apostles themselves who sat in the Seat of

Mosheh. The Apostles stepped into their role and took leadership of the Qahal.

We see Apostolic authority being exercised at the Yerushalayim Council Acts 15. —

The Messianic Beit Din met to discuss the entrance requirements for Gentiles. The

question was, how was the to be applied to them. What was necessary for their Torah

entry into the assemblies? After hearing various sides of the question, Ya'aqov said,

"It is my judgement, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles

who are turning to YHWH."

Ya'aqov was exercising the authority of the seat of Mosheh. Indeed, this was clearly

more than just their opinions, for when they sent the letter out it was under the authority

of what "seemed good to the and to us…" They were laying claim to Ruach HaQodesh

divine authority as well as their own. In making the Acts 15 decision, the Apostles and

elders were sitting in the seat of Mosheh, using the power of binding and loosing. Again

and again, we find the Apostles and elders acting in the authority of Mosheh. In effect,

the New Testament is the Apostolic application of the principles found in the Torah.

Has this authority ceased in the Messianic Qahal? The Qahal today has the right to apply

Scripture to issues not mentioned directly in Scripture, following the practices of

"binding and loosing", and sitting in the seat of Mosheh. That this power can be abused

is evident in twenty centuries of Church history. The term "ex cathedra" means "from

the chair." Using this expression is an attempt by Roman Catholics to claim that the

Roman Catholic Church is infallible when it speaks "ex cathedra" because it is speaking

from the "Seat of Mosheh." But the "Seat of Mosheh" was not for purposes of adding to

the Scripture, but to give an official interpretation on areas that were not clearly spelled

out.

Scripture's texts on binding and loosing has been drawn into the Charismatic chaos

chiefly exported from the USA. The popular understanding in large sectors of the

Charismatic movement is that these texts are mandates for spiritual warfare. In the Faith

Movement we regularly hear authoritative proclamations such as "Satan we bind you;

angels we loose you…" This error in thinking springs from a fundamental error in

understanding about the Basar (Gospel) according to . What many today do Mattityahu

not understand is that the Gospel of Mattityahu was written in Hebrew.

That Mattityahu was originally written in Hebrew is the unanimous view of the Church

Fathers. Papias said,

Matthew put together the oral teachings of the Master in the Hebrew language.

Irenaeus said Mattityahu was written to the Jews:

The Gospel according to Matthew was written to the Yehudim. For they laid

particular stress upon the fact that Messiah (should be) of the seed of David.

Cyril of Jerusalem also noted:

Page 26

Matthew, who wrote the gospel, wrote it in the Hebrew tongue.

These men are not obscure figures, but formed the mainstream of the early Christian

assemblies; their views carry weight.

At present, no original copy of Mattityahu has ever been found in the Hebrew. However,

if these early fathers are correct, what exists in Greek is a translation of the Hebrew. As

such, it is subject to certain weaknesses. Translations of this period often did not

translate the sense of a passage, rather they tended to follow the actual or literal words.

In particular, Hebrew idioms did not always make the transition intact. We know when

someone says "his eyes fell to the floor," not to take that literally. But consider the

problem of a translator. What is an idiom, and what should be taken literally? We see

this weakness reflected in the translation of the term "good eye" in Mattityahu. This is a

Hebrew idiom for a generous person. But that is not particularly clear in the Greek.

What about "binding and loosing" as spiritual warfare?

The idea of "binding" and "loosing" has risen to the forefront in some current teaching

on spiritual warfare. What is interesting is the absence of these two ideas in the spiritual

warfare that is mentioned in Scripture. If it were to be such an important part of warfare,

one would expect to find it more prominently mentioned in the Scriptures. In fact, it is

most noticeable for its absence. Far more emphasis is given to this idea than is

warranted from the Scripture. More likely, it doesn't even exist as a weapon of spiritual

warfare.

Why do some believe that "binding and loosing" are aspects of spiritual warfare? This is

a new concept that has almost no history in the Church.

The Belief that demons can be "bound" or that angels can be "loosed" is based upon a

novel interpretation of Mattityahu 16:10 and Mattityahu 18:18. These passages are

interpreted to apply to spirit beings because of the phrases "bound in heaven" or "loosed

in heaven." As the logic goes, since spirit beings exist in heaven, this passage must

apply to them. (It is not clear how the passage could apply to demons, which are not

generally associated with heaven.)

The "bind-loose theology" is heavily based upon a special interpretation of the "strong

man" passages in Mattityahu 12:29, Mark 3:27, and Luke 11. In these passages,

Yahushua is showing that only a superior power can drive out demons. He then uses the

example of a well armed strong man who defends his house until someone stronger

"attacks and overpowers" him, robbing him of his goods. The point of the passage,

however, is not about "binding," but about the effect of superior power. This is the

emphasis which Tertullian gave to it.

Unfortunately, "binding the strongman" has become dogma in some circles. One book

builds it's whole spiritual warfare concept around an improper interpretation of this

passage. A better understanding is found in the historic interpretation of "binding."

No group or denomination in Christianity has ever interpreted these passages in this way

before the last part of the 20th century. Of course, being a new doctrine or

understanding does not necessarily mean the new doctrine in untrue. However, new

Page 27

doctrines need to be examined very carefully to see how they fit with the whole counsel

of Scripture, and with the interpretation of that same Scripture over the centuries.

Second, over the centuries, the "binding" and "loosing" passages have been interpreted

along the lines of the authority of the Apostles to "sit in the seat of Mosheh." This

means interpreting Scripture and conducting the affairs of the Assembly. The Catholic

Encyclopedia expresses this idea when it says,

"These powers, consisting of a "binding" and a "loosing" in the spiritual order on

earth, that is, all powers necessary to the well-being of the kingdom, were

granting or forbidding, as contained in the Torah."

The Catholic view, which is shared by the other branches of the historic Christian

Church, has always been that binding and loosing were part of the authority granted to

the Church, and are expressed in the idea of the "power of the keys."

Third, only Mattityahu records this idea, probably because he was the only one,

according to Eusebius and the others we have cited, to write his original text of the

Gospel in Hebrew. The passage regarding "binding" and "loosing" is a Jewish idiom

translated word for word from the Hebrew into the Greek. Unfortunately, even though

the words of the idiom were translated correctly, the meaning was clouded in such a

literal translation.

Dr Roy Blizzard takes the historic view held by Catholics and Orthodox, but for a

different reason. He cites Jewish texts to show that "binding" and "loosing" were the

terms applied to the work of the rabbis in interpreting Scripture, allowing some things

but denying other based on their interpretation of the meaning of the So if the Torah.

rabbi said you were not allowed to walk more than a few hundred yards on the Sabbath,

he was "binding" certain behaviour. Although Yahushua criticised the Pharisees for

their hypocrisy, he did require his disciples to obey their interpretations. We have

already shown Yahushua saying, "The teachers of the and the Pharisees sit in Torah

Mosheh's seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you."

Fourth, of the many passages dealing with spiritual warfare, there is a noticeable absence

of any teaching regarding "binding and loosing." There is a great deal in Scripture about

spiritual warfare. In light of these many passages, why does Sha'ul omit "binding and

loosing" in his passage on spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6? Why does Ya'aqov only talk

about the devil, stopping far short of the idea of "binding"? Why only resisting resist,

when you could "bind"? Indeed, why is there no plain statement linking "binding" and

"loosing" with any part of spiritual warfare?

The answer is that "binding and loosing," the way it is being taught in some quarters of

the Church, is not adequately rooted in Biblical teachings on spiritual warfare.

Scripture does say that Satan will be "bound" and "loosed." This, however, will be done

in the future (Revelation 20). No one is binding him today.

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless

pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old

Page 28

he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be

fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."

This future tense is the only proper application of this concept to spiritual warfare.

If Satan is being "bound" as often as people are saying the words, their "binding"

certainly does not last very long. If the "bind the devil" people are indeed "binding" the

devil" somebody needs to figure out how long their "binding" of the devil lasts. Then,

they could line up people all over the world on a "24-hour Bind Chain" to keep

"binding" Satan, so he never gets loose again.

Some might suggest that only demons are being bound, not Satan himself. Is it possible,

then, that we might eventually come to a point where all the demons are bound in chains

of darkness and none are free to roam the earth? Would this leave only Satan alone to do

all the evil work?

The further one probes this new idea of "binding," the more questions are raised. The

reason all this becomes so imprecise when the details are exposed, is because the whole

notion is without Biblical foundation. Yahushua had many contacts with the devil and

demons, but He is never described as "binding" the demons. No New Testament writer

ever describes anyone ever "binding" the devil.

If there is no authority in the Scripture for this "binding," it is better to stop now than to

continue building on sand. It is better to get back to scriptural warfare than to continue

eating soup with a fork. Firing blanks doesn't kill the enemy. We need effective warfare

with live ammunition.

Binyamin

Benjamin. "Son of my Right Hand."

When a Jewish household had a meal, the youngest son would always sit at the right

hand of the father. Binyamin was Ya'aqov's youngest son, and also the last son of his

beloved wife, Rachel.

When a rabbi and his talmidim (taught ones; disciples) enjoyed a meal, the talmidim

would also be arranged around the table in order of their age, with the oldest talmid

sitting at the left hand of the rabbi and the youngest at his right hand. At the Pesach

Seder meal, everyone would recline to the left, so that the head of the youngest talmid

would be the closest to the chest of the rabbi. Based on information in the Gospels, we

infer that Yochanan was Yahushua's youngest talmid, whereas Yahudah the betrayer was

the oldest.

Birkhat HaChodesh

The blessing of the New Moon.

Birkhat haMazon

A Blessing to YHWH said after meals.

Birkhat Kohenim

Ba'Midbar 6:24 – 26

YHWH bless you and guard you;

YHWH make his face shine upon you, and show favour to you;

YHWH lift up his face upon you, and give you shalom.

This blessing should be said by Aharon and his sons, i.e. the (priests) of kohanim

Yisra'el, over the forever. b'nei Yisra'el (Children of Yisra'el),

Note that the very next verse says:

Ba'Midbar 6:27

Thus you shall put My Name on the b'nei Yisra'el (Children of Yisra'el), and I

Myself shall bless them.

The Tetragrammaton should be used, and no circumlocution or substitute.

Bittahon

An attitude of trust in and reliance on YHWH. It is the security of sensing and knowing

that He has not left us nor will he ever forsake us…no matter what the present

predicament may be.

Bittahon brings a confidence that YHWH will never "drop" us, that He knows the end

from the beginning and does all for the ultimate benefit of those who are His. Emunah

(faith) allows us to rest in bittahon.

The neglect of the study of the Torah.

Bi'ur chametz

Destroying of the leaven.

Blood Covenant

To the ancient Hebrews, a blood covenant was the most binding agreement one could

enter into. The making of blood covenants seems to be a universal concept found among

all peoples in even the most remote parts of the world. The custom of making blood

covenants can be found among American Indians as well as in the deepest most remote

parts of Africa. The origin of the blood covenant custom looms somewhere beyond the

horizon of history.

The customs surrounding the making of a blood covenant among the Hebrews involved:

1. Exchanging garments and swords (1 Sh'muel 18:4)

2. A blood sacrifice (Genesis 15:9-17; 31:43-54; Yirmeyahu 34:18-19)

3. A memorial covenant meal (Genesis 31:54)

There are several examples of covenants in Scripture. Lavan entered into a covenant

with Ya'aqov (Genesis 31:43-55). And David made a covenant with Jonathan (1 Samuel

18:1-4).

When two men were in a covenant relationship everything they owned and their very

lives were offered to each other. Moreover a person with a covenant relationship held

Page 30

heirship rights with the one he is in covenant with. For this reason David was the legal

heir to the throne when Yehonatan and King Sha'ul were killed. One of the best pictures

we have of the power of the blood covenant is given in Samuel 18-20. Because of 1

their covenant, Jonathan pleaded with his father the king on David's behalf ( Samuel 1

19:4-7). And because of the covenant David sought out Jonathan's son Mefiboshet so as

to show kindness to him and make him as one of his own sons (2 Samuel 9).

Now our covenants with YHWH are patterned after the Hebrew blood covenant customs.

In the same way we:

1. Exchanging garments and swords (Ephesians 6:11-17)

2. Have a blood sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12-22)

3. Have a memorial covenant meal (Mattityahu 26:26-29)

We also have an inheritance

Romans 8:15-17

15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you

received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Ephesians 1:11, 14, 18

11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of

him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

1 Peter 1:3-4.

3Praise be to the Elohim and Father of Adonu Yahushua the Messiah! In his

great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection

Page 31

This inheritance is a major topic of the Epistle to the Hebrews. The author shows that the

Messiah was "made heir of all things" (1:2, 4) and the "firstborn" (1:6; 12:23) (an

inheritance term). He shows that the oath which made Abraham's seed the chosen people

was a covenant (6:13-14), and that the oath which makes the Messiah a priest after the

order of Malki-tzedeq (7:20-22) is the New Covenant (Hebrews 7:22; 8:6-13). He also

shows that this is a blood covenant sealed with the Messiah's blood (Hebrews 8 & 9).

The author argues that because of this covenant relationship we have an inheritance

(9:11-22). Since we are blood covenantors with the Messiah who is heir of all things

(i.e. the Kingdom (1:13; 2:5-9) we inherit with him (1:14; 2:10-18; 9:11-22; 12:23).

"Bnai Noach" and the "Netzarim Movement"

Generally speaking these groups are anti-Trinitarian, do not believe that the New

Testament is authoritative scripture, are vehemently anti-Christian in their writings,

believe in keeping both the Oral and Written do not believe that the Messiah was Torah,

born of a virgin and do not believe in that religious Jews need to accept Yahushua as the

Messiah. They deliberately distance themselves from anything "Christian."

Many would view them as cults because they reject some of the historically orthodox

doctrines of Christianity.

Messianic Judaism should not be confused with and the Bnai Noach Netzarim Judaism

movement. The and movements consist mostly of non- Bnai Noah Netzarim Judaism

Jews. While they embrace the true roots of the faith, they often do so in an unbalanced,

reactive, divisive way.

Boethuseans

A religious party of the first century composed of wealthy and influential members of the

priesthood, similar in doctrine with the Tzadoqim (Sadducees).

Boneh Yerushalayim

The blessing over the rebuilding of . Yerushalayim

Born again

Some thoughts on Yochanan 3:1-12:

Yochanan 3:1

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews…

This was probably Nakdimon ben Gurion, one of the three leading Batlanim

(counsellors) in . According to the Talmud he was wealthy enough to feed Yerushalayim

the entire city for ten years (b. Gittin 56a). One rather lengthy Talmudic story tells us

that once, during a drought, Nakdimon made a deal with a Roman General so as to

procure twelve wells of water for the Jewish people. According to the story, Nakdimon

promised the General to repay him either twelve wells or twelve talents of silver (a large

sum of money) before the expiration of one year, had it not rained. On the last day of the

year it still had not rained, so Nakdimon went to the to pray. His prayer Beit haMiqdash

was answered and it began to rain and refill the wells. The Roman General, however,

demanded the silver, saying that the cloud-cover had caused the day, and thus the year,

to expire prematurely. Nakdimon returned to the and prayed again, this Beit haMiqdash

time the clouds removed and the sun shined through, thus the General was satisfied. In

Ta'anit 19b-20a, the Talmud also recounts that "Nakdimon" was only his nickname and

that his real name was Buni. The Talmud also relates that a certain Buni was a talmid

(student) of Yahushua of Nazareth and was himself martyred some time after Yahushua's

death (b. Sanhedrin 43a). The Talmud suggests that the nickname Nakdimon was taken

from which means "to shine" "because the sun shined out for him" (Ta'anit 20a). nakad

Another possible etymology for his name is "innocent of the blood" based naki dam—

upon his actions recorded in Yochanan 7:45-52; 19:39. The Greek equivalent name

Nicodemus has a meaning all of its own: Nikos Demos means "victorious people."

There would be no reason for Buni to have this Greek name as a nickname, but the

sound-alike Greek name may have been used by the Roman occupiers in their dealings

with this very wealthy man, as the Talmud does record that he had dealings with the

Roman General stationed at (Ta'anit 19b-20a). Yerushalayim

Yochanan 3:3

…born again…

The idea behind such an expression can be found in the Talmud (Yevamot 48b and 62a):

"…a proselyte is like a new-born infant…"

Yochanan 3:5-6

born of water and the spirit…born of the flesh…born of the spirit

Yahushua ties this in as an elaboration of the previous phrase "born again;" He is

apparently referring to two passages: Tanakh

Yechezq'el 36:24-28

For I will take you from among the nations,

gather you out of all countries

Then I will sprinkle clean on you, water

and you shall be clean;

I will cleanse you from all your filthiness

and put a new within you; spirit

I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh

and give you a heart of . flesh

I will put My within you spirit

and cause you to walk in My statutes,

and you will keep My (right-rulings) and do them. mishpatim

Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you fathers;

you shall be my people,

Yeshayahu 44:3

For I will pour upon him that is thirsty, water

and floods upon the dry ground.

Page 33

I will pour my upon your seed, Spirit

and my blessing upon your offspring…

It is easy to understand why the metaphor of a birthing process is used of receiving the

righteousness of YHWH. When one is unredeemed, you are a living corpse, (tzadeqah)

under the penalty of death. As far as the life in the World to Come is concerned, it is as

though you are dead, unborn. When one received redemption, one is born as a citizen of

the World to Come. There is a passing from guilt to righteousness, from imminent death

and punishment to (everlasting life). Also consider chaiyah l'olam va'ed

Yeshayahu 23:4

Be ashamed, O Sidon, and you, O fortress of the sea, for the sea has spoken: "I

have neither been in labour nor given birth; I have neither reared sons nor

Yeshayahu 26:17-18

17As a woman with child and about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain,

so were we in your presence, O YHWH.

This is why one who turns away from idolatry and self-righteousness and worships

YHWH (in spirit and in truth), i.e. empowered and indwelt by the ba'ruach v'ba'emet

Ruach Mashiach, that was upon the in accordance with the covenantal promises of

YHWH, which centres in the atoning and redeeming work of Messiah Yahushua, is born

again, passing from death to life.

The following Scriptures should also be examined when studying the concept of rebirth:

Mattityahu 3:11

I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more

powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptise you with the

Ruach HaQodesh and with fire.

Mattityahu 3:16

As soon as Yahushua was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that

moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of YHWH descending like a

Luke 3:16

Yochanan answered them all, "I baptise you with water. But one more powerful

than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will

baptise you with the and with fire. Ruach HaQodesh

Yochanan 1:31-33

31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that

he might be revealed to Israel."

Page 34

33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptise with

water told me, `The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is

he who will baptise with the Ruach HaQodesh.'

Yochanan 7:38-39

38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will

flow from within him."

We now return to the book of Yochanan.

Yochanan 3:7

…enter the kingdom of Elohim…

As we have shown earlier, the "Kingdom of Elohim" is a euphemism for the Kingdom of

Israel (as in Chronicles 28:5; 2 Chronicles 13:8). Thus in order to enter the Kingdom 1

and be re-gathered to the Land, the Jewish people would have to be born of water (made

clean), born of flesh (receive a heart of flesh rather than stone) and receive the Spirit of

YHWH so as to walk in the statutes.

Yochanan 3:8

…the wind blows…

In the Aramaic this is a word play, as the word for spirit can also mean — — rucha

"wind" and is the word used for wind here. This gives the double meaning "The Spirit

blows…"

Yochanan 3:10

…are you a Teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

These are things Nakdimon should have known, being a Jewish teacher. This points

away from the idea that Nakdimon merely misunderstood an idiomatic expression.

Mem: The letter of transition

The (immersion bath) entails two basic concepts, namely, water and the number miqvah

40. Both of these concepts are contained in a single letter, namely, the Hebrew letter

Mem.

The letter derives its name from the Hebrew word for water. Furthermore, mem mayim,

the numerical value of the letter is forty. Therefore it is not surprising to learn that mem

the letter is also said to represent the mem miqvah.

Another concept that we find associated wit the letter is the womb. The closed mem

mem mem sophit (final ) represents the womb closed during pregnancy, while the open

mem mem is the womb giving birth. The numerical value 40, associated with the then

also represents the 40 days during which the embryo is formed.

In order to understand the meaning of this letter on a deeper level and see how it relates

to the we must delve into a most interesting midrash. The prophet says miqvah,

(Yirmeyahu 10:10): YHWH Elohim is (truth). The midrash then gives the emet

following explanation:

What is the seal of Elohim? Our rabbi said in the name of rabbi Reuven, "The seal of

Elohim is truth."

Resh Lakish asked, "Why is the Hebrew word for truth?" emet

He replied, "Because it is spelled is the first letter of the Hebrew aleph mem taw. Aleph

alphabet, is the middle letter and is the last letter of the Alphabet. HaShem thus mem taw

says (Yeshayahu 44:6), 'I am first and I am last.'"

From this, we see that the letter has a most interesting property. the first mem Aleph,

letter of the alphabet, represents the beginning. the last letter, represents the end. Taw,

Mem is the letter that represents transition.

We see this most clearly in the word itself. The first two letters, spell emet aleph mem

out the Hebrew word for mother. This is the beginning of man. The last two letters, em,

mem taw, met spell out the Hebrew word for death the end of man. — —

Most important here, represents the concept of transition and change. is the mem Aleph

past, and the future, so represents the transition from past to future. As such, it taw mem

represents the instant that we call the present.

The past is history and can not be changed. We have no way of even touching the

future. Therefore the arena of action, where all change takes place, is the present.

Symbolic of water, the essence of change as well as the number forty, the essence of

birth, the also represents the present the transition between past and future mem — —

which is the arena of all change.

On a deeper level, the transition from past to future also represents an aspect of birth.

Indeed, one word for "future" in Hebrew is which literally means, "that which HaNolad,

is being born." The womb in which the future is born is the present. This is the letter

mem.

Thus, when a person enters the he is actually entering the concept of the miqvah,

ultimate present. Past and future cease to exist for him. What he was in the past no

longer counts. Even the 40 days of formation are no longer an expanse of time, but a

volume of water 40 Then, when he emerges from the he re-enters the — sa'ah. miqvah,

stream of time as if he were a new being.

Botzrah

Mountain in Edom (Saudi Arabia) from which direction the victorious, avenging

Messiah will come to Yisra'el, bringing the final redemption:

Yeshayahu 63:1

1Who is this coming from Edom, from Botzrah, with his garments stained

crimson? Who is this, robed in splendour, striding forward in the greatness of his

Page 36

Plural: Berachot.

Blessing, benediction.

B'rachot haShachar

The blessings of awakening recited each morning.

B'rit

Covenant.

Brit-Am

Literally: "Covenant People."

See: in the monograph "What about the Lost tribes of Israel?" The Coming of King

Covenantal circumcision of male Israelites.

B'rit Chadashah

New Covenant; Renewed Covenant.

B'shem

"In the name of."

Byor

Laver.

Before the kohanim (priests) could begin the services, they had to take Beit haMiqdash

set-apart water and pour it over their hands and feet. This water was drawn from the

Byor or laver—a large copper basin in the courtyard of the Beit haMiqdash.

C

Joseph Caiaphas had been appointed High Priest under the procuratorship of Valerius

Gratus in 18 CE. It is significant that he served in this capacity for 18 years until 36 CE.

when Pilate himself was recalled, coinciding with the downfall and trial of Sejanus. High

Priests came and went like the husbands of some movie stars, rarely serving more than 3

years. Caiaphas had probably worked out a good relationship with Valerius Gratus,

Pilate’s predecessor, who himself served for eleven years in contrast to the normal 3 year

terms of service. It is probably no coincidence that the unprecedented long terms of

Gratus, Pilatus and Caiaphas coincide with the career of Lucius Aelias Sejanus. Judea

may not have been considered a "plum" appointment because of the harsh surroundings

but the opportunity for accumulating fortunes from graft and corruption was high. It is

obvious that Caiaphas was "their man" in the Temple with access to the treasury as head

of the party of the Sadducees and to all of the ancillary trade and commercial enterprises

that surrounded the Temple. There were somewhere between 300 000 to 400 000

pilgrims in Yerushalayim and surrounding areas for the temple services of Passover,

each carrying a purse. Money changing, the selling of sacrificial animals, the money

coming to the treasury from Jews all over the Roman world and hundreds of enterprises

associated with the Temple were all being siphoned to enrich Sejanus, the Prefect as well

as to the High Priest and his Sadducean cronies. When Yahushua entered the Temple

early in the year 30 and condemned these practices, overturning money changers’ tables,

it sealed his death warrant. Joseph Caiaphas, as High Priest and head of the collaborating

Sadducees, who controlled these commercial enterprises, had a great thing going for

himself and his Roman cronies, Gratus and Sejanus in Rome and later Pilatus and

Sejanus.

CHABAD

The initials of and ch b d okhmah, inah a'at—"wisdom, understanding and knowledge."

Also the name taken by a Chassidic movement founded in Russia.

Chag

Plural: Chaggim.

Festival. Literally: circle. Every is an island in time set apart, made that chag qadosh,

had to be celebrated in a specific way at a specific place. Why? To communicate with

us in foreshadowing, prophetic which teach us about the Footsteps of the patterns

Messiah in a concrete way, so that we would not miss the real redemptive events when

they came to pass. Each chag Pesach also teaches about our walk before Elohim.

signifies redemption from slavery. It teaches us that we are redeemed by grace. Shavuot

signifies the giving of the and teaches us that we are not redeemed unto Torah,

lawlessness, but unto obedience. The forms the marriage contract between Torah

Almighty YHWH and Yisra'el; the sign of the contract is the keeping of the Shabbat.

Chag Sukkot teaches us that, in the present age, we should sojourn with the same

Page 38

dependence on the provision and guidance of YHWH that Israel had in the 40 years in

the wilderness.

Chaggay

Haggai

Chag-haAsif

Festival of ingathering—a term for Sukkot.

Literally: Festival of the First Fruits; another name for Shavuot.

Festival of redemption. Pesach & . Chag haMatzah

Festival of reaping. Shavuot.

Literally: "joyous festival"; greeting used on the festivals.

Chai

Literally: life. When Yehudim drink, they wish each other ("to life"). l'Chayim

Flute. Literally: —a term for the Messiah. At a specific point in the pierced one Sukkot

celebrations, everything becomes quiet. Then a begins to play, and the man who chalil

plays it, leads the procession. Likewise, the pierced One leads us, and will be the leader

of Yisra'el in the Millennium.

Challah

Plural: Challot.

Bread baked with egg in dough, eaten on Shabbat and festivals; the used on challah Yom

Teruah is round, often containing raisins, symbolising a sweet year, distinguishing it

from the Shabbat that is braided. challah

Leaven; yeast. Food prepared with leaven, by extension referring to all foods and

utensils forbidden during . Leavened bread and anything Pesach and Chag haMatzah

made with wheat, rye, barley, oats, or spelt, which has not been supervised to ensure that

it does not contain leaven.

Chanokh

Enoch.

Chanukah

Literally: dedication; name of the 8-day festival commemorating the Maccabean victory

over the Syrians under Antiochus IV "Epiphanes" in the year 165 BM, and the

subsequent rededication of the Beit haMiqdash (Temple).

Page 39

Chanukah, the Festival of Dedication, begins on Kislev 25. It looks back at the

rededication of the House of YHWH after the Maccabees had driven the forces of

Antiochus IV "Epiphanes" from Yerushalayim. Prophetically, looks forward Chanukah

towards the rededication of the Temple after the second coming of the Messiah—the

Temple that will be desecrated by the False Messiah, who will be of the spirit of

Antiochus IV "Epiphanes." The fact that falls exactly 75 days after Chanukah Yom

Kippur, gives the only viable explanation for the 1335 days of Dani'el 12. The 1260

days of the Great Tribulation will begin on an Aviv 10, when the False messiah will

enter Yerushalayim, slay the 2 witnesses, goes up to the Temple and proclaim himself to

be "Christ and God." The Tribulation will end on a 1260 days later, when Yom Kippur,

the False messiah is cast into the lake of fire. falls 75 days later, beginning on Chanukah

Kislev 25, and . ƒpƒqƒuƒo ƒð ƒvƒt „M ƒpƒrƒrƒt

The Institution of The consecration of the and dedication of Chanukah: Beit haMiqdash

the new altar were celebrated for eight days. At that stage, it was not yet called

Chanukah Sukkot but rather "The Feast of the Month of Kislev." The Jews, who had not

been able to observe while the was still in the hands of the pagan Sukkot Beit haMiqdash

Syrian Greeks, were now able to gather within its walls for joyful assembly. As Sukkot

was observed for eight days, the feast of dedication was equally observed for eight days.

And there was an additional reason for regarding the feast as a second both the Sukkot:

First and the Second Temples had been dedicated on Kings 8, 2:2- Chag Sukkot—see 1

65 and Nechemyah 8:13-18.

The name Chanukah which this Feast eventually received, links it to the consecration of

the (altar) in the Tent of Meeting in the desert: mizbeach

Numbers 7:60

"zot chanukat ha-mizbe'ach."

"This was the dedication of the altar."

After the original celebration, an ordinance was issued and accepted by the people:

Maccabees 4:36-61

Then Yahudah [Maccabeus] and his brothers and the whole congregation of

Israel established that the days of the consecration of the altar be celebrated for

Maccabees 10:5-9

It came about that on the very same day (3 years later) on which the Miqdash

had been profaned by aliens, the purification of the Miqdash took place, and they

celebrated it for with gladness, like the festival since they had eight days Sukkot

missed it during the time of war…and declared that the whole Jewish nation

should observe these days every year as a remembrance of their victory…

Although this festival of is not officially instituted in canonised Scripture, the Chanukah

book of Daniel contains prophecies about the rededication of the after Beit haMiqdash

the reign of Antiochus IV "Epiphanes." The prophecies of Chaggai also allude to

Chanukah. Torah, In the text of the there are coded messages about the Maccabees and

the festival of Chanukah.

„M „M „M „M „M „M „M

THE HISTORY OF HANUKKAH

Alexander the Great was a famous Greek King who conquered most of the known world

in his day. He dominated all of the Near East which included the land of Israel during the

4th Century BM After his death, his kingdom was divided into four parts. The land of

Israel was under the dynasty of the Seleucid dynasty that dominated the area of Syria. In

167 BM Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to force the Hellenisation (accept the ways and

practices of the Greek Empire) of all his subjects. Jewish practices such as the keeping of

the Sabbath and circumcision were forbidden. They even commanded that the Jews

sacrifice the most unclean of animals, a pig, to Zeus instead of the animals that YHWH

required and instituted through the Levitical priesthood in the Some Beit haMiqdash.

Jews desired to assimilate and accept the Greek ways but other Jews refused and some

were brutally killed.

When the Seleucids arrived in Modi'in, a town about 27 km from Yerushalayim, they set

up an altar and commanded the Jews to come and sacrifice a pig. Mattathias, an old

priest, was enraged by this event. As priest, Mattathias was to be the first person

required to do this sacrifice. Mattathias boldly refused to offer a sacrifice to Zeus and

made a rousing speech against pagan worship and called the Jews to solidarity and faith.

When a renegade Jew went forward to sacrifice the pig in compliance with the demand

of the pagan invaders, Mattathias killed the weak-spirited Jewish infidel and attacked the

Seleucid soldiers. At that very moment, the revolt began.

Mattathias and his 5 sons engaged the Greeks in guerrilla warfare to win Israel's

independence. The Yehudim miraculously won the war against the Syrian Seleucids and

regained their freedom to worship the one true Elohim of Israel. The Beit haMiqdash

which was desecrated when Antiochus IV Epiphanes sacrificed a pig on the altar, was

recaptured by the Maccabees, cleansed and rededicated to Almighty YHWH.

Chanukah is a well documented festival. It is recorded in the Apocrypha—in 1st and

2nd Maccabees. Concerning the story of the ancient Jewish historian Chanukah,

Josephus born in 37 YM wrote in his book, 12:7:7 The Antiquities of the Jews,

Now Yehudah [Maccabeus] celebrated the festivals of the restoration of the

sacrifices of the for eight days: and omitted no sort of pleasure Beit haMiqdash

thereon: but he feasted them upon every rich and splendid sacrifices; and he

honoured Elohim and delighted them, by hymns and psalms. Nay, they were so

celebrate this festival, and call it I suppose the reason was, because this lights.

liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name given to

that festival.

The story of in the book of Maccabees Chanukah

1st Maccabees 1:41-64

Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one

people. And every one should leave his laws. So all the heathen agreed

and profanation. To the end they might forget the and change all the Torah,

ordinances. And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the

king, he said, he should die. In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole

the and so they committed evils in the land. And drove the Israelites into Torah,

secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour. Now the fifteenth

day of the month Kislev, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the

abomination of desolation upon the altar, and built idol altars throughout the

cities of Yahudah on every side; and burnt incense at the doors of their houses,

and in the streets. And when they had rent in pieces the books of the Torah

which they found, they burnt them with fire. And whosoever was found with any

committed to the , the king's commandment was, that they would put him Torah

to death. Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as

many as were found in the cities. Now the five and twentieth day of the month

The Hasmonean dynasty

Before Mattathias died, he passed the leadership onto his son Yahudah ha-Makkabi,

which means "the hammer." Under his respected leadership, the Jewish warriors

continued to drive the pagan invaders out of Israel. This was the beginning of the

Hasmonean dynasty. Against all odds, the Yehudim were victorious. Ultimately, they

liberated Yerushalayim and rededicated the back to YHWH. Later, the Beit haMiqdash

Hasmonean dynasty became quite Hellenised. They persecuted and opposed the rabbis.

The Hasmonean dynasty ruled into the 1st century.

The Talmudic rabbis and Chanukah

The ancient Rabbis taught about the holiday but even they don't discuss the miracle of

the oil until the later Talmudic writings of the Gemara. The Mishnah is silent about the

Page 42

miracle of oil burning for 8 days after having only a one day supply of oil to burn in the

Beit haMiqdash Beit haMiqdash upon recapturing the back from the Greeks. This was

probably due to the Mishnah Rabbis living under Roman domination and their fear of the

Roman authorities.

Is Chanukah a Scriptural Festival? Hanukkah is included in the list of set-apart times

ordained in Leviticus 23. However, John 10:22 teaches us that Messiah Yahushua kept

and celebrated this festival.

Dreidels

Dreidels are the toys with Jewish children play to call to remembrance the story of the

rededication of the in ancient Israel. Can a toy tell a religious story? A Beit haMiqdash

sevivon (Hebrew for Dreidel) tells a marvellous story. A dreidel is a 4 sided top-like

spinning toy that has a letter painted on each side. The letters are a Hebrew acronym

saying:

A Great Miracle Happened Here!

What was this great miracle that the Dreidel and the holiday commemorate? It is

proclaimed that after the Maccabees won their stunning military victory over the Greek

invaders of Israel they cleansed the In so doing, they needed to light the Beit haMiqdash

Menorah (a candelabra in the Temple). The Maccabees only had enough proper olive oil

to burn for 1 day. The miracle that is remembered is the story of how the lights burned

for 8 days giving them sufficient time to complete their celebration and produce more oil

for the Beit haMiqdash

Chanukiah Candle Lighting Guide

1) First, set the number of candles ready to be lit to correspond with which of the 8 days

are being celebrated. The first candle is placed at our right, as we face the Chanukiah (9

candlestick menorah) subsequent candles are placed to the left of it, one additional

candle to each of the eight days. The first new candle is ALWAYS kindled first by the

LIT shamash candle.

2) Light the Shamash (servant) candle, which represents the Messiah Yahushua (He is

YHWH's Servant sent to the earth to redeem us from our sins). While holding the

Shamash candle, recite the Berachah (blessing) saying, "He is the Light of the World"

and reading

Mark 10:44-45

Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not

come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

3) With the Shamash candle burning, take it in your hand and recite the following

blessing in Hebrew and English:

"Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha-olam kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu

l'hadlik ner shel Chanukiah."

Page 43

"Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha-olam sheheyanu v'ke'manu

v'heegeeanu lazman ha-zeh"

4) Then, light the other candles with the Shamash candle.

5) Each night of lighting, invite a different person to read the Scriptures designated for

each night of the 8 days.

6) Sing ("Rock of Ages") and other Chanukah songs you might come Ma'oz Tzur

across, celebrating the coming of the Light of the World.

Candle Scripture(s)

1st Exodus 3:21-22

2nd Psalm 18:28, Psalm 27:1

3rd Yeshayahu 60:1-3

4th John 8:12

5th Luke 2:30-32

6th Tehillim 119:105 & 130

7th 5:14-16

8th Revelation 21:22-27

Mattityahu

„M „M „M „M „M „M „M

During , the Jewish people relive their military and ideological victory over Chanukah

ancient Greece. We still hear the echoes of this cultural clash today, as Winston

Churchill wrote in his History of the Second World War:

No other two races (but the Jews and Greeks) have set such a mark upon the

world. Each of them from angles so different have left us with the inheritance of

Jewish historians label the period during which the Hellenists had influence over Israel

as the "Greek Exile." Ironically, during the era, there was no attempt to drive the Jews

from Israel, our homeland.

This begs the question, who or what did they view as having been exiled?

Jewish sages provide an explanation by comparing our existence within the Greek nation

to the darkness at the very beginning of creation. The first two lines of Genesis read,

In the beginning…the earth was empty…and darkness was upon the face of the

deep.

The command "Let there be light" banished the darkness. However, according to the

sequence of events presented in the the luminous bodies including the sun and Torah,

stars did not come into existence until much later. This first "light" must be understood

Page 44

not as light in a conventional sense, but as a reference to raw spiritual energy. The Greek

exile is therefore seen through the eyes of the sages as comparable to a physical universe

wholly lacking any spiritual content.

While traditional Jewish sources compare Greek culture to primordial Darkness, they

simultaneously confirm that externally, ancient Greece was the most beautiful and

cultured of all civilisations. Many Jews during the historical period in which the

Chanukah miracle too place found in Hellenism the world's first intellectually

stimulating alternative to Judaism. Consequently, the glamour of Greece, her arts and

comforts, enticed many Jews toward complete assimilation into secular Greek culture.

The Hellenistic world glorified the human mind and body. To the Greek philosopher, the

world was run by natural laws, entirely accessible to the human intellect. Phenomena and

concepts to which logic could be applied were exhausted, and those which lay beyond

the confines of pure reason were shunned as folly.

The foundation of our modern Western world-view developed directly from this

perspective. We see as an illustration of this point, the widespread modern-day

assumption that there exists nothing beyond the physical world. Such a view relegates

the notions of love and the soul to the realm of merely base biochemical phenomena.

Existentialism, the philosophy of life's absurd futility and inherent meaninglessness is

also a natural outgrowth of Hellenistic thought.

Additionally, the commonly accepted notion of "relative morality" which denies the

existence any absolute right or wrong prevails. These disheartening conclusions, held by

so many today, emerge from the perspective of this world being just a circus of atomic

nuts and bolts lacking any overall purpose or intentional design.

Yet many thinking people consider ridiculous the view that life is utterly meaningless,

and balk at the claim that there is nothing wrong with cold-blooded murder other than

personal preference. Even Bertrand Russell, this century's most eloquent atheistic

philosopher conceded, "I cannot see how to refute the arguments for the subjectivity of

ethical values, but I find myself incapable of believing all that is wrong with wanton

cruelty is that I don't like it." Those who posses the humility and courage to concede that

the human mind's reasoning faculty has its limits are forced to re-examine such a

constricted view of reality.

The second century before the Common Era, at the time when Athens and Yerushalayim

intellectual locked horns, a core of Jews maintained that the mechanical laws of nature

are subordinate to a higher reality. They saw the glory that was Greece, certainly not as

a dimness of intellect, but as a bleak shackling of the human spirit by a disinterested and

lifeless world. The brilliant spiritual intensity of humankind was left overshadowed by

the superficiality of externals, only because the material aspects of the universe are more

readily grasped by simplistic logic and reasoning. This is the "darkness" of Greece. This

too explains what the sages saw Greek culture had exiled: the spark of the human soul

and spirit. Jews on the other hand recognised the intellect as the soul's most powerful and

reliable tool, but nothing more. Just because our minds can't easily package what our

soul "knows" need not mean that our souls' are wrong. This very same struggle rages

today between secular thought and living by the (Word) of YHWH. Devar

Literally: dedication of the home; the ceremony of affixing the mezuzah to the doorpost.

Chanukiah

Eight-branched menorah, with a place for a ninth candle — Chanukah (shamash

"servant") used to light the other candles, especially designed for use during the Festival

of Chanukah.

A mixture of fruits, nuts, and wine; one of the symbolic foods. Its colour and Pesach

consistency are reminders of the bricks and mortar used by the Israelite slaves.

Chasidim

A group of pious 1st Century YM Jewish sages who shared the Pharisees' ethical and

religious values, but were also characterised by a close walk with the Almighty and their

emphasis on what you preach, putting your proclamation into practice. Choni the doing

Circle-Drawer was a famous 1st century chasid.

Since the 18th century, this title also designates a group within Judaism, consisting of

Ultra-Orthodox followers of the eighteenth-century leader, Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, who

is called the (literally: "the master with a good name.") In Israel, the Ba'al Shem Tov

ultra-orthodox are referred to as the Charridim, which means the ones who tremble

before Almighty YHWH.

Chasidism

„̓p

Religious revivalist movement of popular mysticism among German Jews in the

Middle Ages.

„̓q

Religious movement founded by Israel ben Eliezer, the ("Master Ba'al Shem Tov

of a Good Name") in the first half of the 18th century.

Chata'aat

Sin-offering in A sin offering made by one who has sinned against the Beit haMiqdash

Almighty, i.e. transgressed against Torah.

Bridegroom.

Chatan Bereshith

Literally: "Bridegroom of Genesis;" the man called to recite or chant the blessings over

the first section of the on Torah Simchat Torah.

Literally: "Bridegroom of the the man called to recite or chant the blessings Torah;"

over the final section of the on Torah Simchat Torah.

A group of "subscribers" convened for the purpose of offering the Pesach sacrifice and

Page 46

eating of its meat. A group of like-minded people meeting together to worship by

studying Scripture with reverence and joy.

Chaver

A Hebrew word meaning In ancient times, it denoted a scholar or pious companion.

person among those who loved and kept the faithfully. This concept was taken Torah

from the text of Psalm 119:63, "I am a companion of them who fear YHWH."

Chavaqquq

Habakkuk.

Chawwah

Eve.

Chayah

A living creature. Singular of chayot.

New life.

Chayei olam

Everlasting life.

Chayot

Living creatures. A type of angel mentioned in Yechezq'el 1-3 and Revelation 4-5.

Chazan

The cantor, who intones the liturgy and leads the prayers in a synagogue.

Chazan Ha-keneset

Synagogue employee.

Cheshbon

Heshbon. A town in ancient Moav (today: Jordan). A centre of enmity and conspiracy

against the Children of Yisra'el. At the time of the exodus from Mitzrayim and the entry

into the promised land, Sihon, king of the Amorites dwelt there. He refused to let the

Israelites pass through. The Israelites defeated them and destroyed Cheshbon. The tribe

of Reuven later rebuilt the city. It is highly likely that Cheshbon in Jordan will also

feature in an eschatological conspiracy to first put Israel at ease and then destroy them as

a nation. This may be inferred by doing between Yirmeyahu 48, Numbers 24:17, remez

Tehillim 83 and Ovadyah 1:7.

Chesed

Grace, mercy, loyal love.

Chet

Missing the mark, making a mistake; the Hebrew term translated as "sin." Transgression

of Torah. avon pesha Related to (crookedness) and (rebellion).

Page 47

Birthpains of the Messiah. Hebrew term for the seven year tribulation period that will

precede the glorious second coming of King Messiah. The excruciating pain, profuse

shedding of blood, and subsequent joy of childbirth is a picture of the agony and the joy

that the believing remnant of Israel as well as gentile believers will experience when they

are born into the Messiah and His kingdom.

The metaphor of passing through labour pains to be born into the is yeshuat Elohim

found throughout the Tanakh.

Book Verses

Genesis 3:16; 35:16-20; 38:27-28; 48:3

2 Kings 19:3

Psalms 48:3-6

Yeshayahu 13:8; 21:3; 23:4; 26:17; 37:3; 42: 14; 54:1; 66:7-9

Yirmeyahu 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; 22:23; 30:6; 31:8; 48:41; 49:22-24; 50:43

Hoshea 9:11-12; 13:13

Micah 4:9-10; 5:3

Mattityahu 24:8

Mark 13:8

Yochanan 16:21-24

1 Thessalonians 5:3

Revelation 12:2

Let us look at a few of these passages where the cataclysmic events that will come upon

the earth in the Day of YHWH are described as birthpains:

Yeshayahu 26:16-18

YHWH, they came to you in their distress;

when you disciplined them, they could barely whisper a prayer.

As a woman with child and about to give birth writhes and cries out in her

pain, so were we in your presence, O YHWH.

We were with child, we writhed in pain, but we gave birth to wind.

We have not brought salvation [Hebrew: yeshu'ah] to the earth;

we have not given birth to people of the world.

Yirmeyahu 30:6-7

Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man

with his hands on his stomach like a , every face turned woman in labour

deathly pale? How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of

trouble for Ya'aqov, but he will be saved out of it.

Page 48

Yeshayahu 66:7-10

"Before she goes into , she ; labour gives birth

before the . pains come upon her, she delivers a son

Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things?

Can a country be born in a day

Yet no sooner is Tziyon in labour

than she gives to her children. birth

Do I bring to the moment of and not give delivery?" says YHWH. birth

"Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?" says your Elohim.

"Rejoice with Yerushalayim and be glad for her, all you who love her;

To receive the is to pass from death to life, to be born anew, to receive yeshuat Elohim

the breath of new life—cf. Yechezq'el 37. The wicked are considered dead even when

they are alive, while the righteous are considered alive even when dead. That person

who heeds the call of the Spirit of the Almighty, and does finds shelter under teshuvah,

the wings of the Shekhinah and is born as a citizen of the the World to Olam Ha-ba,

Come.

The frequency and vividness of the metaphor of birthpangs in the could be the Tanakh

reason Yahushua found it distressing that the batlan, Nakdimon, a prominent teacher of

Israel, did not comprehend that one cannot enter the without being Malkut Shamayim

born again from above, by the (cf. Yochanan 3). In telling Nakdimon Ruach HaQodesh

that one needs to be born again from above to enter the Kingdom of YHWH, Yahushua

may have been challenging Nakdimon with prozelyte baptism. Three things were done

when a man became a prozelyte to Judaism: He was circumcised, he immersed „Í „Í ƒp ƒq

himself in a miqvah, and he and brought an offering in the In „̓r

Beit haMiqdash.

Talmud Yevamot 48b and 62a, it is said that

"…a proselyte is like a new-born infant…"

According to the principles of historical-grammatical exegesis, we should ask ourselves:

What was the conceptual life-world of the participants in the discussion in

Yochanan 3—the discussion about being "born again from above." They lived in a time

when the expression "born anew" was used for the prozelyte coming up from the waters

of the miqvah. They saw the miqvah as a tomb or grave, and as a womb. By „Í „Í ƒp ƒq

immersion in the miqvah the prozelyte indelibly cast his past as a pagan behind him, and

was like a child of one day when he came up from the waters. His new life as a member

of the covenant community of Almighty YHWH—the nation of Yisra'el—lay ahead of

him. By saying to the prominent Pharisee, Nakdimon, that he needs to be born again,

Rabbi Yahushua the Mashiach is telling him that to join His movement and to become

His talmid, Nakdimon must undergo a transformation and change of direction that is as

radical as is prozelyte immersion. The Malkut Shamayim was breaking forth into the

world, and those in it were about to be empowered by the . To proceed Ruach HaQodesh

from the summit of pre-Messianic Judaism to Messianic Judaism, would be as radical a

change as it is for a pagan who becomes a prozelyte to Judaism.

Page 49

The pains suffered by the Messiah.

Chevrah Kadisha

A group of people entrusted with the of preparing a body for burial. mitzvah

Hebron. A town in the mountains of Yehudah, between Beer-sheva and 7 Yerushalayim,

about 30 km from each. The patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchaq and Ya'aqov and the

matriarchs Sarah, Rivkah and Leah are buried in the cave of Machpelah in Chevron. In

Judaism, Chevron is considered the second most holy city, after Yerushalayim.

King David ruled from Chevron for 7 years and from Yerushalayim for 33 years—a

total of 40 years. In later Jewish thought, Chevron is a synonym for the abode of the

dead, and was called "the bosom of Avraham."

Chiastic

Style of Hebrew poetry and logical construction of an argument: A/B/C/B /A . An anti- č č

thetical parallelism constructed symmetrically about a central idea.

Chilul HaShem

Desecration of the Name of YHWH. According to an understanding of Sefer Yechezqel,

the excile of Am Yisra'el amounts to the desecration of the Name.

Chodesh

Renewed. Specifically the new moon, as the marker of a new monthly cycle. Note that

the moon is not a new moon, but a moon. Likewise, the "New Covenant" is a renewed

renewed not covenant, and an entirely new covenant that is discontinuous from the past.

Chokhmah

Wisdom, specifically as a manifestation of the Ruach HaQodesh.

See Devar of Chokhmah.

Wise men; sages. Usually referring to respected, learned Pharisees.

The "magi" who came to bring presents to Yahushua at his birth were most probably

chokhhamim who came from the land of Babylon. (They were not kings, and there was

not three of them!) After the Babylonian captivity, the majority of Yahudim remained in

Babylon ("the land of the east") and formed centres for study of the Scriptures. They

knew that the Scriptures teach that the Light of the World, the (Sun Shemesh Tzadekah

of Righteousness ), had to come into the world in the fourth day, i.e. —Malachi 4:2

before the year 4000, just as the sun was created on the fourth day to bring light to the

dark world (Genesis 1). The knew that He would be born in Beit Lechem chokhamim

(about 5 km from Yerushalayim) and also understood Numbers 24:17 messianically. In

the messianuc understanding of Numbers 24:17, it is the Messiah who is called a star

that will come out of Ya'aqov and a staff (sceptre of right-ruling) that will come forth

7 Afrikaans: Sewefontein.

Page 50

from Yisra'el. We find this messianic understanding in, e.g., Targum Onkelos. In

bringing Him presents, they fulfilled prophecy—cf. Tehillim 68:29; 72:10-15; 76:11;

Genesis 43:11. In these scriptures, Yosef and Sh'lomo foreshadows the Messiah. At the

level of the Psalm 72 speaks about Sh'lomo, the son of David. It is a prayer of p'shat,

thanksgiving to YHWH for a king who would be a saviour. But this Tehillah looks

beyond the immediate historical setting, and shows us King Messiah, our Saviour. The

splendour of the reign of Sh'lomo is a foreshadowing prophetic picture of His reign.

This Psalm says that will be brought to the king from far countries. This happened gifts

in His first coming, and will happen again in His second coming.

Chol

Not set-apart.

Chol haMo'ed

Ordinary part of the festival-days in the middle of or when work Chag haMatzah Sukkot

is allowed. The weekdays of the Festival.

Christ

Greek: Christos Anointed with oil. „M

A rough Greek equivalent of Mashiach (Messiah).

The modern usage of this term is often incorrect and even irritating, because it is used as

though it is a surname—"Jesus Christ." Those who persist in using terms such as

"Jesus" and "Christ" should use terminology in as meaningful a way as possible. To

remind their audience what the term "Christ" really means, it is good practice to add the

explanation, "Jesus the anointed, empowered, commissioned One, sent forth by the

Father" after having said "Jesus Christ."

It is not quite correct to speak about Yahushua as "our Messiah"—He is the anointed

One of YHWH. We can thank our Father in Heaven for sending to be His Messiah our

Go'el (kinsman-redeemer and blood-avenger).

Chuq chuqah „¡

Plural: Chuqim.

Decree, statute. A commandment of the that does not have a readily understood, Torah

logical, rational explanation. The sages saw the decrees concerning goat and the l'Azazel

parah adumah chukot. (red heifer) as Although baffling to the rational mind, the

Almighty does have a purpose with these decrees, and so Israel should faithfully observe

them. The slaying of goat on l'Azazel Yom Kippur is probable related to both the atoning

death of Messiah Yahushua and the casting of the False messiah into the Lake of Fire

(i.e. the Dead Sea, having erupted in flames) at the triumphant return of King Messiah.

Chumash

The five books of Mosheh. Commonly called the Torah. The word is derived from the

Hebrew word for "five."

Chuppah

A spread canopy under which the bride and groom stand during the wedding ceremony.

Page 51

The canopy represents the honeymoon chamber of the couple and symbolises the home

that is about to be established.

Church

See Qahal.

The term "Church" is one of the most misused and misunderstood words in existence

today! Because our concepts are tied to our use of language, the misuse of language

breeds a conglomeration of quasi-concepts. I cringe at Dispensationalism's misuse of

this term.

Church Fathers

The (Gentile) Christian scholars and leaders who preached and wrote between

approximately 135 to 450 YM. Besides the good things they did, they were also

responsible for the de-Judaising of Christianity, and the imposition of alien philosophical

schemes such as Neo-Platonism, on exegesis. With the wisdom of hindsight, we can say

that they were tragically ignorant of the communication principle of Hermeneutics,

which tells us that we should understand historical communication in the historicalconceptual

framework in which the communication took place originally.

Churban

Destruction, specifically of Yerushalayim end the Beit HaMiqdash.

Ceremony marking the completion of the religious school course of study, often held on

Shavuot.

Ceremony marking the beginning of a child's formal education in often held on Torah,

This is a period of time specified in Leviticus 23, falling between and Pesach Shavuot.

The Judaism of the time of Yahushua's ministry in Israel is characterised by a unitary

"pattern of religion" namely covenantal nomism. The pattern or structure of covenantal

nomism is this: (1) YHWH has chosen Israel and (2) given the The Torah. Torah

implies both (3) YHWH's promise to maintain the election and (4) the requirement to

obey. (5) YHWH rewards obedience and punishes transgression. (6) The provides Torah

for means of atonement, and atonement results in (7) maintenance or re-establishment of

the covenantal relationship. (8) All those who are maintained in the covenant by

obedience, atonement and YHWH's mercy belong to the group which will be saved. An

important interpretation of the first and last points is that election and ultimately

salvation are considered to be by YHWH's mercy rather than human achievement.

Passage after passage from Tannaitic literature, the Qumran documents, and intertestamental

literature may be cited to prove conclusively that the perception of late

Second Temple Period Judaism (or some branch thereof) as a religion of legalistic

Page 52

works-righteousness, wherein YHWH's approbation must be earned by good works in a

system of strict justice, is completely wrong.

Jewish religion in the time period under discussion views the whole question of

obedience and disobedience on the basis of YHWH's unfathomable mercy in choosing

Israel and of his merciful provision of means of restoration for sinners. In fact, this is

probably the constant perspective of Judaism in whatever period. Perhaps no one has

succeeded in conveying the centrality of this perspective in traditional Judaism more

eloquently than Solomon Schechter in A careful and Aspects of Rabbinic Theology.

unbiased reading of Jewish literature from any stratum, whether it be Old Testament,

Talmud, apocalyptic, wisdom literature, or modern Judaism, should be adequate to warn

against thinking of Judaism as a religion of strict justice in which YHWH's lovingkindness

and mercy is obscured by the severity of the Law.

Cush

See: Kush.

Page 53

D

Knowledge.

Inherited semi-pagan traditions, an excess of moralistic, sentimental, shallow preaching,

and the unscholarly "spirit of the age" have caused the level of of (knowledge da'at emet

of the truth) among large sections of believers to become dangerously low. "My people

perish because of a lack of Those who stand for nothing often fall for anything. da'at."

Damascus.

Darash

To tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication to seek or

ask; inquire; question, require, search, seek.

Dareyawesh

King Darius.

Day of the LORD

See Yom YHWH.

"Literally: It would have been enough for us;" name of a pop ong. ular Pesach Seder s

Days of Awe

See: Yamim Nora'im.

See: Tamei.

Ritual impurity.

Demons

Hebrew words used in Scripture for demons:

„¿ (Leviticus 17:7). Literally: mighty ones, masters. Consistently translated Seirim

as demons in the Septuagint.

„¿ (Deuteronomy 32:17). Shedim

„¿ Lilith

„¿ Tsiim

„¿ Iim

Devar Davar „¡

The Word of YHWH. The sages taught that the should be thought of as Devar

proceeding from the which dwelt where the gaze of the two met in Sh'khinah, keruvim

the expanse above the (seat of atonement) of the Ark of the Testimony in the kapporet

Qodesh haQodeshim. The Ark of the Testimony had the shape of Yechezq'el's vision of

the throne , which was made of of YHWH This interpretation follows from a lapis lazuli.

midrashic linking of Numbers 7:89 and All of the teaches about Yechezq'el 10:1. Devar

the Messiah. The Messiah is the the who became flesh to make His Devar, Torah,

dwelling amongst us. and are closely related concepts Devar, Torah Ruach —speaking

of instruction, guidance, movement, life-giving person-in-action.

Devar of Chokhmah

Word of Wisdom. An unquestionably true answer to a seemingly impossibly difficult

ethical question. A manifestation of the Ruach HaQodesh.

Word of Knowledge. Speaking forth a truth that is supernaturally revealed to you by the

Ruach HaQodesh Ruach HaQodesh . . A manifestation of the

Devar Torah

Literally: a word of follows the reading in a worship service, taking the Torah; Torah

form of a sermon, talk, explication, story, discussion, or program.

Devorah

Deborah. Bee; congregation. See . Lappidoth

Diaspora

Jewish communities outside of Israel.

Din

Judgement. To strive in judgement.

Dispensationalism

An approach to understanding Scripture that divides the Almighty's dealings with

mankind into 8 distinct "dispensations ." Dispensationalism has served a purpose in 8

showing people the truth of the eschatological restoration of Israel and teaching us to

understand prophecy literally. However, classical dispensationalism stands in urgent

need of being brought into line with the results of a rigorous exegesis of Scripture and a

much more careful use of terminology. The teachings of the antinomian, no-law branch

of Dispensationalism is particularly deplorable.

John Nelson Darby was the founder of the Plymouth Brethren and creator of

Dispensationalism. He greatly popularised the Pre-Tribulation rapture of the Church.

During the 1820s to 1840s, Darby developed a new systematic theology called

"Dispensationalism." Dispensationalist theology has since become very popular in many

branches of Christendom.

Like most 19th century theologians, John Darby was an antinomian he believed that —

the "Law of Moses" had passed away at the Cross. However, Darby was disturbed by

8 This use of the term is a misuse of language. dispensation

specific problems created by this point of view. He noticed that during the seven years

of Daniel's final week (Dani'el 9:24-27), the sacrifices and offerings are being made at

the Temple. Since the Law of Moses will clearly be kept during this seven year

tribulation, Darby concluded that the Law comes back into effect at the beginning of the

tribulation. This train of thought led Darby to segregate Scriptural and prophetic history

into compartmentalised ages, which he called He theorised an "Age of dispensations.

Law" that ended at the Cross and an "Age of Grace" or "Church Age" that began at the

Cross. Then, with the beginning of the seven-year tribulation, the "Age of the Law"

kicks back in and the or ends. This created a Church Age Dispensation of Grace

problem for Darby's theory. How can the Age of Law return if the Church is still here?

Darby saw the Age of Law as an age in which YHWH dealt with Israel. He (correctly)

saw the tribulation as a return to YHWH's dealing with Israel as a nation. So what

happens to the Church? Surely the Church will not exit from under the wings of Grace

and come under the Law of Moses, Darby theorised. As a result, he adopted the idea of

a PreTrib rapture of the Church. According to this view, the Church will leave the earth

right before the beginning of the 7-year tribulation, leaving Israel behind to enter the

tribulation and the return of the Age of the Law.

Darby now had another problem: If the Church is raptured leaving Israel behind, then

what about so-called "Jewish Christians?" Do they get raptured with the Church, or stay

behind with Israel. Darby had yet another solution: the Church/Israel dichotomy. This

theory taught that a Jew who becomes a believer in Messiah becomes part of the Church

and is no longer part of Israel. As a result no one can be both a part of the Church and

Israel. Jewish believers, according to this theory, stop being Jews and become part of the

Church, which, he taught, contained people who are not Jews or gentiles any more.

Thus the three pillars of Dispensationalism are:

1) The Law is not for today; it terminated at the Cross.

2) The PreTrib rapture of "the Church."

3) The Church/Israel dichotomy. The Church was seen as a new entity, totally

discontinuous from Israel, which was created when Israel rejected the Messiah.

See the Glossary entry on page 165 for an analysis of Dispensationalism's misuse Qahal

and misunderstanding of the term Church.

Messianic Jews do accept that is not for today; neither can they accept the not Torah

Church/Israel dichotomy page 165. Two of the three pillars which must be —see

present to support Dispensationalism are pillars of clay which are rejected by Messianic

Judaism.

This leads us to the important question: Is the pre-tribulation rapture an invention of

Dispensationalism, or does it have a Scriptural basis? See the Glossary entry, Rapture

on page 172 for a discussion.

Divorce

Yahushua's on Divorce is reported in 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-9 halakhah Mattityahu

and Luke 16:18 and is based on the following commandment in the Torah:

Devarim 24:1

When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no

favour in his eyes because he has found some unclean matter in her, and he

Sha'ul's on the matter of divorce is reported in Romans 7:2-3 and 1 Corinthians halakhah

7:10-17.

Yahushua's halakhah is a on Genesis 2:24 and Deuteronomy 24:1. homiletic Midrash

Yahushua's use of Genesis 1:27 to prove his position is paralleled in the Dead halakhic

Sea Scrolls : (Dam. Document Column 4, line 20 through Column 5, line 1)

…they are caught in two traps: fornication, by taking two wives in their lifetimes

although the principle of creation is: "male and female He created them."

Even more significant is Yahushua's interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1. In the first

century a major debate was ongoing as to the meaning of the words for "unclean matter"

in this text. The debate is recorded in the as follows: Mishnah

Mishnah, Order Nashim, Tractate Gittin 9:10

The School of Shammai say, "A man should divorce his wife only because he

has found grounds for it in unchastity, since it is said, "Because he has found in

The controversy surrounded the ambiguity of the phrase "matter of uncleanness." This

phrase in Hebrew can be taken literally, or can be taken as an idiomatic expression for

fornication. Yahushua, who is usually a Hillelian teacher, here agrees with the strict

interpretation of the school of Shammai. The looser interpretation of Hillel prevailed in

later Rabbinic Judaism.

Let us examine Yahushua's position closer. Yahushua uses Genesis 1:27 & 2:24 to argue

for the stricter interpretation of "unclean matter" in Deuteronomy 24:1. In

Mattityahu 19:8, Yahushua makes an important observation: Deuteronomy 24:1 is not

presented in the as being in the perfect will of YHWH. A careful reading of Torah

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 shows that 24:1 is an incidental statement in a larger Law which

deals with remarriage of the divorced. However 24:1 says:

When and it happens a man takes a wife… that she find no favour in his eyes…

Deuteronomy 24:1 simply says, "when [divorce] happens" and then discusses the issue

of the on remarriage. Yahushua points out that this is YHWH's recognition of Torah

man's will on the subject and not the Almighty's will itself, which he finds in Genesis

1:27 & 2:24. All of this he uses to argue for the strictest interpretation of "unclean

matter" in Deuteronomy 24:1.

Now Yahushua draws two (rules on how to walk) from his reported in halakhot midrash

Mattityahu 19:9:

Page 57

„¿ Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another,

commits adultery.

„¿ Whoever marries her who is divorced, commits adultery.

We should reach clarity on the Messiah's position on divorce, because great damage has

been done by people who condemnd divorce a priori, and blindly instructs all married

couples to remain married, whatever the circumstances. Should a woman who worships

HaShem, e.g., remain married to a man who leads such an immoral life that he will

certainly pass AIDS to her?

We should always interpret the Messiah's teachings in harmony with the Torah, and not

in contradistinction with the Hebrew Scriptures. To err in this regard, and understand the

Messiah's words as abrogating the Torah, amounts to a form of Marcionism—a

destructive, ancient and pervasive heresy. Such a position clashes head-on with the

Messiah's own words in 5:17ff where he states that the will never pass Mattityahu Torah

away until heaven and earth pass away. Yahushua does NOT teach that the Torah is

wrong in permitting divorce in Devarim 24. No, he is taking a strong, polemical position

against the teachers of his day, who taught the people that a husband may divorce his

wife for trivial reasons and then remarry without blinking an eye. He teaches that and

why divorce is outside the original and perfect plan of Almighty YHWH. It is permitted

in the Torah as a consent to human weakness and depravity. The Torah does not

condone divorce; it regulates it.

In the pastoral application of the Messiah's halakhah, one should distinguish between the

principle and the pastoral response. In Yochanan 8, we read how the Messiah did not

condemn a woman caught in adultery. The Torah rules that the death sentence applies in

matters of marital unfaithfulness. Yet our Rabbi rules that he does not condemn her, and

that she should go forth and sin no more. The principial answer of the Torah to her sin is

that she should be stoned to death. The practical situation of the day was that the right to

pass the death sentence had been removed from Israel by the Roman rulers, and that a

Beit Din may not pass a death sentence any more. The pastoral response of the Messiah,

in the specific case at hand, was forgiveness and instruction not to sin any more.

Divre HaYamim

"The events of the days." Hebrew name of the book Chronicles (Annals).

Divri

Literally: "my word." Leviticus 24:10-23 paints a vivid -picture which Torah

prophetically foreshadows the blaspheming False messiah of the endtimes. His mother's

name was , the daughter of the . The names and Shelomit Divri Danite Shelomit Divri

are very significant: means "peaceful," while means "my word." We Shelomit Divri

know that the False messiah will present himself as a herald of world (cf. the white peace

horse of Revelation 6), and that he will speak many great, pompous, blasphemous words

(cf. Dani'el 7). Historical Egypt is a picture of the revived Roman Empire of the endtimes.

Note that the blasphemer is the son of an Egyptian father and an Israelite woman

from the tribe of Dan. Dani'el 9:24-27 teaches that the Antichrist will be European, and

will rule the revived Roman Empire. Ancient Jewish sages taught that the evil world

Page 58

leader of the last days would be European and would initially rule from Rome. He was

expected to come from the tribe of Dan . —cf. Genesis 49:17

Dodi

My beloved. The term by which the two loved ones addresses each other in Shir

A next generation.

Page 59

E

By the second century, the faction of Jewish believers in Yahushua who came from the

School of Shammai, was called the Ebionites. In the course of time, they were rejected

by the increasingly gentilised Christianity.

Egel

The golden calf episode, which took place while Mosheh was receiving the on Torah

Har Sinai.

Eh-yeh

When Mosheh asked the Almighty His Name, He answered (Shemot 3:14), "Eh-yeh

asher Eh-yeh." This indicates past, present and future dynamic, active existence, with

the emphasis very strongly on the future. The repetition indicates intensity, so that the

best rendering is not "I will be who I will be," (which conveys arbitraryness) but rather

"I will be!" Often inaccurately translated as "I am" in Exodus 3:14.

Eidah

Congregation; a gathering of any type; a body of people gathered around a witnessing

common purpose. Related to the word which means witness. See: eidut, qahal.

Witness; testimony; a sealed scroll handed to the kings of Yahudah and Israel at the

coronation ceremony. See 2 Kings 11:12, 2 Chronicles 23:11 and Revelation 5. Based

on this, Revelation 4-5 may be interpreted as a vision of the of King Messiah coronation

in heaven.

Eikhah

'Alas!', written by Yirmeyahu; known today as the book of Lamentations.

Ein chadash tachat ha-shamesh

"There is nothing new under the sun." Words spoken by King Shlomo in his old age—

he had seen everything, had studied everything, and had developed a sober cynicism.

El Elyon

El Most High.

El Erech Apa'im

A prayer mentioning the thirteen Attributes of the Almighty.

El Malei Rachamim

Literally: El, full of compassion; a prayer of remembrance.

Eloah Mahozim

The mighty one of fortified strongholds. Dani'el 11:21-12:13 intimates that the False

Page 60

messiah of the latter days will be of the same spirit as Antiochus IV "Epiphanes." The

events are reported with an almost direct transition between the reign of Antiochus IV

"Epiphanes" the endtime reign of the Antichrist, with Dani'el 11:35 serving as the

transition verse between historical time and the eschaton. Dani'el 11:38 states that this

evil figure will not honour the —the Mighty One whom his fathers Elohim of his avot

worshipped—but will honour Eloah Mahozim. The Coming of King Messiah, In we

have linked this name with the religious system which developed from the apostasy in

ancient Babylon, a few generations after the Flood during the days of Noach. We saw

that there is a chilling link between the nature of that ancient pagan religious system, and

the apostate Rome-based paganised Christianity of today. Putting it all together, one

comes to the conclusion that the Antichrist will be a European Jewish man from the tribe

of Dan, an apostate and traitor of his people, who will arise from within paganised

Christianity, with the full backing of the leader the — False prophet of Revelation

13—of that idolatrous religious system.

Elohim

Mighty one before whom one trembles in awe. Used of YHWH the Father, and also of

the Son, as a plural of intensity and majesty. Used of idols and judges as a normal plural

noun. Elohim is not the personal name of the Almighty, but a term. relational

Expressive of the majesty and attribute of strict justice of the Creator. In Tehillim 45:7,

the relationship between the prophetic poet and the Messiah is that the Messiah is the

Elohim of the human poet, while YHWH the Father is the Elohim of His anointed Son.

Throughout Scripture, the Messiah is, in His presence, YHWH Elohim manifest; yet in

His service, He is the servant of YHWH His Elohim, calling the Father "my Elohim" and

"the only true Elohim."

El Shaddai

The All-Sufficient, All-bountiful One. Until the time of Mosheh, the Almighty made

Himself known to the patriarchs in the character expressed by the name El Shaddai.

Ever since Mosheh, He has also revealed Himself in the character expressed by the name

YHWH—everlasting, escalating, manifest existence expressed in loyal covenantal love.

Emunah

Faith; the reinforcing triangular interaction between (1) knowledge of the truth (da'at)

(emet), emunah (2) trust in this revealed truth, and (3) obedience. The term is very rich

and also contains the concepts of love toward the Almighty, steadfastness, uprightness

and faithfulness. We are saved by the loyal love of the Father and the faithfulness of

Yahushua the Messiah. We accept this grace when we heed the call of the of the Ruach

Almighty and put our trust in the fundamental truth of Scripture: vicarious atonement

through the Messiah. Subsequently, we walk in Note that we are saved by emunah. not

our grace faithfulness faith, but by the of the Father and the of the Son—truths which

are sowed in our heart by the . Scripture teaches Ruach HaQodesh covenantal

nomism—YHWH draws us into the covenant by unmerited grace. Once saved, we have

covenantal obligations, to which we should be faithful with our entire being, not by

external ritual alone.

Page 61

When many Gentiles accepted the Messiah, there was a problem with communicating

Scriptural truth to them in their language—languages which were not the original

vehicle for the and which contained concepts which hindered the correct Devar,

communication of the The Greek word is somewhat poorer than the Devar. pistes

Hebraic concept of So the Almighty chose and sent —Messianic emunah. chokhamim

Jewish sages—to the Gentiles, to communicate the fulness of the to them in their Devar

own language, to fill out the (fulness) of the Hebraic concepts in the Greek pleroma

language. We have the essence of the inspired teachings of these in the chokhamim

epistles of the Sh'liachim.

Emunah is a glowing fire in the heart, not an intellectual confession of doctrine; it is

caught, not taught; it is a work of the Ruach HaQodesh.

Enthronement festival

Scholar Sigmund Mowinckel identified Rosh HaShanah as the enthronement festival

major and is the enthronement festival minor—refer to the articles Sukkot Day of the

Lord Sukkot Encyclopedia Judaica. and in The major enthronement psalms in Scripture

are Psalms 47, 93 and 96-99. Also study 2 Samuel 6-7, Psalm 132 and 1 Kings 8.

Ephrayim

Literally: "fruitfulness."

A tribe of Israel. The tribe of birthright. Yirmeyahu 31 as well as Hoshea contain rich

prophecies about Ephrayim.

Episkopos [G]

A superintendent, bishop, overseer.

Episunagoge

A complete collection; a meeting (for worship). Assembling (gathering) together.

Eretz

Land or world.

Eretz Yisrael

The Land Israel.

Erev Shabbat

Late Friday afternoon, just before Shabbat begins. Eschatologically, we are living in

Erev Shabbat, Olam Hazeh Yom YHWH. i.e. at the end of the and at the very threshold of

Erev

Dusk. The day before, the eve of.

Erusha

A betrothed virgin.

Erusin

The betrothal ceremony. The bridegroom paid a price—the —for the bride. The mohar

bride accepted the bridegroom's betrothal offer by drinking a cup of wine. In ancient

times, the formal betrothal ceremony, constituting the first phase of marriage.

Yahushua the Messiah laid down his own life for us to buy us as His bride, because our

sinfulness is incompatible with the qadosh-ness of the Almighty; without the Messiah

our righteousness is as filthy rags and we remain under the penalty of death. His mohar

(bride-price) was his own life; the currency was his own blood, his broken body. This is

the gate through which the righteous shall enter; there is no other gate (cf. Tehillim 118).

The cup of wine that we drink, and the bread that we eat during the meal dedicated to

YHWH, is a symbol, remembrance and seal of our covenant status as a (zekher)

betrothed bride who awaits the coming of our Bridegroom to take us to His Father's

house.

Eruv

Technical term for rabbinical provision permitting the alleviation of certain restrictions.

Esheth ish

A married woman.

Eved

Servant. In the four prophetic songs about the in , the Eved of YHWH Yeshayahu 42-53

Messiah is announced to be the (student) of YHWH, the rejected and tortured Talmid

One who will be resurrected from the dead. By His vicarious death, healing and

salvation came to us. He is Yisra'el personified. Whereas the nation Yisra'el failed as

the elect covenant partner of YHWH, the Eved of YHWH is the empowered who One

will not fail, will become the representative Head of the redeemed, in whom the

represented many receive salvation.

Etrog

Citron fruit; with the lulav, it is the symbol of Citron fruit taken as one of the Sukkot.

four species on the Feast of Tabernacles. Based on a coded message in a specific Psalm,

the sages taught that Adam and Chawwah trespassed in by eating an Gan Eden etrog.

Tree of life.

YHWH wants to restore to mankind, but only to those who will do Chayim Olam

teshuvah (return to Him). Because He knew that the nature of mankind would be evil

after eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, YHWH prevented us

from eating of (the tree of life) by driving us out of Gan Eden. Eating of Eytz Chayim

that tree would have locked us up in a state of sinfulness.

Eusebes [G]

Well-revered, i.e. pious and devout.

Even Shetiyah

The Foundation Stone in the Miqdash.

Page 63

Abraham ibn Ezra (1092-1164), poet, mathematician, astronomer, grammarian, and

Bible commentator, emerged as a philosopher through his major work, Sefer Yesod Mora

Ve-Sod HaTorah Torah), (Treatise on the Foundation of Awe and the Secret of the in

which he explains the commandments found in Scripture. is also one Sefer Yesod Mora

of the first philosophical treatises to be written in Hebrew.

Rabbi ibn Ezra opens the with an evaluation of the various branches of Yesod Mora

knowledge, noting that man's rational soul separates human beings from the rest of the

animal kingdom. He then analyses the role of traditional learning in the development of

the soul. Ibn Ezra addresses the importance of the knowledge of grammar, stating that

one cannot fully understand the text of the without it. He also discusses the study Torah

of Scripture and the Talmud, arguing that one cannot properly comprehend the Talmud if

one does not know the sciences, for there are many passages in the and the Torah

Talmud that are either incomprehensible or given to misinterpretation by one who has no

prior knowledge of the sciences.

Rabbi Ibn Ezra believed that there is a reason for all the commandments of the Torah

and that all possess a coherent structure. He maintains that an individual is mitzvot

obligated to observe all the commandments, even if he does not understand their purpose

or function. He also explains that the are divided into positive and negative mitzvot

commandments, noting that the commandments are observed through belief, speech, and

action.

Sefer Yesod Mora greatly influenced Maimonides and many of the concepts found in his

Guide for the Perplexed, Yesod Mora and traces of the can even be found in Rabbi

Shneur Zalman of Liadi's Tanya.

Ezrat Nashim

The Hall of the Women in the compound; the outer Courtyard. Beit haMiqdash

The Hall of Israel in the Temple compound.

Page 64

F

Why do Israelites fast on ? Va'Yikrah (Leviticus) 23 and Ba'Midbar Yom Kippur

(Numbers) 29 both make it clear that Israelites are to "afflict" or "deny" their beings

(nefesh) on This has been interpreted to mean, amongst other things, Yom HaKippurim.

abstaining from food, bathing, sexual contact and other kinds of pleasurable activity—

Yom Kippur is a day of solemn assembly.

But how does fasting in particular accomplish afflicting your being? Fasting in the

Torah is done on certain occasions only, and permitted by the Rabbis for short periods

only, usually not for more than 25 hours for various events like the anniversary of the

death of someone, a communal catastrophe, when or books are dropped, Tefillin Torah

and on feast days like and minor fast days like and Yom Kippur Purim Katan, Tisha b'Av

two or three others.

Denying yourself food, from a Jewish point of view, is a mechanism of remembrance

which reminds us that YHWH alone is sovereign over all, and only He is to be served

and worshipped, instead of our own needs. It also instructs us that all things come from

the Set-Apart One of Israel, blessed be He, and not from our own efforts Devarim (see

8), as our pride would tend to dictate.

Fasting can be thought of as sending a message to YHWH that we recognise His Kingship

and provision. Fasting was never meant to be a method through which we coerce9

the Almighty into doing what want, or invoke His presence, or to get Him to listen to we

us; He hears us anyway, whether we fast or not. Those who practice fasting to achieve

these things are really practising a form of shamanism. Fasting in the in fact, is Tanakh,

not YHWH or even YHWH. It is about and our relationship YHWH. for about us, to

Scriptural fasting never has as its goal (as in paganism) to reach the heavenly powers and

please them by denying the physical needs of the body. It is not a mechanism of guiltremoval

to cleanse the conscience, nor is this concept found in Except for Torah.

personal grief or sorrow, Scriptural fasting is almost always communal, not individual—

the faithful fast as a body.

Thus we afflict our beings, by going against the grain of our natural thoughts and

perceptions. Fasting is in essence a to help us get back on track, that the reality check

prayer of Psalmist might come to pass…

Tehillim 51:10

Lev tahor barah li Elohim, v'ruach nachon chadesh ba-kirbi.

Create in me a pure heart, O Elohim, and renew a correct spirit within me.

Yeshayahu 58 deals with fasting; unfortunately this passage is almost universally misunderstood

and misapplied within contemporary Christianity; it deals with communal

fasting on and is, in fact, the Scripture reading for Yom Kippur Haftarah Yom Kippur.

9 Afrikaans: Sy arm draai.

Page 65

Yeshayahu 58 teaches us to look at ourselves and measure us against the moral standards

of the Word, and then to repent and become doers of the word, specifically in being

generous and kind to poor brothers and sisters in the community.

Fox

An inferior person. One of low moral and intellectual stature, of inferior pedigree.

Opposite: Lion.

Page 66

G

Circle; wheel; heaven. Names like Galil and Gilgal contain this grammatical root.

Galil

The Galilee.

Galut

The Diaspora, exile or dispersion of Israel. The condition of Israel in the Dispersion.

Gan Eden

Literally: Garden of delight. The Garden of Eden. Paradise.

Gaon

Plural: Ge'onim.

Excellency. Reverential title of heads of Talmudic academies of Sura and Pumbedita in

Babylonia, which flourished between the sixth and eleventh centuries, the Gaonic period.

The head of a learning centre in Babylonia in the post-Talmudic era. Torah

The office of Gaon.

Gaonic period

Period between the sixth and eleventh centuries, when Talmudic academies flourished in

Babylonia, and were led by the Ge'onim.

A collection of legal and ethical discussions of the rabbis of the third to the fifth

centuries, edited about 500 YM. Together with the Mishnah, it forms the Talmud. The

Hebrew word Gemarah means "completion." It is the second and longer of the two

pieces of literature which comprise the Talmud. The Gemarah completed the Mishnah

by functioning as its commentary.

The word "talmud" means "studies". The Talmud is essentially edited minutes of

meetings between sages who discussed the written the oral the Prophets, Torah, Torah,

the service, the Writings as well as (Jewish religious law). Beit haMiqdash halakhah

The Mishnah is the shorter, earlier part of the Talmud. It is quite cryptic and needed

explanation and elaboration. Accordingly, the Gemara was required to complement the

Mishnah. Although many things in the Talmud are untrue, it also contains very valuable

material.

Gematria

The calculation of the numerical values of Hebrew letters and words to find deep

meanings. Finding meanings in the numerical value of Hebrew letters and words.

Page 67

A depository for sacred books. The best-known was discovered in the synagogue of

Fostat in old Cairo.

Ger

Also: Geir. plural: geirim; feminine: geirah; connective plural: geirei-.

Resident-alien. As noted in the Encyclopedia Judaica, Acts 15 contains one of the

earliest extant references to laws applying to non-Jews:

This latter list [Acts 15:20] is the only one that bears any systematic relationship

to the set of religious laws which the Pentateuch makes obligatory upon resident

These resident aliens are the geirim. What some rabbis today are calling "B'nai Noah"

was first formally defined and stated by the Netzarim in Yerushalayim, under Beit Din

the first Paqid, Ya'aqov "ha-Tzadiq" Ben-David.

The quickest and easiest way to understand the concept ger is to relate the ger to the

modern definition of "Bnai Noah." The ger differs in two ways:

Semantic: the name. Both and Talmud refer unambiguously to Benei Noach as all Torah

non-Jews, not just those who observe the Noachide Laws. As the widely acknowledged

expert in Hellenism, Louis H. Feldman, makes clear in his article in the Biblical

Archaeology Review (86.09-10, p. 58ff), in both Biblical and Talmudic times, these non-

Jews were unconverted proselytes to Judaism, called geirim.

Threshold condition versus end-goal. The earliest formal statement of the Noachide

Laws, stated explicitly in the same decision that these were a threshhold or Beit Din

minimum requirement for non-Jewish geirim, not an acceptable permanent goal for B'nai

Noach, because, then these non-Jews, otherwise not permitted to mingle with Jews

during that period, were permitted to attend synagogue, where they could learn the rest

of from those who recite the of Mosheh every Shabbat, in every city, from Torah Torah

ancient generations, the of Mosheh being recited every Shabbat in the Torah

synagogues. What some rabbis hail as the end-goal for "B'nai Noah" was considered the

minimum threshhold or entrance requirement for geirim interrelating with the Jewish

community in the 1st centuries BM and YM.

While the modern understanding of ger is "a convert to Judaism," the Biblical definition

was slightly different. See the 1986-09-10 magazine Biblical Archaeology Review

(BAR) article by Louis H. Feldman. BAR states: "There is simply no one in the world

who has a better grasp of Hellenistic Jewish literature than Louis Feldman" p. (loc. cit.,

45). Feldman's article on "God-fearers" (loc. cit., pp. 58-69) is a MUST read. Non-Jews

never came to Judaism already -observant and satisfying all of the requirements for Torah

being converted. When non-Jews became interested in learning about Judaism they

required a special status to distinguish them above the Upon coming Bnei Noach.

before, and being recognised by, the as 1) keeping the Noachide laws and Beit Din

2) committed to learning and practising the rest of -observance, these postulants to Torah

Judaism were granted the status of (feminine: These geir Toshav geirah toshevet).

remain unchanged the two requirements for being recognised by the Netzarim — — Beit

Din geir Toshav Netzarim. geir Toshav as a Becoming a enables a non-Jew to be

counted within Israel; it is not the same as converting.

In Ancient Israel, most geirim converted, which is why geir eventually blurred with

"convert." However, when the geir converts, Orthodox then recognises him or halakhah

her as a Jew(ess). The Jew(ess) whom Orthodox prohibits from even being — halakhah

reminded of their non-Jewish past is then no longer a geir(ah). There were also many —

geirim who, either because they feared circumcision or were married to a non-Jew who

did not want to convert, never converted. Upon becoming conversant and responsible to

the entirety of like a Jew, the who didn't convert was then instead Torah geir Toshav

recognised as a (who was still not a Jew). Thus, it is inaccurate to confuse geir tzeddiq

the geir with the (converted) Jew. A is a non-Jew who has come before a geir Toshav

Beit Din and been recognised as a non-Jew, with probationary status in the Jewish

community, committed to learning, and keeping as they are in the process of learning,

Torah halakhah and .

Ger Sheker

Proselyte who declares full conversion for ulterior motives.

Ger Toshav

Literally: sojourner or stranger who dwells at the gate (Afrikaans: "die vreemdeling in

jou poorte"). A temporary resident in A Gentile living in Eretz Yisra'el who worships

the One Elohim of Yisra'el and obeys the Noachide laws as his covenant obligation, but

does not receive circumcision and does not as yet observe the entire Such a Torah.

person received courtesies and privileges. The teaches that such a person had to Torah

be treated well by the Israelites.

In Acts 15, the Nazarene Beit Din met in Yerushalayim and ruled that a non-Jew may

enter the Body of Messiah as a In other words, immediate conversion to Ger Toshav.

Judaism is not an entrance requirement for Messianic Gentiles. This loosing halakhic

still applies today, i.e. no-one may force a Gentile believer in Messiah to become „̓p

Jewish in order to be saved. Likewise, no-one may tell a Jewish believer in Messiah „̓q

to break away from In Torah, i.e. to be unfaithful to his or her covenantal obligations.

the first century, point was widely misunderstood. Today, point is sadly „Í „Í ƒp ƒq

misunderstood, both within Christianity and non-Messianic Judaism.

Ger Tzadek

Literally: a righteous sojourner or stranger. A full convert of true conviction, in all

respects to be treated like an ethnic Israelite. A Gentile who accepts the entire yoke of

the Torah as his covenant obligation and is circumcised.

Note: the yoke of the is considerably lighter for a female than for a male Torah Ger

The Torah given through Mosheh deals with Israel's unique covenantal obligations, and

contains (commandments) on how to treat Gentiles travelling through and mitzvot

residing in Eretz Yisra'el. It does state how Gentiles staying outside Eretz Yisra'el not

should behave. Why not? Is it an oversight? Certainly not! The covenant with Noach

applies to such Gentiles, i.e. all non-Israelites dwelling outside the borders of Eretz

Page 69

Yisra'el. Before Messiah, only a received the fulness of the benefits of the Ger Tzadiq

covenants with Israel. Since Messiah, Gentile believers enter into the fulness of the

benefits of the (New Covenant), not by converting to Judaism, but by B'rit Chadashah

the (faithfulness) of Yahushua the Messiah. After having entered into the emunah

covenant by grace, the Gentile believer keeps the Noachide (commandments) as mitzvot

the entrance requirement for fellowship, and should then start out on the path of learning

and practicing more and more of the . In the view of many Messianic Jewish Torah

ruling councils, then, the covenantal obligations of a Gentile worshiper of the Almighty

are considerably less that that of a Messianic Jewish believer. Israel had and has a

unique commissioning: they are the chosen people—chosen to perform a task.

Gerut

The process of conversion to Judaism.

Get

A Jewish bill of divorce, given by a man to an unwanted wife.

In the days of King David, it was customary for soldiers to provide their wives with a

Get Get before they went to battle. Should the husband become "missing in action" the

would spare the wife the agony of having to remain an unmarried widow for the rest of

her life.

The rabbis teach that Uriyah gave Bat-Sheva a before he went to war, so get

that—technically—Bat-Sheva was a divorced woman when King David seduced her.

This fact does not distract from the seriousness of King David's sin, for which he was

punished but forgiven.

Gevurot Geshamim

"The power of rain," a praise to YHWH for the revelation of His powers in nature.

Gezerah

Laws or traditions added by the Pharisees as around the written of the fences mitzvot

Torah in an attempt to prevent it from being broken.

Ge'ulah

Redemption.

Ge'ulah shelemah

The complete redemption, in the acharit-yamim, to be established by Almighty YHWH

by the hand of His Messiah. The eschatological messianic redemption.

Gever

A strong one, i.e. a male or a warrior.

Gey

Valley.

Gey Hinnom

Valley of (the son(s) of) Hinnom. Simplistically translated as "hell." A valley to the

Page 70

South, Southwest and West of Yerushalayim where the social outcasts and those with

unclean diseases dwelt amidst rubbish, sewerage, worms and smoke from ever-present

fires, cut off from the life of Yisra'el and tye avodah of the . Beit haMiqdash A place of

punishment in the age to come.

Gihon

A river. Literally: to gush.

GNT

It is a fact of life that there are many manuscripts of the New Testament, ranging from

minute portions, dated as early as 45 to 55 YM, right through to whole copies of the New

Testament dating as early as the middle 300's YM, and many more that are later than

that, right up to around 1000 YM.

No one claims to have any portion of the original documents themselves, and so

everything of antiquity available to us are copies (of copies etc.). This all took place

before the printing press.

The copyists of the New Testament text were generally reasonably accurate in their

work, but not nearly as accurate as the Jewish copyists of the Hebrew Scriptures. There

were mistakes made, but not usually significant.

Most people do not bother to count copies of the New Testament that are younger than

1000 YM as significant in determination of the most accurate text.

On such a basis there are around 28,000 manuscripts or parts of, that are considered as

old enough to have any bearing on what would determine an accurate representation of

the original Greek text.

Such a large number of manuscripts provide a sufficient enough amount of data to

compare each, and in doing so generally iron out any mistakes made by copyists.

Although it does seem to some extent logical that the older the manuscript it is less likely

to be influenced by scribal error.

Although, such a conclusion is challenged by some of the most eminent of commentators

on this matter.

Most early translations into English, the first of which took place around the end of the

1300's YM were made from a very early Latin translation, made by Jerome, called the

Vulgate.

However, there arose a very strong desire to present an accurate edition of the Greek text

of the New Testament. Names like Stephen (1550 YM) and Elzevir (1624 YM) represent

serious attempts to present working editions of the Greek text.

The methods they used were simply to sift through whatever was available and make a

decision about what each manuscript available to them said, and include what looked

like a general consensus of accuracy into their text.

They were guided to some extent by what had been considered traditionally by the

church, and its theologians, as an accurate representation of the original text. That is,

Page 71

what which had been received by the church through the ages. Thus the general

description of the resultant text has become to be known as the "Received Text"

(sometimes known by its Latin title Textus Receptus). This forms the basis of the —

work of the above editors, and many others of the time.

By the time of the translation of the 1611 King James Version of the Bible, the edition

known as the Received Text was generally accepted as the most accurate representation

of the Greek New Testament. That was used by the translation committee of that version.

In the late 1800's a significant ancient Greek manuscript became available: this became

to be known as and currently resides in the British Museum in Codex Sinaiaticus,

London. Its significance in the discussion as to the accuracy of the 15th and 16th

Century editions of the Greek New Testament, can be seen in that it is the oldest

complete copy of the New Testament and dates to around 340 YM. At last, it was

believed, a very ancient manuscript that could confirm or validate the work of the

Erasmus, Stephens and Elzevir.

There arose a consensus of opinion in this area of discussion that the most ancient

manuscripts were the most accurate. This had not been the opinion of the 15th and 16th

Century editors, who had followed rather a loose majority text opinion. This more

modern idea, that the oldest manuscripts were the most accurate, began to be widely

adopted by editors, and forms the basis of the principles of Westcott and Hort. Largely

speaking that position has prevailed in the region of textural criticism since the latter half

of the 19th Century, and is still held by many today.

The text that we refer to as the Westcott and Hort text, although it is known by some

other descriptions, is largely based upon the Codex Sinaiaticus, and highlights some

significant differences with that presented in the Received Text.

However, the theory that antiquity carries authenticity has some serious flaws. The

reason why it was adopted, was simply because, it was assumed that people do not take

things out of a text, they more likely add things to it. The older the manuscript the less

likely to be the errors. Yet this is simply not true. You can just as easily remove things in

error as well as you may add things in error.

One reason why there are not so many really old documents is that they get damaged and

deteriorate in use. To find a very ancient complete manuscript of the Apostolic Writings

actually implies that it had not been used, which carries and inherent suggestion of

unacceptability.

Another difficulty with the school of thought that surrounded the editions following the

principles of Westcott and Hort, was simply that it was all too eclectic, and subject to the

opinions of the editors. Evangelicals have looked for a less subjective approach to the

matter.

A number of evangelical scholars have pointed out the glaring problems of too closely

following the Westcott and Hort type text, for there are occasions where a variant text is

chosen which just does not accord with context.

For example, in Luke 4:44: the Westcott and Hort text says that Yahushua continued to

preach in the synagogues of Judea, when the passage immediately previous to it makes it

Page 72

very clear that he was nowhere near Judea, being continually located in Galilee at the

time. This is echoed by the NIV and NASB translations which both, quite slavishly,

follow the Westcott and Hort type text, and is so obviously wrong that it is surprising

that the translators could stick to the text, yet they do acknowledge this in their footnotes.

However, the (NKJV), which follows a Majority Text position New King James Version

gets it right and translates the text to read that he continued preaching in the synagogues

of Galilee, which admirably fits the context.

Another example is found in John 1:28, where the NIV reflecting its Westcott and Hort

background claims that John was baptising at Bethany which is the other side (meaning

the eastern side) of the Jordan, which of course is simply incorrect, for Bethany is just a

mile or two to the south east of Yerushalayim and nowhere near the Jordan, let alone the

other side of it. The NKJV version, following the majority text, more accurately points

out that John was baptising at Bethabara, which is on the eastern side of the river Jordan.

Why we ask do the advocates of the Westcott and Hort principles stick to such obvious

errors of presentation, if it is not to give the reader the general impression that errors

reside in the New Testament text?