Rabbi's Writings

Nitzavim Vayelech- Standing He went

נצבים - וילך (Standing – He went) September 24, 2011

There is a constant battle waged between what men say and what G-d actually states in Torah. The paradigm shift challenges us to examine our traditions keeping only those which bring us closer to G-d. If our tradition is mere religion invalidating Scripture then we need to let it go. With this in mind, let us look at the true meaning of brit ברית (covenant) in the portion Nitzavim and why it is so important to understand it in light of Messiah Yeshua’s identity. In Bereshit 15: 9 and 10 the model is established for the subsequent covenants between G-d and the people of Israel. The elements of importance in the brit habetarim הבתרים ברית (covenant of the parts) are that there needed to be a mediator between G-d and Abraham together with the shedding of blood. The mediator needed to die for the covenant to take effect.

Brith Miláh: La Circuncisión

Por Rabino Iosef Chemi, Argentina, SA

La circuncisión, corte del prepucio del hombre, es una de las mas importantes columnas que sostienen la identidad dentro del pueblo judío, y a su vez, es uno de los puntos más salientes que separan, dividen y alejan al pueblo judío del pueblo cristiano, el cual, el pueblo cristiano, desarrolló tres dogmas de su fe: el bautismo ( en reemplazo de la circuncisión), el domingo ( en reemplazo del Shabbat) y la adoración a la trinidad(en reemplazo del shemá, declaración de fe del pueblo judío que implica un solo Di-s que solo manifiesta sus atributos y no su esencia). ¿Cómo es que siendo Yeshua, Jesús, circuncidado, sus discípulos circuncidados, y los discípulos de sus discípulos circuncidados, los seguidores de Cristo enarbolan la bandera de la libertad espiritual frente a la circuncisión (la cual ata al hombre a la esclavitud del pecado: la ley)? ¿Estamos dispuestos a conocer lo que nos cuenta el relato bíblico, dejando de lado nuestros reparos culturales transmitidos por dos mil años, o seguiremos teniendo miedo a pensar por nosotros mismos…que elegiremos, seguir esclavizados a una religión humana o ser libres en la dimensión espiritual siguiendo a Yeshua HaMashiaj…?

¿Qué es la circuncisión? Bereshit 17, para el cristianismo Génesis 17, relata lo siguiente: Avram Avinu, el padre de la fe (confianza), recibe una mitzvá (mandamiento) de Di-s, el cual se le aparece en su atributo de El Shadai (que tiene el poder de realizar su voluntad en toda la creación), y establece un pacto entre El y Avram. Nótese que no es un mandamiento humano, no es el producto de una decisión religiosa de ningún grupo, sino básicamente es un joq (decreto divino sin explicación lógica, Di-s ordena y el hombre ha de cumplir).

Read more: Brith Miláh: La Circuncisión

Shemot- Names or Exodus

שמות December 25, 2010 18 Tevet 5771

We are beginning a new book Shemot and from now on all the books of the Torah are the continuation of Bereshit. They all begin with the conjunction ו vav or and which continues the story. The role of book of Exodus is very important because it is going to define Israel. Bereshit talks about the creation and the beginning of the people and now we see in Exodus, the development of Kahal Israel. God is sending us a message; it is a holistic message that we are touched by God's Presence and his Word. This a different way of looking at God's word, compared to the Gentile approach. I am drawing you more into the paradigm shift of seeing God's word in the Hebraic sense. One of the greatest problems we have today is that we have enthroned man and dethroned God in every area. It's like the teenager who thinks that he's smarter than his parents. It is like this with Israel. The nation is born, and then goes from being a toddler to a teenager trying to mature. We will read in this book the many failures of Israel.

The Akeda - Binding of Yitzhack

The binding of Yitzchak found at the end of the Torah portion Vayera in Bereshit (Genesis 22 1- 15), is considered by the Jewish sages to be one of the most important portions in the Torah, and is read during Rosh Hashanah. Rabbis continue asking such questions as: Why would G-d demand such a thing of Avraham or even Yitzchak. Is G-d sadistic? Did He need to test Abraham’s love for G-d or the limits of his obedience? These questions can only be answered through a study of the Akeda in light of its fulfillment in Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. The sages say that every verse from Moses to the last prophet speaks of the times of Messiah (Berachot 34 b).In verse 1 G-d calls out to Avraham using the first of three uses of the word “Hineni” (here I am) demonstrating that he was always ready to serve and obey G-d. In verse 2, G-d tells Avraham: “take your son, your only son (jdyxy -yachidecha) Yitzchak whom you love and…” Was Yitzchak indeed Avraham’s only son? Abraham already had a first born son named Ishmael but he was not the son of the promise. Yitzchak was the one through whom G-d would fulfill His promise to Avraham in Genesis 12:3. The sod (mystical understanding) revealed by Yitzchak being called the only (begotten) son is that this gives us a glimpse of another son of Israel who would be born years later through another miraculous birth.

Moses as the Leader of Israel

As I was preparing my Torah study of parashah* Shemot (Exodus) 1:1- 6:1, I was fascinated by the birth and calling of Rabbenu Moshe (our teacher Moses). I enjoy studying the legends of our people since they help me to be better prepared to be a witness for our Messiah Yeshua. As a Sephardic Jew I like to find the common ground that we as Messianic Jews share with our sages. It is no longer a surprise to me after many so years of studying our sages that I find the many parallels which can be drawn between the births of Yeshua and Moshe. * (weekly portion read at the synagogues)