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"It is better to take refuge in Adonai than to trust in human beings; better to take refuge in Adonai than to put one's trust in princes." -Tehilah 118:8-9



Shabbat Update
Saturday, November 11, 2006

Shabbat Shalom, blogosphere!

Torah Time

Along with posting the weekly reading from the Torah, Haftarah, and Brit Chadasha in an easy-to-read format, Chavurat Achim provides insight and discussion from three Messianic friends on the Parsha. This week's reading, Parashat Vayera means "And appeared," and the chaverim at Chavurat Achim pray, "May our Father appear to you this week." Baruch haShem.

Jewish News You Can Use

Israel

The major event of the week in Israel centered on the Gay Pride Parade set to take place in Jerusalem. Originally cancelled due to the war with Lebanon, the parade was rescheduled, much to the dismay of the Orthodox public. Israel National Radio hosts discussed the parade from all angles, and what such a parade would mean for the religious welfare of the State of Israel. YNet News reported that the Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox) were not above calling for "holy war" on the issue. Mystical Paths, a blog manned by four Orthodox Jews, chronicled the scary Israeli government response to the protests, as well as the threats received from the homosexual community.

Israeli Bloggers have been posting on the controversy over the parade non-stop. Most are for the parade, some are against. The majority of Israelis, being secular, view the parade through a political rather than a religious lens. Seeing Israel as a democracy, they cannot justify canceling the parade on the basis of Orthodox disapproval of homosexuality. Hence, the issue went from sexuality to the freedoms granted to individuals in a democracy. Israelity cross-posted the story of one Israeli woman's experience, not too long ago, with an Orthodox man and a self-proclaimed "Arab Fruit" on a bus ride in Israel. The story is one that goes to show you that you can't always measure the character of a person by their group identity.

Yeshua teaches us that He is the judge, and He is no respecter of persons, that HaShem hates the sin, not the sinner. In knowing this, I can't help but find the violence, both physical and verbal, spouting from the controversy to be the real story in this entire event. When is it justifiable for a Jew to use force against another Jew? Yet, perhaps it isn't about the violence, but the mindset behind it. When is it permissible for a Jew to judge another Jew, or a gentile for that matter?

The Torah speaks of stoning sinners for various crimes. The teachings of the Brit Chadasha speak of "correcting" those in the community who contradict the teachings of HaShem. In II Timothy, Rav Shaul warns his son in Messiah to "keep away from godless babbling, for those who engage in it will only become more ungodly, and their teaching will eat away at people like gangrene." (2:16-17) Rav Shaul instructs Timothy not only to avoid useless argument, but to "be gentle as he corrects his opponents. For G-d may perhaps grant them the opportunity to turn from their sins..."(2:25). Citing the example of Pharoah's magicians, who sought through magic to replicate the miracles HaShem did through Moshe, Rav Shaul instructs:
"In the same way as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moshe, so also these people oppose the truth. They are people with corrupted minds, whose trust cannot pass the test. However, they won't get very far; because everyone will see how stupid they are, just as happened with those two." (3:8-9)
Everyone will see how stupid they are... Perhaps it is in this statement that we may learn our greatest lesson: In allowing the sinner to commit the sin, we are leaving them open to the judgement of HaShem, whose truth stands forever. Yeshua instructed in Yochanan 3:18
Those who trust in Him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is G-d's only and unique Son.
In other words, the sinner, in choosing to sin, has also made the free will choice to be judged. Their judgement before the throne of G-d is the spiritual version of a public stoning; as believers, we are witnesses to it by knowing and trusting in the truth of HaShem and His word.

Therefore, there is no need to raise a hand against those who disobey HaShem, neither Jew nor gentile; our job is done when we testify to His power to render judgement. We do this through speaking the truth publicly and stepping aside to give G-d the power over the situation and the glory for the victory.

Does this mean I think G-d is a pacifist? HA! We don't call Him Adonai Tzvaot for no reason. Rather, I believe that He is the leader, the General of the army, and we are under His command.

America

The midterm elections left a lot to be desired for Israel. Scripture teaches us that as goes your nation's relationship with Israel, so goes your nation. Americans better watch out. The excellent Caroline Glick of the Jerusalem Post has penned two articles this week that provide great insight into what the midterm elections will mean to Israel and Jewish Americans: Column One: Olmert's ill-timed Washington visit from November 10, and Our World: A midterm correction, or capitulation? from November 6, are must-reads:
The central contention of people like Walt and Mearshimer and Democratic leaders like Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Kerry and Senator Ted Kennedy is that there is no global war that needs fighting. If they understood that the US is fighting a global war, then the question of whether Israel is part of the problem or part of the solution would have been settled definitively in Israel's favor five years ago.

It is only by ignoring the reality of the war that it is possible for people to pretend that Israel is the cause of Islamic fascism, or that American Jews and Jewish neoconservatives are the source of the world's misfortunes. - Nov 6
In a series of recent press interviews, Baker and Hamilton have indicated that they will recommend that Bush enter into negotiations with Iran and Syria. The proposed talks they say, will serve to motivate Iran and Syria to stabilize the situation in Iraq in a manner that will pave the way for a retreat of US forces from the country.

Since it is Iranian and Syrian sponsorship of the insurgency that is causing the war to continue, it is fairly clear that Baker is egging for a temporary ceasefire that will last long enough to enable a pullout of US forces. The fact that the price of the temporary ceasefire will be a US defeat in Iraq and the surrender of Iraq to the tender mercies of Iran and Syria is apparently okay by Baker. -Nov 10
An article on Israpundit titled Conflict of Interest? Baker tied to Oil details the Antisemitic background of influential White House personality James Baker:
James A. Baker III, close friend and confidant of the Bush family and Secretary of State under George the First, is back in the news again.

Lest we forget, this is the same Baker who, when Israel wasn't caving in to his State Department's demands fast enough (such as his promise to Hafez al-Assad, Saddam's twin butcher in Syria, of a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan–from which Syria regularly bombarded Israelis below), responded "F_ _ _ the Jews, they don't vote for us anyway!"

He regularly referred to his "Jew boys," who he had do his bidding for him at Foggy Bottom. It’s great to have a Jew stick it to other Jews in Israel.

And regarding Israel, he was quoted as seeing it in the eyes of a hunter stalking a wild turkey.
American believers should heed the signs of the times and think twice about believing that they're living under an Israel-friendly Presidency. Dare to look behind the green curtain, and you'll find out that we certainly aren't in Kansas anymore.

Around the Believing Blogosphere

This week's theme is perspective. I never cease to be amazed at the varying attitudes and approaches towards G-d and His Torah. Despite the fact that we are one people, we each have something different to contribute to our faith; one body, many parts, so to speak. In providing these links here, I would also ask, what's your perspective? How has it been formed? Has it been formed through a Ruach-led reading of the Word, or through the commentaries of men? How best can your perspective contribute to the community of believers in Yeshua?

Victor over at Dominic Ville contemplates the paths of the believing community in Worldview and Wilderness.

Boaz at Scaling the Soreg
 looks at Parasha Noach from a scientific perspective.

A great discussion ensued on the physical and spiritual of the mitzvoth over at Gentile for Judaism this week.

Sean at Toward a Messianic Judaism contemplates the role of Torah in Messianic Judaism, and how Torah-observant Messianic Jews are often seen as rebels within the community.

Rabbi Stuart Dauermann at Rabbenu discusses what it means to be a true Child of Abraham.

Aaron Sperry at Chavurat Achim discusses the kingdom of knowledge versus the kingdom of Heaven battle within the One-Torah/Messianic community in his drash on Ashrei.

If you have a post you would like to see included in the Shabbat Update, drop me a line at theunifiedbody AT yahoo DOT com. Barring offensive language or inappropriate subject matter, I will be glad to link it up!

Stay tuned for this week's four-part series, Mishpocha in Mashiach. In the meantime, Shabbat Shalom and Kol Tuv!





posted by Shoshana @ 12:55 PM

1 Comments:

At 12:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Shoshana, I like what you're doing over here. It is a good resource in and of itself, and there is some really good commentary as well.

 

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