What is the truth about Jewish beliefs of His Way?

Dear Friends;

There is a lot of confusion on these posting about Jewish beliefs of what G-d has said, regarding salvation. I shall post a series of articles over the nest few weeks, for those who read our postings and may wish for a clearer idea, and less bias one, on what we do believe.

The First Posting

Jews believe that one person's death

cannot atone for the sins of another.<align= center=""

Jews Believe That: 

One person cannot die for the sins of another. 

IN SHORT... The Bible is clear, and it is consistent: one person cannot die for the sins of another. In other words, the sins committed by one person cannot be wiped out by the punishment given to another. In Exodus 32:30-35, Moses asks Gd to punish him for the sin committed by the people in regards to the Golden Calf. Gd tells Moses that the person who committed the sin is the one who must receive the punishment. Then, in Deuteronomy 24:16, Gd simply states this as a basic principle, 'Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.' This concept is repeated in the Prophets, in Ezekiel 18: 'The soul that sinneth, it shall die... the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.' The prophet Jeremiah looks to the day when the mistaken belief that one man's death atones for another man's sins shall no longer be held by anyone: in Jeremiah 31:29-30, the prophet says: 'In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.'

A MORE COMPLETE EXPLANATION... The Christian understanding is that Jesus, the one they believe to be the messiah, died for the sins of all humanity. In this view, the messiah is supposed to be the blood sacrifice necessary for the forgiveness of sin; in other words, a human sacrifice. However, not only is this concept of the messiah not found in our Bible, but we are also taught quite clearly and consistently that no one can die for the sins of another, that one person's guilt cannot be forgiven because of another person's death. In Exodus 32:30-35, Moses tries to offer himself as an atonement for the sins of the People, by being written 'out of Thy book which Thou has written.' To be written out of Gd's book means to be written out of the Book of Life; therefore Moses is asking to die for the sins of the People. Gd's response is that it does not work that way, each man dies for his own sin: 

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Etrnl; perhaps I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Etrnl, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin...and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Etrnl said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. And the Etrnl plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made. [Exodus 32:30-35]

Please note that the text tells us that the one who sins is the one who receives the punishment, and no one else. The point is made again in Deuteronomy 24:16, where it explicitly says that no one can die for the sins of another: 

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the father. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. [Deuteronomy 24:16]

The whole of Chapter 18 of the Book of Ezekiel expands upon and clarifies this principle. Furthermore, this chapter teaches that all we have to do to gain Gd's forgiveness is to stop doing the Bad and start doing the Good. Nowhere does it say that we must have a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Please see Essay #2, 'A blood sacrifice is not required for forgiveness of sins.' 

The word of the Etrnl came unto me again, saying, What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Etrnl Gd, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Etrnl Gd: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. [Ezekiel 18:1-4; 20-24; 26-27] 

Again, this same principle is stated in the Book of Jeremiah. In the 31st chapter, Gd tells of a time in the future when no one will continue to believe in such a thing. 

In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. [Jeremiah 31:29-30] 

This is nothing but a restatement and elaboration on Deuteronomy 24:16: 'Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.' The simple and literal meaning of the biblical text needs no interpretation. It is clear and it is consistent: 

No one can die to atone for the sins of another. 

This is why Jews do not believe there was any redemptive power at all in Jesus' death. Such a belief is unbiblical; it has no basis in the sacred text and no justification in Jewish theology. This doctrine can be seen as an invention for the sake of post-event rationalization, in other words, to give meaning and purpose to the crucifixion after the fact. 

Some Christians may choose to interpret other verses in the Bible to indicate the opposite, that one CAN die for the sins of another. If that were the case, this would mean that Gd changed His mind, or that He did not mean what He said in Deuteronomy 24:16: 'Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.' 

But Gd does not change either His mind or His nature, as we read in Malachi 3:6, 

For I am the Etrnl, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 

In a newer technique, some Christians are now quoting rabbinic writings to make it seem as if the rabbis accepted this concept of vicarious atonement. However, even if several respected rabbis did agree with this idea, we must still go by what the Bible states, and the Bible states, in no uncertain terms, 'Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.'       

Judaism, Christianity, Islam, whatever. It's all the same nonsense.

There are no truths;  Fact

Dear Friends;

There is a lot of confusion on these posting about Jewish beliefs of what G-d has said, regarding salvation. I shall post a series of articles over the nest few weeks, for those who read our postings and may wish for a clearer idea, and less bias one, on what we do believe. These postings are from a Rabbi who gave me permission to post, but I am flaghter that I am given credit for them. I was not there when G-d spoke the words you shall read, so I cannot take credit for them.

Remember; I desire understanding and working together. These postings are my responce to the evil words against Jews and Judaism by individuals who do not know His way, or they would not have done evil as we have read. My attempts to urge a Christian response from him did not work, so I post these descriptions of His Way for others to read.

The Second Posting

Essay #2: Jews believe that a blood sacrifice is not required for forgiveness of sins

IN SHORT... If a person believes that a blood sacrifice were necessary in order for Gd to forgive human sin, then that person forgot to study the Five Books of Moses. Even a single example where Gd forgave without a blood sacrifice would prove that this idea is unbiblical. There are many such examples, but the most interesting is found in the Book of Leviticus. The reason this is so interesting is that it appears right in the middle of the discussion of sin sacrifices. In Leviticus 5:11-13, it states, 'If, however, he cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, he is to bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering.' In Jonah 3:10, we also see that one does not need a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. There, the Bible simply states that Gd saw the works of the people of Niniveh. Specifically it says that these works consisted of abandoning their evil ways, and because they did, Gd forgave them. There are many other examples. Therefore, as was stated earlier, the idea that one needs a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins is unbiblical.

A MORE COMPLETE EXPLANATION... 

The Gd-man relationship was never limited to animal sacrifices, nor was it ever the only means by which a human being obtained forgiveness from Gd for wrongdoing. 

The centrality of the animal sacrifices ceased, not with the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans, but rather with the first destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians. Please remember that the vast majority of Jews never went back to the Promised Land. Instead, they remained in Babylonia, despite the permission and encouragement of Cyrus of Persia to return. By the time Jesus was born, 80% of the world's Jewish community lived outside of the Promised Land, and were unconcerned about the cessation of the animal sacrifices. After the Temple was reestablished, the Jews of Babylonia would make an annual financial gift for the maintenance of the Temple, but never worried that Gd was not going to forgive their sins without a blood sacrifice. Neither do Diaspora Jews worry about this today. The reason is that the Bible makes it explicitly clear that Gd had given us other means for obtaining forgiveness. 

Those who believe in the efficacy of blood sacrifice look to Leviticus 17:11 for justification: 

For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. [Leviticus 17:11] 

But if you read this verse in context, you will find that it refers to abstaining from eating or drinking the blood of a sacrifice, and nothing more. Gd commanded this prohibition in order to maintain the distinction between the Jewish people and the pagans. Most pagans ate the blood of their sacrifices as a means of incorporating their gods into their bodies and into their lives. (See 'The Golden Bough' by Sir James Frazer, the chapter entitled 'Eating The Gd.') Perhaps this is the source of the Christian rite of communion. But the holiness of the People of Israel requires them to abhor the pagan ways and not to hold the same beliefs as their pagan neighbors. 

The entire quotation from Leviticus 17 reads: 

Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood -- I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Therefore I say to the Israelites, `None of you may eat blood, nor may an alien living among you eat blood. Any Israelite or any alien living among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth, because the life of every creature is its blood.' That is why I have said to the Israelites, `You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.' 

Some might still insist that blood is needed to atone for sins. But there are many examples in the TaNaKh where other things besides blood atone for sins. If you are poor and unable to afford a blood sacrifice, Gd allows you to use flour, which is not from an animal and therefore has no blood. If the poor were not able to offer a sacrifice of flour, forgiveness would only be for the wealthy -- but Gd would never exclude humans from obtaining forgiveness on the basis of wealth: 

If, however, he cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, he is to bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He must not put oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering. He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar on top of the offerings made to the Etrnl by fire. It is a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest, as in the case of the grain offering. [Leviticus 5:11-13] 

So here, in the middle of the commandments concerning the sacrifices for sin, the Bible tells us we do not need any blood sacrifice. This is clear, unambiguous proof; any claim to the contrary is unbiblical - some would say antibiblical. 

Remember, too, the story of the book of Jonah. Jonah tried to escape from doing Gd's will regarding the people of the city of Niniveh. After the incident of the great fish, he goes to Niniveh, says five words to the people, and what do they do? They fast: 

Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water [Jonah 3:7] 

...just as Jews do on Yom Kippur. In addition to fasting, the inhabitants of the city also prayed: 

Let them cry mightily to Gd...[Jonah 3:8] 

...just as Jews do on Yom Kippur. And, finally, the people of the city stopped doing Evil and began doing Good: 

Let everyone turn from his evil ways and from the violence which is in his hands. [Jonah 3:8] 

...just as we are -- we hope -- inspired to do on Yom Kippur. What was Gd's response? Gd forgave them their sins because of their works: 

When Gd saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, Gd repented of the Evil which He had said He would do unto them, and He did not do it. [Jonah 3:10] 

Please note that the text does NOT read that Gd saw their sacrifices; the people of Niniveh were never commanded to sacrifice. Nor does the text read that Gd saw that they had the 'right faith.' Rather it says that Gd saw what they did: their works. Nor did Gd require that the people convert to Judaism. Their repentance was accepted, though they were Gentiles. 

We can see examples of other non-blood sacrifices for the purpose of atonement: 

So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. [Numbers 16:47] 

And in the verse below we see jewelry offered for atonement, but no blood is shed. 

So we have brought as an offering to the Etrnl the gold articles each of us acquired-- armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces-- to make atonement for ourselves before the Etrnl. [Numbers 31:50] 

Another example is that Isaiah had his sin removed with a live coal: 

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for. [Isaiah 6:6-7] 

It can be pointed out that, without the Temple in Jerusalem, we can no longer offer any kind of ritual sacrifice, bloody or otherwise. This is true. It is not, however, the reason that Jews do not believe in blood sacrifice. Instead, it is the reason that Gd gave the people many different methods of atonement. There was a time in Israel's history when the people became all too consumed with the sacrificial ceremonies. For this, Gd rebuked them, and reminded them that the Laws of Gd were more important than the sacrifices. 

For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your Gd and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you. [Jeremiah 7:22-23] 

Of all the methods Gd gave to us for atonement, the sacrifices were the weakest. (Please see below at 'There were other methods...'). This is the case because sacrifices only made atonement for one kind of sin. Several verses seem to indicate that there needs to be a sacrifice in order to gain atonement for sins. But it must be pointed out just which sins are forgiven by these sacrifices: unintentional sins AND ONLY unintentional sins. This is stated repeatedly: 

The Etrnl said to Moses, Say to the Israelites: 'When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Etrnl's commands...' [Leviticus 4:1-2] 

If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Etrnl's commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, they are guilty. [Leviticus 4:13] 

When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Etrnl his Gd, he is guilty. [Leviticus 4:22] 

If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Etrnl's commands, he is guilty. [Leviticus 4:27] 

When a person commits a violation and sins unintentionally in regard to any of the Etrnl's holy things, he is to bring to the Etrnl as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel. It is a guilt offering. [Leviticus 5:15] 

He is to bring to the priest as a guilt offering a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the wrong he has committed unintentionally, and he will be forgiven. [Leviticus 5:18] 

Now if you unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Etrnl gave Moses... [Numbers 15:22] 

The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven, for it was not intentional and they have brought to the Etrnl for their wrong an offering made by fire and a sin offering. The whole Israelite community and the aliens living among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong. But if just one person sins unintentionally, he must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. The priest is to make atonement before the Etrnl for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven. One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether he is a native-born Israelite or an alien. [Numbers 15:24-29] 

That covers the atonement for unintentional sin. However, if someone were to commit a sin intentionally, he would be punished: 

But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemes the Etrnl, and that person must be cut off from his people. [ Numbers 15:30] 

Gd is a righteous judge. For intentional sins to be atoned for, there had to be repentance and restitution -- and often punishment -- because the sins were committed on purpose. 

A thief must certainly make restitution, but if he has nothing, he must be sold to pay for his theft... If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in another man's field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard... If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution... But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner... If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, he must make restitution. [Exodus 22:3, 5, 6, 12, and 14] 

Say to the Israelites: `When a man or woman wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the Etrnl, that person is guilty and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it all to the person he has wronged.' [Numbers 5:6-7] 

Wouldn't it be nice to live in a society where, if a criminal stole and stripped your car, he would have to replace it, and then give you 20% in addition to what it was worth? 

There were other methods used to gain atonement that were superior to the sacrificial system. This is what Gd truly desires from us: Teshuvah, which means repentance and return to Gd. 

...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. [2 Chronicles 7:14] 

But if from there you seek the Etrnl your Gd, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. [Deuteronomy 4:29] 

He prays to Gd and finds favor with him,

he sees Gd's face and shouts for joy;

he is restored by Gd to his righteous state. [Job 33:26] 

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. [Psalm 34:14] 

The Etrnl is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. [Psalm 34:18] 

Note that it is the humble, contrite and penitent soul that is saved.

It is true repentance and prayer that Gd wants from us, NOT sacrifice. 

Remember, the Psalms were written to sing praises to Gd in the Temple, right where the sacrifices themselves were to be offered. Their authors understood quite well Gd's attitude towards the sacrifices: 

Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire;

mine ears hast thou opened:

burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. [Psalm 40:6] 

And Samuel said, Hath the Etrnl as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Etrnl? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams [1 Samuel 15:22] 

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of Gd are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O Gd, thou wilt not despise. [Psalm 51:16-17] 

Gd wants us to pray for forgiveness. It is prayer that replaces the sacrifices, just as Gd commanded: 

Take words with you and return to the Etrnl. Say to Him: 'Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the bulls of our lips.' [Hosea 14:2] 

Many Christian redactors intentionally mistranslate this passage. The Hebrew is quite clear, 'Pa-reem S'fa-tey-nu, the bulls of our lips.' Instead they mistranslate the Hebrew as if it said, 'Pey-rote S'fa-tey-nu, the fruit of our lips.' This means that they change the word of Gd! for the express purpose of misrepresenting what the Bible plainly says: that Gd accepts prayer in place of sacrifices -- 'the bulls of our lips' is a metaphor for prayer-sacrifice, as opposed to blood-sacrifice. In other words, this expression means sacrifices that are spoken with our mouths, not killed and offered up on the altar like cattle. 

Following the recounting of the incident of the spies in Numbers 13:1 through 13:20, Gd threatens to annihilate the people and build up Moses' line in their place. But Moses prays, reasoning with Gd and reminding Gd of His forgiving nature: 

Therefore, I pray, let my Etrnl's forbearance be great, as You have declared, saying, 'The Etrnl! slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression...' Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to Your great kindness, as You have forgiven this people ever since Egypt. [Numbers 14:17-19] 

This description of Gd's nature was declared by Gd directly to Moses earlier in the Book of Exodus: 

And the Etrnl passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Etrnl, The Etrnl Gd, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin... [Exodus 34:6-7] 

Following the plea in Numbers 14:17-19, Gd answers favorably: 

And the Etrnl said: 'I have pardoned as you have asked.' [Numbers 14:20] 

Note that it is prayer -- Moses' heartfelt and reasonable request -- and not sacrifice that secures Gd's pardon. When Moses is gone, it is the people themselves that will pray to obtain divine forgiveness through their confession and repentance. 

King David also knows the forgiving nature of Gd: 

For thou, Etrnl, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Give ear, O Etrnl, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. [Ps. 86:5-7] 

But thou, O Etrnl, art a Gd full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. [Ps. 86:15] 

The Etrnl is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. [Psalm 103:8] 

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Etrnl is gracious and full of compassion. [Ps. 111:4] 

Gracious is the Etrnl, and righteous; yea, our Gd is merciful. [Ps. 116:5] 

Gd's essential nature does not change. Forgiveness is always available, and the way to obtain it is described again and again in Scripture: 

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. [Proverbs 28:13] 

Here again, we are taught that Gd forgives when the penitent one confesses and declares the intention to cease from sinning. No sacrifice is mentioned. King David, also, confesses his transgressions, and is forgiven. Again, there is no sacrificial offering: 

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. [Psalm 32:1]

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. [Psalm 32:3]

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Etrnl; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. [Psalm 32:5] 

In beautiful parallel phrases, the prophet Isaiah expands upon the concept of Teshuvah as a means of obtaining divine forgiveness: 

Seek the Etrnl while He may be found;

Call upon the Etrnl while He is near.

Let the wicked abandon his ways,

and the evil his designs.

Let him return to the Etrnl and He will have mercy upon him;

let him return to our Gd, for He is ever ready to forgive. [Isaiah 55:6-7] 

The process described by the prophet could not be simpler or clearer: 

Abandon wrongful behavior, return to Gd in repentance, and Gd will forgive and wipe the slate clean. Not only will Gd forgive, but Gd's nature is such that Gd is eager to forgive, and ready to meet us and lead us the rest of the way, if we will only take the first step. This can be compared to having offended a good friend, and then seeking him out to apologize. If he is truly a good friend, he was only waiting for you to make the effort. 

Another superior method of obtaining forgiveness is Tzedakah, often translated inadequately as 'charity' but actually meaning 'righteousness / justice.' We share what we have with the less fortunate mainly because Gd wants us to do the right and just thing, not just because it makes us feel good. 

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of Gd rather than burnt offerings. [Hosea 6:6]

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Etrnl a man avoids evil. [Proverbs 16:6]

To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Etrnl than sacrifice. [Proverbs 21:3]

The three methods above are neatly summarized in the Jewish liturgy for Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, where it is stated, 'Teshuva (return), Tefillah (prayer), and Tzedakah (righteousness) avert the harsh decree.' 

The following quotations all come from I Kings 8, in which King Solomon dedicates the only Temple in the world to the One True Gd. It was in this very Temple that the sacrifices were to take place. Yet at the dedication of the Temple, Solomon calls upon Gd to forgive the penitent, not with any sacrificial offerings, but only with prayer and petitions. Solomon understood well the nature of Gd, and knew that nothing more than this was required. 

...and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel -- each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple -- then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men)... [I Kings 8:38-39] 

The Gentiles too, were to pray directly to Gd for the forgiveness of their sins, without need of a sacrifice. Solomon continues: 

As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name -- for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm -- when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel and may know that this house I have built bears your Name. [I Kings 8:41-43] 

Notice, here, that Gd allowed the Gentiles to pray directly to Him, without the need of an external mediator or savior. Gd Gdself, in Gd's unique, singular oneness, is the savior -- and the ONLY savior -- of humankind. Gd never excluded anyone from forgiveness. All Gd asks for is a contrite heart, and the willingness to follow Gd. 

Keep in mind, still, that the whole of the sacrificial system was centered around the Temple; nonetheless, Gd will forgive based on prayers and repentance. Solomon goes on: 

When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin -- and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, `We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly;' and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy. [I Kings 8:46-50] 

So if you repent, Gd will save you. No mention is made of a requirement to believe in a certain way -- rather, only the act of confessing and pleading for forgiveness is needed, and Gd will restore your righteousness, even though you sinned. 

Again we find this idea in the Book of Job, this time in a poetic declaration of Gd's forgiving nature: 

He prays to Gd and finds favor with him, he sees Gd's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by Gd to his righteous state. [Job 33:26] 

The Bible has repeatedly shown us that sacrifice is not necessary for atonement. Gd has made it abundantly clear to Israel what we are to do for atonement: 

With what shall I come before the Etrnl and bow down before the exalted Gd? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Etrnl be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Etrnl require of you? Only to do Justice, and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with your Gd. [Micah 6:6-8] >>>

I pray that this shall help G-d centered persons to better understand His way.

Shalom;

Yechiel

Dear Friends;

There is a lot of confusion on these posting about Jewish beliefs of what G-d has said, regarding salvation. I shall post a series of articles over the nest few weeks, for those who read our postings and may wish for a clearer idea, and less bias one, on what we do believe.

Judaism had a complete faith structure and belief system in place long before the inception of Christianity. Christianity came on the scene and has tried for two thousand years to replace this belief system with another. These two belief systems (Judaism and Christianity ) are mutually exclusive. The two shall never meet, but one day, we shall learn to cooperate and then, HaShem Willing, His Anointed one shall come.

Essay #3: 

Jews believe that Jesus was not the messiah.

Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah; Jews do not. Some think this is the only difference between Christianity and Judaism. What you should understand is that there is an entire theology that one must accept in order to believe as Christians do. Jews see this theology as diametrically opposite to what the Bible states.

IN SHORT... Most Christians identify the messiah with Jesus, define him as Gd incarnate, and believe he died for the sins of humanity as a blood sacrifice. This requires that one accept the concept of vicarious atonement. However, as was illustrated and explained in the essay "One person cannot die for the sins of another," this idea is the opposite from what is written in Deuteronomy 24:16, 'Every man shall be put to death for his own sin' -- also expressed in Exodus 32:30-35 and Ezekiel 18. The mainstream Christian idea of the messiah also assumes that Gd wants and will accept a human sacrifice. After all, it was either Jesus-the-human or Jesus-the-divine who died on the cross. Jews, and presumably, Christians as well, believe that Gd cannot die, and so all that Christians are left with, in the death of Jesus on the cross, is a human sacrifice. However, in Deuteronomy 12:30-31, Gd calls human sacrifice an abomination, and something He hates: 'for every abomination to the Etrnl, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.' All human beings are sons or daughters, and any sacrifice to Gd of any human being would be something that Gd would hate. Therefore, the Christian conception of the messiah consists of ideas that are unbiblical. 

A MORE COMPLETE EXPLANATION... 

You must understand that although both Jews and Christians use the word "messiah,' the meaning of the word is quite different in each faith. The Christian understanding is that their messiah, Jesus, died for the sins of the people. The messiah, according to this Christian definition, is supposed to be a human offering: a blood sacrifice necessary for the forgiveness of sin. But we are taught in our Bible that no one can die for the sins of another. In Deuteronomy 24:16 it says this unequivocally: 

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. [Deuteronomy 24:16] 

(Please see Essay #1, 'Jews Believe That No One Can Die for the Sins of Another,' and Essay #2, 'Jews Believe That a Blood Sacrifice Is Not Required for Forgiveness of Sins'). 

The Bible is clear, in verse after verse: no one can die for the sins of another. Regarding what the Bible says about human sacrifice, please see Essay #4, 'Gd hates human sacrifices.' 

Jews do not believe that after forbidding human sacrifice, Gd had a change of heart and decided to require it; and we certainly do not believe that it was the sacrifice of Gd's own human 'son' that Gd wanted. After telling Israel to stay away from pagan practices and pagan beliefs, did Gd change Gd's mind and say, 'Okay, now go ahead and believe in a human sacrifice, just as these very pagans believe?' No -- as we saw in Malachi 3:6, Gd is constant and unchanging. (Please see Essay #1, 'Jews Believe That No One Can Die for the Sins of Another'). 

Gd tells us that any human sacrifice is an abomination, something Gd hates, and so horrible that it would never even come into Gd's mind to demand it of us. Human sacrifice was practiced by the pagans -- those who worshipped and made offerings to one or more imaginary deities -- it was NOT to be practiced by believers in the One Gd. 

It should be understood that the Christian definition of the term 'messiah' is pagan. How do Christians define the term messiah? They understand it exactly as the pagans understood their dying-saving man-gods and heroes. The ancient world is filled with examples. Mithra, Adonis, Dionysis, Attis, Ra, and many others were born in the Winter, died in the Spring, and came back to life. This should sound familiar to anyone conversant with Christian theology. 

Alongside this, they believed that their followers would have immortal life, since the death of the hero-god acted as the sacrifice for their sins. This should also sound familiar. The pagan world was filled with gods who were the product of a human mother and a god for the father. Heracles had Zeus for a father, and a human mother named Alcmene. Dionysus’s human mother was Semele, and his father was Zeus; Dionysus was considered a savior god. The parallels to Christian theology are plain to see. 

When the earliest Christians would come into the synagogues and missionize, they would get kicked out; they were not allowed to stay and preach. They were rejected because their message was pagan and was recognized as such by the Jews. Thus, they were removed and separated from the Jewish people. This shows the real reason why Judaism and Christianity parted ways, dating from the very beginnings of Christianity. It also shows that one cannot be a Jew and a Christian at the same time. (Please see Essay #9 'Jews' for Jesus, Messianic 'Jews', and 'Hebrew' Christians are not Jews'). 

So how have we Jews, who invented the term, always defined the term 'messiah?' Our definition is based on Scripture: 

1. The Messiah is born of two human parents, as we said. But Jesus, according to Christian theology, was born of the union between a human woman and Gd (as were many other pagan deities, see above) rather than two human parents. 

2. The Messiah can trace his lineage through his human biological father, back to King David (Isaiah 11:1,10; Jeremiah 23:5; Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:21-28; Jeremiah 30:7-10; 33:14-16; Hosea 3:4-5). According to Christian theology, Jesus's father was Gd. Therefore, Jesus' lineage does not go through his human 'father' -- Joseph, the husband of Mary. 

3. The Messiah traces his lineage only through King Solomon (II Samuel 7:12-17; I Chronicles 22:9-10). But according to Luke 3:31, Jesus was not a descendant of Solomon, but of Solomon's half-brother Nathan. Therefore Jesus was not a descendant of King David through King Solomon, and fails this test as well. 

4. The Messiah may not be a descendant of Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, or Shealtiel, because this royal line was cursed. (I Chronicles 3:15-17; Jeremiah 22:18,30). But according to Matthew 1:11-12 and Luke 3:27, Jesus was a descendant of Shealtiel. 

5. The Messiah is preceded by Elijah the prophet who, together with the Messiah, unifies the family (Malachi 4:5-6). This is contradicted by Jesus himself (Matthew 10:34-37). 

According to the traditional Jewish definition of the term, the Messiah will make changes in the real world, changes that one can see and perceive and be able to prove, precisely because they take place in the real world. It is for this task that the Messiah has been anointed in the first place, hence the term, messiah -- one who is anointed. These perceptible changes include: 6. The Messiah reestablishes the Davidic dynasty through his own children (Daniel 7:13-14).

But Jesus had no children. 

7. The Messiah brings an eternal peace between all nations, all peoples, and all people (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-4; Ezekiel 39:9). Obviously there is no peace. Furthermore, Jesus said that his purpose in coming was to bring a sword, and not peace (see Matthew 10:34, as referenced above). 

8. The Messiah brings about the world-wide conversion of all peoples to Ethical Monotheism (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Zechariah 8:23; Isaiah 11:9; Zechariah 14:9,16).

But the world remains steeped in idolatry. 

9. The Messiah brings about an end to all forms of idolatry (Zechariah 13:2). 

But the world remains steeped in idolatry. 

10. The Messiah brings about a universal recognition that the Jewish idea of Gd is Gd (Isaiah 11:9). 

But the world remains steeped in idolatry. 

11. The Messiah leads the world to become vegetarian (Isaiah 11:6-9). 

12. The Messiah gathers to Israel all of the twelve tribes (Ezekiel 36:24). 

13. The Messiah rebuilds the Temple (Isaiah 2:2; Ezekiel 37:26-28). 

14. After the Messiah comes, there will be no more famine (Ezekiel 36:29-30). 

15. After the Messiah comes, death will eventually cease (Isaiah 25:8). 

16. Eventually the dead will be resurrected (Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; Ezekiel 37:12-13; Isaiah 43:5-6). 

17. The nations of the earth will help the Jews materially (Isaiah 60:5-6; 60:10-12). 

18. The Jews will be sought out for spiritual guidance (Zechariah 8:23). 

19. All weapons will be destroyed (Ezekiel 39:9,12). 

20. The Nile will run dry (Isaiah 11:15). 

21. Monthly, the trees of Israel will yield their fruit (Ezekiel 47:12). 

22. Each tribe of Israel will receive and settle their inherited land (Ezekiel 47:13-13). 

23. The nations of the earth will recognize that they have been in error, that the Jews had it right all along, and that the sins of the Gentile nations - their persecutions and the murders they committed - have been borne by the Jewish people (Isaiah 53).

These biblically-based changes in the world are very real, perceptible, noticeable, and knowable. The changes that Christianity claims were made by Jesus are not perceptible at all. They must be accepted on faith, and faith alone. How can one establish that Jesus died for one's sins, except by faith? The changes made by the Messiah according to Judaism would be provable, but the changes made by the messiah according to Christianity can only be taken on faith. 

Even Christians recognize that the changes the real Messiah will make, according to the Bible and Judaism, have not yet happened. This is why Christianity had to invent the idea of a Second Coming. 

The real Messiah has no need to come a second time to do those things -- he must do them the first time around in order to actually be the Messiah.

This is the third posting of the series. 

Shalom;

Yechiel

There is NO confusion on these posting about the satanic Jewish beliefs.

That is the third posting from a JEW of the series. ALL will worship the beast, SATAN. before the REAL Jesus Christ returns.

Dear Friends;

There is a lot of confusion on these posting about Jewish beliefs of what G-d has said, regarding salvation. I shall post a series of articles over the nest few weeks, for those who read our postings and may wish for a clearer idea, and less bias one, on what we do believe.

Judaism had a complete faith structure and belief system in place long before the inception of Christianity. Christianity came on the scene and has tried for two thousand years to replace this belief system with another. These two belief systems (Judaism and Christianity ) are mutually exclusive. The two shall never meet, but one day, we shall learn to cooperate and then, HaShem Willing, His Anointed one shall come.

Dear Friends;

There is a lot of confusion on these posting about Jewish beliefs of what G-d has said, regarding salvation. I shall post a series of articles over the nest few weeks, for those who read our postings and may wish for a clearer idea, and less bias one, on what we do believe

 Essay #4: G-d hates human sacrifices.

 IN SHORT... What, EXACTLY does Gd say about human sacrifice in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible? In Deuteronomy 12:30-31, Gd calls human sacrifice something that He hates, and an abomination to Him, 'for every abomination to the Etrnl, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.' In Jeremiah 19:4-6, Gd tells us that human sacrifice is so horrible a concept to Him, that it did not even come into His mind to demand it from His creation, 'They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind.' We see the same thing in Psalm 106:37-38, and in Ezekiel 16:20. This teaches that Gd would not accept Jesus' death on the cross as a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. The very idea of that Gd would accept a human sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins is unbiblical.

A MORE COMPLETE EXPLANATION... 

The Christian idea of the messiah is that Jesus was the blood sacrifice that saves everyone from his or her sin. But who, exactly, died on that cross? If it was Jesus-the-god, that would mean that Gd can die. But how can Gd die? If it was only Jesus-the-human, then all Christians are left with is a human sacrifice. What, exactly, does Gd say about human sacrifice in the Tanach? 

In Deuteronomy, Gd calls human sacrifice something that Gd hates; an abomination to Gd. 

Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? Even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Etrnl thy Gd: for every abomination to the Etrnl, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. [Deuteronomy 12:30-31] 

In Jeremiah, Gd tells us that Human sacrifice is so horrible a concept, that it did not even come into G-d's mind. 

Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents; They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spoke it, neither came it into my mind: Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Etrnl, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but The Valley of Slaughter. [Jeremiah 19:4-6] 

Similarly, in Psalm 106 and in Ezekiel 16: 

Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. [Psalm 106:37-38] 

Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter? [Ezekiel 16:20] 

Some Christians might claim that Gd seemed to want human sacrifices, because Gd appeared to demand one from Abraham, when He commanded the sacrifice of Isaac. This is a misreading of the biblical text in Genesis. When one reads this section carefully, one sees something quite different. 

Most Jewish biblical commentators interpret this incident as a test of Abraham's loyalty: Gd wanted to see if he would actually kill Isaac, his own son. However, a number of Jewish commentators from the medieval era, and many in the modern era as well, read the text somewhat differently. The early rabbinic midrash 'Genesis Rabbah' imagines Gd as saying 'I never considered telling Abraham to slaughter Isaac.' Rabbi Yona Ibn Janach (Spain, 11th century) wrote that Gd demanded only a symbolic sacrifice. Rabbi Yosef Ibn Caspi (Spain, early 14th century) wrote that Abraham's imagination led him astray, making him believe that he had been commanded to sacrifice his son. Ibn Caspi writes 'How could Gd command such a revolting thing?' 

Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz (Chief Rabbi of the British Empire), writes that child sacrifice was actually 'rife among the Semitic peoples,' and suggests that 'in that age, it was astounding that Abraham's Gd should have interposed to prevent the sacrifice, not that He should have asked for it.' Hertz interprets the Binding of Isaac as demonstrating that human sacrifice is abhorrent. 'Unlike the cruel heathen deities, it was the spiritual surrender alone that Gd required.' 

Let's examine the text: 

And it came to pass after these things, that Gd did test Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. [Genesis 22:1-2] 

The text reads that Abraham should 'offer him there for a burnt offering'. It does not read that Gd told Abraham to kill him for a burnt offering! 

The original Hebrew is actually even clearer on this issue. The Hebrew reads, 'v’ha-ah-ley-hu sham l’o-lah.' It translates as, 'Raise him up there FOR a sacrifice.' The text does not say that G-d demanded Isaac to BE a sacrifice, but rather only that he should be raised up for one. 

Furthermore, a close reading of the text tells us that this was a test, and that Abraham did not pass it. What is the test to which Abraham is being put? Gd wants Abraham to tell Gd, 'NO! I WON’T DO IT!' Abraham had just defended people he did not know in Sodom and Gemorrah. So G-d's test of Abraham is whether or not he would defend his own family as vigorously as he had defended strangers. Like many of us, he did not. He flunked. Many of us, for example, will talk sweetly to a voice on the phone, get off the phone, and then speak disrespectfully to our kids or our spouse, treating others, even strangers, better than we treat those we love. 

When the test is first put before Abraham, the day before he actually takes the knife, preparing to kill his own son, Gd speaks to him directly: 

And it came to pass after these things, that Gd did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. [Genesis 22:1-2] 

Please not that it is Gd speaking directly to Abraham, and not an angel of Gd. However, after he takes hold of the knife, it is only an Angel of Gd who speaks to Abraham: 

And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the Angel of the Etrnl called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. [Genesis 22:10-11] 

And then later it is still only an Angel of Gd who speaks to Abraham: 

And the Angel of the Etrnl called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time…[Genesis 22:15] 

As a matter of fact, Gd never spoke directly to Abraham again. From the very moment that Abraham demonstrated his willingness to actually kill his son, Gd never again spoke directly to Abraham. 

Note also that the promises of the Angel of Gd to Abraham are nothing new, they are only reiterating what Gd, directly, had already promised to him (cf. Gen. 12:2, 12:3, 12:7, 13:15, 13:16, 13:17, 15:1, 15:5, 15:7, 15:14, 15:18, 17:2, 17:4, 17:6, 17:8, 17:16). It is as if Gd was saying to the Angel, 'I am through with him. Pat him on the head because he thinks he did right, remind him of his reward for his previous faith, but I am done with him!' 

You see, Gd had already told Abraham His covenant would go through Isaac. Gd wanted Abraham to say, 'Wait a minute, You, Gd, are now going against Your own word!' Gd knows that we are always closer to those we will argue with, than with those we will not. 

When person does wrong, who are you more likely to admonish: someone you know, or someone you do not know? 

Gd wants us to be that close to Gd. Gd wants us to be like Abraham, who was willing to argue with Gd regarding strangers in Sodom and Gemorrah. Gd wants us to be as close to Gd as Moses was, indicated by the fact that Moses argued with Gd -- repeatedly -- on behalf of the People of Israel. Gd wants us to be like Job, who felt so close to Gd that he could argue with Gd for justice. We can argue with Gd like true close friends can argue with each other, because Gd is truly our Closest Friend. Abraham flunked G-d's test, and so G-d never spoke to Abraham directly again. 

Note also the true meaning of the word, 'Israel,' which is 'One who wrestles with G-d.' We are not to be blind followers (the word 'Christian' means 'follower of the Christ’), and we are not to merely submit to G-d ('Islam' means 'voluntary submission to Gd.' A Muslim is one who submits to G-d). 

We Jews are to be wrestlers with G-d, like True Friends can do with each other. THAT is how close G-d wants us to be with Him. 

Shalom;

Yechiel

Rocmike aka AP do really believe that a Jewish person is going to post like this? Just as you post using your stereotypes when you post as a black man, a model, a biker, bartender and others, people do not post like that. YO Rocmike you are an idiot.