“I like your Christ.

I do not like your Christians.

Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

As an independent scholar the sayings of Jesus of Nazareth, if applied by Christians, would make them more powerful and relevant, than what they quote most often - that of Paul of Tarsus.

Unfortunately, if Christians followed Jesus’ example, they would be feeding the poor, housing the homeless and welcoming the stranger.

That would be quite different from the “Christian Fundamentalist” we have presently.

I’m not saying anything about my religion, (Judaism), which is beyond the pale as far as our mandates versus our actions.

Yet, Christians call on Jesus, and admonish anyone they meet to be:

“MORE LIKE CHRIST, JESUS!”

To that, as a Jew, I say,

“AMEN TO THAT!”

Please!

Shame us all by feeding the hungry, house the homeless!

Parent the fatherless, and care for the stranger!

These actions would bring about peace and harmony in the universe.

Something Jews call “Tikkun Olam”

Or “Repairing the World/Universe”.

Jesus understood this concept.

His SERMON ON THE MOUNT, and what is known as the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), expresses the framework of Tikkun Olam.

I challenge every Christian today to shame every Christian, Jew, and Muslim, to be the emblem of Jesus’ words.

Do that action, and we will all be praying in the same direction.

I leave you with the words of:

Psalm 1:

1 The praises of a man are that he did not follow the counsel of the wicked, neither did he stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the company of scorners.

2 But his desire is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be as a tree planted beside rivulets of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, and its leaves do not wilt; and whatever he does prospers.

4 Not so the wicked, but [they are] like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore, the wicked shall not stand up in judgment, nor shall the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Yet, all these religions, once organized, seemed to become a political and money making concern.

They ignored their leaders’ words and followed the organization.

In Judaism, God states to treat the stranger (Gerim) equal to the native (Israelite): Leviticus 21:1- 24:23 (Emor).

In Christianity there is the story of the “Neighbor”: Luke 10:25–37

Where we “Love our Neighbor as well love ourselves” (Matthew 22: 37-40 & Leviticus 19:18 (going back to Judaism)).

In Islam the Quran mentions the view of justice as with the Torah and Christian Scriptures:

“ O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then ˹know that˺ Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do.”

(An-Nisa

4:135)

It also speaks as to “Who is my Neighbor”:

“ commands believers to worship God alone without partners and to show utmost kindness to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, neighbors (both near and distant), companions, travelers, and those in one's charge”

(Surah An-Nisa, Verse 36/Quran 4:36)

These show a unified practice, that all are equal under the law, and we are to treat our neighbors as we treat ourselves (with love and kindness), regardless of their faiths.

We live in a world where we want to kill and alienate our neighbors, because they’re Muslim, Jew, Christian, or whatever.

We, to be honest do this harm for money, power and capture of resources from a weaker country, or people, for our own profit.

That’s far from being a Shomer Chassid, or Torah observant.

It’s surely not a Christian practice (what Jesus would do) - his words are quite clear on that issue.

Islam would frown on it within the pages of its Quran.

To all these perspectives - I implore a simple question:

What would Moses, Jesus, and Mohamed do?

The answer is quite simple:

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS, IF NOT BETTER THAN YOURSELVES.

Stop doing what the politicians say and go back to the source.

Abraham opened his tents to welcome all into his home for bread and kindness (Genesis 18).

Let us begin to do the same.

Stop following those who call for violence in the name of our God, and start to love our neighbors and give them justice, regardless of their beliefs.

B’Shalom.

I want to leave you with this monologue.

It encapsulates all that I’ve followed personally all my life.

All I want to add is:

Do good in the world and when your time comes to an end, leave this world a little bit better than when you’ve entered it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/6Kea_GJ0SHQ?is=_7GEhTj9CPiUi3dh

We are Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Chinese, Indian, Native Americans, and a conglomeration of all these combinations.

We don’t have a culture, we have a “pot luck soup” of things.

So, please, just shut up, and sit down.

You’re embarrassing yourselves.

I am for lack of a better term, a philosopher.

Folks quote things or state terms, they, themselves never read, nor learned themselves personally.

My father, who considered himself “uneducated”, always said to me: “If you want to understand an idea or movement read the writings and understand them fully before you make a statement and look ignorant to those who know.”

When he said that to me, I was 15 years old - the next day he saw me reading Mein Kampf by Hitler.

At the end of reading it, I asked my dad (who fought in WW2), “why did folks agree with this stuff?”

His answer stuns me some 44 years later:

“You see John, when folks are robbed by their government and left with nothing - they can’t blame themselves for their error, so they blame someone or thing that they know very little about, personally.

That way, they don’t have to grow, and better the world around them.

People assume that if they have a government, they can be eternally children.”

We must understand, we are the ones who create the monsters. This is because we wish not to govern, but to be governed.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Bcs3zxue1/?mibextid=wwXIfr

My purpose is to begin a discussion, and grow as a fraternity.

This is in no way, meant as a critique of the fraternity in NYS, or other jurisdictions.

Thank you for your consideration.

(End of Disclaimer)*

=========================

I am writing this after a great amount of reflection.

I have been a Mason since I was raised, in Reliance Lodge #776 on June 4th, 1990. At that time, 1990 in New York State, there were a total of 80,000 active members of the Fraternity per NYS Grand Lodge data.

As of today, in 2026, there are approximately 33,000 active members.

Much of the growth prior to my joining the fraternity was due to members that joined after WW2. My father was one of those veterans who joined.

The growth and decline in membership is due to radical shifts in society and our organization’s response to that

development.

Historically, the growth of the fraternity was due to major events in our country.

The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, WW1, and WW2 caused men, who seen actions and events in places they had never been to before, to ask the same question; What is the meaning of my life?

They served with men who were Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, and Muslim. They saw a group of men who believed in an eternal God but, wanted to grow further in knowledge, but weren’t sure that religion had all they needed as a modern man.

Not to mention, they fought and served with these other men whose religion were slightly different, but felt a kinship with them.

Freemasonry was the place that brought both of these aspects together. The reason why I am pointing this out is that I see a new type of societal change coming down the road.

That change being Artificial Intelligence and its world changing effects.

We are already seeing Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha reacting to this oncoming moment.

They are responding to becoming more religious, women of these generations are becoming more

traditional in being wives, and all folks are looking for more meaning than what can be offered via social media and other on-line content.

These young men are looking around and are trying to find more than what is in front of them.

They are looking for the principles of Freemasonry and do not necessarily know it.

In the past, senior military members, fellow veterans, and family members would suggest freemasonry as an avenue.

This is not the case today.

We need, after our 325 year history, to change our methods to encourage membership.

We need to be more than proactive in our fraternity; we need to be a presence and a helping hand in our community and our districts.

I would like to present a 6 point plan to become a relevant part of our community and our society. These points aren’t “Commandments”, they are suggestions to grow a more meaningful and relevant organization.

The reason why I am making these points is quite simple.

I was taught in the US NAVY and later by mentors who grew this philosophy into my raison d’etre.

That philosophy was “ALWAYS FIND A SOLUTION, NOT A PROBLEM”

Anyone can see a problem, complain about it and do nothing to resolve it.

It is a true leader, who finds solutions and implements them.

Success is found in the solution, not the problem.

6 POINTS TO FURTHER LIGHT IN THE FUTURE

1. CREATE “REAL” MENTORSHIP:

The issue that Freemasonry is irrelevant to folks today is quite simple: We have nothing to offer them.

We need to be a place as our forbearers once were: A Union.

We must offer aide to folks in our community. We must be able to take those who have lived, worked and have experience to share that knowledge and contacts to help our new candidates become established in our community.

To create venues to help train, teach and guide men, to be active members of the town, village and city they live in as a whole.

You cannot have a membership with no way to feed, house, and start a family.

That is a death knell to both our fraternity and the community we are a part of as a society.

2. MAKE THE LODGE A FINANCIAL HUB:

This particular point maybe a more challenging aspect of the lodges as a whole, financially.

It is easy to look for a member’s dues and challenge him to bring it or lose status.

It is more meaningful that a lodge can help members to start a family and feel that fellow brothers really have their backs if we can help out in a truly meaningful way.

As a not-for-profit, we have many venues to make it possible to both grow financially and give another true meaning why being part of this fraternity is more than paying dues and bills two nights a month.

We must be able to assist in any way to keep our younger members active in the work force as a whole.

To bring to bear those with business experience, to mentor younger members in say, for example:

Resume writing, interviewing skills, starting a business, and directing them toward financial security not just for themselves, but for their families, and the greater community.

We must be able to share our experience with those growing as members not only in the fraternity, but show those outside Masonry that our organization can help the greater society as a bulwark of the greater community.

3. WIDOWS AND ORPHANS:

This one is a vague concept.

We can as part of our “Financial Hub” start to encourage members the importance of taking care of our own. We need to show just like Police benevolent or Fire Fighters’ Fund, we need to offer a real reason to belong.

This will separate us from other organizations that “Take much, and offer nothing”.

For our community to see us as a true fraternal organization, we need to start to act like one.

How what will look, will be up to those members in their lodges and districts, per se.

4. EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATION:

This is where we to build an avenue to teach the next generation to do what I have

suggested above and think further into the future as times and needs change.

Our society always “took care of our own”.

That concept needs to come up, front and center of this fraternity.

5. CREATE EXTRACURRICULAR VENUES:

Now for the “fun stuff” in our community; we need bowling leagues, softball teams, cigar groups, etc.

Some of our lodges do, do this sort of thing, but, we need to get it back again.

My dad, no matter how busy or exhausted he was, never missed Tuesday night bowling night.

It kept him connected to the brethren and helped in interesting me, as a boy, about Freemasonry.

Dad, as a member of a union, and many of the brethren were in places in authority.

He was helped by them, and in turn, he helped those fellow brothers keeping the union strong.

6. A FRATERNITY IS A BROTHERHOOD OF MEN:

Let us never forget we are a brotherhood of men. We are a community of brothers, and like in a family, brothers look out for one another and take care of each other.

We need to remember that, and make sure that if a brother needs a job, a reference, or any hand up, we do that, fully.

Too long we have been brothers in name only. We must stop that passive expression and start to place brothers in stations and places for their as well as our benefit.

A brother takes care of their family and we must start to actively be a family – a family that takes care of each other.

In the past, a fraternity brother, whether he was in opposite companies, armies, even political parties, would look out and take special care to a brother of the craft.

If we build the edifice I have brought before you in this open letter, we can have this for generations to come.

If we fail to express these methods of building brotherhood, then we will surely be in dire straits.

Too many have no idea what Freemasonry is or why it exists. If I see a Veteran, whether I served with him or not, I do my utmost to help him.

This is what the purpose of our fraternity is.

The ‘points of our approach’ means nothing, if we are not willing to go the extra mile for one another.

Freemasonry must be active to support those points, to make them want to know more and be more, as a brother.

The answer is to give them something to lean on, as they move forward in life.

Not just the esoteric, but the real and substantial matters as well.

We must be more than words and aprons - we must be hands and housing.

So mote it be.

W. John H. Ludemann

PAST MASTER, PHILANTROPIC LODGE, #164

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

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I am writing this after a great amount of reflection.

When you say you’re not a Tzionist, the first response in the Jewish community is always:

“Do you believe that Israel has the right to exist???”

I believe that Israel as a State has a right to exist; just as I see the United States of America has the right to exist.

The issue isn’t Israel’s existence – it is the ability to criticize said State for its actions.

Since the “Anti-Semitic” trope doesn’t work on Jewish folks like me, the issue must be addressed by someone like myself.

Any State/Country does good and bad things. When a State/Country does a good thing, then they should be praised.

Yet, when a State/Country does bad things one should be allowed, regardless of status, criticize said State/Country.

The issues with Muslims and Christians in Israel, and Palestine are more than the “Terrorists”. It is also about mothers and children being harmed and killed for no other reason than they are not Israelis.

This is something that a person who sees wrong in the world and wishes it to stop, should be able to say so, without being declared an “Anti-Semite”.

This isn’t a religious or biblical issue here.

It is a human rights issue.

Only 84 years ago, in Germany not only Jews, but Romani (“Gypsies”) people, and those who were mentally and physically disabled (mostly children), were rounded up, starved, experimented on, and eventually killed in terrible ways.

When the Nuremberg Trials occurred, they were not only for Jews but all peoples that had not protected by “Human Rights” due to the fact they were considered “other” or “Subhuman”.

The concept of: NEVER AGAIN wasn’t limited to Jewish people.

That famous statement was for all who were marginalized, due to Color, Creed, Religion, and Social status.

A famous Rabbi, Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel, who himself was saved from the Concentration Camps, saw firsthand these actions at Nuremberg, and reconciled to do all he could to make the world better.

He did it by marching with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960’s to bring about Civil Rights for all in the USA.

Edmund Burke famously said: “The only thing for triumph of Evil is for good men to do nothing”.

Please remember that the murder of Jews and others who were designated as “Undesirables” was first to silence the people of Germany by calling them “Juden Liebe” or Jew Lover.

If that didn’t work, you were arrested for speaking about what was going on in your home or in public.

As a human being, you have a human right to speak out against a country or state for any injustice that is being done.

That doesn’t make you an Anti-Semite, or a “hater of Israel”.

It makes you a person who believes that wrong is wrong, no matter who does it.

The moment we fail to express our objections, what follows is mass murder of minority peoples.

To that idea, I say:

NEVER AGAIN!

B’Shalom.

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

The origin of this holiday was a day to remember the end of the Civil War. It was called “Decoration Day”.

Its purpose was to come together and heal after we tore this country apart due to slavery.

Brother fought brother.

Families ended killing and wounding their relatives and neighbors.

Memorial Day isn’t just to remember those who fought and died.

Its purpose is to heal and forgive one another for our actions.

The main purpose is to use our words and minds instead of cannons and bullets to resolve disputes.

To allow peace and reason to fix what is broken.

So we never have to kill another person in anger.

Remember this when you hang your flag out in public.

That this day is to remind us that war and killing is wrong.

That words and deeds of lovingkindness is what is needed going forward.

That we never kill another person in anger, again.

*Disclaimer:

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

=========================

Last week, we established the definition and historical perspective on the Talmud.

This week, I would like to show you why this book is one that should be taken with both historical and biblical caution.

First, you must understand that like all writings, especially this one, it is not made in a vacuum.

Its production is one made with the historical and societal aspects in mind.

I have always said that the Talmud is a document that is more a diary of an abused/traumatized person.

Along with great beauty, and intelligence there is great anger, and yes, hatred.

I could show you all the negative aspects and quotes found in the Talmud, but there are plenty of those found on social media and YouTube.

I will instead, explain why it is there and show you some of the positive aspects within this voluminous tome.

As I stated in my last essay (#17), the Talmud is like reading the decisions of the Supreme Court of the USA.

One could look at one aspect the US constitution and reject the entire document.

I will give an example.

When the Constitution was being written, the Northern states wanted to use censuses to get Representatives in the US House.

The South wanted the advantage of their African slaves to have more votes.

This was an anathema to the North since they were not using slaves at this point.

So, instead of declaring freedom for the African enslaved folks, thereby causing a Civil War that would occur some 75 years later, what the North and South did, was both a compromise and a human atrocity.

They declared African enslaved people (Men), 3/5th a person, without giving them the right to vote.

This would not be resolve until the 13th Amendment and the 14th Amendment which would both create an end to slavery in the USA and give the same enslaved people birth right citizenship (1868) which all Americans take advantage of today.

My point is if you looked at the “Three Fifths Compromise” alone, you’d probably throw the entire document in the trash.

That would be a great mistake.

The same point can be made about the Talmud.

There are things within the Talmud that is antiquated and anachronistic to say the least.

Yet, it shows both Judaism’s path and evolution as a religion.

As with the US Constitution, there are great universal aspects as to how we both as Jewish people and our Abrahamic siblings (Christianity, and Islam) should come together as a force for peace and ultimately an age of betterment.

Christians and Jews call it the messianic age.

Islam calls it (Al-Akhirah) or the “World to Come”.

The Talmud is very explicit as to why the Second Temple was destroyed and how the Third Temple will be rebuilt again.

It is found in Tractate Yoma 9b. “Yoma” means The Day or “That Day”. The 9b means, the ninth page on the second side.

I will leave you with this section of the Tractate, so you know what Judaism believes what and how the Third Temple will be built.

It won’t be a great war or a messiah per se.

It will be a change in our attitude not just toward one another as Jews, but toward everyone:

Yoma 9b: (abbreviated)

“Due to what reason was the First Temple destroyed?

It was destroyed due to the fact that there were three matters that existed in the First Temple:

Idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed.

Idol worship, as it is written: “The bed is too short for stretching [mehistare’a], and the cover is too narrow for gathering” (Isaiah 28:20)

However, considering that the people during the Second Temple period were engaged in Torah study, observance of mitzvot, and acts of kindness, and that they did not perform the sinful acts that were performed in the First Temple, why was the Second Temple destroyed?

It was destroyed due to the fact that there was wanton hatred during that period. This comes to teach you that the sin of wanton hatred is equivalent to the three severe transgressions: Idol

worship, forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. “

The reason for the Second Temple destruction wasn’t due to idolatry, but Baseless Hatred (Wanton Hatred).

Baseless Hatred is one that is done with ignorance, and blindly following the shortsightedness of others.

Until we begin to learn who our “Enemies” are, and we will see them as people, not “Other”, will we begin to heal this world and all who live in it - together.

The Messianic Age, regardless of your particular belief system isn’t us just waiting for a “Messiah” to return, but to be a people worthy to have such an age.

That work is more than just us waiting on G-D, but for us healing this world to make it acceptable (kosher/appropriate), for G-D to reign in it.

B’Shalom (In HIS peace).

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week:

Essay #19: Why Zionism is inconsistent with Judaism, based both in the Hebrew Scriptures and the Talmud (a personal position).

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

*Disclaimer:

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for

further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

==================================================

This week, we will discuss what the Talmud is and its purpose. Most have heard of the Talmud and at the same time do not really know what it really is as a tool within Judaism.

To be candid with you, it took me 7 years to study it, and some 25 years after my ordination (Semikhah) I am still learning and growing in that knowledge.

So, let’s first look at the definition of the word, Talmud.

“The word "Talmud" means primarily "study" or "learning" and is employed in various senses.”(Jewish Virtual Library online)

The origin of the “Oral Torah” as it is referred to in the vernacular is found in Exodus 18:13-26:

“13. Next day, Moses sat as magistrate among the people, while the people stood about Moses from morning until evening.

14. But when Moses’ father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people?

Why do you act alone, while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”

15. Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to inquire of God.

16. When they have a dispute, it comes before me, and I decide between one party and another, and I make known the laws and teachings of God.”

17. But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not right;

18. you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

19. Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people

before God: you bring the disputes before God,

20. and enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow.

21. You shall also seek out, from among all the people, those who are capable and who fear God—trustworthy ones who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and

22. let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them decide every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them share the burden with you.

23. If you do this — and God so commands you — you will be able to bear up; and all these people too will go home unwearied.”

24. Moses heeded his father-in-law and did just as he had said.

25. Moses chose those who were capable out of all Israel, and appointed them heads over the people—chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens;

26. and they judged the people at all times: the difficult matters they would bring to Moses,

and all the minor matters they would decide themselves. “

(JPS 2006)

And reiterated this rule in Deuteronomy 17:11,

“11. You shall act in accordance with the instructions given you and the ruling handed down

to you; you must not deviate from the verdict that they announce to you either to the right or to the left.” (JPS 2006)

So, the Talmud is like a recording of the “Supreme Court” on constitutional matters. When you

look at the discussions on a topic like the Sabbath, and there are two volumes on that subject alone.

It covers subjects from lighting fires, to saving a life on the Sabbath (Spoiler alert: Saving a life overrules all the commandments in the five books of Moses, Yoma 85a-Yoma 85b).

The purpose of the Talmud is to give more detail guidance to the 613 commandments found in the Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy).

Most of these oral decisions were kept as an oral expression for most of Jewish history. In fact there are Jewish sects like the Karaites, who continue that tradition and reject the written down Talmud as authoritative.

How the Oral tradition became written down was due to a situation called “The Second Babylonian Captivity”.

This period was from 200 CE (AD) – 1000CE (AD). During this period, we see the growth of both the Roman (Holy Roman) Empire and the Catholic Church.

The Council of Nicaea (325CE) codified what the Christian Bible is today, and what the idea of an “Orthodox Christian” was.

Those who differed from that orthodoxy, were considered “Heretics” and both their books, and writings as well as their physical lives were literally burned at the stake.

The Jewish community saw these actions by Emperor Constantine, and the Orthodox Church.

The Rabbis realized it was only a matter of time, before the Jewish teachers and their practices would see the same fate as the heterodoxies’ (Heretics).

This realization caused the Jewish Rabbinical communities in Sura and Pumbedita (Modern day Iraq) to make sure to act as in the first Babylonian Captivity (539BCE).

In that first captivity, Ezra and Nehemiah wrote down the Torah into the scroll we have today.

The Jewish community, in or around 350CE-600CE codified what most Christians call the “Old Testament” or what we in Judaism call the Hebrew Scriptures.

In that second “captivity” added the Prophets and Writings to the Torah Scroll into what is called the “TaNKh” today.

So, along with the Hebrew Scriptures, the three parts of the Talmud were written down.

These parts are called:

1. Mishnah, 2. Gemara, and, 3. Baraita,

The Mishnah is the Legal opinions (like lawsuits before the Supreme Court)

The Gemara is the commentary (Arguments) of those legal actions The Baraita is the decision(s), of the first two above. These do change as time and technology advances (ie: electric lights, coffeemakers, etc. on Sabbath for example).

The point of this codification was to sustain the Jewish community until (ultimately) the Temple

was rebuilt, and Judaism would be allowed to live in peace within other countries and religions.

Next week I will go over some of the highlights of these “Tractates” (books/subjects) and how they are used today to operate in a modern world.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week:

Essay #18: What is the Talmud, and what is the point of its existence in Judaism? (Part #2)

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

==================================================

This week, we will discuss a term not well known by many theologians; that being Henotheism.

Let us first begin with a definition.

Henotheism:

Henotheism is the worship of a single, supreme god that does not deny the existence or possible existence of other deities that may be worshipped (Wikipedia)

We have a number of examples of this type of theology in the bible.

The example of G-D speaking to Abraham:

Genesis 12:1-7,

“1. GOD said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that

2. I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

And you shall be a blessing.

3. I will bless those who bless you

And curse the one who curses you; And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you.”

4. Abram went forth as GOD had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five

years old when he left Haran.

5. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the wealth that they had amassed, and the persons that they had acquired in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in the land of Canaan,

6. Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, at the terebinth of Moreh. The Canaanites were then in the land.

7. GOD appeared to Abram and said, “I will assign this land to your offspring.” And he built an altar there to GOD who had appeared to him. “(JPS 2006)

G-D has to introduce HIMSELF to a few folks like Moses, (Exodus 3:12-16).

Even Pharaoh, doesn’t know who G-D is:

Exodus 5:2,

“But Pharaoh said, “Who is GOD that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know GOD, nor

will I let Israel go.” (JPS 2006)

We have a number of examples of where other nations either recognize our G-D but do not follow HIM.

We as Jewish people believe that folks can believe what they need to believe and as long as they follow the 7 Noahide Commandments (Found in the Christian Scriptures in Acts 15:20, 29 and Genesis 9:3-11).

You do not have to follow our belief system, in order to be righteous people. Yet, once you do become part of the Mosaic Covenant (Convert to Judaism), you are obligated to it. This is why we do not evangelize our beliefs to other people’s faiths. Islam, Christianity, and most religions

on the planet, adhere to the Noahide Commandments (See Essay # 10). Therefore one does not

need to convert to Judaism.

This is why we live (try to live) in peace with everyone, regardless of their belief system – because they live as a child of Noah like we are as a human race.

The hope is that we live in peace with each other and the earth to allow all to live in balance with

the creator of the universe. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week:

Essay #17: What is the Talmud, and what is the point of its existence in Judaism?

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

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This week, we will address a very common question I hear often from the many Evangelical Christians, I interact with every day, here in town.

That being:

How can you be “Sinless” without a “Blood Sacrifice” ?

Once again, we need to look at the Hebrew Scriptures for clarification.

First, the “sacrifice” is the last thing that you need to do, to be forgiven for a sin:

1. Ask forgiveness (either to a person you have wronged, or to G-D).

Exodus 34:9

“9. and said, “If I have gained Your favor, O my Sovereign, pray, let my Sovereign go in our

midst, even though this is a stiffnecked people. Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us

for Your own!” (JPS 2006)

2. Restitution:

Make what was broken or you did wrong, and correct it. Not just correct it, but set up a way not to do that wrong again:

Exodus 22, and Leviticus 6.

3. Atonement:

Now, you don’t need a blood sacrifice. It can be gold (Numbers 31.50) It can be grain (Leviticus 5:7). Yet, even when the Temple was there, the Prophets clearly indicated that G-D Almighty doesn’t want sacrifices, but our Observance (Shomer), instead:

Hosea 14:3 :

“Take words with you

And return to GOD.

Say:

“Forgive all guilt

And accept what is good;

Instead of bulls we will pay

[The offering of] our lips.

(JPS 2006)

And my personal favorite:

Micah 6:6-8:

“6. With what shall I approach GOD, Do homage to God on high?

Shall I approach with burnt offerings, With calves a year old?

7. Would GOD be pleased with thousands of rams, With myriads of streams of oil?

Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, The fruit of my body for my sins?

8. “You have been told, O mortal, what is good, And what GOD requires of you: Only to do justice

And to love goodness, And to walk modestly with your God;”

(JPS 2006)

The importance is not the “Blood Letting” in the Temple.

It is our actions to do the right and good in all we do (See Essay #13 on Tikkun Olam).

The Temple is unnecessary.

What is necessary, is the action of our works, as we connect with the L-RD, in word, and deed.

That is the whole truth, and wholly true in all we do.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week:

Essay #15: Judaism addresses Christian Tracts

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for

further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

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This week, after our discussion as to what a Messiah is and why Jews don’t see Jesus as a god, I would like to address the common response I’ve had with folks when I present this evidence.

“So, what is the point of being Jewish/Judaism?”

There is a concept in Judaism called “Tikkun Olam” which translates to: “To Fix the World/Universe”.

It goes back to the story of the Garden of Eden and the “Test” of the two trees.

The two trees were: “Tree of Eternal Life” and the “Tree of the fruit of the Knowledge of Good and “Bad” or in some translations “and Evil”.

Now, Adam and Eve were warned not to eat of the second tree, or they would die (Genesis 2:17), but the other tree, the one of eternal life, they were not warned not to eat the fruit of that tree, yet, they never ate of that one.

We will skip the whole “Serpent” in the garden thing for now.

G-D doesn’t set humanity up for failure.

Why put those two trees in the MIDDLE of the garden?

Well, we have to look at what the Hebrew says about these trees.

The Hebrew word for “Evil” and “Bad” is RA. It also means “Struggle” in Hebrew.

We see it in the renaming of Jacob to “IsRaEL” in Genesis 32:22 31:Particularly verses 28-29:

“28. Said the other, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.”

29. Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings

divine and human, and have prevailed.”

(JPS 2006)

ISRAEL is three words: ISH (man or husband) RA (Struggle) EL (God)

So, the Tree in the garden wasn’t “Good and Evil” but instead “Good and Struggle”, It gave us the chance to instead of being just another creation of the L-RD, a co-creator. That is why we chose the latter tree from that of Eternal Life.

So, the next question I get is “Why did Adam and Eve get thrown out of the garden?”

Simple, they passed the buck, when it came to taking responsibility for their actions.

Let’s look at that scripture:

Genesis 3:11-13,

you to eat?”

“11. “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat of the tree from which I had forbidden

12. The Human said, “The woman You put at my side—she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

13. And God הוהי said to the woman,

serpent duped me, and I ate.” “

“What is this you have done!” The woman replied,

“The

(JPS 2006)

They had the opportunity to take responsibility for their choices and blamed each other instead of standing up and doing the right thing. That right thing would have been saying they wanted to “KNOW” their choices and become co creators with the living G-D.

So, we have an opportunity in each one of our lives to “Struggle” and prevail in fixing this

world.

The Torah, clearly instructs us to do that very thing:

Deuteronomy 30: 11-19,

“Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it

beyond reach.It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get

it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”

Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of

the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”

No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity.

For I command you this day, to love your God הוהי, to walk in God’s ways, and to keep God’s

commandments, God’s laws, and God’s rules, that you may thrive and increase, and that your

God הוהי may bless you in the land that you are about to enter and possess.

But if your heart turns away and you give no heed, and are lured into the worship and service

of other gods,

I declare to you this day that you shall certainly perish; you shall not long endure on the soil

that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death,

blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live—

“

(JPS 2006)

We can fix the world, through our struggle, by taking responsibility for our actions and to Choose Life, not for just ourselves, but for our neighbors and family.

That is the secret to Eternal Life – to live it wholly and with awareness/observance.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week: Essay #14:

How can you obey the Commandments without the Temple?

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

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This week I will address Jesus, and his status as Messiah.

There are a number of issues with Jesus, for Jews and Judaism.

None of them have to do with what Jesus says in the Gospels per se.

His words and teachings are good and consistent with the text of the laws of Moses (Torah).

The examples that are consistent are his examples of loving your neighbor, peace and kindness, are great and should be remembered, and propagated in all aspects he taught: Examples, Matthew 5: 3-12, 12:30-31, etc.

The issue Judaism has with Jesus, is not what he taught, but what Christianity teaches about him.

The issues are:

1. Jesus is God (Part of the “Godhead”) or Trinity.

This issue is counter by the first commandment of the Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:2-5

“2. I הוהי am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage:

3. You shall have no other gods besides Me.

4. You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the

heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth.

5. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I your God הוהי am an impassioned

God, visiting the guilt of the parents upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth

generations of those who reject Me.

(JPS 2006)

Sefaria.org

This alone shows that there are no other gods except G-D!

The Shema, which we as Jews recite three times a day, is another example:

Deuteronomy 6:4:

“4. Hear, O Israel! הוהי is our God,

alone הוהי” .

The word in Hebrew for “Alone” or “One” is ECHAD.

Echad means more than just the number “ONE”; in Hebrew it means “Singular” or Unique.

There is no other “part” to God.

There are other examples in the law of Moses, where any other expression of God is a sign of a false prophet:

Deuteronomy 13:1-4,

“1. Be careful to observe only that which I enjoin upon you: neither add to it nor take away

from it.

2. If there appears among you a prophet or a dream-diviner, who gives you a sign or a

portent,

3. saying, “Let us follow and worship another god”—whom you have not experienced —even

if the sign or portent named to you comes true,

4. do not heed the words of that prophet or that dream-diviner. For your God הוהי is testing

you to see whether you really love your God הוהי with all your heart and soul.5. It is your God הוהי alone whom you should follow, whom you should revere, whose commandments you should observe, whose orders you should heed, whom you should worship, and to whom you should hold fast.”

The Torah itself says that if someone even makes a prediction and it comes true, and that prophet instructs you to pray to someone other than the Almighty, it is G-D, Itself that is TESTING YOU!!

So, the idea that Jesus can be a god is an anathema to the very words of Moses, and ultimately to G_D.

2. We don’t need a “Messiah” to save us from our sins.

There is nowhere in the 5 books of Moses (Torah), that any anointed king will take away sins.

Please review my previous Essay#11 about Messiahs.

In fact, everyone has to deal with their sins before HaShem, and the deal is quite clear:

Do the right and good, you will prosper, do bad, you will be punished and loose the land:

Deuteronomy, 5:30-33, 28:1-13, 15-68, 30:16-20.

No need for someone to take our sin, we made the mess; we have to fix it and make it right.

3. Human Sacrifice: To add on to the “This is NOT what G-D wants, there is the idea that a human sacrifice and its reenactment, of what can only be seen by outside eyes as “Cannibalism” The Torah is clear as to the idea of “Human Sacrifice” as a sin, beyond the pale.

(Leviticus 18:21, 20:2-5, and Deuteronomy 12:31)

These Scriptures state that any human sacrifice, especially “Child Sacrifice” is a grave sin punishable by the death penalty.

The issue is clear, that the words of Jesus are good and meant to be practiced as any good and kind Rabbi should be seen and addressed.

The issue is when you test the validity of the “need” for a redeemer or that to make the “Torah work”, you need God to become man, it fails all the tests that G-D Itself set up to prevent.G_D is not the author of confusion.

As G-D said to Baalam in Numbers 23:19:

“God is not human to be capricious, Or mortal to have a change of heart. Would [God] speak and not act, Promise and not fulfill?”

G-D is consistent, and G-D’s words are Wholly True.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week: Essay #13:

What is Tikkun Olam, and why is it the whole purpose of Judaism?

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

==================================================

This week I will address the concept of a Messiah or Christ.

We will discuss below what that word means and its importance to the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and to Judaism specifically.

Next week, I will address who Jesus is historically, - what his work and status mean to the Jewish people and why Jews reject Jesus as messiah.

First, let us look at what the word messiah/Christ means in Hebrew and how it is described in the Hebrew Scriptures.

The word “Messiah” or Moshiach, in Hebrew literally means: “Anointed (with oil) person”

Sefaria.org

Even the word “Kristos” in Greek means the same thing. This is why Christians “Christen” a baby (In the Catholic Church) or an adult (in many Protestant Churches).

The first time we get the word “Moshiach” is found in the Hebrew Scriptures it is in the books of Samuel (1&2), in regard to the making of the Kings Saul, David, and Solomon.

They were not “Sons of God” but men, who were elevated to King (of Israel). They were anointed to rule over the kingdom as potentates.

Now, you may ask, “Rabbi, what about the predictions of a ‘Messiah’ of the Jewish people!”

Well the answer is yes, there are places by the Prophets who as the Jewish people were about to go into the Babylonian Captivity mentions a coming person, a King who will rise up, and “save” the people of Israel and return them to the Land.

In fact there is a list: Jeremiah 23:5-6, 31:7-15, Micah 5:2, Hosea 11, Isaiah 7:1-14.

These “predictions” come to fruition where the Prophet Isaiah mentions him by name:

Isaiah 45:1-2

“ 1. Thus said GOD to Cyrus, the anointed one— Having grasped his right hand, Treading down nations before him, Ungirding the loins of kings, Opening doors before him

And letting no gate stay shut:

2. I will march before you

And level the hills that loom up; I will shatter doors of bronze And cut down iron bars.”

(sefaria/JPS 2006)

We know that the predictions of these prophets were for Cyrus the Great of Assyria because they describe Cyrus exactly how he was born, was raised and, what he did - freed the Jews, and let them return to the land.

That the Jews could rebuild their temple, as they saw fit, at King Cyrus’ expense.

The “Anointed One” in verse #1 literally says in Hebrew: “Cyrus HaMoshiach” or if this was in the Christian Scriptures would be “Cyrus the Christ!”

Also, based on the laws of true verses, false prophets, found in Deuteronomy 13:2-6, and 18: 20-22, states that a prophet’s prophecy must come to fruition in their lifetime (Deut. 18-21-22).

All the prophets found in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), are there to show what true prophets said and that, the prophecy should come to fruition in their lifetime, per the laws of Moses (Torah).

So, when Jews speak of a “Messianic Age”, it is a time or “spirit” found where the world will be at peace and all peoples, all of Abraham’s children (Jew, Christian, and Muslim) live in peace and they pray to the same G-D.

This concept is found in the Oral Traditions of the Talmud and the Zohar (Kabbalism/Kabbalah).

This is not found in the Scriptures of the Torah, and the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Within the Scriptures alone, is found no hell, no messiah as a “salvation from sin.

The only tenets found there are that we are to observe the law, and do the good in the world.

The Prophets found in the “Bible” are there to show what a true prophet is like, and ultimately show are how our bad behavior gets us bad outcomes, and our good behavior gives us prosperity and peace, in the land.

Nothing more.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week: Essay #12:

What is “Messiah” (Moshiach) and why do Jews not believe in Jesus? (Part #2 of 2)

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

*Disclaimer:

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

==================================================

This week I will address the difference between the Laws of Noah (Noahide Law), and the Laws of Moses (Mosaic Law).

After we have this conversation I will be begin addressing some of the main issues of Judaism verses Christianity.

Okay, let us begin with these two sets of laws.

The Laws of Noah, or more specifically, given from G-D to Noah, was covered in more detail in Essay #9.

But a quick recap is that those 7 universal laws are found in Genesis 9: 8-17.

“8 And God said to Noah and to his sons with him,

9 “I now establish My covenant with you and your offspring to come,

10 and with every living thing that is with you—birds, cattle, and every wild beast as well—all that have come out of the ark, every living thing on earth.

11 I will maintain My covenant with you: never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 God further said, “This is the sign that I set for the covenant between Me and you, and every living creature with you, for all ages to come.

13 I have set My bow in the clouds, and it shall serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

14 When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds,

15 I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all flesh, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth.

17 That,” God said to Noah, “shall be the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and all flesh that is on earth.”

18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth—Ham being the father of Canaan. “

(JPS 2006)

These 7 commandments are set for all humanity, Jewish, and non- Jewish people of the world, and as I stated in Essay #9 the 7 Laws of Noah, is part of the Jewish Law.

So, the next question is:

Well, if I am not Jewish, why can’t I observe the laws of Moses?

Well, once you do start, you cannot stop.

The 7 laws are the basis of all humanity.

The laws of Moses are for Israel and the Jewish people. Once you begin to take on the laws of Moses, you must, as the children of Israel and the “Mixed Multitude” (Egyptians who put the blood on the doorposts) takes on ALL the laws (Exodus 24:7).

That is forever.

You in doing so, become part of Israel.

You become a Jewish person.

That means you reject all other religions (Like the Mixed Multitude did), and their gods.

The Noahide Commandments were given to humanity to not do the evil in the world that occurred during pre-flood.

Those laws are practical and can be observed with little issue.

The Mosaic laws, all 613 of them, are a choice for those who are not part of Israel (Jewish People).

Yet, once you take on those mitzvah/mitzvoth, you are now under the judgement and requirement of that covenant.

If you are Christian, Muslim, etc. the 7 Noahide Commandments do not contradict those belief systems as long as you keep them.If you take on the Covenant of the Torah (5 books of Moses), then many of the beliefs of those religions become problematic.

To take on the Torah, and the Laws of Moses, means you reject your beliefs as a Christian (Since most of my readers are Christians).

To take on the Laws of Moses, means you will have to reject some of the main tenets of your Christian belief.

You will either keep your religion or choose not to observe the Torah, or you will reject your religion and keep the Laws of Moses.

This is why one is a gift (Noah’s Law) and the other is a choice (Moses’ Law).

One set of laws (as stated in essay #9) is not better or less.

They are just different.

Righteousness comes from both keeping those laws (either set) and communing with the Living G-D.

That is what is important.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week: Essay #11: What is “Messiah” (Moshiach) and why do Jews not believe in Jesus?

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

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This week we will continue the discussion from last week, to address the non-Jewish folks in the room.

That being:

Can a non-Jewish person observe the whole law to be righteous?

First, we need to look at what non-Jewish people have to observe to be righteous.

There is a concept that is called: NOAHIDE LAW

These laws are found at the end of the Noah Flood story in Genesis 9:1-7

“1. God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fertile and increase, and fill the earth.

2. The fear and the dread of you shall be upon all the beasts of the earth and upon all the birds of the sky—everything with which the earth is astir—and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hand.

3. Every creature that lives shall be yours to eat; as with the green grasses, I give you all these.

4. You must not, however, eat flesh with its life-blood in it.

5. But for your own life-blood I will require a reckoning: I will require it of every beast; of humankind, too, will I require a reckoning for human life, of everyone for each other!

6. Whoever sheds human blood, by human [hands] shall that one’s blood be shed; For in the image of God was humankind made.

7. be fertile, then, and increase; abound on the earth and increase on it.” “

(Sefaria 2006)

Now, these are the baseline laws for of all humanity. In fact the seven mentioned here is part of the Ten Commandments that are discussed in my last essay.

For a Non-Jewish person, to follow these laws will be more than enough for someone to be righteous.

Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, and Jacob all followed these commandments and were considered righteous in the Torah (5 books of Moses).

If you are not Jewish, you don’t have to keep kosher, you don’t have to keep the Sabbath and still be a righteous person.

Since the majority of the those reading this are Christian, I will also point out, that in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament), it states that you (if you are Christian), are to observe these Noahide Commandments to belong to the Christian Church:

Acts 15:28-29,

“28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the

following requirements:

29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.

You will do well to avoid these things.”

(NIV 2006)

And in Ephesians 2:14–16,

“14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.

His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. “

(NIV 2006)

So, even within Christianity, the Laws of Noah apply to those who are not Jewish.

The laws for Jewish people are different than those of non-Jewish people.

Does that make them more righteous?

No, it makes them different.

Long before Moses, and Mount Sinai, there were righteous people in the world.

Following the Noahide Commandments doesn’t make one more, or less righteous.

It places you in communion with the Almighty, and that - makes you righteous.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week: Essay #10: What is the difference between Noahide Laws and Mosaic Law?

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

*Disclaimer:

These articles are for education purposes only.

If you have further questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further information.

(End of Disclaimer)*

==================================================

This week we will discuss something that has been mentioned to me many times by well-meaning Evangelicals.

That being:

“You know, you cannot keep the whole Law….that is why you need to have Jesus.”

Let’s look at that concept first as a Jewish person, and next week, we will see how Non-Jewish people can approach this as well.

First, let’s look where this concept comes from exactly:

In the Christian Scriptures (New Testament), it is found in three places:

Galatians 3:10, James 2:10 and a prophetic statement of Jesus found in Matthew 5:7.

The above are apparently quoting a statement in Deuteronomy 28.15 which states:

“But if you do not obey your G-D to observe faithfully all the commandments and laws which I enjoin upon you this day, all the curses shall come upon you and take effect”.

(Sefaria.org 2006)

Let’s look at this statement closer.

There are two statements that are here –they are both “If, then statements.

In Hebrew, there is a word in this statement “observe”, which is “Shomer”.

We are to not only to be faithful but, both to internalize and “observe” the statements that were found in the earlier chapters.

If we don’t observe them, then we will be “cursed” or “bad things will happen”.

Not that we CANNOT obey the laws, just that if we don’t we will know what we will happen and if those bad things happen, then we will not be prosperous as it goes on from the rest of chapter 28, 29-34 of Deuteronomy.

So, that is not what the Torah is teaching. It is like if you say:

“If you don’t stop eating sweets, you’ll get fat!”

Now, we know if you stop eating sweets, you will lose weight. Is it impossible?

No, we just need to be aware and OBSERVE what we are putting in our mouths and continue to follow the advice given.

So, the next back up statement to the “You cannot keep the whole law” discussion is one of my favorites:

“Well, you don’t have the Temple, so, you cannot keep the Law!”

To that, I give you the example of Mount Sinai.

When Moses came down the mountain he was not carrying 613 commandments.

He was carrying the 10 commandments.

In fact when the Covenant between the Children of Israel and G-D, are being stated the People of

Israel say in Exodus 24:7:

“Then he took the record of the covenant and read it aloud to the people. And they said, All

that יהוה has spoken we will faithfully do!”

No Temple, no Ark - just G-D, and the Ten Commandments.

Those Ten Commandments can and are followed without issue:

They are as Follows:

1. Thou shalt not have any other gods before God

2. Thou shalt not make yourself an idol

3. Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in vain

4. Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy

5. Honor your Father and Mother

6. Thou shalt not murder

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery

8. Thou shalt not steal

9. Thou shalt not testify or bear false witness

10. Thou shalt not covet.

Now, Any Rabbi worth their salt will tell you that these Ten Commandments in one way or another point the rest of the 613 total laws found in the Torah.

In fact, Jesus himself points to this very item:

Matthew 22:34-39

“34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of

them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” “

(NIV 2010)

So, it is these 10 commandments are the “laws” that we as Children of Israel swore to uphold.

These laws can and are observed by most people, not just Jewish folks.

Which brings me to the last statement that most good natured Evangelicals state as the reason for

the inability to “Keep the whole Law”: that being “BLOOD”!

Apparently, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, demands blood for any of us to be “righteous”.

Well, no, G-D does not need blood for our righteousness.

What HaShem requires is: Repentance and “Teshuva” To turn around and go the other way going back to the “Cursing and blessings” conversation earlier.

As far as “Human Sacrifice” which most Christians see Jesus as a “Fix” for this missing sacrifices, well, Leviticus 18:21, and 20:2-5 would tell us that is NOT an option. Leviticus 18:21,

“Do not allow any of your offspring to be offered up to Molech, and do not profane the

.הוהי name of your God: I am ”

Leviticus 20:2-5,

“Say further to the Israelite people: Anyone among the Israelites, or among the strangers

residing in Israel, who gives any offspring to Molech, shall be put to death; the people of the land shall pelt the person with stones.

And I will set My face against that party, whom I will cut off from among the people for having given offspring to Molech and so defiled My sanctuary and profaned My holy name.

And if the people of the land should shut their eyes to that party’s giving offspring to Molech, and should not put the person to death, I Myself will set My face against that party’s kin as well; and I will cut off from among their people both that person and all who follow in going astray after Molech.”

(Sefaria 2006)

In fact, while we were going into the Babylonian Captivity, and all our land and temple were destroyed, it is God that speaks to us through Hosea about what we are to do in the midst of said missing Temple:

Hosea 6:6:

“For I desire goodness, not sacrifice; Devotion to God, rather than burnt offerings.”

We were as with other nations in captivity in Babylon.

We unlike the other nations, entered as a Nation of Israel, and walked out as a religion of Judaism.

It is Ezra who walks into Israel, not with a lamb to sacrifice, but with a Torah Scroll to copy down and everyone, both workman, and prince to read, study and observe.

(Nehemiah 8:1-8).

This is why even without the Temple, we can and do observe the whole Law as Jewish people.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week: Essay #9: Part #2: Can Non-Jews keep the whole Law?

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

questions, you should ask your religious leader, or you can email me for further

information. (End of Disclaimer)*

====================================================================

This week we will discuss what makes a prophet, how we would know whether that prophet is true or false, and why we in Judaism don’t have living prophets today.

First, what makes a prophet?

Well, we see in Deuteronomy 13:2-6 and 18:20-22 what the rules are in regard to a (True) Prophet:

Deuteronomy 13:2-6:

“2. If there appears among you a prophet or a dream-diviner, who gives you a sign or a

portent,

3. saying, “Let us follow and worship another god”—whom you have not experienced —even

if the sign or portent named to you comes true,

4. do not heed the words of that prophet or that dream-diviner. For your God הוהי is testing

you to see whether you really love your God הוהי with all your heart and soul.

5. It is your God הוהי alone whom you should follow, whom you should revere, whose

commandments you should observe, whose orders you should heed, whom you should

worship, and to whom you should hold fast.

6. As for that prophet or dream-diviner, such a one shall be put to death for having urged

disloyalty to your God הוהי —who freed you from the land of Egypt and who redeemed you

from the house of bondage—to make you stray from the path that your God הוהי commanded

you to follow. Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst.”

(JPS, 2006)

So, there are a few rules:

1. The prophecy or prophet, mustn’t change the Law of Moses, or replace it, (Deut. 13:3),

even if that prophecy comes true (13:4-5).

2. The prophecy must occur in the Prophet’s lifetime and it must come to pass:

Deut. 18:20-22:

“ 20 But any prophet who presumes to speak in My name an oracle that I did not command to

be uttered, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet shall die.”

21 And should you ask yourselves, “How can we know that the oracle was not spoken by

—יהוה?”

22 if the prophet speaks in the name of הוהי and the oracle does not come true, that oracle was

not spoken by הוהי; the prophet has uttered it presumptuously: do not stand in dread of that

person. “

(JPS 2006)

This is why the section in the Tanakh, what we in Judaism called the Hebrew Scriptures, or in Christianity as the “Old Testament”, is separated by:

1. Torah, 2. Prophets, and, 3. The

Writings.

The prophets in the section by its name are Prophets because they point back to Torah, and their prophecies came true in their lifetime.

In Judaism, there is a “lineage of importance” - in other words, as we move farther away from the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, andDeuteronomy), the other

writings have less and less authority.

The reason why can be found in Deuteronomy 34:6

Deut. 34:10-12

face,

“10 Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses—whom הוהי singled out, face to

11 for the various signs and portents that הוהי sent him to display in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his courtiers and his whole country,

12 and for all the great might and awesome power that Moses displayed before all Israel.”

(JPS 2006)

It is ONLY Moses that G-D spoke to face to face, no one before Moses, and none after him.

This means unlike other prophets, there were no ambiguities in regard to the visions or dreams, because Moses spoke plainly to G-D and G-D spoke plainly to Moses.

This is why the Torah has the most authority and any change is a sure sign that the leader or prophet is false and should not be heeded.

Now, why do we not have any prophets today?

Well, we actually do have one prophet still among the living - that being Elijah!

The Age of the Prophets ended with Ezra/Nehemiah and the Torah took precedent over all “supernatural” events.

Now, everyone would be responsible to read and listen, not to prophets, but to the five books of Moses directly:

Nehemiah 8:1-3:

“1 the entire people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which the LORD had charged Israel.

2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding.

3 He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men and the women and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given

to the scroll of the Teaching.”

(JPS 2006)

So, in Judaism, the Scripture, the Torah specifically, is the centerpiece of observance.

Okay, so what about Elijah?

Yes, we know that he was “taken up” by G-D (2 kings 2:1-13) and we await the heralding of the Messianic age which he is to come to declare.

This is why during the Passover Seder we have the youngest member of the family go to the front door to see if Elijah is there to celebrate Passover and then go forth to call upon the coming peace in the world.

Other than Elijah, prophets are no longer necessary since we have the Torah from the greatest prophet, Moses, who spoke to G-D face to face.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week:

How do I live as a righteous person, who is not Jewish?

(The rules of the Noahide movement).

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org

=========================

As Jews we do not encourage conversion to Judaism. Even when someone comes to us who desires to convert, we dissuade them in doing it. The reason for this is because in Judaism, as a non-Jewish person, you don’t have to be Jewish to be righteous.

Non-Jewish people can just keep the Noahide commandments to be righteous in the sight of the living Creator.

Those laws are found in the end of the story of Noah and the Flood, in Genesis 9: 4-6.

The Seven Laws are:

1. No idol worship

2. Not to curse God

3. Not to murder

4. Not to commit sexual immorality

5. Not to steal

6. Not to eat meat of a living animal (cruelty to animals in general)

7. Establish courts of justice

If a non-Jewish person follows these commandments that person is righteous.

As a side note:

Those 7 laws are part of the 613 laws that every Jewish person observes to be righteous as well.

There is no need to be a Jewish person to reap the benefits of living a happy and just life in the eyes of the Almighty.

There are a multitude of examples of Non-Jewish religions that follow these Noahide commandments.

There is of course, Christianity: Acts 15:19-21. 

19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” (NIV)

Which also includes not eating meat from Idols: (1st Corinthians 10:14-22, 1st Thessalonians 1:9), and Sexual Immorality: (1st Thessalonians 4:3-8).

In Islam, the same issue: (Quran (Al-Isra 17:22-23, 32-35) :

17:22-23

“22 Do not make [as equal] with Allah another deity and [thereby] become censured and forsaken. 23 And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parent, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.

17:32-35

“32 And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way. 33 And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right. And whoever is killed unjustly - We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in [the matterof] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law]. 34 And do not approach the property of an orphan, except in the way that is best, until he reaches maturity. And fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned. 35 And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with an even balance. That is the best [way] and best in result.”

(Quran)

So, those who follow the Noahide Commandments are, (comma) in the eyes of Judaism, in Alignment with G-D’s law for all peoples which are not Torah Observant.

This is why Jews are not evangelical in our belief system. In fact, we traditionally try to dissuade folks from converting to Judaism. This is because you can be in relationship with the Living G-D, just by being part of one of the monotheistic religions - like Christianity or Islam, as well as other groups that point toward HaShem as G-D.

We do as Jews hope in the future, that the world will be at peace, and the Messianic Age will occur, we believe that all will point toward G-D as the L-RD, yet Jews believe that Jews will be still Jews, Christians with continue to be Christians and Muslims will be Muslims in a world of peace and joy (May it happen in our lifetime). (Do you want to explain in a bit more detail the basis of this belief? It is rather unusual, give more arguments why you can be any type of believer and be Ok, because Christianity and Islam do not quite agree.)

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me:

Rabbi John Ludemann, email: kolchesed@gmail.com

www.kolchesed.org

Next Week: What makes a prophet and why there are none around today?

Rabbi John Ludemann,

Dir. Rel. Ed and History

www.kolchesed.org