Yitro | יתרו | “Jethro “- “Fearers of Heaven”- Repent and Fear of Most Ancient Holy one of Israel –

-You are holy, and Your Name is holy, and holy ones praise You every day, forever. Blessed are You, HaShem, the holy G-d. Havaya is greater than all the g-ds.

–Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the Torah of Messiah

The Seventeenth reading from the portion of Torah is named Yitro (יתרו), It comes from the first verse of the reading, which says, “Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that G-d had done for Moses and for Israel His people” ( Exodus 18:1 ). This portion tells the story of Jethro’s visit to the camp of Israel and he plays a vital role in assisting Moses in guiding and setting up a system of Judges.

Jethro, priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that G-d had done for Moses and for Israel, G-d’s people, how the Eternal had brought Israel out from Egypt. – Exodus 18:1

SUMMARY:

• Yitro brings his daughter Zipporah and her two sons (Gershom and Eliezer) to his son-in-law Moses. – Exodus 18:1-12
• Moses follows Yitro’s advice and appoints judges to help him lead the people. -Exodus 18:13-27
• The Children of Israel heard the covenant and the Israelites respond, “All that G-d has spoken we will do.” – Exodus 19:1-8
• After three days of preparation then the Israelites encounter G-d at Mount Sinai. –Exodus 19:9-25
• G-d gives the Ten Commandments aloud directly to the people. –Exodus 20:1-14
• Moses tells the people not to be afraid. -Exodus 20:15-18

Yitro’s Name :

Yitro’s name was changed. And his name Yeter (יתר) ( Exodus 4:18 ) received a “Vav” (ו) from the Holy Name and became Yitro (יתרו). And just as Abraham is always known as Abraham and not “Abram”, Yitro is always known as Yitro and not Yeter.

Priest of Midian:

And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that G-d had done for Moses and for Israel His people – that HaShem had brought Israel out of Egypt. -Exodus 17:14-18:1

Rabbi Aba said, It was not written that Jethro was a priest of On, but rather of Midian. He said to him, It is all one. At first the father-in-law of Joseph was called a priest of On; afterwards, the father-in-law of Moses was called a priest of Midian. For all are of the same secret. The priest of MIDIAN is similar to the priest of on. For these two, Moses and Joseph, are at the same grade of secret.

‘And Yitro heard… how HaShem had brought Israel out of Egypt –Exodus 18:1.

First of all, Yitro is introduced as the “priest of Midian”: Jethro……He was a pagan Universalist priest (mid. Mekhilta Yitro 1:1). But his belief that the G-d of Hebrews was first among many g-ds. He was open to embrace any deity that came to his knowledge.

So we read: “Moses did obeisance and kissed him” –Exodus 18:7.

By doing so, a great Spark of Holiness, a Spark of natural Wisdom was redeemed and gathered together with the sons of Israel. This brought an historical moment; the inclusion of an earthly method of legal legislation (the Sanhedrin) within G-d’s Torah, as it’s written: “select capable men… who fear God… and appoint them as officials” (Exodus 18:21). And “Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said” – Exodus 18:24.

G-d-fearer:

In the scriptures we encounter the term הי יראי (yirei HASHEM), those who fear the LORD and אלקים יראי (yirei Elokim), those who fear G-d. The term used in Talmudic and Rabbinic literature is שמים יראי (yirei shamayim), Fearers of Heaven.

The first and foremost point of Wisdom is the fear of Adonai; all those living by it gain good common sense.His praise stands forever. – Psalm 111:10

In our life we should overcome the evil Inclination we are bringing into our lives the Spirit of Messiah and bringing the Kingdom of Heaven down to the earth, as our sages taught that in the days of Messiah ‘G-d will remove the spirit of uncleanness from the earth’ -Zechariah 13:2.

In the secret of “Breathed into his nostrils” (Genesis 2:7) Here we find a very good connection between the “Nose” and “Messiah”. Holiness comes by the merits of the Soul of Messiah, for it is written ‘The Breath of our Nostrils is the Messiah of HaShem’(Lam 4:20). With the Soul of Messiah we will seek connection with the Creator; for it is written: “He will breathe the fear of G-d” (Isaiah 11:3). How can be Messiah the Spiritual connection of mankind even before Adam! For it’s written: ‘His name is forever, before the Sun Yinon is his name’ (Psalm 72:17). Messiah is higher than the order of Creation (cf. Ohr haTorah, Mikets p. 2202). And whoever breathes the fear of G-d is participating of the Spirit of Messiah. For greatly the Psalmist says about him: “Your throne, G-d, is forever… you love righteousness and reject wickedness, therefore G-d, your G-d, has anointed you (ie. Has made you Messiah); oil of joy above your fellows” -Psalms 45:7.

……..so that all the peoples of the earth will know your name and fear you, as does your people Isra’el, and so that they will know that this house which I have built bears your name. –I Kings 8:41-43,

Job fears G-d ( Job 1:8 ) and in Psalms 22:24 , as it is written: You who fear Adonai, praise him! All descendants of Ya‘akov, glorify him! All descendants of Isra’el, stand in awe of him!

There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a Roman army officer in what was called the Italian Regiment. He was a devout man, a “G-d-fearer,” as was his whole household; he gave generously to help the Jewish poor and prayed regularly to G-d. – Acts 10 : 1-2

So Sha’ul stood, motioned with his hand, and said: “Men of Isra’el and G-d-fearers, listen! – Acts 13 : 16

Amalek did not Fear but Jethro Feared:

Here we find the very good piece of information that all the pagan nations had heard how Israel came out of the Egypt, And the Response of Amalek, “He did not fear G-d” (Deuteronomy 25:18) and “Made war with Israel” – Exodus 17:8.

But Yitro’s responded, “He came to Moses…. To the mount of HaShem” ( Exodus 18:5 ), “rejoiced” and declared: “Now I know that Havaya is greater than all the g-ds” – Exodus 18:11.

Jethro came, the great and supreme priest of Midian, appointed ruler over the whole pagan world, and acknowledged the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: “I now know that Hashem is supreme over all Elohim.” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, was exalted in His glory from above and below, and afterwards He gave the Torah in the completeness of His dominion.

Zohar writinings: “When Jethro” HE ASKS, Only Jethro heard, while the rest of the world did not hear? Is it not written, “The people shall hear, and be afraid” (Shemot 15:14)? HE ANSWERS, Indeed, the whole world did hear, but they were not broken. THEREFORE, IT WAS AS IF THEY DID NOT HEAR. But he heard, and was broken and yielded before the Holy One, blessed be He, and was brought near to fearing Him.

For when the people of the entire world heard of the wonders of the Holy One, blessed be He, they trembled. Then they looked up to Jethro, who was the wisest and was appointed over all of the heathen deities. When they saw that he came to worship the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: “Now I know that Hashem is greater than all the Elohim,” they gave up their idol worship, realizing their idols were worthless. At that time, the glory of the Holy Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, was exalted on all sides.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, desired that His name be glorified on earth as it is above, after He struck him and his nation, he came and acknowledged the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, “Hashem is righteous” (Exodus 9:27). The instant he, who was the most important king in the world, acknowledged Him, all the other kings acknowledged, as it is written, “then the chiefs of Edom shall be amazed” (Exodus 15:15).

Rabbi Elazar notes with the following verse, “Let the peoples praise You, Elohim, let all the peoples give thanks to You” (Psalms 67:3). Come and behold, King David rose and praised and thanked the Holy King.

“Men! Why are you doing this? We’re just men, human like you! We are announcing Good News to you — turn from these worthless things to the living G-d who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them! – Acts 14:15

And I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth and on the sea — yes, everything in them — saying,“To the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb belong praise, honor, glory and power forever and ever!” – Revelation 5:13

Amalek at Rephadim :

Amalek, was the son of Esau. All throughout Israel’s history, Amalek was and is the enemy of G-d’s people. Amalek, and Esau represent the opposite of the Ruel [“Friend of G-d”] by opposing G-d’s chosen people.

Then HaShem said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, HaShem-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because HaShem has sworn: HaShem will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Amalek at Rephadim (Exodus 17:8). And in Exodus 19:2 we are told of Israel “leaving Rephidim.” The term “rephidim” is associated by the sages with a lack of Torah learning, something they had been directed toward back at the bitter waters of Marah. Thus, the hidden meaning to this verse is that the people had improved in the area of Torah. And also find some of the scriptures which is mentioned in the below statements.

• Amalek at the City of Palms – Judges 3:13.
• Saul, told to wipe out Amalek, but sinned is not listening- 1 Samuel 15.
• Haman, a descendant of Amalek in Persia attempts to obliterate Israel ( in the book of Esther).

Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: “Amalek was first among the nations, but shall be last until he perishes.” -Numbers 24:20

Yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven:

A true returning to G-d (ie. Teshuva / repentance) is the most fundamental concept in order to receive the Kingdom of Heaven. Our Sages say that reciting the Shema , in the book of Deuteronomy equals accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore we find that Yeter received a name which in Gematria stands for “The Torah” (haTorah), as in the verse: “this is The Torah that Moses set before the sons of Israel” (Deuteronomy 4:44). The pagan priest was elevated to the level of “Torah”, for certainly the instruction he gave to Moses became Torah.

In rabbinical phrase : ” The Yoke of the Kingdom of heaven”, describes a man must first take upon him the Yoke of the kingdom of heaven everyday and after that take upon him the “Yoke” of the commandment.

Yeshua Words: …….Take my Yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart – Matthew 11:29

Saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.“ – Matthew 3: 2

Wings of Eagles:

Most High tells Moses that He brought the people to Him “on the wings of eagles.” You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. – Exodus 19:4

There is a similar expression of wings of eagles which is described in the book of Revelation, where Israel is protected by G-d from her enemies.

But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly to her place in the desert, where she is taken care of for a season and two seasons and half a season, away from the serpent’s presence. – Revelation 12: 14

Torah

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Exodus 18:1-20:23

Haftarah Portion

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Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6

Ha-Berit ha-Hadashah

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Matthew 6: 1-8:1

Notes:

In this week Torah portion, Moses tells his father-in-law, Jethro (Yitro), about the miracle of the exodus. Jethro proclaims that the Israelite G-d is greater than all other g-ds. Jethro then advises Moses to delegate leadership roles in order to setting up a system of Judges. The Israelites camp at the bottom of Mount Sinai and After three days, the mountain was fills with smoke and G-d delivers the Ten Commandments to His people.

And in chapter of Exodus nineteen, Moses not only ascended a physical mountain, he was also “elevated” spiritually. The first of the “Ten Commandments” is the most important. Simply put, we are to recognize the existence of G-d and put our trust (“faith”) in Him. Unless one proceeds from this point, following the ensuing commandments will become an exercise in futility, “for the just will live by his faith” -Habbakuk 2:4.

Pharaoh’s three Men: Bilaam, Job, and Jethro

We read of the three advisors to the Pharaoh: Jethro, Job and Bilaam. Bilaam was a sorcerer, but Job had fear, and we are told of the great power of fear to draw down the spirit from above, whether it be Holy or from the Other side. While Job converted to worship of the Holy One due to the fear generated by his witnessing of the miracles, Jethro did not convert until after the drowning in the Red Sea. However, Bilaam neither repented nor converted. And he was a sorcerer in all manner of enchantments, whether by act or by word.

Mountain of Most High:

“the mountain of Hashem” refers to Abraham, as written, “as it is said to this day: In the mount Hashem will appear” (Genesis 22:14). For Abraham called it ‘a mountain’. Just as the mountain is abandoned property, free to all who care for it, so is this holy place, THE TEMPLE, open to all those who desire it on earth. “to the house” (Isaiah 2:3) is Jacob, who called this place a “house,” as it is written, “This is no other than the house of Elohim” -Genesis 28:17.

“And they gathered underneath the mountain” (Exodus 19:17).

According to the literal reading, the people of Israel were “under the Mountain”. In Yakov’s dream, G-d stands upon him; having a Ladder that connects Above and Below. Now at Sinai, there is a Covenant between G-d above and Israel below. Sinai is this Ladder (Sulam) that joins the spiritual with the physical . Mount Sinai is the source of G-d’s connection with the people. It’s where the Covenant is established. Therefore it’s called the mount of G-d.

G-d chose to give the Torah on a mountain because a mountain expresses the ideal of elevating and raising upward the physical world (cf. Sefer haMaamarim 5700, p. 114). “And they gathered underneath the mountain” –Exodus 19:17. “The lower realms may ascend to the higher realms, and the higher realms may descend to the lower realms… as it’s written: HaShem descended on Mount Sinai; and then, He said to Moses: Go up to HaShem” (Midrash Tanhuma; cf. Exodus 19:20; 24:1).

Zohar writings: “And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law came” (Exodus 18:5). He opened the discussion with the verse, “And many nations shall go and say, ‘Come and let us go up to the mountain of Hashem’” (Isaiah 2:3). Yet, the time will come when the other nations will strive to come under the wings of the Shechinah. “Let us go up” All idol worshippers of the world pertain to descent, but those who cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, will achieve an ascent. Therefore, it is written, “Let us go up.”

The Third Day:

“And it came to pass in the third day” -Exodus 19:16

“Blessed be the Merciful One who on the third day in the third month gave a three-fold Torah (Torah, Prophets and Hagiographa) to a three-fold people (Priests, Levites and Israelites) through a third-born (Moses, the third child of Amram)”-(Shabbat 88a).

Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, Section 1, Page 120a – ON THE THIRD DAY ABRAHAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAW THE PLACE AFAR OFF. As we have already been told that Abraham went to the place, all this seems superfluous. But the truth is that “the third day” means the third generation, i.e. Jacob, and the words “he saw the place from afar” are parallel to the expression “from afar the Lord appeared unto me” (Jeremiah 31, 3). Or again, “the place” alludes to Jacob, of whom it is written, “and he took one of the stones of the place” (Gen. XXVIII, 11). For Abraham scrutinized the “third day”, which is the third grade, and he beheld Jacob, who was destined to descend from him. “Afar off”, to wit, at some distant time, and not soon. R. Eleazar said to R. Judah: ‘What credit is herein ascribed to Abraham, if whilst about to bind Isaac he saw that Jacob was destined to descend from him?’ R. Judah replied: ‘Indeed Abraham did see Jacob, since even before that Abraham was endowed with the higher Wisdom; and now he scrutinized the third day, which is the third grade, in order to make sure. And indeed he did see him, but now only “from afar”, for the reason that he was going to bind Isaac, and he did not wish to question the ways of the Holy One. “Afar off”, that is, he saw him through a “dim glass” only, and therefore only partially; for if the “clear glass” had been resting upon the “dim glass”, Abraham would have seen him properly. The “clear glass” did not function on this occasion, because this is the grade of Jacob, who, not yet being born, had not reached that grade; and also in order that Abraham’s reward might be all the greater. AND THEY CAME TO THE PLACE WHICH GOD HAD TOLD HIM OF, ETC. Here it is intimated that although Abraham had some vision of Jacob, yet he said to himself, “Assuredly the Holy One knows another way which will serve.’ Forthwith, therefore, ABRAHAM BUILT THE ALTAR THERE. Before this it is written: AND ISAAC SPOKE UNTO ABRAHAM HIS FATHER, AND SAID, MY FATHER. As explained elsewhere, the reason why Abraham did not respond to him immediately was because the normal compassion of a father towards a son left him, and hence he simply said: ‘Here I am, my son”, implying that the quality of mercy in him had been transmuted into rigour. AND ABRAHAM SAID. It is not written: “and his father said”, which shows again that he was regarding him not as his father but as his adversary. G-D WILL PROVIDE FOR HIMSELF THE LAMB FOR A BURNT OFFERING, MY SON. He should have said: “provide for us”, but what he meant was, “G-d will provide for Himself when necessary, but for the present it is going to be my son and nothing else.”

As the above portion of the Zohar speaks of Abraham looking “forward” to the day of Messiah. And it also emphasizing and involving the functionality of Akeidah.

Here the ram that Abraham sacrificed at a particular point in time. So the element of sacrifice existed since the foundation of the world, work of sacrifice/atonement. And it is written in new testament, “lamb slain since the foundation of the world.” – Revelation 13:8

Abraham “looking into the future, upon the “third day,” also called the “third grade,” which is the third Sephirah of Binah-Understanding. The Sephirah of Binah is associated with several concepts in which includes:

Teshuva, Understanding, Jubilee, New Jerusalem, Yom Kippur and establishment of G-d's kingdom on earth  relates to all the days of Messiah.  

But the Jerusalem that is above is free... ( Galatians 4 : 26 ) and in Hebrews 9:28 - So Messiah was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. ( i.e relates to Yom Kippur which deals with salvation and establishment of the New Covenant).

Yeshua mentioned Abraham’s vision : John 8:56-58 – Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Yeshua said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. -Luke 24:44-47

“After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him.” -Hosea 6:2

Genesis Rabbah commenting on Genesis 22:4, says, “ON THE THIRD DAY. It is written, ‘After two days He will revive us, on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence (Hosea 6:2).’ E.g. on the third day of the tribal ancestors: ‘And Joseph said unto them the third day: This do, and live (Genesis. 42:18);’ on the third day of Revelation: ‘And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning (Exodus 29:16)’; on the third day of the spies: ‘And hide yourselves there three days (Joshua 2:16)’; on the third day of Jonah: And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights (Jonah 2:1); on the third day of those returning from the Exile:’And we abode there three days (Ezra 8:32)’; on the third day of resurrection: ‘’After two days He will revive us, on the third day He will raise us up’;’ on the third day of Esther: ‘Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel (Est. 5:1)’-i.e. she put on the royal apparel of her ancestor. For whose sake? The Rabbis say: For the sake of the third day, when Revelation took place. R. Levi maintained: ‘In the merit of what Abraham did on the third day,’ as it says, ‘ON THE THIRD DAY,’ etc. ‘AND SAW THE PLACE AFAR OFF (ib.). What did he see? He saw a cloud enveloping the mountain, and said: ‘’It appears that that is the place where the Holy One, blessed be He, told me to sacrifice my son.’” -Genesis Rabbah 56:1, Soncino Press Edition

The “wedding feast” is a symbol of the Messianic Kingdom,“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son…” -Matthew 22:2, cf. Revelation 19:9

Marriage banquet:

Pirkei Avot says, “The judgment is true, and everything is prepared for the banquet.” -Pirkei Avot 3:16

“The third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Yeshua’s mother was there. Yeshua also was invited, with his disciples, to the marriage. When the wine ran out, Yeshua’s mother said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ Yeshua said to her, ‘Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever he says to you, do it.’Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece. Yeshua said to them, ‘Fill the water pots with water.’ They filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.’ So they took it. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom, and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!’ This beginning of his signs Yeshua did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”

-John 2:1-11

Yeshua says, “My time is not yet come” because the Messianic Kingdom is not yet here. Even so, he gives us a taste of wine hidden for the Olam Haba, the World to Come. This teaches us that we do not need to wait for the Kingdom to bring it here now. The Kingdom can be here, now, brought by our mitzvot. Its full manifestation will come when Mashiach returns, but we can bring a taste of the Messianic Kingdom today.

Saw the Voices:

Torah tells us that they “saw the voices (of the thunder),” did they literally see a sound, or did they only hear it? The voice heard by Moses at Mount Sinai, was also said to be one of seven voices: “This teaches us that the Torah was given (at Sinai) with seven voices. In each of them the Master of the Universe revealed Himself to them, and they saw Him. It is thus written, “And all the people saw the voices.” -Bahir 45

At first they saw the voices. What did they see? The seven voices mentioned by David. But in the end they heard the word that emanated from them all. -Bahir 48

The Voice of Adonai is over the waters;the G-d of glory thunders, Adonai over rushing waters, the voice of Adonai in power,the voice of Adonai in splendor. The voice of Adonai cracks the cedars; Adonai splinters the cedars of the L’vanon and makes the L’vanon skip like a calf,Siryon like a young wild ox. The voice of Adonai flashes fiery flames ; the voice of Adonai rocks desert, Adonai convulses the Kadesh Desert. The voice of Adonai causes deer to give birth and strips the forests bare — while in his temple, all cry, “Glory!” – Psalm 29:3-9

“GO THOU NEAR AND HEAR, ETC. When the Law was given to Israel, all the Voices were present and the Holy One, blessed be He, was sitting on His throne, and one was seen within another, and the utterance of each came forth from the one above it, wherefore it is said, “The Lord spake to you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire” (Deuteronomy 5:4), which means that the utterance came forth from the midst of fire and flame, which thrust it forth by the force of spirit and water; and fire,spirit and water all issued from the trumpet which contained them all.” -Zohar, Devarim 261a

Midrash Rabbah tells us that the voice of waters, is the Torah: Midrash Rabbah – The Song of Songs I:19 – Just as water is from heaven, as it says, At the sound of His giving, a multitude of waters in the heavens (Jeremiah. X, 13), so the Torah is from heaven, as it says, I have talked with you from heaven (Exodus 20, 19). Just as [the downpour of] water is accompanied by loud thunderings, as it says, the voice of the Lord is upon the waters (Psalms XXIX, 3), so the Torah was given with loud thunderings, as it says, And it came to pass on the third day when it was morning that there were thunders and lightnings (Exodus 19, 16).

“At Every word which went forth from the mouth of the Blessed Holy One, the souls of Israel departed, for it is said, ‘Nafshi Yatzah veDabero”; My soul went out with his Words (Song 5:6). Then G-d brought down the dew with which He will resurrect the dead and revived them, as it’s said: You sent a plentiful rain, G-d; you refreshed your inheritance when it was weary [or fainted]” (Psalms 68: 10 [9]) (cf. Shabbat 88b). And again: “Your dead shall live… for your dew is a dew of illumination” ( Isaiah 26:19 ).

The voice emanating from the fire and flame, mentioned in the above Zohar passage, has a direct connection to Moses, who also “saw” G-d in the form of a voice, which is called “the messenger (angel) of YHVH”: In Exodus 3:2-4 – and there appeareth unto him a messenger of YHVH in a flame of fire, out of the midst of the bush, and he seeth, and lo, the bush is burning with fire, and the bush is not consumed. And Moses saith, `Let me turn aside, I pray thee, and I see this great appearance; wherefore is the bush not burned?’ and YHVH seeth that he hath turned aside to see, and G-d calleth unto him out of the midst of the bush, and saith, `Moses, Moses;’ and he saith, `Here [am] I.’

As the Zohar states, in the stuff of Moses, in the column of fire, in the ascending of Enoch… and of course Messiah is the highest human manifestation of this spiritual force. ( ie. The Word became flesh and lived with us,and we saw his Sh’khinah(glory)…., – John 1 : 14)

His voice is G-d’s word ( Exodus 23:22). And Yeshua Words: For I have not spoken on my own initiative, but the Father who sent me has given me a command, namely, what to say and how to say it. -John 12: 49 ; And of Messiah it is written: “hear my words which he shall speak in my Name” –Deuteronomy 18:19.

The Messenger of His Presence is not a mighty one/or whatever else between HaShem and us were we have to appear before we can come to HaShem! And scriptures says: Exodus 20:1 And Elohim spoke all these Words, saying, Exo 20:2 “I am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of slavery. Exo 20:3 “You have no other mighty ones against My face. Exo 20:4 “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth, Exo 20:5 you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, יהוה your Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, Exo 20:6 but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands. Exodus 20:7 “You do not bring the Name of יהוה your Elohim to naught, for יהוה does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught.

But The Word that became flesh and ‘Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts’…….Became flesh: Phillipians 2:5-8 For, let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah יהושע, who, being in the form of Elohim, did not regard equality with Elohim a matter to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and came to be in the likeness of men. And having been found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, death even of a stake.

When HaShem spoke the Word, ‘that the Word may become flesh’ that Messiah Ben Yoseph received the soul of, The Messenger of His Presence – מלאך פניו,

Isaiah_63:9 In all their distress He was distressed, and the Messenger of His Presence –ומלאך פניו הושׁיעם באהבתו – saved them. In His love and in His compassion He redeemed them, and He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Deut 30:10 if you obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim (The Voice of the Messenger of His Presence ( Yeshayahu 63:9, Shemot 25:22), to guard His commands and His laws which are written in this Book of the Torah, if you (that is!) turn back to יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being.

Yahweh’s Corban, ‘My offering’, who, Heb 9:11-14 But Messiah, having become a High Priest of the coming good matters, through the greater and more perfect Tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, entered into the Most Set-apart Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained everlasting redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sets apart for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of the Messiah, who through the everlasting Spirit offered Himself unblemished to Elohim, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim?

‘My Offering’, Messiah Ben Yoseph :  Please obey VOICE of Most High and Come let us gather together to understand about  the role of Mashiach ben Yosef and his divine Mandate - Deut 30 : 1- 10 

And as it is written: Zep_3:10 “From beyond the rivers of Kush my Worshippers, the daughter of My dispersed ones,(Ephraim/Manasseh) shall bring My offering.

And when we are willing to accept and follow the Torah as it actually is — fulfilling NA’ASEH VE-NISHMAH, “we will (first) DO it and (then) HEAR (and understand) it” (Exodus 24:7) — then we can come to understand how the Torah lifts us out of our slavery to this-worldliness, with its many false gods. Then we can hear the Voice of redemption that calls to us every day: “I am HASHEM your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves” (Ex. 20:2).

– Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Greenbaum

cloven tongues like as of fire

“Israel encamped there’ Heb. וַיִחַן, (the singular form) as one man with one heart, but all the other encampments were divided with complaints and with strife.”

-Rashi on Exodus 19:2

The book of Acts echoes Exodus: “And in the day of the Shavuot being fulfilled, they all met with one heart.” -Acts 2:1

In Jewish tradition, the Torah was revealed on Mount Sinai on the Festival of Shavuot, just as the Holy Spirit, the Torah written upon the heart, was given on Shavuot. Incredibly, Exodus describes the miracles associated with the Matan Torah, the Giving of the Torah,

“And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the shofar, and the mountain smoking. And when the people saw, they trembled, and stood afar off.” -Exodus 20:18

The Hebrew word for “thunderings” is the word ‘qolot’, which can mean ‘sounds’ or ‘voices.’ It may be asked, how is it possible to “see a sound”? The Midrash says, “They saw what is ordinarily heard and they heard what is ordinarily seen.” –Midrash Lekach Tov, Rashi.

They saw the Voices. In the book of Acts, it says,“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” –-Acts 2:3

In modern translations, the word for “cloven” is rendered ‘divided’, ‘separated,’or ‘distributed,’ “Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.” -Acts 2:3

This is incredible, as Jewish tradition confirms this idea. The Midrash Rabbah says, “R. Johanan said that G-d’s voice, as it was uttered, split up into seventy voices, in seventy languages, so that all the nations should understand.”

Exodus Rabbah 5:9

Acts continues, “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. . . When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.” -Acts 2:4-6

Notice the amazing parallels from Midrash Rabbah, ”When G-d gave the Torah on Sinai, He displayed untold marvels to Israel with His voice. What happened? G-d spoke and the Voice reverberated throughout the world. . . It says: And all the people perceived the thunderings (Exodus. 20:15). Note that it does not say “the thunder” [qol], but “the thunderings.” [qolot]. Wherefore R. Johanan said that G-d’s voice, as it was uttered, split up into seventy voices, in seventy languages, so that all the nations should understand. When each nation heard the Voice in their own vernacular their souls departed, save Israel who heard but who were not hurt.”

Exodus Rabbah 5:9, Soncino Press Edition

In Exodus it says, “…there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.”

Exodus 32:28

And it seems that a tikkun, a repair, was made for this in the book of Acts, “Then those who gladly received his word were immersed. There were added that day about three thousand souls.” -Acts 2:41

The prophet Zephaniah foretold this day, “For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the name of Hashem, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.” -Zephaniah 3:9

Saw the Voice – We can find the same expression in the book of Revelation

And I did turn to See the voice that did speak with me, and having turned, I saw seven golden lamp-stands… -Revelation 1 : 12

John says he turns to see the voice. How does one see a voice? The same question may be asked regarding the events of Mt. Sinai, as read about in the Torah:

And all the people are seeing the voices, and the flames, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mount smoking; and the people see, and move, and stand afar off, and say unto Moses, `Speak thou with us, and we hear, and let not G-d speak with us, lest we die. -Exodus 20:18-19

We are told that “all the people Saw the voices (of the thunder) and the lightning”—very interesting, for how can voices be seen? – and in Revelation 1:15 , His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. And Brass is a symbol of judgment that the Zohar relates to “powers and principalities” (i.e., Ephesians 6:12) that lie behind the nations, whom Messiah is coming to judge.

Brass is symbolic of the days of the Sacrifices of the Feast of Tabernacles which alluded to the powers and principalities of the heathen nations, who are designated “mountains of brass.” -Zohar, Shemoth 135a

Ezekiel’s vision:

“Then I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire; and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.” -Ezekiel 8:2

“Behold, the glory of the G-d of Israel came from the way of the east: and his Voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shined with his glory.” -Ezekiel 43:2

Nation of Priests:

“And G-d spoke all these words” (Exodus 20:1). According to our sages, this extraordinary event in which people heard the voice of G-d by themselves was so sublime that brought them into a new life. They literally died to their old life of slavery, and were born again, not as servants, but as a Nation of priests and Kings.

As it is written: and you will be a Kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.’ These are the words you are to speak to the people of Isra’el.” -Exodus 19:6

You made them into a kingdom for G-d to rule, cohanim to serve him; and they will rule over the earth.” -Revelation 5:10

Black and White Fire:

Israel did not become free when they left Egypt. They become truly free when they received with acceptance and applied the Torah. The Torah is freedom.

This tradition is apparently quoted by Yaakov, James, the brother of Yeshua,“…he who looks into the perfect Torah of Freedom (חרות), and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.” –James 1:25

The Zohar comments on the deeper level meaning of this concept, “Therefore the Scripture proclaims: “the tablets were the work of G-d” (Elokim), from the time when the world was still under the aegis of the name Elokim, before the Sabbath had entered. The writing, too, was the ”writing of G-d”, black fire on white fire, and it was haruth (engraved) because the Jubilee proclaims freedom (heruth) to all worlds.” –Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 114a, Soncino Press Edition

“There are 304,805 plus letters in the Torah, but as you noted, we often hear of the 600,000 letters in the Torah…[One] view explains that the count of 304,805 letters includes only those that we see, black ink against white parchment. But there are also the letters in white against black. The heavenly, non-physical version of the Torah is described as black fire on white fire, and both the black and white are equally meaningful. The black are the letters we see, while the white, the inverse space between the black, are the letters we don’t see. The count of 600,000 includes both the black and the white letters.” –Where Are There 600,000 Letters of the Torah?, Malkie Janowski.

A Torah scroll is written with black ink upon white parchment (usually made from the skin of a lamb), yet the Torah preceded the creation of the physical universe. The book of Deuteronomy says, “At his right hand was a fiery law for them.” –Deuteronomy 33:2

The Zohar comments,“…that the Torah was written with black fire on white fire.” –Zohar, Bemidbar, Section 3, Page 154b, Soncino Press Edition

The Encyclopedia Judaica eludicates this idea,“The most radical form that this view took was associated with the talmudic aggadah according to which prior to the creation of the world the whole of the Torah was written in black fire on white fire. As early as the beginning of the 13th century the daring notion was expressed that in reality the white fire comprised the true text of the Torah, whereas the text that appeared in black fire was merely the mystical Oral Law. Hence it follows that the true Written Law has become entirely invisible to human perception and is presently concealed in the white parchment of the Torah scroll, the black letters of which are nothing more than a commentary on this vanished text. In the time of the Messiah the letters of this “white Torah” will be revealed. This belief is referred to in a number of the classic texts of Hasidism as well.” –Encyclopedia Judaica, Kabbalah

THE SOUL OF THE TORAH

If the black letters refer to what is revealed, then the white space refers to that which is concealed. R’ Levi of Berditchev says, “When our Righteous Messiah comes, we shall also understand the blank spaces in the Torah.”

Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, Imre Tzaddikim, pg 10, Cited in the Messiah Texts, Raphael Patai, pg. 257

The black letters of the Torah are our deeds, our actions, that are perceptible in the physical world. The white spaces in the Torah refer to the thoughts, motives and intentions of the heart, which are the invisible roots of our actions.

“For the word of G-d is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” –Hebrews 4:12

The Midrash Rabbah says, “And the flaming sword…” (Genesis 3:24) ”Rabbis said: ‘Sword’ refers to the Torah, as it is written, And a two-edged sword in their hand (Psalms. 149:6).” –Genesis Rabbah 21:9, Soncino Press Edition

Two double-edged sword of the Torah simply does not command us to ‘not murder’, but to eradicate the very source of murder.The New Torah, the Torah of the Messiah, is actually more “strict” than that of Moshe, because while it bids us to obey letter of the Torah, we must go beyond, higher and deeper, into the very root of our physical actions, into our thoughts, intentions and motives. The Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, inspires us to become more observant, not only outwardly but inwardly.

Yeshua’s teachings: Yeshua reveals the White Fire of the Torah. He teaches that the root of murder is hatred, “You have heard that it was said to the ancients, “You shall not murder“. . . But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be liable to the judgment. And whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the Sanhedrin, but whoever shall say, Fool! shall be liable to the fire of Gey-Hinnom.” -Matthew 5:21-22

John expounds on this concept,“Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. . . If anyone says, “I love G-d,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if a person does not love his brother, whom he has seen, then he cannot love G-d, whom he has not seen. Yes, this is the command we have from him: whoever loves G-d must love his brother too.”

-1 John 3:15, 4:20-21

THE NEW TORAH

But actually, the Torah was the blueprint of creation, and therefore preceded it.”

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, The Bahir, pg. 96

Yet the Midrash Talpiyot comments that the letters of the Torah will re-configure itself back to its primordial state, “The Holy One, blessed is He, will sit and expound the New Torah which He will give through the Messiah. “New Torah” means the secrets and the mysteries of the Torah which have remained hidden until now. It does not refer to another Torah, heaven forbid, for surely the Torah which He gave us through Moshe rabbeinu, peace be upon him, is the eternal Torah, but the revelation of her hidden secrets is called the “New Torah”. . . when Adam the first man sinned, G-d arranged the letters into words, such as, When a man dies in his tent (Numbers 19:14). For had Adam not sinned, the letters would have arranged themselves into other words. Therefore, in the Olam Haba, the words will return to their primordial state.” -Midrash Talpiyot 58a, cited in the Messiah Texts, Raphael Patai, pg. 256

When HaShem created the world through the Primordial Torah, it was absolutely perfect. There was no death, suffering, sadness or pain. However, when Adam sinned, the letters of the Primordial Torah re-arranged, to apply to a fallen world. The Torah remained perfect, but it now applied to a world that was no longer perfect, as Numbers :“This is the Torah when a man dies in a tent…” -Numbers 19:14

The Torah’s letters re-arranged to apply to situations like death, sickness, divorce, sin, suffering and war. In the New Torah the word ‘death’ will never be mentioned. Even the Midrash on Psalms hints that the Torah of this world is not in its proper order,“Man knoweth not the order thereof” (Job 28:13). R. Eleazar taught: The sections of Scripture are not arranged in their proper order, and any man so read them, he would be able to resurrect the dead and perform other miracles. For this reason the proper order of the sections of Scripture is hidden from mortals and is known only to the Holy One, blessed be He, who said: “Who, as I, can read and declare it, and set it in order.” (Isaiah 44:7)

Midrash Tehillim, translated by William G. Braude, Yale University Press.

In the book of Mark, it tells us of a “new Torah,” “They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? A new Torah? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” -Mark 1:27

The Yemenite Midrash says, “In the future the Holy One, blessed is he, will seat the Messiah in the supernal Yeshiva, and they will call him, “the Lord” just as they call the Creator . . . and all those who walk on earth will come and sit before him to hear a New Torah and new commandments and the deep wisdom which he teaches Israel. . . and no person who hears a teaching from the mouth of the Messiah will ever forget it.” –Yemenite Midrash, cited in the Messiah Texts, Raphael Patai.

R’ Chaim Kramer summarizes the teachings of Rebbe Nachman on the subject, “…just as Mashiach’s level has yet to be revealed, so too the level of the hidden mysteries of the Torah has yet to be revealed. This awesome level of “hidden mysteries” is called the “Torah of Atika Stima’ah (“Torah of the Hidden Ancient One”) or simply, the “Torah of Atik” that will be revealed in the future. Throughout our history, the Torah of Atik has been concealed, with rare revelations made by our Prophets and Sages, as when they foretold the Days of Mashiach. They were given “a taste” of the Torah of Atik…They glimpsed the “New Torah” which will be revealed in the Future. It is the same Torah that we have today, but in its deepest form. The same laws will apply – not one iota will change! But its application to our daily lives will bring a much deeper understanding….it is possible to taste and experience this Torah of Atik even today…Praying with self-sacrifice, whereby the person negates himself totally before G-d, is known as hitpashut hagashmiyut (“the shedding of corporeality”)…”

Mashiach, Who, What, Why, How, Where, When, R’ Chaim Kramer, Breslov Research Institute, pgs 102-103

Yeshua reveals that all 600,000 letters of the Torah are contained in one word: אהבה, Ahavah, Love.The number 13 is also the gematria of the word אחד, echad, one. The essence of loving our neighbor as we love ourselves, is to love each other as Messiah loved us. We are to love each other with every fiber of our being, al kiddush HaShem, even to the death, for Love conquers death. HaShem is love, and the Torah is love. HaShem and the Torah are one. When we love one another, we draw down the Spirit of HaShem into this world, and we are given a taste of the New Torah from the World to Come, as Rabbi Shaul says in Galatians: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the Torah of Messiah.” –Galatians 6:2

Yeshua gives us a taste of the Olam Haba, the World to Come. He reveals a commandment from the White Fire, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another.” -John 13:34

Yeshua says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” -John 14:15

Levels of Torah

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UNIVERSAL TORAH: YISRO – By Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum

Torah Reading: YISRO Exodus 18:1-20:23 -Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6 (Sephardi ritual: 6:1-13).

WE ARE ALL CONVERTS

It is fitting that the parshah which tells of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai is named after Yisro (Jethro), Moses’ father-in-law — a convert. Indeed, all those who witnessed the Giving of the Torah were “converts”. Thus (as noted in the commentary on Parshas SHEMOS) the Covenant at Sinai was accompanied by the three components of conversion: circumcision (Rashi on Ex.12:6), ritual immersion in the waters of the Mikveh (Ex. 19:10) and burned offerings (Ex. 24:5). For before G-d, we are all converts — GERIM, “dwellers” in a land and on an earth that is not ours but G-d’s. We are all here only by the grace of G-d, utterly dependent upon His kindness and compassion.

Thus no one can claim that the Torah belongs to him by right through ancestral or other merit. There is no room for pride, arrogance or the exploitation of the Torah for worldly advantage. The Torah is not the property of an exclusive caste. It “belongs” only to one who keeps it. The Torah was given in the Wilderness, no man’s land, on the lowest of all mountains — Sinai, the eternal symbol of humility. For only through humility can we “receive” and accept the Torah, which belongs to G-d alone. Receiving the Torah means having the humility to accept it as it is, the way it has come down to us, without trying to “modify” it according to our own ideas and wishes.

And when we are willing to accept and follow the Torah as it actually is — fulfilling NA’ASEH VE-NISHMAH, “we will (first) DO it and (then) HEAR (and understand) it” (Ex. 24:7) — then we can come to understand how the Torah lifts us out of our slavery to this-worldliness, with its many false gods. Then we can hear the voice of redemption that calls to us every day: “I am HASHEM your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves” (Ex. 20:2).

Slavery to the idols of the mundane world is ignominious. Yet the Torah accords the greatest honor to those who have the courage to leave this servitude behind and “go out into the wilderness” in search of G-d — like Jethro. According to tradition, Jethro had investigated every conceivable way of interpreting and living in this world, every world-view and “lifestyle”. Only when Jethro came to HaShem and His Torah did he know he had found the truth. “Now I KNOW that HaShem is great above all the gods” (Ex. 18:11). The Zohar comments: “When Jethro came and said, ‘Now I know that HaShem is great.’ then the Supreme Name was glorified and exalted” (Zohar, Yisro 69). In other words, the revelation of G-d’s light and power is greatest precisely when it comes out of darkness and concealment. Only when we have seen evil and know its power can we understand the greatness of G-d’s saving hand. Only one who was a slave truly understands what it means to have been freed. This is “the superiority of the light that comes out of darkness” (Ecclesiastes 2:13).

Thus Jethro the Convert was accorded the honor of having the parshah narrating the Giving of the Torah named after him, and of contributing the hierarchical system of “captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties and captains of tens” through which the Children of Israel are governed. Jethro’s name also contains and alludes to the name of another humble convert who was accorded the greatest honor: Ruth the Moabitess, who was the great grandmother of King David, MELECH HAMASHIACH.

TWO MILLION PROPHETS

Rambam (Maimonides) in “Foundations of the Torah”, the opening section of his comprehensive Code of Law, explains the significance of the revelation at Sinai, which was witnessed by at least two million people:

“The people of Israel did not believe in Moses our Teacher because of the signs he wrought. For one who believes on account of signs always has some residual doubt in his heart that maybe the sign was brought about through magic and witchcraft. All the signs that Moses performed in the wilderness were performed to meet specific needs, not to bring proof of his prophecy.

“Then how did they come to believe in him? The answer is: At Mount Sinai, where we ourselves (not a stranger) saw with our own eyes and where we ourselves (not someone else) heard with our own ears the thunderous sounds and flashing lights and how Moses approached and entered the thick cloud. We heard The Voice speak with him as we listened: ‘Moses, Moses, go and say to them.’ From where do we learn that the Assembly at Mount Sinai and that alone is the final proof of the truth of Moses’ prophecy — proof that leaves no room for further doubt? As it says, ‘Behold I am coming to you in the thickness of the cloud in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and also they will believe in you forever’ (Ex. 19:9).

“It follows that the very ones to whom he was sent were the witnesses to the truth of his prophecy, and he had no need to perform any further sign, since he and they were both witnesses to the matter. It is like two witnesses who both saw the same thing. Each one is witness that his friend is telling the truth. Neither witness needs further proof of what his friend is saying. Similarly, all Israel were witnesses to the truth of Moses’ prophecy and he had no need to perform any sign. For one who believes on account of signs still entertains doubts in his heart.

“Accordingly if a prophet arises and works great miracles and wonders and seeks to deny the prophecy of Moses our Teacher, we do not listen to him and we know clearly that those signs were brought about through magic and witchcraft. For the prophecy of Moses does not depend upon signs, such that we should compare the signs of one prophet to the signs of another. We ourselves saw it with our own eyes and heard it with our own ears. The prophets who deny the truth of Moses’ prophesy are like witnesses who tell a person who saw something with his own eyes that it was not as he saw it. The person simply does not listen to them, for he knows for certain that they are false witnesses.” (Rambam, Yesodey HaTorah 8:1-3).

“AND ISRAEL ENCAMPED”

“And Israel encamped there, facing the mount” (Ex. 19:2) — the Hebrew verb VAYICHAN (“encamped”) is in the singular. They encamped “as one man with one heart” (Rashi ad loc.) — united. Observing today’s rainbow variety of jostling Israelites — ever-critical, argumentative, obstinate and apparently incapable of agreeing about anything — it is hard to imagine how all the Children of Israel actually did unite at Sinai to receive the Torah.

This is particularly difficult to imagine for those who have delved into the intricacies of Talmudic law and reasoning, and who know how the Torah repeatedly seems to fly completely in the face of reason and good common sense. How could those two million Israelites collectively agree to accept this elaborate, complex, reason-defying code in all its minute details? What brought them to do so? And the fact is that today’s observant descendents of those Israelites, despite the fact of having come from communities spread out all over the world, still all fundamentally agree to accept this code without changing a letter!

The very faith of Jews in the Torah for thousands of years in the face of almost constant adversity and persecution is itself proof of the uniqueness of the Assembly at Sinai, when we all collectively witnessed the same one truth of G-d and agreed to accept the Torah. Only a completely unique divine revelation could have been powerful enough to instill in two million people a faith that has lasted for thousands of years, a faith for which, over the generations, many millions laid down their very lives.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PERSON AND A STATUE

In the above-quoted passage from Rambam about the uniqueness of Moses’ prophecy, he states that “the prophets who deny the truth of Moses’ prophecy are like witnesses who tell a person who saw something with his own eyes that it was not as he saw it.”

The prophets to whom he is referring include those who founded the two major world religions which are rooted in and yet deviate from the Torah: Christianity and Islam. Both drew the bulk of their teachings from the Torah. Yet both implicitly and explicitly deny the finality of Moses’ prophecy, seeking to “undo” the laws of the Torah (such as circumcision, the dietary laws, complete Sabbath observance and many others).

The relaxation of the stringencies of Torah law by these man-made religions made them more acceptable to the non-Israelite nations. As Rambam states at the very end of his Code of Law (Hilchos Melachim 11:4 uncensored version): “Man does not have the power to grasp the thoughts of the Creator of the Universe. For our ways are not His ways, nor are our thoughts His. All that happened in the wake of Yeshu of Nazereth and that Ishmaelite who arose after him came only to straighten the way for Melech HaMashiach and to rectify the entire world to serve HaShem together. Thus it is written: ‘And then I will turn to all the nations a pure language so that all of them will call upon the name of HaShem and serve Him with one accord’ (Zephaniah 3:9). The whole world has thus become filled with the knowledge of the Torah and the commandments. This knowledge has spread to the farthest islands. And when the true MELECH HAMASHIACH arises and succeeds, they will all immediately know that ‘their fathers inherited falsehood’ and that their prophets and their fathers deceived them.”

“Their only wish was to compare their lies to the Law of HaShem. But the work of G-d bears no comparison to the work of man except in the eyes of a little child who has no understanding of either. The difference between our religion and the other religions that seek to compare themselves to it is like the difference between a living, conscious man and a statue. The statue is carved out of a piece of wood overlaid with gold or silver or chiseled out of a piece of marble and made to look like a man. An ignorant fool does not know the difference between G-dly wisdom and this artifact made in the form of a man. The statue looks like a man in its structure and outward appearance. But it only seems like a man because the ignorant onlooker doesn’t know what is inside either a man or a statue. However, the wise man knows the difference between what is inside the two. The wise man knows that inside the statue is nothing, while the inside of the living man, ADAM, is filled with truly amazing wonders and works that testify to the wisdom of the Creator — the nerves, the flesh, the bones, the bodily limbs and their all their interconnections.”

Shabbat Shalom! – Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Greenbaum

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Haftarat Yitro – ‘Jethro’ – Isaiah 6:1-13

Isaiah’s revelation begins with an Warning: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw HaShem sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Temple…………… – Isaiah 6:1-13

In these Haftarat portion studies , Lets have a notes of the difference’s between the Prophet Isaiah and King Uzziah:

• Uzziah barged into the Temple to offer incense to G-d
• Isaiah was taken by G-d into the invisible scene in the Temple.
• Isaiah saw G-d in the Temple. His lips were unclean.
• G-d makes the prideful Uzziah unclean with leprosy.
• Uzziah did not see G-d in the Temple. He was struck with leprosy ( ultimate in uncleanness in a living person).
• G-d purges Isaiah’s unclean lips.
• Uzziah becomes unable to serve as king.
• Isaiah becomes usable to G-d, A servant of Most High.

Yet Once More:

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve G-d acceptably with reverence and G-dly fear. For our G-d is a consuming fire. -Hebrews 12:18-29

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We will see that the children of Israel return to Most High and Torah of Mashiach, And will hug in the Holy Land, and by obeying and listening the “VOICE of Most Ancient Holy One of Israel”, will bring offerings in a righteous way on the holy mountain and also bring the Ark of the covenant with pure heart in the right place ( i.e In Har HaBayit, on the foundation Stone) .