Reinventing the Wheel

It never ceases to amaze me how so many “Messianics” after finding out that the Torah is still relevant, that the Feasts and Sabbath Days are still memorials and holy convocations, etc. ..how they then think they have the right to re-invent Judaism!

Now these beloved Gentiles would not claim to be reinventing Judaism, they would avow that they are returning to a Biblical faith that Christianity and Judaism have missed, misinterpreted, or even strayed from.

They pick and choose from the Talmud like it was a buffet smorgasboard. They pick what they like and they leave what they don’t like, or don’t understand. The problem is they do not have a sophisticated pallet. It was trained in Christendom. Their approach to scriptures is superficial. They seldom get past the literal interpretation of scripture unless some Gematria tickles their fancy.

This is nothing more than residual anti-semitism! Having taken a Hebrew class they now intend to teach the Masters of the Hebrew Torah what it means. They heap to themselves teachers who are accountable to no one, experts at nothing yet critical of the rabbis of Judaism.

This problem is much easier to see when you consider what it would be like if a Westerner suddenly embraced Buddhism. Would they come into Buddhism and tell the Buddhists they knew more about achieving Nirvana than the Buddhists? Would they dare to tell the Buddhists how to interpret their scriptures? Or what traditions were correct and which were incorrect? Mind you, all this super-knowledge is done without knowing Chinese, Sanskrit or the Pali language! So using the English translations, they pretend they are the new sevants of Buddhism.  Hmmm… In this light such an approach to any religion is nonsense, yet this is what is being done every day by Messianics all over the world.

To see what infants we are in this arena, here are the requirements an Orthodox boy has to meet by the time of his Bar Mitzvah: (feel free to check off any you have accomplished!)

Be completely familiar with the prayer book (siddur)

Be able to participate in all religious services (in Hebrew)

Have studied and kept the basic laws concerning observance of the Sabbath

Have studied and kept the basic laws concerning the festivals

Have studied and performed the prayers and blessings for all occasions

Have studied and kept the laws pertain to charity

 and acts of loving-kindness towards others

Have completed the study of the Torah, being familiar with Rashi,

Rambam and other rabbinical commentaries

Have studied the books of the early prophets

Have studied selected chapters from the Mishnah

Have a good start on studying the Gemara

All of the above include a knowing how to speak, read and write Hebrew

These Messianics have enthusiasm! They have a committment to truth! But God will not bless ignorance. God blesses those who love His Torah! He will not bless contempt for the elders of His people.

I have been learning Hebrew Roots for over seven years and I cannot claim to be where this Bar Mitzvah preppie is! Admittedly, I have read some unusual stuff from the rabbinical minds and when I do, I put it on a shelf. Often, later, when I find out the “why” it all makes sense.

Why is this such a hot-button for me? Because I see God's people being robbed of a rich inheritance. An inheritance bought by the blood of Yeshua! The Torah is not "the letter of the law", yet many refuse to let go of those literal letters. The Torah is a living manifestation of the Life of God. It is a Tree of Life and the Oral Torah is its fruit. If you do not know the tree you will not taste and consequently not be able to enjoy its fruit. By knowing the tree and its Gardener you will recognize its fruit and enjoy its delights. If you know the tree but suspect the fruit, can it be said that you trust in the Gardener?

The study of Torah is the study of Yeshua! He is the Living Torah! And anything that is derived from Torah reflects him!