I mentioned in my previous post, “A Jew in Full,” the unsettling, snoring reality in which I found myself during the year that I studied in the Overseas Program at Haifa University.
Thank you for sharing that intensely personal and profoundly moving Testimony. Perhaps due in large measure to the unfolding mystery at its essence, I can relate to a great deal of it. G-d bless!
Do you believe that the biblical stories of God's communication with Abraham, or of his revelation to Moses on Mt. Sinai are literal, factual descriptions of what actually occurred? I do, and so do millions of other Christians.
Clicking the “like” heart seems inadequate. But I welcome your affirmation of Scripture.
When it comes to the creation story in the beginning of Genesis, the God who can speak the world, the solar system and the cosmos into being by his word alone is completely outside of all scientific categories and laws.
Scientific laws apply to the creation once things have been put in place. It cannot explain origins.
You may or may not know that God speaking the creation into existence out of nothing is reaffirmed in the Christian Scripture (Hebrews 11:3).
I am fascinated by your recounting of your testimony. It seems to affirm the spiritual truth of Torah and more than that, a tugging of HaShem in your life. In the morning prayers, a Psalm is quoted, “ Your pious ones will bless You.”
Further, it says in Shacharis immediately prior to The Shema, Blessed is HS”, Who chooses [note present tense: now He chooses] הבוחר His people Israel בעמו ישראל with באהבה
I have some general knowledge of Jewish and Israeli history, but had to look up Shacharis, and also HS". I couldn't find a bible verse saying "Who chooses his people Israel with love," but I note the significance of the use of the present tense of the verb, בּוחר and not בּחר. This is highly relevant.
The Lord's rule over the nations is a present reality, and if Christians deny that he had anything to do with the events of 1948, 1967, and others up to the present time, I have to wonder what sort of a God it is that they believe in.
I used the Hebrew word because the English word has been dragged through the filth and may not bring to a person’s mind the understanding of what Ahavah is.
In the old days, before theological liberalism introduced the idea that the Bible could be spiritually true but historically mythological, it was more common for Christians to believe in the literal truth of the historical narratives.
Many of us still reject such modern theological trickery, however, and see the biblical accounts of the Exodus from Egypt, the appearance of God to Moses on Mount Sinai, the wanderings in the wilderness and the conquest of Canaan as straightforward historical narratives of events as real as the battle of Gettysburg (miraculous elements included).
Defining “Torah” as the 39 books of what we call the Old Testament – 24 books in the Jewish Bibles, the same material but differently arranged – I do believe they were written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, and often find wisdom, guidance, correction and inspiration from the spiritually enlightening truths in the Psalms, prophets, and historical books.
Much modern Christian support for the state of Israel is involved with end-times prophecies in the book of revelation, but underlying all of that - and there are various interpretations - is the belief that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel is the work of God, and all human opposition will fail.
In spite of all of the noise in the media - much of which is simply lies - there is still a deep reservoir of support for Israel. Many people have exactly zero sympathy with Islam, and understand that Israel has the right to exist as a state and the right to defend itself. They know that there is no genocide, only a legitimate war of self-defense in which the IDF has done all that is humanly possible to minimize civilian casualties, and place all of the blame on those who started the war in the first place.
Thank you! Excellent storytelling. When the reality of Scripture's truth, and its testimony to a Sovereign G-d is apprehended by one, it is an overwhelmingly, wonderful reality. As you say, the rest is all a lie. I can attest.
Ehud, this reminds me of my days at the University of Chicago Divinity School when I took classes with Paul Mendez-Flohr and Michael Fishbane.
I also spent time at the Hyde Park conservative synagogue to practice my Biblical Hebrew. I can still read it and want to go to an Ulpan someday to learn to speak modern Hebrew.
I had many conversations with the Rabbi about conversion. In the end, he told me that I had “too many Jesus questions” and that perhaps I ought to choose the Catholic tradition, if I chose one at all. So that is what I did.
When Mendes-Flohr died last year I began this remembering. And now I begin to read again: Rosenzweig, Buber, Heschel, Scholem. And I wonder where it is leading me.
I know the one thing I need to know: the Lord is one and wants to be in relationship with his creation.
I think about that all the time.
Thanks for this piece. I hope you had an easy fast and a meaningful day today.
Thank you for sharing that intensely personal and profoundly moving Testimony. Perhaps due in large measure to the unfolding mystery at its essence, I can relate to a great deal of it. G-d bless!
Do you believe that the biblical stories of God's communication with Abraham, or of his revelation to Moses on Mt. Sinai are literal, factual descriptions of what actually occurred? I do, and so do millions of other Christians.
Yes.
Clicking the “like” heart seems inadequate. But I welcome your affirmation of Scripture.
When it comes to the creation story in the beginning of Genesis, the God who can speak the world, the solar system and the cosmos into being by his word alone is completely outside of all scientific categories and laws.
Scientific laws apply to the creation once things have been put in place. It cannot explain origins.
You may or may not know that God speaking the creation into existence out of nothing is reaffirmed in the Christian Scripture (Hebrews 11:3).
You asked a yes-no question. I answered.
I am fascinated by your recounting of your testimony. It seems to affirm the spiritual truth of Torah and more than that, a tugging of HaShem in your life. In the morning prayers, a Psalm is quoted, “ Your pious ones will bless You.”
Further, it says in Shacharis immediately prior to The Shema, Blessed is HS”, Who chooses [note present tense: now He chooses] הבוחר His people Israel בעמו ישראל with באהבה
I have some general knowledge of Jewish and Israeli history, but had to look up Shacharis, and also HS". I couldn't find a bible verse saying "Who chooses his people Israel with love," but I note the significance of the use of the present tense of the verb, בּוחר and not בּחר. This is highly relevant.
The Lord's rule over the nations is a present reality, and if Christians deny that he had anything to do with the events of 1948, 1967, and others up to the present time, I have to wonder what sort of a God it is that they believe in.
I used the Hebrew word because the English word has been dragged through the filth and may not bring to a person’s mind the understanding of what Ahavah is.
It also means to give.
Thank you Rachel. You are truly a listener.
In the old days, before theological liberalism introduced the idea that the Bible could be spiritually true but historically mythological, it was more common for Christians to believe in the literal truth of the historical narratives.
Many of us still reject such modern theological trickery, however, and see the biblical accounts of the Exodus from Egypt, the appearance of God to Moses on Mount Sinai, the wanderings in the wilderness and the conquest of Canaan as straightforward historical narratives of events as real as the battle of Gettysburg (miraculous elements included).
Defining “Torah” as the 39 books of what we call the Old Testament – 24 books in the Jewish Bibles, the same material but differently arranged – I do believe they were written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, and often find wisdom, guidance, correction and inspiration from the spiritually enlightening truths in the Psalms, prophets, and historical books.
Much modern Christian support for the state of Israel is involved with end-times prophecies in the book of revelation, but underlying all of that - and there are various interpretations - is the belief that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel is the work of God, and all human opposition will fail.
This is very comforting.
In spite of all of the noise in the media - much of which is simply lies - there is still a deep reservoir of support for Israel. Many people have exactly zero sympathy with Islam, and understand that Israel has the right to exist as a state and the right to defend itself. They know that there is no genocide, only a legitimate war of self-defense in which the IDF has done all that is humanly possible to minimize civilian casualties, and place all of the blame on those who started the war in the first place.
This is good of you to mention;
yet I also know , regardless of the amounts of people who uphold laws and believe the truth, versus those who do not,
that, as it says in Psalms,
“The council of The Lord: it shall stand—the thoughts of G*D: they will happen.”
Thank you for your uplifting testimony.
Thank you! Excellent storytelling. When the reality of Scripture's truth, and its testimony to a Sovereign G-d is apprehended by one, it is an overwhelmingly, wonderful reality. As you say, the rest is all a lie. I can attest.
Chosen :)
Ehud, this reminds me of my days at the University of Chicago Divinity School when I took classes with Paul Mendez-Flohr and Michael Fishbane.
I also spent time at the Hyde Park conservative synagogue to practice my Biblical Hebrew. I can still read it and want to go to an Ulpan someday to learn to speak modern Hebrew.
I had many conversations with the Rabbi about conversion. In the end, he told me that I had “too many Jesus questions” and that perhaps I ought to choose the Catholic tradition, if I chose one at all. So that is what I did.
When Mendes-Flohr died last year I began this remembering. And now I begin to read again: Rosenzweig, Buber, Heschel, Scholem. And I wonder where it is leading me.
I know the one thing I need to know: the Lord is one and wants to be in relationship with his creation.
I think about that all the time.
Thanks for this piece. I hope you had an easy fast and a meaningful day today.
G'mar chatimah tovah.