To some, the concept of a Jew believing in our Rabbi Yeshua seems to be a contradiction. The reason is, many people have a dichotomy set up in their minds. On the one hand, you have Jews and Judaism and on the other hand, Christians and Christianity.

You are either one or the other…..so the thinking goes. But this simple dichotomy is in reality not so simple. If we go back 2,000 years historically, we find that our Rabbi Maran Yeshua was a Jew living in a Jewish land among Jewish people. All of His followers were Jewish as well as the writers of the Besora Tova HaGeula (Good News of Redemption) and for many years this faith in our Rabbi Yeshua was strictly a Jewish one.

From the Besora Tova HaGeula and other historical evidence, many believe that in the first century there were literally hundreds of thousands of Messianic Jews. In addition, there were Messianic Congregations/Synagogues scattered throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. These first-century Messianic Jews remained highly loyal to their land and their people.

Whether it was Jewish to believe in our Rabbi Yeshua was never an issue. Of course it was Jewish! What else could it be?

The biggest question back then was whether Rabbi Yeshua had been sent for the Gentiles also. When God miraculously showed the Messianic Jews that He was the messiah for both Jew and non-Jews alike, then non-Jews from every nation began to pour into this Jewish faith.

Through the years, as the numbers of non-Jews believers increased, they began to predominate in this Messianic Jewish faith. With the passing on of the Jewish Hash’lichim (emmisaries) and the early Messianic Jews, the Jewish roots of the faith were eventually lost. This “De-Judaizing” process continued until one of the greatest paradoxes in history; it became alien for a Jewish person to believe in Rabbi Yeshua as his Messiah.

A Jew should know / believe that Mashiach is one of his own, therefore believing in him is the natural thing to do! They (non-Jews) should became like us (following the Torah of HaShem), not us like them (breaking the Laws of HaShem).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pyQzUUyp6U

Maran Yeshua Melech HaHaMashiach said to him, "’You shall love HaShem your God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your resources.’ This is the first and great mitzvah. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ The whole Torah and the Prophets depend on these two mitzvot." Mattityahu 22:37-40

The Torah Cannot be Changed by any one: In the 13 Principles of faith of the Jewish faith (composed by the RaMBaM) we find that the ninth principle of Jewish faith has the belief that the Torah given to Moshe (Moses) on Mount Sinai is entirely unchangeable and never to be superseded by another form of Torah. In other words, the revelation of Torah is final and immutable. The text states: “I believe with complete faith that the Torah will not be changed nor will there be another Torah from the Creator, blessed be His Name.”

The RaMBaM explains, “If any prophet comes to alter the Torah, we immediately know that he is a false prophet. It does not matter whether he is Jewish or non-Jewish, or how many signs and miracles he performs. If he says that God sent him to add or subtract a commandment… he is a false prophet. The same is true if he teaches that the commandments were only given for a limited time and not forever.” This is true if some one who passes himself as messiah or even an angel said that the Torah of God is suspended for a time, that the Torah is abolish (no more), or that only parts apply today.

As written in the Besorah HaTovah (Good News of Messiah), Maran Yeshua HaMashiach adhered fully to the highest view of the Torah (as well as the Prophets and the Writings). Yeshua HaNasi (the Prince) Himself is / was a Torah-observant Jew. He did not come to abolish Torah, but rather to fulfill its inner purpose and reveal its ultimate nature (Mattityahu 5:17-18). Yeshua m’Nazareth is the end (the aim) of the Torah. If you do not see or find this fact about Mashiach from the Torah, then you are reading the Torah the wrong way! Yeshua HaMashiach did not come to abolish the Torah, but to bring a higher understanding of Torah, in other words Mashiach’s teachings reveal the inner dimension of the Torah.

Mashiach is the living embodiment of Torah and through the light of Mashiach flows our understanding of Torah. Without the Torah of our Mashiach our understanding of Torah is lacking…  Learn some Torah!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjyf3g6ETtU

Haazinu, Ha’azinu, or Ha’Azinu (הַאֲזִינוּ — Hebrew for "listen" when directed to more than one person, the first word in the parshah) is the 53rd weekly Torah portion (parshah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the 10th in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Deuteronomy 32:1–52. Jews in the Diaspora read it on a Sabbath between the holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot, generally in September or October.

At the end of the previous parsha, Vayelech, God told Moshe to write down a certain song to act as a witness to the people that God warned us about all the things, such as exile, that would befall us if and when we turned away from God.

This Torah portion is only a single chapter long, and the majority of it consists of the Song of Moses. The Song of Moses is a prophetic oracle warning Israel about apostasy to come and the resulting wrath of God. The song looks far into the future, even envisioning the Messianic advent amid rich and frightening apocalyptic imagery. After the conclusion of the song, Moses is told to ascend Mount Nebo and overlook the Promised Land before dying.

Note: On the Shabbat the Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading. Here are this week`s aliyot:

1st Aliya: Moshe begins by describing the presence of HaShem in nature as being as evident as the rain or dew that nourish the fields and gardens. God is entirely just, always good, always compassionate and forgiving. Therefore, all destruction and negativity must be ascribed directly to the ill fated decisions and actions of His children.

2nd Aliya: The Jew must always remember that he was chosen from among all other nations to be nurtured by the direct ministrations of the Creator. We were born in a “desolate, howling, wasteland” and protected till we were able to assume responsibility for our unique relationship with the Creator of heaven and earth.

3rd Aliya: Unfortunately, humankind’s tendency is to forget the degree of their dependency upon HaShem and to create the illusion of self sufficiency and independence. “Yeshurun thus became fat and rebelled…”

4th Aliya: We will then be punished with exile and persecution. Chased from our land and sold into slavery, the Chosen People will experience what it means to be independent of HaShem’s direct protection and benevolence.

5th Aliya: However, the other nations will fail in the very same manner that we did. They will assume that their ability to enslave the Chosen People and ravage Israel is proof of God’s impotence and their own prowess and strength. Therefore, they will be punished and destroyed and the Chosen People will again recognize HaShem’s primacy and control.

6th Aliya: Moshe’s song ends with the Jewish people singing forth their acceptance and understanding of divine purpose and justice.

7th Aliya: Moshe presents the entire “song” to the nation and reemphasizes that the condition for keeping the Land is adherence to Torah and serving HaShem.

First reading this year: Vayelech, Vayeilech, VaYelech, Va-yelech, Vayelekh, Va-yelekh, or Vayeleh (וילך — Hebrew for "then he went out", the first word in the parshah) is the 52nd weekly Torah portion (parshah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the ninth in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Deuteronomy 31:1–30. Jews in the Diaspora generally read it in September or early October. With just 30 verses, it is the shortest parshah.
In the parshah, Moses tells the Israelites to be strong and courageous, as God and Joshua would soon lead them into the Promised Land. Moses commanded the Israelites to read the law to all the people every seven years. God told Moses that his death was approaching, that the people would break the covenant, and that God would thus hide God’s face from them, so Moses should therefore write a song to serve as a witness for God against the Israelites.

In the parshah, Moses tells the Israelites to be strong and courageous, as God and Joshua would soon lead them into the Promised Land. Moses commanded the Israelites to read the law to all the people every seven years. God told Moses that his death was approaching, that the people would break the covenant, and that God would thus hide God’s face from them, so Moses should therefore write a song to serve as a witness for God against the Israelites.

The lunisolar Hebrew calendar contains up to 55 weeks, the exact number varying between 50 in common years and 54 or 55 in leap years. In some leap years (for example, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019), parshah Vayelech is read separately. In common years (for example, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2017), parshah Vayelech is combined with the previous parshah, Nitzavim, to help achieve the number of weekly readings needed, and the combined portion is then read on the Sabbath immediately before Rosh Hashanah. The two Torah portions are combined except when two Sabbaths fall between Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot and neither Sabbath coincides with a Holy Day.

Second reading this year: Nitzavim, Nitsavim, Nitzabim, Netzavim, or Nesabim (ניצבים — Hebrew for “ones standing,” the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parshah) is the 51st weekly Torah portion (parshah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20. Jews in the Diaspora generally read it in September or early October. Parshah Nitzavim always falls on the Sabbath immediately before Rosh Hashanah.

In this portion, Moses invites the entire assembly of Israel to take on the covenant. He warns them that if they sin, they will go into exile, but he also predicts that, in the future, they will repent and God will return them to the land of Israel.

It’s about time we stopped making excuses and took responsibility for who and what we are. It’s long overdue. Here we are at the threshold of a new-year and it’s all about being honest with ourselves. The degree of our commitment to Torah and Mitzvot (Good deeds) will be in direct proportion to how many excuses we make for ourselves in avoiding commitment. The more the excuses, the less the commitment. As Moshe continued his final discourse, he confronted the primary excuses we all use in avoiding commitment and responsibility.

Note: On the Shabbat the Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading. Here are this week`s aliyot:

1st Aliya: Moshe presented the entire nation with the basis for our covenant with God. Starting with the promise to the forefathers and stretching across 500 years of history, our relationship with God had been substantiated through miracle after miracle. Yet, future generations might deny their personal obligation for continuing the relationship and its attendant responsibilities. Therefore, Moshe makes it absolutely clear that each generation is obligated to educate their children and train them to accept the covenant with God. No subsequent generation should be able to excuse their responsibilities for Torah and Mitzvot (Good deeds) due to ignorance. Moshe confronted was the modernization of Torah. In every generation there are those who see Torah as archaic and outdated. “Only by grafting new ideas and practices to the stale practices of Torah will Judaism continue to exist and flourish.” This excuse for changing Torah’s eternal truths will result in the destruction of Torah observances, our land, and our people.

2nd and 3rd Aliyot: As history tragically proved, Moshe’s warnings would be ignored. Subsequent generations would wonder about the destruction and desolation and, in their search for answers, return to the uncompromised truths and practices of their forefathers. The benefits in doing Teshuva (repentance – returning) will be the fulfillment of all the blessings that God had promised.
Moshe reassures us that Torah is accessible to all those who truly desire it. Ignorance and a lack of opportunity for learning and performing should never be an excuse.

4th Aliya: Finally, Moshe presented the bottom line. Endowed with free will we must choose properly. In the end, we are responsible for what happens.
Parshas Vayelach was said on the 7th day of Adar, 2488, the last day of Moshe’s life. Exactly 120 years earlier the world was graced with the birth of a child who brought redemption to his people and the light of Torah to the world. He became a prophet of unparalleled greatness who led his nation through a miraculous 40-year journey to the edge of the promised land. Trials and tribulations, rebellions and conspiracies, disillusionment and questions were his lot in life. Yet, Moshe never gave up. He nurtured the Jews “like a mother cares for her child”. He confronted man and God in protecting his charges, and succeeded in bringing the people, both physically and spiritually intact, to the fulfillment of a 500-year old promise. It was time to put his affairs in order, finish his work, and insure an unquestioned transition of leadership to his student Yehoshua bin Nun.

5th Aliya: By writing the entire text of the Torah, entrusting it into the care of the Kohanim, and explaining the unique mitzvah of Hakhel (gathering), Moshe hoped that the people would retain the perspective of their dependency upon God. The Kohanim represented the continued presence of “God in the midst of the camp”. As teachers and role models, they kept an otherwise dispersed and decentralized nation focused on their national and individual missions. Once every 7 years, the entire nation was to gather in the Bait Hamikdash (Jewish Temple in Jerusalem) in a reenactment of the giving of the Torah. This national expression of devotion would serve as an essential reminder that adherence to the Torah is the reason why the nation occupied and retained the land.

6th and 7th Aliyot: Moshe and Yehoshua were summoned to the Ohel Moed (meeting tent) and told the harsh future of their charges. In spite of all the warnings, the people would sin and loose sight of their dependency upon God. They would be punished, and instead of accepting responsibility for the consequences that their neglect of God’s commandments caused, they would have the guts to blame God’s absence and neglect for the calamities and disasters that have befallen them. (31:17) It would then be the words of this “Song” (the Torah) which would testify to the reality of their defection from God and the inevitable consequences which had been forewarned in this Torah.

Yehoshua was encouraged to be strong and courageous and lead the nation with the same devotion that Moshe had displayed. The Torah, written by Moshe himself, was then placed in the Ark as proof of the conditions by which the people of Israel would live or die.

The Torah is for Everyone – The Problem with the Noahide Movement

You stand this day, all of you, before HaShem your God — your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel, 10 your children, your wives, even the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to waterdrawer — 11 to enter into the covenant of HaShem your God, which HaShem your God is concluding with you this day, with its sanctions; 12 to the end that He may establish you this day as His people and be your God, as He promised you and as He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 13 I make this covenant, with its sanctions, not with you alone, 14 but both with those who are standing here with us this day before the Lord our God and with those who are not with us here this day. [Devarim 29:9-14]

I am fascinated by the above statement from this week’s Parasha. Everyone was standing before HaShem – From the oldest to the youngest – From the lowliest to the highest.

The passage states that it was to establish the covenant between the people and HaShem. We are His people and He is our God!! Interestingly however, verse 14 says “but both with those who are standing here with us this day before the Lord our God and with those who are not with us here this day.”

In his commentary Rashi points out that “those who are not with us here this day” refers to future Generations. [Tanchuma 3]. The thought occurred to me – We who live and breathe Torah are the future Generations.

There is a movement today called the Noahide Movement. The Seven Laws of Noah (Hebrew: שבע מצוות בני נח‎ Sheva mitzvot B’nei Noach), often referred to as the Noahide Laws or Noachide Code, are a set of seven moral imperatives that, according to the Talmud, were given by God to Noah as a binding set of laws for all mankind. According to Judaism any non-Jew who lives according to these laws is regarded as a Righteous Gentile and is assured of a place in the world to come (Olam Haba), the Jewish concept of heaven. Adherents are often called "B’nei Noach" (Children of Noah) or "Noahides".

The Seven Laws are:

(1) Do not worship false gods; (2) Do not murder; (3) Do not steal; (4) Do not be sexually immoral; (5) Do not eat a limb removed from a live animal; (6) Do not blaspheme; (7) Set up a court system.

One of the major questions is why not simply convert? It appears that the Noahide Movement is one without a clear focus and set of guidelines. Do you keep Shabbat? Do you eat Kosher? How about the feast days?

To this writer, I could not imagine following the Torah halfway! To me you either do or you don’t follow HaShem. There is no middle ground. It appears as if the Noahides want to have their proverbial cake and eat it too.

I make this covenant, with its sanctions, not with you alone, 14 but both with those who are standing here with us this day before the Lord our God and with those who are not with us here this day. – For You, For Me, For Everyone!!

Baruch HaShem,

הבשורה טובה הגאולה

¿En qué idioma / lengua fue escrita la Besora Tova HaGeula (las Buenas Nuevas de la Redención)? La mayoría de la gente le dirá que fue escrito en Griego. Ellos dirán que esa era “la lengua del día”. Dicen que todo durante ese tiempo fue escrito en Griego y que todo el mundo también hablaba el Griego, incluidos los Judíos de HaAretz (La Tierra). Vamos a ver si esto es realmente la verdad.

Primero tenemos que mirar un par de hechos. Un hecho es que tenemos una transcripción del Libro de Mateo en Hebreo, que es anterior a los manuscritos que tenemos en Griego Koiné. (El Griego Koiné era el Griego en la Roma de la época de Yeshúa. Es del Griego Koiné que tenemos nuestras traducciones actuales -- las que dicen son los originales). Este solo hecho debe hacernos reflexionar sobre si realmente el Griego era el idioma original de la Besora Tova HaGeula (Las Buena Nueva de la Redención). Obviamente, no lo era. Otro hecho es que cuando se lee en Josefo Guerras 05:09:02 (Josefo fue un historiador que vivió durante la época de Yeshúa, e incluso hace referencias de Yeshúa, así como también de Yojanan el imersor /Juan el Bautista), vemos que Josefo atestigua que la gente ni siquiera entendía el Griego. Él tuvo que traducir lo que los romanos de habla griega habían dicho a los Judíos a fin de que se rindieran. En otras palabras… ¡no sabían Griego!

También tenemos que ver algunos pasajes de la Besora Tova HaGeula (Las Buena Nueva de la Redención). Vemos que cuando Yeshua detuvo a Shaúl (Saúl) no habló con él en Griego sino en Hebreo (algunas traducciones dicen Arameo, pero aun así en las notas al pie de algunas traducciones dice “o Hebreo”. Para nada le habló en Griego, y sabemos que Pablo hablaba Griego. También tenemos que entender un poco sobre la cultura judía aquí. El Hebreo siempre se ha considerado la lengua “Santa”. Los Escribas en Israel durante la era  de la Besora Tova HaGeula (Las Buena Nueva de la Redención) también creían esto. Los Escritos que fueron considerados para ser santos fueron escritos en Hebreo, se trataba de un hecho. ¿Por qué la Sagrada Escritura se haría en una lengua pagana? De seguro, luego se hicieron copias escritas en Griego para los que hablaban Griego como su primera lengua.

Otra cosa que se escuchan con frecuencia en relación con este es que la Besora Tova HaGeula (La Buena Nueva de la Redención) fue escrita en Griego para que los Judíos de la diáspora fueran capaces de entenderla, ya que todos hablaban Griego. Esto demuestra una falta de comprensión de la cultura judía. Cualquier Judío sabría que el Hebreo se enseña a los Judíos de la diáspora. ¡Era necesario para poder leer las Escrituras hebreas en su versión original! Las cartas que Pablo escribió fueron a Judíos salvos en las sinagogas de la Diáspora, Judíos que sabían Hebreo. Y eso no es todo.

El Dr. Robert Lindsey, que fue mi Pastor cuando era niño en Israel , tradujo el libro de Marcos del Griego al Hebreo. Descubrió algo bastante interesante. Encontró que cuando leyó la traducción en Hebreo en lugar del Griego, el mensaje tenía más sentido. No estaba tan desarticulado como en Griego, sino que comenzó a fluir y muchas de las cosas que fueron escritas incluso tenía más sentido para el oído Hebreo.

Incluso los Padres de la Iglesia dan testimonio de esto una y otra vez :

Papías (150-170 EC) Mateo escribió en el dialecto Hebreo, y cada uno tradujo como le fue posible . (Citado por Eusebio Eccl. Hist. 3:39)

Ireneo (170 dC) Mateo también emitió un escrito de la Besora Tova HaGeula entre los hebreos en su propio dialecto. (Ireneo, Contra las Herejías 3:1)

Orígenes (c. 210 dC) La primera [Besora Tova HaGeula] está escrito según Mateo, el mismo que alguna vez fue un recaudador de impuestos, pero después fue un emisario de Yeshúa el Mesías , quien habiéndolo publicado para los creyentes judíos, lo escribió en Hebreo. (Citado por Eusebio ; Eccl. Hist. 6:25)

Eusebio (c. 315 dC) Mateo también, después de haber proclamado la Besora Tova HaGeula en Hebreo, cuando estaba a punto de ir también a las otras naciones, se comprometió a escribir en su lengua nativa, para que les fueran entregadas a ellos por sus escritos a falta de su presencia. (Eusebio , Eccl. Hist. 3:24)

Epifanio (370 dC) Ellos [los Nazarenos] tienen la Besora Tova HaGeula según Mateo muy completa en Hebreo, pero esta Besora Tova HaGeula es, sin duda, la que  aún se conserva entre ellos, ya que fue escrito en letras hebreas. ( Epifanio ; Panarion 29:9:4 )

Jerónimo (382 dC) “Mateo , quien es también Leví, y de un recaudador de impuestos llegó a ser un primer emisario de todos los evangelistas, escribió la Besora Tova HaGeula del Mesías en Judea en el idioma Hebreo, y las cartas, en beneficio de los de la circuncisión que habían creído, que tradujo al Griego no están lo suficientemente comprobadas . Además, el propio hebreo se conserva hasta hoy en la biblioteca de Cesárea, conseguidas por el mártir Pánfilo con tanta diligencia. También me fue permitido por los Nazarenos que usan este volumen, copiarlo en la ciudad siria de Bórea para copiarla. Hay que notar que, siempre el evangelista … hace uso de los testimonios

¡Es incuestionable! Por supuesto que estaba escrito en Hebreo, al igual que cualquier otra cosa que durante ese tiempo que se consideró Santa. Fue escrito en la Mishná todas Hebreo. En este momento hay tres tipos diferentes de Hebreo. Hay el Hebreo Bíblico, es el que se utilizó en los tiempos Escrituras Hebreas. Luego estaba la Mishná Hebrea, que es donde obtenemos nuestra literatura moderna en hebreo del bloque (llamado Mishná como lo fue durante la época de la compilación de la Mishná, la Ley Oral) y el Hebreo Moderno, que es lo que se habla hoy en Israel. Mishná Hebrea era la lengua común de la época y la Mishná Hebreo fue con lo que los Besora Tova HaGeula (Las Buena Nueva de la Redención ) fueron escritas ¡no en Griego! ¿Por qué es importante esto? Debido a que las muestra de los manuscritos griegos que utilizamos son … una traducción.

Traducido por Victor Marcano

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6QUzecyBeU

New Class: October 6, 2010

Learn the Hebrew Alefbet the Easy Way! Online from your own home! Learn Hebrew from the convenience of your own home. Enjoy all the comforts that online learning provides. Learn the Bible’s Original Language! Know the Bible as never before! Peer through the window of the original Hebrew text to gain a deeper understanding of the Bible.

You’ll learn Hebrew in an entirely new and exciting way and gain the tools to continue learning Hebrew on your own. Hebrew grammar, vocabulary and syntax, coordinated with some translating activity in the Hebrew Bible. Using the "Teach Yourself to Read Hebrew program" beginning Hebrew course outline and textbook. Learn the Hebrew alphabet and simple words and phrases. A study of the fundamentals of the Hebrew language. Learn the lenguage of our Maran Rabbi Yeshua HaMashiach! Wednesdays nights $115 for 12 classes

The course is being offered at Beth HaDerech Congregation. Prerequisite: Willingness to learn Hebrew. Class meets for 2 hours Wednesdays (6:30 pm – 8:30 pm) starting on October 6, 2010. Please contact us via email, and we will call you.

Importante: Clases disponibles en Español dependiendo en numero de personas interesadas.

Pay for course here now!

Hebrew (עִבְרִית, Ivrit, Hebrew pronunciation) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Culturally, it is considered the Jewish language. Hebrew in its modern form is spoken by most of the seven million people in Israel while Classical Hebrew has been used for prayer or study in Jewish communities around the world for over two thousand years. It is one of the official languages of Israel, along with Arabic. Ancient Hebrew is also the liturgical tongue of the Samaritans, while modern Hebrew or Palestinian Arabic is their vernacular, though today about 700 Samaritans remain. As a foreign language it is studied mostly by Jews and students of Judaism and Israel, archaeologists and linguists specializing in the Middle East and its civilizations, by theologians, and in Christian seminaries.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F98DD48D22D84F5

Open my heart to Your Torah, that I may hasten to do Your Mitzvot.

There are several reasons why the Torah is to be lived. These are not presented in order of importance; they are meant to be considered equally. As we do so, a more complete picture will unfold.

Because God Tells Us To! One word frequently used to describe much of the content of the Torah is the Hebrew mitzvah. This simply means "commandment." It is something God has told us to do. Don’t be frightened by that word "command," as if it is something only for the Tanach. Although Jewish scholars are quick to assert that there are 613 commandments in the Torah, Besora Tova (Good News) scholars have noted that there are over 1,000 such "commandments" in the Besora Tova! A commandment is a commandment. After all, what is the difference between celebrating Shavuot (Pentecost) and choosing elders to govern your fellowship? Both are commanded.

Torah Gives Definition What does it mean to be Jewish? What does it mean to be part of the physical nation of Israel? Does it mean listening to Klezmer music? Does it mean eating blintzes? These and many other traditions are purely cultural. But the Torah presents a required lifestyle of holiness that is cross-cultural. Whether from Morocco or Brooklyn, Jewish people are bound together by certain practices, such as circumcision and eating kosher. These are taught in the Torah. It is the Torah, then, that gives the descendants of Jacob their identity, therefore believing in Maran Yeshua only makes that identity complete.

Because It Is Who We Are! If we follow Torah only because it is commanded, it can easily turn into legalism. Let us enter by a different door altogether. Let us enter the arena of Torah through the door of our identity in Messiah, and see where it leads us. The Scripture teaches us a critical truth. In bringing us to faith in our Rabbi, Maran Yeshua HaMashiach, God has made us into completely new people.

We are new creations, with the Messiah living in us. Moreover, we are receivers of and participants in the Besora Tova. Yermiyahu / Jeremiah 31 teaches that God promises to write Torah on our hearts when He makes us new. Do not miss the full implications of that. Torah is written on our hearts! Among other things, this means that Torah is part of our basic makeup as believers in Yeshua HaMashiach. The new-creation man or woman, therefore, should only do what comes naturally to him or her. In this case, it means living out what is written in the Word—all of the Word.

The Mirror Why do we follow Torah? Because it is who we are as new creations. When we read of the redeemed person as described by the precepts of Torah, we are, in reality, reading a description of who God has made us in the Messiah. Let us return again to the concept of the mirror image referred to in Ya’acov / James 1:22-25. Here we learn the importance of being doers of the Word instead of listeners only. The illustration is of a person looking at himself in a mirror, but verse 25 describes that "mirror" as the Torah. (Though translated "law" in nearly every English translation, it is actually Torah / Instructions.) He who does not do the Word is one who looks at his face in the Torah and immediately forgets what he looks like. In that state, therefore, he does not do the Word. But the person who sees himself in the mirror—the Torah—and remembers what he looks like, this is the one who does the Word. When we look into the mirror of the Torah, our reflection is that of a redeemed person as described therein. The individual teachings, in essence, describe what the redeemed one looks like. Because it is Maran Yeshua HaMashiach who has made us new, made us the righteousness of God (Korintim Bet / II Corinthians 5:21), all that is left for us to do is to choose to walk in that new life—the righteous life of Yeshua HaMashiach—the life of Torah. Therefore, we do not follow Torah as though it were merely a list of do’s and don’ts. We follow it because it is written on our hearts. It is who we are as new creations. It comes naturally to us because God has made us into new people! But unless we know what our real spiritual identity is, we can’t enter into the whole realm of our new life in Messiah that is available through the Torah.

Because Maran Yeshua Mashiach Did It Don’t all believers want to do what the Messiah did, and to be like Him? We are quick to practice letting his love flow out from us, and learning to worship and pray as he worshiped and prayed. Rightly so. But what about how Yeshua HaMashiach followed Torah? His life was so characterized by Torah that even as late as the next generation of Jewish believers after Him, He was referred to as "The Torah." Even Yochanan / John 1 describes Yeshua as the Word, a reference to the Torah. There is one more key to this point which will unlock its importance for us. The key is to remember that Yeshua is in us! We are new creations with the Living Torah inside of us. This truth is so powerful that, when we think about it, the question we should be asking is not "Should we follow the Torah?" but "How do we come to know this ‘treasure in jars of clay’?" (Korintim Bet / II Corinthians 4:7)

Because of What It Communicates to Unbelievers We need to ask some very serious questions. What is the prevailing anti-Torah theology saying to the traditional Jewish world? (Whom we are told to tell that King Messiah already came!) How do they see us? What do they understand of our thinking? Moreover, what is the message being conveyed to our families and Jewish friends by our attitude toward Torah? Simply stated, we are communicating confusion and error to the people through whom the Word of truth originally came. As a result, on the human level (that is, apart from the elective grace of God) there is very little motivation within the traditional Jewish world to hear the Good News.

According to Rambam’s 13 principals of the Jewish faith, he states in points 8-9: “I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah that we now have is that which was given to Moses. I believe with perfect faith that this Torah will not be changed, and that there will never be another given by God.” 

This means, that we have to believe that just as God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow so is the Torah He gave us, it never changes. He is Eternal and His Word is eternal. HaShem first communicated His Message from Adam all the way till today, and we have a continual line of faith, a faith-chain that is never broken. When we believe that Torah is optional, and that Yeshua did not commanded us to keep it, we are saying that: “Yeshua breaks the continued line of faith, and that He starts a new one that never existed, thus committing idolatry.” 

We believe that our holy Rabbi, Maran Yeshua HaMashiach kept the whole Torah (he was a Pharisaic Rabbi). Every little bit of it. He never taught His future followers not to follow Torah. In contrary, He commanded us to follow His example (Mattityahu / Mathew 5.18) and do what the Torah says, go out and do good.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F2B45CE2EB38E28

Bethaderech.com se complace en ofrecer el servicio de ayuda intercomunitario, muchas comunidades Judias mesianicas alrededor del mundo no tienen las facilidades que tienen otras de obtener artículos de judaica o de otra índole, y basados en la mitzvá de ayudarnos unos a otros, pues hemos propuesto la siguiente sección donde publicaremos las necesidades de las congregaciones alrededor verificadas por nuestra organización que tienen necesidades, y al publicarlas buscamos con ello servir de enlace para que si Ud. tiene la posibilidad de ayudar a esas comunidades con sus necesidades pueda hacerlo.

El nivel más elevado en el ejercicio de la Tzedaká es ayudar a una persona a mantenerse por sus propios medios antes de que ésta lo necesite o empobrezca. Esto se hace ofreciéndole una ayuda concreta en forma digna, otorgándole un crédito adecuado o ayudándolo a encontrar un empleo o establecer un comercio, de manera que no se vea obligado a depender de otros. 

En el segundo nivel el donante no conoce al que recibe y a su vez, el que recibe no conoce al donante. El caso más claro de esta forma de hacer Tzedaká es cuando se contribuye a un fondo de recaudación.  

En el tercer nivel, el donante conoce la identidad del que recibe, pero el que recibe no conoce la identidad del donante. 

El cuarto nivel es el de la donación indirecta. El que recibe conoce al donante, pero aquel no conoce la identidad del beneficiado.

El quinto nivel es cuando se ofrece y se da la ayuda aunque quien la necesita no la haya pedido. 

El sexto nivel es ayudar al necesitado sólo cuando éste lo solicita. 

El séptimo nivel consiste en ayudar en menor medida de las posibilidades que uno realmente tiene, pero haciéndolo con alegría. 

El octavo y más bajo nivel – aunque igualmente válido – es cuando se hace a desgano. 

Hagamos Tzedaká como nos enseñaron nuestros sabios, para librarnos de la muerte, para tener una larga vida y para atraer la llegada del Mashiaj y la Gueulá completa.

Si Ud. quiere dar tzedaká cubriendo la necesidad que requiere alguna de las comunidades aqui publicadas, puede comunicarse directamente con nosotros para servir de enlace a la comunidad, recuerde el Mayor Nivel de Tzedaká es cuando la persona que da no sabe quien es la persona que recibe y el que recibe no sabe quien se lo da, sin embargo si Ud. requiere saber quien es la persona que lo recibe puede en su solicitud pedir que le enviemos una fotografia de la persona recibiendo su tzedaká.

Necesidades presents:

1. Comunidad Judia Mesianica necesita una Shofar para Rosh HaShana, Talitot (Talis), kippot (Kippas).
2. Judio creyente decendiente de Aharon, esta necesitado de una laptop para continuar su trabajo de proclamador de las buenas nuevas en Latino America.
3. Judio creyente, decendiente de Aharon, necesita aportaciones economicas para continuar su trabajo de proclamador en Centro America.

Por favor, hablar con nosotros para hacerles llegar los materias que necesitan, o si usted como lider Judio Mesianico esta en necesida, para poder conectarlo con otros creyente Judios Mesianicos que decean apoyarle.

Maimonides in his Thirteen Principles of Faith, the ninth principle reads:"I believe with complete faith that this Torah will not be exchanged and there will be no other Torah from the Creator, blessed be His Name."

He also wrote in The Laws of the King Mashiach: "If a king will arise from the House of David who delves deeply into the study of Torah and, like David his ancestor, observes its mitzvoth as prescribed by the Written Law … ; if he will prevail upon ALL ISRAEL to walk in [the way of Torah] and repair the breaches [in its observance]; and if he will fight the wars of [HaShem]; -- we may, with assurance, consider him Mashiach. If he succeeds in the above, builds the [Beit Ha] Mikdash (temple) on its site, and gathers the dispersed remnant of Israel, he is definitely the Mashaich. He will then perfect the entire world, [motivating all the nations] to serve [HaShem] together, as it is written, "I will make the peoples pure of speech so that they will all call upon the Name of [HaShem] and serve Him in one purpose."

We also read in the book called "Mashiach" by Jacob Immanuel Schochet on page 43: "Mashiach shall meditate on the Torah and be preoccupied with mitzvot. He shall teach all the Jewish people and instruct them in the way of [HaShem]. He will prevail upon Israel to follow and observe Torah, repair its breaches, and fight the battles of [HaShem]. Mashiach will reveal altogether NEW INSIGHTS, making manifest the HIDDEN MYSTERIES OF THE TORAH, to point that, "all the Torah learned in the present world will be vain compared to the Torah of Mashiach."

Torah Hadasha: Our Jewish brothers understand that the TRUE Messiah would teach and observe the Torah of HaShem.He would not come to abrogate the Torah or even change it. He would come to bring to Israel NEW INSIGHTS into the Torah of Moshe.It would not be a different Torah, but the very same Torah that HaShem gave to Moshe at Mt. Sinai. Mashiach would LIVE IT and TEACH IT!

When we teach (in error) that Messiah came to "fulfill -as defined by do way with" the Torah, our Jewish brothers know different. That is why they reject the GREEK Torah destroying "Jesus" of the "church" and are looking for a Torah observant JEW to come as the Messiah. They know that their sage teach a Torah keeping Messiah, and we do agree with them (a Jew should not believe in a Torah abolishing Jesus, that Jesus is an idol, forbidden for a Jew to believe in).

"Presume not that I come to release the Torah and the Prophets: I come not to release but to fulfill." The Aramaic Good News (Peshitta)

If we continue reading in Mattithyahu 5 in verse 18 we find that our holy Rabbi, Maran Yeshua says that the Torah will NEVER pass away. Here our rabbi is teaching us Torah in complete agreement with the Jewish sages that teach, "Everything has an end-the heaven and the earth have an end-except one thing which has no end. And what is that? The Torah / Law (Genesis Rabbah 10:1); No letter will ever be abolished from the Torah / Law (Exodus Rabbah 6:1)."

Our holy Rabbi, Maran Yeshua the Mashiach "Never came to abolish or change the Torah of HaShem!" He is the goal of Torah (Romans 10:4) and ALL the TaNaK points to him (the Mashiach) and speaks of him (the Mashiach). His intent in coming is the rabbinical understanding of the word "fulfill’ means to " properly interpret the Torah and thus by properly interpreting it, putting it on a more solid foundation or establishing it!" Our Rabbi, Maran Yeshua came to make sure we understood that the Torah of HaShem is everlasting. He would never invalidate or remove even a Torah letter from the Torah of HaShem, that would be a crime and he would be destroying the Torah of HaShem (misinterpreting it).

Rabbi Shaul HaPerush (the Pharisee) repeats this TRUTH: Romans 3:31: "Do we nullify the Torah through belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah."

Therefore let us, as Messianic Jewish believers, share with our Jewish Brothers the true Jewish Mashiach-Yeshua –the Torah observant Jew who did not come to start a New World religion, but came to fulfill the Torah of HaShem!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhWBlgvdATw

Mashíaj enseña las partes interiores de la Torá, cuyas enseñanzas son de gran alcance y sin límites en la práctica. Esta es la forma Maran Yeshua debe ser entendida.

ישוע מלך המשיח / Maran Yeshúa Melej HaMashiaj dijo: "Venid a mí todos los fatigados y agobiados y en mi hallaréis descanso para usted. Llevad mi yugo sobre vosotros y aprended de mí, que soy humilde y dulce de espíritu, en mi yugo se encuentra la paz para su corazón. Porque mi yugo es agradable y la luz es mi carga. " Mattityahu / Mateo 11:28-30

Una simple lectura (peshat) de este versículo es que Yeshua le dará descanso a los que están agobiados. Pero ישוע מלך המשיח / Yeshúa Melej HaMashiaj estaba enseñando un significado más profundo (drash) basado en la inteligencia hebrea de la palabra "descanso".

En la primera parte del pasaje leemos: "Venid a mí todos los fatigados y agobiados y en mi hallaréis descanso." La palabra hebrea para el descanso es nuach. Nachah, una palabra relacionada con nuach, los medios para guiar o conducir a otro en un lugar o estado de reposo. Esto se puede ver en Shemot (Éxodo) 32:34 "Ahora ve, plomo (Nachah) del pueblo (Israel) al lugar donde me habló de (la tierra prometida, la tierra de descanso)". Cuando uno ha experimentado un lugar o estado de reposo, que él desea para dirigir a otros en aquel reposo. Noaj, cuyo nombre también está relacionado con nuach, era alguien que sabía de un descanso ir y predicar a los demás para guiarlos en ella. De acuerdo a nuestro paso Mattityahu, Yeshua también sabe de un descanso y deseos para dirigir a otros en aquel reposo.

¿Qué es el descanso que ישוע מנצרת / m’Nazareth Yeshua es hablar de?

Yeshúa Melej HaMashiaj comienza a identificar a este descanso, cuando dice: "Llevad mi yugo sobre vosotros y aprended de mí". Aquí Yeshua se refiere a la comprensión hebreos de "aprendizaje" que se puede ver como dos bueyes juntos para arar. Una yunta mayor, para el buey  más fuerte y con más experiencia se coloca en un yugo al lado de un buey joven con menos experiencia. El joven entonces se entera de sus responsabilidades de la edad a través del yugo.Yeshúa Melej HaMashiaj comienza a identificar a este descanso, cuando dice: "Llevad mi yugo sobre vosotros y aprended de mí". Aquí Yeshua se refiere a la comprensión hebreos de "aprendizaje" que se puede ver como dos bueyes ayuntados  para arar.

El resto ישוע מלך המשיח / Yeshúa Melej HaMashiaj ofrece es el yugo con que nos unen a él. ¿Cuál es el yugo? ¿Nosotros, como el buey más jóvene, aprender de Yeshua, el buey viejo? El yugo es la Torá (Instrucción), las enseñanzas de Dios. Como Yeshua caminó en la Torá, somos nosotros quienes aprendemos de sus formas en la torá a través del yugo de Yeshua en la Torá (para aprender, enseñar, para hacerlo).

Yeshúa Melej HaMashiaj luego dice que es "humilde y dulce de espíritu, usted encontrará la paz para su corazón". Nos está diciendo que, como el buey más viejos y más fuerte, será amable con nosotros y no nos obligan a movernos más rápido o trabajar más de lo que podemos.

Cuanto más fuerte es que obtenemos, más rápido se moverá y más difícil que nos de trabajo. Fácilmente podríamos traducir próxima declaración de Yeshua-, porque mi yugo es agradable y la luz es mi carga "como" mi Torá es fácil ". En Devarim (Deuteronomio) 30:11 Dios dijo: "este comando que te ordeno hoy no es difícil y no está fuera de su alcance".

En resumen, ישוע מלך המשיח / Yeshúa Melej HaMashiaj nos quiere en su mismo yugo a través de la Torá que no será una carga que no podemos seguir, sino más bien un descanso agradable.

Shabat Shalom!

Traducido por Laura Leal

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6Pv9wFq7Wc

The Hebrew word "tzedakah" is commonly translated as "charity" or "tithe." But this is misleading. "Charity" implies that your heart motivates you to go beyond the call of duty. "Tzedakah," however, literally means "righteousness" — doing the right thing. A "tzaddik," likewise, is a righteous person, someone who fulfills all his obligations, whether in the mood or not.

When you have finished tithing all the tithes of your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give [them] to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, so that they can eat to satiety in your cities. [Devarim 26:12]

The issue of giving a tithe is a very difficult one.  Many questions arise such as How much to give? How often?  Is it based on Net or Gross income? This is especially hard during these tough economic times when many are without work or struggling to live.

As tough as things are, though, I would urge you not to cut back on your outlay for Shabbat. Because our sages assure us that what we pay to honor the Shabbat is not deducted from our divinely determined annual income.

Under your present circumstances, there are a number of expenses that you are allowed to count as part of your ma’aser (ten percent designated for charity).

1. Torah books can be paid for from ma’aser monies; if you purchase them for loaning to others also, besides for your own use. You may also purchase items for the local synagogue.
2. Remember that ma’aser only has to be taken from net income, not from gross income. In addition, it is possible to deduct from your net certain work related expenses that Uncle Sam may not allow.

The Source of all income is HaShem. The actual cash comes to us in many different channels, we often refer to them as "work," but HaShem is the source of everything in life. He only desires that we create those channels to provide a means for His blessings to manifest themselves. But if we lose focus on the Source of Income and only invest in the channels—that would be exactly like selling off the printing press while looking for more printing jobs; maybe worse.

What’s fascinating is that HaShem Himself teaches us in the Torah, through His prophet Malachi, how to continue generating income in the form of literal, tangible goods from the Source of Income: tzedakah (charity)!

Will man rob HaShem? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions! 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring all the tithes into the treasury so that there may be nourishment in My House. Test Me, if you will, with this, says HaShem Tzivaot, [see] if I will not open for you the windows of the heavens and pour down for you blessing until there be no room to suffice for it.". (Malachi 3:8-10)

En la porción de la Torá correspondiente a esta semana, ki tetze, hay un versículo muy pequeño, pero muy grande por su contenido, por su mensaje. En él se encuentra el secreto de cómo recibir del Eterno, lo que nos pertenece, a tiempo. Sin inconvenientes y con alegría. La guerra nos explica que hay cuatro causas que provocan que los bienes, de las personas, disminuyan. Una de ellas es el no pagar a tiempo a los empleados. En la Torá está escrito: “Beyomó Titén Sjaró -- En su día, pagarás su sueldo”, de aquí aprendemos la obligación de pagar a tiempo a nuestros empleados. Así también dice nuestra Parashá: “Ki Tadur Lo Teajer Leshalmó -- Cuando jures, no demorarás en pagar”, cuando hagas una promesa, no demores en pagarla.

Si pagamos a tiempo, HaShem no demorará en pagarnos a tiempo. En cada Rosh Hashaná, Él establece cuánto y cuándo vamos a recibir lo que nos corresponde, pero si nosotros no ayudamos a pagar tiempo nuestras obligaciones, entonces HaShem tampoco lo hará con nosotros. Si pagamos a tiempo, automáticamente estaremos causando que HaShem también nos pague a tiempo.

El Shuljan Aruj establece como una mitzvá, cancelar el sueldo de los empleados, en su día. El Bayit Hayehudi, en nombre de otros legisladores, establece que si un pobre viene a pedir caridad, el día en que debemos cancelar los sueldos de los empleados, prohibido darle de ese dinero al pobre, primero hay que cancelar los salarios y después, si sobra, darle al pobre.

Incluso dice la halajá que primero hay que disminuir de los gastos que hacemos para Shabat, con tal de pagarles a tiempo a los empleados. También está prohibido comprar mercancía nueva, cuando todavía les debemos plata a los proveedores, ese dinero hay que invertirlo en cancelar nuestras deudas pendientes.

Vamos a traer varios ejemplos, en los que nos podemos encontrar día a día. Hay que aclarar que según Maimónides, la obligación de pagar a tiempo incluye a los goyim también.

Cuando se alquila una casa, y los inquilinos establecieron una fecha de pago del alquiler a su dueño, deben cancelar el pago en ese día. Bien sea casa, oficina, tienda, de cualquier forma deben cancelar a tiempo.

Cuando recibimos cualquier tipo de servicio y le decimos al quien nos lo hizo, que le cancelaremos otro día. Si lo establecido era eso, entonces no hay problema, pero si no fue así, estaríamos violando esta ley. Pues el empleado estaba contando con ese dinero y ahora que no se lo pagamos, no tiene otra opción que esperar, a lo mejor por vergüenza fue que no nos exigió el pago, o porque nos teme, etc. De cualquier forma si no fue lo pautado, estaríamos incurriendo en la prohibición de no pagar a tiempo.

También esta ley se aplica con los empleados de la fabrica, de la tienda, la señora que limpia la casa, si establecimos cierta fecha para cancelarles su sueldo, debemos de hacerlo sin ninguna excusa.

Siempre hay que actuar así, para que el Eterno también nos pague con lo mejor y a su tiempo.

En el Tanaj está insinuado esto, el rey David fue ungido como rey a escondidas, solo el profeta Samuel quien fue el que lo ungió, sabía, junto a su familia que también lo sabía. Esto ocurrió cuando David tenía 28 años, pero recién a los 37 años fue que empezó a gobernar como rey. ¿Por qué se demoró HaShem en llevar a acabo su designio?

El Tanaj nos cuenta que una vez Ishai, el padre de David, lo mandó al frente de guerra, con el dinero que les correspondía a los soldados de las fronteras. Cuando David llegó a ese sitio vio, a lo lejos, que Goliat estaba gritando y maldiciendo. En ese momento le dio el dinero a un hombre para que se lo cuidara y se preparó para combatir. Cuando triunfó y mató a Goliat, fue invitado a un banquete de agradecimiento a HaShem por el milagro, después de todo ese tiempo David se acordó del pago de los soldados de las fronteras que todavía no se había hecho efectivo, fue, retiró su dinero y se lo dio a general encargado de los soldados de las fronteras. Debido a que se tardó en pagarles a esos soldados, el Eterno se demoró en hacer realidad su designio.

Veamos la diferencia que había entre David y su hijo Shlomó. El libro de reyes nos cuenta que el rey Shlomó, una vez culminada la construcción del Templo y del palacio del rey, fue a donde el rey Dor-Jiram a cancelarle sus servicios prestados. De aquí aprendemos lo meticuloso que era Shlomó con el pago a tiempo. Tanto es así, que cuando David le preguntó a HaShem cuándo iba a morir, HaShem le respondió que eso no se lo revelaba a nadie. David le pidió que, por lo menos, le revelara en qué día de la semana moriría, HaShem accedió y le respondió que moriría en Shabat. Cuando escuchó David que moriría en Shabat, le pidió a HaShem que por lo menos fuera un día más tarde, con tal de disfrutar del Shabat. Entonces HaShem le respondió que no podría complacerlo, ya que había establecido que el reinado de Shlomó empezaría un Shabat. A alguien como Shlomó, que tanto se preocupó en pagar a tiempo, no le podía atrasar su reinado, incluso por un día. De este relato podemos ver que HaShem no se demora, ni siquiera un segundo más, en pagarle a quien se comporta de la misma forma como lo hizo el rey Shlomó.

Debemos cuidarnos muchos en pagar a todos a tiempo para que todo lo bueno, que el Eterno tiene esperando por nosotros, nos llegue a su tiempo, para que el Mashiaj no demore su llegada. Ahora es que entiendo por qué lo llaman Mashiaj Ben David (El ungido, hijo de David), como el hijo de David, Shlomó, que siempre pagaba su tiempo, y por lo tanto HaShem siempre le pagaba a él con bendiciones y abundancias, a tiempo.

Así también nosotros debemos saber que si pagamos a tiempo, recibiremos el Mashiaj a tiempo, y si pagamos antes de tiempo, recibiremos al Mashiaj antes de tiempo. Amén.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eem41btVA_Q

Uno de los signos de nuestro tiempo es el aumentando de la delincuencia en todas partes. En los Estados Unidos esto ha sido un problema desde hace bastante tiempo, pero hoy también está ocurriendo en Israel, donde las formas de delincuencia incluyen el tráfico de drogas, el lavado de dinero, el robo, la extorsión, el asesinato a sueldo (sicariato), el fraude, el robo de vehículos, el tráfico de seres humanos, la corrupción, y el mercado negro. -- La cocaína y el abuso de la heroína está aumentando en Israel, con las drogas que llegan desde el Líbano y Jordania.

Leemos en la prensa israelí sobre adolescentes acusados de violar a sus hermanas más jóvenes, y de un hombre de 64 años de edad de haber apuñalado a su médico durante el examen en la sala de emergencias. Un niño de 10 años de edad, extorsionado compañeros de estudios en una escuela primaria. El mismo chico también admitió haber robado las computadoras de la escuela. Un joven de 21 años de edad asesinó a su padre, y una mujer mentalmente discapacitada fue violada. La lista es interminable ….

Muchos de nuestros sabios esperaban que la venida del Mashíaj seria precedida por un período de tribulación. Se predijo que el tiempo de la tribulación y la venida del Mashíaj al final del tiempo del exilio debe ir acompañada de una “generación perversa”. (Mishná)

Los rabinos hablaban de las pisadas (o huellas) del Mashíaj (Ikvot Ha’Mashiaj). Encontramos una antigua referencia a esto en la Mishná, que dice: “Con las huellas de Mashíaj la insolencia se incrementará y se desbordará en la tierra … la sabiduría de los Escribas se volverá insípida y a los que evitan el pecado se les considerará despreciables, y la verdad no será encontrada en ninguna parte. Los niños avergonzarán a los ancianos, y los ancianos se levantarán ante de los hijos, “el hijo deshonra al padre, la hija se alza contra su madre, la nuera contra su suegra, los enemigos del hombre serán los de su propia casa. ‘El rostro de esta generación será como la cara de un perro… “(Mishná Sotá 9:15, citando a Miqueas 7:6).

El Rabino Jannai dijo: “Si ves una generación tras otra maldiciendo y blasfemando, estén pendientes de la venida del Mashíaj, como se dice, “Tus enemigos, HaShem, que han lanzado sus burlas, arrojalos a los pies de tu ungido. ” (Midrash sobre Cantar de los Cantares 2:13, citando el Salmo 89:52)

Los rabinos derivan la expresión “Ikva De’Meshicah” los pasos del Mashiaj” de los sufrimientos de David descritos en el Salmo 89.

Hoy vivimos en un mundo amenazado constantemente por los tiroteos (disparos), madres matando a sus propios hijos, padres que matan a sus hijos, los hijos matando a sus padres, el comportamiento inhumano se está convirtiendo en la norma, y enloqueceremos por no tener restricciones.

¿Por qué? Sin ley y sin responsabilidad, sólo hay anarquía. A mayor tolerancia tendremos menos moralidad . Existe una relación entre los sin estándares y el se vale todo . -- En la apostasía de Israel al final del Libro de los Jueces leemos algo igual a nuestra sociedad hoy “cada uno hiso lo que le parecia bien ante sus propios ojos.” (Jueces 21:25) -- Las personas se suicidan porque no tienen esperanza. La eutanasia se está convirtiendo en una alternativa aceptada. A La luz se le llama oscuridad, y a la oscuridad luz.

Vivimos en una época como ninguna otra, el terrorismo, crímenes de odio, y el comportamiento sin restricciones. La anarquía se está convirtiendo en la norma de la sociedad. Los escándalos sexuales de los Presidentes no tienen efecto en su popularidad, a la gente no le importa, ya que no están en condiciones de señalar con el dedo para que los hagan culpables.

Nuestros líderes se han vuelto arrogantes. Los que temen el pecado son despreciados, y la verdad ha desaparecido. los jóvenes se avergüenzan de los ancianos, y los ancianos se han vuelto débiles. Los hijos se rebelan contra su padre y la hija contra la madre, ambos sin vergüenza. La generación malvada y adúltera, corrompida delante de Dios, y llena de violencia.

Si nuestros sabios tienen razón, ya podemos ver las huellas del Mashíaj en la actualidad. -- El Salmo 89 comienza con las palabras de alabanza por la bondad de Dios y fidelidad al Pacto. Relata las promesas hechas al Rey David, y el Pacto que Dios había establecido con él, entonces el salmista se lamenta de lo que parece ser el olvido de Dios a las promesas de su Pacto. Pero al final, en el verso final del Salmo, el salmista cambio de tono una vez más, cuando proclama: “¡Bendito sea HaShem para siempre! Amén y Amén”- Hashem es el único en quien podemos confiar, porque Él dijo: “Mi Pacto no voy a romper, ni alteraré lo que ha salido de mis labios.” (Salmo 89:34)

Necesitamos un líder, alguien que nos inspire a hacer el bien. ¡Queremos Mashíaj, y lo queremos ahora!

Traducido por Victor Marcano.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dzKlmOSCPk

Ki Tavo, Ki Thavo, Ki Tabo, Ki Thabo, or Ki Savo (כִּי-תָבוֹא — Hebrew for “when you enter,” the second and third words, and the first distinctive words, in the parshah) is the 50th weekly Torah portion (parshah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8. Jews in the Diaspora generally read it in September.

This Torah portion begins with laws regarding first fruits and tithes. It goes on to discuss covenant renewal, after which Moses recites the blessings guaranteed to Israel for covenant obedience and warns of the curses for apostasy.

Following the last two Parshios that focused on Justice and the value of individual rights, Moshe directed the nation’s attention to the realities of what it meant to live in Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel).

During the 40 years of the desert, the people of Israel were being prepared to accept the reality of HaShem’s mastery and the responsibility of keeping His mitzvot (commandments). Now, in Parshas Ki Tavo, as they were poised to cross the Yarden and assume their intended place as “… highest of all the nations on earth.” (28:1) Moshe commanded a number of declarations and ceremonies. These ceremonies would underscore the cause and effect relationship that exists between adherence to Torah, the laws of nature, and the divine responsiveness of the land.

Note: On the Shabbat the Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading. Here are this week`s aliyot:

1st & 2nd Aliyot: The Parasha begins with the Mitzvot of the first fruits and the completion of the Tithing cycles. Both are accompanied by special declarations of HaShem’s mastery over the land, and man’s responsibility to keep the commandments of HaShem.

In the times of the Jewish Temple (Beit HaMikdash), Jewish landowners were required to separate from their produce three kinds of tithing: terumah, a gift for the Kohanim, maiser rishon, the first tithe which is given to the Levi, and maiser sheni, which the farmer himself would go to Jerusalem and eat. And in the third and sixth years of every seven-year Shmittah cycle, the farmer would replace maiser sheni with maiser anni, the tithe for the poor.

4th & 5th Aliyot: Moshe presents a statement of allegiance between HaShem and His People. We are to keep the Torah and HaShem guarantees us praise, fame and glory as the “highest of all the nations”. (26:19) Upon crossing the Yarden, the Nation will publicly declare its acceptance of HaShem’s covenant by: inscribing the Torah upon twelve stones; erecting them as a monument; and the ceremony of blessings and curses that is to take place between the opposing mountains, Grizim and Ayval.

6th Aliya: Commonly known as the Tochacha the admonitions and punishments. It describes the consequences that will befall the Jewish people if they ignore HaShem’s Torah and his providence. The custom is for the Reader to read this Aliya more quickly and quietly than the rest of the Parasha.

7th Aliya: The Parasha concludes with the beginning of Moshe’s final discourse. He starts by recounting the miraculous nature of the past 40 years and its clear indication of HaShem’s ever present protection, past and future.