Post by Chizuk Emunah on Mar 13, 2007 12:14:58 GMT -8
Shalom all,
My aim is to present evidence that Rabbi Y'hoshua was a Pharisee, and then open the floor for comments/questions.
First, we see that his cousin, Yochanan identified him as a Pharisee.
“And those that were sent were from the P’rushim (Pharisees). And they asked him and said to him, why then do you immerse if you are neither the Messiah nor Eliyahu (Elijah) the Prophet? Yochanan the Immerser answered and said to them, I immerse with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know." Yochanan: 1:24-26
Second, there have been many others that have also identified him as a Pharisee.
"Some have argued that Rabbi Y'hoshua was himself a Pharisee, and that his arguments with Pharisees is a sign of inclusion rather than fundamental conflict (disputation is the dominant narrative mode in the Talmud). Rabbi Y'hoshua's emphasis on loving one's neighbor, for example, echoes the teaching of the school of Hillel (Rabbi Y'hoshua 's views of divorce, however, are closer to those of the school of Shammai, another Pharisee). For example, when Rabbi Y'hoshua declares the sins of a paralytic man forgiven, this is consistent with Jewish practice of the time. Jewish sources from the time commonly associate illness with sin and healing with forgiveness, and there is no Rabbinic source that questions or criticizes this practice. Rabbinic texts also reveal that rather than being obsessed with avoiding impurity, the Pharisees were concerned merely with offering means for removing impurities, so that a person could again participate in the community. Rabbi Y'hoshua healed a man's withered hand on the Sabbath, and there is no Rabbinic rule according to which Rabbi Y'hoshua had violated the Sabbath. Rabbi Y’hoshua’s mission to outcast groups such as beggars and tax-collectors is in agreement with Rabbinic texts that emphasize the availability of forgiveness to all. Indeed, much of Rabbi Y’hoshua’s teaching, for example the Sermon on the Mount, is consistent with that of the Pharisees."
"The Talmud when compared to the NT, shows that Rabbi Y’hoshua upheld its Pharisaic teachings. It shows He also upheld the Pharisaic authority in religious matters. When properly understood, his criticism of the Pharisees was within the framework of Pharisaic discussion with them as they were always critical of themselves. This could best be called "a family argument" - the Talmud is loaded with such a wide array of opinions -- it is known as "arguing for the Kingdom," or, "arguing for the cause of HaShem. History and the NT show that Rabbi Y’hoshua identified Himself as a Pharisee."
"Rabbi Y'hoshua and his immediate followers were Pharisees. Rabbi Y'hoshua had no intention of founding a new religion. He regarded himself as the Messiah in the normal Jewish sense of the term...
The first followers of Rabbi Y'hoshua, under Ya'akov and Shimon Kefa, founded the Jerusalem Beit Din after Rabbi Y'hoshua's death. They were called the Netzarim, and in all their beliefs they were indistinguishable from the Pharisees, except that they believed in the resurrection of Rabbi Y'hoshua, and that Y’hoshua was still the promised Messiah. The Netzarim did not believe that Rabbi Y'hoshua had abrogated the Jewish religion, or
. Having known Rabbi Y'hoshua personally, they were aware that he had observed the Jewish religious law all his life and had never rebelled against it. His Sabbath cures were not against Pharisee law. The Netzarim were themselves very observant of Jewish religious law. They practiced circumcision, did not eat the forbidden foods and showed great respect to the Temple. The Netzarim did not regard themselves as belonging to a new religion; their religion was Judaism. They set up synagogues of their own, but they also attended non-Netzarim synagogues on occasion, and performed the same kind of worship in their own synagogues as was practiced by all observant Jews."
Sources and further reading see:
Harvey Falk, Jesus the Pharisee: A New Look at the Jewish of Jesus.
Hyam Maccoby, Jesus the Pharisee.
E.P. Sanders, Jesus and Judaism.
Geza Vermes, Jesus the Jew: A Historian's Reading of the Gospels.
wikipedia, Pharisee.
yashanet.com, Not Subject to The Law of G-d?
Okay, so he was definitely identified as a Pharisee, but did he uphold their authority? Let's continue on.
Third, here we see that he upheld the authority of the Pharisees. So, although he is rebuking the hypocrisy of some, he does not reject their authority.
Woe to you Soferim (scribes) and P’rushim, hypocrites! Who tithe mint, and dill, and cumin, (Tithing on dill and cumin are not required by Shebikhtav) and have neglected the weightier provisions of the : justice and mercy and faithfulness. Those things you should have done, without neglecting the others. Matityahu 23:23
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matityahu 5:21-22
Then Rabbi Y’hoshua spoke to the crowds and his talmidim (students or disciples), saying “The Soferim and the P’rushim sit in Moshe’s seat; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.” Matityahu 23:1-3
Fourth, we see here that Rabbi Y'hoshua teachings were not contrary to Sheba'al Peh (The Oral ).
We'll start by taking a look at a popular reference to n'tilat yadayim found in Mark. Pay close attention to the word some in v.2 and Rabbi Y'hoshua's response in v.8.
The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem,and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed.
For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.
The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?"
And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'
Laying aside the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do. Mark 7:1-8
Here we see that some of Rabbi Y'hoshua's talmidim did not properly wash their hands, as prescribed by the Oral. This suggests that most of his talmidim did wash their hands before they ate bread. So why did some not wash? I believe that they were either newly observant, or they were Gentiles and not required to wash their hands. I think it is more likely that they were Gentiles who were not obligated. In Rabbi Y'hoshua's response we see him ignoring their complaint entirely! In fact, he castigates them for their additional strictness that was not required by the Oral , and in doing so, they ignored the itself. Nevertheless, Rabbi Y'hoshua and most of His talmidim did wash their hands before they ate bread! Rabbi Y'hoshua and most of His talmidim did observe the Oral .
Next, I have put together a chart based on the one found on yashanet.com: Not Subject to the Law of God? which shows that Rabbi Y'hoshua's teachings were in accord with those of the Pharisees.
Here are other examples as well:
Then the disciples of Yochanan came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" And Rabbi Y'hoshua said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matityahu 9:14-15
This argument is based upon a recognized halakha that it is improper to fast in the presence of a bridegroom. This is not found in the written. - Succah 25b; Berachot 2.10
Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Shabbat the priests in the temple break the Shabbat and are innocent? Matityahu 12:5
This halakha which states that the priests break the Sabbath but are innocent is not found in the written. - Shabbat 132b.
And He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Matityahu 15:36
There is nothing in the written about giving thanks before eating. Saying the berakah before eating is part of the Oral .
Cont. On the Next Page:
My aim is to present evidence that Rabbi Y'hoshua was a Pharisee, and then open the floor for comments/questions.
First, we see that his cousin, Yochanan identified him as a Pharisee.
“And those that were sent were from the P’rushim (Pharisees). And they asked him and said to him, why then do you immerse if you are neither the Messiah nor Eliyahu (Elijah) the Prophet? Yochanan the Immerser answered and said to them, I immerse with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know." Yochanan: 1:24-26
Second, there have been many others that have also identified him as a Pharisee.
"Some have argued that Rabbi Y'hoshua was himself a Pharisee, and that his arguments with Pharisees is a sign of inclusion rather than fundamental conflict (disputation is the dominant narrative mode in the Talmud). Rabbi Y'hoshua's emphasis on loving one's neighbor, for example, echoes the teaching of the school of Hillel (Rabbi Y'hoshua 's views of divorce, however, are closer to those of the school of Shammai, another Pharisee). For example, when Rabbi Y'hoshua declares the sins of a paralytic man forgiven, this is consistent with Jewish practice of the time. Jewish sources from the time commonly associate illness with sin and healing with forgiveness, and there is no Rabbinic source that questions or criticizes this practice. Rabbinic texts also reveal that rather than being obsessed with avoiding impurity, the Pharisees were concerned merely with offering means for removing impurities, so that a person could again participate in the community. Rabbi Y'hoshua healed a man's withered hand on the Sabbath, and there is no Rabbinic rule according to which Rabbi Y'hoshua had violated the Sabbath. Rabbi Y’hoshua’s mission to outcast groups such as beggars and tax-collectors is in agreement with Rabbinic texts that emphasize the availability of forgiveness to all. Indeed, much of Rabbi Y’hoshua’s teaching, for example the Sermon on the Mount, is consistent with that of the Pharisees."
"The Talmud when compared to the NT, shows that Rabbi Y’hoshua upheld its Pharisaic teachings. It shows He also upheld the Pharisaic authority in religious matters. When properly understood, his criticism of the Pharisees was within the framework of Pharisaic discussion with them as they were always critical of themselves. This could best be called "a family argument" - the Talmud is loaded with such a wide array of opinions -- it is known as "arguing for the Kingdom," or, "arguing for the cause of HaShem. History and the NT show that Rabbi Y’hoshua identified Himself as a Pharisee."
"Rabbi Y'hoshua and his immediate followers were Pharisees. Rabbi Y'hoshua had no intention of founding a new religion. He regarded himself as the Messiah in the normal Jewish sense of the term...
The first followers of Rabbi Y'hoshua, under Ya'akov and Shimon Kefa, founded the Jerusalem Beit Din after Rabbi Y'hoshua's death. They were called the Netzarim, and in all their beliefs they were indistinguishable from the Pharisees, except that they believed in the resurrection of Rabbi Y'hoshua, and that Y’hoshua was still the promised Messiah. The Netzarim did not believe that Rabbi Y'hoshua had abrogated the Jewish religion, or
. Having known Rabbi Y'hoshua personally, they were aware that he had observed the Jewish religious law all his life and had never rebelled against it. His Sabbath cures were not against Pharisee law. The Netzarim were themselves very observant of Jewish religious law. They practiced circumcision, did not eat the forbidden foods and showed great respect to the Temple. The Netzarim did not regard themselves as belonging to a new religion; their religion was Judaism. They set up synagogues of their own, but they also attended non-Netzarim synagogues on occasion, and performed the same kind of worship in their own synagogues as was practiced by all observant Jews."Sources and further reading see:
Harvey Falk, Jesus the Pharisee: A New Look at the Jewish of Jesus.
Hyam Maccoby, Jesus the Pharisee.
E.P. Sanders, Jesus and Judaism.
Geza Vermes, Jesus the Jew: A Historian's Reading of the Gospels.
wikipedia, Pharisee.
yashanet.com, Not Subject to The Law of G-d?
Okay, so he was definitely identified as a Pharisee, but did he uphold their authority? Let's continue on.
Third, here we see that he upheld the authority of the Pharisees. So, although he is rebuking the hypocrisy of some, he does not reject their authority.
Woe to you Soferim (scribes) and P’rushim, hypocrites! Who tithe mint, and dill, and cumin, (Tithing on dill and cumin are not required by
Shebikhtav) and have neglected the weightier provisions of the : justice and mercy and faithfulness. Those things you should have done, without neglecting the others. Matityahu 23:23"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matityahu 5:21-22
Then Rabbi Y’hoshua spoke to the crowds and his talmidim (students or disciples), saying “The Soferim and the P’rushim sit in Moshe’s seat; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.” Matityahu 23:1-3
Fourth, we see here that Rabbi Y'hoshua teachings were not contrary to
Sheba'al Peh (The Oral ).We'll start by taking a look at a popular reference to n'tilat yadayim found in Mark. Pay close attention to the word some in v.2 and Rabbi Y'hoshua's response in v.8.
The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem,and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed.
For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.
The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?"
And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'
Laying aside the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do. Mark 7:1-8
Here we see that some of Rabbi Y'hoshua's talmidim did not properly wash their hands, as prescribed by the Oral
. This suggests that most of his talmidim did wash their hands before they ate bread. So why did some not wash? I believe that they were either newly observant, or they were Gentiles and not required to wash their hands. I think it is more likely that they were Gentiles who were not obligated. In Rabbi Y'hoshua's response we see him ignoring their complaint entirely! In fact, he castigates them for their additional strictness that was not required by the Oral , and in doing so, they ignored the itself. Nevertheless, Rabbi Y'hoshua and most of His talmidim did wash their hands before they ate bread! Rabbi Y'hoshua and most of His talmidim did observe the Oral .Next, I have put together a chart based on the one found on yashanet.com: Not Subject to the Law of God? which shows that Rabbi Y'hoshua's teachings were in accord with those of the Pharisees.
Teachings of Rabbi Y’hoshua (Summaries in italics) | TALMUDIC Teachings of the Pharisees (Summaries in italics) |
| The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. - Mark 2:27 | Rabbi Jonathan ben Joseph said: For it is holy unto you; I.e., it [the Sabbath] is committed to your hands, not you to its hands. - Talmud: Yoma 85b |
| Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. - Matthew 25:45 | One who betrays his fellow, it is as if he has betrayed God. - Tosefta Sh'vuot, ch. 3 |
| Insulting someone is like murder.- Matthew 5:21-22 | He who publicly shames his neighbour is as though he shed blood.- Talmud: Bava Mezia 58b |
| But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a married woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. - Matthew 5:28 | One who gazes lustfully upon the small finger of a married woman, it is as if he has committed adultery with her. - Kallah, Ch. 1 |
| That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. - Matthew 5:45 | Rabbi Abbahu said: The day when rain fails is greater than [the day of] the Revival of the Dead,for the Revival of the Dead is for the righteous only whereas rain is both for the righteous and for the wicked. - Talmud: Taanit 7a |
| Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. - Matthew 6:1 | In the case of the recital of the Shema’, since everybody else recites, and he also recites, it does not look like showing off on his part; but in the case of the month of Ab, since everybody else does work and he does no work, it looks like showing off.- Talmud: Berachot 17b |
| But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. - Matthew 6:3 | What kind of charity is that which delivers a man from an unnatural death? When a man gives without knowing to whom he gives. and the beggar receives without knowing from whom he receives. - Talmud: Bava Batra 10a - 10b |
| But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. - Matthew 6:7 | If one draws out his prayer and expects therefore its fulfilment, he will in the end suffer vexation of heart, as it says, Hope deferred maketh the heart sick. - Talmud: Berachot 55a |
| Do not worry about where your food will come from tomorrow, or your drink. - Matthew 6:25-31 | Rabbi Eliezer the Great declares: Whoever has a piece of bread in his basket and Says. ‘What shall I eat tomorrow?’ belongs only to them who are little in faith. - Talmud: Sotah 48b |
| Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. - Matthew 6:34 | A parable: [They were] like a man who was kept in prison and people told him: To-morrow, they will release you from the prison and give you plenty of money. And he answered them: I pray of you, let me go free today and I shall ask nothing more! - Talmud: Berachot 9b |
| Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No.- Matthew 5:34-37 | A righteous yes is a Yes; a righteous no is No.- Talmud: Bava Batra 49b |
| At that time Y’hoshua answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. - Matthew 11:25 | Rabbi Yohanan said: Since the Temple was destroyed, prophecy has been taken from prophets and given to fools and children. - Talmud: Bava Batra 12b |
| And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. - Matthew 5:29-30 | Come and hear what was taught: Rabbi Tarfon said, ‘If his hand touched the membrum let his hand be cut off upon his belly’. ‘But’, they said to him, ‘would not his belly be split’? ‘It is preferable’, he replied, ‘that his belly shall be split rather than that he should go down into the pit of destruction’. - Talmud: Niddah 13b |
| But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Messiah; and all ye are brethren. - Matthew 23:8 | Shemaiah used to say: love work, hate acting the superior, and do not bring thyself to the knowledge of the ruling authority. - Mishnah: Avot 1:10 |
| Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. - Matthew 24:44 | Even as R. Zera, who, whenever he chanced upon scholars engaged thereon [I.e., in calculating the time of the Messiah's coming], would say to them: I beg of you, do not postpone it, for it has been taught: Three come unawares: Messiah, a found article and a scorpion. - Talmud: Sanhedrin 97a |
| Y’hoshua taught in a parable that they can please the king (God) by pleasing one another. - Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. - Matthew 25:40 | Rabbi simeon said: if three have eaten at one table and have not spoken thereat words of , [it is] as if they had eaten sacrifices [offered] to the dead, for [of such persons] it is said, for all tables are full of filthy vomit, [they are] without the All-Present. But, if three have eaten at one table, and have spoken thereat words of , [it is] as if they had eaten at the table of the All-Present, blessed be he, as it is said, this is the table before the LORD. - Mishnah: Avot 3:3 |
| Love your enemy. - Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; - Matthew 5:43 | They who are insulted but insult not back; who hear themselves reproached but answer not; who serve out of love and rejoice in their affliction--of them it is written in Scripture: They that love God are as the going forth of the sun in its might. - Talmud: Yoma 23a, Gitin 36b, Shabat 88b |
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. - Matthew 5:23-24 | If a man said, "I will sin and repent, and sin again and repent", he will be given no chance to repent. [If he said,] "I will sin and the Day of Atonement will effect atonement", then the Day of Atonement effects no atonement. For transgressions that are between man and God the Day of Atonement effects atonement, but for transgressions that are between a man and his fellow the Day of Atonement effects atonement only if he has appeased his fellow - Mishnah: Yoma 8:9 |
| G-d sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. - Matthew 5:45 | God causes it to rain for the wicked as well as for the righteous. - Talmud, Taanit 7a |
| You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. - Matthew 5:43-44 | They who are insulted but insult not back; who hear themselves reproached but answer not; who serve out of love and rejoice in their affliction--of them it is written in Scripture: They that love God are as the going forth of the sun in its might. - Talmud, Yoma 23a, Gitin 36b, Shabbat 88b |
| First be reconciled to thy brother - Matthew 5:23-24 | Yom Kippur atones for all sins, but first you must reconcile your conflict with others. -Talmud, Yoma 85b |
| For if ye forgive men their trespasses. - Matthew 6:14-15 | Only if you forgive others will God forgive you. -Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 17a One who is merciful toward others, God will be merciful toward him. - Talmud, Shabat 151b |
| Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. - Matthew 6:19 | It happened that manobaz had squandered his father's wealth to charity. His brothers admonished him: "Your father gathered treasure and you wasted it all!" He replied: "My father laid up treasure where human hands control it; I laid it up where no hands control it. My father laid up a treasure of money; I laid up a treasure of souls. My father laid up treasure for this world; I laid up treasure for the heavenly world." - Jerusalem Talmud, Pe'ah 15b |
| Do not judge, or you too will be judged. - Matthew 7:1 | Do not judge your fellow until you have been in his place. - Avot 2:14 Do not be a judge of others, for there is no judge but the one (God). - Avot 4:10 |
| With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. - Matthew 7:2 | By a person's standard of measure, is he, too, measured. - Mishnah Sotah 1:7 How you judge others, does God judge you. - Shabat 127b Rabbi Meir said: "The measure which one measures will be measured out to him." - Sanhedrin 100a |
| Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam that is in your own eye? - Matthew 7:3 | Rabbi Tarfon said, "I wonder if there be anyone in this era who will allow himself to be reproved. If someone says to another, 'Cast out the speck that is in your eye!' he will retort, Cast out first the beam that is in your own eye!'" - Er'chin 16b He who condemns others, sees in them his own faults. - Kidushin 70a Do not rebuke your fellow with your own blemish. - Bava Mezia 59a |
| Give not that which is holy unto the dogs. - Matthew 7:6 | R. Levi said: "God made Israel swear that they should not reveal the [Messianic] end, and should not reveal the secrets of [of the ] to the idolators." - Ketubot. 111a |
| Do to others what you would have them do to you, for this is the and the Prophets. - Matthew 7:12 | What is hateful to you, do it not unto others -- this is the entire , and the rest is commentary. - Shabbat 31a |
| Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not. - Matthew 7:26 | One who studies but does not do good deeds is likened to one who builds with a foundation of straw, so that even a minor flow of water will destroy it. - Avot 3:17 |
| Brother shall deliver up the brother to death. - Matthew 10:21 | In the footsteps of the messiah, insolence will increase and honour dwindle; the vine will yield its fruit [abundantly] but wine will be dear; the government will turn to heresy and there will be none [to offer them] reproof; the meeting-place [of scholars] will be used for immorality; galilee will be destroyed, gablan desolated, and the dwellers on the frontier will go about [begging] from place to place without anyone to take pity on them; the wisdom of the learned will degenerate, fearers of sin will be despised, and the truth will be lacking; youths will put old men to  , the old will stand up in the presence of the young, a son will revile his father, a daughter will rise against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be the members of his household; the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog, a son will not feel ashamed before his father. So upon whom is it for us to rely? Upon our father who is in heaven. - Talmud 49b |
| Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. - Matthew 5:7 | He who is merciful to others, shall receive mercy from Heaven. - Shabbat 151b As God is, so shall you be: As God is merciful, so shall you too, be merciful. - Sifri, Ekev No. 49 |
| Freely you receive, freely give. - Matthew 10:8 | Just as I teach gratuituously, so you should teach gratuitously. - Bekoroth 29a |
| Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. - Matthew 23:12 | He who humbles himself for the in this world is magnified in the next; and he who makes himself a servant to the in this world becomes free in the next. - Baba Metzia 85b |
| The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. - Matthew 9.37 | The day is short, and the work is much; and the workmen are indolent, but the reward is much; and the Master of the House is insistent. - Avot 2:15 |
Here are other examples as well:
Then the disciples of Yochanan came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" And Rabbi Y'hoshua said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matityahu 9:14-15
This argument is based upon a recognized halakha that it is improper to fast in the presence of a bridegroom. This is not found in the written
. - Succah 25b; Berachot 2.10Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Shabbat the priests in the temple break the Shabbat and are innocent? Matityahu 12:5
This halakha which states that the priests break the Sabbath but are innocent is not found in the written
. - Shabbat 132b.And He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Matityahu 15:36
There is nothing in the written
about giving thanks before eating. Saying the berakah before eating is part of the Oral .Cont. On the Next Page:
