29, Acharey Mot, After the Death

[alon]

This week is a double reading: 29. Acharey Mot & 30. Kedoshim

This week’s readings:

Date of reading- Apr 28, 2018/13 Iyyar 5778/13-2-5778

Name of Par’shah- Acharey Mot, After the Death

Par’shah- Lev 16:1 – 18:30

Haftara- Ezekiel 22.1-19

Brit Chadashah- Romans 3.19-28, 9.30-10.13; 1 Corinthians 5.1-13; Galatians 3.10-14; Hebrews 7.23-10.25

Note: apparently some who read this think I am using the Enochian literature as a basis for good exegetical practice. I am not! It is an example of BAD practice and wild (though very appealing) conjecture based on bad sources and speculation which many have fallen into! The truth is in the last two paragraphs, which is very simple, straightforward, and based on sound biblical principles and logic. There is however some good information in the bad examples. We can for example see how many people think about a difficult subject, the Azazel. And we learn what the term means, as well as what the misinformed think it means. So hear ’tis; enjoy!


D’rash: In our haftara we see that Yisroel has committed all the sins spoken of in our par’shah, and then some! The par’shah also speaks of the rules for Yom Kippur when the Cohen HaGadol makes atonement for the sins of the nation, cleansing the Temple. But the Temple is representative of the nation and the land. We see for example why the goyim were judged and driven out:

Leviticus 18:24-25 (ESV) “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.

Yisroel was to be a holy nation and a holy people. If enough iniquity built up in the Temple the Shekinah would depart before Yom Kippur. And if the land were polluted enough by the deeds of the people they would be judged and forced to depart, as happened several times. Only by eradicating impurity so that it does not spread (as we saw last week by contact with the tameh) can Yisroel remain a holy naton, kadosh, set apart to their Elohim.

But of all the crimes they committed, murder was the worst. When a person kills unjustly, the blood guilt of all those murdered before is imputed to that person:

Matthew 23:34-35 (ESV) Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

Matthew refers to the blood of Zechariah. Later rabbinic literature also tells of this. The the Babylonian Talmud states the captain of Nebuchadnezzar’s guard entered the Temple and discovered the “still boiling blood” of Zechariah. The Jewish leaders confessed (under severe duress) that it was the blood of the one, “who prophesied to us all that you [the captain of the guard] are doing and we arose against him [Zechariah] and slew him.”
(b. Gitin 57b)

And we see Yeshua telling the Jewish leaders they have defiled the Temple with the shedding of blood, for which He holds them accountable for all blood spilled from Havel on. This pollution has tremendous consequences, as the Shechinah can no longer reside there. All of this blood spilled and all of the transgressions mentioned will end in the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

Yerushalayim and all of HaEretz will bear the consequences as well. The city will be destroyed and the people forced once again into exile. Unrighteousness and the kadosh cannot coexist.

What has now happened is without a Temple there is no more a way to make atonement; no redress for ritual impurity. The people are stuck in a state of tumah, when in order to approach Gd you had to be tahara. This, according to Mattityahu is the reason HaMoshiach had to sacrifice Himself. There is now no other way His people can be purified and so be in the presence of a Holy Gd.

This too is how the seed of Avraham was to bless the world. The exiles took the besorah of Yeshua to the nations, and many Gentiles were now made heirs to the blessings of Yisroel. They did this by joining Yisroel, worshiping El Elohe Yisroel alone, and learning and keeping the mitzvoth- just as Gentiles always had been saved in the past. The difference now is in the numbers and the widespread influence of the exiled Nots’rim, which sect they joined.

We need to be clear on one point here: Gd did not abandon Yisroel; He once again made a way for His own to come to Him. The Temple was destroyed because of the innocent bloodshed done and/or planned there, from Zecharayah to Yaakov (James) the Just, and including Yeshua HaMoshiach Himself. The people were driven out of the land because they had polluted it with their sins. Yet now because of the ultimate sacrifice made by Gd Himself, they (and we) could still approach Him; walk with Him as Adam did in the Garden.

[alon]

Let’s talk for a minute about Azazel עֲזָאזֵל:

Leviticus 16:10, 20-22 (ESV)  but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel. … “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.

One goat was slain to atone for the iniquities of the nation. This is an obvious picture of Yeshua as Mashiach ben Yoseph משיח בן־יוסף. The other however was sent out to Azazel עֲזָאזֵל bearing the iniquities of the nation. What exactly does this represent in redemption history?

Note: here is where we start mixing some good info with bad; which is how a lot of really bad doctrine is formulated!

The name itself is a composite of two words: “ez-azel” which loosely translated means “the goat which goes away.” It can also mean “fierce god;” עֲזָ see the one with a weapon, and אזֵל the strong authority with a weapon. Note that the weapon is emphasized being in both words, so this would be one who attacks often and hard. Avraham Ibn Ezra (a medieval exegete) thought Azazel to be a demon, probably based on this description among other things.

This agrees with documents later discovered at Qumran: Azazel occurs in line 6 of 4Q203, The Book of Giants, part of the Enochic literature which connects Azazel iwith the fall of the angels; located on Mt Hermon, a gathering-place of demons. Azazel is one of the leaders of the rebellious Watchers before the Flood. He was said to have taught men the art of warfare, and women the art of deception, and also revealed the secrets of witchcraft and corruption. He was finally bound hand and foot by the archangel Raphael and chained to the rough and jagged rocks of [Ha] Dudael, where he is to abide in utter darkness until the great Day of Judgment.

Interestingly the term “watch” משמרת can mean “a place of confinement.”

Dudael is a דּוּדָאֵל, compound of dud דּוּד "kettle, cauldron, or pot,” and El אֵל “deity, divinity.” So literally "cauldron of Gd.”

Enoch 10:4–7 And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire.

Dudael is the prison of fallen malachim, especially Watchers. Its entrance is east of Jerusalem.

The term Watcher, עִירִין ʿiyrin is from the Hebrew root er ארִ, "awake, watchful.” The word occurs in Daniel 4:13, 17, 23. However there the Watchers are holy messengers.

OK: here's the good stuff ...

So is the second goat then a sacrifice to a demon? That is the popular conception among those few who try to unravel this mystery. However I doubt the goat would make it as far as Mt Hermon, which is far to the north of Yerushalayim on the border of Syria and Lebanon. It might make it to Dudael, but how would it get in? And I don’t see Gd commanding us to sacrifice to any demon for any reason:

Leviticus 17:7 (ESV) So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they sleeper. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.

I think the goat literally carrying the sins of the nation was symbolic, as was the demon Azazel. The sins of the people were, as my JPS TNK notes say, “symbolically cast into the realm beyond civilization.” I disagree with them however that the goat becomes the property of Azazel, again other than in a symbolic sense. We either belong to the Shofet (Judge) of Yisroel or to ha’satan. I think the picture here is that those who carry their own unrepented sins will suffer the same fate as the mighty, rebellious Watchers- probably fallen Seraphim which are bound in the River Euphrates, not a pit covered with rocks.

Ezekiel 22:13 (ESV) “Behold, I strike my hand at the dishonest gain that you have made, and at the blood that has been in your midst. 14 Can your courage endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.


Mekorot: JPS Study TNK, Dr. Seekins, Dr. Rabinowitz, Vines, the ubiquitous internet, Rav S, my father and others

[jimmie]

לַעֲזָאזֵל l•ozazl –to or for goat of departure.
אֹ is not with the לִ in this word. Not sure how anyone could see a reference to God in it. To try to make this word into a name is a mis-justice to the text. Maybe “the living bird” (echie etzphr) that is release in chapter 14 should also be converted to a name.

[alon]

Apr 23, 2018 14:48:55 GMT -8 jimmie said:

לַעֲזָאזֵל l•ozazl –to or for goat of departure.
אֹ is not with the לִ in this word. Not sure how anyone could see a reference to God in it. To try to make this word into a name is a mis-justice to the text. Maybe “the living bird” (echie etzphr) that is release in chapter 14 should also be converted to a name.

Yep, that be one of the bad ones. Just because it "sounds" like "el" doesn't mean it is "el." Now if they could show an ancient example of azazel spelled "עֲזָאזֵאל" then maybe. However that would bring up another glaring problem here- the Qumran text used to back up a lot of the conjecture is the Book of Enoch which is proven to be a pseudepigraphal text. So it is not the "ancient" book of Enoch, but a more recent (though still old) work.

Pseudepigrapha- falsely-attributed works, texts whose claimed author is not the true author, or a work whose real author attributed it to a figure of the past. Pseudepigraphy covers the false ascription of names of authors to works, even to authentic works that make no such claim within their text.

Anyone see any other problems between those red markers? (Or anywhere for that matter)

Dan

[Elizabeth]

I don't know anything about this stuff but still slightly on the topic and cause I'm looking for feedback; I always think of Barrabas when I read about the goat not killed but sent out in the wilderness....

[alon]

Apr 24, 2018 12:42:52 GMT -8 Elizabeth said:

I don't know anything about this stuff but still slightly on the topic and cause I'm looking for feedback; I always think of Barrabas when I read about the goat not killed but sent out in the wilderness....

That's an interesting take. And it fits with my belief the goat sent to Azazel pictures those who carry their own unrepented sins will suffer the same fate as the fallen malachim (messengers/angels). I know some think Barabas eventually came to believe, however I know of no evidence to support that and so wold have to say it is possible both he and the goat represent the same thing. The goat may have been in a sense prophetic of Barabas, but I think the larger sense is the representation of all who live and die in their sins. Both are a perfect picture of that.

Dan C

[alon]

I am surprised no one called me on the following:

Apr 23, 2018 2:12:27 GMT -7 alon said: ... What has now happened is without a Temple there is no more a way to make atonement; no redress for ritual impurity. The people are stuck in a state of tumah, when in order to approach Gd you had to be tahara. This, according to Mattityahu is the reason HaMoshiach had to sacrifice Himself. There is now no other way His people can be purified and so be in the presence of a Holy Gd. ...

What about tevilah? Wouldn't that make us tahara, ritually clean?

Or if you agree with me then why?

Dan C

[Elizabeth]

I thought atonement and ritual purity were not the same thing. Atonement relates to overcoming sin and the idea of "clean" relates more to what is ready for service for G-d. (?)

I don't know but I have also heard there are other issues that makes it impossible for anyone to be anything but unclean let alone atoned for (in the absence of dependence on Yeshua) related to the dead and the red heifer.

I don't know, I just know that without Yeshua, I can't do what G-d calls me to do even on a most basic and physical level, let alone spiritual one. Maybe clean relates more to the physical and atonement to the spiritual.....

I know you can't really separate the two but spiritually G-d overcomes our physical circumstances so that we are always in contact with Him despite our state and surroundings. This is just what we need to do what G-d calls us to do and Yeshua took care of it. We are ritually pure as His children. We have to be if we are to be remade in His image, which is a promise for this life. So now we keep His commandments because we are with Him I think, not so we achieve intimacy with G-d, but because we have intimacy with G-d. It's just a deeper relationship with G-d that's the difference between the first and second covenant perhaps.(?)

I know G-d's Spirit stays with me regardless of my physical state so I must be clean always in His eyes. I also know to do what He calls me to do, I have to remain that way because I'm human and it's a filthy world we live in. So G-d made Himself always accessible to us because we will lose the battle otherwise.

I know this post took a turn from the discussion but these are things I wonder about so interested in other's thoughts. I know I'm forgiven and clean. I know G-d is with me and I know I need Him just to get through this life, yet it's in my heart to keep His commandments. As I write this I see it's exactly what it's supposed to be, working it out in my head as I go. It just made me wonder why I seek to keep them. It really is cause I love Him, and so that's just Him, and so the idea of ritual purity doesn't make a lot of sense to me now. He's just my G-d that I need and it's scary how much of an assumption it is for me that He is always there when I seek and remember Him in the context of ritual purity. It's funny how I can just focus on my sin and not worry about my physical state so much, but that just reflects how messed up everything is. I can't wash myself and make myself clean until He helps me with my heart. I know sin effects our fellowship with G-d, but that's something different from ritual purity from what I've learned.

I think there is an element of physical and spiritual at play between atonement and ritual cleanliness somehow and as those called to worship in the Spirit and be a living sacrifice in a filthy physical state, it's just something He had to do for us, make us clean. In the process the commandments serve a more sincere purpose on our parts maybe?

[alon]

I hate it when I do something stupid, like hit the delete button right in the middle of a brilliant (  ) reply ... so I'll try again:

Elizabeth said: I thought atonement and ritual purity were not the same thing. Atonement relates to overcoming sin and the idea of "clean" relates more to what is ready for service for G-d. (?)

atonement- "at onement"
1. Amends or reparation made for an injury or wrong; expiation.
2.a. Judaism An individual's reconciliation with God by means of repentance and confession of one's transgressions.
   b. Christianity The reconciliation of God and humans brought about by the redemptive life and death of Jesus.
3. Obsolete Reconciliation; concord.

ṭumah  and ṭaharah- the state of being ritually "impure" and "pure" respectively; also called unclean and clean; ritually unavailable and available 

So not quite the same thing. Ritual purity had a lot to do with the accumulation of impurity on the Mishkan and/or Tabernacle, but also on the land and people. You could become impure due to the impurity or sins of others. 

Isaiah 1:18  (NASB)
“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.

Yeshua did this for us. So yes, in that sense we are clean. However the laws of ritual purity were laid down in , and since we believe to be still in effect (as opposed to Christians who believe it nullified) then we also have to consider these laws valid. The Babylonian Talmud devotes hundreds of pages to commentary on the laws of ritual purity. "So what?" you may say. Well, these texts can tell us a lot about how the Rabbonim of the NT saw and interpreted scripture. 

Even more important, Yeshua, as described throughout the NT Gospels, was a Jew who faithfully embraced rites of tumah and tahara. The historical Yeshua was an observant and devout Jew who did not violate the purity laws of his time, even after His resurrection:

John 20:17 (ESV) Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

He said this because He had to be in a state of ritual purity to take on His role as our Cohen HaGadol in the heavenly Tabernacle.

Being tahara will not make you saved. But my question would be, if your sins are not atoned, can you really be tahara? See the difference?

And a corollary would be if we believe the is still in effect and we do not try to remain tahara is that transgression or sin, for which we should repent?

Now I know most of us do not have access to a mikvah. So possibly prayer and asking for cleansing will have to suffice. I don't think God expects the impossible from us. Still we must consider it, as it's in .

But the main point is if we are in a state of sin, can we be ritually available? And in the context of my d'rash, had Yeshua NOT died for our sins, could we then become Tahara simply by means of tevilah? The question goes to the heart of why He had to sacrifice Himself for us.

Dan C

I hope I am making myself clear. If not, please, don't anyone be afraid to ask. 

[Elizabeth]

Yeah, you're going to be upset with me, but I don't think the Torah is still in effect; people are not being stoned for breaking the Sabbath, adultry and so on in Judaism. There is no Temple and even observant Jews are not keeping the Torah. I am not sure what the phrase would be for my regard for Torah and I am confused about this stuff as I also don't think it's obsolete. I am just trying to figure out where it fits in in my life based on where G-d has brought me. I think Yeshua is possibly being underestimated as He atoned for all sins and made me clean. I think it has to do with living in this world waiting for His Kingdom in the absence of a way to truly keep His law even in a basic physical level that furthers our understanding of what He was done; not to throw off Torah but to understand our dependence and indebtedness to G-d's mercy in even the thought we can draw near to G-d.

I am trying to understand the desire for keeping His commands that is in my heart. I don't know. I just think there is something inconsistent about what I am hearing here and what I am seeing in Judaism and experiencing in my life. G-d didn't do away with Torah but we have made it impossible to keep it. That's why He made the covenant dependent on Him, and now we wait for the Kingdom when Israel will be who G-d made it to be, Yeshua is reigning on earth, and we can actually keep the Torah in truth and wholeness at that time. In the meantime I do what I can to honor G-d, show G-d Israel has blessed me, and reveal Yeshua; but if I get into the idea of making myself pure and clean, I will have to give up at the most basic level but that's not been my experience because I am saved and G-d accepts me.

[alon]

Apr 25, 2018 4:24:00 GMT -8 Elizabeth said:

Yeah, you're going to be upset with me, but I don't think the  is still in effect; people are not being stoned for breaking the Sabbath, adultry and so on in Judaism. There is no Temple and even observant Jews are not keeping the . I am not sure what the phrase would be for my regard for  and I am confused about this stuff as I also don't think it's obsolete. I am just trying to figure out where it fits in in my life based on where G-d has brought me. I think Yeshua is possibly being underestimated as He atoned for all sins and made me clean. I think it has to do with living in this world waiting for His Kingdom in the absence of a way to truly keep His law even in a basic physical level that furthers our understanding of what He was done; not to throw off  but to understand our dependence and indebtedness to G-d's mercy in even the thought we can draw near to G-d.

I am trying to understand the desire for keeping His commands that is in my heart. I don't know. I just think there is something inconsistent about what I am hearing here and what I am seeing in Judaism and experiencing in my life. G-d didn't do away with  but we have made it impossible to keep it. That's why He made the covenant dependent on Him, and now we wait for the Kingdom when Israel will be who G-d made it to be, Yeshua is reigning on earth, and we can actually keep the  in truth and wholeness at that time. In the meantime I do what I can to honor G-d, show G-d Israel has blessed me, and reveal Yeshua; but if I get into the idea of making myself pure and clean, I will have to give up at the most basic level but that's not been my experience because I am saved and G-d accepts me.

OK, now I am REALLY upset with you! ... 

LOL, actually not. You bring up some very good issues that all of us face in one way or another.

No, we don't stone people any more. That would be against the law. And there is no Temple, so there are no sacrifices. 

Being Messianic we do not follow with Rabbinic Judaism. To begin with, which sect? And they'd just tell us "You should only keep the Noachide Laws!" Those are biblically based, but the only place you'll find them enumerated is in the Talmud. And they can give no biblical basis for that other than the promises were made to the Jews. But if you are Messianic you are following a Jewish form of faith, and as Rav Sh'ul said we are grafted into the cultivated olive tree which is Judaism.

Most of us do not have access to a mikvah, so we don't do tevilah. I've done it twice since becoming Messianic. But like I said, I think God understands and doesn't expect us to do the impossible. 

My question is a hypothetical one. I am not questioning whether Yeshua died and rose again, then ascended into heaven. He did. Nor am I questioning anyone's salvation. You show all the signs of being saved- probably more than me. So I am sure you are (or at least I hope so, otherwise I'm in BIG trouble!!! ). In fact the point I am trying to make is we'd be up a very gnarly creek with no paddle and a leaky boat had He not died for us!

So then what are we to do today? Since Yeshua Himself said the Law is still in effect:

Matthew 5:17-20  (ESV) “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

So we should be doing as (the Law) says. But we can't without a Temple. Well, my contention is we just do the best we can. Those things which are impossible or illegal we do not do. Those of us in mixed homes may not be able to keep the feasts as commanded either. Then just mark the day and observe the best way you can and let God's grace cover the rest. 

Sometimes we can do more than we thought. I used to find a demonstration seder close as possible to Pesach and let that count for my seder, then I marked the actual day as a Shabbat. That would be a good thing to take the kids to as well. They'd learn a lot. And on Sukkot you could get the kids involved again making a shelter and camping out for a week in the yard. If you can't do that, just have some meals outside and tell them about Sukkot. There's a lot of good info on all the moedim here.

As for ritual purity, I do n'tilat yadayim which is like tevilah for the hands. I just do it under the tap, since my wife would have a fit if she found a Netti Cup out. And she would not treat it as kadosh. That and a shower and I am about as clean as I'm going to get, ritually or otherwise.

I'm not trying to make this hard. We shouldn't do that. But we should always be evaluating how we live and looking to see if we can do more of what we are told.That's how we grow:

Philippians 2:12 (ESV) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

It's ok to be confused too. But as you continue to grow the confusion will subside. I don't think it ever goes away. I seem to always be able to find something else to be confused about. Just hang in there and keep trying. I think that's all that is expected. God is fair, so as long as we don't use His grace as an excuse (which is one thing that gets the Christians in so much trouble), I think He will forgive our shortcomings and help us to grow.

Dan C

[alon]

There is a realy obvious question no one has asked: what did they do when the first Temple was destroyed?

So, I'm asking ... 

Dan C

[alon]

Apr 25, 2018 12:21:03 GMT -8 alon said:

There is a realy obvious question no one has asked: what did they do when the first Temple was destroyed?

So, I'm asking ... 

Dan C

LOL, ok, then I'll give you my opinion. And this is just my opinion, so feel free to step in and challenge or give another view. I already said "So possibly prayer and asking for cleansing will have to suffice." And I do think this is the answer. But let's go back to the beginning:

God chose to reveal Himself to us through the Jewish people. Now I have to believe He knew what He was doing. Not only did ALL scripture come to us through the Jews, but so did a whole library of other religious works, some inspired and some not so much. And customs and traditions. In the Pesach seder for example even the traditions were prophetic of the crucifixion of Yeshua. The search for the leaven the night before was and still is a poignant and beautiful picture of Calvary. So to the entire tapestry of their history is the salvation history of HaShem revealed to us in graphic stories; revealed in such a way we can remember and come to understand. And that is the premise on which I base my theory.

In the days before the Flood, there was only a remnant worshiping the One God. The rest of mankind, when they bothered to worship anything were busy making gods more to their liking, and often copying what they'd learned from Adam into their pagan religions. After the Flood we see civilization starting to grow, and with them religions, again including those who worshiped HaShem as they knew Him at the time. The sacrificial system dominated worship, and sacrifices were made anywhere they decided they needed an altar. This continued through the time of the Patriarchs. 

As slaves in Mitzrayim (Egypt) they were forced to hold to a type of national identity, even though they were not yet a nation. Then in the Exodus they were given their national charter, so to speak, at Sinai. A priesthood was established after the sin of the calf, and many principles of how Elohim wished to be worshiped were instituted. With the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) sacrifices were formalized and restricted to the location of His holy structure at the time. Then after Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) was conquered sacrifices were restricted to one place, that being where the Temple was built. But still the sacrificial system dominated their worship.

Then came the Babylonian exile. With no Temple sacrifices ceased. To overcome the loss not only of their means of atonement but also their loss of national cohesion, Ezra the Scribe instituted the public reading and teaching of scriptures. Out of this, the synagogues run by local elders were born. This system and the reading and study of scriptures survived. So a new dimension was added to worship. Actually, when I truly worship this is how I do it, studying the word. But alas, there was to be another, even greater exile; the Roman Diaspora. And how do the Jewish people now deal with the loss of the Temple?

They make the "sacrifice of prayer," which they take mostly from a discussion in Talmud Brachos 26b between Rabbi Yossi and Rabbi Joshua. Now while it is true tat we have the sacrifice of Yeshua, I still think we have the example of the Jews before us, just as God planned. He never revokes a calling, and there is much we can learn from His people. So I think it is prayer, especially the kind of repentant prayer of Melech Dovid when confronted by the prophet Natan which brings about redemption and makes us right before a Holy God. Without that, what good would tevilah (loosely baptism) do us? How can a ritual bath make us clean if we are still living in our sins? How would the laws of ritual purity apply to something by its nature impure?

Now the Jews mostly do ritual prayers, and those of us raised in church tend to do a more free-flowing type prayer, though I've known many people who get into a rut and say the same prayer every time. Truth be told I have been guilty of this. But there is nothing wrong with saying a ritual prayer. Yeshua taught His talmidim (desciples) one such prayer which started "Our Father Who art in heaven, ..." That was actually a shortened version of the The Shemoneh Esrei, or Amidah- the Standing Prayer: 

theloveofgod.proboards.com/thread/3376/amidah-standing-prayer

Now I am not suggesting that we need to say this ritual prayer three times a day as some Jews do. Nor really even once a day. But saying it does cover all the bases. And at times I use it as a guide to specific prayers. I know we were taught these are "vain repetitions," but Jews are taught if you say the prayer without understanding and actively thinking about what you are saying it is useless. I think the mindless droning of the aforementioned Christians who say the same prayer every time is by far the more vain of the two "repetitions." And if you do say it you do not have to lay tefillin, however I can tell you it does enhance the experience:

www.koshertorah.com/PDF/tefilin.pdf

Since there is no Temple to pollute with being tumah (impure) most Jews have relaxed the laws of tumah and tahara. Most of us raised Christian do not even consider them. However I would put it to you that HaShem put those laws in for a reason. We should strive to understand the principles they teach us and do what we can to not fall too far afoul of them. And the remedy if we are tumah? I think in the absence of a mikvah prayer works.

Understand too that being tumah is not sin. Many of the things that make us tumah are not in our control. Others, like childbirth are wonderful things which are pleasing to God. So we are not necessarily praying for forgiveness, only that we would be made clean so that we may walk with our Creator as Adam did in the Garden.

Now again, I want to stress that this is only my own opinion. I came up with the logic for the most part on my own. And I put it up here for discussion. I could be wrong (probably am on some level). But I'll never learn if I stay just inside my own head with this. So there you are. What do you think?

Dan ( ) C