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Post by alon on Jul 22, 2019 12:37:55 GMT -8
I just got this from Yael Eckstein, who recently took over as President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews when her father died. Some very good insights into Tisha B'Av: At the height of the summer, when most people are having a wonderful time enjoying the warm weather, the Jewish people choose an entirely different experience. This coming Saturday night marks the beginning of the most somber time on the Hebrew calendar, known as The Three Weeks.
The date that begins this time, the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, is the date that the Romans laid siege to Jerusalem in the year 70 CE. Three weeks later, on the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av, the final day of this  time, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.
For the Jewish people, this is a time of mourning. And as we prepare to enter this time, I think of the personal time of mourning I have been going through.
Six months ago when my father suddenly passed away, my sisters and I entered a state of mourning. The most difficult time, known as aninut in Hebrew, lasted from when we found out the tragic news until after the funeral. Next, we moved into the seven-day period of shiva — the traditional week of mourning — and observed Jewish laws such as sitting on low chairs, not wearing freshly laundered clothing, and not wearing leather shoes. Finally, we observed a three-week period during which we were still in mourning but resumed our daily lives. These different periods reflect a lessening of intensity as mourners travel from the day of death through the days and weeks that follow.
Starting on Saturday night Jews around the world will begin a similar journey through mourning — though, one of increasing, rather than decreasing, intensity. For the next several weeks, we will observe basic mourning practices, such as refraining from having weddings, getting haircuts, buying new clothing, or attending live musical performances. Nine days before the 9th of Av, we heighten our state of mourning and observe increased restrictions such as not consuming meat, drinking wine, or wearing freshly laundered clothing. Finally, on the 9th of Av, we are deep in mourning and refrain from activities such as eating, drinking, showering, and other pleasurable activities. We sit on low chairs and do not wear leather shoes — just as I did during the shiva for my father.
Clearly, there are parallels between this national time of sadness, and the personal experience of mourning. However, when we mourn a loved one, the goal is to gradually decrease the intensity and help the mourner move on and regain a sense of peace. When we mourn the Temple, we do the opposite. The goal is to increase the intensity of our sadness until we reach the blackest day of the year and feel the full travesty of all that we have experienced as a people. Instead of moving forward from darkness to light, we decrease the light and move towards darkness.
Yet, this practice is not about dwelling in the past. It is intended to propel us towards a better future.
Especially in the summer months, when we can enjoy the sun, the beach, and tranquility, The Three Weeks reminds us that not all is perfect. We remember that we can never make peace with a broken world. It’s a time to open our eyes wide to all suffering — to remember the oppressed, the hungry, the orphaned, and the widow.
At The Fellowship, this is what we do all year long. However, during these weeks we remember that while we must do what we can to build God’s kingdom on earth, only He can bring true healing. Only God can fix our world completely. The goal of our mourning is to turn towards yearning — longing and praying for God to rebuild His house and dwell among us once again. As we read in the Book of Lamentations 5:21. “Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old.”
May it be so.
With blessings from the Holy Land,
Yael Eckstein
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Post by alon on Aug 15, 2019 14:07:29 GMT -8
And here are some excerpts from a teaching by my Rabbi on Tisha B'Av, and why we do not keep this fast: Tisha B’Av
Tisha B’Av is the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av (Aug. 10-11, 2019). It is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, a day when most religious Jews fast, deprive themselves, and pray. It is the culmination of what is called "the Three Weeks,” a period of time during which most Jews mark the destruction of Solomons and Herod’s temples.
It is said that on the 9th of Av in 1313 BC that the spies returned from the Promised Land with frightening reports, and the Israelites balked at the prospect of entering the land. G‑d decreed then that we would wander in the desert for 40 years.
When you go back so far in time as the spies entering the land, it’s nearly impossible to nail down a date. “In 1313 BC the spies returned from the Promised Land with frightening reports, and the Israelites balked at the prospect of entering the land. G‑d then decreed that we would therefore wander in the desert for 40 years.” There’s no way to know what day this happened. But Jewish tradition says it happened on the 9th of Av.
It is also said that both Holy Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed on this date. The 1st was burned by the Babylonians in 423 BCE, and the 2nd was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. Both events heralded a period of great suffering. With the Second Temple, as prophesied by Yeshua, no stone was left standing upon another (Mat 24:2), only the retaining walls are left. That’s what the Kotel is. A year later on 9 Av, the Romans plowed over the Temple Mount.
The Bar Kochba revolt against the Romans in 133 CE ended in defeat for the Jews on the ninth of Av. The Jews of Betar were butchered.
There were other events that supposedly took place on the 9th of Av:
136 C.E. – Hadrian set up a pagan temple on the site of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem
1290 C.E. – King Edward 1st of England signed an edict expelling all Jews from England
1492 C.E. – Jews were expelled from Spain
1670 C.E. – The last Jews left Vienna, following expulsion orders
1914 C.E. – World War I began, overturning many Jewish communities.
1940 C.E. – Himmler presented his plan for the "Final Solution" to the “Jewish problem”
1942 C.E. – Nazis began deporting Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to death camps
Some of these dates can be reasonably verified, some not.
Kidush Levana, when we are commanded to bless HaShem for the new moon is delayed until 10 Av:Numbers 10:10 (ESV) On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”
They say that we are not to do Kiddush Levana until the 9th of Av. Kiddush Levana is when we are commanded to bless HaShem for the new moon. We do this every month. We are commanded in the  to do this at the beginning of every month. No one has the right to delay it by 9 days. By doing that they are breaking a law of HaShem.
The Three Weeks is a period of mourning which starts on the seventeenth day of Tammuz. It ends on the ninth day of Av, Tisha B’Av. During these three weeks one may not get a haircut, shave or listen to music. No marriages or other major celebrations are allowed, since the joy of such an event would conflict with the expected mood of mourning. Remember, the mourning is because we do not have a Temple, and we are in exile according to them.
Tisha B’Av is a fast day, but are we supposed to fast at this time? Zechariah was told by HaShem to return to Israel, taking the people of Israel with him from exile, and to rebuild the Temple:
Zechariah 8:18-19 (ESV) And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
The 9th of Av is in the 5th month, and the Three Weeks starts in the fourth. Tzom Tammuz is a minor fast day, the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz. HaShem says we’re not supposed to fast at those times. When HaShem tells you to do something or not to do something, you do or don’t as commanded until He tells you differently.
They say that we are not to do Kiddush Levana until the 9th of Av. Kiddush Levana is when we are commanded to bless HaShem for the new moon. We do this every month. We are commanded in the to do this at the beginning of every month. No one has the right to delay it by 9 days. By doing that they are breaking a law of HaShem.
The whole idea of observing Tisha B’Av is to lament that we no longer have a Temple. Well that is our own fault! If the nation of Israel wanted to build a temple tomorrow, they could do it. We own the land of Israel. We have given over a token power to the Muslims on the Temple Mount, not full control. But Israel as a nation allows the Muslims to be there. We could build the Temple right now if the Israeli government allowed it.
But if we tear down the two mosques there and start building the Temple, it will start a war. If we did go to war over that right now, we’d win, and win quickly. There is absolutely no excuse for us to not build our Temple now. For us to sit here and lament that we don’t have our Temple is hypocritical.
Not only that, the 9th of Av is said to be a time to lament that we are in exile. We’re not in exile! We just celebrated 71 years of independence in Israel! Any Jew who wants to return to Israel can do it. It’s not that they can't leave, its because they choose not to. As a nation we choose not to build our Temple, and we choose to not return to Israel. So how can we in good conscience lament these two things?
Sometimes we do things in order to show unity with our Jewish brothers and sisters. However we are not and never have been trying to be like the rest of Jewry. We are the sect of the Notsarim (Nazerenes). We don’t try to imitate them, they should imitate us.Deuteronomy 28:13 (ESV) And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, |
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Post by alon on Aug 15, 2019 14:19:52 GMT -8
I think it is good to get a Jewish perspective on things. But we should understand the Messianic perspective and why we do something or not. The early Rabonim who formed what we call "Rabbinical Judaism" had their reasons for establishing the things they did; just like the church fathers who were also now starting to build their system of religion. It is interesting that both were not content with the joy HaShem offered and installed a lot of times of sorrow into their religion. I suppose depressed people are easier to control. They both get angry with me when I tell them this. Go figure ... .  We try to follow as close as possible to what we are told in scripture, then with the faith and practices of the shaliachim (apostles), and then with some of the customs of judaism, then Christianity. But we copy neither. When we adopt a custom we want to be as familiar as possible with it: to know its origins, symbolism and meanings. This is why I present both views here like this. Rav S pretty much summed up the Messianicm view. If you want to know more about the Jewish views do a search. There are many Jewish websites that give a lot of information about this time on their calendar. Dan C |
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Post by alon on Aug 16, 2019 10:44:58 GMT -8
Now back to Yael Eckstein. She is doing a series of short posts on the 30 days leading up to Rosh Hashana and the Fall Feasts. Here's a short transcription of the first:
This is entirely within the teaching given by Rav S. He said we can fast any time as an individual. If you need the structure or just want to show solidarity with the Jewish people, you can as an individual fast on the proper days. Yom Kippur is diffeent. Rav S has said “If you don’t fast any other day of the year, do it on Yom Kippur. And put fences around it so as not to transgress the fast. 1 hr. before and after is typical. However, if you must eat for medical reasons, such as taking meds with food, then that is the higher mitzvah. But eat only as much as you absolutely must.
Leviticus 16:29–31 “This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before YHVH. “It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute.
Teshuvah, usually translated repentance actually translates literally as “return." It describes a return to God and the relation Adam had with Him in the Garden. This is made possible through our accepting Yeshua’s work at Pesach and our own repentance of our sins.
Teshuvah, which can be done any time, is mostly associated with the High Holy Days and the Yamim Noraim, the Ten Days of Awe from the Jewish New Year, Rosh HaShanah, to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Teshuvah has tree stages:
* the sinner recognizing his or her wrongs
* feeling sincere remorse
* doing everything in his/her power to undo any damage done
Sins against God may be atoned for by confession and requesting forgiveness.
Sins against other people can be a bit more complex. Sin against an individual is the simplest, so we’ll talk about that one. But sins against groups or many people can be very complex, and requires guidance of someone such as a Rabbi or pastor.
If a specific person was wronged, you must:
* confess the sin to the person
* put the wrong right
* ask for forgiveness
* take steps to prevent reoccurrence of similar wrongs
The wronged party doesn’t have to forgive you, but their failure to do so, especially after repeated requests is in itself sin. Traditionally at the third sincere request the aggrieved party must grant forgiveness.
Jewish tradition holds there are four clearly defined steps to atonement:
Regret- realize the extent of the damage and inwardly adopt of feeling sincere regret
Ceasing- immediately stop the harmful action
Confession- and restitution- verbalize the mistake and ask forgiveness
- either from God or from the wronged party
- if possible, the wrong must be righted through compensation
- if against God, acts of charity may be considered restitution
Resolution- commit to not repeat the sin
During the 30 days prior to Rosh Hashanah is the best time to clear the slate with God and others. And we hold that sins against others are also sins against God, so we can add that we should ask His forgiveness as we ask for that of those we wronged.
Dan C
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Post by alon on Aug 18, 2019 8:23:03 GMT -8
COndensed from the second in the serries by Yael Eckstein:
The second pillar is prayer.
Prayer is critical in establishing a relationship with God. I think about King David, how he shared with God everything he was feeling. That’s what god expects from us, is to turn to Him with everything. We know from Proverbs when we turn out hearts up to God, He listens.
How awesome is it we can call out to God with everything we are going through in life, big and small. Especially in this modern world when we are so busy, we need to take the time to connect to God. If we don’t put effort into it, it’s not going to last. With our busy schedules there’s so much to do. But we must put priority on prayer.
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Post by alon on Aug 23, 2019 9:43:59 GMT -8
Condensed from the email: The third pillar is tzedikah.
This final Pillar may sound surprising, but during this sacred season the Jewish people focus on giving charity as an outpouring of love and faith in God.
When you give charity to someone in need, it’s an act of faith — faith in God’s provision, faith that He will care for your own needs, and faith that He will bless you for your obedience. And God uses this act of faith to show His love and provision for the person we bless.
We already spoke about the first two, repentance and connecting to God in prayer, and charity is really a culmination of both of those. We learn through both Isaiah and James that when we have a heart that’s connected to God it’s meant to inspire us to tell others about the love of God, and share that love through charity.
Our gifts of faith are in godly obedience of God’s biblical command in Deuteronomy 15:10 to “Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”
When we have a heart that recognizes that everything we have, from waking in the morning to the food we eat, from the steps that we take to the water we wash with; from the big to the small it is from God. The High Holy Days are about setting some principles that should guide us throughout the year. Connecting with God, prayer, and charity. It is a work of the heart and the soul to bring more connection and light into the world through these three pillars. Shalom. With blessings from the Holy Land,Yael EcksteinPresidentInternational Fellowship of Christians and Jewswww.ifcj.org |
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- there are 70 faces to 
time, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.
