Jewish Messiah Requirements
[email protected]
Sorry this took so long to get onto the list, I've been a bit overwhelmed
with moving and being without email for two months!! (I have 704 messages
waiting - mostly from porn sites. It's taking a long time to read, er, I
mean, delete them!)\
Anyway here is the Jewish view:
Elissa
http://members.aol.com/lazera/moshiach.htm
an excerpt:
"The word moshiach means anointed. It is commonly translated as messiah.
The Moshiach will be a very righteous man from the family of King David with
a total commitment to the Torah. He will be anointed as king of the Jewish
people. He will reestablish the dynasty of King David, rebuild the Holy
Temple in Jerusalem, and gather together all the Jews from throughout the
world to the land of Israel directing all of them to properly observe all of
HaShem's laws. He will reestablish the laws of a Jewish Kingdom, including
the sacrificial service and other practices. Finally, he will perfect the
world, leading all humanity to serve HaShem in unity. The entire world will
realize that HaShem is the only God and they will all worship HaShem
together. The world will be completely at peace."
Another from the same site:
How Do We Identify The Moshiach?
When a person comes forth and claims to be the Moshiach, how can we know if
he is the real thing? Unfortunately, Jewish history has had several false
claimants to the title of Moshiach. Some of these false messiahs caused
great turmoil and suffering. Christianity was founded by the followers of
one such false Moshiach. So we see that it is very important to have clear
rules to identify the real Moshiach.
There are two stages in the identification of the Moshiach. The first stage
is when someone first comes and claims to be Moshiach. He must fulfill the
following conditions:
He must be a father-to-son descendant of King David. Therefore, a Kohein,
Levi, or a convert (and his children) cannot be Moshiach.
He must be completely immersed in the study of Torah, just like his ancestor
David.
He must follow the entire Torah, both the Written and the Oral.
He must lead all the Jews back to the Torah, so that they follow all its
laws.
If a man comes who fulfills all of these conditions, then we assume that he
is the Moshiach. This is the first stage of the identification of Moshiach.
The second stage is completed when the presumed Moshiach succeeds in
rebuilding the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and gathering all the Jewish people
in the land of Israel. At that point we know that he is certainly Moshiach.
These are the minimum requirements. Until a person succeeds in fulfilling
all the requirements of the first stage, we are not allowed to accept him as
Moshiach.
It is also important to know that the Moshiach does not have to perform
miracles to prove that he is the Moshiach. If he fulfills the requirements
listed above then he is the Moshiach, even if he never performed a single
miracle. Nevertheless, the Moshiach will be a great prophet. His level of
prophecy will be higher than any other prophet except Moses.
What Moshiach Is Not
There are many false ideas about Moshiach in the world. Many of these ideas
have been spread by Christianity. It is therefore important to clarify some
of these points:
Moshiach will be a normal human being born from human parents. He will not
be a god, or a son of god.
Moshiach will be mortal. He will not live forever. When he dies he will be
succeeded by his son, like any normal king.
Moshiach will not atone for our sins. Every person must atone for his own
sins; no one else can do it for you.
Moshiach will not change the laws of the Torah in any way. If he attempts to
do so then we know that he is a false messiah.
All of these issues point to a fundamental belief of Judaism. We must
recognize that the Moshiach is only a person who is a messenger from HaShem.
He is not our actual redeemer, for redemption only comes from HaShem. The
Moshiach will be like Moses who took us out of Egypt. It was really HaShem
who took us out of Egypt, not Moses. That is one reason why we never even
mention Moses in the entire Haggadah which we read at the Pesach Seder.
Moses only served as a prophet, conveying the news of redemption to the
Jewish people and to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The Moshiach will serve the
same function. It is important that we always focus on HaShem as our savior,
and not on any human being. It is especially important that we never pray to
any human being instead of HaShem. "
And lastly from another site:
( http://www.aish.com/rabbi/ATR_browse.asp?l=m&offset=9 )
I am a Christian, and I was just wondering why Jesus is denied as the
Messiah, even though he fulfills every prophecy written regarding the
Messiah.
I am not writing to be rude to you, I have a deep respect and love for the
Jewish people, and I know there are those who call themselves Christians,
who have said and done terrible things in the name of Jesus.
Thanks for taking time to read my letter. I hope to hear from you soon.
THE AISH RABBI REPLIES:
Thank you for your thoughtful question. For 2,000 years, Jews have rejected
Christianity and the idea of Jesus as messiah. It is important to understand
why Jews don't believe in Jesus. The purpose is not to disparage other
religions, but rather to clarify the Jewish position. The more data that's
available, the better-informed choices people can make about their spiritual
path.
Jews do not accept Jesus as the messiah because:
1) Jesus did not fulfill the messianic prophecies.
2) Jesus did not embody the personal qualifications of the Messiah.
3) Biblical verses "referring" to Jesus are mistranslations.
4) Jewish belief is based on national revelation.
At the end of this answer, we will examine these additional topics:
5) Christianity contradicts Jewish theology
6) Jews and Gentiles
7) Bringing the Messiah
-------------------------------
1) JESUS DID NOT FULFILL THE MESSIANIC PROPHECIES
What is the Messiah supposed to accomplish? The Bible says that he will:
A. Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).
B. Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).
C. Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering
and disease. As it says: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall man learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)
D. Spread universal knowledge of the God of Israel, which will unite
humanity as one. As it says: "God will be King over all the world -- on that
day, God will be One and His Name will be One" (Zechariah 14:9).
The historical fact is that Jesus fulfilled none of these messianic
prophecies.
Christians counter that Jesus will fulfill these in the Second Coming, but
Jewish sources show that the Messiah will fulfill the prophecies outright,
and no concept of a second coming exists.
---------------------------------------
2) JESUS DID NOT EMBODY THE PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS OF MESSIAH
A. MESSIAH AS PROPHET
Jesus was not a prophet. Prophecy can only exist in Israel when the land is
inhabited by a majority of world Jewry. During the time of Ezra (circa 300
BCE), when the majority of Jews refused to move from Babylon to Israel,
prophecy ended upon the death of the last prophets -- Haggai, Zechariah and
Malachi.
Jesus appeared on the scene approximately 350 years after prophecy had
ended.
B. DESCENDENT OF DAVID
The Messiah must be descended on his father's side from King David (see
Genesis 49:10 and Isaiah 11:1). According to the Christian claim that Jesus
was the product of a virgin birth, he had no father -- and thus could not
have possibly fulfilled the messianic requirement of being descended on his
father's side from King David!
C. TORAH OBSERVANCE
The Messiah will lead the Jewish people to full Torah observance. The Torah
states that all mitzvot remain binding forever, and anyone coming to change
the Torah is immediately identified as a false prophet. (Deut. 13:1-4)
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus contradicts the Torah and states that
its commandments are no longer applicable. (see John 1:45 and 9:16, Acts
3:22 and 7:37)
----------------------------------
3) MISTRANSLATED VERSES "REFERRING" TO JESUS
Biblical verses can only be understood by studying the original Hebrew
text -- which reveals many discrepancies in the Christian translation.
A. VIRGIN BIRTH
The Christian idea of a virgin birth is derived from the verse in Isaiah
7:14 describing an "alma" as giving birth. The word "alma" has always meant
a young woman, but Christian theologians came centuries later and translated
it as "virgin." This accords Jesus' birth with the first century pagan idea
of mortals being impregnated by gods.
B. CRUCIFIXION
The verse in Psalms 22:17 reads: "Like a lion, they are at my hands and
feet." The Hebrew word ki-ari (like a lion) is grammatically similar to the
word "gouged." Thus Christianity reads the verse as a reference to
crucifixion: "They pierced my hands and feet."
C. SUFFERING SERVANT
Christianity claims that Isaiah chapter 53 refers to Jesus, as the
suffering servant.
In actuality, Isaiah 53 directly follows the theme of chapter 52, describing
the exile and redemption of the Jewish people. The prophecies are written in
the singular form because the Jews ("Israel") are regarded as one unit. The
Torah is filled with examples of the Jewish nation referred to with a
singular pronoun.
Ironically, Isaiah's prophecies of persecution refer in part to the 11th
century when Jews were tortured and killed by Crusaders who acted in the
name of Jesus.
From where did these mistranslations stem? St. Gregory, 4th century Bishop
of Nanianzus, wrote: "A little jargon is all that is necessary to impose on
the people. The less they comprehend, the more they admire."
--------------------------------------------
4) JEWISH BELIEF IS BASED SOLELY ON NATIONAL REVELATION
Of the 15,000 religions in human history, only Judaism bases its belief on
national revelation -- i.e. God speaking to the entire nation. If God is
going to start a religion, it makes sense He'll tell everyone, not just one
person.
Judaism, unique among all of the world's major religions, does not rely on
"claims of miracles" as the basis for its religion. In fact, the Bible says
that God sometimes grants the power of "miracles" to charlatans, in order to
test Jewish loyalty to the Torah (Deut. 13:4).
Maimonides states (Foundations of Torah, ch. 8):
The Jews did not believe in Moses, our teacher, because of the miracles he
performed. Whenever anyone's belief is based on seeing miracles, he has
lingering doubts, because it is possible the miracles were performed through
magic or sorcery. All of the miracles performed by Moses in the desert were
because they were necessary, and not as proof of his prophecy.
What then was the basis of [Jewish] belief? The Revelation at Mount Sinai,
which we saw with our own eyes and heard with our own ears, not dependent on
the testimony of others... as it says, Face to face, God spoke with you...
The Torah also states: God did not make this covenant with our fathers, but
with us -- who are all here alive today." (Deut. 5:3)
Judaism is not miracles. It is the personal eyewitness experience of every
man, woman and child, standing at Mount Sinai 3,300 years ago.
-----------------------------------------------
5) CHRISTIANITY CONTRADICTS JEWISH THEOLOGY
The following theological points apply primarily to the Roman Catholic
Church, the largest Christian denomination, and the one most familiar to the
Western world.
A. GOD AS THREE?
The Catholic idea of Trinity breaks God into three separate beings: The
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).
Contrast this to the Shema, the basis of Jewish belief: "Hear O Israel, the
Lord our God, the Lord is ONE" (Deut. 6:4). Jews declare the Shema every
day, while writing it on doorposts (Mezuzah), and binding it to the hand and
head (Tefillin). This statement of God's One-ness is the first words a
Jewish child is taught to say, and the last words uttered before a Jew dies.
In Jewish law, worship of a three-part god is considered idolatry -- one of
the three cardinal sins that a Jew should rather give up his life than
transgress. This explains why during the Inquisitions and throughout
history, Jews gave up their lives rather than convert.
B. MAN AS GOD?
Christians believe that God came down to earth in human form, as Jesus said:
"I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
Maimonides devotes most of the "Guide for the Perplexed" to the fundamental
idea that God is incorporeal, meaning that He assumes no physical form. God
is Eternal, above time. He is Infinite, beyond space. He cannot be born, and
cannot die. Saying that God assumes human form makes God small, diminishing
both His unity and His divinity. As the Torah says: "God is not a mortal"
(Numbers 23:19).
Judaism says that the Messiah will be born of human parents, and possess
normal physical attributes like other people. He will not be a demi-god, and
will not possess supernatural qualities. In fact, an individual is alive in
every generation with the capacity to step into the role of the Messiah.
(see Maimonides - Laws of Kings 11:3)
C. INTERMEDIARY FOR PRAYER?
The Catholic belief is that prayer must be directed through an
intermediary -- i.e. confessing one's sins to a priest. Jesus himself is an
intermediary, as Jesus said: "No man cometh unto the Father but by me."
In Judaism, prayer is a totally private matter, between each individual and
God. As the Bible says: "God is near to all who call unto Him" (Psalms
145:18). Further, the Ten Commandments state: "You shall have no other gods
BEFORE ME," meaning that it is forbidden to set up a mediator between God
and man. (see Maimonides - Laws of Idolatry ch. 1)
D. INVOLVEMENT IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD
Catholic doctrine often treats the physical world as an evil to be avoided.
Mary, the holiest woman, is portrayed as a virgin. Priests and nuns are
celibate. And monasteries are in remote, secluded locations.
By contrast, Judaism believes that God created the physical world not to
frustrate us, but for our pleasure. Jewish spirituality comes through
grappling with the mundane world in a way that uplifts and elevates.
Intimacy in the proper context is one of the holiest acts we can perform.
The Talmud says if a person has the opportunity to taste a new fruit and
refuses to do so, he will have to account for that in the World to Come.
Jewish rabbinical schools teach how to live amidst the bustle of commercial
activity. Jews don't retreat from life, we elevate it.
--------------------------------------
6) JEWS AND GENTILES
Judaism does not demand that everyone convert to the religion. The Torah of
Moses is a truth for all humanity, whether Jewish or not. King Solomon asked
God to heed the prayers of non-Jews who come to the Holy Temple (Kings I
8:41-43). The prophet Isaiah refers to the Temple as a "House for all
nations."
The Temple service during Sukkot featured 70 bull offerings, corresponding
to the 70 nations of the world. The Talmud says that if the Romans would
have realized how much benefit they were getting from the Temple, they'd
never have destroyed it.
Jews have never actively sought converts to Judaism because the Torah
prescribes a righteous path for gentiles to follow, known as the "Seven Laws
of Noah." Maimonides explains that any human being who faithfully observes
these basic moral laws earns a proper place in heaven.
-------------------------------------------------
7) BRINGING THE MESSIAH
Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of
God's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves
society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater
understanding of God. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.
Indeed, the world is in desperate need of Messianic redemption. War and
pollution threaten our planet; ego and confusion erode family life. To the
extent we are aware of the problems of society, is the extent we will yearn
for redemption. As the Talmud says, one of the first questions a Jew is
asked on Judgment Day is: "Did you yearn for the arrival of the Messiah?"
How can we hasten the coming of the Messiah? The best way is to love all
humanity generously, to keep the mitzvot of the Torah (as best we can), and
to encourage others to do so as well.
Despite the gloom, the world does seem headed toward redemption. One
apparent sign is that the Jewish people have returned to the Land of Israel
and made it bloom again. Additionally, a major movement is afoot of young
Jews returning to Torah tradition.
The Messiah can come at any moment, and it all depends on our actions. God
is ready when we are. For as King David says: "Redemption will come today --
if you hearken to His voice."
For further study, read "The Real Messiah" by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
READER COMMENTS:
who asked, "Why don't Jews believe in Jesus?" In reaching out to our
Christian friends (to educate, not convert) it is so important that we do so
with the lovingkindess that embodies our Jewish nation. Thanks again.
not accept Jesus as messiah. I converted to Judaism after being raised in a
Christian community. When people ask why I converted, I say something simple
about "beliefs." But your response brought back so many memories of all the
questions I had begun to ask myself even in childhood! And eventually the
answers led me to Judaism. Thanks again for your wonderful letter.
understand. I do not understand much, but try to grow. I do believe that the
Gospels were written to prove that Jesus was the Messiah, and that the
Writings were manipulated to prove this. The Jewish way is a better one than
modern Christianity. Thank you so much for your valuable time. We waste so
much on myth that we miss the heart and spirit of God.
ever heard to the questions of Jesus. Thank you. I will pass this on to at
least 20 people who have asked these questions, or to Jews who would not be
able to respond to these questions.
~Elissa Cleaveland
"It is nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction
have
not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry." A. Einstein
with moving and being without email for two months!! (I have 704 messages
waiting - mostly from porn sites. It's taking a long time to read, er, I
mean, delete them!)\
Anyway here is the Jewish view:
Elissa
http://members.aol.com/lazera/moshiach.htm
an excerpt:
"The word moshiach means anointed. It is commonly translated as messiah.
The Moshiach will be a very righteous man from the family of King David with
a total commitment to the Torah. He will be anointed as king of the Jewish
people. He will reestablish the dynasty of King David, rebuild the Holy
Temple in Jerusalem, and gather together all the Jews from throughout the
world to the land of Israel directing all of them to properly observe all of
HaShem's laws. He will reestablish the laws of a Jewish Kingdom, including
the sacrificial service and other practices. Finally, he will perfect the
world, leading all humanity to serve HaShem in unity. The entire world will
realize that HaShem is the only God and they will all worship HaShem
together. The world will be completely at peace."
Another from the same site:
How Do We Identify The Moshiach?
When a person comes forth and claims to be the Moshiach, how can we know if
he is the real thing? Unfortunately, Jewish history has had several false
claimants to the title of Moshiach. Some of these false messiahs caused
great turmoil and suffering. Christianity was founded by the followers of
one such false Moshiach. So we see that it is very important to have clear
rules to identify the real Moshiach.
There are two stages in the identification of the Moshiach. The first stage
is when someone first comes and claims to be Moshiach. He must fulfill the
following conditions:
He must be a father-to-son descendant of King David. Therefore, a Kohein,
Levi, or a convert (and his children) cannot be Moshiach.
He must be completely immersed in the study of Torah, just like his ancestor
David.
He must follow the entire Torah, both the Written and the Oral.
He must lead all the Jews back to the Torah, so that they follow all its
laws.
If a man comes who fulfills all of these conditions, then we assume that he
is the Moshiach. This is the first stage of the identification of Moshiach.
The second stage is completed when the presumed Moshiach succeeds in
rebuilding the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and gathering all the Jewish people
in the land of Israel. At that point we know that he is certainly Moshiach.
These are the minimum requirements. Until a person succeeds in fulfilling
all the requirements of the first stage, we are not allowed to accept him as
Moshiach.
It is also important to know that the Moshiach does not have to perform
miracles to prove that he is the Moshiach. If he fulfills the requirements
listed above then he is the Moshiach, even if he never performed a single
miracle. Nevertheless, the Moshiach will be a great prophet. His level of
prophecy will be higher than any other prophet except Moses.
What Moshiach Is Not
There are many false ideas about Moshiach in the world. Many of these ideas
have been spread by Christianity. It is therefore important to clarify some
of these points:
Moshiach will be a normal human being born from human parents. He will not
be a god, or a son of god.
Moshiach will be mortal. He will not live forever. When he dies he will be
succeeded by his son, like any normal king.
Moshiach will not atone for our sins. Every person must atone for his own
sins; no one else can do it for you.
Moshiach will not change the laws of the Torah in any way. If he attempts to
do so then we know that he is a false messiah.
All of these issues point to a fundamental belief of Judaism. We must
recognize that the Moshiach is only a person who is a messenger from HaShem.
He is not our actual redeemer, for redemption only comes from HaShem. The
Moshiach will be like Moses who took us out of Egypt. It was really HaShem
who took us out of Egypt, not Moses. That is one reason why we never even
mention Moses in the entire Haggadah which we read at the Pesach Seder.
Moses only served as a prophet, conveying the news of redemption to the
Jewish people and to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The Moshiach will serve the
same function. It is important that we always focus on HaShem as our savior,
and not on any human being. It is especially important that we never pray to
any human being instead of HaShem. "
And lastly from another site:
( http://www.aish.com/rabbi/ATR_browse.asp?l=m&offset=9 )
I am a Christian, and I was just wondering why Jesus is denied as the
Messiah, even though he fulfills every prophecy written regarding the
Messiah.
I am not writing to be rude to you, I have a deep respect and love for the
Jewish people, and I know there are those who call themselves Christians,
who have said and done terrible things in the name of Jesus.
Thanks for taking time to read my letter. I hope to hear from you soon.
THE AISH RABBI REPLIES:
Thank you for your thoughtful question. For 2,000 years, Jews have rejected
Christianity and the idea of Jesus as messiah. It is important to understand
why Jews don't believe in Jesus. The purpose is not to disparage other
religions, but rather to clarify the Jewish position. The more data that's
available, the better-informed choices people can make about their spiritual
path.
Jews do not accept Jesus as the messiah because:
1) Jesus did not fulfill the messianic prophecies.
2) Jesus did not embody the personal qualifications of the Messiah.
3) Biblical verses "referring" to Jesus are mistranslations.
4) Jewish belief is based on national revelation.
At the end of this answer, we will examine these additional topics:
5) Christianity contradicts Jewish theology
6) Jews and Gentiles
7) Bringing the Messiah
-------------------------------
1) JESUS DID NOT FULFILL THE MESSIANIC PROPHECIES
What is the Messiah supposed to accomplish? The Bible says that he will:
A. Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).
B. Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).
C. Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering
and disease. As it says: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall man learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)
D. Spread universal knowledge of the God of Israel, which will unite
humanity as one. As it says: "God will be King over all the world -- on that
day, God will be One and His Name will be One" (Zechariah 14:9).
The historical fact is that Jesus fulfilled none of these messianic
prophecies.
Christians counter that Jesus will fulfill these in the Second Coming, but
Jewish sources show that the Messiah will fulfill the prophecies outright,
and no concept of a second coming exists.
---------------------------------------
2) JESUS DID NOT EMBODY THE PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS OF MESSIAH
A. MESSIAH AS PROPHET
Jesus was not a prophet. Prophecy can only exist in Israel when the land is
inhabited by a majority of world Jewry. During the time of Ezra (circa 300
BCE), when the majority of Jews refused to move from Babylon to Israel,
prophecy ended upon the death of the last prophets -- Haggai, Zechariah and
Malachi.
Jesus appeared on the scene approximately 350 years after prophecy had
ended.
B. DESCENDENT OF DAVID
The Messiah must be descended on his father's side from King David (see
Genesis 49:10 and Isaiah 11:1). According to the Christian claim that Jesus
was the product of a virgin birth, he had no father -- and thus could not
have possibly fulfilled the messianic requirement of being descended on his
father's side from King David!
C. TORAH OBSERVANCE
The Messiah will lead the Jewish people to full Torah observance. The Torah
states that all mitzvot remain binding forever, and anyone coming to change
the Torah is immediately identified as a false prophet. (Deut. 13:1-4)
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus contradicts the Torah and states that
its commandments are no longer applicable. (see John 1:45 and 9:16, Acts
3:22 and 7:37)
----------------------------------
3) MISTRANSLATED VERSES "REFERRING" TO JESUS
Biblical verses can only be understood by studying the original Hebrew
text -- which reveals many discrepancies in the Christian translation.
A. VIRGIN BIRTH
The Christian idea of a virgin birth is derived from the verse in Isaiah
7:14 describing an "alma" as giving birth. The word "alma" has always meant
a young woman, but Christian theologians came centuries later and translated
it as "virgin." This accords Jesus' birth with the first century pagan idea
of mortals being impregnated by gods.
B. CRUCIFIXION
The verse in Psalms 22:17 reads: "Like a lion, they are at my hands and
feet." The Hebrew word ki-ari (like a lion) is grammatically similar to the
word "gouged." Thus Christianity reads the verse as a reference to
crucifixion: "They pierced my hands and feet."
C. SUFFERING SERVANT
Christianity claims that Isaiah chapter 53 refers to Jesus, as the
suffering servant.
In actuality, Isaiah 53 directly follows the theme of chapter 52, describing
the exile and redemption of the Jewish people. The prophecies are written in
the singular form because the Jews ("Israel") are regarded as one unit. The
Torah is filled with examples of the Jewish nation referred to with a
singular pronoun.
Ironically, Isaiah's prophecies of persecution refer in part to the 11th
century when Jews were tortured and killed by Crusaders who acted in the
name of Jesus.
From where did these mistranslations stem? St. Gregory, 4th century Bishop
of Nanianzus, wrote: "A little jargon is all that is necessary to impose on
the people. The less they comprehend, the more they admire."
--------------------------------------------
4) JEWISH BELIEF IS BASED SOLELY ON NATIONAL REVELATION
Of the 15,000 religions in human history, only Judaism bases its belief on
national revelation -- i.e. God speaking to the entire nation. If God is
going to start a religion, it makes sense He'll tell everyone, not just one
person.
Judaism, unique among all of the world's major religions, does not rely on
"claims of miracles" as the basis for its religion. In fact, the Bible says
that God sometimes grants the power of "miracles" to charlatans, in order to
test Jewish loyalty to the Torah (Deut. 13:4).
Maimonides states (Foundations of Torah, ch. 8):
The Jews did not believe in Moses, our teacher, because of the miracles he
performed. Whenever anyone's belief is based on seeing miracles, he has
lingering doubts, because it is possible the miracles were performed through
magic or sorcery. All of the miracles performed by Moses in the desert were
because they were necessary, and not as proof of his prophecy.
What then was the basis of [Jewish] belief? The Revelation at Mount Sinai,
which we saw with our own eyes and heard with our own ears, not dependent on
the testimony of others... as it says, Face to face, God spoke with you...
The Torah also states: God did not make this covenant with our fathers, but
with us -- who are all here alive today." (Deut. 5:3)
Judaism is not miracles. It is the personal eyewitness experience of every
man, woman and child, standing at Mount Sinai 3,300 years ago.
-----------------------------------------------
5) CHRISTIANITY CONTRADICTS JEWISH THEOLOGY
The following theological points apply primarily to the Roman Catholic
Church, the largest Christian denomination, and the one most familiar to the
Western world.
A. GOD AS THREE?
The Catholic idea of Trinity breaks God into three separate beings: The
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).
Contrast this to the Shema, the basis of Jewish belief: "Hear O Israel, the
Lord our God, the Lord is ONE" (Deut. 6:4). Jews declare the Shema every
day, while writing it on doorposts (Mezuzah), and binding it to the hand and
head (Tefillin). This statement of God's One-ness is the first words a
Jewish child is taught to say, and the last words uttered before a Jew dies.
In Jewish law, worship of a three-part god is considered idolatry -- one of
the three cardinal sins that a Jew should rather give up his life than
transgress. This explains why during the Inquisitions and throughout
history, Jews gave up their lives rather than convert.
B. MAN AS GOD?
Christians believe that God came down to earth in human form, as Jesus said:
"I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
Maimonides devotes most of the "Guide for the Perplexed" to the fundamental
idea that God is incorporeal, meaning that He assumes no physical form. God
is Eternal, above time. He is Infinite, beyond space. He cannot be born, and
cannot die. Saying that God assumes human form makes God small, diminishing
both His unity and His divinity. As the Torah says: "God is not a mortal"
(Numbers 23:19).
Judaism says that the Messiah will be born of human parents, and possess
normal physical attributes like other people. He will not be a demi-god, and
will not possess supernatural qualities. In fact, an individual is alive in
every generation with the capacity to step into the role of the Messiah.
(see Maimonides - Laws of Kings 11:3)
C. INTERMEDIARY FOR PRAYER?
The Catholic belief is that prayer must be directed through an
intermediary -- i.e. confessing one's sins to a priest. Jesus himself is an
intermediary, as Jesus said: "No man cometh unto the Father but by me."
In Judaism, prayer is a totally private matter, between each individual and
God. As the Bible says: "God is near to all who call unto Him" (Psalms
145:18). Further, the Ten Commandments state: "You shall have no other gods
BEFORE ME," meaning that it is forbidden to set up a mediator between God
and man. (see Maimonides - Laws of Idolatry ch. 1)
D. INVOLVEMENT IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD
Catholic doctrine often treats the physical world as an evil to be avoided.
Mary, the holiest woman, is portrayed as a virgin. Priests and nuns are
celibate. And monasteries are in remote, secluded locations.
By contrast, Judaism believes that God created the physical world not to
frustrate us, but for our pleasure. Jewish spirituality comes through
grappling with the mundane world in a way that uplifts and elevates.
Intimacy in the proper context is one of the holiest acts we can perform.
The Talmud says if a person has the opportunity to taste a new fruit and
refuses to do so, he will have to account for that in the World to Come.
Jewish rabbinical schools teach how to live amidst the bustle of commercial
activity. Jews don't retreat from life, we elevate it.
--------------------------------------
6) JEWS AND GENTILES
Judaism does not demand that everyone convert to the religion. The Torah of
Moses is a truth for all humanity, whether Jewish or not. King Solomon asked
God to heed the prayers of non-Jews who come to the Holy Temple (Kings I
8:41-43). The prophet Isaiah refers to the Temple as a "House for all
nations."
The Temple service during Sukkot featured 70 bull offerings, corresponding
to the 70 nations of the world. The Talmud says that if the Romans would
have realized how much benefit they were getting from the Temple, they'd
never have destroyed it.
Jews have never actively sought converts to Judaism because the Torah
prescribes a righteous path for gentiles to follow, known as the "Seven Laws
of Noah." Maimonides explains that any human being who faithfully observes
these basic moral laws earns a proper place in heaven.
-------------------------------------------------
7) BRINGING THE MESSIAH
Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of
God's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves
society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater
understanding of God. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.
Indeed, the world is in desperate need of Messianic redemption. War and
pollution threaten our planet; ego and confusion erode family life. To the
extent we are aware of the problems of society, is the extent we will yearn
for redemption. As the Talmud says, one of the first questions a Jew is
asked on Judgment Day is: "Did you yearn for the arrival of the Messiah?"
How can we hasten the coming of the Messiah? The best way is to love all
humanity generously, to keep the mitzvot of the Torah (as best we can), and
to encourage others to do so as well.
Despite the gloom, the world does seem headed toward redemption. One
apparent sign is that the Jewish people have returned to the Land of Israel
and made it bloom again. Additionally, a major movement is afoot of young
Jews returning to Torah tradition.
The Messiah can come at any moment, and it all depends on our actions. God
is ready when we are. For as King David says: "Redemption will come today --
if you hearken to His voice."
For further study, read "The Real Messiah" by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
READER COMMENTS:
> From: BobThank you for your kind, tactful, and informative response to the nice woman
who asked, "Why don't Jews believe in Jesus?" In reaching out to our
Christian friends (to educate, not convert) it is so important that we do so
with the lovingkindess that embodies our Jewish nation. Thanks again.
> From: "Lasassop@Thank you, thank you, thank you for that concise explanation of why Jews do
not accept Jesus as messiah. I converted to Judaism after being raised in a
Christian community. When people ask why I converted, I say something simple
about "beliefs." But your response brought back so many memories of all the
questions I had begun to ask myself even in childhood! And eventually the
answers led me to Judaism. Thanks again for your wonderful letter.
> From: DavidI am a Christian who realizes that God exists in ways human beings cannot
understand. I do not understand much, but try to grow. I do believe that the
Gospels were written to prove that Jesus was the Messiah, and that the
Writings were manipulated to prove this. The Jewish way is a better one than
modern Christianity. Thank you so much for your valuable time. We waste so
much on myth that we miss the heart and spirit of God.
> From: Natalie "This is one of the most pragmatic, logical and clear explanations I have
ever heard to the questions of Jesus. Thank you. I will pass this on to at
least 20 people who have asked these questions, or to Jews who would not be
able to respond to these questions.
~Elissa Cleaveland
"It is nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction
have
not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry." A. Einstein
Deb
Elissa, thank you. That was the most awesome, clear and well-spoken
message about what and why Jews believe. It is not often that Jewish
views are spoken in public and clarified, while our Christian friends
and neighbors speak theirs. I appreciate your speaking for us.
Debbie
grappling with the mundane world in a way that uplifts and elevates.
Jewish rabbinical schools teach how to live amidst the bustle of
commercial
activity. Jews don't retreat from life, we elevate it.
Laws
of Noah." Maimonides explains that any human being who faithfully
observes
these basic moral laws earns a proper place in heaven.
message about what and why Jews believe. It is not often that Jewish
views are spoken in public and clarified, while our Christian friends
and neighbors speak theirs. I appreciate your speaking for us.
Debbie
>>>By contrast, Judaism believes that God created the physical world not tofrustrate us, but for our pleasure. Jewish spirituality comes through
grappling with the mundane world in a way that uplifts and elevates.
>>>The Talmud says if a person has the opportunity to taste a new fruit andrefuses to do so, he will have to account for that in the World to Come.
Jewish rabbinical schools teach how to live amidst the bustle of
commercial
activity. Jews don't retreat from life, we elevate it.
>>>>Jews have never actively sought converts to Judaism because the Torahprescribes a righteous path for gentiles to follow, known as the "Seven
Laws
of Noah." Maimonides explains that any human being who faithfully
observes
these basic moral laws earns a proper place in heaven.