Thursday, November 9, 2017

Three Reasons Why Israel Missed the First Coming of the Messiah


1) First Century Judaism was preoccupied with concepts of Messiah as King-Deliverer. Roman occupation provided the "perfect storm" for which to see Messiah as only a Rescuer. Their "apocalyptic consciousness" caused them to be inundated with thoughts of deliverance and even how to inaugurate that deliverance, therefore, they missed the office of Messiah as Suffering servant and sin-bearer.

2) First Century Judaism found no place for the priestly office of Messiah. As rabbinic tradition teaches, it is completely within the power of each to wholly overcome sin and gain eternal life by study and good works. Original-Sin and the Total Depravity of the human nature are not in Jewish thought processes. Whatever happened in the garden, say the rabbis, was not bad enough to warrant the need for a "Second Adam" to come and undo what the first Adam could not. If our condition is not that bad, than "Savior" terminology makes no sense in Jewish thinking. Original sin and the sinfulness of our whole nature is a fundamental difference between rabbinic Judaism and Scripture.

3) The problem of rabbinic authority: the claim of the rabbis to establish their own authority by stating that the Oral Law goes back to Moses so that the Oral Law has more authority than the Written Law. Rabbinical authority supersedes the authority of the Word of God, so when the Spirit convicts or brings enlightenment to the original meaning of the text it is dismissed in favor of halachic ruling.

~ Rabbi Nathan Puro

Friday, October 13, 2017

The Sukkah and the Genius of G-d...

What is the historical meaning of the sukkah?  Is not this simple structure of wood framing, blankets for walls, and branches for the roof we call a sukkah the genius of G-d?  The world is out of control and we are quite vulnerable, aren't we?  The recent incident in Los Vegas and the natural disasters in Texas and Florida remind us of this, don't they?  
Celebrating Sukkot each year is meant to free us from worry and return us to a more elemental Creator-creature approach to life.  It's a seven-day opportunity to return to the essential ingredient in our relationship with the Most High.--trust.  If I'm not trusting Him on a material level, how can I trust Him on a spiritual plane?
Taking seven days out of our normal routine each year to sip coffee in a sukkah in the shade provided by the thatched roof helps us achieve the frame of mind G-d is after.  And just what is that frame of mind?  Bottom line---it's a mind free from worry and full of trust.  One of life's most besetting sins is "worry."  How will we meet our bills this month?  What about those emergency repairs and medical costs?
Let's face it---we need reminders.  Building a sukkah out of simple materials with no protection from the elements, we remember how truly vulnerable we are, but also where our true help comes from.  How in a world we cannot control do we gain any security, peace of mind, and a sense of promise for the future?
This is the lesson of the sukkah and this is the genius of G-d.  G-d knows how to take mundane things like boards and branches and bring us back to Himself.  It's a heart thing.  By taking seven days each year out of our normal routine, G-d is saying, Hey, aren't you forgetting something in your mad rush to function and survive in this world?  Remember Me, I'm the Author of all this stuff.  Stop acting as if you're responsible for all that you have or achieve.  I'm the Supplier.  I'm the Source.  Look to Me and be at peace.  Come back to Me and I will give you rest. 
~ Rabbi Nathan Puro