Shalom everyone,
On the other days of the week during Sukkot, we asked for blessings upon all the Peoples and Nations of the earth; today, now that the sukkah is down, we pray for our needs as Yahwists, and for the needs of Israel, and we take a look at what it means to be a Follower of the Way, and an Israelite.
‘Yom Shmini ha- Atséret’ means, ‘Eighth day of Closed Assembly’. While the seven days of Sukkot were open to all peoples and religions, this eighth day is a day for those who worship and follow YHVH exclusively – that is, Israelites and Godfearers.
For this piece, I want to concentrate on what it means to be a Follower of the Way – a Talmidi.
Today, we remind ourselves that, above all, we follow a God of love and compassion. We can reflect this in our daily lives, in the way that we apply our faith with love, mercy and compassion. Torah is often ambiguous in how certain rules are to be applied, and it is easy to take stuff literally, and fall into the trap of applying rules in a harsh and unbending way. Talmidaism is about applying Torah in a just, compassionate and merciful way – if we learn anything from the Prophet Yeshua`, that is what we learn from his experience of our heavenly Father.
For example, Torah (Ex 21:20-21, 21:26-27) supposedly allows a master to beat a slave as long as the slave survives, and bears no permanent injury or loss. For someone who enjoys inflicting pain on others, this may seem like a green light to own slaves and beat them – and indeed, in societies which supported slavery, this is how it was used. However, the compassionate take on the verse would be not to have slaves at all, because as a Talmidi, you don’t want to become a cruel person who would take delight in hurting another human being. In ancient times, this was the preferred interpretation, and it is the reason why Jewish people considered the very owning of slaves to be distasteful.
There are some religious people in the world, who use religion to control others. Religion gives them a tool with which they can control the thoughts and actions of anyone they disapprove of. This is nothing short of religious fascism, and has no place in Talmidaism.
Instead, part of our mission is to spread the Kingdom of God to others. This does not mean converting every human being on earth to Talmidaism. Again, you have religious people who think that they have to argue with everyone in order to make them converts, but that is not our way. Our Way is reconciliation, healing, peace and understanding.
If, when you encounter someone who is not of your faith, and at the end of the conversation you can leave them thinking, ‘Although I don’t believe in their religion, I do have respect for it,’ then you have succeeded in your mission to better the reputation of God. If you can leave a person thinking, ‘Gosh, maybe there is another way of being a religious person – I don’t have to be confrontational all the time,’ you have succeeded in your mission of spreading the peace of God’s Kingdom. If you can leave a person thinking, ‘I can really open up with my spiritual doubts and fears with this person, because he/she will not judge me’, then you have succeeded in treating another human being as a fellow citizen of God’s Kingdom.
Israel is called to be a nation of priests – to minister to God and to the nations of the earth. For this reason, not every human being is called to become a Follower of the Way, just as not every human being is called to religious ministry. The ministry of every Follower of the Way is to be of help and service to God, and to their fellow human beings. Every human being has their place in God’s Kingdom; unfortunately, there are some religious people who think that, in order to bring others into that kingdom, they need to convert everyone to their particular religion.
Our way of looking at such a mindset, is that it would be like saying that every human being has to be a plumber, or everyone has to be a brain surgeon, or everyone has to be a landscape artist. This is not how we think. The Israelite faith was about behaving in such a way that it allowed the purifying, radiant Glory of God to enter the world and be a blessing to the human race. That is the calling of the Israelite ministry to be a nation of priests and a holy nation. That is why Jews have never believed that everyone must convert to become Jewish. The Way of holiness that Israelites are called to, is like the calling of a pastor or minister. Therefore, we go out into the world, not to convert others, but to bring the blessings of God’s holiness to the rest of the human race.
If we view every human being as our brothers and sisters – as indeed they are, because every human being is a son or daughter of God – then we will be more able to accept people where they are at. The siblinghood of all human beings – and therefore, seeing ourselves as part of the family of humanity – is an important mindset for a Follower of the Way to have. No Follower of the Way should think, ‘I can’t help you, because you are not a member of my religious community’ – because that’s not how God’s Kingdom works. When you are helpful or supportive to anyone, you are helping your own brothers and sisters, and thus you are glorifying the reputation of God – even if they are not Talmidis themselves.
Other religious people might help others with the thought in their heart, ‘If I help this or that person, if I am nice to them, then they will convert to my religion, and I will have won another soul for God’. But that is not how you should think, because you are not like other religious people. Instead, you should think, ‘If I help this person, and if I am kind to them, then I pray that their faith in humanity will be restored, and that through them, the goodness of the Kingdom of God will spread.’
The Exhortations closes with the exhortation to ‘make the reputation of God’s Name wonderful throughout the earth’. Even the lowliest of us has the ability to do this – we don’t need to be famous, or an outspoken extrovert to achieve this. The example of our lives and our words – even the deeds and words of a quiet, ordinary person – can add to the sum of how God is perceived by others. We don’t need to be saints, and we don’t need to be perfect paragons of virtue. We just need to be aware of the positive things we can do, and work our way towards them.
We also need to be aware that the Kingdom of God – and even a small portion of God’s spirit – dwells within us, all of us. Within us is a Sanctuary for God’s Presence, which is the heavenly self that has come with us from heaven to earth. Just imagine what it would be like to house a Temple within your soul! Furthermore, what you can do to make it a worthy dwelling-place for God’s blessing! How much closer can our heavenly Father come to being with God’s children on earth than that!
I have to tell you, that this practice has been a great – and nothing less than miraculous – help to me personally. In 2014, I had the misfortune of being traumatised and permanently scarred by a psychotherapist, and left to live in a long-term state of depression ever since; the only thing that has gotten me through it all, is drawing on the awesome power of the Presence of God. Yahveh is perfect goodness, perfect happiness, perfect peace, and perfect love. Taking my mind and spirit to that perfect Kingdom of blessedness, where no evil can possibly intrude, has literally saved me. All of us can create that Sanctuary within our souls, and all of us can draw on the strength of that Presence within us.
I pray for deliverance, peace and success for all of you, no matter where or who you are – and that Yahveh our God will fill you all to overflowing!
Blessings
your brother and servant
Shmuliq