Shalom my dearest sisters and brothers,
Depending on when the New Moon is sighted in Israel, biblical New Year will either start this evening (Tuesday 9th Apr) or tomorrow evening (Wednesday 10th Apr).
In preparation for celebrating the Sovereignty and Majesty of YHVH at Rosh ha-Shanah, when YHVH is proclaimed King of the Universe, I would like to explain the reasoning and logic behind certain things that our community does, with regard to exalting YHVH to such great heights.
The ultimate reason behind a number of our beliefs and practices, is to magnify and exalt the emotional status of YHVH in our hearts and minds, so that we experience YHVH as a real, living God in the same way that the ancient Israelites did. The second reason is to restore the central position that YHVH had in the theology and focus of the Israelite faith, so that when we are assaulted by missionisers, claiming that we should worship ‘Jesus Christ’ instead, the place of YHVH among us will be so magnificent, so amazing, so all-fufilling and powerful, and yet so intimately close and emotionally personal, that we will have no need to turn to anyone or anything else.
In religious studies, there is something called, ‘the psychology of religion’. Part of this discipline covers how one deliberately uses psychological techniques to enhance one’s experience of one’s religion. In the case of Paul’s theology, it has achieved this by usurping all the titles, abilities and qualities of the God of Israel, and giving them all over to ‘Jesus Christ’.
For example, Paul said that every knee should bend at the name of ‘Jesus Christ’ (Phil 2:10), but Isa 45:23 says that it is to YHVH’s Name that every knee will bow. ‘Jesus’ has been given the title of ‘Lord of lords’, but this title rightfully belongs to YHVH (Dt 10:17). ‘Christ’ is an all-loving and all-compassionate god, but these are the attributes we are meant to ascribe to YHVH (eg Isa 54:8). For Paul, there is no name holier than ‘Jesus Christ’, but for those who follow the Israelite faith, there is no name holier, no name more unique or more powerful, than that of YHVH.
For Paul’s followers, the entire Hebrew Bible is all about ‘Jesus’. You will notice how Paul’s Believers ascribe everything to ‘Jesus Christ’, so that the name of ‘Jesus’ becomes an emotional trigger, the centre of their universe, the sole fount of everything meaningful and good. It is a shame that we Jews are not willing to do the same for the Name of our God – to restore the titles, attributes and qualities that the Bible says belong to YHVH – even the ones that should rightfully belong only to YHVH. Many of us are uncomfortable proclaiming YHVH as our Saviour and Redeemer, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Our unwillingness has diminished the psychological power of YHVH’s Name in our hearts, and emasculated a God who cannot and should not be brought low.
For Followers of the Way, the Hebrew Bible is in contrast all about YHVH. That is why all our written prayers and services are specifically designed to restore the central power, splendour and majesty of YHVH’s Name in our hearts. For example, during our services on Yom Truah, our litanies restore all the original titles of YHVH, such as Saviour, Redeemer, Sovereign, King of Kings, and so on. These are not the titles of ‘Jesus Christ’; they are titles that belong to YHVH, and to YHVH alone.
Our beliefs and teachings restore all the rightful abilities and characteristics of YHVH, such as the teaching that it is not blood that cleanses us of sin, or which heals us and restores us to full spiritual health, but rather it is the purifying fire of the Glory of YHVH which accomplishes all of this.
It is YHVH who daily shares our burdens, and when we can endure no more, it is YHVH who takes our cares and worries upon God’s own self, and carries them for us.
YHVH is not just the source of all love, compassion, justice and wisdom – YHVH is, in the very essence of God’s Being, these very things; you cannot separate love, goodness, wisdom and mercifulness from YHVH, just as you cannot separate divinity from YHVH.
Elevating what the messiah means in our spiritual hopes and expectations, necessarily requires subconsciously diminishing the place of YHVH in our religious worldview, even if that’s not what you’re intending to do. Instead of making the messiah the central focus of all our spiritual hopes, it is YHVH, and YHVH alone, who is our ultimate hope and highest aspiration, because it is YHVH who is going to fulfil all the promises of the prophets – all the consolations, dreams and longings of the Jewish people and of all humanity.
Our teachings restore the ancient meanings of Israelite symbolism, so that it all makes sense whenever we encounter these symbols. And it’s all so simple, no longer complicated. We learn what God’s Glory truly means, why the Theophany and Revelation of YHVH on Mt Horeb is the central Salvation-Event of the Israelite faith; we learn what Shavuot is really about, what the 7 weeks means in the context of the Covenant, what the Azza Zeil is, what the true symbolism of the 2 goats on Yom ha-Kippurim is, and so on. As Talmidis, we strive to restore the Kingship of YHVH, and the original intent of YHVH our Sovereign in what we have been gifted.
The biblical prophets told us that being Restorers and Repairers is a noble cause, a mission from YHVH (Isa 58:12). The rebuilding of the Holy Temple may yet be a very long way off, but we can still rebuild and restore the Temple of YHVH within our hearts, by taking to heart YHVH’s original intent and meaning behind everything that we have inherited from YHVH. Wishing to restore once more the joy of YHVH’s salvation is no small hope (cf Ps 51:12)!
And it’s so easy and simple, that you will reach the stage where you say to yourself, “Why was I racking my brains to understand everything, and why was I so confused before? I didn’t need to be!”
Talmidaism encourages us to readjust our perspective, and look at everything with different eyes and hearts. When you see a beautiful painting of a breathtaking, panoramic scene, hanging on the central column of a big gallery, you know that by standing in front of it, you will see and appreciate all its magnificent splendour. You also know that trying to view the painting from any other angle, or any other place around the column, you will not be able to see all of it. What people have done over the centuries is move us 180 degrees to the back of the column, so that not only can we not see the painting, we can’t see what all the oohing and aahing is all about – what art-lovers are fawning over.
Then someone comes along and suggests that you move to the front of the column once more, and finally, you see it all, and it’s all so simple, it all makes sense.
And that’s what I believe our teacher and prophet, Yeshua, was trying to do. He wasn’t claiming to be a messiah or saviour of the world; he wasn’t proclaiming a messianic kingdom – he was trying to restore our focus in YHVH, our heavenly Father and true King, and in God’s Kingdom, in YHVH’s concern for the lost and the poor, in YHVH’s loving tenderness for those who are simply trying their best in difficult circumstances, and in YHVH providing an emotional support and safe harbour for those who are struggling to deal with life.
Once more, we will be able to see that YHVH is on the side of the oppressed and the downtrodden, not of the oppressor or the bible-thumping fundamentalist. The messiah is not the centre of the universe; the messiah is not the ultimate goal of history or the pinnacle of all salvation – YHVH is, and YHVH alone; always was and always will be.
YHVH merits our exaltation, our acknowledgment that YHVH alone is our Sovereign, our Saviour and our Redeemer. In our observance of Rosh ha-Shanah this week – in our prayers at the true, biblical New Year – let us make that sacred and awesome journey towards restoring YHVH to God’s rightful place in our hearts.
YHVH alone is King; YHVH alone is Sovereign; YHVH’s Name alone is holy, and YHVH’s Name alone is worthy of all praise.
Blessed be the Name of YHVH our Saviour and King forever! Amein!
your brother
Shmuliq