“When they (the nations) said that they have a Torah among them, do not believe it but if they (the nations) said that there is wisdom among them, believe it,”
How beautiful is Sages' word and how profound! Before this I have been wandering while searching the truth, and now I have found it! This is for me, however, how about all of you?
Also,
Malachi 1:11 כִּי מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ וְעַד-מְבוֹאוֹ גָּדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם וּבְכָל-מָקוֹם מֻקְטָר מֻגָּשׁ לִשְׁמִי וּמִנְחָה טְהוֹרָה כִּי-גָדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת:
Malachi 1:11
For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, My name is great among the nations; and in every place offerings are presented unto My name, even pure oblations; for My name is great among the nations, saith HaShem of hosts.
Now you might think what do I up to with this passage here, it is clear cut that the passage is saying that the Name of the Lord is Great among the nations. So what am I trying to bring up here?
Note that the Book of Malachi is written before the destruction of the Second Temple, does the Gentiles at that time know who is the Lord of Yisrael? Some yes and some no, however, as I bring it up, the majority of the Gentiles DO NOT KNOW who is the real God as that time.
Then what is HaShem Talking about in the above passage? What is He Trying to tell us?
Preceding this verse is The Lord Rebuking Yisrael offering impure oblations (sacrifices) to Him. Then God Continues to say that '...My Name us great among the nations... '. we should stop and have a think, what is God Saying will Surprise you.
God is Essentially saying this:
“Look at how does the Gentiles offers their offerings to their 'gods', it is with their heart and soul, and they are sincere with their offerings. Though they have side-tracked into idolatry, but deep down inside their heart, they know there is a King of Kings, the King of the whole Universe, which is none other than me,”
It means that, God Accepted our sinful offerings and libations, in spite of our fallen intellect! See how Merciful the Lord is! This is truly the Merciful God of All humankind!
This verse totally negates any separatist religion which claimed that they have the only way up to Heaven and all others are condemned to Hell. God Do Accepts our way!
However, the real way is to really study His Words and how He Wants us to serve Him. His Words are preserved in the Torah, the Ultimate Guidebook ever Made!
Anyway, I am here to expound Biblical Studies, how to actually study a Bible. What do I mean by Bible is the T'nach (Tenach or Tanach) . The T'nach is different from the Christians' Bible, and Christians' Bible are really meant for Christianity Studies. Obtaining a nice translation isn't that difficult either, one can choose from the Jewish Publication Society, Artscroll, the Stone Edition T'nach, and also various other Jewish Version of the Scripture. Why do I endorse Jewish writers? It is simply because they have been keeping faithful copies of the T'nach for Centuries, also they have been doing a nice job translating the Hebrew and Aramaic to English too. (Unbeknownst to many, a part of the Book of Daniel and the whole Book of Ezra is written in Aramaic). Also, the T'nach roughly parallels to the 'Old Testament' in the Christians' Bible though it is not the same.
Critical studies began when one truly looks through the verses in the Bible. One has to achieve a deep understanding of what the Bible trying to expound. The Language might be obscure and difficult, sometimes, you will not know what is God Trying to Tell you and what is the Writer trying to convey. This is when the Commentaries comes in. The classical Rabbinical Commentaries are the one I have been using. Well, why do I utilised those? It is simply because their explanation is logical, sound, and also the best one I can get. Besides, who knows the Texts better than them? They have been reading it for Centuries.
I have been quite impressed with what the Rabbis told us, their argument is fascinating but often been bent at iron-will by anti-Semitics.
This is the basis for the Oral Torah, the interpretation tradition of the Written Torah. The Rabbis told that God Gave to Moshe (Moses) the Written Torah and the Oral Torah alongside, being the Oral Torah is the interpretation of the Written Torah. What I know is that, God Gave him the Interpretation of the Law, not the whole Talmud. The Talmud has a traceable history back to its very beginning in 200 CE.
What I meant is that, in the Talmud, preserved the Tradition of Interpreting Laws Given to Moshe by God. The Oral Laws is then recorded in the Talmud alongside with some new interpretation of the Law based on the Way God Taught Moshe. This is why the Talmud is Divinely Inspired. However, the Talmud is not Revealed like the Torah.
Back to out Bible Study, well, start at the very basic first, read through and understand the texts literally, then only search for the deeper meaning and allusions after you have grasped the literal meaning.
However, in the Oral Law, this is stated:
Talmud Tractrate Sanhedrin 59a
Rabbi Yochanan said: A Gentile who studies Torah is liable for death as it says (Deuteronomy 33:4) "Moses commanded us Torah as a heritage." It is a heritage for us and not for them... Rabbi Meir would say: How do we know that even a Gentile who engages in the study of Torah is like a Jewish high priest? As it says (Leviticus 18:5) "Which man shall do [i.e. study] and by which he shall live [in the afterlife]." It does not say "priests, Levites, and Israelites" but "man".
The peculiarity starts here, why does God Would Disallowed the Gentiles to Study His Words? The answer is quite simple actually. What is Rabbi Yochanan refers to is the Idolaters or those Gentiles which are in 'not-a-good-intention' approaching the Torah and Rabbi Meir is referring to the Righteous Gentiles (Noachides) who studies the Torah Portions that are relevant to them.
However, none is punishable with death, these two are extreme examples which a middle-path is to be sought. The middle path is this; study only the portion that are relevant to us Gentiles. However, basing my opinion on Rabbi Markel, We Gentiles can study the whole T'nach to distinguish between what is allowed for us and what is not allowed. Whenever the Commandments are Commanded by HaShem to the Jews, the Gentiles should refrain from doing it. However, if a Noachide wish to observe some additional commandments as to gain extra rewards, they may so choose (except the observance of Shabbat and some other Commandments). This you have to verify with a Rabbi. If one so choose to accept upon them additional Commandments, one must observe every details of it, studying the portions of the Torah (both oral and written) concerning the Mitzvah (Commandment).
The best approach to Torah Studies? Read the Torah with diligence; I recommend that you ask questions concerning the Torah to the Rabbis. This will clarify your understanding and you can go on further. Better still, get a T'nach with commentaries in it (like Rashi's commentaries).
Personally, I have a Jewish Study Bible, published by Oxford University Press and featuring the Jewish Publication Society's Translation of the T'nach. It is presented in a secularised view and it features modern-day scholarship on the Bible. Part of it maybe blasphemy but it did provoke my thought on Torah Studies. It also features various commentaries on the T'nach by many commentators.
No comments:
Post a Comment