FAQ Questions: A few simple ones ;)

[iitb]

Well, maybe not that simple...


What is the Talmud?

What is halacha?

What’s so special about the Torah?

Why are the Jews called God's Chosen People?

What is Anti-Semitism?

 

[Henaynei]

hmmm, Justin has been a busy fellow today!!! kewl -now I just need the time outside of work and Pesakh preparations to work on a few of these.....

 

[Cordy]

oh... these are good ones, Justin. I will be watching this thread closely.

 

[simchat_torah]

These questions are too hard. I quit.













I could answer it, but I always seem to be the one to blab and blab and blab on these issues. Maybe I'll give someone else a chance first

 

[YatzivPatgam]

What is the Talmud?

It's a collection of works that clarifiy the vauge and sometimes open laws given to us by G-d. It is believed that when G-d was dictateing the Torah to Moses, he also gave an explanation of rules to him as well. These were passed from mouth to mouth from generation to generation which is called the "Oral Torah" until they were written down much later and with the various rulings of Rabbis.

What is halacha?

The Law. Not literaly, but basicly.

What’s so special about the Torah?

It's life instruction given to us by G-d. We are to inscribe it apaun our hearts.

Why are the Jews called God's Chosen People?

Becuase we are to be an example of G-d's power. He shall bring the lowliest of nations into the highest.

What is Anti-Semitism?

Dislikeing someone becuase of the Semetic origin.

 

[iitb]

Bump. I really need to get this FAQ finished.

 

[iitb]

Here are a few more "short answer" questions:

Do Messianic Jews believe in Jesus?

How are Messianic Jews different from other Christians?

Are there Messianic denominations?

Do MJs believe that Jews are the Chosen People, or Christians?

Which Bible do Messianics use?

 

[iitb]

How are Messianic Jews different from other Christians?

Before he jumps in here and answers, I figured I should mention that I have saved a link to a thread in GA where simchat_torah gives an excellent answer to this question. I just like to try and get as many opinions as possible before actually updating the FAQ.

 

[The Thadman]

Well, maybe not that simple...


What is the Talmud?

IMHO, a collection of:

1) the Mishnah: oral teachings and customs of Rabbinic Judaism which are traditionally held to come down from the mouth of Moses, where most modern scholars attribute their genesis to the time-period of Ezra; and

2) the Gemara: Rabbinicial debates and various Rabbinical opinions concerning the Mishnah.

There are two Talmuds, the Palestinian Talmud, and the MUCH larger Babylonian Talmud. When one refers to just "The Talmud" it is usually in reference to the Babylonian. They were compiled at around the 3rd century, and is made up of many tracts that deal with various Rabbinical traditions and issues.

What is halacha?

IMHO, literally Rabbinic legal rulings on how Torah should be applied and interpreted, usually referring to the "result" of the debates in Gemara.

What’s so special about the Torah?

IMHO, It contains God's directly dictated word to Moses (the familliar invocation of "Thus says the Lord YHWH").

Why are the Jews called God's Chosen People?

IMHO, this one is too complex for me to answer right now

What is Anti-Semitism?

IMHO, a social ostracism in various forms (from simple dislike all the way to violence) thrust upon someone under the sole pretense that they are Jewish by race or religion. This can also be applied to things that can be considered "Jewish."

Shlomo,
-Steve-o

 

[Henaynei]

I'll take a swat at these. My knowledge is not so deep as some others here, and perhaps that is a blessing in this context as newbie seekers are not usually ready for the meat and bones
Here are these 3 - I changed the order as this seemed to me to be more logical somehow:

What’s so special about the Torah?

The Torah is the Instruction from and of G-d, to those who agree to be His people, on how to obey and honor Him and on what is necessary to create a people who qualify as separated enough from the world to be His people.

What is halacha?

Literally “the way to walk,” halacha is the body of legal decisions based on Torah that deal with the “how to do,” and keep, the “what to do” that are the Instructions of Torah. They are essentially to the Torah what the body of legislative laws of Congress are to the Constitution.

What is the Talmud?

The Talmud is comprised of two bodies of work, one wrapped around the other, literally, on each page of the Talmud..



The first is the Mishna, a group of commentaries by learned men and teachers (leaders of Israel, her judges, rabbis and prophets), on the Torah, from over some 2-3 thousand years. Until 200 CE, when Yehuda HaNasi codified the Mishna to preserve it in the Diaspora, the Mishna had always been passed by strict Oral Tradition and therefore is also known as the Oral Law or the Oral Traditions.



The second is the Gemara and that is essentially more recent (over the last 1,800 years) commentary on the Mishna.



The Talmud could well be said to be inter-millennial discussions between learned men of Torah taking place through time. Thus the wisdom learned by one generation of scholars was preserved for, and added to, by each succeeding generation of scholars, and modified as more knowledge and new situations presented themselves over a period of about 5,000 years of study.

 

[The Thadman]

Here are a few more "short answer" questions:

Do Messianic Jews believe in Jesus?

Yes indeed!

How are Messianic Jews different from other Christians?

IMHO, Messianics believe in Jesus' teachings concerning Torah observance and see Paul's letters as Jewish discourse, and as a result keep the Law of Moses.

Are there Messianic denominations?

Not really "denominations" (although there are those who call themselves specifically "Nazarenes") but various adjectives. The two main non-centralized "schools of thought," as it were, are Rabbinic and Non-Rabbinic.

Do MJs believe that Jews are the Chosen People, or Christians?

IMHO, yes. The Jews are God's chosen people, but God also gathers people of all nations to him (see Isaiah 56).

Which Bible do Messianics use?

It varies from person to person.

Shlomo,
-Steve-o

 

[The Thadman]

Dude... Mr. Matzah is frickn' creeping me out....



Shlomo,
-Steve-o

 

[Talmidah]

Dude... Mr. Matzah is frickn' creeping me out....



Shlomo,
-Steve-o

LOL ... my kids play have been playing with Matzah man since last week. They have learned a lot about preparing for Passover though

 

[Plan 9]

IMHO, a social ostracism in various forms (from simple dislike all the way to violence) thrust upon someone under the sole pretense that they are Jewish by race or religion. This can also be applied to things that can be considered "Jewish."

This is a fine definition of anti-Semitism; it's very thorough.

 

[simchat_torah]

I'll be here tommorow.... but Justin, feel free to post the link.

 

[iitb]

I'll be here tommorow.... but Justin, feel free to post the link.

What if I just post the part I was planning to use?

Messianic Judaism (bold added for emphasis) should have a few basic tennets:

1) Belief in Y'shua as HaMoshiach (the messiah).
2) An active lifestyle that pursues the Torah as a holy lifestyle set apart to G-d.
3) Support/Identity of Israel and the Jewish people.
4) Adherence to the basic tennents of Judaism (ie: the L-rd is One)
5) Keeps the Sabbath in either an established or growing way.
6) Maintains the Festivals in either an established or growing way.
7) Seeks to root out paganism in doctrine, practice, and theology.
8) Understanding the Messiah and his teachings through the traditions, Rabbinical writings, and Tenach/Torah.



Christians vary in all of the above ways, excluding #1:
2) Christians view the Torah as the "old law" that has since passed and is no longer applicable.
3) Christians view that the Jewish people have been replaced by "spiritual Israel", or more commonly known as 'the church'.
4) Christianity is a seperate religion from Judaism.
5) Christianity has a new Day of Worship, Sunday, and do not recognize the Sabbath.
6) Christianity does not recognize the festivals (ie: Passover, Tabernacles, etc) but instead have holy days such as Christmas and Easter.
7) While many christians are aware of the pagan background of many doctrines, etc... they do not try to eliminate such things, but rather see that G-d has 'sanctified' the pagan structures into Christian traditions, etc.
8) Christians do not recognize either the spiritual light of the Rabbis or the Authority of the Rabbinical council. Instead, Christianity has the 'church fathers', priesthoods, and pastoral heirarchy instead to guide them.

 

[Henaynei]

suggested modification:

Generally, Christians vary in all of the above ways, excluding #1:

Thus giving the nod in recognition that not all Christians strictly fall into these definations - but the definations are VERY good!!! Very well thought out - kudos!!!

The "nod" is just an effort to limit the number of folks that come back with "fightin' words."

 

[simchat_torah]

Yes, it did take some thought. I wanted to be clear and concise while not offensive. I didn't want to lie, but at the same time I had to explain exactly what are the differences.

To tell the truth, I had no idea which thread Justin was referring to... but I knew it must be something that was on point if he was willing to refer to it here in a FAQ

I think I still stand by all of those 'evaluations', however, I too would agree that "generally" should be added to the front of that statement.

shalom,
yafet

 

[simchat_torah]

I guess you could say I typically trust Justin's judgement.

 

[simchat_torah]

I think before defining the Talmud, one must define the Mishnah.


my 2 sheckels.
-yafet