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Shalom Chaverim,
This site is a collective effort by myself (Baruch ben Daniel) and many who are inquiring into and living according to the Malchut (Kingdom) of Elohim. As the "webmaster" I write articles about the Netzari Faith as I feel led and as others make requests. Regardless of one's religious choices our goal is to help further each others relationship with the YHWH and His Mashiyach. There is no substitute for personal experience and relationship with Mashiyach, diligent study of the Word of YHWH and personal experience in the Ruach haKodesh is our goal, regardless of religious persuasion.
The teaching and disciplines on this site are not theoretical, these are things I and many others observe as a followers of Y'shua Mashiyach. The Torah of YHWH is Set Apart, Just and Good but it's not Torah itself that makes or breaks us, it is also the quality of fellowship, trust and love we have with one another.
Life has come to existence by flawless Architectural design and engineering. We will all succeed or fail in this life by how we understand and acknowledge the Architect of Life and His Handiwork. The goal here is to promote righteous living through which we attain the deepest sense of self worth and accomplishment and appreciation for all human life but we also find True freedom, peace and justice as we observe Torah and live our lives according to Mashiyach.
If you've visited this site over any length of time you will notice that articles are being updated from time to time, the reason is perfection isn't a destination, it's a process. As you and I experience Mashiyach we learn and grow into the Way of Mashiyach, we don't get all Truth and all understanding in one big download. This website is a discussion about life in Mashiyach, every one of us are also connected to each other within Mashiyach even when we hold opposite ideas about him.
The Faith I follow is labeled as Netzari Judaism. Netzari (little sprout) is derived from Isaiah 11:1 that speaks of a little Branch that grows out of the root of Yishai (Jesse). Similar to Orthodox Judaism we believe Mashiyach brings a government to earth, not a new religion. Mashiyach is the only Government Who correctly interprets Torah, he is the one who establishes perfect halakha (the way to walk) it is not by religion or man's governments. Based on the nature of Mashiyach all manner religious souls are to be counted as brothers and sisters regardless of their religion because there is only one Government that offers Life and we all seek the blessings of abundant life for ourselves, our loved ones and for all souls on earth. Say you are a Christian, the fact of the matter is we may disagree on fundamental elements of FAITH, but I view you as a brother or sister because Mashiyach is our true goal. I do not condemn Christian persons, who you are is unto Mashiyach as you are called, I will not judge my Masters servants, yet I may beg to differ with your halakha and question your beliefs about Mashiyach.
Mashiyach brought his government to earth not a new religion. Unlike Orthodox Judaism we believe Mashiyach ben Yoseph came in the Spirit of YHWH to elucidate mankind of His Heavenly Government, a Government that is not of this world. The Government of Mashiyach is revealed as a Spiritual Kingdom and will extend into the natural world according to Mashiyach ben David. The Torah must go forth from Tsiyon and the Word of YHWH from Jerusalem because Mashiyach is not only Mashiyach to Jews but unto all living beings. It is YHWH's decision to send Mashiyach to mankind for recognition of His Torah based government.
Netzarim believers do not worship "a man" called Y'shua. We worship YHWH through His Mashiyach Y'shua who came to earth in the form of a man. The man of Y'shua and his flesh and his emotions was animated by the Ruach haKodesh which is the Spirit of YHWH which is the Spirit of Mashiyach. It can be proven in Aramaic and Hebrew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Y'shua never claimed that his flesh was YHWH and not even his soul, if he would have done that he would disqualify himself from being Mashiyach. It's not an unusual thing that YHWH could impart His Spirit into a human body. In Genesis 18 we read, "And YHWH appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground," this is a very famous passage of Scripture where YHWH appears in the form of a man. But it wasn't the flesh of the man or even the soul of the man that was YHWH, but the Ruach haKodesh that came while indwelling the man. We also see the Memra of YHWH (the Word) appearing as a man AND we read in Psalm 110:5 in Hebrew, "YHWH at your right hand" will shatter kings on the day of his anger." YHWH is Spirit, He is not a man.
Muslims also seek a Kingdom that will bring peace, harmony and prosperity. Daily prayer is made in conjunction with the ideals that Mohammed taught, but Muslims do not worship Mohammed, they recognize Allah as the Supreme and Merciful Being who will one day bring harmony to the earth and this ideal has many elements that are consistent with Mashiyach. In day to day life much of the Muslim disciplines of prayer and community living are very consistent with what Mashiyach taught and therefore on these points of agreement our Muslim brothers and sisters must be honored and respected in Mashiyach regardless if there are different or opposite religious differences.
The Kingdom of Elohim is based on a spiritual not the physical seed and this is where Modern Orthodox Judaism evaluates Jewish identity according to the physical seed and lineage and a physical kingdom which puts the cart before the horse. Every religion sees itself as custodians of the government of Mashiyach regardless if they acknowledge Y'shua as Mashiyach. Every religion feels they have the answer to world peace and justice and that they have been chosen. Netzarim Judaism looks upon Mashiyach for Government and Mashiyach chooses elders and judges according to his universal criterion for Government, but religion prejudices Christians against Jews against Muslims, not Mashiyach. Additionally it is Netzarim believers who live in Mashiyach and uphold Torah as the universal code of conduct and justice for all men and women equally. Rabbinical Judaism withholds Torah from Gentiles, therefore Rabbinical Judaism has succumbed to humanistic religious ideals as a substitute for Mashiyach. Had Rabbinical Judaism made Torah attractive to Gentiles and taken up the burden for world equality and justice (across all religious ranks) it would be much more representative of Mashiyach rather than elevate the authority or traditions of men according to a religion and tradition about Mashiyach not by Mashiyach.
Righteousness Raises the Value of Life
There is a Jewish saying that "for the value of one human life, all the world exists." Each soul is precious to YHWH beyond our comprehension, we know this because we are all created in the Image of the Most High Creator. Righteousness teaches us to respect the lives of others and protect their lives, even if they have little or no respect for their own life or the lives of others. Righteousness causes us to look beyond our own needs, the Author of Righteousness gives us hope and solutions that are not otherwise accessible when we abrogate His Ways. We forgive. We trust. We grow. Truth cannot be defeated. Righteousness is truth that will always find its way to victory. We understand about conscience and duty, and we choose to ask for YHWH's guidance that will direct us through all reconciliation towards justice and peace. We speak to our hearts and train our hearts to lead us in the paths of righteousness for His Names sake.
Y'shua exemplifies mercy and respect for all life, He teaches that the strong must protect the weak. Y'shua gave instruction in Torah that is merciful and just to all souls equally. Religion divides, truth unites. Y'shua is the one who fulfills the prophecies of Mashiyach Ben Yoseph. He will return and fulfill the latter reign prophecies of Mashiyach Ben David. Y'shua is not sectarian, He extends His Kingdom to all souls. Torah brings liberty, freedom and power. Y'shua established the Torah, he is the master of Shabbat, because he taught us how to observe Shabbat, not by religious standards, but through a relationship with his Father YHWH. All the Moedim (appointments of YHWH) are for everyone to experience upon entering the Kingdom of Elohim. It is impossible to understand the "spiritual worlds" unless one enters in by living righteously (Observing Torah) and entering into YHWH's Set Times, or Appointments. Religious people see theologies, do's and don'ts and refuse to enter into Shabbat because it is a don't for them, they are under religious hierarchical authority that cannot see the entrance ways of Mashiyach. Y'shua is haMashiyach, regardless of how He has been painted by institutionalized religions, his name means "YHWH is Salvation" and He fulfilled "all righteousness" as YHWH Tsidkenu, according to the Spirit of Mashiyach in him. He is the door to life to we must enter into Life by being obedient and humble and yet we will encounter much resistance as we enter, man's religions impede progressive spiritual maturity into Mashiyach. Some will say, "it's Jewish" or "it's old testament" by their religious traditions but a very common obstinate and rebellious cliche' is that "we don't have to" and "it's done away with." Y'shua Mashiyach came as a Son to carry out His Father's will, which is to put Torah (instruction in righteousness) within the heart of man. The work of the Ruach haKodesh (Set Apart - Holy Spirit) is not to crush our will, but to nurture our will and unique gifts and abilities according to righteousness. We think of how a child needs to be nurtured in love, so must each of us be transformed into the image of Elohim, according to Mashiyach's example. Y'shua was martyred because of invoking the Name of Yahweh (according to Talmud) and by speaking according to the Spirit of YHWH. YHWH demands that we remove the names of pagan deities out of our mouths, all of them, and so how much more are we to removed substitute, man made, traditional names and titles of the One True Elohim whose Name is above all other Names? We are not to prefer religion or values over the Word of YHWH. YHWH is Kadosh, (set apart from iniquity) and His Name is Kadosh, it is tradition and false religion that has removed the Name of YHWH from peoples lips. YHWH distinguishes Himself as One who cannot be corrupted by injustice, the invocation of the Name of YHWH is Kadosh and must be reverenced by all of His creation. Y'shua taught that religious people negate "the commandments of YHWH" by imposing their own religious traditions. This inflamed religious sectarian Jews who were busy trying to set up their own kingdoms. Most modern day religions paint Torah as harsh, intolerant, primitive and old because they live according to the nature of man, the nature of rebellion against YHWH and His Perfection. Y'shua is THEE example of righteousness, we are to emulate Him, we dress ourselves in a humble and modest way both on the inside and on the outside, our conversation is to be righteous and beneficial to the cause of the Kingdom of Elohim. Y'shua elevated Torah and fulfilled the promise to write the Torah upon our hearts, this one fact determines whether we become the head or the tail, if any so choose to enter into Mashiyach they will live by his Righteousness which is according to YHWH's Word and Authority. Y'shua did not seek a "following" of people for the sake of popularity, he strengthened the souls of his talmidim and by his example showed us how to strengthen ourselves and others. The more love a man has in his soul for others the less he needs the praise of others, his validation comes from YHWH and haMashiyach. Y'shua came for all people, those who were not Jews by birth are called to serve Mashiyach, YHWH says of these souls that they, "will be given a name better than the sons and daughters of Israel, they will be given an everlasting name that will not be cut off." Isaiah 56:5 Y'shua is not sectarian or racist or denominational, those who uphold man made religious boundaries and marginalize others because of their own religion are enemies of Mashiyach.
Some Personal Background I was born March 14th, 1960 in Vernon BC, Canada (my birth name was Bruce Gorovenko which I changed to my Hebrew name, Baruch Ben Daniel). I came to believe in YHWH and His Mashiyach from a very young age. I heard of the Kingdom of Elohim through my grandfather, father and mother and those we met with on Shabbat. At the age of 6 I experienced the presence of the Ruach haKodesh after asking YHWH if He was "out there". One night while gazing toward the heavenly orbs I asked, "YHWH are you there?" "You who created these things." He was and He answered by providing tremendous Joy that I do not forget. As my sojourn in Him continued I came to learn more of the Kingdom of Elohim as taught by Y'shua and rather than see Y'shua as the originator of a religion I realized that Mashiyach is hidden within many religions, but that it is easy to prejudice oneself against Mashiyach by joining a religion and staying within it's man-made boundaries.
Throughout my sojourn on this earth I've enjoyed an active life. I've tried many sports from short and long distance running to racing cars and motorcycles. My work experience ranges from board member of public mining company (public relations) and non-profit international relief organizations to truck driver, heavy equipment operator, realtor, and hand framing (nails and a hammer) apartment buildings. I built concrete hi-rises in Toronto and Vancouver Canada and worked on 45 km of highway through the Kananaskis mountains of Alberta Canada.
In 1987 I was a self employed silviculture contractor in the Monashee mountains of BC tree spacing and tree planting. In 1982 a government employee for the Okanagan Regional District in BC Canada for the milfoil week eradication program, driving a weed harvester on Okanagan Lake (a great tanning experience). In 1979 I worked as a heavy duty mechanic helper and as a concrete placer/finisher. And I also worked as an emergency fire and flood rapid response sales manager estimator and a general contractor, insurance and mutual funds broker, stock broker and a variety of sales management positions. From 1990 to 1996 I was involved in contract sales, marketing consulting and designing and producing marketing materials. Since then I've been involved in making and distributing health products and providing information on health. However from the time I was in my late teens I've been involved in serving YHWH's people, I was raised in a home where Torah is observed and respected and taught across all religious lines. At 11 I helped my grandfather print off torah studies and exhortations about following Y'shua and observing Torah. I've led several home groups over the past 25 years and lived 3 1/2 years in Israel.
My educational experience has been much like eating from a buffet, after graduating from public school I attended Okanagan College for a year and then Pacific Union College in California for two semesters but decided on a "higher education" than was being offered by conventional means. I visited a variety of secular and religious universities in search of intelligence but found that politics and egocentric professors were fearful of straying away from the hierarchies of humanism. I didn't fit. Rather, I went on long Sabbaticals from work that allowed me to study, pray, meditate on the Word and learn from those who lived in different ages and cultures that were not so enamored by relativism, humanism, modernism and materialism.
An extraordinary life experience... August 15, 1978 I was involved in a nasty motorcycle crash (I was a passenger), my body flew through the cab of a full sized pickup at 60 miles an hour. The ambulance attendants didn't believe I would survive (they came to my hospital room and shook their heads in amazement that I lived) my helmet broke in 3 pieces, I lost 9 units of blood, paramedics said I was like a soggy wet blanket when they scooped me off the pavement. I broke over 20 bones including hip, ribs, crushed leg, jaw etc. The Doctors were doubtful about how well I would walk. Two years and 3 months after the accident I was the "miracle boy". I set the record running the fastest mile on a campus in California (before the crash at 17 I ran a 4:16 mile). I had a other crashes on motorcycles, in cars and with a pickup truck, all in the pursuit of exhilarating experiences, until I discovered it's better to learn to live than to live and learn.
I think most of us grow to appreciate the value of life with each new year, but I got my life handed back to me a few times which caused me to contemplate my existence on earth.
Along with many others I also experienced an out-of-body experience, my physical body was lying on an operating table in the hospital as I watched the doctors operate (from above). My understanding of that experience was that it was my neshama (spirit) hovering over my physical body. People call it an "out of body experience" but I experienced the mystery of the neshama being separated from the physical body. Some have told me it was because I was on the drugs during the operation and suggested they have had these experiences when doing drugs, others had similar experiences in a variety of non-medical situations.
It made me better understand how life after death is possible, many people understand this according to their spirits. I remember thinking that I was dead as I watched the doctors and nurses patch me up on the operating table. I believe we will all experience something like this as we die the physical death, the scriptures say that many who "sleep in the dust shall awake", I see this as cognitive spiritual reality that YHWH wakens our neshama into a new dimension.
Unfortunately there are a lot of misconceptions about the resurrection, if you've experienced one of these "out of body" experiences (with or without mind altering drugs) you know that your conscious being moves in another dimension. A serious problem will arise when rebellion and injustice (lawlessness or Torah-lessness) within the human soul meets with Righteousness and Truth in the resurrection, the "conscience" of each individual will be evaluated according to righteousness. The part of our being that will sustain life (the neshama) must be Set Apart and purified from sin (inequilibrium with life) or it will be in disharmony with it's own existence, this I believe is "the final death" when an unregenerate person has let their spirit being slide into reprobation and not sanctify (set part) themselves before YHWH and His Mashiyach.
Maybe you've had similar experiences? As haMashiyach reveals himself we take our quest for life and truth very seriously, there is nothing as important in life as Truth and Righteousness, these ensure our existence in the Olam Haba (World to Come). Now that you know a bit about me I would be delighted to hear a bit about yourself!
YHWH be with you! Shalom U'Vrachot,
Baruch Ben Daniel
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