Torah Jews

    Multitudes of Jewish men and women are taking hold of Torah, they are putting faith in His Majesty Y'shua Mashiyach for salvation, and living righteous lives as do all "Israel of Elohim".  Many Jewish men wear tzit tzit (not seek after their own heart), kippot (embrace Judaism), and are well versed in Hebrew and Aramaic.  These have turned away from Hellenism to seek a Torah based walk in Y'shua.  The "Seed of Abraham" most certainly walk by Faith.

Token Jews

     Jews experience anti-Semitism regardless of their religious choices, it's rather annoying and tiresome.  However there are those who are "enchanted" by Jews, recognizing Jews as "G-d's Chosen People", the "apple of G-d's eye" etc.  One Christian ministry while doing fund raising for Jewish evangelism estimated that the value of one Jewish soul was worth the souls of ten Gentiles.  Jews can be highly prized targets for Christian efforts towards "making disciples".  Back in America Jews began to distinguish themselves as "Jews for Jesus" and many Christian denominations put forth a concerted effort for Jews to find other Jews and turn them into, "Messianic Jews".  It seems painfully obvious that if there were no Torah, there would be no such thing as a Jew.  However, many Jews who adopt Christianity maintain Christianity as a sect of "Judaism".  This thinking follows that Jesus being a Jew, all the Disciples and Paul being Jews, then Christianity is essentially a Jewish thing.  Well no, far from it. 

     What Yeshua, his talmidim and Paul were responsible for initiating was and is referred to as "Netzarim Judaism".  What Christianity is based on is called "Hellenism", and they are worlds apart in many respects, how many examples would you like?

     Let's look at the phrase "token Jew", we all know that a token is what you purchase at the car wash, miniature golf or driving range.  One must use real money to purchase a token, the token is valued by both the purchaser and the vendor, but, the token is not worth the same as real money, one can't take the token to the grocery store and buy something.  So it is with the "token Jew", as a Jew his or her value in the eyes of the "vendor" is very real.  The odd time a token Jew will be referred to as authentically "Jewish", however if this Jew were actually to be zealous for Yeshua and Torah, he or she would vaporize.  The Torah differentiates Jews from the Hellens, this is what it means to be a Kedoshim.  The Jew who lives as a Jew is called a "Judaiser", which is a very bad thing among Christians, who are not under "the Old Testament", but under the Hellenism. 

     Regarding the "Judaisers" we read...

     "You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.  Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak unto the children of Israel." Exodus 19:4-6

     For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.  Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! Numbers 23:9-10

     For you did separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by the hand of Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O YHWH Elohim. 1 Kings 8:53

     For YHWH has chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. Psalm 135:4

     There are hundreds of other references that establish Jews as being established by Promise, by Covenant and by Torah.  To the Jew in Mashiyach, "You are the salt of the earth : but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." Matthew 5:13.  It is not a new thing for Jews to become Hellenised, in the days of the Maccabees, Jews would have operations to reverse their circumcision.  Today the love affair Jews have for Hellenism extends to "Hebraizing Hellenism".  Jews referring to themselves as "Hebraic Catholics", "Hebraic Christians", "Hebraic Moslems" will always find themselves in conflict with their own Heritage.  To follow Mashiyach and to live by Torah is to truly be a Jew, the word "Christian" comes from the Greek word "Krist'yana" which was transliterated into the text (Acts 11:26) in favour of the Aramaic term "Mishikaye" that was used for Jewish talmidim.  It is clear from reading the Ketuvim Netzarim (New Testament) that early Christians abandoned Hellenism and joined with the Jewish Talmidim to follow Mashiyach as He instructed them in Torah.  The early Christians, or Greek Talmidim suffered also at the hands of Hellenists who fiercely protected their tradition.  Christians and Jews together are to be as salt, helping people around them to know Yeshua the Mashiyach and understand the sufferings of Mashiyach.  "You are the salt of the earth", Mashiyach said.  To be a Jew according to Mashiyach means to season the world with His Righteousness, not to be conformed to Hellenism.  Torah and righteousness is everything that Hellenism is not.

     Heaven and earth shall pass away but the Word of YHWH endures forever, if the salt loses it's savor, it is good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under the foot of men.  There is a big difference between a Torah and a Token Jew, a Torah Jew is proud to live as a Jew, proud to be able to salt the earth with Judaism (Torah), proud of the Heritage and promises of the land of Israel, proud to serve YHWH who is merciful and just to all people, and proud to claim Y'shua Mashiyach as our Head Rabbi and King.  If YHWH was proud to create a people, give them a name and a calling,  and refer to Jews as His own special treasure it shouldn't be a burden to show our gratefulness to Him and live for Him.  The greatest Jew who ever lived said, "I have not come to abolish the Torah and the Prophets, but to fulfill."  That should be good enough for the rest of us, be a Jew, walk in Torah, salt the earth.

Shalom V'rachot,

Baruch Ben Daniel