HaShoavah Blog, Israel: Culture, Judaism, Returning Israel

To Strengthen Judah. 2 Chronicles 11:17

I would like to submit this letter as a written record of my testimony concerning my return to Judaism. In 2001 September 11, 2001, I Gavriel ben David had a bat kol that instructed me to live as a Jew.

My ardent background consisted of first being raised in a Baptist church by my great-grandmother on my father’s side by Pennsylvania Upchurch and I later became an Altar Boy at the age of seven years of age at St. Martin’s Catholic Church where I served as an altar boy for 11 years. While in the military I had changed my faith to non-denominational and contemplated myself no longer a Catholic. In 1988 I was baptized at Buchanan Baptist Church and attended there for several months. Because of a doctrinal discrepancy, I immediately left and started going to a non-denominational church from 1988 to 2001, Trinity Fellowship Church in Amarillo Texas.

On September 11, 2001, an incredible change happened in my life, I was called to live as a Jew. I knew nothing of Judaism or what it meant to be Jewish, but I begin my pursuit to as- certain what it meant to be Jewish. One of the things I knew was Jews did not eat pork, and so, I immediately stopped eating and removed all foods from my diet that was declared unclean and was prohibited by the Bible. I also knew that Jews did not celebrate Christmas and in 2001, I stop celebrating Christmas.At that time in my life, things were very difficult within my family because of my wife, Christian herself, did not agree with my termination of Christmas.

This was a very difficult time for me in my life when I felt very alone and alienated from the world. In my prayers, I asked God, if I were crazy and was I doing what he wanted me to do. The very first Shabbat I celebrated was Parsha Miektz. The story of Joseph recognizing his brothers overwhelmed my heart, and I could not consummate reading the story because of the tears that flowed from eyes. I asked my wife to keep Shabbat with me that day, and it was then that my wife’s heart was touched and she began to see that I was very sincere and determined to do what God had asked me to do.

It was not long after this that while my daughter was in the hospital and the question still on my mind about me imagining all these things happening in my life and questioning my own sanity that I discovered a book while out getting a gift for my daughter. Mixed among books on music again God spoke to me and there was a book called my Journey to Jewish Orthodoxy by David Klinghoffer “The Lord Will Gather Me In” as I began to read the book my heart was touched and I had received my answer; I was doing what God wanted me to do.

It was in March of 2002 that I began preparing for Passover when my mother asked me about what I was doing. I informed her that I was preparing for Passover, and this was how Jews prepared by cleaning all the drawers in the kitchen and behind the furniture and re- moving the leaven from the house. My mother, with a strange look on her face, told me that every year about this time her mother had all the children remove everything out of the house and clean it. She said jokingly, “I thought she was punishing us.” I pondered what my mother had said about my grandmother and her doing the same thing that I was now doing.

Several weeks had passed since that incident with my mother, and we invited her to celebrate Shabbat with us. My mother joined us for Shabbat and my wife prepared herself to light the candles by covering her head with a scarf and began to light the candles. Lisa and I then called our three children to kneel before us so that we could bless them as we welcomed the Shabbat, and it was then that my mother began to cry. Lisa and I were confused and did not know why my mother was crying. I asked my mother, “What is wrong”? And her words change my life forever. My mother said to me,“Thank you, Junior, and I asked her,“thank me for what”? And my mother answered, “for letting me know whom I am” she said,“ I knew we weren’t Catholic, we did not do Catholic things.” My mother told me that every Friday night her mother would close the curtains and light candles and bless the kids, and she never knew why her mother did those things.

Since September 11, 2001, I have been trying to find proof of my Jewishness and at this time I have no legitimate proof outside my DNA and the testimony of my uncle’s and aunt and my mother Lorina Diaz concerning these traditions of lighting candles on Friday night and, also, the lighting of the Hanukkah candles. I do have relatives that have said we are Jewish through oral tradition. Also, I have a fourth cousin that is a Cohen with a family genealogy and history. I am writing this letter as a record of the Jewish people and to my own family of the journey that I have been on for these 15 years of my life. On January 12, 2017, I received the results of my uncle Yosef Diaz’s DNA test and I discovered that he was a Cohen match by the Jewish DNA group FamilyTree.com. This would make my grandfather Luz Diaz a Cohen and confirm the oral tradition of my family and our history.

I am convinced in my heart and my soul bears witness that I am connected to a land called Israel and to the Jewish people.  My grandfather was Luz Ramirez Diaz and this is my uncle’s DNA.

Sincerely yours,
Gavriel Ben David.

Chabad., Judaism, Oral Torah, Torah

Rules of Jewish Hermeneutics

Rules of Jewish Hermeneutics

Rules of Jewish Hermeneutics 101

If one is truly interested in learning then one must first submit himself or herself to Judah the “LAWGIVER” otherwise, One, is a law unto himself. Judah – The Lawgiver of God Hebrew:  Mechoqeck

There are rules to interpreting the Tanach handed down to us from Moshe Rabbeinu has part of the Torah.    One can not on his own interpret the Torah without knowing Hebrew because the Torah  is only the notes of those who stood at Sinai for the Lecture.

HaShoavah Blog

Why Be Jewish?

My Journey from Christianity to Judaism

The Torah quotes Balaam as saying, הֶן־עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב׃   ” It (Israel) is a nation that dwells in solitude and is not to be reckoned among the nations. ” Israel is a nation alone that does not intermingle with other nations.

Why is it necessary that we be a nation alone and why have we, throughout our history, always been the outsider and the foreigner?

 The role of Klal  Israel

the Jewish perspective regarding other nations/ religions is unique. We do not believe that other nations who do not follow our religion have no purpose in the general scheme of creation. Most of the religions believe that those who do not share their beliefs are denied salvation and may be considered infidels whose lives have little or no value, souls that are doomed or, at best, souls that can never achieve eternity.  We do not share this attitude.  We believe that all of mankind, Jews and non-Jews, were created b’tzelem Elokim- in the image of God- and deserve respect. We are forbidden to steal from non-Jews, to cheat him, or to mislead him in any way, even if our action cause him no loss or harm. Chazal teach us that non-Jews could have a share in the Olam Haba if they adhere to the 7 Noahide laws.  However, we also believe that Klal Yisrael  is the Am HaNivchar-the Chosen People- and, as such, we must understand the unique role of Klal Yisrael.

We were chosen to have a special relationship with Hashem and to serve him in a very  specific  and unique manner. However, this does not preclude the significance of non-Jews. There is an interrelationship between Jews and non-Jews. The purpose of Klal Yisrael is not merely self-centered on his own avodat Hashem, either as individuals or as a nation. We have a responsibility to other nations as well. The Navi says:  in Isaiah 49 verse 6, וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְאוֹר גּוֹיִם לִהְיוֹת יְשׁוּעָתִי עַד־קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ׃ – “I will make you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may extend to the ends of the earth.”

  This is the meaning of the verse “וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ־לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ ” – “You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The relationship between Jews and other nations is comparable to the relationship between the Kohanim (Priests) and other Jews. Kohanim Were given task that are different from those of other Jews and Kohanim were sanctified because their role in the service of Hashem is unique.

This website is dedicated to that role.  To work in harmony Jew and non-Jew together to make this world in the image of Hashem.

 

Oral Torah

Remember The Shabbat To Guard it and it Will Guard You.


Our Rabbi’s teach us that the Shabbat is what has kept Israel and not the other way around, and so, today, as we, who are returning to the Sabbath Queen and her every lasting spirit and her connection to the GOD of Israel, are looking to her for answers in this world that is bring us back to our past, where she will once again keep us in this time of Jacob’s Trouble.

 

The more the world changes, the more it stays the same. That is why she has stood so tall in the lives of her people, Israel. She is a beacon of hope to all those who look to the promises of our Father in heaven. The land of holy contentment and her Sabbath rest for all those who believe and stay faithful to her. The Shabbat and her message of freedom continues to speak to the world and the Torah is still going forth to proclaim liberty to the captives. (Leviticus 25:10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family). By the way this is what is written on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Today, as spoken by the Prophets of old, we have forsaken Adonai’s Shabbat’s and chosen to disregard or replace her with our own. Ezekiel 20:14 But I wrought for my name’s sake that it should not be polluted before the heathen in whose sight I brought them out.Ezekiel 20:15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey which is the glory of all lands; Ezekiel 20:16 Because they despised my judgments and walked not in my statutes but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Today as the people of Adonai we are in the wilderness of the peoples and the word of Adonai will go void. We have profaned His Sabbaths. Ezekiel 20:18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols Ezekiel 20:19 I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes and keep my judgments, and do them; Ezekiel 20:20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. The Shabbat gives us insight to Adoani’s plans. 1) The Sabbath is a Festival of YHVH 2) The Sabbath teaches us about our rest in Yeshua 3) YHVH promises abundant blessings for celebrating the Sabbath 4) The non-Jews may celebrate the Sabbath 5) The Sabbath is a day of rest and no work should be done 6) You are permitted to do good on the Sabbath 7) The Sabbath is the 7th day of creation 8) The Sabbath is the day of the Lord 9) The Sabbath foreshadows the Messianic Era 10) The day of the Lord begins the Messianic Era 11) ‘In that day’ and ‘At that time’ are idioms for the Messianic Era Sabbath 12) The Sabbath is a remembrance of creation 13) The Sabbath is a remembrance of redemption The Sabbath is a remembrance of restoration 15) The Sabbath is linked with sanctification and holiness 16) The Sabbath is linked with marriage 17) The Sabbath is the wedding ring of the covenant vow at mount Sinai Keeping the Sabbath prepares the Bride for her wedding The Sabbath foreshadows the promise land 20) The Sabbath is linked with believing the words of Yeshua 21) The Sabbath will be kept during the Messianic Era and for all eternity The word Shabbat is also used to describe the holidays; Passover and Unleavened Bread, the First of the Harvest, Pentecost,Tabernacles, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, all these are referred to as Shabbat. The word Shabbat is used to describe the weekly Sabbath, the feast, the sabbatical year in the Jubilee year. These four uses of the word Shabbat teaches us a basic principle of the Torah. The weekly Shabbat is a day of rest. On that we produced nothing. We enjoy what we have created and the other 6 days of the week. It is not that we must rest completely, which denotes the Shabbat, but it is our ceasing from trying to impose our will on nature. Obviously, it is more work to walk a mile to sure than to strike a match. Walking to shull is allowed, but striking a match is not. Man was created to be both mediator and creator. On Shabbat we are to reaffirm our role as man the mediator. We are also to proclaim loudly and clearly that a person’s word does not depend on whether he can produce. Man has many roles in this world, and only one is producing. Man has dignity even if he does not produce. We reject completely the notion that when human beings stop being able to produce, that they should be done away with. That is, of course, what Hitler did when he got rid of the mental defectives and retarded. The word Shabbat is also used for the holidays. Holidays celebrate the spiritual experiences which occurred to the entire people of Israel. Passover, Tabernacles, and Pentecost celebrated historical events when God touched the lives of the total community. These holidays teaches the importance of community, and help each of us provide the needs a community in order to be spiritually whole, and how we should all have the right to form religious communities so we can reach up to God. In communist Russia today people are looked at as a means to and end. People exist to serve the state, to serve the so-called interests of the working class. The community is not allowed to form if it does not serve the purpose of state communism. Fascism, too, is based on the same premise that the individual exists for the state, and Naziism is based on the principle that the individual exists for the state or the nation. All these ideas are denied when we call the holidays Shabbat. We proclaim that man was created to serve God, and not other men or creations of man. The third use of the word Shabbat teaches us that we are responsible for each other’s welfare. The sabbatical year proclaims that the highest values are nonmaterial values but spiritual values, and that we must learn to share our wealth with the poor and unfortunate, that man’s power is limited and should be limited, and that we have to recognize the limits of our power, that we cannot continually hold people and it, that we cannot use tricks or company stores and serfdom to enslave people, that we cannot use economic devices to subjugate people as they do in South America and now North America. The forth use of the word Shabbat is connected with the Jubilee year. It says, and you shall sanctify the 50th year, and you shall proclaim freedom in the land all its inhabitants. The phrase you shall proclaim freedom in all the lands to all its inhabitants is on the Liberty Bell. The rabbis teach us that it says you shall proclaim freedom in the land to all its inhabitants and not just to its slaves because when you enslave a person, you’re forced to stay down in the mud with him. You have no freedom also if you have slaves. In South Africa today they’re realizing the truth of the statement. You cannot keep people down unless you’re willing to spend a lot of time and effort keeping them down and unless you’re willing to be cool and vicious and unless you’re willing to sale your own soul. The reason the British gave up their empire was not that they were kicked out, but it took too much time, effort and wealth to continue to subjugate the people they ruled. It was not worth corrupting of their soul for it either. There were better ways to generate wealth. In ancient days people did not know about science and technology and thoughts the only way to generate wealth was their conquest. The rabbis teach us that this wealth generated through conquest will not do us any good. One of the most important values of Shabbat stands for this freedom, and you cannot have freedom if you are enslaving others. Your freedom, too, circumscribed. If one just lives for himself, his life soon loses all meaning, and he ends up on drugs and Alcohol. Man must live for values greater than himself, and he must be willing to sacrifice for these values if his life is to have any meaning. The paradox is that in order for life to have any meaning in must be willing to risk it for values greater than life, for the values which states that the individual is important even if he does not produce, with a value which states that everyone has the right to organize a religious community to reach God, that the spiritual values in life are what counts, for the value which states that we must learn to share material things with others, and for the value of freedom. The mercy and loving kindness of Adonai is incorporated into the Shabbats. Teaching us that we are worthy of His love even when we are not doing anything. This is what our Rabbi’s taught when they advised us to labor to enter into His rest. Every commandment that we guard and preform brings us closer to Adoani. All the commandments wrapped in the Shabbat. The care for the poor. The deliverance of the captives. The proclamation of freedom to rest and to delight yourself in the one who created everything for our benefit. The message of the good news of the coming of the redeemer of Israel and the nations. The resistance to the evil of mankind and the enslavement of the world.

House of The Water Pouring