"Brit-Am Now"- 406
May 27, 2004
Contents:
1. How Can I Help Brit-Am?
2. Orthodox Understanding of the Bible
3. The First Verses in Psalms
4. Messiah Son of David: Clarification
5. Ruth: Descended from Moab
1. How Can I Help Brit-Am?
>I also noticed there is no representation in XX for Brit-Am, I could be
>wrong however other than buying books and the newsletter how can I support
>the organization?
Answer: Apart from sending us offerings etc which we do need to keep going
I am not sure.
In several places groups were set up that held meetings etc. In most (but
not all) cases the groups did
not take off. It may be because of physical limitations, maybe we lack
organizational ability, perhaps
the time was not right, etc.
In cases where the groups were successful it was due to the personality of
the organizer
who was able to involve his/her group in other but related issues
(alongside support for Brit-Am
and an interest in Brit-Am themes) such as support for Israel,
Hebrew roots, etc. Maybe groups are not the solution?
Brit-Am relies strongly on Biblical Proof and this involves other religious
issues and it is virtually impossible
to expect people not to promote their own beliefs even though this may
interfere with the Brit-Am message.
I personally believe that the theme of Brit-Am is extremely important and I
know that many agree
with me but what exactly to do with the issue beyond spreading the word and
continuing research
in as many pertinent fields as possible I am not sure.
If any one has any suggestions on this subject please send them to us.
2. Orthodox Understanding of the Bible
Hi Yair, regarding the people who are interested in the Brit-Am message but
resist hearing anything about Orthodox belief, there are many more of us
who are not afraid of Orthodox understanding of the Bible and are not
offended if there is difference of understanding on some points. In fact
you offer a great opportunity for people from a traditional Christian
background to learn about the Bible. The folks you mention might benefit
from the quote you included in your mail:
(<<As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the
demand>>)
Thanks for all you do, Sally
I will sift the house of Ephraim among all nations, as grain is sifted in a
sieve;
yet shall not the least kernel fall upon the earth. (Amos 9:9)
3. The First Verses in Psalms
re "Brit-Am Now"-405
no. 7. Psalms 7
You are calling the first verse what I am thinking that the KJ people were
considering as titles. They were not sure if these titles were written by the
authors of the verses.
This is my guess.
This is my first time to hear that these were verses.
Stephen Hale from Midland.
Answer: You are right. I am sorry. I have a copy of the KJ Bible but did
not think to look at it.
Instead I only looked at the version I have on file in my computer which
does not include the
headings.
Anyway in the present printed Hebrew Bibles the "Headings" are counted as
the first verses
so what the KJ numbers as verse one in the Hebrew Bibles becomes verse two.
Apart from that in most (but not all) cases the verse numbering of the KJ
is the same as that
of the Hebrew Bibles. Here and there are however divergences in the verse
numbering
usually of only one number.
No-one really knows where the present chapter and verse numbering in
conventional usage comes
from. The most commonly accepted explanation is that it was introduced by
Christian printers
for printing convenience and the Jews also accepted it, again for the sake
of convenience.
4. Messiah Son of David: Clarification
"Brit-Am Now"-404
no. 4. Ruth
The future Messiah will be a descendant of King David
and therefore a descendant of Ruth who was an ancestress of King David.
A lot of verses directly and indirectly refer to this fact, e.g.
Isaiah 11:1
[Isaiah 11:1] THERE SHALL COME FORTH A SHOOT FROM THE STUMP OF JESSE, AND A
BRANCH SHALL GROW OUT OF HIS ROOTS.
This is speaking of the future Messiah son of David whose father was Jesse
(Yishai).
Jeremiah 23:5
[Jeremiah 23:5] BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD, THAT I WILL RAISE
UNTO DAVID A RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, AND A KING SHALL REIGN AND PROSPER, AND
SHALL EXECUTE JUDGMENT AND JUSTICE IN THE EARTH.
A descendant of David will arise who shall be righteous and will become the
leader of all the Israelites. This is the Messiah son of David.
Jeremiah 33:25-26
[Jeremiah 33:25] THUS SAITH THE LORD; IF MY COVENANT BE NOT WITH DAY AND
NIGHT, AND IF I HAVE NOT APPOINTED THE ORDINANCES OF HEAVEN AND EARTH;
[Jeremiah 33:26] THEN WILL I CAST AWAY THE SEED OF JACOB AND DAVID MY
SERVANT, SO THAT I WILL NOT TAKE ANY OF HIS SEED TO BE RULERS OVER THE SEED
OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB: FOR I WILL CAUSE THEIR CAPTIVITY TO RETURN,
AND HAVE MERCY ON THEM.
Ezekiel 37:24-25
[Ezekiel 37:24] AND DAVID MY SERVANT SHALL BE KING OVER THEM; AND THEY ALL
SHALL HAVE ONE SHEPHERD: THEY SHALL ALSO WALK IN MY JUDGMENTS, AND OBSERVE
MY STATUTES, AND DO THEM.
[Ezekiel 37:25] AND THEY SHALL DWELL IN THE LAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN UNTO
JACOB MY SERVANT, WHEREIN YOUR FATHERS HAVE DWELT; AND THEY SHALL DWELL
THEREIN, EVEN THEY, AND THEIR CHILDREN, AND THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN FOR
EVER: AND MY SERVANT DAVID SHALL BE THEIR PRINCE FOR EVER.
Psalms 18:51
[Psalms 19:1] THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD; AND THE FIRMAMENT
SHEWETH HIS HANDYWORK.
5. Ruth: Descended from Moab
Ruth in the Book of Ruth is depicted as being a Moabitess.
[Ruth 1:4] AND THEY TOOK THEM WIVES OF THE WOMEN OF MOAB; THE
NAME OF THE ONE WAS ORPAH, AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER RUTH: AND
THEY DWELLED THERE ABOUT TEN YEARS.
There was a taboo against Moab.
[Deuteronomy 23:3] AN AMMONITE OR MOABITE SHALL NOT ENTER INTO THE
CONGREGATION OF THE LORD; EVEN TO THEIR TENTH GENERATION SHALL THEY NOT
ENTER INTO THE CONGREGATION OF THE LORD FOR EVER:
We see from above that it was forbidden to intermarry with the Moabites.
How then did Machlon and later Boaz marry Ruth?
A British Israelite explanation (written I understand by the wife of Mr.
Michael Clarke, who is actually a friend of ours)
says that Ruth was a descendant of Israelites who had settled in Moab.
There is however no basis for this assumption in the Bible.
The Sages (Talmud, Yebamot 73;a) explained that the prohibition applied
to the males and not the females.
[Deuteronomy 23:4] BECAUSE THEY MET YOU NOT WITH BREAD AND WITH WATER IN
THE WAY, WHEN YE CAME FORTH OUT OF EGYPT; AND BECAUSE THEY HIRED AGAINST
THEE BALAAM THE SON OF BEOR OF PETHOR OF MESOPOTAMIA, TO CURSE THEE.
We see from the above:
The reasons for the prohibition were that they did not provide you with
provisions and that they hired a sorcerer to curse the Children of Israel.
These (in those days) were the tasks of males and the actions of males. The
females were not expected to participate in these actions and therefore
they did not bear the opprobrium of their results.
We see from biology and natural observation that certain qualities can be
passed down only through the males or only through the females.
Ruth attached herself to the Israelites and worked to provide for herself
and her widowed mother-in-law.
She demonstrated the possession of those virtues that were the opposite
qualities for which the prohibition against
the males of her nation had been enacted.
On a racial level the Moabites and Ammonites were close relatives of the
Israelites yet it was forbidden to accept their males into the community.
On the other hand someone who came from a distant land and from an
altogether different people could be accepted if he/she identified with us
and fulfilled certain conditions.
Legally today we can no longer be certain that someone really is descended
from Moab or Ammon.
Ever since Assyrian times most peoples of the world have been intermixed.
Therefore the prohibition
no longer applies since it would be impossible to properly apply it.
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