Parsha B'Shalach (Sh'mot (Exodus) 13:17-17:16)

 

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Weekly Stick of Joseph Torah Study (1/31/21)
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Parsha B'Shalach (Sh'mot (Exodus) 13:17-17:16)
Haftorah: Shof'tim (Judges) 4:4-5:31
Stick of Joseph: 1Nefi 1:14-17 (LDS 4:1-18)

This week's Torah Parsha deals with the parting of the Red Sea, and the destruction of Pharaoh's army.

In 1 Nefi 1:14, Nefi’s brothers spar with Nefi, using a kol v’khomer (1st Rule of Hillel) argument:

And after the angel had departed, Laman and L’mu’el again began to murmur, saying, How is it possible that YHWH will deliver Lavan into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man and he can command fifty, yes, even he can slay fifty, then why not us? (1 Nefi 1:14 (LDS 4:1-4)

But Nefi responds with his own kol v’komer (First Hule of Hillel) argument:

And it came to pass that I spoke unto my brothers, saying, Let us go up again unto Yerushalayim, and let us be faithful in keeping the mitzvot of YHWH. For behold, he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Lavan and his fifty? Yes, or even than his tens of thousands? (1 Nefi 1:15 )LDS 4:1-4))

Nefi’s brothers had also been educated by Lechi in the use of kol v’khomer. But Nefi overcomes their kol v’khomer argument with an even stronger kol v’khomer argument. Their argument was flawed, because the true argument is not to weigh the might of Nefi and his brothers against the might of Lavan, but to weigh the might of Lavan against that of YHWH!

Nefi ben Lechi then presents his account of the retrieval of the Brass Plates as an aggadic midrash on Sh'mot 14:1-31 expanding on this First Rule of Hillel argument. Nefi presents this midrash in 1Nefi 1:15 (LDS 4:1-4):

"And it came to pass that I spoke unto my brothers, saying, Let us go up again unto Yerushalayim, and let us be faithful in keeping the mitzvot of YHWH. For behold, he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Lavan and his fifty? Yes, or even than his tens of thousands? Therefore, let us go up. Let us be strong like unto Moshe, for he truly spoke unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither and our fathers came through out of captivity on dry ground, (Ex. 14:21) and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea. Now behold, you know that this is true; and you also know that an angel has spoken unto you. Wherefore, can you doubt? Let us go up. YHWH is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Lavan, even as the Egyptians."

Here Nefi reveals to us a midrash whereby the armies of Pharaoh represent Lavan, and Lavan's death is symbolized by the death of Pharaoh's army. Just as Pharaoh hardened his heart, and would not let the Hebrews go, Lavan had hardened his heart and would not let go of the Brass Plates. Both Pharaoh and Lavan were given several chances, let both hardened their hearts against YHWH.

According to this midrash, The Assembly of Israel in conflict with Pharaoh represents Nefi in conflict with Lavan. Just as Moshe and the Assembly of Israel had to cross the Red Sea to reach Mount Sinai and receive the Torah, Nefi had to return to Jerusalem to acquire the Brass Plates containing the Torah. Just as it was important for the Assembly of Israel to have the Torah before entering the wilderness, cross the Jordan and enter the promised land, it was likewise essential for Nefi and his people to have the Torah (on the Brass Plates) before dwelling in the wilderness, crossing the ocean and entering their promised land:

"...I remembered the words of YHWH which he spoke unto me in the wilderness, saying that inasmuch as your seed shall keep my mitzvot, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yes, and I also thought that they could not keep the mitzvot of YHWH according to the Torah of Moshe except they should have the Torah. And I also knew that the Torah was engraved upon the plates of brass. And again, I knew that YHWH had delivered Lavan into my hands for this cause, that I might obtain the records according to his mitzvot. Therefore, I did obey the voice of the spirit and took Lavan by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword."
(1Nefi 1:17 (LDS 4:14-18))

Nefi is using the First Rule of Hillel and Aggadic Midrash in the typical Jewish fashion to relate to us this account, so that we are to understand that the acquisition of the Brass Plates was as profound and event for Nefi and his people, as the crossing of the Red Sea and receiving of the Torah had been for the Assembly of Israel.

This material has the ring of a true ancient Jewish record.

Why Am I Torah Observant?

Why Am I Torah Observant?

by

Mike Jones

There is a common misconception that many Christians have, that in so-called “Old Testament” times, people had to keep the law of Moses to be saved, and that Messiah came to bring an end to that system, so that after Messiah came, men no longer needed to observe Torah, because now they could be saved thru repentance and faith in Yeshua. 

The problem with this thinking, is that it misses a very special continuity between so-called “Old Testament” and “New Testament” times.  The truth is that no one could ever earn their salvation.  Just as people in so-called “New Testament” times were saved by looking back at the death of Messiah, so also were people in “Old Testament” times saved thru repentance and faith, looking forward to the death of Messiah.  As Binyamin said, long before the death of Messiah:

14 For behold, the time comes and is not far distant that with power YHWH Omnipotent who reigns, who was and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from Heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth among men, working mighty miracles such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases. And he shall cast out demons, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men. And lo, he shall suffer temptations and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer except it be unto death. For behold, blood comes from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. And he shall be called Yeshua HaMashiach, the Son of Elohim the Father of Heaven and of earth, the creator of all things from the beginning; and his Mother shall be called Miryam. And lo, he comes unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men, even through faith on his name. And even after all this, they shall consider him as a man and say that he has a demon, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him. And he shall rise the third day from the dead.
15 And behold, he stands to judge the world. And behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men. For behold, and also his blood atones for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of Elohim concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned. But woe, woe unto him who knows that he rebels against Elohim; for salvation comes to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Adon Yeshua HaMashiach. And Adonai YHWH has sent his holy prophets among all the children of men to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Mashiach should come, the same might receive remission of their sins and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them. 

16  Yet Adonai YHWH saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a Torah, even the Torah of Moshe. And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he unto them concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spoke unto them concerning his coming. And yet they hardened their hearts and understood not that the Torah of Moshe avails nothing except it were through the atonement of his blood. And even if it were possible that little children could sin, they could not be saved. But I say unto you, they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam or by nature they fall, even so the blood of Mashiach atones for their sins. And moreover, I say unto you that there shall be no other name given, nor any other way nor means by which salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Mashiach YHWH Omnipotent….

(Moshiyah 1:14-16a)

This brings us to an important fact, that is lost on many people.  Torah observance was never a method of salvation, and so the method of salvation never changed.  This is also evident in the so-called “New Testament,” but this continuity is even more clear in the Stick of Joseph.  And since we were never observing Torah to earn salvation, there was no real change at the “meridian of time” as to how people were saved.  Since Torah was never a method of earning salvation, why did anyone observe Torah.

It is very important that we do not observe Torah out of an expectation that we are earning something.  M’raman (Mormon) wrote:

And now I, M’raman, speak unto you, my beloved brothers. And it is by the grace of Elohim the Father and our Adon Yeshua HaMashiach and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time. Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the assembly, that are the peaceable followers of Mashiach, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which you can enter into the rest of YHWH, from this time henceforth, until you shall rest with him in Heaven. And now, my brothers, I judge these things of you because of your peaceable walk with the children of men. For I remember the word of Elohim which says, By their works, you shall know them. For if their works be good, then they are good also. For behold, Elohim has said, A man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offers a gift or prays unto Elohim, except he shall do it with real intent, it profits him nothing. For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. For behold, if a man being evil gives a gift, he does it grudgingly; wherefore, it is counted unto

him the same as if he had retained the gift. Wherefore, he is counted evil before Elohim.
(M’roni 7:2).

When M’raman says: “A man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offers a gift or prays unto Elohim, except he shall do it with real intent, it profits him nothing.”

His words have the same effect as these:

"...all are the same, the one who offers much and the one who offers little, on condition that a man will direct his intention to Heaven."
(m.Menachot 13:11)

Antigones of Soko received [Torah] from Simeon the Righteous. He used to say, “Be not like servants who serve their master for the sake of wages, but be like servants who serve their master with no thought of a wage – and let the fear of Heaven be upon you.”
(m.Avot 1:3)

So why observe Torah?  We read in the Tanya:

… the "garments" of the soul in the Can Eden (Paradise) are the commandments while the Torah is the "food" for the souls which, during life on earth, had occupied themselves in the study of the Torah for its own sake. It is [similarly] written in the Zohar. As for the meaning of "For its own sake," it is [study with the intent] to attach one's soul to G-d through the comprehension of the Torah, each one according to his intellect,…
(Tanya Likutei Amarim 5)

And as we read in the Zohar:

Rabbi El'azar said, "Whoever engages in Torah for her own sake,
does not die by means of the Yetzer Ra (Evil Inclination),
since he grasps the Tree of Life, never letting go."
(Zohar 1:168a)

And when M’raman says “, if a man being evil gives a gift, he does it grudgingly; wherefore, it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift.

His words have the same effect as these:

Rabban Johanan b. Zakkai said to his disciples: My sons, what is the meaning of the verse, Righteousness exalteth a nation, but the kindness of the peoples is sin? (Prov. 14:34) R. Eliezer answered and said: ‘Righteousness exalteth a nation:’ this refers to Israel of whom it is written, Who is like thy people Israel one nation in the earth? (2Sam 7:23) But ‘the kindness of the peoples is sin’: all the charity and kindness done by the heathen is counted to them as sin, because they only do it to magnify themselves"
(b.Babba Batra 10b)

That is to say, that when one does a good deed with the intent of gaining a reward, one is acting from the evil inclination. 

Let us now return to the main question, since we do not observe Torah in order to “get paid” but only “for its own sake” and since man has always obtained salvation thru faith in Messiah, even in so-called “Old Testament’ times, then nothing changed in relation to Torah observance at the death of Messiah.

So why do we now, and why have we always observed Torah from a pure motive, not as an effort to gain something?  Because we read in the Torah:

Therefore you shall love YHWH your Elohim, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always.

(Deut 11:1)

And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love YHWH your Elohim, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

(Deut. 11:13)

We observe Torah as an act of our love to YHWH.  That did not change at the meridian of time.

Christmas and the Apostasy

CHRISTMAS.
See APOSTASY,... EASTER,... Modern day Christians celebrate December 25th as an annual church festival and as the traditional day of our Lord's mortal birth.... both Christmas itself and the whole yuletide season often take on an air of commercialism and worldliness... but the saints nevertheless join in....
- Bruce R. McConkie; Mormon Doctrine; Article "Christmas"

Yet D&C 84 says:

54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—
58 That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion.
(D & C 84:54-58) 

Torah is Not an Obsolete Old Testament System

We read in Mosiah:

5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.

6 And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.

7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

8 And he shall be called Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Miriam.

9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

10 And he shall arise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.

11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned.

12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Messiah should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.

14 Yet the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses.

15 And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he unto them, concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spake unto them concerning his coming; and yet they hardened their hearts, and understood not that the law of Moses availeth nothing except it were through the atonement of his blood.

16 And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Messiah atoneth for their sins.

17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Messiah, the Lord Omnipotent.

(Mosiah 3:5-17)

These verses maker it clear that salvation has always come only through the blood of Messiah.  Even in “Old Testament Times” salvation came by faith “that Messiah should come” and such persons were saved “even as though he had already come among them.” 

This means that the “law of Moses” is not an obsolete Old Testament system of salvation.  The idea that one could earn salvation through Torah Observance, is not an obsolete system, it is a false theology that was never true!

The Torah was not a schoolmaster that brought the world  to Messiah, it is a schoolmaster that brings individuals to faith in Messiah.  This in no way implies that the Torah should not be kept (any more than it did in King Binyamin;s time).

At last! A Messianic Jewish Edition of the Book of Mormon!

At last!  A Messianic Jewish Edition of the Book of Mormon!
https://stickofjoseph.info/

Nephi's Vision of the Apostasy and Jerome's Admission

In the Stick of Joseph, Nephi has a vision of the future events.  In this vision an angel of the Lord explains this vision to him and says regarding the Bible:

24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.
25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.
28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
(1Nephi 13:24-29 (3:165-172 RLDS)

Then in the next chapter Nephi's vision continues, a bit later the Angel later tells Nephi that this great and abominable church which resulted from this Gentilization of the Church is the great whore:

9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.
10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.
11 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.
12 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw.
13 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.
(1Nephi 14:9-13 (3:219-229 RLDS))

 In a letter to Augustine, the fourth century Church Father (and translator of the Latin Vulgate Bible) Jerome makes an amazing admission concerning the original Jewish followers of Yeshua (called "Nazarenes"):

“The matter in debate, therefore, or I should rather say your opinion regarding it, is summed up in this: that since the preaching of the gospel of Christ, the believing Jews do well in observing the precepts of the law, i.e. in offering sacrifices as Paul did, in circumcising their children, as Paul did in the case of Timothy, and keeping the Jewish Sabbath, as all the Jews have been accustomed to do. If this be true, we fall into the heresy… [of those who] though believing in Christ, were anathematized by the fathers for this one error, that they mixed up the ceremonies of the law with the gospel of Christ, and professed their faith in that which was new, without letting go what was old. …In our own day there exists a sect among the Jews throughout all the synagogues of the East, which is called the sect of the Minæans, and is even now condemned by the Pharisees. The adherents to this sect are known commonly as Nazarenes; they believe in Christ the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary; and they say that He who suffered under Pontius Pilate and rose again, is the same as the one in whom we believe. But while they desire to be both Jews and Christians, they are neither the one nor the other. I therefore beseech you, who think that you are called upon to heal my slight wound, which is no more, so to speak, than a prick or scratch from a needle, to devote your skill in the healing art to this grievous wound, which has been opened by a spear driven home with the impetus of a javelin. For there is surely no proportion between the culpability of him who exhibits the various opinions held by the fathers in a commentary on Scripture, and the guilt of him who reintroduces within the Church a most pestilential heresy. If, however, there is for us no alternative but to receive the Jews into the Church, along with the usages prescribed by their law; if, in short, it shall be declared lawful for them to continue in the Churches of Christ what they have been accustomed to practice in the synagogues of Satan, I will tell you my opinion of the matter: they will not become Christians, but they will make us Jews.
 (Jerome; Letter 75)


Jerome summarizes what Augustine had written to him saying of the Nazarenes: “since the preaching of the gospel of Christ, the believing Jews do well in observing the precepts of the law, i.e. in offering sacrifices as Paul did, in circumcising their children, as Paul did in the case of Timothy, and keeping the Jewish Sabbath, as all the Jews have been accustomed to do.” (Jerome; Letter 75 Jerome to Augustine)

Jerome responds to Augustine by saying of the Nazarenes “though believing in Christ, [they] were anathematized by the [church] fathers for this one error, that they mixed up the ceremonies of the law with the gospel of Christ, and professed their faith in that which was new, without letting go what was old.”  (ibid)  In other words Augustine and Jerome tell us that the Nazarene doctrine that the Torah is for all generations, forever,  began with “the preaching of Christ” and that this was the doctrine kept by Paul. "When it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord," (1Nephi 13:24) That these things went " forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles." (1Nephi 13:25)

But  after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church," (!Nephi 13:26) because  the church “fathers” declared this doctrine to be an error and a heresy.

Nephi prophesied of this Great Apostasy and the Church Father Jerome admitted it! 

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Morning Star October 1832: Saturday Sabbath

"Brethren in the Lord, good advise is like springs in the wilderness; you may drink at one and drink at another, and pure water always tastes agreeable. Never plan your business on Saturday so that it might interfere with the solemn duties of the Sabbath, for the Lord will not hold you guiltless if you do. His sacred command is: Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The Lord is not well pleased with the disciple that does any thing on that holy day that should be done on laboring day. Nor should a disciple go to meeting one Sabbath here, and another there; let all that can, be strict to attend meeting in their own place, (and let those elders who are faithful, visit the several churches from time to time, instructing them in the knowledge of the truth and in the peaceable things of the kingdom,) that they may surround the sacrament table of the Lord, with a pure heart, as an earnest, that they are at peace with their brethren, and in favor with him whose still, small voice, whispers: Thy sins are forgiven thee. Neither should the children be allowed to slip off and play, rather than meet where they may be trained up in the way they should go to be saved. We are the children of God, and let us not put off his law. When a saint works on the Sabbath, the world can reply: So do we. When the saints travel to do business on the Sabbath, the world can reply: So do we. When the saints go from one meeting to another to see and be seen, the world can reply: So do we. When the children of the saints play on the Sabbath, the world can reply: So do ours. Brethren, watch, that you may enter into the Lord's sacred rest."
(Morning Star volume 1 October 1832.)