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"It is better to take refuge in Adonai than to trust in human beings; better to take refuge in Adonai than to put one's trust in princes." -Tehilah 118:8-9



Who Am I? What Am I Doin' Here?
Friday, October 23, 2009

An interesting post on Messianic Jewish identity and blogger discussions thereof caught my eye. In it, the author writes:
Let me say it again: Messianic Judaism will never be a legitimate form of Judaism as long as Yeshua is Lord.
Which leads me to ask a series of questions:

The author argues:
There's a great inferiority complex in Messianic Judaism. Some of its leaders are trying very hard to make it fit in with greater Judaism, even to the point of alienating its own gentile friends and abandoning the New Testament model of joint, equal fellowship of Jews and gentiles.
Which leads me to ask why a Messianic Jew is defining a desire to relate to other Jews as a method for destroying relationships with gentiles? In the context of his argument why are the Jewish people still the scapegoat to be blamed for the "problems" of Jewish-Goyim relations?

Even more importantly, in the context of this conversation, why are Messianic Jews pinning one group against the other? And why is a Messianic Jew using Judaism as the fall guy?

One of the bloggers cited by this author writes:
by our own fault, and the simple overwhelming number of non-Jewish followers of Yeshua, the result of Messianic Judaism has largely been reduced to being a Torah revival for Christians.
To which I ask, what kind of "Torah revival" encourages gentile believers to continue behaving like gentiles, when the true purpose of Torah is to create a viable, sustainable, holy (a.k.a. "set aside"/"different") culture known as Judaism? If these goyim are truly adhering to Torah, doesn't that render them goyim-no-more? Aren't they, according to Rav Shaul, Jews in the sight of G-d?

Then again, I suppose that argument depends on whose eyes are G-d's, and that itself is dependent upon...who? The masses? The leadership? The blogger publishing a post? This blogger cites that "Nearly 95% of all Messianic congregations' websites state the purpose of a Messianic congregation is 'to be a congregation of Jews and non-Jews worshiping together.'" So, I suppose then that the difference between Jew and goy reside in the methodology that brings the most people in seats and the most money in the collection plates. Nothing much has changed; just ask the Guy who knocked over the merchants' tables for turning His Father's house into a "den of theives."

This particular blogger goes on to say:
It is not faith in Yeshua that is largely the stumbling block keeping us from effectively being a home to Jewish believers and seekers – it is our own hang ups.
This is absolutely true. The psychoses of the Messianic world are unmeasureable, unfathomable, and oftentimes so ridiculous and absurd it is a wonder that there is any functioning Messianic world at all, but for the mercy of HaShem Himself. The Messianic world has become a group of glorified navel-gazers, obsessed with seeing demonic forces around every corner and behind every sling and arrow shot our way. In short, they are trying so hard to be holy that they've forgotten how to be human. Didn't our Messiah dwell on earth to do exactly that--to illustrate the marriage between human and divine, to emphasize our inability in order to strengthen our faith in His ability?

Yet another blogger cited in the original complaint argues:
God, as I see it, was moving the hearts of Jews not only to follow Jesus as the long-promised Messiah, but also to identify as Jews and eventually to return to Judaism.
Which again, leads me to ask:

And, also:

This blogger continues:
Increasingly, however, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, Messianic Judaism became a haven for non-Jews looking to find a restoration of a perceived early church or some alternative to a church that had grown soft on Biblical practice and strong on revivalist tradition.

In other words, something God had been doing amongst Jewish people became a predominantly Gentile movement.

We could stop here and ask a lot of questions:
–What are some good reasons for Gentiles to be involved in Messianic Judaism?
–What are some less than helpful reasons for Gentiles to be involved?
–How can Messianic Jewish synagogues encourage the right Gentiles to stay and the wrong ones to move on and form their own movements?
Whether or not that is the reason for increased gentile involvement, I cannot say. But the questions this blogger asks are cheeky, at best, and completely ignorant of prophecy, at worst. Since when did Messianic Judaism become the "He-Jews Goyim-Haters Club"? Perhaps since it has become populated largely by Americanized, gentilized, Christianized people with absolutely no connection, no history, and no truly expressed interest in anything perceptively culturally Jewish outside of tallitot and shofarim that can be sold off to investors who phone in their donations by credit card.

In other words, Messianic Judaism suffers from the same cultural influenza that has been plaguing Diaspora Judaism since its inception in 70 C.E.: It is battling for cultural freedom against an opposition that is larger, stronger, and more overwhelming in nature than any one person or group could ever seemingly consume.

The reason Messianic Judaism is suffering an identity crisis is not because it favors gentiles over Jews or vice-versa. Messianic Judaism is suffering an identity crisis because it is a Biblical faith displaced into a world gone mad. Messianic Judaism is "in the world, but not of the world".

As to Messianic Judaism's relationship to and with Judaism at large, I'll revisit the questions I've been asking since the beginning of this post:

And, also:


The simple fact of the matter is that as long as Messianics continue to draw lines between Messianic Judaism, Rabbinic/Mainstream Judaism, and the gentile world, they will continue to "other" themselves into an ineffectual corner. It is also true that they cannot survive if they seek to imitate anyone else--Jewish or gentile alike. Messianic Jews must simply spend less time trying to be defined and more time defining themselves--not in light of the way everyone else thinks, but in light of the way G-d has always meant us to be.

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posted by Shoshana @ 3:35 PM




Real Jews Don't Pay Retail
Saturday, November 15, 2008

On the Inspiration Network they're running a telethon. The prize of the day: For a $700 gift you get a prayer shawl.

A tallit.

One of the most sacred cultural emblems of the Jewish faith.

You get it for $700 bucks.

Pure Jewish reaction: "You can get them for $50 straight from Israel! What kind of deal is that?"

Pure Messianic Jewish reaction: "Why are you co-opting my faith and making money off of my traditions? Didn't that whole 'They bargained for His robes' verse mean ANYTHING to you at ALL?"

Seriously. How much credibility do Jewish believers have when gentile believers take on these cultural elements and manipulate them for their own benefit? It's as bad as turning the Temple into a den of robbers. Although, it really shouldn't surprise me; gentiles have been re-hashing and manipulating Jewish scriptures to suit their own needs for roughly 2,000 years, right?

Now, Pastor Huch is wearing a talit and praying over phoned-in prayer requests, because "there's power in doing things according to God's instruction."

No, really? Like ripping innocent believers off by telling them they'll receive supernatural anointing if they unload their wallets into your hands? Since when did God charge for the gifts of the Spirit?

The talit is a metaphor, a symbol for the wings of God; it is used by many observant Jews as a kind of individual prayer closet; it is the mode by which we wear the tzitzit, commanded fringes that identify who we are and remind us of the holiness of Torah, our covenant with God. And these gentiles, who don't observe Torah, who don't identify with Israel or the responsibilities of our nation, and who, therefore, don't even know what tzitzit are- are being SOLD prayer shawls by a bunch of pastors who want MONEY for THEIR OWN PURPOSES, INCLUDING A BUILDING FUND?

GOD'S GIFTS ARE FREE!

GOD'S GIFTS ARE FOR EVERYONE!

GOD REALLY DISLIKES SPIRITUAL LEADERS WHO ABUSE THEIR AUTHORITY!

One Pastor in the bunch explained, "God says He will bless us but we have to follow His commandments and tithe!"

Are you kidding me? Here's what people are hearing: "God will bless me if I give this holy man money. If I give this holy man money, I'll get the prayer shawls the Jews wear, and I'll have money like they do!"

No. No. No no no no no!!

Why aren't they just sharing the importance of Torah? Because it's hard. It's hard not to eat pork, or to put a Christmas tree in your house-- it's hard NOT to be like everyone else. I know-- I've been there. But, you know what? It's also an incredible blessing to know that you can be totally and completely independent. Torah is the founding document of spiritual, political, religious, social, economical, and national independence. That is the real reason why they don't teach Torah-- because if they did, these leaders would lose their authority over the people. Why? Because the people would catch on to the truth of their independence in HaShem and, suddenly, the authority they grant their pastors and spiritual leaders would be granted solely to HaShem.

"Furthermore, he gave some people as emissaries, some as prophets, some as proclaimers of the Good News, and some as shepherds and teachers. Their task is to equip God's people for the work of service that builds the body of Messiah, until we arrive at the unity implied by trusting and knowing the Son of God, at full manhood, at the standard of maturity set by God's perfection." - Ephesians 4:11-13

Pastors aren't meant to lead you through your life forever! Pastors are meant to guide you into an independent existence that trusts in HaShem!

Now, T.D. Jakes is talking about separating the wheat from the chaff and rebuking Satan. This is the same guy whose daughter's wedding was covered by Entertainment Tonight.

"Human being, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy! Tell them, the shepherds, that Adonai Elohim says this: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep? ...I am against the shepherds. I demand that they hand my sheep back to me. I will not allow them to feed the sheep, and they won't feed themselves either. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths; they will be food for them no longer." - Ezekiel 34:2,10

Okay, Pastors. You want to embrace Torah? You want your Jewish roots? Then quit thinking that the prophets were only talking about the leaders of ancient Israel. You're the shepherds, aren't you? And if you can wear a prayer shawl, you must think Torah-- ALL of God's words-- apply to you, right?

Start acting like it. Quit abusing the traditions of my faith for your own nefarious purposes. Quit abusing my people for the sake of your pocket. And quit abusing all of those true-hearted believers out there who really do want to understand why their Messiah is referred to as the Living Torah.

Remember, you believers: God's gifts are free. Yeshua paid the price. If you want to truly respect and understand what that means, you'll embrace the covenant--Torah-- and in doing so you'll come to understand that you weren't put on this earth to throw your hard-earned money at a bunch of glamorous church leaders who do nothing more for you OR God but throw familiar epithets in your face. Don't rely on leaders- BE a leader. That's what God has commanded of you.

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posted by Shoshana @ 12:50 PM




Redemption in Obama's "Jesus Story"
Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Greek columns. Fanfare. Shouting, jumping, and rolling in the aisles.

I'm not talking about a revival meeting in a megachurch; I'm talking about just an average day on the Obama campaign trail.

Now, in a desperate attempt to woo Christians to the left, a PAC called "The Matthew 25 Network" has cropped up to cast B. Hussein Obama in a holy light. Not like Louis Farrakhan did when he dubbed B. Hussein the Islamic Messiah, oh no. M25N wants to bless Obama in a more, shall we say, Judeo-Christian fashion.

One might be tempted to ask how a Christian PAC go about appropriating Matthew 25, a chapter about unprepared Virgin Brides with no oil for their lamps, paranoid servants making unwise investments, and the Messiah separating the sheep from the goats at the second coming, to endorse Barack Obama.

Sure, the organization performs some quick exegesis, taking from the chapter one verse that comes in handy, in this case, verse 40: "The King will say to them, 'Yes! I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did them for me!'," a verse rich in moral teaching when placed in perspective. But, one might inquire as to the relevance of verse 41 that reads: "Then he will also speak to those on his left saying, 'Get away from me, you who are cursed! Go off into the fire prepared for the Adversary and his angels!'"

Somehow, interpreting that verse in light of the current political climate might cause more than one Bible-believing voter to think twice before associating the most left-leaning Senator in this nation's history with Jesus Christ.

And yet, that is exactly the association a Matthew 25 Network representative made this morning on CNN. "Barack Obama's got a Jesus story," were his exact words.

A "Jesus Story"? What exactly is a "Jesus Story" anyway? As far as I know, there is only one Jesus Story because there is only one Jesus. I happen to think of Him as an Israeli carpenter from Judea who fulfilled the prophetic words in Torah (Genesis 22) and the prophets (Isaiah 53) regarding the Messiah who would come to redeem Israel and the nations.

Liberals, however, happen to think of him as an African-American who grew up as a Muslim in Indonesia, purposefully surrounded himself with "radicals" including "Marxist professors" during his college years, and whose ideology fulfills the Marxist axiom, "From each according to his ability to each according to his needs."

Now there's a guy to whom I want to bow.

Hey, they hail him in Germany:


That's always a good sign ...right?

My Jesus had working schlubs-- fishermen, tax collectors, and prostitutes-- for followers. Sure, they gave up their bad habits and all they owned to devote their lives to serving their Messiah and living out the principles He taught them, including humility and servitude towards one another and their neighbor through great personal sacrifice.

The Liberals' messiah has cultured, educated, traveled, professional men and women working for him. Sure, they embrace murder and general acts of terrorism both in America and against American allies abroad, destruction, fraud, racism, anti-Semitism and generalized hatred, but they've given their lives to their causes. In fact, at least one of them still wishes he could do more, insisting that he and his wife "haven't done enough."


My Jesus was sacrificed for world redemption.

The Liberals' messiah would like to sacrifice Americans in order to redeem world opinion.

My Messiah preached personal freedom through an end to slavery.

The Liberals' messiah preaches enslavement through an end to personal freedom.

From Glenn Beck [via Israpundit]:
Gang, this is the final warning. I mean it. This is the final warning. You cannot become — you cannot get any clearer on what is coming. It amazes me day after day after day after day that America just doesn’t seem to care anymore, but you cannot get any clearer. If this is out here and this man is elected, you are going to elect the most arrogant Marxist who will not be stopped because he came into office fully uncovered. Every — do not pretend to be shocked when we begin to see a Marxist and who I believe will become a fascist President. And he will become fascist because he will not understand how you suddenly don’t want to become Marxist.
My Messiah identified with and has a strong love for Israel and the Jewish people.

The Liberals' messiah identifies with and has a strong love for the enemies of Israel and the Jewish people.

Barack Obama Accepted Jeremiah Wright’s and Michael Pfleger’s Endorsement

...Sarkozy told Obama at that meeting that if the new American president elected in November changed his country’s policy toward Iran, that would be "very problematic."

Obama Advisor Suggested that the U.S. Attack Israel

MSM Holds Video Of Barack Obama Attending Jew-Bash & Toasting a Former PLO Operative…

Today, a "Jewish American Senior" asked Joe the Plumber, "Am I right in saying that an Obama Presidency would mean Death to Israel?"

Joe the Plumber, an average working-class middle American said, "Yes, I'd have to agree with you on that."

Somehow, when it comes to Jesus, Barack Obama just can't measure up.

And, yet, Americans are being led to believe that, come November 4th, they will crown their Messiah.

So, dear voter, who is your God?

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posted by Shoshana @ 7:12 PM




Christian Media: Observations
Monday, October 20, 2008

Larry Huch Ministries
Inspiration Television
Monday, October 20, 2008
7 pm EST

Selling "Prophecy Decoded," a six-CD series on prophecy from a "Jewish perspective."

Pastor Larry says it's the "best" prophecy series you'll ever listen to. He usually does not teach on prophecy because he used to think it was all doom and gloom, but after the anointing of G-d fell on him, Pastor Larry believes that end-time prophecy is exciting because "we will go out before the doom and gloom" -- "we will go out with a shout."

With your $40 purchase of Pastor Larry's CDs you'll receive a free gift- a bottle of anointing oil that Pastor Larry wants you to use on "your childrens' pillows, your husband's pillow, and your checkbook," so that your family and your finances will be "anointed for the end times."

You will also receive another free gift: An Israeli/American flags lapel pin, in order to show our support as Americans for Israel. Why? Because, in the Bible it says that G-d will bless those who bless Israel.

In the last segment, Pastor Larry reminds us that he knows from studying the Jewish roots of the Bible that you never come before G-d with empty hands. Now, we think of this when we think of going up to Jerusalem, but we know that when 2 or 3 are gathered in His Name, His presence is there. So, as Pastor Larry and his viewer(s) gather together through the television, he would like you to consider sowing a seed into his ministry.

7:30 -- Morris Cerullo is now telling us that in the years leading up to the financial crisis, "the L-rd led him" to issue "Financial Crisis Alerts" and he prays that "you have responded as I have directed you to" so that you can be ready financially for the end times.

His son, David, (who is the financial head of Inspiration TV) has written "Eve of Destruction" a book that questions whether or not this is the end of America.

You are also offered the "Save America Now" DVD: a prime time special broadcast before the last Presidential election and loaded with "anointed" performances by various Christian singers and pastors.

All these ministry resources can be yours for a suggested gift of $30 or more. These gifts will "inspire you, direct you, and keep you" during these turbulent times.

Cerullo ends with: "Please, don't procrastinate: Get into the cycle of what G-d has prepared for His people in these end times."

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posted by Shoshana @ 7:21 PM




Rethinking Christianity & Living Rabbinic Judaism
Tuesday, October 07, 2008

My reading list never ends. Currently, 2 books popped into my sphere:

Provocative Faith by Matthew Paul Turner
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell

I just finished the former and started the latter. I find it interesting that these young ministers are calling for a cultural re-think of faith in Messiah. What especially drew me to Bell's book were his uses of Jewish Biblical terms: tassels (tzitzit), Torah, and Shalom. I'm looking forward to seeing how he correlates these elements of Jewishness with his redefinition of Christian culture.

Essentially, what I'm sensing from this literature is a desire for a more living, vital faith. It's as if these young men know G-d and want to live their faith in Messiah, but they know that traditional Christian church culture isn't the way to do it. They want a practice that is less religious and more lifestyle-oriented, and they want it to be real and relevant to the way Messiah lived when He walked on earth. Is this a trend towards Biblical Judaism? I can only report on what I see, and when I see young people questioning church practices using Jewish terminology, I can't help but wonder about the direction of the culture of faith in Yeshua/Jesus with more than a little anticipation.

In the meantime, I've also completed Mark Kinzer's paper, Postmissionary Messianic Judaism: Three Years Later. In comparison to the two texts mentioned above, it seems that Kinzer's thinking is just as regressive as Turner's and Bell's is agressive.

Firstly, to compare the three texts is somewhat difficult, given that Turner and Bell wrote for a broad audience of everyday readers while Kinzer's work is penned for the realms of the Messianic and Christian academic elite. While Turner's and Bell's books contain clear, solid argumentation backed up by real life examples and scriptural citation, Kinzer's work is laden with language and argumentation fed by quotes of fellow academics and completely lacking in any Biblical citation whatsoever. The tone and style of these pieces clearly indicates their intended audiences, which causes me to question the motives behind Kinzer's work in particular. After all, if the radical cultural changes he proposes are so right-on for the movement as a whole, why not bring them to the people of the movement in a pallatable fashion? Why hide these assertions among the upper-echelons through the careful (and often confusing) use of academic language?

Secondly, while Turner and Bell question the structure and methodology of contemporary Christianity, Kinzer uses the structure and function of the contemporary Christian church as the basis for a historical analysis of the relationship between Judaism, the Jewish people, and the Christian church/faith. In true postmodern fashion, Kinzer ignores the facts and implications of 2,000 years of history and instead uses today as the launching point for the future of the Messianic movement. Can we really wipe away 2,000 years of history and start fresh when we all still wear the scars of our past?

Thirdly, while Turner and Bell are seeking to redefine their faith-identity through the Word of G-d, Kinzer is relying on the man-made authority structures inherent within the Christian Church and Rabbinic Judaism to develop a Messianic identity. Turner and Bell are seeking to break down religious structures that inhibit believers from walking in their faith, while Kinzer relies on the very same man-made structures to redefine a halacha with Yeshua.

This year, I attended Rosh haShanah services at my local Reconstructionist Temple. Why? Honestly, my boss offered me his ticket and the time off from work. Appreciative and always up for a cultural experience and a chance to interact with my fellow Jews, I took him up on the offer. Three and a half hours of solid liturgy later I sat on a hard wooden pew and felt as if my jaw were going to fall off. Despite the admirable levels of commitment exhibited by the packed house, it took all I had to retain the deep sense of joy I have in being a Jew.

Despite the incredible number of times the word Yeshua was prayed in the liturgy, Yeshua was not invited into that room. It was as if someone threw a wedding but the groom never showed up. And, honestly, I wasn't even meaning to be Biblical in my analogy; there is just no other metaphor to explain the sheer sadness of it all. There was the bride, waiting and waiting, not realizing that in all her preparation for the biggest day of her life, she'd forgotten to do the one most important thing of all: Say 'Yes' to his proposal. There she was, playing bride the way little girls play house or play dolls. All decked out, she rehearsed the part with the same mix of joy and sadness inherent in any teenage girl's dream; that spark of hope damped by that twinge of reality. It was sad. It was creepy. It was weird. Three and a half hours of liturgy recited by a cantor, mumbled by an audience as familiar with Hebrew as they are with Chinese.

Afterwards, we all walked down to the river to cast our sins into the waters. At first, I realized that I hadn't brought any bread and secretly rejoiced in the irony that Yeshua had already washed my sins away. Then, one of the ladies came up to me with a slice and a smile. I returned the wish for a good yontif and took the bread with a nod of thanks. Tearing it up, I joined my people in casting off the sins of Israel into the mayim chayim. It reminded me more of feeding the birds than anything else.

Messianic services are filled with joy. We dance. We sing. We play tambourines and a host of other instruments. We wave tabrets, flags, banners. We wear talits. The ceremony of worship is all color and light, shouts and singing, clapping and dancing. The most movement I got in this service was davvening lightly during the two 5-minute periods of silent prayer and reflection.

Have you ever truly thanked G-d for knowing Yeshua? I have. I did it a lot this Rosh haShanah. I'm still doing it. Thank G-d, I know Yeshua. Thank G-d I'm not the bride left wondering. Thank G-d I'm not relying on day-old bread to take my sins away.

No one is more important in my life than Yeshua. Not many people understand that, including believers. So many believers get to the point where Yeshua becomes so familiar that they respond to His Name like robots receiving a computer prompt. The leader says "Praise Messiah!" and the congregants respond, "Amen!" when they're really thinking, "Is it time to eat yet?" or "I have to go walk the dog!"

Try attending a Rabbinic service. I guarantee you, your Messiah will take on a whole new place in your life and your way of thinking. Once you know what it is like to live the difference, you will love Him more than ever.

Baruch haShem, Yeshua.

Have an easy fast...

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posted by Shoshana @ 9:07 PM




Happy Day Off
Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Stop wishing me a "Merry Christmas." I don't celebrate Christmas. I don't care about Christmas. I don't care that you celebrate and care about Christmas. There is a reason every Jew's favorite Christmas movie character is Scrooge.

I'm really sick of this anti-P.C. trend calling for bringing "Christmas" back into the vocabulary. It's like every Evangelical took the Bush win in '04 as a sign that they'd earned the right to speak about G-d in public, which of course meant that they needed to, first and foremost, re-instate the use of the word "Christmas". This political move was seconded, of course, by the ressurection of public nativity scenes. Yeah, way to go, die-hard Religious-Righters, for putting Christ back in the public square during the one time of year you can get Him for 20-50% off. Righteous.

Suddenly, the re-introduction of "Christmas" into popular vocabulary has given everyone from strangers to friends the right to wish me a "Merry Christmas." Even though they know I'm Jewish, people are wishing me a Merry Christmas left and right, like it's going out of style-- and, trust me, it is. One guy walked in to a book shop where I was the other day. My mother looked up and wished him a Happy Holiday, and the guy said: "Happy Holidays. Well, Merry Christmas. After all, that's not an illegal word now, is it? I work for the state and I've been saying Happy Holidays all day, when it's really Merry Christmas, right?"

Yeah, sure pal. Enjoy. Suddenly, I'm Larry David, staring at this huge pine tree in my living room and explaining to my in-laws that a tallis is really a scarf.

Israpundit, one of the largest right-wing, pro-Israel, Jewish blogs is a big proponent of the "Merry Christmas" business, and I understand it to a great degree. After all, there are a lot of gentile Christian supporters of Israel out there who feel the need to honor their Jewish Messiah by co-opting a pagan feast, eating unkosher foods, and putting sap-leaking bushes in their homes to remind them of the age when children used to be burned underneath the evergreen branches as a sacrifice to non-extant dieties. To them, I say good for you and don't forget that your holiday donations to your favorite pro-Israel charity are tax-deductable. But, please, if you feel like being nice to me at all during this holiday season, don't do it by lumping me in with that lot.

A lot of diaspora Jews celebrate Christmas by virtue of the fact that they live among gentile neighbors and, most likely, have experienced some level of intermarriage with the gentile world within their families. Many Messianic Jews celebrate Christmas because they feel the need to somehow honor Messiah's "birth" or, rather, His first arrival on this Earth, and they either have a relationship with a gentile Christian church or they just don't know how else to do it.

I, however, do none of these things. Faith is a process of aliyah, and the closer you grow towards G-d, the further away you get from the things He doesn't like. HaShem doesn't like Santa Claus, nor does He have a predeliction for celebrating a major event in the dead of winter. Nothing that is involved with the celebration of "Christmas" can be found in scripture, with the exception, of course, of the arrival of the Messiah prophesied about in numerous places in the Tanak (note: Isaiah 53), which most likely happened during the Feast of Sukkot, in accordance with HaShem's festivals, not the ones designated by some derranged pagan priest from some dead ancient culture.

Why would I want to worship my Messiah in a way that is not pleasing to Him? That's not how a relationship works. You don't wake up on your spouse's (or parent's or child's or loved one's) birthday and say, "Congratulations, we're celebrating your life today by doing exactly what I want to do." If you don't do that to them, why would you even think about doing such a thing to your Messiah? If your actions make absolutely no statement about who your Messiah is and how important He is to your life and to the life of your nation, how viable can they be-- how viable can you be to your people, your nation, and your G-d?

"Oh, wow, but what do you do on Christmas?" I can hear them say. You know what I do on Christmas? Nothing. I've eaten Chinese food, I've gone to movies, I've read, I've watched TV, I've done stuff most normal people do on a day off, because in America that's what it is-- a day off.

So, to all my fellow Jews, especially to the ultra-observant who don't even give a fig about January 1st, I wish you a Happy Day Off. And, to everyone else, have a great holiday, just keep me out of it.

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posted by Shoshana @ 6:01 PM