A Center For Spiritual Learning

You can say that Judaism is a way of life and perhaps you may or may not have heard of it described as Jewishness but Jewishness means living Jewish. And what exactly is living a Jewish lifestyle? Well, living Jewish is simply living acording to the instructions that connects us to the source of life, who we all know to be G-d.

The Talmud

Now, one must keep in mind that the Talmud has 2 basic components, these are the Mishna and Gemara which is the oral law. However, the short & simple answer to Yeshua's disciples studying Jewish law would be yes, ofcourse! They were all Jews and they learned Jewish litterature. The worship of G-d on behalf of the Jewish people has always been what defines us as Jews and thru our adhearances of mitzvot hashem [the commandments of  G-d] and the acknowledgement of our rabbinical sources or what we call halacha, gives us our uniqueness amongst the nations of the world. As G-d has said: "I am the L-rd your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your G-d".  And let us not forget the sayings of his anointed, who said: "We know whom we worship for salvation is of the Jews."

If anyone isn't aware of this,  G-d himself  has taught us the oral law. How so you ask? G-d gave Adam his law in an oral manner, not written. Indicating, that the law given to Adam was to be given to Chava in order to trickle down to every human being which proceeded from them so on and so forth.

And as I've already illustrated before, our worship of G-d is true worship, because we do know whom we worship for salvation is of the Jews.

The disciples that followed the teachings of Yeshua were Jews for it was to (the house of Israel) to whom he came, as he has so openly stated. Also many people think that Yeshua was only a teacher to the 12 disciples whom he noticably picked out for himself, but in actuality he had well over 70 disciples apart from the 12 who were always centered around him.

There is really no telling how many disciples he really had, because we just don't know. The truth is that all of us who follow him are his disciples. So how can we know for sure how many of us really are? We know that those disciples who walked and talked with him most of them came from John the immerser. His cousin. After the death of John most of them if not all of Johns disciples went to learn from Yeshua's teachings.

Now to get to the specifics of answering the question in which we started to investigate with the opening title, let's continue on with this search. Let us keep in mind that around that period of time there were 2 schools of thought. They were the schools of thought of Hillel and of Shammai. When Yeshua spoke to teach his students he made refferances to what these 2 schools of thought held as the rule choosing the more stringuent approach at times which was more prevelent with the school of Shammai. He  elaborated and illustrated on the concepts within these 2 groups, and by this he shed light on us towards his views and the high standard of living in spirituallity which he himself clung on too.

Yeshua hamoshiach said: "Unless your rightouesness exceeds that of the Pharrasees you will by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven",

And again: "All that they, {they meaning the rabbi's} teach you to do that do, but don't do what they do, because they say and do not do". It is apperent by this answer that in the time of Yeshua there  existed a double standard between those who were in the position of teaching b'nei Yisrael. We can see this in his responce to them {his students}.

What he was doing here was preparing his students, that what they learn from their rabbi's, "from the oral law or  written law" to do them as they are taught. The warning comes as a result of the rabbi's of that period not doing what they are teaching. This was Yeshua's big concern with his students.

He didn't want his students imitating bad behaviors but good ones or demonstrating double standards but to focus on the right path. He wanted his students to be wiser then their rabbi's since their rabbi's were going contrary to the standard which Yeshua held himself too.

Now those who deem themselves to be students of Yeshua hamoshiach and learn from the oral Torah or Talmudic interpretations. I would like to make a comment in order to bring to your awareness that there are teachings which denotes Yeshua within some of the tractates of Talmudic sources. And one is to turn away from those teachings which aposes him or denotes him as moshiach.

Also, when delving into the Talmud one should know there are doctrines which revolves around eastern customs such as, reincarnation which was intermingled in jewish observances which was a prevelant belief among the sect of the Saducees. One should also turn away from them because they have nothing to do with Torah life and living what so ever. These doctrines were later adopted by the sect of the Pharrasees but they didn't always accept this as fact.

Even though every Jew may disagree, if  you know the truth of a partiqular matter you need to go contrary to the majority. Even if you are aware that it will put you in a position which will be uncomfortable this is what you should do, just as Caleb of blessed memory did in aposition to those who gave a bad report or Pinchas who took action against a prince of Israel who was commiting a transgression of sexual inmorality and compromising  Torah by giving a bad example to the rest of b'nei Yisrael, committing lewd acts with a non-Jewish woman even if his intended purpose was to marry her the Torah forbade it.

It would seem as if I have gotten a little sidetracked from my original topic but I'm trying to make a point here and that is, if you're a Jew we aught to do as Jews do just as Yeshua hamoshiach has taught. The only warning for us is, to watch out for those teachings that can instigate apossition to the messiah whom we profess to follow just as his shlucim have taught.

Now, it's interesting how close the pattern of rebellion which Korach instigated towards Moishe rabbeinu is to that of a true follower of the way. Caleb & Pinchas which instigated aposition to the chosen majority also demonstrate an element of rebellion. Just to be clear, when I say chosen majority, I am simply saying that Moishe choose them (a majority of men) for the service they were to perform.

So why was it bad for one to rebel while good for another? And how does one distinguish between a scenerio accounted for the proper way to rebel than from an improper one?

The Torah tells us that one of them was cursed, as the earth opened up it's mouth and swallowed him up, along with those who were led in his rebellion. And this person which we know was Korach.

And the other {Caleb} was blessed, Caleb was one of those who originally came from Egypt, since we know that all of the children of Israel in the 1st generation who  came up from the land of Egypt didn't see the promise land for the reason of commiting  avoda zora " the sin of the golden calf". But Caleb was one among the 1st generation of Jews who did posses the promise land. Something of which was made known to Avraham aveinu by G-d saying: "that they will go captive to a land which is not there own but in 430 years I will bring them back to their own land which I will give to them".

The following comments are given to illustrate the acts spoken of by those people who apose the Tenachk and to show how those who "think" they are following the Torah are actually transgressing it.