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Someone wrote "in your list of 365 prophecies Jesus did not fulfill -- namely #265. Isaiah 53:11d...The sin-bearer for all mankind... Hebrews 9:28 -- you said Israel is not a sin sacrifice.
Well, Rabbi Yisroel Blumenthal seems to disagree with you! In your blog post you say: "1. The word sin is not found in this verse. 2. It says nothing about bearing the sins of anyone, let alone the world. 3. The T'nach (bible) actually FORBIDS anyone bearing the sins of another. We are each responsible for our own sins. G-d clearly tells Moses that each of us is responsible for our own sins. That is why even in qorban (sacrifices) each of us must bring our OWN qorban (sacrifice)." But Rabbi Blumenthal disagrees with you. He says: "And even after the exaltation will the servant take responsibility for the sins of the nations. Israel is called upon to be God’s priest (Isaiah 61:6). Just as the priests in the Temple bore the responsibility of Israel’s sins so does Israel bear the responsibility of the sins of the nations (Numbers 18:1)" So you should correct your post! You've misinterpreted the rabbi's point. His blog, 1000 Verses - a project of Judaism Resources, contains the quote you gave, but it is taken out of context as I will show in this response by quoting it in more length, along with other quotes from the rabbi on his blog. Nowhere in his blog does the rabbi even suggest that Jews are a vicarious atonement -- a "sin" sacrifice. In his blog the rabbi wrote: "I do not believe that the prophet is talking about vicarious suffering of Israel on behalf of the nations." The rabbi also wrote: "you (Michael Brown with whom he was debating) have completely lost sight of the tremendous difference between the vicarious and redemptive suffering of the servant because of and for the sake of others, vs. the deserved suffering of the nation, under which the righteous remnant also suffers.... you have yet to provide me with a syllable demonstrating the vicarious and redemptive aspects of Israel’s suffering on behalf of the nations." The last bit of the quote you gave from R' Blumenthal referenced Bamidbar / Numbers 18:1. You interpreted his quote to be saying the Jews were a vicarious atonement (a "sin" sacrifice). This is not what he said or meant. Here is what the rabbi wrote on Bamidbar / Numbers 18:1 : "There is not a shred of textual evidence to support the contention that this passage in Numbers speaks of vicarious atonement. In fact, all of the textual and contextual evidence clearly demonstrates that this passage is speaking of a transfer of responsibility from the people to the priests. The missionary “interpretation” of this passage is not rooted in a loyalty to Scripture, it is rooted in a loyalty to Christian theology. "This is not a situation of vicarious atonement; i.e. the innocent priests suffering for the guilty sinner. Rather, this is a case where the priests are assigned the responsibility of preventing the sinners from sinning to begin with. Thus when they fail in their duty, they are held guilty for their own negligence." This explanation by the rabbi is perfectly acceptable with Israel's role as the suffering servant for the nations of the world in Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53, too. It does not in any way conflict with my statements. The Jewish people are Isaiah's suffering servant in Isaiah 53, but we are not a "sin sacrifice" or a "vicarious atonement." We are a suffering servant who accepted the role as G-d's nation of priests to the world -- who will suffer but will one day be vindicated and recognized as G-d's servant in the messianic age. Nowhere does he say (let alone infer) that the Jewish nation is atoning "sacrifice" for the sins of the other nations. Rather he is addressing the fact that the Jews have often been the suffering servant mistreated by the other nations. Read his blog entry Isaiah 53 – a Verse by Verse Exposition: "The prophet tells us that G-d desired to afflict the servant. The purpose of Israel’s suffering, from Israel’s perspective, is to refine them. As a loving father rebukes his son so does G-d put Israel through the crucible of exile (Deuteronomy 8:5; Proverbs 3:11,12; Amos 3:2). "In order for the suffering to accomplish its purpose the servant needs to acknowledge and to recognize his own guilt. No created being is free of guilt and by acknowledging guilt we come closer to G-d’s truth. Isaiah, Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah were all righteous people yet they all acknowledged their own guilt together with the sins of the nation (Isaiah 6:5; Daniel 9:20; Ezra 9:6; Nehemiah 1:6). "The prophet goes on to tell us the reward that the servant will experience as a result of acknowledging his guilt. The servant will see his physical progeny walking in his footsteps and his days will be lengthened. These two blessings are not unrelated. No individual saint is guaranteed long days. But through his progeny the servant perseveres and outlasts his persecutors. The might, the splendor and the power of those who persecuted the Jew have long faded away while the Jew still prays the same prayers and studies the same texts with freshness and vitality. It is the same Jew that stirred the fanatical hatred of the Church fathers, the mobs of Crusaders, the Moslem Almohads, the Inquisitors, the Ukrainian soldiers of Chemilnicki, the Russian Czars, the Communists and the Nazis. These and many like them have come and gone but the Jew is still here." No one can atone for the sins of another -- we are responsible for our own actions. The Jewish people are unique in the fact that (because we accepted a contract with G-d) we are judged both individually and as a people. The portion you quoted from R' Blumenthal was his point that we Jews are a nation of priests. Our role has always been to lead the rest of the world to know G-d. Sadly most of the world has killed us over the past 2000 years rather than accept our teachings. THIS is the rabbi's point when he wrote: "The servant will utilize his knowledge to render the many righteous. Israel will teach the truth that they carry in their heart (Isaiah 51:7) to the nations (Zechariah 8:23; Isaiah 42:4). And even after the exaltation will the servant take responsibility for the sins of the nations. Israel is called upon to be G-d’s priest (Isaiah 61:6). Just as the priests in the Temple bore the responsibility of Israel’s sins so does Israel bear the responsibility of the sins of the nations (Numbers 18:1). It is the priest’s responsibility to teach the people and guide them and if the people fail, the priests are held responsible (Malachi 2:8). In the Messianic age, the responsibility to teach mankind will fall on the shoulders of the righteous of Israel." We do not "bear the sins" of the gentile nations except in the sense that it is our role to lead them to know G-d by teaching them. In that sense, as priests, we Jews are held responsible for helping you to find the true G-d. Elsewhere in his blog the rabbi wrote "The servant makes people righteous through his knowledge – and he bears the people’s sins by praying for their welfare and serving as a balance for G-d’s judgment." We are not a sacrifice or an atonement for the nations -- but by praying for their welfare even as they mistreat us we are G-d's servant. Hopefully you better understand. The Christian concept of vicarious atonement is absolutely forbidden by G-d. I highly recommend you read the rabbi's entire article to help you understand his reasoning.
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