Eclectic Topics in no Particular Order
Various Topics Discussed
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Are there any sins in Judaism which can result in G-d not forgiving a person? Yes. When a person sins against G-d and does not repent of those sins, they may not be forgiven by G-d. The worse the wrongdoing (murder, idolatry, willful disobedience (knowing disobedience) to G-d) may result in a Jew cutting himself off from G-d and the Jewish people. This is being כרת / kareit. There is a dispute among the Rishonim exactly what כרת / kareit [excision] entails. According to the Ramban - R' Moshe b. Nachman (1194-1270) there are different degrees of kareit. For someone who is righteous but gave into temptation, he will die young, but not lose his portion in the next world. If his sins outnumber his merits he will lose his portion in the next world but will not necessarily die young. Idolatry and blasphemy are punished by both early death and the loss of a share in the next world. Childlessness only applies in very specific cases. (Vayikra / Leviticus 18:29, Sha'ar Hagemul 3:3). . . In Judaism one may be “cut off from the people” (כרת / kareit) if your sin is done on purpose and not repented. One may also be condemned for disobeying some mitzvot (e.g., picking on Shabbat). Will G-d get angry enough to condemn people to death in Judaism? Sure. Just ask the former residents of Sodom and Gomorrah as well as those who drowned in the flood while Noah sailed away. A Jew who turns to apostasy is endangering his or her soul. That person is either in a state of כרת / kareit where they are cut off from G-d and the Jewish people or a תינוק שנשבה / tinok shenishba. The later is like a child who was kidnapped as a youth and never taught Torah and the responsibilities of being a Jew. A tinok shenishba never had the proper guidance and thus doesn't recognize their responsibilities to lead a Jewish life, following the mitzvot, he or she is "not held accountable for not living in accordance with the Torah until such time as they do become aware of their responsibilities. This is the very purpose for Jewish outreach. Whether or not modern Jews becoming Christians would be kareit (cut off from G-d) or not 'depends.' Christianity for a Jew is idolatry so a Jew who believes that Jesus was G-d in a human body is an idolater. Idolatry in Judaism is defined in the Torah as worshiping any "god" unknown at Sinai. Jesus was unknown at Sinai, as was worshiping him -- ergo it is idolatry for a Jew. (It may or may not be idolatry for a non-Jew, it may be shituf for them. But that is a topic for another discussion). Was the Jew who is now a Christian properly educated in Torah and what G-d expects of a Jew or not? If "not" then those children well may fall under the category of תינוק שנשבה - tinok shenishba (like one who was kidnapped as a child and raised in the wrong religion, Tractate Shabbat 68B and Shavuot 5a). This "works" only as long as a Christian remain ignorant that following Jesus is idolatry -- once they've been educated then they become responsible for their actions -- which might result in them being kareit if they do not repent of their apostasy and return to HaShem. In writing about the Karaites, an apostate group founded around 800 CE, the Rambam wrote: ""However the children and the grandchildren of these errants, whose parents have misled them, those who have been born among the Karaites, who have reared them in their views; each is like a child who has been taken captive among them, who has been reared by them, and is not alacritous in seizing the paths of the commandments; his status is comparable to that of one who has been coerced. Even though he later learns that he is a Jew and becomes acquainted with Jews and [the Jewish] religion, he is nevertheless to be regarded as a person who is coerced, for he was reared in the erroneous ways [of his parents]. Thus it is of the children and grandchildren of the Karaites who adhere to the practices of their Karaite parents who have erred. Therefore it is proper to cause them to return in repentance and to draw them near with words of peace until they return to the strength-giving Torah." Hilchot Mamrim 3:3. The Karaites came under the heading of תינוק שנשבה / tinok shenishba. In Judaism condemnation is not eternal. The purpose of this post is not to discuss the afterlife, but for more information on that topic follow this link "What Happens after We Die?". Christianity’s lack of forgiveness seems to be eternal: one weeps. One gnashes one’s teeth. One burns in eternal torment. ETERNAL. “Anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:22) Continuing in the same vein in chapter 5: “You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery 28 But I tell you that .anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-29). Eternal torment folks. The thought is as bad as the deed, folks. See the difference yet in the Christian versus Jewish view on repentance, forgiveness – and even the ramifications of the lack of repentance? "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Matthew 12:30-32) So it isn’t a question of forgiveness if one repents – the questions have to be asked:
Do you see the difference between repentance (or a lack thereof) in Judaism as compared to Christianity? What happens to those who do not WISH to be forgiven? The question at hand is what are the differences in Judaism and Christianity when it comes to repentance? Some missionaries seem to think that the Jewish G-d is cruel or harsh, whereas Jesus is merciful and loving. How missionaries rectify their belief that it is the SAME G-d and yet have the thoughts that they are so different is their problem. . . but it IS an argument heard often enough from missionaries. Yet examples of Hashem's mercy are found all over the Torah. Yes, G-d is our father and our judge -- but He tempers His judgment with far more mercy than we deserve (and that humans would ever consider). Consider: "For Hashem is a merciful Power...." (D'varim / Deuteronomy 4:31); "For he is merciful, He will atone sin, He will not destroy..." (T'hillim / Psalms 78:38); "And he prayed to Hashem, and he said, Please, Hashem .... for I know that You are a merciful and compassionate Power, difficult to anger, and has much kindness, and forgives evil." (Yonah / Jonah 4:2); "The wicked should forsake his ways, and the evil person should forsake his plans, and return to Hashem, Who will have mercy on him, for He forgives abundantly." (Yeshayahu / Isaiah 55:7); "Hashem is merciful and compassionate, difficult to anger, and has much kindness." (T'hillim / Psalms 103:8); "Tear your hearts, and not your clothes, and return to Hashem your G-d, for He is compassionate and merciful, difficult to anger, and has much kindness, and forgives evil." (Yoel / Joel 2:13); "Hashem has made memorials of the miracles He performed for us; Hashem is full of compassion and mercy. Hashem is good to all, and His mercy is on all His creations." (T'hillim / Psalms 111:4-5). What about sinners? What does the Torah tell us? "He who hides his sin will not be successful, but he who confesses to Hashem and forsakes his sin, will receive mercy." (Mishlei / Proverbs 28:13). Even after one of the worst sins of the Jewish nation (the making of the golden calf and the destroying of the first set of tablets) we are told "G-d passed by before [Moses] and proclaimed, 'G-d, G-d, Omnipotent, merciful and kind, slow to anger, with tremendous [resources of] love and truth. 34:7 He remembers deeds of love for thousands [of generations], forgiving sin, rebellion and error. He does not clear [those who do not repent], but keeps in mind the sins of the fathers to their children and grandchildren, to the third and fourth generation.'" (Sh'mot / Exodus 34:6-7). What??? G-d forgives, but He punishes the children and grandchildren for the sins of the parents? Not at all -- which is why the Torah must be read in context. Read D'varim / Deuteronomy 24:16 "Fathers shall not die [through the testimony] of their sons, and sons shall not die [through the testimony] of their fathers, since [in any case] every man shall die for his sins." So what does Sh'mot / Exodus 34:6-7 mean when it says that G-d "He does not clear [those who do not repent], but keeps in mind the sins of the fathers to their children and grandchildren. . .?" It means exactly what it says. . . He forgives sins, rebellion and error when we do the right thing (deeds of love) -- BUT when children do not do the right thing and continue in the same rebellious behavior as their parents and their grandparents then they receive the same punishments. . . . Consider that modern mental health professionals tell us that a child abuser is likely to have been abused as a child. . . the abuser knows the behavior is wrong, but they repeat the sin that was visited upon them. The child did not learn from the mistakes of the parent -- instead the child chooses to repeat the pattern. Thus the child is, himself a sinner, and this is what the Torah is telling us -- when a child does not learn from his parents' mistakes, but repeats them that child is also guilty. . . The only reason a child would not be guilty by sinning as their parents sinned is, (as described earlier), if a child does not know they are sinning. The child may fall under the category of תינוק שנשבה - tinok shenishba (like one who was kidnapped as a child and raised in the wrong religion, Tractate Shabbat 68B and Shavuot 5a). Even so, a Jew may repent and be forgiven -- as Sh'mot / Exodus 34:6-7 clearly states. Contrast this with Christianity (normative Christianity -- most of the iterations). The basic teaching of Christianity is that faith in Jesus is more important than "works" (not sinning, being a good person). "to the one who does not work but trusts G-d who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:5 and "having been justified by faith, we have peace with G-d through (Jesus)” Romans 5:1. Very unbiblical! What you believe is more important than what kind of a person you are -- in direct contradiction to the Torah. Indeed many iterations of Christianity teach that "believe in Jesus or be damned to hell." This is loving? This is merciful? “Anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:22) Christianity’s lack of forgiveness seems to be eternal: one weeps. One gnashes one’s teeth. One burns in eternal torment. ETERNAL. Do you see the difference between repentance (or a lack thereof) in Judaism as compared to Christianity? What happens to those who do not WISH to be forgiven? “But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 8:12-13) Note that the Christian bible doesn’t say what these people would have to do to be forgiven even if they repent. It just says that they will be weeping and gnashing their teeth. “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33). Again, we are told that if people disown Jesus then Jesus will disown them. So apparently atoning and repenting aren’t enough here – you also have to be sure you don’t disown Jesus. It gets even better. Also in Matthew 10: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- 36 a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' 37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Mercy? Kindness? Forgiving? I am so happy to know that HaShem IS loving and forgiving. "Hashem, Hashem, G-d, Compassionate and Gracious, Slow to Anger, and Abundant in Kindness and Truth; Preserver of Kindness for thousands of generations, Forgiver of Iniquity, Willful Sin, and Error, and Who Cleanses..." [Sh'mot / Exodus 34:5-7].
2 Comments
Miriam Levinson
3/6/2016 02:24:03 pm
Karaites, as with other offshoots of Judaism, would only be considered Jewish if they were born from Jewish mothers. Since they have opted to consider a child to be a Jew if only the father is Jewish, their Jewishness certainly can be challenged. Also, if they do conversions, their conversions would be meaningless.
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Miriam Levinson
3/6/2016 02:35:13 pm
The most damning comment in the Christian bible, besides the blasphemy mentioned in Matthew 12:31, is Hebrews 10:26: "For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries." This seems to be saying that you've got one chance (at whatever undefined "truth" the author had in mind), and if you subsequently sin, that's it - you're toast! No second chances.
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