The
figure of Moses in the Torah is mostly remembered as the leader who took the Yisraelites out of Egypt
How
many, though, are aware that he was also a Prophet?
A few
days ago, I happened to read the Song of the Sea which Moses sang with the
children of Yisrael after they crossed the Sea of Reeds. It was then that it dawned
on me how his role as a Prophet was underestimated. The following verse from
the song he sang struck me as so relevant to our times.
It describes
the goal of an enemy, a threat to Am Yisrael and what it had wished to do to us.
אמר אויב: ארדוף אשיג אחלק שלל ......תמלאמו נפשי תורישמו ידי.
(שמות ט"ו פס' ט')
“The
enemy boasted, 'I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils;
I will gorge my soul on them… .…..my hand shall inherit them.' (Exodus 15,9)
The
ancient Egyptians may have been the subject of Moses's song. Today, however,
it is not only those that wish to annihilate us that this verse is applicable
to. Today, Jews have an enemy of a different kind, one that secretly weaves and
stealthily preys upon Am Yisrael and the Jewish people with the aim of
depriving us of our Jewish essence. They are the Christian missionaries. Their
maneuvers are focused in the spiritual realm which poses no less of a danger
than the one Moses was referring to in her song.
When
addressing Yisrael’s enemies physical and spiritual with regards to Moses's song, I am particularly referring to the part where this verse mentions spoils,
that which the enemy appropriates after it has triumphed. The Hebrew word for
spoils is שלל
(Shalal. Shin, Lamed, Lamed).
Our
wise sages ((חז"ל
suggest that this word is an acronym for מותיהם לשונם
לבושםש, (Shmoteyhem, their names, Leshonam, their
language, culture, Levusham, their garb).
Studying
the manner in which the enemies of Yisrael operate, that is exactly how they go
about their efforts to steal and destroy Jewish lives and souls.
They
adopt our names, our titles.
Zionists,
is one example of a name/title which belongs to Jews only (for various reasons which
are listed in articles written by myself and others) is being usurped by
various faiths while its members define it as they see fit. I have seen
“Christian Zionists.” I have seen “Muslim Zionists.” I have even heard that
there are some who suggest that Mohammad, since he claimed that Eretz Yisrael
belongs to the Jews and since he came Before Herzl and his Political Zionism
movement, is the original Zionist…..
The
name “Palestine” is another example.
Though
it was not Christian missionaries that adopted the name which was arbitrarily
given to us and to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of the Jews, still the fact remains
that someone else stole it from us and now tries to convince the world that
this has been their homeland forever and a day.
As far
as language is concerned, need I mention all the examples where Missionaries
have given themselves and their organizations Hebrew terms, language in order
to convince ignorant Jews that they are part of us and that one day we will all
become one?
Let me
start by mentioning a group called HaYovel. It is a clan of Christian Evangelicals
who have joined hands with some Jewish enablers and moved to Eretz Yisrael
where they have been given land. Though they claim that their sole purpose of
coming to Yisrael is to help the farmers of Judea and Samaria with harvesting
their crops, many of us suspect, based on their own words that there is more to
it.
They adopted the name HaYovel (Hebrew for Jubilee) with the stated purpose
to “share with them {Jews} a passion for the soon coming of the Jubilee
in Yeshua, the messiah."
A
source called “Talmidei Yeshua Fellowship,” describes HaYovel on their FB page
as: “a ministry that helps Israeli farmers farm and harvest their crops. As
well as helping them work they also bring the gospel message to the farmers.”
It is
not only our language that is being appropriated by those who wish to “pursue
us, overtake us and divide spoils,” as Moses prophesied. It is also some of
the symbols of our few millennia old and endowed culture that they have
targeted.
Yerushalayim,
Zion, the eternal capital of the Jewish people, the heart of the Jewish people
has also been a subject to efforts by many to claim as their own. Islam has
sanctified Yerushalayim for political rivalry reasons, according to Dr.
Mordechai Kedar. Now, we also have Christian evangelicals claiming that
Yerushalayim , rather, the “New Jerusalem” is where “Jesus Christ will reign
for 1000 years and every knee will bow down to him.” (Pastor Hagee, March
2013).
Now if
that is not usurpation, please enlighten me of what is.
How
about all those evangelical Christians who observe Shabbat, or keep Kashroot?
We
cannot tell anyone what to do or not do. However, it is important to note that
Shabbat was given to Jews as a sign of the Covenant Am Yisrael made with G-d on
Mount Sinai. Kashroot laws are part of the Torah which, again, was given to Am Yisrael only (except for its
moral code that was given to them AND to humanity).
Those
who follow those laws, claim that they love us, and insist that they are our friends. Friends
respect that which belongs to friends and do not just take what belongs to them
and claim it as their own. That is what enemies have done to each other
throughout history with the spoils that they took after they had won the war.
Now we
are getting to the last acronym of the Hebrew word Shallal (spoils). Targeting
the garb.
I
shudder each time I see a non-Jew wearing a tallit, a prayer shawl. The
commandment to wear one was decreed for Jews only. It breaks my heart when I
see non-Jews wear it and for the purpose of practicing Jewish customs which
have been misconstrued by those who wear it either to deceive of to further
their agenda of eventually removing the Jewish essence from Judaism towards
their goal of making us “complete Jews.” They wear it, for instance,
during the “seder” which they conduct
more as a commemoration of the last supper than the Exodus from Egypt.
“Look
what they have done to my song ma,” is a song by Melanie from the early 70’s
that comes into mind when I write these lines.
Unlike,
Melanie’s song, however, the song of the Prophet Moses offers Hope for Am Yisrael. In verse 13, he says,
עד יעבור עמך ה‘, עד יעבר עם זו קנית, תבאמו ותטעמו בהר נחלתך.
(In
your unfailing love, you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength,
you will guide them to your holy dwelling).
Let our
enemies be warned. We are the People of Eternity. The Eternal of Yisrael Shall
Never Lie. We are named Yisrael for a reason. No matter what, we shall always
prevail!
Shavua tov.
Shavua tov.
EXCELLENT
ReplyDeleteThank you Roger (y)
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