Jesus Judaism and Christianity

To Rabbi Michael, Shalom Rav,

In one of our correspondences, you wrote to me that it is not recommended to enter a church because they have a different religion from their hearts, even according to the views that Christianity is not idolatry.

And I wonder and worry whether they really “forged a religion from their hearts” or whether Messianic Jews, at least those from the beginning of Christianity, are not the authentic continuation of Judaism.

In the Torah, in the book of Deuteronomy, it is written that in the absence of Moses, God will give us a prophet who will put His words in his mouth. The sign of prophecy is miracles. This teaches that God assumes in advance that if you hear about a miracle that was performed in public, it is considered an obligation to listen to the voice of the prophet. It is not possible for the prophet to demand to perform his miracles in front of every single person. This is similar to what the esteemed Rabbi often mentions, that if God gave the Torah, He took into account that it was explained in the Toshabeh. It is not possible for God to place the miracles as teachings on a true prophet and leave ambiguity regarding people who were not present when the miracle was performed. It is not written about miracles performed by Jeremiah and Isaiah and every prophet in front of the entire people of Israel.

Well, it is said that Jesus performed many miracles repeatedly before large crowds, and therefore
(Supposedly?) From a halachic perspective, we are commanded to listen to him.

In fact, a state of existence without a prophet is almost a contradiction to Moses’ promise to the people – what would we do without a prophet? And as it is said – “A great voice, and no one added.” And if the voice of God ceased for a time in our generation, how will it be added?

Jesus commanded his disciples not to take away one letter from the Law. He said that he came to fulfill and not to take away. He said that whatever the Pharisees say, they must do because the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore, he did not contradict the Law.

Only he said not to do as the Pharisees did. “Do not do as they do,” and he did not warn his disciples that they had been harvesting all night on the Sabbath or that they had eaten without washing their hands. But all of these stories can easily be interpreted as a command to his disciples to adhere to the Holy Spirit, which, as a temporary instruction, can prophesy against the law. The Holy Spirit is not necessarily something so distant. In the last few parashas of this week, we read about the “wisdom of the heart” by which the Temple was built. This is the Holy Spirit. An inner intuition for understanding what is good and right. After all, our intuition is a voice that God plants in our souls and therefore is a command from Him. Jesus says that the Sabbath was given for man and not the other way around, and in this way he connects us to the human intuition that by virtue of which the law should be violated as a temporary instruction. Therefore, “Do not do as they do” – follow the instructions but in your own way, while understanding the essence of the Pharisee’s teaching.

Eldad and Medad also prophesied without the spirit of Moses, they also prophesied and did not add, and from them came the promise that all of God’s people would be prophets. The knowledge of God will be like the waters that cover the sea. Even the male and female servants. The Holy Spirit is not bound by the laws of the Torah of Moses. It is above them as a temporary instruction. An instruction that pulsates every hour and hour. Every moment and moment.

It also makes more sense that God asked us to listen to the nature He has instilled in us. After all, He is the Giver of the Torah and He creates man in His image. It makes more sense than for a law given thousands of years ago to be a guide for the present, without the inspiration of the Spirit at every moment.

It should be remembered that any opposition to Jesus based on later laws would be absurd because he preceded the Mishnah and the Tosefta.

In fact, it seems that a key figure in the shaping of the Mishnah, Rabbi Akiva, called “Otzer Blum” by Rabbis as the initiator of the shaping of the Mishnah, is primarily a figure shaped from stories about Jesus. It was Jesus who established “Love your neighbor as yourself” as the greatest rule in the Torah after “Love the Lord your God.” Jesus said not to eliminate a thorn from the Torah as Rabbi Akiva demanded, he said that he was following the path of tradition and preceded Rabbi Akiva who had to preach about Moses who entered his client’s house and heard “the law of Moses from Sinai.” Rabbi Akiva was also the one who spoke of God in extreme anthropomorphisms like the Song of Songs, and thus also placed love at the center of religion like Jesus. Rabbi Akiva was called “Ben Yosef” like the name of Jesus’ father (stepfather?) to be considered the Messiah, the son of Joseph. After all, he accompanied Bar Kokhba. Rabbi Akiva demanded that flesh and blood (scholars) be feared as God. He too died in justification of the law, like Jesus, who died out of destiny, and it is also said of him that he died in atonement for sins, as the main character in the ten martyrs of the kingdom.

And regarding the realization of God in Christianity, it seems to be a continuation of the Bible expressed in fulfillment. It is clear that Christianity exaggerated just as Jews were known to exaggerate. I am talking about the first Christians, the Messianic Jews who did not claim that Jesus was God. Jesus is a prophet and Messiah according to this view and is not God. Jesus never said that he was God and at most he was compared to the Logos in the Gospel of John. It is clear that in Rabbinic Judaism too there is a Logos who is a divine mediator. In the words of the Sages – the Shekhinah.

In fact, doesn’t all of this obligate us to search for our Jewish roots in the New Testament? From a practical perspective, isn’t this a call to listen to Jesus who calls us to listen to the Holy Spirit that beats within us beyond the written word – literally as a temporary instruction of the wisdom of our heart every moment? Aren’t we obligated to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Messiah by strengthening our faith in Jesus, because – as the Chabadniks say – there is no king without a people?

I am truly asking to understand, and I hope it doesn’t sound like I am defying God forbid. I feel obligated as a person to investigate the truth, certainly the will of God, even though I was raised religiously and studied in Seder yeshivahs (Ramat Gan and Petah Tikva). I study Torah and deepen it and desire to uphold the Halacha even if Jesus is the Messiah and I do not believe that a prophet can violate the Torah. I am not associated with a mission, and I am even very surprised by Messianic Jews who disregard Halacha.

I would love to hear your opinion!
Thank you very much for all the wonderful answers!