Beginners Torah Lesson

‘And do not be conformed[1] to this world, but be transformed[2] by the RENEWING[3] of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.” Romans 12:2 the Scriptures

Rom 12:2 And do not follow the customs of the present age, but be transformed by the entire renewal of your minds, so that you may learn by experience what [Elohim’s] will is--that will which is good and beautiful and perfect. Weymouth Trans.

Rom 12:2 And [you* are] to stop conforming yourselves to this age, _but_ [are] to continue being transformed by the renewal of your* mind, in order for you* to be proving what [is] the good and acceptable and perfect will of [Elohim].

²Stop allowing yourself to be conformed to the Olam Hazeh, but be transformed by your hitkhadeshut haDa'as (regeneration/renewal of knowing), so that you may (individually and corporately) ascertain what is the ratzon Hashem what is good, acceptable, and perfect-OJBC

Possibly one of the largest stumbling blocks to the Messianic Yisraelite is that undeniable truth that most of them have been subjected to the mind conditioning and thought of the Western 20^th Century Greek/Roman “church” system. Because of this mind control, they have a propensity to understand Scripture through the “stained-glass” eyes of the “Reform Protestant Church Fathers” rather than of our Yisraelite AVOT[4] who under the influence of the Ruach HaKodesh wrote the Scriptures. We have to remember that all the writers of the TaNaK[5] and the Brit Chadasha[6] were Yisraelites. They wrote the inspired canon of Scripture as the Ruach HaKodesh moved upon them.

· Conformed #4964 –to be fashion alike, molded into a mold, CONFORM to a pattern

· Renewing # 342 – renovation, renew RENOVATE means according to Webster’s; to make new, alive, to restore to a better state by cleaning and repairing

· perfect #5046 – to complete, to make perfect the MORAL and MENTAL character

Whether we accept it or not, every one of us needs our minds/consciousness renewed or cleaned out of the baggage we have carried for all our lives in order to gain the proper understanding of the Scriptures from the Hebraic point of view. We have been saturated for years by words that have been redefined by the “church” to cut itself off from the Olive Tree of Israel. Scriptural words therefore need to be understood according to their true meaning and context as originally penned in the Hebrew. Words are mind pictures and carry with them bundles of associations and meanings.

Because words are containers of pictures they are interpreted through our minds by our previous teachings and prejudices. In order to effectively communicate Scriptural truth we are required to understand the words and concepts that are used throughout the Scriptures. These words MUST be understood in their original context and language, which I believe was HEBREW. A false interpretation of one word can lead us into a false teaching or into even accepting a FALSE GOOD NEWS and a FALSE MESSIAH (Galatians 1:6-8). We cannot REDEFINE words to suit our theology, but must search out their true meanings from Scripture, Hebraic thought, in the culture and times, and context of the verses. Thus to understand the words used in the Brit Chadasha then one has no choice but to turn to the dictionary of the TaNaK to acquire the true definitions of a word and not turn to Greco-Roman philosophers and clergy for understanding. The TORAH is the only foundation of all thought (2 Tim.3: 15).

EXAMPLE: GRACE: This is perhaps the most misunderstood word in the Scriptures. First we must know that the D’var Yahweh or Torah is TRUTH (Yochanan 17:17; Tehillim 119:151,160). Now, is GRACE the opposite of Torah? That is what we have been taught. If it is, then all the above passages are FALSE. No, we see that GRACE is synonymous with Torah. Grace in Hebrew is #2580/81 CHEN or CHESED #2616/17. In the Brit Chadasha the word is CHARIS or ELEOS. CHEN means charm, beauty, lovely, and favor and is found around 70 times in the TaNaK and 233 times in the BRIT Chadasha. CHARIS means the EXACT thing in the GREEK. Both are translated by the English word GRACE/FAVOR in the Scriptures. It’s true meaning never means to be set FREE or liberated through undeserved kindness or favor. Whoever has received GRACE/CHEN from Yahweh (see Gen.6: 8; Mishle –Prov. 31:30; Luke 2:52) is also shown favor by Yahweh in the sense He says to them, “YOU are precious in My sight and eyes.” CHESED / ELEOS means undeserved favor in the sense of grace, pity, loving-kindness, or mercy. CHESED is used around 251 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and only 50 times in the BRIT Chadasha .SO, THE CORRECT USE OF THE WORD UNDESERVED FAVOR IS USED MORE IN THE TaNaK THEN IN THE BRIT CHADASHA IN THE PROPER MANNER AND DEFINITION! David Biven (a Hebrew scholar) says this, “What Christians think of when they read the word grace is something close to the sense that chesed carries, that is [Yahweh’s] unmerited favor.” What he is saying is that the word GRACE in the Renewed Covenant more often means “beauty, charm, lovely” THAN unmerited favor as they think. In every place then where GRACE appears (CHARIS) it should be understood as preciousness or lovely according to the idea of CHEN in Hebrew. Where MERCY appears in the Renewed Covenant, it should be understood to mean the same as CHESED or unmerited favor. GRACE is wrongly doing the work that MERCY should be doing! So, the Torah is GRACE and GRACE is TORAH (Tehillim 103:11)

Yochanan 1:17-18 reads: “For the Torah (law) was given through Mosheh; grace (chen-lovliness, beauty, favor) and truth (TORAH) were realized through Yahshua HaMoshiach.” It DOES NOT SAY this, “The law was given through Mosheh and NOW we have GRACE and truth through Yahshua HaMoshiach.” With the proper understanding it reads like this, “The Torah was given through Mosheh and the Torah’s beauty, loveliness (CHEN) and truth was fully realized through the Moshiach.”

We have to understand that to the Yisraelite TRUTH is not an abstract idea but rather an experience to be lived out and practiced. Hebrew is a language of ACTION. All words are actually rooted in VERBS. Hebrew is the richest language and finest language in the world in communicating Yahweh’s thoughts and will. Hebrew sentence structure is made so the VERB most often comes at the beginning of the clause, then the noun. So in Hebrew the position of emphasis is usually at the beginning of the verse. The reader is confronted immediately with a verbal form even before the subject is designated in the sentence. The Yisraelites are a people of action and great feeling thus Hebrew is a language of the senses and not abstract metaphysical thought. We therefore have Hebraisms that express abstract ideas placed in verbal forms such as “he lifted up his eyes” or “to burn in one’s nostrils”. Also, Yahweh is referred to in the use of anthropomorphism (representations of Deity with human attributes). Yahweh is never reduced to mere impersonal abstract ideas.

To the Hebrew mind, the idea of doctrinal formulation is alien. The essence of TRUE set-apartness is tied to a relationship, and not a creed or doctrinal statement. The Torah then gives direction of how the people of Yisrael can relate to Yahweh and each other through ACTION, not thought. Thus, their relationship with Abba Yahweh was expressed in obedience to the Torah not doctrines. Their love for Him (Deut.6: 4-5) and each other (Lev.18: 19) is action oriented rather than mere words (Ya’akov –James 1:21-27, 2:14-26).

Hebraic thought looks at the INSIDE of a man or the HEART (lev), the bowels (me’eh), liver (kabed) and kidneys (kelayot) as the center of the will, mind, emotions, and spiritual powers ( Romans 10:10,Rev.2: 23). To be WHOLE means to the Hebrew for one’s psychological, physical, and spiritual functions to be made ECHAD (one) or one complete SOUL /being entity that was indivisible.

The Hebrews fully affirm their total humanity. They are not ashamed of their emotions or feelings and express them by crying, laughing, dancing, singing, clapping, loving, and shouting! They rejoice and celebrate at the Feasts of Yahweh. WE are a passionate people! The drinking wine is a symbol of joy and that should accompany our celebrations and Feasts (Tehillim 104:15, Yochanan 2:1-11). We toast each other with “L’Chaim!” The “church” teaching of total abstinence to wine is contrary to Scriptural Hebraic thought. The annual calendar of Feasts and celebrations shows that the Yisraelites are not afraid to release their emotions before Yahweh and one another. They are not halfhearted, dead, or reserved in the approach and the living of life. What a message to Ephraim today! We need to break FREE from the ascetic way of life taught by the GREEKS!

We shall never hear (SHEMA –to hear and do) the words of the TaNaK rightly unless we embrace it all and hear it all! We are told, “The WORD became flesh and dwelt among us.” Yahshua is the example of Hebraic living and thought. He laughed, cried, danced, sang, loved, and shouted.

The Hebrews also make no distinction between the set-apart and the secular parts of life. All of life is a unity. All of it is Yahweh’s domain and submitted to Him. Every circumstance of life-the good times and bad times- are not mere chance but under the sovereign control of Yahweh. Every part of our life is to be set-apart to Him-eating, working, your family, sex, worship, and relationships. We find then that Hebraic thought is that everything is related to your relationship to Yahweh. There is no “secular” and sacred! ALL is submitted to Yahweh. That is why there are blessing for every aspect of life. Religion then is defined to the Hebrew as his daily life in terms of a journey her upon the earth, not a system of creeds, ideology, or theology. These are all inaccurate descriptions of Scriptural thought. To a Yisraelite, his religion is the WAY he has chosen to walk out his redemption. It is all relationship; it is walking with Yahweh in His path of shalom, righteousness, service, and wisdom-the Torah. Yahshua taught this in Matt.7: 13-14.The early congregations called their walk –THE WAY (Acts 9:2, 19:9, and 22:4). This is what we mean then by halakah- “the way of walking, proceeding or going”. Halakah provides a roadmap from the start (birth) to the finish (death) of one’s journey through life.

History to the Hebrew mind is linear, durative, and progressive. To the Roman mind history is circular and tied to the cycles of nature. Hebrew history is not a cycle of purposeless happenings. Nor is time viewed as a race towards death in which you try to escape the clutches of time. No, in the Hebrew mind, time and history are going somewhere; it is a route to a goal, a race to be run to its fullest. The consummation of time will be the OLAM HABA, or age to come (Zech.14: 9). Yahweh brings meaning to Hebrew history and the Yisraelites journey through life. Yahweh is actively present in time and history. The Hebrews have learned to sanctify TIME.

You may recall the TV show “Star Trek” and how Mister Spock (Leonard Nimoy, who is a Kohen) would say, “That’s not logical!” What is known as BLOCK LOGIC is a part of Hebrew thought. The Western world thinks in Greek logic. It is a step by step logic that argues from premises and arrives at a logical conclusion. It is done in a coherent, rational, logical sequence. Therefore, THE CONCLUSION IS LIMITED TO ONE POINT OF VIEW! THAT CONCLUSION THEN IS THAT PERSONS VIEWPOINT OF REALITY.

In contrast, the Hebrew mind uses BLOCK LOGIC or concepts that are expressed in one unit or block of thought. These blocks do not necessarily fit together in a rational harmonious pattern of thought. As Yisraelites we understand that one unit or block represents man viewpoint or perspective of truth and the other block is from Yahweh’s perspective. This results in what appears to be a contradiction of thought or paradox that is held together by tension-or even illogical relationship to the other block of thought.

This concept creates great difficulty to the “gentile” mind whose thought patterns run after the Greeks and Romans more than the Hebrews. Ephraim’s minds were conditioned this way in the assimilation into the nations (goyim). Now you can understand why Rav Shaul wanted our minds renewed to the Torah!

Block logic reconciles the Scriptural ideas of predestination/election and free will/human freedom. We must understand that Divine Sovereignty and human free will are not incompatible as the ‘church’ has argued for centuries. Yisrael knows there is no violation of their free will as Yahweh accomplishes his purposes upon the earth and in history. There is no such thing as “fate” (a false deity in Is.65: 11). Fate is a blind force, which dictates to man, what was to happen to him. It was inescapable. The Hebraic view is that the future is not totally unalterable, for this viewpoint (the pagan one) limited Yahweh’s mercy and omnipotence. Rabbi Akivah said:

This is the correct view; otherwise prayer does not make sense at all and is an exercise in futility and fighting against Yahweh. The Hebrew mind then can handle this tension that exists in block logic.

The Hebrew mind does not claim to be a” know- it- all “either. Everyone thinks they have to have answers to all their questions and expects the rabbis to know it all. All things concerning Yahweh and His Word do not have to be rational. The Hebrew mind then will accept truth that is taught on both sides of the paradox in block logic. Yahweh cannot be put in a box or charted out on charts for all to understand as some would try to have us believe. Yahweh has an unpredictability about Himself that sometimes defies all reason (Is.55: 8) and human logic.

We learn as Yisraelites to experience TRUTH not to just think truth. TRUTH is an ENCOUNTER with Divine reality through DOING the mitzvot. DEED IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CREED TO THE TRUE YISRAELITE! We do not need to reconcile all that seems to be reconcilable in the Scriptures. Walking in TRUTH and experiencing TRUTH is more important than rationally analyzing truth. Most questions are unsolvable in block logic. We should not fear contradictions we seemingly find in the Scriptures. That means we accept the fact that the irreconcilable is reconcilable only to Yahweh. We search to see and understand what Yahweh wants us to DO more than studying Him in dead seminaries. Building great theological theories and systems is just plain risky business. As we study the Torah then we need to understand that there will come up apparent paradoxes in logic and unanswerable questions. We need to learn that to the Hebrew –that is all right.

Now we can understand why Rav Shaul told us to RENEW-RENOVATE-CLEAN OUT our minds that have been defiled by the teachings of the GRECO-ROMAN system of religion. Ephraim has perished for a lack of knowledge of Torah (Hoshea 4:6). Until minds are renewed then Ephraim will “regard the Torah as a strange thing” (Hoshea 8:12). Ephraim then will continue to walk in the ways of the goyim. We praise Yahweh that He is calling Ephraim BACK to Torah. BUT it is going to take a major effort on the part of Ephraim to renew their minds to the Torah by adopting the Hebraic mind-set and discarding the GREEK/Roman mind. Only then Ephraim will KNOW or discern what the DECREE of Yahweh is for their lives. His ways will be made known to them and they shall walk in it.

· “Who is wise and understands these words, discerning and knows them? For the ways of Yahweh are straight and the righteous walk in them, but the transgressors stumble in them.” Hoshea 14:9

Please, do not be one who stumbles over the ways of Yahweh. Learn discernment by renewing your mind to His Torah and the Hebraic mindset.

[1] G4964 suschēmatizō Thayer Definition: 1) to conform one’s self (i.e. one’s mind and character) to another’s pattern, (fashion one’s self according to)

[2] G3339 metamorphoō Thayer Definition: 1) to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure

[3] G342 anakainōsis Thayer Definition: 1) a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better

[4] Fathers

[5] Torah,Navi’im Ketuvim

[6] Renewed Covenant- does not mean NEW

Beginners Torah Lesson:

Part 3 “Renewing the Mind to Hebraic Thought”