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[This was first posted January 28, 2014 on the occasion of Chinese New Year, reposted on the same occasion every year thereafter; always a timely reminder in an age of religious confusion. Nothing much has changed in the world of superstition/man-made religion since the times of antiquity, that is why the One True God had spoken from Sinai to redirect humanity’s focus on what is essential in life. Would you know what it might be?
What’s wrong with having some fun in life and going along with feng-shui and similar cultural beliefs and practices? Because majority actually take it more seriously than the Revelation of YHWH! Non-stop media coverage (yes, including CNN), dispenses in short memorable dosage the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ during this 7-day-long celebration (hmmm, 7 days, is that just a coincidence?) Though admittedly, the spectacles that TV coverage brings into our homes of various celebrations in Chinatowns all over the world and more so the awakened roaring Dragon that is CHINA — are breathtaking!
But here’s the point: religious prognostication in 2016 had warned about dire happenings on ‘Shemittah year’ and the celestial recurrence of the ‘blood moon’ . . . well, the supposed ‘Dooms-Date’ came and went like all other past Doomsday bugaboos; life went on as usual, no earthshaking events happened except perhaps for the stockmarket crash which has since recovered. We’re still around, praise YHWH, so after all the distractions of this world that grab much of our attention-focus-time, let us find time to get back to Torah basics and learn about what the Creator-Revelator on Sinai instructed to the “mixed multitude” of Israelites and non-Israelites, representative humanity for all cultures, nations, generations. —Admin1.]
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If you have read previous articles on the S6K definition of “Divine Revelation” you will know by now that when we refer to “God’s Word” we mean ONLY the TORAH, the first five books attributed to Moses who received and recorded the Sinai revelation.
Whether it is in the Hebrew Scriptures of 3 parts (TNK) or the Christian Bible of 2 parts (OT/NT), the TORAH precedes the sequels.
After much research, study and finally, understanding, we have learned to recognize only the TORAH as the divinely-given instructions on how man should live his life, specially in community with all kinds of “neighbors” (spouse, parents, children, extended family, friend, enemy, stranger, master and slave, employer and employee, believers of other faiths).
Basic in such relationships are personal choices each person has to make for oneself:
- to find out what the divine instruction is if there is one,
- then hear and heed . . .
- or refuse to even start searching.
The question is: do I live my life as I determine for myself, or do I submit to another authority? After determining which, then one chooses which authority should rule and direct one’s pathway in life. If it is “I” then “I” choose as “I” see fit, serve only myself; if it is “another” or perhaps even “others”, then “I” comes second.
Included in the TORAH of YHWH is the absolute importance of liberation from bondage to someone or something that lords it over you where you do not have a choice to accept or resist. That someone or something that rules your behavior could be anyone or anything, such as self-destructive substance addiction where there is no turning back, and choice is overruled by absolute need. Samples, nicotine, alcohol and drugs; caffeine and sugar, food, sex, pedophilia, nymphomania; human slavery —you get the idea.
The point? There is no CHOICE when there is no FREEDOM to choose from a minimum of 2 options. If one has known only one way all his life and has never known another way so that he could choose to leave or remain with the ‘familiar’, then he has never had a choice to make. If he was exposed to another way but it was as false as the familiar way he had only ever known, how much responsibility could we lay on him? Aren’t we fortunate we are not the JUDGE of all humankind, and that YHWH has that exclusive right because of his ‘OMNI’ attributes, particularly OMNIscience.
So, back to the question: how do we, living in the 2nd millennium (actually the 6th millennium in the biblical calendar), now read and understand the TORAH of YHWH so that we can obey in our current circumstances, times, and culture?
Abraham Joshua Heschel summarizes it best:
” The Bible reflects—
- its divine as well as
- its human authorship;
- expressed in the language of a particular age,
- it addresses itself to all ages;
- disclosed in particular acts,
- its content is everlasting.
- The word of God is in time— and in eternity—
- It preceded the creation of the world,
- the beginning of time,
- and is given to us in the setting of time.
- It preceded the creation of the world,
- It is therefore continually in need of new understanding.
The original recipients of TORAH had no problem understanding the LITERAL meaning of the instructions. It perfectly addressed their life in the wilderness while they were in transition from being slaves in bondage to Egypt where previously they had absolutely no freedom to even make the first choice: pledge allegiance to a master they wish to serve. So now they face making a choice: to serve this new Master to Whom they owed their new-found freedom. To think they never sought Him, they’re simply grateful for what He has done to liberate them. Are they now prepared to hear and obey so many instructions He has dictated to their leader-mediator Moses? Their problem was simple: could they adjust to a totally different way of living and obey their new Master, down to the last detail of do’s and don’ts?
As the TORAH narrative portions record, the transition did not go smoothly, for what can one expect of over 2 million self-willed clueless slaves finding themselves in the food-less water-less environment of the desert wilderness not knowing what to expect, how they would survive? Expect fear, confusion, frustration, rebellion. If you were Moses himself, how would you know what to do, you simply got chosen, had to accept an assignment, did your part, relied completely on YHWH.
YHWH who liberated them had instructions, teachings, commandments, a ready manual for living together in community all set up, governing every aspect of their life. No part of life was left un-addressed.
Were they given a choice? Of course! Would the Designer of humankind who endowed us with free will not respect that one power which is ours to make in relation to anything and everything that affects our life? Remember, before the Creator designed humankind in His image, there was only ONE WILL in the universe, HIS. Now He has allowed human after human born in this world through the ages to will his own destiny with a lifetime of choices to make.
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The dilemma for the mixed multitude wandering in the desert is exactly the same dilemma for us living in the 21st century. Do we know what YHWH said? Do we understand His will as expressed in Torah living? Do we hear, listen, heed TORAH . . . or not?
The mixed multitude had to obey literally. What about those who lived through the ages, reading and learning TORAH and endeavoring to apply WHAT IS APPLICABLE to their times, culture and circumstances, all of which are subject to change, except for one thing — human nature, and for another, the nature of the Torah-Giver?
Read Rabbi Heschel’s words again, the TORAH is “continually in need of new understanding” (not replacement altogether, which is what Replacement Theology has done).
All the articles in this website are geared towards helping others gain a new understanding of this 6-millennia old TORAH. It is both easy as well as frustrating to read. Many times you wonder “what has this got to do with me?” Perhaps we get too fixated, understandably, on learning what YHWH said . . . rather than knowing YHWH Himself first.
Moses has been mistakenly dubbed the “Law-Giver” and the TORAH as the “Mosaic Law.” NO, NO, NO!
YHWH is the LAWGIVER, and TORAH is HIS manual, HIS guideline for living in HIS created universe! So get to know the LAWGIVER and understand Him and His Ways as much as He has chosen to reveal Himself. Then choose to live His Way . . . or not.
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TORAH is not a burden but a blessing. Best to find out for yourself but remember, learning to live YHWH’s way is a lifetime journey! In keeping with “Kung Hei Fat Choy”, the Chinese New Year (actually spring festival) which is timed with this thrice-revisited old post, we choose a Chinese proverb for new as well as old beginnings: begin with that first step toward your journey of a thousand miles.
What is that first step?
- Get to know God,
- His Name as He Himself revealed . . .
- and what is He like.
If the God you believe in is the God of Israel Who proclaims Himself as the Creator and God of all nations, then get yourself a copy of the Hebrew Scriptures, the TNK. And if you’ve gotten only as far as the “first step” — the “T” in the “TNK”, that is sufficient! For the “N” and the “K” record the successes and failures of the chosen people to whom were given the responsibility to live and model the Torah life so that they could be the “light to the nations”. They have made the Torah available to the nations.
So what are we waiting for, oh Gentiles of the nations?
Godspeed!
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