There has been a widely held view within Judaism that there is an innate, intrinsic difference between the souls of Jews and non-Jews. It was widely believed that for a non-Jew to convert to Judaism requires more than a change of faith or conviction — it would be a transmutation of essence. Rabbi Mordecai Jaffe […]

The Establishment of Rabbinic Authority Power struggles are nothing new. Men have always vied for positions of power and authority and will go to great lengths to entrench their power base once established. While the temple stood it remained the focal point of Jewish worship and thereby assured the priests of a central place of […]

In a “counter-missionary handbook” entitled, “The Jewish Response to Missionaries”, Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz writes the following: “While Judaism believes that G-d manifests Himself to His creation (humanity) in many ways, (i.e. as a judge or a protector,) G-d’s essence itself is indivisible and therefore without any possibility of distinction. Something that transcends both time and […]

The LORD said to Moses, “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the Lord by fire.” (Leviticus 23:26-28). He (the high priest) shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its […]

Rabbi Simlai said, “Moses gave Israel 613 commandments. David reduced them to 10, Isaiah to 2, but Habakkuk to one: the righteous shall live by his faith” (Makkot 23b). What does it mean that the righteous shall live by his faith? If we were to suppose that to live by faith is to live in […]

A comparison of Rabbinic commentaries on Messianic Passages in the Tenach with the New Testament counterparts. FOREWORD This article presents Bible references which show a perfect harmony between the Old and New Testaments. In addition quotations are given from the following rabbinical sources: TARGUM (= Translation). The Aramaic Targums were oral, like the “Oral Law”. The […]

Can a person be a Jewish Christian or are the Rabbis right in maintaining that this is an absolute contradiction in terms? Rabbinical Judaism is predicated upon the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. The Rabbis therefore insist that one cannot believe in Jesus and remain Jewish. Christianity is founded upon the belief that Jesus […]

Abraham Cohen was walking on Broadway, carrying a little parcel wrapped in brown paper. He looked very pious and reserved, very deep in meditation. Being an old friend of his I hailed him: “A happy New Year to you Mr. Cohen. I hope you are well.” It was Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), and […]

Dies auch in Deutsch erhaeltlich Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. (Galatians 3:6-7, Genesis 15:6). What is orthodoxy? The term, orthodoxy, is usually associated with strict religious observance. In the context of Rabbinical Judaism, extreme orthodoxy has come […]