Rabbinic views on Psalm 22 – They pierced my hands and feet

Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz, of Jews for Judaism, suggests that Christians have deliberately mistranslated Psalm 22:17. He writes, “When read out of context and mistranslated as ‘They pierced my hands and feet,’ as appears in Christian versions, the passage intentionally conjures up thoughts of Jesus.” However, he fails to mention two important facts: Firstly, the Jewish […]

Passover a celebration for Jews and Christians

The story of Passover is a timeless story that resonates in the hopes and dreams of people of all ages in their struggle for liberation from cruel oppressors. But Passover represents much more than just a story of national liberation. The Lord instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh: “Let my people go, so that they may […]

One New Man

From one man God made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far […]

Rabbinic views … on what it means to be Jewish

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 origins of Rabbinic Judaism

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 […]

Rabbinic views . . . On the oneness of God

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 […]

Rabbinic views . . .Concerning the need for Sacrifice

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 […]

Rabbinic views . . . on Faith vs. Law

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 […]

Farida before the Magistrate

Dieselfde in Afrikaans beskikbaar Farida’s husband died when she was 42 years old leaving her with a small sum of money, the motor-car and 5 children – of which 4 were still at school. Farida tried by whatever means to keep her children fed and to meet the cost of their education. Her family could […]

Make disciples of all nations

 Dies auch in Deutsch erhaeltlich  “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything […]