Having a Hebrew Mind

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Ok. Imagine we are small ugly caterpillars. Our purpose in life is make it long enough to be transformed into a beautiful butterfly. The process is tedious. We must eat and prepare, and eat and prepare some more. Then we must make our own cocoon and exit this world of small countless legs. Goodbye yummy green leafs. This change will take some time, yet the outcome is extraordinary. Through the process of metamorphasis we can trade our earth bound hairy legs for water-color wings that can soar in the heavens. In the same way, through metamorphasis, our minds can change from being “earthy” to become “heavenly.” Through our mind and our lives being made new we can know and accomplish the Creator’s purposes and plans. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of Elohim's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Elohim -- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what Elohim's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will,” Romans 12:1-2. This is just the start, to our mind being renewed and our wings busting out of the cocoon of the world.

Friend, let us consider that the renewed mind is like a dairy milking stool, one with three legs. The seat of the stool is the Torah, as revealed in the first five books of the Bible and as interpreted by Rabbi Yahshua. Thus the seat, or base of the renewed mind, is the Torah. The three legs are the three impact areas that must be considered. Without one of these legs the stool is unbalanced, unable to stand. So, it is really important to grasp all three of these dynamics. Let us not allow the simplicity of these areas fool us. They are easy to understand, yet, they are also easy to misunderstand.

Renewal Stool Leg One: Engage Your Focus

Do we ever wonder why a lion tamer would enter the circus ring with bar stool? Sure, the whip and the pistol make excellent tools to ward off dangerous lions, but why a bar stool? Well, lion tamers use the stool to confuse lion. They hold the stool out by its seat and push the ferocious animal away with the legs. The lion actually tries to watch all three legs at one time and gets dizzily confused. The stool is the most important item used in the ring because it messes up the focus of the beast. The king of the jungle is nothing but a baby kitten when its focus is off. We, too, are easily off guard when our concentration is broken and we don’t control our thoughts.

In life, we get that on which we focus. The person at the summit of a mountain did not fall there. Likewise, it takes effort to reach the pinnacle in our spiritual life. If we are negative, if we complain a lot, if we just can’t seem to have any joy, then, we probably need to really engage our focus. There is a Biblical principle that states that we reap what we sow. When we plant positive, Torah-based thoughts, our life will then reap positive, Torah-based outcomes. This doesn’t mean that things will be easy or everything will go our way. What engaging our focus does though, is preparing our soul to look to YHWH in the good times and in the bad. If we are focused, then we are determined, we are alert, and we are unwavering. The key here is found in Tehillm 16:8. “I have set YHWH always before me. Because of his right hand, I will not be shaken.” We need to memorize this pasuk. We can write this verse down on a note card and keep it before ourselves. “I have set YHWH always before me. Because of his right hand, I will not be shaken,” Psalm 16:8.

Looking to YHWH, really seeing His hand throughout the events of our day will lead to a great transformation. The seemingly bad things that happen will turn into learning events. The good things will bring about praise the Almighty. The humdrum stuff will provide even more opportunities to learn and rejoice. “Remember the YHWH in a distant land, and think on Yerushalyim,” says Yermiyahu 51:50. And even Rabbi Sha’ul wrote that, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things,” Phillipians 4:8. We can't let our mind wander, or wonder, when things go crazy or bad. We look to YHWH. We pray. We control our thoughts. We can ask, “How would Yahshua handle this situation?” Reading the Torah daily strengthens our renewal. What we put in is what we get out. Now is the time to start putting Torah into our mind.

Renewal Stool Leg Two: Accept halakhah, reject theology

Caution. This is a "no spin" zone. The acceptance of halakhah and the rejection of theology is one of the absolute hardest battles believers face. We will continue reading at our mind’s own risk.

To have our mind renewed we must accept halakhah and reject man’s ways. “Halakhah” is a Hebrew word that literally means ‘a way to walk or act’ or the way ‘to go’ in obeying the commands. It is found throughout the scriptures and is based on a verse from Shemot. “And thou shalt show them the way wherein they are to go and the work that they must do," Shemot (Exodus) 18:20. When a teacher/Rabbi sets halakhah that teacher is saying, “we’re going to obey this command in this manner.” It's root is in the word ‘yaw-lak,’ defined as to ‘walk, prosper, grow, and carry.’ Halakhah is interpretation of scripture with ideas and descriptions on how to live out the commandments. IT is a way of application of Torah to everyday life. Halakhah may differ from teacher to teacher and from family to family. Some halakhah is strict, with boundaries of protection fenced around the Torah. Some halakhah is loose and liberal. Even other groups have ‘minhag’ or local customs on halakhah of certain issues. It can be wide, but it must not break Torah and Torah’s literal interpretation. Just like walking, halakhah takes effort. It is easy to receive theological rhetoric from a priest or professor. It is hard to “study to show thyself approved unto Elohim, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” 1 Timothy 2:15 KJV.

Like a friendly, next-door neighbor, we have grown up with our theologies and have trusted them to be the answers to some of our deepest questions. The problem is that most of man’s theologies are just that – man’s theologies …or man’s theories. According to the Online Etymolgical Dictionary the word ‘theology’ is from the Greek language and literally means the “account or treating of the gods.” The Baptists, Catholics, and Lutherans all have their theology figured out and have placed their ‘g/d’ in a tightly made box of ideals. The dilemma is that YHWH is ‘Ayn Sof” or 'incomprehensible and beyond knowledge'. YHWH is so great we really cannot understand Him. This doesn’t settle well with our mind because we have always been taught various ideas that box Him in, various boxes into which He fits,

Get ready for a spring cleaning from the theologies of the trinity, eternal security and the causes of sickness and death. Elohim is greater than our understanding and bigger than our boxes of theology like the “Baptist Faith and Message” or Benny Hinn’s latest book. Our theologies have Him tied around our little finger and have Him all figured out. However our theologies are wrong because they are not based upon Torah. Our theological thinking is full of man, paganism, and ancient lies. We may want a denomination, or union of rabbis, to dictate how we are to live and think, but that is just not the way it is supposed to be.

We have the Scriptures, His infallible written Torah. His Word is our guide. Yet even with six hundred and thirteen commandments there are literally thousands upon thousands of ways to do them. If you ask two rabbis the same question you will usually get three answers. No two people keep Torah the same. This is exactly where halakhah comes in. Goodbye theology and hello to a new way to walk!

Halakhah leaves room for differences as long as the Torah is upheld. As Rabbi Nydle has put it, “Torah is the doctrine and halakhah is the way to walk. There is much freedom in halakhah.” Theology leads to walls of separation that shout, “If you don’t believe exactly as I do, then, you are not welcome or you are not going to heaven.” Halkhah provides freedom and room for growth. Halakhah says, “We do it this way, yet you may do it another way. The important thing is that we are doing YHWH’s Will of the Torah.” The Scriptures allow congregations, Rabbis, and families to fulfill the mitzvot in different yet meaningful ways. Theology on the other, leaves no room for difference.

Throughout the world, Rabbi’s halakhah differ on how to do certain things, say Hebrew words, and obey the various commands. Haven’t you ever struggled with the “correct” way to keep a command? Halakhah conquers that struggle with a scriptural answer. Sometimes halakhah includes several different scriptural answers. This is why two groups can perform a mitzvah differently, yet both are in their own eyes “right.”

While theology is formal, halakhah isn’t. This is hard to grasp because it actually leads to more questions than answers. We want YHWH tightly defined and all contradictions of Scripture solved. We want our theological statement to bounce ideas off and compare with other groups.

Yes, yes. There are certain areas that are crystal clear that should be agreed upon and accepted. The truth of Torah is not up for debate. Yet, a proper understanding of halakhah would not break fellowship over simple issues. One person may say “Yahhuah” another may say “Yahveh” – both are saying the Name YHWH. One group may use the Jewish calendar; another may use another calendar – both are trying to keep the feasts on the specified days. One Rabbi may teach to take a magic marker and write Scriptures verses on the doorframes of your house while another Rabbi may encourage the use of a mezuzah – both are upholding Devarim 6. Theology leads to judgmental attitudes and rejection, while halakhah will usher in acceptance and deeper devotion. A proper acceptance of halakhah will further our mind's renewal and it will allow us to engage our focus upon YHWH, to reject putting Him in the box of theology, and to accept the freedom found in the way to walk Torah.

Renewal Stool Leg Three: Choose the Hebrew Way

Life is full of choices. We choose what side of the bed to wake up on, what flavor toothpaste to use, and what color socks to wear. Some decisions are minimal while others are major. To experience the renewed mind on a higher level we must daily decipher and decide upon the Hebrew way.

Unfortunately, the way of life that has emerged in the world today is staunchly opposite to the mitzvot of Torah. Like a computer, we have been programmed to operate within the world’s parameters. All we know is how the world acts. The Christian church mirrors the current culture, yet we must mirror the ancient paths. We now have to be re-programmed or renewed towards Yah’s ways. The Hebrew road is our pathway towards YHWH’s “good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

The Hebrew approach is a Torah-based method for life’s decisions. This worldview covers everything from faith to family to finances. It will cause us to think and therefore, to act more like the Ivrim of the Scriptures. Life, every thought, word, and action will be YHWH-oriented.

One fundamental difference between the Hebrew way and the worldly or Greek mindset is between knowing and doing. While the ancient Greeks and the modern person is concerned with knowledge and belief, the Hebrew wants to do right. Society's accommodation of differences says we can separate what we believe from what we actually do. President Clinton’s Lewinsky affair is a prime example of how our culture allows the notion of separating actions and devotion. The President said he was devoted to his wife, yet his actions proved the opposite. While the church teaches that faith is all about belief, the Hebrew way, according to Ya’acov 2:14, faith is all about action and doing. “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” (For more examples of the differences between the Hebrew and the Greek/Western types of thinking, we have prepared a short graph at the bottom of this teaching.)

The world separates the religious from the secular. For most in this world, there is recreation time, work shifts, and the worship hour on Sunday. For the Hebrew, everything is spiritual. The lines are blurred between the religious and, pretty much everything else. The hand of the Creator can be seen behind the events of the day; the 7pm news broadcast is an expose of the signs of the times. As a believer you must acknowledge that you are not just an American or an African – you are a Hebrew who is on a quest to reclaim your culture and heritage.

The Yisraelite lifestyle is founded on two important areas. The first is the Torah itself. Like a blueprint for a building, the Torah gives specific instructions and directions for how we can achieve our full potential and please the Creator. Torah, specifically the first five books of Moses, should be the foundation upon which our faith is built. Torah is the standard from which life and life’s decisions should be determined and judged. Every idea, doctrine, and teaching must pass the Torah test.

“Torah” is the Hebrew word for teaching and instruction usually translated as “law” in English Bibles. Over time, “Torah” has become the title for the first five books of the Bible, which were given to Moses by the Almighty. The Torah is the revelation of the Creator’s will for mankind. It is also the Bible that Yahshua read and used. Without a firm foundation in the Torah, sin is excused, false theology is accepted, and the character of Yahweh is altered. Psalm 11:3, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” To know how a Hebrew should think and act we must know, really know Torah. Memorize verses from the writings of Moshe. Search the scriptures before making a decision. Follow the path that has been laid before us within the teachings of Torah.

The second aspect of a Hebrew worldview is the very controversial issue of Judaism and tradition. One simple fact to consider is that the Jewish people have had the Torah and have kept the seventh-day Sabbath for thousands of years. The Jews know how to kill animals in the prescribed way as found in the Torah. The Jews know how to tie tzittzit, to make tefillin, and to keep the feast days. They have inherited the faith of our ancestors Avraham, Moshe, and David. We, as believers, can look to the Jews for aid and assistance when it comes to understanding rituals, traditions, customs, and difficult passages of Scripture. They know how to keep Torah and we don’t. So the more we learn about the faithful Jewish people, the more we can learn about Torah observance.

In fact, historical writings prove that the early followers of Yahshua were so Jewish that most people could not tell them apart from the majority of the Jews. “The Nazarenes do not differ in any essential thing from [the Orthodox Jews], since they practice the customs and doctrines prescribed by Jewish Law; except that they believe in Messiah. “They believe in the resurrection of the dead, and that the universe was created by the Almighty. They preach that Yahweh is One, and that Yahshua is his Son... They are very learned in the Hebrew language. They read the Law.”, wrote the early Church Father Epiphanius in his doctrinal book: “Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies)” Panarion 29 – sacred names added. And remember that the Savior did say, “what we do know is salvation is from the Jews,” in John 4:22.

To know and live in a Hebraic mindset, the traditions and customs of Judaism are a great asset. It is difficult and maybe, even impossible, to have a world-view based upon Torah without looking to Judaism for answers as to how the Jewish people live. The Jews have kept the Torah for thousands of years. They have an understanding of what it means to obey the majority of the commandments. The Rabbis and Sages of Judaism have studied, discussed, fussed, and made decisions on the various mitzvah or commands. A single action of obeying a Torah command has over time developed into a tradition, through repetition. The action has, also progressed into the culture as an accepted practice, thus becoming part of the Jewish identity.

What advantage is there?

When we look to Judaism for answers on the Hebrew mindset, we must deal with the issue of tradition. The Hebrew word for tradition is “masoret.” The Encyclopedia Judaica says, "Masoret is the general name for tradition. It is found in Ezekiel 20:37 and means originally 'bond' or 'fetter'." Tradition is the discipline that establishes the correct practice and interpretation of the Torah and was therefore regarded as a hedge or fetter about the Law (Avot 3:14). Since this knowledge was handed down by successive generations, it was also associated with the Hebrew word masor, denoting "to give over." In the talmudic literature, the term masoret is used to include all forms of tradition, both those which relate to the Bible and those which concern custom, law, historical events, folkways, and other subjects.” Masoret remain virtually unchanged over long periods of time to provide examples, uniformity, and help with belief.

Friend, obedience to the Torah requires a different lifestyle than that of the world. Believers in the Bible must make a decision about the Torah. Either we will dismiss the Torah or we will accept the Torah. Either we will follow the Messiah’s example and keep the commands of Moshe or we will follow the preachers’ example and pig out on pork. Either we will agree to the traditional way of obeying a command or we will make it up as we go. We can dismiss the Torah and traditions as being “too Jewish” or we can accept the Torah and strive to obey it, the choice is ours. Yet when we choose to obey the Torah we will soon be confronted with another big problem. This is the problem of “how.”

Yes, the Jewish people have kept the Torah for thousands of years. They have hashed out the difficult verses and set standards on the way to live. The majority of Jewish observances concerning the Torah are of benefit. By following the traditional adherence to the Torah, our actions can model that of the first believers in Messiah. The early Believers were “just like the Torah keeping Jews” and their accepted practices differed in no way, teaches the church historian Eusebius.

When Yahshua spoke about masoret he was rebuking a group of Torah teachers who were exalting their traditionalism over the Torah. “You have let go of the commands of Elohim and are holding on to the traditions of men. You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of Elohim in order to set up your own traditions!” said Yahshua in Mark 7:8-93. Notice that he did not tell them to get rid of their traditions. What the Messiah did do, though, is rebuke the teachers who valued, upheld, and created traditions that replaced obedience to the Torah. If any tradition takes the place of Torah, negates Torah, or hinders our walk of Torah then this is a tradition that needs to be dropped and replaced.

Good or “tov” traditions will lead us towards intimacy with Yahweh. But with so many customs, web sites, articles, books, teachers, and ways to do things how do we know what to do? What should we do about how to exactly obey the various mitzvah? In looking to Judaism for information on Torah, what should we accept and what should we reject? Jewish obedience to the Torah is not just mindless or faithless work. No, their practice of Torah has over time developed into a culture of events that express a lifestyle. It is not just about a religion. “Tradition has given Judaism a continuity with its past and preserved its character as a unique faith with a distinct way of life,” says one source.

"Truth Search"

Finally, here’s some help! Here’s a short “Truth Search ” to use when deciding what traditions to use and what traditions to avoid. When our family or ministry is making a decision on how to keep the commandments, we can use this three-part litmus test to assess the situation. The truth will set us free, while pagan rituals, false worship days, and legalistic religious actions will bind us. We have a rich culture and heritage of Biblical customs and traditions awaiting us that will aid in our desire to know YHWH’s will for our life.

Truth Search

To examine our actions and to help us decide which traditions we should receive with open arms, let us answer these three questions:

1. Is it Biblical?

Does this custom or action go against verses or principles found in the Scriptures?

2. Is it pagan?

Does this custom or action have pagan roots / affiliation / connotations to it?

3. Does it grieve the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit)?

Do we have peace with doing this?

Does it promote unity, love, and shalom?

Do we feel the Spirit’s tug when we do or don’t do it, this way?

Sources:

Irrational Man, by William Barrett;

Christianity With Power by Charles Kraft;

Hebrew Thought Compared With Greek by Thorleif Boman;

Judaism and Christianity – The Differences by Trude Weiss-Rosmarin,

Our Father Abraham, by Marvin Wilson,

God in Search of Man by Abraham Heschel.

* This teaching is available in CD audio format.
For information contact ravemet@comcast.net

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