Non-Jewish Issues
Biblical Basis For Eternal Noahide Laws: Proven & Documented
Non-Jews Guaranteed True Salvation In The World To Come
Christianity
Religious Response To Christians: Non-conventional Polemics
Critical Review of rabbi Harvey Falk's Book ("Jesus the Pharisee")
Technical
Status of Christianity & Islam in Torath Moshe
Missionaries
Messianic Congregations To Avoid
How bad is the Missionary problem in Israel?
| There are over 80 missionary organizations in Israel, with
millions of American dollars at their fingertips. A ton of money is
currently being spent on billboards and advertisements (some on buses) in
every major city. In addition, they deceptively pass out candy to our (poor)
youth, in order to tell them about J. Under the guise of
assisting the public, they open community centers, as well as drug-treatment
facilities, that serve to advance their cause.
"The missionaries have at their disposal kibbutzim,
convention centers, youth hostels, coffee houses, publishing houses and much
more to spread their poisonous message." (Yad l'Achim).
"They are careful to hide their true intentions.
They will not usually display the crucifix and will not mention the name of
their deity in conversation with Jews. They simply 'love' us -- "no strings
attached." But their goal is clear: To immigrate to Israel by the millions,
to become citizens and to convert us all, G-d forbid. They do explicitly
admit that as far as they are concerned, a Jew who does not accept their
deity will burn in hell...Slowly but surely, more and more Xtian
institutions are being built in Israel. They have infiltrated almost every
Jewish organization. And most worrisome of all, they have infiltrated the
political Right. Acting MKs and candidates for the Knesset from all the
rightist parties have been busy running to their churches in the US, hugging
the most despicable missionaries and giving their activities in Israel and
their beliefs the legitimacy so crucial to their success. Big money from
these groups has been blinding the eyes of many Likud candidates, as well as
Orange MKs and rabbis, and strictly kosher Haredi rabbis, as well."
(Moshe Feiglin)
|
About Missionaries & Their Associates
| To be honest, I have no respect for
Christian missionaries at all. They usually prey upon the emotionally
down-trodden of our people. Sometimes, they prey upon legally Jewish
(Russian) immigrants - who have lost their families, or have little food. They are sure
to seek out the emotionally devastated. Other times, they prey upon the young.
Millions of dollars a year are being used to create "Jewish oriented"
literature, with conversion in mind. Everything from fraudulent rabbinic ordinations,
fake conversions, fake immigrations and fake identities are being used in
this unholy war. To be sure, every card-carrying missionary (or associate) studies
their "Jewish Cue Cards" - that tell them what (and what not) to say. After
all, they have to make it sound as Jewish as possible. Oh ya... and they
have to express love, love, love. I have personally witnessed the deceptiveness they
use, when preying upon the Jewish people in Israel. I have personally witnessed them
lie, cheat and steal, in order to further their agenda (at all costs). The
psychological tactics used by missionaries are too vast and complicated to
describe here in this paper.
I know of one instance where a family posed as
Observant Jews (emigrating from America to Israel - and gaining citizenship), and were subsequently
recognized by the Israel government as new, legitimate olim (immigrants).
They had converted under false pretenses - all the while keeping in touch
with their close missionary contacts. They even went as far as moving to a
very religious area (under false pretenses), where they kept their
identity secret for over three years. All the while, they were shuttling to
Jerusalem, in order to sell their Messianic ideology to Jews. Thank the G-D,
they were eventually exposed and expelled as the lying heretics they truly
are. In deed, (as the Amidah says): may haShem utterly destroy the wicked
heresy from our midst. Unfortunately, they still live in Israel.
In recent times, missionaries have taken up a new tactic (may
G-D protect us)... behind the camera.
Yes, the missionaries have the gall to enter our land
as tourists, and then provoke certain sects of Hareidi Jews - by setting up
Christian outreach tents in their backyards and streets. By focusing in on
the (admittedly hostile & sometimes racist) reactions of these particular
Jews, the missionaries are able to demonize the ENTIRE (religious) Jewish
people ON FILM. At the same time, they simultaneously play the victim of the
so-called hate they initiated. This is all being used to fuel
Jew Hatred on the web right now. This creates a huge (and dark)
misrepresentation of who the religious Jewish people really are. And to top
it off, they are now protesting (in Israel) over their "unfair treatment".
Can there be something more wicked than this?
Even the Muslims don't stoop this low. This speaks to the very core of
their utter wickedness and non-monotheistic idolatry.
To them, I confidently apply the following verse:
- "Woe to those who call evil
good, and good evil ..." (Isaiah 5:20-25).
If you are a righteous ben Noakh (idolatry free) or a G-D fearing Jew,
please join me in the following prayer.
May the G-D of Israel expose and utterly thrust them away. And all who
rise up against us for evil...may they speedily see their design foiled, and
their purposes defeated. Do so for the Glory of Thy Name, Power, Torah and
Holiness....
----------------------------------------------
If they were truly interested in bringing the real
Messiah, they would repent now, and start following the Noahide Laws. Proselytizing Jews is a very serious
eternally recorded sin,
in the eyes of OUR G-D. "I will bless those who bless you,
and curse those who curse you."
ARUTZ SHEVA LINK
by Rochel Sylvetsky
(IsraelNN.com)
More than 8,000
self-acclaimed pro-Israel Christians are visiting Israel during Sukkot,
but many Jewish leaders view some of the "Christian Right" as also being
missionaries in disguise.
The question of
whether should Israel build ties with pro-Israel Christian organizations
or boycott them as being a possible front for missionaries has troubled
the national religious community for years.
The issue exploded
last month when National Union Knesset Member Benny Elon attended the
Days of Elijah Evangelical Christian Conference in Texas. The conference
policy stated, "The purpose of this event is to be a blessing to
Israel…There is no speaker… involved in any missionary activity."
The Conference, hosted
by the Christian groups "Battalion of Deborah" and "Covenant Alliances,"
advertised that it was to "present [the] Knesset Christian Alliance
Caucus" to participants. It featured pictures of speakers including MK
Elon of the National Union, MKs Dudu Rotem of Yisrael Beitenu and
Elhanan Glazer of the Pensioners' Party, and Yedidiya Atlas of
IsraelNationalNews.com (Arutz-7) as Master of Ceremonies. Rabbi Tovia
Singer, head of the anti-missionary Outreach Judaism, was to speak.
However, Atlas and
Rabbi Singer heard reports that Christian Friends of Israel
(CFOI) and renowned missionary Richard Booker, founder of numerous
messianic congregations in North America, were going to attend.
CFOI's website once
included the paragraph "Reaping the Harvest," a blatant missionary call
claiming that "it is
also TIME for the Harvest. With Israel in deep trouble, people are
crying out for answers. They are looking for their Messiah. They need to
know His name...The fields are white – WE MUST GATHER NOW!” According to
Rabbi Singer, CFOI’s work is more dangerous than that of the Jews for
Jesus organization, because they bring aid to Israel’s needy communities
and use it to gain converts.
The CFOI website was
changed radically before the conference, possibly in order to be able to
work with the Knesset Caucus. It now has no trace of missionary content
and has an acceptable mission statement stating: “As Christians we have
received from G-d a love for Israel and the Jewish people... We believe
the Lord Jesus is both the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world;
however, our stand alongside Israel is not conditional upon her
acceptance of our belief.”
A Baptist (http://bristolbaptistchurch.org/missions/yeshua)
site states that Pastor Decker "founded Brit Olam Fellowship in Tel
Aviv that has become one of the strongest messianic churches in Israel.
This ministry is now led by indigenous messianic Jewish believers and is
very active in evangelism and outreach…partnering with Holyland Ministry
to reach out to the poor and homeless of Tel Aviv, many of whom are
Russian Jews who recently immigrated to Israel. David [Decker] is now
involved with the establishment of Jerusalem Church of all Nations, a
new ministry in the Old City of Jerusalem with Jewish and Gentile
members. Son Daniel is serving in the Israeli Air Force. Son Michael and
daughter Carmela are leaders in a growing messianic youth revival and
the Messianic Coffee House in Jerusalem.”
Upset by Decker's
and CFOI's scheduled appearance, Atlas and Rabbi Singer demanded that
the Conference remove from the program any speakers who engage in
missionary activity. Conference chairperson Jodi Anderson replied it was
too late to rework the schedule, and Atlas and Rabbi Singer cancelled
out, while MK Elon attended.
Decker came to Rabbi Singer’s house to convince him to come to the
Conference but met with no success. He told MK Elon that the description
of his work is inaccurate and that he would desist from evangelizing,
but the MK later agreed with IsraelNationalNews.com that clarification
is needed in order to decide whether to have any contact with Decker.
Decker did not respond to INN.com efforts to contact him.
Rabbi
Singer told this writer that he turned to Rav Shalom Gold of Har Nof for
guidance about cooperation with Evangelist Christians in general and was
told that it is possible on condition that one speaks out publicly
against missionary efforts among Jews.
Meanwhile, outgoing Jerusalem City Council Mina Fenton has sent out a
letter calling for the exclusion of MK Elon from religious Zionist party
unity negotiations because of his cooperation with Evangelist groups as
head of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus.
|
===========================
Orlando Group
WARNING:Amigos, (English text to follow)
Una pequeña nota. Me pusieron al tanto de un grupo en Orlando Florida
que tiene como objetivo mudar a Hispanos que se saben o se piensan
Sefaradim a Israel, pero manteniendo sus prácticas torcidas cubiertas de
pseudo-judaísmo, que sigue siendo la misma abodá zará de los cristianos.
A todo mundo que tenga contactos dentro de los Centros de Aliyáh,
póngalos al tanto, porque esta gente -- aunque puedan ser judíos -- NO
deben de ser permitidos vivir en Eress Israel. Adjunto dos links que da
más información al respecto.
A small note. I was
made aware of a group in Orlando (Fl) who has as an objective to move
Hispanics who know or think themselves to be Sefaradim to Israel, but
maintaining their twisted cloaked pseudo-Jewish practices, who is the
same abodá zará of the Notzrim.
To everybody who might have contacts within the Aliyáh Centers, put them
on awareness alert, because these people -- though they might be Jews --
CANNOT be allowed to live in Eress Israel. I am enclosing two links that
shows who these people are:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/wednesday/localandstate/orl-hisprabbi0908jul09,0,431923.story
Christian Missionaries to Protest Discrimination in Israel
by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com) The US-based Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations has thrown
down the gauntlet in what may become a renewed battle over the issue of who
has the right to immigrate to Israel.
The group is an umbrella organization
for approximately 80 American Christian missionary congregations comprised of
worshippers who seek to convince Jews to believe in Jesus. In their houses of
worship, these congregations observe some Jewish traditions. But while Jewish
law clearly says that Judaism is passed to the next generation through the
mother, these missionary congregations say that if the father is Jewish,
that's enough.
Some of the missionaries were born to Jewish mothers and are therefore
Jewish according to Jewish law. Under the State's current Law of Return anyone
with at least one Jewish parent or grandparent on either side of the family is
eligible to immigrate to Israel. It is this law that enabled the Jewish Agency
to utilize Jewish funds to bring in some 300,000 non-Jews to Israel from the
Former Soviet Union (FSU).
In the past, however, those who profess belief in Jesus have been blocked
from acquiring Israeli citizenship because such belief is in direct
contradiction to the Jewish faith.
A more serious problem is the compulsion that most members of these
missionary congregations feel to convince other Jews to believe in Jesus.
"Those people are proselytizers," says Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, head of the
Ateret Yerushalayim Yeshiva. "They should not be allowed to have an influence
on Jews who might be too weak to resist."
The issue of missionary activity in Israel has been heating up over the
past year, particularly since Purim, when the son of a missionary was injured
after he opened a booby-trapped gift package received by the family in Ariel.
Orthodox Jewish anti-missionaries were accused of having sent the
package, but there was no evidence to indicate that Jews were involved. The
boy's father, Pastor David Ortiz, had been warned repeatedly by Palestinian
Authority religious authorities to stop trying to convert Muslims to
Christianity.
In the small southern city of Arad, Christian missionaries have also been
at the center of controversy. Eddie Beckford, a tall, burly American
missionary was arrested earlier this year for attacking a Gur Chassid during a
protest by the Yad L'Achim anti-missionary organization outside one of the
group's centers.
Beckford was remanded to house arrest and has since moved to Be'ersheva,
where he has joined forces with pastor Howard Bass at the burgeoning
Congregation Nahalat Yeshua (Jesus' Inheritance).
return to Home Page
Is Christianity Considered Idolatry? The Good & Bad News
Before I write this article, I just want to say the
following. I would never ever desire to hurt or offend any Christian or Muslim
(heaven forbid). Over the years, I have had good Christian friends. However, this article does need to be objective. For both
Christians and Muslims, there is both good and bad news.
According
to recovered Responsa fragments of RaMbaM (which do not have the same legal
authority as his finalized, codified Mishneh Torah):
Jews are
permitted to teach Torah to Christian gentiles (only for conversion or to bring them to Noahidism)
- even if they are idolatrous (see section below). This is because they
ultimately accept the validity and authenticity of the Hebrew Bible
(irregardless of their interpretation).
On the
other hand, Jews are not permitted to reach out to Muslims (even though their
monotheism was authentic - as of 800 years ago),
because they DENY the Torah (ie: believe it is totally corrupted) - whereas Christians do not.
Although
Noahidism is must be (generally) taught to everyone in the world.
If only we
could stop the article here...
Technical Status of
Christians & Muslims In Jewish Law
RaMbM’s
commentary on the Mishnah is very clear. The issue of Messianic identity (visa v
Christians) did become critical, because (by this time) - all Christian
followers were clearly violating the prohibition of idolatry (in the form of the
Trinity or Incarnate worship). This was not the case in Islam.
“Know
that this Christian nation, who advocates the messianic claim in all their
various sects, all of them are idolaters. On all their various festivals
it is forbidden for us to deal with them. And all Torah restrictions pertaining
to idolaters pertain (benefiting from their money is mentioned in the MT – see
below) to them.... We deal with them as we would deal with any idolaters on
their festival.”34
Later in
Mishneh Torah,
when dealing with the prohibition of gentile wine to Jews, either as regards
drinking it or even profiting from the sale of it, Maimonides writes:
“The
resident-alien (ger toshav), namely, one who has accepted the seven Noahide
commandments, as we have already explained: his wine is forbidden for drinking
but it is permitted to derive monetary benefit from it (muttar be-haniyyah) ...
Such is the case with all the gentiles who are
NOT
idolaters,
like these Muslims
... so rule all the post-talmudic authorities (geonim). But as for even the
nonsacramental wine (stam yeinam) of
those idolaters,
it is forbidden to derive monetary benefit from it.35”
It is quite
clear that Maimonides made a halakhic (dogmatic) distinction between
'non-idolatrous' Islam and 'idolatrous' Christianity.
DO NOT
COMMIT IDOLATRY
The very giving of a command to mankind in
Genesis 2:16,
or in any other place, assumes that man is required to submit to
the Almighty and honor His Will above all other forces.
Genesis 15:6
shows that Abraham's trust in the Almighty, not in other powers,
is what was attributed to him as righteousness.
The use of the
word
w'yaSau -
"And
commanded"
- in Genesis 2:16 shows relation to the same word in Hoshea 5:11
in a reprimand against Israel for doing idolatry.
W'yaSau
reveals that that the Almighty is the First, Ultimate, and
Absolute Commander, who has no need to refer to a higher
authority for His Own Authority. When Adam and Eve allowed the
serpent and each other to go BETWEEN themselves and the Creator,
causing a middle-man in their 'relationship' with the Almighty,
it was then that they were lead astray and all other evils
entered the world. Any reward for keeping the other
commandments depends upon our keeping of this command against
idolatry. If we happen to keep other commandments out of
submission to some other force or power, while there may still
be practical benefit in this life for doing those commandments
by happenstance, there will only be loss in our existence after
death. This command is the foundation and goal of all other
commands. That we submit to the One Creator above all other
things.
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand
of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man, even at
the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man.
Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shalt his blood be shed; for in
the
image of G-d made He man."
If a person is
to be put to death for shedding another human's blood
specifically because man is made in
G-d's image, then how much more
so is it prohibited and punishable to murder, so to speak, or
desecrate G-d's "image" itself by committing idolatry? After
all, man's having been made in G-d's image is the only reason
plainly written in this verse as to why murder is so severe that
it is punishable by death. When a person commits idolatry he
misrepresents G-d's existence to the world, as well as His will
concerning how we are to worship Him. Idolatry destroys people's
realization of G-d, which is made known to them via His mighty
works, by others teachings about Him, and by our submission to
His commandments concerning how we are to worship Him. It also
reveals things about G-d to the world when we worship Him
properly, according to His commandments. If we were to worship
Him by praying through pictures, statues, or any other kind of
intermediary, this gives false conceptions to those who see us
doing so, besides being directly contrary to His command. If a
person who spreads lies or false rumors about a well known
individual is guilty of destroying that individual's public
'image,' how much more so would the case be with a person who
spreads lies, misrepresentations, and misconceptions about the
Creator, thus destroying His 'image' as perceived by the world?
Click
IMAGE to see what "image
of G-d" means. You will find that it concerns human
perception.
Jonah 3:5 “The people of
Nineveh believed in G-d;...
That the people of Nineveh’s repentance
included believing in G-d may imply that part of their previous
wickedness was that they were believing in other “gods/powers.”
IDOLATRY IN THE TORAH
verse 15 Remember that at Mt.
Sinai "you did not see any kind of image / likeness [temuna]"
verse 16 "lest you become
corrupt, and make for yourselves a protruding image [pasal],
the image / likeness [temuna't] of any representation
/ symbol [suh'mal]..."
[CATHOLICISM] [PROTESTANTISM]
Catholic Perspective on Service/Adoration
of Images can be found at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07636a.htm
In short they seem to believe that serving statues is not
idolatry so long as one realizes that it is only a
representation, and one only uses it as a means "through which"
they "adore Christ and venerate the Saints," and also so long as
one does not trust in the statue itself or pray to the statue
itself, but only to what it represents.
"...the honour which is given to them is referred to the objects
(prototypa) which they represent, so that through the
images which we kiss, and before which we uncover our heads and
kneel, we adore Christ and venerate the Saints whose likenesses
they are" (Conc. find., Sess. XXV, "de invocatione Sanctorum").
[Apparently their worship of the Eu-charist is the exception to
this rule, for when they adore the Eu-charist, they are
directing the adoration to the consecrated bread and wine
themselves, and not merely as a representation, for the offical
and essential Catholic belief regarding the "Communion" or
"lord's Supper" is that the bread / wafer and the wine literally
become the body and blood, soul and divinity (g-d-hood) of
"Christ." For more information see:
Eu'charistic Adoration,
Transubstantiation; In light of
this, Catholicism is undoubted prohibited idolatry even
according to those who hold that "sheetuf" is permitted to
non-Jews.]
1) If we assume they realize the Absolute Unity of the Creator
and in the end ultimately direct their worship to Him, this is
still idolatry according to Biblical definition, for this
worship is being done by use of a mediator through which they
would be worshipping Him.
2) Although 1) is also idolatry, unfortunately it not the case.
They do not realize the Absolute Unity of the Creator, and even
if making use of statues merely as
representative mediators was allowed, Heaven forbid, they are
still doing idolatry by directing the service of prayer to
created things - the "saints" and "Christ."
3) The Biblical prohibition regarding idolatry makes no
distinction whether one thinks that the form, image, or statue
he is doing acts of religious adoration to is an actual deity
itself or merely a representative mediator in the worship of the
true Creator.
"...You should not have / [consider] other
powers (alohim) before Me; You should not make a
three-dimensional image (pasal), or any representation of that
which is in the heavens above, or that is among the earth
below, or that is in the water, which is lower than the land.
You should not prostrate to them, and you should not give them
service, for I am the L-RD your All-powerful Authority, a
jealous Powerful Authority..." (Exodus 20:2-4 [3-5])
"Guard yourselves greatly, your souls; for you did not see
any form on the day the L-RD spoke to you in Horev from within
the fire, lest you become corrupt making for yourselves a
graven image (pasal), [or] the form of any
representation, the pattern of male or female."
(Deuteronomy 4:15-16)
Besides all of the above.... although the following is also
contrary to the Almighty's Instruction, I find it curious that
Catholics make use of so many mediators when the New Test.
only sanctions one: "And there is one mediator between G'd
and men, the man Jes'us Christ." (1 Timothy 2:5)
It may be that Christians are also misunderstanding this
statement in 1 Timothy. In light of the other passages in the
New. Test. where "Christ" is referred to as mediator, it seems
to be only in the sense that he mediated the receiving of the
"new covenant," but not in the sense of being a mediator
through which one worships and prays to the Almighty... much
less the Almighty Himself, Heaven forbid! Indeed, a Galations
3:19-20 indicats that by the very fact that Jes'us is called a
mediator, it means only that he is acting as G'd's
representative -- NOT that he is the Almighty Himself; [Galations
3 calls the angels mediators of the previous covenant, whereas
Hebrew 12:24 calls Jes'us mediator of the 'new covenant,'
equating their functions as mediators of covenants - making
distinction only between the covenants themselves], for
if Jes'us were the Almighty Himself then Jes'us would not be
the representative of G-d, but rather he would be the reality
of G-d. Notice that the passage in Galations 3:19-20 does not
speak of a mediator between men and "the Father" (for
Trinitarians out there), but only of G-d. And immediately
after speaking of this whole issue, it appears that in order
that the readers not misunderstand the text for idolatrous
teachings, the writer affirms, "G-d is One," exactly as is
done immediately before the statement found regarding Jes'us
in 1 Timothy 2:5.
|
|
|
MISSIONARY ALERT LIST
Party Convenes
in Missionary Village
Orlando Group
Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations
Michael Korn:
(Apparently Israeli & Apparently Born Jew)
Congregation Nahalat Yeshua (Beersheba, Israel)
Chasdei Yeshua [Jesus's Loving-Kindness] Congregation
Question: Is / was G-D man incarnate?
Answer: Nope. This is impossible for two reasons
Reason #1: It says in Scripture explicitly that he is not man:
"I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger, I will not return to
destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man, the Holy One in the midst of
thee; and I will not come in fury." (Hosea 11:9)
Reason #2: G-D is not subject to time:
"For I the LORD change not; and ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed."
(Malachi 3:6)
G-D is not subject to time. If he became a man, as the NT states, then HaShem
would have been subject to time.
| Can one be a Noahide & Christian at the
same time? Path of Avraham Site ANSWER: The quick
and final answer to this question (documented by Maimonides)
is NO. All of today's modern Christianity violates one or more of the 7 Noahide Commandments . To explain...
The definition of idolatry according to original monotheism, as represented by
the "Noahide Laws" as documented in the Torah and faith of
Israel (and also referenced in the new testament 'Acts'), is not limited
to the worship of a statue or picture itself, but also includes worship of the
Almighty Himself with the use of mediators and/or any artistic representations
of God. Even if one directs his worship to the Almighty Himself and not to a
statue, picture, or some other created thing, but yet he uses a created thing
as a representation of the Almighty in order to assist in his worship of the
Almighty, this is also considered a form of idolatry. In fact, Maimonides
explains in chapter 1 of Hilkhot Avodat Kokhavim (Avoda Zarah) in the Mishneh
Torah that this is one of the ways that idolatry began.
While such greats of Jewish history as Rabbi Saadia Gaon, Rabbi Bahya ibn
Paquda, and Rabbi Yehudah haLewi all elaborated on proper monotheism and the
issues of idolatry, without a doubt Rabbi Mosha ben Maimon (Maimonides) was
the most thorough of them all in his elucidation of monotheism and the
problems of idolatry. This is seen in his work known as the Mishneh Torah, in
the
Guide for the Perplexed, as well as in the
various shorter writings he composed. In the Mishneh Torah, a complete
compilation of Torah law, the theme of proclaiming the Unity of the Creator
and eradication of idolatry is not limited to the sections specified for these
topics. Rather, it permeates every section of the this work as the purpose and
foundation of the entire Torah. In the
Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides so
clarifies his understanding of monotheism and idolatry that in its light even
certain Jewish communities of his time, and today, become suspect of idolatry.
In short, the proper Jewish definition of idolatry is to do an act of
worship toward any created thing, to believe that a particular created thing
is an independent power, or to make something a mediator between ourselves and
the Almighty. These laws are codified in the Mishneh Torah, mainly in the
section called Hilkhot Avodat Kokhavim (Avodah Zarah) - The Laws of Strange
Worship (Idolatry). It is considered a great insult to God to worship one of
His creations instead of Him or together with Him. According to the Noahide
Laws, the 7 laws which Jews believe to be binding on the non-Jewish world, the
non-Israelite nations are also forbiddon to worship anything other than the
Absolute Creator. One can find this in Hilkhot Melakhim u'Milhhamotehem (Laws
of Kings and their Wars) chapter 9 in the Mishneh Torah. Judaism holds that
any beliefs or practices which significantly interferes with a Jew's
relationship with God may, at some point, be deemed idolatry.
|
| Is it permissible for
Jews to accept Non-Jewish Charity money? There is no doubt that it is
permissible for Jews to accept charity from righteous followers of the seven
Noahide laws - who do so to receive a reward.
"A follower of the Seven Noahide Laws who wants to do a mitzvah
(command from Torah) in order to receive a reward, we do not prevent him/her
from doing it in the way of the law. If he/her brings an offering, we accept it
from him. If he/her [who observes the Seven Noahide Laws] gives charity,
we accept it from him/her. It appears to me that it should be given to the
Israeli [Jewish] poor, for he/her may derive his sustenance from the
Jews and they are commanded to support him [if needed]." (Hilchoth
Melachim u'Milchamoteihem 10:10)
HOWEVER:
"but a
גוי
(someone not following the seven Noahide Laws)
who gives charity, we accept it from him, and then give it to poor
idol worshippers." (Hilchoth
Melachim u'Milchamoteihem 10:10)
יג [י] בן נוח שרצה לעשות מצוה משאר מצוות התורה, כדי
לקבל שכר--אין מונעין אותו לעשות אותה כהלכתה. ואם הביא עולה, מקבלין ממנו.
נתן צדקה, מקבלין ממנו; וייראה לי שנותנין אותה לעניי ישראל, הואיל והוא ניזון
מישראל, ומצוה עליהם להחיותו. אבל הגוי שנתן צדקה--מקבלין ממנו, ונותנין אותה
לעניי גויים.
CONCLUSION:
Jews can't benefit from Christian Money in today's times. A full
discussion of why post-135ce Christianity is most definitely considered "idol
worship" is not addressed here. It is slightly addressed in the articles
above. |