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FALL 99 QUESTIONS

Dear Brother Moshe,

I have been receiving Your Arms To Israel for the past year. At first I felt it was one of the best news letters out in the Messianic community. Then your teaching on Ephraimitism and the embracing of the Wootten’s "theology"? became more and more prevalent in your teachings. OY VEY!! Please remove me and our congregation’s name from your mailing list. May Yahweh show you His light.

Rabbi Michael Copen
Petah Tikvah Messianic Synagogue
Springfield, Illinois

Dear Rabbi Michael,

I am sorry you feel this way. I think that the newsletter has gotten a lot better as Yahweh has made us less self centered and shown us that there are other parts of Israel that are as legitimate in His eyes, as we ourselves are. The bottom line is this: We as Messianic Jewish leaders, seem guilty of practicing a serious abomination before the Father. We put a burden of proof of non-Jews claiming to be the seed of Ephraim, by either dismissing their claims, or attacking them as Jewish wannabees. Meanwhile you and I who claim to be Jewish, cannot prove it! All family records were destroyed in 70AD. The "my grandmother was Jewish "schtick" just doesn’t wash. Maybe six generations ago, a Gentile man committed adultery with a Jewish woman, who later convinced her adulterous partner to convert to rabbinical Judaism, so as to disguise their shame. Six generations later you may consider yourself to be a true Jew, but in fact you are not! If that thought offends you, then try to put yourself in an Ephraimite’s shoes! That is the way they feel. Vexed and offended!

See what I mean? Most of Ephraim has enough love and caring in them, to refrain from putting a burden of proof on us, the way we do to them. Genealogy is a waste of time and Rav Shaul warned us not to give heed to endless genealogies. Since no one can prove for sure who they are, your non-Jewish brethren accept your claim to be Jewish, by love and faith when you stake an unverifiable claim! You are commanded in Scripture to extend that same courtesy to others, when THE RUACH HAKODESH reveals their Israelite ancestry to them. It’s all about equal weights and measures, my brother. Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you!

As far as the comment that I have adopted Wootten theology, I have no problem with that, as long as you qualify that by saying that Wootten theology is a declaration of Genesis 48:18, Ezekial 37, Hosea 1, First Peter 2:9 and James 1:1. I have found that their theology is in line with the prophets and the Scriptures. It is the most balanced teaching I have seen in the last 15 years as a believer. If that is what you mean by embracing their theology, count me in! The truth is, brother, that no one I know from a Messianic Jewish background, who takes the time and studies this and thinks this out for themselves, comes away rejecting the vision of Messianic Nazarene Yisrael. It is for that reason that more than forty Messianic Jewish rabbis now embrace this truth, with many more on the way!

Shalom and may Yahweh reveal this glorious two house restoration to your spirit man soon.

Dear Brother Moshe,

Shalom Aleichem! I know the demands on your time and person, so I do not expect an answer from you. When I got into Messianic Judaism, I did not have the exposure to His name YHVH pronounced Yahweh. Being so new to this and being so ignorant of many other important related issues, I started calling upon His name with confidence. If I was wrong in doing such the Ruach Hakodesh would surely have convicted me of this, as He does so many times in my life and walk with Yahweh. Happily there was no conviction at all and I became emboldened in this, to the point of sharing what I had found with others of our Messianic Jewish fellowship. The reaction was mixed as you can imagine Rabbi. The downside of this is what I least expected. Those in Messianic Judaism that have close ties to Christendom overtly and covertly, discouraged me from calling on His name. Having no support and being in ignorance, I stopped and fell away from calling on Yahweh. I remained like this until His Torah teachings through you, Rabbi, gave me the courage to again call on His name, which is Yahweh. It helps to be encouraged and you also gave me some additional information. Knowledge is very important to keep one from the vulnerable positions that are out there. Baruch Hashem Yahweh!

Terry Johnson

Portland Oregon

Dear Terry,

Thanks. Your comments are very kind and very encouraging! Shalom to you and we will work on finding you and getting you to a good Messianic Nazarene Yisrael fellowship near you, where you will have the liberty to pronounce His memorial Name!! Don’t be discouraged and stay positive.

Dear Brother Moshe

I would greatly appreciate receiving Your Arms To Israel newsletter via e-mail at the given address. During this most recent Shabbat, I commented to you how fortunate my family and I are to have been placed among the flock that you have been given charge over. The truth is you never really know how people feel about you. I’ll reiterate. I love you and our congregation at B’nai Yahshua Synagogue. Yahweh has truly blessed us by placing us with you and not elsewhere. Your sermons are most informative and your preaching is truly dynamic. Be encouraged. We are behind B’nai Yahshua Synagogue and Your Arms To Israel 1000 percent and then some.

Shalom,
David Rolling
Riviera Beach, Florida

Dear David,

You know how I feel about you guys. In fifteen years of ministry, I have never been so privileged to be associated with the caliber, maturity and quality of people that make up the growing flock in the Miami Beach Israel Revival. As I have told all of you before. You guys would give me anything and every thing I asked for, including yourselves and all that belongs to you. I never have had the experience of shepherding a flock, that can’t seem to do enough for their Rabbi. All of you have stood with me, fighting off all those who attack me. You guys make my job a sweet experience and sooth me from all the attacks that come from the Messianic camp, for my stance on the restoration of all Israel. Thank you brother for writing in and sharing, what I already know to be 1000 percent true.

Dear Rabbi,

Why are you not on TBN so that the whole wide world can hear you? If it is the last thing we do, we are going to put you on TBN or on radio worldwide. I not only believe but know that you are the best teacher in the whole wide world, because I never heard things preached like you preach them before. I really pray that people in your congregation truly know how blessed they are and that they will stop dipping in and out of Sunday worship and celebrate only the Shabbat. Truth and whoredom cannot work together and I pray those folks will be delivered. Rabbi please send me 12 copies of today’s message to take with me to Jamaica. The time has come for Jamaica to hear about the two houses and their Israelite heritage. They are ready for another level. We are going down there to prepare Jamaica for your arrival as you minister the two houses to over 100 Pastors.

Thanks for obeying Yahweh, so that your blessing can flow to those who have come out of the wilderness, to have found a place of rest. I am more excited than I can tell you, because I know I found a place where finally truth is being taught. It is wonderful to be in a congregation, where we are not entertained, but are participants in praise, worship and true teaching. It is like a taste of heaven.

Mazel Hart
Miami, Florida
Dear Mazel,

What can I say? Let’s take Jamaica by storm and bring Jamaicans a taste of the Miami Beach Israel Revival. You know, in a way people hearing about an Israel revival, as opposed to a church revival, need to experience things in person! How blessed are we to be in a place where the Son is kissed and Torah is the guide and where all Israel comes together, without DNA testing to verify one’s claim to a stake in Israel. (I wonder how Ruth joined Israel without a DNA test?) Let’s export this revival to Jamaica, which to the best of my knowledge is made up of many Jews from Africa (Ethiopia) and Ephraimites from Great Britain. I am sure that a large percentage of Jamaicans have either Israelite or Jewish blood.

Dear Rabbi,

Having not seen you I loved you, and now having seen you I love you more. Baruch Hashem Yahweh, for meeting you at the conference. You are too much dynamite to describe. You are funnier than John Hagee any day! I bought your tapes from the AMI Conference and have been blessed for two days now, after hearing your anointed words full of boldness, wisdom and truth. I want your family to come to the Hebron Messianic Nazarene Yisrael Fellowship and Retreat Center and just rest. You will receive monthly support from my husband and me. Pray for us.

Devorah Minor
Macon, Mississippi

Dear Devorah,

Thanks. I accept your offer for rest! We will contact you shortly to nail down some dates for a family retreat.

Dear Rabbi,

In the New Testament, Yahshua says, "call no man Rabbi." Are you Gentile or Jewish? If you are Gentile and are called Rabbi to help Jewish people learn about their Messiah, I guess I can understand that. Please answer honestly.

Thank you.
A. Benz
Parts Unknown

Dear Mr. Benz,

I always answer honestly and it often gets me in trouble, so you can expect a similar answer.

Excellent question. Let me answer it briefly. I am Jewish and I am a Rabbi. When Yahshua "supposedly" prohibits men from using the title Rabbi, He is not picking on one or two titles out of a truckload of manmade titles and forbidding their usage. He is attacking an ungodly principle involving the mental gymnastics that religious people tend to play. Their giving, exchanging, purchasing, renting, or requesting of titles, from one another, is sinful behavior. Amongst those who represent Yahshua this practice is condemned, since that behavior is man’s ordination practice and not the Father’s. He states that we shouldn’t call anyone Rabbi. Why? Because only He can anoint and issue a call for someone to be a Rabbi. If Yahshua were alive on the earth today, He would say to religious folks something like this: "Do not be called District Supervisor, do not be called District Superintendent of the Sunday school and do not be called Rev." Why? Because manmade titles and recognition puff up the flesh and are not necessarily a sign of Yahweh’s calling. Remember, He was talking to Jews and therefore dealt with the title that they were most abusing. Were He to be talking to Baptists, He would say "Do not be called Pastor." Why? Only He does the calling of Pastors. Not you or I! To think that Yahshua is picking on two or three titles, in a world full of manmade titles, is a highly anti-Semitic mind-set. It is unfortunately exactly what many churches would like you to believe and have in fact trained their people to believe.

To further prove my point, remember that Rabbi means teacher. Rav Shaul (Paul) lists the five fold office giftings in Ephesians 4 at the end of verse 11 and calls Rabbis a gift to Yahshua’s body. Rabbi and teacher are synonymous terms. The risen Messiah gave Rabbis to the body. The church has a problem with the Hebrew word "Rabbi", not the concept of teacher. This is Judeo phobia at its ugliest.

Finally in First John 2:13-14, Yochanan calls mature believers in the faith, "fathers". Wasn’t John paying attention to Yahshua? Didn’t Yahshua warn us not to call any man father in Matt 23:9? Isn’t John contradicting Yahshua? Or maybe John was in rebellion? No sir! We know that not to be the case. He correctly refers to mature believers as fathers of the faith, despite Yahshua’s pronouncement. Therefore it is safe to say when you are a mature believer and are able to lead others as John said, you are a father of and in the faith. When you walk in the five fold ministry of teaching, given by Yahshua to teach others, you are a Rabbi. Period! He isn’t picking on two titles as evil over and above all the others! He merely is rebuking the principle of arrogance and pride in man’s tendency to issue titles, without divine sanction and anointing!