Shalom everyone in my beloved listening audience and boker tov, that is "good morning" in Hebrew. Welcome to the most hard hitting radio broadcast on your radio dial, this is HeShallGovern Radio Ministries, a Judaic radio program. We are delighted you have joined us this morning to enrich your life with truth of the God of Irael, whose name is Yehowah
I am your host for today's program, my name is Maregaal Ben Yaakov, or Margel in short
Today is Sunday the 29th of the 6th month of the year 2008, but according to the biblical calendar, which is based on the phases of the moon it is the 25th day of the 3rd month of the year 6181.
In today's program I would like to start out by destroying a long-term misnomer that millions upon millions of believers in Jesus believe in concerning the Jewish people as a whole. When I am on the radio every Sunday at 7 am, some of you might think I am very blasphemeous, sac-religious, a preacher of some new cult or an occult or that I am a heretic by the things that I preach and say on this program. For what you hear on this program is very different and against many if not all of the things that you have ever heard from the pulpits of mainstream churches.
Now what I mean by mainstream are the Baptists, Catholics, Pentecostals, Assemblies of God, Lutherans, Methodists, Seventh-Day Adventists, and so on, including many upon many so-called "messianic" congregeations and hundreds of so-called non-denominational churches.
------------------- 2 -------------------
The misnomer I am referring to and the very reason I sound so strange or different when compared to mainstream preachers is because the people of the mainstream churches consider themselves to have the exact same beliefs as the Jewish people of Judaism. The only difference between these two in the eyes of mainstream christianity is that we Jewish people as a whole are still living or going by what is stated in the [q-uq] "old testament" - thus living under the so-called "burdens" of the law of Moses and that we are still waiting for the coming of the promised messiah - whereas the mainstream is also doing. Yet, in truth, the people of mainstream christianity are waiting for the second coming of the messiah, because you believe in Jesus, whereas the Jewish people, as a whole, are waiting for the first coming. Which by the way - the majority of which assume is the only coming. To go along with this, the mainstream thinks that the Jewish people are simply under a yoke of bondage, that is the law of Moses, or the Torah, as we say in Hebrew, because such folks assume or have been taught that the law was down away with when Jesus died.
Now even though a vast majority of people think that there are only these 2 or 3 differences between mainstream christianity and the Jewish people, this could not be further from the truth my friends.
Let me reveal something to you my dear friends, if so-called "Christianity" were truly the same faith as as Judaism, as far as tenets and doctrines go, apart from the Mosaic law - except for the commandments regardling morals and ethics, then Christianity would merely be a sect of Judaism. For if this were to be the case, Christianity would be somewhat greater than reform Judaism, which is very liberal in many regards, and lenient in many biblical laws and customs. Like I said, Christianity would merely be a sect within Judaism that goes by the teachings of rabbi Yehoshua or Jesus.
But the fact of the matter is this, In the eyes of Judaism, mainstream Christianity is so far removed from Judaism it would be like what Mormonism is in the eyes of mainstream Christianity, that is, something that is so off base it is a totally seperate religion all together vs. just a branch or sect within Judaism. With that I hope you have a mroe clearer picture in your mind concerning how different the two groups are. Whereas in the days of the 11 apostles, before Paul came on the scene and literally tainted many things, those that followed rabbi Yehoshua were merely a sect within Orthodox Judaism.
------------------- 3 -------------------
Again, lets take the historic catholic church or denomination for a moment as an example: The Greek and Russian Orthodox churches or denominations, as well as the Lutherians, Methodists, presbyterians and episcapalians are all offshoots of the Catholic church. Where they are very similar in their customs, practices and beliefs, except for the non-sense surrounding Mary and praying to saints.
With that being said, the reason I sound so blasphemeoous and cultish is because this is how different Judaism is from mainstream Christianity. Christianity is a totally seperate faith and religion and not just a mere branch of Judaism that simply accepts a man that walked the earth 1976 years ago as the promised messiah whereas others don't accept him. Its not this simple, nor is it just this one belief. For even if Jewish people as a whole did except Jesus as theri messiah, mainstream Christianity would still be considered pagans, heathens and those that shall be condemned on the last day.
"How can you say that?" or "Why is this?" You might be asking. It is because practically every doctrine, belief and custom that is taught in the mainstream christian churches was literally never taught by the Jewish prophets, in fact, mainstream Christianity teaches the direct opposite to what the prophets taught and this is why Jewish people, as a whole do not even bother turning their heads when being witnessed to by a Jesus believer. And this is why I might sound so blasphemous to some of you in my listening audience.
So let me give you example after example of some of the differences between mainstream christianity and biblical judaism:
----------------------- 4 ------------------
1. Mainstream Christianity believes that the serpant in the garden was the devil and that after Adam and Eve fell death came into the world. Whereas, we Jewish people believe that all species, and not just mankind, from the time of creation and to the tower of Babel uttered the same language and this is how Eve was able to have a conversation with an animal and NOT SATAN, for our Jewish narrator wrote, that the serpant was the craftiest animal of the field, not the crafiest and most decietful spirit in the universe.. Secondly, if you compare the serpant's words with the Lord's words, the serpant did not lie to Eve, rather he simply persuaded her to eat the forbidden fruit, for if you read the story again you can see that the Lord said the same words as the serpant's words. The point, by the way, in the verse that says, "in the day you eat of it, you will surely die." is the word "surely." For if you read the story how our Jewish narrator wrote it, death was already going to befall Adam and Eve, this was regardless of whether or not they would have taken the fruit of the tree of knowledge. For this was the point of having the tree of life there, so that Adam and Eve could escape death. But because they sinned, the Lord sent cherubs to guard the tree of life, THUS they no longer had access to the tree of life, THUS fulfilling the world "surely." in the phrase the day you will eat of it, you will surely die. And they did eventually die. So you see how different this belief is from mainstream Christianity.
On top of all this, thanks to Paul again, but not Jesus and the 11 apostles, mainstream Christianity believes that a sinful nature was created and also passed down to all people at that point. Whereas, Judaism teaches what the book actually says, as we can see in the story, Eve already knew right from wrong before eating of the tree of knowledge, thus the tree of knowledge had nothing to do with godliness. For she told the serpant that she could not eat of the fruit. So you see, she already had the knowledge of right and wrong.
Look an animal does not know they are naked for they obvoiusly don't make clothes for themselves - even though they can make nests and homes for themselves and go and search for food or hunt for food. So when it came to Adam and Eve, this mental barrier was removed after they ate of the forbidden fruit. Therefore, my dear friends, eating this forbidden fruit did NOT impart unto Adam and Eve a wealth of knowledge concerning what was righteous and holy. For if you read the text, the text clearly points out several commandments, and that they were obeying those commandments all the way up to this insodent. Thus, they knoew right from wrong long before eating of this particular fruit. Keep in mind, In Judaism there are over 2000 commandments and many of these commandments existed in Adam's day for HaShem never changes, and ADam was observing these commandments - our Jewish narrator - however - was not concerned with revealing the many commandments that Adam and Eve had to keep. Rather he was more focused on who the first humans were and how they came about and what they were like and how they sinned in a great manner against HaShem and how or when they offered up the apparent first atonement offering, for this is how HaShem was able to give them garments of skin. Mainly however, the Jewish narrator was tracing the genealogy of the whole Israelite community back to Adam. The Obvious commandments that the text points out was that Adam was to till and keep the garden and to be fruitful, so that he and his wife could populate the earth, but also so that the human race will not die off. Because, as we just learned, Adam and Eve were going to die anyways, regardless if they never ate of the tree of knowledge, for that was the point of having the tree of life there, so that Adam and Eve could live forever.
So you see how different Judaism is than mainstream christianity?
------------------- 5 -------------------
What other commandments was given to Adam and Eve before they ate of the fruit? Well, one of those commandments was that they were only allowed to eat fruits and vegetables or seed bearing plants. Now, fool hearted people and preachers teach that this commandment was given to them for health purposes. This is not case, though, according to Judaism. For if you read the text, this commandment was given to the animals as well,. The reason for this is because as Adam and Eve were the only pair of humans in all of existance, there was just a pair made of the other species as well. In other words, only a pair of every specie was made during the days of creation, like two apes - one male and one female; Or, like - a pair of tucans were made, one male and one female. With that being said, if Adam or a lion were to kill a certain breed of goat, like a mountain goat, before it could have children - Adam or the lion would have caused that particular breed to become extinct, because a specir cannot survive without its mate.
Thus, Adam and Eve and the animals were told to only eat fruits and vegetables so that the animal population would grow and be multiplied throughout the world, so that not s single specie would become extinct.
So you see how different biblical Judaism is when compared to mainstream christianity? Its very different!!
Now, to go along with Adam and Eve, I am going to delve into the subject of sin and the differences between Judaism and mainstream christianity concerning this very topic.
According to Paul, and no one else, when Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge, they permantly scared, changed, transformed or converrted their very soul into a sinful nature and that this sinful nature is actually passed on to the all their offspring.
------------------- 6 -------------------
Whereas the prophets of Judaism taught something that is quite different from what Paul taught. The prophets taught that a child is not born righteous, nor sinful, rather they are born in a blameless state. For in order to be righteous you must conduct yourself in a righteous manner, that is: by obeying what the torah dictates; and those that are wicked are all those that do not keep all of the torah. Again, according to the prophets, sin is not inherited, nor does anyone have a sinful nature as what Paul discribed. Paul, tried to persuade folks that some "sinful nature" existed within him and that it caused him to sin against the commandments. In other words, he was basically saying that he had no control over his body, as if some demon possesed him
FOr here is a direct quote from Paul's foolish epistle,
"I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." He continues by saying, "As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."
OY, this is utter non-sense.
In truth, when a holy porphet uttered his words, his words were not his own, but of the God of Israel. According to the holy prophets - then - they stated that every man has full control over his body and thoughts and that we must be holy in our conduct and in our thoughts and by our own free will we choose to sin against the laws of heaven or the Torah, not that something is causing us disobey the things heaven requires of us. Yes, my friends, according to Judaism, one chooses to be righteous or one wilfullly chooses to be a sinner. Sin is never passed down from the parent to child as Paul claimed. To counter this all you need to do is read Ezekiel 18, which I will read in part in just a moment.
------------------ 7 ---------------------
Now If you do not know who Cain is in the Jewish bible, he is the firstborn son of Adam and Eve. On a particular day he and his brother Abel were giving offerings to HaShem, the God of heaven and earth, according to the bible, Abel's offering was according to the requirement of the Lord, whereas as Cain's offering was rejected, because he did not give the firstfruits of his harvest or crop to to Yehowah or HaShem. When Cain's offering was rejected, he became sad, at that point HaShem admonished him by saying, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door."
In this passage, Yehowah Himself counters Paul's doctrine, for Yehowah's words clearly point out the fact that - that Cain did not have some sinful nature. Rather, Yehowah was telling him to always do what was right, lest sin be put on his head.
Again, lets look to Moses,-- according to the prayer of Moses, when he and the Israelites were at Mt Sinai and after the people sinned by making the golden calf, Moses said some interesting things to HaShem which proves once again that people do not have some sinful nature. Here is the quote:
"And Moses returned unto Yehowah, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt - forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And Yehowah said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book." This passage, by the way, is found in Exodus 32:31-33. Now if you were to apply Paul's doctrine, to this passage, then all people are blotted out from that particular book, that being the book of life. Yet, as we can see in the passage, Moses' name is in that book, because he was not sinning against Yehowah, nor did he have some sinful nature that would keep his name out from that special book.
----------------- 8 ---------------------
Yes, my dear friends, as you can see, mainstream christianity is a far cry from biblical Judaism, this is because mainstream christianity follows Paul and not Jesus, the Jewish rabbi from Galilee and Nazereth that practiced and promited Judaism. In truth, the people that believe in Paul should not call themselves Christians, but Paulinians.
Now if you really want to ram th doctrines of Paul in the ground all you have to do is read the whole chapter of Ezekiel 18 and this will clearly and boldly point out that a man's sin is not passed on from parent to son as wha Paul taught. In fact, Yehowah, Himself is countering such beliefs. By this, we can clearly see how just the God of Israel truly is. So lets just read it shall we?
Its a long chapter, so we will try to fit it in, even though our time is limited and this point, so here we go:
The word of the LORD came to me:
“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:
“ ‘The fathers eat sour grapes,
and the children's teeth are set on edge’?
And as far as personal sin or righteousness goes, here is some more information for you, this is taken from Ezekiel 18
do the things that are contrary to what the Torah requires. Unlike what Paul taught, where he said, sin in passed down, this is not what the prophets taught, rather each man's sin is due the person's own personal transgressions, not someone else. With that I will give you some proof from Ezekiel 18 where we se HaShem rebuking the Israelites for not being just and fair regarding these very things:
Quote,
Nonetheless
Most of these people of these denominations and those of non-denominational churches, when there
--------------------------------------
To start out the show today I would first like to answer a question that is sometimes asked to me when I am out on the street or in the stores and I strike up a conversation concerning Judaism, the messiah and so forth.
As I am telling them and probably just blaspheming because I am telling them that the messiah of the Jewish people is not the God of Israel, where I can prove over and over again even by Jesus himself that Jesus is not the God of Israel and that he too must obey like everyone else, can be condemned like everyone else and is HaShem's servant. While I am overwhelming them with dozens upon dozens of verses and not just one or two because trinitarian tainted the scriptures, which I have proved on this show over and over again. I will give you an example in a moment. Well, as I am talking with the person, they ask me, well what do you do about Isaiah 9, where it says,
???????
With this, let me say this to my listening audience, you know the phrase, a bad tree produces corrupt or worthless fruit." The same applies to this verse if a trinitarian interprets it, instead of a Jewish man that knows his ancient culture. I say ancient for a reason, because even though some of my fellow Jewish brothers and sisters understand their ancestral and ancient faith to a certain degree, they still don't have a well enough grip of that rope that will swing them over the river of ignorance and condemnation. For of my brothers of Judaism don't really know to much of the Biblical faith, because their vine has become corrupted through the years as well, through traditions that where not given by prophets but by men that seeked out fame for themselves.
Keep in mind I cannot just tell the true rendering of this passage without the person having at least a basic elementary understanding of the biblical Jewish faith. Because, when he recites or points out the verse to me, he simply assumes I know what his faith is, with all of his learning and interpretations. Which I do, because I have to counter this very very ofter. Keep in mind I am in America, a place not raised in Biblical Judaism - where not even in Israel people are raised this way, but in the manner of what sages have taught through the ages, which is a mixture of truth and non-sense. Believe me, there is a lot of non-sense, but no where in comparison to mainstream christianity, I tell you as a servant of HaShem.
I first have to explain that the messiah of Judaism is a made person, the very first of all creation, thus he had to be there before the other things where either made or created. The God of Israel does not get weary, nor tired, thus we see that it is the messiah that rested on the seventh day of creation and was refreshed, not the God of Israel. Thus, when we see the phrase, "let us make mankind as ourselves" tells us two things. They are these according to ancient and biblical Judaism vs. what modern so-called Judaism might say. Well, when it says, "let us make" this tells you there is more than one person having the power to create, and when it says "mankind like us", there where only two humans made that day, thus giving us the definition to the word us. This is confirmed in all of nature regarding all species, there is not just one, nor more than two, thus a pair for all species, male and female plants, flowers, birds, fish, humans, cattle, snakes and so forth. On the fourth day of creation. just two great luminaries were made in our immediate sky, one that actually has the light - that being the sun obviously and the other - the moon - which has no light in and of itself, but only the reflected light from the sin - as we know.
Again, if you look through the Jewish Scriptures, there are only two main thrones in heaven, not just one, nor more than two main thrones, Which Trinitarians have a hard time to in explaining, because we do in fact see two, but three. As we can see with Psalm 110 Yehowah said to Adonai sit at my right hand Until I make your enemies as a footstool for your feet" or Daniel 7 ............ Isa 53, Deut 18, Pro 8, Pro 30, Ps "You will not let your holy one see decay"
The true reason Trinitarians have a hard time explaining the trinity is because it is a lie and not supported by the Jewish bible.
Now let me give you some food for though, and I want you burn this in you forever, so maybe you will finally convert have a far better chance of escaping the fires of hell, for all those that believe in the trinity are automatically lost, because this god does not exist, thus this is idolatry in the eyes of the biblical faith. Do you not think that the prophets, who heard the the very voice of HaShem, the God of Israel, would not have written down the trinity doctrine in clear writing if it were true, seeing that it would be theeee most important belief of the universe. yet they didn't. This is because they never taught this and they are clear in their teaching and it that the messiah or the son of the living God is a made being, not the God of Israel. Thus, there was never a call, nor need to write things concerning the trinity. Like I said time and time again, the trinity was invented around 170 AD in Asia minor, what is now known as Turkey.
The God of Israel is in a class all His own, like angels are, cherubs are, horses are, cats are and so forth. When a dog, has male or female puppies, those puppies are still -k-9s. Thus, the class never departs, in the same manner, the very son of the living God is in the same class, but he is obviously not the same person, like the puppies are not the parents. This class the the God of Israel and his son are called "Elohim," this does not mean "God." Again, it is a class, not a person. Thus, when a biblical scholar reads, "Elohim said, let us make mankind as us," it flows, whereas if "Elohim" meant "God" in a singular fashion, then this verse would contradict the definition, for you cannot have more than one person doing the creating if the definition is singular. Thus, keep the word in its raw text. For those of you that do not know what I am talking about, it is this, In Genesis 1, the whole entire chapter, each and every time you read the singular word for "God" in the tainted KJB, the Hebrew word is actually a plural word, that word is "Elohim" the plural of Elohe"
Ahh - my friend - you give a riddle to the unlearned and you are crafty in your ways, but it is you that are the unschooled. You have met a Jewish man, one that practices the theocratic culture of the Tanach, my Jewish and Hebrew culture.
First question, the man is over the woman and the woman must obey the man - this is NOT sexism, but the truth and the women also viewed things in this manner in those days as well and even in today's Jewish Hasidic life [high orthodox]. Patriarchy was the custom of our ancestors, not a democracy
an aristocracy
a technocracy
a plutocracy
a monarchy !!!!
Many upon many of the cities of Cain's time to King David were city-states. Meaning each city had a king or ruler and the wise men would sit within the huge arches of the city gates and that is where the judges would sit.
-------- Question 2 ----------
You do not know the Jewish bible, nor Biblical culture - you know the tainted conditioning of the Catholic culture that invented the Trinity doctrine in or around the year 170 CE. We Jews NEVER taught a trinity for 4000 long years, before Jesus was born and still don't. Even Jesus denied being the God of Israel. Read Matthew 19, "Jesus said, why do you call me good, there is no one good, but God alone." Again, in the book of Revelation in the later chapters it says that Jesus is judging all men, at also pointed out in Matthew 7, and after the Great White Throne Judgment the God of Israel comes down to earth with the heavenly Jerusalem.
The "messiah" or moshiach is a Jewish term. The messiah in Judaism, the faith of the messiah and the other holy prophets, says that the messiah is HaShem's greatest servant. He is NOT the God of Israel in any shape or fashion. He is the first of all that has come into existence, this is why he is there at the very beginning. The God of Israel does not get tired, nor weary, thus it was he the rested and was refreshed on the seventh day of creation, not the God of Israel. All sons of what ever specie have the same characteristics as their parents, this is why the son of the living God has the power to create, for he is that powerful, but he is not the God of Israel.
Pro 8:22 says, "Yehowah made me as the first of His works of old." Micah 5:2 says, "his origins or birth are from the days of eternity," not that he is eternal. Only the God of Israel is eternal.
Psalms 110 claims is is not the God of Israel, but a mediator that has his own throne, "Yehowah said to my adon, 'sit at My right have until I have made your enemies a footstool for your feet."
Daniel 7 clearly points out that the Ancient of Days and the son of man are totally separate individuals.
The messiah is the Jewish bible, the real faith from heaven and of our prophets claims and says to the world that the messiah is the greatest of all prophets, worldly kings and instructors.
-------- question 3 ----------
In the mindset of biblical Judaism, only the books of the prophets are the only "scriptures." Everything else came from our ancient theocratic culture, in fact our first 5 books, commonly referred to as the "Torah" was written about 800 years after Moses, somewhere during the days of Hezekiah.
All our historical writings are subject to error, because they were not written by a prophet, but historians and scribes. For our historical writings have several errors.
Maregaal Ben Yaakov
HeShallGovern.com
Do i have to convert to Judaism to be considered a Jew?
I have believed in the way of Judaism for over a year, and i would consider myself a Jew due to my beliefs.
-------------------
Shalom my friend,
May HaShem, the holy God of Israel, bless you.
In Judaism, or the holy faith that the prophets gave in the name of HaShem, anyone can be a "pious one" or a "Jew."
There are two types of Jews in the Jewish scriptures, the torah observant [that is the holy] and those that are not. Those that are not torah observant are the condemned in the eyes of biblical Judaism, verses what some so-called "Judaic" denominations say.
Its like this, either you are a conservative or you're not. If you approve of abortion, you are not a conservative, but a liberal. It what be utterly foolish for a person that approves of abortion to even dare think he is a conservative..
Yes, many people in Israel and around the world are "Jewish" by blood. According to Biblical Judaism, not "Rabbinical Judaism" - Jewishness comes from the male side, not the mother's side. My Jewish brothers and sisters are so brainwashed by their foolish sages, that if we were to say use their definition for "who is Jewish" then not even King David was Jewish, because he came from Ruth, a Moabitess. OYYY!!!
Foolish people.
Yes, most Jewish people follow the ignorant sages instead of the prophets who spoke in the name of HaShem.
Isaiah said in Isa 56, "Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."
They key in this passage is keeping the holy covenant, not following the traditions of the sages.
Biblical Judaism and "Rabbinical Judaism" are totally different from each other.
Ruth converted on the spot, the same with Rehab. In Judaism, however, one must prove their conversion by their beliefs, thoughts, deeds and actions. If one simply says they are converted, it is like the "fake conservative" scenario I just gave.
This is what the holy prophet Ezekiel said in Ezekiel 18:21-22, "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live."
Look, HaShem sent a Jewish holy prophet name Jonah [Yona] to a heathen city named "Nineveh." He preached righteousness there like the prophet Noah did before the flood. Nineveh repented however and the people put on sack clothe and ashes and cried over their sins, even though Jonah did not know what was going on, because he was outside of the city. Thus, despite Jonah's disdain over them, because they "were" idolaters, HaShem's hand of mercy was stretched toward them as well. His hand was always extended over Israel, but even to this day, Israel does not keep His covenant as a whole, but only - maybe - a handful.
Men have been taught by HaShem over and over again, but only a few people have been "saved" over the years. Remember that only 8 people in the whole world made it on to the ark of Noah and that 3 people made it out of 4 cities, which includes Sodom and Gomorrah. It's easier to sin than to be holy. People, in their free will want to be free and not burdened with the discipline of holiness. Yet, as Solomon said at the end of Ecc., all people will be judged by the torah. And according to Daniel 12:2, all those that do not keep the covenant, whether Jew or non-Jew, shall be resurrected to condemnation and punishment.
Thus, my friend, please do not care what my brothers say, nor anyone else. Do what HaShem says. If you change your line of thinking and conduct to the ways the torah and the tanach actually say - you - literally - have converted.
Mainstream so-called "Judaism" is an abomination. Biblical Judaism, as you read it, is the true path. Seek it, study it, live it - and you will see that the promises are real, for I NEVER get sick and HaShem is yearning to raise up a new generation of prophets, including you.
According to Judaism, we are not able to love HaShem unless we keep His torah. His Torah, by the way, is the very essence of His character, for it tells us what He is like, thus all those that keep these easy statutes make themselves like Him in character, love and holiness. Not in greatness obviously, but nonetheless, these people are the real "pious ones" that the prophets called all people to be. For we shall be judged on the last day by the Torah.
Israel was meant to be a light to the world, but their light has been snuffed out many, many years ago, except for only a few people dthat o the untainted torah as seen in the actual book. Many follow traditions, so keep far from these things and you will do well.
Please don't care what people think for you WILL have many persecutions as did the prophets. Keep in mind that the prophets' own countrymen, fellow Jews, murdered most of them - because the prophets demanded that they change and the people did not like it, for they where spiritual liberals. For they wanted all the benefits of HaShem without obeying HaShem.
Maregaal Ben Yaakov
heshallgovern@yahoo.com
If you write I will be more than glad to talk more