Jewish Customs

How Do Jews Obtain Forgiveness Without A Temple or Sacrifices?
Part 3 of 3

But what about the non-Israelite? Isn't he somehow left out of all this? Doesn't he need someone to break down the wall of exclusivity that keeps him separated from the Elohim of Israel. This is what some would have us believe. But it is not true, nor has it ever been.

Have a look at this same prophetic prayer given by King Solomon. What do we see in verses 41-43 of I Kings 8?

"As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name, for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name."

Here we see that the non-Jew does not need an intermediary to bring him closer to Yahveh because he was never separated in the first place. Yahveh has always desired a relationship with all mankind if they would only listen and come to Him. The way has always been there, as Moses said:

"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, 'Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, 'Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." Deuteronomy 30:11-14


~ By Yoel Keren ~
www.LaMikdash. com

How Do Jews Obtain Forgiveness Without A Temple or Sacrifices?

Part 2 of 3

Temple or Sacrifices
This still leaves us with the question of what to do with individuals (rare as they may be) who truly qualify for and need a blood sacrifice. There is no Temple and no altar. What do they do today?

The answer, again, is very simple and we need look no further than the pages of our Bible. When Daniel and the rest of the Jews were captive in Babylon, they had no Temple. What did they do?
The Bible tells us that Daniel went to the window of his house that faced Jerusalem and prayed toward the place of the Temple. Was this a practice that Daniel invented on his own?
Certainly not. He was following the instructions that came from King Solomon as he prophesied at the dedication of the First Temple. Solomon told us that when we have no Temple, we are to turn to the land of Israel, the City of Jerusalem and the Place of The Temple. We are to break our hearts and turn back to Yahveh and He will forgive us.

"When they sin against you, for there is no one who does not sin, and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy; for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of
Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace." I Kings 8:46-51

No sacrifice is needed for forgiveness here. What is needed is a changed heart and crying out toward the place where the Almighty placed his name forever. Again, simple and doable if one has the right heart.

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Times of Refreshing I: http://rinah--shalom.tripod.com/€ ¦ € ¦
Times of Refreshing II: http://rinah.shalom.tripod.com/€ ¦
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How Do Jews Obtain Forgiveness Without A Temple or Sacrifices?

Part 1 of 3
This question is asked quite often by Christians who want to understand the Hebrew faith. It is based, however, on an incorrect assumption. Namely, that every transgression makes one liable for blood atonement and without it, one cannot be "right" with God.

Let's first understand that the Bible relegates blood sacrifices for sin to a very strict set of criteria which rendered them a very rare thing in Temple times. These criteria are as follows:
1) The sin had to be accidental or performed out of ignorance.
2) The sin had to have been witnessed by at least two qualified witnesses.
3) The offender had to be wealthy enough to afford an animal to sacrifice, otherwise one would bring an offering of flour.
The sin sacrifice is for the individual that didn't know any better or simply made an honest mistake. The blood sacrifice is only for those wealthy enough to afford it. So what about the individual who knew he was doing wrong and did it anyway? There is no sacrifice for him. He has to break his heart before€ ¦ Yahveh and truly repent of his evil. This is the only way he can be forgiven.
When King David sent Uriah to be killed in battle so he could take his wife, he knew what he was doing was evil. When the prophet Natan rebuked David he fell down and broke his heart before Yah.

"Then David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Yahveh. Nathan replied, Yahveh has taken away your sin."€ ¦ II Samuel 12:13 No sacrifice involved. Just a broken heart that€ ¦ Yah can read like a book. This is Biblical atonement. It's simple and it is not beyond our reach as some would have us believe.

Torah Studies: http://rinahshal.tripod.com /€ ¦
Times of Refreshing I: http://rinah--shalom.tripod.com/€ ¦ € ¦
Times of Refreshing II: http://rinah.shalom.tripod.com/€ ¦
Moadim - Jewish Holidays: http://rinah-shalom.tripod.com/€ ¦
His Word:€ ¦ http://rinahshalom.tripod.com/€ ¦
Wisdom For Living: http://rinahshal.tripod.com/wisdomforliving€ ¦

Birchat Hailanot (the Blessing over the Fruit Trees).
Posted by: "Rabbi Gershon S Caudill"

Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the First Month of the Jewish Year, is the evening of
March 19

The first day of Nissan, is the beginning of the New Year. It is the time of
counting Royal Reigns; the day Jewish King-Messiahs were crowned on, and the
day their reigns began to be reckoned from.

The Festival of Rosh HaShanah (in Sept-Oct) is actually the First day of the
SEVENTH MONTH. Nissan is the FIRST MONTH of the Jewish calendar, the Moon of
Spring.

The first day of Nissan is also known as the Day of the Birchat Hailanot
(the Blessing over the Fruit Trees).

The 14th of Nissan is the Fast of the Firstborn (one either fasts during the
day, until the seder, or one studies a text of Talmud-Torah) and is the
start of Pesach (Passover). One attends a seder on the nights of the 14th
and the 15th of Nissan.

Pesach lasts until the 21st of Nissan in Israel and the 22nd of Nissan in
the rest of the world.

On the EIGHTH DAY of Pesach, we recite Community Yizkor Prayers in memory of
all who have passed away in our community, especially during the past year.

It is also customary to pick fresh grass on the way home from the synagogue
and throw the grass, mixed with some coins, and wrapped candies in the house
prior to entering for the children to pick up.

PRAYER FOR BLESSING FLOWERING TREES FOR THE NEW YEAR OF NISSAN

The Sages instituted a special blessing to be said once a year in Spring,
upon seeing edible-fruit trees blossoming (Talmud Berachot 43b). One may say
this at any time during the month of Nissan, but not before, even if he
(she) has already seen blossoms, though it is praiseworthy to be particular
to say the blessing as early in the month as possible and customary to do so
on the very first day (Rosh Chodesh).

If possible, it is preferable to go to the fields, out of town, for the
recitation of the blessing, but if not, it may be recited anywhere in sight
of AT LEAST TWO BLOSSOMING FRUIT TREES, even of the same kind. It should not
be said before the beginning of Nissan, nor once the blossoms have fallen
(even if the fruit is not yet edible). If it was not said during Nissan and
there are still blossoms on the trees in Iyar, the blessing should be said
then without SHEM UMALCHUT - that is, without mentioning God's Name - since
it is questionable whether the MITZVAH applies beyond Nissan.

Some (Rabbis) hold that since making hybrid fruits is a Torah prohibition,
(Lev. 19: 19), one should not say BIRKHAT HA'ILANOT over hybrid fruit trees
(e.g. orange trees) and this is the accepted custom. Newly planted
(non-hybrid) trees, however, whose fruit may not be eaten for the first
three years (Lev. 19: 23), can be used since they have grown naturally and
no law (of Torah) has been broken.

If one can join a group of people who are going to say the blessing
together, this is preferred, since 'the larger the crowd the greater is the
glory to the King', but one should not delay the blessing for this.

Concerning the wording of the blessing 'who has created good creatures and
good trees...', one may ask what creatures are being referred to and what
they have to do with the trees. The Ben Ish Hai (Sage and Chief Rabbi of
Baghdad, born 1834, died 1909) sees it as a reminder to man that as the
tree, which in winter was no more than as dry wood, is (in the Spring) now
green and alive with blossom and will, having brought forth its fruit,
return to being as dry wood, so is man like the tree of the field.

THE BIRKHAT HA'ILANOT:
BARUKH ATAH ADONAI ELOHAYNU MELEKH HAOLAM SHELO CHISEYR B'OLAMO K'LOOM.
UVARA VO B'REEYOT TOVOT V'EELANOT TOVOT LEYHANOT BAHEM B'NAY ADAM. (Source
of blessing are You, Adonai, our Power Force, King of the universe, from
whose world nothing has been left out and Who has created in it good
creatures and good trees for the benefit of mankind).

Rabbi Gershon S. Caudill