Parley
with Barley ??
Was
this message sent to me?? I never received it before seeing it featured in
Rabbi Moshe's e-letter :-) I'm of course happy to dialogue with you on
this important issue. I have not found any evidence in Torah for the
equinox theory, and in fact find it contrary to Torah, as following it
requires disobeying pashat Mitzwot.
You
might wish to first read two articles I did on this subject:
A
couple of points on what you mention...
1. ABIB does NOT mean "green ears", that is 400
year old scholarship. The first article above describes what abib is
biblically - a specific stage in crop development which can be well
parameterised from Torah narrative. Abib does not mean "spring"
either.
Although ABIB has
been TAKEN to mean 'spring' in later Hebrew, Biblically speaking, it can ONLY
refer to a condition of the barley - ha sh'orah abib - the barley WAS abib
(Shemot 9:31). The root of the word is ABAB, an ancient verbal form of
'to be tender'. It can only - in Biblical terms - refer to a crop
condition, not a season of the year. One could hardly read "the barley was
spring" here. See also Wayikra 2:14 where it is again a condition of
the barley.
It occurs an additional 6 times, and every one of them is in the
form CHODESH HA ABIB. Chodesh is the renewal of the moon, and by extension
'month', yet one can not have "month of spring" with Chodesh in a singular form
as spring has 3 months by definition. Nor can one read "the month where it
is spring" as again this requires the plural. Like
CHODESH inherently means "the renewal", and refers to a specific state of
the YERACH, and only by extension means "month", ABIB is a specific crop
state, which by extension has come to mean "spring" - the time of year when that
state occurs.
2. You are NOT completely correct about
translating SHAMAR as 'keep'. In Dabarim 16:1, it is in a Qal Infinitive
tense, which per Strong's that you cite CAN definitely include the meaning of
observe:
1) to
keep, guard, observe, give heed
a)
(Qal)
1)
to keep, have charge of
2)
to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect,
save life
a) watch, watchman
(participle)
3)
to watch for, wait for
4)
to watch, observe
5)
to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)
6)
to keep (within bounds), restrain
7)
to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant
or commands), perform (vow)
8)
to keep, preserve, protect
9)
to keep,
reserve
The problem here is that the word can have various nuances of
meaning in coming across to English. To SHAMAR ET CHODESH HAABIB with the
direct object pointer can most definitely imply observation by sight, keeping,
guarding, celebrating, ALL of these things at the SAME time. One meaning
is not exclusionary to another.
The
key here is in first understanding a correct definition of abib, and then
understanding that the Chodesh haAbib is the crescent moon at which the Barley
is abib, and there will only EVER be one of these per year. Next Chodesh
(April) there will be NO abib anywhere in Yisrael, and it can absolutely NOT be
the Chodesh haAbib anymore than 25 December can be the birthday of Y'shua
:-) Thus, to postpone the year to next month will require disobeying the
Mitswot to make the Chodesh haAbib the first Chodesh of the
year.
3. As to the Karaites, it is not fair to say that anyone
following the Chodesh haAbib is "following the Karaites" - no, we are following
TORAH. The Karaites also happen to agree on this point and are following
Torah WITH us, not 'leading' us as is implied subtly by such improper
diction. The Karaites are wrong about Moshiach to be sure, but so are the
Rabinics who follow the last Sanhedrin and deny Y'shua. Nehemiah Gordon is
a friend of mine, and I respect him as a fellow scholar, even though we do not
agree on everything. I agree with him here because Torah agrees with
him.
4. Rabbi Moshe (??) at the end discusses following
Talmud. It is not following Talmud to recognise such as a source of
historical reporting. These and other early sources, along with
archaeology, are an invaluable tool in establishing historic fact.
The issue comes when one takes the TEACHINGS of the Talmud to be DOCTRINE on par
with or superseding Torah, such is a TOTALLY different matter than using it in a
historical context.
5. Rabbi Moshe has rested his case on two INCOMPATIBLE
arguments -
A. The last Sanhedrin is binding
authority on us for halachic practice.
B. The first month must be the
Chodesh after the vernal equinox.
I
am still curious as to when this system observed the first month in the years
2002 and 1999 gregorian. As I document in the response to his article, in
both of these years one had to choose A or B and could not have both under this
theory. So, if there is to be additional evidence presented as to the
vernal equinox, then point A must be entirely withdrawn as inapplicable as you
can't follow the equinox and the last Sanhedrin at the same
time.
So,
in short, I'm open to discussion on this from a scriptural basis, and have laid
out such in the prior articles extensively, with some additional clarification
here. If you or Rabbi Moshe feel that the equinox has additional
scriptural support, please present such for consideration. This process
has, I think, helped a lot of people examine many facets of the Mitswot of
Pasach - a very worthy endeavour, and I thank you for your kind spirit in this
regard.
Shalom w'Baraka,
Rav.
David PollinaRav. David
Pollina
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YHWH Shalom
D--------------:
I read with
great interest your e-mail to Rabbi Moshe regarding the calendar issue. I too
have some questions regarding this issue.
Many people are
following the Karaites in searching for the green ears of barley (now the
Karaites are another issue I won't get into right now). So here are just a few of the
questions I have:
There is not one
single command (mitzvah) in Scripture telling us to search for green ears, so
why do some insist on doing it? No doubt this practice is due to a
misapplication of Deut. 16, "Observe the month of Aviv (Green
Ears..." I understand that many interpret "Observe" as meaning "look
for." However, If we check a simple reference tool such as a Strong's
concordance, we find that "observe" in this verse is the Hebrew word "shomer,"
meaning to guard. When we keep Shabbat properly we are called a "Shomer
Shabbat," a "Guardian of the Sabbath." We don't have to "look" for the Sabbath
in order to keep it. We should know when the Shabbat begins and ends in our
respective locale. So if it's cloudy, we don't need to watch for sunset, we
should know when the sun is due to set and begin Shabbat accordingly. We are
also urged to "observe" Yahweh's Torah. does this mean we have to go out
somewhere and "look" for it? The Torah must be in our hearts and minds.
My other
question is, why is there not one single instance recorded anywhere in the Bible
of anyone going out on a quest to inspect green ears of
barley?
As for the wearing
of the Kippah, I wonder if you have really given this issue a fair shake. Rabbi
Koniuchowsky has a three-tape series, "A Lost Priestly Tool," that I would urge
you to obtain and listen to before you make up your mind. Also, Rabbi Ed Nydle
has a publication, "Headcoverings for Messianic Men," that you should read at
least once.
As believers I feel
it is our obligation to examine the evidence -- all the evidence, not just what
we want to see.
Many years (decades) ago I
rejected the Rabbinic calendar in favor of the visible new moon calendar.
At the same time I began believing that we should search for green ears. After
more than 20 years of persisting in these beliefs, I restudied the issues with
an open heart and mind. I came to the conclusion that I was wrong and therefore
I changed.
Many will accuse us
of "following man" when we follow the Rabbinic calendar. Well and good. However,
the same people turn around and blindly follow the Karaites to search for green
ears. Are they not following man too? Let's make no bones about the
Karaites. Contrary to what they may say, they are not our friends. Their
website is full of anti-Messiah writings of some of the most vicious
kind.
Many well
intentioned Messianic or Nazarene Israelite believe has been swayed by
Karaite doctrine to deny that Yahshua is the Messiah of all Israel and that we
obtain the ultimate forgiveness for our sins through His blood atonement.
Yet not one single Karaite that I know of has embraced the Messiah. The Karaite
agenda is to convert every single one of us away from our belief in Messiah and
therefore, in my opinion, it is a demonic agenda. That's just one of many
reasons I am not the least bit impressed with people like Nehemiah Gordon or any
so-called Messianics who follow him. Please reconsider your rejection of the things you
mention in you e-mail to Rabbi Moshe and for the sake of all truth and
righteousness, re-examine the evidence and give it all a fair
shake.
May Almighty Yahweh
bless you with shalom and ahavah b'Shem Yahshua Meshikaynu as you seek to serve
him and study to show yourself approved, a workman rightly dividing the truth
and one who will not be put to shame.
Respectfully
yours,
Rabbi Tom
Mitchell
Union Board
member
-From Rabbi Moshe: Many through the years have
asked us (YATI) for help and looked to us for assistance on feast keeping. Not
that we are infallible, or even want to be seen as such in this area since it
is fluid and highly debatable, but we do want to be more Torah based
but still hold to the essential principles of the Jewish calendar.
So.............coming soon is a list of feasts from now until 2035 based on Aviv
being the first molad, or new birthed moon after the Spring Equinox, without
any rabbinical postponements, as we try and establish a Torah based
schedule....................Having said that, this service will be for those who
have specifically asked for guidance. But all local UONYC groups are free to be
led by their own inward conviction and my own attempts to bring more
clarity to this is a personal attempt and should not be seen as representing the
UONYC or any of its independent member affiliates........Stay
tuned!
-Coming very soon I will send you Biblical proof of
the vernal equinox factor in calculating/observing ALL the moadim/feasts. Those
who tell you that the Spring Equinox is not in scripture, are either non Hebrew
speakers, or are simply misled following a "party line." Using the sun and
the moon according to Genesis 1:14 , is no more a manifestation of a "pagan sun
worshipping" practice, then chewing gum made by pagans, makes one a
pagan!
-I will provide at least 4 Torah references to the
Spring Equinox. Moreover it is of the HIGHEST and most ARROGANT order to
criticize the rabbis and all of the Talmud (major parts of which i also have
problems with), and then turn around as do the Karaites and use the very Talmud
they mock to "prove" their point of observation in the 1st century. Why would a
group that rejects any validity whatsoever to the Talmud, use it as prima fascia
evidence of barley searches and new moon sightings? As Rabbi Tom mentions above,
were they true to their own namesake, Karaite, meaning "scriptural only
literalist," why would they feel the need to resort to "tradition" to prove
1st century barley finding methods?
The reason they contradict themselves is as plain
as day; it is because they know as well as Rabbi Moshe does, and as well as
you do, that there is no verse commanding, or instructing how barley is to be
found, or considered. The only verse in Exodus 13:4 cannot be superimposed on
Exodus 12:2 and moreover Aviv does not mean (or is not limited to) "ripened
barley," but can mean any stage in the barley's development, as I will also
document soon. So if one follows their own doctrine being a "who cares what
the rabbis and the Talmud say," it is irony of the highest order that they turn
right around and resort to ..guess what?....THE TALMUD and the TESTIMONY OF THE
RABBIS to make their ONLY case! Factor that into the sad fact that many
Nazarene Yisraelites who deny Yahshua all together wind up as Karaites after
being tripped up by the Karaites, should make one embrace their theology with
great trepidation and inward reflection. Selah!