29 August 2015

Concerning Jewish 'Outreach' to Xians

15 Elul 5775

In my previous post, I alluded to what I consider to be a very big and very serious problem with the two main chassidic groups engaged in kiruv throughout the world - Breslov and Chabad. I compared them to the Jewish group which morphed over three hundred years into what became Xianity. By that, I'm talking about how it turned from being a ba'al teshuvah movement within Judaism into another religion entirely by expanding its outreach to include the gentiles and turning universal in it's appeal. In my view, this same mistake is being repeated today within the ranks of Breslov and Chabad. In most cases, I'm sure these efforts are based on the most noble of intentions, but that does not remove the danger from Am Yisrael, nor does it satisfy the truth.

Sixteen years ago, I stumbled onto a Xian (so-called "Messianic-'Jewish'") website which featured several pictures of the local Chabad rabbi addressing the congregation in their church. The preacher and the rabbi were arm-in-arm and the article which accompanied the photos bragged at how the 'messianics' were making inroads into the Orthodox Jewish community. 

I immediately looked up the rabbi and emailed him to inform him of what I had found. I was sure he had no idea what he was really dealing with. Of course, the rabbi had been led to believe that this was a group of Bnei Noach who wanted the rabbi to "teach" them and he naturally welcomed the opportunity. It was just as I had suspected. I proceeded to provide him with insight based on my personal experiences as well as the evidence of the group's website that showed how they were intentionally deceiving the rabbi for ulterior motives. However, I was in for a shock when the rabbi refused to hear anything negative about this group of "righteous gentiles" from me, a fellow Jew with his best interests at heart. And this experience has been repeated over and over again, always with the same result.

Since then, I have seen many, many - too many - Jews fall for this ploy, but I still don't understand how and why it happens. In the case of the previous post, some people wondered why I did not contact the rabbis privately instead of making a public expose. My answer to that is this - the information was already very, very public and an immediate, in-kind response was necessary. 

It seems to me that this generation is being guided primarily by their emotions. People appear to be making decisions based not on the Torah and halachah, but on their feelings. That is very, very dangerous to us as a people. It is leading to the dismantling of all the fences and barriers which have served to protect us and bridges are being built over which wicked people are crossing to do us harm. And make no mistake about it. Xians are not Noahides, they are idolaters and therefore enemies of HKB"H who want to 'love' us to death. If rabbis are truly concerned with the spiritual needs of Xians worldwide, why is it that they never, ever begin by first telling them that they must abandon their idolatry???

Everyone seems to believe that they are operating with only the best of intentions, but as the old adage goes, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

To be continued, iy"H...

24 comments:

  1. There's no excuse in this digital age for rabbis to be using funds to galavant all over the world visiting churches. If they feel the need to address these groups, why not just skype the conference or record a video for projection on a large screen the way politicians do?

    - a voice in the wilderness

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    1. That's a good question. Let me know if you get any answers.

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    2. Thought it was forbidden for Jews to enter churches.

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  2. I wrote the following to Rav Brody:

    HaRav, are you able to help Rav Arush prevent this from occurring again? (link to your previous post)

    B"H
    Our job is to bring the whole world to emuna.
    Blessings for an inscription in the Book of Life for a wonderful New Year 5776, LB

    Be a full partner in spreading emuna around the globe! Donate to Emuna Outreach

    ******
    What do you think? Should I bother engaging in a halakhic discussion with him?

    I don't think I should bother.

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    1. I'm pretty sure they know what it is. And in my experience, it's not up for discussion. Most people are very convinced in their own rationale. My efforts are mostly geared towards just making people aware and representing the other side which gets short shrift.

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    2. It's definitely a trend - not going to even discuss - as I'm doing a LH self-censorship.

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  3. Why?????? are so many prominent rabbis running after xians? It's not only the examples you bring from chabad and breslev, it's others in Israel too.

    http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/2015/08/all-of-living-flesh.html

    "In the clip Banda is presented as a noachide, but he is a xian, faith-healer and exorcist. He is currently promoting his book, "True Xianity is Irristible".

    Here he is in good form, exorcising in the name of Yoshke.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nCO8vJoh8M

    He also said, "every xian is a missionary".

    Does Rav Arush know this? Ditto Rav Elgorod?"

    Elisheva

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  4. Yasher Koach - Devash. There is so much work needed to bring back Jews to do teshuvah - why in the world is any obsessed with outreach to non-Jews, which is definitely not allowed. To be sure, there are evil forces behind this where the naive (even rabbis) fall for this conning. nili

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    1. Thanks, Nili.See my response above. ;-)

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  5. bs"d

    Machlokes, motzei shem ra, sinas chinam and pirud are the results of omission (or refusal) to consult daas Torah and illustrate the necessity of learning Hilchos Shmiras haLashon daily and constantly. Ellul, erev Rosh haShana, requires us to look at ourselves and increase our learning. It is a noble venture to expose shady actions to the public as warnings, BUT it is spiritually risky in the extreme without using guidelines of talmidei chachamim.

    b'hatzlacha on bringing your posts in line with spiritual protection for both yourself and the tzibur,
    E.L.

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  6. JC, the NT and Xtianity - were created by the Romans, the Flavians to be precise - in order to control the masses by inventing a belief system that would further their agenda, which was and still is to silence the true teachings of the Creator, and those put here on this planet to teach those laws.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An8XoyeVYHo

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  7. At least 2 famous rabbis have gone on record that Gentiles are not to be villianized, they are not evil, they have been led astray, some are very good people and their sacrifices are pleasing to Hashem because their hearts are innocent, completely off the mark - but their hearts and intentions are good.

    I don't judge people based on their faith. I have to agree that there are good people and evil people from all races, faiths and persuasions. Only Hashem can judge what is in a man's heart.

    Personally would like see all that effort going into educating the Jews about what is considered the main tenet of growing a healthy and stable people, and that is how to relate 101 - just make THAT the focus of every *lecture* from now to Moshiach.

    Breaking it down into steps according to Torah so every single person, man, woman and child can understand. These are the STEPS of - How to relate to Hashem, How to relate to others and then break that down into sub-categories - Spouse, Children, the Nations, and the Environment - including the Treatment of Animals which is no less vital.

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  8. B’H
    I asked HaShem this morning after reading Rav. Lazer Brody’s post and yours what is the truth in this confusion. As I try to clean up the books in my room I came across Rabbi Arush book "The Garden of Healing" I opened it up I came across this page…

    From Apostasy to Divine Favor
    Rebbe Natan further explains Likutei Halachot concerning performing pidyonot with genuine tzaddikim, that they use pidyonot to sweeten harsh judgements and to elevate souls from apostasy to Divine favor, and through this nonbelievers are transformed and converts are made.
    “This was the work of our teacher Moses, OBM, all the days of his life and also after his passing, for he tried to draw the eirev rav close in order to convert them and also when he died he was buried opposite Ba’al P’or in order to sweeten the idol-worshippers so that they should become converts. That’s why he passed away on Shabbat at Mincha, for it’s a time of Divine favor, in order to sweeten all 24 aforementioned Heavenly courts in order to create converts, for all of Moses’s work was to sweeten the wrath instigated by idol-worshippers and transform it to Divine favor. This is the reason why the numerical value of Moses is between the numerical values of “shmad” (apostasy) and “ratzon” (Divine favor), for the stands constantly to sweeten the shmad and to convert it to ratzon as discussed above…
    I don’t know what to do with this the only think I can go by is what is written in the Torah that HaSHem did not wanted Moshe Rabbainu to take the erev ravs with him, he did not listen to HaShem and that is why we have the problems with the erev ravs till today until Moshiach comes.
    I also like people but that does not make me bring somebody into my home if it could hurt my family…
    I live my to be a simple Jew keep the Torah, pray and read tehillim, do good deeds and hope for the best that it is good in HaShems eye (so to speak). I live by the rule that HaShem is my guide and my teacher He never stirred me wrong in my life. I also believe in Rebbi Nachmans saying be a simple Jew.
    I like Rav. Lazer Brody and I also like Rabbi Mizrachi and I learned a lot from both but I ultimately rely on HaShem and our old Zaddikim. I am scared from any lashon ha-rah and this is not to slander anybody. I hope Moshiach comes soon to stop all of this confusion and debates….

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    1. Jewgirl, you are an example to us all.

      And no one should think that I publish these posts lightly or without fear and trepidation and with careful consideration of the laws and the consequences. It is because of my love for Hashem, His Torah Truth and the Chosen Nation that I assume the risks gladly.

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  9. Jewgirl,
    I'm really glad you took the time to write the comment and to convey everything the way you did.
    I agree with Devash that your position is an example to learn from.

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  10. "All Living Flesh" has been taken down, as has the previous post on the issue, I forget the name, the one about loving all humanity.

    I'm not going to tell you how to run your blog, (and it is really important that you write about these vital issues) but if teshuva has been made on the issue, maybe you want to consider the form of your previous post. It's just a thought, I don't know what is the correct thing to do in the circumstances.

    Elisheva

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    1. Removal of posts is not a retraction and it's a long way from teshuvah.

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  11. Ummm.... Lazer Brody seems to have removed both of his offending posts. Interesting times we live in indeed !

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    1. Very interesting! I don't believe that he is writing all the posts that appear on his site. And this is where the trouble comes in. He may monitor, when he has the time, but he is all over the world with his Emuna campaign.

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  12. Real Breslov, I cannot publish your comment. You are a poor deluded soul in dire need of help. I wish I knew who to direct you to.

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  13. At this point in history, the Man of the Moment with his finger on the pulse, seems to be Rabbi Yossi Mizrachi

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