Saturday, December 31, 2016
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Monday, December 26, 2016
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Federal Reserve Initiates End Game As Trump Heads To White House
This article was written by Brandon Smith and originally published at Alt-Market.com
For years, alternative economic analysts have been warning that the “miraculous” rise in U.S. stock markets has been the symptom of wider central bank intervention and that this will result in dire future consequences. We have heard endless lies and rationalizations as to why this could not be so, and why the U.S. “recovery” is real. At the beginning of 2016, the former head of the Dallas branch of the Federal Reserve crushed all the skeptics and vindicated our position in an interview with CNBC where he stated:
“What the Fed did — and I was part of that group — is we front-loaded a tremendous market rally, starting in 2009.It’s sort of what I call the “reverse Whimpy factor” — give me two hamburgers today for one tomorrow. I’m not surprised that almost every index you can look at … was down significantly.” [Referring to the results in the stock market after the Fed raised rates in December.]
Fisher continued his warning (though his predictions in my view are wildly conservative or deliberately muted):
“…I was warning my colleagues, “Don’t go wobbly if we have a 10-20 percent correction at some point. … Everybody you talk to … has been warning that these markets are heavily priced.”
Here is the issue — stocks are a mostly meaningless factor when considering the economic health of a nation. Equities are a casino based on nothing but the luck of the draw when it comes to news headlines, central banker statements and algorithmic computers. Today, as Fischer openly admitted, stocks are a purely manipulated indicator representing nothing but the amount of stimulus central banks are willing to pour into them through various channels.
Even with the incredible monetary support pooled together by international financiers, returns on equities investments continue to remain mostly flat. It would seem that the propping up of indexes like the Dow has been only for the sake of keeping up appearances. For many people, revenue is barely being generated.
Unfortunately, the majority of Americans do not care to educate themselves on the finer points of finance. Their only relation to the health of the economy is their daily glance at the Dow. If it is green, or at all time highs, they assume that all is well, even if their gut is telling them something is not quite right.
The elites that stand at the helm of the Federal Reserve understand this dynamic very well. They are not stupid. They know that the whole of the global economy could be in a shambles but as long as stocks remain positive the masses will continue to ignore reality until the flames of destabilization are at their very doorsteps.
With this fact in mind one might think that the Fed would consider it in their best interest to keep stimulus measures operating indefinitely; but that is not what they are doing.
In fact, the Fed along with other central banks like the ECB has been slowly peeling back pillars of support from markets that have been in place since 2008-2009 and leaving the system open to a crisis event that should have been dealt with years ago. I examined this process of deliberate destabilization in my article 'The Global Economic Reset Has Begun.'
In that piece I outlined the three major pillars holding up the U.S. market system and certain parts of our economy and how they were being systematically removed. The first pillar was the use of bailouts and quantitative easing measures. These were diminished through the implementation of the Fed “taper,” which I predicted would happen three months prior that year.
The second pillar was the use of near zero interest rates, which allowed numerous banks and corporations to access low-cost and no-cost overnight loans from the Fed. These companies then used these loans in large part to support a never-ending program of stock buybacks, which reduced the stock pool and artificially boosted the values of the remaining stocks. I predicted in August of 2015 that the Fed would hike interest rates and that this would be the beginning of the end for the stock buyback bonanza. The Fed hiked rates in December of that year.
This process of removing backdoor manipulation through low interest rates should be our main concern right now. Early in 2016 I believed that the Fed would reach a position in which it would finally unleash a series of rate hikes. I did not think they would be so blatant as to wait until right after the U.S. presidential election to do so. I was wrong.
This is why I eventually predicted the launch of a series of rate hikes starting right after the election of Donald Trump in my article 'World Suffers From Trump Shell Shock — Here’s What Will Happen Next.' The Fed has now once again hiked interest rates with assertions that they will be “accelerating” such hikes throughout 2017.
As I have been arguing for most of the past year, the election of Donald Trump was inevitable and would precede the triggering of the final stage of our ongoing economic crisis. I came to realize that the Fed’s timing of their latest rate hike is highly strategic. Not only does it set the stage for a series of hikes that will crush U.S. stock markets this coming year and finally shock the public out of their fiscal stupor, but it also maneuvers the crisis right into the lap of Donald Trump and the conservative movements that support him.
Beyond this, it perpetuates an increasing Left/Right division in America. Think about it — during a fiscal crisis under Trump, tiggered by accumulating Fed rate hikes, liberals will immediately set upon Trump as the culprit, while conservatives will immediately defend Trump as a victim of Federal Reserve meddling.
The Federal Reserve and the mainstream media are already composing the narrative by stating that Trump's potential economic policies and a widening budget deficit would REQUIRE higher rates at a faster pace in order to be accommodated.
I have heard arguments from some that this tactic would simply not work. That people would “never buy” a narrative in which Trump and conservatives are blamed for a market collapse that was at least eight years in the making. I have to say, this view is incredibly naive.
I understand why people would want to embrace the notion that the public is as savvy as the liberty movement when looking at economic events, but this simply isn’t reality. A large portion of the U.S. population identifies with the “Left” end of the political spectrum. We have already seen how they react in the face of a Trump election win. They are predisposed to believe that Trump is responsible for a market crash regardless of the facts. Not to mention, much of the rest of the world is economically ignorant and will likely jump on the anti-conservative bandwagon during a crisis as well.
But the real master stroke of this strategy on the part of the elites is that it creates the perfect platform for the destruction of the U.S. dollar’s world reserve status — the third and final pillar I mentioned months ago that is supporting our economic system.
Imagine that the Fed’s rate hike frenzy sparks an open feud between the central bank and Trump? Some people might say “Good! Shut the bastards down!” However, this is exactly what the elites want. With the Fed “at odds” with the president of the U.S., faith in the U.S. dollar will plummet. Its world reserve status will be destroyed. And instead of being blamed on central banks, the majority of people around the world will claim it was the fault of Trump.
With a historically sufficient excuse for the end of dollar dominance in hand, the elites can move forward with their great global reset, which includes the replacement of the dollar with the IMF’s special drawing rights as the go-to reserve currency mechanism. The SDR basket is an essential bridge in the formation of a single global monetary authority and a true single global currency.
I believe that the Fed will not only continue hiking interest rates throughout 2017, but that some of these rate hikes may be LARGER than many people expect (50 basis points or more). I believe this will be designed to foster extreme tensions between the executive branch and the central bank.
A few months ago I would have said that Trump may or “may not” be aware of this dynamic and the potential that he is a scapegoat. Now that I have seen Trump’s cabinet picks which include neo-con and Goldman Sachs alumni, I have little doubt that he is fully cognizant of the plan. I will be writing more on the issue of Trump as a "Trojan horse" in my next article. In the meantime I would point out that all of the elements of psychological support for stock markets will also disappear in the face of a Trump verses establishment narrative.
All those leftist media outlets cherry picking economic stats and telling half truths to support the recovery lie now have no reason to continue cheerleading for the economy. I expect that propaganda rags like Reuters and Bloomberg will quickly change their tune with Trump in the Oval Office and begin a consistent chorus of negative financial data. Not only will the Fed remove all support from the system, but the mainstream media will be pounding day traders with the kind of “doom and gloom” headlines that they have been criticizing us for over the years.
Make no mistake, the election of Trump may have some in the liberty movement ready to pack up their preps and forget about any national crisis in their lifetimes, but the truth is, vigilance is needed now more than ever. I said it before the election and I’ll say it today — do not get comfortable; the times are about to get even more interesting.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Hear the Sound of the Shofar and the Cry of YHVH!
Yeshayahu 58:
1
"Cry aloud, do not spare. Lift up
your voice like a shofar! Declare to my people their transgression,
and to the house of Ya`aqov their sins!
2
"Yet they seek me day by day, and
delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and didn't
forsake the Right-Ruling of their Elohim. They ask of me rulings of righteousness;
they delight to draw near to Elohim.
3
"'Why have we fasted,' [say they], 'and You don't see? [Why] have we afflicted our soul, and You take no
knowledge?'" "Look, in the day of your fasting you find [your own] pleasure,
and drive on all your laborers."
4 "Look, you fast for strife and
contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You do not fast
as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high!
5
"Is it a fast that I have
chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his
head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? Do you
call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the YHVH?
6
"Is this not the fast that I have
chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke,
and to let the oppressed go free, and to break off every yoke?
7
"Is it not it to share your bread to
the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
when you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide
yourself from your own flesh?
8
"Then shall your light break
forth as the morning, your healing spring forth speedily. And
your righteousness shall go before you, the esteem of YHVH shall be
your rear-guard.
9
"Then when you call,YHVH would answer; when you shall cry, He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take
away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger,
and speaking wickedly;
10 if you extend your being to
the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn
in the darkness, and your darkness be as the noonday.
11 "Then YHVH would guide you
continually, and satisfy your being in drought, and strengthen your
bones. And you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of
water, whose waters do not fail.
12 "And those from among you shall
build the old waste places. You shall raise up the foundations of many
generations. And you would be called the Repairer of the breach, the Restorer of streets to dwell in.
13
"If you do turn back your foot from
the Shabbat, from doing your pleasure on My qodesh day; and call the
Shabbat 'a delight,' the qodesh of YHVH 'esteemed,' and shall honor
it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor
speaking your own words,
14
then shall you delight yourself
in YHVH. And I will make you to ride on the high places of the
eretz; and I will feed you with the heritage of Ya`aqov your father: for
the mouth of YHVH has spoken!"
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Friday, December 9, 2016
Understanding Evil: From Globalism To Pizzagate
This article was written by Brandon Smith and originally published at Alt-Market.com
I have spent the better part of the last 10 years working diligently to investigate and relate information on economics and geopolitical discourse for the liberty movement. However, long before I delved into these subjects my primary interests of study were the human mind and the human “soul” (yes, I’m using a spiritual term).
My fascination with economics and sociopolitical events has always been rooted in the human element. That is to say, while economics is often treated as a mathematical and statistical field, it is also driven by psychology. To know the behavior of man is to know the future of all his endeavors, good or evil.
Evil is what we are specifically here to discuss. I have touched on the issue in various articles in the past including Are Globalists Evil Or Just Misunderstood, but with extreme tensions taking shape this year in light of the U.S. election as well as the exploding online community investigation of “Pizzagate,” I am compelled to examine it once again.
I will not be grappling with this issue from a particularly religious perspective. Evil applies to everyone regardless of their belief system, or even their lack of belief. Evil is secular in its influence.
The first and most important thing to understand is this — evil is NOT simply a social or religious construct, it is an inherent element of the human psyche. Carl Gustav Jung was one of the few psychologists in history to dare write extensively on the issue of evil from a scientific perspective as well as a metaphysical perspective. I highly recommend a book of his collected works on this subject titled 'Jung On Evil', edited by Murray Stein, for those who are interested in a deeper view.
To summarize, Jung found that much of the foundations of human behavior are rooted in inborn psychological contents or “archetypes.” Contrary to the position of Sigmund Freud, Jung argued that while our environment may affect our behavior to a certain extent, it does not make us who we are. Rather, we are born with our own individual personality and grow into our inherent characteristics over time. Jung also found that there are universally present elements of human psychology. That is to say, almost every human being on the planet shares certain truths and certain natural predilections.
The concepts of good and evil, moral and immoral, are present in us from birth and are mostly the same regardless of where we are born, what time in history we are born and to what culture we are born. Good and evil are shared subjective experiences. It is this observable psychological fact (among others) that leads me to believe in the idea of a creative design — a god. Again, though, elaborating on god is beyond the scope of this article.
To me, this should be rather comforting to people, even atheists. For if there is observable evidence of creative design, then it would follow that there may very well be a reason for all the trials and horrors that we experience as a species. Our lives, our failures and our accomplishments are not random and meaningless. We are striving toward something, whether we recognize it or not. It may be beyond our comprehension at this time, but it is there.
Evil does not exist in a vacuum; with evil there is always good, if one looks for it in the right places.
Most people are readily equipped to recognize evil when they see it directly. What they are not equipped for and must learn from environment is how to recognize evil disguised as righteousness. The most heinous acts in history are almost always presented as a moral obligation — a path towards some “greater good.” Inherent conscience, though, IS the greater good, and any ideology that steps away from the boundaries of conscience will inevitably lead to disaster.
The concept of globalism is one of these ideologies that crosses the line of conscience and pontificates to us about a “superior method” of living. It relies on taboo, rather than moral compass, and there is a big difference between the two.
When we pursue a “greater good” as individuals or as a society, the means are just as vital as the ends. The ends NEVER justify the means. Never. For if we abandon our core principles and commit atrocities in the name of “peace,” safety or survival, then we have forsaken the very things which make us worthy of peace and safety and survival. A monster that devours in the name of peace is still a monster.
Globalism tells us that the collective is more important than the individual, that the individual owes society a debt and that fealty to society in every respect is the payment for that debt. But inherent archetypes and conscience tell us differently. They tell us that society is only ever as healthy as the individuals within it, that society is only as free and vibrant as the participants. As the individual is demeaned and enslaved, the collective crumbles into mediocrity.
Globalism also tells us that humanity’s greatest potential cannot be reached without collectivism and centralization. The assertion is that the more single-minded a society is in its pursuits the more likely it is to effectively achieve its goals. To this end, globalism seeks to erase all sovereignty. For now its proponents claim they only wish to remove nations and borders from the social equation, but such collectivism never stops there. Eventually, they will tell us that individualism represents another nefarious “border” that prevents the group from becoming fully realized.
At the heart of collectivism is the idea that human beings are “blank slates;” that we are born empty and are completely dependent on our environment in order to learn what is right and wrong and how to be good people or good citizens. The environment becomes the arbiter of decency, rather than conscience, and whoever controls the environment, by extension, becomes god.
If the masses are convinced of this narrative then moral relativity is only a short step away. It is the abandonment of inborn conscience that ultimately results in evil. In my view, this is exactly why the so called “elites” are pressing for globalism in the first place. Their end game is not just centralization of all power into a one world edifice, but the suppression and eradication of conscience, and thus, all that is good.
To see where this leads we must look at the behaviors of the elites themselves, which brings us to “Pizzagate.”
The exposure by Wikileaks during the election cycle of what appear to be coded emails sent between John Podesta and friends has created a burning undercurrent in the alternative media. The emails consistently use odd and out of context “pizza” references, and independent investigations have discovered a wide array connections between political elites like Hillary Clinton and John Podesta to James Alefantis, the owner of a pizza parlor in Washington D.C. called Comet Ping Pong. Alefantis, for reasons that make little sense to me, is listed as number 49 on GQ’s Most Powerful People In Washington list.
The assertion according to circumstantial evidence including the disturbing child and cannibalism artwork collections of the Podestas has been that Comet Ping Pong is somehow at the center of a child pedophilia network serving the politically connected. Both Comet Ping Pong and a pizza establishment two doors down called Besta Pizza use symbols in their logos and menus that are listed on the FBI’s unclassified documentation on pedophilia symbolism, which does not help matters.
Some of the best documentation of the Pizzagate scandal that I have seen so far has been done by David Seaman, a former mainstream journalist gone rogue. Here is his YouTube page.
I do recommend everyone at least look at the evidence he and others present. I went into the issue rather skeptical, but was surprised by the sheer amount of weirdness and evidence regarding Comet Pizza. There is a problem with Pizzagate that is difficult to overcome, however; namely the fact that to my knowledge no victims have come forward. This is not to say there has been no crime, but anyone hoping to convince the general public of wrong-doing in this kind of scenario is going to have a very hard time without a victim to reference.
The problem is doubly difficult now that an armed man was arrested on the premises of Comet Ping Pong while "researching" the claims of child trafficking. Undoubtedly, the mainstream media will declare the very investigation “dangerous conspiracy theory.” Whether this will persuade the public to ignore it, or compel them to look into it, remains to be seen.
I fully realize the amount of confusion surrounding Pizzagate and the assertions by some that it is a "pysop" designed to undermine the alternative media. This is a foolish notion, in my view. The mainstream media is dying, this is unavoidable. The alternative media is a network of sources based on the power of choice and cemented in the concept of investigative research. The reader participates in the alternative media by learning all available information and positions and deciding for himself what is the most valid conclusion, if there is any conclusion to be had. The mainstream media simply tells its readers what to think and feel based on cherry picked data.
The elites will never be able to deconstruct that kind of movement with something like a faked "pizzagate"; rather, they would be more inclined to try to co-opt and direct the alternative media as they do most institutions. And, if elitists are using Pizzagate as fodder to trick the alternative media into looking ridiculous, then why allow elitist run social media outlets like Facebook and Reddit to shut down discussion on the issue?
The reason I am more convinced than skeptical at this stage is because this has happened before; and in past scandals of pedophilia in Washington and other political hotbeds, some victims DID come forward.
I would first reference the events of the Franklin Scandal between 1988 and 1991. The Discovery Channel even produced a documentary on it complete with interviews of alleged child victims peddled to Washington elites for the purpose of favors and blackmail. Meant to air in 1994, the documentary was quashed before it was ever shown to the public. The only reason it can now be found is because an original copy was released without permission by parties unknown.
I would also reference the highly evidenced Westminster Pedophile Ring in the U.K., in which the U.K. government lost or destroyed at least 114 files related to the investigation.
Finally, it is disconcerting to me that the criminal enterprises of former Bear Sterns financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his "Lolita Express" are mainstream knowledge, yet the public remains largely oblivious. Bill Clinton is shown on flight logs to have flown on Epstein's private jet at least a 26 times; the same jet that he used to procure child victims as young as 12 to entertain celebrities and billionaires on his 72 acre island called "Little Saint James". The fact that Donald Trump was also close friends with Epstein should raise some eyebrows - funny how the mainstream media attacked Trump on every cosmetic issue under the sun but for some reason backed away from pursuing the Epstein angle.
Where is the vast federal investigation into the people who frequented Epstein's wretched parties? There is none, and Epstein, though convicted of molesting a 14 year old girl and selling her into prostitution, was only slapped on the wrist with a 13 month sentence.
Accusations of pedophilia seem to follow the globalists and elitist politicians wherever they go. This does not surprise me. They often exhibit characteristics of narcissism and psychopathy, but their ideology of moral relativity is what would lead to such horrible crimes.
Evil often stems from people who are empty. When one abandons conscience, one also in many respects abandons empathy and love. Without these elements of our psyche there is no happiness. Without them, there is nothing left but desire and gluttony.
Narcissists in particular are prone to use other people as forms of entertainment and fulfillment without concern for their humanity. They can be vicious in nature, and when taken to the level of psychopathy, they are prone to target and abuse the most helpless of victims in order to generate a feeling of personal power.
Add in sexual addiction and aggression and narcissists become predatory in the extreme. Nothing ever truly satisfies them. When they grow tired of the normal, they quickly turn to the abnormal and eventually the criminal. I would say that pedophilia is a natural progression of the elitist mindset; for children are the easiest and most innocent victim source, not to mention the most aberrant and forbidden, and thus the most desirable for a psychopathic deviant embracing evil impulses.
Beyond this is the even more disturbing prospect of cultism. It is not that the globalists are simply evil as individuals; if that were the case then they would present far less of a threat. The greater terror is that they are also organized. When one confronts the problem of evil head on, one quickly realizes that evil is within us all. There will always be an internal battle in every individual. Organized evil, though, is in fact the ultimate danger, and it is organized evil that must be eradicated.
For organized evil to be defeated, there must be organized good. I believe the liberty movement in particular is that good; existing in early stages, not yet complete, but good none the less. Our championing of the non-aggression principle and individual liberty is conducive to respect for privacy, property and life. Conscience is a core tenet of the liberty ideal, and the exact counter to organized elitism based on moral relativity.
Recognize and take solace that though we live in dark times, and evil men roam free, we are also here. We are the proper response to evil, and we have been placed here at this time for a reason. Call it fate, call it destiny, call it coincidence, call it god, call it whatever you want, but the answer to evil is us.
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Friday, December 2, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
Friday, November 18, 2016
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Monday, November 14, 2016
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Corner Fringe Live Stream Shabbat Service begins around 10:50 am
To see the Corner Fringe livestream, please go to this link:
http://cornerfringe.com/live-stream/
Shabbat Service starts at 10:50 am today.
Shabbat Shallom!
http://cornerfringe.com/live-stream/
Shabbat Service starts at 10:50 am today.
Shabbat Shallom!
Friday, November 4, 2016
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Monday, October 31, 2016
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Friday, October 28, 2016
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Friday, October 21, 2016
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Monday, October 17, 2016
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Sukkot starts tonight (October 16) at sunset. The first day of this feast is a "high Sabbath" — no work is to be done.
During
the Feast of Sukkot we remember when the Almighty led the Israelites
out of Egypt, and they lived in shelters in the wilderness for 40 years.
During this time, the Almighty also dwelt in a sukkah (sue-KAH), the
singular form of the Hebrew word sukkot, among the people (i.e. in the
“tabernacle”).
Physically speaking, the Feast of Sukkot commemorates when, over 2,000 years ago on the first day of Sukkot (a High Sabbath), Yeshua (Jesus) was born. He was the very Word of the Almighty made flesh, and literally “dwelt” or “tabernacled” with us.
In a spiritual sense, the Feast of Sukkot is all about finally dwelling with the Almighty after the end times.
Physically speaking, the Feast of Sukkot commemorates when, over 2,000 years ago on the first day of Sukkot (a High Sabbath), Yeshua (Jesus) was born. He was the very Word of the Almighty made flesh, and literally “dwelt” or “tabernacled” with us.
In a spiritual sense, the Feast of Sukkot is all about finally dwelling with the Almighty after the end times.
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Friday, October 14, 2016
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Yom Kippur begins this evening at sundown!
From AvivFellowships.com
Happy Yom Kippur? I Don’t Think So!
I was going to wish everyone a Happy Yom Kippur out of habit, however, I think Yom Kippur (AKA – Day of Atonement) is something different all together.
Nehemiah Gordon states the following on is blog post about Yom Kippur,
“On this holiday the Torah commands us to “afflict our souls (‘INuI NeFeSH)” as we read:
“And this shall be a statute forever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourns among you… It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever.” (Leviticus 16:29, 31)
How Do We Afflict Our Souls?
“In Biblical Hebrew the expression “to afflict your souls” means “to fast” (Tzom). The Hebrew phrase ‘INuI NeFeSH translated as “afflicting the soul”, also appears in a number of Biblical passages, from which it is clear that this expression signifies fasting:
This is such a serious and somber day that in the land of Israel today, people go to the synagogues and actually weep and cry for forgiveness for their sins. The whole country closes down and the streets are empty because no one drives. The Orthodox will actually stone cars that they see driving on the road because they are supposed to be repenting.
What does Yom Kippur mean for us believers?
For those of us who are followers and believers in Yeshua, this day takes on a whole new meaning. Now that we are back in covenant with Yehovah through a relationship and the sacrifice of Yeshua our Messiah, the repentance goes a lot deeper. Yeshua commanded us to not just focus on our actions but also on our thoughts. To take our thoughts captive and to be led by the spirit and not the flesh. In Matthew 5:28, Yeshua says, “[w]hosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Hebrews 10:29 states, “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted (trampled on) the Spirit of grace?”
Does it mean we have to throw stones at cars for not repenting on the Day of Atonement? Of course not! Does it mean that we need to repent for America, to repent for a wicked and broken world that has rejected the ways of Yehovah, to repent for our own intentional sin and for those times when we trampled on and insulted the spirit of grace? Yes, yes, and YES! It means that we die to our flesh and afflict our soul by fasting from the things that feed our flesh and keep us from walking in the spirit.
So as we prepare our hearts for this most important 24 hours of repentance and fasting, rather than say “Happy Yom Kippur!”
I wish you all a powerful, holy spirit filled, and life changing Day of Atonement!
Shalom,
Matthew R. Hall | Director of Aviv Fellowships
Happy Yom Kippur? I Don’t Think So!
I was going to wish everyone a Happy Yom Kippur out of habit, however, I think Yom Kippur (AKA – Day of Atonement) is something different all together.
What Does Yom Kippur Mean?
Nehemiah Gordon states the following on is blog post about Yom Kippur,“On this holiday the Torah commands us to “afflict our souls (‘INuI NeFeSH)” as we read:
“And this shall be a statute forever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourns among you… It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever.” (Leviticus 16:29, 31)
How Do We Afflict Our Souls?
“In Biblical Hebrew the expression “to afflict your souls” means “to fast” (Tzom). The Hebrew phrase ‘INuI NeFeSH translated as “afflicting the soul”, also appears in a number of Biblical passages, from which it is clear that this expression signifies fasting:
- “…I afflicted (KJV: “humbled”) my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.” -Psalms 35:13
- “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.” -Ezra 8:21
- “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and you see not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and you take no notice?…” -Isaiah 58:3; see also verses 5 & 10 (Nehemiah’s Wall – Read More)
- not watching television
- not smoking
- not playing games
- avoiding the Internet and other electronics
- not making phone calls
- not driving, etc.
This is such a serious and somber day that in the land of Israel today, people go to the synagogues and actually weep and cry for forgiveness for their sins. The whole country closes down and the streets are empty because no one drives. The Orthodox will actually stone cars that they see driving on the road because they are supposed to be repenting.
What does Yom Kippur mean for us believers?
For those of us who are followers and believers in Yeshua, this day takes on a whole new meaning. Now that we are back in covenant with Yehovah through a relationship and the sacrifice of Yeshua our Messiah, the repentance goes a lot deeper. Yeshua commanded us to not just focus on our actions but also on our thoughts. To take our thoughts captive and to be led by the spirit and not the flesh. In Matthew 5:28, Yeshua says, “[w]hosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Hebrews 10:29 states, “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted (trampled on) the Spirit of grace?”
Does it mean we have to throw stones at cars for not repenting on the Day of Atonement? Of course not! Does it mean that we need to repent for America, to repent for a wicked and broken world that has rejected the ways of Yehovah, to repent for our own intentional sin and for those times when we trampled on and insulted the spirit of grace? Yes, yes, and YES! It means that we die to our flesh and afflict our soul by fasting from the things that feed our flesh and keep us from walking in the spirit.
So as we prepare our hearts for this most important 24 hours of repentance and fasting, rather than say “Happy Yom Kippur!”
I wish you all a powerful, holy spirit filled, and life changing Day of Atonement!
Shalom,
Matthew R. Hall | Director of Aviv Fellowships
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Friday, October 7, 2016
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement - Evening of October 11th through the Evening of October 12th
From Nehemia's Wall:
"Ye shall afflict your souls"
On this holiday the Torah commands us to "afflict our souls ('INuI NeFeSH)" as we read:
To "afflict the soul" means to fast
In Biblical Hebrew the expression "to afflict your souls" means "to fast" (Tzom). The Hebrew phrase 'INuI NeFeSH translated as "afflicting the soul", also appears in a number of Biblical passages, from which it is clear that this expression signifies fasting:
"Soul" Means "appetite"
It should be pointed out that one of the meanings of the word "NeFeSH", commonly translated as "soul", is in fact "appetite". For example:
What is involved in a fast?
In the Tanach to fast means to refrain from eating or drinking throughout the entire period of the fast (Esther 4:16). In Biblical Times a fast also included the following elements:
Work is Forbidden on Yom Kippur
In addition to the above aspects of fasting, work of any form is forbidden on the Day of Atonement, as is having a fire burning and cooking food. While many holidays are described as a "Shabbaton" (rest-time), Yom Ha-Kipurim is described as a Shabbat-Shabbaton (Sabath of rest-time) and all things forbidden on the Sabbath are also forbidden on Yom Ha-Kipurim.
Fasting and Charity
We can learn much about what to do and what not to do on a fast day from Isaiah 58, which describes "an acceptable [fast] day to Yehovah". In this Biblical passage we are told that fasting must be accompanied by righteous action and that the fast and prayer of a person who oppresses or neglects the poor and hungry shall not be received.
Fasting and Repentance
In Joel 2 we are taught that fasting must be accompanied with genuine repentance:
Shoes
The Rabbis have a custom of not wearing leather shoes on fast days. This is based on Ezezkiel 24:17 which indicates that there was an ancient custom for mourners to remove their shoes as a sign of their mourning when someone died. This apparently refers to all shoes, and not just leather shoes. However, this was a mourning custom and there is no indication that this was done on fast days and it is certainly not a requirement.
Biblical Passages which mention The Day of Atonement
On the 10th
day of the Seventh Month (Tishrei) is the holiday known as Yom
Ha-Kipurim (or Yom Kippur), "The Day of Atonement". This is a day
dedicated to fasting and prayer on which we ask Yehovah to atone for our
sins.
"Ye shall afflict your souls"
On this holiday the Torah commands us to "afflict our souls ('INuI NeFeSH)" as we read:
- "And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourns among you... It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever." (Leviticus 16:29, 31)
- "Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto Yehovah... For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people... It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath." (Leviticus 23:27, 29, 32)
- "And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein:" (Numbers 29:7)
To "afflict the soul" means to fast
In Biblical Hebrew the expression "to afflict your souls" means "to fast" (Tzom). The Hebrew phrase 'INuI NeFeSH translated as "afflicting the soul", also appears in a number of Biblical passages, from which it is clear that this expression signifies fasting:
- "...I afflicted (KJV: "humbled") my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom." -Psalms 35:13
- "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance." -Ezra 8:21
- "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and you see not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and you take no notice?..." -Isaiah 58:3; see also verses 5 & 10
"Soul" Means "appetite"
It should be pointed out that one of the meanings of the word "NeFeSH", commonly translated as "soul", is in fact "appetite". For example:
- "And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite (NeFeSH)." (Proverbs 23:2-3)
- " For he satisfies the longing soul (NeFeSH), and fills the hungry soul (NeFeSH) with goodness." (Psalms 107:9)
- "The full soul (NeFeSH) loathes a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul (NeFeSH) every bitter thing is sweet." (Proverbs 27:7)
- "Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never satisfy their souls (NeFeSH) (KJV: "have enough")" (Isaiah 56:11)
What is involved in a fast?
In the Tanach to fast means to refrain from eating or drinking throughout the entire period of the fast (Esther 4:16). In Biblical Times a fast also included the following elements:
- Crying (i.e. intense prayer), see Ps 69:11; Joel 2:12
- Donning sackcloth and putting dust or ashes on the head (a sign or mourning), see Daniel 9:3; Nehemiah 9:1
- Prayer and Repentance, see Esther 9:31; Nehemiah 1:14; Isaiah 58
Work is Forbidden on Yom Kippur
In addition to the above aspects of fasting, work of any form is forbidden on the Day of Atonement, as is having a fire burning and cooking food. While many holidays are described as a "Shabbaton" (rest-time), Yom Ha-Kipurim is described as a Shabbat-Shabbaton (Sabath of rest-time) and all things forbidden on the Sabbath are also forbidden on Yom Ha-Kipurim.
Fasting and Charity
We can learn much about what to do and what not to do on a fast day from Isaiah 58, which describes "an acceptable [fast] day to Yehovah". In this Biblical passage we are told that fasting must be accompanied by righteous action and that the fast and prayer of a person who oppresses or neglects the poor and hungry shall not be received.
- "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and you see not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and you take no notice? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labors. Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: you shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yehovah? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? when you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and your righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of Yehovah shall be your reward. Then shall you call, and Yehovah shall answer; you shall cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If you take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the noon day: And Yehovah shall guide thee continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and make fat your bones: and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." (Isaiah 58:1-12)
Fasting and Repentance
In Joel 2 we are taught that fasting must be accompanied with genuine repentance:
- "Therefore also now, says Yehovah, turn you even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Yehovah your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repents him of the evil. Who knows if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto Yehovah your God?" Joel 2:12-14
Shoes
The Rabbis have a custom of not wearing leather shoes on fast days. This is based on Ezezkiel 24:17 which indicates that there was an ancient custom for mourners to remove their shoes as a sign of their mourning when someone died. This apparently refers to all shoes, and not just leather shoes. However, this was a mourning custom and there is no indication that this was done on fast days and it is certainly not a requirement.
Biblical Passages which mention The Day of Atonement
- Leviticus 16:1-34
- Leviticus 23:26-32
- Numbers 29:7-11
- Leviticus 25:8-10 (Jubilee year)
- Exodus 30:1-10 (especially verse 10)
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Monday, October 3, 2016
Sunday, October 2, 2016
New Moon Sighted - Tonight Starts Yom Teruah!
From Nehemia Gordon:
We are saddened that Nehemia will no longer be doing new moon reports, as we at Repent for the Kingdom have looked forward to hearing from him every month proclaiming the new month. We wish Nehemia the best in his future activities.
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Please consider supporting Nehemia's ministry with a tax-deductible donation.
We are saddened that Nehemia will no longer be doing new moon reports, as we at Repent for the Kingdom have looked forward to hearing from him every month proclaiming the new month. We wish Nehemia the best in his future activities.
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Friday, September 30, 2016
How Yom Teruah Became Rosh Hashanah
From Nehemia's Wall:
On
the 1st day of the Seventh Month (Tishrei) the Torah commands us to
observe the holy day of Yom Teruah which means “Day of Shouting”
(Leviticus 23:23-25; Numbers 29:1-6). Yom Teruah is a day of rest on
which work is forbidden.
One
of the unique things about Yom Teruah is that the Torah does not say
what the purpose of this holy day is. The Torah gives at least one
reason for all the other holy days and two reasons for some. The Feast
of Matzot (Unleavened Bread) commemorates the Exodus from Egypt, but it
is also a celebration of the beginning of the barley harvest (Exodus
23:15; Leviticus 23:4–14). The Feast of Shavuot (Weeks) is a celebration
of the wheat harvest (Exodus 23:16; 34:22). Yom Ha-Kippurim is a
national day of atonement as described in great detail in Leviticus 16.
Finally, the Feast of Sukkot (Booths) commemorates the wandering of the
Israelites in the desert and is also a celebration of the ingathering of
agricultural produce (Exodus 23:16). In contrast to all these Torah
festivals, Yom Teruah has no clear purpose other than that we are
commended to rest on this day.
Nevertheless,
the name of Yom Teruah provides a clue as to its purpose. Teruah
literally means to make a loud noise. This word can describe the noise
made by a trumpet but it also describes the noise made by a large
gathering of people shouting in unison (Numbers 10:5–6). For example,
“And it shall come to pass when the ram’s horn makes a long blast, when you hear the sound of the shofar, the entire nation will shout a great shout, and the wall of the city shall fall in its place, and the people shall go up as one man against it.”-Joshua 6:5
In
this verse the word “shout” appears twice, once as the verb form of
Teruah and a second time as the noun form of Teruah. Although this verse
mentions the sound of the shofar (ram’s horn), the two instances of
Teruah do not refer to the shofar. In fact, in this verse, Teruah refers
to the shouting of the Israelites which was followed by the fall of the walls of Jericho.
While
the Torah does not explicitly tell us the purpose of Yom Teruah, its
name may indicate that it is intended as a day of public prayer. The
verb form of Teruah often refers to the noise made by a gathering of the
faithful calling out to the Almighty in unison. For example:
-
“Clap hands, all nations, shout to God, with a singing voice!” (Psalms 47:2)
-
“Shout to God, all the earth!” (Psalms 66:1)
-
“Sing to God, our strength, shout to the God of Jacob!” (Psalms 81:2)
-
“Shout to Yehovah, all the earth!” (Psalms 100:1)
In
Leviticus 23:24, Yom Teruah is also referred to as Zichron Teruah. The
word Zichron is sometimes translated as “memorial”, but this Hebrew word
also means to “mention”, often in reference to speaking the name of
Yehovah. For example, Exodus 3:15; Isaiah 12:4; Isaiah 26:13; Psalms
45:18. The day of Zichron Teruah, the “Mentioning Shout”, may refer to a
day of gathering in public prayer in which the crowd of the faithful
shouts the name of Yehovah in unison.
Today,
few people remember the biblical name of Yom Teruah and instead it is
widely known as "Rosh Hashanah" which literally means “head of the year”
and hence also “New Years”. The transformation of Yom Teruah (Day of
Shouting) into Rosh Hashanah (New Years) is the result of pagan
Babylonian influence upon the Jewish nation. The first stage in the
transformation was the adoption of the Babylonian month names. In the
Torah, the months are numbered as First Month, Second Month, Third
Month, etc (Leviticus 23; Numbers 28). During their sojourn in Babylonia
our ancestors began to use the pagan Babylonian month names, a fact
readily admitted in the Talmud:
“The names of the months came up with them from Babylonia.” (Jerusalem Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 1:2 56d)
The
pagan nature of the Babylonian month names is epitomized by the fourth
month known as Tammuz. In the Babylonian religion, Tammuz was the god of
grain whose annual death and resurrection brought fertility to the
world. In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet described a journey to
Jerusalem in which he saw the Jewish women sitting in the Temple
“weeping over Tammuz” (Ezekiel 8:14). The reason they were weeping over
Tammuz is that, according to Babylonian mythology, Tammuz had been slain
but had not yet been resurrected. In ancient Babylonia, the time for
weeping over Tammuz was the early summer, when the rains cease
throughout the Middle East and green vegetation is burnt by the
unrelenting sun. To this day the Fourth Month in the rabbinical calendar
is known as the month of Tammuz and it is still a time for weeping and
mourning.
Some
of the Babylonian month names found their way into the later books of
the Tanakh, but they always appear alongside the Torah month names. For
example, Esther 3:7 says:
“In the First Month, which is the month of Nissan, in the twelfth year of King Achashverosh.”
This
verse starts off by giving the Torah name for the month (“First Month”)
and then translates this month into its pagan equivalent (“which is the
month of Nissan”). By the time of Esther, all the Jews lived within the
boundaries of the Persian Empire and the Persians had adopted the
Babylonian calendar for the civil administration of their realm. At
first, the Jews used these Babylonian month names alongside the Torah
month names, but over time the Torah month names fell into disuse.
As
the Jewish People became more comfortable with the Babylonian month
names, they became more susceptible to other Babylonian influences. This
is similar to the way that American Jews observe Hanukkah as a Jewish
version of Christmas. This influence began with the seemingly harmless
custom of giving gifts on Hanukkah. Until the Jews arrived in America
this custom was unknown and it is still a rarity in Israel where
Hanukkah does not need to compete with Christmas for the hearts and
minds of the Jewish youth. Once Hanukkah took on this relatively trivial
aspect of Christmas, it became ripe for more significant influences.
Today, many American Jews have established the custom of setting up a
“Hanukkah bush” as a Jewish alternative to the Christmas tree. These
Jews did not want to adopt Christmas outright so they “Judaized” the
Christmas tree and incorporated into Hanukkah. This example shows how
easy it is to be influenced by the practices of a foreign religion,
especially when there is some similarity to begin with. The fact that
Hanukkah often falls out around the same time as Christmas made it
natural for American Jews to incorporate elements of Christmas into
their observance of Hanukkah.
Just
as the Jews of America have been influenced by Christmas, the ancient
Rabbis were influenced by the pagan Babylonian religion. Although many
Jews returned to Judea when the Exile officially ended in 516 BCE, the
forebears of the Rabbis remained behind in Babylonia where rabbinical
Judaism gradually took shape. Many of the earliest known Rabbis such as
Hillel I were born and educated in Babylonia. Indeed, Babylonia remained
the heartland of Rabbinical Judaism until the fall of the Gaonate in
the 11th Century CE. The Babylonian Talmud abounds with the influences
of Babylonian paganism. Indeed, pagan deities even appear in the Talmud
recycled as "Jewish" angels and demons.1
One
field of Babylonian religious influence was in the observance of Yom
Teruah as a New Years celebration. From very early times the Babylonians
had a lunar-solar calendar very similar to the biblical calendar. The
result was that Yom Teruah often fell out on the same day as the
Babylonian New Years festival of “Akitu”. The Babylonian Akitu fell out
on the 1st day of Tishrei which coincided with Yom Teruah on the 1st day
of the Seventh Month. When Jews started calling the "Seventh Month" by
the Babylonian name "Tishrei", it paved the way for turning Yom Teruah
into a Jewish Akitu. At the same time, the Rabbis did not want to adopt
Akitu outright so they Judaized it by changing the name of Yom Teruah
(Day of Shouting) to Rosh Hashanah (New Years). The fact that the Torah
did not give a reason for Yom Teruah no doubt made it easier for the
Rabbis to proclaim it the Jewish New Years.
It is outright bizarre to celebrate Yom Teruah as New Years. This biblical festival falls out on the first day of the Seventh
Month. However, in the context of Babylonian culture this was perfectly
natural. The Babylonians actually celebrated Akitu, New Years, twice
every year, once on the first of Tishrei and again six months later on
the first of Nissan. The first Babylonian Akitu celebration coincided
with Yom Teruah and the second Akitu coincided with the actual New Years
in the Torah on the first day of the First Month. While the Rabbis
proclaimed Yom Teruah to be New Years, they still recognized that the
1st day of the “First Month” in the Torah was, as its name implied, also
a New Years. They could hardly deny this based on Exodus 12:2 which
says:
“This month shall be for you the beginning of months; it is first of the months of the year.”
The
context of this verse speaks about the celebration of the Feast of
Unleavened Bread which falls out in the First Month. In light of this
verse, the Rabbis could not deny that the first day of the First Month
was a biblical New Years. But in the cultural context of Babylonia,
where Akitu was celebrated as New Years twice a year, it made perfect
sense that Yom Teruah could be a second New Years even though it was in
the Seventh Month.
In
contrast to Babylonian paganism, the Torah does not say or imply that
Yom Teruah has anything to do with New Years. On the contrary, the Feast
of Sukkot (Booths), which takes place exactly two weeks after Yom
Teruah, is referred to in one verse as “the going out of the year”
(Exodus 23:16). This would be like calling January 15 in the modern
Western calendar “the going out of the year”. the Torah would not
describe Sukkot in this manner if it intended Yom Teruah to be
celebrated as a New Years.
Some
modern Rabbis have argued that Yom Teruah is actually referred to as
Rosh Hashanah in Ezekiel 40:1, which describes a vision that the prophet
had, “At the beginning of the year (Rosh Hashanah) on the tenth of the
month”. In fact, Ezekiel 40:1 proves that the phrase "Rosh Hashanah"
does not mean “New Years”. Instead, it retains its literal sense of “the
head of the year” referring to the First Month in the Torah calendar.
The 10th day of Rosh Hashanah in Ezekiel 40:1 refers to the 10th day of
the First Month.
Yom Teruah is mentioned in the following biblical passages:
-
"And Yehovah spoke unto Moses saying, Speak to the Children of Israel saying, In the Seventh month on the first of the month will be a day of rest (Shabbaton) for you, a Remembrance Shouting, a holy convocation. You shall do no work and you will bring a fire sacrifice to Yehovah." Leviticus 23:23-25
-
"And in the Seventh month on the first of the month will be a holy convocation for you; you shall do no work, it will be a Day of Shouting for you..." Numbers 29:1-6
Q: What about Leviticus 25:9?
A: Some
people have argued that Yom Teruah should be considered New Years
because it is the beginning of the Sabbatical year. However, the Torah
does not say that Yom Teruah is the beginning of the Sabbatical year and
all indications are that the Sabbatical year begins on the 1st day of
the First Month. The Torah does say the following:
“And you shall pass a shofar of blasting in the Seventh Month on the tenth of the month; on the Day of Atonement, you shall pass a shofar throughout all your land.” (Leviticus 25:9)
This
verse is saying that a shofar should be used to announce the arrival of
the Jubilee year, the 50th year in the Sabbatical system. It does not
say that the Jubilee begins on the Day of Atonement, only that the
impending arrival of the Jubilee year is announced on the Day of
Atonement. The shofar is to be passed throughout the land on Yom Kippur
of the 49th year, six months before the beginning of the coming Jubilee
year. This interpretation is supported by the immediate context in
Leviticus 25. Verse 8 says to count forty nine years, verse 9 says to
pass the shofar throughout the land, and verse 10 says to proclaim the
50th year as the Jubilee. This shows that the shofar announcing the
coming Jubilee in verse 9 is passed through the land before the Jubilee
is actually proclaimed in verse 10.
Q: Isn’t the Seventh Month the beginning of the agricultural cycle?
A: In the Torah the middle
of the Seventh Month is actually the end of the agriculture cycle,
specifically of the grain cycle. In the Land of Israel, grains are
planted in Autumn and harvested in Spring. The new agricultural cycle
would not actually begin until the plowing of the fields. This would not
take place until the first light rains which moisten the ground enough
to be broken by iron and wooden plows. In the Land of Israel, this could
be as early as the middle of the Seventh Month but is usually in the
Eighth Month or later. By the above logic, the Eighth Month should be
considered the beginning of the year, not the Seventh Month.
1 Zvi Cahn, The Rise of the Karaite Sect,
New York 1937, pages 98–101. Cahn’s central thesis is that the refusal
of rabbinical leaders to repudiate the deep-rooted Babylonian paganism
that had infiltrated Babylonian Judaism led to the rise of the Karaite
back-to-the-Bible movement in the early Middle Ages. In this context,
Cahn gives a detailed list of various pagan influences in rabbinical
Judaism.
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