Ani Ma’amin
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on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts!
Re Tanakh versions:
Throughout
this site I may use any of three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, However, the JPS-1917
is my preferred version!
Colour coded
details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah =
History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot,
or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of
Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history
of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some alterations
or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), having been corrected like it once was pre
the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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אֲנִי
מַאֲמִין
“Ani Ma’amin”
Can we Say in Faith “I Believe”..
With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
I thought that in this study that I would use a very special title, being “Ani Ma’amim” - אֲנִי מַאֲמִין which means; “I believe” - simply to say that we as Jews - should believe. And if we wholeheartedly believe in our faith, then what we should you be seeking?
“The earth, O 
, is
full of Thy mercy; teach me Thy statutes. Thou hast dealt well with Thy
servant, O ,
according unto Thy Word. Teach me good discernment and knowledge; for I have
believed in Thy Commandments. Before I was afflicted, I did err; but now I
observe Thy word. Thou art good, and doest
good; teach me Thy Statutes. Thou hast dealt well with Thy servant, O ,
according unto Thy Word. Teach me good discernment and Knowledge; for I have
believed in Thy Commandments. Before I was afflicted, I did err; but now I
observe Thy Word. Thou art good and doest good; teach me Thy Statutes. The
proud have forged a lie against me; but I with my whole heart will keep Thy
Precepts. Their heart is gross like fat; but I delight in Thy Law. It is good
for me that I have been afflicted, in order that I might learn Thy Statutes.
The law of Thy Mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. Thy
hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn
Thy commandments.” Tehillim - Psalms 119:64-73 (“Jewish Publication
Society” - JPS version of the Tanakh).
I have always strongly believed that faith is part of what makes us human, for it is a basic attitude of trust that always goes beyond the regular evidence that is available to us, but without which we would do nothing of any great value. I addition, without faith between us and our beloved Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, and in one another we could not risk the vulnerability of falling in love.
Without faith in the future we would never choose to have children. Without faith in the creation of the earth and the universe we would not do science. Without faith in our fellow beings we would not have a free society.
“The righteous (or the just) shall live by his faith” said - Chavaqquq - Habakkuk 2:4 - (JPS version of the Tanakh).
Sustaining it with all our love and faith
in our Elohim,
blessed be His Sanctified Name, Who created
the Universe in love, Who made every human being regardless of colour, creed or
class, in His Image, who lifts us when we fall. He forgives us when we fail and
asks us to place love at the centre of our moral world: love of neighbour, love
of stranger, love of our one and only Creator, -
Y-HV-H -Elohim!
A person who seeks for proof before he or she is willing to have faith simply does not understand what faith is, for they do not know what to believe in, and they will think that it may involve risk, like there are many evil false god’s. It is always possible to live without it, but such a life is found in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’s’ words, “cabined, cribbed, confined, bound … (by) doubts and fears”. Without faith in people they become cynics.
Without faith in financial institutions people simply stop investing and economies tend to founder. Without faith in our fellow citizens democratic freedoms also tend to die.
Without faith in Elohim, blessed be He, the Universe will become a meaningless mess, and let us be honest, the world at large is already without faith, and what condition do you see that it is in right now? Indeed the world and most of its governments is in a hideous mess!
Without faith, a life will ceases to have an objective purpose, for human life is no longer sacred, nor are our promises, duties and responsibilities worthwhile. Those who lose their faith tend to become individualistic and relativist and become very self-seeking and self-sustaining. At first it will seem like a great liberation, but ultimately it leads to a breakdown of trust, and without trust, societies suffer randomness: a loss of energy and order, leading to decline and even it will lean in eventual a total decay.
Just look back to the Grecian’s, whose
greatness in the fifth and fourth centuries of that pre-Christian era was unsurpassed,
in the 3rd century BC a society they became a sorry band of lost cynics,
sceptics, stoics and epicureans whose glory faded with the most frightening
speed. The
If our faith in Elohim means anything, it means humility toward oneself and the love of your neighbour and the stranger.
“ … but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am ” Vayikra
– Leviticus 19:18 (“Jewish Publication Society” (JPS) version of the
Torah).
Sadly faith has not always led to these things. It can sometimes lead to self-righteousness and hatred of another. The history of religion has in fact too often been written in bloodshed in the Name of Elohim or some deity, and this was not a consecration but a desecration.
Today in many parts of the world I see
religion confused with the pursuit of power, as if that whole tragic history
has been forgotten. The blessed Hebrew Tanakh tells us that power only belongs
to our Creator, Elohim who
uses it to liberate the powerless. Religion has nothing to do with power and
everything to do with the Holy and the righteous and the pursuit of justice and
compassion. But when religion and politics become confused the result is
usually disastrous for both.
It amazes me, for there are angry atheists in the world and they are so far from being profound, they are like humourless individuals and they even wonder why people laugh at a joke. Their attitudes have nothing to do with science and everything to do with a failure of imagination. It is true we need science to tell us how the world is, and faith has the answer to tell ueveryone how the world ought to be. Thus both are necessary. Each properly understood can enhance our respect for the other.
Faith is understood in the living and proved in the doing. We encounter the Divine Presence in prayer and through our keeping the Mitzvoth, as well as the wonderful stories and yes through songs. These all lift us beyond ourselves toward the infinite.
Elohim is at the very heart of our being, who teaches us to see His trace in the face of the other human beings, leading us to acts of loving kindness that make gentle the life of this world. Faith is the bond of loyalty and listening that binds us to our ever-loving Elohim, blessed be He, and through Him to humanity.
Remember, that Faith is life lived in the light of His love!
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Please Note: “hebraicstudies”
links are located down the page!
This site
was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and
wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or
three times a day (if possible) and always seek
our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance,
for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He!
However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of
studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He, said the following through a number of our prophets...
“The More Torah,
the More Life”,
For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom =
Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD
of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat,
as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue
saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and
regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before
food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Enter ...