“Faith of the Chosen”
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“FAITH OF THE CHOSEN”
Deuteronomy Chapter 7: verse 6.
PRINCIPLES
OF THE JEWISH
FAITH
Introduction:
Considering I wrote the first edition
of this work and released it on October 23, 1977 - 11 Heshvan 5738 (Jewish
calendar), I recall writing the following;
“To make a
serious attempt to write in detail regarding the Jewish faith would take many
years of research by great scholars.”
Since then I have become a Rabbi
and received my ‘Smicha’ (ordination), many years ago.
This work online is a copy of a current booklet aimed mostly
at the general community, but is suitable for one and for all!
It was always on my mind so long
ago, that the intention of this work is to provide a general outline of the
“Principles of the Jewish faith!”
Covered are the following
subjects: THE LORD GOD, THE CHOSEN PEOPLE, THE MESSIAH, THE
LAW, THE SABBATH, SIGNS, THE HEBREW CALENDAR and THE
THIRTEEN PRINCIPLES OF FAITH.
Many may ask why I chose
the title of this work; well it is actually based on what was written in
Deuteronomy chapter 7: verse 6.
“The LORD
thy God hath chosen thee (the Hebrews – Jews) to be His
own treasure”.
The main objective of this work is
to be informative for those who are willing to gain an insight into the faith
of Israel.
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
October 23, 2025 - 1 Heshvan 5750.
“Thou art My
servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” ... “I will also give
thee for a light of the nations” ... “that My salvation may be unto
the end of the earth” ... “For the LORD hath comforted His people,
and hath compassion upon His afflicted” ... “and all flesh shall
know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of
Jacob”. Isaiah 49: 3 & 6, 13 & 21.
The first and the most important
truth of the Jewish faith is, that we believe that our Maker is One, and that
He was before all time began. He is יְהוָה - YHVH
- the LORD as there is no other than He!
This truth is expressed by the
confession of faith which we Jews recite twice per day, and then for a third
time in the evening each day.
Deuteronomy 6:4. In Hebrew,
transliteration and English:
שְׁמַע
יִשְׂרָאֵל: יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה
אֶחָד
בָּרוּךְ
שֵׁם כְּבוֹד
מַלְכוּתוֹ
לְעוֹלָם
וָעֶד
“Shema
Yisrael Adonai Elohenu, Adonai ECHAD”.
“Ba’ruch Shem Ka’vot
Mal’chu’to Le’Olam Va’ed”.
“Hear
O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is ONE”.
“Blessed be the Name
of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever”.
It is for this belief, that Elohim (God is One), that Jews have willingly sacrificed
their life, for their faith. Indeed we have suffered and we are still suffering
because of those who have opposed us for far too long! However, this belief
distinguishes the Jewish faith from all other faiths, yet, thankfully we see it
gradually spreading, and hope to see it accepted by all mankind. The words
“there is no unity like unto His” have this meaning, we say of many
thing that is one. We speak of one man, one house, etc, well knowing that there
are other men and other houses, however when we speak of One Elohim (God),
we rigidly exclude the existence of another deity or a god. The words,
“And He alone was, is, and will be the LORD God, expresses Jewish belief
that there has never been, and there will never be no other being with Divine
attributes as mentioned before, such as has sadly been assumed by the Christian
world.
THE CHOSEN PEOPLE.
The Scriptures’ proves
that the Israelites were ‘chosen’ by God (blessed be He), to
be “... a kingdom of priests and a “Holy” nation”.
“Now therefore,
if ye will hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My
covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all
the earth is Mine; and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy? nation.” Exodus 19: 5-6.
“For thou art a
holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be
His own treasure, out of all peoples that are upon the face of the
earth”. Deuteronomy 7:6.
As a kingdom of priests Jews
have to spread the knowledge and the worship of one God. The land of Israel was
given to them as an inheritance, Jerusalem was, and again is their religious centre.
“For out of
Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem”.
Isaiah 2:3b.
Sadly the sins of Israel brought
about the loss of their independence as a nation, until May 14, 1948. But the
Divine decree that ordered the exile of the Hebrews also promised the
restoration of Israel, today a reality.
“Thus saith the
Lord God: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations,
whither they are gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into
their own land”. Ezekiel
37:21.
“And yet for
all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them,
neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant
with them; for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the
covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in
the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD”.
Leviticus 26:44-45.
THE MESSIAH.
Judaism believed that the
Messiah (the Anointed) will come; Hebrews wait every
days for his coming. He will be a descendent from the house of David, fully
human and possessing no more divine lineage than any other man, will be the
Messiah, the Anointed at the head of Israel, and will be the source of peace
and happiness to all mankind.
“And My servant
David shall be king over them, and they all shall have one shepherd”.
Ezekiel 37:24.
“And David My
servant shall be their prince forever”. Ezekiel 37:25.
The Christian world holds that
the Messiah has already come and is to return; also Christians believe that he
was god on the earth in the form of a man. Judaism believes, as already stated
that the Messiah will be a man “from the House of David” and not of
divine descent.
“And there
shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a twig shall grow forth
out of his roots. And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the LORD”. Isaiah 11:1-2.
“And a redeemer
will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith
the LORD”. Isaiah 59:20.
The characteristics were given
by the prophets as follows:
“And it shall
come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be
established as the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills;
and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say: 'Come
ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of
Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.' For
out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And
He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they
shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any
more”. Isaiah 2:2-4.
“And the wolf
shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the
calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead
them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down
together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall
play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the
basilisk's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My
holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the
waters cover the sea” Isaiah 11:6-9.
“And the LORD
shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall the LORD be One, and His
name one”. Zechariah 14:9.
“For then will
I turn to the peoples a pure language that they may all call upon the name of
the LORD, to serve Him with one consent”. Zephaniah 3:9.
The Messianic age as prophesied has
to date has not occurred, however it is still to come according the Hebraic
Scriptures. At various times, throughout history, men have come forward as a
Messiah or a prophet. But none ever satisfied the conditions as has been laid
down by the LORD! The Jewish faith therefore continues to believe, hope and
pray to the Almighty, blessed be He, for the coming of the Messiah and with him
the blessing of the Messianic age of peace, and love!
THE LAW - THE FIVE BOOKS OF THE TORAH.
Judaism firmly believes that the
Law, the Torah at present in possession, is the same as that which was given to
Moses. The Torah has not undergone any change. It has been anxiously guarded by
the nation (the Jewish People) as a holy treasure. It is not the property of a
class or a caste, but the Torah belongs to all people. The ninth principle of
the Jewish faith says; “I believe with perfect faith that the Torah will
not be changed, and that there will never be another Law from the Creator,
blessed be His Name. This principle is the expression of Jewish belief in the
Immutable Law. All our prophets exhorted the Israelites to be faithful to the
Law, and the last of our prophets says in the Name of God; “Remember ye
the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb
for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances”. Malachi 3:22. Jews today,
read the Torah as it was written in Hebrew, with the Torah (the Law) which
Moses set before the Children of Israel according to the commandment of the
LORD by the hand of Moses.
Jews today, read the Torah as it
was written in Hebrew, with the Law being the same as when it was given unto
Moses.
“And this is
the law which Moses set before the children of Israel”. Deuteronomy 4:44.
“The LORD was
pleased, for His righteousness' sake, to make the teaching great and
glorious”. Isaiah 42:21.
This very Law makes the Jewish
people different from all other faiths.
The Law relates to prayer, the
Sabbath, Festivals, diet, cleanliness, personal behaviour,
and family life and to love and give charity to others!
THE SABBATH.
“And God
blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it”. Genises 2:3.
“And the LORD
spoke unto Moses and said, speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying:
Verily ye shall keep My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me
and you throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the LORD who
sanctify you”. Exodus 31:12-13.
“Wherefore the
children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout
their generations, for a perpetual covenant”. Exodus 31:16.
The main object of the Sabbath
is “keep it holy”. While abstaining from all kind of work, as is
clearly stated Exodus chapters’ 31 and 35, Jews to devote the Sabbath
solely to those things which draws them nearer to God in prayer! The blessing
and the holiness of the Sabbath was sown to the Israelites on the occasion of
the manna, when this “food from Heaven” was provided, whilst
journeying from Egypt to the “land of milk and honey.” Each day a
certain omer, was collected for each person. But on what we now call
Fridays, the Sixth Day, there was sufficient manna for a double portion. While
on the Sabbath no manna was found!
SIGNS.
“Set up thyself
signs” in order not to forget those things ought to be remembered.
Although the best reminder of God’s presence is the voice that speaks
from within, out of the conscience. Nevertheless Jews,
are liable, as human beings, to forget important duties in the absence of an
outward reminder. Thus the Law, the Torah, has appointed three such reminders.
1. The MEZUZAH (doorpost ornament) - 2. TZITZIT (fringes) and 3. TEFILLIN
(ornament).
The MEZUZAH is a piece of parchment that contains the two
first paragraphs of the “Shema” – “Hear O Israel”
(Duet: 6;4-9 and Deut:11;13-20)
are written. The parchments is placed in a small container, and affixed on the
right hand doorposts.
“And you shall
write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates”. Duet: 6;9.
The Object of the ‘Mezuzah’
is to remind every Jew of the presence of God, of His Unity, Providence and
Omnipotence, both on entering and leaving the home to protect it from being
polluted by bad deeds.
Regarding the ‘Tzitzit’, which are special fringes, the LORD
said:
“Thou shalt
make unto thee fringes upon the four corners of thy garment wherewith thou
coverer thyself” (Duet: 22;12.
Jews fulfil
this commandment in two ways, 1. By wearing the whole day a small garment with four
corners, each of which has fringes attached. 2. During the morning prayers, and
on the Day of Atonement all day, Jews wear a Talith
(prayer shawl) over their garments, having fringes on each of its corners as
well. This command is explained as follows;
“Ye shall look
at it and remember all of the commandments of the LORD”. Numb: 15;39.
Then there is the ‘Tefillin’.
“Thou shall
bind them as a sign upon thy hand and they shall be frontlets between your
eyes”. Deut: 6;8.
The object of this commandment
is to direct thoughts to God and His goodness, and to impress certain lessons
on the mind. The laying of Tefillin is obligatory for
all males from their thirteenth birthday, as is wearing of the fringes, all
being signs of God’s covenant.
Other signs are: The covenant of
Abraham:
“And God said
unto Abraham: ‘And as for thee, thou shalt keep My
covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy
seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall be
circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a
covenant betwixt Me and you. And he that is eight days
old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he
that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner, that is not
of thy seed’”. Gen:17;9-12.
The Sabbath is likewise a sign:
“‘Wherefore
the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath
throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days the
LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and
rested.’” Exod: 31;16-17.
THE HEBREW CALENDAR.
The
Scriptures says that the children of Israel left Egypt at midnight by the light
of the full moon of the spring equinox, on the fourteenth night of the Hebrew
month of Nissan, almost thirty two and a half years ago. This is the night
observing the festival of Pesach, the Passover.
An immediate timing difficulty arises. The Jewish year, has twelve
months of twenty nine or thirty days. The year of the sun, which governs the
seasons, is about eleven days longer. A Moon calendar drifts backwards at a
rate of a month every three years. The Mosaic Law specifies that the Passover
is a spring (in Israel) festival. The freedom feast must therefore come in
blossom time. The ancient solution of the problem was a leap month every few
years, proclaimed by the Sanhedrin. When the dispersion destroyed Israel, the
rabbis worked out a perpetual calendar on a nineteen year cycle, with seven
leap months so arranged as to keep the Passover for ever at the equinox. This
calendar has the respect of modern astronomers. During all these thousand of
years the Passover has never drifted out of spring time, and it will not. It is
interesting to note that the seventh day, the Sabbath, commences on the eve of
Friday night, this has been so since the creation!
THE THIRTEEN PRINCIPLES OF THE
JEWISH FAITH.
1... I
believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, is the author
and guide of everything that has been created, and that He alone has made, does
make, and will make all things.
2... I
believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, is a unity.
And there is no unity in any manner like unto His, and
that He alone is our God who was, is and will be.
3... I
believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, is not a
body, and that He is free from all properties of matter, and that He has not
any form whatsoever.
4... I
believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, is the first
and the last.
5... I
believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, and to Him
alone, is the right to pray, and that it is not right to pray to any being,
besides Him.
6... I believe with perfect faith that all the
words of the prophets are true.
7... I believe with perfect faith that the prophesy of Moses our teacher, peace be unto him, was
true, and that he was our chief of prophets, both of those that proceeded and
those that followed.
8... I believe with perfect faith that the whole
Torah, now in our possession, is the same that was given to Moses, our teacher,
peace be unto him.
9... I believe with perfect faith that this Torah
will not be changed and there will not be any other law from the Creator,
blessed be His name.
10... I
believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, knows every
deed of the children of man, and all their thoughts, as it is said. It is He
that fashioned the hearts of them all that giveth
heed to all their works.
11... I
believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, rewards those
that keep His commandments, and punishes those that transgress them.
12... I
believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah, and, though He tarry,
I wait daily for His coming.
13... I
believe with perfect faith that there will be a revival of the dead at the end
of time, when it shall please the Creator, blessed be His name, and exalted be
His name forever and ever, for thy salvation I hope, Oh LORD.
The thirteen principles are
divided into three groups; 1. The
first five speak of God. 2. The next four speak of Divine Revelation and 3. The
last four speak of Divine Providence and Justice.
1...
Principles, 1 to 5; “God and His Attributes”. The
belief in God is the foundation of all Religion. Belief in God is the
conviction that there exists a being who is the Creator and Ruler of the whole
Universe, to whom we are responsible for all our deeds, words and thoughts.
This being we call God (Elohim in Hebrew). We do not
see Him, we cannot form any definite notion or image of Him, for He is beyond
all human imagination and conception. We know of Him from His works and His
Words.
2...
Principles, 6 to 9; “Revelation and Prophecy”. A
Prophet is a person who has received a Divine communication and the charge to
communicate it to his fellow-men. He has no other knowledge of the future, but
that which has been revealed to him by God. In other things his knowledge is
human and natural such is accessible to all. The process, by which the Prophets
learn the will of God, is called inspiration. The Prophet is an inspired man
that is a man endowed with the Spirit of the LORD. The Prophets were also holy
men; their minds were filled with pure thoughts, their deeds were noble and
their conduct blameless. They were men of God, or servants of the LORD, because
their life was wholly devoted to the service of the LORD. They were trustworthy
men and all their words were true.
3...
Principles, 10 to 13; “Providence and Justice”. The
first five principles having expressed the belief in God, His Unity, In
corporeality Eternity and Omnipotence, and the next four belief in the fact
that the Almighty has made His will known to mankind through His Prophets, the
remaining principles are related to the consequence of man’s obedience or
disobedience to the Creator, Blessed be His Sanctified name
IN CONCLUSION.
The author trusts that this
booklet has given you, the reader, a further and hopefully a better insight to
the faith of God’s ‘chosen people’, being the ‘Children
of Israel’, the ‘Jewish People’.
Although this booklet has covers
some of the main principles of Judaism. Should the reader wish to further
enlarge their knowledge of the Jewish Faith, there are many good books
available on this subject from Jewish book-stores throughout the world.
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
“Shalom Aleichem”
– “Upon you be peace”.
“GIVE UNTO THE
LORD THE GLORY DUE
HIS NAME ... WORSHIP
THE LORD IN
THE BEAUTY OF
HOLINESS”.
Tewhillim - Psalm 20:21.
And remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He, said the following to a number of the prophets...
“Return unto Me,
and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. MEC).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your
Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
(the LORD your God); walk in My statutes,
and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall
be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - YaHVaH
Elohim”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
YYYYYYY
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motto is as follows;
“The
More Torah, the More Life”,
For our 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 - Te’fee’lah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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