Washing of hands

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From: Rabbi Edward Nydle [mailto:bnaiavraham@hotmail.com]
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Washing of hands

UNDERSTANDING THE TRADITION OF WASHING OF HANDS

Ask the Rabbi: Why do you wash your hands at the Shabbat table before 
breaking the challot? I thought Yahshua taught against that tradition in 
Mark 7?

  Shalom! This is a very good question and is a misunderstanding of the 
teachings of our Rebbe Yahshua. Too many people think our Rebbe was against 
all "Jewish traditions."Let us look at the text and the Scriptures to see 
what He was teaching in this text from Mark chapter 7.

&#61623; And seeing some of His taught ones eat bread with defiled, that is,
unwashed hands, they FOUND FAULT.For the Pharisees and all the Yahudim, do 
not eat unless they wash their hands thoroughly, holding fast the tradition 
of the elders. Mark 7:3-4

&#61623; And in vain they do worship Me, teaching for teachings the commands
of men. FORSAKING the command of Elohim, in order to GUARD your tradition. 
Mark 7:7-8

  First, we have to understand that the word "thoroughly" is a 
mistranslation of the word- #4435 -pugme in the Greek.The word means -"with 
the fist or clenched hand-hard scrubbing with the fist."The KJV uses "oft" 
which is a really bad translation of this word. This gives the reader the 
false impression that if someone washes his hands often (even for sanitary 
reasons) that he is following a tradition of Yahudah. The text here is 
describing the "manner" in which they washed their hands as a man-made 
tradition.

  In the book, "Manners and Customs of the Bible" by James M. Freeman, he 
brings out on page 400 that this text speaks of how "diligently" the 
"traditions of the elders" required the Pharisees to wash by plunging their 
hands up to five times and scrubbing with the fist before eating, lest they 
should "be injured by Shibta an evil spirit, which sits upon men's hands in 
the night; and if any touch his food with unwashen hands that spirit sits 
upon the food, and there is a danger from it."-see Hora Hebraica on Matt.15:

2 by Lightfoot.

  With that understanding and background of the Second Temple period, we can
see that the MANNER of washing and the REASON for the washing of hands was 
based upon men's traditions and even the Jewish superstition of the times.

This is exactly what Yahshua was against. He was not against the washing of 
hands or even the observance of tradition (see 1 Cor.11: 2, 2 Thess.2: 15, 
and John 7:37) but the unScriptural basis of the tradition and the 
faultfinding because of the tradition. The powers that be of the day used 
the tradition to bring about a fear of Yahweh. Notice the Pharisees and 
scribes accuse his talmidim of breaking tradition NOT Torah. In the context 
of Yeshayahu 29:13 (which Yahshua is quoting), it is the fear of Yahweh 
based upon the observance of tradition not Torah. The fear of Yahweh is the 
beginning of wisdom based upon His Torah not the breaking with tradition.

    Our Rebbe was also against the elevation of the commands above the Torah
so that the Torah was not observed in favor of the command. He was saying 
that it is wrong and vain worship if the tradition actually caused one to 
break the Torah rather than observe it. The scribes and Pharisees were 
willing to break the Torah command of honor your father and mother by 
letting them starve in order to dedicate a gift to the Temple. We see this 
today in keeping the Torah command of the tzit-tzit with a thread of techlet
(blue). The Yahudim would rather break the command and remove the blue than 
wear tzit -tzit without the "techlet from the snail". That is a form of vain
worship according to the teachings of our Master Yahshua.

     We have to understand the Scriptures are NOT against the washing of 
hands. We read in 2 Melakim 3:11 that "Elisha son of Shaphat is here, who 
POURED WATER OUT ON THE HANDS OF ELIYAHU." This text shows that water in a 
basin was poured over the hands of one eating, as was the Middle Eastern 
custom for a ritual cleansing before a meal. This task was usually performed
by a servant to his master or a talmidim to his teacher (rabbi) as an act of
discipleship. See "Bible Manners and Customs" by Freeman page 169-170.

  The n'tilat-yadayim, ritual washing of hands on Shabbat, is based upon the
Torah commands for the kohenim in the Mishkan.Since the Temple 
(BeitHaMikdash) no longer stands, then the father of the home now takes the 
place of the Kohen. His home is his miniature Temple for Yahweh and the 
table becomes the altar. The food is a symbol of the sacrifice and since the
Torah commands the Kohen to wash before attending the altar, the father 
washes his hands before breaking the bread on Shabbat. The tradition has a 
Torah basis for its institution at the Shabbat table. It also reminds us of 
the "washing of the water of the Torah " from Ephesians 5:26 as the Bride of
Yahweh (Yisrael). So the water symbolizes Torah, my hands symbolize my 
actions, and the bread symbolizes the staff of life. It reminds me that all 
my actions must be wise and Torah based and that the table is set-apart and 
I as the Kohen of the home should be set-apart to Yahweh and His Torah. This
short symbolic act of washing helps us to do an action that connects us to 
Yahweh, His Torah, and others.

   I hope this helps to answer your question from the Scripures.One would 
not be violating the Torah, not to wash his hands before breaking the bread,
but the symbolic action would help to bring remembrance to one's mind of the
Torah and your service to Yahweh as a priest of your home.

             May Yahweh bless you. Rabbi Edward Levi Nydle

Shalom B'shem Rebbe Melek Yahshua HaMoshiach
Rabbi Edward Levi Nydle

www.bnaiavraham.net

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