From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Sent: Wednesday, November 5, 1997 11:31 PM To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup Subject: Should Christians wear Tzitzitot and beards ??
From: "Scott R. Ward" To: <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com> Subject: Tzitzitot and beards Shalom Eddie, I sent this letter a while ago but there has been no reply. so I am resending it. If you have already replied to this question then please disregard it. Thanks I have been reading over some of your letters from a way back, dealing with the Law / or Torah. I have recently completed a reading of the entire New Testament reading and marking (in Green) everything pertaining to the law or Torah. Now I am reading back over what I have marked, and I have been going over old material from this news group to help shine some light on this topic (It's not an easy one). In some of your comments you have talked about the different reasonability of the Jew and the non-Jew to the Torah. While you indicate that Sabbath is for everyone, you say the wearing of the Tzitzit is required of the Jew only. I would like to know what commands are for the gentiles and what commands are for the Jews alone. Such as the commandment to not marr the edges of your beard, and to not round the sides of your head. I know there are 613 commandments recognized by the Rabbis, and this makes a big list. Perhaps this could best be answered with an addition to your web page. This question has really been on my mind lately. Acts says that Moses is read in the synagogue every shabbot. We (my wife and I) are trying to observe Torah. We keep the Shabbot, eat Biblically Kosher and Keep the Feasts. But with all this and the way we were raised in Churches we still have a lot to learn. I hope you can answer this question for us and the other rooters who are probably asking the same question. >From Eddie: ************** What God desires most in our lives is to have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with HIM. Man looks on the outward but God looks on the heart (I Samuel 16:7). In everything that we do, we are to do so with a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) while loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (Deut 6:4-5, Mark 12:29-30) and being led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14). The leading of God's people in the OT by His Spirit was symbolized by the "cloud". The "cloud" was associated with being in the presence of God and being led by His Spirit. In Exodus 16:10-11 it is written: "And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness and behold the glory of the Lord appeared in a CLOUD and the Lord spake unto Moses saying ..." In Exodus 24:15-16 it is written: "And Moses went up into the mount, and a CLOUD covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai and the CLOUD covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the CLOUD ..." In Leviticus 16:2 it is written: "And the Lord said unto Moses ... for I will appear in the CLOUD upon the mercy seat" God led His people through the wilderness by His Spirit via a CLOUD. The MOVING of the CLOUD was the leading of God's people and His presence being with them. In Exodus 40:34-37 it is written: "Then a CLOUD covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle ... and when the CLOUD was TAKEN UP from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went ONWARD in their journeys. But if the CLOUD were NOT TAKEN up, then they journeyed NOT till the day it was taken up" Therefore, when the CLOUD moved the people were to move with the CLOUD. When the CLOUD remained the people were to remain. So what is the "cloud" of God doing today? How is it moving? This newsgroup is a testimony of the CLOUD (Spirit of God) moving all over the world for people from all denominations to examine and study the Hebraic Roots of their faith. We presently have members from all 50 states in the USA and over 30 foreign countries. So, what is the "cloud" of God saying to His people? How is the "cloud" of God moving since we by type and example in the OT ( Romans 15:4, I Cor 10:11) are to move when the cloud moves and remain when the cloud doesn't move. The "cloud" of God is moving in this way. God is calling His people to study His Word from a Hebraic understanding focusing on the culture of the Jewish people and the history of the land of Israel to help us to gain a deeper knowledge of God's Word and the ways of His Kingdom. In doing this, God is putting it upon the hearts of His people to study and begin to observe and keep the sabbath and the Biblical Holidays. If God could get the people who are called by His name to study the scriptures from a Hebraic perspective to gain a deeper understanding of God's Word and to keep the sabbath and Biblical Festivals, God would be well pleased with His people at this point in time in history. This I believe is undoubtedly how the "cloud" of God is moving all over the world and in all Christian denominations. Therefore, this then should be our focus and this is the primary focus of Hebraic Heritage Ministries and this newsgroup. **************************************************************************