We are in the midst of reviewing the mechanics of the Torah principles governing God’s Holiness.
I finished up my last post by pointing that all created things without exception fall under one of the following four categories:
HOLY
COMMON
CLEAN
UNCLEAN.
Now it is precisely at this point where I feel modern Orthodox Judaism errs.
In Orthodox Judaism, instead of the above four categories, human beings are instead reduced to only the three categories of HOLY, CLEAN, and UNCLEAN.
In other words, the neutral category of “COMMON” is left out.
When you do this, it implies that all gentiles are inherently UNCLEAN as opposed to just being COMMON.
And since the Jews correctly understand that UNCLEANNESS can be transmitted, they will do anything they can to avoid contact with gentiles.
However, let me be clear that how this belief is actually put into practice varies greatly among the Jewish population today.
The super hardcore Orthodox will move to the other side of the street if they see a gentile approaching and would never even think of inviting a gentile into their home.
On the other hand, when I travelled to Jerusalem, I enjoyed a meal during Shabbat inside the home of a Chassidic family and have shaken hands with many religious Jews.
Nevertheless, one Biblical teaching we must not ignore is that something ritually UNCLEAN can indeed transmit its uncleanness to something that is HOLY.
That’s the reason why God demands that if something HOLY becomes contaminated by an UNCLEAN thing, it must be cleansed or purified in order to have the defilement removed.
Are you getting this?
This is so key I need to say it again.
HOLINESS is prohibited from coming into contact with the UNCLEAN.
And…
…the COMMON must not come into contact with the HOLY…
…unless…
…God ordains that it is okay for a COMMON person or thing to contract His HOLINESS.
Minus God’s divine permission, the COMMON must not come into contact with the HOLY.
Again, are you following me here?
Don’t dismiss what I’ve just said as my own opinion, speculation or just some doctrine I’ve just willy nilly pulled out of my back pocket after smoking some marijuana.
And don’t let the ignorance of Christianity sway you on the matter.
The only reason the gentile churches would object to this teaching is because they know nothing about it which isn’t a surprise since they adhere to a doctrine that the Law has been done away with or…
…out of their anti-Semitism, they find it just downright distasteful and thus have flat out decided to ignore these principles.
So don’t let the ignorance of the church negatively influence you or pull you down.
I want you to understand that these principles of HOLINESS, COMMONNESS and IMPURITY are just as real as the very physical walls and roof of the house you live in.
Heck, I would go so far as to say they are MORE REAL than that.
These Torah principles are anything but theory or fantasy.
What I have just explained IS EXACTLY HOW GOD’S HOLINESS OPERATES
In addition, these foundational principles are NOT to be found in the New Testament.
They can ONLY be comprehended by studying this very Torah we have been immersed in over the past couple of years.
Can you now see why the church hardly understands anything about God’s HOLINESS or UNCLEANNESS at all?
I ain’t even joking man.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“He said to them,
‘You are well aware that for a man
who is a Jew to have close association
with someone who belongs to another people,
or to come and visit him,
is something that just isn’t done.
But God has shown me not to call
any person common or unclean;‘”
-Acts 10:28
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