Exodus
3:15 THE LAWKEEPERS’ MONTHLY JOURNAL >>>>> FEBRUARY / MARCH 2002<<<<< ESTABLISHED FOR
THE
EXALTATION, PRAISE, AND RECOGNITION OF THE MOST
HIGH GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB AND HIS EVERLASTING LAW “Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy sons and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.” Deuteronomy 6:1 - 3 “O earth,
earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.” Jeremiah 22:29 EXALTATION OF THE MOST HIGH GOD OF ISRAEL: “I WILL sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy
faithfulness to all generations. “And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the
congregation of the saints. “For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? Who
among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the
LORD? “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
and to be had in reverence of all them that are about
him. “For the LORD is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is
our king.” Psalm 89:1,5-7,18 ******* A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE LAWKEEPERS, CO.: All Praises be to the
Most High Elohim Forever and Ever for He is Worthy to be Praised. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath,
[from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the
holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways,
nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words.... Isaiah 58:13 Allow me to introduce myself ........ I am Yehudah ben
Yacob, the new president of the LawKeepers. As announced recently the LawKeepers,
Co. has had several resignations, and as a result the organization has been
reorganized. The “Mission” statement of the organization has not changed, the
purpose of the organization has not been altered, the goals of our group are
unchanged, the objective of the LawKeepers is still the same, and “what we
believe” in is as strong as ever.
As President of the LawKeepers, I ask for your support and patience as we
all grow into what the Most High Elohim will have for us to be in our efforts to
serve HIM in righteousness. Shalom Yehudah ben Yacob,
President The LawKeepers,
Co. ******* PLEASE TAKE PART IN
“SIGHTING” THE NEW MOON - START THE NEXT NEW MOON
WATCH ON THE EVENINGS OF FEBRUARY 12/13,
2002 BY LOOKING IN THE “WEST”
JUST ABOVE THE HORIZON. “Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. “Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. “For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.” Psalm 81:1 - 4 “Also in the day of your
gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye
shall blow with the trumpets over
your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they
may be to you for a memorial before your
God: I am the LORD your God.” Numbers 10:10 Tribute to the New Moon:
Unless
there is an emergency, please try not to buy or sell on this day. Conduct all financial and business
transactions prior to the New Moon.
Although the New Moon is NOT a Day of Rest, Our GOD did set it aside
for recognition: “Blow
up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast
day.” Psalm 81:3 “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 66:23 “…When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn?…” Amos 8:5 When we return to our heritage and worship YIHOVAH according to HIS Ways, then we can establish our own “Calendar of the Universe,” whereby, the days of the New Moon and all GOD’s Holy Days will be recognized by the whole entire World. *** THE TORAH
READINGS FOR SHABBAT AND THE NEW
MOON FOR THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY/MARCH 2002 ARE AS FOLLOWS: NEW MOON WATCH -
2/12,13/02 Psalm 81:1 - 10 Genesis Chapters 44 - 45 Nehemiah 9:26 - 29 Obadiah 17 - 21 II Kings 13:5 Isaiah 19:17 - 25 Jeremiah 7:20 - 27 Isaiah 43rd Chapter Psalm 1st
Chapter SHABBAT READINGS -
2/16/02 Genesis 2:1 - 3 Exodus 31:12-18 Isaiah 56:1 - 7 Isaiah 58:10 - 14 Genesis Chapters 46 and 47 Isaiah 60:15 Isaiah 61:7 - 11 Jeremiah 15:11 Zechariah 3:19 Zechariah 8:11 - 17 Psalm 147th Chapter SHABBAT READINGS -
2/23/02 Genesis 2:1 - 3 Exodus 31:12-18 Isaiah 56:1 - 7 Isaiah 58:10 - 14 Genesis Chapters 48 - 50 Joshua 8:30 - 35 Deuteronomy 33rd Chapter Deuteronomy 26:11 - 19 Isaiah 10:20 - 22 Isaiah 11:11 - 16 Psalm 28th Chapter Genesis 25:7 - 10 Joshua 24:19 - 33 II Chronicles 16:9 - 14 I Samuel 31st Chapter I Kings 2:1 - 10 I Chronicles 28:4 - 10 I Chronicles 29th Chapter II Chronicles 9:13 - 31 Isaiah 25th Chapter Hosea 13:4 - 14 Psalm 6th Chapter SHABBAT READINGS -
3/2/02 Genesis 2:1 - 3 Exodus 31:12-18 Isaiah 56:1 - 7 Isaiah 58:10 - 14 Exodus Chapters 1 and 2 Genesis 13:14 - 17 Exodus 32:1 - 13 Deuteronomy 1:10 - 17 Deuteronomy 10:12 - 22 Deuteronomy 28:62 - 68 Deuteronomy 6:1 - 18 Psalm 40th Chapter Numbers 1:47 - 51 Exodus 28th Chapter I Chronicles 15:1,2 II Samuel 6:1 - 7 Nehemiah 9:6 - 17 Genesis 15:13,14 Genesis 17:2 - 14 Jeremiah 31:31 - 36 Psalm 22nd Chapter SHABBAT READINGS -
3/9/02 Genesis 2:1 - 3 Exodus 31:12-18 Isaiah 56:1 - 7 Isaiah 58:10 - 14 Exodus Chapter 3 II Kings 14:21 - 29 II Chronicles 20:5 - 18 II Chronicles 33:9 - 20 Nehemiah 1st Chapter Psalm 88th Chapter Isaiah 30:18 - 26 Isaiah 48:8 - 19 Isaiah 63:4 - 13 Jeremiah 16:11 - 21 Hosea 5:15 Psalm 130th Chapter A complete Hebrew Calendar displaying all
the months and New Moon Watches, Sabbaths of Rest, and Holy Days for the year
can be found on The LawKeepers WebSite:
www.thelawkeepers.org. *******
SOME QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
What did Our GOD mean when HE said, “Thou
shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain?” *** How can we prove that Jacob did not steal
Esau’s birthright? Please feel free to contribute responses to these questions, and if so, they will be published in the next Newsletter. ******* HINTS FOR HARDY, HEALTHY HEBREWS: Study Finds Tainted, Drug-Resistant Meats Common By Gene Emery Reuters BOSTON (Oct. 18) - Harmful bacteria in meat and poultry are becoming more resistant to antibiotics due to the long-controversial practice of feeding the drugs to cattle and other food animals, according to research published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. The practice of giving healthy livestock antibiotics to promote growth and profits makes salmonella and similar organisms that sometimes can cause severe diseases immune to the drugs and should be scrapped, according to an accompanying editorial. The new research, along with previous studies "represent the proverbial smoking gun" that demonstrates why it is time to stop feeding antibiotics to livestock, said Dr. Sherwood Gorbach in the editorial. Gorbach, of the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, said antibiotics should only be given to individual animals that have been examined by a veterinarian, and even those animals should not be allowed to receive antibiotics that are important for curing human disease. In addition, he said, the practice of giving antibiotics to animals to promote growth should be banned. Researchers have been trying to raise the alarm for years about the widespread practice of feeding antibiotics to food animals. The Union of Concerned Scientists, a science-based advocacy group opposed to the use of antibiotics in livestock, estimated earlier this year that while 3 million pounds of antibiotics are given to humans each year, 26.6 million pounds are given to animals. About 24.6 million pounds of that goes to animals that are not sick. Doctors may play a role in breeding antibiotic resistance because they overuse the drugs in humans, but the widespread use of antibiotics in animals contributes to the problem, Gorbach said. Proponents of animal antibiotic use contend the drugs make food production more efficient and profitable, Gorbach said. However, he said, "there are alternatives, as shown in Europe after the use of these drugs was abandoned. The economic losses could be minimized and even neutralized by improvements in animal husbandry, the quality of feed, and hygiene." Nearly 1.4 million cases of salmonella poisoning occur in the United States each year from eating contaminated beef, pork, poultry, eggs and milk. The risk is highest among the elderly and people whose immune systems are not working properly. In the latest study investigators from the Food and Drug Administration found that 20 percent of the 200 samples of ground chicken, beef, turkey, and pork purchased at three Washington D.C.-area supermarkets contained salmonella, which causes food poisoning. In addition, 84 percent of those salmonella bacteria were resistant to at least one type of antibiotic; 53 percent were resistant to three. Another study in the Journal tested chicken products in four states and found 17 percent harbored drug-resistant bacteria. 01:47 10-18-01 Copyright 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. Contributed by J. E. Porter MSN RN
CS (T'Zirah B. Yehudah) JELPO@AOL.COM ******* THOUGHT FOR TODAY AND FOREVER: Let’s keep YIHOVAH and HIS Law our focus and pray for deliverance and fulfillment of all of GOD’s Word, so that every Nation will show forth HIS Praise and Exalt HIM above all other gods. ******* THE GREATEST “SPOIL” OF ALL Learn about the Reparations Mass Movement for Descendants of Slaves and how YOU can get involved: Go to: www.thelawkeepers.org and click on “Repnow.” The
Israelites received Reparations for their free labor when they left out of Egypt
(Exodus 12:35,36, Psalm 105:37).
Note also that Reparations were given to Ezra for the building of GOD’s
Temple and for the service of the House of the LORD GOD of Israel (Ezra 7:12
–21). And it is prophesied that we
will again receive compensation for our free labor and bondage in this modern-day Egypt (all the lands that took
Israelites captive): “The Lord said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.” Jeremiah 15:11 ******* EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVE: I recently received some very disturbing news about some evil and wicked, horrible acts by Israelites, and I have been deeply troubled since hearing it. Sooner or later you, too, will hear about these crimes that, I am sure, have caused Our GOD tremendous sadness and anger. How can we be a “LIGHT” to the World for GOD’s Holy Name’s Sake if we, Israelites who are in the knowledge of Truth, are still committing the sins of our forefathers that caused our captivity in the first place? If we are who we say we are, i.e., GOD’s Holy, Chosen People, then we must be about proving it, so that YIHOVAH will cause the World to accept us for who we are. For the past few months I have stressed that we not rely on our leaders but rather put total trust in the Holy ONE of Israel. I have also stressed for the past several years the importance of our keeping GOD’s Law and “fleeing” the lands of our captivity. And if certain ones had complied and such blasphemy had been found among the Israelites who would have returned, I would’ve been devastated. Hence, this is my reason for praying to be joined with others who Fear YIHOVAH to walk in ALL HIS Ways. Just this week, I wrote a Message on using “Righteous Judgments,” so that we can become the wiser and the Righteous and Holy People Our GOD has been wishing for us ever since choosing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel. It appears that the Holy ONE timed this writing perfectly. This horrible breaking news that was just revealed to me just lets me know how critical things are among those of us calling ourselves Israelites. And I hate to consider the evils taking place that we know nothing about. That’s the bad news, but the good news is that Our GOD sees and knows everything. And wicked, rebellious Israelites will indeed suffer the consequences of their iniquity. If only we would devote quality time to the Holy ONE of Israel (just as we devote quality time to “Chahlie” in his workplace), in order that we will learn HIS Ways and be worthy to serve and worship HIM and justify why HE should hear our prayers for Deliverance. We can start now to do our part, i.e., steer our hearts and souls in the right direction as we wait on the Holy ONE of Israel. And we can also start by knowing the people with whom we break bread, with whom we study, and above all with whom we permit to “teach” us the Word of GOD. And, yes, that is a reference to our unrighteous “leaders” (and whomsoever) for those of you who still choose to believe in and look to them (Isaiah 9:16). If we are genuine, the Holy ONE of Israel will show us just who is serious and who is not. And it would not be wise to ignore the signs that HE gives us. The second we feel that something is not right, that a leader is doing and/or teaching that which goes against GOD’s Book of the Law, then that is the moment that we must make the intelligent decision to move on. If we didn’t have our own brains and were unable to think, then, yes, we would not be able to function without somebody discerning what’s right and wrong for us. But that is not the case. We have brains, and we have Our GOD. And if there is something we must know, HE will show us and lead and guide us to HIS Paths of Righteousness in the process because we put all our Trust in HIM. Remember, our leaders were once Newcomers to GOD’s Truth, as well – they, too, had to learn about the GOD of Israel. Unfortunately, some of us are so zealous we feel that we know as much as the Creator and can determine our own ideals for “Righteousness” and this is when we err in the worst way. Regrettably, some “students” who become “leaders” tend to forget that learning GOD’s Truth is all about transforming our hearts and souls to please Our GOD and walk HIS Paths of Righteousness if we ever expect to receive favor from HIM and be returned to our heritage. I commend the Sister for disclosing this information to me for it is imperative that we be aware of all evildoers and those who go against the Laws, Statutes, and Judgments of the Holy ONE of Israel in order that we stay clear of them. I have said it dozens of times: we don’t need “man,” especially if he is a leader who goes against GOD’s Ways. We need the Holy ONE of Israel to lead and guide us, and if we are serious, then HIS Counsel is there just for the asking. I am a Witness! To the Newcomers, I urge you to stay strong in GOD’s Truth and not be deterred by what sins Israelites commit. Just know that there are many sincere Israelites who are about doing and living GOD’s Book of the Law in Righteousness. We who are of this generation have an opportunity to fulfill the prophesies of our return if we will just seek to live by the Standards and Precepts that Our GOD already lay out for us to follow. Being a Merciful GOD, HE would NOT open our eyes, and then cause us to remain in captivity under this great oppression and suffering. We are the ones causing the delay in our return to our heritage. “I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the SEED OF JACOB, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.” Isaiah 45:19 O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD, OUR GOD, IS GOOD to all those who seek HIM in Truth and in Righteousness!!! *** OUR TRIP
TO ADJLUN… Regarding a much more pleasurable experience, my husband and I visited northern Jordan this past Sunday, and I’d like to share this event with you. We took a bus to Adjlun, which is near the area where the Prophet Elijah is supposed to have lived. Our trip was to a place about 7 miles outside of Adjlun where it is said that he is entombed. Those of you who are the wiser, already realize a serious problem with this information, but I’ll get to that later. As we approached this Site by taxi, we saw signs reading, “Saint Elyas.” Elyas is the Greek name for Elijah. Thus, you might understand why a church is being built right at the place of this tomb. The mini-bus ride from Madaba to Adjlun cost less than 1 J.D. (equivalent to $1.40) for the two of us and took about an hour. The ride was very interesting and quite scenic. The bus traveled up and down hills and winding roads, and because of the rain we’ve been having here in Jordan, the landscape was beautiful with greenery everywhere. I never tired of watching the view from one side of the bus to the other. Upon our arrival in Adjlun, as we disembarked, was sitting one lone taxi right outside the bus. We immediately asked the driver if he would take us to “Tall Mar Elyas” and for the cost. He agreed to take us and bring us back for 5 J.D. This short ride took us to a plateau but not before using one narrow road up a very steep slope. At times I was indeed frightened. Nathaniel jokingly said not to worry, and that if any thing happened we would join Elijah. Obviously, PRAISE THE HOLY ONE, we made it to the top and down without incident. Upon arriving to the Site, we saw about seven workers doing construction - yet preparing the Site (that as yet had no walls) for tourism. While Nathaniel talked with the manager of the Site, I climbed steps of large stones to a stoned floor that contained a large opening. It was my educated guess that the Prophet was supposed to lie in that hole. I went to the very edge of the Site, which is about fifteen to twenty feet away from the tomb. From this point, I was drawn to the view of green hills and numerous valleys. And I couldn’t take my eyes off the horizon of clouds mixed with rays of sun and blue sky. Before my arrival I had wondered how this Site would affect me. Well, in seconds after being there, I found out. The area was breathtaking, and I was mesmerized by all that I saw and could only pray to the Holy ONE of Israel while standing there by myself watching this most beautiful scene to cause HIS People to return home. I cried with hopes that Our GOD was listening. After a few minutes, Nathaniel, the manager, and the taxi driver joined me. On the way back to the taxi, as we passed the tomb in the ground, that was supposed to be holding Elijah’s remains, I thought to myself that those responsible for this historical Site are in for a very rude awakening when some of their first tourists inform them that the Prophet Elijah ascended into the heavens in a fiery chariot, and therefore, could not be lying in that watery hole. Reluctantly, we left this most sensational place to return to the bus station in Adjlun to head back to Madaba. No, I didn’t see the Prophet Elijah, and I was certainly looking for him, as I believe that he has already descended in time to fulfill Malachi 4:5. Perhaps on another trip to Adjlun or just South of this area, I’ll be blessed to run into him. And when I do, you will certainly be informed of this occasion. The ride down the plateau wasn’t bad at all. I guess because I was no long afraid for that which was the unknown became the familiar and didn’t seem bad at all. All PRAISES DUE TO THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, we had a glorious trip. HE gave us another opportunity to see more of the Holy Land. It’s no wonder that Reuben, Gad, and the Half Tribe of Manasseh chose to take this land for their tribes. As we go about Sightseeing Jordan, I plan to share as much as I can about this lovely country in future JOURNALS. GLORY YIHOVAH! *** “OBEDIENCE” to GOD’s Ways is “Key” to our attaining everything we need to know, do, and accomplish. And for that, BLESSED BE THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL FOR EVER AND EVER! *** I PRAY TO BE JOINED WITH THOSE WHO SEEK YIHOVAH IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, BE NUMBERED AMONG HIS SAINTS, AND BE A LIGHT TO THE WORLD FOR HIS FAME AND GLORY. BLESSED BE THE MOST HIGH GOD OF ABRAHAM AND MOSES AND EXALTED BE HIS HOLY NAME ABOVE ALL OTHERS FOR EVERMORE! GLORY
YIHOVAH, CLEAVE TO HIM, AND EXALT HIM AND HIS BOOK OF THE LAW ALWAYS! Tziona Yisrael ******* A
Message To All Messianics: “Look
unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and THERE IS NONE
ELSE. “In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be
justified, and shall glory.” Isaiah
45:22,25 “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all
the remnant of the house of Israel,
which are borne by me from the belly, which are borne by me from the belly,
which are carried from the womb: “And even to your old age I am he; and even
to hoar hairs will I carry you: I
have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver
you. “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal,
and compare me, that we may be like? “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I
am God, and THERE IS NONE LIKE ME. “Hearken unto me, ye stout hearted, that are
far from righteousness: “I bring near my righteousness; it shall not
be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for
Israel my glory.” Isaiah
46:3-5,9,12,13 Our
Righteous GOD gave us HIS Holy Book of the Law – not the “New
Testament” that was established by
“man” to support his man-made, very well organized and deceptive
religion. WE
DON’T NEED JC!!! WE NEED
THE SAME GOD THAT SAVED THE NATION OF ISRAEL OUT OF
EGYPT!!! “…this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey
my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have
commanded you, that it may be well unto you.” Jeremiah 7:23 “See
now that I, even I, am he and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound and I
heal: neither is there any that can
deliver out of my hand.” Deuteronomy
32:39 “And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of
Israel; Cursed be the man that
obeyeth not the words of this covenant, “Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I
brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying,
Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you:
so shall ye be my people, and I
will be your God:” Jeremiah
11:3,4 Tziona Yisrael, Servant of the Most High GOD of Israel for HIS Holy
Name’s Sake ******* “Bind
up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. “And I will wait upon the
Lord, that hideth his face from the house of
Jacob, and I will look for him.” Isaiah
8:16,17 Let us put the Most High GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob/Israel back into our lives, our hearts, our thoughts, and in everything
that we do. Focusing on HIM as we
come and go in our daily routines is ever so helpful in maintaining healthy
ideals about HIS Paths of Righteousness.
“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:” Isaiah 55:6 *** “I will declare thy name unto my
brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” Psalm 22:22 LET US EXALT, PRAISE, AND SANCTIFY THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL IN TRUTH AND IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE THE WORLD FOREVERMORE! AND LET US MAGNIFY HIS LAW, WHICH IS OUR ONLY TICKET INTO HIS KINGDOM, SO THAT ALL PEOPLES WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND WORSHIP KNOW THE MOST HIGH GOD OF ABRAHAM AND MOSES AND TO SERVE AND WORSHIP HIM ACCORDING TO HIS WORD AND HIS WILL! ******* Poetry With
A Message:
THE
ELDERS
Where have all the elders gone?Sagacious men of old,
And mothers of the family
tree, who kept the story
told. Where have all our elders
gone? Whose wisdom God did raise,
To teach the younger ones
to give, The Holy One due
praise. Where have all the elders
gone? And why can't they we ask,
Their wizened minds and
many years, Prepare them for the
task. Where have all our elders
gone? Whose portion should
continue, To feed the jumbled minds
of youth, And clothe ideas with
sinew. Alas, our elders all have
gone, The way of all our tribes,
And kings, and priests, and
many troops, To all far scattered
isles. So wisdom courts another
love, And fills another's
treasure, With wealth beyond mere
molten gold, Or diamonds by the
measure. Yet it's a very strange
affair, That when she dwells alone,
She sheds a very silent
tear, For those so far from
home. Return our elders all to
us, Oh God who heareth prayer,
Let wisdom dwell again with
us, And count us to her
dear. For all of us are foolish
now, E'en those with hoary head,
And even though our bodies
live, Our thoughts alone are
dead. Have mercy on the suckling
babe, The mother and the youth,
Our men and all our elders,
Lord, So we may dwell in
truth. And let the whitened hairs
of age, Mean years of wisdom
stored, So we might turn again to
Thee,
And sing Thy praises, Lord.
By
Naami
bat Lewi
*** Our Sister Naami has shared with me some of her very precious poetry that I am too delighted to publish in this JOURNAL. Some might say that this particular one could not have come at a more appropriate time. With prophecy that only our Elders can fulfill, one can only wonder what lies ahead for we continue to despair from the loss of our Hebrew Elders who during Biblical days were the cornerstone of Israel.
“…your old men shall dream dreams…”
Tziona Yisrael
******* READING FOR THE SOUL… Understanding the Dietary Laws of YAHWEH, Continued from the December/January 2002 Issue… Each phylum is divided into classes. In the phylum chordata, YAHWEH first speaks of the class mammalia (better know as mammals) in Lev. 11, verses 2-8, and again in verses 26-31. Each class is divided into orders. In the class of mammals, YAHWEH tells us we can only eat of animals included in 1 order - the order “Artiodactyla,” which are even-toed, hoofed animals. Each order is divided into families. The first verse of Lev. 11 shows us that this is YAHWEH, the Creator of all that is, speaking to Moses and his brother, Aaron. Verse 2 shows that He is commanding them to tell the children of YisraEl what living things they can eat of all the dumb beasts that are on the earth. I purposely rephrased some of the words in that verse. In the original Hebrew, two different words are used in the two places where you see the word “beast” (in the King James version). The Hebrew word corresponding to the 1st usage is “chay,” meaning alive, raw [flesh], strong, or life [living thing]. The Hebrew word corresponding to the second usage is “behemah,” meaning a dumb beast; esp. any large quadruped (four-footed) animal. Starting in the 3rd verse, YAHWEH begins to describe the four-footed “land dwelling” animals that we can eat. Please read Lev. 11:3-8. There are three conditions an animal must meet to be considered clean and OK to eat: 1. It must have hoofs that are parted or split. 2. It must be clovenfooted. A cloven foot is a hoof with two toes and undeveloped toes growing behind the hock [ankle]. 3. It must chew its cud. An animal that chews its cud is called a ruminant. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a ruminant “as any of the various hoofed, even-toed, usually horned mammals...such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer and giraffes, characteristically having a stomach divided into four compartments and chewing a cud which is partially digested food regurgitated from the first compartment of the stomach to their mouth. The first two conditions that an animal must meet before we can consider it food corresponds to the taxonomic order I mentioned earlier, Artiodactyla. All the animals in this order are hoofed. The 3rd condition that an animal must meet in order to be considered food is that it must chew its cud. This prerequisite corresponds to a sub-order within the order artiodactyla, the super-order ruminantia and the family bovidae, which are ox-like animals. The animals in the order ruminantia are called ruminants. Please turn to Deut. 14 now. This chapter not only repeats the laws, but clarifies some, also. Verse 4 of Deut. 14 lists specific animals we can eat, clarifying verse 3 of Lev. 11. The animals YAHWEH mentions here also correspond directly with certain genera (the plural of genus) in the super-order ruminantia. The first animal YAHWEH says we can eat is the ox. The ox is in the genus Bos and includes all cattle (cows, steers, bulls, etc.). The meat from an adult ox is called beef. The meat from a young ox (calf) is called veal. The next animal mentioned that we can eat is the sheep, which are animals of the genus Ovis. These are various breeds of domesticated sheep. The male sheep is called a ram and the female is called an ewe. Their meat is called mutton. Its young are called lambs and its meat is simply called lamb. The goat is mentioned next and its “kind” is of the genus Capra. The males have horns. Their young are called kids and their meat is simply called goat meat. In verse 5 of Deut. 14, the first four animals mentioned are all types of deer. Deer meat is called venison. {NOTE: In scripture, venison referred to any meat obtained in hunting.} The hart corresponds to animals of the genus Cervus. The word “hart” points to the Hebrew word “ayal,” meaning a stag (male) deer. The genus Cervus also includes the American elk, but the word “hart” in English pertains especially to the red deer. A roebuck is the male roe deer (in English). In scripture, at Prov. 5:19 roe points to the Hebrew “ya`alah” and at Job 39:1 & Ps. 104:18 points to “ya`el,” both referring to the animal we call the ibex. At verse 5 of Deut. 14 it is also mentioned as the wild goat. It is of the genus Cervus also. The fallow deer is a small, delicately formed deer with a reddish-yellow coat spotted white in the Summer. It is of the genus Dama. In Hebrew, it comes from a root word meaning to glow with redness. The pygarg is probably your basic antelope which is of the genus Antilope or Antilocapra (American antelope). The wild ox is also what we call an antelope, of the Genus Hippotragus, and [probably] specifically the species with white stripes on its cheek, maybe the roan antelope. The chamois is the gazelle. Verse 6 of Deut. 14 reiterates verse 3 of Lev. 11, but clarifies clovenfooted in saying that its parted hoof is cleft (split) into 2 claws. Please turn back to Lev. 11. In verse 4, YAHWEH begins to discuss the animals we can not eat, and they are also in the order Artiodactyla. All the animals in this order will either chew their cud or have a split, clovenfooted hoof, but not necessarily both. If they don’t meet both conditions, they are unclean to YisraEl. YAHWEH first mentions the camel. He is in the sub-order Tylopoda, along with the llama and alpaca. They chew the cud but do not have hoofs. Verses 5 & 6 speak of the coney and hare as being unclean to eat. Both of those animals are of the order Lagomorpha. The coney is your common rabbit (i.e. rock rabbit, hyrax or pika). The hare differs from rabbits in that it has longer ears, larger hind feet and longer legs adapted for jumping. Even though the coney and hare resemble rodents, they are more closely related to the hoofed mammals because they chew their cud. This is exactly what YAHWEH tells us in verses 5-6, that they chew their cud but are not hoofed. Rabbit meat is simply called rabbit. The most popular rabbit dish is called hasenpfeffer (rabbit & pepper). YAHWEH
next tells us in verse 7 not to eat the swine. Swine are in the same order as
the ox, sheep deer, etc., but are of the family Suidae, which includes hogs (adult
swine), pigs (young swine), boars (male swine) and sows (female swine). They belong to the same sub-order (Suiformes) that includes the
hippopotamus and wart hogs. YAHWEH tells us that the pig’s hoofs look the same
as cattle’s, but that the swine is not a ruminant (cud chewer). The meat of a
pig is called pork and includes ham, pig tails, pig feet, hog maws, ham
hocks, chitterlings, most breakfast sausage, bacon and pork
chops. So we see that out of the thousands of species of four-footed animals on the earth, YAHWEH has made it very simple for YisraEl to determine which animals we can eat. Just remember that they 1) must have split clovenfooted hoofs and 2) they must chew the cud (be ruminants). Now verse 8 of Lev. 11 tells us that not only are we not to eat the flesh of the animals mentioned between verses 4 and 7, but we are also not to touch their carcasses. The word carcase usually refers to a dead body, either of man or of beast. This statement has some far reaching implications. For example, some glues are made from the hoofs of horses. Horses do not chew the cud, so they are unclean to eat and their carcasses are also unclean to touch. So, any glue made from horse hoofs is unclean to YisraEl. Also, there are a lot of additives that are derived from the swine. Any products that contains these additives are unclean to touch as well as to eat. For more information on unclean foods and products, you can read How Not to Eat Pork by Shaharazad Ali. To avoid unclean additives, you can buy organically grown meats and vegetables. Also, some foods that have a “Kosher” symbol on the label are clean, but this cannot always be depended on because Jewish people have an incorrect interpretation of some of YAHWEH’s laws. In verse 9 of Lev. 11, YAHWEH begins to speak of the animals we can eat that live in the waters. This is probably the easiest of the descriptions of what we can and cannot eat: Whatever has fins AND scales that lives in the water (salt or fresh) can be eaten by an YisraElite. This is your basic description of a fish, but we need a good understanding, so let’s define fins and scales. FIN: an attachment of a thin, flexible layer of tissue, extending from the body of a fish OR other aquatic animal. The creature uses its fins to move, steer or balance itself. SCALE:
a small, plate like skin typically forming the outside covering of fishes, reptiles and certain
mammals. So we see that even though the conditions that a water animal must meet to be clean appear simple, there are many animals with fins or scales, but not both. In verse 10, YAHWEH basically says any water creature that doesn’t have both fins and scales is an abomination for YisraEl to eat. For example, a catfish has to move with fins, but its skin is not made of scales. Therefore, the catfish is unclean to eat. Catfish belong to an order called Ostariophysi. Some animals in this order include the electric eel, the minnow and the roach. Crabs, shrimps and lobsters also have fins, but their hard outer covering is their skeleton, not a scale. They are in the phylum Anthropoda (which includes spiders and insects), the class Crustacea (which includes barnacles, woodlice and scorpions), and the order Decapoda (which includes crabs, shrimp and lobsters). Basically, shellfish can be considered sea bugs. Oysters, clams and snails have shells, not scales, nor do they have fins. They are of the phylum Mollusca. The sea animals YAHWEH mentions in verse 9 are all found in the phylum Vertebrata, the class Pisces. Some are in the order Isospondyli (ex. sardines, herring, salmon, trout, smelt); some are in the order Percomorphi (ex. Bass, perch, mackerel); and some are in the order Anacathini (ex. cod, whiting). There may be more, but these are the fish that this author has observed as possessing fins and scales. Verse 11 states that YisraEl is not to eat the flesh of a water creature that does not possess both fins and scales and are also to hold their carcasses in abomination. However, unlike with four-footed beasts, it does not say that their carcasses are unclean to touch. Things like pearl earrings and shell collecting are all right for YisraEl, but as verse :12 states, the flesh of whatever does not have both fins and scales is an abomination to eat. Verses :13-20 speak about birds. Fowl, in Hebrew, refers to a bird, as covered with feathers - birds in general. (In English, fowl commonly refers to the chicken.) In Taxonomy, our fine feathered friends are in the class called Aves. In
YAHWEH’s discussion on birds in Lev. 11:13-20, He only informs us of which birds
we cannot eat. If you turn to Deut. 14 and read verse 20, YAHWEH tells us that
we can eat clean fowls, but he does not elaborate here what those clean fowls
are. This is where the science of
Taxonomy can really help us out. There
are certain birds mentioned elsewhere in scriptures that can be used in
sacrificial ceremonies. Let’s first turn to Lev. 1 and look at verses :14-17.
Here we see that turtle doves or pigeons can be offered as a sacrifice. In
English as well as Hebrew, turtledove, dove and pigeon all refer to the same
bird and can be used interchangeably. In
Taxonomy, pigeons and doves are both in the family Columba and the order Columbiformes. Any animal that is permitted for a sacrifice is also clean to eat. This is verified in Lev. 7:1-6. where it states that Levites can eat certain parts of the animals used in sacrifices. Another bird that YisraEl was permitted to eat was the quail. Please turn to Exodus 16 and read verses 1-13. In verse 1, we see that the children of YisraEl were in the wilderness. In verses 2 & 3, you’ll see that YisraEl was complaining because they weren’t eating as well as they did in Egypt. In verse 4, YAHWEH promises that He’ll rain bread from heaven. (In Hebrew, bread can mean food in general.) In verse 12, YAHWEH says that that evening, YisraEl will have flesh to eat. Verse 13 reveals that the flesh He spoke of was quail flesh. So at this point, we can definitely say that pigeons and quails are clean to eat, but are these the only birds that YisraEl can eat? Please turn back to Lev. 11. In verse 13, YAHWEH lists some birds that are an abomination to eat: the eagle, ossifrage, ospray, vulture and kite, after his kind. What does the phrase “after his kind” mean? The word “kind” corresponds to a Hebrew word meaning to portion out; a sort, i.e. species. It is no coincidence that all the birds mentioned in verses 13 & 14 are in the same taxonomic category: the order Falconiformes. All of the birds in that particular order eat flesh. Vultures are scavengers that eat carrion - animals that are dead when they find them. The others are predators - hunting birds. Verse 15 states that every raven, after his kind, is an abomination to eat. Ravens are in the same genus as crows, and they are both in the order Passerifirmes. This order also includes the broadbill, antbird, ovenbird, lyre bird, and all songbirds like larks, starlings, blackbirds, etc. Verse 16 excludes owls from YisraEl’s diet. Owl is the common name for birds in the order Strigiformes. This verse also excludes from YisraEl’s diet nighthawks (or nightjars) which are in the order Caprimulgiformes; the cuckow or cuckoo is of the order Cuculiformes that also includes roadrunners; and the hawk which is also a Falconiforme. Verse 17 of Lev. 11 excludes the little and great owl, which are also Strigiformes. The cormorant and the pelican are excluded in verse 18; they are in the same order, Pelicaniformes, and are both aquatic or water birds. The swan is also aquatic and is in the order Anseriformes that includes the goose and duck. The gier eagle is a type of vulture found in Palestine. In verse 19, the stork and heron are excluded from a YisraElite’s diet. Both of these are wading birds and are in the same order, Ciconiformes, along with the spoonbill and ibis. The lapwing is a long-legged shore or beach bird that is in the same order with the plover, gull and puffin, the order Charadriformes. YAHWEH next names the bat as a fowl we cannot eat. Science classifies the bat as a mammal because it feeds milk to its young, as a cow or dog does. Now we can see that there is no mystery as to how YAHWEH has chosen the birds that we are not to eat - virtually all of them can be considered either meat eaters, water dwellers or songbirds. There are many birds in the earth not mentioned here that we cannot eat, but using the taxonomic classifications, we now have a good idea of the types or birds we should not eat. So returning to determining what birds are clean to eat, we can use taxonomy to find the birds that are clean. As stated earlier, quails and pigeons or doves were used in sacrifices, meaning they are clean. The quail is of the order Galliformes. Other birds in that order are the chicken, turkey, pheasant, partridge, peacock, jungle fowl, guinea fowl and grouse. Pigeons and doves are Colmbiformes. The sand grouse is another bird in that order. If we extend the pattern we discovered in YAHWEH’s statute of what birds are unclean (Lev. 11:13-19) to clean birds, we can draw the conclusion that all of the birds in the same order as the quail and pigeon/doves are clean to eat. Verses :20-23 of Lev. 11 describe the insects an YisraElite can eat. In verse 20, YAHWEH says, “All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.” When I first read this verse, I thought YAHWEH was describing a four-legged bird. This is why when we study the holy scriptures, we must study line upon line (see Is 28:9-13). Verse 21 clarifies the type of “fowl” YAHWEH is referring to. He says further, “Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four...” The word “flying” in that sentence, in Hebrew, is the same word that the word “fowl” points to in Hebrew (refer to page 7, par. 6). The word creeping points to a Hebrew word that means to swarm, i.e. an active mass of minute [or tiny] animals. So we see that YAHWEH is not referring to fowls as we think of them. YAHWEH considers certain flying insects fowls, and we know he is speaking about insects because birds do not walk on more than 2 legs. Also, birds are not generally considered tiny animals. The 2nd half of verse 21 further clarifies the type of insect we can eat: those “...which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;” The semicolon at the end of this verse means the thought is not yet finished. Verse 22 continues, “Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.” Verse 21 gives a clear picture of the insects we can eat. All insects have at least 6 legs but only a few use two of their legs to leap withal [lift them] off the ground. Those are the insects a YisraElite can eat. YAHWEH then gives us specific examples of those insects in verse 22, and they are all included in one taxonomic category - the order Orthoptera. The locust, bald locust and grasshopper are all in the sub-order Caelifera, also known as shor-thorned grasshoppers. The word ‘beetle” was wrongly applied in the English translation of the holy scriptures, at least for modern times. YAHWEH is referring to crickets here. They make up the sub-order Ensifera or long-horned grasshoppers. In the East, the poor still eat locust. To eat them, you remove the head, legs and wings, then boil, stew or roast them. This may not sound appetizing to most of us, but eating a clean insect is better than making yourself unclean or abominable by eating an unclean beast or water creature. In verse 26 of Lev. 11, YAH begins speaking again concerning four-footed beasts. He reminds us that they must divide the hoof, be clovenfooted and chew the cud. If they don’t meet all three conditions, their carcasses are unclean for you to even touch. In verse 27, he excludes from YisraEl’s diet all animals that move about on paws (dogs, cats, lions, bears, etc.) and tells us we are unclean if we touch their carcass. In verses 29-31, he gives some other four-footed animals that are unclean when dead. None of them are in the order or the family of the clean animals we discussed earlier. It adds here classes of animals not mentioned before - reptiles (lizard & chameleon), amphibians (tortoise or turtle) and rodents (weasel, mouse, ferret & mole). Snails are in the phylum mollusca that we’ve already mentioned. Verse 28 gives instruction on what to do if you do touch the carcass of an unclean animal - you are to wash your clothes. It then states that you are [ceremonially] unclean until the sun sets that day. In other places in scriptures, you are instructed to wash your body before the next sunset when you become unclean, so you may want to bath also. v The intent of this paper was to exalt the Almighty YAHWEH and magnify His laws by once again showing that science confirms the Holy Scriptures in most cases. I also intended this paper to aid YisraElites, and those joined to YisraEl, who are trying to keep YAHWEH’s laws, in getting a better understanding of the meats that are edible. I have discussed the types of animals that YisraEl can eat and animals that are commonly sold or hunted for food, but by no means lists every clean and unclean creature. Isaiah 34:16 states, “Seek ye out of the book of YAHWEH, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my [Isaiah] mouth it hath commanded, and His spirit it hath gathered them.” The fact that we had to turn to science in no way diminishes this statement. You never have to look towards the pope, a minister, philosopher, guru, the Talmud or any other person, place or thing to fully know what is needed to keep YAHWEH’s laws. Everything is included in the Holy Scriptures - the Old Testament. The Creator’s words are wisdom in its purest sense (Ps. 19:7-10). However, as Prov. 4:7 states, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” So sometimes in order to get a clear understanding of a matter, we need to seek other sources of information for explanations and verifications. For example, YAHWEH tells YisraEl not to charge each other usury. If I hadn’t looked up usury in a dictionary, I would have never known that this law is forbidding YisraEl from charging each other interest on loans of any sort. I
hope that this paper accomplished its purpose - helping you with your
understanding of YAHWEH’s laws. So peace, my brothers and sisters, and may
YAHWEH bless thee and keep thee.
BIBLIOGRAPHYThe Classification of Living Animals by Lord Nathaniel Rothschild, 1961 The New compact Bible Dictionary, Zondervan Publishing House, 1977 Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by James Strong, L.L.D., S.T.D. The Five Books of Moses, translated by Everett Fox, 1995 The American Heritage Dictionary, 2nd College Edition, 1985 The Collegiate Encyclopedia, 1971 The New Book of Popular
Science vol. 4, 1978 The
House of YisraEl Hebrew
Bible Class 1664
California Ave. Cincinnati,
OH 45237-5604 1-800-531-3393 >or< 1-513-641-4007
FAX 513-961-8001 To be continued… Contributed by Brother Nahshon (NACHRAQ@AOL.COM) who insisted upon giving ALL PRAISES TO THE MOST HIGH GOD OF ISRAEL. *** Many thanks to Brother Nahshon and Sisters T’Zirah and Naami for their contribution to this month’s LawKeepers JOURNAL. I welcome and look forward to even more articles by Brothers and Sisters for our enlightenment. Significant input by all of us is what Nation building is all about! *** MAY THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL SOON PUT HIS LAWS AND HIS SPIRIT IN OUR HEARTS, SO THAT WE SERVE AND REPRESENT HIM IN TRUTH AND IN RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS EXALTATION, GLORY, AND PRAISE FOR EVER! Tziona Yisrael ******* CLOSING SCRIPTURE EXALTING
THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL: “LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all
generations, Psalm 90:1 “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” Psalm 91:2 “O COME, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock
of our salvation. “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make
a joyful noise unto him with psalms. “For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all
gods.” Psalm 95:1 - 3 ******* KNOWING THE BEAUTY AND THE REWARD OF
THE FEAR OF THE LORD GOD OF
ISRAEL AND SERVING AND WORSHIPPING ONLY HIM, AND NOT MAN OR IDOL IS A SALVATION IN ITSELF! Blessed be the Most High
GOD of Israel and blessed be HIS Holy Name forever and ever! Touch our mouths, Lord GOD of Abraham,
and let us declare your Praise. Tziona Yisrael Servant of the Most High GOD of Israel For HIS Holy Name’s Sake ******* OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION WRITTEN BY HEBREWS: For information about the happenings in Hebrew Israelite Congregations, News, and Health, please contact: fao3@worldnet.att.net (Floretta A. O'Brien). For a totally Black Hebrew Israelite Newspaper, please know that the Jerusalem Chronicle subscriptions are now on-line. Visit: www.jcnonline.com. ******* The LawKeepers welcome your articles, poems, and Exaltation and Sanctification of Our Most High GOD, YIHOVAH, The Holy ONE of Israel! ******* “Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land
of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me: for there is no saviour
besides me.”
Hosea 13:4 Yehudah
ben Yacob, President (MilzAhead@AOL.COM) Nathaniel
Yisrael, Vice-President
Tziona Yisrael, Executive Secretary / Editor of The LawKeepers JOURNAL
(Afraqueen@AOL.COM) (www.thelawkeepers.org /
Click on JOURNAL for past issues.) (We Exalt and Sanctify the
GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and profess the Laws HE gave to HIS Prophet
Moses.) Please support our desires to establish a TORAH Hebrew Community (housing, K-12 School, farm and equipment, and Health Center). Please contact Yehudah ben Yisrael at the above E-mail addresses in this
regard.
Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding, Proverb 4:7 /
Deuteronomy 28th Chapter is all about The African Slave
Trade. |