This past week I took a break from work, a week of vacation that I had scheduled several months ago. One of the things I did on this week off was to have my parents over for dinner. After a delightful meal outside on the deck on a mild evening and a nice time of conversation, as my parents made their way to the door to leave my mother asked me a question; “what is this, on your doorframe”? The mezuzah my mother was referring to has been on the doorframe of my front door for over 3 years now, although she had failed to notice it. As I explained the mezuzah and its purpose to her and my father, I couldn’t help but think about an incident from several years ago.
While attending the housewarming party of a Christian friend, she related to a group of us an interesting incident in finding and purchasing her first home. When the realtor initially took her to see the house the first thing that caught her attention was the “superstitious Jewish amulet” on the front door that “those Jews use to ward off evil spirits”. Upon seeing this symbol on the door she was filled with doubt and fear and wondered if she should even step foot inside the home. Would the L-RD want her to live in a place that had been previously owned by Jews? Not wanting to seem unreasonable, and out of consideration for the realtor’s efforts, my friend did go into the house and found that it was exactly what she had been looking for.
Several weeks later, the first thing she did after signing papers and obtaining the keys to her new home was to drive there with hammer in tow and pry the evil symbols off of every entryway. She found that inside each amulet was a little scroll of paper with “incantations and spells written in Hebrew”. After removing every one of the “symbols of witchcraft” she burned them in the fireplace until they were nothing but ashes. As she related the story with a tone of disgust, I listened with clueless interest. I was totally unaware that Jews put amulets on their doors in the way she described. The entire thing seemed scary and bizarre, and I admired her for taking quick action against such superstition and wickedness.
Little did I realize or could ever imagine, that in less than five years time I would affix such “amulets” upon the entry doors of my own home, not as a means of warding off evil spirits through secretly written Hebrew incantations and spells, but as a means of keeping the commandment to write the words of G-d upon the doorposts of my house. A symbol of faith in G-d’s word rather than fear of what might lie outside my door. Although I have lost contact with my friend, I couldn’t help but think about how she would react to see a mezuzah attached to my front door, and the fear and disgust it would surely produce to witness such a Jewish symbol on the home of a fellow Christian.
During this vacation week I also enjoyed the luxury of extended study time. With the fast of the 17th of Tammuz occurring on Thursday I found myself reading extensively about the Three Weeks, Tisha B’av and the destruction of the first and second Temples that is commemorated during this mournful time of year. Quite unexpectedly I found myself considering the topic of fear at the very heart of it all.
The Jerusalem Talmud (Yoma 1:1) states;
In every generation in which the Temple is not rebuilt, it is as if it was destroyed in its days
From this the sages understand that every generation in which the Temple is not rebuilt is responsible for its destruction because the same sins that caused the initial destruction have not been fully repented of. The Babylonian Talmud (Yoma 9b) explains that the sin which caused the destruction of the second Temple was “baseless hatred”. Although the gross sins of idol worship, immorality and bloodshed were the cause of the destruction of the first Temple, the sages ponder the fact that the first Temple was reconstructed within 70 years of its demise while the second Temple has not been rebuilt for almost 2000 years. From this it is deduced that the generation of the first Temple was better or more righteous than the generation of the second Temple for the first Temple was reconstructed fairly quickly while the second Temple has not been rebuilt for nearly two millennia. In this way Israel has not merited the rebuilding of the Temple to this day.
After explaining in detail the idol worship, immorality and bloodshed that “filled Jerusalem” due to the generation of the first Temple, the chazal remarkably go on to say that “they were wicked but they placed their trust in the Holy One, blessed be He”. The matter of trust (bitachon) was the difference between the generations of the first and second Temples. A lack of trust was the cause of the second Temple destruction and also the cause of its failure to be rebuilt. Although the generation of the first Temple committed incredibly wicked and gross sins they yet are understood to have maintained a trust in G-d. The generation of the second Temple, who were very strict about keeping the mitzvot and also very charitable, are yet described as not having trust in HaShem. How can this be?
Bitachon (trust) is a popular topic in Mussar (Jewish character development) literature. In general, the characteristic of trust encompasses two qualities; a. belief that G-d will provide b. belief that nothing happens by chance. [1] Although life circumstances and opportunities come from the hand of G-d a person of trust recognizes that in all circumstances, both good/pleasing and bad/challenging, that there is a greater godly purpose (and opportunity) behind it all.
The Chazon Ish explains the concept of bitachon in the following parable;
In a small town, a man once opened a small grocery store directly across the street from another grocery. As soon as the old grocer saw the sign in the window announcing the opening, he went across the street and met the new merchant. He shook hands and welcomed him warmly, then sat down and taught him all the tricks of the trade. When other merchants asked why the grocer had been so nice to his competitor he answered with a well-known Talmudic saying; “All sustenance of a person is determined for him from New Year to New Year. Only HaShem can take it away”. In other words, there’s nothing to worry about. What will be will be. [2]
At the very heart of trusting HaShem is a lack of fear as displayed by the example of the grocer above. One can help and aid his fellow without fear that he will ultimately hurt himself for all sustenance is from HaShem. Fear and trust cannot reside in the heart at the same time. A heart that fears cannot trust and also cannot love. Love presupposes trust for one cannot love that which he does not trust. If love requires trust than hatred requires distrust, a person hates another person because he cannot trust them.
With this in mind the contrast of the generations of the first and second Temples can be understood. The generation of the first Temple committed horrendous outward sins, but inwardly they still trusted their fellow Jew and maintained a love for their people Israel. Although their outward actions were reprehensible they did not fear their fellow brothers or view them as a threat. Despite the moral degeneracy all around them they still believed that G-d was among them (Yoma 9b). In this way in the midst of the most sinful behavior they maintained a trust in G-d.
The generation of the second Temple outwardly maintained an appearance of strict righteousness, of devotion to the mitzvot and giving to charity, yet their hearts were filled with fear and distrust of their fellow brothers and such insecurity caused them to hate each other as expressed through quarreling, bickering and infighting. The reality of such fear is evidenced in the gospel accounts where the leaders are repeatedly said to fear the people and to fear Yeshua.
Perhaps the most revealing example of this is seen in Yeshua’s teaching surrounding the cleansing of the Temple as described in Mark 11:17-18;
And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. (ESV, emphasis mine)
Instead of reacting like the righteous grocer in the parable of Chazon Ish, the Jewish leaders feared Yeshua as dangerous competition. They feared how his influence would affect them and did everything they could to undermine this fellow Jew who was heralded as a prophet by many and whose teachings were being taken seriously.
Ironically, the verse from Isaiah that Yeshua referenced in Mark 11:18 is contained in the haftarah of Isaiah 55:6-56:8 read during the afternoon service on the fast of Tammuz 17 and the 9th of Av. As Jews all over the globe contemplate five tragedies that occurred on 17 Tammuz and enter into a three week time of increasing sadness and repentance that culminates with the fast of the 9th of Av (the day in which both first and second Temples were completely destroyed), the following verses are considered;
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people” . . . .
“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant– these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:3, 6-7 KJV).
Traditionally it is understood that Yeshua’s cleansing of the Temple was in response to the buying and selling that was occurring in the court of the Gentiles which hindered and distracted people of the nations in praying to and worshipping HaShem. Yet, how would such actions and teaching have amazed the crowds and caused the leaders to fear him to the point of wanting to destroy him?
The leaders were certainly not threatened by the Gentiles in the outer court, totally distanced from the Temple itself by the wall called the “soreg” which contained the warning that any Gentile treading beyond it or too close to the Temple itself would suffer the penalty of death. The crowd (presumably mainly Gentiles) would not have been in awe of a man who bullied some of the merchants so that the large courtyard might be a more reverent and quiet spot to pray. For in reality the actual worship and sacrifices took place behind the massive walls of the Temple complex itself making it impossible for anyone in the outer courtyard to see or hear what was going on there, no matter how quiet or reverent the atmosphere in the court of the Gentiles may have been.
The teaching that awed the people of the nations and caused the leaders to fear was Yeshua’s referring to the court of the Gentiles as a “den (cavern) of robbers”. Like a cavern, the court of the Gentiles was a large enclosed place, a courtyard of approximately 20-30 acres that closed off the Temple completely from direct participation by the Gentiles. A place that robbed the foreigners of the nations, who joined themselves to HaShem, from participating in worship and offering of sacrifices directly, a contradiction to Isaiah 56:3, 6-7. What astounded the crowd and panicked the leaders was Yeshua’s teaching that believing people of the nations had the right to worship along with Israel in the Temple proper and to prohibit them from this was likened to spiritual thievery. This truth is also reiterated by Paul in Ephesians 2:11-16.
Incredibly at the heart of Yeshua’s teaching and the heart of 17 Tammuz and Tisha B’av are the admonitions of Isaiah 56. Year after year observant Jews all over the world lament the sin of baseless hatred that still plagues the rebuilding of the Temple, and contemplate numerous and varied suggestions as to what a lack of trust in HaShem truly involves. They desperately desire to repent and to see the Temple rebuilt. But could it be that contained in the very words of the haftarah chosen by the sages for such occasions is hidden the key to repentance, the heart of baseless hatred, and difficulty in trusting G-d regarding the rightful place of foreigners who have attached themselves to HaShem?
In like fashion, year after year as the Jews lament and mourn the Christians feel sad but generally believe that the destruction of the Temple is G-d’s punishment upon them for rejecting the Messiah. The idea of personal responsibility or remorse regarding the Temple’s reconstruction is absolutely foreign to them. Messianic Jews who desire to identify with and uphold Israel may pray, mourn and even fast along with those they relate to as brothers but taking personal responsibility for the Temple not being rebuilt is generally overlooked or not considered.
Yet, Yeshua’s teaching in Mark 11 not only had a fearful affect on the Jewish leaders but astounded those who were relegated to the courtyard. The words of Isaiah 56 are not only meant for the Jew but also for the foreigner who attaches himself to HaShem. For a Gentile to consider himself to be separated from Israel and her worship and her Torah while still believing in HaShem is a form of reverse baseless hatred toward their adopted family and a lack of trust in G-d Himself. How astounding to consider that believers of the nations are also accountable for the Temple not being rebuilt for nearly 2000 years, based on the words of the Messiah himself.
. . . . . . . . .
As I finished describing the purpose of the mezuzah to my parents they smiled and agreed that having a mezuzah was “a very nice thing”. Without further comment about it they kissed me good-bye and walked out of the door. As they left I contemplated what my parents would say if I were to suggest that as believers in G-d and His Messiah they should have mezuzot on their doors too and that not doing so is to disregard their rightful spiritual heritage. Without a doubt they would be astounded at my boldness and presumed legalism.
I thought about my friend at her housewarming party and the sad fact that millennia of errant teaching and doctrine that Christians are separate from G-d’s people Israel caused her to be completely ignorant and fearful of a beautiful and practical symbol of faithfulness and trust in G-d’s word. How astounded she would be to realize that the words of Scripture, including the greatest commandment of all as given by Yeshua himself, were incinerated in her fireplace that fateful day.
But perhaps the most astounding thing that has crossed my path regarding baseless hatred and general ignorance surrounding repentance and the Temple destruction, was a postcard that came in the mail a week ago, announcing a free concert to be held at a local Messianic synagogue on Friday and Saturday (July 10th and 11th). A popular recording artist was to perform and the public was invited to join in an “amazing and joyful time of worship, praise and celebration”.
As religious Jews throughout Northeastern Ohio begin to observe a three week time of sadness and contemplation in preparation for Tisha B’av, by refraining from joyful activities such as haircuts, purchasing new clothing and listening to music, those who stringently hold to their Jewish heritage as believers in Yeshua will be dancing and singing and celebrating joyfully in a neighboring town! As the Orthodox Jew contemplates a somber haftarah on Shabbat, the first of three which speak seriously of G-d’s judgment and punishment, the Messianic Jew will sit back and enjoy the words of popular songs set to light and cheerful worship music.
What a sad reality this paradox represents. A fear to be faced during these Three Weeks and a reality summed up so clearly in the very words of Yeshua himself regarding the destruction of the temple in Matthew 24;
And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. . . And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
(Mat 24:10 & 12 ESV)
[1] Alan Morinis, Everyday Holiness, Trumpeter (Boston & London), 2007, pp. 212, 213.
[2] Chazon Ish, as cited in Alan Morinis, ibid, p. 216.
