REGRESO A LAS RAICES JUDIAS

QUE ES COMIDA CASHRUT o KOSHER?

El cashrut (del hebreo כַּשְׁרוּת, "correcto" o "apropiado"; aquello que cumple con los preceptos del cashrut es casher, כָּשֵׁר, conocido también por su pronunciación en yídish, kósher) es la parte de los preceptos de la religión judía que trata de lo que los practicantes pueden y no pueden ingerir, basado en los preceptos bíblicos del Levítico 11. Tales reglas, interpretadas y expandidas a lo largo de los siglos, determinan con precisión qué alimentos se consideran puros, es decir, cuáles cumplen con los preceptos de la religión y cuáles no son casher (éstos últimos se llaman, en hebreo, trefá, טְרֵפָה).
Usualmente se asocia la idea de cashrut con dos de las costumbres alimenticias de los judíos: la que establece que los cárnicos no deben ser consumidos al mismo tiempo que los lácteos; y la que prohíbe a los judíos comer carne porcina en cualquiera de sus formas (Levítico 11:7). Esta idea de lo que es casher es sólo parcialmente correcta, pues el concepto en realidad es mucho más vasto y se extiende a prácticamente todos los alimentos y, ciertamente, a los mencionados anteriormente.
La etiqueta casher (aunque es más frecuente la palabra kosher) que reciben ciertos productos alimenticios indica que dichos productos respetan los preceptos de la religión judía, y que por tanto se consideran puros y aptos para ser ingeridos por los practicantes de dicha religión.

Alimentos explícitamente prohibidos

La Torá permite el consumo de los animales terrestres que tienen pezuñas hendidas y rumian (estas dos características deben darse al mismo tiempo). El cerdo, la liebre, el tejón, el camello y varios animales más no cumplen ese requisito; por lo tanto, las reglas del cashrut establecen que no se deben consumir las carnes de estos animales.
De los animales acuáticos, está permitido el consumo de los que tienen aletas y escamas (estas dos características deben darse al mismo tiempo). Por lo tanto el consumo de las langostas, camarones, ostras, cangrejos, tiburón y bagre está prohibido.
En las aves, la distinción es menos clara: la Torá provee una lista explícita de aves impuras, sin explicar el por qué lo son. Aunque la mayoría son aves de rapiña o carroñeras, de modo que las interpretaciones rabínicas suelen colocar todas las aves de presa y de carroña entre las "no casher". Debido a que la definición del cashrut es menos clara con las aves, se ha generado una larga polémica entre los estudiosos del judaísmo respecto a si las aves provenientes del Nuevo Mundo (p. ej. el pavo) eran casher o no, pues éstas no son mencionadas en la Torá. En el caso del pavo, la mayoría de las opiniones se decantan en considerarla como casher, pero aun así existen opiniones encontradas en algunas corrientes.

Entre los insectos alados, algunos pocos están permitidos, como la langosta y el saltamontes, mientras que todo el resto de los insectos voladores están prohibidos. Asimismo lo están roedores, reptiles, anfibios e insectos rastreros.
Hay que notar que la prohibición se extiende a todos los productos derivados de los animales mencionados anteriormente, tales como las vísceras, leche, huevos, etc. Una notable excepción es la miel de abejas, que es considerada ampliamente como casher, mientras que las abejas en sí no lo son. Una explicación común de esto es que la miel es un producto de las flores, aunque las abejas lo almacenen en sus cuerpos y luego en sus panales. También debe considerarse que la miel es explícitamente mencionada varias veces en la Torá como un producto noble, formando parte incluso del nombre poético dado varias veces a Israel: "tierra que mana leche y miel". Cabe notar que existen opiniones afirmando que la miel referida en dicha frase es la miel de higos o dátiles, y no la miel de abeja.

Shejitá

Paquete de crema con uno de los más aceptados símbolos certificados de kosher: la U circulada.
Las reglas del cashrut establecen también que los animales permitidos deben ser matados de cierta manera para ser consumibles. Los animales que han muerto por causas naturales, con enfermedades o defectos en sus órganos internos, están prohibidos.
La matanza ritual o shejitá es efectuada por el shojet y consiste en un corte profundo y uniforme en la garganta del animal, con un cuchillo perfectamente afilado y sin defectos. No es raro que el shojet y el rabino sean la misma persona.
El propósito de este corte es que el animal sufra lo menos posible.

Desangramiento

La Torá prohíbe explícitamente el consumo de sangre, de modo que los animales y sus carnes deben ser desangrados totalmente antes de ser consumidos, salándolos. Los peces están exentos de esta regla.
La prohibición se extiende a otros alimentos: una mancha de sangre en un huevo lo convierte en no casher o taref.

Grasas y órganos prohibidos

Ciertas partes de los animales considerados como casher están prohibidos, en particular, las grasas que se encuentran alrededor de los órganos vitales y del hígado, así como el nervio ciático. En algunas comunidades judías solamente se consumen los cuartos delanteros de los animales para evitar que se trate de carne o grasas que no son kosher.

Símbolos de identificación para el consumidor

Los productos alimenticios comerciales sujetos a inspección rabínica se identifican por símbolos de acuerdo a la institución que realiza la inspección. Se denominan Hejsher. Por ejemplo:
Una letra U encerrada en un círculo. Responde a la Unión Ortodoxa, es uno de los más aceptados en el mundo.
Diversos diseños con la letra K (de kosher) rodeada de otras letras, gráficos o símbolos.

Separación de cárnicos y lácteos

La Torá expresa explícitamente y en varias oportunidades que "un cabrito no debe ser cocido en la leche de su madre" (Éxodo 23:19; Éxodo 34:26; Deuteronomio 14:21). Esta afirmación se extiende a la idea que los lácteos y los cárnicos provenientes de mamíferos no deben ser consumidos juntos. Aunque las fuentes rabínicas han extendido la prohibición también hacia los lácteos y las aves. Está permitido consumir pescado y lácteos, o huevos y lácteos al mismo tiempo.

Los alimentos se clasifican en: lácteos, cárnicos y neutros (Parve). Las aves se clasifican como cárnicos pese a no cumplir la norma de ser carne de animal rumiante de pezuña hendida. Los peces se clasifican como neutros. Los alimentos neutros pueden ser consumidos tanto con lácteos como con cárnicos.

Aunque con respecto a los pescados hay quienes no los comen juntamente con carnes (de animales o de aves) y acostumbran a lavar los utensilios con los que se ha comido pescado antes de utilizarlos para comer carnes.
La separación se aplica también para los utensilios utilizados para prepararlos. Se asume que la cocina perteneciente a una familia judía practicante tiene un juego de sartenes, cucharas, platos y hasta fregadero dedicados a los platillos hechos a base de lácteos, y otra completa para los cárnicos y aves.
La separación entre el consumo de unos y otros varía en función de la corriente del judaísmo a la que el comensal pertenezca, y de cuál se consuma primero. Si se consumen carnes primero, se prohíbe el consumo de lácteos durante varias horas, pues se considera por tradición que las carnes suelen dejar residuos en los dientes.
Si se consume lácteos primero, para consumir carnes basta limpiarse la boca, y consumir algún alimento sólido como el pan según algunas corrientes, en otras es necesario dejar pasar un pequeño período. Salvo en el caso que el lácteo sea del tipo untuoso y deje residuos en los dientes.
Como con el resto de los alimentos, una cantidad ínfima de lácteo convierte a un platillo en completamente lácteo según las reglas del cashrut, igualmente con los cárnicos.

Utensilios

Los utensilios de cocina son también considerados dentro de las reglas del cashrut. Como se mencionó anteriormente, el contacto de cierta clase de alimento (ya sea lácteo o cárnico) con los platos, cucharas, vasos, sartenes, etc., los convierte en exclusivos para la clase de alimento que los toque. Cualquier utensilio (por ejemplo, para carnes) que llegue a entrar en contacto con la otra clase (los lácteos), se convierte en no casher e inapto para servir a la cocina.
Los observantes de la norma casher deben tener mucho cuidado para evitar que ambas clases de utensilios se arruinen mutuamente, incluso en el instante de lavarlos.

Productos de la vid

El proceso de elaboración del vino debe ser llevado a cabo en su totalidad por judíos, desde el momento en que se pisan las uvas; esta prohibición se remonta a la época en la cual el vino era utilizado en el culto a los ídolos. Un vino que había sido usado en libación era llamado "Iain Nesej", por lo cual comienza a regir la prohibición de que cualquier idólatra (incluso si era judío) que tocara el vino ya lo impurificaba para su consumo, porque podría haber planeado utilizarlo como idolatría y eso ya era suficiente para inutilizarlo para su consumo.
Hoy en día, a pesar de que no es tan común la idolatría, la prohibición sigue en pie, por ello existe el "Iain Mevushal", vino hervido o pasteurizado, que no se impurifica al tacto de un idólatra, y que es el que comúnmente se emplea en los ritos judíos.
Por ello todos los productos derivados de la uva requieren certificación rabínica.

El uso de la sal

La carne para ser considerada Casher no debe contener sangre, por lo cual pasa por un proceso de salado y lavado para ser apta para el uso. Hoy en día la carne Casher se vende mayormente con el proceso de salado hecho.

Lista de animales impuros

Esta es la lista de animales que son considerados impuros.
águila
buitre
camaleón
camelidos (Camello y Llama)
caracol
cerdo
murciélago
cigüeña
cisne
cormorán
cuculidae
buitre quebrantahuesos
leporídae (liebre y conejo)
mochuelo
mustela nivalis
hurón
pelícano
ratón
sauria
topo

Otros animales impuros

abulón
almeja
ardilla
asno
ballena
caballito de mar
cacatúa
calamar
camarón
cangrejo
canguro
cebra
cocodrilo
cuervo
delfín
elefante
erizo
estrella de mar
gato
guepardo
gusano
hormiga
langosta
lince
lobo
loro
Mantarraya
medusa
mono
ornitorrinco
oso
pantera
perro
pingüino
rata
serpiente
equidna
tiburón
tigre
tortuga
wombat
zorro

"Christians fasting - what does the Bible say?"

The Scripture does not command Christians to fast. God does not require or demand it of Christians. At the same time, the Bible presents fasting as something that is good, profitable, and beneficial. The book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:4; 14:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2:37; 5:33). Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. Instead, the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world to focus completely on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God, and to ourselves, that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Fasting helps us gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God.

Although fasting in Scripture is almost always a fasting from food, there are other ways to fast. Anything given up temporarily in order to focus all our attention on God can be considered a fast (1 Corinthians 7:1-5). Fasting should be limited to a set time, especially when fasting from food. Extended periods of time without eating can be harmful to the body. Fasting is not intended to punish the flesh, but to redirect attention to God. Fasting should not be considered a “dieting method” either. The purpose of a biblical fast is not to lose weight, but rather to gain deeper fellowship with God. Anyone can fast, but some may not be able to fast from food (diabetics, for example). Everyone can temporarily give up something in order to draw closer to God.

By taking our eyes off the things of this world, we can more successfully turn our attention to Yeshua. Fasting is not a way to get God to do what we want. Fasting changes us, not God. Fasting is not a way to appear more spiritual than others. Fasting is to be done in a spirit of humility and a joyful attitude. Matthew 6:16-18 declares, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Recommended Resource: A Hunger for God by John Piper.

EL CODIGO REAL - YESHUA EL Jesus JUDIO

 

- Cortesia del Rabino Dan Ben Abraham

Para mas informacion http://www.judiosmesianicos.com/id41.htm

 

FAITH AND FATE THE STORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE

 

Faith and Fate is a documentary telling the story of the Jews in the 20th Century.

This episode introduces the uniqueness of Jewish history in the 20th century within the context of world history. At the turn of the 20th century, Jews were scattered across the globe, representing only of one percent of the worlds population. It was a time of empires, imperial rule and colonial expansionism. In Russia the masses, including the Jews, lived in dire poverty which was compounded by grassroots antisemitism. In 1905
the Russian masses revolted and there was a general strike. On Bloody Sunday the Czar responded with force. The Czar did not abdicate until 1917, which is typically the date given for the second Russian Revolution, which, in turn, led to increased pogroms against the Jews. The pogroms and the economic conditions forced approximately 40% of Jewish population to leave the Russian Empire and go to Western countries including the United States and to Palestine and other countries as far away as South
Africa and Australia.

The Sephardic Jews living in Moslem and Arab countries at the turn of the 20th Century maintained their own rich Jewish traditions and heritage, which often differed from those of the Ashkenazim. There was relative peace within the Jewish community and among the leadership in these Arab and Moslem countries, and although life was sometimes difficult, these Sephardic Jews did not experience, by and large, pogroms or the influences of the Enlightenment or Reform Judaism.

How did the Sephardic Jews ended up In Mexico and America?

When the Roman Legions overran the Jewish nation, much of the Jewish population was sent into exile throughout the Roman Empire. Many were sent to the IBERIAN peninsula. The area became known by the Hebrew word SEPHARD meaning "far away". The JEWS in SPAIN and PORTUGAL became known as SEPHARDIM or SEPHARDI, and those things associated with the SEPHARDIM including names, customs, genealogy and religious rites, became known as SEPHARDIC. Sephardic names were well developed in Aragon by the year 1213. (Note reference 22, below.) Many of the names were of Hebrew derivation. A much lesser number were composed of a first name and a geographic location, many times the result of conversion.

The Jewish nation in Iberia, numbering approximately 750,000 in the year 1492, were banished from Spain by royal decree of Ferdinand and Isabella. (Ferdinand's grandmother was Jewish.) (For a description of the 1492 expulsion as written in 1495, see the link in Section IV, Lore) The Jews of Portugal, were banished by royal decree several years later. Relief from the banishment decrees and restoration of civil rights was promised to those Jews who remained and converted to Catholicism. These converts were called CONVERSOS or MARRANOS (converts or pigs in Spanish) and ANUSIM (forced ones in Hebrew). Some of the Jewish population converted in name only, other converted by choice. All of the Jews, whether those who left the country with their Jewish religious beliefs intact, and those that were converted are described as being SEPHARDIM or being of SEPHARDIC heritage.

Many of the SEPHARDIM left Spain after conversion because life as a "new Christian" or Marrano was not as promised. "Clean Blood" laws were established to deny the "new Christian" the same civil rights as the "old Christian". Many left the Iberian peninsula where some reverted, and others did not. The converted population that remained under the influence of Spanish or Portuguese control or the control of countries heavily influenced by the Catholic Church could not openly revert to Judaism for fear of punishment inflicted by the inquisition. The punishment for reversion or secret adherence varied from humiliation to death by fire. Many Hispanics today practice Jewish customs without knowing the source. Many are still secret Jews.

The Sephardic Jews escape to America in 1492

The history of the Jews in the Americas dates back to Christopher Columbus and his first trip crossing the Atlantic was on 3 August 1492, when he left Spain and eventually "discovered" the New World. Your departure date was also the day when the Catholic Monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon decreed that the Jews of Spain either had to convert to Catholicism, depart the country or face death for defiance of the monarch .

There were at least seven Jews (or crypto-Jews, Marranos, or sincere Jewish converts to Catholicism) who sailed with Columbus on his first voyage including Rodrigo de Triana, who was first to sight land (Columbus later assumed credit for this), Hernan Cortez, Maestre Bernal, who served as the expedition's doctor, and Luis de Torres, the interpreter, who speaks Hebrew and Arabic, which was believed would be useful in the East - their destination. Another Jewish Viceroy Don Luis de Carvajal introduced over 200 families of Jews to America, brought in from Portugal sarpado vessels on their way to New Spain dela settlements.

LUIS DE CARVAJAL FUNDA EL REINO DE LEON (Monterrey La capital De Los Judios)

Luis de Carvajal the Younger was the nephew and designated heir named the first governor of Nuevo Reino de Leon. Possibly the largest tract of land granted by Spain to anyone, (360,000 square leagues) The Lands of the Kingdom of Leon was given by Philip II and was extended from eastern Mexico through the southwestern USA.
(See below map)
When Luis learned that he was a Jew, the impact on him was enormous. A man of culture, literature and the verses he knew how to play the harp and sing, knew several languages and possessed a great spirit, Luis was unable or unwilling to hide their faith. It was around that could convince anyone to observe the "law of Moses"; prayers attributed to him are recited to inquisitors of a century after his subsequent death of the victims. He was arrested, and cells become Inquisitions his cell mate, a monk, to Judaism.

He also changed his name to Joseph Lumbroso: Joseph after the biblical dreamer, since Luis also has inspired dreams and Lumbroso which means the Enlightened One. After his first arrest, torture and imprisonment - knowing that a second arrest meant the game - not to yield. Jose Luis was denounced by a new one. His second arrest was marked with religious pride and perseverance that made its mark even in his executioners. The suicide attempt, hoping to escape the allegation and others under torture. He discussed those sent to convert him eloquence, knowledge and spirit. More info on Luis de Carvajal HERE.

This map shows the nearly 200,000 Spanish Jews who went into exile in Portugal, northern Europe and the entire Mediterranean basin were called Sepharades or Sephardim, based on the Hebrew name for Spain.

This summary of the countries the Jews were expelled from helps trace our ancestry through Europe.

70 Jews defeated in Judea by Romans, Diaspora begins, 100,000 Jewish slaves exported
673 Jews expelled from Spain
855 Jews expelled from Italy
1180 Jews expelled from France
1290 Jews expelled from England
1360 Jews expelled from Hungary
1348 Jews expelled from Germany
1348 the Black Death raged in Germany
1394 Jews expelled from France
1421 Jews expelled from Austria
1445 Jews expelled from Lithuania
1492 Jews expelled from Spain
1497 Jews expelled from Portugal
1687 Jews no longer welcome in Norway
1693 major famine in France
1710 Black Death in Denmark and Sweden

Seymour Liebman, in his seminal book The Jews of New Spain, translated the words of Father Luis Contreras walked to his fate: "He was always such a good Jew and reconciling their understanding, which was very deep and sensitive, with its very inspired Divine determination to defend the Law of Gd - the Mosaic - and to fight for it. I do not doubt that if he had lived before the Incarnation of our Redeemer, would have been a heroic Hebrew and his name would have been so famous in the Bible as are the names of those who died in defense of their rights when necessary. "

LISTS OF SURNAMES WITH USED BY SEPHARDIC JEWS WHEN THEY LANDED IN AMERICA

The names listed on this site have been identified as Sephardic by civil and religious records and creditable authors. These names have been used by Spanish and Portuguese Jews and conversos and many are found today, world wide in Hispanic and Sephardic communities and references. Some names may no longer exist in their old form. While not an expert in patronymics, some names, such as ABRAVANEL are unmistakably of Hebrew origin. Other names, such as IBN YAHIA, appear to be of Arabic origin. Still other names such as CASTRO and FRANCO appear to be of Hispanic origin, the vast majority of these names belonged to Jews at the time of expulsion. Still other names (conversion names or Christian names) were assigned to Jews at conversion, such as DE SEVILLA and SANTA MARIA. Many of these names were the family names of the Christian "sponsors".

Many of the names have been changed in the course of migration from one country to another, such as Pena to Penha. Other names have incorporated a prefix such as D', Da, De, or Do, with the surname, so that D'Avila could be spelled DAVILA. Other names normally found with a prefix, may be listed with or without the prefix. For example, d' ANDRADE, da ANDRADE, de ANDRADE, may be listed as ANDRADE or ANDRADE 'D. The following prefixes may sometime be interchangeable; Aben, Ibn, Aven, Avin and Ben. These prefixes may be found separated or attached to the stem name. It would be prudent to search for names both with and without prefixes.

One should check for variations in spelling. For example, the names Sejas, Cejas, Aceijas, Seixas, Aseixas, Acejas, Acezas, Asexas, Azeixas, and Xexas are considered variants of the same name. It should also be noted that many Sephardim who left the Iberian Peninsula and practiced Judaism, changed their names and used aliases to protect their families who remained in Spain and Portugal.

Some individuals insist that all names ending in ez in Spain and es (meaning son of) elsewhere, denote Sephardic heritage. This is may or may not be the case.

Not all individuals bearing these names may be SEPHARDIM, or of SEPHARDIC origin, nor are they necessarily Jewish or secret Jews. The authors of references from which names were extracted have identified the names as Jewish at one time. No inference is made that Hispanics carrying the names found below are Jewish. We have added a DNA capability to explore the ethnic origin of Anusim/Sephardic/Jewish names. The names on this site are provided only as an aid to genealogical research. Many of the references listed on this site can be obtained through your municipal public library system or through the Inter-library Loan program or purchased from a commercial firm on this site.

SEPHARDIC NAMES SEARCH ENGINE CLICK HERE

re: hhtp://www.sephardim.com

Family Tree DNA is the pioneer and the world's largest DNA testing company in the new field of genetic genealogy.
If you are looking for that long-lost relative or ancestor, or if you feel that some day, someone may use a DNA repository to look for long-lost relatives, you should consider doing this simple DNA test.

Your ancestors left clues in your DNA which you can use to determine your deep ancestral origins and to link you with others in recent time. We can compare your results with our database - the largest of its kind in the world - and tell you whether those clues indicate possible Jewish ancestry and whether you match others who are Jewish. Our Jewish comparative databases are the largest in the world, containing records for Ashkenazim and Sephardim, as well as Levites and Cohanim.

Y-DNA: Males can test their Y-DNA to determine the origin of their paternal line, including the possibility of Jewish and Cohanim ancestry. Note that the Y-DNA strictly checks the paternal line, with no influence from any females along that line. Females do not receive the Y-DNA, and therefore females cannot be tested for the paternal line. If you are a female and would like to know about your paternal line, you would need to have a brother or a male relative from that line to be tested.

mtDNA: Both males and females can test their mtDNA to determine the origin of their maternal line. We compare your results with the data from the landmark study published by Dr. Doron Behar, our Chief mtDNA Scientist, and quoted by NY Times, CNN, BBC, and other major media outlets. Note that the mtDNA strictly checks the maternal line, with no influence from any males along that line. Both males and females receive the mtDNA from the mother.

 

Como llegaron los Judios Sefarditas a America Latina, Estados Unicos y a Mexico?

Para este enlace en Espanol Oprima Aqui

BUSQUE SU APELLIDO JUDIO SEFARDITA

OPRIMA AQUI

 

Mount Moriah, Site of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Even prior to the conquest of the city of Jebus - which became the City of David, (1 Chronicles 11:4) - we know of the existence of Jerusalem from the record of Abraham's visit to Melchizedek there, recorded in Genesis Chapter 14. Although the original inhabitants were descendants of Noah's son Caanan, Melchizedek was both a priest and a king of "God Most High," in Jerusalem about 4 millennia ago. Melchizedek (his name means "king of righteousness") was a man to whom Abraham paid tithes, and he is a "type" of Jesus Christ as the believer's Great High Priest, (Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5-7).

Jerusalem does not lie on any important trade routes nor is there any natural reason why this city should be one of the most important places in the world for more than four thousand years. Jerusalem lies at the crest of a low range of hills which are a barrier to winter rains from the Mediterranean Sea which is only 30 miles to the West. Immediately to the East, annual rainfall drops nearly to zero in the Judean Wilderness. The elevation to the East also drops rapidly to the Dead Sea, falling to 1290 feet below sea level, in less than 15 miles as the crow flies.

Jerusalem's importance as a site chosen by God for His special purposes dates from the call of God to Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, in the city of Jebus, as recorded in Genesis 22. (This important event in the life of Abraham is known to the Jews as "the Akeda" or "the binding of Isaac.")

"After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you."

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

So Abraham called the name of that place The LORD will provide; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided." And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice." So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.
The topographic map shows that Mount Moriah is not a single peak, but an elongated ridge which commences to rise at its Southern end at the junction of the Kidron and Hinnom Valleys, at the original City of David, (elevation approximately 600 meters). The ridge then climbs in elevation to a maximum of 777 meters just Northeast of the present Damascus Gate of the Old City. The Temple Mount, prominent in most photos of Jerusalem occupies an area of about 45 acres. However the elevation of the bedrock outcropping on the Temple Mount within the Dome of the Rock Moslem shrine is only 741 meters.

A distinctly separate "mountain" is Mount Zion (elevation 772 meters) which lies about 600 meters to the West. In ancient times a deep valley, the Tyropean Valley, or Valley of the Cheesemakers, separated Mt. Zion from Mt. Moriah. Today many layers of ruined city and rubble from Jerusalem's many destructions completely fills this valley. In fact at the Western Wall, the Kotel, or Jewish prayer plaza, about half of the old wall of the Temple Mount lies below the present ground level. (Sometimes Scripture calls all of Jerusalem "Zion" or "Mt. Zion"). Outside the present old city walls, the traditional tomb of David and site of the Upper Room are located on present-day Mt. Zion, as well as the Church of the Domition and the Institute of Holy Land Studies.

East of Mt. Moriah a few hundred meters is the Mount of Olives which is about 100 meters higher than the high points of Mt. Zion or Mt. Moriah. Jesus ascended to heaven from the summit of the Mt. of Olives according to Acts 1:1-12 and will make his triumphant return to earth from the same location, according to Zechariah 14:4. At the Western base of the Mount of Olives just above the Kidron Brook is the Garden of Gethsamene. This was not only the place of Jesus' arrest and final prayers, it was a popular spot where he and his disciples often met and slept.

There is some archaeological evidence to suppose that the place of the crucifixion of Jesus was at the summit of Mt. Moriah, probably near the present-day Damascus Gate and the Garden Tomb which would of course be a literal fulfillment of Abraham's offering of Isaac when God said, "On the mount of the Lord it [the final offering for sin] will be provided."

Late in his reign as King of Jersualem David erred grievously in the sight of the Lord by ordering a census. (I Chronicles 21, 2 Samuel 24). As part of his repentance before the Lord, David purchased a large piece of property owned by a Jebusite man named Ornan (or Araunah) for 600 shekels of gold. David's purchase of Ornan's property seems to have included an additional 50 shekels of silver for the purchase threshing floor proper, and oxen for sacrifice. David then erected an altar there and offered sacrifices there.

It was David's intent to build a temple to the Lord on this property, on Mt. Moriah, however God chose Solomon for this task instead, after allowing David to amass the material resources that would be required. (I Chronciles 22ff, 1 Kings 5ff).

Our knowledge of the topography of present-day Jerusalem is due to a careful survey of Israel by the Palestine Exploration Society in 1868-1881. Cisterns and sub-surface rooms under the Temple Mount were also more accessible then and were mapped by Sir Charles Warren.

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!"
Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem, built as a city which is bound firmly together,
to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
There thrones for judgment were set,
the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
"May they prosper who love you!
Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers!"
For my brethren and companions' sake I will say, "Peace be within you!"
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

(Psalm 122)

Mount Moriah...

by Lambert Dolphin
Email: lambert@ldolphin.org
Web Pages: http://ldolphin.org/

Question: "What are the different English Bible versions?"

Answer: Depending on how one distinguishes a different Bible version from a revision of an existing Bible version, there are as many as 50 different English versions of the Bible. The question then arises: Is there really a need for so many different English versions of the Bible? The answer is, of course, no, there is no need for 50 different English versions of the Bible. This is especially true considering that there are hundreds of languages into which the entire Bible has not yet been translated. At the same time, there is nothing wrong with there being multiple versions of the Bible in a language. In fact, multiple versions of the Bible can actually be an aid in understanding the message of the Bible.

There are two primary reasons for the different English Bible versions. (1) Over time, the English language changes/develops, making updates to an English version necessary. If a modern reader were to pick up a 1611 King James Version of the Bible, it would be virtually unreadable. Everything from the spelling, to syntax, to grammar, to phraseology is very different. Linguists state that the English language has changed more in the past 400 years than the Greek language has changed in the past 2000 years. Several times in church history, believers have gotten used to a particular Bible version and become fiercely loyal to it, resisting any attempts to update/revise it. This occurred with the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, and more recently, the King James Version. Fierce loyalty to a particular version of the Bible is illogical and counterproductive. When the Bible was written, it was written in the common language of the people at that time. When the Bible is translated, it should be translated into how a people/language group speaks/reads at that time, not how it spoke hundreds of years ago.

(2) There are different translation methodologies for how to best render the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into English. Some Bible versions translate as literally (word-for-word) as possible, commonly known as formal equivalence. Some Bible versions translate less literally, in more of a thought-for-thought method, commonly known as dynamic equivalence. All of the different English Bible versions are at different points of the formal equivalence vs. dynamic equivalence. The New American Standard Bible and the King James Version would be to the far end of the formal equivalence side, while paraphrases such as The Living Bible and The Message would be to the far end of the dynamic equivalence side.

The advantage of formal equivalence is that it minimizes the translator inserting his/her own interpretations into the passages. The disadvantage of formal equivalence is that it often produces a translation so woodenly literal that it is not easily readable/understandable. The advantage of dynamic equivalence is that it usually produces a more readable/understandable Bible version. The disadvantage of dynamic equivalence is that it sometimes results in this is what I think it means instead of translate this is what it says. Neither method is right or wrong. The best Bible version is likely produced through a balance of the two methodologies.

In choosing which Bible version(s) you are going to use/study, do research, discuss with Christians you respect, read them for yourself, and ultimately, ask God for wisdom regarding which Bible version He desires you to use.

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