Genesis 3:15
The Christian sees deep significance in the words: “her seed” referring to Eve. The argument of the missionary is that since we only have reference to the “seed of the woman” and no mention is made of the seed of a man so we have a prophetic announcement of a “virgin birth”.
This argument fails for several reasons. According to this line of reasoning; every time that the Scriptures address an individual concerning their progeny using the term: “your seed” we ought to conclude that we are talking of a virgin birth (in those situations where a female is being addressed such as Genesis 16:10) or of a birth that is achieved through a male without a female (where a male is being addressed such as in Genesis 3:15 – the serpent). If this were true then we would have many virgin births announced in the Bible.
Furthermore…
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1000 Verses - a project of Judaism Resources 
R’B,
What do you think of this vvv by Orthodox Rabbi Harvey Falk?
The disciples of the Great Rabbinic sage and President (Nasi) of the Sanhedrin, Hillel the Great removed themselves from the religious-political scene in Jerusalem along with Hillel’s Vice-President (Av Beit Din) Menahem the Essene, the “Father of the House of Justice,” and his disciples about 20 CE.
The new Vice-President of the Sanhedrin (Av Beit Din) became Shammai and his followers were known as the School of the Pharisees of Shammai. They controlled the official temple culture during the days of the life and ministry of Jesus the Nazarene when He disputed with the “scribes and the Pharisees” in the temple at Jerusalem.
The Pharisees of Beit Shammai denied that salvation was for the Gentile pagans who desired to believe in the God of Israel.
The School of Shammai along with the High Priest family of Ananus the Elder felt that Jesus the Nazarene was a threat to the Temple culture in Jerusalem and a danger to the Jewish people.
The Temple of Herod and the city of Jerusalem was destroyed because the Pharisees of the School of Shammai and the high priest office controlled by the family of Ananus the Elder hated and despised the Gentile world.
The Prophet Elijah’s message was in condemnation of the death of Jesus the Nazarene.
After the Temple of Herod was destroyed in 70 CE, the “Heavenly Voice” (bat kol) was heard at Yavneh in Judea where the Sanhedrin was reestablished after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. It affirmed that the “opinion” of the School of Hillel would be the official Jewish voice on the Torah. After this date, the disciples of Shammai declined into the mist of Jewish history.
what were those 18 ordinances
CP In a word “hogwash.” Here is my response to getting such history from non-original sources. This process began with Heinrich Graetz who wrote a lengthy history in which he ascribes political and social motivations for the various rabbis of ancient times. He does so by taking one or two statements from whichever rabbi is his target and building an entire edifice on the basis of these isolated statements. In his day (back in the 1800’s) Rabbi Hirsch wrote a comprehensive refutation of Graetz’s “history” demonstrating how a) in most cases Graetz did not understand the source he was quoting, b) in every case the impression we would get from the isolated quote disappears when we consider the rabbi’s words in the broader context of his teachings. Needless to say, Graetz did not respond to this devastating critique of his work (Rabbi Hirsch’s work is entitled “Oral Law – Vol. 5 of Collected Writings” and is available from Feldheim publishers). But the world of conventional “wisdom” made Graetz’s “history” as the foundation of all Jewish “studies.” 1000 Verses – a project of Judaism Resources wrote: >
R’B,
I really want to give you a whole hearted THANK YOU! for not stopping at “hogwash” and supplying reference material to research further, Thank you.
R’B,
I couldn’t find’ Rabbi Hirsch’s work is entitled “Oral Law – Vol. 5 of Collected Writings’ but did do a lot of reading on Rabbi Hirsch, Rabbi Graetz , Rabbi Falk, Dr. Harvey Abramson and Rabbi Jacob Endem who predates R’ Graetz writings. What is your opinion on R’ Emden?
Your suggested direction also led me to a rabbit trail leading to the formation of Oral Torah. Then what I believe is an answer to prayer, the light bulb went on and I could see. It has always perpelexed me why amongst the fisherman Yeshua chose as Talmudim he didn’t pick a scribe or tell anyone to write his words down, — uh, duh, Oral Torah was forbidden to be written down. Which leads me to the following personal speculations;
— What do you think of this? vvv —-
We know 2nd Temple Judaism was secretarian, some were righteous, some corrupt, some misled, some violent, some capitulating with Rome. There was typical disagreements and sometimes underhanded violence between these groups, especially the zealots. Beit Shammai dominated the Temple and the Sanhedrin. Yeshua as a Pharisee specfically targeted Beit Shammai ideology of isolationism, collusion with Rome and corruption among religious leaders.
Back when Moses was given the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, choosing seventy elders to judge, Hashem had set up a perfect system; a Written Torah to never change, a Oral Torah whose interpretation of the Written Torah by the 70 could change with the times.
Enter Yeshua with a predominatly Beit Hillel Oral Torah in contradiction with the interpretations with Beit Shamma. This open publicly expressed disagreement with corrupt leaders and Rome resulted in them putting him to death. But the death of a completed Tzadik accomplishes much and within that generation Beit Shammai, the Temple and the corrupt leaders in collusion with Rome are finished.
Yeshua didn’t write an Authortative Oral Torah. Neither should Rabbinical Judaism have written an Authoritative Oral Torah. Both sects collected oral traditions in written form and made them Authoritative to every generation until the end of time – this should never be – it is forbidden. Even Yeshua didn’t say he would give a new Written Torah, but rather he would ask the Father to send a Spirit to be with us and in us until the end of time.
Hashem sent Yeshua to correct, purge and set Israel on a new path; although not “new” but the ancient path we strayed from. Yet even though the bricks have fallen we we don’t stop and think, instead we build again only bigger and better thinking the solution is to do the wrong thing even better than before.
IMHO, the Written Torah should go to the world. The rest should be Commentary. Every generation should have their own set of 70. The God of Israel should be for the Nations. Jews should stay Jews, Gentiles should become Noahides or make Conversion.
It appears to me Modern Rabbinical Judaism somewhat adheres to the Beit Shammai ideology of isolationism for fear of assimilation. I think this is wrong; ya’ll are going to proselytizing whether you like it or not — you’ll believe it when you’ve 10 Gentiles hanging on you.
CP Your caricature of Oral Torah would be hilarious if you and others wouldn’t take it seriously. Please reread The Council of My Nation
1000 Verses – a project of Judaism Resources wrote: >
R’B,
My study of the Oral Torah ought to say something to you. Just as if one ignored it with the pass of the hand should speak to you. On one hand Yeshua says to listen to you guys on the other, Tanach says to put no trust in man or princes. Who first assembled and wrote down the Oral Torah? Wasn’t it Judah the Prince? Wasn’t it forbidden to do so?
I’m not even sure of its level of authority or how you decide what differing interpretation to believe? Does the Gemara give the ruling? Or are you free to decide yourself?
Is it organized to follow the Torah sequentially? My understanding it is more of a pre-Internet forum spanning 100’s of years. Yes, I could see the value in that. Does it hold the same authority in Judaism as the NT does in Chrstianity?
PS,
I apologize ahead of time as I suspect in my ignorance I’m being insensitive somewhere.
CP Each of these questions is answered at length in “The Council of My Nation” 1000 Verses – a project of Judaism Resources wrote: >