Author Archives: yourphariseefriend

Works – Excerpt From Critique of Vol. 5

Posted on May 26, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

V. 53. Pages  195-198 Brown describes self-righteousness  as a “feeling that you have attained righteousness before God based on your  actions, or the feeling that you are morally superior to others.”   Brown speaks of: “the efforts of  religious Jews … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 5 Comments

Faith – Excerpt from Critique of Vol. 5

Posted on May 21, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

V. 56. Page 205 Brown critiques Judaism: “…it does not provide complete redemption for the soul. In other words, it does not bring the assurance of forgiveness of sins, the assurance of being in a right standing with God, the … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 74 Comments

All or Nothing? – The Case of Aviyah (Abijah)

Posted on May 19, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

All or Nothing? – The Case of Aviyah (Abijah) The book of Judges describes how Israel strayed from obedience to God (Judges 2:11 – 23). Before the monarchy was established in Israel we find that the Jewish people swayed back … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 3 Comments

Freedom

Posted on May 19, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

Freedom “There is no free man but one who busies himself with the study of Torah” (Avot 6:2) Freedom means not being tied down by the boundaries and limitations that tend to limit us. There are different types of freedom. … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 46 Comments

Acts and Faith

Posted on May 17, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

Acts and Faith In the third and fourth chapters of the Book of Romans Paul sets down one of the cornerstones of Christian theology. Paul argues that no man can be justified by works as described in the Law of … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 48 Comments

Covenant – Minimal Requirement

Posted on May 13, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

The Jewish people stand in a covenantal relationship with God. Not only as individuals, but also and primarily as a national entity. The nation that consists of individual Jews from all geographical locations and from all generations stands together as … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 12 Comments

The Pharisees

Posted on May 7, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

The Pharisees   You would expect that the authors of the Christian Scriptures would attempt to teach the doctrines of Christianity. Indeed, the theology of Christianity can be found by reading the letters of Paul. But the writers of the … Continue reading →

Posted in History | 244 Comments

Trust and Repentance

Posted on May 2, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

Trust and Repentance   Rabbi Shlomo Ibn Gabirol describes the process of repentance as escaping and fleeing from God to God. When we realize the weight of God’s judgment and the evil of sin we recognize that we need to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atonement, Holidays | 63 Comments

Lessons from Leviticus 16

Posted on April 29, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

Lessons from Leviticus 16   The 16th chapter in the book of Leviticus describes the yearly service that would take place in the Tabernacle (and subsequently in the Jerusalem Temple) on the Day of Atonement. The passage describes in great … Continue reading →

Posted in Atonement, Holidays | 9 Comments

Liberation from Bondage – Excerpt from Critique of Vol. 4

Posted on April 28, 2013 by yourphariseefriend

Brown is in his lecturing mode again. He sets forth some of the “key teachings and principles” of the Sabbath as “revealed” by Jesus. These are presented as original teachings of Jesus that are unknown in Rabbinical Judaism. (Brown describes … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 25 Comments