JEWISH VIEW OF A LATTER-DAY JOSEPH: When the Chief Rabbi, Avraham HaKohen Kook was appointed in Palestine in the 1920's, Jews asked if they could now build the Temple (destroyed since year 70 A.D.). He said that priestly rights were gone and referring to the great 12th century rabbi Moses Maimonides, said, in effect, "We are waiting for a Messiah Ben-Joseph, to him will be given the keys of the…

KEEP IT IN MIND: Jews have traditional symbols which “keep God’s word in front of them” at all times by binding leather phylacteries (Tfillin) on the arm and forehead as well as a Mezuzah on all Jewish doorposts. The words in the ‘Mezuzah’ and in the ‘Tfillin’ are summarized in Deuteronomy 6:4-17. RETURNING AND PROSELYTIZING: Returning to the Land of Israel is like returning to the Lord. Those are as…

A VOICE OF CHEER: Just about every time the heavens open, those with the Lord’s spirit are brought up to greater “cheer.” To those, the Lord’s voice is comforting. “For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand . . . if ye will hear his voice . . .” (Psalm 95:7) GATHERING AND REMEMBERING: On one hand, the Jews,…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Desert in Israel[/caption] On the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, an old inn has been restored to represent a New Testament parable Jesus told. Modern Christians call it the "Good Samaritan Inn." The truth is that Jesus never used the term "good" Samaritan. Let’s take a closer look . . . A lawyer, challenged Jesus, the Lawgiver: "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25) Jesus, who…

GOD CHOOSES THE DAY: To better understand the miracle of the restoration and the day that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially organized, let us go back to Biblical times. Isaac, a miracle child, was born of barren Sarah who was ninety-years old. “According to the Aggadah, Isaac was born to Sarah on the first day of Passover.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) RESTORATION ON JESUS’ BIRTHDAY, PASSOVER:…

[caption align="aligncenter"]The Sea of Galilee is Calling![/caption] Israel is a good land, where Jews, Moslems and Christians raise their families. A feeling of peace and youthful growth exists even though its history is almost as old as civilization. The country itself is about 65 miles wide and 200 miles long. There's no gold or silver here to make the land worth conquering. Even the late Golda Meir chided Moses, "He…

ANCIENT JOSEPH GIVEN AUTHORITY: Ancient Joseph was authorized by his father when Jacob laid hands on Joseph’s head. “. . . parents place their hands on the heads of their children when they bless them. (. . . in the Bible, Jacob blessed his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, by placing his hands on their heads.) Placing the hands on another person is symbolic not only of transferring blessing but also…

AS VIEWED BY JUDAISM, FAITH (AND WORKS): “Belief in God's existence . . . is taken for granted and is the basis of the Bible. The biblical word emunah (and its other forms) which is often translated as ‘belief’ means ‘trust’ or ‘confidence,’ which is something quite different. “Judaism insists on belief, faith and good deeds (which are also called mitzvot); but by themselves they are not enough.” (Encyclopedia Judaica…

CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF THE HOLY GHOST: The Hebrew word for breath and wind (ruach) is closely related to the word spirit. Ezekiel spoke of breath bringing life into dead bones (etzemot). As the sticks (ETZ-emot) of the body are clothed again with flesh and come alive again, so shall the stick (ETZ) of Judah, the dead skeleton of a once true and living religion, come together with the stick of…

WITHOUT ACCEPTING REVELATION, WE FORGET: In modern Jewish thinking, “looking to God” and “revelation” are almost figurative and have become unexplainable. “. . . various phrases are used when describing appearances of the Divine, for example kavod (‘glory’) or shekhinah (. . . ‘Divine Presence’) or davar (‘word’ of God).” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) PAST REVELATION, A GUIDE FOR THE FUTURE: “The same Prophets who have contemplated and described the .…

PATTERN OF PREPARATION: The preparation that Joseph Smith went through is part of a pattern identified throughout the scriptures and also evident in Jewish tradition. Many of the Jewish holidays have extensive preparations that are as important as the holy day itself. “The Sabbath before Passover is known as Shabbat ha-Gadol . . . a . . . [reading from the Prophets] referring to the day on which Elijah the…

HEAVENLY VISIONS THROUGHOUT TIME: Whether it was Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Ezekiel or any of the prophets of old, the people’s reaction to vision was either very negative or supportive. Some of those visions happened outside of Israel (Ezekiel) and even came to what Jews call a “Gentile Prophet,” (Baalam). Many of those visions foresaw the time of the restoration. EZEKIEL’S VISIONS EQUATE RESTORATION AND RESURRECTION: “Ezekiel prophecy starts on a…

THE MESSIAH: Looking at the sacred event that redeemed us from the sins of life, bruises of experience, captivity of conscience, blindness of bigotry, hurt of hearts broken, poverty of stinginess and the imprisonment of self pity, we are drawn to the Mount of Olives. Two thousand years ago, He sank below all things, experiencing deeper depths than we would ever reach so that we would never have to. Bleeding…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Jewish Menorah[/caption] Jesus and the Dedication "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came . . . Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Christmas in Israel?[/caption] Most people in Israel, do not celebrate Christmas. The Jewish population is busy at about the same time of year celebrating Hanukkah, instead. Both are festivals-of-lights, with gift giving. One day of gifts at Christmas, and eight days of gifts at Hanukkah. My five Jewish-Mormon children wanted to celebrate both! Expensive! About 8-million people live in Israel, 6-million Jews and about 2-million Arabs. Close to 10%…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Where were the Wise Men on Christmas?[/caption] Middle Eastern Christians have a tradition of three wise men or Magi that come from the East bearing gifts for a newborn King. Even scriptures tell us of Herod the Great receiving those visitors, seeking the child "King of The Jews." Conniving Herod told them to let him know when they found him, so he could reverence the "child-to-be-king." When they did…

Here’s a delightful play on the words, not and knot. It could help see things as they were and as they are. Let’s go back about two-thousand years and look in on the Apostle Peter, living in Jaffa, along the Mediterranean, who saw a vision that he described in detail. He saw heaven opened, and a certain sheet knit at the four corners, descending. Wherein were all manner of beasts…

"Give me a hand," or "Hand it to me," are some daily expressions we use almost without thinking. The Book of Mormon has another one, "Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God?" (Mormon 5:23) The hand is a powerful metaphor in Judaic tradition. Modern Judaism, however, attempts to pull away from the literal imagery of God’s hand. Yet, when reading the Torah scroll, often a pointer…

More than 10-million people visit the Western (Wailing) Wall every year stuffing a million little pieces of paper, scribbled prayers of wishes and wants, into the cracks and seams of the ancient blocks holding the two-thousand-year-old Temple Square. So, I thought, does that mean Gentiles have a "wishing well," and Jews have a "wishing wall?" The late Rabbi Yehuda Goetz, overseeing the Wall for 26-years, revealed that the more religious…