Barry Rubin Articles

In the second weekly reading of the Torah, Noach (Noah), we meet a man of God building an ark at his Master’s direction. This ark, built in a dry desert must have seemed so strange to the neighbors. “Hey, look at that nut, Noah; his god told him to build a huge boat, far from water, and he is doing just that. How odd, they must have thought. But Noah persisted because he was “righteous, wholehearted and walked with God.”

Yet, as godly as this man was, one of his sons didn’t inherit much of that spirit. In fact, Ham, one of three sons, was cursed through his son, Canaan. What would cause a godly man like Noah to curse the descendents of one of his own sons, his actual grandchildren? Did he have a bad temper? Was he given to fits of anger? Was he just hung over from his drinking bout the night before? All this might be possible, but there’s a greater meaning to this curse.

Last week, Simchat Torah was celebrated in synagogues all over the world. Immediately upon reading the last portion of Deuteronomy, the Torah scroll containing the Five Books of Moses, is rolled back to the beginning, to B’resheet and Genesis 1:1-5 is read.

This way we remember that the Torah is God’s never-ending teaching for right living. It’s a handbook for how to obtain blessings in our lives. This is a fun time, when we actually “dance” around the ark or building, holding the scroll in our arms. It’s always exciting to have a new beginning, which is why we enjoy Simchat Torah so much.

In Psalm 119, the writer expresses his devotion and love for God by seeking to obey the Word. He says, “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!” (Ps. 119:10). When we were children we might have rebelled against our parents’ instructions, not realizing the purpose for their rules. But once we became adults and parents ourselves, we learned that boundaries are necessary to keep children safe from harm.

The Hebrew translation of the word “law” is “Torah.” But the word “law” doesn’t capture the true essence of Torah, which actually means “instruction as from a father to a son.”

The Bible says a person who wins souls is wise. If you want to lead your Jewish friends to faith in Yeshua, it’s important to know and understand who they are and their contributions to the world. Whether a Jew is Orthodox, Conservative, Reform or Reconstructionist, he or she is part of Klal Yisrael, the community of Israel.

There’s an organic connection between your friend and Jews everywhere. We Jews are all part of one people, and we have been chosen by God to be a light to the Gentiles (see Isaiah 49:6).

There is a wide range of theological views among my people. Some Jews believe the land of Israel is essential, whereas others don’t think too much about it. Some believe in the afterlife, and some don’t. Some Jews think the Messiah will come one day, while others think He is not real. Some Jewish people keep kosher, and others couldn’t care less. Even though my people have different opinions about various topics, there are certain views most Jews hold true.