Ki Tisa 5771/2011 DARINGLY DEFENDING JEWS

Beth HaDerech; Messianic Jewish Congregation, Toronto, Canada

• 7 March 2012 | 13 Adar 5772 Beth HaDerech Local Time 01:44 AM

Sitting on the Fence –

  Sidra Ki Tisah

Weekly Sidra: Ki Tisa (when you lift up)
Torah Portion:  Shemot / Exodus 30:1-34:35
Haftorah:  Melachim Alef / I Kings 18:20-18:39
Ahab sent orders to all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you keep hopping between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; and if Baal, follow him!" But the people answered him not a word. (Malachim Alef 18: 20-21)
The prophet Elijah asks a very important question in the weekly Haftarah portion.  How long will you keep hopping between two opinions?
As I meditated on this I was struck by how often we like to sit on the fence.  A clear reading of the Bible states that Hashem wants us to eat kosher.  Read the dietary laws in Leviticus chapter 11.  Yet when you talk to Christians many will say that the law is done away with and so they can eat pork.
This is strange considering that Yeshua himself said that he did not come to abolish the law or the prophets. (Matthew 5:17)  It also states that Yeshua is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
There is however a similar problem in several Messianic Jewish congregations today.  Many messianic believers want to somehow combine Christian ideas with Jewish traditions.  So instead of the Christmas tree you have the Chanukah bush or the will celebrate the feast days not at the appointed times.  They will try to Jewify Christianity which in effect makes them Jewish churches.
There is another type of hopping which takes place.  This is when a person goes from place to place.  If Hashem has directed you to a synagogue and you are led to stay there then STAY THERE!!  There is nothing worse than when people go from shul to shul.  I like the teaching here, but I like the music there.
This becomes problematic because there is no accountability for the individual.  Where do you tithe?  Where do you learn Torah or celebrate the Feast Days?
Rav Shaul (Paul) warns us of what can happen.  “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians 4:14)
We can be swept up in Synagogue hopping because we may not like a certain teaching or we don’t get along with someone in the congregation.  The fact is that if Hashem has led you somewhere then don’t keep switching based on your feelings or something minor.
You know the main problem with sitting on the fence? You will get splinters up your tuchus (button).