4.27.25 ~ 40 days after His resurrection (Pt. 3)

Good morning!

Yeshua's 40 day appearance was for those who knew Him, but out of fear and/or uncertainty of their one hope, they were apprehensive in openly committing to His resurrection promises...it's known as the fear of men.

"Therefore the Lord said, " Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the commandments of men." (Isa. 29:13)

When the fear of men (what they think overrides what God says) establishes itself in our lives, cultural and social religious norms dominate over God's Word. It affects the emotional response and self-justification in our spiritual lives. In yesterday's zoom call, we addressed the topic: "If you find yourself afraid of what others think above God's commands, or you think you can emotionally supersede His commands or you find yourself self-justifying your culturally accepted norms above God's commandments, then we need to reconsider our walk of faith.

Peter, one of the '40 day' encounters we will cover soon, even 15 years after Yeshua's resurrection never ate anything unclean/tamei (Lev. 11; Acts 10:14). I briefly touched on the topic in the zoom call, so I want to address an anomaly within the text with a few enquiring mind questions:

First, why does the Torah single out these four 'one-signed' animals as unclean edibles (Camel, Rock Badger, Hare, Porky pig; Lev. 11:4-8)? Why does the Torah not simply say that any animal which lacks any or both of the two signs (chews the cud and split hooves; Lev. 11:3), is not to be eaten? Just as it does not specify all of the animals which lack both signs (nor does it specify the animals which possess both signs) it need not specify the names of the four animals which have one sign. Enquiring minds want to know :-)

Second, when the Torah presents the reason for these animals not being for our consumption, it does so in a very bizarre way, mentioning its edible factor as the primary cause for its unclean status:

"But these animals you shall not eat… the camel, because it brings up its cud, and does not have a cloven hoof… And the pig, because it has a hoof that is completely split, and does not regurgitate its cud." (Lev. 11:4)

If I were writing it, which I certainly didn't, I would have said, just point out the disqualifying feature; no split hoof or doesn't chew the cud. Simple. Done. In almost every area of life we focus on the disqualifying quality first, not the qualifying quality. What's up with this?

It is not only what these animals lack that deemed them unclean, but also that which they do have, the one sign, that makes them clean/tahor. Huh?

Why? Because possessing one clean sign allows these animals, symbolically speaking, to deceive themselves, and others, that they are acceptable by "showing off" the single sign of being clean (Jam. 1:22-25). So the Torah is telling us: Don’t eat "the camel, because it brings up its cud, and does not have a cloven hoof… And the pig, because it has a hoof that is completely split, and does not regurgitate its cud." It is primarily the single deceptive sign that deems these animals unsuitable for consumption by God's covenant keeping people.

And that is why the Torah specifies these four animals, not including them with all other animals who lack both of the acceptable signs: All animals lacking both signs are not clean because of what they lack; with these four animals, it is not only what they lack, but also what they have which deems them unclean.

Of course, these animals are not hypocritical and dishonest by nature. Animals are honest according to their Creator's instinctual programming. Rather, their physical characteristics are symbolic of moral qualities, and when we eat them, these qualities affect our psyches, like all food, which has a deep impact on the consumer...you become what you eat.

Each of us must struggle against various unhealthy and immoral instincts, appetites, habits, addictions, and cravings. But there is something that can sometimes be more lethal for our well-being: dishonesty about who we are.

What causes me to become unclean is not so much that I am not clean, as much as it is me deceiving myself and making believe that I am clean. The greatest enemy of true religion, of any authentic relationship with God, is to be dishonest about my identity.

Yet, sadly, we often observe the opposite. Some religious circles thrive on dishonesty, on people making believe they are morally "perfect," and have no unclean struggles. The more you "fit in" and do not reveal your truth to anybody, the more you are accepted and the more religious you are considered, when in truth it is all a ruse.

In many communities and schools, people feel the pressure to always say and feel the "right things;" they are frightened to be vulnerable about their genuine emotions and struggles. They feel the need to live the lie that they are perfectly "kosher," even if that means that they need to cover up a part of themselves...enter the fear of men over God's commandments.

"Hearken unto me, you that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law/Torah; Don't fear the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings." (Isa. 51:7)

Nothing can be further from the truth: the foundation of a moral and meaningful life is that I can be real and "naked" with God, with myself, and with my close friends; that I can expose myself without facades. When religion is based on lies, it loses its purpose. In the world of the Torah, the ugly truth is superior to the beautiful lie.

This does not mean that I must fall prey to every struggle and surrender to every appetite. Often, I must subdue my cravings to live up to my true calling and essence. I need to confront and battle my addictions and bad habits. But I must never deny who I am and what I am dealing with. I must show up to God with my entire self, not with a psychologically mutilated sense of existence; as the camel, the Rock Badger, the Hare or the Pig.

Forcing yourself to be someone else to gain popularity, and not having the integrity to be brutally honest with ourselves, leaves us drained, empty, and spiritually dead. There is no spirituality without full honesty.

Ah yes, there is much more to the food commandments than just what goes into my 'pie hole'. But, if I say my body is the Temple of God, would I offer up anything onto my 'altar/mouth' that I wouldn't bring to the real Temple altar?

For all of us on this 15th day of counting the omer, may our individual lives produce a life that is clean and healthy by what we feed on (Lev. 10:10; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1); Healthy cells produce a healthy body.

Happy 15th day of counting the omer!

Shalom,
Alan