Trading one set of Traditions for Another




 Over the past 25+ years of pursuing Torah obedience in my faith walk with Yahusha, I have seen others come into the walk.  One thing many of us do, upon learning the traditions we have observed in the past were in error, is to fall into a whole other group of traditions.  Sometimes it takes a while to realize that the second set of traditions we have embraced are just as erroneous as the first.  I see it as a road with ditches on either side. The road is the true path, and the ditches are Christian traditions on one side and Jewish traditions on the other. The goal is to stay on the road, not veering to the left or the right.  

This time of year lots of churches invite Messianic Jews to share a Passover seder meal with their congregants. This is intended to be educational.  But if you were to go to Exodus 12 and read the actual instructions for the Passover meal, you'd see it's a simple meal consisting of lamb, bitter herbs, unleavened bread, shoes on your feet, staff in your hand ready to flee, then add a sip of wine as per the example Yahusha/Jesus gave us in Matthew 26:26-30 and Luke 22:14-20. In a Passover seder meal they can consume up to 7 glasses of wine, (How could a person be ready to flee after drinking that much?) they don't eat lamb, and they add other foods that are just not mentioned in the instructions.  

Hanukkah is also riddled with traditions that are not commanded in the Word of Yah. Yet people often cling to Hanukkah traditions as they move away from Xmas traditions.  Bouncing from one ditch to the other. We did that in our house, thinking it would make the transition easier. It didn't. Same with Sabbath keeping rather than Sunday observance, folks tend to seek out instructions from Judiasm when they are making that transition. Judiasm has several traditions in their Sabbath rituals that are not commands in Scripture. Like candle lighting, Yah never commands us to light candles for Sabbath. He tells us to keep that day set apart to him, no working your regular job, no buying and selling, do not do your own pleasure. Do His pleasure. Easy to do when you plan ahead. 

Yahusha/Jesus was quick to call out the Pharisees for their adherence to traditions over the Word of Yah. Mark 7:7-13, Matthew 15:1-9 He said they made the Word of Yah of no effect with their traditions. We would be wise to listen to His warning. Let's keep it simple,  follow the written instructions to the best of your abilities,  not adding nor subtracting.  Stay on the road,  not veering to the left or the right. 

Seek truth:

Psalm 119:160: "The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever" 

John 17:17: "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth" 

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Just a work in progress 

Teresa

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