[ahc] Re: Re Joel's Mezuza

From: Leah Hananel <drishette@xxxxxxxxx>
To: ahc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2021 13:37:52 +0200

Dear Joel,

You have a fascinating way of syncretising/synthesizing the Jewish and
Christian traditions. Many people can learn from you.

I just couldn't help but notice a few surprising details, which I bring to
your attention. I put my comments or questions in blue. See below.

Blessings,
Leah

On Fri, Jan 1, 2021, 2:52 AM Joel Ramirez <
thelittlechapelofthelord@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Shalom Leah and many Blessings...
Thank you for responding to my issues with my Mezuzah on the side of my
door. You call God Shaddai and I use the Hebrew word Adonai.

Both are Biblical titles for God. I too use Adonai (Lord) when praying in
Hebrew, as do all Jews. Using Shaddai (Almighty) for God is not very
common, with the mezuza being a primary example.

It's a long story how I ended up with a Red Mezuzah... first Red is Jesus
favorite color.

I never read or heard that Jesus had/has a favorite color. True, blood is a
central aspect of his Passion narrative, but does that make red his
favorite color? Where did you hear this?

The person who sold me the red Mezuzah lied to me just to make a sale. The
red Mezuzah was the only red one he had in stock. First he tells me the top
symbol is the Ten Commandments, then he tells me that the last symbol was
"God's Essence." So I purchased the red Mezuzah. ( I believe I paid $29.99
).

I'm not surprised that an ignorant salesman overcharged you and lied about
the meaning of the symbols, which he clearly didn't know himself. Hope you
don't fall into such traps the next time you buy a ritual object!

I started learning Hebrew symbols and words. I immediately took notice
the symbols was not what the person who sold the Mezuzah told me what the
symbols meant. First of all The Hanukkah Menorah has 9 candles not 7 like
the menorah I have on my Mezuzah. I was correct about the third symbol
meaning The Star of David. Then the fish symbol is not God's Essence! That
would be one of the mystery of Kabbalah.

As far as I know, there is no symbol for the Kabbalistic "Ohr Ein Sof"
(Infinite Light) which is regarded as God's undistilled essence, before it
becomes refracted in Creation through the "kelim" (vessels) of the 10
Sefirot, which are represented as the Tree of Life.

People many years ago used the symbol of the fish because many Christians
were persecuted for wearing the cross and praying to it. Many Christians
were killed during the Crusades for wearing a cross or just having it in
there homes. So a fish symbol was introduced secretly.

You probably don't mean the period of the Crusades which occurred when
Christianity was the official religion, but the first few centuries of
Christianity during which several pagan Roman emperors persecuted the faith.

I had no idea the Mezuzah on my door is Messianic. I am shocked...
My family told me to always have a Mezuzah on my door, because God
protects me inside of my home.

Is your family Jewish? Christian of Jewish origin? Are they descendants of
conversos (marranos)? If you're not familiar about the latter, see the
article https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrano. What other Jewish
practices did your family keep?

I always touch the Mezuzah with my right hand fingers and then kiss my
fingers when entering my home. I also kiss it when leaving my home.

That is the standard Jewish practice. All mezuzot are thus kissed. However,
being aware of the germs present on each mezuza from so much touching, one
ought to take precautions. I personally do touch them, but only kiss the
back of my hand. The idea of respect for God's word in the Mezuza remains,
but the germs are avoided, at least from getting to my lips.

I have 3 scrolls inside my Mezuzah. One is written in Hebrew the second
written in English, and the 3rd written in Spanish. I tried putting a 4th
scroll written in Aramaic but it did not fit. So I carry the Aramaic scroll
around my neck in a little vile.

What is the written in your scrolls? The standard passages for the mezuza
or something else? Why did you choose to include several languages and not
be content with just Hebrew (or just one language)? Do you know that you
can put a mezuza on the door frame of every door in your house? That is the
standard Jewish practice. Would it not make sense to put each of your
scrolls in a separate case and place them at different entrances in your
home?

I also use kippahs' on my crown on top of my head. I have many colors of
kippahs'. I usually match my kippah with the color of my clothing am
wearing on that day.

The kippah is usually worn by Orthodox or traditional Rabbinic Jews. Have
you been identified with these groups because of your kippah? Do you find
that you often have to explain to others why you wear a kippah and what it
means to you? I personally am wondering why you do this, considering it's a
Rabbinic, not a Biblical tradition, and what it means to you.

I also wear the 4 tassels which Moses called it the 4 corners of the earth.

Moses doesn't call them the four corners of the earth in the Biblical
passages referring to tzitzit (fringes/tassels). However, when Rabbinic
Jews pray the morning blessings before the Shema (Hear O Israel), they
gather the four tassels into the left hand while reciting the words "Hurry
and bring upon us blessing and peace quickly from the four corners of the
earth."

My 4 tassels are white, blue and black.

White tassels are standard for modern Rabbinic Jews, while adding a blue
string is practiced among several groups, both Jewish and not, who want to
go back to the original Biblical commandment. Where did you get black from?

I observe Sabbath on Saturday's and the Roman Catholic Sabbath which is
every Sunday. I do not eat meat of any kind on these 2 days.

Both the Jewish Sabbath and the Catholic Lord's Day are considered festive
days and fasting is prohibited or at the very least strongly discouraged.
Abstaining from eating meat is a kind of fasting that is best reserved for
Lent and the lesser fasting periods on the Catholic calendar. It's
wonderful to try to honor the Sabbath and the Lord's Day, but why not do
that in the spirit that the Judaic and Christian traditions ascribe to
those days - by feasting, not fasting?

I own the Catholic Bible and the Torah which I adore and read from both
Bibles frequently.

I'm sure you realize that the Catholic Bible includes the Torah and the
whole Hebrew Scriptures. Why then do you read from the Torah separately?
Because it includes the original Hebrew? Or because it was a family
practice? Because it connects you to your Jewish roots?

If anyone has any comments about what I just wrote to Leah please feel

free to contact me.
Once again Leah thank you very much for correcting me regarding my
Mezuzah. I actually don't care its Messianic as long I don't loose my faith
in God.

Your mezuza is lovely. I'm sorry you had negative reactions from some
people. Please don't take then to heart.

Many Blessings on this New Year and lets keep writing to each other on the
new year of 2021. I always have desire to learn more.

Hope you take everything I've written in the spirit of learning and
brotherly love. You're welcome to write back in this thread or to me in
person.

In love of the Messiah.

Shalom

Joel

On Thursday, December 31, 2020, Leah Hananel <drishette@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Shalom Joel,

Mazal Tov, you have a Messianic Mezuza case. (I saved your picture below
with this title).

Messianic Mezuza.jpg
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NlVdpdSgkOKrMcX2ua1OYkqll_Ux7lOV/view?usp=drivesdk>

The top symbol on the case is the Hebrew letter Shin, which stands for
God's name Shaddai (Almighty). This is standard for all traditional
mezuzot. It is written there because Shaddai is read by the rabbis as an
acronym for Shomer Daltot Yisrael (the Guardian of the Gates of Israel/the
Jewish People). The mezuza on the door is thus a reminder to the people
living there (and to God) that He is protecting their home.
See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezuzah

The symbol below that is a modern Messianic symbol (with unclear
origins). See this article on its background:
http://www.wildolive.co.uk/messianic_seal.htm
It includes three parts. Above is a Temple Menorah (either symbolizing
Temple worship or the light of the Messiah); below it and attached to it is
the Star of David (either symbolizing the Jewish People or the Davidic
lineage of the Messiah), and below that and attached to it (as Frank
rightly noted) is a fish (symbolizing Yeshua). As you probably know, the
fish was an early Christian identifying symbol (before the cross became
popular) probably because the Koine Greek word for fish, ichthys, may be
read as an acronym for Iesous Christos, Theou Yios Soter (Jesus Christ, Son
of God Savior). See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthys

Messianic Jews and Gentiles, who don't feel sympathy for the symbol of
the cross, often use this Messianic fish symbol to self-identify themselves.
See more symbols of this kind.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Messianic+judaism&oq=Messianic+judaism&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i20i263j0l2j69i60.6841j0j9&client=ms-android-motorola&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=G3mItX8tVr67XM

It is quite ironic and rather touching to see two ancient religious
acronyms using names of God, one Rabbinic -Shin for Shaddai- and one
Christian (or Judeo-Christian) - fish for Ichthus- combined on the same
religious article, in this case a mezuza case.

So now, please tell us, Joel, how did you get this mezuza case? And did
you know it was Messianic?

Leah

On Thu, Dec 31, 2020, 8:40 AM Frank <frankblisard@xxxxxxx> wrote:

It’s a FISH! 😂. A stylized, upside-down fish:

\/
()

The bottom angle of the Magen David forms the tail, just as the top
angle of the star forms the base of the menorah.

🤗

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 30, 2020, at 11:48 PM, Joel Ramirez <
thelittlechapelofthelord@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hello Ken I still keep a Mezuzah on the side of my exit door... I have
attached to this message the picture image of my Mezuzah...the top sign
represents The Ten Commandments then under its the menorah 🕎 showing
Hanukkah then below the menorah is the Star of David now I don't know what
the symbol means under the Star of David. Can anyone please help me and
tell me the last symbol? Please take a look at my image I have attached to
this email...

Thanks and many Blessings....

Shalom

Joel

[ahc] Re: Re Joel's Mezuza

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