• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Hebrew Scripture

pearl

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know of a text, concerning the importance of the Torah, and I
can only paraphrase, 'My people have forsaken the Torah, better they had forsaken me for the Torah would have brought them back to me.'
 

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
It's a midrash in Eichah (Lamentations) Rabbah, Petichta 2:
R. Huna and R. Yirmiyah said in the name of R. Ḥiya bar Aba: It is written: “They forsook Me and did not keep My Torah” (Yirmiyahu 16:11). Would that they would forsake Me but keep My Torah! From their engagement with it, the light within it would bring them back to good. (English translation here, original Hebrew/Aramaic here)​
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
Thanks much for such an in depth explanation, although well beyond my grasp. The question came up as I was discarding some very old notes taken from a speaker on the Torah. He left off the Torah would bring them back. This was 40 years ago and could no longer remember where to locate the verses. Still not sure where I found them in Christian Scripture. Again, thankyou.
 

The Anointed

Well-Known Member
Thanks much for such an in depth explanation, although well beyond my grasp. The question came up as I was discarding some very old notes taken from a speaker on the Torah. He left off the Torah would bring them back. This was 40 years ago and could no longer remember where to locate the verses. Still not sure where I found them in Christian Scripture. Again, thankyou.

Hi pcal, can you tell me how you go about creating a new thread on this forum?
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
This was 40 years ago and could no longer remember where to locate the verses. Still not sure where I found them in Christian Scripture. Again, thankyou.

It reflects the time when the 'Revelation' aspect of Vatican II trickled down to the individual parishes. Majority of Catholics had little familiarity with Scripture, either Testament. Beginning with the Pentateuch the intent was to present the prominence of the Torah in Jewish faith. I was raised a Methodist and questioned why the presenter didn't complete the passage.
 

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
I was raised a Methodist and questioned why the presenter didn't complete the passage.
Humbly, it doesn't surprise me. Consider the difference in messaging when part of the passage is brought as opposed to bringing the entire passage: in the first case, "the rabbis" attempting to preserve their political control over the lowly Jews, invent the idea that the man-made law is more important than God. In the second case, God reveals that the law, the Torah, is a clear pipeline to Him. Even if it seems that the connection has been lost, if you keep the Torah, you'll find your way back to God.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
Humbly, it doesn't surprise me. Consider the difference in messaging when part of the passage is brought as opposed to bringing the entire passage: in the first case, "the rabbis" attempting to preserve their political control over the lowly Jews, invent the idea that the man-made law is more important than God. In the second case, God reveals that the law, the Torah, is a clear pipeline to Him. Even if it seems that the connection has been lost, if you keep the Torah, you'll find your way back to God.

It brings to mind - well, my mind at least, which guarantees little - last week's thetorah.com article on

 
Top