What are the two types of law?

[TheLearner]

Catechism For Jewish Children
By Isaac Leeser.
Appendix I
The Ceremonial Law
1. What is the Ceremonial Law?

The duties which the law of God as revealed through Moses demands of us, the Israelites, in particular, as the professors of its religion.

2. Upon what is this Law founded?

Upon the history of the Mosaic Religion, and of the people of Israel before and since the promulgation of the Ten Commandments from Sinai.

3. What is the object of the ceremonies?

The constant observance of the ceremonies is intended to remind us perpetually of the events upon which they are founded, and to cause their being handed over to our children after us, to the latest generations.

"Remember his miracles that He hath done, his wonders and the Judgments of his mouth. O ye seed of Israel, his servants; the children of Jacob, his chosen people. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Remember ye his covenant for ever; the word which He commanded to a thousand generations. Which He covenanted with Abraham, and likewise his oath unto Isaac. And he confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute, to Israel for an everlasting covenant." Ps. cv. 5-10.

4. Which are the principal events of which the Ceremonial Law is to remind us?

The following three:

First, The Exodus, or removal, of our forefathers from Egypt.
Second, The Divine Revelation, and the promulgation of the Law on Sinai.
Third, The destruction of the temple at Jerusalem, and of the kingdom of Israel.

5. What observances are to remind us of the Exodus?

First, The Sabbath day, regarded as the sign of the covenant of the manifestation of God's power in Egypt.

"And remember that thou were a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day." Deut. v. 15.

Second, Several others of the festivals.

6. Which are these festivals?

First, The Passover, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Secondly, The Feast of Tabernacles.

7. What is the Passover?

Seven days every year we are commanded to eat unleavened bread, to the exclusion of all ordinary bread, or things made of or mixed with corn, in memory of the mighty wonders wrought in our favor, when we were redeemed from Egypt.

"Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even before the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses.--And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for on this self-same day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt; therefore shall ye observe this day, throughout your generations, as an ordinance for ever." Exod. xii. 15, 17.

8. Which of the seven days are, properly speaking, strict festivals, when no work can be done?

The first and the seventh; but also the second is kept as a day of abstinence from labor, likewise an additional, or eighth day; the same is the case with other festivals, at which the Israelites out of Palestine have, for many hundred years, kept an additional day, beyond the period absolutely commanded in the law.

"And on the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done on them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you." Exod. xii. 16.

9. At what time is the Passover to be kept?

In the first month, or Nissan,* from the fourteenth to the twenty-first day of the month.

"In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even." Ibid. 18.

*The names of the Hebrew months, as now in use, are, the 1st, Nissan; 2d, Iyar; 3rd, Sivan; 4th, Tamuz; 5th, Ab; 6th, Elul; 7th, (the first of the usual or civil year) Tishry; 8th, Marcheshvan, or Heshvan; 9th, Kislev; 10th, Tebeth; 11th, Shebat; 12th, Adar; in the leap year, the last-named is called Adar Reeshon, first Adar, and the 13th month Veadar, Adar Sheny, or Second Adar.

10. What is the Feast of Tabernacles?

We shall dwell seven days every year in booths, tents, or tabernacles, in memory of the going out of our forefathers from Egypt, when they sojourned for forty years in the wilderness of Arabia, and lived in temporary dwellings, and not in cities or regularly-build houses.

"Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths. In order that your generations may know, that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." Lev. xxiii. 42, 43.

11. At what time is this Feast kept?

From the fourteenth day of the seventh month, Tishry, until the twenty-second day. The fifteenth of the month is the commencement, and the twenty-second the conclusion, of the feast, and both are to be devoted to abstinence from labor, and dedicated to divine worship and rejoicing at the holy season of the Lord.

"And the Lord spoke unto Moses, as follows, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work thereon. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord; on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall make an offering made by fire unto the Lord; it is a solemn assembly, and ye shall do no servile work thereon." Lev. 23:33-36.

12. What other laws are founded upon the going out of Egypt?

The prohibitions concerning the use of many animals used as food by other men. For by the redemption from Egypt God intended to raise up our nation as a people holy to his service, and that we should receive the laws which He wished to declare as his will; and the prohibitions of certain meats should prevent the Israelites from mixing too intimately with other nations, and becoming gradually like them, forgetful of the law of Heaven.

"For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and be holy, for I am holy; neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God; ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." Lev. xi. 44, 45.

 

[TheLearner]

"Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean;--and have separated you from other nations, that you should be mine." Ibid. xx. 25, 26.

13. What ordinances are founded upon the Revelation and Announcement of the Law on Sinai?

a. The Pentecost, or Feast of Weeks.
b. The blowing of the Shofar, and the New Year Festival.
c. The Day of Atonement.
d. The reading of the Shemang
e. The Tephillin
f. The Mezuzah; and
g. The Tzitzith.

14. What is the Pentecost?

Seven weeks after the first day of Passover we shall celebrate a feast in memory of the descent of the divine glory, and the public announcement of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

"Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee; from the time thou begin to put the sickle to the corn, begin to number the seven weeks. Then shalt thou keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God." Deut. xvi. 9, 10.

15. When should we celebrate this Feast of Weeks?

On the sixth day of the third month, or Sivan, which day is to be kept holy unto the Lord, by abstinence from labor, and consecration to divine worship.

"In the third month after the children of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day they came unto the wilderness of Sinai." Exod. xix. 1.

16. What is the blowing of the Shofar?

On the first day of the seventh month, which is the first day of the common or civil year, we shall assemble in the houses sacred to the service of the Lord, and blow the Shofar (which is a sounding instrument made of a ram's horn), to commemorate the intended sacrifice of Isaac on Mount Moriah, by his father Abraham, and resolve on this first day of the year to offer up every earthly possession in the service of the Lord, if it be required of us, as Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, because he thought it would be pleasing to God.

 

[TheLearner]

"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there was a ram afterward caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went, and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering, in the stead of his son." Gen. xxii. 13.

"And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have a holy convocation, ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of sounding of the cornet unto you." Numb. 29:1.

17. What other reasons are given for blowing the Shofar, on the day you mentioned?

This day being the first of the year, we are to acknowledge anew the Lord our Creator as our King and God. We therefore blow the cornet at the appointed time, as a testimony of our renewed allegiance; for thus in the land whence our forefathers came was it customary to do, when appointing a chief.--they blew the cornet, and shouted "Long live the King." (I Kings i. 39)

"Blow the cornet on the day of the new-moon, at the appointed time, on the day of our solemn feast. For this is a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob." Ps. lxxxi. 4, 5.

Besides all this, it is the season of atonement. On the tenth of this month, as was said already, is the great fast, when we are to appear before the Lord to be forgiven if we repent. It was customary among the ancient Israelites to station men upon high places and towers to watch the approach of an enemy. If these guards saw any danger, they blew the cornet to give warning to the townsmen to arm themselves and to be ready for defense. In the same manner are we called on to prepare for the day of trial of iniquity, to purify our hearts by repentance and a solemn resolution to sin no more, in order that we may be forgiven.

"Shall the cornet be blown in a city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?" Amos iii. 6.

18. How is the Day of Atonement to be observed?

On the tenth day of the seventh month is the great day of humiliation and prayer before the Lord. During the whole of its continuance, from sunset of the ninth till after the stars have appeared on the tenth, we shall abstain from food and drink, and all earthly enjoyments; and perform no manner of labor, just as on the weekly Sabbath. We shall seriously think over our past conduct, and offer up to God a contrite spirit for our manifold transgressions; if we have offended our neighbor we should satisfy him, before we ask forgiveness of the Lord; and it is for such repentance that we are promised a remission of sin, and an atonement for our iniquities.

"And this shall be a statute for ever unto you, that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall fast, and do no work at all.--And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year." Lev. xvi. 29-34.

19. What is the reading of the Shemang?

We are commanded to read daily in our morning and evening prayers the chief commandment of the Mosaic religion, which commences with the words Shemang Yisrahel (Hear, O Israel); in order that we may be reminded of our duty to God, and of the religion which He revealed to us.

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is ONE. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might, And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart. And thou shalt teach diligently unto thy children, and shalt speak of them, when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way; when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deut. vi. 4-7.

20. What are the Tephillin?

We are commanded to bind the chief commandment of the Mosaic religion as a testimonial of the covenant at Horeb on our arm and forehead; in order that bearing on our bodies the words of the Lord we may remember and do them.

"And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thy eyes." Deut. vi. 8.

21. What is the Mezuzah?

We shall write down this same chief commandment of our religion, and fix it on the door-posts of our houses and gates; in order that we may be reminded upon our going out and our coming in of the presence of the Almighty and of his universal protection.

"And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates." Deut. vi. 9.

22. What is meant by Tzitzith?

We shall affix fringes on the borders of one of our garments; in order that we may be always reminded, by looking at the same, of the holy faith which has been revealed to us, and be prevented from falling into the power of sin.--In short, this and the other ceremonial observances were given that being always surrounded by evidences of God's law, and our subjection thereto, we should daily, hourly, and even every moment, be reminded of our duties, and of the Holy One who demands them of us.

"And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after the inclinations of your heart, and the delight of your eyes, in pursuit of which ye have been led astray. In order that ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God." Numb. xv. 39, 30.

23. What ceremonies are founded upon the destruction of the temple?

The fast days, or days of penance.

24. What constitutes the observance of fast days?

We shall, on certain days every year, remind ourselves by abstinence from food and other enjoyments of the evils which came over us because of the sons of our ancestors; and endeavor to reflect upon our own conduct, and consecrate our lives to the service of God.

"And even now, also, saith the Lord, return unto me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments, and return unto the Lord your God; for He is gracious and merciful, withholding long his anger, of great kindness, and repenteth of the evil." Joel ii. 12, 13.

25. What is the object of fasting?

It shall be the outward mark of repentance, but it can avail nothing without true inward regret, and sincere amendment of our course of life.

26. Which are the fast days?

a. The seventeenth of the fourth month, Tamuz,
b. The ninth of the fifth month, Ab,
c. The third of the seventh month, Tishry, and,
d. The tenth of the tenth month, Tebeth.

"Thus saith the Lord of hosts, The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy, and gladness, and happy seasons; therefore love ye truth and peace." Zech. viii. 19.

27. What is the meaning of these fasts?

They are days of mourning, which our forefathers, with consent of the prophets, set apart in memory of the loss of their temple and the independence of their state.

28. Are there any other ceremonies which are to remind us of important events in our national history?

Yes; the following two:
a. The lighting of the lamps on the festival of Hanukkah; and,
b. The reading of the book of Esther on Purim.

29. What is the lighting of the Hanukkah lamps?

In the time of the second temple there was a period, when a heathen kind, by the name of Antiochus of Syria, had nearly abolished the observance of our religion, by the great cruelties he committed in Palestine, over which he had dominion. At length the Jews, led on by the valiant Judas Maccabaeus, drove the Syrian army out of the land; and when the people again consecrated the temple they instituted a festival, called Hanukkah, or the Consecration, and ordered that for all future periods lamps should be lighted in our synagogues and dwellings, commencing from the evening of the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, or Kislev, as an everlasting memorial of the mercy of the Lord, displayed in delivering his people and his religion from the power of the oppressor.

30. What is the festival of Purim?

We shall celebrate a festival on the fourteenth and fifteenth of the twelfth month, Adar, in memory of the great deliverance which God gave us from the evil designs of Haman, who, with concurrence of the kind of Persia, has resolved to destroy all the Jews residing in that kingdom, which in fact included nearly, if not all, the descendants of Israel. We therefore keep a fast on the thirteenth, and a festival on the next two days; and to commemorate the event, we read the Book of Esther which contains the history thereof; in order that we may be always reminded how good our heavenly Father has ever been to us; and that thereby we may be animated with a sincere desire to deserve in future his love and mercy, by a devotion to his will and a strict adherence to his law.

"The Jews ordained, and took upon themselves, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so that it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year. And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed." Esther ix. 27, 28.

31. By what is this festival distinguished?

We should give liberal presents to the poor and needy, so that they also might rejoice "on the days when the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor." Ibid. 22.
http://www.jewish-history.com/catechism/ceremonial.html

 

[TheLearner]

Catechism For Jewish Children

By Isaac Leeser.​

Chapter VI.
The Moral Law
1. What does the moral law teach?
It teaches us our duty.
2. What is this duty?
We must do whatever God demands of us.
3. What obliges us to do this?
By the possession of the life given by God we are from motives of gratitude compelled to obey his wishes; and by the benefits which He daily and hourly bestows on us, we should be induced to show that we are not unworthy of his fatherly care; and lastly, as children of the covenant with the Lord, it is reasonable that we should repay his especial kindness by a more ardent display of activity in the fulfillment of our duties.
4. Towards whom have we duties to perform?
a. Towards God, through whose favour we live.
b. Towards our fellow-men, who, as well as ourselves, have received life and being from God.
c. Towards ourselves, both as regards our body and our soul.
5. Can you as a religious person do one part of these duties whilst you neglect the others?
No; because they are connected one with the other, and are all founded upon the bond which united us to the Lord our God.
6. What is this bond?
The love of God.
7. How do you explain this?
First. We shall love the Lord God above all, even more than ourselves.
Secondly. We shall love God in ourselves, since we also are the work of his hands.
Thirdly. We shall love God in ourselves, since we also are the work of his hands.
8. What are the words of the principal commandment which enjoins the love to God?
"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is ONE. and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Deut. vi. 4, 5.
9. How are we to love God with all our heart?
We should prize his favour and bounty as our highest good, and direct to Him alone all our wishes; never desire any thing which He has forbidden to us, and lastly, fear Him in sincerity, and devote our life to his service.
"The Lord thy God thou shalt fear, Him thou shalt serve, to Him thou shalt adhere, and by his name thou shalt swear." Ibid. x. 20.
10. How are we to love God with all our soul?
We should direct all our thoughts to the Lord, and place always our god, his holy will, his law, his goodness and his providence before our eyes. Furthermore, we should never transgress his will, if even harm should come to us for obedience; but we should reflect that He is our Creator, and He is therefore justified in demanding of us an implicit obedience, even if the life which He has given should thereby be taken from us.
"And these words which I command thee this day shall be upon thy heart. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt speak of them, when thou sittest in thy house, when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deut. vi. 6, 7.
"I have always set the Lord before me, that being at my right hand, I might not be moved." Ps. xvi. 8.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear evil; for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." Ibid. 23:4.

 

[TheLearner]

11. How are we to love god with all our might?
We should direct all our power and energy of mind to honour the Lord God with our conduct throughout life, and to devote every thing which we have to serve Him; since He is the Giver of all the good we enjoy, as well as the Author of our being.
"This day the Lord thy God commandeth thee to do these statutes and judgments; and thou shalt keep and do them with all thy heart and with all thy soul." Deut. 26:16.
"And the people answered and said: -- For the Lord our God it is that brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight, and preserved us on all the way whereon we went, and among all the people through whom we passed;-- therefore will we also serve the Lord, for He is our God." Josh. 24:16-18.
12. Be kind enough to tell me in a few words what you understand by the words "serving the Lord?"
We serve the Lord when we stand in fear of offending Him, and are engaged in pious works whenever we have an opportunity of doing them.
13. What is the chief commandment of those relating to our conduct towards our fellow-men?
"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Lev. xix. 18); what you do not wish that others should do to you, do not unto others. If you, before acting, reflect that your conduct might give pain or offence to another, you should on no account do as you intended; for you would feel grieved if others were to treat you in a similar way.
14. Is this all?
No; we should not alone abstain from injuring others, but we ought also to endeavour to serve them. for instance, if I see a poor man asking for bread, or a garment to put on, and I have the power to grant what he asks, it is my duty to assist him; for I should reflect that I may at one time stand also in need of the assistance of others; and surely I would be sorely grieved were I then to be refused the favour which my distress might compel me to ask of others.
15. Are there any more particulars in these duties?
Yes; we should never show pride towards those who are not so rich as we are; for we ourselves would not like to be treated with contempt by those richer than ourselves. It is sinful to be overbearing to our fellow-men because of our greater power and wisdom; for we would ourselves be very unwilling to receive such treatment from others. Likewise, it is ridiculous to look upon beauty of the body as a particular claim to distinction; but most sinful it is to mock others for personal defects, such as blindness, lameness, deafness, stammering, or similar misfortunes; for we should consider that all the advantages we have are gifts of God, and the disadvantages of others afflictions sent by Him.
16. What is the duty therefore of superiors towards those less than themselves?
Those entrusted with power over their fellow-beings, such as rulers of states, judges, magistrates, military commanders, superintendents and teachers, ought, as servants of God, to use their power with mildness; nor should they ever dare to make those under their control feel the weight of the mastery which they have over them: so that the governed may obey their superiors from duty and affection more than from interest and fear.
17. What should be our conduct towards persons in our domestic employ, and servants in general?
It is our duty to behave mildly and affectionately to those who are engaged to work for us; never to make their task heavier than occasion and absolute necessity require; to speak to them in a polite and conciliatory manner, but never in the insolent tone which the proud and presumptuous make use of. We should reflect, that though they are subject to our control, from the force of circumstances, such as slaves, or from their own free choice, such as domestics who work for hire, or because we can make better use of their labour than they themselves could do, such as apprentices and journeymen mechanics and labourers: still they, as well as ourselves, are creatures of the same God, and, as such, objects of his care and bounty no less than ourselves.
18. How should we act towards the poor?
When we see a poor person, or are notified that a fellow-being is suffering for want of the necessaries and comforts of life, and we have the means to help him: we should not feel an indifference towards his sufferings, but it is our duty to give freely according to the blessing of the Lord which He has given us to our brother in distress. We should consider, that we only then deserve the blessing of God, when we are willing to bless others.
19. Is it enough merely to give?
No; when we give, we should give cheerfully, but not do it as though we were parting with something great and of importance to us. We should not make the poor feel his poverty, nor humble him, because he is compelled to ask us for assistance. We should consider, that God's bounty to us is freely given; He gives us food before we want it; and He grants us his favour, though our conduct does never deserve his mercy.
20. What should be the conduct of inferiors to their superiors?
Those who from their stations in life are under the power of others, should endeavour by all proper means to gain their favour; they ought to be respectful, obedient, and ready to do at all times the reasonable duties which are demanded of them; not to give sharp answers, even when harshly spoken to; so that they may overcome the anger of their superiors more by humility and becoming submission, than by insisting upon their supposed rights, and not irritate them more by hasty and impertinent replies, and useless bandying of words; and lastly, to execute the trusts reposed in them with fidelity and strict honour, as though the work and the advantage thereof, were entirely their own.
21. How should scholars behave to their teacher?
Scholars, such as those who have the fear of God in their hearts, ought to treat their teachers with the utmost possible respect; they ought to get well the lessons that are given them to study; they ought to be early at school, and have their clothes always clean and tidy; they ought to sit quietly and still during school hours, and listen with the strictest attention to whatever is taught them; if the teachers reprove them, they should not look sullen or angry, much less give an impertinent answer; when the teachers have to use punishment, they should submit with becoming patience; when the teachers inquire about any transaction, they should answer according to the strictest truth, and never excuse themselves by falsehood or prevarication, which is a concealment of the truth; and lastly, no scholar should ever get angry or displeased, if the teachers reward a deserving fellow-scholar; for such reward should stimulate the others to excel likewise, but should be no cause for envy and bitter feeling.
22. What should our conduct by to equals?
We are bound to meet all persons with becoming politeness; to greet them upon meeting, and to return their salutation; to be decorous in our deportment when in society, and to do nothing there which could offend any one present, either by boisterous mirth, or by unpleasant allusions to the faults of our companions or their friends. Neither are we permitted to make ourselves ridiculous by boasting of our own merits, or to give offence by a behaviour which would seem to indicate that we thought ourselves better than our neighbours. Thus also teach our wise men:
"Whosoever has the good will of men, has the good will of his Maker; but whosoever fails to please his fellow-creatures, cannot be pleasing to God." Abothe iii.
23. Now tell me, in a few words, how we are to act towards others?
We should be kind and considerate towards inferiors; obedient and respectful to superiors, parents, and teachers, and polite and decorous to our equals in society: in short, humility is the virtue which we ought to display in our intercourse with others.
24. How are we then to love God in our neighbour?
We should honour in our neighbour the image of God, and look upon him as our equal and brother, though he may be subject to our control for the present; for the time will come, when death will render us all equal again, and when we all must appear in judgment before the Lord our God. It is therefore that we ought to practise brotherly love and kindness towards all the children of the Lord's creation.
"Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, to profane the covenant of our fathers?" Mal. ii. 10.
25. What are our duties towards ourselves?
We are bound to value highly the life which God has given us; we are not at liberty to expose our health or life uselessly, so as to show a disregard of God's favour, displayed in giving us existence; and if we wish to be obedient to the will of the law, we must make the best use of our time and the intellect we have received, and endeavour to acquire all the knowledge which is accessible to us; so that we may become intelligent and religious, and better calculated to promote the general interest of all mankind, and to glorify God in our persons.
26. How then can we love God in ourselves?
We should endeavour to honour the image and likeness of God in ourselves, and to preserve it pure and unstained; that is to say, we should always try to keep our soul, the true image of God, unstained and free from the effects of sin, and preserve it holy and worthy to enter again the presence of the Lord when our life on earth is ended.
"And you shall sanctify yourselves and be holy; for I am the Lord your God." Lev. xx. 7.
http://www.jewish-history.com/catechism/catech06.htm

 

[Dino246]

There is nothing at all in Scripture that separates the Law into "ceremonial" and "moral" categories. They are interpretations of men, not explanations from God.

 

[Deuteronomy]

Hello @Dino246, I also found it interesting that this difference was made by a fairly recent Jewish source, because, as you said, nothing separates the Law into categories in the Bible (nor is such a distinction made by Jewish oral tradition).

I wonder what changed and why

Could the Jewish sacrificial system no longer being in place have something to do with it

Thanks

~Deut

 

[Dino246]

Hello @Dino246, I also found it interesting that this difference was made by a fairly recent Jewish source, because, as you said, nothing separates the Law into categories in the Bible (nor is such a distinction made by Jewish oral tradition).

I wonder what changed and why

Could the Jewish sacrificial system no longer being in place have something to do with it

Thanks

~Deut

That makes sense. Now that the Jews are unable to practice significant parts of the Law, they needed something to "excuse" them from those parts of it. Separating it into ceremonial and moral components fits the bill.

 

[Nehemiah6]

What are the two types of law?

With reference to the Law of Moses, there are probably ten "types" or categories of laws, among the 613 laws, not just two:
1. Laws pertaining to the tabernacle/temple.
2. Laws pertaining to the priests and Levites.
3. Laws pertaining to the temple sacrifices.
4. Laws pertaining to the feasts, festivals, and holy days (including the Sabbath).
5. Moral laws.
6. Civil laws.
7. Criminal laws.
8. Dietary laws.
9. Laws pertaining to diseases.
10. Moral and spiritual laws -- the Ten Commandments.

 

[Blik]

Any time that anyone speaks of God changing in any way because God is dealing with different people at different times they are in error. God is an eternal God, a God that does not change through any age for any people.

God established the law at creation, and scripture calls it the spirit of the law. There is only one law and this is it. God used the material fleshly things that people understood as symbols of this law in the old testament. These things, such as eating clean foods and cutting flesh to mark they belonged to God were never the true law, they were helps to guide people to the law. Scholars of scripture cal these things the law in stone. The true law is a spiritual law, and until everyone who loves the Lord was given the Holy Spirit to help them understand, it was the best way for people to live. In Jeremiah it is explained that law was given in a new and better way, it was the true law of the spirit and we are guided to understanding through the holy spirit. This was not a change in the law by the least amount, the law is holy and the law is always at any age or for any people exactly the same. The principles of the Lord hold true always, for God is truth.

 

[TheLearner]

There is nothing at all in Scripture that separates the Law into "ceremonial" and "moral" categories. They are interpretations of men, not explanations from God.

Please friend, summarize what you see the above posts as saying.

thanks
daniel

 

[TheLearner]

That makes sense. Now that the Jews are unable to practice significant parts of the Law, they needed something to "excuse" them from those parts of it. Separating it into ceremonial and moral components fits the bill.

Hi Dino, SDA use those to get out of NT texts that frees Israel and Gentiles from following the Sabbath as a law.

 

[TheLearner]

 

[TheLearner]

Genesis 2

Easy-to-Read Version



The Seventh Day—Rest
2 So the earth, the sky, and everything in them were finished. 2 God finished the work he was doing, so on the seventh day he rested from his work. 3 God blessed the seventh day and made it a holy day. He made it special because on that day he rested from all the work he did while creating the world.

The text does not say Sabbath, only that he stop creation at that time. The day was made holy because he stopped his work. Also, Genesis was likely written decades after creation itself and reflects the culture of Israel, not all mankind.

 

[Dino246]

Please friend, summarize what you see the above posts as saying.

thanks
daniel

If you mean your own posts about the Jews' interpretations, I addressed that already. If you mean the posts of others, I'll address them individually, or not, as I choose.

 

[Dino246]

Any time that anyone speaks of God changing in any way because God is dealing with different people at different times they are in error. God is an eternal God, a God that does not change through any age for any people.

This is a complete misunderstanding of the issues.

God DOES interact differently with some people than He does with others. He treated Abraham differently than He treated Peter. He treated Saul differently than He treated Solomon. He treated Esau differently than He treated Jacob.

Do YOU "change" when you treat one person with patience and respect, but another with indifference? No. You're the same; you interact with others in different ways without changing in yourself. We are like God in that respect; He treats one group one way, and another group a different way.

God gave Israel the Law through Moses. He did not give the Law to the Ammonites, nor to the Egyptians, nor to the Philistines. He did not make promises about eternal security to Israel, but He did to the Church.

Please, stop making accusations of error when your position is so completely erroneous.

 

[Blik]

Genesis 2

Easy-to-Read Version



The Seventh Day—Rest
2 So the earth, the sky, and everything in them were finished. 2 God finished the work he was doing, so on the seventh day he rested from his work. 3 God blessed the seventh day and made it a holy day. He made it special because on that day he rested from all the work he did while creating the world.

The text does not say Sabbath, only that he stop creation at that time. The day was made holy because he stopped his work. Also, Genesis was likely written decades after creation itself and reflects the culture of Israel, not all mankind.

Scripture is breathed by the Lord, not the culture of a time. The men who heard from

This is a complete misunderstanding of the issues.

God DOES interact differently with some people than He does with others. He treated Abraham differently than He treated Peter. He treated Saul differently than He treated Solomon. He treated Esau differently than He treated Jacob.

Do YOU "change" when you treat one person with patience and respect, but another with indifference? No. You're the same; you interact with others in different ways without changing in yourself. We are like God in that respect; He treats one group one way, and another group a different way.

God gave Israel the Law through Moses. He did not give the Law to the Ammonites, nor to the Egyptians, nor to the Philistines. He did not make promises about eternal security to Israel, but He did to the Church.

Please, stop making accusations of error when your position is so completely erroneous.

Thank the Lord, the Lord allows his people to differ. You believe God acts differently with different people, and I believe that God only gives truth, and the truth is the same for all people.

God gave the law in stone before Christ, then the law was given in our hearts. That is a different way. But again, you believe in differences and I believe that there is an absolute consistency in the Lord except for that one thing and God spells it out clearly for all people because the truth is the same no matter what color our skin.

 

[TheLearner]

If you mean your own posts about the Jews' interpretations, I addressed that already. If you mean the posts of others, I'll address them individually, or not, as I choose.

Hi friend, I mean to summarize your posts. A brief summary is all that is really needed.
thanks, daniel

 

[TheLearner]

Scripture is breathed by the Lord, not the culture of a time. The men who heard from
Thank the Lord, the Lord allows his people to differ. You believe God acts differently with different people, and I believe that God only gives truth, and the truth is the same for all people.

God gave the law in stone before Christ, then the law was given in our hearts. That is a different way. But again, you believe in differences and I believe that there is an absolute consistency in the Lord except for that one thing and God spells it out clearly for all people because the truth is the same no matter what color our skin.

What you posted in response to me is Irrelevant to what I was saying.