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HIDDEN LDS/JEWISH
INSIGHTS #32
DOCTRINE & COVENANTS Gospel Doctrine Supplement by Daniel Rona
Weekly E-mail Reminder
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To Seal the Testimony
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(1.)
Joseph Smith’s Martyrdom Seen Through Past Prophets:
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Their persecutions and martyrdoms only reflected the future or the past and
teach us something about the ultimate sacrifice of the Lord. These prophets were
models of their Master, the Savior, who would prophesy against the corrupt part
of the Jewish government and the people who followed their wickedness. “And
after all this, after working many mighty miracles among the children of men, he
shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb .
. . the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.” (Mosiah
15:6-7)
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(2.) Righteous
Versus Evil Martyrdom:
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Let me add some Jewish
thought on martyrdom. It may have some significance in understanding the
difference between righteous martyrdom and those would cause themselves to die
in their evil intent destroying and killing others. “Martyrdom is permitted only
in the most exceptional circumstances; to lay down one's life, even for the
fulfillment of divine laws, when such sacrifice is not required by law, is
regarded as a mortal offense.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(3.)
When Does a Jew
Choose Death?
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“The willingness to
sacrifice life rather than faith, is one of the most significant concepts of
Judaism, and has paradoxically been a factor in Jewish survival, where other
oppressed groups have assimilated and disappeared. The laws of martyrdom were
first formulated at the rabbinic council of Lydda in the second century C.E.
when kiddush ha-Shem (‘Sanctification of the Name [of God]’) was declared
obligatory with regard to three situations: idolatry, unchastity, and murder.
Rather than worship idols, commit an unchaste act, or murder, the Jew is
commanded to choose death. All other commandments may be violated rather than
suffer death. But should a Jew be forced into breaking any commandment in the
presence of ten Jews (or more) in order to demonstrate his apostasy (abandonment
of faith) he is obliged to sanctify God's name by choosing death. If ten Jews
are not present, he should transgress rather than be killed. These rules were to
apply in ‘normal’ times. In periods of persecution of the whole community,
however, death was to be chosen even if no other Jews were present. The rabbis
understood the first verse of the Shema, ‘And you shall love the Lord your God .
. . with all your soul,’ as meaning even if He demands your soul from you, and,
indeed, the proclamation of the Shema, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the
Lord is One,’ was the phrase with which martyrs went to their death.”
(Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(4.)
Historical
Willingness:
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“Jewish history is replete with
examples of those willing to die for their faith from Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednigo, who in the Book of Daniel refused to worship an idol and thus
endangered their lives, up to the present generation of Soviet Jews who suffer
indescribable hardships rather than give up their Jewishness. Under Antiochus
Epiphanes, Hellenizers applied violent methods toward the Jews. The Fourth Book
of Maccabees is almost entirely a sermon on the meaning and glory of
self-sacrifice. Whereas in Christian and Muslim thought martyrdom is chiefly
regarded as the act of individuals warranting canonization as saints, in Judaism
it remains a task for each and every Jew to fulfill if the appropriate moment
should come.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(5.) Life Threats
of Dietary Laws:
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“Throughout the ages
Jews have endangered their lives and even died as martyrs to faithfully observe
the dietary laws. During the period of the Greek rule of Erez Israel (second
century B.C.E.) many Jews chose to die rather than eat the unclean foods which
the Greeks forced upon them. In peril of their lives, Jews carried out the laws
of ritual slaughter during the Crusades. The Marranos of the Inquisition, the
Cantonists of Czarist Russia, and the inmates of Nazi concentration camps all
remained steadfastly faithful to the laws of Kashrut, despite all threats.”
(Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(6.)
Challenge of Gentile
Customs:
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“Jews were forbidden to
emulate gentile customs of an idolatrous or superstitious nature. The
prohibition (hukkat ha-goi) was derived from the biblical commandment ‘ye shall
not walk in the customs of the nation’ (Leviticus 20:23 and 18:13). Its
purpose was to prevent Jews from being converted to other religions. In Talmudic
literature the term ‘the customs of the Amorites’ (darkhei ha-Emori) was also
used to cover all heathen practices of the gentiles of that time. Even gentile
dress associated with non-Jewish religious practice was forbidden (‘martyrdom
should be accepted rather than changing the style of a shoelace’). Jewish garb
thus became an emblem of traditional Judaism, especially in eastern Europe, and
modern dress was frowned on as a cunning method of Christianization. Many of the
restrictions against involvement with gentiles made during Talmudic times were
reduced as economic contact increased between the Jewish and gentile communities
during the Middle Ages.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(7.) Honorable Death Often Unknown:
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“In modern times, the
lessening of religious fanaticism, and growing secularization of Jewish life,
accompanied by trends toward assimilation and emancipation, have led to the
disintegration of Jewish values; as the necessity for self-sacrifice diminished,
so the idea of kiddush ha-Shem appeared to lose its significance. However,
renewed persecution under the Nazis revived the ancient tradition in the ghettos
and concentration camps of Europe and very many cases of honorable death among
the six million who perished must have gone unrecorded.” (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.)
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(8.) “Wings” to Heaven:
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There is a wall
sculpture at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, that carries a
similar message. Naphtali Bezem’s sculpture includes a panel depicting the Jews
being brought into the slave/extermination camps. Underneath is a “broken woman”
representing the broken Jewish family line. Next to her is a broken fish with
wings. A fish is sometimes used as an art metaphor for the spirit. It’s wings
seem to represent an ascension to heaven, a reward for martyrdom. It reminds me
of Alma’s response to Amulek’s plea to have Alma use his prophetic priestly
power to stop the carnage. “And when Amulek saw the pains . . . he said unto
Alma . . . let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which
is in us, and save them from the flames. But Alma said unto him: The Spirit
constraineth me . . . for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself . . .
and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and
cry mightily against them at the last day.” (Alma 14:10-11)
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(9.) Results of Martyrdom–the One:
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Also in the Book of
Mormon, one may get a glimpse of impending martyrdom as we picture Abinadi’s
countenance rebuking the wickedness of the people listening to him. They
rejected Abinadi. In reflection, the Children of Israel did not reject the Lord
completely. They accepted a “lesser law,” one with strict rules and regulations
rather than accept the spirit-guided “higher law.” In another case, the people
of Nineveh repented when Jonah preached to them. Yet, hearing Abinadi, the
people of King Noah rebelled even more, resulting in his martyrdom. As Abinadi
gave his life, he succeeded in reaching through the crowd of wickedness to one
soul. One Alma hears the voice of the prophet. More importantly, he feels the
spirit of the Lord and he becomes a prophet to speak to the people for God.
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(10.) Lives
Sacrificed in Preparing the Way:
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In the New Testament,
both Zacharias and his son John were killed by a wicked generation and a
priesthood (or priestcraft) that existed along side of righteous priestly men
and women who anticipated the impending arrival of the Messiah.
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(11.) Pretenders
Versus True Prophets:
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In these modern times, evil pretenders “give their
lives” to further their misguided cause. They pretend that they are using
religion as a worthy reason for their and other’s deaths. These are false
martyrs that tear down and destroy. True martyrs seal their testimonies of the
Redeemer, the Savior, the Giver of Life with their lives. These are true
prophets who leave a legacy of life. As tragic as their deaths may be for those
so close to them, they build a future. They lead us to God.
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