Weekly E-mail Reminder

	HIDDEN LDS/JEWISH INSIGHTS Lesson #09 New Testament Gospel Doctrine supplement by Daniel Rona Weekly E-mail Reminder << SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (1.) Chosen (Requires Mercy and Forgiveness): - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Latter-day Saints consider themselves chosen if they keep the commandments, both ritually and morally. "W.N. Ewer, who wrote the jingle, "How odd of God to Choose the Jews" could not understand why Israel is God's Chosen People. Moses, in Deuteronomy 7:7--8, explains it thus: "The Lord did not set His love upon you because you were more in number than any people . . . but because the Lord loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn to your fathers." The rabbis insist that Israel was elected because it voluntarily accepted the Torah whereas other nations would not. Mercy and forgiveness, says the Talmud, are distinguishing  characteristics of Abraham and his seed, and these characteristics motivated God to choose Israel as His  people." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (2.) Mean, Middling or Too Generous? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "To give a tenth of one's wealth to charity is considered to be a "middling" virtue, to give a 20th or less is to be "mean"; but the rabbis decided that one should not give more than a fifth lest he become impoverished himself and dependent on charity." "The rabbis were especially concerned . . . that nothing be done that might shame the recipient. About one pious man it was related that if he met a man of good family who had become impoverished he would say, "I have heard that a legacy has been left to you in such a place; take this money in advance and pay me back later." When the man accepted it he then said to him, "It is a gift." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) "Maimonides lists eight ways of giving zedakah which are progressively more virtuous: to give (1) but sadly; (2) less than is fitting, but in good humor; (3) only after having been asked to; (4) before being asked; (5) in such a manner that the donor does not know who the recipient is, (6) in such a manner that the recipient does not know who the donor is; and (7-8) in such a way that neither donor nor the recipient knows the identity of the other. (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (3.) Praying (More than Words): - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To Moslems and Jews as well as to many Christians, the acts of prayer are accompanied by mannerisms that show the person is in the act of prayer. Various forms of singing (chanting), bobbing (moving), washing, covering heads, and women wearing aprons have been passed down through the ages. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (4.) Fasting (More than Not Eating): - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - As mentioned above, the practice of fasting is found in Islam. It is also a part of Jewish life, although fasting is never done on a Sabbath day because Sabbath is a day of joy and fasting (to many) is less than joyful! Yom Kippur (a High Day - hence, treated as a Sabbath) is the only exception. On that day, fasting begins an hour  before the Sabbath and continues until an hour afterwards. "On fast days one neither eats nor drinks . . . other prohibitions are washing, wearing leather shoes, using ointments or perfumes, and other physical pleasures. There are special prayers and the Torah is read in the synagogue. Yom Kippur and Tishah be-Av are observed from  sunset to sunset. All other fasts are from sunrise to sunset." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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