Does faith in Jesus steal the Jewish soul?

October 17, 2009

 There are teachings in Judaism today that are aimed at keeping Jewish people away from faith in Yeshua/Jesus as the Messiah.  The teachings say that when a person comes to faith in Messiah Yeshua/Jesus they lose their Jewish soul. 

In regard to the Jewish Soul, according to Chabad, Jewish sages have said this about the human soul: “She is called by five names: Nefesh (soul), Ruach (spirit), Neshamah (breath), Chayah (life) and Yechidah (singularity).” The Chassidic masters explain that the soul’s five “names” actually describe five levels or dimensions of the soul. Nefesh is the soul as the engine of physical life. Ruach is the emotional self and “personality.” Neshamah is the intellectual self. Chayah is the supra-rational self–the seat of will, desire, commitment and faith. Yechidah connotes the essence of the soul–its unity with its source, the singular essence of G-d. For the essence of the soul of man is “literally a part of G-d above”–a piece of G-d in us, so to speak. The Chassidic masters speak of two distinct souls that vitalize the human being: an “Animal Soul” and a “G-dly Soul.” The Animal Soul is driven by the quest for self-preservation and self-enhancement; in this, it resembles the soul and self of all other creations. But we also possess a G-dly Soul”–a soul driven by the desire to reconnect with its Source. The Divine essence of the human soul is what sets the human being above and apart from all other creations, even the angels. The angel may be more spiritual, but the human being is more G-dly.

So the question is, let’s say a Jewish person is completely influenced by the world around them and secular humanism and has no interest in anything about God or Judaism.  That same person comes to faith in Yeshua/Jesus as the Messiah of Israel.  As a result the person repents from the sinful activities they were participating in.  The person draws near to God in an intimate relationship.  And ultimately the person begins to esteem the Jewish holy days – found in Scripture – as life giving and applicable to their lives.  The Jewish person, who once had their back turned away from God and the truth of Scripture, now lives their life in adherance to the Commandments in Scripture, living a lifestyle of Torah study, prayer and mitzvot.  Their faith, like that of Abraham rests in the One true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for direction and fulfillment of everything related to their lives.

And yet those who want to share the life giving truth about Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah are still being accused of stealing Jewish souls.  Why?

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