By Rabbi Rob Miller Agudat Bris

Ekh•äd'

Echad, often preached, seldom reached! It is the essence of our Faith and the brightness of our future. “Hear, O Israel: YAHWEH is our Almighty, YAHWEH is echad.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) “YAHWEH will be king over the whole earth. On that day YAHWEH will be echad, and his name echad.” (Zechariah 14:9)

Our Messiah went so far as to declare “echad” as the greatest commandment: “One of the Rabbis of the Torah came and heard them debating. Noticing that YahShua had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ ‘The most important one,’ answered YahShua, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: YAHWEH is our Almighty, YAHWEH is echad. Love YAHWEH is your Almighty with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4, 5)’”

Echad is a compound unity but that’s not all it is. Our sages teach us that “Echad” refers to YAHWEH’s true and absolute unity. In the “Shemah” we are introduced to Yahweh’s unity but what does it mean? It means that YAHWEH is unified in all his manifestations: As the Ayn Sof, the Incomprehensible One, YAHWEH first revealed Himself as Elohim in Genesis 1:1. Elohim is a compound unity. It does not mean there is more than one Eloah but it means that Yahweh is unified in all of His might – He is Almighty. “Praise be to you, YAHWEH, the Elohim of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, YAHWEH, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, YAHWEH, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29:10-11) The first emanation to show forth out of the Heavenly Father was the Adam Kadmon (which embodies all the siferot – graces cited above) , the pre-incarnate Messiah. It was from the Adam Kadmon that tremendous light shown forth and aligned itself into creation. It was through “the image of the invisible Elohim,” the Messiah, that YAHWEH made all things. The Adam Kadmon in this understanding is the expression of YAHWEH’s complete Word.

“Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, tell me if know? (Proverbs 30:4)”

“[YAHWEH] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:2-4)”

The “First born of creation,” is “the image of the invisible Elohim,” the Son of YAHWEH called in the Hebrew the “Adam Kadmon.”

“He is the image (Adam Kadmon) of the invisible Elohim (Ayn Sof), the firstborn over all creation (Son of YAHWEH). For through Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the Assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence (Messiah). (Colossians 1:15-18)”

The Son was created from out of the Father and was the agency that was used anytime man needed to see the Elohim, “No man hath seen YAHWEH at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath revealed him. (John 1:18)”

When Moses spoke to YAHWEH on Mount Sinai, he spoke to the Messiah. When any of the prophets claimed to see “YAHWEH sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,” they saw the Messiah. And when YAHWEH long to redeem mankind from the curse He sent His, “only begotten Son,” the Messiah, “Who [is] the brightness of [YAHWEH’s] glory, and the express image of His person…upholding all things by the word of his power… purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3)” “I and the Father are echad" (John 10:30); ". . .he that has seen me has seen the Father" (John 17:22); "In the beginning (Bereshit – origin) was the Word (D’var – expressed word – Torah) and the Word was with Elohim and the Word was Elohim. " (John 1:1) ". . . that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me and I in Him" (John 14:10) ". . .he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. . ." (John 14:9) Our Messiah prayed, ". . .Holy Father keep through Thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be echad, as we are." (John 17:11) The Heavenly Father also shows Himself in the manifestation of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). “another Helper, that He may abide with you forever (John 14:16),” the Shekinah, the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, to “guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. (John 16:13)” The Ruach (Spirit or Breath) is the breath of life. “…the Spirit of Elohim was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)” “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth. (Psalm 104:30)” “And Yahweh Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)” “So YahShua said to them again, "Shalom! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:21-23)” YahShua told his disciples that he and the Father were "echad" (John 10:30). He didn't define their oneness here. Later when he prayed to his Father on behalf of his disciples, he asked that they "may all be echad, just as we are echad" (John 17:21-22). Rabbi Sha’ul provides one facet of the echad of YahShua's disciples: "The one who joins himself to [the Express Image of the Invisible Elohim – Colossians 1:15] is one SPIRT with him" (1 Cor 6:17). Elsewhere, he writes of those who "are standing firm in one SPIRIT, with one MIND striving together for the faith of the message" (Phil 1:27). Elsewhere, he equates this SPIRIT with the "new man" or new nature, the nature of the Messiah thus the nature of Elohim.

The Echad Allegory of Marriage

The reason that the Torah tells us stories about the life of the Patriarchs is so that we can know the future history of our People – Am Echad! “YAHWEH Elohim said: 'It is not good that the Adam should be alone; I will make him a helpful opponent for him.'… And YAHWEH Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall upon the Adam, and as he slept and split came from his ECHAD side, and the breach was closed up. And from the side, which YAHWEH Elohim had opened from the man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the Adam.” (Genesis 2:21, 22) “[Adam and Eve] shall become one (echad) flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

Before her creation, Eve was "in" Adam (Genesis 2:22). Upon creation, she became a separated, though obviously a related, but distinct person. Then Elohim reversed the operation and rejoined them in a new way, in marriage. They were no longer apart: they were one single body - echad. Eve is not now "in" Adam, but kenegdo, Genesis 2: 20]. Their unity is not composite, but singularly נגדו] ”with" him as his “helpful opponent" whole. The two, as male and female, are now one Human — one "Adam" (Genesis 3:22, 24). “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one (echad) flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

Again our Messiah sheds more light on this facet of “echad”: “Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?’ ‘Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ (Genesis 1:27) and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one (echad) flesh’ (Genesis 2:24)? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what Elohim has joined together, let no one separate.”

‘Why then,’ they asked, ‘did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?’

YahShua replied, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.’” (Matthew 19:3-8) “Echad” is the truth monogamists & polygamists alike have missed when it comes to the allegory of marriage. Echad is the cure for divorce! “Wives should submit to their husbands as they do to Adonai; because the husband is head of the wife, just as the Messiah, as head of the Messianic Community, is Himself the one who keeps the body safe. Just as the Messianic Community submits to the Messiah, so also wives should submit to their husbands in EVERYTHING.

As for husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself up on its behalf, in order to set it apart for YAHWEH, making it clean through immersion in the mikveh, so to speak, in order to present the Messianic Community to himself as a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without defect. This is how husbands ought to love their wives — like their own bodies; for the man who loves his wife is loving himself. Why, no one ever hated his own flesh! On the contrary, he feeds it well and takes care of it, just as the Messiah does the Messianic Community, because we are parts of his Body.

‘Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and remain with his wife, and the two will become echad.’ (Genesis 2:24) There is profound truth hidden here, which I say concerns the Messiah and the Messianic Community. However, the text also applies to each of you individually: let each man love his wife as he does himself, and see that the wife respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:22-33)

This is the Principle of “Patriarchal Marriage,” meaning “father-ruling marriage”; as Rabbi Sha’ul says "the husband is the head (or ruler) of the wife." But more importantly Yahweh said: “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)

This benign passage of scripture Ephesians 5:22-33 has been called, the most challenging of scriptures. Why? It should’t be! I believe it is because this concept of marital “echad” goes against the grain of the humanistic, Christian, feminist agenda that has been used to emasculate men especially married men. Women have come to believe that at marriage they have gotten themselves a man – the man is their property – and have trapped him in marriage to be treated as they see fit. “Wives should submit to their husbands as they do to Adonai…” Remember, the prayer of our Messiah, ". . .Holy Father keep through your own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be echad, as we are." (John 17:11)

The carnal, feminine, mind will try to justify rebellion by saying “I will submit to my husband when he is as perfect as Messiah!” I would answer that objection by saying, “You didn’t wait for perfection when you married him!” Secretly, most women hope to change their man into what THEY want him to be! Nevertheless there is a true Principle of “Patriarchal Marriage,” and the words of Rabbi Sha’ul are absolutely true: “Wives should submit to their husbands as they do to Adonai (in EVERYTHING); because the husband is head of the wife, just as the Messiah, as head of the Messianic Community, is Himself the one who keeps the body safe. This is not, however carte blanch for man to, without accountability, to lord over his wife.

At the same time, “husbands (are to) love (their) wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community.” As few Men know how to love as YahShua loves just as few women know how to submit as a Kingdom does to their King. Recently, Yahweh sent me to live in a kingdom under the longest ruling monarch in history and I saw how much the people absolutely love and respect their king. Not only this, but it was against the law to speak against the king. To be consistent, if women refuse to submit to their husbands in the same way that Messianic Community submits to Messiah because the husbands are imperfect, then husbands should refuse to love their wives until they are perfect. That’s irrational! It doesn’t matter whose imperfect in our relationships, as Believers, we are supposed to filter our relationships through Yahweh. He is true love! (1 John 4:8) “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)

If, as Believers, we are “working out [our] salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil.2:12) not just playing at religion, “the Spirit of truth …will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:13) “The Torah is truth” (Psalms 119:142) and positively expects ALL believing husbands and wives to live “echad” without exception. A believing woman has not the right to withhold submission or respect to her husband until he is loving, nor does a believing husband have the right to withhold love until his believing wife is submissive and respectful. It is a commandment for each to fulfill their part of the marriage covenant without exception. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one (echad) flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

When I speak of “echad” marriage, I am speaking of the goal of complete unity and harmony between husband and wife. This will fulfill King Messiah Yahshua’s prayer:

"Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one (echad) as We are one (echad)... I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one (echad), as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one (echad) in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one (echad) just as We are one (echad): I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one (echad), and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me" (John 17:11, 20-23). To be scripturally honest like the Bereans (“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character … for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what (was) said was true.” - Acts 17:11) we are obligated to address the fact that the Scriptures also endorses and protects a more complex form of marriage which was practiced extensively by the Patriarchs. I am speaking of Plural Echad Marriage.

“Teach me your way, YAHWEH, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11) Take for instance King David’s life: “Here is what YAHWEH, the Elohim of Isra’el says: ‘I anointed you king over Isra’el. I rescued you from the power of Sha’ul. I GAVE YOU your master’s house and your master’s WIVES to embrace. I gave you the house of Isra’el and the house of Y’hudah. And if that had been too little, I would have added to you a lot more.” (2 Samuel 12:7, 8)

2 Samuel 12:8 tells us YAHWEH blessed David with the wives of David’s King, Sha’ul, along with those David took as wives. Having more than one wife is not wrong but taking another man’s wife is sin, adultery. “For David had done what was right from YAHWEH’s perspective; he had not turned away from anything he had ordered him to do, as long as he lived, except in the matter of Uriyah the Hittite.” (1 Kings 15:5) David taking other wives was “right from YAHWEH’s perspective” and when YAHWEH spoke to David through Nathan the prophet regarding Bat Sheva it is evident that if David wanted more wives YAHWEH could and would have provided;

“I GAVE YOU your master’s house and your master’s WIVES to embrace. I gave you the house of Isra’el and the house of Y’hudah. And if that had been too little, I would have added to you a lot more.” (2 Samuel 12:8) The G'morra in Sanhedrin says that Bat Sheva was bashert (predestined or soulmate) for King David from the six days of creation. His problem was that he was supposed to wait until Uriyah had died, and he didn't. She was his bashert even though he had many other wives who were also his bashert. This is because Yahweh may destine several wives for one man if he is holy, but the woman has only one bashert. In contrast look at Solomon, David’s son’s life: Solomon disobeyed YAHWEH:

“When you come to the land which YAHWEH your Elohim gives you, and shall possess it and shall live in it and shall say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations around me, you shall surely set a king over you, whom YAHWEH your Elohim shall choose. You shall set a king over you from among your brothers. You may not set a stranger over you, who is not your brother. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt (Polyandry, a wife having several husbands is totally forbidden and is included in the prohibition "And according to the ways of the Land of Egypt you shall not do" - Leviticus 18:3).), so as to multiply horses, because YAHWEH has said to you, You shall return no more that way from now on. Nor shall HE multiply wives to himself, so that his heart does not turn away. Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold to himself. And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write a copy of this Torah in a scroll from before the priests, the Levites.” (Deuteronomy 17:14-18)

Let me stop here and address an issue. It has been said that this passage had been in Rabbi Sha’ul’s mind when he set the guidelines for the Elder: “Therefore an Elder must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.” (1 Timothy 3:2) If this is the actual rendering, it would disqualify most men because today most men are divorced. Actually what is the correct rendering of the passage: “Now the overseer is to be echad with his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.” Originally, in Netzarim communities, a man would not receive s'micha (ordination to any office) until he was married and in echad. A person cannot be a teacher of small children unless he is married. Torah considers the echad marriage state to be the ideal state. When a man especially an Elder becomes “echad” with his wife as in Matthew 19:5-6, this doesn't mean that he can't be “echad” with another woman. If Yahweh blesses him and gives him another wife he can be “echad” with his first wife, and “echad” with his second wife, and “echad” with as many women as Yahweh can bless him with. In fact, the plural wives are to be echad with one another as a composite unit with their husband. In reality, there is only ONE (Echad) wife made up of a plural unit.

Now, since we are Netzarim, Messiah YahShua sets our halacha (doctrine) and he said, “I have not come to abolish the Torah…” (Matthew 5:17) “That same day the Hasidim (Sadducees), who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. ‘Rabbi,’ they said, ‘Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?" YahShua replied, ‘You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of Elohim. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead--have you not read what YAHWEH said to you, “I am the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob' ? He is not the Elohim of the dead but of the living.’” (Matthew 22:23-32)

Notice, Messiah YahShua does not criticize the Torah of plural marriage but the ignorance of the Hasidim. He did NOT nor could he abolish the Torah to include the laws of plural marriage.

Solomon added wives from pagan nations. These turned his heart away from YAHWEH. “And King Solomon loved many foreign women, even the daughter of Pharaoh, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, Hittites; of the nations which YAHWEH had said to the sons of Israel, You shall not go in to them, and they shall not go in to you; surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For it happened when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with YAHWEH his Elohim, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoret the goddess of the Tzidoni and Milkom the abomination of the Ammonites; and Solomon did evil in the sight of YAHWEH, and did not go fully after YAHWEH like his father David.” (1 Kings 11:1-6)

Solomon took extra wives of pagan religions; this was the sin, not the marrying of plural wives. Also, he “loved many foreign women” not waiting for Yahweh to bless him with wives. Now I ask you; can a man with one wife have his heart turned away? Yes. So the error of having one’s heart turned away is not unique to Plural Echad Marriage.

Israel is the Bride in waiting of Yahweh.

“Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; and do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; but you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. “For your husband is your Maker, whose name is YAHWEH of hosts; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, who is called the Elohim of all the earth. “For YAHWEH has called you, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,” says your Elohim. “For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you. “In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you,” says YAHWEH your Redeemer (Isaiah 54:4-8). But Israel is a composite Bride.

The 'House of Israel' played the 'harlot', with the false worship and so did the 'House of Judah'. Ezekiel 23 labels the two 'houses' of Israel as two-harlot sisters, one named Aholah (“she has her own tent” meaning her idolatrous sanctuary - ten tribes), and the other Aholibah (“my tent is in her” - house of Judah). “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto Me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith Yahweh. And Yahweh said unto me, "The backsliding Israel has justified herself more than treacherous Judah. (Jeremiah 3:8)”

“And Yahweh said, I will remove Judah also out of My sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, "My name shall be there." (2 Kings 23:27)” Yahweh is the brokenhearted lover. He “allures” the object of His love and speaks kindly to her. The passage my husband” (Ishi) instead of“ אישי speaks of a refreshed relationship in which His wife (Israel) will call Him ”.my Lord“ בעלי

“Return, faithless people,” declares YAHWEH, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion (Jeremiah 3.14).

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness and speak kindly to her. “Then I will give her her vineyards from there, and the valley of Achor as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. “It will come about in that day,” declares YAHWEH, “That you will call Me Ishi and will no longer call Me Baali. “For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, so that they will be mentioned by their names no more. “In that day I will also make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the sky and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, and will make them lie down in safety. “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness and in compassion, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know YAHWEH” (Hosea 2.14-20).

“Behold, days are coming,” declares YAHWEH, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares YAHWEH. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares YAHWEH, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people (Jeremiah 31.31-33).

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is burning. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of YAHWEH will designate. You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your Elohim. It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,” nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”; Beulah “Land of your husband”; for בעולה,Cheftziba “My Darling,” and your land חפציבה ,but you will be called YAHWEH delights in you, and to Him your land will be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your Elohim will rejoice over you (Isaiah 62.1-5).

This is the reason YahShua came was to make the two – Israel & Judah – the sisters – echad! “For [Messiah] himself is our shalom (wholeness) — he has made us both one and has broken down the m’chitzah (the dividing wall) which divided us by destroying in his own body the hatred for the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union (echad) with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom (wholeness), and in order to reconcile to Elohim both in a single body by being executed on a tree as a criminal and thus in himself killing that hatred.” (Ephesians 2:14-16)

Yahweh cannot marry the two sisters until they are no longer hostile to one another and the reason for the hostility in reality is because of the hostility for the ordinances of Torah! So what is being said here is, the plural wives are to be fused through Messiah into one unit – echad – to be so unified that they are one wife to the husband, free of envy, jealousy and strife – totally echad! “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the Tzaddikim (saints). then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’” (Revelation 19.7-9).

King Messiah YahShua said: "I (the Bridegroom) am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep (the composite Bride), and am known by My own" (John 10:13-14) Thus every shepherd has his "lamb" and every lamb her shepherd, with a few shepherds, like King David, - the friend of Elohim – and a type of the Good Shepherd – so blessed having a little "flock" (2 Samuel12:2-3). Remember, Messiah YahShua said: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to rightfully interpret them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke or a pen, will by any means disappear from the Torah until everything is accomplished. (Matthew 5:17-18)"

In taking another wife, you may NOT dishonor your 1st wife!

“If a man marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.” (Exodus 21:10- 11) However, one may facilitate a Get (certificate of divorce) where the wife is a moredes (rebellious wife) or an adulteresss according to Deuteronomy 24 laws of Zenot (because he finds something indecent about her) which YahShua agrees Matthew 5:32 which has been mistranslated to: “But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for fornication, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” It should be rendered: “But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for Zenot, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Rebellion qualifies as zenot (immorality) which comes from the hardness of one’s heart against her husband. In taking another wife, you may NOT marry your sister-in-law if the two are at odds or hostile to one another. “‘Do not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.” (Leviticus 18:18) If they are echad then you may become echad with them in marriage. In taking another wife, you may NOT dishonor your 1st born of the 1st wife!

“If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, [both] the beloved and the hated; and [if] the firstborn son be hers that was hated: then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit [that] which he hath, [that] he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, [which is indeed] the firstborn: but he shall acknowledge the son of the hated [for] the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he [is] the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn [is] his.” (Deuteronomy 21:15 - 21:17)

This was in answer to Jacob’s example of NOT being echad with his wives or family. "Raba said: a man may marry wives in addition to the first wife; provided only that he possesses the means to maintain them." (Babylonian Talmud: Yevamot 65a.)

"He may not, however, compel his wives to live in the same courtyard (house). Instead, each one is entitled to her own household." (Mishneh Torah: Laws of Matrimoney 14:3)

Obviously, if Plural Echad Marriage was NOT Torah why does the Torah make such stipulations? And if the ancient Sages were against it why does the Talmud & Mishna Torah maintain it? So, when was plural marriage banned? Christian clergy, theologians and doctrinarians with a perverted perspective following in the Roman societal tradition have tremendous difficulty with plural echad marriage. This very point shows to what extent the Roman church is not a continuation of Torah to include the Netzarim Faith (the original sect of Messiah Yahshua), society and morality, but rather the continuation of Greco-Roman pagan traditions, society and morality and has put pressure on our communities. People, with a Christian mind-set, think that there is something basically immoral about having more than one wife, and the few situations where it is allowed are considered strange and suspect.

Christianity adopted entirely the Greco-Roman attitude towards women and normal relations between men and women. Christianity adopted the view that the normal relationship between a man and a woman is intrinsically sinful, can only be justified for the sake of having children. Christianity originally held that the ideal is for a man to be celibate which has led to perversion in the Roman Catholic Clergy which causes them to prey on children especially young males.

Homosexuality was a major force in ancient Greece. The warrior class considered themselves to be super masculine, and therefore the highest object of their affections and attention was other males. The preferred relationship was a seasoned soldier with a young boy. They viewed women as "breeders", an unfortunate necessity for continued population, but not ideal partners. In Sparta, each new recruit in the army (age twelve) was given to an older soldier to be his sex slave for two years. Plato and Socrates, the supposedly great Greek philosophers also were homosexuals, and lauded the practice. Neo-Platonism is the core of Christian theology. As most seminarians know you must be versed in Plato’s doctrine of “cause” and the rhema and logos before ordination.

Approximately one thousand years ago, the noted German scholar Rabbi Gershom “the Light of the Diaspora” banned polygamy upon Roman pressure. This ban was accepted as law by all Ashkenazic Jews, but was not recognized by Sephardic and Yemenite communities not under control of Catholic institutions. About 1000 CE Rabbeinu Gershom called a synod (a typical Christian thing to do) specifically for Ashkenazi Jews which decided the following particulars: (1) prohibition of polygamy; (2) necessity of obtaining the consent of both parties to a divorce; (3) modification of the rules concerning those who became apostates under compulsion; (4) prohibition against opening correspondence addressed to another. These prohibitions remained in force for one thousand years.

There was a loophole in this ban, allowing a man to marry a second wife under certain extenuating circumstances—for example, if the wife’s deteriorated mental condition renders her halachically (doctrinally) incapable of receiving a divorce. In such an instance, a dispensation signed by 100 rabbis is necessary, and the husband must place the amount of money promised in the ketubah (marriage covenant) in an escrow account, in the event that conditions will one day allow the wife to receive the divorce.

We can see from the history of the Catholic Church pursuing and executing polygamist the background against which Rabbeinu Gershom’s Cherem (the highest ecclesiastical prohibition which leads to excommunication for violators) was made. In Roman Catholic Society we defended ourselves as best we could. Among the defenses was to ban plural echad marriage, something considered by Yahweh and his Torah to be holy, righteous and good. Plural echad marriage was part of the founding of our people, and was part of Yahweh's divine plan for us. The idea of plural echad marriage bringing the redemption closer is based on the G'morra which says that the Messiah will not come until all of the spirits of man have come down and entered into their mortal bodies. The dirty little secret is that HaSatan hates righteous echad people having children that can grow up to be righteous echad people going out in the world spreading the full messianic message. Remember, Yahweh promised Abraham that his children would be as many as the stars of the sky. Rav Yaakov Emden, the Ya'avetz (1697- 1776), a leading German rabbi and talmudist says that the reason for the ban was danger from the uncircumcised people (that is the Christians) among whom we live. Christianity worked hard over the period from about 600 CE. to 900 CE to eliminate polygamy in Europe. By the year 858, Herard of Tours got so far as to limit people to two wives. Shortly thereafter, the ban among Christians in Europe became almost complete, and they were soon restricted to only one wife. Since the Christians were now banned from something that had been normal practice for many years, they resented the fact that the Jews could continue to have more than one wife. When Gentiles resent Israel, Israelites get killed. Therefore to prevent massacres of the Jews, Rabbeinu Gershom banned polygamy.

However plural marriage still exists in non-European Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewish communities that exist in countries where it is not forbidden by pagan tradition, such as Jewish communities in North Africa, Yemen, Kurdistan, and Iran.

Rabbi Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman Kremer, (1720 –1797) The Vilna Gaon, was the greatest Torah giant for hundreds of years. He was also a great Tzaddik. In the course of a year, he didn't waste a total of five minutes from learning Torah. He said (Ma'aseh Rav Hashalem page 276): "If I would be successful, in accomplishing two things I would be idle from Torah and T'fillah and go from city to city [to get them accepted]. One is to eliminate the prohibition of Rabbeinu Gershom against taking two wives for with this the G'ulah (final redemption) will become closer, and the second that they should have bircas Cohanim (The priestly blessing or priestly benediction spoken over Israel) every day." In his lifetime he didn't succeed, but his talmidim (disciples) who came to Eretz Israel are pushing ahead. One of those is former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef who has come out in favor of legalizing plural marriage and the practice of pilegesh (concubine) by the Israeli government. Rabbeinu Gershom himself wrote three t'shuvos (doctrinal opinions) stating that his takonah (ban) does not apply in the case where the wife has no children or has ceased to have children. (Otzar HaPoskim Even Haezer 1:10 pages 14a and 14b). If the wife consents to the second wife, the Tashbetz says that there never was a ban (Tasbetz sh'eilah 94).

But be it well established, a man may NOT marry even one wife if he’s NOT willing to be echad with her and she with him! Such people are NOT worthy of marriage and are destined to be alone. THEY ARE SELF-ISH! (a self-serving person).

Polygamy is currently, technically, illegal in the United States. However, on December 13, 2013, a federal judge, spurred by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups, struck down the parts of Utah's bigamy law that criminalized cohabitation, while also acknowledging that the state may still enforce bans on having legal multiple marriage licenses. The Obama Administration says it no longer pursues anyone who enters a Religious Marriage Covenant. So, not legally sanctioned, plural marriage is no longer criminalized. In the U.S., the Libertarian Party supports complete decriminalization of polygamy as part of a general belief that the government should not regulate marriages.

According to Halacha (religious orthodox doctrine), in Israel today, though not legally sanctioned by the secular government, an Israelite may marry more than one wife, and not only is it allowed, if the marriage is echad it is a mitzvah and can help bring the redemption closer.

Israel, an ECHAD People

“The people answered with one voice [kol echad], and said, All the words which Yahweh has said will we do.” (Exodus 24:3)

“Then I will give to the peoples purified lips, that all of them may call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him with one shoulder [shechem echad].” (Zepheniah 3:9) “The Hand of Elohim was also on Judah to give them one heart [lev echad] to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of Yahweh. (2 Chron 30:12) “I will make them an undivided nation [goy echad] in the Land . . .One single King [melech echad] will be king for all of them, and they will no longer be two nations, and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms.” (Ezekiel 37:22)

“Who is like Your people Israel, a unified nation [goy echad] on earth?” (2 Samuel 7:23)

“He was King in Yeshurun, When the heads of the people were gathered, the tribes of Israel unified [yachad – an echad community].” (Deuteronomy 33:5)

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity [gam yachad]!” (Psalms 133:1) In the Dead Sea Scrolls, the teachings of the Exiled Priests, “The Community Rule” (1QS, The Manual of Disciple), Israel is called into unity: “This is the rule for the men of the Yachad ... (the Yachad of the eternal covenant … Whoever enters the council of the Yachad enters the covenant of Elohim.” “They shall be My people, and I will be their Elohim; I will give them singleness of heart (lev echad) and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them.” (Jeremiah 32:39)

The Netzarim Community is at a crossroads; a community in crisis. We are fighting vigorously to stay alive. There are those that are going back to the Church. And there are those converting to Judaism. Until we believe, truly believe that we are in this together; we are brothers and sisters. Our words, our actions and our feelings about one another and this community have power, import and consequences. In the end, we will not find our way through this until we believe that we are Am Echad - Lev Echad; One People - One Heart. After the Ascension that brought the outpouring of the Holy Spirit we were Am Echad: “The festival of Shavu‘ot (Pentecost – the anniversary of the giving of Torah) arrived, and the believers were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and began to talk in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.” (Acts 2:1-4)

Make no mistake, we can and will find our way through these trying times if, and only if, we unite as Am Echad and submerge ourselves in the Spirit from within and without. If we will do this, Yahweh will renew us giving us the faith to be Am Echad; Lev Echad –one people having one heart.

“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.’ (Ezekiel 11:19) This is great challenge in front of us if we are to move forward, survive and ultimately thrive. Which way we go depends not upon me or you. Rather, it depends upon us. Although the tasks are many and the journey is long, we will never even get to the starting gate, certainly never fully run the race if we do not “Faith”, finally and fully believe in faith, that we are in this together, we are brothers and sisters and we are Am Echad Lev Echad – One People One Heart.

“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you from all the countries, and return you to your own soil. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you; I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit inside you and cause you to live by my laws (the unified plurality of Torah), respect my rulings and obey them.” (Ezekiel 36:24-27)