Levitt Letter, September 2020
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SEPTEMBER 2020 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that inside: The Yom Levitt they might be saved. p.8 LETTER — ROMANS 10:1 Kippur War Yeshua Named To in Rosh Hashanah Prayer Index Yeshua.org Observing Yom Kippur Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, Despite the Odds begins this year at sunset on Friday, Sep- By Dr. Yvette Alt Miller tember 18 and ends at sunset on Sunday, Aish.com September 20. The Biblical name for this For years, holiday is Yom Teruah (in Hebrew, literally, Mendel Futerfas “day of shouting/raising a noise”), or the defied the Soviet Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:24). Union. Studying On High Holy Days, the Jews read from an Torah was strictly Orthodox machzor or prayer book. forbidden by the Soviet authorities. Even possessing A very interesting prayer that mentions R. Mendel Futerfas Jewish books was grounds the name of a high priest, or kohen gadol, for imprisonment. But Mendel appears in various older machzorim (pl), risked his life day in and day out, going back over 100 years. The high educating his fellow Soviet Jews priest’s name is Yeshua. in secret. Finally one day, the This prayer — called “Sar HaPanim” (Hebrew authorities discovered him and for “Prince of the Face”) — is recited during sentenced him to forced labor in Rosh Hashanah between blowings of the one of the USSR’s feared gulags shofar (ram’s horn) and names Yeshua as the (labor camps) in Siberia. One who atones for our sins. (continued p.2) There, Mendel tried to keep as many REMEMBER: of the mitzvot (commandments) as Rosh Hashanah 2020 Friday, September 18 to possible, but it wasn’t easy. One Sunday, September 20 (sunset to sunset), Yom Kippur, he felt particularly Yom Kippur Sunday, September 27 to Monday, September 28 (sunset to sunset) (continued p.3) Yeshua Named … continued from cover The prayer reads: composed by Jewish sages speaking of “May it be Your will that the Yeshua. Pearlmutter came to believe — sounding of the shofar, which we as did other rabbis who visited him have done, will be embroidered in during his 25 years in the desert of the veil by the appointed angel, as Israel — that Yeshua is the Messiah, the You accepted it by Elijah, of blessed Mashiach HaShem (HaShem is God’s memory and by Yeshua, the Prince title in Hebrew). of the Face (Face of Hashem) (Prince Rabbi Pearlmutter died in 1999. of God’s Presence) and the one who Go to a Jewish bookstore today and sits on God’s throne. May You be look in contemporary Rosh Hashanah filled with compassion toward us. machzorim. You’ll very likely see that Deserving of praise are You, LORD of the name Yeshua is gone from the compassion.” (S. Birnbaum, Behind The prayer. Apparently, it has been deleted Curtain, Siddur HaShalem, part 2, p. 282) from a traditional Jewish siddur after The prayer probably was taken from having been included for many centu- Isaiah 63:9, which mentions an ries without any objection. individual with the title “Sar HaPanim,” In an interview with Rabbi Pearlmutter: meaning “Prince of the Face” or “The “So, the last prayer says that we Angel of His Presence.” call upon the name of Yeshua, that Rabbi Simcha Pearlmutter, an Orthodox it may atone for all our sins. Now I Jew from Miami, Florida, led a group want you to understand very clearly of American Jews in 1967 to found that I did not write this prayer, and the Ir Ovot kibbutz south of the Dead I did not publish this book, and I Sea. In an interview, he revealed that did not write this book. This book this prayer is also known as “Machzor was written by rabbis long ago, Rabah.” Taken from an Orthodox and this prayer cannot be taken out To Jewish prayer book recited during of this prayer book — not by me, Index Rosh Hashanah between the blowing and not by any other rabbi. Even of the shofar, it names Yeshua as The if a rabbi desired to extract it, he One who atones for our sins. The could not — not if he is an Orthodox title of the prayer is “Sar HaPanim,” and observant rabbi who goes by meaning Prince of the Face. rabbinical halachah [Torah-based Rabbi Pearlmutter attended yeshiva law]. That’s because he is bound (Jewish seminary) for a number of years by what we call the word and the after coming to know Yeshua as the prayers of Chazal. ‘Chazal’ means, Mashiach (Messiah) on his own, without Chachameinu zichronam livracha, being evangelized by Christians, or even ‘Our wise men of blessed memory.’ reading the New Testament. Rather, And what Chazal has put in, we are he set out to disprove Yeshua, only to of insufficient authority to remove.” find Yeshua pursuing him through his May Messiah Yeshua be revealed to studies in the Torah, in Jewish literature, Israel and all the Earth without delay and, more importantly, in the siddurim so that every knee will bow and every (books of daily prayers) and machzorim tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. 1 (High Holy Days prayers) — the prayers “Yeshua, Prince of the Face.” Special thanks to Phil Goble of afii.org. 2 SEPTEMBER 2020 CONTENTS LevittLETTER Teaching 18 ZLM Order Form 4 Money & Power 21 Letters to ZLM (Ecclesiastes 5:8–20) 4 24 Crossword Puzzle Studio Co-host 6 At the Trumpet’s Call Science 25 Phone Booths as Zola Book Excerpt Lifesaving Defibrillator 7 Atonement (Yom Kippur) 6 Stations 8 The Yom Kippur War: When Israel Was Judged 26 Why Jordan Will and Nearly Failed Not Oppose Israeli Annexation Classic Zola 10 10 God’s Blessings and Cursings 28 Select Media Briefs Ask the Chaplain Medicine 12 What or who are angels? 30 Face Mask to Help Hearing Disabled 13 Germany: 110-year-old Mural 12 for a Jewish Business Archaeology 31 DNA Unlocks the A Note from Mark Dead Sea Scrolls (part 2) 14 Magical Water? 14 Anti-Semitism 15 ZLM Bulletin Board 34 Toronto Restaurant Parsons: Hebrew Lesson Dislikes Zionists 16 The Torah of Love 35 Jewish Humor 16 Observing Yom Kippur … continued from cover sidebar low. Without a machzor (Yom Kippur prayer that my grandmother book), he was only able to recite a few prayers taught me when I was from memory. One was V’chol Ma’aminim a child. I have been (“We all Believe”). But this Yom Kippur, repeating this prayer all Mendel had a difficult time believing the day. I just want you to Rabbi Mendel Futerfas words. In such a dark place, he wondered, know you are not the wearing a “casket” — was it really possible to have such faith? only one celebrating a casquette (French for “cap”) — that was Then, Mendel noticed one of the prison Yom Kippur.” customary in Russia guards — a rough-looking man with a big scar After 14 long years, across his face — staring at him. Frightened, Mendel was able to escape from that Mendel tried to look as if he wasn’t fasting gulag and make his way to Israel, where and praying, but the guard came towards he dedicated his life to teaching Torah. him. Speaking quietly, the guard said: It is not known what happened to the “I see you praying today. I know you are Jewish guard. fasting today. I want you to know that I am God always supplies — oftentimes fasting as well. I know it’s Yom Kippur today, through unexpected means … or yet I don’t know a single thing about Judaism people! — David 1 except a prayer, Modeh Ani (‘I Give Thanks’), ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 3 Chapters 1–4 of this Ecclesiastes study appeared in our monthly Personal Letters, beginning in February. Chapter 5 began in August’s Levitt Letter (p. 4). Tony Derrick Theologian for Money & Power: Eccles. 5:8–20 Zola Levitt Ministries The Widow’s Mite, painting by James Tissot (1836–1902), Brooklyn Museum We continue our study in Ecclesiastes with the final thirteen verses in chapter five. Solomon writes about wealth, work, and life. Since he is the wealthiest man of his time, he may know a thing or two about money. Let’s hear what he has to say on the subject. Unchecked Power Brings Oppression (5:8–9) Verse eight begins, “If you see the oppression of the poor... .” Solomon observes To that rich people wield the most power and influence. They have leadership roles Index in almost all sectors of government. The verse goes on to explain that officials watching over officials creates a complicated and controlling system. Solomon is concerned that such a system creates a group of untouchables — and that’s never a good situation in any organization. The world does need leadership — it is a Biblical prin- ciple. Solomon writes in Prov. 29:18a, “Where there is no revelation [vision], the people cast off restraint.” Love of Money Doesn’t Satisfy (5:10) Solomon knows firsthand that a person who loves money will not find satisfaction or happiness. Ask a person who loves money, “How much is enough?” The answer will always be, “More.” But money isn’t the issue. The problem is man’s Jewish half-shekel coins (see our half-shekel keychain on p. 19.) love of money. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Tim.