More on the Revival among the Jews

 

From an Email today

 

Dear Folks,

 

Over the weeks of conversing with Bro Wolf, I have tried very hard to remember all the details and keep the accuracy of each detail so that I can share what has been said.  Every once in a while something else comes to mind that I had forgotten, or I am reminded of it by Bro. Wolf in new conversation.  This is one of those.

 

Bro Wolf said that Bro Cohen told him that the Messianic Jews that are receiving the Holy Spirit are now cutting off their "peyos," which is the long curl that is on each side of the face of orthodox Jews.  The significance of this in their minds is, it shows that they feel they are no longer under the law.  This comes from the commandment given in Exodus.

 

 

Exodus 21:1  And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people: 

2  But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother, 

3  And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled. 

4  But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

 5  They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 

6  They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

 

 

 

Romans 6:14 ....for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

 

Just a little blurb from something God gave me some time ago, or "a word from the sponsor," if you will. 

 

I've heard that mercy is God keeping us from getting what we deserve, and grace is God giving us what we don't deserve.  I certainly did deserve getting punishment for my actions of sin, but God kept me from receiving that.  That's mercy.  While on the other hand, I certainly did not deserve to have those same sins washed away, or to receive the Holy Spirit, but that's grace.  I can only imagine how the Jews feel when their whole history and very roots are shaken by the new birth experience.  THAT IS TRULY GRACE, and they have responded by changing their outer appearance.

 

 

I think of my roots in this wonderful truth and know with a surety that we have an outward appearance that shows we are no longer under the law.  I'm not sure of you folks, but I was under the law of my flesh and need deliverance.  No longer am I under that law, and it is reflected in more than just action, but appearance.

 

Back to the issue.  Here is an interesting article from the internet on the peyos that I thought rather interesting, especially so the reference to the appearance of hair being holy.

 

 

God bless

 

David Showalter

 

 

Why do male Chasidic Jews have the long curls in their hair?

 

Answer

 

The Torah says, "You shall not round off the peyos of your head" (Leviticus 19:27). The word peyos refers to sideburns -- i.e. the hair in front of the ears that extends to underneath the cheekbone which is level with the nose (Talmud - Makkot 20a). The Talmud explains that this law only applies to men, not to women.

 

Maimonides explains that the prohibition of “rounding” prohibits the removal of sideburns, by razor, tweezers or any other means. Though it is permitted to trim the sideburns, even very close to the skin, using scissors.

 

Even though sideburns are enough to satisfy the Torah requirement of peyos, many Jews grow their peyos long as a way of emphasizing the commandment (Peyos sounds like pious, right?!), or simply of Jewish identification. Some will curl their peyos, while others while tuck them behind their ear. It’s just a matter of individual taste, or communal custom.

 

Hair is also a symbol of vanity, a preoccupation of how one looks. The prohibition against cutting off the peyos reminds a person to de-emphasize his looks, and instead depend on intellect and good character. (Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, 19th century Germany)

 

From a mystical perspective, peyos separate between the front part of the brain which is used for abstract thought that can be used for holiness, and the back part of the brain that governs the body.

 

With blessings from Jerusalem,

 

Rabbi Shraga Simmons