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category:  Chassidut

Cult worshipper – still Jewish?

The Rav Name: Rabbi Yitzchak Arad

my friend was born of Orthodox Jewish parents but in later live accepted Jesus as the Messiah & has since prayed to Jesus. Is she still to be regarded as a Jew

Cult worshipper – still Jewish

Shalom and thank you for your question. By definition, a Jew is someone born of a Jewish mother, or someone who has undergone an orthodox conversion. An orthodox conversion is one guided by Rabbinic authorities who require that the candidate for conversion has been dissuaded from joining the Jewish nation, since the six hundred and thirteen commandments of the Torah make for a lifestyle which is devoted to elevating mundane physicality to spirituality, and thus it is a demanding lifestyle. Moreover the Jewish people have been the butt of antisemitic actions since they became the Jewish nation, officially at Mount Sinai but even before that under the Egyptian slavery. Once the potential righteous convert has been dissuaded but nevertheless persists in his/her quest and embarks on a course of study and practice culminating in examination by a special Rabbinical court and ritual immersion, he/she is then a complete Jew.

 

Thus your friend is showing his essential Jewishness by seeking a G-dly way of life,    but unfortunately has been ‘barking up the wrong tree’, doubtless due to some personal difficulties or questions that were not sufficiently addressed when he lived in a Jewish framework.

 

Nothing however can change the fact that he is Jewish, even the current regrettable situation. Chassidism teaches us that every Jew is as dear to G-d as an only child is to parents he was born to in their old age. G-d awaits the arousal of every Jewish soul to bond with him, as is written in Ethics of the Fathers 6:2 and other places in theTalmud “Every day a (G-dly) voice is heard saying ‘Return my children”. This voice is heard on some level by each soul. Sometimes a soul manages to access this voice through the merits of forefathers or by his own active seeking. It manifests itself in a desire to seek out the path of truth or rectify actions we took that were misinformed. In any event, G-d awaits our return to Him from whatever involvements that are contrary to His will, whether it be some form of addiction or depression, narcissism – the list is long – or return from not actively pursuing the Torah life.

 

It is very commendable that you, as a true friend ,  are reaching out to clarify your friend’s status in order to help him be aware of the truth of his situation. It must be clear to him that according to the Torah he (or she) is a hundred percent Jewish, not partially, and it cannot be changed. The situation your friend finds himself in however, is totally undesirable from the Torah point of view, as it runs contrary to the basic tenets of the Torah. “Hear O Israel the L-rd your G-d the L-rd is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4) is a concept that Jews over the centuries have lived and died for. Christianity on the other hand has concepts which do not jive with this unity of G-d.

 

What you can do is pray for your friend and strengthen your own Torah observance and study, so that you yourself will have a better understanding of why you remain a practicing Jew. It is worthwhile to study more and explore the depths of the inner dimensions of Judaism and you may find yourself so inspired that your surroundings will be influenced. In addition ,  find out who in your area can help people who have been involved in cults, and be ready to make the connection when your friend wakes up to his mistake, G-d willing! Good luck in your searching!

Good luck in all. Good and happy news.

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