Symbols of Our Faith - Part 2 / September 2006

The Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a "custom" as being a usual practice for something; whereas, a "tradition" is a practice that is handed down from others. Distinguishing between a custom and a tradition, therefore, can be difficult for people. On the other hand, most people do know the definition of a "commandment" and its imperative stance. They know that commandments of God must be kept, whereas customs or traditions are optional. However, in the Messianic movement with the Gospel message of redemption standing side-by-side with Jewish customs and Biblical tradition, the lines blur and are indistinguishable for many. We are going to review several common things to Messianics and try to distinguish what is custom, tradition, and commandment in a series of articles. In Part 1 of this subject we discussed the Kippah (Yarmulke) and the tallit (the prayer shawl). In Part 2, we will address mezuzahs, shofars (trumpets), the Torah Scroll (Sefer Torah), and reciting the Shema (Hear O’Israel). There are of course other symbols, but these are the most visible for new Messianics coming into Messianic assemblies.

Our faith is filled with customs, traditions, and commandments. We have a host of symbols that help us to remember why we believe what we believe and to define what is holy in our observance. The Messianic movement employs both Christian and Jewish symbolism. Both religions share many truths about God but use differing symbols. However, many Messianics use the Jewish symbols to enhance the Hebrew truths of the faith but lack the understanding as to whether it is a custom, a tradition, or an actual commandment of the Lord. Yeshua warned against anyone substituting tradition (custom) for the commandments. This was the mistake of past Pharisaic leaders. We need to be wise concerning these things, keeping the commandments and enjoying, as appropriate, the customs and traditions of our faith.

Mezuzahs

The word mezuzah (singular), or mezuzot (plural), refers to the following: It is the small encasement with a special Hebrew inscription inside. The parchment or the encasement with the parchment, is affixed to the doorpost of a permanent door, a gate with an overhead lintel or any archway. A simple fence gate does not require a mezuzah. The casing generally features the Hebrew letter "Shin" inscribed on its upper exterior. If the encasement does not have the Hebrew inscription inside, it is not considered to be a mezuzah, despite it being affixed to the doorway.

The internal inscription is from the following passages of Scripture:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes. And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

And it will be, if you hearken to My commandments that I command you this day to love the Lord, your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, I will give the rain of your land at its time, the early rain and the latter rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil. And I will give grass in your field for your livestock, and you will eat and be sated. Beware, lest your heart be misled, and you turn away and worship strange gods and prostrate yourselves before them. And the wrath of the Lord will be kindled against you, and He will close off the heavens, and there will be no rain, and the ground will not give its produce, and you will perish quickly from upon the good land that the Lord gives you. And you shall set these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your sons to speak with them, when you sit in your house and when you walk on the way and when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates, in order that your days may increase and the days of your children, on the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers to give them, as the days of heaven above the earth.

Deuteronomy 11:13-21

Furthermore, according to Jewish tradition the inscription is written precisely, preferably by a certified sofer ("scribe"). The text is written in a single column on 22 scored lines, corresponding to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and is divided into two paragraphs; the second paragraph is indented somewhat, to correspond to the way it would be written in a Torah scroll. On the outside of the rolled inscription is the Word "Shaddai" with the letter "Shin" prominent. The three letters of Shaddai (Shin, Dalet, and Yod) is also an acronym for the words Shomer Daltot Yisrael, which means "Guardian of the Doorways of Israel." As the inscription roll is opened the first words of "Hear O’Israel…" greet the reader.

In all, the Mezuzah scroll must contain 22 lines of calligraphic script writing, comprising 713 letters. There are a total of 4649 separate instructions that govern the preparation and inscription of a truly kosher mezuzah scroll. When prepared correctly, it is believed that the truly kosher mezuzah serves to guard your going out and your coming in.

(Psalms 121:8)

According to Halakha (Judaism’s Religious Law), "the mezuzah should be placed on the right side of the door (from the point of view of one entering the building or room), on the lower part of the upper third of the doorpost (or, for high doorways, around shoulder height), within approximately 3 inches of the doorway opening." Some say that the mezuzah should be affixed on the side opposite of the hinge and could therefore be on the left side of the door. In either case, religious Jews say that mezuzot should be affixed immediately upon moving into the home. The mezuzah case should be permanently affixed with nails, screws, glue, or strong double–sided tape. However, the parchment should not be damaged in any way after installment. The Jews of Europe prefer to tilt the mezuzah slightly in the direction of the door’s entrance, but most mezuzot are placed vertically. Very observant Jews will do both internal doorways (with the exception of bathrooms and small closets) and external doorways for mezuzot placement. Even a garage door will have one. However, most Jews and Messianics just place them at exterior doorways facing inward.

Mezuzot cases come in a variety of artistic styles, but they generally will have the letter Shin visible. The letter "Shin" is the first letter of "Shaddai", which means "Almighty." The parchment inside the encasement also has a prominent "Shin" written on the backside of the inscription, permitting the inscription to be rolled tightly and thus causing the "Shin" to face outward from the roll. When you see the letter "Shin" on the mezuzah case, you know that the interior inscription has the same appearance inside.

So, why is the letter "Shin" for "Almighty" made visible at the mezuzah? It has to the do with the meaning for the letter and its use in "El Shaddai." The letter Shin means the "destroyer of the door." The three prongs (like a W) symbolize teeth and guard houses of ancient doorways. Teeth are used to destroy or breakdown food for consumption. The alcoves of the ancient gate were used by guarding soldiers to destroy invaders going through the gate.

In ancient times, the most powerful leader or commander of a host was the one who could penetrate the quickest a city’s gate and defenses. It was said of God that He was "almighty" and that no gate or door could keep Him out. The letter "Shin" on the mezuzah is a sign to God and His servants. They are welcome; they do not need to breakdown the door to enter.

A mezuzah is also a testimony of the inhabitants of that home or structure. The inhabitants honor "Almighty God" and keep His commandments in that place. It is fair warning to their visitors that their behavior should also conform to that of their hosts.

While the encasement of the mezuzah and how it is placed at the doorpost are custom and tradition, the commandment of the mezuzah is that it be placed.

And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:9

And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,

Deuteronomy 11:20

The commandment of the mezuzah seems to relate to the original Passover as well. The blood of the lamb was to be put on the doorposts and lintels as a sign. The mezuzah is a sign.

The procedure is to hold the mezuzah against the spot upon which it will be affixed, then recite the blessing: Blessed are You, O’Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and has commanded us to affix the mezuzah.

Once the blessing is recited, the mezuzah is affixed or attached accordingly. Only one blessing is required to affix all the mezuzot to a particular home or structure. When the home is vacated, the last act of departure is to remove the mezuzot. However, the mezuzot can be left if the new occupant understands and complies with the meaning of the mezuzot. Mezuzot make excellent gifts to new couples or anyone establishing a new home.

Shofar (Ram’s Horn)

The sounding of the shofar is mentioned frequently in the Bible from Exodus to Revelation. At Mt. Sinai the children of Israel heard the sound of the shofar "exceeding loud" before hearing the 10 commandments (Exodus 19, 20). Other Scriptures refer to the trumpet sounding to announce the New Moon and solemn feasts (Num. 10:10; Ps. 81:4) and also for proclaiming the year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:9). The first day of the seventh month (Tishri) is termed "a memorial of blowing" (Lev. 23:24), or "a day of blowing" (Num. 29:1). The historical books of the Bible describe how the shofar was a part of religious ceremonials, such as processions (II Sam. 5. 15; I Chron. 15. 28). The temple service refers to use of the shofar (trumpet) as an accompaniment to the song of praise (Ps. 98. 6). But the more frequent reference was the signal–horn of war, like the silver trumpets mentioned in Num. 10:9, Josh. 6:4, Judges 3:27, Judges 7:16, 20, and I Sam. 8:3.

Today, the most common use of the shofar is the first day of the seventh month (Tishri 1) on Rosh HaShanah (Jewish New Year). It is called Yom Teruah – the day of blowing. While the commandment is to sound the trumpet on that day, it does not specify how or in what manner. The manner it was blown in the temple lends some instruction to us today, but most of our understanding for blowing the shofar falls into the custom and tradition arena.

Today shofars have taken a prominent place in Messianic assemblies. You no longer have to wait until Rosh HaShanah. You will hear it more frequently, even on Sabbaths, which orthodox Jews avoid doing.

Shofars are made from curved animal horns that can be hollowed out. A Shofar may be created from the horn of any kosher animal (ritually slaughtered, cloven hoof, and that chews a cud). A cow horn is considered straight and too much of a reminder of the "golden calf" sin to be made into a shofar. While a full curled ram’s horn is an excellent shofar, the multi-twisted horn of an ibex is the most sought-out of shofar vendors. The curve requirement is not a Biblical requirement; it is based on the desire for the open bell (where the sounds comes out) to be upwards when the shofar is blown. What was rare and unique 40 years ago (hearing the sound of the shofar) is now the standard of today. Going back into history, shofar blowing essentially died out and became unlawful in many Gentile communities after the temple was destroyed. The shofar was blown at the capturing of the wailing wall in Jerusalem in 1967 by the Israelis. It was a momentous occasion, ending the exclusion of shofar blowing for centuries at the Kotel (Wailing Wall). It is since that moment shofars have been blown frequently everywhere in this generation.

There is something truly unique about the piercing sounds of the shofar. Depending on the size of the shofar, it can make from three to as many as twelve harmonic notes. Most shofar blowers can make at least 3 notes whereas a full intentioned blower can usually make six notes. However, it is said that a shofar can make up to 12 harmonic notes. Shofar blowers have four distinct trumpet blows. Each of these convey a particular meaning. The four trumpet blows and particular meanings are matched by custom and tradition but the meanings originate from Scripture.

Jewish Law teaches that a shofar blast is to awaken you from your moral sleep, to cause the hearer to examine his behavior, and to remember his Creator.

At Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, the leader will instruct all of the attendees in the different blasts of the shofar and calls upon them to repent, remember, and be stirred to good deeds before the Lord. That instruction will include:

The Tekiah - straight blast

The Shevarim - a single short blast with an additional harmonic, repeated three times

The Teruah - a series of short blasts (totaling nine) in a stacatto fashion

The Tekiah HaGodal - single very long blast ending abruptly

The tekiah and shevarim blasts honor the Kingship of God and our convocation to Him. The Teruah is a word that actually phonetically sounds like the shofar blast. The teruah blast is to actually mimic the cry or groans of a person in need, such as a widow or orphan. The tekiah hagodal is the sound of return, triumph, and final judgment.

On Yom Teruah (Rosh HaShanah) a series of these blasts are structured in the liturgical service to cause 100 blasts of the shofar to be heard. It is said that "happy are the people who hear the sound of the shofar." It is not the actual 100 blasts, but the meanings of the blasts that cause the community to be happy.

It is said that the meanings of the blasts of the shofar number 10. According to a Messianic Siddur (order of service), these are the ten meanings:

Kingship

1. Rosh HaShanah marks the beginning of creation on which the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world and reigned over it. Kings do the same when they have trumpets and horns blown to let it be known when their anniversary occurs. So we, on Rosh Hashanah, accept the kingship of the Creator, blessed be He. Thus David said,

"With trumpets and the sound of cornet (shofar) make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King."

(Psa 98:6)

Fear of the Lord

2. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the ten days of awe (fear). This is not the fear of dread, but of warning. These are days of teshuvah (repentance). Beginning with the sound of the shofar we are warned to repent – to turn again to the Lord – leading up to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), the day of the Lord. In like manner kings do the same: first they warn the populace by decree and whoever violates the decree stands guilty without complaint. We are warned by the sound of the shofar just as it says,

"Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people be not afraid?"

(Amos 3:6)

Giving of the Torah

3. The sounding of the shofar reminds us of our ancestors standing at the base of Mt. Sinai. It is said, "And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder…" (Ex 19:19), our fathers responded to God’s commandments and said,

"We will keep it and obey."

(Ex 24:7)

The Sound of Warning

4. The sounding of the shofar is like the words of the watchman who gives warning of God’s judgment. As it is said,

"Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head… But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul."

(Ezek 33:4-5)

The Destruction of the Temple

5. The sounding of the shofar reminds us of the destruction of the temple and battle alarms of the foe, as it is said,

"Because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war" .

(Jer 4:19)

When we hear the sound of the ram’s horn, we beseech God to rebuild the temple.

Binding of Isaac

6. The ram’s horn reminds us of the binding of Isaac by Abraham, who was offered at heaven’s command. But then God ordered Abraham to stop once he showed that he would obey the Lord. Instead, a ram was caught in the thicket and it was offered up to the Lord. The ram was an acceptable substitute and its horn reminds us that a ram has given its life, or else we can not hear the sound of its horn.

Obeying the Lord

7. At the sound of the shofar, we are compelled to bend our ears to hear and cease from other activities of our own choice. In the same way, we are to "Hear, O Israel" and bend our will to God and do that which He chooses. We hear the clear tone of the horn and its different calls. In the same way, we are moved by the Spirit of God to learn His commands.

The Return of the Exiles

8. The sound of the shofar is a call to the dispersed of Israel. It is a call to a holy convocation, a reunion of all Israel and his companions to join together. It is the long compassionate call of God for His people. As it is said,

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown; and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria."

(Isa 27:13)

Resurrection

9. The sound of the shofar reminds us of that great day coming when the dead shall rise again, some to everlasting life and some to final judgment. On that day, we who are still alive will be changed and gathered with the saints just as it says,

"And with the trumpet of God; the dead in Messiah shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them…"

(1 Thes 4:16-17)

Final Judgment - the Day of the Lord

10. Finally, the sound of the shofar reminds us of the Great Day of Judgment coming upon the whole world. It is said,

"Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the Day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near."

(Joel 2:1)

Today, the meanings of the shofar are even more acute. We are a generation that will see the return of the exiles, the coming of the King, and His judgment upon this Earth. If there ever was a people who needed to hear the sound of the shofar, it is us. Maybe that is why the shofar has become such a powerful symbol of our Messianic faith. But there is one more element to blowing the shofar that has not been mentioned before. God also hears the sound of the shofar. As a Messianic believer in these last days, I am hoping that God will hear our sounding of the shofar and turn His face of compassion toward us and bring us home soon.

Shema (Hear, O’Israel)

You might be asking yourself why a particular liturgical prayer has been included in this article about symbols of our faith. Symbols are what unites us in our faith. Every nation uses symbols to do the same thing; their flag tends to serve as that common symbol. Judaism uses the star of David, Christianity uses the cross, and many others have their own symbols. The very appearance of those symbols identifies and unifies that particular group.

Many do not realize how important the common confession of God’s unity is to our faith. The Shema prayer and confession connects us all to the commandments of the Lord – the true unity in the faith.

The traditional recitation of the Shema is "Hear, O’Israel. The Lord our God; the Lord is One. Blessed be His name whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever." Some Messianics add the expression "Yeshua the Messiah, He is Lord."

Part of the Shema is a commandment; part is tradition. The first expression "Hear, O’Israel. The Lord our God; the Lord is One," is right from Scripture (Deut 6:4). It is the first statement in the greatest commandment "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your might." The second expression, "Blessed be His name…" is traditional from the ancient temple service. In the morning portion of the daily service, the priest who put incense on the golden altar of incense would stand at the porch of the temple after the presentation of the morning lamb upon the altar and render the priestly blessing, "May the Lord bless you and keep you…" The people and the priest would fall prostrate upon hearing the YHVH name pronounced in place of Lord. Immediately after the blessing, everyone would respond by blessing the Name they just heard. This expression of worship was added to the basic Shema sometime after the destruction of the temple. The final expression used by some Messianics today is a tradition only within this generation as far as can be determined.

Judaism has taught for many years the importance of the Shema and referred to it as the "Watchword of Israel." It is generally uttered while fully covered by a tallit and facing eastward toward Jerusalem.

Church history has many instances of developing creeds that were recited by the members of the same faith. Evangelical Christians have steered away from denominational creeds deferring to the Bible only, but they still offer statements of faith. A statement of faith is a shortened version of what we believe to help prospective members to know what is expected of them in regards to doctrine, and to serve notice to those opposed.

The Shema has been used by Judaism in an effort to fend off the doctrine of the trinity by adding "Hear, O’Israel. The Lord our God; the Lord is only One." For Christians, the Shema has for the most part been ignored and skipped over in reciting the greatest commandment. For Messianics, the Shema is not well understood, only recited by most as part of the liturgical service.

The Shema is an incredible symbol about the Word of God. Uttering the Shema transforms the person who is speaking. The Shema is not the only reference to being One. The tabernacle was One (Deut 36:13). Marriage, in its most intense understanding, is when two become One. God wants us to be One with Him. When a person says the Shema, the words of God, he become part of the One with God.

In the actual Torah text, Deut 6:4 is written by the Scribes in a unique and specific way. It is part of the "jots and tittles" of the Torah. The last letter of Shema (Hear) is the letter Ayin. This letter is enlarged in the script. The last word is Echad (One). The last letter of Echad is the letter Dalet. Like the Ayin of Shema, the letter Dalet is enlarged in the script. What you see in a Torah Scroll as you read the Shema is the letter Ayin and Dalet standing out.

Some Torah teachers say that enlarged Ayin in Shema is to keep a scribe from ever misspelling the Shema with an Aleph. It would be pronounced Shema, but it would mean "perhaps." No one ever wants to make the mistake of saying "Perhaps, O’Israel…" The same is said of the last word ‘echad’ and a possible misspelling the dalet with the letter resh. The word would become ‘echar’ instead of ‘echad.’ Echar is a word meaning "other or another." No one wants to make the mistake of saying "Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God; the Lord is another (God)."

But a much more powerful understanding is offered by many more Torah teachers that ties back into our subject of symbols of the faith. The word formed by the enlarged Ayin and Dalet is the word for witness. It means that the person saying the Shema is a witness of the One True God.

Symbols reflect meaning; a witness reflects the truth. A person saying the Shema is symbolizing the true character of God Himself. The recitation of the Shema by a group unifies itself to God and His Word.

Conclusions

In the two parts of this article, we have given a brief overview of some of the most common symbols of our faith. For sure there are other symbols that a believer must recognize and understand to be fully integrated into the faith, but my purpose was to address symbols new believers are likely to face first and to clarify misconceptions that older believers may have. It is what you see and hear first that opens the door to fellowship.

When I first came into fellowship with Messianics I wish someone would have explained just a couple of things. I took the time and made the effort to learn what those things meant. I didn’t want to trade in one set of traditions for just another set of traditions. I was really pursuing the commandments. I was okay with different traditions or a different culture; I just wanted to make sure that the tradition didn’t diminish or cover up a commandment.

Today, I help start many brethren on the way of being Messianic in their faith. The Kippah, Tallit, Mezuzah, Shofar and Shema belong to them also. They are not just Jewish symbols. They are symbols of our faith with commandments attaching us to God Himself. It is important that all brethren know these symbols and use them to bring about unity. Besides, the meanings and understandings are the very heartbeat and pulse of our living faith.

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