Live Long and Prosper.

But why?? In a solemn place like this? Is it proper?

Let’s take a closer look. Yes the same gesture, a slight split between the middle finger and ring finger. And a 45-degree tilt. Hmmm……?

Actually, the shape of this hand gesture is symbolizing the Hebrew letter שׁ. That’s God’s name!! The Jewish people use this gesture for special prayers!

In particular, the prayer of Aaronic Blessing, or called Priestly Blessing.  The descendants of Aaron are called Cohenim. In a synagogue service, they would stand, take off their shoes and bless the congregation in Ancient Hebrew:

“Speak to Aaron and to his sons saying: Thus you are to bless Bnei-Yisrael, by saying to them:

‘Adonai bless you and keep you! Adonai make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you! Adonai turn His face toward you and grant you shalom!’ (Numbers 6:23-27)

This gesture is like a window. Like how God sees us from Heaven:

Look! He is standing behind our wall—
    gazing through the windows,
    peering through the lattice. (Song of Songs 2:9)

In some articles, you’ll see this gesture too (the one on the left) because it is really an ancient blessing!

The priestly blessing is passed from Aaron’s family, the ‘Cohens’. So even today this blessing is performed only by the Cohens. This is the blessing by Rabbi Johnathan Cahn. The prayer starts at 00:50

Finally, why is this a Vulcan salute? Why is it in Star Trek? Well…

Spok was played by Leonard Simon Nimoy, who was a Jew!

He was coming up with a unique greeting style of Vulcans, then he remembered when he was a kid, he saw this unique gesture in synagogues. So he ‘borrowed’ this gesture. Then the gesture went viral with Star Trek.  People know this gesture as Vulcan Salute because of Spok, while it’s actually a priestly blessing!

Atonement Chicken: Kapparot

As there was no more temple and sacrifices, in Talmudic Era (around 4th-5th century) Jewish people in diaspora began a tradition of using chicken as a symbol of atonement called Kapparot. Everyone is required to spend money and buy a chicken. Reflect on one’s sins. Make confessions. And then say

This is my exchange. My substitute. My atonement.

Then with their own eyes, they would see how this innocent creature would ‘take our place’ and be killed.

The chicken would be slaughtered by kosher butcher. The meat must be ‘donated’ to orphanages, yeshivas, or synagogues.  Then the meat will be distributed to the poor.

Some people choose to skip the ritual of killing the chicken, and donate money directly as atonement.

What I saw in Rome was, in 15th century the pope of Roman Catholic Church was afraid of the reformists would ‘pollute’ the orthodox faith, so the church locked the Jews into ghettos (yes, interesting logic). For 500 years Jews were in ghettos. One would have equal right only with conversion to Christianity.  In such unfavorable living condition, many poor people needed the synagogues to take care of them. This is the donation box and kapparot tokens that I saw in Rome.

Small coin means small size chicken. Big coin means big size chicken. The poor would come with such token and exchange for meat.

Why Using Chicken for Atonement? 

A logical explanation is that Jewish people in disaspora were not wealthy. Chicken is a common domestic animal, and everyone should be able to afford it at least once a year.  It’s just a symbol. The purpose is not to forget our sins, and that only by blood would sins be ‘atoned’.

The other logic is that chickens were never used as sacrifice in the Holy Temple, so no one would mistakenly believe this was God’s original mitzvah.

Other details about kaparot include that if a family struggles with finances, then the ladies of one household can share a hen. And boys can share a rooster. And a pregnant woman will have to offer three chickens- 2 male and 1 female.

But Jewish people in diaspora share different tradition. This is an Iranian Jew. His family still used lamb in Tehran.

Why Swinging Chicken Overhead? 

Atonement means to ‘cover’. The mercy seat is actually an atonment cover, covering the ark where the tablets were kept. The atonement cover was covered by the wings of two cherubim. So swinging chickens overhead is a symbol of being covered by this atoned price.

Why is Atonement Needed? 

Atonement means someone else is paying the price of life for you, so you may live. It means you only get to LIVE, because the price is paid. For example you are supposed to be hit by a car, but you get to live because someone jumps in and pushes you away. And that someone takes your place of death.

This is God’s logic. We have sinned. Because of our sins, we should die. This is why

and apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22)

Yet long ago God set up this atonement rule for us, so that we get to live.

On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would come to the Most Holy Place in the Holy Temple to atone sins for himself, his household and the people.

Then he is to put the incense on the fire before Adonai, so that the cloud of the incense may cover the atonement cover that is on the Ark, so that he would not die. He is then to take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the atonement cover, on the east side. Before the atonement cover he is to sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. (Lev 16:13-14)

This ritual of atonement is called Kapparot. It’s the same Hebrew word as atonment. The Jewish people know that sins need to be atoned.

But many of them didn’t know that in the first coming of Messiah, He already fulfilled the prefiguration of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The messiah paid the price for us, so they we may live.

He entered into the Holies once for all—not by the blood of goats and calves but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12)

References

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/989585/jewish/Kaparot.htm

Cover page picture source：Hadas Parush/Flash 90

We will take a look at

• Tefilin
• Payot
• Mezuzah
• Tzittzit
• Two-handled Cup

Tefillin

At places where Jews pray, you’ll definitely notice this black box on the forehead! (And on more on the arm).  This is called Tefillin. In side these boxes are scrolls of parchment from the Torah. (By the way, don’t call it phylacteries! It’s not an amulet!)

The tradition of using tefilin comes from the Bible. When the Israelites came out from Egypt, God reminded them not to forget God and to keep His commandments. God gave them clear instructions on how to live in His blessings.  One of the commandments is….

“Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words, which I am commanding you today, are to be on your heart. You are to teach them diligently to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up. Bind them as a sign on your hand, they are to be as frontlets between your eyes, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deu 6:4-9 )

Theses verses above form the Shema prayer, which is what Jewish people pray everyday. Binding with straps and wearing tefilin on hand and “between the eyes” is still important to Jewish people today because God’s commandment has not changed. (Just like God has not forsaken Jewish people)

Tefilin from Jesus’ time was found in Masada and Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found). You’ll see a tefilin from 2000 years ago below! (Yes the small piece that looks like leather, closest to us) The scrolls of parchment were also found inside these ancient tefilin, although the size was much smaller back then.

Payot

Tefilin usually goes with this hairstyle called “payot” (פְּאַת‬), because God said they cannot cut off hair from the sides. This side curls clearly sets Jewish people apart from the rest of ‘gentiles’.

“You are not to round off the hair on the sides of your heads, nor are you to mar the edge of your beard. (Lev 19:27)

Mezuzah

From the commandment “write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates”, so ‘mezuzah‘ can be commonly seen in Jerusalem. Not all but some of them have real scrolls of parchment inside. This giant mezuzah is next to Kotel (Western Wall).

Tzitzit

And perhaps, you will notice tassels or fringes called ‘tzittzit’ that Jewish people wear on the corners of their clothes. It’s one of the mitzvot (commandments) for those who love God, as it’s super visible like payot. Whoever does it, others can easily identify those as ‘Bnei Israel’ (children of Israel).  (Translating these words so the version below will not be confusing. Let’s learn some Hebrew!)

 “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael. Say to them that they are to make for themselves tzitziton the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and they are to put a blue cord on each tzitzit. It will be your own tzitzit—so whenever you look at them, you will remember all the mitzvot of Adonai and do them and not go spying out after your own hearts and your own eyes, prostituting yourselves. This way you will remember and obey all My mitzvot and you will be holy to your God. I am Adonai your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am Adonai your God.” (Num 15:38-41)

Yeshua (Jesus) Obeyed Commandments too!

God said “It will be your own tzitzit—so whenever you look at them, you will remember all the mitzvot of Adonai “. Since Jewish people still wear tzittzit, it means Jews in Yeshua (Jesus) time also kept this commandment. In fact, Yeshua himself kept this commandment! 

Just then a woman, losing blood for twelve years, came from behind and touched the tzitzit of His garment. (Matthew 9:20)

And wherever He entered villages, towns, or countryside, people were placing the sick in the marketplaces and begging Him to let them touch even the tzitzit of His garment—and all who touched it were being healed.  (Mark 6:56)

If Yeshua kept this commandment, and he was a rabbi, wouldn’t it be safe to say he also had payot and tefilin?