Source Substance Shadow

Source - Creator of all

Substance - living Word in spiritual realm

Shadow - written Word in material realm

 כִּי הַתּוֹרָה עַל-יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה נִתְּנָה,

אַךְ הָאֱמֶת וְהַחֶסֶד עַל-יְדֵי יֵשׁוּעַ הַמָּשִׁיחַ הָיוּ.

הכרזת יוחנן א:יז

"For the Torah was given through Moses;

but grace and truth were through Yeshua the Messiah"

John 1:17

Source

eternal Creator

Ein Sof

One God

infinite, immaterial, unchanging

everywhere and always

shining light from Beyond

Substance

living Word

Torah deAtzilut

Voice Spirit Messiah

temporarily embodied in Yeshua

eternally with God

Shadow

written Word

Torah deBeriah

divinely inspired text

Bible

God's living Word temporarily infused human form as Yeshua and eternally exists as Spirit of Messiah flowing from Source.

God's written Word abides in our physical realm for us to see and hear and touch. This material shadow of the living Word connects us with spiritual Source that inspires the letters we read and hold in our hearts.

To clarify: Source Substance Shadow is not trinity! This has nothing to do with any compicated confusing construct such as trinity or tri-unity. God is ONE!

Please think of me writing this blog. I am one person, Source of the words you are reading. If we talk on the phone, you hear the living words of my voice, connect with my current Substance, perceive more than Shadow of written words can convey.

In pondering the Word of God, we grow by embracing both understanding and mystery with open hearts.

Yeshua proclaimed that he came to fulfill Torah; he did not come to start a new religion, but to make the Creator, the God of Israel, known to the world. While Source/God is unchanging, revelation of Substance/living Word unfolds over time, and our understanding of Shadow/written Word progresses.

אַל תַּחְשְׁבוּ שֶׁבָּאתִי לְהָפֵר אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אוֹ אֶת הַנְּבִיאִים;

לֹא בָּאתִי לְהָפֵר אֶלָּא לְמַלֵּא;

כִּי אָמֵן אוֹמֵר אֲנִי לָכֶם,

עַד אֲשֶׁר יַעַבְרוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ -

יוֹד אַחַת אוֹ תָּג אֶחָד לֹא יַעַבְרוּ מִן הַתּוֹרָה

עַד שֶׁהַכֹּל יִהְיֶה.

לָכֵן כָּל מִי שֶׁיָּפֵר אַחַת מִן הַמִּצְווֹת הַקְּטַנּוֹת הָאֵלֶּה

וִילַמֵּד כָּךְ אֶת בְּנֵי אָדָם,

קָטֹן יִקָּרֵא בְּמַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם.

אֲבָל כָּל מִי שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה וִילַמֵּד,

הוּא גָּדוֹל יִקָּרֵא בְּמַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם.

כּי אוֹמֵר אֲנִי לָכֶם,

שֶׁאִם לֹא תִּרְבֶּה צִדְקַתְכֶם יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁל הַסּוֹפְרִים וְהַפְּרוּשִׁים,

לֹא תִּכָּנְסוּ לְמַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם.

הכרזת מתי ה:יז-כ

"Do not think I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets;

I have not come to abolish but to fulfill.

For I tell you truly,

until heaven and earth pass -

not the smallest letter or stroke of a pen will pass from the Torah

until everything will be.

Therefore anyone who breaks one of these small commandments

and teaches others to do the same,

will be called small in the kingdom of the heavens.

But anyone who does and teaches these commandments,

will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.

For I tell you

that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and the Pharisees,

you will not enter the kingdom of the heavens."

Matthew 5:17-20

Torah means teaching. Torah is often translated as law, yet the Torah contains so much more! Torah reveals attributes of God, history, prophecy, and instructions for living life according to the design of the Creator.

Mitzvot מצוות are ways to walk with God in our journey through life; they imbue physical activities with spiritual radiance. Mitzvot, often translated as commandments, enhance connection with Source. Jewish sages see "70 faces of Torah"- 70 perspectives, 70 angles, 70 dimensions, 70 levels of depth. They count 613 mitzvot - 248 instruct to do something; 365 instruct not to do something (for example: do keep Shabbat; do not steal). Over 200 of the 613 mitzvot require the Temple in Jerusalem, so they have not been observed since 70 CE, shortly after the time of Yeshua.

Yeshua's parables, like the Torah, are laden with layers of meaning leading to diverse explanations and varying applications. Many traditions besides Christianity highly value and add insights into the profound teachings of the Word made flesh.

Shadow/written Word shines like a candle in darkness; when Substance/living Word/Messiah brings brighter illumination from Source, the candle's glow remains while overwhelmed by greater light.

 כִּי כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים וְהַתּוֹרָה עַד יוֹחָנָן נִבְּאוּ.

 וְאִם רוֹצִים אַתֶּם,

קַבְּלוּ שֶׁהוּא הוּא אֵלִיָּהוּ הֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא.

  מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אָזְנַיִם לִשְׁמֹעַ,

יִשְׁמַע!

הכרזת מתי יא:יג-טו

"For all the Prophets and the Torah prophesied until John

And if you are willing,

accept that he is the Elijah to come.

He who has ears to hear,

let him hear!"

Matthew 11:13-15

אֲבָל טֶרֶם בּוֹא הָאֱמוּנָה,

הַתּוֹרָה שָׁמְרָה אוֹתָנוּ

כְּלוּאִים אֱלֵי הָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁהָיְתָה עֲתִידָה לְהִגָּלוֹת.

וּבְכֵן הַתּוֹרָה הָיְתָה לָנוּ אוֹמֶנֶת

אֶל הַמָּשִׁיחַ

כְּדֵי שֶׁנֻּצְדַּק מֵאֱמוּנָה.

אֲבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּאָה הָאֱמוּנָה

אֵין אָנוּ תַּחַת אוֹמְנִים.

איגרת שאול אל הגלאטים ג:כג-כה

"But before the coming of the faith,

the Torah safeguarded us

confined awaiting the faith to be revealed.

Therefore the Torah was a trainer

to prepare us for the Messiah

so that we might be justified by faith.

But when the faith comes,

we are not under trainers."

Galatians 3:23-25

The Torah trains us to recognize God's glory and the inadequacy of human righteousness. Yeshua fulfills the substitutionary blood sacrifices granting purity for approaching Source; we are cleansed both by and for contact with the Divine.

Moadim מועדים are festivals at appointed times described in the Torah; they celebrate special dates with our Creator. Rhythms of the Moadim resonate with the sun, moon, and stars... and with our souls. Separation of Christian holidays from these biblical Jewish festivals divides branches from roots, distances Shadow from Substance and Source.

Pesach (Passover), one of the Moadim, celebrates deliverance from slavery and death. The Pesach lamb in Torah is a shadow of Messiah delivering us into freedom and eternal life.

הֵן הַתּוֹרָה צֵל הַטּוֹבוֹת הָעֲתִידוֹת הָיָה אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ,

לֹא עֶצֶם הַדְּבָרִים;

לָכֵן,

אַף כִּי בְּכָל שָׁנָה הֻקְרְבוּ אוֹתָם הַזְּבָחִים,

מֵעוֹלָם לֹא יָכְלוּ לְהַשְׁלִים אֶת הַמַּקְרִיבִים אוֹתָם

אגרת אל העברים י:א

"The Torah is the shadow of the good future events that were in it,

not the very essence of things;

therefore,

even though every year the same sacrifices were offered,

they were never able to complete those who offer them."

Hebrews 10:1

Our shortcomings in fulfilling the teachings of God show our need for virtues beyond human capacity.

מִשּׁוּם שֶׁמִּמַּעֲשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה

לֹא יֻצְדַּק לְפָנָיו כָּל בָּשָׂר;

כִּי מִן הַתּוֹרָה נוֹדָע הַחֵטְא.

אגרת שאול אל הרומים ג:כ

"Because from the acts of Torah

no flesh will be justified before Him;

for from the Torah sin becomes known.

Romans 3:20

Righteousness from following the written Word is rooted in relationship with the living Word. Through faith in the Word we become dwellings for the Holy Spirit and prepare for the promised land.

נִמּוֹל בֶּן שְׁמוֹנַת יָמִים;

מִמּוֹצָא יִשְׂרָאֵל;

מִשֵּׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִין;

עִבְרִי בֶּן עִבְרִים;

בַּתּוֹרָה - פָּרוּשׁ;

 בַּקִּנְאָה - רוֹדֵף הָעֵדָה;

וּבַצְּדָקָה שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה בְּלִי דֹּפִי הָיִיתִי.

אֲבָל אֵלֶּה שֶׁיִּתְרוֹן הָיוּ לִי,

לְחֶסְרוֹן חָשַׁבְתִּי אוֹתָם בִּגְלַל הַמָּשִׁיחַ.

 אַף חוֹשֵׁב אֲנִי אֶת כֻּלָּם לְחֶסְרוֹן

בְּשֶׁל מַעֲלַת יְדִיעַת יֵשׁוּעַ הַמָּשִׁיחַ אֲדוֹנִי,

אֲשֶׁר לְמַעֲנוֹ הַכֹּל הִפְסַדְתִּי

וּלְזֶבֶל חָשַׁבְתִּי כְּדֵי שֶׁאַרְוִיחַ אֶת הַמָּשִׁיחַ

וְאֶמָּצֵא בּוֹ

בִּבְלִי הֱיוֹת לִי צְדָקָה שֶׁל עַצְמִי אֲשֶׁר מִן הַתּוֹרָה,

אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר מֵאֱמוּנַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ

שֶׁהִיא צְדָקָה מֵאֵת הָאֱלֹהִים

אגרת שאול אל הפיליפים ג:ה-ט

"circumcised on the eight day,

from ethnic origin of Israel,

from the tribe of Binyamin,

a Hebrew son of Hebrews,

in the Torah - a Pharisee,

in the zeal - persecuting the congregation;

and in the righteousness of the Torah I was faultless.

But whatever was to my advantage,

I considered shortcoming because of the Messiah

I also consider everything shortcoming,

because of the advantage of knowing Yeshua the Messiah my lord,

for whose sake I have lost everything.

I consider it rubbish so that I may gain Messiah,

and be found in him,

not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Torah,

but that which is from faith in the Messiah,

the righteousness that comes from God."

Philippians 3:5-9

Shadow depends on Substance spoken by Source.

סִתְרִ֣י וּמָגִנִּ֣י אָ֑תָּה

לִדְבָרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי

תהילים קיט:קיד

"You are my mystery and my shield;

I hope for Your Word."

Psalms 119:114

Yeshua emphasized our need for integrity, humility, and compassion to recognize, receive, and proclaim God's Word.

אוֹי לָכֶם סוֹפְרִים וּפְרוּשִׁים,

מַעֲמִידֵי-פָּנִים!

כִּי סוֹגְרִים אַתֶּם אֶת מַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם;

כִּי אַתֶּם אֵינְכֶם נִכְנָסִים,

וְלַנִּכְנָסִים אֵינְכֶם מַנִּיחִים לְהִכָּנֵס

הכרזת מתי כג:יד

"Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees,

you hypocrites!

For you shut the Kingdom of Heaven in front of men;

for you yourselves do not enter,

and you do not allow those entering to enter."

Matthew 23:14

לֹא כָּל הָאוֹמֵר לִי,

אֲדוֹנִי, אֲדוֹנִי,

נִכְנָס לְמַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם,

אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה אֶת רְצוֹן אָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם.

 רַבִּים יֹאמְרוּ לִי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא,

אֲדוֹנִי, אֲדוֹנִי,

הַאִם לֹא בְּשִׁמְךָ נִבֵּאנוּ,

וּבְשִׁמְךָ שֵׁדִים גֵּרַשְׁנוּ,

וּבְשִׁמְךָ גְּבוּרוֹת רַבּוֹת עָשִׂינוּ?

וְאָז אוֹדִיעַ לָהֶם,

מֵעוֹלָם לֹא הִכַּרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם;

הִסְתַּלְּקוּ לָכֶם מִמֶּנִּי, עוֹשֵׂי עָוֶל.

הכרזת מתי ז:כא-כג

"Not everyone who says to me,

'my lord, my lord,'

will enter the kingdom of heaven,

but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day,

'My lord, my lord,

did we not prophesy in your name,

and in your name drive out demons,

and in your name do mighty things?'

Then I will inform them,

'I never knew you;

away from me, you doers of injustice.'"

Matthew 7:21-23

Yeshua encouraged his followers to keep God's commandments. He taught mitzvot of the Torah with less concern for legalistic observance and more emphasis on sincerity and love.

אֲבָל אוֹמֵר אֲנִי לָכֶם,

שֶׁגָּדוֹל מִן הַהֵיכָל יֶשְׁנוֹ כָּאן.

וְאִלּוּ יְדַעְתֶּם מַהוּ

חֶסֶד חָפַצְתִּי וְלֹא זֶבַח ,

לֹא הֱיִיתֶם מַרְשִׁיעִים אֶת אֵלֶּה שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם אָשָׁם;

כִּי אֲדוֹן הַשַּׁבָּת הוּא בֶּן-הָאָדָם.

הכרזת מתי יב:ו-ח

"But I tell you

that something greater than the Temple is here.

If you knew what this means,

'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,'

you would not have convicted the innocent;

for the lord of the Shabbat is the Son of man."

Matthew 12:6-8

Yeshua affirms, clarifies, and fulfills Torah. We enjoy the shimmer of the candle at night while anticipating light of day. The written Word becomes inscribed on our hearts as we embrace the living Word.

Many sincere seekers, including both Jews and Christians, cling more tightly to doctrines of man than to passages inspired by God. We tend to bind anxiety about the unknown by clinging to comforting constructs and focusing on details that divide believers.

Let's embrace mystery as we wait for Messiah to further illuminate our understanding. Let's join together in the Word, praying for the Spirit to open our eyes to truly see. Let's cherish the Shadow while seeking Substance and Source of light!