(It is our policy not to divulge either the names or locations of those who write us, unless requested by the writer. Hebrew Roots reserves the right to condense letters to save space. Every effort will be made to retain the essence of the communication. Responses to the letters may be for clarification, or for the general edification of our readership and are not necessarily directed toward the person writing the letter.)

Dear Dean & Susan,
      I do hope you received my request re: placement on your mailing list. The 1st issue that I received 96-1 May/June 1996 was great; which is why my response was immediate! I do hope that you sent that very same issue to the names that I sent in... I received “Hebrew Roots” 2/10/97 - so I started reading Chapter 10 in Proverbs; or should I have waited until March 1st?

            LH

~

Shalom Aleichem LH,
      We have been overwhelmed with mail from our readers, and while we do try to read all the letters and material that is sent in, we are unable to personally answer all of the mail we receive, and still produce our publication in a timely manner. Be assured that your mail is handled promptly. Also, unless otherwise requested, it is our current policy to send a copy of our 96-1 issue to all referrals.
      I’m glad to hear that you began reading Proverbs right away. The treasures await you! Wisdom comes alive in Proverbs, and it comes with a promise: “I, Wisdom, will make the hours of your day more profitable and the years of your life more fruitful.”
(Proverbs 9:11 LB)

                  SAW

Dean & Susan:
      I recently obtained a copy of the May/June 1996 issue of Hebrew Roots. I was very impressed with it.
      I would like to receive a subscription to it beginning with the July issue of 1996. I would also like to receive the tapes “The Roots of Our Faith” and “True Love.” I assure you they will be put to good use. Perhaps I can help a few people with the Roots tape.
      A minister told me I had been deceived into thinking that Christianity came out of Judaism. He also said I read the New Testament in a casual fashion. In this group’s newsletter they made the nonsensical statement that the “Babylonian Talmud” still allows human sacrifice. Another group stated that; “Judaism is the Babylonian Mystery Religion.” Anyway, I’ll attempt to help some of these people.

            DS

~

Shalom Aleichemn DS,
      We are pleased that you have found Hebrew Roots to be of value in your spiritual walk with our Creator God.
      Your sharing of the incredible things that have been said about the Jewish people and their religion is, unfortunately, all too common. There have been more lies told about the Jewish people and Judaism than any other group of people on the face of the earth. Do not be surprised if the people who perpetuate these lies refuse to hear you when you speak the truth, for they are so bound up in their prejudice that reason probably cannot prevail. Pray that God will open their eyes to Romans 11, where the apostle Paul tells us that we mast become grafted into the Olive Tree of Israel if we are truly going to be God’s people.
      Anyone who believes that Judaism or the Talmud teaches human sacrifice has never studied the Jewish writings in question. Of all the religions on earth, Judaism is probably the one which is most against that kind of thing. This is a SAW myth that has been used against the Jewish people from about the third century on, by those who, for their own personal reasons, wish to discredit the Jewish people.
            May the peace of God
            be with you always,

            DEW

Dear Dean & Susan,
      Thanks so much for sending me your Newsletter (May/June ‘96). I’m delighted! It’s so refreshing not to hear what ____said and what’s going on at _____. Thanks so much!
      I agree with you-- I was last with the Sacred Name groups (2) after learning the above -- and that’s all they do is argue re: doctrine, the names, the feast days. I got weary so I’m home alone!
      Could you believe that in a city this size -- one is hard pressed to find a sabbath keeping group (suitable)? Now that I got in the habit of using the names, I feel strange using the titles. Woe is me!
      Anyway, you explain things so well. Just keep explaining Paul.
      Anyway, I’ve read your newsletter at least 3 times today, and will probably read it many times more. I look forward to future issues.

            LH

~

Shalom Aleichem LH,
      You make an excellent point about the problems that exist in far to many Sabbath keeping groups. Doctrine is important, but it seems that too many of us have become so enthralled in the study and discussion of doctrine that we have forgotten the “... weightier matters of the law justice and mercy and faith.” (Matt. 23:23).
      Maybe it is time to call a moratorium on the discussion of doctrine so that all of our energies can be put into learning how to love one another and into the preparing of the Bride for her wedding.
      Please see the next letter.

            May the peace of God
            be with you always,

            DEW

Dear Dean & Susan:
      I thoroughly enjoyed your Hebrew Roots Issue 96-4. My friend asked you to mail me one. All of the articles were excellent.
      I meet with a group to study the Scriptures every Tuesday evening and preach/teach on Sundays. We all have access to Hebrew scriptures and material with which we study. For many years we have been dissatisfied with the normal teaching that we have found in the local churches as well as much false doctrine. Some of which comes from their lack of knowing the truth or refusing it because it doesn’t agree with their church doctrine. Our Sunday service usually deals with our Hebrew Roots or what is going on around us as well as the personal needs of those who attend or local needs in the Body of Christ.
      The rest of the week is taken up with family, counseling, home visits, hospital visits and emergencies. ________Ministries, which I direct, has been a refuge for the abused for 10 years. Most of those who came have been sexually assaulted or spiritually bullied or abused by clergy or some one in the church. Many times be-cause of who I counsel, I know months or years before the other people in the area who is an abuser. Praying with them as I counsel from the Scriptures and teach them God’s ways is very rewarding. To see them grow and get hungry for the truth as the Holy spirit heals them and strengthens them is a real blessing and a reward in itself.
      As a pastor, I am still in fellowship with other clergy but we have many things that we disagree on. They don’t seem to want to learn about our Hebrew Roots and certainly don’t seem aware of the garbage that is being promoted in some of the area churches in the name of unity. So I find myself often as the odd ball in the groups as I bring up different issues.
      I would appreciate it if you would keep our ministry and family in your prayers as the Holy Spirit leads you. (A number of family health problems are listed.) May God richly bless and keep you both as you minister unto Him and to others. Your newsletter was a refreshing breathe of truth. Thank you again for producing it.

            VM

~

Shalom Aleichem VM,
      Thank you for blessing us with your uplifting letter. It is truly refreshing to us to hear of a ministry that is working so very diligently to help others and is not spending all of their energies arguing about doctrinal issues. (See previous letter.) There are so many hurting people in the world around us that could be helped if Believers spent less time in fruitless disputes and more time expressing the love of God. The half-brother of our Savior, Ya’akov (James) put it in very succinct language: “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”      (James 1:27)
      Be assured that you, your family and your ministry are in our prayers. Also be assured that as you continue to grow in grace and knowledge, always following the Word of God, you will be truly blessed.
      Keep up the good work!

            May the peace of God
            be with you always,

            DEW & SAW

Shalom,
      I read Nov/Dec 96 Hebrew Roots and I want to take exception to your saying that “echad” means unity. You quote Genesis 2:24 -- one flesh. I think the concept of unity in this verse comes from the word ‘flesh’ not the word “one.” After all have you ever heard of “two flesh” or “two fleshes?” I think you see what I mean.
      I suspect that you believe in the trinity and that is why you included this note on “echad” in your discussion of the Shema. If one were a first century CE Jew brought up reciting the Shema twice a day, as well as knowing all the scriptures in the Tenach which say that GOD is one -- only one, wouldn’t one need an explanation from YAHSHUA that really GOD is three persons: But where is this clear concise explanation in the N.T. describing the trinity?

            NP

~

Shalom Aleichem NP,
      Thank you for your inquiry about our teaching concerning the Hebrew word echad.’ However, you jump to conclusions by immediately putting a label on us as ‘Trinitarians.’ One of the greatest divisive techniques in Christianity is to put a label on someone as soon as you have a disagreement with them. This then puts that person into a nice neat box which can be easily discarded without further comment.
      Please hear me; labels are for soup cans not for Believers. If you wish to know what we really believe about the Godhead, stay tuned. It may be quite different from what you presently think.

            May the peace of God
            be with you always,

            DEW

Back

Next