(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 are given directly following the letter to which it pertains. 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 Mr. & Mrs. Wheelock,
         We are curious about your newsletter since we are seeking to better understand the Bible. We feel understanding Hebrew customs is inseparable. It must be a very important part to learn about.

                  JP

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Shalom Aleichem JP,
         Thank you for your letter and your subscription to Hebrew Roots. It was exactly this curiosity about Hebrew customs that has led us to begin this publication. After a few years of studying the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith we realized that many others could benefit from what we have been learning. Trying to understand Jesus without knowing the culture and history of the people in which God placed Him, is somewhat like trying to play bridge with a pinochle deck.

                  May the shalom of God
                  be with you always,

                  DEW

Dear Dean & Susan,
         Thanks for the newsletter ... what a breath of fresh air that is! Hopefully God will continue to bless your efforts -- you’re filling a dire need in these troubled times.
         May your mailing list grow greatly -- a lot of hurting “little ones” need to hear what you have to say.
         We look forward to hearing your messages and future newsletters.

                  DM

Hi,
         My friend, ... , showed me a copy of your publication. I couldn’t put it down until I had read it all!
         Please include me on your mailing list for literature and tapes.
         Thank you very much!

                  MC

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Shalom Aleichem DM & MC,
         Thank you for the kind words. It is very uplfting to us to know that others are finding Hebrew Roots to be a spiritual asset in their lives. We can only pray that God will guide us every step of the way, and that what we do will always be in accordance with His will.
         Please keep us in your prayers, so that the seed sown through Hebrew Roots will find rich ground. We know from experience that this teaching is not new or original with us. It has been there all the time, waiting to be mined. Hebrew Roots is only one small publication in an area that is seeing amazing growth in these last days.

                  May the shalom of God
                  be with you always,

                  DEW

Dear Wheelocks,
         Please add my name to your mailing list. I think your newsletter will be a tremendous help. The better we understand what was happening in Christ’s time, the better we understand the meanings of what was said.
         Thanks for your effort and consideration.

                  RM

Dear Dean & Susan,
         I received Hebrew Roots at the Friends of the Sabbath conference in Birmingham, Al. As I went through all the literature I brought home I saw the newsletter and thought to myselt when will I ever find time to read yet another publication.
         But at some point I found it in my hand again and started reading, and didn’t stop till I reached the end. I am learning so much these days. I see so clearly how the history you explain in Hebrew Roots can give me a much deeper understanding of the Bible. Until I read the Hebrew Roots I didn’t see why I would need to understand much of this history but now I can’t wait to read some of the books on this subject.
         But I do have one question. In your article, Paul the Pharisee, you explained that Paul is a Pharisee, and still taught that the Jews had to do the law (Torah). You used Timothy’s circumcision as an example of him observing the whole law, as well as him going through the act of having his head shorn, and the expense that he went through to be relieved of his Nazarite vow. All of this happened long after he had started his ministry to the Gentiles. Now he was accused of doing away with the law. After reading all this we can see that just is not true. What you said Paul did, was to say the Gentiles did not have to be circumcised.
         My question is: (1) Did the Gentiles have to be circumcised in order to fellowship with the Jews or did they stay separate? (2) Where did the Gentiles go to services. They must have been able to go to the Temple to keep the Holydays because that is what made everyone so mad at him. They thought he had brought Gentiles in. (3) Do the Jews of today who have accepted Christ still have to keep the law? And what about the offerings, if Paul was still doing offerings after Christ’s death? (4) Does that mean the Jews of today still have to do the same? Let’s say one has taken a Nazarite vow. Would he have to do as Paul did to be loosed from it?
         If you can help me I would really appreciate it.

                  VB

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Shalom Aleichem VB,
         Thank you for your letter. We are pleased that Hebrew Roots found its way into your hands and that God has used it to open your eyes to a deeper understanding of the scriptures.
         The questions you pose are excellent ones. To answer them fully would take an entire article. We will put them on our list of issues that need to be addressed.
         However, I am sure you do not want to wait several months for an answer, so I will do my best to give you a quick answer and ask you to look forward to more depth at a later date.

         During the days of Yeshua, it was common for the Jews to proselytize among the Gentiles. As a result the synagogues would have a mixture of Jews and Gentiles. However, the Jews were not allowed (because of their customs) to socialize with the Gentiles because the Gentiles were not circumcised and did not observe the laws of Kashrut (kosher). In fact, the Jews were not allowed to even enter the home of a Gentile. In like manner, the Gentiles could attend Synagogue but had to remain separate from the Jews. This was not a major problem since the Jewish women and men also had to be separated in Synagogue. Once a Gentile was fully converted to Judaism this problem no longer existed, because now he was circumcised and kept the laws of Kashrur At that point he was considered to be a full fledged Jew.

         In Acts chapter 10 and 11 we read the account of the apostle Peter being given the vision of the unclean beasts. After meeting Cornelius, He realized that God was not telling him that it was all right to eat unclean foods but that rather, it meant that God did not support the Jewish custom of not being allowed to enter the home of an uncircumcised Gentile. (See Acts 10:28-29). As a result of this experience, uncircumcised Gentiles were allowed full fellowship in the Body of Messiah (the Church). Many of the Believing Jews did not accept this teaching. They became known as the Judaisers; believing that all Gentiles had to be circumcised to be saved. This became the primary issue in the early Congregation. Acts chapter 15 records the meeting of the Believer’s Beit Din (House of Judgment) in Jerusalem to resolve this matter They decided that circumcision was not required for Gentiles.
         As for going to the Temple, this proved to be a different problem. Gentiles could always go into the Court of the Gentiles (the outermost courtyard of the Temple complex). Gentiles were not allowed to go into the next courtyard which was the Court of the Women and only Israelite men were allowed to go into the next courtyard which was called the Court of the Israelites. Only the priests could go into the Holy Place and only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies, and then only on the Day of Atonement.

         Gentiles could offer sacrifices at the Temple, they just could not go any further than the Court of the Gentiles. The same would have been true of Believing Gentiles. Paul got in trouble because the Jews thought (incorrectly) that he had brought uncircumcised Believers into the Court of the Israelites.
         Today there is no Temple and therefore no place that animal sacrifices can be offered. Thus, it is impossible to take a Nazarite vow today since in could never be properly conducted or ever concluded.

         As for the Jews of today who have accepted Christ as their Saviour and Messiah, it is a very mixed bag. Some continue to observe the Jewish customs just as they always did. Others have forsaken their Judaism and worship in Protestant Churches. It is not my place to be telling Believing Jews whether they should continue in the customs of their fathers or not However, I believe that all of us need to carefully and prayerfully examine the Scriptures to see what we should be doing, not to earn our salvation, but to be in perfect obedience to our Father in heaven.

         Keep studying to show yourself approved. With all of us studying together we will eventually uncover the answers to our questions.

                  May the shalom of God
                  be with you always,

                  DEW

Dear Hebrew Roots,
         I really welcome your publication. Among the reasons why is because I feel most, if not all of us, have neglected or at least taken for granted our Christianity. We never know what is really precious or really appreciated until some try to change it or take it away. The same crisis will probably take place as the Great Tribulation nears its start. This may be the wake up call for some of our brethren, unfortunately.
         In your answer to CJ’s letter in the May/June issue you said, “We encourage all our readers to find local people with whom they can fellowship...”
         Do you mean one of the Churches of God or with those who feel they want to serve those who need fellowship? And where do you fellowship, with a local group or with one of the Churches of God?
         I hope that these questions aren’t to personal for you to answer. Others tell some of us to find fellowship, even with a Church of God, but they themselves don’t commit to anything. Some of the brethren here in Wisconsin don’t want anything to do with an “organized church” and I find that very disappointing. But I do feel for them. Am I correct to assume you used to attend a congregation in central or northern Wisconsin?

                  Matt Gee

P.S. You can put my name down. I have nothing to hide. Unless you’d rather answer personally. And finally, do you welcome articles from any outside yourselves? Would you need any help here?

                  MG

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Shalom Aleichem Matt Gee,
         Thank you for your thoughtful letter I will try to answer you as best I can.
         It may surprise you to learn that I have not attended a congregation in Wisconsin since 1969. That was the year I moved from this area to Pasadena, California. Susan and I have only recently moved back to this area. We have tried to locate a Sabbath celebrating congregation that is within reasonable driving distance from our home. So far we have been unable to find one. Perhaps we can meet with you and some of those whom you know to be in this area. We are not interested in ‘starting a church.’ What we seek is an atmosphere where we can worship God in spirit and in truth, where we can hold differing opinions on non-salvational issues without being condemned as heretics, and where a real spirit of love and fellowship can be allowed to grow.
         The Body of Messiah can only develop the fruits of the Spirit if it is allowed to grow and not be stifled by a lack of love or condemning attitudes. It is our belief that God is working with many people, in many different organizations. God is not bound by human organizations or by the teachings of any man, no matter how inspired he may have been. Over the past three years we have had the opportunity to attend many different congregations, in many dtfferent parts of the country, both inside and outside the Churches of God. We find there are a great number of people who are sincerely seeking true worship. However, when it comes to doctrines, there is much disagreement Should we avoid fellowship with those who have accepted Yeshua as their Saviour, who worship on the same day as we do, but who presently have a dtfferent understanding on some doctrinal issues? We think not, unless they refuse to frllowship with us. That, of course, is their privilege.
         If what I am saying makes sense to you, we would love to make contact with you and any others in the area.
         At the present time we are not accepting articles from other writers for publication in Hebrew Roots. The sole reason is that we want to get several issues under our belt so that Hebrew Roots can find its true direction. It takes a little time for a new publication to become fully oriented. While we have many ideas for future articles, perhaps our Father has other ideas. We wish to stay close to Him and receive our direction as He leads. It is possible that within several months we will both need and welcome other writers. Stay tuned.

                  May the shalom of God
                  be with you always,

                  DEW

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