Not a lot of modern day believers really understand who the Pharisees are and what

they believe and teach. We need to have some background to understand why Y’shua
lashed out against the Pharisees. This study is to understand the Parsees and their Oral
law and to help us not to make the same mistakes they did.
Abstracts taken from Nehemiah Gordon’s; “Hebrew Yeshua vs. the Greek Jesus”, and Lew White’s
comments on the Talmud.

The Pharisees are called Jewish Orthodox Rabbis today. To become a Pharisee today,
you have to be from a direct line from the original Pharisaic line. They are called
Orthodox Jewish Rabbis and they uphold the Oral Traditions as brought down
throughout their generations. Their teachings are known as Takanot and referenced to in
Scripture as “man made laws/traditions and “traditions of the elders”. These teachings
are based upon five basic principals:

1. Pharisees believe in two Torah's: The written Torah (first five books of the
Scripture) and the Oral Torah (given orally to Moses to Joshua ...notes or
commentary or interpretation of the Torah). They believe the written Torah
cannot be understood without the Oral Torah. The Oral Torah has been written
down and consists of four volumes. The first is the Mishnah - 200 CE, 2nd one is
The Jerusalem Talmud - 350 CE written in Tiberius, the third one is the
Babylonian Talmud 500 CE, and then lastly the D' rash of 900 CE.
2. The absolute authority of the Pharisees: Even if they say left is right and right
is left, you must obey them. You do not have to believe him but must obey him.
They take Deut 30:12 literal and out of context and believe the Torah not in
heaven and that' s why they say that they have authority above YHVH concerning
the Torah. In context it means that the Torah is not too difficult to do. They
believe they have absolute authority over the Torah and not YHVH.

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 3. They do a M'drash interpretation and ignores context of Scripture: They say
Scripture is a divine code and only they have the tools on how to interpret
Scripture. They also say that the majority rules and the more people agree on a
subject, means that they are right. The ancient Israelites learned Torah by
hearing it read out to them every seven years, so that they could learn it and do
it. Deut 31:12-13. This is the way YHVH intended it to be understood. Always
read scripture within context. Torah Scrolls were very expensive and to produce.
You have to slaughter a whole flock of sheep and use barrels and barrels of ink
and you have to get a Scribe for at least one year to write it down for you. That is
why they have to hear it every seven years because it was impossible for
everyone to own a Torah Scroll. The Pharisees had access to the Torah and
misused it exclusively for their own gains and power.
4. Sanctified Traditions: Customs became laws when it is done and sanctified by
the people over time. For example; wearing the head covering - kipa, sanctified
over the last 800 years. You may not walk four cubits (steps) without a head
covering. You may also not pray with an uncovered head - talit. Closing the
Shabbat ceremony - Hafdalla. Lighting the candles at Shabbat meal.
5. Takanot - Commandments of man or interpretation of the Torah: Similar to the
previous point but these are derived from the Torah. For example: YHVH
Commanded us to do the Commandments, they added “...and commanding us to
wash our hands”. Deut 17 talks about lower “judges” or leaders had to go to the
High Priest of the Temple to help with cases that they could not solve. It does not
say to go to the Pharisees!.

The most powerful "rabbi", Akiba, within Pharisaism arose in the early
2nd century, and he took it upon himself to put the "oral law" into a
written form, called the Talmud. Rabbinical Judaism (Pharisaism)
took complete control over the early development of the post-Temple
era, and it is still alive and well as an apostate form of religion, mostly
due to this "Talmud", begun by Akiba. In it there are fabulous tales of
Akiba' s greatness, and horrendous tales about Y’shua. The concept
of "RABBI" is central to the Talmud' s idea of eternal life. Without a
"RABBI", one cannot possibly acquire eternal life, according to
Talmud! And, all Rabbis are infallible (perfect, …ye right!).

Akiba' s Talmud also declares that YHVH is but one of 70 rabbis, and He must go along
with what the majority says. Since Y’shua was called a "RABBI" (my Teacher), it is likely
that He was mistakenly thought to be a Pharisee, or the dominance of Pharisaism was
so great that all who taught were customarily referred to by this term. The word "RABBI"
is not found in the TaNaKh (commonly known as the O.T.) and is man made.

The Talmud is not a book; it’s a record of questions, debates, and decisions over a
1200-year period. One could think of it as if there were a board of directors making
decisions over a 1200 yearlong corporate meeting, and the Talmud is the "minutes" of
that meeting. There is a Babylonian Talmud, and a Jerusalem Talmud. The former is
usually the one that is quoted, and is magnitudes larger. It is entirely of human
invention, and definitely not to be confused with inspired Scripture, the Words of YHWH.

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The Talmud is Judaism' s holiest book (actually a collection of books). Its authority takes
precedence over the Old Testament in Judaism. Evidence of this may be found in the
Talmud itself, Erubin 21b (Soncino edition): "My son, be more careful in the observance
of the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Torah (Old Testament)."

So, we need to also be careful to note the "yeast" and puffing-up which we may observe
in others as they grow in knowledge. The Talmud seems to be the best candidate
among us for being this "yeast of the Pharisees", since from these early Pharisees; all of
Rabbinical Judaism sprang forth. The Torah is a light "yoke", but the Talmud certainly
isn't light. Our "older brothers" in Rabbinical Judaism have traditionally been steeped in
the Talmud, but our love of the "older brother", those of Judah (Jews), must be ever
present with us, because anyone who does not love his brother does not have the love
of YHWH. That doesn' t mean we have to love the yeast / teachings of the Talmud as
well. When Y’shua told us, "Beware of the LEAVEN of the Pharisees" (Luke 12:1, Mk.
8:15, Mt. 16:6), He was describing the hidden mysticisms of the Zohar, Kabbala, and the
Sefer Yetzirah (oral laws).

Interesting “Quotes” from the Talmud:

• Erubin 21b (Soncino edition): "My son, be more careful in the observance of the words of
the Scribes than in the words of the Torah (Old Testament)."
• "If a Jew be called upon to explain any part of the rabbinic books, he ought to give only a
false explanation. Who ever will violate this order shall be put to death." Libbre David 37.
• “Non-Jews are Not Human” Baba Mezia 114a-114b. Only Jews are human ("Only ye are
designated men").
• “Jews May Steal from Non-Jews”, Baba Mezia 24a. (Affirmed also in Baba Kamma
113b).
• "Jesus was a bastard born of adultery." (Yebamoth 49b, p.324).
• "Mary was a whore: Jesus (Balaam) was an evil man." (Sanhedrin 106a &b, p.725).
• "Jesus was a magician and a fool. Mary was an adulteress". (Shabbath 104b, p.504).

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In Matt 23 v 2 Y' shua said to obey every word of the Pharisees and in verse 13 He called
the hypocrites who shut up the Kingdom against men and make it difficult to enter in.
Can this be? Can there really be a contradiction in the same passage? It seems so, but I
don't believe it can be true because YHVH' s Word is True and not suppose to confuse
His people. Lets look and find out what the problem is.

There is a Hebrew translation of Matthew that survived the destroying of all the holy
books by the Catholics and is called the "Shem Tov" Hebrew Gospel of Matthew. This
book is full of Hebrew word ponds (Hebrew idioms and Hebrew poetry) that are found in
the Torah and proves this book was written in Hebrew and not translated from Greek
into Hebrew. This implies that the Greek Matthew was translated from the original
Hebrew Matthew. The early church fathers confirm this fact in the writings of Papias who
lived 60 to 130 CE, who said; “Matthew collected the words in the Hebrew Language
and translated it the best he could”.

Most of the New Testament was actually written in Hebrew and Aramaic and translated
into Greek, losing Hebrew-isms. (See also Andrew Gabriel Roth books on the Aramaic
translations) For example, lets look at an English-ism; "dead as a doornail", it does not
mean anything in Chinese. The same applies to Hebrew vs. Greek. The Greek gives us
the evidence of these Hebrew-isms and that it was translated from Hebrew text where
they originate from. This Hebrew gospel of Matthew will help us solve this problem.

In Matt 23:2-3 it reads in Greek text; “…# $ !03 5 % 6

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5 6 $ $ …”. The 'he'refers to Moses and the
'they'refers to the Pharisees. So Y' shua actually said to obey Moses (Torah) and not the
Pharisees. It is clear that he is referring to Moses and not to the Pharisees and this sort
out the problem of contradicting text; it is a translation mistake. How did it slip in?
Difference in one single Hebrew letter, "vav" in the word "amar",
that changed the word from ' 'to ' ', giving us the wrong
interpretation. A small translation error slipped in when the
translation was done from Hebrew to Greek.

Do not do according to their Takanot (man' s commandments), but

do after what Moses taught. This is in line with all the other
passages where Y’shua confronted the Pharisees. We see another problem looking at
Matt 15:2-3 “…do not do their works (law)…”. This passage is also used to confirm that
Y’shua abolished the law (Torah). Is this so? It is where the Pharisees say that the
Disciples did not obey the traditions (Takanot) of the elders when they did not wash their
hands. He is not talking about the Law of YHVH, the Torah, but the traditions of the
elders or Pharisees. The Commandment for ‘Washing of hands’ is not in the Torah. It is
an Oral Tradition. "Why do they transgress the traditions of the elders? Not the Torah!

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 You must have a special jug (with special
specifications). Then you pour water over your left
hand, and then your right hand. You do this for three
times. While you do this, you must speak blessing
over washing of hands;

“Blessed are you Adonai, King of the universe, Who

gave us the Commandments, and Who commanded
us to wash the hands".

Rabbi's have authority (they say) to make new laws and add to the Torah. This is one of
the examples in Scripture where Y’shua spoke against the commandments of man
(takanot). So, Y’shua did not abolish the Torah though speaking against the washing of
hands Commandment, because it is a Takanot and not a Commandment in Torah.

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The Pharisees teach that if you pronounce His Name “YHVH”, you
have no place in the kingdom to come. This is nowhere to be found
in the Torah or taught by any Prophet or Apostle. They teach people
to use HaShem (the Name) or Adonai in place of His Name. As a
matter of fact, the Torah says that we can swear by His Name and if
you are not allowed to use His name, by which Name do they swear
then?

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YHVH says that His Name is a memorial to every generation, so if we are not allowed to
use His Name or use His Name, how can this passage be true?

You are not to swear falsely by His Name. Taking away the Name, substituting it with
HaShem or L-rd allows you to swear falsely without breaking the commandment, this is
what the Pharisees did, creating loopholes to cover them selves.

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The Pharisees build fences around the Torah and they interpret the Torah
for the people. For example; there are only five or six commandments for
the Sabbath in Scripture but the Pharisees have over a 1800 laws on how,
and not to keep the Sabbath. It is suppose to be a pleasure to keep the
Sabbath not a burden through added traditions and this have caused a lot
of Jews not to be observant any more. All these “added” commandments
are “fences” they build around the Commandments found in the Torah so
that people will not break the Torah. They did not only do it with the
Sabbath, but also did it with many other Commandments. Their intentions might be
good, but what does YHVH say about adding or taking away from the Torah?

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That which we see in Deuteronomy is the same principal we see in the Book of
Revelation and you should be careful not to take things out, things you do not like or do
not understand, or to add things to His Word. This is especially for those (shepherds)
teaching others, because they will receive a greater judgment.

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This is a very serious matter for all those who teach or disciple others, and is a warning
to everybody who want to teach or lead others.

You must make dead certain that you teach the Truth and that you do not add or take
away from the Word of YHVH because you line yourself up with greater judgment of you
mislead people by “man made doctrines” and “traditions”. Those who are in the position
of teaching and leading others spiritually should be aware that they are Watchman that
have the responsibility to lead the flock towards the truth and if they don’t do it or do their
own thing, the blood of the people they mislead is upon their heads if they cause people
to go astray through their false teachings and example. (Look at their fruit)

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The Trumpet or Shophar that was blown to warn the people are the words of Truth that
needs to be proclaimed so that the people can be warned and come out of the bondage
of man made religion. Those who do not listen to you and who d o not receive you, their
blood is on their own heads, but if you choose not to speak out when you have an
opportunity, their blood is on your head.

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Can there be Pharisees in a “Christian” Faith today? By “Christian” I mean
everybody that believe in the Messiah as Savior. When you look at what the
Pharisees did you will definitely find “man made traditions” and
“Oral Laws” in the Church today that is not in Scripture. The
Talmud contains Judaism’s Oral Laws and commentaries by the
Rabbi’s for over thousands of years.

Christian writers wrote thousands of books that contain

commentaries and traditions that are not scriptural as well. It is the
same religious spirit that is at work in the Church, the
same spirit that existed in Y’shua’s time that is working
today. “Prosperity, money-money-money, me-me-me, Purpose
driven, not Spirit led, create the life you want, your best life now”.
Where is YHVH in all of this? It’s all about man and his wants and
his life.

Study the Scripture and confirm everything you

learn or read, do not be deceived, be careful who you
listen to or who’s books you read, and work out your
salvation with fear and trembling before YHVH Who is
our King and Who’s Word is the ultimate authority.