It's Official

It is official, I am a JEW!

I came out of the mikvah May 21, 2009 in Los Gatos, CA and claimed my Hebrew name, which in English is Jacob.

There are many differing reactions to this particular event, some of which you are experiencing even as you read this. Besides the Congratulations and Mozal Tov types of responses, there are also the, “Why?”, and “Are you kidding?”, types of responses.

I would like to tell you why I decided and chose to be a Jew. The challenge for me here is to make it short but understandable.

Foundation: I know that the L’RD IS, that there is only ONE, and that I am to Love the L’RD with all my heart, all of my soul and all of my being. What is “Love” again? I only asked this one because Man-kind has been trying to define that one since the beginning of thought. So, I am not going to explain what I know about that word. I will explain that everything that I am, everything I have done, everything I have been, has only been possible because the L’RD has done miracles for me. These miracles are some of the reasons that I know that HE IS and that HE has taken notice of ME. He has also heard my prayers for other people. This does not mean that I always get the answer I want. Sometimes I am not even sure what the BEST outcome would be, so I only explain my concerns and thoughts to HIM.

I have learned that HE must have known all of our choices and what we(each one of us) are going to do before HE said “Let There Be Light!” The evidence is in the Tanach(Hebrew Old Testament), for all to read and try to understand. I have learned so much in the decades that I have been seeking wisdom and G’D. I know that all I have learned is only a single drop in a five gallon bucket of understanding. Here are a couple examples: The snake in the garden knows that we(people) do not understand that the L’RD is talking about the death of our soul, not the body; G’D’s real anger at Adam was not because he ate of the fruit, it was because Adam chose to listen to Eve instead of G’D; last, that Adam really fell down because he was not “paying attention” –Eve took of the fruit and ate, and then gave to the man and he did eat( no discussion with Eve) and Adam told Eve about not eating of that tree not G’D.

My studies of religion and many of the various flavors of religion, lead me to distrust all of them by the time I was fifteen years of age. Judaism is the closest text I have found to the source of knowledge about the L’RD. Here is why I study the Hebrew text, I have not found any deceit or lies or errors in the text, the only errors have been in our understandings of the text. But as you can see from the previous paragraph, I am continually learning.

Why be a Jew? Because of the Children of Israel, they are the only ones we can prove exist. Because I want to be as close to G’D as I can get. Because, I know that the tribe of Judah and all of the chosen people have the task of witnessing to all of the world that G’D IS, WAS and WILL ALWAYS BE. This is HIS Universe not ours, HIS rules not ours, HE gives the Love and Mercy we don’t. If I really believe all of this, I should not only be telling others to do it, I must do it also. I must live my believe and faith not just talk about it. So I am, demonstrating what I believe.

I continually pray that the L’RD will put me on the path in front of HIM and KEEP ME THERE, I ask that I not be allowed to turn left nor right, that HE will fill my mouth with HIS words; my head with knowledge; my heart with understanding and my soul with HIS spirit so that I may always do that which is righteous. I also ask that HE have mercy on me and forgive my sins when I slip and fall because I was not on guard and I am only dirt, but I am trying and must continue to try harder.

Last line: Seek Truth, Love Justice and Choose G’D.

Shalom,

Yud Ayin Kuf Vet –Jacob
James Jeffries