(PNN) PPSIMMONS News and Ministry Network: Messianic Rabbi Zev Porat

We were praying in Jerusalem seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. While praying in the Kotel, an Orthodox Jewish man named Eli approached Zev and asked: "I noticed you are praying and don't have a prayer book. Why? You need a prayer book - a Siddur." Zev explained to Eli, "I have a relationship with God and pray to God from my heart, not from a religious book." Eli insisted that the rabbis teach we must pray through the Siddur if we want our prayers to be heard. Zev explained to Eli with love and compassion: "Nowhere in the Bible does it say to pray through the Siddur. The Bible teaches us in Deuteronomy 6:5 -
"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Messianic Rabbi Zev with Eli

Zev explained to him that God used Moses to give us the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, no man can keep the Ten Commandments, no one can meet God's standard, that's why God sent His Son the Messiah to die for our sins. He conquered death, rose for us on the third day and by His blood we have full redemption of sins. When we pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we pray through His Son the Messiah. Eli was in total shock and insisted he was going to talk to his rabbi. Zev blessed him and continued to share the Good News in the Kotel.

After a while, a Rabbi Aronovitz called Zev to come inside the synagogue to talk. At that moment, Zev was very cautious but the Holy Spirit told Zev: "Fear not, go inside. I am with you." Zev walked in the synagogue. Rabbi Aronovitz confronted Zev, "What is that you were telling people about the Messiah. Don't you know this is a Holy Place?" Zev told Aronovitz in a very calm voice: "God loves you and He sent me here today to proclaim His love and pray for the people." Aronovitz told Zev: "You are not a Jew telling people about this Messiah who died for our sins. That's not Jewish Messiah; that's blasphemy and I won't allow it. You need to leave this holy place area now."

Rabbi Aronovitz angry with Zev: "Leave now."

Zev asked the rabbi: "Do you believe the Tanach (Old Testament)? It is the Jewish Bible." Aronovitz said: "Yes, but what you are doing is the Christian New Covenant which is blasphemy. Shame on you as a Jew doing this." Zev said, "Let's read the Jewish Bible that you believe and see what God says." It was amazing. No matter how much the rabbi was upset, he still did not move. It was clear the Holy Spirit was in full control. Zev then opened the Bible to Isaiah 53. When Rabbi Aronovitz saw this chapter, he said, "This is forbidden to read without rabbinic interpretation." Zev said: "This is the Written Word of God. It can't be forbidden. God gave it to man, not just to the rabbis. This is the way the evil one, the devil, is robbing the Jewish people of their salvation, and you are a rabbi, so let's read. Aronovitz was without words. He listened to

Isaiah 53 in Hebrew -

53 Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,

And like a root out of parched ground;

He has no stately form or majesty

That we should look upon Him,

Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

3 He was despised and forsaken of men,

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

And like one from whom men hide their face

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He did not open His mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,

And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,

So He did not open His mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away;

And as for His generation, who considered

That He was cut off out of the land of the living

For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

9 His grave was assigned with wicked men,

Yet He was with a rich man in His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

10 But the Lord was pleased

To crush Him, putting Him to grief;

If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,

He will see His offspring,

He will prolong His days,

And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

11 As a result of the anguish of His soul,

He will see it and be satisfied;

By His knowledge the Righteous One,

My Servant, will justify the many,

As He will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,

And He will divide the booty with the strong;

Because He poured out Himself to death,

And was numbered with the transgressors;

Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,

And interceded for the transgressors.

The Holy Spirit took over. Rabbi Aronovitz calm.

Zev was explaining verse by verse to him. After he heard the Word, Zev explained: "This is the Jewish Messiah who died for us, so we can be free from our sins and have eternal life. This is why I came here today to tell everybody about this amazing love that God has for us. We just read the Jewish Bible." Rabbi Aronovitz who had been upset, but now was silent, did not say one word.

Zev then blessed him and continued to share the wonderful Love Gift of Salvation with many.