1 Ya’akov, eved (servant) of Hashem and of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua; To the Shneym Asar HaShevatim (Twelve Tribes) in the Golus, Shalom! [DEVARIM 32:26]

² Consider it all simcha, my Achim b’Moshiach, whenever you fall into various nisayonos (tests, trials),

³ Because you have da’as that the emunah you have, when it is tested, produces savlanut (patient endurance).

⁴ And let savlanut be shleimah in its po’al (work) in order that you may be mevugarim (mature, grown up) and complete, lacking in nothing.

⁵ But if any one of you is lacking chochmah (wisdom), let him direct tefillah (prayer) and techinot (petitions) to Hashem, the One whose matanot (gifts) are given generously and without grudging, and chochmah will be given to him. [MELACHIM ALEF 3:9,10; MISHLE 2:3-6; TEHILLIM 51:6; DANIEL 1:17; 2:21]

⁶ But let the tefillah be offered with much bitachon in emunah (faith), in no way doubting. For the doubtful man, wavering in emunah, is like a wave of the yam (sea) being tossed by the wind. [MELACHIM ALEF 18:21]

⁷ Let not such a one presume that he will receive anything from Adoneinu.

⁸ He is an ish (man) of double mind, in all his drakhim (ways), mesupak (uncertain, having doubts) and unstable. [TEHILLIM 119:113]

⁹ But let the Ach b’Moshiach of shiflut (lowliness) glory in the da’as that Hashem will exalt him.

¹⁰ And let the Ach b’Moshiach who has osher (riches) glory in his bizyoinos (humiliation), in the da’as that Hashem will bring him low, because KOL HABASAR KHATZIR ("All flesh is grass," YESHAYAH 40:6,7) and so he likewise will vanish. [IYOV 14:2; TEHILLIM 103:15,16]

¹¹ For the shemesh (sun) rises with its burning heat and dried the grass and its TZITZ NAVEL ("flower blossom falls" YESHAYAH 40:6-8) And the beauty of its appearance perished, so also the “oisher” (rich man) in his goings will fade away. [TEHILLIM 102:4,11]

¹² Ashrey is the one who stands up under nisayon (trial), because, having become approved, that one will be given the Ateret HaChayyim (Crown of Life), which Hashem gave as a havtachah (promise) to those having Ahavas Hashem.

¹³ However, let no one say, when he is tempted, "From Hashem I am being tempted,” for Hashem cannot be tempted to crave ra’ah (evil), and He Himself trips up no one with nisayon (temptation).

¹⁴ But each one is tempted by his own ta’avah (lust, yetzer hara), being dragged off by it and being allured. [MISHLE 19:3]

¹⁵ Then after her conception Ta’avah gives birth to Averah (Transgression) and Averah, once she has fully developed, gives birth to Mavet. [BERESHIS 3:6; IYOV 15:35; TEHILLIM 7:14; YESHAYAH 59:4]

¹⁶ Do not fall under a delusion, my beloved Achim b’Moshiach.

¹⁷ Every good endowment and every matanah shleimah (complete gift) is from above, coming down from Avi HaOhrot (the Father of Lights) with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. [TEHILLIM 85:12; BERESHIS 1:16; TEHILLIM 136:7; DANIEL 2:22; BAMIDBAR 23:19; TEHILLIM 102:27; MALACHI 3:6]

¹⁸ Birtzon Hashem (by the will of G-d), he gave birth to us by the Dvar HaEmes, that we might be a kind of bikkurim (firstfruits) of all he created. [YIRMEYAH 2:3]

¹⁹ Have da’as of this, my beloved Achim b’Moshiach. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to ka’as (anger). [MISHLE 10:19]

²⁰ For the ka’as of Bnei Adam does not accomplish the Tzikat Hashem.

²¹ Therefore, having put away all filthiness and what remains of resha (wickedness) in shiflut (lowliness) and meekness receive the implanted Dvar Hashem which is able to save your nefashot.[Rev 3:20]

²² Now be Shomrei HaDvar Hashem and not Shomei HaDvar only, thereby causing yourselves to fall under remiyah (deceit, deception).

²³ Because if anyone is Shomei HaDavar and not Shomrei HaDavar, this one is like a man looking at his ponum in a mirror,

²⁴ For he observed himself and has gone away and immediately forgot what he looked like.

²⁵ But the one having peered into the Torah HaShleimah (the Perfect Torah), the Torah HaCherut (the Torah of Freedom), and there remaining, not as a forgetful listener but one who is shomer mitzvot and goes into action, this one will have a bracha on his head in all his acts. [TEHILLIM 19:7]

²⁶ If anyone considers himself to be one of the Charedim (Orthodox, G-dfearing Jewish religious ones), yet has lashon hora and does not bridle his tongue but instead causes his lev to fall under remiyah (deceit), this one’s chasidus (piety) is worthless. [TEHILLIM 34:13; 39:1; 141:3]

²⁷ Avodas Kodesh that is tehorah (pure) and tamimah (unblemished) before Elohim HaAv is this: to visit yetomim (orphans) and almanot (widows) in their tzoros and to be shomer against the defilement of the Olam Hazeh. [DEVARIM 14:29; IYOV 31:16,17,21; TEHILLIM 146:9; YESHAYAH 1:17,23]

2 My Achim b’Moshiach, you do not with your acts of maso panim (favoritism) hold to the [orthodox Jewish] emunah of the glorious Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua. [DEVARIM 1:17; VAYIKRA 19:15; MISHLE 24:23]

² For if there enter into your Beit HaKnesset (House of Assembly, shul, synagogue, shtibel) a man with gold rings on his fingers in expensive bekeshe (kaftan) and shtreimel, and there enters also an underpriviledged nebach, a kabtzen (poor person) in shmattes (rags),

³ and you pay special attention to the takif [influential man] wearing the bekeshe and shtreimel and say, "You sit here in the seat of kibbud (respect, honor), and to the kabtzen (pauper) you say, "You stand there." Or "You sit at my feet,"

⁴ did you not among yourselves differentiate with prejudice and became shofetim (judges) with machshavot re’sha (evil thoughts)?

⁵ Hinei! My beloved Achim b’Moshiach, did not Der Oybershter make the Aniyim of the Olam Hazeh in fact Bechirim of Hashem to be rich in emunah and also yoreshim of the Malchut Hashem, which Adoshem gave as a havtachah (promise) to those with Ahavas Hashem? [IYOV 34:19]

⁶ But you dishonored the ish evyon (poor man, pauper). Do not the oishirim (rich ones) oppress you and they drag you into the Batei Din (Bet Din courts)?

⁷ Do they not commit Chillul Hashem gidduf (blasphemy) against the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach’s Shem Tov that has been named upon you?

⁸ If indeed you are shomer regarding the Dat HaMalkhut (Royal Decree), as it is written in the Kitvei Hakodesh, "V’AHAVTAH L’REI’ACHA KAMOCHA" ("And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." [VAYIKRA 19:18]) you do well.

⁹ But if you show maso panim (favoritism), you are chote’im (sinners) committing averos (transgressions) against the Torah. [DEVARIM 1:17]

¹⁰ For whoever is shomer over kol haTorah but stumbles in one mitzvah, such is condemned as ashem (guilty) of averoh (transgression) of kol mitzvot.

¹¹ For the One having said, LO TINAF ("You shall not commit adultery") said also LO TIRTZACH ("You shall not murder"). Now if you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a Poshei’a al mitzvot HaTorah (Transgressor of the Torah). [SHEMOT 20:13,14; DEVARIM 5:17,18]

¹² So let your dvarim (words) be and so let your ma’asim (deeds) be as those who are about to come under the judgment of the Torah HaCherut [1:25].

¹³ For the Din (Judgment) will be without rachamim (mercy) to the one not having shown rachamim. Rachamim wins the nitzachon (victory) over HaDin.

¹⁴ What is the revach (gain, profit), my Achim b’Moshiach, if anyone claims to have emunah but does not have ma’asim (deeds)? Surely not such "emunah" is able to bring him to Yeshu’at Eloheinu?

¹⁵ If an Ach b’Moshiach or an Achot b’Moshiach is dressed in shmattes (tatters) and lacking "lechem chukeinu" ("our daily bread," Mt.6:11)

¹⁶ and anyone of you says to them, "Go in shalom! Be warmed and fed!" but you do not give to them the physical necessities, what is the revach (profit)?

¹⁷ So also Emunah, if alongside it there is not in its company Ma’asim, is by itself niftar (deceased, dead).

¹⁸ But someone will say, "You have emunah and I have ma’asim." You make known to me the Hisgalus haSod (the revelation of the mystery) of your emunah without your ma’asim, and I’ll show you, Chaver, from my ma’asim, the Emunah.

¹⁹ So you’re impressed with yourselves that with your emunah you can recite the kri’at Shema, nu? O you do so well...why, even the shedim have your da’as and emunah! But they shudder! [DEVARIM 6:4]

²⁰ Are you willing to have da’as, O hollow man, that Emunah unharnessed to Ma’asim, stands idle?

²¹ Avraham Avinu, was he not YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d) by his ma’asim when he performed the akedah (binding) and offered up Yitzchak Bno (Isaac his son) upon the mizbe’ach? [BERESHIS 22:9,12]

²² Hinei! While Avraham Avinu’s Emunah was working, working right alongside was Avraham Avinu’s Ma’asim, and by Ma’asim the emunah was made shleimah!

²³ And the Kitvei Hakodesh was fulfilled, Avraham Avinu V’HE’EMIN BA’HASHEM VAYACHSHEVE’HA LO TZEDAKAH ("believed Hashem and it was accounted to him for righteousness," BERESHIS 15:6). He was even called "Ohev Hashem" ("Friend of G-d"). [BERESHIS 15:6; YESHAYAH 41:8; DIVREY HAYOMIM BAIS 20:7]

²⁴ You see that from Ma’asim [of Emunah] a man is YITZDAK IM HASHEM and not from [sterilely unpartnered] “Emunah” alone. [i.e., mere intellectual assent]

²⁵ And likewise also Rachav the Zonah—was she not made YITZDAK IM HASHEM from Ma’asim, having received the messengers and having sent them out a different way?

²⁶ For just as the guf (body) without the neshamah is niftar (deceased, dead), so also is Emunah without Ma’asim.

3 Not many of you, Achim b’Moshiach, should be Morim for Moshiach, als (since), as far as concerns Mishpat Hashem, you have da’as that we Messianic morim will have the chomer haDin (rigor of the Law) fall on us more severely.

² For all of us stumble variously. If anyone as far as lashon hora is concerned, does not stumble, this one is an ish tamim able to bridle also the entire guf (body). [1Kgs 8:46; Ps 39:1; Prov 10:19]

³ And if we put bits into the mouths of susim (horses) to bring them into mishma’at (obedience), in just this way we direct their whole gufot (bodies).

⁴ Hinei, also the oniyot (ships), even though gedolot and driven by gales, are guided by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the one steering directs.

⁵ So also the lashon (tongue), an evar katon (small member) speaks of RAVREVAN ("boastful things" DANIEL 7:8,20). Hinei, an eish ketanah (small fire) and yet how great a forest it can set ablaze! [Ps 12:3,4; 73:8,9]

⁶ And the lashon is an Eish, the lashon is made an Olam HaAvel (World of Iniquity) among our evarim (members), defiling with a stain kol haGuf (whole body), and setting ablaze the course of life, and is itself set by eish in Gehinnom. [MISHLE 16:27]

⁷ For every species both of wild animals and birds, reptiles and marine creatures is tamed and has been tamed by humankind.

⁸ But the Lashon no one of Bnei Adam is able to tame, an uncontrollable ra’ah (evil), full of deadly zuhamah (contamination).

⁹ With this we say a bracha to Hashem, Adoneinu and Avoteynu, and with this we put a kelalah (curse) on Bnei Adam, who have been created according to the demut Elohim [Gn 1:26,27).

¹⁰ Out of the same PEH comes forth bracha and also kelalah. My Achim b’Moshiach, these things ought not to be.

¹¹ Surely not out of the same makor (fountain) pours forth mayim both sweet and bitter?

¹² Surely an etz te’enah (fig tree) cannot yield olives, my Achim b’Moshiach, or a grape vine figs? Neither can salt water yield sweet water.

¹³ Who has chochmah and binah among you? Let him show by his hitnahagut hatovah (good conduct) that the ma’asim of him are of the shiflut (lowliness) of chochmah.

¹⁴ But if bitter kina (jealousy) you have and anochiyut (selfishness) in your levavot, do not boast and speak sheker against HaEmes.

¹⁵ This is not the Chochmah coming down and descending from above, but is of the Olam Hazeh, of this world and of shedim.

¹⁶ For where kina and anochiyut are, there is tohu vavohu (disorder, chaos) and every ra’ah.

¹⁷ But the chochmah from above is berishonah (in the first place) tehorah (pure), then ohevet shalom (peaceloving), then eidel (gentle) and considerate, then full of rachamim and p’ri tov, and without maso panim and tzevi’ut.

¹⁸ And the p’ri haTzedek is shalom sown by the ones making shalom. (Prov 11:18; Isa 32:17; Hos 10:12]

15 And some men came down from Yehudah to Syrian Antioch and were teaching the Achim b’Moshiach that if you lack the bris milah as prescribed by Moshe Rabbenu, it is impossible for you to come to Yeshu’at Eloheinu.

² Now this brought them into a dispute and a debate of no little proportion with Rav Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba, who were appointed to go up with some others from them to bring this she’elah (question) before the Moshiach’s Shlichim and Zekenim in Yerushalayim.

³ Then having been sent on their way by the Kehillah, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Shomron telling in detail how the Nations were turning to Hashem and they were bringing great simcha to all the Achim b’Moshiach.

⁴ And having come to Yerushalayim, they were there received by Moshiach’s Kehillah and the Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Zekenim, and they reported what things Hashem had done with them.

⁵ But some of the ma’aminim hameshichiyim from the kat of the Perushim rose up, saying, "It is necessary to give the Goyim the bris milah and to command them to be shomer mitzvot, keeping the Torah of Moshe Rabbenu."

⁶ And the Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Zekenim were gathered together as a council to consider this matter.

⁷ And after much deliberation had taken place, Moshiach’s Shliach Shimon Kefa got up. Kefa said to them, "Anashim, Achim b’Moshiach, you have da’as that in the early days Hashem chose that among you I would be the one and through my mouth the Goyim would hear the dvar Hashem of the Besuras HaGeulah and would come to emunah [in the Orthodox Jewish faith].

⁸ "And the One who has da’as of levavot, Hashem, bore solemn edut and stood as their witness, having given the non-Jews the Ruach Hakodesh just as Hashem did also to us Jews [Acts 2:4; 10:46; 11:15-16].

⁹ "And in making tehorot their levavot by emunah, in this respect Hashem did not differentiate between us Jews and those non-Jews.

¹⁰ "Therefore, now why are you testing Hashem by laying an ol (yoke) upon the neck of the talmidim which neither Avoteinu nor we were able to bear? [Dt 9:5-6; Jer 31:31-34]

¹¹ "On the contrary, Anu Ma’aminim (We believe) that we Jews come to Yeshu’at Eloheinu by the Chen v’Chesed Hashem of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu in the same Derech Hashem as those non-Jews do also." [Ro 3:9,30; Ga.3:12-13; Isa 53:9-12; Pp.3:9; Dt 9:4-6; Lk 18:11-12]

¹² And then all the multitude was silent and they were listening to Bar-Nabba and Rav Sha’ul describing what otot and moftim Hashem did among the Nations through them.

¹³ And after Rav Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba fell silent, Moshiach’s Shliach Ya’akov [see p.848] responded, saying, "Anashim, Achim b’Moshiach, listen to me.

¹⁴ "Shimon explained how Hashem first concerned Himself to receive from the Nations a people for SHMO [ZECHARYAH 6:12].

¹⁵ "And this is in agreement with the dvarim of the Nevi’im, just as it has been written,

¹⁶ ‘After these things I will return and AKIM ES SUKKAT DOVID HANOFELET VHARISOTAV AKIM U’VENITIHA ("I will restore the tent of Dovid which has fallen and the things having been torn down of it I will rebuild and I will restore it"),

¹⁷ “So that the she’erit (remnant) of anashim might seek Hashem and all the GOYIM who are called by my Name,

¹⁸ “Says the L-rd, who makes these things known from long ago. [Amos 9:11f Targum HaShivim, 12; Jer 12:15; Isa 45:21]

¹⁹ "Therefore, it is my judgment not to trouble the ones from the Goyim turning in teshuva to Hashem,

²⁰ "But to write to them to keep away from the pollution of elilim and of zenut and of the thing strangled and of dahm. [Lv 3:17; 7:26; 17:10 13; 19:26; Dt 12:16,23]

²¹ "For Moshe Rabbenu from ancient dorot in every shtetl has his maggidim and in the shuls every Shabbos he has been read."

²² Then it was mekabel (received) by the Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Zekenim with the entire Kehillah to choose anashim from them to send to Syrian Antioch with Rav Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba, also Yehudah called Bar-Sabba, and Sila, all manhigim among the Achim b’Moshiach,

²³ With the following iggeret: "From the Achim b’Moshiach, Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Zekenim: to the Achim b’Moshiach throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, to those from among the Nations, Shalom!

²⁴ "Vi-bahlt (since) we heard that certain men had gone out from us, though not having any directives from us, and have given you mitzvot with dvarim unsettling your nefashot (souls),

²⁵ "It was mekabel to us, having come to achdus in mind and having chosen anashim to send to you, along with our beloved chaverim Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul

²⁶ "Anashim who have imperiled their lives for haShem of Moshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua

²⁷ "Therefore we have sent Yehudah and Sila, and they too will confirm us in person by word of mouth.

²⁸ "For it was mekabel to the Ruach Hakodesh and to us to lay no heavier burden upon you who are from the Nations except these necessary things:

²⁹ "That you non-Jewish ma’aminim hameshichiyim keep away from meat sacrificed to elilim, and dahm, and what is strangled, and zenut. If you are shomer to avoid these, you will do well. Shalom!"

³⁰ Therefore, having been dismissed, they went down to Syrian Antioch, and having gathered together the multitude, they delivered the iggeret.

³¹ And having read it, there was a response of simcha gedolah at the exhortation.

³² Both Yehudah and Sila, being themselves nevi’im hameshichiyim also, with many dvarim comforted the Achim b’Moshiach and gave them chizzuk.

³³ And after they had spent considerable time, they were dismissed with shalom from the Achim b’Moshiach and sent back to the ones having dispatched them. [1Sm 1:17]

³⁴ [Notwithstanding it seemed tov to Sila to remain there.]

³⁵ And Rav Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba were staying in Syrian Antioch saying shiurim and drashot with also many others, the content of these being the dvar Hashem.

³⁶ And after some yamim Rav Sha’ul said to Bar-Nabba, "Let’s return, then, and visit the Achim b’Moshiach throughout every city in which we proclaimed the dvar Hashem to see how they are doing."

³⁷ And Bar-Nabba was deciding to take along also Yochanan called Markos.

³⁸ But Rav Sha’ul was insisting not to take along this one, the one having withdrawn from them from Pamphylia, not having gone with them to the avodas kodesh ministry of the Moshiach’s Shlichus.

³⁹ And there was a sharp disagreement so that they were separated from one another, and Bar-Nabba took Markos and sailed away to Cyprus.

⁴⁰ And Rav Sha’ul chose Sila and departed, having been commended to the Chen v’Chesed Hashem by the Achim b’Moshiach.

⁴¹ And they were traveling through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the Moshiach’s Kehillot.