Teaching Team
A Minyan at the Kotel
In my work for First Fruits of Zion, I have the blessed opportunity to travel Israel frequently. Whenever in the holy city of Jerusalem, I try to pray three times a day at the wall. Our Master quotes Isaiah the prophet saying that the Temple shall be "a house of prayer for all nations." This works well for me as a Gentile believer, and I feel spiritually confident praying in the midst of Israel.
When at the wall, I am often invited to join a minyan. Unless the minyan has already formed and already has the necessary quorum of ten Jewish men, I decline the invitation because as a Gentile, I don't qualify to fill out a Jewish minyan. Even more problematic, if the truth was known, would be my faith in Yeshua of Nazareth. So even when I am at the holiest place on earth, praying among the holy people, I am twice removed. One cannot help but feel the spiritual power and energy of the holy stones on which God's house once sat, but one also feels the sorrow and longing for the revelation of Messiah.
That's why a recent passage in the late Moshe Immanuel Ben-Meir's autobiography caught my attention. Ben-Meir was an orthodox Jewish believer, one of the founders of the modern Messianic Jewish movement. Born in Jerusalem in 1905, he knew what it was to be a believer in Yeshua in the midst of the orthodox Jewish world.
On one occasion, some time before World War II and the war of Independence, Ben-Meir was going to the wall to pray Sabbath Shacharit prayers. He saw a minyan of Persian Jews that were already coming to the end of the Sabbath Mussaf, but the thing that caught his attention was their leader. Ben-Meir wrote, "His face glowed with a mysterious light, and his eyes burned like two coals of fire." Ben-Meir noticed that the rabbi was holding a Hebrew New Testament in his hands. Ben-Meir caught his attention and removed his own Hebrew New Testament from his pocket. The two men understood one another immediately and Ben-Meir was allowed to join their minyan.
The rabbi was Dr. Mussa, a medical doctor and rabbi from a secret Messianic community in Persia. He had relocated to Jerusalem with twelve other men from the community:
"Their sole meeting place is at the Wall, where they come to pray daily. Sometimes they meet either in a wood, in the open field, or in a secluded spot on the Mount of Olives. Most of them were vegetarians. They distanced themselves from Christians and would have nothing to do with missions. They were a closed community, as they desired to keep their Jewish heritage and not compromise it." (From Jerusalem to Jerusalem: Autobiographical Sketches by Moshe Immanuel Ben-Meir, [Jerusalem: Netivyah, 2007] p. 65)
Nevertheless, they accepted Ben-Meir into their minyan, and from then on, he met each Sabbath morning with the mysterious believers. Eventually Dr. Mussa was killed by Arab violence, and the group dissipated. Ben-Meir lost touch with the community.
I look forward to the day when such communities will again form in the name of Yeshua of Nazareth--Jewish believers within traditional Judaism adding the "Amen" of Yeshua's name to the ancient prayers of Israel. "What will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?" (Romans 11:15). To that end we labor.
D. Thomas Lancaster
26 Adar 5769
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Visitor Feedback:
I loved this post Daniel. I could feel the bitter-sweet truths here...
Michael | March 23, 2009 5:54 AM
Shalom Brother Daniel, Thank you for this post! I was wondering, what's the title of the book by Moshe Immanuel Ben-Meir. I went on Amazon and typed in his name, but nothing came up. There were, however, several other good choices! Thank you again for your time and your post!
REPLY: The book is "From Jerusalem to Jerusalem," by Netivyah Press. No ISBN, but can be found at netivyah.org. It's a quick read and an important look into the early formation of Messianic Judaism.
James Bauers | March 23, 2009 7:27 AM
Daniel:
Thanks for a great story. I am, however, offended that no one has asked me to join a minyan on the seven or eight occasions I've prayed at the Kotel. Hmmff!
Derek Leman
Derek Leman | March 23, 2009 2:10 PM