Introduction

 

So what is “Yeshua Judaism”?

 

This article, though it may appear moderately long, will only touch upon the definition while also, hopefully, allowing you to discern rather accurately what it truly is.  But before jumping straight into the specifics of Yeshua Judaism, we first need to uncover the history of what I call "Akiva Judaism", which is commonly known as “rabbinic” or “Orthodox” Judaism.

 

I use the term "Akiva Judaism" to simply distinguish it from the more authentic and Torah compliant "Yeshua Judaism".  There is a somewhat unknown and at times false narrative that for centuries has been advanced by rabbis of Akiva Judaism which needs to be more brightly revealed.

 

Before entering the discussion I want to clearly, loudly, and with deeply loving gratitude express my thanks and admiration for the devotion, courage, intellect, and love of God displayed by rabbis from whom I have learned truths for which eternity itself does not allow a proper "Thank you!".  Though I have very strong disagreements with them in various areas, I nevertheless am absolutely certain of their love for God and Torah.

 

The apostle Paul (Shaul) stated with love that such people are "blinded" by God (it is not their fault!) until the time determined by The Eternal One to lift the blindness.  I do not say that as a derogatory or patronizing "sting" inflicted upon the rabbis.  Quite the contrary.  I say it out of the sincerest feelings of love and admiration of what they are NOT blinded to, which is a lot more than what they are.  Indeed, Christians are far more "blinded " than are Judaism's rabbis.

 

Thus, despite my direct, often offensive perhaps statements, I nevertheless hold the rabbis in the very highest regard and have no doubt that they will be highly revered in the eternal world to come (olam haba) - certainly more than me.  I admit that.  God is using them mightily, and they are accumulating much deserved merit.

 

However, they are but men as am I.  Therefore, like me, they are imperfect and have beliefs which need to be questioned.

 

A very brief history of Akiva (rabbinic) Judaism's origins

 

What is commonly known today as “Judaism” is actually not - I repeat not - the Torah faith that existed before and during the time of Yeshua in the first century.  It was begun after the Roman destruction of the second Temple by a group of Yeshua opposing Pharisaic rabbis who escaped Jerusalem.

 

One of the most famous of those rabbis literally faked his own death and made a deal with the Roman general and later emperor Vespasian to escape with some of his co-conspirator traitorous Pharisaic friends.  They abandoned  their fellow Jews to be slaughtered.  Ironically, whether he was right or wrong, that same rabbi who betrayed his own people is revered in Judaism as one of their “tannaim”, the most revered of Judaism “sages”!

 

The following link is a an article from an Orthodox Judaism website (Chabad) that attempts to put a "positive spin" on the account by portraying his cowardly betrayal as an act of courage and wisdom.  The man was rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai.    It is but one historic fact I hope to expose in various discussions which highlight assorted elements of deceit, treachery, and irony found within Akiva Judaism.

​Tannaim (Hebrew: תנאים‬ [tanaˈim], singular Hebrew: תנא‬ [taˈna], Tanna "repeaters", "teachers") were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 10-220 CE. The period of the tannaim, also referred to as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 210 years. Some among the tannaim were contemporaries of Yeshua, the apostles, and all the earliest followers of Yeshua Judaism.  In fact, it is a virtual certainty that some of the very "Pharisees" in which the New Testament records Yeshua and the apostles displaying firm disagreement and conflict were likely tannaim. Such undeniable facts of history provide clues and clarity as to why they were so fiercely opposed to Yeshua and his original followers, and for Akiva Judaism's continued intense hostility towards Yeshua Judaism up to the present day.  (More on that in other discussions.)

Those rabbis who were spared death in Jerusalem gathered in approximately 90CE at Yavneh, Israel under the leadership of rabbi Gamliel II (grandson of Gamliel I or Gamliel the Elder) and worked to restructure (redefine and change) what had been the Torah based faith previously practiced.  Focus was entirely shifted from the Temple to the synagogue, with the leaders of the synagogue (rabbis) given total control.

​Among the changes made was an unprecedented massive “power grab” by those rabbis. They established themselves as the gatekeepers, the rulers, effectively the demigods of Judaism.  Up to that point no such absolute centralized power under rabbinic control had ever existed throughout the entire history of Israel; however, after their enormous alterations they became the sole authorities. As a result, "Judaism" became an authoritarian dictatorship with the rabbis as the undisputed dictators.  Beginning in 90CE the rabbinic ruling oligarchy was established.

Since the creation of that rabbinic religion “Torah” has expanded to include innumerable d’rabbanans (rabbinic dictates generally considered equal to God’s written Torah).  Yes.  That is what happened.  The rabbis in Yavneh created a new religion with themselves as the unopposed dictators whose authority it is forbidden to question.

 

What is commonly called "Judaism" today is a faith that, as mentioned before, was created after the Second Temple destruction.  It is savagely anti-Yeshua, anti-New Testament, and based upon the biased opinions of a specific highly esteemed man (rabbi Akiva) and a small number of rabbis who followed him or with whom he agreed.  Their opinions are found within the Mishnah.

 

One of Akiva's very wealthy followers who happened to be a dear friend of the Roman emperor of that time, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, individually acquired, parsed, and ultimately compiled the Mishnah.  The Gemorah (or Gemara, Gemora, etc.), which is also based upon the biased opinions of that Akiva-based sect within Judaism and which represents commentary on the Mishnah, was subsequently added to the Mishnah to ultimately become the Talmud, upon which Judaism is totally based. As stated, today's "Judaism" can legitimately be called Akiva Judaism or Akivaism.  What rabbi Akiva believed is what the Talmud says is what is said today in "Judaism" because the Talmud is a product of Akiva's followers. I have and will say this many times: Judaism is Akivaism. That is a fact. It is a religion that is restricted to the biased opinions of rabbi Akiva and a small handful of his followers who gathered, parsed, discarded what they disagreed with, and compiled the books upon which rabbinic Judaism (Akiva Judaism) is based (primarily the Talmud).

Other articles will expand upon this very brief history.

 

Yeshua Judaism

 

Yeshua Judaism agrees with the vast majority of things taught by rabbinic Judaism.  It is for that reason that Yeshua Judaism’s teachings parallel “Akiva” Judaism’s in most respects.  However, the differences are profound and so polarizing that compromise is absolutely impossible.

I will expose much more regarding the dark underbelly of today’s "rabbinic Judaism" in other discussions.

 

Yeshua Judaism is the authentic Torah faith Yeshua brought down from heaven as he  sought to reform what was and has since increasingly become a burdensome and elitist corruption of Torah.  He sought to re-instill the true intent of God's Torah within Israel, reinvigorate it by ridding it of its severe elitism which had occurred due to the extremely elitist mindset of Judaism's leaders, and spread it to all nations and peoples of the world instead of among only "the Jews" as is taught by those elitist leaders.

​Yeshua’s efforts to reform, re-instill, reinvigorate, and spread Torah universally is the true reason why, then and now, he was and is hated within the "Judaism" which was birthed by those previously mentioned leaders.  Contrary to the typical understanding, Yeshua Judaism actually predates the commonly understood religion of rabbinic "Judaism" - a fact Judaism denies but which is easily proven. Simply stated:  I just told you when Akiva Judaism (rabbinic Judaism) actually began (90CE); however, Yeshua Judaism began and thrived before the second Temple destruction.  Thus, the simple fact is that Yeshua Judaism does indeed predate Akiva Judaism by at least an entire generation. I realize Judaism's rabbis and adherents many not like that and will probably deceitfully disagree, but historic facts are facts and they will just have to deal with it along with much more that I will reveal in separate discussions.

So what about the New Testament?

 

There really is very little "new" information or teaching found within the "New" Testament. If you think otherwise, then you have been victimized by Christianity’s bias, anti-Torah foundations, distortions of history, and severe errors of Biblical interpretation. In general, the New Testament example shows that Yeshua and his original followers largely adhered to the Torah based faith that was then common. (emphasis on “then”)

 

It is quite possible that among all major religions of the world Yeshua Judaism has the least amount of unique teachings from its alleged founder (Yeshua).  I say “alleged” because God is the actual “founder” of the true faith.  The only place we can find implicit or explicit teachings from Yeshua are in the gospels.  Most of those are repeated within those gospels and often even they also adhere to the then common Torah faith or to teachings from prior rabbis (i.e. rabbi Hillel, etc.).

 

When you stack up the examples and teachings of Yeshua which differ with the then common Pharisaic Torah based faith you end up with a small stack, most of which is composed of the added burdensome d’rabbanans (rabbinic dictates) which he generally opposed.  Indeed, Yeshua was basically a liberal Pharisee!

 

Nevertheless, the few differences that exist are extremely significant and do indeed form a sharp distinction between Yeshua Judaism and the more common forms of “Judaism” then and now (Akiva Judaism). In fact, the differences are actually substantially greater now than they were then due to continuous additions of rabbinic traditions (rabbanans: takkanot, minhag, etc.) that have been included over the centuries. Many of those d'rabbanans, however, even Judaism today admits are not binding while still very strongly pushing them as implicitly binding.

 

Why is this? What are we to learn from the fact that there are actually very few - numerically speaking - distinctions between Yeshua Judaism and the typical Pharisaic Judaism of Yeshua’s time? How should this obvious and true fact affect and define our faith? What is there to learn from this fact? Does it imply that we have a situation where the differences are trivial? Or, are the few distinctions so far-reaching and prominent that “common ground” is like two patches of dirt on planets located in separate galaxies - meaning not really as “common” as is first observed?

​The similarities within the New Testament example prove conclusively to those who have studied Torah (including oral Torah), Hebraic context, and the culture of that time, that Yeshua Judaism definitely does and should be very similar to the Judaism of then and now. But how similar, and where are the distinctions so apparent?

The crucial, polarizing, unresolvable  differences

 

One obvious difference is the belief that Yeshua is Messiah (Messiah ben Yosef then and Messiah ben David upon his return). Yet, in reality even that difference is only a rather slight variation of opinion with regard to concepts that Judaism also accepts. Rabbis and frum (Torah observant or devout) Jews may disagree, but that is either because they are ignorant, disingenuous, or dare not admit the Torah adherence of the New Testament writings. So I will not detail that obvious distinction regarding Yeshua Judaism other than a brief mention of it in the list below since we all know it to be a difference.

 

So what other glaring yet few distinctions exist?

 

After 20+ years along my journey to find Truth, I finally arrived at what I firmly believe to be the most radical and divisive issues that separate Yeshua Judaism from normative Judaism (Akiva Judaism). I itemize a list below and realize it does NOT apply to ALL groups or individuals within “Judaism”. I also realize there is some overlap which was necessary for clarification. However, I have found a preponderance of evidence supporting the itemized list during my decades-long study of “Judaism” within Judaic foundational literature and from possibly thousands - definitely hundreds - of hours of audio and video rabbinic lectures and teachings.

 

Those most sweeping and schismatic teachings are:

 

1. Yeshua Judaism teaches that Yeshua was Messiah ben Yosef and will return as Messiah ben David.

 

Akiva Judaism has a list of “potential” Messiah ben Yosefs and Messiah ben Davids throughout history. Rabbi Akiva was considered Messiah ben Yosef who, per his severely flawed and tragic Jew-slaughter causing error, endorsed Bar Kochva as Messiah ben David.  Believe it or not, most rabbis ridiculously claim that Akiva was correct but that "it just wasn't the right time"!  Thus, they revere rabbi Akiva as a "potential" Messiah ben Yosef and Bar Kochva as a "potential" Messiah ben David.

 

Basically, Yeshua Judaism has a simple and straight forward identification for both Messiahs (Yeshua).  By comparison, Akiva Judaism is a jumbled mess of potentials, maybes, could be, don’t know, wrongly timed, "Messiah" characters.

 

Most people grossly under estimate the intense opposition this causes from Akiva Judaism. It places Yeshua in direct conflict with rabbi Akiva as a “Messiah”.  It plays a much larger role in Akiva Judaism’s hatred of Yeshua and his followers than people realize. You have to choose either Yeshua or Akiva.  I mean that.  You can’t choose both. Either one or the other is “Messiah”.  Akiva Judaism knows that and, as part of their choice of rabbi Akiva as a "potential" Messiah ben Yosef, deeply resents and despises Yeshua - seeing him as a competitor and impostor.

 

2. Yeshua Judaism teaches that GOD IS IMPARTIAL.  Akiva Judaism utterly rejects that with a vengeance.

 

3. Yeshua Judaism teaches that Torah is for all mankind.  Akiva Judaism teaches it is for an elitist minority.

 

4. Yeshua Judaism teaches that God determines who is worthy to receive Torah and that He welcomes all to draw near to Him.   As Yeshua said, “Come to me ALL who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest, my burden is light …”.  There are a plethora of New Testament verses suggesting the openness of God to receive all mankind.

 

Akiva Judaism teaches that only “the Jew” can acceptably receive Torah unless a non-Jew first bows to the authority of the rabbis, follows their dictates, and converts per their demands. Only then, if the rabbi accepts them, are they considered acceptable to receive and practice Torah. Thus, Akiva Judaism, without any Divine authorization, considers itself the gate-keeper for entry into Torah and - yes - even into the eternal world to come.

 

5. Yeshua Judaism teaches there is no “elite” superior race of humans who possess dramatically more exalted neshamas (Divine souls residing within humans). There are varying missions for people, but “missions” should never be confused with “positions”.  Akiva Judaism teaches “the Jew” is superior. Period. Full stop.

 

Akiva Judaism views Jews as being in a superior POSITION instead of simply having the most crucial MISSION. It grossly morphs and deforms the essential Jewish MISSION into a Jewish POSITION of superiority.

 

6. Yeshua Judaism teaches that a person - any person - who strives to draw near to God can affect creation and thus perform tikkun (repair or correction).  Akiva Judaism teaches that only “the Jew” can effect tikkun because non-Jews allegedly have dramatically inferior Divine souls which doesn't allow them the capability to do so.

 

Akiva Judaism bases that on an unsubstantiated teaching from Akiva (largely from the Midrash Sifre Deuteronomy, which scholars believe was likely written by Akiva). In that writing it is stated that God offered Torah to all nations and was turned down until He offered it to Israel. Because of that, according to Akiva Judaism, all other nations (non-Jews) had their Divine souls drastically diminished to a point of impotence relative to effecting tikkun upon the world.  As one rabbi states, the non-Jews became similar to "talking apes".

 

There is zero evidence of that racist teaching in the written Torah. In fact, as I read it God never offered Torah to anyone but the children of Jacob (Israel), and the reason is easily traced back to Abraham. It was never offered to others, but Akiva Judaism says otherwise.

 

That single severely flawed and unsubstantiated teaching with far-reaching consequences of error was no doubt believed by many Pharisees during Yeshua's day and is now considered by Akiva Judaism rabbis to be a fundamental "truth".  It birthed a hosts of sweeping egregious errors in Akiva Judaism (rabbinic or Orthodox Judaism).  The extent of implications resulting from that single issue is incalculable.

 

7. Yeshua Judaism basically teaches that the true Torah faith is not an exclusive club. Instead, it presents an open invitation to all. Therefore, the desire is for Torah to be spread throughout the world to all humankind. Akiva Judaism teaches the Torah faith IS an exclusive club during this present age of God’s concealment and that Torah will be spread to all mankind ONLY after Messiah ben David arrives to perform the task when God’s concealment is lifted during the Messianic age.

 

That, by the way, explicitly shows that even Akiva Judaism recognizes that the spread of Torah to all mankind is the intent. The question then becomes, why does Akiva Judaism selfishly oppose it being spread if that is the ultimate goal anyway?

 

8. Yeshua Judaism teaches that God grants authority. Akiva Judaism teaches that they (the rabbis) grant authority and have all authority.

 

People need to study the true history of the current iteration of the “Sanhedrin”: When did it originate?  Who authorized it, and by what authority did they do so?  What was its intended purpose - to interpret Torah or to expand Torah’s “mitzvot” (commandments) exponentially?  The present "Sanhedrin" debate today is a bunch of nonsense.  It seems to sadly over-occupy the minds of many people, and Akiva-Judaism loves it to be so.

 

9. Yeshua Judaism began during a time when the Torah faith had become infested with man-made traditions and corruption. Yeshua sought to reform it back into its original faith when it was free of so many burdensome traditions.   Akiva Judaism is built upon such burdens, is happy to add more, and strongly opposes anyone who dares question the need for them.

 

10. Yeshua Judaism teaches to love and pray for your enemies. Akiva Judaism actually prays a curse daily for the damnation and destruction of its enemies. And I need not discuss the arrogance of Akiva Judaism and how it views the “goyim” or “gentiles” as very lowly.

 

Think about that ... Yeshua Judaism teaches to pray for enemies.  In contrast, Akiva Judaism prays against enemies.  Big difference with an obvious clue as to which is the more loving, merciful, forgiving, and overall Godly faith.

 

11. Yeshua Judaism places major emphasis on faith, love, etc., while strongly encouraging its followers to adopt Torah into their lives as they sincerely feel it applies. There is no legitimate Sanhedrin today to clarify details, but Yeshua Judaism recognizes the details regarding “works” are far less important than the state of a person's heart and intent.  Akiva Judaism, despite material definitely to be found in which faith, love, etc. is also emphasized, nevertheless contradicts that with its enormous emphasis on pedantic, over-scrupulous, persnickety observance of “works” and the minutia of oral Torah d'rabbanans which they impose themselves or from a man-made illegitimate "Sanhedrin".  Individual groups may even add more man-made traditions, which vary from group to group.

 

12. Yeshua Judaism teaches all who are worthy through: (1) righteousness, and/or (2) repentance, and/or (3) suffering, and/or (4) shared merit from a tzaddik (righteous person) to whom one can attach himself or herself, and/or a combination of all four (which is generally the norm) will merit eternal life.  Akiva Judaism teaches the exact same thing; however, it overrides all 4 items with the teaching that, with the exception of a tiny fraction of history's Jews, all Jews will merit eternal life regardless of their faith or lack thereof simply because they are Jews.  That wouldn't be such a bad teaching if it were not for the fact that Akiva Judaism also teaches that very few non-Jews will merit such reward.

 

Akiva Judaism teaches - depending upon the rabbi you listen to - that non-Jews will have a much more difficult time meriting eternal life, and that even those who do will be of a lesser class of eternity’s citizens. As one rabbi compares it, “Jews will own the house and all houses. Gentiles will only be able to rent.”  Virtually all rabbis believe, “the gentiles will serve the Jews in the world to come.”  And finally another way it is stated is that "gentiles will be like a garment for the Jews".  What's more important, clothes or the person in the clothes?  Thus an obvious derogatory implication towards non-Jews.  And note, the term "garment" is used in Judaism as referring to something that "serves and protects" that which is clothed by it. Thus, Akiva Judaism teaches that even throughout eternity, non-Jews will "serve and protect" their Jewish superiors.

 

13. Yeshua Judaism was only one of numerous sects of “Judaism” in the first century - and it WAS and still IS a legitimate sect of “Judaism”. One book I read listed 27 distinct sects at that time.  Akiva Judaism considers itself to be the one and only legitimate sect and, per its birkat haminim curse within the daily Amidah prayer, prays for eternal destruction for all others.

 

That’s primarily it. Those few issues are the rephrasing of a single basic point and is all, in my opinion, that exist or is implied within the New Testament which separates the Yeshua based faith from the modern day standard rabbi Akiva based faith of Judaism.

​It truly can be summed up and stated simply that Yeshua Judaism teaches God is impartial, and Akiva Judaism firmly and irrevocably rejects the idea. The entire schism between Yeshua Judaism and Akiva Judaism revolves around the "God is impartial" issue.  Yeshua Judaism accepts and promotes it.  Akiva Judaism rejects and opposes it.  Everything else is generally a sub-component of that single element.  It is a simple, yet profoundly tragic distinction.

Almost all other issues derive in one way or another from that singularly crucial issue. Yeshua Judaism teaches God is equally fair and just to all who seek Him with their whole heart, mind, and soul, and that no one can stand in the way of God's acceptance of an individual.  Akiva Judaism doesn't and feels the rabbis determine who is acceptable and who isn't.  Unfortunately, over the centuries (in my opinion) Akiva Judaism has become increasingly elitist and exclusive compared to what it was in the first century CE.

 

All the conflicts recorded in the New Testament between Yeshua and his followers versus their proto-Akiva Judaism Pharisee opponents are not only still present, but they are much more numerous and extreme.  ("Proto" means precursors or a primitive form,)  It was bad then. It is worse now. But thankfully, people on both sides are awakening to the simplicity and truth and superiority of Yeshua Judaism.

 

Sadly, however, some ill-informed and impulsive people are going in the other direction away from Yeshua Judaism and into Akiva Judaism due to their ignorance of many things and, in some cases - perhaps even most, because they desire to feed their egos until they burst since Akiva Judaism is particularly attractive to egotistical individuals who deeply covet feelings of spiritual superiority.

​In order to properly understand and practice Yeshua Judaism faith a person must study and develop knowledge of the Torah based faith that existed then and now.  Most of what Yeshua and his followers believed and practiced was, for them, a “given” - common sense cultural norms. Those norms are largely absent from the New Testament, not because they were not considered applicable or important, but   because there was no reason for the authors to spend time discussing what everyone then already knew. Tragically, however, Christianity (primarily starting in the 4th century CE) discarded and condemned and redefined the faith without Torah.  Indeed, it opposes the Torah that the original followers took for granted as being an absolutely essential part of Yeshua Judaism. Four thousand years of Torah understanding and common practice known at that time were trashed by the apostate Roman based “Christian” faith.  Because of that we must now swim through that trash pile in order to discover the true “Christian” faith - Yeshua Judaism. Thankfully, that which is “trash” to Christianity is gold and diamonds to Judaism. Therefore - irony of ironies - to discover the true Torah faith of and in Yeshua we must study Judaism while being keenly aware of the major differences noted previously.

That is why I often sound like a broken record as I constantly advance the crucial need to study “oral Torah” for reasons I discuss in a separate article. Most of that “oral Torah” was largely accepted by Yeshua and his followers.  In fact, to those of us who have studied oral Torah extensively, the New Testament is basically just Yeshua Judaism oral Torah concepts, most of which agree with Akiva Judaism's, being written down in the historical record and epistles.

 

I hasten to add, however,  that “oral Torah” is not infallible.  Discernment must be practiced when it is studied.

 

As I state elsewhere on this website, oral Torah is like a gold mine. But when mining for gold even in the most productive of mines a lot - in fact most - of what comes out of the mine is worthless rock and dirt which must be discarded while searching for the precious metal.  Please start mining for the gold while taking care to not hold onto the worthless rocks and dirt.

 

Best source for understanding the distinction

 

The best source from which to distinguish Akiva Judaism and Yeshua Judaism also makes it easy to do: The New Testament.  For instance, the book of Acts provides an easily followed chronology of the purest historic faith practices of the very first followers of Yeshua. It also shows them "settling into" the Yeshua Judaism norm.  But more to the point, it records the disputes with proto-Akiva Judaism Pharisees as well as endless  harassment from those same Pharisees. (Truly "endless" since it continues even today.)

 

Akiva Judaism's (rabbinic, or Orthodox Judaism's) rabbis today often complain about the "harsh" attacks suffered from Yeshua and his followers as part of the rabbis' dishonest propaganda campaign to portray the New testament as being anti-Jewish.  Not surprising, however, is the how they never mention their attacks or the attacks and harassment within the New Testament against Yeshua and his followers which now cause and then caused the conflicts about which they complain!

 

Every single example within the New Testament of conflict caused by opposing Pharisees is still seen today within Akiva Judaism.  And of course, the hateful curse that early Akiva Judaism's creators and leaders added to the Amidah prayer can still be seen today in any Siddur (Judaism's prayer book).

​The pattern of Akiva Judaism's current rabbis perpetual whining and complaining about so-called "harshness" within the New Testament represents one example of many which exposes the blatant and grotesque double-standards practiced by those rabbis.  It is clear and irrefutable proof of brazen, shameless deceit found within Akiva Judaism.

What is a primary issue we see Yeshua and his followers fighting against within the New Testament?

 

Answer: ELITISM - the anger among some Pharisees who were proto-Akiva Judaism adherents and who despised the "God is impartial" message.

 

By the way, even the "Pharisees" were a relatively new sect during Yeshua's time. People often think "Pharisees" represented the ancient faith. Wrong!  They were, themselves, a new sect of Judaism barely a generation old.

 

The zeal of apostle Paul, which over the years I've come to very much relate to and adopt for the very same reasons he did, was largely focused on combating elitism and partiality of God beliefs among Pharisees. And he knew what they believed and practiced as good or better than anyone since he "converted" from proto-Akiva Judaism after studying under the guidance of the greatest rabbi of his age - rabbi Gamliel the Elder or Gamliel I - a man listed among those within Akiva Judaism through whom all oral Torah was allegedly transferred.  Thus Paul knew all the oral Torah of his time.

 

Gamliel's grandson, the aforementioned Gamliel II, was the chief rabbi during the formation of Akiva Judaism and the compiling of the Mishnah. He was also the one who requested and authorized that the curse against Yeshua's followers be added to the Amidah prayer. It is obvious that the curse was against Yeshua's followers since it was done during a time when those followers were flocking to the synagogues and enraging the Akiva Judaism type Jews.

 

The numbers of Yeshua's followers was a threat to the Akiva Judaism rabbis, despite the denials of Akiva Judaism folks today who deceitfully suggest there were not many of them. (Though some rabbis admit there were a LOT of them.) The curse was a means to drive them from the synagogues, which it succeeded in doing. Anyone who claims it wasn't against Yeshua's followers is either lying, ignorant, or being deceived by wicked or ignorant liars. It is an obvious and clear fact of history.

 

These days, the problem is that some alleged followers of Yeshua are wanting to return to what Paul left and taught against.  THEY are becoming like the proto-Akiva Judaism elites and often even unapologetically recite the curse of the Amidah prayer themselves!  A common tendency of such misguided people is total or substantial rejection of the apostle Paul's epistles. No surprise there. It is crazy!

 

From the very first moments of Yeshua's ministry - his baptism by John - elitism was a central issue as we see John rebuking some arrogant, elitist Pharisees who came to him to be baptized.  Not all Pharisees were like that.  Do not make the mistake of stereotyping them.

 

People, this is really easy stuff.  If you simply study the New Testament and it's stance against proto-Akiva Judaism, you will understand the exact same problems and debates back then are present  today for the exact same reasons. They truly are identical issues, only now they are worse. Don't make this more difficult that it needs to be.

 

The New Testament's descriptions and suggestions of problems within Pharisaic Judaism then are still the problems within Akiva Judaism today. My studies have proven that conclusively. By the way, that is also the reason Akiva Judaism so viciously hates the New Testament and deceitfully battles against it.

 

Now you have a basic understanding of what defines "Yeshua Judaism" and, thus, an understanding of what the New Testament actually teaches.