I'll put my personal background in this first section. If you don't feel you need it, please skip to after the double-space for the actual Torah-related questions.
My parents were barely practicing Jews who were nevertheless proud of their heritage and wanted me to go to Hebrew school to learn about it. The only school in the area was Orthodox, and I went there for almost 4 years, 4 days per week after school. I ate up everything that was taught, and also got a lot out of going to synagogue every Saturday morning. I absolutely loved this time of my life, because I loved G-d, totally agreed with his "rules," and felt very secure knowing that 1) He had a plan for the world and for me; 2) there was a heaven, and 3) A Supreme Father was up there watching me all the time, hearing my prayers, and taking care of me.
I considered myself Orthodox and was willing to make the sacrifices necessary. My mother thought that my enthusiasm was very inconvenient, and refused to change the ways of the house for me. She tried to get me to believe that G-d appreciates whatever you do. My feeling then, as now, is that G-d is much wiser than we are, and if He wants us to do exactly such-and-such, who are we to argue?
Of course, all that is null and void if there IS no god. When I was 12, my teacher introduced the subject of evolution in such a way that made the bible sound like complete fiction. It was the saddest day of my life. My Comforting Father was gone, heaven was gone. I felt like there was a big empty hole in me - and that hole has never been replaced.
Some time later, an interpretation of the bible was presented to me that would allow for evolution, but by then it was too late. I had already thought of even better reasons for there to be no god. (Please stop reading here if you question your faith AT ALL. I absolutely do not want to be responsible for anyone else having doubts!) I would hear over and over from religious people: Think of all the wonderful things in the world: the majesty of mountains, the miracle of birth...There must be a god. But my reaction to that is that the G-d of the Torah is a much, much greater miracle than anything here on Earth. He knows the thoughts of every person! Doesn't that imply that there would have to be another god to have created this one? And then another god to have created that one? ...The whole idea of G-d is just too good to be true. My guess is that, during a period of time when people were far less than moral, some good person sat down and made all of this up to give order to the world, and also to give comfort.
I say my GUESS because I am not sure. Until recently I have been about 99% sure there is no G-d. I left the other 1% open simply because I could not prove otherwise. Yet, I SO much want there to be a G-d - the G-d that I was taught about - that I still pray to Him all the time. I am 44 now, and just about no day goes by when I don't thank G-d for my family, or for the sunset, or for something - just in case he is there. I want Him to know that I truly do appreciate what he has given me - if the gift was indeed his. I also pray for guidance ("Help me to be a good mother," etc.). My most common prayer, however, is that G-d reveal Himself to me. I don't mean that I want to see a burning bush; I just want to somehow be convinced that there is a G-d.
Over the years I have tried everything: Talking to religious people, talking to a rabbi, even talking to the religious solicitors who come knocking door to door. I took every book out of the library I could find on religious topics. Several people suggested going to synagogue again - that the atmosphere there would help me. But being in synagogue only served to depress me. I used to love singing the songs - but that was when I believed their content; now it was only pleasant melody. (And not even that pleasant. For some reason, I have yet to find a synagogue that uses the same tunes mine did!) The people there formed a community of sisters and brothers with something in common. There is nothing I would like more than to become accepted by such a community. But I can't pretend. And I don't want to be swayed by feeling, anyway. I don't WANT to be carried away by song, or by feelings of belonging, or by my yearnings for a Higher Being. I want the truth. I want to worship G-d because there IS one - not because I WANT there to be one.
I have not followed any of the strict laws since I stopped believing. Many of them are fairly easy to carry out if you know G-d is behind them: eating kosher, fasting on Yom Kippur, not shopping on the Sabbath -- but these things are VERY difficult (not to mention pointless) if there is no G-d. On the other hand, there are many Jewish teachings (actually common to other religions as well) that just make good human sense: Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Do not steal. On and on. Who could argue with any of the 10 Commandments? So, I have lead a moral life. But I have continued to search, because I would still like to know the truth. (I have told my children I am sure there is a G-d because I feel that the world is too scary a place for children if there is not one.)
One thought that has crossed my mind occasionally is, "What if I find out there is a G-d, but then find out that Judaism is not the true religion?" That thought has made me afraid, because from talking to Christians and reading about Christianity (as well as other religions) I have come to feel VERY uncomfortable with some of the core teachings of other religions. I have vowed to follow the truth, whatever that may be, but if the truth involves something that goes against my mind and heart, I think it will tear me apart. Still, I thought, "Cross that bridge when you come to it. First come to believe in G-d; then research which religion is true." I never could have imagined that what would come first was possible proof that Jesus was divine. Proof found where? According to the latest book I have read, "The Case for Christ," the proof is found IN OUR TORAH.

Please, please tell me that what it says in this book is not true. To quote from "The Case for Christ," page 179, "[There are] more than four dozen major predictions [pointing to the coming and divinity of Jesus Christ] in all. Isaiah revealed the manner of the Messiah's birth (of a virgin); Micah pinpointed the place of his birth (Bethlehem); Genesis and Jeremiah specified his ancestry (a descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, from the tribe of Judah, the house of David); the Psalms foretold his betrayal, his accusation by false witnesses, his manner of death (pierced in the hands and feet, although crucifixion hadn't been invented yet), and his resurrection (he would not decay but would ascend on high); and on and on." The book went on to say that all of this is not just found in Christian versions of the Old Testament, but in Jewish versions as well.
I had lost the copy of my bible given to me when I graduated from Hebrew school, so I went to Barnes & Noble. Every Old Testament they had there was obviously a prelude to the New Testament. I went to the public library and had them order a "totally Jewish" version of the bible. This was the weirdest Torah I had ever seen - totally unorganized, so I could not look up the above possible truths. Also, the introduction to this bible was obviously written by a reform rabbi - full of well-intentioned interpretations that would allow nonbelievers to believe in a Torah much more full of allegories than of absolute truth.
I phoned a synagogue known for its library and left a message on the machine saying that I was interested in looking at an English version of the Torah. They never called me back. I phoned the only Orthodox rabbi I could find in the yellow pages and had a wonderful conversation with him on the phone, but I did not want to get too awfully specific in case my children could overhear. He sounded extremely kind and said he would be happy to meet with me in person, but several follow-up messages I have left with his secretary have gone unanswered. I finally searched the web and found you!
PLEASE tell me what (Engish) version of the Torah is organized the way the above book mentions. (Give me a publisher, title - anything I would need to tell someone who would order one for me from a bookstore.) If you have the time, I would EXTREMELY appreciate if you could let me know even more specifically where to look to refute (or not refute) each of the above statements. Also, if what "The Case for Christ" states is true about those specific things, many learned men have read these words and still believe in Judaism. Why? Right now, believe it or not, my only consolation if those statements really are in the Old Testament is thinking that the Old Testament itself might be the work of man.
A couple of other things "The Case for Christ" brings up are very persuasive. It says that as many as 500 people witnessed Jesus' various miracles, including his resurrection, and that NONE of the people of the time - including noted historians - refuted any of it. The closest we come is a Jewish historian who lived at the time of Jesus (named Josephus, I believe) who wrote of "a false prophet named Jesus whose miracles are obviously due to magic." ...Since I do not believe in magic, and since human magic tricks cannot do any of the miracles attributed to Jesus, doesn't this amount to the one respected Jewish scholar of the time acknowledging that Jesus was doing things only the Divine can do? Or, is "The Case for Christ" leaving out other things written by people of that time period that would refute Jesus' divinity? If so, tell me about this.
Fortunately and unfortunately, if Jesus was indeed divine, then, yes, there really is a
G-d, and He also had a son, and I have to believe in the whole thing. So I'll have the "truth" I've been searching for, even if it's not the truth I'd hoped for.
I am still not utterly convinced, though. I want to SEE those passages with my own eyes. I am resisting believing in a religion that believes that 1) you can be an evil person, but if you believe in Jesus you will go to heaven, and 2) you can be a very, very good person, but if you do not believe in Jesus you will not go to heaven. I also have difficulting digesting the "He died for our sins" business where, apparently, you can sin as much as you want because Jesus has repented for you in advance, and any sins you do commit are likely not your work anyway, but the work of the devil. I prefer a religion that acknowledges personal choice and responsibility, and has US atone for our sins if need be. There is more, but you get the picture: I don't WANT to believe in Jesus as the son of G-d, but so far this is the strongest argument for ANY religion that I've heard.
With some questions still unanswered, I still doubt the existance of G-d, but this book has made me doubt less. Could you please find a way to make me doubt less for other reasons? I REALLY WANT TO BELIEVE IN G-D! I REALLY WANT TO BELIEVE THAT JUDAISM IS THE CORRECT RELIGION! MY CHILDREN ARE GETTING OLDER. IT IS TIME TO GET PAST THE VAGUE THINGS I HAVE TAUGHT THEM ABOUT G-D AND BE SPECIFIC - BUT I CAN'T BE SPECIFIC UNLESS I KNOW THE TRUTH. I WANT TO KNOW IF G-D WANTS MORE OF ME THAN WHAT I AM DOING. I WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH, AND I WANT TO BE CONVINCED OF THE TRUTH. CAN YOU HELP ME?????

Paulette---The so-called "proofs" from the Bible as to the authenticity of Jesus fall under 3 categories.
1.Mistranslations
2.Taking things out of context
3.complete fabrications
There are several books that clearly demonstrates how ridiculous these claims are to someone who has really studied the Torah

Shalom and welcome to the Global Yeshiva. The first thing that I would recommend to you is to find some orthodox Torah classes that you can go to. It is the learning of the Torah itself which brings one to a Torah life.

The Mesillat Yesharim says:
That which, in general, brings a person to Watchfulness (the keeping of the Mitvoths) is Torah study. As R. Pinchas stated in the beginning of the Baraitha, "Torah brings one to Watchfulness." That which leads to it in particular, however, is reflection upon the demanding nature of the Divine service that a man is responsible for and the severity of the judgment which it involves. This understanding may be gained by analyzing the incidents that are related in the sacred writings and by studying the statements of the Sages of blessed memory which awaken one to it."

After you keep Mitvoths then you understand them. We cannot think straight if our life style is not in line with what Hashem wants from us. I know this sounds backwards but that is the way it is. The Torah is only revealed to those inside it.

Here is a kosher translation of the bible

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rabbi Mitterhoff,

If you think about it, being the grandchild of all the forefathers is basically all Jews, and being from the Tribe od judah (after the exile of the 10 tribes) is basically half of them.

The reference in Psalms is a misquote. I would recommend and Artscroll Tanach for authenticy

If you don't believe in magic, how can you believe in the Bible at all. Doesn't the Bible bring down many cases of witchcraft (besides prohibitions of witchcraft.)for example, the magicians of Pharoh that did witchcraft to show they can do the plagues also. Another, the witches that called up Samuel from the dead.

Doesn't the Bible also writes that don't believe any signs of miracles of other religions since G-d is testing you. (Deut. 13:2-6)

I have to go now, but I'll ahve more for you in the next post

(see my above post) Though Briggs in the 7 Mitzvos column brought some nice sites which you should look and would answer your questions, i would still like to post some of my own thoughts.
The verse in Micha is not refering to Messiah is from Bethlahem, but is an offspring of someone from Bethlahem( David, who's father, Jesse, was from Bethlaham, as it says in the book of Samuel.)

The virgin part is a mistranslation. In the Hebrew Bible it's says a young woman. In the greek translation it was translated to a word that can mean both young woman and virgin, thus further translations made a mistake. I'm under the impression, that even protestants do not believe in the virgin Mary because of this.

Even if you would believe in it, then how can Yeshu be from the tribe of Judah, since tribes are through paternal ascent, as you see throughout the whole Torah, and if yeshu didn't have a father, then how can he belong to any tribe?

Just to add to my above answer on witchcraft, if you anyhow believe in supernatural powers, why is it so hard to believe there is witchcraft.

About the "miricles" in front of 500 people, do you know who those people are? Do yuo know that there were 500 people there. Do you believe in UFO's ? (there are more than 500 people that seen them, including a past president.) If you found a document saying that a major event happened and there were 500 people there, is there anyway of verifying it? especially when it happened mellinias ago? This is not like the proof of the giving of the Torah in front of millions, besides being a way bigger number, we know who they were. Our parents who gave over this tradition from generation to generation. But these 500 people, we have no proof that they ever existed to witnees it, besides what it says in the NT, thus how can you realy on it. furthermore, if someone made a claim like this today that 5oo people saw a miracle, you would have investegaters and experts to aee what they said is true. Who were those investigaters and experts in the feild in those days, the sages of the Talmud, and they claim it's a hoax, why shouldn't you believe them.

What you wrote "But my reaction to that is that the G-d of the Torah is a much, much greater miracle than anything here on Earth. He knows the thoughts of every person! Doesn't that imply that there would have to be another god to have created this one? And then another god to have created that one? ...The whole idea of G-d is just too good to be true."
This is a good question, but doesn't the question is a lot greater on atheism? We know in science that in our relm and physical laws that things don't appear by themselves. It's a scientific impossability. Then how did matter and energy come about? By having a G-d, you at least can say He's on a different realm then we are, one we can't understand (just like we can understand that a horse is limited to understanding any science, so we are also limited to understand the realm of G-d). But if everything is science, then the equation of something from nothing doesn't make any sence. Neither does saying everything was "just around forever".
therer is alot more to write on this subject. If your interested, please respond to my posts what you think of the ideas I posted so we can either argue or move on.

Paulette, how are you?

try this site http://www.jewsforjudaism.org

let us know how you are getting along.