Ya`aqob, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion.

Ya`aqob, a slave of ‘Elohiym and of the Lord Yeshuwah haMashiyach, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greetings.
 

Consider it complete joy, my brothers, when you are surrounded with tests of various kinds, knowing that the testing of your ‘emuwnah accomplishes hopeful endurance. And let endurance work in you maturity, that you will be mature and whole, not lacking in anything. If any of you lacks chakmah, let him ask ‘Elohiym, who gives generously to all freely, not reproachfully, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in ‘emuwnah, not doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not suppose he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, undependable in all his ways.

Let the humble brother rejoice in his high position, and the one who is rich in his humiliation, because it will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the garden; its blossoms fell and its beauty was destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

Blessed is the man who endures testing, because having become approved he will receive the crown of haChay, which He promised to those who love Him.

When tempted, no one should say, "‘Elohiym is tempting me." For ‘Elohiym is not tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted by his own longing for what is forbidden and he is drawn out and seduced. Then, after longing for what is forbidden has been embraced, it produces chatta’ah; and chatta’ah, being fully formed, brings forth Maveth.

Don't be lead astray, brothers, my fellow chacdiym. Every giving of Towb and every gift of Tamam is from above, coming down from the Father of ‘Owr, who does not change or shift like shadows. Having a purpose, He regenerated us through the Word of ‘Emeth, for us to become definite first fruits of His creation.

Brothers, my fellow chacdiym, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen attentively, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not work for the Tsaddiyq of ‘Elohiym. Therefore, get rid of all immorality and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save your nephesh.

So, become doers of the Word, not merely listeners, and so deceive yourselves. Anyone who listens to the Word, but is not a doer, is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what sort of man he was. But he who looks intently into the whole Torah of his own free will, and continues to do this -- not forgetting what he has heard, but doing the work -- he will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone considers himself pious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives his own heart and his piety is worthless. Piety that is taher and not tame' in the Presence of ha'Elohiym and the Father is this: to appeal to orphans and widows in their suffering, to keep his self from becoming polluted by the world.

My brothers, we don't show favoritism in the ‘emuwnah of our Lord Yeshuwah haMashiyach, the Kabowd. Suppose a man comes into your synagogue wearing a gold ring and fancy clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with the thinking of  the Rasha`?

Listen attentively, brothers, my fellow chacdiym: Has not ‘Elohiym chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in ‘emuwnah and heirs of the Mamlahkah He promised those having checed for Him? But you have insulted the poor one! Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble Name by which you are called?

If you really heed the mitsvah of Melek according to Scripture, "You will love your flock-mate as yourself," you are doing good. But if you show favoritism, you act in chatta’ah and are convicted by the Torah as chata’iym. For whoever observes the whole Torah, and yet stumbles at just one point, is subject to all of it. For He who said, "You will not commit adultery," also said, "You will not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a chatta’ of the Torah.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the Torah freely, because judgment will be unmerciful to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have ‘emuwnah but has no deeds? Can such belief save him? Suppose a brother or sister is naked and without daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go in shalom; be warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way belief, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead by itself.

But someone will say, "You have ‘emuwnah; I have deeds." Show me your belief without the actions, and I will show you ‘emuwnah by my actions. You believe that ‘Elohiym is ‘Echad. You do well! The shediym also believe, but shudder.

But are you willing to learn, foolish man, that belief apart from actions is useless? Was our ancestor ‘Avraham not considered tsaddiyq by his actions when he offered his son Yitschaq on the altar. You see that ‘emuwnah worked with his actions, and by the actions the belief was perfected. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "And ‘Avraham believed ‘Elohiym, and it was reckoned to him as tsdaqah," and he was called a friend of ‘Elohiym. You see that a person is made a tsaddiyq by actions and not by belief alone.

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered tsaddiyq through action when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction. For, as the body without haRuach is dead, so ‘emuwnah without actions is dead.

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in speech, he is a mature man, able to keep his whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, the provision of Rasha`. The tongue is set among the parts of the body, corrupting the whole body, inflaming the original course, and being inflamed with passion by the one of Gehenna.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are tamed and have been tamed by human nature, but no man is able to tame the tongue. It is an unrestrainable evil, full of deadly poison.

By this we praise the Lord and the Father, and by this we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of ‘Elohiym. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, it is not right that this is so. Do both fresh water and acrid water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can an acrid spring produce fresh water.

Who is chakam and discerning among you? Let him show it by good behavior, by his actions being in humility that comes from chakmah. But if you harbor bitter jealousy and contention in your heart, do not exult in it and attempt to lie against ha’Emeth. This is not the chakmah coming down from Shamayim but is worldly, intellectualized, of the devil. For where there is jealousy and contention, there is instability and every wicked affair.

But the chakmah from above is first of all clean; then full of shalom, gentle, subordinate, full of compassion and good fruit, impartial and sincere. And the fruit of Tsaddiyq is sown in shalom for those who make shalom.

What causes fighting and controversies among you? Don't they come from your sensualities contending within your bodies? You set your heart upon something but do not get it. You murder and covet, but you cannot obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your sensuality.

Adultresses! Don't you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward ‘Elohiym? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world is shown to be an enemy of ‘Elohiym. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that haRuach, who lives in us, yearns to the point of jealousy so that She gives us more of grace. Therefore, She says: "He will scorn the letsiym, and to the `anaviym He will give grace."

Subordinate yourselves, then, to ha‘Elohiym. Oppose the devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to ha‘Elohiym and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, chata’iym, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Realize your own misery, grieve and wail aloud! Let your laughter turn to mourning and your cheerfulness to shame. Be `anaviym in the Presence of YHWH, and He will exalt you.

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the Torah and judges it. When you judge the Torah, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only One who gives the Torah, who is able to save and destroy. Who are you who judges another?

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make a profit." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What reason is there for your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead of saying, "If it is the will of YHWH, we will live and do this or that," you boast in your self-confidence. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good and doesn't do it, it is chatta’ah to him.

CH 5

Now listen, rich people, wail aloud, and shriek over the calamity coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of YHWH Tsba’owt! You have lived in the world in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in a day of slaughter. You condemned, you murdered the tsaddiyq, who does not resist you.

Patiently endure, then, brothers, until the coming of YHWH. See how the farmer waits for fruit of the land and how patient he is for the spring and autumn rains. You too, patiently endure and stand firm in your heart, because the coming of YHWH approaches. Don't murmur against each other, brothers, that you are not judged. Behold, the Shaphat is standing at the door!

My brothers, take an example of suffering hardship and enduring it: the nabiy’im who spoke in the Name of YHWH. Look, we consider those who have persevered as blessed. You have heard of the perseverance of ‘Iyowb, and have seen the outcome of the Lord. YHWH is full of compassion and pity.

Above all, my brothers, do not take an oath--not by Shamayim or by ha’arets or by anything else. But, let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, that you will not fall into judgment.

Is any one of you undergoing hardship? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing tphillowt. Is any one of you sick? He should call the zaqeniym of the congregation to pray over him, having anointed him with shemen in the Name of YHWH. And the prayer, offered in ‘emuwnah, will cure the sick person and YHWH will raise him up. If he has committed chata’, he will be forgiven. Confess chat’owt to each other and pray for each other so that you will be made whole. The prayer of a tsaddiyq is powerful and effective.

‘Eliyahuw was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on ha’arets for three years and six months. Again he prayed, and the skies gave rain, and ha’arets produced its fruit.

Brothers, if one of you should wander from ha’Emeth and someone turns him around, understand that whoever turns a chatta’ from the error of his way will rescue his nephesh from Maveth and cover over a multitude of chat’owt.