Judaism recognises existence of the devil
By FAVOUR ONWUKA
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

For Gabbai Ben Mattityahu Yisra-el, spiritual head of Beth Shalom B’Nai Zaken Nigerian Hebrew Congregation, religion is about belief, while Judaism stresses ethnic and community effort to become fully human as you relate with people around you and also stresses the nature of Hashem (G-D).

In an interview with Daily Sun, Ben Mattityahu opens up on his belief and many more.

Background
My name is Gabbai Sholomo Ben Mattityahu Ben Yisra-el. My Nigerian name is Solomon Ajutor-Iseh. I am 45 years, from Agbor in Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State. I had diplomas in Estate Management.

I am the spiritual head of Beth Shalom B’Nai Zaken Nigerian Hebrew Congregation, under Beth Shalom B’Nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in Chicago, Illinois, United States.

Religion
My religion is Judaism. Judaism is not just a religion, it is not like any other faith. Judaism is the custom, tradition, culture and way of life given by Hashem (G-D) to his Jewish people through the prophet Moses. It is not for everybody but for Jews. You don’t just become a Jew like you join other faiths, nobody convert you but you convert yourself willingly and go through normal conversion process, which last for a period of one year.

Encounter
I have an aunty, Dr Jane Dele Osawe, who lives in America. She came to Nigeria in 1998 with a book entitled The Deceiving of the Black Race. I was moved to read and know how we blacks were deceived and who really deceived us. After reading a page, I photocopied the book because my aunty was going back with it. I read it side by side with my Bible because I was a Christian of a Pentecostal stock. After reading the book I called her and told her I was interested in becoming a Jew and she linked me with Rabbi Corpers C. Funnye Jr. who started given me lectures via Internet. In December 2000, Rabbi Funnye Jr. visited Nigeria and was impressed with my seriousness and growth and he linked me up with the Jewish world. It has been a wonderful encounter.

Concept of God
People think that religion is only belief and teachings about Hashem (G-D), but Judaism stresses ethnics and community effort to become fully human as you relate to people around you, more than it stresses the nature of Hashem (G-D). When you talk about Judaism, it is clear that G-D has to be included. To understand and appreciate Judaism, we talk about His existence, nature, knowledge of the future and thequestion of where His power ends and human freedom begins though human minds cannot comprehend Hashem’s but only in a limited way. We cannot see God directly but we can see Him-in-action.

He is One and not many. One of His attributes is creator of all things through all time, He is Spirit, which is to say He is One at the same time. He is reason and purpose. He is a Law giver, He is the liberator of man and societies and He is the saviour of soul. He is a man’s Helper. In Siddur our prayer book, we talk about His miracle, which are daily with us.

Worship of God
Man is not himself, he is a participant in his community, hence, it is not enough that he should address G-D in his solitariness. Worship does not have to be public though that is the most usual circumstance. Prayers or ceremonies are worship if it voices either the community or a single individual speaking as a member of a group.

Our tradition expects the Jews to set up a private relationship with G-D, to confront Him when and as the spirit moves him. We have laid down principles and ideals he shall affirm. Siddur for weekdays, Sabbath, festivals and Holy days are cherished by Jews.

Eternity
Death cannot and is not the end of life. Man transcends death in naturalistic fashion. He may be immortal biologically, through thought, through the survival of his memory, by virtue of the continuance of his personality as a force among those who come after him and through his identification with the timeless things of the Spirit. Man contains something independent of the flesh and surviving it, its consciousness and moral capacity, his essential personality – soul transcends internally which tradition holds in recompense in life after death.

Heaven and hell
Over the centuries, many Jewish believed in Heaven or Eden where there is a reward for the righteous, especially those who have been shot-changed in this life. Few believe in hell, Sheol or Gehinnom where wickedness is punished. God stands for justice. My preference is to follow maimonides who suggest that when a righteous person dies, his rewards is that his soul is free from its earthly body and get to spend eternity in the presence of Hashem. But when a wicked person dies, he is denied that incomparable reward.

Existence of the Devil
Judaism believes in the existence of the devil dates back to the book of Genesis. Hashem created heaven, Angels and other heavenly beings on the second day and on the sixth day, He created Adam and gave him a commandment "Not to eat from the tree". God created man a mortal, but made a statement that when you eat it, you shall die.

But the devil deceives the woman and she ate and gave to the man. Jewish sages teaches that Sarah’s death and Akeidah (binding and scarifying Isaac) is as a result of Devil’s lies. Devil told her that Abraham had slaughtered Isaac and she cried in grief and died. Many books in the Torah mentioned the devil and his work.