~ Dance Ministry Teachings ~
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ריקוד ~ מחול
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Scroll Down Through Teachings -or- Use Index Below To Open Seperate Pages... INDEX: In Defense Of Biblical Dance In Praise & Worship Unto YHVH Dance Ministry Guidelines Dance In Scripture Ministry Of Dance Guidance The Danger Of Non-Scriptural Forms Of Praise & Worship |
The Rhythm Of Worship: This video teaching was done at The-Well Congregation in Longmont Colorado, on August 28th 2011. - Teaching by: Dawnita Carlson InnerCourtDancers Dance Ministry Instructor. 44min
NOTE: For PowerPoint From The Above Teaching Download File Below....
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Ministry Of Dance:
From the beginning, Jewish dance has been a part of the religious experience. Even today, the dance is a part of every child’s education. To the Jews, dance was always a prayer accompanied by music, singing or beating of the drums. There is frequent reference to the dance in the Tenach and Brit Chadasha. Processions, ritual dances, dances of thanksgiving and warfare are just a few of the dances done by these masters. They were leaders in teaching dance during the Middle Ages. Their responsibilities were to organize, teach and lead in dance.
Dancers danced to Psalms sung by the choir and accompanied by the musicians. The word “Selah”, found in the Psalms means much more than “pause and consider what was just sung or played.” It means “to pause, so set for mood change, wait and meditate while there was a visual demonstration,” possibly a dance of what was previously sung.
The Hebrew dances were very athletic in structure. They were done by chorus. The military used dance as a means of training. These people danced as David did, with finesse and freedom. They danced to a choir and musicians. The dance was highly respected in Israel. At this time dance was no longer totally connected with everyday activities. Prophets were dancing, priests were dancing, kings were dancing, armies were dancing, every one danced.
In the Brit Chadasha believers continually turned to the Psalms and Prophets in their praise, preaching and teaching. Worship and praise regained strength until the third century. Temple worship reaches its peak, during feast days around 40 C.E. We have record of half a million devout Jews flowing into Jerusalem three times a year to worship YHVH during the feasts. It was at one of these times, Shavuot (or Pentecost), that the early congregation was born.
For the Believer, there is a special joy in learning the Israeli dances. Early Jewish Believers or
Messianic dances were described as heavenly joys, and a part of the adoration of the divine Yeshua HaMachiach done by angels and saints.
The purpose of dance worship is simple to praise and worship YHVH. The dancers become a vessel for YHVH’s power and blessing. By ministering unto YHVH first, the dancer releases blessings to the people. Dancing brings liberation to a people, causing them to rise up out of complacency ministering deliverance from the bondages of fear and oppression, giving victory to spiritual warfare. Being yielded unto the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), one can stand ready to minister effectively. The singers use voices, the orchestra use instruments, and the dancers use their bodies. A dancer’s body is an instrument yielded to the power of the Ruach HaKodesh and in no way should it bring a reproach to the name of YHVH; but represent grace, purity, and order. Leading others into the Holy of Holies.
There are 15 different Hebrew words and 6 Greek words that describe dance. To twist, whirl,
Spin, leap, run, stomp, spring, jump, skip, to abound, to be light and agile, turn, march, walk, to reel to and fro, to revolve, surround, border, a procession, as strolling along, travel, caravan or company. To use hands, to revere or worship with extended hand, graceful gestures, to show or point out with the extension of the hands. A sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving and celebration.
The Torah says that we are to show forth our praises to YHVH
Ps 9:14, Ps 51:15, Ps 79:13, Is 43:21, Is 60:6, Rev 14:7
Dance is one of the ways in which one can show forth praises to YHVH.
In Scripture, we are commanded by YHVH to dance:
Ps 68:24-25, Ps 149:3, Ps 150:4
The Torah states that YHVH joins in our dance and accepts it.
Zep. 3:16-17 (Hebrew: rejoice over you with dancing).
Dance will be a restored praise to Him at the end time church:
Jer. 31:4, Jer. 31:12-13
In the Torah, the feasts involved dance to YHVH. The word “Chag” or ‘feast’ means
“to whirl about with giddiness, a circular rotation, revolving around, returning to a point of origin.”
The dances were usually performed to hymns or carols. 'To carol' means 'to dance'. 'Carol' is derived from the Latin corolla for 'ring', and 'caroller' is derived from the Latin choraula meaning 'flute-player for chorus-dancing' (Oxford Dictionary). Most carols were divided into the stanza, meaning to 'stand' or 'halt', and the chorus, which means 'dance'. Thus, during the chorus, the people danced and unless a solo dancer performed for the stanza, there was little movement as the stanza was sung.
The word ‘dance’ is not used often in our Bibles, but activity of dance is.
It appears hundreds of times in scripture, in terms such as: rejoice, make merry, player, played, praise, joy, glad, celebrate, bless, twirl, spin, jump, hop, skip
All of these words express, terms of dance.
http://www.innercourtdancers.net/ministry-of-dance---icd-dance-teaching-docs.html
Dawnita Carlson
12/02/2011
CLICK Below To Open/Download The Above Teaching-Article As A Word.doc:
Dancers danced to Psalms sung by the choir and accompanied by the musicians. The word “Selah”, found in the Psalms means much more than “pause and consider what was just sung or played.” It means “to pause, so set for mood change, wait and meditate while there was a visual demonstration,” possibly a dance of what was previously sung.
The Hebrew dances were very athletic in structure. They were done by chorus. The military used dance as a means of training. These people danced as David did, with finesse and freedom. They danced to a choir and musicians. The dance was highly respected in Israel. At this time dance was no longer totally connected with everyday activities. Prophets were dancing, priests were dancing, kings were dancing, armies were dancing, every one danced.
In the Brit Chadasha believers continually turned to the Psalms and Prophets in their praise, preaching and teaching. Worship and praise regained strength until the third century. Temple worship reaches its peak, during feast days around 40 C.E. We have record of half a million devout Jews flowing into Jerusalem three times a year to worship YHVH during the feasts. It was at one of these times, Shavuot (or Pentecost), that the early congregation was born.
For the Believer, there is a special joy in learning the Israeli dances. Early Jewish Believers or
Messianic dances were described as heavenly joys, and a part of the adoration of the divine Yeshua HaMachiach done by angels and saints.
The purpose of dance worship is simple to praise and worship YHVH. The dancers become a vessel for YHVH’s power and blessing. By ministering unto YHVH first, the dancer releases blessings to the people. Dancing brings liberation to a people, causing them to rise up out of complacency ministering deliverance from the bondages of fear and oppression, giving victory to spiritual warfare. Being yielded unto the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), one can stand ready to minister effectively. The singers use voices, the orchestra use instruments, and the dancers use their bodies. A dancer’s body is an instrument yielded to the power of the Ruach HaKodesh and in no way should it bring a reproach to the name of YHVH; but represent grace, purity, and order. Leading others into the Holy of Holies.
There are 15 different Hebrew words and 6 Greek words that describe dance. To twist, whirl,
Spin, leap, run, stomp, spring, jump, skip, to abound, to be light and agile, turn, march, walk, to reel to and fro, to revolve, surround, border, a procession, as strolling along, travel, caravan or company. To use hands, to revere or worship with extended hand, graceful gestures, to show or point out with the extension of the hands. A sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving and celebration.
The Torah says that we are to show forth our praises to YHVH
Ps 9:14, Ps 51:15, Ps 79:13, Is 43:21, Is 60:6, Rev 14:7
Dance is one of the ways in which one can show forth praises to YHVH.
In Scripture, we are commanded by YHVH to dance:
Ps 68:24-25, Ps 149:3, Ps 150:4
The Torah states that YHVH joins in our dance and accepts it.
Zep. 3:16-17 (Hebrew: rejoice over you with dancing).
Dance will be a restored praise to Him at the end time church:
Jer. 31:4, Jer. 31:12-13
In the Torah, the feasts involved dance to YHVH. The word “Chag” or ‘feast’ means
“to whirl about with giddiness, a circular rotation, revolving around, returning to a point of origin.”
The dances were usually performed to hymns or carols. 'To carol' means 'to dance'. 'Carol' is derived from the Latin corolla for 'ring', and 'caroller' is derived from the Latin choraula meaning 'flute-player for chorus-dancing' (Oxford Dictionary). Most carols were divided into the stanza, meaning to 'stand' or 'halt', and the chorus, which means 'dance'. Thus, during the chorus, the people danced and unless a solo dancer performed for the stanza, there was little movement as the stanza was sung.
The word ‘dance’ is not used often in our Bibles, but activity of dance is.
It appears hundreds of times in scripture, in terms such as: rejoice, make merry, player, played, praise, joy, glad, celebrate, bless, twirl, spin, jump, hop, skip
All of these words express, terms of dance.
http://www.innercourtdancers.net/ministry-of-dance---icd-dance-teaching-docs.html
Dawnita Carlson
12/02/2011
CLICK Below To Open/Download The Above Teaching-Article As A Word.doc:
| the_ministry_of_dance.doc |
Dance In Scripture:
Dance Scriptures
1) Exodus 15:20 “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in
Her hand: and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.”
2) II Samuel 6:14 “Then David danced before YHVH with all his might; and David was
wearing a linen ephod.”
3) Psalms 30:11 “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off
my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.”
4) Psalms 149:3 “Let them praise His name with the dance.”
5) Psalms 150:4 “Praise Him with the timbrel and dance.”
6) Ecclesiastics 3:4 “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to
dance.”
7) Jeremiah 31:4 “Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuild, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your
tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of them who rejoice.”
8) Jeremiah 31:13 “Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and old, together.”
9) Luke 6:23 “Rejoice Ye in that day, and leap for joy; For, behold, Your reward is great in heaven; for in the like manner
did their fathers unto the prophets.”
10) Luke 15:25 “Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and
dancing.”
11) Acts 6:5 “Prochorus was chosen to be a deacon.” A study of this man’s name Reveals his ministry: A leader of the
dance.
12) Acts 24:14 “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers,
believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.”
Dances in Scripture
1) The Procession – A dance done in a processional – like order: Psalms 48:12, 42:4, 26:2
2) Mourning Procession – A dance lead by one flutist and 2 lamenting: II Chr. 35:25, Jer. 9:20, Luke 7:32
3) Dance of Deliverance – As the song of Deliverance came forth, the feet were Put to use along with clapping:
Ps. 32:7
4) The Ascent Procession or “Entrance” – A call to worship, done on the way up the Temple Mount. David
danced to bring up the Ark: I Chr. 15:29, II Sam. 6:21, Ps. 120 – 134 - Psalms of Decrees
5) The Wedding Procession – Danced to the groom’s house by the Bride and her maidens, also around the
bride and groom in the ceremony: Song of Sol. 3:11, Is. 61:10, Gen. 29:33 & 24:61, Ps. 30:11
6) Feast Dance – Accompanied by harps and tambourines: Psalms 118
7) Dance of Dedication – Done at the dedication of the Temple: Jer. 31:4 & 13, Ps. 30:11, Neh. 12:27
8) Dance of Greeting – Usually done by women to greet the father: Judges 11:34
9) Dance of Victory – Done with the company of chorus, there were many palm Branches waved by the people:
Ex. 15:20, 1 Samuel 18:6, 1 Chr. 15:29
10) Dance of Praise and Worship – A round dance with chorus. Sometimes done as a Solo: Ps. 149:3, 150:4, 1
Chr. 16:30, Ps.30:11
11) Dance of Anointing – Done with the flute to invite the presence of YHVH: 1 Samuel 10:5-10, 1 Kings 1:40
http://www.innercourtdancers.net/dance-in-scripture---icd-dance-teaching-docs.html
Dawnita Carlson
Revised 02-18-01
CLICK Below To Open/Download The Above Teaching-Article As A Word.doc:
| dance_in_scripture.doc |
Dance Ministry Guidelines:
Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced Dance Class
Dance class is not a requirement to be able to dance with the dance ministry on Shabbat; however all dancers are required to know the beginners dances before being allow to attend the intermediate class and likewise all dancers are required to know all the intermediate dances before being allowed to attend the advanced class. Intermediate dancers may be asked to teach the beginners class and advanced dancers may be asked to teach the beginners or the intermediate class. With privilege, comes responsibility.
Age Limit
An age limit of 12 has been set to assist in the safety for all dancers. The dance leader may make exceptions on an individual basis if a child meets all other requirements of maturity and skill.
Attitude
First and most important is a proper attitude of praise and worship. Dancers need to be prayerful and sensitive to the Spirit. Worship Dance is not performance nor is it play, we are not dancing just for the sake of dancing but rather it is a time of both personal and corporate worship of Yah and ministry to Him and an intercessory ministry to the congregation. Dancers need to be gracious towards others who may struggle with learning a new dance. It is very important not to criticize or give offense in any manner to anyone. It is better to give words of encouragement to build one another up. Dancers also need to have submissive attitudes toward each other and the dance leader, and not to be quick to take words of encouragement as criticism. Please allow dance leader the opportunity to answer all questions, too much information for new dancers is very over whelming and often is conflicting with the leader.
Character
Dancers must uphold and guard the testimonies of others and the statutes of the congregation and the dance ministry and in doing so demonstrate a godly life style to be able to attend the dance class and to dance with the dance ministry on Shabbat.
Leadership
Dawnita Carlson is the dance leader and subject to the Pastor/Eldership of FRMC. The dance leader can be reached at 303-659-2438 or 303-547-6996 if you have any questions or comments regarding the dance ministry. The dance leader reserves the right to ask any dancer not to dance if there is a problem with their attitude and/or skill level or appearance. The dance leader also reserves the right to update requirements as needed.
Location and Time
The beginner’s class meets on Thursday evening from 6:00-7:00 PM at Front Range Messianic Community.
The intermediate class meets on Thursday evening from 7:00-8:00 PM at Front Range Messianic Community.
The advanced class meets on Thursday evening from 8:00-9:00 PM at Front Range Messianic Community.
Membership
Membership in the congregation is not required to attend the dance class or to dance with the dance ministry on Shabbat. However, regular attendance in a Messianic congregation is required to participate in the dance class.
Prayer
Dancers need to keep the dance leader and the other dancers in constant prayer. Again remember dance is an intercessory ministry therefore it is very important that a dancer spend time in prayer before Shabbat service.
Requirements
All dancers must read, sign and return the RELEASE, ASUUMPTION OR RISK, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE form to the dance leader.
Dress Code for dance class
All dancers need to dress in a basic modest manor in such a way as to not to cause others to lust or stumble.
Shabbat Service
Dance class is not a requirement to be able to dance with the dance ministry on Shabbats. However all dancers are required to know all the beginner’s dances before being allow to dance in the intermediate circle and likewise all dancers are required to know all the intermediate dances before being allowed to dance in the advanced circle. Intermediate dancers may be asked to lead the beginner’s circle and advanced dancers may be asked to lead the beginner’s, the intermediate or the advanced circle. With privilege, comes responsibility.
Age Limit
Adults and teens, 12 years old and older will be allowed to dance. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the dance leader. Younger children are encouraged to dance together in their own circle with the supervision of the parents.
Back Circle - Beginners & Low Intermediate & Guests
These dances are simple enough for anyone 12 or older to join in. Dance class is not required to dance in the beginner’s circle but is strongly encouraged. Dancers who have not attended dance class are encouraged to come to Shabbat early to practice dances.
Front Circle/Circles – High Intermediate & Advanced
These dances are reserved only for those who are a part of the intermediate or advanced dance ministry (exceptions may be made at the dance leader’s discretion). Periodically there will be special dances for Holy Days and other events that require only dancers who have learned the dance be allowed to dance. Also the more difficult dances should be danced only by dancers who have learned them well. Therefore it is requested the dancers who do not know these dances sit out or dance with the intermediate and beginners in the back circle.
Dress Code
All dancers are to dress modestly to reflect an attitude of godliness. Dancing is a ministry to Yah and we want to be careful not to steal the attention due Him by dressing in ways that draw undue attention to ourselves.
· Female dancers in the front circle are required to ware dresses or skirts (with slips).
· No short dresses or short skirts. Dress & skirt length must come to the knee when lifting the hands above the head. If a dress is too short to be worn as a dress by its self without pants then it is not a dress.
(No pants allowed in the front circle unless worn under a dress or skirt).
· No midriff shirts or tight & clingy shirts, no spaghetti-string blouses or see-thru blouses allowed.
· No shorts, torn pants or blue jean pants of any kind are allowed.
· No bare feet during dance, shoes are required at all times to protect the health and safety of all dancers.
· No sandals, crocks or clogs allowed during dance, including summer outdoor events, again for safety.
Other Requests
- When dancing with banners, flags, ribbons, timbrals or tambourines caution must be taken so as not to injure or disturb others.
- Dancers need to be seated or step back when they are not dancing, so as not to be interfere with the worship of others.
- Dancers need to be quiet during and between songs, so as not to disturb the worship experience of others.
- No talking unless it is in prayer.
- Please, please, please no gum chewing while dancing.
Requirements
The requirements to dance during the Sabbath service are the same as the dance class. All dancers must read, sign and return this form and the RELEASE, ASUUMPTION OR RISK, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE form to the dance leader.
I have read and agree to abide by the guidelines for the Dance Ministry.
Signature Date
Outreach Ministry
Dress Code
All dancers will wear matching outreach costumes. Men wear black pants, white or maroon shirts, black suspenders and black shoes, Tzitzit and Kippah. Women wear matching dresses or skirts (with slips), dance shoes and head covering and matching shoes. If a dancer cannot afford shoes, the ministry will provide the funds for them. When a dancers no longer participates in the outreach ministry we request that they return the matching costume but they may keep the shoes.
Membership
Membership/regular attendance in an upright Messianic congregation is required to be a part of this outreach dance ministry. Only pre-approved members of the outreach dance ministry will dance at outreaches or other special events. This ministry is by invitation only.
Often dancers are asked to give their testimony at outreaches; therefore a dancer must be able to give an accurate testimony of Yahweh, Yeshua and the Spirit, the redemptive work of the Torah and the Apostolic Writings. A dancer must also uphold and honor and guard the Covenant of Justification given through Abraham and the Covenant of Sanctification given through Moses by living a Sanctified life style in accord with Scripture.
Requirements
All dancers must attend the dance class for a minimum of 6 months before being invited to join the outreach ministry. The requirements to dance at outreaches are the same as the dance class and Shabbat services. All dancers must read, sign and return this form and the RELEASE, ASUUMPTION OR RISK, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE form to the dance leader.
I have read and agree to abide by the guidelines for the Outreach Dance Ministry.
Signature Date
http://www.innercourtdancers.net/dance-ministry-guidelines---icd-teaching-docs.html
Dawnita Carlson
Updated: 11/18/2011
CLICK Below To Open/Download The Above Document As A Word.doc:
| dance_ministry_guidelines.doc |
G U I D A N C E
When I meditated on the word guidance, I kept seeing the word “dance” at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God’s will is a lot like dance.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn’t flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. However, when one person relaxes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It’s as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word guidance. When I saw “G” I thought of God, followed by “u” and “i”. God, You and I dance. This is what guidance means to me. As I relax and lower my head, I must become willing to trust that I will get guidance about my life. Once again, I must be willing to let God lead.
By: Jean Rhodes - Used with permission
http://www.innercourtdancers.net/guidance---icd-teaching-docs.html
CLICK Below To Open/Download The Above Writing As A Word.doc:
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn’t flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. However, when one person relaxes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It’s as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word guidance. When I saw “G” I thought of God, followed by “u” and “i”. God, You and I dance. This is what guidance means to me. As I relax and lower my head, I must become willing to trust that I will get guidance about my life. Once again, I must be willing to let God lead.
By: Jean Rhodes - Used with permission
http://www.innercourtdancers.net/guidance---icd-teaching-docs.html
CLICK Below To Open/Download The Above Writing As A Word.doc:
| guidance.doc |
THE DANGER OF NON-SCRIPTURAL FORMS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP:
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. — 1 John 4:1
In this current generation in the USA that has seen the rise and acceptance of Harry Potter, witchcraft, and various forms of the occult everywhere, with much of it even creeping increasingly into the Church, we need to be on guard for paganistic ideas that might attempt to be mingled with our pure praise and worship of YHVH.
One example of this is the recent popularity of "banner, flag, and veil dancing" in Churches. While in and of itself, for example if only used as choreographing in dance, in a presentation, or a play, it would basically not be harmful; but that is not what we are increasingly seeing done today. Instead of colors of banners and veils being chosen simply because they are pretty - what we see is that banners and flags have become routine and even mandatory in praise and worship groups in many cases, and that some worship teams are ascribing "spiritual" qualities, even powers, to physical mundane objects and characteristics. Granted, in many cases I'm sure this is just born out of an innocent zeal of certain worship teams to enhance their form of praise and worship - but sadly I have little doubt that most Believers don't even begin to realize the danger associated with such practices.
The danger lies on two levels. First is the more obvious one that any articles used in worship that are elevated can of themselves become the focus of attention rather than simple heartfelt praise and worship, in song and dance, unto YHVH. Think for a second, that if every time you went to Church during the song service there was a display of fireworks and pyrotechnics - would you then be focused on the music to YHVH, or a dazzling show. The same thing can happen in some worship teams. This can happen both for those elevating the symbol, and for the Congregation who is more intent on the symbol, then on themselves praising YHVH, or at least in seeing those around them simply praising YHVH. To see choreographed beautiful dance to YHVH can be inspiring, to see little children in joy up front during praise and worship dancing as they are led in their heart is also inspiring. But misplaced elevated uses of physical objects during praise and worship can become, at the very least a distraction, or at the worst, pagan. Addressing the pagan aspect, let me continue....
Secondly, but more dangerous, there are those increasingly assigning to their banners, flags, and veils, colors that they say have "spiritual meaning". This is where the biggest danger lies. Anytime a spiritual value is attached to a mundane thing in the creation, it borders, or has crossed the border, into: shamanism, animism, and various pagan and occult beliefs (more on this in the last two paragraphs below.) While trying to defend their practice by using Scripture to back up their color choice, it's easy to see for anyone being honest, that such practice in praise and worship is not mentioned at all in Scripture, and any attempt at using an analogy in Scripture in association with a color, can just as easily be refuted with another use of the same color in Scripture. For an example, one author writing on this subject stated that white represents purity, (and while robes of white and others examples exist in Scripture that are relating to purity, other examples of white are not speaking of purity), in her example she says she chose white for purity as the first of the four horsemen in the Book of Revelation is white. Yet this use of the white horse in the Passage is speaking of judgment by one who is going out and conquering one nation after another militarily, and it is NOT speaking of Christ at all. In fact, several scholars say it could be referring to the anti-Christ. So not a good apologia to use for her banners color choice I'd think! (I'm glad I didn't know all of this as a child growing up, or I would have been terrified of my crayons!)
Read the following taken from a web site to see if you can discern anything else wrong with this picture....
Spiritual Warfare—False Clichés - http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/warfare/warfare.htm - ...9. Flags & Banners: The latest spiritual warfare technique is the use of "flags and banners," suggested by its advocates to be "spiritual power tools." The act of flag waving becomes the causal reason why God's special presence occurs. The flag (termed "worship and warfare flags") processionals, so popular in some charismatic circles today, are not just a witness of faith, but become a force in themselves ("intercessors with flags") in the spiritual warfare game. These flags and banners are used to coax the Holy Spirit to respond. Man becomes proactive and the spirit world becomes reactive. The "head" of the flag-waving ministry in some churches is called a "master flag minister." One flag ministry proponent states: "I can tell you that something incredible happens in the spirit when we purposefully and prayerfully raise our flags. ... I create worship and warfare flags suitable for the beginner through advanced flag ministers, in sizes geared to the home, the sanctuary, and presentation dances. You will find a variety of styles and colors to suit all the moods of the Holy Spirit." (The flag minister has the responsibility to lift the right banner at the right time. This flag ministry relies heavily on the symbolic use of color in worship. Colors include; Red: the blood of Christ; Purple: authority, and Sonship; Blue: revelational knowledge; White: the Bride, purity; Turquoise: River of God; Orange: passion, power, and fire. Flags and banners are then spiritually choreographed by the flag minister in association with dance and timbrels.) (Source: "Flags and Banners … Spiritual Power Tools?," Orrel Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Nov/Dec 2002.)...
Whenever one ascribes a "spiritual" power, reality, or influence, to an object or element of the mundane/physical, it is an attempt to manipulate, control, influence, or appease either a "spiritual principle", an aspect of God, or even God Himself, "from the flesh up" -(so to speak), as we see alluded to in the above article's quote. This belief in a spiritual power belonging to, or being assigned to, a physical object can run into the same type of error as idol worship, like in Catholicism where we see a "spiritualization" of statutes or religious artifacts, or in Orthodox Christianity with an icon centered worship. Specifically then as related to assigning "spiritual" principles to colors, it becomes a carnal form of worship that steps off into "Colorology" - which is one of the main believes in witchcraft and various pagan religious belief systems. To indicate that one color can be anything other than a color when it is being waved, has as about as much validity as saying there is a cosmic spiritual principle at work when one holds up a bagel with cream cheese. - In short - nothing! -(John 6:63 - It is the Spirit that quickeneth/gives-life; the flesh profiteth/adds nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.)- Yet in the mind of one who thinks they are releasing "spiritual principles" to work by their physical mundane actions, their worship focus has shifted then - from the Heavenly - to the mundane. This causes a bondage in ones life, and is trying to limit and put in a box, even if only in a small way, the All Powerful Creator YHVH, or His attributes and Gifts, into the realm of the reasonings and control of the physical creation, and it is a dangerous trap. It can lead directly to a subtle form of Deism that one may not even realize they've crossed over into, as a belief that God is a force that can be controlled or manipulated into action by physical devices of man. It may bring with it a warm-fuzzy feeling of a form of godliness, but it can also tap into another demonic angel-of-light "power" that is apart from God.
White is also the color of the plague of leprosy folks; let’s not mingle the Holy and the profane!
wmc
NOTE (Later comment):
While one might choose colors for their banners to represent something 'blue for Heaven, white for purity, etc...'; that notion however STOPS being valid when one ascribes powers to colors ! and believes that the colors one chooses manipulate the Spiritual (or think the colors of themselves have spiritual power to change the mundane). Anytime someone uses a mundane thing to 'move' the anointing of YHVH, they've crossed over into a cultic practice, or at the very least are at the border of doing so. It's the Anointing of YHVH that 'MOVES' us, and that changes the 'mundane', not the other way around! This article was written to make you aware of a dangerous trend and influence some are falling into. - And yes...there ARE teachers who DO teach this dangerous practice that's found in many occult false-religions.
YHVH didn't send His 'color' and heal us, nor did He Atone for us by the 'color' red. - Again: The Spiritual affects the mundane; but the mundane does not control the Spiritual.
"It is the Spirit that quickeneth/(gives life); the flesh profiteth/(assists/is useful) nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life." - John 6:33.
In this current generation in the USA that has seen the rise and acceptance of Harry Potter, witchcraft, and various forms of the occult everywhere, with much of it even creeping increasingly into the Church, we need to be on guard for paganistic ideas that might attempt to be mingled with our pure praise and worship of YHVH.
One example of this is the recent popularity of "banner, flag, and veil dancing" in Churches. While in and of itself, for example if only used as choreographing in dance, in a presentation, or a play, it would basically not be harmful; but that is not what we are increasingly seeing done today. Instead of colors of banners and veils being chosen simply because they are pretty - what we see is that banners and flags have become routine and even mandatory in praise and worship groups in many cases, and that some worship teams are ascribing "spiritual" qualities, even powers, to physical mundane objects and characteristics. Granted, in many cases I'm sure this is just born out of an innocent zeal of certain worship teams to enhance their form of praise and worship - but sadly I have little doubt that most Believers don't even begin to realize the danger associated with such practices.
The danger lies on two levels. First is the more obvious one that any articles used in worship that are elevated can of themselves become the focus of attention rather than simple heartfelt praise and worship, in song and dance, unto YHVH. Think for a second, that if every time you went to Church during the song service there was a display of fireworks and pyrotechnics - would you then be focused on the music to YHVH, or a dazzling show. The same thing can happen in some worship teams. This can happen both for those elevating the symbol, and for the Congregation who is more intent on the symbol, then on themselves praising YHVH, or at least in seeing those around them simply praising YHVH. To see choreographed beautiful dance to YHVH can be inspiring, to see little children in joy up front during praise and worship dancing as they are led in their heart is also inspiring. But misplaced elevated uses of physical objects during praise and worship can become, at the very least a distraction, or at the worst, pagan. Addressing the pagan aspect, let me continue....
Secondly, but more dangerous, there are those increasingly assigning to their banners, flags, and veils, colors that they say have "spiritual meaning". This is where the biggest danger lies. Anytime a spiritual value is attached to a mundane thing in the creation, it borders, or has crossed the border, into: shamanism, animism, and various pagan and occult beliefs (more on this in the last two paragraphs below.) While trying to defend their practice by using Scripture to back up their color choice, it's easy to see for anyone being honest, that such practice in praise and worship is not mentioned at all in Scripture, and any attempt at using an analogy in Scripture in association with a color, can just as easily be refuted with another use of the same color in Scripture. For an example, one author writing on this subject stated that white represents purity, (and while robes of white and others examples exist in Scripture that are relating to purity, other examples of white are not speaking of purity), in her example she says she chose white for purity as the first of the four horsemen in the Book of Revelation is white. Yet this use of the white horse in the Passage is speaking of judgment by one who is going out and conquering one nation after another militarily, and it is NOT speaking of Christ at all. In fact, several scholars say it could be referring to the anti-Christ. So not a good apologia to use for her banners color choice I'd think! (I'm glad I didn't know all of this as a child growing up, or I would have been terrified of my crayons!)
Read the following taken from a web site to see if you can discern anything else wrong with this picture....
Spiritual Warfare—False Clichés - http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/warfare/warfare.htm - ...9. Flags & Banners: The latest spiritual warfare technique is the use of "flags and banners," suggested by its advocates to be "spiritual power tools." The act of flag waving becomes the causal reason why God's special presence occurs. The flag (termed "worship and warfare flags") processionals, so popular in some charismatic circles today, are not just a witness of faith, but become a force in themselves ("intercessors with flags") in the spiritual warfare game. These flags and banners are used to coax the Holy Spirit to respond. Man becomes proactive and the spirit world becomes reactive. The "head" of the flag-waving ministry in some churches is called a "master flag minister." One flag ministry proponent states: "I can tell you that something incredible happens in the spirit when we purposefully and prayerfully raise our flags. ... I create worship and warfare flags suitable for the beginner through advanced flag ministers, in sizes geared to the home, the sanctuary, and presentation dances. You will find a variety of styles and colors to suit all the moods of the Holy Spirit." (The flag minister has the responsibility to lift the right banner at the right time. This flag ministry relies heavily on the symbolic use of color in worship. Colors include; Red: the blood of Christ; Purple: authority, and Sonship; Blue: revelational knowledge; White: the Bride, purity; Turquoise: River of God; Orange: passion, power, and fire. Flags and banners are then spiritually choreographed by the flag minister in association with dance and timbrels.) (Source: "Flags and Banners … Spiritual Power Tools?," Orrel Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Nov/Dec 2002.)...
Whenever one ascribes a "spiritual" power, reality, or influence, to an object or element of the mundane/physical, it is an attempt to manipulate, control, influence, or appease either a "spiritual principle", an aspect of God, or even God Himself, "from the flesh up" -(so to speak), as we see alluded to in the above article's quote. This belief in a spiritual power belonging to, or being assigned to, a physical object can run into the same type of error as idol worship, like in Catholicism where we see a "spiritualization" of statutes or religious artifacts, or in Orthodox Christianity with an icon centered worship. Specifically then as related to assigning "spiritual" principles to colors, it becomes a carnal form of worship that steps off into "Colorology" - which is one of the main believes in witchcraft and various pagan religious belief systems. To indicate that one color can be anything other than a color when it is being waved, has as about as much validity as saying there is a cosmic spiritual principle at work when one holds up a bagel with cream cheese. - In short - nothing! -(John 6:63 - It is the Spirit that quickeneth/gives-life; the flesh profiteth/adds nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.)- Yet in the mind of one who thinks they are releasing "spiritual principles" to work by their physical mundane actions, their worship focus has shifted then - from the Heavenly - to the mundane. This causes a bondage in ones life, and is trying to limit and put in a box, even if only in a small way, the All Powerful Creator YHVH, or His attributes and Gifts, into the realm of the reasonings and control of the physical creation, and it is a dangerous trap. It can lead directly to a subtle form of Deism that one may not even realize they've crossed over into, as a belief that God is a force that can be controlled or manipulated into action by physical devices of man. It may bring with it a warm-fuzzy feeling of a form of godliness, but it can also tap into another demonic angel-of-light "power" that is apart from God.
White is also the color of the plague of leprosy folks; let’s not mingle the Holy and the profane!
wmc
NOTE (Later comment):
While one might choose colors for their banners to represent something 'blue for Heaven, white for purity, etc...'; that notion however STOPS being valid when one ascribes powers to colors ! and believes that the colors one chooses manipulate the Spiritual (or think the colors of themselves have spiritual power to change the mundane). Anytime someone uses a mundane thing to 'move' the anointing of YHVH, they've crossed over into a cultic practice, or at the very least are at the border of doing so. It's the Anointing of YHVH that 'MOVES' us, and that changes the 'mundane', not the other way around! This article was written to make you aware of a dangerous trend and influence some are falling into. - And yes...there ARE teachers who DO teach this dangerous practice that's found in many occult false-religions.
YHVH didn't send His 'color' and heal us, nor did He Atone for us by the 'color' red. - Again: The Spiritual affects the mundane; but the mundane does not control the Spiritual.
"It is the Spirit that quickeneth/(gives life); the flesh profiteth/(assists/is useful) nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life." - John 6:33.
Photo: Israelis Dancing On A Kibbutz In The 1940's.
“As a child dances for joy, so we too should allow ourselves to be led of The Ruach/Spirit Of YHVH
all Biblical forms of Praise and Worship - including Dance…Rahkaid L'YAH! Dance unto YAH”
מחול
In Defense Of Biblical Dance In Praise & Worship Unto YHVH:
Sometimes you’ll hear people say that Praise and Worship in corporate/mixed-dance is not allowed between men and women in Judaism, and that it never has been allowed, and that it is universally forbidden. Or you’ll hear others say that dancing in a circle is pagan and that it was never done by Israel. This article disproves those false notions, and gives a source for you to be able to defend against these attacks…
Choreographed Corporate Dance In Praise & Worship…
First of all: The context is not dancing or holding hands at a bar; rather the context is choreographed dance, unto YHVH, in Praise and Worship with a team of men, women, children, and families that are dedicated in ministry to serve YAH in offering up their lives as a sacrifice of Praise unto Him.
Most Messianic Congregations do allow for men and women dancing together, such as in the Hora; but some will appeal to supposed ‘final word’ Orthodox halakha saying that it is forbidden to do so. However there were many Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Oriental Orthodox communities that did so up until more recent times, and some that still do, have dance during celebrations and events with both men and women together (more on this later).
I’ve heard tons of people in the 20+ years that have witnessed Messianic Dance in Praise and Worship unto YAH, being done by men and women and even whole families, say how much it ministered to them, and especially that the men would be humble enough to join in and also dance unto YAH. – Holiness is one of the standards taught in most Dance ministries, and that is what I’ve seen demonstrated by our local dance team, of both men and women, for many many years now. It is a ministry to YAH, and a blessing of being in one accord in corporate worship – even for whole families.
Scripture declares that YHVH inhabits the praises of His people. Praise and Worship unto YHVH Led of His Ruach/Spirit in our liberty from Messiah, I believe is one of the last areas in these End-Times that the enemy hasn’t been able to fully get an inroad to be able to manipulate and compromise, and so he is in a major assault on this area of our walk with YAH. We then need to be in diligent prayer and intercession for our Praise and Worship teams, that they be shielded and enabled by YAH to continue to move in His Will alone.
NOTE: But before we move on in this study, let me make the following observations….
With some Congregations and Churches attitudes today: I shudder to think what would have happened to the woman who dared to wipe Yeshua/(Jesus') feet with her hair and kiss His feet. And also in view of the attitudes I see today: I ponder how for 200 or so years in this country, small Church communities in the U.S., who by their actions obviously understood that we are now supposed to be brothers and sisters in Messiah, could possibly have come together on occasion for a pot-luck dinner after a hard week's work, and actually dared to hold a square-dance and not have their out of wedlock birthrate going through the roof like it is today ! -(Sarcastic? Or just putting things into perspective!)
Of course the context of what we are discussing in this article is not secular dancing, even amongst Believers 100 + years ago in more noble generations than we see today; rather the context is: Praise and Worship unto YHVH by those who have dedicated their lives to minister unto Him, even as being in the Heavenly Courtyard, walking in His Righteousness, apart from self.
There are those who’ve raised the contention that corporate/mixed-dancing is providing a temptation to enter into sin by one having any contact whatsoever with the opposite sex. – But my answer to that is: Messianic Dance in Praise and Worship unto YHVH is not entertainment, nor is it something to be done by those who are walking in the flesh apart from the Spirit. Rather: It is, like any other ministry, to be done by those who recognize that we are Brother’s and Sister’s in the Body of Messiah, one in the Spirit/Ruach of YHVH. Anyone who would be tempted by a brief contact with the opposite sex, such as a touching of hand or shoulder during a choreographed dance in Worship unto YHVH, doesn’t have their eyes on YHVH to begin with while they’re ministering unto Him. – This shows then that their walk remains to a degree in the flesh, and that they shouldn’t be on a Worship Dance Team to begin with. It is NOT that all possible accommodations should be made, so any person who has a personal problem in this area and might become tempted, be removed at their request so they can partake of the activity; rather it is that: Those who have a problem in this area need to first sanctify themselves unto YHVH in His Holiness, by putting Him first so their eyes are fixed on Him….In their then being so caught up in His Love while they minister in worship and fellowship with Him, that the world around them has become so dim, that they only have eyes for and are only beholding Him.
Likewise: Those couples then who have a problem with their spouse dancing in a corporate/mixed-dance, should work out any problems of trust and faithfulness in their family BEFORE committing to a dance ministry, not after they’ve joined - nor should they even be expecting the Dance Team to restrict all or ½ of its members in what they can/can-not do, of what they have been Led to do in praise and worship fellowship with YAH. One attempting to forbid upon the entire Congregation any contact whatsoever during corporate/mixed dancing in public Praise & Worship in Dance unto YAH, to avoid any possible temptation that may at some point arise, would in a very real sense be akin to: The jealous husband requiring his wife to remain in a constant state of having to drink the “bitter water that causeth the curse -(Num.5:18-22.)”, to perpetually be proving her faithfulness ! Such misplaced legalism might show instead that there’s a personal problem that those individuals themselves need to deal with.
All this was given in the context of a Praise and Worship Ministry Dance Team; but there are other occasions where the Body at large would have a corporate/mixed-dance, such as in the Hora-dance or the Congregation being invited to partake in a group dance during a particular song; but even in those situations: The individual families need to establish their OWN guidelines on how or if they’ll enter into this activity; but NOT be trying to impose their personal restrictions on the Body at large; because even in these cases while it is a group Praise dance, instead of Dance Ministry Team Worship in dance, it is still fellowship WITH YHVH, and is not to be just mundane interacting with one another…and so in this too the focus of all foremost must be on YHVH.
This can be extended by example to other ministries: When the music team is up front during scheduled Praise and Worship time, does whoever want to just jump up and grab one of the instruments and start playing? Should the music team make accommodations so whoever wants to can come up during scheduled ministry in song and grab the microphone? Should the music team be told they are forbidden to play certain songs unto YHVH, that a couple of the Congregations’ members might have a person objection to? Of course not!...as those who minister to YHVH on the music team must be made up of those who are sanctified unto Him to be in that ministry, who’s focus is putting YHVH first, and leading the Congregation to enter into Praise and Worship in music unto Him.
Part of the problem I believe then is that: There are some who view choreographed dance by the Dance Team during scheduled Praise and Worship as just a fun event that they should be allowed to enter into when and however they want to, and to be able to dictate to it as if it was a democracy, instead of a Ministry.
It is important to note here that in the Tabernacle, and in the 1st Temple (and in the 2nd Temple pre-Herod), there was no court of the Gentiles nor court of the women. There was only: The Outer Court, The Inner Court, and The Holy of Holies. And Messiah Yeshua/(Jesus) in His Word declares that we are now a Royal Priesthood, a nation of priests/priestess’, and that the middle wall of partition is now broken down. While many of the modern Orthodox in Judaism try to bring that partition back up with a rope down the center isle (and it seems that some Messianics would like to follow that same tradition), let’s look at earlier Orthodox Judaic beliefs and practices more closely….
A few references to Orthodox & Judaic practices, both old and modern, in regards to corporate/mixed-dancing:
{A brief overview}
1.) Oriental Jewry - [NOTE: The Sephardi-Oriental/Yemenite Judaic communities are considered the closest to Biblical practices in their culture, language–since they were the most isolated in their region, and separated from Ashkenazi European influence.]:“There are many communities, such as the Moroccans, Georgians, Libyans, and Ethiopians, in which spontaneous group folk dancing is important, yet the Jews of Yemen and Kurdistan Jewry are among the most prominent traditional cultures attributing dynamic importance to dance in the daily and festive life of the community. Dance among the Jews born in Yemen comprises stylistic diversity characteristic of urban and rural settlements as well as including women and men. Dancing usually takes place during ceremonies and celebrations…” *[Jewish Dance from the Bible to Hasidism / By Dvora Lapson-(director of the Dance Education Department of the Board of Jewish Education in New York, and was an instructor in Jewish dance education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.) and Amnon Shiloah-(Professor of Musicology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.) – {From Encyclopedia Judaica 22 Volume Set 2nd edition by Skolink, Fred (editor), 2006.} - http://www.jewish-theatre.com/visitor/article_display.aspx?articleID=2694
2.) Kurdistan Jewry– “…The history of the community began well before the destruction of the First Temple and continued for many generations. Ancient tradition has it that Jews were settled in Kurdistan 2,800 years ago, part of the Ten Tribes dispersed by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser. Kurdish Jews identify themselves as amongst those described in the Prophets: “…the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He deported the Israelites to Assyria and settled them in Halah, at the [River] Habor, at the River Gozan…” (2Kings 17:6), places which are in fact within the Kurdistan region…. During celebrations and parties there was no separation between men and women; holding hands, they danced folkloric dances together….”
*http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/kurdish-women
3.) European Jewry - On Hassadic customs of separation replacing the older mix-dancing practices: “…For Jews living in a Germanic, Slavic, or Hungarian ethnic environment, dancing became the focus of ethical strictures, unceasingly repeated by the rabbis…contra dance and couple dance formations, in some of which the partners of opposite sexes held one another by the hand or waist. In contra dances, the couple figures were distributed among a changing series of partners and at times combined line and couple formations….In Eastern Europe, the peasantry adopted these dances at various periods after the seventeenth century…. As Hasidism assumed its mature form in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, it ritualized and sacralized many aspects of Jewish life…Southern European non-Hasidic communities sometimes preserved the pre-Hasidic popular custom of dancing without handkerchiefs….”*[ http://www.yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Dance/An_Overview]
4.) Austro-Hungarian Transylvania Jewry – “…a Neolog wedding allowed for mixed-sex dancing. Gypsy musicians were hired for Jewish weddings, and played a few Jewish songs (usually "Belz" alongside various Yiddish theater songs and a few Sabbath zmiros) while providing csardas music for dancing….*[ http://www.dinayekapelye.com/jmromania.htm]
5.) U.S. & Great Britan / Orthodox mixed dancing 1960-1961: ”…by 1960, in Great Britain, like in the United States, the majority of Orthodox Jews saw nothing religiously wrong with mixed dancing at social events, even in the synagogue…the rabbis either saw nothing really wrong with it, or justified it as a lesser of evils or they saw nothing at all….finally - the Jewish Chronicle did the sensible thing and asked various British rabbis their view and found that "Ministers Divided on Mixed Dancing (January 13, 1961). They asked 11 United Synagogue rabbis (called Ministers). Eight said there was nothing wrong with mixed dancing, two declined to comment and only one said it was wrong….*[ http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/2011/06/great-mixed-dancing-controversy-of-1960.html]
6.) “Rabbi Senter acknowledged that "in the past" many Orthodox congregations had allowed social dancing at synagogue events….”*[Is Dancing Kosher? Jews Struggle to Define Orthodoxy – { http://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/28/nyregion/is-dancing-kosher-jews-struggle-to-define-orthodoxy.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm}
7.) *Negiah(Hebrew: נגיעה),[1] literally "touch," is the concept in Halakha that forbids or restricts physical contact with a member of the opposite sex…”The laws of Negiah are typically followed by Orthodox Jews, with varying levels of observance….Adherents of Conservative and Reform Judaism do not usually follow these laws.” *[http://www.ask.com/wiki/Negiah?qsrc=3044]
*Regarding “Tznius” / Negiah (rulings based on interpretations of mainly one section at the close of one Tractate of Talmud),these only appears to be a “universal codified halakha in Judaism” in its present modern day form, because it was expanded and re-interpreted into a stricter application from the 19th century on by the Hassidic ultra-Orthodox community, starting in Europe (although it wasn’t adopted in South Europe for a long time by the Rabbinic Communities who disagreed with the Hassidim stricter interpretations.) These Frum/Hassidic rulings did not fully take place in the U.S. and England until 1960/61; and they never took effect in the ancient Rabbinic Judaic communities in the Oriental/Mid-East that were isolated from the European influence of this Hassidic movement. – Historical evidence shows that mixed-dancing for celebrations and events were permitted and considered proper including in Synagogues in Orthodox communities in various countries including Europe and elsewhere, until the later Hassidic rulings finally became widespread in more modern times.
Here is more on the earlier practices of Orthodox Judaism regarding this subject…
Historical understandings in Orthodox Judaism permitting corporate/mixed dancing, until the 19th century Hassidic strict re-interpretations of Tznius in Talmudic literature:
“…Decisors from among the Ahronim (later authorities) disagree regarding touching and are not of one mind even regarding embracing and kissing that are not in “an endearing manner.” ShaKh (R. Shabbetai ben Meir ha-Kohen, Lithuania, 1621–1662) maintained that “even Maimonides only prohibited when one embraces and kisses in a manner of sexual endearment, for we have found in the Talmud in several places that the Amoraim would embrace and kiss their daughters and their sisters” (Siftei Kohen, Yoreh De’ah 157:10). R. Moses Feinstein, a leading American posek, permitted using public transport in New York, even though “it is difficult to prevent touching and bumping against women,” for the reason that “this is not a lustful and endearing manner,” and therefore does not entail “even a Rabbinical prohibition” (Iggerot Moshe, Even ha-Ezer, vol. 2, para. 14). Contemporary poskim who seek to intensify gender separation tend to excessively stress the severity of this prohibition, to include it in the category of prohibitions connected with menstrual impurity, and thereby magnify the severity of the ban on mixed dancing. Dancing was conducted in various Jewish communities in medieval Europe. A noteworthy phenomenon was the institutionalization of dancing in Ashkenazic communities; special public buildings were erected for this purpose. The earliest testimony to the construction of such a building is from the late thirteenth century (1290), in the community of Augsburg (see Friedhaber 1984: 94). Many communities possessed dance houses, and some localities even engaged in mixed dancing, under the supervision and partial limitation of communal regulations; this activity was under the guidance and with the approval of the communal rabbis and sages…. In the first half of the twentieth century, the religious Zionist youth groups and the religious kibbutzim movement engaged in mixed horah dancing… Beginning in the early nineteenth century, this degree of flexibility generally waned in ultra-Orthodox circles… this trend intensified, beginning in the middle of the twentieth century, and resulted in many additional stringencies….The religious Zionist society in Erez Israel, before and after the establishment of the state, until the 1960s…This attitude was clearly influenced by a principle from the time of R. Eliezer ben Joel of Bonn, that, on the grounds of “regilut,” mixed activity by boys and girls or men and women would not necessarily result in sexual stimuli. The ideals of female equality and the participation by women in all spheres of life also aided in justifying the a priori reality of a mixed society….”*[ http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/modesty-and-sexuality-in-halakhic-literature]
NOTE: If once reads all the above citation, (along with the earlier ones I gave prior to this one above – and various other historical articles regarding this subject one can look up on the internet): One sees that ‘touching’ was not strictly forbidden, as we can see from the earlier records of Orthodox communities across the world that we have. Indeed even in the Talmudic commentaries on the portion itself there are differing interpretation as to the times that touching would be considered inappropriate. Corporate/mixed-dancing in a religious context, as in Synagogues during celebrations and events, was sanctioned by the Rabbi’s and Sages, was frequent, and was not considered a sinful event…Until the Hassidim came to power much later on.
In addition to the comments above, there is one more Rabbinic quotation I’ll give that shows even more clearly that the Hassidic 19th century demands of imposing their restrictions against all touching of women, as being universal and forbidden in Judaism, is incorrect….
First a little background….
The Pharisees, contrary to what the Talmudic Agada would like you to believe, did NOT originate in Elijah’s, or even in Ezra’s time, but as the P’rush sect during the Maccabeen period. This can be looked up in Ency. Judaica and etc.. They comprised a very tiny percentage of the Israeli population, less than 1%, and were only fully in power in the Sanhedrin it seems from the time of Hillel the 1st, from 50 years or so before Yeshua Messiah’s birth, until 70 A.D. – or for about only 120 years of Israel’s 2200 or so years existence, from Abraham’s circumcision until the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 A.D.. By the 1st century, many (all) of the Pharisees had adopted the practice of not touching, nor even hardly speaking to women in public. This was also done because they held the view that women were considered inferior. There are plenty of commentaries that show that was their view of women. When the Tznius laws were expanded and re-interpreted in order to be practiced in a stricter sense by the Hassidim in the 19th century, it was done so by demanding to include Rabbinic additions to the Niddah laws of Torah to justify their stricter application. Today it is taken so far that in many branches of the Ultra-Orthodox no touching is permitted whatsoever aside from one’s wife, and some even not being allowed to touch/approach ones wife for ½ of the month on either side of a wife being “Niddah”. What shows this is NOT universal nor forbidden in Judaism, is that for seven centuries we have documentation in many countries, some even going back at least to the 1200’s, of corporate-mixed-dancing being permitted in Orthodox communities, allowed even in Synagogues, during events and celebrations overseen by the Rabbis and Sages – prior to the 19th century Hassidic rulings (as well as continuing today in those ancient Judaic communities that were isolated from European Hassidic influence, and even in the U.S. & England, and Israel until the Hassidim finally won out in the rulings of 1960/61.)
Besides the contentions in the commentaries on Talmud itself (such as by Maimonides who only prohibited a hug and even a kiss if done in a sexual manner/motivation) we also have conflicting statements in Talmud itself to the “Tznius” portion that is in the end of one tractate. One important Talmudic quote, that shows the modern Hassidim’s contentions are false and misleading, is quoted in full following….
This is by Rabbi Aha, who was quoted more often in the Jerusalem Talmud (which was finished some 200 years before the Babyl. Talmud) than he is in the Babylonian Talmud. - In Ketubot 17a we see: ‘Rabbi Aha took the bride on his shoulder and danced. The Rabbis asked him: “May we do the same?” He answered: “If the bride be on your shoulder like a beam, you may; otherwise not.”’ (i.e.: if apart from sexual motivation, yes, otherwise not.) – Hardly universal forbidding of all touching! And this is from one of the very Rabbi’s quoted in Talmud itself!
~
Choreographed & Round/Circle Dance: Hebrew Words & Historical Quotes Concerning Choreographed Dance…
Another argument one will sometimes hear is that the round or ‘circle dance’/(dancing in a circle) is only a pagan practice, and that it was never done by Israel in Praise and Worship unto YHVH; the following research shows that notion is not the case.
In looking at articles that are against any Dancing in Worship unto YHVH in Churches, I noted in particular authoritative-looking efforts by the Seventh Day Adventists to write against the use of Dance in Worship. At first glance they looked like they indeed had various proofs for their stance, until one looked closer at what they were actually saying, and at what their methods of arriving at their wrong conclusions were…
First of all their starting premises were invalid, and then they were backing those up using incomplete citations; such as in their dismissing the vast majority of sound scholarship on key points by making statements such as: ‘There is dispute among translators what this word means’…or…‘Different versions of Scripture vary as to what <this-or-that> actually means’. - So basically what they were doing in making a straw-man argument is: Taking what almost 100% of sound and valid scholarship agreed were proper understandings of certain key issues, and then they would re-state those majority views in brief making it appear as though they were only (perhaps) a minority-contention to what they-(those against dance) believed. Then they would attempt to bring the majority mainstream Conservative scholars’ proofs (in their making it sound only like they were but one, or only a minority of, many views) into question and doubt by quoting obscure secondary meanings of words…sometimes even quoting translators &/or translations who weren’t even using the Hebrew Tanakh/[O.T.] for their views…which views ARE minority-opinion contentions…and which contentions are contrary to what the Hebrew words in Scripture clearly mean in their Peshat-(literal, plain, in-context) usages…
It also appears that other articles written along these same lines (that are against Dance in Worship unto YHVH) are either quoting from the same article(s) &/or sources I outlined above; or else the article(s) is quoting from various other authors of different like articles. - We see this all too often when someone attempts to justify an incorrect belief/stance that they hold, in their making it appear as if they’ve somehow managed to prove the improvable: Finding someone who agrees with their incorrect views, and then quoting that next persons articles/writings as an ‘authority’, then again the next person after them comes along, also quotes both of their prior articles as authorities, and so on and on it goes. This can be illustrated all to well by the ‘Divine Name’ controversy in the last few years. I say controversy (where there never should have been a controversy) as now days there are tons of supposed ‘scholarship’ type articles written – each one referencing many other ‘supposed’ authorities to back up their individual views, on the dozen or so different ways today that these various groups insist that they, and they alone, have the one and only true correct way to say: YHVH &/or Yeshua. Yet it is painfully obvious that most all of them are incorrect, and they are basing their false beliefs on bogus pseudo-scholarship. It is all too easy in our hi-tech web based world, for those who do little if any research on their own, to suddenly appear as a scholar in their proof-texting of their invalid beliefs, by simply cut-&-pasting quotes from articles of others who likewise hold the same invalid beliefs.
I want to clarify here, that when I’m speaking of ‘majority-view’, I’m talking a majority of sound Hebrew linguistic and historical context scholarship; but I’m NOT necessarily speaking a majority of teachers nor their followers. A majority of ‘teachers’ may be wrong on any given subject (and often are); likewise a majority of people may (and often do) believe something is true, but they are in error. – I’m not speaking of a democratic process to establish something as being valid or not.
At the end of this study, I give a brief critique of one such ‘anti-Dance’ article, showing a bit more of what I just outlined above.
Hebrew Words For Dance…
In addition to the several words in Tanakh that specifically mean “Dance”: 16 out of 21 words (3/4ths) that were translated as 'Rejoice', have as part of their meaning & definition, common Dance moves or steps, and/or acts of Worship, like Singing or Praising. And these 16 words represent over 4/5ths-(176 of 209) of the translations of 'Rejoice'-(both it and all of its various tenses) that are so translated in the Tanakh/[Old Testament], as active outward expressions springing from ones Faith in YHVH in Praise and Worship unto Him.-(See URLs/Links for further research at the end of this section for more specific information on this.)Praise Worship and Rejoicing unto YHVH through Dance has been the custom of Israel for thousands of years, throughout all her generations, and in every place where the Jewish people have dwelt.
So we see there are quite a few words in Hebrew, besides those that specifically mean to dance, that also talk about dance and/or dance terms, in relation to Praise & Worship unto YHVH. And several of these Hebrew words also specify, or indicate: Round/circular, &/or a rotation/twirling motion in a circle…
Some of the main words used in Hebrew for dance that show round/circular-dancing: "…The Hebrew word chagag (hah-gahg Strong's #2287) means (kindred to the root chuwg [hoog]) to go round in a circle, hence-- (1) to dance ~ root word chuwg (#2328): -TO DESCRIBE A CIRCLE, TO DRAW A CIRCLE, as with a compass.~ Two other related words also yield the same basic theme: Strong's # 2329 is spelled and pronounced the same as #2328, chuwg (hoog): "a circle, sphere, used of the arch or vault of the sky," ~ Finally there is the Hebrew word chagah (hah-gah Strong's #2283). According to Strong it means: -from an unused root mean.(ing) to revolve ~ machol (mah-coal Strong's #4234) is also used several times in Scripture (in relation to Praise & Worship unto YHVH). It means: "a (round) dance" which comes from another root word (#2342) chul (hool)…” - http://www.bethhillel.com/pages.asp?pageid=85963
And again…
Hebrew words showing a circle/round-dance used in relationship to Dance in Praise and Worship to YHVH are used in several places in Tanakh, as in: Psalms 149:3 [*machol: 4234 in commentaries: a ‘round-dance’] Let THEM praise <01984> (8762) his name <08034> in the (ROUND/CIRCLE)-dance <04234>: let them sing praises <02167> (8762) unto him with the timbrel <08596> and harp <03658>. – Scholarship who notes this agrees that this was the form of dance that the Hebrew word describes here that the “THEM”-plural/group were commanded to do. – Another Hebrew word for dance indicating “whirling”/round-(Also see Edersheim’s quote later in this article below) is 2342/Khool, and is the Hebrew word used in Judges 21:21. – *Machol-(round/circle dance) is also used of dancing in: Psalms 150:4, and again in a PLURAL/group-dance in Jeremiah 31:13; and again in Lam.5:15.. There are also other places that a round/circle, or a whirling/twirling around in a circle, type of a dances are indicated by different Hebrew words in other places in Scripture.
*[Machol/Machowl: #4234 מחול machowl maw-khole' - from 'chuwl' (2342); a (round) dance:--dance(-cing)….{dance: Psa 149:3, Psa 150:4, Jer 31:13, Lam 5:15; dances: Jer 31:4; dancing: Psa 30:11.} Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: http://www.htmlbible.com/sacrednamebiblecom/kjvstrongs/STRHEB42.htm ]
But what does Rabbinic-Judaic Scholarship have to say about this?...
Shouldn’t the Rabbi’s and Rabbinic-Judaic Scholars also be saying the same things about whether the Hebrew speaks of a round or circle dance in Scripture or not, you might ask?...Of course!...And if you research you’ll see that when the Rabbi’s and Judaic-Rabbinic Scholars comment on this subject they say EXACTLY the same things as I have just covered on this topic! - Here is one source, but you can look up more yourself if you still doubt it…
From the Othodox web-site Shema Yisrael Torah Network (In assoc. with Yeshiva Pirchei Soshanim): 1. As the people of the sacred dance, we look forward to the fulfillment of our Beloved’s promise, where He refers to our people as the “Maiden of Israel”: “And I have loved you with an eternal love, therefore I have extended lovingkindness to you. I shall yet rebuild you and you shall be rebuilt, O Maiden of Israel; you will yet adorn yourself with drums and go forth in the round-dance of the joyful.” (Jeremiah 31:2,3) 2. The Hebrew word for round-dance is machol. In a literal sense, machol refers to a circle that encloses an open space (see Mishnah Kelaim 4:1). The Talmud describes a mystical machol of the righteous, who will form a circle around Hashem in the World to Come (Taanis 31a). In “The Book of Jeremiah” – a translation and commentary by Rabbi Joseph Breuer – machol is translated as “round-dance.” This noted work is published by Feldheim, and a pocket-size edition was also published: (www.feldheim.com) - http://www.shemayisrael.com/publicat/hazon/tzedaka/dancingprayer.htm
Dancing In The Brit-HaChadashah/(The New Testament)…
Though there is not near as much given in the Greek New Testament Scripture about dance as there is in Tanakh/[O.T.]; yet one very important reference is in Luke 15:25, where we see that: The context Yeshua/(Jesus) Messiah gives us here (Luke 15) with His parable of the “Prodigal-son”, is that the ‘father’ of the returning son, is representative of our Heavenly Father YAH, in the love He shows to those who repent and return unto Him. First of all I believe this shows conclusively that YHVH is NOT against dancing, because Yeshua would have never have used a profane example to illustrate to us our Heavenly Father’s love for us, as He used in His parable that everyone of the (F)ather’s household was rejoicing at the lost son’s return in *dancing, if dancing was considered profane by YHVH ! But besides this: The Greek word used here for dancing is very interesting and is also quite specific of it being a round/circular type of a dance that was spoken of…
*GREEK WORD FOR DANCING IN LUKE 15:25 –[CHOROS χορός -{STRONGS: 5525}- a band (of dancers and singers), circular dance…-(New Testament Greek Lexicon from Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary, keyed to the 'Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.'): http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5525 / {kai corwn}–(Also noted in the understanding of the English word “corral”) – And also note the meaning given in “Robertson’s Word Pictures Of The New Testament” as: “A circular dance on the green.”.]
Some people (believe it or not) actually believe that any dance that is choreographed is not Biblical! - Yet even the words that indicate whirling/twirling around (which are also in a circular/round motion), do not necessarily mean un-choreographed or wild at all. Yes, where David danced it is implied in the Hebrew word 3769 kaw-raw, which does indicate a wild type of dance; but the false notion some people have, of their incorrectly saying that YHVH ONLY intends in His Commands for us to Praise Him in Dance that is: un-Choreographed, &/or wild & disorganized, is ridiculous!...And the various Hebrew (and Greek) words that are employed, along with historical and various scholarship studies, certainly show otherwise!
Following is a quote from Edersheim noting in The Mishnah (& in Talmud), where it talks about the maidens of Jerusalem who danced "around in circle" on Yom Kippur during the Temple times...
The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, by Alfred Edersheim - Chapter 16, The Day of Atonement: Mishnah Taan. iv. 8 records: “...on the afternoon of the 15th of Ab, when the collection of wood for the sanctuary was completed, and on that of the Day of Atonement, the maidens of Jerusalem went in white garments, specially lent them for the purpose, so that rich and poor might be on an equality, into the vineyards close to the city, where they danced and sung. The following fragment of one of their songs has been preserved: * 'Around in circle gay, the Hebrew maidens see; From them our happy youths their partners choose. Remember! Beauty soon its charm must lose--And seek to win a maid of fair degree. When fading grace and beauty low are laid, Then praise shall her who fears the Lord await; God does bless her handiwork--and, in the gate, "Her works do follow her," it shall be said.'* The Talmud repeatedly states the fact and gives the song...though the reporter in the Mishnah is said to be none other than Rabbi Simeon, the son of Gamaliel, Paul's teacher.”
Here is another quotation from Edersheim, and while not specifically noting a round/circular type of dance here, it does show that dance was a function of the Temple service on the Holy Day celebrations of YHVH, and it appears to be quite choreographed and orderly, and not at all in a wild-disorganized fashion…
The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, by Alfred Edersheim - Chapter 14, The Feast of Tabernacles, The Ceremonies in the Court of the Women: “At the close of the first day of the feast the worshippers descended to the Court of the Women, where great preparations had been made. Four golden candelabras were there, each with four golden bowls, and against them rested four ladders; and four youths of priestly descent held, each a pitcher of oil, capable of holding one hundred and twenty log, from which they filled each bowl. The old, worn breeches and girdles of the priests served for wicks to these lamps. There was not a court in Jerusalem that was not lit up by the light of 'the house of water-pouring.' The 'Chassidim' and 'the men of Deed' danced before the people with flaming torches in their hands, and sang before them hymns and songs of praise; and the Levites, with harps, and lutes, and cymbals, and trumpets, and instruments of music without number, stood upon the fifteen steps which led down from the Court of Israel to that of the Women, according to the number of the fifteen Songs of Degrees in the Book of Psalms. They stood with their instruments of music, and sang hymns. Two priests, with trumpets in their hands, were at the upper gate (that of Nicanor), which led from the Court of Israel to that of the Women. At cock-crowing they drew a threefold blast. As they reached the tenth step, they drew another threefold blast; as they entered the court itself, they drew yet another threefold blast; and so they blew as they advanced, till they reached the gate which opens upon the east (the Beautiful Gate). As they came to the eastern gate, they turned round towards the west (to face the Holy Place), and said: 'Our fathers who were in this place, they turned their back upon the Sanctuary of Jehovah, and their faces toward the east, and they worshipped towards the rising sun; but as for us, our eyes are towards the Lord.' A fragment of one of the hymns sung that night has been preserved. It was sung by the 'Chassidim' and 'men of Deed,' and by those who did penance in their old age for the sins of their youth: The Chassidim and Men of Deed. “'Oh joy, that our youth, devoted, sage, Doth bring no shame upon our old age!' The Penitents. 'Oh joy, we can in our old age Repair the sins of youth not sage!’ Both in unison. 'Yes, happy he on whom no early guilt doth rest, And he who, having sinned, is now with pardon blest.’”
Another Talmudic quotation concerning Dance on YHVH’s Festival of Sukkot/(Tabernacles/Booths)…
“A connection between the possession of religious joy is found in the ceremony of water drawing...(‘feast of water-drawing’) on the festival of Sukkoth. The Mishna said that he who has never seen this ceremony, which was accompanied by dancing, singing, and music (Sukkoth 5:4), had never seen true joy (Jerusalem Talmud, Sukkut 5:1, 55a).” - Encyclopedia Judaica 14:365.
Just a few more URLs/Links for further research…
In addition to all the above: All of these studies on the Hebrew words for dance and related subjects can be found in very many sources and scholars’ writings online. Here are just a few more locations which relate (more or a less) to what I’ve just spoken of above. These are simply to give you some places to start if you decide to continue to research more of this subject on your own:
www.bethhillel.com/pages.asp?pageid=85963
www.oneagleswingsinc.org/The_Biblical_Basis_of_Dance_in_Worship.html
www.hamishkandavid.org/id55.html
http://bonasdancesite.homestead.com/Hebrew.html
http://www.tbm.org/there_is_power_in_praise.htm
http://hisloveministries.org/aboutus.aspx
~
Following are brief comments in critique of the document/article: “Praise Dance, Worship Dance –
by Jim Feeny”.
This article needs to be addressed, as the author’s article is based on incorrect and misleading premises and conclusions, and has faults in its proofs used to arrive at his conclusions on what Scripture has to say concerning dance. Starting from his very first sentence, his opening premise itself is highly misleading: “…A significant biblical fact is that the following terms — praise dance, praise dancing, worship dance, worship dancing, praise and worship dance, and praise dance ministry — are commonly used by those endorsing this form of worship, yet none of these terms occurs even one time in the bible….”– While perhaps not employed as proper-nouns in Scripture, these terms are virtually all used as action-verbs in Scripture; though he’s giving readers the impression that these concepts are absent entirely from Scripture (later in his article he attempts to show that while most translators translate ‘dance’ in certain places, it might not mean ‘dance’ there, but even those statements of his are invalid – more on this later). So even by his opening statement he’s showing his agenda is to denigrate Worship Dance in general, which is noted by his conclusion/(premise) in his closing statements (which is contrary to Scripture’s commands) in his article: ‘(due to actions that are pagan or immodest, ancient & modern)’-->“…That reason alone should bring great inhibition to dancing in church…”. Pagan groups actions in ancient times, or modern immodest and wrong behavior on the part of some, are NOT reasons to “BRING INHIBITION TO DANCING IN CHURCH” ! To even suggest we inhibit right dancing in true Worship is completely contrary to YAH’s commands in Scripture instructing His people to PRAISE/WORSHIP IN DANCE !
Addressing the pagan practices in ancient times: Pagan-dancing to a foreign god, is as disassociated from dancing unto YHVH in Praise and Worship, as is: Pagans sacrificing a goat on an altar -verses- the Cohen of YHVH sacrificing the goat on Yom Kippur ! Though they may appear to be similar somewhat in practices, yet they are entirely not related at all and are an eternity apart. To try and compare pagan practices, as being on any kind of a parity or as a yard-stick, to any form of ministry unto YHVH which is outlined in Scripture, is a dangerous backwards proof-texting - as one can (falsely) sow dispersions and denigrate all the commanded forms of Praise and Worship by such an (false) appeal, in noting that the pagans did the same things in their pagan-worship practices…The pagans sang, prayed, danced, sacrificed, etc…; yet to attempt to use their (pagans) practices, to relate to Worship unto YAH, is insulting at best, and is a completely backward premise. – In Spiritual Circumspection one examines the counterfeit from the True; NOT illustrating and critiquing the True/Holy from the profane ! – Trying in this way to equate the two is itself profane. One could use such false circular reasoning to even say the post-19th century Hassidic views on dance are wrong; for example: ‘The pagans method of dance was often done by male only dancers, such as the male priests of baal dancing to a pagan god on Mt. Carmel; therefore we can conclude (falsely) that the Hassidic practice of males only dancing to YHVH is a pagan practice and displeasing to YAH.’ – Is this type of exegesis of Scripture valid? OF COURSE NOT! – Yet that is the type of circular reasoning that is used all the time by those who have an agenda to prove something against dance, or that other things they’re against, is wrong. – One such example that one is often confronted with in this is: ‘Witches and cults dance in ‘circles’, we don’t see Israel dancing in circles, so dancing in circles is pagan and an abomination to YHVH’ – HOWEVER!: Besides the fact that this is an example of backwards-circular reasoning…There are several words used for ‘dance’ in Scripture unto YHVH, and several of those mean in Hebrew ‘circular/round dance’ !
Exegesis / Isogesis from something not stated in Scripture is an argument from silence, which all to often results in false conclusions. Such as: ‘The reason one doesn’t see mixed-dancing in Scripture unto YHVH is it was never allowed.’ – This same type of argument is used by those who are anti-Torah to say the Shabbat is done away with: ‘All the ten-commandments are restated in the N.T., but the command to keep the Shabbat day is not restated, so we know the Shabbat was done away with.’ Again: That is an example of backward-circular reasoning. - Following that train of thought, while there are several verses that say to Praise YAH in dance, yet there are very few examples given that specify who was dancing on those few occasions that were shown (Miryam, David, etc…). To say that men and women never danced in corporate Praise and Worship during Israeli’s 1000’s of years of history, because we only have a very few examples, of women and men dancing separately, is again reading a definitive statement into the text of something that isn’t there. – Then if one is backing up that notion by citing the couple of examples of pagans dancing in mixed-company, this still doesn’t prove the notion that corporate-dancing unto YHVH is wrong or was never done either (again, for the reasons of pagan sacrifice, song, prayer not being used as examples to invalidate the valid: Sacrifice, Song, Prayer – as I outlined above). Since it isn’t clearly stated otherwise: One could just as easily make the case that the very few occasions that we have of only women dancing is because it was out of the norm, or because it was a special event that just happened to be performed only by women that day, and there’s nothing more that was to be read into it. – One might as well take it this way as being the fact as the other, if one is going to start speculating on exegesis based on arguments of silence to make definitive statements!
Then to further back up the argument from silence by stating things like: ‘Such was never done in Judaism, as touching women is forbidden in Judaism, and always has been’ – is not correct at all either. If one reads current Orthodox commentaries one will get the impression that has always been the case; but that is because what you are reading is the modern/post-19th-century Orthodox Hassidic rulings that applied a much stricter view of Talmudic commentary, which wasn’t written until 200 to 500 years after the destruction of the Temple. Appealing to Talmud is itself kind of pointless – as in Talmud there is always the minority and majority view on any subject – that most often totally contradicts itself. Without research (which I did give in my prior citations in this article above) it is not easy to see at first glance that the Orthodox practice for centuries prior to the 19th century AD (and in some cases past the middle of the 20th c.) did NOT condemn corporate/mixed-dance at celebrations and events, even including in Synagogues overseen by the Rabbi’s and Sages. – Nor is it obvious that the strict (supposed) universal ban on touching, was not even universally agreed upon in the very Talmudic commentary itself they quote from (which again: was written centuries after the destruction of the Temple) that they use to make their point!...In fact the Rabbi they consider the greatest of all times, Maimonides, himself even disagrees with a main and key point of that section of Talmudic commentary, stating that a hug and even a kiss, if done in a non-sexual manner is fine – something modern Hassidic Orthodoxy would completely disagree with, and would obviously contradiction their “never allowed, etc…” false-premise. – So of course in the Hassidic Orthodox commentary you’ll rarely, if ever, see these contentions brought up – as they completely invalidate their post 19th century AD rulings and stance as being ‘universal’.
One more point, the author says where it is translated ‘dance’ by most translators in places, it might not be dance as it isn’t translated as such by…(and he appeals to LAMSA’s Aramaic Tanakh). But there is a problem with that: {A.} Lamsa is considered a heretic by conservative scholarship due to certain of his beliefs; and {B.} The Tanakh (with the exception of Daniel and one other chapter) is written and was given in HEBREW, NOT Aramaic ! – It is a mistake to use an inferior source, to contradict a primary and valid source – where the valid source is clear. It means next to nothing to say an Aramaic word, as translated by a single translator who is himself questionable, might have a different meaning than the original Hebrew word – WHEN WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL HEBREW WORD! – That having been said, here is a verse even he admits translators have said does speak of corporate-dance unto YHVH….
“…there is some dispute whether Jeremiah prophesied that men would dance with women at the return of Israel from bondage. Let me quote it again: “Then maidens will *dance and be glad, young men and old as well” (Jeremiah 31:13). Some read that as the maidens, the young men and the old men all dancing together….”– But then he goes on to use modern Orthodox references and Lamsa to discount that (again, using inferior proof-texting as I’ve outlined above).
*[MY NOTE…Again: The word for dance here in Jer.31:13 is also one of the Hebrew words indicating round (or circle) dance: machowl #4234 מחול]
What then? – The arguments by this author (J. Feeny), that I've outlined in the critique of his document above, show they are: biased, based on an agenda with an invalid premise and conclusions, that he is building dogma on arguments of silence, and he is using faulty incomplete and inferior proof-texting material.
Finally:
"And David danced before YHVH/the-LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. ~ Let them praise His Name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp. ~ Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. ~ Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. ~ Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; ~ And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." - (2Samuel 6:14; Psalms 149:3; Psalms 150:4; Jeremiah 31:13; Psalms 30:11; Luke 15:20-32).
מחול
http://www.innercourtdancers.net/in-defense-of-biblical-dance-in-praise--worship-unto-yhvh---icd-teaching-docs.html
Bill Carlson / Dawnita Carlson - 2011
CLICK Below To Open/Download The Above Teaching-Article As A Word.doc:
| in_defense_of_biblical_dance_in_praise_worship_unto_yhvh.doc |
