In my experience, it appears that the primary technique of Biblical exegesis among Israelites is polemics - that is, the refutation of the opinions or principles of another (primarily Hellenistic Christianity). Countless hours are spent on such topics as whether or not we should keep the commandments, is "Jesus" God, and are the Israelites "black".

Unfortunately, we ignore perhaps the most important topic in the Bible - teshuvah (repentance).

Teshuvah is based on the Hebrew word shuv which means to return, or turn back.  therefore, repentance is returning to path of Torah and returning that which was upset back to its original condition. It is important to know that every sin we commit not only affects ourselves, but the whole universe and everyone in it.

In Rabbi Yonah Gerondi's book, "The Gates of Repentance", he states that YHWH has "provided us with a way to rise above our destructive acts, to avoid the traps we set by our acts of defiance, to ward of personal devastation, and deflect His anger." This whole process is outlined for us in the Hebrew Bible completely different than the Christian perversion of teshuvah which claims that Yehoshua did teshuvah for us on the Cross.

Rather, he outlined the process that YHWH has given to Israel by way of the the Hebrew Prophets. Unfortunately, many Israelites have been mislead by mainstream Christians to believe that "just believing in Jesus" will wipe away all our sins. Yes, YHWH is merciful by providing Israel an eternal sacrifice for sins. HOWEVER, Yehoshua only died for unintentional sins in accordance with Torah.

There is not sacrifice in Torah the covers willful sinning. Hebrews 10:26-27 reminds us this Torah truth by stating, " For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." I hope it works out well for Christian Israelites who think that Yehoshua died so that we can return to eating swine. May Yah have mercy on their confused minds. I pray that all Israel comes to the truth...

[In the next few lessons, I will provide the verses given in the Tanakh in which the Hebrew Prophets teach us the importance of Teshuvah and who to do it. We will find that this is their primary message.]

We even read in the early writings of the Gospels that Yochanan (John) the Immerser taught repentance.

Matthew 3

1  In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
 

Yes, Yochanan followed in the steps and teachings of all the prophets by teaching that teshuvah is how we can gain nearness to Yahweh (the Kingdom of Heaven) in this lifetime. Yehoshua, the fulfillment of all the Prophets, came teaching the same message.

Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

So, even in the NT, repentance is taught as the crucial process in order to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven. The process is taught by the Hebrew Prophets. In the following lessons, I will give the verses to show us all how to do this. I am reading this masterpiece of a book called The Gates of Repentance. And I will just share what I learn. But it all comes from the verses. All that will be done is that the verses concerning Teshuvah will be put in the lessons.

I do this with the hope that Israel will again focus on repentance. It is clear that the only way we will get out of this mess is Teshuvah. This includes our personal struggles as well as our struggle as a Nation. 

Deuteronomy 30:1-3
1  And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,

2  And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;

3  That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.

So we see, it is CRUCIAL that Israel learn to repent. As we see, there is nothing about praying for and waiting for a Messiah to come out of the sky to save us while we are still holding on to sin. It is time for us to press hard to shake the bonds of sin that hold us in the captivity of Satan that is greater than any bondage an Egyptian or European could ever put us in.

John 8:36 - If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
 

It is the Son, Yehoshua Ha Mashiach, who will lead us to perfect Teshuvah. But we must follow him by following the Tanakh since he is the Living Torah. Again, I urge us all to repent.