Jesus and Halakha

I was recently researching some of the ritual practices of Jews for Jesus and stumbled upon the website of the Messianic Rabbinical Council.

What did I learn?

These guys may love Jesus, but they’re seriously frum. Though, granted, on the liberal side of the halakhic spectrum.

Here’s what they have to say about niddah:

The Torah explicitly forbids all sexual relations during a woman’s menstrual period (Leviticus 18:19; 20:18). It also determines that a menstruant is to be considered ritually impure (and thus sexually inactive) for seven days from the onset of menstruation (Leviticus 15:19). Thus, our basic practice adheres to the straightforward meaning (peshat) of the biblical text. (MORE)

Their kashrut section is particularly interesting, as it puts New Testament sources into a halakhic context:

All fruits, grains and vegetables are kosher. Fish with fins and scales are also kosher. These basic laws of Kashrut are first enjoined in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14…

Peter’s vision in Acts 10 suggests that the nations of the world are now being called to share in Israel’s holiness, without losing their character as nations distinct from Israel. Therefore, they may now become holy, like Israel, without adopting Israel’s dietary regimen. However, Acts 10 does not imply that Israel may fulfill its own particular priestly calling apart from that regimen.