Moshiachʼs Letter through the Shliach Ya'akov to the Brit Chadasha Kehillah
Introduction
This letter may be the earliest writing in the Brit Chadasha. Of royal blood, Ya'akov Bar Yosef Ben Dovid, like Rav Sha'ul, was an unbeliever until he came to faith by the appearance of the Risen Moshiach (see 1C 15:7). He died al kiddush ha-Shem 62 C.E. according to Josephus. His brother Yehuda wrote the letter called Yehuda; see Mt 13:55.
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1 Ya'akov,* eved (servant) of Hashem and of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua; To the Shneym Asar HaShevatim (Twelve Tribes) in the Golus, Shalom!†
2 Consider it all simcha, my Achim b'Moshiach, whenever you fall into various nisayonos (tests, trials), 3 Because you have da'as that the emunah you have, when it is tested, produces savlanut (patient endurance). 4 And let savlanut be shleimah in its po'al (work) in order that you may be mevugarim (mature, grown up) and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any one of you is lacking chochmah (wisdom), let him direct tefillah (prayer) and techinot (petitions) to Hashem, the One whose matanot (gifts) are given generously and without grudging, and chochmah will be given to him.‡ 6 But let the tefillah be offered with much bitachon in emunah (faith), in no way doubting. For the doubtful man, wavering in emunah, is like a wave of the yam (sea), being tossed by the wind.§ 7 Let not such a one presume that he will receive anything from Adoneinu. 8 He is an ish (man) of double mind, in all his drakhim (ways), mesupak (uncertain, having doubts) and unstable.*
9 But let the Ach b'Moshiach of shiflut (lowliness) glory in the da'as that Hashem will exalt him. 10 And let the Ach b'Moshiach who has osher (riches) glory in his bizyoinos (humiliation), in the da'as that Hashem will bring him low, because KOL HABASAR KHATZIR†(All flesh is grass) and so he likewise will vanish.‡ 11 For the shemesh (sun) rose with its burning heat and dried the grass and its TZITZ NAVEL§(flower blossom fell). And the beauty of its appearance perished, so also the “oisher” (rich man) in his goings will fade away.*
12 Ashrey is the one who stands up under nisayon (trial), because, having become approved, that one will be given the Ateret HaChayyim (Crown of Life), which Hashem gave as a havtachah (promise) to those having Ahavas Hashem. 13 However, let no one say, when he is tempted, “From Hashem I am being tempted,” for Hashem cannot be tempted to crave ra'ah (evil), and He Himself trips up no one with nisayon (temptation). 14 But each one is tempted by his own ta'avah (lust, yetzer hara), being dragged off by it and being allured.† 15 Then after her conception Ta'avah gives birth to Averah (Transgression) and Averah, once she has fully developed, gives birth to Mavet.‡
16 Do not fall under a delusion, my beloved Achim b'Moshiach. 17 Every good endowment and every matanah shleimah (complete gift) is from above, coming down from Avi HaOhrot (the Father of Lights) with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.§ 18 Birtzon Hashem(by the will of G-d), he gave birth to us by the Dvar HaEmes, that we might be a kind of bikkurim (firstfruits) of all he created.*
19 Have da'as of this, my beloved Achim b'Moshiach. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to ka'as (anger).† 20 For the ka'as of Bnei Adam does not accomplish the Tzikat Hashem. 21 Therefore, having put away all filthiness and what remains of resha (wickedness) in shiflut (lowliness) and meekness receive the implanted Dvar Hashem which is able to save your nefashot.‡
22 Now be Shomrei HaDvar Hashem and not Shomei HaDvar only, thereby causing yourselves to fall under remiyah (deceit, deception). 23 Because if anyone is Shomei HaDavar and not Shomrei HaDavar, this one is like a man looking at his ponum in a mirror, 24 For he observed himself and has gone away and immediately forgot what he looked like. 25 But the one having peered into the Torah HaShleimah (the Perfect Torah), the Torah HaCherut (the Torah of Freedom), and there remaining, not as a forgetful listener but one who is shomer mitzvot and goes into action, this one will have a bracha on his head in all his acts.§
26 If anyone considers himself to be one of the Charedim [Orthodox, G-d-fearing Jewish religious ones], yet has lashon hora and does not bridle his tongue but instead causes his lev to fall under remiyah (deceit), this oneʼs chasidus (piety) is worthless.* 27 Avodas Kodesh that is tehorah (pure) and tamimah (unblemished) before Elohim HaAv is this: to visit yetomim (orphans) and almanot (widows) in their tzoros and to be shomer against the defilement of the Olam Hazeh.†
* 1:1 See Mt 13:55 † 1:1 Dt 32:26 ‡ 1:5 1Kgs 3:9,10; Prov 2:3-6; Ps 51:6; Dan 1:17; 2:21 § 1:6 1Kgs 18:21 * 1:8 Ps 119:113 † 1:10 Isa 40:6,7 ‡ 1:10 Job 14:2; Ps 103:15,16 § 1:11 Isa 40:6-8 * 1:11 Ps 102:4,11 † 1:14 Prov 19:3 ‡ 1:15 Gn 3:6; Job 15:35; Ps 7:14; Isa 59:4 § 1:17 Ps 85:12; Gn 1:16; Ps 136:7; Dan 2:22; Num 23:19; Ps 102:27; Mal 3:6 * 1:18 Jer 2:3 † 1:19 Prov 10:19 ‡ 1:21 Rv 3:20 § 1:25 Ps 19:7 * 1:26 Ps 34:13; 39:1; 141:3 † 1:27 Dt 14:29; Job 31:16,17,21; Ps 146:9; Isa 1:17,23