Why did Yaakov Teitel terrorise Christians and Messianic Jews?
Previous related Posts:-
Breaking news: Yaakov Teitel arrested in Ami Ortiz case
Potential breakthrough in Ami Ortiz case
This is a cross-post from Yeze over at the Rosh Pina Project. Please ensure to have a look at the additional links at the bottom of this article, for more analysis and Internet links from Yeze.
After you’ve read Judah’s excellent post on the significance of the arrest of Yaakov Teitel, there are a few more points we may to consider.
Why did Teitel act the way he did towards believers in Yeshua?
Firstly, this is no ordinary person. Teitel committed his first murder in 1997.
Teitel was seemingly motivated by hollow religious zeal.
From The Guardian:
Teitel’s lawyer, Adi Keidar, said his client “in the best-case scenario is mentally unstable”. He described him as “a man that is motivated by false thoughts, that see himself as an emissary of the lord”.
Teitel thought he was fighting a noble cause.
Secondly, this goes beyond Teitel’s attitude towards the Ortiz family, or even Messianic Jews. Teitel was an ideologue of the most simplistic variety. He was bigoted towards all believers in Jesus, swallowing the vilest of lies about what motivates Christians.
Haaretz reports:
Tytell told the police that on April 20, 2007, he placed a bomb bear the monastery at Beit Jimal near Beit Shemesh, which injured a Palestinian tractor driver because he “heard that the monks there were enticing Jewish children with candy.”
And why attack the Ortiz family?
On March 20, 2008, Tytell allegedly put an explosive charge in Purim candy he placed near the home of the Ortiz family in Ariel. A 15-year-old boy was seriously injured in the attack. Tytell reportedly said the family were “missionaries who intended to entrap weak Jews.”
Fearing that Christians were overtaking Israel and manipulating Jews, Teitel decided to take matters into his own hands.
His actions were the product of a worldview of despair, in which rational debate is cast aside in favour of brashness and combat.
Treating Messianic Jews as deceivers and tricksters, Teitel became the ultimate deceiver.
Teitel deceived Ami Ortiz with a gift disguised as a Purim package.
Teitel deceived Israel’s authorities, living for years in freedom as past victims lay dead.
Teitel deceived his own family, and ultimately I suspect, Teitel deceived himself into thinking that he was in some way doing God’s will.
The case of Yaakov Teitel should serve as a warning as to how far people can take their prejudices. In this case, violent words have bred violent actions – a fact acknowledged by Israel’s Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. And there are surely more Yaakov Teitels out there, plotting domestic terrorism.
May the Israeli public heed Netanyahu’s words, may Ami continue to heal from his wounds, and may such violence never rear its ugly head again.
Further links and analysis from Yeze – Rosh Pina Project:-
Tablet on Teitel – A helpful summary of articles.
Ten Unanswered Questions about Yaakov Teitel and the Ami Ortiz case
Issues faced by Messianic Jews – We are not monsters, demons or frauds! We are human beings:
If you have stumbled onto this blog and are not a Christian, get yourself a hot drink, pull up a comfy chair and then tuck into the following article written by one of the best in the business:- All Of Grace by Charles Spurgeon
Tags: Christian Persecution, Israel