A Congregation of Messianic Jews (and Gentiles) that believe Yeshua (Jesus)
is the promised Messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
 |
Eyn Keyloheynu
“From that, many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more. Then Yeshua said to the Twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Holy One of God)’ “ [John 6:66-69]
Within the corpus of our Jewish liturgy is the wonderful hymn: Eyn Keyloheynu (There is None Like Our God).
Translated from the Hebrew this hymn confidently declares,
There
is none like our God; there is none like our Master;
There is none like our King; there is none
like our Savior;
Who is like our God? Who is like our
Master? Who is like our King?
Who is like our Savior? Let us thank our God; let us thank our
Master;
Let us thank our King; let us thank our Savior. Blessed is our God;
Blessed is our Master; blessed is our King; blessed is our Savior;
It is you who is our God; it is you who is our Master; it is you who
is our King;
It is you who is our Savior; it is you before whom our forefathers
burned
The spice-incense (Artscroll Siddur).
Our Sages (Rashi Siddur) tell us that on Shabbat and during the Hagim, Eyn Keyloheynu is prayed. According to our Sages, the reason for this is to fill in the lacking blessings of the Shmoneh-Esreh for Shabbat and Hagim, which have only seven blessings to God. Further, each time the words there is none like our God is prayed this counts as blessing God, bringing the blessings to Nineteen (Artscroll Siddur).
Certainly our Sages were convinced of the uniqueness of God. In fact, our very Scriptures affirm God’s uniqueness (Psalm 89:6-8). In addition, the Scriptures declare unequivocally God’s transcendent identity as Master of the universe, Savior of Israel, and King of the Jewish nation.
God’s identity and operations in the world especially in Israel are a mystery. According to John’s gospel, could the lack of some disciples to fully grasp God’s identity have caused some of Yeshua’s followers to quit? This was probably so.
John tells us that some disciples stopped walking with Yeshua. Could this be because they did not know who Yeshua really was or believe him regarding his identity-God the human? To try to answer this as believers we must accept and admit the mystery of God in daily operations in our lives. Simon Peter accepted the unexplained and still made a profession, “You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that you are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”
Much like Simon Peter’s word of faith and commitment are the words of our hymn Eyn Keyloheynu: 1) a declaration of God the One and Only; 2) his Lordship over creation; 3) his kingship over Israel; 4) his willingness to save. These express our Lord’s uniqueness and his relationship to Israel.
Assuredly, when our Sages wrote the hymn they clearly confessed God’s uniqueness and sovereignty. This hymn does not first ask, who? But confidently first accepts who? Further, the hymn clearly offers thanks to God, blesses God, and speaks of his personal involvement with Israel.
According to the Gospel, some disciples do stop walking with the Lord. But the passage clearly teaches the example of Simon Peter who addresses our Lord as Adon, holder of eternal life, Messiah, and Son of the Living God all as a profession of faith.
So, when we pray Eyn Keyloheynu we are confessing, proclaiming, and declaring the unique God as a profession of our messianic faith. This faith is in the one whose ways are beyond finding out.
Cantor Lyle Leibovitz