MBI, David Hargis & Malachi Goodman

Malachi, at that time, had been reading the article Marian Hargis & Linda C. Hargis & Linda G. Hargis, and requested that I make it clear that he was no longer associated with MBI, the Hargis's or the Messianic movement and had in fact returned to Judaism. The following is the update from that article.

Update May 3, 2004: From an email from Mal Goodman, (who had been vice president 2 of MBI), May 1, 2004, Mr. Goodman stated he is "no longer affiliated with MBI, the Messianic Jewish movement, David Hargis or any related subject or associate...we all make mistakes."

That would be so, as by 1999, Malachi Z. Goodman stated in his torahscroll.com website, that, "Previously, I was a "Messianic Jew", and the page was intended to teach Torah to other Christians. I have since returned to Torah Judaism..."

Right from it's inception, in 1998, Malachi Goodman featured kabbalist Avi ben Mordechai and his website, on his torahscroll.com. He also taught Pardes, which is kabbalah, while he worked with David and Linda Hargis. (the Hargis's also teach kabbalah) In 1998, Goodman stated he was, "Rabbi at Bet Chayim Torah Messianic Orthodox Synagogue in Hampton/Virginia Beach, Virginia. Malachi serves also as Cantor. He is married to Hanna Goodman, and their interests include basically Gematria and speaking at colleges and churches about Messianic Judaism. Both are Messianic Jews..."

His 1998 resume included :EXPERIENCE: Rabbi of Bet Chayim Torah Messianic Orthodox Synagogue ; MESSIANIC BUREAU INTERNATIONAL Officer, Virginia Beach, Va; ...

By late 1999, Malachi stated he was "a former Messianic Jew, and no longer believes in Christianity. Anyone interested in trying to tell Malachi about Christianity can save their effort." He rejected the virgin birth, turned fully to kabbalah, rejects the New Testament and rejects Jesus Christ as Messiah. He stated, "1999/5759 - Yeshu didn't fulfill any of the messianic prophecies." He has subsequently referred people to Outreach Judaism, Jews for Judaism, the Chabad.org and similar for places for assistance for Jews who have been involved with Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism or Noachides.

On March 3, 2005, Malachi wrote me again, and with his consent I am posting his letter, and some of our continuing correspondence. I am also now including thoughts which I had told Malachi I would address and in this manner.

Malachi: "I've been on the internet since 1995. Originally, David Hargis had a free AOL webpage (when it was under its first name, I can't remember which). He gave me a subsection at that time. David moved to www.messianic.com, and I had a subsection for quite sometime! I think I moved to my own website www.torahscroll.com back in 1996 - if you have any way to verify that, please do."

I don't have the actual year I broke from David - have you ever considered contacting him and asking?

Vicky : I believe the farthest back I have record of you on Messianic.com is 1996. However the original site was called > home.navisoft.com/mbi/torah.htm and there is no record of it now on the internet that I can see. And it was under messianic.com/torah >as Malachi's Torah Scroll. I am not sure how I missed that.

The earliest date I can see where you set up Torahscroll independently is 1998. You were still listed with Messianic.com in spring of 1997, and also in 1998. And it was in 1998 for sure that you promoted Avi ben Mordechai, and by 1999 had fully rejected the Messianic movement you had been part of.

"My affiliation with Avi Ben Mordecai, and I believe his real name was Ben Marcus, "

Malachi> My affiliation with Avi Ben Mordecai, and I believe his real name was Ben Marcus, was simply that I was trying to call attention to the messianic "movement" ...and anyone involved in it I was willing to promote. I had concerns at the time about quoting Ben Mordecai - at the time someone I knew (who also has left the movement) had corresponded with Ben Mordecai about his beliefs, and there was some implied heresy about is beliefs in who Jesus was. My own relationship with Ben Mordecai dissolved after I left the movement, as we had two
brief exchanges, both of them pretty nasty. So I was never an avid supporter of him - you'll find I also had quoted a couple other "messianics", both of whose names escape me (sid roth?) Anything that addressed certain issues, I would use - there was never an implied agreement with any one person. I can't recall ever quoting Trimm (I've never met him or corresponded with Trimm).

Vicky >I can probably nail down when you left MBI with my information. A few of the Hargis group members have had contact with me. They aren't very happy with my articles about them, and if you look on their website in the Yeshiva section you will see an article titled FRAUD ALERT . I am one of two who has written about them, that I am aware of. Lies and deception are never God's way.

Malachi > "PaRDeS is roughly analogous to the Christian laws of Exegesis. An example is the Christian teaching that the number 7 is the number of perfection, and that 3 is the number of G-d. These examples of Christian Exegesis (I'm sure you're familiar with them) are roughly the same as ParDes. Under Jewish law, one cannot teach Kabbalah to other Jews until one is at least 40 years old. At the time, I was not yet 40, so therefore couldn't teach it. Kabbalah is the study of the Zohar and other writings as such."

Vicky > Of course this is where we are going to disagree, because of all the research I have done concerning kabbalah, and from Jewish sources. However, I will fully agree that it is taught by practicing Jews that a person under 40 is not to teach kabbalah. Kabbalists, like James Trimm, with in the "roots movement" have removed that rule, saying that is was changed.

Malachi > "Another note - you'll be interested to note that my resume at the time was written by David Hargis. Please note the similarity between his and mine. The curriculum I wrote at the time called for 8 years of study at a building, with a library - you know, a real university. My recommendations were all rejected at the time. I cannot find my original documents on this curriculum. David Hargis kept only one of my recommendations, and instituted the program that MBI "Yeshiva" used. Also keep in mind that I too purchased a phony degree from Hargis. I spent I don't know, several hundred dollars or so for a printed piece of paper? I no longer have the figures. "

Vicky > I am glad you are upfront about your role and participation. Malachi, I had another question. You sort of addressed it when you said David Hargis wrote your resume and in essence gave you your 'credentials.' I had a source who has since left the messianic movement. That person had close personal contact with someone very close to David. That person stated that all the 'staff' resumes were fabricated by David Hargis and given to all. That person felt it would be disloyal to actually state that and basically give them up. Can you confirm that information?

Malachi > I can't confirm any info about Hargis giving others their resumes - I do know mine was written by David M. Hargis. I can't confirm the exact year. I've tried so hard to forget all those years - seems to be working. That was 7 to 10 years ago. At this point my memory gets hazy about who did what, who said what, etc.

Vicky > It doesn't seem to bother people that David Hargis gave himself his own doctorate, let alone all the other documented information about him and also concerning the credentials of himself and those with him, and the proven diploma mill information. What I have noticed is that integrity and honesty issues seem to be set aside by many.

It's noteworthy that in early 1998, under the MBI Yeshiva Staff, you were listed as:

As I was looking for information about your dates of involvement I found your 1998 TorahScroll site, where this was also stated:

There seems to be an ever increasing number of people who have moved from varied denominational backgrounds, moved into various parts of this movement, and end up rejecting Jesus Christ as the Messiah, rejecting the New Testament, and eventually move to Judaism.

Malachi > quoting my article "By late 1999, Malachi stated he was "a former Messianic Jew, and no longer believes in Christianity. Anyone interested in trying to tell Malachi about Christianity can save their effort." He rejected the virgin birth, turned fully to kabbalah, rejects the New Testament and rejects Jesus Christ as Messiah. He stated, "1999/5759 - Yeshu didn't fulfill any of the messianic prophecies." He has subsequently referred people to Outreach Judaism, Jews for Judaism, the Chabad.org and similar for places for assistance for Jews who have been involved with Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism or Noachides. "

I appreciate your adding this, and all courtesies you've extended to someone who in your eyes would be considered a heretic? Please note I harbor no ill will to Christianity - I wish you well with your faith and your beliefs.
However, I would like the Messianic fraud addressed for what it is - a fraud, a lie and a scam. I notice that all the Messianic websites seem to have a way of asking for money. G-d forgive me for ever being part of that.

Vicky > Malachi, I want to thank you for writing and being candid about how you feel about your experiences with David Hargis, MBI and the Messianic movement as a whole. I am glad you perhaps have mellowed and hold "no ill will to Christianity." I think it needs to be made clear that the Hargis's, with their phony credentials and such, the James Trimm fiasco and so many like these people who have so muddied the waters, that they are not Christian by any means, nor do they wish to be, nor are they Jewish. Some might say that is what they want it to be, and it is a merging of the two beliefs, but there are clear distinctions between Judaism and Christianity, starting with who the Messiah is and what the many prophecies mean.

Malachi, I have no ill will towards you or any Jewish people. I do not view you or the practicing 'Jews' as heretics, although our beliefs are different, in their obvious ways. The Jewish people who worship in Judaism, worship the one true God of Israel. On this point we would agree. This is where the split in our beliefs occur, according to my Christian faith. Throughout the Scriptures we are told that God loves the Jewish people and in the book of Romans, we are told that God is not finished with His people. I, as a Christian, do not subscribe to the belief of 'targeting' Jews for conversion as the Southern Baptist Convention and others believe. I believe that God will reveal the Truth to all those who love Him and who seek Him with their whole heart. And though my Truth varies from yours, that does not make you my enemy. I don't chase people or try to convert them. I have my website which any can read by choice, and it is filled with the things of Scripture that we hold dear. And I will dialogue with those who sincerely want to know Jesus Christ or why I believe He fulfilled the Messianic Prophecies. But I will not, and indeed cannot, force anyone to agree with what I have to say. Each must choose.

I am saddened that your exposure to 'Christianity', was through MBI, David Hargis, James Trimm and others like them. There is a clear distinction between Judaism and Christianity and these people have only served as agents of confusion to both faiths concerned. I wish we could have a conversation where I could tell you why I love God and why I believe what I do about Christ, and maybe we, as individuals, will dialogue about our beliefs at some point in the future.

I hope that when the Messiah reveals Himself to you, and that when you see Him for who He is, it will be with great joy.