Ko Ai ʼAē ʼe Tāu Mo Ia Ke Fakahigoaʼi Ko Lapi?

ʼE TAUHALA anai te tulisi ki te malaʼe vakalele, heʼe lahi te ʼu motokā neʼe tāʼofi ʼi te ala. Ko te kau polisi e toko lauʼi teau neʼe nātou faigaʼi ke nātou takitaki te ʼu motokā, pea mo puipui te toko 300 000 tupu hahaʼi ʼaē neʼe haʼele fetāgihi ʼi te ʼu ala ʼo Selusalemi. Neʼe fakahigoaʼi te meʼa ʼaia e te nusipepa ko te The Jerusalem Post, ʼe ko “he ʼavaifo ʼe fai ʼi te agamāhani ki te kau pelesita, ki te ʼu hau, pea mo te ʼu tagata ʼaē ʼe pule faka hau.” Kae neʼe ko ai koa ia ia ʼaē neʼe tupu ai te toe fakatahi lahi ʼaia ʼa te hahaʼi, ʼo faigataʼa ai lolotoga ni ʼu hola te feʼaluʼaki ʼa te ʼu motokā ʼi te kolo tāfito ʼo Iselaele? Neʼe ko te lapi maʼuhiga. He koʼe koa ko te kau Sutea ʼe nātou fai te taʼi fakaʼapaʼapa ʼaia pea mo te taʼi tauhi lotu ʼaia ki he lapi? Neʼe ko te temi fea ʼaē neʼe ʼuluaki fakaʼaogaʼi ai te kupu “lapi”? Ko ai ʼaē ʼe tonu ke fakatoʼo ki ai te higoa ʼaia?

Neʼe Ko He Lapi Koa Ia Moisese?

Ko te higoa ʼaē ʼe fakaʼapaʼapa tāfito kiai te Lotu Faka Sutea, ʼe ko te higoa ʼa Moisese, te tagata faka felogoi ʼo te fuakava ʼo te Lao. ʼE fakahigoaʼi ia ia e te kau takitaki lotu Sutea ko “Moisese ‘tomatou Lapi.’ ” Kae ʼe mole maʼu ʼi te Tohi-Tapu he vaega ʼe fakahā ai, neʼe fakatoʼo kia Moisese te higoa faka tuʼulaga ʼaē ko “Lapi.” ʼI tona fakahagatonu, ʼe mole maʼu tuʼa tahi te kupu “lapi” ʼi te ʼu vaega ʼo te Tauhi ʼĀfea. Kae he koʼe neʼe kamata fakatoʼo e te kau Sutea te higoa ʼaia kia Moisese?

ʼO mulimuli ki te meʼa ʼaē ʼe ʼui e te Tauhi ʼĀfea, ko te maʼua pea mo te pule ʼaē moʼo akoʼi ki te hahaʼi pea mo fakamahino kia nātou ia te Lao, neʼe tuku age ki te hōloga ʼo Alone, te kau pelepitelo ʼo te telepi ʼo Levi. (Levitike 10:​8-​11; Teutalonome 24:8; Malakia 2:7) Kae ʼi te lua sēkulō ʼi muʼa ʼo totatou temi, neʼe kamata hā lelei ai te ʼu fetogi maʼuhiga ʼi te Lotu Faka Sutea, pea talu mai ai neʼe fetogi te manatu ʼa te kau Sutea.

ʼO ʼuhiga mo te ʼu fetogi fakalaumālie ʼaia, ʼe tohi fēnei e Daniel Jeremy Silver ʼi te tohi A History of Judaism: “ ʼI te temi [ʼaia], ko te kalasi ʼo te kau sekelipa neʼe mole ko he kau pelepitelo pea mo he kau tagata popoto, kae neʼe nātou kamata fakafihiʼi te tonu ʼaē ke gata pe ki te kau pelepitelo te fakamahino ʼaē ʼo te Tola [te Lao ʼa Moisese]. Neʼe tali fuli e te hahaʼi te maʼua ʼaē ki te kau pelepitelo ke nātou tauhi ʼi te Fale Lotu, kae neʼe mole nātou tali ke nātou fai te ʼu tonu fakaʼosi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼu meʼa ʼo te Lao ʼa Moisese.” Neʼe ko ai koa ia nātou ʼaē neʼe nātou lagaʼi te fakafihiʼi ʼaia ʼo te pule ʼo te kalasi faka pelepitelo? Neʼe ko te kūtuga foʼou ʼi te Lotu Faka Sutea, neʼe higoaʼi nātou ko te kau Faliseo. ʼE toe ʼui fēnei e Silver: “Neʼe fakatuʼutuʼu e te kau Faliseo, ko te fakahū ʼo he tahi ki tonatou ʼu kalasi, ʼe fai ʼo mulimuli ki tona ʼu fealagia, ka mole vakaʼi ia pe neʼe tupu mai [he hōloga faka pelepitelo], pea neʼe nātou fakatupu ai te kalasi foʼou ʼo te kau Sutea.”

ʼI te ʼuluaki sēkulō, ko te kau maʼu pepa ʼo te ʼu kalasi ʼaia ʼo te kau Faliseo, neʼe nātou liliu ʼo ʼiloa ʼe ko he kau tagata faiako, peʼe ko te kau ʼaliki ʼo te lao Faka Sutea. Moʼo fakahā tanatou fakaʼapaʼapa, ko ʼihi kau Sutea neʼe nātou kamata fakahigoaʼi nātou ko “faiako,” peʼe ko “ ʼaliki,” ʼaē ko lapi ʼi te Faka Hepeleo.

Moʼo fakahā ʼe totonu te fakaʼaogaʼi ʼo te higoa faka tuʼulaga foʼou ʼaia, neʼe nātou fakaʼaogaʼi ai kia ia ʼaē neʼe faka ʼuhiga ʼe ko te tagata faiako lahi ʼi te hisitolia ʼo te kau Sutea, ia Moisese. Ki muli age neʼe tupu ʼaki ai te mole kei faka maʼuhigaʼi ʼo te kalasi ʼa te kau pelepitelo, kae neʼe kua fakamālohiʼi te faʼahiga sio ʼa te hahaʼi ki te takitaki ʼa te kau Faliseo, ʼaē neʼe fakaʼāsili age tona tuputupu. Koia, logope la neʼe kua mate ia Moisese hili kiai taʼu e 1 500 tupu, kae neʼe fakahigoaʼi ia ia ko “Lapi.”

ʼE Nātou Faʼifaʼitaki Ki Te Tagata Faiako

Logope la ʼi ʼihi temi, ko te kupu “lapi” (“ ʼaliki”) neʼe fakaʼaogaʼi e te hahaʼi ki te kau tagata faiako ʼaē neʼe nātou fakaʼapaʼapa ki ai, kae ʼi te agamāhani ko te kupu ʼaia neʼe fakaʼaogaʼi ki te kau tagata faiako ʼaē neʼe maʼu tuʼulaga ʼi te kau Faliseo, ia “te kau tagata popoto.” ʼE moʼoni, ʼi te fakaʼauha ʼo te fale lotu ʼi te taʼu 70 ʼo totatou temi, neʼe gata ai te pule ʼa te kau pelepitelo, pea neʼe liliu ai te kau lapi Faliseo ko te kau takitaki tāfito ʼo te Lotu Faka Sutea. Ko tonatou tuʼulaga ʼaē neʼe mole feala ke fakafihiʼi, neʼe ina fakaneke te tuputupu ʼo he faʼahiga tauhi ʼe fakatafito ki te poto ʼa te kau lapi.

ʼI tana talanoa ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼu fetogi ʼaia ʼaē neʼe hoko ʼi te ʼuluaki sēkulō, ʼe ʼui fēnei e te Polofesea ko Dov Zlotnick: “Neʼe kua maʼuhiga age tanatou ‘sioʼi ia te kau Tagata Popoto,’ ʼi te akoʼi ʼo te Tola.” ʼE toe fakamahino fēnei mai e te tagata poto ko Jacob Neusner: “Ko te ‘tisipulo ʼo te kau tagata popoto,’ ʼe ko he tahi ʼe ako, pea ʼe tauhi ki he lapi. ʼE ina fai te faʼahi ʼaia heʼe ina fia ako te Tola. . . . Ko te Tola ʼe mole akoʼi ʼaki te lao, kae ʼe akoʼi ʼaki te sioʼi ʼo te ʼu meʼa ʼaē ʼe fai e te kau tagata popoto, pea mo tanatou ʼu gāue. ʼE nātou akoʼi te lao ʼaki tanatou ʼu gāue, ka mole gata ʼaki pe te ʼu palalau ʼaē ʼe nātou fai.”

Ko te tagata ko Adin Steinsaltz ʼe ina ako te Talmud, ʼe ina fakamoʼoni ki te faʼahi ʼaia, ʼo ina tohi fēnei: “Neʼe ʼui totonu e te kau tagata popoto, ‘ ʼE tonu ke akoʼi te ʼu fai palalau ʼa te kau tagata popoto, tanatou ʼu fakahuahua, peʼe ko he ʼu faʼahiga palalau pe ʼe nātou fai.’ ” Neʼe aʼu kifea te faʼahiga ako ʼaia? ʼE ʼui fēnei e Steinsaltz: “ ʼE ʼi ai te faʼifaʼitaki fakavale ʼo te ako ʼaia, neʼe ko te tisipulo neʼe nono ʼi te lalo palepale ʼo tona tagata faiako lahi, ke feala hana ʼiloʼi pe neʼe feafeaʼi tana fai ia tana ʼu felāveʼi fakasino mo tona ʼohoana. ʼI tona fakafehuʼi ʼaē pe koʼe neʼe ina fai te meʼa ʼaia, neʼe tali fēnei e te tisipulo tūpulaga ʼaia: ‘ ʼE pipiki te faʼahi ʼaia ki te Tola, pea ʼe tonu ke akoʼi,’ pea neʼe ʼio te kau lapi pea mo te kau ako ki te meʼa ʼaia.”

Mai tona ʼuhiga ʼaē​—ʼi te akoʼi e te kau lapi ia te Tola—​neʼe faka maʼuhigaʼi age te lapi ʼi te Tola, koia talu mai te ʼuluaki sēkulō, kua liliu te Lotu Faka Sutea, ko he tauhi ʼe fai tāfito ki te kau lapi. Neʼe mole fakaōvi te hahaʼi ki te ʼAtua, ʼaki te Folafola ʼaē ʼe haʼu mai te ʼAtua, kae neʼe nātou fakaōvi ki ai ʼaki he tagata faʼifaʼitaki, he faiako, te lapi. Koia, neʼe mole kei faka maʼuhigaʼi te ʼu Tohi ʼaē ʼe haʼu mai te ʼAtua, ka neʼe kua faka maʼuhigaʼi te lao ʼaē neʼe akoʼi gutu ki te hahaʼi, pea mo te ʼu talatisio ʼaē neʼe akoʼi e te kau lapi ʼaia. Koia, ko te ʼu tohi ʼa te kau Sutea, ohage ko te Talmud, ʼe fai tāfito ki te ʼu palalau ʼa te kau lapi, ki tanatou ʼu fakamatala, pea mo tanatou ʼu faʼifaʼitaki, ka mole fai ia ki te ʼu folafola ʼa te ʼAtua.

Te Tuʼulaga ʼa Te Kau Lapi Lolotoga Te ʼu Sēkulō

Logope la ko te kau ʼuluaki lapi neʼe ʼi ai tonatou tuʼulaga maʼuhiga pea mo tonatou mālohi, kae neʼe mole feala ke nātou maʼuli ʼaki tanatou ʼu gāue faka lotu. ʼE ʼui fēnei e te tikisionalio ʼo te Encyclopaedia Judaica: “Neʼe kehekehe ʼaupito te lapi ʼo te Talmud . . . mo te lapi ʼo te temi nei. Ko te lapi ʼo te Talmud neʼe ina fakamahino pea mo fakamatala ia te Tohi-Tapu pea mo te Lao ʼaē neʼe akoʼi gutu ki te hahaʼi, pea teitei pe ʼi te temi fuli, neʼe gāue ke ina maʼu hana meʼa kai. Neʼe ko te moyen-âge, ʼaē neʼe hoki liliu ai te lapi . . . ko he tagata faiako, ko he tagata fai faka mafola, pea ko he takitaki fakalaumālie ʼo te kokelekasio peʼe ko te kūtuga faka Sutea.”

ʼI te kamata fakaliliu ʼo te kau lapi ia tonatou tuʼulaga ʼe ko he gāue ʼe tonu ke totogi, ko ʼihi kau lapi neʼe mole nātou leleiʼia te meʼa ʼaia. Ko Maimonide, te lapi ʼiloa ʼo te 12 sēkulō, ʼaē neʼe maʼuli ʼaki tana gāue faka tōketā, neʼe ina laukoviʼi te kau lapi ʼaia. “[Neʼe nātou] fakatuʼutuʼu ke foaki age hanatou falā e te hahaʼi pea mo te fenua, pea neʼe nātou ʼeke te hahaʼi ke nātou manatu, kae neʼe ko he manatu fakavale, ʼe ko he maʼua pea ʼe ko he meʼa lelei ke nātou foaki [he paʼaga] ki te kau tagata popoto, te kau faiako, pea mo te hahaʼi ʼaē ʼe nātou akoʼi te Tola, he ko tanatou gāue ʼe ko te akoʼi ʼo te Tola. Kae ʼe hala fuli te ʼu meʼa ʼaia. ʼE mole he kupu e tahi ʼi te Tola peʼe ʼi te ʼu palalau ʼa te kau tagata popoto, ʼe lagolago ki te akonaki ʼaia.” (Commentary on the Mishnah, Avot 4:5) Kae ko te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe fakahā e Maimonide, neʼe mole tokagaʼi e te kau lapi ʼaē neʼe ʼōmai ki muli age.

ʼI te hū ʼa te Lotu Faka Sutea ki totatou temi, neʼe liliu ia ko te ʼu kūtuga kua fetogi tanatou tauhi, ko ʼihi ʼe nātou taupau te ʼu akonaki ʼāfea, pea ko ʼihi ʼe nātou orthodoxes. Ki te tokolahi ʼo te kau Sutea, neʼe mole kei maʼuhiga te ʼu akonaki faka lotu pea mo te maʼuliʼi ʼo te ʼu akonaki ʼaia. Koia neʼe mole kei faʼa maʼuhiga ai te tuʼulaga ʼo te lapi. Neʼe liliu tāfito te lapi, ko he takitaki neʼe fakanofo ʼi te kokelekasio, ʼo gāue ʼe ko he tagata faiako faiva ʼe totogi, pea ko he tagata fai tokoni ki te hahaʼi ʼo te kokelekasio. Kae, ʼi te kau Hasitime ʼaē ʼe fefeka tanatou lotu, neʼe toe tuputupu ai te manatu ʼaē ko te lapi ʼe ko he ʼaliki pea ʼe ko he faʼifaʼitaki ke muliʼi.

Koutou fakatokagaʼi te ʼu palalau ʼaē neʼe fai e Edward Hoffman ʼi tana tohi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te lotu ʼa te tagata Hasitike ko Chabad-Loubavitch: “Ko te kau ʼuluaki Hasitime, neʼe nātou toe fakahā lelei foki, ʼi te taʼiake fuli, ʼe ko te takitaki Sutea pe e tahi, ko te Satikime [ko te faitotonu], ʼe ko te ‘Moisese’ ʼo tona temi, ko he tahi ʼe ina maʼu he poto pea mo he ʼofa ki te hahaʼi ʼe mole hona fakatatau. ʼAki te aga faka lotu makehe ʼaē neʼe ina maʼu, neʼe manatu e te ʼu kūtuga fuli ʼa te kau Hasitime, ʼe feala ki tanatou Reb [ko te kupu “lapi” ʼi te lea Yiddish] ke ina fetogi te ʼu fakatotonu ʼa te Māfimāfi. Neʼe fakaʼapaʼapaʼi ia ia he neʼe ko he faʼifaʼitaki lelei ʼi tana ʼu akonaki, ʼaē neʼe ina fakahā ai te ʼu meʼa ʼa te ʼAtua, kae ko tana faʼahiga fai ʼo tona maʼuli (ohage la ko ‘te faʼahiga haʼi ʼo tona ʼu meʼa haʼi sūlie’), neʼe toe faka ʼuhiga foki ʼe ina hikihiki te agaʼofa pea mo ina fakahā te ʼu faʼahiga meʼa ʼaē ʼe feala ke kita fai ke kita aʼu ai ki te ʼAtua.”

“ ʼAua Naʼa Fakahigoaʼi Koutou Ko Lapi”

Ko Sesu, te Sutea ʼaē neʼe ina fakatupu te Lotu Faka Kilisitiano ʼi te ʼuluaki sēkulō, neʼe maʼuli ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe kamata mālohi ai te ʼu faʼahiga manatu faka Faliseo ʼo ʼuhiga mo te lapi ʼi te Lotu Faka Sutea. Neʼe mole ko he Faliseo ia, pea neʼe mole ako ia ʼi tonatou ʼu faleako, kae neʼe fakahigoaʼi ia ia ko Lapi.​—Maleko 9:5; Soane 1:​38; 3:2.

Neʼe fakahā fakahagatonu e Sesu te aga ʼa te kau lapi ʼi te Lotu Faka Sutea, ʼo ina ʼui fēnei: “Ko te kau sekelipa mo te kau Faliseo ʼe heheka ʼi te hekaʼaga ʼo Moisese. ʼE nātou manako ki te nofoʼaga ʼaē ʼe tokagaʼi ʼi te ʼu kai afiafi pea mo te ʼu ʼuluaki hekaʼaga ʼi te ʼu sinakoka, pea mo te ʼu fetapā ʼi te ʼu lapalasi fakatauʼaga meʼa, pea mo fakahigoa ia nātou ko Lapi e te hahaʼi. Ka kia koutou, ʼaua naʼa fakahigoaʼi koutou ko Lapi, heʼe ko te tokotahi pe ʼe ko tokotou tagata faiako, pea ko koutou ʼe koutou tautehina fuli.”​—Mateo 23:2, 6-8.

Neʼe fai e Sesu te fakatokaga ʼo ʼuhiga mo te meʼa ʼaē neʼe tuputupu ʼi te Lotu Faka Sutea, ʼaē ko te fakakeheʼi ʼo te kau takitaki lotu pea mo te hahaʼi fakalogo. Neʼe ina fakahā ʼi muʼa ʼo te hahaʼi, ʼe mole tonu ke faka maʼuhigaʼi feiāʼi te tagata. ʼAki he lototoʼa neʼe ina ʼui fēnei: “Ko te tokotahi pe ʼe ko tokotou tagata faiako.” Ko ai te Tagata Faiako ʼaia?

Ko Moisese, “ ʼaē neʼe ʼiloʼi e Sehova” pea mo fakahigoaʼi e te kau tagata popoto ko “[tonatou] Lapi,” neʼe ko te tagata heʼe haohaoa. ʼI ʼihi temi neʼe lākahala. (Teutalonome 32:48-51; 34:10; Tagata Tānaki 7:​20) Neʼe mole fakahā e Sehova ko Moisese te faʼifaʼitaki tāfito, kae neʼe ina ʼui fēnei kia ia: “ ʼE ʼau fakatuʼu anai ʼi te lotolotoiga ʼo tonatou ʼu tēhina, he polofeta ohage ko koe; pea ʼe ʼau ʼai anai taku ʼu folafola ki tona gutu, pea ʼe ina tala moʼoni anai kia nātou te ʼu meʼa fuli ʼaē ʼe ʼau fakatotonu age kia te ia. Pea ʼe mahino papau ia, ko te tagata ʼaē ka mole fakalogo anai ki taku ʼu folafola, ʼaē ka ina tala ʼi toku huafa, ʼe ʼau vakaʼi tonu anai ia ia.”​—Teutalonome 18:18, 19.

Ko te ʼu lea faka polofeta, ʼe nātou fakamoʼoni mai neʼe hoko te ʼu palalau ʼaia kia Sesu, te Mesia.a Neʼe ‘hage’ Sesu ko Moisese; kae neʼe lahi age ia ia Moisese. (Hepeleo 3:​1-3) ʼE fakahā mai e te Tohi-Tapu neʼe tupu ia Sesu ko te tagata haohaoa, pea neʼe mole hage ia ko Moisese, he neʼe tauhi ki te ʼAtua “ka mole hana agahala.”​—Hepeleo 4:​15.

Tou Mulimuli Ki Tatatou Faʼifaʼitaki

Ko te ako lelei ʼo te ʼu gāue pea mo te ʼu palalau ʼa te kau lapi, neʼe mole ina fakaōvi ia te kau Sutea ki te ʼAtua. Tatau aipe pe ko he tagata heʼe haohaoa ʼe ko he faʼifaʼitaki lelei ʼi te nofo agatonu, kapau ʼe tou ako pea mo tou faʼifaʼitakiʼi te ʼu meʼa fuli ʼaē ʼe ina fai, pea ʼe mahino ia ʼe tou faʼifaʼitakiʼi anai tana ʼu hala pea mo tana ʼu aga ʼaē ʼe lelei. ʼE tou lākahala anai, heʼe mole tou faka kolōliaʼi tatou ia te Tupuʼaga, kae ʼe tou faka kolōliaʼi tatou te tagata.​—Loma 1:​25.

Kae neʼe foaki mai e Sehova te Faʼifaʼitaki ki te malamanei. Ohage ko te meʼa ʼaē ʼe ʼui e te Tohi-Tapu, neʼe kua maʼuli ia Sesu ʼi selo ʼi muʼa ʼo tana tupu tagata. Koia, ʼe fakahigoaʼi ia ia ko “te paki ʼo te ʼAtua fakapulipuli, te ʼuluaki tupu ʼo te ʼu meʼa fuli ʼaē neʼe fakatupu.” (Kolose 1:​15) Mai tona ʼuhiga ʼaē kua lauʼi afe taʼu tana tauhi ki te ʼAtua ʼi selo ko hana “tagata gāue faiva,” ʼe tau lelei mo Sesu ke tokoni kia tatou ke tou ʼiloʼi ia Sehova.​—Tāʼaga Lea 8:​22-​30; Soane 14:​9, 10.

Koia neʼe tohi ai e Petelo: “Neʼe mamahi ia Kilisito maʼa koutou, ʼo ina tuku atu kia koutou he faʼifaʼitaki ke koutou mulimuli lelei ki tona ʼu tafuga vaʼe.” (1 Petelo 2:​21) Neʼe fakaloto mālohiʼi e Paulo te kau Kilisitiano ke nātou “sioʼi tuʼumaʼu ia Sesu, te Meʼa Gāue tāfito ʼo tatatou tui, ia ia ʼaē ʼe ina taki ki te haohaoa.” Tahi ʼaē meʼa, neʼe ina fakamahino fēnei, “ ʼe fufū lelei ia te ia te ʼu koloā fuli ʼo te poto pea mo te ʼatamai mālama.” (Hepeleo 12:2; Kolose 2:3) ʼE mole he tahi age tagata ʼe tonu ke tou tokagaʼi​—peʼe ko Moisese peʼe ko te kau lapi popoto. Kapau ʼe ʼi ai he tagata ʼe tonu ke tou faʼifaʼitaki lelei ki ai, pea ʼe mahino ia ʼe ko Sesu. ʼE mole hona ʼaoga ki te kau kaugana ʼa te ʼAtua, ke nātou maʼu he higoa faka tuʼulaga ohage ko lapi, tāfito la ki tona faʼahiga faka ʼuhigaʼi ʼi totatou temi, kae kapau neʼe ʼi ai he tagata neʼe tāu mo ia ke fakahigoaʼi ko Lapi, ʼe mahino ia neʼe ko Sesu totonu.

[Kiʼi nota ʼi te lalo pasina]

[Haʼuʼaga ʼo te paki pasina 28]

© Brian Hendler 1995. All Rights Reserved