The whole concept of Alms-giving for intercession (particularly food or tangible gifts as sacrifices) was revealed to Mani. Mir Izgadda said that Alms-giving is “central to the Hearers’ salvation.”
He also said that most congregations in the old days did not have any of the Elect with them. “The Hearers would often travel to distant locations to present their Alms.”
The following is a passage from the Holy Book of Light in regards to Alms.
[blockquote]All of these alms that are given in the world because of the Name of Ilaha (God, Zurvan), by every creed whatsoever (other religions) in His Name, every place to which they will bring these alms they lead them to affliction and hardship and wickedness. There is no rest or open gate (in these other religions) through which they come out and find occasion to ascent to Ilaha, because of whose name they are given, except only in the Holy Assembly, the one in which the Commandments of the Alms-Service are placed. Now the Holy Assembly exists in two persona, the brothers and the sisters.
Know that the one who brings the alms and the memorial of the person who has come out of the body (died), brings rest. The entreaty which he makes accomplishes four great victories.
1. He rescues the Living Soul that is entwined and bound in the whole world.
2. He brings rest to the Holy Assembly by the alms which he brings for the person who has been released from his body (died). The blessed children of the assembly rest upon it.
3. The third victory is that which the donor accomplishes on behalf of the person who has come out of the his body. It is an alms for him and a remembrance for his brother or his father or his mother or his son or his daughter or his kinsman who has come out of the body.
4. For one’s own self.[/blockquote]
There is no blessing when there are no alms and intercession. The food alms and intercession make up one of the most important facets of Manichaean ritual. There are ways this can take place when individuals are in isolated areas, and hopefully it is followed carefully and with great attention, and the blessing of the earthly Manichaean assembly can go forward.
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