Don’t try to compare your synagogue’s rabbi to Matisyahu. He probably looks cooler, dances better and rocks harder than any other man sporting a yarmulke on stage. A pioneer in the genre of Hasidic Rap/Reggae (and pretty much the only one of his kind), Matisyahu blends Jewish spiritual faith with funky reggae beats – an unlikely combination that seems almost “beshert” (Yiddish for “meant to be”).

At his sold-out show at Avalon Sunday, Matisyahu proved he could beatbox like no other while quoting the Torah without sounding too preachy. He emerged onstage like a student who got lost on the way to yeshiva class, wearing a fedora, sporting a full beard and with the fringes of his prayer shawl peeking out of his shirt. Any skepticism, however, disappeared as soon as the band began to play.

Matisyahu wooed the crowd with dynamic crooning and Hebrew- and English-infused lyrics. In many of the new songs he played from his new album, Youth (in stores Mar. 7), he combined more rock-influenced guitar breaks while sticking to the reggae roots of his music.

At some point between rapping about Moses and chanting “I’m a rebel” with the audience, Matisyahu pointed out that the day was Tu B’shvat, a Jewish holiday commemorating the new year of trees. “A person’s belief is like their roots,” he said, describing Judaism in terms of seeds of faith blossoming to fruition. But he may have confused some secular fans.

As Matisyahu’s band was closing out the encore, a fan jumped on stage and, in a true School of Rock moment, attempted a flying stage dive into the crowd. Unfortunately, no one in the front row seemed to notice and the loud thud of his landing resonated over the last chords of the song. Perhaps he took Matisyahu’s words about sticking to one’s roots a bit too literally.