Sabbath of Blessing!

I'm posting emails that I sent to family in order for them to understand we are now learning about and keeping Shabbat.

From June 20th...

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Today is Shabbat Mevarekhin, or Sabbath of Blessing. It is the last Sabbath before the new moon, the beginning of the new month, Month 4.

This week's Parashah is Korach, the 38th parashah and the name of "Korah." (Wasn't he a stinker??!!)

Parashah Korach... Numbers 16:1-18:32

Haftarah...........1 Samuel 11:14-12:22

B'rit Chadashah...Romans 13:1-7

We're having our Bible study at one o'clock today and some new folks are coming; a young family with two small children. This will make eight families here today, about 35 people.

On the menu...

Shabbat Dinner
Grilled chicken
purple hull peas w/ balsamic vinegar and jalepenos
steamed brussel sprouts
salad

Shabbat breakfast
gluten-free Rice Chex
vanilla rice milk

Shabbat lunch
veggie wraps
salad

supper
lentil soup
bown rice

(I cooked this yesterday and will just heat it up for supper after sundown)

I haven't heard from Junior this morning. I don't know what they're going to do about Friend's marriage liscense. I suppose the friends will have something interesting to tell their children one day... I'm just glad Junior was finally able to contact Friend's parents so everyone had a place to sleep!

Shabbat Shalom

~WOW

Shavuot is coming

From May 29th...

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Hi everyone!

Today is Israel's Independence Day, Yom Ha-Atzma'ut. Tonight begins the Shabbat before Shauvot, (Shav-oo-ote', aka Pentecost) which is one of the High Shabbats.

This week's Parashah, or "Portion" is Naso, which means "Take" and refers to when The Father told Moses and Aaron to "take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi..." It also teaches about the amazing offerings to the Tabernacle, Nazarite restrictions, and the judgement of the wayward wife. It is a longer reading and an immense study opportunity!

Naso is found in Numbers 4:21-7:89;

Haftarah:Judges 13:2-25

Brit Chadasha: Acts 21:17-26

We are doing our normal Shabbat preparations; cleaning the house, readying for guests, cooking... But since Sunday is also a Shabbat, AND our 23rd anniversary, we are doing a little extra to be ready for that day as well.

The LORD is very kind in that cooking is permissible for a High Shabbat, just no servile work, (work that involves the exchange of money.)

Here is some of what we have learned about Shavuot so far:

Shavuot is one of the Biblical Feasts of the LORD and is not just for the Jews. Just as the Levites are from the tribe of Levi and the Rubanites are from the tribe of Ruben, the Jews are from the tribe of Judah and are only are only 1/12th of the equation.

Shavuot is one of the only feasts NOT given a specific date in the Bible but is determined by counting 50 days, or seven Sabbaths after Bikkurim, or First Fruits, the beginning of the Barley harvest. (Bikkurim is the second day of Hag Ha-Matzah, or Unleavened Bread)

This counting of days between Bikkurim and Shauvot is called Sefirat Ha'omer, or Counting the Omer. An omer is a unit of measurment and was the amount of barley offered on Bikkurim and of wheat offered on Shavuot. It is aprox. 3.7 quarts and makes a really large loaf of bread.

Counting the Omer helps connect the first Pesach, or Passover to the giving of the Law, and the sacrifice of Jesus, Yashua (which means Salvation!) to the giving of the Holy Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh.

Shavuot happened on the 50th day after the children of Israel left Egypt and was the day The Father gave The Torah, The Law, the Pentatuch, to the children of Israel in HIS own voice from Mt. Sinai. 3,000 men died that day due to disobedience. It was later mandated to be when the first of the wheat harvest was waved before The Alter of the Tabernacle when Israel entered into the Land.

It was one of the three feasts mandated by The LORD for the men to travel to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the temple. The Greek name for Shavuot, Pentecost which means 50th, is also when The Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles as "tongues of fire." The Apostles, who were NOT in the upper room at this time as commonly taught, but were at the Temple for the Feast of Shavuot, began preaching boldly to the masses who were there from every country for the Feast. The LORD spoke through the Apostles, and every man heard in his own native language. As a result, 3,000 souls were added to the Kingdom on that day.

Some refer to this miracle as the "birth of the church." However, Pentecost is not when the church started. The church started that same day, aprox 1,500 years earlier in Exodus at Shauvot, when the people said "All that the LORD hath said, we will do." Thus, agreeing to the "Ketubah" or marriage covanant with the LORD and entering into a betrothal with HIM.

Hope this helps!

Shabbat Shalom!

~WOW

catching up...

I send a weekly Shabbat post to family and friends letting them know what's going on with us and how a gentile can learn to keep Shabbat. I decided these emails would fit nicely here...

This is from May 22, 2009

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We are busy preparing for our Dinner and Bible Study. The little ones have been jumping around yelling, "Tonight is Shabbat!" They love Shabbat, partly because they can have special treats! LOL!!

Tonight's tentative menu:

gluten free flat bread, I hope it turns out this time!

Big Salad

Lentils

Brown rice w/ savory herbs

steamed veggies

raw veggies

dips and sauces

grilled chicken for the guests

fresh fruit

This week's study is taken from Numbers 1:1-4:20, Hosea 1:10-2:20, and I Corinthians 12:12-20.

Here is a quote from http://www.TorahCalendar.com...

"Today the Parashah is Be-Midbar which means 'In the Wilderness.' Be-Midbar is also the Hebrew name for the book of Numbers. Be-Midbar was the Parashah on the first Sabbath after the ascension of the Messiah.

Tonight is Shabbat Mevarekhin which means "Sabbath of Blessing." It is the last Sabbath before the new moon. Shabbat Mevarekhin does not occur in Month 6 as the entire month anticipates the new moon of Month 7."

Shabbat Shalom everyone!

Sabbath Peace...

~ WOW