I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. Genesis 9:13
Teshuvah Diary
(note:`Teshuvah` is the Hebrew word for `return` as in `return to G-d. It is a word for the Fall Feasts which are all about returning to G-d. )
My Dad said it never rains on the Jewish holidays.
When I was a child we always walked together as a family to the synagogue on the Jewish Holidays. Note that we always called them that, but in my `Return` to G-d` all these years later, I understand that these are the Feasts of the LORD and for all His children and for all who would walk in His ways!
As my Dad declared that it never rains, so it was, anyway to my memory it never did rain on the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah＊ and Yom Kippur! So this year, when at last I made it to celebrate the High Holidays with my Dad in Long Island, NY where we are from, we found ourselves on the way to shul (synagogue) on the eve of the first of the holidays, the new month of Tishrei, and it was raining.
Before I get to the rainbow, I just want to tell a little of the back story which is that my Dad and I had this `appointment` since June, to meet on G-d`s appointed days and to spend the High Holidays together. I almost went back to the US in June, as I wanted to see my Dad, who recently turned 90. As these days with our parents are precioius and I live so far~ Japan, if anyone is just joining in~ I wanted to go and spend the spring Holiday of Shavout there with him, but we both realized it would be too much to make the trip twice and that we would wait for this `appointed time` in the Fall.
So after waiting a half of year, at last I was here and thankful to be going to the synagogue with my Dad. We were on our way, at the entance to the month-long feasts.
And here it was, raining.
I said to my Dad, `You said it never rains on the Jewish Holidays`. And my Dad almost matter-of-factly replied, `yes, but... there`s a rainbow`.
A rainbow? I didn`t see any rainbow.
I looked in front of me and just saw rain on the windshield (we live a little too far now from the synagogue to walk, and so we were in the car). I was like a kid in disbelief in that moment, not knowing where he was coming from in saying that. Its possible in all my years I may never have even heard my Dad speak of a rainbow ever. We are alike in certain ways, but he is the opposite of me in one sense that he is very practical, and his vocabulary is more nuts and bolts, and less rainbows. I love my Dad.
I looked again and didn`t see any rainbow and felt a great dissonance in that moment. It was raining and we were on the way to the synagogue with my Dad and here he was bringing up a rainbow?!
Then we curved around the road and a burst of light shined in front of us and my Dad, who was driving, said that he couldn`t see. It was dangerous as the light was so bright! At this hour of the sunset, the setting sun appeared in a glow. The Glory of G-d was bursting through. Just in the nick of time!
And then as we were going over the bridge over a small canal to enter the town, there it was, over us, the hugest rainbow I ever saw.
A full rainbow! I was so excited now like a child whose hopes were returned and faith affirmed, proud of a father who wasn`t letting me down, and who saw it first. I exclaimed my excitement and must have started Praising G-d who put it there for us so clearly!
My Dad stopped the car for me to take a picture. Even though I had been rushing him not to be late to shul, in this moment we both were suspended in time under the rainbow.
The rain had stopped!! When we continued on, we saw the sun going down over the small town where the synagogue is, in such a perfect glow of radiance. Again it was the LORD showing His Glory on this eve of the Rosh HaShanah, and this Rosh Chodesh.
I can say clearly that this was no doubt Him showing us that it was a very special `Rosh Chodesh` and even Rosh HaShanah, as the new month and all holidays start at sunset on the Jewish calendar. He was so clearly showing the sunset and the rainbow entrance to the month and year. ＊＊
With that we continued on through the town as G-d brought the rainbow in front of us, and highlighted each view putting the rainbow there scene after scene: over the town, over the supermarket, over the fire department, it was such a gracious unfolding as we were now in His peace and in His Holy Spirit presence. When we arrived at the synagogue, the rainbow was now hidden from view from clouds, and we entered the service.
Dad and I have to sit on opposite sides as it is an Orthodox synagogue and the women are on one side and men on the other. My dad signaled me to sit in the aisle opposite him so we were near, and when the Cantor sang the Shehechiyanu blessing, I don`t know if my Dad noticed, but I was completeley in tears!! We made it!
Shehechiyanu is a blessing where we thank God for the miracle of sustaining us and bringing us to this day. It is said on the `first` of something and is said on most of the Holidays to mark the special occasion with thanksgiving.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiy'manu, v'higiyanu laz'man ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.
I must also add, when the Cantor sung the blessing, in his amazing cantorial voice and the first time I`d heard him in 3 years, I also saw not only the miracle of my being here in this generation with my Dad, but I felt all the history of the Jewish people of our nation of Israel, since the beginning of Creation and since Abraham, and even before. And continuing God`s Covenant Promises to the Jewish people to return them to the Promised Land, as God is bringing us home.
Amen and Amen! With all thanks in Yeshua who brings us back to the Father and who returns the children to the fathers and the fathers to the children, to prepare the way and make a prepared people! ***
Blessings and Love,
Shayndel
❤️
A few notes:
1. As I write this it will be the new month of
Cheshvan, when we have come out of the Fall Feasts, and we land into a month where we have rolled back the Torah
Scroll and start at the beginning. We just read the story of Creation,
in Bereishit and now It happens that this week we are in Parsha Noah,
the second portion in the Torah. A connection to the rainbow!
2. ＊Rosh Hashanah is another name given to what is actually the Biblical Feast of Trumpets, and begins on the First day of the Seventh Month of Tishrei. Jewish people refer to it as the Jewish New Year, and the shofar is blown throughout the holiday in a pattern of blasts culminating on the last great trumpet at Yom Kippur.
3. ＊＊Note also that the actual Biblical New Year is in Spring! When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, G-d gave the first commandment to them which was to observe the first month of spring time. (see Exodus 12)
4. ***As I post this, I am reminded of the verse from Malachi 4:6 about the fathers returning to the children and the children to the fathers. That verse is also repeated and referred to in the gospel of Luke. I just was shown a teaching explaining this verse as it speaks about the `return` (Teshuvah!) of the Jewish people to their Messiah and physically to the land of Israel which is necessary preparations for Messiah`s return!
And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to the children and the disobedient ones to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a prepared people.
Luke 1:17