Aaron`s Blossoming Rod Challah ~ Re-visited!

 

TODAY!

 

TODAY!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The next day, Moses entered the Tent of Testimony and behold, Aaron’s staff, from the house of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds!

^{Numbers 17:8}

 

^{Dear Friends!}

^{Shabbat Shalom!}

^{This is Shayndel, coming in to say Hello and Shabbat Shalom after a long while!!}

^{The funny thing is, this is a draft of a post that I started last year at this time!!}

^{I am amazed to see how `today` on this Shabbat, I have made this very same challah and  that it is so similar to the one on our Shabbat table at this very time of Parsha Korah year!!} 

 

^{I love something about that, and so it made it easy to do a post, I actually kept the post as it was  !!!} 

 

^{And just added the 2 pictures that say SHABBAT SHALOM from `TODAY` and this intro.} 

 

^{How are you? I missed you and hope you are all well! Much love from `TODAY`!!}

^Love,

^Shayndel

 

^{(Post below is drafted one year ago on this same Shabbat of Korach!}  

^{New edits or words I added when re-posting are in Red, just for historical accuracy:).)}

^{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~} 

If you come to my home for Shabbat, on certain Parsha you will find certain things at our Shabbat table!

For example, in Parsha Shelach, we will always try to have Big Grapes!  Because of the big cluster of grapes that the 12  brought back from the Land of Israel when they went to spy the land, we are reminded of the bounty that the LORD provides and the fruitfulness in the Land of Israel.  On Parsha Toldot (oops! I had written Vayigash in the original draft!), be ready for red stew! You-know-why that is! (If you don`t, please see HERE.....)!

Those are just a few examples, and if you come for Parsha Korach, which was last (This) week for us,

You will find a special Challah, Aaron`s blossoming rod challah!

I am beginning to feel more and more the presence of angels in our home when we welcome the Shabbat, and that Heaven is pleased to look down and see the table set in an expression of the word we are reading!!  There are actually in the Bible those whose  job was to set out the bread of the presence weekly in the holy place.  As I return to the blog this week after a long absence, I wonder if that this is one of my callings.  I hadn`t written for a while on the  blog, but was encouraged by a dear blogger friend, so I decided to come back and explore it further, and return here to my challah blog and to share the blessings of Shabbat and invite you to the Table together as we partake of the bread and the vine!!

You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I selected you so that you would go and produce fruit, and your fruit would remain. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.

John 15:16 

 Shabbat Shalom to all! Happy to `see` you again!

Love,❤️

Shayndel

 For how to make the Blossoming Rod Challah, and for more about the story of Aaron`s blossoming rod and parsha Korach, please visit HERE, HERE, and HERE to start!

Please find a prayer sheets to pray for your loved ones corresponding to the parsha HERE Korah, and all parsha HERE on AHAVA Prayer and Movement! Also please sign up for my weekly Parsha newsletter and Prayer sheet, either there or here!

 
 

PS  adding this trailer, hope its timeless!! And that we can keep making this challah year after year on the Shabbat of Parsha Korach, and make all our special challah for everyone at the banquet when Messiah returns to restore all things❤️

Post returned, though still in progress

Thank you friends, I returned the post below, but temporarily removed the Hebrew postcard, To add an   א   !!!!!

The post, "God is Love, and you are a crown of beauty in His hand, Postcards♡"  is back,  with the scriptures added!!

The Hebrew version of the postcard will return shortly!!

I couldn`t leave the post out of commission for too long, as the word that it contains is from the scriptures and I wanted to have the word posted , even if the postcard will be delayed!!  Reminded that the word of God will remain even after the heavens and earth ( and all the material world things ) pass away!!

Meanwhile, I needed to get a new yellow color pencil, you may not believe it but I used the very last of the color pencil to color the postcards, and to make the correction I needed more yellow to fill the heart around `God is Love` in Hebrew!! That may be more blog- behind-the-scenes that you needed to know, but as you are my loyal and wonderful blog friends who hold me accountable for my actions by your loving and caring comments and sharing, I felt to tell you what was happening on this end, probably things only a fellow blogger could understand (I hope!! Lol!!:)!! And if anyone has no idea what I am talking about, no worries!! Enjoy, have some challah, and thank you for visiting!!!

Meanwhile, 
We at Challah and Cherry Blossoms apologize for any inconvenience with my posting and reposting!! and For your viewing pleasure during this inconvenience,  I invite you to watch my new One-minute  `Trailer`!!! at Joanne`s Challah-Cast Channel.

(note :  its a new Trailer!!!,  the feature has already been released!!!

Enjoy!! Love, Shayndel

Aaron’s Blossoming Staff Challah! A Challah-cast!

An intimate moment with Yeshua!! Taste and See that the LORD is good!

And behold, Aaron`s staff, from the house of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds!
Numbers 17:8

You`ll find the story of Aaron`s blossoming rod in the Book of Numbers chapter 17 verse 8.   The blossoming rod of Aaron has intrigued me for the blossoms and the life and the supernatural qualities that God reveals of Himself as He reveals the staff of Aaron blossoming, and shows that is only God alone who chooses.

Once I started making challah and celebrating and observing the Shabbat a few years ago, there were certain Parsha (Torah portions) that inspired me to make a special Challah to pertain to that portion.  The first time I made the `Aaron`s Blossoming Rod Challah` was 3 years ago, the challah `came to life` in my spirit  and I have been making it ever since , a once a year special challah at the Shabbat of this Parsha, Parsha Korah!!

It has become a celebration here at  Challah and Cherry blossoms to make the Aaron`s Blossoming Staff Challah, and remember the blossoming of Aaron`s staff as well as learn new things in each reading.  May we draw nearer to the LORD through His living Word!! 

When the parsha came around this year I was  excited to make it again, and this time will share how to make it on a Challah-cast `tutorial` of how to make an Aaron`s Blossoming Rod Challah!!
Thank you for being along on the Torah and Challah journey with me over these years, I am thankful for this `space` and for you to share the challah and the  journey with!!! 

For the first time ever here on Challah and Cherry Blossoms! Enjoy!! (note* part 1 below, and link to part 2 after that!)

Part 2:



Oh how I love your Torah!
Psalm 119:97

If you would like to read where we find the Blossoming Rod of Aaron, as well as the rebellion of Korach which is much of the parsha  and related to the staff incident, the readings for Parsha Korah are here:

Numbers 16:1 ~18:32
1Samuel 11:14~12:22
2Timothy 2:14~25

I love reading on the Torah cycle and engaging with the Holy Spirit to bring parts of what we read to life through the Challah or through drawing or dancing or other creative ways!!
How does the Word come alive for you? How can we bring the word of God into our lives and invite others to hunger for the Word of God ?

For related posts on the Aaron`s Blossoming rod challah as well as a tutorial on the blog of how to make it, please see the previous years posts for Parsha Korach Here , Here, and Here! 
For the list of where we are each week in the Torah readings for this 2019~2020 year 5780, please click HERE, as well as you can always find it on the sidebar at the right, it is there under *Pages*!

Blessings and Love!

Shayndel

Parsha Diary--Tetzaveh, You shall command

The pointer and decorative "breastplate" that adorns the Torah scroll

Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your godly ones sing for joy. 

Psalm 132:9

Dear Parsha Diary,

This week I just loved reading Parsha Tetzaveh!  I learned so much from the Holy Spirit guiding as I enjoyed delving into the parsha.  I am continually in awe not only the beautiful details of the parsha in themselves, and especially, oh the priestly garments and the loving instructions from God to Moses on how they are to be made!! But also how everything points to our lives in Messiah Yeshua, and how alive His word is.  I know some people call this the "Old" Testament, but Lord this is all so new and alive and relevant to who we are in Messiah Yeshua!!! 

Make them holy in the truth.  Your word is truth.  John 17:17

Tetzaveh   You shall command

There is a commandment in the first line of the parsha for the olive oil to be brought to keep the light of the menorah burning forever before the LORD (Exodus 27:20~21).  After that, a good part of this parsha details the intricate and beautiful descriptions of the priestly garments God instructs Moses—though note that in this parsha Moses is not named—-to have made for Aaron and his sons.  Over and over in the tabernacle descriptions, God instructs that all be made by spirit-filled craftsmen  who are wise-hearted.  Each element of both the Tabernacle and the garments has special significance that speaks volumes about God’s heart and the love and meaning that is put into every detail of His word and instructions for our lives in service to Him, all for His Glory and to reveal His beauty!!

Our High Priest Yeshua is revealed in each item of garments, and the ministry of intercession that is our Messiah’s ministry is also passed down to us.   As a people, nation of high priests we are commanded to put on the Armor of God(Ephesians 6:10~23).   It is striking to read the passages in this parsha (for example the breastplate of judgement, Ex. 28:15) and to see how Paul's description of the armor in Ephesians is so deeply rooted in these instructions and all of the Torah.

True priests in service of Messiah always are to keep the light of God shining and lit, and to put on the priestly garments of justice, righteousness, truth and Salvation, always ready and with the Good News of Shalom to intercede and pray in the Ruach on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18)!  May we be clothed in Messiah Yeshua, shining our light and armed for intercession as we set out in our prayer time today!
  
Here is a prayer to pray for your child or loved one to be clothed in the armor of God! Put that person's name in the dotted lines in the prayer below.

May................................be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power.
May .......................put on the full armor of God so that ............................can stand against the schemes of the devil.  May.....................always buckle the belt of truth around his/her waist, and put on the breast plate of righteousness.  May .........................strap up his/her feet in readiness with the Good News of Shalom.  Above all, may...............take up the shield of faith with which he/she will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And may...................take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.   from Ephesians 6:10~17

Readings from Parsha Tetzaveh:
Exodus 27:20 ~ 30:10
Ezeikel 43:10 ~27
Hebrews 9:6~14

Notes:  Ruach is the Hebrew word for Spirit, or Wind, here referring to the Holy Spirit.

Take ...unleavened cakes with oil mixed in....    from Exodus 29:2, note to myself, the word for cakes in Hebrew in this verse is "Challah"

Notice the "Challah" this week, it has an unleavened look to it, actually I tried making challah using rice flour that I got from a local rice grower, and was surprised at the result how it didn't rise.

I have a "souvenir" Torah Scroll from Jerusalem. I confess I can't really read it but I can follow along enough to see where we are and listen along to the Hebrew as I "read" it for each potion, and some words do "pop out" and it is good Hebrew study as well for listening and following along and seeing!!!

Parsha Tetzaveh

Meditating on God's splendor and majesty and His clothes of righteousness; and on being clothed in the Armor of God.

You shall make a breastpiece of decision, worked into a design; make it in the style of the ephod:  make it of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen.  It shall be square and doubled, a span in length and a span in width.  Set in it mounted stones, in four rows of stones.  

Exodus 28:15~17 

 

Rose and Aaronic Blessing, Shabbat Shalom

ADONAI bless you and keep you!

ADONAI make His face shine on you 

and be gracious to you!

ADONAI turn His face to you and

grant you

SHALOM!

---Numbers 6:24~26, The Aaronic Benediciton

found in this week's reading, Parsha Naso

Shabbat Shalom!

Love

♡

Shayndel

Daily Bread Postcard!

I was so intrigued with the blossoming staff of Aaron, as you can see in the two posts below, that I chose this scripture for today`s postcard!

This week, one postcard in three languages!

And just to share a discovery in this week--- from being intrigued by the staff and the almond blossoms, I ate a lot of almonds this past Shabbat!  The almond blossoms also led me to look up what an Almond tree in Israel looks like.

They `struck` me as being so similar to the Cherry Blossoms, that I am sure it will lead to a post sometime on Almond trees/blossoms and Cherry trees/Blossoms!  Israel/Japan!

＊

Meanwhile, already well into the book of Numbers,
this weeks readings continue in Parsha Chukat.
If you would like to, please see link on Sidebar or click HERE and find this weeks Parsha Chukat in the list of weekly reading.  This week contains another intriguing connection about Aaron`s Staff.  I learned through teachings on this Torah portion, and then saw when I went back again to read it, that the staff that Moses uses to hit the rock, `The Staff` that ADONAI asked him to take,  was Aaron`s staff. 

Blessings and Shalom!

Shayndel

Aaron`s Blossoming Staff Challah, Part 2, Setting the Table for Parsha Korach

The table is set as the story of this week`s Parsha Korach unfolds ---in Challah!---  to reveal almond flowers from Aaron`s Staff

On Shabbat, our table can become a place to tell the story of the weekly parsha reading, and a way to invite others to enter into the Torah in creative and fun ways.  And maybe even inspire others to read the Torah and hunger for the Word that it contains.

The Parsha this week inspired me to make a Challah to express Aaron`s Blossoming, Flowering  Staff.

 (see Post , Aaron`s Blossoming Staff Challah, Part 1 below )

In this post, I would like to set the table with the Challah and a little more of the story.

When Korach rebels against Moses, which is actually a rebellion against G-d, G-d tells Moses to have the twelve tribes line up their staffs (rods)  in front of the testimony of the Tent of Meeting.

ADONAI spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to Bnei-Yisrael and get a rod from each ancestral house, twelve staffs in all, from each prince according to his ancestral household.  ---Numbers 17:1

He then tells Moses that the staff of the man that He chooses will sprout, and this is how He was to do away with those who are grumbling and rebelling against Moses.  So Moses gathered the staffs and placed them before ADONAI in the Tent of Testimony.

Of course, Aaron's staff blossoms (see post below and read Numbers 17:1 - 12!).

 To keep the surprise for your Shabbat guests, I recommend keeping `Aaron`s Flowering Staff` Challah  covered at first.  This is fitting  because we keep the Challah covered while we recite the blessings over the candles and the wine (explained in a post HERE)!  I used my Second Challah Cover, with the Hebrew names of the Twelve Tribes.    

For a dramatic effect in the telling of the parsha, from under the Challah Cover, you can have the flowers and the top of the staff emerge!

As you tell the story of the Parsha to your Shabbat guests, and uncover the Challah it makes for a memorable surprise and teaching to see how only the staff of Aaron blossomed.  Have almonds scattered on the table, and if possible, use a blossom patterned cloth!

Behind the scenes note:

For the eleven `staffs` of the tribes,  I used `POCKY` sticks.  They are a popular kind of candy in Japan.  I used `almond` variety, and this colorful shower variety.  I bring your attention here to the back of the `Almond` Pocky box.  There were perforations where you could poke the arms out and move them into an embrace.  It just seemed perfect to put the flowering staff into the hands of the boy!  And  do you see how the background has blossoms all around!!

Don`t you find that as our lives get more and more focused on Torah, every little thing around us reflects it too!! Even a Pocky Box! Pocky sticks! And the origami paper that is full of blossoms.  Just roll it and tape it to make a little `flowering Staff` to remind us of Aaron in the story this week of Parsha Korach.

Aaron`s staff is a testimony in perpetuity to us all to NOT rebel like Korah, and to be obedient to the One who G-d chooses as His High Priest.  This story lives on.

ADONAI said to Moses, "Put Aaron's staff back in front of the Testimony to keep as a sign to the sons of rebellion, so that it may put an end to their grumblings against Me, and so they will not die. "  Moses did just as ADONAI commanded him.     --Numbers 17:12

 

Blessings and Shalom!

Love,

Shayndel

note:  I have been using the words `rod` and `staff` interchangeably through these two posts. 

Aaron`s Blossoming Staff Challah!

And behold, Aaron`s staff, from the house of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds.

---Numbers 17:8

Aaron.

This week`s Parsha, Parsha Korach, in the book of Numbers, has me thinking about Aaron.
And his staff that flowers with almond blossoms!

As some of you who have been reading my blog know, sometimes I make a challah that expresses something from the weekly Torah Reading.  (the link to the weekly readings is on the sidebar, or you can find it HERE!)  For this week`s Shabbat I wanted to express something about Aaron and his flowering rod.

I started with some fresh almonds, and let what was to happen blossom from there...

Next, to roll a long staff, divided into three strands...

Because the rod of Aaron sprouted Almond Blossoms, it is said that it may have been made from the wood from an Almond tree.  So I wanted there to be almonds inside the `staff`.   Homemade almond paste rolled inside the strands was just the thing!

Once the strands were rolled, the flowers had to `sprout` from the staff, so you see what happens here, is that the flowers come from the `rolled` ends of the staff...

Now for the braid...

 here you can see the the strands have `expanded` ! as  the almond paste filling is rolled into the strands

 BUT look what happened, it got so long that it would be too long for the baking sheet.
So another sweet almond flower bloomed from the end!

 Now there were three flowers!

 And flowers made of almond slivers to decorate the challah!

On the Shabbat table, it truly Blossomed!!

 

Shabbat Shalom!