Rosh Hashanah Rainbow

 

 

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

Round Challah Part 2 and Rosh Hashanah・Shabbat Shuvah diary

 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.  James 1:17

Would you believe it, this challah  was a gift, sent to me from Tokyo!!  A good and perfect gift from our Father in Heaven, who sent it through the synagogue ,  surprise and touched my heart in ways that only He knows how!! (the perfect round challah in a perfect square box, the box had my name on it hand written all around the box!!!)

L`Shana Tova! A card for you!

This one I made! A three strand braid shaped in a circle like a crown

. 

Praise is awaiting You in Zion, O God,

and to You the vow will be fulfilled.

Psalm 65:2

A few friends asked about how to make the round challah and to see `part 2` of shaping the challah, so I am popping in to share the upload for Part 2,  and share a few reflections on the Feast days and the Ten days of Awe that we are in, as well as about the challah!!

So without further ado, here is Part 2.  Sorry it doesn`t include the receiving of the challah gift described and pictured in top photos above!! I had already filmed the video!! But if you can, just imagine another doorbell ring, like in Part 1 when the sukkah was delivered from Abram the tent maker.  This time it was a Japan postman at the door delivering a Round challah from the King!!!  

 

 Joanne`s Challah-Cast channel!

As I have shared before, the round challah is my recommendation for all the fall `chag` (chag-im) feasts!!   I am thankful for master challah teacher Tamar, who I got a lot of tips from for making the challah this year.   I learned a few new things, including sifting the flour first, using oil instead of flour on the board for rolling and kneading if needed.  I made three of the shapes she taught about (see upload!).  I gave the ones I made to others, including of course one for my daughter, and to neighbors or friends to share about the holiday and God`s goodness.  So I was extra grateful for receiving the challah (from) above! 

The next feast is Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement, and the holiest day on the Kingdom calendar, with the Shabbat of Return (Shabbat Shuvah, or Shabbat Teshuvah!) before that.  It is very wonderful to see this year here in Asia, and many people now in the body of Messiah everywhere around the world,  are  beginning to more and more understand and enter into God`s appointed feasts.   And to  pray for Israel during these days.   Many Jewish people still do not know their (our) Messiah Yeshua.  Over hundreds, thousands, of years of history,  He has become unrecognizable to the Jewish people,  so removed even from His own feasts (*actually another word is `moedim` which means God`s appointed times and seasons).   The Feasts of the LORD are the appointed days that Yeshua  made as part of His plan of creation and redemption and for heaven and earth to meet in Him.  From the beginning it was all in place.  At the Restoration of the Kingdom of God on earth they will be continue to be celebrated and they will be fulfilled by Yeshua Himself, the coming King.   On this Shabbat of Return, and in this year 5781, May He reveal Himself to the Jewish people and to the world that He is the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the World!!  This is a time of restoration of all things and its exciting that we each have a part to play!!! 

 

And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

" The Deliverer shall come out of Zion.

He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins."

Romans 11:26~27 (referencing Isaiah 59:20~21, 27:9, and Jeremiah 31:31~34)

 

Oh, so of course no challah on Yom Kippur as it is a complete fast, for 25 hours, but you can have a challah prepared in advance for the break-fast, or for the continuing days of the feasts through Succot!! 

By the way I started putting up my Succah today!! Its my first real succah, and I can recall how it harkens back to the Tabernacle and forward to the wonderful day when God will dwell with us here on earth!!!

Blessings and Chag Sameach!

G`mar Chatimah Tovah!!

May you be sealed and inscribed for a good year!!

Love,♡

Shayndel

O the depth of the riches, 

both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable are His judgments

and how incomprehensible His ways! 

Romans 11:33

Round Challah 1 for Rosh Hashanah

 

For the LORD Most High is to be feared, 

A great King over all the earth.

Psalm 47:2

 

And He will lift up a standard for the nations

And assemble the banished ones of Israel, And will gather the dispersed of Judah.

From the four corners of the earth.   Isaiah 11:12

This week I took a challah class on line through a master challah maker named Tamar in Israel.

She taught how to make 10 shapes of round challah!!

For my “round one” (first round!) I just made it to three variations.  My favorite is this four strand that weaves together on a crown-like round.  I like to see it also as expressing the gathering of all Gods people from the four corners of the earth to bring us back to Him and to the land of Israel!!!

 This year when I read these scriptures about Him gathering us back, here in Japan, sometimes wondering how ever did I get here--reading these words of the scripture helps me to understand that we do get where we are in the four corneres of the world by His hand and are waiting to be brought back!

I made a few! (round challah)

I made a Challah-cast too but only got as far as getting ready so far!! You can see that Part 1 below.  It has the scene where the succah delivery comes, so the mood is one of getting ready.  With the added suspense of whether all the dough for this full recipe will fit into my bowl!!  The actual shaping/making will be in Part 2!  Enjoy, and stay tuned!!

 
 

As we are coming around to the end of 5780 and preparation for the New Year on the biblical calendar of God, may we stand solid in the center of His love.   Abide in His Love!

Shana Tova!  Wishing you A good year!! May it be a healthy, fruitful, sweet, and joyous year for you and your Loved ones.

May we pray for all Israel and the world for Salvation, for healing, for Shalom. 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  

May those who love you be at peace.

Psalm 122:6

 

The challah master teacher I took the course from is named Tamar, which means Palm Tree! So I just put in this photo (above top) as I was sitting by the `palm tree` when making the challah!! The photo directly above shows how to braid the first four strand variation.  And below, is my original `Hebrew letters` in Challah in anticipation of the beginning of the new year and new start of the Torah cycle !!

The word above is `Bara` and it is the second word of the Torah (in the Hebrew line up).  

In the beginning, God created...

(note*  the making of Hebrew letters in challah is my own variation, and was not something that was taught in the Master class! )

 Much Love!!♡

Shayndel

 #challahandcherryblossoms, #messianicjapan

25th of Elul! on the first day of Creation!

This day, making round challah (above), when the doorbell rang and a `sukkah` package arrived from Abram the tent maker

Today is the 25th of Elul, in Jewish history this day marks the first day of creation

Just as I was starting to make a round challah to practice for Rosh Hashanah, I remembered that Elul 25th is said to be the first day God created the world, and I thought, oh, I better check what day today is, and I looked, and I saw on the Hebrew calendar...!! It is Elul 25th.  

On Friday sundown it will be Rosh Hashanah--called Yom Teruah or Day of Trumpets in the Biblical Feasts, and known as the New Year on the Jewish calendar.  We celebrate the anniversary of when God created the world, by honoring Him, the creator and King! It is also the day of the coronation of the King and of course will be the Coronation of the King and Messiah upon His return.  Every year there is this Coronation celebration honoring the King of Glory, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.

 I hadn`t realized though until this year, that this anniversary of  creation, is actually day 6, when God created mankind! 

Of course we, mankind, were banished the next day from the Garden, but if not for that, we wouldn`t have this amazing time of Return!  All a part of God`s great plan of redemption.

I`m starting a little early on the Rosh Hashanah round Challah!!!   We make a round challah at this time of year shaped like a crown.  The round shape also could be said to represent the cycle of time.  Our  Eternal Creator is without beginning and without end! 

As I was starting the challah---and yes, a new challah-cast--- the doorbell rang!! A delivery of the building materials for the succah!! Sent from Abram!! Abram, the tent maker.  Yes, this is all true!! 

Praise God!! The Maker of Heaven and Earth, the Master of all things!!

Stay tuned for more on the round challah (challot!!) for Rosh Hashanah!! Back to the making, and hopefully there will be a challah-cast to follow as well!!!

Many blessings to you on this day

Love and Blessings,

Shayndel/Joanne

 PS officially my first post (in progress) on the `new blogger`!!!  Thank you friends for the encouragements in your postings!! xoxo

Challah journal---continuing in the new year, echoing Creation

A round challah, pomegranate seeds, apples, honey, and even yogurt--milk and honey!  are all symbolic of the Biblical New Year!! Happy and Sweet 5780 to you!  May we honor our Creator all the days through! 

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything moving in them.

Psalm 69:35

A sweet and exquisite first day of the Year 5780 to all!

Rosh Hashanah morning. Before going to synagogue with my Dad, I took a bicycle ride down to the beach with a New Year's round challah (*note, it is a challah from the bakery)  in my back pack!  A challah adventure of the New Years kind.  When I was growing up on Long Island, my family always walked to the synagogue.  My Dad always said that it never rains on the Jewish Holidays!! So there is a kind of weather I associate with the High Holidays, and it was just that weather this New Year.

There would be feasting with the congregation later, but in the morning, a quiet time.  The ocean was High tide, and the sky was like it might have looked on the first day of Creation!!  Today the day, yes, the day the Big Shofar is blown.   When I set the round challah down on the beach blanket, immediately its shape echoed the sky and the sun rising already up above the horizon.  It is also an echo of "Return".  The High Holidays are about "Teshuvah", which means to return, as in to return to God our Father.  Not only personally, but nationally as a people as well.   The  circular shape,  it goes around and around, a reminder of the shape of His days, always bringing us closer and closer to Him,  the Creator of all things, welcome O welcome to the King of all Kings.

Shana Tova!

on the small print on the honey it says,   Because you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you.  Isaiah 43:4

"May you and your loved ones be inscribed in the Book of Life, May you have a happy healthy and peaceful New Year"

Wishing you a Happy and Sweet and Blessed New Year!
5780!

See you in 5780! 

please note I will be taking a blog break in honor of the High Holy Days. Sorry to have been "absent" in the last week or so, with all the shofar blowing and getting ready for the holidays, and now its time to deliver a Challah to my daughter and make my way to spend the holidays with family abroad!! I look forward to see you on my return and in the New Year!
 

Shana Tova is the New Year Greeting for Rosh Hashanah.
It means Good Year!
Rosh Hashanah, means "Head of the Year" 

The round challah represents the celebration of the Creation of the world which we celebrate at Rosh Hashanah,  and most of all we celebrate and honor our Creator and King!! The round challah also can be seen to represent a crown!  This period begins what is known as the "Ten Days of Awe" , a time of repentence and return leading up to Yom Kippur, and then the holidays of rejoicing of Succot and Simcha Torah!! Blessings and a beautiful season to all!

For You met him with the best blessings. You set on his head 
a crown of pure gold.
Psalm 21:4

ADONAI reigns, let the earth rejoice!
Psalm 97:1


Blessings and Love!

♡

Shayndel

A Challah for Rosh HaShanah (a little early, you'll see)

I made a Challah a little early for Rosh Hashanah.
It is to send to my daughter, so she can have a challah and apples and honey at the New Year!
I had a good time making it and reflecting on the year and on the sweetness and goodness of our Lord and Father and King.  And happy that she will have a challah delivered on time.

I filled another bag with apples and honey to send with the challah ---for a sweet new year---,  and in doing so, found myself wanting to bring apples and honey to people in my days.  To share the season we are in to honor our Father our King! 

In this season where we celebrate the beginning of creation, the crowning of the King, may we bring our repentance and turn it in, starting a-new.  May God Bless you!  And keep you and shine His face upon you and give you Peace--Shalom!!

A few scenes from the making!  It is a tradition to make a round challah on Rosh Hashanah, some say it represents a Crown , or the eternal cycle of the year and years, and the round shape of the world,  as we celebrate the Creator and His creation...It is also sweet, whereas mostly challah during the year for Shabbat is sprinkled with salt, this challah has honey and can also be made with other sweetness.  I put apples in the filling of one, but for sending I wasn't sure how it would hold up so I also made a basic sweet round challah with honey and on top, sprinkled sugar and cinnamon.  

This year I had a new personal revelation while making the challah, as I was braiding the four strands and crossing them over each other, I thought of the scriptures about God bringing us together from the four corners of the earth and gathering us back.  Isn't that perfect!

 Then ADONAI your God will bring you back from captivity and have compassion on you, and He will return and gather you from all the peoples where ADONAI your God has scattered you.  Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the heavens, from there ADONAI your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you.  

Deuteronomy 30:3~4

 

 please note I will be taking a blog break in honor of the High Holy Days. 

Wishing you a Happy and Sweet and Blessed New Year!  See you in 5779! 

Shana Tova!

Much Love,

♡ Shayndel

Tashlich and Calendar of the Fall Feasts in 2017

Who is a God like You,
Forgiving iniquity
And remitting transgression;
Who has not maintained His wrath forever
Against the remnant of His own people,
Because He loves graciousness!
He will take us back in love;
He will cover up our iniquities,
You will hurl all our sins
Into the depth of the sea.
You will keep faith with Jacob,
Loyalty to Abraham,
As You promised on oath to our fathers
In days gone by.   ---Micah 7:18~20

Calendar of the Fall Feasts in 2017:

Rosh HaShanah   September 21-22 2017
・The scriptural name for this Holy Day is Yom Teruah, which means sounding of the trumpets, literally the day of the blast.  It is on first day of seventh month of Tishri, see Leviticus 23, Numbers 29.    

Rosh HaShanah translates as the `Head of the Year` and a new year on the Hebrew Calendar, this year 5778, begins

・Yom Kippur  September 30 2017
Day of Atonement, begins on the tenth day of the month of Tishri, a Shabbat of solemn rest and fasting,  the Holiest day of the year on the Biblical calendar, see Leviticus 16, Lev 23

Sukkot  October 5-11 2017
・Feast of Tabernacles, begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Tishri, and lasts for seven days, Lev. 23, Num. 28, Deut 16, `tabernacle` and even sleep under the Succa!

After Sukkot, comes Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, celebrating the completion of reading one full year cycle of the Torah, and the love and joy of studying Torah.  The Torah scroll is rolled back to the beginning as we start again reading from Genesis, and the continual cycle begins anew.

Tashlich, which this post is titled, means `you will cast away`.  It is a Jewish custom of going to a body of water and symbolically casting our sins by throwing small stones or crumbs,  usually done on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, and the scripture above from Micah is read.

Yeshua our Messiah is the true atonement of our sins.  In this season as we observe the appointed times on G-d`s calendar in obedience and love, it is a time also of reflection and seeking Him for what ways we can move into the year ahead as better hearers and doers of His word.  Even as is it a solemn  time to seek forgiveness,  also this year I am finding a lot of joy, as God comes so close as we draw nearer to Him during His Feasts (and fasts, as Yom Kippur is a day of fasting).  Before Yom Kippur is a time to ask forgiveness to those we sinned against in this past year,  individually and in our communities and nations.  And a powerful time to pray for all to come to Salvation in Yeshua!
Blessings to all in this season of repentance and Return.
Blessings and Love, in 5778!!!, G`mar Chatimah Tovah!! May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year {in the Book of Life}!

Love,

♡

Shayndel

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.     ---1 John 1:9

  

Praise the LORD for He is good.

His steadfast love is eternal.

---Psalm 118:29

Round Challah for Rosh Hashanah

Voila!

L`Shana Tova!

Happy New Year 5778!

♡

Shayndel

＊ 

Clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of joy!
For ADONAI Elyon is awesome,
a great King over all the earth.

---Psalm 47:2~3

＊

(dip the bread and fruit in honey for a sweet New Year!)

for Challah recipe,  please see sidebar,  Round Apple and Honey Challah...or click HERE

for more posts about Rosh Hashanah on Challah and Cherry Blossoms, click HERE