Torah and Tatami, Challah and Blossoms

 O how I love Your Torah!
It is my meditation all day.

Psalm 119:97

Shavu`a Tov! Have a blessed week!

Love, 💛 Shayndel

 

Please find my AHAVA prayer sheet from this week`s Parsha Yitro to pray for your families and nations and Israel HERE:

AHAVA Prayer Sheet Yitro

 

Ahava Prayer and Movement

Praying from the Parsha, Moving onto God`s Kingdom Calendar
 

 

 

 

 

A Torah for Japan ~ Part 2: The Flying Scroll

Subsequently, the Ark carried its bearers in the air and crossed the Jordan, as it is stated: “When all the people were completely passed over, the Ark of the Lord passed on, and the priests, before the people” (Joshua 4:11)

The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him:  Uzzah, the Ark carried its bearers when it crossed the Jordan; all the more so is it not clear that it can carry itself?

Another midrash says that rather than being carried by its bearers, the Ark in fact carried its bearers inches above the ground (Sotah 35a)

Like the verses above, I also experienced this in that I didn’t carry the Torah.

God carried it. 

He `sent` ＊ angels ahead of me to lift it at every point from Florida to New York to Japan.  He carried the Torah.

When I arrived in New York JFK with an extra oversized box, My Dad was surprised, to say the least.  I told him his house would be blessed by having the Torah there, sharing with him the story of Obed Edom when King David brought the ark there before returning to Jerusalem. 

Then it was reported to King David saying, "ADONAI has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God."  So David went and brought the ark of God up from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with joy.    2Samuel 6:12

And it was a blessed trip.   All thanks and glory to God for His being with us every step of the way.  I am reminded of that so that when I am in more `regular` seeming moments in my every day life, I remember, yes God is with us always even when it is not that kind of highlighted `adventure`, He is with us!  Reminder to myself, and I hope an encouragement to you!

From New York to Japan was the next challenge.   I had to quarrantine two weeks in Tokyo in two different locations, before being able to fly on another airplane to the city where I live.  It was the time of the strictest regulations in Japan (again all thanks to God, the restrictions were reduced during the last few days of my quarantine it was announced that the restriction had been lifted and shortened to 10 days, shortened from 14!)

I remember one moment that was exhilirating, in an unexpected kind of way.  I was in the taxi going from the first quarantine hotel to the next, feeling a sense of freedom to be released even for this interim!  The box with the Torah scroll was next to me on the seat.  I felt an exhilaration of joy as we passed along Tokyo streets, by shops with  signs and all the letters in Japanese, as a new light was shining on this cityscape, the light of the Torah, as though the letters of the Word could not contain themselves and were being released! 

I hoped to open the scroll in the hotel room quarantine but there was really no place to open it in the  hotel rooms.  I realized I would have to wait until I get back to `the city of Joanne`! I did open the box though,  and found there was a `tallit` with the word `CHAI` (see post below about the Hebrew word Chai) in a word spelling LIFE all over the Tallit.

The scroll was wrapped so well and fit in the box so perfectly that I sensed it was divinely wrapped to make it on the journey.  I didn`t want to open it until it was the right time that I could  have enough space to unfold it.

Once again I lifted up my eyes and behold, I saw a flying scroll!

Then the angel asked me, "What do you see?"   I replied, "I see a flying scroll twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide."

 Zechariah 5:1 ~ 2

Why do I mention the flying scroll? Because at last when I made it to the plane that would take me home, the Pilot of pilots arranged our flight path to fly the Torah directly over the top of Mt. Fuji!!!  A prophetic proclamation and a joyous homecoming,  welcoming the God of Israel with the Torah over Japan...

From the Taxi, the `cloud` of God`s glory!

 

reading Isaiah 42 on the plane, while flying over Japan with the Torah on board...The islands will wait for His Torah!

HalleluYah!!  To be continued...❤️

A Torah for Japan! Part 1: Torah of Life!

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree.
He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  Psalm 92:13

 

Florida Palm trees remind me of Shabbat Psalm, Psalm 92!

The Hebrew word `CHAI` from the Parsha Prayer Sheet in Vayechi

A Torah for Japan!

The island nations wait for Your Torah!   Isaiah 42:4

A Torah Scroll for Japan!! A Story in a few Parts and continuing...

I went back to the US for a visit in December to visit my Dad and celebrate his 90th Birthday.

On the way I attended a conference in Florida, where little unbeknownst to me I would be going back to Japan with a Torah Scroll!!

On my way to see my Dad I made a stop in Florida to attend a Messianic conference that was being held on my birthday! It seemed like a miracle that it was still in the middle of the pandemic and tough restrictions were in place, and yet the LORD opened up the door for me to go on this trip to see my Dad and have this stopover,  a gift from heaven in itself! 

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

The day I received the Torah was on the day of my birthday.  It was the Shabbat Parsha Vayechi.

The Parsha was significant because  this year Vayechi was on my birthday, Dec. 18.  Vayechi contains the Hebrew word `Chai` (חי‎) which means life, and is expressed in the  number 18.  Seeing this parsha for life on the 18th and it also being my birthday I knew there was something special on this day.  I felt in my spirit that `this Torah portion is for me`, like  a `Bat Mitzvah`portion!! As I never sensed that before, I was expectant, though not knowing just in what way!

The Torah will go forth from Zion and the word of God from Jerusalem＊

The Torah scroll came to Florida all the way from Jerusalem, with a young man named Israel and his family, who are active in ministry for the restoration of Israel.  I told a dear new friend who I had just met at the conference that when I saw the Torah, the LORD put it in my heart to bring the scroll back to Japan!  She was 100 percent in agreement, and even offered to co-partner with me in getting the Torah.  She wanted to bless the LORD in sending His word forth, and to bless Japan!!  It was decided that afternoon before the end of the Shabbat, that after Shabbat we would purchase the scroll together!! Israel wrapped it carefully as I would be on my journey to NY for the next part of my trip to see my Dad the next day!

I didn`t know how I was going to carry the scroll and my big suitcase that I had with me for a month-long trip!!  Even the suitcase alone was a challenge when making the various international and domestic transfers.  And yet I went forward in faith and knew that the LORD would carry it, and so He did!

HalleluYah! To be continued...

＊from verse Micah 4:2, Isaiah 2:3 

Love, 

Shayndel

 

 

 

 

 

 

This photo is from a divine moment when someone unexpectedly jumped into the photo!! A moment itself can be a gift from heaven! If you do not recognize who it is, or even if you do, please enjoy and be blessed by this song below!!!

❤️❤️❤️

How majestic is Your Name

 

Chorus

There is none like You

There is none like You

Together we proclaim

The power of Your Name

There is none like You

https://lyricstranslate.com/ja/joshua-aaron-none-you-lyrics.html

 Song: There is None like You, by Joshua Aaron

(Thanks to Yeshua, it was a blessing to be able to hear live, as it is one of the songs he played at the conference)

How Majestic is Your Name in all the Earth!

 Chorus lyrics:

There is none like You

Together we proclaim

The power of Your Name,

There is None like You. 

How majestic is Your Name

 

Chorus

There is none like You

There is none like You

Together we proclaim

The power of Your Name

There is none like You

https://lyricstranslate.com/ja/joshua-aaron-none-you-lyrics.html

How majestic is Your Name

 

Chorus

There is none like You

There is none like You

Together we proclaim

The power of Your Name

There is none like You

https://lyricstranslate.com/ja/joshua-aaron-none-you-lyrics.html

Jonah and rounding up the cycle of Teshuvah!

A song of Ascents.

Out of the depths I cry to You, ADONAI!

Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my supplications.   Psalm 130:1~2

 

On the day before Yom Kippur, I saw this little girl feeding pigeons out of her hand.   I stopped on  my bicycle, and asked her mom if I could take a picture, and she said it was ok. 

Just earlier in that morning I had been reading the book of Jonah, because the book of Jonah is read in the synagogue on Yom Kippur services,  so I wanted to read it in advance.   When I was reading it this time, I saw more than ever how amazing it is as a story of `Teshuvah`.  That of course is why it is read at this time of year.  I  love hearing it, and reading it , partly because I relate to Jonah in my own story of `teshuvah`, or `return.  I relate especially to how he thought he could run away from God, and of course, was found! This year after having been thinking a lot about Teshuvah, I noticed in the text of Jonah`s prayer how it is such an amazing `model` of teshuvah with the way the `turn` back to God is so clearly depicted in that prayer.  

When I saw the girl with the pigeons I knew God was making a connection that He wanted me to see see in that moment!

He knew that I knew that I would see the connection of Jonah and the pigeons!!

Jonah and the pigeons, you ask?

well, yes! Because in Hebrew, the word Jonah

(actually its Yonah in Hebrew), means dove, or pigeon!!

dove, pigeon = יוֹנָה

 Its something I learned this year, and I even call pigeons now `Yonahי

So I saw something in the little girl that was this peace she had and joy in feeding the pigeons, in being so at one with God`s creation!  

Part of our `Teshuvah` is a sense of coming home to who we are in Him, or returning to God as who He meant for us to be, and it can be a little like connecting to the childlike parts of ourselves.   I think that in showing me that little girl, He wanted to show me something of the joy that He has been wanting to return in me.

 I made an on-the-spot upload to express something about that, and just to share a little `pre-Yom Kippur` message, here is the upload and the scenes of little girl!! 

 G`mar Chatima Tovah!

May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for a good year!

Hope you have/had a good and smooth fast and meaningful Yom Kippur!! Blessings and Love, Shayndel

Bamidbar- Wilderness and Clouds

  וַעֲנַן יְהוָה עֲלֵיהֶם, יוֹמָם, בְּנָסְעָם, מִן-הַמַּחֲנֶה

And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp.   Numbers 10:34

And sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
כא  וְיֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר-יִהְיֶה הֶעָנָן, מֵעֶרֶב עַד-בֹּקֶר, וְנַעֲלָה הֶעָנָן בַּבֹּקֶר, וְנָסָעוּ; אוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, וְנַעֲלָה הֶעָנָן וְנָסָעוּ.	9:21 And sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they journeyed; or if it continued by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
כב  אוֹ-יֹמַיִם אוֹ-חֹדֶשׁ אוֹ-יָמִים, בְּהַאֲרִיךְ הֶעָנָן עַל-הַמִּשְׁכָּן לִשְׁכֹּן עָלָיו, יַחֲנוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלֹא יִסָּעוּ; וּבְהֵעָלֹתוֹ, יִסָּעוּ.	9:22 Whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, abiding thereon, the children of Israel remained encamped, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

In the wilderness, the Children of Israel were guided by the cloud by day and a fire by night.  The menorah in the tabernacle was kept lit diligently and continually by Aaron.  It was his continuous service throughout the generations.  
 In the wilderness time we all have gone through, perfectly between Purim and Shavuot, and are coming out of--and there are and will be wilderness times time and again until we reach the promised land--- may we be reminded of God`s presence so close to us.  He tells us when to move and when to stay.  We  had a period of 3 months when He told us to stay.  I find it wonder-ous to see that cloud, smiling down on us, and to know that the One who created the world with His word is very much taking us through.  May we listen and watch for when to move.  May His glorious Name fill the earth.  

The sky looks clearer than ever before.  LORD, You fill our screens (!)  and our hearts with hope.  May we keep our lamps continually lit as we are commanded to be the light of the world.   Help us LORD  to be more kind and loving as You are.  Thank you LORD for guiding us and for shining Your face upon us 
and for giving us peace.

♡

In progress on a Torah class for kids!! And kids at heart!!

This week`s Torah readings were in the Book of Numbers,
 in Parsha Beha’alotcha
(or for those in Israel, one Parsha ahead, Shelach Lecha)

Omer and Emor and Sapphire!!

  וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם, מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת, מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם, אֶת-עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה:  שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת, תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה

And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete;  
                                                                                                            Leviticus 23:15

We just finished the Parsha Emor (note of posting delay!:  I wrote this draft some days ago, now as I am posting it   already we are finishing the book of Leviticus!!) in which the "moadim", or set appointed times of the LORD are outlined.  I love this parsha.    I should make a t-shirt,  that says , "I love the Moadim!!!" or "Lev 23!" (for Leviticus 23, the chapter they are outlined!!) .  

God's appointed times--Moadim, starting with Shabbat--- give so much meaning to our lives and to the whole cycle of connecting us back and forward until we are just moving in His eternal cycle!! I find the Moadim are like "cogs" on a wheel that click into place for it to move, and  it is  as though we "click" into place into His eternal time more and more as we connect with each of the modadim!!  As we are counting up from Passover to Shavuot, each day of counting of the Omer is a way of bringing more of the divine into "temporal" time! Or another way, we spiral up a little each day on the rungs of  "temporal" time into His heavenly purposes for us.

I was reading in one of my recent favorite "go-to" Parsha devotionals called "Parsha in Pink",  a weekly devotional for women about the weekly Torah readings, and in her discussion of  this week's parsha Emor,  the author writes about counting the omer .  She writes that the Hebrew word for "you shall count" comes from the root of the Hebrew word "sapphire", and that in Jewish teachings it is taught that the  tablets of the 10 Commandments were written on stones not of drab grey as I once imagined but on tablets made of Sapphire!!! (note in this passage "luchos" means "tablets")

The word "u'sfartem---and you shall count" (Vayikra 23:15) comes from the root word sapir--sapphire, the material that the second set of Luchos were made of.  Our souls are compared to sapphire, which loses its luster when it becomes dirty.  As a result of our sins, our souls also lose some of their light, their gleam.   The message of the word "u'sfartem" is that by counting we must "polish" our souls so that we can be untarnished in time to experience the revelation of Matan Torah (Noam Elimelech, Mareh Yechezkel).                   from Parsha in Pink, p.144

Reading this about the tablets being made of Sapphire really sparkled my spirit to a glistening excitement!!!  Below is a scripture with "sapphire" that has always intrigued me and I even found I highlighted in my first Bible!!  It is about sapphire under God's feet!!  Which comes write before a scripture about the giving of the tablets.  When reading about the possibility that the tablets are made of sapphire, suddenly this scripture came even more alive!!! Could it be that He made the tablets from the sapphire of the throne room?? To me it makes all the sense in the Heavens!! We may not know until we get there, but I find this so intriguing.  Here is the verse that I highlighted years ago (around 6 to be exact!)  in my first Faithgirls bible.  I will just point out again the letters for "sapphire" in blue!

י  וַיִּרְאוּ, אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו, כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר, וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם, לָטֹהַר

Exodus 24:10 and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness.

As we count may we ask the Holy Spirit to look for those areas in ourselves that we need to "polish" as we prepare to meet with and experience the revelation at Shavuot that we are coming up to in only a few remaining weeks.  In this chapter in the devotional she also speaks of the preparation in coming up to meeting our beloved as we "detox and beautify our spirit and soul so we can stand under the chuppah* with splendor and grace."(Parsha in Pink, p. 144  ) (*chuppah referes to the bridal canopy at a Jewish wedding)

As we have been talking about this preparation for the wedding with the Beloved (see posts and Challah-cast below!), may we sparkle and shine more and more like the sapphire as we count up to that day!!!  I hope this season of Shavuot will be a time when the Bride of Yeshua can truly come together as one in Him.  This devotional book was written by a Jewish author, and her words about preparing as the bride are exactly what I encounter from the believers of Jesus in the church.  The beautiful thing is  that we are all His bride.  I pray that separation will break down this year as He reveals Himself to us in these days-- when remember, He was revealing Himself to His disciples in this period between Passover and Shavout.  I find it poignant and beautiful,  as someone who is both Jewish and a believer in Yeshua, to see how all together we are His bride!

So there shall be one flock, one Shepherd. John 10:16b

Love and Blessings and Happy Counting!
Today we are entering in day 31 (ooh, see how many days ago I wrote this draft! Today we are actually at day 38!!) , of the counting of the Omer.

So teach us to number our days,

so that we may get a heart of wisdom.    Psalm 90:12

Love,
 ♡
Shayndel

hebrew word review notes:
Luchos means "tablets"
chuppah refers to the wedding canopy that the bride and groom get married beneath in a Jewish wedding.

Parsha Yitro--Ten Commandments and Two 5-Strand Challah

 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness that ADONAI had shown to Israel, since He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.      Exodus 18:9

Yitro is the name in Hebrew of this week's (* last week's, by the time I am posting!!)  Parsha, named for Moses' father-in-law Jethro.  Jethro was a Midianite priest and former idol-worshiper who became a believer in the one true God, after hearing the wonderous things the LORD did for the Children of Israel,  that He parted the Sea and He set them free.  Jethro also had a good advice to Moses not to do everything himself, but to hire good men to help him.＊

I used my "Mt. Fuji and Ten Commandments" Challah cover this week in honor of the parsha.  The Challah cover is also a visual "prayer" that here too where we are in Japan the people will hear and be transformed by the truth of the one true God and receive His word and Salvation! 

For this week I made 2 five strand challah to make 10 strands total to represent the Ten Commandments!  For the Challah-cast this week (HERE, or see "screen" below!)  I show how to braid a five-strand challah.  My brother, who has been watching my weekly challah-casts, has been telling me to put in more of the making of challah and less talking!! (I did the challah making, as per his request,  but there is also still a lot of talking, sorry Jim, I'm working on it!)

In the parsha Moses tells the children of Israel not to be afraid of the thunder and mountain quaking, but  that they have to Fear the Lord and not go astray (Exodus 20:20).   God Himself tells them several times in the book of Exodus and later throughout the Torah, that if they fear Him and observe all His commandments He will not bring upon them the diseases "that He brought upon the Egyptians". 

²⁶ He said, “If you diligently listen to the voice of Adonai your God, do what is right in His eyes, pay attention to His mitzvot, and keep all His decrees, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians. For I am Adonai who heals you.”                                                             Exodus 15:26

He also made this clear in the ten plagues, where the plagues were judgement put upon the people of Egypt and yet didn't touch the Children of Israel who were all in one accord to follow His ways.

He is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow.  May we Praise Him,  and fear Him and not go astray.  Observe His statutes with delight. And may the diseases not come near our tents (Psalm 91:10).  May more and more people say Yes to His Salvation.

Did you know that at the time of the giving of the Torah, it is said in an  account in the  Mishnah(Sifrei Devarim 343) that all the nations were given the chance to receive the Torah and the Ten Commandments.  But all said no on certain commandments that they couldn't abide by, and after that only Israel said YES, and their YES was without  questioning the specifics of what they would have to do, they put all their faith in Him and said Yes, we will do all that You ask.  The other Nations all were said to have said no to one or the other commandment, and turned down His offer of the TORAH on those things that didn't agree with them.  For one nation, "no murder" was unacceptable, it was their way of life, they just couldn't commit.  For another, no adultery--- out of the question as that was part of their way of life (I am not naming nations! but so it is said!).  And so on! Only Israel  gave their reverential and unequivocal YES, acknowledging that that HE is their Master and Creator and Sovereign King, and they agreed to receive the Torah.

 We are given the choice each day anew to say Yes, LORD, we will do ALL that you ask us to do because You are our God.

Seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all else will follow.

Blessings and Love,

S h a b b a t   S h a l o m !  !

♡

＊Thank you Hobbyloes! I added this line from your comment:)!

Shayndel (doing Challah Cast as Joanne!)

Challah-Cast Diary/notes! Life of Sarah

Now Sarah's life was 127 years--the years of Sarah's life.

Genesis 23:19

The reading from this past week in the Torah is the Parsha "The Life of Sarah" .
It is called "The Life" of Sarah,  even though it is actually to tell about her passing, at the time of her death at 127 years. 

 Sarah lived in righteousness, purity and with a love of loving-kindness--the quality of chesed, in Hebrew-- in everything she did .  She and Abraham opened up their tent for hospitality to strangers to share the truth about the One true God.  Her whole being emanated light because she drew from the source of light for her life.  At  age 90  God blessed her and Abraham (who was 100) with a child, even though in the natural it was impossible.  Nothing is impossible with God!

In connecting with something about challah, the aspect I wanted to share is how her light shone even in her challah dough!!

According to a midrash in Bereshit Rabba, we learn that Sarah's dough was divinely blessed, that  her challah stayed fresh from  Shabbat to the next Shabbat, and that a candle would burn in her tent from Sabbath Eve to the next.  There was said to be a cloud of the divine presence always over her tent. 

I love this teaching about Sarah
＊ from a Rabbinic source, quoted below, and what it tells about her life and how she lived doing everything for the glory of God.  I can try to imagine the light that shone forth from her very being!! The woman who was the mother of all the generations of Israel.  Her challah dough was divinely blessed!  From the same midrash, we also learn that the divine blessing left in all those areas, but when Rebecca came into the tent as Isaac's bride, the blessings returned.

Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, 

took Rebecca and she became his wife--and he loved her.  

So Isaac was comforted after the loss of his mother.

Genesis 24:67

 

And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah, his mother-" All the days that Sarah was alive, a cloud was connected (lit. tied) to the entrance of her tent. When she died, the cloud stopped [resting at her tent.] And when Rebecca came, the cloud returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, the doors were open wide. When she died, the wideness stopped. And when Rebecca came, the wideness returned. And all the days that Sarah was alive, there was a blessing in her dough, and when Sarah died, that blessing ended. When Rebecca came, [the blessing] returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, there was a candle that would burn from Sabbath Eve to [the next] Sabbath Eve, and when she died, the candle stopped [burning for so long]. And when Rebecca came, [the week-long flame of the candle] returned. And as soon as [Isaac] saw her, that she did the deeds of his mother, separating her challah in purity and separating her dough in purity, he brought her into the tent.

                                                                                 ＊ from Bereishit Rabbah 60

For those that are following or interested in the Challah-cast series,
please read on , these !
"Notes on the "Challah-cast":

My  basic "filming"  plan was to take  scenes of first getting  flowers for Shabbat at the flower shop,  a special bouquet to honor the Life of Sarah, then zooming in on the flowers in the shop, and next scene , zooming out on the flowers when back in my home, and showing the flowers and the dough.

The whole short film, the challah-cast, would be homage to Sarah. The aspect of the challah that we would focus on is the dough, talking about the teaching above, about the blessing on her challah and the light that she shone from living with the Divine Presence always.
In my challah making scenes I would just show the dough, from when its made, to when it rises, as I talk about that aspect of Sarah's life.

So that is the basic idea for the week of Chayei Sarah.  What I am learning for the challah-casts is it takes a lot of "takes" to get a short video together! And I have to work fast if I want to do it by Shabbat, from the making of the Challah.

After all, I didn't get a finished challah-cast that I felt ready to share, so  am just sharing this post as an "outline" this week, and realize that I may not get a finished Challah-cast each time.  I started to get a little discouraged, but, rather than get discouraged if I don't complete it, I am glad as it is a way of drawing closer to Him in the process.

The midrash (Rabbinic commentary) from Bereishit Rabbah, is about how once Isaac and Rebecca married, and Rebecca entered into Sarah's tent with Isaac, the blessings returned through her.

Its such a beautiful testament to the generations, how through Sarah's life, Rebecca was able to enter in and keep alive the flame of God's presence continually.   It is said that in the time after Sarah died, the blessings stopped, but when Rebecca entered the tent as Isaac's bride, they returned again.
May we learn from the Life of Sarah, and be inspired to keep the light of Yeshua shining through our lives, and be diligent in prayer and in how we live, to pass it on to the next generation.

And a PS, I really was gettting a little discouraged not having done a Challah-cast, so just to keep on going I made a "rough" upload with talking it through and I also included the next Parsha, Toldot, to tie in with it.  If you are moved to watch it, you can see it HERE

When we spend time with the Lord, and more than that, when we live with Him as the source of our very being,   then our light will shine forth in all we do.  And nothing is impossible with Him!

Blessings and Shabbat Shalom!!

 Every year I post my Rebecca (Rivka)  drawing (Below) to go with this parsha!
Blessings and Shalom!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
♡
Shayndel

So she said, "Drink, my lord," and she quickly lowered her jar onto her hand and gave him a drink.  Now when she finished giving him a drink, she said, "I'll also draw water for your camels until they've finished drinking."   Genesis 24:18~19

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 

 

Rainbow in Sand

My son, give your heart to me,

and let your eyes observe my ways.

 Proverbs 23:26

Recently I told my daughter about sand art and showed her a picture of rainbow colors in a bottle and she had never seen it before.  So when I passed by a table today of all these bottles of colored sand,  advertising, Make your own "Sand Art", I felt drawn to make something for her.

And soon knew what I wanted to make, and you can surely know too from the title of the post,
a rainbow!!
A rainbow in sand!!

As I was pouring in the colors little by little, and the instructor was showing me how to do it carefully, grains by grains, it struck me as the perfect expression of God's heart in the conversation we have been having this week and that has been in my creative consciousness, about  rainbows (here) and sand (here).
From Noah to Abraham, the rainbow "smile", to the generations.

Who could resist all the sand in all those colors of the rainbow!!

A little girl was making one near me, she was diligently working on it.  Her mother was by her a little distance away as she worked on it.  Mine was for my daughter, who is now a farther distance away but it was a nice connection to connect to a childlike heart while working on it.  And as it is a little delicate and would be hard to send, I may just have to hand deliver it to her!!

The little girl next to me made this!!

in progress, a smile!!!, adding a "bouquet" and some finishing touches

♡

My heart trusts in Him.

 PS  A Shayndel Torah "takeaway" from these weeks since beginning the book of Genesis, as seen in the experiences with the Rainbow this week and what I felt the Holy Spirit speaking through this sand art rainbow. (see two posts below for background story)
God connects the generations through His rainbow (a.k.a., covenant) and through His promises.  And it is through the faith of Abraham and the Holy Spirit given us through Yeshua that we can enter into a living relationship with the Creator of the Universe.  He is the one who made us and multiplies us like the sands on the seashore.   Each of us, like each of  those "grains" are unique.   I realized too that it is a "circle" rainbow, going around the glass which is also something He showed me in the rainbow going around the whole sky and making an opening for Him to throw down to us the bouquet.  If we look into a minute infinitesimal picture it can expand exponentially to the hugeness of His heart, as He will show us things in a size and scale that we can hold on it.  And then enlarge it for us to walk into .  Honestly, I am not quite at that point yet, and sense He is teaching me to  be ready to walk into all that He has to offer!   He is a loving Father who longs to pour out His love for us.   Now I am also realizing the rainbow was in a glass, as we are a vessel  to receive His Holy Spirit through whom we give our selves to Him and then we can be co-creators using all the amazing colors and resources that He opens up. This coming week there is Jacob's dream of the ladder, and I remember last year in this parsha He showed me a rainbow, and that the ladder is Yeshua, who makes it possible for us to connect to Heaven, here on earth, and bring the things of Heaven down through our prayer and worship.   Oh , and in the sand art we could give it a "use", and so I made it a "memo holder", there is a little clip that can hold a memo, or a drawing, postcard, picture etc.  What will then be created from the loving connection with Him.
Later in the book of Exodus, He says to Let my people go so that they can Worship Me.  It is not just that we are set free, but it is so we can make our lives into lives of worship, in everything we do.  Oh, and lastly, I am not sure if you can see it in the photo, but nestled behind the heart, there is a shimmering present wrapped in turquoise blue the color of the New Jeruslaem.  Yes, He thinks of everything!!

Blessings and Shalom!

❤️

I also saw the holy city---the New Jerusalem---coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
                  ---Revelation 21:2