Shavu`a Tov! Have a blessed week!
Love, 💛 Shayndel
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...
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| From the Taxi, the `cloud` of God`s glory! | |
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| 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...❤️
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| The righteous will flourish like a palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Psalm 92:13 |
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| Florida Palm trees remind me of Shabbat Psalm, Psalm 92! |
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| The Hebrew word `CHAI` from the Parsha Prayer Sheet in Vayechi |
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| 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
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| 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!!! |
❤️❤️❤️
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.
Let the Shalom of Messiah rule in your hearts -- to this shalom you were surely called in one body. Also be thankful. Colossians 3:15
Shalom. Yes, that is the word for today! We read in this week`s Torah portion about Phineas, the grandson of the High Priest Aaron, who took matters in his own hands upon encountering an Israelite prince having sexual relations with a Midianite princess in front of the Tent of Meeting. He took a spear and ran it right through both people together and killed them.
This was a zealous act by Phineas who saw that things were going too far and the people were practicing blatant idolatry and abomination againt God and His Torah. After his act of violence, the plague that was set upon the people was stopped although already 24000 had died.
After this Phineas was given a B`rit Shalom by God, a Covenant of Peace and everlasting priesthood. Although it was a violent act, and not something that we are to follow, it was pleasing to the LORD as he was acting in accordance with God`s heart for His people.
We read this and are reminded as the people of God to be zealous for the things of God and for the word of God. Being careful not to be zealous for our own motives, but to be in alignment with God`s heart.
May the shalom that is beyond all understanding be with you and your family in Messiah Yeshua!
Love ,
Shayndel💕
PS if anyone has not yet signed up for my AHAVA Parsha prayer sheet and would like to receive it weekly, please let my know either in a comment or send a note to me at:
ahavaprayerandmovement@gmail.com
Now Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. So he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness, came to the mountain of God, Horeb. Then the angel of ADONAI appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. So he looked and saw the bush burning with fire. Yet it was not consumed. Moses thought, "I will go now, and see this great sight. Why is the bush not burnt?"
---Exodus 3:1~3Every year since I came to live in Japan and since my daughter was born 18 years ago, we have always gone to visit my husband`s family on the New Year, and every year I always get up to watch the first sunrise of the year.
When ADONAI saw that he turned to look, he called out of the bush and said, `Moses, Moses.`---Exodus 3:4
Again I looked at the bush, and stayed a while, as the sky was lit up and revealed the brilliance of the Great `I AM`.
Blessings and Love!
♡
Shayndel
by Joanne Yoshida
#ParshaShemot
#Japan
#burningbush
Related post on this blog:
HERE, Parsha Shemot, Burning Bush, Daffodils and Ume Tree
