Multiplying `Chai` ~ Challah of Life

 

Multpiplying the word `CHAI`   חַי which means Life, on a heart-shaped challah

A new inspiration to make smaller `Chai` חַי Heart Challah, and multiply the `Chai` which means `LIFE`. First make the heart shape, and then roll out a thin strand to make the word `

חַי

 

I am the bread of life.

 אָנֹכִי הוּא לֶחֶם הַחַיִּים

Anochi Hu Lechem Ha-Chay-im 

John 6:35

`Chai` or חַי in Hebrew means `Life`.  

If you read the scriptures in Hebrew, you will recognize this word in the Bread of Life, Lechem Ha-chay-im (above)~ Yeshua is the Bread of Life.

Or in another life-giving verse,

I am the way, the Truth, and the Life.  John 14:6

אָנֹכִי הַדֶּרֶךְ וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַחַיִּים

Anochi ha-derech v`ha-emet v`ha-chayim

 And if you are following the Torah portions, you will surely recognize it as the root word from the last Torah portion in the book of Genesis, Vayechi, which we just read this past Shabbat.  It means, `And He lived`,  which refers to our patriarch Jacob at the end of his life.  Always in the Torah, `Life` is highlighted as the Torah is a Torah of Life! So even as Jacob is on his last days and blessing his sons and grandsons just before his passing on, the name of the Parsha (Torah Portion) emphasizes that He lived.  

 A few years ago I had the idea of this `Chai` Challah, a Challah of Life, to make for the Shabbat of `Vayechi`.  I started noticing in the last two Torah portions, even as the tribes were about to begin the Exodus in Egypt and a time of darkness, the word `life` is often used in the story of Joseph. Jacob`s favored son, Joseph tells his brothers that God sent him there to save `life` (lives) in an extraordinary deliverance.

But God sent me ahead of you to ensure a remnant in the land and to keep you alive for an extraordinary deliverance.  Genesis 45:7

 Even though they tried to kill him and threw him in a pit, he rose up to be the viceroy second to Pharoah and he became the saviour for the land of Egypt and for his family from Israel (Canaan at the time), and for all who lived in that time and who came to him for bread.  We see a picture of the Saviour, Yeshua, who like the Joseph we see in these readings, is still yet to reveal himself to his brothers.  LIke the story of Joseph, his Jewish bretheren do not any longer recognize him, and yet its happening before our eyes in this exciting time, that He is revealing Himself to them, and, like me, many are beginning to know our Messiah Lives!!

When I had the idea of `Chai` on a Challah, it seemed very fitting as Yeshua is the Bread of Life, and in this portion, Joseph at the time saved his brothers in a great deliverance through his storing up of grain. Bread features prominently in the salvations so what better way to express this life giving bread, then in a blossoming `Chai` Challah!  The variation this time is that I `multiplied` them and made several small Chai in the hearts challah.  Like the loaves that were multiplied by Yeshua, I pray that this bread will feed many and many will be nourished by the Word of God and find life in the Bread of Life, Yeshua!

`Chai` necklace, on Shayndel`s wishlist!

You may recognize this word from the celebratory toast at weddings or bar mitzvahs or other occasion, To Life,  which is `Le-chay-im`.  You may recognize it from the song of the same name in the musical, Fiddler on the Roof.  Or you may recognize it from the חַי chai neckaces that you can find in a Judaica shop. 

If you might like to try making a Chai Challah, I will direct you to my Challah-cast archives HERE , where you can find related posts and uploads that will show you how to make it!!

Let`s make a toast together for the New Year 2023, 

Le-chayim, To Life!

Love and blessings,

❤️

Shayndel

PS Notes*

*For more on Parsha Vayechi, Please find my AHAVA Weekly Prayer Sheet HERE to pray from your loved ones and for Israel with verses based on this parsha and themes of `LIFE` and blessing!

**Have you signed up yet for my weekly Parsha Newsletter?

Please let me know if you would like to receive my weekly `Parsha Newsletter`! Every week receive a weekly prayer sheet and Shayndel`s (Joanne!) insights on the weekly Torah portion, with a word of encouragement or blessing or other sharing! You can let me know in the comments, or send an e-mail to:

ahavaprayerandmovement@gmail.com

or sign up on our contact form here:

Ahava prayer and movement Contact

I hope it is a blessing to you.  Please feel free to let me know your thoughts comments, insights, d`var torah (word of Torah), or what else you might like to see in the weekly letters.

Vayechi Shabbat Shalom!

 

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

Pomegranates and a Blossoming `Chai` Challah of Life!

 

Amen, amen I tell you, he who believes has eternal life.     I am the bread of life.

John 6:47~48

Today`s challah is a Challah of Life! 

I call it the Blossoming Chai Challah, and you can see it all started HERE . 

 CHAI is a Hebrew word which means `LIFE` (see header above).

You may have heard it in the famous `toast`,

LE-CHAI-IM, To life!

As I was reading in the last parsashiot of the book of Genesis,  Parasha Vayigash and Parsha Vayechi, I kept seeing that word LIFE!!! Joseph asking `Is my Father still alive`, Jacob asking the same of his son Joseph, and then when the brothers reconcile Joseph tells them it is to `preserve the lives of many` that he was sent to Egypt. And of course, he saved many alive through grain ~~ the `bread` (corn?!)  that he provided for his family and Egypt and all the nations.

And to top it off, the LORD was showing me pomegranates upon pomegranates in the supermarket and fruit stands.  I just had to make the Pomegranate Blossoming Chai Challah !! And kept making them until there were no more pomegranates (and now I found more, so if you would like me to make one for you and you are in Japan, let me know!!).  Every time I open a pomegranate I hear YESHUA`s call to us to be fruitful in Him.  Every time I make a Challah for Shabbat  I taste His goodness and that He is the true Bread of LIFE!  When we drink the cup of redemption with it, we proclaim His LIFE until the day He returns!! 

So without further ado, here is my Blossoming Challah of Life in a Challah-cast upload to share with you!!

I will also include my first Blossoming Chai Challah from last year on this Parsha.  It is exciting how the LORD  shows us new things in His word each time. 

The third is a short upload I did for my brother, lately I have gotten to know some of the care residents he works with at his job, and have been doing mini Challah-casts for them as they are in lockdown and even their Shabbat time is on hold as they quarrantine in their rooms. It is a blessing to share from Japan to NY and  a special way to connect with my brother who I have not seen for a long time with the travel being restricted.

May we say together these words that are said at the end of each book of Torah,  so perfect for strengthening each other! 

CHAZAK, CHAZAK, VENIT CHAZEK!

Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another!

Hope you might enjoy one or all of the Challah of Life and Pomegranate Challah uploads below courtesy of 

Joannes Challah-cast Channel

 Love,

Shayndel　♡ 

 

The recent Blossoming Chai Challah with Pomegranate:

First Chai Challah of life : 

 

Pomegranate challah for my brother and friends:

 

Come, my beloved, Let us go into the open;

Let us lodge among the henna shrubs. Let us go

early to the vineyards; Let us see if the vine has

flowered, if its blossoms have opened, If the

pomegranates are in bloom.

There I will give my love to you.                                       Song of Songs 7:12~13

 

 

 

 

To Life! A Challah of "Life"!

 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come forward to me."  

And when they came forward, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, he whom you sold into Egypt.  Now, do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me hither; it was to save life that God sent me ahead of you.

Genesis 45:4~5

(timing note:  On the Cycle of weekly readings we have entered into the book of Shemot, Exodus.   This post is from the last two readings from the book of Genesis!)

Chai means "life" in Hebrew.

The last parsha in the book of Genesis is called "Vayechi"  and the word Vayechi means "and he lived".  It is referring to the "life" of Jacob, who passes on from earthly life, and yet, like our foremother Sarah and the parsha "Chayei Sarah", which means "Life of Sarah", our righteous forefathers and mothers "live" on.

Interestingly, in the second to last parsha in the book of Genesis, which is called "Vayigash", I noticed that the Hebrew word "chai" , for "life", was appearing a lot!! According to my count I found this root word "chai" NINE times in the parsha Vayigash.  That is a lot especially as Chai, like other of the deeply meaningful words like Shalom, is a word that has deep spiritual significance. 

Hence, when I saw its appearance so many times, I felt moved to make a challah that expresses "Chai" or "Life'".  Especially as the tribes are going down to Egypt and into a place of darkness in the readings we are in, I was inspired to make this challah at this junction between the book of Genesis and the book of Exodus.  The Torah is a Torah of "Life".

When I put the word and the challah together, it also occured to me the connection to the "Bread of Life"!!  Everyone who eats this challah, may they know the Bread of Life, Yeshua!

Below you can find my recent "Challah-cast" about the "Chai" Challah.
Please join me on this newest "Challah-cast" adventure if you are moved to and watch the latest upload!! 
 It  is fun of doing the Challah-casts , "on the spot" and in the spirit--- things got a little changed from the original plan, as the dough was shaped and formed!!  Enjoy and hope it blesses you and that there might be something to learn or feel free to share anything that is on your heart about the parsha or any encouraging or "life-giving" thoughts!!  Blessings and Love and thank you for your visit!

Chai Chai Chai! Am Yisrael Chai!!!
Life, Life, Life, Israel nation is alive!

Adding a Life-filled link to this song, thanks to our blog friend Duta!!
 CHAI!! CHAI! CHAI! AM YISRAEL CHAI!!
♡

  

You will teach me the path of life.

In Your presence is perfect joy;

delights are ever in Your right hand.

Psalm 16:11 

 תּוֹדִיעֵנִי,  אֹרַח חַיִּים
שֹׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת, אֶת-פָּנֶיךָ;    נְעִמוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח

♡

CHAZAK, CHAZAK, V'NITCHAZEK!

Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another!!

*Finishing the book of Genesis!  

words that are said after finishing reading each book of the Torah 

Parsha Vayigash and Vayechi Postcards

`Chai`, Life!!

 Yeshua said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life!

Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?

John 11:25~26

There the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD-- as a testimony to Israel --to praise the Name of the LORD.  For there thrones of judgement are set up, the thrones of the house of David.  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem -- may those who love you be at peace!

Psalm 122:4~6


♡

Ending the book of Genesis,
Chazak Chazak, Venitchazek!!*

Be strong, be strong, and may we strengthen one another!!

*Parsha Vayigash and Parsha Vayechi are the last two Torah portions in the book of Genesis; these are the words we say after reading each book of the Torah!


(PS stay tuned for a post to follow on this topic and the Hebrew word "Chai"!)

12 Blessings, 12 Strands, Parshat Vayechi

 In this parsha there are the 12 blessings that Jacob gives to his sons.  Each strand in the challah is for each of the brothers as we come to end of the book of Genesis.   While I made the challah , I listened to the blessings in Hebrew, from chapter 49,  while making the braids...  You can listen here.  I can`t understand the words as I am just starting to study Hebrew.  But you can pick up the names of the tribes, and follow along in the English alongside the Hebrew on the page Here.  So even if you don`t understand the words, it is my Parsha Vayechi recommendation to try it and then to read the blessings which are so beautiful and especially in light of knowing that just after He blesses His sons, Jacob `breathed his last and was gathered to his peoples.`And Joseph too comes to the end of his life in this parsha. 

   And please try some of the Challah too!  I look forward to celebrate Shabbat with you!!

 Wishing you many blessings and a light-filled Shabbat!