Apple Matzah and the book of Ruth

 

Apple Matzah Kugel! Dreaming of Jewish comfort foods in Japan!

 

Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her lover? Under the apple tree I awakened you...  Song of Songs 8:5

I had a dream during the days of the counting of the Omer.   The dream was a close up of  a blog post!! The post ( in the dream, note: it wasn`t a `real life` post!) was on one of our dear friends`s Blog and it was a post on "Apple Matzah and the Book of Ruth".  Maybe  I had this dream to remind me to come back to the blog, as it was during my extended break!!

In any case I ended up making Apple Matzah (Kugel!) thanks to the dream and will just share a little about the dream and the Apple Matzah here and see where the post will take us!

The post in the dream was written and formatted different from her usual posts. It was in text colors like pink and orange and she shared about apple matzah and interspersed the post with insights from the book of Ruth!!

Ruth was an eishet chayil, a woman of valor (from Ruth 3:11)

I woke up in the morning wondering about this apple matzah!! I had never heard of it, and now I wanted to make it!  And yet I had no matzah, so I  settled for looking to see if there was such a thing `out there`.  When I googled `apple matzah` I found something called Apple Matzah Kugel!!! I wanted to make it but had no more matzah after Passover has passed, and I don`t know where to get it in Japan after Passover.  So I decided to do something extravagant, and ordered Matzah from the US by Amazon!! 

 Boaz was an ish gibbor chayil, a prominent man of valor (from Ruth 2:1)

The matzah arrived during the last few days of the omer count, actually it was on Ascension Day (40 days into counting the Omer, see Acts 1), so that excited me! I had been fasting for a 3-day  fast to seek the LORD about some things related to Shavuot, so I had a matzah `break-fast` communion with Yeshua on the day the matzah arrived!!

Naomi`s bitterness was changed to joy by the union of Ruth and Boaz and her return to the land of Israel and to God`s covenant promises for her life.  The people prayed that her household prosper in Ephrath and be renowned in Bethlehem (from Ruth 4:11).   Again the word Chayil is used here to mean `prosper`.

During the last days of the Omer count, I made Apple Matzah and brought it to a friends house for the Shabbat before Shavuot!!  The taste was not what everyone is used to, though thankfully some liked it!! I loved it, it was like a Jewish comfort food that I might have tasted in my childhood, and it was somehow the perfect Shavuot dish to add to a repertoire.  It only contains a little milk so it is not too heavy, and has apples and cinnamon so can be a good desert not too sweet but enough sweetness to taste and see how good the LORD is.  Try it at your Shabbat or Feasts! And notice I have sprinkled a few insights from the book of Ruth just like in the dream!

The geneology that ends the book of Ruth (Ruth 4:18~22)  is the geneology that starts the book of Matthew (Matthew 1:1~6), showing the seamless way God has given us the story of Ruth and her Kinsman redeemer, Boaz, and connected us to the genealogy of Yeshua who comes from their union.  Yeshua is the Redeemer, or Goel of Israel!!  It is a beautiful story of covenant love and chesed.  We can also learn from the way Ruth accepted God`s commandments and identified with Israel。 We can also see in it the beauty of Jew and Gentile coming together to help us understand the purposes of God for Israel,  as Ruth, who was a Moabite,  loved Israel and the God of Israel and joined herself with Naomi with the famous verse,

Where you go I will go, and where you stay, I will stay.

Your people will be my people, and your God my God.  

Ruth 1:16~17

Below I will share the name of a book I read this season in regards to  Messianic insights into the book of Ruth. It was good and a recommendation during this season or anytime as a devotional study!

I pray you had a blessed time of Shavuot.  And now, the revelation that I was waiting to see where this post will lead!  The Holy Spirit showed me to wonderful scriptures about apples and relating to Shavuot!! As Shavuot is the holiday where we  We thank God and receive His revelation anew,  we celebrate the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai and over 1000 years later on the very same day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples of Yeshua (Greek, Pentecost)!!

SO I will end the post with these verses about apples and Torah and God`s Love!

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my lover among the sons.  In his shadow I delighted to sit, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.  Song of Songs 2:3

Sustain me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples ~ for I am weak with love.  Song of Songs 2:5 (you may recognize this verse from my famous raisin cakes which just happen to be the bread I often make in the period leading up to Shavuot!)

 Keep my mitzvot and live, my teaching as the apple of your eye.  Proverbs 7:2

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, Psalm 17:8

Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word aptly spoken.  Proverbs 25:11

For thus says ADONAI-Tzva`ot, He has sent me after glory to the nations that plundered you --because whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye --   Zechariah 2:12

Oh and last but not least! 

The recipe, HERE is the one  I used .  It was  easy and good, though of course you will need to obtain 4 sheets of matzah.  Enjoy!

The book I recommended above, Messianic Life Lessons from the Book of Ruth can be found HERE

Thank you DUTA for inspiring the dream,  and that I was able to express it in a post and hopefully return to more regularly blogging again!! 

Blessings and Shabbat Shalom!

Love,💕

Shayndel

Chag Shavuot Sameach from Japan! Love, Shayndel💖

 

 

 

Kingdom Sparrows! How much Yeshua cares for you!

 But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:14

It had to happen!

The Sparrows are proclaiming the word of Yeshua!!

How much He cares for the sparrows, How much more He cares for you!!

 BTW I remember the joy I had when seeing the sparrows in the walls of the stone buildings in Jerusalem on my first day there (on a tour in 2019)! Their song woke me up in my first morning in Israel and welcomed me with their song, and now I understand, they are singing the love song to Yeshua, who loves them so!!  Yesterday I even wrote a song inspired by the second verse, from Colossions 3:14.  Stay tuned! I hope to share my first scripture song before long! These sparrows pictured are local sparrows.  Notice the `cheek` mark , a special characteristic of the sparrows in Japan.  

May we take our cues from the precious sparrows and be sure to share the word of God as we go about our ABBA`s business today!!  All of creation, everything that has breath, Praise the LORD!!

I also want to add a wonderful news,  I had the opportunity to share the Salvation prayer with a Japanese woman and her husband yesterday, and both gave their lives to Yeshua! Rejoicing in two new souls saved for the Kingdom of God!! Praise Yahweh!!  I realize just as I am writing this, that on that day there were more souls saved in my Prefecture than there were new cases of the .....(you know what).  Every day let us count and rejoice in the number of Souls Saved for the Kingdom of God, and turn away from the focus on illness and death and turn to Life and Resurrection and Life Everlasting in Yeshua!!

 Much love!! Have a blessed day in Yeshua`s Love!

Love, Shayndel　❤️

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground apart from your Father`s consent.  But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.  

Matthew 10:29~31

 

Grilled Fish and 40 Days!

Yeshua said to them, "Come, have breakfast."  

None of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are you?"--knowing it was the Lord.   

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם יֵשׁוּעַ בֹּאוּ אִכְלוּ אֲרֻחַת הַבֹּקֶר וְאֵין 

   גַּם־אֶחָד בַּתַּלְמִידִים אֲשֶׁר מְלָאוֹ לִבּוֹ לִשְׁאֹל מִי אָתָּהכִּי יָדְעוּ אֲשֶׁר הוּא הָאָדוֹן׃

 John 21:12 (English, Hebrew)

 

As we count up the Omer, soon we are getting to 40 days, a day in Hebrew calendar called MEM B`Omer.  Mem (מ) מם is the 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet and the number `40` in Hebrew counting.

The 40th day from after Passover is the day that Yeshua went up to Heaven to sit at the right Hand of the Father!＊  Isn`t it exciting as these 40 days (we are in day 38 today as I write) were the days He would have been appearing to the Disciples. All of the appearances He made to them  after His Resurrection were in the counting of the omer days that we are in now, including  fellowship with them, opening up the Scriptures to them, and making them breakfast.  

So when they got out onto the land, they saw a charcoal fire with fish placed on it, and bread.      

John 21:9

Hence the `grilled fish` in the post title!!

It is exciting times! As we await Shavuot and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit afresh, may we be ready! One bride for our Bridegroom.  Its really happening as Jew and Gentile are coming together as the Father calls us to be One in Messiah!!

I also wanted to share a post I wrote this time last year.  When I visited Israel and had a `breakfast with Yeshua` experience, which made the scripture come alive to me! Photo above: Breakfast with Yeshua, Sea of Galillee (2019).  You can read that post HERE if you would like, hope it blesses you and that we will meet Him this year for new revelation, and even for grilled fish!

 LeChayiim (To LIFE!), as we count up to the appointed `Moadim` of Shavout!!

Much Love in Yeshua. 

Look forward to those 153 fish and more in the catch this year as many many more than that turn their hearts to Yeshua, Jesus in a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit to become `One new man` in Messiah this Shavuot and Pentecost!!

Happy Counting!! 

Love, ❤️

Shayndel/Joanne (And a personal PS as I was researching the Scriptures of when Yeshua appeared to the disciples during these days of the Omer, I saw that one of the woman is `Joanna` (Luke 24:9~10)＊.   Though I must have seen it before, I was excited to note that  `Joanne` in the scriptures! And in Hebrew N.T., written as Yochana (there is no `J` in Hebrew), like this: 

יוחנה

💕

 Reference Notes:

1.  For a good article explaining in more detail about Mem B`Omer and these days on the counting of the Omer and Yeshua, please see this ARTICLE HERE on Hebrew4Christians

2.  ＊Scriptures referred to about Yeshua`s ascension, 

Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, Acts 1:9, et. al.! 

וַיְהִי בְּבָרֲכוֹ אׂתָם וַיִּפָּרֵד מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּנָּשֵׂא הַשָּׁמָיְמָה 

Luke 24:51, Hebrew   

3.The verse in Hebrew with `Joanna`! , Luke 24:10

וְאֵלֶּה הֵן אֲשֶׁר הִגִּידוּ אֶל־הַשְּׁלִיחִים אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה מִרְיָם הַמַּגְדָּלִית וְיוֹחָנָה וּמִרְיָם אֵם יַעֲקׂב וְהָאֲחֵרוֹת׃

 

3. last PS if you made it this far thank you for reading! OH, and just to point out I didn`t actually have fish, but rather yogurt and honey (milk and honey, for the land of milk and honey !)at my breakfast on the Galilee!

 

Succot Welcome! Parts 1 &2!!! Welcome!!

 HI friends! Chag Sameach Sukkot! Happy Succot! Hello from the succah ! Sharing a few stories from the week in the succah. Hope you are having an amazing week of dwelling in His presence, and tabernacling with HIm!!! I may come back and add a few photos and scriptures to the post, but meanwhile wanted to invite you to come in to the succa and share a few stories and praise while it is still Sukkot!!! And if we don`t get the typhoon too strong and if I can be in the succa tomorrow, I will invite you again for  succot communion with the Hebrew letters challah that you will see in this upload!! I welcome your prayers that the typhoon will change course and we can keep the succah up till the end of the feast!!!  Enjoy!!  This is part 2!! Part 1 can be seen HERE!

Joanne`s Challah-Cast channel!

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

Beha'alotcha, Menorah and cloud-like Challah!

a little souvenir menorah from Israel!

♥cloudy and fluffy Challah.♥

One challah for flowers!!

The challah this week came out looking  a little like clouds!!

Reading in the book of Numbers, can you see even on my mini Torah scroll how the Torah is getting thicker on the right which means we are getting nearer to the end of this cycle and already nearer to the Fall Feasts!!

cloud motif on the challah cover !

Shabbat continues into the week with challah for breakfast and a peace that endures:))

 The steadfast Love of the LORD never ceases.  His mercies never come to an end.  They are new every morning.  

Great is Your faithfulness.  

Lamentations 3:22~23

In this weeks parsha Beha'alotcha we read about the cloud of God's presence that signaled the Children of Israel to move or stay. 

The Challah this week came out looking a little like clouds.  I learned recently if you knead the dough longer it makes the challah come out more fluffy!! So my challah do have a slightly more fluffy look and taste!!  Fitting I thought for the reading about the Cloud of Glory this week!.

On Friday morning  I ran into one of my neighbors in the building outside at our bicycles and said I`d be making challah and asked to give her a challah and she said she'd be glad to receive it, and we set a time in the evening that I would give it to her.  When I stopped by just before sunset on the evening, and gave her the challah, she gave me these beautiful hydrangeas!!

In the opening of the parsha we read about keeping the menorah lit, and how it was actively kept lit and set up by Aaron the High Priest.  Interestingly, the Jewish sages tell us that the continuation of this service thru the generations of Kohen (of the tribe of Levi who are the *Kohanim*, or high priests) goes forward to the Hasmoneans (Maccabees, led by Judah Maccabee) who you may recall fought and won the victory against  Greeks in the story of Hannukah.  As we all know the story, they got back the Menorah and re-dedicated the Temple after the Greeks desecration and attempt to take it.   I found that  illuminating to the Hannukah story, not having realized that connection of the Maccabees to the descendants of Aaron and His service to the LORD  in keeping the Menorah lit!!  They had this in their  history to be in charge of menorah and that sheds light on their zeal when they saw the temple being desecrated and that the Menorah was threatened to go out.  

So even today the Menorah is always lit and we see it connecting back to the commandment given to Aaron that we read in this parsha.   Through Yeshua we are commanded to be the Light of the World!! To me it is meaningful to know how the spiritual light has been lit all these thousands of years and how we connect to the whole of God`s plan for worship and for keeping Him at the center of our lives and being responsible to dispel the darkness and keep the light kindled continually!!  The symbolism is so beautiful as even in the description of the Menorah the lamps are all pointing in towards the center.

Like Aaron who prepared the lamps of the Menorah and did His service with a passion for serving the LORD, we too have to keep the light of God shining in this world, focused on Him,  and to be zealous in our keeping it shine.  Reading about Aaron  reminded me that the command to us to be the light of the world comes with generations before us who were keeping the literal and spiritual light lit and keeping the world going through that spiritual light in ways we probably  don't even know!!   Shining our light can be a very `humble` gesture but the acts of kindness make a spark that makes the light increase!!  It reminds me in our parsha too how Moshe is described as the most humble of all people!  And of course Yeshua tells us that it is in our service to others that we shine.

Just some Shabbat thoughts to leave you with! Have a blessed week!! Let your light shine!  

♡♡

Breakfast with Yeshua

"Come, have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?"--knowing it was the Lord.  John 21:12 (TLV)

(photo:  Sea of Tiberias (Galilee), taken last May around this time!  story of post to follow!! Just holding the place for Him!)

♡

adding on this journal entry:
Breakfast at the Galilee Encounter
John 21 "Come, have breakfast".

On the last day at the Galilee I decided to have breakfast down by the water.  All the other days of the tour I always loved being with the tour and had breakfast with everyone in the dining room, but this day I saw out the glass doors to and felt called to bring my tray and sit out overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
I encountered "a man" when carrying my tray to go out of the hotel breakfast room.  He took my tray and he escorted me out of the doors and I showed him the spot and he brought me down along with the placemat and accoutrements (fork, silverware, etc).  He set everything up for me and I thanked Him. I told Him his heart was like God.
and spontaneously said that I love Him and all the people of Israel.

He said, "We love you."

I think he was Yeshua, or as Andrea said when I told her the story, God the Father!


Adding on again for my notes and reflection to remember:
When I posted this it struck me that this occurred during the count of the Omer, and I was able to figure out the calendar day, from looking at my journal of the trip, and looking at my Omer counting notes, and indeed it was just a few days before Mem B'Omer, thus it was within the 40 days of when Yeshua appeared to His disciples!!  It excited me to think that even more this really could have been a visit from Yeshua there on the Galilee for that moment , a manifestation of the LORD in the form of the man from the hotel who seemed to just have appeared and escorted me to the sea!!!  Also just to note the way He said "We" I felt like it was Yeshua, and he was referring to Himself, the Father , and the Holy Spirit!! At the same time the simple meaning that "We" referred to the people of Israel also gave me much joy in my heart!  Thank you Yeshua for that wonderful exquisite breakfast with You!!

💙💙💙sapphire hearts with glistening sea