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

Shayndel's Jacob's Red Stew--Parsha Toldot

From Abraham and Sarah, to Isaac and Rebecca, embroidered on the Challah cover cloth, this week in the Torah we read parsha Toldot, the story of the generations of Isaac.

Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished.  And Esau said to Jacob, "Give me some of that red stuff to gulp down, for I am famished"--which is why he was named Edom.  Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."                   ---Genesis 25:29~31

This past week in the Torah we read parsha Toldot.  The story of the generations of Isaac.

If you come by my house for Shabbat on erev Shabbat for this parsha, you can try some of Shayndel's Jacob's red stew!!

I can't help it, I just have to make a red stew on this day!!

As you know in this parsha Rebecca finds out that she will have twins, two nations, who are struggling with each other in her womb.  There is the  story in the parsha of Jacob and Esau and the birthright and the blessing and  two meals --- Lentil soup for the birthright; fresh Game stew for the blessing  --- Gen. 25:27~34, and Gen. 27.   Two hearty meals through which the Torah reveals how the course of the generations was destined.
 There is a lot to digest in this parsha,  with the deceptions involved, what it must have been for Rebecca for giving birth to twins who would come to be two opposing nations.  How we can understand it is always difficult each time we read it, but also in the Torah the things that are written are there tell us things that we don't always understand.  But it gives us a place from which to seek God's heart in everything,  and surely each reading can teach us things and help in our prayers for reconciliation and seeking Shalom in the world. 

So I won't  talk a lot, but will rather will share an original recipe inspired by the parsha.

Please  have some , try making it, share any thoughts what the parsha speaks to you, or  how you like the stew.

 ＊

For today I will share with you how to make a stew that will bring on blessing, as its taste is really quite heavenly, in an earthy kind of way!

To make Shayndel's Jacob's Red Stew
You will need:
1.  Red Lentil Curly Pasta, or if you cannot find it near you, look for any pasta or legume that is made from red lentils.

2. Other Ingredients:
Beef for stew
Vegetables
      Note: you can adapt by using the vegetables local to your area and in season, as this stew should bring about the tastes of freshly brought in ingredients, as Isaac sent out Esau to gather the game for the stew! Isaac has a good tongue to know what he likes, so when making this, bring home the ingredients that are fresh to where you live!
We used these local / Japan grown vegetables in season.  Cut them in appropriate stew sized pieces:

Pumpkin
Mushrooms
Spinach
Ginger

Olive oil
Can tomatoes
Sake or red wine
 Salt and pepper, spices

3. Boullion or soup stock of your choice

4. Also include any spices you like , rosemary , thyme, and again if any from your garden or local that is even better!

How to make:

1.  Cut ginger into small sliced pieces and sautee in olive oil.  Add beef chunks and sautee until brown on all sides.
2.  Add soup stock to cover and with enough liquid to accommodate vegetables and pasta.  You might need to add more soup stock as you add the other ingredients.
3.  Add sake or red wine and canned tomatoes (and or fresh tomatoes if you prefer!)
4.  Once it all boils, lower heat to medium to simmer
5.  Add salt, pepper and spices
6.  Add vegetables by stages, the longer cooking ones first.  Spinach and green leaves can wait to go in at the very end.

7. Here you will have to time with the pasta cooking instructions.  When you sense that everything should be at the right softness and perfectly cooked  in 5 to 7 minutes, add the pasta.  You don't want the pasta to cook too long, but has to be long enough to be the perfect consistency.  Also you want to make sure the vegetables and meat will be cooked just right in timing with the pasta!! Alternatively, you could cook the pasta separately and add at the last minute, but I recommend the precision timing method, as it cooks together more like a stew.

8.  Put on the finishing touches on the table.
Gather to light the candles.   Recite the Kiddush and Sabbath prayers.

9.  Serve and enjoy with a beautiful and fragrant Challah!!

10.  Be blessed!!

Note  This week I used Dassie's recipe for the Challah from HIS ISRAEL.
Thank you His Israel for THIS POST and video about CHALLAH and for sharing your recipe!!

 Note on the red lentil pasta (pictured above and a main ingredient in the recipe):  There is background story HERE if you would like to read it , from last year, the surprise of finding this pasta in our local shopping mall.  I had been looking everywhere for red lentils, to make a red stew, but to no avail.  So it definitely seemed to have put there by the heavenly hosts for this Parsha.!!  It made me to think that on Shabbat Toldot, everyone in heaven is around a table eating the red lentil stew with curly red lentil pasta.  All parties reconciled and rejoicing in the knowing that everything was planned for a purpose and will turn out for the good. 

I have observed the business that God gave man to be concerned with: He brings everything to pass precisely at its time; He also puts eternity in their mind, but without man ever guessing, from first to last, all the things that God brings to pass.

Ecclesiastes 3:10~11

♡

LIfe of Sarah, A bouquet, a Rainbow on a sunny day

The Lord is my strength and my shield.  My heart trusts in Him.  

I was helped, and my heart exulted, so I will glorify Him with my song.

---Psalm 28:7

Before I left the house to buy flowers for Shabbat, I made a prayer to ask God if my offerings are pleasing to Him.  I am just "holding down the fort" here and making my little Shabbat, and yet wonder, after being in a community of others on L.I. and feeling so filled there, I was questioning some things.

 So I asked Him, please LORD show me somehow if this is pleasing to You. 
Soon after I walked out of the house, I got to an intersection and felt to look up at the sky.  Almost as if there was a tap!  Saying, Look up!!
And there was the most subtle small strip of a rainbow!! I did a double take as there was no rain.
It was a clear day,  in a clear and beautiful sunny week.  A rainbow on a sunny sky?  And just before Shabbat!   I took off my glasses to see if maybe it was a refraction from my glasses or something.

And I  saw,  a rainbow!! I  stood there looking up,  the street light might have changed.
No one else was noticing it, so I mentioned to an older couple and they looked and the man saw it too, and showed his wife.  They were glad.  Then I crossed when it was green and continued on my way to the flower shop. and the rainbow went with me!! It got bigger and spread out into a wide rainbow smile!!

It echoed a rainbow "sign" painted on a building, and moved in the sky all the way there till I got to the flower shop and escorted me in,

When I entered the flower shop the woman there was holding a little bouquet, like the kind that is thrown at a wedding. She was in the middle of making some flower arrangements.  I said its so cute, it looks like a wedding!  And she threw the bouquet into my hands, and said, its for you!

(well, I exaggerated , she didn't really throw it, but she wrapped it in a little paper and handed it right to me and said she wanted to give it to me!)

"Sarah"

This week in the Parsha, The Life of Sarah, we read about the match made in heaven for Isaac, as Abraham sends his servant to go in search of a bride for Isaac.  I love this scene every time I read it , and how Rebecca runs out to greet him and give him a drink and for his camels too and is confirmed as the wife for Isaac.  Of course, all this has been planned well in advance, before the Creation even, as she will be the one who carries on the generations of Sarah and Abraham.   As the story enfolds anew each time it's still always a thrill to see her obediently running out and giving the water to Abraham`s servant and all the camels.  It was said to be a great amount of water that fed all those camels, and that showed the quality of goodness in Rebecca.

I like that wonderful story of meeting and beginning of her relationship into the family of God.
Its like a setting of what is to be when we enter into the family as believers and say yes to Yeshua.  He asks us to serve Him with all our hearts and soul.  And His Living Water pours out in abundance. 
He is looking for the bride who shows kindness (chesed, in Hebrew) and will give Him her all.

I am re-eposting this drawing that I made for this Parsha last year, maybe you recall it!
I hope it still delivers a fresh blessing even if you are seeing it again!

As I asked God if he accepts my offerings, and He showed me a rainbow.

Lord, may we enter this week more eager to serve You, our Beloved Lord and King of Kings.

 Thank you for the flowers.

Blessings and Shabbat Shalom!
Shavu'a Tov!

 Love, Shayndel

Drink, my lord, she said...I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking...and she drew for all his camels.  from Genesis 24:18~20

♡

Morning Glories, and a Challah for Abraham

I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.    

---Genesis 22:17

The morning glories on the verandah opened in late September this year, or maybe even early October.  I am a little off in terms of the seasons as I was away for all of September and the beginning of October.  I confess I was a little discouraged about the morning glories before I left for my travels in early September, that the morning glories on the veranda still hadn't opened.  But when I came back there were these beautiful blue flowers the color of the sky!!  Even as some of the leaves were starting to dry and turn to brown, the morning glories are still bursting open with the color of sky each morning into these late weeks of October.  And some of the other flowers too were unusually blossoming for this time!   I should mention, a thanks to my husband, who watered the plants when I was gone.

I love morning glories, and how it is a surprise to see them in the morning and how there are these flowers looking out on God's Glory while at the same time created by His Glory.   Everything speaks of His Glory.

About the Challah, I made a Red Bean Challah in connection with the Torah Portion we are in, Lech Lecha.  Where God tells Abraham to set out from his native land to go to where he knows not where.   Lech Lecha, which means go forward, yourself ! also has the meaning to go forth and into one's self.  Which is interesting as I always thought of the going out and setting forth, but the journey to God is also a great journey into our selves as well.

 I pray that from His glorious riches He would grant you to be strengthened in your inner being with power through His Ruach, so that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith.                     --Ephesians 3:16~17

Shabbat Shalom!
Shavu'a Tov!

♡

To read about the Challah and Cherry Blossoms story of why a Red Bean Challah for Abraham, please see
HERE  Abraham's Journey and a Challah Tutorial 
 HERE  An Pan Challah and Lech Lecha Parsha, 
 HERE!  A Challah for Abraham,
and HERE  Challah for Abraham, cont'd!.  
(Or,  just enjoy the challah, without explanation!!! ) Thank you for making the journey and stopping by!  Enjoy!

Bara and Challah for Sarah

The names `Sarah`, and `Rifka` (Rebecca) are embroidered in Hebrew letters on the layers of the Challah Cover.  Adding layers as we read the unfolding of the stories in the Torah!!

  Rifka, in English her name is Rebecca,  is the wife for Isaac who we meet in this Parsha.

`Bara` (rose), `Challah`, Sarah, the words go together like a harmony of Shabbat for this Parshat

Can you see, there are little pink cherry blossoms on the rainbow cookies for my daughter! From one rainbow, many.  The promises of God are for generation to generation

Blessed are you LORD our God who sanctifies us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Sabbath light

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

---Genesis 23:1

Chaiyei Sarah, The of Life of Sarah, is the Parsha this week.

We celebrate the life of Sarah, the wife of Abraham whose life was 127 years.

I couldn`t resist the word play.  Bara, Challah, Sarah

Bara=Rose  (in Japanese)

Challah= Special bread for the Shabbat (Hebrew)

 With Challah, and some pretty bara (roses!)

may we celebrate the life of Sarah.

The Jewish sages say that Sarah`s challah stayed fresh from week to week.

She was quite a maker of Challah, and surely her light shone in all she did!

I also celebrate my daughter today.  She is applying to college, and has passed the first of her big tests for where she wants to go.  I made rainbow cookies to celebrate her.

I noticed two things when we were saying the prayers for Shabbat.

One, is that we mention Sarah`s name every week when we say the blessing for girls,

May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.

Ye-si-mekh Elohim ke-Sarah Riv-qah Ra-chel ve-Leah

--Blessing for Girls, it is customary for parents to bless their children on Shabbat.

`Bara` means rose in Japanese, and `Bara` means `He created` in Hebrew!

The second, is in the kiddush (Friday night blessings for the Shabbat), we say the word `bara` !

Bara, which means rose in Japanese, means `He created` in Hebrew.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He ceased from all His work that God created for the purpose of preparing.   ---Genesis 2:3

Blessings and Shabbat Shalom! 

Rejoice and Celebrate the things in our lives, and give thanks to the LORD in all we do!

Notes:  Cookie Recipe, HERE, Yummy Peanut Butter Cookies from Joy of Kosher.  To make the rainbow, use seven colors choco-pens (chocolate pens) to draw the rainbows, and add some cherry blossom petals and cherry blossoms with pink. 

The Challah Recipe is a Whole Wheat Challah, see link at sidebar under My Favorite Challah recipes.

For the Weekly "Parsha" , Torah Readings, see the weekly readings list  HERE , next weeks Parsha is Toldat, which means, Generations.

Enjoy!

Manna and Challah

Moreover, in the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp.  When the layer of dew was gone, on the surface of the desert was a thin, flake-like frost, as fine as the frost on the ground.  When Bnei-Yisrael saw it, they said one to another, "What is it?"  For they did not know what it was.  Then Moses said to them, "It is the bread that ADONAI has given you to eat."

---Exodus 16:13b~15  TLV
 

For a person who blogs about Shabbat and Challah, this weeks parsha contains some pretty exciting stuff!! That `stuff` is manna.

Manna is the bread that fell from heaven for the Children of Israel (Bnei Israel) to eat during all the years in the wilderness after ADONAI delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians and brought them out of bondage through the Red Sea.

The manna itself was not like `solid` bread that you see in my photos of challah!
It was something more like flakes.  I imagine it like snow.  It is described as a thin dew-like frost forming a layer when it settled on the ground.

The word in Hebrew for manna, which is `man` actually means `What is it?` because when Bnei-Israel saw it, they said to one another "What is it?".

Moses replied that "It is the bread that ADONAI has given you to eat."  In  Exodus 16:16 he describes about how it is to be gathered,  an omer for each person.  After gathering it, they were to take it into their tents and prepare it or bake it and it or boil it for those in their tent.  It would be just the amount needed for one day.  No more, no less.  They were not to save any over, or else...!!

You can read in the scripture about what would happen if they took more than was needed!!

For this post, the thing about the manna I wanted to talk about is how the Challah we make on Shabbat is a way of remembering this first `bread` that ADONAI sent from Heaven to sustain His people. 

On the sixth day they were given a double portion of manna, so there would be enough for the next day of rest on Shabbat.   Today, many people bake two loaves of challah for Shabbat to commemorate the double  portion of manna that fell for Shabbat !

Not only did God lovingly feed the Children of Israel in all the years in the wilderness, but the manna was also a way to teach them---and to teach us all these generations later---about the commandment of Shabbat and about trusting God as Provider.  And as a test, `to find out whether they will walk according to My Torah or not. So on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather day  by day."----Exodus 16:4A~5 

＊

The challah cover represents the layer of dew that covered the manna

Another custom  that commemorates the manna is the use of a challah cover.  There are a few reasons for the challah cover, besides just the beauty of making a special cloth.   One reason is to cover the challah during the first blessings and the blessing over the wine, while it is `waiting` for the special blessing of the bread.

Another reason is its symbolic meaning.  The board under the challah represents the ground on which the manna fell, then the double portion of bread is to represent the manna, and then the challah cover is the layer of dew that `covered` the manna.  It becomes a special way of remembering and re-creating the experience of the manna.  It gives the bread we make on Shabbat a special connection to this Bread of Life that was given in the Exodus from Egypt.

As Messianic Believers in Yeshua, we also remember our Salvation and freedom in Yeshua,  as Yeshua himself is the Bread of Life.  As He is also our Sabbath rest, the double meaning of the manna takes on new life.

"Amen, amen I tell you, he who believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.  This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat and not die.   I am the living bread, which came down from heaven.  If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever.  This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

---Yeshua`s words from John 6:47~51

 The Shabbat table is an expression of thanks for God`s provision from generation to generation and on this very day.  On Shabbat we remember that He brought our ancestors out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.   We remember the double portion and the commandment to keep this day holy, and to trust in our Provider.  We give thanks for Salvation in Yeshua, the ultimate provision and sacrifice who gives Salvation and eternal life to anyone who calls on His name.  Amen and amen. 

Behold, God is my salvation!

I will trust and will not be afraid.

For the Lord ADONAI is my strength 

and my song.

He also has become my salvation.

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 

In that day you will say:

Give thanks to ADONAI.

Proclaim His Name!

Declare His works to the peoples,

so they remember His exalted Name.

Sing to ADONAI, for He has done gloriously.

Let this be known in all the earth.

Cry out and shout, inhabitant of Zion!

For great in your midst

is the Holy One of Israel."

---Isaiah 12: 2~6

Toldot! & Another layer of the Challah Cover

Now these are the genealogies of Isaac, Abraham`s son.  

Abraham fathered Isaac.

---first line from Parashat Toldot, Generations

Genesis 25:19

Peeking under the `Isaac` layer to `Abraham.  The Hebrew letter `Nun` represents Messiah Yeshua, connecting the generations in this weeks parsha study, Toldot

Same challah cover, different layering to express this weeks parsha about the generations  of Isaac

 The layers of the Challah Cover keep unfolding (see the four or five `challah cover` posts below!!).  The `Isaac` layer of the challah cover is a shimmery blue.  It seemed to connect to the water and the wells in this weeks parashat. 

 In this post I want to see if I can finish the series and..well...uncover!  some of the things  I saw in this weeks reading.

The title of this weeks Parashat is Toldot! It means `Generations`.  

When I started making the challah cover in the week of the  `Life of Sarah` study, I was inspired by this picture  (left),  a painting of Isaac and Rebecca*. 

Isaac was wearing a clear turquoise blue robe.  It reminded me of water and of the color of the New Jerusalem!   Rebecca was wearing a beautiful soft and flowing pink.  Her color reminded me of the color of Messiah!

The picture inspired my choice of colors for the `Isaac` layer and the `Rebecca` layer of the cloth.  Here is how they look separate, and then layered and over the challah for Shabbat:

`Rivka` = Rebecca, on the pink cloth layer

`Yitzak` = Isaac, on the blue cloth layer

In this week I want to look at the `Isaac` layer,  since we are talking about the generations of Isaac.  The color is a shimmery blue. 

It seemed to connect to the water in this weeks parashat.

Isaac was digging wells.
And not just digging but re-digging wells, the wells that his Father, Abraham, dug before him.
The wells spring from living water.  

What comes to mind and springs forth in our hearts when we hear `living water`?!

"But whoever drinks from this water that I will give him shall never be thirsty.  The water that I give him will become a fountain of water within him, springing up to eternal life."  ---John 14:4

Messiah Yeshua!  He is the Living Water.   It excited me to find how in each week the Torah brings us deeper into and reveals that source of Torah, the very living Torah itself, the Living Water from which Life comes!!!

Then Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham--the Philistines had stopped them up after Abraham`s death.  

                                                                                                      ---Genesis 26:18

The wells that Abraham began were closed up by the Philistines, and we see Isaac re-digging them.
This is said to be about Isaac consolidating the work his Father began.
If the son did not come back to continue the work of his Father, the wells would have remained covered, and imagine how that would have made the Philistines, and everyone else who wanted to cover up the truth, glad.  But Isaac, heir to the promise of his father Abraham, did not let this happen.  In his diligence and carrying on the work of His Father Abraham, he re-digs the wells.  Look at this too in relation to the Father and Son.   Jesus--Yeshua,  the Son , carries out the work of the Father here on earth.  When we see the wells as a symbol of Salvation, this seemingly small part of the parashat reaches very deep.

Back to the challah cover, I forgot to mention something.  Remember when I told you that I ripped out some of the part of my name that needed correction and found that the Hebrew letter `nun` represents Messiah?  Once I found that out, I took out my name from the challah cover completely, and left only the letter `nun` in that space.  So you can see in the picture above, that in this layering there is Abraham, Isaac, and the Hebrew letter `Nun` which represents the Messiah.  Yeshua.  The cloths can be layered in different ways, but in whichever way you layer them, this letter "nun" will be revealed.

Messiah Yeshua is the source that connects all the generations.  He was always there and always is and always will be the source of Life and Living Water.   He is from Abraham`s seed and at the same time He came before Abraham!!

Yeshua answered, "Amen, amen I tell you, before Abraham was, I am!"

---John 8:58  TLV

The third well that Isaac dug was called Wide Spaces.
When I read in this parashat about the wells, I had a sense of the Living Water spreading into wider spaces as  the `generations` of Abraham`s seed continue.

Then he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it.  So he named it Wide Spaces and said "Because now ADONAI has created wide spaces for us and we will be fruitful in the land."
 ---Genesis 26:22



When we observe the Shabbat and study His word,  worship and chose to spend time in His presence,  aren`t we too opening up and re-digging the wells of Abraham?

May the the wells be uncovered for the Living Water to flow as GOD`s great Name and His Shalom spread into all the nations, and deep within in our hearts!!  Shabbat Shalom!

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

--Isaiah 11:9

Challah Cover, Continued, and learning from the Life of Sarah

It is said that when Sarah was 100 she was like 20 and when she was 20 she was like seven. Always beautiful and pure in heart.  She was righteous, faithful, and the one ADONAI chose to be the woman who would bring forth Abraham`s seed!!

As I was making the challah cover (yes! another post about the challah cover), you saw that I wrote Sarah`s name, and through different layers that led to my name through the generations, in embroidery thread.

 I had all the names done.  When I looked at everything I was pleased how it came out. I was able to write the names in Hebrew.  But then I saw a mistake in my name, Shayndel.  The `nun` which is the letter that sounds like the `n` in Shayndel looked like a `vet`.  The horizontal lines were way too long for a `nun`.  I wondered how I missed that when I drew the under-lines with the pen.  The purple pen lines were easy to see, and yet I completely overlooked it or..., or maybe just liked the overall balance and chose not to notice.  When I  finished sewing,   it looked more like `Shavdel`, as the `vet` has a `v` sound.  But still I thought, I `ll just leave it.

I had no idea how to make changes in embroidery and I figured to chalk it up to a mistake that I could live with.

Then I shared the pictures and the posts with my Hebrew teacher, asking her to let me know if there were any other glaring mistakes in my writing.  She reminded me about the nikkudot, the `vowels` and dot marks used in Hebrew.  I had kept some--the dot over the letter sin in “Sarah” and the one over the letter shin in Shayndel but left out others.  She pointed out that inconsistency of leaving them on some letters and removing them from others.

Oh, and she agreed about the `nun`.  To her it looked like another Hebrew letter, a `khaf`.

correcting the `nun` in `Shayndel`

I have been learning from my Hebrew teacher about the importance of each letter in Hebrew, and about being thorough and clear in our reading and writing and study of each letter.  She is very gentle and didn`t say `you should change it` but somehow I realized after that correspondence that it wasn`t `right` to leave the mistakes.  I would use the challah cover on Shabbat and week after week I would see that I knew I had mistakes, and I left them.  Not only that, but I saw something about myself.  How easily I am willing to just `leave my mistakes`.
Let me just clarify, there is nothing wrong with mistakes, it is a good thing, as it is good to acknowledge we made a mistake and then learn from it.  But here was something else.  I knew I made a mistake, and I knew that I needed to correct it, yet I was avoiding making the correction.

I am learning through Torah and through studying God`s word and through my Salvation  that we want to strive to be more holy as He is Holy, more righteous as He is righteous.  And to just plainly be honest with ourselves because when we know we are not being true to ourselves, then we are not being true to Him.

If I was to learn anything from Sarah, it was this attention to `right-ness` or right-eous-ness.  The `me` before walking with God would have definitely left it.  I liked how it looked, I liked the dots there, I didn`t mind that the nun wasn`t right, I would take artistic license.  But the new and recreated `me` in Messiah Yeshua  realized as the day went on that I couldn`t leave it knowing it was not right.  I would have to risk what would happen to the whole thing and if need be I would have to scrap the whole challah cover if I `ruined` it,  as  experience.    I just needed to find out how to change it.  I went to the fabric store where I bought the thread and the nice salesperson heard me out and said that I probably needed a `ripper`.  Oh dear, that sounded severe, a ripper!!! But I said, ok please show me.  And she took out a sample ripper.  It was actually more gentle than it sounded, it was small and hand-sized,  had a nice metal point and a sharp part in the curve that could neatly tear the threads and take them out.

Ok, I will take it! I said!!  So now I had my ripper, I went home and looked at the cloth, said a prayer and blessing, and went to work!! I took out the letter that wasn`t a `nun` and carefully checked the shape of the `nun` and redrew it.  I made the correction!!

This story goes on and on, as I looked up the meaning of the Hebrew letter `nun`. It means `Messiah`!! There in the middle of my name was the letter that represents Messiah!!  And I was going to let it be another letter and not correct it!!! Wow!! I am sure that only by making the mistake was I able to come back and see the `nun` for what it was.  It also has other meanings and significance such as: servant, if you look at it`s shape bent over as a servant; it also represents a fish.  As the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet it is associated with King David`s reign and much more about the `nun`.  It then lead me to looking up all the letters and to deepen my understanding of my Hebrew name, and most of all of what it means to have Messiah and His Holy Spirit live in us.  He is the one who is Counselor, He is our Righteousness!! He came to earth as a servant and to teach us to serve others!! He always existed even before Abraham and yet He is also of the seed of Abraham, the source of all Life, He is Life!! ...And this leads us into the next parsha, as we will see Isaac spending time at wells.  Wells of Living Water that were dug by his Father Abraham!!

To be continued....

Challah Cover in Progress---From Sarah to me and to you

 `Sarah` and `Avraham`.  Using my new Challah Cover,  still in progress!!

From Sarah and Abraham, to Isaac and Rebecca. The pink thread that you see at the bottom is spelling the first letters of my name, Shayndel!!

The seeds scattered around the challah.  from this angle the Challah Cover and the layers of the generations reminded me of the tent of Abraham!!  The challah cover like a house for the bread.  Lechaim, to life, to Lechem (bread), to Yeshua!!

`Shayndel`

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`Yitchak` and `Rifka`, on blue and on pink, `Sarah` and `Avraham` on white above, challah cover in progress on the tatami ...

Shabbat Shalom!
It became Shabbat and my challah cover is still ... in progress!

 I had an idea (see post below for Part 1!) and it kept getting new layers and look what happened.. Sarah and Abraham led.. in thread... to me!!

As I was sewing I saw I had left a place in the white cloth that was under the names Abraham and Sarah.  I didn`t exactly know what or if anything would go in that space.  I made the blue layer for Isaac, the pink layer for Rebecca.

Then I looked at the tatami floor where I was stitting, the golden color picking up on the gold color thread around Sarah`s name. 

 I realized that what all the parashiot are about is not just to study the portions intellectually and look at `history` but rather at the living Torah and our places in it through what God shows us in each time we read it, including what came before, what is to come and where we are now!!

Through this parsha I saw the thread that connects us to our forefathers and mothers!!
 The letters added to the bottom are my name, in Hebrew letters, Shayndel!

 I saw that Sarah is the beginning of our line of women, who brought forth the promise of ADONAI of descendants through the seed of Abraham!!  Look at all those seeds...through Isaac, then Jacob, to his sons who made up the tribes of Israel ...to King David, to  Messiah Yeshua.  And through Him that seed were multiplied and sent to nations... and continues to multiply... all the way and continuing in....yes, in us....

I am sharing my excitement in some ways as a diary of my first year studying the Torah,  and this journey through the parsahiot...and also in the hope that my excitement in learning can connect you with yours as we find out who we are in Yeshua, in God the Father.  Each week there is another layer of new things to learn as we continue to study His word, to walk in Faith, hear His call and return to the living Torah!!

 I do hope that perhaps there is someone who is reading this has not yet chosen to walk with God, and will hear His call.  And that even now, this very day your eyes will be open to Yeshua.  Salvation is for everyone who calls on the name on the LORD.  The seed of Abraham is so huge in number that his descendants are as many as the stars in the sky...At the end of this Shabbat, when we look up at the stars as it becomes night, we can think of the taste of the wine (or grape juice in my case!), Yeshua the vine, and Father Abraham who left everything behind to walk into the plans God had for him that he could not yet even see!!! And remember, Sarah was 90 years old when she gave birth to a son, fulfillment of a long-awaited promise.

For nothing will be impossible with God.

----Luke 1:37

  May we give thanks to ADONAI for our forefathers and mothers!  For their Faith that encourages us in ours.
And for His Torah!!
We are only (already!) in the fifth week, hope you will join in reading the portions if you have not yet already.  You can find the list of weekly readings here.

Shabbat Shalom!
May ADONAI  bless you and keep you!  May He shine His face upon you and give you SHALOM (Peace).   (from the Aaronic Blessing, Numbers 6:24~26)

Bring us back to you, ADONAI, and we will return.  

Renew our days as of old.   ---Lamentations 5:21 TLV

A remnant will return,
even the remnant of Jacob,
to the Mighty God.

--Isaiah 21

Life of Sarah--Challah Cover in progress!

`Yitchak` and `Rifka`, on blue and on pink, `Sarah` and `Avraham` on white above, challah cover in progress on the tatami

Above, `Sarah` in gold colored embroidery thread, below:  sewing the letters for `Avraham` in the center, and the outline for `Sarah` completed.  In progress, still thinking about whether to fill in the letters, or leave them as outlines. 

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

---Genesis 23:1

The Life of Sarah parsha (Torah Portion) tells us in the first lines that Sarah lived to the age of 127.
After that in this Torah Portion, we read that she died in Hebron, and the parsha talks about Abraham purchasing the burial place for Sarah and the transaction is described.  After this, a main
part of the portion is about Abraham sending his trusted servant to Canaan to find a wife for Isaac, who we know will be Rebecca.  There is a eulogy and Abraham weeps over Sarah, but none of the parsha actually talks about Sarah`s life, as you might expect from the title.  And yet it is called the Life of Sarah.

When I delved into the pages I thought, hmmm, what kind of challah can I make to express something about this parsha and about Sarah.
Then I got the idea to make a Challah Cover! At first I thought it like a gift, a Mazel Tov (congratulations) to Isaac and Rebecca.  But as I meditated about how to make it, I started to see back to the title this Parsha.  We know this is about the LIFE of Sarah, even though it doesn`t plainly talk of her life.  The words the life of Sarah is even repeated again at the top of the parsha.

So I realized that Sarah`s name would be at the top and centered of the challah cover.

As I practiced writing all the names in Hebrew--- Izchak, Rifka, Sarah, Avraham, I started to layer them in cloth to express that Sarah lives on through her descendants, and through the great woman, mother---from Sarah came Jacob, and the twelve tribes of Israel--, prophet, and wife that she was.  And is as she lives on through the Torah and in our lives.

It is my first Challah Cover!! It is so exciting to learn to write the Hebrew names of my ancestors using thread as I make it.  There is something so beautiful to see each letter as it emerges on the cloth, and to think about Sarah as the mother, Matriarch of the Jewish people and of all the Seed of Abraham!!

Stay tuned, I still have a day before Shabbat and will hopefully have the challah cover ready.

Many blessings and Shalom!!♡

Shayndel