Manna and Challah --now, the Challah! Parsha Beshalach

So they gathered it every morning, each as much as he needed to eat; for when the sun grew hot , it would melt.  On the sixth day they gathered double the amount of food, two omers for each; and when all the chieftans of the community came and told Moses, he said to them, " this is what the LORD meant: Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy Sabbath of the LORD.  Bake what you would bake and boil what you would boil; and all that is left put aside to be kept until morning.  Exodus 16:21~23

The house of Israel named it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and it tasted like wafers in honey.  
                                                                                Exodus 16:31

You've heard me say this before  (here, here, and here),  and here I go again.
I get so excited in this week's Torah portion, Beshalach.  The Freedom!  the Manna! The Shabbat!

It is not only the freedom of when God brings the Children of Israel out of Egypt, but the way in which He is with them and guides them.

It is not only the manna that falls from heaven but the Bread of Life that He provides them.  It is not only the Shabbat that is introduced in the provision of the manna, and the double portion on Shabbat, but the goodness of a Master who gives His children sustenance and the way to achieve it,  and gives them  rest.

This portion is one we can stay in forever, it is alive with song.  The song of Moses and Miriam, a spontaneous rejoicing at the wondrous awesome God who has set them---us!--- free and who they---we!--- know is with them--us! as He travels with them in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.  As from now He is their --our! ---home and the journey begins to make a life where He will dwell with us and in us and we in Him.

They sing and Miriam leads the women in dance!!

Once the rejoicing settles down and the people get hungry, they ask for bread.  They have been slaves for over 400 years and now the bread that they receive will be the bread from heaven.  And with it comes some "rules".  But they are not rules of  back breaking labor as they were accustomed to in Egypt, but a law that comes from Love, and that will be given as they journey forward in His commands.  We begin already to see how closely connected are love and following His commands to our Father in Heaven.

The double portion that is sent down on the sixth day is sent as a "test" as God wants to see if the children of Israel will keep his commandments.  He even says so, I'm not making that up about it being a test!!

And the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread for you from the sky, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day's portion---that I may thus test them, to see whether they will follow My instructions or not.   Exodus 16:4

Now even as we are set free in Yeshua, we still and even more so want to know the heart of the God who brought us through, the God of yesterday, today and forever.   When we receive that double portion, there is a deep remembering of where we came from and it is together with a deep gratitude and praise for the One who brought us through, who brings us through, and will bring us through again.  Our Redeemer and Salvation.

This Shabbat is the Shabbat of Song!! May we sing a song to Him, for He is our strength and our Salvation!!

♬ I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously;
Horse and rider He has hurled into the sea.
The LORD is my strenght and my song.
He has also become my Salvation.   ♬   from Exodus 15:1~2

When I made the Challah this week, those are some of the things I thought about.  As I added flour to the dough I thought of the manna that landed as a layer of dew on the ground, and its description as flaky white like coriander coming from heaven.  Manna is called manna because when the Children of Israel saw it on the ground like a fine frost on the ground, they said to one another "What is it" (Ex. 16:15), which in Hebrew the word "what"  is pronounced "Man" (as in manna) and  that is where the word manna comes from. ( I think the whole sentence is , man- hu , what is it?) and that became what it is called! so it is a wonderful word of wonder at the bread from heaven that God provided as their first bread!

When we spread the challah cover over the Challah on the Shabbat table it and a layer beneath it we remember of the layer of manna that covered the ground in the morning when the Children of Israel awoke and saw that indeed their God provides.  Though in response to their grumbling, there it was, and he loves them--us! despite their--our! sometimes grumbling!!  Over and over in this beginning of their journey, the LORD assures and re-assures the people that He is their God.

The LORD spoke to Moses:  I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites.  Speak to them and say: By evening you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; and you shall know that I the LORD am your God. (16:12)

It was through His parting the sea that they knew He was God and the Master of Creation.
It was through that first provision in the wilderness that they knew He was their God.

When I went to measure out the flour for the challah this week in the week of Parsha Besalach, I almost hugged the bowl, remembering, connecting with what it may have been like to go out and see the manna there covering the ground.  Knowing it is that same God who provides the flour for the challah that I will gather into the bowl to make the challah for this Shabbat.   As we say the blessings,  and  the  double  Shabbat commands of "remember" and "keep", shamor and zakor. 

God bless you and hope you have a time of rejoicing and remembering on this Sabbath of Song!!

This is my God, and I will glorify Him,
my father's God, and I will exalt Him.

Exodus 15:2b

I took my bowl to gather the provision, and measured out the first cup of flour.  And hence two challot were made.Notice in the parsha, the unit of measurement is an "OMER", see how this again is something we will remember at Passover and the counting of the OMER!!! 

You will bring them and plant them in Your own mountain,
the place you made to dwell in, O LORD,
The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands established.
The LORD will reign for ever and ever!        

Exodus 15: 17~18

Its the week of Mannah! (post in progress)

Its the week of Mannah!
We have to make

two challahs!
The proper plural is Challot,

But for such a post as this,
I wanted things to ryhme.

We are in the book of Exodus,
We are on God`s appointed time!

Ok, that is my introduction to this post on Manna! Actually there is not an H, but there could be,
as Manna
is writen
(What is it?)

as Challah
is written

You`re just going to have to stay tuned, because its time to make the Challah!

(to be continued! )

This week`s Torah readings are in the Parsha Beshalach.  See sidebar for the readings!  Blessings and Shabbat Shalom!!  Love, Shayndel

♡

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 

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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

Happy Tu B`Shevat (2) & Shabbat Shalom・梅の木と雪とマナ

Then Moses and Bnei-Yisrael sang this song to ADONAI

  I will sing to ADONAI,
for He is highly exalted!

--Exodus 15:1 TLV

Friday, February 10

The snow falling this morning looked like the manna God sent from heaven.
It was big flakes of white dew-like snow, falling from heaven and forming a layer on the ground!! As we are in the Parsha Beshalach, the parsha where God gives the manna to the Israelites, it was like a Shabbat Miracle!

 I also just found out it is the New Year and Birthday for trees, called Tu B`shevat.
It falls on the same day as this week`s Shabbat.  (Sundown February 10th, to Sundown February 11th).  It is my first Tu B`shevat in Japan, and maybe in my life (though I probably celebrated it in some way when a child though I can`t remember how).

The snow falling like manna even seemed to be `dancing` around  the Ume (Plum) Tree.  May today be a day to dance a joyous dance and wish a Happy Birthday to your favorite tree.  May we give thanks the God of Heaven for all that He provides.  And remember the test of the manna in the desert, that we should know that all provision comes from heaven, and that His heavenly provision comes in just the amounts we need.  This weeks Torah portion can be found starting in Exodus chapter 13.  In it we see the first teaching about Shabbat, and how God set apart this day of rest and provides a double portion of manna.   It is also the Torah Portion of Moses and Miriam`s song of Praise and declaration of Faith in ADONAI  after the `showdown` at the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea).  For the full list of weekly readings see here.  This weeks readings are:

Torah:  Exodus 13:17~17:16

Haftarah:  Judges 4:4~5:31

Brit Chadashah: Revelation 19:1~20:6 

and the Holiday readings for Tu B`Shevat, New Year for Trees (15th of Shevat):
Psalm 104:16~17
Psalms 120~134
Matthew 7:13~24, 7:28~29

Delight in the Shabbat! Shabbat Shalom! Happy Tu B`Shevat!!

Then ADONAI said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you.  The people will go out and gather a day`s portion every day, so that I can test them to find out whether they will walk according to My Torah or not.  So on the sixth day, when they prepare what they might bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather day by day."

---Exodus 16:4 TLV

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梅の木と雪とマナ


それから、夕方になるとうずらが飛んで来て、宿営をおおい、朝になると、宿営の回わりに露が一面に降りた。

この一面の露が上がると、見よ、荒野の面には、地に降りた白い霜のような細かいもの、うろこのような細かいものがあった。

イスラエル人はこれを見て、「これは何だろう」と互いに言った。彼らはそれが何か知らなかったからである。モーセは彼らに言った。「これは主があなたがたに食物として与えてくださったパンです。」　　　出エジプト１６：１３〜１５

イスラエルの家は、それをマナと名づけた。それはコエンドロの種のようで、白く、その味は蜜をいれたせんべいのようであった。　　　出エジプト１６：３１


金曜日、2月１０日

今朝雪が降りました。
とてもきれいでした。
雪は天から地面に舞い降りて来ました。
地面の上は白雪でおおわれました。
神がイスラエルの人々に天から下ろして来た「マナ」のように見えました。

梅の木の周りに雪が舞いりました。　

明日はイスラエルではこの日には「樹木の新年」、トウ・ビ・シュバットと呼ばれています。ユダヤ暦でシュバット月の１５日という意味で、イスラエルではみんなで植樹をしたりドライフルーツを食べたりします。毎年１月～２月のあたりにあります。
今年は２月１１日。

これからもうすぐ実もなるでしょう。

私達も、木々をを祝いしましょう。
身近な木の周りで踊りましょう。神から創造された木々に感謝し、「明けましておめでとう」をお祝いしましょう！


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