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

He brought me to the House of Wine! Exciting insight in Song of Songs 2:4 (and `answers` to last week quiz!)

For friends who know Hebrew, you will soon see the error in my hand-writing in the first line of this verse (Song of Songs 2:4)  where the word should be  היין　and you will see there is a missing stroke in the `Hey` (see image above) .  This is a mistake I made one year ago and the Holy Spirit so graciously waited to correct me ! (read post below for the story!) 

And if you don`t know Hebrew, please follow along and enjoy as the insights may get you drunk on the Holy Spirit!!!

In progress (image above and below), corrected the letter `Hey`

 Part 1

 the ` House of the Wine! `

הֱבִיאַנִי אֶל-בֵּית הַיָּיִן, וְדִגְלוֹ עָלַי אַהֲבָה

 He brought me to the house of the wine and 

His banner over me is Love ~~ 

Literal translation of Song of Songs 2:4

 Do you recognize the verse above in  Song of Songs? Hint, it is the verse in the postcard in post below, and looking at a literal translations, you see the words  `The house of Wine!!`

I found the word for `banquet` is literally  `wine` or, as used in the verse, the wine!!

בֵּית הַיָּיִן

I discovered this through the drawing in the postcard below!! I made the drawing at least a year ago , during the week of Parsha Shelach Lecha, and...

God waited patiently to reveal to me that I had made a mistake in the Hebrew! 

I was surprised to discover it when working on the postcard with my AHAVA collaborator and prayer partner,Aimei.  It was last week, in the very same week of Shelach Lecha.  

During our meeting, I discovered I had left out one stroke in the letter `hey` and so it looked like a `dalet`.  

I hadn`t even noticed it for a whole year until we were working on the postcard the other day!! And because of it I found out the word there is `wine`!!!  To be honest, when I originally wrote out the verse I was just `copying` the letters for my Hebrew practice and wasn`t focused on the words themselves.

In showing me the error now,   He `brought me to the banquet table` to commune with Him and enter the verse and showed me the word `wine`!! 

As you can see in our faces in the little zoom picture, we both got excited about this, it was like a live moment of gracious correction and revelation by the Holy Spirit!!  

Also God reveals to us in our yearly study of Torah how when we come back to the same Torah portion year after year and pray from the scriptures, He is fine tuning us to align with Him and to get things right and oh how He guides us in his LOVING ways!!!

Then I searched the verse a little more and found another word,  that we often see as `table` is actually `beit` which is `House`!! or other meanings, Household, or even family.

So this expression in that moment we saw this verse with a new interpretation, to us like `Family, or Household of Wine` and since Wine brings us to the `Vine`, and abiding in Messiah Yeshua,  we saw it as `He brought us to the Family of Messiah!`  or the table of the family of Messiah.  It was so meaningful as He showed us this `corporate` interpretation as a `family` or even `household` in Messiah as we abide in His love and in His word!! And this is our preparation as His bride as the whole body,or family, of Messiah(not forgetting of course the song of songs is a wedding song!)

I hope you might get excited about that as we did! Or even a little bit! And that this insight blesses you as we come into approaching Shabbat again this week and approach His `table` and coming together with Him in the Family of Messiah.

Part 2

 `Answers` to quiz in post below, 

where I asked if anyone could find the scripture references that are hinted at in the postcard from the Parsha Shelach Lecha.

They are

1.  Big Grapes! 

 They reached the wadi Eschol, and there they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes--it had to be borne on a carrying frame by two of them -- and some pomegranates and figs.  That place was named the wadi Eschol because of the cluster that the Israelites cut down there.  Numbers 13:23~24

The big grapes on the table is a reference to the `big grapes` that were brought back by the spies to show the abundance of produce in the Promised Land!

 

2.  Challah

You shall make a gift to the LORD from the first yield of your baking, throughout the ages.   Numbers 15:21

The mitzvot of Challah is given in this parsha! Hence two big loaves of fluffy challah are on the `banquet table` of the LORD in this picture!!  May we give ourselves fully to Him from our heart!

 3.  Tzitzit

see Numbers 16:37, commandment for Tzitzit!

You can see the prayer shawl or `talit` on the one in the picture.  Who is depicted in the picture? Its up to you, I see it as representing the Holy Spirit and the little girl (me?! you?!) dining and delighting in Yeshua`s love!! 

4.  The House of Wine and His banner of Love!

Now you know the verse that this refers to, though it is not in the parsha per se, the whole Torah and all of God`s word is an expression of His Love and an invitation to His table and to abide in Him!!!

Yeshua says, Abide in my Love!!! That is what I learned from this parsha study and every day as we `come to the house of wine` under His banner of AHAVA, Love!!

Blessings and AHAVA! 

Shabbat Shalom!!

❤️

Shayndel (Joanne)

 

welome Holy Spirit!!

 

PS, today is a few days after I posted this, it is June 12, 2021... I just found the `original` postcard, HERE along with a sweet story about it!!.... amazingly it was not a year ago as I thought but it was 3 years ago!!!! To the day!!! (June 12, 2018!!!)  God is patient, He is kind!! His LOVE is everlasting!

 

Shabbat Shalom! Parsha Postcard!

 Shabbat Shalom!

Love,

Shayndel

💖

 

PS feel free to print out as a postcard and share a Shabbat greeting with your family and loved ones!

PS dear friends, adding little `blurb` on the parsha inspiration for the drawing!

 As God cannot be contained in the Tabernacle or any place we make for Him here on earth,  how can we put all that is in this parsha into a few short paragraphs!?  I am overwhelmed by how much there is in it!  The Golden Menorah, the silver trumpets, the Cloud of Glory, the almond blossoms patterned on the menorah branches.  There is the presenting of the Levites to the Lord, the second Passover, the cloud covering the Tabernacle,  and moving the Tabernacle as the cloud lifts.  We read of the grumbling, praying, prophesying, the sin of Miriam.  And how the whole of Israel waits for her to be healed before they move on.

We also find in this parsha the words that were said whenever the Ark would set out (Numbers 10:35~36).  These same words are said in synagogues today when the Torah Scrolls are removed from the Ark!  

Arise, O Lord, may Your enemies be scattered!

The light of the Menorah that is attended to so carefully and continually by Aaron, which opens this parsha,  is always to remain lit.  Yeshua commands us to be the Light of the World.  We do that by abiding in Him, keeping our passion alive through prayer and worship, being lead by His Holy Spirit by day and by night!!  Dear Heavenly Father,  Please reveal Yourself to us and fill us always with new anointing, so we can shine our light for others and bring glory to You in the name of our Eternal King and Messiah Yeshua! 

 

 

 

 

AHAVA Mailing! Special invitation for you!

 

You have put joy in my heart ~~ 

more joy than when their grain and new wine overflow.  

Psalm 4:8

Dear Friends,  

I would like to invite you to receive a weekly AHAVA mailing and Prayer Sheet from me!   

It is the first `fruits` of a Ministry God has put on my heart together with a prayer partner which we started from a desire to pray for our families and for Israel.  He gave us the idea to pray according to scriptures related to the weekly Parsha (weekly Torah and related scriptural readings).   We call the devotional `AHAVA, Praying from the Parsha`.  

We have been so blessed praying from them and how God ministers to us through His word in each week. 

And would like to share His AHAVA Love through them and with you! 

I would be overjoyed if you would like to receive our AHAVA mailing with the weekly PDF prayer sheet! 

 I hope it will be a blessing to you in your devotional time,  to pray these scriptures for your loved ones, and that there might be something new to learn through the introduction in each week to the weekly parsha in the short `blurb` on each prayer sheet.  

May we draw closer to the LORD and to one another in Him!! Thank you always for your support and encouragement.  Many of the drawings on the prayer sheets were first posted here on the blog!

And for something immediate, we just found that we can share a link directly to the PDF, so please find this week`s prayer sheet HERE !! 

Be blessed as you pray the scripture verses over your loved ones, schools, communities, congregations, cities, nations!! Let`s take the authority we were given in Messiah as we claim Salvation and restoration for our loved ones and see Life and resurrection in all areas He has given in our lives!! 

Blessings and AHAVA, 

Love, 💕Shayndel (aka Joanne) 

 

PS to anyone who is interested to receive the weekly PDF and newsletter, you can let me know in a comment and/or send your e-mail address to me at:

 ahavaprayerandmovement@gmail.com 

May the grace of our Lord be poured out on ......................(put in your name and your loved ones)  abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Messiah Yeshua.   

 1 Timothy 1:14

❤️

 

 

 

 

Noah and Menuchah!

 Come to me... and I will give you rest!
Matthew 11:28

In this Challah-cast we look again at Parsha Noah.  Do you know what Noah means?

A hint is in the above scripture!!

Come along and learn some new Hebrew words in challah as we enter into one more exciting Challah-cast with new discoveries in Parsha Noah before going forth into this week`s Parsha, Lech Lecha!! 

Blessings and Shabbat Shalom !!! (another hint!!)

Love,

♡

Shayndel

Joanne`s Challah-Cast channel!

Lovingkindness Everlasting!!! and Parsha Noah!

 

In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment,

but with everlasting kindness 

I will have compassion on you, says ADONAI your Redeemer.     Isaiah 54:8 from this week`s Haftarah in the Parsha Noah

 I am sharing this recent Challah-cast which is a continuation of looking at Hebrew words in Challah!!

This upload we are looking at the words that express the Everlasting Kindness of God, as we see in the Haftarah portion in this week`s Parsha Noah.  In Hebrew it is the words `Chesed` and `Olam` together.　 

The more we cycle around on the Torah the more God`s Everlasting Kindness comes alive through His word and it is a special time spent with Him to look anew into the readings in each week.  Hope you enjoy this week`s study!

Please SHARE !!!  CHESED OLAM!! May we release more of God`s Lovingkindness into the world by speaking of His Lovingkindness and by partnering with Him by the words that we speak ...and write... and form in challah (or whatever your form of creative worship expression)!!! He created the world with His word.

Blessings and Shalom! Shavu`a Tov!! Have a blessed week!

Love,

♡

Shayndel

          #noah, #noach, #rest

Joanne`s Challah-Cast channel!

Parsha Shemini, Intercession*- to pray for "the whole world"

"Pregnant with eternity", the month of Nissan & Cherry blossoms

Intercession       
But like the Holy One who called …the whole world…, may …the whole world… be holy in all his/her behavior, because it is written, 
"You shall be holy, for I am holy."  May …the whole world… be holy, for God is holy.                      1Peter 1:15~16, Leviticus 11:45

                                                                 Then …the whole world…will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.   Proverbs 2:5                                                                                                              
I am the LORD, …the whole world…’s God, who brought …the whole world… out of Egypt; …the whole world… open your mouth and I will fill it.                                                   Psalm 81:11
     
Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the LORD.                                                                                                                          Colossians 3:20

May …the whole world… be a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled.  …the whole world… must hold firmly to the trustworthy message in keeping with the teaching, so he/she can both encourage by instruction that is sound and convict those who speak against it.                                                                                                                                                Titus 1:8~9

…the whole world…, be submitted to rulers and authorities, be obedient, be ready for every good deed, to slander no one, without fighting, gentle, showing every courtesy to all people.           
                                                                                                                                                Titus 3:1~2

*from this week's AHAVA Parsha prayer sheet, Pray it for your loved ones, and for the whole world!!

Love and Blessings,
 ♡
Shayndel

Ha’azinu Challah and second “Challah-cast”

Give ear o heavens and I will speak!

Let the earth hear the words of my mouth. 

May my teaching trickle like rain, 

my speech distill like the dew.

Deuteronomy 32 1~2

first lines of Parsha Haazinu

For this week I made a special Challah for Parsha Haazinu.

And trying out  the second "Challah-cast" upload for the New Year! Which is a play on "pod-cast" , using challah as the basis for the "broadcast"!! Please note, these "Challah-casts" are IN PROGRESS!!! I know they need a lot of editing and I am trying out a new idea.  Feel free to let me know any comments!! This week I wanted to commumicate the  making a challah in the shape of the text of the song from the "Parsha" we are reading  in the Torah!  It might not be clear until somewhat into the 12 minutes of what I am doing, but if you are moved to watch it please do!!

Hope you enjoy it and that it communicates!! Did I say, it is a "Work in Progress!"

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful season.

Shavua Tov!

Chag Sameach Succot!!

Tonight starts the holiday of Succot.  Blessings and Shalom, Rejoice in His Tents!!

Love,

♡

Shayndel (Joanne, live from L.I. !!)

Elul Postcards!

I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy,

singing and chanting a hymn to the LORD.

Psalm 27:6b

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Psalm 27:1a 

H A P P Y     E L U L  !

♡

Postcards from Parsha Pekudei

I will expound a theme, hold forth on the lessons of the past,

things we have heard and known, 

that our fathers have told us.

We will not withhold them from their children,

telling the coming generation

the praises of the LORD and His might, 

and the wonders He performed.

Psalm 78:2~4

Finishing the book of Exodus!

Chazak, Chazak, venitchazek!!

Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen each other!

Blessings and love,

♡

Shayndel

Parsha Diary--Tetzaveh, You shall command

The pointer and decorative "breastplate" that adorns the Torah scroll

Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your godly ones sing for joy. 

Psalm 132:9

Dear Parsha Diary,

This week I just loved reading Parsha Tetzaveh!  I learned so much from the Holy Spirit guiding as I enjoyed delving into the parsha.  I am continually in awe not only the beautiful details of the parsha in themselves, and especially, oh the priestly garments and the loving instructions from God to Moses on how they are to be made!! But also how everything points to our lives in Messiah Yeshua, and how alive His word is.  I know some people call this the "Old" Testament, but Lord this is all so new and alive and relevant to who we are in Messiah Yeshua!!! 

Make them holy in the truth.  Your word is truth.  John 17:17

Tetzaveh   You shall command

There is a commandment in the first line of the parsha for the olive oil to be brought to keep the light of the menorah burning forever before the LORD (Exodus 27:20~21).  After that, a good part of this parsha details the intricate and beautiful descriptions of the priestly garments God instructs Moses—though note that in this parsha Moses is not named—-to have made for Aaron and his sons.  Over and over in the tabernacle descriptions, God instructs that all be made by spirit-filled craftsmen  who are wise-hearted.  Each element of both the Tabernacle and the garments has special significance that speaks volumes about God’s heart and the love and meaning that is put into every detail of His word and instructions for our lives in service to Him, all for His Glory and to reveal His beauty!!

Our High Priest Yeshua is revealed in each item of garments, and the ministry of intercession that is our Messiah’s ministry is also passed down to us.   As a people, nation of high priests we are commanded to put on the Armor of God(Ephesians 6:10~23).   It is striking to read the passages in this parsha (for example the breastplate of judgement, Ex. 28:15) and to see how Paul's description of the armor in Ephesians is so deeply rooted in these instructions and all of the Torah.

True priests in service of Messiah always are to keep the light of God shining and lit, and to put on the priestly garments of justice, righteousness, truth and Salvation, always ready and with the Good News of Shalom to intercede and pray in the Ruach on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18)!  May we be clothed in Messiah Yeshua, shining our light and armed for intercession as we set out in our prayer time today!
  
Here is a prayer to pray for your child or loved one to be clothed in the armor of God! Put that person's name in the dotted lines in the prayer below.

May................................be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power.
May .......................put on the full armor of God so that ............................can stand against the schemes of the devil.  May.....................always buckle the belt of truth around his/her waist, and put on the breast plate of righteousness.  May .........................strap up his/her feet in readiness with the Good News of Shalom.  Above all, may...............take up the shield of faith with which he/she will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And may...................take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.   from Ephesians 6:10~17

Readings from Parsha Tetzaveh:
Exodus 27:20 ~ 30:10
Ezeikel 43:10 ~27
Hebrews 9:6~14

Notes:  Ruach is the Hebrew word for Spirit, or Wind, here referring to the Holy Spirit.

Take ...unleavened cakes with oil mixed in....    from Exodus 29:2, note to myself, the word for cakes in Hebrew in this verse is "Challah"

Notice the "Challah" this week, it has an unleavened look to it, actually I tried making challah using rice flour that I got from a local rice grower, and was surprised at the result how it didn't rise.

I have a "souvenir" Torah Scroll from Jerusalem. I confess I can't really read it but I can follow along enough to see where we are and listen along to the Hebrew as I "read" it for each potion, and some words do "pop out" and it is good Hebrew study as well for listening and following along and seeing!!!

Parsha Tetzaveh

Meditating on God's splendor and majesty and His clothes of righteousness; and on being clothed in the Armor of God.

You shall make a breastpiece of decision, worked into a design; make it in the style of the ephod:  make it of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen.  It shall be square and doubled, a span in length and a span in width.  Set in it mounted stones, in four rows of stones.  

Exodus 28:15~17 

 

Va`Era -- and I appeared (Postcards)

I love ADONAI, 

for He hears my voice, my cries.

 Psalm 116:1

For God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.  

1John 3:20

Just a few light heart-ed interpretations, drawings inspired from the first days of the New Year and together with some impressions from the Parsha
 (Torah reading, from Va'Era, Exodus 6:2~9:35, for complete readings see sidebar link to the readings!  ).  
Greetings from today!
 

The first, above, was from God `appearing`in the heart-shaped cloud.
(Remember, Va'Era means "and I appeared)

In the second I drew a frog kite,  as an expression of remembering the plagues from the Exodus we read about in this weeks parsha, and being set free.  

Therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Messiah Yeshua.   

2Timothy 2:1

As we read the parsha, look at the miracle!

ADONAI said to Moses, to say to Pharaoh,
 "Let my people go, so that they may worship Me".  
Now we read these words and Thank you, LORD.

Thousands of years after the Exodus. 
May we say, Here we are!

You have set us free so that we may worship You!  May we always remember to tell of Your wondrous deeds, that You heard our cries and You took us for a people.  
Forever You are our God, who brought us out of Egypt.

I will take you to Myself as a people, and I will be your God.  You will know that I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.  

Exodus 6:7

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1John 4:4

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!

The Shema

The Shema is contained in the book of Deuteronomy.  The Shema is also "contained" in the mezuzah (see below)

You shall speak of them when you walkest by the way

Pointer at the start of the Ten Commandments, you can also see the left side of the scroll winding down

The grass withers, the flower fades.  
But the word of God stands forever.

--Isaiah 40:8, from this week`s Haftarah 

In this week`s Torah Portion, we are drawing nearer to the end of the Torah cycle.
Its like a crescendo right now, everything from the beginning is coming together in the fifth book of Torah as Moses speaks the words (Devarim) to the Children of Israel.  Can you feel it even now, as the left side of the scroll shortens, and we are coming into the last month of the Hebrew year.

At the same time closer to the beginning.  The Day of Atonement, the Fall Feasts that mark the end of one cycle and beginning of the next, as well as the New Year on the Hebrew calendar are approaching.  God`s cycle of time is eternal and it is also clearly marked with Shabbatot and `Chagim` (Feasts).

This past Shabbat is also called the Shabbat of Comfort, from the first words in the Haftarah from Isaiah, that is read in the same week.
It follows a series of Shabbatot that marked some of the sad and bitter times in Jewish history.

But now is a time of `Comfort`.

"Comfort, comfort My people,"

says your God.   ---Isaiah 40:1

Reading this portion,  it is indeed `comforting` as there is both the Ten Commandments and the `Shema` in this week's reading.
Do you know what the Shema refers to?
It is the scriptures in Deuteronomy 6:4 , which start, Hear O Israel.
In Hebrew, Shema Y`Israel.

 I grew up knowing these words as the Shema, and that they are  "the watchword of our faith." 
I am amazed when I look at my childhood, that my parents  obediently followed the command to "teach these words diligently to your children."  I don`t remember `learning` them, but I don`t remember ever not knowing them.  Its like they were always there... and they were! And they are!!

Even my years as a runaway from the God of Israel (you may know that part of my story from elsewhere on the blog!), I still said these words as a prayer before bedtime, it was almost automatic, and I never really thought that I was keeping my connection by saying them, I just said them.  Its like a piece of me wasn't rebelling and knew that they were a treasure to keep.  So when I returned to the God of Israel, and said these words, it was like they really were a lifeline and felt soo....well... to use a word from this week...comforting!!

   As I reflect on them in reading in this week cycle, their eternal place in our lives  and the way they are a direct connect to the God of Israel just spoke to me in a new way.  I don't know if you were brought up saying them every day as maybe it is something that just Jewish parents teach, I am not sure, but if you don`t say them each day, I would just like to invite you to!!  Like a parent teaching them diligently to a child, I would leave these words here,  and if someone is reading this and inspired to begin to incorporate them into your daily prayer times, then I will have done my `mitzvot` for today.

These are the words of the Shema Israel.

Shema Israel ADONAI Eloheinu

ADONAI Echad

Hear O Israel

The Lord our God

the Lord is One.

שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל:  יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה אֶחָד. 

וְאָהַבְתָּ, אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ
וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם--עַל-לְבָבֶךָ
 וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ, וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ
וּבְקוּמֶךָ
 וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת, עַל-יָדֶךָ; וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת, בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ
 וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל-מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ, וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ

V'ahavta et ADONAI Elohecha b'chol-l'vav'cha oovchol-nafsh'cha oovchol-m'odecha.
V'hayu had'varim ha'elleh asher anochi m'tzav'cha hayom al-l'vavecha
Oovlecht'cha vaderech oov'shochb'cha oovkumecha.
ookshartam l'ot al-yadecha v'hayu l'totafot bein einecha.
oochtavtam al-m'zuzot beitecha oovisharecha.

Love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These words, which I am commanding you today, are to be on your heart.  You are to teach them diligently to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up.  Bind them as a sign on your hand, they are to be as frontlets between your eyes, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4~9

 Amen.

♡

Note:  A  `Mezuzah`is pictured (a little exaggerated so you can see it!) in the picture.   
The Mezuzah is a box that contains a scroll which has written on it the words of the Shema.  The letter `Shin` that you see drawn on it is the Hebrew letter with the sound `Sh` that starts the Shema.   When you come in to the house it is customary to kiss the mezuzah by kissing your hand and touching the `Sh` thus acknowledging the words contained in the Shema!!

Hebrew notes if you would like to read on!
1.  Something I noticed as I was writing the transliteration, the word Devarim, which I have used in a few posts recently.  This word is the name of the Fifth book of the bible in Hebrew and means "Words".  In English we call this book, Deuteronomy.   Of course the Parsha is always named after the first words in the reading, but I find it also interesting how often Devarim, or words is used throughout the book!!

Other note'  You can see the word "Mezuzot" in the last line in the Hebrew and it is the plural of "Mezuzah" and means doorpost.

this post's Hebrew lesson!

Shema=hear, listen
Ha devarim=these words
al m'zuzot=on the doorposts

Nachamu= Comfort
Shabbat Nachamu=Sabbath of Comfort

and one bonus word
Ahava =  Love
(as in Ve ahavta et Adonai Elohecha, you shall love the Lord thy God)