Parsha Yitro--Ten Commandments and Two 5-Strand Challah

 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness that ADONAI had shown to Israel, since He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.      Exodus 18:9

Yitro is the name in Hebrew of this week's (* last week's, by the time I am posting!!)  Parsha, named for Moses' father-in-law Jethro.  Jethro was a Midianite priest and former idol-worshiper who became a believer in the one true God, after hearing the wonderous things the LORD did for the Children of Israel,  that He parted the Sea and He set them free.  Jethro also had a good advice to Moses not to do everything himself, but to hire good men to help him.＊

I used my "Mt. Fuji and Ten Commandments" Challah cover this week in honor of the parsha.  The Challah cover is also a visual "prayer" that here too where we are in Japan the people will hear and be transformed by the truth of the one true God and receive His word and Salvation! 

For this week I made 2 five strand challah to make 10 strands total to represent the Ten Commandments!  For the Challah-cast this week (HERE, or see "screen" below!)  I show how to braid a five-strand challah.  My brother, who has been watching my weekly challah-casts, has been telling me to put in more of the making of challah and less talking!! (I did the challah making, as per his request,  but there is also still a lot of talking, sorry Jim, I'm working on it!)

In the parsha Moses tells the children of Israel not to be afraid of the thunder and mountain quaking, but  that they have to Fear the Lord and not go astray (Exodus 20:20).   God Himself tells them several times in the book of Exodus and later throughout the Torah, that if they fear Him and observe all His commandments He will not bring upon them the diseases "that He brought upon the Egyptians". 

²⁶ He said, “If you diligently listen to the voice of Adonai your God, do what is right in His eyes, pay attention to His mitzvot, and keep all His decrees, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians. For I am Adonai who heals you.”                                                             Exodus 15:26

He also made this clear in the ten plagues, where the plagues were judgement put upon the people of Egypt and yet didn't touch the Children of Israel who were all in one accord to follow His ways.

He is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow.  May we Praise Him,  and fear Him and not go astray.  Observe His statutes with delight. And may the diseases not come near our tents (Psalm 91:10).  May more and more people say Yes to His Salvation.

Did you know that at the time of the giving of the Torah, it is said in an  account in the  Mishnah(Sifrei Devarim 343) that all the nations were given the chance to receive the Torah and the Ten Commandments.  But all said no on certain commandments that they couldn't abide by, and after that only Israel said YES, and their YES was without  questioning the specifics of what they would have to do, they put all their faith in Him and said Yes, we will do all that You ask.  The other Nations all were said to have said no to one or the other commandment, and turned down His offer of the TORAH on those things that didn't agree with them.  For one nation, "no murder" was unacceptable, it was their way of life, they just couldn't commit.  For another, no adultery--- out of the question as that was part of their way of life (I am not naming nations! but so it is said!).  And so on! Only Israel  gave their reverential and unequivocal YES, acknowledging that that HE is their Master and Creator and Sovereign King, and they agreed to receive the Torah.

 We are given the choice each day anew to say Yes, LORD, we will do ALL that you ask us to do because You are our God.

Seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all else will follow.

Blessings and Love,

S h a b b a t   S h a l o m !  !

♡

＊Thank you Hobbyloes! I added this line from your comment:)!

Shayndel (doing Challah Cast as Joanne!)

Jacob and Rachel at the Well--Shalom (post and giveaway, re-visited!＊）

Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the Easterners.  There before his eyes was a well in the open.  Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for the flocks were watered from that well.   ---Genesis 29:1~2

Well, yes,
more drawing and  talk of wells.

How are you , are you well?
Yes, I`m well.

I made a fun and exciting `Shalom` discovery when reading this week`s Parsha Va-yetse  ,  that in Hebrew the word `Shalom` appears  twice  for the words `well` and `well` in one of the dialogues in Genesis 29:6. Not in the case of the `water well` but in the case where the word `well` is used in the sense above, as in `are you well?`

The Hebrew writing in the drawing is from Genesis 29:6, where Jacob meets Rachel.   First Jacob inquires about his relatives and how the family is.  And in the very same line, we meet Rachel.

The verse goes like this:

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, הֲשָׁלוֹם לוֹ; וַיֹּאמְרוּ שָׁלוֹם--וְהִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתּוֹ, בָּאָה עִם-הַצֹּאן. 6

And he said unto them: 'Is it well with him?' And they said: 'It is well; and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.' 

I highlighted in blue to show how in Hebrew the word `Shalom` is used here.

Hence in the drawing, I drew the word Shalom in the Well and Shalom in the sky,
I put twelve sheep in the drawing,  and do you know why?

Because there at the well was a meeting between Rachel and Jacob.
You might say that meeting went well.  Jacob moved the big rock off the well, and then everything flowed from there,
he watered the flock.

Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and broke into tears.   ---Genesis 29:11

Saw Rachel, and gave her A kiss at first sight,
and you know what happens in the pages after that,
12 sons were born , who became the 12 tribes of Israel (Jacob`s name was changed to Israel in the next Parsha)
Of course, other wives were involved who mothered the sons,
but here at the well
it all was begun!!

PS note:  speaking of Shalom, if you haven`t yet entered the first Challah and Cherry Blossoms giveaway, please read the end of the post below and enter! Up until Dec. 3, and be eligible to win a book, Shalom in the Psalms!  

(NOTE: This was posted from last year but the prize of the book Shalom in the Psalms was not redeemed.  If you would like to be eligible for this gift please let me know in the comments to that affect, and I will hope to send one to someone this time around!! I just can't figure out how to do the Amazon giveaway this time, so I would arrange to have it sent to you from Amazon,  this will be active up to the end this month of Kislev! (through December 28 )

PSS  did you notice Rachel`s dress? I gave her a dress that  is yellow with a pattern of pink cherry blossoms! 

PSS I hope that even those who don`t read Hebrew, that you are starting to recognize the word `Shalom` even in the Hebrew letters!!! Wishing you well!

Blessings and Shalom   ♡　　Shayndel

＊Note on "re-visited"!:  
 From the Archives of Challah and Cherry Blossom, from the original post HERE!!  
 I like this talk of "Wells" and the scene at the well with Rachel and Jacob, so this post in its entirety is 
RE-POSTED !  

God's Torah Cycle is Eternal and Everlasting, and this moment of meeting is forever re-visited  and alive each time we read the Parsha!

Torah Readings for this week of Parsha Vayetse:

Genesis 28:10~32:2 (3)

Hosea 11:7~14:9(10)

John 1:19~51

A link to this week's CHALLAH-Cast can be found HERE! 

If you watch, please enjoy, and you will see the connection to this post and the word "SHALOM"!

Hi, I`m Shayndel!

Hi, I`m Shayndel! Well,  that is my Hebrew name and I am only trying it out here to see if it sticks.
Welcome to Challah and Cherry Blossoms!! This blog is a resurrection blog of sorts, as I started it as a way to share about my new life since being born again in Yeshua. (see this Post Here, Torah and Tatami,  for more of the story if you are just joining in!)  For the first half year of the blog I almost only posted challah.  It was as if I needed to just knead and braid and shape and roll out the dough and stay so close to the bread as I was first finding who I am in Yeshua. 

Each time I make a Challah it is very life-affirming to meditate on my Saviour who is the Bread of Life.  I started reading the weekly Parashiot, Torah portions, and started to make Challah that somehow related things in my life to the readings, and made challah to express something about the stories in the readings. 

Then at this New Year, just as Hannukah made its way into the first day of this year,  I felt like I was seeing life in a new Light , the Light of Yeshua.  I felt Him showing me the wonderful things in my life.  For I often grumble about the things I don`t have, and long for something else.  But this new Light of Yeshua shone on all the things in my life---my family, the food, the place, the love---as if to say, from now on I want you to see not what you don`t have, but what you do have!!! It was such a wonderful thing to hear, and then to look out on this new day, the day that He has made.  Let us rejoice and be Glad in it!  This is what I want to share in a New Year`s post.  That, as His word says, everyday is a new day that the LORD hath made.  He is the same as ever, unchanging, from yesterday, today and forever, but we do change! He changes us!! He cleans our hearts and makes us a new creation.  Then the world around us, also changes through Him and through the Love he pours into our lives.  I pray this year you let yourself be made new!! You open your heart and soul and allow Him to make you a New Creation!!! Let His Great SHALOM transform us and bring us all from darkness to Light!! In Yeshua`s glorious name I pray, all glory to ADONAI!! Amen and amen!!

This is the day that Adonai has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!  

---Psalm 118:24  TLV

photos:  family and the sea