Psalm 91 & Parsha Ekev ! Behold Yeshua

 

Can you see the number on the scale? It is `91`! which led me to Psalm 91 for the `Word` in Challah!

Raah, Behold!

Yeshua

Man cannot live by bread alone! But from every word from the mouth of God!

“Because he has devoted his love to Me,
    I will deliver him.
I will set him securely on high,
    because he knows My Name. When he calls on Me, I will answer him.
I will be with him in trouble, rescue him, and honor him. 

With long life will I satisfy him
and show him My salvation.”

 

Psalm 91:14~16

 

Dear Beloved blog friends, Shabbat Shalom! Sorry I haven`t written for sooooo long!  I hope you are all well.  

 

This Shabbat I was moved by the verse in our Torah portion,

 

"Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God"

 

To come back to make a post!

Because

it is the parsha EKEV which means `because`

and because

this verse is a theme verse at Challah and Cherry Blossoms.

Because  bread (challah), and the word of God and bringing them together, are the topics of my blog!!

 

So I asked the Holy Spirit for a word to make in Challah, to share with you, and He led me to 

 

`Behold Yeshua`!!

 In Hebrew, the root words are

RA`AH רָאָה 

which means to See, or Behold,

and Yeshua, יְשׁוּעָה

which means Salvation and is the name of Yeshua

 

You can see the verse in Psalm 91 above, where these two words are found, literally `show him My Salvation`,

 

With long life will I satisfy him
and show him My salvation.”

אֹרֶךְ יָמִים, אַשְׂבִּיעֵהוּ;    וְאַרְאֵהוּ, בִּישׁוּעָתִי

 

I hope you were able to follow that! One more piece is that the word actually came about as I was measuring the challah dough to divide it in strands.  At that time I still didn`t know what word I would make in challah, but when I broke off a piece of dough to measure it, the scale said `91`! and the Holy Spirit spoke to me!!

 

I usually divide the pieces in either 100 grams each for 12 strands which generally works out well, as the dough generally comes to about 1200 grams.  Or sometimes I do 80 grams each for several smaller challah.

 

So when I saw 91, it stood out and I thought right away of Psalm 91!!! 

 I read through the Psalm asking the Holy Spirit to Highlight a verse or a word(s), and when I got to the last verse I saw it all came together in `Yeshua`, and even `MY Salvation!`.

 

As the Parsha is all about God`s LOVE and the `conditional` aspect, of `Because` or `IF` we show our loving devotion to God, He will do all these things and show us His Salvation.   

 

It just seemed so perfect as remember the verse we started from was `Man does not live by bread alone but by everything that comes from the mouth of God` (Deuteronomy 8:3).  That "everything" includes every decree, every statute, every word, every declaration.  So here it was,

 

With long life I will satisfy those who LOVE me and Devote their LOVE to Me!!

That is exactly what our Parsha Ekev and all of the Torah is about! IF you love me, you will obey and guard my commandments and statutes.

 

Don`t you just love that, and above you can see the Shabbat Table and how it came out!

 

Another interesting thing is that the verse that I was led to has `Because` in it twice.  Even though the Hebrew is not the same as `EKEV`, the meaning is similar, as it is "as a result of , a reward for, because of," our devotion to  Him that He gives us this wonderful promise of a long life and His Salvation!

 

Thank you for coming this far.  As we partake of the words of Life` the bread of Life , and drink the cup of Salvation  let us say together.  

Le chay-im! To LIFE!!

 

Good to see you all again!

Hope to be back sooner rather than later this time.

To Life and Salvation in Yeshua! 

Much Love,❤️

Shayndel

“Then it will happen, as a result of your listening to these ordinances, when you keep and do them, that Adonai your God will keep with you the covenant kindness that He swore to your fathers.

He will love you, bless you and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the produce of your soil, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that He swore to your fathers to give you. 

Deuteronomy  7:12~13 (first lines of Parsha EKEV)　

PS　You may have noticed if you are following the weekly Torah portions, that RE`EH , the word I spelled out in Challah, is the name of next week`s Parsha!

 

AHAVA NOTE. 

Please feel free to find my AHAVA prayer sheets which give a family friendly summary of the weekly Torah portions as well as verses to pray for your loved ones, communities, and Israel each week to go with the parsha! 

AHAVA Parsha Ekev Prayer Sheet HERE(this week)

AHAVE Parsha Re`eh Prayer Sheet HERE  (coming week)

Reading this week in EKEV, the Torah is A love letter from Abba 💌 

❤️

 

Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you. 

Abide in My love!

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be full. 

John 15:9~11

Inheritance and Delight! ~ Clothe us with Power and Might!

Shabbat Shalom!

 Adonai is my portion and my cup.
You cast my lot.

My boundary lines fall in pleasant places
—surely my heritage is beautiful. 

Psalm 16:5~6

A few bloggers (you all, dear blogfriends!) have shared your word for the year 2023 and encouraged me so I will also share mine!

My word is `heritage/inheritance`. 

In Hebrew it is:  NACHALAH נַחֲלָה,  NACHAL נָחַל

I receive it for this year, 5783/2023, in keeping with the Biblical Calendar which started in the Fall!  Remember we also are preparing our hearts to come into the new year starting in the first month of Springtime that was given by God to the Children of Israel!  (We have many New Years!)

“This month will mark the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you."   Exodus 12:2

When I was in NY this Chanukah trip I had several conversations with my Dad, we are always talking,  I love my Dad, and it was through one of our conversations that I felt to delve into the word `heritage` and ask the LORD to speak with me about it and it became my word.  I am seeing already how it is about restoration, family, my Jewish heritage which I only recently returned to in Messiah, as well as the larger eternal heritage which we are beneficiaries of in Messiah!

Where your heart is there your treasure will also be.  Matthew 6:21

In this time of the Restoration of All things I am excited and forever thankful to have come back to covenant with our Covenant keeping God and seek to better understand what is our heritage in Him!

Here are a few examples from the scriptures of aspects of `heritage`and `inheritance` that we find from the beginning and all the way to eternity!! (though Eternity is before the beginning!).  Starting with the verse above from Psalm 16, the LORD is our portion! And continuing with these which are just my beginnings of looking into this word!

1.  Heritage as it speaks of the Torah

Your testimonies I have as a heritage forever, for they are my heart’s joy.  Psalm 119:111

2.  Heritage as it speaks of the generations and children:

Behold, children are a heritage of ADONAI ~. The fruit of the womb is a reward.  Psalm 127:3

3.  Heritage as it speaks of the Land of Israel 

But when you cross over the Jordan and settle in the land that Adonai your God enables you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you, you will dwell in safety.          Deuteronomy 12:10

4.  Heritage as it speaks of our spiritual heritage in Messiah

I pray that he will give light to the eyes of your hearts, so that you will understand the hope to which he has called you, what rich glories there are in the inheritance he has promised his people, and how surpassingly great is his power working in us who trust him. It works with the same mighty strength he used when he worked in the Messiah to raise him from the dead and seat him at his right hand in heaven,  far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion or any other name that can be named either in the ‘olam hazeh or in the ‘olam haba. 

Ephesians 3:18~21

5.  Heritage as it speaks of Eternal inheritance 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah! In His great mercy He caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua from the dead.  An incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance has been reserved in heaven for you.       1Peter 1:3~4

 Inheritance in Psalm 37!

I also opened up a psalm this morning when I had been thinking of the word heritage the night before and the bible just `happened to` open up to Psalm 37.  I had never realized that `subtitle` on the Psalm, or maybe just hadn`t really connected with it as I did today when seeing it in terms of `my word`!  Here are a few of the verses! Please read the whole Psalm as well to see the verses in context and how in many of the verses the Psalmist speaks of the `Inheritance of the Kedoshim` (Kedoshim = holy ones) 

Inheritance of the Kedoshim

Psalm 37

³ Trust in Adonai and do good.
Dwell in the land, feed on faithfulness.
⁴ Delight yourself in Adonai,
and He will give you the requests of your heart.
⁵ Commit your way to Adonai.
Trust in Him, and He will do it.
⁶ He will bring out your vindication as light,
and your cause will shine as noonday.
⁷ Be still before Adonai and wait patiently for Him.
Do not fret over one prospering in his way,
over one carrying out wicked schemes.
⁸ Put away anger and turn from wrath.
Do not fret—it only leads to doing evil.
⁹ For evildoers will be cut off,
but those who wait for Adonai—
    they will inherit the land.

And lastly, notice the word `delight` in verse 4!  And verse 11:

 But the meek will inherit the land, and delight in abundant shalom.

The reason why I mentioned `delight` in the title is that I was `delighted` to see the word inheritance in so many places together with `delight`.  

It also appears in this combination in one of my favorite verses, from Isaiah 58:13 about keeping the Shabbat!

If you turn back your foot from Shabbat, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call Shabbat a delight, the holy day of Adonai honorable, If you honor it, not going your own ways, not seeking your own pleasure, nor speaking your usual speech,

then You will delight yourself in Adonai, and I will let you ride over the heights of the earth, I will feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.

Isaiah 58:13~14

Last but not least!

I also love to connect everything to what we are reading in the weekly Torah portion, as the cycle is so prophetic.  So it is not coincidence that we are entering into the book of Exodus with the `names` of the twelve tribes.  In Hebrew, the book of Exodus is actually called Shemot, which means `Names`!!   In Ezekiel 47:14, the land of Israel is divided equally as an inheritance and given to the twelve tribes of Israel.  And on the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem are inscribed the names of the 12 tribes!! 

My Dad said something about not being so concerned about our heritage in terms of the Torah and that made me want to take hold of our heritage ever more. See already we are learning so much!

Please share your insights from your word if you have one, and hope you might have been inspired or learned something new from my reflections of looking at `Heritage/inheritance`.  May we delight in the LORD through His word and His everlasting Love.

All love and blessings.❤️

Shabbat Shalom!

Love,

Shayndel

Song, `My Portion` to enjoy , from Psalm 16 ❤️

Hod Ve Hadar! Splendor and Majesty ~~ Succah Reflections and Fragrant Beginnings

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works. Psalm 145:5

 

The Beautiful fruit of the beautiful tree

On the first day you are to take choice fruit of trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and rejoice before ADONAI your God for seven days.

Leviticus 23:40

I am lingering a little in the fragrance of the fruit called an etrog, which is a fruit associated with the Feast of Sukkot.  It has a fragrance that reaches my heart with the love of G-d and speaks of His Majesty.  I know, a heart cannot exactly `smell`, and a fragrance does not `speak`, but this fruit makes me think outside of the regular dimensions, and stretches my senses, that is how divine the fragrance is!  I hope to release even a little of that fragrance here in a blog post. 

In the verse that introduces the commandment to rejoice for Sukkot (Lev. 23:40 above), there is the mention of taking 4 species.  One of them as you can see in the verse (and in the photos as represented by the etrog), is the "choice fruit of the trees".  The Jewish sages have a discussion on this `choice fruit`, or sometimes translated as `beautiful fruit`.  They ask the question, does the modifier `beautiful` describe the fruit , or does it describe the tree?  That is the midrashic question around this fruit.

I don`t know the grammatical answer, but what spoke to me was the word itself in the Hebrew that describes the fruit, or the tree.  The word is HADAR.  It ultimately modifies and points us to the Majesty of the LORD God Almighty Himself!

This word, HADAR, הֲדַר~ which modifies the fruit or fruit tree, actually means splendor, honor, ornament, majesty!

The first time the word HADAR is used in the Torah (in all of the bible) is here in Leviticus 23:40, and after that we see this word HADAR is used to describe God`s splendor and majesty. We sometimes see it paired with HOD or KAVOD, as it speaks of God`s glory and His majesty.

הֲדַר, כְּבוֹד הוֹדֶךָ--    וְדִבְרֵי נִפְלְאֹתֶיךָ אָשִׂיחָה

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works. Psalm 145:5

The four species together are also said to represent different parts of the body.  The fruit which is called an Etrog represents the heart.  The palm leaves the spine, the myrtle the eyes, and the willow the lips.

Taken together we can see how they represent worshiping God with our whole self, with every part of us,  as in Deuteronomy 6:4,

 Love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Connecting back to the Garden and forward to the Redemption!

We recently started in a new Torah cycle from the book of Genesis.  When I read about the fruit, that Eve took when tempted by the serpent, I noticed how It was described as pleasing to the eye.

I was thinking when I read it this time of this description of  `pleasing to the eye`,  as compared to the beauty of the fruit in Leviticus 23:40.  That which represents the deepest expression of God`s majesty, and His beauty that we see from the heart, is something that He reveals when we seek after intimacy with HIm... with all our heart.

I felt that G-d was speaking about how growing in obedience to Him is a way in which we grow into seeing His majesty and splendor.  

Those are some of my Succah reflections and fragrant beginnings.  As we start a new Torah cycle,  we are already in the third Parsha (Torah Portion)!  I will hope to catch up a little to where we are now, going into `Vayera` , which means `And He appeared` and comes from the root word `To see`!!

If anyone would like to join in following the Torah portions together, please let me know in the comment or in an e-mail (ahavaprayerandmovement@gmail.com).    I send out a weekly AHAVA  Parsha Prayer Sheet, which gives a short introduction to the Parsha and scriptures related to the weekly portion to pray for your loved ones, schools, community,  and for Israel!  

Blessings and LOVE ~  AHAVA!

Love,

Shayndel

Splendor and majesty are before Him.
Strength and beauty are in His Sanctuary. 

Psalm 96:6

PS Interestingly, after I wrote this post, I found that it was not just my discovery about the fruit representing God`s majesty!! I saw this article  on a Jewish website describing how each element is also describing an aspect of G-d, and relating to a verse in the Tanakh! I love that when the Holy Spirit leads us to our own discoveries, and then after we find the discovery that was already made!!

Each species has a particular reference to God, according to a Midrash in Leviticus Rabbah, 83: the etrog is symbolic of Psalm 104:1: “You are clothed in glory and majesty”; the palm is used because it is said Psalms 92:13: “The righteous bloom like date-palm”; the myrtle signifies Zechariah 1:8: “And he stood among the myrtle-trees”; the willow is significant because it is written in Psalms 68:5: “Extol Him who rides on the clouds (aravot), the Lord is His name.”

 PS notes to myself:

put a few photos of the succah here!

Article HERE  for how to make a fragrant spice box out of an etrog after Sukkot !!

 

 

Israel `Short`!

 Look down from Your holy abode, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the soil You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You swore to our fathers.

Deuteronomy 26:15

 

Hi Friends,

Thank you for your comments on my Breakfast on the Galilee post below!

Just something funny, yesterday on my i-phone the `i-photo` showed up automatically with a little Short Video of photos from my Israel trip!  It was automatically generated and appeared as `For you` in  i-Photo! 

(every so often it does that!)

So just for fun sharing it here, for you!

You will see some tie-ins to the `breakfast` theme! As well as the last scene you can get a glimpse of the Sea of Galilee!!  Also featured are my Shalom fans, and some other special moments like a visit to the spot where Yeshua spoke His Sermon on the Mount speech, and another clip where we were at the Northern Border overlooking Syria, all moments that `i-photo` put in randomly (looks like it was one day of the tour) from my Israel photos!!

Enjoy! 

my Passover Diary ~ ~ ~

 

He is the one you praise.  He is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.  Deuteronomy 10:21

I wrote a few weeks ago about not seeing my daughter since last year, over one year ago before Passover.  For Passover last year, we were supposed to meet but had to cancel as it was at the onset of the `pandemic` and travel restrictions.

 We were planning to have Passover  again this year on zoom and guess what? We didn`t keep the zoom date, because she came home in person and surprised us!  

We had an early Passover face to face!!

That is my Passover Miracle, and I thank the LORD on High for His answer to prayer this Passover and revealing His chesed love.   

Thank you for your prayers!

I want to share the story and start with a little backdrop to set the scene.

It happened the days of preparing just before Passover, as I was cleaning out the last of the hametz (leaven) from the house.  

Even then I was remembering when my daughter was here before she went to college and we did the cleaning together, or at least, she was there to cheer me on and help with the `feather inspection`(making sure we got all the last crumbs)!  I even have a post about it HERE, where we were giddy with the spring blossoms and she was taking my bag of `hametz` to her workplace to be stored away and out of the house for the week of unleavened bread!!

Back to the current story, it was almost Passover and I had already sent her a box of matzah and grape juice and a few other things for her so she could have it for our `zoom` Seder together.  I decided to cook the Passover meal in advance and  send that to her as well so we could have it together.  I made the brisket and matzah ball soup and had everything ready at around midnite to make sure to have it frozen by the next day and send it by delivery to her on time.

When I finished and packed the last matzah balls and soup in the freezer, it was about midnite, and just then the doorbell rang!!

 I wasn`t sure to answer it or not at such an hour but in my surprise of the moment, I didn`t have to do anything.  She opened the door with her own key and there was my daughter in the entrance smiling with her bright yellow suitcase and announcing she`s home!!

The next night I defrosted everything and we had a gorgeous (and a little early) Passover seder together!! Our visit was in haste as she was only able to stay a few nights, but it was wonderful to have her here face to face and celebrate Passover and even enjoy the cherry blossoms and a little family time together!!

 Thank you for reading my story.  

 And now the `Parable`.

I felt the LORD speaking to me about `Preparation`, and how when we prepare for that special time in eager anticipation of seeing the one we love and celebrating the feast with them, it actually can hasten that happening.  So can you see the parable? As we `Prepare` for Messiah`s return, we can actually hasten His coming as we prepare for Him and make everything ready in our hearts, homes, and spirit for His coming.  And who knows, His coming might even be early!!!

 Hope you are experiencing miracles big and small (though no miracle is `small` by definition a miracle is a miracle!!) and having a blessed month of Yeshua, season of deliverance, month of Love!! (I added that!).  Isn`t it perfect on God`s calendar the next month will begin this week. It is the month of Iyar, which is considered a month of healing, and acronym for the first letter in the verse, I am the LORD who heals you.   

As well as a month of `passage` between Redemption (Passover) and Revelation (Shavuot).

Praying a blessed and healing month of Iyar and continued deliverance and miracles as we count up the days to Shavout. 

Now to Him who is able to do far beyond all that we ask or imagine, by means of His power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the community of believers and in Messiah Yeshua throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen.      Ephesians 3:20~21

Much Love,❤️

Shayndel

 

This meal I was able to have ready in the quickest time ever, as I had it all prepared and all I had to do was `defrost` it , just add the spring greens! 

 

 

PS Just for the record, I am leaving space below to add the pics of house cleaning, and the meal `frozen` and to remind myself, as well as remember how there are times when a miracle comes into being through our preparedness!! Hmm... we might be on to something there!!! xoxo

 

 

From the Purim desk 2~Sending Purim

The Megilla of Esther in Japanese tucked into a Purim package to someone special!

Special Purim delivery!!

  

Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.  Esther 4:14

 

Late posting!  For the records!  May each day contain a world of Kingdom treasures to unpack for the generations to come!!xoxo Love Shayndel

Packed inside of Purim is a story of the Salvation of the Jewish people from the evil plans of their enemy, the hand of God in every detail, and even the instructions of how to celebrate  it thousands of years later!!  In Deuteronomy we told to never forget to blot out the name of Amalek forever! 

When we open up the book of Esther we unpack and re-live Queen Esther`s boldness in the face of her people on the brink of perishing.  And see how we are called in our own lives for  times as we are in.  Her name that means `concealed` and her identity hidden until that time `for such a time as this`.  She brought her people to unity to come together to fast and seek God.  He reveals His divine appointments at all hours throughout the story, and His hand of Salvation. He is to be Praised!!

 There is always so much pack in to the Purim boxes!! 

And once they are sent out and the feast is over already we are on the way to the spring feasts and Passover.  It`s not too early to start clearing out the old hametz and make way for the new!

Taste and see that the LORD is good!

Have a blessed week to all! Shavu`a Tov!!

Love,♡

Shayndel

 

2 New Challah-casts from readings in the book of Deuteronomy

He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord!                 Deuteronomy 8:3

In this challah-cast for Parsha Ekev (below),  I  got excited to look into the scripture from Deuteronomy 8:3 as it is a kind of theme scripture for the challah-casts, which are about bread (challah) and the word of God.
I `wrote` two Hebrew words in Challah!! You will soon see the words they are, and hope you might enjoy the discoveries in these two challah-casts !!





The upload below is a kind of `prelude` to the Ekev upload, but either can stand on its own as well!!!  In it you will see how to make a four-strand Challah.   I relate that to the readings in our parsha and the single utterance to `Remember` and `Guard` the Shabbat, and seeing that in relation to the words `Shamor` and `Zachor`.  We are in a beautiful relationship with our Maker who `keeps` us and asks us to `keep` or `Guard` those things that are precious to Him!! Praise the LORD!!

 Be blessed!! and again, thank you for reading watching or just being along on the journey together!!!

Ch & Ch Blossoms Diary: A mezuzah story

      
        The LORD will watch over your coming and your going
        from this time forth and forevermore.           Psalm 121:8

 Note:  This story does contain challah!

A few months ago, all the doors of the apartments in our building were changed.
It was in the planning for a while, and at last we got new green doors to replace the old (green doors!) that had started to creak and jam and some other concerns for which it was unanimous in the building that we would change them all.

The workman and his team did the work efficiently and smoothly and thankfully now we all have new doors.  As it was a big work that was being done in the doorway, where the mezuzah is on the door frame,  I prayed a blessing on the workmen, and for a blessing on all those getting new doors that they would sanctify their homes and hearts to the LORD!! and that the mezuzah would be fine through it！

You are to write (these words) on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
                                                                                     Deuteronomy 6:9

For those who don't know what a mezuzah is, it is the little "box" with a scroll in it containing the "Shema", words from Deuteronomy 6:4~9 that gets affixed on the doorposts.  It is a commandment to speak these words and teach these words and keep them on our heart and to put those words "on the doorposts of your house".  It reminds us of the LORD's sovereignty in our lives and homes.  As we are human, these "physical" reminders of God's presence in our lives serve a beautiful and holy purpose.  Beautiful in that there really are so many beautiful mezuzot (link HERE to some you can see on a Judaica site!).  Holy because when you enter the house after all the worldly things we run around doing outside and then you come to the threshold of your home, you look up and see that simple yet beautiful box and know that is a reminder to focus on the things above.  It makes coming into your home a sacred act and brings new meaning even to the doorway, and to that simple act of entering the door ーーreach up and give it a little touch and then your hand a sweet kiss !!!

 a few months later---。。。

After the new door was put in, the old "screen door" that is on the inside  looked even more shabby in contrast , and I had been realizing for some time I wanted to change that too.  I had been trying to arrange with the workman who did the doors for us to put in the new screen door, and finally this past week it was done.  When he came in to do the work, he  and his co-workman started to quickly and methodically take down the "door frame".  I was surprised and hadn't realized that there was a separate door frame that went just with the screen door, and that is the place where I had affixed our mezuzah!!

So I was watching as my mezuzah was going out of the house with the door frame!!  I quickly interrupted!! And said to him, that--pointing to the mezuzah--  that has to stay!! Of course I had no idea to communicate that it was a "mezuzah".  I am sure that even with all  of doors he has replaced and door frames, this would be his first encounter with a mezuzah, and I decided unless he asked, I wasn't going to explain as this would be difficult in Japanese.  But I needed to let him know it was important to me and to ask him to handle that area of the door frame with care, and that I would remove it.  Once he saw how it was attached he took a knife blade and carefully removed it as I watched.  It was just attached with a heavy duty double stick tape.

I have to add here, that I had been praying for this workman that somehow God would give him a revelation of Himself, through his encounter with the mezuzah.  Maybe he would see a TV show on the Jewish people , as sometimes on the Japanese TV there are such documentaries, and that he would encounter the meaning of a mezuzah in that way, or in a dream Yeshua would appear and tell him what it was, or any way that the Holy Spirit would show Himself!! That was my prayer.  Dear LORD, please if in any way reveal a knowledge of you and a YOUR love in this encounter.  I believed a divine encounter was being set-up here, as he was doing this work that concentrated on the door post of our home.

He finished the work, and said he needed to come back to paint some areas on the door frame.  After that,  I paid for the work right away at its completion.  Then he said he needed to come back again to bring me the receipt.  I said he could leave it in the postbox, but he was insistent about bringing it in person. I figured that was a formality and proper closure for this business.  But when he came to the door next time, he had brought me a bag of bread!!

As I  received the bread,  a divine light fell on  the scene and I could feel the presence of the Holy spirit.  Bread! An encounter with bread so unexpectedly like this, that took place within the door posts of the house.   In the glow of the moment,  I wanted to give him something, and remembered I had a challah.  I usually give one of the  challah to someone on the weekend of each Shabbat, but that last week I had one "saved" in the freezer for when an opportune time came!   I ran and got it, and explained about it being frozen, but in any case he was glad to receive it and bowed a thank you, as is customary in Japan.  I did the same to thank him, and the divine light remained on us in that doorway until our thanks were completed, bread exchanged, and we each turned in or out leaving from the space of the doorway to go on our ways!!

PS Oh my goodness, I just realized something! Does anyone recall my recent upload for the Red Bean Challah? He gave me red bean bread!!! (as well as other kind of coffee cake bread).

About the photos below!
  When I was in Israel I loved seeing the "physical" reminders of God's commandments everywhere, and on every doorway is a mezzuzah.  I saw beautiful ones, old and new.  Somehow though I didn't take any photos of them, just "experienced" them!.   So although I didn't actually take any pictures of a mezuzah, I did a little detective work into my photos from Israel, and when you zoom in on the doorways in these photos,  below, you can see on the right side of the doorway, facing slightly in to the shops, a little long thin rectangular box!! That is a mezuzah!!

Can you find the Mezzuzah in each?  Hint, in the first photo there are many mezuzot in the shop window!!

can you see the mezuzah affixed to the doorways on these two shops?  above, a Jewish art and fashion shop, below a bagel shop! both in Jerusalem

Blessings and a happy day to you filled with new and divine encounters in your comings and goings!
Shalom!

Love,♡
Shayndel

The mezuzah on this doorway is a little harder to see at first, but there it is if you can zoom in, between the red door frame and the beautiful blossoming at the entrance

I am the door*! If anyone comes in through Me, he will be saved.  
He will come and go and find pasture.    
John 10:9

*or, Gate

Concluding remarks and observations of what I learned through the meeting with the workman!

 God's commandments are gifts for all who desire and choose to walk in His ways.   They are  "new" each time we lovingly do them.  Not only that, but when we do them and do them lovingly and obediently without asking for explanations of why, He reveals to us something about Himself, and how they are so "now" as He is the same as always and forever.    His mercies are new every morning!

Sometimes the commands in the physical can help us to do the commands of the "spiritual".  I.e, my conclusion here is that  observing the command to affix a mezzuzah to my door, brought about this moment that He was able to manifest a "Love thy neighbor as thyself" experience!!  Without the mezuzzah, I can honestly say that I think this exchange with the workman would have been "business as usual", unless I was to have that spiritual insight on my own about the doorway (which I am sure I wouldn't have without the "training" from the commandment of the Mezzuzah through which he teaches us ).   But who knows?  Only God knows!!

From down here on earth, I find that the mezuzzah is a gift and a blessing, and draws me closer to the God of Heaven.

photo from in Israel: Capernum,
Yeshua's town where he often taught in the synagogues, this shows the remains of one of the synagogues where he taught.