We all gather in one accord, Echad, to honor the Sabbath together as family, as Mishpachah.
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Prayer: "Therefore every teacher of the law (Scribe) who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old" Matthew 13:52
Write the word Sabbath and Shabbat. Looking at the word Sabbath or Shabbat we see something wonderful. When looking at this word we see what it is all about: ABBA- Father. Abba is an Aramaic term; Aramaic is closely related to Hebrew. Messiah referred to the Heavenly Father as Abba in prayer. So here in the middle of Shabbat we see Abba-Father because it is all about Him. Shabbat =9-
A GIFT From YHWH.
In Hebraic thought, everything is circular in nature. Everything goes full circle. Draw a circle and go around with an arrow. Not like our common western or Greek thought here in the western hemisphere where everything is considered in a linear point of view. Draw a timeline with a point and an arrow.
We see this concept throughout the Scriptures. For instance we are told we will know the end from the beginning.
Looking back at our word Sabbath we see some other very important considerations. For instance the first part of the word spells in the Hebrew SHUV which means to return and the last part of the word is the Hebrew letter Tav. The tav represents covenant. So we see that Shabbat encompasses RETURN TO THE COVENANT. Whose covenant? The Father’s Covenant. Every week we look forward to return to the Father’s Covenant of SHABBATH!!
Each week just as Abba did with the very first week of Creation as our example so are we setting apart meaning making HOLY the 7th day and returning to meet together continuing to establish the Father’s Covenant of Sabbath.
And why are we here meeting together in a home? As a household? I like how Rabbi Eckstein put it. He writes:
The Power of the Home
He begins with reciting from Numbers 24:5
Could someone look up this Scripture and read it for us?
“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel!”
And then he continues in regards to the Parsha, the Scripture Reading for this week.
More than individuals make a home, a home makes an individual. Our homes mold and shape our beliefs, values, and character. Wars and politics may influence the way of the world, but it’s our homes that truly decide the direction this world will take.
In this week’s Torah reading, Balaam, a mystic hired by King Balak to curse the children of Israel, blessed the nation instead. As Balaam stood on a mountain overlooking the nation of Israel encamped in the desert, he opened his mouth in an attempt to curse them (for the third time!), but this is what came out: “How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel!”
The Jewish sages teach that Balaam noticed how the tents of the Jews in the desert were carefully aligned so that no one could see into anyone else’s home. Balaam wanted to curse the Jewish people, but because of their modesty and morality, he was unable to do so.
Balaam’s blessing demonstrates the power of the home. More than a physical shelter, our homes have the potential to protect us wherever we go. When we teach values, kindness, and morality in our homes, both with words and also by example, our homes extend beyond their four walls to the four corners of the earth!
Wherever we go, and wherever our children go, we are protected by the values that we learned in our homes. We are directed by the teachings that we picked up at home, and therefore, we will never be lost and can always find our way. We may leave our house, but we can never truly leave our home.
So we must work to make our homes a place that, little by little, can change the entire world for good. What we share in our homes eventually makes its way out into the world. The people who we love, shape, and nurture in our homes go out to be the future parents and leaders of the next generation.
Make your home a place where God’s Word is studied and honored, a space where the culture is kindness. Make your home warm, inviting, and comforting. Let prayers be heard throughout our homes, day and night. When we create homes that are filled with godliness and goodness, eventually the world will be that way, too.
So this is why we are here tonight. Our goal is to establish a good foundation of following the Biblical pattern mandated in the Holy Scriptures. All of the New Testament stands upon and stands in support of the Old Testament foundation set forth for our following and understanding our Holy Creators ways.
Tonight specifically, we are setting aside, just as our Creator of the Universe did at Creation as our example, the 7th day of the week, the Sabbath Day, known as Shabbat in the Holy Language Hebrew-Lashon HaQodesh Ivrit.
Now let’s review what we learned about the beautiful name the Scripture calls the 7th day or setting aside each week- SHABBAT or Sabbath. We recall that who is shown clearly with in the letters of the word? Abba. And the word makes up two parts that teach us what about Abba’s desire for us to do each week? To return to His Covenant.
Now we read how Rabbi Eckstein spoke of the value of the home as a foundational unit of society. In fact, God created the home, the family household first- before the church.
I want you to see something else about this word. In Hebrew the middle letters we see spell Abba meaning Father.. Now a shortened term for Abba is Ab or Av. The b and v are the same letter in Hebrew. Sometimes pronounced as b and sometimes as v. Av means father also. So in this two letter Ivrit word we see Aleph and Bet. These two letters are quite significant. For starters they are the very first two letters of the Hebew Alephbet or alphabet as we would call it.
In Hebrew the letters have ancient pictoral meaning and gematria or numerical value.
The Alef is the ancient picture of an Ox and represents STRENGTH.
The Bet is the ancient picture of a house, or Nomadic Tent, and represents Household, Family or Home.
So this forms a word picture meaning Strength of the Home.
So in the word AB which means father we see that he is the Strength of the Home.
Abba Father, Avinu, Our Father is trying to teach us that He wants to be the Strength of our Homes. And he is showing us through the word Shabbat that one of the ways he can be this is by our returning to meet with him on Shabbat where we weekly teach our family to learn of His Covenant, of His ways that are ordained from the very first week of His Creation.
Alef the first letter in the AlefBet has the gematria of one. The word Alef spelled out in Hebrew letters equals 111. 111 means FOUNDATION. So He who is the Strength is also the FOUNDATION of our Home.
Bet has the gematria of two. When we join the Alef with the Bet we see He is strong where two come together. Remember Messiah’s words in Matthew 18:20 that where two or three are gathered in His name then there He is in the midst and that what they agree upon will be done. Psalm 133 says the Father commands a blessing when brethren dwell together in unity. It is as oil flowing down Aaron’s beard to the hem of his garment. -Oh what a teaching therein!
The blessing of His presence!
When Alef Bet come together in addition we have the sum total of 3.
Abba is two words: Ab Ba and this means Father Come. So let us pray right now to Abba and ask Him to come into our presence in a mighty way. May we invite him into our households. And let us know His command, let us know His Blessing, let us know His presence.
We will take the tallith now. The large white tallith is a prayer shawl.
“Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: They shall make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments… And this shall be tzitzit for you, and when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of God, and perform them.” Num 15:38–41 "Make tassels for yourselves on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself." Deut 22:12 It is considered a Tent. Under it we join together.
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melech ha'olam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al mitzvat tzitzit. Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the mitzvah of tzitzit. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheynu Melech ha'olam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hitatef b'tzitzit. Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to enwrap ourselves with tzitzit.
It is considered a Wedding canopy. We join together in one accord as the Bride of Messiah.
Remember the oil flowing down Aarons beard and over to the hem of his garment? The hem of the garment referred to is the Tzi-Tzits. Oil represents His Holy Spirit, the Tzi-Tzits represent so much. They represent Healing. The woman with the issue of blood reached out and touched the hem of Messiah’s garment- she reached out for his Tzi-Tzits and he felt power go from him and she was healed. Matthew 9:20–21 When we gather together Echad, as One, the Holy Spirit flows and brings healing. Hallelujah! Remember David cut off the corner of Saul’s garment? He was cutting off the Tzi-Tzits. The Tzi-Tzits mean Authority. Believers in Messiah Yahshua have authority because we have access to him as he is at the right hand of the Father in the heavens! There are 12 Tzi-Tzits in total on a Tallith. 12 represents disciples, Talmidim, students who scriptures! There is one more important things for now that I want you to understand before we pray while Echad, One, under the Tallith. The Tzi-Tzits hang from the prayer shawl –drape one over myself- around the thigh area. This signifies descendants or generations, TOLDOT because the thigh area is where procreation occurs and children are born. As a person walks, the Tzi-Tzits move and the generations are signified. This begins in the home.
Let us pray together now.
Micah 6-8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? This is our desire. You put this desire within us. Of Father of Lights with whom there is no shadow of turning, you who are Love, in whom is our trust, may it please you to be present among us this Shabbath. May it please you that we gather together on this day you appointed as Your weekly Feast Day with Your People. This day that according to Your Word is Your Mark on our Forehead and on the back of our Hand. This day that for your people who honor it is a sign that we are Your people indeed. Thank you Father for calling us Your Own. We love You with all of our hearts, may nothing lack in our regard towards you Abba. In Yahshua’s Mighty Loving Name, Amen.
Ex 31:13 "Tell the people of Israel: 'Be careful to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you from generation to generation. 20:12 And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the LORD, who had set them apart to be holy.
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Priestly Blessing: Numbers 6:23-27
May the LORD bless you and guard you –
יְבָרֶכְךָ יהוה, וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ
(Yevhārēkh-khā YHWH veyishmerēkhā ...)
May the LORD make His face shed light upon you and be gracious unto you –
יָאֵר יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ
("Yāʾēr YHWH pānāw ēlekhā viḥunnékkā ...)
May the LORD lift up His face unto you and give you peace –
יִשָּׂא יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם
("Yissā YHWH pānāw ēlekhā viyāsēm lekhā shālōm.")
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Is 56:1-8 Even the Eunuchs who kept the Sabbath were given names better than sons or daughters. No where in the Bible, not even in the New Testament, is the first day called the Sabbath Day. The first day of the week, Sunday, is referred to as the first day of the week. The 7th day is called the Sabbath Day. Many languages called Saturday by some form of the Holy Language. Spanish is one –Sabado. Spanish comes from the tribes of Israel. We are told that when He returns we will keep the Sabbath day.
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The Torah portion for this week is Balak, after the king of the Moabites, from Numbers 22:2–25:9, and the Haftorah is from Micah 5:6–6:8. Brit Chadashah readings from I Corinthians 1:20-31; II Peter 2:1-22; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14-15.
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THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA: JOHN ADAMS
A member of the Continental Congress in 1774, John Adams assisted in the formation of the Declaration of Independence, and became the second president of the United States!
In 1776, he described the complicated nature of the American Colonies to his friend, James Warren: “The management of so complicated and mighty a machine, as the United Colonies, required the meekness of Moses, the patience of Job and the wisdom of Solomon, added to the valor of David.”
Toward the end of John Adams’s life he wrote to Thomas Jefferson: “I have examined all . . . and the result is, that the Bible is the best book in the world.”
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Let me encourage you today. Looking at our Gregorian Calendar we see that it is July 7th, 2017 or 7.7.17. Interesting numbers – we see three number 7’s. 7 represents the Father and here we have three of them which is a solid representation. We actually have four because we are seeing this set of three 7’s as Day 7 is opening. Now look at the sum total of the date 7.7.17 and it adds up to 22 which adds to 4 the number for DOOR. So, here we are opening the DOOR to YHWH’s Sabbath. And if we add the entire date of 7.7.2017 we see the number 6 which represents man. So, here we see man is at the door of the Sabbath. Who is the Door? It is Messiah for he said He is the Master of the Sabbath! He is the way unto the Father! Jesus said I am the door if anyone enters through me he will be saved. Ps 118 the gate of the Lord the righteous will enter through it I shall give thanks to you for you have answered me and you have become my salvation salvation in Hebrew is Yeshua the Hebrew name of Jesus. Behold He stands at the Door and knocks that He may come in and sup with us! Rev 3:20 Hallelujah!
Hear the Scripture portion shows what we are learning this Shabbat. HalleluYHWH!
Here quite literally in One New Man translation we see God is like the strength of the ox – the alef!
24.1. And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD* to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2. And Balaam lifted up his eyes and he saw Israel staying according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God came upon him.3. And he took up his saying and said, “Balaam the son of Beor has said and the man whose eyes are open has said: 4. He has said, who heard the words of God, who–saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: 5. 3rd ‘How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! 6. Like the valleys they are spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, like aloes which the LORD* has planted, and like cedars beside the waters. 7. He will pour the water out of his buckets and his seed will be in many waters and his king will be higher than Agag and his kingdom will be exalted. 8. God Who brought him out of Egypt is to him like the strength of a wild ox: he will eat up the nations, his enemies, and will break their bones and pierce them through with his arrows. 9. He knelt; he lay down as a lion and as a lioness: who will stir him up? Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.’” Gen. 12:3, Gal. 3:8