RR Sukkot 1 by Jeffery Freeman

Shabbat Shalom,
 
This week we have another festival reading – Sukkot 1, which comes from Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44. Contained in this reading is an overview of  ADONAI’s appointed times.
 
Note: These are ADONAI’s appointed times. Leviticus 23:2 These are the appointed moadim of ADONAI, which you are to proclaim to be holy convocations, My moadim.
 
A recurring theme in ADONAI’s moadim is remembering.
 
Exodus 20:8 Remember Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy.
 
Exodus 12:14 This day (Passover) is to be a memorial (zikkaron) for you. Zikkaron is from zikor, to remember. In the Hebrew, it is le’zikkaron which means a memorial, remembrance, record, or maybe to memorial…I know, bad English, so maybe better to memorialize to fix the English.
 
Deuteronomy 26:1-15 Gives instructions on presenting first fruits and tithes. Contained within these instructions are statements to be made by the presenter to recount (remember) important interactions between ADONAI and the forefathers.
 
For Shavuot we need to consider what it represents. For Christians, we remember the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost on Shavuot, but also the Torah is widely believed to have been given to the Israelites on Shavuot, therefore we also remember when God gave Torah to everyone. See Exodus 19.
 
Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets is interesting. We get the command in Leviticus 23:24 In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a Shabbat rest, a memorial (zikkaron - remembrance) of blowing (shafarot), a holy convocation. We aren’t told exactly what we are to remember, but traditionally it is the coming of King ADONAI or in Messianic understanding, King Yeshua.
 
Leviticus 23:27, 28 The tenth day of this seventh month is Yom Kippur, a holy convocation to you, so you are to afflict yourselves…to make atonement for you before ADONAI your God. Deuteronomy 8:2-3 You are to remember all the ways that ADONAI your God has led you these 40 years in the wilderness – in order to humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart…He afflicted you and let you hunger…to make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of ADONAI.
 
Leviticus 23:42-43 You are to live in sukkot for seven days…So that your generations may know that I had Bnei-Yisrael to dwell in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am ADONAI your God. Although the command is to “know” that God had the Israelites dwell in sukkot when they left Egypt, knowing and remembering aren’t too far apart in their meanings.
 
Remembering is a central part of God’s festivals. Indeed, much of the Bible reinforces remembering the past – certainly the positive things, but also things that went wrong. As I said last week, failure is a powerful teacher. We need to remember things that go well so we can repeat them and things that don’t go so well so we can avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
 
If we don’t remember the roots of our faith and teach Bible truths to our children, who will teach them? What will they be taught? Who will they become?  Remember that our nation was founded on strong Judeo-Christian foundations. Our nation has enjoyed unparalleled success though this foundation. Unfortunately, this is not something our children are being taught in the public domain. Remember what happened repeatedly to Israel when they forgot that God was their nation’s foundation?
 
Psalm 78:2-4 I will open my mouth with a parable, I will utter perplexing sayings from old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, telling to the next generation the praises of ADONAI and his strength and the wonders He has done.
 
Romans 15:4 For whatever was written before was written for our instruction, so that through patience and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
 
Moses gets the last word.
 
Deuteronomy 4:9-10 Be watchful and watch over your soul closely, so you do not forget the things your eyes have seen and they slip from your heart all the days of your life. You are to make them known to your children and your children’s children. The day that you stood before ADONAI your God in Horeb, ADONAI said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me and I will make them hear My words, so that they learn to fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and so that they teach their children.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sukkot Sameach.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat      26 Sep 2026             15th of Tishrei, 5787 Sukkot I
Le 23:23-44, Nu 29:12-16  Zec 14            Rev 7:9-17
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Rabbi’s Reflections - Sunday, September 27, 2026
Shavuah Tov {{firstName}},


Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun     27 Sep 2026             16th of Tishrei, 5787 Sukkot II
            Le 22:26-23:44, Nu 29:12-16        1 Ki 8:2-21    Lk 13:22-30