Rabbi’s Reflections – Thursday, October 3, 2019
Shalom,
T H R E E A N N O U N C E M E N T S
Oneg Shabbat: This week is the first Shabbat of October. Therefore; after our Saturday morning worship we will have Oneg Shabbat. Please bring a covered dish to share. The theme of this season is abundance, so please bring a double portion. We will receive it and eat it with thanksgiving (oops, that’s next month).
Build the Sukkah: The following day, Sunday, October 6, we will gather at the synagogue to build the Sukkah (from 2-4pm) and then decorate the Sukkah (from 4-6pm). Please bring your ladder and your tools. Most importantly, please bring yourself. Participating in the building and decorating of a Sukkah is honoring the commandment of the Lord. Whenever we honor any command of God we receive His blessing. Give Him the glory by building with us.
Yom Kippur next week: Rosh Hashanah is behind us, so we know Yom Kippur follows. In an orthodox synagogue there are 5 worship services on Yom Kippur. At Shomair Yisrael we have only 3.
Tuesday, October 8th, Kol Nidre Service at 7:00pm.
Wednesday, October 9th, Yom Kippur Service at 10:30am.
Wednesday, October 9th, N’ilah Service at 6:00pm.
We match the traditional synagogues with the first (Kol Nidre) and last (N’ilah), but combine the 3 in between into one service. While we fast food on Yom Kippur, we will end the holiday and our fasting with communion followed by a catered dinner at no charge to all in attendance. Everyone is invited to attend and partake. No reservation is necessary. We ordered plenty of food.
End of announcements and beginning of Rabbi’s Reflections.
Today I want to pass on a warning from the Scriptures… Matthew 18:4 Whoever then shall humble himself like this child, this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in My name, welcomes Me. 6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who trust in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea!
Biblically speaking children are not just young in age, but those who are new believers or those who are immature in walking with the Lord. I want to speak out against child abuse, both physical and emotional. Children by definition need protection. Woe to those who do not fulfill their God-given mandate to protect little children.
I don’t even need to comment on physical abuse. That should be self-evident. But there is a more subtle form of abuse. It is any attack on the identity of the child. These days public schools are being tasked with encouraging children to explore their gender identity. This is a horrible abuse, sanctioned by government run schools.
Rabbi Trail: Everyone is being held to the standard of the most queer among us. Did I really just say “queer?” In what I call “the alphabet soup” of the LGBTQ community, that’s what the “q” stands for. End RT.
The same is true for religious identity. Parents have God-given responsibility for their children. People outside the family may not usurp that authority, even in the name of the Lord. When it happens, it is a sin that requires repentance.
That said, there is a responsibility we all share to protect children from abuse. There is no pastor confidentiality (clergy privilege) when it comes to child abuse. The rights of helpless children trump (see how I worked that in) the rights of adults to keep their sick secrets.
We pray often for our children at Shomair. Let us never grow weary in lifting up the most defenseless among us.
Matthew 19:14 But Yeshua said, “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Week 40
Memory Verse: Acts 17:24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hands. 25 Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, since He Himself gives to everyone life and breath and all things.
196 9/30 Monday: Acts 15-16
197 10/1 Tuesday: Galatians 1-3
198 10/2 Wednesday: Galatians 4-6
199 10/3 Thursday: Acts 17-18:17
200 10/4 Friday: 1 Thessalonians 1-2
Question of the day: What Scriptures did Paul preach?
Answer: All the Scriptures Paul had were the Hebrew Scriptures. He had the TaNaCH. TaNaCH is a made up word with 3 Hebrew letters. Tav for the Torah, Nun (pronounced like “noon”) for Nevi’im, the Jewish prophets, and Kaf for Ketuvim, the writings.
What is in the Torah or anything in the Hebrew Scriptures that Paul could have preached? Feel free to send me your own answer. Here is mine.
Moses is speaking… Deuteronomy 18:15 “Adonai your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst—from your brothers. To him you must listen.”
How do we know this is Yeshua and not someone else? How was Yeshua uniquely like Moses? God is speaking directly to Miriam and Aaron when He tells us how Moses is different. Numbers 12:6 “Hear now My words!” He said. “When there is a prophet of Adonai, I reveal Myself in a vision, I speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moses. In all My house, he is faithful. 8a I speak with him face to face, plainly and not in riddles.”
Yeshua also spoke directly with the Father. Do you recall I told you Psalm 2 has a prominent position in Yom Kippur liturgy? Psalm 2:7 I will declare the decree of Adonai. He said to me: “You are My Son— today I have become Your Father.”
Let me hear from you. What is/are your favorite Yeshua centered verse(s) of the Hebrew Scriptures?