Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Shalom *|FNAME|*,
Regarding the shofar sound on the Feast of Trumpets. In modern Judaism we call it Rosh Hashana. In the Bible, it is called Yom Teruah (the day of the shout).
Rabbi Trail: When the Feast of Trumpets falls on the 7th day Sabbath (as it often does), we call it nothing, because the shofar is not sounded on Shabbat. For that reason, although the Bible describes the day the same as every other “holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:24), the rabbis have made it less than the other holidays.
What were they thinking? I’ll tell you. If we are allowed (even commanded) to sound the shofar on this day (which is usually prohibited on any Sabbath Day (both 7th day sabbaths and other holy convocation sabbaths), then we must be able to do other ordinarily non-sabbath activities too.
Most notably is smoking (prohibited on all sabbath days) is allowed on Rosh Hashana. Therefore; you should know, if you are a smoker, you’re allowed to light them up on Rosh Hashana, and you won’t be violating halacha (rabbinical law) if you do. End RT.
There are 3 sounds for the Shofar; Tekiah (one long blast) which announces the coronation of the King of kings, Shevarim (3 medium blasts) which calls us to rally around our banner, and Teruah (9 short blasts) which sound like an alarm clock to wake us up for His return.
There is one more sound, but it is a variation of the first “Tekiah.” This last one is called “Tekiah G’dolah” or great Tekiah, one blast that is as long as the shofar sounder can make it.
What is the purpose in all of this? To prepare us for the triumphant return of our Lord, Yeshua. But wait, the rabbis don’t believe in Yeshua. They do a lot of things without understanding the Messianic significance.
2,000 years ago they objected to the sign on the cross which read in 3 languages “King of the Jews.” How fitting the great holiday of Rosh Hashana has a fullness of announcing the Savior’s return.
Tomorrow I’ll write on “Why rent when you can own?”
Week 39
Memory Verse: Jacob 2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
191 9/23 Monday: Acts 10-11
192 9/24 Tuesday: Acts 12
193 9/25 Wednesday: Acts 13-14
194 9/26 Thursday: Jacob 1-2
195 9/27 Friday: Jacob 3-5
Question of the day: We read of the travels of Paul and Barnabus among the towns of Cypress and modern Turkey. What was a “day in the office” for Paul?
Answer: In Messianic Judaism we refer to Paul as Saul of Tarsus. Whenever Rav Shaul (another name for Paul) would enter a town, he would immediately head for the synagogue. Paul wrote (because he believed) that preaching “to the Jew first” was an important principle.
The answer to our question of the day is found in Acts 14:19 But Jewish people came from Antioch and Iconium; and after they won the crowd over and stoned Paul, they were dragging him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
That’s right, a day in the office for Paul was to be stoned to (near) death. Then what did he do after that? Acts 14:20 But while the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went back into the city. On the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Pardon me while I pause to be amazed at Paul’s resiliency. He just got up and went back into the city. The next day he moved on. Today, stoned so badly that he was thought to be dead. The next day, he’s well enough to travel. Paul must have received some kind of great miracle, seemingly without much fanfare.