Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Shalom *|FNAME|*,
Day 3 of counting the Omer
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר
Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-Olam, Asher Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav, Vitzivanu Al Sefirat Ha-Omer.
Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by his commandments and commanded us about the counting of the Omer. Today is no weeks and three days of the counting of the Omer.
Follow up that prayer by remembering a blessing from the Lord and give Him thanks. Psalm 107:1 Praise Adonai, for He is good, for His lovingkindness endures forever.
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The Psalms
Psalm 6:6(5) – Part 5
Psalm 6:6 For there is no memory of You in death, in Sheol who will praise You?
In Hebrew, we speak of “memory” as “Zachor.” This is more than our English word “memory.” It’s more like a memorial. As in the fourth Commandment… Exodus 20:8 “Remember (Zachor) Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy. This is a command to give a place of honor to Shabbat. It is not the opposite of forget, but rather a command to elevate to a place of importance.
Rabbi Trail: Baked into the Hebrew liturgy of every high holiday is a worship service called “Yiz’kor,” which is a service of remembrance for those immediate family members who have left this life, and gone on to the next. It’s not like we could ever forget them. The prayers are purposed to give honor to those who loved and blessed us. End RT.
When we say, “There is no memory of You (Lord) in death,” we are saying that God is the life giver and the author of life. Death is not God’s plan, rather it is Satan’s plan. Here is a great description of the “Zachor” for which we are advocating. Hebrews 2:9 But we see One who was made for a little while lower than the angels—namely, Yeshua. He is now crowned with glory and honor, because of the death He suffered so that, by the grace of God, He might taste death for everyone.
Yeshua is “crowned with glory,” not just for Himself, but for us also… Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for God—for whom and through whom all things exist—in leading many sons to glory, to perfect through sufferings the initiator (author) of their salvation. Our salvation leads to eternal life, not the grave and not Sheol. Psalm 16:10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol nor let Your faithful one see the Pit (grave).
For those who know (intimate biblical knowing) and believe on Yeshua there is an eternal destiny to be together with the Lord. Revelation 20:11a Then I saw a great white throne, and the One seated on it…. 12 And I saw the dead—the great and the small—standing before the throne. The books were opened, and another book was opened—the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what was written in the books, according to their deeds…. 14 Then death and Sheol were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
I am amazed at how consistent the Scriptures are. Although written thousands of years apart by different authors, the message is clear… receive salvation through faith in the One Who gives life and receive the gift of eternal life. Do you want to be judged by your deeds or by Yeshua’s perfect work of salvation. His blood is the reality of that first Passover when the children of Israel were protected behind a cross of the blood of the lamb. Receive it as your own salvation. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
22 Nissan Tuesday 30-Apr-24 Pesach VIII 3rd day of the Omer
Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17; Numbers 28:19-25 Isaiah 10:32-12:6 Song of Solomon 1-8
Romans 6:1-11