Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Shalom,
Counting the Omer – Day 46
Here is the proper blessing to be said each day. This is how Jewish people fulfill the command to count.
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 six weeks and four days of the counting of the Omer.
We continue our discussion on the longing to make a deep and lasting impact…. Every longing finds its reality (fulfillment) in our relationship with Messiah Yeshua. Almost every (I can’t think of one that doesn’t) problem of life arises out of our feeble attempts to satisfy any of our longings outside of our relationship with the Savior and Lord of our lives, Yeshua HaMashiach.
In the last six plus weeks of counting the Omer (our blessings) we have said many times that God created us in His image with longings that match His desires. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship—created in Messiah Yeshua for good deeds, which God prepared beforehand so we might walk in them. Based on that one verse of Scripture, let me ask you a question. Is there evidence that there are “good deeds” that God created beforehand for us to walk in them? The answer is in the next paragraph (after the RT).
Rabbi Trail: “Good deeds” is both English and euphemistic for “Mitzvot.” “Mitzvot” is the Hebrew word for “commandments.” When we do something called “good” (in line with instructions from the Word of God), we refer to that as a “Mitzvah.” “Mitzvot” is the plural form. Now, back to our question. End RT.
Yeshua is our example in all things. 1 Peter 2:21 For you were called to this, because Messiah also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you might follow in His footsteps. Therefore; there should be evidence that He, Himself, walked in “good deeds.” John 5:19 Therefore Yeshua answered them, “Amen, amen I tell you, the Son cannot do anything by Himself. He can do only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.”
Let’s bring this full circle. God is the Creator. Whatever He does, keeps on being done. God prepared “good works” in advance, just waiting for us (His workmanship) to follow His example and do His works. John 14:12 “Amen, amen I tell you, he who puts his trust in Me, the works that I do he will do; and greater than these he will do, because I am going to the Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” And there it is… our calling is to walk worthy of His Mitzvot creating a deep and lasting impact.
Week 22
Memory Verse: Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life. Abundance of joys are in Your presence, eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
106 5/25 Monday: Jonah 1-2
* 107 5/26 Tuesday: Jonah 3-4
108 5/27 Wednesday: Hosea 1-3
109 5/28 Thursday: Amos 1:1; 9
110 5/29 Friday: Joel 1-3
Question of the day: God asks the “question of the day.” This was first asked of Jonah, but let’s allow God to ask us. Jonah 4:4 Yet Adonai said, “Is it good for you to be so angry?”
Answer: You might be tempted to argue with my premise and say you’re not angry. The Hebrew word for “angry” (Charah – Shoresh Chet-Resh-Hey) can also mean hot, passionate, or even downcast. It’s the word first used to describe Cain when God asked him why he was upset. It is also the same word Abraham used to describe how God felt about not finding 10 righteous men in Sodom and Gomorrah.
The answer is that is it not good to be so “Charah.” Being “emotionally disturbed” involves a lack of trust in God. Is God “emotionally disturbed?” That’s a ridiculous question that doesn’t deserve an answer.
Philippians 2:5 Have this attitude in yourselves, which also was in Messiah Yeshua, 6 Who, though existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal to God a thing to be grasped. 7 But He emptied Himself— taking on the form of a slave, becoming the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man. 8 He humbled Himself— becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
This is what makes His prayer in Gethsemane and His crucifixion at Golgotha so powerful. Yeshua offered Himself, as the ultimate act of submission. Being angry involves a lack of submission. “Have this attitude in yourselves….” What attitude is that, the attitude of submission. Own it!