Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Shalom,
Counting the Omer – Day 10
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 one week and three days of the counting of the Omer.
Matthew 5:6 part 2 of 2
We’ve been examining Yeshua’s “big sermon,” the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5, verses 3-9, we have 7 verses of Scripture, each with one character trait. I’m calling these character traits, leading indicators. We take on the personality of our Lord. As we yield ourselves to these character traits of His, we become more like Him.
So far, we have discussed the first three and part of the fourth. There are leading indicators we control, and the promised outcomes we can’t control. Yesterday, we described the leading indicators (God’s promised outcomes that we don’t control); as being poor in spirit, mourning, being meek, and thirsting for righteousness.
There are promises connected to the leading indicators of being humble and desiring God over self. These promises are ownership of the kingdom of heaven, being comforted, ownership of the earth and being satisfied. These are all pretty lofty when we consider the lifetime of striving involved in earthly existence.
Now, in further discussion of Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied,” may I offer the following….
The Greek word for “satisfied” is chortazó, phonetic spelling, “khor-tad’-zo.” One Hebrew New Testament I saw online used the word “Yis’b’u (spelled “Yud-Sin-Bet-Ayin-Vav”). The Shoresh “Shin-Bet-Ayin” is the word “Sheva” meaning seven. Seven means complete and satisfied.
Six is one short of seven. Man is born into “six” (on the sixth day). We only need “one more” to become complete, to go from being a “six” to being a “seven.” We spend our whole lives trying to get from six to seven, and the only way to get there (make it for real) is by faith in Messiah Yeshua.
Colossians 2:9 For all the fullness of Deity lives bodily in Him, 10 and in Him you have been filled to fullness. He is the head over every ruler and authority.
We all know we’re lacking. We eat, but we get hungry. We drink, but we get thirsty. Where will we find that which permanently satisfies? I quoted Simon Peter yesterday. John 6:68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!
Only when we know Yeshua as our Shepherd will we rise above and grow beyond our life of need. Psalm 23:1b Adonai is my shepherd, I shall not want. Most of the people in the world are attempting to attain satisfaction in ways that can never satisfy. We even find “thrill seekers” among the people of God. The purpose of prayer (both personal and corporate) is to bring us into His presence. Feeling better is not the leading indicator, it’s the result.
We learn that only Yeshua satisfies His people. 1 Corinthians 1:30 But because of Him you are in Messiah Yeshua, who became to us wisdom from God and righteousness and holiness and redemption— 31 so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in Adonai.”
Let’s do that!
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Tue 03-May-2022 2nd of Iyyar, 5782 10th day of the Omer
Le 19:23-32 Isa 58 Job 4 (Mt 21:1-22) Ro 3
Week 19
Memory Verse: Psalm 139:1 For the music director: a psalm of David. Adonai, You searched me and know me. 2 Whenever I sit down or stand up, You know it. You discern my thinking from afar. 3 You observe my journeying and my resting and You are familiar with all my ways.
91 5/02 Monday: Psalm 119:129-176; 139
92 5/03 Tuesday: Psalm 148-150
93 5/04 Wednesday: 1 Kings 2
94 5/05 Thursday: 1 Kings 3; 6
95 5/06 Friday: 1 Kings 8; 9:1-9