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Volume 1 #5 NL
December 2022
טבת/Tevet 5783
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ROSH CHODESH MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | |
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Let's share what HaShem is doing around the world!
Let's build His Kingdom together
preparing for His return!
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FROM RABBI KEN "MACCABEES" MACNEIL
UMJA PRESIDENT
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Chag Urim Sameach, חג אורים שמח "Happy Festival of Lights!”
So,Why Celebrate?
Chanukah is not listed in Leviticus 23 nor in the Tanakh at all with the exception of some prophetic word found in Daniel chapters 7-12. Perhaps there are various reasons for this?
The Jewish cannon was developed in Yavneh, Israel around 90CE, after the destruction of the temple in 70CE. The Pharisaic party which birthed the rabbinic movement had been at odds with the Sadducees, who controlled the priestly presence in the second Temple. It has been asserted that the surviving Pharisaic movement did not want to glorify the Maccabees from whom the Hasmonean Priestly movement derived.
Or perhaps Judaism was not in the position to agitate their Roman conquerors by publishing writings that might encourage Jews to revolt?
The Chanukah story did appear in the Greek Septuagint and continued into the Catholic cannon in 1st and 2nd Maccabees. However, Chanukah is hardly mentioned in the Talmud, and the Brit Chadesha (New Testament) only mentions that Yeshua was in the temple during Chanukah (Yochanon 10:22-23).
Why then, would a Jew or a believer in Yeshua even want to celebrate Chanukah?
I’ll give you a clue. It is not to compete with Christmas:) Probably the greatest answer to that question is to celebrate the existence of the Jewish people, and hence to celebrate our Messiah Yeshua!
The Syrian/Greek ruler Antiochus sought to destroy the Jewish people from the face of the earth. This attempt to eliminate the Jews took place from 168-165 BCE, which preceded the arrival of our L-rd. No Jews would have meant no Yeshua.
Thank G-d, the Maccabees’ revolt meant Yeshua for us all!
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Syrian/Greek rule also outlawed Torah, keeping Sabbath, and circumcision. Jews were forced to secrecy. Now, we can herald our Chanukias and celebrate!
Judaism teaches that there are 3 g’s in Chanukah: Glowing, Giving, and Gratitude. We are all to glow like a flame on a candle. The flame does not diminish as it shares its light with the other candles. Unlike food, where the more that it is shared, the more diminished it becomes. So may the candles remind us that Yeshua calls us to be a light to the world and to shine!
Matthew 5:15-16 CJB
“Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don’t cover it with a bowl, but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.”
Lastly, the word “Chanukah” means dedication. May all of us in the UMJA dedicate ourselves to the L-rd this Chanukah.
We hope this newsletter lights a spark in your souls as you delve into the various articles. May the gifts of love, peace, and happiness in Yeshua be yours this Chanukkah!
R'Ken
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REFLECTIONS ON CHANUKAH
Rabbi Ken “Maccabees” MacNeil
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Chanukah is a time of celebrating the rededication of the temple and a rededication of our temple. On Chanukah, we light an eight-branched candelabra known as a chanukia. The chanukia is lit for eight days in remembrance of when the Maccabees cleansed the Temple after the Greek/Seleucid leader Antiochus defiled it by sacrificing a pig on the altar. The eight candles represent the miracle of G-d that kept one day’s supply of oil burning for eight days, while the Temple was restored and rededicated.
Just as the sukkah is displayed as a public visual for the world to see during the Feast of Tabernacles, so is the menorah during Chanukah. Jewish tradition says that every Jewish home should display a menorah in a window for the world to see!
Yeshua represents the middle candle on the Chanukia. The candle called the shamash or servant. The flame of the servant candle is the light that is used to light all the other candles. Yeshua is the light of the world that rekindles the Temple menorah.
Just as Yeshua was raised up for all to see, the center candle on the menorah stands above all the others for all to see. In ancient times when there was no electricity, the menorah served as a light for all to walk by. Yeshua is this light who gives us the light to walk by and the life, (ohr ha-khayim).
As John 8:12 says, “Yeshua spoke to them again: ‘I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life.’”
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ALL ABOUT CHANUKAH
New Booklet By Lamed Vav House
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Excerpt:
Chanukah is an eight-day, wintertime festival celebrated that begins on the eve of Kislev 25 and continues for eight days. It is commonly called the "Festival of Lights", and Chanukah literally translates to "dedication."
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But did you know?
Some passages of the Brit HaChadasha (the New Testament) likely have their roots in the story of Chanukah, such as the monologue from John 8-10, which happened during Chanukah in Jerusalem, as well as Matthew 24:15, which was pronounced about two days before the crucifixion.
"Then came Chanukah; it
was winter in Jerusalem. Yeshua was walking in the Temple around Solomon’s Colonnade."
John 10:22-23
To receive a FREE digital copy of the beautiful color booklet including legends and traditions, instructions for lighting candles, recipes, songs, and to learn more about Chanukah in the gospels, click HERE.
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From Canada
Welcome to Roeh Louwell Ogbinar!
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Roeh Louwell is a veterinarian by trade who responded to HaShem’s irresistible call to teach Torah to the nations. | |  |
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Louwell began a pulpit ministry at an early age after acknowledging Yeshua as Messiah in 1990.
Roel Louwell leads the Calgary L’chaim Bible Fellowship, a Torah Pursuant Messianic Congregation in Calgary Alberta, Canada, together with his wife Marilou and daughters: Lois Grace (Tova), Louise Eunice (Yoonis) and Yaela Amore.
L’Chaim Fellowship has been a chartered member of the United Messianic Jewish Assembly since 2016. We congratulate you Roeh Louwell! Mazel tov!
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How happy are the people who know the joyful shout!
They walk in the light of your presence, Adonai.
Tehillim (Psalm) 89:16
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This letter is intended for believers of all levels interested in studying and learning more about Torah. The goal is to build connections and edify one another as we prepare for the Messiah’s return!
Please share this letter and invite friends, family and congregants to
subscribe on our website!
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Pray that we will all be fulfilled and enlightened, walking in the light as He is in the light, as we bask in the glow of all the season's candle-lighting and celebration. May our families reflect the love of the Messiah Yeshua wherever we go.
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We praise G-d for strengthening our bonds of achdut (unity) and for the new relationships developing, most pleasing to his heart, as described in Psalm 133. Here Adonai ordains the blessing and THIS is how the world will know that we are his, when we love one another!
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Pray for the growth of our outreach and impact around the world as we labor to make Him known in all our regions through all our studying, writing and teaching. Keep praying for the Yeshiva, the textbook project, “Writings of the Messiah,” as well as the Lamed Vav House.
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Let's hold one another up in the battle against anti-missionaries, and for R'Yirmeyah who has been heavily involved. We know our enemy does not want us to go forward, but we also know He who is greater, and we must stand together with the weapons that are not of this world.
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Pray for encouragement and growth for all our congregations striving to recover and rebuild after Covid. May HaShem restore the years the locusts have eaten and make us stronger than ever.
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Praise HaShem for wonderful breakthroughs in the "IT Department." You should see good progress on our mobile app and website. Pray for continued data population and the full recovery of our former server's email which mysteriously stopped working. Here too, we've sensed opposition at every turn, but thank the Lord, we're getting there!
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Pray HaShem guides us in preparations, selecting the facility, the right timing, and all the details for the 2023 UMJA conference. Pray for ample finances to cover all operating costs going forward and for a refreshing time together as a community.
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Let's start praying now for the Father's favor and blessing in the coming year, 2023! There are a LOT of exciting projects in the works and we're gathering momentum in the UMJA!
Email your prayer requests and praises to the editor: prayer requests.
James 5:17-18
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1 "Adonai, you have been our dwelling place in every generation.
2 Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, from eternity past to eternity future you are God…
16 Show your deeds to your servants and your glory to their children. 17 May the favor of Adonai our God be on us, prosper for us all the work that we do — yes, prosper the work that we do."
Tehillim 90 (Psalm 90) of Moshe, CJB
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Has Hashem been moving in your life or in your part of the world? We need to learn from one another.
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Are you new to our UMJA family? We want to support one another.
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Do you have a story or testimony to share? We aim to encourage one another.
Please send to the editor for a future issue.
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IN THE TEVET CALENDAR
Tevet 1: Seventh Chanukah candle.
Tevet 9: Traditional date of the martyrdom of Simon Peter
Traditional date for the date of Ezra the priest: (313 BCE)
Tevet 10: Fast of the 10th month (2 Kings 25:1; Zec 8:19)
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