Volume 2, #1 NL

Sep 16, 2023

Tishrei1, 5784

ROSH CHODESH MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Let's share what HaShem is doing around the world!

Let's build His Kingdom together

preparing for His return!

Click here to visit our website.

Rabbi Ken Maccabees MacNeil

UMJA PRESIDENT

Yom tov (Good day) mishpucha v chaverim (family and friends),

In Israel, it is customary to greet someone by saying, "Yom tov/good day." But to the observant Jew, Yom tov takes on a special meaning. It is reserved for six of the seven high holy days: The first and second days of Passover, Shavuot, and Rosh Hashannah, aka Tom Teruah, the seventh day of Passover, the second days outside of Israel only.

But why not a "Yom tov" on the highest of the holy days, Yom Kippur? Well, if you guessed that on Yom Kippur we deny ourselves of all pleasures as we fast, it's not necessarily a "yom tov/good day" to most, you are right.

By now, the observant Jew has been repenting for 31 days. Special Selichot (forgiveness prayers) have been recited by Sephardic Jews from the beginning of Elul and continuing throughout the 40 days of repentance. This is symbolic of the 40 days that Moshe was before G-d on Mount Sinai, petitioning forgiveness for Israel. Ashkenazi Jews began the Selichot prayers on the Sabbath prior to Yom Teruah this year.

The Hebrew calendar is designed to make sure that Selichot prayers can be recited for a minimum of four days in recognition of the burned (Olah) offering, minus fast days when Selichot prayers are not offered. This is not a problem today, but historically, some pious Jews fasted for 10 days during the 40 days leading up to Yom Kippur.

The burned offering is mentioned during the Yom Teruah service various times. The burnt offering was to be the best of the flock, a spotless perfect male. It was completely sacrificed to G-d and none of it was eaten by the priest or the offerer. The offering could consist of a bull, sheep, a goat, a dove, or young pigeon.

The burnt offering was examined four days prior by the Cohen Gadol (high priest) just as Yeshua the perfect spotless Lamb was examined by Cohen Gadol and the Sanhedrin in Matthew 26:59-60. As the burnt offering could have no fault, no fault was found in Yeshua. The burnt offering was for the general atonement of sin, and was an expression of one's devotion to G-d. Yeshua came to show us how to fully devote ourselves to G-d as He did. Like the burnt offering, Yeshua gave everything of himself to G-d!

What a wonderful time to start a new chapter in our walk with Yeshua and G-d! And we're delighted to say that during this holy season we are fortunate to see more rabbis join the UMJA. We are pleased to welcome Rabbi Joshua Medeiros from Beit Emunah Sh’lemah in San Paulo, Brazil join us during this sacred time of year.

Our new Rabbi Mitch Chapman from Bet Avinu in Davie, Florida wasted no time once joining the UMJA rabbinate. He quickly traveled to Africa where he had previously been involved with many Messianic congregations. At the writing of this newsletter, Rabbi Chapman is organizing a conference for 36 Messianic congregations, raising up leaders and giving drashes in Africa. B’ezrat HaShem (with G-d’s help) may Rabbi Mitch extend our tents into Africa.

In addition, this month our new Rabbi James Rittenhouse will be taking over as the head rabbi at our new charter Synagogue Shammash Ariel in Pueblo, Colorado. Rabbi James will be taking over for the esteemed Senior Rabbi Michael Marks who will be staying on as rabbi emeritus. He has also joined the UMJA. B”H and a great big welcome to Rabbi Michael Marks! We are truly blessed to have such a seasoned rabbi join our mishpucha. Thank you for your decades of service to our Lord and our G-d, Rabbi Marks. May this new chapter in your life be blessed.

In this issue we also celebrate the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum for their life-saving kindness and dedication in saving more than 20,000 Jewish lives from the Nazis. This little-known history is being memorialized at the new museum in New York City. It's an incredible story. Be sure to click on the link to the ribbon-cutting ceremony I was invited to attend last month.

We're excited to see the new connections that G-d is bringing to us each month, such as the Sephardic Jewish believers of Europe. We are thrilled to see how G-d is moving around the whole world in these last days!

You will be blessed by the feature drash article, “Three Sukkahs” by our very own Senior Rabbi, Beit Din member, and editor of the official UMJA Publication Petah Tikvah, Rabbi Richard Aharon Chaimberlin. You will also enjoy his feature blog, "The Seventh Shofar and the Rapture of the Saints" posted in full on our website.

Finally, special thanks to our editor, Morah Karen Low Deloge. In spite of the very recent loss of her 40 year old nephew Kevin, Karen persisted in keeping her hand to the plow, not only producing this newsletter, but also contributing “Reflections on Sukkot.”

On this Rosh Hashanna may we all give our all to G-d. Just as the offerer of the burnt offer did not eat of the offering and did not derive any benefit from the animal, we give everything to G-d. Yom tov! Enjoy!

And may the upcoming holidays be a time of refreshing for all,

Shalom,

R’Ken

The Shanghai Ark

By Rabbi Ken ‘Maccabees’ MacNeil

The Shanghai Ghetto has been referred to as the "Shanghai Ark" because the people in Shanghai acted like the ark which saved the Jewish people from the flood of Nazi antisemitism. One woman survivor who spoke at the Grand opening ceremony for the Shanghai Refugee Museum, shared that she and 44 of her relatives would not be alive today if not for the people of Shanghai who welcomed her in.

Click here to see a video clip of this historic event.

On August 1, Messianic Judaism and the UMJA was in attendance, represented by myself. We were invited to stand in solidarity with our Jewish people in downtown Manhattan at the grand opening ceremony for the “Jewish Refugee Museum” in Shanghai, China. China, one might ask? Isn’t there continual strife on various fronts between the US and China? This may be the present political and economic climate between our two countries today, but I experienced a very different situation.

At the grand opening of the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum, it was a time of a renewed faith and hope in mankind. The coming together of all of G-d’s children--Jew and Gentile, Messianic Jew and Traditional Jew, all thanking G-d and the Chinese people. The people of Shanghai were responsible for the protection, harboring, and saving the lives of more than 20,000 Jews! This is the most Jews saved in any one place in the world!

As far as I could tell, the UMJA was the only Messianic Affiliation invited to this private event, which would eventually be opened to the public for the next two weeks. Some In attendance were survivors and their families. Some were rabbis, NYC Mayors Office, the Chinese ambassador, musicians, and various reporters from news outlets like NBC, USA Today. One Utra Orthodox looking gentleman even told me that he had been consulted by the last five presidents, although he hesitated to share his name.

Rabbi Arthur Schnerer was a survivor who shared his story. He and other survivors told of Jews who fled to China from places like Austria, Poland, Rome, Venice, and Naples. This situation of fleeing from the Nazi’s was very fresh in my mind, as I had just been to the Jewish Ghettos in Venice, Rome and had just visited Naples, Italy as well. Naples is the port where many ships departed, carrying Jews to their demise in death camps. On the ground in front of many homes in Italy’s Jewish quarters there are still bronze plates bearing the names of the Jews who were dragged out of their homes and brought to Auschwitz’s and other death camps. B’ezrat Hashem (with G-d’s help) some of these ships made their way to China instead.

Ironically, my wife Sharon and I had just dined at the Kosher restaurant “Gam Gam” in the Jewish Ghetto in Venice, just two weeks prior to this ceremony. There, a large metal relief style picture can be seen on the wall. It depicted the masses of Jews from Venice that had been corralled into trains and brought to concentration camps. My heart dropped as I had envisioned this taking place while the survivors spoke of their tumultuous journeys.

This was not the case with Rabbi Schnerer who explained that his father was able to flee to Shanghai as it was the only place in the world that would take Jews. Kevin Ostoyich, who is a professor of history at Valparaiso University in Indiana had interviewed many Jewish refugees. According to the professor, Shanghai was the “last resort” for Jewish refugees as no visa was necessary to enter. Survivor Jerry Lindenstraus, 94, and his family fled to Shanghai after Kristallnacht, “the night of broken glass.”

That historic night now known as “Kristallnacht” or the Night of Broken Glass, is when the Nazi’s conducted a massive insurgence of antisemitic violence and destruction across Nazi Germany. The name "Kristallnacht" refers to the shattered glass from the Jewish buildings and store windows that littered the streets during and after the riot. This is considered to be the starting point of the Holocaust. Nazi forces destroyed 1,400 synagogues, killed 92 Jews, and sent 30,000 Jews to concentration camps according to NBC news.

Elizabeth S. Grebenschikoff was the daughter of a Jewish refuge spoke and stated that her mother Betty was a refugee in Shanghai for over a decade. Her mom would say “If you are not an upstander, if you are not standing up for justice and fairness, then you are doomed to be a bystander.’” It has been said that if you’re not part of the solution then you are part of the problem! The Chinese in Shanghai actively worked towards the solution which spared generations of Jewish refugees.

A few years after his family arrived, Lindenstraus said that Japanese forces took over the city and established a ghetto in Hongkew where tens of thousands of Jewish refugees were squeezed into a single square mile. Lindenstraus, recounted “I lived in half a room divided by a Persian carpet, without plumbing or electricity. We had an outhouse on the roof, which is also where we also cooked our food when we had it.” He went on to say that they and the Chinese who they lived among were always hungry.

The Chinese were enduring struggles of their own as Japan had invaded China. The Japanese soldiers would abuse the Chinese and would beat them and make them bow down at their feet. The Jewish refugees and the Chinese endured a common struggle for their lives and created a common bond. They collaborated not only in survival but also in the arts, music, and businesses.

It was told that a Nazi General who was known for ruthlessly killing Jews in concentration camps visited Shanghai and demanded that they turn over their Jews. The Chinese people had brought the Jews specifically to Shanghai as it was divided up into autonomous sectors which no one had full control over. There were American, French, British, and Japanese sectors. Although the Japanese were allies of Nazi Germany, no one really knows why they did not hand the Jews over to the Nazis. Is it possible that G-d’s favor outweighed the propensity to hand them over as a result of Shanghai’s efforts to save His people?

Another survivor mentioned that China had been in dire straits and very poor. The Jews in Shanghai began a new life and set up businesses. It was recounted that eventually Jewish bankers collaborated with Chinese bankers, and prosperity was found. G-d promises in His word that those who bless Israel will be blessed. (Genesis12:3). Similar stories were told when Sharon and I visited the Jewish Ghettos in Rome and Venice. In Rome, our tour guide mentioned that during WW2 Jews were brought to live in the worst part of Rome. It was bordering a stream which made living unbearable due to swampy conditions. Today, that part of Rome is where the most valuable property is located. The stream had miraculously dried up and that section of Rome now provides a very advantageous living environment.

The same can be said of the Jewish Ghetto in Venice which today is vibrant and active, sought after and pleasant. Kind of an Oasis from the beautiful but busy streets and water ways of Venice. One can wonder how on one hand the Jewish people are blessed by G-d, yet they have also seemed to be abandoned by G-d. How can this be? To be honest no one can adequately explain this painfully obvious contrast. Our Lord Yeshua did offer us one explanation.

During the first century Temple times there was terrible division among the Jewish people. What was termed in the Hebrew as “sinat chinom” (baseless hatred) was prevalent to a very destructive extent. It was said that pretty much all Rome had to do was come in and clean up the mess after we had fought amongst ourselves. Yeshua was sent to stop all of this baseless hatred and bring the Jews, and the world, back to G-d and Torah. Literally G-d’s instructions on how to live, love, and be reconciled to G-d and to each other. Yeshua stood before the Beit Mikdash (Temple) with tears in his eyes and spoke these words:

37 “Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! 38 Look! G-d is abandoning your house to you, leaving it desolate. 39 For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai.’” Matthew 23:37-39 Complete Jewish Bible

G-d had sent his prophets to correct us so that things might go well with us, which we ignored for the most part. Then He finally sent His Son and our Mashiach to bring us back to Him, which the Majority of Judaism ignored and dismissed. It can be likened to our own children who are under our constant care and protection as we raise them. Then when they grow up and leave our homes they are no longer under our direct supervision protection and care. We pray and hope that they remember all the life lessons that were taught to them as they grew up. Unfortunately, sometimes this is not the case and bad decisions are made. As there are always consequences to our decisions, things don’t always turn out so well. Judaism is well aware of this baseless hatred which took place in the first century which is uniformly accepted and taught as the reason why the Temple was destroyed.

Are we to blame Holocaust victims and survivors of their plight? Absolutely not! G-d often judges nations according to its leaders. Many good people unfortunately at times suffer and get swept away along with the disobedient and the hateful. Why some were spared and others were not is beyond us and can only be answered by G-d. We can can be sure that we have a greater hope that one day we will no longer suffer and be with our G-d in the spirit.

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are powerless to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gei-Hinnom.” (aka hell) Matthew 10:28 Complete Jewish Bible

And again, “But, as the Tanakh says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no one’s heart has imagined all the things that G-d has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 CJB

“If you love me, you will keep my commands…” John 14:15 CJB

Consequently, Yeshua instructs us that he will return and usher in world peace when his people say “Baruch habba b’shem adonai,” blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:29)

How do we come in the name of the Lord? We accept G-d’s Torah, his instructions, and his Messiah Yeshua who came to teach us these things and turn us back to G-d.

The only time in Jewish history that was safe and peaceful was during the reign of king Solomon, whose name means peace/shalom. When we and Solomon eventually turned away from G-d and Torah, the temple was destroyed and the Jewish people were dragged off to Babylon. When King Yeshua (whose name means G-d saves) returns, we will once again see world peace and be at peace with G-d.

As we enter into these holy days may we all be found worthy to call upon the lord and usher in heaven on earth. Shalom shalom.

from left to right: Max Ren, Executive Producer of Shanghai TV, Rabbi Ken MacNeil, and Isaac Li, New Tone Consulting Manager. On the right, Rabbi Ken with Zhongyuan Li, New Tone Consulting CEO

THREE SUKKAHS

By Rabbi Richard ‘Aharon’ Chaimberlin, Litt.D.

Matthew 17

YESHUA delivered a teaching in which he instructed a multitude on how to be his talmidim (disciples). He concluded his teaching, saying, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those standing here who shall not taste death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom (Mat. 16:28; Mk. 9:1)."

This statement might have led Yeshua's talmidim to believe that He was going to set up his Messianic Kingdom on earth during their lifetimes. "And six days later, Yeshua took with Him Shimon Kefa (Simon Peter), Ya'akov (James), and Yochanan (John), and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves." [1] According to a parallel account in Luke 9:29, Yeshua began to pray on the mountain, and "the appearance of his face became different..." Mark 9:3 tells us that his garments "became exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them."

Then "Eliyahu (Elijah) appeared to them with Moshe (Moses), and they were talking with Yeshua." Shimon Kefa, as might be expected, was the first to speak, saying,

"Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three sukkas (booths) - One for you, one for Moshe, and one for Eliyahu." (Mark 9:5; Matthew 17:4)

Many years ago, when I was attending a young adult Sunday school class, the teacher thought this was pretty funny, saying, "Good ol' Peter! Open mouth, insert foot!" She couldn't understand why, at this momentous occasion, Peter would want to build three tabernacles. Many of you probably do understand: During the holiday of Sukkot ("Tabernacles"), it is customary to build sukkahs (booths), which are temporary shelters, as instructed in Leviticus 23:40-43. The event of Moshe and Eliyahu appearing to Yeshua is often called the "Transfiguration." It occurred during Sukkot.

The traditional location of this event is Mount Tabor in the Galilee region. However, Mount Tabor is only 1850 feet (about 900 meters) high. And Matthew 17:1 describes the location as a "high mountain." In addition, Mount Tabor was highly fortified and inaccessible in Yeshua's day.

A much more likely location is Mount Hermon (9100 feet, almost 3000 meters).[2] Mount Hermon is also very close to Caesarea Philippi, which we read about in the previous chapter, where Shimon Kefa recognized Yeshua as being the Messiah and the Son of God. The peak of Mount Hermon is covered with snow about two-thirds of the year and is today a major Israeli ski resort. It is part of the Golan Heights captured from the Syrians during the Six-Day War of 1967. The melting snows are a source for the waters of the Jordan River. The lower parts of Mount Hermon are covered with forests and vineyards which produce some of the finest wines in the world! Wolves, leopards, lions, and bears lived in the Mount Hermon forest hundreds of years ago, although I doubt that many such creatures survive today on this mountain range.

In fairness to that Sunday school teacher of long ago, Dr. Luke (9:33) adds that Peter was not "realizing what he was saying." I believe that Shimon Kefa was expecting that Yeshua, Moshe, and Eliyahu would be abiding on this mountain for the durations of Sukkot, which lasts for eight days. No doubt, he also remembered the words of Yeshua from six days earlier[3] about setting up his kingdom. When he saw Eliyahu, he felt that the earthly Messianic Kingdom was about to be set up, as foretold by Malachi 4:5 (3:23 in Jewish Bibles).

What Shimon Kefa did not realize, perhaps, is that he was witnessing "the kingdom of God" coming with power, although not the earthly kingdom. Yeshua was at this time setting up the spiritual kingdom. When Yeshua was being interrogated by Pontius Pilate, He said, "My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36)." Certainly not yet! But it is coming someday, perhaps in the lifetime of many of our readers!

The event that Shimon Kefa, Ya'akov, and Yochanan[4] saw was something that was beyond the realm of anything that they had ever seen before, a visible demonstration of God's spiritual kingdom being set up. Moshe represents Torah (the "Law") whereas Eliyahu represents the Neviim (the Prophets), both of which point to the Jewish Messiah. What were Moses, Elijah, and Yeshua discussing? For that, we need to go to Luke 9:31, which says they "were speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." In other words, they were discussing events that would lead up to and include Yeshua's death at Golgotha, burial, and His resurrection.

SHEKHINAH

"A cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud (Luke 9:34)." I believe that this is the cloud was the Shekhinah glory, the majestic presence of God among men, as described about 1500 years earlier when "Moses went up with Aharon, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel (Exodus 24:9-10)." This was not simply a vision, because we read in the next verse that "they ate and drank"! HaShem then gave instructions to Moses about "the stone tablets with the Law and the commandments which I have written, that you may teach them."

The word Shekhinah does not appear in the Bible. However, it is used often in Talmudic and Rabbinic literature as a synonym for the Ruakh HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit). Shekhinah also happens to be a feminine word, unlike other words like Elohim and Adonai, which are masculine terms for God. Some distinctly feminine characteristics are shown by God, as in Isaiah 66:13: "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem." In Matthew 23:37, Yeshua said, "How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." We men need to also display such characteristically feminine traits such as caring and compassion.

The word Shekhinah (also spelled Shechinah) comes from the shoresh (root word) shachan meaning "dwell".[5] In different places in Scripture, we see God dwelling among us, as with the cloud that hovered over the Mishkan (Tabernacle) by day, and as a pillar of fire by night. This same cloud led the children of Israel in the wilderness until Moses died. At the dedication of the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) in 2 Chronicles 5:13, we see that "the House of Adonai was filled with a cloud, so that the cohenim ("priests") could not stand to minister, because of the cloud, for the glory of Adonai filled the house of God."

About 1500 years later, this same cloud appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration. Like the mantle (tallit?) that covered Elijah, and then Elishah, the cloud indicated an anointing upon Yeshua, just as Moses was anointed many centuries before. Yeshua's talmidim (disciples) had witnessed the kingdom of God coming with power, as prophesied by Yeshua.[6]

On this same Mount of Transfiguration, the divine voice (traditionally called the Bat Kol) came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son; listen to Him." [7] The mysterious Bat Kol was occasionally in evidence after the cessation of prophecy in Israel. The Rabbis compared the Bat Kol to an echo, to avoid saying that the voice of Adonai was being heard among mere men who were not included among the prophets.[8] Literally, Bat Kol means "daughter of the voice."

The confirmation of this can be found in 2 Peter 1:13-18, where Shimon Kefa describes his body as a sukka (temporary shelter), soon to be laid aside. Then he recalls the episode of the Transfiguration in which he recalls the coming great power of Yeshua the Messiah, including the episode in which a voice "from the excellent glory said, 'This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased..' [9] and we ourselves heard this utterance from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain." Yes, God has a Son, as was described in Proverbs 30:1-4.

After this divine visitation, they looked around and saw no one except Yeshua only. As they came down the mountain, Yeshua gave them orders to not tell anyone what they had seen, "until the Son of Man should rise from the dead (Mark 9:9)." This also puzzled the disciples, because the concept of the Messiah dying and rising from the dead wasn't part of their eschatology. Like most other Jews, they were looking for the Mashiach ben David (Messiah, son of David) who would kick out the Romans and set up the Messianic Kingdom. The day is coming when Yeshua will indeed set up the Messianic Kingdom. However, at his first visitation, He came as the Mashiach ben Yosef (Messiah, son of Joseph), the suffering servant Messiah prophesied about in Isaiah 53.

Shimon Kefa was also puzzled about Eliahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet). He asked Yeshua, "Why is it that the scribes say Elijah must come first?" Yeshua replied, "Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Yet, how is it written of the Son of Man that He should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has come, and they have done to him whatsoever they wished, just as it is written of him (Mark 9:11-13)." He was referring to Yochanan the Immerser (I hate to call him a Baptist!), who came in the spirit and power of Elijah. And of course, Elijah appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration. Prophetically, Elijah will also appear as one of the Two Witnesses in Revelation chapter 11. (I believe the other witness is Moses. However, since the Bible doesn't mention the name, I am not dogmatic about this.)

______________________________

[1] Mattityahu (Matthew) 17:1.

[3] Mark 9:1-2; Mat. 16:28, 17:1.

[4] Peter, James, & John.

[5] The same Hebrew spelling, but pronounced shechein, means neighbor.

[6] Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1.

[7] Mark 9:7.

[9] The "Jesus only" people believe that Jesus is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all rolled up into one. I wonder what they do with this one? Did Jesus suddenly say, "Did I just say that?"

AFTER TEN DAYS OF AWE

Sukkot: a time to rejoice!

Celebrate the goodness of our King!

REMEMBER HIS GOODNESS AT

THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS

Reflections on Sukkot,

Feast of Tabernacles

By Morah Karen Low Deloge

“You shall dwell in booths for seven days... that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell

in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” – Leviticus 23:42-43

Of all the holidays, this is my favorite. How can you not enjoy a week-long Thanksgiving outside with your family? The focus isn’t buying gifts or “what do you want for Christmas?” It’s not about cleaning the house, spending a fortune, or trying to impress people. It’s all about gratitude for what you already have, for what God’s given us, and what He’s done for us. It’s a harvest festival, the most joyous time in Israel!

My friends at Torah Sisters create stickers and hoodies with sayings for the feasts. I think this one is my favorite:

Sukkot: When God Commands Grown-Ups to Build Forts

The sukkah is more like a tent than a fort, but the childlike fun is conveyed in that phrase. We used to build forts when we were kids, and they were so simple; certainly not strong or permanent. They were nothing more than a lean-to of sticks or snow—but boy, did we have fun!

Does God want us to have fun? I think the LORD ordered the calendar with this annual celebration to keep the simplicity and remembrance of gratitude alive. He devised a week-long pilgrimage, to get away from work, find friends, old and new, and enjoy the community of other believers. Soak in the sounds of music and voices and laughter, the smells of cooking and fires, the delight of celebration. Yes, our "fun-loving" Heavenly Father ordained a time for joy and thanksgiving... for a whole week!

You get your kids and grandkids together to decorate your sukkah with branches, fall flowers and pumpkins. Add candles and twinkle lights, a fire pit, and starry nights, and you have the makings of a very special holiday. Pray, read, worship. De-stress and ponder. It’s time to tell stories, play games, and make music. And who goes camping without food? Everything tastes better outside, doesn’t it?

I’ve often thought about why God instructed his people to keep the feasts, three of which involved a pilgrimage. He could have ordained a week of solitude or silence. He could have demanded a week-long fast or a marathon of Scripture reading. But no, our good Heavenly Father commanded that we stop working and BE together with our families outside, without distraction. He intends that we pause to remember what’s truly important.

It isn’t the furniture, the polished floors, or the latest kitchen gadgets.

It isn’t our jobs, our bank accounts, or our goals for the future.

It isn’t our clothes, vehicles, houses, or possessions, is it.

It’s the people we love, and our faithful provider, God above.

He has delivered us from bondage. He called us to be his holy people.

In HIM we have all that we need.

He calls us to remember where we were before He delivered us. Lost in bondage to sin! Remember crossing the Red Sea, a beautiful picture of the blood of redemption.

The same water that stood up for them to walk on dry ground, covered their enemies at His command. He caused manna to fall from the sky, fresh meat to be delivered on the wind, and streams of water to gush from a rock! Surely nothing is impossible to Him.

Dwell on his goodness. Soak in the wonder of his greatness. We have so much to be grateful for and we have an amazing future in His kingdom!

As you sit in your sukkah watching the moon and the planets in their orbits, remember how GREAT God is. He set everything in place, and he rules the universe for all time... and He calls us into joyful communion! Wow!

Let everything with breath praise the Lord.

THE SEVENTH SHOFAR

AND THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS

BY RAV RICHARD "AHARON" CHAIMERLIN

WE shall not all sleep (die), but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last shofar (trumpet): for the shofar shall sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when the perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?’” [1]

The verses above are among the most prominent supporting the doctrine of the “Rapture.” Rav Sha’ul (Paul) says, “I tell you a mystery.” Yochanan (“John”) says, “In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound (the shofar), then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.” [2]

The seventh angel will sound the seventh shofar, which just ‘happens’ to be the last of seven angels, each of whom sounds a shofar which heralds a plague or cataclysmic event. “And the seventh angel sounded, and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Messiah; and He will reign forever and ever’ … and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bondservants the prophets and the saints and to those who fear Thy name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth.’ ” [3] When the seventh shofar is sounded, the saints[4] will be rewarded. Will you be ready? This is also the time when those who destroy the earth (criminals against ecology?) are destroyed.

The Rapture (catching away and transformation) of the saints occurs at the sounding of the seventh (last) shofar, and not a moment sooner. This means that the Rapture occurs after…

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[1] 1 Corinthians 15:51-55.

[2] Revelation 10:7.

[3] Revelation 11:15-18.

[4] A ‘saint’ is anybody who has trusted in Yeshua for his or her salvation and is living for Him. I suspect that many of those who have been canonized as saints (such as “Saint” John Chrysostom [349-407]) are rotting in hell for their evil anti-Semitism.

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ANOTHER FAVORITE RECIPE FROM OUR OWN RABBI GARY BERESFORD

Traditionally observant Jews would attend erev Shabbat services, early Friday evening. Then, we would return home to gather with the family and eat a special meal that was better than the usual weekly fare.

Chicken is, and was, the most affordable meat especially in Israel as it was in most Jewish shtetel’s (villages) in Eastern Europe. To this end, I have a chicken recipe with a twist that should make it special for Shabbat.

Spicy Ginger Peach Chicken

Ingredients:

1 young chicken (portions)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Olive oil

1 large can yellow cling peaches

1 onion, diced finely

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

2 cinnamon sticks

1 chicken bouillon cube (Telma brand is usually available)

1 cup boiling water

Method: Coat chicken portions in seasoned flour. Brown the chicken until golden in oil. Drain the peaches and pour over half the can of syrup from the peaches and cook for 5 minutes.

In another saucepan brown the onion in oil. Add the orange juice, wine, sugar, ginger, salt, pepper and cinnamon sticks. Dissolve the chicken cube in the cup of boiling water and add. Cook for 5 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces, cover and cook for 25 minutes over medium heat. Slice the peaches, add and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve piping hot with fried rice or steamed rice with golden raisins and pine nuts or cashew nuts. Enjoy!

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IN THE TISHREI CALENDAR

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