Yitro(Jethro)Ex./Sh’mot 18:1-20:23
Torah Portion: Yitro(Jethro)Ex./Sh’mot 18:1-20:23 Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6 Tonight we cover a Torah portion that is named for a non-Jew. This person is the father-in-law of Moshe. Also in this portion we have the giving of the Ten Commandments or the Ten Utterances. Both of these topics are extremely important to us to know how […]
Vayera (He Appeared) B’resheet/Genesis18:1-22:24
Torah Portion: Vayera(He Appeared) B’resheet/Genesis18:1-22:24
Haftorah Reading: II Kings 4:1-37
This week we read a very challenging portion, In my question for the week I used the word challenge to frame the meeting between G-d and Avraham. My purpose was to get us all to consider those times when we have an encounter with the Father concerning some issue we may be facing. I got some good responses to my question and appreciate them very much.
Lekh L’Kha (Go to Yourself) B’resheet/Genesis12:1-17:27
Lekh L’Kha (Go to Yourself) B’resheet/Genesis12:1-17:27
Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 40:27-41:16
This week we read a portion that should speak to each of us in our spiritual walk. This portion starts in Genesis 12:1 with the word of G-d coming to Abraham telling him to, “Go to yourself.” Oddly, Avraham had already left his home of origin when his father Terah took his family, including Avraham, Sarah and Lot, from Ur of the Chaldeans and traveled to Haran. It is interesting that scripture points out that Terah was headed for Canaan but stopped in Haran and stayed there until his death. (Genesis 11:31-32) There is no mention of Terah hearing from G-d or that being a factor in his decision to leave Ur.
Re’eh (See) D’Varim (Deuteronomy) 11:26-16:17
Torah Portion: Re’eh (See) D’Varim (Deuteronomy) 11:26-16:17
Haftorah Reading Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 54:11-55:5
Tonight, at sundown the Hebrew month of Elul begins. This starts a forty-day period of concentrated introspection and repentance that will end on Yom Kippur. Of course, repentance is something we should be involved in on a daily basis. However, this does remind us of the importance of not allowing unconfessed sins to fade from our minds but instead to deal with them quickly.
Ki Tisa (When You Take) Exodus(Sh’mot) 30:11-34:35
Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (When You Take) Exodus(Sh’mot) 30:11-34:35
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 18:1-39
Tonight, we study the sin of the golden calf. This is a pivotal Torah portion from which I pray we can grasp what G-d is saying to us in our own life. However, before we get to the verses about the golden calf there are a couple of other points I also see as important to us and should help us in our understanding of verses we will look at in the Messianic scriptures.
We start our portion with the taking of a census of G-d’s people. In Exodus/Sh’mot 30:11-15 we read the instructions on how this census was to be taken. We also read of the consequences that would follow if it was not done according to the guidelines set out here. Later in II Samuel 24:1-17 we read where King David took a census of the people without following G-d’s guidelines set out in our portion. As a result of that action by David 70,000 people died of a plague that is mentioned in our portion as one of the results of not following G-d’s guidelines. So, it would seem there is an important lesson for us in this directive to take a census.
Va’era(And I Appeared) Exodus(Sh’mot) 6-9
Torah Portion: Va’era(And I Appeared) Exodus(Sh’mot) 6-9
Haftorah Reading: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
Tonight, we cover Moshe’s initial meeting with Pharaoh and seven out of ten of the plagues. I would like us to cover some spiritual truths that could be important to us. Let’s begin by talking about the names of G-d that we find in our Torah reading and the relevance of the Sacred Name of G-d expressed in Exodus/Sh’mot 7:5.
Sh’mot(Names) Exodus(Sh’mot) 1:1-6:1
Torah Portion: Sh’mot(Names) Exodus(Sh’mot) 1:1-6:1
Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3
Tonight, we study the opening Torah portion of Sh’mot/Exodus. In this first section we cover a large part of Israel’s history. We read how they started out as welcomed guests in Egypt but over time they slowly became slaves with no control over their lives. We also read of the birth of Moshe and follow his life up to the point he met Pharaoh and asked him to “Let my people go.” That request did not work out well but G-d assured Moshe He would bring the people out.
Lekh L’Kha (Get Yourself Out) B’resheet (Genesis) 12-17
Torah Portion: Lekh L’Kha (Get Yourself Out) B’resheet (Genesis) 12-17
Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 40:27-41:16
In this Torah portion we become acquainted with Avram, who later became Avraham. It is in the first two words we learn a very important lesson for our daily life as G-d’s people. We have read the words many times before, but tonight I want us to look at them from a new perspective. The first two words in Hebrew are Lekh L’Kha. We usually translate this phrase as, “go out.” That translation misses completely the Hebrew meaning of the words. A clearer translation would be, “go to yourself.” What does that say to us in our life? From this phrase we can understand G-d wants us to become who we really are in Him.
Ki Tetze (When You Go Out) D’varim (Deut) 21-25
Torah Portion: Ki Tetze (When You Go Out) D’varim (Deut) 21-25
Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 54:1-10
This week we read a Torah portion packed with commandments. As you read through this portion you will find most of the commandments have to do with how we treat people as well as how we relate to G-d. To begin, let’s look at the first verse of our reading, Deut. 21:10. “When you go out to war.” How can this apply to us? Look at the first word, “when.” The verse says when we go out to war, not if we go out to war. We go out to war everyday of our lives. Our war is the battle between flesh and spirit, our will verses the will of the Father. So think for a moment. How many battles did you fight just today? Maybe you fought the battle of whether to come here to study G-d’s word or not. We fight battles of fatigue, the daily rush of life, the demands made on us each day by work, family, friends and sometimes even laziness. We face battles each day. The question is how do we deal with those wars? Do we live our days relying on our own will and flesh or do we take our thoughts and flesh captive? II Corinthians 10:5.
Ekev(Because) D’varim (Deut) 7:12-11:25
Torah Portion: Ekev(Because) D’varim (Deut) 7:12-11:25
Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 49:14-51:3
The Torah portion this week contains so many issues that should inspire us in our walk with the Father. Here we find the second paragraph of the Shema in Deut. 11:13-21, the description of the Land of Israel and G-d’s presence always looking after it in Deut. 11:10 through chapter 12.