Passover Reading Lev 25 Counting the Omer
Passover Reading: (Leviticus) Vayikra 25:1-16
Counting the Omer
At sundown today the holiday of Pesach ends and we count day eight of the omer. Since there is no Torah portion for this Sabbath we will give our attention to several topics that G-d has brought before me this week including some insight on counting the omer.
Vayechi (He lived) (B’resheet) 47-50
Torah Portion: Vayechi(He Lived) (B’resheet) Genesis 47-50
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 2:1-12
This is the last Torah portion of the book of B’resheet/Genesis. In it we read of the death of both Jacob and Joseph. Yet, interesting the portion is titled, “And He Lived”. Always in Torah when we come across something like this we can be assured that G-d ‘s making a spiritual point for us.
Vayetze (And He Went Out) B’resheet Gen 28-32
Torah Portion: Vayetze (And He Went Out) (B’resheet) Genesis 28-32
Haftorah Reading: Hosea 12:13-14:10
This Torah section is filled with spiritual lessons for us form beginning to end. From these verses we can learn much from Ya’acov and his approach to his relationship with the Father. I would like to begin at the beginning of this section where we see Ya’acov leaving Israel and going to Haran. He was leaving the place where scripture says, “G-d’s eyes are on it from the beginning of the day until its end”, and travel to a place which had no thought of G-d, a place of deception and trickery. He came to a certain place near what would later become Jerusalem and laid down to sleep, putting a rock down for his head.
Vayera (He Appeared) B’resheet Gen 18-24
Torah Portion: Vayera (He Appeared) B’resheet Genesis 18:1-22:24
HafTorah: II Kings 4:1-37
Tonight we look at a large part of the life of Avraham and Sarah. Last week we read about Sarah telling Avraham to take her maid servant and have a child by her since she was getting old and did not have a child. Then this week we read of the men (angels) coming to visit Avraham and Sarah and announcing that in a year she would conceive and bear a child. In chapter 21:9-11 we read of Sarah telling Avraham to send Hagar and her child away. He does not want to do this. So I want us to take a bit of time and look at this and see what we can learn about this woman.
Hayei Sarah (Sarah’s life) Genesis 23-25
Torah Portion: Hayei Sarah (Sarah’s life) Genesis 23-25
HafTorah: I Kings 1:1-31
This week we look at a Parasha filled with verses covering the death of both Abraham and Sarah., yet it is titled, The life of Sarah. Why do you think that is? It might seem more accurate to call it the death of Sarah. This is a subject I want us to look at in some depth this week. I think it has so much to teach each of us in our world today.
Shelach L’kha (Send on Your Behalf) Numbers 13-15
Torah Portion: Shelach L’Kha (Send on Your Behalf) Numbers 13-15
HafTorah: Joshua 2:1-24
This Torah portion begins with Moses sending out the 12 men to go into Canaan to check out the best way to approach taking the land that G-d had promised them. It ends with the commandment of tzitzit. As we examine this section I believe we can see a common thread going through out.
Sh’mot (Names) Exodus 1-6
Torah Portion: Sh’mot (Names) Exodus 1:1-6:1
HafTorah: Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3
This beginning portion of the second book of Moses carries the name of “Names.” It begins by listing the names of all the people who went down into Egypt. These few grew into a great and mighty people who after passing through the furnace of Egypt, were ready to accept G-d’s promise of the Land.
Nitzavim/Vayelech Deut. 29
Torah Portion: Nitzavim/Vayelech Deut. 29:10-31:30
HafTorah: Isaiah 61:10-63:9
These Torah sections are filled with so many verses that speak to me I hardly know where to start. So I may just cover a few and see what G-d has to say to us. Right from the very beginning in Deut. 29:10-11 we read where Moses speaks to the people about entering into covenant with G-d. What struck me was that we are included in these two verses, “the stranger in your camp.” I think this speaks to those who have come into Israel’s camp. In some degree that is each of us, based on Paul’s words in Romans 11:16-18. We were all grafted into this Jewish olive tree and according to Paul supported by its roots. For some it will go deeper than that. Some of us will go on to be more closely related to Israel. Wherever we are in that process we are all part of the tree.
Chayei Sarah Genesis 23
Torah Portion: Chayei Sarah Genesis 23:1-25:18
HafTorah: I Kings 1:1-31
Tonight I want us to look at the Torah section and see what we can learn from these years of Abraham’s life. There are also several hints in this section about the after life and the resurrection. One of those hints occurs almost immediately in Genesis 23:1. In this verse there are words that without the vowel points can be read two ways. The same words occur in Genesis 25:7 where the text speaks about Abraham. The words are “shna chayai Sarah” and later “shna chayai Avraham”. As they are marked in most Hebrew Bibles they are read “years of life.” However, in the original Hebrew, without vowel points, they can also be read as two lives. If the text is read this way it can be talking about the after life or the resurrection. In verse 23:2 another hint occurs where the word for “weep” in Hebrew is written with a small letter in the middle suggesting that Abraham’s weeping was tempered. Suggesting Abraham as comforted by the fact that he knew he would see Sarah again. This is also stated in I Thess. 4:13 where Paul says we have a hope that nonbelievers do not share. These hints are more evident in Hebrew than our English translations.
Bo (Come)
Weekly Torah Section: Bo (Come) Exodus 10:1-13:16, Jeremiah 46:13-28
Let’s start tonight by looking at Jeremiah and then spend some time on the Torah section. First, the Bible tells us that Jeremiah was commissioned as a prophet in the 13th year of King Josiah. This would be in the early half of the 600’s and apparently Jeremiah was young at the time (Jeremiah 1:6) He continued as a prophet for the next 40 years. This King Josiah is the same king we read about last week who died at the battle with the Egyptians at Megiddo. Jeremiah lived through the conquest of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar but unlike Ezekiel, was allowed to remain in Israel. Our section tonight deals with his words about Judah’s continued reliance on Egypt for protection. In fact, my first question deals with one of these verses: Jeremiah 46:17. King Jehoakim trusted in Egypt to deliver him from Babylon. How did that work out for him? It says in this verse that Egypt had no power but rather was just a big noise. Who is our Deliverer? G-d Almighty. All else is clashing cymbals – just noise compared to G-d. He ends in this section with words of comfort to Judah and Israel. They will return to G-d’s promise and rest in peace. We do not have to worry and tremble before the things of this world. G-d is our defender and shield.