Tag: Sabbath

Vayak’hel (He Assembled) Exodus/Sh’mot 35:1-38:20

Vayak’hel(He Assembled)Exodus/Sh’mot 35:1-38:20
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 7:13-26
 
Today I want to urge you to be in prayer concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, going on now. We as G-d’s people have a responsibility to hold this situation before the Father. Many people have already died and sadly many more will likely die. However, we know the Ruler of the universe and we must seek His answer to this tragic conflict.
 
In some ways our Torah portion this week should encourage us. In this portion we read one of the two times the details of the construction of the Mishkan is laid out. We read the details of the construction already in Exodus 25:1-31:17. Now, again in Exodus 35:1-38:20 we read another account of the instructions to build this structure. However, there is one marked difference in these two accounts. In Ki Tisa, Exodus 25, the command of the Sabbath appears at the end of the details of construction while here today we read of the command of the Sabbath at the very beginning of Moshe speaking to the people Why the difference? On a simple level we might say that when G-d created man he, Adam, experienced Shabbat as his first day living on this earth but as G-d’s saw it, it was the last day of creation or the seventh day.

Shoftim (Judges) D’Varim (Deut.) 16-21

Torah Portion: Shoftim (Judges) D’Varim (Deut.) 16:18-21:9

Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 51:12-53:12

Messianic Scripture  Matthew 5:38-42; Acts 3:13-26; I Timothy 5:17-22

Today I want us to look at a couple of scriptures from our Torah portion this week. Much of my material will come from an article I read this week called, “The Mysterious Prophet” from First Fruits of Zion.

In Deut. 18:15 we read, “The L-rd your G-d will raise to you a prophet from your midst, from your brothers, like me, to him shall you listen.” We need to look also at Deut. 34:9-10 where we see the same promise of a prophet to come whom the L-rd knew face to face. So who is this person, this prophet?

Vayak’hel (He Assembled) Sh’mot/Ex. 35:1-38:20 P’Kudei (Accounts) Sh’mot/Ex 38:21-40:38

Torah Portions: Vayak’hel (He Assembled) Sh’mot/Ex. 35:1-38:20 

P’Kudei (Accounts) Sh’mot/Ex 38:21-40:38

Haftorah Readings: I Kings 7:13-26; 7:40-8:21

Our teaching today covers the last two Torah portions of Exodus. The name of the first portion is Vayak’hel which means, gathering of people of like mind. It is the modern word, Kehila or congregation. It is the word we use for Road to Zion.

The second portion is Pekudei and means something like giving an account or counting. Today it is the source of the modern Hebrew word pakeed or clerk. You can add these words to your Hebrew vocabulary.

Ki Tisa (When You Take) Exodus Sh’mot 30-34

Our portion begins with G-d’s instructions to Moshe about counting the people of Israel. It also contains the infamous, “golden calf” section when the people demand of Aaron to make for them a god. We read of the setting aside of Shabbat before the constuction of the Mishkan.

B’Shallach (He Sent) Sh’mot (Exodus) 10-13

Torah Portion: Sh’mot Exodus 10-13 B’shallach (He Sent)

HafTorah:  Judges 4:4-5:31

Tonight we read about the crossing of the Reed Sea, the provision of manna and the attack of the Amalikites. I believe G-d has much to say to us about faith and how to live that faith out everyday of our lives.

Maybe it would be good to start with my second question of the week. What is the connection between manna and Sabbath, if anything? We will end with my first question, How do we glorify G-d? As we look at the connection between manna and the Sabbath, remember the people had been slaves for hundreds of years. Their lives had been lived in a strange land far from the fulfillment of G-d’s promises. So, as they left Egypt, we wonder, what did they know if anything about who they were and what connection did they have with the promises of G-d to Avraham, Yitzak and Ya’acove?

Vayak’hel (He Assembled) Sh’mot Exodus 35-38

Torah Portion:  Vayak’hel  (He Assembled)(Sh’mot) Exodus 35-38

Haftorah Reading: I Kings 7:13-26; I Kings 7:40-50

In this Torah portion we cover the giving of the offering by the people for the building of the Mishkan or Tabernacle as well as the picking of the man chosen by G-d to oversee the construction of the Mishkan as well as the art work.

Vayelech (And He Went) D’Varim (Deut.) 31

Torah Portion:  Vayelech (And He Went) D’Varim (Deuteronomy) 31

HafTorah: Hosea 14:1-10, Micah 7:18-20, Joel 2:15-27

Today I want us to look at this chapter and see what it teaches us about “doing.” This Sabbath is called, “Shabbat Shura.” Shuvah is the word for repentance.  Moshe speaks here on the last day of his life to a people he has led for the last 40 years. These are his parting words. We have seen him over the course of this last book of Torah recount the forty years of wandering.  Here he is telling the people to come together every seven years and hear the story again.

Va’etchanan (I Pleaded) Deut. Devarim 3-7

Torah Portion: Va’etchanan (I Pleaded) Devarim (Deuteronomy) 3:23-7:11

HafTorah: Isaiah 40:1-26

Since we did not meet last week, I would like to say a few words about the last book of Torah. Deuteronomy comes from the Greek word meaning repetition of the Law. Remember, all the people to whom Moses was speaking had been children or were born during the 40 years in the desert. Here they hear the story again. They hear the commandments for themselves. Moses knows his death is close at hand so he sets about to give his last sermon to these who will be the ones to inherit the land He wants them to be well prepared to take their inheritance. They had grown up as free men and women, not as their parents, slaves to Pharaoh.

Ki Tisa (When You Take) Ex 30-34

Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (When You Take) Exodus 30-34

HafTorah: I Kings 18:1-39

“When you take the head of the of the sons of Israel.” This is so important here in that it shows the importance of each person. They were to be counted by going to each one and counting them for service to the L-rd. Let us never think that we are unimportant or that G-d only cares for the good ones, or for the important ones. He loves us all equally. He knows each of us. We matter to Him. When you feel G-d does not care remember this verse. Moses was to go to each person, not just give an estimate but to touch each one – to show they mattered and they counted.