HOLIDAY MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST !

Holliday Message of Jesus Christ 

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Shalom and Good Morning 

I wanted to be able to send a message of what this means this time of year as we spend time together and away from those we love, we work with and even with those we may not like. 

The interesting thing Holiday is rooted in two words HOLY and Day. These two particular words are rooted in the Old and new testaments of the bible. 

The word Holy is being defined as only something that belongs to GOD and our mission in life to submit ourselves to GOD of the Bible to set ourselves apart of everything that is not of GOD to be HOLY. 

1st Peter 1:16 - Because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”

The word day is also rooted biblically in the book of Genesis when the night and day were first set apart calling day one, two, three, etc. It was Moses who first wrote the day was set apart and how God set each one day and night making the distinction between the two giving us a way to set apart time.

Genesis 1:15- And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Christmas is a fun and joyous time that all in the USA and around the world celebrate to give gifts, time off, be with family and friends, to come together and recharge from the cares of everyday life. 

I recall as my days in the active military, being far from home, and spending time with people whom I just met, over these days and times. 

At that Time, I only really acknowledged the Jewish Festivals and related Christmas as just another nice time, while enjoying good food and people around me, without any deeper meaning or understanding. 

There were times throughout the years, I was able to get home to be with family, as a single person, away in the military, and how I enjoyed coming home especially to Miami, Florida. Leaving the cold blustering weather of places like upstate New York and Alaska.  I even recall getting together with some of my former high school friends to go to the beach and play a very hard touch football game. 

Now the meaning of this time of year, has taken on a great deal of understanding. It is to enjoy life and what God has given and being thankful of all those past experiences, but also to bring Good News of what it all means to those who may not understand it and looking forward too. Especially in a time when the news of the day is full of political fighting and fears of a virus that is knocking at your door. 

Lately during these times of worries and fears, I always relate to the scriptures that seem to me to be foundational. That God himself allows rain to fall on both the righteous and the unrighteous equally. He allows us to experience both good and bad in the world equally for his divine purposes. It is to bring us closer to HIM, to be HOLY and set apart to HIM. 

As we submit ourselves to GOD and the Gift of his redemption through Jesus Christ, it is a reminder that HE also is jealous for us and set us apart from those who turn from HIM as well. As we acknowledge these things it is our job to bring this good news of redemption to those who have chosen a path of being lost so that we ALL may enjoy the Gift of Jesus Christ in one accord. 

ACTS 1:14 With one accord they all continued in prayer , along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus ,and with His Brothers.

The Gift of Jesus Christ is an easy gift as is free to all at any point in your life. It is to open your heart sincerely to HIM in your prayer to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Asking for your sins to forgiven and to pray for help to placed on a path of righteousness that only God can give and lead us to. 

ISAIAH 9:6 - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I pray that all who has read this message to please share as you may like and if you need prayer, a bible, guidance, please feel free to contact me. I pray you discover this season of Holiday and Christmas in greater way this year. Amen!

Avodah
Jay 

The Rightous Path or the Hatred of YHVH

Shalom and Good morning 

Was thinking of you this morning when reading my scriptures . Today's scripture verse is simple :

Proverbs 14 verse 2

"Those who follow the right path ( Godly/ Biblical ) fear the Lord ; those who take the wrong path ( sinful ) despise Him ( God ) . 

This verse is simple and its because when you choose  on a daily moment to moment basis your choice is simple. Is it of God or not ? The scripture says when you Choose  the Godly path , you revear or fear God; when you don't, you hate God. It's that simple. It's black or white there is no grey area or line. It's one or the other . 

Do we choose to sin or not ?

You have to ask and be truthful with yourself because one day, you alone will have to give an account of your life before the King of Kings. There will be no excuses . 

Sin can be a huge one like sex before marriage or a small one like leaving work early when no one is looking and still getting paid . 

Today is a new day in the Messiah ( Jesus Christ's), his mercies are new, be Glad in them . Choose the king of life today ! Amen !

Avodah 

Jay 

Bible Truths

Shalom and Good Morning 

Some spiritual food for thought this morning .

Amid a very turbulent year this past year and the embarking of a new US Presidential administration , as people, who are called as followers of Yeshua,  its important to know some fundamental truths . 

Biblical truth number 1.

         Regardless of your political view we are citizens of Gods kingdom first.

The bible tells us ( Psalm 2 )  that the kingdoms of this world will rage against God and his kingdom . It matters not how you feel of this election or who you voted for, they all become void under heaven when the time comes  of the return of Yeshua and His reign ( Revelation 22 / Isaiah 9).

Biblical truth number 2 

During this time frame of a pandemic and a tumultuous time we're living in ,with the riots and protests,  with all the manipulation going on in our government,  in our society, the fact remains , in the book of Isaiah  chapter 5 we are told that in the latter days the good will be called evil and evil will be called good. It should be no surprise to us. What this should do as we see laws change, the societal Norms of what is Wicked to be called good and the good things of what is righteous and godly to be called hate and Evil, these things should open our eyes and grow us closer to God. We should be spending more and more time  in God's word and prayer with God, Meditating about his precepts what he wants for our life and how we should be directed by him

Fundamental Truth 3

It's important to know and understand that we have been created for  a Godly purpose. It doesn't matter what you or believe or what you know , we have no control over the fact that we were created and one day we will have an end here in this world. (Genesis 1;27 / 6;3 )

So regardless of your concept of time ,it is short, precious and  invaluable. Each moment is new, we can't get it back, it's important to not waste time. ITS important to know and understand God's love, mercy AND grace. Especially when it comes to the time that we are given. Time moves on, we should too we should not dwell on the moment past, don't worry about the moment future, but be thankful for the moment present. Mathew 6fundamental truth 3So to summarize Solomon it's all vain without God. {PSALM 127}

            Fundamental Truth 4 

Just remember the world will hate you because because the world has hated him first. ( John 15 )

Just as the world has always hated the Jews first because they were the chosen people to bring forth the word of God. It is the same for the the Christ follower. A true follower of Christ will be A peculiar and set apart person for God and to be prepared,  for tomorrow is not promised, and  do not know the day and time of the rapture or physical death.

Last biblical Truth is the word Amen! (Hebrew word means " so be it  “ has no gender identification)

Avodah
Jay

Doors and No More Time To Waste

Revelation 3: 20 

 

    Behold I stand at the door. If anyone hears MY Voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him and he with me .

 

Shalom and Good day;

 

    I remember it well, It was  January 11^th, 2001, and I just lost my court case having to do with my children and the way visitation was set up. Up to this point, my children were living with me every other week and vice versa with their mother. I wanted to be able to have my children live with me as the custodial parent and of course my ex-wife wanted the same.

 

It was a long time coming and I am 100% positive, GOD while watching, didn’t like what was going on with our children. When I lost my petition to have the kids with me fulltime, I was deeply hurt. However, I also knew something needed to be changed and was deeply gratified that there was and is going to change for us all.

 

That same night I prayed and rededicated my heart over to Yeshua HaMoshiach (Jesus  Christ) . After praying and going to sleep, I had one of my most heaviest but short dreams I ever had. In the dream, a door that had been locked was opened. It was not only opened, but slammed opened and a huge rushing wind came inside. That was the end of the dream.

 

That dream or should I say the scripture brings to life the dream. My life has changed very much since that dream, and that day. Ever since that day, through all that has happened, I understand and Know Jesus Christ as The Rock I hold onto through it all. 

 

I pray that you give your heart over to Yeshua Hamoshiach and that you will see it will be the best decision ever made. The prayer can be as easy as  saying I give my life over to You God of the bible and the redemption of Jesus Christ for my sins, please come in, I turn my life over to you. Amen!

 

If you do it will be important to get a bible , get into a church or prayer group to help you on this path. If you need a bible and or direction please reach out to me  at torahsense777@gmail.com and I will provide you with a bible free and give you the needed direction.

 

Avodah 

Jay

Halloween Holiday or is it

1 John 4:1

Beloved, do not believe every spirit [speaking through a self-proclaimed prophet]; instead test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world.

Shalom and Good Afternoon:

I just wanted to speak about the origins and understanding of the this time called halloween. I will put some links for your own study, that you can make your own mind up. However, I would like to make some points about this day from a perspective point of a bible based believer in God our father YHVH and through His Son Yeshua Hamoshiach our redemption and the Holy Spirit the Ruach Hakodesh. 


First off , halloween is not a biblical defined term as Holy for which we get the Holy Spirit or in Hebrew the Ruach Hakodesh. We don't see any biblical terms of holy in regards of any celebration of the dead or spiritually dead.   

Holiday defined by merriam- webster dictionary is defined as by a day of being Holy. The word Holy is rooted in a biblical understanding of set apart for GOD the Father. 


https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy%20day


However , you will find plenty of people who practice witchcraft and other pagan forms of religious acts will define this time frame as a holiday for them and they are active, especially on this day. Please listen to the testimony of this woman who has her own you-tube channel that used to practice witchcraft and now is a follower of Yeshua ( Jesus). 

https://youtu.be/i7MUOuzBPlo 


You will find plenty of testimony on the web that this is their high time. The bible attests to the fact there are false spirits and to test them. The spiritual world is a real thing and we are in a war as solider for God the Father in Yeshua Hamoshiach ( Jesus Christ). 

Pastor David Platt gives a sermon about how real the spiritual world is and call our attention to scripture 2 kings 6. He also tells us in his preaching lately that more and more Christians are looking like the world and it is hard for people to tell us apart from the world. What message are we sending the world about our faith? What message are we teaching our children and about our faith ? Please listen to the audio below  

https://www.mcleanbible.org/sermons/waging-spiritual-war

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+6&version=NIV

As followers of Yeshua Hamoshiach , we are called to be holy and set apart from the world . Yes we are in the world but we are not of it. I look at it this way, a house divided can not stand. I can not celebrate what is of God and Holy and then water down what is not holy and not of God. there is no gray line . 

There is common sense though , dressing up as little princess and getting candy can have its benefits of fun. However, to acknowledge this on a day that has no connotation for a HOLY GOD and only celebrates the complete opposite of the Love of Christ . Its like celebrating someone having cancer or someone being murdered; or enjoying the things that would cause harm, pain, disease, strife, hate and violence.


The thought is if we water down its true meaning of halloween and go ahead and celebrate the day can we move on in our relationship for Christ and the answer is yes. However there is no kingdom advances in it . It celebrates anything and everything that represents what Christ is not. It represents hate , death ,  immorality , lusts and everything that is not of the kingdom of GOD. 

For me and my house I will follow and celebrate what is of the Lord. Love , purity, humbleness, self control , long suffering and the shalom that only God can gives and the world does not understand.

I don't want to give Satan an open invitation to walk into the door of my temple and home.If anything use this day for pray, praise, fellowship and worship. Break bread with one another and hand out food to someone who is need and teach your children to do the same. Jesus said if you do this for the least of these you do this to me!


God takes his Holliness very seriously. As followers of Christ we should too. We shouldnt bash those who walk in blindness of the dark but to put our hand to those who are in the dark to lead them to the light. Even if it seems like a small thing. 

Just because we are followers of Christ doesn't mean we are to be oblivious to things of God either. Jesus said he came to fulfill the law not abolish it. That means we are to walk in the light as He is in the Light.  It also means without the Giving of the Torah ( Law /Old Testament) there would not be the Gospels ( New Testament ). The Torah had to be given so that it could be fulfilled.  This doesn't mean we can do what we want and the way we want it and just take our salvation lightly. Our salvation comes with fear ( reverence)  with trembling before GOD. Our acts of Faith has a far reaching effect on many things we cannot see.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H6944&t=KJV 


https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/it-wrong-celebrate-halloween 

Some food for though and your spiritual bread of growth .

 AMEN ( and so it is )

AVODAH
Jay Grebin 

L ' Shanah Tovah / Happy New ( Head of the ) Year !

Leviticus 23:24-25 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

²⁴ “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar. ²⁵ Do not do any kind of ordinary work, and bring an offering made by fire to Adonai.’”

Numbers 29:1-2 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

29 “‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; it is a day of blowing the shofar for you. ² Prepare a burnt offering to make a fragrant aroma for Adonai — one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs in their first year and without defect —

Shalom and Good Morning:

I wanted to say Happy New Year (Head of the Year) to all of you and share some thought and resources for the High Holidays that we are entering.

As young Jewish boy growing up in Miami, I never really grasped what it all meant. However, I did what I was told and went to Temple services, and to my Grandparents Home to have a celebration for Rosh Hashanah.

Passover and Rosh Hashanah were my favorite holidays to celebrate at Temple and my Grandparents. It always came with celebrations and plenty of good and sweet food. Of Course grandma’s home always had the best and plenty of it. That’s all it seem to me that it was that time of the year and this is what we did to follow our Jewish Tradition.

Today, I have grown to want to grow close to God and what He has for my Life. These Jewish Traditions have been like a light bulb being turned on for me. To know and study the actual meaning of the these high Holy Days Have grown Close to my Heart and Thankful to God to Have appointed these times for me to Per His Holy instruction  ( Torah )  and the Fulfillment of them that have come and TO Come in the Future through The Messiah of God’s Salvation ( Yeshua Ha-Moshiach / Jesus Christ ) .

I encourage you to take time during this appointed time to Reflect on this past year and ask God for Guidance on How to grow closer to Him and His Salvation for this next New Year. Take Time to Fast from the world and seek repentance from those sins that have caused you down fall and those sins that have caused you to hinder others. Ask Good to help you with your Heart on cleansing yourself what you might enjoy in this world that causes you to sin and to understand from those sins and to grow closer to Him.

My Son, who is my youngest Child Fasted with me last year and shared his own experience last Yom Kippur and explained that it was eye opening for him, that we as a people, overeat on a daily basis. That Might sound funny coming from a growing 14 year old however, it was powerful coming from him. God showed me this some years ago that we do overeat and become very much gluttonous here in the USA. He explained how it felt to be able to break his fast and that he was hungry but only could eat a small amount to satisfy his basic need. He at first wanted to eat everything but as he broke his fast he only ate just enough to fulfill need and felt sick to even think about eating anything more than that basic need.

It was great for me to see God Show him that especially during this time and season. I encourage you all to seek God all the time however use this special appointed time to Pray, Study, Rest , Celebrate, Fast , repent and Grow Closer to God and allow yourself through submission of your will  to Gods will and experience what God has for you. He loves you more than you can Lover yourself. Amen!

Please see the Links below for some resources to seek your own study.

Avodah

Jay Grebin

https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Rosh_Hashannah/Biblical/biblical.html

https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=ET0003728,IT0008934,NT0005003,BT0004295

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Lev/Lev_023.cfm?a=113024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFYARCqYt8k

https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/4112556/jewish/In-the-Search-for-Meaning-Where-Do-We-Look.htm#utm_medium=email&utm_source=1_chabad.org_magazine_en&utm_campaign=en&utm_content=content

https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/4112548/jewish/9-Symbolic-Rosh-Hashanah-Foods.htm#utm_medium=email&utm_source=1_chabad.org_magazine_en&utm_campaign=en&utm_content=content

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4121519/jewish/12-Instances-of-Shofar-Blowing-in-Jewish-History.htm#utm_medium=email&utm_source=1_chabad.org_magazine_en&utm_campaign=en&utm_content=content

Breath of Life

Shalom:

Just wanted to drop a word on you take a moment to reflect how much G-D loves us.

The scripture is Genesis 2:7 KJV

 

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 

In the Hebrew it reads

וַיִּיצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָֽאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַֽיְהִי הָֽאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃ 

After studying the original words spoken in the hebrew for this verse it brings to life what G-D wants you to know how much He loves you. It says it like this with original hebraic intensity.

YVHH ELOHIM (Creator Alpha Omega of all our needs and provision) formed man from dust of the ground ( pressed together ADA'M from the lowest material on the earth), and breathed into the nostrils the breath of life( breathed and imparted and pre-ordained G-d's living spirit of life of all the days of your life) and man (ADA'M or man became living or imparted life a new being).

So G-d pre-ordained your entire life from the beginning  of man and was his gift to us of life to fellowship with him eternally!

May this be a blessing to all of you

           Avodah ,

Jay 

Hypocrisy : What is it?

James 1: 22-25

" Be doers of the word , not only hearers only, this is deception of our self. For  if any be only a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man a man looking in a mirror , He goes away forgetting what he saw in the mirror. But whoever look into the law of freedon and grace and continues therein, he does not forget the hearing the word of God but is also a doer of the work of God in his own life and in others and this man shall be blessed in his deed and action."

Good Morning and Shalom:

Just some food for thout for our day to begin: The books of instruction ( Torah ) and the books of the Good News ( Gospels ) set us up to win our everyday struggles in our battles of life.  It becomes our own choice and will that we have our responsibilities for which we have come to on this road of life.

However, we are being watched on our behavoirs and how we conduct ourselves. Not only by GOD but by the world. To see what kind or person we are . Our behavoirs will reflect us from both the internal and the external.

People can only see the external, however God sees the internal. The way we choose to live and how we live will provide information to others on what kind of person you are.

Are a you person who goes to church and shares the bible and Jesus with others ? Do fast and pray? Do you help with Charitiies? Are the same person who does all these things but is often late to work? Do you use profane language ? Are you having sex outside of marriage? Do you look at pornography? Do you drink alcohol to get drunk or high or buzzed? Do you  keep your word , your promises? Do you get abusivily angry? Do you cut people off while driving? Do you throw trash from your car? Are you addicted to smoking , video games, TV ETC?


The fact is we all fail at one time or another. The instruction in James is not to just hear the word of God but also be doers. To live our life on a daily scale. To understand what God wants for your life and ask him for guidance, counsel and wisdon on confirming to be holy and sanctified unto HIM. To help you with your daily struggles.  To repent from what you know is sin and turn from those things. If your addicted to some sort of element that leads from God , open your heart up to God and explain it to HIM in prayer and ask for that help in prayer. The fact that you may like sin is not new to God . He wants you to turn from sin so he can bless you in HIS perfect plan.

IF WE CHOOSE TO CONTINUE IN SIN BUT ACKNOWLEGDE GOD THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HYPOCRITES .

I often heard people say yes I love God and he Loves me but I choose to do what I want to do. This is true that He does love you but you are not showing in action your love for HIM or the lack of it. Your choosing to do what makes you feel good and not work on that relationship with HIM in being a doer of HIS word. Aagin this is Hypocrisy.

GOD does love us unconditionally however, He wants us from the heart of the matter and to love Him from our hearts. Not to be a hypocrite. God hates hypocrisy as well as anyone else. But to understand this at greater depths is to look at from his eyes and not ours. Amen!

Avodah
Jay

Today is but a Mist!

James 4 :14-15

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Shalom and Good Morning :

Take a moment to read and pray this morning even for just a few minutes love you

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1&version=NKJV


"The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."
― Alice Morse Earle


"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin."

― Mother Teresa


Proverbs 1 verse 33


"But whoever listens to me (Wisdom) will live securely and in confident trust
And will be at ease, without fear or dread of evil."

Amen!

Avodah,

Jay

Thought For Today April 21, 2018

Proverbs 21:2

All a mans way seems right ( correct and just) to him (self), But the Lord weighs ( measures what is in the heart ) the heart.

Good Morning and Shalom:

 Yesterday is gone, we cant do anything about yesterday....

Tomorrow is not promised .....

Today is the "GIFT" that's why its called the " Present "...

Make today the best one you can ....

Tomorrows are built on what you do today . 

God see all things, so make your heart pure before him .....

Amen!

Avodah,

Jay

http://www.podbean.com/media/share/dir-nc87w-3e98eee

Sowing and Reaping : The Hand Of God

Proverbs 15:3

The Eyes of the Lord are Everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Proverbs 15:6

The House of the Righteous ( Lord's Righteousness not ours) contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.


Shalom and Good Morning:

Just wanted to bring some thought to the table this morning.  Sowing and Reaping plays a huge part in our daily lives. What you sow you will reap. What you Plant must grow, to be harvested sooner or later. If you grow bad fruit you will harvest it. If you Grow good fruit it also will be harvested.

What I have noticed in my own walk, and with people around us, is how the scriptures take place in our lives daily.

How do we just live the scriptures out? How do I walk it out and in regards to people around me?

I want a lot of things to happen for me, in my life, all the time, however, I have to slow down and pay attention to what I am Sowing to be careful, so I don't reap a bad harvest ( Thorns or thistles).

What I understand as a believer in Yeshua HaMoshiach ( Jesus Christ ),  everything I do, God sees this and Loves me with a incomprehensible love, far greater then my simple mind can fathom. However, as a Creator and a Father, He also is a disciplinarian.

He allows our mistakes, he gives us free forgiveness in His Love and mercy, but,  in all that we do , there is are consequences in our actions. For Example if I smoke cigarettes the likely hood for me to develope something in my lungs for medical concern goes up  greatly.

Also there are, what  I term, Pro-sequences. For example if were training for a race and practice running on a regular schedule then the likely hood for me to finish the race and possibly win also goes up.

The same thing goes on in our day to day lives. If I practice upstanding and biblical morals and ethics in my life in all I do , I will Sow and Reap a harvest of Godly Rightousness . I always seem to fail somewhere , when I get upset or angry.

 The promises of God are these , if we recognize our failures and sin and bring them to the thrown of God and at His feet, pray for a true heart in His rightousness, He will not Fail us or leave us. He will correct us, so that we can turn from those repeated Failures, and make them no longer ours.  So we can start Sowing and Reaping Gods Will in our lives.

If we go down a path of bitterness , anger , or a lifestyle that is not biblical, then we will reap what we have sown.

I have watched people around me show either little to no understanding that God is watching and keeping tabs on our lives, in every detail of our lives. That gives me a good undersatnding to what type of spirit that a person is allowing in their lives, in the way that they deal with people.

Stop and think to yourself what do I practice?  Do I practice strife, anger, rage ? Do I over eat, smoke, am I Lazy, curse, watch filthy shows, listen to filthy programs, practice not so truthful work practices at my job? Do I take advantage of people , cut corners , look for the easy way out.  Do  I , take advice, get advice, try to eat properly, refrain from too much of anything, work hard, practice solid and truthful ethics. Do I  try to help people or hurt them?

The scripture states in Ephesians chapter 6 that we dont wrestle with flesh and blood but spiritual principles of wickedness in high places. This is very important to recognize even in our own lives so that we pray for ourselves and others to get themself correct in God's eyes so when correction comes a person can recieve it and turn to God for help.

This is Gods Hand and How he works in everything . We may not see all things and how they turn out however one can rest assured that God is in everything. God's greatest wish for all of us is that none is to persih but to have ever lasting life! Amen! Have a great and blessed day. One day, the day for each of us will end in this life, what is it that you most want  to accomplish while you are here? What Treasure would you rather build?

Avodah

Jay

The Tallit (Prayer Shawl) ; What is it?

Bamidbar - Numbers - Chapter 15

Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them that they shall make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and they shall affix a thread of sky blue [wool] on the fringe of each corner

לח  דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֥ם צִיצִ֛ת עַל־כַּנְפֵ֥י בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם לְדֹֽרֹתָ֑ם וְנָֽתְנ֛וּ עַל־צִיצִ֥ת הַכָּנָ֖ף פְּתִ֥יל תְּכֵֽלֶת:

This shall be fringes for you, and when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the Lord to perform them, and you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes after which you are going astray.

לט וְהָיָ֣ה לָכֶם֘ לְצִיצִת֒ וּרְאִיתֶ֣ם אֹת֗וֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָת֜וּרוּ אַֽחֲרֵ֤י לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַֽחֲרֵ֣י עֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַֽחֲרֵיהֶֽם:

Shalom:

I wanted to share my study of the Tallit (prayer shawl) and how it relates to my Faith in YHVH ( יהוה  ) as a Jewish believer in Yeshua HaMoshiach ( Jesus Christ ) and what it means to me.

Much in today’s world and life around us we see many facets of garments and clothing that people wear on a day to day basis. Much of it, makes up of who we are and what we represent.  We see lots of sports shirts and hats here in the USA that root and support a professional team, as football , basketball and baseball, just to name a few.

We see many types of clothing, if worn a certain way, a person can be identified as a relationship to a certain type of music, band, and organizational movement. We see many people who can be related to a grunge look, or a country look, or a thug look, just by the clothes that they wear or how the clothes are worn.

We see men and women dressed up on Sundays, could be assumed going to church, wedding, or funeral. We see business attire for the work week. We see of police, fire, medical, and maintenance uniforms that dictate to us a certain specialty and authority within that uniform.

Often if we engage a person in conversation for whatever reason, for example a team jersey, it would not be unlikely that person could give you supportive information about their team as well as other teams not liked.

Often as people, when we put on the clothing that we wear to make some sort of a statement for that day, we often put on some type acknowledgement and authority for it. Although, if I put on a team jersey, and do not play or ever had played a team sport professionally, I am taking on an attribute of that team. I may not ever be able to play football and never be hired by a professional football team , however, when I wear a professional football team's jersey , I am also putting on some statement saying , I agree with this team, and I would be able to give statement to it as well. While also, I could never play professional football and that team's’ jersey doesn’t make me one, I am stating something about it and in some way it becomes me.

This is how great our Father in heaven is, He reminds us in scriptures that he wants us to physically put Him on us daily. The Tallit and or also known as a prayer shawl is a cloth with fringes  (Tzitzit), to be reminded of HIM and put HIM on us in and throughout our day to day lives.  The Scripture we see in Numbers chapter 38 and 39 is the command of the fringes ( Tzitzit ) of instruction in the Torah for our reminder.

There are many different derivatives of the name of the Tallit from the Hebrew being brought forth and several different ways of being stated. However, in this study the important understanding being brought forth is that on a general English speaking today’s generation of people who pray and go to either Church and or Temple, the word used for this prayer shawl is Tallit. It will automatically refer to the cloth with the fringes for prayer. I often grew up hearing the word for it used as Tallis.

The interesting note is that the command from the Lord was not a prayer shawl it was the fringes (Tzitzit). If you were to study the word Tzitzit , and to go into an in-depth Hebrew understanding of it you will find that there is a relationship with this Hebrew word and its number assigned to it adding up to all the 613 commands of the Lord as a reminder to us.  

But that’s not the direction I would like to go, I would like to make a short understanding and relationship of God’s word to us for our worship to God and our reminder of who we are in Him.

To do that, I’m returning back to the example of the football team's’ jersey. If I put on a professional football teams’ jersey that I bought from the mall, does that mean I am a professional football player for that team? No, of course not. Does that mean I am an expert? No and again of course not. Just because I’m wearing a team’s jersey simply means I support that teams somehow and in some way. But In the same way we see Yeshua call on the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees for enlarging their Fringes (Tzitzit) to seem more pious and knowledgeable.

Matthew 23:3-5 Amplified Bible (AMP)

3 so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them. 4 The scribes and Pharisees tie up [a]heavy loads [that are hard to bear] and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger [to make them lighter]. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their [b]phylacteries (tefillin) wide [to make them more conspicuous] and make their [c]tassels long.

The clothing doesn't make the person but represents the person’s attributes to what a statement they want to relay.

We see in scripture the faith of woman who was healed from bleeding for 12 years ;

Matthew 9:20-22 (AMP)

20 Then a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the [tassel] fringe of His outer robe; 21 for she had been saying to herself, “If I only touch His outer robe, I will be healed.” 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Take courage, daughter; your [personal trust and confident] faith [in Me] has made you well.” And at once the woman was [completely] healed.

It wasnt  the clothing that healed the woman, it was her faith , however she knew that the fringes were the place of reminder of prayer for the Yeshua Hamoshiach and she knew that she would be able to recieve her faith if only she could reach where this man Yeshua Hamoshiach , prayed and displayed his faith in prayer on Abba Father YHVH.

The Tallit represents to me , a place of prayer, a place of solis with GOD, a place of his command and a place I can worship. Its obvious the cloth has no power in itself but it is the relationship of the person where He goes to meet with God and God meets with him.

The scriptures state if you draw close to God he will draw close to you:

James 4:8(AMP)

8 Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].

The Tallit gives us place and reminder of doing just that . As  we put on our clothing of God, we are reminded to purify ourselves in God’s word, to act accordingly, and to represent Him. When people see us, they don't see us but they see a representation and likeness of GOD. The cloth doesn't make us an expert just an expectation of who we represent and with that we are given responsibility to act accordingly not because we have to, but be because we want to. It is our reminder of our words meeting our actions from prayer to the physical. Amen!

Avodah!

Jay