Shavuot Week - Day #1

Shavuot Week - Day #1

Main Reading: Ruth 1:1-13

1:1 In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there. 3 Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there for about ten years. 5 Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband. 6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how Hashem had visited his people in giving them bread. 7 She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on their way to return to the land of Judah. 8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May Hashem deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 May Hashem grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.”

Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”

11 Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons, 13 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for Hashem’s hand has gone out against me.”

14 They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her. 15 She said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.”

16 Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your Elohim my Elohim. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Hashem do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”

18 When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?”

20 She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and Hashem has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Hashem has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Today’s Meditation:

Ruth is such a wonderful example of dedication to another human being. She loves her mother-in-law so much that she will go wherever her mother-in-law goes and stay with her even unto death. But, most importantly, she commits her faith to the Elohim of Naomi. Somehow, Ruth has witnessed Hashem's power and presence through her. We all need to be a reflection of Ruth. Recognizing the one true Elohim and making an eternal commitment to follow Him.

Shavuot - Introduction

This week, you are finishing up the counting of the Omer and preparing for the first day of Shavuot, sometimes referred to as the “Giving of the Torah”. In Judaism, we remember that the Ten Commandments (Asseret ha-Dibrot) and the Torah were given to Moses on this special Feast. In Christianity, they call it Pentecost, where there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. For both religions, it is a very special day. Maybe spend some time reflecting on the first Shavuot, when Moses and the people witnessed thunder, lightning, and a thick cloud. Because the people first heard Hashem's voice on this day, it is tradition to study the Torah all night.

Shavuot begins Thursday evening, May 21st, and concludes at sundown this Shabbat, May 23.  There are special readings for those two days. To fill in the rest of the week, we will be reading from the book of Ruth. We will only have meditations this week (no challenges). Please take time to reflect on the story of Ruth each day and ponder how you can change your life to be more dedicated and faithful like hers. 

Have a blessed week with the celebration of this awesome Feast of Hashem. May He give you fresh revelation in your life.

Bamidbar - Day #7

Bamidbar בְּמִדְבַּר - In the Wilderness  

Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20

Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22

Shabbat: Numbers 4:1–20

4:1 Hashem spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, 3 from thirty years old and upward, even until fifty years old, all who enter into the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

4 “This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, regarding the most holy things. 5 When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in with his sons; and they shall take down the veil of the screen, cover the ark of the Testimony with it, 6 put a covering of sealskin on it, spread a blue cloth over it, and put in its poles.

7 “On the table of show bread, they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out; and the continual bread shall be on it. 8 They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

9 “They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lamp stand of the light, its lamps, its snuffers, its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it. 10 They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame.

11 “On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

12 “They shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.

13 “They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it. 14 They shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister about it, the fire pans, the meat hooks, the shovels, and the basins—all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of sealskin, and put in its poles.

15 “When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward, after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. The sons of Kohath shall carry these things belonging to the Tent of Meeting.

16 “The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the requirements of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, the sanctuary, and its furnishings.”

17 Hashem spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 18 “Don’t cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; 19 but do this to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint everyone to his service and to his burden; 20 but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.”

Today’s Meditation:

This reading is about coverings. When they are ready to move on and pack up the Tabernacle, Hashem has instructed them to place coverings over the holy items. He does not want the sons of Kohath touching anything holy. He wants everything to remain sacred. He is a caring and merciful Elohim. He wants things taken care of properly in order. We forget how holy and special the Tabernacle and all its contents are, including the Holy of Holies. The presence of Hashem is so wonderful and glorious that much care must be given in the way this will occur.

We have no idea how incredible Hashem's presence is. We weren’t there. But Hashem gives special instructions, in case we forget. And when the Temple returns, and the glory of Adonai fills the Temple, we must be ready for His special procedures and careful preparation.

Today’s Challenge:

When you think of coverings, you may think of the Kippah, the hat that Jewish men wear. It is done to honor Elohim and not to be like the gentiles. I had heard that it is a covering that covers you from the presence of angels above. Whatever the reason, it is a symbol of being covered to maintain Elohim’s holiness, just like the articles of the Tabernacle. 

Today, think about your own life. What kind of coverings do you have that protect you? We use umbrellas in the rain, blankets at night, and hats in the sun (and sports games). But what do we do spiritually? Do we cover ourselves with purity, righteousness, peace, and love? This type of spiritual covering could maintain holiness with Hashem in our lives. Anger, hate, lying, cheating, any sin, will keep us uncovered and naked, not preparing us to be in the presence of the holiness of Hashem. Try to prepare yourself for Hashem's holiness. Cover yourself with holy things, not evil. All so you can enjoy His presence.

This Week’s Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22 

2:1 “Say to your brothers, ‘My people!’

    and to your sisters, ‘My loved one!’

2 Contend with your mother!

    Contend, for she is not my wife,

    neither am I her husband;

and let her put away her prostitution from her face,

    and her adulteries from between her breasts;

3 Lest I strip her naked,

    and make her bare as in the day that she was born,

    and make her like a wilderness,

    and set her like a dry land,

    and kill her with thirst.

4 Indeed, on her children I will have no mercy;

    for they are children of unfaithfulness;

5 For their mother has played the prostitute.

    She who conceived them has done shamefully;

for she said, ‘I will go after my lovers,

    who gives me my bread and my water,

    my wool and my flax,

    my oil and my drink.’

6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns,

    and I will build a wall against her,

    that she can’t find her way.

7 She will follow after her lovers,

    but she won’t overtake them

and she will seek them,

    but won’t find them.

Then she will say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband;

    for then it was better with me than now.’

8 For she didn’t know that I gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil,

    and multiplied to her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.

9 Therefore, I will take back my grain in its time,

    and my new wine in its season,

    and will pluck away my wool and my flax, which should have covered her nakedness.

10 Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers,

    and no one will deliver her out of my hand.

11 I will also cause all her celebrations to cease:

    her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her solemn assemblies.

12 I will lay waste to her vines and her fig trees,

    about which she has said, ‘These are my wages that my lovers have given me;

and I will make them a forest,’

    and the animals of the field shall eat them.

13 I will visit on her the days of the Baals,

    to which she burned incense,

when she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels,

    and went after her lovers,

    and forgot Me,” says Hashem.

14 “Therefore behold, I will allure her,

    and bring her into the wilderness,

    and speak tenderly to her.

15 I will give her vineyards from there,

    and the valley of Achor for a door of hope;

and she will respond there,

    as in the days of her youth,

    and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

16 It will be in that day,” says Hashem,

    “that you will call me ‘my husband,’

    and no longer call me ‘my master.’

17 For I will take away the names of the Baals out of her mouth,

    and they will no longer be mentioned by name.

18 In that day, I will make a covenant for them with the animals of the field,

    and with the birds of the sky,

    and with the creeping things of the ground.

I will break the bow, the sword, and the battle out of the land,

    and will make them lie down safely.

19 I will betroth you to me forever.

  Yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in loving kindness, and in compassion.

20 I will even betroth you to me in faithfulness;

    and you shall know Hashem.

21 It will happen on that day, I will respond,” says Hashem,

    “I will respond to the heavens,

    and they will respond to the earth;

22 and the earth will respond to the grain, and the new wine, and the oil;

    and they will respond to Jezreel.

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

Wonderful last verse in 18 “In that day I will make a covenant for them with the animals of the field, and with the birds of the sky, and with the creeping things of the ground. I will break the bow, the sword, and the battle out of the land, and will make them lie down safely.” After all that mankind will do to Hashem, ignore Him, forget Him, disobey Him, He will restore us. He has an unconditional love for us that exceeds anything we know on this planet. Imagine if we treated others like He treats us. There would be no war, no fighting, no starvation, abuse, etc. Because no matter what we do, He still loves us and will redeem us. Love Adonai with your whole heart, soul, and strength. And try to do good.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

In verse 13, we read that they forgot Him. They went after other gods, did their own thing, disobeyed, and literally forgot about Adonai. We can read this and think, “How could they do this?” And yet we do it too. Every time we disobey Torah, we are forgetting Hashem. We are forgetting His unconditional love, forgiveness, and His faithfulness to us every day. I notice that the closer I try to get to Hashem, the more severe even the smallest rebellion appears. I can hardly stand it anymore when I disobey. My challenge to you today is to think about the disobedience in your life. Correct what you find and do it immediately. Sin separates us from Hashem. But, thankfully, He will always bring us back.

Bamidbar - Day #6

Bamidbar בְּמִדְבַּר - In the Wilderness  

Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20

Numbers 3:40–51

3:40 Hashem said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names. 41 You shall take the Levites for me—I am Hashem—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”

42 Moses counted, as Hashem commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 43 All the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and upward, of those who were counted of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.

44 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am Hashem. 46 For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs; 48 and you shall give the money, with which their remainder is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons.”

49 Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites; 50 from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; 51 and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to Hashem’s word, as Hashem commanded Moses.

Today’s Meditation:

Hashem is extraordinarily detail-oriented. Today, he is commanding a redemption for the firstborn that exceeds the number of Levites. Why? I can only imagine because He wants everything to be fair and equal. And He is taking care of the Levites, His very special people. He wants equality down to the littlest detail. It makes me think that He cares about even the small details of our lives, too. I just told a friend that I didn’t want to bother Hashem with the small needs of my life, and she said I should ask Him to show me that He cares, even about the little things. Like a parent wants to please, even with the small things their children ask for. That makes sense.

Today’s Challenge:

When you are praying today and asking Hashem to do the big things (protect Israel, your family, stop sickness and hunger, etc), you might take a moment to ask Him for something small that you need or want. Try to do it with praise, and of course, with any repentance you may need to make. He does care about everything in our lives. I can give witness to that. After He honors your prayer, be sure to give Him all the glory and honor. I see Hashem moving in every part of my life, and I pray you do too.

Bamidbar - Day #5

Bamidbar בְּמִדְבַּר - In the Wilderness  

Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20

Numbers 3:14–39

3:14 Hashem spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 “Count the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward.”

16 Moses counted them according to Hashem’s word, as he was commanded.

17 These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

19 The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20 The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi.

These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses.

21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites. These are the families of the Gershonites.

22 Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, even those who were counted of them were seven thousand five hundred.

23 The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.

24 Eliasaph the son of Lael shall be the prince of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites. 25 The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service.

27 Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites. These are the families of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred keeping the requirements of the sanctuary.

29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 The prince of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel. 31 Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, the screen, and all its service. 32 Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary.

33 Of Merari were the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites. These are the families of Merari. 34 Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.

35 The prince of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel, the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service, 37 the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.

38 Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses, with Aaron and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death. 39 All who were counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the commandment of Hashem, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

Today’s Meditation:

We read today how the Levites and their families camped all around the Tabernacle. They surrounded the Tabernacle. It is so interesting how Hashem would determine this. Don’t you like to be surrounded by friends? Or have you ever physically gotten into the space of someone you love to protect them? It’s not like Hashem needed protection; what He did want was serious, committed, holy people to encompass His dwelling place. The rest of His people were neatly situated around the Levites. Hashem has order and meaning to everything He does. And so should we. 

Today’s Challenge:

How neatly ordered are the tribes situated in relation to the Tabernacle? Hashem has order and distinction to keep things going right. And in our lives, it should be the same. Is your life well-ordered and organized? Or is it chaotic? Do you live vicariously, or do you make deliberate plans? I know in my life, I like things to be in order. It feels safer and more peaceful. When my life is disorderly, it feels very stressful. It’s like when you bring a new baby home, and you don’t know what to expect. Your whole life may be turned upside down for a while until you set a schedule. It may feel pretty tiring and stressful until this happens, as it is in our everyday lives. We need order, purpose, and a schedule. Of course, we can be flexible, but always having a plan is essential. If you feel stressed, look at your life and see if you can organize it better. It will bring peace. And ask the Father for His help.