A Rosh Hashanah Poll
Shalom, everyone!
With the Jewish New Year just around the corner, we are considering making New Year’s cards available to you. Just like at the January 1st new year, it is a tradition to send holiday greeting cards at the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah. Please take a moment to complete the form below. Don’t worry, you aren’t locking yourself in stone to purchasing something that you might not like. But if the majority of you say that you aren’t interested, we aren’t going to go through the effort of ordering them, and having them sit around an already cluttered office.
Also included in this form is an inquiry as to whether you are going to want a lulav and an etrog for Sukkot this year. If you are interested in a set, they will most likely be about $40 like they were last year. I will confirm with you the price before ordering, but want to order enough early so that we will have enough for everyone who wants them this year.
Thank you for taking the time to complete the form.
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Shalom!
Because of how busy Shabbat can get for me, I realize that there are many people who I don’t get the opportunity to speak with each week. So I decided that those of you who have questions might need an outlet to get those questions answered. And if you have a question, others may have the same question. So this is a forum where you can ask you questions and get them answered. So click here to fill out the form, then check back frequently for new questions and answers from the rabbi!
Please feel free to scroll down and read all of the questions, or click on the topic below.
Creation and the Tabernacle – Is there a parallel between the two?
Fear of Commitment? – What does John 2:24-25 mean?
Haftarah and B’rit Hadashah Readings – Where do they come from?
Living Water – Where does this imagery in the B’rit Hadashah come from?
Messages on the Website – Will they continue?
Miriam and the Heifer – Is there a connection between the two?
Shavuot – Isn’t Pentecost a Christian holiday?
Sound the Shofar – How do the silver trumpets of Numbers 10 relate to the notes heard on Rosh Hashanah?
Torah Cycle and then Some – We study the Torah…but do we study other books as a whole?
Traditional vs. Messianic Services – What are the differences between them?
Traditional vs. Messianic Services
Q: I am not a life-long Jew. I have never attended a Jewish service. I am a life-long Christian, however, and I have come to really value the Jewish roots of my faith. Would it be possible to explain how the Messianic Shabbat service is different from the traditional Jewish service? It would help educate me in honoring our shared tradition(s).
A: Your question is difficult, because there are many different types of services in both the traditional and Messianic Jewish communities. So let me start by saying that the point of reference for this discussion will have to be the Shabbat service at Kehilat Sar Shalom. With that in mind, let me see if I can do your question justice.
The biggest difference between a traditional service and a Messianic service would obviously have to be the emphasis placed on Messiah Yeshua. While there are plenty of Messianic references in the traditional service, Yeshua is not recognized as having fulfilled that role. Similarly, where elements of our service emphasize an obedience to Rabbi Yeshua’s interpretation, there is no such emphasis in a traditional service. For example, it is common for me to make reference to Yeshua’s statement, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’” This is from Mark 12:29, of course, where Yeshua quotes from Deuteronomy 6:4. This is the Shema that we recite every service. We follow it with the V’ahavta prayer, which Yeshua also quotes from (Deuteronomy 6:5) in the passage from Mark. (See Mark 12:28-34.) So while the Shema is recited in synagogues all over the world, only in Messianic services would you find those types of things brought out.
Apart from that, our services are very similar. Traditional services may include some singing. The more traditional shuls will probably not have musical instruments, as that may be construed as work on Shabbat. Their focus will be more on the recitation of the Psalms. However, many do include music in their services. In fact, a large portion of the Jewish world is turning to the art of music to reinvent the traditional liturgy. Artists like Debbie Friedman, Sam Glaser, and Craig Taubman have been pioneers in what has been termed the Jewish Revival Movement. They have been producing songs that are based on the traditional liturgy, but put to modern-sounding music. The Barechu that we sometimes do, and the Romemu version that we do are both creations of Craig Taubman. How much or how little music is included will depend entirely on the synagogue.
Each service will also have some type of liturgy. Liturgy includes various prayers, such as the Shema, the V’ahavta, the Aleynu, the Kaddish, and the most common one, the Amidah. There are many others, and additional ones are added at various times during the year, including special liturgical pieces for the High Holy Days. At KSS, we have limited the amount of liturgy that we do, primarily because the majority of the people who come are not too familiar with it, and wouldn’t find it meaningful at first. Of course, those who stay and learn eventually come to appreciate and enjoy the liturgy. But again, even in traditional services, the amount of liturgy that is done will vary greatly. The more Orthodox the congregation, the more liturgical it generally is. That is not to say that the other services don’t have any liturgy at all, but you will more likely find the liturgical prayers recited in the form of a song or poem in those less traditional congregations.
The language will tend to be different as well. The more Orthodox the congregation, the more likely it is that the entire service will be conducted in Hebrew, with little or no translation. The siddur (Jewish prayer book) that they use will most likely also be completely in Hebrew. As you move more toward the conservative and reform congregations, you are likely to find a progressively less Hebrew prayer book. That is, they will add in the English translations. They may add in transliterated Hebrew so that the person who doesn’t speak Hebrew fluently will be able to recite the prayers in Hebrew by reading the transliteration. Then there are those congregations that don’t even use the siddur at all, and conduct the entire service in English. It has always been the policy at KSS never to have prayers or blessings that aren’t translated. Because whatever the language, the element of kavannah is of importance.
Kavannah is the heart attitude with which the prayers are recited. It used to be that it was felt that the recitation of the prayers was more important that even knowing what the prayers meant. If you can read them and understand them, and actually MEAN them, even better, but it is more important just that they are recited. You can tell these congregations when you go in and the prayers are being read at break-neck speeds, all in Hebrew, sometimes with just one person doing them, and the congregation responding with a well-placed, “Amen!” Their goal is simply to get through them. Understanding is secondary.
At KSS, understanding is primary. After all, how can you really mean what you are saying when you don’t even speak the language? The prayer become almost irrelevant. This was partly what was driving the Jewish Reform Movement when it began in Germany. Therefore, while we encourage people to learn Hebrew, and certain Hebrew lessons are taught during the weekly message, all services will be conducted primarily in English, and all Hebrew prayers will be translated for understanding. This will help everyone to be able to pray with kavannah.
Speaking of prayers, at traditional synagogues, there is a position called chazzan, or cantor. This is the person who has been trained in the recitation of the prayers, particularly how to sing them. He or she is also trained to read from the Torah scroll, using what is called a trope to sing the Torah. We do not currently have a cantor at KSS. Right now, the rabbi is filling that position, leading the singing of the prayers, and reading from the Torah scroll. And that does happen from time to time. This is a more common phenomenon in Messianic congregations, however, who will differ on their approach to the Torah.
One thing you will find that is consistent is the Torah cycle. You can see earlier posts about the origins of the Torah and Haftarah cycle. What you obviously won’t find in a traditional synagogue is the B’rit Hadashah portion. The traditional understanding of Torah comes primarily from the Jewish sages of the Talmud and later. Judaism looks to it’s learned men, men such as Rashi and Maimonides and others for the interpretation and application of the precepts of Torah. To them, the authority has been given to the rabbis to make those decisions. For us, “Yeshua came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’” So rather than relying on post-Biblical rabbis for our interpretation, we rely on the One Rabbi Who actually is the Living Word for our interpretation. In that sense, the B’rit Hadashah is our Talmud. It is our guide how to interpret and apply the precepts of Torah.
I guess, to sum it all up, if you were to look at all of the different types of Messianic services, and compare them with all of the different types of traditional Jewish services, you would find some that are very similar, with the exception of Yeshua, and some that are very different. The bottom line is that all of them are theoretically designed to take you on a journey from the secular to the sacred. As you enter the service, you are being transitioned from a 6 day secular work week into a period of holy time. You are slowly brought up the mountain until you hear the very Word of God. When you are done, you make an offering, and you transition back into the realm of the secular, hopefully changed for the better by the mountaintop experience. However, the only one that can actually give life is the one that has Life infused throughout it.
“Yeshua said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. ’” (John 14:6)
Keeping the Sanctuary a Holy Space
THE SANCTUARY: The holiest place in a congregation is the Sanctuary. In biblical times, it was referred to as the “Mishkan,” the place where God’s presence (“Shechinah”) stayed in the midst of the Israelites. (In Hebrew, the words Mishkan and Shechinah have the same root, indicating that God is in the Sanctuary.) While God is everywhere, we retreat to the Mishkan or Sanctuary when we wish to be with God and with others in worship.
FRUSTRATIONS: However, some congregants have told us they feel frustrated when they are in the Sanctuary because their thoughts and prayers are disrupted by noise or other activities. We recognize that each of us defines “disruptive” differently. Some feel it’s disruptive when people are talking around them, or when children speak loudly or are having fun that would be more appropriate in the playground. At times, people try to help by telling their neighbors to be quiet, inadvertently talking louder and causing more disruption than the original conversation, or offending the people they had found offensive. Without realizing it, some people may glare at other adults or at children who are just being kids.
WE WANT ALL OF YOU: We want everyone from newborns to octogenarians to be in the Sanctuary and experience what it is like to be in a holy space. We need your help! In addition to your being mindful of whether you or members of your family might be more disruptive than you realized, please let us know what you think would be helpful.
CHILDREN IN THE SANCTUARY: A special note about young children … we want them and need them in the Sanctuary. Not only does their involvement add to the spirit of our prayers, it provides them with experiences and memories that will be with them for the rest of their lives. For many of us, being with our families in the Sanctuary are among our fondest childhood memories, something we’d like our own children to have.
WHAT’S NEEDED: Some ways to cut down on disruptions are pretty clear: Cell phones and other electronic devices should be turned off. If you must talk with someone, step outside the Sanctuary to have your discussion. Young children should be with their families so that parents or other caregivers can provide good examples of how to behave in the Sanctuary. There will be times when even the best kids will need their parents to remove them from the Sanctuary so as not to disrupt others. Since running around in the Sanctuary is both disrespectful and disruptive, we are asking that parents remind their children that there is to be no running in the Sanctuary at any time, even when services are not taking place. Also, children should only be on the Bimah (Pulpit) when invited to be there by the Rabbi or other Leader, or when they are with their parents. In general, no food or drinks should be consumed in the Sanctuary, although we realize that there may be exceptions, e.g., for medical reasons or when very young children may need a bottle. Most others needing to eat might leave the Sanctuary for a short while. Children should be taught (and adults need to remember for themselves) that any incidental speech should be in whispers rather than in conversational or “outside voices.”
And one final note, please refrain from sitting or standing in the lobby or kitchen during the services, unless you are quieting a fussy or disruptive child, or you need to speak to someone briefly. Please use the oneg as the time to socialize and catch up with friends and family. We appreciate and thank you for your understanding regarding these issues.
Torah Service Customs: A Matter of Respect
Since the early second century, the Torah has been largely neglected by the Body of Messiah. Kehilat Sar Shalom affirms the view expressed in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The Torah defines sin and points us toward righteousness and godliness. We believe that the Torah needs to be recognized as God’s eternal standard of righteousness, and desire to see its restoration to its place of prominence and authority within the believing community. We further believe and acknowledge that the Torah, God’s instruction, is a symbol of Yeshua, who is the Living Word.
Over the years, we have been asked to explain the customs and traditions that are associated with our Torah service. Many of these customs are ancient and the exact origin and time cannot be determined. But the common thread is an issue of respect.
One of the most common questions asked is why we turn toward the Torah as it being walked around the sanctuary. This part if the service is commonly known as the Torah Processional or Hakafah. The definition of Hakafah means to “surround, encircle, circuit, circumference, spread and encompass”. This is exactly what we do with the Torah as we walk “around” the sanctuary. And as we do this, we turn and face the Torah as it walked around of respect and honor for the Word. This gives extra meaning to us as Messianic believers since we believe that the Torah is a symbol of Yeshua, who is the Living Word. Some of the other customs that you may see are people bowing or touch the Torah with their hand or Bible and bringing it to their lips to kiss it and some may point to the Torah while it being lifted up for the congregation to see.
And for you word buffs, let’s take a deeper look at word Hakafah 
. The Shoresh (root) of the word is Nun 
Koof 
Feh 
. As you know, in Hebrew each word has a myriad of meanings. As I stated before, it does mean to ‘surround, encircle, circuit, circumference, spread and encompass’. But there are some less expected meanings. The word also means; ‘to bring near, to bore into’ and it even means ‘to collect fruit from the crown of a tree’.
Those meanings resonate deeply within me. Not just the surface meaning of ‘to bring the Torah near’ but to bring us near to Torah and our Yeshua; the Living Word. I love that the word also means to bore into and to collect the fruit of Torah. It challenges us to bore into Torah to find the growth. It calls us to climb to the crown of the Tree of Life and taste that sacred fruit. Indeed it points to our relationship with Torah and ultimately our personal and intimate relationship with our Messiah Yeshua.
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Creation and the Tabernacle
Q: Is there a parallel between the Creation account and the building of the tabernacle – seven commands, or something?
A: I have read that in one journal that there is a connection in the patterns of creation and the commandments to build the tabernacle. However, this was just one person’s research, and I have not seen it in other places. So while it may be an interesting correlation in facts, it is not something that has been accepted into mainstream theology. Nor is it something upon which theology or doctrine should be based.
Fear of commitment?
Q: What is meant by this except from this weeks reading? “But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”(John 2:24-25) This seems to make no sense. What would committing Himself to them have to do with the fact that “He knew all men”? Thanks for your thoughts.
A: The keys to understanding this passage rely in context and understanding the Greek.
The New King James Version translates John 2:24 this way. “But [Yeshua] did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men.” OK. So who is them? Them refers to the people who came to faith when they saw the signs that He had performed. The word 
is the word that is translated as commit. A better understanding of this word is an acknowledgement or a confidence in a certain fact. So a better understanding of this verse would be, “But [Yeshua] did not place any confidence in their statements of belief, because He knew all men.” This, of course, is also making reference to the believers who came to faith in verse 23.
It is because Yeshua knows all men that He perhaps knew that the folks of verse 23 were insincere. In that context, the rest of the passage makes sense. Because Yeshua is Messiah, and He knows all men, he knew what they were really thinking, and feeling in their hearts, and therefore wouldn’t acknowledge, or place any confidence, in their statements of faith.
Messages on the Website
Q: Are you going to resume posting your messages on your website. Nothing has been posted since May 22, 2010.
A: The past several weeks have been quite a blur for me, actually, which is partly why there aren’t any messages posted since May 22nd. The next Shabbat, May 29th, there were no services held at Kehilat Sar Shalom. Our services were held in conjunction with the Chosen People Ministries retreat, Simcha 2010, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. So there will not be a recording for that Shabbat.
The day after we returned from the Simcha retreat, we left for our missions trip to Cuba. On June 5th, Elder Bryan gave the message, and on June 12th, a friend of mine, Scott Heine, gave the message. It is my understanding that these messages were recorded, but have not yet been processed to be put up on the web. June 19th was the first Shabbat that I was back, and the message was essentially a presentation of our time in Cuba. It went quite long, and while it was recorded, it might take some additional processing in order to break it into parts for posting on the website. The message from June 26th was the first regular message that was given since May 22nd. I would anticipate that posting sometime in the next few days.
So the answer to your question is yes, we will be resuming the posting of the messages very soon. However, it may take a little extra time to post the message from June 19th due to it’s size.
Miriam and the Heifer
Q: Numbers 19 details the death of the red heifer and the laws of purification by ashes and water. Numbers 20:1 follows immediately with the death of Miriam. Is there a deeper connection or analogy between Miriam and the red heifer?
A: The only connection here would be chronological. God gives the instructions for the ritual of the red heifer, and then Miriam dies. The whole process with the red heifer was in the instance that someone became unclean due to the touching of a dead body. I would say that it is likely that whoever was responsible for burying Miriam would probably have had to undergo the ritual, but I would say that there is no direct connection that is evident from the text.
