Shabbat Midrash (Teaching) Outlines

Genesis 1:1-5, 6:5-8, 4:19-24,26

• Torah portion covers quite a span of history - the beginning to just before the great flood
• And the haaretz (earth) was tohu (without form), vovohu (void) and choshech (darkness) was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach Elohim was hovering upon the face of the waters. And Yah said, “Be Light”: and there was orah (light). And Yah saw the orah (light) that it was tov (good); and Yah divided the orah (light) from the choshech (darkness). And Yah called the orah Yom (Day), and the choshech (darkness) Yah called Lailah (Night). And the erev (evening) and the boker (morning) were Yom Echad (Day One).
• When you look at the Hebrew word for light, orah, you simply add a T and you have Torah
• When the Spirit of G-d came and began to hover upon the face of the waters, He brought both physical light and spiritual Light (Torah) - with Torah came order out of the chaos that existed in the choshech (darkness)
• Talmudic commentaries inform us that nothing that happens did not already happen at the time of creation (Jewish understanding)
• When Adam and Havah (Eve) rebelled against Yah and fell from hen (grace) and brought sin into the world, the state of falleness, darkness and void wasn’t something new; it was not a new thing; their act of disobedience brought what existed before Torah came; they brought pre-Torah conditions to the earth- tohu, vovohu, and choshech
• Sin is not bringing evil to the earth that never existed, it is regressing to the state that existed prior to Torah
• Tohu (without form), vovohu (void), and choshech (darkness) describes a person without Torah – a person who is blinded to Torah due to their spiritual darkness
• The Torah, according to B’resheet (Genesis) came and brought light, life and form
• Soon after that sin, through deception, entered into an orderly, light filled, full of life situation and everything regressed to a state of ignorance and stupidity
• Adam and Havah (Eve) actually thought they could “hide” from the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of G-d) behind a clump of bushes
• They thought they could cover their falleness with a couple of fig leaves-The first Adam went looking for fig leaves to make a worldly covering for his sins- The problem was that it didn’t take long for the leaves to shrivel and die!
• Yah knew their helplessness and knew that only blood would cover their sin and the guilt that followed
• Yah provided the first sacrifice (sin/guilt) offerings for Adam and Havah and according to the Torah in the book of Leviticus, the priests were allowed to keep the skins of the sacrificed animals
• A blood atonement was offered for both Adam and Havah and they sewed the skins together to cover themselves
• The Hebrew word for skin in Hebrew is “or”, from which we get the word light (orah)
• When the skins were stretched and dried they were used as material on which the Torah was inscribed. They were called “leaves”. When they were sewn together they were called a katan, or a hairy garment. Later we see that Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) wore a hairy garment as he baptized people preparing the way for “The Lamb of G-d who takes away the sins of the world”- the ultimate blood atonement offered by Yeshua
• Symbolically Adam and Havah wrapped themselves in the Torah while awaiting the arrival of Yeshua who would be the final blood atonement for their sins
• Sinners today are still looking for worldly coverings when they are disobedient
• Matthew 21:18,19- Yeshua was hungry- many are hungry today! Why? There is a famine in the land; a famine of the Torah! Spotting the fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing but leaves - usually the fruit on a fig tree is preceded by the leaves. This was representative of barren, dead religion! It was then and it is today! The fig-leaf righteousness and false revival are the characteristics of the last-day Laodicean Church. II Timothy 2:5 tells us that they had a form of Godliness, but were denying the power.
• Yeshua cursed the fig tree because it would produce after its own kind. It was a law established at the time of creation. He cursed the worldly covering because fig leaves cannot cover up our disobedience and spiritual emptiness. The first Adam looked for leaves. The second Adam (Yeshua) looked for fruit!
• The blindness produced by the sin of Adam and Havah in the garden convinced them that they could somehow convince the All Knowing, All Seeing G-d that it was not their fault, but it was somebody else’s - Ha-Satan (Satan) made me do it!
• The offspring of the couple show us by their behavior that sin is a generational thing - the disobedient one kills the obedient one
• From the scripture, you see the descendents of the disobedient one dwell in cities, they create music, they work in brass and other fine metals- all appears to be well, or is it? The last portion of our Torah reading (called the Maftir) tells us that they were actually advancing in darkness and formlessness.
• The Torah is trying to tell us not to be deceived just because things look a certain way according to the world. We as believers need to judge things by one and only one true indicator- Yah’s Holy Word. If it does not line up with Torah- stay away from it.
• The descendents of Cain introduced some of the pagan rituals that are still around even today; the worship of the sun, moon, and stars. They justified this by the idea that if Yah created them; let’s worship them
• To someone walking in darkness, they think they are in the light. To someone walking in formlessness, they think they have form. To someone walking in void, they think they have completion and fullness because when you are walking in spiritual darkness, you don’t even know you are in the dark
• It is only when you are in the light and look back can you know that it was dark; it is only as you are in the form of the Spirit of the Living G-d that you are informed by Him can you tell the formlessness; it is only when you are infilled by His presence and His Spirit can you tell that you were empty!
• In the end days it will be as it was in the Days of Noah- Yah will say “I regret that I have made them”
• In the Days of Noah the last thing that happened beforeYah koshered the earth was that He sent darkness for five and a half months. Why physical darkness? Because they were walking in spiritual darkness.
• If Yah had not cut the darkness short, no flesh could live - this is referring to the spiritual darkness; not the physical darkness
• What are we to do in these last days? We are to walk in the Light as He is in the Light according to Psalms 119- The One who brought Torah to the tovu, vovohu, and the choshech will guide us into the light. I would caution you to “lean not to your own understanding” but follow the leading of the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of G-d) and stay in the Light, the Torah!

The Four Rivers

• The Hebrew word for river comes from the word for “to shine, beam, light”
• The four rivers that flowed out of the Garden were:

1) The Pishon – increase

2) The Gihon – bursting forth

3) The Tigris – rapid

4) The Euphrates – fruitfulness

• When you pronounce these together we see that there is an increase that is bursting forth rapidly bring fruitfulness.
• The rivers flowing from the Garden are still flowing today; physically and spiritually. Physically the water is still flowing upon the earth and spiritually in our life in Yeshua.
• John 7:38 says that “ whoever believes in ME (Yeshua), as the scripture said, rivers of LIVING WATER will flow from his innermost being
• John 4:10- Yeshua answered the woman at the Samaritan well, “If you knew the gift of Yah (G-d) and Who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you LIVING WATER”.
• The woman continues her conversation with Yeshua and demonstrates that she is tohu, vovohu and choshech by the words she speaks and the questions she asks. Yeshua declares to this woman that He is the Messiah that she awaits. I wonder what her response was? What is your response? I urge you to make the decision to walk in the LIGHT of Messiah as He is in the LIGHT.

posted by Chris Phillips, Congregational Leader  # 10/28/2005

Scripture Reference: II Chronicles 18-20

• Jehoshaphat, King of Judah and Ahab, King of Israel- allied themselves against the king of Aram
• In the ensuing battle, Jehoshaphat disguised himself as the king of Israel hoping to divert attention to himself and to protect the life of Ahab
• The plan failed- Ahab died in battle from a wound inflicted by a stray arrow
• After the battle, Jehoshaphat returned safely to his home in Jerusalem
• Jehu the seer greeted him and said “Should you help the wicked (Ahab) and love those who hate Yah (G-d) and so bring wrath on yourself from Adonai? But you do have some good in you, for you have removed the Asheroth (Cannanite goddess of fertility – sex goddess) poles from the land and you have set your heart to seek G-d”.
• Two things we must learn from this passage:

1) Choose your friends and allies carefully. Making the wrong choice can bring the wrath of Yah (G-d) upon you.

2) Jehoshaphat did not have to be perfect to be used of G-d; his heart was right, and Yah looks at the heart. If we wait until we are perfected to be used, we will never be of service to Yah (G-d).

• Jehoshaphat was enjoying a time of shalom (peace) in Jerusalem- he was venturing out among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, bringing them back to Elohim (G-d).
• King Jehoshaphat was leading by example and the people responded
• He appointed judges in the land and charged them to judge disputes among the people “in the fear of Yah”
• The shalom (peace) enjoyed by King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah soon came to an end.
• The peoples of Moab, Ammon, and Maon allied themselves against the Israelites to make war ( These were the three peoples that were spared by the Israelites as they left their captivity in Egypt). Sometimes problems that are not dealt with at the moment they are encountered come back to “disturb our peace” later.
• When the message was reported to King Jehoshaphat of the impending multitude, he did three things:

1) He reacted in fear- it was an honest reaction given the circumstances and it was an admission of his weakness

2) He turned his attention to seek the help of Yah (G-d) - His fear did not keep him from acknowledging the One who could help him to overcome his fear

3) He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah - he understood the principle of bringing the people together in unity and power for a common purpose

• King Jehoshaphat gathered the people together and prayed to Yah on their behalf, first admitting their powerlessness, then their lack of direction, but ending the prayer with an admission that their eyes were on HIM (G-d).
• This reassured the people of the trust that existed between them and their G-d and left an open door for the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of G-d) to give the people divine direction.
• The assurance that the people were seeking came through a Levite in the assembly - Yah chose a priest from among the people to use as his mouthpiece.
• Jahaziel obediently gave the word of assurance needed by the people “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but G-d’s. You need not fight in this battle; station yourself, stand and see the salvation of Yah (G-d) on your behalf. O Judah and Jerusalem, do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for Yah (G-d) is with you.”
• King Jehoshaphat again led the people by example and bowed his head with his face to the ground upon hearing the words of assurance from Yah.
• The assembly followed suit by falling to the ground and worshipping Yah. The Levites among the multitude stood up to praise Yah (G-d) with a very loud voice (Shabach).
• The next morning the people rose early and went toward the wilderness of Tekoa.
• King Jehoshaphat stood before them and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in Yah your G-d, and you will be established. Put your trust in his prophetic words and you will succeed.”
• King Jehoshaphat then performed a biblically sound principle that we all need to remember. He consulted with the people before making his next move. (There is safety in a multitude of counselors).
• The decision that came out of this counsel was ultimately to bring about the victory.
• King Jehoshaphat appointed those who sang to Yah and praised Him in holy attire to go out before the army and declare “Give thanks to Yah, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (Yadah)
• When they began singing and praising (Tehillah), Yah set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Maon and they fought against one another until there was none left, not one had escaped.
• When the Israelites began to praise Yah (G-d), He brought confusion among the enemy’s camp and they destroyed one another. What a powerful tool we have in praise and worship!
• What a sight it must have been when the Israelites arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness and saw the corpses lying on the ground! Truly Yah had performed his word given to the people through their willingness to place their trust in HIM.
• Yah (G-d) rewarded the Israelites by giving them the spoil of their enemies. Here is demonstrated the biblical principle that: “ the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the righteous.” The story relates that it took the Israelites three days to gather it all.
• King Jehoshaphat led the people back to Jerusalem with their spoil and they came to the house of Yah (G-d) with harps, lyres and shofars and joyfully praised Yah.
• Once again shalom (peace) reigned in the kingdom of King Jehoshaphat and Yah (G-d) gave him rest on all sides.
• Within this great story lies a template for us to use for our lives when we are threatened with something that disturbs our peace:

1) Admit your weakness

2) Look to Yah (G-d) for your answer

3) Listen for a word from Yah

4) Praise Him until and after you see the victory

posted by Chris Phillips, Congregational Leader  # 10/21/2005

The Significance of Names

• In Jewish thought a name is not merely an arbitrary designation or random combination of sounds
• A name conveys the nature and essence of the thing or person named
• A name represents the history and reputation of the thing or person named
• In English, we refer to a person's reputation as his "good name"
• Exodus 3:13-15
• Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh (YHVH) comes from the Hebrew root Heh-Yod-Heh, meaning G-d's existence is eternal
• Frequently shortened to Yah or Yahu when used in conjunction with Biblical names
• Hallelujah - Hallelu means "to be praised" Yah is the short form of Yahweh

Hiding The Sacred Name

• 4 vowels on the turban of the High Priest (YHVH)
• Religious leaders pronounced the 4 vowels as consonants (Jehovah). There is no "J" in Hebrew
• Add vowel pointings to YHVH and you get Adonai
• Deliberate mispelling to protect the Sacred Name from defilement by the heathen
• The Name of G-d is used 7000 times in Hebrew scripture, but takes on an indistinct meaning when translated as "LORD" - a title given to a British landowner
• Exodus 20:7 - Do not take the name of G-d in vain - shav in Hebrew (meaning empty, void, worthless)
• By not referring to G-d by His Name, we in fact have made His Name empty, void, worthless and impersonal
• Religious leaders added a commandment that forebade the common people from calling on the name of Yahweh. They violated Torah by adding to it as instructed in Deut 12:32
• Jer 12:16-17 - G-d warns the priests and the Levites what will happen if they fail to teach the people His Name - they will be exiled and taken into captivity
• Hiding of G-d's name was a tradition that was responsible for the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 CE

Hebrew Grammar

• Hoveh - "to be" - Yahweh means "Yah Hoveh" - Yah is
• In modern Hebrew grammar the verb "to be" (I am) is not used in the present tense at all
• Israelis will say "I teacher" or "I clever" because using Hoveh would imply that one is the Almightly
• The use of "I" and "I am" in the vocabulary of a proud and arrogant individual is a common practice
• The indwelling of the Ruach-Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) in the heart and soul of the believer changes the selfish, haughty attitude to an attitude of genuine humility

What About Je-Zeus?

• After the first few centuries after Messiah, His Name (Y'shuah) was gradually changed to "Je-Zeus Kristos" by the pagan masses who converted and joined Messianic Jewish believers
• The name of their pagan idol "Zeus" was applied to their new found Jewish Messiah and Y'shuah became Y'Zeus or Je-Zeus which later became Jesus in English
• Zeus was a Greek mythological god who ursurped the throne of his father to gain control of all immortals (gods). Zeus was said to live on the mountain tops and in the clouds so as to be able to survey all creation. Zeus is the main character in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.
• Due to influential leaders like Constantine the Great, who was a worshipper of Zeus, an infiltration of the followers of Zeus into the Christian ranks resulted.

posted by Chris Phillips, Congregational Leader  # 10/14/2005

Feast of Tabernacles

Introduction

• First mentioned in Genesis 33:17 - First stopping place of the Israelites on their journey out of Egypt
• Plural of Sukkah (booth, shelter, hut) - actually means "woven" - shelters were woven together from branches and leaves to protect the animals from the sun - later came to mean the booth with the "woven" roof
• Leviticus 23:33,34 - Begins on Tishri 15, 5th day after Yom Kippur - lasts for 7 days
• Contrast between the solemn mood of Yom Kippur to the festive, joyous mood of Sukkot
• Historically, Sukkot commenorates the 40 year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters
• Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival - sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif - Festival of Ingathering
• Leviticus 23:39-43

Building a Sukkah

• Can be any size, so long as it is large enough to fulfill the commandment to dwell in it
• Must have at least 2 1/2 walls covered with a material that will not blow away in the wind - walls do not have to be solid - can be canvas
• Roof must be made of material referred to as sekhakh (covering)
• Sekhakh must be something that grew from the ground and was cut off - tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds, sticks - must be left loose, not tied together or tied down
• Sekhakh must be placed sparsely to allow rain to get in and so the stars can be seen
• Sekhakh must be put on last
• Common practice to decorate the Sukkah - dried vegetables are used - children's artwork hung on walls inside
• A table with chairs are placed inside to accomodate guests - occupants sleep on the floor - covered with rugs or carpet

*** Our American Pilgrims who originated the Thanksgiving holiday borrowed the idea from Sukkot. When they were tying to find a way to express their thanks for their survival and for the harvest, they looked to the Bible for an appropriate way of celegrating and found Sukkot. They don't teach this in the public schools! ***

The Four Species

• Origin is found in Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:40
• Symbolism of the Four Species

1) Etrog (citron) lime, lemon - resembles in its shape the heart - the driving force behind all our actions

2) Lulav (palm branch) - resembles the spine which holds the body together and, without which, we would be unable to move

3) The Hadasim (myrtle branches) - resemble, in their almond shape, the eyes with which we behold G-d's world

4) The Aavot (willow branches) - resemble the lips with which we give expression to our thoughts and feelings

*** By holding these four together, we show that a person should devote all of his/her strengths and capacities to the service of Hashem ***

• The Etrog has both a pleasant taste and a pleasant aroma, symbolizing one who possesses both the blessings of knowledge of Torah and of good deeds
• The Lulav (branch of a date palm) - fruit has a good taste but no aroma symbolizes one who has Torah knowledge but no good deeds
• The Hadas (myrtle) has a pleasant aroma only, symbolizing the person who has good deeds and no Torah
• The Aravah (willow branch) has neither pleasant taste or aroma symbolizing the person who has neither Torah or good deeds

*** Holding these four in a tight bond represents the unity that is Hashem's goal for the Jewish people. The bond represents the conversion of a set of separate individuals into a PEOPLE, which is far greater than any individual. ***

Symbolism in Sukkot

• The world and its material things are a spiritual desert or wilderness
• I Chronicles 29:15 - Spending time in the Sukkah and remembering what G-d did for the nation of Israel will help reinforce G-d's promise that He will guide us to our permanent home in Heaven
• II Corinthians 5:1-5 - Our bodies are our Sukkot!
• Deuteronomy 16:15 - Our rejoicing should not just be for G-d's provision for our daily bread, but also for our spiritual food.

Numerology In Sukkot

• No other feast required so many sacrifices as detailed in Numbers 29:12-39

1) Seven days

2) 70 Bullocks - representing the 70 nations formed after the flood

3) 14 Rams

4) 98 Lambs - all these are divisible by 7

5) 182 total animals (26 x 7)

6) Add 336 tenths ephahs of flour for meal offering (48 x 7)

* The number 7, symbolizing completion, is imprinted on this, the seventh feast during the seventh month *

The Water Ceremony

• The high point of Sukkot celebration - "drawing of the waters"
• Reached its peak on last day of Sukkot (Hoshannah Rabbah)
• Accompanied by throngs of chanting worshipers and flutists, the Levitical priests went to the pool of Siloam near the temple mount. There the Hight Priest filled a golden pitcher with water for the ceremony and returned to the temple. The huge crowd entered through the Water Gate that was named for the ceremony. The choir and the worshippers began chanting the words of Psalm 118, called the "Hallel" or praise Psalm.

The Seven Guests

• Each night of Sukkot, as we enjoy festive meals, we are privileged to have in our company seven of the greatest leaders of the Jewish people

1) Avraham (Abraham) - Bereshit (Genesis) 12:1 - "Go forth"

2) Yitzchak (Isaac) - Bereshit (Genesis) 26:1 - "Went to Avimelech"

3) Yaakov (Jacob) - Bereshit (Genesis) 28:2 - "Arise and go to Aram"

4) Yosef (Joseph) - Sold as a slave to Egypt

5-6) Moshe and Aharon (Moses and Aaron) - Led the Jewish people during sojourn in the desert

7) David - Fled from his enemies into the desert of Judea

• In all the cases, we see examples of how to maintain our faith in the protection of Hashem despite great adversity - one of the secrets of the survival of the Jewish people
• The presence of these great guests reminds us of the supreme importance in the Jewish religion of having guests, specifically these less fortunate than ourselves in some way. We need to remember that any kind of physical enjoyment, which is not shared with the poor or less fortunate is viewed by Adonai as alien, whereas, if it is shared, that same enjoyment is raised to the heights of "Avodat Hashem", service to the L-rd.

Final Caution

• Deuteronomy 8:17-18 -

"When you later have prosperity, be careful that you not say to yourself, it was my own strength and personal power that brought me all this. You must remember that it is Adonai you G-d who gives you the power to become prosperous."

Amen!

posted by Chris Phillips, Congregational Leader  # 10/07/2005