Readings for Week of 28th of Nisan 5777 (April 23, 2017)

Tazria/Metzora | תזריע/מצורע | "She will conceive/Leper "
Torah: Leviticus 12:1-15:33  
Prophets: 2 Kings 7:3-20  
Gospel: Mark 9:14-50/Luke 9:51-10:42  
Brit Chadashah: John 6:8-13; Matt. 8:1-7
Yom HaShoah
#Zachor
#Remember
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A Chosen People

Attending a recent Torah study in a local synagogue the subject of the Jewish people being the "Chosen People" came up.

Photo Courtesy of Gary Dornbach

Some said they were uncomfortable with being called chosen.
Is it possible that the concept of being chosen is also an overwhelming responsibility to "Be Holy"?

One woman said, "It seems wrong to be called chosen because it can bring about an elitist mentality which can bring about arrogance...".

One famous Rabbi says a few times, "Many are called but few are chosen".

Balance comes about by remembering Who you have been chosen by.


When we become favored by someone in power it impacts us then we feel a sense of entitlement and power.

Being chosen should actually bring about humility not arrogance. 

Lets say you were really close to the President of the United States, your status in life becomes seemingly more significant.

Yet, when it comes to being closer to God the closer you get the more you realize how insignificant you truly are and how great He is.

You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation, as stated in Exodus 19
While not everyone is a priest, we are all called to a priestly function ... that function is to bring God to the people while bringing the people closer to God.

Having someone of power on your favorites along with family members.
Meeting people of significant value in this world then connecting with them on social media.
The feeling of importance that sweeps over you because of who you know.
God has a way of bursting that egotistical bubble often through humbling life experiences.
Many of those in important positions wouldn't be tarnished to be near you during your crisis either.

When it comes to our rich knowledge of the Bible which creates our close relationship with God we need to be careful that we don't have an elitist attitude.

The privilege to be "chosen" allows us the beautiful opportunity to draw close to God.

To hear the Truth, to bring it to the world, to shine and yet be humble.

At Mt. Sinai, according to legend, everyone in the world with the 70 known languages of that day heard God in their own language. Each people had the same opportunity to receive the Torah, yet only the Jewish people and the strangers among them accepted it.

Just as an atom could bring about the atomic bomb so it is with an ego used without caution can bring about a detrimental explosion to both self and others.

And so this brings us back to the beginning where some felt unworthy to be called chosen as they do not want the arrogance that often accompanies chosenness...that my friend is called humility.

If you have truth and you are arrogant then you are not acting "chosen".

The test of chosenness is actually how humble you are.

You may be so humble as to think you are not chosen, but you are and should act accordingly.

"Not by might and not by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord." Zechariah 4:6

A Most Holy Soul

The question is ... "How much potential is there in our souls?"

A soul in Hebrew is neshama.
We live in a world where you are only seen as a success if you acquire or amass tangible things.
The world does not put much stock into the growth of your soul, your neshama.
We must remember, it is okay to make yourself into something great for God.

In Jewish thought our souls are not only created by God, but they are an actual part of God.
Since God is holy, then our souls are holy.
This is why whenever we are criticized we revolt and are offended.
Our souls are so holy that we can even convince ourselves we are doing right when we are not.

I grew up in the twentieth century being raised and taught by a world that was influenced by the nineteenth century.
The nineteenth century was influenced by people like Karl Marx where communism really showed itself in the twentieth century. According to Marx, man is a machine.
Then there was Sigmund Freud who emphasized that every man has a good inclination and a bad inclination.
Finally, there was Charles Darwin who taught evolution, that man is descended from apes.

All of us were influenced by these philosophies ...

 we in turn taught them to our children. 

Now we have a world that virtually has no creative ability. 

Take for example music and movies which at their inception showed amazing creativity that have since become reproductions as many that we experience today are, quite frankly, remakes of prior works ... there is nothing new under the sun.  

We all know that doing the same things over and over getting the same result ...

 is the very definition of insanity.

Since God is a Creator, we have that same creative power within us. 

God created with words and our ability to speak is what sets us apart proving we have a soul. 

God created the universe by speaking it into existence. 

Speaking is not something we can see.

The soul is not something we can see.

Yet when God spoke He created.

And man is created in the image of God.

It is no accident that the neurons making up the brain, when photographed, look just like the universe God created.

Through our very words we can create a better world, not only for ourselves, but for others.

When we have finished with what we were put upon this world to create, our souls return to the creator from which they came. Eventually, all souls will return to God ... to give an account.

Did you use the creativity God gave you or did you just repeat what others created.

Chai-Life

Speak Life.

That's a Real Triumphal Entry!

Traditionally, Christians celebrate the Sunday before Easter as Palm Sunday.  
They do this because of the palm branches that were laid out before Jesus … that in itself is a beautiful picture. 

Yet, there is so much more to Passover that offers a more complete picture.

That’s why we should study the culture of that day…  

Then ask ourselves …

“Why were all those people gathered there in the first place?”

To the Jews this was commonplace as they had observed the Passover for may years before the time of Jesus.

We know of Zechariah's prophecy and from King Jehu that it was a custom for garments to be laid out for a path for the King. (2 Kings 9:13)

While teaching this someone asked me …

”Did they have extra clothes with?"

To which I replied …

”As a matter of fact they did…Because the Passover is a seven day feast!”

Passover is one of the three feasts that all male Israelites were required to attend. 

So it was...
During Temple times the High Priest would leave the city to an area near Bethlehem where lambs were raised. 

The High Priest would be looking for the sacrificial lamb … one without spot or blemish. 

When the High Priest found the lamb that was to be slain for the nation he would exclaim...

"BEHOLD, THE LAMB!"  

This yearly observance at the time of Jesus...

Jesus enters the city and not only were they treating Him like a King by paving His way with their garments … they were also selecting their lamb … without spot or blemish.

 I've always imagined that on this particular Passover the High Priest and his religious entourage entering the city, seeing the street empty except for palm branches and clothes scattered about, saying, "where is everybody?"

That's a real triumphal entry! 

The Carpenter's Son ...

Photo Courtesy of Roger Parrett

Is it really important to study the Jewish culture during the time of Jesus? 

Well....He is Jewish. 

Yet we wonder…What was His life really like? 

You may have seen traditional Sunday school material showing Joseph teaching 

Jesus basic carpentry skills. 

We don't know yet one thing is certain … the only wood and nails He worked with were the cross. 

Matthew 13:54-55 says

“He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, 

“Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?  

Is not this the carpenter’s son? 

Is not his mother called Mary?”

(Jewish Annotated New Testament)

The Greek word for carpenter (tekton) is builder. 

Study of the land and the culture show that Nazareth didn't have many trees. 

It did however have a lot of rocks. 

In those days stones were taken and chiseled to build homes. 

Golgotha we know as the "place of the skull" so named because the stones that were taken from Golgotha for the Temple left impressions in the hillside which resembled a skull. 

Photo Courtesy of Art Hodges

There was even a rock quarry not far from Nazareth on the way to Sepphoris, where according to Josephus, Herod Antipus had a construction project going on which would eventually be called "The Jewel of Galilee”.

There are more references to stones in the Bible than wood. 

Jesus even says later in Matthew 21:42 

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?"

You could go on for hours studying rocks and stones and find that Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone and we are lively stones. 

1 Peter 2:5

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Was Jesus the son of a carpenter? 

We don't know for sure, but what we do know is that He is a builder and has been creating from the very foundation of the world. 

Meaningful Purpose

Meaningful Purpose

Nobody thinks about breathing unless they are doing a breathing exercise. 

When we pray we must do it with intent or kavanah (כוונה). There has to be meaningful purpose when we follow God's commandments. 

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." (Ecc.9:10)

As a matter of fact it is customary for the tzit tzit (fringes) to be cut off a Jewish person's tallit (prayer shawl) that has passed away because he can no longer keep the commandments. 

When Abraham had three visitors he served them with haste. He intended to bring his best service to his guests. 

According to rabbinic literature, when the priests sang the Hallel (Ps.113-119), they did it with kavanah. They started on the steps leading up to the Temple and if they felt that they were just going through the motions they would go back down the steps and start over with more meaningful purpose. 

We live in a mundane world where the cares of life keep us distracted from our service (avodah) to God. We have to push ourselves to see the one who is in need, and see that person as the image of God and do whatever we can with kavanah. 

I the LORD search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jer.17:10). God is always looking, always testing. 

Psalm 51:6 tells us this... "Thou desires truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." 

We find meaningful purpose when we adhere to truth with intent.

(Photo by Art Hodges)

Have you ever noticed a Jewish man rocking back and forth in prayer? This is known as "davening". It is done this way to block out this mundane world so the prayer can be achieved with intent. 

Questions to ask...

What method do you use to block out the world when praying to God?

What would happen if we really did stop and think, "What would Jesus do?"

What are your thoughts? I would love for you to share. 

Shalom aleicha