Parashat 1 - Bereshit – In the beginning.

Bereshit (Gen) 1:1 – 6:8

YHVH looked into the Torah and created the world. Man looks into Torah and sustains the world. (Zohar)

With its opening statement, the Torah is establishing that it is not merely a rulebook, a list of things to do or not to do. It is YHVH's blueprint for creation, our guide for realizing the purpose for which everything in heaven and earth was made. Every creature, object and element, every force, phenomenon and potential, every moment of time, was created by YHVH toward a purpose. Our mission in life is to discover and submit to this purpose.

Speaking of Moshiach the Apostolic scriptures state:

Col 1:16  Because in Him (not “by him”) were created all that are in the heavens and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or rulerships or principalities or authorities – all have been created through Him and for Him.

Col 1:17  And He is before all, and in Him all hold together.

Col 1:18  And He is the Head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that He might become the One who is first in all.

Col 1:19  Because in Him all the completeness was well pleased to dwell,

Col 1:20  and through Him to completely restore to favour all unto Himself, whether on earth or in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of His stake.

Blessing for the Torah:

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

Torah Readings:

1.      1:1-13

2.      1:14-23

3.      1:24 – 2:3

4.      2:4 – 3:21

5.      3:22 – 4:26

6.      5:1-24

7.      5:25 – 6:8

8.      Maftir: 6:5-8

Haftarah: Isaiah 42:5 – 43:10

Aliyah Rishon 1:1-13

Ber/Gen 1:1  In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.

The very first letter in the Torah is the letter “beit” This “”beit” is an enlarged “beit” and gives rise to speculation as to its hidden meaning. I personally believe all the “yots and tittels” point to the Messiah. YHVH was preparing a “house” or “beit” for Moshiach and his “kehelah” his bride. “Beit” also means “two” and could be a possible reference to the belief that in this world is the one house in which we are being prepared for seven thousand years to be able to live in the next house, the New Yersushalayim for ever and ever.

Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Shemeni Atzereth

We as a congregation are following the Scriptural calendar according to the sighting of the new moon (Rosh Chodesh) from Yerushalayim like many other Messianic groups. On the other hand many are following the fixed Rabbinical calendar (Hillel calendar) and they will be a day ahead of us during these last few Appointments. The Rosh Chodesh of the Seventh Scriptural month (also called Ethanim and Tishrei) was sighted from Yerushalayim on the night of 29th of Sept 2011 according to the Gregorian calendar.
Thus the day of the Great awakening Blast (Yom Teruah) was observed by us and thousands of other Torah obeservant believers who also follow the sighting of the sliver of the new moon, from sunset 29 Sept untill sunset 30 Sept 2011.

Yom haKippurim (10th of Ethanim/Tishrei) was observed and the fast took place from sunset 8 Oct untill sunset 9 Oct 2011.

Sukkot - was obsereved from the 15th of Ethanim/Tishrei (Seventh Scriptural month) untill the 21st of Ethanim/Tishrei which corresponded on the Gregorian calendar this year with evening of 13 Oct untill sunset 20 Oct 2011.

We, the Beit El Messianic Congregation and people from other places who joined us were staying in temporal "booths" (camping) at a caravan farm ~ some of us stayed for the whole seven days of Sukkot and some for at least the first few days. It was a wonderfull, joyfull and blessed time! Baruch haShem YHVH!

Shemeni Atzereth, the Eighth day assembly was celebrated back home on the evening of the 20th of Oct 2011 untill sunset 21st of Oct 2011.

If you want to read the article/pages on these Appointments then you can find them on the left hand side of this Blogspot under their names. Sukkot and Shemeni Atzereth are posted on one page though.

The month of Elul

THE MONTH OF ELUL

The Sixth month on the Scriptural calendar is the final month before the Fall Moadim start.  (The last 4 Appointed times (Moadim) are the Fall Appointments that we have with YHVH ~  'Fall 'as in Yisrael's Fall season). This Sixth Month on the Scriptural calendar is also called Elul since Babylonian exile. The word "Elul" (aleph, lamed, vav, lamed), the after-captivity name of this month, forms the well- known acronym “Ani Ldodi Vdodi Li” which means "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine". (Song of Songs 6:3). Elul normally corresponds on the Gregorian calendar with August/September.

 

Fall Moadim (Appointed times):

Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets or Day of the Awakening blast),

Yom HaKippurim, (Day of the coverings also known as Day of Atonement)

Sukkot (the 7 day Festival of Booths or Tabernacles)

And Shemeni Atzereth (the Eighth Day assembly that falls on the eighth day at the end of  the seven days of Sukkot. This Eighth Day Assembly (Shemeni Atzereth) is a one- day Appointment/Festival that speaks so beautifully of the "eighth day" (which at the same time is the First day of a new beginning) that will come after the Millennium (Millennium= the seventh thousandth year which gets portrayed beautifully by Sukkot)

Yom Teruah falls on the first day of the Seventh Scriptural month. (Normally it corresponds with somehwere during Sept or Oct on the gregorian calendar) The Sixth Month (Elul) begins thus 29/30 days before Yom Teruah and 40 days before Yom Kippur. Jewish tradition treats this entire 40-day period as a time of spiritual preparation and renewal leading up to Yom Kippur.
Traditional services throughout the29 or 30 days of this month include blowing the shofar every day in the morning (the Jews don't blow it on Shabbat and also not on the last day of this month, in anticipation for the start of Yom Teruah) as also readings from the Tehillim/Psalms. It is a good tradition and something that we can apply too to our personal prayer lives. (Not a commandment though, so you don't have to do it.) It can be a blessing to read through the entire Book of Tehillim/Psalms during this Sixth month. If you read 4-5 average psalms a day, or 1-2 of the longer ones, you can make it through the entire book.

Bringing ourselves before YHVH

We are living in serious times and need to trust our Father YHVH to help us prepare our hearts to draw closer to Him daily and to ask the Ruach (the Spirit) to search our hearts and show us if there is anything that is not pleasing to the Father. We need to make ourselves ready ("the bride will make herself ready") for the coming of the Messiah Yahshua who will come on the clouds with a future Yom Teruah (the Day of the great awakening blast) and during this time we are more aware of the fact that Yahshua is coming back and we need to be ready.

Interceding for Yisrael

May we also realize the seriousness of being "watchmen on the walls of Yerushalayim" more than ever before.

During the month of Elul there is also an expectancy as we look forward to the last Fall -Appointed Times (Fall as in the Fall of Yisrael) where we are rehearsing the End time scenario from Yom Teruah leading up to Sukkot. (Sukkot speaks of the Millennium reign when Yahashua will tabernacle with us to rule and reign from Yerushalayim) and then the Eighth day assembly (Shemeni Atzereth) which speaks of the new beginning at the end of the Millennial reign of Yahshua. (So Sheminie Atzereth portrays the beginning of the Renewed heaven and earth and the new Yerushalayim that will come down out of heaven and the booth of YHVH and the Lamb that will be with us for eternity. (See especially Rev 21:1-3 and I Cor 15:23-28).