Noach 2018

Torah Portion:  Genesis 6:9–11:32

Haftarah Portion:  Isaiah 54:1–55:5

New Testament Portion:  Luke 17:26-27, Hebrews 11:5-7, 1Peter 3:20, 2Peter 2:5, 3:9-14

 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”  (Heb. 11:6)

“Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:9) Let that settle upon your mind for a moment. Is there any higher praise for a human being?

Parsha Yitro 5777 Proposal of Marriage

Torah Portion: Exodus 18:1 – 20:23     Haftarah:  Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6

New Testament:  (suggested)  Matthew chapters 5-7

photo courtesy of chabad.org

Many Christians, upon beginning to examine the Hebrew roots of their faith, are surprised to learn that devout Jewish people understand themselves to be betrothed to God. Our appetizer this week from  Ray Gardner’s notes for this torah portion, includes fascinating insight into the 12 steps of a Hebrew wedding taken from Eddie Chumney’s Seven Festivals of Messiah, pages 125-135.

Parsha Beshalach 5777

“Measure for measure:  Just as the Egyptians had drowned the Israelites babies, so they were drowned in the Red Sea. The drowning of the Egyptian army occurred eighty years after the sons of Israel were drowned in the Nile river. This means that the generation of the Egyptians that were killed in the sea would have been the children of the ones who commanded the death of the children of Israel.” –Ray Gardner

Parsha Bo by Ray Gardner

 

weclipart.com

 

Shabbat shalom, saints! As a reminder, ALL of Ray Gardner’s study notes for the complete yearly torah cycle are available on this page, truly a well of living water.  This week’s parsha, Bo, is especially good. Watch for the number three! Can you count them? [Hint: you have to look at the Hebrew.] Curl up on the sofa and prepare to feast!

 

 

Noach 5777

Torah Portion:  Genesis 6:9–11:32

Haftarah Portion:  Isaiah 54:1–55:5

New Testament Portion:  Luke 17:26-27, Hebrews 11:5-7, 1Peter 3:20, 2Peter 2:5, 3:9-14

This week as I pondered the assigned Scripture and Ray Gardner’s rich and detailed  study notes , a few thoughts came to mind.

“Noah walked with God.” This phrase is used only for one other person in Scripture–Noah’s great-grandfather Enoch, the one who lived 365 years “and he was not, for God took him.” (Gen. 5:24)  Scripture emphasizes Enoch’s righteousness by TWICE stating “Enoch walked with God.” [Gen. 5:22,24). The name Enoch means “dedicated, initiated, trained.”  In Hebrew, to “walk” [halak הלך Strong’s H1980]  means much more than to put one foot in front of the other and shuffle along. Rather, it is a euphemism for a manner of thought and, therefore, a manner of life. It is a life view or paradigm and, also, hints at one’s ability to influence.

Vayera [ and He Appeared] 2015

Torah Portion: Genesis 18:1 through Gen 22:24
Haftarah: 2 Kings 4:1-37
New Testament: Acts 7:2-3, John 8:28-59, Jude 1:1-8, James 1:2-6

Returning to our quest to understand what caused God to passionately pursue Abraham. Thus far, we note the following:

Lech Lecha [Go Out For Yourself] 2015

Torah Portion: Genesis 12:1 through 17:27
Haftarah Portion: Isaiah 40:27 through 41:16
New Testament Portion: Mat. 8:21-22, Acts 7:2-6, Romans 11:24-26, 1 Peter 3:5-6, Rev. 7:9-10

In the span of two weeks, we have traversed the first 2000 years of human history in which the world was created in seven days, Adam and Eve succumbed to the guile of Satan and were exiled from the Garden of Eden. Subsequently, the world became so wicked that the Creator repented that He had made humans and sent a worldwide flood from which only Noah and his family were saved. 

Noach [Noah] 2015

Torah Portion:  Genesis 6:9–11:32 Haftarah Portion:  Isaiah 54:1–55:5 New Testament Portion:  Luke 17:26-27, Hebrews 11:7, 1Peter 3:20, 2Peter 2:5, 3:9-14

The concluding words of last week’s Torah portion read “but Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh.” (Gen 6:8)  We arrive this week at the building of the ark and the salvation of one family from a worldwide calamity.  Encompassed in the “secret place of the Most High. . . in the shadow of the Almighty,” Noah’s family rode out the mother of all storms. 

B’resheet 2015

Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8
Haftarah Portion: Isaiah 42:1-43:10
New Testament Portion: John 1:1-14, Colossians 1:1-22, Hebrews 1:2, 8-10

Rav Chanoch Waxman, in his commentary “And God Saw That It Was Good,” notes that concerning the creation of man, in stark contrast to the creation of the animals [1:25], there is no explicit statement that God saw that it was good. Was not man the crescendo of the creation narrative?

Yitro – Jethro

Torah Portion:  Exodus 18:1 through Exodus 20:23
Haftarah Portion:  Isaiah 6:1-7:6 and Isaiah 9:5-6
New Testament Portion:  1 John 1:1-6, 1John 2:2-11, 1John 2:24-26

Due to the earth-shaking (pun intended) ramifications of the events, it would seem logical that the name of this portion of Torah should be “commandments,” “Mount Sinai”, “betrothal” or “ketubah.” That it is named for Moses’ father-in-law, the “priest of Median” to whom we were introduced in Shemot a few weeks ago,  leaves us scratching our heads.