Friday, April 26, 2024

THE AFIKOMAN MYSTERY



Pictured in this post is a single piece of handmade "shmura matzo" and three pieces of the more common matzah. 

During the modern Passover celebration there is an old Jewish tradition of putting aside 3 whole matzot. The center matzah is broken into two parts and the larger half is removed, wrapped in a napkin. That half-piece of matza gets "stolen" and hidden during the Seder ceremony only to be found later. That piece of matzah is called the "Afikoman."

Afikoman in Hebrew - אפיקומן
In Byzantine Greek, epikōmion means ‘a revel’.

Based on the Mishnah in Pesahim 119b, the Afikoman is a substitute for the Passover lamb that was slaughtered for the blood on the doorposts and was eaten at the Passover meal. The lamb had to be fully consumed. After it was the Hebrews rushed out the bloody door to be born as the Nation of the Children of Israel and begin the Exodus to the Promised Land. 

There would be many trials and tribulations along the way. The first generation of Israelites would die in the desert because of their lack of faith. Not even Moses was aloud to go into the Promised Land because he "struck" the Rock when God told him to "speak" to it. To this day, on Yom Kippur we are atoning for the sin the "golden calf." God would have destroyed us all if Moses hadn't interceeded for the Hebrews. 

Since the destruction of the Temple and the discontinuation of the Korban Pesach (sacraficial lamb), Jews eat the afikomen piece of matzah to finish the Passover Seder meal. 

There are various interpretations for the tradition of the Afikoman as it is played out today but surprisingly the actual origin and intention of this custom is not known. 

The Passover has great significance to those who believe in Yeshua, better known as Jesus. The "bread" (a cracker) and wine shared are important symbols to both Jews and Christians. So one might wonder if there any parallels concerning the Afikoman tradition? 

Parallels between the Jewish tradition of the Afikoman and the Crucifixion:

- Yeshua offered his body as a substitute Passover lamb to free people from slavery. 

- Yeshua was scourged, striped and pierced. Matzah looks scourged/striped and pierced. 

- Yeshua was crucified inbetween two criminals.  The Afikoman is in the middle of two other matzot. 

- Yeshua's body was wrapped in a burial schroud and hidden away in a tomb after the crucifixion. The Afikoman is wrapped in a napkin and hidden away. 

- Like the Afikoman which is found and is the "desert" at the end the Passover, Yeshua is found. He is the "Good News."

- Even the fact that the Afikoman is found by children is relevant because a child's testimony, like the women who found the tomb empty, were not believable.  

Surely anyone can appreciate why believers in Salvation, the English meaning of Jesus's Hebrew name Yeshua, can see the parallels between the two Passover events. There are so many passages in the Old Testament that point to the New Testament. Thus the expression, "The New Testament revealed what the Old Testament concealed." 

The word Seder means order. With 613 Mitzvot, one thing is sure, we worship a God of Order. Heaven knows I fail miserably at keeping God's commandments. 

When is the right time and what is the right way to "atone" for our disobedience? The Book of Jonah is read on the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. There is a lesson to be had about Atonement from that book. God knew Jonah would flee. God chose Jonah to make a point. And when Jonah declared to the Ninevites what God told him to say, they heard God, not Jonah.

None of us know when our days are over. If we did, would we repent like the Ninevites? 

After the Passover, Jews start "counting the omer," each day for seven shabbats, seven 7's until Shavuot, when the law/logos is received on Sinai. The Revelation on Sinai coincides to the day with Christian's PENTECOST holiday!

(I'm reminded of Yeshua's teaching in Capernium ... a hard teaching.)

Today, 18 Nisan 5784, is 3 days of the Omer.

Friday, April 19, 2024

I SHALL RAISE UP MY EYES



An Israeli coach watching his children players 

WHEN IT COMES TO ISRAEL ... TIMING IS EVERYTHING. 

Yesterday was the 10th of Nisan on the Hebrew Calendar!  Tonight is Shabbat HaGadol ("The Great Shabbat" שבת הגדול), the Shabbat immediately before the Passover. 

The first Shabbat HaGadol took place in Egypt on the 10th day of the first month, the month of Nisan. The first Great Shabbat was five (5) days before the Passover and the start of the Israelite Exodus from Egypt. 

FIVE IS A SIGN

The letter Hei (5) appears twice in the unspoken name of God, YHVH, (10, 5, 6, 5 = 26).  This is what 5 (Hei) looked like in ancient Hebrew before the Torah was written. It was a man with outstretched Arms, like Moses when the Joshua battled the Amalakites.  

"So Moses said to Joshua, Pick men for us, and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." Exodus 17.9

Israel is battling the Spirit of Amalek again! 

The Hand, Outstretched Arms, the Nail

Hei (5) is associated with Revelation. God revealed himself with Moses during the battle with the Amalakites. As you can see, Hei (5) appears twice. 5+5=10 (Yod). Ten is also viewed as a complete and perfect numeral. In the image above, the Arm/Hand of God appears before the first Hei (5). It appears again before 6, the symbol of a nail. 

Israel's mission began with the Great Shabbat. God told the Children of Israel to select the lamb for their household five days before the Passover. On the Passover the Israelites would shed the blood of their lamb and spread it's blood on their doorposts. 

The destroyer passed over homes with the protection of the blood of their lamb. The Israelites were "chosen" for a mission. On the Passover God instructed us to rush through the door opening. The nation was born and we left Egypt for the Promised Land

I've gotten ahead of the story. It isn't quite time for hagadah (the telling). The Passover isn't here yet! Its not the hour  The destroyer hasn't arrived yet. The Exodus hasn't begun yet. But God is calling. Come! BA! (Hebrew בא)


ON AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI'S 85TH BIRTHDAY

Israel delivered his birthday present, but the evil Ayatollah didn't get what he wished for.  Instead, Israel gave him what he deserved. The 9th plague, darkness. is striking Iran. Israel delivered what leader's described as a "limited Israeli response."  

The Ayatollah says Israel will be completely destroyed if Israel responds to it's attack. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi threatened Israel, "If they do a tiniest invasion against our territory, they should be assured that they will face a massive and harsh response."

Clearly Iran's leaders do not appreciate the blood of the lamb that protects Israel from the "destroyer."  The Light is coming. BA (בא)!


THE GREATER THUNDER IS TO COME! BA!
FORCES OF DESTRUCTION WILL SOON PASSOVER.
THEN, A LULLING SENSE OF PEACE ON THE CHESOD OF YESOD. 
GREATER THUNDER IS TO COME!! BA!! בא
20 IYAR
GREATER THUNDER IS TO COME!!! BA!!! בא
6 SIVAN 
GOD IS SAYING בא COME!!!

PSALM 121

A song for ascents. I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come?
My help is from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber.
Behold the Guardian of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your Guardian; the Lord is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand.
By day, the sun will not smite you, nor will the moon at night.
The Lord will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from now and to eternity.

RAISE UP YOUR EYES -- AM ISRAEL CHAI


Epilogue:

2 Chronicles 20:26 
And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the Lord: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

Friday, April 12, 2024

TREES AND LIFE

 

This photo was taken by friend of native Dogwoods blooming in Beacon NY. 

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.  Revelation 2:7

With the Hebrew month of Nisan, God's creation comes to life. This blog post is inspired by Tree's. 

TREES

A POEM BY JOYCE KILMER

I think that I shall never see 
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest 
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wea
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

A tree's rings tell us about the life of a tree.

Dendrochronology is the study and dating of annual rings in trees. A "dendrochronologist" is a scientist who uses tree rings to answer questions about the natural world humans faces as recorded in the rings of a tree. 

A tree's rings tell you a tree's age. Each dark ring is another year. Each spring and summer a tree adds new layers of wood to it's trunk. 

The wood formed in spring grows fast and is lighter because it consists of large cells. In summer, growth is slower; the wood has smaller cells and is darker. So when a tree is cut, the layers appear as alternating rings of light and dark wood.

Many things affect the way a tree grows. The conditions in a tree's life alter the shape, thickness, color and uniformity of it's rings. What the tree has been through, such as a drought or fire or a plague, are recorded in it's rings.

Trees react to their environment, and this reaction is reflected in their growth rings. Climate effects the width of tree rings.  Other factors in the life of a tree, such as rockfalls, avalanches and attacks by insects and other wildlife, effect the formation of tree rings.  Even the death of a neighboring tree, which increases the exposure to light may effect a tree's rings. 

A prehistoric tree preserved for thousands of years in loam soil, bogs and lakes can tell us a great deal about life in the times when the tree was alive. 

The beginning formation of a tree is called the "Heartwood." It is the central supporting pillar of a tree. Although dead, it will not decay or lose strength while the outer layers are intact.

The heartwood is generally rot-resistant, fungus-resistant, and somewhat insect-resistant.

Heartwood is often denser and harder than sapwood. It is sought after in woodworking. Heartwood provides a robust core that provides the structural strength which supports the tree. 

At the very center of the heartwood is the "pith." Like stem cells in a human, the pith's cells of a tree are special undifferentiated cells. Pith cells (parenchyma) function in the storage of the nutrients. Pith cells give the tree life.

In language terms, the "pith" means the essence of something; the important or essential part. The pith is the core or heart of the matter. The pithiest part is the most significant; it carries the most weight. The pith is the essence. 

Like our finger print, a tree's rings identify it.  Our heart and lungs sustain us.
Tree's exchange CO² for Oxygen.  Human lungs exchange O² for Carbon dioxide. The veins of each leaf are like a river network. Like human veins, they support the life of it's cells. 

In the ancient Jewish science (NOT religion) of Creation there is the Tree of Life comprised of "Sefirot," meaning emanations. The sefirot are the attributes (emanations) through which the Ein Sof (The Infinite), the Creator, is revealed.  

The 10 Points of Light;

Jacob's Ladder
Tree of Life
  1. Keter (Crown)
  2. Chokmah (Wisdom)
  3. Binah (Understanding/ Intelligence)
  4. Hesed (Love)
  5. Gevurah (Strength)
  6. Tiferet (Beauty)
  7. Netzach (Eminence)
  8. Hod (Majesty Glory)
  9. Yesod (Foundation)
  10. Malkhut (Kingship)

Da'at is a location (the mystical state) where all ten sefirot in the Tree of Life are united as one. Da'at is roughly translated as "knowledge" or "consciousness" about things outside of oneself.

The Creator bestows. Creation recieves. 

Proverbs 3:18-26

It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and those who draw near it are fortunate.

The Lord founded the earth with wisdom, established the heavens with discernment.

With His knowledge the depths were split, and the heavens drip dew.

My son, let them not depart from your eyes; guard sound wisdom and thought,

and they shall be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.

Then you shall go securely on your way, and your foot shall not stumble.

If you lie down, you shall not fear, and when you lie down, your sleep shall be sweet.

Be not afraid of sudden terror, or of the darkness of the wicked when it will come.

For the Lord shall be your trust, and He shall keep your foot from being caught.

I hope this post blesses you. 

Jonah

Epilogue:

The farm I am developing is called "Tree of Life" for many reasons including several alluded to in this blog post.