Podcasts about ruach hakodesh

Go Fishin' - A Call to Discipleship In Matthew 28:18-20, Yeshua delivers His final commission with absolute authority, commanding us to make disciples of all nations while teaching obedience to His commandments. This mandate connects directly to His earlier call when He promised to make His followers "fishers of men." The powerful illustration in John 21:1-6 reveals how easily we drift back to familiar patterns when circumstances challenge our faith. After Yeshua's crucifixion, the disciples returned to their nets, catching nothing through their own efforts. Yet when the resurrected Mashiach appeared on the shore and directed their fishing, their obedience yielded an overwhelming catch of 153 fish. This prophetic encounter reminds us that discipleship requires surrendering our understanding to Yahweh's wisdom. The numerical significance of 153, representing the "sons of Elohim," points to the restoration of scattered Israel through faithful disciples who walk in Yeshua's footsteps. True discipleship means teaching others to observe everything Yeshua commanded, immersing them in the reality of the Father, Son, and Ruach HaKodesh. We are called to be talmidim who follow our Master's example, keeping His Torah written on our hearts as we fish for souls among all nations.   Watch on Youtube:   https://www.youtube.com/live/LefbovQ9hwo?si=CYmy5oNpc4YhTnFI If these have been a blessing to you please consider donating to help us continue to put these teachings out. You can donate at https://www.ruachonline.com/donate   

Good Evening, Folks.The following is an imagined conversation between an Orthodox Rabbi and a Jewish believer in Jesus. Before I read the conversation to you, let me define a few words for you in case you don't know what they mean. The Torah is the 5 books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy); the Tanach is the entire Old Testament comprised of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings; the Talmud or Oral Law is comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, which is a commentary on the Mishnah. Orthodox Jews believe that the Oral Law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai along with the Tanach. The Brit Chadasha is the New Covenant, or New Testament.Here is the conversation:“Good evening, Rabbi Klein. It's an honor to be seated with you,” said Art. “Isn't it nice that we can attend a Night to Honor Israel together?”“I agree. It is nice. I can see from your place card that you're a doctor. Are you an MD?”“Yes, Rabbi, although I'm retired.”“So what do you do now, Dr. Wolinsky?”“I study the Bible, Rabbi.”“Well that's interesting. I understand that you're Jewish. Is that right?”“Yes, Rabbi. I'm Jewish.”“So what do you do as a student of the Bible? Do you study Torah, or Tanach? Do you study Talmud?”“Rabbi, as a student of the bible, I mostly try to answer questions for people. Or sometimes I will ask questions. In order to answer these questions, I study Torah, Tanach, and the Brit Chadasha.”“So you study the New Covenant too. But you don't study Talmud? Are you a Messianic Jew?”“Yes, Rabbi, I'm a Messianic Jew. I believe in Yeshua, or Jesus. I don't study the Talmud. I may look something up in the Talmud, but not regularly. I don't study the Mishnah and the Gemara, because I don't believe the Talmud is divinely inspired.”“So you don't believe that the Oral Law is from Adonai?”“I don't, Rabbi.”“So, what kind of questions do people ask you that require you to study the Bible?”“A very common one is “What must I do to have eternal life?”.“And what is your answer, Dr. Wolinsky?”“I answer like this: “Believe in the Son of God and you will have eternal life”.“What do you mean by the Son of God, doctor?”“He is the Messiah, Rabbi. His name is Jesus, or Yeshua, which as you know means salvation. In the New Testament He is usually referred to as the Son of God or the Son of Man. When He walked this earth 2,000 years ago he most often referred to himself as the Son of Man.”“Is there anything in the Tanach about Him?”“Definitely, Rabbi. If you have a Tanach with you, let's turn to Daniel, chapter 7:Daniel 7:13-14 (TLV) “I was watching in the night visions. Behold, One like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days, and was brought into His presence. [14] Dominion, glory and sovereignty were given to Him that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will never pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.Rabbi, the One like a Son of Man approaches the Ancient of Days. In other words this One like a Son of Man is approaching God. And He is then given dominion, glory, and sovereignty permanently so that all peoples should serve Him. There is simply no question that this Son of Man has divine qualities. He isn't an angel.”“Doctor, are you saying that the person calling Himself the Son of Man in the New Testament is the same person as the Son of Man in this Daniel passage?”“Exactly, Rabbi.”“Then are you also saying that there are two Gods, the Ancient of Days and the One like a Son of Man?”“No, Rabbi. I am saying that there is one God but He is a complex God. He is one God made up of three persons. I've told you about two of them today: the Ancient of Days who is the Father, and the Son of Man who is the Messiah. I haven't told you about Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, who is the third person of this triune God. He is God also.”“Doctor, I have to admit that what you're telling me is fantastic. My head is exploding. You see, I want to have eternal life too. Can you tell me more, please?”“Rabbi, let's meet next week. OK?”“I wouldn't miss it, doctor. By the way, what's your first name? Mine's Mordechai.”“My Hebrew name is Yitzhak, but you can call me Art. I'll see you next week, Mordechai”.Folks, let there be conversations like this one at Israel Galas and elsewhere. I believe that there are some Jewish people who are as open to the truth and to their need for eternal life as Rabbi Kline is. Let us pray that the Lord would ordain numerous conversations like this one by divine appointment.Thanks for listening, folks. This is Art Wolinsky. See you next time! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com

In our recent learning from the Zohar on Parshat Pinchas (Zohar III:213, Resha Gimmel), we uncover a powerful mystical teaching about Yosef HaTzaddik, temptation, language, and the secret connection between Yosef and Pinchas.The Zohar opens with Rabbi Chiya patach—"Rabbi Chiya opened"—with the verse from Tehillim (Psalms 81:6), “Edut b'Yosef Samo”—“He established it as a testimony for Yosef when he went out over the land of Egypt.” This verse, the Zohar teaches, is not just historical commentary but a gateway into understanding Yosef's deep spiritual test and transformation.Yosef was granted the knowledge of all seventy languages, equal to Pharaoh, who was regarded as the most intellectually powerful man in Egypt. But the Zohar emphasizes something more: Yosef knew one language beyond them all—the Lashon HaKodesh, the holy tongue, Hebrew. This extra language was not merely linguistic but spiritual; it symbolized Yosef's connection to the Divine.The Zohar then shifts to the well-known story of Yosef and the wife of Potiphar. It explains that when she attempted to seduce him, Yosef pretended not to understand her words. Although he already knew Egyptian, he acted as if he was confused by her language—avoiding engagement with her advances day after day. Only when she physically seized his cloak did he become visibly confronted by the test. At that moment, the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, cried out within him, invoking the verse from Mishlei (Proverbs), “To guard you from the foreign woman, from the stranger who uses seductive words.”This moment of inner strength and restraint, says the Zohar, became Yosef's greatest testimony. The Adut—testimony—mentioned in the verse refers to his embodiment of the Sefirah of Yesod, the Divine attribute of foundation, which is deeply connected to sexual integrity and moral restraint.Because of Yosef's merit, he was granted an additional letter in his name: the letter "Hey", becoming Yehosef. In Kabbalah, the letter Hey symbolizes the Shechinah, the Divine Presence. It was now integrated into Yosef's very being, testifying that he had become a vessel for holiness.And then the Zohar draws a profound parallel: just as Yosef merited the Hey, Pinchas merited the letter Yud added to his name. Both letters—Hey and Yud—are facets of the Shechinah, representing different expressions of Divine energy. Yosef faced inner seduction and resisted. Pinchas faced societal collapse and acted. Both withstood immense spiritual pressure and aligned themselves with Divine will.Through this, the Zohar reveals a deeper mystery: Pinchas is rooted in the soul of Yosef. Both were alone in their moment of testing. Both chose righteousness. And both merited transformation—Pinchas ultimately becoming Eliyahu HaNavi, the eternal prophet.

Satan's Place in Heaven Let's start with our familiar text: Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!” (So 4:16) This call to “Awake, O North” is thought to encompass three distinct calls recorded in 1. Jeremiah 31:7-8 (exiles of Israel), 2. Isaiah 41:25 (Messiah) 3. Gog and Magog (Ezek 38:2) Why are Gog and and Magog are so attracted to “the beloved city” and its inhabitants to want to destroy them at least twice in Biblical history? Last week's study of the yetzer ha-ra, or evil inclination, as it pertains to satan, was a key piece to the answer. If we can understand that the power of satan is strong against the holy things of this earth, that will explain it. It does need to the be strong to cultivate evil from the wicked. They are already his willing subjects. It is the holy who require him to exert his maximum strength. This sounds incredible, but Scripture reinforces this Jewish principle: “The evil inclination, as a general rule, gravitates toward holiness, and functions at its greatest strength where holiness resides...Evidently, it is because the forces of evil concentrate their greatest efforts on enticing the righteous, those people most deeply immersed in holiness.” (Midrash Rabbah to Shir HaShirim 5§4) WHAT? You're telling me that if I pursue holiness by obedience to the commandments that I make a bigger target? I put that in all caps because we always seem so surprised and indignant when bad things obstruct our pursuit of the Word. I'm not usually an all-caps writer. More than one question mark is just a bridge too far, though. I don't think I've ever had a peeve as a pet, but if I did want a pet peeve, that would probably be it. Multiple question marks instead of one. Only one per interrogative. Please. So, yes, Scripture suggests that holiness acts like a magnet to evil. Even more perplexing, sometimes the Ruach HaKodesh leads us to the place or situation to be be tested in the Word. Here are a few examples of the principle: “I was watching Satan fall from Heaven” (Lk 10:18) “...there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.” (Re 12:7-9) “And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.” (Re 12:13; 16, 17) “the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6) e. “...a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, ‘These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.' She continued doing this for many days.” Acts 16:16-18; 8:9-18) f. “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Mt 4:1) When Scripture identifies the intense effort to sabotage the righteous ones and the Holy City Jerusalem, then it is quite evident that the dragon's desire to dominate the heavens is still strong even when bound! For that reason, the satan, the evil imagination, must be bound in our daily lives. It does not go away...it is bound. Disciplined. Exercised authority over. How do the pre and post millennial battles with Gog of Magog (the wicked among the nations, “Amalek”) relate to the texts of Shir HaShirim 4:16 and 5:1? Both attack the Garden-ruled Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Song of Songs 4:16 invites the awakening of the Anointed One to execute the process of the resurrection of the righteous dead and the purging of the wicked, including the satan. He will be bound and tossed into the Abyss, which will be sealed over him for 1,000 years. That's important. If he is only bound or imprisoned by the Holy One, then we cannot try to kill it.

In the Law is bondage, in Christ is freedom. In the law is veiled faces, in Christ is unveiled faces!As we behold these truths, we are being changed and transformed by the Spirit of God. Christ is revealed through scriptures and the Spirit helps us to see Him. The Spirit reveals Him to us! We shouldn't read or listen to the word alone, we should read and listen prayerfully. In prayer we step into sight. We ask the one who is origin of the word, the one who inspires the word to take us into the experiences He spoke about in His word!Prayerfully listen to this sermon and be stirred as you do so.

The Holy Spirit is not a creature but the creator, fully divine. Just as the Father and the Son are God, so is the Spirit: co eternal and co equal. He is not a force or a feeling but fully God— eternal, holy, and worthy of worship. He is more than a presence we feel; He is divine, a person, God and is at work in our lives transforming our hearts and conforming us to the image of Christ.Be stirred as you listen to this sermon.

Today, Pastor Nelson shared on the power of the Holy Ghost. In the Old Covenant, only a few had access to the Spirit prophets, kings, and judges, but now, every believer has been empowered. This fulfils Moses' desire in Numbers 11 and the prophecy in Joel 2:28 that God would pour out His Spirit on all people, without limits. The Holy Ghost equips us for service, brings utterance, and stirs boldness. We are called to earnestly desire spiritual things, because pursuit reveals passion. The gifts of the Spirit are not just signs,they are tools God uses to bless and reach others through us.Be stirred as you listen to this sermon.

We get to see the object of our affection again and this is the promise of the Christian life! We will see the one we love more than the solutions to our issue. We will see the one who is bigger than all our problems.The resurrection from the dead was a demonstration of power! We have something better in resurrection and we can only see it in revelation.It is through the Spirit that Jesus was raised. The Holy Spirit is the agent of resurrection. Because of the Holy Spirit, resurrection power is at work in our lives.Be stirred as you listen to this sermon.

The Spirit of God is at work in us both to will and to do, we have been empowered by the spirit!The way to put a death the appetite of the flesh is by the Spirit.We must understand that sin is not just wanting bad things, it can also be wanting good things badly. The more you gratify the flesh, the more you are a slave to sin. It is also in the same way, the more you gratify the Spirit and the things of God, the easier it is to live for God and do His will.Be stirred as you listen to this sermon.

0:00 Introduction 1:20 About the sefer & why he wrote it 11:03 Sources 12:00 Bitul Torah 15:40 Zerizus 18:06 Mikvah 21:20 Overspending 23:20 Beards & shaving 32:10 Success comes from learning a lot 33:28 R' Yehoshua Heller 35:30 Chinuch: when & how 38:05 Hitting children 44:20 Tefilah 45:30 Mitzvos b'simcha & doing more 46:40 Kavod of a talmid chacham 48:57 Ruach Hakodesh

In this prophetic message, "Follow the Cloud (Part 6)," Pastor Ronnie Harrison reminds us that when God's people enter the Holy Place with sanctified hearts, unified praise, and sacrificial worship, the Ruach HaKodesh fills the house again—bringing revival, fire, and glory that causes everything to bow and births a fresh move of His Spirit in the earth.

In this prophetic message, "Follow the Cloud (Part 6)," Pastor Ronnie Harrison reminds us that when God's people enter the Holy Place with sanctified hearts, unified praise, and sacrificial worship, the Ruach HaKodesh fills the house again—bringing revival, fire, and glory that causes everything to bow and births a fresh move of His Spirit in the earth.

The work of the spirit is to testify of Jesus. He is a spirit of truth, He continues and sheds more light on the things Jesus has taught!The mind of Christ is the faculty given to the man in Christ to know the things of God. We understand the things of God because we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16Ephesians 3:4. In the apostles being led into all truths, we can now be led into all truths by reading their letters. The Holy Spirit revealed each of them for us. It was not reviewed to us but for us!

To be marked by the Spirit means to be identified as God's own, sealed, branded, and set apart by His presence within you. It is not primarily about speaking in tongues or having emotional moments, but about receiving the promised Holy Spirit through faith in Christ.This Spirit is the guarantee of your salvation, the agent of sanctification, and the proof that you belong to God. Just like circumcision marked the people of God in the Old Covenant, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit marks believers in the New covenant.We pray that as you listen to this sermon, you grow in the knowledge of God.

Nancy Coen has spent the last 40+ years in radical union with the Divine; Yeshua (Jesus), Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit), and Yahweh (the Father). Once an atheist who believed Jesus was dead in the grave, her life changed forever when He appeared to her in blinding glory, revealing the truth. Since then, she has ministered in 140+ nations, engaging with over 70 denominations, indigenous tribes, and even the darkest spiritual strongholds. Her passion is to equip and empower God’s people for the Great Revealing unfolding across the earth. Connect with Nancy and Global Sons: https://sons.global/ email: info@sons.global https://www.youtube.com/@globalsons Follow along at JOYLAND's social and media outlets: https://joylandlife.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joylandlife/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5-vPe7h_wjctIQxnaUQSnQ?view_as=subscriber Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joyland-life/id1494637858 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6gCbEDE8pgrNhHlG0WM0fo?si=6fSKeO87SoGrx2BOUveHfQ&nd=1 Zoom: https://www.zoom.us/j/3377733377 Joyland App: https://tithely.app.link/joyland (You must follow this through your phone.) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joylandlife/ X: https://twitter.com/JoylandLife Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/joylandlife

Shavuot – Episode 4 In the previous episode we established the real possibility that the Hebrews arrived on the 3rd day of the 3rd month.   If this is the case then it seems as if יהוה Yahvay, the Lord, God, lead His people to His mountain to receive a new covenant at His mountain, Mt. Sinai, 50 days after Passover, after the first day of Unleavened Bread.  The Hebrews enter a new covenant relationship with the Lord.  This is an amazing event in that a new nation is born, a chosen people, and it's like a new beginning, a new start.  It reminds me of the Year of Jubilee - every 50 years it is the year of Jubilee. The Year of the Jubilee involved a year of release from indebtedness (Leviticus 25:23-38) and all types of bondage (vv. 39-55). All prisoners and captives were set free, all slaves were released, all debts were forgiven, and all property was returned to its original owners. (Like a new start) In addition, all labor was to cease for one year, and those bound by labor contracts were released from them. One of the benefits of the Jubilee was that both the land and the people were able to rest. (Accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Jubilee.html July 25,2022)  In this session we will see the awesome connection this has to the feast of Shavuot (Weeks) or Pentecost in Jesus' day.  Jesus rose from the dead on a Biblical feast, the feast of first fruits, the Sunday after Passover.  Then 50 days later the 120 disciples received the Holy Spirit and these 120 as the "light to the nations" spoke in tongues of the Salvation of the Lord, the "Yeshua" of יהוה Yahvay.  It was the New Covenant of the Lord at the mountain of the Lord, Jerusalem.   Peter became so inspired, he does a short sermon in Acts 2 and as a result 3000 were baptized on the 50th day, Shavuot or Pentecost.  Did he received the promised power to be the witness to the nations?  You better believe it.  So, the number 50 even takes on even more significance.  Now it seems to be related to the days of Messiah and the coming of the רוח הקודש Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit.   The Jubilee presents a beautiful picture of the New Testament themes of redemption and forgiveness. Christ is the Redeemer who came to set free those who are slaves and prisoners to sin (Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:1; 3:22). The debt of sin we owe to God was paid on the cross as Jesus died on our behalf (Colossians 2:13-14), and we are forgiven the debt forever. We are no longer in bondage, no longer slaves to sin, having been freed by Christ, and we can truly enter the rest God provides as we cease laboring to make ourselves acceptable to God by our own works (Hebrews 4:9-10). (Accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Jubilee.html July 25,2022)  God has clearly done something on purpose.  He has connected the New Covenant at His mountain, Mt. Sinai, to the New Covenant at His mountain, Jerusalem.  The giving of the Ten Commandments is intimately connected to Pentecost or Shavuot.   I taught this is a class.  Here's a link to the chapter from my class book.  If you need the bibliography email me and I will get it to you.  Link to the article from Light of Menorah on Shavuot - https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rs9dwl481eb9s1/Chapter%204%20-%20The%20Spring%20Feasts%20-%20the%20End%20of%20the%20Beginning.pdf?dl=0 Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  Ferret - someplace just north of Eilat, Israel in the Wilderness What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0    

Water in The Rock, or The Rock in the Water? This newletter is lengthy, so let it serve for two Shabbats. There will be no newsletter next week due to visiting Jacob's Tent services Up to the Mountain. In the last several newsletters, we've taken a close look at the many prophecies embodied in Yeshua's walk on the water of the Galilee in Matthew Fourteen. How different was Yeshua's perception of the walk than Peter and the other disciples'! For the one who was the water in the Rock…and the Rock…in the wilderness for the Israelites, it was no problem to also be the Rock in the water to his students. “He alone spreads out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea…” (Job 9:8) Sometimes it helps to put the Gospel of Matthew back into its original Hebrew text. While no one is certain of where that text might be (only fragments are known to survive), there is a version whose provenance can only be traced so far back in Jewish history, yet it is quite accurate considering it was used by a less-than-friendly readership. It is the Shem Tov's Evan Bohan version from the Fourteenth Century. The differences between the Hebrew and Greek texts are not drastic. To Yeshua, the stroll on the Galilee during the storm was perceived much differently than his students, who perceived it as dangerous, chaotic, and "contrary." In the Hebrew Matthew version, the word for contrary is neged, or opposing, opposite. Neged has a good side, too, for Adam's wife Chavah was his ezer kenegdo, or “helper opposite him,” which brings balance. When opposition is a helper, it is because in spite of the opposition, the overall purpose is to achieve unity walking in the Word. The opposite helper pulls the weight of the yoke beside the other, ensuring the burden does not get dragged in endless circles, but can go straight. For example, grace and truth are not opposed to one another. One cannot be practiced at the expense of the other. In Yeshua, they work together. Sarah wasn't such a good helper when she suggested Hagar as a solution to their problem, but she was a good helper when she advised Abraham to send away Ishmael, who had not internalized the righteousness of his father and threatened the inheritance of Isaac. The disciples did not see the waves of the storm as their ezer kenegdo, or helping opposition, but as a destructive force. They were just rowing in circles in the middle of the Galilee, taking on water. Galilee does indeed imply circles in Hebrew, like a roll or spool, and a wave is a gal, pronounced gahl (not to be confused with other gals). This is perhaps what it has in common with the “circle of the earth,” and why from Isaiah's prophecy, Galilee came to be called “Galilee of the Nations.” In Jewish tradition, Moses hid the Rock that followed them in the wilderness in the bottom of the Galilee before he died, which explains why Yeshua would have made his early home near the Galilee and begun his ministry there. The Rock was both the water in the Rock, the Rock, and the Rock in the water. It also explains how Yeshua's ministry prepared the way for the nations to hear the Gospel message from his disciples: “But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” (Is 9:1-2) As the region of the Galilee represented the Gentile nations in the time from Isaiah to Yeshua's ministry, so the disciples were dispersed to proclaim the Light of the Word Yeshua to the scattered of Israel as well as the Gentiles who dwelled among the raging waves of tormenting wickedness. Even as we are rescued, we are tested of the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit,

The Purpose and Power of the Ruach HaKodesh The Ruach HaKodesh moves with divine purpose—not merely for signs and wonders, but to transform believers from within. Throughout Scripture, from Joseph to Solomon, from David to the apostles, the Spirit equipped Yahweh's servants with wisdom, understanding, and power. While many seek spectacular manifestations, Yeshua teaches that the true mark of the Spirit is walking in Covenant Relationship, evidenced by a heart of obedience. As Ezekiel prophesied, Yahweh places His Ruach within us "that they may walk in my statutes." The Ruach brings conviction of sin, guides into all truth, and empowers believers as witnesses. At Shavuot (Pentecost), the outpouring resulted in repentance, healing, unity, and bold proclamation of Mashiach. The ultimate evidence of the Ruach's presence isn't merely spiritual gifts but transformed hearts bearing fruit—love, joy, peace, and faithfulness—as we walk according to Yahweh's ways. Check it out

nefesh hachaim

In this study we look at the final part of Chayei Sarah and the beginning of Toldot (the life of sarah and Generations). We see how the women of this era feature as arbiters of the covenant promises, and as vessels of the continuation of the promises made by GOD to ensure the lineage of Abraham to Messiah and how that also features for the physical descendants of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, as well as the spiritual descendants who are shaped through faith in Messiah Yeshua and the teaching of Tanakh led by the Ruach Hakodesh.

Torah observance means nothing if the Ruach HaKodesh hasn't transformed the heart. Listen to Rabbi David's Shabbat message based from Parasha Sh'mini at Congregation Mayim Chayim.

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky Shlita

We have been filled with the Ruach HaKodesh to build up G-d's dwelling, and we must not waste it. Listen to Rabbi David's Shabbat sermon based out of Parasha Ki Tisa at Congregation Mayim Chayim.

What You Did for the Greater Exodus When is the best time to plan for Sukkot? Immediately after Sukkot! There's not much chance of a smooth eight days next year if you're not already working on your calendar and negotiating the days off. One thing's for sure...if you bumble and stumble through a feast, the kids and grandkids are watching. What must they think? Their friends' parents put up the December holiday lights and decorations weeks ahead of time, but mom had no idea that there was a significant rip in the tent roof or grandpa tried to hold a sukkah together with zip-ties and fishing line as the sun set on the first day of Sukkot? I know. I'm not helping your anxiety level. It happens to most folks, though, until they learn to plan. Let's see if I can help. Would it help if you understood the prophetic value of the seemingly minor activities during Sukkot? Like waving and shaking the lulav for seven days? The lulav, or four species, is comprised of seven components. The palm branch is the lulav, but the entire bundle is also called the lulav [1?7]. To some, each of the species (minim) represent a type of believer, from extremely pious to minimally active spiritually. Even though there is a range of observance, they are all one bundle. The good traits of others can offset the lazier ones, who nevertheless might have some redeeming quality to contribute to the group. There are other traditions as well. The feasts are filled with symbolic objects, foods, and actions. In one tradition, the symbolism of the lulav is: •      One palm branch, representing the one Elohim. •      One citron, representing the one nation (Israel). •      Three myrtle branches, representing the three forefathers buried at Hebron •      Two willow branches, representing the two Tablets of the Word The palm branch, or lulav, must come from the crown of the dekel, or palm tree. It is the new growth that is still tightly compact, unopened, very straight like a spine that supports the body.  The citron is the etrog, the pleasant-smelling “heart” of the lulav because of its shape. The etrog is invalidated if the pitom is broken off or missing. The pitom is the prominent tip. We must serve Adonai carefully and with a whole heart. The myrtle is hadas, and its leaves look like eyes. If crushed or even brushed against, it releases a fragrant oil. We should always be on the lookout for opportunities to release the fragrance of Messiah Yeshua in our interactions with others. The Living Word leaves a tangible fragrance others appreciate. It is a sign of spiritual life, a prophecy of the resurrection. There must be three myrtle branches, a symbol of resurrection. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their wives are buried in Hebron because it was thought to the an entrance back to the Garden of Eden; thus, the resurrection number of three still speaks to us that we should walk in the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The aravot are the two willow branches. Willows are very flexible, but they send down deep roots and dwell in well-watered places and along rivers of living water. Their long branches make a stunning whooshing noise if waved back and forth, which they were in the Temple water-pouring ceremony. These branches remind us that the Word must be inspired of the Ruach HaKodesh to inspire others. The commandments are embraced both with the spirit and letter, or practical doing of them. The lulav is waved in seven directions. The Elyah Rabbah (Orach Chaim 651:1) writes: "All together, seven, corresponding to the seven heavens.” The bundled lulav is waved, or shaken, specifically in the direction of the four winds in a linear method as well as toward Heaven and earth, south-north-east-upward-downward-west. These directions are mentioned in Isaiah: ·     Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east,

Looking into the Shout of The Lord are you a Watchman?The Feast of Trumpets 2024Ezekiel 316 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,' and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for[b] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.20 “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”22 The hand of the Lord was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.” 23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown.24 Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people. 27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.' Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.In scripture, the blowing of trumpets was used to signal an important occurrence, a call to action andor worship, announcing the new moon and the festivals, the Moedeim, as well as many other key events. So if you hear a trumpet blast, you know it has a purpose, and it is our responsibility to know what that purpose is. How will we know? By reading His Word and maintaining a prayerful relationship with our Redeemer through the power of the Ruach HaKodesh. https://member.bulldozerfaith.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/BulldozerFaith-Monthly-Newsletter-SEPTEMBER-24.pdfhttp://member.bulldozerfaith.com/givepaypal.me/bulldozerfaith https://cash.app/$bulldozerfaith https://member.bulldozerfaith.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Bulldozerfaith-Monthly-Magazine-October-2023.pdfDaily Devotional and teaching with Kenny Russell - Get connected with our Podcast Channelshttps://feeds.captivate.fm/what-then-shall-we-sayEmail kenny@bulldozerfaith.comNews Magazine - https://member.bulldozerfaith.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BulldozerFaith-Monthly-Magazine-March-2024.pdf

The Filling Station When I was around four years old, my aunt borrowed my dad's work truck, probably to carry a load of tomatoes to market. If you've never had a freshly-picked southwest Arkansas-grown Bradley tomato, you don't know what you're missing.  My Aunt Frances took me along, and she pulled into a filling station to get gas. For those of you too young to know what a filling station is, it's a lot like a gas station, but there's someone there to pump the gas, often dressed in a uniform. He checked the tire pressure and cleaned the windshield while the gas pumped. Eventually, they called that “Full service.” Back then, it was the only kind of service.  The attendant asked my Aunt Frances what kind of gas she wanted. My aunt wasn't sure what Dad used, so she asked me, “Hollisa, what kind of gas does your daddy put in this truck?” Happy to have the right answer to a very adult question, I replied, “He gets Fillerupregular.”  Nowadays, I suppose it's even more important to select the right kind of fuel for different kinds of engines.  In the Kingdom of Heaven, often disputes arise about grace vs works because we are pouring the wrong kind of fuel. The fuel is wrong because the question is wrong. The question is wrong because of a misunderstanding of the fundamentals of salvation, grace, obedience, and holiness. Like my four-year-old understanding of gasoline, often we simply parrot what we've heard someone say, someone older or wiser than we. We memorize the answer before we understand the words.  There is a reason two cheruvim guard the entrance to the Garden. Death cannot dwell there. Sin falls under the legal purview of death. Rebellion and transgression sins transfer a person under the custody of death. To allow a sinner to enter the holier spaces of the Presence is to consign them to the custody of death. It's like trying to drop a quarter into the slot only big enough for a dime. The way to the most powerful dwelling of the Divine Presence grows narrower as we walk with Adonai.  Salvation begins the walk, but sanctification is a lifelong process of letting the Ruach HaKodesh shape us and strip away impairments that might delay our ability to stand and serve in holier places of the Presence. Adonai does not want us foolishly scampering into a holier place than that for which our obedience has prepared us. Just as there is glory to glory, life to life, growth to growth, so there are different kinds of “death.” Death is a matter of separation.  The Mishkan drew levels of holiness in the Camp of Israel. The pattern of the kohanim illustrates how a nation of priests should approach the holy spaces of ministry in holy garments so that they are not cut off... You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. You shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as priest to Me. These are the garments which they shall make:..(Ex 28:2-4) ... “They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they enter the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur guilt and die.” (v. 43) Even the Kohen HaGadol could die from his service! It doesn't mean he wasn't saved from the second death, but that he couldn't fit into that holy space in disobedience. Rashi comments to the passage above:  “When they enter the Tent of Meeting...and die.” See that you have learned from this verse that a Kohen who performs the service lacking any of the Kohen's garments in subject to death.” This is a death “at the hands of Heaven,” not execution by the courts.  It may or may not have an immediate visible effect to the natural eye. Rashi to Ex 28:41  “With them you shall dress Aaron your brother and his sons with him; you shall anoi...

One of the most elusive concepts in the Bible is the idea of the Holy Spirit. Though Judaism and Christianity share some common ground in recognizing Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit as an aspect of the Divine Presence, the nuances and theological underpinnings differ significantly.   For more, visit: https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/holy-spirit-vs-ruach-hakodesh-revealing-the-essence-of-divine-presence/  

A Tried Bride In Creation Gospel Workbook Five Volume Four (Bamidbar), students are challenged with the following exercise: Draw a circle on a sheet of paper, but don't close it. Inside write all the gifts, abilities, and characteristics that you KNOW are completely you. Don't write what you'd like to be or do, but what you already know describes you. Let the circle sit for a few days or even weeks. Add or remove as necessary. It is okay to consult close friends or family who know you well. When you're satisfied that what's inside that circle describes what can be definitively known about you, close the circle. This simple exercise helps us to explain the problem in the Torah portion Korach this week: Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD; but as for Aaron, who is he that you grumble against him? (Nu 16:11) The leading administrators from the tribes of Reuven and Levi became jealous and bitter against Moses and Aaron. They are influencers of their generation. Moses reminds them that they were each given important leadership roles and service in the Body of the their future Messiah, but for some reason they became angry with Adonai; however, Moses and Aaron were the physical scapegoats for their jealousy. Moses wants to know why they were picking on Aaron. Who was he but an assigned agent of the Holy One? Authority comes from Heaven, not personal ambition or the ability to influence people. Aaron was a man walking in obedience to his gifts and calling; he was walking in the Way. When a disciple walks in The Way of obedience to Adonai, then he walks in a power of the Ruach HaKodesh that threatens the satan. Aaron was walking in the power of THE NAME. He was operating to the best of his ability in the gifts and abilities he'd been given to intercede for Israel. We saw his Divine gift early in the story when he met Moses and willingly interceded as a speaker for Moses when Moses was still struggling to walk in his own gift of administration...which he'd learned early in the house of Pharaoh, then abandoned for a time while he learned shepherding in the wilderness. The simple circle warmup exercise above was taken from a rabbi who was teaching on confusion and doubt. It is better to inventory one's strengths and weaknesses early in a journey than to leave the path littered with ill-fitting armor and unrealistic dreams. In this context, the exercise points out where Korach and his assembly, and we as well, covet and enter spaces and places not apportioned by HaShem. Once the circle is closed, spend all your effort developing what's inside it, never what is outside it. This is your portion. If something else will be added later, it will grow from what is inside the circle, not what is outside. The warmup exercise of drawing the circle is a way of helping disciples avoid doubt and confusion as to their roles in the Body of Messiah, families, work, etc. Every disciple must build the “name” or reputation and deeds uniquely apportioned to him in this world. The writer of Proverbs acknowledges that a Godly balance is desired in the portion: Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion… (Pr 30:8) The Father knows how to apportion His gifts to His children. He supplies food and water inside the circle, like the Garden of Eden. The difficulty for most of us is that we don't want to close the circle. We want to keep our options open so we can be or have more or be responsible for less. This brings us back to Shavuot and the story of Boaz and Ruth. Once Boaz realizes who Ruth is, he doesn't react exactly as we'd expect him to. Yes, he invites her to his table, makes sure she gleans more with less effort, and she's protected in his field. What he doesn't do is lavish gifts or an all-expenses paid new home and car. Or donkey. He doesn't woo her with expensive gifts.

Yaakov's Prediction of Shimshon Shimshon and Moshiach Moshe's prophecy of Shimshon Birth of Shimshon Meaning Behind the Name: Shimshon Shimshon's Ruach Hashem What is Ruach HaKodesh? Shimshon Sees his Wife from Timnah And Shimshon went down… Shimshon's Motive Did the Woman from Timnah convert before? Parents Objections to Shimshon's Marriage The Fight with the Lion and Meeting His Wife Returning to the Lion's Carcass --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/torah-heroes/support

La Festividad de Pentecostés o de Semanas (Shavuot) [Actualizada]Esta es la cuarta de las Festividades del SEÑOR, la última de la primavera, conmemoramos cuando Moisés recibió la ley del SEÑOR para guiar a Su pueblo en la forma de vivir en el camino de Dios, ya que, por más de 400 años, el pueblo de Israel había sido esclavo en una cultura politeísta. También celebramos que este festival tuvo su cumplimiento con la Venida del Espíritu Santo (Hechos 2), quien nos enseña a caminar en la senda del SEÑOR, y bautiza a los creyentes con fuego, y los une al Cuerpo de Jesucristo. Este es el último de los festivales que ha tenido y sigue teniendo cumplimiento.Puede encontrar el artículo de esta emisión en el siguiente link:https://lasagradapalabra.org/el-dia-de-pentecostes-la-festividad-de-la-cosecha-o-de-semanas-shavuotQue Dios los bendiga.

Rabbi Peggy Michalchuk

Join us in Jerusalem for Ohr Samayach's Inaugural Yarchei Kallah event from July 1st to 4th, 2024! Featuring HaRav Yitzchak Breitowitz shlit"a & HaRav Asher Weiss shlit"a  Click here for more information.   Dont miss this one of a kind experience!   Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at  https://ohr.edu/donate/qa   Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu   Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today!   Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a   Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7   Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos   You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu  PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS  

NUMBERS Lesson 13 – Chapter 11 Continued Last time, in Numbers 11, we ended with a very curious circumstance that is easy to just read over, and miss. It concerns the matter that God is going to anoint 70 elders of Israel with the SAME spirit….the same Ruach HaKodesh…….. that is upon Moses. The reason […] The post Lesson 13 – Numbers 11 Cont. appeared first on Torah Class.

THE BOOK OF ACTS Lesson 5, Chapter 2 continued Before we pick back up with Acts chapter 2 (which we still won’t complete today) and the dawn of a new age brought about by the arrival of “what the Father promised” (the Ruach HaKodesh ), let’s summarize what we discussed last time. The first words […] The post Lesson 5 – Acts Chapter 2 appeared first on Torah Class.

THAT'S SO LAME With the eclipse so recent, literally putting a point on the new year of the feast cycle at the New Moon (Rosh Chodesh), it seemed proper to emphasize this year's pilgrimage through the feast. This is true specially in the United States where the eclipse bisected an already very divided nation. The eclipse gave us a glimpse of a wedding ring, which for believers in Yeshua, is the covenant, particularly Shabbat, the sign of our betrothal. We protect its holiness while we await the Bridegroom's return. During each eclipse, we have a dramatic reminder. For Americans, at the very least, I take this as a warning. Repent. Be set-apart. No more lukewarmness toward the feasts and Shabbat. Pray. Pray for the world, but especially Israel and our nation. The new moons are a zikaron, or remembrance. It is an appointed time for Adonai to "remember" us, which means to purpose an action pertaining to us. Attend Shabbat and each feast with like kind and like mind. Gather however you can. Each year at Pesach, you may have have started the journey through your last "sealing" on earth as we know it. It is your protection to the tribulation that accompanies those final days. Even as I write this, the ancient beasts of Babylon and Medo-Persia are crouching at the door. In apostolic times, the Biblical feasts were seen as a seal of protection to those who celebrated them. Seven feasts, seven seals. Sound familiar? You can find the details in Creation Gospel Workbook Six. We are living in a miracle so great that almost everyone is missing it...even those who are the miracle! What is even greater than the Exodus? The Greater Exodus! Israel being gathered from all the nations to return to her covenant, the Living Torah, and her Promised Land of covenant. Isn't that greater than the Reed Sea parting? After all, it's been almost 2000 years since a large group of people dared to proclaim Yeshua the Messiah and walk in obedience to his Torah simultaneously. As with the wilderness journey, the arguments and chaos frequently obliterate the miracle-consciousness. First, however, before the journey home, the "moral" return begins in the lands of exile. Before we walk and leap on the way to celebrate the foot festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot, we need healing. Thousands upon thousands are being healed of enmity against the Word and their Jewish brothers and sisters walking in the covenant. In ancient times, Jeroboam put up barriers on the highways of Israel to prevent the tribes of the Northern Kingdom from journeying to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts. By separating brothers, which is the seventh and most wicked of abominations, the northern tribes quickly lost their identity among the nations. To undo this separation has to be a work of the Ruach HaKodesh. To reiterate how the Ruach works to knit together like kind, rather than scatter and separate, I'm including Chapter Two of Standing With Israel: a House of Prayer for All Nations. It describes how prayer brought Jew and non-Jew together at the time of the afternoon prayer and Temple sacrifice. This prayer is named after the sacrifice, the Minchah. It is also called Shemoneh Esrei, or Eighteen, after its eighteen individual prayers. STANDING WITH ISRAEL: A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS CHAPTER TWO JEW AND GENTILE: PETER AND CORNELIUS The Shemoneh Esrei, whatever its form evolving in the Second Temple era, is a common prayer for both Jews and “God fearers” in Acts of the Apostles. Peter and John observe the hour of prayer: “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.” In Acts, Peter and John are still accustomed to praying in the Temple at the appointed hour, and they encounter a lame man, likely a Jew, at the hour of Minchah prayer, the ninth hour. This is three o'clock.

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky Shlita

One Size Fits All "Tzav" "One Size Fits All!" We've probably all been duped by that assurance! Sure it fits, as long as you don't mind sleeves so long you could make it into a straitjacket! One size definitely doesn't fit all. Do we trust the ad enough to order it online? Do we hire a personal shopper who knows our taste, our height, our weight, body shape, even arm length? How about prayer? Does one size fit all? That's a common question even though it is not usually worded that way. Frequently I hear objections to Jewish prayer as vain repetition. It's an uninformed way of looking at it, but we often simply repeat what someone who we respected told us. As we allow the Ruach HaKodesh to turn our spiritual life upside down repeatedly, that may be one area that turns. To help coach new-to-Torah believers in the basics of Jewish prayer, I've written books such as Standing With Israel: A House of Prayer for All Nations, Messianic Shabbat Service, and Creation Gospel Workbook Six: Hebrew Prayer and Worship Traditions. Rather than cover that ground again, I thought I would reiterate one of the principles of Hebrew prayer. Although the basic daily, feast, and Shabbat prayers are fixed and do not change, they do not need to. The Temple service was the same. Fixed. As the daily prayers took the place of the Temple services after its destruction, they too, were fixed. There is room in the Amidah prayers for spontaneous, personal conversation with Adonai. The point of Hebrew prayer is that the person is transformed with each prayer. When I pray the Amidah in the evening, I am not the same person who prayed it that morning. The conversation with Adonai changed me. As immersion into Messiah Yeshua makes me a new person, so does the fire of the Ruach burn me on the altar each day. This is why it is so difficult to advise someone on which siddur (prayer book) to purchase. It's kind of like picking out someone else's clothes, especially if you don't know them personally. I'd need to know several things: 1. Do you want Hebrew text, English, or both? 2. Do you want an English transliteration? 3. Do you need a daily siddur, Shabbat siddur, or a combination of both? 4. Do you want a Messianic siddur? 5. Large print, or are you good with a font the size of a gnat's tattoo in the pocket size? You get the gist. This week's Ulpan-Or newsletter on the Torah portion is an excellent illustration of the personal relationship with prayer. The ashes from altar that burn down from the previous day are symbolically placed beside it. Today's sacrifice will be a new one. Today's prayers will be new because we are new, re-born of fire and water. With their permission to reproduce, I've included Ulpan-Or's lesson below: TORAH PORTION "Tzav" This Shabbat we will read Torah Portion "Tzav". In our Torah Portion Tzav, G?d instructs Moses to command Aaron and his sons regarding their duties who offer the offerings on the altar in the Sanctuary. The fire on the altar had to be kept burning at all times. It is interesting to notice that each and every morning, the first order of the day in the Holy Temple was for the priest to remove a small portion of the ashes from the altar and place it on the floor just next to the altar. Why particularly the priest had to start each day with removing ashes from the previous day? What was the purpose of this ritual? The purpose of this ritual was not merely to tidy up the ashes left over from the fire that had burned all night. The priest only had to remove a very small symbolic amount of ash. And, in fact, after the first priest would remove a small portion of the ashes, the other priests would place the remainder of the ashes in a large heap in the center of the altar. Why is it so important that it's the first ritual performed in the Temple,

This week we continue with "Living a Double Life" To review: The challenge is that many of the commandments are given as nos, or the “you shall nots.” At least half of life is managing the nos, the boundaries, and the good fences that preserve our lives.  If life is at least half no, then fostering a great relationship with the no commandments is the key. We can discipline ourselves to engage the nos with as much enthusiasm as the yeses, which really, is what makes a disciple. Just like Yeshua told Peter, we are transformed from a person who always wants to be in charge to one who is willing to be led of the Ruach HaKodesh in every circumstance, even down to the time and way we die. Some disciples discipline the nos faster, and some not so fast. It is important, though, for if we cannot engage the simple commandments of yes and no, then how will we hear the more subtle still, small, voice of the Ruach HaKodesh is our daily dilemmas that don't come with a chapter and verse attached to them? This week, let's look at another “commandment principle” of life: the possibility of living a double life. It starts with the first commandment given at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20:1-5: Then God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them…' The commandment is not to put another created entity as an “elohim” in front of Elohim, the only Creator. The idea is that there is nothing else created that could possibly be Elohim. By definition, Elohim is the Creator of all things, and a created elohim (judge, appointed ruler) is not. It is merely another created thing originating from Elohim. All other things go behind Him. He is the first, and there is no second to compare to Him. Sometimes a glance at a more literal Hebrew helps. “You shall have no other gods before Me” is: ??? ???????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? or You will not be to yourself another god on My face. When a human being fabricates an image from wood, stone, or other substance, or attributes the Ruach Elohim to an existing created substance such as a tree, water, cloud, etc., then the human has put a “face” on Elohim. The urge is so strong that this is the first commandment, a “yes” paired with a “no.” Yes, He is Elohim, and no, do not tamper with Him by fabricating an image to put a face on Him, for it will be inaccurate and a product of human imagination. A philosopher once said that "imagination is man's most God-like characteristic." We can also say that based on the primacy of the first commandment, imagination is man's most god-like characteristic, his primary place of vulnerability to idols. The moment we put a face on Elohim, we become susceptible to idolatry, looking to that object for intervention on our behalf: success, health, sustenance, good, peace, prosperity, comfort, joy, etc. For instance, rather than partner with Elohim for our life-path of prosperity, prerequisite to putting His Kingdom first, we forge our own ideas about how much wealth we need and when we need it without regard for our spiritual discipline and agreement to put Elohim first in all things. In ancient times, people sought out gods of prosperity, fertility, strength, war, and so on. Rather than partner with Elohim, “who teaches my hands to war,” (Ps 18:34) they consulted principalities and powers and made war. Because the worship of these entities requires the imagination, effort, time, and faith of the human being, the powers of the entity reflect the human who turns to it, not the true created ability assigned to that power by Elohim for it to manage its particular realm,

Living a Double Life Last week in the Shabbat livestream, we looked at the human relationship to two types of commandments, the “Yes,” or you shall commandments, and the “No,” or you shall not commandments. In general, human beings like to hear yeses instead of nos. The challenge is that many of the commandments are given as nos, or the “you shall nots.” At least half of life is managing the nos, the boundaries, and the good fences that preserve our lives. If life is at least half no, then fostering a great relationship with the no commandments is the key. We can discipline ourselves to engage the nos with as much enthusiasm as the yeses, which really, is what makes a disciple. Just like Yeshua told Peter, we are transformed from a person who always wants to be in charge to one who is willing to be led of the Ruach HaKodesh in every circumstance, even down to the time and way we die. Some disciples discipline the nos faster, and some not so fast. It is important, though, for if we cannot engage the simple commandments of yes and no, then how will we hear the more subtle still, small, voice of the Ruach HaKodesh is our daily dilemmas that don't come with a chapter and verse attached to them? This week, let's look at another “commandment principle” of life: the possibility of living a double life. It starts with the first commandment given at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20:1-5: Then God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them…' The commandment is not to put another created entity as an “elohim” in front of Elohim, the only Creator. The idea is that there is nothing else created that could possibly be Elohim. By definition, Elohim is the Creator of all things, and a created elohim (judge, appointed ruler) is not. It is merely another created thing originating from Elohim. All other things go behind Him. He is the first, and there is no second to compare to Him. Sometimes a glance at a more literal Hebrew helps. “You shall have no other gods before Me” is: ??? ???????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? or You will not be to yourself another god on My face. When a human being fabricates an image from wood, stone, or other substance, or attributes the Ruach Elohim to an existing created substance such as a tree, water, cloud, etc., then the human has put a “face” on Elohim. The urge is so strong that this is the first commandment, a “yes” paired with a “no.” Yes, He is Elohim, and no, do not tamper with Him by fabricating an image to put a face on Him, for it will be inaccurate and a product of human imagination. A philosopher once said that "imagination is man's most God-like characteristic." We can also say that based on the primacy of the first commandment, imagination is man's most god-like characteristic, his primary place of vulnerability to idols. The moment we put a face on Elohim, we become susceptible to idolatry, looking to that object for intervention on our behalf: success, health, sustenance, good, peace, prosperity, comfort, joy, etc. For instance, rather than partner with Elohim for our life-path of prosperity, prerequisite to putting His Kingdom first, we forge our own ideas about how much wealth we need and when we need it without regard for our spiritual discipline and agreement to put Elohim first in all things. In ancient times, people sought out gods of prosperity, fertility, strength, war, and so on. Rather than partner with Elohim, “who teaches my hands to war,” (Ps 18:34) they consulted principalities and powers and made war. Because the worship of these entities requires the imagination, effort, time,

When we looked at key “prepping” points for the Greater Exodus as children of Sarah, Jerusalem above and temples of the Ruach HaKodesh. We saw the need to: guard against wickedness entering her house, a temple of the Ruach HaKodesh pray for her generation (until the Holy One Himself seals our lips) obey the Covenant, especially assembling on Shabbat and at the feasts, conspicuously holding daily "services" the lost may easily find because they are landmarks This week, we'll identify the traits of the warriors of a thousand generations gathering to Jerusalem. Here is our working text: ?Your neck is like the tower of David, Built with rows of stones On which are hung a thousand shields, All the round shields of the mighty men. (So 4:4) To understand a thousand shields and generations, we look at the First Mention of a thousand: To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is your vindication before all who are with you, and before all men you are cleared.” (Ge 20:16) When Avimelekh “redeems” Sarah's reputation to a thousand generations, the earlier part of the story gives context. In ancient times, rape was viewed as less permissible than killing the husband and then taking the wife. For this reason, Avraham twice uses the deception "Say you are my sister" to protect himself. In a sense, the serpent “killed” Adam and then had access to Eve, perhaps the source of some strange doctrines pertaining to the serpent and Eve. It is a spiritual metaphor, not a physical relationship. In Sarah, the 1,000 generations were in jeopardy, yet her reputation, which was held captive, was redeemed with 1,000 pieces of silver. In Messiah Yeshua, the serpent killed the Bridegroom, yet he resurrected, zealous with love stronger than the grave. Once confronted with the plague on his house because he held Sarah unlawfully, Avimelekh seeks to rectify the wrong and clear Sarah's name to lift the plague. “And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you encountered [ra-ah-”seen”], that you have done this thing?” Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God [Yirat Elohim] in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. Besides, she actually is my sister...” (Ge 20:10-12) Avraham worried that there was no Yirat Elohim, or fear/reverence of Elohim. This is the seventh spirit of Adonai listed in Isaiah, which Creation Gospel students know quite well! It is the Shabbat spirit. Why does Avraham say "Elohim" instead of "YHVH"? Perhaps it is because he does not think Avimelekh knows the Creator as YHVH, as Pharaoh did not, but probably he was familiar with variations of "El" or "Elohim" as Creator. The important point is that Avraham did not identify any reverence (also translated as fear) of Elohim in Avimelekh's city-state. Where there is no reverence of Adonai, there is little respect for rule of moral law. It is no accident that Yirat Adonai is connected to Shabbat and the Temple: “You are awesome [norah, from yareh, ?????? ?????], O God, from Your Sanctuaries.” (Ps 68:35/36) “From where does the awe of God issue forth if not from the Holy Temple? Thus does it state, ‘My Sabbaths shall you observe, and My Sanctuary shall you fear [tira-u ?????????] (Le 26:2).'” (Shir 4§7) “This verse indicates that the Sanctuary is sanctified in its destruction just as it was sanctified when it still stood.” (ibid) Fear of Elohim is what Avraham pointed out was lacking among Avimelekh's people, who would murder him for access to his wife as the serpent “murdered” Adam to corrupt his children with sin. Just as Adam and Eve (bride and bridegroom) lost their dwelling place in the Garden, so the serpent seeks to prevent the Bride and Bridegroom from entering in sanctity of Torah covenant. Sarah, representing her descendants Israel, maintained her sanctity in the Fear of Elohim, which preserved 1,000 generations. Prophetically,

Episode #108: The Poor Ignorant Tailor That Had Ruach Hakodesh

Chag Shavuot Sameach! After 50 days of counting the Omer, Shavuot has arrived! Join Rabbi Kevin Solomon of Congregation Beth Hallel as he commemorates this scriptural holiday by elaborating on the purpose of the Ruach HaKodesh. May the Ruach be a blessing to you on this special day!John 14.15-18; John 14.25-26; John 16.13; Leviticus 23.21; Leviticus 23.15-17; Exodus 19.16-19; Exodus 24.17; Acts 2.1-8Prayer Requests or send an email to info@bethhallel.orgCBH WebsiteDonateYouTube Channel

The megilla (5:1) tells us that Esther wore malchus when she entered the king's chamber. Rashi says that while plain pshat is that she wore bigdei malchus, the drasha is that she wore ruach hakodesh. This episode explores the meaning of this statement.