EMOR (Say)
Leviticus 21:1–24:23; Ezekiel 44:15–31; James 1:1–18

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say [emor] to the priests, the sons of Aaron…’”  (Leviticus 21:1) 

In this week’s Torah reading, Emor, which means Say, God gives Moses instructions regarding rules of purity for the priests (כֹּהֲנִים, Kohanim), who are held to a stricter standard than the general population.

For instance, the priests are not to make themselves ceremonially unclean through contact with a person who had died, unless that person was a very close relative such as a father, mother, son, or daughter.

The priests also have to carefully adhere to stringent laws of holiness; for example, a priest cannot marry a prostitute or a divorced woman.  The Kohen Gadol (High Priest), who had been anointed with the holy anointing oil, is compelled to even higher standards: he must marry only an Israelite virgin.

“The woman he marries must be a virgin.  He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people, so that he will not defile his offspring among his people.  I am the LORD, who makes him holy.”  (Leviticus 21:13–15)

The high priest could not even show traditional signs of mourning, such as allowing his hair to become unkempt (uncovering his head) or tearing his garments, not even for his mother or father.

The Brit Chadashah (New Testament) reveals that, like priests, some of us will be judged by a stricter standard than others; for example, teachers of the Word of God.

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow Believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”  (James 3:1)

Why?  Teachers are leaders, and with that calling comes greater responsibility.  Teachers can have a wider circle of influence — for good or for evil — than the general population, since they teach others not only by their words but by example.  Students often look up to their teachers; therefore, those who teach God’s Word are to live an exemplary life — a sobering challenge.

Some servants of the Lord may be called to live by a stricter standard.  For example, the apostle Paul said that although all things are permissible, but not all are helpful:

“All things are legitimate [permissible — and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome).  All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].”  (1 Corinthians 10:23)

The truth is that as Believers in Yeshua, we are His ambassadors, royal family and priests — we represent Him; therefore, each of us are held to a high standard of morality when interacting with the world and each other.

Adonai is not the only one holding us to this high standard: the world especially holds us to a higher standard.

Biblically, we are called to sanctify God’s holy name:

“Do not profane My holy name, for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites.  I am the LORD, who made you holy.”  (Leviticus 22:32)

In Judaism, this is considered the most important mitzvah (commandment) of the 613 mitzvot (plural of mitzvah) in the entire Torah.  Our behavior must exemplify our relationship with God.

In this way, we can be lights shining in the darkness.

“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”  (Matthew 5:15)

While we are all His representatives, each of us has a unique role in Adonai’s plan.  When we strive for greatness in whatever purpose God has given us in that Divine plan, and work on developing all of our God-given gifts and qualities, then we can bring honor to Him and light to the world.

God’s Plan Revealed in His Appointed Meeting Times

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them:  “These are My appointed festivals [moadim], the appointed festivals [meeting times or feasts] of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.”’”  (Leviticus 23:1–2)

In addition to instructing the Kohanim (priests) on how to meet with and serve Him, God gave the Israelites instructions about observing the moadim (special meeting times and festivals).  These include the following:

• Shabbat (Sabbath) on the seventh day;
• Pesach (Passover) for seven days beginning at sundown on the 14th day of the first month of Nissan;
• Bikkurim (Firstfruits) on Nisan 16;
• Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) 50 days after Pesach ends;
• Rosh Hashanah (New Year) on the first day of the seventh month (Tishrei);
• Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) on the 10th day of the seventh month; and
• Sukkot (Tabernacles) for eight days beginning on the 15th day of the seventh month.

God introduces these appointed meeting times with the Shabbat—a holy day reminding us that God is the Creator of heaven and earth.  It testifies to the fact that God is still actively involved with His creation and sustaining it.  That is the starting point for faith.

Since the Israelites are commanded to keep the Shabbat “in all your dwelling places (Leviticus 23:31),” the Shabbat forges a link between the Creator and every Jewish household.

The other appointed times listed above are sometimes referred to as the Feasts or Festivals of Israel but, in actuality, God says they are the appointed times of the Lord — His moadim.

These moadim were not merely meant to be remembrances of times past; each one gave the Israelites clues to God’s future plan of redemption for them and the world.  That is, each of the moadim or appointed feasts points to the Messiah in profoundly spiritual ways.

As Believers, we are privileged to see how Yeshua has either already fulfilled these feasts in His first appearance on earth or will fulfill them at His Second Coming.

Yeshua fulfilled the festivals of Pesach (the Passover sacrifice of a lamb on Nisan 14) with His final sacrificial/atoning death on Nisan 14 as the unblemished Lamb of God.  (Isaiah 53; John 1:36; Hebrews 9:11–14, 22–24)

Yeshua then became our Bikkurim (Firstfruits) of the barley harvest held on Nisan 16 when He resurrected on Nisan 16 as the first of all who will rise from the dead on the Last Day.  (Psalm 16:8–11; Acts 2:24–28; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23)

Shavuot (Pentecost), on Sivan 6, is a celebration of the giving of the Torah.  On this same day (Sivan 6), Yeshua poured out His Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) onto His Believers.  The Ruach wrote the Torah on their hearts, empowering the Believers to live holy lives.   (Joel 2:28; Jeremiah 31:31–33; Acts 2)

The Fall festivals of Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets or New Year) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) will be fulfilled when the shofar blows and Yeshua returns to establish His reign on earth.  It will happen this way:

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet [shofar]; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”  (1 Corinthians 15:52)

The post Emor: Sanctifying His Name With Holy Lives appeared first on Messianic Bible.

“I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land.”  (Ezekiel 37:14)

Throughout Scripture, God told His prophets that He will regather, restore, and establish the Jewish people to their promised homeland in Israel.

Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zechariah, and Ezekiel all prophesied that the Jews would be regathered to Israel far in the future—even after the Romans exiled most of them to the four corners of the earth almost 2,000 years ago.

In particular, many believe Ezekiel’s prophecy in chapter 37 of his book is unfolding before our eyes.

In fact, the state of Israel is celebrating its 76th anniversary next week (according to the Gregorian calendar) since it became a modern state on May 14, 1948.

A Nation in Need of Restoration

It is often taught that Ezekiel was 25 years old when he was exiled during the second deportation of Jews to Babylon in 597 BC.  Five years later God called him to be His prophet.

That exile ended in 538 BC when King Cyrus allowed about 50,000 Jews to return to Israel, where they began to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple.

But Israel did not regain national independence until the story of Hanukkah happened in 140 BC when the Maccabees defeated the Seleucid (Greek) rulers and established the Hasmonean (Jewish) Dynasty.

However, this short-lived kingdom ended in 37 BC when Herod became king of Judah, and the Romans gained authority over the Jewish people.

During the time of Yeshua (Jesus), the Jewish people survived as second-class citizens in the Holy Land, enduring much hardship.

More tragically, after the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, most of the Jews were dispersed to the four corners of the earth.  Only a small percentage remained in the Holy Land over the centuries.

“Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished.  We are completely cut off.”  (Ezekiel 37:11)

That certainly describes what so many Jewish people have been feeling for centuries, after enduring social, economic, and political restrictions, deportations, ghettos, persecutions, pogroms, and eventually the mass extermination of more than one-half of all living Jews (6 million) during the Holocaust.

And that is the utter despair that God shows Ezekiel.

First, God takes Ezekiel by the Spirit to a valley where His glory once resided, just as God’s glory once resided in Jerusalem.  (Ezekiel 3:27)

Later, in chapter 37, God takes the prophet again to a valley.  However, this time, he sees piles of dried up bones, which God identifies as the House of Israel.

“Son of man, can these bones live?”  asks God.  “O Lord GOD, You know,” answers Ezekiel.  (Ezekiel 37:3)

Many anti-Semitic people as well as Islamic governments have decided that Israel should not live.  Iran, for instance, constantly states that they will wipe Israel off the map.

But God knows that they will live!

God declares that although He will punish Israel for their sins, He will never destroy them completely (Jeremiah 30:11).  Instead, He alone will be the one to restore Israel:

“I will build you and you will be rebuilt.”  (Jeremiah 31:4)

“I am bringing them from the north country, And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth.”  (Jeremiah 31:8)

“I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they will not stumble;  For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.”  (Jeremiah 31:9)

So, God tells Ezekiel:

“Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.  Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, …  ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.’”  (Ezekiel 37:4–5)

Ezekiel prophesies and behold!  Bones attach to bones.  Sinews grow on them, then flesh, then skin.  But there’s no breath in them.  (Ezekiel 37:8)

Like Adam, when God physically formed him from the earth, he was without the breath of God and not yet alive.  So, too with these dry bones.

So, Ezekiel prophesies,  “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life,’ …  and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.’”  (Ezekiel 37:9–10)

Many people believe that this refers to the Jewish people coming out of the ashes of the Holocaust, starting in 1944 and returning to the Land of Israel en masse, which fast-forwarded the rebirthing of the Jewish Homeland after 2,000 years of exile.

By 1947, nearly 630,000 Jews lived in the Holy Land.  In 1990, 3 million Jews lived in Israel. Now in 2024, more than 7.2 million Jews live in Israel!

But this is only a partial fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy.  There are still 8 million Jewish people dispersed throughout the world.  Moreover, the prophet also saw a spiritual rebirth!

God’s Spirit Arises

God is so good and merciful to His people that Ezekiel prophesies an end-time spiritual awakening for them!

“I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them.  And they will be My people, and I will be their God.”  (Ezekiel 37:23)

And again, He says:

“‘I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land.  Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,’ declares the LORD.”  (Ezekiel 37:14)

God also speaks through Zechariah to tell us that after the Jewish people are back in the Land of Israel …

“I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication.  They will look to Me, about one they have pierced, and mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieves bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”  (Zechariah 12:10–13:1)

Yet, not all the Jewish people in Israel will survive the last days. God will bring one-third of them through the Refiner’s Fire as they come to know their Messiah of Israel, God in the flesh.

“. . .  I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.  They will call on My name, and I will answer them.  I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”  (Zechariah 13:7–9)

Today, there are about 20,000 Jewish Believers in Israel, which means that more than 99% of the Jewish people in Israel do not know their Messiah Yeshua.

The good news is that the spiritual awakening has begun!

Sadly, anti-Semitism is rising around the world.  Will global hatred help to push the remaining 8 million Jews still dispersed throughout the nations to return home?

We do know that one day God will bring them all home.  And we know He will continue bringing spiritual awakening to His Chosen People because He promised it through His prophets.

Our ministry plays a role in helping to bring spiritual revival to the Jewish people and Israel in these end times, so ask God how He would have you be involved.

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KEDOSHIM (Holy Ones)

Leviticus 19:1–20:27; Ezekiel 20:2–20 (Sephardic); Amos 9:7–15 (Ashkenazi); Hebrews 12:1–12:17

In the opening verse of this week’s Torah Portion, God tells Moses:

“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them:  ‘Be holy [kedoshim] because I, the LORD your God, am holy [kadosh].’”  (Leviticus 19:1–2)

Kedoshim (Holy Ones) begins with God’s command that Israel be holy because God is holy.

Holiness is something that each person is capable of, since a holy God would not demand from us something we are incapable of doing; nor would He judge us when we fail.

Many deny our capacity for holiness and most do not know what it means to be holy.

Since the Hebrew word Kadosh and the related word Kedoshim (which refers to more than one person) mean holy, sanctified, or set apart, we understand from the opening verses that a person set aside for the service of God is holy because God is holy.

The Hebrew worship song Hineh Chayai (Here Is My Life) highlights the deep longing that God places in the hearts of sincere Believers to be holy and pleasing to Him:

Here is my life; I give it to You (Hineh Chayai, ani noten l’cha)

My heart, my soul (Libi, nafshi)
May Your will be done in me (Aseh bi et r’tzoncha)

Make me holy (Aseh oti kadosh)
Holy before Your eyes (Kadosh lifnei eneicha)

But what does true holiness really look like?  Most people have their own preconceived notions of holiness based on preferences, upbringing, and even systems of philosophy and ethics, etc.

But this song’s line “Make me holy before Your eyes” spotlights the truth that it is God who makes us holy.

Furthermore, it is His standard of holiness that counts.

Although Paul cautions Believers to “be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone” (Romans 12:17), we must remember that not everyone has a handle on what is holy, since it stems from a relationship with God and a knowledge of His Word.

God has made us kadosh (holy or set apart) for His special purposes.  Sometimes those special purposes might not be evident to others.

For instance, we can imagine that Esther may have experienced some criticism as she prepared to come before the Persian king.  In the eyes of some Jews, she might have looked far from holy — consenting to marry an uncircumcised pagan king?!  Unthinkable for a nice Jewish girl!  

And, yet, God placed her in a royal position to save the Jewish People from destruction; and within those circumstances, she did her best to live up to that purpose.

Likewise, Jews who believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah are certainly not considered “holy” by our Orthodox Jewish brethren, but rather traitors to our people and our God.

Ultimately, even though we are commanded to avoid the appearance of evil, what’s important is not how people see us, but how God sees us.  We are each individuals and God treats us as such.  So let us allow God to make us holy — before His eyes.

Still, that doesn’t mean we are to do our own thing and define for ourselves what holiness looks like.  Today’s Parasha reveals how we can sanctify ourselves according to God’s holiness.

So the question remains: “How can we be holy?”

The key to this question is in these words: “And you shall walk in His ways.”  (Deuteronomy 28:9)

We are to emulate the actions and character of God.  Just as He is merciful, we are to be merciful; as He is patient, kind, and forgiving, so are we to be.

Yeshua (Jesus) emphasized that this was a guiding principle in His own life:

“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”  (John 5:19)

It naturally follows, then, that Yeshua instructed us to also imitate God:

“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  (Matthew 5:48)

The original Hebrew word in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) that is often translated “perfect” is tamim, which means complete, sound, blameless, or with integrity.

As the Psalmist David wrote,

“I will be careful to lead a blameless life [derech tamim] — when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart [tam l’babi].”  (Psalm 101:2)

In the Hebrew, therefore, we see the true meaning of this word tamim is not an unattainable perfection, but a character that reflects that of God.

A blameless life (derech tamim) and blameless heart (lev tam) refer to purity.  While God does not expect us to be perfect as we define it — to get everything right the first time and every time, He does want us to walk in His ways — along paths of purity and holiness with a pure heart.

This Torah portion reveals that such perfection and purity naturally embrace integrity and reject deceptiveness.

“You shall not steal, do not lie, do not deceive one another.”  (Leviticus 19:11)

“My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with Me; the one whose walk is blameless [b’derech tamim] will serve Me.  No one who practices deceit will dwell in My house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in My presence.”  (Psalm 101:6–7)

This, of course, includes holiness and integrity in commerce.

The people of God are not to follow the immoral or unjust codes of those who do not know God, but rather to deal honestly in all business affairs.

“Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.  Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin.  I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.”  (Leviticus 19:35–36)

Those who profess to follow Yeshua should be especially careful not to deal deceitfully with others.  Deceitful dealing is damaging not only to our personal reputation, but also God’s reputation since Believers represent Him.  Deceitful behavior is the opposite of holiness.

Most of us expect that religiously observant people will hold themselves to a higher standard of morality and integrity than secular people who do not follow God’s laws as a guide.  Such is not always the case.  As well, too often it turns out that there are many con artists pretending to be “religious” in order to gain another’s trust.

As an example, one of our ministry workers once purchased a second-hand car in Israel without knowing much about the process.  She unwisely trusted the man selling the car simply because he wore a kippah (head covering) and tzitzit (fringes) and identified himself as an observant Jew.  His wife also wore a head covering, indicating her God-fearing nature.

The car, however, turned out to be a complete lemon! In the first month, it needed a total overhaul, including a new motor and transmission, costing several thousand shekels in repairs, and it still died an untimely death on the side of the road shortly afterward.

Despite all attempts to contact the man, he could not be found.  His cell phone had been disconnected.  He had dealt deceitfully with this woman, who is a single mother.

“Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.”  (Leviticus 19:13)

Holiness Is Love in Action

This Torah portion also provides other actions that are in keeping with holiness such as keeping the Sabbath, reverencing God’s sanctuary, showing respect for the elderly, honoring one’s parents, providing for the poor, and not showing favoritism to the rich.

It forbids sexual immorality, injustice, and participation in any kind of sorcery, divination, magic, or witchcraft.  Although interest in the occult is on the rise, Scripture forbids it:

“Do not practice divination or seek omens.… Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them.”  (Leviticus 19:26, 31)

This Torah portion also reveals that holiness is not limited to actions, but also concerns attitude.  It condemns hatred, bearing grudges, and taking revenge.

“Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.  Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.  Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Leviticus 19:17–18)

Of course, the last part of the above verse is one of the most well-known in the entire Bible.

Yeshua quoted that same verse when questioned as to which commandments were the most important in the entire Torah.  He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and … love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Mark 12:30–31)

Holiness and Judgment in the Haftarah (Prophetic Portion)

In this week’s Haftarah (Prophetic portion), the prophet Amos gives a scathing warning to the people of Israel of the impending divine judgments due to their immorality and deceptive business practices.

“Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth.”  (Amos 9:8)

Israel transgressed by mistreating the poor, imposing unjust taxes, and taking bribes.  (Amos 5:11–12)

And yet, God showed mercy and promised, “I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob.”  (Amos 9:8)

He also promised to one day restore the fallen tabernacle of David:

“In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter — I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins — and will rebuild it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear My name.”  (Amos 9:11–12)

The Secret of Holiness

The people of Israel suffered a terrible punishment due to sin.  Still, God promised to bring them back to inhabit the rebuilt cities:

“I will bring my people Israel back from exile.  They will rebuild ruined cities and live in them.  They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruits.  I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them.”  (Amos 9:14–15)

This amazing prophecy has come to pass in our very generation and is proof that, despite our tendency to stray from the path of holiness, there is still hope for us in God, for His mercies are everlasting.  That is why we are not consumed.

As followers of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), we should make every effort to live our lives with integrity, operating in justice, mercy, and love — in the holiness that is defined in this Parasha — so that we may bring glory to the Name of God.

This is obviously a crucial issue, since the Book of Hebrews reminds us to “make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”  (Hebrews 12:14)

The secret to holiness, then, is that when we draw close to the LORD, as we pursue an intimate relationship with Him, we discover His holiness.  Only then can we live out our holy identity and purpose as the sons and daughters of the Almighty, and Holy LORD.   (2 Corinthians 6:18)

The post Parasha Kedoshim (Holy Ones): Holiness Is Love in Action appeared first on Messianic Bible.

“Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to You….  In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.”  (Psalm 102:1, 5)

Today is Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG’vurah (Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day), which is also known as Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Although the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) set the date for this Israeli day of remembrance in 1951, Yom HaShoah has become an international day of mourning, and it is now commemorated throughout the world.

Here in Israel, it is a national day of mourning for the genocide of the Jewish People in Europe and the resistance fighters who stood up to the Nazis.

Last night at sunset and again this morning at 10 a.m., in cities and communities throughout Israel, men, women, and children of all ages will stand at attention as the woeful cry of the sirens blast throughout the farthest reaches of the country, reminding us of the catastrophic number of Jewish dead in the Shoah (Holocaust).

For two minutes the entire nation stood in silence in honor of the six million who were slaughtered by the Nazis and their collaborators.

At a previous Yom HaShoah state ceremony at Yad VaShem (Holocaust Memorial Museum) in honor of the six million who perished in the Holocaust, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated:

“Why, in the years preceding the Holocaust, did the overwhelming majority of world leaders and Jewish leaders fail to detect the danger in time?  In retrospect, all the warning signs were there: the strengthening of the Nazi regime year after year; the horrific anti-Semitic propaganda which grew stronger with each passing month; and the murderous attacks on Jews which began as a trickle and transformed into a huge wave.

“The bitter and tragic truth is this: it is not that they did not see it.  They did not want to see it.  And why did they choose not to see the truth?  Because they did not want to face the consequences of that truth.”

A Knesset law passed in 1959 obligates citizens to recognize the victims of the Shoah and ghetto uprisings in public observance on this day.

Programs are organized throughout the country in which survivors tell their stories, and both radio and TV programming is totally devoted to testimonies of survivors, as well as films depicting the atrocities.

Even musical programs spotlight the theme of human suffering, maintaining the Yom HaShoah atmosphere.  Throughout the country, all theaters, cafes, movie houses and other forms of entertainment are closed.

This effort by the government has done much to educate the population regarding the sufferings of the survivors, which extend beyond the Holocaust itself.

The Shoah and Its After-Effects

Survivors have suffered not only from the effects of the Shoah itself, but in many cases from its aftereffects.

Many who returned to their homes following life in the camps were met with pogroms (organized violence) and often killed.

This occurred mostly in eastern European countries, such as Poland where their property had been taken from them.  Those who had taken that property, or purchased it from those had taken it, were determined to keep it.

A great number of survivors found themselves as refugees in displaced persons camps.  Others suffered the rigors of illegal immigration into pre-state Israel.

This led in many cases to a form of Konzentration Lager (German for concentration camp) Syndrome that is similar to many of the symptoms today associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

For example, several studies following the war showed that survivors demonstrated higher scores on the index of emotional distress than comparable groups.

In a study that was carried out in Israel and published in 2009 in the British Journal of Psychiatry, it was found that anxiety disorders, emotional distress and sleep disturbances were more frequent among Holocaust survivors than among a comparable group.

The years since the Holocaust have remained challenging for survivors who deal with both emotional and mental scars, in addition to economic woes.

During and after the Holocaust, some of the few remaining victims made it to Israel in the midst of its rebirth as an independent, modern-day state.

Just hours after their arrival, many of them died while fighting for the survival of the new nation in the battle for a British police fort that had been turned over to the Arabs—Latrun.

The Haganah (original Israeli military force from 1920–1948) formed a new unit, the 7th Brigade, which consisted mostly of Holocaust survivors, some of whom had never fired a weapon.

They were given the task of taking the fort in order to break the blockade of Jerusalem held by Jordan’s Arab Legion.

At that time, 20-year-old Ariel “Arik” Sharon, who still went by the name of Scheinerman, commanded the 1st Platoon of B Company of the 32nd Battalion, the only fighting force to have previously seen battle.

In a letter written by Sharon to his parents before the battle, he describes a convoy of fresh troops arriving in the olive grove where they awaited orders to attack.

“Suddenly a convoy of trucks stopped next to us and unloaded new, foreign-looking recruits,” writes Sharon.  

“They looked slightly pale, and were wearing sleeveless sweaters, gray pants, and striped shirts.  A stream of languages filled the air, names like Herschel and Yazek, Jan and Maitek were thrown around.  They stuck out against the backdrop of olives, rocks, and yellowing grains.  They’d come to us through blocked borders, from Europe’s death camps.”

He chronicles how they fumbled with their new uniforms, trying to suit up.

“They did this in silence, as though they had made their peace with fate.  Not one of them cried out:  ‘Let us at least breathe the free air after the years of terrible suffering.’  It is as if they’d come to the conclusion that this is one final battle for the future of the Jewish people.”

At five in the morning, Sharon led his troops out of the olive grove and into a blaze of withering fire.  By one that afternoon, half of his platoon was dead and most of the others were wounded.

When Sharon was shot in the abdomen, another wounded soldier dragged him to safety.

Later in the afternoon, Sharon’s unit was cut off and surrounded as the rest of the brigade retreated, leaving many wounded in the field who were butchered by the surrounding Palestinian villagers.  (Times of Israel)

Born in 1928 in pre-state Israel, Ariel Sharon participated in most of the crucial moments in modern Israel’s creation, defense, and leadership.  He passed away in January, 2014.

The Remarkable Resilience of Holocaust Survivors

“Comfort, comfort My people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”  (Isaiah 40:1–2)

Pogroms, loss of property, and war against the Jews in Israel were not the only ways survivors suffered: they were looked down upon even in Israel.

Initially, they were viewed as weak, since they “allowed themselves” to become victims.

To combat this form of ignorance, Israel introduced curricula in the education system that emphasized the sufferings inflicted on millions of European Jews during World War II.

Still, surveys from the late 50s showed that Israeli youth were not sympathetic toward Holocaust victims, believing that they had been “led like sheep to the slaughter.”

In response, Israel’s curriculum began to show that European Jews maintained their humanity under unbearable conditions.  They had resisted the Nazis through passive resistance, as well as through active resistance by fighting them in ghettos and joining with partisans who resisted the Third Reich in the occupied countries.

Although it is true that surviving the Holocaust brings with it many challenges to life in general, a current study by researchers at the University of Haifa and Leiden University (the Netherlands) reveals that men who survived the Holocaust live longer than a similar group that did not go through the war.

The study examined 55,000 Polish Jewish men who immigrated to Israel before and after World War II.

Under the direction of Professor Avi Sagi-Schwartz of the University of Haifa’s psychology department and head of its Center for the Study of Child Development, the study found that the drive to survive among those that made it through seems to have resulted in a longer life expectancy.

Sagi-Schwartz said, “Holocaust survivors not only suffered grave psychosocial trauma but also famine, malnutrition, and lack of hygienic and medical facilities, leading us to believe these damaged their later health and reduced life expectancy.”  (JPost)

But that may not be the case.

According to Sagi-Schwartz, “Men who were 10 to 15 years old during the war and in their early adolescence showed a 10-months-longer life expectancy than the comparison group.

Men who lived through the Holocaust when they were 16 to 20 showed an even greater difference in life expectancy—18 months longer—than their peers who didn’t experience the Holocaust.”

The researchers believe that the psychological stress suffered by survivors following the war may have served as a stimulus for the development of personal and interpersonal skills and helped them to gain greater insight into the meaning of life.

All of this, they argue, may have also contributed to their greater longevity.

“The results of this research give us hope and teach us quite a bit about the resilience of the human spirit when faced with brutal and traumatic events,”Sagi-Schwartz concluded.  (JPost)

Tough Living Conditions in Israel

Approximately 145,000 survivors, at an average age of 85, currently live in Israel.

More than a third live below the poverty line, according to the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel.

With 1,000 passing away each month, it is estimated that all Holocaust survivors will have departed by 2030.

Increasingly, these Holocaust survivors need financial and nursing assistance.

While non-profits exist and government assistance is available, Israel’s State Comptroller recently published a report that shows millions of shekels allocated to survivors have not been dispersed.

As well, they found that survivors have difficulty navigating websites and the government system to take advantage of their rights.

While we commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day, let us also focus our hearts on helping those in need today.

“Of course it’s profoundly important that we remember and memorialize the past.  But we must also fulfill our moral obligation to the dwindling number of survivors who are living in the most unspeakable poverty,” said Rabbi Eckstein of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

“We must do whatever we can, while we still can, to bring compassion to those who endured one of the most horrific periods in our history.  Sadly we are not. Instead of giving tens of millions of dollars for Shoah museums, testimonial libraries and the like, we ought to also focus on helping provide for these desperately poor Jews in the few years they are still alive.”  (Arutz Sheva)

The post Yom HaShoah: The Holocaust – Moving from Grief to Action appeared first on Messianic Bible.

In cities and villages throughout Israel, life seems to come to a standstill on Friday afternoons.

As the cool of the evening sweeps in, the Shabbat (Sabbath) begins, the seventh day — a day of rest and holiness.

The Hebrew word for this seventh day is shabbat (שַׁבָּת), which comes from the root verb shabat (שָׁבַת), meaning to cease, desist, rest.

Many Messianic Jews and Gentile Believers in Yeshua (Jesus), along with sabbath-keeping Christian denominations, such as Seventh Day Adventists join millions of Jewish people in Israel and around the world by setting aside this seventh day as holy.  

They keep it holy in a variety of ways, primarily by ceasing from all regular work as one of the Ten Commandments instructs.

But is it important to keep Shabbat holy in the 21st century?

God Worked for Six Days

Before understanding why and how God wants us to rest, we must first understand what it means to work.

“By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested [shevat—ceased] from all His work [melakhah—workmanship, creative activity].  (Genesis 2:2)

God had just finished creating the heavens and the earth and all that was in it.  That was His melakhah, one of the Hebrew words for work.

So, what is the melakhah (work) that God expects us to do for six days before Shabbat begins on Friday night? 

One Orthodox Jewish writer described it as anything that “represents a constructive, creative effort” and that demonstrates a man or woman’s “mastery over nature,” which God gave us in Genesis 1:28.

Even though the work that each of us does is on a much smaller scale than what God accomplished, He expects us to create and master the resources that He gave us.

In fact, God says He will make us prosper (be blessed) through the work we do.

“… the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hand that you will do.”  (Deuteronomy 14:29)

God even bestows blessings on the seventh day, itself.

God Blessed the Seventh Day and Made It Holy

To bless something is to grant it special favor, honor, and privileges beyond other comparable things.

First, God granted special favor to the seventh day by giving it a unique name — Shabbat.

Every other day in the Tanakh is designated as Yom (Day) Rishon (1), Yom (Day) Sheni (2), etc. just as God identified the days of creation as the first day, second day, and so on. 

However, Friday night to Saturday night is not called Day 7; it is just called Shabbat (Rest).

And God didn’t stop with giving Day 7 a unique name.  

What higher honor could He give this day than to designate it as Holy.

“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.”  (Genesis 2:3)

To be holy is to be set apart, and that is exactly what the Shabbat is all about, being set apart.

The seventh day has held a special place of honor in God’s heavenly calendar since the very first Sabbath of creation, before Adam and Eve even had a chance to disobey Him.

Whether or not Adam and Eve and the generations up to the time of Moses kept the Shabbat holy is up for debate.

But by the time God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He made it a law — the fourth of the ten commandments.

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work [melakhah], but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.  On it you shall not do any work [melakhah]….  For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”  (Exodus 20:8–11; see also Leviticus 23:3,32 and Deuteronomy 5:12–14)

Imagine the joy that the Israelites felt when they received that commandment.  They now only had to work 6 days!

As slaves in Egypt, they had been forced to work day in and day out. The Shabbat, on the other hand, offered them — and it offers each of us — an emancipation from the slavery of continual work, safeguarding the dignity of every worker.

Separating the Shabbat from Every Other Day

Setting the Shabbat apart from every other day protects our relationship with God, serving as a weekly reminder to us and it shows others that we belong to the Lord.  We must always keep in mind that people are watching us:

“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.”  (Isaiah 43:12)

To remember the Shabbat as a holy day (#4 of the Ten Commandments), the Jewish people recite a special blessing as Shabbat ends on Saturday evening:

“Blessed art thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe who distinguishes holiness from the ordinary, light from dark, Israel from the nations, the seventh day from the six days of work.  Blessed art thou, Lord our God, who distinguishes holiness from the ordinary.”

Also in Jewish tradition, to help distinguish the Shabbat from the rest of the week, Shabbat ends with a special Havdalah (Separation) ceremony which ushers in the new week.

In the image below, a braided candle (right) is lit, spices in an ornamental spice box (left) are sniffed by those attending, and the Kiddush blessing is made over a cup of wine (center).

We not only set aside the Shabbat for ourselves but for others in our care.  This fourth commandment reveals God’s great love and concern for the well-being of all of His creation and not just one class of people, since God says that even our working animals and employees (servants), are to rest on this holy day.

“On the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.”  (Exodus 23:12)

Here we see that God’s concern is not merely to rest but to restore our physical, mental, and emotional strength for the week ahead.

God did not create us to work every day, all the time.  Each of us needs a time of refreshing, otherwise we will burn out.

These reasons should be enough for a person to want to keep the Sabbath day holy.  But God gives still more reasons for doing so.

He wants us to have a day of delight and find joy in Him!

He wants us to be blessed.

  

Many of us delight in our work, hobbies, and entertainment.  But on Shabbat, God wants us to delight (oneg) in the holiness of Shabbat.

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Shabbat and from doing as you desire on My holy day, if you call the Shabbat a delight (oneg) and the Lord’s day honorable… then you will find your joy in the Lord.”  (Isaiah 58:13–14)

Today, oneg is the name given to the fellowship meal after a synagogue service, but God wants us to delight in much more.

He wants us to approach this day as if we are about to receive an exquisite, dainty, delicate delight, because that is what oneg actually means.

Even though resting our bodies is important, we are not to waste the day by doing nothing.  Rather, we are to be productive for the Kingdom — not by creating but by restoring.

Yeshua (Jesus) likewise didn’t create anything on Shabbat; He restored bodies and souls to new life, sometimes even resurrecting the dead.

We can restore our souls to God by going to services, studying the Word of God by ourselves or with others after services, praying and praising God on this sanctified day, as well as encouraging others to do the same.

“Blessed is the man who does [what is right], the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Shabbat without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”  (Isaiah 56:2)

Should Christians Keep the Seventh Day (Shabbat) Holy?

The Shabbat has been observed in some form by the Jewish people at least since the Ten Commandments were given to Moses, while most Christians have come to believe that keeping the seventh day holy is no longer necessary.

This has been especially true since the Council of Laodicea in AD 360, which declared that Christians should work on the Sabbath (Saturday) and not work on Sunday:

“Christians should not Judaize and should not be idle on the Sabbath, but should work on that day; they should, however, particularly reverence the Lord’s day [Sunday] and, if possible, not work on it, because they are Christians.”  (Canon 29)

To validate this day change, Christians point to teachings by Shaul (Apostle Paul) that seem to infer that Sabbath-keeping on the seventh day (Saturday) is no longer necessary.

For instance, Paul teaches that we may already enter a spiritual rest by faith in Yeshua:

“Since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. …  Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said.”  (Hebrews 4:1, 3)

However Paul did not say that the Sabbath has been taken away as a special day of rest.  Yeshua (Jesus) plainly said that He came to fulfill the law (includes the Ten Commandments), not to abolish it.

“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”  (Matthew 5:18)

In the Book of Acts, the first Jewish Believers kept Shabbat, visiting the synagogues on the seventh day of the week (Shabbat).  As well, Yeshua also kept the Shabbat and attended the local synagogue.

In addition to the first Believers keeping the Shabbat, they also had the tradition of meeting together for a meal on the first day of the week (Saturday night to Sunday night).

“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread.  Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.”  (Acts 20:7)

Since the day begins on the evening of the prior day according to the Jewish calendar, the “first day of the week” might refer to Saturday evening, when the early believers met together in praise and fellowship after worshiping in the synagogue on Shabbat.

Nevertheless, Paul also said that when it comes to appointed days of the Lord, “one person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike.  Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.”  (Romans 14:5–6)

So each person should prayerfully search the Scriptures and conclude which day is holy.

In Israel, Shabbat is the legal day of worship for the country, and in Jerusalem it is illegal for stores to be open.

Most of our readers live outside of Israel, and maybe their government or society forces them to work on Shabbat, so each person should do as their conscious renders.

As Paul said,  “Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Messiah.”  (Colossians 2:16–17)

While society is by and large leaving behind the observance of a day of rest, most Believers would agree that it is important to set aside at least one day of the week as sacred to the Lord and as a day of rest.

It allows us to separate at least one day of the week to focus on the Lord and His creation.

“Let the peace of Messiah rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.”  (Colossians 3:15)

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