Beth Israel Messianic Synagogue Blog

Hebrew Words for the Week - Apr 27-28 2012 - Achol V'hoter

Pronunciation: Achol V'Hoter

Meaning: They will eat and have leftovers

Click here for the expanded Hebrew Words for the Week.

Hebrew Words for the Week - Tsom Kal - Easy Fast (for Yom Kippur)

צוֹם קַל

Pronunciation: Tsom Kal

Meaning: Easy Fast

Leviticus 16:30

On this day atonement will be made for you in order to cleanse you. Before the LORD, then, you will be clean from all your sins.

Leviticus 23:27

Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall fast and afflict yourselves and present an offering to the LORD.

1 John 2:2

Yeshua is the Kippur, the sacrifice that atones for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

Rabbi David Levine’s Notes:

On Yom Kippur, we fast as a way of humbling ourselves before God. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to both provide atonement for us, and to assure us of God’s atonement on our behalf. The apostles taught that Yeshua was our Kippur – the sacrifice that atones for sin.

On Yom Kippur, we greet each other with “Tsom Kal”, which can be understood to mean “I hope your fast is easy.” What makes an easy fast? Humility, sincerity, and gratitude for what God does on our behalf to cleanse us.

 

Prayer and Fasting Focus

Let’s pray that our fast will be easy and effective, and bring us confidence of God’s forgiveness.

 

Messianic Jewish Teachings with David Levine on iTunes

Click below to listen to the latest messages, including  “Shabbat Shuvah and Seudat HaMashiach.”

Hebrew Words for the Week - Sept 9-10, 2011 - Shomea T'Fila - Hearer of Prayer

Hebrew Words for the Week September 9-10, 2011 שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה Pronunciation: Shomea T'fila Meaning: Hearer of Prayer   Psalm 65:2 O you who hear prayer, to you all people come.   Rabbi David Levine's Notes: The Psalmist addressed God as the one who hears our prayers. The Lord not only hears, but he answers our prayers. We want to grow in effective conversational prayer and prayer for other people and other situations.   Messianic Jewish Teachings Podcast You can listen to the latest messages from our podcast series, "Six Ways to Connect with God," by clicking on the link below.   Six Ways to Connect with God: Unselfish Prayer

 

The Calamities of Tisha B'Av

Tisha B’Av,"The Ninth of Av," is a fast day that commemorates the destruction of the two Jerusalem Temples.

This year it starts at sundown, Monday, August 8, and ends at sundown, Tuesday, August 9, 2011. Join together with us and Jewish people all over the world in humbling ourselves before God, and asking for his mercy and healing.

Many other calamities have befallen the Jewish people on this day:

• 587 BCE (3338)- The First Temple is destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians.
•  70 CE (3830)- The Second Temple is destroyed by Titus and the Romans.
• 135 CE (3895) - The Romans defeat Bar Kochba, and Emperor Hadrian turns Jerusalem into a Roman city.
• 1290 (5050) - King Edward I of England signs an edict expelling all Jews from England.
• 1492 (5252) - The Alhambra Decree takes effect, expelling the Jews from Spain and from all Spanish territories.
• 1914 (5674) - World War I begins when Germany declares war on Russia
• 1940 (5700) - Himmler presents his plan for the "Final Solution" to the Jewish problem to the Nazi Party.
• 1942 (5702) - Nazis begin deporting Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto.

 

Sources: Aish.com and "Jewish Literacy," by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin.

 

Hebrew Words for the Week for July 29-30, 2011

אָבִי

Pronunciation: Avi

Meaning: My Father

אָבִינוּ

Pronunciation: Avinu

Meaning: Our Father

Jeremiah 3:4

‘My Father, my guide from my youth...’

Galatians 4:6

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father."

Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that
they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

1 Chronicles 29:10

Therefore David blessed the LORD in front of all the congregation. And David said: “Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father,
forever and ever.”

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִינוּ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד-עוֹלָם׃

Baruch atah Adonai, Elohei Yisrael, Avinu m’olam v’ad-olam.

Prayer Focus: That our relationship
with God as our father will be strengthened, and that his guidance in our lies
will be active and personal.

Rabbi David Levine’s Notes: The Holy Spirit in us speaks Hebrew, calling God, “Abba, Father”
and bringing us into a close family relationship with him.

Hebrew Words for the Week - All Tirah - Do not fear - July 22-23, 2011

Hebrew Words for the Week

July 22-23, 2011

אַל־תִּירָא

Pronunciation: All Tirah

Meaning: Do not fear; Do not be afraid

 

Jeremiah 1:8

Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD.

2 Timothy 1:7 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but one of power, love, and self-discipline. 

 

Rabbi David Levine's Notes

When God calls us not to be afraid, it is because we are not alone. He is with us!

Prayer Focus:

That we would put off all fear that hinders or stops us from moving forward in God's plans and purposes for our lives.

 

Hebrew Words for the Week - Beyt T'fila - House of Prayer - April 22-27, 2011

בֵּיתּ-תְּפִילָּה

Pronunciation: beyt t'fila

Translation: House of prayer

This is one of the names for a synagogue – a house of prayer. 

Isaiah 56:7

My house will be called a House of Prayer for all nations.

Prayer Focus:

That our synagogue will grow as a House of Prayer, and that each of us will grow stronger as men and women of prayer.

Hebrew Words for the Week - Dec 24-25, 2010 - The City of Bethlehem

הַעִיר בֵּית לֶחֶם

Pronunciation: Ha-ir Beit Lechem

Translation: The City of Bethlehem

Prayer Focus:

That we would pray for the peace of Bethlehem

Genesis 48:7

וַאֲנִי בְּבֹאִי מִפַּדָּן מֵתָה עָלַי רָחֵל בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּעֹוד כִּבְרַת-אֶרֶץ לָבֹא אֶפְרָתָה וָאֶקְבְּרֶהָ שָּׁם בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶפְרָת הִוא בֵּית לָחֶם׃

"Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)."

Ruth 1:22

תָּשָׁב נָעֳמִי וְרוּת הַמֹּואֲבִיָּה כַלָּתָהּ עִמָּהּ הַשָּׁבָה מִשְּׂדֵי מֹואָב

 וְהֵמָּה בָּאוּ בֵּית לֶחֶם בִּתְחִלַּת קְצִיר שְׂעֹרִים׃

So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

1 Samuel 17:58

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו שָׁאוּל בֶּן־מִי אַתָּה הַנָּעַר וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד בֶּן־עַבְדְּךָ יִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי׃

Whose son are you, young man?" Saul asked him. David said, "I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."

Micah 5:22

וְאַתָּה בֵּית-לֶחֶם אֶפְרָתָה צָעִיר לִהְיֹות בְּאַלְפֵי יְהוּדָה

מִמְּךָ לִי יֵצֵא לִהְיֹות מֹושֵׁל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּמֹוצָאֹתָיו מִקֶּדֶם מִימֵי עֹולָם׃

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrata, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.

John 7:42

הלא הכתוב אמר כי מזרע דוד ומכפר בית לחם מקום דוד יצא המשיח׃

For the Tanakh clearly states that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.

Rabbi David’s notes:

Just outside Bethlehem is the burial place of Rachel.  Bethlehem was the home of Boaz, Naomi’s kinsman redeemer who married Ruth. It was also the hometown of Ruth and Boaz’s descendants, including Jesse and David. Messiah, descendant of King David, is also prophesied by Micah to come from Bethlehem.

Hebrew Words for the Week - December 3-4, 2010

דָּבָר דָּבֻר עַל־אָפְנָיו

Pronunciation: Davar davur al af-nav 

Translation: A word fitly spoken

 

Prayer Focus:

That we would know the right thing to say, in the right way, and in the right time.

 

Psalm 25:11

Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken at the right time and in the right way. 

תַּפּוּחֵי זָהָב בְּמַשְׂכִּיֹּות כָּסֶףדָּבָר דָּבֻר עַל־אָפְנָיו׃

 

Rabbi David's notes:

A word fitly spoken brings three things together:

1.    We speak the right words and ideas.

2.    We speak in the right way, with the right tone, feeling, and intention.

3.    We speak at the right time for the one we speak to.

Finely crafted communication is just as beautiful as finely crafted jewelry - and may take just as much effort, skill, and care to produce!

Hebrew Words for the Week - November 19-20, 2010

Nov 19-20, 2010

בִּלְתִּי נֶחְפָּז לְדַבֵּר

Pronunciation: Bilti nechpaz l'daber

Translation: Slow to speak or Not Hasty to speak

Prayer focus:

That we would not be in a hurry to speak - and would take care with our words when we do speak

James 1:19

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

Rabbi David’s Notes:

Listening carefully and actively works best when we are also not in a hurry to speak. In fact, when we are in a hurry to speak it may disrupt our own attentive listening. Though the tongue may be the hardest muscle to tame, when we master it, we have greater influence with other people.