Roots of Faith

This week, Roots of Faith launched its first Live Webcast.  This is something that we plan to do every Sabbath.  Join in each Saturday morning at 10:30 Central time for a unique teaching experience. We hope to create a sort of cyber synagogue - a community of faith for any and all who wish to hear!

This week’s lesson is the first of seven Sabbaths of Consolation following the season of rebuke that led up to the 9th of Av.

The name of this Sabbath, Nachamu comes from the opening words of what Biblical Scholars call Deutero-Isaiah.  The language of Isaiah 40 and beyond, is so different that it is believed to have been written by a different author than chapters 1-39. Isaiah 40 opens with the words, Nachamu, Nachamu ami, yomar Eloheichem - Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, says your God.

These chapters are written much like the script to an ancient play.  It is complete with “scenes” and “Parts”. 

One such character is “the Voice”. According to Isaiah 40:3, this voice “is crying” in the wilderness.  The gospel story begins by referring to this very passage (see Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2 and Luke 3:4).

To listen to the voice is the goal (see Isaiah 30:18-21).

Deuteronomy contains some 80 references to one or another form of the Hebrew verb Shema, which means to hear.

This Torah portion contains 24 of those references and so one of the main points of this week’s lesson is to Listen.

If one listens closely to this Torah portion, here are some things that you will hear:

• A recount of the 10 commandments
• what we have to do for things to “go well for us”
• The greatest commandment
• Why God chose Israel

Listen to the lesson and let us know what you think by voting on the site.

To learn more about the weekly Saturday Morning Live - go to our web site! (www.rootsoffaith.org)

 

 Shabbat Nachuma - Intro [58:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Shabbat Nachamu - Reading [56:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This Sabbath is known as the Sabbath of Vision from the opening words of Isaiah, which is the Haphtorah for the Torah Reading Devarim:
Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 / Isaiah 1:1-27

This is the third and final “Haphtorah of Rebuke” in the cycle leading up to the 9th of Av and the “vision of Isaiah” and is quite frankly not a pleasant one.

We are fast approaching, according to Jewish tradition, a “day upon which, in the words of the Talmud, ‘disasters recurred again and again to the Jewish people.’”

According to Jewish tradition:

• Both temples were destroyed on the 9th of Av,
• Betar, the last stronghold of the BarKochba stand is taken on the 9th of Av
• The Decree that the Children of Israel would not enter the land because of the 12 spies incident is believed to have taken place on the 9th of Av,
• the plowing of Jerusalem in 136 CE is said to have happened on the 9th of Av,
  And,
• the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 is said to have been issued on this fateful day!

The book of Lamentations is read during this time.

As you can imagine, this is a fast day. Aside from Yom Kippur, it is the only 24 hour fast observed by the Jewish people.

With all of these bad things though, the rabbis began to expect that this day would ultimately bring in something good for the people of God. In a midrash, it says, “The Messiah, the Savior, was born on the day that the Temple was destroyed.” (Lam. Rab.1)

The Bible provides two dates for the destruction of the Temple. In 1 Kings 25:8-9 it says that this took place on the 7th, while the prophet Jeremiah says that it happened on the 10th (Jeremiah 52:12). This is reconciled in the sources by stating that the final phases of the destruction began on the 7th and by the 10th it was completely ruined.

Jewish sources relate that the 1st Temple was ultimately destroyed because the people committed 3 major sins; murder, idolatry and immorality. The 2nd Temple, we are told, was destroyed because of the sin of Sinat Chinam (Hatred without cause).

Based upon the point that both Temples were destroyed, but for the different reasons listed above, the conclusion reached was that baseless hatred was equal to the three sins of murder, idolatry and immorality.

According to Hebrew texts of the gospel of Matthew, it is reported that Yeshua was ultimately “taken” due to sinat chinam - hatred without cause (Matthew 27:18).

A fast was established in the fifth month to commemorate the fall of the Temple. The purpose of this fast (or any fast) is called into question by God in Zechariah (see Zech 7:1-7), and then later a prediction is given that these times of sorrow will be turned to joy and gladness (Zech 8:18ff).

Here also we are reminded of what true religion is. Notice the Zechariah’s mention of the fatherless and widows - a point brought out in the Torah lesson today.

If baseless hatred brought about the destruction of the Temple and was associated with the handing over of Yeshua, then it stands to reason that we should strive to work against this sin called Sinat Chinam.

The opposite of this sin would be the idea of “love without cause”, or in Hebrew, Ahavat chinam - baseless love!

Love is truly what torah faith is all about. We should apply love inwardly and outwardly until it is evident to all around us.

That love is the essence of the Torah is pointed out by Yeshua clearly in Mark 12:28ff.

This brings us to Deuteronomy where this first and greatest commandment is recorded, and where we find ourselves in the regular cycle of annual torah readings.

A thought for the day - God can change us. Moses begins his work with God by saying of himself, “lo ish devarim”, “I am not a man of words”, and yet by the end of the torah he seems to be quite the orator. (compare Exodus 4:10 to Deuteronomy 1:1).

It is often believed that God will use our talents to advance the cause of the Kingdom of God, but I propose that God can give you talents that you do not have and is not restricted to any set of gifts that you currently possess.

Deuteronomy is often thought of as merely a “repetition of the law”, a recap of things we already have read, but this is not the case. An example is that chapters 12-26 contain laws - nearly 100, and of those listed, there are approximately 70 that have not been mentioned previously in our story!

Enjoy the study session and let us know what you think of the class by casting your vote!

 

 Sabbath of Vision Intro [59:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

On July 14th, Ross spent several hours covering the subject of the Return of Israel.  These classes, 5 in all, are full of Biblical teaching on this all-important subject. 

The listener is warned!  These classes may make you think.

They also contain some more speculative things.

You will want to download and listen to all of these classes.  Go to the web site to listen to them all.

www.rootsoffaith.org/blog-and-podcasts

 

 Tribes Class 1 [41:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Tribes Class 2 [34:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Tribes Class 3 [44:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Tribes Class 4 [36:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Tribes Class 5 [30:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This class closes out the book of Numbers (Bamidbar). For all practical purposes the Torah Story has all been told. We still have the entire book of Deuteronomy and lots of things to learn from the Torah, but here at the close of the book of Numbers, a newly created people - a free people of Israel, stand on the edge of the promised land.

This week in the synagogue, Ross and the Congregation of Roots of Faith welcome some good friends. Joe and Debbie Good of Hatikva and Brian and Joy Beth came from Texas and participated in the service.

Joe is currently working on a series for the Universal Torah Network about the “Return of Israel” and wanted to study this subject with Ross and his group.

Interestingly enough, the name of the Torah reading this week - or the first of two read this Sabbath, is Matote, a word that means tribes. Also, a passage in the Haphtorah this week deals specifically with the return of Israel. The passage is in Jeremiah 4:1-2 and says that “if” Israel returns, then the promise that all nations will be blessed will come to pass! Did you catch that? The promise first given to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 and repeated in Genesis 18:18-19 and Genesis 22:18 is said to be contingent upon Israel’s return!

So how important is this topic? Let’s put it this way: In Jeremiah 32:36-41 we learn that God will do two things with all His heart and all His soul. (1) Rejoice in doing good to Israel and (2) Plant them back in the land of Israel

The phrase; “Return to me and I will return to you” is a promise of God found in Zechariah 1:3 and Malachi 3:7.

So, for probably 6 hours, Ross taught on the subject of the tribes of Israel.

In this week’s lesson we read, among other things, about the cities of refuge. The one seeking asylum in these cities must remain in them until the death of the High Priest.

In today’s Torah reading, incidently, Israel’s first high priest does die. Aaron’s death is recorded in Numbers 33:38. There it gives the date of his death as the 1st day of the 5th month. Monday, July 16th should be the 1st day of the 5th month on the Hebrew calendar, so the events mentioned in the Torah fit the time of year we are in.

We are approaching the 9th of Av and are in the midst of the three readings of rebuke meant to remind the readers if what led to the destruction of the Temples. More on this subject next week.

Enjoy the class and let us know what you think by voting on the site, or by emailing us.

 

 Matote-Masei Intro [33:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Matote-Masei Reading [62:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download