Prison Weekly Shabbath Kislev 23, 5769
SHALOM
The Hebrew month is Kislev these Parashahs are for Shabbath Kislev 23, 5769
Parashahs HaShavuah: Torah Vayeshev "and he settled" Genesis 37:1-40:23 Haftarah Amos 2:6-3:8 & The Brit Hadasha Acts 7:9-16
Next weeks Parashahs are : Miketz"At the end of "Genesis 41:1-44:17 Haftarah –Zechariah 2:14-4:7,Isaiah 66:1-24 & The Brit Hadasha 1Corinthians 2:1-5.
WHAT IS CHANUKKAH AND HOW DO WE CELEBRATE IT?
Chanukkah is coming soon - the first night is Yom Reeshone the first day, {Sunday, December 21st.} It's a wonderful family holiday. After we light the candles, we sing Maoz Tzur, eat jelly donuts, tell stories, have quizzes about Hanukah - all in the light of the Hanukah candles. Memories are made up of a collection of precious moments. Hanukah can provide you with many wonderful memories! There are two ways which our enemies have historically sought to destroy us. The first is by physical annihilation; the most recent attempt being the Holocaust. The second is through cultural assimilation. Purim is the annual celebration of our physical survival. Hanukah is the annual celebration of our spiritual survival over the many who would have liked to destroy us through cultural assimilation. In 167 BCE the Syrian-Greek emperor, Antiochus, set out to destroy Judaism by imposing a ban on three mitzvot: The Shabbat, The Sanctifying of the New Month (establishing the first day of the month by testimony of witnesses who saw the new moon) and Brit Mila (entering the Covenant of Abraham through Torah-ordained circumcision). The Shabbat signifies that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe and that His Torah is the blueprint of creation, meaning and values. Sanctifying the New Month determines the day of the Jewish holidays. Without it there would be chaos. For example, if Succot is the 15th of Tishrei, the day it occurs depends upon which day is declared the first of Tishrei. Brit Mila is a sign of our special covenant with the Almighty. All three maintain our cultural integrity and were thus threats to the Greek culture.
Matityahu and his 5 sons, known as the Maccabees, started a revolt and three years later succeeded in evicting the oppressors. The victory was a miracle - on the scale of Israel defeating the combined super-powers of today. Having regained control of the Temple in Jerusalem, they wanted to immediately rededicate it. They needed ritually pure olive oil to re-light the Menorah in the Temple. Only a single cruse of oil was found; enough to burn for just one day. However, they needed oil for eight days until new ritually pure olive oil could be produced. A miracle occurred and the oil burned for eight days. Therefore, we light Hanukah candles (or better yet, lamps with olive oil) for eight days. One the first day, two the second and so forth. The first candle is placed to the far right of the menorah with each additional night's candle being placed to the immediate left. One says three blessings the first night (two blessings each subsequent night) and then lights the candles, starting with the furthermost candle to the left. The menorah should have all candles in a straight line and at the same height. Ashkenazi tradition has each person of the household lighting his own menorah. Sefardi tradition has just one menorah lit per family. The blessings can be found on the back of the Hanukah candle box or in a Siddur, prayer book. The candles may be lit inside the home. It is preferable to light where passersby in the street can see them - to publicize the miracle of Hanukah. In Israel, people light outside in special glass boxes built for a menorah or little glasses with olive oil and wicks. The tradition to eat latkes, potato pancakes, is in memory of the miracle of the oil (latkes are fried in oil). In Israel, the tradition is to eat sufganiot, deep-fried jelly donuts. The traditional game of Hanukah uses a dreidel, a four-sided top with the Hebrew letters Nun, Gimmel, Hey, Shin (the first letters of "Nes Gadol Haya Sham - A Great Miracle Happened There." In Israel, the last letter is a Pay - for "Poh", "here.") In times of persecution when learning Torah was forbidden, Jews would learn anyway. When the soldiers would investigate, they would pull out the dreidel and pretend that they were gambling. The rules for playing dreidel: Nun -no one wins; Gimmel - spinner takes the pot; Hey - spinner get half the pot; Shin/Pay - spinner matches the pot!
Here's a question to think about: If enough oil was found to burn in the Temple menorah for one day and the oil lasted for eight days, then the miracle was really only for the seven additional days of lighting. Why then do we celebrate Chanukah for eight days and not seven?
Answer: The Baalei Mussar answer that in fact 7 days commemorates the miraculous miracle of oil burning longer than it was supposed to, but the extra day commemorates the miracle of nature – that oil burns at all! That itself is miraculous. We are typically amazed at miracles of the first kind, however there are miracles present in our every day lives. It behooves us to appreciate those miracles as well.
Parashah HaShavuah
Vayeshev Genesis 37:1-40:23
This week's portion includes four stories: (1) The selling of Yosef (Joseph) as a slave by his brothers - which eventually positioned Yosef to be second in command in Egypt and enabled him to save the known world from famine. (2) The ndiscretion of Yehuda (Judah) with Tamar (Tamar)... (3) The attempted seduction of Yosef by Potifar's wife, which ends with her framing Yosef and having him imprisoned. (4) Yosef interprets the dreams of his fellow prisoners, the wine steward (who was reinstated and forgot to put in a good word for Yosef) and the baker (who was hanged).
Dvar Torah
based on Growth Through Torah by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
After the brothers threw Joseph into a pit and were deciding what to do with him, the Torah states:"And they sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a company of Yishme'alim came from Gilad with their camels carrying aromatic gum, balm, and ladanum, going to carry it down to Egypt" (Genesis 37:25). Why did the Torah deem it necessary for us to know what the camels were carrying? Rashi teaches us that the Torah is extolling the reward for the righteous. This was the caravan to which they would sell Joseph and which would transport him to Egypt. Usually caravans to Egypt carried kerosene and resin used for fuel - which had unpleasant odors. However, this caravan which carried Joseph to Egypt had pleasant smelling spices; because of his righteousness, he was not subjected to the unpleasant odors on his journey to Egypt (which was part of the divine plan to save the Jewish people from the upcoming famine). This seems to be little consolation for Joseph. He was being sold as a slave by his brothers. How would something as minor as pleasant smelling merchandise on the caravan taking him to Egypt make a difference? The answer is that this was a subtle hint from the Almighty to Joseph. It was a message to Joseph that all was not lost - that he should appreciate the hand of the Almighty that is guiding his life and supplies him with minor pleasures to enhance his life. This is a sign that all the Almighty does is for his - and your - ultimate benefit. This is an important lesson for anyone undergoing a difficult life situation. Upon facing painful experiences one is apt to become lost in self-pity and despair. It is easy to focus solely on what is going wrong with one's life. However, one needs to keep his eyes open! Be aware of any positive aspects. Don't ignore anything that you can possibly appreciate. These minor pleasures are messengers from the Almighty. Appreciate them for themselves; and what is more important, allow them to change your evaluation of your entire situation. Learn to see every situation as a means to help you reach your ultimate potential in this world!
Chanukkah Trivia {answers next week}
1. What does the word "Chanukah" mean?
2. The best place to light the Menorah is?
3. Who is the Greek-Syrian leader that took harsh steps to destroy Judaism?
4. On Friday afternoon, the menorah should stay lit for at least
5. What is the name of the courageous Jewish woman who defied the Greeks and killed one of their generals?
6. According to Jewish law, how many gifts must be given during the holiday of Chanukah?
7. The preferred arrangement of a menorah is where the candles are ?
8. Jews who assimilated into Greek culture were called?
9. How many branches did the Menorah in the Holy Temple have?
10. What do the four Hebrew letters on the dreidel (nun, gimmel, hey, shin) stand for?
11. Who is allowed to say a blessing on the lights of Chanukah?
Mission Updates:
Greetings Saints in His Perfect Peace, As I told you last week someone bought us a vehicle, then my sister got a donation of a sign in Wichita, you know a big lighted sign that changes messages, you can see it From Kellogg head west about at the street Hydraulic. One way or another the Father has provided the ministry with the Second vehicle we need.And yes people are still crying for gloves among other things...
We had a new family move in the neighbor hood, they came in mom saw them first and gave the diapers and some other things, they had some very cute little girls...they got some paltes to go and came back for a food box.....A wonderful family in another state has been sending many coats and warm clothing, you see they advertised in a local paper and got results Amen.But donations are the worst I have seen them in some time really, donation by mail and the internet have almost stopped, really I think because of the season but also because people are losing jobs and are going broke.It will get worse before it get's better I think, anyway we are seeing increases in need everyday we are open, so December is being a real test for us. On one hand I could become a 501 3c and get free food as the government gives I found out, or I can trust that he will provide as he always has over the years..Our 9th year we are in now…. We have not had the $380 to do Dec. mail out newsletter so that hurts also,….Mom told me we have over $2,700 in bills, which includes the newsletter; please lift us up in prayer ……….
The LORD bless thee and keep thee; The LORD make His face shine upon thee,
and be gracious unto thee; The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee,
and give thee shalom. (peace) Bemidbar (Numbers) 6:24-26
In Yeshua's Name, Bro. Dan, Pastor of Messiah's Branch
Philippians 3:13,14 & Psalms 18:30
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of Yahweh in Yeshua Messiah. As for Yahweh, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.
Shalom In Yeshua our Messiah
The snow is coming down and the freezing weather is upon us the wood is a burning and I sit here with my toes wrapped in a blanket and footy socks on yet still aching from the cold. I can't help but wonder who is out there in the below freezing temp with nowhere to go............. We really need you all to pray for us now, there are many bills that remain unpaid and the newsletter has yet to go out this month. January bills have already started coming in because the December ones couldn't get paid and they have began to double. I couldn't order any more food from the food bank because the last order has yet to be paid. In the four days we have opened this month we have made a total of 101 food boxes and there are still six more days we open this month. Many new faces are showing up including families with tiny babies and toddlers still in diapers. My heart BREAKS !! Yahwehs will be done will you be a part............Have a very blessed week shalom sisterlinda
Shalom B'Shem Yeshua HaMashiach / Peace in the Name of Yeshua, the Messiah
&Mark 9:23,10:27
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