T This month we as Jews the world over commemorate this Jewish New Year and the Fall Feasts. This year is a 13 month Jewish Leap Year, with the insertion of the intercalary lunar month of Adar A before the regular Adar (B), in late winter early spring. This assures that Spring Feasts stay in the Spring and the Fall Feasts in the fall while we continue to follow a lunar calendar. This year will last for 385 days, and our prayer is that this year will be sweeter and more fruitful than last year. Here in the Land flowing with Milk and Honey we will be dipping our apples in honey and wishing Jews the world over a Shanah Tovah u Metukaka—A Good and Sweet New Year.
Recently I spent time outside of Israel and enjoyed seeing the beauty of the nature in other lands. It was an exhilarating experience. Seeing the natural beauty of these nations, and at times the ease of life, can challenge a Jew in his love, loyalty and lasting appreciation for the Aretz—The Land, which Hashem granted to Israel custodianship of. Looking over the borders of our small land, the grass often seems greener elsewhere. One can think back to the times of our father Avraham when he parted ways with Lot. Lot seeing the green lush valley hurriedly chose that part of the land. In the natural Avraham, would be seen as a loser, having been left with the seemingly weaker of the lands. And yet we read of the extent that he and his descendents are promised blessing and rich provision. A land which according to Deuteronomy 11:12 Hashem Doresh Ota— Hashem watches over it from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.
Artzeinu—Our Land—Israel—How often do you think of Israel as a place on a map or as a modern nation? How often do you think of Jerusalem the capitol of King David and of the Modern State of Israel? For those of us living in this part of the world we can be overcome by the reality of the intensity of life here. The life in the Land is intense but the scrutiny of the International community can be even more intense. Is this focus of the nations justified? I think the answer is yes and no. No, the issues that Israel is scrutinized for are not the right issues, or the focus is disproportionately on Israel with a negative eye. And yet, yes the focus on this Land and City are justified in the sense that we are the navel of the earth. Being at the meeting point of three continents, and the crossroads of multiple cultures, Israel is a nexus for many things happening in our world today. This intensity though, is not a totally new occurrence.
Israel is mentioned over 2,500 times in the Bible and Jerusalem is mentioned over eight hundred times. The Bible speaks not only about theology and faith, but in a large way about this relationship between man and his maker happening in a certain place, this small sliver known as Israel and in this small landlocked capital known as Jerusalem.
When the Apostolic Writings speak of “God,” they generally mean the Father of Messiah Yeshua—not Yeshua himself, nor an essence that Yeshua shared with the Father and the Spirit. Christian tradition diverged from this usage in order to guard its confession of the deity of Yeshua and the Oneness of God. While this linguistic development may have been necessary, it was also problematic.
Israel was chosen to be a priestly nation, the representative and vanguard of all creation in the worship of God. As its High Priest, Yeshua empowers Israel to fulfill its vocation of worship, and enables those from the nations to share in that vocation.
The letter to the Ephesians captures succinctly this work of the Messiah: “So he [Yeshua] came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off [i.e., Gentiles] and peace to those who were near [i.e., the Jewish people]; for through him both of us [Jews and Gentiles] have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:17-18). The goal is universal worship of the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit.
We have made it though the Fall Feasts and we await in some weeks the bright holiday of Chanukah. This Jewish month of Cheshvan is also known as Marchesvan, the addition literally meaning bitter and reflecting the month’s lack of either celebrations or days of fasting. It is this normality that can work as comfort for the lives of Israelites. For so many of the visitors to Israel, whether Jew or Gentile, the Land is a place of uplifting and a spiritual and emotional high. While many may have experienced living in or visiting more beautiful natural parts of the earth, there is something very powerful in walking down to the brook where David shot his sling- shot at Goliath the giant or to the hilltop where Yeshua fed the multitudes.
Upon their return to their homes in different parts of the world, many people feel as though they have come down off a mountain. They will cherish memories, but they must return to normal life.