January-February 2010
Greetings to everyone!
I can’t begin to fully describe how excited I am about this edition of our newsletter. We are beginning a new year and of course, as is always the case during January, a lot of reflection (looking back) and dreaming/envisioning (looking forward) has been going on.
I have just completed a lengthy report to the board of directors of BRT Ministries to convey what has been happening and what has been achieved over the last year. There has actually been far more success than even I contemplated. Sometimes it really does help to write it all out and have a physical copy of one’s work. Included with this are some hopes for the year to come, as well as some concerns which I have been bringing before the Lord for a few weeks as He has revealed some aspects of what we are doing here – things which were not as central to our work when we first began, but which are developing into a major thrust of our work. I have summarized part of the report below for your knowledge and for your prayer support.
I am most excited about the teaching section, immediately below, which will relate to our sojourners an excellent example of the building of bridges between the Christian faith and the Jewish Roots from which we derive our faith, our practices, our prayers and our beliefs. I hope you will read it carefully because I believe you will find it interesting. Don’t miss out on the interactive link in one of the footnotes – I will let you hunt for it.
As always, as you continue to read, you will find updates about what is happening in the ministry and in our lives. There is some exciting news about up-coming events, and some concerns for which we need your prayers. It is our hope that you will be blessed as you catch up on our news, and that you will be able to lift up our needs in more meaningful and focused prayer. Thank you for your interest.
THIS MONTH’S TEACHING: *It’s Really Just Natural Progression*
(Notations to "Fig" refer to the photographs at the bottom of this page. Some photos are missing. You may enlarge the picture by clicking on it.)
It is always interesting to see Elohim at work in our lives. We need, of course, to admit that all things are under His command and control, so that one can readily see that there is no such thing as “coincidence”. Certainly that is how I feel about my life. There are a small number of influential events which relate to this month’s teaching – events from my own life – which I hope will illustrate my point.
In May of 1987 I was ordained into the diaconate of the Anglican Church of Canada. This means that I was made a deacon in the church. In Anglican tradition, this is an ordained position. The ordination of a deacon involves prayer, promises and covenants, and the laying-on-of-hands by the bishop. As a symbol of my ordination, among other things, I received a ‘stole’. The stole (from the Latin ‘stola’ and Greek ‘stolé’ meaning ‘garment’) is seen as the symbol of service representing, we are told, the yoke of Y’shua mentioned in Matthew 11:28-30. A deacon in the church wears the stole over one shoulder, across the chest and bound at the opposite waist (fig. 1). This signifies that the deacon bears only part of the yoke. Later, when one is “priested”, or ordained into the priesthood, the stole is worn over both shoulders, as the priest takes on the full load of ministry in unity with Messiah (see fig 3). In some cases it may be crossed over the chest of the priest and slung through the rope cincture (belt). Through the ages, the stole has been richly decorated with symbols of the faith, but always there are fringes at either end. These are important!
In the Anglican tradition, as in some others increasingly so, the stole is found in different colours (fig 2), each of which represents a different “season” in the church year. Green is most prevalent. It signifies growth and is used during the weeks following Epiphany and Pentecost. White is used for both the Feast days and seasons of Christmas and Easter, for Epiphany Sunday itself, for Trinity Sunday and for All Saints day and so on. Because it primarily represents resurrection, it is also commonly the colour used at funeral services. Purple (royalty, preparation and penance) is used during Lent and sometimes Advent, although Blue is recently replacing it for Advent as we approach the Festival and season of Christmas.
Red is used for Festivals of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost itself), and for those days marking saints of the church who were martyred (signifying the shedding of blood). Red is also used during most of Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday, but changing to White for Maundy Thursday. Generally no stole is worn on Good Friday. Much of this tradition is carried over from the Roman Catholic church.
There seems to be a number of theories as to the history of the stole. Some feel it comes from the towel used by Y’shua at the Pesach Seder to dry the feet of the apostles. It was called the orarium (towel or napkin), and in some traditions, the stole is actually known by that name still today. Certainly this explanation fits with the idea of its signifying the servitude of Y’shua, and thus His representatives in holy orders. Other traditions claim that it derives from the scarf-like garment (known as the “pallium”) worn by imperial officials in the Roman Empire which was adopted by clergy as they became members of the Roman administration and realized the honours afforded them by their position. In this case, we see the concept of the stole signifying honour and rank amongst the bureaucracy of the day. In this ‘role’, the stole was limited to those clergy only in highest positions or ranks, as opposed to being worn by all ordained church leaders. There may be some merit to these histories, (or let’s call them opinions), but I feel strongly that the stole comes from an even older tradition, and indeed, as near as I can discover, it would be the oldest traditional concept of the stole’s origin put forward by historians of the faith long before these other postulations came into vogue.
As a deacon, I served at Trinity Church in Port Credit, Mississauga. One of the first responsibilities I was given was to visit the members of the parish. It was a wonderful way to get to know most of the people in the congregation. My heart is full of many memories and stories of terrific people, but admittedly – one stands out in the top ten. Her name was Hilda Matheson. She was a lady of 92 years who was full of life, who loved the Lord, and who deeply enjoyed the study of the Word. Every time I visited her, we would have an energetic discussion about some passage or other from Scripture. At some point in her past, Hilda had had a good friend with whom she often discussed God’s Word, as she put it, “with great vitality”. Her friend was a Rabbi at the time. I think Hilda may have been the first person I knew well who had successfully bridged her Christian faith with its Jewish Roots.
One day, after many month’s of visiting Hilda, and getting to know her well, she handed me a box. The items contained in it had been given to her by her Rabbi friend many years before. When he gave them to her, he told her it was because she was the most righteous person he had ever met. Now, years later, as she gave them to me, she said “I am not sure why, but the Lord is laying on my heart to give these things to you because He says you will need them one day.” I was greatly humbled and deeply moved by the gift. In the box were some articles used on a Pesach table, a small brass menorah (candle stand) and a tallit (prayer shawl). Over the ensuing years, I made use of all the items, but I held the tallit especially dear. For a number of years until recently, whenever I led a Passover Seder, or taught about Jewish practices, I wore “Hilda’s” tallit.
As time passed, I learned quite a lot about tallitot (plural of tallit). Since becoming involved in Messianic ministry, that learning curve, even just with respect to the tallit, has been almost perpendicular. I have discovered that tallitot come in different sizes, and designs. Most commonly the main part of the tallit is white, usually wool, though other fabrics may be used, but never should there be a mixture of fabrics, especially wool and linen (see Deut. 22:11). To mix the fabrics goes against the Scriptural command which ensures “purity”. The Tallit has decorative stripes at either extreme. These are commonly blue, though they may be black. (Hilda’s tallit had black striping, more recent ones have had blue with stripes of gold and sometimes silver metallic thread interspersed). Today, particularly in Reconstructionist Judaism, Tallitot come in many colours, with intricate designs and patterns. Traditionally, only men wore the tallit. In some congregations only those actively involved in the service and only while on the bema will wear a tallit, In some reform branches of Judaism the tallit is not worn at all, while in Reconstructionist Judaism, both men and women who have experienced Bar or Bat Mitzvah will wear them during the service.
The tallit is rectangular in shape, with the stripes at the extremes running perpendicular to the long sides. On the shorter sides, the threads are gathered to create a fringe, generally knotted to keep the material from fraying. At each corner, one will find the tzitzit, a special tassel made of strings, and intricately tied in a series of knots. These tzitzit are the connection to the scriptures, as found in the book of Numbers, chapter 15:37-41. Further instruction is given in Deuteronomy 22:12. The early origin of these passages indicates how old the use of tallitot may be.
"The Lord spoke to Moshe, saying: "Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tzitzit [tassels] on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tzitzit of each corner a cord of blue. And it shall be a tzitzit for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes after which you played the harlot, in order that you may remember to do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God" (Numbers 15:37-41 CJB) and...
"You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself. (Deuteronomy 22:12)
One researcher has claimed that “the embellishment of garments with tassels (tzitzit) or fringes appears to be older than the Bible and may be seen in pictorial representations of other peoples (nations) [as well]. It is therefore possible that the Biblical tradition tried to infuse a common custom with a religious dimension.”[1] [Even today, this is a common practice.] Many Jewish men today continue to wear tzitzit in obedience to this commandment, with the tassels hanging from a tallit katan (small tallit) (fig 4). To the best of my knowledge, the use of tzitzit in this manner has been continued only by the Children of Israel, and particularly by those in the Orthodox and Hassidic traditions. One will commonly see the tzitzit hanging at the waist, below coats. This same writer goes on to say that “tzitzit were often [now always] attached to an outer mantle that resembled a Roman ‘pallium’.”
What we know today as the ‘regular’ tallit, or the tallit gadol (great or large tallit)[2] is worn over the shoulders, completely covering the back, with the two corners coming down the front. When putting on a tallit, one holds it unfolded, with the fringes on either end, and with the Atarah at the top. The hands should be just at each end of the atarah itself. The atarah is a strip of embroidered cloth on one long edge of the tallit. Embroidered into the atarah is the blessing which is recited before donning the tallit. It is transliterated here, and reads: “Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, Melech h’olahm, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’hitatef b’tzitzit.” This means: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us by Your commandments, and commanded us to wear [or wrap ourselves in] tzitzit”. The right hand is then drawn over the left shoulder and head, and the tallit placed on the shoulders. The sides are slung up and back over the shoulders to bare the arms or sleeves of one’s coat. The manner of doing this is an acquired skill, developed either through a natural gift, or a lot of practice. [I remember buying a tallit in Yerushalayim during our 1986 tour, putting it on in the store, and flinging the edges back to the amazement of the sales-person, who declared “Well you did that very well.” Actually, I think it was just luck.] In some cases, people will use special clips to keep the tallit from slipping down one’s shoulders. I find these clips to be very helpful. Otherwise, the wearer is always fiddling with the tallit to keep it on and straight. The picture at the top of page one shows me wearing my tallit at the service in Wasaga Beach.
The purpose of the tassels was to be a reminder to the wearer to keep the commandments of God. They were to be “gazed upon” at particular moments – perhaps in moments of temptation or doubt – so that the person would remember the commandments and be brought back to obedience. Today, there is a very meaningful practice involving the tzitzit at particular points within the synagogue services on Shabbat. When one reads the passage from Numbers quoted above, or while Shema is said together, and then during the reading of the Scripture passages which follow the recitation of the Shema (Deut 6:4ff), one wraps the four tzitzit around the index finger of the right hand, gazes upon them during the reading, then brings them to the lips and kisses them. This is in response to the commandment, but also reminds one of Psalm 34:8 which reads “Taste and see that the Lord is Good.”.
This activity is also used in the reading of the Torah from the scroll, by the person making aliyah, (fig 5) who will recite the blessing before and after the reading, and by the Chazzan, the one who chants the actual passage. Another tradition, although it is becoming rare except in some more orthodox settings, is to raise the tallit (like a hood) over one’s head during prayers. In this way one sees how the tallit really can be likened to a “prayer shawl”. Indeed, it fully envelopes the wearer and fulfils the concept of one’s being covered or surrounded in the Presence of God or in the commandments. A further use of the tallit (which we have encountered at the synagogue we sometimes attend) is that members having a tallit will be invited to share it with visitors during a specific prayer in the service. This privilege has the effect of feeling included in the activity of prayer and fellowship within the community.[3]
Bringing it all together:
What began to occur to me, some time ago, is that there could be a connection between the tallit and the stole worn by Christian clergy. What triggered my thinking was seeing a man wearing his tallit all folded up around his neck, more like a scarf than a shawl. It was an “aha” moment which sent me off doing all kinds of research. Many of my Jewish friends agreed that this was a distinct possibility, but no one knew for sure. And then one day, at the end of June 2009, I came across a sentence which sent me into ecstasy. It was in the commentary on the Numbers 15 passage noted above, and… it was in a Jewish Chumash (a compilation of the Torah, and various passages from the Tanakh in Hebrew and English, along with commentary based on historic Rabbinic insights from the Talmud). Furthermore, I discovered it in the midst of the Torah service in a synagogue. The sentence read: “The fringed stole worn by Christian officiants is a direct descendant of the tallit.”[4] There was no hedging on this – it didn’t say “might be” or “is thought to be”. It was definite… “is a direct descendant of”. The words jumped off the page. My suspicions and my theory were correct. And thus began a dream project which would take the rest of the year to realize.
I have a particular set of stoles which are different from any that I have seen anywhere. Like others, they are draped over the neck and each end hangs down the front. What is different about these stoles however, is that there is a third piece which hangs from the nape of the neck down my back. This was to become the basic pattern for what I wanted. I began to design a new stole, incorporating this “Y” style, but having the look of a tallit – having stripes at the ends of each piece. I searched fabric shops for just the right material. I did research into how to make the stripes. I looked in drapery stores for attractive fringes to finish off the appearance. I experimented with widths of each part of the stole. I sought advice from crafts-people whom I knew had created stoles before. I investigated to find appropriate designs to embellish the front pieces, perhaps (I thought) symbols of the seven Moedim (Feasts), although this idea was later discarded. I already knew what I wanted on the back piece, though how to achieve it remained a problem for a long time. After months of planning and designing, and trial and error, the Lord revealed a solution… start with an actual Tallit. It was so simple! I purchased a new tallit from “The Israeli Source” on Doncaster Ave. in Thornhill. Shortly after that, and purely by accident (are these events ever accidents) I discovered a small business near the corner of Young St. and Mackay Dr. (where Emmanuel Church is located) It is called “EmbroidMe”. I eventually got to talk with the manager (George), who was very helpful. He could embroider any design I wanted as long as I could get a digital copy of it to him. I sent him a copy that very day. The next step was finding someone who would do the sewing – and I knew just who I needed.
A few years ago, when I was in full time parish ministry, I had a few special clergy shirts made. A friend and parish-member made the pattern for me, and another friend (Heather) made the shirts. Her work was impeccable! I simply had to speak to her about the stole. I drove to Whitby to discuss the design with her. She was willing to do the work, and she also had some brilliant suggestions. I left the tallit with her, along with one of the original “Y” stoles. I knew I could trust her ability. About mid-November she called. The first step was complete. I picked up the stole as it was, and drove directly to “EmbroidMe” where George set the next step in motion. He was to embroider the Messianic Seal, about 11 inches high, on the back branch of the stole. He called a few days later to say it was ready. The work was perfect! He told me that in the end, the navy blue design incorporated 16,679 stitches! I was very impressed by the workmanship – no flaws, no puckering, and it only showed on the “outside” as we had discussed. I returned the stole to Heather for steps three and four, the joining and the finishing touches. I received her phone call in late December. The stole was finished.
Although we had discussed a number of possibilities, Heather had found a way to transfer the tzitzit from the tallit to the stole - intact. She had also found that by simple pleating, she could place the atarah on the neckline where it belonged. Furthermore, all the original fringe work had been maintained and adorned each end of the three branches. The following Sunday, I was to bring the message to the congregation at Emmanuel, and so Peter and I discussed a brief ceremony - which would include the congregation - to dedicate the stole. We read the passage from Numbers, and said a few interactive prayers and I blessed the stole for work in the Kingdom of God. Following the service, the pictures below (fig’s 6,7,8, and 9) were taken to record the event[5].
Here are a few other bits of information I found during my research into the tallit, and (again) quoted from Plaut’s Chumash commentary notes: I found these to be most interesting.
1 “The Jews’ search for a logical correlation between the tallit and the commandments of God was rewarded with some interesting discoveries. The numerical value of the Hebrew word “tzitzit” (spelled tycyc) is 600, while the number of threads from which each tzitzit is made totals 8 and each tzitzit contains 5 knots. 600+8+5 comes to 613, the total number of commandments given to the Jewish people in the Torah.
2 The number of times the long thread of each tzitzit is wound around the shorter pieces between each knot is 7, then 8, then 11 and finally 13, making the numeric value 26 and 13 respectively. These are the numeric values of the words “hwhy” (Yahweh) and “dha”, (Echad) which together affirm the central doctrine of Judaism: “God is One”.
3 In the Numbers passage, where it says that the people are to hold the tzitzit and gaze upon it, the word understood as “it” could be translated “him” because there is no neutral gender in Hebrew, thus - in ‘gazing upon’ the tzitzit, the person could be considered as “looking upon Him” that is to say that in obeying the command regarding the tzitzit, one could be merited with “beholding God” as it were. This notation is taken from the Talmud. It is important because it gives us a complete link between the written word (Torah commandments) and the Living Word, Elohim.
4 But this was the most interesting note: Plaut writes “Jesus [Y’shua], like all observant Jews of His time, wore tzitzit. [Of course, this means that He would have to have worn a tallit as well]. In His teaching, He [Y’shua] “warned against the hypocrites who went about with broad phylacteries and large tassels”.
In the end, the creation of my “talli-stole” (as I have nicknamed it), is proving to be an important symbol in the ministry and message of Beth Roay Tov. It is like a sacrament (an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace) of the bridge, or the coming together, of Christianity with its Jewish roots.
I also want to thank those who have contributed to the costs of the creation of the stole. In the end, the bills totalled about $400.00, which is actually fairly reasonable. Some individuals donated funds to cover some of the costs involved, for which I am very grateful. If you would like to contribute to the remaining debt (about $100.00) please see the last page for instructions about donations.
From ordination to my first stole, from a gift to a tallit, from research to my talli-stole, I realize now that it is all really just “Natural Progression”. Thanks be to G-d.
ENGAGEMENTS
I continue to be called on by Emmanuel to lead services or to preach on various occasions. It continues to be a privilege for me to do so. On December 27th, the day my new talli-stole was dedicated, I preached about the young Y’shua, left behind in Yerushalayim after the Passover (Luke 3:41-52). I noted that the Bible states clearly that Y’shua was 12 years old at this point. I shared with the congregation that by the age of 12, a Jewish boy is well into preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, generally celebrated (by boys) the following year. (Girls mark their Bat Mitzvah at the age of 12) Y’shua’s encounter with the learned men in the Temple courts involved both his listening and his speaking out. We are told that He astounded everyone with His great knowledge. Another key point in this story is found in the opening verse of the passage: “And His parents used to go to Yerushalayim every year at the Feast of the Passover.” Obviously Y’shua lived out His Jewish life and faith by keeping all the Moedim (Festivals). This continued into His adult life as well, which can be verified throughout John’s Gospel.
This year, Maundy Thursday will fall on the evening of April 1st. I have been invited to lead a full Pesach Seder at St. Paul’s Church in Innisfil (south of Barrie on highway 11) on that night. The festivities will include a full meal, teaching about the Passover before and after the meal, as well as dance and music demonstrations by members of our team. We are really looking forward to this event. I believe they will be selling tickets, because of limited seating space, so you might want to contact the office at St. Paul’s if you will be in the region that night and would like to attend.
Before that takes place, I have been invited to celebrate the wedding of the daughter of a family friend. They have asked about having a Messianic service, which will be quite unique and very interesting. I have been researching this quite extensively and again, I am excitedly looking forward to guiding the young couple through the ceremony as we all honour Elohim for His grace and provision, and for the gift of love which He so freely bestows.
Let me again remind study group leaders, pastors, and individuals that if you would like to have us come and teach about some aspect of the Roots of Christianity, it begins with just a simple phone call or e-mail.
CHAVARAH NEWS & BIBLE STUDY NOTES
Recently the members of our group attended a weekend event at “City of David” on Yonge St. in Thornhill. I went to the Friday evening opening session, Joanie and Marlene attended the Saturday night event and we all were able to join with the congregation on Saturday morning. The two day affair was provided to welcome Karen Davis, a Messianic song-writer, who was raised in the U.S. but made aliyah[6] to Israel some twenty years ago. Karen’s husband David is the Messianic Rabbi of Kehillat HaCarmel in Haifa, Israel, and together, they also founded a rehab ministry for drug and alcohol addicted street people. At the Shabbat service, Karen spoke about the role of worship music in the life of the believer, and presented to a large and eager congregation many of her songs. We all really enjoyed hearing about her life and ministry as well. While there on Shabbat, I had the opportunity to speak with Jeff Forman, the leader of C of D and Rabbi of the “Gates of Zion” congregation. I hadn’t seen Jeff for many months, although we have spoken on the phone a few times. It was good to renew acquaintances.
As part of our on-going study of the Torah, we continue to visit and take part in the Shabbat study group at our favourite synagogue. The discussion always lives up to our expectations of being lively and educational. Unfortunately, our own study group has had to be put on hold for a while as other demands are being made on my time. Because Joan’s income is about to be cut back, and because I am struggling to make ends meet with the ministry income, I have had to take on doing “odd jobs” around the area. I am also looking for full time employment again, but few places want to hire me as I have to have my weekends free – primarily to worship, and secondly to be able to accept speaking engagements. Added to this, I have been heavily occupied with trying to find a new source of health insurance to cover the costs of dental and medical needs for Joan and myself. With all of this, I can not also find the time to research and prepare the lessons for the study.
However, we do continue to meet regularly for worship on Saturday mornings, and these times are precious. We have agreed that on the second Shabbat of each month we will continue to attend the synagogue service as that is the day they also have dance in which Joanie and Marlene love to take part. We are praying earnestly that Elohim will open new opportunities for us to cover our needs and so be freed up to continue in a very important part of what we are trying to accomplish in His Name.
One of the aspects of the year-end review I mentioned above, is the realization that a very large part of the teaching I am able to provide is going out “free of charge” through the newsletter and through the web site, as opposed to my original thought that it would be through speaking engagements. While I have been pleased with the number and quality of the engagements over the last year, I am still praying for more of course. This turn of events has certainly been an interesting, if somewhat unforeseen, development which we all believe G-d has brought about, and which, in one sense, I am pleased about. As I explained to the board of directors, I made a decision in the beginning that I would not ‘charge’ for what the Lord gave me to share, but rely on His provision. This is why I don’t even charge a “fee” for any engagement I do – but ask only that my costs to be covered and that a voluntary honorarium be considered. (I do have a schedule of suggested amounts which I provide when asked, but it is not “written in stone”). As I have said all along, it is more important to me to get the teaching before the people than to worry about money. This is, of course, why we rely on the support of our sojourners who cover us in prayer and whose prayers have been answered in amazing ways, and – for those who can – send financial support. The prayers and support of our sojourners are so important right now. Please continue to stand before the Lord of Hosts and plead on our behalf. We are so thankful for the knowledge that you are standing by us.
Some other information from the report:
Our electronic mailing list now numbers about 113 households, our regular mailing list (snail mail) involves another 20 recipients. Add to this the hard copies that I distribute through my display centre at Emmanuel and at the synagogue and those which I hand out personally (I always keep about 10 or 12 in the car to give to new acquaintances) and I reckon that we distribute about 145-150 newsletters each edition. I am told by many of our readers that they also pass the newsletters on to friends, study partners and others and that becomes even more impressive. All of this is without any advertising at all.
And then there is the website, which I brought up to date and made some additions to late in 2009. I was not keeping close track of all the “hits” (visits) last year, but for those I did record we averaged 13 to 18 visits per day. Already this year, we are averaging 25 hits per day so far in January. By the way, if you haven’t checked out the web-site you should. I can now archive the regular newsletters in a special place, and I have a visitor’s guest book for people to leave messages for the ministry. I will, in the next few days, (G-d willing) be adding some of the above photos to the Web-site photo gallery, and you can “blow them up” by just clicking on them with your mouse button.
Following the newsletter article on the Messianic Seal last January, I did some investigating about it and I have reported to the Board that I have now adopted it as a logo for the ministry. That is why it is on the stole (see photos above), and I have also included it on my calling card and I even have it on my cheques. This really stirs up interest in people who see it and when they ask about it, it is another opportunity to teach about Jewish Roots and about our ministry.
FROM THE “IN” BOX
December is the season for folks sending out greetings. Let me share with you some lines from just 2 of the notes we received here recently:
Helen wrote: “… I really appreciate your messages Brian. You are so much closer than you realize, since you took our prayers to Israel. You are often thought of by many [here]… God will bless you mightily for the work you do. We wish you the best blessing that God pours out.”
And Lorne wrote: “… I wish also to thank you, Brian, for your newsletters which I find very enlightening in learning or affirming teachings of our Jewish roots in the Christian faith. Your autumn Moedim was most interesting and thought provoking that Dec 25th not being the Messiah’s actual birth date, which I have heard before…. I have kept your newsletters so that I may refer back from time to time and also to share with any [others] interested in Jewish roots. Thanks again.
I love to receive such notes and words of encouragement. It reminds me of the importance (and responsibility) of what BRT is trying to accomplish amongst the “Body of the Faithful”. I can be reached through any of the means found in the box beside my signature below.
Thank you so much for all that you do, for your prayer support, for words of encouragement, and for responding to G-d’s call on you. We count you as very dear to us. We are thankful that you are “there”… because you give us the reason to continue. Until the next edition….
"Y'varehch'cha Adonai v'yeesh m'recha –
May the Lord Bless you and Keep you."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Footnotes:
[1] Plaut, W Gunther ed. “The Torah. A Modern Commentary. Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York, New York; 1981, pg 1123
[2] On a separate note, the Hebrew word “gadol”, also means ‘high’, so in the Temple one might have seen the High Priest or “Cohen Gadol”.
[3] I recently discovered several web-sites which teach about the tallit and various aspects of Jewish synagogue practices which you might enjoy and find helpful. For a start, if you get the newsletter by email, you can click on this one to learn about putting on the tallit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieiYT0SO0gA Those who get the newsletter by regular mail will have to enter the site manually. (Sorry).
[4] Plaut, W Gunther ed. “The Torah. A Modern Commentary. Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York, New York; 1981, pg 1124.
[5] Picture credits go to Benjamin R, who helped capture the moment for history. Thank you “Ben Yamin”, which means “Son of my right hand”
[6] Aliyah translates to “going up”. It is used to describe the calling up of a person to recite the blessing before a reading from the Torah or Hahftorah. In this case it refers to the “going up” of a person coming to live in the Home Land of Israel.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Greetings to everyone!
I can’t begin to fully describe how excited I am about this edition of our newsletter. We are beginning a new year and of course, as is always the case during January, a lot of reflection (looking back) and dreaming/envisioning (looking forward) has been going on.
I have just completed a lengthy report to the board of directors of BRT Ministries to convey what has been happening and what has been achieved over the last year. There has actually been far more success than even I contemplated. Sometimes it really does help to write it all out and have a physical copy of one’s work. Included with this are some hopes for the year to come, as well as some concerns which I have been bringing before the Lord for a few weeks as He has revealed some aspects of what we are doing here – things which were not as central to our work when we first began, but which are developing into a major thrust of our work. I have summarized part of the report below for your knowledge and for your prayer support.
I am most excited about the teaching section, immediately below, which will relate to our sojourners an excellent example of the building of bridges between the Christian faith and the Jewish Roots from which we derive our faith, our practices, our prayers and our beliefs. I hope you will read it carefully because I believe you will find it interesting. Don’t miss out on the interactive link in one of the footnotes – I will let you hunt for it.
As always, as you continue to read, you will find updates about what is happening in the ministry and in our lives. There is some exciting news about up-coming events, and some concerns for which we need your prayers. It is our hope that you will be blessed as you catch up on our news, and that you will be able to lift up our needs in more meaningful and focused prayer. Thank you for your interest.
THIS MONTH’S TEACHING: *It’s Really Just Natural Progression*
(Notations to "Fig" refer to the photographs at the bottom of this page. Some photos are missing. You may enlarge the picture by clicking on it.)
It is always interesting to see Elohim at work in our lives. We need, of course, to admit that all things are under His command and control, so that one can readily see that there is no such thing as “coincidence”. Certainly that is how I feel about my life. There are a small number of influential events which relate to this month’s teaching – events from my own life – which I hope will illustrate my point.
In May of 1987 I was ordained into the diaconate of the Anglican Church of Canada. This means that I was made a deacon in the church. In Anglican tradition, this is an ordained position. The ordination of a deacon involves prayer, promises and covenants, and the laying-on-of-hands by the bishop. As a symbol of my ordination, among other things, I received a ‘stole’. The stole (from the Latin ‘stola’ and Greek ‘stolé’ meaning ‘garment’) is seen as the symbol of service representing, we are told, the yoke of Y’shua mentioned in Matthew 11:28-30. A deacon in the church wears the stole over one shoulder, across the chest and bound at the opposite waist (fig. 1). This signifies that the deacon bears only part of the yoke. Later, when one is “priested”, or ordained into the priesthood, the stole is worn over both shoulders, as the priest takes on the full load of ministry in unity with Messiah (see fig 3). In some cases it may be crossed over the chest of the priest and slung through the rope cincture (belt). Through the ages, the stole has been richly decorated with symbols of the faith, but always there are fringes at either end. These are important!
In the Anglican tradition, as in some others increasingly so, the stole is found in different colours (fig 2), each of which represents a different “season” in the church year. Green is most prevalent. It signifies growth and is used during the weeks following Epiphany and Pentecost. White is used for both the Feast days and seasons of Christmas and Easter, for Epiphany Sunday itself, for Trinity Sunday and for All Saints day and so on. Because it primarily represents resurrection, it is also commonly the colour used at funeral services. Purple (royalty, preparation and penance) is used during Lent and sometimes Advent, although Blue is recently replacing it for Advent as we approach the Festival and season of Christmas.
Red is used for Festivals of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost itself), and for those days marking saints of the church who were martyred (signifying the shedding of blood). Red is also used during most of Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday, but changing to White for Maundy Thursday. Generally no stole is worn on Good Friday. Much of this tradition is carried over from the Roman Catholic church.
There seems to be a number of theories as to the history of the stole. Some feel it comes from the towel used by Y’shua at the Pesach Seder to dry the feet of the apostles. It was called the orarium (towel or napkin), and in some traditions, the stole is actually known by that name still today. Certainly this explanation fits with the idea of its signifying the servitude of Y’shua, and thus His representatives in holy orders. Other traditions claim that it derives from the scarf-like garment (known as the “pallium”) worn by imperial officials in the Roman Empire which was adopted by clergy as they became members of the Roman administration and realized the honours afforded them by their position. In this case, we see the concept of the stole signifying honour and rank amongst the bureaucracy of the day. In this ‘role’, the stole was limited to those clergy only in highest positions or ranks, as opposed to being worn by all ordained church leaders. There may be some merit to these histories, (or let’s call them opinions), but I feel strongly that the stole comes from an even older tradition, and indeed, as near as I can discover, it would be the oldest traditional concept of the stole’s origin put forward by historians of the faith long before these other postulations came into vogue.
As a deacon, I served at Trinity Church in Port Credit, Mississauga. One of the first responsibilities I was given was to visit the members of the parish. It was a wonderful way to get to know most of the people in the congregation. My heart is full of many memories and stories of terrific people, but admittedly – one stands out in the top ten. Her name was Hilda Matheson. She was a lady of 92 years who was full of life, who loved the Lord, and who deeply enjoyed the study of the Word. Every time I visited her, we would have an energetic discussion about some passage or other from Scripture. At some point in her past, Hilda had had a good friend with whom she often discussed God’s Word, as she put it, “with great vitality”. Her friend was a Rabbi at the time. I think Hilda may have been the first person I knew well who had successfully bridged her Christian faith with its Jewish Roots.
One day, after many month’s of visiting Hilda, and getting to know her well, she handed me a box. The items contained in it had been given to her by her Rabbi friend many years before. When he gave them to her, he told her it was because she was the most righteous person he had ever met. Now, years later, as she gave them to me, she said “I am not sure why, but the Lord is laying on my heart to give these things to you because He says you will need them one day.” I was greatly humbled and deeply moved by the gift. In the box were some articles used on a Pesach table, a small brass menorah (candle stand) and a tallit (prayer shawl). Over the ensuing years, I made use of all the items, but I held the tallit especially dear. For a number of years until recently, whenever I led a Passover Seder, or taught about Jewish practices, I wore “Hilda’s” tallit.
As time passed, I learned quite a lot about tallitot (plural of tallit). Since becoming involved in Messianic ministry, that learning curve, even just with respect to the tallit, has been almost perpendicular. I have discovered that tallitot come in different sizes, and designs. Most commonly the main part of the tallit is white, usually wool, though other fabrics may be used, but never should there be a mixture of fabrics, especially wool and linen (see Deut. 22:11). To mix the fabrics goes against the Scriptural command which ensures “purity”. The Tallit has decorative stripes at either extreme. These are commonly blue, though they may be black. (Hilda’s tallit had black striping, more recent ones have had blue with stripes of gold and sometimes silver metallic thread interspersed). Today, particularly in Reconstructionist Judaism, Tallitot come in many colours, with intricate designs and patterns. Traditionally, only men wore the tallit. In some congregations only those actively involved in the service and only while on the bema will wear a tallit, In some reform branches of Judaism the tallit is not worn at all, while in Reconstructionist Judaism, both men and women who have experienced Bar or Bat Mitzvah will wear them during the service.
The tallit is rectangular in shape, with the stripes at the extremes running perpendicular to the long sides. On the shorter sides, the threads are gathered to create a fringe, generally knotted to keep the material from fraying. At each corner, one will find the tzitzit, a special tassel made of strings, and intricately tied in a series of knots. These tzitzit are the connection to the scriptures, as found in the book of Numbers, chapter 15:37-41. Further instruction is given in Deuteronomy 22:12. The early origin of these passages indicates how old the use of tallitot may be.
"The Lord spoke to Moshe, saying: "Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tzitzit [tassels] on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tzitzit of each corner a cord of blue. And it shall be a tzitzit for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes after which you played the harlot, in order that you may remember to do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God" (Numbers 15:37-41 CJB) and...
"You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself. (Deuteronomy 22:12)
One researcher has claimed that “the embellishment of garments with tassels (tzitzit) or fringes appears to be older than the Bible and may be seen in pictorial representations of other peoples (nations) [as well]. It is therefore possible that the Biblical tradition tried to infuse a common custom with a religious dimension.”[1] [Even today, this is a common practice.] Many Jewish men today continue to wear tzitzit in obedience to this commandment, with the tassels hanging from a tallit katan (small tallit) (fig 4). To the best of my knowledge, the use of tzitzit in this manner has been continued only by the Children of Israel, and particularly by those in the Orthodox and Hassidic traditions. One will commonly see the tzitzit hanging at the waist, below coats. This same writer goes on to say that “tzitzit were often [now always] attached to an outer mantle that resembled a Roman ‘pallium’.”
What we know today as the ‘regular’ tallit, or the tallit gadol (great or large tallit)[2] is worn over the shoulders, completely covering the back, with the two corners coming down the front. When putting on a tallit, one holds it unfolded, with the fringes on either end, and with the Atarah at the top. The hands should be just at each end of the atarah itself. The atarah is a strip of embroidered cloth on one long edge of the tallit. Embroidered into the atarah is the blessing which is recited before donning the tallit. It is transliterated here, and reads: “Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, Melech h’olahm, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’hitatef b’tzitzit.” This means: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us by Your commandments, and commanded us to wear [or wrap ourselves in] tzitzit”. The right hand is then drawn over the left shoulder and head, and the tallit placed on the shoulders. The sides are slung up and back over the shoulders to bare the arms or sleeves of one’s coat. The manner of doing this is an acquired skill, developed either through a natural gift, or a lot of practice. [I remember buying a tallit in Yerushalayim during our 1986 tour, putting it on in the store, and flinging the edges back to the amazement of the sales-person, who declared “Well you did that very well.” Actually, I think it was just luck.] In some cases, people will use special clips to keep the tallit from slipping down one’s shoulders. I find these clips to be very helpful. Otherwise, the wearer is always fiddling with the tallit to keep it on and straight. The picture at the top of page one shows me wearing my tallit at the service in Wasaga Beach.
The purpose of the tassels was to be a reminder to the wearer to keep the commandments of God. They were to be “gazed upon” at particular moments – perhaps in moments of temptation or doubt – so that the person would remember the commandments and be brought back to obedience. Today, there is a very meaningful practice involving the tzitzit at particular points within the synagogue services on Shabbat. When one reads the passage from Numbers quoted above, or while Shema is said together, and then during the reading of the Scripture passages which follow the recitation of the Shema (Deut 6:4ff), one wraps the four tzitzit around the index finger of the right hand, gazes upon them during the reading, then brings them to the lips and kisses them. This is in response to the commandment, but also reminds one of Psalm 34:8 which reads “Taste and see that the Lord is Good.”.
This activity is also used in the reading of the Torah from the scroll, by the person making aliyah, (fig 5) who will recite the blessing before and after the reading, and by the Chazzan, the one who chants the actual passage. Another tradition, although it is becoming rare except in some more orthodox settings, is to raise the tallit (like a hood) over one’s head during prayers. In this way one sees how the tallit really can be likened to a “prayer shawl”. Indeed, it fully envelopes the wearer and fulfils the concept of one’s being covered or surrounded in the Presence of God or in the commandments. A further use of the tallit (which we have encountered at the synagogue we sometimes attend) is that members having a tallit will be invited to share it with visitors during a specific prayer in the service. This privilege has the effect of feeling included in the activity of prayer and fellowship within the community.[3]
Bringing it all together:
What began to occur to me, some time ago, is that there could be a connection between the tallit and the stole worn by Christian clergy. What triggered my thinking was seeing a man wearing his tallit all folded up around his neck, more like a scarf than a shawl. It was an “aha” moment which sent me off doing all kinds of research. Many of my Jewish friends agreed that this was a distinct possibility, but no one knew for sure. And then one day, at the end of June 2009, I came across a sentence which sent me into ecstasy. It was in the commentary on the Numbers 15 passage noted above, and… it was in a Jewish Chumash (a compilation of the Torah, and various passages from the Tanakh in Hebrew and English, along with commentary based on historic Rabbinic insights from the Talmud). Furthermore, I discovered it in the midst of the Torah service in a synagogue. The sentence read: “The fringed stole worn by Christian officiants is a direct descendant of the tallit.”[4] There was no hedging on this – it didn’t say “might be” or “is thought to be”. It was definite… “is a direct descendant of”. The words jumped off the page. My suspicions and my theory were correct. And thus began a dream project which would take the rest of the year to realize.
I have a particular set of stoles which are different from any that I have seen anywhere. Like others, they are draped over the neck and each end hangs down the front. What is different about these stoles however, is that there is a third piece which hangs from the nape of the neck down my back. This was to become the basic pattern for what I wanted. I began to design a new stole, incorporating this “Y” style, but having the look of a tallit – having stripes at the ends of each piece. I searched fabric shops for just the right material. I did research into how to make the stripes. I looked in drapery stores for attractive fringes to finish off the appearance. I experimented with widths of each part of the stole. I sought advice from crafts-people whom I knew had created stoles before. I investigated to find appropriate designs to embellish the front pieces, perhaps (I thought) symbols of the seven Moedim (Feasts), although this idea was later discarded. I already knew what I wanted on the back piece, though how to achieve it remained a problem for a long time. After months of planning and designing, and trial and error, the Lord revealed a solution… start with an actual Tallit. It was so simple! I purchased a new tallit from “The Israeli Source” on Doncaster Ave. in Thornhill. Shortly after that, and purely by accident (are these events ever accidents) I discovered a small business near the corner of Young St. and Mackay Dr. (where Emmanuel Church is located) It is called “EmbroidMe”. I eventually got to talk with the manager (George), who was very helpful. He could embroider any design I wanted as long as I could get a digital copy of it to him. I sent him a copy that very day. The next step was finding someone who would do the sewing – and I knew just who I needed.
A few years ago, when I was in full time parish ministry, I had a few special clergy shirts made. A friend and parish-member made the pattern for me, and another friend (Heather) made the shirts. Her work was impeccable! I simply had to speak to her about the stole. I drove to Whitby to discuss the design with her. She was willing to do the work, and she also had some brilliant suggestions. I left the tallit with her, along with one of the original “Y” stoles. I knew I could trust her ability. About mid-November she called. The first step was complete. I picked up the stole as it was, and drove directly to “EmbroidMe” where George set the next step in motion. He was to embroider the Messianic Seal, about 11 inches high, on the back branch of the stole. He called a few days later to say it was ready. The work was perfect! He told me that in the end, the navy blue design incorporated 16,679 stitches! I was very impressed by the workmanship – no flaws, no puckering, and it only showed on the “outside” as we had discussed. I returned the stole to Heather for steps three and four, the joining and the finishing touches. I received her phone call in late December. The stole was finished.
Although we had discussed a number of possibilities, Heather had found a way to transfer the tzitzit from the tallit to the stole - intact. She had also found that by simple pleating, she could place the atarah on the neckline where it belonged. Furthermore, all the original fringe work had been maintained and adorned each end of the three branches. The following Sunday, I was to bring the message to the congregation at Emmanuel, and so Peter and I discussed a brief ceremony - which would include the congregation - to dedicate the stole. We read the passage from Numbers, and said a few interactive prayers and I blessed the stole for work in the Kingdom of God. Following the service, the pictures below (fig’s 6,7,8, and 9) were taken to record the event[5].
Here are a few other bits of information I found during my research into the tallit, and (again) quoted from Plaut’s Chumash commentary notes: I found these to be most interesting.
1 “The Jews’ search for a logical correlation between the tallit and the commandments of God was rewarded with some interesting discoveries. The numerical value of the Hebrew word “tzitzit” (spelled tycyc) is 600, while the number of threads from which each tzitzit is made totals 8 and each tzitzit contains 5 knots. 600+8+5 comes to 613, the total number of commandments given to the Jewish people in the Torah.
2 The number of times the long thread of each tzitzit is wound around the shorter pieces between each knot is 7, then 8, then 11 and finally 13, making the numeric value 26 and 13 respectively. These are the numeric values of the words “hwhy” (Yahweh) and “dha”, (Echad) which together affirm the central doctrine of Judaism: “God is One”.
3 In the Numbers passage, where it says that the people are to hold the tzitzit and gaze upon it, the word understood as “it” could be translated “him” because there is no neutral gender in Hebrew, thus - in ‘gazing upon’ the tzitzit, the person could be considered as “looking upon Him” that is to say that in obeying the command regarding the tzitzit, one could be merited with “beholding God” as it were. This notation is taken from the Talmud. It is important because it gives us a complete link between the written word (Torah commandments) and the Living Word, Elohim.
4 But this was the most interesting note: Plaut writes “Jesus [Y’shua], like all observant Jews of His time, wore tzitzit. [Of course, this means that He would have to have worn a tallit as well]. In His teaching, He [Y’shua] “warned against the hypocrites who went about with broad phylacteries and large tassels”.
In the end, the creation of my “talli-stole” (as I have nicknamed it), is proving to be an important symbol in the ministry and message of Beth Roay Tov. It is like a sacrament (an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace) of the bridge, or the coming together, of Christianity with its Jewish roots.
I also want to thank those who have contributed to the costs of the creation of the stole. In the end, the bills totalled about $400.00, which is actually fairly reasonable. Some individuals donated funds to cover some of the costs involved, for which I am very grateful. If you would like to contribute to the remaining debt (about $100.00) please see the last page for instructions about donations.
From ordination to my first stole, from a gift to a tallit, from research to my talli-stole, I realize now that it is all really just “Natural Progression”. Thanks be to G-d.
ENGAGEMENTS
I continue to be called on by Emmanuel to lead services or to preach on various occasions. It continues to be a privilege for me to do so. On December 27th, the day my new talli-stole was dedicated, I preached about the young Y’shua, left behind in Yerushalayim after the Passover (Luke 3:41-52). I noted that the Bible states clearly that Y’shua was 12 years old at this point. I shared with the congregation that by the age of 12, a Jewish boy is well into preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, generally celebrated (by boys) the following year. (Girls mark their Bat Mitzvah at the age of 12) Y’shua’s encounter with the learned men in the Temple courts involved both his listening and his speaking out. We are told that He astounded everyone with His great knowledge. Another key point in this story is found in the opening verse of the passage: “And His parents used to go to Yerushalayim every year at the Feast of the Passover.” Obviously Y’shua lived out His Jewish life and faith by keeping all the Moedim (Festivals). This continued into His adult life as well, which can be verified throughout John’s Gospel.
This year, Maundy Thursday will fall on the evening of April 1st. I have been invited to lead a full Pesach Seder at St. Paul’s Church in Innisfil (south of Barrie on highway 11) on that night. The festivities will include a full meal, teaching about the Passover before and after the meal, as well as dance and music demonstrations by members of our team. We are really looking forward to this event. I believe they will be selling tickets, because of limited seating space, so you might want to contact the office at St. Paul’s if you will be in the region that night and would like to attend.
Before that takes place, I have been invited to celebrate the wedding of the daughter of a family friend. They have asked about having a Messianic service, which will be quite unique and very interesting. I have been researching this quite extensively and again, I am excitedly looking forward to guiding the young couple through the ceremony as we all honour Elohim for His grace and provision, and for the gift of love which He so freely bestows.
Let me again remind study group leaders, pastors, and individuals that if you would like to have us come and teach about some aspect of the Roots of Christianity, it begins with just a simple phone call or e-mail.
CHAVARAH NEWS & BIBLE STUDY NOTES
Recently the members of our group attended a weekend event at “City of David” on Yonge St. in Thornhill. I went to the Friday evening opening session, Joanie and Marlene attended the Saturday night event and we all were able to join with the congregation on Saturday morning. The two day affair was provided to welcome Karen Davis, a Messianic song-writer, who was raised in the U.S. but made aliyah[6] to Israel some twenty years ago. Karen’s husband David is the Messianic Rabbi of Kehillat HaCarmel in Haifa, Israel, and together, they also founded a rehab ministry for drug and alcohol addicted street people. At the Shabbat service, Karen spoke about the role of worship music in the life of the believer, and presented to a large and eager congregation many of her songs. We all really enjoyed hearing about her life and ministry as well. While there on Shabbat, I had the opportunity to speak with Jeff Forman, the leader of C of D and Rabbi of the “Gates of Zion” congregation. I hadn’t seen Jeff for many months, although we have spoken on the phone a few times. It was good to renew acquaintances.
As part of our on-going study of the Torah, we continue to visit and take part in the Shabbat study group at our favourite synagogue. The discussion always lives up to our expectations of being lively and educational. Unfortunately, our own study group has had to be put on hold for a while as other demands are being made on my time. Because Joan’s income is about to be cut back, and because I am struggling to make ends meet with the ministry income, I have had to take on doing “odd jobs” around the area. I am also looking for full time employment again, but few places want to hire me as I have to have my weekends free – primarily to worship, and secondly to be able to accept speaking engagements. Added to this, I have been heavily occupied with trying to find a new source of health insurance to cover the costs of dental and medical needs for Joan and myself. With all of this, I can not also find the time to research and prepare the lessons for the study.
However, we do continue to meet regularly for worship on Saturday mornings, and these times are precious. We have agreed that on the second Shabbat of each month we will continue to attend the synagogue service as that is the day they also have dance in which Joanie and Marlene love to take part. We are praying earnestly that Elohim will open new opportunities for us to cover our needs and so be freed up to continue in a very important part of what we are trying to accomplish in His Name.
One of the aspects of the year-end review I mentioned above, is the realization that a very large part of the teaching I am able to provide is going out “free of charge” through the newsletter and through the web site, as opposed to my original thought that it would be through speaking engagements. While I have been pleased with the number and quality of the engagements over the last year, I am still praying for more of course. This turn of events has certainly been an interesting, if somewhat unforeseen, development which we all believe G-d has brought about, and which, in one sense, I am pleased about. As I explained to the board of directors, I made a decision in the beginning that I would not ‘charge’ for what the Lord gave me to share, but rely on His provision. This is why I don’t even charge a “fee” for any engagement I do – but ask only that my costs to be covered and that a voluntary honorarium be considered. (I do have a schedule of suggested amounts which I provide when asked, but it is not “written in stone”). As I have said all along, it is more important to me to get the teaching before the people than to worry about money. This is, of course, why we rely on the support of our sojourners who cover us in prayer and whose prayers have been answered in amazing ways, and – for those who can – send financial support. The prayers and support of our sojourners are so important right now. Please continue to stand before the Lord of Hosts and plead on our behalf. We are so thankful for the knowledge that you are standing by us.
Some other information from the report:
Our electronic mailing list now numbers about 113 households, our regular mailing list (snail mail) involves another 20 recipients. Add to this the hard copies that I distribute through my display centre at Emmanuel and at the synagogue and those which I hand out personally (I always keep about 10 or 12 in the car to give to new acquaintances) and I reckon that we distribute about 145-150 newsletters each edition. I am told by many of our readers that they also pass the newsletters on to friends, study partners and others and that becomes even more impressive. All of this is without any advertising at all.
And then there is the website, which I brought up to date and made some additions to late in 2009. I was not keeping close track of all the “hits” (visits) last year, but for those I did record we averaged 13 to 18 visits per day. Already this year, we are averaging 25 hits per day so far in January. By the way, if you haven’t checked out the web-site you should. I can now archive the regular newsletters in a special place, and I have a visitor’s guest book for people to leave messages for the ministry. I will, in the next few days, (G-d willing) be adding some of the above photos to the Web-site photo gallery, and you can “blow them up” by just clicking on them with your mouse button.
Following the newsletter article on the Messianic Seal last January, I did some investigating about it and I have reported to the Board that I have now adopted it as a logo for the ministry. That is why it is on the stole (see photos above), and I have also included it on my calling card and I even have it on my cheques. This really stirs up interest in people who see it and when they ask about it, it is another opportunity to teach about Jewish Roots and about our ministry.
FROM THE “IN” BOX
December is the season for folks sending out greetings. Let me share with you some lines from just 2 of the notes we received here recently:
Helen wrote: “… I really appreciate your messages Brian. You are so much closer than you realize, since you took our prayers to Israel. You are often thought of by many [here]… God will bless you mightily for the work you do. We wish you the best blessing that God pours out.”
And Lorne wrote: “… I wish also to thank you, Brian, for your newsletters which I find very enlightening in learning or affirming teachings of our Jewish roots in the Christian faith. Your autumn Moedim was most interesting and thought provoking that Dec 25th not being the Messiah’s actual birth date, which I have heard before…. I have kept your newsletters so that I may refer back from time to time and also to share with any [others] interested in Jewish roots. Thanks again.
I love to receive such notes and words of encouragement. It reminds me of the importance (and responsibility) of what BRT is trying to accomplish amongst the “Body of the Faithful”. I can be reached through any of the means found in the box beside my signature below.
Thank you so much for all that you do, for your prayer support, for words of encouragement, and for responding to G-d’s call on you. We count you as very dear to us. We are thankful that you are “there”… because you give us the reason to continue. Until the next edition….
"Y'varehch'cha Adonai v'yeesh m'recha –
May the Lord Bless you and Keep you."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Footnotes:
[1] Plaut, W Gunther ed. “The Torah. A Modern Commentary. Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York, New York; 1981, pg 1123
[2] On a separate note, the Hebrew word “gadol”, also means ‘high’, so in the Temple one might have seen the High Priest or “Cohen Gadol”.
[3] I recently discovered several web-sites which teach about the tallit and various aspects of Jewish synagogue practices which you might enjoy and find helpful. For a start, if you get the newsletter by email, you can click on this one to learn about putting on the tallit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieiYT0SO0gA Those who get the newsletter by regular mail will have to enter the site manually. (Sorry).
[4] Plaut, W Gunther ed. “The Torah. A Modern Commentary. Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York, New York; 1981, pg 1124.
[5] Picture credits go to Benjamin R, who helped capture the moment for history. Thank you “Ben Yamin”, which means “Son of my right hand”
[6] Aliyah translates to “going up”. It is used to describe the calling up of a person to recite the blessing before a reading from the Torah or Hahftorah. In this case it refers to the “going up” of a person coming to live in the Home Land of Israel.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
