Friday, May 21, 2021

CHUCK KOLB 01/21/2021

 Shabbat Shalom - Parasha נָשֹׂא Naso - Elevate - The Lord Bless You and Keep You !!!


Previously posted ...
Shabbat Shalom - Parasha במדבר  Bamidbar - United Under One Authority !!!

http://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/05/chuck-kolb-05142021.html
Pt1) Is America Denying God
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/05/sermon-is-america-denying-god-part-1.html
Intel Verified - Salk Institute Findings !!!
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/05/chuck-kolb-05162021.html

Alan Jones - virtue-signaling little turds inspired by the adults
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/05/chuck-kolb-05202021.html
Antarctica & Origins of the Dark Fleet
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/05/chuck-kolb-05182021.html
Update on UFO disclosure ...
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/05/chuck-kolb-05202021-ufo.html
DO NOT TAKE THIS 'treatment' - This deception is pure evil
https://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=40027
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2021/05/chuck-kolb-05212021.html
 
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world
ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
The war against Truth has been raging ever since
evil was expulsed from the realm of Heaven. 
God instructed Pharaoh, "Let my people go."
God instructs us, "Let my people know."
Shema Y'israel - Maranatha !
Na'aseh V'nishma
✡ ✡ ✡
כבוד שם יהוה Baruch Hashem Adonai  
#ShabbatShalom - Welcome to our Torah study of this week’s portion of Scripture, which is called Naso (Lift Up or Elevate). Please read along and enjoy with us this Torah portion that will be read in synagogues around the world this Shabbat (Saturday). We know you will be blessed!

Last week, in Parasha Bamidbar, a census was taken of the Israelite men of draftable age.  The Levites, who were given the duty to serve in the Sanctuary in the place of Israel’s firstborn, were excluded. The title of this week’s Parasha, Naso, means lift up or elevate.  It was the term used to take a head count (census) of the children of Israel.  In the Hebrew it reads, “Lift up the heads” (נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ — naso et rosh). This week, the headcount of the Israelites is completed with a census of the Levites who are between the ages of 30 and 50.  They are to do the work of transporting the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Besides discussing the duties of the Levites, this Scripture portion also provides the law of the nazir, or Nazirite, and the Aaronic Benediction (Birkat Kohanim — ברכת כהנים), more commonly known as the Priestly Blessing.

You can view this Parasha on our website complete with embedded links ...
Parasha Naso (Elevate): The Lord Bless You and Keep You

https://free.messianicbible.com/parasha/parasha-naso-elevate-the-lord-bless-you-and-keep-you-3/ 

ברכת כהנים Birkat Kohanim - Aharonic Blessing at the Kotel in Jerusalem
vid> https://youtu.be/wOlUJ3yPdQI (4:08)

https://tinyurl.com/Aharonic-Blessing-Instruction (2 page pdf)

Are You a Jew? The Answer Might Surprise You
https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/are-you-a-jew-fname-the-answer-might-surprise-you/

Revelation and Na'aseh V'nishma
https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/11880
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/do-first-understand-later/
We will do and we will listen to all that God has declared. Exodus 24:7

When to Celebrate Yeshua HaMashiach's birthday ...
The Joy of Tabernacles when Jesus was Born

http://conpats.blogspot.com/2019/10/chuck-kolb-10142019.html
How Yeshua was born on the Feast of Tabernacles by Rabbi Isaac
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/how-yeshua-was-born-on-the-feast-of-tabernacles/

English to Hebrew to English lookup
https://context.reverso.net/translation/hebrew-english/
https://www.doitinhebrew.com/Translate/default.aspx
https://yiddishkeit101.wordpress.com/category/hebrew-word-of-the-day
The Best Jewish Words You Need To Know: A Yiddish and Hebrew Glossary
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/the-best-jewish-words-you-need-to-know/
https://hebrew4christians.com/Glossary/Hebrew_Glossary_-_Sh/hebrew_glossary_-_sh.html
A Living Library of Jewish Texts in Hebrew and English translation.
https://www.sefaria.org/

Torah Teasers Parshat Naso by Moshe Erlbaum

https://www.aish.com/tp/i/teasers/Torah-Teasers-Parshat-Naso.html
 
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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Ralph Messer ...
Simchat Torah Beit Midrash - Joy of God’s Teaching and Instruction

What Does It Mean to Choose Life? Every decision you make can be made in a way that you are “choosing life.” The Torah is God’s constitution; it is His teaching and instruction; it is eternal and it is life. His Spirit is pure Light, abundant with untouchable, supreme, sovereign power.
God is the Source of all life.

Nasso

is the longest portion in the Torah, containing 176 verses.  Interestingly, the longest Psalm is Psalm 119, and it also contains 176 verses. This portion deals with the laws of the nazir—an individual who would dedicate a certain amount of time (or even a lifetime) to God, during which he/she would separate him/herself from worldly matters and strive for holiness.  The very word nazir means “separate” or “set apart.” The ways of a nazir not only serve as an example of how to regain closeness to God and spiritual refreshment, but they also serve as a reminder of the value of self-discipline as opposed to self-gratification and self-indulgence. Each moment of holding back is a reference point that you can go back to as a reminder that God has helped you and given you strength; a reminder that you are not a slave to your evil inclination.
https://stbm.org/nasso/

Arrive a half hour+ early for starting lessons ...
Online> Saturday Shabbat (9:00am ET / 12:30pm ET) Services and Midrash 
Online> Monday Nights with STBM 8:30pm ET  / Thursday Afternoon> 3:00 pm ET
Learn more about special event streaming when you call our team! 866-867-2488
https://stbm.org/stbm-live-main/ - https://www.youtube.com/c/RalphMesser/videos
https://stbm.org/study-home/  https://stbm.org/rrm-subscriptions/ 

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Todah Rabah - Dr. Gary Hedrick ...
Reaching the Jewish people with the Gospel
https://www.cjfm.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/
Charles Halff - What It Costs a Jew to Become a Christian

https://store.cjfm.org/product/146/what-it-costs-a-jew-to-become-a-christian

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Yitzchak ...
https://www.youtube.com/c/AssemblyofCalledOutBelievers/videos
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/sermon-topic/torah-parashot/
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/free-downloads/
https://www.facebook.com/CalledOutBelievers/ at 10am PT
The Importance and Beauty of Tzitzit
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/tzitzit/
The Hidden Beauty of the Holy Name of God - YHVH
vid> https://youtu.be/dbb45zmkli4 (20:59)


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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Chaim Richman ...

Weekly Torah Study: with Rav Gedalia Meyer
Positivity & the Holy Temple with Rabbi Abba Horvitz
Temple Talk Radio with Yitzchak Reuven
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheTempleInstitute/videos
https://www.facebook.com/The-Temple-Institute-22738684968/
https://www.instagram.com/thetempleinstitute/ - https://twitter.com/TempleInstitute
https://www.templeinstitute.org/ w Weekly Newsletter - 34 years

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Chaim Jachter ...
Kol Torah Academy of Bergen County 
Parashat Naso 5781

https://www.koltorah.org/articles?category=Naso
Parashat Naso 10 Sivan 5781 Issue (5 page pdf)

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a676111d74cffa4d903806e/t/60a7c500028eea0f439e348d/1621607681159/Kol+Torah+Naso+5781.pdf
https://www.koltorah.org/by-parashah  https://www.koltorah.org/about-us

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Parshat Naso

https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2166/jewish/Naso-in-a-Nutshell.htm
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/default.asp?tDate=5/22/2021 
https://www.chabad.org/calendar/view/month_cdo/jewish/Jewish-Calendar.htm

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Naphtali “Tuly” Weisz ...  

https://israel365.com/  https://www.israel365news.com/
https://www.israel365.com/about/  https://theisraelbible.com/

The Portion of Nasso
https://theisraelbible.com/2015/05/24/portion-nasso/
https://theisraelbible.com/2015/05/17/book-numbers/
https://theisraelbible.com/weekly-torah-portion/ 

WHY BIDEN WANTS A WAR IN ISRAEL
by Geri Ungurean

Brethren, do you hear the drums of war beating as I do? Take heart if you do. Remember how this ends. It does NOT bode well for the enemies of God! Terrorists have only one thing to offer. It’s right there in the name. The business model of terrorism is killing people and then demanding a payoff. The game always works the same way. The terrorists attack, their targets fight back, and a third party sends in the diplomats to negotiate on behalf of the terrorists before they get hit too hard.The Islamic terrorist war against Israel has worked exactly this way for generations.
Why I Love Israel - Adrian Rogers vid> https://youtu.be/UujRBenp_4k (42:28)
https://grandmageri422.me/2021/05/21/why-biden-wants-a-war-in-israel-video/
https://www.israel365news.com/190982/why-biden-wants-a-war-in-israel-opinion/
https://www.jns.org/opinion/why-biden-wants-a-war-in-israel/

Urgent "I Stand with Israel" online rally this Sunday, May 23 at 2 pm EDT.
We increased our Zoom account to hold 1,000 participants so are hoping for a nice crowd, but we might fill up so make sure to register right away and forward this email to your friends who care about Israel. Keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem, and make sure that your voice is heard on behalf of Israel and the Jewish People. Shabbat Shalom - praying for a quiet weekend,
To register > https://www.israel365.com/stand-with-israel/

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Jared and Ivanka Yael Special w Joseph, Arabella and Theodore ...

I got the shot !!!  (file under I can't believe it's real)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNqQe5QBVES/
My second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine
https://www.instagram.com/p/COgNdNFhabu/

https://www.instagram.com/ivankatrump/
https://twitter.com/ivankatrump 
http://ivankatrump.com/ 

President Donald J. Trump
https://www.45office.com/
https://gab.com/realdonaldtrump
https://t.me/real_DonaldJTrump
http://Instagram.com/realDonaldTrump 
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/desk 

DONALD DATES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Trump
Frederick Christ Trump (Drumpf) 10/11/1905
Mary Anne Trump nיee MacLeod 5/10/1912
Donald 6/14/46 <<< 
Melania 4/26/70
Barron 3/20/06
Donald, Jr. 12/31/77
Jared Kushner 1/10/81
Ivanka 10/30/81  
Eric 1/6/84
Tiffany 10/13/93 

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Good News From Israel - Achievements and Heartwarming Stories
In the 16th May 21 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

https://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/2021/05/israels-good-news-newsletter-to-16th.html
http://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/ 

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Todah Rabah - beloved Ted Belman writing from Jerusalem, Israel for 19+ years ... 
THERE IS NO DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION 

Wake Up, Israel!
by Victor Rosenthal

Our politicians say that the cease-fire with Hamas was unconditional. We will know in the next few weeks whether they were telling the truth, or whether they have given in to the enemy’s demands.
https://www.israpundit.org/wake-up-israel/

Wherein lies Israel’s salvation?
by Ted Belman

The ZOA lamented the ceasefire and blamed it on, “Enormous pressure from the United States and others caused Israel to prematurely discontinue its military efforts to demolish Hamas’ and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s terror infrastructure in Gaza.
https://www.israpundit.org/63668959-2/

Netanyahu Caved to Biden, and Dumped the Blame on the Army
by Amos Harel - HAARETZ

T. Belman writes,  As can be expected, Haaretz trashes Netanyahu. This article also recognizes the reality “the structural limits Israel faces fighting a terror organization which operates from an area densely populated with civilians.” and “the White House had run out of patience with Israel’s bombing of Gaza.”
https://www.israpundit.org/behind-the-gaza-cease-fire-netanyahu-surrendered-to-biden-and-dumped-the-blame-on-the-army/

How Hamas grew and upgraded its weapons arsenal to strike Israel

T. Belman writes, How’s this for asymmetry. Israel must cover the enormous cost of the war with little assistance. Hamas on the other hand gets a free ride and then some. Biden just promised “to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and to marshal international support for the people of Gaza and the Gaza reconstruction efforts.” What’s the rush. Let them suffer the consequences.
https://www.israpundit.org/how-hamas-grew-and-upgraded-its-weapons-arsenal-to-strike-israel/ 

How will we know who won the war?
by Caroline B. Glick - ISRAEL HAYOM

T. Belman writes,  Glick argues that Iran/Hamas didn’t trust the Raam leader as he seemed to embrace the Abrahamic Accords rather than his Muslim Brotherhood goals.  The wanted to scuttle both the impending coalition with the support of Ra’am and the Abrahamic Accords. So for her, the litmus test is two fold. 1) will the SC side with the Jewish landlords in Sheikh Jerrah and 2) will the AA continue to strengthen and bear more fruit.
https://www.israpundit.org/how-will-we-know-who-won-the-war/

What if there’s never going to be peace?
by Daniel Gordis

So I gave up and went downstairs to write this; from my window at this very moment, the sound of gunfire (presumably into the air) from a nearby Arab village is peppering the early morning dark. A crowd is chanting away in Arabic – it’s clear that the rage that these two weeks have sparked has not even begun to dissipate. Where it might lead is far from clear. Yet even if that is not clear, some things were clarified during these two awful weeks:
https://www.israpundit.org/what-if-theres-never-going-to-be-peace/

>> The Jordan Option, plain and simple
https://www.israpundit.org/the-jordan-option-plain-and-simple/
>> The Jordanian Option is the only game in town
https://www.israpundit.org/my-jordan-option-is-the-only-game-in-town/

Kindly donate to support the work I do
by Ted Belman
https://www.israpundit.org/kindly-donate-to-support-the-work-i-do/
https://www.israpundit.org/my-half-yearly-appeal-for-donations/

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Quest For The Lost Tribes - Full Simcha Jacobovici Documentary
vid> https://youtu.be/S0QCPXnAPNA (1:37:08) Syndicado TV 1998
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simcha_Jacobovici

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At the end of Parshat Naso, we see
Moses walking into the Tent of Meeting and hearing the voice of Hashem speaking from the space between the two cherubim above the covering over the Ark. The angelic faces bear witness to the miracle of the divine communing with man.  In honor of the angels, we feature this  a heavenly dish that will leave your guests with much to talk about, too.  Along with a meat filled menu for those craving extra meat after Shavuot.
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/shabbat-menu-angel-food-strawberry-bavarian/

15 Vegetarian Salads with Perfectly Paired Salad Dressings
https://jamiegeller.com/browse/get-dressed-15-vegetarian-salads-with-perfectly-paired-salad-dressings/

Halva it your way ...
4 Ways to Make Authentic Homemade Halva
Coffee - Chocolate-Sumac - Lemon Pistachio - Apple Cinnamon

vid> https://content.jwplatform.com/players/2KER53ez-FSMnt4zj.html (2:21) JewLish
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/authentic-homemade-halva-4-ways/

New LIVE Series: FEED YOUR SOUL
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/feed-your-soul/

Simchat Torah Menus
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/simchat-torah/simchat-torah-menus/
Vegan Recipes
https://www.pinterest.com/JamieGeller/vegan-recipes/
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/ 

This is Where You Can Find Me Most of the Time
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLpomjPnHcZ/
https://www.instagram.com/jamiegeller/
https://www.facebook.com/jamiegeller


The answer is, it's made with love from Israel ! 

https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/my-jewish-food-memories/
My Love Affair With Jerusalem
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/my-love-affair-with-jerusalem/
Lots of 💕 Jamie - Until next week Shabbat Shalom from Israel ! 

Joy of Aliyah 
http://jamiegeller.com/tag/joy-of-aliyah/
https://jamiegeller.com/tag/joyofisrael/
Jamie Geller Welcome's You
vid> https://youtu.be/XO-owES713c (0:35) JG 

The Jamie Geller Spice Collection: Now Available Worldwide!

Sending you love and my heartfelt wishes for peace, from Israel.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jamie+Geller/page/55E36343-CF6F-4E88-A4D5-D7C1C0274F7F
https://www.amazon.com/shop/jamiegeller

Babies, Books, and a Billion Views: My Decade in Review
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/a-decade-in-review/

Best of the Best w Hubby - Family Heirloom Cholent ...
vid> https://youtu.be/Ae2-lQVFsGw (12:01) 8/11/11 JG classic
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/family-heirloom-chulent/

Jamie at Aish - Chief Media & Marketing Officer
https://www.aish.com/authors/48868432.html
How You Can Make the Future Brighter
vid> https://youtu.be/fclstyB-1rA (2:48) Aish

The Influence of the Hebrew Bible on America's Founding Fathers
vid> https://youtu.be/jE6Sqh-kezw (7:15) J-TV
https://www.aish.com/jl/h/h/The-Influence-of-the-Hebrew-Bible-on-Americas-Founding.html
Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. An Introduction
https://www.aish.com/jl/b/eb/ge/48966101.html


Jamie Geller
https://jamiegeller.com/author/jamie-geller/
Beef Bacon 101 - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/jeithgmmua2s7fpzrgzk/
A Passover for Everyone - Aish and Jamie - free eBook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/sqyphcgmojgxtcq32ndx/
The Ultimate Challah - free eBook
https://koshernetwork.ac-page.com/pinterest-challah
Comforting Soups - free ebook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/vp6jenajjphxppjobhib/
Rosh Hashanah Sides - free ebook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/lmhvzqio815zbglkdar8/
Modern Israeli Kebobs - free ebook
https://koshernetwork.acemlnc.com/lt.php?s=a476321cee1a62660d5e43a07fe84c19&i=109A824A1A5341
MODERN ISRAELI SUMMER - free e-book
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/qlxqz3dqauo76fhgwlfd/
The Perfect Turkey Guide - free ebook
https://app.monstercampaigns.com/c/g4ibbdtyf0mfdt5fudgu/
Join My WayBetter Cooking Class with Jamie Geller
https://get.waybetter.com/jamiegeller/


The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  ‘Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses and by their clans. 
Numbers 4:21–22


Shabbat Shalom - Parasha נָשֹׂא Naso - Elevate - The Lord Bless You and Keep You !!!


Praying at the Western (Wailing) Wall.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Welcome to our Torah study on this week’s portion of Scripture, which is called Naso (Lift Up or Elevate).
 
Numbers 4:21–7:89; Judges 13:2–25; Ephesians 1:1–23
 
“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  ‘Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses and by their clans.’”  
(Numbers 4:21–22)
 
Reading the Torah in
                        the synagogue
Reading the Torah in the synagogue
 
Last week, in Parasha Bamidbar, a census was taken of the Israelite men of draftable age.  The Levites, who were given the duty to serve in the Sanctuary in the place of Israel’s firstborn, were excluded.
 
The title of this week’s Parasha, Naso, means lift up or elevate.  It was the term used to take a head count (census) of the children of Israel.  In the Hebrew it reads, “Lift up the heads” (נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ — naso et rosh).
 
This week, the headcount of the Israelites is completed with a census of the Levites who are between the ages of 30 and 50.  They are to do the work of transporting the Mishkan (Tabernacle).
 
Besides discussing the duties of the Levites, this Scripture portion also provides the law of the nazir, or Nazirite, and the Aaronic Benediction (Birkat Kohanim — ברכת כהנים), more commonly known
as the Priestly Blessing.
 
The High Priest
                        Blessing Israel (Photo by the Magnes Collection
                        of Jewish Art and Life)
The High Priest Blessing Israel (Photo by the
Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life)

The Nazirite Vow 
“When a man or a woman utters a Nazirite vow... he shall abstain from new and old wine... grape-beverages, grapes and raisins ...” 
(Numbers 6:23)
 
A man or woman who vows to abstain from cutting their hair, touching a corpse, and eating grapes and grape products, including drinking wine, is called a Nazirite, or Nazir (נָזִיר) in Hebrew.
 
The word comes from the root NZR (נזר), which means to dedicate or separate oneself (as in keeping oneself separate from grapes and wine).  Another word from the same root is nezer (נֵזֶר), which means crown, consecration, and separation.
 
We can see the intersection of these ideas in Numbers 6:7–8, which discusses the Nazir.  It reads, “They must not make themselves ceremonially unclean … because the symbol of their dedication [crown (nezer — נֵזֶר)] to God is on their head.  Throughout the period of their dedication [nezer], they are consecrated [kadosh / holy] to the LORD.”  (Numbers 6:7–8)
 
Through this vow, the layman’s status was raised to something approaching the status of priest.
 
This level of sanctity is seen in that, like the High Priest, the Nazirite could not contaminate him or herself by coming into contact with a corpse, even one of an immediate family member.
 
As well, the Nazirite abstains from intoxicants more stringently than the priests, who abstain only during their term in the Sanctuary.  Moreover, the focus of sanctity for both the Nazirite and High Priest is their head (compare Numbers 6:7 to Exodus 29:7 and Leviticus 21:10).
 
Jewish men pay respect
                        to the Torah scroll at the Western (Wailing)
                        Wall.
Jewish men pay respect to the Torah scroll at the Western (Wailing) Wall.
 
Although most people are not to stay separate or aloof from society but, rather, to bring holiness into the world in which we live, Nazirites are allowed to do so.
 
Amos underlines the holiness of the Nazirites, connecting them to prophets:  “I set up prophets from your sons and Nazirites from your young men."  (Amos 2:11)
 
The rabbis believe that in the Messianic Era, there will be no need for separation from worldly matters since they will no longer negatively impact us.  Instead, since all will abound in peace and beauty, our single-minded focus will be to know God — to love, serve, and worship Him forever.  This will fulfill the holiness of the Nazirite vow.
 
Jewish People pray for the coming of that Messianic era and God’s salvation (in Hebrew, Yeshuah — יְשׁוּעָהevery day.  They say in their daily prayers, “Every day (and all day long) we hope for Your salvation”; or in the version of the Thirteen Principles of the Faith, they pray: “I await his coming every day.”
 
Charles, please pray for the salvation of the Jewish people who wait with longing each day for the coming of the Messiah.
 
A father pulls his sons
                        under his tallit (prayer shawl) during the
                        Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall in
                        Jerusalem. (Photo by Lilach Daniel)
A father pulls his sons under his tallit (prayer
shawl) during the Priestly Blessing at the
Western Wall in Jerusalem. 
(Photo by Lilach Daniel)
 
The Birkat Kohanim: Priestly Blessing
In this Parasha, God commands the Kohanim (Jewish High Priests / descendants of Aaron, brother of Moses) to impart a blessing (Numbers 6:24–26) called the Birkat Kohanim to the people of Israel through the following three-part benediction:
 
The LORD bless you and guard you.
The LORD make His face shed light upon you and be gracious unto you.
The LORD lift up His face unto you and give you peace.
 
To impart this blessing, the priests lift their hands with palms outstretched and facing downwards.
 
While the Sephardic communities today simply raise their hands above their heads and separate their fingers with their arms outstretched, Ashkenazi communities see the hands of the Kohanim forming windows through which the blessings flow, as explained in
the Midrash (Jewish commentary).
 
The Midrash compares this stance with a passage in the Song of Songs, which suggests that God’s Shekhinah (Divine Presence) stands behind the Kohanim who bless the people:
 
“... therefore the priests spread their palms, to say that the Holy One stands behind us.  And so it is written: ‘There He stands behind our wall, gazing through the window, peering through the lattice.’  (Song of Songs 2:9)  ‘Gazing through the window’ — through the fingers of the priests; ‘peering through the lattice’ — when they spread their palms, therefore it says, ‘Thus shall you bless them.’” (Tanhuma (Buber) Parashat Naso, Article 15, cited by netivot-shalom)
 
A mosaic of the
                        positioning of the hands during the Priestly
                        Blessing in Ashkenazi communities.
A mosaic of the positioning of the hands during the Priestly Blessing
in Ashkenazi communities.

The Difference Between Prayers and Blessings
"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." 
(James 5:16)
 
The rabbis make a distinction between blessing and prayer.
 
The blessing of a tzadik (righteous man) imparts to us whatever God has intended for our life.
 
For example, when Jacob blessed his grandchildren, Menasheh and Ephraim, Jacob crossed his hands to give the greater blessing to Ephraim rather than Menasheh.  This was not his personal decision; he was being guided by Adonai to give the blessing He intended for these particular tribes.
 
Prayer, however, can also change circumstances for the better.
 
It can cause a sick person to recover, a single person to find their bashert (chosen match), and a person plagued by poverty to have their needs met.
 
The Birkat Kohanim, however, acts as both a blessing and a prayer.  The Kohanim bless us with God’s peace, protection, favor, and grace; but as a prayer, it can also change our circumstances for the better.
 
Blessing of Ephraim and
                        Manasseh, by Marc Chagall
Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, by Marc Chagall

Pronouncing the Blessing Today
"And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them."  (Mark 10:16)
 
Because their lineage has been preserved over thousands of years, the Kohanim still stand up to bless the people in synagogues and Jewish communities all over the world.
 
In Israel, the Western Wall Plaza is packed with people who come at special festival times to receive the Aaronic Benediction from the Kohanim in Jerusalem.
 
Although the blessing comes through the raised hands of the Kohanim, God makes it clear that it is His blessing being transmitted through the Priests as His chosen vessels.  
 
God said, “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”  (Numbers 6:27)
 
Not only did God place His name on the hands of the Kohanim, He also engraved the names of the children of Israel on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16).
 
A newborn's
                        great-grandfather, grandfather, and uncle recite
                        the priestly blessing over her. (Photo by Avi
                        and Elina Flax)
A newborn's great-grandfather, grandfather, and uncle recite the
priestly blessing over her.  (Photo by Avi and Elina Flax)
 
This blessing continues to be recited today in Jewish families.
 
In the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant), we see that blessings are also imparted through hands.  Believers in Yeshua also have the power to bless and even heal by the laying on of hands.
 
“They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them.  They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed."  (Mark 16:18)
 
Many Messianic congregations pronounce the Birkat Kohanim, blessing those assembled in their services.
 
Ultimately, the Birkat Kohanim is about experiencing intimacy with God.  May our lives be a living testimony of this intimacy — of a people with holy hands and sanctified hearts and heads who carry with them the Presence of the God of Israel.
 
Torah and Kiddish cup
 
Today, you can pray for the Jewish People discover the true intimacy with God that is possible in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah).
 
"The LORD their God will save His people on that day as a shepherd saves His flock.  They will sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown."  (Zechariah 9:16)
 
Shabbat Shalom from the Entire Bibles For Israel Family!

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